His Fire Maiden

by Michelle M. Pillow

  “That tapestry,” Josselyn told Evan. The large cloth had men and animals sewn onto it. The men lifted swords over their heads in battle. “It was my father’s favorite. Try to be careful with it. I can’t believe the material lasted in this weather.”

  Dev moved to help Evan retrieve the tapestry. Josselyn tossed a few small items in the crate. They made clanking noises as they landed against the side of the container.

  Violette stood very still and didn’t touch anything. What right did she have to these things? Her father had left this property to Josselyn. The day he gave her the scar, he’d told her, “The land I spoke of does not belong to you. You will never see it. You would not want it.”

  This land, this strange fairytale countryside covered in ice, and the castle in the center of it all, was not hers. The general had never wanted her to see it. Or was it he never wanted her to learn the truth of what it represented? If she hadn’t found that holo-box as a child, would he have ever told her that Josselyn existed? It seemed rather obvious now that secrets had been buried here. She knew the Federation’s ways well enough to know this was not how things were normally done. Her father was very wrong about one thing. Violette did want this. She wanted everything this place represented, everything she had not had in childhood.

  “What did you want to show me?” Violette asked.

  “Over here.” Josselyn crossed the room to the far side. She stopped and looked up at a banner and said, “the Craven family crest,” before reading the inscribed words, “Ago pugna quod intereo per veneration.”

  “I’ve seen it,” Violette answered somewhat defensively. It was one of the few things she had known about this place. “Honor above all else.”

  “Live, fight, and die with honor,” Josselyn corrected, before she pointed at a large portrait. “That’s our mother.”

  The likeness of a beautiful woman stared out over the hall. The paint was dull and faded, but that did not take away from the sereneness of her expression. Her dark brown hair was pulled to the top of her head, immaculately placed. The square neckline of her gown showcased a jeweled necklace. The dress had two parts to it. The red overtunic was edged with cream lace. The full sleeves only hung to the elbows. The younger version of their mother looked like Josselyn, especially around the eyes.

  “She smelled like honey with a hint of lavender,” Josselyn said. “She was a good, gentle woman with a heart big enough for the whole galaxy. We protected her from the rebellion’s affairs. She never knew Jack’s part in it.” Josselyn placed a hand on her sister’s arm and drew Violette’s attention to her. “When I almost died from the thawing process, or died and came back, whatever you’d like to call what happened after you saw me in the general’s office, I had a vision of my family. They were here, in this room. In the vision, my mother told me about you. I don’t know what you believe happens when we die, but I know I will come back here and be with my family.”

  Violette’s gaze traveled a few feet to the next portrait. Her mother was there with her first husband, a very young Josselyn, and four boys. The children were grinning and mischievous while the parents gazed lovingly at each other.

  “What are their names?” Violette studied the boys who would have been her half-brothers.

  “Jonathan, Peter, Ralphe, and Rainier,” Josselyn replied. “They died the day I was imprisoned, as did my father, Lord Craven.”

  “She’s beautiful and so young.” Violette stared up at their mother. “I saw holographic images of her, but she didn’t look like that.” She looked down to study her cold hands. “Your mother doesn’t have the hollowness in her expression that mine did.”

  “She is our mother—” Josselyn began.

  “No.” Violette turned her eyes back up. “That woman did not have me. My mother was some shell of that woman. If given a choice, Lady Craven would never have become pregnant with me. Because if I accept what my father did here, then I have to admit that I was a mistake. He tricked our mother into marrying him and into having me.”

  “No, she wasn’t like that,” Josselyn protested. “She loved all her children. I’m sure that hollowness that you’re describing was the loss she felt after losing so many of us.”

  And when it came to me, she couldn’t be a parent again, so she chose death, Violette thought.

  “In my vision she told me of you,” Josselyn continued. “She said you were a good soul, troubled but one who would find your way to us eventually. I know she regretted that she couldn’t be the mother that she was to the rest of us. I know she loved you.”

