by Lexi Ander
Sohm’lan
* * *
Sohm’lan was pissed at his best friend for not following his advice summers ago. Despite Sohm’lan’s reasoning, Valdor had kept the twins and Shaneva in the dark after they had uncovered what had happened when Zeus disappeared.
“What about Timsah Gadrius?” Azaes asked, the handful of candied grasshoppers forgotten.
He and Mestor had gone unnaturally still, as if they were ready to pounce on an enemy. Sohm’lan would have to remind Valdor to keep these two away from House Cordyl when they arrived on Valespia, or they would be visiting the twins in Haven’s lock-up.
“He had Zeus the week Zeus went missing.”
Sohm’lan was not surprised by their angry reactions. Mestor dropped the bag of sweets. The candy in Azaes’ palm scattered across the tabletop when he gripped the edge, his claws gouging furrows in the surface as he hissed angrily.
“When Zeus did not show up at the family meal, your father started the full-scale search in secret. If an enemy of the crown had taken him, Valdor did not want to tip his hand. As you know, we did not receive a ransom but neither did his body show up. Valdor sent out teams of Chimera to run down leads, and I investigated how Zeus left the palace without his guard.” Sohm’lan’s mouth went dry. The next part would be hard for the twins to swallow. He sipped his water, preparing to do what he could to calm his watersons. From what he had overheard after first-meal between Mestor and Zeus, they knew some of what he would reveal.
“Zeus had been sneaking out of the palace on a regular basis.” The Monticore were particularly upset upon discovering that. They believed Zeus did not trust them with his privacy.
“We know this already,” Azaes snapped.
“I suspected as much. But I am not finished.”
Sohm’lan had been caught in the middle of Valdor and the twins. Both parties had conducted their own hunts and did not tell each other but swore Sohm’lan to secrecy even though he strongly advised Valdor and the twins to confide in one another. But they each kept their secrets for various reasons, the biggest being to spare the other the painful details they uncovered. Zeus was unaware of the problems his secrecy had caused his family.
Azaes’ lips twisted into an angry pout, but he said no more, and Sohm’lan continued. “I discovered Zeus had been secretly seeing Rathmar. Your father pulled the Chimera back and redirected their focus on House Cordyl. Each rumor uncovered was worse than the last.” Zeus’s secret love affair with his best friend had taken a dark turn. “When I found what I suspected was Zeus’s love nest, I contacted Valdor.”
Sohm’lan carefully strode around the quaint little cottage. The sound of the ocean was discernible from where he stood. One side of the house was protected by a bluff. A set of well-maintained stairs led down the ninety-two-meter cliff to a small private beach. Woods surrounded the house on the other three sides. The only way through was a footpath almost a kilometer long to the private parking that also served another remote estate farther down the coast.
The Narkis Chimera triplets, Cadmus, Phoenix, and Cilix, had approached Sohm’lan little more than an hour ago saying they had a desert contact who would meet Sohm’lan at this location with the promise of information on Zeus. Willing to do anything or speak to anyone to find Zeus, he went, not only bringing the Narkis triplets, but two additional Chimera teams who were currently spread along the perimeter of the cute cottage.
Standing on the walk leading to the bluff’s stairs stood a being in nondescript brown robes. The first time Sohm’lan rounded the house, the person had not been there. If the informant had come up the trail, he would have been notified. Either he snuck by the Chimera, which Sohm’lan thought improbable, or he had already been on the premises.
Cautiously, he approached. Those loose robes could hide anything, and he was alert for any hint of danger. Stopping several feet away, Sohm’lan looked over the being. A hood covered his head, the cut and color of the robes reminding him of the desert dwellers. The scales on his face and hands were white and his eyes were as blue as Sohm’lan’s, which took him aback. There were very few Mar’Sani with eyes that color, other than him and his father, Echo.
“Greetings, Warlord Sohm’lan. I am sorry we are meeting under such dire circumstances.” The bull bowed slightly, and he felt as if he should know this person.
“I am at a disadvantage, for I do not know your name.”
“I am called Whirlwind. I am a friend to both Prince Zeus and young Rathmar.” Whirlwind looked at the cottage, his expression full of sadness.
For a moment Sohm’lan panicked but just as quickly clamped down on his emotions. Jumping to conclusions would do him no good.
