Shai

For the next two days, Shai didn’t see much of Jistan as he ran about preparing for the quest. He checked to make sure weapons were sharpened and armor was oiled, oversaw the packing of various supplies, supervised which stewards and other servants were chosen to come along, and helped with some of the soldiers’ training.

Shai watched from her balcony one day as Jistan instructed men out in the courtyard on how to thrust their weapons or place their footing. He mostly worked with newly appointed RDP soldiers, but even some of the older warriors listened to his advice. Although he was new to the lead position, the soldiers seemed to respect him. Shai didn’t know how he did it. But she knew she could trust him to teach her the basics of weapon training. She needed to know just enough to be able to handle herself when it came to confronting Edmun.

Thinking of the Cliq member who’d come to wreck her life, she scrutinized every corner and shadow in the courtyard below. Ed could be hiding anywhere. Most likely he’d left the palace grounds, but she couldn’t be sure. It would’ve been stupid for him to stick around and risk getting caught. Then again, he wanted to keep her in his sights.

She already searched her bedroom thoroughly, and he wasn’t here. Still, she was very self-conscious every time she changed her clothes, afraid he could be watching.

Goddess, am I going to be terrified he’s watching me the whole way to Zanteos? Why does he even have to come? Can’t Madame Kalyssah just trust I’ll bring her the chest because I don’t want her to hurt Mama?

Shai had received a letter from Malaika yesterday, saying she was fine and not to worry. She said she was working on a new sweater and would have it done by the time Shai got back so her daughter could wear it when the weather turned cooler.

So Shai didn’t have to worry about her mother’s safety. Not anytime soon, anyway.

She returned her attention to Jistan below. He wore sleeveless brown practice armor, and she couldn’t help admiring the way his muscles bunched and rippled beneath his bronze skin. It was no wonder the ladies were infatuated with him. Not only was he a prince, but one of the most handsome men in Valizea.

Shai rubbed her warming cheeks. Stop thinking about him like that! He will never look at you that way. You’re a criminal. And you’re planning to betray him.

After she gave the chest to The Cliq, she would have to stay with them or escape Valizea with her mother. She could never face Jistan again. Not only would he be crushed by what she did, but he might even be required to imprison her, or worse, have her executed.

So she couldn’t let herself desire the prince. And there was the fact that she shouldn’t want him, not after what he did to Leiam. But Shai actually needed that type of cruelty in herself when it came to Ed and The Cliq.

Still, seeing Jistan like that had bothered her. He was too eager to please the emperor. And if the prince was willing to blackmail someone and steal from another sovereign for his father, what else would he be willing to do?

Shai had many reasons not to get involved with him. So she would do what she’d done for years: put her feelings for him inside a box and lock it tight. Then forget about it. It was the only way she could get through this quest.

She groaned and turned away from the balcony to continue packing for tomorrow’s departure. She didn’t have much to put in her pack, only clothes, underwear, a change of shoes, some necessities, and a couple books to occupy her time during their travels.

After a few minutes, someone knocked on her door. When she answered it, a servant bowed and held out a leather box. She thanked him and took it into her room, laying the box on her bed before lifting the lid.

A lavender robe made of soft cotton lay inside. It was her mancer robe, with a hood, a bird-and-vine sigil representing the RDP on the left chest area, and a kente pattern along the sleeves and hem. She was required to wear it tonight to say the oath and sign the contract to officially become part of the RDP.

She pulled the robe out of the box and held it up, frowning at it. Was it even legal to be in a gang of thieves and a royal army at the same time?

She would definitely be the first to do so.

* * *

The next morning, there was much hustle and bustle in the palace courtyard as Jistan’s battalion prepared for departure. The foggy morning air swirled around them as they shuffled to and fro in the twilight hour before dawn. Soldiers saddled horses and strapped weapons to their belts. Wagons were loaded with food, drink, extra weapons, and other supplies. One whole cart held mana regeneration potions, the vials clacking together as the crates were loaded in.

