Page 14 of Queen Demon
“Are you going to tell the other Prince-heirs?” Ziede asked. Her expression was already resigned. Her home had surrendered, and still been wiped out. She knew better than anyone how many lives hung on a Hierarch’s whim.
“After we finish speaking to the envoys,” Bashasa told her. He seemed to realize he still had his hand on Kai’s shoulder and removed it. “I don’t want to delay that meeting, it would not look well for us.”
Trenal, who had stationed herself at the doorway, coughed to warn them just before Lahshar entered with Dasara on her heels.
Lahshar looked around with a grim expression, as one of her cadre followed her in and began to arrange some folding camp stools. These turned out to be for the envoys from Belith and Ilver and the three Enalin messengers, who arrived next. Clearly still disturbed about Renitl-arik, Ziede started to pace, the fabric of her wide cotton pants swishing as she walked. Kai couldn’t let himself think about it, he had seen too many burned ruins, too many empty places that had been full of life and possibility.
Tahren came in and took a position back against the wall where chipped and faded paint was all that remained of a mural. She frowned a little worriedly in Ziede’s direction, as if she could tell something was wrong. Kai had seen Dahin briefly in the supply train, helping some of the physicians unpack.
Hiranan and Vrim and the shield-bearers of the outguard entered last, and Bashasa waited for them to greet the others before pulling a cloth map out of his coat pocket and unfolding it. Two of the shield-bearers came to take the map and hold it up against the wall so everyone could see it. Tahren caught Ziede’s arm to stop her pacing. With a pinched expression, Lahshar drew breath to speak, caught Hiranan’s gaze, and let the breath out.
Kai watched Bashasa put a confident, serious smile in place andturn to the envoys. “Our southern allies know we are waiting for the Enalin forces to join us before we can begin moving southwest. But there is something we must do first.” He stepped to the map. “There is a Hierarch fort outside Descar-arik. It is called Dashar, as was the town the legionaries destroyed near it.” Kai didn’t need to lean forward with the others; he had already memorized this map. The city was on the eastern coast, and the fort was just outside it. “They use it to control a junction of trade roads and canals that converge on Descar-arik for its sea trade. If we are to follow our plan to strike toward the fighting in Palm and join the rest of our allies, we have to pluck it off our back.”
There was murmuring among the envoys, some of which was on the dubious side. The leader of the Belith waited for the initial reaction to die down. She said, “Take the Hierarch fort, but not the city?” Her gaze flicked to the other Arike leaders. “This is acceptable?”
Kai still didn’t know much about eastern politics, it was just too different from how the Saredi settled disputes and how demon Houses of the underearth did anything. But he thought it was obvious the Belith wanted some kind of confirmation that the Arike city-states wouldn’t use the growing militias to free their own territory and then leave everyone else to suffer the consequences.As if that would work,Kai thought. As if the Hierarchs wouldn’t come back for the Arike once everyone else was dead.
Vrim, who was the son of the murdered Prince-heir of Descar-arik, seemed to understand her reluctance. He said, “Our people know what happened in the Summer Halls and the Kagala, our vanguarders made sure of that. Descar-arik will wait until the legions are drawn away by the fighting to the southwest, then the city will rise.”
Hiranan said, “As Seidel-arik plans, as well.” She leaned on her crutch, not bothering with the camp stool someone had set out for her. Kai had never seen her sit when anyone else was standing. She added, “If we stop to help our own cities, it will give theHierarchs time to come for us. Time in which they may decide our labor isn’t worth the risk and slaughter all of us. The way they have been destroying the smaller settlements all through this region.”
Bashasa nodded agreement, and turned to the Belith envoy to add, “Removing this fort is one of the ways we protect our cities. But the effort of our primary forces must focus on attacking the Hierarch strongholds in Palm and Belith. We must eliminate the individual Hierarchs. They are the only ones who can use the power of their Voice to slay whole cities.” Bashasa made an open-handed gesture toward the map. “Aside from the other considerations, we need more horses, and more wallwalkers for fast movement. This fort will give them to us.”
The meeting ended with agreement on the points that Bashasa needed it on and the envoys showing some evidence of being reassured, as much as any reassurance was possible now. The Enalin messengers hadn’t commented but they were only here to take news and information back to the Tescai-lin and their forces in Enalin.
