Lluava studied Aquila’s face; he appeared empowered. Looking down his sharp nose, he told them, “My father told me this bow was our family’s destiny. He spoke truth.”
“Your quiver—it’s full,” Apex pointed out. Lluava noted the tinge of jealousy in the huntsman’s voice. She, too, had to acknowledge that the combined power of Giahem’s Wings and the Talons was something out of myth. His quiver was full as it ever had been.
“The bow will never be without its arrows again.”
There was a rumble of thunder. The rain had not abated.
“Come,” Talos said, “let us change out of these wet clothes and enjoy our meal. I am hungry.”
“I definitely agree with that,” said Yamir, grinning, as the party dispersed.
***
Having taken extra time to wash and dress, Lluava hurried through the castle toward the banquet hall. As she passed the Grand Hall, a figure called out from the doorway.
“Lluava! I see you made it back in one piece.”
Selene’s sweet voice seemed to coil around the pillars in the hall. Lluava paused to look at the other Incarn. Remembering Apex’s news, Lluava said, “I should congratulate you on your success. Your plan to poison the enemy has been implemented. You may have saved the kingdom from the Raiders.”
With a charming smile, Selene motioned for Lluava to join her. Following the young woman, Lluava entered the vast chamber. She had never seen it so empty. The throne room had been the heart of the castle as well as the Elysian government. Here, aristocrats had gossiped and new proclamations were pronounced. On this cold marble floor, Lluava had partnered with Varren in the ceremonial Dance of Suns. And here, too, the High Council had met its end.
“Magnificent, is it not?” Selene noted as she, too, looked about the vacant chamber. Gesturing at the line of thrones, she said, “Soon we will be the protectors of this realm, to rule over it as we see fit, to render judgment when needed. We will have to make choices, hard ones, for the betterment of our people. We will have to cast aside our petty differences in order to put others first. Soon we, the Incarn, will live for the people and not for ourselves. Our own dreams will be cast aside, our emotions suppressed. We have been created for a greater purpose, you and I. In order to fulfill it, we will have to put aside the selves we now know.” Sighing, the beautiful woman added, “There is little time left to act on our own before we must sacrifice our identity for the greatest good.”
Thinking deeply, Lluava mused, “I don’t know. How can we be sure of our grand purpose? Maybe…” Lluava thought of Varren in the south of the kingdom. “Maybe we are not meant to rule Elysia but to act as guides to help our race move into a more peaceful and prosperous era.”
“Varren will never be allowed to rule again.” Selene’s eyes narrowed as they scrutinized Lluava. “The era of humans is at its end. He will be killed.” She paused before asking, “Does it hurt, knowing that someone you love will be taken from you?”
“How can you ask that, Selene?” Lluava questioned hotly. “Didn’t you admit you had feelings for him while you were by his side?”
“He was just a toy. Something to play with.” Selene’s icy honesty was shocking. “If he ever shows up, I have half a mind to do it again until he faces his horribly public execution.”
Lluava waved Issaura’s Claws threateningly in front of Selene. “He doesn’t need to die.”
“Oh yes, he does. High Priestess Yena will never allow him to live. He is the sole heir to the throne, the only surviving descendent of Landon Mandrun, the conqueror. That we both can agree on.”
As much as she hated it, Lluava knew that Selene was right. The high priestess would always view Varren as a threat, even if he willingly handed over the throne and kingdom to the Theriomorphs. Still, Lluava refused to give up.
Selene offered a broken smile. “The question is, which is worse? Knowing that Varren will lose his life at some point in the future, or that one of your friends will die tonight?”
“What are you talking about?”
Running her manicured nails through her bejeweled hair, Selene explained, “As we speak, one of them is sipping from a congratulatory goblet rimmed with poison.”
Lluava could not think clearly. Why? How? Who? Suddenly, she realized the obvious truth. “You poisoned someone!”
“Think of it more as a venomous bite.”
Selene had to be bluffing. Surely, she was just toying with Lluava. She was not the murderous type. Well, not when the situation didn’t warrant. Sweat began to bead on Lluava’s brow. She had to make sure this wasn’t a ruse. “What did any of my friends do to you?”
