Page 1 of Ensii
Chapter One
“You took the mines with just this?” Breida snapped her chin over the fifty or so mercenaries and the rag-tag group of former prisoners. “I’m impressed.”
Talitha shrugged. In truth, they had far outnumbered their adversaries, but most their own people had been in chains. Most of her warriors were still in no condition to fight. Serving as Naram’s slaves had weakened them.
Shaza raised his eyebrows. “It’s impressive, but not surprising. This is Ensaak Talitha, after all.”
“What would you have us do, ensaak?” There was just the slightest hint of bitterness as Breida said the words. Talitha would have to watch her back with that one.
“We should—”
Ashek shifted at Talitha’s side.
Talitha cleared her throat. “Shaza—and Breida.” She gestured to Ashek, not quite making eye contact with any of them. “This is Ashek. My husband who has brought his soldiers to help take back the city. He is now my consort and co-ruler.”
The Dunedrifter stood with his shoulders back and his chin held at a defiant angle. Talitha for one wold have never questioned that he was every bit the ruler she had made him.
Talitha noticed Zula had moved closer, watching with wide eyes and clenched fists.
“Married?” Shaza looked over the two of them, the unspoken question hanging in the air. “Are you…?” His eyes fell on Talitha’s neck, on the lover’s mark Ashek had left on her just a few hours ago. “Of course, that was a stupid question.”
Ashek slid an arm around Talitha, pulling her back against his chest. He kissed her temple. “Her enemies are my enemies and so her friends are my friends.”
“And vice versa,” Shaza remarked, though he could mean several things by that.
“Are you alright?” Ashek asked in her ear, his voice dropping.
“Yes,” Talitha whispered.
He kissed the side of her neck, lips brushing the bruise on her skin. It gave her the impulse to turn around and lose herself in those kisses.
Talitha stroked her fingers along his bracer, remembering how his body flexed and moved under her touch. She straightened.
He let go.
Dozens of eyes watched them. Dozens of eyes kept watching now. It had been an act of possessiveness, too, she realized. Ashek wanted everyone to see that she was his and he was hers. Ashek watched her for a moment before returning his attention to their troops. “We need to get the soldiers into the palace,” he said.
“Yes.” Talitha agreed. If Talitha had to guess, she would say that Naram had taken to the ensaak’s quarters. She imagined him in her grandfather’s seat, surrounded by acolytes and loyalists of Anakti.
She would see them all dragged into the streets before the next sundown.
“There are several gates into the city from here,” Talitha said.
“He can’t keep us out forever,” Ashek muttered. “He’ll need water at some point.”
“He may hope he can starve us out,” Shaza remarked. “There is no food allowed in the mine for that very reason.”
“Your grandfather was paranoid,” Ashek muttered.
Talitha found herself cursing the old man as well. He’d taken precaution after precaution against betrayal and had still ended up with his head in a box.
“We need to attack while it’s still dark,” Breida said. “The less time they have to prepare, the better.”
“Agreed.” Talitha looked to her right and Zula. “Gather your warriors. See how many are fit to fight. We’ll see what we can do as far as weapons.”
“There is one other thing.” Ashek straightened. “We need to make sure that your people are stripped of everything to do with the war goddess.”
Shaza inhaled a long breath through his nose.
