Zaxe's Rule (Assassins of Gravas Book 4)

by N. J. Walters

  “Quiet, boy,” Zaxe snapped at Samar.

  It was official. He’d lost his ever-loving mind. Sweat rolled down her back. Tension gripped all those assembled.

  “You can’t talk to me like that. Do something,” he screamed at the captain.

  “I have not been to Zaxus for twenty years, but I was born here to Dagmar and Amara Zaxurus.”

  Gasps were followed by dead silence. Jamaeh’s head was spinning, her mouth dry. She stumbled back a step at the revelation. Dagmar Zaxurus had been ruler of the Northern Territory before he, his wife, and their twin children had been slaughtered by enemies while they’d been on a diplomatic mission. Everyone knew the story.

  “My name is Navar Zaxurus.”

  “It’s a lie.” Samar was all but frothing at the mouth.

  “It’s the truth.” An elderly man strode forward. He ran the harira stand in the market. “He bears the mark. I’ve seen it.”

  “Show me.” When the captain motioned to him, Zaxe peeled the battlesuit over his shoulders—low enough to show the mark but not low enough to expose the bruise on his abdomen from the previous blaster hit—and turned in a complete circle. The light birthmark was visible for all to see—a series of circles that formed a spiral. The mark of the ruling family.

  It was true. Zaxe, or rather Navar Zaxurus, was royalty, and she was the lowest of the low in their society. She took a step away, putting as much distance between them as possible, stopping only when she backed into a guard, who grabbed her by the arm.

  ****

  Zaxe wanted to bellow in fury when Jamaeh backed away from him, her mouth hanging open in disbelief, her eyes filled with shock. Years of discipline allowed him to stand firm. He’d done something he’d promised himself he would never do—expose the truth about himself. And he’d done it for Jamaeh, to save her and her brother from retribution from Samar. The young man was the worst kind of aristocrat—spoiled and entitled. Zaxe doubted he’d done a hard day’s work or gone without in his entire life. He played at being tough, knowing his father’s army would back him up.

  Delphi would always be at risk as long as their uncle and his offspring lived. And so would Jamaeh. His blood ran hot, purpose solidifying inside him.

  “I claim the title of ruler of the Northern Territory.”

  Jamaeh’s gasp rose above the rest of the crowd.

  “It is my right as the firstborn son of the eldest son.” The words were out before he could stop them. Something inside him clicked into place, like a missing piece of a puzzle.

  “Impossible.” Samar was frowning and shaking his head. “My father is leader.”

  “And how did that happen?” He hadn’t dug into his past, but it was all too pat, too convenient. “My family went on a trip that few knew about, and we were set upon in a coordinated attack. Was a search mounted for my sister and me?”

  “We were told you died, too,” a voice from the back shouted. The crowd was larger than only moments before as word spread. Jamaeh and her brother were flanked by several guards. He wanted to kill them for laying hands on her, but that would only make things worse.

  “I thought as much. My parents kept the attackers occupied long enough for me to run with my sister. We survived a year on a foreign planet with no help. We expected someone from home to come looking, but no one ever did.”

  “Lies,” Samar insisted. “You would believe this stranger over my father.”

  There were enough rumblings in the crowd that Zaxe believed they would. Seemed the ruling family wasn’t well-liked by everyone. He could use that to his advantage. He pulled his battlesuit up and secured it before adding his shirt and cloak. They’d taken the weapons on his body, but he had more secreted in a hidden pocket sewn into the lining of his cloak.

  “Lord Zaxurus needs to be informed.” The captain was sweating now, caught between a rock and a hard place. Zaxe almost pitied him.

  A horn blew and the crowd parted for another contingency of soldiers. And right in the middle of the group, seated atop a large horse was none other than Lomar Zaxurus. He raised his hand, and the entire company came to a halt.

  “I heard there was a commotion in the marketplace and came to see why my orders have not already been carried out.” His gaze traveled over the group, his eyes burning hot as they landed on Jamaeh. Fury bubbled like a volcano in his gut. Seemed the father wanted her as much as the son.

