by T. J. Klune
I: Meridian City
Chapter 2: That Time I Got It in the Face in Meridian City
EVEN NOW the Darks march toward Meridian City where the people sleep, unaware of the fate that awaits them. At my word, the city will be razed. And they will have my word, Sam. As an example to you. This will be to show you that you are on the wrong side. That you cannot win. Morgan and Randall were weak. They still are. There will be a new order, one that will begin with you and end with me. You can either join me or watch as I tear your whole world apart.
You wouldn’t.
Oh, I would, Sam. You’re playing with the big boys now. The stakes are a little higher than what you’re normally used to. Their deaths will be on your head, every man, woman, and child in Meridian City. I told you once that I would rip the lighting-struck heart from your chest.
Trust me when I say I will do just that.
IF THE City of Lockes was the brains of Verania, then Meridian City was its diseased heart that beat strong and proud, always on the verge of exploding. It was debauchery and sin, dirt and grime. The underbelly of Verania sought refuge here, the liars and the cheats, the thieves and the murderers. People could disappear here never to be seen again. Or their bodies would be found the next morning facedown in the gutters, the working boys and girls stepping over them on their way home from a night of turning tricks. You didn’t fuck with Meridian City or it would make sure it was the last thing you ever did.
I loved it. Maybe it was because it was everything I wasn’t. Maybe it was because I knew it could chew me up and spit me out. Maybe it was because the people here tended to be more honest about their sins instead of putting on false faces like most in the King’s Court did.
Or maybe I just loved it because it was wrong. I could never live in Meridian City. I could never even spend any length of time in Meridian City. When I left, it always took me a day or two to clear my head, to get back to being the Sam Haversford I knew I was. Mama always said that even with all I’d done, even with all I’d seen, I was still too innocent and pure to last in a place like this. I’d thought for the longest time that she’d been insulting me in that razor-sharp way she did so well. It took me a while to figure out she meant it as a compliment, that I could still be the way I was, regardless of what I’d seen. “You’re not jaded, precious. You’re not corrupted. You’re the sweet sunshine on a stormy day, and I will always want you to be that way. Now get the fuck out of my sight. I have a business to run, so unless you’re a paying customer, I don’t have any more time for you.”
And I’d always done as she’d asked, given that both she and I knew I would never become one of her paying customers (or better yet, one of her working boys, much to her chagrin).
Mama ran the Tilted Cross, the only gay brothel and tavern in Meridian City. Some unfortunate soul had attempted to open another one before my time, but the story goes that Mama accidentally burned the place to the ground after she headhunted all the working boys and girls. No one ever attempted to open another gay brothel in Meridian City again. Mama was terrifying like that.
The fact that the Darks were descending upon Meridian City told me that they—and Myrin—had no idea who they were fucking with.
But I still remembered the vision I’d had when Vadoma had blown her mindfuck powder directly in my face. I’d been at the gates and Meridian City had been on fire, the screams of the working boys and girls rolling over me as they burned. Something had exploded, and a guard tower had fallen, the Darks surrounding the main gates, and there’d been magic, so much magic rolling from them, tearing through everyone and everything.
So I expected the worst as the day wore on, as the Dark Woods below gave way to roads I’d traveled upon many times before. Morgan wasn’t answering the summoning crystal on his end, and I thought we’d arrive to see Meridian City razed just as Myrin had threatened.
So imagine my surprise as the city came into view… and nothing appeared amiss.
There was no plume of smoke.
The city walls and gate stood as they always had.
“What the hell?” I asked as Kevin began to descend toward the ground. “Did I miss something?”
“Maybe we got it wrong,” Ryan said, gripping the hilt of his sword. “Maybe Myrin was just trying to scare you.”
“Mind games,” Tiggy said. “Mess you up in the head.”
