Chapter 12
Zara
General Isa interrogated me about my power as we traveled the short distance to the canyon.
Naomi had ridden ahead to brief the others on the casualties of the battle and to tell them that General Isa hadn’t lifted the order to hide in the canyon’s cave system.
Not until we could be sure the Zephyrians wouldn’t send another wave.
“Can you call upon it at will?” General Isa asked.
“I don’t know,” I said, my voice thick. I knew what General Isa wanted from me, but I couldn’t bear to face it. “I’ve only used it twice now, and that was when I felt like we would all die if I didn’t.”
General Isa nodded thoughtfully from astride Kamil. I had already told her about being attacked on my own before, when we had left my home camp. She had reacted with a mixture of horror and intrigue.
“You’re at your most powerful when you’re defending someone else. That makes sense given your mother’s healing abilities. You have a family history of saving others.”
I wasn’t sure this had anything to do with Ama’s abilities, but I nodded to show I was listening.
“If we positioned you strategically, do you think you could call upon enough of the power to take out numerous battalions of Eagle Riders?”
I closed my eyes and took a breath. It was the question I dreaded but, at the same time, understood. She was the leader of our failing army. Of course she would want to use my power as a weapon.
“I don’t know,” I told her, but I thought of the way the wind felt when I was connected to it.
Like there was no end to its vast strength.
At the same time, I felt as though it would drain me until there was nothing left.
Even now, my heart seemed to beat sluggishly.
My breaths came harder, like a horse sat on my chest.
She regarded me with her sharp eyes. “I think you do.”
“It hurt my bond with Shazeera. I can’t hear her thoughts.
I can’t communicate with her at all—last time it lasted for an entire day.
I don’t know what it will do this time.” I put my hand on her neck, my voice breaking.
“If I channeled the wind’s power for longer, to knock that many Eagle Riders out of the sky, it might sever our bond completely.
There also seems to be a physical consequence—it feels like it’s draining all my energy even when I connect with that magic for just a short time.
If I use too much, it may drain me completely.
I just don’t know.” Talking so much had me panting.
Shazeera eyed me with concern as I struggled to slow my breathing.
General Isa looked out across the plains as tears streamed from my eyes.
“It exacts a terrible price from you, First Daughter,” she said finally.
“And we will talk with your mother to see what she thinks the risks are.” She and Kamil came to a stop, and she turned to look at me as Shazeera halted, too.
“But I will tell you this. We are on the verge of being destroyed as a people. At this rate, the Zephyrians will overtake us within mere months. Although we can’t say what this emperor will do, we know historically his father killed the royals of conquered countries and forced the people to give all of their resources to the Zephyrians. ”
I swayed on Shazeera’s back at her blunt words.
“Your gift from the Earth Mother gives us an advantage we never had. We could fight back. Make them afraid of us for once. It will even give us bargaining power.”
With shaky fingers, I stroked Shazeera’s mane, wishing I could hear her thoughts on what the general was saying. Gift from the Earth Mother. Mariyah thought the same thing. Could they both be right?
General Isa reached over and took my hand.
“There isn’t a single one of us who wouldn’t understand how soul-crushing it would be to have our bond with our horse broken.
But you must also know that I would lay down my life to save our people.
As queen, your mother would do the same.
Sometimes we are asked to make a sacrifice that will destroy us, but we must do it.
For the good of our people.” When I still didn’t say anything, General Isa asked, “First Daughter, do you love your people?”
“Of course,” I said firmly.
“And you want to save them?”
“I have always wanted to save us from this war. I hate that I can’t help Ama.”
“And now…?”
My hand tightened on Shazeera’s mane. “I’ll do what I have to, even if it costs me everything.”
General Isa nodded with approval and more than a little relief. “You will make a superior queen one day.”
When she rode on ahead, I laid my head on the back of Shazeera’s neck and cried.
General Isa, Mariyah, and I rode down a winding trail into an enormous cave that had been carved deep into the Nazeeran Canyon by Queen Jazela’s power. Her purple pavilion had been erected just inside, and she met us at the entrance, dragging Mariyah in for an embrace.
“Are you unharmed?” she asked, her gaze searching her daughter.