When the envoys left, Bashasa told the Prince-heirs about Renitl-arik. He finished with, “This news Hiranan has brought us is very grave, and will change our timeline. But our attack on the fort will have the added benefit now of a distraction for Renitl-arik. We can hope it will give them time to…” Bashasa made a helpless gesture.
“Follow the damn plan before they all die,” Lahshar muttered.
Kai had expected the others to be more vocal, more upset. Maybe even to try to advocate for changing the plan to go to Renitl-arik’s defense. It would be hopeless, but that didn’t mean no one would suggest it. But no one did. Even Dasara, who could usually be counted on to repeat things other people had already said. Hiranan watched with an opaque expression, Vrim rubbed his face and looked away. The others were quiet, resigned.
Bashasa nodded. “It’s getting late, and I know you all have tasks. We will speak again together tomorrow.”
The Prince-heirs and their soldiers left, and Ziede followed Tahren out. Kai stayed behind, busying himself with folding up the maps Bashasa kept on his person. Someone had brought Bashasa a portable writing desk and he sat down on the floor with it in his lap, making his last notes. Lahshar’s people had carried off all the stools, which was typical. Outside the light was starting to fail, the room growing shadowy. “Ah, it really is getting late.” Bashasa squinted at his lapdesk in annoyance. “I only said that to get them to leave.”
Dusting off his hands, Kai glanced over at him. “Do you want me to get a lamp?”
“No, no, thank you, Kai. I’ll just finish this and go.” He bent to his work again. “I need to check over the camp.”
Kai sat down across from him, watching Bashasa finish a last line, then start fanning the ink to dry it. The main room was quieter, as most people had left for duties or dinner. The groups meeting there now were some of the civilians who helped manage the supply networks between the troops and the refuges for city dwellers and villagers who had fled their homes. It seemed a good time to ask a possibly pointed question. “I know why Lahshar hates me, but why does she hate you?”
Bashasa lifted his brows in mock surprise. “Lahshar hates you?” At Kai’s expression, he sighed. “She was passed over for much of her youth. Her martial skills were never up to the standards of the others. My sister, years younger than her, would win every time they were matched. Because of this, her family gave precedence to her brothers, and Lahshar fell behind in the accomplishments expected of Prince-heirs because her education was neglected. My and my sister’s educations were not neglected, and we were held up as examples to her of what she should strive for but it was always implied she would never attain.” He shrugged. “I was also a very annoying person, when Iwas younger, I suppose.” He started to collect his papers, sorting which ones to stuff in his pockets and which to tuck inside the lapdesk.
Kai pretended to find this dubious. “Only when you were younger?”
“I learned the error of my ways, as some of us have.” Bashasa rolled up a document and used it to lightly bop Kai on the head. “It probably bothered her the most that I did nothing with my accomplishments except go to parties. And sit in the city assembly and occasionally nod off.”
“And that’s why you’re both still alive.” From Bashasa’s wry expression, it was the correct guess. Kai pushed to his feet, suppressing a groan. The bruises from rolling around in the rocky streambed had healed almost immediately but Talamines’ body seemed to remember them too well. He stretched, trying to get the muscles in his back to release. “Karanis didn’t see you or Lahshar as threats.”
Bashasa was looking up at him with a half smile. “In his defense, I didn’t see him as much of a threat either. Which is why the Hierarchs chose him.” He asked, honestly curious, “And do you hate Lahshar?”
“Not really.” Kai found himself smiling. Lahshar was not the least hesitant to be rude to his face, she wasn’t afraid of him. Which meant they could work together. “Not compared to the Hierarchs.” He held out a hand. Bashasa took it and Kai hauled him to his feet. “She’s just a very annoying person.”
Bashasa swayed a little as if Kai had pulled him up too fast, and Kai steadied him.
From the doorway, Trenal said, “Prince-heir, the Enalin messengers want to meet with you.” She sounded a little incredulous. “They said a bird just brought a message?”
Bashasa huffed out a breath, as if irritated at the interruption, and stepped back. “Yes, I’ll come right away.”
