Bishop (The Pawn Series Book 2) Read online

  "We're not like that," she said. "It would have been a new game. That's all."

  "When this is over, it will be up to the two of you if you wish to continue the game, but not right away."

  "Not right away," she agreed. "We'll all need a few days' sleep after all."

  "A week."

  "A week," she agreed. "I look forward, Yallameenara."

  I lowered my voice. "Féla, what about Naddí?"

  "No one is hurt, Yalla. I promised to say no more to you, and so that is all I will say."

  We slept.

  * * * *

  After that, Larien stayed with me, but twice a day, as best we could time it, Féla or Terél slipped out to learn what they could, sometimes one or the other, sometimes both. They came back after a few hours away, sometimes far more than a few hours.

  I completely lost track of the days. Who could tell how often we were really sending out our scouts, after all?

  I thought it odd no one else found us there, but perhaps some were nearby, ready to lure searchers away if necessary, or kill them if possible.

  But then Féla and Terél went out together. And they were gone a long time. A very long time. When finally there was a scratch at the door, and it opened, Féla slipped in and she was alone.

  "No," I whispered.

  She and Larien looked each other in the eyes. "She deserves to know," said Féla.

  "She'll do something stupid. We have to protect her."

  "No. She deserves to know." She turned to me. "They have found the Heart of the Heart."

  I began to cry.

  "They are not here for that."

  "Shut up, Féla."

  "You are an untrained fighter, Larien. I am not." It wasn’t said in a menacing fashion, but I thought Larien wasn’t to remain in charge of our little group too much longer.

  "They'll take her, Féla. We'll never get her back. The line will be lost to us, and it won't jump."

  "She deserves to know."

  Larien slumped, and then she began to cry. I stood and moved to her, and then the three of us held onto each other.

  "They have engaged in no destruction,” Féla explained. “We have gotten some of them lost, but somehow they're finding their way back. They've been leaving marks on the walls, and we've been erasing them, but it is difficult to erase them entirely, and maybe we aren't even finding every mark they make."

  "Where are they?" I asked.

  "They are using the dining hall as the base, and that is where they bring prisoners. No one has been hurt. Terél was foolish and attempted to free Vérundia. She was captured. I think perhaps she wasn't the first to try, as Vérundia was placed carefully, I believe as bait."

  "Do you know what they want?"

  "Their leader is angry. She is very angry. They want you, Yalla. They promise no destruction. They promise to hurt no one. They promise to take nothing except you and your horses."

  "Why do they want my horses?"

  "It doesn't matter," Larien said. "We're not letting them have you. The royal guard has blocked the exit. There is no escape."

  "I'm not done. The leader yelled out. She said she knows others were listening. She said if we do not give you to them, Yalla, they will begin to kill hostages, beginning with Vérundia."

  "No," I whispered.

  "They offered a two-hour deadline, but Ullaméistra begged. She pointed out how deep the caverns extend and said it would take more than two hours for someone to retrieve you, and that there would be arguing before the people protecting you would let you come. The leader changed the deadline to eight hours. That was two hours ago."

  "Our duty is to protect the high priestess," Larien said. "If they begin killing hostages, the royal guard will invade."

  "It will be a bloodbath," Féla said. "I do not believe the leader will negotiate without Yalla. If she has Yalla, maybe something can be done. Maybe she'll see sense."

  "They'll take her, Féla. They'll take her."

  "They'll kill Vérundia. Then they'll destroy the Heart of the Heart." At that, I let out a sob. "They'll burn the library, and most of those books can't be replaced. Centuries of the words of the Goddess. They haven't caught everyone, but they caught many, and they'll die. And they'll make the royal guard pay in blood. Larien, we need a diplomatic solution to this. You know we do."

  "I'll commit suicide," I said. "I'll find a way. We'll let them leave with me, and I'll find a way to die. The line will jump."

  Larien turned to me. "No. No. I won't allow it, Yalla. I won't."

