by Narro, B. T.
“Shut up!” Raymess screamed. He was unraveling like a spool of thread tossed down a hill. “I won’t hear of it!”
Lisanda squeezed Jek’s hand. “This feels so wrong,” she whispered.
“There’s no stopping it now.”
“The officers will now vote,” Vala announced. If she knew her cheek had a gash across it, then she was ignoring it. “Those who agree that Raymess no longer has the best interests of his army and of Goldram in mind, raise your hands.”
Jek’s heart stopped when he saw only three of the ten men raise their arms. The other officers looked between Raymess, Micah, and Vala. Micah lowered his head as he stared back at them.
“I should kill you right now, you traitor!” Raymess drew his blade and started toward Micah. “How dare you will them with psyche.”
“I’m not using psyche, my king.”
“My king?” Raymess mocked. “You’ve voted against me. You’re a traitor and a fool.”
“Your own family has voted against you,” Fatholl said. “If you calm yourself, you’ll understand why that is.”
“My family and the other traitors who voted against me are about to die. My officers aren’t fools. They would never…” But as Raymess turned and saw every officer with his arm now in the air, his sword dropped, and he fell to his knees. “What have all of you just done?”
“The vote has ended,” Vala said. “As the Takary family now is without a male heir, the burden of the crown goes to me.”
Jek’s breath rushed out of him in relief. For a moment, he’d thought his engagement to Lisanda would make him king.
“Being the Goldram Army, you’ll now follow my orders,” Vala said. “Officers, tell your men that they’ll be fighting against the desmarls side by side with the Elves. They’ll do so until all the monsters have been killed.” She turned to Fatholl. “Where will they need to be, and when will they need to be there?”
“The desmarls will be within Zav, Presoren, Chanren, and Waywen in less than a month. These fine fighters can have a week with their families as they wait for your command to advance south, where they’ll meet with the army of Presoren and half of those with allegiance to me. The other half of my army will go north to meet with Zav and Waywen’s armies. The armies of Chanren will split to fight half in the north and half in the south like my own. My psychics will keep the monsters incapacitated as we exterminate them. There should be very few casualties with everyone’s cooperation.”
“How has it come to be that I’m the only one who sees this for the trap it is?” Raymess said in a pleading voice. Turning to his mother, he picked up his fallen sword. “You’re about to ruin our future and our lives. You’re about to get your own daughters killed!” Spinning to his officers, his voice rose. “Do not listen to any of this. Fight with me against our true enemies!”
Vala was dabbing her bloodied cheek with a cloth. “The law of corrupt kingship has been invoked.”
“Her Highness is right,” Harold said. “She commands us now.”
“Unless she dies. Mother, you’re killing all of us if you do this. Give the order back to me.” Although Raymess hadn’t yet pointed his blade at Vala, Jek didn’t need to be a psychic to see it was about to happen. He drew his wand in anticipation.
Vala stepped toward Raymess bravely. “Put away your sword.”
“I’m trying to save us all! Grant me command over my army. Don’t make me do this.” His grip on his sword tightened.
“I won’t give you back control. I don’t know how you’ve lost your grasp on reality, perhaps it was your father’s death, but I cannot let you do something all of us will regret for the rest of our lives. Officers, detain Raymess.”
“I cannot let you kill us all!” He rushed at her, his elbow bent back as if ready to thrust his sword into her chest. “Relinquish your power now!”
“Jek!” Lisanda screeched.
In a panic, Jek shot a fireball at Raymess, pouring more energy into the spell than he might’ve done if he’d had more time to prepare. It exploded against Raymess’ chest just as he turned toward it in shock. The image of his wide eyes was stuck in Jek’s mind. There was innocence within them, confusion. The man hadn’t meant to murder his mother? Could it be he was just trying to scare her?
Please be alive.
Raymess’ head bounced against the ground. He didn’t get up, nor did he move. Vala rushed over. She knelt, grabbing his face. “Raymess, Raymess!” She pushed her fingers against his neck. “He’s dead!”
Jek felt as if he couldn’t breathe.