  Over my dead body.

  “You’ve come to welcome me home, have you, Uncle Lomar?”

  Sure enough, the man’s attention snapped from her to Zaxe. His eyes widened. The family resemblance was undeniable.

  “This man is an imposter. Take him,” he ordered.

  He’d give the old man credit for recovering quickly.

  “He bears the mark, my lord,” the captain told him. “All have seen.”

  The crowd murmured in agreement.

  His uncle stared out over those assembled. “We will all go to the palace and sort the matter out. We will discover the truth.” He made to leave, as though it was a done deal.

  “No, we won’t.” No way was he leaving his woman alone with Samar ready to pounce.

  Lomar slowly turned, his head tilted to one side. His tone was placid enough, but rage burned in his eyes. “I am ruler here.”

  “That’s debatable. My father trusted you. You were the only one who knew our itinerary.” The memory bubbled up out of nowhere. He’d come to his father’s office to tell him something, but stayed outside and listened at the partially open door when he’d realized there was someone in there. As young as he’d been, he’d been raised not to interrupt during office hours if his father was occupied with official business.

  “No one was privy to our conversations. That’s nothing but speculation and fairy tales.”

  “Little boys listen at open doorways.”

  The mutterings of the crowd grew louder. More sure of himself, he took several steps forward, somewhat surprised when no one stopped him. “My father especially told you to keep his plans quiet to protect us. It was supposed to be a family holiday, but there was a stop along the way. You’d encouraged him to go, to open up new commercial ventures for the territory.”

  “Impossible. I will listen to no more. Come, Samar.”

  “But, Father?”

  “Come.”

  Samar glowered but did as he was told.

  “I demand combat by zaxe.” It was an ancient custom, one not used in hundreds of years, but still in the law books. If he allowed his uncle to leave, he’d consolidate his power and start killing any who opposed him. “It is my right.”

  “That law is archaic.” Lomar glared down at him from atop his horse. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple, but otherwise, he appeared relaxed and in control. Until you took a closer look. His hands on the reins were clenched and his legs tightened around the beast enough to make it sidestep before being brought back under control.

  Zaxe kept pushing. “But it is the law. And that is your job, is it not? To uphold the law.” If his gamble didn’t pay off, he’d have to make a break for it with Jamaeh and Esau. He trusted she’d be on her toes, ready for anything.

  Will she go with me?

  Yes, she would. A muscle under his eye twitched. She’d do it to save her brother, even if she no longer trusted him.

  “If you insist, I will confer with my military leaders and choose my surrogate.”

  A real smile broke across Zaxe’s face. “That is not the law.” It was fortunate he’d researched the local customs and laws. “If you want to rule, you have to be willing to fight for it.” He let that sink in before adding, “But then you seem to prefer to let others do your dirty work for you.”

  Samar yelled and pulled his blaster, firing wildly. People screamed. Some began to run for cover. The bastard was too stupid to go for a head shot, so Zaxe took the shot on his shoulder to protect the innocent people behind him. It knocked him back a step but he stayed on his feet. “Shoot me again and I’ll ki
ll you.”

  “He’s threatened a member of the ruling family.” Lomar’s voice rose above the crowd. “He must be arrested.”

  “Hold,” the captain bellowed. “This man bears the mark of the royal family. Anyone who harms him faces death.” The crowd was growing rowdier by the second, splitting into two camps, depending on who they supported. The guards circled them, holding the people back from getting too close.

  Heedless of the danger, Jamaeh rushed to his side. A guard lunged for her, but she gave him the slip. He wanted to wrap his arms around her to keep her safe but needed his hands free. “I can’t leave you alone for two minutes, can I?” She ran her hand over his arm, fingering the burn hole in his shirt.

  “Battlesuit,” he reminded her.

  “You keep saying that. Yet I still worry.” Lines of tension furrowed her brow, and she bit her lip. There was so much they needed to talk about.

  “Stand back by the wall. Be ready if we have to run.” He kept his voice low.

