Siege (The Warrior Chronicles, 5) (25 page)

They took a bend too fast, having Shanti almost rolling off her horse, when they found the Inkna. Stationed in a line, three deep, they stood straight with their eyes closed, fighting the battle from a distance. In the middle, leading the mental effort, was a Master Executioner.

“Xandre pulled out the big dogs,” Shanti said, grinning as half of them snapped their eyes open. The smile melted off her face. “Sanders is going to be pissed I didn’t bring him.”

Her horse crashed into their line, trampling two men and scattering the others. Like angry hornets, power struck her head in quick succession, pounding her. She ripped off some weed with her teeth and chewed it hastily. Her horse reared and kicked out. His hoof made two Inkna duck and two more roll out of the way. She fell off the back, feeling the burn as the weed and saliva slid down her throat. Her body hit the ground. Dull pain shot up her arm to her shoulder.

“
Chulan.”
Rohnan crawled toward her on the ground, getting battered mentally. He took the remaining weed out of her hand and tossed it into his mouth.

The intense pain dulled. Then turned into nothing more than pressure.

Shanti stood up and wiped a speck of blood from the corner of her mouth. A few of the Inkna’s eyes rounded. In the Graygual language, she said, “
Uh oh, now what
?”

Rohnan rose up next to her. His staff started to whirl.

“No you fucking don’t!” Sanders sprinted into the area with his sword in hand, blood splattered across his front. “I claim Betty’s twin!” He took a running leap and tackled the Master Executioner.

Shanti moved into the group with sword slashing, taking them out as quickly and efficiently as she was able. Pressure pulsed against her head, threatening pain, but none of it reached her, and none of them could fight.

Rohnan hooked his blade around a neck and yanked as the Bastard kicked someone in the chest. Sanders abandoned his sword and took to them with his fists. There were tears in his eyes and vengeance on his mind. Shanti and Rohnan knew exactly how he felt.

From beginning to end, it lasted no more than ten minutes. The three of them and two horses stood panting, looking down on the biggest collection of Inkna Shanti had ever seen in one place. “Xandre really wanted me dead,” she said into the eerie silence.

A cough took her out of her reverie. She looked up and started, seeing the rooftops littered with people staring down. Some had bows, some a collection of household items, and all were silent. Not all were looking at her, though. Some were looking at Rohnan, who was petting and calming his horse, and a great many were watching Sanders, standing amid the bodies, his white shirt soaked in blood, with pain and suffering etched on his face. When he looked up from the Inkna, his face transformed into one of rough tranquility. He was not at peace with what had happened to him, but he could come to terms with being the victim.

Shanti bet that a great many people staring down on them could sympathize with the emotion so clear on Sanders’ face.

“We’re not done yet,” Shanti said, sighing. “There are still a few Inkna hiding around the city, and a great many Graygual.”

“With the amount of mental power we have,
Chulan,
they don’t stand a chance,” Rohnan said.

“Even so. Let’s go clean out the rest of the trash.” She took a running leap onto the Bastard, then dug her heels into his sides. The animal took off, his hooves clattering against the cobblestone. A Graygual stepped out, and then another. She slashed down with her sword as she ran by, then held on for dear life as the Bastard jerked to a stop so he could kick out, clipping one of them with his hoof. The Graygual crumpled to the ground, his face ruined.

“Blasted animal, you’re going to end up breaking my neck!” The roar of fighting and battle raged as she turned the corner, metal clashing against metal, but whole sections of enemy were screaming as they sank to their knees. The Shumas and Shadow were taking advantage of their mental might.

She waded into the middle, slicing a neck before hacking through a shoulder. She struck a black-clad chest, unable to help mentally because of the weed. The Bastard reared, punching faces with his hooves before kicking out and knocking down more enemy.

A peal of thunder boomed outward from Cayan, taking those around her to their knees. The Bastard reared and screamed before galloping out of the way. He didn’t go far, though, a warhorse down to his bones. Instead, he bobbed his head and waited for the next opening.

“You’re insane, horse, you know that?” Shanti swung her leg around and jumped. She hit the hard ground, slashed through a writhing Graygual before meeting up with Cayan. Another burst of power rocked out, taking out a large faction of enemy. His men then waded through, protected by the weed, and finished them off.

“Victory is ours,” Cayan said, out of breath but not showing any sign of fatigue in his bearing. “The Shadow Lord is still using large amounts of power, but we’ve done it. They don’t have the resources to stop us.”

“We’ve won.” Shanti sighed. “We’re still alive.”

