by R. E. Carr
“I have never been good with words. Maybe this will tell you how I feel.”
He cradled her neck and gently kissed her. Jenn found herself melting into his arms. “This isn’t . . . ,” she started to say. He pressed harder, his fangs nearly splitting her lip.
As he pulled away at last, he ran his finger along her nape and the two-toned stripe braided into her hair. “If we are going to be together, let us be together,” he said softly.
“But, Kei—”
“I know, this is not like me. Then again, I am not sure who or even what I am anymore. Sotaka told me that I had one purpose, one person to defend. It is finally starting to sink in.”
“Kei . . .” She found herself lost in his ice-blue stare. “Kei, we are so different . . .”
“Am I so different? I may look like this, but I could love you like any ‘normal’ man.” He stopped and gulped.
“You did not just say the l word, did you Kei?” Jenn said, trying to push herself back from his embrace.
“I-I just said I could love you. Why are you getting so upset?”
“Because you aren’t sounding like yourself, Kei! You love Winowa, not me!”
“Of course I love Winowa. She is my best friend. But—”
“This can’t be happening . . .” Jenn sighed.
“Ji-ann, all I want is a chance. I know I have been rude and I cannot promise to be perfect, but I am sick and tired of playing games with you.”
“Games? Don’t you realize that once these seals are broken, I am out of here? Why would you want to throw your heart away on a girl who’s guaranteed to leave? It doesn’t make sense.”
“I cannot help what is happening . . .”
A tear rolled down Jenn’s cheek. “You are so right, and you don’t even know it. Kei, these feelings of yours aren’t real! The bitch in the first seal, Yeiwa, altered your emotions. She wanted to make you more subservient.”
His face hardened. “What?” he growled.
Jenn’s tears fell in force. “I didn’t know how to tell you . . .”
“This was all a trick? You changed me!”
“Kei, no! I had nothing—”
He curled up in the corner of the bed, clutching his temples. Jenn tried to give him a hug from behind, but he shrugged her off. “Do not touch me!” he snapped.
“Kei, I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t know. I didn’t want this to happen!”
“But you are saying that I am only feeling this way because a machine told me to,” he spat. “Did that same machine bring you to my bed as well?”
She sat on her hand to stop herself from slapping his face. “I never should have—”
“No, I never should have. Perhaps it would have been better for me to opt for the ritual suicide when it was first offered.”
“Now you’re just having a pity party!”
“Perhaps,” he said with a sad laugh. “Perhaps, but at least I know that emotion is real.”
“I’m going.”
“No,” Kei snarled. As she tried to stand up, he yanked her back down.
“How dare you?” She wiggled free and ran for the hall. With little effort, he leaped around her and barred the door.
“No, you stay here. I am going to figure out once and for all what is real and what is not.”
She stepped back. “Kei, that look in your eyes is scaring me. Kei?”
“I was so happy last night—happier than I remember being in a long time. Why must that be fake but all the pain I have suffered for you be real? Answer me that!”
“I don’t know,” Jenn said, crying.
Kei advanced until the Serif-fan tripped backward and landed on the bed. He leaned over her, his fangs twisting his grimace into a leer. “Why? Why did you lay with me last night? Was it just for animal pleasure?”
Jenn tried to hide behind her hair. “I don’t know. Maybe I felt bad for you . . .” She stopped.
“What, did the freak earn your sympathy? Or were you simply rewarding your beast for fighting so capably in the arena?” he snarled. “Would you spread your legs so quickly for Eon if he served you this well?”
This time she didn’t stop the slap—Kei did. He held her wrist only an inch from his burning cheek.
“Now you are acting like the Kei I know—an angry bastard with nothing better to do than insult everyone around him. What do you think I am, a whore?” she cried.
“Perhaps,” Kei said, sneering. “I have often wondered about—”
“Saikain? I never touched him!” Jenn spat. “Your jealousy—”
“And Eon?”
“You are such a pig.”
“Well, I must be special then,” he snapped. “You stare longingly after every man but me, yet you come to my bed. Just tell me one thing: were you thinking about me or them?”
