Lord of the White Hell Book One

Chapter Twenty-Four

He woke in Javier's bedroom, tucked beneath warm blankets. Golden firelight outlined Javier's silhouette, casting his features into shadow. Strands of black hair fell into his eyes and he flicked it aside.

"Ybu need to get a haircut," Kiram remarked. His voice sounded strange and weak.

"Kiram?" Relief sounded through Javier's voice. "You're awake?"

"Yfes." Something about the darkness of the surrounding shadows and the quiet made him suddenly think that it must be night. He remembered falling when Javier had opened the white hell but it had only been late afternoon then. "What happened?"

"You collapsed." Javier touched the edge of the bed and for a moment Kiram thought he might take his hand. Instead his fingers clenched around the corner of the comforter, crumpling it. "I couldn't wake you."

"The duera was probably too strong," Rafie said from across the room. Startled, Kiram rose up onto his elbows. He had been so focused on Javier that he hadn't noticed either his uncle or Alizadeh sitting before the fire only a few feet from the foot of the bed. Firelight glinted along the long spiraling curls of Alizadeh's hair. He gave Kiram a sly wink. Rafie's expression was more troubled. He rose from his chair and went to Kiram's side.

He touched Kiram's forehead lightly and then placed his warm strong fingers against Kiram's throat, checking his pulse.

"Do you have any pain?" Rafie asked.

"Not really." Kiram sat up. He felt oddly groggy. "My arm hurts but not badly. I'm a little tired."

"I think he could use a glass of bitter water. Do you have anything like that here?" Rafie asked of Javier.

"I'll have some brought up to him at once." Javier gazed down at Kiram for a moment and his concern seemed so obvious that Kiram had to drop his own gaze to the clean surface of his blankets. Javier turned away and left the room.

The moment the door closed behind him, Alizadeh bounded from his seat to Kiram's side. He caught hold of Kiram's lotus medallion and held it against his palm, where it glowed dully from between Alizadeh's fingers. As the medallion grew luminous, the dizzy sensation in Kiram's head faded; then at last Alizadeh laid the medallion gently against Kiram's chest. Then he stood silently with his eyes closed and his head bowed.

Seconds passed while Rafie nervously eyed the door. "Young Lord Tornesal will be back soon."

Alizadeh nodded and opened his eyes.

"Kiram was right. The shajdi has not been contaminated. It is changed, more linked to this physical realm, but its essence is pure. I should have been able to see all of this without harming you, Kiram, but I underestimated the defenses your duke has placed around himself."Alizadeh gestured to the vast expanse of symbols drawn across Javier's floor and inscribed into his ceiling. "I'm sorry if I pained you."

"It's all right. I needed the rest anyway."

Kiram was far too relieved by Alizadeh's assessment of the white hell to complain about the brief, terrible chill that had swept through him just before he had lost consciousness.

"He's very attentive, your duke," Alizadeh said.

"Too attentive," Rafie added. "We couldn't get him to leave your side, until just now."

Kiram couldn't help grinning at the rush of happiness he felt upon hearing this.

"I did tell him that you were entrusting Kiram's wellbeing into his care," Alizadeh commented to Rafie.

"Yfes, but who thought he'd take you so seriously? He's what…eighteen? You'd think he'd be bored by staring at Kiram after a few hours."

"I don't think he would." Alizadeh still gazed at the symbols on the floor. "The more I find out about Lord Tornesal the more I'm inclined to agree with Kiram. We should do what we can to protect him."

"Really?" Hope made Kiram's voice rise almost childishly. "You'll break the curse that's been set against him?"

Alizadeh frowned. "I told you before, it isn't a curse. It's something else disguised as a curse."

"Wouldn't that make it easier to destroy than a real curse like the Old Rage?" Kiram asked.

Alizadeh just shook his head.

"I understand curses," Alizadeh said. "I know the very essence of them, but this is something very different. It moves like the Old Rage but it feels empty. If it has no pain or anger then I have no way to appease it or to bind it." Alizadeh scowled at the floor. "I've never encountered anything like it and I would be a fool, risking my life as well as your duke's if I attacked blindly."

"But you said-" Kiram began.

"I said that there might be a way to save your duke. And there may be." Alizadeh laid a hand on his shoulder. "I have to meet with the Circle of the Red Oak in Anacleto. If this shadow curse has been active for nearly eighteen years then someone may well have knowledge of it."

"If they don't?" Kiram asked.

"Then we'll have to depend on the information that you can gather here at the duke's side." Alizadeh shrugged. "It's the only way."

"He's just a boy," Rafie said with a pained frown. "And not even a Bahiim."

"The shajdi must not fall into the hands of the man on the hill." Alizadeh's expression was serious. "And to be honest I'm nearly as loathe to leave him here as you are, but he is the only one with access to the academy as well as the duke. He shouldn't be in any danger so long as the man on the hill remains focused upon the Tornesals." Alizadeh gave Rafie a reassuring smile. "And the duke certainly seems dedicated enough to Kiram's safety."

