by L. K. Rigel
And May the Women Live Forever
Father Jesse had come out of his coma, or whatever it was. He was furious at being tied up and abandoned when Nin and Counselor had realized Mal was missing and they’d taken off with the Nights to go after her.
“It was for your own good,” Nin had said later. She was fearless around him and teased him without mercy. Mal felt sorry for the guy.
She wanted to talk to him about the soul and being a hybrid. Did he know anything about the Sighted Ones the Empani had talked about? But he and Nin had already returned to Red City. Jannes had taken them in a stinger.
Saskia had turned down the chance for a flight. She still refused to return to Red City. As soon as Mal’s contract was declared complete, she was going to leave the King’s Physicians to become a stinger pilot – and a citizen of Allel.
Durga had learned about the firebird totem and was demanding that Mal return to Red City immediately. Of course, Mal had replied, as soon as she felt able to travel. At first she’d worried that Durga had some crazy plan to make her Empress of the World or something.
That cracked Saskia up. “Have no fear, Mal. The world will deny an inconvenient truth as quick as it embraces a useful lie. Red City might have wanted the Imperium restored once but only to counterbalance Garrick, and he’s dead.”
It had been a month. Mal could put it off no longer. Tomorrow she’d be returning to Red City on the Queen Bee. The idea of going back was depressing. All the petty rules and worry over contract prices seemed so unimportant now.
Just this morning, Nin had sent an outraged message on the Allel network. Red City was forming a Team of Inquiry to examine Father Jesse, and Nin had been disqualified from serving on it. “Because I’m a percipient witness, they said!”
“My lady, the king is here to see you.” Lady Helen was gracious, if cool. Edmund had forbidden everyone to speak ill of Mal, but how could they not be disappointed?
Thoughts of the infant tormented her. She recalled his sweet helplessness and Edmund’s endless compassion when he first held his son in the mad bog.
His soulless son.
When Edmund had given the bundle to Counselor, and she cooed and clucked and rocked him in her arms, it had driven Mal nearly insane with jealousy.
“I’m so sorry,” Mal had said to Edmund. Inadequate words. She had failed to give him the one thing he needed from her.
He named the boy Lev.
Heart.
“Good morning, my lady.” Edmund still wore the blue amber honeybee in his hair. He must not hate her entirely.
“Edmund, I am so sorry.”
“We’ll have no more of that. There is nothing to keep Lev from going through the liminal gauntlet. He’ll have a soul by the time he’s ready to be king.”
She hadn’t thought of that! “Hearing you say it, I know it will be so.”
“Mallory, I’ve come to ask you … something.” He hesitated. “I have no right, but my heart won’t let it go.”
“Anything, Edmund.” She would do anything to make up for the disaster she’d wrought. “What can I do?”
“Stay here with me.” He took her into his arms and held her as if he would never let her go. “Mallory, don’t go back. I love you.”
“Ah, Edmund.” Was it possible to feel so miserable and still live? “Anything but that.”
“I don’t understand.” The pain and confusion on his face was unbearable. “I thought you loved me. I know you do.”
“I do. I love you so much it hurts to think about. But in the end, could it last? You would begin to love me less if I stayed. If we break the Triune Contract, you’ll have to fight Red City.”
“Then I’ll fight Red City. I’ll think of something.”
“Now that won’t do.” She rested her head on his chest. “You would lose everything you’ve worked for, everything you’re doing for Allel – and the world. We don’t have the luxury of choice.”
“I used to believe such sacrifice was noble. Now …” He let go of her and turned away.
“I know it’s not fair! I’ve changed too. I used to think service was just a word that justified my payday. Sacrifice was for chumps, and I was Asherah’s darling.”
“Forget the gods. You are my darling.”
He kissed her. Ah, Asherah, why was life so cruel? She never wanted his lips to leave hers. If she didn’t go now, she never would. She broke away from his arms, kicked off her slippers and put them on her head.
He let out a great, sad roar.
