Battle for Tristaine

by Cate Culpepper

  Dana was more unnerved by the war cries and the viciousness of the fighting than she allowed her face to reveal. The mercenaries under her command paced the perimeter of the field tensely, their rifles ready. She frowned. This was not the time for men with guns to get dicey nerves.

  Dana was distracted by the sight of Theryn’s bay horse, loping riderless through the stadium gates toward the stables. Through the unbelievable racket of the battle, she watched Theryn emerge from the door to the review stand and seat herself next to Caster. The beautiful Amazon with the strange eyes named Grythe was with her.

  Watching the expressions of the other two women in the stand, Tristaine’s queen and that profane young redhead, Kyla, Dana felt an unexpected twinge of sympathy through her chest.

  Brenna finished off her opponent with a well-placed punch that left her gasping in the dirt, then looked around wildly for Jess. She found her grappling skillfully with Patana. To her great relief, despite the lingering effects of the taser, Jess was holding her own.

  Brenna scanned the chaotic field. Myrine fought Vicar, and Hakan battled Perry, the big Amazon who had clashed with Elodia. Hakan executed a dazzling flip, kicking the other warrior off her feet. A scattering of lesser-skilled women from Theryn’s group ran from pairing to pairing.

  Up in the review stand, Caster was watching the action avidly, her chin resting on her folded hands. The bruise beneath her eye was more evident against the excitement that tinged her cheeks.

  Brenna gasped as two more of Theryn’s fighters headed for Jess. She knew her lover was fully engaged countering Patana’s brutal strikes and couldn’t possibly see them. Hitting low and hard in a flying tackle, Camryn cut one of Jess’s attackers short. With effort, Brenna took out the other.

  The battle seemed to go on for hours. Brenna fought carefully, helping Camryn keep a series of random assailants off Jess. Ordinarily a miracle of stamina, Jess was tiring, her body running with sweat despite the morning chill. Brenna reacted instantly to Cam’s every shouted instruction, and, finally, bouts began to stumble to a halt across the arena.

  “And that’s a cut!” Caster gave the railing an exuberant slap. “Ladies, that was utterly magnificent!”

  Patana straightened, glaring at Jess with muddy hate. “Stand down,” she gasped to her warriors.

  “S-stand down,” Myrine echoed her. Vicar eased out of her fighting stance and stepped back.

  Brenna went immediately to Jess. When Camryn joined them, Jess put a hand on Cam’s shoulder and leaned hard.

  “Check,” Jess ordered, panting.

  “No serious injuries, Jesstin.” Cam steadied her.

  “Tell Shann.”

  Camryn lifted a hand toward the review stand and twirled her fingers in a complex motion Brenna couldn’t follow.

  Theryn’s voice rang commandingly from the review stand. “Amazons, rest!”

  “What she said,” Jess managed, and then her legs folded abruptly. They guided her to the ground.

  “Hey! Cam, is she all right?”

  Brenna saw Myrine across the field. The long scar on her face was livid, and she was still breathing hard.

  Vicar intercepted Myrine as she started to walk toward Jess and jammed her muscular forearm against her chest. “Go back to your new queen, Amazon.” The venom in her old friend’s voice froze Myrine where she stood. She turned and went back to join Theryn’s warriors.

  Jess was fully conscious, but more spent than Brenna had ever seen her. She sat with her head lowered, her soaked sides heaving as she pulled in breath. Brenna knelt beside her and went through the motions of checking her pulse and respiration.

  “There will be a two-hour truce between battles!” Theryn raised her voice to be heard over the harsh breathing of the Amazons below. “Jesstin, your warriors will all be fed. Sisters, if any among you are injured, just signal Dana and you’ll receive aid!”

  “I stopped listening after she mentioned food,” Jess muttered, her eyes still closed.

  “It’s all right. I’ll catch you up when you’ve rested.” Brenna didn’t like how long it was taking Jess to catch her breath. “Just sit still for a while, Jesstin. Camryn’s getting everyone sorted out.”

  “Yes’m.”

  Dana felt as tired as the Amazons looked. Just watching such acrobatic fighting had exhausted her. She ducked quickly into the small stable beneath the arena and brought out as many Army blankets as she could carry.