There was a lot of chatter, hugs, and kisses among the gathering as they said goodbye to loved ones. Shai remembered how tight her mother held her a few days ago before she left The Cliq’s hideout. The memory made her eyes well up, and she wiped them.

As the sun fully crested the horizon, Jistan and his father said goodbye, clasping forearms briefly before the prince mounted a black stallion. Shai was already mounted on a brown mare next to him. He gave her a nod, and she nodded back. Then he pulled out a map to study while they waited for the last of their company to climb onto horses or into wagons.

Shai would be riding near the front with Jistan, Qiara, and Raz. The rest of the heist team was riding near the back with the other mancers. Most of the RDP soldiers were male, but there were some females sprinkled throughout. The mancers skilled in close combat wore chainmail and leather, such as the lightmancers and darkmancers. The other battle mancers—bloodmancers, pyromancers, etc.—wore robes matching the color of their abilities: electromancers in yellow, aquamancers in medium blue, and the like. The RDP sigil glinted on everyone’s uniforms.

Unmancers were known for wearing indigo, but Jistan had the lavender one made special for Shai. There were two slits at the bottom of it to help her walk easier, and underneath she wore white leggings and a sleeveless bodice. She felt like an official part of the army, not like a thief from The Cliq. So she was a walking falsehood.

Jistan himself wore a navy, gold, and silver leather uniform—navy and gold being his royal colors, silver for his status as a chronomancer. His sigil was in silver as well.

Shai was fiddling with the flared sleeves of her robe when Raz rode over on his own mount, stopping next to the prince.

“Everything’s all set, Your Highness,” the second-in-command said. “We’re ready for departure.”

Jistan nodded and held up a hand for all to see, then twirled his finger in the signal for them to move out. Shai grabbed the reins, giving her horse a nudge with the heels of her boots. Everyone moved forward, all one hundred soldiers and thirty stewards, horse hooves clopping and cart wheels squeaking. Those staying behind waved and started up a cheer of, “Casland, Casland!”

When they passed through the gate and onto the road, Shai immediately started looking to the left and right, searching for Edmun.

Qiara noticed and asked, “Are you looking for something? Or someone?”

Shai whipped her head toward her. “Hm? Oh, I…thought Mama might show up to bid me farewell.” She gripped her reins harder and forced herself to keep her gaze straight ahead.

Maybe Ed got distracted and forgot today was departure day. Maybe he got drunk and passed out, like he did on occasion. Maybe the battalion would leave him far behind and he’d give up trying to follow them.

And maybe Shai should hope everyone would forget the Obsidian Chest existed while she was at it.

As they traveled through the streets of Valizea, she glanced toward the part of town where The Cliq’s hideout was located. She swallowed, praying to the Goddess of All that her mother would stay safe.

Many of Valizea’s commoners came out in the streets or to their windows to cheer on the prince and his procession. Shai smiled and waved at a group of kids who had climbed onto the lip of a fountain to watch them pass. The kids waved back, beaming in excitement.

“Does this make you feel like royalty?” Jistan asked, looking over at Shai.

“Maybe a little,” she replied. Being royal or highborn was something she sometimes wanted to be, and at other times she was glad she wasn’t.

When they left the city, they started up a dirt road leading northward. For hours, they passed by villages, farms, and grassland. Forests, ponds, and hills. They even passed by a soaring stone tower where meteoromancers worked, regulating the local weather to make sure there was never too much or too little rain, protecting people from windstorms and floods. Today, clouds drifted through the sky, so they would probably bring rain within the next couple of days.

Shai had traveled outside of Valizea a few times for heists Madame Kalyssah sent her on, but she’d never journeyed more than a few leagues outside of the city. Certainly never to the borders or to other countries.

As she looked out over the peaceful land, it was hard to imagine other parts of the world being torn apart by war. What made all the countries bordering Casland want to suddenly break peace treaties? Wouldn’t it be smarter for them to all form an alliance and take down Emperor Akeil as one? Why make it a competition to see which country could take control of Casland first?

