She let her cup on its saucer, enjoying the sharp sound it made. “Bottom line is, they want to see who will win this war before choosing a side. Can’t say I blame them.”
“We can take Teo,” Gella said with conviction.
We? Despite herself, a smile flickered on Sol’s lips. “With your help, I’m sure we can.” If she can make David feel needed, I can make her feel indispensable.
“You still want me to train Anthea’s army?” Gella continued.
“Scorpio made you a Major. I’ll make you a Colonel.”
A lopsided smile appeared on Gella’s face. She tried to contain it, but it popped again a moment later. It disappeared abruptly as a shadow covered her face. “What about Ephia?”
Sol took another sip, to hide her surprise. Surely Gella could handle the men under her command? “You want me to talk to your soldiers?”
Gella jolted, as if slapped. “That’s not what I meant. I meant if that’d be a problem with you.”
“Me?” Another sip, this time from an empty cup, served to hide a chuckle. Not everyone would appreciate the Butcher of Ephia becoming a Colonel, but Sol had not become ruler of Anthea by playing by the rules. “You’re the best for the job. That’s all I care about.”
“Thank you,” Gella said, and the smile returned to her lips.
Sol turned her attention to David. “How about you?”
“I still have to go east.” He seemed to study his weathered, leather boots, a heartbroken look on his face.
For a moment, Sol pitied the strange young man; too young for the responsibilities he shouldered. Aren’t we all, of course. She leaned towards him. “Why not stay?”
He bit his upper lip. “When I left Malekshei, I made a mistake. Now, I have to fix it.” He glanced at Gella. “But I’m coming back. I promise.”
Gella looked uncomfortable, but said nothing. His words confirmed what Sol already suspected. She placed the cup back on the table. “You’re still going to find your First friends, then?”
He leaned forward, knitting his fingers together. “I have to.” His gaze seemed to study the tassels on the carpet’s edge. “Are you still willing to help?”
“I always keep my word. You’ll have one hundred men and two ships by tomorrow.” She stood to show that the meeting was over. She was anxious to share the news with Satori. With Gella’s intimate knowledge of the Capital’s army and techniques, the odds had improved considerably. However, she doubted this would be the first thing on Satori’s mind.
The Marshes
Cyrus
“What’s he doing here?”
Lehmor’s voice snapped Cyrus back to reality. His mind shut off every now and then, filled with blank thoughts. The experience was not unlike sleeping, only his body was awake. We’ve reached the Old Woman!
His eyes took in a group of people approaching them. He recognized Rivka and Lehmor, then his eyes popped open. He did not know what was stranger: that Lehmor had two arms, or that Sam and Tie were among the First? And where is Moirah? He felt a pang of guilt at her memory, but also a stirring in his trousers at the thought of her. This only reinforced the guilt, turning his face crimson.
“Head Priestess! It’s good to see you again,” Mellis shouted and dismounted with a loud groan.
“Mellis?” Tie opened her arms and rubbed the top of his white head while he was lost in her embrace. “Good to see you, old friend. And I see you’ve brought company.” She eyed Cyrus and Angel, curiosity lighting up her eyes. “No less than a Prince and a Princess. Your taste in friends sure has changed.”
Cyrus lowered his eyes to examine the reins in his hands. “Head Priestess—”
“No longer my title, son. The name’s Tie.” If she felt resentment, it did not show in her calm face.
“Tie,” he said, still examining the dark leather coiled around his fingers. “I owe you an apology.”
“Angel!” Sam cried out before Tie had a chance to respond. Angel jumped off her horse and grimaced with pain as she landed harder than expected. Sam took her in his arms, a worried look on his face.
“I’m fine,” she said and he crushed her in his arms with the urgency of a starved man offered a meal. She squealed in delight, then tore herself from his arms and placed a hand around his neck, drawing him close to her. They kissed with a passion that made Cyrus turn his face away. So much was happening around him, that he felt overwhelmed. His stomach sank and his head swam. He started to slide off the saddle, then a strong hand steadied him.
