by Leslie Chase
Tessa. It had to be her, who else? But she should have been long gone by now, on her way to safety. Perhaps I should have been angry at her disobedience, or frightened for her life. Instead, a great wave of relief washed over me. She was still here, and I might see her again before I died. My taru-ma had chosen this, as I would have chosen to die with her.
And it was just possible we might live.
Angry shouts broke the silence, dragging my attention back to the present. The crowd demanded an explanation for what their ‘god’ was saying, and no wonder. My beloved’s cleverness had exposed Fanwell’s charlatan act, sending ripples of blood-red rage across the tribe’s ssavs.
“What the fuck is going on?” Fanwell’s words echoed again, and the angry rumblings of the crowd got louder. This wasn’t the god that they’d been promised, and the Eldest didn’t offer an explanation for the change.
If he won’t, someone should step into the gap. I lunged forward to the edge of the platform, pulling free of my captors’ loosened grip.
“You hear the lies this false god tells you,” I bellowed, voice carrying across the crowd. “This is the blessing of the true Sky Gods, to show us the lies — Uft.”
The Eldest’s fist slammed into my side, driving the air from my lungs. He might not have an explanation to offer, but he didn’t intend to let me tell the tribe the truth.
A knife blade appeared in his other hand, blade catching the light. He had the speed and reflexes of a warrior, and I had to remind myself that he was only a few years older than me.
But he thought like a priest offering a sacrifice. Raising the blade high for all to see, he left me an opening and I took it. There was no time for skill or artistry now, only strength and speed.
I smashed my head into his face, a brutal headbutt that rocked the Eldest and took the strength from his knife arm. The blade struck my shoulder, glancing off my scales harmlessly, and the Eldest staggered back. Blood streamed from his nose and hate filled both his eyes and his ssav.
As though that was a signal, the crowd surged across the bridge, struggling with the temple guards and pushing past them. Fanwell swore, unlimbering his rifle and snapping shots at the charging mass. One-handed, his aim was terrible, but the crowd was too big a target to miss completely. Some shots hit the water, some the bridge, but one struck the Zrin leading the charge. He fell, a smoking hole through his chest.
If Fanwell thought that would be enough to stop Zrin, he had badly misjudged. An angry howl issued from hundreds of throats at once and the tribe leaped over their fallen friend, rushing over the bridge onto the temple stairs.
Somehow, above the deafening noise of the crowd’s charge, I heard a voice from above. Tessa’s voice, shouting a warning. Spinning, I came face to face with the temple guard, his spear aimed straight at my neck. He thrust, form perfect, and I twisted to the side desperately. The blade missed by the thinnest of margins, and with my hands and tail bound I wouldn’t be able to fight him off for long.
Before he had time to recover from the thrust, Marakz surprised both of us by tackling the guard. They went flying, knocking the Eldest back. The guard lost his grip on the spear, trying to use his claws to defend himself. Without looking up, Marakz slashed in my direction, his claws parting the bindings on my wrists and tail.
“Don’t just stand there, fight,” he snarled at me. “What? I care for the tribe as much as you do.”
More likely you’ve seen which way the river is flowing and want to be on the winning side. I shrugged — whatever his motives, his assistance was welcome. Izdril and Mi-Zrak followed his lead, struggling with guards on the platform. Even so the odds were against us. More guards rushed from the temple to help the Eldest, and he had recovered his knife.
“You’ll die for this,” he hissed and lunged at me. I leaped to the side, claws slashing at his face, but he was too fast and ducked under my blow. We passed each other, turned, and snarled.
“You’re the one who’s betrayed your sacred trust,” I shouted back. “Our tribe, our gods, your friends — you turn your back on it all in exchange for a few comforts.”
He didn’t answer with words, leaping in with his knife darting toward my eyes before changing target and stabbing at my guts. My parrying hand swept through empty air — his feint was good.
But fast as he was, I was faster, twisting to the side and out of the way of the blade. Almost, anyway. The edge brushed my stomach and opened up a long, stinging cut.
