Catherine Asaro - The Night Bird

Ardoz tilted the water bag to Drummers lips, trying to get him to drink. “Hes burning alive, the general muttered.

Bladebreak spoke against Allegras ear. “You put us to sleep that night, didnt you? Before we even got started, you knocked us out. He ran his tongue around her lobe. “You shouldnt have done that.

“Dont. Allegra turned her head away.

“Why do you all grab her that way? Ardoz asked. “Leave the poor girl alone.

Bladebreak lifted his head. “They do that to you, these witches. Make you want them. He indicated Drummer. “Admit it. You wanted to come in here to see him.

“I want him to live, Ardoz said curtly. “If he dies, we have no hostage to trade for Markus.

Bladebreak brushed Allegras hair back from her face. “You should have listened to Jasmine, he told her. “Shes never suffered. I protect her. But you fight, you disrupt, you resist. You taunt us with your defiance. What did you expect to happen? You have to pay the price for your behavior.

She wondered who protected Jasmine from him. “No matter what you do, she said in a low voice, “Ill never bend to your will.

“Think again, girl, he said. “I can do what I want now.

“No, you cant, Ardoz said. “Shes Markuss consort. He took a cloth off a nearby pile and dampened it. Then he laid the compress on Drummers forehead. “Why is it that the women who cause such turmoil, the ones who bring down dynasties and change historywhy are they always the ones who make the men who want them the most miserable?

Bladebreak grunted. “The dragon only knows.

“You cant have her, Ivan.

“I never said I wanted her, Bladebreak said crossly, though he was still embracing her. “But Ill tell you thisMarkus is better off without her.

Ardoz looked upand Allegra knew. He hid his reaction well, but her mind was sensitized from her mood spell. Markus may have promoted Ardoz and then let his memories of the general fade, but Ardoz had never forgotten.

“Markus needs her, Ardoz said. “And if he needs her, he will have her. So leave her the hell alone.

“Fine, Bladebreak muttered. He motioned at Drummer. “You cant have him, either.

“Dont be absurd. Ardoz dampened another cloth and cleaned a cut on Drummers back. “I want him to live, thats all.

Bladebreak snorted. “Right.

“You dont want him to live?

“You really think he might die?

“His fever is worse, Ardoz said. “Dusk pushed him too hard during the interrogation.

“Hes as weak as a girl, Bladebreak said. “A child probably knows more about the queens army. They obviously dont tell him anything. Hes just her pretty, captive consort.

“Either that, Ardoz said, “or he held out against even Dusk.

“A trained officer couldnt do that. This minstrel would have crumpled right away if he knew anything.

Ardoz indicated Allegra. “Would you have thought she could do what shes managed? Or that the fire opal priestess could have been so strong? These mages, they look soft and pretty, Ivan, but I think they have steel inside.

Bladebreak snorted, what sounded like disagreement. He kept her trapped between his legs, caressing her body whenever Ardoz wasnt looking. Allegra wanted to slap him, but she knew if she struck, he would hurt her, and she didnt think she could take any more. Ardoz continued to treat Drummers wounds. From the last shreds of her spell, Allegra could tell his ministrations helped the prince.

Their contradictions drained her. Bladebreak, Yargazon, Zeikthey kept touching her, a caress or kiss, even their voices softening, as if they had a right to those intimacies, as if what they felt was affectionyet the threat of violence saturated their behavior. With Yargazon, the brutality was deliberate, but she didnt think the others even realized it. Bladebreak didnt think twice about stroking the consort of the prince regent while his own wife slept nearby. The imbalance in their culture, with so many men for every woman, sexualized everything. They acted as if they thought it gave their women an intolerable power over them. They couldnt see her as human, only as a threat.

What astounded her wasnt that Markus had absorbed those ideas, but that he tried to move past them. Maybe having known Ardoz helped him understand Allegra, because he had already once stepped outside the rigid constraints on love in his own culture.

Bladebreak idly slid his hand over Allegras fist. Then he said, “Are you holding something? He pried open her hand and took the dodecahedron. “Whats this?

“A good luck charm. Her pulse leaped. “Please dont take it.

“Why not? Maybe I should keep it.

“Ivan, give it back to her. Ardoz brushed the curls off his patients forehead. “Drummer? he asked. “Can you hear me?

The prince stirred, but didnt open his eyes.

“If you wake up, Ardoz said, “I can give you some water.

Drummers lashes lifted, then lowered.

Bladebreak held up the dodecahedron, examining the small block. “Why should I give anything back to her?

Ardoz looked up at the shapeand Allegra knew with terrible certainty that he had either learned or deduced the truth about how she made spells. She felt dizzy with fear, for if he revealed her, she had no doubt Bladebreak would retaliate against the “witch.

“Ivan, stop tormenting her, Ardoz said. “Let her have the toy. With amusement, he said, “Unless you like playing with childrens blocks.

“Very funny, Bladebreak said sourly. He pushed the block into Allegras hand. She sagged with relief, afraid to look at Ardoz or do anything that might spur him to change his mind about revealing her.

Bladebreak motioned at Drummer. “Ask him about the army. Sometimes people talk when theyre asleep.

Ardoz brushed the curls off Drummers forehead. “Tell me, golden prince. What is kindle powder?

“For saints sake, Bladebreak said. “Ask something useful.

“You never know what will be useful. Ardoz spoke to Drummer in a soothing voice. “You can talk to me, princeling. I wont hurt you. Tell me about kindle powder.

Drummer shifted and murmured in his sleep.

“What was that? Ardoz lowered his head. “Gum?

“Gunpowder, Drummer mumbled. “Doesnt work

“Powder? Bladebreak asked. “What, he needs womens cosmetics? Hes not beautiful enough already?

Allegra thought Drummer probably meant the gum-powder used in Aronsdale to make paste, but she kept quiet. Reminding them that he came from a country they despised wouldnt help him.

Ardoz massaged Drummers neck under the spill of his curls. “What is gunpowder?

“Called thatin old scrollstales of lost continent.

“Hes telling us folktales, Bladebreak said. “How useful.

“Do you think your powder will ever work? Ardoz asked Drummer.

“Someday Drummer sighed, and his breathing slowed as he sank deeper into sleep.

“Well, you see, Bladebreak said. “If he knew anything, Dusk would have had it out of him by now.

“I suppose. Ardoz moved down to Drummers feet and began changing the bandages. When he uncovered the foot, Allegra cringed. In the shadows, she could just see the stump where his toe had been.

“This is bad, Ardoz said. “He needs a doctor.

“The army doesnt have a doctor, Bladebreak said.

“We can have one brought from the palace.

“Heh. Thats right. Bladebreak gave a relieved laugh. “I keep forgetting we have their resources at our disposal. He rubbed his hand down Allegras back. “We cant leave her without restraints, though. Well take her to Dusk, see what he wants.

No. Allegras sense of panic flared. She couldnt go back to Yargazon. She clenched the dodecahedron and the jagged edges of a spell skittered around her mind, slipping by, slipping by. She had the sleep song in her mind, but she needed to sing, to hear the words, and it would take time to build a spell once she began. But the moment she started, they would gag her.