The fall of rocks and debris from the rooftops lightened. The screaming subsided as the Graygual died. “Yeah!” one of Cayan’s men shouted, raising his sword. Another, his bloodstained face weary, but eyes bright, lifted his sword into the air in response. A cheer went up around them, the people on the rooftops holding up their fists in victory along with the soldiers.

“We did it,” Shanti said, feeling the smile bud and the relief wash over her. “Somehow, we did it.” She felt danger gliding toward her, and turned to smile down at her big cat, invisible to the
Gift
even if she’d had it. She scratched his head and then his ears before bending down to hug his neck. “We did it.” She sighed in relief as tears came to her eyes.

“The people helped.” Cayan looked up at the rooftops. “This victory will be talked about. It’s the beginning. This land will take back its freedom, starting with this battle.”

“
I
hear Sonson won
,” Cayan said as they made their way to a large patch of grass in the city park.

Shanti threaded her hands through Cayan’s as they passed the drawbridge, still raised with the gates locked. Two days had gone by since their victory, and while no one had tried to get in, there were still Graygual hiding inside the city that were trying to get out.

“The competition is not over yet. I catch up to his numbers a bit more every day.”

Shanti let her walk sway, bumping into Cayan’s big arm. He took his hand out of hers and draped it over her shoulder. “The people are in awe of Sanders. They’d heard stories of him already—the Inkna hate him, after all. They got to see him in action.”

“He’s still…messed up from being tortured. I think this will help a little. The weed does, anyway.”

Cayan stopped them and turned Shanti toward him. She closed her eyes as his fingertips slid across the bottom of her jaw, tilting her face up to him. His lips were warm and full, opening hers. His tongue flitted in playfully. All too soon flirty turned passionate, his hands coming around her with need. He backed off as heat kindled in his blue eyes and burnt through his body. “Marry me,
mesasha.
Say you will.”

Shanti couldn’t take her eyes away from his. She felt light and giddy, but she didn’t feel like giving in just yet.

She shrugged a shoulder. “How can I consent to giving you my hand? You haven’t fought Kallon for permission yet.”

The fire sparked, a different kind of heat. His dimples etched his handsome face as he smiled. “You want me to prove my dominance, is that it? He mentioned that the women fighters of your land make men prove their worth.”

She tried to keep the surprise out of her expression. His smile brightened, and she felt it through her body. How annoying.

“C’mon, I’ll go make a man of him right now.” Cayan looped his arm around her shoulder again.

“He’s harder than you think. You are technically better, but he has a stupid amount of patience.”

“I have patience, too,
mesasha.
I have to with you.”

“I’m nothing compared to him.”

They found Kallon amid a large group of people. Shumas, Shadow, and a bunch from the Westwood Lands created a circle. Around them stood people from the city, watching a little sport or possibly curious about the prowess of these new people.

As Cayan walked through the circle, Kallon said, “I will be using my power, Captain.”

“Weapons, or hand to hand?” Cayan asked as he gently directed Shanti to the sidelines.

“I’ll take it easy on you—hand to hand.” Kallon didn’t smile, but his eyes sparkled. Maybe he was loosening up a little.

Leilius, Gracas, and Xavier crept out of the bushes and blended into the crowd. Cayan tied back his hair, and Kallon did the same.

The two men squared off. One was lithe and graceful, as were most of Shanti’s people; the other was tough and brawny, as were many of Cayan’s. Hands stayed at their sides. Shanti felt her mirrored power start to burn, then rise, playing with its mate, asking Shanti to do the same.

She refrained from connecting with Cayan, making sure not to steer his power. This had to be one on one. It was only fair, and was really the only way Kallon had a chance.

“Cayan will still win,” Rohnan said next to her.

“Probably, but without someone to help direct his
Gift,
Cayan is nearly useless with it.”

“Not useless. He takes everyone down, not just his opponent.”

“He’ll do it,” Xavier said, pushing another Shumas out of the way so he could sit next to Shanti.

“Xavier, you might get blasted with power up here,” Shanti chided.

Xavier held up the weed. “I’m good. I want to see this fight. I want to pick up on some tricks.”

Shanti’s power lurched in her chest. Cayan’s body flexed suddenly, head to toe, his muscles straining his shirt. Then Kallon was moving, hands and feet lightning fast. He kicked, hitting Cayan in the upper thigh, and then struck. Cayan dodged the blow and blocked the next.

“Why doesn’t he hit back?” Xavier asked with urgency. “He can hit harder than that. He’s faster!”

