The council room seems emptier than usual. There aren’t as many assistants here, helping the councilors. Julina and Afet are on guard duty. It’s nice to see they have another guard helping so they don’t get worn out, but I hope Julina is fully recovered. I need to find the time to talk to her. Things have been so crazy lately. I haven’t done much of anything.
Puneah is curled up at my feet, under the table. It’s always nice to have her near. Funny to think I used to not like petting her because now it’s a joy to do. Even more so that I can move my hand enough. Inkga is behind me, out of sight but not out of mind.
Except Nash.
Since Androlla shot him, he’s been avoiding me. I wish I could talk to him—find out what he’s thinking. It’s difficult enough, getting through each day. Not knowing how he is makes it harder.
“Are we ready to start?” Timit asks.
“Kada and Mina are missing,” I reply.
“We’ve been waiting for them for ten minutes. Let’s get started without them. It may teach them to be on time,” Jem says.
She does have a point, though it feels odd to start without the whole council there. I send a servant to track the ladies down and find out what’s taking them so long. Then I say, “We have officially bought an emerald mine in the outskirts of Wolta. It’s been a highly productive mine, and with what we can tell, will continue to be so in the future. Now what’s our first step to get it working for us?”
“Posting jobs should be our first goal,” Jaku says. “Though I believe Timit should delegate tasks so the council is free to focus on bigger matters.”
“I second that notion,” Sidle, Head of Military, says.
“I agree.” Which has been happening more and more with my council. It’s strange but welcome. “We’ll have Timit find someone worthy of overseeing this project and bring them before the council to be approved. Anyone disagree?”
Timit scowls but doesn’t protest. Everyone else stays silent.
“Good. Now our next item of busi—”
There’s a crash in the hallway.
Jaku stands. Cocks his head to the side. He yells, “Get the queen out of here.”
My chair rolls back. I glance to see Inkga moving it. Before she can get me out the back door, the sound of blades clanging against each other comes through that hallway.
“What do I do?” Inkga sounds panicked.
“Roll me over—” I don’t have a chance to finish the sentence. Attackers pour in the room from both directions. Inkga moves her arm forward long enough to slip something into my hand before getting back behind me to move my chair away from them. I glance at what she gave me.
My dart flinger, loaded.
A mix of joy and fear shoves its way through me. Is this good or bad? I hope Androlla doesn’t use it to hurt someone else I care about.
There’s no more time to think about it. The room has erupted in chaos. Men and women are fighting everywhere, with the council scattered throughout the room.
An attacker lunges for Inkga. Puneah flashes out from under the table and latches onto his arm. I glance toward the doors, but they’re blocked. We can’t stay out here in the open.
“Get us to a corner,” I yell back to Inkga amidst the shouting, metal clanging, and confusion in the large room.
She runs away from her would-be attacker, heading straight for an empty corner. All around us, people are fighting. Timit crawls under the table, other council members following him. One of the attackers sees this and aims his sword toward them.
I shoot a dart at him.
It lands, and he whips around and sees me.
“Faster, Inkga.”
She gets us to the corner, but the man is still coming. I shoot him again. I don’t want to kill him, but I have to protect her and myself.
He’s only a couple steps from us when he slows and staggers to the ground. The poison is working. Puneah finally drops her victim and lopes over to us.
More attackers pour in the room, men and women. Is this another Kurah attack? Something Daros set up? Or something more sinister, that I can’t fathom?
Now isn’t the time to speculate. I’ll have the chance to do that later. A woman aims for us and charges, her sword at the ready. I aim the dart flinger. Before I can let go, Julina’s sword blocks the attacker’s with a clank. They go back and forth.
Nash is at my side. Where did he come from? He blocks another attacker that’s coming at us from a right angle. His swift movements and strong muscles are a sight to behold—until the attacker’s sword bangs against his breastplate.
It doesn’t faze Nash, who swings his sword upward, effectively stopping the attacker.
“Inkga, take my dart flinger,” I yell over the noise.
“But then you won’t be able to defend yourself.”
“It did its job. Now let the others defend me.” It’s dangerous to have both them and the dart flinger in the same room when I’m holding it.
She takes it from me and shields me with her body.
“Inkga, I can’t see what’s going on.”
“Better than harm coming to you.”
I grumble in frustration as I try to see what action I can around her. Nash and Julina are in front of us, staving off attackers. Puneah at my side seems antsy, ready to get in the fight but unwilling to leave me behind.
I know the feeling.
Jaku joins the line holding the assailants away from Inkga and me. How long can they hold out? How many people are there? Do we have enough guards fighting? I hope so, because they seem to be going for killing blows.
I wish I could be in on the action right now. My body aches with the memory of moving and fighting, joining in the fray. It feels like my place is among them, but I suppose it’s here now, even if I can’t protect the ones I love. It’s their turn to protect me. Though it’s hard to let them, I’m grateful.
At my right side, there’s movement where Julina blocks off attackers. She moves aside and lets in Monkia, my Head of Staff before jumping back into action, blocking a sword going straight for Monkia’s back.
If the attackers are this desperate to kill not just me, but also my councilors, who are they?
Inside, Androlla is laughing.
Stupid First Queen. She needs to get out of my head.
Monkia grabs Inkga by the hand, drags her next to me, and squishes her in before blocking off her escape. What is she doing?
“Mom, stop it,” Inkga says. “I’m trying to protect the queen.”
That’s right—they’re related.
“I’m trying to save you from getting hurt. The others will protect the queen. Let me protect you.” Monkia’s tone is sharp.
“Just stay behind the line of defense, both of you, and we’ll all be fine,” I shout.
And I’m right; the fighting is dying down. I can’t see well, other than to know that Afet joined the line, but the noise of sword against sword is dying down. My people are standing. This is a good sign. I hope none of the councilors that dove under the table got hurt.
“Give up,” Jaku says. “You’re surrounded.”
A woman I can’t see yells, “We can't give up. The Kurah will continue on until we have what we need.”
Another Kurah attack then. Lovely.
There’s a scuffle, and then all is silent.
“Carefully check the ones who are down,” Jaku orders. “Make certain they aren’t going to cause more trouble.”
And hopefully some are alive, so we can interrogate them, though I fear we’ll get the same answer as before. A medium-built man in a dark cloak. Not helpful.
“Your Majesty, are you all right?” Jaku’s voice is so formal, I’m not used to it.
“Fine. Thank you all for your swift action and protection. Are any of our guards or councilors hurt?”
They all sound off that they're fine.
“You can come out,” Jaku says. “Julina, Afet, go help the councilors.”
As they go, Jaku and Nash spread out an even distance apart in front of me, opening up more of the room for me to see.
Bodies lie on the floor. I don’t look too closely, not wanting to relive the horrors of my past. As Julina and Afet help those hiding come out, they appear to be whole, though pale and shaken.
Sidle is across the room, helping other guards tie up the prisoners who are still alive.
“Are any of the attackers conscious?” I ask.
“Some, Your Highness,” Sidle says. “We can take you to them, but they’re not very cooperative.”
“Very well. Inform me the moment Jaku is ready for me.” We have to get to the bottom of this. Here I am, trying to make things better for the Kurah, and they send attackers after me. I refuse to help them any more until this behavior stops.
Nash never looks at me. As soon as everything is given the all clear for my safety, he leaves, not glancing my way.
I try to ignore the pain in my heart—the giant, crushing pain that makes me want to weep. But I am stronger than that. I won’t let a man bring me down, whether it’s with a sword or my heart.
Still, I wish he would have at least taken a peek at me.