“Easy there, lad,” Xhi said and helped him dismount. Since his wife ran away, his mood had been swaying from angry to mournful. Cyrus leaned on him to cross the throng of people, grateful that his current mood was pensive. “He needs help,” the gruff jailor announced and eased Cyrus down, his back resting against the cave.
The Old Woman hurried to his side. She looked smaller than Cyrus remembered. Frailer. Then again, that is how he felt himself, too. She placed a hand under his chin and raised his head, to gaze into his eyes. His soul opened up under her gaze, as if he were examining himself from the outside; as if he were staring at his own essence through her eyes. A thousand cracks and wounds gaped on the ethereal version of him. One caught his eye, a yawning wound with darkened edges, larger than any of the others. His father’s death replayed in his mind the moment he laid his eyes on it. An excruciating pain shot through his heart, as if the organ itself was torn up from the inside, sending a poisoned shrapnel of flesh to circulate in his body, tainting everything it touched with despair and searing agony. He bit his lip to stop from crying out, tears welling in his eyes.
“This is where the Whispers enter,” he heard the Old Woman’s voice say from afar, then the world turned black.
Anthea
Gella
Gella stretched a long leg over David’s naked body, to straddle him. “Ready for round two?” she whispered in his ear. She giggled when she felt his answer and bit his ear.
Several hours later, dawn found them entwined, sleeping in each other’s arms. Soft light snuck through the cloth-covered window and woke her up. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, stifling a yawn. David let out a soft sigh as she pushed his arm away to get out of bed. Her toes sank into a linen shirt, part of the pile of clothes scattered around the room. She jerked her leg up and grabbed the shirt, then draped it over her shoulder. With a sniff, she took in David’s smell, musky and nutty, and a naughty smile crept on her face. She grimaced at the chafing between her legs and fought the urge to crawl back to bed, heading for a shower instead. She had always loved showers, and was ecstatic to find one in the room Sol had provided for her.
When she came out again, rubbing a towel against her moist skin, she felt refreshed, alive. She jumped back into bed, waking up David. “Morning, sleepyhead,” she teased him and traced his chest with her fingers.
He muttered something and shut his eyes again. She stared at him, enjoying the way his unkempt hair spread on the pillow. His puffy eyes betrayed how little sleep they had gotten last night as he pried them open again. “Did you know our ancestors drank coffee every morning?”
She frowned. It was one of the things she had started loving about him; the incredible nuggets of information and the strange tangents his mind took. Realizing he would leave shortly, she pushed the thought from her mind. Seize the moment! She planted a peck on his cheek. “Don’t you mean tea?”
“No, that’s the thing. Everyone drank coffee back then.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “And tea?”
“Many did,” he agreed. “But coffee was just as popular.”
“What did it taste like?”
“Bitter. But it would wake you up. It offered stamina.”
“Stamina, huh?” She straddled him once again, laughing. “In that case, where can we find some?”
Half an hour later, he stumbled to the bathroom. “Way better than coffee,” he shouted before closing the door behind him.
She laid her head on he
r arms. Despite herself, she was falling for him. Only he was leaving, and they would probably never meet again. The soldier in her considered David’s plan. He would land in the North, to avoid any run-ins with the Capital. Although she knew that Jonia could no longer be trusted, she had suggested they use Satori’s connections to move unnoticed. Sol and David had insisted it was too dangerous, but they had not been the ones to see the burned caravans and the bodies littering the Northern forests.
As for Satori… She let out a sigh at the thought of meeting her again after all this time. It would be a stressful day, with Satori introducing her to the troops. They would not see Gella the Colonel, but The Butcher of Ephia. How could she win their trust?
David emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. He was not particularly tall, nor was his body perfect or chiselled. His skin carried more than its share of faded bruises and scars, and he lacked Parad’s broad shoulders and upright posture, that made him look taller. And yet, she found David just as sexy. She patted the bed next to her, and he laughed.