“No!” Lisanda whispered.
Fatholl hurried over to Raymess and Vala. “Move,” he ordered.
Jek and Lisanda crept closer, finding others doing the same. They watched Fatholl open Raymess’ mouth and shift his limp arms so they rested on the ground above his head. The Elf put his ear close over Raymess’ mouth.
“Still not breathing!” Fatholl said. He shifted his knees to position himself differently, bumping into Vala. “Give me space!” he screamed desperately. But she wouldn’t move.
Micah and Jessend gingerly took Vala by the arms and pulled her away.
Fatholl leaned down and put his open mouth over Raymess’ lips.
“What the Bastial hell?” the men watching muttered. The crowd moved closer.
Fatholl blew, filling Raymess’ lungs with air. Jek had never seen such a thing, and by the looks on everyone’s faces, neither had they.
“Is he kissing him?” a few voice asked.
“What are you doing to my son?” Vala screamed. “You’re disgracing his honor by putting your lips against him!”
Fatholl ignored her, sitting up to place his palms against Raymess’ chest. Surprisingly, the Elf started pushing hard, shoving Raymess’ flesh down forcefully.
“Stop it!” Jessend yelled.
“He’s trying to help,” Micah said.
“How?” Jessend asked.
“I don’t know, but he is.”
Fatholl was too busy bringing his mouth back down to respond. Again, Raymess’ chest rose. Then Fatholl went back to violently shoving it down. Was this some sort of spell? Psyche of some kind? Perhaps magic? It made no sense.
Jek felt devastation building as he watched Fatholl continue to no avail. Raymess simply lay there, lifeless.
“Please, please, please,” Lisanda was whispering.
Jek felt the same word repeating itself in his mind.
Vala fell to her knees, weeping.
Suddenly a grunt came from Raymess. Fatholl quickly stopped pushing on him.
Everyone fell silent. They watched Raymess open his eyes. He coughed and clutched his chest. “What…where?” his voice was as weak as the last breath of a dying man.
Then, to Jek’s amazement, Raymess sat up and looked around with confusion. He was alive.
Fatholl stepped away, and Vala took his place beside Raymess. She threw her arms around her son, but he uttered a shriek of agony.
“He needs medical treatment,” Fatholl said. “The fireball must’ve done some damage, and I may have worsened it, but at least he’s alive.”
“What happened?” Raymess wheezed out, staring at Jek. Then Raymess’ eyes shut with a grimace of pain.
Micah put his hand on Raymess’ shoulder. “Rest. We’ll see to your injuries.”
Raymess went limp as Micah carefully lowered him to the grass.
“All of you are welcome in the palace,” Fatholl said. “Raymess will have access to your chemists and ours so long as there’s no more fighting between us.”
“There won’t be,” Vala said. “We’ll fight with you until the desmarls are exterminated.”
“I wouldn’t ask anything more than that.”
Lisanda crouched over her brother, tears wetting her cheeks and dripping from her chin. She sniffed and turned to Fatholl. “Why did you save him?”
“Because I could.”
Chapter 42:
JEK
Vala told Micah to stay back
with the fighters of Goldram. He would lead them through The Nest and into the palace.
“Raymess might awake without psyche,” Micah warned her. “And he seems confused and in pain.”
“I’ll keep him asleep,” Fatholl said. “Let’s ride back. As we pass my army, I’ll tell them that peace has been reached.”
“How did you save him?” Jessend asked. “What was that kissing magic?”
“It wasn’t magic,” Fatholl said. “There was no Bastial or Sartious Energy involved. It’s something Namlin Lage has been perfecting. We call it the breath of life. I had his associates teach it to me and many of my Elves.” His glance shifted to Vala. “You should have your chemists learn it.”
“We certainly will.”
Vala rode with her unconscious son leaning back against her chest. Fatholl kept his mount close to them. Jek rode beside Lisanda. She hadn’t looked at him since he’d nearly killed her brother.
“I’m sorry,” Jek told her. “I didn’t mean to…” He wasn’t sure how to word it. “I shouldn’t have used so much energy. It was a mistake.”