“What do you know of Prince Zeus’s whereabouts?” he demanded, already impatient for the promised information.
“This is… was their nest.” Whirlwind replied. “You will find answers inside.”
He glanced back at the cute cottage. Was Zeus inside? Suddenly dread gripped him. He did not know if he could bear losing another waterson.
“How do you know?” Sohm’lan had researched the property title on the drive over and had been surprised to discover it was in Princess Shaneva’s name, so the claim that this was Zeus’s nest did not make sense… unless this was a gift to Zeus from his sister. Had she known her brother and Rathmar were lovers?
“Like I said, I am a friend to Prince Zeus. For the last couple of summers, I have visited him and Rathmar here. They have had a rough time with Rathmar’s father making demands of him that come close to treason. You would do well to know that both those young are victims. Zeus ignored my counsel, but there are other ways I can help, starting with drawing you here.”
As if compelled, Sohm’lan took a couple of steps toward the house, searching the windows for movement, but saw nothing. “Are they here?”
When Whirlwind did not answer, Sohm’lan turned back and was buffeted by a strong breeze. He was gone. Sohm’lan could not believe it. The bull had been right there. No one disappeared into thin air. Mar’Sani were immune to psionics, and psi-illusions did not fool them. What trickery was this?
He barked orders to the Chimera to find Whirlwind and bring him back. Sohm’lan stormed to the edge of the bluff and looked down. The stairs leading to the beach could be seen clearly and there was no one on them. After a half hour of intense searching, he conceded that Whirlwind had mysteriously slipped by them. The Narkis triplets claimed they knew little of Whirlwind, only that he was a desert sage who sometimes had good information about the people who lived in the Black Sands Desert. Another team of Chimera said they had seen the sage visit Zeus at the palace, which threw Sohm’lan. He thought he knew all Zeus’s friends.
With a heavy heart, Sohm’lan called in this new information to Valdor. He was not surprised when his friend told him to wait. Valdor and Ashari wanted to be there when Sohm’lan went inside. A team of forensic detectives were being sent to the location and they would process the site.
While he waited, he walked the perimeter again, looking for signs of… anything. It was unlike Zeus to not call home. Then again, Sohm’lan would have said Zeus would never sneak off, but now he knew that was not true. This whole situation made him rethink what he believed he knew of his youngest waterson, the supposedly human boy who stole Sohm’lan’s heart with his strange, loud laugh, and teeth-baring smiles.
Scanning the outside of the house, he saw Zeus’s touch in the green and orange trim as well as the flower garden. One whole section was comprised of the red-bearded lilies that Ashari adored. Zeus was always bringing her one, and now Sohm’lan knew where he procured them.
Sohm’lan was contacted when the vehicles carrying the Emperor and Empress arrived, along with their Elite Honor Guard and the detectives. He met them where the path exited the woods. The detectives bid them to wait so they could clear a path to the front door. Four of them stood abreast, their handheld scanners buzzing as they slowly walked down the cobbled path. Occasionally, one stopped
to bag something. As they worked, he watched Valdor and Ashari, his apprehension growing. Ashari’s gaze took in all the details and within minutes she clutched Valdor’s arm.
“This is a nest, Zeus’s nest,” she whispered, tears spilling from her eyes. Sohm’lan was impressed. He had to be told what she instantly knew.
They had worked hard to protect Zeus, even when he did not need it. But after Canry’s disappearance, they could not help themselves. Were they that overbearing, making Zeus feel he needed to keep something like this from them?
“Look, there are your flowers.” Valdor covered Ashari’s hand. “He should have told us. We could have gotten him something grander.”
“I think this suits him better,” Ashari countered. “This place has an air of… something. Contentment. As if he could relax.”
Valdor scowled. “I do not know why he cannot relax with us.”
“He is growing, trying to find out who he is outside of being a Vondorian.” She rubbed Valdor’s hand soothingly.
Sohm’lan glanced away. He had to agree with Valdor, but he understood Ashari’s point.
“Empress. Emperor. Warlord Sohm’lan. I am Detective Clyp Trudyrs. We have cleared the way to the door. There is forensic evidence just inside. We have taken samples and pictures, but we would appreciate it if you would stay out of the area cordoned off, just in case we need to reevaluate the area or need more samples.” Detective Clyp handed them devices they placed on their shoes and hands to keep them from contaminating the scene.
