by I. T. Lucas
He was saving one daughter by sacrificing the other. The difference was that he was offering Areana a choice. He had not offered it to Annani, which in retrospect was one of the biggest mistakes he had ever made, and there had been plenty.
Ahn had ruled for a long time, and he was not infallible. It was true that most of the hard decisions he had taken had been voted on by the big assembly, but that did not absolve him of responsibility. He had the power to veto any decision he did not approve of. But in the name of equality and in the spirit of the laws he and the other founders had put in place, Ahn had never vetoed a unanimous vote.
Still, some of the decisions that Ahn regretted had been made by him and him alone. When it came to the safety of his people, the assembly’s vote was not needed, and the same was true when it came to his own family.
The thing was, Ahn had always chosen the good of his people over everything and everyone else, and that included his beloved daughter.
“Should I stay for your meeting with Areana?” Nai asked.
He shook his head. “She would be intimidated by your presence.”
“I understand.” Nai came up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her. “I know it is not easy for you, my love.” She kissed him briefly before sauntering out of the room.
Ahn sighed. Nai always tried to see the best in him, giving him much more credit than he deserved.
He did not feel for Areana even a fraction of what he felt for Annani. His older daughter was nothing like her half-sister. Where Annani was strong and decisive, Areana was timid and weak.
Truth be told, he found it embarrassing to have produced such an inferior offspring. How could the most powerful god beget one of the weakest?
Unfortunately, it had been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Areana was his. As the daughter of a mistress, she had not been raised in the palace, and Ahn had made no effort to get to know her. After her birth, Areana’s mother had joined with another god who had acted as a father to her.
He was still pacing when a servant announced Areana’s arrival.
“Let her in,” he told the immortal.
She bowed upon entering. “Good evening, my lord.”
“Good evening, daughter.” He put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her on one cheek and then the other. It was a proper fatherly greeting, but it lacked the appropriate emotion.
At least she was beautiful. Mortdh could not complain about her not being pleasing to the eye. And she was sad, deeply so. Which was not surprising since she had lost her fated mate. One did not recover from a tragedy like that.
“Thank you for coming,” he said as he led her to a chair.
“You have summoned me. Of course I came.”
“Wine?” he asked as he poured himself a goblet.
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
She had a pleasant voice, even sweet.
“You are probably wondering why I asked you here.” He handed her a full goblet.
“Yes, I am,” Areana nodded.
In fact, she kept nodding throughout his long explanation about what he wanted from her and why.
“It is entirely up to you, Areana. Do not feel as if you have any obligation to agree, or that you will disappoint me if you do not. I will find another way to appease Mortdh.”
As she sipped her wine for several long moments, he was glad she was giving it serious thought.
Areana put the goblet down on the low table and clasped her hands in front of her. “Since my love was murdered, my life has been meaningless, and it does not matter if I am miserable here or at Mortdh’s stronghold. He has so many concubines and mistresses that he will probably leave me alone. Knowing that I helped Annani will give meaning to my empty life. But I am not sure about the spying part. I am not brave, my lord. In fact, I am a coward. If I were brave, I would have ended my life as soon as I lost the reason to keep on living.” She lowered her eyes.
Damnation. If his heart were not as black, it would have been weeping for Areana. But after thousands of years of ruling, Ahn was inured to misery as well as guilt. Without Nai in the room, he did not even feel the need to pretend compassion.
“I am not asking you to actively spy on him. Just observe what is going on in his court, and when you come home for a visit, which I am going to insist on as part of your joining, you will report to me what you have observed.”
Areana lifted her sad, yet intelligent eyes to him. “Mortdh will expect that of me. I am sure no secrets would be revealed while I am around.”
“Yes and no. First of all, he cannot silence everyone in court, and people like to talk. The service staff know everything. If you befriend them, you will know more than the best of spies. In fact, you are perfect for that. As a goddess of limited powers and mellow personality, you will not intimidate them. They will feel free to share gossip with you.”
“I heard he uses mostly slaves.”
Ahn waved a dismissive hand. “Slaves, servants, it does not make a difference. People are people regardless of their station, and they like to talk.”
7
Khiann
“Stop right there!” one of the soldiers guarding the palace’s front doors ordered. “We were told to accompany Master Khiann and his parents to the reception hall. These men need to stay behind.” He pointed at the Odus.
“They are a gift,” Navohn said.
The soldier arched a brow. “Slaves?”
“Very special kind,” Navohn answered with a smile.
“I need to search them for weapons.”
“By all means.” His father waved a hand at the seven Odus. “I give you my permission to search them, my good man,” he said more for the Odus’ benefit than the soldiers’. They needed to hear their master’s approval before submitting to the search.
“All clear,” the soldier announced when he was done patting down the last one. “You may enter.”
Unlike the other time, they were escorted by four armed guards, probably because of the Odus. Or so Khiann hoped. It would have been most disconcerting if the guards had been sent to escort the three of them.
