THE SHADOWLORD (20 page)

"We'll have to wait while the doors are opened," Jaelan informed her. "More than thirty men are needed to crank them open."

"Are they that heavy?" Aradia breathed.

"No one knows how much they actually weigh, but there are two-foot-thick timbers mortared horizontally behind two ten-foot-thick steel plates."

"Are those spikes covering the door's surface?" she queried.

"Aye, and each juts out one foot and is sharp enough to cleanly shave the thick beard from a Hasdu holy man and not knick his wrinkled face," Aluino joked.

Aradia shivered as their horses began the climb the switchback trail.

"Though there are no battlements at Abbadon," Jaelan said, "there are observation points behind the oval openings, where men are stationed twenty-four hours a day. Sixteen men stand at fifty-foot intervals on each level, at each of the four directions, constantly scanning the desert. They will have seen and reported us the moment we were visible. As soon as we reach the first bend in the trail, those manipulating the door will begin opening it wide enough for one horse at a time to slide through. When we attain the last bend, fifty men will be standing guard outside."

"They take no chances," Aluino added.

"Inside is an ante-chamber that can be closed off from the rest of the fortress. Three portcullises welded together will rise only when the fifty guards outside, the ten in the ante-chamber, and the fifty more inside are assured we are of no danger."

Aluino sighed. "The bars on that damned portcullis are so close together, you couldn't slip a piece of paper through."

Aradia swallowed. "How many guards are there?"

"More than a thousand," Jaelan answered.

Aluino chuckled. "Not as easy to get in and out of as you thought, huh, wench?"

As they reached the first turn in the trail, Aradia jumped when a loud, piercing shriek erupted. She turned fearful eyes to her husband.

"The doors are opening," he explained.

"My quarters are up on the fourth floor," Aluino said, pointing. "See where the raven's perched? That's my bedroom window."

"Where are our quarters?" Aradia asked Jaelan.

"On the sixth floor, at the back," he replied.

"Below the King's private chamber," Aluino put in.

"Abbadon faces North," Jaelan explained. "I wanted a Southern chamber."

"Why?"

"No sun in the morning or afternoon," Aluino answered for his friend. At Aradia's perplexed look, he shrugged. "No harsh light to bother him when he has one of his noggin aches."

"Oh," Aradia said, understanding.

The shrill grinding of the door echoed down the trail, grating on Aradia's nerves. She could imagine slaves sweating and straining, cranking the huge mechanism needed to part the forbidding steel barriers. In her imagination, she heard the grunting, the harsh orders of the slavemaster spurring on the emaciated workers.

"Actually, they are muscular brutes," Jaelan said. "Oiled and sweaty, aye, but there's nothing slavish about them. It's considered an honor to ply the doors of Abbadon."

"Stop reading my thoughts," she said for what might have been the fifth time that day.

"Seventh." He grinned when she turned an exasperated face his way.

It took nearly twenty minutes to traverse the serpentine trail. The grinding ceased as they neared the top. Now came the stamp of feet, the rattle of armor, and the clank of weapons.

Rounding the last bend, Aradia saw the line of hulking warriors flanking the partially open door, twenty-five on the left, twenty-five on the right. Each held a sword in a spiked gauntleted hand and wore a full-face helmet that hid all but their piercing black eyes.

Far to one side of the sinister entrance, people milled about long wooden stalls. Obviously merchants, but uncharacteristically silent as they watched the trio approach. Here and there, a sheep bleated or a cow lowed, horses corralled in a makeshift pen nickered, but none of the merchants tried to gain the notice of those who rode with the Shadowlord.

"They're afraid of you," she whispered.

"They should be," Jaelan replied.

Taking the lead, he nudged his mount through the narrow opening and into the antechamber of Abbadon. Aluino held back, waiting for Aradia to precede him. When she gained the interior, she found her husband dismounted. He held his arms up for her.

"I can get down on my own, warrior
," she silently sent to him.

His lips twitched, but he made no reply.

Sighing, Aradia allowed him to help her dismount. As she slid down the length of him, she saw a spark of passion in his tawny eyes, and her gaze fell to his full lips.

"Behave," he warned in a forceful whisper.

"I'm better when I'm bad, warrior
," she cooed sweetly, her unspoken words bringing a faint blush to his dark complexion.

