Quest for the Moon Orb: Orbs of Rathira (35 page)

“Jenz,” Zakiel called once he received a brief nod from Garundel, “have Saigar’s belongings brought here and searched.  And remove that knife from the sand.  This one is not to be trusted.”

“Hunter Marl is currently missing,” Zakiel said.  “Whether he is an accomplice of the
cin-sahib
, or a victim, we do not yet know.  If anyone sees him, beware.  Otherwise, the search for him will continue at dawn.”

Zakiel turned away, relieved to leave the presence of the
cin-sahib
.  There was something draining about being too close to one when the demon was in charge, which was why he’d told the Hunters to put Saigar in a tent.  It was safer for them if they did not have to look upon him for too long.

He started back to his own tent automatically, then remembered that he’d promised Karma and Kapia that he’d return.  He paused a moment to see that the tent setters were following his orders, then turned toward the women’s tent.

***

Once Zakiel left to deal with Saigar, Karma allowed herself to relax a little.  It hadn’t been easy to resist the desire to let him hold her.  It seemed more than a desire.  It was more like a need that she had to struggle against every moment that he was near.  His obvious concern for her hadn’t helped.  She could not deny the fear and worry in his eyes, the warmth and tenderness in his touch.

But what difference did it make? she asked herself sternly.  Even if he did have feelings for her, he’d made it clear that he could not break the customs and laws of his own people.  Which was just a nice way of saying he couldn’t go back on his commitment to Marene. 

She couldn’t really blame him for that.  A commitment was a commitment, after all.  But she
did
blame him for not telling her about his relationship with Marene.  For that there could be no excuse. 

She could not leave.  Not the desert, not Isiben, not even Rathira itself.  She was here by her own choice, and she could not go back on her word any more than Zakiel could. 

Nor could she refuse to speak with him for the remainder of this journey, or quest, or whatever it was.  That would raise as many eyebrows as their kissing would have.  If not more.  No, she had to find a way to continue as she had begun. 

She would be polite to the Prince, but no more than that, she decided.  She would neither seek him out, nor avoid him.  She would continue to speak with him, and work with him, but she would guard her heart carefully every moment of every day.  No more dinners together in front of the campfire, no more late night discussions, no more personal stories or revelations of any kind.  And no more of him lifting her onto and off of Dippy either.  She would speak with a drover first thing in the morning and get them to put a stirrup on her saddle.  Just one would be enough.

“Karma?” Kapia asked, her worried frown indicating she’d called her name more than once.

“I’m sorry, Kapia,” she replied as she accepted the cup of tea Kapia was offering her.  “Just thinking.”

“Well, stop thinking,” Kapia said firmly.  “Zakiel will handle the matter, you can be sure of that, and no one else will dare try such a thing.”

“Kapia, would you agree that everyone in this caravan is aware that Nikura and I are almost never out of each other’s sight?” Karma asked, wrapping her cold hands around the cup for warmth.

“Yes, of course,” Kapia replied as she poured herself a cup of tea and settled back on her cushion.  “Why do you ask?”

“Look at Nikura,” Karma said as she turned her own eyes toward him.  Now that he had calmed enough to stop pacing, he lay near the doorway, cleaning the blood from his fur.  Karma set her cup down and stood, grabbed a clean towel from a basket and knelt down beside the Sphin.

“What about him?” Kapia asked as she watched Karma use the towel to wipe the blood from his fur.  She put her own cup down, stood up, got another towel and went to help.

“He’s two feet tall at the shoulders, at least,” Karma said, scooting over to make room for Kapia.  Nikura watched in mild surprise, but made no move to stop them.

“His head nearly reaches my waist, and he’s solid muscle,” Karma continued.  “I’ve no idea what he weighs, but I would guess at least a hundred and fifty pounds, maybe more.  His paws are twice the size of my hands, and have you seen the size of those knives he keeps hidden between his toes?  I’ve seen him take the head off of a harpy with one swipe of them.  He’s strong enough to leap nine feet straight up from a sitting position to the back of a diplo without obvious effort, and when he wants to, he can move so fast that your eye can’t follow him.  All you see is a blur.  He is deadlier than any Hunter, by far.”

