by Kelly A Nix
“It means that it never occurs to you to ask about the events that unfold around you. You either don’t notice or don’t care to know. That’s dangerous, Atae.” Jeqi presses her lips together and huffs at her packmate. Atae blinks then frowns at the blonde.
“It’s not that I don’t care. It’s just that I’m focused on other things, like beating Father or training for the Gridiron. Now apparently, I have to master blade-wielding. I can’t change what’s happening around me. I can only change what I do and what happens to me and mine. You’re going to depend on me in the Gridiron, just like I’m going to depend on you. I have to be ready. I won’t let you down,” Atae says. Her eyes blaze with a fiery determination, and Jeqi pauses in surprise at Atae’s resolve.
“Atae, you are the best fighter at Sula Academy. You should be confident in your ability to defend yourself and yours. Why aren’t you?”
“I’m not scared. I’m not afraid of anything. I am strong. I am Kaji.” Atae spins back around to the window and wraps her arms around her chest with a heavy sigh. Jeqi recognizes her packmate’s attempt to shut her out, so the blonde reaches for Atae with a soothing voice.
“I didn’t say you were afraid. I said you lack confidence, which is very unlike you. Atae, please, tell me what’s wrong?”
Atae doesn’t respond but continues to stare out over the garden below. She watches the small trees and bushes rustle in the morning breeze, then Atae is back in that dark forest. The hybrid squeezes her eyes shut and hopes to feel Solis’ morning heat through the clear window. Instead, she feels Kandorq’s rotten breath creeping down her neck and Salyn’s emerald gaze watching her. Atae balls her hands into fists and clenches so tight that her nails cut into her palms. Then Kandorq grabs her neck from behind as his tongue scraps across her face.
“Atae…” A voice breaks through the terrifying fog engulfing her mind, and a steady hand grabs Atae’s tense shoulder.
“Don’t touch me!” Atae spins around to face Kandorq with her fists raised. “I am not weak. I am strong. I am Kaji.”
Jeqi gasps and steps away from Atae. Reality crashes hard into Atae’s mind, and she lowers her fists. Reigning in her anxiety, Atae takes a deep breath and speaks in a controlled, monotonous voice.
“And I’m not afraid. And I don’t lack confidence. You were wrong, Jeqi. I didn’t shift. I can’t. I choked, that’s all. Don’t worry. I won’t let it happen again.”
Atae strides past Jeqi to leave her behind but stops when the blonde calls out.
“They were mercenaries.”
“What?”
“Spies, really. They were sent to gather information about us. The Kaji,” Jeqi says. She scrutinizes Atae’s response, trying to pinpoint the real problem under her bravado. Atae frowns at the odd piece of information and scrunches her nose.
“How do you know that?”
“I ask questions, Atae. You may not want to because you think you can’t change anything, but information can be just as powerful as raw strength in certain situations.”
“But who did you ask? How would they know?”
“My mother told me about the trespassers before your attack and warned me to be on the lookout. They slipped by all of our planetary security measures, and no one knew who they were or why they were here. But when you were attacked, we found out. Mother told me that the trespassers were mercenaries sent to gather information, but we still don’t know who sent them or what information they stole. The captain of the group took off with their ship when he realized his comrades disappeared. From what mother says, we still don’t know how he got through our security,” Jeqi says.
She steps closer to her friend and offers a small smile with a shrug. Atae takes a moment to absorb the information about her attackers but frowns when a thought occurs to her.
“The captain…” she says. “Lipson, I think. Yes, that’s what he called him. If Lipson got away, how did they find all this out?”
“The big one, the one you blinded-”
“Kandorq,” Atae whispers as a shiver runs down her back.
“Yes…him,” Jeqi says. She falls silent when she sees Atae’s reaction, and her tail wraps securely around her waist. Noticing the blonde’s hesitation, Atae tries to mask her anxiety, but Jeqi can see the swirling anguish in those rose-colored eyes.
“What about him?” Atae asks.
“He’s still alive, Atae.”
Atae stumbles as though Jeqi’s words were a strike against her chest. The air in her lungs disappears, and her mind shuts down. She is back on that horrific mountain with Kandorq’s foul breath against her face, his red eyes ablaze with sickness, and his cracked lips curved with anticipation. His deep, rough voice echoes through her mind.
