Lady Dragon, Tela Du

by Kendra E. Ardnek

  Reuben blinked. “Um … okay.” He rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, Petra’s yelling. Well, not out loud, you know how it is. It’s muddling my thoughts.”

  “Sorry, family feud going on,” Petra pushed past Reuben, still adjusting the overdress that she had clearly just put on. “Reuben, go get a shirt and catch up with us. I have a pair of sisters to talk sense into.”

  She caught Richard’s wrist as she passed him and pulled him behind her. “Why, why can’t Sarah understand that Sylvia has changed? I already passed judgment on her. She doesn’t need to add to it! I was the Tela Du, not her.”

  It was truly frightening how much Petra resembled his wife at that moment.

  Petra let go of Richard’s wrist to throw open the door to the Bookholder’s library, and she apparently trusted him to follow her, since she didn’t grab him again as she stormed through the shelves.

  “She tried to contact me, didn’t she?” Petra asked, glancing back at Richard. He nodded. “I thought I heard her, but Reuben thought that it was just the dream, and I was asleep enough that I listened to him.”

  She threw open another door, and they were in the Bookholder’s kitchen, where Sarah and Sylvia stood on opposite sides of the table. Well, Richard assumed it was Sarah. She didn’t look the same as she normally did – she had the pink and green hair that she’d had when they first met, before Petra figured out that she was Sarah.

  “What is going on in here?” Petra asked, her voice tight and even. She was assessing the situation, giving Sarah a chance to back down.

  Both sisters turned to her, and there was silence for a long moment.

  “I’m doing what you failed to do, Petra,” said Sarah, her voice dripping with venom.

  “I failed to do nothing.” Petra strode forward, slid her staff out of her pocket and extended it to its full size. “There was a reason why I was chosen to be the Tela Du, not you. Besides, you don’t seem to be succeeding, either.”

  Sarah’s answer to that was to disappear and reappear right behind Sylvia, knife poised to strike. Petra pounded her staff against the floor, and the noise caused Sarah to stagger backward. Taking advantage of the moment’s surprise, Petra rushed forward, pushed Sylvia out of the way, and took her place. When the knife finally did crash down, Petra had her stick in the way, and it bounced harmlessly off, despite the strength that Sarah was surely using.

  “Sarah, I was the Tela Du, not you,” said Petra, lowering her staff. “I have judged Sylvia. You are taking the law into your own hands.”

  “And you weren’t?”

  “That was authority that was given to me,” said Petra. “I had been given all sides of the argument, and I judged accordingly. You’re blinded by anger and hatred, and have no authority to give anyone a death sentence.”

  “You’re blinded by your insane idea that Amber being Sylvia somehow negates every terrible, wicked action she ever made as ‘the Dragon,’” Sarah spat back.

  “Her being Sylvia negates nothing!” Petra took a step forward. “But she has been forgiven, and I am not going to let you take that away from her.”

  “Petra, that is Amber you’re defending.”

  “She was Amber,” Petra corrected. “She is Sylvia. Our sister.”

  “My murderer.”

  Sylvia winced visibly, so Richard hastened to her side and wrapped his arms around her. “Sarah, if I were you, I’d be careful about condemning one whom Alphego has forgiven,” he said, calmly, more for Sylvia’s sake than Sarah’s.

  Sarah drew back, glaring at Petra. “I was happy. I had a home, a husband I loved, a beautiful daughter, friends…” She shook her head. “But then she came and tore my country apart with her lies. Maybe I survived her attempt to kill me, but I was a shell of myself. My husband was little better, and our daughter was gone. Only Adnama knew who I was. Everyone else … I had to rebuild my friendships, my marriage, my identity, even my own history!”

  “I wish more than anything that I could go back and redo things, give you everything back,” Sylvia whispered.

  “I’m sorry,” said Petra. “But, Sarah, I can tell you one thing for certain – killing Sylvia will not solve any of your problems. It won’t bring back the years you lost.”

  “She’ll have paid for her crimes!”

  “She has been forgiven!” Petra cried. “Why can’t you understand that?”

