The Ring Keeper, page 8
Zarek had the redleaf cream Hal had given him. Every time they halted, he applied it to the bite on Ana’s arm, which was healing.
“You’ve seen those spiders before,” Ana said, guiding her horse to ride beside Zarek. “Did they bite you?”
“Yes. I was only six. My mother and I were riding through the forest when we found them.”
“How did you get out?”
“My father and Emperor Callonen found us. I don’t remember that part. I was almost dead.”
“Is that when Allia saved your life?”
Zarek nodded. “She brought me back with the ring. Her skill and quick thinking saved my mother too, and several more people. She was the only one who knew to use redleaf to stop the poison.”
“So Emperor Callonen knew Allia?”
“Yes,” Zarek said.
“Did he know her well?”
“They were engaged to be married,” Zarek said finally.
Ana’s eyes widened in surprise. “My mother was engaged to an emperor? But—”
“Don’t ask me to tell you everything,” Zarek interrupted. “Emperor Callonen should be the one to share their story.”
They stopped for the night at an outpost run by Sarine’s army. While the food wasn’t as good as Rosie’s, they ate well and rested and were on their way early. As they rode on, Ana saw a tall white tower peeping between the hills. “What is that?” she asked in wonder.
“That, Lady Cirana, is the White City, the Heart of the Warding, and the home of the emperor.”
“What’s it like there?” she asked, feeling her stomach quiver. It seemed enormous and would be full of people. Would she be able to find her way around? What would she do when they got there?
“It’s the best,” Zarek assured her.
“And the emperor?”
“He is a powerful man. The Warding gives him an awareness of everyone within it.”
“Do you mean he knows what they’re doing?” How overwhelming would it be to sense everyone at once? Ana couldn’t imagine a person who was able to do that.
“Yes,” Zarek said. “Maybe it’s a little like the ring. They were both created by your great-grandfather, the wizard Zarekathus. You can sense what people are feeling. The emperor is very perceptive. No one can lie to him.”
What would the emperor be like, this man who knew everything about everyone? And could he sense her coming, even now? What would he think of her?
In the middle of the day, when they stopped and ate the food Rosie had packed for them, Ana walked around to stretch her legs. She breathed deeply and smiled as she felt strength returning to her limbs.
The towers of the city seemed to shine in the sun as they drew nearer. Finally, in the evening, when the white stone of the walls shone pink in the fading rays of the sun, they came over the last hill and Ana could see the entire city. She had never seen anything so magnificent. A tall, smooth wall surrounded it and inside stood many buildings and towers. It looked strong, but also beautiful, and the enormous gates were open.
If Ana had been alone, the armed guards at the gates would have frightened her. But Zarek didn’t hesitate at all. He followed their escort, and the guards stood aside without questioning them.
The two soldiers who had ridden to the city with them bade them farewell and headed toward the barracks.
Zarek and Ana followed streets paved with flagstones toward the center of the city. “That’s where the emperor lives.” Zarek pointed to some of the tallest towers. The palace occupied the highest ground in the city, so it seemed even loftier from below.
They made their way up the hill until they came at last to the gate of the white palace. They were ragged and dirty, and Ana felt like a beggar at the door. She was only an orphan who waited on tables at an inn. Surely, she could never belong in a place like this.
There were more guards, heavily armed and wearing white-and-gold uniforms. Ana felt her stomach quiver with nervousness.
“Halt!” one of them ordered, raising his hand. Zarek pulled his mount to a stop and jumped to the ground. She slid off her horse, staring at the guards in apprehension, and stood beside Zarek. He gave her hand a comforting squeeze. The soldiers must have recognized him, for they saluted.
“Thank you,” Zarek said, returning their salute.
The biggest of them slapped him on the back and said, “Welcome home.”
“Are we in time? Is the emperor still alive?”
“He’s very weak. We have every man armed and ready to fight in case the Warding fails, but all is quiet, so he must still live. They have not yet ordered the gates to be barred.”
“We’ll go to him now,” Zarek said.
The palace halls were wide and white, and they passed few other people. No one questioned them, though Ana thought they must look terribly out of place. Her boots were dirty, her clothes were torn and stained, and her hair was tangled.
“Are we going to see the emperor now?” she asked, a little out of breath. Zarek was walking swiftly.
“Yes.”
Zarek knew exactly where to go. He led them up grand staircases, around corners, and across wide halls with marble floors.
Ana had never been in a building as grand as this one before. At last, they arrived at the emperor’s room. Three men wearing huge swords guarded the door. But as before, when they saw Zarek, they let him through without question. Dane had once told Ana that Zarek was the most skilled soldier in Sarine. Clearly, he was very important here. All the guards treated him with obvious respect.
They entered the room and saw the emperor lying in a large bed, attended by several people. Zarek went straight to his bedside, knelt and took his hand.
“Emperor Callonen, we found the ring!” Zarek beckoned Ana forward.
She looked down at the emperor. He seemed ancient, his face gray and tired.
When the emperor saw her, he closed his eyes and tears leaked from beneath his lashes. After a moment, he peered up at her and asked, “Allia?”
