by Delia Roan
Jenna struggled her way to the top. By the time she reached the top, her breath exploded out of her in jagged bursts. She slumped down on a stone next to Lithyon.
“I win,” Lithyon purred.
“The air…” Jenna gasped. “It’s too… thick.”
Lithyon patted her knee. “Accept your loss with grace. Otherwise it’s unseemly.”
The words made Jenna bristle, as did the fact that Lithyon wasn’t even out of breath. Neither was Cyndrae, burdened with the heavy picnic hamper, nor the guards, who carried weapons and wore heavy armor.
Jenna took a moment to admire the view as she tried to get her heart-rate under control. The view from up here is worth it, she thought. Below, a valley spread out, with a winding river cutting a path through the forest. If she had to compare it to a location on Earth, she had to admit it reminded her of the Amazon basin.
If the trees were three times the height, she thought.
“Is Braddrak near here?” she asked, unloading the picnic basket. As much as it was her responsibility, Cyndrae was doing most of the work, spreading out the blanket, and placing plates upon the embroidered fabric.
Lithyon blinked in surprise. “This is Braddrak,” she replied. “You’re sitting on the ruins of a once fine city.”
Now that she was aware, Jenna noticed the rocks in the clearing weren’t natural. They were too uniform. They’d once been buildings. Walls. She traced a square with her eyes. A room.
A home?
“What happened here?” she asked.
“The war,” Lithyon said, grabbing a plate. “When the Sykorians attacked, they burned Braddrak to the ground.”
“Was Kovos here?”
“No, he was off hunting with his father and brother.” Lithyon chewed her mouthful. “I was, though.”
“What? I thought you lived in Haron?”
“The Haron have no home. We live on the Relays.” She pointed to the sky. “Look.”
Jenna squinted. A bulbous metal object hung in the sky. “What is it? It looks like an apple.”
“A Relay. The only one which leads to Cadam.”
“That’s your home? Up there?”
“It could be. I prefer Cadam. During the wars, my father sent me to live with the Ar’Cadam, then he destroyed the Relay as an act of good faith.” Her voice held bitterness. “He said living here would train me to be a proper lady, but I knew the truth. I was a hostage, to sweeten negotiation deals. With my presence here, Gemet knew my father would never attack Cadam.”
Jenna nodded. “They did that on Earth, too. Used children to make kings behave.”
“Really? How interesting.” Jenna thought Lithyon didn’t sound interested at all.
“That must’ve been terrible for you. Being parted from your family like that.”
“Not really. Dovena and Kovos were more familial to me than my own. Dovena took me under her care. Life was good here. Until the attack.” Lithyon took another bite. “The Sykorians were hired thugs. Some Ennoi clan sent them to cut down the mighty Cadam, but the Sykorians came alone. They waited until we were undefended. Mostly women and children waiting for their men to return. They thought us weak. But the Sykorians regretted it.”
“How?” Jenna took the plate Cyndrae offered. To her pleasure, she noticed it was piled high with buns topped with crasma berry compote. She smiled her thanks to Cyndrae, but the other woman focused on the basket.
“We showed them that Ennoi women are just as hard as Ennoi men. Sykorians believe that women are inferior. We dissuaded them of that lie.”
Jenna shuddered, remembering the clawing hands reaching for her. “They’re horrible,” she blurted. “They touch…” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
“I know,” Lithyon responded. Her face was placid, but there was an edge to it that made Jenna gasp.
“Did they… How old were you?”
Lithyon smiled, but there was no joy in the expression. “I was merely a child. Merely a child. But I killed four of them, before Dovena found me and saved me.”
“I hate the Sykorians,” Jenna said.
“I do too.”
For a moment, the women sat in comfortable silence. They’d lived through the same horrors. There was comfort in that.
Jenna reached out and patted Lithyon’s arm. The woman looked at her in surprise, but before she could say anything, a low moan rose up from the forest behind them. Jenna froze. Lithyon’s head jerked up.