A lot of factors about the Crossover War made no sense to Shai, at least from what she heard on the streets. And then there was the fact that she—something she was sure Jistan would dislike about her—never really cared if Casland was conquered by someone else. The fall of Emperor Akeil wouldn’t impact her in a negative way. Although now that she was back in Jistan’s life, she did care what happened to him.

Which was why this heist was necessary. To save Casland and the monarchy. Supposedly.

The battalion traveled most of the day, stopping only to eat lunch and rest the horses. Around sunset, they stopped for the day so the pyromancers could begin building cookfires for supper and the stewards could start setting up tents.

While Jistan talked strategy with some of his soldiers, Shai went to find Qiara, who would be staying in a tent with three other electromancers. When she found her, Qiara was running her hands down her yellow robe over and over.

“I love my electromancer robe,” she gushed, twirling around in it. “The fabric is so light and soft! Not like the stiff polyester of the clothes from The Cliq.”

Shai rolled her eyes. “It makes you look like a lemon.”

Qiara swatted at her friend as Shai giggled. They chatted about the RDP soldiers and the oath they’d taken last night while supper cooked, the air filled with the scent of meat and vegetables. When the food was done, servants went around giving everyone bowls of food. Shai thanked the young boy who handed one to her.

“So, how are you liking this arrangement so far?” Shai asked her friend between bites of venison. “I already know you love the clothing.”

“It’s not so bad,” Qiara said, eating a slice of potato. “I like being around others of my kind who are experienced in battling with magic. They told me they’re going to help me train on our way to Zanteos. They say it’s good I can take down enemies with my power, but I need to be more disciplined, such as knowing the right amount of electricity to use when I don’t need to kill my foe.” She frowned. “The thing is, I don’t think most soldiers here know we were members of The Cliq. I doubt they’ll be so chummy once they find out.”

“Well, I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.”

“Agreed. We’ll be leaving them anyway to complete our quest in Zanteos.” Qiara took big bites of meat and bread, then talked around the food, “Wha’ abou’ you? How are you doin’? You an’ the prince seem to be getting along again.”

Shai shifted on the blanket they sat on. “We’re friendly, for now. But he’s been busy. I’ve barely talked to him all day.”

“Well, he is the leader of this expedition.”

“I know.” She scratched at her arm; she’d gotten a damn mosquito bite already.

“Did you expect this to be a romantic excursion where you two could rekindle your love for each other?” Qiara grinned.

“No!” Shai’s face grew hot. She lowered her voice when a couple of nearby mancers turned to stare. “Quit implying that I have feelings for him!”

“Fine. Keep denying it to yourself. But I know it bothered you the way he blackmailed Leiam.”

“It did, at first. But now I understand that sometimes you need to be cruel to protect yourself and those you care about.”

Qiara stared. “Really? That doesn’t sound like you. You always hated when I and the other Cliq members killed people.”

“Well, that I still don’t approve of. You killed people just to steal loot.”

“I killed for survival. If I didn’t do what Madame Kalyssah wanted, I would’ve been a dead woman. If I left The Cliq, I would’ve been beaten to death or I would have starved.”

“Maybe.”

“Jistan is cruel just because his father tells him he has to be. He could choose not to.”

“He tried asking Leiam nicely, at first. But it didn’t work. So he had to blackmail him.”

“Huh. I wonder if Jistan is changing you already.”

No, Shai thought. The threat of Ed hanging over me and Madame Kalyssah having my mother is changing me.

Qiara glanced around, then leaned in close. “I hadn’t asked you before, but what do you think about this heist the emperor has sent us on?”

“I don’t know. Something about it doesn’t feel right. Why is the object inside the Obsidian Chest a secret? And how could it possibly stop the Crossover War?” It was strange that Emperor Akeil hadn’t told anyone, not even his son, what lay inside the chest.

Qiara shrugged. “No idea. It’s been bothering me too. Maybe he plans to ransom it back to Zanteos on the condition they pull their mancers out of the battle.”

Shai pursed her lips. “Maybe. We may never know.” She’d be giving the chest to Madame Kalyssah, so she would never find out what Emperor Akeil had intended for it.

