The Traitor Queen (The Traitor Spy Trilogy #3)(128)
—He contacted me to say they’ve arrived at Achati’s place, but I’ve heard nothing since then. The house is on the parade, so they’ll only see the battle if the Ashaki have to retreat.
—Do you want me to try getting closer?
—No. Stay where you are. Keep the ring on. Dannyl is sure to put his on soon, and I suspect having both of you wearing rings will be a bit … overwhelming, though Naki’s mind-read-blocking ring appears to be protecting me from your thoughts.
Sonea looked down at the other ring on her finger. She hadn’t told him about slipping away from the house that the Traitors’ guards had told them to stay in. If all went well, she wouldn’t have to.
The Traitors are only worried that we’ll interfere. So long as I don’t, I think they’ll forgive me for wanting to know what happens to my son.
The trouble was, she was no closer to seeing Lorkin than she had been earlier. She was going to have to rely on Dannyl to show her what was happening. And he wouldn’t be able to, if the Ashaki didn’t fall back. If they didn’t it would mean they were winning.
Not for the first time that morning, she felt anxiety rising up like a suffocating wave. Taking a deep breath, she pushed it away and weighed up her options. Could she get a little closer, without putting Regin in danger or the future relationship between the Allied Lands and Sachaka?
From the roof of Achati’s house Dannyl could see the city spread around him, but mostly it was a view of rooftops. He could guess at where the battle was, however. The rumble and crack of strikes impacting on shields or stone echoed across the city. Smoke billowed up from a building at least a thousand paces away, flashes of magic constantly brightening the cloud’s underbelly.
“Do you think Achati’s slaves will be all right, if the Traitors win?” Merria asked. “Or will they be killed for remaining loyal?”
“I fear the latter is more likely,” Tayend replied.
“Could we protect them?”
“You will have to ask the Guild. Dannyl?”
“Soon,” Dannyl replied, not taking his eyes from the distant signs of battle. “Osen will be with King Merin and the Higher Magicians. I don’t want to distract him again until there’s something to report.”
But that wasn’t the only reason Dannyl was hesitating. Once he put Osen’s blood ring on he would have to push aside all thought of Achati, and he wasn’t sure how long he could keep that up. Especially when Merria and Tayend are talking as if the Traitors will win.
“They’re getting closer,” Merria said.
No, Dannyl thought, looking at the cloud of smoke. It’s no nearer. Achati is safe. But was Lorkin? He felt a pang of anxiety, then a bitterness. As Tayend said, no matter which way this goes, something bad will come of it.
“I think you’re right,” Tayend replied. “The flashes were lighting the underside of the pillar of smoke before. Now they’re lighting this side of it.”
Dannyl’s stomach sank as he saw Tayend was correct. Maybe the Ashaki will gather their strength and regain ground again. Maybe the Traitors will run out of magic.
His companions were silent for a long time as nothing else happened to indicate any change in the battle. Then a building halfway between the parade and the distant smoke cloud sank out of sight. The boom and rumble followed a heartbeat later, then dust billowed up. Merria gasped. Tayend muttered a curse.
“Maybe this isn’t the safest place to be,” Tayend said in a thin voice. “If they get this far.”
“We’ll be fine,” Merria said, the waver in her voice betraying her lie. “We’ll just levitate away.”
“I guess I should stay close, then.”
“We should all stay close together,” Merria agreed.
As the pair moved to stand on either side of him, Dannyl glanced at them, amused that they should be drawn to him for protection. It made sense that Tayend would. Though Merria was a magician, Dannyl had been close to Tayend for a long time. But Merria should have the confidence of knowing she could protect herself.
Dannyl looked out towards where the collapsed building had been. Unlike me, being caught up in the fight is the last thing Merria wants. But me … I wish I had some excuse to help Achati. Even if just to ensure he survives should the Ashaki lose …
“They’re here!” Merria exclaimed.
Dannyl’s heart plunged as he saw people running out of a nearby side street. All men, all wearing Ashaki garb, some coated in dust. They stopped when they reached the parade, forming a line one, then two, then three deep across the street entrance as more Ashaki emerged to join them. He estimated there were about a hundred of them.
“Is that King Amakira?” Tayend asked.
Dannyl narrowed his eyes. An older man stood at the centre, but many other grey-haired Ashaki were in the line and it was impossible to identify which was the king. From streets on either side spilled more Ashaki. Perhaps they had tried to circle around and attack the Traitors from behind. Whatever they had done had not weakened their enemy enough, though. The edge of the Traitor front line was moving into sight. Their strikes were driving the Ashaki back. Men at one edge of the line stumbled back and fell. They did not rise again.
The Ashaki in the line struck in unison, and the Traitors retaliated. At once, holes began to form in the defensive wall of Ashaki. The line thinned as men stepped into gaps to replace the fallen. At a distant shout the defenders began to retreat rapidly, no longer striking, concentrating all their efforts in shielding.