20. Chapter 20

Chapter twenty

At Mansala’s urging, Kamir didn’t slip into the palace unseen like some thief, but made sure with Tam’s help, before Tam left, that the whole city was expecting him.

Or his people, anyway.

Not that it took long for the imperial guard to surround them, but Kamir still took his time, greeting the people that lined the streets to welcome him, so humbled that any cared to do so.

He was surprised when his uncle met him on the steps of the palace, bowing low. But then he knew it was all for show.

“Highness, we are so glad you have returned safely after your state visit.”

State visit? That was a good excuse. He greeted his cousin Damatrious, who was standing stiffly behind Gabar, and followed them inside. He cared not where Iskar was. “I would appreciate some time to discuss your appearance before the ruling assembly tomorrow and then your presentation to the imperial court. In particular, if there are any special guests you want invited.”

Kamir almost laughed at Gabar’s attempt both to appear as if the assembly was a mere tiny detail and didn’t involve the murder of children, and to find out if he knew where Tsaria was.

“We expected her highness, Princess Veda, to accompany you?”

Kamir smiled blandly. “She’s visiting the poorer areas of the kingdom in my stead. I’m sure she’ll be here for the presentation.” It was a lie, but one Gabar couldn’t refute. There was no way Gabar was getting his hands on Veda.

Kamir hadn’t realized how exhausted he was until he was shown to his rooms and all but collapsed on one of the daybeds. When eventually all the servants left except Mansala, he tried again to spare his friend. “You need to leave before I meet the ruling assembly tomorrow.”

Mansala met his gaze with his usual solemn look. “Highness,” Mansala said and then did something he hadn’t ever done in Kamir’s presence. He sat. Kamir was so startled he managed to stay quiet. “When I was four, I had no understanding of what it meant to be considered for the position of your life sentinel. My father just told me I had the opportunity to save my mother and sisters from poverty.” He hesitated. “Mine was not a deliberate birth, but an accident. My family couldn’t afford the children they already had, never mind an extra mouth to feed.”

Kamir stared at his solemn face. Dark brown eyes, deep brown skin, the small scar on his left cheek he had gotten when Kamir’s father had decided Kamir should be proficient with birds-of-prey and Mansala had undertaken to find a hawk and train it himself in an attempt to help. He’d been seven summers of age and hadn’t understood that the birds needed to bond as chicks, not as fully grown adults.

“It was the luckiest day of my life, and not because of what my father said, because I got the chance to serve one of the most honorable people I know, and you made sure my family had all the fortune they would ever need,” Mansala said. “But I cannot go to my grave with such a regret as leaving you without your sentinel. You owe me that.” He flashed his white teeth. “I took an oath. Please don’t ask me to break it.”

“But Tam—”

“Would never respect me if I broke it. Highness,” he took both Kamir’s hands in his, which again, he never did. “Please don’t ask something of me I cannot do. Breaking my vow would kill me faster than anything Gabar might order.”

Kamir swallowed heavily. Relief that he wouldn’t be alone was wrapped up in so much guilt that he couldn’t even save one who, from childhood, had vowed to give his life to save Kamir’s.

“How about you bathe and rest if you can?”

Kamir knew his inability to change into a dragon hung over them both. “Is it hopeless, Mansala?

“Nothing is ever hopeless when you have justice on your side,” he said gravely.

Kamir didn’t sleep. How could he? At dawn he bathed and was dressed by the slaves under Mansala’s watchful gaze. The meeting with the ruling assembly was still four bells away, but he saw little point delaying anything. He knew he had to be sequestered in his private prayer room for a full bell to ask the goddess for guidance, but to be completely honest, he wasn’t interested in any celestial being that would allow innocents to die in their name.

Mansala waited outside as Kamir let himself into his prayer room, and the door closed behind him. He was alone. He wasn’t sure what he expected as he didn’t want Veda anywhere close, so eschewing the pews and the cushions, he walked to the corner and sat on the floor.

His head hit the wall, and he wondered how he had gotten to this place. He ached for Tsaria. Not that he wanted him anywhere near the palace, but if he closed his eyes, he could imagine him. The night they had come together, he’d sucked Tsaria’s length. The first time in his life he’d ever done that. Tears pricked at his eyes and his throat grew tight. He loved that man. He’d never loved anyone except Mansala and Veda, and that was a different type of love. No less of one, but very different.

And he didn’t understand how it happened. Any of it. He wasn’t a warrior. Someone else needed to be a dragon. Someone worthy. It just showed how unfit he was because he hadn’t changed again. If he could wish one thing, it would be to see Tsaria and Jael happy. He hoped Tsaria would find love. Find peace.

Which made him think of his own life. He might as well compile his own wish list of dreams. They were never going to happen, but he could dream. They would be incredible together. He and Tsaria. Mansala would be life-mated to Tam. Hunger and poverty would be a thing of the past in Rajpur. All slaves would be free.

They would have at least three children as well as Jael because he had been desperate for a brother or another sister growing up.

Almost as if he had been expecting it, he heard the tap on the window grille and prayed that Veda wasn’t there, and that for once in his life, he would get an answer to them. Terror that she would come here almost kept him frozen, but the climb outside on the ledges was dangerous so he moved quickly to the window and opened it.

He didn’t recognize the lad that entered and stared at him in bewilderment. “Sire,” the lad’s head bobbed as he dropped silently into the room. “I have a message.”

Kamir pressed his lips together to stop the cry that he knew would escape them.

“The boss has many in the villages. We’re ‘oping to secure the full hundred, but we need a delay. As much time as yer can give us.” Kamir had no idea how to delay anything, but he would try.