“Much as I’d love to, I think we need to get a move on. When are you meeting Satori?”
“About the same time that you’re meeting Sol,” she said, all thoughts of a few last moments of bliss evaporating from her mind. “Are you leaving straight afterwards?”
He gave her a crooked half-smile. “You know I am. Are my charms finally breaking down your defences?”
She threw a pillow at him, which he grabbed mid-air and pushed aside. He landed on the bed, still laughing. “Admit it. You like me.”
“Of course I do,” she said without hesitation. “You’re sweet and brave and funny.”
He plonked his head on the pillow, next to hers. “You forgot sexy.”
She smiled; the many bite marks and scratches visible on his body betrayed the truth of his words. She did find him sexy. Then, her smile evaporated, like morning mist. “And you’re leaving in a few hours.”
He turned to face her, propping his head up with his hand to look at her. “I’m coming back as soon as I can.”
“David, I—”
He placed a finger on her lips. “I’m coming back,” he repeated. “I promise.”
Anger flushed her cheeks. “Yes, but as what? A ball of light or a man?” She regretted her words the moment they left her mouth, but did not stop. “I need a man, David. A real man. One who will make love to me, who will be there when I need him.”
He stared at her, waiting for her to regain her calm. “I get it,” he said in the end. “You’ve lost too much. First Scorpio, then Parad left you. Now you run from the Capital. It must be awful.”
Instead of calming her, his words reignited the fire in her. “Don’t you dare pretend to know how I feel. What I’ve lost or not is none of your business.”
She shifted her weight off the bed, planting her feet on the wooden floor. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “You’re wrong,” he said, staring into her eyes. “It is my business. I love you.”
“How can you love me?” she cried out in exasperation. “You barely know me. All you want is to fill the void that Voice of yours left.” Once again, she wished she would think before speaking, but it was too late. She was never one for mincing her words, the soldier in her preferring action to diplomacy. Unlike Parad, she thought and her mood soured further. He would know what to do. A pang of guilt shot through her heart looking at David’s gobsmacked face. “I’m sorry, David, but it’s the truth. You keep mentioning the void inside you. I can’t fill it. No one can.”
She took his hand to console him, but he pulled it away. “Is that what you really think? That I’m hung up on a ball of light – as you put it?” His eyes betrayed his distress. “I’ve never met anyone like you. You’re the bravest woman I know. You never give up, damn the consequences. That’s why you always end up in trouble. You’re noble and you’re kind, and I want to be with you.” He ran his fingers through his wet hair. “The Voice was the best thing that’s happened to me. I loved her. Him. Whatever. But you’ve shown me what it means to be with a real person. You’re not perfect, and neither am I, and that’s what makes this, us, so damn perfect. Does that make any sense?”
She fought the tears in her eyes and nodded, smiling with trembling lips that sought his. The fire of anger transformed into one of passion as she ran her fingers on his back. When he started kissing her neck, she decided Satori could wait. It was time to leave a few more scratches on his skin. To mark him as hers, so that not even death would dare take him away.
The Marshes
Angel
“I’ve missed you so much,” Sam said. She snuggled herself in his embrace. He pressed her close to his body. Even the sharp pain that shot through her arm could not ruin the moment. She closed her eyes and inhaled his smell. How could she have so much love in her heart for one man? Seeing him, weaving her arms around him, made her happier than she had been in a long time. Happier than she imagined she could ever be.
With a gentle hand, she pushed him away to press her lips on his. She drank in his breath with the urgency of a parched man in the desert finding an oasis. After a minute, she gasped for breath, then attacked his tongue with hers again. He tasted like honeyed wine: sweet and intoxicating. Her whole body was on fire, trembling with desire. She had never felt this way, but knew she wanted more than just his kiss. More than anything, she wanted to share with him. Her life, her body, her soul. Her everything.
She felt something hard rub on her leg, and realized, shocked, that he felt the same. Memories of late night talks with Sophie sprung into her head. Talks of men and women and what they really did when in love. Her head spinning, she became slowly aware of a tugging on her shirt and glanced down to see Cook’s big eyes staring at her.
