by Lisa Lace
“You look spectacular. I’m tempted to stay here and ruin you.”
She shivers at my words, leaning close to me. “Could we really do that?”
“I am afraid not, darling.”
“I didn’t think so. Shall we?”
I think of queens again, and swear that when this is all over, I will lay Arietus at her feet. Perhaps that will pay her back for the terror and confusion she feels now. She deserves it.
My brother is in a stately mood tonight. Instead of an orgy or a restrained threat, he is having a dinner in the old style. The first thing we see is a large dining room with a roast at the center, turning on a spit over a fire. Surrounding the fire are a series of couches, each with a small table in front of it, all served by silent servants.
Absently I note who is at the dinner. I recognize all the faces there, of course, having been raised in Arietan high society. Many of them are as disgusted with Crucis as I am, though they thoroughly hide their dislike.
We are escorted through the room, and I greet each individual as we pass them. I can feel Perri’s shyness in the way she clings to my arm, but she smiles and nods at the nobles of Arietus as if she were born to do it.
We are settled at the couch next to my brother’s, a position that is familiar to me. Our proximity to him makes me nervous. Crucis is unpredictable even at relatively staid events. I would rather be farther away. Still, there is nothing I can do but greet him, and he, in turn, smiles at me.
“My brother and sister-in-law. It is good to see you tonight. I am afraid I offended you on our last visit. My hope is that tonight I can repair any breach.”
“There’s nothing that needs to be fixed, my brother. I am not one to hold a grudge. Neither is Perri.”
She ducks her head, but I can tell it is not shyness making her avoid Crucis’ gaze. It is anger. I hope she can restrain it a little longer.
“That’s good to hear. Let me come join you.”
It is not uncommon for the host of a dinner to sit and eat with his guests, eating different courses with different people. Nevertheless, an unpleasant chill runs up my spine when he settles on the couch. Perri is trapped in the middle between us.
“I believe I recognize those gems. Were they your mother’s?”
“They were. She gave them to me for my wife. Don’t you think Perri looks good in them?”
“She does, but she deserves finer jewels than those tawdry things. Something like red diamonds, perhaps. Maybe even nephilite. Do you know those stones, Perri?”
Perri jumps when she is directly addressed and shakes her head. “I am still learning a great deal about my new home, your majesty. I have never heard about that gem.”
I see the cruel glint of malice in Crucis’s eyes. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I know he has not forgotten how she defied him on her first night at court.
“Learning more about the place where you will live and die is a worthy pursuit. Nephilite has an old story attached to it. Do you know it, brother?”
“I have never cared much for fairy tales, my brother. You know I prefer action.”
I hope he will take the hint and change the subject. He laughs, leaning closer to Perri. She cannot retreat any further and chooses to watch him with a cool and wary eye.
Crucis pays no attention to either of us. “Nephilite is the creation of the god of the mountains. He owned all the gems of the world and used them to create the most beautiful trinkets, but they were not enough to convince the goddess of the rivers to lie down with him.
“Finally, desperate to bed her, he went down into the heart of a mountain. Using the heat of magma and pressure of stone, he created nephilite, shining red and orange.”
“Did it work? Was it something she wanted?”
“Yes, Perri. The goddess who thought herself too good for the god of the mountain lusted after the shiny new bauble. She searched all over the world for stones of her own. When she could not find any, she went meekly to the mountain.”
I bare my teeth before I remember who is speaking to me. There is something deadly in the air tonight. It makes me feel uneasy.
“She asked him for his nephilite, telling him she would give him anything. The god of the mountain is a fine bargainer, and he began slowly. For the ability to stroke her long red hair, he would give her the smallest crumb of nephilite.”
“And she took it?”
“Of course, she did. She was a woman. When women want things, they will do what it takes to get them. After all, it was only her hair. The small bit of nephilite was not enough to satisfy her. She came back many times, asking for larger pieces, and the price slowly increased. He asked to touch her breasts, pinching the nipples and pulling on them until she wept. He asked to finger her beautiful pussy. He asked to fuck her mouth.”
