Sacrifice: The Queen's Blade (21 page)

Blade woke with a start, becoming instantly aware that he was not alone. Turning his head, he found Chiana asleep beside him and quit the bed with a curse, groaning and clutching his head as the wine had its revenge. He glared at her as she sighed and snuggled deeper into the bedding without waking, then marched to the basin and splashed his face.

"Damned scheming woman." He pulled on his clothes. "A drinking contest indeed. This was what she plotted." A reluctant smile tugged at his lips as he donned his jacket. "Very clever, Chiana, you won the battle, but not the war."

As soon as he was dressed he left, closing the door behind him.

Sunlight streaming in through the windows and birds carolling outside woke Chiana. Sitting up, she was dismayed to find herself alone, for she had planned to leave before Blade woke. She slid from the bed and donned her robe, hoping that no servants would be abroad to notice her unsuitable attire. Returning to her rooms unseen, she dressed and ate, then put aside her embarrassment and went in search of her husband. She found him in the garden, seated beneath a puffwood tree, writing. Blade squinted up at her with a frown, putting aside the small book. He looked a little paler than usual, undoubtedly his head pounded worse than hers. Mindless of her rich clothes, she knelt before him, smiling.

"I suppose you are well pleased with yourself," he growled.

"I am. Not only did I drink you under the table, but I got my wish too."

"Such as it was. Is that truly all you wanted?"

She shrugged. "I would rather you had not snored quite so much."

"It did not keep you awake, I trust?"

"Not at all."

He glanced away. "As for drinking me under the table, you cheated."

"How so?"

"You did not traipse up and down the damned cellar to fetch the dagger."

"Ah, but I outwitted you."

Blade smiled, squinting across the garden. "Indeed you did. Had I not already been so drunk when you found me, I may have seen through your little plot, but you had me at a disadvantage from the outset."

"You are not angry then?"

"Not really. You won, though not fairly, a triumph nevertheless. I am not a bad loser, my lady." He sighed. "I have been angry this past tenday, but today is the end and I am resigned to my fate."

"It is not too late to change your mind, Conash."

He looked surprised by her use of his true name, and smiled again, sadly. "But it is, Chiana. Far too late."

"You could hide amongst the handmaidens disguised as a woman."

"Would you have me as a woman for the rest of my life? Once Kerrion rules this city, there will be nowhere to hide."

"I will rule this city, not Kerrion. And even so, I would."

Blade shook his head. "I am not so sure of that. The Queen's plan is a good one, but it may still fail. Princess Kerra may only ever rule as a proxy, with Kerrion holding the true power. Or worse, he may blackmail you by threatening to usurp his daughter unless I am given to him."

"You think yourself so important?"

"To the Cotti, yes. I assassinated their king and one of their princes, they will demand my death."

"You were pardoned for Shandor's death."

"But not for Lerton's. I abused that pardon when I assassinated the Prince, so they are entitled to revoke it now, and doubtless they will. Even if Kerrion holds no grudge, his people do. If there was a way to escape death I would take it. When peace comes, whether under Kerrion's rule or Kerra's, I would like to live out my days on my estate. My life was empty and meaningless before, worthless to me. Now I have a fine estate and riches, but I cannot enjoy them. Ironic, is it not?"

"Then do not take the Cup." She leant forward, holding out her hands in a pleading gesture. "Try to escape, try to survive, please."

He shook his head. "I will be caught and tortured. I may be many things, but when it comes to pain, I am a coward."

"You risked capture and torture when you went to Kerrion's city, so you are not afraid of pain." She gazed at him. "You are afraid of being caught while running and hiding. It is your pride that causes this."

Blade smiled, twisting her heart. "No, you are wrong. When I went to Kerrion's city I was disguised, then pardoned, then gone. There was a small risk of being caught, but now it is a certainty. It may shame you to be wed to a man who is afraid of pain, but it is true."

She looked away. "I am not ashamed of you. How could I be?"

"I am an assassin, a commoner risen to the rank of lord through my bloody deeds. Many would not be proud to have such a man for a husband."

"Well I am. You are the Lord Protector of -"

He held up a hand. "Please, do not recite all my titles to me. They are meaningless, empty words to describe a man who is nothing more than an assassin, never has been, never will be."

