CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
And so the girl with the lion’s paws, bird’s legs, lizard’s body, and fish’s tail, whose breath was edged in fire returned to Siruna the Mother. Lemuel the Wise One met her as she approached her home. “How did you find the world, child?” he asked.
“Stranger than I ever could have imagined,” she replied.
—THE AYALYA
Darvyn stood, his hand in Kyara’s, considering the reaction of the crowd. Competing emotions battered him, full as he was of Earthsong. Shock, fear, relief, and desperation each vied for dominance. He looked around but could not get a bead on who was feeling what. Someone had just tried to kill the new queen. Was the traitor still here watching? Had he or she already fled?
Near the stage, Lizvette and Tai stood side by side, their eyes wide with concern. Darvyn and Tai shared a glance and it was like the Raunian knew just what he was thinking. Tai put his arm around Lizvette and led her toward the street behind the square. Danger could still be lurking here. There was no way of telling friend from foe, and the perpetrator could have easily identified all of them from their trip to Yaly.
To his right, in the open space between the platform and the gallows, Aggar’s bulky figure stepped up, a bullhorn in his hand. “I’m quite certain I speak for everyone when I say how glad I am to see our new queen faring well. I propose we postpone this execution until a more appropriate time.” Aggar’s words penetrated the cheering of the crowd.
“Postpone?” Darvyn bellowed, incredulous. Were they still going through with this madness? “Did you not see her save the queen’s life?”
Shocked expressions surrounded him. These people had no clue what had just transpired. To outsiders, the queen had fallen suddenly ill and then arisen a few minutes later.
He turned to Oola who stood behind Jasminda.
You must do something.
Oola’s cool gaze slid over him. You think that I am doing nothing? Kyara needs to learn to use her power or we are all doomed.
He shook his head slowly. You did this on purpose? To … to help her learn her power? He couldn’t comprehend the callousness of the plan. Did you know that someone was poisoning Jasminda? Did you let it happen? Why didn’t you say anything?
Oola blinked, and Her expression hardened. There are mistakes that have been made that cannot be repeated. Over five centuries, I have found that people learn not with their ears but with their hearts. Words mean little.
No. No! Darvyn shook his head over and over. Kyara reached for him, worried. You cannot move us around like puzzle pieces. You cannot play our lives as you would a flute.
His knees sagged, and Kyara held him up. He would lean on her for just a little while. Oola’s games and riddles were nothing new to him, but this was too much.
Jasminda’s clear voice pierced the fog of his mind. “This woman—Kyara—has saved my life,” she announced. She looked at Jack expectantly until he translated, though she could easily have done so herself. “Her case will come back under the consideration of myself and the king. For now, her execution is stayed.” Her gaze turned to Darvyn, and he knew, just knew, that she would not let Kyara die.
We will find a way to save her, Jasminda sent to him. I owe it to her and to you. My thanks will never be enough.
Darvyn took a deep breath and stood up straighter. He would go back to the elders. He had to make them see reason. Perhaps he might even persuade Oola to speak to them. Now that he knew She’d never really wanted Kyara dead, She would have to break Her silence.
Kyara vibrated with tension beside him, and he placed an arm around her shoulders. She would not want to break down in front of an audience, but her emotions were clearly running high.
Turwig, Hanko, and Talida approached Aggar. They whispered animatedly, and a strong anger cut through their numbers. Talida gestured emphatically next to Aggar. Turwig and Hanko were shaking their heads, but Talida pushed Aggar forward.
“Your Majesty,” he said. “I understand that you believe this criminal saved your life, but it cannot make up for the many, many lives she has taken.”
Jasminda turned in her seat, eyebrows raised.
“Now is not the time, Aggar,” Turwig muttered, resting a hand on his shoulder. Aggar jerked away.
“If not now, when?” Talida snapped.
“Kyara’s case will come under our advisement,” Jasminda repeated. “You have had your say and submitted evidence to the tribunal, but we take executions very seriously here and she was offered no opportunity for defense. Part of the evidence against Kyara was that she was incapable of remorse for her actions. Saving my life today, in front of all these witnesses, seems to prove otherwise. That is reason enough for her case to be given a second look.” Jasminda eyed Aggar, challenging him to talk back again.