Her friend furrowed her eyebrows. “Why do you say that? You think we’re going to fail to steal the chest?”

“It’s possible.” Shai looked away.

“Nah. Not with us on the team. We’re experts at this.” Qiara cracked her knuckles.

“Yeah, we’re so good we ended up in a dungeon after our last heist.”

“Oh, hush, no one asked you to remind me of that.”

Shai chuckled.

After they finished eating, Qiara said, “Oh, guess what? We’re allowed to drink all the booze we want while on this journey, and the electromancers in my tent have a whole barrel of rum! Want to come drink with us tonight?”

“No thanks,” Shai answered. “I’m going to see what Jistan’s doing.” As her friend got a sly look on her face, Shai quickly added, “Don’t even think it! I just want to talk to him about the heist.”

“Sure you do.”

Shai rolled her eyes and left her friend, heading toward the center of camp amidst the falling darkness and flickering glow of fires. Some of the soldiers she passed nodded in respect; they knew she was a powerful unmancer and important to the prince. She nodded back at them and kept going.

The night had a slight chill to it, so she was grateful for her long-sleeved robe, the hem of it swishing against the grass with every step she took. Around her, the camp’s chatter and laughter mostly drowned out the nature sounds of chirping crickets and hooting owls. She felt much safer around these soldiers than when she was surrounded by bandits.

She stopped at her own tent first, wondering if she should go inside and wash her mouth out with water and put a mint leaf on her tongue. Then she thought of why she wanted to do that and blushed. She should just head straight to Jistan’s pavilion.

However, as she tried to continue past her tent opening, someone reached out and grabbed her arm, tugging her inside.

A scream clawed up her throat and stuck there when she saw it was just Edmun. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm her pounding heart, but it continued thundering in her ears.

She jerked her arm out of his grip. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Just letting you know I’m here, and I’m watching you.” A corner of his lips rose in a smirk, revealing some of his crooked teeth.

She should’ve known it was too much to hope he wouldn’t come with them. “How did you even get here? No one saw you?”

“I hid in a supply wagon. And I’m dressed like a steward, so I go unnoticed for the most part. One soldier questioned me a little too forcefully, so I dealt with him.”

She tensed. “What does that mean?”

“Relax. There’s no body to find, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

She did relax her shoulders, until he added, “I cremated it, so he’s only ashes now.”

She closed her eyes with an exhale, her teeth clenching. “You’re a monster.”

“Why, thank you.”

She glared at him. “You do know it’ll be suspicious when they discover him missing, right?”

He shrugged. “Maybe they’ll think he ran away.”

She massaged her forehead, praying for restraint. “You being here is a bad idea. You could ruin this whole operation.”

“I told you, there’s no need to fret. No one knows who I really am. You and Q are the only two who would recognize me.”

“Speaking of, I haven’t told Q you’re stalking me, but beware if she finds out. She’ll probably electrocute you to death.”

He laughed. “I’d love to see her try before I burn her to ashes.”

“You really think I’d allow that?”

He turned his back to her, pacing around the tent. “Look at you, playing at being the badass unmancer. Your magic can only get you so far in our world, darling.”

For now, she thought, anxious to start her weapon training. She still kept Nahya on her out of habit, and she’d been trained how to stab someone in defense, but she’d only ever used it on weak men who used to accost her on the streets. Ed would disarm her before she could ever raise Nahya on him.

“Madame Kalyssah has my mother,” she growled. “That will ensure I come back to Valizea with the chest. You don’t need to follow me.”

“Oh, but what if you need my help? Maybe I can incapacitate the prince if he gets in the way of you taking the chest to Madame Kalyssah.”

Shai huffed, going over to her bag. “Get out.”

“Fine, fine. I just came to say hello. I’ll be around, probably outside the camp.”

“Great. If you get eaten by wolves out there, I won’t shed any tears.”

He chuckled again. “Ah, Shai. I love our spats. Always entertaining.” He winked at her, then left through the tent flap.

She sighed and thrust a mint leaf into her mouth, chewing furiously.