Page 93 of The Gilded Ones

“Deka,” Belcalis says, turning in the direction of the rumbling. “Put your helmet on. The army is near. They must not see your face.”

I do as she cautions and walk over to the deathshriek leader. “Lift your head,” I command. My words rumble through its body, squeezing its heart. It immediately complies. Once it does so, I add another command. “Speak but remain kneeling.”

The deathshriek leader’s expression as it looks up at me is a surprising mix of anger and disgust. When its voice emerges, it sounds gravelly but distinct. “Nuru…” it rasps.

I frown. There it is, that word again. That title. What does it mean?

“You betrayed…us…”

The unexpected words cut through my daze. I blink down at the deathshriek, shocked. “Betrayed you?” I ask.

The deathshriek hisses. “You…betrayed us…for the…humans…Nuru… We…will…never forgive you…this…Never.”

Exhaustion slams into me.

Then everything goes black.

When I wake, it’s dark and I’m lying inside a lush red tent. “The hero of the hour,” a voice cheers. “You’re awake.” To my shock, Emperor Gezo is sitting beside me, Keita, Asha, Adwapa, Gazal and Belcalis kneeling by his side. His face is covered by a mask today – a benevolent sun, shining down on his subjects.

I scramble to get up, but the emperor shakes his head. “No need to rise. You have already served Otera well this day. You may make use of this tent for as long as you need.”

I take in the luxurious fabrics, the gold accents. This is one of his private tents. “Thank you, Your Majesty,” I whisper, dazed. “Thank you.”

Then I remember…

“Britta!” I gasp, horrified.

“Your friend is right there.” The emperor points across the tent, where Britta lies, bandaged. “She will survive, but it was a close call. Thanks to this one” – he points to Gazal, who is kneeling, motionless, by his side – “she was able to get to a healer in time.”

My entire body sags. “Thank you,” I whisper again. “Thank you…”

The emperor nods. “Anything for you, Deka of Irfut. You saved us this day, and I imagine you will continue to do so in the days to come.” He pats my shoulder. “Rest now. We ride out again tomorrow.”

I bow again. “My deepest thanks, Your Majesty.”

The emperor smiles, then he gestures to Keita. “Come, let us give them their privacy.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Keita sends me a worried glance as he leaves.

Once they’re gone, I turn to Belcalis. “Help me up,” I rasp. I’m still so tired, I can barely move my limbs on my own.

As Belcalis walks over, Adwapa peers out of the tent to ensure that we’re truly alone. “What in infinity happened out there?” she asks, turning to us.

Gazal, for her part, remains where she is, head down, hands on her lap.

Belcalis shrugs. “You’ll have to ask Deka,” she says as she helps me over to Britta.

She’s lying on a bed, and her skin is so very pale. Even then, I’m thankful. That horrific blue colour has receded. “Is she truly all right?” I ask, clutching my chest. My heart is beating such a desperate beat now, I’m scared it’s going to jump out from behind my ribs.

“She’ll survive,” Belcalis says. “You made sure of that.”

“What are you two talking about?” Adwapa has closed the tent flap and rushed to the bedside. “What happened out there?”

“What happened is that Deka changed – her entire face, it just changed,” Belcalis explains. “She looked like… She looked not human.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Your face, Deka,” Belcalis says. “It looked like a deathshriek’s – but not. It was beautiful, yet terrifying… And when you spoke – if I hadn’t had the circlet you gave me, I would have lost my wits the way Gazal did.”

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