Protector of the Flame

by Isis Rushdan

  He set the board up. “Neith, on the other hand, understands sacrifice is necessary to achieve the end objective. She’ll forfeit any of them to win.”

  A prickly tingle fluttered in her core. Sothis offered enough information to help complete the archives. Her mother’s value was clear.

  While she only seemed to be a liability.

  “Knowing what your first move will be is just as important as your last. I never gave much thought to my first move until I studied the way Neith played. Each move is calculated, deliberate. Strategizing is her ingenium. She never does anything without the endgame in mind.”

  Remember the endgame, her father’s last words to her mother before he was murdered.

  Whatever the ancient beauty’s motives, at least they were in line with her desire to stay alive, but if the day ever came when Neith’s objective ran contrary to her own, she’d quickly be in over her head.

  Chapter Sixteen

  For dinner, Serenity sat across from Neith and Adriel at one of the long white tables in the dining hall. “How long do you expect me to stay here? When will you contact Cyrus?”

  Her heart ached. She had to see her husband, to touch him, to wipe his worry away, the need fisting in her chest.

  “If there are Paladin spies at House Herut as your mother claims, you won’t be safe there. I’ll send for Cyrus when the time is right. To do so sooner would endanger you both as well as my island, and that I will not do.”

  Cryptic answers that answered nothing.

  “I’m sure he’s going crazy wondering what happened to me.” Despite the high-tech computer system and solar-powered electricity, there were no phones, no Internet and no way to contact her kabashem.

  “Good. The other Houses must believe he doesn’t know where you are or what’s happened to you. Spies at Herut shall work in our favor. Have patience, young phoenix. Waiting for the opportune time will keep you both alive.”

  Alive but for what purpose? Seshata wanted them alive, but barren. There was no telling what Neith wanted. The details of Neith’s plan were a mystery. A clear way out of this precarious situation with a happy ending was a mystery. And Neith was the biggest mystery of all.

  “I need a timeframe. I’ve been here over a week.” She wondered if drug addicts going through withdrawal were plagued by cravings that didn’t wane, but intensified.

  The mere thought of her kabashem made her energy stream quiver. How long could it last? Eventually, addicts recovered. But Cyrus was a drug she didn’t want to get over. In her soul, she relished the sweet torment of it. “This open-ended—”

  The sight of Sothis entering the dining hall stole her voice.

  Her mother was a vision of loveliness and power dressed in turquoise. Thirty warriors in dark blue followed her. They crossed the center of the hall, moving as far away from Serenity’s table as possible.

  Warriors sat around Sothis, talking lightly, completely at ease with the Paladin.

  Serenity glanced down at her plate of fish pie and green stuff that tasted horribly similar to a cross between spinach and kale.

  “I finished debriefing your mother,” Neith said. “You and Adriel are to return to the library tomorrow.”

  “When can I read the transcripts?”

  “You’ll have access to everything when the time is right.”

  She looked across the room at her mother, an ache simmering in her heart. “Why is she in light blue?”

  “She’s been made a team leader,” Adriel said.

  “I put her in charge of training the sentinels. She can teach them countermeasures for methods used by the Paladins,” Neith explained.

  “I’ve never seen anyone else in that color.” Serenity glanced around the half-empty dining hall. It had never come close to being full.

  Adriel dug into his mussels. “You might if you got up early enough.”

  Speaking of which, she needed to ask about getting an alarm clock.

  “They always change before evening meal,” Adriel continued without a trace of an accent. “They don’t like to stand out, unlike your Paladin.”

  She hadn’t heard him speak with an accent in front of anyone else, not even Neith.

  “Sothis is special,” Neith said. “She would stand out regardless of how she dressed.”

  No doubt her Paladin mother would stand out. From the way she carried herself to the brilliant color of her aura, everything about her was different.

  “Your light is dull.” Adriel touched her hand. “You haven’t adjusted to being here yet.” It wasn’t a question.

