Stone and Steel

by Eboni Dunbar

  “Back to bed, private.”

  “I apologize for the disobedience, General, but I’ll stay right here,” the private said.

  “General.” The air mage stopped in front of them. “Mage,” Aaliyah said, steel in her voice. Other soldiers streamed out of the barracks at her back. The two mages surveyed the growing crowd and the air mage looked nervous. She cleared her throat.

  “We are under strict orders from the Queen herself to escort you to the dungeon,” the mage said.

  Every soldier on the grounds went completely silent. Aaliyah tilted her head slightly, regarding the mage with interest. No one needed to know that her hands were shaking. That she could barely breathe.

  “On what charge?” Aaliyah said, as if she were only curious. “Treason,” said the other mage. His smile gleamed with malice. She reckoned he expected to make his career off of her.

  Any reply from her was lost in the soldiers’ uproar. They wouldn’t hear anything of it. The mages were liars, they yelled. The Queen would never. Aaliyah raised her hand and her people went silent.

  “I’m sure this is a mistake. But I have no desire for bloodshed. Let’s go for a walk,” she said loud enough for her people to hear and then spoke more quietly to the private from earlier. “Find Helima.”

  “Yes, General.” The private took off at a brisk run towards the palace.

  Aaliyah turned to the mages. “Shall we go?” She strode forward, between the two mages. It took a moment but they followed her, allowing her to lead herself to the dungeons of Titus. She had never used them, and couldn’t say whether Odessa had, but she’d heard the stories about the old king. The dungeons of Titus were where people went to suffer.. The King had enjoyed their pain. He’d been fond of hot irons.

  Aaliyah prayed she looked strong as she passed servants and soldiers. Everyone she passed seemed to go quiet, watching her procession without objection. Had they known what Odessa planned? No one had warned her. How many friends had she lost to Odessa in the two years she’d been gone?

  By the time she reached the dungeons, Aaliyah was seething. Odessa must have done this on purpose. She wanted to humiliate her in front of her people, to remind them who had the power. And she’d succeeded.

  The mage with the aspirations slipped ahead of her and opened a stone cell, using magic to drop stone spires into the ground. When she’d become queen, Odessa had removed all the iron, because her gifts were with stone and she wanted nothing around that she couldn’t manipulate. At the time Aaliyah had thought it wise. Now she wished she’d disagreed.

  The mage raised five stone bars to the height of the room using his own magic to seal it. He smiled at her.

  “Not so great are you? “ he said. “Remember it was Rakheem who locked you away this day, General.”

  He spat on the floor of her cell. The other mage took his arm and led him away.

  Aaliyah sat down on the stone bench inside the cell. She walked the full space of the cell like a caged animal, the heat draining from her body as her breath left her. What could she do from this cell?

  A commotion started up the corridor. Aaliyah stood, pressing her face against the stone bars. She caught Helima shoving the butt of her knife into the Rakheem’s gut. The ground rocked beneath their feet as he created a stone shield. Helima attempted to get around it, rolling to one side but the mage was too quick.

  He retracted it as quickly as he’d produced it.

  “Helima!” Aaliyah shouted. “Don’t hurt them.” Rakheem turned his head to look at Aaliyah and Helima used it to her advantage, punching him so hard that he crumpled into a ball.. Helima tripped over him as she rushed to press herself against the pillars. Her face was twisted with anger, her clothes disheveled from fighting. The female mage was at her back, tentatively holding a bloody nose.

  “I’m getting you out of here,” Helima snarled. “You’re not,” Aaliyah said “She ca—”

  “Don’t. Get me mercy with words, not violence,” Aaliyah said. She grabbed Helima’s hands through the bars. “Get me mercy, Helima. That’s what I need.”

  Helima took a deep breath and nodded. Aaliyah’s second turned away abruptly, making the mage jump back before she followed Helima out of the dungeon. Rakheem followed a moment later, sparing a venomous glance at Aaliyah. All she could do was hope that Mercy would be enough.

