fortuneswheel

by Lisanne Norman

  Kusac moved sharply away from her, backing down the path. “There will be no exchange,” he said. “I’ll give you nothing of mine save the position you want.”

  “Kusac, I am entitled to…” she began.

  “No,” he interrupted. “You are not entitled to my torc. It’s mine to do with as I wish! There will be no exchange.”

  “I warn you, Kusac…” she began, her eyes flashing angrily, but he cut her short.

  “It’ll be as I say,” Kusac said flatly, turning away from her, T’Chebbi following him. “I’ve nothing more to discuss with you, Rala. Good day.”

  “How dare you treat me like this!,” she said, her voice rising in pitch, brittle with anger.

  Kusac was out of earshot, but he felt her anger hit him like a wave. Shutting it out, he returned to the house, heading for their rooms. Once inside, he stripped his tunic off, throwing it on a chair. The belt he kept, fastening it round his waist again and making sure the knife was firmly in its sheath.

  T’Chebbi would be waiting outside on guard. He couldn’t leave that way. He went to the balcony, walking the few meters to where the household shrine roof projected below him. It was a leap of only a meter or so to the rooftop.

  He landed with a thump and froze, hoping no one had heard. When there was no response, he made his way cautiously to the edge and looked over. There was no one about. He jumped, absorbing the shock of landing on all four limbs, then ran for the undergrowth nearby, dodging between the bushes for cover until he was in open scrub land. Moving into a lope, he ran till his ribs ached and his mind was too numb to think coherently, heading instinctively for the hideaway he had used in younger days.

  It was still there. Limbs trembling with fatigue, he scrabbled at the debris covering the entrance— more now since it hadn’t been used in so many years— and pushed his way through the thornbush into the cave in the rocky outcrop behind. Sides heaving, he flopped onto his side and put a hand to his mouth to suck out the stray thorn that had penetrated a finger pad. That done, he curled up, trying to get comfortable.

  *

  The afternoon drew on, and finally Kaid called a halt to the training session.

  “We’ve made a good start,” he said as Carrie collapsed, panting, in a heap on the sand. “You’re beginning to use the knowledge you took from me in that transfer, but your body needs to know what to do as well as your mind. You also need to improve your stamina. You can’t rely on skill alone to beat Rala, you need to be able to stay the course for however long the Challenge takes. Whoever tires or gets angry first will take the risks and make the mistakes. Don’t let her emotions get to you. Better still, make sure you shield them out.”

  “How long does a Challenge usually last?” she asked, trying to breathe deeply and slowly.

  Kaid shrugged, wiping down the blades of the short swords with an oily rag. “It could be over in the first few seconds, or it could take ten minutes. Who knows? You need to be at peak fighting performance for as long as it takes. I’d like to get you to the pitch where you take her in less than a minute.”

  He slipped the blades back into their case and closed it, turning to give each of the small punch shields a wipe, too.

  “That means daily training until the day of the Challenge,” he said, looking at her. “Can you keep this from Kusac until you’ve actually issued the Challenge?”

  When Carrie hesitated, Taizia answered for her. “You’ll have to,” she said. “He’s bound to try to stop it, and it really is your only chance to prevent his marriage to Rala.”

  “Can you keep it from him?” Kaid asked again.

  “Yes, I can block it, but I’ll need you,” she nodded to Taizia, “to help give me an excuse to leave the guild regularly so I can practice.”

  “No problem,” said Taizia, grinning at Meral, “I’ll be happy to accompany you.”

  Carrie pushed herself groaning to her feet. “I’m as stiff as a board again,” she complained, grabbing a towel to scrub at her sweating face.

  “You can have a shower when we get back,” said Taizia, putting the book and weapons in her bag.

  “Taizia, what would happen if Kusac and I just got lifebonded? What’s to stop us? We’re adults after all.”

  Taizia gave her a horrified look. “You couldn’t do that, Carrie! It’s a question of honor, Kusac’s honor, even though he had nothing to do with making the bonding contract. Even if he did try, the priest at the Temple would refuse.”

