Beloved Night

Chapter 1

Herrith hurried along the narrow alley in the bottom tier of the city, head down. On either side of him, the buildings rose up, two or three stories of red stone, crammed full of the lives of people. Their washing hung out of the windows or along strings that stretched from one side of the alley to the other. On the walls of the slippery street, Herrith could see the prints of many hands, blackened and shiny over time. He heard babies crying in the heat, women calling out or laughing. The scents of dinner wafted through the air, and at least once, Herrith heard the muttered words, Red Robe.

He paid no attention to the muttering. All his concentration was directed toward the slight figure of a woman in front of him. She had slipped out of the palace just before Herrith, and the guard, a Circle member, had pointed her out.

She's acting suspiciously, he had murmured. I don't know who she is, either.

Herrith was instantly on the alert. There shouldn't be anyone in the palace that the guard didn't know. He needed to make sure the woman wasn't up to anything dangerous.

He paused and put his hand on the building beside him, feeling old and a little shaky. The woman was moving swiftly. After a few breaths, Herrith followed her again. Work at the palace was growing ever more tense. Gavi told Herrith that he was almost certain the kitchen staff had been seeded with spies from the king. The Circle—the little group of resistance fighters in the Desert City—was trying to decide whether Gavi should go or stay. The boy desperately wanted to stay close to Aria, but she was so heavily guarded that few of them ever saw her.

They all needed to know: what would the king's next move be? Gavi asked Herrith every day if he knew anything, and Herrith had to restrain himself from snapping at the boy. Didn't Gavi know Herrith would share the information with him just as soon as he heard? Herrith had lived a life of danger, a spy and member of the resistance who had existed in the king's awareness since he was a young boy, and still these days vibrated with more tension than ever before.

King Ikajo had stopped confiding in Herrith, his cousin, the Red Robe who had been with him the longest, and Herrith knew that the king could easily, without a second thought, decide to end Herrith's life. There didn't seem to be anything remotely like loyalty within the king's soul. The only person Ikajo had ever seemed to love, even remotely, was Isika, his hope. Ikajo’s father had stolen the Maweel queen, so Ikajo could father a Warrior Whisperer with Amani, her daughter. Now that the daughter, Isika, had rejected the king, Ikajo was dangerous in a way that terrified Herrith and everyone around him. Isika had the potential to be the most powerful person alive because of the combination of strengths within her, and she wanted nothing to do with Ikajo's plan to subdue the lands around them. The king's dream was dying.

Herrith was shocked and dismayed by the king's way of thinking. Did he really believe Nenyi, the Shaper, the Uncreated One, was so easily manipulated? That she could be tricked into creating a weapon for Mugunta, the evil one, from a combination of bloodlines? The king had been so sure. Maybe he knew something Herrith didn't.

Herrith nearly lost the woman as she turned a corner, so he sped up, clutching at a pain in his side. There she was. She was slight in figure, swathed in layers of clothing. As Herrith watched, she clutched her cloak more tightly around her, clinging to the shadows as she sped along the narrow alley. Her hands were covered, no part of her body visible. She looked like a drift of clothing, scudding along the narrow street, hardly touching the ground. Goosebumps broke out along Herrith's body, and he cursed his superstitious mind. The thought had come to him, briefly, that he was following a ghost.

The fragrances of a city evening continued to shower Herrith's senses as he hurried after the woman. He smelled heady night-blooming flowers, dough and rich spices frying in hot oil, an old woman's cigar. Herrith's stomach rumbled. Mara's food waited for him at the Circle meeting, but he was stuck following this woman, who now seemed to be traveling erratically, zigzagging through the alleys, apparently searching for something.

He almost missed seeing her stop and had to regain his balance as he skidded to a halt. The woman stood gazing into a large window, large enough that Herrith could see into the room from where he stood, hiding in the shadows a little further down the street. What was she doing? Was she a spy? But there was nothing significant about the old weaver she watched. He sat, unknowing, at his loom, lit by magic stones in a sconce on the wall. The rhythm of his shuttle moving back and forth, back and forth, seemed to entrance the woman for some time. Finally, she hurried down the alley.

