Shon gripped Matthu's shoulder, guiding him back. "Matthu, stop looking," he said, his voice almost gentle. "We can't afford any delays, and there's nothing we can do to help the dead. We have to make the most of the time we have to get what information we can, make a plan, and then figure out how to keep anyone else from dying."
Shon's calm demeanor made it sound easy. Amelia kept her arms folded. This position made her feel safer, especially with her fingers tucked under her arms and her palms against her breasts. "So what are we going to do first? Depending on how much information you already have, we probably should scout out the palace."
"We've got some information, some of it from what we witnessed and some from that Machat. His name was Kepsalon." Shon rubbed his forehead again.
"He also gave Shon a good rap on the head with this shining orange rock," Matthu said.
"That sounds unpleasant," Amelia said. "But did he say anything else? Like what we should do?"
"Nothing like that." Matthu sat on the ottoman and began sharpening his javelin with a whetstone from his pocket. Apparently a nervous act rather than strategic as his javelin was obviously still sharp and not stained with blood. Then again, Matthu was one of the youngest Ayamin ever to be accepted. He had become a full Ayamin primarily because Linufe, his father, was the royal adviser and Shon had acquitted himself so well so he got the opportunity to test at a younger age. This was most likely Matthu's first time witnessing death on such a personal level, and as they were supposed to be living in a time of peace, he was probably less prepared for this carnage than she was. Matthu examined the javelin head and nodded. "Not that it matters. We don't need his help."
All bravado. Some part of Amelia hurt for both Shon and Matthu, understanding how afraid they were despite the brave faces they put forward. Desperate to know the people they loved were safe. The bravado and whatever plan they came up with was all they had. "Well, we will succeed," she said. "There's three of us. They'll never expect a resistance from a group so small."
"Probably for good reason." Shon chuckled. The edges of his jaw twitched, and his fist tightened ever so slightly, giving away his nerves as well. "But we won't remain this small for long. We might as well start with the most important matter. Amelia, you are supposed to destroy the Paras. Has Elonumato shown you how to do this?"
Amelia held her gun up in the air, pleased that she had indeed succeeded in bringing the weapons with her. "Not specifically. Elonumato really hasn't said much of anything since I left, but I am going to assume commonsense and that sort of thing will apply. If I can kill those three, then that means that they aren't totally invulnerable."
"Maybe not totally, but enough," Matthu said. "They were ripping out those arrows and spear shafts like they were toothpicks, and half the time, they healed up before they threw them away. Swords didn't work. Javelins didn't work. Arrows, spears, tomarangs, hatchets, axes, knives, fire. Nothing stopped them."
"That's how Vawtrians work," Shon said. "Their shapeshifting essentially tears their bodies apart, and so they have to be able to heal themselves quickly to even survive. Unless Elonumato gave you that weapon, I don't know that it's going to be much good against them. What is it anyway?"
"A handgun. It fires small projectiles that can shatter bones, pierce flesh, splatter organs. And it does all that with just the pull of a trigger." She didn't mention that the handgun had actually been a compromise. If she had had her way, she would have gone to bed each night with a machine gun or a bazooka. But Uncle Joe had eventually convinced her how dangerous that would be. At the very least, she knew Naatos and his brothers would not be expecting this. "There's nothing like that here. One bullet, maybe two, three at most for each, and I'm thinking they'll be done. I hope anyway. It makes sense, given the timing, I think. Particularly if I get them when they're in their states of rest."
A dull fear rose in Amelia's chest as she recalled the nightmare, the spectral woman, and all her hateful whispered words of worry and fear.
You'll never be ready for what was planned. It's already too late. Choosing you as the Third Nalenth was all a mistake… They echoed in her mind now.
Amelia straightened her shoulders. It was most likely her own fears speaking out. Leonas had said she was ready, after all, but he had told her some things weren't going to go as planned. That could mean almost anything. She'd just have to be quick and adaptable.
"Even if it doesn't fix everything, at least it will give us something of an advantage," Amelia said. "Maybe it will be enough to take out one, but the others will acclimate or something. But even one less is huge."
