by R. E. Carr
He trailed off as he saw a flicker of motion farther down the path. He moved protectively between the unknown and the wounded Jenn. She peeked around his shoulder just in time to see a feathered dart flying toward them.
“Oh crap!” she said as she saw it stick in her already wounded arm. She swayed, then crashed to the ground.
“Jenn, can you hear me?”
“CALA, how bad is it?”
“You have been unconscious for twenty-four hours and have been moved to a location at least twenty-four kilometers from where we were incapacitated. I’m afraid my analysis has been compromised by a hood being placed over my I/O device.”
“So we have been drugged, knocked out, and dragged God knows where?”
“That is a valid assessment of the situation. Also, I am detecting the aroma of bacon.”
“Bacon?” Jenn said as her eyes snapped open. “Oh sweet Jesus! Real food!”
She rolled to her side to see a veritable feast spread over an actual table. Her jaw dropped as she pressed her head against a pillow and felt silken sheets slide across her legs. Her jaw hung open even more as she pushed up on her right arm. She stretched both arms, noticing that they moved smoothly and effortlessly.
“The grace of the gods is with you, honored guest,” a sweet voice said from across the room. “You have been restored to good health by the healing waters of our springs.”
Jenn blinked. She saw a young woman in a violet gown and ornate shawl sitting nearby. The stranger hopped to her feet and brought a pile of clean white robes to the stunned Serif-fan.
“You must be famished, my honored guest,” the girl said as she waved her hand over the generous tableau of fruit, bread, and porky-smelling delights. Jenn couldn’t fight a squeal that came out involuntarily when she saw tortillas and a dish full of saucy meat.
“If I’m going to be poisoned, at least it’s by tacos!” she said as she plowed into the food while still only wrapped in a sheet. Once she had devoured two of them, she turned back to the girl in the shawl. “There were three others with me—”
“Your companions are all being healed and fed as well. Now, if you would not mind getting dressed, my honored guest, you are expected in Her Highness’s chambers by audience time—at high noon.”
“Her Highness?” Jenn asked.
“Yes, you are the honored guest of Empress Ach Kat IxKan Balaam, Guardian of the Waters and Mother of Whispers. Welcome to Ka’an Ek Itza, capital of the Western Empire,” she said with the sweetest of smiles.
“Welcome to Ka’an Ek Itza, capital of the Western Empire,” Kei heard as well as he bolted out of his own bed. His sheet fluttered to the floor and he found himself face-to-face with a woman in a jaguar mask and a short, fitted tunic. The woman grinned and let out a long whistle.
“I have heard the legends of your tribe’s prowess, Lord Zhanfos, and I must say it is as impressive in person,” she said as she looked him up and down. “However, I think you should eat first before considering doing anything else.”
She motioned to a table with an entire split roast pig splayed upon it. Kei’s stomach betrayed him with a growl even as he lowered himself into a threatening stance.
“Where is Ji-ann?” he asked as he flicked out his claws.
“I see that the legends of Beast manners hold true as well,” the woman in the mask sighed. “If you mean the girl with the red hair, the so-called Serif-fan, then I can assure you that she is being quite well cared for. She was wounded and needed treatment by our healers, but now she is well.”
“Take me to her,” Kei snarled.
The woman tossed Kei a bundle with some clothes and his bracers. “Don’t you think that you should eat and get dressed first? After all, you’ve been summoned to an audience with Empress Ach Kat IxKan Balaam, and you would be wise to learn some manners before you meet her, Son of the Great Bear.”
“You know who I am?” Kei asked.
The woman let out a heavy sigh.
“Yes, I know all about you, heir Warlord. I am Mihasu IxKan Balaam, high protector of Her Highness, and newly declared envoy to your people. I thought I would welcome you personally . . . considering.”
“Considering what?” Kei snarled as he yanked a tunic over his head. Mihasu sauntered over and adjusted the hem for him.
“Considering the current state of diplomatic relations between our people, I think that Her Highness should explain the proposition. Needless to say, I thought I should see you first. It pleases me that you are not a hideous monster after all,” she said while adjusting his collar.
