Identity Revealed: The Tue-Rah Chronicles

by Butler, J. M.

  The puma struggled and snarled behind her. With her hands manacled, Amelia knew she didn't stand a chance. All her daggers had been taken away and her gun, except…

  The boot dagger!

  She squatted and slipped it out. The blade was pathetically small compared to the spiders, but it was better than nothing. She gripped it in her hands, her fists white-knuckled.

  "Now would be a good time for a miracle, Elonumato." Amelia drew in a sharp breath. Her options were limited.

  The puma!

  There was no guarantee that the silver puma wouldn't turn on her, but at least if it killed her, it would do it faster than the spiders. She yelled at the spiders with all her strength, tightening her diaphragm and leaning forward. "Get back!"

  One of the spiders snarled, its jaws opening wide. The others pulled back.

  Amelia dodged the one spider that stayed firm and raced toward the puma.

  The poor struggling creature had bite marks along its back and legs. These bled only a little, though they seeped with yellow and green fluid. Barbs of varying sizes stuck out at irregular intervals. The puma hissed when she reached it, baring its long white teeth.

  "Calm down. We're in this together." Amelia dropped alongside it and slid her boot dagger through the web. The strands of the web snapped, slicing thin cuts along her hands and forearms, burning like stinging nettles.

  The puma snarled and swatted, letting loose a ferocious caterwaul. Amelia dodged to the side, trying to shield herself. Its heavy paw caught her in the shoulder and tore across her flesh. Pain streaked through her, hot blood soaking her shirt.

  The puma hissed and snarled again, its black-furred ears pressed flat against its head. Its eyes burned amber. Then it lunged, attacking the spiders.

  Five of the spiders converged on the puma once again, skittering forward and chattering their fangs. Five.

  Amelia struggled to her feet, her shoulder burning and throbbing. Where was the sixth? She turned around in a frantic circle, her heart thundering. Her fear had never hurt so much. Then something tapped the top of her head.

  Amelia choked. Please tell me I imagined it, she thought.

  It tapped her again, lower this time. Coarse hairs brushed against her ear.

  Fear surged through Amelia's veins. She gripped the knife tighter, then spun around and jabbed the knife up in the air.

  The spider snapped its legs out of the way, opening its mouth and extending its long purple tongue. No, that wasn't a tongue. Long barbed stingers protruded from it.

  Amelia stared up at it, motionless. Stared at that horrible stinger and into those lifeless, empty eyes. There was nothing in it that could be tamed or soothed. Everything slowed.

  The spider attacked.

  Amelia dodged to the side.

  The spider dropped in front of her. The puma leaped back into the center, its back arched. It spun around, swatted, hissed, and snarled.

  One of the spiders scaled the wall and the staircase. Its shadow danced across the red stone. Amelia glanced up in time to see it stop over the torches. "No!" she cried.

  With a single blow, the spider knocked the torches off the brackets to the ground.

  The very air hurt to inhale. Her shoulder burned, her veins throbbed. She strained her eyes to see something. Anything. The chattering clatter of mandibles and stingers and spine-riddled legs came from all around.

  The puma growled again. It was farther away now.

  Something swiped her feet out from under her and then bit into her calf. It at once let go. She screamed and stabbed at it, but she struck only air.

  And so the spiders played, sometimes herding Amelia and the puma into each other. Three times, the wild cat slashed at her. Again and again, the spiders knocked her down and bit, sometimes stinging her, sometimes shaking. The dagger fell from Amelia's hands, the manacles cutting into her wrists. Each time she fell, she scrambled up again. All she felt was darkness, cold, pain, and fear. Her thoughts muddled, streaking with panic and confusion.

  A spider lunged at her, striking her in the chest. The force of its body crushed the air from her lungs. Amelia brought her hands up to shield her face, a strangled cry escaping her lips. The spider bit into her arm. It stung her twice. Another bit into her wounded shoulder.

  Suddenly, the door banged open. Light spilled into the room. Amelia couldn't even look up. What little strength she had left she poured into her struggle. Her vision faded.

  Something heavy dropped down beside her. "Delorme, spiders. Release!"

