The Courier's Conflict Read online

  “I’ll work on that with the captains and leaders myself. Schedule a meeting with them in the morning to discuss it further. Tell them to meet me at the east field.”

  “Would you like me to represent the council at your meeting, Your Highness?” Keabasi asked. That was strange; she’d never showed any interest in tactics and strategy before. She noted it, and Keabasi went higher on her mental list of potential suspects.

  “No, I will represent both the royalty and the council in this matter,” Rasha said firmly, meeting everyone’s eyes. She waited for someone to object. They remained silent. With a nod, she dismissed the council and left the room.

  “Is Jak unwell?” Gunge asked.

  Rasha caught Xeku’s eye as she said, “Jak is on his way to the Wilds. His mother is ill.”

  It was as Rasha suspected. Xeku didn’t know. His shock was genuine, she was sure.

  “Oh dear. I didn’t know. If you’ll excuse me, Your Highness. I must speak with him before he goes.”

  Rasha nodded, then headed for the palace herself. The idea of getting a glimpse of Jak before he left filled her stomach with agitated, sharp-beaked pikos. His kiss had left her bewildered. She’d had no time to process it before the council had gathered. These feelings she had about him were too new and not wholly welcome.

  11

  JAK SADDLED HIS TUSKIN and brushed off the dust of the beast before leading him out of the stables. His pack was slung over his shoulder. Ebere was right behind him, leading his own tuskin.

  “Ready?” Ebere asked.

  They both noticed Xeku standing on the path.

  “I need a minute,” Jak said.

  Xeku stood in front of his mount, stroking his nose.

  “Your mother is unwell,” Xeku said. It wasn’t a question, and he didn’t expect an answer.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Rasha will be on her own with the spy while I’m away.”

  “She’ll be looked after. No harm will come to her.”

  “She’s not ready to accept it yet, but I’m in love with her.”

  “Then you must tell her the truth.”

  Jak shook his head. “I can’t tell her now, not like this. It will keep until I return.”

  Xeku nodded, but not in agreement.

  “You believe she’ll be less likely to run you through with her swords the longer you keep your secret?”

  “No, it’s just that it won’t make that much of a difference.”

  “I thought the same once about your mother. It didn’t go well.”

  Jak remained silent at first, looking down at his pack. “I’m not you,” he said, his voice even.

  “I never married because my heart always belonged to your mother. It still does. Don’t let this one lie divide you for a lifetime. You deserve to be happy together.”

  Jak rolled his shoulders as if he were shaking off the guilt he felt.

  “I have to go.”

  “Of course.” Xeku stepped back, allowing him to lead his tuskin away.

  Xeku said something to him in Winakan.

  Jak stopped, and without looking back, nodded.

  Ebere was already on his mount, waiting.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s just something Xeku said.”

  “What?”

  Jak didn’t answer. Instead, he urged his tuskin forward. As they passed the palace, he looked back and saw Rasha standing there, with Ladi at her side. She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. Her hair whipped around her face in the wind as she watched him leave. She didn’t smile or blow him a kiss. She raised a fist to her heart and bowed her head slightly in his direction. He did the same. It was the closest thing to a declaration of her feelings that she’d allow. It warmed his soul as they put the wind to their backs and traveled southeast to the Wilds.

  Jak couldn’t imagine anyone more different from Lu than Ebere. The guy could go hours without speaking. Jak didn’t love being alone with his thoughts, but he liked even less holding up all the conversation. He rode without speaking, letting his thoughts wander.

  * * *

  “Do you wish that Rasha had come with us?” Ebere asked over their campfire that evening.

  “I do. I’d rather have her with me than not in almost any circumstance.”

  Ebere nodded.

  “She’s needed at the palace or I would have asked her to come.”

  Ebere agreed with his silence.

  “I’ve been wondering though, when are you going to tell Ladi that you can’t stand being away from her?” Jak asked.

  “What?” Ebere turned greener, if that was possible.

  “A heart in love beats to the same rhythm as a heart in love,” Jak quoted the proverb.

  Ebere didn’t reply. They were lying down for the night before when he said, “Were you in love with the girl you married?”

  Jak had been ready for sleep to take him, but Ebere’s question was such a surprise, he sat up and stared at him.

  Ebere’s voice didn’t change as he continued, “I found out, and so could Ladi. She’s young, but she’s smart and motivated. She wouldn’t hesitate to tell Rasha.”

  The two girls fought like two slithering stolkens in a basket, but Ladi would never keep a secret like this from Rasha.

  “I know.” Jak lay back down with his hands behind his head.

  “You never answered my question.”

  “There was once a young boy who thought the prettiest girl in the world lived on the nearest ranch. She was older and knew so much of the world he thought he would be a fool not to marry the beautiful and smart girl. His feelings burned like a fire that couldn’t be quelled. Their parents warned them of the trap of first loves. They decided, to the grave with their parents for not seeing how perfect they were for each other. So they married in secret.”

  Jak stopped speaking, and Ebere sat up to see if he’d fallen asleep in the middle of the story.

  “Then what happened?”

  “The young boy learned of the world outside his own backyard, and before long the burning fire he’d once felt for the girl died out.”

