by Opal Carew
“Very well, Pure One,” he said in a loud voice. “Commence the Challenge of the Stars and removed them from my head if you can.”
“All right.” The feeling of wrongness coming from him was so strong now that it almost made me sick to my stomach. I didn’t know what this weird sixth sense I seemed to have somehow developed was trying to tell me, but it was really loud. Almost like someone shouting in my ear that this situation was broken and I had to fix it.
Feeling like I would scream if I couldn’t set things right, I reached up and placed my fingers on the silver circlet of the Star of Compassion. The crown hummed and vibrated violently under my fingertips, reminding me of an animal caught in a trap.
Help, a tiny voice whispered in my head. Help us—he holds us captive! Help, La-ti-zal! Only you can release us!
I was so startled by the tiny voice—which was definitely not just me talking to myself—that I nearly jerked my hands away. Was that the crown itself talking to me? I remembered Sellah saying it had spoken to her when she first put it on and that there was an entity living in the jewels of both crowns.
“Well?” Hurxx looked up at me from under his ridiculous, floppy hair. “Try to remove it. You can’t, can you?”
I took a firmer hold on the silver circlet and pulled. But though it vibrated harder than ever in my hands, I couldn’t budge it so much as a millimeter. It was the same with the golden circlet of the Star of Wisdom, which also begged for my help in a deeper, more masculine voice when I pulled at it.
La-ti-zal, it called. Only you can help us. Release us from this prison. Please!
But though I tugged and tugged—and wasn’t very careful about pulling Hurxx’s ridiculous hair either—neither crown would come off. Something was holding them in place. But what?
“And there you have it,” Yancy announced to the crowd, which was watching in hushed silence. “Even a Pure One cannot remove the Stars from my Lord Hurxx’s head—which means he must be the one true rightful ruler of our fair planet!”
“This can’t be,” I muttered through gritted teeth. “This isn’t right!”
“Ah, but it appears right, my dear—and that’s all that matters.” Hurxx smiled up at me. “Now please remove your hands from the royal person.”
Reluctantly, I took my hands off the crowns. Something was going on, but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure it out.
Hurxx stood up from the throne and raised his arms. Though he wasn’t nearly as tall as Sarden, he was still much taller than me. The large, oval stone in his tacky necklace winked in the light and nearly blinded me as he brushed me aside.
“My people!” he shouted, in his high, nasally voice. “I think you can see that I am your true ruler—I have undergone the Challenge of the Stars and neither Star has chosen to leave my head. As such, I proclaim myself both the rightful Rae and the rightful Ria of Eloim. And for my tribute, to recompense me for the wrongful claim brought against me, I claim this Pure One.”
He grabbed me suddenly around the waist, crushing me against the side of his scratchy gold brocade jacket.
“No!” Sarden roared, surging forward. Grav came with him but there was suddenly a line of guards, all holding those deadly looking pickaxe-spears in their faces.
I looked at Sarden quickly and shook my head— although it was clear he was willing to run through an army of spears to get to me, I didn’t want him getting killed on my account.
“Zoe!” This time I swore the voice in my head was Sarden’s. Could we read each other’s thoughts now? Was that part of the bond too?
“Sit tight,” I sent back to him, thinking as hard as I could. “I’ll think of something.”
He nodded grimly, although he looked really, really unhappy about it. I was glad he was trusting my judgment although to be honest, I wasn’t sure I trusted my judgment. I mean, what in the hell was I going to do now?
The jewel, I heard both little voices saying in my head. This time it was definitely the Stars and not Sarden. I had a moment to think I might be going crazy—wasn’t hearing voices in your head a pretty definite sign? And then they called to me again. The jewel! It holds us—it holds us captive to the one who is not right!
The jewel? Frowning I looked up at Hurxx—I had a really close look since he was crushing me against him, under his rather smelly armpit. How could anyone with hair that floppy and shiny smell like they hadn’t taken a bath in a month? And what jewel were the Stars talking about?
Suddenly the egg-shaped greenish-blue jewel in the center of his necklace caught my eye again and an idea began to form in my mind.
