Black Rose Queen: Black Rose Sorceress, Book 3

by Connie Suttle

  "And what might that be?" Someone shouted at the back of the room.

  "Stand, please, and identify yourself," Hunter said quickly. "Otherwise, you will not receive permission to speak in this hallowed chamber."

  "Jerr, from Wildtree Village," he spoke.

  "Very well, Jerr from Wildtree, you have the floor. What say you?" Hunter said. His voice contained the slightest amount of chiding—all Council members were given the rules when they accepted a place in that governing body.

  "I wish to know what it is, exactly, that the King is doing to protect the villages." Accusation—and a challenge—rang in his voice.

  "The King is providing troops for your protection," Hunter said. The rest of his words became fuzzy, as if I'd fallen into a lake of near-unconsciousness and was attempting to hear through what felt like deep water.

  My vision went dark, then, and that's all I remembered for a while.

  Kerok

  Hunter drew back the moment he realized that Sherra's dreamwalker was now in charge of her body—while she was still awake.

  Adahi, I sent desperate mindspeak. Sherra's dreamwalker has taken her over. Hunter's hand slapped over my forearm as I moved to rise; Sherra had stepped to the end of the row where Jerr stood.

  Arresh

  "I placed a shield to keep those two miscreants out of your village last night," I hissed at Jerr of Wildtree. "Unless they have a great deal of power at their disposal to get past that shield, you should be safe."

  His eyes had grown round with fear as I accosted him. "All of your villages have the same shielding," I turned swiftly to address the crowd. "It will not prevent you from going in and out; it is set against those who would do you harm."

  "Is that possible?" someone else shouted.

  "Stand and identify yourself, or you will be sent back to the village of Baker and not allowed to return here," I snapped.

  "I, ah," he stood, somewhere in the first three rows. "How did you know?" he gulped.

  "I know many things," I said. "Tell everyone else who you are. I know your name already."

  Kerok

  All eyes were on Sherra when Adahi appeared at my side. "I know many things," she told a new Council member. "Tell everyone else who you are. I know your name already."

  I'll be damned, Adahi sent mindspeak.

  Can you stop this? I begged.

  Why would I? She appears to have their attention, and a little bit of fear is a healthy thing in this bunch.

  At least sit with us; I'm worried this will turn into a debacle, I admitted.

  Happy to. Adahi moved to take Sherra's chair at the table. Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned back and appeared to be enjoying the drama set before us.

  Sherra

  I didn't regain control of myself until the last Council member exited the chamber. I was conscious for perhaps a count of ten, when I saw Kerok, Adahi and Barth coming toward me.

  Once again, my vision failed me, and Kerok said later that I was unconscious when I dropped to the floor.

  "I'm not sure how it was done." I woke to hear Adahi speaking to Kerok. "Somehow, her dreamwalker separated itself, without Sherra's consent or full unconsciousness," he added. "I've never heard of that before, but then I've only heard of three dreamwalkers in my life."

  My eyes blinked open to find those two at the foot of the bed, where someone had laid me before covering me with a light blanket.

  "You're saying there were three?" Kerok demanded.

  "Two of those are dead," Adahi replied.

  "So, your physical body is dead, another dreamwalker died and Sherra is the only living one you know about?"

  "Yes. I believe it to be that rare a gift, too, if you consider it a gift."

  "Water?" I croaked, causing Kerok to jump and Adahi to turn in my direction.

  "There's some here," Kerok moved swiftly to my side of the bed to pour from a pitcher. I emptied the first glass and asked for another.

  "Child, do you recall anything that your dreamwalker did or said?" Adahi asked as I slurped the second glassful.

  "It's vague," I said, lowering the glass. "I sort of recall it, but it's like it happened in a dream."

  "Why do you suppose your dreamwalker felt compelled to take over the meeting?" Adahi asked a second question.