  “Is it the same with Rasha? The burning I mean.” Ebere asked, leaning on one elbow.

  “No, with Rash, it’s like the molten core of our planet. Ever present and constant.”

  “How do you think she’ll take it?”

  He meant Jak’s wife.

  “I’m not sure. But she’ll hear it from me, when the time comes.”

  “Why? Do you think she’s likely to take it better coming from you?”

  “No.”

  12

  RASHA LEFT THE BATH of the royal suite still wet, wrapped in a long, soft white robe. She was brushing at her wet hair and stopped short when she saw Ladi lying on her bed. Temi was trying to get her attention. Rasha shooed Temi away from the bed and sat down facing Ladi. There was only one reason she’d come here: she wanted to talk about something privately. The guards were outside the door, but the room was large enough to have a conversation without being overheard.

  It was the safest room in the palace, as Temi would dispose of anyone entering the room without her, and she kept the room locked when she left. Temi had a strong nose, and he hadn’t reacted to anything in the room so far. Rasha had learned long ago, if all else failed, Temi had the amazing ability to sniff out the danger in any room.

  Ladi hadn’t changed into her nightclothes yet, choosing to keep her boots on as she lay on top the bed. Rasha glared at the boots, and Ladi hastily swung them off of the bed.

  “I have an idea,” Ladi said without preamble. “It’s about the spy here in the palace with us.”

  “Yes, I’ve been concerned about that too. I’m watching the council for any changes in their behavior, but it’s difficult. People react differently during a war than they would normally, anyway.” She thought of Keabasi and hoped she was wrong about the mermaid councilwoman.

  “Yes, but there’s one thing a traitor can’t resist,” Ladi
said, leaning forward.

  “What?”

  “New information. Anything they can feed their allies. It has to be something big. Something that will propel them into action. We’ll try to catch them passing information to the beasts. We know they’re using some kind of covert communications. Something we can’t track.”

  “What could they be using that we can’t detect?” Rasha asked.

  “I don’t know. But it’s worth a try.”

  Rasha nodded.

  “Put it into action. I meet with the captains tomorrow morning. Let’s lead them where we want them to go, instead of letting them surprise us.”

  “Agreed,” Ladi said, but she didn’t get up to leave.

  “Is there something else?”

  “Yes, it’s about Jak.”

  Rasha wanted to roll her eyes, but she tried to keep her face neutral. Ladi looked down at her lap.

  “What about him?” Rasha asked, her patience waning as she waited.

  Ladi took in a deep breath and sighed, then looked at Rasha’s face.

  “He’s married.”

  13

  “HOW COULD YOU, JAK? I thought I was special, I thought we might be something.” Rasha asked. She felt the rage building inside of her. An uncontrollable rolling in her stomach that made the room spin. He stood with his palms up, pleading with her.

  “Try to understand, I was young, I was foolish. She means nothing to me now,” Jak was trying to explain to her, he reached out to touch her arm but she pulled away from him.

  A woman, not unlike Silae, entered the room. She had a wide smile on her face and belly heavy with child. The woman eyed her smugly.

  Rasha turned back to Jak, who was staring as if he didn’t recognize her. His mouth was open and his head was bobbing as he searched for something to say.

  “I’ve heard enough.”

  Jak reached for her again. This time he put both hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look at him.

  “I don’t love her anymore, I haven’t for a long time! I love you.”

  Rasha knocked his hands away and reached for her swords. With a cry, she lunged at him. The sword in her right hand, Cutter, plunged into his stomach. She let go of the sword. He stared down at it in disbelief.

  “No, no.” Rasha was crying and shaking her head. She hadn’t meant to stab him. She’d only been angry and hurt.

  “Murderer! You killed him!”

  The woman that looked like Silae screeched and took an unsteady step toward Jak. She had Blade in her hand and she walked with purpose, toward Rasha. “You’ll pay for taking him away from me.”

  She swung the sword across Rasha’s neck. Shocked, Rasha tried to hold the wound together, but it was too late. The warm blood poured through her fingers, and she fell to her knees next to Jak’s body.

  “Your Highness!” Someone was shaking her awake. She woke with a start, eyes wide, until she realized she was looking at the maid. There was another behind her. Temi had his large paws on the bed staring at her face.

  “Are you all right? You were screaming in your sleep.” It was Fisa.

  Rasha looked down into her purple hands. There was no blood anywhere. She’d been dreaming. The bed coverings had shifted to the floor, and she’d perspired through her nightgown. It was sticking to her. Fisa dashed into the bathroom to get her a cold cloth.

  “Here, lie back and put this on your forehead. You’ve got the fever.”

  The other maid was putting the bed back to right. She arranged the sheets and blankets so that they covered Rasha to the waist.

  “I’m fine, really.”

  “You’re not well. You should rest today.” The older servant—her name was something strange like Margaret—was looking at her with sympathy.

  “I can’t,” Rasha said. She threw back the covers and climbed out of bed with shaky legs.

  “Are you sure, Your Highness? Fisa said.

  “I’m sure. Thank you, Fisa. I’ll dress, and then the room is yours.” She hoped she wouldn’t fall to the floor and curl up into a ball. Not in front of the maids, anyway.