“Oh, Lord Hurxx,” I purred, looking up at him. “Do you really claim me as your rightful tribute?”
He looked down at me in apparent surprise.
“I certainly do, little Pure One. It is my right and duty to claim what is mine as the rightful Rae of Eloim.”
“I see that now.” I fluttered my lashes at him, trying to flirt even though being so close to him and the wrongness he was putting out in waves made me sick. “You’re so powerful…so rich.”
“Well yes I am.” He wore a self-satisfied smirk on his pudgy face. “I have all the wealth of Eloim at my fingertips, after all.”
“I could tell that just by looking at you,” I said, smiling in what I hoped was a bewitching way. “By the fashionable clothing and jewelry you wear.” I let my fingers creep up his chest to the gold chain around his neck. “This especially—we have nothing so fine on my planet. Was it made just for you?”
I saw Yancy’s eyes widen as he saw where my fingers were going and he stepped forward and muttered something to Hurxx under his breath.
“Don’t be such a worrier, Yancy,” Hurxx answered, making a shooing gesture at his Councilor with his free hand, the one that wasn’t currently crushing me to him. “You know perfectly well it’s keyed only to me.”
“But, my Lord—”
“I especially like this jewel,” I said, my fingers creeping to the oval blue-green jewel. “It’s so special.”
The moment I touched the jewel, I knew it was the source of the wrongness. My fingertips stung and my eyes watered as I fought to keep from throwing up. Wrong! Wrong, wrong, WRONG! screamed the Stars’ voices inside my head. I wanted to yank my fingers away and go be sick in the corner somewhere.
Instead, I placed my palm firmly in the center of the egg-shaped stone and pushed in as hard as I could.
There was a loud crack and a flash, as though a bolt of lightening had suddenly struck down right in the middle of the throne room.
“What? How—?” Hurxx gasped and staggered back, dragging me with him. Since I was still pinned to his side, I was in just the right position to see it when the gaudy gold chain he was wearing suddenly fell off his neck and clattered to the marble floor.
And as soon as it did, both the Star of Wisdom and the Star of Compassion flew off Hurxx’s floppy-haired head and went whizzing up into the air to hover over the awe-struck crowd.
“No! No!” Hurxx finally let go of me, fumbling on his now-bare head desperately. “No, you little bitch!”
He grabbed me by the throat and squeezed. I gasped and tried to push his hands away but they were too big and he was too strong for me. I kicked instead, aiming for his balls in the ridiculously tight gold brocade trousers.
I think I might have caught him a glancing blow, because he howled and his fingers loosened just enough for me to take a small sip of air. But then he squeezed again, his eyes filled with rage.
Great—all I had done was piss him off even more.
I kicked again but missed him entirely this time. Brilliant white and red stars exploded before my eyes and I could hear myself gasping for air—air I couldn’t get because he was choking me…killing me…
“Get your hands off my mate, you fuck!”
Suddenly a big, red fist plowed into Hurxx’s nose. Blood flew and the horribly strong hands finally released me. I staggered backwards and Sellah caught me.
&nb
sp; “Zoe? Are you all right?”
“I…I think I’m fine.” My voice came out in a thin little whisper and I coughed, trying to get my breath back. My vision was still fading in and out and I had to lean on Sellah’s arm to stay upright.
Beside the throne, Hurxx and Sarden were still fighting. Although Hurxx wasn’t really putting up much of a fight. Sarden was raining down blows on him, his face a mask of savage, possessive fury and Hurxx was cowering and trying to get away.
“Have mercy—have mercy!” he cried, trying to shield his face, which was covered in blood, from Sarden’s fists. Some of the palace guards tried to interfere but Grav held them back. He had gotten one of the axe-spears from one of them and was waving it menacingly. From the look on his face, he wanted to go after Hurxx himself but clearly he knew he had to leave him to Sarden.
“Why should anyone have mercy on you?” Tellum shouted at Hurxx, stepping forward to make himself heard over the excited babble of the crowd. “You who profaned our most sacred rites and rituals with evil and deceit? How did you do it? How did you compel the Stars to stay with you when you had such wicked intent?”