"I'll hold you to that, wench," he mumbled.

"Hold me to what part of you, warrior
?" She batted her eyes when he gave her a sidelong warning glance.

The double steel doors slammed shut without so much as a squeal of protest, making Aradia jump. She spun around.

"Thirty-six men to open them, and only one man to shut them," Aluino said.

The triple portcullis rose with a slight screech, and a black-uniformed soldier marched up to Jaelan and smartly saluted him. "The King has requested your presence immediately upon your return, Lord Jaelan."

Jaelan and Aluino exchanged glances, then Jaelan drew in a long breath. "Tell His Highness I am on my way, Sadaam." He nodded as the man saluted again, then hurried to do the Shadowlord's bidding.

"Do you want me to take the Lady Aradia to her quarters, Lord Jaelan?" Aluino asked, smiling when Aradia gave him a droll look.

"I imagine the Lady would like to freshen up before she breaks her fast. Would you escort her to the seraglio?"

Intense fear shot through Aradia. She turned stricken eyes to her husband, her hand tightening painfully on his arm.

"Trust me, Milady," he told her.

"But..." Aradia began, her face as white as parchment.

Jaelan put a finger to her lips to shush her. "Take good care of my wife, Vasquez. I'll come to take her to our quarters when the King has finished with me."

Aradia heard the stifled gasps of men who had overheard. She felt eyes crawling over her, assessing her, and the sensation felt most unpleasant.

"Each man here would give his life unflinchingly for you, Milady," Jaelan said, looking around. "Is that not true, Adeben?"

The tallest of the inner guards snapped to attention. "It is as you say, Lord Jaelan!"

Aluino grinned. "It would be my honor to escort your Lady-Wife, Lord Jaelan." He proffered his arm to Aradia.

"Go with Lieutenant Vasquez, Milady," Jaelan told her. "He will make sure you're where you should be when I come to fetch you."

Casting her husband a worried look, Aradia allowed him to transfer her hand from his arm to Aluino's. Her heart raced as Jaelan strode away.

"Are we to assume congratulations are in order, Lieutenant?" Adeben inquired.

Aluino shrugged. "His Lordship is quite content with his new status, so I believe congratulations would not be amiss."

Adeben saluted, his fist to his chest, then stepped back, lowering his head as Aluino led Aradia into the inner bailey.

"Quite content?" Aradia asked beneath her breath.

"I didn't want to say he was horny as a schoolboy. But if you prefer I go back and clarify...?"

"Must I go to the seraglio?"

"Jael knows what he's about, wench. Don't start questioning him and you may last longer than his last wife."

Aradia stopped dead in her tracks. She jerked her arm from Aluino's grasp. "What wife?" she demanded in a shrill voice.

"Did he forget to tell you he was married before?" Aluino asked innocently.

"What wife?"

Aluino laughed. "I believe you're jealous."

She shoved the Diabolusian as hard as she could, then watched with satisfaction as he stumbled, fell, and slammed onto his backside on the slick stone floor.

"What is her name?" she shrieked, drawing back her foot to kick him.

Despite the obvious pain to his tailbone, Aluino seemed to be enjoying himself.

Aradia landed a vicious kick to the prone man's foot. "Tell me!"

"I was joking, wench!" Aluino chuckled, scrambling to his feet before she could kick him again. "There has never been another wife."

"Then why lie about it, you greasy spurt?"

Aluino winced at the insult, but hitched one shoulder. "I had to know how you felt about Jael."

"And just how is it any of your business how I feel?"

"It was no secret that you loved Prince Viento."

The angry flush drained from Aradia's face.

"As much as the people of Diabolusia hated you, they could not fault you for your feelings."

"I don't want to discuss this," she said, looking around for an escape from the conversation.

"Everyone in the country knew how he felt about you. I would not like Jaelan to feel as you felt when Prince--"

"Do not say his name to me!" Aradia shouted, covering her ears with her hands. "Never again!"

The humor gone from his face. Aluino pulled down her hands and shook her. "I do not want my friend hurt. He's been hurt more than any man I've ever known, and I'll not allow you to break his heart. Do you understand, wench?"

Tears fell down Aradia's cheeks. The very mention of the Diabolusian prince's name still had the power to wound her. Her chin trembling, she held Aluino's sharp gaze and nodded.

