Curse and Whisper

by A J Gala

  “Tell me about Adeska.” Lora tried to coax words out of her queen. “You’ve been to see her a few times since she’s regained consciousness.”

  “She’s been sleeping a lot. Lazarus said she has to be careful with moving, or she’ll reopen her wound.”

  “You haven’t spoken to her at all?”

  Allanis touched the hummingbird pendant at her throat, snug in its bezel for her casting tool, secured by a pearl choker. “I have. She hasn’t been very forthright with me, though. There’s something she doesn’t want to talk about, and I don’t understand why. She just dodges my questions. I only want to know how she is.”

  Lora dug through the wardrobe and returned with a black brocade cape with red lining. She draped it over Allanis’s shoulders.

  “Think of her situation. There must be a lot of shame she’s trying to face. I’m sure she’ll be ready to talk more, soon.” She fastened two bronze pauldrons in place, each one decorated with a red enamel eagle.

  “I don’t care about all of that. I just want to know that she’s okay. Really okay.”

  “You’re such a beautiful, kind queen.” Lora’s laugh was soft. “It doesn’t matter how serious you want to look. You’re a tender soul, and I’m grateful to serve you.”

  “You don’t serve me, Lora. Stop that.” She grabbed the woman’s wrists and drew her in until their hips were pressed together. The warmth of her body stirred up a sudden desire.

  “Allanis?”

  “Don’t say that. Don’t say that you serve me. That’s not how you feel, is it?”

  “No, of course not. I didn’t mean it like that.” She stared down at the hurricane brewing in Allanis’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  Allanis inhaled, taking in Lora’s scent. She released her and tucked a lock of long, dark hair behind the woman’s ear.

  “Something will always be wrong. What’s wrong is meaningless these days.” She observed the way the light looked bathing over the bare skin above Lora’s plunging neckline and planted a kiss on her collarbone. “I’m finally realizing that.”

  “Then it seems to me like everything is finally right.”

  “Maybe that’s what this feeling is.” Allanis bit her lip. The doom in the air that she was waiting on was stirring up a much hotter desire. “But first, we address the front doors.” She parted from Lora with a tiny pain in her heart and plucked her crown from her mannequin. “Today is a day for occasions long overdue.”

  It sounded like a promise, and Lora was hot for it. But the queen left the privacy of their room before she had the chance to tear off her clothes. She threw on a black brocade capelet of her own and ran after Allanis to match her as they solemnly strode down the halls. Her burgundy train trailed beside the queen’s black one all the way to the front doors of House Hallenar.

  The room was full of others ready to wait with her. Athen, Lazarus, Jurdeir, Gavin, Titha, even Rori. Allanis had a company, and her heart swelled with pride. Pride in them and in herself.

  “My queen.” Jurdeir presented her with a curt bow. “When the time arrives, shall I lead the situation?”

  “No.” She grinned. “Don’t any of you worry about the situation. I know you’re plenty capable, but this is personal.”

  “It’s extremely personal, Alli, so let one of us do it.” Lazarus gestured to Athen and Rori next to him. “There’s no need to dirty your hands.”

  “I’m the queen. Let me dirty my hands. I will handle the situation.”

  “The second it goes bad, we’re stepping in.”

  She wanted to tell them to have a little faith but decided not to waste her breath. She would forever be underestimated, and today it would work in her favor.

  They didn’t have to wait long. Titha and Jurdeir waited outside the doors, guarding patiently. Other entrances were being guarded too, just in case, but Allanis knew it made no difference. Everything was going to come to a head right there, at the front doors, where everyone would see. She heard the unmistakable voice just outside, and her blood ran hot with fury.

  “Who the hell are you people? Get out of my way.”

  Jurdeir spoke up as confrontational as ever. “What business do you think you have here? Is the queen expecting you? Get lost!”

  “I live here, asshole!”

  “Oh, she is expecting you. After you, friend.”

  The doors opened, and Allanis stood front and center, staring down at Rhett coming up the steps. All his avenues had come up dead ends—the Malauris was dead and had provided him with no information, and Tryphaena and her poison formula were nowhere to be found. He had run out of options. Coming home and starting over was the only promising path he had left.

