‘It’s just sand for miles out there,’ Alawani said. ‘We could get lost trying to find our way.’
L’?r? shook her head. ‘We’ll use the stars to travel at night and rest in the caves in the heat of the day. Or at least that was Baba-Ìtàn’s plan.’
‘It’s not a bad plan,’ Alawani conceded.
L’?r? shook her head, ‘No, it’s not. I just wish he were here to lead us himself.’
Alawani gave her a weak smile and held her shoulders. He placed a kiss on her forehead. ‘It’s almost over,’ he said softly. ‘I’ll keep you safe.’
L’?r? exhaled a shaky breath. The smart thing to do was to go north and hope to find something to help her win the fight for her family. She knew she couldn’t return to the temple now, but when she did, she wouldn’t lose.
Márùn returned a few moments later. ‘Found it,’ she said, signalling them over. ‘Last time I snuck into the fortress, I left this rope here. It’ll take you all the way to the top of the wall.’
‘Why are you leaving us?’ L’?r? asked.
Márùn looked from L’?r? to Alawani. ‘I have something to tell you, L’?r?,’ she said, looking at Alawani.
‘Whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of him. There’s no one I trust more,’ she said even as her heart skipped a beat, anxious about what Márùn had to say.
‘Since the days of the First Sun, the Order of the Secret Twelve has protected the firstborn of the sun. I am Márùn, Five of Twelve, and I am oath-bound to protect whoever sits on the throne of Oru. While my journey started with fulfilling my life debt to the prince’s mother, I continued this journey with you because of what Ìyá-Idán revealed about you, L’?r?. My duty as Márùn forces me to protect you above all else.’
‘You’re working for the Lord Regent?’ L’?r? gasped.
‘No,’ Márùn said sternly. ‘The Twelve have never served a regent. We serve only the sovereign. We exist outside of the court and its laws and we remain secret, revealing ourselves only to the true heir. We served the late king and everyone who wore the gilded crown before him.’
‘I don’t understand,’ L’?r? said. ‘Ìyá-Idán is a part of this?’
Márùn nodded. ‘She is Méje – Seven of Twelve. We live in pairs in each ring of the kingdom.’
‘I don’t want anyone oath-bound to me,’ L’?r? said. ‘I don’t want anyone dying for me or because of me. I can’t take it. I can’t lose anyone else. I don’t want any of this, please.’
‘I’m afraid that’s not a choice,’ Márùn said. ‘We are as we always have been. When I die, another Márùn will take my place and so it will continue until the end of time.’
‘I have never heard of this order before,’ Alawani said.
‘And you never would have,’ Márùn said.
‘We won’t tell anyone,’ L’?r? said.
‘Good,’ Márùn replied. ‘You don’t need me here. Alawani knows his way around. Send me to the temple, and I will get your father and friend to a safe place. But I am yours to command, so I will do only as you ask.’
L’?r? placed a hand on her chest, tearing up, ‘You would do that for me?’
‘My oath is to the crown, to the firstborn of Oru. To you.’ Márùn smiled. ‘Right now, most of the Twelve are still devoted to the crown heir. I’ll do my best to convince the others of your true claim but if tonight with Msàn was anything to go by, it won’t be easy. I need you to be far away from here where they can’t kill you until we have a plan to bring you back to take your throne. I’ll tell you what my father once told me. When you have a weapon, use it before your enemy learns how to take it from you. I am here, I am your blade, use me.’
L’?r? felt her knees go weak and she could have fallen to the ground in gratitude.
‘I should remind you that I’ve kept you safe since we met, and I can take care of myself,’ Márùn said. ‘I’m not risking much. This is not a hard mission for me, I promise. Mfà will go with me. You may remember him from the inn when he tried choking you all to death? He’s my partner. And we’ve survived worse odds.’
L’?r? hugged Márùn. Tears choked her words, so she just held on tightly, sobbing into her arms.
‘Thank you,’ Alawani said softly.
Márùn nodded in response. ‘I need you to release me from your mother’s bond. Otherwise, I can’t leave you.’
‘I don’t know how to work the magic that’ll remove the mark but as far as I’m concerned, you’ve already saved my life. So please go. Save them. I can get L’?r? out of Oru. I release you from the bond formed with the blood of my blood.’
‘Are there members of the Twelve that’ll help us in the sixth ring?’ L’?r? asked.