“Welcome,” Ahn said as they were let inside the reception hall.
“Thank you, my lord. And good evening to you and your lovely mate and daughter,” Navohn returned the greeting with a bow.
Annani and Nai smiled and dipped their heads.
Khiann bowed, and so did his mother.
“What is that?” Ahn’s eyes widened as the Odus followed them inside, accompanied by the guards.
“An engagement present, my lord,” Khiann said.
The ruler got to his feet and walked over. “Amazing. I did not think any were left.”
“A rare and precious find, worthy of a princess,” Navohn offered with a bow.
“You may leave us.” Ahn waved at the guards. “These men are harmless.”
As the door closed behind the soldiers, Ahn cast a soundproofing shroud. “Where did you find them?”
“It is a long story which I will be glad to tell you over a goblet of wine.”
“Of course, where are my manners.” Ahn clapped Navohn’s shoulder. “Please come in and join us.” He pointed to a divan. “What should we do with them while we talk?” The ruler tilted his head toward the seven men standing like statues and awaiting further instructions.
Khiann’s father pointed at the room’s south wall. “You may sit on the floor over there.”
“Yes, master.” They bowed in unison and headed to where he had directed them.
As Khiann and his parents sat down across from the royal family, Nai pointed to the low table between the two divans. “Please partake.”
The table was loaded with trays of small delicacies, decanters of wine, and pitchers of beer.
“Thank you.” Navohn lifted one of the decanters and poured wine into six gold goblets. “Should we toast the joyous occasion?”
Ahn lifted his goblet. “To Annani and Khiann. May their joining be
full of love, and fruitful.”
“Long life and prosperity.” Navohn lifted his.
Khiann waited for Annani to take hers. “To my love!” He clinked her goblet.
“To my love,” she echoed.
He had been expecting more questions, but apparently, the engagement was a done deal. It seemed Ahn was satisfied with Annani’s proclamation that she had made up her mind and had no further questions for Khiann.
“Now, tell me, my friend. Where did you find not one, but seven Odus?”
As his father recounted the tale of the Odus finding and following him, and not the other way around, Khiann and Annani smiled at each other like a couple of fools.
It was actually happening.
The impossible was becoming a reality, and it was all thanks to Annani. He would be forever grateful to her for taking the initiative. If not for her, they would not be sitting in the royal reception room discussing the Odus.
“I knew right away that they would be the perfect wedding gift for Annani,” Navohn finished his tale. “It is well known that you are opposed to slavery, my lady.” His father turned to Annani. “This is the perfect solution. The seven Odus will serve you and protect you always.”
Annani’s eyes peeled wide. “I do not understand.” While exchanging smiles and coy glances with Khiann, she had not been listening to their fathers’ conversation.
“The Odus are not men, Annani,” Ahn explained. “They are machines cleverly disguised as people, and these seven are probably the only ones still to exist. They are priceless.”
“Oh, wow.” Annani glanced at her present. “What am I supposed to do with them?”
Donkey dung. She did not like her gift.
“Whatever you wish. I am sure you will find something. They do not need sleep and can eat garbage. They can also morph their features. So if you prefer female servants, they can become that.”
“Everywhere?” A blush spread across her pale cheeks.
Ahn chuckled. “They do not have reproductive organs. What I meant was that they can change their body shape and facial features.”
“Oh.”
Ahn patted her knee. “What I like most about this amazing gift, though, is that Mortdh could not match it or outdo it.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Navohn said.
Nai put her goblet down. “It is time to inform Mortdh, is it not?”
“Yes, it is. He must have heard rumors, or what is more likely was informed by his spies. I was told that a caravan is heading here, loaded with presents for Annani. Mortdh is not aboard. He sent it with his son, Navuh.”
“Too little, too late,” Annani chimed.
“That is why I am so glad you found the Odus, Navohn. There is nothing in that caravan that can come close to the value of these seven.”
Annani shook her head. “I am just glad he is not coming with the caravan. I do not wish to see him.”
Ahn picked up his goblet and emptied it in one gulp. “When he gets my message about your upcoming engagement, he will come, and you will have to face him. There is no avoiding that.”
8
Gulan
With Annani and her parents conferring with Khiann and his, Gulan had a free evening to do as she pleased. First, though, she had to fold and put away all the dresses Annani had tried on before going to her meeting.
The question was what to do when she was done.
Gulan did not get time off often. Annani hated the substitute maid, complaining about her so much that Gulan had decided it was better not to take her allotted day off and just stay on.
It was not as if she had anything interesting to do with her free day. Most times she had spent it helping her mother with the laundry and Tula with her late homework assignments. It was more work, just of the unpaid kind. At least her lady paid her lavishly for staying the extra day a week.
“Gulan, you have a visitor,” Gumer called out from behind the closed door and then opened it. “Esag is waiting for you in your usual place.”
