Obsidian: Retribution (Book 2)

Seventeen: The Wind of Change

"Careful," Muradi warned almost lazily. He was still in his sitting position, leaning comfortably back against the rock, looking like he'd planned it all, only she knew he hadn't. "I need him alive," he added, turning to address the six men left standing. "Just him. The rest of you boys can die here or you can accept a change of command. That is a one time offer. Put it down."

There were a few logical reasons Zahara could think of as to why the men had laid down their arms without a fuss that morning. The steel in Ghaul's hand was one of them, the fact that they were mercenaries from the start and therefore loyal to no one beyond the dept of their pockets was another. One might also offer a view that these were men with enough fighting experience to know when an opponent was out of their league, and that Ghaul, who had killed three of their comrades and was still holding a man as big as Qasim with one arm was considered as far out of their league as a White Warrior was to a Rashai soldier fresh out of the academy. But the real reason, Zahara had come to learn long ago, the one element that had truly facilitated the submission that morning was Muradi himself.

It was the steel in his voice, the confidence of a man who had spent a lifetime keeping dangerous men under his command, and the same presence that had made the tiger back up a few steps during the fight that had made the decision for all these men. Throne or no throne, that part of him would always show. Muradi knew this, of course, and was using it to the best of his ability to accommodate what he needed done. The transition from Ranveer Borkhan to the man who once was the supreme ruler of the Salasar had been immediate. He held himself differently now. He spoke differently, moved differently. It made her wonder sometimes, which one of these personalities was real.

"Bring him over," said Muradi when they'd surrendered their weapons, still leaning against the rock the same way he might have done behind his desk back in the Tower. The mercenary leader grunted and grumbled as he was dragged forward. Ghaul tied Qasim's hands behind his back, forced the man down on his knees and took the twin obsidian blades to his former salar, laying them carefully at his feet.

Around them, the fog began to clear. A band of sunlight slipped in through the trees, cast a shadow of dancing leaves on the two figures by the rock––one a man in his weakened state, the other a beast twice his size, lowering himself to the floor to touch his forehead to the master's feet. Ghaul reached carefully for the hem of Muradi's robe, brought it to his lips and planted a kiss on it as per tradition. It was the same obeisance she'd seen countless of times in the Black Tower, but here and now, in the middle of the mist-clouded forest, in front of all these men who had never seen him as salar, it offered a symbol she knew would be remembered for a long, long time by everyone present.

There was gentleness in Muradi's eyes when he looked at Ghaul, there always had been, but such things were never allowed to linger for long.

"Is it done?" Muradi asked. 

"It is done, my lord," Ghaul replied, removed the sling bag from his shoulder and placed it carefully by the swords. "Everything, as instructed."

Muradi took a glance at the sack, made a point at turning away quickly, and nodded. "Good," he said. "Rise. We will talk later."

The men around them watched in silence as Ghaul rose to his feet. Things were going to change from now onward, Zahara thought as she observed the way they now looked at Ranveer Borkhan. They might have sensed the command in him just now, but that show of obeisance had just sealed his place as a leader among men.

No, not a leader, Zahara thought with a shiver, a king.

"I'll make this easy for you, Qasim," Muradi said, cradling the two obsidian swords he'd placed on his lap like a pair of lost pets just returned to its owner. "I told you I will get you the Rishi in exchange for my life, and I am a man of my word. So here's my offer. You work with me, you play by my rules, and I'll get you the Rishi. Do you follow me so far?"