“You bastard! I hate you!”
“At least you feel something. Is that hatred real?” Kei said, tearing at his hair. “Are we at least feeling genuine hate toward each other right now? Is this so much easier to believe than last night? Is it?”
She turned away from him, searching for answers in the cracked plaster of the wall. She clutched her arms and shuddered. Her hips shifted slightly and she began to blush. Jenn felt his hot breath on her neck.
“Kei?” she whispered. He pulled the hair off her neck and breathed softly on her skin. Jenn wiped the last tear from her face.
“You told me that the machine did this to me, but I cannot help myself. I do not want to hate you, even if it means that I am a slave to some ancient program’s wishes.”
“It’s not real.”
“You think?” he asked. He sunk his fangs lightly into the back of her neck and wrapped his arms around her. She shuddered and found herself at a loss for words.
“Kei, we shouldn’t . . . ,” she moaned even as she found herself undoing the laces on her bodice.
“You are right,” he said, pulling back slightly. His willpower lasted about eight seconds, until Jenn yanked down her dress.
“They still haven’t come out?” Eon asked as he picked at his lunch. Across the table, Winowa shook her head. “You know how the two of them can argue, Winowa. I thought I heard them screaming an hour ago.”
Winowa took a sip of tea. “I’m still worried. Kei doesn’t fight for this long.”
“Maybe some of the aggression of this tournament is seeping into him,” Eon sighed. He pointed around the table with his fork. “Look around. You’ll never see a larger display of corruption and needless violence in your life.”
“I’ve seen enough.”
Eon suddenly grabbed his ears. Winowa jumped and ran to his side of the table. “Eon?” she whispered.
“Knight . . . nearby . . . strong,” Eon said with a grimace. He changed to clutching his stomach as a barmaid passed by. “Shouldn’t have drunk so much,” he moaned.
Winowa desperately scanned the room. The door to the inn burst open as a familiar Knight flew into the bar.
“Julian!” she gasped. Their guide’s nose was bent at an odd angle, and one of his eyes was swelled shut.
Eon grabbed her hand before she could bolt over to him. “No. We can’t fight that thing,” he whispered.
A tall man with chestnut hair pulled into a perfectly styled topknot strode casually into the room. A serving boy ran behind him with a towel to wipe the blood from the Knight’s pale hands. This stranger wore a red leather long coat, embossed on the sleeves with the golden ravens of his house.
“Tell me where you are hiding this Beast so we may dispose of him now,” the stranger said.
Eon held fast to Winowa’s hand. He could feel her shaking as she watched the Knight reach behind his back and pull out a long, straight sword. Julian struggled to his feet, smearing his blood on the counter.
“Fair is fair. Our contestant has as much right to fight as you, Sir Ajero. What? Are you so afraid that you must dispose of him before you are force
d to face him? Is that how it goes? You’re a coward—”
Julian was interrupted by Ajero’s sword stabbing him in the throat. Eon let go of Winowa’s hand. “Run and warn him—now!” he whispered in her ear.
Winowa took advantage of the chaos to slip up the stairs. Eon watched her disappear into the shadows. He could hear the Knight and his gang storming through the room. Before she made it all the way up to the second floor, Eon saw a pair of blue eyes flashing just above her.
“Kei?” Winowa asked softly.
“I smelled blood. What is going on?” Kei asked.
“There is a Knight here to kill you. You need to run. Now!”
“Make sure Ji-ann is safe. I want the two of you as far away from here as possible. Hurry!”
Winowa nodded and ran up the rest of the way. Kei double-checked that his dagger was ready before proceeding down the stairs. He could hear two men arguing, but without the Serif-fan around to translate, he had to simply guess what was going on.
A tall man in a red coat barked at several of the serving girls. It was when he chose to backhand one of them that Kei pushed his way through the crowd.
“Stop this!” he cried.
The Knight chuckled and muttered something back at his friend. Kei could clearly see the bloody sword in his opponent’s hand.