Perri shifts uneasily. I can feel a dark fire starting up inside me. If Crucis were not my brother and the king, I would never have permitted him to speak this way. The rage building inside me will not be easily dismissed.
“I’m not sure I like this story. It seems cruel.”
“Life is cruel, Perri. Finally, for the last beautiful gem, he convinced the goddess of the river to let him fuck her ass high up on the mountain so that everyone could see her wailing and enduring the indignity in the open air and sunlight. He won. He gave her the last gem, and he returned to his mountain, the proudest man in the world.”
“Is this where the story ends? What happened to the goddess?”
“No one knows. I assume she slunk home to comfort her sore ass by wearing beautiful jewelry. What else does a woman do?”
Perri swallows hard. “Thank you for telling me the story, your majesty.”
I vow to kill him one day. And Crucis isn’t done.
“I have a question about the gems you wear. What did you do to earn them?”
“Your majesty?”
“When my brother took you to the brothel, what did the girls teach you? Did you learn to please him with every nook and cranny of your body? I like a well-trained girl, and I can dress you in gems more beautiful than the ones my brother has given you.”
I am already on the brink of boiling over. When he reaches over to cradle Perri’s soft breast, I feel something inside me snap. There can be no more waiting.
With a barely constrained growl, I grab Perri and pull her away from Crucis, standing to put my body between them. “You will not speak to her like that.”
Crucis rises from the couch as well, an expression of satisfaction on his face. “Oh really, brother? How would you like me to speak to your wife?”
“Never speak to her again. You don’t deserve to sully her name with your tongue.”
“Those are big words for the wastrel drunk from the lower city. I wonder if you have anything inside you besides sharp words.”
“I do. I challenge you, Crucis, and I will not be satisfied by first blood. For your insult, I want your death.”
All around us I hear gasps of shock. Perri, beloved Perri, behind me does not make a sound. She clasps my hand tightly, and I know she will never let go.
Perri
As soon as Crucis starts speaking to me, I move all my emotions behind a thick glass wall. Despite all his power, despite all the wealth and allies he commands, he is just a bully. I have known enough of those in my life.
When he tells his terrible story, I’m certain of one thing. I will not be the gap in Rasulus’ armor. I will not give Crucis the chance to needle Rasulus into doing something reckless.
Crucis reaches for me, and I can feel Rasulus losing the tenuous grip on his temper. He pulls me away, and the glass shatters. Suddenly I can feel everything, the shame of being spoken to the way Crucis spoke to me and the terror of being so close to a man who is ruthless and cruel. Above all of it, rises a terror for Rasulus and what he is doing. My heart thumps in my chest. When he challenges his brother, all I can think of is Casca and Miruska’s heartbreak over the loss of their brother and son.
I squeeze Rasulus’ hand tightly as if I can keep him safe by hanging on to him.
Crucis’s laughter fills the room. “It seems like my brother has finally found something he wants to fight for. Very well. You are of royal blood, and it is your right to demand the challenge. It is your right to die by my sword.”
Crucis is in a good humor as he steps away to call for weapons. Rasulus turns to me, ignoring the shocked murmurs around us.
“Don’t be afraid.”
“How can I avoid it? Rasulus, you don’t need to do this.”
“You are wrong. I will not let anyone speak to you like that.”
“I can take it! Do you think I haven’t heard worse?” The look on his face is terrible. I would shrink back if I weren’t so frightened for him. “Please don’t do this. It’s not necessary. I don’t want you to die.”
A small smile flickers across his face. “You have so little faith in me, darling. We’re going to begin as soon as he can find arms for us. Listen to me. Everything is going to be fine. I do not think things will end badly, but if they do—”
“Rasulus, no!”
“If they do, do you see the tall man standing by the pillar? The one with the gold chain around his neck?”
“Yes.”