  “I’m not thinking of suggesting it,” she assured Taizia hurriedly, “I just wondered what the position was.”

  “I thought you understood Kusac’s position,” she said, a worried look on her face.

  “I know all that Kusac does about your culture, but I don’t understand it until I’m told or I experience it for myself,” Carrie said. “I can’t explain it any better. I’m sorry,” she said helplessly.

  Taizia gave her a quick hug. “It’s all right. I understand, I think,” she said with a little laugh.

  Picking up the bag, she headed back to the aircar. Meral ran after her, taking the bag from her and helping her into the craft. Taizia thanked him, her hand lingering in his for longer than was necessary.

  Carrie and Kaid exchanged glances, then Carrie linked her arm briefly through his. “Thanks, Kaid. I know you don’t approve, but I do appreciate your help.”

  When they joined them at the hatch, with a flick of her tail, Taizia ducked into the passenger area, leaving Meral to help Carrie up.

  *

  Kusac had awakened and was on his way back to the house. Lowering his shield to a normal level, he sensed that Rala and Talgo were about to leave, and his sister and Carrie were returning. A sudden dread and a premonition of danger filled him and he began to run in earnest.

  Meral set the craft down at the front entrance and opened the hatch.

  “Keep the bag out of sight at the back,” Taizia said to him. “We need to take it with us when we leave. Can you keep it in your quarters? I’m afraid that weapons in the Telepath Guild House are likely to be discovered.”

  Meral nodded, waiting until Kaid and the two females were out before following them.

  Carrie turned to Taizia as they walked round the front of the vehicle. “Do you think the other Terrans will have arrived yet?” she asked.

  Taizia grabbed her by the arm, hauling her sharply to one side.

  “Hey!” exclaimed Carrie, stumbling against her in an effort to regain her balance.

  An angry growl made her turn her head. In front of her stood Rala. Taizia had just prevented Carrie from knocking the Sholan female down.

  Carrie stood frozen to the spot, facing a mental blast of rage as Rala took a long look at her and the torc that she wore.

  Rala took a step forward. Claws extended, she reached for Carrie.

  There was a blur of black and Kusac slewed to a halt, sending a spray of gravel in Rala’s direction, making her start back in surprise. He rose suddenly to his hind feet, towering between the two females, making Carrie’s senses reel at the sudden change. His mouth opened in a warning snarl and he made no attempt to control the lashing of his tail.

  Rala took another step backward. “I see now where your torc is! She’s changed you into a savage to come at her beck and call,” she hissed.

  Carrie stole a quick look at him. There was a kind of barbaric splendor about him at the moment, clad as he was only in the torc and knife belt.

  “How could you betray your own kind and place her above me?” Rala demanded angrily. “I thought it impossible for a Clan Leader’s son to behave in a way that went against the good of our race and his own honor, but you have!”

  “Those aren’t accusations for you to make, Rala,” said Kusac’s father as he emerged from the house. “So far my son hasn’t done anything to let either our Clan or Shola down.”

  Now! now! now! yammered a voice in Carrie’s mind, a mixture of her own urgings and Taizia’s.

  She stepped out from b
ehind Kusac. “I Challenge you…” she began.

  Kusac, knowing her mind, whipped round to face her. Grasping her by the shoulders, he tried to shake her into silence, but she continued, her voice getting stronger as she feared he would prevent her from finishing.

  “I Challenge your right to marry my Leska by the rules of En’Shalla!”

  Kusac released her. “You can’t,” he said flatly.

  “Accepted!” growled Rala, seeing her chance for blood.

  “Father,” demanded Kusac, turning toward him, “tell her the Challenge can’t stand.”

  “I demand that it stands!” said Rala.

  “I’m afraid Carrie has the legal right to issue this or any Challenge,” his father replied slowly, a concerned look on his face.

  “Telepaths can’t be Challenged!”

  “Nothing says a telepath can’t issue a Challenge,” said Konis.

  “Then she’ll have a Champion,” said Kusac.

  “Oh, no,” said Rala, “she’s not getting out of it that easily! She issued the Challenge, I demand she fights it!”

