Free In Her Name: The First Empress: Book 01 - From Chaos Born by Michael R. Hicks Page B

around the grip of her sword.
    “And you have hosted travelers from afar who have seen her?”
    “Of course,” Ulana-Tath told him. “Some had come just to see her, others were passing through to or from the campaign in the east, or were engaged in trade. What of it?”
    “Ayan-Dar, what is it?”  
    The old priest could sense Kunan-Lohr’s heart thudding in his chest. Following the instinct of his consort, he, too, now gripped his sword, no doubt fearing that Ayan-Dar had, despite his earlier words, come to do their daughter harm.
    “You need not fear me, my lord. But I would ask this of you: post a guard, your most trusted warriors, to protect her. From this moment onward, let no one see her unless you would trust them with your daughter’s life. No one .”
    “But why?” Ulana-Tath stepped closer, fixing his good eye with her frightened gaze.  
    “Because, mistress of Keel-A’ar, she is, as you told me, different.” Ayan-Dar turned back to look again at the child. “And in a civilization that has existed in equilibrium for hundreds of thousands of cycles, things that are different tend to not long survive.” He put his hand on Kunan-Lohr’s shoulder. “Swear to me that you will do as I ask.”
    “We can do nothing else, my priest.” Kunan-Lohr answered, bowing his head. “We are bound by honor to answer to those of the ancient orders as we would any mistress or master.”  
    “Do it not for honor and the Way, but for the life of your daughter.”
    “Would someone threaten her, a child? Here?” Ulana-Tath shook her head in disbelief. “Even the honorless ones do not harm children.”
    “I do not know, my child. But I also do not wish to take any chances.” Ayan-Dar frowned. “There are too many coincidences here. I have many questions, but only one place to turn for answers, I fear.”
    “What do you mean?”
    Ayan-Dar ignored Ulana-Tath’s question. Instead, he whirled on his heel, his cloak fluttering in his wake. “I must leave at once.” Calling over his shoulder, he told them, “Do as I bade you. I shall return as soon as I can.”
    In mid-stride, he vanished, leaving nothing but a brief, chill wind behind him.
    Keel-Tath clapped her hands together, as if amused by the spectacle. The wet nurse held her closely, eyes wide with fear.
    A brace of warriors led by Anin-Khan charged into the chamber, swords drawn.
    “My lord!” He looked around a moment, confused. He had sensed the alarm of his master and mistress and had come at once. Now, he found that the priest was gone, and there was no threat that he could see.
    “Your sense of timing is without fault, as always.” Kunan-Lohr had known Anin-Khan since childhood, and they had both become warriors in the kazha of the Desh-Ka that lay in the forest not many leagues distant. “The priest of the Desh-Ka…suggested that we put a guard on our daughter, Keel-Tath. She could be in danger.”
    Anin-Khan’s face twisted into disbelief before settling into an expression of outrage. “Not while I live and breathe, my lord.”
    “Then I will ask you to see to it, captain of the guard. Choose only your most trusted and capable warriors, those you can spare from their duty defending the city.”
    “It shall be done.” Anin-Khan saluted, then turned to the six warriors who had accompanied him, quietly laying out his orders to form a guard on the master’s daughter.
    “Come, my love.” With a caress of Keel-Tath’s cheek, Kunan-Lohr led Ulana-Tath from the creche.  
    As they made their way silently along the streets to the citadel, he worried over not only the priest’s words of warning, but the timing of the strange affair. He and Ulana-Tath had no choice but to return to the East, where war awaited them, leaving their daughter behind.
    He felt Ulana-Tath’s hand on his arm as fear took root deep inside him.

CHAPTER FIVE

    T’ier-Kunai stared out the crystal window that overlooked the arenas that were at the center of the Desh-Ka