Blades of the Old Empire (39 page)

This book would never have been possible without the support of numerous people over the years. First and foremost, I thank my friend, Olga Karengina, whose enthusiasm helped drive the first draft of this book, making the writing process even more fun than it would have been otherwise. I am grateful to the members of the Online Writers Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror, especially Jennifer Dawson, Rhonda Garcia, Sandra Panicucci, Ariana Cordelle Sofer, Amy Raby, Siobhan Carroll, Abigail Carter, and Terry Jackman. While I received feedback on this novel from many others, these people gave me key advice (and key encouragement) where and when I needed them most.

I am very grateful to my husband, for his tolerance, encouragement, and support, as well as for his incessant ability to discuss the Majat weapons and fighting techniques at all the odd times of day and night.

I thank my editor, Lee Harris, and the Angry Robot team for helping me to realize my dream and bring the Majat warriors to life.

I dedicate the Majat Code series to Vladimir Keilis-Borok, my grandfather, best friend, and soul mate, who taught me everything I am.

Anna Kashina grew up in Russia and moved to the United States in 1994 after receiving her Ph.D. in cell biology from the Russian Academy of Sciences.

She works as a professor in a major university and combines her successful career in science and her passion for writing.

Anna’s passion for ballroom dancing, world mythologies and folklore has fed her high-level interest in martial arts of the Majat warriors.

She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

annakashina.com

twitter.com/annakashina

Oden Lan, the Master of the Majat Guild, the Assassin of the Diamond Rank, forced his face into a calm mask as he stared at the object in his hand. A four-pointed throwing star, the large diamond set into its center glittering so brightly that it hurt his eyes. The intricate lines of the golden inlay at the base of the blades spelled a word in the ancient runic language, used in the Majat Fortress as a token of the Guild’s unique ancestry.

Black.

In the Majat dialect the word was pronounced as “
Kar
” and sounded very close to the star bearer’s name.

Kara.

Oden Lan’s face twitched. It had been hundreds of years since the Majat Guildmaster had to arrange an assassination of one of his own, an elite warrior of the Diamond rank. The fact that he had to do it because Kara had betrayed her duty for the love of the sleek, blue-eyed Prince Kythar of the ruling House Dorn, made things worse. The Majat Warriors were not permitted to love. If they had been, Oden Lan himself would have never watched Kara grow up from a little girl into the most incredible nineteen year-old their Guild had ever seen without letting her know how he felt about her. And now, he would never have the chance. She was dead, killed at Oden Lan’s orders by another one of the Guild’s best.

A rustle of footsteps brought Oden Lan back to reality. He closed his fingers over the token in his hand, suddenly aware of the early morning chill creeping under his cloak, and the smother of the looming walls that made the courtyard adjoining the Guildmaster’s tower seem dark and hollow, like a deep stone well.

“This had better be important,” Oden Lan said into the gloom of the low archway.

A hooded figure separated itself from the shadows, its long, dark robe shuffling over the paving stones.

“Forgive the interruption, Aghat,” the newcomer said in a deep, soft voice.

Oden Lan looked at him with curiosity. The way the stranger used the Guildmaster’s rank as a form of address suggested familiarity with the Majat customs, yet Oden Lan was certain he had never seen this man before. Finding an outsider, unannounced, in the Guildmaster’s inner sanctum, was so preposterous that Oden Lan couldn’t even find it in his heart to feel angry. After all, no one in his right mind would come to the Majat Guildmaster, the man in command of the most impressive military force in the history of the known world, with bad intentions.

“Who the hell are you?” he said.

“A friend.” The man stopped halfway across the courtyard and pushed back the hood, allowing the Guildmaster a good look at his face.

He had heavy, gaunt features, his prominent eyebrows looming over deep eye sockets. His graceful posture spoke of warrior training, not sufficient, perhaps, to stand up to a Majat of a gem rank, but good enough to defend himself in a tight spot. His bulging robe suggested hidden weapons, perhaps a sword or a saber strapped across the back. But the most unusual thing about him were his eyes – so pale brown that they bordered on yellow. From the shadows of his eye sockets they stared at the Majat Guildmaster calmly, without fear or reverence that Oden Lan was used to seeing in the faces of his visitors.

“What do you want?” the Guildmaster demanded.

The man shifted from foot to foot, his calm look acquiring a touch of curiosity, as if he was studying a strange animal.

“I bring news of one of your Guild members,” he said. “A Diamond, Kara.”

Oden Lan’s hand holding the throwing star clenched so tightly that the blades cut into his hand, piercing the skin. He kept his face steady, shoving the bleeding hand into his pocket before the strange yellow-eyed man could see it.

“I believe,” he said steadily, “that I have all the news of Kara that I need. If you have nothing else to say–”

“She’s alive.”

