Touch of Iron (The Living Blade #1) (47 page)

“Fish cannot fly. Birds cannot swim. And humans are not fit to rule over each other. Thus we need the gods back with us. To help us and guide us. Do you agree?” Suranna asked her.

“I do.” Nora nodded.

She did, in fact. It was all true what Suranna said about the incapacity of mankind to rule one another. The blind leading the blind. Need for change. Blah, blah, blah.

However, the way Nora saw it, the problem with theocracy was that you needed a god to rule. And all the old gods were dead. So in reality that only left their human mouthpieces and their interpretations of divine will. That was the crux. If there ever was a living god, Nora hoped there would finally be some smiting and laying to waste of the unjust, because that would set some people straight or conveniently get rid of them altogether.

She hurried to sit straight as a servant approached the queen and whispered into Suranna’s ear. Suranna nodded regally.

“Let him in,” she said with her honey voice.

The servant bowed low and disappeared behind the black veils. Nora gave Suranna a puzzled look. The queen smiled as she adjusted her seat on the throne.

“We will have an audience,” she said.

“Aren’t we already having one?” Nora frowned.

“Observe and learn,” Suranna said, concentrating on the opening doors.

Nora turned on her stool to see who entered. For a moment, Nora hoped it would be Diaz, and her heart fluttered at the thought. Then she really hoped it wasn’t.

Prince Bashan entered, chin high. His noble face was clean-shaven. He held himself with utter poise and confidence that the room was a better place since he had graced it with his presence. He was one who could do with some smiting, Nora thought. She nearly smiled when a flash of anger spoiled Bashan’s collected appearance as he realized Suranna was not alone. He caught himself quickly, though, and bowed low before the throne.

“My lord prince, what honor,” Suranna said, sweetness dripping from her lips. The atmosphere in the throne room changed as she let loose a current of power. The effect was instant. Nora felt like kneeling and worshiping the golden goddess before her.

“My lady.” Bashan moved up a few steps to kiss Suranna’s outstretched hand. “I see you are inconvenienced.” He waved a hand in Nora’s direction with a throwaway gesture.

“She is my guest, as you are.” Suranna’s smile widened.

Bashan made a noncommittal noise at the back of his throat. He glanced at Nora.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked her.

Nora shrugged and cast her eyes down.

“I do my best, my lord.”

“Shaved your legs at least,” Bashan commented. Nora swept them under the hem of her long garment. “Not much improvement in your face, though.”

“You wished to speak to me, Lord Prince?” Suranna said. “Then speak.”

Bashan gave Nora another long look before he turned to Suranna, hands folded neatly against his back.

“My lady,” he started, articulating the words so that they resounded with thankfulness and warmth. “We have been your guests now for four weeks. The hospitality of Shinar is renowned and has been spectacular as always. Yet, I cannot help but wonder how much progress you have made determining the location of the Living Blade, our common endeavor.”

“My lord prince.” Suranna spoke down to him. “You are justified in asking, and I wish I had good news to share with you. Alas, divining the exact location is proving to be difficult.”

Bashan’s eyes narrowed.

“Why?”

“The trail of this legendary item you seek has been cold for over two millennia. Its magic has been asleep for so long that it is hard to tap into the correct lode of power to find it. Give it time, Bashan. Give me time.”

“Could I be of more assistance? Just say the word and I will put heaven and earth into motion for you, my queen.”

“I feel your impatience as acutely as you do. However, there is no way you can help with the divination unless you have the sight yourself.”

Bashan shook his head. “Unfortunately, I do not own such powers. Which is why I must rely on you, my beautiful lady. I can only hope your time isn’t frivolously wasted with people who do not appreciate you as much as I do.”

“I never waste my time, Lord Prince. I enjoy it too much.”

Nora saw Bashan stiffen and laughed quietly through her nose.
Yeah, he just got burned
. She suppressed her smile as he turned to stare at her, eyebrows high, the corners of his lips pulled downward. He turned back to face Suranna.

“How much longer do you think it will take you to find the location, my lady? You must know that our return journey will be a long one. I fear if we tarry longer, we might not make it past the Wightingerode before the next winter comes.”

Suranna arched one perfect eyebrow.

“Patience is a virtue. Virtue is a grace, my lord prince. Wait, and I promise you will not wait in vain. The Blade will be yours. Soon. And with it, you will destroy your father’s empire, just as I have seen it.”

“To rebuild it larger and more magnificent than even my forefathers could?” Bashan asked sharply.

Suranna nodded, a silky black lock of hair falling into her face.

“Of course.”

Bashan pressed his lips together tightly, then smiled, flashing his white teeth.

“Then I shall await your divination with patience and grace. Though I cannot promise virtue.”

He strolled out of the throne room, chin still high, hands clasped at the small of his back.

When the doors had closed behind him, Nora turned her attention back to the queen, who was watching her attentively.

“What do you think of him?”

“Well.” Nora folded her hands neatly in her lap, trying to think of something else to say other than,
he’s a slick asshole
. “He can be charming when he wants to be.”

“Agreed.”

“What about Empress Vashti? Will Bashan really rebuild the Kandarin Empire?”

Suranna shrugged. “With the Living Blade, all things are possible.”

Nora stared at Suranna for a long time while the smile on the queen’s full lips broadened.

“Go on,” the queen said, laughing finally. “You may ask me.”

“Do you already know where the Living Blade is?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t be much of a seeress if I couldn’t find one of the greatest magical items in the world. That would be comparable to not seeing the only candle in an otherwise darkened room.”

“Well, if you’re standing in the proximity of another candle…”

“The Cauldron of Arrun amplifies my power of divination. As does the Horn of Tuil, the Mirror of Neeze, and all the other divine treasures.”

