Princess Reviled

by Butler, J. M.

  Vorec circled again, walking directly down the center of the broad path between the large cage and the coarse stone wall. His shadow stretched and splayed in the weak torchlight. "I want you to prove yourself. Prove that you are on Libysha's side even if you are of the vilest conception."

  "And you find me offensive?" Naatos scowled. "Why don't you let me kill this Awdawm?"

  "I can find both of you offensive," Amelia hissed. "Which I do. And no, you can't kill Vorec."

  "Your feigned contempt does not fool me," Vorec said. "If you want to even begin to earn my trust, Amelia, then turn over authority of these prisoners to me."

  Amelia shook her head. "No. Absolutely not."

  "Do it," Naatos said. "There's no need for you to be in the middle of this."

  "No." Amelia raised her voice. "Is anyone even listening to me?"

  "Amelia, do not get in the middle of this," Naatos said.

  Vorec scoffed. "For once, I agree with your mate."

  Amelia clenched her fists. "All right, moral and philosophical issues aside, Naatos, do you swear that if you and your brothers escape that none of you and none of your mercenaries will enact vengeance on the people of Reltux, specifically the Libyshans, for what Vorec and his force do to you?"

  "When, not if." Naatos smiled darkly. "And no. Since you aren't fond of my lying, I can make no such promise."

  "Then no dice." Amelia shifted her gaze back to Vorec. "You will leave them alone. I don't even want anyone else caring for them. I am the only person who can go in there who they won't kill."

  "They are bound and chained. Either you are a coward or you are trying to protect them." Vorec jabbed his finger at her.

  "You can call me all the names you want, Vorec, but I am the one who is in charge here. Listen to me now. There is no information that you can obtain from them. There is nothing good that will come from you going in there."

  "Pinchat!" Vorec bellowed. "You think I can't see through you? The blood of my people cries out for vengeance. Innocents were poured out upon the ground like water, and you dare to stand here and defend the ones who ripped the life from their veins?"

  "Naatos, AaQar, and WroOth do deserve punishment. And they will pay the price. But the Machat had it right when they first captured them," Amelia said. Anger stung her, and the bead of cold within her mind threatened to expand. But the exhaustion dampened it this time, and the heaviness of the past hours pressed hard against her. "We are not equipped to enact justice, and our meager attempts will do nothing more than make things worse for the very people we are trying to protect."

  "The Machat have their own agenda," Vorec said. "They are only Libysha's friend so long as it suits them. My concern is for Libysha. For the dead. For the wounded."

  "And what about for those who yet live!" Amelia demanded. She crossed in front of him, the veins in her neck and arms tightening. "You're right. This isn't about morality. It's about practicality. And all that you are doing is trying to make yourself feel better. Torturing them is not going to bring the dead back, but it will put the living at risk."

  "These three will be brought out and made a spectacle of. The people will see that these monsters are harmless now that they are captured."

  "But they aren't!" Amelia exclaimed. "They are incredibly dangerous."

  Vorec adopted a more patronizing tone. "The Machat said that we have six months before they can gain an immunity." Naatos laughed. Vorec cast an annoyed glare at him, then continued. "They will be broken before then. Surely even you can see how that would be preferable. The Tue-Rah is blocked. No one can enter or leave. Their allies will not be coming."

  "No, because I don't believe you can break them, and Kepsalon said that their imprisonment would be at most six months. It could be much less. And probably will be much less. Also, QueQoa has WroOth's Para band. I don't know how time is altered since your men blocked off the Tue-Rah, but once QueQoa realizes something is wrong, he'll be here!" Amelia thrust her hands to her head. Why couldn't he understand?

  "You Awdawms cannot succeed," Naatos said. "We have endured far worse, and we will be free far sooner than even the Machat predict. Whether QueQoa comes or not. Just understand this, putalt, for all that you do there is a price to be paid, with interest. And these people whom you claim to love will be the ones to pay most."

  Vorec started forward. "I am not talking to you."

  "Stop!" Amelia shoved him back.