Herrith paused in front of the window to see if he had missed something, but no, the room was bare and simple, with one weaver working in the low light. Herrith watched for a moment, then, with a brief shake of his head and anxiety starting to pinch his gut, followed the woman again.

The woman had begun to cling more closely to the shadows, as though she suspected she was being followed. She looked back over her shoulder from time to time, and Herrith held his breath and kept himself very still. He couldn't see her face with the hood of her desert cloak pulled all the way forward. Once or twice, it seemed that she would turn and go back the way she had come, but each time she stood, head down, clinging to a wall with a gloved hand, and then continued into the lowest tier of the city. Other than the zigzags, she was heading in the same direction as Herrith, toward Circle headquarters.

He grew more afraid, anxiety turning in his stomach, trickling into his limbs until he trembled. The king watched them all so closely ever since Isika had infiltrated the City, releasing hundreds of people destined for slavery and nearly killing the King.

Aria was guarded like a rare diamond, marched from her rooms to sit near the king and attend him, then taken back to her rooms when he was tired of her. Herrith was rarely close enough to her to talk to Aria. When he did manage to be in her vicinity, he was careful not to look at Aria for too long. He felt the king's eyes on his every move, the king's awareness spreading out to draw all of them into a tighter grip than ever.

The woman stopped again, gazing into another window. This one didn't even have glass. It was merely a few bars crossing a small squarish hole on a dilapidated building. She stood, swaying slightly, for several breaths, seemingly transfixed. Herrith couldn't see what she was looking at, but when she finally moved on, he hurried closer to peer in.

A small family sat on the floor, eating from a single pot. Light came from a few candles. This meant the family couldn't afford the magic lighting of the city, and the weak light barely illuminated a mother feeding her toddler bits of rice. Nearby were a small boy and girl, eating quietly from the pot. They took turns without fighting, but as soon as the food was in their hands, they quickly shoved it into their mouths, as though it would disappear. Herrith felt tears sting his eyes, watching them, and made a mental note of their location. The mother smiled down at the toddler in her lap.

A suspicion began to form in Herrith's mind.

He turned to look for the woman and couldn't see her through a group of laughing people crowding the narrow alley. His stomach felt as though it would drop out of his body. He knew where the woman was going. She wasn't safe. None of them were safe. Panic rose as he rushed through the crowd, pushing past people even when they protested his rough treatment, scowling at him and shoving him back.

He caught sight of the woman just before she lifted her hand to rap on the blue door with the etched symbol of the broken circle. He drew near her as Mara opened the door, and without hesitating, caught her elbow, plowing past Mara into the room, slamming the door behind them.

Herrith! Mara exclaimed.

Gavi was on his feet. Who is this? he demanded. We're supposed to tell each other before bringing anyone new.

Herrith ignored them. Well? he inquired, staring at the covered woman. Are you going to show yourself?

She reached up and pulled back her hood, then unwound the cloth that covered her face. Very expensive fabrics, Herrith noted now, crossing his arms over his chest.

Gavi glanced at Herrith, his face confused, but Herrith shook his head, keeping his attention on the girl who emerged from the billow of cloth, looking back on him defiantly.

Aria! Gavi said with a rush of breath, moving close to hug her. She blinked up at him, smiling slightly. The smile turned to a confused frown for a moment, then she shook herself. Herrith felt a pang of love. This girl, ensnared by her father's poison most of the time, was like a daughter to Herrith. He took her elbow more gently and led her over to some cushions. She sank onto them, seeming weary to the core.

Are you trying to get yourself killed? he asked. He couldn't quite keep the fearful anger out of his voice.

Her face shifted through a strange mix of emotions. Herrith was used to this. Aria was really only half herself, these days, with the king's poison arrow still lodged inside her. The fact that there was anything of her left at all was astonishing, and Herrith felt a deep pride in the resilience of Amani's daughter. He didn't know of even one other person who could have withstood the king's poison for this long.

