Apparently expecting him to spin, Jaman captured Tyrus as he twisted. Jaman locked his arm around Tyrus’s neck, and held his head so Tyrus couldn’t wiggle free. Because Tyrus had spun, he was at an odd angle in the chokehold; Tyrus easily reached for a spot on Jaman’s back. He pressed a pressure point.
“Don’t you dare!” Jaman growled, and squeezed Tyrus’s neck tighter. With a roar of anger and disapproval, Jaman once again received a poke in the back. Jaman forced Tyrus to lean forward, wrenching him by his neck. Jaman obviously waited to stop blood flow to Tyrus’s brain, but it wasn’t happening fast enough. The two struggled for a moment, both trying to overpower the other, but they were equally strong. Then Jaman went to kick Tyrus’s feet from under him. Tyrus either instinctively knew what to do, or he saw it in a dream, because when Jaman kicked, Tyrus jumped, flipping backward. His head popped out of the crook of Jaman’s arm. Tyrus was suddenly facing Jaman’s back. With one final jab, Jaman collapsed, and was asleep before his head hit the glowing Star-crystal.
Tyrus quickly pointed to Ky, and proclaimed, “I stole that move from your skit, my Queen.” Laughter filled the stadium.
“He’s so cocky, it’s sexy,” Ambrosia gloated.
“All warriors are to a point.” Ky grinned, knowing too well that Cobaaron had a streak.
“It’s confidence,” Cobaaron declared with approval in his voice for Tyrus’s fighting, and then he laughed when Jaman’s snore filled the arena in a rumble. Everyone guffawed, until they were cheering. The applause died when Cobaaron stood at the edge of the king’s box. “Tyrus, the rules state you are to kill your opponents. You haven’t won. No one is dead.”
“I want to be known as Tyrus the Merciful. I want your men to follow me without fear because I’m a healer. I value life as all healers do. If it’s enough for your warriors to see I’m capable, let them speak now. Let them decide,” Tyrus requested.
At first warriors glared at each other as if they weren’t sure they liked that he was merciful. Cobaaron said nothing, letting his men decide. A warrior yelled from the crowd. “Mercy is weakness! Weak like his woman!” There was a murmur of agreement.
Tyrus raised his hands. Everyone in the arena hovered. The warriors with broken bones groaned as they, too, were lifted by Tyrus’s magic. “If I’m weak, come for me.” No one could move. For added proof, Tyrus magically lifted the metal pegs in the sand, encircling his body and aiming them at the crowd.
Ky tried to wiggle free, but she felt an invisible cocoon around her that hugged her tightly. “Point taken, Tyrus,” Cobaaron voiced his amusement.
“Have mercy on us!” another warrior yelled.
Then with one voice, a chant grew. “Mer—ci—ful! Mer—ci—ful! Mer—ci—ful!” The crowd joined in and repeated it again and again. Soon the arena was ringing with their plea.
Tyrus lowered his hands, and everyone sank to their seats, as the pegs fell to the ground. There was a burst of applause from the warriors. “Look out!” Ambrosia screamed, as the warrior with the broken ankles chucked a peg at Tyrus. Without looking, or turning, Tyrus’s eyes flashed. The metal transformed to Star-crystal, before breaking to specks and falling. Tyrus made it look effortless.
The warriors roared in approval, and they celebrated their newly appointed leader by rushing the field. They put Tyrus onto their shoulders, and carried him to the king’s box where Cobaaron stood. All the while they continued to bellow, “Mer—ci—ful! Mer—ci—ful! Mer—ci—ful!”
Cobaaron stretched out his arm. Tyrus grasped his hand, and Cobaaron heaved him into the box. “You will be great,” Cobaaron said, smiling. “My army is now yours, and you’re to lead them as you see fit. I hope you do what’s best for your men, and if you are able, I wish to rely on you to protect this great city.”
“I’ll serve you like a son,” Tyrus said. “My army will be the City of Light’s army.”
“Thank you, Chief,” Cobaaron said. Tyrus swelled with pride, honored Cobaaron referred to him as a respected leader and not young Tyrus.
“I still want to spar with you.”
“Well good, because I don’t wish to get fat,” Cobaaron quipped, “or lazy.” Tyrus grinned happily.