  It sounded like Naatos. The spider on her arm let go and backed away. But the one on her shoulder clenched harder.

  "I said release." Naatos walked in front of her, glaring at the spider. He removed the spear and telescoped it out. The spider pulled Amelia back. Lunging forward, Naatos plunged the spear through the spider's body.

  The pressure released. Amelia struggled to push herself up from the ground, but her legs gave out.

  "Be still." Naatos knelt beside her.

  Amelia tensed, fumbling for her dagger.

  Naatos picked her up. The chamber spun, everything blurring. Amelia even wondered if she was seeing correctly. Maybe she was hallucinating.

  The spiders backed away, chattering and clacking their fangs and mandibles again. The nightmarish sound echoed in Amelia's mind. When she closed her eyes, she saw their horrible eyes hanging before her, grim and focused. Those alone remained clear as everything else blurred. Her entire body throbbed with pain, her left arm hurting the most. She'd been bit by dogs, snakes, cats, bobcats, and more, but none hurt like this.

  Her eyes slid shut, her body screaming for relief. Unconsciousness alone offered hope. Her thoughts remained fragmented, angry, frightened.

  Was this a miracle? But what was the cost? If Naatos was here to help her, something terrible had happened.

  "Wake up." Naatos set her on a table and struck her cheek lightly. "You cannot sleep." He shook his head, his jaw set. "Drink this." He poured a cold, bitter liquid down her throat before she could respond. "Why did you hide who you were?"

  Some marginal strength flowed back into her body, the taste of the liquid strong in her mouth. Amelia winced. Another bolt of pain shrieked through her body as Naatos lifted her arm. "Why would I tell you?" she demanded. With each breath, her head became clearer. "You're my enemy!"

  "I am not," Naatos said.

  Amelia laughed sharply. "Then what are these? You'd have thrown me in there sooner or later. You care nothing for my life." She cringed when she saw her left arm. It had swollen grotesquely, oozing pus and blood. Brown barbs stuck out at odd angles, some as thin as needles, others thick as pencils. They were in her arms, her shoulder, her legs, and her side. Everywhere the spiders had attacked.

  "No," Naatos said.

  "And why not?" Amelia demanded.

  "Because," Naatos said sternly. "You are—"

  "Naatos." AaQar thrust down a bowl of herbs next to Amelia, shooting Naatos a harsh glare. "This is not the appropriate time."

  WroOth entered the room, bringing other medical instruments. "Agreed. It'll be better tomorrow."

  "I am what?" Amelia bit into her lip and tugged at one of the barbs. It stung, pulling deep in her flesh like an embedded fishhook.

  "Don't pull." Naatos pushed her hand back. He examined one of the smaller knives WroOth brought in and set it on the table. "Those barbs have venom sacs on the end. If you pull them out, it makes it worse. We have to get them all out." He took her arm in his hand again, applying pressure along the outer edge of the bites.

  "Don't touch me! Get someone else," Amelia snapped. She tried to push him off, her fingernails digging into his arm. It did no good. She focused on breathing, wondering where Shon and Matthu were. Had they been captured? Were they all right? She slapped him again. "Go get that poor puma out of there! You left it to die."

  Naatos glared at her, but he didn't move. "The cat is not at issue. It has already escaped."

  "But did you hel
p it? Maybe help something that wants to be helped. Now get away from me!" Amelia shrieked.

  Naatos pulled back, putting his hand over his eyes for a moment and shaking his head. "You might not be a trained Neyeb," he said. "But you're stronger than I thought." He removed her necklace from inside his tunic and set it on the table.

  "It's affecting you?" WroOth shook his head, half laughing. "Perhaps I shouldn't condemn our two Ayamin friends so completely."

  Amelia stiffened. "What Ayamin?"

  "Your two friends, Ignorant Guard and Interfering Ayamin," WroOth said. "They were idiots." He continued organizing the medical instruments, though most were various blades and bandages. He kept them out of her reach. "They broke in here and made a mess of their rescue. Might as well have opened by telling us you were Inale."

  "Where are they?" Amelia demanded. "What did you do to them?" She doubled over, the pain spasming once more.

  "You will calm down now," Naatos said. "Fear is only going to make the venom work faster."