  “Maybe I haven’t forgiven her!” Sarah sprang forward again, knife raised.

  Petra blocked once more with her staff – it was truly a wonderful weapon that Richard couldn’t help but admire. Its only equal that he had ever seen was Laura’s. “Sarah, she is our sister.”

  “So I’ve been told, but she has certainly never acted like it.”

  “Sarah, she didn’t—”

  “Save it!” Sarah cut in before Petra could finish. “I’ve already heard all of the excuses you make for her. Petra, tell me, would you be as adamant about saving her if she wasn’t Sylvia?”

  “Given that she is Sylvia, I believe that’s a moot point,” Petra answered.

  “No, it’s really not,” said Sarah. “You’re a queen, Petra – the most powerful queen Rizkaland has ever seen. Your decisions affect a whole world. You can’t afford a double standard, not even for family. Especially not for family.”

  “Perhaps my judgment was swayed by the fact that she’s Sylvia,” Petra admitted. “But that doesn’t mean that I made the wrong decision. Alphego chose me to be the Tela Du because I was her sister, because I could remember her, because I would forgive her. Sarah, do you really think that Alphego was wrong?”

  Sarah apparently didn’t have a good answer for that, for what she flung back was, “I never was good enough for you, was I? You were never content with Sarah, always obsessed with Sylvia, because, surely, she would be the perfect sister. Surely, she would take your side in everything, never argue with you. But look at the monster you found. Yet, you’re so stubborn, you refuse to admit that you were wrong…”

  “I was wrong.”

  “So you admit it?” asked Sarah, tilting her head to the side.

  “I was wrong to alienate you when you stood right in front of me,” said Petra. “And I was wrong to idealize her when she didn’t. I understand that now, just as I understand that you really didn’t remember her. I’m sorry, I really am. But it never meant that I loved you less. I wanted both of you, and don’t you dare make me lose either of you again.”

  “Your Sylvia is a monster.”

  “I destroyed the monster,” said Petra. “Sarah, I was prepared to carry out the death sentence if I had to, but I didn’t have to. And believe me when I say that the only thing left of the Dragon in her are the memories that bring her nothing but guilt and regret. Sarah, Sylvia is not a monster. Whatever you may think, I do take my role as Tela Du seriously.”

  “Petra…”

  “And while we’re on the subject of death sentences and my being a queen who can’t afford to have a double standard, Sarah, if you kill Sylvia, you won’t be dispensing justice. That will be murder. And I’ll have to judge you accordingly, even if you are my sister.”

  “You would kill me?” asked Sarah.

  “No, the Rizkan equivalent to the death sentence is the Isle of Banishment. Five hundred years is longer than fifty. What would be left for you when they end? Would you even survive that long? I know your age-change gift allows you to extend your life, but how far?”

  “You’re willing to send me to that place but not her?”

  “Sylvia has already spent two thousand years on that island,” Petra explained. “Returning there would be less of a punishment than living here among the people she hurt.”

  “Plus it would mean you would lose her?”

  “I will lose both of you if you keep this up!” Petra shouted.

  “Keep your voice down, or you’ll wake someone up,” hissed Sarah.

  “Meaning Ritis? You don’t want him to see what you’re doing?” asked Petra. “You know,
that’s actually a good idea.” She started shouting again. “Ritis! Get out here and see what your wife is doing so you can talk some sense into her. I can’t seem to!” She glanced back to Sarah. “Maybe I should also tell Reuben to get Ashna on his way back from Robert’s?” She raised her voice again. “Ritis, get out here before your wife becomes a murderer!”

  “Don’t you dare drag my family into this!”

  “Your family already is!”

  Sarah launched herself forward with surprising speed, the knife flashing in her hand. Richard was prepared for impact, to defend Sylvia, but Petra leaped into Sarah’s way. This time, however, there wasn’t the crack of knife against staff, but a staggered gasp of pain, followed by Sarah’s cry of, “Petra!”

  Chapter 10

  Forests were confusing at night, especially when you weren’t familiar with them. Robert had chosen to remain with Linette in her father’s house to care for their herds. Tonight, Reuben wished that he lived at Loray castle with the rest of them.