"Your arrival and weapon have to be significant," Shon said. "And it is more than we have right now." He and Matthu quizzed her over the gun. Both were somewhat familiar with the premise because of Uncle Joe and his stories, but they had never seen one like this.
With all that was happening, it was easier to push back the fear and focus on the power of modern weaponry. Amelia also told them about the reoccurring dreams she had had and Leonas's words of caution.
All three at last agreed that, while their first instinct might be to launch a surprise attack, it would almost certainly fail. The Paras had to be separated from their mercenaries and each other. Naatos, AaQar, and WroOth were formidable alone, but they were practically invincible when fighting together. More dragon roars outside the long windows punctuated this realization.
"We'll have to lure Naatos out," Shon said. "He's the greatest of the threats, and if it might only work on one, it's best it works on him. After that, WroOth is the next priority. Then AaQar. What can we use to lure Naatos out of the palace?"
"Inale." Matthu motioned toward Amelia. "He doesn't know you've grown up, but he knows you're the Third Nalenth. So he's got to find you if he's going to keep you from doing what you're about to do. We could tell him that we know where Inale is. Make him go somewhere secluded. Then Amelia could get out there and finish him with that gun."
Amelia's stomach fluttered with nerves. All her hours of preparation. At last it was about to come to fruition. The eagerness burned inside her. She would finish this. Put an end to the nightmare the Paras had unleashed within her home. Their reign, though cruel, would be short. Don't forget what this feels like, she told herself. When the moment came, she had to be decisive. "If it's going to work, we've got to make sure AaQar and WroOth aren't with him or close enough to come to his aid. I can shoot fast and true, but if it takes more than a shot or two, I won't be fast enough."
"That dragon form of WroOth's is a deadly one," Matthu said. "I don't think your Indiana weapons would do much good if any of them turned into dragons."
"No." Amelia knew it wouldn't work then. She had to get them while they were in their states of rest. Uncle Joe had told her all about the time he had had to fight wyverns in his early days in Libysha. Even with his machine gun, he'd barely managed to defeat two of the beasts. And those had been considerably smaller than what WroOth had become. Her own handgun wouldn't fare much better against such scales and defenses. "Their human form will be a different matter. Hopefully."
"It might work." Shon stepped toward the gilt double doors. As he turned, it was hard for Amelia not to notice his profile. It didn't help that it was striking. "But before we make any more decisions, we need information. Amelia, stay here. Do whatever you need to do to get ready, but don't let anyone see you. We'll be back shortly. Come on, Matthu."
Amelia crossed her arms and watched them go. The roars and bellows of the dragon and creatures continued, but they no longer frightened her. She stepped to the window, looking down at the courtyard. The moonlight revealed the corpses of more than seventy of the palace inhabitants. Their shed blood drained across the courtyard.
Amelia's stomach knotted, and she choked. Looking was a mistake. This time the bodies weren't a reminder of how much time had passed but of the carnage wrought upon her people. Stepping back from the curtain, she covered her mouth. She couldn't think about that now. Turning a
way, she did the only thing she could think of to end her apprehension: she practiced.
She practiced her stance. Practiced drawing. She stood in the center of the room and envisioned Naatos. She imagined looking him in the eye, that satisfying moment when he revealed who she was right before she put the bullet in his head. Or maybe she wouldn't tell him anything. Maybe she would say that she knew and then refuse to tell him what it was she knew. One, two, three. She held the gun at arm's length. Just as simple as at the firing range she'd built behind her house. She imagined the bleakness in Naatos's eyes, the coldness, the grimness. He wouldn't beg, and he wouldn't cower. There wouldn't be time. At most, she could hope for surprise. Shock perhaps. But more likely, grimness.
Amelia forced a smile. Soon this would all be over.
10
Plans
Amelia practiced. She measured her stride and her breaths. For a little while, she tried sitting still, but the worries and fear returned. Shon had told her not to get anxious unless they had not returned by dawn, but she couldn't keep those worries from nibbling her thoughts.