Tyrus approached Ambrosia, and in front of his men, he grabbed her butt as he had in Opalace. Ambrosia giggled, and then Tyrus kissed her passionately. They shared an exultant kiss full of hunger and desire, and a few warriors still didn’t know what to think about a powerful man clinging to a woman. Eventually they were all cheering because Tyrus was the new chief of the largest army in the world.
CHAPTER TWENTY
A feast was prepared, knowing a warrior would prevail in the tournament. Now that Tyrus was victorious, word spread that they celebrated his honored position and triumph. The people of the City of Lights were thrilled with another reason to celebrate. Reports of the new chief and Tyrus’s intentions of making the City of Lights his base pleased the citizens. In honor of their new chief, people brought gifts of gold to begin his treasury.
With a large gathering of civilians attending the feast, they moved the banquet outside to the city center. Everyone gathered early. They shopped not only for gold gifts for Tyrus, but for Cheery Linear as well. The celebrated holiday was very popular, much like Valentine’s Day.
Because Cheery Linear was mere hours away, the city center was decorated in Hastily tree blossoms and artistic hearts hung from strands of silver garland. Magically, they crossed the entire square. People draped glittering hearts on strings that displayed names of secret crushes, their partners, or lost loves. Anonymous gifts were placed under chairs, tables, or beds, where the secret admirer knew the object of their affection would find it.
When Cobaaron and Ky arrived with Ambrosia and Tyrus they joined in the holiday tradition by hanging hearts with their partner’s name onto a streamer. Then the four took their seats at a small table, which honored Tyrus as chief and Cobaaron as their king. To Ky’s surprise there was a mountain of gifts under her chair.
“Are these from you?” she asked Cobaaron.
“No, they’re not,” Cobaaron said, eyeing her carefully wrapped boxes. “I got you something, but anonymous presents from hopeful suitors are given on the eve of the holiday. My gift I’ll give to you tomorrow. It’s probably warriors who still find you breathtaking.”
“I can’t accept gifts from other men, Cobaaron.”
“No one takes the gifts seriously. It’s a silly holiday, and they’re anonymous. So, how would you return them? It’s an insult to reject presents on Cheery Linear. Besides, being a warrior doesn’t pay well unless you are of higher rank. Whatever I got you is much better, so I won’t be jealous. Unwrap them, or people will think it’s rude.”
Cobaaron took the packages from under her seat. They were covered in parchment, and some had written a love letter before wrapping. At a glimpse she could see some of the notes were explicit and provocative. “Somehow this feels very, very wrong,” Ky said, but Cobaaron urged her to open them while saying she should take it lightly because they were frivolous tokens of affection from men who wished to remain anonymous.
After a quick glance at the package Ky held, Cobaaron froze as he stared at the love letter carefully folded around the box. He frowned, and then grumbled to not read the notes. She promised she wouldn’t. She cringed when Cobaaron removed gifts from under his seat and unwrapped them. She was so absurdly jealous; she couldn’t even watch. By the time he was done, she realized she was still staring at the same gift. She noticed the parchment was pale pink like her skin, and though she tried her best to ignore the small note, she read, “All that you ask I will do.”
She tore the parchment, feeling heavy and not liking the idea. She hurriedly opened it, finding a necklace of diamond-like gems. The entire chain was covered in precious stones, which increased in size until the arch came to a point where a larger teardrop of several karats in weight, hung magnificently. The gift wasn’t the small frivolous trinket Cobaaron said it would
be.
“I can’t believe he sent you something.” Cobaaron shook his head, disappointed.
“Who?”
“That’s my brother’s sloppy handwriting. Only he would send you something so…expensive.”
“Let’s not do this, okay? I don’t like it.” Ky tossed the necklace back into the box, and hid the other gifts under her chair.
“We’re king and queen. We can’t offend our people by not embracing a beloved holiday. Cheery Linear is a celebration for Lu Lush. She’s the most respected goddess. To reject Lu Lush would cause a riot. We can’t ever show anything but worship toward her, even if you don’t hold her in high esteem. I, for one, will never think her capable of making women fertile. Please, open them for me.”
“How does a woman become a goddess?”