“Atae…”
“Atae, listen to me.” Jeqi’s gentle voice and soft hands encompassing Atae’s face pulls her back from the abyss. “Breathe, Atae. He is not here. Kandorq is locked away under the palace. He can’t hurt you. So breathe. Control yourself.”
Atae counts her breaths and focuses on slowing her racing heart. When her body relaxes, Atae steps away from her packmate, and Jeqi lets her.
“Why is he still alive?” Atae asks. She clenches her fists again and winces when her nails dig deeper than before. Jeqi notices her pain and glances at Atae’s clenched fists, hanging by her sides. When blood drips, Jeqi reaches for her friend’s hands, but Atae steps away, jerking her fists and splattering blood across the walls around them.
“Tell me, Jeqi!”
“For information. As you said, the captain, Lipson, got away.” Jeqi reaches out to help the blue hybrid, and Atae relents. The blonde grabs her hands, and Atae winces as Jeqi examines the self-inflicted injuries.
“Besides, I think Advisor Solum enjoys making Kandorq scream. These are deep, Atae. They’re deeper than your nails are long. How did you do this?” Jeqi asks. She sighs in relief when Atae’s skin knits together, confirming that she’s healing normally again.
“What do you mean?” Atae asks. She’s more concerned about Solum than Jeqi’s questions. But when Jeqi traces her packmate’s fingertips, Atae flinches and pulls away.
“Ow.” Atae glares at her friend then inspects her fingertips. Ignoring the clotting blood on her palms, Atae notices soreness in all her fingers as she rubs dead skin off the tips.
“Has that happen before?” Jeqi asks. Atae glances at her, considering the question. She remembers a restless night with sore fingertips, but she shrugs it off and returns her attention to where it belongs.
“What did you mean about Solum making Kandorq scream?”
“Well,” Jeqi sighs, “According to Mother, Advisor Solum visited Kandorq every day that you were unconscious. He tortured him. Solum wanted answers, but Kandorq never gave in. He never told him anything, just screamed. Then you woke up and told Mother what Kandorq…what he wanted. And Solum heard you. Mother said that when your father left your room that night, he didn’t come back until morning. That night, the entire palace heard Kandorq screams, and he told Solum everything he knew, which wasn’t much. Apparently, he’s more muscle than brain.”
Struggling with this new knowledge, Atae swivels away from Jeqi. She covers her face with her hands and fights the overwhelming shame that threatens to wash over her. Solum knows. Her father knows what Kandorq tried to do. What she almost let him do to her. As the tidal wave of guilt and humiliation threatens to pull her under, Atae’s anger bubbles up from within the depths, and she latches onto it. She clings to the life preserver of hate as it pulls her above the debilitating waves of shame. Embracing the strength of her fury, Atae drops her hands from her face and spins back to glare at Jeqi.
“Good. Kandorq deserves it and much more.”
“Atae-”
“We should leave. The tournament will start soon.”
Jeqi watches with concern as her friend walks away. She knows that Atae is struggling within, but she doesn’t understand why. Jeqi has always admired Atae for her strong will and
determination to overcome any obstacle in her path. It’s what makes Atae such a valuable ally. Jeqi knows that her packmate’s confidence has cracked, and soon it will crumble under the pressure that Atae places on herself. It can’t be just the attack that has Atae so shaken, but something else. Jeqi follows Atae, deciding to stay close until she figures out how to help her friend.
Chapter 19
Atae sighs as Deh fusses over her daughter. Atae has often envied Jeqi’s relationship with her mother, but not today. Instead, she grumbles at Deh’s overprotective behavior and shuffles away to give them the illusion of privacy. Atae glances at the giant arena wall before them and watches her classmates slip into the massive entrance. She was surprised to learn that the field in which she trained with Solum would host all four rounds of the tournament. Where grass and weeds once stood high above her head, now stands a massive domed arena built from structured energy. Atae places her hand against the wall, expecting to feel the rough stone it mimics. Instead, her fingertips glide across the smooth sensation of placid water. She pushes against the barrier to break the surface as she would with a pool of water, but the energy field stands firm. She rubs her palm back and forth and smiles when the energy ripples like surface water.