His eyes flashed, but he clenched his jaw, gave an abrupt bow, then turned and stalked away with Talida at his side.
Darvyn swallowed. Fighting among the elders had been rare when they strategized against the True Father. But now with freedom, the unified front of the Keepers appeared to be cracking.
He shook his head and turned back to Kyara, whose arms flew around him. He lifted her, holding her close and drowning in her scent. The rest could wait, at least for another day.
The crowd chattered curiously, as if unsure what to do now that there would be no execution. Darvyn, however, was eager to retreat from the bloodthirsty masses.
In his arms, Kyara squeezed back tighter. He shut his eyes to the rest of the world and focused on what mattered most to him: her.
And then there were three.
The round table, meant for five, was down two members. Satisfaction filled Jade to bursting. He felt like an overripe peach.
To his left, Pearl fidgeted nervously, picking at his nails. His mask was slightly askew, hastily put on. The smooth-cheeked, featureless face was even more ridiculous at an angle.
“I don’t know what happened,” Pearl said, miserably. “The queen’s drink was dosed last evening. I supervised it myself. I think we need some answers from our Yalyish contact. Didn’t he guarantee results? We should get our money back. Obviously the claims that an antidote didn’t exist were greatly exaggerated.” The pompous fool was blustering. “This is all Amber’s fault. He brokered the deal—”
“Yet it was you who failed,” Jade spat. “Amber’s incompetence is clear. It’s why he’s sitting in a jail cell now. And why are we persisting with the code names? There’s little use for them anymore. Nirall’s ineptitude matches only Nidos’s. They sit in the dungeon because they were not up to the tasks they were given.”
Diamond leaned forward, gloved hands pressed firmly onto the table. “We will not disrespect this body any further, and will keep to our rules and traditions. Amber and Sapphire are victims of the foreign plague that has swept our nation. A plague that the Hand of the Reaper has vowed to snuff out. We take care of our own and they will taste freedom again soon.”
Jade sniffed. “Freedom? The only freedom they’ll see is in the World After when they’re executed. You seriously believe you can get them out of prison?”
“The Hand of the Reaper is held together by sinew and bone of loyalty. That is part of our strength.” Diamond’s voice was low and fierce.
“Loyalty to what? An ineffectual windbag?” He motioned to Pearl. “A blue-blooded blowhard?” He pointed to Diamond.
“Now you wait just a minute—”
“I seem to be the only one getting results, and I don’t need either of you to do so.” Jade pushed back from the table. “Lads!”
The doors opened, illuminating the windowless room with bright lighting from the hallway. Six identically dressed young men entered, faces partially hidden by the bills of their caps. Quickly and efficiently, Diamond and Pearl were lifted from their chairs and had their hands bound while they sputtered in protest.
“Your service to your country has been noted,” Jade sneered, “but your methods are no longer necessary. Thank you for inviting me into your secret society. It’s been very interesting to see how the rich and elite have gotten things done over the years. But personally, I prefer my way.”
He allowed their masks to stay on a while longer. He didn’t care about their true identities anymore, having already made sure the playing field was leveled. Whether Diamond was a man of import like Pearl, the Director of the Intelligence Service, or like Jade himself, just a bastard fisherman, was of little consequence.
“Look at it this way, gents. Even if Amber and Sapphire decide to confess during their few remaining days on this earth, your legacy is secure. There will be nothing for anyone to find. The Hand of the Reaper is no more.”
With that, Jade ripped off his stifling mask. Zann Biddel was done hiding. There was no reason to play in the shadows anymore.
The grol queen was still alive, but soon it wouldn’t matter. There wouldn’t be any grols left in Elsira to destroy his country. He would make sure of that. And once the witches and their dangerous magic were safely ensconced in a place far away, then he would target the elites. The ones in their ivory towers who had kept down the working men for so long.
Like Pearl and Diamond here—even their code names told of wealth and disregard for the backs on which such treasure was found.
“Elsira for Elsirans” was the motto, but more than that, Zann wanted an Elsira for those who had worked so hard for everything they built.
The time for secrets was over.