  "They're going to do it, Larien," Féla said. "I have no doubt. If Yalla is there, she is the only one that can make this end without bloodshed and destruction."

  Larien stared into her eyes, and then I saw the light go out of her. "I have failed."

  "You kept her safe, but we must protect the Heart of the Heart as well, and there is no other way. You know they won't hurt her."

  Larien closed her eyes and nodded. But then she collapsed to the floor, sobbing. I went down with her and held her as she cried, clutching at me.

  * * * *

  We moved with stealth, Féla leading the way, Larien and I following, holding hands.

  It was a long walk, and a climb besides. We stopped to rest twice, but I thought by the second break we were nearly there. I was completely lost, of course, but what else was new?

  "Yalla," Larien said. "We love you. You know that. We love you, and we need you. Please, continue to grow your hair. Please, try to come back to us."

  "I don't know where they'll take me," I said. "I don't know what choices there will be."

  "Promise to think about it. We haven't lied to you. We lied to get you here, but you are the high priestess. The Goddess is real. I think you've believed us for a long time. She'll only talk to you."

  "Tell her the rest," Féla said.

  "I can't."

  "Yalla, if you have no children, eventually we'll have a new high priestess."

  "Be quiet!"

  "They won't make you have children," Féla continued. "Nothing was done to hurt you. We were desperate. You must understand that."

  "I'll try to help," I said. "We'll see what I can do. They may be satisfied with killing me, to rob you for a generation."

  "They aren't here to kill you," Féla said.

  "That's enough," Larien said. "We're going to move a little closer, and then I am going to go ahead and open negotiations. You will wait. If I don't come to you in an hour, then make your own choices, and may the Goddess forgive us."

  And so we got moving again, then came to another stop, this time at a side branch. Larien turned to me and hugged me tightly. Then she whispered to Féla before disappearing up the passage.

  We waited, perhaps ten minutes.

  And then there was the long scream of a woman, faint, but clearly a scream.

  I turned to Féla. "They've started killing them! Please, we can't let them do that. Please, Féla. Take me there. Please."

  She took my hand, and we began to run.

  * * * *

  It wasn't far, only a few minutes, although I didn't recognize anything until we burst into the dining room, right into the arms of two of the invaders.

  They grabbed us. They grabbed both of us. Then there were two more on us, separating us, but I looked past them. Vérundia knelt in the middle of the room, a woman with a sword standing over her, and the sword began to descend.

  "Juleena! No!"

  Reunion

  I was very nearly too late. The sword began to descend, picking up speed as Juleena prepared to execute the head of our order. But then at the last instant, she managed to deflect the blow and turned the blade sideways, slapping Vérundia across the back instead of killing her.

  Everyone froze, and then Juleena turned to me. Our eyes met.

  "Let me go!" I screamed. "Let me go!" I struggled with the soldiers, and then they released me, and I was running across the room.

  Juleena's sword dropped, clattering to the
stone, and then we were together, arms tight around each other, both of us shuddering from emotion. She picked me up and swung me around, then crushed me to her.

  "How?"

  "Long story," she said. And then she pushed me away but pulled me back to her, and we were kissing.

  I was rank. Frankly, so was she. But it may have been the sweetest kiss of my life anyway. It was certainly the hungriest.

  But then I pushed away and slugged her. "You were going to kill her!"

  "I had nothing else to live for," she said.

  "That's ridiculous."

  "That... that..." And she pointed. Larien was on the ground, not moving. "She said you were dead, that she'd killed you, and the line would jump when your mother died."

  "Larien!" I screamed. I ran to her. She wasn't moving. I rolled her over and began to search for the wound. There was a large contusion on the side of her head, but when I checked, she was breathing, and I could hear her heart. I looked up. "What did you do?"

  "She said she'd murdered you, Yalla. She's lucky."

  I looked around. All the hostages were secured, but there were soldiers everywhere, all of them on guard. I looked for a knife, but all I could see was Juleena's sword on the ground where she'd left it. I ran to it and picked it up, surprised by its weight.

