Blades of the Old Empire Read online

  Ellah hastily got out of bed, washed in the basin in the corner of the room, and pulled on a dress, anxious to know the reason for the early turmoil. When she was fastening the last strings, the door flew open and Odara rushed in. Her hair stood like a crown of wavering snakes around her head. She ran to the chair and snatched her Keeper’s robe. Her hands trembled with urgency as she unfolded it and pulled it on over her dress.

  “What’s happening?” Ellah asked.

  Odara turned, as if only now noticing her presence. “The Majat are here! And, they’re talking to the King. Hurry, if you want to learn what it’s about.”

  “The Majat?” Ellah felt confused. The Majat were here all the time, and she had never seen Odara Sul so worked up about it.

  Odara’s face showed impatience as she struggled into the sleeves of her robe. “Two of them arrived from their Guild early this morning. One Diamond. And another young one of a gem rank. Let’s go!”

  She rushed out of the room. Intrigued, Ellah trailed behind.

  When they entered the open door of the King’s chambers, everyone else was already there. The action centered around King Evan who stood in the depth of the room wearing a robe over a nightgown. His long black hair flowed loosely onto his shoulders. He must have been taken straight out of bed to see the visitors, but his face showed no trace of it. He looked fresh and alert, as if he had been awake for hours spent out in the cool lakeside air.

  The Rubies of the Pentade formed a row behind his back. Next to them hovered a freckled young man with curly red hair. He had an upturned nose, full childlike lips, and bright blue eyes that looked at the world with an expression of wonder, which Ellah found somewhat exaggerated. She had a distinct feeling this boyish look was just a façade, so that everyone who saw him would underestimate his true self.

  It took Ellah a moment to realize that everyone’s attention was focused not on this newcomer, but on the two men kneeling at King Evan’s feet.

  One of them was Mai. The other, a man of broader build with a dark tan and straight black hair tied back into a shoulder-length ponytail. Ellah could see his profile, a high cheekbone, wide nose, and a gleaming eye whose slanted line shot like an arrow up the side of his face. He had two curved swords strapped across his back, and a pack of throwing knives at his belt. His frightening grace, similar to Mai’s, left no doubt that these two were of the same rank.

  One Diamond, Odara Sul had said. And another of a gem rank.

  Ellah crept forward and stretched her neck.

  “… Guild business, Your Majesty,” the dark man was saying in a low rumbling voice. “I assure you, there will be no inconvenience.”

  The King glanced from the newcomer to Mai. “Aghat Mai and I were just getting used to each other. Given the current circumstances, it would be highly undesirable to make a change now.”

  A change? Ellah moved another step forward, so as not to miss a single word.

  “Aghat Han would do a better job as the Pentade leader, Your Majesty,” Mai said. “He’s my senior in years and is far more experienced than I am.”

  King Evan smiled. “Your experience is quite sufficient, Aghat Mai. I wouldn’t wish for a better guard than you.”

  Mai bowed, his face frozen into a calm mask. “Thank you, Your Majesty. You’re most kind.”

  Ellah’s heart sank. Mai was being replaced? But why?

  “Aghat Mai’s term is not over for at least a year,” Evan said to Han. “Is it common for your Guild to replace a Diamond in the middle of an assignment?”

  Han’s dark eyes fixed him with a heavy stare. “This is Guild business, Your Majesty. It takes precedence over everything else. However, I assure you that the Pentade will be just as efficient under my command.”

  Evan sighed. “I’m sure you’re right, Aghat Han.” He took out a throwing star with a glittering diamond set in its center and held it out to Mai. “Your token, Aghat Mai.”

  The Majat took it without words. The new Pentade leader, Han, handed Evan another token, which to Ellah’s eye looked identical. After the solemn exchange the two Diamonds bowed and rose to their feet. Mai’s observed the freckled newcomer. Then he turned and strode out of the room.

  “Very well,” Evan said to the room in general. “Now we all must go back to our usual routine. In my case, I’d like to finish my sleep.”