The Eldest didn’t have time to savor that minor triumph. I brought my hand down hard on his wrist, knocking the knife out of his grip.
His leap back was almost fast enough. My claws caught his face, tearing flesh and baring bone. With a howl, his dodge turned into an uncontrolled tumble and he crashed into Fanwell, bearing him to the ground.
I scooped up his knife, looked to my right. Marakz stood in the temple doorway, spear leveled, holding back the guard reinforcements. Against that weight of numbers he wouldn’t hold out for long.
But we had numbers on our side, too. On my left, the crowd swarming up the temple was nearly on us., blocked only by a thin line of guards standing on the stairs.
And above, watching with an adorably concerned expression on her face, was Tessa-ma. She blushed when I caught her eye, looking away.
“You haven’t won.” The Eldest spoke, and I had to give him this — a wound like his would put most hardened warriors out of action, let alone a priest. His voice slurred, blood running freely, operating on willpower alone, he grabbed the laser rifle out of Fanwell’s hand.
“I can still take from you that which you love.”
My blood froze, heart raced. He wasn’t aiming at me, but up the pyramid. At Tessa. Fanwell shouted an objection but I paid him no attention. Everything focused on the Eldest, and the world slowed around me.
It was like moving through hardening sap. One step, then another, moving as fast as I could. Not fast enough: his fingers gripped the stock, the tube pointed directly at her. I wouldn’t cross the distance in time. Even if I blocked the shot with my body I wouldn’t save her — nothing would stop him firing again.
I swung up my stolen knife, an unfamiliar weight and balanced entirely wrong. It was, however, my only choice. I thought of Tessa’s lovely smile, of the glorious scent of her, the sparkling sound of her voice. Thought of those things gone from the world, taken by pure spite.
And threw.
There are moments in which the world seems to align perfectly. Too few of them, but they exist — and this was one. As soon as the blade left my fingers, I knew where it would end up. I didn’t need to watch it spin, end over end, and plunge into the Eldest’s arm.
His finger still squeezed the trigger, but the knife’s impact knocked his arm to the side and the shot burned into the temple wall. Time snapped back to normal, and before he recovered I was on him. Snatching the weapon from his hands, I pushed him into Fanwell.
The force of my shove carried both of them off the platform’s edge. The ones who had deceived my tribe, perverted the temple, and worst of all, threatened to kill my taru-ma, fell screaming onto the stairs below.
They crashed into the line of guards holding the crowd at bay, knocking a gap in it. That was all the crowd needed — they burst through, putting the guards to flight. Fanwell and the Eldest vanished under the mob. I doubted they would get a kind welcome from the Zrin they’d taken advantage of.
The remaining guards threw down their weapons: outnumbered and with nothing to fight for, they had no reason to continue the battle.
I looked up the pyramid to see Tessa, the huge grin on her face matching mine. To both of our surprise, we’d won.
As soon as the fight ended the tribe turned to me for orders. I let them wait — there was something far more important to attend to.
When I reached her side, I found Tessa gasping in pain and clutching at her leg. But the glorious smile lighting up her face stopped my moment of panic at the sight.
“You’re hurt,” I said, crouching beside her to examine her ankle. Compared to earlier it looked swollen, but I knew too little of humans to guess how serious it was.
Her nose crinkled delightfully, and she smacked my arm. “So are you, hypocrite.”
Oh. Yes, I’d forgotten about the cuts across my stomach, the spear wounds in my back. Reminded of my injuries, I noticed the stinging pain and winced. “You have me there, taru-ma. Still, I believe I gave you specific instructions about getting yourself hurt.”
A lovely red blush spread across my beloved’s cheeks, but she met my gaze defiantly. “What are you going to do, punish me for saving the day?”
There was a hint of laughter to her voice. Not mocking, but joyful. It warmed me, lifted my heart, made me forget my pain.