"Hurt that man at your peril," Aluino growled.

"I'd never wish anyone to know the pain I've felt," she whispered, stumbling back as Aluino released her.

"You will not hurt him?"

"No."

"Swear it by your goddess. Swear by Alluvial."

She hung her head. "I swear it," she said, her voice trembling.

"I realize it is too much to ask to make him happy, but try not to annoy him."

Aradia lifted her chin. She searched his eyes, then shook her head. "You think him incapable of having a woman love him, don't you?"

"I have no illusions where women and Jaelan Ben-Ashaman are concerned. You've not seen the Shadowlord within him. When you do, you'll be wise to remember you promised never to hurt him!"

"I saw him in the desert with the Tribunal Guard, he--"

The Diabolusian snorted. "He was playing with Sekhem Neter, wench. What you saw wasn't one-tenth of the true power he can wield." He narrowed his eyes. "Best you never see him when he's truly enraged."

Aradia crossed her arms and rubbed the gooseflesh that pebbled on her flesh.

"Come." Aluino reached for her. but she stepped back.

"Stop manhandling me."

"Jael must be getting senile in his advancing years," Aluino mumbled and started down the corridor. "You're going to be more trouble than you'll ever be worth."

Aradia stuck out her tongue at his back. Had she a sword, she thought, she would have cleft him in twain. The thought brought a vicious grin.

When he turned to make sure she followed, he quirked a thick brow. "What evil are you brewing, witch?"

Her wicked smile broadened. "I was imagining how you'd look bobbing in a bubbling cauldron of pig shit, greaser."

Aluino grunted and turned, but not before he could hide his own nasty smirk.

Two tall Nubians guarded the door into the seraglio. Their black skin gleamed in the glow of the torchlight that adorned each side of the golden portal. Crimson vests hung open on thickly muscled chests and marked their rank as members of the household guard. Sheathed at the dark men's waists were scimitars, the blades of which curled against white cotton pantaloons.

"This is the Lady Aradia," Aluino said as the guards came to attention, swords drawn to prevent entry into the seraglio's inner sanctum. "She's the legal mate of the Shadowlord and is to be treated accordingly."

One man stepped aside while the other sheathed his sword and opened the door. Neither had reacted to the Diabolusian's words, but when Aluino motioned Aradia to enter, both guards respectfully bowed their heads.

"Lord Jaelan will come at his convenience for his lady," Aluino explained.

Aradia paused in the doorway, her heart thudding. The Diabolusian's words unsettled her. She turned, giving him a pleading look.

"Be at ease, wench. He'll not leave you here any longer than necessary."

Aradia would have questioned that curious remark, but before she could, someone grabbed her arm and unceremoniously jerked her into the seraglio. Turning to confront the person who had dared lay hands on her, she found herself gazing at a hairless chest with flesh as black as tar. She looked up, up higher, then higher still, until she stared into a scowling face tilted downward from a towering height.

"She is Lord Jaelan's wife!" Aluino shouted before the door closed.

Her mouth gaping like that of a country bumpkin making her first trip to the city, she swallowed hard to still the panic rising in her chest. She'd never seen so tall a man, nor one as muscled and overpowering. Her knees began knocking together, and sweat broke out on her upper lip. Her fingers grew numb from the firm grip of the man's fingers around her arm.

"I am Sulaimon," the towering hunk of ebony flesh rumbled, his voice as intimidating as his physical presence.

Aradia issued a croak of fear that both angered her and brought home the precariousness of her position. With warriors such as this guarding the seraglio, it would be nigh impossible to escape, should the need arise.

"You are Amazeen," the mountain thundered.

She could do no more than nod. When the immense warrior's grip on her arm lessened, she thought she saw a sparkle of laughter in his midnight orbs.

"The Lady Orithia has been expecting you," he stated.

"Orithia?" Aradia breathed, she looked around. "May I see her?"

Sulaimon nodded. "I have been ordered to bring you to her." He released her arm. "Follow me."

He led her through luxurious surroundings--rooms with gold leaf, brilliantly hued carpeting, intricate wood inlays, finely wrought iron screens, teakwood moldings, ornate furniture, silk hangings, and lush plants dangling from twenty-foot ceilings. Perfumed scents tickled her nose.