Lady of Wolves (Evalyce Worldshaper Book 2) (6 page)

Blinded with pain and fury, Grosso fled Karokorum, drawing upon the Nagali's power to teleport to freedom, such as it was. Al'dhumarna was angered at the loss of his control over the Arkaddian ruler and he made it perfectly clear to his servant. Somewhere in the dizzying, stumbling series of jumps that followed, Kage's presence disappeared from his mind. The magickal strain of moving two people so far, even with the Nagali's aid, tore down Grosso's defenses and the sundering of the magisterial bond drove the pain-crazed mage further within himself. He finally wound up in a warm dark room that seemed 'safe' drenched in sweat and in pure agony. Shock and pure exhaustion overwhelmed him, pulling Grosso into a dream-tormented sleep.

Whispered voices in a guttural language teased Grosso awake. He lay there a moment, trying to get his bearings, but his tenuous grip on reality shattered and he slipped back into restless slumber. When he woke next he found that he had been stripped and was covered to the waist with a warm blanket. A young woman was applying a cooling salve to his burns. Greater wakefulness brought the pain crashing back and with it all his anger and fear.

He sat up and snarled a question at the young woman. She made a placating gesture and said something in response but her words were all jumbled. She tried to coax him into laying back down and he snapped, fury washing over him in a blaze that surpassed the pain of the burns. Enraged, the mage grabbed the front of her shirt and threw her down. Sealing the room they were in against intrusion Grosso vented his frustrations on his helpless rescuer.

When his anger was spent and he returned to his senses, the mage was shocked by the damage he'd wrought. The young woman was unconscious, battered and bloody but alive. He was somewhat surprised to find that his own wounds were healed, rough and imperfect though it was. Leave it to the Nagali to use such anger as the fuel for healing. Sick at heart and trying hard to hide it, Grosso dressed slowly. Using his own very meager talent for healing he stabilized the woman and teleported away, releasing the warding as he did.

Morning had come far too early for Kalla. She yawned as she followed Ari down the corridor to Nobunaga's study, Vander and Aleister trailing behind. As they walked down the hallway Kalla could sense the presence of the Harriers hidden along it, their vigilance increased since the incident last night. No doubt they would be very careful in the future of letting magi near the Khan. Ari stopped before the door covering and stuck his head through, then motioned for them to enter.

Nobunaga rose to his feet as they entered. He bowed deeply to them, an extremely formal gesture that threw Kalla off for a moment. Touching fist to heart she returned the bow just as deeply, the others following her lead.

“It appears I have even more to be grateful to you for, Lady kyl'Solidor. You… gave me my life back.” Nobunaga paused, looking troubled. “It feels like I've been half-asleep these past few months. I can't believe I would have seriously considered going to war with Rang'moori. The sheepherders have done nothing to us, certainly nothing to warrant that. No warriors are they! The Coalition could not have mustered an army quickly enough to save them. It would have been a slaughter and I would have been the cause. You've saved both our peoples, Lady Mage.”

“No, Lord Khan, you would not have been the cause, merely the tool. The fault lies with Grosso, and with his master, Al'dhumarna. I am truly sorry that we had to deceive you in order to free you,” Kalla said gently.

Nobunaga shook his head, grimacing.

“I am weak. If I can be so easily influenced, I no longer deserve to rule the Plains.”

The Khan might have said more, but Aleister interrupted. Kalla looked over, surprised that her Arkaddian companion would be so brash. Aleister stepped forward, closer to Nobunaga. He stood, easy and confident, meeting Nobunaga's gaze with a fierce one of his own.

“Are you a mage, Lord Khan?” Aleister asked.

Nobunaga's lips were pressed in a thin line. He stiffened at Aleister's approach.

“I am not,” he growled out.

“Then why would you consider yourself weak, to have been influenced such? The playing field wasn't fair to begin with. If I understand all that Lady Kalla has told me, Grosso's influence was subtly building over the months, tied to the pendant you wore. It was a gift, was it not?”

Nobunaga nodded slowly and Aleister pressed on. “Just so. A gift given by a mage you had no reason to distrust. I'm sure that the shaman still checked it out, but how would they have known exactly what to look for?”

“I agree with Aleister, Lord Nobunaga. You could not have known and… most… magi can be trusted not to interfere in politics. However, all's well that ends well, yes? You did
not
start a war with Rang'moori and, if I am not mistaken, you have gained the Rus Akkad as allies,” Kalla interjected. Aleister backed away, moving to once again stand slightly behind Kalla.

“If Baal stays, the remainder of his clan will stay as well. They all seem to have formed strong bonds with the Harriers who are their riders. Stronger than I would have expected. Who knows? Maybe the Rus Akkad will flourish once more, under the protection of Arkaddia? Of your seven, three are female and young. A better outlook by far than for the Cove Rock Clan. Of those, only Amaterasu is left…” Kalla's voice turned wistful. Amaterasu had settled in with the frost wyrm flock as easily as if she had always been a part of it and the mage could tell that she missed the company of her own kind. Hopefully she could find a home here, when all was said and done. Nobunaga nodded wearily.

