Lords of the Seventh Swarm, Book 3 of the Golden Queen Series

by David Farland

  "And when you die, what will I inherit?" Hera asked.

  "What would you like?" Felph asked.

  Hera just looked away, shook her head. He's already dead inside, she thought. And all I've inherited is ... desolation. He wouldn't let himself pass away permanently.

  No, I'll get nothing from him.

  "What do you want?" Felph asked again, more loudly. Freedom. Love. Love. Love. Freedom.

  Hera shook her head, unwilling to speak. In consternation she finally answered. "You're the one who should have died in Teeawah, you know. You're the one who made us what we are, You should have drunk the Waters of Strength."

  For a long moment, Felph did not say anything.

  "You think so?" he asked.

  ”Yes, I do," Hera said firmly.

  "Then I will, tonight," Felph pronounced. "And you shall be there to watch."

  So that evening, Lord Felph finally drank the Waters of Strength. He'd wasted most of it, trying to analyze the stuff. He'd found that though it was clear like water, it contained strange amino acids in numbers far too large and in sequences far too complex to be adequately catalogued. Beyond that, he found mixtures of suspended elements, along with nano devices for assembling them into something which he just couldn't quite grasp.

  So it was that he gathered his friends and family in one of the lower plazas of the palace late in the evening. Bright-star shone like a brilliant moon, upon the circle of palms.

  Felph had everyone get back, then he unstopped a small flask, and touched only a single crystalline drop to his lips. Hera saw it fall in the night, like a gem, into Felph's mouth.

  Then she watched in fascination and horror as Felph underwent his transformation.

  It happened precisely as Orick had described: the purple glowing eyes, the manic exclamations from Felph describing how he felt tremendous power, the dark-winged beast that struggled to emerge from Felph's mouth, tear free forever.

  Then the emerald birds of light appeared, wheeling under the stars, like a whirling, flashing tornado.

  They came not in ones or twos, but in dozens and hundreds, until the heavens filled with them.

  Then as one they stooped to slaughter the winged beast that was Lord Felph.

  He wriggled like a bat, flying through the heavens, seeking escape. Unlike Zeus, he did not try to take shelter in his body once again. Instead, he darted and veered.

  But there was no escape. The birds of light caught him, tore into him, by the dozens, fighting for the honor to kill the beast. And high above the tiny group, Felph exploded into a ball of purple light that hung like a glowing cloud for several minutes.

  Hera thought it was as pretty as any firework she'd ever seen.

  Hours later, a new Lord Felph emerged from the revivification chamber, bearing the recorded memory of how the Qualeewooh ancestors had judged him, unworthy.

  This newly born Felph seemed a much more subdued, more thoughtful man.

  Chapter Forty Nine

  It was a scant five days later that Maggie gave birth to Gallen's son, a whopping large child with eyes of a darkest blue and dark hair with a tinge of red.

  Gallen wanted to call him after his own father, but Maggie insisted on calling the babe Orick, and Gallen felt that it, too, was a fitting name for the boy.

  If it seems that peace came easily to Gallen and his friends after the Dronon, know that it did not come easily to all.

  For Tallea loved Orick as a woman loves her husband, but Orick still felt torn by the issue.

  Two days after Maggie gave birth, as Tallea pored over the Scriptures at Maggie's bedside while Maggie lay propped on some pillows suckling her son, Tallea mentioned her problem to Maggie.

  "Orick's a fine bear," Maggie said, "and certainly he'll never find another she-bear like you. Everyone wants you two to marry, and I think you should. It only makes sense."

  "But Orick won't marry me until he feels God has freed him from the vow of chastity he took in his heart," Tallea said.

  "You need a miracle," Maggie said, then Maggie got the strangest faraway look in her eye.

  "What are you thinking?” Tallea asked.

  "I think… Tallea, may I borrow your Scriptures for a day or two?"

  "Yes..." Tallea said, unsure.

  She did not see the Bible again for three days. It was a busy time, as they packed their things and prepared to leave Ruin. Gallen and Maggie wanted to return to Tremonthin, to build a home in a glen they'd seen in the mountains east of Battic.