The dragon roars faded outside. In fact, aside from the tramp of boots, the occasional shout, and the gentle thrum of the wind in the trees, all became still. The night birds made their calls, and a loon chattered in the distance.
Pacing, Amelia wiped her sweating palms on her black jeans. She removed the satchel from her side, counted and organized her ammunition, flipped through ebooks on her tablet, and then stuffed everything back inside. She couldn't focus on anything except training for more than a few minutes. She couldn't even journal, though there was much to contemplate.
Footsteps reached her ears. Amelia stopped, listening.
Nothing.
Both relief and concern gripped Amelia. She held the gun close and resumed pacing. Where were Shon and Matthu? They had been gone too long. She prayed they were all right.
At last, the pale-grey morning wrens warbled their early songs. Dawn was almost there. Standing, Amelia returned to the window. The glass blocked out the scents, but she imagined it smelled of cold blood and dew. That unpleasant scent would only worsen as the day progressed. Looking to the horizon, Amelia noted the lightening near the mountains.
Where are Shon and Matthu, she wondered.
Footsteps scuffled outside the door. Amelia adjusted her grip on the gun and steadied herself, facing the entrance. The door slid open, a black-gloved hand emerging. "It's us, Amelia," Shon whispered.
Amelia holstered the gun. "What did you find out?"
"Your parents and Josiah are alive." Shon removed the black gloves he now wore. Both he and Matthu had changed from their Ayamin uniforms into the black and green uniforms of the invading force. "They're being held prisoner. It seems Naatos can't find the kolagro to restore the Tue-Rah, but they're fairly certain it's in Polfradon, so they're searching there."
"And what about your father?" Amelia asked.
"He's alive too." Matthu did not sound as relieved as Amelia expected. A somber paleness suffused his face. "But many others weren't so fortunate."
The knot in the pit of Amelia's stomach tightened. She didn't want to wait any longer. Her instincts urged her to race out and down the staircase, come what may, and see how far she got. But that wasn't wise. Right now, they had to prepare.
"Most of the Ayamin and others have been imprisoned," Shon said with calm confidence. The muscles along the back of his neck were noticeably tighter though, and even more sweat beaded his forehead. "The killing seem to have stopped for the time being. They've taken the bodies out to the marketplace and courtyard to put up a display. There are enough imprisoned Ayamin here to take back the palace, but we can't do it while the Paras are here. Whatever we do, we have to do it fast. Naatos has planned to execute Queen Alita today at noon to make an example of her to prevent further resistance."
"Execute her?" Amelia exclaimed. "Where is she?"
"We don't know." Shon ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "Probably in one of the interior prisons. We couldn't reach those."
"It doesn't make sense," Matthu said. "King Theol never planned to resist. He never has. He has to honor that oath. That's public knowledge."
"It makes perfect sense when you remember this isn't just about Libysha and the Tue-Rah." Shon tapped one of his tomarangs against his palm. "It's much bigger than all of this, and it has nothing to do with the king or the queen. Naatos is making a statement. He's setting the stage for future attacks and conquests. These are the warning shots to put everyone into compliance."
Amelia's chest tightened with anger and terror. She wrapped her fingers around her stone pendant, digging into the grooves. "We will not let her die." She ground the words out of her mouth, emphasizing them as if the extra strength made it more probable they would succeed.
"Naatos intends to oversee the execution himself," Shon said. "But even if we lure him out, one of his brothers is likely to take over it. They don't seem to have a problem shifting duties, and, from what we've gathered, it doesn't seem like Naatos would feel he has to be there personally if AaQar or WroOth could do it."
Amelia's grasp tightened on the necklace. "Then there can't be a 'we.' I'm the only one who can kill them, but just because I need to face them one at a time doesn't mean we have to leave AaQar and WroOth here. You all need those two gone as well if you're going to free the Ayamin and save everyone else, and I need them away from Naatos if I am going to kill him. So let's send the Paras off on a wild goose chase. By the time they get back, the palace will be empty because you two are going to break out the Ayamin, rescue your father, my parents, Josiah, and everyone else you can find, and then escape."