“If things go poorly for me, I want you to run to him. He will protect you. Do you understand?”
I shake my head. “I don’t understand anything at all. Who is he? Did you plan this?”
Rasulus’ laugh sounds harsh. “I wish I had. Believe me, if I had planned anything, you wouldn’t be standing here beside me. This might be the most foolish thing I could have done.”
“Rasulus, don’t say that!”
“There’s no reason to be afraid, love. I don’t regret anything. You shouldn’t either.”
He hesitates as if he wants to say more, but an older man appears carrying a long leather case. Crucis has an excited grin on his face. I wonder in the back of my mind if Rasulus’ brother is ever more joyful than when he is causing someone else pain.
“Perri, you are the most important thing to me. I have so much to tell you. I love you.”
The declaration makes my jaw drop. Before I can fully process what he’s saying, he turns around and starts striding toward the open space at the center of the room where his brother and the swords wait. Like the other people in the chamber, I move and stand around the edge of the space. Remembering what Rasulus had said, I sidle close to the large man with the gold chain around his neck. His hair is nearly white, but he looks powerful. When he sees me, he gives me a slight, nearly imperceptible nod.
The man with the swords, perhaps the same one who officiated the first terrible duel I saw on this planet, offers the case to the two brothers. As they examine the swords, I notice how similar Crucis and Rasulus look. They have the same father. I wonder what traits he had that they share. How did their mothers’ blood change them? What brought them to this terrible, fatal place?
Crucis chooses his weapon first. He swings his sword through the air in a bright, glittering arc and tests the edge.
Rasulus never takes an eye off his brother as he lifts the remaining weapon. He does not bother testing it. All he does is wait.
The officiant has a grave look on his face. When they touch blades, the chime is the only sound in the room. The rest of us stand like statues, ready to be witnesses to a slaughter.
“My king. My prince. Fight with honor, and may death welcome the one who lost in honor and in glory. Victory to the one whose cause is right and whose arm is strong.”
He steps back. With a clash of steel that takes my breath away, the battle begins. This is nothing like Rasulus’ duel with Seyonn. Seyonn and Rasulus studied each other and knew they would both be walking away from the fight. Tonight feels different. There is blood and death in the air.
Rasulus and Crucis move quickly. The clanging of steel sounds like it is intended to wound if it cannot kill outright. There is no testing here, only a commitment to slaughter. The din is deafening, and I want to put my hands over my ears. I refuse to give in to my weakness. I may not be of the court, and I may not be Arietan, but I am Rasulus’ wife. Today, no one will think I am a coward. I dig my nails into my palms so hard they almost draw blood, and I force myself to watch.
After the first onslaught, they pull back for a heartbeat. Neither of them is bloodied, and they face each other warily. Crucis wears a grin of pure bloodlust, while Rasulus’ face is calm.
“Do you remember the heir to the Savi?” Crucis’ tone is practically conversational.
“How could I forget? He was my friend.”
“That’s good to know. I’m glad you will have a friend who can provide comfort when you are dead tonight, and I am fucking your wife.”
Crucis is moving again, bringing his sword down in a quick arc. If it had landed, it would have cut Rasulus in two, but Rasulus manages to twist away. He takes a cut at his brother as Crucis slips past him, and the king bellows in pain. I realize with a sick feeling that Rasulus was trying to slash at Crucis’ belly. The blow went high, skidding across his brother’s ribs instead.
“First blood to me!”
The cry is taken up by the crowd. First blood to the prince! I jump when I feel a hand touch my shoulder.
“Blood of the Mother, he might do this yet.” The speaker is the man Rasulus said would protect me if he fell. There is a tension in his face I would not have expected from a casual observer.
Crucis may be wounded, but the injury seems to have hardly slowed him down. As he and Rasulus circle each other, he looks both more wary and angry. He does not charge Rasulus again but moves around him like a predator.
