Page 69 of Legacy of the Heirs (The Lost Kingdom Saga #2)

Nyzaia

E lisara stood toe to toe with Kazaar. The pair assessed each other before Elisara twirled and swung the dull sword in her grip.

The two replayed the same dance they had been playing for the last fifteen minutes while Nyzaia sat on the wall, watching.

She squinted against the sun, beating down on the black gravel of the training yard.

The burnt red wall felt hot beneath her palms as she dangled her legs from it.

The sun did little to cure her hangover.

Farid had not questioned Nyzaia at the ball each time she signalled for another drink; he had simply been a silent companion.

No matter how many times Nyzaia plastered on a smile while talking with the other queens, her mind always drifted to Tajana, seeking the spot where Tajana was usually stationed opposite her throne.

Jabir had since taken the spot, but nobody could take the place in Nyzaia’s heart, still reserved for Tajana, despite the pain she had caused.

“If they were not together when we saw them in the city, they definitely are now,” Farid said from where he stood below her, legs crossed and leaning against the wall.

Nyzaia liked Farid’s odd moments of relaxation ever since they left the forge, but it was not yet enough to distract her from Rafik or Issam’s absence.

She had yet to see them since they parted ways.

“They left rather early from the ball,” she mused.

“It is only right that someone had an enthralling night,” he responded. Nyzaia gasped, feigning offence.

“Are you insinuating that drinking and discussing military tactics with me was not an enthralling night for you? ”

“It was enthralling to watch,” Jabir called from the other side of the wall.

He scaled and jumped over it, landing beside Farid, whose stance quickly changed.

He straightened, his posture rigid. Nyzaia wondered how long it would take for Farid to relax around others or if he ever would.

“It wasn’t very productive after the fifth drink. ”

Nyzaia rolled her eyes. Farid had made a good drinking partner and had not once questioned her wish to drown her sorrows as a distraction from the greater problems in their world. She was fairly confident they cheered to that in a toast.

“What are you doing here, Jabir?” asked Nyzaia, conscious that the conversation she wished to have with Elisara and Kazaar was a sensitive one.

He shrugged. “Ensuring Garridon and Nerida’s soldiers settled in was not exactly a riveting task,” he said.

Farid narrowed his eyes. “Doing your job is not meant to be riveting.”

“Sorry, Captain. Is that your way of telling me to get lost?”

“Yes,” Farid said bluntly, and Nyzaia burst out laughing.

“You heard your superior, Jabir. Back to work you go.” Nyzaia said, jumping from the wall when Elisara and Kazaar paused for a water break.

“Seriously? My job is protecting you,” Jabir argued.

“And at the moment, the most powerful people in the kingdom are all under my roof. I think I am safe.” That put an end to the conversation. Jabir rolled his eyes, accustomed to Nyzaia’s bluntness.

The yard was not big enough for the entire military, and most Keres recruits were trained in other places, too, like the desert and the forge.

They currently set up camps along the edge of the Ashun Desert closest to the city, the only place big enough for four militaries after Vlad brought Vala’s army shortly after Nerida and Garridon’s that morning.

Sir Cain, Garridon’s commander, said the maze of tents acted as another defence to the city, confusing any attack on foot if they reached this far inland .

“This looks like a productive workout,” Nyzaia called. Elisara jumped up after Kazaar knocked her to the floor and flicked her two braids over her shoulders, wiping the sheen of sweat from her forehead.

“I could think of better,” she said. Kazaar kicked her shin gently, and she widened her eyes at him.

Definitely together, Nyzaia thought.

“We’re just warming up to get the blood flowing. We’re moving on to try and tap into more powers next,” Kazaar said, and Elisara kicked the gravel.

“You do not seem pleased with the idea,” Nyzaia said to her friend, and Elisara shrugged.

“I do not wish to let anyone down.” She paused. “Or hurt anyone.”

Kazaar tucked a stray damp curl behind her ear.

“You won’t,” he said gently. Nyzaia smiled at his tenderness and glanced at Farid, who raised his eyebrows briefly. Her smile faded. Tajana would have loved to tease Kazaar about this.

She wondered if Tajana and the others had discovered somewhere else or found other inhabited lands.

Despite the pain she had caused her, Nyzaia hoped they had been far from Novisia before the creatures breached the Outer Border.

Recalling what had happened to the ship of Larelle’s lost love, Nyzaia did not think Tajana would survive an attack.

“What can we do for you?” Kazaar asked, pouring water over his head and shaking his hair.

“We, uh, wanted to talk to you both about something important,” Nyzaia said, glancing to Farid again for confirmation he was comfortable with this decision.

His blue eyes were honest as he nodded. “At this moment, we would like it to stay between the four of us.” Elisara and Kazaar shared a look before facing them again.

