Fortune Favors the Cruel - Kel Carpenter Page 0,27

have to like it,” Lazarus replied.

“At least tell me why she was so important that you brought her on this trip,” Draeven said, tying his own horse to a tree. “Untrained and unprepared,” he added, his violet eyes narrowing on Lazarus before flicking back to Quinn for a brief moment.

“She can translate N’skaran,” Lazarus said. “I’ll need that soon.” It wasn’t lying. Not really. She could speak it, and with how reclusive the N’skari tribes were, he would have a hard time finding another N’skaran in Norcasta that could do the job he would have her do. It wasn’t the actual reason he brought her, though. Not even close.

“Is that all?” Draeven asked, his jaw tense as he returned his gaze to Lazarus.

“What are you getting at?” he replied curtly.

“She can barely ride a horse, and she’ll slow us down. Lorraine told me she has scars on her back from lashings, which means she could also be a runaway slave for all we know.” Draeven lowered his voice a fraction when Quinn turned and stared very pointedly at the two men as though she knew they were speaking about her. It was eerie, the way she moved unapologetically through the world. Never once had she lowered her eyes in submission to him, as many others would have on instinct. Even now she stared while Lorraine scolded her for it. Quinn gave a muttered dismissal under her breath that only served to frustrate her older companion.

“She’s not a slave,” Lazarus answered, loud enough for her to hear, before turning for the woods to continue this conversation in private. Draeven followed after, still not letting up.

“Are you sure of it?” his second asked.

“Quite,” Lazarus replied. “I had to take her to Driselda to have seventeen brands removed.”

“Myori’s wrath,” Draeven cursed. “Either way, N’skara is one of the last stops, and while they’re rare, they aren’t so rare you couldn’t have found someone by then. So, what is she? Because ever since you got back with her, something has been off with you.” He paused, his eyes drifting to the girl behind him. Lazarus was beginning to wonder if he wasn’t the only one drawn to her darkness. “Is she what I think she is?”

“And what is that?” Lazarus asked, a darker note filling his tone. He glanced back at Quinn who was no longer watching him and instead began setting up her own sleep roll, purposefully ignoring Lorraine as she tried to explain something.

“Is she like you?” Draeven asked at last. Both men stood there watching the young woman go about her business. Only brief whispers of the darkness inside stirred in the air around her, but it was enough to drive Lazarus insane. A taste of her power, but no more.

“No,” he answered. “Not quite.”

Draeven blinked, slowly turning towards Lazarus again. “Not quite?”

“She’s a fear twister.”

“Gods help us,” Draeven swore. He lowered his head into his hand and took a deep breath. “Now I understand why you’re being so guarded about this.” He knew that he meant it and that even Draeven knew how rare a find she truly was.

“She’s one of the strongest Maji I’ve ever encountered, and she hasn’t even reached her ascent,” Lazarus said. “I need to have her tested, of course, and she needs to begin training. I watched her conjure an illusion over all of Dumas and send a quarter of the city into panicked frenzy.”

Draeven shook his head, squeezing the bridge of his nose.

“With her trained and by your side, you think the noble houses of Norcasta won’t rise against you when Claudius dies,” Draeven surmised and Lazarus nodded. “You’re not wrong. If she truly is that strong, then you would cement your seat without dissolution … but there are problems with this plan, Laz—”

“She’s signed a contract. I own her for five years,” Lazarus interrupted.

“And what about after her time is up?” Draven asked. “What if you train her—and that’s assuming that you’ll even be able to—how do you know that she won’t get addicted to the power and move against you?” His points were logical and valid. Lazarus had already considered them.

“I don’t,” Lazarus replied. “I have no guarantees she won’t flip at the end of it, but if that happens, I’ll deal with her when we come to that. Five years is a long time, Draeven. Long enough to earn her loyalty and discern if she’s going to be a problem.” He hoped so, anyway, not that he would tell Draeven of