by Alma Boykin
Lady Neetai had not wailed or shrieked when Palace Guards carried Tarkeela’s body out of the royal transport aircraft, followed by King-Emperor Seetoh himself and Lord Kirlin, both wearing mourning robes in honor of her mate. After Tarkeela’s cremation ceremony, Seetoh had read the noble’s death wishes to the gathered community of Mountains’ Edge. “I, Tarkeela of Clan Tarkeela, designate no heir or pack successor, nor do I wish for my lineage to continue. To each of my juniors I leave one hundred thousand tsus for their maintenance, education, and future lives, this sum to be given to them upon their majority. Until that time I leave two hundred thousand tsus to Lady Neetai, who I name as guardian for my two underage juniors. Cheerka, Rosilia, and Sarka will advise her at her request.”
That much surprised no one. The shock followed when Seetoh continued reading, “I, Tarkeela of Tarkeela, give TeerClaw Industries and MoyTeck, all their holdings and inventory to the employees of same, to be managed and used as they see fit. All properties of said industries also belong to the employees and shareholders, including Three Trees estate on Seekkhala.” Tarkeela’s unprecedented action left the listeners slack-jawed with surprise.
Seetoh had concluded, “That is the extent of Tarkeela’s death wishes, aside from personal messages which shall be delivered to the addressees in private.” Seetoh noted the increasing concern among Tarkeela’s people as they realized what their lord had not specified or even addressed: the fate of Mountains’ Edge and Silverock. “Because Tarkeela left no provision for his lands, they forfeit to the Azdhag pack as a whole.”
Before uncertainty and grief could turn into panic, Seetoh spoke again. “Mountains’ Edge is now a Crown property. However, because of the requirements of time and governance, you, the residents of the estate, will have to govern yourselves in daily matters. We will appoint a general manager to oversee the property and to act as final arbiter and justiciar, but We leave domestic concerns to the resident pack’s judgment. It is likely that We will maintain Mountains’ Edge as a hunting property and timber center, but We have yet to decide fully. We grant Tarkeela’s mate and juniors Our permission to remain resident here, acting as Our servants and managers until such time as they choose to retire or leave to seek other employment or residences.”
He had taken Silverock directly into the Imperial industrial division, in the process annexing the road to the mines because of military need. Lord Blee fumed but did not fight the expropriation. Seetoh’s pointed comments about Blee’s failure to assist pack members in need and his doubts about Blee’s ability to properly manage Clan interests served as a warning and Blee swallowed his pride, not contesting the loss of the road tolls.
In turn, the residents and employees of Silverock continued living and working as they had before Tarkeela’s death. The Imperial managers overlooked the town’s self-governance, leaving the residents free to conduct their business under their elected council. After four years, no one challenged the locals’ policies and Seetoh merely congratulated the workers on their excellent safety record and the large number of fat and frisky juniors. A discreet word to Daesarae immediately after Tarkeela’s death had ended all attempts to annex or harass the residents of Schree’s Rest and stifled discussions about NightLast’s fate. The King-Emperor still disagreed with Tarkeela’s ideas about Azdhag government, but he respected the reptile’s memory and turned a blind eye to the Free Towns.
While Neetai, Cheerka, and Sarka reviewed harvest forecasts, Lord Kirlin stretched and winced. “I should have listened to Neela,” he muttered for the ten thousandth time as his weak-side foreleg tried to buckle under his weight. Kirlin had ignored the faint burning and then the localized numbness around the original wound site until it was too late—the muscle necrotized, creating a weak area that persisted even after several Healing sessions and reconstructive surgery. Shu’s poisoned blade had left a permanent reminder of the battle in Kirlin’s flesh. Kirlin stretched again, but more carefully. Someone scratched at his workroom door. “Yes?”
Green Keeshti entered, followed by four juniors, all of whom bowed very low. “Great my lord,” she murmured before rising.
“Is there a problem?”
“He nipped me,” a voice piped before a sibling swatted him and hissed, “hush!” Kirlin hid a smile. Despite everyone’s unspoken fears, Neela and Tarlek had a healthy junior and Neela suffered no undue complications from either gestation or delivery. Tarlek’s senior mate and Sharlin’s mates also delivered not long after, making four cousins who already terrorized their minders and all but ran the junior den. Not that Kirlin spoiled any of his grand-get, of course.
Keeshti smiled, even as she lightly swatted both juniors. “No, great my lord. The junior tender just needed an hour to clean the den floors, so the juniors are out. I thought I might take these four to see the garden, since they are old enough not to eat anything.” She pivoted and gave the quartet a stern look. “Right?”
“Yes Lady Keeshti,” they chorused, already fidgeting.
“And you need an additional watcher, I take it?” Kirlin knew the answer before it came.
“No, great my lord, I just wanted to advise you of our departure,” she assured him with a slight flick of her tail tip.
