In the Skin of a Nunqua (34 page)

“Everything will be satisfactory here.” Kyros lowered his head a finger’s breadth. It was enough—the last thing she wanted was overenthusiastic flattery.

“Thank you, Commander Kyros.” She got on her horse and joined her guards, already on horseback. “Tracker, northeast. Take Aiden and scout ahead for the best route.” The two men rode away. Shanti addressed her remaining guards. “Last chance to change your minds, girls . . . and Yasmine. Anyone here want to quit?” She repeated the question in the Nunqua language. No one responded. “Let’s go.” Shanti didn’t ride in front of her guards or behind them, but among them.

A pack of feral dogs emerged from the underbrush. The animals acted tame, even playful, and the horses were not alarmed. “Are you doing that?” Jun asked.

A dragonfly with iridescent wings landed on her arm. “It’s Baylova. In some small way, her spirit is with us.”

Shanti wondered whether she would have done anything differently had she known beforehand that stealing Baylova’s sword and provoking her to enter the battle would result in Baylova’s death. She wasn’t sure. The dogs and dragonfly soothed her guilt.

Experiencing war gave her a better appreciation of peace. She accepted her responsibilities as queen, wielded her power when necessary, listened to her advisers, and vowed never to let the crown crush her as it had crushed Baylova.

Shanti, Jun, and her royal guards, both Nunqua and Willovian, traveled away from civilized society, toward uncharted lands.

End

Copyright © 2014 by R. J. Pouritt

ISBN: 978-0-9908410-0-5

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