Intermix Nation

“Enough.”

The room goes silent.

“Lord Khanto?” questions Solomon.

The Khan addresses Aldrik. “I thank you forbringing this appalling disparity to our attention, my friend. Thedesires of the rebellion indeed parallel our own in the Deathlands.We suffer here, while the capital indulges. We send them ourmercenaries, our spices, our gold for nothing. You are a good man,Aldrik.”

Aldrik is wary, and Nazirah senses it too.He says, “But …”

“But,” Khanto says quietly, “I am afraidthat I am not so good a man. I ca

“And what, myfriend,” Aldrikgrumbles, “do you want?”

Khanto looks at Adamek. He says, “You mustpay the price.”

“What price?” Aldrik asks.

The Khan addresses Adamek in Deathlandic.Nazirah and Aldrik both look at Solomon, hopelessly lost, but hisface is grave and he has stopped translating. To Nazirah’s completeshock, Adamek responds to Khanto fluently and without hesitation.Their voices are even, devoid of anger or other emotion. The menreach across the table and shake hands firmly.

“Thank you,” Khanto says. Adamek nods once.Khanto rises from his seat and the entire party of Lords and guardsleave without another word.

“Would someone like to tell me what the helljust happened?” growls Aldrik.

Adamek shrugs wordlessly. He gets up, walkscasually out of the library. Nazirah looks at Solomon, bewildered.Aldrik appears ready to explode.

“This is bad news,” Solomon says, shakinghis head despondently. “This is very bad news indeed. Although notentirely unexpected.”

“Solomon,” Nazirah commands, “talk.”

“The Khan has agreed to ally with therebellion, along with all of the remaining Red Lords, theirservants and mercenaries –”

“But that’s good news, isn’t it?” sheinterrupts.

Aldrik raises an agitated hand and Solomoncontinues. “Under the condition that he and Mr. Morgen settle theirfeud the traditional way, within a fortnight’s time.”

“Which is?” asks Aldrik suspiciously.

Solomon glances worriedly at Nazirah. Hesqueaks, “A battle to the death.”

#

Later that afternoon, Nazirah ventures intothe conservatory to meet Solomon. She doesn’t really want tea, butwon’t cancel their plans, not when Solomon has been so gracious.Nazirah thinks about the overlord, about his necklace of caninesand incisors. Will Adamek become the newest addition?

“Hey, Solomon.”

Nazirah spots him alone, sitting at a smalltable in the corner. None of the windows in the riad contain anyglass. Nazirah always feels like she’s outside, even when there’s aroof above her head. She takes a seat beside him.

“Miss Nation,” Solomon greets her, gesturingto a nearby servant. “I am pleased you decided to join me, evenafter the unpleasant business of this morning.” The servant holds agolden kettle high. He pours the tea into small glasses fromseveral feet in the air with perfect precision. Nazirah inhales thefragrant, minty water.

“Sugar?” Solomon asks, offering her a smalljar.

“Thanks,” she says, dropping a cube into herglass. “And thank you for inviting me, and for the clothes, and forletting us stay here. I don’t think I can ever thank you enough,really. Everything here is so beautiful.”

Solomon looks around, smiling. “I amparticularly fond of this old family relic,” he says, patting awall. “Though I must confess, Miss Nation, I often feel entirelyunworthy of living here. Especially in light of the insolublehardship my territory faces.”

“Solomon,” she says gently, “you can call meNazirah.”

“You are far too kind, Miss Nation,” hesays, politely ignoring her request.

“I’m a lot of things, Solomon,” she sayshonestly. “But kind isn’t one of them.”

“You are also far too hard on yourself, asis often the case.” Solomon pauses for a moment before continuing.“Unfortunate circumstances today,” he says slowly, gauging herreaction. “I was hoping the Khan would see reason.” He looks at hersearchingly. “But it appears his desire for vengeance has gottenthe best of him.”

“I’m still not exactly sure what happened inthere,” she says quickly, distinctly uncomfortable.

Solomon sets down his glass. “The Khan is aman of honor,” he says. “As is Mr. Morgen, each in his own way.They both have codes they live by, rules they follow. Khantobelieves Mr. Morgen has disgraced his name and bloodline by killinghis father. This is how men settle disputes in the Red West.”

“Does Morgen realize what he’s agreedto?”

“Of course he does!” exclaims Solomon. “Mr.Morgen speaks Deathlandic better than most natives. And he, likethe Chancellor and other members of government, is well acquaintedwith the various customs and traditions each race follows. I wouldgo so far as to say he expected this.”

Nazirah is nonplussed. “But if he expectedit, why not avoid the Red Lords all together? Why not go directlyto intermix for support, like we tried to do in Eridies?”

Solomon stirs his tea idly. “It is not thesame here,” he says. “In the Deathlands, life is pernicious foreveryone, intermix and native alike. Intermix have served the RedLords for centuries. We all work together, towards the common goalof survival. It is the only way we could ever endure such harshconditions. So, unlike in Eridies, the Red Lords have the final sayfor everyone. And they live and die under the Khan’s ironfist.”

“I still don’t understand,” she presses.“Morgen has amnesty. Khanto wouldn’t be able to touch him if Morgendidn’t agree to it. Why would he throw that away?”

“Maybe,” Solomon says, “for the same reasonKhanto would not touch him at all if Mr. Morgen did not agree to it… regardless of amnesty. Maybe, for the same reason the Khanrequested it of him in the first place.”

“Retribution?”

“Honor.”

“Wouldn’t it be more honorable to let itgo?” she asks. “Not try and kill him?”

Solomon smiles. “I said the Khan follows acode he sets for himself, a code he never strays from. Because ofthis, he is a man of honor. I never said he was honorable.”

Nazirah is a

“Only time and God know the answer to thatquestion.”

“So … one of them is going to die,” shesays, the reality of it sinking in.

“Yes, Miss Nation,” Solomon replies. “One ofthem will die.” He sighs dejectedly. “But enough of this morbidtalk! They know the stakes and will realize their fates soonenough.” Nazirah remains silent. “May I say how pleasantlysurprised I was to find you two had grown closer?”

“It was Aldrik’s idea,” she says. “He thinksit will help the campaign if it seems like we’re together. It’s allfor show.”

“Is it?”

Nazirah feels like Solomon has caught her ina lie she didn’t know she was telling. Her voice is strained.“Yes.”

Solomon is quiet, contemplating his nextwords. “Miss Nation,” he says, “forgive me for overstepping myboundaries, but do you know why Mr. Morgen joined us?”

Nazirah squirms uncomfortably in her seat.She doesn’t think Solomon would tell a soul she spied on Adamek’smemories. But she doesn’t exactly want to admit to it, either. “Iknow some stuff,” she says finally. “I know it’s because Victoriadied, although he has no idea I know that.”

Solomon gazes outside. “Yes,” he agrees,“such a tragedy. The Chancellor was never known for fidelity. Infact, he is quite renowned for his female … appreciation. But whenGabirel discovered his own wife having an affair, he went insane.He shot her in her bathtub, several months back, and has beencovering up her death ever since. The rest of the country believesVictoria is bedridden because of illness. Mr. Morgen found her deadand swore his allegiance to us from that moment on. He longs toavenge his mother. I am sure the irony of your situation is notlost on him.”

“How do you know all of this?”

Solomon smirks mischievously. “Mostly, Iwould suspect, the same way you know it yourself,” he says. “I haveseen it.” Nazirah blushes into her empty glass. “Mr. Morgen allowedme to view his memories many months ago, when he first asked me toinitiate the amnesty negotiations with your brother. He hasincredible patience. The negotiations took me several weeks tosuccessfully execute.”