"Sit, Reah." I sat in the same chair I'd taken the last time. "Now, tell me what happened in the kitchens last night," Commander Aris said, running a hand through his thick mane of hair.
"Bel tossed me inside the main building—the west door—and ordered me to stay inside. I ran toward the kitchens; I have no idea why—and found all the women from the pink wing there, looking out the windows. I shouted at them to get down just as the bullets shattered the glass. That's when the four got wounded, Commander."
"I understand that," he nodded at me. "What happened next?"
"Someone threw a fire bottle through one of the broken windows. I took the towel I was wearing and got it wet in the sink, then threw it over the burning fuel in the floor. I had to wet other towels to cover it completely. I grabbed the heaviest skillet I could handle and waited between the door and the windows in case the enemy made it past our troops."
"And did any come in?" An eyebrow lifted as those golden-brown eyes watched me closely. Would this result in my arrest? Would I be handed to the Prince Royal for beheading? And all because I'd saved the women they seemed so worried about?
"Yes, Commander, two came in." I was too tired to lie—I'd been up to help with breakfast—one of the new cooks had gotten injured in the fighting so I'd taken his place.
"You hit the first one, I understand—hard enough to crack his skull?"
"I guess. He was unconscious. I was afraid he was one of those things."
"What about the second one?" Commander Aris steepled his fingers on this question.
"I got a knife, just in case the first one got up. When the second one came in, I hit him just as hard in the head. He fell, but didn't lose consciousness. I used the knife on him—two strokes to remove his head. He dusted, I believe is the term."
"Were you frightened?"
That question I didn't understand. "Of course. I was scared witless," I admitted. "And fighting that thing with no clothes on. What do you think? That I was happy to be involved in hand-to-hand combat with a creature I've never heard of while completely naked so he wouldn't eat the women screaming inside my kitchen?" My fear and stress must have made me say what I did—I never had outbursts like that. Of course, I'd never come that close to dying before, except for the pod and Edan's beatings, anyway.
Commander Aris' response to my outburst was also completely unexpected. He laughed. Just threw back his head and boomed with laughter. Maybe it was the mental image of a skillet-wielding, naked nymph fighting off attackers that did it—how was I to know? I waited until he stopped chuckling.
"Reah, you performed above expectations. I've never seen one of those things killed with only a skillet and a knife before. If you were one of my troops, I'd give you a promotion and commendation. As it is, I'm upping your pay."
"Pay?" That came as a shock to me. What pay? I wasn't getting paid. My question made the Commander frown immediately.
"You didn't receive your weekly bags? What happened to them?" He was standing quickly and shouting for Bel. Bel burst through the door as if some emergency required his attention. He stopped short at finding me sitting in my chair and the Commander standing behind his desk. "Reah hasn't gotten her money. What happened to it?" Bel stared at the Commander for a moment, puzzled by his question.
"I'll be right back," Bel promised and left almost as quickly as he'd come in. Ten ticks may have passed before Bel was back with another officer and the oldest of my three miscreants. His name, if I remembered correctly, was Ralst.
"I had to place the truth spell," Bel shoved Ralst to his knees in front of the Commander's desk. He was so close he almost touched my knee. I drew back to avoid contact. "Paymaster Dex here says that Ralst has been collecting Reah's bags. Tell the Commander what you did with her money, Ralst." Some sort of power permeated Bel's command—the air was thick with it.
"I gambled with it," Ralst whined. He didn't want to tell the truth any more than I wanted to hear it right then.
"Do you have any of it left?" The Commander crossed arms over his chest.
"No."
"Just as I thought," Commander Aris huffed. "Dex, sell all of Ralst's belongings and compensate Reah as best you can. Bel, send Ralst to lock-up and make sure he's on the next transport back to Crown City."
"Right away, Commander," Bel and Dex hauled Ralst out of Aris' office.
"Reah, you are not a slave. All women come here willingly. It is a way for them to earn money and nothing more," Aris gazed kindly at me across his desk. I nodded—I was beginning to learn about Mandil. Much of the information the Alliance had on this world was wrong.
