Page 8 of Warrior's Reign
Reign held up a hand. “I’m not qualified, Ibukay.”
A lash of steel in theBdakhun’seyes. Friend or not, she wouldn’t accept being told no. “Three years ago, you guarded a warlord’s daughter. Her father was in the middle ofjokdaht.”
“His daughter wasn’t a royal.”
“So you’ll learn on the job. Like I said, lifetime. Besides, you’ll start out on an intensive training regime. It was the only way I could get Vykhan to stop pitching a Silent fit.”
Reign stiffened. Silent? Her head of security was a follower of Haeemah? “What are his objections?”
She knew the type, had encountered them in training under Numar. Old family Yadeshi from blooded warrior clans that followed Haeemah’s Precepts who thoughtthe presence of a human beneath them, an affront. No matter that she wasAdekhantrained even before Numar had accepted her as a pupil. No matter that even without the few medtech enhancements she’d saved years for, she’d pushed herself to the very edge of conditioning possible for a human.
Ibukay hesitated, gaze sliding away from Reign. “He happened to see some media coverage of your last. . .assignment.”
She’d bribed several people to squelch that coverage, but some had gotten out anyway before she could get to it. The family of her former client had stepped in as well, after she’d explained to them that it wasn’t in their best interest for the whole affair to be publicized.
“It’s very honorable,” Ibukay said hastily. “To declarejokdahtto avenge your client. Very Beysikan. It’s one of the reasons you would fit in. You already think like one of us.”
“Like an old American vigilante with a massive chip on the shoulder? And you do know I spent years in this province training at Yna Ipaluk Academy?”
Ibukay’s smile was rich with satisfaction. “Of course. Though you never would tell me much about it while we were at university.”
Because she’d left the exclusive, prestigious Way of Silence military academy with a broken heart, despite graduating a six-year-long rigorous training regime that produced some of the planet’s most brilliant warriors. Normally she would have returned after her journeyman field years for another six year cycle, so on and so forth until she madeAdekhanrank, but Reign hadn’t been able to bring herself to go back, and she’d never wanted to serve in the military, anyway.
She sighed to herself. She owed herAdekhyuna visit, and soon. “So Vykhan’s objection is that I blew my cover?”
“. . .one of them.”
“That I’m human?”
Ibukay’s nails tapped the tables. “He spoke toAdekhyunNumar.”
Even worse. “Your guard knows Numar?”
“He was trained by him. It’s another reason I was able to do some fast-talking, despite the objections. He had to concede that if Numar pronounced you fit, then you must be. Whether you’re hot headed or not.”
“Hot headed!” As her emotions processed indignation, her mind ran through the implications of a Numar trained First. It would either be a boon to work with someone who had perfected Silence—or a disaster. She wouldn’t be able to play him and he’d spot every. Single. Weakness. “Fine. Never mind. So. . .Numar?”
Ibukay examined her nails. “Vykhan did a very thorough background check. He’s the strong, silent type. He demands complete discretion. It’s the hallmark of his line, they pride themselves on invisibility. Vykhan thinks you’re a. . .celebrity warrior.”
Someone who trained and practiced their skill, usually subpar, for show. Displayed themselves in contests, at festivals, on reality vid. Basically, a warrior who was all flash but wouldn’t last a week on a real battlefield.
The term was so insulting they all spoke it in Standard.
“That—” Reign cut herself off, taking a deep breath. “He doesn’t even know me.”
“So I said. He speaks as if he does, though. Numar was amused.”
“I’ll talk with Numar. If he says to take the job, I’ll take the job.”
Ibukay’s hand flattened on the table. “Remember, Reign. It’s a lifetime contract. And there’s a good chance that your children would wind up in service as well. There’s only one way out.”
“I get it.”
“You’d have a home, comrades.” Ibu’s expression was somber. “You could wed or bond someone of rank eventually, and still have a family. A female of your skills, you’d have your pick. It wouldn’t be like hopping from assignment to assignment, never knowing what the next job is.”
The offer was more attractive than Ibukay knew. More attractive than Reign had expected, considering her now dwindling desire to retire in obscurity and eat donuts.
“Let’s walk,” the princess suggested. “I’m tired of sitting.”
