AMNESIA

by Canada Jackson

  “Great idea. Although…” He walked to the wall and lifted a tapestry. With a tug and a push of a few bricks, a door slid open beneath it. “Perhaps you would like a tour of our hidden artifacts?”

  Amber was intrigued but a little worried. She hesitated, drawn by the idea that she could spend time with Staede and annoy Wrexel, but also worried about being alone with him.

  “Kind reminder,” he whispered. “We don’t bite.” Amber smiled when he rolled his eyes a few seconds later. “Okay, I bite, but I’ve never received a complaint.”

  She laughed and then, throwing caution to the wind, took up his offer. It was too compelling not to do something that she had been expressly forbidden to do. Amber didn’t have very many moments of rebellion to reflect upon and as she followed him in exhilaration she realized that she had missed out.

  She stepped through the opening in the stone wall, surprised by how thick it was, and saw that a long stone staircase led down into the bellows of the castle. Staede’s monitor flared to light as soon as the stone wall closed, each brick sliding back into place. She ran her hand over the solid wall with amazement. “Magic or technology?” she asked.

  “Technology.” He pointed at a small lever on the side that was beautifully carved and the obvious pulley for the hidden door.

  “Ready?” He grinned and she peered down the steps with a little trepidation, for it was lit only a few steps at a time. It smelt musty and damp and she flinched when a spider scuttled past on the wall, darting into a large web above her heard.

  She eyed the stairs and her brother-in-law’s wicked gaze. He lifted one eyebrow and leaned back with a look of challenge on his face.

  A new feeling of excitement ran through her, one that she had never experienced before, and she slowly threw caution to the wind.

  24

  Sweet Rebellion

  Despite it being weird and creepy, the idea of how much it would infuriate Wrexel that she spent time with Staede elated her. When he held out his hand again, she followed.

  They went down two flights of stairs until they came to a wide-open area. Staede touched the wall and lamps flooded with dim light, showing her passageways going out in four directions. Long and broad, the floor was made of rough-cut stone, like the walls. Archways with strange stone creatures flanked each side in varying intervals.

  She looked at them curiously. “Are these animals on Throm?”

  “Some; others are probably creatures seen during expeditions to the planets of the 104.” He shrugged. “It is claimed that the Monarch who built Four Wings also built the catacombs. Personally, I think he built Four Wings on top of them; the stuff I find down here is much older, pre-dating the castle by eons.”

  She ran her hand over one of the carvings in the stone wall with awe. “Whyle mentioned there were magical items down here before the Yimmyrd swooped down and took them all.”

  “Yes, they cleared everything and yet Whyle has still found a talisman or two they overlooked. There are dungeons beneath the catacombs, but they’re sealed off.”

  “Who was kept in there?”

  “Captured enemies, perhaps.” He scratched his chin thoughtfully. “I’ve never really looked into it; there’s more than enough in the catacombs to keep me busy. It’s a treasure chest of items the past and current Monarchs wished to hide.”

  Staede wasn’t lying; the artefacts behind the wall were so much more interesting than those on display above.

  “Within these walls are hidden not only stories of our family’s delightfully loving past but also of the years when magic was practiced in the castle.” He began his tour and led Amber down one of the dark halls. Some of the rooms had torches Staede told her were fueled by something he did not understand, but most did not work and the halls were dark and foreboding. He opened a box and took out a flashlight that was powerful and lit up where they walked, revealing statues, glass cases covered in dust, and paintings upon the walls.

  Rooms opened up to more passageways – it was a maze.

  “Aren’t you afraid you will get lost?

  “No, I know these halls and passages well. I like to gain access to any part of the castle I want because my brothers lock me out of their wings a lot.” He snorted with laughter. “I can get into any part of the castle from here.”

  Amber laughed with him. “You really enjoy vexing them, don’t you?”

  She stopped at one statue that leaned against the wall. Clearly Thromian, it looked as if it had been thrown down, part of it badly damaged.

  “That is my grandfather Garnet; he never trusted or liked his son Gilroth. Before we came of age, he went missing and was declared dead. Those were trying years. When the Monarch had full control, he pulled out of the federation and made life on Throm and in Diogel a living hell. Then one day, Garnet mysteriously reappeared, regained his throne, and changed Thromian law to that of a constitution.”

  * * *

  Staede ran his hand over the statue. “He is a hero, but Gilroth removes all depictions of him. One day when he dies we will build many statues in his memory. We will be able to celebrate the day Throm became a constitutional monarchy without fear of reprisal.”

  They walked farther along the passage, stopping only once or twice to look at portraits of interest until one made Amber recoil. It was the depiction of a Thromian child holding the head of a creature, blood dripping down his arm as he stood proudly where the beast lay at his feet.

  “Dear God,” she moaned. “He’s a baby.”

  Staede came to stand beside her. “Thromian children learn to fight at a very young age. But this creature is not real; it’s a copy of the real thing. The blood is fake.”

  “It’s deplorable.”

  “It’s the reason we are undefeated in Diogel and other galaxies,” he said proudly.

  “Were you trained from such a young age, too?” she asked, feeling sorry for him.