In the silence that followed these words, the quiet rustle of the morning breeze seemed as loud as the howl of a hurricane.

“
What
did you say?”

“I’m afraid, the man you sent to do the job, Aghat Mai, failed to fulfill your orders.”

Oden Lan kept the silence as the words settled into his head.

Alive.

Could it possibly be true?

It didn’t seem likely. Mai, a Diamond whose incredible skill had made him a legend in the Guild despite his young age, couldn’t possibly fail. Even less so would he disobey a direct order. The reports had been clear about this. Mai had used his famous blow – the “viper’s sting” – on her. A blade between the collarbones. Instant death.

Unless…

Oden Lan turned to the man by his side, feeling the chill creep up his spine.

“Tell me more.”

The man shrugged. “She and Aghat Mai are both at the King’s court. I’ve seen them myself. Aghat Mai has resumed his duty as the head of the King’s bodyguards – following your orders, I believe. As for Kara, she’s spending her time getting familiar with the royal heir, if you know what I mean.”

Oden Lan hesitated. Now he was beginning to think that the man was crazy. What he was saying was impossible. Mai was one of their Guild’s best. If, for some unknown reason, he had failed to kill Kara the first time, he
couldn’t
possibly just stay around her without trying again.

He should have this man executed for prying into the Guild’s affairs. Yet, something kept him from calling the guards.

“Perhaps there’s a mistake?” Oden Lan asked carefully.

“It was my impression that the Diamond Majat don’t make such... mistakes.”

“I was referring to you.”

The man held his gaze with calm confidence.

“I wasn’t there when they fought, and cannot be certain what happened, but I saw the two of them afterwards, fighting side by side. In fact, Aghat Mai took considerable risks to save Kara’s life.”

Oden Lan hesitated. This seemed crazy, and absolutely preposterous. Yet, it was clear that the stranger was certain of his words.

“You seem to be extremely well informed,” he said.

The man bowed. “I pride on having good sources of information, Aghat. But I can see that you still don’t believe me. Please, don’t take my word for it. Ask the Jade who was on this assignment with Aghat Mai – Gahang Sharrim, if I am not mistaken.”

Oden Lan stood back. For how unremarkable he was, the yellow-eyed man
did
seem to be well informed.

“Not that it is any business for an outsider,” he said, “but since we are having this conversation, I don’t mind telling you this. Gahang Sharrim brought back Kara’s armband, and reported on a successfully completed assignment. In fact, he seemed to be quite proud of it.”

“Question him again,” the man insisted. “Ask him what kind of a blow Aghat Mai used to kill her.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“I heard,” the man said softly, “that Aghat Mai is rumored to have invented several special blows, which made him quite famous in your Guild. One of them is called ‘viper’s kiss’. Am I correct?”

Oden Lan froze. No outsider could possibly know this. This man was either a spy or –

He should call the guards. But the thought that, despite everything, Kara could still be alive, made Oden Lan’s heart race. He
had
to know.

“How did you come upon this information?”

The man smiled, with the calm confidence of one who has the situation well in hand.

“This blow,” he said, “looks exactly as deadly as the ‘viper’s sting’, entering the body in exactly the same spot between the collarbones, but by a skillful tilt of the blade it merely sends a person into a deep coma, until the victim can be revived by a special pinch on the pressure points. The wound is still serious, of course, but with proper care it could be easily treated.”

Oden Lan’s skin prickled as he peered into the man’s face. It would have taken a hell of a skill for Mai to use “viper’s kiss” against an equal opponent. But if he did manage to pull it off on Kara, it was indeed indistinguishable from the “sting” on the outside. Even Sharrim, Mai’s partner in the assignment and the best of the Guild’s Jades, could have been easily fooled.

But why would Mai do such a thing, knowing that sooner or later the truth would come out? And how could this yellow-eyed stranger possibly know this?

“How the hell did–”

“Call in Gahang Sharrim,” the man insisted. “Ask him.”

“I fail to see how this would help,” Oden Lan said slowly. “I heard Gahang Sharrim’s report. You, on the other hand–”

The man waved his hand in dismissal.

“I am not your problem, Aghat,” he said. “You have treason growing in your very midst. I came here with humble hope that bringing you this information could be considered a gesture of goodwill, and that in the future you would consider me a friend.”

Oden Lan gave him a long look.

“What you are suggesting is ridiculous,” he said. “But given the graveness of the accusation, I will question Gahang Sharrim again.”

He signaled and a Majat guard appeared from the shadows at the edge of the courtyard.

“Take this man to the guest quarters,” the Guildmaster ordered. “Keep him safe. Master…?”

He turned to the yellow-eyed man with question.

“Tolos,” the man supplied.

Oden Lan nodded.

“Until we talk again,” he said, “Master Tolos.”