“Get down!” Lithyon shouted. She pushed Jenna onto the picnic blanket, and Jenna landed in the berry compote, smearing it across her back. Before she could say anything, another moan filled the air. The hair along her arms prickled, and her mouth grew dry.
“What was that?” she whispered.
Lithyon nodded to her guard, who unsheathed a sword and threw it to her. She caught it by the hilt, and turned to Jenna. “Stay behind me.”
“Wh-”
A crash rose from the forest. Jenna stepped back in horror as a giant beast broke through the foliage, knocking down trees and bushes in its path. Horns curled upwards from its narrow head as it lifted its head to sniff the air. Shaggy fur covered its massive shoulders, and it was tinted the same blue as the trees surrounding it.
“What is that thing?” Jenna cried out.
“Wofeg!” Lithyon replied. “Cyndrae! Protect Jenna!”
The servant reached into her robe, and pulled out a dagger. “Yes, my lady.” She seized Jenna by the hand and pulled her toward a low rock. “Remain here, Lady Jenna.” She pressed a small container into Jenna’s hand, and in a daze, Jenna realized it was the compote jar. The sweet scent that had seemed so alluring earlier now made her stomach churn. The servant darted away.
With her back pressed to the wall, Jenna watched in horror as the wofeg turned its head towards the picnic area. It opened its mouth and bellowed. The vibrations from the sound traveled up Jenna’s spine where she pressed it to rock.
The beast began lumbering in Jenna’s direction. Lithyon and the guards leaped forward to intercept it. A spear pierced the wofeg on the shoulder. It bellowed again, and swung its head at the guard. He danced back, just as Lithyon darted forward and stabbed the wofeg in the other shoulder.
It roared, and lowered its head. Slowly it began to trot toward Jenna.
“Run, Jenna!” Lithyon shouted. “Run! Your life depends on speed!”
Jenna’s heart thundered. Every instinct and impulse in her body argued, freezing her in place. The ground rumbled as the beast charged. It lowered its head, the horns pointing at Jenna. Jenna clutched the jar in her hands. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t think. She was going to die, a red smear on a rock, like a bit of forgotten jam.
Do something! roared her brain.
She thought of Kovos, and how he loved the compote. If she died here, would he hate the sight and scent of it?
Kovos.
If she didn’t act, she would never see him again. If she died, Kovos, as her Avowed, would too.
She surged to her feet. She might die, but she would die with honor, standing her ground like a warrior. She would not bring shame to Kovos.
“Come get me, you monster!” Jenna yelled. She drew back her arm and with all her might, hurled the jar straight at the wofeg’s face. Her aim was true. The jar smacked the beast in the snout, and the creature jerked its head.
To her surprise, the wofeg stopped, and turned its head this way and that. Then it lowered its muzzle to the ground, sniffing at the jar.
With a blood-curdling yell, Lithyon darted out from behind the wofeg and drove the point of her sword into its neck.
Jenna looked away, averting her eyes as the beast roared, then grew silent. Her legs gave way, and she sank to the ground.
She only looked up when a shadow fell over her. Lithyon stood above her, her robes soaked with a dark liquid.
“Are you unharmed?” Lithyon asked. Her voice was cold.
Jenn
a nodded. “Is- is it dead?”
“Yes. Because of you, a magnificent creature lost its life. Why didn’t you run like I commanded?”
“I-I don’t know.”
“You could have died,” Lithyon said. She shook her head. “I should not have brought you out here. It’s apparent you are too weak to leave the city. I don’t know why Kovos would choose a mere human.”
She spun around and left, leaving Jenna staring into the wofeg’s sightless eyes.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
KOVOS
At the end of the Council meetings for the day, Kovos’s foul mood had rolled back. Through gritted teeth, he thanked the Council for attending, and bowed deeply to each in turn, even Lady Temlhen, who swept past him without acknowledging his farewell.
His fist itched with the urge to start a fight.
Lord Ziyk approached him. “You know, my brother left Ennoi space to become a freight hauler,” he said in thoughtful voice. He shot a glance at the retreating Council member’s backs. “Sometimes I believe Verdan made the correct choice.”
