The Courier’s Collection

Chapter 14

14

RASHA FINALLY SLIPPED OUT of her boots at ten that evening. She’d done her best to prepare the fighters for the new tactics. She craved a long soak and dipped her hand into the waiting bath with a sigh. Rasha thanked the Universal for the hot water. She was loosening her vest when Temi’s menacing growl got her attention. She cracked the bathroom door open to see Temi pacing.

“What is it?” She talked to Temi as if he’d reply. Lu had started it, and she’d grown accustomed to it.

Temi pawed at the bare floor, pushing his nose to the small crack under the door to the corridor. He snorted and growled again.

“Who’s there?” Rasha wondered if anyone would answer. Temi grew more agitated.

“Okay, we’ll check,” she told him as she retrieved her swords. “Let’s introduce Blade and Cutter to some new friends.” Temi stepped back, allowing Rasha to ease the door open. As soon as it was wide enough, he bolted past her and down the corridor.

Rasha let out her own growl and raced after him. Servants screamed and leapt out of the way as he charged down the hall, snarling. A full tray of food ended up on the floor. She leapt over the food and broken dishes, cursing her bare feet. Temi turned down a second corridor Rasha recognized as belonging to the councilmembers. The floor got even colder, and she felt the biting cold of an open window. Skidding to a stop, Temi growled and whined to get at something on the other side of a door. She heard the sounds of a loud argument of some sort.

Temi scratched and pawed at the door. When had his paws gotten so big? she wondered. He’d scratched off much of the door’s paint before someone answered.

Kyuk. The councilman from Buku. He replaced Bashir’s father, the king, on the council.

“Hey!” Temi plowed past him and into the room.

Rasha had barely registered the man’s silky pajamas before Temi reached the balcony doors and burst through them.

“Temi, wait!”

Temi was growling, his teeth latched on to something. Then came the sound of wings beating frantically and a screech that echoed through the night air. Through the open door, Rasha saw a birdman in flight. Temi blew out a mouthful of red, green, and blue feathers.

“There!” she called to the archers and pointed at the birdman. The archers scanned the sky, but the birdman had made good his escape. Rasha turned her attention to the traitor.

Kyuk was backed against the wall. Temi was low to the ground, ready to pounce, snarling savagely.

“Good boy, Temi,” she said. She drew her swords and crossed them in front of the councilman’s neck.

His skin was light pink, a blending of Chilali and humanoid. His hair was more yellow than white and hanging in his sweaty face.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You consorted with the enemy, and that’s treason.”

“Rasha!” Xeku entered the room with Keabasi and Gungbe.

“What’s going on here?” Gungbe asked.

“Rasha, no!” Keabasi shouted.

Everyone was speaking at once, their voices creating a layer of noise that faded away into Rasha’s memories. The blood-covered dining room she no longer ate in. Her best friend dying on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

“You killed them,” she said her lips twisted in a snarl. Kyuk whimpered as her swords dug into his neck.

Xeku put an arm around her shoulder and broke the spell she was in.

“That’s enough, Rasha. We’ll take it from here,” he said in an even tone.

Rasha stepped back, and Buku slumped with relief. Keabasi yelled, “Guard!” and two guards came running. “Please escort councilman Kyuk to a cell.”

They dragged Kyuk from the room in his silk bathrobe, weeping.

Rasha started to calm down as soon as he left the room.

“Are you all right?” Keabasi asked. “I thought you’d taken leave of your senses for a moment.”

“I’m fine,” she replied.

“Tell us what happened. What did you see?” Xeku asked.

“I followed Temi here. He can smell the beasts, you know. He tore out of my room in this direction. When we got here, he tried to claw his way through the door. When Kyuk finally opened it, Temi ran into the room and out to the balcony. He got a piece of the birdman before it escaped.”

“It would seem Kyuk was the traitor,” Gungbe said.

“Perhaps,” said Xeku. He didn’t sound convinced.

“We found him with the birdman in his room,” Rasha said.

“The birdman was on the balcony, you said.” Xeku reminded her.

“Yes, but–”

“He must be questioned,” Keabasi said.

“Why don’t you believe me?”

“It’s not a question of believing you. We have procedures to follow, young one. We can’t just go around killing everyone we suspect is a traitor.” Gungbe laughed as if he’d said something funny.

His laughter grated on her frayed nerves.

Xeku said, “You should rest. You look like you’re not getting enough sleep. Tomorrow will be a busy day. I suspect that the birdman escaping is bad for our plans. We’ll need to decide on strategy before dawn, in case the beasts attack.”

Rasha swallowed her anger.

“I should be the one to interrogate the traitor.”

“That’s not the best idea, I think,” Keabasi said condescendingly. “Without Jak around you seem, shall we say, more volatile.”

Rasha glared at her.

How typical of them to expect results from her while dismissing her ideas. They’d caught him, so why didn’t they make an example of him? What did Jak have to do with anything?

“I don’t give a flying fig about Jak.” Rasha had enough and went off to her rooms.