Nora frowned. “Then why pretend—”

“There is an appointed time. It is not now.”

Nora stared at the beautiful creature before her and realized something: Suranna wasn’t a woman. She wasn’t Diaz’s wife. She wasn’t even a goddess. She was a spider sitting on a web she had built herself. And Nora prayed that if anyone could summon the gods back to rule over mankind, they’d be so pissed off they’d take it out on Suranna first.

T
he door opened and the
draft blew out the candles. Nora stood on the threshold, swaying slightly, peering into the darkness within to see…nothing.

“Diaz?” she whispered hoarsely.

“Here.” His disembodied voice was accompanied by the sound of splashing water. He must have been in the bath at the back of the room.

Light flickered, casting long shadows as the candles were relit. Nora entered, closing the door behind her. When she turned, he had wrapped a towel around his hips, water pearling off his body.

“Drunk again?” He looked down at her disapprovingly.

“Best way to meet the end of civilization and bring on the revolution,” she declared solemnly and then spoiled the effect by giggling.

Nora managed to take a seat at the small table, lifting her leg high over the bench with a drunkard’s care, and listened to the soft rustle of clothes behind her back. She stared at the swirling wood under her hands, ears hot, wondering whether his whole body was tattooed, working up the courage to quickly peek—

“Have you eaten something?” He stood beside her and pulled the breadbasket toward her.

She shook her head.

He sat down opposite her and they shared a small meal of fresh, soft bread, olives, and nuts. Nora reached for the wine, but Diaz poured her water instead.

“The kitchens here must be huge,” Nora mused between bites. “So many people to cook for.”

“I’m sure you would be allowed to see them if you desired to.”

She shook her head.

“I was just wondering out loud. It’s not a burning desire to be back in the kitchen.”

He shrugged. “In Shinar all desires are equal, and all can be fulfilled.”

She gave him a look over her piece of bread. He sounded like Suranna.

“You ever thought all the food here is loaded with Sun Dust?” she asked.

He nodded. “And the drinks, too. It’s addictive and makes everything taste good. Makes people want to come back for more. The craving draws you in. Desire holds tight reins.”

Nora broke her last piece of bread and picked at it. Maybe she
had
had a bit too much drink. His words…they sounded like a cue. She felt dizzy; a slight spin held her fast in its grip.

“This place…” she started. Maybe she shouldn’t continue? It was the drink doing the talking, making her braver, more daring. Reckless. She could stop that, though. She looked up and met his eyes across the table. Her mouth felt dry. Yeah. She could stop her mouth any time. “This place doesn’t fulfill all desires.”

“Keep hold of that thought.”

He was miming his usual oblivious self. She tapped a finger against the beaker. The water was condensing on the side.

“I desire to taste your lips.”

The silence rang loud in her ears. For a long time, she didn’t dare look up. Scared of seeing his face and then having to laugh. Make him think she was joking. Another minute or two of silence grated her patience to shreds, so she lifted her gaze.

He was staring at her, his forgotten cup still half raised to the lips in question.

“Well?” Nora tossed her hair out of her eyes, lifting her chin. “Say something.”

Diaz blinked as though coming out of meditation. He carefully put the cup down and folded his hands neatly before him. He cleared his throat, too.

“Excuse me. What did you just say?”

Nora snorted. “You heard very well what I said. Don’t make me say it again.”

He stared at a spot just beyond his fingertips for some time.

“You understand,” he said slowly, “that what you think you feel and desire…could simply be an illusion here. It might not be something that arose in your own heart. Someone might have put the desire into your head. A thought like a marble, going round and round. A touch of…lust. You know of whose influence I speak.”

“I know.” Nora nodded and took another sip of water, grimacing at the sobriety it brought. He still wasn’t using Suranna’s name.

“I know,” she repeated. “But the feeling is not something that arose here.”

She ran a hand through her hair, fingers rubbing over the stubble slowly growing back after the burn.

“I felt it first on the Plains, only I didn’t know what it was then. At the Temple of the Wind…at Solstice.” She kept her eyes fixed on the rim of her cup. “There was a moment when I thought you would kiss me. And in that moment I knew that if you did, I would kiss you back. And since then I’ve known that I really wanted you to.”

Now she looked up to see his reaction. He kept his face as expressionless as he could, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed that her words had rattled him.

“Noraya.” He spoke her name as though she was talking of something impossible, like walking across the sky.

“It never happened, but it would have been…good. I think.”

“You think?”

Her gaze fixed on his lips.

“Then let me cure you of your curiosity.”

Diaz rose from the opposite bench suddenly, nearly knocking over his cup. He stepped around the table in two quick strides, tugging his shirt over his head.

Her heart skipped a beat and though her knees were just as suddenly like melted butter, she stood, shaken but excited, and pulled at her own sleeves. Diaz threw his shirt into the corner and for a moment, she saw the tattoos on his back move over his rippling muscles. Then he turned toward her and she hurried to pull her tunic over her head.

“What are you doing?” His jawline was clenched tight.

Nora let her tunic drop onto the bench. This was supposed to be the part where she’d walk up to him, hips swaying from side to side and filled with yearning. Diaz would sweep her up into a long, deep kiss. Only, he didn’t seem very inclined.

“Er…”

“Why did you take off your top?”

“You took off your shirt first.” Anger rose in her cheeks. “Cure my curiosity, you said. And you were headed toward the bed! I thought…”

“What did you think?”

“Well, the obvious.”

He snorted and then stretched out his hand.

“Give me your hand.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t sound dirty at all.” She rolled her eyes. “You know, you’re making it very hard for me to believe you’re not headed in a certain direction.”