"I don't like this," Rafie replied.

"I know," Alizadeh said. "But it's vital that we keep someone close to the duke. And I don't believe we could hope to place anyone closer to him than Kiram is already."

"He's too young," Rafie insisted. Kiram wanted to argue that he was not, but held his tongue. Alizadeh already supported him, and no one else had as much experience or success convincing Rafie to change his mind.

"We don't have the luxury of being sentimental now, my love." Alizadeh caught Rafie's hand and lifted it to his lips, pressing a kiss into his palm. "You saw how Kiram fought on the tournament ground; he's plainly not a child anymore."

Rafie shook his head but offered no further argument.

Deep pride welled up in Kiram's chest. Not only was he being allowed to stay at the academy, Alizadeh was entrusting him with a mission.

"While you are at the academy you must wear the medallion I gave you at all times," Alizadeh told Kiram. "Once a week hold it over a candle flame until the lotus turns white. If something threatens you or your duke, I'll know and do what I can."

Kiram nodded but had no time to ask more of Alizadeh. Javier returned a moment later. A nervous servant followed him, carrying a tray of powdered bitters and a steaming apothecary pot which he deposited on the bedside table. With a bow that was more of a convulsion of fear, the servant then fled the room, careful to avoid stepping on the profane writing. Kiram thought he saw Alizadeh stifle a laugh at this performance. Javier didn't seem to notice any of it, his attention fully focused on Kiram.

As Rafie stirred the bitters into the pot, sharp, herbal scents rose on the steam.

Javier returned to his bedside chair but didn't sit. Instead he leaned over the back of the chair and watched while Kiram drank the steamed bitters. Kiram tried not to make a sour face as he gulped down the hot, astringent liquid.

"You should get a little more sleep," Rafie told Kiram.

"I can't," Kiram replied. "I have to check in with Master Ignacio-"

"You're nearly two bells too late for that," Javier said.

"What? He's going to kill me." Kiram almost choked on the bitters. "I've got to go."

"He's not going to kill you." For the first time since Kiram had woken Javier's usual tone of mocking amusement returned. "He told me to make sure you were well and rested for the tournament tomorrow."

"He's not angry?"

"I didn't say that, but he knew you were injured and after he saw you for himself he was satisfied that you weren't feigning illness."

"He came here to see me?" The image of the war master scowling down at his unconscious body sent a chill snaking down his spine.

"When neither of us reported he came storming in," Javier replied.

"Into this room?" Kiram couldn't imagine any Cadeleonian barging into Javier's bedroom, not when trained footmen practically pissed themselves just delivering a glorified teapot.

"Up to the threshold." Javier smirked. "He didn't come any further, but he didn't need to. As soon as he saw your uncle redressing your arm he told me not to bother waking you."

Kiram glanced down at his forearm and for the first time noticed that the bandages had been changed. Only a few spots of blood colored the white cloth. "It doesn't look that bad."

"It looked bad enough this afternoon." Javier crossed his arms over his chest. "You were white as clay and cold."

"I feel fine now."

"You boys are so resilient," Alizadeh, who had drifted back toward the fire, commented. "I envy your youth."

Kiram almost laughed at Alizadeh envying anyone's youth. The man hardly looked older than Javier in this flickering firelight.

"Finish your bitters," Rafie said.

Kiram obeyed his uncle, then slowly sank back into the bed. The warmth of the fire and the soft blankets engulfed him. Kiram closed his eyes, feeling both relaxed and satisfied. He'd convinced Alizadeh to take Javier's side. He would be staying at the academy. Relief welled through him like an opiate and he drifted.

"I know that these circumstances must seem terrible." Javier's voice was soft and seemed distant. Kiram thought he must have been talking to Rafie or Alizadeh. "But I assure you that Kiram is safe here. I give you my word that I will devote all my resources to his protection if you just allow him to remain at the Sagrada Academy."

Kiram opened his eyes. He couldn't see Javier's face but looking over his shoulder he glimpsed Rafie's serious expression. Sitting in a chair, Alizadeh bowed his head over a small talisman in his hand. He mouthed soft words but made no sound. He seemed unaware of the rest of them.

Kiram expected Rafie to inform Javier that he had already decided that Kiram would be staying.

Instead Rafie leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "Why do you want him to stay so badly?"

"He." Javier went quiet and when he did speak again his voice was so hushed that Kiram had to strain to hear him. "He's important to me."

Kiram watched as Rafie studied Javier in silence. Slowly, Rafie's harsh expression softened to sadness. "It won't be easy for either of you, you know."

"I'm not afraid of difficulty," Javier replied.

"Of course you're not." A brief scowl flickered across Rafie's face but then he sighed. "Alizadeh and I will be leaving first thing in the morning, but Kiram will remain here in your care."

Kiram saw the tension drop from Javier's shoulders. "Thank you, sir."

"Wait a year and see if you still want to thank me." Rafie frowned over Javier's shoulder to Kiram. "I may be doing you less of a favor than you think."