“No. She was my mother. I’m Cirana,” she said. “But I’ve always been called Ana.”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I thought that I was—” He took a breath, appearing to gather the strength to speak. “You look so very like her… Cirana. What a beautiful name. My dear, do you know how the ring works? Are you willing to heal me?”
She studied him for a long moment. His eyes were a deep, warm brown. The same color she saw whenever she looked in a mirror. His expression was sad, but his voice was kind, and Ana liked him at once. She could sense he was a good person, and she wanted him to be well.
“I have used the ring before. And I want to help you.” She sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch him.
Zarek
ZAREK COULD SEE ANA STIFFEN as her fingers touched Emperor Callonen. Her muscles clenched and tears ran down her cheeks. She was shaking with pain, but she didn’t cry out. In a moment, it passed, and Zarek caught her as she collapsed and slipped off the bed.
The emperor rose to his feet and looked down at Ana.
“Is she all right?”
Zarek bent to listen to her breathing. “I think so.”
“Allia’s child. She looks so much like her mother. I can’t believe you found her. And you kept her safe. You saved Sarine!”
The gratitude in his expression was so profound it embarrassed Zarek. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. “She saved us,” he said, looking down at Ana. “She’s a brave girl, and she’s been through so much. We protected her as well as we could…”
Zarek turned away. Ana had been hurt so often during their journey, despite all his efforts. And Dane had given his life protecting her.
As if he could read Zarek’s mind, Emperor Callonen gently asked, “Where is Dane?”
Zarek felt his stomach clench. “I only left them for a moment to get some water, but a group of Aran soldiers attacked. Dane tried to stop them from taking Ana, and they wounded him. I went after them and brought Ana back. I hoped she could use the ring to help Dane, but by the time we reached him, it was too late.”
Emperor Callonen gripped Zarek’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry. I want you to tell me everything, but first, we must take care of her. And you should rest and eat. I’m so proud of you. You did this impossible thing, and our empire owes you a great debt.”
“I’m honored to have served the empire well.” Zarek bowed his head.
It was more important that he had saved Ana. She was a rare and wonderful person, and he couldn’t stand the thought of the demons destroying her.
Zarek carried Ana through the halls with the emperor at his side. Everyone stared in amazement. No one but his closest advisers had seen Callonen for some time. It had been months since he’d been able to leave his room. Now, he appeared well and strong.
They brought Ana to the head of the imperial household, a kind, red-haired woman named Tess.
“My lord,” Tess exclaimed when she saw them. “You’re well, and you’re all right!” She dashed forward, hugging Emperor Callonen, and then stepped back, embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I know that wasn’t proper.”
“It’s all right,” he said. “Look.” He turned to show her the girl in Zarek’s arms.
Tess burst into tears.
“You recognize her then?”
“Of course I do,” Tess said. “But how can it be? She looks just like Allia—” She fell silent abruptly.
After a moment, she wiped her eyes, bowed to the emperor and said, “Follow me. We will take care of her.”
Tess led them to a large bedroom, one of the finest rooms in the palace. Zarek set Ana on the soft bed. “I’ll be back later to check on her,” he said to Tess.
Zarek went to his own rooms. It had been almost a year since he’d been there, but he didn’t see a speck of dust anywhere. The room looked just as it always had, elegant and comfortable. He eyed the bed longingly, but he was far too dirty. He went to the large bathtub and was pleasantly surprised to find it already full of hot water. Tess seemed to read his mind. She ran the palace so well he hardly ever had to ask for anything.
When he had bathed and shaved, he found clean clothes in his wardrobe. These were a little dusty, but he was sure if he had given Tess any warning at all, they would have been washed for him. It felt strange to be wearing something clean, not his old clothes. He’d been gone for so long.
The bed still looked soft and tempting, but he couldn’t relax until he checked on Ana. His gaze moved back and forth between a pair of new, polished boots set neatly in the bottom of the wardrobe and his old, comfortable dirty ones. Unable to decide, he left the room in stocking feet.
It was late by then, and hardly anyone remained in the halls. Zarek went back to the room where he had left Ana. He knocked softly, and Tess let him in. He went to the side of the bed and looked down at the girl. She’d been bathed and dressed in a soft white nightdress. With what must have taken great effort, someone had combed her long, honey-colored hair until it was smooth. The healers had been there to examine her arm and clean and wrap her injuries, and Tess was just finishing putting a soothing salve on her bruises and scratches.
“She’s still sleeping,” Tess whispered.
“Thank you for taking care of her,” Zarek said to Tess. “She’s had such a hard time.”
“I can see she has, poor thing.”
“She’s very brave,” he said. “She saved all of us tonight. You’ve seen the ring work before. You know she’ll sleep for days yet.”
“Yes,” Tess said. “And it is Allia’s ring, isn’t it? How did she come to have it? I mean, how could she have gotten away after Allia gave it to her? None of the others escaped. Harrow said he’d hidden her. But that’s the only thing we knew.”
“Ana told me that Harrow gave her to an old woman, who cared for her until she died nine years ago. Then Ana was taken in by a villager in Bright Springs,” Zarek said. “She’s had the ring as long as she can remember.”