“Are you done?” Jeqi asks.
“Are you?” Atae drops her hand to glance over Jeqi’s shoulder at Deh’s retreating form. The elder Setunn shuffles over to a small group of waiting parents, each displaying a varying degree of pride and worry for their offspring.
“Let’s go,” Jeqi says.
Atae follows her packmate to the simple archway designed to resemble white, stone blocks but stops when she realizes a translucent energy field stretches across the entrance. Jeqi doesn’t notice her friend’s hesitation at first and crosses through the barrier with several other classmates.
“Whoa.” Atae watches the energy shimmer around Jeqi and smiles. Once inside, the blue-eyed hybrid notices her packmate’s absence and spins around to find Atae, dumbstruck.
“What are you doing? Come on,” Jeqi says. She catches sight of something behind Atae and snaps her mouth shut. Jeqi’s eyes grow wide, and she straightens her posture. Atae wonders at the odd change in the blonde’s demeanor, then a familiar tendril of fear laces up her spine at the thought of what lurks at her back. At the sound of a familiar voice, the taut tension throughout her body twists into a different kind of misery.
“It’s an energy field, Blue,” Prince Truin says. He flashes a mocking smile as he steps up behind Atae along with Queen Sula. “You act as though you’ve never seen one. It’s only the most mass-produced technology in the Kaji Empire. In fact, our entire post-war economy was built around the manufacturing and selling of this nifty little product. Yet you’ve never seen one. Why am I not surprised?”
Jeqi, of course, recognizes the royal family and salutes them with the traditional right fist to the chest and left at her back. Her eyes dart from Queen Sula to Prince Truin, with her tail straight as a rod.
“Your Majesty. Your Highness. I am honored to meet you both,” she says.
Atae is not as excited to see the prince as Jeqi. The memory of their previous encounter haunts Atae, and the shame from her insults washes over her. She salutes the royal but refuses to meet his gaze.
“Queen Sula. Prince Truin. It is good to see you both again.”
Jeqi gawks at her packmate, and Atae realizes that Jeqi doesn’t know about her previous encounters with the future king of Kaji. She grimaces at the idea of informing Jeqi of her mistake. Prince Truin’s smile sours at the blue hybrid’s placating response.
“I see you have found your place. Tell me, how’s it possible that you’ve never seen an energy field?”
“I’ve seen one,” Atae says. “I’ve just never touched or interacted with one, I guess.”
“That’s really not surprising given Solum’s aversion to them,” Queen Sula says, and Atae gapes at her. “Oh, he’d never admit it. Nowadays, energy fields are used in every application imaginable from construction to cooking. Yet I’d wager that you don’t have any type of energy construct in your home.”
“You’re right. We don’t.”
“As I said, he’d never admit it, but Solum prefers to avoid them if he can. I think it stems from a certain bad experience in his youth. Maybe, one day I’ll recall the tale. It’s quite entertaining.” Queen Sula winks at the younger hybrids.
“I would like that.” Atae can’t help but smile back at the charismatic leader while Prince Truin huffs at his mother’s antics.
“By the way, Atae, you are looking well,” Sula says. “The palace is fluttering with tales of your escapades last night. I expect the same today.”
Atae’s smile falls and twists in confusion. She’s uncertain if the queen is referring to her fight with Prince Truin or his royal guards.
“Yes, I heard what you did to my guards. They are still recuperating in recovering tanks. Schinn will have a new scar where you sliced him open. It serves them right for taking it easy on you, though. I would have eaten you alive,” Prince Truin says. He bares his teeth at Atae, and she struggles to prevent her eyes from rolling to the back of her head. Jeqi, on the other hand, steps back in shock from the prince’s threat. Atae glares at him but says nothing; instead, she hangs her head and sighs.
“Of course, my prince. I am here to serve.”
“Even if it is to serve as my meal?”
Atae refuses to look at the young royal, afraid she might lose her temper again. It seems Truin can press her buttons faster than Sloan. Staring anywhere but at him, Atae’s gaze falls to Queen Sula, who peers back at her in disappointment.