“You will get your chance to fight later. Leave these people alone,” Kei said. The Knight laughed even harder. “What is so funny?”
“It chatters on like an animal.”
Kei suddenly understood. He looked back and saw a green hood only a few paces behind him.
“Damn that girl,” he muttered. He turned to Ajero.
“I chatter like an animal?” Kei growled, dropping his voice into his more feline register. “Is that what you said?”
“Oh, you can speak!” Ajero said with a condescending grin. “How amusing.”
Ajero’s sword lashed out, barely missing Kei’s shoulder. The springy cat-man shifted his spine unnaturally to dodge it.
“You filthy animal! How dare you dodge that blow?” Ajero cried, his face turning red.
“Stop it!” Kei heard a familiar voice scream. He tried to grab the hood as she ran past him.
The Knight laughed. “How amusing—the freak has a woman to protect him,” Ajero said. He swung his sword around. Both Kei and Eon watched in horror as Jenn crumpled. She stood there, frozen, gripping the sword that had sliced into her gut. A moment later she stumbled back, staring in horror at the bright red stains on her fingers.
“Ji-ann!” Kei roared.
“You’re next, Beast,” Ajero said.
“I don’t think so.” The whole room grew deathly quiet as Eon stared at the Knight through the sight on his crossbow. “Move a muscle and you join your ancestors.”
“How dare you?” Ajero said. “You dare to raise a hand against your betters?
“No, just against you,” Eon said flatly.
Kei lifted Jenn up. As his hand brushed her side, hot, sticky blood covered his fingers. “No. No, this cannot be happening,” he said. His eyes turned icy as he looked back at the triumphant Ajero. “I will kill you, Knight.”
Ajero kept his eyes trained on Eon. “Neither of you will survive,” the Knight said bitterly.
“Winowa, help me! She is bleeding!” Kei cried.
“You shoot us and we’ll kill them both before we fall,” Ajero warned. Eon didn’t move.
The man behind the bar held his hands over his head. “Please! Please, good Knight. We—”
The Commoner stopped talking as the door burst open. Eon took advantage of the confusion and shoved the attacking Knight down hard. With a satisfying yowl, Eon stomped Ajero’s hand, forcing him to drop the sword. Before he could knock the Knight out, though, Eon froze. A curved sword rested against the side of his throat.
Winowa and Kei remained oblivious, tearing at their sleeves to make improvised bandages. Winowa shook her head. “It’s not good,” she said.
Eon dropped his crossbow and held his hands up. The man in the door waved him back. Eon turned positively white. “Farris?” he gulped.
“Cousins, these Commoners attacked us!” Ajero said as he pulled himself up. “Help us deal with them.”
“You filthy liar!” Kei spat. He looked down at Jenn. “Winowa?”
“I need more light, space, and medical supplies. There’s nothing I can do here,” Winowa said.
The tall figure in the doorway sheathed his sword. “Don’t compound your sins with dishonesty, Ajero,” he said. “We recognize your brutal handiwork.”
The stranger tossed a coin purse at the bar. “Clean this up. We will take care of the intruder. They must have had too much to drink. Now, send your fastest runner to get our chariot from the town armory. Go! We have a wounded woman here!”
Eon watched the sudden flurry of activity. A single word from the man sent people running faster than any of Ajero’s threats. He wore the same red coat as his cousin, but with a black raven pattern. His cloudy green eyes bored holes into the other Knight.
“Dailyn—” Ajero started.
“Is this how you honor your ancestors? By attacking women?” Dailyn asked.
“She got in the way . . .”
“If you had any skill with that sword of yours, you would have stayed your hand. Do not make us challenge you to a duel. Run. Run now, and save your life,” the Knight commanded.
Ajero darted past his cousin, swearing constantly under his breath. Dailyn crouched next to Winowa. “May we?” he asked. “This iteration’s great-grandfather was an accomplished doctor.”
“Kei, give him some room,” she said softly. She actually had to pry his fingers free of the Serif-fan’s shoulders. “Kei?”
