“Natan hasn’t told you the rest of his vision,” Uwan said. “Perhaps that will influence your decision. Natan?”
“Yes,” Natan said. Ashok thought he spoke with reluctance. “Before you came to the city, Ashok, Tempus showed me a vision of your face. I knew you, before you came here.”
“I don’t understand,” Ashok said. But he was beginning to, and it frightened him more than anything ever had.
Uwan said, “Tempus foretold your coming, Ashok. We believe He sent you to us to find our people. He’s chosen you to aid us.”
“But I am not his servant,” Ashok said, aware of Vedoran’s tense posture beside him. He could feel the heat of the shadar-kai’s gaze.
“It doesn’t matter,” Uwan said. “Tempus has chosen to work through you. Will you answer His call?”
The silence in the chamber was unendurable as everyone waited for Ashok to form an answer. How could they expect so much, when Ashok couldn’t find a coherent thought?
For a moment, Ashok wondered if he was still locked in a strange and terrible dream and just didn’t know it. They were asking him to seek out and rescue a party of shadar-kai that had likely been attacked and slaughtered by his father, his brothers and other warriors who’d once fought beside Ashok.
His enclave relied on secrecy to protect their domain. They didn’t take prisoners. Yet Natan insisted that some or all of them were still alive, so something must have changed in Ashok’s absence.
But if he told them the truth, if he revealed that he’d led shadow hounds away from his enclave so its warriors could more easily capture and kill Ikemmu’s citizens … he was as good as dead.
All those thoughts converged in his mind, and Ashok felt lost. The silence dragged on. They were all staring at him, he could feel it.
Finally, he couldn’t stand it any longer. “May we speak in private?” he asked Uwan.
The leader must have seen the desperation in Ashok’s eyes. He nodded at once. “Of course,” he said. “Would the rest of you excuse us, with my thanks?”
Chairs scraped back as Natan and Ashok’s companions left the table. Vedoran was the last to leave. He got up stiffly and headed for the door.
“Vedoran,” Uwan called to him.
“Yes, my Lord?” Vedoran answered. His tone came off unmistakably cold, though Uwan didn’t appear to notice.
“You will lead the party,” Uwan said.
“My Lord?” Vedoran replied.
Ashok raised his head. Vedoran’s face was like a mask that had cracked at the edges. He’d never seen the shadar-kai look so shocked.
“You’re an exceptional warrior,” Uwan said. “The others are skilled, but they lack your discipline and grace. I trust you to guide them on this journey.”
Vedoran bowed at the waist. “I will, my Lord. My thanks,” he said fervently.
When he’d gone, Uwan put his palms flat against the tabletop. He studied Ashok’s face. Ashok couldn’t imagine what he read there, but after a breath, Uwan smiled slightly.
“Are you afraid?” he asked.
Ashok swallowed. The emotions he was experiencing were unlike anything he’d ever dealt with before. His heart beat an unsteady rhythm in his chest. He was in no danger of fading, yet he felt as if he was. That was the best way he could describe his fear. “Yes,” he said.
“Good,” Uwan answered. “It’s humbling, and it should be, to see the gods at work in our lives.”
“How do you know I’m Tempus’s agent?” Ashok asked. “I told you I’ve never followed the warrior god. What if Natan is wrong?”
“He’s never been wrong before,” Uwan said.
“I tried to kill one of your people,” Ashok said. “You have no reason to trust me.”
“Don’t I?” Uwan said. He stood, restless, and began pacing the room. He stopped before the portrait of the city. “I’ve been the Watching Blade in Ikemmu for twenty years. During that time, I’ve executed countless warriors for crimes against our people. Disobey orders, endanger the lives of your fellow shadar-kai, betray our people- these are the highest crimes in Ikemmu. Discipline is paramount to the survival of this city, to say nothing of our race. The shadar-kai are built for self-destruction. It is how we were made, but it doesn’t have to be who we are.”
“It’s the only way I know,” Ashok said.
“I don’t believe that,” Uwan said. “When you ran across that field and attacked Skagi, what was in your mind?”
Ashok remembered Lakesh’s face, the blade in his hand. Another brother dead.
“I thought he was going to kill Cree,” Ashok said.
“And you were trying to prevent that, at the cost of your own life,” Uwan said. “What higher service could you render to Ikemmu than to give your life for one of its warriors?”
Ashok didn’t know what to say. He wanted to tell Uwan the truth, to unburden himself of the awful knowledge of the leader’s misplaced faith. But he couldn’t bring himself to speak. He remembered what it was like, waking up in the dark cave with his father, when he’d thought that Ikemmu was only a dream-a hope conjured by his desperate imagination.
The enclave was his nightmare. He couldn’t go back to it. There was only one thing he could do.
“I accept your mission,” he said. His voice became stronger with his conviction. “Whatever it takes, I’ll find your missing people.”
He couldn’t meet Uwan’s gaze. He felt the leader’s hands come down on his shoulders and squeeze.
“Thank you,” Uwan said. “Tempus guide and go with you.”
Tempus guide me? Ashok thought bitterly. Tempus had known who he was all along. Ashok might be able to deceive Uwan and the rest, but the god was sending the perfect person to rescue the missing party, the person who knew the enemy’s strengths and weaknesses best.
Uwan released him, and Ashok started for the door.
“One more thing,” Uwan called after him. “I think you should take the nightmare with you. He would be a presence to be reckoned with, should you encounter trouble along your journey.”
“Is that wise?” Ashok said. The last time he’d ridden the beast, he’d thought he was in control, yet the nightmare had ridden his mind into near madness.
“The fire will burn a path through the witch’s domain,” Uwan said. When Ashok only stared at him, Uwan laughed. “Never mind,” he said. “Go and join your companions.”
Ashok nodded and left the chamber.
When he stepped out into the hall, he found Vedoran and the others waiting for him. Natan was not among them. For a breath, nobody spoke.
“Well, chosen of Tempus?” Vedoran said. Ashok heard the edge beneath the words. “Are you with us or not?”
“I’m with you,” Ashok said.
“Excellent,” Chanoch said, and grinned.
“Told you,” Cree said, nudging his brother, but Skagi was stone-faced, his deformed lip curled in disgust. He said nothing.
Tempus’s clerics had healed the marks on his face. There were no scars, but Skagi obviously hadn’t forgotten their last encounter.
Ashok inclined his head to the warrior. “I apologize for my actions,” he said. “I was arrogant in dealing with the nightmare. I thought it couldn’t affect me. I was wrong.”
He held out his hand. After a long breath, Skagi clasped Ashok’s forearm. His menacing gaze softened.
Suddenly, Skagi’s grip tightened. He pulled Ashok forward a step and punched him in the face with his free hand.
Ashok stumbled. Skagi released him so he could stem the flow of blood gushing from his broken nose. Ashok raised his arm to ward off the next blow, but Skagi was grinning, his hands on his hips. His expression looked cheerful.