“But then why did Morgan—”
“Earth!” Gary shrieked as Kevin set him down first before touching down himself. “Sweet and beautiful earth beneath my feet. Oh, blessed is this day, and I will never do anything like that again, I swear to the gods. Unicorns were not meant to fly! If they were, we’d have sprouted wings. But since there was already too much fabulosity just as we were, we didn’t.” He collapsed to the ground, lying on his side, rolling around in the dirt, legs flailing as he kicked up dust. “I love you, ground. And rocks. And grass. I love all of you so much, you don’t even know.”
“Gary so weird,” Tiggy muttered.
“You got that right, buddy,” I said as Kevin crouched as low as he could. I slid off first, my legs wobbly as I hit the ground. Ryan followed, and then Tiggy threw down our packs, which had been secured against one of Kevin’s spikes. Tiggy landed gracefully before he stretched and yawned.
“Mama okay?” he asked me as he stared at the gates to the city, which stood as they always did, large and forbidding.
“Think so,” I said, bending down and starting to separate the packs. “Hear everyone inside?”
“Yeah,” Tiggy said. “People loud.”
And that set me a little more at ease, because the sounds of the city echoed out over us, like they normally did. Meridian City had always been loud, and I would have thought that had they been under attack, the shouts would have been screams.
“You think Morgan and Randall are here already?” Ryan asked, hoisting his pack up and over his shoulder. It rested against the shield on his back.
“Maybe,” I muttered. “It wouldn’t surprise me if they got here before us. Seeing as how they’re both sneaky bastards who can do magic that they won’t even tell me about.”
“And that surprises you?” Kevin asked. “He’s Morgan. Even I know he’s a badass. And when I say someone’s a badass, you know he’s a badass. Because of all my badassery.”
I rolled my eyes. “Gary, come get your damn bag filled with scarves—”
“Darling ground, how I worship the feeling of you pressing against me!”
“Gary busy,” Tiggy said, grabbing his own pack. “Gary being wrong.”
“So wrong,” I said, picking up my own pack. I frowned, as it was heavier than I remembered it being. I untied the knot that held it closed as I heard the city gates begin to open. “What the hell?”
There, sitting on top of haphazardly folded spare trousers, was a familiar wooden contraption.
“What is it?” Ryan asked, peering over my shoulder. “Is that—”
“It’s Ruv’s sand sailboard,” I said, frowning down at it. “Why would he give it to me?”
“Probably to curry favor,” Kevin said. “It’s well known that if you want to get some dick, you need to give presents.”
“Except if it’s you,” Gary said, finally pushing himself up from the ground. “You give away dick like it’s free.”
“I believe in sharing my love equally,” Kevin said loftily. “You certainly didn’t have any complaints.”
“Ruv give you presents?” Tiggy asked me.
“It’s not going to curry anything,” I told Ryan.
“I’m not even worried,” Ryan said, that adorable scowl adorning his face.
“A little worried,” I said.
“Sam, if you were going to leave me over something as trite as that, then you two deserve each other. Some of us know that you don’t need material things to prove love.”
“It certainly doesn’t hurt,” Gary muttered.
“You can’t blame Ruv for trying,” I teased Ryan. “I am
quite the catch.”
“Eh,” he said. “You’re all right. A little overrated, but nothing I can’t work with.”
“Ha!” Tiggy said. “Knight Delicious Face for the win!”
Ryan looked rather pleased with himself as Tiggy held out his fist for a bump.
“You both suck,” I muttered. “Just you wait. I’ll show you overrated—”
But my witty and most likely devastating retort was cut off by a pair of approaching Meridian City Guards, huffing and panting as they ran toward us, wooden shields in one hand and long spears in another. One was taller than the other, and so that’s what I decided to name them rather than asking their names. “Sam,” Tall said. “Sam of Wilds!”
“That dragon is quite large,” Short said. “And I am learning suddenly that I have a fear of dragons. What a terrible time to have discovered this.”
“Hush,” Tall said, shoving his elbow against Short. “They’re standing right there. They can hear you!”
