Rouden pointed to the hoverskip. “We’re going in that.”
Ingus’s mouth opened. Rouden thought his brother’s eyes would bug out if they could.
“Rouden, we’re really getting into that thing?” Ingus took a couple of steps in the direction of the hoverskip and stopped. He glanced at the Matriarch.
She said, “Come with us, young man. You can get the answers to many of your questions if you do. We won’t hurt you.”
Rouden was pleased when his brother nodded, although Ingus still looked reluctant. The Matriarch led them back into the hoverskip. The pilot got them in the air shortly after they’d settled down in their seats. As the machine took off, Rouden was astonished at the turn his life had taken. When he had left the harem, he’d vowed never to have anything to do with any Thasali ever again, except to see them run out of Tanshar. Now, he was flying—flying!—through the air in a wondrous machine with two members of the Thasali royal household, one of them being the Matriarch. Amyar grabbed his hand and squeezed.
And he was in love with a Thasali.
“I know this is a very serious thing,” Amyar said in a low voice while leaning close Rouden, “but this is really exciting, too.”
Rouden saw the glee in Amyar’s smile and eyes, and he couldn’t help but be dazzled by him. There was something so wonderfully naive and sheltered about him. He squeezed Amyar’s hand in return, not caring at this moment about the choices they’d have to make if and when they managed to thwart Eppon and Timendum’s plans. He didn’t know where they would be able to build their life together, but he wanted it enough to figure out how when the time was right.
Chapter Seventeen
Captured
Rouden didn’t like this, skulking around in the forests of his homeland like he was the enemy. He also wasn’t comfortable being so close to the Matriarch. He didn’t trust her. And he couldn’t believe he was a harem boy again, even temporarily.
The hoverskip had dropped them where they couldn’t be seen, and they made their way through the forest to the perimeter of the compound in the late afternoon as one of the two suns began to set. The second sun would set a little later. They came to a stop in a stand of trees at the edge of the compound, which was surrounded by a flat expanse of grass. Midway between the woods and the compound itself was a stone wall with security towers at each corner. The one that surmounted the front gate was much larger than the others and designed to intimidate and project the power of the royals.
Keeping his voice low, Amyar said, “I have an idea. Mother, can you play the part of a poor Tansharian woman for just a little bit longer?”
The Matriarch smiled with a mischievous glint in her eye. “I can, my son.”
“Good.” Amyar turned to Rouden and Ingus. “I’ll lead us out of here and into there.”
“Are you crazy?” Ingus sounded baffled. “They’ll bring down the whole army on us the moment we’re spotted. We’ll be lucky if we don’t get killed on the spot.”
“Eppon may have been able to persuade some officers and soldiers to his cause, but not all,” the Matriarch said.
“You’ve got your army on the way here, don’t you?” Rouden said.
She nodded.
Amyar pulled his royal ring from one of his pockets and put it on the third finger of his right hand. Just putting the ring on seemed to change Amyar’s bearing. His royal patina had been returning since they had first broken into the Matriarch’s summer home. Now it had become so all-encompassing that whatever bit of Tanshar was left of his clothing or inside his heart seemed swallowed up. Something about that piece jewelry imbued Amyar with an air of authority and sense of privilege that Rouden found both alluring and disturbing.
“All right. Follow me,” Amyar whispered. He stepped out from the stand of trees and began walking. His walk was steady and self-assured.
Rouden nodded at Ingus, who still looked skeptical but followed his brother out from the trees nonetheless.
The Matriarch’s performance as an old Tansharian woman wasn’t bad, if Rouden were honest. She bent over a bit and affected a shaky walk. To give the performance more authenticity, Rouden and Ingus gave her assistance. Ingus clenched his jaw in consternation. Rouden knew that his brother never dreamed that this was the situation in which he’d find himself. The group almost immediately attracted attention from the tower. A voice boomed out, telling them to stop where they were or they’d be shot. Amyar didn’t flinch. There wasn’t a gate on this side of the compound, but there was a door, the same burnished brown color of the compound, its edges flush with the wall around it. The door opened. Several soldiers spilled out and trotted toward them, their weapons at the ready.