"I'm fairly certain that sending you off alone would be violating our vows as Ayamin." Matthu adjusted the tight black collar of the uniform and then looked to Shon for support. "You're still the princess, even if you are the Third Nalenth."
"He's right. We're sworn to protect you," Shon said.
"And you're also sworn to protect my mother, my father, and my brother," Amelia said, her voice sharpening. "Now, I didn't make a fuss when you two went out to investigate alone. We don't know if Naatos's army has any female soldiers, and it'd be too hard to hide me. But that doesn't mean that I'm going to take a backseat while my mother's life is in danger." Matthu and Shon exchanged puzzled expressions. "Besides, I am the best person to take Naatos on alone. I'll get him out some place remote. If worse comes to the worst, then I'll reveal that I'm the Third Nalenth. So long as I have this, he can't hurt me." Amelia held up the stone necklace. "Besides, what good are you two going to be in the long run if we don't get reinforcements? The three of us aren't going to be able to turn back an entire army, and we certainly can't save any of the others that they'll execute. I am the Third Nalenth. This is what I was born to do. I've been training for this since I was a child, and, as far as I'm concerned, no one else dies. While I'm taking care of Naatos, you two can save everyone else."
Shon continued to tap the hilt of his tomarang on his hand. The curved blade caught the rising light of dawn and reflected it on the wall. "Maybe."
Amelia set her hands on her hips and drew in a deep breath. She wanted to run, kickbox—something. Anything to relieve this stress, but she could only stand there. "There is no maybe, Shon. You two being with me when I face Naatos isn't going to do any good. You've already seen what he does to our Ayamin. You two can't help me there, but you can help here."
"That's not the only thing I'm concerned about." Shon sheathed his tomarang. "What can we do to convince Naatos to meet you in some secluded place where no one will hear his death cries while at the same time convince WroOth and AaQar to go elsewhere? There aren't enough of us to mount an insurrection that would bring only one of them. And getting Naatos out of the palace specifically is going to be hard. Let alone getting the other two out and to different places. They might trust the Talbokians alone in the palace for that long, but it doesn't seem likely unless it's really important."<
br />
"Wait." Amelia held up her hand, frowning, realizing something she should have noticed earlier. "How did you pronounce their names?"
"WroOth, AaQar, Naatos," Shon said, repeating them slower. But he pronounced WroOth as Ruth and AaQar as Acker.
"No, that's not how they pronounce their names," Amelia said. "WroOth is RO oth, and AaQar is ha CAR. The ha is very soft. You got Naatos right. It is NAY toss." More than likely Naatos was the only one Shon and Matthu had heard the Talbokians discussing.
"I liked it better when he was Ruth, but that shouldn't be too hard to remember," Matthu said. "I guess one of them might go if there were rumors of the kolagro being found by Zaloma's Altar. They're determined to find that. And they better find it quick if they want to restore the Tue-Rah."
"Possibly," Shon said. "But who could convince them? They've been looking for a while. They've probably already searched Zaloma's Altar."
Matthu snapped his fingers. "The Machat! Their words are sacred and essential. Who wouldn't want to know the future?"
Amelia hesitated. She remembered a little about the Machat. Their prophecies, visions, and predictions had informed many decisions throughout the centuries, and they had been the ones to foresee her so-called fate. Most of them had vanished, though she couldn't remember why. Personally, she had never seen one, but she knew that they were looked upon with great respect and awe. That might be exactly what they needed. If the three Paras would listen to anyone, it might be a Machat. "You just met a Machat in the passages, didn't you?" she asked.
"He's long gone now," Shon said. "Plus, the Machat don't lie. Not even for a good reason. Everyone knows that."
"One of us could pretend to be a Machat." Matthu hurried to the desk in the corner of the room and rummaged through the drawers. Writing utensils, ink bottles, clips, and other similar objects clattered around. He finally held up a small bottle of brown ink and a thin brush. "And by one of us, I think it's going to have to be Amelia. I don't think you or I could look Machat, even with the markings."
Identity Revealed: The Tue-Rah Chronicles Page 10