Alisiyad

by Sarah R. Suleski

  It was just a dog.

  And its eyes were beautiful.

  Liseli reached a hand up to her throat, remembering. When she woke up in Russ’s room, with Alisiya and Eliasha there, she had forgotten that her necklace was gone. She hadn’t been thinking clearly. But now as she felt nothing where the chain and pendent had been, she wondered where it had gone. She had not worn in it her dreams. She had worn it in the dry riverbed, and it had turned into a heart and bled itself out. It was the colors of the setting sun, orange and red and gold like fire.

  Dogseye meant protection, and caring, and love.

  “Why?” she said, and the dog cocked its massive head slowly, as if asking “Why what?” back.

  “Why, if you’re not an evil beast . . . ? And you’re not evil; your eyes aren’t hellfire, they’re . . . people call it a dogseye stone, and call it protection. Why don’t you protect? Why did your kind kill instead of protect? Why?” Liseli crawled closer to the dog as she spoke, no longer afraid she would be torn apart. The dog bent its head to her and she touched the dark muzzle.

  “You love her, don’t you?” Realization filled her like a dark tide. Her heart sank in it. “If Alisiya told you to kill, you would kill; she tells you to guard without harming, you do. Why? What makes you love her?”

  The dog’s eyes sparked at the mention of its mistress’ name, but gave no other answer.

  “What could I do?” Liseli mused, dropping her hand. “If you wanted to obey me instead of her, you could tear her apart. For me. What could I do to make you love me instead?”

  “Nothing.”

  Liseli looked up, saw Alisiya. She held a basket over one arm, and reached up to push her hood back. “I raised them since they were puppies,” she said, looking past Liseli at the waterfall. “I raised their parents and their parents’ parents. They know nothing but what I tell them. A long time ago my father bred them, with his magic, and they love me for being his daughter, if nothing else. You could never turn them against me.”

  Liseli stood up, and leaned against the rock. “Could you turn them against him?”

  “I already have.”

  “The dogs that attacked us; your father didn’t send them. You did.”

  Liseli felt cold. But it was obvious to her then; if she had been thinking at all before she would have realized that it was never the faceless King in a different city that wanted Russ dead. This is what comes of not thinking.

  “Yes.” Alisiya set the basket down, and scratched the dog between the ears. It whined happily, gazing up at her with devotion. “The world knows them as Leeton’s dogs, but they are my dogs.”

  Liseli crossed her arms. Alisiya, she reminded herself, thought that she could travel across worlds, when she couldn’t. Alisiya had thought Russ was a worthless obstacle, when he was everything she needed. She swallowed. She herself was worthless to Alisiya, who only thought she knew everything. The King’s daughter saw much but understood none of it, not really.

  Liseli didn’t know what to do with this knowledge, though. If Alisiya realized her mistake, it would probably mean a quick death for Liseli. She had wanted Russ dead simply because she didn’t think he was of any use to her, and Liseli didn’t see why Alisiya would keep her alive, knowing the truth.

  “Where,” she asked, “did you get the basket?”

  Alisiya looked at her curiously. “The village. I didn’t let myself be seen, but I took food for us. You haven’t eaten in days. I thought perhaps something to eat would revive you.”

  “Revive me.”

  “Yes. You’re starting to look like a ghost.”

  There was silence for a long moment. Alisiya made no move to open the basket, and Liseli stared unblinking. Finally she said, “How can you expect me to help you, or eat with you, after everything you’ve done to me?”

  “Because you must.”

  “What if I can’t?”

  “I won’t accept that. Time grows short. Put aside your emotions.” Alisiya quivered with urgency. “What I just did spared you from more pain and fear than anything you have felt today. Having a baby grow inside you too fast is like . . . like a monster gnawing at your insides. I know, because I knew my mother’s thoughts when I was . . . I was . . . when I was gnawing at her insides. She killed herself. She loved life and killed herself. I’ve spared you from that. If you could only see.”

  “I’m not your mother,” Liseli said coldly.