“Nothing. They are just important to you.”
Panic. Lluava raced toward the doors. Maybe she could reach her friends before the celebration began. Behind her, Selene’s honeyed voice spoke out, “Don’t you want the antidote?”
Halting, Lluava turned around, “There’s a cure? Give it to me.”
As if she had not heard the demand or Lluava’s voice at all, Selene asked, “Don’t you want to know why?”
“If there is some remedy, give it to me, Selene,” Lluava tried to sound authoritative, yet in this situation, she felt helpless.
“As someone who cares about everyone else, don’t you even care why you vex me so?”
Lluava realized this was just a game to Selene. The woman was toying with her, trying to get her to play. With a friend’s life at risk, Lluava had no choice but to play along.
“All right. Why?”
Quite serious, Selene also appeared thrilled and went on to explain, “Poison has always been my…specialty. Well, that and sex. Using both, I was able to acquire the power and position that others only dream about. I worked hard for everything I have. Struggled in ways you cannot even fathom. You did not crawl out of the muck of poverty. I did. I rose to the top. I was happy.” Selene’s pupils narrowed until they looked like needles. Her body quivered, and her silver pendant necklace swung like a pendulum between her breasts. “Then you stole that which was most important to me.”
“Varren? Apex?” Lluava snapped. Her own fury bubbled up. “They never loved you. They were never yours. I cannot take away something you never had.”
Selene paused. “No—my brother’s affection. Luka was the only one who ever truly loved me.” A tear rolled down her coppery cheek. “You took away something I love. In return, I am taking away something of yours.”
Lluava realized that Selene had found out about Luka’s betrayal. Well, betrayal might be too harsh a term, but Selene’s own brother had helped Apex trick her with a scheme he had devised.
Lluava quickly countered, “Luka did not conspire against you. He never wished you harm. He loves you, Selene. Undo this.”
Touching the teardrop pendant about her throat, Selene shook her head. “It’s too late.”
“Selene!” Lluava cried out as she knelt before the young beauty. “I implore you to stop this. Do you want me to beg? I will. To grovel at your feet? I will. If you have poisoned someone, provide the remedy. Please!”
Turning to look down at the tresses about her flowing gown, Selene seemed actually humbled. “Lluava Kargen, Incarn of the goddess of war, jewel to Yena, savior of our race, do you wish to save your unfortunate friend? You desire the antidote? If you want it,” Selene’s dark eyes burned as she gestured to her necklace, “you will have to take it.”
Chapter 27
Suada’s Venom
Come, Goddess of War! Take the venom. Save your friend.” Selene’s challenge was very clear. “That is, if you think you are strong enough.”
Lluava disregarded Luka’s warning that Selene was far too powerful to oppose. If she did not obtain the pendant and the antidote it held, someone would die.
“If any of my friends die, I will kill you.,” Lluava threatened in return.
Selene smiled confidently. “Will you, now?”
Gripping the Claws tightly, Lluava implored one last time. “You are not trained in battle. I do
n’t want to hurt you, but I will, to save a friend’s life.”
“Jusssst try.”
There was a clamor at the doorway. Several noblemen entered. Lluava recognized them from her days at court. They were all from prestigious Theriomorph families.
“What’s going on in here?” the youngest asked. He was no more than fifteen years of age, and his fellows were older by no more than a decade.
“She threatened me!” Selene declared as she pointed one ringed finger at Lluava. “She desires my jewels. She wishes to harm me.”
“What impropriety!” the eldest replied, while the youngest said, “You must leave Lady Selene alone.”
“She lies!” Lluava snapped back at those approaching her. “Selene says she has poisoned my friend. I need her to hand over the antidote.” As one of the men grabbed Lluava’s wrist, she continued to protest. “Didn’t you hear me? Selene is about to murder someone!”
The man did not release Lluava. Instead, the others approached to help hold her down. What was wrong with them? How could they be so accusing? Wrenching her wrist free, Lluava took several hasty steps back. “Selene’s the one you want. Not me.”