  She tossed a few to one of the soldiers who had been filming the fight, and he frowned. “What am I supposed to do with these?”

  “They’ve been sweating for hours in this cold, you cretin,” Dana snapped at him. “Pass these out. Then we need to get some coffee and decent chow in here. Move!”

  “Miss Dana?” Caster called from the stand. “Your immediate responsibility is to bring me the footage of this morning’s efforts! I plan to keep my new films warm and safe in my quaint little cabin unit. Then you can escort Her Highness, here, back to her tribal chieftains.”

  Dana ground her teeth and handed off her armload of blankets to another female soldier. “Pass these out.”

  “Hey, Dane?” The uniformed woman grinned at her. “That was the most beautiful damn fighting I’ve ever seen. Can we learn that?”

  Dana stared at her, incredulous. “Sure, Landolt, I’ll set up weekly drills, us against them.” She grumbled on toward the next camera, picking her way cautiously between the Amazons sprawled on the field.

  Jess had recovered enough to speak, and Brenna brushed her hair back so she could see her eyes.

  “Brenna.” Jess took her hand and held it tightly. “Caster has all the reason in the world to lie about Samantha.”

  “She’s right,” said Camryn, handing Brenna a canteen. “That bitch would lie about anything, Brenna, and she told you right before Theryn’s goons—” She glanced quickly at Jess. “Before Theryn’s warriors jumped us,” she amended, “just to shake you up.”

  “That’s true, she did.” Brenna bathed Jess’s face with a wet cloth. She was quiet for a moment. “I guess I don’t have any choice but to assume Caster’s lying, for now. Because if Sammy’s dead, I’ll go nuts, and I simply don’t have time today.”

  “Bren—”

  “It’s all right, Jesstin.” Brenna kept her gaze on her hands, washing the dirt from Jess’s face. “There’s no way I can find out if Samantha’s alive, at least not right now. Maybe I’ll never know. That’s the way it is. But I can help us fight Caster today. I can do that much for Sammy, so that’s what I’m going to do.”

  Brenna wrung out the cloth and poured fresh water from the canteen over it again. She looked at Camryn and frowned. “Come here. Is that a broken nose or a bump?”

  “It’s probably a zit.” Camryn felt her nose glumly and shrugged. “Not broken.”

  Quiet settled over the cold arena as the weak sun centered itself overhead. The review stand was empty, and Theryn’s warriors had all limped out of the stadium. Brenna looked for Dana, but she wasn’t among the soldiers guarding Jess’s Amazons.

  “You fought well today, Cam.” Jess appraised her. “You’re faster than I was at your age.”

  “When boars fly,” Camryn snorted.

  “It’s only the truth.” Jess lifted her arm, wincing, and laid it across Brenna’s slumped shoulders. “How’s my lady?”

  “Tired, scared, worried.” Brenna considered a moment. “Hungry.”

  “I will go make you a tasty pig sandwich.”

  Brenna smiled in spite of her fatigue and allowed herself to rest against Jess.

  *

  Dana was fascinated by the fine carpentry of the footbridge that spanned Tristaine’s swift river. She bounced experimentally to test the wood, and the red-haired Amazon turned back and threw her another evil scowl. The girl was gorgeous, but she seemed to carry an endless supply of frowns, for Dana at least.

  The woman named Shann walked on, and Dana skipped a step to catch up to her prisoners, cursing hers
elf for the lapse.

  Tantalizing smells beckoned from the mess hall. Dana wasn’t sure what Amazons called the lodge where they prepared meals. The women of Tristaine’s council were cooking for their captive warriors. Dana’s mouth watered. City food offered nothing like these alluring aromas.

  She almost walked smack into the queen of the Amazons. Shann stood regarding her with curious gray eyes, and she seemed unimpressed by the swift rise of Dana’s rifle. She gave a slow, mannered blink, as if too polite to comment.

  “She’s the one who tasered Jesstin, lady.” Kyla waited at the base of the stairs leading up to the mess hall. “Her name is Dung.”

  “The name is Dana,” Dana corrected sharply. She gestured toward the mess with her rifle. “Move on, Amazon.”

  “The name is Shann,” Shann corrected. “Kyla? Wait for me inside.”