“Yes,” Mariyah said, returning her hug. “Citrine was injured, but Dani healed her.”
“Everything happened too fast,” Queen Jazela said. “When General Isa rode to bring you both back, I made sure Queen Rana was safe. But before I could lend all of you aid, you had already defeated the Eagle Riders.” She studied each of us in turn, her expression heavy with unspoken questions.
“There are things we must discuss,” General Isa said, and with a glance at the interested looks of the many daughters and sons who had taken refuge in the canyon, she added, “in private.”
Queen Jazela nodded before turning her attention to me. “Your mother waits inside.”
My stomach dropped at the thought of the upcoming discussion, and I placed my hand on Shazeera’s strong neck for comfort.
Mariyah and Citrine followed Queen Jazela into the pavilion, and we walked into its cool and cavernous space.
Like the one I shared with Ama, there were two rooms that led off the entrance, but we continued into the main living area, where we found Ama sitting on a plush rug, propped up by satin pillows.
Ama looked pale and drawn, and the moment she saw me, she got heavily to her feet. She hugged me close.
“You’re all right?” she asked, pulling back to examine my face. “You look pale.” She narrowed her eyes in concentration as she watched my chest rise and fall shallowly. “And are you struggling to breathe?”
“I’m all right,” I said, my gaze darting briefly to General Isa. “I just need to sit down.”
Ama watched me closely as I flopped ungracefully onto one of the pillows. After a moment, she sat next to me. “Should I call a healer?” she asked, her expression tense, and I knew it pained her to have to ask that. I had never been healed by anyone but her.
“I think we need to talk first,” I said, glancing again at General Isa.
“Fine, but as soon as we are done, we’ll call Dani to see you.” Ama looked up at General Isa. “Any casualties?”
“We lost eleven guards and their horses.”
Ama nodded somberly. “They will be given a hero’s funeral. It was reported that there were fifteen Eagle Riders, so I have to say, I’m shocked that the losses weren’t greater and that the battle concluded so fast.”
“Majesty,” General Isa said with a brief glance my way, “that’s what we wanted to discuss with you. First Daughter Zara has revealed an incredible power from the Earth Mother. One that could completely change the war in our favor.”
Queen Jazela and Ama stared at her with rapt attention.
“When the Eagle Riders attacked,” General Isa said, “they quickly overwhelmed us. First Daughter Mariyah’s life was threatened. That’s when Zara seemed to control the wind itself; she summoned a cyclone so powerful that it blew the riders out of the sky into a broken heap on the ground.”
Mariyah beamed at me, pride clear on her face. I couldn’t help but feel my heart swell just a bit; despite the terrible effect my power had on my bond, it had allowed me to save my cousin and the others. For the first time in my life, I felt useful.
I was so busy congratulating myself that I almost missed the shared look of concern Ama and Aunt Jazela gave each other.
“I know it would be an enormous sacrifice to ask that First Daughter Zara join me on the battlefield,” General Isa continued, “but I believe that only a few demonstrations of her power will change the tide of the war. We have never been able to fight back at this level. And without their aerial assaults on us, the Zephyrian soldiers would be easily defeated by our riders.” Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes shone.
“I’m willing to risk everything to save our people,” I said when neither queen said anything.
“I don’t know the limits of this power, but I think it’s enough to finally gain the upper hand on the Eagle Riders—or, at least, make them think it’s enough to defeat them.
To maybe even force a treaty. To bring an end to this terrible war. ”
“What is the cost of this power?” Ama asked, her tone and expression much calmer than I would have thought. Didn’t we just tell them we had the key to defeating our enemies?
“It weakens me significantly and hurts my ability to communicate with Shazeera,” I admitted.
“The first time I used this power—” I faltered in my speech for a moment when Ama gave me a shocked look and then glanced at General Isa accusingly.
“It was when an Eagle Rider attacked Shazeera and me on our own when we had fled camp. I should have told you about it, but I was scared of what it could mean. That first time, I couldn’t hear her in my mind for a full twenty-four hours.
But that was only one rider…I don’t know what will happen this time. ”
Shazeera looked at me, and I wished I could hear what she was thinking. Though I didn’t have to read her mind to know that she, too, would be willing to risk our bond to save everyone else. Horses always put the good of the herd first.