“Since I happen to have business in the garden, I will accompany you anyway,” he informed them.
“Awwww,” someone groaned.
In response Kirlin lunged forward and grabbed a small dark-green-and-brown male by the carry-harness and rose onto his hind legs, toting the happy junior down the hallway, down the treaded ramp, and not releasing him until they reached the garden.
“Thleeeeee!” and the quartet charged down a gravel-covered path, scattering insects and leaves in their haste. Kirlin chuckled and leaned a little against Keeshti as they followed the trail of chaos. The adults paused briefly before a decorative stone bearing Lady Shartee’s birth and death dates and lineage.
Someone had burned a stick of incense at the monument and Kirlin frowned a little. He still did not agree with the new practice of venerating ancestors. It was the ancestors’ arrogance and pride that had caused the disasters leading up to the Great Relocation, after all. Kirlin held to the Lone God.
“She was a great lady,” Keeshti observed as they continued on, following the sound of yips and squeals.
“That she was,” Kirlin agreed. He still missed her wisdom and obedience, but not her shrieking fits.
After a few minutes, and one rescue after the youngest junior tried to climb a tree and found herself hanging upside-down, Kirlin inquired, “Have you heard from Cheerka?”
“That stubborn old hunter rented an apartment in Zhangki City, down by the wharves.” Keeshti thumped her tail in frustration. “Says the prey are fatter there.”
“Hmmm.” Kirlin could hear Cheerka saying just that.
“Tell me,” he said, after intercepting and redirecting a galloping junior before he could fall into the mirror-pool, “would you object to living somewhere quieter?”
“How so quieter, great my lord?” Keeshti sniffed her lord discretely, worried by his question.
“The Palace.” Her lower jaw dropped in absolute surprise and he added, “I’ve been named to the Imperial Council, and that means I need to be resident at the Capitol. I have a four-room suite.”
She recovered from her shock and reached out, snatching the harness of Neela’s son as he galloped past en route toward a very expensive and carefully nurtured traitor’s claw shrub “No, Neelek. Stay out of the bushes, you know better.”
“Yes Lady Keeshti,” he squeaked and she aimed him toward his half sister, then turned him loose.
“And you want someone to make certain that you have peace, quiet, and proper robes for all the necessary Court functions, great my lord, so you are suggesting that I come with you,” the concubine gave her owner a sideways look.
He sidled closer and rubbed against her soft, warm flank. “Oh, I had more than that in mind.”
“If it will not cause prob
lems, then yes, I will come with you to Court,” and she nuzzled him lightly.
“Good.” He looked around, smiling as he saw Neela and Seedit coming to claim their juniors. “It is time for the next generation to learn to manage Sunblast.” And may they do a better job than our ancestors did, Tarkeela, he thought to the dead reptile, wherever he had gone.
“If Sharlin, with Tarlek, Neela, and Kharee’s help, can do half as well as you do, my lord and my love, then Kirlin Clan and the Azdhag Empire will manage very well,” Keeshti told him. “Very well indeed.” They heard a loud splash, followed by a shriek and squalling sounds.
“Neelek!” Neela scolded. “You are as bad as your sire and then some!”
Kirlin and Keeshti twined tails and slipped out by a side path, leaving the garden to the youngsters.
About the Author
Alma T. C. Boykin was born in the Midwest, moved to the Great Plains, and after a brief period living in places where trees almost outnumber people, returned to the plains. She escaped college with a BA, worked for a living, then returned for an advanced degree some years later. When not writing or rotating the cat, she teaches and does a few other odds and ends. Hobbies include cooking, reading, hiking, geology, astronomy, and music.
Visit Alma’s blog at AlmaTCBoykin.Wordpress.com
Books by Alma T. C. Boykin
The Cat Among Dragons Series
(Listed in chronological order from the perspective of Rada Ni Drako.)
Hubris: The Azdhagi Reborn
Book 1 of the Cat Among Dragons prequel series.
When the Azdhagi overreach the limits of their science, only a few individuals stand between them and chaos. Three interlinked disasters start a chain reaction of tragedy and triumph leading to the re-creation of Azdhag society.
Renaissance
Book 2 of the Cat Among Dragons prequel series—coming early 2015
A Cat Among Dragons
Book 1 in the Cat Among Dragons series.
They started it. Rada Ni Drako just wanted to do her job, but her father’s people declared her a corrupt half-breed, one unfit to live. Now she’s on the run and in need of a new identity and a job. When she fled back in time to join an interstellar mercenary company, she did not anticipate becoming the Pet of House Nagali, becoming the student of a mysterious but very well connected Healer and diplomat, and fighting her way into power as the only sentient mammal in the court of a reptilian empire. And falling flat on her face several times in the process.