"I don't know what Chlind and Seval did to you, and right now I don't care. You're here with us now and we'll protect you as best we can. Just follow the rules and we'll get along. You're dismissed." Aris' eyes were on the papers covering his desk as I walked out of his office. He knew and he wasn't going to do anything about it. I just had to remain inconspicuous, stay silent and not call attention to myself from now on.
* * *
Later, I learned from Widnal that six of our troops died in the fighting the night before. He hinted that Wizardry had been used to destroy the enemy but didn't elaborate and I didn't ask. Stef and Nedis, the two remaining miscreants, seemed sullen while they worked, but that was none of my doing. Ralst was charged with theft—I learned that much. He was to be tried by a military tribunal in Crown City. Which brought me to another question—if I were being paid, where was I supposed to spend the money? There wasn't anything at the post—no little shops or such. My clothing, such as it was, was supplied by the post itself. The other women had come with bags and trunks; I'd arrived with nothing. It was a question I couldn't ask, so I resolved not to fret about it. Either I'd find out or I wouldn't.
As it turns out, I found out sooner than I thought I might. A note had been slipped under my door when I went to bed three nights later. I'd considered going to the baths again, remembered what happened the first time and took a warm shower instead. The note was in a plain paper envelope. I pulled the folded paper out, thinking that I'd never received anything other than comp-vid messages before and read the short letter.
Reah, it began, in three days, the first twenty women are being given liberty to visit Crown City on a two-day pass when the next transports leave the post. You are one of that twenty and it would provide a break for you if you choose to go. It was signed Commander Aris. Sighing, I set the note on my tiny, bedside table. I did and didn't want to go. What was I supposed to do? I had money now—Paymaster Dex had delivered the small bag of coins himself—it was all he could get out of Ralst's things. I'd also gotten one eight-day's full pay since then, and it was more than the amount Ralst's belongings had gotten for me.
"So, are you going?" Bel and Delvin came into the kitchen as I was supervising cleanup the following evening. They'd been out on patrol and had come begging for a late dinner. I reheated ox-roast for them and added vegetables, fruit and a glass of good wine. They looked as if they could use it.
"Going?" It didn't come to me immediately.
"To Crown City. We're due for a break so we're going as well. The transports can haul sixty, so most of the Rangers and some of the officers are going. Reah, this is wonderful." Bel finished off his portion of ox-roast and washed it down with the last of a bottle of wine.
"Want more?" I asked.
"No, I'll never get out of bed in the morning and Aris wants a report first thing," Bel grinned. "Come to Crown City, Reah. You'll like it."
"I'll think about it," I said. The trip was in two days so I'd have to decide quickly.
"I have an extra bag for your clothes," Delvin offered. "I'll bring it by tomorrow. Just in case." He was grinning, too.
* * *
Two days later, I was sitting beside Delvin on a transport bound for Crown City. Bel sat near the front as the others loaded onto the transport. The last one to arrive, shockingly enough, was Commander Aris. Delvin must have noted the surprise on my face as Aris
sat next to Bel, right behind the driver. The door closed and we drove away from the outpost.
"He gets time off, too," Delvin nudged me while nodding toward Aris.
"Who gets the honor of herding the others around?" I asked breathlessly.
"One of the two captains from our last reinforcements. I think Aris had him in his office for two clicks yesterday, and a lot of 'do nots' came out of his mouth, I think," Delvin grinned. "Stop worrying about it; we'll be there in less than four clicks," Delvin leaned back in his seat and settled in to nap.
My first impression of Crown City reminded me of the vid images I'd seen of Serendaan, an Alliance world. Onion-shaped domes atop tall, rounded buildings abounded with smaller, more squat and square buildings built of stucco sprinkled between. Color was everywhere and to the uninitiated it was nearly blinding at first. Even the shops had colorful rugs, clothing and scarves hanging outside in the open air, advertising what was sold inside. I tried not to gawk but couldn't help myself after a while.