“I feel I should warn you—” the detective continued, and Sohm’lan’s heart stopped. Ashari took his hand, clutching it tightly in her free one. “There are no bodies but there is blood evidence that a crime has taken place.”
He would have followed behind Ashari and Valdor, but she had a firm hold on him and refused to let go. They walked side-by-side with Ashari in the middle, their hands clasped in hers. The wide stoop that covered the front door also sheltered a couple of swings and other furniture. A plate with withered, rotten fruit sat abandoned on the small table next to a lounge chair.
The door was open, and the smell of blood reached Sohm’lan, warning him of what he would see when they stepped inside. He went first, an unnecessary precaution since the detectives had cleared the house. With the Honor Guard not allowed onto the premises, it was protocol for the highest ranked military personnel to clear the area before Valdor and Ashari entered any space outside the palace. And perhaps a small part of him was looking for some way to protect his best friends from what he suspected would come. Unfortunately, no excuses to keep them out came to mind.
There were smears of dried blood on the golden wood floor near the exit, as if there had been a scuffle. Drops of crimson led away, toward a door guarded by another detective. He skirted the cordoned off area, stepping farther into the front room, taking in the world that Zeus and Rathmar had created for themselves. The room was covered in their combined scents and despite the blood, their pheromones soaked into the furniture spoke of… happiness. But there were newer scents that hinted at rising discontent, a subtle sorrow as if the two knew their time together was coming to a close, which made sense with Zeus leaving Atlainticia for the next five summers. Sohm’lan wondered if the lovers had considered becoming mates. If that were the case, he could not imagine Zeus working offplanet. For the first decade or two after mating, bulls rarely left their mates for any length of time. Had their love affair been coming to an end? Perhaps.
Along the far wall, a large group of paintings dominated the space. They were portraits of Zeus smiling lovingly at the painter. Another of Zeus dozing in the sun on a beach in the nude. A couple of Zeus with Rathmar. Disturbingly, in those with Rathmar, the canvas was slashed across his face. All the paintings were signed by Rathmar, which was surprising. Rathmar’s father, Timsah Gadrius, believed the arts, including bards, were a waste of time and resources. He would not approve of Rathmar’s painting, but judging by the obvious expertise, Rathmar had been practicing for some time.
Sohm’lan entered each room, clearing it for Valdor and Ashari. It was evident a lot of care went into this love nest. Summers of layered scents spoke of joy and lust, almost overpowering one scent that was sparse but newer.
Valdor raised his nose, inhaling and frowning. “Do you smell that?”
“Yes,” Sohm’lan knew the owner of the scent very well. He growled with barely controlled anger. “Timsah Gadrius was here recently.” Timsah’s scent revealed his rage.
Sohm’lan followed the barely-there trace, the bitterness making his nose twitch. Detective Clyp prohibited Sohm’lan from going up the stairs, “They are still gathering evidence in the rooms. I can only allow you up if you remain in the hall.”
Sohm’lan looked back to Valdor and Ashari and they were already nodding their acceptance. Detective Clyp led the way and Sohm’lan scented the air. Timsah had been here too, following Zeus and Rathmar’s lust trail. His suspicion was confirmed when Detective Clyp stopped them outside a painted panel door and slid it open with a gloved hand to reveal a sleeping chamber so heavy with Zeus’s and Rathmar’s pheromones that he wondered how the two concealed this level of infatuation from everyone else. Three constables were inside with their humming devices as they inspected the utterly destroyed room. The furniture was broken, materials shredded, and ceramics were in pieces. “Do these devices pick up and analyze scents?” Sohm’lan asked. The happy pheromones of Rathmar and Zeus were tinged by the heavy odor of rage that belonged to Timsah. A picture of events was forming in Sohm’lan’s mind, giving credence to the dread sitting like a hard ball in his stomach.
“They can, to a certain extent. Like many biological samples, scents and pheromones are largely unique to the individual, but we would need to have that person’s scent profile on hand to compare it to.” Detective Clyp sounded equal amounts apologetic and frustrated.