He pulled away from her and yanked on his forearm guards. Mihasu once more motioned to the table. “You are famished and should eat. I will not have it known that the hospitality of the Balaam is in question,” she said. “I give you the word of this house that your Serif-fan and the Oracle are safe and being treated well.”
“And what of Eon?” Kei asked.
“I am afraid that Eon is being treated exactly as he deserves,” she said, looking away.
“OK, this is a new level of insane,” Jenn said as she finally looked out a window.
Like a picture out of a history book, a vast plaza of green and black stretched out from the base of a nearby mountain. A row of pyramids, each one an island in a perfectly smooth lake, was the first wondrous sight. Beyond them, an enormous stepped pyramid stood in the shadow of the mountain. Finally, a smaller, pyramid-topped building surrounded by a wall nestled itself into the face of the rock.
“It’s an honest-to-God Maya city on another planet,” she said, leaning out the window. “But where are all the people?”
“Honored guest, the empress is waiting,” Jenn’s guide said. Jenn continued to marvel at the rows of reflecting pools until her guide gently tugged on her arm. “Please come with me. Your friends have already been summoned.”
Reluctantly, Jenn pulled away from the vista and padded after the girl. There were silent sentinels in black stationed every few feet, and they watched the women pass, their eyes glazed over and white. Jenn shuddered as she took in the chains that hung from their collars to their wrists.
“The Phantoms are here for your protection, honored guest. You need not fear them,” her guide said as they approached an ornately carved door.
“I see that they allow anyone an audience with their Empress,” a haughty new voice said. “I also see that you still have no idea how to conduct a royal audience.”
Licia walked toward Jenn, sparkling in a dress made of silk and ice. She flipped a frozen braid over her shoulder and eyed Jenn’s plain white tunic with disdain.
“I’m here to open a seal, not a fashion show,” Jenn snapped. “Hey, I’m glad that you’re OK—”
“I am glad that we’ve returned to some form of civilization, even if it is Western,” Licia said. “Where are your pet Phantom and the Zhanfos?”
“Ji-ann!”
Jenn whirled around to see a familiar, gray-skinned cat-man running down the hall. As he embraced her, Licia and Kei’s guide shook their heads in unison. Jenn ignored them both and held onto Kei as if for dear life.
“For once, it’s not so bad. Instead of armies, or ancient guardians, or even twisted copies of me, it’s beds and tacos,” Jenn said. She looked over his shoulder and raised a brow at his strange new escort. “Have you seen Eon?”
“Mihasu said that he was ‘getting what he deserved.’ Whatever that means,” Kei growled, glancing over at his masked guide.
“Tell me! Where is Eon?” Jenn demanded as she stormed over to the taller, masked woman. She did a double-take, though, when she saw the girl’s violet eyes and the purple sheen in her dark hair.
“These aren’t your lands, Serif-fan of Beasts. You don’t get to make demands,” Mihasu said. “We shouldn’t keep the empress waiting. After all, she’s been expecting you for quite some time—all of you.”
“Waiting for us?” Licia said with a snort. “How in this world would she even—”
Licia stopped cold as the door opened. Jenn and Kei froze as well when they saw the empress. She was wearing a skull mask and sat perched on a throne of bones. The woman stood and raised her arms in welcome. Then she gestured to a guest who was already in attendance. On her left, a kindly looking woman with slicked-back hair smiled at the stunned Licia.
“Aubergine!” Licia said as faced the Oracle of Water. “I thought you were captured.”
“More like . . . rescued, dear little Licia. I’m afraid that we have much to discuss,” Aubergine said.
“As do we, Lord Zhanfos,” The Empress said as she beckoned him forward. “I have sent word to your father that you are safe—and that you have reached the final seal.”
“Then the seal is here?” Jenn asked. She whispered to Kei, “What’s the catch? It’s never this easy.”