Swallowing, Nyzaia lifted her palm in sync with Farid to reveal the scar on their palms. Elisara and Kazaar’s expressions faltered, and slowly, Elisara nodded slowly, knowingly .

“We need to know more about your tie,” Nyzaia said.

***

Kazaar and Elisara listened in what Nyzaia could only describe as stunned silence as she retold the story of their tie, missing out the key fact of Farid’s wings, though Kazaar appeared dubious when she claimed Farid had saved her on the rope, especially given he had trained recruits at the forge.

Yet if he had doubts, he must have communicated them only to Elisara as neither of the pair interrupted.

“Did Keres show any sign of acknowledging it when he was present?” Kazaar asked. Nyzaia shook her head; she, too, was confused when her god had not mentioned it, especially after Vala’s outburst when Elisara revealed her scar.

“Do you think Keres bestowed it, given you are both his descendants?” Elisara asked.

“What would that mean for ours then?” Kazaar asked, and they all frowned. Nyzaia recalled the ripped edge beside the page on celestial ties; they were definitely missing some key information. “So, can you…?” Kazaar tapped the side of his head.

“Not with words,” Farid answered. “We can share memories and a general sense of one another’s feelings, but we cannot converse.” Elisara tilted her head, puzzled.

“What do you think determines the abilities each tied pair receives? Elisara asked, but nobody answered. Nobody knew.

“We had a specific question, which is why we raised it so soon before fully understanding the implications,” Nyzaia began.

Elisara propped her hands on the black gravel, where they all sat cross-legged and nodded.

“Has there been an instance where the tie ever healed you in some way?” Nyzaia asked.

Kazaar picked up piles of gravel, filtering it through his hands.

“Yes,” he said. “In Garridon, my wounds healed almost instantly. ”

Nyzaia supposed that was common for matched pairs then. “My ribs were healed from the fall after we were tied,” she said.

“A convenient thing to have as we journey into war,” said Kazaar.

Nyzaia had not thought of it like that, and then a more troubling thought crossed her mind.

What would happen if one of us died? She did not want to find out.

Elisara and Kazaar remained quiet for a few minutes, their pinkies touching in the gravel.

Elisara eventually voiced her concern. “Can we ask you something?” She shifted her hand, interlocking her fingers with Kazaar’s. Elisara’s gaze was on their hands as she stroked a thumb over Kazaar’s.

“Of course,” Nyzaia responded.

“Has anything odd happened since you became tied? Any different powers?” Nyzaia tilted her head and softened her eyes. Nyzaia knew why she asked.

She wished to know if they also shared the burden of accessing a unique power, one that may help to defeat the creatures. Nyzaia shook her head silently and sighed.

“No shared powers of any kind?” Kazaar asked.

“Farid, you do not have access to her flame?” Nyzaia said no before Farid was forced to lie.

Nobody knew Farid had any power, let alone the true extent of it, though she supposed the tie would one day prove to be a good explanation for Farid’s flames.

Though it still would not explain the wings.

“Will you tell us if you do?” Elisara asked, and they nodded.

“Have you tried yet?” Nyzaia asked.

“Someone is trying to put it off,” Kazaar tilted his head at Elisara, who huffed.

“How can someone even share power? Everyone expects it to be easy like I can blink and gain your power.” Elisara picked up a stone and began sharpening her sword.

“No one thinks it will be easy,” Kazaar said softly.

“We will leave you to practice,” Farid announced, rising to his feet. He offered his scarred hand to Nyzaia, who accepted. It was nice not to hide it from them.

“You will do it, Elisara. I know you will.” Nyzaia patted her friend’s shoulder before leaving them to their afternoon.

Twelve days. Twelve days remained for those two to access their power and for Sadira to imbue new weapons for thousands of soldiers.

Twelve days for Larelle to research and find any other answers, for Nyzaia to work logistics for four armies, not to add somehow figuring out a plan for all the citizens during a war.

The reality of what was being asked of them all settled on her shoulders.

“Thank you,” Farid said. “For not telling them,” Nyzaia smiled.

“I’ll have to if I ever find a way to get my own pair of wings,” she said, and Farid returned her small smile. “I suppose we should put Jabir out of his misery and have him tag along to the meeting with Sir Cain and Nerida’s commander.”

Farid did not answer.

“If you two are to work together, you must try to like him, Farid.” She nudged his arm.

“I never said I did not like him,” Farid answered, clenching his jaw. “I just do not trust easily.”

Nyzaia regretted the jest. She had once been the same, untrusting of anyone new, but then she met Tajana and her syndicate, and over time, they had coerced her into a friendship.

She thought of Rafik and Issam. Soon, they would have their first weekly debrief, a snippet of joy to ease the momentous expectations placed upon her shoulders.