CHAPTER TWO

Knight-Marshal Bannlyth the Karst, Lord of Rubies, and First Knight of Shan Alee sat at his desk, marveling for what might have been the ninetieth time since summer started that he had a desk. Who in their right mind would ever give him a floundering desk? It was madness.

Has Reyn even met me? he wondered.

Worse than the terrifying reality of having a desk was that there was a study to put it in. Ban rarely had reason to come here, and even then, it was just to grab a map or report before taking it back out into the war room, where knights and officers could discuss the military matters facing the empire.

Though he had his own residence in the city, Ban's corner of the Imperial Palace was in the southeast wing on the second floor, just down the hall from Enfri's living quarters. He'd been told that the logic behind the decision was to minimize the distance between the empress and any high-ranking knights within the palace in case of an emergency. Ban supposed that made sense, but if he'd been in on the planning stages of designing Enfri's home, he'd have put any reminders of how violent and cruel the world really was as far from her as possible.

Growing impatient, Ban sorted through the stack of papers in front of him without really reading any of the words on them. Printed paper, even. Hugin and Nooka were awfully proud of the printing press down below on the first floor, within easy access of the palace clerks. Between other projects, the Lord of Emeralds and his partner green dragon threw a floundering printing press together in their spare time. Dratted contraption even worked well enough that Ban himself could put together a page if he felt so inclined. As of yet, that hadn't happened.

Ban stood and took a lap around his study, working through his anxiety as he waited. It wasn't an overly large room. Stone floor, stone walls, all spellwrought so that it appeared to have been carved from inside a solid block of granite. The desk, shelves, and other furnishings were all made of quality darkwood, a gift from the goodfolk of Old Sandharbor. Ban didn't think he much deserved the regard of the villagers, but he accepted the offerings regardless. Good, quality carpentry was hard to come by these days. An entire city needed furnishing, not to mention the new settlements out in the Miracle, and supply just couldn't keep up with the current demand.

Continuing his restless pacing, Ban gave the unobtrusive sigils carved around the room yet another inspection. Though Ban was a scrivener, these weren't of his making. He honestly didn't know who carved these, and it bothered him that no matter how many people he asked, no one seemed to know for certain. One of the Amber Knights— it had to be— but most of them were scriveners, and their dragons too for that matter. Little chance of figuring it out through process of elimination, and it probably wouldn't win him points with Dragon Lord Vanya if he made an issue of this paranoia during session.

All that said, he found no flaws in the spellcraft. No hidden function to it, either. In his expert opinion, the sigils were exactly the wards they were supposed to be. Hard as it was to admit, Ban wasn't as blindly trusting of his knights anymore. No one got a free pass, no one received unquestioned faith, and Ban was annoyed whenever he thought anyone was giving those things to him.

If Jin could betray Enfri, anyone could betray anyone.

He felt unnatural at the moment. Antsy. He wanted to be in his armor, or at the least, taking Arnln out for a ride. Maybe do a surprise inspection of the garrison. It was always a good idea to see what could be improved upon.

A legion on the march brought hundreds of unexpected problems with each day. A legion with nothing to do brought thousands. Ban wanted to believe his time was of better use attending to some of those issues, but he'd only be lying to himself. The task he set forth for today was probably the most vital issue facing the security of Shan Alee.

The Dragon Empress was vulnerable.

Tugging at the sleeves of his uniform, Ban rolled his neck to relieve the tension. It was a alright sort of uniform, one of the new ones. Up until settling in New Sandharbor, the legion followed Altieri dress standards. Now that Shan Alee was a sovereign nation in truth, that was among the first things to change.

The uniform of an Aleesh knight consisted of a long, double-breasted coat of dark green material with silver accents, a reflection of the colors of House Yora. The same colors were on the sharply pressed slacks, which then tucked into black-polished leather boots. Ban's uniform also bore golden epaulettes on the shoulder as his badge of office. For formal occasions, the uniform would also include a black beret, but Ban would rather he never had cause to place such a thing on his head. Those Gaulatian hats felt too lopsided to be considered proper headwear, and he had a sneaking suspicion that Enfri only chose them to be part of the uniform because it amused her to see Ban struggle with the floundering thing.

