Identity Revealed: The Tue-Rah Chronicles

by Butler, J. M.

  A surge of tight, heated emotion passed through Naatos, so strong it almost pushed him from his shifted state. What a ghastly and uncomfortable feeling it was.

  "Really?" WroOth set his arms akimbo. "Ordinarily I would toy with you. Torture you. Torment you. But right now, I'm in a hurry. So when she was done chewing on your neck, did she by any chance drop a necklace with a stone pendant? I've already checked her room."

  "No."

  "Did she mention it? Play with it? Did you see it at all?"

  Shon stared straight at WroOth. "No."

  "You are being entirely unhelpful," WroOth said.

  "What's so important about this necklace?" Matthu asked.

  "It's a betrothal necklace that connects Amelia to her husband."

  Matthu's eyes widened. "Amelia's married? To who?"

  "She can't be!" Shon exclaimed. "She would have mentioned it."

  "I'm sure she would have if she had known," WroOth said. "It takes place automatically. She's Naatos's wife."

  "Then how can she be married?" Matthu demanded. "Doesn't the bride have to know? She can't consent to something she doesn't know about."

  "Not necessarily. Listen, I'm not here to give you an anthropology lesson," WroOth said sternly.

  "But what if she was with someone else?" Shon demanded.

  WroOth sighed. "Awdawm, I know you two had the beginnings of a dalliance, but it isn't as if you were engaged."

  "Yes, we are," Shon said, drawing himself up taller. "Amelia and I are engaged. And she knew about me, so that means that my claim takes precedence. Your brother can’t take her."

  Naatos slid out of his altered form, back into his state of rest.

  WroOth laughed, his back to Naatos. "You know…I'm not sure whether you're telling the truth or not, Awdawm. I don't know, and I don't particularly care. This could all be a lie that you've constructed because you think it will give you a better chance of keeping Amelia from Naatos, but there is one incredibly important flaw in your reasoning. Even if what you say is true, your claim is as easy to end as your life. It doesn't matter."

  "Actually," Naatos said. "It does."

  Matthu jumped back, and even Shon started. WroOth leaned his forehead against the bars before turning. "Naatos," he said. "I promised I would handle this."

  Naatos waved him back, focusing on Shon. "You are betrothed to my wife?"

  Shon studied him, his jaw tensed and his gaze watchful. "Yes."

  "I find that unlikely," WroOth said. "You could not have known her for more than three days."

  "And yet Naatos is married to her in less time," Shon said.

  WroOth lifted his shoulders in a casual shrug. "Arranged marriages are another matter entirely."

  "Yes, they're invalid if the bride and groom don't agree," Shon said.

  "I still say you're lying," WroOth said.

  "You, boy." Naatos pointed at Matthu. "Is your brother engaged to Amelia?"

  Matthu stood. "Um…" He looked from Shon to Naatos. "If I say 'yes,' are you going to kill him?"

  "Matthu." Shon shot him a warning glare.

  "I need to know. If I say 'no,' then apparently Amelia stays married to Naatos. If I say 'yes,' they kill you and she stays married to Naatos. I like Amelia, but not that much." Matthu stepped away from the bars, grimacing. His hand flew to his head.

  "You need to leave Amelia alone," Shon said. "Regardless of who or what I am to her, she makes her own decisions. But, for the record, yes, I am her betrothed. And so your claim is invalid."

  It would be remarkably easy to break the Awdawm's head off or snap all his ribs inward. "I suggest you retract your claim, Awdawm."

  "I dispute your claim," Shon said.

  "Very well," Naatos said, crossing his arms. There was no way to conveniently kill him and still convince Amelia he was alive. She wasn't that unobservant. "You must present your claim at the Ceves Arena in Ecekom or to the Para of Eiram or the Arbitrator between Reltux and Eiram."

  "You're the Para of Eiram. That wouldn't be fair," Matthu said.

  WroOth rolled his eyes and stepped back. "The wit on display here is nothing short of mind-boggling." He nearly fell over as he struck one of the abandoned boots. "What in…"

  "Obviously the Para of Eiram won't be any good," Shon said. "Who is the Arbitrator between Reltux and Eiram?"

