Red Hood's Revenge

fighting to save a life. “She fears what will happen when Sleeping Beauty returns to Arathea. Her family has ruled but a handful of years. Yours ruled for three centuries. The people would rally to you, Talia. They would follow you.”
    Talia swallowed. “I didn’t come here to take back my throne, Khardija. Queen Lakhim isn’t the threat. Zestan and the Wild Hunt are.”
    Screams and hoofbeats from the street interrupted them. Talia drew her knife without thinking, but the rider was already thundering past the temple.
    “Faziya believed, as you, that Zestan and the Hunt were the greater danger.”
    “That’s why she left, isn’t it?” Faziya was no warrior, but she was clever. “She went to the church, didn’t she? To ask for their help to protect her people from the Hunt.” No one knew more of fairy history than the priests of the church.
    Mother Khardija sighed. “I might have been wrong when I tried to stop Faziya from helping you.”
    Both the unexpected admission and the change in subject threw Talia off-balance. “I don’t understand.”
    “Even as I tended your body’s wounds, I could see your soul growing stronger.” She knelt and began cutting the ruquq flowers. “I worried what the company of criminals would do to you. Looking at you now, seeing the woman you have become, I admit Faziya might have known your needs better than I.”
    Talia bent down to help, gathering the round flowers into a single pile. “What happened to her, Mother?”
    “When Sister Faziya failed to return, I went to the church myself. Father Uf’uyan was unavailable, but Father Yasar told me Sister Faziya had come to see them. He said Faziya was upset and had most likely returned to the desert.”
    Talia shook her head. “She wouldn’t leave without speaking to you.”
    “I agree.” She raised a dirt-smeared hand to Talia’s face. “I know you, child. Even now you think to smash down the doors of the church and beat the truth from the priests.”
    Talia was already rising. “Something like that, yes.”
    “Faziya may be beyond your help.”
    The words were like a sword sliding through her chest. “If so, the priests will need more than prayers to protect them.”
     
    The temple storeroom was as busy as Talia had ever seen, with sisters bustling past to pack everything they would need to care for their patients. Talia dodged to one side as a young girl emerged carrying a stack of blankets.
    Inside the storeroom, Talia helped herself to a dark gray silk shirt and a pair of black trousers. She chose clothes for the others and hurried back to her room, stopping only to grab food and drink from the kitchen.
    The cats still patrolled the entrance, but apparently they had accepted her as safe, as they allowed her to pass without waking Danielle.
    Talia changed in silence, leaving her sleeves open and loose to allow her to reach the knives on her forearms. The pants she tied off at the ankles. A black sash circled her waist, knotted on the left hip. She hoped fashion hadn’t changed too much in the time she had been away.
    She tucked a longer knife through the sash. Her zaraq whip balanced things out on the other side, hidden by the knot. Her sword went through the back where she could reach it with either hand. She draped a white cape over her shoulders, buttoning the top. Black tassels at the hem weighted the cape enough to hide her weapons from casual view.
    The sounds of the Wild Hunt had vanished. She glanced at her companions, reluctant to wake them. Snow in particular needed sleep after working so much magic the day before.
    The noise of the temple saved her that choice. With the Hunt gone, the sisters redoubled their efforts to evacuate the grounds. Footsteps hurried past, and the groans and cries of the patients soon filled the temple as people hobbled from their rooms on injuries not yet fully healed.
    Roudette was first to wake, bolting upright and staring at Talia for a moment before relaxing. Danielle followed, and finally Snow pulled her blanket over her head and mumbled, “It’s still dark!”
    Talia grabbed the edge of the blanket and yanked it away. “The Hunt is gone. If you won’t get up on your own, I’ll find something to help you. The desert is full of snakes and lizards that love to curl up with a nice warm body.”
    Snow glared. “Try it and I’ll turn you into one.”
    Roudette was already helping herself to the breakfast Talia had brought. Steam rose from a torn loaf of