  With the bathroom door closed safely behind her, she allowed herself to shudder.

  She’d dreamed she killed Jak and been killed in turn by his wife. His wife. What excuse would he give for not mentioning it? Is that why he’d run off in the night after they’d asked him to become the prince incumbent? His strange behavior made sense now. Had he dissolved the marriage? No. If he had, Ladi would have found that out, too.

  Ladi didn’t seem happy to tell her the news, but Rasha wondered if the she might be gloating inside. Her infatuation with Jak was obvious, and her constant attempts to flirt with him exasperated Rasha. In her childish way, she’d been testing the strength of Jak’s feelings for Rasha, but none of it mattered now.

  Why couldn’t things ever be simple? She’d had a job to do: collect a package take it to Adalu. It turned out that the package was a princess. That had been almost a year ago. With the real prince and princess in hiding, she and Jak had stepped in to help preserve the kingdom. Except Jak, her prince incumbent, was already married to another woman. If it became known, he would be ousted. No prince of Adalu had a wife and a betrothed. Not that Rasha had intended to marry Jak, she hastened to assure herself. Once this war was over, she planned to go back to her real life. Possibly a life without Jak.

  * * *

  Rasha left the palace to meet with the captains at the easternmost part of the palace grounds. She’d left her cloak open, despite the biting cold. They were waiting for her near a dense line of evergreen trees.

  * * *

  The meeting didn’t have an auspicious beginning. The ranking officers of the kingdoms had earned their authority over lifetimes of service. Being asked to place themselves and their men under someone else’s command was disagreeable to almost all of them.

  “We can’t all have different plans of attack!” Rasha was exasperated.

  “It’s worked for us in the past,” the leader from Karmir said stiffly. He’d been decorated many times, and wore his decorations proudly. For the last hour, he’d been adamant that his strategies and plans had never failed.

  “We bring our battalions and lead them. We all know our own strengths. It confuses the enemy and ultimately leads to victory.” He was looking at the captain from Vol, the eighth kingdom. It had been less than a hundred years since Vol joined the ten kingdoms. Before that, they’d been defeated by the Karmir many times. It was no secret the two nations were still holding grudges.

  Rasha raised her hands before they decided to revisit the past right there in front of them.

  “We’re not here to revisit the past,” Rasha snapped at them. “We will work together or we will lose this war. Let the beasts decide which of you tastes better for breakfast, if it suits you. But we will fight under a united command.”

  There were a few smiles at her comment, but everyone nodded

  “Your Highness, we speak different languages,” an officer from Buku said with concern.

  “I’m aware of that. Nevertheless, we will find a way to work together and drive this threat from our kingdoms.”

  “I don’t mean to be contrary, but you’re quite young. How many battles have you won, that believe your counsel is better than mine?” It didn’t surprise her that the Chilalian would be the one to give her the most trouble. He was a good friend of her father’s. He gave her the same supercilious looks.

  “My age is irrelevant. My status is not. Do you challenge my right to the throne?” To his credit, the general didn’t back down as she stepped forward into his space. It was unheard of to challenge a royal because even thinking it was treason. The penalty for which was a long life in the dungeons—or a swift beheading.

  Rasha stood ready to draw her swords.

  “I’ve fought many times against many opponents. Just not the kind where you get shiny medals and a parade.”

  He measured her words, taking in the determination on her face. Rasha’s
hands itched to be holding her swords. It must have shown in her eyes because he finally conceded.

  “No, Your Highness, I would never presume to challenge you or your authority.”

  Rasha nodded and turned back to the others. Rasha knelt down in the grass and they gathered around her. Using a handful of pebbles, she outlined her plan.

  “I need three groups here. She pointed to what was the south of the kingdom. I need another three to the west and the other three to our east. Well make them come to us. Right here, we surround them, and then the battle is ours.”

  * * *

  In the training room, Rasha took up a longsword to continue Ladi’s training. Rasha wasn’t blind to the fact that Ladi preferred sparring with Jak because she had a crush on him. Jak either hadn’t noticed or didn’t care. He seemed to have that effect on women. They fell all over him.

  She pressed an attack at Ladi, and she stumbled back. Rasha hadn’t meant to drop her that fast, but she was having a difficult time controlling her feelings. Ladi was getting pummeled.

  Rasha admired how Ladi shook it off and came at her again. She’d improved markedly since beginning her training. She’d be even better if she went to the Courier’s Keep for a proper education.

  “You should consider formal courier training.”

  “I don’t need the training. I’m living the life.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re here helping us because the war has left us shorthanded. What will you do when it’s over?” Rasha’s temporary status was a closely held secret. Bashir and Chiza would return to their kingdom when the threat had ended. Rasha had been looking forward to leaving the palace life and working with Jak. He’d been a legendary courier himself. She wouldn’t need Ebere when the authorities reinstated Jak. Not that there was anything wrong with Ebere, he just wasn’t Jak, she mused, then realized she was doing it again—making plans for the future with Jak. Wouldn’t he need to be home taking care of his long-lost wife? Rasha swung the longsword hard and fast, throwing Ladi off balance.