"You can stay with us at the military station or find a room for yourself," Delvin hefted my bag after pulling his from the compartment over our heads. "Barracks are free; a room will cost you," he added, smiling. I shrugged my acceptance and trotted after him.
We'd been dropped off near the entrance of the military station. I saw some of the women heading toward Crown City, while others walked inside the gate to the station. An entire building was devoted to housing for post visitors, I learned, with small, neat, serviceable rooms for each of us. How my room came to be sandwiched between Delvin's and Bel's I had no idea.
"Come along, we'll find something to eat," Bel pulled me from my room the moment I'd gotten my clothing into the tiny closet. We ate at an outdoor café, where they served spiced meat sandwiches rolled in flat bread with cooked vegetables. I liked what I had—it was lamb and cooked tender. I always enjoyed eating new things—it gave me ideas for new recipes in my kitchen.
Yes, I was thinking of the post's kitchens as mine. Everybody looked to me for recipes and preparation instructions. I realized then that I was happy for perhaps the first time in my life, though I did walk a knife's edge, worrying about whether I'd be discovered or if demons were going to come crashing through my door at night. I hadn't heard the voice in my head for a while, too, and figured that a hallucination was exactly what it had been.
"Come on, spend a little money," Delvin cajoled later as I admired a blue tunic and matching trousers, embroidered in silver around the hems. The outfit cost more than half the money I had and I dithered over it. What if I needed money for other things—such as traveling funds in case I was discovered? My heart eventually won out over my head, urged along with teasing from Delvin. I bought the outfit. The set was sized for a young woman and perfect for my height. The shop's owner smiled as she wrapped it carefully for me in thin paper. The Alliance shops would have shoved it into a recyclable bag and sent me on my way. This world was such a fascinating mix—half technology, half not. I enjoyed seeing both sides of it, actually.
With the good, there was bad, too, as someone attempted to take Delvin's small purse of coins he'd brought with him. As fast as the thief had lifted the purse, I had it back in my hand. It wasn't the first time I'd done something like that—we'd had shady kitchen workers while I was growing up. They didn't last long—it was the one thing Edan actually listened to me on.
"Reah, I might have cast a finding spell, but you saved me the trouble," Delvin pocketed the small bag. I just shrugged at him. Bel put his hand on top of my head and ruffled my hair, declining to comment. At least I wasn't shrinking from his touch, now.
"Come on, Reah, let's get in the hot water." The military station had baths, just as the outpost did. Bel was coaxing me, now.
"But I don't know who'll be there," I complained, my voice petulant.
"Then you'll never have to see these people again," Delvin chuckled.
"And the odds are good that no demons will come bursting through the door," Bel bumped my shoulder.
"Fine," I muttered. Hot water did sound good—it was late now and the trip, coupled with wandering around the city had worn me out. If I fell asleep, maybe Bel or Delvin would keep my head above water so I wouldn't drown.
This pool was three times as large as anything the outpost could offer, and there were people—men and women—already there when we arrived. Delvin was half undressed by the time we reached the bench and the clothing hooks hanging over it. "Reah, you'll be jumping in alone if you don't hurry up," Bel laughed and shrugged out of his shirt. Hurriedly I removed my clothing, hanging it on a hook quickly and grabbing a towel right behind Bel.
Yes, you could tell that Bel and Delvin got plenty of exercise. I'm not sure I'd ever looked that closely at the male form before. Mostly from the back, still—I couldn't bring myself to glance at the lower front. I swallowed a squeal as Delvin put his hands under my arms and dropped me into the water. He and Bel slipped in on either side. I noticed a couple kissing not far away and was determined not to look in that direction again.
Later, when I was about to fall asleep and Delvin and Bel were talking about getting out of the pool, the whispers started. A new party had come in, so of course we turned slightly to see who it might be. "That's the Prince Royal," Bel whispered close to my ear. The Prince wasn't as tall as Delvin, had dark hair and eyes and was dressed in robes of a deep red silk, I think. He was accompanied by four guards and three women. The prince and the women undressed to climb into the water; the guards stood near the edge of the pool watching over their charges.
