“Then we must travel to the Nazeeran Canyon under Queen Jazela’s protection immediately.”
General Isa swayed a bit on her feet, her face much paler than it had been. She seemed to rally her strength before nodding. “We are prepared to do just that, my queen. Do you think you are strong enough to ride?”
“If I’m conscious, I can ride,” Ama said, climbing out of the wagon with assistance from Kai. But the moment she was standing, all the color drained from her face. Nafalla moved closer to Ama so that she was pressed against her side. Ama leaned heavily on her, breathing hard.
I took a step toward her in concern. “You can’t ride like that, Ama,” I said.
“With your permission, my queen,” General Isa said, “we’ll have to tie you on Nafalla.”
Nafalla snorted and bobbed her head once in agreement.
“Fetch some tie-down straps,” General Isa ordered one of the hovering servants, who rushed away. “That will be more comfortable for you than rough rope,” she added to Ama.
“That’s fine,” Ama said weakly.
“Once we get you on Nafalla,” General Isa said, “the safest course is for us to split you and the First Daughter up and give you both armed guards.”
Ama looked at me, a crease of worry between her brows. “I don’t want to be separated from Zara.”
“I understand,” General Isa said, “but keeping the queen and the heir together when there’s this high a chance for an attack is too dangerous. I will accompany Zara myself if it makes you feel more comfortable.”
“Send more warriors with Ama, then,” I said, “since we all know as far as heirs go…I shouldn’t be a high priority.”
Ama’s tired eyes flashed at me. “Don’t ever say that, Zara. You are my daughter, and I love you. Of course I want you kept safe. You are my highest priority—whether you have powers like mine or not.”
I swallowed hard as emotion rushed to the surface. I didn’t know if it was the threat of imminent discovery from our enemy that had inspired Ama to say that to me, but I knew she had never made it clear before now.
Nor had she ever acknowledged the fact that I may not have earth magic at all.
I couldn’t find my voice to respond, so I just nodded with tears in my eyes.
The servants returned with the wide straps, and then Kai lifted Ama gently onto Nafalla’s back. They tied the straps over the tops of Ama’s thighs and around her calves before crisscrossing under Nafalla’s belly. Even with that small movement, Ama’s lips had turned nearly white.
General Isa signaled to her warriors, and nine rode closer. “I want you to escort the queen to safety. We will all reconvene in the Nazeeran Canyon in three days. Guard her with your lives.”
I mounted Shazeera, and we moved close enough that I could lean over and touch my mother’s arm. Our eyes met.
“Stay safe,” she whispered like a prayer, and then she slumped forward onto Nafalla’s neck, completely unconscious.
“Ama!” I cried, heart in my throat.
General Isa hurried toward her and put her hand on her wrist. “She’s very weak and needs more healing than we can give her right now.”
“Nafalla will never be able to travel swiftly now with Ama lying on her neck like that,” I said, my hand tightening on Shazeera’s mane.
Nafalla is strong,Shazeera said.She can adjust her gait to accommodate your mother. She’ll likely have a terrible neck ache by the time they reach the canyon, but I’m sure she’d rather that than be separated.
General Isa added another strap that went around Ama’s upper back and around Nafalla’s chest. “The queen is secure,” she said. “Now we must go.”
I looked at Ama, normally so vibrantly full of life that she was like the sun that everyone gravitated toward, and now so helpless and still as she lay strapped to her horse. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible would happen, that we stood upon a precipice and were about to be pushed over.
Nafalla will guard her with her life,Shazeera said, conveying Nafalla’s thoughts to me. I had no doubt of that, but I dreaded a situation where that could be the outcome.
“I love you, Ama,” I whispered, tears blurring my eyes. “Stay safe.”
Nafalla nuzzled my leg before pivoting gracefully. The warriors immediately fell into a circular formation around Ama as they rode southwest.
“We will head due west,” General Isa told the camp after squinting at the cloudy sky. To the five remaining warriors, she said, “Three will stay with the camp caravan, and two will accompany the First Daughter and me.” The remaining soldiers divided themselves up without being specifically told who would go where.