“The chain…” I coughed and pointed to the broken gold chain lying on the floor before the throne. The oval shaped stone in the center had shattered and a black, noxious smoke was rising from it. “I don’t know what it is but it was…was holding them in place.”
“How else was I to take the throne?” Hurxx whined, still trying to shield himself from Sarden’s fists. “The Star of Wisdom didn’t want me—it only wanted Sarden! I couldn’t let a half-breed rule Eloim, could I?”
“What?” Sarden stopped in mid-punch and took a step back, eyeing his cousin warily. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.” Hurxx straightened up a little, his flattened nose streaming with blood. “From the first moment I touched the Star of Wisdom, at the pre-coronation ceremony, it never wanted me. It asked for you.” He spat. “But I was damned if I’d give the throne to a filthy half-Vorn bastard.”
“The Star wanted Sarden—which was why you had to construct a device strong enough to hold it in place on your head,” Sellah said, lifting her chin. “Because you knew you weren’t the rightful Rae. I wondered why you had that ugly necklace commissioned. Now we know.”
“I only did what any true patriot of Eloim would have done.” Hurxx sounded sulky. “In order to keep a half-breed off the throne.”
“It was not for you to decide who was or was not worthy to wear the Star of Wisdom,” Tellum thundered, glaring at the deposed Rae. “Only the Star itself can make that determination.”
As if the Stars—which were still hovering high above the crowds—had heard his voice, they both came whizzing down.
The Star of Wisdom paused for a moment, then settled itself firmly on Sarden’s head.
“What?” He reached up to touch the gold circlet hesitantly…carefully as though he might be burned. I felt, rather than heard, the Star asking him questions through our link. After a moment he nodded. “Yes,” he said in a low voice. “Yes, I swear it.”
The crowd murmured in surprise but I didn’t hear or see anyone who sounded unhappy. Well, except for Yancy and a few of the other Councilors who were obviously loyal to the deposed Rae. They were starting to sneak to one side of the throne and I saw Hurxx sidling that way himself—clearly they were trying to take the back way out.
Grav saw it the same time I did and motioned to the guards.
“Keep them here,” he growled. “Nobody leaves until this is over.”
Most of the guards seemed to understand what was going on. They ran to surround the would-be escaping Councilors and the ex-Rae. A few of the crowd murmured but most were still watching Sarden to see what he would do.
“People of Eloim,” he said, stepping forward and addressing the crowd. “The Star of Wisdom has come to me. Though I am a half-breed, I was raised among you and I have only Eloim’s best interests at heart. I will rule with your blessing and that of the Star’s—but only with the right female beside me as my Ria.”
A cheer went up from the crowd and some of them called, “Long live the Rae! Long live Lord Sarden!”
Sarden made a motion with his hands and they quieted down. All eyes went up to the ceiling, where the silver circlet of the Star of Compassion was hovering uncertainly.
At last it came down and positioned itself over Sellah’s head. She looked up at it and I saw the sorrow and resignation in her eyes.
“All right,” she said softly. “I’ll do it if there’s no other way. But please, Star, if you can find anyone else—anyone you think is worthy—then please choose them instead. Please.”
The slim silver crown seemed to understand. It rose again and came to settle…
Directly on my head.
Chapter 28
Zoe
“What?” I couldn’t have been more surprised if…well, to be honest, I can’t think of a situation that would have surprised me more.
Zoe, whispered the Star’s voice in my head. Will you accept the mantle of Ria of Eloim?
“But…but I don’t know anything about your people,” I protested in a small voice.
Are you willing to learn?
“Well, sure. But I’m really not queen material—I’m just a paralegal,” I objected. “I mean, I’m not royal or fancy at all.”
It is because you do not seek power that it is bestowed upon you, the Star told me.
Sarden must have felt my uncertainty through the link we now shared because he came forward and took my hands in his.
“Zoe,” he said in a low voice. “Please say yes. Please rule by my side.”