  He locked eyes with Allanis. “What’s going on? You having another party without telling me? What are you wearing?”

  “Welcome back home, Rhett. I had no idea you lived here. It’s been so long since anyone has seen you.”

  He shrugged the scene away and came inside. “What can I say? I got caught up in some debauchery around town. I’m a warm-blooded human being, after all.” The doors closed, and he thought to stride past her, but her glare made his steps wither short. “What is it?”

  “Your radius has gone quite a bit outside town, though, hasn’t it?”

  His fingers itched to hold his casting tool, but he felt the eyes of everyone bearing down on him and decided to wait. There was a way out of this, he thought.

  “I traveled the woods some, yeah. So what?”

  Allanis swallowed hard. The scowl on her face didn’t break. “Rhett Hallenar, you are hereby placed under Queen’s Arrest.”

  “Excuse me? You can’t do that. What the fuck for?” Finesse went out, and he materialized his rod, which glowed with red kaleidoscopic energy.

  Allanis didn’t flinch. She breathed in deep, and Royal Magic pulsated at her throat. Every fiber of her being told her that she couldn’t confront anyone, least of all him… but those were old fibers. New ones brimming with something she’d never felt before weaved their way into her. It was more than just confidence. It was duty, it was leadership, and it was a little bit of vengeance.

  “You are hereby placed under Queen’s Arrest,” she repeated, “for the use of daemonic magic on Alor Jinzera and for the kidnapping and torture of Lady Tizena and Lord Aleth Hallenar.”

  “What the hell are you talking about? You’ve got everything twisted. Why do none of you see what I’m trying to do?” he shouted.

  “I will gladly accept an explanation!” she yelled back. “Please, tell us! I want to know exactly why you’ve been out for them for all these years. Keep in mind that they are your family, Rhett!”

  His fist clenched so tight around his casting rod that he could feel the inlaid gemstones start to cut into his palm.

  “I’m always the villain, aren’t I? Family or not, Allanis, it doesn’t matter! Don’t you know what they are? I’m trying to protect us! Everything I’ve done, everything I’ve become, there’s a purpose! To protect the family, just like Mother would have. And like it or not, little sister, those two are no longer with us.”

  She threw her arms out as if to shrug, then brought them out again with the Royal Magic in her hands. “You’re not really doing any of this to protect us. You never were. No, you just say that to cover up the fact you’re doing it because you’re a psychopath!”

  “A psychopath? Really?” He chuckled, but there was a sliver of pain in it. “Then I guess what’s going to happen is going to happen.” The energy in his casting rod gathered into an orb at the crane’s head on the end.

  “I guess it is.”

  “You really think any of them can take me?” He gestured to everyone standing behind her. “If you’ve been paying attention, Alli, you’ll know Lazarus can’t do shit unless he’s fed that fun little thing in his hand. So, who’s it going to be, little sister? Hm? Your Master Knight? Or maybe your Battle Mage?”

  “Haven’t you been paying attention? It’s going to be me.”


  Rhett didn’t wait for a second and launched the orb her way. It crashed into her, and the impact sent the others back a step. When the energy cleared, Allanis was standing tall, unscathed behind a glowing blue tower shield that hovered in the air. Her pendant was bright with Akasha.

  Again, he acted with haste, swinging the rod down at the ground and tearing a rift into the Hell Planes. Three small, wiry creatures that were black as ink scurried out, screeching and hissing and leaving a trail of ichor behind them wherever they crawled. He spoke in Daemonstongue and sent them charging at her.

  Allanis raised her hands, palms up, just a little. She uttered a few words in Kingstongue, and three bright blue spears of energy jutted up from the ground and impaled each daemonling. Rhett raised his rod again to summon another creature, but the queen put her palms out, and the Royal Magic formed shackles around his wrists and snuffed out his own Akasha. His rod fell to the ground with a clang.

  “I didn’t do anything to those two that they didn’t have coming!” he yelled.

