Page 84 of Crown of the Dunes

“Release his… companion,” she ordered the rider still holding me. “I will apprise the Lord Viper of what has occurred in his absence.”

The riders hurried to obey, and I found myself trailing Erix and Dhara into her tent. I flexed my hands at my sides, wondering if it would be unwise to ask for my weapons back. With Dhara and the Lord of Clan Tibel armed to the teeth, and surrounded by their warriors, I felt naked without the weight of a blade at my hip.

Erix apparently had no such concerns, simply grabbing Kelvar’s saber from the rider who held it as he passed, giving no explanation or preamble. Then, he turned and handed it to me. My heart fluttered as I took it, and I slung it over my back as we ducked through the flap into the Lord’s tent.

Dhara gestured toward a pile of rugs and cushions off to one side. I sat cross-legged on a circular pillow, and Erix kneeled next to me, sitting back on his heels. Dhara and the Lord of Clan Tibel sat across from us.

Before anybody could speak, two more men pushed into the circular space. One wore the violet sash of Clan Vecturna, and the other the yellow of Clan Jal. My hackles rose at the realization that I was now surrounded by four clan lords, and I clenched my fists to avoid reaching for the saber now strapped to my back.

The air was heavy as they too settled cross-legged on the rugs, but a shock ran through me as the lord of Clan Jal looked up to meet my eyes. Copper hair fell across his face, and he jerked his head to clear it from his eyes. While people of the Ballan Desert had all variety of coloring of eyes and skin, I had only met one other person with hair that color: General Warrick.

“How did you recognize me?” Erix asked with no preamble as soon as we were all seated, drawing me from my surprise.

Lord Dhara tilted her head, sharp eyes glimmering in the lamp light as she considered him. “I was in the courtyard when your mask was removed and you surrendered,” she admitted. “But even then, the way you pull all the magic of the desert toward you, like the swirl of water when you remove a plug from a wash basin, is hard to mistake. It makes it easy to recognize both of you.”

I raised one of my hands, slipping the fingers underneath the leather strap across my chest that held Kelvar’s saber. She hadn’t seemed to mean us harm yet, but the movement was nearly involuntary.

Lord Dhara’s eyes flickered to me, but she remained calm. The lords around her followed suit, whether by their own volition or because they deferred to her, I could not tell.

“I had seen that you were touched by the desert’s magic as well, but I didn’t know how strongly,” Erix said.

This time, it was the Lord of Clan Tibel who responded. “The Lords who have gathered their clans here are all able to harness her power to some degree or another. That is why we have chosen to remain loyal to you and give up our attack on Kelvadan.”

My fingers relaxed their grip, and some of my concern abated, although my curiosity was piqued.

“You have nothing to fear from us, Queen Keera,” Lord Dhara addressed the tension in the air head on, “as long as you two grant me the answer to one question.”

I nodded, tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth.

“Is your surrender to Kelvadan for the purpose of healing the desert’s magic?” She directed the question toward Erix.

He considered her for a long moment. I held my breath. It had seemed wise to keep the truth about the Heart a secret—an artifact that powerful would surely be a temptation to any lord trying to cement their position in a land where strength was the highest law.

“You and Lord Elion are wiser than I gave you credit for,” Erix eventually responded.

“It only takes a drop of the desert in your blood to feel how she is shredding apart further by the day, yet she clings to the two of you. If you are doing what you must to heal her, then we will do our best to help our clans survive until our home can be restored,” Lord Elion responded. “Besides, Lord Koen urged us to give you time.” He inclined his head toward the lord wearing the yellow sash of Clan Jal.

I raised my brows, wondering what sway Lord Koen might hold.

“The desert has given me a unique gift,” he admitted. “My dreams have a way of becoming reality. The night before we attacked Kelvadan, I saw the two of you journeying together across the desert. I could not tell to where, but the presence of the desert in my mind told me it was important. Maybe it was to return to the clans.”

I shifted on the cushion, both curious and unnerved by his gaze as he seemed to look through me. Something about the way the hair on the back of my neck prickled made me wonder if he saw more than he let on, but his expression was impassive.

“What of the other clans?” I asked. “I only counted four banners.”

Dhara grimaced. “Four lords were convinced there must be a grander reason for you surrender at the invasion of Kelvadan. We argued that we should remain loyal to your wishes and do our best to endure. The other four were not convinced. Izumi assumed lordship of both Clan Katal and Clan Miran and began planning another attack on Kelvadan immediately. Clans Ratan and Padra joined her, both agreeing that you betrayed us and should fall with the rest of the Great City.

“Those of us who are gathered here argued that Lord Alasdar had deceived them, and that attacking so soon, and without your aid, would only lead to the further death of our people. When we tried to leave, a fight broke out, and many good riders were killed. Clan Caillte was torn in half, as Lord Vidar sided with Izumi, but his warlord refused to lead his men to certain death. He led those that agreed with him here, while Lord Vidar rallied those loyal to him to Izumi and Clan Katal.”

“The ruined encampment…” I started, picturing the splattered bloodstain on the side of a destroyed tent.

Lord Elion grimaced. “Izumi and the others claimed that if we would not help them destroy Kelvadan and return the desert to the old ways of the clans, then we would help by giving the desert the battle and blood she craves.”

Bile burned in my throat. I remembered the clans fighting often in my youth, but such encounters were normally limited to brief skirmishes over the best spots for an encampment, or duels of honor based on questions of skill, or occasionally the favor of a woman or the breeding rights to a particularly fine horse. Such a dramatic divide now only seemed to reflect the way the cracks running the length and breadth of the desert widened with every passing day.

“Lord Izumi cannot feel the magic of the desert,” Erix said. His voice was hard, but I detected an uncurrent of something bitter—like the echo of guilt. “She is following the path that Lord Alasdar set before us.”

His brow furrowed as he continued. “What reason did Lord Nathaira give for continuing to follow Lord Izumi. From the blood glass in her weapon and her fervor for feeding the desert blood to sate her anger, I had assumed her connection was strong.”