She nodded, staring coldly ahead.
As they crossed into The Nest, Jek noticed Lisanda remove the engagement ring he’d given her. She stuffed it into her pocket.
It felt like she’d taken a piece of his heart and done the same with it.
He wanted to say something, a phrase that would make it all better. But what does a man say when he nearly kills the brother of his betrothed, and the brother’s worst enemy saves his life?
“You screamed my name,” Jek said.
She glanced over. It seemed as if the sight of him made her cringe. She looked away quickly as if she’d stared into a bright light.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“When Raymess was coming at your mother, you screamed my name. You wanted me to shoot him, right?”
“I don’t know. I certainly didn’t want you to kill him.” She grunted and waved her hand, the same hand that had worn the engagement ring just recently. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.” She steered her horse so that Jessend was between them.
Jek held back tears.
Within the palace, the Takarys were surprisingly comfortable interacting with Fatholl’s Elves. Vala called two of them over to carry Raymess.
“Are my son’s quarters available?” she asked Fatholl.
“Every room is available to you and your family.”
“What would you have our army do once they get here?” Vala asked.
“Eat, rest, then walk about The Nest with my Elves to show the people we are to fight together against the desmarls without conflict. A half day should be all that’s needed. Then they can stay with their families until my liaisons return from Zav, Presoren, and Waywen with the good news of the other armies joining us. I expect it to take another week.”
“Then our armies will march?” Vala asked.
“Yes.”
A week, Jek thought. It should be more than enough time to settle things with Lisanda before I have to leave. Though, he couldn’t imagine going through even a day with her ignoring him like she was. The torment it caused him was nearly unbearable, like his body was broken until she forgave him. Still, he would let her be for the meantime.
He watched Lisanda follow her mother, Fatholl, and the Elves carrying Raymess. It left him alone with Jessend.
“Is it strange to be back?” he asked.
“I thought it would be. But it isn’t.” She smiled at him. “Have I ever told you how happy I am that you refused to marry me and took Lisanda from the palace before she could marry Varth Farro?”
“You haven’t.”
“Well, I am. I can’t imagine Lisanda with anyone else.” Jessend surprised him with a hug. “She’ll forgive you as soon as she knows Raymess will be fine.”
“She told you this?”
“No, but I know it.”
“She took off the ring,” Jek said, hoping Jessend would say something to alleviate his worry.
But an Elven guard interrupted them. “Are you Jessend Takary?” he asked with an accent.
“Yes.”
“There are three men who have been waiting outside the palace to see you. They’ve come from Facian, and their inquiries for you haven’t stopped. If you would send them away or take responsibility for their company and invite them in, we would appreciate your effort.”
“Oh!” Jessend said with delight. She ran toward the palace doors. Suddenly remembering Jek, she came to an abrupt stop and turned. “Sorry, Jek! I’m sure everything will be fine.”
He held in a grumble.
Unsure what to do with himself, Jek decided to walk about the palace. He greeted the servers he recognized. When he found curiosity on their faces, he gladly explained that the Takarys had joined with Fatholl.
Eventually, he ended up at the other end of the palace. The stables looked no different than when he was there last, when he was fleeing the palace with Micah, the Takary women, and the guards who eventually deserted them. The Elven psychics had opened the gate and let them pass. It all made sense to him now.
He saw Silvie brushing a horse’s mane. She stopped when their eyes met.
“Jessend is here,” Jek said. He’d never been close with Silvie. Lisanda had told him everything that had happened between Jessend and Silvie, not that he understood the point to all their arguing.
Silvie swallowed at the mention of Jessend’s name. “Is she angry with me for staying?”
“I didn’t ask, but I’m sure she isn’t.”
“Are you angry?” Silvie nearly whispered.
“No,” Jek told her happily. “I’m glad you and everyone else stayed. Who knows what the psychics would’ve done to the horses, probably convinced the animals they weren’t hungry long enough to starve them.”
