They nodded once, wheeled their kuns around and thundered away.
Prince Baku sent her a probing stare, but he made no comment. They were at least one and half day’s ride from the City of Fire, and surely if the Empire aimed to kidnap her today, Ajali would only be notified after. Even if the blaze of fire were sent across the sky, it would take him at least two hours atop Kezriel, his wraith to reach the wastelands. Unless his Darkan consort took him into the shadows and brought him here. As Xian understood it, Ajali would then arrive in less than ten minutes, even if the sun would prevent Tehdra from using the powers of her demon. Ten minutes was a lifetime when one battled with men of such immense powers and skills.
“General Shenzhen,” Prince Baku greeted. “Might I enquire of your presence in the wastelands.”
“He is here for me,” she murmured, a cold certainty forming in her gut.
“He will not take you,” the prince vowed, crackles of lightning firing from his eyes. He lifted a fist, and the warrior forces behind them spread out in protective formation.
“The numbers say he will triumph,” she said. “Ajali sent fifty of his most ruthless warriors with me.”
“And I have one thousand strong.”
"The General have ten times more warrior than what we have, Prince Baku.”
There was a pause, and then he said, "You are a Tenzu. He would be foolish to tangle with you.”
She swallowed, wanting to shout that she barely had command of the force within her. If she were to cave into the fiery rage buried deep, she would more likely murder everyone than save a single soul. Firming her lips, she lifted her chin as the General halted his still advancing warriors with a raised fist.
“Prince Baku,” he greeted in a voice so pure, Xian flinched.
She sensed he had deliberately infused power into his voice to inflict pain. Mevians manipulated sounds with brutal efficiency, and it was said the Grand General Shenzhen, the right hand to the Emperor, was one of the most proficient in the realm with his shenkiri. Xian had the inexplicable knowledge she faced torture and death very soon.
“We have come for the princess.”
Despite the chill of warning kissing over her skin, Xian snapped, “I will go nowhere with you.”
The general urged his kun forward. "Prince Baku, the Empire understands you intend to form an alliance with Nuria."
The warriors behind her stirred, and she could feel their surprise. Only those present in the war council understood there was to be a marriage between their kingdoms. Even her blades believed her to be on a mission to discuss peace treaty with Avindar.
The grand general clapped his gloved hands together once, leaning forward in his saddle. "We cannot let such an action stand, hmmm? When we march on the nations, Avindar's warriors will be at the side of the Empire's warriors."
His meaning was unequivocal. Nothing must disrupt the power the Empire was amassing. Avindar was the second largest kingdom, and it was already allied with the emperor
. They did not want the potential of Avindar’s neutrality.
“You are mistaken,” she said calmly. “I am on an emissary mission from my king, Grand General. You have no authority to impede my motions across the wastelands.”
His dark eyes lit with amusement. "Are you pretending you are not to wed the prince? Come, princess, the house of Assia and Wylliam is not the only house to betray your precious king. We have more spies within your city and palaces. Imagine our…surprise when word reached our empire of this marriage.”
An enraged snarl caught in her throat. Someone very close to Ajali was betraying him, and fear rushed through her heart for his safety. Xian could feel the tension from the prince, and with a sense of profound relief, she realized he had never planned to betray her as she'd anticipated.
“If I may speak with you in private, Grand General, I have a proposal you will find of benefit to the empire,” Prince Baku said smoothly.
The Grand General glanced around. "We are as private as we can be, Prince Baku."
"I will personally deliver the princess to the Empire after she has birthed my heir. An heir who houses the eternal fire as well, of course. She would then have fulfilled her use to my kingdom."
Xian remained silent, unable to determined if he bluffed or if this was a part of his plan from the very inception of his proposal.
"But why must we wait, little prince?" The General murmured.
And before she could react, a terribly beautiful sound blew from his mouth, the soundwave cutting across them in a sweeping arc.
Chapter 10
Xian dived from the kun as the wave sliced its head from its body. She lurched to her feet, drawing the swords from her boot as the Grand General walked toward her with ruthless confidence.