The Desert Spear (20 page)

'My brothers in the night,' Jardir said. 'This is a glorious time to be
Sharum
! Alone, the tribes of Krasia make the
alagai
quail with fear, but when we stand together, there is nothing we cannot do!'

The warriors roared, and Jardir waited until it died. 'But when I look out at you, I see division!' he cried. 'The Majah sit across the aisle from the Kaji! The Jama avoid the Khanjin! There is not one tribe who does not see enemies in this room! We are supposed to be brothers in the night, but who among you has volunteered to stand with the Sharach, whose numbers have been decimated''

There was silence now, the warriors unsure how to respond. They knew the truth of his words, but tribal hatreds ran deep and were not easily let go even if one wished it'and few did.

'The Sharum Ka is said to be of no tribe,' Jardir continued, 'but to me, that is worse! What loyalty might a tribeless man have' The Evejah tells us that the only true loyalty is that of blood. And so,' he swept a hand back toward the Andrah and the
Damaji
on their thrones, 'I have beseeched our leaders to join my blood to all of you.

'With the Andrah's blessing,' Jardir said, 'the
Damaji
have each agreed to wed me to one fertile daughter of their tribe, to bear me a
Sharum
son to whom I will be forever loyal.'

There was a shocked silence, then the room erupted in a roar of approval from every tribe save the Kaji. Clearly, they had believed Jardir would retain his loyalty to their tribe, as all previous Sharum Ka had done, no matter what the Evejah said.

Let them sulk,
Jardir thought.
I will win them back in the Maze.

'And so,' he intoned, quieting the temple once more, 'once my
Jiwah Ka
selects my brides, the
Damaji
will perform the wedding rites.'

But then Inevera stepped forward unrehearsed, surprising Jardir no less than the
Sharum
or assembled leaders. Did she mean to speak' Any woman,
dama'ting
or no, speaking in Sharik Hora was unheard of.

But it seemed everything Inevera did was unheard of.

'There need be no delay,' she said loudly. 'Let the brides of the Sharum Ka step forth!'

Jardir's jaw dropped. She had chosen his brides already' Impossible!

But eleven women strode out onto the great altar of Sharik Hora, kneeling before the flabbergasted
Damaji
of their tribes. Jardir saw them, and his heart sank.

They were all
dama'ting.

The palace of the Sharum Ka was smaller than the Kaji palace, but where that housed dozens of
kai'Sharum, dama,
and their families, this palace was Jardir's alone. He remembered his years spent sleeping on a filthy cloth on the crowded stone floor of the Kaji'sharaj, and gazed in wonder at the splendor of it all. Everywhere he stepped was plush carpet, velvet, and silk. He dined off porcelain plates so delicate he feared to touch them, and drank from golden goblets studded with gems. And the fountains! There was nothing in Krasia more valuable than water, yet even his mother's bedroom tinkled with fresh flowing water.

He threw Qasha down onto a pile of pillows, delighting in the sway of her soft breasts, clearly visible through her diaphanous top. Her legs were clad in the same gossamer material, leaving her sex bare, shaved and perfumed. Lust filled him as he fell on her, and he mused that being wed to twelve
dama'ting
was not the chore he had feared.

Qasha of the Sharach was by far Jardir's favorite of his new wives. Almost as beautiful as Inevera, she was far more obedient, dropping her robes at a moment's notice. Her belly was still flat, but already, six weeks wed, she carried a son'the first that would come from his new brides. He knew he should be taking another now, filling the palace with swollen bellies to tie him to the tribes, but Qasha's condition only aroused Jardir's lust for her further. Inevera didn't seem to care. Far less strict with her
dama'ting Jiwah Sen,
she let Jardir bed them as he pleased. He liked to keep Qasha close by, for she served him as a proper wife should.

Laughing, Qasha pushed him onto his back, mounting him wantonly.

'Everam's bones, woman!' Jardir cried, gasping as she lowered herself down upon him.