Kovos stifled a laugh. “That meeting could have gone smoother,” he admitted.
“My lord, I wished to extend my congratulations on finding your Avowed mate,” Ziyk said. “May we all be as lucky.”
Kovos sighed. Maybe not everyone in the Council hated him. “Thank you, Lord Ziyk. I have been most blessed.”
“I have a concern, however. Lady Lithyon’s talk of a breech in the security of the Ennoi got me thinking. How did your Lady Jenna arrive here in Cadam?
Kovos frowned. “Of that, I am uncertain.” He hesitated for a moment, then decided. He could use all the allies he could get. “She claims a friend of my father’s brought her here. She does not know his name, nor has she laid eyes upon him.”
“Strange.”
“Indeed. This mysterious lord also insisted he was doing this for my own good.”
Lord Ziyk stroked his chin. “Or for his own good, perhaps? The Cadam and the Lhoris fought on opposite sides during the wars. However, I am sure I can speak to some of my parents’ old allies. Even enemies can prove to be invaluable assets.”
“I like you, Lord Ziyk.” His words surprised him, but it was the truth. “I hope we can work together for many years. I feel we could achieve much, being of similar mindset.”
Lord Ziyk tipped his head. “I must admit, I had reservations on your chairmanship of the Council, Lord Kovos. But you are making great strides in your new role. I know it is not easy to take on the mantle of responsibility too soon.”
“My condolences on the loss of your mother,” Kovos said. Ziyk’s mother had passed of a lingering illness after her husband’s sudden death.
“I’m a new member of the Council myself, and we young ones should stick together. Until next time, Lord Kovos.” Ziyk bowed, and left.
While it felt comforting to know he had allies, Kovos couldn’t shake the sense of dread sinking onto his shoulders.
The truth was he’d made a fatal error. A misstep in diplomacy which cost him the goodwill of the Council, and worse yet, it had cost lives.
“Yaldir, wait outside.”
When the door clicked shut, Kovos placed his hands on the desk, raised his face to the ceiling, and exploded forth a string of obscenities. He slammed his fist into the desk, and flinched when his new strength left a dent in the metal surface. Yaldir didn’t say a word as Kovos strode out of the room.
“Yaldir, I will bid you farewell. You are probably exhausted. Go get some rest.”
“As should you, Kovos. But should you wish to purge your thoughts, my ear is always available.”
“Thank you, Yaldir.”
Kovos marched down the hallways. Servants bowed as he passed, but he was in no mood to chat.
He needed to see Jenna.
He needed to lose himself in her arms. To forget the world. To forget duty, and the corpses which lay in the city. Kovos clenched his fist, and his stride lengthened.
Taking a corner a little too sharply, he plowed straight into a familiar figure.
“Oh!” Lithyon stumbled back. “What- Kovos?” She smoothed down her gown. Her hair was wet, as if she recently bathed.
“I beg your pardon, Lithyon,” he said.
Lithyon looked up from her gown, and her face blanched as she took in his appearance. Hard lines bracketed her mouth.
“So,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “It is true. She is your Avowed.”
“Yes, Lithyon, she is.”
“Oh.” The lines around her mouth grew deeper. For a moment, he thought she might swoon.
“Are you well?” he said, leaning in to her. She leaned away.
He’d hurt her. He’d never lead her on, or promised more than he could give, but he’d still hurt her. Her pain irked him. He never asked her to love him. He’d never asked her to pin her heart on what should have been a political alliance.
More guilt for matters out of my control.
She scowled at him. “Is that the reason you’re rushing around like a fool?”
Irritation pricked at Kovos. “Isn’t a fool allowed to rush around his own domain?”
Lithyon narrowed her eyes. “A fool may rush where he pleases, but others may also call him out on his foolish behavior.”
“What’s got your claws out tonight, Lithyon?”
“What’s got your spikes out, Kovos?” she snapped back.
Did he have no friends today? “Your attitude,” he snarled. “You’re being petty.”
“I’m-” Her jaw dropped.