  Her energy stream stirred with the vigor of a hibernating bear. She didn’t have any issues with the island. In fact, she found great comfort in the lush oasis. It was the separation from Cyrus that made her ill.

  “It’d help if you connected to the collective stream,” he said.

  She shook her head.

  The vibrations of the Kindred around her were welcoming, but she didn’t want the buoyancy of the collective. She wanted the anchor of her kabashem.

  “It’s entertainment night.” Adriel moved his hand. “We only have it once a season.”

  “Layke shall grace us with her voice in song,” Neith said.

  Serenity gave a half-smile. “I look forward to it.”

  Finished with her meal, she scraped the leftover food from her plate into a compost bin and put her dirty dishes in one of the receptacles set up around the hall.

  “Any more headaches?” Adriel asked.

  “Not a one since you made it stop.”

  “Excellent.”

  They drifted through the main hall under the coffered rotunda dome and to the lounge on the other side.

  “I’ll save us a seat while you shower,” he offered, knowing her routine well.

  “I showered this morning in the daylight,” she said. “Even took my time and enjoyed it.”

  “Bravo.” He gave a soft round of applause. “Open bay or outside?”

  “Definitely not the open bay.”

  “You shouldn’t be ashamed of your body. In time you’ll shed your human propriety and embrace who you are.”

  Perhaps if she’d grown up around her own kind, in paradise like Adriel, it would mean little to bathe in front of others.

  For all his years amongst humans and living in puritanical America, even Cyrus displayed no shame in his body in front of others. Then again, his physique was a rare specimen of masculine flawlessness.

  All Kindred were some shade of beautiful, but her kabashem was something more. All male, melting her insides, giving balance to her soul, redefining the world itself. She swallowed the burning sting of sadness and scanned the loveliness of the Kindred around her. A plethora of exquisite beauty and heartrending grace.

  They weren’t all shaped to be models such as Talus, tall, thin and pretty. Some were rugged and athletic like her Cyrus.

  A few were cut from a similar cloth as Adriel, gems for eyes, a cupid bow mouth and the gait of a prince. His face and body were an unearthly complement to his divine radiance. His flame burned bright and pure. If his kabashem ever got close enough to see him, there’d be no way she could resist. His magnetic charm made it effortless to be near him, although he didn’t seem to have many friends. Only a select handful ever approached or engaged him in conversation, somewhat like her, but this island was his home and he knew every inhabitant. Yet he existed at a distance from most, quite similar to the way she walked through the world.

  People lingered on bamboo furniture, engaged in conversation. Some read languorously or lounged with eyes closed, enjoying the cool breeze, taking up most of the seating.

  The white tiger sat in front of a vacant sofa along the front row. As a man approached and went to sit, the tiger growled, sending him in a different direction.

  When the tiger saw Adriel, it purred.

  “We’re in luck. Ximena saved a place for me.” Adriel scratched the tiger’s head. “Thank you, Tony. Give Ximena my gratitude later.”
The tiger purred and lay down in front of the sofa.

  “Your friend sent a tiger to save you a seat?”

  “Ximena does on occasion. She knows I like to be front and center for entertainment night.”

  “Where is she?” Serenity looked around for the bald woman she’d seen in the garden.

  “She listens from the railing on the second level. She enjoys the sound of Layke’s voice best from there.”

  Adriel sat cross-legged on the couch.

  “Did you call him Tony, as in Tony the tiger from the Frosted Flakes cereal box?”

  Blushing, he laughed, looking absolutely mortified. “You and Nikos are the only ones here who know that. Neith sends me to the mainland a few times a year, where I get to indulge in sinful things like Frosted Flakes.”

  Serenity smiled. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  He patted the cushion beside him.

  “I’m going to take a walk first. The fish pie is sitting a little heavy.”

  “Don’t be long, it’ll start soon.”

  Adjacent to an opening thirty feet back was the sprawling manicured garden. It had the majestic feel of her garden at Valhalla, the scope was grander with a maze carved through the high bushes. The heavy scent of exotic blossoms sweetened the air. She wandered by benches and fountains with artistic designs. Tree-shaped lamps illuminated as she drew near.

