Green Wild (Thrones of the Firstborn Book 2) Read online

  The Voice’s laugh was as rich and deep as mahogany. “Not yet, little guardian. You have another task, first.” It gestured languidly, drawing Lisette’s gaze to the altar between them. A silver mesh gauntlet rested in the place of honor, palm up. It shimmered uncomfortably, as if it reflected light from someplace else.

  “This is the Starcatcher Hand, an ancient treasure of Atalya’s, never worn. Even if Atalya chooses to leave the game, this gift of hers will remain. Perhaps it will aid the efforts of the other players. She is fond of maidens, such as your Tiana.” A frown touched that perfect face. “Perhaps, too fond. But nevertheless, it is for you to take up the hand and defend your princess from the evil invading the game.”

  Lisette’s eyes widened. “I am not—there are others more appropriate for such a gift.” In fairytales, gifts were always dangerous. How could one defend anybody else with only a gauntlet? The question clearly had an answer; not knowing it frightened her. She was on thin ice and it was cracking underneath her.

  “And yet you are the one who was called.” The Voice’s eyes narrowed. “Come now.”

  “But isn’t this against Her own rules? Responding to the game wrecker? I don’t understand.”

  “Of course not. She is not responding to the evil one, but to somebody else’s move. But you argue too much. Are you disloyal?” Silken menace purred in the air. “Come. Do you not crave more than the role of counselor?”

  “No! I—” The command seemed to shake the earth under Lisette’s feet, with harmonics that jarred her bones. Her feet moved. Against her will, beyond her control, her hands came up, reaching for the artifact on the altar. She whimpered, panicking, struggling to fight back. She’d tried to be so careful with her words, so she couldn’t be trapped into this. Nobody was ever careful with their words in the fairy tales. She thought that would make her safe.

  “Come. Wear the Starcatcher Hand.”

  Her fingers brushed against the mesh, even as she shook her head. “No, no.” It felt organic rather than metallic, like polished wood. She grasped it, tried and failed to make her right hand into a fist. Instead, she slid it on.

  The glistening became a glowing as it constricted. Then the burning started, silver fire from her fingertips as the gauntlet sank into her flesh, merging with her more intimately than any armor. It hurt, and she screamed and screamed, and all the while the Voice of Atalya watched dispassionately, until the pain brought blackness, and absence of anything at all.

  Chapter 18

  The Mercenary

  TIANA SAT BESIDE the fire gnawing on a hard biscuit, glaring at Minex’s sleeping form. She was pretty sure nobody could make such terrible food on accident. Somebody was responsible. She hadn’t quite worked out who, but she was guessing it was the earth fiend, despite all evidence regarding time and logic to the contrary.

  She’d had such a lovely time last night, until it started falling apart. She’d been happy in Cathay’s company. Everything seemed so full of promise. The disasters were far away and she was on an epic quest from the gods to save the world, in a magic forest, and there was dancing, and everything seemed lit from within.

  Now Cathay was avoiding her while Kiar made horrible predictions that Tiana’s mind would soon crumble like a castle wall under ballistic assault. Jinriki only offered her the tersest of reassurances, like he didn’t even want to talk to her. Lisette was angry with her. She hadn’t managed to get anywhere with Fai and her search for the green light. Breakfast was hard and salty, and it was about to rain.

  When Tiana had emerged from the tent, all the guards were wandering around hollow-eyed, flinching at sounds. They seemed more energetic at the moment. Not energetic enough to do more than heat old biscuits, though. They stayed away from her, as if they were avoiding her, too.

  Tiana scowled at Minex and wondered if the earth fiend’s magic extended to making food taste better. She wouldn’t wake up, even when nudged. Despite herself, Tiana worried, because when Minex slept she looked like a vulnerable child. Just as Tiana was about to nudge her again, Jinriki sent, **She is exhausted. Let her rest.**

  Kiar hovered nearby, scrutinizing her. Tiana said, “You needn’t watch me so. I feel fine, even if you think my mind is full of holes.”

  “No. Not that. Do you know where Lisette is?”

