Alara Unbroken - Doug Beyer [117]
“There you are,” said the girl—Thokka, or whatever. She had managed to get him in his gown despite himself. “How handsome you look. You’re all ready to receive the Sigil of the Grand Laurel. Now let’s go, sir, we can’t afford to keep the Blessed caste waiting. Would you like to wear your sword to the ceremony, sir, or Knight Mubin’s?”
“I’m not one to choose,” he said.
As she led him out of the chamber, he watched the spider speed across the wall for a moment, then turn suddenly, then move in a slow arc back to the place where it had started.
NAYA
Ajani pushed a sponge into the bottom of the wooden bucket, soaking up the water and cleanser, and squeezed it out. He scrubbed the rough stone floor of Jazal’s lair, where the bed had been, wiping up the stains. The spot had discolored to black and had soaked into the porous stone, but Ajani worked at it with vigor.
“Ajani? Can I come in?” Zaliki’s voice.
Ajani didn’t look up. “I don’t know. Do you think you deserve to come in here?”
Zaliki watched him scrub the stain from the mouth of the cave.
“You’re right. I’ll go.”
“Wait, Zaliki. I have to tell you something.”
She stopped, but didn’t face him. “What is it.”
“I’m going. Tonight.”
“Where?” She turned. “Away from Naya?”
“Away from everything. Away from Alara.”
She watched him squeeze water onto the stain. Rehydrated blood flowed along cracks in the floor.
“Will you ever be back?”
“I can’t say,” he said. “I don’t think this world is … meant for me. I don’t know.”
“I’ll miss you,” she said.
“I’m appointing you kha.”
“What?”
“I’ve met with the elders. In light of recent events, they not only look me in the eye now—they’ve offered me leadership of the pride. But I’m abdicating the kha position to you. Please, do this for me.”
“Ajani, I—”
“I need to know that someone will take care of this pride. Someone who will carry on what Jazal was trying to do. Who will reunify with the Cloud Nacatl and communicate with the elves. Someone who will make sure no one is trying to infiltrate us again.”
“And for that you choose me?”
“I know. It sounds strange. To be honest, I thought about killing you for a while.”
Zaliki swallowed.
“I’m sorry. But I decided you understood what you’d done. In fact, you’re the one I’d most rely on never to fall into a trap from outside the pride again. You’ve seen what it leads to, and it’s hurt you. You’d be the last person to make that mistake now.”
“Is that … forgiveness?”
“It’s close. It’s trust.”
Zaliki’s eyes scanned the ceiling of the cave. “Thank you.”
“I’ve made all the arrangements. Please go now.”
She opened her mouth, but closed it again. She looked at him one last time, and left.
Ajani scrubbed all night until the floor was clean. He carried the bucket outside the lair and dumped the soiled water over the ledge, into the jungle below.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Doug Beyer started out as a MAGIC: THE GATHERING® fan, then became web developer for magicthegathering.com, then prolific flavor text writer, and eventually, the coordinator for MAGIC™ creative text. His background is in philosophy, computer programming, and cognitive science. Alara Unbroken is his first novel. He resides in Seattle, WA.
Magic: The Gathering
Alara Unbroken
©2009 Wizards of the Coast LLC
All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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Published by Wizards of the Coast LLC
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eISBN: 978-0-7869-5582-4