Rasulus looks pale. I realize that there is no satisfaction in the battle for him. To Crucis, bloodshed is a pleasure. To my husband, it is something he must suffer through to get what he wants. I feel my heart clench when I think of Rasulus as my spouse. He said he loves me, and I can feel it in my heart, welling up and spilling out.
When Crucis attacks next, he does not try to distract or taunt Rasulus. He moves swiftly, a feint before a deadly slash. Rasulus barely manages to avoid the blow. As Rasulus is twisting away, however, Crucis’ fist comes up, landing what looks like a stunning punch to the side of Rasulus’ head. It does not land squarely, but Rasulus still stumbles.
The crowd around me murmurs. “Bad form,” growls the man standing next to me. “It’s not illegal in a duel, but it’s bad form.”
I want to shout at him that it doesn’t matter to me what is fair or not. If Crucis walks away as the victor, Rasulus will be dead. It won’t matter how the match was won.
To my horror, Rasulus seems dazed, stumbling to one side of the cleared space. Crucis presses him, sending down a barrage of blows that Rasulus can hardly push away. The crazed look of victory is back in Crucis’ eyes. My heart lurches in my chest.
There is a break in the barrage, and Crucis lifts his sword high. He is through playing with his victim. He is prepared to strike a killing blow, and he is ready to take his brother’s head. As Crucis’ sword comes whistling down, Rasulus sidesteps with a reserve of strength and speed I didn’t realize he had. Rasulus sidesteps again, and almost in the same movement, drives the edge of his sword deep into Crucis’ chest.
The death scream is terrible, and I want to throw up as Rasulus pulls back his blade and drives it home through his brother’s heart. The crowd starts to scream. As I look around, it is not from the horror of seeing the king killed in front of their eyes.
Some of the courtiers turn away from the fight and face the people around them. Others surround Rasulus. After a moment of panicked confusion, I realize they are trying to protect him. He shouts orders, and some disappear out of the room, apparently on a pre-planned mission.
Rasulus drops the sword and comes to me. Emotions fill his wild-looking face. If I didn’t know him, the expression would make me fearful. But I can see his heart. I am not afraid as he reaches for me.
“It is
over. You’re going to be safe now, Perri.”
I’m ready to fall into his arms when out of the corner of my eye, I see the glint of steel. It is a courtier with a dagger, unnoticed in all the turmoil. He raises it over his head as he rushes toward us.
I shout a warning. People are moving, but they’re slow, too slow, and I would no more trust Rasulus’ safety to strangers than he would trust mine to them. I am nowhere near as large or as strong as Rasulus, but when I push him out of the way, I have momentum on my side. The assailant is not expecting Rasulus to get knocked back, nearly off his feet. When the attacker is trying to recover, other people seize him, dragging him away despite his cries.
Rasulus wraps his arms around me, holding me tightly. “Never do that again.”
“Maybe. Only if you promise you’ll never duel over me again!”
Rasulus laughs, shaking his head. “I will do my best, but I will defend what I love and what is mine. You must have many questions, Perri.”
“I do!”
“In time, they will all be answered, but right now, I have much to do.”
I nod without protesting. I think I can see some of Rasulus’ strangeness now in a different light. He’s not a drunk, but a revolutionary. Not a decadent playboy, but dispossessed royalty.
“Rasulus I understand, and I—” Before I can finish what I am about to say, a beautiful woman, the one who came to his room and took him away many weeks ago, approaches him. There’s nothing sensual or playful about her now. She has the all-business stance of a soldier, and she has a report for her commander.
As I wonder how many other people in Crucis’ court were wearing masks, the older man with the golden chain pulls me back. “I should get you back to the king’s chambers. It will be the most secure place for you.”
I nearly ask him why I would ever want to be in Crucis’ chambers at all, and the realization hits me with the force of a lightning bolt. Crucis isn’t the king anymore. Rasulus is. What does that make me?
I can’t be a queen, can I?
I follow the man back to Rasulus’ quarters. Before he leaves me, I touch his arm. “Is everything different now?”