She pushed Sam away again, wiping her mouth with thirsty fingers to drink in the last remains of their kiss. “Yes, honey? What is it?” Her voice came out rasping, out of breath.
“Who’s this?” Cook said, throwing a suspicious look at Sam, who had shoved his hands into his trousers, pushing his pockets out. Angel stifled a giggle at the embarrassed expression on his crimson face.
“This is Sam,” she said, kneeling next to Cook. “He’s a friend. Say hi!”
“Hi, Sam,” Cook said and ran off to whisper something in Elsie’s ear. They giggled uncontrollably, then Elsie whispered something back and they ran away, chuckling. Angel could have sworn they were singing in their sing-song voices something about her, but they were too far away to know what.
She flashed an embarrassed smile at Sam. “I’m sorry about that.”
He seemed no less uncomfortable. “It’s fine, it’s… ah… it was just so good to see you.”
Her eye caught Xhi and the Old Woman carrying Cyrus into a cave. “Hey, what’s going on? Where are they taking him?”
“Angel,” Sam started, but she ignored him to run after Xhi.
“What happened?”
“You must be Angel,” the old woman who had her arms around Cyrus’s shoulder said. She looked frail, but the way she carried Cyrus betrayed more strength that her appearance suggested.
“Are you…” Angel wondered if Old Woman sounded somehow offensive.
“My children call me Old Woman. It’s an affectionate term.” She grunted, although Angel could have sworn this was more theatrical than real. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, your brother needs my attention.”
“Is he…” Angel started, then realized she did not know how to phrase her fears.
“He’s going to be fine,” the Old Woman said. “Why don’t you rest and catch up with your friend?”
Their eyes locked, and a warm feeling washed over Angel. She felt protected, safe. She nodded her gratitude and watched them carry Cyrus inside the cave. Sam placed his arms around her, and she squirmed to protect her injury before leaning against his warm body, raising a hand to clasp his. Yes, everything will be fine. I’m with Sam now.
The Capital
Paul
Teo took a measured sip before placing the goblet on the table. “So, we have a deal?”
Paul measured him with his eyes, ignoring the chilly air on the veranda. He could never be sure with Teo, but the man seemed to be telling the truth. Besides, it made sense that Satori would go to Anthea. A wave of relief crashed over him; Sol was the one person he trusted to keep his daughter safe. From his new position, he could approach her, maybe even convince her to come back to him. His mind raced, weighing pros against cons. The thought of escaping his prison after the long summer excited him. The possibility of revenge, even more so. As for cons… He would have to watch his back, but that was true everywhere. He flashed a grin and raised his goblet to a toast. “Deal.”
Teo beamed him a satisfied smile. “Your new title will be Head Judge.”
Paul shot him a surprised look, almost choking. He wiped his mouth with his fingers. What was Teo playing at? “Judge? That’s your title.”
“Not anymore. I’ve given your words some serious thought, and it’s time we separated the two. A Head Judge will answer only to the Regent, but be otherwise free to do as he wishes.” Teo leaned forward on his chair, to bring his face inches from Paul’s. “I know you hate me for what I’ve done.” Paul mumbled a protest, but Teo interrupted him. “What I’m offering you here is a position far greater than anything you could have in Jonia. Once I bring the East into the fold, you’ll be the second most powerful man on the planet.” His eyes met Paul’s. “Isn’t that worth more than a stupid rebellion?”
Paul’s head spun. Teo had always been persuasive, but this time he was making an excellent point, despite his typically offensive tone. The offer was more than Paul could hope for. Number two in a large pond was better in many ways than number one in a small one. And if the Capital did conquer the Democracies, this pond would be as big as the whole planet. His breath caught in his throat. Hell, someday he might even forgive Teo for everything he put him through.
Pearseus Bundle: The Complete Pearseus Sci-fi/Fantasy Series Page 72