  Hours later, Aaliyah heard the sounds of someone headed towards her cell. She stood up and wished she hadn’t. She felt dizzy, hunger like she’d only felt in her childhood, and her mouth was gummy with dehydration. She leaned against the pillars, hopeful that Helima was returning with Mercy.

  Odessa shone radiant as the sun, her gown shimmering with its own light in the dark dungeon. She wore a crown of gold, twisted and braided in an infinite loop. She sauntered through the dungeon until she stood in front of Aaliyah, studying her face. Aaliyah waited. Whatever the Queen wanted, she would have to say it herself.

  “You put me in an awkward position, Aaliyah. You questioned my actions in front of others—”

  “And you forgave me. Or were all those hours on my knees not penance enough?” Aaliyah said. Odessa’s nostrils flared. “Forgive me. I interrupted.”

  “You deliberately disobeyed me,” Odessa said. “I told you I didn’t want you anywhere near that woman.”

  “Mercy is one of our oldest friends—”

  “Was one of our oldest friends. Was. But she has been spreading lies—”

  “And what I saw with my own eyes?” Aaliyah said, righting

  herself. Odessa went still. “Children unfed. The ill and infirm on the street. We made a promise—”

  “You made a promise,” Odessa said quietly. “We were children, Aali, we thought we understood what it meant to hold power. What it meant to keep it. We were wrong. Some have to suffer so that others can be well. We can’t all be equal. You haven’t been here to see what happens when you try to disrupt the order of things. People threatened my life, Aali. The only way to show them was to use my power. To make them see that they must fall in line behind me. So yes, you made promises. But the only promise I made was to keep you safe. And you’re safest in this cell.”

  Aaliyah stared at the woman she loved, the woman she had given her entire life for. How could Odessa be so cruel? She didn’t understand why this was supposed to be safe. There was shuffling of feet along the corridor and then Sherrod stood beside Odessa. He looked disheveled, like he’d been dragged out of bed. She hoped that meant he hadn’t known. His eyes were big and round as he surveyed first Aaliyah and then the Queen. His face went blank and he slowly relaxed his eyes to match.

  “My Queen, you sent for me?” Sherrod said. “They tell me, Third Sherrod, that you are the next closest thing to a leader my army has, that you are a capable fire mage, that you are a leader who can be trusted. Is that so?” Odessa asked. Sherrod looked at Aaliyah and then back at Odessa.

  “You’ll forgive me my Queen, but the General’s second is the closest thing to a leader your army has, assuming of course we are excluding the General,” Sherrod said.

  “Neither the General nor her second are equipped to lead my army at this time. That makes you next in line. Will you take the title of General?”

  Sherrod looked at Aaliyah and she nodded, then he looked down at the ground. If he was smart he would take the job and keep their people safe. She couldn’t begrudge him that.

  “You honor me, my Queen,” Sherrod said quietly. “But I cannot accept. No one will follow me. The General is your champion and the champion of the people.”

  Odessa sighed. “Lock him up.”

  “Odessa—” Aaliyah said. Odessa threw her hand up and the ground rushed to do her bidding, throwing Aaliyah back. The pillars expanded so that she couldn’t see what was happening in the corridor. She could barely breath in the closed space. She could hear struggling and smell burning flesh, but nothing el
se. “Odessa!”

  What she wouldn’t give for an ounce of Odessa’s power to keep this from happening. Aaliyah slammed herself into the stone and pain, electric and hot, shot through her shoulder. She didn’t stop. She threw herself again and again, until the sounds outside stopped and the pain was too much. She slumped against the wall and let herself cry.

  The wall that led out of her cell began rumbling and rattling her teeth. Aaliyah opened her eyes to see what awaited her. It felt like she’d been locked in the dark for days. Ko stood in the doorway with a bowl and cup. They placed them on the floor at the mouth of the cell.

  “What are you doing here, little one?” Aaliyah’s voice was hoarse as she crouched down in front of the food. Her throat ached with dryness.

