The Tower of Bashan Read Free

lightly back to the center of the throne room. She held the spear at her side, point up.
    During the fight, Za had moved beside her father. The shaman whispered something in Kanu’s ear. He nodded, then addressed Andrasta. “A warrior proud, indeed.”
    Andrasta bowed her head. It was the closest thing to a compliment her father had ever given her. “Does that mean you will allow me to lead a portion of your army?”
    “No. Nor will you hold a spear in the ranks.”
    Her head snapped up. “But I’ve proven myself.”
    “What you did was embarrass my sons. Look around you Amani. Do you see anyone that loves you here?”
    She didn’t need to look to know the answer to that question, but she did anyway. Hateful stares greeted her.
    She said nothing.
    “Your name means peace, something your mother found amusing because of the peace our marriage brought to our border with Cael,” her father continued. “Yet all you bring, all you have ever brought to my house is discord. I had my doubts that you would survive Enzi’s training when you left. To be honest, I thought you’d be dead or would run away in defeat within the first few days. Yet, here you are.”
    Her mouth twisted. “Your sons wanted the fight. Not I.”
    “And they will not be the last. Do you plan to fight everyone in my army until they accept you?”
    “I will do whatever it takes—”
    “Then you will leave. You never should have returned.”
    A tightness formed in her chest. “I only came to help. With the magic leaving our lands—”
    “The magic is fine,” said Za. “Be honest, you only came to help yourself. To be accepted as a member of our tribe.”
    Andrasta held her tongue, ashamed there was truth in those words.
    Za snorted. “Your presence poisons us.”
    Andrasta clenched her jaw and met the shaman’s eye. “You know that I’m right. And you know that when father sees you weakening, he’ll begin to rely on others. Me being here will only hasten that moment.”
    Za laughed. “I do not fear you, child.”
    “You should.”
    Kanu shook his head. “You continue to prove my point. But you still share my blood. I will forget this meeting. Go and do not set foot in this hall again. Next time I’ll forget our ties.”
    She broke her stare with the shaman, and turned to her father. Master Enzi was right. This was a mistake. I have no family. I have no home. Yet, a part of her, the child who always wanted her father’s acceptance still refused to move on. “I’ll leave, but I promise to return. When I do, I’ll have a way to restore the power of our lands.”
    Za chuckled. “You’ve already done the impossible by becoming the first woman to survive Enzi’s training. Now, you think to wield magic too?”
    “No.” She thought of the stories everyone knew about artifacts of old, items powerful sorcerers once used millennia ago. Most were lost to time, surviving only in fireside tales.
    But not all.
    Her people desired one artifact over any other. The most famous of fireside tales, legend said Thalamanak stole magic from the lands of Juntark when he created the artifact thousands of years ago.
    If anything could restore the magic to the land and also strengthen my father’s power, it should be the jewel.
    Andrasta continued. “I’ll return with the Jewel of Bashan.”
    She spun on her heels and left.
    No one stopped her. No one seemed to care.
    * * *
    Andrasta rode hard during the humid night, ensuring she’d be into her mother’s land before daybreak. She had never set foot outside of Juntark, but visiting Cael was something she had always wanted to do.
    Crossing through the long valley separating the two countries, her first steps on Caelic’s rich soil came uneasily, not fully trusting the drastic change in scenery. She dismounted and brushed her hand over the dark green grass, a stark contrast to the tall plain grass that separated the forested areas of her birth country. Her skin came away damp with morning dew. On the