A smile cracked her lips. “I do hate psyche. They insist on using it even though no one knows what it’s really doing to the animals. I’m glad you and the others are back. So this means Fatholl’s plan worked?”
Jek hadn’t thought of it that way. It made him feel ill, for Fatholl’s plan had involved murdering Danvell. He couldn’t allow himself to agree. Silvie’s words were like wafts of air on dying coals, reigniting the anger deep in his chest. He reminded himself that he would never forgive Fatholl, but what difference would that make? The Elf didn’t care.
It was painfully confusing.
“Forgive me,” Silvie said. “What I meant to ask was if Raymess has agreed to fight with Fatholl?”
“In a way,” Jek said. He went on to explain everything that had happened. As he started to express his worries about Lisanda, he interrupted himself to ask Silvie something he’d been wondering. “Why did you and Jessend fight so much? Why didn’t it work between you two?”
The question looked to cause her some agony as she sighed. “It’s too difficult to care for someone when you have to hide it.”
She said no more.
“I’m sorry,” Jek said.
“I’ve been wondering if there are more stories about true love than there are actual cases. It’s everywhere in songs and books and spoken tales. I’ve begun to hate it.” She pointed at Jek. “You and Lisanda are lucky.”
“I worry she’s not going to forgive me for what I did to Raymess.”
“Then you’re a fool.” There was no sympathy in her tone. “Tell Jessend I’ll be here if she wishes to speak.”
He nodded and left.
Silvie was almost right. He wasn’t a fool, but Lisanda made him foolish. He spent that evening in his room, devising a plan. It strained his mind to work through every detail, and soon he was forgetting what he’d just decided. He took out a quill and ink. Never being one for planning, he was working on the most extravagant plot he’d ever created, filling pages one after the other.
He got lost and needed to reread the plan from the beginning several times in order to finish it. For hours he wrote. By the time he was done, he barely c
ould read the words without light from his wand.
It was impossible for him to complete his plan before leaving to fight the desmarls, but it was all the more fitting to wait until they were dead. He paced around the room, reveling in his creation, reading the pages aloud to himself, commenting and laughing like a madman as he went.
When the ink was dry, he rolled the pages together and locked them in his drawer. Sweaty, he decided to bathe. He returned to his room for another read of his plan the moment he was done. It was even better the second time.
There was a knock at his door. “It’s Gerace,” she said. “I’m here with your supper.”
He opened the door. Filled with pride, he wanted to show her his plan; he wanted to show everyone. He refrained, grabbing her and squeezing her tightly instead. “Thank you, Gerace,” he explained.
“Uh,” she muttered. “You’re welcome.”
“You’re in a good mood.” Lisanda came down the hall with a smile. A genuine smile!
“How’s your brother?” he asked.
“Better. He has some confusion and many aches, but our chemists say he’ll fully recover.”
“Lady Lisanda, I have your food here as well,” Gerace said. “Would you like me to set the table in Jek’s room for both of you?”
“Thank you,” Lisanda said. “I would like that if Jek wouldn’t mind my company.”
Jek wanted to come up with a joke, but he couldn’t contain his joy enough to do so. A smile had pushed his mouth wide open.
“Leave the tray,” Jek told Gerace. “You must be busy. We can set the table.”
“Thank you,” she said.
Jek quickly shut the door. He couldn’t help himself, kissing Lisanda frantically. She kissed him back, but then pulled away with a giggle. “What’s going on with you?”
He opened his mouth to tell her his plan, his whole plan, every detail from start to finish. He wanted to show her that he’d written it all down so as not to forget anything. But he couldn’t tell her about it yet.
“I’m so glad your brother’s alright.”
She glanced at her feet. “I’m sorry for how I treated you.”
He checked her hand. There still was no ring.
“I wasn’t sure my brother would live,” she continued, “and I feared that whenever I looked at you, I would see him being hit by your fireball. I know you were only trying to help. But I couldn’t rid myself of the feeling the image created.” Her eyes slowly rose to meet his. “It’s easy to forget how powerful you are. You’re always so gentle with me.”