The lad turned back to the window. “Oh, and she says to tell yer that she’d be ‘ere ‘cept every sword is needed for the village kids.”

Kamir smiled for the first time in what seemed like forever. He knew who “she” was. “Tell her I love her.” He nearly laughed as the lad rolled his eyes, then disappeared the same way he had come.

Kamir locked the catch on the grille and tried to think what to do. They needed a delay. The next bell sounded, and he knew he had to leave his prayer room, so he went to the door. Mansala was waiting and accompanied him back to his rooms. He didn’t expect Gabar to be waiting for him, nor the woman who was with him, but he sat on the daybed, knowing he had to create a delay.

Gabar waited until the servants bringing refreshments had gone. He glanced at Mansala. “I could have your life sentinel arrested and detained by the guards if I wish, but if you grant us a private audience for half a bell, I will refrain.”

Kamir knew his uncle wasn’t joking, that he had such power, and glanced at Mansala. “Perhaps you could wait outside the door?”

Mansala searched his face as if trying to work out whether Kamir had another reason other than Gabar’s dictates, but then bowed and left.

“You haven’t introduced us,” Kamir said, pointedly glancing at the woman. He studied her for a moment. Draped in expensive silks and gold chains, she clearly wasn’t without resources. She bowed when she realized she had his attention. “Highness, I am Elainore, Daughter of the Sand. My people come from the endless desert, and I believe we may be able to help each other.”

He didn’t scoff out loud, but she must have sensed his skepticism because she turned to Gabar and her voice dropped low. Her hand reached for his cheek, and she trailed her fingers down to his throat. “My dearest, I need you to be honest with me. Do you think you can do that?”

Kamir watched in astonishment as Gabar swallowed heavily and stared at her, seeming utterly enraptured. His pupils grew so large there seemed to be no white in his eyes and he stared at her, completely enthralled. “Tell me,” she whispered, a thread of sound that seemed ridiculously loud. “You wish to use me to ensnare Kamir and his dragon so you have a puppet you can control with the people.”

“Yes,” Gabar murmured, not even glancing at Kamir.

“And why is that?” Elainore asked very gently.

“Because my sons aren’t ready to rule,” he admitted.

“But that’s not all my dearest, is it?” Elainore continued her touch down his throat.

“No,” he agreed, swaying nearer to her. “I deserve to rule in their stead before I train them.”

“But why wouldn’t the imperial guard and the people accept you?”

“Because I’m of the previous generation,” Gabar answered in an almost dreamy voice.

“Very good,” Elainore murmured. “It has been such a long day and you are tired. You need to sleep.”

“Yes,” Gabar muttered and sank onto one of the daybeds, closing his eyes. He took one breath and stilled.

Kamir turned to Elainore in complete astonishment, but wary in case it was a trick. “Highness,” she started. “My people have gifts, as you have just seen. I care not for political machinations only to find my people a home. I told your uncle I could bring forth your beast. I already brought forward Ibrahim’s wolf and used it to kill him.”

Kamir jerked backwards. Ibrahim’s wolf?

“He was a toad of a man, and I feel no guilt over ending one that was responsible for many slaves’ suffering. His latest victim was the kitchen maid’s nine-year-old daughter. He deserved to die for that alone.”

She sighed, then took a determined breath. “Your uncle is convinced I can bring forward your dragon, but unlike wolves I cannot. Only those of dragon blood can do that, but I can create an image that would satisfy the people to give you enough time to work with your consort to bring your dragon forth for real. A delay, if you like.”

A delay.

Which was exactly what Veda needed. Suspicion coiled in him. Things that seemed to be too good to be true were often exactly that. “And in return?’

She swallowed. “My people starve, Highness. The desert is an unwelcoming place, save for a few creatures.” She gestured to Gabar. “We are not welcome among you because of what we can do.”

“What makes you think you are welcome now?” Kamir held back the cringe, knowing he had to be deliberately cruel. Tears shimmered in her eyes.

“We have nothing to lose. Our birth-rate is practically non-existent. I am one of only four born to my parents’ generation, and the only one with the gift of commanding beasts.”

Kamir was torn. But what had he to lose? “What do you mean by commanding beasts?” he asked. She smiled. It was such a joyful, infectious thing that his heart warmed. He had only seen such a smile on the innocent. Children that had never been taught that the world was often a cruel and unforgiving place. He relaxed a little. Perhaps Elainore was the answer he so desperately needed.

Elainore kept the smile on her face, even though the skin on her cheek cracked and blood wept from the split on her dried lips. She idly wondered what Kamir would say if he knew everything she had done today was an illusion, including her appearance. Gabar had been a simple one. A beautiful woman pandering to a lonely man. Not that Gabar thought he was lonely, but the death of his first omega many summers ago had twisted him into something that would work well for her use. A simple illusion reminding him of his first omega without him even realizing, then a powder added to his wine before they had seen Kamir had taken care of the rest.

Ibrahim had been much harder. It was true that she could recognize the beast inside another, but only if it had evil intent. All beasts were born pure, but those born to evil humans would be corrupted over the summers, even if the human didn’t realize the beast within was slowly going as insane as they were.

Only then would the animal be able to be controlled.

As Elainore’s people knew.

She turned her thoughts inward as she felt the nudge in her mind and shuddered in delight as the forked tongue seemed to lick at the inside of her throat, and smiled again.

It was true she was considered a beast-master, but only for those that were as demonic as the human they housed. There was no way she could bring forth a dragon, but if she was clever and could manipulate Gabar and his sons, who in their greed and selfishness were almost there, it wouldn’t matter.

And the power of the kingdom would be hers.