Grimacing, Ban scratched at his chin and rolled his neck needlessly for a second time. It came as a relief when a heavy knock sounded against his door.

"Enter."

The door opened and Ban's first officer came through. Knight-Captain Suuri Nolaas was newly assigned to his crew, the replacement for Ban's previous first officer. Ban liked Suuri well enough, but he often found himself missing Nat. But no, the floundering girl had to go and get herself noticed and have a red dragon request a bond with her. Of course he was pleased for Nat, but Ban liked having the people he trusted on his crew.

That was actually one of the benefits Suuri brought to the table. Not only had she proven herself a trustworthy addition to the Arcane Knights, she was a shifter, a vampire specifically, and was therefore incapable of receiving a viable bond between her soul and that of a dragon. No one was going to poach Ban's first officer out from under him again.

Suuri would almost be unassuming, but she had a few distinguishing traits that made her stand out. Her skin was pale gray, and her straight hair was pure white in the manner of the Irdish people. Suuri was originally from Japax, though her family descended from the city-state of Irdruin. That accounted for her mostly human heritage. Being a vampire, her canine teeth bore sharp fangs, and the irises of her eyes were bright scarlet. There was an intensity to her red gaze, like she was able to look through whomever was standing in front of her, and she almost always wore a small, uneven smile on her lips.

"I've brought the man you requested, Marshal." Suuri snapped a fist to the center of her chest in salute.

Ban nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Captain. Please send him in."

While Suuri stepped out of the study, Ban went back to his desk and took his seat. By the time he was settled, Suuri returned with one of the armsmen sworn to House Yora. The soldier came to the center of the study and stood at attention.

He was in armor, as if Suuri had collected him from the field. His green and silver tabard was covered in dust and splashed with mud. The armor had clumps of soil pressed into the chainmail and smeared across the steel plates.

Beyond basic gear such as a gambeson, a simple hauberk, boots, and possibly gauntlets, armsmen were supposed to be responsible for providing their own kit of armor. That this soldier possessed what appeared to be expertly crafted chain and plate equipment was somewhat out of the ordinary.

Many things about him were out of the ordinary. Rather, extraordinary. Which was why he was here.

"Sir," the armsman said crisply. "Reporting as ordered."

"Stand at ease, Sergeant," Ban said.

The sergeant widened his stance and clasped his hands behind his back. He looked straight ahead without allowing his eyes to stray.

Sergeant Narhta Inaz was a Protectorite, hailing from the collection of defunct kingdoms annexed by Althandor one hundred and twenty years earlier. He had an ovular face, a thick nose, and a lantern jaw. His eyes were a brownish-green color, and they were outwardly angled, which made him appear permanently fatigued. The tired appearance was further reinforced by slight bags under his eyes.

Ban looked again at his papers on Sergeant Inaz. Twenty-eight? Waves, the man would look ten years older than that on his best day.

He was tall, half a hand taller than Ban, making him six and a half feet. Thick, too. He looked as strong as an aurochs. Those big hands of his could crack walnuts. Maybe even ball bearings.

His skin was deep bronze, and he wore his black hair tied back in a long tail. The sides of his face and above his lip were clean shaven, but he maintained an interesting beard on his chin. A long, well-kept goatee with three braided forks. Also, like many Protectorite men, he wore black cosmetic eyeliner.

Ban gestured for Suuri to be about the next half of her errands. He was about to address the sergeant when he noted Suuri's hesitation. Ban's first-officer was... Waves, Suuri was practically mooning at Inaz like a village girl who'd just been danced with at festival. Ban cleared his throat.

Suuri blinked and her spine went rigid. She saluted Ban and all but fled from his study, closing the door behind her.

Odd. Ban didn't think Sergeant Inaz to be particularly good-looking. It could be Suuri was just drawn to a particular type. The town strongman type, or the prize fighter type. Inaz fit the bill for either.

Putting it out of his mind, Ban began the interview. "I hope this isn't interfering with your duties."

"No, sir. My patrol had just ended."

"Patrolling where?"

"Eastside of Ogre Town, sir."

