Page 11 of Ensii
“Shaza.” Talitha let a warning note slip into her tone.
“Forgive me.” The former chamberlin—Talitha wasn’t sure what rank he had now—inclined his head. Shaza inhaled a long breath through his nose before bowing.
Ashek studied the other man critically, searching, gauging, and weighing every action and word. “You will follow me as your ruler.”
Shaza’s gaze narrowed and the exchange reminded Talitha of a fox meeting a panther. They studied one another warily, both aware who most needed to fear whom and neither particularly bothered by it.
“As you command, my lord,” he said simply.
“You were called chieftain.” Ashek folded his arms across his chest. “You promised an explanation. Explain.”
“Oh that.” Shaza shrugged. “I won a wrestling match and the prize was the right to fight their chieftain for his title.” He glanced to Breida. “And other things.”
The northern woman raised her chin stiffly, staring down Talitha. “I’ve long held that any man who could best me would be my husband and the ones who couldn’t had to give me a hundred sirrushes.” Breida half-glared at Shaza. “No one has ever bested me.”
Shaza seemed oblivious to her glares. “Once I was married into the clan, I had the right to challenge the chieftain for leadership. I won.”
Talitha studied Shaza, searching for any underlying meaning or hint of omission. “What do you mean?”
“I fought their chieftain in single combat and won. It was the only way I could gain my freedom and return to you.”
Was it Talitha’s imagination or did Breida’s glare grow just a little sharper at those words?
“That…” Talitha measured her words carefully. “That was your entire motivation?”
“I’ll admit I wasn’t particularly fond of the man I killed, either.”
“He offended you?”
“His existence offended me.”
Talitha supposed she didn’t need more explanation than that. Not right now. “Are you ready for us to attack?”
Shaza looked to the lean young woman at his side. “What say you, wife? Are we ready?”
Breida locked her arms across her chest. She was small, wiry, and lean as a sand jackal. “Whenever your golden—Ilians and Hudsepthites are ready to attack.”
“Careful, darling. The Ilians and Hudspethites are our lords now.”
Breida narrowed her eyes at him. “If you weren’t my husband, I would stab you in your sleep.”
“If you really want it, don’t let that stop you.”
Breida hissed before storming to join her fighters.
He watched her go. Talitha wished she could have seen his face as he did. “We have a complicated relationship.” The former chamberlin waved his hand dismissively. “Ah well.”
“We’re ready, my lady,” Gilsazi lumbered across the courtyard. One of his sons rode on his shoulders, holding his horns. The other clung balanced on Gilsazi’s hip.
The boys were darker than Kasrei, but fairer than Gilsazi. Last year, their horn buds had begun coming in and the bumps on their skulls promised they would take after their father at least in that regard.
“We’ve finished purging all the idols we could find. I think that’s as good as it’s going to get.” Gilsazi stopped a few steps from Talitha and Ashek, his sons holding tight to him like they might be blown away.
“How many did we lose?” Talitha braced herself. “What is the final count?”
Gilsazi let a long breath out his nose. “Fourteen. Two northerners and twelve Ilians.”
No Hudspethites. Perhaps it was just coincidence.