“The Rus Akkad will stay. I went to speak to Baal this morning, as soon as Shukke and Ari would allow me to leave. I apologized for my people's part in their enslavement, even though they were already spiked when Grosso brought them here, and I offered them their choice of territory if they wished to stay. Baal accepted. He said that there was nothing but painful memories waiting for them if they returned home. They wish to stay with the Harriers.

“I cannot begin to think how we might repay you, Lady Mage. How do you measure the value of a people? You've given us our lives and land back. And not just us. How many would have died if war had come to Evalyce? And the wyvern you've helped, where others would no doubt have simply killed them. Kasai and Shukke have told me more of your exploits. You could very easily have shot the Harriers and their wyvern from the sky, yet you chose to risk your own life freeing them, even when you thought that they were alone,” the Khan said.

“We do not need repaying, Lord Nobunaga. We are here to serve the greater good. We did what was expected and required of us, no more nor less. I had the strength and the ability. It would have been hypocritical of my oath to serve if I had done nothing. If I get the chance and still have the strength, I will help the other lands as well, though this particular strength is a fickle companion, sometimes here and sometimes not.” Kalla shook her head ruefully, giving Nobunaga a tired grin. “However… I would appreciate guest rights until we figure out what we need to do next.”

“That we can do. You may stay here as long as you have need, Lady Mage.”

“Thank you, Lord Nobunaga. It is most appreciated.”

“I would, however, like to know how you managed to get past the Harriers in order to steal the pendant from me in the first place. If there is a breach, it must be repaired,” Nobunaga's voice was grim, causing Aleister to grimace and duck his head sheepishly.

“There is no breach nor any fault with your Harriers, Lord Khan. I am gifted with the magick of the
kitsune
. They thought me to be one of them and I knew the proper calls. Please don't punish the hawks because of my actions,” the magister said.

“Kiba said it was Kasai that entered my quarters and Kasai that left them. That was you then?” Nobunaga asked.

“Yes, Lord Khan. I apologize for breaking your trust, but it seemed the only way to get the pendant away without Grosso knowing. I am more than willing to bear any punishment that might be meted out to the Harriers. It's not their fault. Your men are good men and loyal, but they had no reason to disbelieve that I was what I appeared to be- their commander,” Aleister said. Nobunaga gave the Sky Fox a long look, then flicked his gaze to Kalla before settling back on the magister.

“Very well, magister. I will take you up on that. For the remainder of your time here, you will stay with the Harriers, living as they live and training with them. No doubt each can learn from the other.” Nobunaga called Ari back in and instructed him to have Aleister taken to the Mews and fitted with clothing appropriate to the hawks. “Ahh, yes. One other thing. Give everything except your
jinshin
to your mage. Until you leave, you're a hawk.”

Aleister slipped the claw earring out and handed it to Kalla. He frowned as he ran his finger over the wolf-shaped ring before reluctantly taking it off and turning it over to her. He had such a forlorn look that the Healer couldn't help but chuckle.

“You did it to yourself,” she chided gently. “Don't worry. I'm sure you'll be kept so busy that the time will pass before you know it.”

Kalla watched as Aleister followed Ari out of the room, then turned a questioning look on the Khan. Nobunaga had a faint grin on his face.

“Shukke said he needed occupying for a few days. I didn't think he'd make it that easy. Speaking of which, Shukke would like to see you soon. The two of you have much to discuss,” he said in response to her look. Puzzlement filtered to her from Vander, but the War Mage kept silent.

Kalla guessed Shukke had told the Khan of her request. She touched fist to heart again, bowing slightly. “My thanks, Lord Khan. I had wondered how to keep him out from underfoot. By your leave?” she asked. The Khan's grin broadened and he whistled sharply, a sound that rose and fell in an odd rhythm. Within seconds one of the hidden Harriers appeared, cautiously poking his head through the door.

“Yes, my Khan?” the Harrier asked, with a deep bow.

“Escort the magi to the central courtyard. Shukke and Koumugi should still be within,” the Khan said. The hawk bowed again and turned his attention to Kalla and Vander.

“Follow me, if you please.”

As the pair followed the Harrier through the corridors of the Palace, Vander finally lost the battle with his curiosity.

“
Dashkele, what are you planning that you don't want the Fox to know about?
” the War Mage asked. Kalla gave him a sidelong look.