Ban had to take a moment to think. Inaz must've been referring to where the ogres put together a motte-and-bailey fortification. Ban recalled Lord Vanya raising a bit of a stink over that, saying the ogres were in the way of carefully laid plans for the capital. The empress put an end to the debate by saying any fey tribe with her legion was owed a place in New Sandharbor wherever they wished it to be, and so the ogre enclave in Shan Alee's capital remained.

Ban gestured to Inaz's dirt-caked armor. "I take it that's where your kit reached this state?"

"Yes, sir. Apologies, sir."

"No, no. I'm just curious how it happened during a patrol."

Inaz fidgeted slightly. "It's become standard for the squad leader of any patrol in Ogre Town to trade Wager with the blooded kith keeping watch."

Ban raised an eyebrow. It wasn't giving and receiving challenges from ogres that caught his attention. No, that was more or less to be expected in any dealings with them. What interested Ban was Inaz's choice of terminology. He called ogre warriors blooded kith, the term they used for themselves. Not many mortals cared to learn, let alone use, fey phrasings.

"So, you... wrestled an ogre?"

Inaz's eyes went to Ban for the first time during the exchange and gave a slight shake of his head. "No, sir. Best avoid direct physical Wager. You have to go skill-based, or there's no way you're leaving without a lighter coin purse. Or minus a good piece from your kit."

Ban chuckled. "As you say."

"It was a... strange... contest today, sir."

"Now I have to know."

The explanation was delivered in a deadpan. "We each balanced on a chopping block. Stood on one leg. Took turns tossing a chicken between us, and the first to fall or drop the chicken loses. Double the loss for hurting the chicken."

Ban looked at the dirt smeared across Inaz's armor.

Inaz grimaced and shook his head. "I lost a good field spade today, sir."

"Well, I guess there's never any sure way to tell what an ogre will want off you." Ban shook the mental image of that contest out of his head before getting on with it. "Sergeant, how long have you been an armsman of House Yora?"

Inaz's eyes returned to a spot just above Ban's head. "I received my colors near five months ago in Ecclesia, on the Twentieth of Elm of this year, sir."

"Which means you've been with House Yora from its advent. How were you recruited?"

Inaz swallowed before he answered the question. Ban took note of that.

"I was among the refugees after the war in the Protectorate, sir. When the call came for able-bodied volunteers to enter the service of a young house, it seemed a worthwhile opportunity to earn a fair and steady wage."

Ban nodded. "When the call came," he said quietly, "who did the calling?"

Inaz blinked once. "Her Highness, Princess Jin Algara, sir."

Ban nodded again. He knew the answers already. Every Yora armsmen who joined in Ecclesia had been recruited by Jin. Ban wanted to see how Inaz reacted to the questions. "You've been with the empress' legion since she became empress, yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"You were at the Battle of Mount Vorti."

"Yes, sir. I rode to Sholis on the Delver."

"The Delver was lost at Mount Vorti. Killed in action by the Inamorata."

"Yes, sir. I had already been deployed with the ground forces."

"You then fought at the Battle of Moran Valley."

"Yes, sir."

"Who was your commander in the field?"

Inaz swallowed again. "Princess Jin Algara, sir."

"And at the Battle of Sandharbor, you came under her command again."

"Yes, sir."

"Elaborate on that."

"After the loss of the blooded kith at our center, Her Highness rallied the routing forces and brought them to reinforce and extricate the squads trapped by the Crescent Legion's advance."

"Which is where you were."

"Yes, sir."

"Jin saved your life."

"As you say, sir."

"You remained under her command for the entirety of the battle following that. Is this correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Two days of fighting. Through the nights. Ceaseless skirmishes against the hardest legion ever to come out of the north."

"Yes, sir."

"You were with Jin that entire time?"

"Yes, sir."

"What is your personal assessment of Princess Jin?"

He didn't hesitate to answer. "She is a fighter without equal, sir."

Ban waited until a count of ten, allowing Inaz's answer to hang in the air.

The elder magic of Ban's bloodline, hydromancy, granted him the power of insight. It drew from every piece of information he had, fitting them together to form the truth of something. The less he knew, the more ether was required, and the steeper his ransom would be. Ban let insight draw on his ether now, granting him the insight into Inaz he was looking for. He didn't know much about Inaz personally, but the few things he'd seen of Inaz's body language proved enough to get a clear picture.