  Alisiya clutched her hands into fists, her face working with more emotion than Liseli had yet seen, jaw clenching and eyes wheeling through every shade of blue. She feared that she had gone too far, and would never live to make Alisiya pay, now. But then Alisiya sighed out a gust of breath, and without a word bent to open the basket.

  After a moment Liseli decided to press on. “I am very revived. I think I’ve finally woken up. All the way. And do you know what I see?” She clutched her shirt as she spoke, trying to keep her voice steady.

  Alisiya straightened and held her hand out. “Bread,” she said dryly, and Liseli stared at the roll offered to her.

  “No.” She didn’t take it. “I see that no matter what you say or do to me, I can never take you to Adayzjia.”

  Alisiya pried one hand free and forced the roll into it. “I’m sorry,” she said, to Liseli’s surprise. “But you didn’t even know you were pregnant until I told you. It was not as if it was real to you. It was preventing you from opening the Gate. I didn’t think you would react this way.”

  The words stung. “What about Russ?” She squeezed the roll. Crumbs dropped between her fingers. “What about Eliasha? Why shouldn’t I care that you murdered them?”

  “Because,” Alisiya began, then paused, eyes falling to dark violet. “Because, Eliasha was your rival. And Russ isn’t dead.”

  “What?” Liseli dropped the roll.

  Alisiya paced a couple steps away, shaking her head. “I could have let him die. What would it have mattered?” She sighed. “I could have killed him so many times. But I didn’t. And then you wouldn’t wake up; you would have drowned. I gave you the water you needed to heal him, so you would wake up. You still wouldn’t wake up, but Eliasha saved him for you. She saved both of you, when I couldn’t.” She laughed. “With you as you were, I needed someone to free me from Varaneshe. So I had to let him live, again.”

  “Wait.” Liseli’s head swam. Her heart didn’t know what to do, soar or disbelieve or brace for another blow. “Where is he? How is he? How did Eli—”

  “The River replaced his blood, knit his wounds. The River can kill or it can heal; it does what I tell it to. Eliasha pulled you from the River and brought the River to him.” Alisiya paced as she spoke. “Because I wished it. And then I told him to go to Varaneshe and free me, so I could free you from your dreams, and he did, because I wished it. And you woke up, because I wished it. I told you he was dead, because you needed to believe it. I needed you to believe it. But I didn’t kill him. I didn’t think I had to, after all.” She stopped, then added softly, “I thought he would never make it out of Varaneshe, and I wouldn’t have to . . . .”

  “Where is he?” Liseli demanded.

  “In the Valley.”

  “What? What valley?”

  “This one,” Alisiya said grimly.

  “I don’t understand.”

  She pointed back down toward the village. “I saw them coming as I was in the village. My father and your Russ. So if you won’t take me through, it’s over.” Liseli inched back as she saw the anger smoldering in Alisiya’s eyes. “You failed me. I can’t get to Adayzjia, and my father will be here soon. So eat your food.”

  “I . . . I don’t understand,” repeated Liseli cautiously. “What are you going to do?” She could hardly believe that Alisiya would just give up because her father was drawing near.

  “Do? What can I do? My father is here.” Alisiya suddenly sat on the ground, in a heap of dark cloak and dark hair. The dog licked her hand, and Liseli stared. “He’ll take me back home and l
ock me up. And I was so close.”

  Liseli felt no pity for her, not after all she’d done. She wondered if Alisiya was trying to trick her — could Leeton really do so much? If he had lost the loyalty of his dogs to her, how could he have any control over her? Liseli flattened herself against the rock and wondered . . . was Russ really alive? Was Leeton really coming to take Alisiya home? Could he really do it if he tried?

  “How can he do that?” she asked.

  Alisiya looked up, brushed the dog away. “He’s my father,” she said, as if that should explain.

  “Is he that powerful?” Liseli tried to picture such a man. “You can’t kill him?”

  “He’s my father,” she repeated, and Liseli felt herself shiver suddenly. Alisiya’s tone had changed, it grew childish and helpless, and Liseli was torn between wondering if it was a trick or if she should be afraid.

  “I still won’t take you through,” she said.

  Alisiya looked up sharply. “I could still kill Russ. And I could kill you. You’ve failed me.”