  The bowl held grits smothered in butter with bits of bacon. Aaliyah took a bite and then sipped the cold water. She closed her eyes to savor it.

  “Are you seeking mercy, General?” Ko said. Aaliyah surveyed the child. They looked just as innocent as the day they’d shown her the bone garden. How much of that had been an act?

  “What do you know about Mercy, Ko?”

  “That she comes to those who are in need. In a minute, a guard will come. Your man will have to burn her.”

  “Ko—”

  “Go through the corridor and down the steps. Someone will be waiting for you. “

  “Ko—” she tried again.

  “I’m sorry, General. She told me to tell you, she’s sorry,” Ko said softly.

  Aaliyah nodded slowly. “I don’t think you should call me General, Ko. The Queen stripped me of that title.”

  Ko’s head cocked to one side. They raised a hand and the floor rumbled once more. Sherrod became visible as the cell door sunk into the ground.

  “Aaliyah?” His eyes were unfocused. Ko brought him his own bowl and some water. “You’ll only have a few minutes,” Ko said. “Thank you.”

  “I don’t want to see you die,” they said and made their way out of the dungeon.

  “They’re sweet,” Sherrod said. “They’re saving our lives. Get ready.” Aaliyah pulled herself up from the floor.

  “I don’t think I’m strong enough,” Sherrod said. “We just need a little fight. You distract them, I’ll knock out.” Sherrod nodded and got up. She wished she had some power she could use, anything she could do instead of asking him to push himself. But she had nothing but her hands. Some champion she was.

  They waited, gathering what strength they could. Aaliyah felt an unnatural breeze rustling through the dungeon.

  It was the same air mage from before. She stopped short and looked confused when she saw the open cell doors. Aaliyah nodded to Sherrod and he stumbled forward, tossing a small flame at their captor. She darted to one side, using air to push the flames away from her. While she was distracted, Aaliyah shoved the mage face first into the wall.

  The mage moaned as she fell. Aaliyah kicked the mage in the back of the head until she went limp. Afterward, Aaliyah gasped for breath, and fell against the wall. She locked eyes with Sherrod and nodded.

  Aaliyah took one more swig of her water. She cracked her neck and motioned for Sherrod to follow her. The corridor was clear as they went.

  “General,” Sherrod said, pointing to an arrow on the wall, painted in red clay at a child’s height. The arrow pointed down. Ko had prepared for this.

  Aaliyah had never seen this stairway before. They made their way down the steps. They seemed to go on forever. Several times Aaliyah had to stop, her limbs still weak from lack of food or water. Sherrod stayed at her back, one hand on her shoulder and the other braced against the wall.

  “Aaliyah?” Helima’s voice was a welcome sound in the darkness.

  “Yes. We’re here.”

  “Just a little further,” Helima said. She stood on a small dock beside a little dingy bouncing on the water. Aaliyah pulled Helima to her, hugging her tightly. Helima hugged her back, her tears wet against Aaliyah’s neck.

  “We’re fine, we’re fine,” Aaliyah whispered. Helima released her and grabbed Sherrod, hugging him just as tight.

  “You softie,” Sherrod said. “I hate you,” Helima said, giving him a gentle shove and wiping her eyes.

  They climbed into the boat and Helima started rowing. Aaliyah had no idea where they were going, but she was grateful to be free and with people she could trust.

  Aaliyah had never been in the sewers of the city. As Helima

  paddled, she found herself grateful things had never been so bad for her crew. At least not bad enough to end up here. After her eyes adjusted, she saw the children in the darkness, all of them skin and bones and covered in filth. It made her stomach turn. How could Odessa not try to stop this?

  Yet so many moments seemed to point to the reason. The way Odessa had been the night Aaliyah had finally killed the king. Her fervor at taking all the power Titus could offer. Her obsession with beauty at all costs.