Ban received his insight. Now to confirm it. He'd been burned by hydromancy before. It'd failed him with Jin, gave him what lay on the surface while failing to grant the deeper motives behind it. It hadn't helped that he'd been in the midst of trying to limit his use of hydromancy to avoid the costs of his bloodline's power. For those reasons, Ban wouldn't rely solely on elder magic for the important things ever again. Someone precious to him paid a high price for Ban to learn this lesson.

"Do you know why you're here, Sergeant?"

"No, sir."

"Are you aware of the current whereabouts of Princess Jin?"

"No, sir."

"Have you been aware of her absence these past three months?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you know the reason for that absence?"

"No, sir."

Ban raised an eyebrow. "You don't? You've heard nothing?"

"Rumors, sir."

"What are those rumors?"

"That Her Highness committed treason and fled the city, sir."

"Do you believe it?"

There, Inaz hesitated. "I do not accept rumor as fact." Another hesitation. "Sir."

"That wasn't an answer, Sergeant."

Inaz was perfectly still. He didn't blink.

"Do you believe Princess Jin committed treason against Shan Alee and the Dragon Empress?"

"I do not, sir."

"Why is that?"

There was a slight twitch in Inaz's shoulder. The right shoulder, his sword arm. Inaz was quiet, his calm expression descending into something that could be interpreted as anger. After a count of nine, he gave his response.

"Because that's shite, sir."

Ban grinned. Rising from his chair, Ban came around his desk and walked past Inaz to the door. "Follow me, Sergeant. You just passed test number one."

Inaz's brow furrowed. He turned his head to follow Ban but remained where he stood. "Sir?"

Ban cocked his head for him to get moving. "Today, Sergeant. Time for test number two."

Inaz followed Ban out of the study and into the war room, then out into the hallway. As they descended the grand staircase into the foyer, Inaz finally spoke up again.

"What is this about, sir?"

"You armed?"

"Of course, sir." He gripped the hilt of the longsword strapped to his hip.

"Good. There's an arsehole I need you to fight for me."

No one could have heard that and not want further explanation, but Inaz wasn't the type of soldier who addressed a superior without being spoken to. It almost amused Ban to stay quiet and see how long Inaz could stand not knowing.

Waves and tides, but Inaz was stiff. Ban had known professional soldiers all his life, been commanding them since he came of age, but he'd very seldom encountered anyone this straight-backed. Inaz had the sort of discipline that legion commanders wrote erotic novellas about.

They left the palace through the main entryway and walked out into the yard. They passed the stable, and Ban gave it a sidelong look as they continued on. Every time he looked at that structure since that night, he felt like he was seeing a nightmare coming into the real world. His stomach clenched, and he felt like he wanted to throw up.

Enfri suffered it the worst, but she hadn't been the only one to have her heart broken that night.

Ban walked with his chin a little closer to his chest from then on.

Further out into the palace grounds, Ban took Inaz onto an expansive lawn that stretched a good hundred paces all around the palace proper before reaching the wrought-iron fences surrounding the grounds. At Ban's side, Inaz furrowed his brow when he saw the gathering up ahead.

Ban was proud of this one. He'd told Enfri this sort of thing was going to be necessary now and again, and it'd be advisable to have the facilities in place to see it done in a civilized manner. Enfri was scandalized by the whole thing, hated the very idea of it, but she recognized sense when she heard it.

A section of the grounds was roped off. Packed dirt covered the lawn within the ropes, several cushioned benches lay beneath awnings around the perimeter, and three tents were erected equidistantly around the fifty-pace diameter arena. It was a simple set-up— Enfri refused to make a spectacle of such things— but a few nobles already sat beneath the awnings and curious onlookers gathered on the other side of the fence. It hadn't been especially publicized, but word of what was to happen today had made the rounds through the rumor mill.

Today would be the first official use of the imperial dueling arena, and Ban was pleased he'd found Enfri a champion in time.

"Lord Bannlyth," a haughty voice filled with bluster called out. A paunchy older lord came stomping across the grass from the direction of the furthest tent.

Ban made an effort to keep his face from sneering. "My lord. Fine day for a duel."

"I have waited long enough," Dego said in a raised voice. "These incessant delays are no more than further insult. I won't have it, boy. I simply will not!"