  Liseli clutched her shirt. “Will you?”

  Alisiya shifted slightly, but didn’t get up. “Eat your food,” she said. “I know it will happen someday. Someone will take me through. I saw it. It has to be.”

  “I want to go find Russ.” Liseli didn’t want Russ coming up here, by this gate. She didn’t want Alisiya to know that he could take her through.

  “No.” Alisiya pushed herself to her feet. “They’re coming here. We will wait for them.”

  “But—”

  “We will wait.”

  Liseli fell silent. She didn’t dare antagonize Alisiya. Instead, she climbed up on the rock and looked down over the Adayzjian Valley, trying to see Leeton and Russ. She didn’t understand why they were traveling together, when she’d been told Leeton wanted him dead, but she didn’t know what to believe about Leeton anymore. As long as Russ was alive and safe, she didn’t care. If Leeton hadn’t hurt Russ, she had nothing to fear from him.

  Chapter 24 ~ Love, part 2

  The Adayzjian Valley was quiet. Sun filtered over the mountaintops to land on the village lining the shores of the River. Trees grew thickly in the Valley, towering over many of the buildings and climbing up the steep slopes. Leeton, Russ, and the dogs rode along the edge of a clearing on the southern side of the Valley. They passed acres of grapevines spreading up framework, and Russ was reminded of the Adayzjian Valley wine that Pillari had been so proud of. That tense dinner seemed so long ago.

  They’d arrived in Elharan Saturday night, to discover Eliasha dead and Liseli missing. Leeton thought immediately of the Adayzjian Valley — long ago when Alisiya had used to try escaping on a regular basis, she always headed toward the Gate to Adayjzia, where Leeton and the Erykumyn had first entered this world.

  Leeton commandeered two of Arlic’s horses, and he and Russ rode through the night. It was not an easy trip for Russ, who had never even been on a horse before.

  “Where are we headed?” he asked Leeton, feeling weary but trying to keep it from his voice. “Where’s the Gate, I mean?”

  “There is a waterfall up ahead, where all the little springs and creeks in the mountains come together and form the Chaiorra,” Leeton replied, with something that sounded like regret. “Behind the waterfall, between two ledges, there is a cave; I almost fell over the ledge and down the waterfall when I first came here. I would have bashed my head on the rocks and died right there, if I had . . . .”

  “When will we see it?” Russ shifted in the saddle, thinking bleakly the he couldn’t really feel his legs.

  “When we see it,” Leeton answered in a terse voice. “I’m hoping that we’ll see my daughter first.”

  “Liseli.”

  “Her as well,” Leeton added absently, stretching in his saddle to see out ahead. “If I remember correctly, it’s right through those trees. You should be able to hear it already.”

  Russ listened, and recognized the muted roar. As they entered the woods, he had to duck and grip the horse to keep from being swatted off by thick branches. The forest floor was padded down by leaves of many autumns, and the dogs seemed to glide over them, making it look as if the trees were reaching above dark waters. It made Russ’s spine tingle and his insides clench. Some of the dogs brushed against the horse’s legs as they wound through the threes, and the horse whinnied nervously.

  “If you throw me . . . ” Russ muttered under his breath, gripping the reins. The horse paused and stomped, like a cat dipping its paws into water, and the dogs around it shied away from the hooves but snarled low in their throats as a warning to the flighty creature.

  Leeton glared; Russ couldn’t tell if it was meant for him, the horse, or the dogs, but he saw the King’s eyes stare out unnaturally bright and blue in the shady forest. As soon as he looked their way, the dogs quieted obediently and gave Russ’s horse a wide berth. Russ cautiously urged the horse on, and it went with a resigned flick of its tail, whapping Russ in the back. Just so long as it didn’t throw him into the sea of dogs, he was happy.

  As they neared the light on the other side, the dogs suddenly perked their heads up in unison and came to a stop. Some of them whined distractedly and others began to wag their tails. Russ watched the long, black, whip-like tails swishing back and forth, some thumping against tree trunks and making the forest creatures skitter in fear. “What is it?” he asked Leeton in a hushed voice.