  Vorec slapped her across the face.

  The blow stunned Amelia, shocking her more than hurting. This wasn't a challenge like their sparring in New Istador. This was an insult.

  "Understand this," Vorec said, pointing his finger in her face. "I know what you are, and I will expose and destroy you. So far as I am concerned, there will now be four graves, not three." Vorec spat on the ground and left. His footsteps echoed through the long hall as he strode away.

  Tears pricked Amelia's eyes. Vorec had never liked her. But somehow she'd thought that after all she had done, he would recognize her for who she was. Would the other Libyshans believe him despite her actions? It was understandable that the Libyshans had been angry with her when they were cowering within the halls of New Istador. Her efforts had been largely unnoticeable, but why weren't her efforts enough now?

  "How do you want him to die?" Naatos's voice was surprisingly soft.

  Amelia composed herself, her back still to Naatos. "I don't want him to die at all. You shouldn't be surprised that people are angry after you invaded and brutalized this nation. Vorec loves this country. He's lost his comrades and perhaps family."

  "I'm not surprised. But if you are not going to do what is obviously the most intelligent thing and release my brothers and me, then hire an assassin to dispatch that man at once."

  "I don't want to talk about this anymore. Perhaps it would be a better use of your time to think about what you've done and how many people you are hurting." Amelia strode toward the exit, her breaths quickening.

  Naatos started to say something that began with "More people will—" but she quickened her pace and moved beyond his voice's reach.

  2

  Further Complications

  Amelia climbed halfway to the top of the staircase and stopped to lean against the field-stone wall. Her hands trembled; adrenaline thundered in her ears and pulsed throughout her veins, souring her stomach.

  Now that she was alone, everything threatened to collapse around her. But there wasn't time for that. Naatos was right. This was political intrigue rather than straightforward combat. In a sense, handling him was easier than dealing with Vorec. She covered her face, fighting to control the emotion rising within her. "Elonumato, give me strength," she whispered. Strength and wisdom. Perhaps some favor too.

  Her cheek still stung from Vorec's blow. Matters were going to worsen with him, and he was certain to make things more problematic for her with the Ayamin and Libyshans in general. She needed to talk to someone. Composing herself, she hurried to the dungeon's upper landing and peered out into the broad high-ceilinged hall. A Machat man and woman spoke beneath a layered arch. They turned as if they heard her.

  "You have need of something?" the Machat woman asked. She held a small round bow at her side, her hand resting on a woven belt lined with darts.

  "I need to speak with Kepsalon. Do you know where he is?" Amelia asked.

  "On the third floor in the fifth room on the left after the second staircase," she said. The man nodded.

  "Thank you." Amelia hesitated, glancing back toward the dungeon below. She then returned her gaze to these two. The Machat, though difficult to predict and unusual, had been loyal and trustworthy so far, even if she couldn't always understand their actions. "Would it be asking too much for you to guard this door and make sure no one goes down there or goes near Naatos and his brothers?"

  "We are happy to serve." The man bowed his head simultaneously with the woman. "The former Paras should be considered vicious and dangerous even in such a time as this."<
br />
  "Thank you." Amelia breathed with relief. She hurried down the passage and took the back ways until she reached the second staircase to the third floor. With each step, her discomfort grew. Conflicting thoughts tumbled through her mind as Naatos's words echoed. The harsh glares and disdainful glances of the few Ayamin she passed confirmed his predictions even more. How long did she have before she lost control entirely? Was there something she could do to reassure them that she was doing what was best for Libysha?

  "Is everything all right, Amelia?"

  Amelia turned, relieved to hear Kepsalon's concerned voice but annoyed at herself for passing her destination. He looked just as he had the first time she met him, his arms crossed and his posture assured and at ease. But this time he wasn't smiling. Three thin lines creased his forehead. The dirt and blood on his skin mingled with the stripes on his face and neck like lacework. But it was the concern in his eyes that nearly broke what little composure she had retained. "Kepsalon…" The words dried within her mouth.

