Chris Evans - The Light of Burning Shadows

“That, Your Highness, is the warrior tribes of the Hasshugeb Expanse moving to block our path,” Konowa said without emotion. He refrained from saying more, but it annoyed him no end to be caught in the middle of yet another diplomatic dance.

The Prince looked to the Suljak and then back to the dust cloud. “A moment ago you accused me of subterfuge and now you blatantly break our agreement. How dare you, sir. Do you truly wish to go to war with the Empire?”

The Suljak seemed genuinely shocked at the Prince’s response, though Konowa wasn’t. The Prince always expected things to go his way.

The Suljak waved away the question. “I assure you, as I have assured the Viceroy for months, the people of the Hasshugeb want only to be left alone to conduct their lives as they see fit. What you see on the horizon is merely our expression of that intent, to ensure the Star remains where it belongs.”

“And should other…things be uncovered?” the Prince asked, his voice casual.

Konowa marveled at how quickly the Prince could change emotion. One moment he was building into a fury and the next he was coolly calculating odds.

The Suljak was equally matter-of-fact. “The people of the Hasshugeb lay no claim to artifacts discovered that are not culturally tied to this land. I have no doubt arrangements can be made that satisfy all parties.”

Konowa thought the Suljak was giving away Kaman Rhal’s purported library rather easily, but as he pondered it more, he saw the genius in it. Were the Hasshugeb to lay a claim to the library and its holdings, they risked not just the Empire’s avarice, but that of every other nation and people from whom Rhal had stolen. The re-emergence of the library with its fabled treasure would draw thieves-both individuals and armies. By allowing the Empire to take away much of what resided in it, the Suljak was allowing the Empire to accept much of the burden. Oh, that’s really clever.

“I believe that’s the oasis up ahead,” the Prince said, choosing to change the subject.

Konowa’s eyes drifted back to the dark clouds coming in from the coast and felt another chill. That was no storm. He turned to the oasis and caught the slightest tinge of lingering magic from a battle that had taken place there only a short time ago. He flowed his senses outward to the oasis.

“What is it?” the Prince asked.

Konowa said nothing as he tried to concentrate. Power was everywhere in the air-so roiled that he could understand very little of it, but what he did comprehend filled him with dread.

“There’s no time to stop at the oasis. We have to push on now and reach the Canyon of Bones.” Konowa looked back at the column. It was spread out over several hundred yards and plodding along. They were going to have to move much, much faster than this.

The Suljak coughed. “Major, the Prince and I have an agreement. The Hasshugeb and the Empire are not enemies this day. This regiment has but to enjoy the hospitality of the oasis this evening and then proceed in the morning. By then, the Star will have arrived and much will be revealed.”

A cold jolt against his heart told Konowa exactly what he didn’t want to know. He smiled, and it wasn’t meant to give comfort. “There’s more than two moving pieces on this board, and She isn’t about to follow any gentleman’s agreement.” He pointed to the looming dark clouds. “That’s Her forest, and it will be here by nightfall.”

The Prince brought his brass telescope up to his eye. “What?”

He turned to look at Konowa and the Suljak, the telescope still pressed to his eye, before he blinked and lowered it. “This makes no sense. We cleared the islands. I have more of the fleet landing along the coast from Nazalla all the way west to Tel Mar-truk. There’s no way Her forest should have gotten through.”

The Suljak lost some of his calm. “Another fleet! You did not tell me your fleet was traveling so far west, Your Highness. An oversight, no doubt? And yet even with this fleet the Empire has proven unable to defend its people, laying them bare without defenses to this coming monstrosity.” He paused and regained his composure. “No matter, the Shadow Monarch is known here, as are Her failed attempts to gain the Red Star in Elfkyna. You both defeated Her with this very regiment. This night, the warriors of the deep desert stand guard, and they are twenty thousand strong. Bring what She may, we will prevail.”

The Prince was back to looking at the looming ebony forest and the storm, mumbling about how huge the storm was. Konowa was certain the number of desert warriors the Suljak referred to was inflated, but something else was bothering him. “By the looks of that storm, Her forest could be hundreds of thousands strong. And where there are blood trees, there are the creatures it pulls from the depths. That’s a lot of faith to place in your warriors, Suljak. And what of Kaman Rhal? You don’t seem overly concerned about that possibility.”

The Suljak smiled. “You forget, Major, that whatever else Kaman Rhal is, he is first and foremost of the Hasshugeb. If he has returned, he will no more let the Shadow Monarch take the Jewel of the Desert than will you.”

Konowa leaned back in his saddle. He looked to the Prince, expecting him to jump in, but he’d let his camel stray several yards away. Prince Tykkin was absolutely fixated by what he saw through his telescope. “You think you can use the power of Kaman Rhal?” Konowa asked.

The Suljak leaned forward. “A question equally pertinent to you, yes? The Shadow Monarch is an enemy to us both. Kaman Rhal’s power can be harnessed.” The Suljak’s eyes gleamed. “Major, I should know…”

The truth hit Konowa hard. “You…called him back. You called back the power of Kaman Rhal.”

The Suljak bowed slightly. “Power is power, Major. I knew the Empire would come when the first Star returned. I had to prepare for any contingency. Our warriors are brave, but they are no match for the Empire, not yet. So I dug deep…and I found the threads of something long lost…and I began to pull them back.”

Konowa raised a fist covered in frost fire. The urge to reach out and kill the Suljak raced through his veins. The fool! Did he not see how dangerous it was to play with power you didn’t understand? “I lost a soldier because of you. He died in agony on that island.” With an extreme effort Konowa unclenched his fist and let the frost fire die.

The Suljak held out his hands, his eyes wide. “I will defend my people. I have done my best to keep power contained, but it is challenging even for me. But do not worry-the creature that killed your soldier was the only one that escaped my grasp. Even then, it only ventured across the water because it sensed the coming of Her forest. Now that Her forest has invaded this land, the creatures will destroy it, no matter how large it grows.”

“You mean there are more than one?”

“Hundreds, perhaps thousands by now,” the Suljak said.

The casualness with which the Suljak said it made Konowa wonder how much control he really exerted over these monsters. “And Kaman Rhal? Where does he fit in all of this?”

“He doesn’t. Major, Kaman Rhal is dead. His power is that of the desert. He only harnessed it and became lost in his avarice-and it cost him his life and everything he possessed. I have not made the same mistake. I simply used enough power to secure the Star and my land. When this is done, the creatures of his power will be returned from whence they came.”

“And what if they don’t want to go back?”

“Ah, but you see, Major, you have already proven the argument. With the Red Star, you destroyed Her forest. With the Jewel of the Desert, I will do the same to everything not of this time and place.”