  In truth, the days were not busy so much from packing. Most of the time was spent saying goodbyes, for by that time, Orick knew everyone on planet, and all were sad to see him depart.

  Tallea found that as for her, she'd become most closely attached to Hera and Athena. After Tallea had returned from the tangle, she and Orick had reached the killing field only moments after the Qualeewoohs faced the Swarm Lords in their deadly battle.

  The Dronon were still on planet, trying to make sense of the Qualeewoohs' orders. Felph was dead, and his Al didn't know yet to revive him.

  Hera and Athena had been forced to take charge. They'd taken the first cell cultures from Gallen's and Maggie's bodies. They'd freed Thomas from his Guide. They'd acted as liaisons between the Qualeewoohs and the Dronons, and revivified their own father to help give some direction.

  If it had not been for Hera and Athena, everything would have fallen apart. Tallea imagined that literally, the fragile accord that was forged between the three species would have foundered.

  Felph had created his daughters to be leaders and counselors, and they fulfilled their role admirably.

  In those few brief days, Tallea had grown to depend on the young women, and upon Thomas and Orick.

  So she found it difficult to say goodbye to these people. Tallea moped about the palace, in company with Hera and Athena, and none of them broached the subject of departure until the last few hours after the ship was fueled and packed.

  Lord Felph had a formal luncheon for his guests, during which he gave each of them a few small gifts to show his gratitude. To Gallen and Maggie, he gave seeds from his gardens and orchards, along with a small vial filled with water. "The Waters of Strength," he told Gallen. "The last few precious drops, in case the need is ever great, and you dare risk drinking them."

  Tallea thought the gift inappropriate, considering what she'd seen happen when mere humans drank from those waters. She didn't think it was safe for humans. But Orick had a theory. He firmly believed that the effects of the water varied not by species, but by individual.

  If that were the case, then Gallen might drink safely. If he dared risk it.

  To Thomas he gave a selection of several fine new instruments.

  Beyond those few gifts, to Orick and Tallea he gave some exotic fruits for their journey and copies of ancient philosophical manuscripts that he felt Orick might find entertaining--the writings of Buddha and Mohammed.

  And when he had given these things, Felph said, "And I have one final gift for those who have been my guests."

  He turned to Hera. "To Hera and Athena, I bequeath my love, and my best wishes for a long and fruitful life."

  "What ... do you mean by that?" Hera asked.

  "I've already spoken to Gallen and Maggie," Felph answered. "Their starship is small, but they can easily carry you--anywhere you want to go. Both they and I feel you should depart with them. I made you to fill large roles in the universe. This planet is too small to hold you." With that, he leaned across the table and presented each of the young women with a credit chip. "I know what you want from life, Hera. I'd give it to you if I could, but I can't. Out there, you'll find what you need--yourself, a man to love you. But I want you two to have an inheritance: each of you will receive one-third of all that I have. Believe me, it is far more than you will ever need."

  Hera took the chip, and stood, breaking into huge sobs.

  Felph slipped close to her, caressed her cheek with one finger. "I hope that sometim
es you will think kindly of me. I promise that if you ever come to visit, you will find no monsters guarding the premises. And, hopefully, you will find no monsters within."

  Hera hugged him then, and held him for a long time as she wept.

  Tallea wept openly at her friends' good fortune, and for herself, for it meant that she would be able to spend some few more days with Hera and Athena. And she wondered at the change in Felph, wondered if perhaps Orick's preaching wasn't having its effect even on that cynical old crust of hardbread.

  So it was decided. That night, they boarded the ship and began the journey first back to Cuzzim, where they would return the Nightswift to its proper owner.

  From there, they would take the world gates back to Fale, a planet where Thomas wanted to renew an old acquaintance, a planet where Hera and Athena might build a new life.

  And from there Tallea, Orick, Gallen, and Maggie would depart for Tremonthin, to make their own homes.

  So Tallea felt little sadness when she left Ruin, watched the planet shrink on the Nightswift's viewscreens. Much had changed on the world. When they'd come a few months before, the planet had been a red, angry-looking orb. Now the whole world seemed white, swathed in clouds that turned rosy pink at the terminus.

