The Shadow's heir

“Yeah, that’s right,” said Laela. “I want her. That slave right there.”

“Are you certain. .?” Akhane looked nonplussed.

“That’s all right, isn’t it?” said Laela. “Slaves are property. So yeh can give one to me.”

“Certainly, but it is a very odd gift to ask for,” said Akhane. “She is only one house-slave, and I did not think your people kept slaves-especially not of your own kind.”

“We don’t,” said Laela. “But I ain’t keepin’ her. I want you t’give her to me, so I can set her free.”

Inva hadn’t moved, or spoken in all this time. Her face had gone carefully blank.

“And then?” Akhane inquired.

“An’ then she can decide what to do,” said Laela, raising her voice for Inva’s benefit. “But if she wants, I’ll take her back home an’ give her somewhere to live. That’ll be up to her, though.”

“Very well, then,” said Akhane. “If you want her, she is yours. But one slave is a very modest gift, especially if you do not intend to keep her.”

“Agreed,” said Laela. “I’ll take a hundred.”

Akhane broke into a fit of coughing. “One hundred. .?”

Laela couldn’t help it: She burst out laughing. “All right, I was just jokin’. We’ll pay for them.”

Akhane managed to stop coughing and laughed as well. “It is fine; I already knew that you and your father were here to bring your kind back to their homeland. We have many darkmen here, spread over the Empire-I doubt anyone knows just how many. It will take a long time and much trading to gather them all, and we will need to find new slaves to replace them before we let them go.”

“I know.” Laela sighed. “It’s hard. But I did this for them, so they could come back to us eventually.”

“I understand,” said Akhane. “And you understand that I admire you very much for it. Without slaves, your nation will always be small, but you place loyalty to your people before power to your country. If only more countries in this world had that love for humankind. And I will give you one hundred slaves, as you have asked.”

Now it was Laela’s turn to choke. “What? I mean-really?”

“Yes. With my father’s help, I will see it done. It will take time, but this one here will go back with you at least. The rest will follow.”

Laela kissed him. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” She kissed him again.

He looked surprised, but he was quick to kiss her back. “Shall we. .?” he said eventually.

Laela kissed him a third time by way of an answer. For the briefest moment, as she held him close, she thought of Yorath. But Yorath was at home, and she was going back to him. Akhane was here right now, and there was a good chance she would never see him again. And she owed him this much at least.

Not that she honestly wanted to do it just for his benefit. She was more than happy to do it for herself as well.

28

The Dark Lady

After what had happened in the Temple, whatever insane will had been keeping Arenadd together disappeared. He woke a few times, briefly, but into a world full of such agony that his mind refused to bear it and no matter how hard he tried to stay awake, he slid back into a half-conscious state where there was no thought, no sight or hearing, and only the vaguest sensation of pain. His mind, set free from the bonds of his ruined body, lost itself in dark dreams and memories, and he drifted away-unable to sense night or day or the passing of time.

Somewhere in the remnants of what had been his thoughts, he knew that he was dying.

He was too far gone to be afraid any more.

The dreams were his world now. He saw Skade; sometimes human, sometimes griffin, but always with a smile in her eyes that was just for him. She flitted here and there through the shadows, holding out a hand-inviting him to join her. Skandar was there, too, screeching defiance at the great light of the relentless sun. And others, too. People he thought he’d forgotten long ago. His old warriors, dead during the war. Arddryn was with them, scowling to herself. Sometimes, she looked like Saeddryn.

And there was a white griffin. She said nothing and never looked at him. Arenadd saw her flying, always away from him, looking for something she had lost.

An egg hatched, and Laela came out of it, but she didn’t have a smile for him now. She wore a black robe, and her brow was furrowed. She looked much older than he remembered.

Only the Night God was missing. Arenadd wandered alone through a night without moon or stars, searching for her-calling her name. But she never came, and no voice answered his cries. He needed her now, but he knew she wouldn’t come. She knew he had betrayed her.

The dreams went on for a long time, but eventually the day came when they grew confused. He began to wake up from them more often, and every time he woke, the pain was a little less. And the more he woke, the more he began to realise that the dreams weren’t real, that he had another place to belong to, a real place. When he realised that, the part of him that wanted to wake grew stronger, and he fought to hold on to it. He remembered what had happened, and knew other, far worse things must be happening even now while he was helpless. Anxiety worked at him, and only helped him to wake up once again.

His eyes opened at last, and he could see. Paralysed, he peered at the ceiling above him. It was wooden. There was light, so it must be day. . but no, he thought. . too dim. Coming from somewhere. Lantern, his inner voice said after a fierce struggle. Lamp.

Night, then. He sighed very faintly. Blessed night.

After that, he closed his eyes and slept again.

But he woke again several more times-always at night, and each time he felt stronger and stayed awake longer.

Little by little, he pieced together that he was in a ship’s cabin-the same cabin he’d lived in on the journey to Amoran.

His mind was painfully sluggish now, but it didn’t take him long to realise that he must be on his way home.

His first feeling was relief. No more blazing sun. No more strange, dark-skinned sun worshippers. No more Gryphus, glaring down from the sky with hatred.

But relief was quickly followed by guilt and despair. The slaves. He hadn’t freed them. He hadn’t completed the alliance negotiations with the Emperor.

His entire journey and all the suffering it had brought had been for nothing.

Arenadd closed his eyes again, nursing his pain, and slept.

Two days later he woke again. The moment he opened his eyes, he felt new strength in his mind and body. He was recovering.

He breathed deeply and turned his head for the first time since his accident.

Laela was there, sitting beside his bed. She wore a light gown, and her expression was guarded.

Arenadd felt his lips twist into a weak smile. “Laela,” he rasped.

Laela nodded curtly. “So yeh’ve come back to us at last, Sire.”

“Going. . home?” Arenadd managed.

“It’s the best thing for yeh, Sire,” said Laela.

He slumped onto his pillows. “But the slaves. . the agreement. . I never. .”

“I took care of it, Sire,” said Laela.

Arenadd stared stupidly at her. “What?”

“I said I took care of it,” said Laela. She examined her fingernails. “I sealed the deal with the Emperor. The alliance is signed. There are a hundred slaves comin’ home with us, an’ the Emperor promised the rest would be ready once we’d sent payment.”