Red Hood's Revenge

curse’s power broken, it’s hard to be certain. But I do not believe this spell was laid by a deev.”
    Muhazil held the knife in his hand. He had polished the blade, or perhaps that glassy finish was an effect of its magic. “The law is clear. Had you brought proof of the deev, every tribe would join behind you to hunt her down.” He kissed the blade, then returned it to the sheath strapped over his heart.
    Talia’s fists tightened. “You can’t—”
    “Without proof, I can offer you only my own tribe,” Muhazil continued.
    Talia stared. “What?”
    “If fighting this Zestan-e-Jheg will end the Wild Hunt’s attacks on our people, we will give you whatever help we can.” Muhazil smiled. “Have you any hints as to where she might be?”
    “Not yet,” Roudette said. “Remove this enchantment. When the Wild Hunt returns to the desert tonight, I will hunt them. They will give us Zestan.”
    “You’re assuming they return to Zestan at the end of the night,” Snow said. “The Wild Hunt vanishes with the coming of dawn. You can’t track them beyond this world.”
    Roudette bared her teeth. “I said nothing of following them. They’re weakest as dawn approaches. Let me pick off one of their number. I can drag him from the rest and force him to tell me what I need to know.” She yanked back her collar, exposing the silver mark. “Take back your curse, and we will have our proof.”
    “While we wait here, trusting you to keep your word?” Talia asked. “I think not. Even if you manage to capture a hunter without getting yourself killed, I’m not about to release you into the desert without a leash.”
    Roudette shrugged. She had expected as much. With time, she might have been able to sway Danielle, but Talia was far too careful.
    “What about Queen Lakhim?” Danielle asked. “If you were to work with her to find Zestan—”
    “I killed her son,” Talia said. “She would have me killed the moment I showed my face, both to avenge Jihab and to prevent me from being used against her. If Lakhim had the resources to find Zestan, she would have done so already.”
    Roudette stood, straightening her cape. “Lakhim might not be able to find Zestan, but Rajil will help.”
    “Rajil?” Talia repeated. “The same Rajil we robbed and humiliated?”
    “Exactly.” She turned toward Snow. “All the raikhs have scrying pools that allow them to receive commands from the queen. Can you use your mirrors to reach Rajil’s pool?”
    “That depends on what kind of protections they’ve raised, but I should be able to.” Snow narrowed her eyes. “What exactly are we going to tell her?”
    “Not we.” Roudette smiled. “Me. Having captured Sleeping Beauty, I wish to negotiate directly with Zestan. My original contract was with Lakhim, but surely a great fairy can offer more than any human queen.”
    Talia glanced down, as if to assure herself that Faziya was still sleeping. Lowering her voice, she said, “Zestan will want proof. She won’t even talk to you unless you have me.”
    “So we go together,” said Roudette. “I deliver you to Zestan. In doing so, we lead the Kha’iida to Zestan’s doorstep. The Kha’iida spread the word, and all Arathea turns against her. We should alert Lakhim as well, so that her people can reinforce the Kha’iida.”
    “What happens to you and Talia?” Danielle asked.
    Roudette watched Talia closely. Talia knew what Roudette was proposing, and she knew the likely outcome.
    “I won’t let Zestan use me against Arathea,” Talia said.
    “Zestan could be anywhere,” Snow protested. “By the time the Kha’iida catch up—”
    “I know.” Talia turned toward Muhazil. “Queen Lakhim owns an ebony stallion, a magical statue with the speed to travel anywhere in Arathea in the time it takes to speak its name. The horse could carry individual riders back and forth.”
    “How do you know this?” Muhazil asked.
    Talia snorted. “She stole it from my family.”
    “There are Kha’iida camped less than a day’s ride from the palace,” said Muhazil. “Our knives bind us. I will have them send riders to Lakhim, urging her to come to hai’ir tel.”
    Roudette bared her teeth. “By the time they arrive, they might find Talia and myself toasting our victory over the deev. Imagine the stories they’d tell.”
    “More likely they’ll find your corpses,” said Snow. “It’s not just Zestan you have to fight. Who knows what guardians she’s gathered in