  "Why would I be afraid?" Amelia's body continued to shake. Sarcasm sometimes helped her push back her own discomfort, but now it did nothing. She gripped her wrist with her right hand. The trembling didn't stop. The spiders had focused their attacks significantly on the points where her body had already been damaged. Cold filled her despite the heat from the fireplace. "Where are they? What did you do to them?"

  "They are confined for the time being. You giving them your necklace was the smartest thing you could have done aside from admitting who you were. Cooperate, and they'll be fine." Naatos picked up a handful of the first bowl of herbal liquid and rubbed it over his hands. The green liquid sloshed from his hands onto the table, smelling like a combination of peppermint and cilantro. He dipped one of the smaller knives in it.

  Amelia didn't understand what he meant. What did her necklace have to do with Shon and Matthu? That little burst of strength and consciousness was fading quickly. She didn't care how it looked. Right now she wanted to curl up on the table and slip into blissful unawareness.

  AaQar brought up another bowl and set it down. "She needs more li before you start. She needs to be sedated."

  The room wobbled. Amelia shuddered, her eyelids sliding shut.

  "It's too dangerous." Naatos grabbed her under the chin and tilted her face up. "She's barely conscious now. Make more of the kriot. We'll need far more. WroOth, hold her. Amelia, do not fall asleep. You're going to be fine."

  WroOth hopped on the table beside her and wrapped his arms around her, taking care not to put any more pressure on the wounds than necessary. "So, Amelia, why don't you tell me what your little plan included? It isn't short on enthusiasm, I grant you. But it was certainly lacking in foresight."

  Amelia started to respond, but before she got the first words out, Naatos picked up a knife and cut into her arm.

  The sharpness of the pain cleared Amelia's mind. She screamed and lashed out, driving her palm into Naatos's face and kicking him back. Adrenaline burst through her body. "What are you doing?"

  Naatos fell back, his nose bloodied. He pushed his nose back into place. "WroOth, hold her!"

  "I can cut those out myself. Give me the knife," Amelia said.

  "You cannot treat yourself," Naatos said.

  AaQar brought the bowl of kriot over. "Amelia, look at me. You must remain as still as possible. We must cut the stingers out carefully and then immediately apply the salve to prevent you from bleeding excessively and help your body begin a rapid healing process. We are not doing this to hurt you."

  Amelia continued struggling. "I have medical experience. I don't want any of you touching me!"

  "I don't know if her believing that makes much difference," WroOth said. He dragged Amelia back farther on the table. "Surely there's some rope or something we can use to tie her down."

  "Not enough time. AaQar, hold her legs. WroOth, keep her still," Naatos said.

  Everything blurred again. A sense of detachment spread through Amelia's body. AaQar took hold of her legs, but she did not feel his hands. She only saw him.

  Naatos cut into her arm again, removing one of the barbs. The thick poison sac glistened, and pain slammed Amelia back into the moment. All her nerves returned to life. She screamed, struggling to break through.

  "Get the larger barbs out first, and that shoulder," AaQar said. "Her shoulder and arm are in very bad shape…"

  Naatos nodded, his expression grim. "WroOth, keep her awake. She can't fall asleep now."

  "I think the screaming is a good sign she's conscious." WroOth almost lost his grip on her as she continued thrashing and kicking.

  In the back of her mind, Amelia understood they were helping her. But she didn't trust them. Why would they even care?

  Instinct had taken over. The pain demanded movement. If she didn't move, it intensified. AaQar's and WroOth's vise-like grips kept her from doing more than struggle in vain.

  Naatos worked with merciless precision. He did not stop, despite her cries. Her throat was raw and dry, and she had no more tears left. This seemed to last even longer than her time in the spider pit.

  At last she stopped fighting, her strength exhausted. Her breaths slipped in and out of her chest, barely enough to sustain her. Sleep pulled at her eyes. Blessed relief. Why had Elonumato allowed this?

  "Hey." WroOth slapped her cheek. "None of that. Wake up, little sister." He shook her. "Come on now."

  Her eyelids sagged. WroOth's voice was distorted, distant. "Naatos," he said. "She's going. I can't keep her."