  "What are you doing?"

  I stood up straight, and then I spoke, first in Framaran, and then Altearan. "I am Lady Yallameena, formerly of The Hippa, a child of the horse people, foster daughter to the queen of Framara, and high priestess to the Goddess Yahamala."

  Then I turned to Vérundia. It was awkward, but I cut the ropes holding her arms. "Help Talien," I said.

  She nodded and crawled over. She checked Larien as we watched, no one speaking. Then she looked at me. "She lives, but we do not know what damage she has taken. We must take her to the Heart of the Heart. We must use the magic of those assembled here."

  "No," said Juleena, stepping up to me. She took her sword from me and slid it home. "Next time, ask for a knife."

  "You speak Altearan?" I asked.

  "Not well," she replied.

  "Vérundia, who else is hurt?"

  "No one badly," she said. "Until now, they've been restrained. There have been a few crossed swords, but under white flag, the few injured have been given to the guard. None killed."

  "Good." I turned to Juleena. "May I have a knife?"

  "We just spent the last week rounding them up. We're not letting them go again."

  "Perhaps you should trust me. May I have a knife?"

  She pulled the one from her belt and turned the handle to me.

  "Thank you." I switched back to Altearan. "Vérundia, how many do you need?"

  "Eight total."

  "Am I one of the eight?"

  "Not until you learn how."

  "Right. Who?"

  She looked over at the other priestesses, clustered together and seated against one wall. She rattled off names. I went to the leftmost named -- Thuralayteen -- and knelt down. "Thuralayteen, do you offer parole? Do you vow to make no mischief, to assist Vérundia with Larien, and to return here when ordered?"

  "I do."

  I leaned over to cut her wrists free, but Juleena stepped over. "Wait."

  "There's no time, Juleena."

  "I heard you ask for a vow. Repeat it." I did and she shook her head. "There are too many holes. Make her vow to obey all my orders."

  So I repeated that back, and Thuralayteen refused. "She could order me to assist them ransack the Heart of the Heart. She could order me to assist them steal you from us, Yalla."

  "There's no time for this," Vérundia said. She offered wording for a parole. I translated it for Juleena who huffed and agreed. And Thuralayteen agreed. I cut her loose.

  The other six were easier, each offering parole. And of course, Vérundia offered hers, and soon we had eight priestesses hovering around Larien. "We need to move her," Vérundia said. "We'll have to carry her, and we'll need lanterns."

  I looked around. "Sergeant Jelsen," I called out. "Can you carry this patient?"

  He was a mountain of a man, but I'd met him a few times, and I found him sweet and gentle. He didn't look particular sweet and gentle now. He looked dirty, tired, and ready to go home. But his eyes turned to Juleena.

  "They can see to her here," Juleena said.

  "No," I said. "We need to take her to the Heart of the Heart."

  "What is that?"

  "The room you threatened to destroy," I explained. "The one that glitters. I'm sure you know the one."

  "Why there?"

  "So they may concentrate their magic. Would you please just trust me?"

  She paused, looking at me a long time. I could see the stress in her body, but finally she nodded. "Do whatever Lady Yallameenara tells you, Sergeant."

  "How many lanterns, Vérundia?"

  "Enough to light our path," she replied. "The Heart of the Heart has its own light."

  I translated that back, and Juleena nodded. Then she took over, and I saw the leader in her return. She gave efficient orders, and soon we had an honor guard, I decided to call it. Four in front, two with lanterns, and a similar number in back. Then Sergeant Jelsen, with all the care he might give his own child, bent to pick up Larien. Juleena gave the marching orders, but when I stepped in beside Vérundia, she pulled me back.

  "You are staying here."

  "She's my friend, and I am going with."

  "They were willing to let me kill everyone and destroy their temple before giving you up. What is wrong with these people? Now that I've got you, you're staying here."

  "I'm going with." I folded my arms. "They gave parole."

  "I don't trust them."

  "I do."