“The Lady Selene is the most beautiful, the most gracious—”
Without listening further, Lluava realized the situation she was in. The men were under Selene’s control. They would prevent Lluava from attaining her goal. Time was slipping by. From behind her wall of defenders, her personal puppets, Selene watched, smiling.
Two older noblemen lurched at Lluava. She moved away once again. Feeling the arms of a third about her, she flung the poor man to the ground just as the fourth swung at her jaw. The impact caused her vision to blur. Lluava ducked and rolled out of the way. Then she was mobbed.
Elbows and arms, fists and feet were flung about like leaves in a storm. Lluava retaliated haphazardly—sometimes evading, other times striking back defensively. Tired, sore, and still in pain from rescuing Alcove, she could not defend herself properly.
“Get off of me!” she shouted as the four finally held her in place. With a burst of anger, Lluava retaliated. She was almost free when the whirlwind of grappling appendages harried her attempts once more.
Suddenly, there was a sputtering gasp, and the boy of fifteen fell backward. As Lluava shook off the other men, who ignored their fallen comrade, she took note of the bloodied Claw.
“He was unarmed. Jussst a boy,” Selene’s voice broke the unusual silence. “Your reputation certainly precedes you.”
Lluava had not meant to kill the youth. How had she missed that her assailants were unarmed? It had been four to one, and everything happened so fast. What had Selene made her do? As the trio lunged for Lluava again, she shouted, “Selene, you should be the one fighting me. One on one. Not these pawns of yours. If you have something to prove, you need to be the one to prove it.”
With a sidelong glance at the youth’s body, Selene shrugged her narrow shoulders. “I have no more need of your assistance,” she said to the men. Entranced, they filed out of the chamber and closed the doors behind them.
“One on one?” Selene laughed. “As you wish, Incarn of Theri.”
Selene began to shift. Her form expanded, growing larger and larger until her lovely silken gown, which was not made of Endun, shredded. Bits of cloth, lace, and ribbon scattered, as countless scales stretched out in a large loop. Shhhhhh. Sssssssssss. Sibilant sounds slithered from the innumerable coils that seemed to loop and knot, twist and stretch, simultaneously.
A massive anaconda, shimmering green as a cut emerald in the sun, began to cover the Grand Hall’s floor. The serpent’s unheard-of size would surely have struck fear into most people’s hearts.
Lluava had no time to let her own doubts take hold. As Suada’s Incarn slowly slithered around the room, Lluava searched through the scraps of clothing littering the floor. The necklace had to be somewhere. The chain was too small to encircle the snake’s thick neck; it must have snapped or the links broken. She had only to find the pendant.
Where was it? It had to be here. As Lluava moved to another small pile of remnants, she noticed a reflection on the polished marble floor. The anaconda had reared its head. Cold, dark-gold eyes stared down at her; the forked tongue flashed out angrily. It was scenting its prey; it was scenting her. A shiver ran down her spine.
The serpent opened its jaws. Two large fangs appeared, fangs that a true anaconda did not have. What made the unnatural sight even more terrifying was that these fangs were formed from a silver-hued material. How could that be? Unless—
Selene’s necklace was a god’s weapon: Suada’s Venom. Now Lluava understood. With poison as one’s weapon, there was no need for blade or bow. When Selene shifted, the pendant shifted with her. There was no way to retrieve it from her dual form. Venom coated the fangs, becoming one with the snake just as Issaura’s Claws became one with the tigress. Lluava would have to combat the anaconda in order to force her to shift into her human form. That was the only way to attain Suada’s Venom.
Lluava was not prepared to make the first move. She kept her back to the anaconda. Once she let Selene know that she was aware of the serpent’s large head looming above, the snake would strike. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Lluava’s face as she readied herself to spring aside. Just a moment more.
As soon as Selene struck out at her, Lluava dove away. There was a grating sound as metal scraped stone. Taking advantage of the jarred serpent shaking its pained mouth, Lluava looked about her.
