Warrior Queen (Skeleton Key) (7 page)

“What attack?”

She held out her hand. “Come and find out.”

I
t had
to be close to midnight, not that he had a sure way of knowing, but it felt late. The moon was high and full and rather more violet than he was used to. The stars were in patterns that he didn’t know, and the city was quiet.

The castle walls were not.

Shadows moved along the walkway, the archers silent as they kept to the dark. They communicated with hand signals that rippled down the line. He stood with Keleti in one of the ornate corridors. There were no lit lamps here, it was dark or darker.

“They are waiting for the archers on the outside to be ready.” Her voice was soft as she explained the plan.

“You have people on the outside?” They’d get slaughtered, and yet he still admired her tactics. Was it any different to having heavily armed cops circle a building ready to rush in? Probably not.

Keleti nodded. “They have been out there for several days, waiting.”

“What is the signal?”

She put her finger to her lip and for a moment he couldn’t look away. She’d come to his room and sat with him and had made what he thought was a suggestion or invitation. He didn’t want to make the wrong assumption and end up over the edge off the cliff. But it wasn’t the first time she had made a comment or given him a look that he thought could be attraction. He tore his gaze away from her lips. He didn’t see any change, but the archers had stopped their silent chatter.

Even the insects had gone quiet. The night was waiting. From somewhere beyond the walls, a flaming arrow arced out of the darkness. It struck a tent which caught alight. That was obviously the signal.

The archers on the walls didn’t move.

More fire fell from the sky, from what appeared to be behind the enemy camp—the camp woke up. Those who were on fire screamed. Soldiers were grabbing weapons ready to fight, but the night was filled with smoke and fire confusing them.

Some of the soldiers were moving to put the castle walls at their backs, but that was a fatal mistake. The archers on the walls picked them off, swiftly and without mercy.

Bryce smelled the burning cloth, and wood and…person. He’d attended car accidents and fires and he knew that smell.

The car chase and then the roll over. There’d been nothing he could do to help the car thief. The flames had been too much for him to get close. He stepped back into the corridor and closed his eyes. This was a battle, not a car chase. Cars hadn’t been invented here. That didn’t help his brain re-orientate.

Keleti put her hand on his back, grounding him immediately. “We had to strike. You do not start a war without expecting death. The soldiers came here knowing that some would die.”

He knew that, but no one ever thought it would be them. Politicians were always more than happy to send others while claiming the glory. Reading about it in the paper was nothing like this. Playing a game where no one really died was different. There wasn’t the smell or the sound.

There wasn’t real death.

“What will happen to your people on the outside?”

“They volunteered to go out. They will either escape down the cliff, return to the city, or run to the next one. They are expecting them, they promised protection.”

The invaders were managing to rally. Bryce watched as they formed protective shells with their shields. However their tents were burning, along with supplies and weapons.

“Where is Nadri?” Keleti said more to herself than him, but she was still touching him. Her fingers pressed into his arm.

“Where should she be?”

“I would be in the air directing my warriors.”

Of course she would be. “But you aren’t.”

“I was advised that it was too dangerous as the Southerners wouldn’t hesitate to shoot me down.”

“You have smart advisors.” There was no point in risking their Queen for such a planned strike. That the invaders weren’t using Nadri to direct their troops meant that they either didn’t trust her, or they didn’t think that a woman could fight. “I don’t think the invaders would take orders from a woman.”

Keleti nodded, her eyes gleaming gold. “You are right. You have that problem where you are from.”

“Yep, some people are just dicks.”

There was a breath of silence then he realized that she was staring at him. “What is wrong with dicks? Do you not like them? Is that why you covered yours?”

Bryce opened his mouth but had no idea how to respond. “Genitalia is used as insults…male and female.” Which now he thought about it, it was odd. “But my people do like sex. However there is a stigma attached to it.”

