The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch #2)(43)
Fox and Chief waited calmly for us. Large splinters jutted out from my horse’s legs, but that was the extent of his injuries.
Oh, but Fox… He was riddled with arrows, many protruding from his back. A painful-looking wooden stake was shoved through his chest, another through his neck. He had used the shield to bear the brunt of the damage, but the shoulder he had braced it against was nearly stripped of flesh, his bones sticking out.
And his face. I could barely recognize him underneath all the blood, and though I was reassured by the calmness of his mind, it was hard to reconcile that knowledge with what I saw standing before me.
Likh threw up. Princess Inessa slid off her horse and sank to the ground.
“Fox?” Even the normally sardonic Zoya was shaken. Khalad was a mixture of terror and curiosity.
Kalen slowly climbed down from his stallion, staring at my brother. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“Never been better.” Fox’s voice was brisk. “Chief can run for weeks if he has to, but the others can’t do the same. We’ll need to change horses frequently or at least find a cart to lessen the load, and that might pose a problem.”
“Your arm is about to fall off, Fox,” Althy said gently. “I think horses are the last thing on everyone’s minds right now.”
My brother glanced down at the arm hanging on to his shoulder by a few strips of flesh. He grabbed at the offending appendage and, with a quick twist, ripped it away from the rest of him. “Tea will patch me up later. Let’s keep riding, people.”
“I think I am going to be ill,” Zoya said as Princess Inessa fainted.
The private chamber Lord Kalen provided for me belonged to one of Emperor Shifang’s many concubines. She, along with many of her other consort-sisters, had long since fled the capital, leaving only traces of her scent behind: lavender and jasmine, oiled perfume, and incense. But I was no longer accustomed to soft beds and thick pillows and thus spent a listless night with the fires from the approaching legions as my only source of light. The sight of those soldiers terrified me, but I did not fear for the inhabitants of Daanoris nor the fascinating, terrible asha who had seized power here. Instead, I feared the time the asha would summon her daeva, for I knew not even the most powerful armies of all the kingdoms would be enough. I feared for the advancing soldiers, who did not know they were approaching to die.
When I rose the next morning, the Heartforger remained in the throne room, and I wondered if he had moved from his spot after I had retired. The asha was sitting at the window near the throne again; she had changed her hua to suit the Daanorian style, with several layers of wispy cloth over rich purple silk and a waist wrap that began underneath her breasts and ended halfway down her hips. She watched the emperor dozing at a corner nearby. His hands and feet were still bound, but I suspected he would be in no shape to resist even without his restraints.
“You’re up early,” she observed.
“I couldn’t sleep.” My voice sounded rough to my own ears. My gaze dropped to the pile of papers in her lap.
“I have been writing. I sleep little nowadays, and my mind requires distraction.” She gestured at herself. “I do not think they will appreciate me wearing a hua—after all, I have long since been stripped of my title as an asha. I shall enjoy their discomfiture.”
“Where is Lord Kalen?”
“Still in our bedchamber.” I blushed at her candidness, but she paid no attention. “Use the next hour to prepare yourself.”
“For what?”
“They will want to make contact first, of course. They must have a lot of questions about me.” Her smile was mischievous. “Would you like another story while we wait? I imagine it’ll take at least an hour for them to draw lots and decide on the unfortunate messenger, and Khalad is too engrossed in his work at the moment to hear us, much less be of use in conversation.”
“To be a perfectionist is not the same as being deaf,” Khalad said without looking up, and the bone witch laughed.
13
When I opened my eyes, I became aware of three things: the gleaming waters of Lake Strypnyk before me, the savory smell of food, and Chief nudging affectionately at me with his head. I had drawn Bloodletting on him before I’d fallen asleep, and the Gorvekan stallion bore no traces of injury from the night before.
I reached out and felt the familiar touch of the azi on my mind. It was still at Kneave, discouraging any attempts at pursuit. I probed further but couldn’t detect Aenah’s presence beyond a faint hint that she was still in Odalia.
“Are you back with us, Tea?” Khalad carefully placed a few strips of bacon and a loaf of bread onto a large leaf. Likh was crouched over the fire, cooking the rest. Polaire and Mykaela were both fast asleep, made as comfortable as possible on the ground with thick blankets. Their heartsglass still rippled green, but it comforted me to know that, although exhausted, neither was in any pain.
I moved back to my spot and accepted Khalad’s meal gratefully. “I’m surprised we even have food.”
“Altaecia’s doing. I think she brought the whole pantry.”
“Well, that’s shocking.” I shifted, winced. “Where are the others?”
“Kalen’s scouting ahead, and Zoya and Althy are bathing. I think the princess is with them.”