  She turned one of her wrists just an inch, and a scrap of blue energy covered his mouth. “That’s enough of that. Titha, Jurdeir, Lazarus, please escort him to the cells. Make it one down at the end, if you will, so he isn’t bothersome to the others. Gavin, bind and ward his casting tool. That is all.”

  Rhett fussed in his shackles and howled muffled profanities. He tried to run as the others neared, but Lazarus swept his leg beneath him, and his brother toppled over onto the floor. He knelt down after him and grabbed him by the back of his collar.

  “You have lost your gods damned mind,” he growled. Rhett’s body shook with a cough as Lazarus tightened his grip. “You’ve gotten away with so much. This is the end of all that. That boy, your nephew, who you attached the Malauris to? That was the last fucking straw. Get up.”

  He writhed away, but Jurdeir lifted him to his feet. Lazarus glared at him as they went to the cells.

  “And that’s a blessing. The last straw should have come long before that.”

  Thunk.

  It was quiet in the kitchen when Athen pulled out the cork on a bottle of port. Then Isa giggled and raised her cup.

  “This is bad!” she whispered.

  Athen grinned. “Not that bad.”

  The rich violet drink sloshed in her cup as Athen poured it.

  “Consider what we’re celebrating,” she said. “Seems wrong, doesn’t it?”

  “I’ve considered it. I think locking up a dangerous daemonologist who has been terrorizing the town is worth celebrating.”

  “Even though he’s your—”

  “Even though.” Athen poured himself a cup and touched it to hers with a clink. “We earned this, Isa.”

  “Gavin would be furious.” Her cheeks were pink as she sipped on the sweet port.

  “I know. Makes it a little more fun, right?”

  Isa wasn’t accustomed to alcohol. She knew others her age who were—even Djara knew her way around a few different wines—but Gavin had always steered her clear of the stuff. Guilt and giddiness added to her stomach twisting. With each sip, the room felt a little hotter.

  “Does it snow here?” she asked. “I haven’t lived in Suradia for very long at all. Never seen the winter here.”

  “Tons of snow!” Athen swept his arm out in a grand display of imaginary snow. “There’s at least one week around the turn of the year where people get snowed in.”

  “That sounds horrible! I’m cold just thinking about it.”

  She shimmied her back against one of the counters till she was sitting on top, dangling her legs. Athen joined her. He was right beside her, so close his arm touched hers, and in that second, her heart could have kept pace with a rabbit bounding through the woods.

  “It gets cold, but you’ll be alright here. The boredom is worse than the cold, anyway!”

  Phio entered the kitchen to find the two closer than ever and laughing to tears about something only teenagers would find amusing. They were too drunk to be startled by him. Isa waved.

  “Mister Heywood! How are you this evening? Is it warm in here to you?”

  He smiled. “Sweltering.”

  Athen hiccupped. “What did you need? Can I help you find something?”

  “No, no!” He shook his head. “Don’t trouble yourself. I’m just sniffing out something to help me unwind. I didn’t think Allanis would appreciate me raiding the wines in her study.”

  The youngest Hallenar rubbed his chin. “I splurged a little and bought a few bottles of Suradian whisky when Isa and I were out. I don’t know what it tastes like—whisky isn’t really my choice—but if you want to try some, it’s those big fat bottles on the top shelf over there.”

  Phio’s eyes followed up to where Athen pointed. In moments, he had a bottle in his hand and was pouring himself a glass of deep carnelian liquor.

  “It certainly smells like a distiller that knows what they’re doing.” Phio inhaled. Rich and smoky and conjuring up an image of the strong Suradian walls overseeing dewy green forests in the spring.

  Athen and Isa stared on as he leaned against the door leading out into the orchard. He didn’t seem to be looking at anything, his brown eyes nearly boring a hole in the wall across from him.

  “Mister Heywood, are you alright?” Isa asked. She really wanted to go back to being drunk in Athen’s presence, in secret, laughing about nothing. But Phio was hard to ignore.