“He is adaptive, no?” the Shadow Lord asked from Xavier’s other side. “He’s learning?”

“Yes,” Shanti said to the Shadow Lord, her eyes not leaving the fight. She held her breath as Kallon advanced. She knew the move; he was stabbing with all his power in one tiny spot on his opponent’s shield, hoping to shatter the barrier then rake the mind, while using a circular bodily attack. It was much more effective with a sword, but the opposite style in head and body confused the mind into making mistakes. Shanti used the same move, and she had learned it from Kallon.

“He never charges
me
; he always waits until I attack him.” Shanti leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her crossed legs. “Annoying.”

Cayan warded off another series of attacks, blocking and moving expertly. Anyone could see that he wasn’t engaging on purpose. Tingles worked through Shanti’s body. She wondered what he planned to do. He’d never done this with her. He’d always fought back. “It’s like I don’t know these men.”

“They each drop their bravado with you,
Chulan.
They just fight. Here…” Rohnan let his words travel away.

“They are sizing up their dicks,” Mela said, leaning forward. Sayas laughed next to her.

“Do you see how he is slowing his movement, Xavier?” Shanti asked as Cayan warded off another series of attacks. “He is deliberately allowing his opponent to see his moves, just to see how he reacts. I don’t advise this unless you are absolutely certain you have the upper hand. You do that with someone like Cayan, and he’ll use it against you and kill you before you realize he’s playing you.”

“Will Kallon know what he’s doing?” Xavier asked.

“He knows. He is doing the same thing while trying to weaken Cayan’s mental power. He’s playing for time. He doesn’t realize Cayan’s strength.”

“Here we go,” a male voice said behind them.

“The Captain just got serious,” Rohnan murmured. “I do not envy Kallon what is going to come next.”

No one did. In a heartbeat Cayan was done with his learning. He was on the offensive, his movements speeding up to his normal pace, his punches and kicks harder, and his body taking on that liquid grace he was known for. It was now Kallon who was trying to turn defensive measures into attacks.

“He is fast,” someone breathed.

“Yes, for such a big man,” someone else added.

The crowd sucked in a breath as one of Cayan’s punches landed in Kallon’s side. The breath whooshed out of his lungs and his eyes took on a crazed look. He was probably bashing Cayan mentally to buy himself a second. Cayan shook his head, his brow furrowing, trying to push his physical advantage but needing to spend more effort mentally.

“Kallon is at full power. He is no longer taking Captain’s measurements,” Tanna said behind Shanti.

Kallon held back a little, doing with Cayan what he’d always done with Shanti. “There. Now. Let’s see what Cayan does,” she said.

Cayan advanced. He was power and strength, ready for the other man to submit. A pulse of pure thunder ripped from him, blasting the other man with such force that Kallon stepped back. The crowd shriveled together, feeling the blast themselves, trying to block as a group.

Cayan’s body launched at the other man, another pulse shooting out, the crowd groaning right along with Kallon. Everyone reached for each other, wanting to connect and merge power, needing to fortify their shields. Weed was produced quickly, everyone who had it taking a bite to ease the pain—the burning and stomach churning was better than a blast of Cayan’s might.

Cayan started landing punches, hard strikes to meaty areas, bruising tissue and bone, all easily healed with time and Marc’s remedies. Shanti’s power surged and boiled, wanting release, reaching for Cayan, wanting to merge with him and fight together.

Kallon backed across the clearing, unable to fight back, or to retreat from both the physical and mental assault, outmatched in both. He took a knee and put up his hands, trusting Cayan to stop his advance. Cayan did, standing over the other man panting, worn out and worked hard.

“Our Captain is scary, right?” Rachie said from somewhere with pride in his voice. “I’m right to be scared shitless of him!”

Kallon stood slowly and rolled his shoulders. He put a hand to his side. “At least you don’t bite.”

“Don’t drag me into this!” Shanti said as she stood. Smiling, she clapped Kallon on the back, harder than she needed to.

“Thank you,” Kallon said, wincing.

“Shanti Cu Hoi,” Cayan said in a strange voice. He dropped to a knee before her. “Will you marry me?”

With a flush, Shanti tried not to notice all the people staring at her. She swallowed as Kallon stepped away, giving them room. She opened her mouth, maybe to say no, but “Yes” tumbled out of her mouth.

Clapping and cheers filled the clearing. Cayan’s lips connected with hers again, sweet and delicious. “Finally,” he said, his smile so bright it could block out the sun. “C’mon, let’s head back. There’s something I want to show you.”