  "That would be me. Take a guess what I'll say." WroOth picked up the fallen boot, then frowned.

  "This is an abuse of power!" Matthu shouted.

  "What good is power if one doesn't abuse it every so often? Oh, son of a marskelpt! Would it have been so hard for either of you to notice this?" WroOth held up Naatos's Neyeb betrothal necklace. "She put it in a boot. Surely you saw that. This is not an ordinary hiding place for a necklace." He shook his head with annoyance. "We've got it now, Naatos. Come on."

  Naatos hadn't taken his eyes off Shon. How angry would Amelia be with him really if he killed Shon now? Could it really get that much worse? Particularly if he gave her the puma. He could put a bow on the puma. Maybe she would forget about Shon.

  "I contest your claim," Shon said, his voice relatively calm. "And if you kill me, you dishonor your own claim."

  Naatos shrugged. "That's reasonable."

  "I'll tell Amelia what you did. I'll make sure everyone knows…" Matthu's voice trailed off. He frowned. "You'd probably just kill me too."

  "Well, why leave you to mourn your brother's death?" Naatos glared at Shon. "As for you…you will tell Amelia when she returns that your relationship is at an end. You no longer love her. You have found someone else."

  Matthu scowled. "Where would Shon have met someone else? We're in prison with each other."

  "Fine." Naatos clenched his jaw. "He hasn't met anyone else. He just doesn't want her anymore."

  Shon smiled faintly. "What? So you can comfort her? Besides, she'd never believe it."

  "It doesn't matter if she does. What matters is I have agreed to let you two leave with your lives so long as she cooperates and brings back the Salvation of the Third Nalenth. What happens to you after that is entirely at my discretion."

  "Do you really think that making threats like this will work?" Shon asked.

  "Only because my threats are never empty. You will tell her that you are through, your engagement over, or I will see to it that you both are stripped of your flesh and fed to the guaras. And if you tell her about this conversation, I'll do it in front of her."

  "That doesn't seem like a good way to make her like you," Matthu said.

  "I've already fed her to spiders, tortured her, invaded her country, and almost killed her. Killing you two would hardly be the worst thing I've done," Naatos said. Saying it aloud, the words stung and angered him. His conclusion wasn't entirely true or he would have killed the smug Awdawm and his brother right then.

  WroOth clapped his hands together. "Well, that's settled. Let's not make this bloodier than it has to be. Are you ready, Naatos?"

  There was nothing good that would come from his remaining here, Naatos knew. It was all he could do to force himself away from the cell. When WroOth offered him the necklace, he took it but remained silent until they reached the top of the staircase.

  "Regardless of what they do," Naatos said when they were out of earshot, "they die."

  WroOth nodded. "It seems fitting. Incidentally though…" He cast his gaze back at Naatos, a cautionary look in his eye. "You can definitely make matters worse with Amelia."

  "Of course I can." That was not exactly what Naatos wanted to hear. It wasn't something he especially wanted to test either. "I can also make it better. So, you will bring the two Awdawms out to see Amelia, show that they are whole. Warn them before you do that if they do say a word to Amelia other than what they are told, we'll wipe out two villages for each of them. They should believe that. Then, when they are done, you take them to the Mallakish Passage."

  WroOth chuckled. "I'll see to it that it's ready for visitors."

  32

>   Salvation of the Third Nalenth

  The cloud dragon flew with incredible speed. The wind rushed in Amelia's ears. It chilled and exhilarated her at once. Flying had always been one of her dreams, one she only indulged in on days when she'd felt she had earned it.

  In all those dreams, she had never imagined a flight like this. The cloud dragon moved up and down as if sliding through water rather than air. Its wings projected it up and forward, then slowed its descent when it turned its nose downward.

  The cloud dragon swiftly covered the distance from Polfradon to the ruins of Istador. Out here, in the fresh air and brilliant sunlight, Amelia felt clean, almost whole. Here, there was hope. Even the oddness of Naatos's kiss no longer bothered her. He was probably just making a point. Not that she appreciated that.

  The cloud dragon landed in a valley of waving yellow grass, a short distance from the ruins. AaQar dismounted the moment the cloud dragon stopped flapping its wings. His boots thudded on the ground.