  He turned and walked off in the direction of his bedchamber. The new Pentade leader, Han, gestured to the Rubies, who took their place at the four corners of the space in front of the entrance. The freckled man threw a questioning glance at Han.

  “You’ll wait here, Gahang Sharrim,” the Diamond said, “until Aghat Mai tells you what to do. From this moment on you’re under his command.”

  He is going away with Mai? Ellah’s dislike for the freckled man deepened by the minute. She felt empty. She and Mai had hardly talked in the last few days, but to imagine life in this dreary castle without him was unthinkable. The new Diamond, Han, seemed just as competent, but he was so dull, so ordinary. So wrong.

  She clenched her teeth and walked out. She didn’t care where she went, as long as it wasn’t to her room, where Odara would see through her in a second and mock her to the end of her days. She ran along the corridor heading for the niche near the end, where a window overlooked the lake and where she could sit on the sill, invisible to the rest of the hallway, and be alone with her thoughts.

  As she neared the niche, she realized that the place was already occupied. A slender shape in elegant black curled up on the windowsill, comfortable as a cat.

  Mai.

  He was sitting in her favorite spot. In his lowered hand was a parchment that he must have been reading just a moment ago. His other hand, resting over bent knees, held an object with sharp corners that looked like a Majat token, its stone hidden from view. His eyes were fixed unseeingly into the distance.

  As he heard Ellah’s approaching steps, he spun around so fast that his entire shape blurred. Ellah drew back in fright. He recognized her and relaxed back into his seat. Keeping his eyes on her face, he slowly hid the throwing star into a deep pocket inside his shirt without letting her see the stone set into its center. Then he folded the parchment he was holding and put it away.

  “It’s you,” he said.

  She nodded. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  He smiled, but his gaze remained distant. “No problem.” His eyes looked past her into the hallway.

  She hesitated. She was obviously intruding. Something bad must have happened at his Guild to make him look so distracted. She should just leave him alone. But she couldn’t. Not without asking.

  “Are you leaving?”

  He looked at her, his gaze slowly focusing on her face. “Yes.”

  She swallowed. “Are you going to come back?”

  The pause was longer this time. “Eventually. If I succeed.”

  “And if you don’t?”

  He smiled. “If I don’t, I’ll die. That’s what my job is all about.”

  He said it casually, as if he didn’t really mean it, but the mere thought of such a possibility was horrible. Ellah shivered.

  “You won’t die,” she said quietly. “You’ll succeed. And we – I mean, King Evan – will be waiting for you to return.”

  He paused, looking at her appraisingly.

  “Want to come with me?” he asked.

  Ellah’s mouth fell open. She couldn’t possibly have heard him right. “What?”

  “You said you’d rather travel with Prince Kythar. As it happens, I’m going to the Grasslands. There’s a high chance that our paths will cross. So, I could take you to him. If you think you can keep up.”

  She stared, her heart beating so fast that it threatened to jump out of her chest.

  “I can keep up,” she said carefully.

  She was half expecting him to laugh and tell her it was all a joke. He couldn’t be serious about this, could he? She met his eyes, preparing for the worst.

 
He smiled. “Go get ready then. We’re leaving in half an hour.”

  “You’re what?” Mother Keeper asked.

  Ellah forced herself to keep calm under the older woman’s gaze. “I’m going with Aghat Mai.”

  Mother Keeper’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

  “He– he said he could take me to Kyth.”

  “Did he really?”

  Ellah took a deep breath. “He said he’s going to the Grasslands on a new assignment. He said it’s very likely that he’ll come across Kyth on the way. So, he could take me to him.”

  “And if he doesn’t come across him? The Grasslands are very big, you know. They stretch from Jaimir all the way to the Eastern Mountain Crest, and to the Southern Deserts at the outskirts of Shayil Yara.”

  Ellah bit her lip. The possibility hadn’t occurred to her.

  “Then I could come back with him. He said he’ll return after he completes his assignment.” She didn’t want to mention the other possibility. It wasn’t going to happen. Mai could never fail an assignment, she was certain of it.