“Look at the one bringing up the rear,” Ingus whispered to Rouden.
A man walked behind the initial group of Thasali troops. He was in uniform, but it was clear from his multi-colored badges and gold buttons that he was no mere soldier. His gait made it look like he was out for a walk in the park, but the set of his jaw and the determination in his eyes indicated that he took this breach of security seriously.
The soldiers surrounded the little group and pointed their swords at them.
Amyar put up his hands. “I am your prince, Amyar. I wear the royal ring. It is genuine.” The gem glinted with a light that seemed to come from within.
“Move aside, gentlemen,” said the man at the rear of the Thasali soldiers.
The man walked through the ring of soldiers until he stood arm’s length from Amyar. He looked him up and down.
“What’s this I hear about a royal ring?” The officer’s eyes widened a bit, in surprise Rouden thought, when he saw Amyar. The prince held his hand out, but pulled it back when the man tried to touch it.
The officer bowed. “Your Highness. Where have you been? And who are these people? You’re not their prisoner?”
“All you need to know is that I am unharmed. These Tansharians helped me. They probably won’t be welcomed back to their homes any time soon. They are to be treated well. Where is General Eppon? Take me to him. Now.”
Rouden was truly seeing a royal side of Amyar that he hadn’t seen recently and had forgotten about. He spoke with the voice of an entitled royal. Rouden wasn’t sure he liked it, but he hoped it would keep them safe and get them what they wanted.
The officer looked indecisive. Rouden could almost feel the distaste the officer had for him, his brother, and the Matriarch, who had so far fooled the soldiers and this officer into believing that she was an old Tansharian peasant.
“Something wrong, lieutenant?” Amyar demanded.
Rouden heard great confidence in Amyar’s voice. He glanced at the Matriarch, who was smiling a little. He wondered what she thought of Amyar’s performance. The soldiers huddled with the officer briefly. Rouden heard them murmuring.
“You don’t want my mother to hear about your failure to follow an order, do you?”
The officer bowed again. “No, Your Highness. Follow me, Your Highness.” He led the little contingent with Amyar striding close behind him.
Rouden felt the Thasali soldiers uncomfortably close to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the grim set of his brother’s face. He willed Ingus not to do something stupid. Usually, his brother was level-headed, but with him being so close to Thasali royals and military, anything could happen. Rouden himself wasn’t sure how to make sense of it either. He was just hoping he and his brother survived their coming encounter with General Eppon.
Chapter Eighteen
Finding the traitors
If he’d never learned of Eppon’s duplicity, Amyar would have felt relieved to be back within the walls of the Thasali compound. Waiting in the corridor outside an office, the prince no longer felt safe here.
The nearby soldiers seemed indifferent. A couple of them shot him doubtful looks. One thing he’d learned from Eppon was that soldiers gossiped. Amyar wondered what the scuttlebutt was on him. Was he thought of as weak because he was kidnapped or st
rong because he had escaped? What would they think of the full story?
He glanced at Rouden, who gave him a small, reassuring smile before composing his features again into a blank mask that gave nothing away. Ingus looked angry. His mother looked like she was having fun. He felt some pressure on his arm. He looked down and saw his mother’s hand. Her nails were dirty from their journey, probably a first for her in a very long time.
“You! Old woman!” One of the soldiers prodded the Matriarch. “Don’t touch the prince!”
Amyar saw her bristle but hold back. She knew that soldier would regret that eventually but not now. They had a plan to implement.
Amyar stepped closer to the soldier, putting himself in between the soldier and his mother. “There’s no need for that. She means me no harm.”
The soldier gave Amyar a mirthless smile. “Of course, Your Highness.”