Kei took a step toward the throne and dropped to one knee. “Please, Empress of the West, my people are under attack by the Machidonians and the Knight who leads them—”
“Oh, I am well aware of Farris Adair and his treason, as well as his crusade against the Beasts. Let it be known that I have no intention of helping him destroy your people, Lord Zhanfos. I have already made preparations for your Serif-fan to open the seal. She need only convince its guardian to let her open it . . . ,” the empress said.
“So, I just need to ask?” Jenn asked slowly.
“Assuming that Lord Zhanfos and his father are willing to agree to my terms, then the matter will be simple,” the empress said. “I have also negotiated with Lady Aubergine regarding a new truce with Delphi Mountain, Lady Licia. I am certain you will find it palatable as well.”
“What terms?” Kei asked softly as he kept his head bowed. “I will do whatever it takes to save my people.”
“It is ever so simple, Lord Zhanfos. You have met my daughter already. Mihasu, show the young lord of Beasts your face,” the empress said.
Jenn watched as Mihasu knelt before Kei. She tilted up his chin to force him to look into her deep-violet eyes. She then pulled away her mask to show off her smooth, coppery skin.
“I only show this face to the man chosen to be my husband, Lord Zhanfos,” Mihasu said. “You should be honored.”
“Your what?” Kei asked.
“CALA, have you found that seal yet?”
“I have detected a large energy source in the vicinity, but it continues to move. I am sorry, Jenn.”
“What do you bet there is a feathered serpent wandering around in the dungeon?”
“You mean an avatar of Kukulkan?”
“Well, I need to find him and ask him to open the seal before Kei is forced into something awful.”
“Jenn, your mental state has been exceptionally erratic since encountering the Iaxani in the cave—”
“You think, CALA?”
“I know so, Jenn.”
“We are one seal away, right? When it’s open, do you think that I can change my mind? Can I stay here instead of going home?”
“You no longer wish to return to Earth? Is it because of Kei?”
“Yeah, it’s because of Kei. Who would have seen that one coming?”
“Well, considering the frequent nature of your intimate relations—”
“CALA, we need to work on rhetorical questions sometime. Also, if I do stay, does that mean that you can stay too?”
“Jenn, I am not quite processing your line of thought. Why would you want me to continue to exist in your brain if my purpose is finished?”
“That’s just it, CALA. You should continue to exist. It’s not fair for you to die, for lack of a better word, after everything you’ve done to help us.”
“But you would have to continue to share consciousness with me. Would that not be . . . awkward, for lack of a better word?”
“CALA, I was already awkward. Plus, you know better than anyone that I never really used all my brain anyway. So, you know—”
“Jenn, it will take me some time to process this request. Perhaps you should disengage.”
Jenn rolled to her side and breathed a sigh of relief as she curled against a soft, furry arm. A pair of bloodshot blue eyes stared at her.
“You need to sleep, sheep-boy,” she muttered as she snuggled closer. “We have to be up at dawn to beg this Kukulkan.”
“You have to beg their god,” Kei said softly. “I have to give the empress an answer about her offer.”
“Yeah, I must say, even with that mask on I could tell she was pissed that you said you wanted to think about it,” Jenn said as she pushed the hair out of his eyes. “But what are you going to do?”
“I am going to tell her no,” Kei said. “I fear I am less like my father than I realized.”
“Oh?”
“I only have room in my heart for one woman,” he said before kissing her. “Now that you plan to stay, I cannot help the empress in the way that she wishes. I am certain that my father or Sotaka will be able to make some sort of other suitable arrangement.”
“You are insane, Kei, but I really do love you,” she sighed.
“I was thinking the very same thing,” he said as he leaned in to kiss her.
“That you’re insane?” Jenn asked with a little laugh. Her smile faded when she saw her breath condense in the air next to them. “Is it suddenly—?”
“Cold?” Kei said as he bolted upright. His ears turned to the door and his tail twitched.
“Listen, I don’t care if I’m interrupting. We need to talk, Serif-fan of Beasts,” Licia said from just outside their door. “We need to talk—now.”