Kapia finished cleaning the blood from one foreleg and began on the other while Karma gently wiped his face and chin.  “Yes, Nikura is big, strong and dangerous,” Kapia agreed with a frown.  “I won’t argue with you on that.  But Karma, what is your point?”

Karma sat back on her heels.  “My point, Kapia, is why would anyone, even a great big muscle-brained macho Hunter, sneak into my chamber in the middle of the night
knowing
that Nikura would be there?”

Kapia dropped her towel, she was so taken aback by the obvious truth of what Karma had said.  An angry hiss from Nikura had both women turning toward him immediately as they tensed for more danger.  Nikura was staring at Karma, his long tail twitching irritably.

“Nikura is upset because he didn’t think of that himself,” Karma told Kapia after a moment.  She turned back to Nikura and looked him over carefully, but saw no more blood.  She got to her feet and tossed the towel into the basket for refuse as she passed by.  Kapia did the same, and a moment later they were both sipping their tea again.

“I thank you, Lady Techu, and Princess Kapia, for your assistance,”
Nikura said.

“You’re welcome, Nikura,” Karma replied.  “It’s the least I could do, especially knowing how heartily you dislike blood on your fur.”

“There are times when a little bloody fur is well worth the trouble,”
Nikura said.  He paused for a long moment, then turned to face Karma. 
“I apologize for not seeing the obvious.”

“Don’t worry about it, Nikura,” she said.  “I’m just glad you were there.”

“I’m glad he was there too,” Kapia said.  “But your question is a really good one.  We should ask Zakiel about that.”

“We will,” Karma said, reaching for the pot to refill her cup again to hide her reaction to hearing his name.  She needed to get over him, and fast.  Distraction was usually a good tool.  She just had to find something else to think about.  Like how hungry she was.

“Lashi, is there any food left from dinner?” she asked.

“Certainly, Lady Techu,” Lashi said, hurrying toward them at once.  “Neither of you ate, so there is much food.  Are you hungry now?”

“Yes, I am,” Karma replied.  Kapia nodded and Lashi happily went about heating up their dinner for them.

A few minutes later Karma, Kapia and Nikura were eating a very late dinner when they heard footsteps approach.  Karma knew it was Zakiel, though she didn’t know how she knew.  She pretended not to know and took another bite of her food, reminding herself to act as normally as possible.

***

“Hello,” Zakiel said, just before he entered.  He smiled to see that Karma and Kapia were sitting before the iron fire pot, calmly eating and sipping tea as Lashi and Caral packed their belongings for the move to the new tent. 

“Hello, Brother,” Kapia greeted him calmly.  “Why don’t you have a seat and a cup of tea with us.  We have food, if you’re hungry.”

Zakiel nodded and sat down.  Perhaps a few moments in their company would calm him. 

“I am glad to see you both relaxed, but surprised that you are eating so late,” he said, accepting a cup from Kapia. 

“Neither of us had much appetite earlier,” Karma said.  “Now we’re hungry, so we figured we might as well eat the food Caral and Lashi prepared for us while we wait for the other tent.”

“Good idea,” Zakiel said.  “The other tent will be ready soon.”

He took a sip of his tea, but Karma didn’t miss the expression of worry on his face.  “What is it?” she asked.

“I know that this will appear to be skirting the edge of propriety,” he said, “but I’ve ordered the new tent to be set side by side with my own.  I want to be closer to both of you should anyone attempt such an act again.”

“I have no objections,” Kapia said, “but my reputation is not at risk.  You are my brother.”

“I have no objections either,” Karma said after a long moment.  “My life is more valuable to me than my reputation.”

“Agreed,” Zakiel said with more than a little relief, missing the sharp look Karma sent his way.  He had not wanted to argue with them about it, and he knew that if pushed, he would have simply given the order and ignored their wishes.  But he preferred Karma’s agreement and was glad to have it. 

“What of Saigar?” Kapia asked.  “Did he say why he tried to steal the Ti-Ank?”