This collection of short stories, the first in the Cat Among Dragons series, begins the saga of Rada Ni Drako and her odd assortment of allies. Join the adventure as Rada takes on her father’s people and tries to keep her head, and the rest of her, intact.
Available from Amazon.com at:www.amazon.com/A-Cat-Among-Dragons-ebook/dp/B00AMNB0N6
Available from Kobo Books at:store.kobobooks.com/ebook/a-cat-among-dragons
Available from Barnes & Noble at:www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-cat-among-dragons-alma-boykin/1113943157
Hairballs
Short fiction from the Cat Among Dragons series.
Rada, Yori, and some of the other Scouts are unwinding from a mission when they hear that the Division is testing new battle armor. Yori gets the idea that someone needs to put the armor through its paces, and against Rada’s better judgment, Yori ropes her into the adventure.
Available from Amazon.com at:www.amazon.com/Hairballs-Among-Dragons-Story-ebook/dp/B00B1DR544
Available from Kobo Books at:store.kobobooks.com/ebook/hairballs
Justice and Juniors
Book 2 in the Cat Among Dragons series.
A collection of short stories following the exploits of Rada Ni Drako in a universe full of danger, excitement, and strange alien species.
Available from Amazon.com at:www.amazon.com/Justice-Juniors-Among-Dragons-ebook/dp/B00CA95AP4
Available from Kobo Books at:store.kobobooks.com/ebook/justice-and-juniors
Available from Barnes & Noble at:www.barnesandnoble.com/w/justice-and-juniors-alma-boykin/1118414531
A Double-Edged Wish
Book 3 in the Cat Among Dragons series.
Rada Ni Drako soars to a new height—a moment of carelessness brings her crashing down. Rada and her business partner Zabet survive a King-Emperor’s anger, a contract that leads to plague and discovery, and motherhood. But when inattention, famine, and a conspiracy from Earth’s future combine against her, Rada proves once again that there’s nothing so deadly as a cornered cat. Especially one who already lost her soul.
A Cat Among Dragons short story collection, including the novella Famine, Fortune, and Justice. 92,000 words.
Available from Amazon.com at:www.amazon.com/Double-Edged-Among-Dragons-ebook/dp/B00FP46K96
Available from Kobo Books at:store.kobobooks.com/ebook/a-double-edged-wish
Available from Barnes & Noble at:www.barnesandnoble.com/w/double-edged-wish-alma-boykin/1118414543
Promises and Powers
Short Stories in the Cat Among Dragons series.
Don’t threaten a HalfDragon’s family: he’ll change the world in order to protect them.
Alien invasions only exist in bad movies. Earth’s militaries know better. That knowledge forces Joschka Graf von Hohen-Drachenburg to make a choice. Will he remain in hiding, or will he risk losing everything in order to protect his family and House Drachenburg? His decision pulls Rada Ni Drako back into his life. She in turn receives an offer she probably should refuse, from a creature as old as Earth itself.
When the Cat and a HalfDragon join forces, everything changes.
A Cat Among Dragons short story four-pack. 24,000 words.
Available from Amazon.com at:www.amazon.com/Promises-Powers-Cat-Among-Dragons-ebook/dp/B00IOV8L94/
Available from Barnes & Noble at:www.barnesandnoble.com/w/promises-and-powers-alma-boykin/1118759525
The Colplatschki Chronicles
Circuits and Crises
Prequel to the Colplatschki Chronicles—coming Fall 2015
Elizabeth of Starland
Book 1 of the Colplatschki Chronicles.
Stubborn as a mule? No, stubborn AND her mule.
Colonial Plantation LTD. abandoned ColPlat XI, writing the planet off as a tax loss after a series of severe Carrington-type events. Now, four hundred years later, Laurence V of Frankonia wants to write Elizabeth von Sarmas out of his kingdom, but like her Lander ancestors, Elizabeth refuses to roll over and die.
To survive, she needs to cross the continent, thread her way through a holy war, and find friends in the Eastern Empire—an impossible task for a sheltered gentlewoman. Or is it? Never underestimate a woman with a mission and a mule.
Available from Amazon.com at:www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Starland-The-Colplatschki-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00HFEWKXY/
Available from Kobo Books at:store.kobobooks.com/ebook/elizabeth-of-starland-1
Available from Barnes & Noble at:www.barnesandnoble.com/w/elizabeth-of-starland-alma-boykin/1118414557
Elizabeth of Donatello Bend
Book 2 of the Colplatschki Chronicles—coming May 2014
Elizabeth of Vindobona
Book 3 of the Colplatschki Chronicles—coming November 2014
Marie’s Tale
A novella of the Colplatschki Chronicles—coming January 2015
Elizabeth’s Empire
Book 4 of the Colplatschki Chronicles—coming April 2015
And more…
Keep up with all the latest books by Alma T C Boykin on her blog: AlmaTCBoykin.Wordpress.com
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