“
I trust you can keep a secret?
” she replied, earning a wounded look from the Dashmari. “
Hah, very well. Even though I accepted the Sky Fox as my Consort, he
is
Arkaddian. I don't think he would be truly comfortable in that role unless it were made more 'official'. I've asked Shukke to perform a handfasting for us, but I want it to be a surprise, hence the need to have him otherwise occupied,
” Kalla said. “
It is important to me, too. It would help make things seem more…
real.”

She stopped speaking as they came to a halt at the entrance to a beautiful garden. The Harrier gestured for the magi to go into the courtyard. Through the entrance, Kalla could see Shukke and Koumugi, seated on benches in silent communion with the beauty around them.

“Thank you…?”

“Kiba, milady. My name is Kiba,” the young Harrier said with a blush.

“Thank you, Kiba.”

“You are welcome, milady. When you are ready to leave, just call. I can take you wherever you need to go,” he replied with a bow. The Healer grinned. She wondered if their watch-hawk had been Nobunaga's doing or the Harriers' themselves. Some might have been offended, but she didn't mind. She understood the Arkaddians' reluctance to leave them unattended after all that had happened.

* * *

Koumugi watched as the Harriers practiced on the open fields outside the Mews. More specifically, he watched Aleister as the magister deftly fired arrows at targets from the back of a galloping vykr, guiding it with nothing more than subtle movements of his knees. Of the eight targets on the course, he hit the center of seven and came close on the last.

The young shaman was impressed. Under the Harriers' second in command, Khasar, skills that had lain dormant in the magister all the years since he left flourished once more. This was the third day he'd been with them and not one among them could say he wasn't a skilled warrior. As Aleister guided the vykr back, Khasar called him over and directed him to where the shaman stood waiting. With a bow to the senior Harrier, he made his way over to Koumugi.

“You wished to see me?” Aleister asked as he stopped before the shaman and dipped a slight bow.

“Walk with me, hawk. I'd like to hear more of your adventures in Xibalba. The mage says that you managed to get through,” Koumugi said.

“As you wish.”

Aleister followed the shaman along a meandering path, answering questions and telling of their stay in Xibalba. While he was very interested in hearing about the Lord of Living Nightmare's realm, Koumugi's objective was along far different lines. His father had requested him to find the truth of the Magister's heart. While Shukke agreed with Kalla's reasoning with keeping the actual ceremony a surprise, the elder shaman wanted to know if it was something Aleister would really want. Shukke was pretty sure of the answer after seeing the two together, but he wanted to be absolutely certain.

Koumugi stopped his wandering atop a small rise and turned to face the encampment. They were near the
Stymphalian
and the wyvern flock, and he was pleased to see that his father had already lured Kalla outside, where they were having a rather animated discussion with Amaterasu and Baal. Koumugi grinned to himself as Aleister caught sight of Kalla. As he watched her, the magister's face softened, a wistful look in his eyes.

“You love her, don't you?” Koumugi asked. Aleister started at his words.

“What?” he asked slowly.

“Your mage.”

“N-”

“Don't think to lie to me, hawk,” the shaman said in a stern voice.

“Yes,” Aleister replied softly.

“Tell me, would you have her as your
liya
?” Koumugi asked.

“That's not my place to ask. I am bound to her as a magister,” he replied with a resigned sigh.

“But if…” Koumugi prompted. The Sky Fox snorted.

“But if. Yes, in another place, in another lifetime, I would ask and hope it would be so. Why?” Aleister said.

“My insatiable curiosity. Come, let us keep walking. I would love to hear of your time with Inari as well, if you're willing to share,” said Koumugi.

Aleister gave him a puzzled look but followed after the shaman, once more relaying their adventures and answering the questions of the curious Koumugi. Only once more were they distracted, this time by the return of Thiassi and Kasai. The wyvern joined the others near the ship as the Master Harrier made his way through the camp to the Palace. By the time the shaman returned the magister to the care of the Harriers, Kasai was waiting for him and the strange incident had been long forgotten.

* * *

The next few days passed in a blur as Kalla and her conspirators planned the ceremony with Shukke, while at the same time she and Vander tried to plan their next move. That they should go to Ishkar on Inkanata, was clear, but Ishkar was a big country. She pored over maps and spent more time crystal scrying to try and pinpoint a location, but with no better luck than finding that the general location was to the north. That would make a trip through Rang'Moori to the Dashmari city of Port Benwick the most logical course. From Port Benwick they could stock up on supplies for the trip across the sea. There were refueling stations for airships on the islands of Pensalin and Newark if needed.

Kalla wondered what her magister was doing. She hadn't spoken to him since Ari had taken him to the Mews. She could tell that they thoroughly wore him out during the day, but that he was enjoying every minute of it. The mage had seen him practicing with the hawks and had been astounded at how quickly he brought his dormant training back up to par. With the appropriate weapons in his hands, the magister had become quite deadly. His years as a thief hadn't made him as soft as he'd thought when she'd first approached him on Sevfahl.