You have been crowned as a king, and yet you’re making spells and charms; do you also want to be crowned God?
17
Ìlú-Ìm, Second Ring, Kingdom of Oru
L’?R?
Two light beads later, as the first light of dawn streaked across the sky, L’?r?, Alawani and Kyà were still about a mile away from the gates that led out of Ìlú-?ba, the capital city, and into Ìlú-Ìm, L’?r?’s home state, where Baba-Ìtàn was waiting for her. Kyà held the reins, controlling the mighty beast, Alawani sat behind him, and L’?r? held on to Alawani’s clothes as tightly as she could. The cold numbness and the black veins that trailed her hands remained and she was grateful for the warmth from his body.
They had taken the King’s Road, also called the Sun Path, a single paved road leading from the Palace, across the golden bridge and down to the last walls of Ìlú-Òdì.
The pit in L’?r?’s stomach sunk deeper – surely the Holy Order was on their tail, watching and waiting. The morning harmattan fog hadn’t yet lifted and the city was largely asleep. But how long would their luck last? The battle rhino was hardly subtle. An icy shiver ran through her, and she held on tighter to Alawani’s garments.
To her surprise, they had passed through the main gates of the capital city without incident, their hooded cloaks hiding their faces in the dim, foggy light. L’?r? had only allowedherself to breathe when they’d crossed over and were on the other side of the capital’s walls. Once they were out of sight of the guards, they had ridden as fast and as hard as they could.
L’?r? found a gap in the rhino’s armour and touched its skin as they galloped into her hometown. The beast was so warm that she took her other hand from Alawani too and placed them both on each of the beast’s hind legs. The warmth from the beast flowed into her and thawed the shiver in her core. For the first time since they had left the temple, she felt like they might actually escape.
Now she only needed to get her father.
Suddenly, the rhino tripped and staggered. L’?r?’s life flashed before her eyes, and the cold in her core sprang back to life. If they fell and the rhino crushed them, they’d never survive it. Kyà jumped first, yelling for the others to follow.
At the speed they’d been moving, L’?r? was sure she’d break her neck, but she flung herself off anyway and rolled to a stop on the ground. Stones scraped her elbows, a few sticking to her bruised flesh.
Alawani got to his feet and ran straight for L’?r?, lifting her to her feet and checking for injuries. She held her head in her palms to stop it from spinning.
‘Are you okay?’ Alawani asked, holding her.
‘I think so,’ L’?r? replied. ‘What happened?’
Alawani looked at the rhino a few paces ahead, where it had finally fallen. It was lying still in the sand. He placed his hands on it then shrieked, leaping backwards as if burned. L’?r?’s eyes widened as she examined the rhino. Its eyes were surrounded by crystals, and the beautifully designed gold armour had darkened. Black mist oozed from its nostrils. Kyà and Alawani looked at her in shock.
The realization hit her, and everything she’d done that night came crashing into her mind like a whirlwind. She’dtaken yet another life. How? All she’d done was … she’d touched it. She’d liked the heat coming off it and had – she’d killed it. L’?r? walked closer to the rhino. Did she really bring down this mountain of a beast by simply touching it? Draining all the heat and life from it, leaving it overtaken with ice? She glared at her shivering hands. The black veins were gone. Bile rose to her mouth, and she hurled out her guts.
L’?r? sobbed loudly. ‘What am I turning into? What is happening to me?’
Alawani reached out for her but she avoided his hands, scared to touch him.
‘People are coming,’ Kyà said, his eyes darting between L’?r? and the shapes of travellers approaching further down the road.
‘Come on,’ Alawani said, gently. ‘We have to go.’
They’d been lucky to cross to the second ring before the guards got word of trouble, and behind them, although the sun was not yet in the sky, the city was buzzing. Awoken by the heavy patrol of guards, ordering people out of their homes and searching them. As they raced through the streets, they weaved through the deserted corners that L’?r? was used to taking when she wanted to avoid the townspeople. Three light beads later, they finally reached her compound, exhausted from running the entire way home. L’?r?’s eyes were weak from crying, her body ached from the fight, her face stung from where she’d pulled out glass shards, her arms hurt from the fall, and her heart hurt from everything. As soon as Baba-Ìtàn opened the door, she crumbled into his arms, crying and sobbing and begging forgiveness.
After settling down, Baba-Ìtàn made L’?r? some herbal tea to calm her nerves and listened quietly as Kyà explained all that had happened that night. There was a loud ringing in L’?r?’s head that made everything around her sound muffled.The home she’d been running to felt strange now. Different. She’d changed, and this safe haven that had harboured her for her entire life seemed to know that too. She walked over silently to the edge of the room and sat in the corner, the tea cooling in her hands, her stare blank.
L’?r? couldn’t hear the exact words Kyà spoke, but as he did, the horrors of the night replayed in an endless loop in her mind as hot tears poured from her eyes. Kyà described how she’d disappeared and reappeared before his eyes. Pain still hummed in her hands and streaks of black veins had branched out and crawled over her skin. Each one burned like hot coals on her hand and she pulled her sleeves over them to hide them from her father. She hugged her legs, making herself as small as possible, pushing her back hard against the wall. Avoiding the glances that Alawani and Baba-Ìtàn sent her way.
Eventually, Alawani held her, wrapping his arms around her whole body. He rocked her and offered promises that she was glad not to hear so she couldn’t hold him to them.
Finally, Kyà said, ‘We didn’t see anyone following us, but surely, they will come.’
Baba-Ìtàn sighed and groaned as he walked towards L’?r?, and Alawani stepped aside to give him room. She didn’t dare look up at her father as he bent down and lifted her chin. L’?r? closed her eyes and wept. A low constant groan hummed in Baba-Ìtàn’s throat as he wiped her tears and she flinched but allowed him to pull her into an embrace. His hands smoothed over her braids. ‘My child,’ he whispered. ‘It’s time to go home.’
L’?r? pulled back from him and asked with a shaky voice, ‘Home?’
Baba-Ìtàn opened his mouth to speak, then looked at her neck. His eyes widened so much she could see the whites of them. ‘Where is your necklace?’
L’?r? touched her neck instinctively. ‘It burned me,’ she said, her voice hoarse from crying. ‘I put it in my pocket, but it must have fallen out. I lost it.’