  The older woman shook her head. “And you’re sure you aren’t being foolish? He’s a killer on an assignment for his Guild. It may seem to you that he’s being nice by asking you along, but do you really believe that’s all there is to it? How do you know he won’t take advantage of you?”

  Ellah forced herself to look straight at the woman. She wished Mother Keeper would stop calling Mai a killer. Didn’t she know Diamonds were trained not to kill unless they absolutely had to? On the other hand, she had to admit some of Mother Keeper’s words made sense. It did seem highly unusual that Mai would risk an inconvenience on his high priority mission by bringing along someone like her. But he had asked her to come, hadn’t he?

  Maybe what he told her back on the road about his feelings was the truth.

  Maybe everyone could just leave her alone and let her do what she wanted.

  “He won’t take advantage of me,” she said with unnecessary force.

  Mother Keeper stepped closer to Ellah and put a hand on her shoulder. “You can’t even tell if he’s lying to you.”

  “I can’t,” Ellah admitted. “But what could he possibly want from me?”

  Odara Sul in her corner giggled. “Maybe your virtue? That’s what you hope he wants, isn’t it?”

  Ellah turned, blood rushing to her cheeks. She opened her mouth for a retort, but couldn’t think of anything to say.

  “I feel responsible,” Mother Keeper said. “I brought you along to help in your training, not to have you lose your head and run off alone with a man you know nothing about.”

  “We won’t be alone,” Ellah said. “Gahang Sharrim is coming too.”

  Odara Sul laughed. Curled up in an armchair, her hair wrapped into pigtails, she looked like a nasty schoolgirl. “I see, you’re quite familiar with your travel companions. Gahang Sharrim, is it? The cute one with freckles?”

  Ellah ignored her. “I did come with you to learn,” she told Mother Keeper. “And I learned a lot already. I just… I believe my place is with Kyth. I want to travel with him.”

  “Are you sure that’s what you want?” the older woman asked. “Or, is it Aghat Mai you want to travel with?”

  Ellah stepped back, her cheeks flaring up with a deep red color.

  Mother Keeper sighed. “I thought so.”

  “It’s not like that,” Ellah said quietly, but there was no conviction in her voice. She clenched her teeth and fell silent.

  “How about your promise to help King Evan?” Mother Keeper asked. “If he ever again agrees to meet with our gracious host, your presence there could be quite useful.”

  “I don’t think I could be of use to King Evan,” Ellah said. “They call it diplomacy, but all they do is lie to each other. And then, just as suddenly, they all start speaking the truth and everyone gets disconcerted. I don’t think they need a truthseer to tell when that happens. Besides, I am not a court lady, and I make a very poor sword bearer. I just… I don’t belong here.”

  There was a pause as they looked at each other. Then Mother Keeper’s gaze softened.

  “Perhaps it’s all for the best,” the older woman said. “We could use your help to send word of our imprisonment to Magister Egey Bashi. We need someone to get us out of here.”

  Ellah nodded. “I’ll do my best to get word to him.” She picked up her pack and turned to go.

  “Wait!” Odara Sul called out. “I want to give you something.”

  She reached into a pouch at her belt and brought out a small dark vial. Ellah recognized it at once. It was the magic liquid that restored Mai’s face, bringing him so much pain in the process. The liquid that Odara handled with such skill and care as if it had the power to bring life.

  “Don’t use it on simple scratches,” Odara said. “This substance is much more valuable and powerful than that. You must use it only if you ever need to heal a really serious wound. But whatever you do, don’t let anyone’s hair touch it, unless you want them to end up like me.”

  Ellah looked at Odara with wonder. Her moving hair. So, that’s how it happened.

  She suddenly became aware of someone standing in the doorway. She turned and saw Mai.

  Her breath caught in her throat. She had no idea how long he had been standing there. If he heard what Odara and Mother Keeper said about him.

  She looked at him searchingly, but his gaze was unreadable.

  “It’s time to go,” he said.

  “Aghat Mai,” Mother Keeper said brightly. “So, it’s true what Ellah told us just now? You’re taking her along on your new assignment?”

  “Yes, my lady,” Mai said levelly.