  Amelia started to slide down, but AaQar lifted her before she finished adjusting the tunic. "Oh," Amelia responded, startled. "Thank you."

  AaQar nodded, his expression tight and his lips pinched. "You are my sister."

  "Maybe not." Amelia shrugged. "Naatos might change his mind. You certainly made some good points."

  "It is irrelevant. The locking has begun. Apparently Naatos was not as strong as he thought. When he kissed you, he set it off." AaQar sighed, annoyance tinging his voice. "For better or worse, the decision is made."

  "What? No. No, it can't be made." Amelia grabbed his arm. "Can't we stop it? You said it's begun. That means it isn't finished."

  "There is no way to stop it, but there is a way to stop him from killing your friends. I suggest you focus on what you can stop." AaQar pointed toward the cliffs a few dozen yards away. Nooks and crevices dotted the sandstone in every direction.

  "You're looking for something that looks approximately like this." AaQar removed a simple drawing from the inner lining of his robe. "It's made from a dark red-brown wood, highly polished. Intricately carved. We'll start looking down there."

  AaQar was right. She had to focus on the task at hand for now. Naatos could be dealt with later. "How many are out here?" Amelia asked. What would the Salvation of the Third Nalenth look like though? From the picture, it did not look large, but apparently there was more than one.

  "Perhaps five, perhaps one, perhaps none." AaQar walked toward the nearest of the cliffs.

  Amelia followed him, her pace a little slower. It was warmer down here than it was in the sky. The soles of her feet were fairly hardened from her training, but it would have been nice to have boots. Particularly with her feet being a little bruised from her earlier attacks. The thick yellow stalks of grass crunched beneath her, damp with sap. She stepped over a fallen spear. There didn't appear to be much of a path, if any, but there were broken stalks and footprints.

  AaQar said nothing, but he slowed his pace so he was only a few steps ahead of her. Sweat glistened on his brow. Occasionally he glanced back at her to ensure she was close. Maybe she could work on resolving both problems. He was still the closest thing she had as an ally against Naatos.

  Amelia quickened her pace so she was alongside him. "You care for your brothers a great deal, don't you?"

  AaQar gave her a sidelong look, then sighed. "Ridiculous questions do not get answers."

  "There has to be some way you can stop the locking. I am a terrible choice for Naatos's wife. You know this."

  AaQar turned, thrusting his finger against her lips to silence her. "There is nothing that can be done, Amelia. And I do not wish to speak of it anymore."

  "But this makes no sense!" Amelia exclaimed. So much for keeping it together. She clenched her fists. "What happens if a Vawtrian finds out he married the wrong person?"

  "Then he suffers. He suffers more than any would ever think possible." AaQar blinked several times, his eyes misting. His voice became hoarse. "It is our curse."

  Amelia let her hands drop to her sides, a wave of sadness washing over her. Not her own, but his. "You told me the truth about Rasha…"

  "I could not overwhelm you if I did not allow you to experience what burdens my soul." AaQar shook his head. For a moment, he closed his eyes. "You will make my brother suffer, and I cannot say he does not deserve it. This is not the manner in which a viskaro should be taken. But what has happened cannot be changed. I am sorry for your sake and for his."

  "AaQar, I didn't understand a lot of things while I lived on Eiram, but I did understand some. And one of the sayings I heard all the time is 'it's better to be alone than with the wrong person.'"

  "I doubt Naatos would agree." AaQar continued on.

  "I agree with it. I was never going to get married. I was…" Amelia swallowed the knot forming in her throat. Shon's face appeared in her mind. "Shon was the first time I thought maybe there could be a future. But I'm all right with not having a future."

  "You do have one."

  "Not really." Amelia ducked her head. Given what she now knew about the blood curse, it seemed she had even less of a future than she had once thought. Perhaps it didn't matter whether she was married to Naatos. She shouldn't have been thinking about Shon like that anyway. If it weren't for the fact that Naatos would get stronger, she could have gone along with what Naatos wanted. Accepted the humiliation and shock, used it to her advantage.

  They had nearly reached the cliffs. Here the grass was broken down. There had been a chase. A struggle.