Lord Dego the Carolêna of Nadia had the distinction of being the first to ever extend an official challenge of grievance against House Yora. He was also a blathering idiot, and Ban wished his position would allow him to knock some manners into Dego's floundering gob. Ban came to a stop in front of the Carolêna and folded his hands in front of him as he weathered the tirade.

The shaved half of Dego's head had gone bald, and the rest was so thin that Ban doubted it hadn't come from a different head. Dego wore an opaque monocle over his left eye to follow Nadian fashion. He surely could see just fine out of that eye were it not covered, but Nadian vanity would never bow to good sense. Which was ironic, because every Nadian fashion had its roots in the wise practices of subterranean miners.

"To be sure, Lord Bannlyth, your young slip of an empress has tested my forbearance quite too..."

Ban seized Lord Dego by the collar of his silk waistcoat and pulled him forward until their noses were less than an inch apart. "You listen to me, you puffed up buffoon," Ban growled menacingly. "Another word like that and this won't be a matter for champions. I'll drag you into the street and beat you bloody in front of your wife."

Dego's face turned red as he sputtered his outrage.

Ban shoved him away and gave him a scowl. "See to your champion, my lord. Don't show your face to me again."

Dego huffed, tugged down on his waistcoat, and stormed back towards the arena.

Ban glanced to his side where Inaz was sliding the six inches of blade he'd bared back into his scabbard while glaring at the Carolêna's back. If Ban had his way, he wouldn't have given an open threat to a Nadian trade lord in front of the empress' home, but Inaz had been a silk thread's breadth from making an even more overt threat.

This hadn't been a planned test, but Ban took it as one. Thus far, the sergeant was living up to Ban's lofty expectations.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Inaz asked. His eyes were still following Lord Dego.

"Go ahead."

"Please tell me he's the arsehole."

"Regrettably, no. You're fighting the arsehole fighting on that arsehole's behalf."

Inaz grunted his disappointment.

Waves, I like this one.

Ban led Inaz to a different tent than Lord Dego's. Two of the tents around the arena were for the duelists, the third was occupied by a Citrine Knight and being prepared for in the event a surgeon was needed. Just in case.

Sending Inaz ahead to the tent to get himself ready for the match, Ban appreciated the sergeant not dragging his feet or asking just what all this nonsense was about. Instead, Inaz went right in and sat on a bench. Ban soon heard the scrape of a whetstone being drawn across a blade.

Not exactly proper for a duel, Ban thought as he turned around. The goal isn't actually to kill the other duelist. Just to make your point.

He went under one of the awnings and found one of his accomplices to this entire affair. "My lady."

"What's your game, you reprobate?" Pacifica scolded. "Half the city saw that little display with Lord Dego." She was mad enough that she was tugging at the thick braid of her scarlet hair draped over her shoulder.

"It was that or let Inaz stab him."

Pacifica scrunched up her face. She was such a pretty, little thing and a few years younger than Ban. Princess Pacifica Romov, Lady of Diamonds, had exceedingly fair skin and picked up a few freckles over the past few months. She had lovely blue eyes with hints of green, and she barely came up to Ban's chest. Still a shorty, ever since they were kids growing up together in the Salt Stone Palace from where her father once ruled Altier Nashal.

Twin sister of the current king of Ecclesia, head of the empress' diplomatic corps, Dragon Lord of the Diamond Knights, and the primary author of Shan Alee's constitution, Pacifica Romov was as much responsible for this empire's creation as anyone. It was Pacifica who first bestowed the title of a noble house on Enfri the Yora. King Sasha's seal lay on the papers, but no one disputed that it was Pacifica who wielded the ink pen.

She was also supposed to become Ban's wife once upon a time, but Ban did his best not to think about the Hell that would've condemned him to. He much preferred Pacifica as his sister of the heart.

There were others under the awning, and there were more mighty than mortals. Adar the Ascendent, Eldest of the gold chroma, was never far from his Diamond Knight anymore, not after their last separation. Another was Kimpo the Huntress, Ban's bound partner and Eldest of the red chroma.

Kimpo was shooting Ban sidelong looks as she stood with her arms crossed. Not hostile or unfriendly, just... Kimpo-like. Ban's Huntress was quite possibly the biggest softy in the empire, but she'd rather die than let anyone suspect it.

