Page 54 of Crown of the Dunes (The Ballan Desert #2)

Like then, clansmen began coming out of their tents to stare at us as the riders who attacked us marched us toward a half circle formed from the largest tents.

Four stood in an arc, bearing the banners emblazoned with the fox of Clan Otush, the hyena of Clan Tibel, the hunting dog of Clan Vecturna, and the eagle of Clan Jal.

Interestingly, a fifth much smaller tent stood in line with the dwellings of the other lords.

A small scrap of turquoise fabric fluttered where it was tied to a pole just above the entrance, the color of a sash of Clan Caillte.

I frowned but didn’t have time to consider it further as a man stepped out of the tent marked as belonging to the Lord of Clan Tibel.

“What do we have here?” He folded his arms over his chest. The face of a hyena was just visible in black ink on his dark skin. The image rippled as his bulky biceps flexed .

“They were sneaking up on the encampment,” said the rider who held me, apparently the leader of the group. “We suspect they are spies from Clan Katal.”

I tried to school my face as best I could, but I felt it spasm with equal parts curiosity and dread.

The clansmen who had put themselves at the mercy of Kelvadan had mentioned infighting in the clans.

I hadn’t imagined that divisions would have grown this deep in the short time that Erix had left them without a unifying leader, though.

The man, who must have been the Lord of Clan Tibel, cocked his head and smiled, the expression as menacing on him as it was on the hyena that was his people’s symbol.

“We will find out what their purpose is. I do not take kindly to those who would spill my clan’s blood needlessly.” I glanced at Erix out of the corner of my eye, and something flickered over his face. It was as if he was debating speaking but chose to swallow the words down.

I shifted my weight, wondering what he would say—what purpose he would claim brought us to the clans.

Before anybody else could speak, canvas rustled, and another tent flap swung open. A familiar woman stepped into the sunlight, and I tensed.

Lord Dhara of Clan Otush stopped just next to the other lord. No fewer than four knives lined her sash, and a gold ring glittered in one nostril. Her dark eyes narrowed as they flickered over me, before landing on Erix. Then, her brows shot up.

Without a word, she marched over to Alza, who stood with the other riders off to one side. She began to rifle through the small packs tied to her back. Confusion mixed with dread in my belly, until she grunted in triumph.

“Untie them,” she ordered. A shock of confusion ran through the group as she turned around, something metallic in her hands sharply reflecting the sunlight.

She held them up before her, revealing a familiar metal mask.

An ugly scar marred it where the tricrith’s venom had splashed across the smooth surface, but it was unmistakable.

“It would seem our Lord Viper has returned to us. ”

Whispers ran through the crowd. The muscles in my shoulders clenched, even as relief flooded my chest watching a rider hurry to untie Erix’s wrists. While I was glad these clans didn’t consider him an enemy, if it was a sign of their continued enmity against Kelvadan, I would be in grave danger.

Erix seemed to have the same concerns. He plucked the offered mask from Lord Dhara’s hands and glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes, as if trying not to draw too much attention to my presence.

Lord Dhara did not miss the expression though, and she turned toward me.

“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.”