Herrith sometimes wondered if Aria really was the most powerful person in the world, resisting the king's enslavement as she did. She should have withered and died long ago.

But at this moment, Herrith was more concerned with the fact that Aria had broken out of the palace. She knew what was at stake. The king watched her closely, with guards and spies in place to follow her. She had put herself in danger. She had put them all in danger. She could have easily been followed.

Gavi scooted close to Aria, keeping his eyes trained on her face. She smiled back at him. Mara approached with a cup of tea for the girl, and only then did Herrith look around to see who else was witnessing this. Enfa, Abbas's sister was in the corner of the room with two other Karee circle members. An old friend of Mara's sat at the table, bent over a bowl of soup in the dim lighting. That was all. Herrith exhaled.

I had to come, Aria said in a soft voice after taking a gulp of tea. She paused and closed her eyes. They waited for many breaths before Aria opened her eyes again. I'm sorry, she said, he's angry that I'm gone and trying to work out what to do about it.

All around the room, there were gasps and muffled exclamations. Abbas's sister sat forward.

Does he know you are here?

No, Aria whispered.

Herrith leaned forward to hear her better.

He can't tell where I am. He thinks I'm hiding somewhere in the palace.

There were more exclamations and whispers from the Karee in the corner. Herrith held his breath for a moment.

But how would he think that? Unless... he felt a jolt of understanding, Aria, are you altering his awareness?

She nodded and closed her eyes again. Herrith nearly staggered. Aria had layers of curses on her, guards set to watch her, and was physically frail. Despite all this, she could read and alter the king's mind.

Herrith met Gavi's eyes and saw the same shock that must be visible on his own face.

Aria took a shuddering breath. I came because you must be aware of his plans. They are...dangerous. For all of us.

Tell us, Gavi said gently. His face was very still, and every muscle in his body seemed rigid. Beside him, Mara was wringing her hands.

Aria took a few more moments to answer, then forced the words out. He will go to the seas and fight from the water. It seemed as though she was fighting for every word, her eyes shut tight, her face raw and pained.

Gavi leaned closer and laid his hand gently on her shoulder. He let his breath out in a hiss. Herrith flinched, knowing that Gavi was feeling Aria's pain, part of his gift as a healer.

She spoke again, biting out each word, with long pauses between some of them.

The king will attack the Hadem. He plans to destroy them to draw Isika to himself. Then, he will either turn her or kill her and go through the Hadem lands through Maween to the city of Azariyah. Without the protective magic of the Hadem, the Maweel will be greatly weakened and will fall. Forever.

She got the last word out and then slumped over. Gavi caught her, keeping her head from hitting the ground.

He opened bloodshot eyes and whispered, Give her a moment, and then we need to get her back to the palace grounds. We can leave her in the garden...they can assume she just wanted to be outside.

What's wrong, Gavi? Mara asked. Why did she collapse?

Gavi's eyes filled with tears. "He's torturing her. We have to fix this, find something to cut the bond between them, or she isn't going to make it. She'll die. I can feel the despair within her. She's the strongest person I've ever known, but no one can take this much torment.

Herrith moved closer to stroke Aria's hair. His eyes were stinging. He blinked back tears.

How can he do this to her? he murmured.

He's a monster, Enfa said.

That's the problem, Herrith said. He's not a monster, he's a man. How can a man harm his own child like this?

Herrith had the tiniest flicker of hope, then. Maybe, after so many years of frustration, he was finding the reason he was here. Maybe he would be the one to rid the world of this evil, to finally take the life of the king.

Chapter 2

H ey, hey, hey, Jabari murmured from where he stood in the horse stables. It's okay. You don't need to buck like a crazy beast. In animal speech, he added,  I thought we were friends.

Wind, Isika's horse, showed the whites of his eyes and kicked at the wall behind him. Friends is a word for people, he replied. 