“Hmph. It seems you’ve already cowed her, my son. And here I thought you were Solum’s daughter.” Queen Sula peers at Atae with a raised eyebrow, daring the young hybrid to prove her wrong. Perhaps the queen expects to see Atae standing up to the prince. The blue hybrid feels stuck between a rock and a hard place; anger the prince or disappoint the queen. Well, Atae has always been gifted at aggravating others. Why not put it to good use?
“With your guards injured, do you have any remaining pack to protect you? I don’t see anyone. What will you do if you come across a warrior that won’t pull their punches?” Atae asks the prince. Jeqi gapes at Atae in horror and moves to silence her, but Queen Sula stops the blonde with a wave of her hand. Prince Truin jumps into Atae’s face with a threatening snarl.
“I don’t need anyone to protect me. The royal guard is for tradition only. I am the strongest youngling on the planet. I am stronger than many of the warriors leading our armies.”
“How can you be sure about that? I mean, you only fight loyal servants of the empire. Their honor binds them to protect you, not hurt you. Have you ever been seriously injured in a fight, Prince Truin?”
“Of course not, I am a mighty warrior. I have never lost a battle.”
“Do you always feel the urge to announce your greatness to those around you? It seems to me that if you were truly great, you wouldn’t have to keep reminding us.” Atae’s words strike the prince like a slap to his face, and he growls, but she continues unfazed. “The fact that you do makes me think that you know.”
“Know what?” Prince Truin asks through bared teeth.
“That every fight that you worked so hard to win, every fight that you bled and sweat over, struggled to breathe, and urged your body not give in so that you could win and beat your opponent…They were all lies because your opponent would never have hurt you. Every warrior you’ve ever fought is bound by his or her honor to protect you, even from themselves. You will never truly know if you are the strongest Kaji because no loyal Kaji will ever truly test you,” Atae says. Her cold, fuchsia eyes pierce his glowing amber. With only a hint between them, the seething prince can’t hide the sudden elongation of his pupil.
Prince Truin spins away from the blue hybrid and takes several deep breaths to calm his fiery temper and stop the shift. After a moment, he swivels back to Atae w
ith his normal eyes, his calm royal demeanor washing over him, and all traces of his explosive temper gone.
“I look forward to our fight, Blue. Be prepared,” he says icily. Then he bids goodbye to his mother and stomps through the arena entrance and disappears.
“Magnificent. You truly are Solum’s heir,” the queen says. She chuckles while Jeqi tries to reign in her panic. Horrified that her packmate just secured their positions as palace servants, Jeqi presses her hands against her cheeks and gawks at Atae.
“What did you just do?”
Jeqi surges toward her pack, attempting to grab Atae’s shoulders, but the blonde’s hands slam into the solid, translucent energy field instead. Realizing the entrance is one-way, Atae is grateful for the barrier to allow her packmate time to calm down. She ignores Jeqi’s anguish as she addresses her queen.
“Did you want me to argue with him?”
“Oh, yes.” Queen Sula’s amusement sparkles in her amber eyes. “It’s important for a future king to have a companion that will test his temper and isn’t afraid to stand up to him. He must learn to earn respect instead of just demanding it like an arrogant brute.”
Atae’s cheeks redden with embarrassment as she realizes the queen remembers her remark at dinner.
“Yeah, until we get sentenced to kitchen duty for the rest of our lives,” Jeqi says. She drowns in anxiety as her agitated tail lashes out around her, then she pales when Queen Sula narrows her eyes at the youngling. The queen stares at Jeqi long enough for the young female to squirm, then Sula smirks.
“Don’t worry, my pupils. He may be the prince, but I am the queen. Consider all his threats of reprimand idle at best. Now threats of bodily harm are up to you to stop.”
“Forgive me, my queen,” Jeqi says. “I, uh…we greatly appreciate your support. But is there a reason for your visit? I only ask because the tournament will begin soon.”
“Yes, of course. With all the sparks flying, I almost forgot. I came to wish you two luck. You both must perform exceptionally well. I can’t very well take you under my tutelage if you lose the tournament.”