  Through half-closed eyes, Amelia saw Naatos cut into her arm again to remove another stinger. Nothing hurt anymore. Warmth flowed through her, soothing and comfortable. The pain was a memory now, a quickly fading memory.

  "AaQar, take over. Amelia." Naatos grabbed her face between his bloodstained hands and pried her eyes open with his thumbs. He looked straight into her eyes. "Listen to me. You have to wake up."

  Something snapped. Amelia heard it in the back of her mind. The world fell away in a blur, and there was only light. A gentle light as if the fire had engulfed her. Then it vanished.

  There were no smells. No sounds. No tastes. It was as if she floated.

  From the darkness, a series of tapestries dropped down. They formed rows and flowed in front of her as if pulled by invisible strings.

  Amelia wasn't sure whether to be frightened or surprised. In fact, there were no emotions in her except detachment. She wasn't dying, that she knew. But she was in a different place.

  The tapestries moved in harmony, each one with a different scene upon it. When Amelia looked closer, the tapestry came to life, becoming a window into a scene with living people. Hundreds of tapestries surrounded her. There were battles with Vawtrians transforming into various creatures, scorpions with four faces and a single stinger, a dark-haired boy and rainbow-haired girl fighting over a puzzle box, a man whittling by a fire, flames consuming a city, and festivals with fire, storms, and wine.

  The tapestry closest to her depicted a festival. From the black and brown elmis on their foreheads and palms, it was obvious they were Neyeb. They wore long red and brown garments that swept and moved with each light step. The closer she focused, the more Amelia could perceive. Sounds reached her faintly. Music played, and thunder boomed. Lightning cut across the sky. That lightning revealed something though. A form. A strange one. Something about it was familiar…feminine…distinct.

  Amelia stepped closer, placing her hands against the green-bound tapestry. That form was calling her.

  A hand grabbed her and pulled her back. "You aren't strong enough to go farther."

  Anger and fear rose in Amelia, dim compared to what she had felt before. Naatos. Of course he was here. This place…was his.

  She turned to face him. "I am." Her voice was muffled in this dark chamber, as was everything else except the images in the tapestries.

  "Soon," Naatos said. "My mind is not a safe place for you to wander about, but this is the on
ly way I can keep you alive. Hold onto this." He handed her a stone medallion that resembled her own. The markings on it were different, and they glowed.

  "Why?" Amelia asked. It weighed heavy in her palm.

  "Because you must. All will become clear soon."

  "I'm…" Amelia's eyes grew heavy again. "I need to sleep."

  Naatos took her hand and bound the necklace to it. "Then sleep now. When you wake, everything will be different."

  Amelia sank back into the darkness, unable to hold her eyes open any longer. As everything faded, she felt the weight of the necklace in her hand, and she did not drift farther away.

  27

  A Shocking Development

  Warm sunlight woke Amelia. Her body ached, but she no longer felt the searing pain. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a simple red-walled bedroom.

  Amelia sat up slowly. Her arms had been bandaged as well as part of her torso, both legs, and her shoulders. She no longer wore her jeans or camisole. Instead, a long white shift covered her body.

  The bandages themselves were made of a thin paper-like cloth, stuck to her skin with a green herbal concoction that smelled like the cilantro and peppermint substance Naatos had dipped the knives in. Though it clung to her skin tightly, it neither burned nor itched.

  Dozens of thoughts swarmed through Amelia's mind as she struggled to piece together what had happened. Shon and Matthu had been captured. Naatos knew she was Inale.

  Was that why she was here? She paused after she pushed herself up. Strapped to her hand was her necklace.

  No.

  Amelia frowned, remembering the odd exchange she had with Naatos in that place…whatever it was. This necklace wasn't hers. The markings were different, but there was something familiar about it. She unfastened the strands and tucked it back in her palm, uncertain what to do with it. Her own necklace was missing.

  Of course. She had given it to Shon and Matthu.

  Rising slowly, Amelia took in the room. There wasn't much to see. A bed, a small table, a washbasin, a bench with some clothing on it, and a window too narrow for her to get more than a leg through. She walked to the door and turned the metal knob. It stopped short, clacking against the lock.