“Perhaps I will, taru-ma, perhaps I will,” I told her, leaning down to kiss her soft lips. They parted for me as Tessa gasped in a breath. Her tongue pressed against mine, a delightful little shudder running through her body. I wanted to make that happen again. And again, and again…
The discrete tap-tap of a tail against stone reminded me of where we were and I looked round to see El-Ensha watching us, a sparkle in her eyes and orange in her ssav. I glared at the interruption, only to realize that she wasn’t alone. Below us, hundreds of Zrin were watching.
I’d have damned them and kept going, but the shocked little meep that escaped Tessa-ma’s throat warned against it. Instead, I lifted her in my arms and stood.
“I will take my taru-ma where she may recover,” I told El-Ensha, daring anyone to argue with that decision.
She nodded, but cautioned me in a quiet voice. “There are things we have to discuss, Zarkav. Our tribe needs leadership, now more than ever. If you don’t step in, someone else will — and I do not want it to be Marakz.”
I swore passionately.
“Love, don’t worry,” Tessa-ma said, stroking my neck with soft fingers. “Your people need you and I need rest. There will be time enough for us. Soon.”
That last was a hopeful promise rather than a certainty, but I found the anger draining from me at her touch. How could I stay angry with such beauty in my arms?
“Besides,” she continued, “we should get our wounds seen to before we exert ourselves, right? You’ll want me mobile, and I’d rather not tear open your injuries.”
“You’re just trying to delay your punishment,” I grumbled, and she laughed.
“I mean, yes,” she said between giggles, and I kissed her on the lips to silence her. It had the desired effect, though it also left us both breathless.
“I will not leave you waiting too long, beloved Tessa-ma,” I told her, calling for townsfolk I knew well enough to trust. “Here, find my taru-ma somewhere to rest, and someone to see to her injuries.”
I kissed her once more, then gave her a smack on the ass to make her squeal. Of all the things I’d done that day, letting go of her was one of the hardest, though I knew she was right. My friends took her arms and helped her into the temple.
“Right,” El-Ensha said, clapping me on the shoulder and failing to hide her amusement, “there’s a lot to do and you’re the man of the moment, Zarkav.”
The injured were being tended to, and the dead respectfully laid aside for burial. That meant the first thing to do was stop the feud between temple and town before someone added to either of those groups.
Now that they knew how the Eldest betrayed us, many of the townsfolk and hunters would not trust the Elders. Even the temple guards felt that way. The priests had abused their loyalty, turned them against their kin, and led them to defeat — all for a lie.
The Elders would need to take care until things calmed down. They were a step away from being cast out of the tribe, or having unfortunate ‘accidents’ if they ventured out alone.
It made the selection of a new Eldest both vital and tricky. Whoever they selected would be an obvious scapegoat, and each Elder regarded the title with the respect due an injured zsinz. Gathered in the temple’s great hall, they passed the question back and forth, no one making a suggestion.
“Someone has to take the job,” I snarled at them. They cowered back and I winced. Everyone looked to me for leadership in the aftermath of our tribe’s brief civil war, and it looked like the balance of power had permanently shifted. For generations, the priesthood had more influence than the hunters.
Maybe it’s time for that to change? I shook my head. Some change was needed, but losing what made us, us… no. The Sky Gods would return soon, and the temple had to be kept ready for their arrival. The traditions must be maintained. Otherwise, what was the purpose of the tribe?
We needed an Eldest, one who would put the tribe and the Sky Gods first. If the Elders were too frightened to pick one, someone else would have to step up.
“That’s fine, but why does it have to be me?” I muttered, too quiet for the Elders to overhear. “I just want to get back to my taru-ma.”
El-Ensha snorted a laugh behind me. Of course, she’d gotten close enough to overhear. I rounded on her.
“It isn’t funny.”
“It is a bit funny,” she said. “You’d laugh if it was me on the spot.”
I grinned and a pale blue spread across her ssav. “I would, wouldn’t I?”
“Oh no,” she said, holding her hands up. “No, no, no, Zarkav, you can’t—“
“I can’t,” I interrupted. “But the Elders can. You’re a priestess, you qualify for the title.”