For a second, Kovos saw the genuine surprise in her eyes. He sighed, and ran a hand along the ridges of his arms. “I’m sorry, Lithyon. You are taking the brunt of an earlier encounter. I missed your presence at the Council meeting.” He offered her a contrite smile. “They were pretty rough on me today.”
To his surprise, she didn’t smile. “Good,” she said, but the word held no glee. Only fact.
“Good? Lithyon, what have I done to upset you?”
Lithyon huffed. “Kovos, it is not you. It is no secret that I love you like a brother. I thought we would never be parted.” She touched his face. “But another woman has come between us.” Her hand dropped. “Please don’t let Jenna drive you away from me. Promise me that you will always be my friend?”
“Jenna isn’t… She has never tried to come between us,” Kovos said.
Had she?
“Oh, Kovos! You don’t even see what she is doing!” Tears prickled Lithyon’s eyes. “Promise me.”
“I promise, Lithyon.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “You are precious to me.”
“Glad to hear it. I value our friendship too much for anyone to ever come between us. Even your Avowed.” Lithyon strode off.
For the rest of the walk to Jenna’s room, Kovos pondered Lithyon’s words. Jenna hadn’t shown any signs of being jealous of Lithyon. She had never said a word against Lithyon, nor had she forbade him from seeing his friend.
Yet, if Lithyon felt their relationship was in jeopardy from Jenna, then perhaps he missed the venom in their exchanges. Lithyon was not known for her flightiness or imagination. He’d always trusted her counsel.
I will have to pay closer attention.
When he walked into Jenna’s room, he expected her to rush to his embrace. He imagined all the wicked ways she could help him forget his disastrous Council meeting.
Instead, he found the room empty.
“Jenna?”
A small sniff came from the corner behind the bed. Kovos approached cautiously, and peered over the fabric. Jenna had squeezed herself into the corner, and the billowing curtains had almost hidden her from sight.
“Jenna!” Panic flared in his heart. “What is amiss?”
As he reached for her, she raised a hand, stopping him. “I’m fine, Kovos,” she said, her voice thick with tears.
“Has someone hurt you?”
&nbs
p; Jenna snorted, and stood. She scrubbed at her face with the back of her sleeve, darkening the fabric where it met her tears. “No, Kovos, I’m fine.”
“Jen-”
“I’m fine!” Fire flashed in her eyes. “Just drop it, okay?”
She stormed off toward the bathroom. With two long strides, Kovos caught her by the arm.
“No, moonsong,” he said. “You are clearly upset. I can tell.”
Jenna grunted, and jerked her arm out of his hand. “I said I was fine! Since you know so much about humans, why don’t you tell me what’s bothering me?”
Kovos stepped back. What is with the women in my life today?
“Moonsong,” he said, trying to brush aside his foul mood. “I have had a long day. A difficult day, and-”
“You? You’ve had a long day! A difficult day!” Jenna barked with laughter, but Kovos was uncertain why she was laughing.
Was she mocking his strife?
“An Avowed mate,” he ground out through gritted teeth, “should show concern for their partner.”
Jenna stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself. Sadness filled her eyes, before she turned her face from him. “Yes, they should, Kovos.”
His heart softened.
As he reached for her, she spoke again. “They should, and you’re being a monster to me right now.”
Kovos froze, his hand suspended in mid-air.
A monster?
He looked at his hand, at the new ridges, the sharp claws, the bulky scales covering his skin.
I am a monster to her.
Bitterness flooded his mouth with an acrid taste. He dropped his gaze to the floor. What was the point of reaching his full potential if his mate couldn’t bear the sight of him? What did the accolades of his people matter if his love couldn’t look at him?
It is not her fault, his heart whispered. She is unused to the appearance of aliens.
She can’t even look at me!
“Kovos?” Her voice trembled.
Kovos squeezed his eyes shut. My appearance hurts her.
The considerate action would be to leave. “I-I beg your pardon if I have caused you discomfort. I shall take my leave.” He bowed. Keeping his eyes to the ground, he turned and strode for the door.