Keleti frowned at him. That kind of look he’d given to people who were spouting unbelievable rubbish. She thought he was a freak, but she happily screwed the priests in some kind of prosperity rite. How could he expect to understand their religion in a day, when he didn’t understand the one his parents had tried to raise him in?

A shout went up as a great golden hawk took to the sky.

“There she is.” Bryce pointed, glad for distraction.

“And she is tethered,” Keleti said softly.

He squinted, but couldn’t see anything. However Keleti’s eyes had that glimmer. She could probably see if the soldiers had food between their teeth.

“How far can you see?”

“How can I describe that when you cannot see what I do?” Her gaze never left the bird as it swooped and tuned.

She had him there.

“Is she not strong enough to break free?” Surely a hawk that size could snap the tether and escape? If Keleti could lift him, surely her cousin had the strength to manage the same.

Keleti shrugged. “She would have to want to be free first. They are going after my warriors. This skirmish is over.”

“And they are still at the gates. Nothing has changed.” What was the point?

“Their morale has been damaged. Morale can make or break a war or a man.” She was watching her cousin and the battle, her eyes gold and seeing the details no one else could, but he didn’t miss the barb aimed at him.

It struck true. He had given up on himself. He’d been unable to put his heart back into his work, but he’d known enough to leave instead of treading water.

“They will try to break the gate tomorrow,” she continued.

“Not lick their wounds?” There would be injured to tend and an assessment of the damage to be made.

“Is that what you would do?”

“I would take the time to re-group and to plan.”

“What would you plan?”

“To sneak into the castle and open the gates from the inside. Nadri would know how to do that.” The invaders had a huge advantage, but he was sure that Keleti knew that. “Or sneak in and kill you.”

“I have guards set at the weak points. If I die, my daughter will rule.”

“Steal your daughter. Force you to surrender by threatening her death,” he countered

She glanced at him sharply. “Nadri wouldn’t do that.”

“No, but the Southerners might and they probably don’t trust her enough to reveal all their plans the same way you do not trust me with yours.”

Keleti narrowed her gaze. “Why haven’t you grabbed my daughter and forced me to hand over the key?”

Why hadn’t he? It was a good question. Aside from not having had the chance yet, he didn’t want to be attempting to get the key back by using a child as a hostage. He shook his head. “I’m not that kind of person. Besides, you are probably right. I am here for a reason. What good is having a key that doesn’t work?”

He had to believe in something, and for the moment that was it. He was here for a reason. He had a quest, even if he didn’t know what that was.

She placed her hand on his chest. “War reminds us that life can be fleeting. Remember to enjoy what you have, Bryce.”

He caught her hand. “You are a queen and I am here by chance. I do not know how to play your game without getting burned.”

“You are assuming that sex is like war.”

“Isn’t it?” There was always strategizing and point scoring. Men and women competed for attention. Dating was just a way of making alliances and hoping that it would became more.

“Not here. Your world must be very sad if you cannot play without fear.”

He looked away unable to look into her eyes any longer. “Why would you waste your time with me?”

“Why wouldn’t I try something different?” She placed her finger under his chin so he had to look at her. “If you are not interested, say so. There is no insult.”

Wasn’t there? He knew plenty of women who would take offense. “I would be lying if I said that.”

“I know.” She smiled, then stepped back and melted into the shadows. He stood there watching the burning tents and the archers on the wall with their hand signals for a moment longer. He didn’t understand them in the same way he didn’t understand Keleti.

Did she not care what her people would think?

Or was he worried about what her people would think of him? Here he was, a stranger with weird ears and he was getting a come on from the queen. He didn’t get it. If this had been a dream or a game, he’d have accepted without blinking. Because that’s what one did when it wasn’t real. When it wasn’t real there were no consequences.

That was when he realized that he had accepted that this was real.

This was his life for the moment…and for the foreseeable future.

His head hurt and the smell of the burning army clung to the back of his throat. It was late. He was tired. Tonight there was a bed waiting for him instead of a cave. For all he knew Keleti was toying with him.