Jenn and Kei both yanked on their clothes and cautiously approached the door. Frost coated the hinges and handle. Kei opened it a sliver.
“What do you want, Oracle?” he growled.
“It’s so sweet,” she said as she shoved into their bedroom. “Here you are with your current wife the night before you get whored out to someone else. Come to think of it, can men even be whores? I suppose they can. Ooh, that face is priceless, Lord Zhanfos. You really do look like a cat whose fur has been rubbed the wrong way.”
“What do you want, Licia?” Jenn asked.
“As much as it pains me to say it, I want to help you,” she said.
“What is the catch?” Jenn asked.
“When the opportunity arises, I want Farris Adair dead—not captured, not exiled—cold and dead,” she said. “I’m not foolish enough to think I can do this by myself, but maybe, just maybe, you and your Beast and your Phantom and whatever other monsters you can somehow summon, Serif-fan, will be enough to stop him.”
“We will already fight Farris—” Kei started.
“But don’t you want your legendary Phantom to help you?” Licia asked.
“Eon?” Jenn asked.
“Oh yes, I found your Phantom. I may have found some leverage to use against the mighty empress and her plans. Guess who I saw embracing Eon ever so tenderly, Lord Zhanfos?” Licia said with a wicked smile. “I think that your bride-to-be finds him just as entertaining as I once did.”
“Seriously, Eon has been missing because he’s off ‘entertaining’ the princess?” Jenn asked. “Is that really any of our—”
“If you confront the empress with the knowledge that her daughter is fornicating with a slave, I am certain you will be able to negotiate better terms than she is intending. My sister has told me of their schemes. She and the empress plan to strike down Farris, and then divvy up the survivors into their new Empires. She needs you to be her daughter’s pet, though, to keep the Beasts in line. Don’t be fooled by her honeyed words and sweet voice, Zhanfos. She has no intention of taking no for an answer, so you might as well take every chance that you can.”
“He’s not going to marry Mihasu,” Jenn interjected.
“They know you are planning to leave once the seal is
opened. ‘The Serif-fan returns to the heavens’ and all that nonsense,” Licia sighed.
“I’m not leaving. I’m going to ask Rheak to let me stay here.”
“Oh my, won’t that put a damper on all their little plans?” Licia teased with an exaggerated eye roll. “You do realize that this empress is a queen of assassins and spies, don’t you? Listen, both of you. I am giving you this warning because you saved my life and because I do think you are my best chance for getting revenge, but don’t think I will help you much more than this—”
“No one is harming Ji-ann,” Kei growled.
“Well, if you want to guarantee that, I think you should see whether your Phantom is more loyal to you or to his little princess,” Licia said. “The guards can disable you or me—”
“But not me,” Jenn said. “Show me where I need to go.”
“Ji-ann . . . ,” Kei said as he grabbed his arm.
“I’m going to find Eon. He won’t betray us.”
“I know he is your friend, but he is a Phantom . . .”
Jenn broke free and glared at Kei. “He won’t betray us,” she snapped. “He just can’t. I believe in Eon.”
“And I wouldn’t fret too much, grunt,” Licia said. “They won’t kill your precious Serif-fan before the seal is opened. All their plotting counts for nothing if the Beasts get wiped out by the Machidonian horde.”
Jenn shoved past the Oracle and ran into the hall. She stifled a scream when she saw two bodies outside her room. Each one had a spike of ice jutting from its throat.
“Licia—” Jenn choked out.
“The empress was foolish not to post real Phantoms outside your quarters,” the Oracle said as she casually stepped over a body. “Follow me.”
“But you can’t just kill people . . . !” Jenn stammered.
“Westerners are not people. They are murderers and thieves,” Licia said. “I can’t believe that Aubergine would consider them worthy allies.”
Jenn grit her teeth but was compelled to run down the hall after the Oracle. Kei stayed close behind them, constantly sniffing the air. They ended up sneaking down a spiral staircase. Finally, both Licia and Kei motioned for Jenn to stop.