  Tiana glanced around. The guards had retreated to the edge of the forest. She was all alone. But once Lisette returned she’d be fresh and back in her usual temper, and Tiana would have somebody to complain to. “She went for a walk a few minutes ago, Kiar. You were there. She’ll be back soon. She’s not interested in exploring. She’d rather be back in Lor Seleni.”

  “Tiana!” Kiar’s voice sharpened. “It’s been more than a few minutes. The guards are searching for her. Does Jinriki know where she’s at?”

  Ice ran down Tiana’s spine but she resolutely ignored it. “She’s fine. She just needed some personal time. She’s the only Regent here, after all. Right, Jinriki?” She looked down at the sword beside her.

  **I... do not know. I cannot find her.**

  Instantly, the ice became fire, coiling in her belly and filling her up. Tiana clenched her fist around Jinriki’s hilt and then threw the sword down. “Finding her should be easy! You stole her body from farther away than she could be.” She stood, looking around. The guards weren’t hiding from her; they were moving around purposefully, or talking intensely in small groups. Cathay stood near the edge of the clearing, his hands spread as he focused on an eidolon.

  “Lisette!” Tiana put her hands to her head. Cathay and Kiar had noticed before her. When the phantasmagory had been around, she had picked stuff like that up from the ripples. She could use it to pretend to be normal. But—but what a useless thought when Lisette was gone.

  Kiar regarded the trees in apprehension. “The forest does strange things to sounds. She might have gotten turned around because of it. When we call for her, it bounces around the trees.”

  Tiana wheeled on her furiously. “Why are you talking? Can’t you do something with the Logos? Can’t any of you do anything? What happened to her?”

  **She vanished. If she was attacked, she was not aware of it. She enjoyed the flowers.**

  Tiana asked, “How long ago?”

  Jinriki didn’t answer for a long moment. Two of the guards vanished into the woods while Tiana waited. Then he said, **I have been searching for her. There are anomalies about the way she vanished that indicate she is not dead. These crude, distant animal minds are restrictive. But I will find her.**

  Tiana stared down at the blade before turning away. Kiar darted in front of her. “Tiana—”

  “If something has happened to Lisette, I will tear down this forest, Kiar. Tree by tree. They will have every reason to fear the Blood here.”

  “No!” Kiar lowered her voice to a rushed hiss. “No, Tiana. You came here for a reason, remember? You came here as a supplicant, you came here as a searcher—”

  “I am never a supplicant,” Tiana snapped.

  “The Blight, remember? The task given to you by Niyhan. You can’t throw that away, you have to be calm and wait and see what happens, you don’t know what they’ll ask, I don’t want anything to happen to Lisette but even if it has you have to ask why before you seek revenge.”

  Tiana froze as she realized what Kiar was implying. She had no words to respond, not until she realized Lisette might be hurt somewhere, calling for help. They couldn’t waste time with this nonsense. “You’re saying there might be a price for Atalya’s light.” She looked around. “I don’t see Atalya’s light, and I don’t see Lisette. So try again.” The world couldn’t work like that. They couldn’t expect it of her. And only her steel-hard refusal of the notion kept her from collapsing to the ground, overcome with sobbing.

  Kiar hurried on. “If something has happened to her, something bad, think of the Blight again. The Blighter. What would serve him better than turning you against the Firstborn? Ask why, first, Tiana. Ask how.”

/>   “Fine. First talk, then burning.” She bared her teeth in what she hoped was a reassuring smile. From Kiar’s recoil, it was not.

  Tiana scooped up Jinriki and said, “I have no eidolons. I have no phantasmagory. But I have you. Find her. Or find me somebody I can ask why. Find the dancers we entertained last night. Find me a fiend. Find something.” In an earlier time, she’d be trembling on the edge of the phantasmagory now, halfway to a dream. But instead the world was bright and narrow, and full of moving targets. She would ask each one why and if they could not give her Lisette, they would bleed. They would burn.

  But for a little while, she would wait, because Kiar asked her to. For a few minutes. She watched the figures moving around the campsites. Kiar lurked behind her, muttering to the Logos. That was probably a good thing.

  Somebody shouted from beyond the tree line and Tiana lifted Jinriki to point at it. “What.”