  Vérundia stepped over. She set her hand on my arm. "We will see to Larien, Yallameenara."

  "I'm going with."

  So she turned to Juleena. "We have promised no mischief. We have promised to obey orders until you have returned us here and secured us." That wasn't quite what they had promised, but it was close enough. "You have won this battle, but there is another waiting outside. You can begin working on that battle soon enough. It will be more easily fought if no one has died."

  I translated all that and finally Juleena snorted. "Fine, but I'm coming as well." She gave more orders to those who would remain behind, and then I headed for the exit, grabbing a lantern from one of the soldiers and taking the lead.

  Juleena had a fit and hurried to catch up to me, clamping down on my arm. But after that, she didn't stop me. Everyone followed after.

  It all looked different with the corridor lamps unlit. Finally I said, "Vérundia, I think I'm lost."

  "You're not lost," she said. "May I join you?"

  "Juleena, we need Vérundia." She snorted and nodded. And so, with Vérundia now leading, we made our way to the corridor just outside the Heart of the Heart, bringing us to a stop once we could see the glow within.

  "Yallameenara," Vérundia said gently. "It is wrong for them to violate this place. I know you understand. Please."

  "Of course," I said. "Juleena, you will wait here with your forces. This is their most sacred place, and you cannot come."

  "No."

  "They aren't going to do anything except what they've promised."

  "No. We're all coming, or they can do their ritual right here."

  I stepped up to her, well into her space, the lantern light casting eerie shadows across her face. Her stress was obvious. It was obvious in the set of her mouth, the weariness in her eyes, the tightness of her stance. This was a woman near the breaking point.

  I didn't blame her in the slightest.

  "Listen to me," I said. "We're doing this my way. Please stop arguing. We're going to go in there-"

  "No. You're staying with me."

  "I'll be thirty paces away."

  "I've seen that room. There are seven other exits. They could take you down any of them, and we'd be back at the beginning. No."
/>
  "Vérundia, please promise no one will try to steal me."

  She turned to Juleena. "Princess Juleena, we are peaceful women, honest and true. We gave our parole, but I will add this. We will return Lady Yallameenara directly to you when this is done. I swear on my love for the Goddess."

  I repeated that to her and said, "She couldn't offer more, Juleena. Please!"

  She stared into my eyes then glanced back at Larien, limp in Sergeant Jelsen's arms. "She's your lover."

  "She's my friend," I said. "And Vérundia is right. This ends better if no one is killed. Now stop arguing and let us do what we need to do."

  "I'm coming."

  "No. You'll be right here. I'll just be there."

  "You said magic. Maybe they can use magic to take you again."

  "They won't, and I don't think they can. I don't think they have that much."

  "You don't know!"

  "Juleena, thank you so much for coming, but this is my risk to take."

  "No, it is not."

  I slumped. "Sergeant Jelsen, please give Larien to the women."

  He passed her off, and then four of them carried Larien past us into the heart of the heart. Vérundia stepped to my arm and said, "We'll take care of her."

  I watched as they disappeared into the Heart of the Heart, but I slumped and began to cry.

  Juleena stepped behind me and wrapped arms around me. I let her, but I bit at my knuckle and stared ahead.

  "She's the one who lured you here, Yalla."

  "We've come to an understanding on that. Muranna is the only one I'll never forgive."

  "She told me you were dead."

  "I'll explain later. Please, Juleena. Please trust me."

  "You're in love."

  "When you leave, I'm going with you. That should tell you something."

  She tightened her arms for a minute. "Please promise I won't have to hunt you down again."

  "Never again."

  "Go, but I am coming close enough I may watch."

  "I'll find out how close before you will interfere with their magic. No closer, Juleena. Please."

  "As long as I may watch."

  And so I nodded, and when she relaxed her hold, I hurried forward.

  * * * *

  I stopped just inside the Heart of the Heart. I had never yet managed to enter this room without filling with awe. I looked up briefly, and then I said in the language of the Goddess, "Please if you are watching, help them."