Cursed Bones: Sovereign of the Seven Isles: Book Five (5 page)

“He won’t hurt you, any of you,” she said. “In fact, he’ll ensure that other predators remain at a distance while we travel.”

“You expect us to travel with a jaguar?” one of the men asked.

“I do,” Isabel said.

“No,” Trajan said.

“Would you try to kill him?” Isabel asked, facing Trajan.

“No,” he said. “The jaguar is our family crest. The House of Karth holds them sacred.”

“Well then, I don’t see the problem,” Isabel said as if they were discussing what to have for breakfast.

He stared at the cat for a moment before nodding slowly. “I do not like magic,” he said, “and I’m coming to understand why it has been forbidden—this is not natural.”

From that point on, the men looked at Isabel differently, almost as if they were wondering if they had somehow become her prisoner and not the other way around. Shadowfang ranged out around the group, chasing off any other predators that were lying in wait. The days ran together until Isabel wasn’t sure how many had passed when they finally arrived at their destination.

Trajan led them into a crack in a large stone that in turn led into a narrow ravine completely covered over by the jungle. Isabel commanded Shadowfang to remain in the area but to fend for himself, avoiding humans, until she returned. The ravine went deeper and deeper until Trajan stopped and unlatched a secret door fashioned to look like part of the rock face of the ravine wall. The door opened into a passage.

From there, the journey took another two days. Isabel used Slyder to keep track of which way they were traveling so she could keep both the hawk and the jaguar moving in the right direction. The passages were dark and dank, sometimes natural stone, other times cut from bedrock. When they finally came to a well-fortified stone door, Isabel instructed Shadowfang and Slyder to take up residence in one of the larger trees nearby.

The door opened to a roomful of soldiers all arrayed before it, shielded by fortifications and armed with all manner of heavy weapons, crossbows, and ballistae.

“Prince Trajan, you are a welcome sight,” said a man wearing a uniform with emblems of rank.

“Thank you, General Rashford,” Trajan said. “It’s been an arduous yet relatively safe journey.”

“Your father will be greatly relieved to hear you’ve arrived,” Rashford said. “He’d never admit it, but he’s been worried about you since he sent you to apprehend the witch.”

Isabel cleared her throat and fixed the general with a glare.

“General Rashford, this is Isabel Reishi,” Trajan said, letting the import of her name sink in. “She claims to be at war with Phane.”

“Is that so?” Rashford said. “We’ll see about that. Your father wishes to speak to her. I’ll send word of your arrival at once.”

“Thank you, General,” Trajan said.

He led Isabel through the fortifications that defended the cavernous entrance to the House of Karth’s secret base of operations. Many of the soldiers guarding the room glared at her with open hatred. Isabel ignored them.

Once through the cavern, Trajan dismissed all of his men save four. Two led the way while the remaining two brought up the rear. Isabel focused on the layout of the underground complex, trying to remember as much of her route as possible.

Trajan remained silent while they walked, until the men leading the group began to turn down a narrow corridor.

“No, we’ll go to my quarters,” he said.

“As you wish, My Prince,” they said in unison, turning instead down a wider, better-lit corridor.

Several minutes, and a confusing maze of turns later, they arrived at a nondescript door. The two guards standing to either side opened it without a word and Trajan strode inside, inviting Isabel to follow him.

Isabel stopped a few steps inside and surveyed her surroundings, nodding her approval. The room was well appointed but not lavish, more serviceable and comfortable than ostentatious. She believed one could learn a lot about a person by how they lived. Trajan didn’t seem interested in impressing people with possessions.

“Please, sit,” he said, motioning to a comfortable set of chairs separated by a small table. “Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, thank you,” Isabel said, easing into the chair. It had been a long journey and she was tired and sore. It felt good to simply relax in a well-padded chair.

Trajan prepared the tea himself, another promising sign as far as Isabel was concerned, but as he was bringing the tray to her, the door burst open and a dozen men filed in with weapons drawn.

Trajan stopped, facing the door calmly as his father entered behind his royal guard. The King of Karth was an older man, his jet black hair salted with grey and his paunch a little too big for his slim frame. His eyes were intelligent and inquisitive, yet ever-so-slightly furtive, as if he was always hiding something. Isabel decided she didn’t trust him and again wished she had Alexander’s sight.

“What is the meaning of this, Trajan?”

“Hello, Father,” Trajan said with a genuine smile. “It’s good to see you.”

The King of Karth stopped abruptly and took a deep breath as Isabel stood up.

“Lady Reishi, may I present Severine Karth, my father and the rightful King of Karth. Father, this is Isabel Reishi, wife of Alexander Reishi, Phane’s sworn enemy.”

Severine frowned while he scrutinized Isabel.

“They told me you were a witch,” he said gruffly, yet with an air of relief. “I’m glad to see they were mistaken.” He gestured to his royal guard and all but one filed out into the hall, closing the door behind them.

“Had you ever met a witch, Trajan, you would understand why I entered as I did,” Severine said. “It’s not safe to be alone with a witch that you are not allied with.”

Isabel’s mind raced. She was missing something, some vital piece of information, but she didn’t understand her situation well enough to even ask the right questions, so she decided to wait in the hope that things would become clearer with time.

“I believe you’re mistaken, Father,” Trajan said. “I witnessed Lady Reishi charm a jaguar and command the beast to range out ahead of our party, clearing the path of any predators.”

Alarm returned to Severine’s visage. “Did you give her the malaise weed as I commanded?”

“Every morning,” Trajan said. “I prepared the tea myself, measured the malaise-weed nectar and watched her drink every drop.”

“They told me it would inhibit her magic,” Severine muttered, as if to himself, doubt creeping across his face.