  To Dana’s surprise, the insolent redhead turned and started up the stairs. She wouldn’t have thought Kyla capable of simple obedience. Dana flushed. Prisoners should not be giving orders. She glared at Shann.

  “Let’s move on, ma’am.”

  “No, I need to speak with you a moment. Shoot me, if you feel you must.” Shann began rummaging in the soft folds of her patched robes, a task made awkward by her tied hands. She withdrew a small, tattered spiral notebook. “Take this, and give it to the blond healer called Brenna.” She held it out to Dana, who looked at it warily.

  “I’m not taking that anywhere.” Dana swallowed and brought her voice down out of its highest register. “You shouldn’t even have it, whatever it is. Weren’t you searched?”

  “Dana, take this to Brenna. It’s important. Tell her she must bring her entries up to date.”

  Dana was unable to describe the tone of Shann’s voice, because she’d never heard anything like it. Her authority felt nothing like Caster’s sinister coercion or Theryn’s grandiosity. This woman wore a cloak of calm command as natural as a second skin.

  “You should give that thing to the redhead to give to Brenna. You know she’ll be returned to the stable tonight.” Dana stared at Shann, curious in spite of herself. “What makes you think I wouldn’t take that notebook and your message straight to Theryn? Or Caster herself?”

  “Well…” Shann studied her with those adroit eyes. “I knew within five minutes of meeting Theryn that she was highly intelligent and highly ambitious. Within three minutes, I knew your Caster had no soul. I’ve watched you for six hours today. And it’s important that you take this to Brenna, Dana. I’m asking you to trust me.”

  So Dana took the notebook.

  “Thank you.” Shann turned and went into the mess hall, and Dana watched her go. Then she looked around and slid the notebook deep into the pocket of her jacket.

  *

  “It’s a lovely day for a battle!” Caster stepped to the railing and beamed down at Theryn’s warriors. “We’re ready for round two, Amazons!”

  Jess’s gaze locked on Myrine as she helped Patana pass out a variety of hand weapons to their line of fighters. Brenna heard an angry rumbling in their ranks, and Jess turned and signaled. Her warriors moved in closer.

  “We see what’s happening.” Jess’s alto was calm. We’ll be fighting open-handed against armed opponents. We may not get a choice of targets, but you all know your strengths. If you can, match yourself against the weapon you know best.”

  “Wait a minute.” Brenna touched Jess’s arm. “They have weapons, we don’t?”

  “Right.” Jess nodded.

  “There’s nothing in Tristaine’s laws about not bullying other Amazons by killing them?” Brenna folded her arms against both cold and fear. “Shouldn’t we protest this?”

  “No, Bren. You’re right, this is unfair, and it’s dangerous as hell. But it would weaken our stance to complain, and it would be futile.” Jess searched Brenna’s face. “This is how Caster wants it. Theryn’s willing to go along with it. Clear?”

  “Unfortunately.” Brenna swallowed.

  “Patana’s fighters aren’t as skilled as we are.” Jess raised her voice and addressed them all. “That might make them damned deadly, even if they don’t mean to hurt us. Understood?”

  “We hear, Jess,” Hakan said from the rear of the pack.

  Jess nodded. “Camryn, instructions?”

  “Uh, watch me and Jess. Remember our purpose. Don’t take foolish chances. Take any weapon you can and use it to restrain and confine your opponent. And fight without harm. Brenna, that means defend yourself and try to disarm your target, but don’t injure—”

  “She knows,” Jess said. It was how Jess had fought in the Clinic. “They’re not using anything lethal. No crossbows or daggers. Mostly clubs. If we’re careful, we can fight without harm.”

  “Artemis, shield your daughters,” Camryn finished, and Brenna heard the phrase repeated softly in at least three different languages.

  Jess signaled again, that subtle twirling of fingers that Brenna kept forgetting to ask about. Shann’s warriors turned to face Theryn’s line.

  “Miss Dana, check our cameras, please.” Caster primped before opening the afternoon session. She cleared her throat and carefully patted her styled coif in place.

  Shann and Kyla, seated again at the other end of the review stand, knew well enough the increased dangers of this second battle. Kyla looked pale, and Shann’s remote features couldn’t conceal her tension.

  “Amazons!” Theryn rose, and Brenna realized for the first time that Grythe was seated beside her in the stand, clothed in finery. Theryn patted Grythe’s shoulder, then joined Caster at the railing.

