The Traitor Queen

perceptive. I guess I like smart men. I wonder, though, what he sees in me.

Noticing Dannyl’s gaze, Achati turned to meet his eyes. His expression grew speculative. “Do you remember that moment during out journey to Duna? When Tayend interrupted?”

Memories and mixed emotions tumbled into Dannyl’s mind. Desire, embarrassment, anxiety and anger.

“How could I forget? Meddling little...” he muttered.

Achati laughed. “I’m sure his intentions were good. But I do feel that such moments, such chances, are going to grow rarer for us. Would we still remain friends if we were to go through another difficult time as we’ve had recently, or would there be too much distrust and suspicion? I wish...” He sighed. “It is selfish, I know. I would like us to be more than friends, for a time at least, before circumstances make us feel we must behave like enemies.”

Dannyl drew in a deep breath. His heart was beating too quickly again, and there was a strange but familiar fluttering sensation in his stomach. Which is exactly how I felt when I first arrived, he realised. Only this time there was something exhilarating about it. What would happen if he welcomed it? Embraced it?

Only one way to find out.

“Well, Tayend isn’t here now.”

Achati caught his breath. An expression flickered across his face before a look of careful interest replaced it.

Hope.

Dannyl understood then that, for all his power and wealth, Achati was alone. He doubted he could ever take advantage of that loneliness, even if he wanted to. It was not a weakness, it was part of the life Achati had embraced.

“Though I wouldn’t put it past him to be heading here right now,” Dannyl added.

Achati laughed. “Surely we couldn’t have such bad timing twice?”

“That sounds like a theory worth testing. Question is, how closely do we need to replicate the circumstances?”

“Oh, I think we have all the essential ingredients.” As Achati stood up, Dannyl followed suit. “And if I’m wrong, at least we can rely on the slaves not letting him in.” He paused to stare up at Dannyl. “Ah. Look at you.”

Dannyl blinked. “What?”

He reached up to touch Dannyl’s jaw. “So very tall and... all angles and elegance. It’s just as well you Kyralians don’t learn higher magic out of habit. You’d be much too intimidating.”

Dannyl let out a quick laugh. “You Sachakans are the intimidating ones,” he protested. “What with the black magic and—”

Achati silenced him with a shake of his head and a finger to his lips, and the hand on Dannyl’s jaw slid behind his neck and pulled him down into a kiss.

Then his mouth was beside Dannyl’s ear. “Don’t, or you’ll remind yourself that we are a brutal people. Let me show you that we can aren’t all cruel and heartless.” And he stepped back, then beckoned and led Dannyl out of the Master’s Room.

Chapter 19 An Agreement

Before the sun had even crested the horizon, the Traitors were getting ready to leave. They weren’t preparing to eat first, Sonea noted. When the Traitors are gone we’ll eat the last of our supplies, then head home, she decided. Though whether that “we” was to comprise two people or three was not a certainty.

She looked over to Lorkin, who had slept next to Tyvara for the last two nights. She’d listened to him closely during the negotiations. He had referred to the Traitors as “we” many times, and to the Allied Lands and Guild as “them”. She shivered as a feeling of dread crept over her.

He had changed. Not completely, though. He was still Lorkin. But he had matured. And... something else. Something like the brittleness that he’d suffered after having his heart broken, but compensated by a new resilience. She wasn’t surprised by the latter. He had been through a lot in the half-year since leaving the Guild. And taken on the burden of black magic.

I ought to be appalled, but all I feel is sadness. He has no idea what he’s shouldered. How it will always mark him as untrustworthy, even if they do accept his decision and that it is a cost of stone- making.

“They” being the Guild and other Kyralians. She did not think they would reject him. How could they, now that they’d accepted Lilia? But with every magician who learns black magic we seem to be losing something. Perhaps our innocence. Perhaps caution.

Lorkin had returned from replenishing his supply of water. She thought of the gemstones in her pocket, so far unmentioned to the Traitors. Tyvara smiled up at Lorkin as he handed her the flask. It was hers, not his. Sonea felt a pang of regret that she had no time to get to know the young woman better. The way Tyvara looked at Lorkin sent another shiver of warning through Sonea and she frowned.

For a couple so obviously in love, they are not behaving like they are about to be parted.

As if sensing her gaze, Lorkin turned and met Sonea’s eyes. His smile faded, then he looked back at Tyvara and nodded. Her expression became serious. Sympathetic. She nodded and watched as Lorkin made his way over to Sonea.

“Mother,” he said. “Can we talk privately?”

“Of course.” Standing up, Sonea looked around, then chose a direction at random and began walking. He followed silently. About twenty paces away she stopped and created a sound-containing barrier around them both, then waited for him to speak.

Lorkin suddenly could not meet her gaze. “I... ah... we...”

She sighed and relented. “Are you coming back with me?”

He straightened his shoulders and raised his head. “No.”

She stared at him, fighting a rising panic. I could order him to. I could contact Osen and get him to give the order. But she suspected that would push Lorkin into doing something even more foolish.

“It’s not Tyvara,” he said. “Well, not just Tyvara.” His gaze became intense. She read excitement and hope. “I think the Traitors will win. When they say they will end slavery... I think they’ll do that, too. They’ve been planning it for years. For centuries.”

“So... if they win, will they be any better than the Ashaki?”

“Yes,” he said firmly. “And if they lose?”

His expression was grim. She suddenly saw in his face what he would look like in ten years or more. If he makes it through the next few weeks. No, don’t think about that.

“Some things are worth risking lives for,” he said. “If you had seen what the Ashaki do – experienced it – you’d want to rid the world of them, too.”

At the anger and horror in his voice she felt a pain inside. What did they do to him? She wanted to know, and to find whoever had done it, and hurt them. Both for that, and for making my son want to risk his life in this way.

“The Guild won’t like this, but I’m sure you know that,” she told him.

He nodded. “Tell them to officially declare me an exile. That way they won’t be blamed for my actions, if we lose.”

She felt her heart sink. I ought to be pleased that he’s thought this through, but I can’t be. If only I could take his place... but I don’t think that would stop him going to war anyway.