The anaconda’s colossal form encircled the perimeter of the room; the massive green walls of its coils were tightening and closing around its prey. If Lluava couldn’t find a way past the snake, she would become ensnared in Selene’s fingerless grip.
Getting a running start, she leapt onto the second tier of coils, digging Issaura’s Claws into the scaled flesh. There was a dry, gasping sound. In a flash, the gigantic serpent bunched into a ball, writhing on the ground.
Lluava was almost over the emerald wall when the flailing tail knocked her back down. All about her, the towering coils knotted up. Each time she surmounted one writhing coil, another slammed down from above. In desperation, the two forms struggled with each other. The serpent involuntarily reacted to the pain. Although Selene was not purposely attacking her fellow Incarn, Lluava could feel the anaconda’s strong, muscled form and sense the danger. She was unable to match the snake’s haphazard ferocity; if she did not escape, she would surely be crushed.
Lluava shifted. In her larger dual form, equipped with tooth and claw, she was able to heave herself out of the emerald cage. Once free, the opponents reassessed each other.
Fortunately for Lluava, the Claws’ surprising pain had caused Selene to react instinctively. When balling up, the serpent was unable to coil around her prey. But the glimmer in Selene’s golden eyes held a warning: the snake was preparing herself for a second round.
“I told you,” Lluava said, “you have no combat training. If one cut caused you such pain, what is going to happen when we go head to head?” She allowed Selene to consider her words before adding, “Give me Suada’s Venom. I will return it to you after my friend has been saved. We can move on from this. We must.”
Although Lluava was doubtful, she would say anything to prevent this battle from continuing. What good could come from a fight between two Incarn?
The gargantuan serpent lifted its long neck and began to scale the wall. When it reached the lip of the ledge that ran behind the seats where the High Council had once perched, the anaconda slithered over the top. Lluava’s heartbeat quickened. She had allowed her opponent to hide. Far from being over, the fight was just about to begin.
One seat near the front of the room teetered. Another, close to the royal dais, was shoved back completely. Selene’s huge form stretched the length of the room. The question was, where was the head?
“Did you think thissssssss would be easssy?” Selene’s voice arose from no place in particular. “I haven’
t felt ssssuch pain in a long while. I’d forgotten how invigorating it can be. Yet, doling out pain to others issss sssssooo much better. You might call me a ssssadisssst.”
Lluava’s lips curled up and she emitted a low growl. There was no movement indicating where or even how Selene had positioned herself. What were the anaconda’s weaknesses? Her vertebrae. If its spine were snapped, the snake would be helpless; yet Selene herself would be paralyzed. That would not do. This was just a game—a sick, twisted game that Lluava was forced to play. One innocent youth had already lost his life. Selene should not lose hers, too. What about the base of her skull? If Lluava grabbed hold of her there, the snake could not bite her, but could it strike her with its tail?
“Mossst of the woundsss I deal are not of the physssical kind. Where emotionsss run fassst, pain can be…”
A scraping sound caught Lluava’s ear, and she turned around. The enormous body of the anaconda arched over the doorway, its head having already disappeared among the raised seating on the other side of the room. In the blink of an eye, the lengthy form had hidden once again.
“I am to be Varren’ssss executioner.” Selene’s voice rose, again from seemingly nowhere. “At firssst, I wanted him to die quickly. Call me temperamental, but based on the way thingssss have recently played out, I’ve changed my mind.”
Another rumble escaped Lluava’s lips.
“As a fellow Incarn, I may not be allowed to kill you, but I think it will be enjoyable to sssee you sssuffer as each of those you hold dear die around you.”
Was Selene trying to bait her to climb after her? Was the snake going to wait in ambush until Lluava was nearby? Time was passing and could be wasted no longer. Something had to be done.
Unfortunately, nothing seemed to happen in Lluava’s favor. The tigress felt the prick of a blade at the base of her tail. The men had returned, this time bearing weapons.
“You said one on one,” snarled Lluava as she split her attention among the new players. “A fair fight.”
“A fair fight is what I am giving you, Incarn of Theri,” Selene’s voice reverberated throughout the hall. “I admit that I know nothing of warfare. These men do.”
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