  "There isn't a single woman on the entire Council," I blurted. "They're all men." I wasn't looking at Kerok when I made my confession; I kept my eyes on Adahi instead. I didn't add that like Caral, my dreamwalker didn't like it that the Queen wasn't acknowledged, either.

  The entire Council knew who the Queen was, now. They were also terrified of her. I had mixed feelings about that.

  "Did she—you—really adjust the shields around those villages to keep Narvin and Willa out?" Kerok asked his first question.

  "I—she did. I remember it now. That's why I was so tired this morning."

  "Will it keep them away—truly?"

  "Unless Kaakos pours himself into them," I said. "I doubt he'll want to do that, because it will make him vulnerable in Ny-nes."

  "That's an interesting idea," Adahi said and disappeared.

  "I wanted to ask him more questions," Kerok grumbled.

  "Can I have something to eat?" I asked. "I'm starved."

  Secondary Camp

  Armon

  "Caral, I know you're thinking about something; you've been silent since we left the Council meeting," I told her while we ate lunch with Levi and Misten.

  "I saw something I never thought I'd see," she said, keeping her head down.

  "What's that?"

  She lifted her head and her eyes locked with mine. I didn't miss the light of excitement in them. "I saw a woman take control today," she whispered. "Of the King's Council."

  "Caral," I sighed. I hated to destroy this happiness, but I'd seen the grim expressions of many Council members when they left the chamber.

  They'd been far from pleased that a woman had taken charge. The looks they were casting at one another angered me. Everything Sherra had done was true, useful and powerful.

  They had no reason to complain, other than she was female and not male, as they were. Too many times I'd experienced the same thing, for my attraction to the same sex.

  "I know what you're about to say," Caral's eyes dropped to stare at her plate. "They don't think a woman should be in charge of anything."

  "We know that's not true," Levi said gently. "A lot of people do. Sometimes, the ones who are bothered by it think it makes them look weak, or some other nonsense that doesn't matter. If they knew that it wasn't just the army who saved their skins the last two times the enemy attacked, maybe their minds would change."

  "Doubt it," Misten said before setting her fork down. "I made really good marks in school. The boys were always praised for their work. The girls weren't."

  "Because they're expected to cook, clean, garden and have babies," Caral huffed. "The only reason they get an education is because the Crown insists."

  "I had no idea things were getting so bad," I said. "Of course, we wouldn't hear these things while Drenn was in charge of the Council."

  "Sounds like he had a lot of sins to atone for," Caral grumbled.

  "He paid for some of them with his life—when he attempted to kill Thorn and the King."

  "I blame Merrin for putting that idea in his head," Levi said. "Along with the enemy's weapon. Too bad he had no idea what it could do if misused."

  "Never had warrior training," I pointed out. "He might have learned a few things if that were the case."

  "I hear that was Ruarke's doing—when he faked his death and turned his father against the roses in the army," Caral said. "I learned that from Cole. That's why the rose on the banner is red instead of black, too. The King decreed that the tattoos be of black roses from then on, because he believed a rose killed his son."

  "That's not fair," Misten said.

  "Hmmph. I think if we dig deep enough, we'll find out just how unfair things have bee
n for the roses since that time."

  "Caral, I hope I don't have to tell you to keep that to yourself. Information like that can divide us, at a time when we don't need to be divided," I warned.

  "I know. Cole says the same thing."

  "Cole may be in a unique position to know how dangerous it could be, coming from Ny-nes as he did," Levi said.

  "He's mentioned a few things like that," Caral agreed. "It's terrifying. He said a lot of people died when they took all the gold away from their citizens, including marriage rings. Those who refused or complained were killed."

  "That's so heartless," Misten breathed.

  "That may be the least heartless thing about them," I huffed. "Killing children with power, or those attracted to the same sex? That's not just heartless. That's pure evil."

  Levi didn't speak, but I noticed the tightening of his mouth. If his story were true, Ny-nes had killed their dark-skinned citizens—adults and children—long ago. We'd only seen the pale-skinned ones in the army. It made sense that the army came from the population, and extrapolating from it, there were no dark-skinned citizens left in Ny-nes.