  “No… I was younger.” His lips twisted. “Gilroth was determined that we become as ruthless and bloodthirsty as he, or maybe he hoped we would be killed.”

  The child depicted was around eight or ten. How much younger had Staede and the brothers been?

  “Wrexel mentioned that you are genetically superior to the rest of Throm?”

  “Yes. A royal female who gives birth to an heir or heirs is… altered. We are born bigger, stronger, and with the ability to breathe underwater.”

  He ran his finger over her ear. “We hear better, too.” He pulled her into his arms. “And we can scent changes in the body, like right now.”

  Amber remembered this piece of information too painfully after Wrexel taunted her with it and she pushed away from him in anger.

  “That’s not the scent I want,” he whispered, tugging her back into his arms.

  “What scent?” she swallowed again.

  “You’re afraid of me; I want to scent desire. It smells like honey.”

  Amber pushed away and folded her arms across her chest, glaring at him for being crude.

  “You can see better, too. So, it must be clear I am uncomfortable with this.”

  She turned left and walked into a room that held various weapons. Amber stopped to run her fingers over a jeweled sketh. It had clearly been designed for a female and the handle fit perfectly in the palm of her hand.

  “Pretty,” she said as she picked it up. “Is it broken? In your Chronicles, I’ve seen them grow and shrink and curve.”

  “That’s new. Something Whyle added about five years ago. This one was not presented for altering, which must be done whilst it’s held by the one who owns it.”

  “His technology is profound,” Amber said.

  Staede snorted. “Technology, my ass; it’s sorcery. His Watch Tower doesn’t only hold a monopoly over all forms of communication; it’s also filled with secrets. His assistants are programmed droids and no other Thromians ever enter. But the inventions that come out of there are otherworldly.”

  Staede tapped his ear. “These communi
cating devices are Whyle’s brainchild. The ones we had before were useless.”

  Amber nodded, becoming used to the stories of magic. She stared down at the sketh, running her hand gently over the blade.

  “That was my mother’s,” he said. “If you knew how to wield it and were deserving, I would give it to you and not even Wrexel would mind. In fact, he would be honored.”

  “I have no need… do I?”

  “Not from us, but...” Staede took her wrist in his hand and closed his strong fingers over her forearm. “Throm is going through turbulent times. It would be nice if you could protect yourself.”

  He yanked her back against his chest. “You can’t even break away from this hold.” He made a tsk sound. “You’re weak, which is probably why you’re so desirable to us.”

  “What do you mean?” In his hold, she was unable to move and barely able to breathe.

  “Our women are strong. They can defend themselves against any opponent. But you… you would faint, cry, and run to us if one of our enemies confronted you. That turns us on.”

  Amber scowled. “You’re disgusting.” She struggled in his arms, but he did not release her.

  “If you had been trained.” He held her back slightly. “You would know to hit me here.”

  He took her hand and stuck it against his stomach until she found a rib.

  “The way I am built, this would rob me of my breath for a few seconds… giving you time to run.”

  Amber eyed the spot but lowered her hands, even when he hissed with disappointment.

  “No wonder Wrexel walks all over you,” he goaded.

  “Well, I’m sorry I’m not Thromian,” she snapped.

  “Don’t use your humanity as an excuse. Humans can fight too if trained. Vergana has a strong army and even Hynafol has its own police force that includes women. If you want to stop being a baby who just gives up when confronted, I’ll teach you how to fight.”

  Amber was turning her back on him to stalk off but stopped.

  “You could?” she asked. “You could make me fit and strong?”

  She hadn’t felt strong one day in her life.

  He nodded slowly.

  Amber folded her arms when the nod lingered on her breasts.

  “And you would get a payoff by putting your hands all over me.” She sighed in disappointment.

  Staede shrugged. “I’m going to do that anyway, every chance I get. Why not get something out of it yourself?”

  “Why are you so hell-bent on chasing me when I belong to your brother?”

  * * *

  Staede looked as if he was giving her question some thought. “Since I turned twenty, and we were allowed to have sex, Wrexel and I have battled over females. With my genetic superiority, it’s hard to find a worthy opponent and I relish our ongoing game.”

  He grinned. “No point in challenging Shihlo. He resorts to diplomacy and is so pretty the girls always choose him. Not because he is afraid, mind you. I’ve battled with Shihlo and he kicked my butt. However, he doesn’t like to battle unless he’s attacked or provoked, which is hard to do because he is so restrained. Whyle is a tough bastard, but he doesn’t care enough about anything to fight for it. I once challenged him over a woman he really liked and he said, ‘Have her, there are plenty.’”

  Staede frowned in annoyance. “I can’t play with him. He is a genius, but he’s unflappable. He cares deeply about nothing but Throm’s advancement in science and his sister Rix.”

  “But Wrexel,” Staede grinned. “He is passionate about everything he desires. Our battles are exhilarating. They have been a big part of my life’s pleasures.”

  “So, you’re flirting with me to fight with him?” Amber scowled.

  “That has a lot to do with it,” he confessed, then motioned her to follow him from the room. “But mostly because I have never seen a woman who looks like you. I find your shape intoxicating. I tried my luck on Rheese and had a few enjoyable experiences.”