While she was polymorphed into her human form, Kimpo retained the coloration of her true body. Dragons were certainly capable of changing their coloration to appear indistinguishable from humans or whatever else they chose to be, they just didn't like to. Hated to, even. More than their shape, it was their chroma where they found their identity.

Kimpo's charcoal black skin was marked by whorls of scarlet all across her body, particularly around her face and shoulders. Her bright green eyes and silver hair added to her striking appearance. Kimpo looked to have crafted her features using a northern woman as her model. She had the face of a queen, the body of a concubine, and she was the oldest and strongest warrior in the world.

Ban was just happy she'd finally gotten into the habit of wearing pants.

"You aren't allowed to start the fun just yet, little warrior," Kimpo said. A fond smile appeared on her face. "That's for this mortal you've chosen."

"Fun, indeed," Pacifica harrumphed. "Enfri's against all this."

"Of course she is," Ban said. He went to the rope barrier surrounding the arena and leaned against it. "She wouldn't be Enfri if she was suddenly all for louts in armor cutting each other up with swords. That's why we're doing this."

Adar came forward a step, giving Ban a thoughtful look. "I take it you refer to more than House Carolêna's dispute with House Yora."

Kimpo grunted. "I think Enfri said it herself well enough. If this was really about the Nadians getting bent out of shape over Shan Alee devaluing their quarries, she could come down here and trounce the fool herself. But this is beneath our beloved. She requires a champion to settle petty disputes in her name."

"Professional duelists," Pacifica scoffed with disdain. "Relics of a time best forgotten. If lords are going to go around pissing each other off, they should have the decency of coming to blows themselves and not send others to take the lumps for them."

"As Enfri would rather do it," Kimpo said. "She could take Dego. Have you seen her arms as of late?"

Ban shook his head and watched Lord Dego's champion walk out into the arena. A herald shouted out the duelist's name and his many victories in service to his lord to the amazement and adulations of the spectators. As the lists of his achievements were given, the Carolêna's champion presented himself to those in attendance.

Full plate armor covered every inch of him, polished and shining in the midday sun. He carried a heater shield that bore the crest of House Carolêna, a roaring lion's head, and wore a tabard displaying the house's colors of violet and green.

Ban chuckled. "Pacifica, you just argued against the very basis of warfare."

"I most certainly did," she replied.

Ban hummed. "Fair point. But if the alternative to a duel is sending the Rubies to burn down Lord Dego's holdings, we all know which option the empress would prefer."

Adar placed his golden-skinned hand on Pacifica's shoulder. "Most preferable is if this trade lord could swallow his pride for a moment, but as the marshal said, love, this isn't about the duel. It's about evaluating Sergeant Inaz."

"When we get down to it," Ban said, "Enfri doesn't need a champion. It's beneficial to have someone on hand who can handle idiocy like this, but that's not what I need him for."

Inaz left his tent. It looked like he'd cleaned his armor to a degree. At the very least, he'd given the plates a wipe down with a rag before coming out. He accepted an open-faced barbute helm from an attendant and stepped over the ropes to approach the arena's center.

"Is that him?" Pacifica asked.

Ban glanced her way. "Aye."

She fanned herself. "Waves and tides..."

Ban snapped his head to look at her. "Explain, because that's the second time one of you lady persons saw something I can't."

Pacifica shot him a brief glare. "Lady persons. Of all the... But you mean you don't see it?"

Ban scratched his head. "I thought I could tell if a man's pretty."

"It's not just about pretty, Ban, but if you can't see how gorgeous that man is, you're blind."

He didn't like the edge of condescension in her tone. Ban shrugged, accepting her word on it, then watched as Dego's champion and Inaz listened to the official witness lay out the conditions of the duel. Until the yield or inability to stand.

Kimpo and Adar both turned to the third dragon standing beneath their awning. The dragon came forward to the barrier and watched the duelists with keen, yellow eyes. Her green skin bore stripes in a slightly darker shade and was speckled throughout with tiny spots of yellow and white. Her jet black hair was worn in a Nadian style, an undercut with bangs obscuring her left eye. Broad-shouldered, muscular physique, and equal to Ban in height. Mevek the Guardian was a hellebore dragon, daughter of her chroma's Eldest.