  “She’s here,” Leeton said, darting a glance around the woods. “They only act like this for her. Go on,” he spoke to the dogs. “Go to her.”

  The dogs took off. They leapt forward through the trees, emptying out of the woods and bursting into the clearing beyond. Russ and Leeton followed more slowly, still having to dodge branches and leaves. Russ wondered if it would be faster to just lead the horse through, and so since the dogs were out from underfoot he decided to dismount and find out.

  He coerced the horse into stopping, then tried to dismount the way Leeton had showed him. He felt large and ungainly as he ended up practically slithering down the side of his mount. The minute his feet hit the ground, his legs buckled and he gripped the horse to keep himself upright. The horse, however, had different plans, and shook free of him, bolting away. “Shit!” Russ flailed out, wobbling to the side. He slumped against a tree and muttered curses under his breath as both legs cramped, feeling strangely like Jell-O at the same time.

  Leeton turned back to look at him. “What are you doing? You idiot! We’ve almost found them! Why did you—”

  “I’ll be fine in a moment!” Russ snapped. He pushed his back against the tree and added, “Just a little sore,” as he tried to stretch out his legs. “Go on. I’ll be there.”

  “I’m not wasting any more time.” Leeton turned back. “I’ll come back for you when I’ve found Alisiya.”

  Russ didn’t intend to wait for Leeton to come back. As soon as he felt able he tried to walk, hobbling forward drunkenly until he hit another tree. He thought dirty thoughts about the tree, the horse, Leeton, Alisiya, and every dog that had ever lived. But the sun and the sound of the waterfall beckoned just a few yards away, and he pressed on.

  He heard his name. He stopped, wondering if he’d imagined it. But then it came again, and it was Liseli’s voice. He’d recognize it anywhere, saying anything, but especially when she said his name. She called again; it was clearer, nearer, this time. There was a desperate tone in her call; he’d never heard her yell just like that before, and he still couldn’t see her. He stumbled through the trees, branches tearing at him and thorny undergrowth catching at his skin and clothes.

  Finally he made it through, ripping away a tenacious vine that scraped across his neck. The grass at the edge of the clearing was about knee high, and he felt like he was wading through it. He saw the waterfall rising up ahead; by the edge of the cliff stood Leeton, the horses, the dogs, and Alisiya. He faltered in his haphazard run, looking around for Liseli, then heard a shriek behind him. He turned around. Sh
e’d been down by the treeline, about twenty yards south of where he’d come out. Now she had to run back towards the River to get to him, and as he turned back he felt the soreness and exhaustion rush back to hit him.

  Russ bent over and put his hands on his knees, gasping in air but keeping his eyes on Liseli. He felt like he hadn’t seen her in years, but still a part of him couldn’t believe that she was running to him. Her expression wasn’t . . . well it wasn’t happy, he thought with worry. She ran all-out but her fists were clenched and her mouth was set in a hard line. She’s angry at me for letting this happen, he thought wearily, wanting to rush to meet her but suddenly feeling deflated, wondering if he could even stand much longer. He put his hand out and dropped to one knee, seeing the ground rush up dizzyingly for a moment.

  In another moment she reached him. “Russ!” She put his hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?”

  When he looked up into her eyes he saw them wide with fear, and quickly ruled out anger as her emotion. “I’m fine,” he lied, but couldn’t get another word out, because she dropped to her knees and gripped him around the neck so suddenly that she knocked him off balance. He half fell, half sat, on the ground, and Liseli clung to him. He circled his arms around her waist, and felt her shaking.

  She drew away just enough to look at him. He smiled weakly, words draining from his mind. Impulsively he moved a hand to brush hair from her face before kissing it, first her forehead, eyes and nose before finding her lips. She didn’t relax, twisting his shirt in her hands but not kissing back. He stopped after a moment, confused.

  “Are you alright? Did she hurt you?”

  “I’m not hurt,” Liseli answered, lowering her eyes to fix her gaze on his chest. “But your wounds,” she touched him, tentatively, where one of the dogs had sunk its teeth into his neck and shoulder. “They’re gone.”