“He hasn’t done anything.” Dinah knew it was untrue as soon as the words passed over her tongue.
“No? With my own eyes, I saw him crush three of my best warriors without even a backward glance—at least, not until he came back to taste their flesh.” Dinah remembered the bear, Morte’s muzzle covered with the smear of blood, and the way her stomach had turned. “The beast will die. And then we shall decide what to do with his rider. I have much to think about. My spies have given me reason to believe that your father is preparing to launch a large assault on my tribe, perhaps bringing the fight here, to Hu-Yuhar, within a few months’ time.”
“But your city seems impregnable. It is surrounded by mountains on every side.”
Mundoo smiled as the crane rested its head on his knee. “So one would think, but I do not underestimate your father. We have our weaknesses, just like any city. But that is for me to consider. For now, you will stay here as our guest. You will attend our feasts and ceremonies, and I would encourage you to talk with our tribe, to learn. You may not leave the valley, and you may not enter any homes. You are to keep up your training with the Spade, and I will command my strongest warrior to help give you instruction and build your skills. You are not to go near Morte. And if he suddenly disappears or is set free, you die, along with the Spade. I will make you watch as we take him piece by piece.”
“Where is Sir Gorrann?”
“He will be waiting for you back at your tent. We spoke earlier this morning, and he handled the climb even worse than you did.” Dinah’s mouth curved into the smallest of smiles as Mundoo strolled up behind her. At least Sir Gorrann was alive. “We will speak again, Princess, but for now you must go. You have met your guards, Ki-ershan and Yur-Jee. They will follow you wherever you go. Yur-Jee lost his eldest son to your father’s Heartsword, so I would be careful not to anger him. Passion can lead a man to violent ways.”
Dinah nodded and turned to go. The sunlight winked in front of her face, just for a second, and then there was an arm around her neck, a body pressed against her back. Mundoo had moved so fast. Dinah didn’t understand what was happening. The pain came swiftly as something sharp and hard was shoved into her, through her. Her shoulder exploded, and everything went white. She grasped his outstretched hand, where she saw a thin wooden knife made of the same white wood that held the tent aloft. It was as slender as a knitting needle, and now covered with red. Mundoo took a breath and shoved it into her back again, just over her shoulder blade. He was killing her. She didn’t feel it going in, but the pain when it was pulled out was worse than anything she had ever felt. Dinah let out a muffled scream as the blood rushed forth over her shoulder. The pain was deep, like a thousand scalding irons were being pushed inside her. She stumbled backward before falling to her knees with a choking gasp. Mundoo knelt behind her and wrapped his thick arm around her neck again, his lips brushing her ear as he pulled her close. Dinah gurgled and choked. His hand was covered in blood.
“Don’t be afraid, Princess. It’s not a fatal wound I’ve given you, and it will heal quickly. That was for swinging your sword at my head. I am the noble chief of the Yurkei and a man of honor, and I wouldn’t want you to think that we were friends.” His hot breath lingered over her face, and she felt herself spiraling into his glowing blue eyes, losing consciousness. “You and I, we are both the blood of Wonderland. It flows from my people and through your veins. I can’t let you forget it.”
He released her violently, and she fell face forward onto the wooden floor of the tent, writhing in pain. The chief called for Ki-ershan and Yur-Jee, and they appeared through one of the open flaps of the tent door.
“Take her through the mountain,” Mundoo instructed with a wave of his hand. “Make sure no one hurts her or the Spade until I have made a decision regarding their fates. Feed, clean, and clothe them. See that they are well cared for but closely watched. Call for Ge-Jursi to use Iu-Hora’s potions to heal her.” Dinah’s whole body curled up in blinding pain as she cried out. Yur-Jee raised his voice to argue with the chief, but Mundoo silenced him. “Do as I command. Ach-julik.”
Yur-Jee bowed with his hands spread out before him into the symbol of the crane. Dinah’s guards pulled her out through one of the tent’s open doors. She gasped for air, unable to breathe through the pain. They pushed her out onto the rope walkway that led into the breast of the crane. Dinah stumbled repeatedly, which made treading on the thin, knotted-rope walkway even more terrifying. Blood dripped down from her shoulder until it coated her bare feet, and she struggled to stay conscious. She slipped. Ki-ershan pressed his palm over the wound to stop the bleeding. Dinah could see the ground hundreds of feet below her as they struggled to stay on the thin rope bridge. The crowd watched her in silence as drops of blood fell from her body. They seemed satisfied.
“Walk,” grunted Yur-Jee, roughly pushing her forward, so hard that Dinah would have gone flying off the edge if Ki-ershan hadn’t yanked her back. “Ja-hohy!” he snapped at Yur-Jee. Stop, thought Dinah, half-delusional. Yes, ja-hohy means stop. Thank you, Harris, she thought madly.
Something twitched in her shoulder and suddenly it felt as if the bone was separating from her muscle, somewhere deep inside the cut. She gave a scream and stumbled forward, her knees hitting the rock outcropping that led into the mountain. Overjoyed at the cool feel of the stone, she laughed hysterically. The urge to brush her lips on the mountain was overtaken by a throbbing, angry pain. She heard raised voices and shouting. Sir Gorrann’s face appeared in a hazy blue sky over her, the thin lines of his face creased in worry.
“Yer Highness, let me see.” His hands cradled her face, her shoulder. The Spade turned her over gently, peeling Ki-ershan’s hand back from the wound, and she heard a sharp intake of breath. “Yur-Jee, please get me some bandages and a healer. Now!”
Dinah closed her eyes. When she opened them again, there was a beautiful Yurkei woman leaning over her, her glowing blue eyes trained on Dinah’s wound, her flowing white hair soaked red at the tips where it had brushed in her blood. She listened silently as the woman sang a wailing song over her, rocked back and forth, and applied some sort of gray paste to Dinah’s wound. The paste smelled like the mushroom fields—warm and potent, a decadent perfume. The pain suddenly receded into a dull, stabbing sensation, and Dinah breathed a sigh of relief, her hand reaching up to clutch the woman’s shoulder. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She repeated it over and over, her tongue becoming numb.
The woman smiled, showing her small pearly teeth. “How do you say . . . in Wonderlander? Su-heyg . . . hu-sang . . .” The woman clapped her hands. “Oh yes, hu-satey.” Her blue eyes stared unflinchingly into Dinah’s. “Welcome to Hu-Yuhar.”
Eight