Catherine Asaro - The Night Bird

She smiled, touched by his affection. “He sounds like someone to be proud of.

“So he is. After a pause, Markus spoke wryly. “I think this talks-too-much affliction you have is contagious.

“You have interesting things to say. It was true. He had lived a strange life, privileged certainly, though not one she would have wanted. She had a feeling he knew he had missed as much as he had enjoyed, but she doubted he could actually say what his sumptuous life had lacked.

“Come, lets ride, he said. “Shadow has had enough rest.

“Shadow?

“My horse. Named for the dragon, of course. With that, he surged into another mad race across the desert.

In the late afternoon, they stopped to rest at the southern border of Taka Mal and Jazid. To Allegra, the badlands of Taka Mal looked just as stark as those of Jazid.

“How do you know where the border is? she asked. They were sitting on the top of a small mesa that thrust up from the desert like the isolated, broken molar of some giant.

“By the cairns, Markus said, pointing. “Look over there.

Allegra squinted. A solitary pile of red boulders stood like a sentry in the desert, gnarled and weathered.

“Is someone buried there? she asked.

“A border guard, he said. “If they dont have family to accept their remains when they die, the army buries them on the border, to honor their service to the atajazid.

It sounded so lonely. “Does it bother them?

“Not at all. Its considered an honor. Often they have a place picked out ahead of time for their burial. He bit into a slab of meat he had taken from his riding bag. “The army doesnt have enough sentinels to guard the border anymore, though.

It didnt surprise her. Jazid had lost many men in the war, and Cobalt had executed those soldiers who refused him their fealtyexcept these outlaws who had escaped the long reach of his power.

“It must be strange, living as an exile in your own country, Allegra said. She bit one of the grapes he had given her.

He scowled at the border. “Its even more aggravating that Taka Mal is free when we arent, given the way they betrayed us.

Allegra knew little about Jazids northern neighbor beyond the geography she taught her students, but she had thought Taka Mal and Jazid shared similar cultures. A queen ruled in Taka Mal, though, which she could never imagine happening here.

“Id heard that Taka Mal and Jazid were allies, she said.

“No longer.

“How did they betray your country?

“How didnt they? He tore a bite of meat off with his teeth and chewed and swallowed angrily. “They allied with your country. Their infernal queen married a man from Aronsdale, some weak, pretty boy with yellow hair.

Allegra had heard about the marriage; such delicious gossip reached even her home, for the man came from southwestern Aronsdale. The stories always described him as handsome and charming, a minstrel and lithe acrobat with a dazzling smile.

“I can see how an alliance between Taka Mal and Aronsdale might surprise Jazid, she said. “But why call it a betrayal?

“The queen had agreed to marry my father, to cement the alliance between our two countries. Together, we would stand against Cobalt the Dark.

That didnt sound right. “If she wed your father, wouldnt Jazid laws have constrained her?

“My father would have expected her to behave as befits a Jazid queen, if that is what you mean.

Allegra scowled at him. “In other words, he gets her throne.

“I dont know what they would have done, he admitted. “Both of them were strong personalities. But its irrelevant. Instead of keeping her word, she took that boy as her consort. He clenched his fist on his knee. “Cobalt the Dark cut off my fathers head, and now the queen of Taka Mal sleeps with Cobalts kin.

“Im sorry about your father, she said quietly.

He stared out at the desert. “I saw it.

She stared at him, stunned. “You saw She couldnt finish, couldnt say, You saw a man behead your own father?

“Cobalt violated the Alatian Code of War. Markuss gaze had become distant, as if he viewed images far different from the empty desert below. “He called my father to meet him during the battle. A truce applies when leaders talk this way. But Cobalt attacked him. They were on a mesa above the battlefield. I was in the combat, leading a company. I saw Cobalt and my father fighting. In a dull voice, he said, “While I was riding to help my father, Cobalt killed him.

The blood drained from her face. “You saw it all?

“Yes. His eyes focused on some distant point. “I had almost reached them. But I never made it. The lightning hit first.

“Im sorry, she murmured. No wonder the emperor was called Cobalt the Dark. He sounded horrific.

Markus drew in a breath and turned to her. “My father was not an easy man, and he grew harder each year. But he loved me, and I loved him. I will avenge his death. Ill never rest until I hold the severed head of the Dark Emperor in my hands.

“Im not surprised you hate him. The more she understood about Markus, the less he seemed like a tyrant and the more like a strong, desperate leader doing his best to survive an intolerable situation.

“But, Markus, she said. “No mage could bring lightning down out of a clear sky. It isnt possible.

“I saw her do it. His gaze darkened. “You can, too.

“I cant!

“I know youre lying.

Every time she started to see him in a different light, he turned around and showed his other side, the atavistic warlord. She had to convince him before he decided to do something drastic, like tie her up until she sang the spells he wanted. She took a breath. “Yes, I admit, I can do spells. But only to soothe people, create light or warmth, help you sleep. Im telling you the truth when I say thats my limit. I didnt know I had put your guards to sleep. I wasnt sure I could even put you to sleep.

He smiled. “I know you didnt realize about the guards. You would have snuck out of the tent otherwise.

Damn. It hadnt even occurred to her to check on them. She had been too exhausted to do anything last night, though. If she had tried to escape, she would have collapsed in his camp, which would have brought her a lot more grief when someone found her.

“Why did you need the compass? Markus asked.

“Its the curved surface, she hedged. “It focuses the spell.

“Curves. He laughed and brushed his hand over her breast. “Thats how you put a spell on me.

She wondered if he would ever stop pawing her. It flustered her, especially when he made her want to laugh at his jokes. If anyone had told her a few days ago that the prince regent of Jazid could be sensually charming when he wanted, she would have thought they were crazy.

“ Geometric curves, she said. “Like a circle.

“How many people can you put to sleep?

“Maybe five? Ive never done it before. She got up and went to the edge of the mesa. His company was spread out below, in the shade of the rock formation. Far to the east, small figures rode across the red desert, scouts he had sent ahead to check the land.

Markus came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. “Even five is an incredible weapon. A lovely girl, singing like a night bird. No one would ever suspect.

“I wont be your weapon. I could never hurt people with spells. She shivered despite the heat. “Its another reason the empress couldnt have attacked with lightning. What we do to others, we do to ourselves.

“You didnt fall asleep last night. He kissed her temple. “You moved across the tent. You had to be awake to do that.

“I did sleep for a while, she admitted. “But spells usually dont affect me quite as much as the people I direct them at.

“Hmm. He slid the robe off her shoulders and it fell down around her elbows. Nuzzling her neck, he fiddled with the gold clasp that fastened the halter between her breasts.