Zakiel glanced at Karma, who gave her head a tiny shake.  She had not said anything to Kapia about what had really happened.  He sipped his tea again as he tried to decide whether or not to tell Kapia the truth.  When he looked up and met her gaze, he knew he had to be honest with her.  She had fulfilled the part of a woman tonight, an exceptionally brave woman.  She’d kept her head and done what needed to be done.  She had earned the right to be treated as an adult, and he would not deny her that.

“His intent was not to steal the Ti-Ank, Kapia,” he said.  “At least, that was not his only intention.  He tried to kill Karma.”

Kapia’s eyes widened in shock, then narrowed with anger.  “Did he tell you why?”

“No, he did not,” Zakiel replied, proud of Kapia’s reaction, but still hesitant to tell her the rest of it.  “Kapia, Saigar is
cin-sahib
.”

Kapia’s face paled and he reached out for her, but she shook her head and took a deep breath.  “I’m all right, Brother,” she said shakily.  “I’m surprised, of course, but I suppose we should have expected something like this eventually.”

Zakiel smiled, his pride in her great.  “Yes, I suppose we should have.”

“What is cin-sa...whatever you said?” Karma asked.

“
Cin-sahib
,” Zakiel replied.  “It means
demon possessed
.”

Karma’s face paled almost as much as Kapia’s had.  “How does something like that happen?” she asked.

“One must invite the demon in, Karma,” Zakiel said.  “It is a choice that one makes, not an accident.  Do not worry, it cannot happen to you unless you ask for it.”

Karma nodded in relief, glad that Zakiel had understood and addressed her biggest fear.  “Oh, maybe that explains Nikura.”

“Yes, I think you’re right,” Kapia agreed. 

“What are you talking about?” Zakiel asked.

Kapia explained Karma’s question as to why anyone would enter her chamber knowing Nikura was there.

“I didn’t even think of that,” Zakiel said, angry with himself for missing something so obvious.  “That should have indicated to us right away that there was something more going on.”

“Is he dead now?” Kapia asked.

“No,” Zakiel replied, surprising both women.  He explained Tomas’s request, and the decision by the other Hunters to grant it.  “It will be done at first light,” he promised.

“Did Tomas have anything to do with any of it?” Kapia asked.

“If he did, I have not been able to discern it,” Zakiel said.  “The fact that Saigar is
cin-sahib
makes it unlikely that Tomas was involved, but I’m not taking any chances.  He is being guarded carefully tonight, and will be watched closely from now on.  Which brings me to another subject.”

Karma and Kapia both looked at him expectantly, and he wished he could have chosen a better time for what he had to tell Kapia.  But if he did not tell her now, she would learn it from someone else, and he did not want that.

“Kapia,” he began, searching for the right words.  After a moment he realized there were no right words.  He could only say it straight out.  “The Return of the Vatra is upon us.”

Kapia’s eyes widened in shock.  “Really?” she asked, then shook her head.  “Of course really,” she muttered.  “When?  How?”

“Yesterday, after the battle with the
Ken-No-Ke
l,” Zakiel replied.  “I decided to keep it secret for a time as I suspected we had an informant in our midst.  I am sorry I did not tell you sooner.”

“You were correct, obviously,” Kapia said.  “Is that why you’re telling me now?”

“Partly,” Zakiel replied.  “And partly because when I discovered that Saigar was
cin-sahib
, the markings of the Vatra appeared on my face and arms for all to see.”

“This is wonderful news, Brother,” Kapia said, unconcerned that he hadn’t told her sooner.  He had his reasons, and she understood and agreed with them.  “The Return of the Vatra must mean that we have little chance of failing now.”

“In time, when I am actually able to transform, I am sure that it will help,” Zakiel said cautiously.  “But I don’t think it would be wise to see it as a guarantee of success.”

Zakiel heard a heavy step at the tent entrance behind him and spun around, dropping his cup with a clatter as he reached for his swords.  By the time Harmin took his first step inside the tent, Zakiel was on his feet with both swords ready to flay him where he stood.