Jabari sighed, clutching the reins tightly with one hand and wiping sweat off his chin with the other. He was irritated beyond measure, and the last thing he needed was a horse educating him on human and animal word choice. 

Okay then, but you have to admit that we've been through a lot together, he said. No need to kick at me.

They stood at a standstill, Jabari trying to encourage the horse to lift his foot so Jabari could check it, and Wind flatly refusing. At the other end of the stables, someone strode in. It was Bara, the horse keeper. She walked to the door of Wind's stall and crossed her arms, looking at Jabari with barely concealed amusement.

What's this? she asked. Arguing with the horses again?

Jabari gritted his teeth. He won't listen to me, he muttered.

She continued to watch him, arms crossed, narrowing her eyes as she surveyed him. She wore her tightly coiled hair short and natural, and her tunic was sleeveless, showing dark brown arms that were muscled from years of hard work.

I don't get it, she finally said after several long breaths where Jabari tried not to snap at her for staring. Isn't this one of your giftings? Why is it so hard for you? 

Jabari blew a short, impatient breath. If I knew that, I wouldn't be here.

Ivram, second elder, had grown increasingly frustrated with Jabari over the previous months and finally assigned him to spend time in every place where he had a gift but wasn't performing to potential, whatever that meant.

Jabari leaned his elbow on the side of the stall and considered the horse, who tossed his head and refused to look at him. 

This wasn't even his fault. The thought came unbidden, insistent, though he didn't want it. Jabari had no strength because their Whisperer was weak.

And you wonder why the horse does not want to cooperate with you, said a familiar and alarming voice in his head. The horses in the stable began to protest, neighing loudly, shaking their heads, shuddering their coats, and pawing at the ground with their hooves. The stable was suddenly full of dust, and Bara whirled around to see what had happened.

Jabari already knew, even before she turned back and pointed an accusatory finger at him.

Get them out of here! What are you thinking?

Jabari hurried out toward the door, shooing the huge cats out of the stables as he went, but turned back to call, They go where they want! Not my fault!

Are you crazy? he demanded, looking back and forth at the two Palipa, giant silver cats who had put the horses into a panic. As he and the cats passed by the horses in their stables, the horses reared and whinnied. I'm here to improve my gathering gift and animal speech. You've set me back weeks!

They arrived at the yard, and Jabari could see Bara letting the horses out from the other side of the stable. The horses ran as fast as they could, out to the far end of the long meadow, tossing their heads and working out the jitters they couldn't help feeling in the presence of the large cats. Jabari shook his head. They wouldn't trust Jabari anytime soon.

He turned to face the Palipa, the heat of the midday sun blazing down on his head. Hera, the mother cat, sat looking at him impassively. Her head reached the middle of his arm, nearly his shoulder. Her grown cub sat beside her, washing his paws and ignoring Jabari.

What's that supposed to mean about the horses not wanting to cooperate with me? Jabari asked. 

Hera narrowed her eyes into slits. Why would they? We all serve the World Whisperer. As long as she is loyal to Nenyi, we have unwavering loyalty to her. Even creatures as stupid as horses can feel that you blame her for your weakness.

Jabari frowned. He stood without answering for a long moment, then realized he was clenching his fists. He forced himself to relax them.

What are you talking about? he asked aloud. The Ancient Ones could understand human speech, and he momentarily lost the ability to ask nicely in his head. I love Isika. Even before I knew I loved her, I was loyal to her.

The silver cat's eyes were steady on Jabari's face, and he forced himself not to flinch or look away.

You believe, Son of Andar, that something about Isika and her place as World Whisperer is causing the problems with your own gifting. It is ugly to shift blame to her, young one. You show that you do not understand Isika, her power, or your own.

The younger cat stopped washing his paws and blinked. Humans are stupid when they blame.

Jabari could not really believe that he was standing in a stable yard being castigated by creatures on four legs. I don't blame her, he insisted. But the words weren't convincing, not even to him. He didn't want to blame her. The thoughts came without his permission. He knew they weren't rational. He didn't know how to stop them.