  The technology here was far more remarkable than she expected. The lights outside and in the halls had motion detectors, except for the dormitory level. Those were only voice activated. Hydropower and solar energy powered everything. Neith had even taken recycling to the next level, using composites of seashells to make plates and the hardened shells of fruit for bowls and cups.

  She meandered by a cluster of lavender. Beside it was an unusual flowerbed. Atop dark green stems that came up to her waist were blossoms in the shape of beehives, corrugated leaves in a frosty, iridescent blue. This would be paradise indeed if only her kabashem were with her. She’d find a way to be as patient as necessary, if it meant her mate would be safe and they’d have a future together.

  Neith had almost two thousand years of wisdom that couldn’t be discounted and the ancient beauty had been responsible for bringing her and Cyrus together in the first place. Yet if war was truly inevitable, why risk helping them further?

  The voice of a young girl reciting Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet drew her to a corner, where she peered around a bush. Romantic verses poured from Nakia’s mouth as she theatrically pointed to the moon, then to the man with wheat-colored hair who had held her protectively on the day Serenity arrived. He had a slim, lean build and a long face. Seated on a bench reading, he ignored Nakia with every turn of his page.

  After Romeo and Juliet proved ineffectual, the girl dramatically acted out both parts of Othello and relished in her turn as Desdemona dying. When she opened her eyes, the male merely turned the page, immune to her antics. In a huff, she jumped to her feet and stood in front of him, hands on hips. He didn’t look up.

  She poked her head under one of his arms, climbed onto his lap and draped her arms around his neck. “Cae, I don’t like it when you ignore me.”

  “I can’t pay attention to you every second of the day.”

  “Every second?” she snapped. “You’re off working in the fields all day. You used to enjoy my performances.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “Now you ignore me all the time.” Her voice softened as she pouted. “Don’t you still love me?”

  He lowered his book and gazed at her.

  Serenity stayed hidden behind a tree surrounded by bushes. Spying on such a private moment wasn’t the most respectful but their interaction brought a smile to her face. He must’ve been her kabashem. She wondered if her relationship with Cyrus might have been similar if he’d found her when she was younger.

  Nakia kissed his cheek. The golden light gave the copper in her hair a fiery tone. Her fingers traced one of his eyebrows, then her lips crushed his mouth in a sloppy kiss. He stood abruptly and she slid down his legs, butt hitting the ground.

  “Ouch!” she yelped.

  A laugh escaped Serenity.

  “Come out,” he said, whirling to face the tree.

  She stepped into the light. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spy on you.”

  “I believe you’re sorry to have been caught spying.”

  Nakia stood and curtsied in a melodramatic way. “Good evening, Serenity. How do you like our island?”

  “It’s paradise.” Or would be with Cyrus. Without him, there was only the ever-growing emptiness.

  “Did you enjoy dinner?” Nakia asked.

  “The meal was okay.” She didn’t want to lie but couldn’t be completely honest. The meal was not the tasty fare Mrs. Carter would’ve prepared.

  “Cae says it’s dreadful. Don’t you?” Nakia threw him a glance over her shoulder. “He said the food at Herut is far better.”

  “Herut? Are you Caelius?” Cyrus had mentioned a friend with that name. A Blessed friend.

  “Yes, how do you know me?” He put his book down on the bench.

  “Cyrus, my kabashem, has spoken of you.”

  He smiled. “Will my brother join us soon?”

  “That’s a question for Neith.”

  A Blessed couple stood before her. How many more were there? Was this place a secret refuge for the reborn Fallen?

  “How long have you been here?” she asked Caelius.

  “Almost a year after my Whitescape, one of Neith’s record-keepers came to see me and told me of Nakia. Neith sent word asking me to wait five years before coming and gave specific instructions to ensure I wasn’t followed. I’ve been here nearly a decade.”

