Page 101 of North Queen
Her offense caught Abilash by surprise. Then he noticed the Shadow King approaching and gave a bow. “Salar, I’m glad to see you’re recovering, my friend,” he said, in an effort to change the subject.
Anger rose within her at being dismissed. “No thanks to your men,” she said shortly. “Is that how you treat yourfriends? Attacking those under their protection and then poisoning them?”
Abilash, his face heavy with dishonor, looked at Mikael. “My men didn’t know who they were attacking, and we suffer great shame. We offer you our deepest apology and whatever you require to mend the bond between Kharav and our people.”
Mikael didn’t appear to be in a forgiving state. “The North Queen’s attackers. I want their families. Ten years’ servitude in Kharav as restitution for their crimes.”
Abilash nodded reluctantly.
Norah gasped. “Their families?” Mikael’s eyes found hers, and they held a warning, but she couldn’t help herself. “Sins of the father are not sins of the son,” she said, objecting. “You punish innocents.”
His face gave away nothing, but she knew she was pushing him for clemency he wasn’t accustomed to.
“There must be recompense,” he said.
“One fitting of the crime!”
His eyes blazed. “And what do you think is fitting of assaulting a queen?”
It wasn’t lost on her that he called for restitution only for her grievance, not his own. Norah felt like the men guilty had already paid the ultimate penalty, but he wouldn’t leave with nothing. “What about the mare?” Norah asked, and Abilash’s eyes widened. She knew the horse was valuable if they would let men die over it. “We’ll take the mare instead.”
A tension rippled through the air, one that Norah didn’t understand. The commander’s face darkened—he was perhaps offended by her audacity to bargain as a prisoner.
Mikael looked at her with reluctance in his eyes, but then he turned to Abilash and surprised them all. “I’ll have the mare,” he said.
Abilash’s face hardened, but he gave a stiff nod. “Our friendship with Kharav is very dear to us. If the North Queen can ride the beast, it’s hers.”
Norah sensed Abilash doubted she could ride the mare. She doubted it herself. Mikael shifted uncomfortably, and she feared he would interfere.
“I accept,” she blurted, and turned back to the enclosure before he could stop her.
Norah approached the mare again, and the horse shook her head. “Easy,” she whispered, reaching out her hand. The mare allowed her touch, but Norah wasn’t sure about riding her. “I told you I’d get you out of here, but you have to trust me. Can you do that?”
The mare snorted.
“I’m going to trust you too,” she said. “I’m going to trust that you won’t maim me or make a fool of me. We can help each other.”
Ever so carefully, she stepped to the side of the mare, who snorted again and turned to watch her. Norah reached over her back and slowly put weight on the animal. The mare waited. Summoning her courage, Norah gathered a fist of mane in her hand and jumped up, rocking her weight forward over the horse’s back. Mounting a horse with no saddle wasn’t the most elegant of actions—it was certainly not how she pictured herself doing it in her mind, and she struggled a bit before she swung her leg awkwardly over. Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited for either acceptance or a quick throw. But fortune was with her, and the mare moved quietly underneath her. Norah urged her forward and toward the gate. “Open it,” she called.
The men looked at each other in astonishment and swung the gate open wide, watching in awe as Norah rode through.
The commander gave a beat to the ground with his spear as she passed. “Don’t get any ideas,” he threatened.
She frowned. He’d already struck a horse from underneath her, and she knew he’d do it again. Away from the enclosure, she slid off the horse, sure the mare would immediately bolt, but she didn’t. Norah reached out and ran her hand under the thick mane, reveling in the warmth. “You’d be crazy to stay,” she said, “but I could really use a friend right now.”
The mare gave a snort and shook her head but seemed even-tempered and calm. Norah gave her a pat, leaving her there and making the short distance back to Mikael and King Abilash.
Mikael’s eyes had a look that she didn’t understand, but he turned to Abilash with a nod. “I forgive the transgressions of your people. Restitution has been paid.”
“We look forward to your return,” Abilash told him. Then he gave another stiff nod and turned back to his waiting Horsemen.
“I’ll ready the men,” the commander told Mikael as they walked toward the center house.
“What?” She didn’t understand. “Are we leaving?”
“We are.”
So soon? “We can’t leave. You can barely walk. You’re not fit to travel.” She followed Mikael into the house.