  He turned to face her and laughed at her outraged face. “But… I still wanted you.”

  Amber rolled her eyes, deflecting his sudden serious look.

  “Wrexel has you against your will; I want to win you from him.”

  “And then?” Amber asked.

  “After I have you, I would set you free,” he said with a shrug.

  “So, you don’t think what Wrexel is doing is right.” This pleased her. “You agree it’s wrong that he is keeping me here against my will.”

  “I find it strange,” Staede said as they walked back the same direction they had come. “But I am not completely surprised. Wrexel doesn’t take no for an answer. He probably knew he would not win you from your Earth male and battling him would be futile. Wrexel could have crushed him at the age of six. With you being so fragile and meek, you would never have had an affair with him, even if you wanted to. So, this was the best way to get you. Besides, let’s not forget his political motivation; he is waiting to see the vote at the next full moon. He’s hoping Shihlo will sign off on a war. He needs Shihlo to agree because we can’t fight without Whyle.

  “Why not?” she asked.

  “We have the men and the ships, but Whyle has full control of communication. We will have an army unable to communicate or navigate.”

  “But to threaten my whole planet…” she said softly.

  “Amber, he planned to kill them all anyway. It was Shihlo who made him save enough of your kind to start again on Rheese. Wrexel didn’t care about your people. To be frank, none of us do. Whyle stripped your planet of the ability to live, Shihlo ordained the trip and saved a few because he feared a witch’s curse and Wrexel… well, your people were lucky that he cares for Shihlo’s opinion.”

  * * *

  Amber felt her throat thicken.

  She was married into a family of devils.

  “Would he have saved the few for Shihlo anyway, even if I hadn’t confronted him?”

  “I don’t know.” Staede shrugged. “Shihlo asked him to help, but there was always a chance he would not. Wrexel is not predictable. He changes his mind often and does outlandish things when you least expect it. He’s a little crazy.” He grinned.

  She knew that for certain. How many times had he made her heart swell with his gentle kindness only to remind her moments later of his ability to be cruel?

  “I should go,” she said, for they were back where they had started.

  “I’ll find you tomorrow. We can tour a bit more and maybe start those lessons in self-protection,” he offered.

  “And if I say no?”

  He shrugged. “I’ll get to you anyway and coerce you. It will be easy.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked when the wall opened, they were back in Wrexel’s wing.

  “You’re desperate to vex Wrexel, but you lack courage.”

  “I do not,” she snapped.

  “Then prove it by doing something rebellious and fun against his will.”

  He kissed her knuckles, winked at her, and said, “See you.”

  Amber didn’t have a chance to respond. Staede moved the tapestry and disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.

  * * *

  She returned to her bedroom and jumped when the monitor turned on and Wrexel’s outraged face came into view.

  “Where the hell have you been with my insipid brother all day?” he demanded.

  “We toured the castle wing,” she snapped back. “You don’t own my freedom of movement.”

  “I asked you to stay away from him.”

  “And I decided I like his company.”

  “He is lecherous and will do what he can to bed you.”

  “Believe me, Wrexel, I will not allow another Thromian to manipulate me into his life the way you did. I chose to be with Staede.”

  “I forbid it.”

  “I think you have lost all means of blackmailing me. I have nothing left you can take from me.” His eyes narrowed. “Don’t be too sure.”

  Leyahanna
slinked out of the corner when Wrexel’s image was completely gone. “My lady, I failed you and my lord today.” She had tears in her eyes.

  “Nonsense, Leyahanna. I wanted to be with Staede. And I will see him again.”

  “He wishes only…” she began, but Amber cut her off.

  “I won’t succumb to Staede. I may loathe Wrexel, but I am not about to give my body to his brother.”

  Leyahanna paled. “Wrexel ordered more guards and a security detail to patrol all means of access to the castle wing.”

  “Well, then, let’s just see how good Staede is at getting what he wants.”

  * * *

  Within eight hours, Wrexel was back.

  Her resolve to vex him faded and dimmed when he strode into the wing, bruised and full of adrenaline from a fight. Amber stood rigid when he charged into the bedroom. Gone was the reserved, calculated alien she had become accustomed to since her arrival. His eyes were filled with rage and his demeanor was threatening.

  She couldn’t help but relish her small victory.

  “I told you to stay away from Staede.” He walked toward her with intent.

  “I will not.” She stuck out her chin. “You need to come to the realization that the one night we had will be the last; I will never succumb to your advances again. I will use every opportunity I can to make you regret this agreement.”

  He moved toward her and she wanted to avoid his touch more than anything, knowing he would make her lose her resolve if he came too close. She stepped back and felt the cool wall against her fingers. She stared at him in challenge, liking that she had riled him. That he couldn’t control her.

  “Do not test my patience,” Wrexel growled, his hands planted on each side of her against the wall as he glared down at her with glowing eyes.

  Amber tried to shift to the side, but he dropped his hands, trapping her between him and the wall.

  “He doesn’t want to be your friend. He’s not going to save you from Throm or help your people on Rheese. He’s going to screw you and leave you exactly where you are now.”