  Kusac glanced from the unholy glee on Rala’s face back to his father.

  “I’m not sure of the law in this case, but I do know the last time this Challenge was fought it led to the banning of telepaths being Challenged,” Konis replied.

  “Then how can she fight Rala?”

  “It’s an anomaly. Although this incident made telepaths inviolate, the Challenge itself was never removed from the statute books as far as I remember. I’m surprised Carrie knew about it,” said his father, frowning thoughtfully at Taizia.

  “The law in this case states that the Challenger and the one Challenged must be the ones to fight,” said Rhyasha’s quiet voice.

  “Father, this is nonsense! Stop the Challenge,” pleaded Kusac.

  His father shook his head. “I can’t interfere. As your mother says, the Challenge is valid, and legally issued. It’s also En’Shalla— in the hands of the Gods. No judge can stop it, only a priest.”

  “In that case, I set the date for…” began Rala.

  Kaid stepped forward. “Liegena Vailkoi, the Challenge was issued by Carrie. She decides the place, time, and weapons.” He glanced at Carrie and, receiving the barest of nods, continued.

  “It will be held here two weeks from now, and the weapons will be the ritual shield and short sword provided by the Liegena Taizia Aldatan. The time will be the fourth hour.”

  “Those are the weapons from the shrine,” exclaimed Kusac, turning on his sister. “They were used in the original Challenge! How could you suggest she use them when they’ve already caused two deaths? They’re cursed!”

  “The weapons sound ideal,” purred Rala, ears flicking in anticipation of the fight to come.

  “That’s superstition,” said Taizia. “Surely you don’t believe it?”

  Kusac turned away from her to Kaid. “Are the arrangements complete?” he demanded, his voice as cold as ice.

  “Yes, Liegen Aldatan.”

  Kusac grasped Carrie firmly, ignoring her pain as his claws dug fiercely into her wrist. “We’re leaving now, Father,” he said, walking toward the stairs and pulling Carrie with him. He turned briefly to Rala.

  “We’ll see you in two weeks, Liegena Vailkoi,” he said before stalking into the house, dragging Carrie behind him.

  “You may win your Leska, Terran, but watch you haven’t lost his love,” Rala called after her, laughing.

  “Damn you, Carrie,” said Kusac, his voice harsh as he dragged her along the balcony and into their suite. “Why did you have to do that to me?” He changed his grip to her upper arm as he activated the lounge door. Dragging her over to the settee, he flung her down on it, watching while she recovered her balance and examined her wrist.

  Blood trickled slowly down her forearm, making him shiver with an icy premonition of worse to come. Acutely aware of her pain and distress as well as his own, he went over to her, crouching down on the floor. He took her by the shoulders, shaking her more gently this time.

  “Don’t you realize the risk you’re taking, not just for yourself but both of us? I know the Challenge is to First Blood only, but something could go wrong. What possessed you to allow Taizia— and my mother— to talk you into this wild scheme?”

  “It’s the only way to break the contract.”

  “I would rather have disobeyed my father and left the Clan than risk you in a Challenge. The only good point, if you can call it such, is that if anything happens to you, I won’t survive either,” he said heavily, pulling her close.

  “Don’t say that!”

  “It’s a fact,” he said, lifting her injured wrist and beginning to lick it. “No,” he said in response to her look, “I don’t like the taste of blood, but it’ll help the wounds close. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  “I’m sorry if I did the wrong thing, but your mother and sister desperately wanted to help us. They’re afraid of losing you if this bonding ceremony couldn’t be stopped.” She sighed, relaxing against him.

  “It was my problem, I should have solved it!”

  “Is there any other way?” she demanded.

  “No,” he admitted, letting her wrist go. “Gods, cub, no one could say life with you was boring. What the hell am I supposed to do with you?”

  “Love me?” she suggested, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close enough to kiss.

  His canines bit her lip a bit more sharply than usual. “I’m still angry with you.” His voice was a low growl. “Come on, I want to be out of here within the hour. Go and pack.”