When he left her, it was like she’d lost half of her soul. Nothing would ever fill this lonely hole in her heart.
“You did well, Mallory. I am pleased.” Asherah was standing behind her. “You have a soul, so I can’t reward you with one. But I won’t smite you, how is that?”
“Reward?”
What had she done? She always thought Asherah’s interest in her had something to do with the Imperial princess game.
“That isn’t over, my dear, but I can’t help you there. You’ve fulfilled your destiny where I am concerned. That child is going to give Samael fits.”
“Lev?” A sudden chill drove through Mal’s heart like an iron stake. She’d let no one, not even a goddess, hurt Lev.
Asherah chuckled. “As I said. I am pleased.”
And she was gone.
Mal knew then that she’d never see Asherah again. She should feel relieved, but the hole in her heart widened to a gaping chasm filled only with sorrow. That night, she barely slept. She watched the stars rotate and got up early when the scorpion was low on the horizon.
Later, she saw Edmund at the dirigidock for the official farewell.
“It’s your fault, you know.” She spoke low so only he could hear. “You taught me what duty is. It won’t be so bad. I’ll hear about you all the time. Garrick is gone, thank the gods, and the Concord Cities will look to you as their leader now. With Tesla, you’re going to be the most powerful king on the planet. And I will have my work, such as it is.”
He walked her to the gangway. “I can’t bear the thought of you with another man, even if there is no love in the transaction.”
He said transaction like it was a filthy word. She agreed. “I’m not looking forward to it.”
The lights of the Queen Bee twinkled then burned steady. It was ready to depart.
“Promise me something, will you?”
“No.” But they both knew he really meant yes. Yes, anything.
“Promise me, when the time comes, Céilidh will have the choice. Promise me that by then we will have a made a world where she can chose love, whether she’s counselor or she bleeds.”
“I promise.”
She turned to the gangway to leave him for the last time as a lover. They would meet again, but it would never be the same. She would have other contracts, and she would close her eyes and think of Edmund through them all.
Someday, when she was of no further use, she would retire. Would he still be free? Not likely. In fact, she would not wish that for him. He deserved to be cherished. She wished him love.
“Stop! In the name of Edmund of Allel!”
A mixed phalanx of Edmund’s guard and the Imperials blocked her way. They were lead by Jannes, but Saskia was the one who spoke, her face stern with disapproval. Something was seriously wrong. There was no sense of friendship, or even acquaintance.
“What is this?” Edmund moved to Mal’s side. “How dare you speak in my name without permission?”
Was that a smile that flickered over Jannes’ face? And Edmund’s?
“It is my duty to dare. I speak as king’s physician, Edmund of Allel. It is my duty to you, my lord, and to Allel, and the Concords. This chalice cannot be allowed to leave Allel. She has not fulfilled her contract, and she is not carrying at present.”
“Now wait a minute …”
Edmund cut off Mal’s self-defense, barely touching the back of her arm, and indicated that Saskia should continue.
�
��The Triune Contract is sacred. And it is particular. It calls for two royal children, a boy and a girl – both ensouled.” Saskia was all blank efficiency. One might think she was exceedingly angry with a brood queen trying to get out of her contract.
Mallory’s heart was bursting through her breast. It wasn’t a perfect answer, but it answered any objection Red City could raise to her remaining in Allel.
It bought them time.
“My lord,” Mal said. “The king’s physician is correct. You have rights to a male child, ensouled, which I have not yet produced.” She didn’t touch him. She didn’t even look at him. Following Saskia’s lead, she called on every training session she ever had. She would control her emotions. It could take a year – more, considering what she’d just gone through – to get a pregnancy to take hold.
“And by Asherah’s wisdom, I claim my rights.” Edmund ignored the playacting and took her in his arms, as a king, as her lover. He kissed her, not shutting out the world, but commanding the world to stand as witness to his love.
He whispered, “I told you I’d think of something.”
Oh, Asherah, I love him. Another year, time for one more pregnancy.