Dailyn peeked under the bandages. “It looks bad, but if we can get her back to our house, the Machidonian doctor we keep there on retainer can help. Please, get us some linens and water. It is an inn, isn’t it?” He called out.
“She jumped in front of me,” Kei whispered, staring at the blood on his paw. “She took—”
“Kei, snap out of it. We’re going to help her,” Eon said. The Phantom kept staring at Dailyn’s dark skin and chiseled features. Only his hair set him apart from Farris—red and gold as opposed to black.
Dailyn looked up at Kei. “You are the Machidonian-Beast who made it to the arena? We apologize for our cousins. We sometimes wonder if they are worth their ancestors.”
“You apologize—” Kei started to growl.
“Be quiet, Kei. He is freely offering his help,” Winowa said. She grabbed a basket of linens and a pitcher of water as a barmaid came running.
Kei watched the people move in a daze. Eon and the Knight picked up Jenn and carried her toward the door while Winowa kept pressure on her wounds. He could barely hear the clattering of elk hooves outside. The Beast-Man staggered after them.
“You are a nurse?” Dailyn asked Winowa. “Stay by her. We will ride ahead and make sure the servants are prepared. Your companions are welcome to ride in the back. Do not worry. You will all be safe in our home.”
Eon yanked Kei into the cart. “Stay calm, Kei. We’re going to a healer,” the Phantom said.
“Spirits watch out for your chosen one,” Kei began whispering. “Protect her. I would pay any price for her safety.”
He kept praying. The cart seemed to take forever to make its way through the winding streets of the Port of Jasturia. Eon yelled occasionally to move people out of the way. As brave as Eon tried to be, his facade crumbled when he saw just how pale Jenn had become.
“She will be all right,” Eon said. “She has to be.”
“Why?” Kei asked again, slamming his head against the cart.
The chariot rolled to a stop before a sizable town house. As the gates squealed open, Kei thanked the spirits profusely. A pack of servants carrying a makeshift stretcher eased Jenn out.
Eon could barely see Dailyn ordering people around. Dozens of lanterns sprung up between the ca
rt and the house. In the new light, Kei had to cover his eyes. A pair of guards dragged him up the walk. His tail dragged in the grass.
The guards set him in an ornately carved chair and left him alone in the study. A few minutes later Eon appeared, looking rumpled.
“They know how to search a man around here,” Eon said.
“She jumped in front of me. I should be the one bleeding. I am—” Kei said.
“I’ve never seen you like this, Kei,” Eon said, leaning against the wall.
“I never thought that she would get hurt—not like this. It is much easier to defend someone when they do not jump in front of you. I cannot just sit here!”
“You need to just sit here. That Knight says he has a Machidonian doctor, and they are the best outside of Oracle Mountain. Ji-ann’s life is in their hands now. Your fits won’t help her.”
Kei still climbed the walls. As the lamp wick burned down, the cat-man hopped from one chair to another. Next he turned to pacing, then to leaning, before finally leaping back to the chair again. Eon began to scowl.
“Can’t you stand still?” Eon snapped. “You’ve already clawed our host’s cushions.”
“I am sorry. I cannot help it,” Kei snarled.
“I refuse to believe that a woman like Ji-ann will be foiled by that fool Ajero. She’ll be fine—you’ll see.”
“I am sorry if I lack your faith. She is just a girl.”
“She will be fine!” Eon cried. “I’m trying to concentrate on our other worry right now.”
“What else is there to worry about?” Kei asked. Dark circles ringed his eyes.
“That Knight, Dailyn, is related to the same Knight who hired me to kill Ji-ann.”
“I do not care right now. Sorry.”
“You should care, Kei. No matter how worried you are at the present, fretting will do us absolutely no good. The future is the only thing worth concern.”
“Speak for yourself,” Kei hissed.
Before Eon could retort, a woman in simple clothing peeked in the archway to their guest room. “Which one of you is called Kei?” she asked softly.
Kei stood and nodded to her. “I am Kei.”
“You should come upstairs. Please, Sir Westerner, if you would kindly wait here, my Lord Dailyn will be with you shortly.”