“Legend says she was glorified by the Angel of Death. It has been done before and Lu Lush is not the first to be granted deity. Several gods lived great lives, and their deeds were pure of heart. Lu Lush would have been great because of her numerous children. There are various ways to become divine. But it’s not a god like you would think. Angel is a more accurate word.”
Cobaaron snatched the gifts under her chair, and set them in front of her. “Quit stalling. Please open them—for me. I’m not saying you have to keep them.”
“Fine.” Ky tore gifts open haphazardly. Ambrosia, who was sitting next to her, had an equally large stack, but they were big gifts from former suitors. Tyrus was gritting his teeth; Ambrosia’s love letters were quite long and descriptive. He vowed he was sending them out of the city that night, to another army.
Ky kept it to herself that the holiday was actually pretty horrible, at least for married couples. Like Ky, Ambrosia rushed to finish opening her gifts, and skipped the chance to read anything. With a wave of her wand, Ambrosia made a basket, and filled it with her things as they disappeared.
“You can put them in here if you want. It’s a trash bin,” Ambrosia sniggered, and then gave a wink.
While Ky tossed her things in the basket, Vergara came up to the small table and set a box in front of Cobaaron. She shone with radiance, as she remained to watch. Ky wasn’t sure if it was a Cheery Linear custom to hand gifts in person, but she wasn’t thrilled with Vergara approaching him. Jealousy overwhelmed her, and she didn’t understand her intense insecurity. Cobaaron was completely hers, yet she felt Vergara was serious competition. Ky blinked, then stared.
When Cobaaron said nothing, Vergara asked, “Will you open it?” Once again Cobaaron didn’t answer. “I gave you a gift.”
“I don’t think you know how this works, Vergara. Gifts are given in private; otherwise it’s highly inappropriate. Especially since most gifts are unwanted,” Cobaaron said, and then he shifted away from the gift and toward Ky. “You shouldn’t confuse your boldness as flattering, although I thank you for making this so easy to banish you. I’ve wanted to get rid of you since you nearly drown my wife in Elder. But this amounts to treason. As a Star I could die if I cheated, which is your obvious intention. Enjoy your last night in this city, because I will not have you in my presence again. And in your new city, you’ll only see the walls of a cell where your invidious remarks will no longer be heard.”
Vergara’s mouth dropped, but a moment later, she hurried away. Ky looked down at her lap, trying to be as calm as Cobaaron had been while she opened gifts. He held her hand under the table and squeezed it reassuringly. She wished his gesture made her feel better, but she was extremely possessive.
“That was so rude of her,” Ambrosia glared at Vergara as she crossed the city center. Ambrosia snatched the gift and read the note wrapping the package. She hissed, “I can’t believe what she wrote. She asked to be his concubine and spend her life pampered. Idiot woman doesn’t even know that would kill him.”
“It says that?” Ky asked, horrified.
“It doesn’t matter what it says, Ambrosia. Don’t tell my partner things like that. She is a Star,” Cobaaron chided. He snatched the note and gift from Ambrosia, and tossed everything into Ambrosia’s wastebasket. He put his arm around Ky. “She’ll be gone by morning. I’ve had enough of her troublemaking.” Cobaaron placed a finger beneath her chin before drawing her near. When they locked eyes he added, “Forget about her. I love you, and only you.” Ky felt comforted, and loved to hear him say it. Her anxiety was ridiculous and she knew it. At his confession, her heavy feelings became light. After that, they decided to lay the conversation to rest when Ambrosia’s basket disappeared.
“I’m surprised Onya and her group aren’t singing tonight,” Ambrosia said, a minute later.
“Who is singing?” Ky asked.
“A new group of women got together. They call themselves Unity,” Ambrosia replied. “They approached me asking if I’d perform magic when they started. They want to make a big entrance. They came with the army that accompanied the Star from Jadeite. I heard them practice. They’re very good!”
The kitchens brought out hors d’oeuvres of small, burnt crackers with a dollop of seafood spread. The charcoaled wheat was surprisingly delicious with the fishy flavor. As they ate, people finished hanging names on the streamers and sat. Octavos was among them. He hung Athaya’s name, but instead of sitting down, he approached Cobaaron and his table. He first congratulated Tyrus on his easy win, and then spoke to Cobaaron. “I’ve heard requests for a statue of Lu Lush in the new outer city. If you wish for a shrine, I’ll make sure a skilled sculptor starts the project soon.”