“I…I want to be by your side,” I said, trying to pick my words carefully. “But I wasn’t sure how you felt about it. I mean, I don’t know if—”
“I love you.” He leaned down to kiss me and then looked searchingly into my eyes. “I know we started this in a bad way, with me buying you from the Commercians and abducting you away from your home world. And I know you miss it. I’ve been pretending to myself that I could let you go if you chose Earth over me but I can’t pretend anymore! Zoe, I love you so damn much.”
For some reason my eyes filled with hot tears and a sob broke from my lips.
“What? What is it?” Sarden looked distressed. He stroked my hair and looked at me anxiously. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Shouldn’t I have said that?”
“N-no. I mean, yes,” I managed to get out in a strangled voice. “Yes, you should absolutely have said it. I’m sorry I’m crying. It’s just…I love you too. I don’t know how or when it happened but I’m in love with you—not just a little either,” I admitted recklessly. “I’m…I’m crazy in love with you. Stupid in love with you.”
“Oh, is that all?” He smiled at me and hugged me to him. “That’s all right then because I feel the same way about you.”
“You do?” I asked, looking at him hopefully.
“Absolutely. I kept telling myself I couldn’t and shouldn’t feel for you that way but, well…” He shrugged, his big shoulders rolling and gave me a little grin. “I’m crazy and stupid for you too, sweetheart.”
“Oh, Sarden…” I hugged him back, the tears still running down my face.
Sellah had been standing by, watching us with wide, happy eyes as we hugged it out in public. Now she stepped forward and put a hand on my shoulder.
“The love of a Rae for his Ria is an important factor in the ruling of Eloim,” she murmured. “Will you now accept the responsibility that has been given you?”
“Yes,” I whispered, swiping at my eyes and taking a step back from Sarden. “Yes, if…if the people want me to. But I don’t want to feel like a userpent.”
“A userpent?” Sarden grinned at me. “What’s that?”
“Oh, you know what I mean!” I swatted at his arm. “A usurper. That’s what I mean.” I looked at Sellah. “I don’t want to feel like I stole the throne from you.”
“Everyone here has
seen that the Star picked you when I asked it to take another candidate for Ria,” she reminded me. “The people will accept you on that basis alone. However…” She stepped forward and addressed the crowd.
“People of Eloim. For a short time I served as your Ria and though I love all of you dearly, it was sometimes, I admit, with a heavy and regretful heart that I served. I do not wish to rule and the Star of Compassion has seen into my heart and set me free of the burden. It has chosen instead, my brother’s bonded mate—Lady Zoe, the Pure One who is also a La-ti-zal.”
I heard the murmurs rising through the crowd and everyone, the common people and the nobles and couriers alike, started looking at me differently.
“A La-ti-zal! Did you hear that? She’s a La-ti-zal!”
“No wonder the Star picked her!”
“A Pure One and a La-ti-zal as our new Ria. Truly we are blessed by the Goddess of Mercy!”
“People of Eloim,” Sellah continued. “It was the Lady Zoe who saved you from the false rule of the imposter, Hurxx. Only by her pure power was his deception exposed. I promise you, she will learn our ways and be a wise and just Ria.”
A cheer went up and several of the crowd started chanting my name. I watched, hardly able to comprehend what was happening. Were they chanting for me? The girl who’d been having staplers chucked at her head less than a month before? What was happening to me? And how had my life turned so upside down in such a short time?
“My people,” roared Tellum, coming to stand beside us. “May I present to you your new Rae and Ria—the Lord Sarden and the Lady Zoe!”
“Long live the Rae! Long live the Ria! Long live Lord Sarden! Long live Lady Zoe!”
Sarden and I waved and then he pulled me to him and gave me a searing kiss.
“I love you, Zoe,” he murmured when we finally came up for air. “How about if we get out of here so I can show you how much?”
“Sounds good to me,” I whispered breathlessly.
The cheering and chanting followed us out of the throne room and I felt lighter than air as Sarden held my hand and the Star whispered in my head that I would be the queen that Eloim needed.