Chapter 14 Kasira #2
Allaster followed her gaze to a highly decorative carving in the shape of a dragon’s head, his eyes brightening.
“It’s a dragon whistle. The Avari royals have them carved after their dragons when they ascend the throne, and they become the new royal sigil.
This one belonged to Queen Evnika, who died shortly before Avaria closed its borders.
It was donated as a gift by the new Queen. ”
The delight with which Allaster explained this transformed him completely.
Gone was the heavy set to his shoulders and the ever-present twist of his full mouth, replaced instead by an earnestness that drew her in a little too readily.
He had an interest in Avaria that went past mild curiosity, but where he had seemed almost desperate to retrieve the book on the topic from her that day in the library, this reaction was driven by wonder, not worry.
And, for an instant, Kasira wanted nothing more than to ask him why, a disquieting desire she dismissed as only the need to understand her mark.
It wouldn’t be the first time you got in too deep, cautioned Loraya’s voice. Guard your heart, Kasira.
I know what I’m doing, she countered, even as guilt pricked at her.
She wasn’t here to learn about magic and beasts and artifacts; she was here to do a job.
Loraya would chastise her for getting distracted, for forgetting, even for a moment, what would happen if she failed.
For Vera would not accept her best effort and an apology.
Either Kasira succeeded, or she spent the rest of her life in a windowless box.
WHEN ALLASTER LEFT her later that afternoon for a meeting, Kasira went straight to the arena.
News of what had happened with Benlo had clearly spread, as several mages who had previously ignored her smiled when she entered, and one even went so far as to thank her.
She had avoided training in public initially, not wanting to look threatening, but with the change in attitudes toward her, she was grateful to get back to daily exercise.
It worked away at the constant energy that buzzed beneath her skin.
“Lana!”
Kasira slowed in her run around the arena, spotting May stretching on the far side with Fen and Carlia. She joined them to find Fen in the midst of recounting the ordeal with Benlo to May.
“I have to say, I didn’t think you were going to do it,” Carlia said to Kasira, her thick Jacari accent sharpening her words.
A thin, beaded bracelet on her wrist clattered as she moved her hands, a habit Kasira had learned stemmed from the Jacari language’s use of nonverbal communication. “You looked terrified.”
Kasira turned her face away as if to hide a blush. “I was, a little. I still freeze when I see fangs. That’s why I’m here—I need to be ready to deal with situations like that in the future.”
Fen dropped into a lunge, and Kasira caught sight of something scaly tucked into a clumsily stitched chest pocket they had clearly added to their uniform themselves.
“You’re not at all what Elyae made you out to be.
She—ow, Car!” Carlia had elbowed them in the ribs with a pointed look, to which Fen only rolled their eyes.
“El’s opinion of Eirlana is hardly a secret. ”
Kasira winced. “Yes, Elyae’s made her feelings about me abundantly clear.”
“She simply needs a little more time to come around,” May interjected, releasing her ankle from a stretch that pained Kasira just to witness. “Be patient.”
“Speaking of people who hate each other,” Fen began with a gleam in their dark eyes. “Did you hear the news about Lady Aliul?”
“Lady Aliul?” Kasira asked.
“Lady Nyelle Yadora’s daughter,” Fen replied, reminding Kasira of the woman she’d overheard Allaster speaking with in his office. Fen waggled their eyebrows suggestively. “Rumor has it that Prince Laurens is going to propose to Lady Aliul at the week’s end.”
Kasira’s bewilderment was genuine when she said, “I did not expect that. I thought the Yadoras and Kalish royal family weren’t on good terms.” The Yadoras were, after all, beast sympathizers and the last of the original royal bloodline.
“That’s exactly why it’s happening.” Fen leaned in closer, and this time, Kasira was certain she saw something move in their pocket. “The Yadoras’ influence has been growing in court, and King Carthur feels threatened. He thinks by unifying their families, they won’t make a move for the throne.”
Carlia reached an arm over her head, leaning into the stretch. “Caveat being that Fen is prone to wild speculations.”
“That are usually right.”
“That are sometimes right.”
Kasira let a smile play across her lips, sharing in their amusement, but she filed the information away, along with a note that Fen was a good source of news.
They broke into sparring pairs, at which point Fen removed a small, blue-scaled creature from their pocket.