  Aaliyah should have seen this coming. She should have. The sewer tunnel let them out into a river outside of the capital. Helima wouldn’t let either of them paddle, despite the fact that it was clear fatigue was setting in. Aaliyah tried to close her eyes, but every time she did, she saw the radiance of Odessa, glowing gold behind her eyelids.

  Mercy stood on the river bank, her ostentatious clothes forgone for simple black leathers. Concern marred her face until she saw them. She helped Helima haul the boat up and tie it up. Mercy looked Sherrod over briefly before she turned her attention to Aaliyah.

  “Out of my sight ten minutes and you get yourself arrested for treason,” she said.

  Aaliyah shrugged. “You’re a much better liar than me.”

  “Damn right I am.” Mercy smiled. She wrapped an arm around Aaliyah’s middle and helped her walk the rest of the way into the camp.

  The river banks were covered with people from all over the city, sleeping in tents and makeshift shacks. They weren’t just ‘Ville residents. Some were the sort of people who would have kept out of their territory when they were kids. Still, the people stared at them, their eyes large with wonder.

  Mercy led them to the center of her camp where Big Blue waited. She gestured to him and he brought two plates of food over to Aaliyah and Sherrod. Aaliyah thanked him and took a seat on one of the logs around the fire.

  “How long were we in there?” Aaliyah ate greedily. Sherrod was slower but he finished his plate.

  “A week, Big Blue said. “And Odessa made a serious campaign against you. She’s told anyone who’ll listen that you betrayed the people of Titus. Plotted to destroy what she had built. Stole from the city coffers—”

  “Outright lies,” Helima hissed. Aaliyah squeezed her shoulder.

  “We know that,” Mercy said. “Most people know that.”

  “But there are some that don’t?” Sherrod said. “There are some that are willing to believe her for the right price. Mostly rich merchants and mages. They see her as the real power. She’s a mage and she has the right title,” Mercy said.

  “I followed her for less. I feel so stupid.” Aaliyah couldn’t look at anyone but she felt their eyes on her.

  “Mistress Aaliyah,” said a little voice. Aaliyah turned her head and saw the little boy she met during her return to the city. She smiled and he sat, nestled in between her and Helima.

  “Hey, little man. How’re you?” Aaliyah asked. “Tired,” he said and rested his head against her arm. She rubbed his back soothingly.

  “I’m sorry. Can you try to rest now?” Aaliyah said. He had already fallen asleep, his little body turned toward her. She sighed and rubbed his head before returning her attention to Mercy. The other woman smiled.

  “You’ve always done your best. People see that. I told you, babe, nobody has your veracity. People lie, but you aren’t responsible for being lied to if you don’t know it’s happening. Now that you know, you
can do something different.”

  “Like what? What am I supposed to do?” Aaliyah said. Mercy and Blue looked at each other. Blue ticked his head, a sign of his displeasure with whatever Mercy planned and Mercy rolled her eyes. He finally nodded, as though there had been any question he would disagree with Mercy for long.

  “Our suggestion would be to get either Galavera or Oxnar to back your play.” Mercy sat back with a satisfied smile.

  “And what would I offer them? I have nothing to give but the promise of a loss.”

  “That’s not true, Odessa is powerful but you’re a warrior,” Helima said. “The conqueror of the southern lands. The woman who slayed the iron king.”

  “A warrior who is powerless against her magic.”

  “That’s what you have me for,” Sherrod said, all bravado. Aaliyah shook her head.

  “No offense but you’re not enough. One mage against gods know how many? We can’t win this fight. I’m not the leader you want. I’m useless.”

  “You’re not useless—” Helima started. “Against her I am. No matter what I do, she’ll destroy me and everyone who sides with me.”

  Mercy stood up. “Are you finished?” Blue held out his hand and Aaliyah passed him her plate. She carefully maneuvered the boy until he lay on Helima. Mercy turned away from the fire, and in the darkening evening, Aaliyah followed her to the river’s edge. Mercy stopped and pointed at the silhouette of the Palace in the distance.

  “What is that?”

  “The palace?” Aaliyah asked. “What is it all?”

  “Titus.”