"You are the Master of the Dance."

Blade nodded. "I am that. At least I earned that title, though I cannot defend it."

Chiana blinked as tears stung her eyes, longing to hold and comfort him. His sorrow cut her to her soul. She looked up in surprise as he rose to his feet, and followed suit. He held out the book in which he had been writing.

"Here, take it. It contains my memoirs, such as they are. Perhaps you will find some interest in reading them one day. I wish to be alone now. Do not seek me out again."

Blade walked away into the garden without a backward glance. Chiana gazed after him, longing to run to him and beg him to reconsider, to somehow save him from the fate that awaited him today. She clutched the book to her breast, ridiculously happy that he had given her such a precious gift, and grateful for it. It contained his thoughts and memories, written in his hand, something of him for her to treasure.

Chapter Ten

Chiana found Queen Minna-Satu in a similar mood. Sad but resigned, her tearfulness over and her courage taken hold. She wore the simple white gown that Jashimari Queens died in, decorated with silver lace and studded with pearls around the collar and waist. Her hair hung loose down her back, strands of white spring flowers twisted into it, and her feet were bare. She smiled at Chiana, the spots of colour that brightened her pale cheeks belying her calm mood.

"Barely more than a year ago, I watched my mother dress like this."

"Your courage would have made her proud," Chiana murmured, not knowing what to say.

"She would have called me a fool. She is probably cursing me from her grave. My mother never wanted peace with the Cotti."

Chiana looked away, biting her lip.

"Chiana, swear to me that you will look after Kerra," Minna burst out.

"Of course I will. As if she was my own, I swear it. Nothing and no one will ever harm her."

Minna nodded, gazing at the cradle in which her daughter lay. "Tell her of me when she is grown."

"I will, My Queen. But surely it is not yet time?"

"Not yet, but soon. I only await the news that Kerrion's army has been sighted. The sound of the horns will be my signal." She waved the handmaidens away, some of whom wept. "Have you made peace with Blade?"

"I have. I took your advice and challenged him to a drinking contest, then a duel of dagger-throwing. It went well, and when I won the drinking contest and he passed out, I spent the night at his side."

Minna laughed, clapping her hands in delight. "How clever of you. Tell me more. How did you manage to outdrink him?"

"I cheated. He was already drunk when I found him, but he accepted my challenge, and I poured most of my wine onto the floor when he was not looking."

"And then you slept with him. Marvellous! Was he furious?"

Chiana smiled. "He accepted his defeat gracefully, My Queen. He even gave me his memoirs."

Minna sank down on a pile of cushions. "I am no authority on men, but do you think it possible that he likes you even more than I thought?"

"I would like to think so, although it may not be true."

"Yes, it must be a comfort to you. Still, you have the memory to treasure now."

The distant sound of a lone horn made them stiffen. The mournful, winding note drifted in through the window like a herald of doom. Minna-Satu turned deathly pale, her breath catching in a gasp. Springing up, she dashed to the cot and picked up her daughter, hugging the child. Chiana's throat closed around a lump of sorrow, and she found no words to comfort the Queen.

A knock on the door made them turn, and Captain Redgard entered at Minna's invitation, prostrating himself. More horns took up the dirge outside, the alarm spreading into the city and to the palace.

"Get up, Captain Redgard," Minna ordered. "I know the news you bear. Kerrion has been sighted. Send the High Priestess to me."

"At once, My Queen."

Captain Redgard marched out, and Minna wandered over to the window to stare out at the bright spring day. For the last time, she allowed her gaze to roam the gardens' verdant splendour, where lyric birds sang in the firetrees and humming birds droned amongst the blooms, sipping nectar. She had enjoyed the view all her life, and now savoured it with great sadness. A group of puffwood trees put out their first vivid yellow leaves in spherical clumps on their twisted branches.

The pale mauve flowers, now buds, would turn into the green puffballs that exploded in late summer with soft popping sounds, releasing clouds of fluffy seeds to be borne away on the wind. Beyond them, a smoketree stood, its delicate grey foliage dotted with tiny pink flowers. A flock of red and green feyrens gathered on the branches of a firetree, whose scarlet leaves gave off a sweet perfume that drew many birds to enjoy the nectar of its large yellow flowers.