  At last, however, he found the small green hut and pounded at the door. Robert answered within moments.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, fighting back a yawn. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but it’s the middle of the night.”

  “It’s Sarah,” said Reuben. “There’s no time to explain.” He reached forward and grabbed Robert’s hand. “Just teleport us to the Bookholder’s kitchen before she kills Sylvia.”

  “Before…” Robert jerked awake. “She’s not! Tell me she’s not! I knew she was talking about it earlier this week, but I thought she was joking. Or at least that she wasn’t being serious.”

  Reuben, be a dear and fetch Ashna for me?

  “Change of plans,” said Reuben. “Petra has decided to involve Ashna. This must be getting desperate. She didn’t want her niece involved.”

  “Petra has been rather protective of Ashna since she found out,” Robert observed. “Very well, let’s get this dealt with.”

  Blue smoke swirled around them, and they stood in the hall before Ashna’s bedroom door. Reuben was about to knock when a wave of pain washed into his mind from Petra’s.

  “Sarah just stabbed Petra!” he exclaimed, turning to face Robert. “Kitchen, now. You can come back for Ashna if she’s still needed.”

  Again the blue smoke, and they stood on the Bookholder’s kitchen table. Petra lay on the floor below them, her face contorted in pain, a knife protruding from her stomach. Sylvia and Richard knelt at her head, and Sarah knelt at her side, but Reuben barely saw them as he jumped down to her side, anger churning with the pain that radiated out of her.

  Before he could say or do anything, however, Petra grabbed his arm, and her thought was surprisingly clear considering the pain that she was in.

  I took the knife for Sylvia. Sarah didn’t change her mind and try to kill me.

  Small miracles.

  Reuben glanced across to Sarah, who was staring alternately between her hands and the knife. “My … healing gift doesn’t work if I caused the injury. I have limitations…”

  “And you and I both know that healing isn’t one of my gifts.” Robert materialized on the floor next to Sarah. “Karyn, what were you thinking?”

  “I … I wasn’t aiming for Petra,” Sarah whispered, closing her eyes and leaning back against the wall. “She moved to block the blow I meant for Sylvia, but I was moving too fast for her this time, and now…”

  “You were trying to kill Sylvia!” Robert exclaimed. “She’s your sister just as much as Petra, even if she was Amber for six thousand years. She was more herself than you’ve been the last fifty.”

  “I didn’t choose to lose the part of me that was Sarah,” Sarah hissed, turning to face Robert.

  “From what I’ve heard, being Amber wasn’t Sylvia’s choice, either,” Robert pointed out. “You tried to kill your sister, and technically, you succeeded. What are you going to do? Reuben and Petra have no heir. And how are you going to explain this to your parents when we return home? Perhaps you’ll try to pass Sylvia off as Petra? How long do you think that will last before they notice?”

  Tell him to stop, Petra cut in. He’s making me feel guilty.

  “Robert, that’s enough, Petra can hear you,” Reuben said aloud. “Her control-freak is now freaking out because of all of her loose ends.”

  Robert glanced at Petra and shrugged sheepishly. “Sorry. Karyn needs some sanity.”

  “Be that as it may, you’re only complicating the situation,” said Reuben. “We … we don’t need to point fingers. We need to find a way to save Petra before…” he nearly choked.

  Now you are making me feel guilty, Reuben.

  Sorry.

  Her grip on his arm tightened. There’s a knife in my stomach. It hurts a lot. Distract me. You’re good at that.

  Reuben closed his eyes, and focused on finding the happiest memory he had. Then he raised the arm she held and kissed the back of her hand.

  A thank you came a few moments later.

  “What’s going on in here? I heard shouting … Petra?”

  Ritis stood in the doorway, staring at the mess, at Petra lying on the floor bleeding.

  Sarah stood, glitter surrounding her as she took on her appearance as Rintaya. “I lost control Ritis…” she whispered, stepping towards him. “I let my … and now Petra, she…”

  She broke into tears as Ritis wrapped his arms around her, his eyes fixed on Petra.