  She gave a nod and faded back to stand beside Esau. Reaching out, she took his hand and tugged him toward her. The guards were too busy watching the scene in front of them to notice. And they likely didn’t believe she was foolish enough to try to run.

  “I chose to let him have that one shot.” Zaxe pulled a knife from a pocket in his cloak and twirled it around. Everyone went silent, no one wanting to miss a word of the exchange. “I could have killed him.”

  His uncle snorted. “I don’t think so.”

  Zaxe smiled. “Want to test me?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Jamaeh’s palms were sweating. She surreptitiously rubbed her free one against her cloak. When Samar had shot at Zaxe, she’d been unable to breathe. It didn’t matter that Zaxe had lied to her. Okay, he hadn’t lied, but he’d withheld the truth.

  With good reason.

  He was a member of the ruling family. The eldest son. The rightful ruler of the territory.

  Esau turned a worried gaze on her when she shivered. She shook her head and then gave her chin a quick jerk toward the nearby lane. His eyes widened, and then he nodded. There was a new maturity about him. The happy-go-lucky smile gone from his face, a gravity in his eyes. He’d aged so much in the past week. Damn Helldrick. At least he was dead and could never hurt them again.

  If they survived.

  He might be wearing a battlesuit, but Zaxe—and he’d always be Zaxe to her, no matter his real name—had been fighting and traveling, working on little or no sleep for days. He had to be bruised and tired and hungry. Lomar might be older, but he was rested. Not that she thought he’d fight. He was more a politician than a true leader.

  The air was hot and stale, the crowd closing in around them. It was eerily quiet, as though all were afraid to speak. She didn’t even want to blink for fear she’d miss something.

  “Well, what will it be?” Zaxe stood tall and proud, every inch a warrior with his hands by his sides and his cloak tossed back over his shoulders. There was a stillness surrounding him, a lethal energy. The predator waiting to see what the prey would do before pouncing.

  There was no doubt in her mind that he’d win in a fair battle, but Lomar wasn’t exactly known for such virtues. It was well known a bribe could buy you “justice.”

  “You would fight an old man?” Lomar dismounted. “That is no way to win a kingdom.”

  “Neither is having your brother murdered and assuming it.”

  Jamaeh took in the nearby people. Some nodded, others frowned, while still more seemed ready for a good fight. The longer the men continued their staring showdown, the more the tension in the crowd drew tighter, waiting to snap.

  “I deny your accusations. Where is your proof?”

  People began to mutter.

  “You only have your word you didn’t do it. I only have mine that you did.” It was a stalemate, but Lomar was known. Zaxe was a wildcard, a stranger here. “If you’re afraid to fight, have your son take your place.”

  “He’s a tough bastard to take a blast like that,” a man off to her right muttered, “and to threaten Lomar.”

  “If he is who he says he is, then he’s no bastard. He’s the rightful leader.”

  “He’s a foreigner,” the first man reminded him.

  Zaxe would sway some but not all. He was an outsider, hadn’t lived here since childhood. He didn’t really know or understand his home. She had faith in him, but many would not. They didn’t know him, didn’t understand the integrity with which he lived. If he made a vow to the people of the Northern Territory, he would keep it or die trying.

  “I’ll even leave the battlesuit off.” For the second time, he removed the cloak and shirt before peeling the protective body armor down to his waist.

  Zaxe’s chest gleamed with sweat. The scars on his torso were visible for all, as were the bruises. This was no pampered aristocrat, but a fighter. Samar’s mouth was hanging open, his eyes wide.

  “And if your son is as much a coward as the father, I’ll meet a man of your choosing.” Zaxe flung the challenge out there, giving them no way to back down without losing face. Fear gripped her belly. He didn’t know her opponents like she did. They were like Vusarian cave snakes, deadly and silent, waiting to attack from behind. If cornered, they would do whatever it took to win.

  “To the desert. We will do this now and leave your body staked out in the sand for the scavengers when we are done. You want to be the ruler of the Northern Territory, you will fight all comers.” Lomar reached into his cloak and pulled out a heavy pouch. “A reward for whoever beats this imposter and a seat on my council.”

