The Shadowglass (The Bone Witch, #3)(78)
“This is not a good enough reason to insert yourself in the thick of battle,” Kalen growled.
“My father kept me in the palace for most of my life, Kalen. You know that—you were there. He laughed when I asked to be taught proper swordsmanship, and it was you who gave me lessons in secret. I am sick and tired of not knowing what is in my own kingdom. I barely knew what went on in my own palace! If I had been wiser, perhaps Telemaine would not have connived with a Faceless for so long!”
I rarely saw Kance angry. The cold fury he displayed at our last meeting had been the first and last time. But he had clearly grown accustomed to anger and could now wield it like a finely sharpened knife. Quietly, I grieved for the role I played in his change.
“I found some of those Drychta spies in Kneave, Kalen,” the king continued. “In my own palace. If I cannot be safe there, then I will not be safe anywhere.”
“Wait, Your Majesty.” I didn’t need him to acknowledge my presence. But talk of spies in Kneave brought to mind the vision I’d had of him in battle, and I would much rather face his icy wrath again than remain uncertain. “There have been cases of a strange new rune in Kion—they call it Blight. It transforms its victims into daeva-like monsters, and there is no cure, save for the early prevention and treatment of its symptoms. If I may, I would like to use a Delving rune on all of you, to determine if anyone has been affected.”
Kance had fallen silent as I spoke, and for the first time since we had seen each other again, his green eyes were on mine, though his face was neutral. He inclined his head, barely enough for a nod. Not trusting myself to look back at him again, I wove the rune and sighed in quiet relief when it displayed none of the red glows that marked the affected.
“We need to conduct the Delving on all the soldiers who’ve come with you,” Kalen said tersely. “Why didn’t you ask us for help? Do you no longer trust us?”
“This is not the time, the both of you,” Khalad said quietly. “We think a Faceless hides in Mithra’s Wall, allying himself with King Aadil’s army, and we suspect it might be Druj.”
“If that is true, then we would appreciate any help you can give,” General Lode said brusquely. “We have come with our own Deathseekers, but they will need updates on any information you may have, Kalen. What strategy do you propose?”
“Leave the Faceless to us. But we’ll need the rest of the Drychta distracted. That’s where your men come in, General. Draw as many of them away from the base of Mithra’s Wall as you can and keep an eye on the azi. Let it fight, and retreat when it starts spurting fire. You may not want the daeva involved, but it’s our weapon to use.”
General Lode frowned. “It sends ice through my veins, having that beast near. I cannot guarantee that my men won’t behave foolishly if it lies between us and safety, milord.”
“Tea will tell it to keep its distance from your soldiers.”
“A good compromise. Milady, some of my Deathseekers vouch for your trustworthiness, but many of my soldiers have not been given the same education. They might not cotton to being delved, however that works.”
“I’ll go with you,” Khalad told me, rising to his feet. “They remember me, at least.” He turned to Likh. “Will you come with me, milady?” he asked softly, humbly, and the smile that spread across the asha’s face was heartwarming.
“Stay, Kalen,” Kance said, and it was hard to read the intent in his heartsglass. “We need to talk.”
Kalen nodded, equally as expressionless. “Tea, I’ll find you later.”
“Will they be all right?” I asked Khalad worriedly, glancing back to watch the rest of the generals dispersing, leaving the two alone.
“They need to talk out their issues.” Khalad grinned impishly. “Stubborn mules, the both of them, though you wouldn’t think it of Kance. I know it doesn’t sound like it right now, but trust me—they’ll reconcile. They always do.”
“She tells the truth,” King Kance affirmed. “Kalen and I were estranged for a while. We talked of many things that day. About my father. About his life in Kion. But mostly, we talked about Tea.” He smiled wryly. “Did you know she had a brief infatuation with me once? I never realized. She was always so quiet and polite.”
The letters had mellowed the king, and further convincing from both Lady Zoya and Lord Fox had the soldiers withdrawing their weapons from my throat. But the king was still suspicious, and a few of his men idled nearby “for my own protection.” We were to reach the base of the Hollow Mountains in the morning, but the king showed no desire to sleep in preparation.
His distrust also did not prevent him from inquiring further about the letters and Tea, particularly the gaps in his knowledge from her unexpected disappearance to her sudden emergence in Daanoris. His hostility softened as we spoke, and I caught glimpses of the prince he might have been when the Dark asha had been new to the Willows, neither none the wiser about the future ahead of them.
“These letters,” he noted, “are unfinished.”
“We could not recover the last few pages, Your Majesty.” I was still ashamed to admit.
“No matter. If the bone witch arrives as you claim, then it is easy enough to ask her what follows myself.” He stared into the fire. “That was another one of my mistakes. It is easier to criticize the crown when its weight isn’t heavy on your head, I suppose. My father—he was not as good a man as the people think. But he was not always a villain. Tea, I believe, is the same. I wish we could have talked then; instead, I gave in to my anger and sent her away. I was inconsolable. It felt like an abyss had opened inside of me and directing my rage at her would somehow close that chasm. I had every reason to blame her. But…the situation has changed.”