Minna gave a shuddering sigh, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. Above the temple, the dark streamers of dream silk flew in the slight breeze, slithering and snapping. The strip of green had been taken down with the waning of the Tree Moon, leaving only the colours of death, blood and mourning, suitable for the newly risen Death Moon that now glared down balefully each night. Some said that a Death Moon was a good time to die, for Tinsharon would expect a flood of new arrivals into the Everlasting. She shivered and swallowed hard, blinking the tears from her eyes. Princess Kerra gurgled, waving chubby arms, and Minna smiled down at her.

"Farewell, my daughter. Rule wisely and be happy."

Chiana turned away as the Queen pulled a cord to summon a handmaiden, handing the child to her with a parting kiss. The girl wept as she carried the Princess away.

Minna's voice made Chiana face her again, although she could not bear to look at the doomed Queen, and kept her eyes on the floor.

"Chiana. You will stay with Kerra in the throne room. I have ordered the guards to allow no one entry but Kerrion. He must see his daughter so he will know that she is his. Shista will be shut in the room next to the bier room. When she senses my demise she will become maddened and dangerous. You must keep her in that room until after I am dead, then she will return to the desert."

Chiana nodded, unable to speak, and glanced at the sand cat who lay by the window, her eyes wide. Shista sensed that something was amiss, the tension in the air communicated its warning to her, though as yet she could find no enemy.

A knock came at the door, and the High Priestess entered with two maidens, one of whom bore a golden cup. Shista rose and padded over to sniff their skirts, her ears twitching. The old woman bowed and approached the Queen, ignoring the prowling cat.

"Are you ready, My Queen?"

"I am. Let us proceed."

Minna walked to the door, followed by Shista and Chiana, then the High Priestess and her maidens. Outside, four honour guards fell in behind them, clad in their finest tunics and armoured in gold, white plumes in their helms. Two handmaidens walked ahead of the little procession, scattering sweet-scented fray flowers in the Queen's path as Minna traversed the long hall towards the room where she was to die, her head held high. Tears ran down the maidens' cheeks, and many servants, lords, ladies and advisors lined the way, their faces twisted with grief. Some wept openly and threw flowers into the Queen's path.

Minna-Satu paused several times to give words of comfort to her stricken people, allowing them to kneel and kiss the hem of her burial gown. Her bare feet trod a path of flowers and tears, her expression calm but rigid, her eyes fixed on the embossed gold doors at the end of the pillared hall. Shista padded beside the Queen, her eyes spitting green fire and a low growl rumbling in her throat.

The distant horns continued to sound the warning in wailing notes that drifted on the calm air. A dirge for a Queen, a city and a kingdom all poised on the keen edge of fate. Minna-Satu paused before the bier room's doors and turned to gaze one last time at her loyal subjects, raising a hand in a brief gesture of farewell. A great wail went up from them, a sorrowful lament that echoed through the palace and brought fresh tears to Chiana's eyes.

Two guardsmen pushed open the doors, and Minna entered the bier room. The white marble room was bare save for a silken banner emblazoned with the Queen's crest that hung on the far wall, and a waist-high plinth cushioned with white satin. The plinth was just long and wide enough to accommodate a person lying upon it. Shista prowled around it, sniffing. The room had no windows, but many torches and candles filled it with soft golden light. The honour guards remained outside, closing the doors behind the women. Minna stopped beside the plinth and turned to face the High Priestess. The old woman raised her hands in blessing.

"God grant you peace in the Everlasting, My Queen. Embrace with joy this passage into paradise, your reward awaits you there." She turned and took the cup from the girl who stood behind her, holding it out to the Queen.

Shista spat, glaring at the High Priestess as she imposed herself between them. She growled, a deep, alarming sound that made Chiana's neck hairs prickle. The sand cat's tail lashed, and she tensed, ready to spring. The High Priestess froze.

Minna fell to her knees beside the cat and flung her arms around her neck, burying her face in the soft fur. She hugged her, murmuring in a broken voice, "I am sorry, Shista, forgive me."