Crowned (Beholder #4)(32)

I worried my lower lip with my teeth. Perhaps someone else had raised her from the dead, removing any imperfections along the way. That wasn’t an easy spell to cast—and there were few Necromancers left around who could even attempt it—but the magick certainly wasn’t impossible.

Nan raised her arm. “Shoot!”

I still had some magick left in my body after the battle with the Rushwa. I now focused that power into my arms, ready to deflect any arrows.

Leaping to stand, Mrefu stood before me, blocking the attack. With a series of roars, he out a set of counter-orders. The warriors didn’t release an arrow.

Mrefu was my new favorite person.

Still ignoring me, Nan rounded Mrefu. “You heard my order. They must shoot this intruder.”

I returned my focus to Nan. When I spoke again, I hated the quiver that had crept into my tone. “Please. You are my friend, aren’t you?”

Nan kept her gaze locked with Mrefu. “I saved your life from the Rushwa. You owe me. Do it. Order them to kill her.”

Mrefu let out a low growl; Nan replied with a similar set of noises. I had the sinking feeling they were discussing whether or not to skewer me. Did I think that things were not going well before? The situation had just gotten a lot worse.

“Nan, it’s me. Elea. Don’t you recognize me?”

“I know who you are,” said Nan slowly. “You’re a spy for Viktor and Petra.”

My eyes widened with surprise. “You’re wrong. I came here because I need to find the Sword of Theodora so I can kill Viktor when he attacks. I was told you knew where this weapon was hidden, or at least where I could find part of it.”

Nan tilted her head. “So, you’re against Viktor.”

“Of course. Viktor is raising an army. We must stop him.”

“And what about Petra?”

Even hearing the name of my old Mother Superior made me flinch. “Petra and I are enemies now. She wanted me to rule the Necromancers. I refused.”

Nan stared at me for a long minute. “I don’t believe you. Petra tried to force me to learn Necromancy.”

“Yet you didn’t want to learn.” Nan always had some raw Necromancer power, but zero desire to develop it.

“How can you say that? Of course, I didn’t want to learn. Who wants to be a death mage? And because I refused, you ordered Petra to murder me.”

“That never happened. I didn’t rule the Necromancers. Never have. I’m not your Tsarina.” I set my hand on my throat. “And if I did accept the throne, they’d kill me. In fact, they have a plan to end my life when the Martyr’s Comet vanishes.”

“Like I’d believe that.” Nan folded her arms over her chest. “Petra cast spells. She showed me that she was only acting on your orders. You’re the secret Tsarina of our people and you ordered me dead.” She turned to Mrefu once more. “Kill her.”

All the air sped from my lungs. It was as if someone had punched me in the stomach. Nan was my friend—we’d been imprisoned together at the Midnight Cloister. I’d never have survived without Nan’s sharp mind and sunny outlook. And now she wanted me dead?

“You can’t mean that,” I blurted.

However, Nan wasn’t paying any attention to me. Instead, she was locked in a growling match with Mrefu. I thought back to my encounter with Mlinzi and Walinzi. They’d talked about Nan and the exiles. Had she been banished out here with other Necromancers and then somehow became allied with Mrefu and his people? That would explain how she spoke their language and had a blazing hatred of Petra.

Nan let out a louder growl than usual, and Mrefu quieted. At last, she returned her attention on me.

Pure rage gleamed in her eyes. “I’ll be kind, which is more than you did for me.” She turned to the warriors. “Mrefu is right. While I rescued you from the Rushwa, Elea murdered the last of their kind.”

The warriors all lowered their weapons. Hope sparked in my chest. Maybe I could turn this around after all.

I took a half-step closer to Nan. “I appreciate your kindness.”

Nan flashed me her palm. “Go from this place. And when you see Petra, give her new orders. Tell her to leave us alone. Mrefu and the Zaidi have enough to do without fighting all your assassins.”

“Petra is not my ally. If she’s sending people here to kill you, I’ve had no hand in it. It’s the truth, Nan. I’m not Tsarina.”

“So leave anyway.”

“I can’t. Not without the Sword.”

Nan eyed me for a long moment. “I still don’t believe you. Petra warned us that eventually, you’d come to kill us.” She gestured toward my left hand. “How long before you cast a spell and murder us all? The Zaidi help us, they don’t deserve to be brought into our mage squabbles.”

“If I wanted you dead, I’d have cast already.” It was a lie, but it was the best I could do.

Nan sighed. “I’m part of a group of exiles now. This isn’t just about my life. I have responsibilities to the other exiles and to the Zaidi.”

“And I have responsibilities to every soul in our world. Please. Jicho and I came a long way to talk to you. I need the Sword of Theodora to fight Viktor. That’s the entire truth. If you’ve any trained Necromancers in your group, they can even cast an honesty spell on me.”