'Should I seem demure when I am in the pillows with the Sharum Ka'' Qasha asked, rising up and slapping down hard. 'Just last night, the Andrah himself spoke of the glory you've won in the Maze since ascending. It is an honor to sheathe your spear.' She leaned in close, moving rhythmically.

'A woman may bear two children in the same womb,' Qasha whispered between perfumed kisses. 'Perhaps you can plant yet another son within me.' Jardir started to reply, but she giggled and muffled his words by giving him a full breast to suckle. For long minutes, they sweated and struggled in the only battle to rival
alagai'sharak.

When they were finished, Qasha rolled off him, raising her legs to hold his seed.

'You were in the palace last night when I left at dusk,' Jardir said after a moment.

Qasha looked at him, and for an instant fear washed over her lovely face before being replaced with the cold
dama'ting
mask he had come to expect from his wives whenever he spoke of things other than lovemaking and children.

'I was,' she agreed.

'Then when did you see the Andrah'' Jardir asked. 'Women with child, even
dama'ting,
are forbidden to leave the palace at night.'

'I misspoke,' Qasha said. 'It was another night.'

'Which night'' Jardir pressed. 'Which night did you take my unborn son from the safety of my palace without permission''

Qasha drew herself up. 'I am
dama'ting,
and owe you no''

'You are my
jiwah
!' Jardir roared, and she quailed in the face of it. 'The Evejah grants no exceptions to
dama'ting
when it commands wives to obedience!' It was bad enough that Inevera flaunted that sacred law as she pleased, but Jardir would be damned if he gave all his wives the same power. He was Sharum Ka!

'I did not leave the wards!' Qasha cried, holding out her hands. 'I swear it!'

'Did you lie about the Andrah's words'' Jardir asked, clenching a fist.

'No!' Qasha cried.

'Then the Andrah was here, in my palace'' Jardir asked.

'Please, I am forbidden to speak of it,' Qasha said, casting her eyes down in submission.

Jardir grabbed her roughly, forcing her to look him in the eye. 'No one may forbid you anything over me!'

Qasha thrashed and pulled from his grasp, losing her balance and falling to the floor. She burst into tears, shaking as she covered her face in her hands. She looked so frail and afraid that all the anger fell from him. He knelt and put his hands gently on her shoulders.

'Of all my wives,' he said, 'you are the most favored. I ask only your loyalty. You will not be punished for your answer, I swear.'

She looked up at him with round, wet eyes, and he pushed back her hair, brushing away tears with his thumb. She pulled back, looking to the floor. When she spoke, it was so low he could barely make out her words.

'All is not always still in the palace of the Sharum Ka at night,' she said, 'when the master is at
alagai'sharak.
'

Jardir choked down a blast of anger. 'And when will the palace next be stirred''

Qasha shook her head. 'I do not know,' she whimpered.

'Then cast the bones and find out,' Jardir ordered.

She looked up at him, scandalized. 'I could never!'

Jardir growled, his anger flaring again, as he silently cursed the day he had married
dama'ting.
Even if she were not carrying his child, Jardir could not strike Qasha, and she knew it. There was a layer of Nie's abyss reserved for any man who harmed a
dama'ting.

But Jardir refused to be dominated by every one of his wives because he could not discipline as the Evejah taught. There were other ways to frighten her.

'I tire of your disobedience,
jiwah,
' he said. 'Cast them, or I will send the Sharach to the first layer, and your tribe will be consumed by the night. The boys will be cast from
Hannu Pash
as
khaffit,
and the women left to whore for lesser tribes.' He would do no such thing, of course, but she need not know that.

'You would not dare!' Qasha said.

'Why should I allow your tribe honor, when you deny me mine'' Jardir demanded.

She was crying openly now, but Qasha nevertheless reached for the thick bag of black felt every
dama'ting
carried at all times. Hers was secured to her bare waist with a strand of colored beads.

Used to the practice by now, Jardir moved to draw the heavy velvet curtains, blocking any hint of sunlight that might break the magic and render the dice useless.