But it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t good enough. Edmund deserved better. She deserved better. The world had to be better than this.
“It won’t work,” she said.
She stepped away from him and made eye contact with Saskia, then Jannes and Pala, then Counselor. As she looked into each face her resolve fortified, and she turned to address the Imperials as well as the people of Allel on the tarmac.
“King Edmund of Allel has claimed his rights under the Triune Contract, and he shall have them. The people of Allel will have their ensouled prince.”
The Imperials stood at attention, and the Allels cried the brood queen, rah!
“But I claim my right.”
She wasn’t afraid. For the first time in her life, she knew exactly who she was and what she had to do. She’d been given hints and flat-out signs all along. Like the stone Asherah god, like the blue amber, some things were meant for her alone.
She threw off her mantle and waited. Gradually the people quieted as they recognized what the firebird tattoo and realized what it meant.
“I am Mallory, daughter of Damini, granddaughter of the Emperor, and I invoke the Queen Clause of the World Concords. I declare my person released from all bondage to Red City.”
The collective gasp at the word bondage was satisfying.
“Edmund of Allel, given to me by the goddess Asherah’s design, will be my Imperial consort. I will bear children as chalice to the Imperium, in furtherance of Imperial dynasty, stability, and universal peace. Allel will be my transitional residence.”
Edmund was the first, but not the last, to go down on one knee.
Nothing could stop the people shouting, and she didn’t want them to stop.
To the Empress, rah! Hail Empress Mallory!
Those who didn’t know her called it destiny. But she saw the path ahead clearly, and with free will she chose to take it.
Afterword
An old red king and his dark-haired love stood at the rail inside their airship gangway and watched the King of Allel kiss his chalice in front of the gods and everybody. When the young king and all his people knelt before the lady, the old king raised a tankard of dark stout.
“
Sláinte chuig na fir, agus go mairfidh na mná go deo!”
“Wonderful, darling.” The beauty bent down to kiss his forehead. “But what does it mean?”
“Health to the men, and may the women live forever!”
The End
Bleeder (Apocalypto 3)
LK Rigel
lkrigel.com
LK Rigel for Kindle
Acknowledgements:
Bleeder
is a better book for the efforts of beta readers Cara Wallace and Debra L. Martin. An early manuscript was read by the marvelous Kym Hinton whose intelligent and incisive comments were invaluable. I continue to owe a debt of gratitude to Theresa Weir/Anne Frasier for her generous guidance. Her writing chops continue to amaze me.
More stories from L.K. Rigel
I love hearing from readers. You can visit my website at http://www.lkrigel.com/ or email me at [email protected].
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Table of Contents
Epilogue -- The Spiderwork
BleederPart 1 – Blue Amber
Part 2 - Chalice
Part 3 – Dragon & Phoenix
Let's Get the Hell Off This Rock
In Which Char Sees Jake's Junque
Hell Comes Knocking
Objects in Space
Slipscream
The Glory and the Goddess
Hero Material
Marked
DOGs Don't Need No Stinkin' Data Links
Emperor Augustine
Space Junk
The End of the World
Fire and Revelation
Raptor and Chalice
Vain To Deny It
The Beekeeper, The Samaeli
Emissary of Sanguibahd
Durga and the Musician
Empani Rani
The Coronation Feast
A Kiss Like Lightning
Get A Dog
The Blackbird
The Liminal Gauntlet
Lotus Dagger
Everything Dies In Garrick
Tesla
Age of Consent
Hieros Gamos
Red Dagger
Epilogue: The Spiderwork
Part 1 – Blue Amber
The Ptery and the Peregrine
Harriet
Blood Chosen
Edmund of Allel
Curses
At the End of the Corridor
Hormones
In the Tunnel
Blue Amber
Black Widow
Part 2 – Chalice
Vision Quest
The Queen Clause
Empani
Ptery
Power and Confidence
The Rites of May
Might As Well Put Your Sandals on Your Head