Lannahi reassured herself of these facts when she was accused of violating the Cardinal Rule.
“The tremor was caused by Ashared,” Nimmat told her when the evacuation was over and they were surrounded by earth elementals in Peacekeeper uniforms.
Lannahi looked at her, confused. All she remembered from the events in the arena was her lover’s unconscious face. There were flashes of Letiri trying to pull her away from Ashared. Of Mahir and Kazurr and even Maal. Then it turned out that Ashared’s heart was still beating, and ever since they got out of the Arena via the Rescue Trail that Nimmat had opened, Lannahi had been kneeling on the ground, holding his cool, limp hand, praying that the Peacekeeper’s enchantment that had closed the wound on his stomach would also work from the inside.
“As far I know Ashared can’t use landshaper magic,” Letiri said, standing near Lannahi.
“We suspect that his powers were dormant,” the Arbiter said, “and Lannahi’s song awakened them.”
This time Letiri had an equally confused look on her face as her younger sister.
“Lissahi heard the Charm in your voice when you sang,” Nimmat turned to Lannahi. “Didn’t you use it on purpose?”
Since only the strongest enchanters were able to influence living beings, this question seemed absurd to Lannahi, but when she realized that the woman had asked the question in all seriousness, she replied hoarsely, “I-I can’t enchant people.”
Nimmat exchanged a meaningful glance with the enchantress standing next to her.
“We have yet to confirm this, but you are probably a late blossom,” the Peacekeeper said. “Like Ashared’s powers, yours were also partially dormant. It is likely they were released due to your strong emotions.” She gestured at the man lying on the ground. “I saw with my own eyes his life leave him, but you told him to live.”
Then Ashared, still unconscious, was taken to the wilderness for fear that he would cause another quake, and Lannahi was forced to promise to appear for interrogation, the date of which was yet to be set.
“The Guides will soon begin to open the Trails,” Nimmat informed them at the end. “The Peacekeepers have found no trace of the enemy army in Goldenshadows so you can safely return home.”
These words pulled Lannahi out of her numbness, but before she could fully grasp the implication of the woman’s words, Maal asked, “Nihhal was lying?”
“We will find out when we subject him to questioning,” the Arbiter replied diplomatically. “The investigation in the Sun Valley is pending.”
The last sentence sounded like it was part of a conversation in which Lannahi wasn’t a participant, and she suddenly started seeing the details that she had missed earlier. Her siblings wore uniforms instead of their usual chic outfits. Letiri’s hair was braided instead of loose and Maal’s usually immaculate hairstyle was now slightly disheveled. They both looked at Nimmat as if they understood what she was talking about.
“Sun Valley?” Lannahi asked. “What does Sun Valley have to do with this?”
Letiri touched her arm gently. “We’ll explain when we get home. Come.”
Lannahi obediently let herself be led, and at the sight of the dark chasm and the ruins of the Black Arena, all questions fled from her mind. When they met Sarkal and Asirri, tired and worried but safe and sound, no one seemed to remember that she was a queen, and it was only when she passed the Trail and stood in the portal square in Goldenshadows that she realized that she didn’t know what her new status was. Officially, she hadn’t lost the Royal Duel, but everyone present knew that under normal circumstances she would have been defeated.
We have yet to confirm this, but you are probably a late blossom. Like Ashared’s powers, yours were also partially dormant. It is likely they were released due to your strong emotions.
The Peacekeeper’s words mingled in her head with her own voice.
I hear the song of stones…
Live!
The feelings boiling inside her seemed like an overwhelming mass so Lannahi turned her attention away from them and focused on her surroundings. She was at home.
Goldenshadows was seething with Peacekeepers. Lannahi learned that her father had contacted the Arbiters after he returned from his visit to Goldfrost. The Arbiters were doubly interested in the case because of an investigation that they were conducting on Baruh and how he had seized power in Sunhorn. The coup suggested the involvement of an enchanter, and since there were so few of them present in Burning Desert, Nihhal was quickly suspected. Within days, the Arbiters had discovered Nihhal’s ties to Baruh, but were also able to identity his spies, who were charmed servants working in the palace. The last fact was a reason that Sarkal asked the Arbiters to pay close attention during the Royal Duel between Nihhal and Lannahi.
“You knew?” Lannahi asked.
“I suspected,” her father admitted bleakly. After a moment he asked, “What was the curse he put on you?”
When he heard her answer, he clenched his fists. “I should have guessed,” he said, pale with grief and rage. “So suddenly—” He broke off and frowned, regarding her carefully. “Why did you decide to issue a Challenge on your first Sabbath? Why did you risk so much? If you had stayed, maybe we would have discovered it sooner…”
“It was a bait. I didn’t know when Nihhal would put his plans into action, but I knew he would start from me. I hoped that if I became a Player, he wouldn’t resist the temptation to humiliate me in public, and that way Goldenshadows would have at least three days to prepare for battle.” Lannahi smiled faintly. “It seems that my assessment of his character was correct.”
A stunned silence fell in the chamber. Even Asirri, who usually had more composure than her husband, couldn’t hide her astonishment, just like the judges before whom Lannahi repeated her confession a few days later.
After the Black Tower Court dropped the charges against her and placed the blame on Nihhal instead, Sarkal began the feast issued for the occasion with a toast, “To Lannahi! May her courage be an inspiration to us all!”