Scent profiles were gathered for criminals, not for law-abiding citizens… Or people not yet caught breaking the law.
“With this much destruction, we might get lucky and find physical evidence of the perpetrator other than the scent and pheromone traces. A scale or two, a broken claw, pieces of the person’s clothing. We were lucky the door to the sleeping chamber was closed, not allowing the odors to dissipate into the rest of the house.
“How soon will I have the results of the investigation on my desk,” Valdor rasped, his gaze not leaving the destruction. “My son is still missing.”
“The initial computer analysis will be available by this evening,” Detective Clyp replied. “I am at your disposal until Prince Zeus is found and this crime is solved. I have sent a team of detectives to watch House Cordyl. If Rathmar Gadrius is missing, his family has not reported it and I do not want to tip our hand just yet.”
“Agreed. They are comfortable now, having assumed we would not discover this nest,” Ashari practically growled and Valdor pulled her closer to his side.
“Once the team finishes you can go in and gather any remaining personal effects,” Detective Clyp said respectfully.
Sohm’lan barely held himself back. He wanted to be the one in there sorting through and finding clues as to what happened to Zeus. But if Valdor and Ashari could wait and allow the professionals to do their jobs, then so could he.
Sohm’lan had to hand it to the detective. He showed no nervousness or apprehension telling any of them no. “But I have just been radioed that the basement has been cleared.” For the first time Detective Clyp seemed hesitant. “The scene is quite disturbing and there is a lot of dried blood that we have already identified as belonging to both Prince Zeus and Rathmar. I know it will be hard, but please do not touch anything. If you wish to wait for the holo-vids to be uploaded to your personal data pads instead of seeing the scene firsthand, I can—”
“No, thank you, Detective Clyp.” Valdor held up his hand, his expression steely, not revealing the emotions he kept under tight control. “If my son could endure… then I can at l
east bear witness.”
“Lead the way, please,” Ashari replied when the detective turned a questioning look to her.
“Follow me then.” Detective Clyp retreated the way they had come, back downstairs to the door that was guarded. “The blood splatter from the front door to here indicates Prince Zeus and Rathmar exited the basement wounded. But only Zeus seems to have left the cottage. For some reason, Rathmar did not go with him. At this time, we can only guess why.”
Again, Sohm’lan gestured for Valdor and Ashari to wait for him to clear the area first. The stairs were the same polished blond wood as the first floor. The blood drops made a clear path, sometimes smudged as if Rathmar or Zeus fell. The fury he had held close threatened to overwhelm him with each step.
Their scents were layered here, happy tones marred by newer ones of pain and sorrow. Timsah’s rage almost smothered all other odors. He wanted to commit murder. The room looked as if it was an entertaining area, though as Sohm’lan drew in each long breath he doubted they’d had any guests. Amidst the normalcy of the room, there were things that obviously did not belong. The sets of chains and manacles drilled into the wall. The metal table with its own set of restraints. Unfortunately, there were no enemies that Sohm’lan could exercise his fraying temper on. Two detectives stood nearby watching him warily, as if they expected a violent outburst in a moment.
He glanced upstairs. “Your Highnesses, the room is clear.”
Valdor and Ashari descended, their gazes taking in everything as they brushed past Sohm’lan. Clasping his trembling hands behind his back, he followed his friends farther into the room. Detective Clyp stayed by his side, explaining what they found in a hushed, cautious tone.
“It would seem the intruder had help—”
“How do you know?” Sohm’lan demanded.
The detective was nonplussed by his angry snarl. “Rathmar was a skilled warrior.” Sohm’lan bit back a growl. ‘Was.’ He thought the two young dead even if there were no bodies. The detective flinched as if realizing his mistake. He did not repeat it when he continued. “But Prince Zeus is an exemplary fighter. No one would be able to take him against his will without there being casualties. The blood samples have traces of a drug not in our database. I suspected it is an inhibitor or perhaps something that was designed to render humans unconscious. The table is a heavy steel, designed to take a beating. The intruder would need help to not only bring this monstrosity down the stairs, they would have needed help moving Prince Zeus as well as Rathmar. Prince Zeus is below average height for a Mar’Sani. One person could have managed him by themselves, but Rathmar is twice Zeus’s size.”