  Once again, I wished Levi had mindspeak. Where had such hatred come from? Was it written into the religion at the beginning? If so, why did it take so long to manifest itself? My teacher said long ago that there was a very long history of life on this world before the End-War.

  What happened?

  "You're the one thinking too much this time," Levi pointed his fork at me.

  "I know." Forcing unsolved riddles from my mind, I turned back to my food.

  Ny-nes

  Kaakos

  "The latest tests on the new solar battery show that it could last an hour or more, depending upon the load the plane is carrying," my chief of technical sciences reported. White-haired, now, his eyes weak enough to require thick lenses, Liam had served me for most of his life. His father before him had also served.

  "How far will that take the plane?" I asked. "Is it possible to carry more than one battery, and switch from one to the next, when the power runs out?"

  "We're working on making them small enough to carry three on board, but the plane won't have enough room to carry three batteries and more than a dozen troops, or perhaps three large bombs."

  "Bombs will suffice," I said. "What about flying in darkness?"

  "We're working on that difficulty now. I believe you'll be pleased with what we've accomplished so far."

  "Very good. Keep me updated."

  "Of course, sir."

  Sherra

  Adahi asked for a private meeting the day after the Council met. I was still embarrassed about losing control, and felt even more confused by my dreamwalker and how it had taken over while I was essentially awake.

  My dreamwalker hadn't separated from my physical body, and I found it uncomfortable to relinquish control like that.

  "Adahi wishes to speak with you at the table in the garden," Hunter informed me. I sat in my study after breakfast, going over the law Cole had written. He, Caral and I still had to go over it together, and ask for Hunter's input before presenting it to Kerok.

  "Thank you." My shoulders sagged as I walked toward Hunter, who stood in the doorway.

  "I'll send tea down," he said, stepping out of my way.

  "Thank you."

  "Don't let this bother you too much," Hunter said. "Those bastards need their eyes opened now and then."

  "But I wasn't in control, Hunter," I sighed. "That's what bothers me the most."

  "You think of your dreamwalker as being a separate entity, instead of a deeper part of you?"

  "I think she has less tact."

  "Discuss it with Adahi, then. I have no advice to offer, because I've never been in that situation."

  "From what I understand, nobody has ever experienced it, until now. I want to know how it's possible, and why she did that to me."

  "Then this advice I will offer," Hunter said. "Don't go to war against yourself, Sherra. It's obvious we need both parts of you, if we're to survive Kaakos' attacks."

  I wanted to complain about his lack of a usurping dreamwalker, but didn't. Hunter didn't deserve my anger. That should be reserved for the one who did the usurping, which, by all accounts, was a part of me.

  I was back to Hunter's advice in this—not to go to war with myself. For now, I didn't know how to avoid it, my anger was so hot.

  "Go to Adahi, he's waiting," Hunter said gently. I went.

  Adahi

  She looked angry as she approached the table. I couldn't say I blamed her. She'd lost control—in her mind—for the first time.

  "Sit, daughter, and we'll talk." I pushed out a chair with the power I held. Thorn was only beginning to see the same power within himself—through his namesake's ring. For now, I was content to let him explore that on his own.

  "Can you show me how to do that?" Her words surprised me. I imagined she'd explode in anger at her dreamwalker. Instead, I'd distracted her with a simple trick.

  "I can." I found myself smiling at her. She took the offered chair and turned to me with a hopeful expression on her face.

  "We'll get to that," I promised. "I remember the first time I was angry—or my physical self was angry—with the dreamwalker," I began.

  "When was that?" The anger was returning.

  "Many centuries ago—before the End-War," I said.

  Her indrawn breath revealed how shocked she was.

  Sherra

  How old was Adahi? Was he telling me the truth? If he were, here was someone who could fill in so much history for me.