We came for another reason, said the younger cat. He went back to washing his paws.

We did, Hera said. She stood and stretched, then settled back down. Jabari waited.

The elders are together in the meeting space, preparing to call Isika in. We don't think you should miss what they are planning. It would be helpful for you to go and hear what they have to say.

Jabari squinted at the cat. She settled back on her haunches. He wasn't sure what she meant by her cryptic words, but they seemed to be all she would offer. He took a moment to absorb the shift in his plans, then turned to gather his things.

Don't follow me back in here, he warned as he went toward the stable. He felt their flickers of amusement, and, glancing back, saw them stand and fluidly lope away, the sunlight flashing on their silver hides.

Bara was still in the stable. Jabari walked to the hook on the back wall to take off his apron. Bara eyed him without saying anything, still clearly annoyed.

They should know better, he said. Especially Wind. When we went into the Desert City, the Palipa used their magic to make Wind, Night, and a few of the other horses invisible. They should be used to the scent of their magic.

I'm not sure anything could get horses used to the scent of a large predator, Bara said. Even these ones, who love Isika enough to allow large cats to cover them in magic.

Jabari nodded, dropping the apron onto the hook and winding his ser onto his head. 

Something came up, and I have to go back to the palace. I'll try to check Wind's shoes another time. If he'll ever let me get close to him again. 

He picked up his pack and swung it over his shoulder, looking at the older woman.

What do you think is stopping me from progressing? he asked, feeling desperate, suddenly, for an answer.

She considered him. You are arrogant, she said finally. And also somehow afraid of your strength. Animals don't like that. You need to command love from them the way Isika does.

You don't think Isika is arrogant? he asked. And I mean that in the best way.

Isika is brave and sure of herself, Bara replied. It's not the same thing. I'm shocked that you would think it is. She turned away, shaking her head, and he flinched at the pity that had flashed in her eyes. You have a lot of work to do, little brother.

 The dry grass crunched under Jabari's feet as he headed up the hill to the castle. Underneath everything else he had picked up from the horses that day had been a single-minded ground note of fear. Fear of hunger. The drought went on and on, and like all grazers, they were afraid of drought. Their fear made them skittish. That wasn't his fault. 

He looked up at the sky, a brittle, faded blue. Not a single cloud drifted overhead. There should be rain now, cooling the earth. Every year, without fail, Maween experienced three to four months of rain that made them miserable indoors but was provision for the rest of the year. The rest of the seasons had brief storms, but the wet season was the basis of life in their region. Last year's wet season had been meager, and this year again, there was nothing. No rain.

The people of Azariyah had begun walking around with a furrow between their eyes, chewing their lips, wringing their hands. The land could not survive without rain for another cycle. They knew why it was happening, but they didn't know how to stop it.

The Desert King had pulled Maween into his net of authority. He had weakened their Whisperer and taken her sister. Their protection was breached, and he could pelt them with curses. They were vulnerable to him.

Jabari knew, deep within himself, that someone with his power should be able to counteract this curse, shift the weather and change the course of events for the rainy season. So in a way, it was Jabari's fault. But in a way, it was everyone's fault and no one's fault.

Humans waste time thinking about fault, Jabari heard Hera say from a distance.

It was a waste of time. Jabari needed to focus. Their impossible task was to find a way to break the betrayal magic that kept them tethered to the malevolence of the Great Waste and Mugunta's power. Betrayal magic tied them down and prevented them from being the strong kingdom they had been during and before Queen Azariyah's reign.

They had their World Whisperer, and she was powerful. Ivram thought she was perhaps mightier in her power than even Azariyah had been. But the betrayal magic had crippled her. Jabari felt frustrated, powerless, and above all, irritated.

The door to the conference room was ajar, so Jabari nodded at the guard and stepped in quietly. He wanted to hear the last fragments of conversation before they noticed him.

We can do it the week after next, Jabari's father was saying. 

Jabari blinked and took in the room.