Ghost in the Winds (Ghost Exile #9) - Jonathan Moeller Page 0,58
the best course of action. Callatas had the Seal and the Staff and the Star, everything he needed to cast the Apotheosis. Once Kalgri and Callatas stepped through the gate and into the netherworld, there was no way that Caina and Annarah and Morgant could follow them. Furthermore, Caina and her allies had been trapped on Pyramid Isle, surrounded by the lesser nagataaru that Kharnaces and the Harbinger had summoned.
Also, Caina had found that damned valikon from somewhere. It wasn’t the one she had used against Kalgri at Silent Ash Temple, so she must have found it within the Tomb. Kalgri thought it stupid of Kharnaces to have kept a valikon, and the Voice hissed its full agreement. That was why Kalgri herself did not keep trophies, why she discarded anything that was not of use.
Kharnaces should have followed her example.
And in that final confrontation, Kalgri had been on the verge of collapse. Caina had that damned valikon, and that weapon could have killed both Kalgri and Callatas. At her full strength, Kalgri would not have feared Caina’s mediocre skill with a sword, but Kalgri had not been anywhere near her full strength, and fighting Caina then might have led to her death.
No, in hindsight, retreating had been the correct decision. Callatas had the Staff and the Seal, and Caina and her friends had been trapped with no hope of escape. Kalgri’s mind and logic told her that she had made the correct choice.
And yet…
She had the nagging feeling that she had made a mistake, that she should have made sure that Caina was dead, and Kalgri had not survived for so long by ignoring her instincts.
Kalgri was utterly certain that Caina could not escape Pyramid Isle.
She had also been certain that Caina would die at Rumarah, that Caina had been mortally wounded at the Corsair’s Rest…and that had turned out quite differently than Kalgri had expected. She had maneuvered Caina and Cassander into destroying one another…but Caina had walked away from that confrontation and Cassander Nilas had not.
Kalgri had been wrong all those times.
Was she wrong now?
She couldn’t see how. Even if Caina had escaped and returned to her ship and set sail at once, she was still a minimum of five days from Istarinmul. The Apotheosis would be finished by then.
And yet…
That gnawing doubt would not leave Kalgri, no matter how much logic she applied to it.
She listened with half an ear as Erghulan tried to justify his failures to Callatas. Perhaps Callatas would lose his temper and order Kalgri to kill the Grand Wazir…
The presence thundered inside her skull.
HUNTRESS.
The furious rage and hunger of Kotuluk Iblis filled her head. The Voice went into a frenzy, cowering before the shadow of the sovereign of the nagataaru. A shiver of fear went through Kalgri as the immense presence filled her mind, but she steeled herself. She had known agony beyond imagination, and speaking with the lord of the nagataaru did not daunt her.
YES. YOU ARE LIKE US. YOU HAVE MADE YOURSELF INTO OUR IMAGE.
“What do you want?” said Kalgri in the vaults of her mind, keeping her half-closed eyes on Callatas and Erghulan. “You have won. The Apotheosis is at hand, and we will kill the world.”
VICTORY IS NOT YET AT HAND.
“No,” said Kalgri. “It isn’t.”
MY ENEMIES MOVE AGAINST US.
“Your enemies?” said Kalgri. “You mean Caina?”
THE COURT OF THE AZURE SOVEREIGN.
Kalgri frowned. Callatas had ranted about them from time to time. “The djinn?”
THEY MANIPULATE DESTINY AGAINST ME. THE AZURE SOVEREIGN SLEEPS AND CANNOT SUMMON HIS HOSTS AGAINST ME. YET HIS MOST CUNNING VASSAL IS FREE AND HAS BROUGHT FORTH A DEMONSLAYER TO OPPOSE ME.
“The Balarigar,” said Kalgri with disdain.
SHE HAS CHEATED DESTINY. MY WILL ORDAINED FOR HER TO DIE AT YOUR HAND, YET THE KNIGHT OF WIND AND AIR THWARTED MY WILL. HE SEEKS TO SAVE THIS MISERABLE LITTLE WORLD.
“Then you expect that Caina is still alive,” said Kalgri. “You expect that she will try to stop the Apotheosis.”
YES.
Kalgri shrugged. “Tell Callatas. He’s the one holding your shadow in that pompous head of his.”
HIS TASK IS TO OPEN THE WAY FOR ME. YOUR TASK IS TO ENSURE THAT HE LIVES LONG ENOUGH TO DO IT.
“How?” said Kalgri.
FIND THE BALARIGAR AND KILL HER.
“She’s stuck on Pyramid Isle,” said Kalgri. “Unless she suddenly grows wings, she won’t be here.”
SHE SHALL ATTEMPT TO INTERFERE. THE KNIGHT OF WIND AND AIR HAS ALTERED THE TAPESTRY OF FATE TO ALLOW HER THE FREEDOM TO ACT. SHE WILL BE HERE, AND WHEN SHE COMES TO