"Ready to leave?" Bel asked quietly. I'd started shaking the moment he'd identified the Prince. Nodding, I allowed Delvin to help me out of the pool. We pulled our towels around us and walked quietly toward the pegs holding our clothes. I never looked at the Prince or any of his party the whole time I dressed and Bel and Delvin walked beside me on our way out of the bathhouse.
* * *
"I have no idea why the Prince Royal would come to the military baths," Bel paced inside Aris' room later. "And he didn't take his eyes off Reah even once after we got out to dress."
"Her hair color is unusual. Perhaps that's what he noticed," Aris attempted to calm Bel. "His wives were with him. That should slow him down a bit."
It was Bel's turn to growl, although he couldn't do half as well as Commander Aris when he was angry. "At least we're leaving in a day and a half. Surely he won't come looking for her."
"He won't." Aris sounded sure of himself. Bel wasn't so sure but didn't disagree with his superior.
* * *
"How many did you lose during the attack?" Commander Aris was having lunch with the Prince Royal and the High Commander. Aris sipped his wine before answering the Prince's question.
"Six, with another twenty-seven wounded. Four of those were women," Aris replied.
"You didn't have them fighting as well?" The Prince lifted an eyebrow at Aris.
"Of course not. They were hit by flying glass when a window was shot out. Nothing serious; a few cuts with a little blood and fainting." Aris didn't add that if it hadn't been for Reah's actions and quick thinking, those women could very well be dead.
"Speaking of women, I saw a girl with two of yours at the baths last evening," the Prince lifted a tiny cake and bit into it. Aris knew the Prince had done everything possible to discover who the men were—he shouldn't have recognized Bel or Delvin for any reason. Reah wouldn't have any records—except at the outpost.
"If it's the two I'm thinking of, I'm not surprised they brought a young woman with them to the baths."
"Yes, but this one was delectable. Beautiful. Fragile. Long, white-blonde hair. You don't see that often, do you? I might be persuaded to pay for information on her." Aris wanted to reach across the table and strangle the Prince as he spoke. He held himself back.
"None of you will come looking for her," he said, power thick in his voice. "You will forget about her and not trouble me about it again. Do you understan
d?" The Prince and his High Commander nodded their heads like puppets at Aris' command.
* * *
"We're having dinner with Commander Aris tonight. You're invited," Bel informed me after we'd seen more of the city on our second day. At times, I saw the Prince lurking around every corner, but eventually pushed those thoughts aside—they were foolish. They only served to frighten me and make me jumpy when I should be enjoying myself.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"The nicest restaurant in Crown City," Delvin teased. His words made me sigh. If things were different, I might have taken him to the best restaurant on all of Tulgalan. That option was now closed forever.
"What's their specialty?" I asked instead.
"They serve a great lamb rack with a fruit sauce," Bel replied. "Look, there's an outfit you'd look nice in." He steered me toward another clothing store.
* * *
"Little cook, do you think you might do something like this if we obtained the proper ingredients?" Aris was enjoying the lamb, as were the rest of us. If I had the proper ingredients I could do better, but I didn't say that.
"I think so," I replied. He, Bel, Delvin and I sat around a small, square table at Rodu's of Crown City. Aris wore his dress uniform, as did Bel and Delvin. I'd unwrapped my new blue outfit and worn it, braiding my hair more intricately than I normally did. I had no jewelry or I'd have worn that, too.
"Did you enjoy your trip, Reah?" Aris went on, smiling at me.
"Yes. I saw too many things I wanted to buy. I'll save more for next time."
"Next time will be in six moon-turns. Just so you'll be warned," Bel reached over and lifted the roll I hadn't eaten. He was welcome to it. The bread wasn't very good, in my opinion. The cheeses they'd brought out at the end of the meal made up for it, however. I was wishing we could get cheeses like that at the outpost. I could prepare all sorts of dishes with those, not least of which was serving them as an appetizer with fresh-cut fruit. We walked out of the restaurant later, and even I couldn't help but notice that Aris, Bel and Delvin formed a ring around me as we walked toward the public transport to return to the military station and our beds.
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