“There are many forms of magic, Lord Severine,” Isabel said. “Some of the magic at my disposal is limited by the malaise weed while other magic is not. I tell you this in good faith because I believe we have a common enemy and my hope is to forge an alliance with your house so that we might stand together against Phane.”

Severine scrutinized her for a moment before nodding to Trajan to bring the tea as he took the chair next to Isabel’s, motioning for her to sit.

“Why should I believe you?”

“My husband sent the warning that saved your life,” Isabel said. “He sent word in your dreams that the Regency would attack on the new moon.”

Severine stared at her intently before swallowing hard.

“I did not heed that warning,” Severine said. “Were it not for an abundance of caution on the part of Erastus here,” he nodded to the man by the door, “we would have all died that day.

“Very few people knew the content of that message. Your knowledge of it lends some credibility to your claim of friendship, yet there is much more I must know before committing to an alliance.”

“I understand completely,” Isabel said. She proceeded to recount many of her experiences from the past year, leaving out key details that might be used against her or Alexander, but presenting a true and mostly complete account of their fight against Phane. Severine and Trajan listened attentively until she was finished.

“I hate Phane,” she said. “I came here to kill him myself, but I would welcome any help I can get.”

“You weave a most compelling tale,” Severine said. “I will take steps to verify some parts of your story but I’m inclined to agree that an alliance would be in both of our interests.

“On another matter, tell me more about your magic. I take counsel from a coven of witches and they are very different than you. So much so, that it’s hard for me to believe that you are indeed a witch.”

“I underwent the mana fast with the Reishi Coven last summer,” Isabel said. “Since then, I’ve been learning about my power, refining my connection to the firmament and honing my skills of visualization and emotional control.”

He sighed and then frowned. “I don’t mean to be indelicate, but how is it that you’re so plain-looking. Please understand, for a normal woman you’re quite beautiful, but for a witch you are, well, homely.”

Isabel was dumbfounded. She’d been called many things in her life but ‘homely’ was not one of them. She opened her mouth as if to speak, then closed it again, at a loss for words.

“Please forgive me, I don’t mean to give offense,” Severine said when it was clear that Isabel didn’t have an answer. “I have much to consider, Lady Reishi,” he said as he stood. “Trajan will attend to your quarters. For the time being, your movement will be restricted, I hope you understand.”

After Severine left, Trajan sighed deeply, closing his eyes and shaking his head. “I apologize for my father’s bluntness,” he said. “He’s accustomed to speaking his mind.”

“I’m more puzzled than offended,” Isabel said.

“I’m sure it has something to do with the Sin’Rath,” Trajan said. “Hopefully, things will become clearer after I meet with them. For now, I’ll take you to your quarters. I’m sure you’re tired.”

Chapter 5

Isabel woke in the dead of night. She’d been provided with comfortable quarters and was only too happy to sleep in a bed after days on the road.

There were two men stationed outside her door, ostensibly to protect her, but in truth to prevent her from leaving. She was a prisoner … again.

In the darkness, she smiled. The last time she’d been a prisoner, things had turned out for the best. Perhaps she could repeat her victory over the Reishi Coven with the House of Karth and add yet more strength to Alexander’s cause.

Suddenly, she froze, daring not to breathe when she heard a sliding sound as if wood were scraping against the floor. A glance told her that the door leading from her chamber was still closed, a thin crack of dim light leaking through from the hallway. Isabel strained to hear. A gentle rustling came from across the room. She took inventory of her surroundings from memory, searching for a weapon. The nearest, most likely candidate was a pitcher of water on the washbasin near her bed.

Fluidly, she tossed the covers back and rolled to her feet, striding calmly but purposefully through the blackness to the basin, reaching out to feel for it in the dark, but she misjudged and knocked the stoneware pitcher to the floor. Momentary panic rose in her throat as she whirled to face the unknown intruder … but no attack came.

“Please do not be alarmed,” a gentle voice said from the darkness.

“Is everything all right, Lady Reishi?” a guard asked from the hall.

Dim, greenish light spilled out of a vial of liquid held high by a woman standing across the room.

“Please do not alert the guard,” she whispered. “I come with a warning.”

The woman was in her early twenties, and quite beautiful, with golden skin, lustrous jet black hair and soulful dark brown eyes. She carried herself with poise and confidence, yet she was clearly afraid.

“Everything’s fine,” Isabel said to the guard. “I just knocked over a pitcher when I was trying to get a drink of water.”

“I’ll send for a maid at once,” the guard said.

“That won’t be necessary,” Isabel said. “I’ll clean it up myself.”

The woman motioned toward the water closet. Isabel smiled and motioned for her to go first, never turning her back on the intruder. She was curious about the woman and how she’d gotten into the room, but she wasn’t about to trust her until she’d earned it.

“I’m Ayela Karth,” she said, “youngest in my family.”

“I’m Isabel Reishi. Why are you here? And how did you get into my chambers?”

“I come with a warning,” Ayela said again. “Do not trust the men … any of them.”

“Why not?” Isabel asked, frowning.

“I believe they’re under the spell of the Sin’Rath,” Ayela said, looking about nervously as if someone might hear her.

“I keep hearing about these Sin’Rath witches,” Isabel said, “but no one can tell me anything about them except that they exist. Who are they?”

Ayela swallowed hard and looked down, composing herself. She was shaking like a leaf.

“I saw one once, though they do not know it,” she said. “I was very young and I found a peephole into a chamber where my father went to receive their counsel. He stood before her as if she was a queen, treated her like a man treats a woman that he’s courting, as if she were beautiful beyond words. But what I saw was a monster. I still have nightmares about her, and I’m quite certain that she would have killed me if she’d discovered my presence.”