  A Whitescape only happened when a Blessed Kindred’s kabashem was born. That made Nakia fifteen or sixteen, but with her underdeveloped appearance, lacking any womanly appeal, Caelius’s rejection of her overtures was understandable.

  Nakia took Serenity’s hand. “Do you think we’ll become great sisters? I think so. You’re the first Blessed sister I’ve met, besides Rose, but she’s just a baby.” The girl stared at Serenity’s hand. “You probably have an extraordinary ingenium that allows you to protect yourself. What can you do? Your file didn’t say.”

  The girl exuded so much warmth it was hard not to be immediately drawn into her. “I can project my emotions and thoughts using my energy stream.”

  “I don’t really understand what that means,” Nakia said.

  Serenity glanced at Caelius. In his hazel eyes, she could tell he had some indication.

  “Can you protect yourself like Cae? Kill someone if you had to with it?”

  “Yes, I can.” Not a twinge of embarrassment answering the girl’s question, only a surprisingly sublime sense of pride. It was nice to be around so many Kindred, especially those who posed a threat to end the curse, as she and Cyrus did.

  “You’re very lucky. I have a stupid gift.” Nakia folded her arms across her chest. “I’m completely helpless.”

  From the moment their eyes had met, Serenity liked Nakia. She recognized aspects of her own personality in the girl. If given the opportunity, they would become close sisters.

  “Your gift is invaluable,” soothed Caelius, placing a hand on her shoulder.

  “What can you do?” asked Serenity.

  “I can sense danger approaching. I’m afraid my gift doesn’t give me much advance warning. I’d rather have something special like Cae’s gift.”

  With a sigh, he shook his head.

  “Go on, show her what you can do,” said Nakia.

  Caelius reached for a tree.

  “No!” Nakia gasped. “That tree is older than I am.”

  “Choose something that won’t upset you,” he said.

  She picked a palm leaf from a bush and handed it to him.

  He held it up into the light. Where he grasped it, lush green turned to black. Decay spread to the tip of the leaf. In a gentle brush of a breeze, it crumbled to a
sh.

  “Impressive,” Serenity said. Nakia’s lips puckered in a sour face. “Adriel can’t protect himself either, but his gift is indispensable like yours.”

  “Adriel doesn’t have to protect himself,” Nakia said in a tone bristling with envy. “There are plenty who would protect him. I only have my Cae.”

  “Are you talking about me?” asked Adriel, coming around the corner.

  “We were.” Nakia straightened her shoulders, head high.

  “The performance is about to start. I didn’t want you to miss it,” he said to Serenity.

  “I’m sure you have seating reserved in the best spot,” Nakia’s voice oozed sarcasm. “Do you have room for us?” She took Caelius’s hand.

  “There’s space for Caelius and since you’re just a mite I needn’t worry about you fitting,” Adriel replied.

  Nakia stuck out her tongue. “I don’t want to miss a second of Layke’s performance so lead the way,” she commanded with a flourish of her hand.

  In the hall, every seat along the front was taken and a few near the garden. Neith sat in a chair next to their reserved sofa. Adriel poured a cup of wine from a clay pitcher and handed it to the silver-haired beauty, then he poured one for Serenity and himself.

  Nakia rested the back of her head against Serenity’s arm and threw her feet in Caelius’s lap. He took off her sandals and tickled her toes, making her giggle.

  Adriel didn’t have enough room to sit cross-legged, but he hooked an ankle on his knee. His warm thigh pressed against Serenity’s leg and he relaxed, draping an arm around the back of the sofa.

  The cold, light wine tasted of apples and pears. She detected the faint sound of mechanical gears moving. Barenpetium shutters several inches thick rolled down, sealing off the openings of the hall.

  “Better acoustics,” Adriel whispered in her ear.

  Not to mention an ingenious safety feature. As she lifted her cup, she caught Neith’s gaze glued to them.

  A lovely woman waltzed in. A hush fell over the hall and all eyes, including Neith’s, turned to the center of the room where Layke stopped. The lights went out and pale moonlight poured in through the dome, casting a heavenly spotlight on her.