  A roar went up as Jamaeh’s heart sank. With money and power at stake, there would be many takers. He’d be fighting for hours, maybe days.

  With Lomar in the lead, the crowd began to flow outward from the market. The guards herded them along. She hurried to Zaxe’s side. “What will you do?”

  His eyes were dark as night and unfathomable. “I’ll fight. Do not fear for me. This is my destiny.”

  Of course it was. All men wanted power and money. She’d thought him different. Disappointed, she looked away, but he caught her chin and turned her head back around.

  “You are my destiny.” He lowered his head and kissed her in full view of all. The heat from his mouth warmed her, temporarily driving back the fear until reality kicked in. Hands on his chest, she pushed away.

  “Stop that.”

  “Why?” Now he was frowning. Being shot with a blaster didn’t warrant a grimace, but this did?

  “People will see. If you are to be ruler, you can’t be with me. I’m of mixed birth and have no standing here.”

  “When I win, you will be beside me. All who oppose it will feel my wrath.”

  Her heart leaped with happiness even as the lump in her stomach grew. “That’s what I’m afraid of. You will never have peace.”

  “Do you trust me?” They were moving again, pushed along with the crowd. There was no privacy to be had and those nearby were straining to hear so they could pass along the gossip.

  “You know I do.” How could she not after all they’d been through?

  “I will have justice for my parents. After that, we will decide what we wish to do.”

  What did he mean by that? It was too late to ask as they hit the edge of the city. The docking station was off to the right, but the edge of the desert was before them, the hot sands glinting like diamonds in the sunlight.

  The people gathered in a loose circle with Lomar and one contingency of soldiers beside him and the other behind Zaxe. Esau took her hand and pulled her to the front. No one stopped them.

  A huge male about seven feet tall stepped into the makeshift ring. He held his arms above his head and roared. The crowd cheered. Her knees began to shake. “Have faith. Have faith,” she muttered under her breath. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  ****

  Zaxe sized up at his first opponent. His uncle hadn’t surprised him at all. Any ma
n who’d have his own family killed for gain was a coward. His goal was to have someone else kill Zaxe for him, taking care of the problem.

  “I want my own weapon.” When he spoke, the crowd quieted.

  “I will provide the weapons,” Lomar told him.

  He shook his head. “I don’t trust you to provide me with one that won’t malfunction at an inopportune time.” It was a gamble, but if it paid off, it would give him some backup. And if he died, at least his family would get justice for him. He ignored his uncle and turned to the captain of the guards. “I will give you the code to my ship. My zaxe is mounted on the wall in my quarters.”

  “You trust me on your ship?” The captain frowned.

  “Captain, if you touch anything or try to get into my computer system it will shut down and lock down, and I’ll be the only one who can get you out of there short of blowing the damn thing up.”

  The captain raised an eyebrow. “I see.” He held out his hand. “Give me your codes.”

  Zaxe handed him his communicator and keyed in the emergency remote access. “Press this when you get there. They’ll tell you at the docking station which one is mine. It’s a one time in and out and won’t work again. Thank you,” he added when the man took the communicator.

  Once this particular code was activated, a message would be sent to his sister and Gravasian command. They’d know something was wrong. The plan was to contact them when this was over and reassure them. But if something happened, they’d already be on the way here.

  “If you are who you say you are, then this is your right.” He turned on his heel and left, the crowd parting to let him pass.

  Zaxe sized up the growing line of opponents, his uncle’s self-satisfied smile, and his cousin’s smirk. Samar was seated next to his father under a hastily erected awning and sipping a cool drink. He knew without looking that Jamaeh was behind him to his right. He could feel her eyes on him, could still taste her on his lips.

  She was depending on him, trusting him to get them both out of this. Their encounter had been brief, but he’d felt her fear and, strangely enough, disappointment. Did she think this was all about power and a title? Considering everything, she likely did. He’d done his best to reassure her. When he won, if he won, the choice to go or stay would be hers.