  *

  They arrived back at the guild to find it alive with excitement. The Terrans had arrived and were being processed through Medical. A message on their comm told them to report to the Terran quarters to give what aid they could to Physician Vanna Kyjishi.

  They found her looking slightly harassed, busily delegating her nurses to record the Terrans’ basic medical details using the sampling units.

  “An interesting batch,” she said in answer to Kusac’s unspoken question.

  “I’m glad you came. I didn’t expect to see you for another couple of days. I have to talk to you when I’m finished here,” she said. “Now that Terran over there,” she nodded briefly toward a dark-haired male who was staring in their direction, “there’s something about him, but I don’t know what. Every time I turn round, he seems to be looking at me.”

  “Strange,” agreed Kusac, keeping a straight face. “Perhaps he just likes the look of you.”

  Vanna shot him a half-angry look. “I doubt it,” she said. “It’s his turn now. Come over with me.”

  They accompanied her over to the Terran.

  “This is Carrie and Kusac,” she said to him, “the Leska pair you were asking about. You’re…?”

  “Brynne Stevens,” he replied, smiling as he stood up.

  He was tall, about Kusac’s height. Dark curly hair reaching to the neck of his sweater framed a pleasantly featured face. Gray-blue eyes regarded them with interest. His jawline and mouth were outlined by a close-cropped beard and mustache.

  “You know what this does,” Vanna said, reaching out to position his arm correctly in the molded sampler unit. As she touched him, she flinched, pulling back from him and almost dropping the unit.

  “What the hell!” he exclaimed, catching hold of it. “That’s some kind of static charge you’ve got!”

  Kusac’s arm shot out to steady Vanna. “Are you all right?” he asked as she straightened up.

  “I’m fine,” she said, passing a hand across her head before giving herself a little shake. “Honestly, I’m fine.” With hands that shook slightly she took the unit from Brynne.

  “You’re overtired,” chided Kusac, taking the unit away from her and calling one of the nurses over. “I’m sure you’ll excuse us, won’t you, Brynne?” he said, handing the unit to the nurse and drawing Vanna away. “Now, where’s your office? You need to sit down.”
<
br />   “Kusac, I’m fine,” she protested as they went toward her room. While Kusac made her sit down, Carrie went for some c’shar for them all.

  “Why are you rubbing your hands?” he asked, taking hold of them. “Is there something wrong? What happened there?”

  “Nothing, I just got a jolt of static from him,” she said, allowing him to look at her palms. “Honestly, Kusac, there’s nothing to be concerned about.”

  Carrie returned with a tray and three drinks. Vanna took one gratefully. “I am tired,” she admitted. “This is the first break I’ve had since they arrived three hours ago. We’ve got a problem already,” she sighed. “One of our young male telepaths on the Rhyaki was assigned to accompany the Terrans to Chagda Station, then return. He formed a friendship with a female Terran, the daughter of one of their telepaths. That in itself was bad enough in her parents’ eyes, but they Leska-bonded when only a few days out from Earth!”

  Kusac glanced at Carrie then back at Vanna. “So there’s another pair like us,” he said. “That’s not so very dreadful for them, is it? I wonder why my father didn’t mention them.”

  “It is for these two,” said Vanna, taking another mouthful of her drink. “Her parents will have none of it. They don’t believe it’s happened.”

  “What about the girl? What has she said about it?” asked Carrie.

  “Not a lot. Her parents have shut themselves and her away in the Terran quarters upstairs and won’t come out, not even for the medical checks.”

  “Why don’t you just go and get her?” asked Kusac. “They can’t keep her locked up.”

  “Oh, they can,” said Vanna, “and they are, and we can’t do anything about it. The Terrans are totally autonomous in their own section. We can’t interfere.”

  “How old is the girl?” asked Carrie.

  “Sixteen.”

  “Damn. She’s underage. Her parents have legal authority over her. She can’t make the decision to leave them. Unless she actually manages to escape and ask us for help, there’s nothing we can do,” said Carrie. “I’ll happily go and talk to them and explain what a Leska bond is.”