“But look at its teeth,” Short breathed, eyes wide, face pale under his helmet. “I bet those can bite right through armor like it was made of butter.”
“Forgive him, Mr. Wilds,” Tall said. “He’s a trainee. Today’s his second day. Unfortunately, he was assigned to shadow me.”
“Please,” I said. I gave my most charming smile. “Call me Sam. Mr. Wilds is my father.”
“That doesn’t even make any sense,” Gary said. “Your dad is Mr. Haversford.”
“Ignore Gary,” I told the guards. “He just got done making love to the ground. You know how it is.”
The guards stared at Gary.
Gary stared right back at them. “I ain’t got no shame. I do what I want.”
“Of all the days for me to get assigned to the gates, it had to be today,” Short said. “Nobody else in my training class has to do this. They’re still in the barracks doing trust falls. I want to be doing trust falls.”
“You can trust fall right into my mouth,” Kevin said, grinning widely, showing many, many teeth. “You look… crunchy.”
“Eep,” Short said. “Oh no, my bowels.”
“Is there something you needed?” Ryan asked, crossing his arms.
Tall turned away from Gary to look at Ryan before bowing quickly. “Apologies, Knight Commander.”
“That’s the Knight Commander?” Short moaned. “Is everyone here famous? Oh my gods, even my knee pits are sweating.”
“HaveHeart for life, motherfuckers,” Tiggy said.
“Would you shut up?” Tall hissed at Short. His smile was forced when he looked back at us. “Once again, my apologies. If you would like, I can make a recommendation for his immediate dismissal.”
“Maybe even have him banished,” I teased. “Oh my gods, that was a joke! Seriously, I was just joking. You didn’t need to vomit!”
Short was wiping his mouth, the remains of some kind of meat on the front of his uniform. “I’m a nervous vomiter,” he said thickly. “When I get nervous, I throw up. And you make me—you make me hup. Hup. Hup.”
Tall smacked him in the back of the head with his spear.
“Ow!” Short cried. “What was that for?”
“So you wouldn’t embarrass me again,” Tall snapped. “Now you can focus on the pain in your head rather than throwing up on a wizard and the commander for the Castle Lockes Guard.”
“And the large dragon who could pop you into his mouth like the little human morsel that you are,” Kevin said.
“He done throwed up all over himself,” Gary said. “You would eat that.”
“Morgan of Shadows and Randall arrived this morning,” Tall said. “They are expecting you at the Tilted Cross.”
I frowned. “They shouldn’t be. They told me to head north. I ignored them.”
“Yes, well. They said you would do that.”
“Dammit,” I muttered. “I need to stop being so predictable.”
“Mama knows Morgan and Randall?” Ryan asked me. “Why does that terrify me?”
“Because it should,” I said. “Oh, and Mama doesn’t like Randall. And vice versa.”
“Oh dear gods,” Ryan said. “That’s… not good.”
“And Feng and Letnia are with them,” Tall said with a wince.
“No,” I groaned, my face in my hands. “No, no, no.”
There was an elected figurehead in Meridian City, and some semblance of a government. People voted in official elections for council members and mayors and whoever else they wanted, but it was essentially a façade. Because everyone, and I mean everyone, knew the city was actually run by three different people.
Mama.
Feng.
And Letnia.
Feng ran the weapons and the gangs.
Letnia ran the drugs and the booze.
Mama ran the entertainment district.
No one crossed them. And if they did, chances are they probably weren’t heard from again.
But they were good people. Well. Mostly. The King had yet to see a need to put an end to their reign. Meridian City was… different. This was accepted. And the King knew that Mama, Feng, and Letnia would fall in line behind him should he call for it. They respected him, even if they didn’t always agree with him.
And given that everything in Meridian City was taxed heavily, it saw a lot of money going toward the Crown, money that was then turned into schools and hospitals. It went to orphanages and farmers who grew crops for Verania. It funded programs like putting more teachers in the slums. When I asked him about it, asked him how he could let them do what they did, the King had told me that sometimes, the path for the greater good was paved with unseemly things.