  **A man. He is clouded, somehow. He watched last night’s revel.** And then, **Lisette is with him. She is unconscious.**

  After more shouting, the guards emerged from the underbrush, their crossbows trained on the man that followed them. He was large and bearded, dressed in stained leathers and brigandine, with Lisette slung over one shoulder. One huge hand balanced her body, while his other hand rested on the hilt of a sword on his hip. A small axe and a smaller knife hung from a second belt, but other than that, he didn’t seem equipped for travel.

  Tiana gasped and all but flew across the clearing. “What happened to her? Tell me!”

  The big man stopped. His voice was as smooth and warm as distilled brandy, which didn’t quite match his words. “Hell if I know. I’m guessing she tripped and banged her head. But she ran a distance afterward. It took me a while to find her.” The stranger’s thin mouth twitched in amusement as he glanced at the crossbows pointed at him. Then he slid Lisette down until he held her in both arms. A trickle of dried blood stained the crease of Lisette’s neck, and the fingers of one of her hands. “Do you want her back?”

  “Yes! Give her to me!” Tiana marched right up to him and held out her arms. His eyes drew together under his heavy brow as he looked down at her.

  “You’re no bigger than she is. Dragging her across the ground won’t do her any good. Where do you want me to put her?”

  Tiana resisted knocking the man on his backside, but only because he held Lisette. “If you want to help her, give her to me. If you want something else, let’s get it over with so I can help her.”

  Behind her, Kiar quickly said, “And thank you.”

  He didn’t seem to notice. “Brace yourself.” He tipped Lisette carefully into Tiana’s arms and Tiana let an emanation catch the bulk of her Regent’s weight. The stranger’s breath chuffed out in surprise but she didn’t spare a glance for his expression. Instead she carried Lisette as if she was made of crystal, depositing her on her bedroll in the tent.

  Kiar followed her in. “Where is she injured?”

  “There’s a cut and a lump on the back of her skull,” called the stranger, leaning against a tree outside. Then he addressed the guards watching him warily. “So what are a pretty bunch of campers like you doing here? You had a nice party last night. It seemed like almost everybody came.”

  Tiana brushed Lisette’s hair aside and inspected the scab. It was still moist, and crusted with dirt. Lisette’s traveling dress was ruined, torn all over. It looked like she’d run through a bramble, but the skin of her arms and legs was unmarred.

  “Are there other injuries? Can you see any magically?” she asked, looking sharply at Kiar. She called out of the tent. “We need some warm water. This is a mess.”

  Kiar, her eyes hazed with Logos-sight, moved her head to one side. “I... don’t think so. Nothing obvious. But there’s this.” She lifted Lisette’s hand. The fingernails glimmered, like she’d applied a particularly bright shade of paint. The very tips of the thumb and fingers glowed like a lamp turned low.

  Slater brought in a hot kettle and a bucket, then withdrew again. Tiana frowned. “Can you wake her up?”

  “I can try something. If it doesn’t work, we shouldn’t push it; I’m not a healer.” Kiar touched Lisette lightly between her eyes. Nothing immediate happened.

  Then Lisette made a soft, protesting noise, and rolled on her side, cradling her afflicted hand against her chest. Tiana stroked her face and murmured to her reassuringly, a reversal of the usual roles, until Lisette’s eyes flickered open.

  They were shockingly green. Lisette reached out for Tiana, squeezing her arm tight. “The rules don’t work, Tiana. They don’t protect you.” Then her eyes fluttered closed and her hand went limp before Tiana could do anything more than stare at her.

  “She’s not really conscious,” said Kiar hurriedly. “I think she’s waking up for real, though. Wait a minute.”

  The rules don’t work. Lisette was delirious; of course the rules worked. That was what they were for. Tiana shook her head impatiently.

  Lisette opened her eyes again. Whatever had made them appear green—probably a ray of light filtered by the tent—had passed and her eyes were hazel once more.

  “Tiana,” she mumbled, and pushed herself up, still cradling her glowing hand. Kiar silently offered her a cup of water, and she sipped at it. “I met the Voice of Atalya. A Secondborn. More majestic than Jinriki.” She fumbled for words. “Not in favor of the risk. It’s risky. Of course it’s risky; he’s already killed one Firstborn.” She laughed shakily. “It gave me a gift. Not gently. It thinks of everything as a game.” She looked at her hand, flexing her fingers. “Where did it go? Did you take it off?”