  "I see you wish to ask questions. I cannot answer much of them—to preserve sanity in both of us," he said.

  "Then tell me why you were angry with your dreamwalker." I turned my head away so I couldn't see his face. He looked weary and old when he made that statement, and I didn't want to know why.

  Actually I did, but didn't think he'd tell me.

  "My dreamwalker—well, I—took leave of my physical body for three days. There was no reason for it, and had I not been where I was at the time, I could have died."

  "What were you—your dreamwalker—doing?" I asked. My hands were folded in my lap, so I absently studied them while Adahi spoke.

  "I was whispering words in the ears of those who eventually built the catacombs beneath this palace," he said. "Telling them that they needed to prepare themselves for the inevitable. I also told them to stock the catacombs with everything needed to build the King's City and the domes over it—after the bombs fell. The catacombs, as you may guess, are far larger than anyone now living suspects."

  My eyes lifted and locked with his. His smile was wry. "You see," he went on, "I didn't think that advice was good advice at the time, because things hadn't gotten to the point where any of that was needed. I—my dreamwalker—knew that it would take a great deal of time to build the catacombs, and that's why I gave the warnings when I did."

  "How long before the End-War did that happen?" My voice quavered.

  "Nearly a century."

  I forced my trembling breaths to even out before I spoke again. "I'm uh, grateful someone listened to you."

  "I had to make my selections carefully, and was then forced to show them some of my power to get them to listen. Those I approached had to be very wealthy to build the catacombs, and the construction had to be done mostly in secret. That kind of wealth is no longer a part of this world's landscape."

  His eyes lost focus, as if he were looking into his past. "Survival and sustenance became wealth for a very long time after the End-War, as you may imagine. Too many in the present still struggle with those needs."

  "I know." I dropped my eyes again. I'd lived through that, as had the others in my village. Every day, it was a struggle to find enough to eat.

  "It's a hard lesson to learn—that all the gold, silver or credits you've accumulated in your lifetime won't feed a single soul."

  "Soul? Are you talking about the religion in Ny-nes?"r />
  "No, daughter. What do you think your dreamwalker truly is? Most people's souls live within them all their lives, and never manifest. Only a few have ever had the separation that you and I have experienced. Until today, I'd never seen a dreamwalker manifest when the physical body is still awake. I feel it was necessary, and for a purpose we may never realize."

  "It's terrifying."

  "I know. Terrifying and wondrous at the same time."

  "What should I tell Kerok?"

  "If you would, please don't tell him about my part in building the catacombs, or any of the End-War information. I'd prefer to tell him myself—when the time is right."

  "All right. I'll tell him we're studying the recent, ah, phenomenon of my dreamwalker manifesting to take control while I'm awake."

  "That would be truth, daughter. Or as near as we can get to it."

  "Adahi?"

  "Yes?"

  "Someday, I'd like to hear what it was like—before the End-War."

  "I'll consider it," he said and stepped away.

  "Tea?" A servant approached the table.

  "I'll take some," I sighed. I needed to sit and ponder Adahi's words, and tea would help while I did it.

  Kerok

  "I gave her some things to consider," Adahi said. He'd appeared in my study after leaving Sherra at the garden table outside. "I don't think she'll be angry with her dreamwalker for long."

  "Good. We need her—both sides of her—I think."

  "Hunter has already said the same thing," Adahi smiled. "Keep our girl together, all right? And, when you're not too busy, practice what the ring is showing you."

  "You mean this?" I reached out a hand and a pen from my desk slapped into my palm.

  "Yes. I suggest heavier items, however," he chuckled. "Go move a truck." He disappeared while my mouth was surely hanging open.

  Cole

  "Adahi?" He didn't often visit me at home. Usually he found me when I was wandering through the nearby forest. It served to exercise my legs and my mind at the same time.

  "I'm sure you've heard by now that Sherra's dreamwalker took over while she was awake."

  "I heard it from Caral."