  Mother Keeper gave him a piercing stare, but his expression didn’t change. They stood for a moment, eyes locked.

  “I want your promise that you won’t bring this girl to harm, Aghat,” Mother Keeper said. “She’s my responsibility.”

  “Don’t worry, my lady,” he said. “She’ll be safe with us.”

  “We never doubted that,” Odara Sul said, her eyes shining with laughter. “The question we were discussing before you arrived is whether she would be safe from you, Aghat.”

  He turned to her, the quick surprise in his eyes melting into mischief. For a moment they both looked like children playing a game.

  “I think Gahang Sharrim and I can control our dangerous sides,” he said, carefully keeping his face straight.

  “Stop it, Odara!” Mother Keeper said. “And you, Aghat, just make sure you understand that you’re taking on a responsibility. I expect you to live up to it.”

  He nodded, then turned to Ellah. “Let’s go.”

  She picked up her pack and followed Mai out of the room.

  There was a commotion out in the hallway. The double doors at the end that marked the boundary of the King’s imprisonment stood open. The space inside was flooded with the Illitand guards, headed by the pale-faced Lord Daemur himself. The Duke’s eyes were shining with anger.

  Han and Sharrim stood side by side in front of the Duke. Lothar and Brannon crowded on them from behind. The other two Rubies were not in sight.

  Mai strode up to the group and stopped in front of Lord Daemur, shoulder to shoulder with Han.

  “Is there a problem, Your Grace?” he asked.

  The Duke glared at the newcomer. Then he swallowed, struggling to control his twitching face. “It came to my attention that two Majat arrived here this morning and are now planning to leave.”

  Mai looked past the Duke to the guards at his back. His cold expression inadvertently brought to mind that of a butcher running his eyes over the herd of livestock brought in for the morning slaughter. The thought reflected in the faces of the guards, whose expressions rapidly changed from confidence to various degrees of unease.

  “Did it also come to your attention, Lord Daemur,” Mai said, “that we’re in a hurry?”

  Daemur looked at him in disbelief. “You can’t leave!”

 
; “Why not?”

  “Because you’re with King Evan, and he’s a prisoner in my castle!”

  “Aghat Han is with King Evan,” Mai corrected. “I have a new assignment.”

  Daemur gaped. “Since when?”

  “Since today. Now, can we stop wasting time, Your Grace?”

  The Duke’s pale face flushed with color. “This is my castle, Aghat Mai. And I am not allowing you to leave.”

  Mai shrugged. “That, Your Grace, is utterly foolish.” He drew his staff from the sheath at his back with a quick fluid move. The front row of guards backed off.

  “You wouldn’t dare,” Daemur said.

  Mai leaned closer to the Duke. “I’m on urgent Guild business, with orders to kill anyone who stands in my way. How many men are you willing to lose, Your Grace?”

  Daemur held his gaze. “Despite your exquisite skill, Aghat Mai, you’re only one man. Do you think you’re omnipotent?”

  “By no means. But I’m also not alone. We have two Diamonds, four Rubies, and one Jade. I’d say, the odds are heavily in our favor.” He nodded to Sharrim, who pulled a wide curved blade from a sheath at his back. Then he moved a hand along his staff to draw the blades out of its ends. The guards pressed backward at double speed, leaving the Duke alone in the center of the hallway, face to face with five Majat.

  “You’re the first in our way,” Mai said. “Are you sure you won’t reconsider, Your Grace?”

  Daemur’s gaze wavered. “You wouldn’t dare,” he repeated.

  Mai’s short glance made the Duke take a step back. “Watch me.”

  Daemur swallowed. He glanced over the blades on Mai’s staff, the sword in Sharrim’s hand, and the ominous presence of the other three gems, who didn’t draw their weapons, but stood their ground with looks that said they would have no problem doing so in a flash. His posture deflated.

  “You must swear to me that you’re going on your Guild’s business, Aghat, and not the King’s.”

  “I already told you that.”

  The Duke’s gaze wavered and lowered to the floor. “All right. You’re free to go, Aghat Mai.”