Shortly after that, the lieutenant returned, telling them the general would see Amyar and his companions now. The lieutenant led them into the general’s presence and left after Eppon dismissed him. That left four guards in the office. Two of the guards had beards, one a black beard and the other red, while a third guard was short and clean-shaven. The fourth guard had bright blue eyes and freckles. Another officer was in the room with Eppon. Amyar recognized him as Oshone, one of the officers who had ridden with him, the general, and others in the hovertrain from Resedna to Tanshar.
“Amyar, my prince! You are safe,” said Oshone as he came from behind the desk to greet Amyar with open arms.
The prince, while pleased to see Oshone, was trying to keep his focus on Eppon. He was trying to gauge the general’s demeanor.
“Many thanks, Oshone.”
“Wera,” the general said with a steely tone in his voice.
“Sir.” Oshone glanced over his shoulder at Eppon.
“Go let Timendum know that his cousin has returned, safe and sound,” Eppon said.
To Amyar’s ears, the general didn’t sound pleased.
“Yes, sir. Amyar, come by my room later and we’ll catch up. I want to hear what happened.” Oshone left.
“Well, the Matriarch will be happy to know that you’re all right, my prince. She’d have my head if anything bad happened to you.” The general looked up at Amyar, his expression flat.
“But something bad did happen to me, sir.”
Amyar kept reminding himself of the conversation he had overheard. He couldn’t let his guard down. Eppon was no longer to be trusted.
Eppon waved his hand dismissively. “That’s all over. Now, who are these people?” For the first time, the general seemed to notice Amyar wasn’t alone.
“Sir, they were a great help to me when I found myself alone in the Jehenne Forest after my escape from the rebels. They took me in, fed me, and helped me find my way here.”
“It’s good you found friends, my prince, peasants though they are. But how did you escape from the rebels?”
Amyar couldn’t read the general’s bland expression. He’d never seen him so unemotional.
“The rebels planned to kill me. There were a few rebels who didn’t agree with that plan. They blindfolded me and led me out in the middle of the night. They left me in the forest. Then these Tansharians rescued me.”
Eppon looked from Amyar to Rouden, Ingus, and the still disguised Matriarch. Amyar wondered how much longer his mother could tolerate not showing who she really was. The general seemed satisfied for the moment. He stood.
“Guards, take the Tansharians and the prince into custody,” Eppon said.
The guards moved incredibly fast, but the Matriarch was faster. His mother whipped off the scarf that had covered part of her face and stood up straight. With a startling grunt, she yanked her right arm from the stunned guard’s grasp and wiped some of the dirt from her face. She held out her hand, now smudged with dirt and grime, to Eppon.
“See here, general, this is what you will be when I’m through with you, nothing more than dirt,” the Matriarch said with a satisfied smile.
Eppon looked momentarily astonished but composed himself quickly. “It’s too late for you. Your time has passed.” He slammed his hand on a panel on the wall behind him. An opening appeared. “You’re all too late.” He stepped through the opening and disappeared.
Rouden pulled away from the guard with the red beard, who was trying to hold onto him and Ingus, and ran around the desk. The opening closed up just as he reached out for it. He snatched his arm back. “Krask!” He kicked at the wall and began pushing at the spot where the general must have pushed a hidden button. Nothing happened.
Amyar felt the black-bearded guard holding him loosen his grip, which gave him the opportunity to break free and grab the knife from the guard’s belt. He pointed it at him. He’d only ever used knives as a weapon in his military training. He wondered if he could injure—or even kill—anyone.
The short, clean-shaven guard scuffled with Ingus. He spat at the guard who was about to throw a punch. Rouden leapt over the desk toward his brother.
A familiar voice broke through the chaos.
“Stop this right now!” The Matriarch wiped more dirt from her face, using the end of the shawl she was wearing.
“You there!” Amyar shouted at the guard with the black beard, who was backing away from him and edging toward the door. “Stay where you are!” The prince approached the guard with knife in hand.
The guard stopped. His mouth was curled in an expression of mocking distaste.
Amyar had never been looked at that way, not by Tansharians, and certainly not by someone who was supposed to be working for and loyal to his family. He was deciding how to react when the Matriarch put up her arm in a gesture meant to calm everyone down. Silence filled the office.