  “I’m alright.” He sampled the whisky. It burned a little more than he’d prefer, but the aftertaste was good. The opposite of what he’d expected. “Strange not having anyone to drink with. Adeska’s being tended to; I can’t go see her. I shouldn’t go to Centa, either—the cells are guarded more heavily now that Rhett’s down there. Jurdeir has the watch right now. You should see the way he looks at me when I come near. If I get within ten feet of the door, he’ll probably smack me right in the head with that gauntleted arm of his.”

  “But you’re allowed to be down there,” Athen said.

  “I don’t think anyone is allowed down there.” Phio sighed. “Maybe in a day or two when everything calms down.” He slid one hand behind his back while the other held the glass out and swirled the whisky.

  “Guess it’ll just be Rori going down to check in with food and water, then. No visitors.” Athen’s expression was flat as he looked into the joyless port. “At least till everything calms down, like you said.”

  Phio’s hand touched around the door carefully, quietly, just enough to find the lock. “Who does Allanis have as watch by the cells, next? Who could possibly be as menacing as Jurdeir? The man’s a bit bumbling until he has something to do.”

  Athen chuckled. “Lazarus.”

  Phio spared a laugh with him. It hid the sound of the lock turning. “I don’t think he cares for me too much. Guilty by association, I’m sure.”

  Athen’s grin wasn’t entirely friendly. “Well, Phio, your other half did stab my sister and nearly kill her, only after missing its original intended target, which was, in fact, Lazarus.”

  “Other half.” Isa snorted, trying to stifle a giggle.

  Phio nodded in defeat, feigning shame to cover his line of sight. A key hung outside the pantry. “I won’t deny the things he did. But I won’t apologize for them, either. That man makes his stupid decisions on his own, and I can’t stop all of them.” He shrugged. “I’ll leave you two to your night. Someone around here will want to share this bottle with me, surely.”

  With a weak grin, he left the kitchen. Isa took a gulp of the port and fanned herself.

  “That was strange.”

  “It was.” Athen kicked his feet. “He’s awkward without Centa around.”

  Water sloshed in the bucket as Rori soaked a rag and wrung it out. For hours she’d been scrubbing away at all the things in her shed to the sounds of gentle rainfall outside. She couldn’t stand to be in House Hallenar after the showdown.

  Her head was a mess of conflicting emotions.

 
“You’re an idiot, Rhett.” She sniffled and dragged the wet rag across her desk. “Why did you come back? Why did you come back at all? You could have stayed on the Fallarian Isle.”

  Old green stains wouldn’t come up. They never would. They’d be deep in the cuts of the wood till the end of time, saturated with the plants of her old work. She scrubbed and scrubbed. Her workstation was no better off, and neither was her heart.

  There was a knock on the doorframe. Phio stood in the open doorway, damp from the rain.

  “Hey.” Rori wiped away a tear. “Phio. What brings you out here?”

  “I had a favor to ask,” he said. “Are you okay? You don’t share the same good spirits as everyone else inside.”

  “They shouldn’t be in good spirits.” Her nostrils flared, and she threw the rag in the bucket. “We just imprisoned our brother! I understand he’s done nothing but vile things, but how can it still feel like a win?”

  Phio stepped inside with her and plucked a dry rag from a hook on the wall. “I don’t disagree with you. But I don’t exactly have a place to voice my opinions in all this.” He handed it to her.

  “You do not.”

  There was a quick crack of lightning and thunder. They paused to watch it race through the clouds and rumble through the land.

  “I’m glad we have someone dangerous locked up,” Rori said with a sigh, “but I haven’t forgotten who that someone is. There’s nothing to be happy about. If anything, the battle gets harder now.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  She dried the desktop, but there was no enthusiasm. “The hard part is how do we convince him he’s wrong? How do we get him to change? And how the hell does everyone make it out of this alive?”

  “Some of your siblings don’t think he can be changed.”

  Rori gave up her chore and collapsed into a chair. “Allanis. She’s starting to scare me. I don’t want her to stop being able to see the best in everyone. She was one of the only people here who could, and now… now I’m not so sure anymore.”