But he’d be lying to himself if he said he wasn’t enjoying her company or the thrill of attraction coupled with the edge of danger.

His guards drew closer, and Bryce was guided back to his room. From where he was he couldn’t see the army when he looked out the window. For that he was glad. But sleep didn’t come easy.

K
eleti was
up at first light, double checking everything. She spoke to all the guards on the weak points. The main doors, the river entrance, and also took a quick flight along the cliffs to make sure that there were no boats creeping up on them.

Everything was clear.

The first of the archers had returned during the night. They gave her a grim account of what they had seen over the last couple of days along with the details of the brief battle.

None of the news lifted her spirits.

She prayed and left an offering of blood in the temple. Then, like everyone else, she went to practice with her weapons. Hopefully they wouldn’t need to fight, but if the invaders got into the city, they needed to be stopped fast.

Several people asked her to bless their weapons.

She watched children with their bows. Her youngest two amongst them.

Even the priests were out.

Many of the men had removed their shirts, fighting bare-chested with curved swords. Keleti danced her way through several sword fights before pausing, out of breath. At thirty-five, she was a warrior of skill, but she wasn’t as fast as some of the younger men and women. She spent too much time running her cities and not enough training.

Frustration burned in her gut. She didn’t know when the reinforcements would arrive. That her cousin had changed sides and knew everything about the city was another layer of anxiety.

She’d thought she’d known her cousin. She’d known that Nadri liked power, but had never thought that she’d try to seize it like this. She’d been expecting Nadri to ask for a city of her own to rule when Driska started flying.

What a fool she’d been.

She took a drink and cast her gaze over what would usually be the market square. There was no stalls today, just an arena for training. The actual weapon training area was also in use. Anyone who owned a sword or bow was out.

The air was sticky, and the sun already too hot.

Her favorite priest came over, his skin glinting gold in the sun. “The Ambassador lacks skill with a sword.” There was a smile on his lips.

“He said weapons were different where he came from.” She walked with him to where Bryce was training.

His skin was flushed pink, from sunburn or exertion, she wasn’t sure. Sweat glistened on him as he attempted to fend off the attacker, who was obviously going easy on him.

Bryce was no swordsman that was for sure. His style was too tight and scrappy. But she still enjoyed watching him. The way his muscles moved as well as the look of concentration on his face. He wasn’t afraid of fighting; he just didn’t know how to use a sword.

He gave up and dropped his blade, the attacker lowered his and grinned. The next moment Bryce had the man disarmed and on the ground. Pinned.

A few of the people who had been watching laughed and raised their fist to acknowledge Bryce’s final win. No one liked to see a warrior getting ground down repeatedly. Bryce got off the other man and offered his hand. Without hesitation the defeated man took it. They spoke for a few moments before separating. That was when he saw her watching.

He didn’t drop his gaze.

She smiled.

He returned the smile with a small nod of acknowledgement.

“There is some fight in him.” The priest was looking thoughtful. “He may be here to do what others cannot.”

“The gods sent you a message?”
Would they win?
But the words didn’t form. She had to believe that they would.

“I see the way your eye follows him. You could do worse.”

“I have other things to think about besides finding a consort. Besides, he will do what it takes to go home and no more.” Bryce had made that much clear. He’d also refused to take any hint, preferring to remain celibate.

While his ears were ugly, everyone had some flaw they weren’t proud of.

The priest tipped his head. “And yet he is fascinated by our history.”

“Ha, perhaps he should be a priest.”

“He has no magical ability. We tested him quite thoroughly.”

“I didn’t think he would. No one shapeshifts where he is from.” She glanced at the priest. “What of his theory? This genetics?”

“It is not the first time those ideas have been raised.” The priest opened up his hands. “But who can tell what seed takes hold. The Ambassador mentioned they have a machine like a telescope that can see into blood. That is how they tell those things.”