“Now,” she said to the soldiers, “the general has seen fit to leave us alone together. Will you carry out his orders to take us into custody? Or will you stand with me, your true leader?” Her shoulders broadened, and she straightened up to her normal posture.
The man with the blue-eyed soldier and the one with the red beard answered by rushing the Matriarch. She ducked aside, and chaos began again.
Amyar finally implemented some of the military fight training he’d only ever used in the classroom. Firmly gripping the knife handle, he stepped aside quickly and bashed the pommel of the handle into the side of the head of black bearded soldier when he came rushing him again. He hit the right spot, stunning the man. Amyar felt his pinkie crack. He hoped it wasn’t broken, but he didn’t have time to think about that now.
Then he jumped on red beard’s back as he attempted to attack the Matriarch. The prince stuck with the pommel of the handle, stunning this guard, too, with a swift blow to the head. This gave Rouden and Ingus the chance to get in on the action. They fought until the guards who were still standing were away from the Matriarch and Amyar. Rouden grabbed hold of one of the guards and banged his face down onto the desk a couple of times. He let go and the guard slid to the floor, unconscious.
Ingus had a grip on the guard with blue eyes who had tried to attack the Matriarch. He kept struggling, and almost had the upper hand when Amyar pointed his knife at him.
“I would stand down if I were you, friend,” the prince said.
The guard looked down at his comrades slumped on the floor. He sank to one knee and bowed his head. Rouden looked ready to attack the now-vulnerable man. Amyar shook his head. Rouden held back.
“Your Highness. I stand with you. All hail Thasali. Protect us,” the guard said, breathing heavily as he placed his sword on the floor.
Rouden and Ingus took daggers from two of the guards slumped on the floor.
“I’ll overlook your behavior, for now,” the Matriarch said to the soldier with a grin that Amyar found unsettling. If Rouden or Ingus felt the same way about it, they didn’t show it. They seemed focused on getting on with stopping the general.
The brothers moved to the area where Eppon had disappeared through a wall pan
el. Rouden put his hand out to the panel but stopped short.
“I don’t think this will work if I do it,” he said.
The Matriarch strode over to the panel. “I should hope not.”
“Do you think Eppon might have locked you out?” Amyar asked.
“I can override whatever he may have done,” she said and placed her hand on the panel. A door that wasn’t there before, opened. “Go quickly.”
Amyar embraced Rouden. He was afraid for his safety. He wanted to see him again. He was in love with him. He felt a love he couldn’t describe, but it felt right.
Rouden turned to Amyar and grinned. “I will see you again.” He blew Amyar a kiss.
“Come on, brother.” Ingus looked as impatient as he sounded. He ducked through the opening.
Rouden turned and followed him.
The panel closed and the wall looked once again as though it had never had a door.
Amyar and the Matriarch were left alone with the guards, one of them still on the ground, moaning as he returned to consciousness. The Matriarch ordered them to state the Thasali military oath. Then she had them repeat it.
She grabbed the knife out of Amyar’s hand and held it to one of the soldiers’ throats.
“Say it again.”
She drew the knife across his throat, drawing a thin trickle of blood but not making a mortal wound. She marked the other three similarly.
“Say it again. Don’t forget it or the next cut will be deep.”
Someone started knocking on the door from the hallway. The knocking became louder. Then they started yelling, asking if the General was all right.
“Are you ready, my son?”
Amyar nodded.
Chapter Nineteen
In the tunnel
Rouden had heard about the tunnels and hidden passages in the Corceus — and now Thasali — compounds, but now that he saw them he was impressed. If Corceus had learned anything from the Tansharians during their rule, it was how useful tunnels could be. Unlike the tunnels that Tansharians constructed, however, those built by Corceus were much more elegant. For one thing, there were wall sconces that provided light. Rouden and Ingus could stand up. Ingus opened a few doors along the corridor as Rouden looked over his shoulder. Each room was empty except for whatever furniture and various supplies were there. They quickened their pace. They had to find General Eppon.
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