Of Blood and Fire

Chapter 14 - Khani

Khani wanted to scream.

And cry.

And crawl into a hole and hide forever.

She couldn't do this! She couldn't bear this tremendous heartbreak, one for her friend, the other for the man she loved. Betrayal and sadness, love and fear, anger and longing all swirled around in her mind, demanding a place at the forefront of her thoughts. For hours she'd sat rocking back and forth in her room after the tea party ended. Now there had been an elimination: Lady Amina Fancy-Surname of That-One-District-Khani-Never-Bothered-To-Learn. Which was all of them. Except Lady Sora Larkwood of Laihara.

There was a knock on her door, which she ignored, and then slowly a beam of light worked its way across the floor. Khani didn't even glance at the intruder. "Hi, Amity," she sniffed. She wiped at her eyes, smudging her cheeks red. "I kind of want to be alone."

"Actually," said a voice that was definitely not Amity, "I thought I had some questions for you."

Khani was up with her fists ready in half a second. "Who are you?" she demanded. It was a man, dressed in a dark traveling cloak, with his hood covering his face. "You are trespassing in my room!"

He took off his hood to reveal someone that Khani had never seen before. His jawline was dotted by black stubble fuzz, and his blue eyes were intense, more so than Khani thought imaginable, piercing and intelligent, the eyes of a predator stalking his prey. She backed up a pace, unnerved. "You should go," she persisted, nervously now. Her words trembled and she swallowed.

"Relax," he murmured. He revealed a golden badge: a snowfox bounding up a mountain, with a sunrise behind. Khani felt shock run through her.

"You're a councilman?" Khani asked.

"The very best," he told her. "My name is Tadaka Marfleet. I am Head Councilman of the Royal Arehlian Court."

Head Councilman. In my bedroom. WHAT.

Khani gaped at him for a moment then busied herself, straightening up the quarters, making everything look at least a little tidier. She drew a chair and gestured for him to sit. "Sir, I'm sorry, I'm not my best today, um – would you like a scone? Cookies? I have pound cake somewhere, and cinnamon swirl muffins, if you'd like." She found herself yammering on to the man as he settled into the chair. "Or jam and bread, if you'd prefer something simpler. I'm a baker," she added. "Khani. One of the palace's best, I think."

Tadaka Marfleet frowned at her. "What's your last name?"

"Oh." Khani blinked, tilting her head, and almost decapitated herself on the knife she'd grabbed from the cupboards. She squinted as she pulled five muffins from the pantry. "I don't think I have one, actually. I don't remember. Is that what you wanted to see me about?"

He leaned forward. "No, actually. I was elected, as Head Councilman, to interview staff at random to see if they were enjoying the competition. We need reviews. As the country is relatively peaceful at the moment, other Councilmen are interviewing the districts."

Khani caught her breath and within seconds was fighting for composure. "It's very interesting," she managed. "The girls – lots of personality."

Tadaka softened. "Maybe I should come back, tomorrow or the day after. Are you fit to answer questions?" His eyes narrowed with concern. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Khani slapped the muffins on a plate and carried it over, setting it on the table with a thump. "Ask."

"Who's your favorite so far?" Tadaka began.

"Sora!" Khani burst out. She turned very red in the face as Tadaka chuckled.

"Well, well! History with that one?"

"Ummm. Sort of." Embarrassment swept through her. "Is this being printed somewhere?"

"Nevermind that. What qualities do you think a future queen ought to possess?" Tadaka continued, a slightly more menacing expression on his face.

Khani gripped the knife tight as she cut into her muffin. "Compassion. But she needs to be firm." Was the room darker than when he'd arrived? "And she ought to want the responsibility along with the luxury."

"Who are you routing for?" He was just getting at that one angle over and over.

"I thought I told you." Khani shifted uncomfortably and bit into the muffin. The taste of cinnamon flooded her mouth. "Sora. Lady Sora."

Tadaka sat straight up. "I thought you were angry with her," he said suddenly. "I thought you believed that she stole your chance to be with Prince Henri. I thought you believed that she threw your trust away, and you let her."

Khani almost tripped over herself in her haste to stand up. "Excuse me?" she yelled. "Out! Get out!"

Tadaka's eyes bored into hers. "Give me the truth, Khani Sadia Everley."

My name! How does he know my name? Khani was panicking. How can you know my names when I don't even know them myself?

Khani Sadia Everley.

She chose not to linger on that. "Get out of my room or so help me stars I will force you out by any means necessary!" Including the knife so conveniently located in my hand!

"Think about it, Miss Everley," he said, a venomous promise dripping off of his silken words. "You may find it costs you much more than Henri's love."

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Guys, I am SO SO SUPER SORRY for procrastinating so long. I've had so much schoolwork and so little time and I feel awful. But, I hope I made this chapter interesting enough to make it up to you! Shoutout to Mikayla Crenshaw for such great editing advice :) you're awesome!

Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon, but I won't have much time either because I will be gone next weekend and for all of Thanksgiving break. But I do have some details that will be VERY important later on - try to guess!

GUYS, WE'RE UP TO 69 PAGES ON WORD. WOW. HECK. WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN.

Comment and vote! I love you all!

It's Snowfall, and peace out!