But having Letnia, Feng, Mama, Morgan, and Randall all in the same room?
It was like my nightmare had become corporeal. And to make things worse, I still wasn’t on even ground with Morgan and Randall after all they’d kept from me. I wondered if it was too late to run into the Dark Woods and never come out.
“Let me guess,” I said, dropping my hands. “They are demanding my immediate presence.”
“We were ordered to bring you as soon as you arrived,” Tall said, sounding rather apologetic, like he understood just how much this sucked.
“No one in my training class is going to believe this happened to me,” Short said, looking awfully green.
THE SOUNDS of normalcy we’d heard had been a lie.
Sure, there were still people on the streets of Meridian City, moving amongst the stalls in the market or standing on street corners, hips cocked, winking lasciviously at anyone who happened to catch their eyes, but there was more than that.
Meridian City didn’t have the army that the City of Lockes had. It didn’t have the knights like the castle did. But it did have a collection of ex-convicts, volunteers, and those voluntold to pick up a weapon and become part of the Meridian City Guard. They mostly were there to keep the peace in the streets, throwing out the riffraff or handling the crowds at one of the many (usually mostly nude) festivals Meridian City seemed to throw. Since Verania had been at peace for decades, there hadn’t been any need to do much beyond crowd control. In fact you rarely saw them, their dark uniforms blending into the shadow and grime until it was absolutely necessary for them to make their presence known.
But now?
Now they were everywhere.
They lined the streets, standing an arm’s length apart, spears and swords and shields at the ready. They walked the ramparts of the wall around the city. They’d probably seen us coming long before we landed. Which meant word had probably already gotten back to Morgan and Randall and it was probably too late to pretend we’d never arrived.
The sheer number of guards suggested they were taking Myrin’s threat seriously. It still didn’t explain how Morgan and Randall had known about it, but that was yet another question I either would or wouldn’t get an answer to.
The people of Meridian City stopped and gaped at us as Tall and Short led us through the city streets. Ryan
stood beside me, Tiggy right behind us. Both Gary and Kevin preened under the attention, as they were wont to do, Gary holding his head up high as he pranced, mane flicking prettily around his head. Kevin had his chest puffed out, flexing the muscles in his legs so much that it looked like he had a metal rod shoved up his ass and he was trying to hold it in.
I was used to it by now. I was also used to being stared at. Usually it was in awe or confusion, which I could handle. For the most part, it was the same here. However, much like I’d sensed in Mashallaha, there was a strange undercurrent here, an anger and an animosity I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Some of the people we passed looked furious, and for some reason, that fury appeared to be pointed directly at me. No one seemed to be a specific threat, but some of these people were pissed off.
Or maybe I was just seeing things.
I hadn’t exactly had the best last few days, what with getting attacked by sand mermaids, running from a snake dragon monster thing, facing off against Myrin, and essentially blowing up. My body was lightning-scarred and bruised, and I was cranky, hungry, and tired. Not the best combination.
And it was while we were passing a stall with brightly colored fruits and vegetables that the absolute strangest thing happened.
Someone threw a tomato, and it hit me smack-dab in the middle of the chest.
The sounds around us died almost instantly, like everyone was staring at me in shock. Which, as I looked around, seemed to pretty much be the case. I glanced down at my chest and saw the split fruit slumping down my jerkin, sticky juice and seeds smeared against me.
“Um,” I said. “That’s… different.”
The fruit dropped from my chest and plopped wetly on the ground.
“Oh, girl,” Gary said. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
But before he could work himself up into his patented Glitter Rage, another voice rang out, shrieking, “FUCK YOU, SAM OF WILDS!” and then we were suddenly being hit on all sides. One moment there was silence, and the next people were shouting angrily, pelting us with rotten fruits and vegetables. I took a banana to the face. It wasn’t one of my better days.