“And she knows Allia was her mother? This sweet girl has endured so much. We’re not the only ones who lost loved ones.”
“I know Allia was your best friend, and you loved Harrow.”
“And Talon was your father,” Tess said, taking his hand. “So much tragedy…”
Zarek looked down at the sleeping girl. “The others are gone, but now, beyond all hope, we’ve found her.”
Tess brushed a lock of hair from Ana’s face, looking down at her silently.
“I can watch,” Zarek said. “Go to bed. You must have had a long day.”
“I’m fine,” Tess protested. “You just got back.”
“I will watch,” Zarek repeated.
Tess nodded and turned to go.
“And Tess, thank you for sending the hot water.”
Pausing in the doorway, she smiled. “Do you need anything else?”
“If anyone is still awake in the kitchen, please have them find me something to eat,” he said. “And make sure they send breakfast in the morning.”
CHAPTER NINE
Year of Warding 38, White City, Sarine
Ana
ANA WOKE SLOWLY. She had been having a beautiful, peaceful dream about a white palace in the sky, where she rested on a soft feathery cloud. While she kept her eyes closed, the dream would last, and she wouldn’t have to get up and start running again.
“Ana?”
She heard Zarek’s voice. “Don’t wake me up,” she murmured without opening her eyes. “I’m dreaming of a beautiful palace. And I’m too tired to run anymore.”
He laughed.
“Do we have to go?”
“No. But you can open your eyes.”
Cautiously, she opened them and saw the morning sun shining on white walls. Zarek was sitting in a large, soft chair beside the bed. She gazed around in wonder. “It’s real.” The room was more luxurious than any she’d ever seen. There were tall windows on one wall, with long, rich draperies. Ornate wardrobes, thick carpets and tables with vases of flowers furnished the room. Deep comfortable chairs were drawn up before a magnificent fireplace, with a bright fire burning in it.
“Are you sure this isn’t a dream?” she whispered. “What happened?”
“We’ve done it, that’s what happened. We made it to the city, and you healed the emperor.”
“Everything is all right then?”
“Yes.”
“And the Shekkar can’t come here?”
“No. Thanks to you, the emperor is now well and strong, and his power will continue to protect this land.”
Ana smiled and nestled deeper into the feather bed. She stared at her hands.
“What are you looking at?” Zarek asked curiously.
“My fingernails are clean.”
He laughed again. “Will you have your breakfast, my lady?”
“Yes, please!” Her empty stomach growled. Zarek brought a silver tray loaded with buttered toast, eggs and fruit and set it on her lap. It smelled delicious.
“Do you need help?” he asked.
She was too weak to lift her arms. Her fingers moved at her command, but she could do nothing else. “I can’t move,” she said, looking up at him.
“Don’t worry,” he replied. “You’ll feel better in a couple of days, and I don’t mind helping you.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.” Zarek placed a thick pillow behind her. “All you have to do is open your mouth.”
The food tasted wonderful, finer than she had ever eaten, and even better after the last few weeks of hunger.
“Is it better than my cooking?”
“Maybe a little,” she said with a grin. “You’re pretty good at cooking over a fire.”
Zarek only laughed. “I’ll have to give up the rest of my work to focus on cooking.”
“Aren’t you hungry?” she asked, swallowing a piece of thickly buttered toast.
“No, I ate already.”
She stared at him as she chewed. “You look different,” she said thoughtfully. And then she felt her face grow hot with embarrassment when she realized what the change was.
Zarek was clean. He had bathed and shaved. His hair was washed and trimmed. His worn trousers and jacket had been exchanged for a spotless white tunic.
“You look like a king,” she said, staring at him. She felt very awkward amid the luxury of her new surroundings. But Zarek stood, bowed to her, and smiled, and she couldn’t help but smile back.
There was a knock at the door, and the guard came in. “His Majesty, the Emperor of Sarine is here.”
Ana didn’t feel ready to meet the Emperor of Sarine. He was here now? Her insides twisted with nervousness. She looked at Zarek.
He seemed calm. “We’re ready.”
“Why is the emperor here?”
“He’s come to see you,” Zarek said. “I’ll give you two some time to talk.” He went to the door.
“You’re leaving? But… I should get up at least,” she protested, trying unsuccessfully again to move.
The guards opened the door, and the emperor himself came in. Ana felt herself shaking with nervousness. She didn’t know how to act in front of an emperor.
He did not look like the same man she’d met when they had arrived. Rather than being frail and weak, he stood tall and powerful. His clothes were ornate and his bearing, commanding. His hair, which had been thin and gray when she had last seen him, was now thick and dark. The lines of pain and worry were gone from his face. Before, she’d thought he was elderly. Now she realized he was barely middle-aged.
She felt the need to stand in his presence, or at least to do something.
He seemed to realize this.
“Please rest, Cirana.” His voice sounded just as kind as it had before, and as he drew nearer, she sensed it represented his true nature.
She felt more relaxed and lay back against the pillows to look at him.
“May I?” He sat down in the chair by the bed.