"If you mean for this soldier to become my partner, I would see how he performs before agreeing to this bond."

"Giving him a dragon bond would be breaking our own rules," Pacifica said. "He's not an arcanist, Ban. We learned the hard way how dangerous that can be."

"Mevek will train him enough so the bond won't risk harming them," Ban said, "but it's not an arcanist we need as Enfri's bodyguard. We need a killer."

The herald's announcement of Inaz's arrival was far less lengthy than his opponent's. His name, battalion, regiment, and nothing else. The onlookers almost seemed disappointed that their empress' champion, a scuffed and burly armsman, was so much less impressive than the shining knight standing across from him.

Inaz rolled his right shoulder and raised his sword into basic first stance. He hadn't brought out a shield like the other fighter.

The Carolêna's champion scoffed and lazily assumed fourth stance, the sword form widely accepted as best for combatting an armored opponent.

"I chose Narhta Inaz for a reason," Ban said as the duelists closed the distance between them with slow steps. "After Jin turned on us, I started looking the very next morning. Every knight, every aviator, every soldier of every battalion, I sorted through every fighter in the legion to find someone like him.

"I already know Inaz can fight. He was a mercenary for years in the Protectorate. I didn't tell him, but I knew of his name during the war against the goblins. When he showed up on my lists, I wondered what would possess a man who fought for coin to fight for Shan Alee. Talking to him, I figured it out. Inaz fought as much for Jin as he does for Enfri. He dedicated his blade to their service.

"Anyone who can keep pace with Jin for two days is equal to what we're asking of him, but that doesn't matter so much as what else Inaz brings to the table. He's loyal to his empress, and even with half the empire whispering about what happened, he's remained loyal to Jin, too."

Adar and Mevek both furrowed their brows. Pacifica and Kimpo nodded in understanding.

"Why would you want Her Majesty's bodyguard to admire a fugitive?" Mevek asked.

"Because one way or another, Jin won't stay gone forever," Ban said. "I'll bring her back myself if I have to, knock some sense back into her if I can. I don't know what went wrong, but I'll never believe everything they went through together was for nothing. Enfri needs someone to watch her back until Jin comes home, and I need that man to be someone who won't stand in Jin's way if she comes back on her own."

Mevek frowned. "I've not heard this said before, so I will say it. Princess Jin coming back on her own could lead to tragedy for this empire."

Ban gave a sad and reluctant nod. "I know, Lady Guardian. That's why I'm partnering Inaz with you. He can guard against the riffraff or the more talented cut throats an empress needs protection from. You're there to guard against royal assassins."

"My chroma is the only one capable of withstanding an osteomancer's elder magic," Mevek said. "If there is a need to face a black hound for the empress, I will."

Pacifica gave the duel her rapt attention. She gasped appreciatively as Inaz deftly turned aside every one of his opponent's strikes. After the first handful of exchanges, her expression grew suddenly apprehensive. "Ban, I have another concern."

"Spit it out, Cifi."

She swatted him without taking her eyes away from the duel. "You don't think there's a chance he and Enfri will..."

Ban nearly choked. "Waves, Pacifica!"

"It's a valid concern."

"He's courting," Ban said. "With a girl from Chaya Domun, I gather."

Pacifica nodded, seemingly put at ease. "Good. Good. Just needed to be asked, I think. You know how hopeless Enfri can be around attractive people."

Ban did his utmost to hide his befuddlement.

Out in the arena, Lord Dego's champion lay sprawled in the dust. A sizable dent marred the side of his helm. Ban had missed the final blow, but it looked like Inaz clocked Dego's duelist across the head with the hilt of his sword. Inaz strode away to the applause of the Aleesh for his defense of the empress' honor.

"I've taken my measure of him," Mevek said. "As you say, Marshal. I will have Narhta Inaz for my Peridot Knight."

"Very good, Lady Guardian," Ban said. He reached to his side to pat Pacifica's hand. "I'll feel better with the two of you at Enfri's side in the days ahead. As much as we want next week to go well, there's no guarantee King Cathis will accept Enfri's fealty."

"We'll see," Pacifica said, returning the pat. "As soon as Cathis arrives, we'll see."