“Thank you. I will be out in a moment.”
Everyone knew she was training with Khiann’s squire. What they did not know was that he had kissed her.
No one knew, not even Annani. Gulan had not told her, mostly because she did not know what to make of it.
Remembering the kiss, she touched a finger to her lips. It had been wonderful, awakening needs and desires she had buried so deep inside that she had not been aware of their existence. Gulan wanted Esag, but what did he want?
Did he want to seduce her?
Did he have feelings for her?
What was his game?
Trying to guess his intentions was driving her crazy. At night, Gulan lay awake, staring at the ceiling for hours while going over every word and every touch. The problem was that she had nothing to base her speculations on.
What did she know about relationships?
Nothing.
Maybe Esag was as tormented as she was and wanted to talk? Perhaps that was why he came? They had not scheduled a training session for this evening. Did he want another kiss?
Did she?
It was about time they had a talk.
Should she change her tunic to a fresh one?
Gazing at the mirror, Gulan tucked a few stray hairs into her braid, tugged on her tunic, and sighed. All her clothes were functional, not pretty. She owned one nice dress, which she wore only to celebrations, and it was not appropriate for a casual meeting in the palace gardens. Especially if all Esag wanted was to show her some new fighting moves.
If he liked her, it was not because of her clothes. Gulan was not like Annani, fretting about outfits and what made her look her best. She was not a princess, only a simple maid.
Flipping her braid back, she lifted her chin and headed out.
In their clearing, she found Esag sitting on the ground with his legs crossed.
“Hi, Gulan. Care to join me?” He patted the dirt next to him.
As she sat on the ground, Gulan was glad to be wearing her simple tunic. “We did not have a session scheduled for this evening, did we?”
“No, but I figured it was a good opportunity to talk to you in private.”
As if all the other times they had met in the clearing had not been private. No one paid attention to a squire and a maid practicing fighting moves.
“About what?”
For once, Esag did not look as sure of himself as he usually did. Instead of a smirk, he wore a shy smile, and instead of looking her straight in the eyes, he fidgeted with a twig he had picked up.
“I like you, Gulan, a lot.”
Her heart did a happy flip. “I like you too.”
He lifted his eyes to her. “A lot?”
She nodded.
“I liked kissing you the other day, and I think you liked it too.”
Her ears heating up, she nodded. “It was nice.”
Esag snorted. “Nice is not the term I would have used.”
“What is wrong with nice?”
“It implies a mediocre kiss. I prefer hot, arousing, earth moving.”
It had been all of that and more, but she was too shy to admit it. “If you say so.”
“I would like more kisses like that.”
So would she.
“I would like much more than kisses.”
Gulan blushed and looked away. She wanted that too.
“But I am promised to another, and Khiann is on my case about leading you on.”
Her heart did a flip and then sank all the way down to her gut. Her first instinct was to get up and run away like she had done before, but that was the coward’s way out, and Gulan was not a coward. She would say what she had to say and then run. “Annani told me. But promises of that kind can be broken. It is not easy, I know, but if you really want to…” She lost her nerve and did not finish her sentence.
“I want to, but I cannot. I do not even like my intended, and the thought of spending the rest of my immortal life with her gives me nig
htmares, but this joining is crucial to my family. I cannot break the engagement.”
Gulan knew all about familial obligations, but that did not make her feel any better. She felt like dying. Esag was not going to break his promise for her. “What is the point of you telling me this? Is it because Khiann ordered you to do so?”
“In part. I want to be honest with you, and I do not want to lead you on. The thing is, I really like being with you. I can imagine us having a life together. A good life.”
Esag was twisting the knife deeper and deeper. Why was he so cruel?
“That is neither here nor there. If you cannot break the promise, then you cannot be with me.”
Esag broke the twig and tossed it away. “We can be together if you agree to be my concubine. I promise to treat you as if you were my official mate, just without the title. That way I can have the woman I want without destroying my family.”
Gulan had stopped listening after the word concubine had left Esag’s mouth.
A concubine? That was what he was offering her?
It was such a grave insult that it had left her speechless. Only widows and daughters of destitute families who needed a benefactor accepted such an arrangement. It was just a step above being a whore.
He could have said a lover—it did not imply financial support in exchange for intimate favors, but a concubine?
Not that she would have agreed to that either, but at least she would not have felt so humiliated.
Gulan bolted up. “Do not ever talk to me again.”
He caught her hand. “Listen to me, Gulan. It is not as bad as it sounds…”
She yanked her hand out of his grasp. “Yes, it is. Goodbye, Esag. And good luck with the rest of your life.”
9
Khiann
“I am so happy,” Annani said as they lay in each other's arms later that night. “Tomorrow, I am going to start planning our engagement party. I am thinking about a procession. We can ride in an open carriage and wave to the crowds while they throw flowers and soft candy at us.”