  AaQar told Amelia to search through the area. Then he went to sit on one of the outcropping stones. Amelia made no arguments.

  She searched in the pits and crevices. The sunlight illuminated them well. Many were mere pockets in the ground, some holding abandoned rabbit and quail nests. Others went deeper. Red and brown ants scurried about.

  Somehow it was easier to believe out here. In this place, she found it much simpler to believe that Elonumato had a plan. Hope tinged her heart even with Naatos's claim on her. There had to be a way out of all this. No matter how dire it was. There was a way out. Surely.

  Finding one of the larger crevices, she had to crawl in a little. The air was close and dusty, the packed dirt rubbing against her hair as she peeked down. The crevice cut to the side. It didn't bother Amelia being halfway in the pit. She'd been in pits many times as a vet, some less safe than this one. She'd helped Jacinda's brother, Ian, set up tracking monitors in alligator nests on one of his "expeditions." Uncle Joe had been furious to find out about it. Good old Uncle Joe. He would probably tell her to keep trusting Elonumato and working hard. I don't think anyone could have actually prepared me for this, she thought.

  Amelia leaned further in, putting her hand against the wall. Craning her head down, she caught a glimpse of something farther down. A small mahogany box lay just on the edge of the ledge. Amelia snatched it up, her face brightening. "I found one." She worked her way back out of the crevice.

  AaQar frowned as she approached him. When she placed the box in his hand, he stood. With a flick of his wrist, he unfastened the lid and peered inside. "So you are actually handing this over?"

  Amelia nodded. Not only was this a fulfillment for her promise and a security against Shon and Matthu dying, but it was also a way to gain AaQar's trust. "I agreed to this to save Shon and Matthu."

  AaQar secured the lid once more. "A wise choice."

  Amelia hoped it was. She returned to her search. If there was at least one more, her plan might work. She continued to creep into crevices and nooks.

  Discovering more deep holes, she hooked her arm over the nearest one and peered in. A small brown gecko scrambled away. Farther down lay another of the boxes on a ledge. Amelia reached in, her fingertips nearly brushing it. She wriggled forward.

  "Amelia…" AaQar drew closer. "Be careful."

  Amelia balanced herself against the lip as she crawled farther in, and she snagged the box. Anchoring herself with her legs, she poppe
d the box open. A faint light shone from within. An orb about the size of a silver dollar rested inside. It shone with the faintest tinges of light, almost like reminders of color. Whatever this was, it was supposed to be her salvation. Somehow. If she could escape, perhaps she could find some Libyshan scientist to help her study this and figure out how it worked.

  "Amelia," AaQar said again, his voice drawing closer.

  Amelia slid the orb up her sleeve, tucking it in the underside of her arm and using the bandages and the shift ties to hold it in place. It was awkward, but it would work. She then cast the box down farther into the pit. It vanished from sight.

  "Amelia." Sand sifted down from the top of the crevice as AaQar reached her.

  The little gecko flicked its tongue at her. Well, that was another good thing from her years as a vet. If there was one thing she was great at catching…She scooped it up as AaQar grabbed her around the waist and pulled her out. "Hey, look at what I found," she said with a smile.

  "A gecko…" AaQar tilted his head incredulously.

  "I think there are snakes in the bottom. It would have probably gotten eaten." Amelia let the gecko crawl over her hand. Its tiny claws dug into her skin like bits of sandpaper. "I scared it in when I was looking for the boxes." She kissed the gecko on the top of the head. It was surprisingly friendly, perching on the top of her hand, his bright honey-gold eyes taking in everything. "Did you ever play with geckos when you were a child?" She offered it to him.

  AaQar nodded. He let the gecko crawl onto the back of his hand. A smile pulled at his mouth. "Yes. But they were far larger where I am from." When he looked back at her, his eyes narrowed and his brow creased. "Amelia, look at me. Were you really trying to save this creature?"

  "I didn't want it to die because of me."

  "Interesting." AaQar folded his hands across one another and let the gecko continue to crawl about.

  It was hard to tell what AaQar had concluded from this. Amelia watched for a moment longer, then returned to her search. If she could find one more of the boxes, she was fairly certain she wouldn't get caught. And for once, she got her wish.