  "I—" Kepsalon stopped short as four Ayamin passed by. The soldier with the cropped brown hair and a bloody gash along his jaw cast a particularly hate-filled glance her way. Kepsalon chuckled wryly. "You have a happy knack for making enemies, Amelia."

  Amelia forced a smile, blinking away newly-formed tears. "I always knew I had to be good at something." She bit the tip of her tongue, resisting the urge to look at the other warriors as they passed.

  "You did well in the battle. Regardless of what the Libyshans may understand." Kepsalon pushed away from the wall.

  "How many died? Do we know?" Amelia asked.

  Kepsalon drew back. He glanced around, hesitation distorting his features. "No, Amelia," he said, the wrinkles around his eyes and forehead deepening. "That is not your burden. Why would you seek to carry more burdens than you must?"

  "Don't you think about it though? At least about the Machat? Your people? Don't their lives matter?"

  "Of course they do." Kepsalon placed his hand on her shoulder. "And every Machat man and woman who fell here this day, or who has fallen in any of these tasks related to this, fell knowing why they did what they did. Including my son. They, like the Awdawms, shall be honored. But for now, your tears and your grief will do them no good. Perhaps for your own good, you should take time."

  "No." Amelia slid her hands down to the sides of her dress, searching for her pockets out of instinct. But her hands slipped on the slick material, missing the openings. She clenched her thumbs to her palms instead. "No. But you're right that I should be careful about what I focus on. Is there some way we can keep QueQoa from coming back? Vorec seems fairly confident that the Tue-Rah won't work anymore because of what they've done. Is it going to have to be restored like before?"

  "No, no, not at all. In fact, all the Libyshans have done is remove one of the central crystals. It unsyncs the times. Most likely we are moving at a faster rate than Ecekom, which, given that QueQoa has the Para band, that is for the best. But all that needs to be done to fix the Tue-Rah this time is to put that crystal back in place. It has not been fully deactivated. As long as they don't try to accelerate or change time, we'll be fine. And even then, it is just a matter of how far the timelines separate. The solution will always be the same."

  "So it definitely won't keep QueQoa from coming back?" Amelia closed her eyes. He was going to be so angry. She could practically feel the rage emanating from him. That was all she needed. Another angry man after her.

  "No." Kepsalon cupped his hand beneath her elbow and motioned toward the empty hall to their right. "We should walk."

  Amelia followed his lead. "Is there any way that we can make the Tue-Rah more secure? The last thing we need other than a jail break is for QueQoa to show up again."

  "An interdimensional portal between worlds can never be truly secured." Kepsalon smiled faintly. "But your concerns are correct. QueQoa will be angry. As far as he is concerned, you betrayed his brother, and worse, you used him to do it."

  "I did." Amelia kept her head up though the words hurt. She was a traitor. To almost everyone. "I'm good at that too." Drawing a deep breath, she dashed her hand beneath her eyes. "I need to go back to the family chambers. There are some things that need to be tended to."

  Kepsalon offered no argument, and they walked in silence. He cleared his throat once they reached the final staircase. "If it is any comfort, QueQoa is not likely to try to kill you. You are, after all, his brother's viskaro."

  "He isn't going to be happy though," Amelia said. The door into WroOth's family chambers was closed, but it had not been locked since she left. Memories swelled within her, not only her own but vague ones from WroOth. She placed her hand on the stone frame, a mixture of emotions rising within her. Anger, fear, affection, hope, confusion. They all battled for dominance.

  "No. He's likely to break your leg to keep you from running or something equally brutal. It's hard to say. After Rasha abandoned AaQar, your actions sting far more."

  Amelia nodded her head, the heaviness increasing. "What about this potion? The huanna? How long is it going to work? Do you know anything more specific?"

  "There are too many variables, I'm afraid," Kepsalon said. "Parseln and Klia are overseeing additional shipments. Part of this will depend on the former Paras' metabolic rate. Part on…well, we are trying to avoid potential problems from certain individuals attempting to take control."