Qasha lit a candle. She looked at him, fear in her eyes. 'Swear to me,' she begged. 'Swear that you will never tell the
Jiwah Ka
that I did this for you.'

Inevera. Of course Jardir expected his First Wife to be at the center of any intrigue in his palace, but it cut him to hear it. He was Sharum Ka now, and still not fit to know her plans.

'I swear by Everam and the blood of my sons,' Jardir said.

Qasha nodded and cast the bones. Jardir watched their evil light and wondered for the first time if perhaps they were not Everam's voice on Ala.

'Tonight,' Qasha whispered.

Jardir nodded. 'Put the bones away. We will speak no more of this.'

'And the Sharach'' Qasha asked.

'I would never have vented my rage upon my son's tribe,' Jardir said, laying a hand on her belly. Qasha sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, deflating as the tension left her.

As the sun came to the end of its arc, Jardir left Qasha sleeping on the bed of pillows and donned his blacks and white turban. He chose his favorite spear and shield, and went down to meet his
kai'Sharum
at dinner.

They feasted on spiced meat and cool water, served by Jardir's mother,
dal'ting
wives, and sisters. His
dama'ting
wives were no doubt lurking in the shadows, listening in, but they would never deign to serve at his table,
jiwah
or no. Ashan, his spiritual advisor, sat at the foot of the table, facing him. Shanjat, who had succeeded Jardir as
kai'Sharum
of his personal unit, sat at Jardir's right hand, and Hasik, his personal bodyguard, at his left.

'What were our losses last night'' Jardir asked as they had their tea.

'We lost four last night, First Warrior,' Ashan said.

Jardir looked at him in surprise. 'The Kaji lost four''

Ashan smiled. 'No, my friend.
Krasia
lost four. Two Baiters and two Watchers. All
dal'Sharum
past their primes and gone to glory.'

Jardir returned the smile. Since he'd become Sharum Ka, nightly losses had dwindled as demon kills had increased.

'And
alagai
'' he asked. 'How many saw the sun''

'More than five hundred,' Ashan said.

Jardir laughed. He doubted the true number was half that, with every tribe habitually exaggerating their kills, but it was still a fine night's work, far more that the previous Sharum Ka had achieved.

'The tribes in the eighth layer still saw no glory,' Ashan said. 'We were considering leaving the Maze gates open longer tonight to ensure there are enough
alagai
for all to kill.'

Jardir nodded. 'An extra ten minutes. If that is not enough, add another ten tomorrow. I will be on the walls tonight, inspecting the new scorpions and rock slingers.'

Ashan bowed. 'As the Sharum Ka commands.'

After the meal, they left for Sharik Hora, where the
Damaji
praised their successes and blessed the coming night's battle. As the warriors left for the Maze, Jardir held his two lieutenants back.

'You will wear the white turban tonight, Hasik,' Jardir said.

A wild light came to Hasik's eyes. 'As the Sharum Ka commands.' He bowed.

'You cannot be serious!' Ashan said. 'To have a
dal'Sharum
impersonate the Sharum Ka is a violation of our sacred oaths!'

'Nonsense,' Jardir said. 'There are tales in the Evejah of Kaji playing such games frequently, when he did not wish his movements known.'

'Forgive me, First Warrior,' Ashan said, 'but you are not the Deliverer.'

Jardir smiled. 'Perhaps. But what is the Evejah, if not something the Shar'Dama Ka left for us to learn from''

Ashan frowned. 'What if Hasik is discovered''

'He won't be,' Jardir said. 'With his night veil, the sling teams will not recognize him, for they have seldom seen me save at a distance. Hasik, however, will be seen on the walltops by all, and there will be no question among the
Sharum
that I was in the Maze tonight.'

'If you are wrong, he will be put to death,' Ashan warned.

Jardir shrugged. 'Hasik has killed hundreds of
alagai.
If that is his fate, he will wake in paradise.'

'I am not afraid, Sharum Ka,' Hasik said.

Ashan snorted. 'Fools seldom are,' he muttered. 'But where will you go,' he asked Jardir, 'while others think you on the wall''