  “It’s a pleasant thought, but I don’t believe in that kind of afterlife. When I die, there will be no reason for my spirit to be transported here.” Violette placed her hand over her long scar. The padding of the snowsuit kept her from feeling it. Somehow, looking at the happiness of Josselyn’s family, the world they had lived in, the love shining in their faces, she had no more doubts. “I’ve tried so hard to believe what I’ve been told my entire life, but none of the holographic photos I’ve seen of my parents showed her looking at my father like that. She did not love my father. I shouldn’t have been born. None of this should have happened. Whatever the Federation wanted with this place was so unimportant they let it all die. And my father? Why else would a general in the Federation try so hard to prove he was a good man unless he was desperately attempting to atone for something?”

  “I just wanted you to see her, how she was, I didn’t mean to make you feel—” Josselyn tried to explain.

  “You should take those,” Violette said, indicating the portraits. “I’d think you’d want to keep them.”

  Dev and Evan had put the tapestry into the crate and walked toward them. Hearing Violette’s words, they automatically moved to grab the portraits.

  “We’re at the top of the tall tower,” Lucien’s voice came over the com-link. “Items located. Loading now.”

  “Good,” Dev answered.

  They heard footsteps nearby. Evan and Rick shared a look.

  “I thought the others were searching the towers first and then working their way down,” Josselyn said.

  Dev reached for his com. “Jackson, Rick, check in.” He paused, before repeating, “Jackson, Rick, check in.”

  There was no answer.

  “Jackson, Rick, what the hell is going on?” Evan demanded into his com.

  “What’s happening?” Lucien’s voice answered. “We can’t hear their answer.”

  “Jackson, Rick, report in now,” Dev commanded.

  “Where do you—” Evan began.

  “I don’t think Jackson and Rick are up to talking at the moment,” a harsh voice echoed from the doorway behind them. “They’re indisposed, disposed, indisposed? I can never remember which is the right word.”

  “Sacre,” Violette swore under her breath at the unexpected sound.

  “Sacrelue,” Josselyn whispered the antiquated version of the curse at the same time.

  Gil nodded toward Violette in terse greeting. He lifted a small cylindrical device. Dev and Evan gasped in unison as the coms in their ears made electrical popping noises. The men instantly pulled the broken units away from their face and dropped them on the floor.

  The Angelion’s torn wing had been bound so only one slightly lifted as he came forward. He held a blaster pointed at them. Violette pushed in front of Dev, who in turn tried to grab her arm to pull her back behind him. She dodged his grasp.

  “Gil, what are you doing here?” Violette lifted her hands to keep the others behind her as she dealt with her crewman.

  “I could ask you the same thing,” the man responded. “Doesn’t exactly appear that you’re here unwillingly.”

  “How did you know where to find us?” she asked.

  “I placed a tracking device on their ship while it was docked on Quazer,” Gil said. “We would have come for you sooner, but I was preoccupied with my medically induced coma.”

  “I assure you a rescue is not necessary. I need you to let
Jackson and Rick go,” Violette commanded.

  Gil kept his gun trained on them as he walked over to the crate. He reached inside and picked up a goblet. Angrily, he threw it. The cup clanged along the stone floor. “What in the space blasts is this crap? We come to liberate you only to find you shopping for home décor?”

  “Who is here with you?” Violette demanded. Gil was clearly not in his right mind. If he were he’d have obeyed her order to stand down. “Jo wouldn’t slither into this weather, so I’m guessing he’s still on the ship. Ghost doesn’t care enough to get his hands dirty. So that leaves Isaac.”

  “Isaac,” Gil said conversationally. “You want to greet the captain?”

  “I don’t have a captain.” Isaac entered the room behind Gil. “I thought I did, but she joined another crew while still owing us space credits.”

  “Then why are you here?” Violette felt Dev’s hand on her shoulder. He tried to pull her gently back. She held her ground. “The last payment to the ship hasn’t processed. You get paid when I get paid, same deal as always.”

  “I don’t trust those in league with a Bevlon,” Gil sneered. He pointed his gun directly at her. “His time is up. Move aside.”

  “You have to use a gun?” Dev laughed mockingly. “Trust an Angelion to be too scared for a real fight. Afraid I’ll rip the other wing?”