“If that is what the women want, a fountain twenty-feet-tall would be appreciated,” Cobaaron said, and Octavos nodded. “Have you seen my brother?”
“I haven’t.”
“If you see him tell him I wish to speak with him.” Cobaaron gave the necklace to Octavos and then asked, “Will you wrap this and make sure Noxis’s partner receives this? Make sure she knows it’s from him. He mistakenly gave it to the wrong person.”
“I see,” Octavos furrowed his brow in thought. He gave a puzzled but consenting nod, and then headed toward his wife who sat alone, not far away.
“He’s acting strange lately,” Tyrus mused to himself.
“Who? Octavos or Noxis?” Ambrosia asked.
“Noxis,” Tyrus said. “It’s strange that he’s gone from thinking Ky is a witch to sending her a necklace. It’s almost as if...” Tyrus stopped talking, and then eyed Ky. His head then snapped back to his hors d’oeuvre, and he picked up a cracker.
“He’s under some kind of spell?” Ambrosia asked.
“Ambrosia, don’t,” Tyrus mumbled firmly.
“Not you too, Tyrus. Don’t be ridiculous. Ky is not a witch. It must be what Luanda did to him. Her spell must have had an opposite effect because she attempted it from such a great distance.”
“There is only one counter curse for hatred. A spell at a distance would do nothing,” Tyrus uttered softly. “Just drop it.”
Ambrosia cursed silently.
“The gift was a mistake,” Cobaaron stressed. The two shifted their gaze, as if deciding it was best not to breathe another word. “I’ll ask Noxis to be more careful when leaving gifts for Onya. In the meantime, we celebrate your victory, Tyrus. I’ll make a toast in your honor.”
Tyrus nodded. Cobaaron stood, and the city center fell silent. “I want to raise a glass to the new chief, who has taken over a great army. I can assure you that after spending several months with Tyrus, watching him closely as he, too, observed me, I have concluded that he will be a great leader and chief. May your reign be long and legendary!” Cobaaron lifted his glass toward Tyrus and drank.
The warriors clapped and cheered for their new chief. Tyrus stood to address his warriors. “I have an announcement as well.” Tyrus cleared his throat. “Cobaaron was a great warrior and chief for many decades. His service must be honored; we’ll build a third wall circling the city with a forty-foot ditch, spanning seventy miles.
“Ram is my second. Parson will be the permanent captain of this city
. I urge both to take a union partner, and extend Cobaaron’s wish that all warriors take bond partners.
“Rest assured. My mind will constantly be on the upcoming war. I dream about it often, and as your new chief, I will not rest until the kings are dead outside our doors. That day will come to pass.
“Eat well tonight, for tomorrow we begin to build this great monument.” Tyrus sat, as Cobaaron clapped his back.
“Thank you, Tyrus; you show me great loyalty.”
“Times are changing, and I’ve seen a day where men will no longer wander constantly. I hope that your city may be my home as well, since my partner is on your council.”
“You’re family, Tyrus. I’ll share anything that is mine,” Cobaaron said.
Ambrosia sent a spell and instantly conjured fog swirling along the glowing city center. Blue sparks burst like fireworks, and zipped around the fluffy cloud before flying high into the sky. Six people appeared in the midst of the billows. The new group, Unity, emerged, but they weren’t only women. A man stood beside the woman who sang, while other women danced.
They dressed as risqué as the singers in City of Sterlings. The man was buff, barefoot and wore only a loose dhoti. The women wore metallic bras with gems and panty-like shorts that had strands of gems covering their undergarments. When they swiveled their hips, the gems moved to expose what the women wore underneath.
The man started singing first, as he introduced the group as Unity. Then the female singer sang a song in Tyrus’s honor. To Ambrosia’s horror, the woman slinked to the table, and flirted wildly, running her hands through his hair and down his arms while she sang:
“The new chief won an easy victory.
He promises to protect our city.
Two great warriors, I’m as safe as can be.
The Coming Dawn Trilogy Page 86