  “Robert, find a healer,” said Ritis. “You’re the fastest one of us here, save Sarah, and I don’t think she’s in an emotional state to handle this.”

  Robert nodded and disappeared in his blue smoke.

  “Stomach wounds are difficult to recover from, especially when they’re as deep as hers,” said Richard. “I’ve seen many a soldier … it’s never pretty.”

  “Hopefully Robert will be able to find a healer with a gift strong enough,” said Ritis. “Rizkaland needs its queen, and I suspect you do as well, young Reuben. Tell me, is she…”

  “She’s conscious,” said Reuben. “She’s too stubborn to sleep at a time like this. I’ve been distracting her from the pain.”

  Ritis nodded. “Keep doing that. Laura, if you would please, get down from that counter and come lend whatever aid you can.”

  There was a simultaneous cry of, “Laura?” from all parties in the room, including a mental one from Petra.

  “Ah, yes,” came Laura’s voice, tighter than Reuben was used to hearing. “I was wondering when someone would notice me.”

  “How long have you been there?” asked Sarah, lifting her head from Ritis’s shoulder.

  “Long enough to have seen pretty much everything,” Laura answered. “I sneaked in while you were out, Austila.” She came around the kitchen table into Reuben’s line of sight. Her arms were over her chest, and her expression was stern as she stared at Petra. Somehow, she had managed to say the word “Austila” with only its meaning “Bitter One.” There was no “Sister” in the word. “Why do the three of you insist on fighting like this?”

  “I wasn’t…” Sarah began.

  “It doesn’t matter which one you were aiming for. They’re both your sisters,” said Laura. “Luckily, you got the one you actually cared about.” She walked over and knelt by Petra’s side, taking her other hand.

  “I’m…” Sarah tried again.

  Laura looked up at Sarah with a glare. “Save it, Austila. I’m not happy with you at the moment, and right now, I need to keep my anger in check if we’re going to save her. Honestly, the three of you are the definition of close sisters. People knew you as a force to be reckoned with whenever you walked onto the scene. Why must it begin with all this fighting?”

  The last question seemed to be more for herself than anyone else.

  “If you were here, watching, why didn’t you interfere? You might have prevented this,” said Sylvia.

  “I might have,” Laura admitted. “But I told myself I had to sit on that counter until so
meone noticed me, and when I tell myself stuff, I’ve found it’s usually best if I listen to myself. What else might I have prevented? Maybe I would have only delayed this.”

  Reuben reached over and put his free hand on Laura’s shoulder. “You said you could help save her?”

  Laura let go of Petra’s hand to reach into her jacket and pull out the white knife that Reuben and Petra had joined in the challenge of Love.

  “There isn’t a healer in Rizkaland at this moment strong enough to heal Petra, as her wound is too deep,” Laura explained. “Austila, take your proper appearance, but at the same age as your sisters. This will require both you and Silver.”

  “What are you doing?” asked Sylvia. “That knife…”

  “For anyone else in any world, this wouldn’t work,” Laura explained. “But this knife already recognizes Petra, having tasted her blood. Her marriage vow with Reuben was one of the ones that I used to forge it, when I bound it to my control over the cloths. She has two identical sisters, sharing her DNA, one of whom has been bound by the knife already.”

  “But the knife can’t heal,” said Sylvia. “That was the cloths…”

  “It was a combination thereof,” said Laura. “The cloths held you in time, but the knives reserved the death. That’s what we’re doing now. Reserving this death for a later time, for a time when this knife can be the culprit.”

  “Is it safe?” asked Sarah, coming to sit next to Laura. She was younger now, and it was unnerving to finally see all three sisters with the same face.

  “Austila, was waving a knife about trying to stab your sister safe?” asked Laura, and this time “sister” was layered into the word, though it was sarcasm. “Honestly, that was the time to be thinking about safety.” She sighed. “But I suppose I should explain the stipulations about this healing that I’m about to do. Ritis, Ashna Spoke a prophecy shortly after you were reunited with her a few weeks ago, didn’t she? A prophecy that you’ve shared with no one.”