  "Vorec?" Amelia pushed the door open.

  "He would not be alone." Kepsalon followed behind her.

  Oddly the family chambers felt more comforting than Amelia had expected. She lingered in the hall, her hand hovering over the claw marks gouged in the wall. Why did they have to make things so difficult? And why couldn't she simply abandon her own feelings? That would make all of this so much simpler.

  "So long as we keep the huanna at full potency and we retain two full doses for each of the brothers so that they can be transported back to the Tue-Rah, they will be containable. At least as containable as they can be. Until they develop an immunity. And assuming all other precautions are taken."

  "And developing an immunity is all but a certainty," Amelia said.

  Something thudded in the common room, like rope falling. Amelia stepped forward slowly. A familiar silver head poked around the corner.

  Amelia smiled, relieved to see the silver puma. She wasn't entirely sure how Naatos had tamed the large wild cat, particularly after he had thrown both of them into the pit with the hook-fanged spiders. But the tiger-sized cat was as friendly as a contented Maine Coon. He bounded into the hall to greet her, the ropes that had once held her still in his jaws.

  "Hello, handsome." Amelia knelt and twined her arms around his neck.

  The puma thrust his muzzle against her head, purring loudly. He sounded like Uncle Joe's lawn mower after it had been freshly tuned.

  "I still haven't named you," she said. Reaching up, she scratched between his ears. The wounds from the spiders were healing up well. Bikro, a protective gum-like bandage, still covered a few. "What should I call you?"

  Kepsalon's eyebrow arched. "Is this why you wanted to come back here?"

  "We really don't need an angry wildcat running around the temple." Amelia continued to rub around the puma's ears. His purr soothed her. "Besides, there's one little thing I can do right now that I should have done earlier. He needs a name."

  The puma blinked his green and amber streaked eyes lazily, an expression of perfect contentedness on his face.

  Kepsalon chuckled. "Very well. I suppose you need as many victories as you can find."

  "I do." Amelia sighed. "They're going to try to move Naatos, AaQar, and WroOth to the palace dungeons, and that's a bad idea."

  "Other than that, King Theol has granted you complete authority with how they are to be treated."

  "That's not it though. What about the people in Telhetum? The surrounding towns?"

  "We will do all that we can to prevent any further tragedies," Kepsalon
said. "I cannot promise that we will succeed."

  "Thank you for doing what you can," Amelia murmured. "I don't know that we deserve it, but we need it."

  "The entourage with Shon and many of the other wounded has already left. They will be well cared for."

  Amelia leaned her head against the puma's shoulder. The sadness intensified at Shon's name, choking her. "Shon…"

  "He will live. And if my foresight is worth anything, and sometimes that is debatable, he will survive. There are hard days ahead, but there is good for Shon. So long as he can let go of you and you him."

  "He has no choice because I made mine. I will not have him. It would be best for him if he forgot about me entirely." Amelia cupped her hands around the silver puma's face and kissed him on the forehead. "Your name is Cassio."

  "I hope you aren't planning to bring that cat to the palace. Named or not, he will not be welcome, and it would be best to not have another thing for your enemies to use against you. If you would like, I can take him with me to the mountains and see to it that he is cared for."

  "You're going to the mountains?" Of course he was. Amelia tried to hide her disappointment.

  "I'm afraid I must." Kepsalon ruffled the fur along Cassio's neck. "I'll be gone for longer than I'd like, but hopefully no longer than a day or so. There are other matters that require the Machat attention. Do you want me to take him?"

  "Yes. As long as you can make sure he's somewhere safe." Amelia stroked his soft fur. "And if you are able, or one of the Machat could, there is a winged horse in Telhetum. If someone could—"

  Kepsalon chuckled. "Peslano's children have already seen to it. The winged horse is already safe and quite spoiled."

  "Thank you." Amelia breathed a little easier knowing those were two things Vorec could not use against her. But Kepsalon's leaving still saddened her. "What's happening in the mountains that requires your presence?"

  "Matters we cannot discuss at this time."