“I bet it’s big, and I bet she’s already seen it,” Mela hollered. Everyone laughed as Shanti hurried Cayan away from the group. They’d only get raunchier, which wasn’t as big of a concern as them getting grabby.

Alena stopped them, still looking tired from so long without sleep when she was alone in the city. “S’am. From what we’ve seen, it seems my poison hit about as many as we thought it might, but…”

“It helped,” Shanti said firmly. “You couldn’t be expected to rid a whole city of Graygual with one pot of stew.”

Alena shrugged and looked at the ground. “High expectations. I just wish I could’ve helped in battle—” She’d been kept back until the city people had taken to the rooftops.

“We can only do so many jobs, Alena.” Cayan leaned forward, catching her eyes and making her shrink back. “You did good. You fulfilled your place within this army. Shanti’s Honor Guard has never done things the normal way. You are the only one who notices. Trust me.”

“That’s certainly true,” Shanti said, covering the woman with a blanket of support. “Now go learn to use that sword.”

“Yes, S’am,” Alena said, hurrying away.

“She’s dedicated,” Cayan said, noticing Marc sitting by himself. “As is he, when he wants to be.”

“He’s taken it upon himself to learn more about the
Gift.
I think he’s under the impression that I won’t make him fight if he finds another useful skill.”

“My men are experienced, and he’s the doctor. They weren’t going to sacrifice their chance to get healed if they got injured. I don’t blame them. You put him at too much risk.”

“Usually there isn’t a choice.”

“Captain!” someone hollered, urgency in his voice.

Shanti’s stomach flipped over and worry started to eat away as she recognized the pain pouring out of the man. She spread out her
Gift,
feeling more sorrow and some confusion.

“Sir, it’s the prisoner.”

Cayan started jogging immediately, and Shanti followed right behind him. They covered the distance to the officers’ quarters in no time. When they got there, they both slowed, taking in the broken door hanging on one hinge. Shanti stepped through after Cayan and immediately felt her stomach drop to the floor.

There, on the ground with blood coming from a hole where his eye should have been, sprawled Daniels. Tomous was strewn on the floor across the room, one of his arms at an unnatural angle.

Heart in her throat, Shanti rushed to him, feeling for a pulse on his neck. Her
Gift
was pulled away, covering the city and then identifying each mind as Cayan
searched
for the prisoner. A pulse pushed at her fingers, strong and sure.

“Get Marc,” she yelled. One of the Westwood men peeled from the door and took off at a run. “There’s no point, Cayan,” she said, touching Tomous’ arm. It was hot to the touch. Only an idiot wouldn’t know it was broken. “He can hide from your
Gift,
remember.”

“Fuck!” Cayan picked up a chair and threw it against the wall. He walked toward the window and looked out, pain coursing through him as Daniels lay on the ground behind him. “How did this happen?”

The man who had summoned him, solemn and heartbroken, spoke up in a rough voice. “Tomous was guarding him. Daniels came to question him, I believe. We heard a commotion and came to see what was the matter. We found them like this. No one went by us.”

Shanti looked around the room, feeling the grief from Daniels burying into her chest. She rubbed her eyes as Kallon and Rohnan came running, feeling her through the link. Rohnan stepped into the room and then found the object of her pain. He paused, and then slowly walked to the wall and leaned his back against it, looking at the ground.

“Summon someone from this town that knows this building,” Cayan said with murder in his voice. “I want to know how someone could get out.”

“Yes, sir.” The man hurried from the room.

It only took a few moments for a skinny man with scars up and down his arms to skulk into the room. His hollow eyes and missing teeth accentuated his slumped shoulders. It didn’t take her
Gift
to know that he was emotionally dead from some trauma or other. It didn’t take her experiences to know that the Graygual had something to do with it.

“
This room
?” the man said in a scratchy voice ruined from hours of screaming. The man dragged one of his feet as he made his way across to the far wall beyond the fireplace. He touched a decorative ornament and then pushed on a brick at the fireplace. A door latch disengaged within the fireplace, opening a crawlspace. “
Goes through to a tunnel outside
.”

“
Why wasn’t I told of this
?” Cayan demanded in the traders’ language.

The man shrugged and stared at the distant wall. “
I was tortured for that information once. Seemed a shame to just offer it up. Lazy, that.
”

A blast of power scoured the room, making Rohnan stiffen.

“
Yeah, that’d be about it
,” the man said. “
Yours would probably hurt more. You got more power.”