  “Dev, I don’t think you’re helping,” Violette muttered between clenched teeth. She held her hand to her side, trying to gesture him back. “Gil, I get your age old family feud, but Isaac? You’re better than this. Why take up Gil’s cause? You know he’s never going to return your feel—”

  “You think I’m here because of Gil’s feud with the Bevlon?” Isaac rubbed his blue forehead at the base of his horn. “You lost my loyalty the moment you abandoned your duty.” He pointed at Josselyn. “There she is, Captain, kill her. Family honor demands it. That is still the plan, isn’t it?”

  “Things are more complicated,” Violette said.

  “No, they’re not.” Isaac trained his gun on Josselyn. “She killed your father. The details are just noise. You humans muddle everything with emotions. It’s quite simple where I’m standing. If you can’t avenge your father, then why would you feel loyalty to avenge your crew? Your breed of human cowardice cannot be trusted. At least, Gil carries on the fight of his people. I have nothing against the Bevlons, but I respect his loyalty to his people and in my loyalty to my crewman I’ll help him as I was willing to help you.”

  “Don’t you dare question my authority—” Violette began.

  “You promised,” Josselyn interrupted loudly.

  Violette turned in surprise to look at her sister.

  “You promised if I showed you where the jewels were you’d let my brothers go,” Josselyn continued.

  Violette arched a brow in confusion. She glanced up at the family picture. All of Josselyn’s brothers were dead.

  “Josselyn,” Evan began.

  “Jewels?” Isaac repeated. The interest in his voice was unmistakable. His gun arm relaxed some.

  Violette saw the look on Josselyn’s face and slowly nodded. She took several steps away Dev and the others. Her foot crunched Dev’s discarded communicator on the floor. Hardening her tone, she said, “I told you it was complicated. I had this under control but since you space cadets are insisting on doing this the hard way…” She let her voice trail off as she moved to join Gil and Isaac. “Hand me a gun so we can finish this.”

  Gil eyed her suspiciously. “We’ll keep the guns.”

  “You don’t trust me? You saw the jewels she gave us to pay for her ride to Rifflen. We’re talking an entire treasury full of the stuff. Why else would I come to this icehole of a settlement?” Violette pretended to be exasperated with them. In reality, she was terrified. Before she was just one of the guys, floating around space earning a living. Now she had something to lose—a sister, a man she loved. Why didn’t she tell Dev she loved him? Seeing a gun pointed at them, knowing Jackson and Rick might already be dead, made their situation all the more terrifying. If it weren’t for her, they wouldn’t have been in this situation.

  “Where are these jewels?” Isaac asked.

  Good. Greed. Violette could work with greed.

  “I’ll show you,” Dev said, making a move to go forward.

  “Nice try, demon,” Gil said. “Step back and out of the snowsuit.”

  “Gil, that isn’t necessary,” Violette said. “Lock them up. We’ll keep them as leverage if Josselyn doesn’t behave.”

  “You, too, out of the snowsuit,” Gil ordered Evan. When the men didn’t comply, he held the gun toward Violette’s head. Her eyes met his, pleading with him not to obey. The temperatures were too low for him to survive long without protection. “Do it, or I kill her.”

  Dev glared and shrugged out of his snowsuit. When he stood in the skintight underclothes, he tossed the snowsuit toward Gil’s feet. Evan did the same.

  “Seems like the beast has a fondness for you,” Isaac observed in distaste. “Wonder why that is?”

  “Gil, you can’t leave them like that. The cold temperatures will kill them,” Violette said.

  “One less Bevlon to worry about.” He answered, unconcerned.

  “Isaac, tie them.” Gil motioned at Josselyn. “You come with us. Take us to the jewels.”

  “No,” Josselyn said. “You let them go. Let the others go. Then I’ll take you to the treasure. You can do whatever you want to me, but don’t hurt anyone else.”

  Violette knew what Josselyn was trying to do, but it wouldn’t work. Isaac produced laser shackles to bind Evan and Dev’s wrists, and then anchored the ends into the stone floor, trapping both men in their places. Dev looked as if he wanted to tear the Corge man apart.