He turned and strode away.

The Jade, Sharrim, had curly red hair, freckled face, and a perpetual expression of childlike wonder that seemed odd in someone of his reputation as the best archer among the Jades. His superior, Gahang Khall, a pale man with straight black hair and piercing eyes, made a chilling contrast as the two of them stood in the Guildmaster’s study with the solemn look of the men well aware of the due praise for a job well done. Looking at their silent forms, Oden Lan had trouble believing Master Tolos’s accusations. Yet now, after summoning the Jades to his study, he had no choice but to proceed.

“Tell me how Kara died,” he said, forcing his voice to stay level.

There was a puzzled silence.

“Is there a reason for–” Khall began.

Oden Lan looked up, nailing the man with a short glance.

“I choose not to take your words as doubt that I would ask you
anything
without reason, Gahang.”

“But I already told–” Sharrim put in.

Oden Lan turned, his gaze forcing the younger man into silence.

“Tell me again.”

Sharrim swallowed, his face losing several shades of confidence.

“After we received our orders, Aghat Mai and I caught up with Kara after ten days’ chase. Aghat Mai engaged her, and when she was distracted, I shot her in the forearm. Then I stood back, like Aghat Mai instructed me.”

“He instructed you to stand back?”

The Jade’s face continued to show puzzlement. “He told me to stand down after the first hit. He said that one light wound would give him all the advantage he needed. And it did.”

Oden Lan hesitated, searching Sharrim’s eyes and finding nothing but honest pride at the successful assignment. He was beginning to feel like a fool. He swore to himself to have another conversation with Master Tolos after this was over.

“What happened afterwards?” he asked.

“After my arrow hit, it took mere minutes for Aghat Mai to get through. Kara lost a sword from her injured hand. Then, he struck her down. Death was instant, Guildmaster. Almost no blood.”

Like the first time when he had heard this, Oden Lan felt his feet sway from underneath him. He summoned all his strength to appear calm.

Instant death.

When this was over, he was going to make an example of Master Tolos, to show everyone what it meant to pry into the Majat Guild’s private affairs. How
dare
this yellow-eyed man come here to suggest such preposterous things and stir up the wound that didn’t yet have time to heal?

“You told me before that Aghat Mai used ‘viper’s sting’ on her, Gahang Sharrim.”

“Yes, Guildmaster.”

“How do you know?”

The Jade hesitated.

“We all learned what it’s like, Guildmaster. It’s Aghat Mai’s signature blow. A deep stab between the collarbones, tilted left and in to go straight through the heart.”

Yes, that was how “viper’s sting” was supposed to go. Oden Lan had never tried it, but he heard enough talk in the Fortress five years ago, after Mai, a newly ranked Diamond at the time, had used it on his first kill. Mai had also used the other one, “viper’s kiss”, during the same assignment, to harmlessly get the victim’s bodyguard out of the way. Mai’s fame had spread like fire. Not many people in the history of the Guild had blows named after their token rune.
Viper.

Oden Lan strained his memory to recall the details. There
was
a way to tell between the two blows, just not an easy one.

“You said there was no blood,” he said slowly.

“Almost none, Guildmaster. A splash, no more.”

A splash.
Oden Lan’s heart quivered, but he kept his face straight. “And what did Aghat Mai do right after the fight?”

“What do you mean?” Sharrim looked lost.

“Try to recall exactly, Gahang.
What happened right after the fight?
”

Sharrim licked his lips.

“I– I approached the body and checked that she was dead,” he stammered, trying to speak faster under Oden Lan’s urgent gaze. “There was no pulse. Then Aghat Mai sent me off to find her armband.”

“He sent you off?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Sharrim hesitated. “I was under his command. I didn’t question his orders.”

“Didn’t you wonder why he stayed behind?”

“He– he said he’d take care of her weapons.”

“And what did he do when you walked away?” Oden Lan prompted.

“He leaned over her, and…” Sharrim paused, his face going pale.

Oden Lan waited. After a moment, Sharrim spoke slowly, his narrowed eyes looking into the distance.

“He touched some points on the neck. Her body shook. I saw it as I left. And then, Aghat Mai said something to the boy, Prince Kythar Dorn. After Aghat Mai left, Prince Kythar wrapped Kara’s body in a cloak and held it in his arms.”

“He told the Prince to hold her, so that he could keep her warm,” Oden Lan said. “Didn’t he?”

Sharrim’s blue eyes were suddenly dark like Khall’s. His face lost its innocent expression and became cold and distant.

“I don’t blame you, Gahang Sharrim,” Oden Lan said. “You couldn’t have known.”

The two Jades went so still that they seemed inanimate.

“You may go,” Oden Lan told them.

“What do you intent to do, Guildmaster?” Khall asked quietly.