  “We didn’t.” Tiana scowled towards where Cathay and the stranger spoke. “What was it? Did this Secondborn hurt you?”

  “It was a gauntlet. It hurt so much when I put it on.” She twisted her hand around. “My hand feels... strange.” Lisette’s eyes widened, like a frightened animal. “Tiana, can you—do you still sense the Lady’s light? I’m afraid... I tried to be careful so I didn’t make any bad bargains, but it forced me—”

  Tiana obediently closed her eyes. The green light spread around her, as elusive as fog. But the sleeping crimson light was practically in the palm of her hand. Her eyes snapped open, and she turned around to stare at the stranger again. “I do, it’s the same as before, scattered all around. But he...” She rose to her feet and left Lisette in the tent with Kiar.

  “You. What’s your name?” she demanded, interrupting a conversation about wearing armor in forests, of all things.

  Cathay gave her a worried look but the big man sketched a bow that somehow managed to be disrespectful. “Jozua Harken, Your Highness. What’s the matter? Do you think I assaulted your pretty servant?” His smile insinuated he’d at least considered it.

  Taken aback, Tiana floundered for words. “Did you—are you a soldier? A knight? Why did you bring her to us?” The red light furled tightly within him, no doubt. It didn’t respond to her presence in the slightest.

  He smirked. “Me, a knight? No. I’m just a hunter. Yon girl wandered into our camp, out of her wits and blood on her head. If I didn’t chase her down and find out who she belonged to, somebody else would have. And my men are unruly enough in this damned forest.” He tugged on his beard. “Also, when I saw her fine shredded dress, I thought it likely there might be some sort of reward for her return.” He eyed Tiana as if that was no longer certain. “Gratitude, at least. Gratitude can be helpful in my business. Though money is better.”

  “We’re very grateful,” Tiana said, unsettled. She twisted her hands together behind her back. Red was the color of Rann, of love and honor. Knights swore themselves to Rann. Finding that light in this man was like discovering snow in the summer. “Don’t you have any tact?”

  “Ah, that’d be my rough-and-tumble charm. Just a simple country man, Your Highness. The etiquette of princesses, what with the stomping up and interrupting a man’s conversation, is beyond my grasp.”

  Jinriki sent
, **I am troubled by the way this forest breeds disrespect. Let’s fix it.** He seemed distracted and the thought lacked his usual malevolence. Still, Tiana wondered if he might be onto something. Maybe the red light was meant to be a gift, unwrapped by defeating the man.

  He’d brought Lisette back to her. She couldn’t ignore that.

  She said, “No doubt the rewards of the court are as well. Will you be hunting here long? For whatever you’re hunting in armor?”

  “Oh, not much longer, I think. We’ve almost acquired the prey we came for.” Jozua Harken’s teeth glinted. Thunder rumbled overhead and he glanced up. “Just in time, too.”

  “Come back before you leave, then.” commanded Tiana. “I’m sure Lisette would like to thank you for rescuing her, once she’s feeling better. For now, return to your hunt, huntsman.”

  He waved at her, a gold coin in his palm. “I’m not that far away, Your Highness. Enjoy your camping trip.” He nodded professionally at Cathay and turned to leave the camp. But a few steps away from the tree line, he paused. “The prey just can’t stay away, can it?” A rustling Tiana hadn’t noticed stopped.

  Fai spoke from the branches. “Don’t flatter yourself, Harken. Princess! Will you be leaving now that you’ve simply been given the Lady’s assistance?”

  Tiana said, “What? What assistance?”

  “Your Lisette was granted the Lady’s gift. That’s what you came for, yes? Best you leave before you knock the forest down.”

  Tiana shook her head. “I don’t know what’s been done to Lisette, but it isn’t the power I’m looking for. Did you arrange for this to happen?”

  Fai said, “No. I thought it would take... much longer before the Voice acknowledged you. You’re blessed.” He didn’t sound pleased by the idea. Tiana wasn’t either, if this Voice was the one who had hurt Lisette.

  Jozua said, “Favored far above yourself, boy. I know some people who’d be very happy to give you all the attention you deserve, though, if you’d stop crawling around in the trees like a squirrel. Come on home, now.”