“I don’t,” El-Ensha protested, backing away. “I’m just an acolyte, I’ve not even finished my training, and I don’t want the job.”
“Perfect! The last Eldest wanted the job and look how that turned out.”
El-Ensha threw her hands up in disgust, but stopped arguing. There really wasn’t a better candidate to hand and she knew it. Nor was there time to search for one — we had to settle this before the rifts in our community became permanent.
“Fine,” she said with bad grace. “I will take up the mantle, ridiculous as it is. If you can convince the Elders to choose me, that is. And don’t think I’ll go easy on you because we’re friends, Zarkav.”
Predictably, the Elders were already casting their votes for her. This would probably be the quickest and most unanimous election in the history of the temple. I clapped her on the shoulder, my ssav showing my amusement.
“Good. You doing me favors would undermine everything. I look forward to many spirited arguments with you, Eldest.”
I turned away, pretending not to hear her mutter as I left. “I’m a quarter-year younger than you, asshole.”
The temple would be well in hand under her, at least. The hunters and warriors outside would need more guidance, and I couldn’t push that off onto someone else. Nor would I trust anyone else with the work — it was my duty as hunt master, and I refused to shirk it. Not even when it kept me from my taru-ma’s side far longer than I wanted.
Dozens wanted to congratulate me, some genuine, some seeking favor. Others had complaints, problems built up while I’d been away. Sometimes the Eldest would step in to arbitrate such matters, but the previous Eldest had let things slide. If this is a new beginning, we must start it right, I told myself, cursing another delay that kept me from Tessa-ma’s side.
Some would call the theft of a fresh-killed gree carcass a petty matter compared to the weighty issues of fate and the Gods. Not me — such small concerns made up everyday life and were no less important than the big issues. Hiding my frustration, I arbitrated between various claimants and if I didn’t send everyone home happy, they at least saw justice done.
My frustration built and built until I started to snap at those who came forward. Finally, after far too long, the crowd dispersed and left me free to make my way back into the temple. An acolyte, trying and failing to hide his fear of me, waited to guide me to the chambers they’d given Tessa-ma.
25
Tessa
The two Zrin who’d brought me to a comfor
table room hung around, shifting and fidgeting. They seemed unsure of what to do, and afraid that if they did the wrong thing Zarkav would tear their arms off. I settled on the bed and groaned in pain, wishing I knew a Zrin word for ‘painkiller.’ Kitty Fantastic mewed, rubbing her head against my arm and then glaring at the acolytes.
One of them got the message, or at least a message. He hurried out of the room and came back with a bowl of something that smelled like flowers and smoke and tasted like nothing at all. It numbed my lips and tongue as soon as I drank it, and the pain in my ankle faded soon after.
“Thish ish great stuff,” I said, grinning at my new friend. Best of all, it didn’t affect my mind. I was, I decided, perfectly lucid as I lay back and looked at the pretty patterns swirling across the ceiling.
At some point, someone came in and looked at my ankle. Did something to it. I didn’t mind, and it didn’t hurt, though the Zrin kept making apologetic noises anyway. Too engrossed in the light show, I just waved off the apologies and drifted in a haze.
When I woke, I felt wonderfully rested and terribly embarrassed. My mouth was dry as a desert, and the pain had almost disappeared. A cup of the painkiller sat on a shelf beside the bed and I looked at it with a shudder.
Whatever that stuff is, it’s dangerous. Thank goodness the pain had faded, I didn’t want to resort to that stuff again unless I had to.
Moving made me wince. Bruises I’d missed, distracted by the agony in my ankle, called for my attention now that pain had faded. None of them hurt too badly; the luck that protects fools had kept me from serious injury.
“Whose stupid idea was this, anyway?” I asked as I pulled myself up to sit. “Climbing all the way to the top of this damned temple and then jumping down? Stupid, stupid idea.”
A smile tugged at my lips. Mine, all mine, and it worked. Didn’t make it a better plan, or a smarter one, but success justifies a lot of things.