  “The terms of our truce with the City are almost fulfilled. We have two more battles to film. One begins now, and the last will be staged tomorrow. Then our guests will return to the City, and our adanin can return from the southern meadows!”

  A cheer rose from Theryn’s followers, but a ragged one. Brenna noted that most of the women facing them still looked weary from the morning’s strenuous bout. But the weak afternoon sun glinted off their weapons, and Brenna found her sympathy for them was limited.

  Theryn extended her hand over those assembled on the fighting field. “Amazons! Fight with no harm!”

  “Roll ‘em!” Caster snapped her fingers at Dana.

  “Space yourselves,” Jess called.

  A hissing breath escaped Brenna as they moved apart and the battle began, and any sense of time fled along with it. The afternoon became a frightening series of slides that flickered through her mind in rapid succession.

  The Amazon named Perry whirled long strips of a rawhide sling over her head and released a stone from its leather cup that flew halfway across the arena where it clipped Vicar’s thigh. She staggered, and Brenna ran for her.

  Vicar kept her footing, but her handsome face contorted with pain. She recovered quickly, whirled, and raced toward Perry, so Brenna veered off. And promptly dropped flat on her butt. A staff whizzed through the space formerly occupied by Brenna’s head, fast and hard enough to do real damage.

  She dodged the warrior wielding it by crawling between her spread legs, then rolled free. She didn’t mind clownish acrobatics if it saved her a concussion. She took out her clumsy opponent with one neat flip.

  After an hour of constant battle, Brenna began to tire, and from the sound of the grunts of effort that rose around her, she wasn’t alone. She scanned the chaotic arena for Jess and found her. Brenna scuttled like a crab across the fighting field. It wasn’t dignified, but it got her to her lover’s side in one piece.

  Jess was finishing a match against a woman who swung escrima sticks—two trim hardwood clubs. Jess swept her feet out from under her with a spinning kick; then she almost collapsed herself. Brenna darted to her feet and steadied her quickly.

  “How are—?” It was all Brenna could get out, before pulling for lungfuls of thin mountain air. She didn’t see how Jess stayed erect. The high planes of her face were the color of old linen.

  “Pace yourself, Bren.” Je
ss straightened with effort. “Stay close to me.”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  J’heika, rise.

  Brenna went still and scanned the dusty field of battling Amazons. Their hoarse war cries faded for a moment and then returned at full eerie volume.

  She saw that the lenses of the three cameras filming the war game moved continuously in and out, as close-ups gave way to panned shots. The thirty women who fought in the arena had settled into grim matches that were bound to end more quickly than they had this morning. Weapons and fatigue shortened fights—and increased risk—but kept the action going.

  Camryn battled with the small warrior who had attacked Brenna earlier, an uneven match. Cam fought close beside Jess, listening to her instructions and helping watch her back. Jess had just kicked a longknife out of the hand of her new opponent.

  At the other end of the arena, Vicar grappled with Perry, both of them snarling, a sound that chilled Brenna. She saw Hakan take a nasty clout to the temple from Myrine’s staff, but made herself focus on fighting.

  The war cries grew more discordant in Brenna’s mind, and for the first time since the battle began, she felt real fear. A swirl of white caught the corner of her vision, and she turned to the review stand. Shann stood at the railing.

  Shann’s tied hands were clasped on the rail, her eyes narrowed and intent on Brenna’s face. She lifted one hand and made a twirling motion with her fingers.

  What’s happening, Blades?

  The words reached Brenna clearly, and for a moment, she was so stunned at hearing the question she didn’t immediately realize she didn’t know the answer. She knew that her heart was racing, that she was afraid, and that was it. She lifted her hands to Shann in confusion and appeal.

  Then Brenna looked across the arena and saw Patana raise a crossbow to her shoulder. The bald warrior took careful aim and smiled. Brenna saw the crossbow bolt and then tracked its intended path. She started to run.

  “Jesstin!” A voice rang out across the arena.

  It was Shann who called Jess’s name, not Brenna. She, too, had finally seen Patana’s forbidden crossbow. Out of the corner of her eye, Brenna saw a skirmish in the review stand as the guards there reacted to Shann’s unexpected agitation. She ran on.