  “We don’t torture,” Violette stated. “Give them back their suits.”

  “Treasure, now,” Gil ordered Josselyn.

  Violette dared a glance back as Josselyn led them from the old dining hall. Dev and Evan trembled violently without the protection of their suits. With the outside temperatures continuing to drop, Evan wouldn’t last more than an hour, if that. She didn’t want to think about how much faster the temperature would affect Dev.

  “I’m sorry,” Violette mouthed. He nodded once.

  She turned to walk beside her crew. Gil dropped back. She knew he trained the gun on her back. She’d seen the look on his face. He thought she’d betrayed him. Perhaps she had. When she didn’t let him kill Dev, when she took Dev to her bed and put Gil into a medically induced coma so she wouldn’t have to deal with him, when she didn’t fight harder to tell her crew what had happened to her, all those times she’d betrayed him.

  As a Corge, Isaac’s motivations were easy to comprehend. She lost his trust the moment she refused to kill Josselyn. It was that straightforward. His kind understood things in very simple terms.

  Jo would be loyal to the ship, no matter who was in charge of it. Racing Banana was his baby. And Ghost, well, who knew what Ghost was thinking.

  Violette didn’t dare look at Josselyn. She hoped the woman knew what she was doing. Not that Violette had any better ideas. Playing to greed was an almost foolproof way of buying a little more time.

  “What did you do to the others?” Violette asked, trying to sound unconcerned.

  “Jackson and Rick won’t be joining us,” Isaac answered.

  Josselyn made a faint noise. Violette tried to alter her course by small degrees to bring Gil into her peripheral. He stayed just out of her sight.

  “The treasury is this way,” Josselyn said. “The deal still stands, right? I show you, you don’t harm my brothers?”

  “Shut your black hole,” Violette ordered. “No more delays.”

  Her aggressive display was probably too little too late. Gil and Isaac wouldn’t trust her unless they saw her pull the trigger on her sister.

  Josselyn led them into a square room. The thick iron door lock had scorch marks on the metal where someone had force
d it open. Musty bolts of material and wooden devices were pressed up against a wall.

  “What is this?” Isaac demanded.

  Violette hoped Josselyn had a better plan or, at least, a way of distracting the men long enough for her to get the upper hand. Leading them into a useless room was only going to get everyone shot.

  Violette tried not to think of Dev freezing in the dining hall. They didn’t have time to waste. She scanned the room, assessing the situation.

  Josselyn reached for a bolt. Gil stiffened in warning. She held up her hand and then slowly began moving again. “The treasure is here.”

  Josselyn moved the bolt of material. It activated a mechanism behind the walls. The sound of turning metal creaked and vibrated against the stone. The floor began to slide beneath Gil’s feet. His wing twitched, and he automatically tried to fly. However the bound appendage caused his flight pattern to dip sharply to one side, and he stumbled.

  Josselyn produced a knife from behind the bolt and threw it at Gil. The aim was straight, but the sudden dip in Gil’s body caused the throw to miss. Violette lunged for Isaac’s gun hand. She grabbed his wrist and shifted his weight to heave him toward the ground. The move worked fine practicing with her father’s soldiers. Unfortunately, it didn’t account for the Corge horn, and she felt the sharp edge of the chipped point snag her snowsuit. Momentum forced it to pierce her skin, cutting her open as he fell.

  Violette didn’t have time to think about her injury. Josselyn scrambled to get Isaac’s gun as it slid across the floor. Gil righted himself, taking aim at Josselyn’s back. Violette wasn’t sure how it happened, but the next thing she knew she was leaping through the air. Gil fired. The blast struck the top of her shoulder as she pushed Josselyn out of the way. The impact changed her course, sending her flying backward into a wooden frame.

  Josselyn screamed, charging Gil. She shoved him into the hole that had opened in the floor. Violette tried to stand. She bled from her shoulder and her side. She crawled for the discarded weapon and lifted it toward Isaac. He still lay on the ground, not moving.

  “Violette.” Josselyn breathed hard. “You saved me.”