With its large, webbed ears and membranous wings, the sight of it stopped Kasira cold.
“A Talowell,” May said, mistaking her expression for confusion. “Fen has a thing for endangered species. They’re petitioning Allaster to start a breeding program.”
It took Kasira a moment to recover her voice, the memory of the tiny creature’s body writhing in her hand nearly overwhelming her. “They’re endangered?”
“Highly.” May pulled two staffs off the weapons rack as Fen set the Talowell safely atop a nearby ledge, where it promptly proceeded to hang upside down from its long, thin tail.
To see one from so close after all this time, and with no one the least bit concerned about its presence, made Kasira feel as if the ground had upended.
May handed her a staff. “Their scales have a regenerative effect on human skin, making them highly sought after by Kalish and Miravi nobility alike.”
Kasira couldn’t stop the bark of derisive laughter that escaped her, nor did she have the words to explain her reaction, much to May’s confusion.
She ran her thumb over the raised skin of her scarred palm and shook her head.
“I’m sorry, it’s just, I didn’t expect that.
We don’t have such fashions so far out from the capital city. ”
In truth, it was just the sort of blasphemy that would be kept quiet among those who practiced it.
If the church got wind of specific nobles slathering their skin in beast scales, the priests would have ensured the scandal ruined them.
What other convenient uses had the Kalish nobles found for their sins?
“Good to know.” May’s lips quirked. “That reminds me, I have a new theory regarding my primary hypothesis. I suspect that the development of ores like vylor may also be tied to beast diets in much the same way the cloudtrapper mushrooms are. How familiar are you with beast populations near vylor mines?”
“Very,” Kasira replied. “My father ran a mine.” In truth, her knowledge came from the Malikinar, who was frequently dispatched to protect vylor mines and their workers from beasts, but the knowledge remained all the same.
“Perfect. Meet me in the library tonight?”
“Sure.” Kasira twirled her staff. “Now exactly how good are you at this?”
May’s smile bordered on wicked. “I can hold my own.”
That, it turned out, was an understatement.
She was every bit as skilled as Kasira had assumed the day they met, and she truly had to work to fend off May’s attacks.
While Kasira was stronger when May didn’t use her magic, May was quick and clever in her maneuvering.
She had just put Kasira in the dirt when a cheer went up.
For a moment, Kasira thought it was against her, before she noticed a group of mages clustered nearby.
May helped Kasira to her feet, and they watched Elyae spar with a young Miravi mage Kasira recognized as the healer May had mentioned, Warrin.
The match had started out benign enough, with Warrin clearly possessing an advantage over Elyae.
Then a mage called, “Release!” and everything changed.
Elyae had Warrin on the ground in three moves, a feral grin on her lips.
She said something to him as she helped him up, and Warrin replied with a shake of his head.
Elyae looped an arm over his shoulders with a laugh.
The smile he gave her spoke volumes: soft, a little shy, as if her praise was all he’d wanted.
May had said Elyae often trained some of the newer mages, but Kasira hadn’t expected Elyae to be so tender with them.
“She moves fast,” Kasira noted. Without magic, she wouldn’t be a match for Elyae if things became physical between them again. Yet another reason she needed Allaster to name her, and soon.
“Warrin is stronger and faster than Elyae, but Elyae is the more powerful mage.” May leaned on her staff. “Magic impacts people differently, strengthening some aspects above others. Elyae is … cocky, though, and doesn’t like to be reminded of it.”
As if sensing their attention, Elyae locked eyes with Kasira. “You want a turn, Assistant?” she called, but Kasira only angled her back toward her in a clear sign of dismissal.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Elyae scowl and lurch forward, but Warrin put out a thick arm to stop her.
She was lined with lean muscle, but he held her back with ease, his stoic expression unwavering.
He was barrel-chested and broad shouldered, with a patchy black beard framing an olive face that bordered on familiar.
“You scared, beast killer?” Elyae demanded, and now the other mages were starting to pay attention. Fen and Carlia had left, and those who remained were unfamiliar to Kasira. “Too much a coward to fight something that can actually fight back?”
“That’s enough, Elyae,” May chastised her. “Eirlana is the Assistant Librarian of Amorlin. You will show her the appropriate respect.”
“Not yet she isn’t.” Elyae spat into the dirt, and several mages grumbled their agreement. “Come on, Corynth. Fight me.”