  Tallea watched the planet recede, till it became a cloudy pearl that shone on a field of glittering diamonds.

  Chapter Fifty

  That night, Orick and Tallea slept on the floor of the ship's hold. Maggie and Gallen used one stateroom with the baby, Orick, while Athena and Hera slept in another. Thomas had passed out on the couch in the ship's lounge, and so the bears were forced to make do.

  Thus it was that Orick woke in the hold, disturbed by a strange scent--a mixture of blood and urine and something more. It seemed out of place here, among the strange odors of the Nightswift's hold, but he recognized it at once, and something in him stirred.

  Tallea was in heat.

  Orick lay on his belly and put his paws over his nose. Trapped. He was trapped here on the ship, at least a week out from Cuzzim. Trapped in a closed space with a she-bear in heat.

  It shouldn't have happened. Orick didn't know Tallea's chronological age. The Lords of Tremonthin had grown her in a vat, forcing her to reach something near maturity before downloading her memories into the bear’s body. But still, Tallea was small. Orick imagined she would be no more than a year old, though it was hard to tell with bears. A small two-year-old was not much larger than a one-year-old, and a two-year-old could go into heat.

  Still, Tallea seemed too young.

  But Orick couldn't gainsay what his nose told him. Perhaps the Lords of Tremonthin had some esoteric reason for making Tallea small and fertile. Perhaps they'd given her maturity while sacrificing size. Whatever the reasons, Tallea was in heat.

  In other rooms of the ship, Orick could hear the sound of Thomas snoring, of Gallen tossing on his bed.

  Yet Orick lay alone, sniffing the scent of Tallea.

  Oh, God, why do you do this to me? Orick wondered. Is this a test? I promised You--never again, never again…

  Orick's prayer escaped his throat as a whimper, and for a long time he just lay still, trying to control his erratic breathing, trying to still his racing heart.

  Tallea lay close enough so he could hear her own deep breaths, watch the rise and fall of her chest. Her rear legs were toward him, her nose pointed somewhat toward his tail. She absently pawed with her hind leg, then moaned in her sleep. Discontent.

  Even in her slumber she knew what she needed.

  Orick's own glands responded to her craving. I could just crawl over there on top of her, Orick mused. I could straddle her and deliver the goods right now, while everyone is sleeping.

  The thought aroused him further, and Orick raised his own muzzle in the air, half-involuntarily, and sniffed again. The smell of her was growing stronger. Here in this closed atmosphere, such scents tended to become overwhelming--the scents of fur, of Tallea's sleek fur, and of her need.

  The smell made Orick dizzy. His heart pounded so hard, the blood thundered in his ears. It seemed that his brain was afire, burning, and his tongue felt thick and dry in his throat. He whimpered.

  Eight more days of this, he considered. Eight days of estrus in these tight quarters. Does God want to drive me mad? Is that it?

  Yes, that was it. God would punish Orick for his impure heart, his unclean thoughts, his--Orick had a sudden vision of himself, climbing on Tallea's back.

  The very notion sent shivers of anticipation up his hairy spine.

  Sister Tallea. She's Sister Tallea now, Orick reminded himself. She's been baptized. She's my sister in the gospel. That's it.

  Now that she'd accepted the gospel, Satan was tempting Orick. It was the perfect trap! The old dark angel could lure the two of them away and secure both their souls in one fell blow!

  Ah, the pity of it! Orick considered. She loves me. She yearns for me like no she-bear should. It was unnatural for the Lords of Tremonthin to do that, to give life to a shebear who loved as deeply and firmly as any human woman could. Now the devil would use that love against them.

  Orick imagined Tallea as she had been a few weeks before, rising up out of the waters of baptism, the light of God shining in her eyes-those beautiful brown eyes, that sleek dark fur, those shining claws, those inviting legs, those eyes so full of love.

  Calm down, Orick told himself. You have to calm down. If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out.

  But of course that Scripture didn't apply here. If Orick were to pluck out his eye just because he envisioned himself succumbing to temptation, he'd be eyeless in thirty seconds. But it wasn't his eyes he needed to pluck out. It was that other thing. It had hardened in an uncomfortable position.

  Like a dog, Orick thought. You're no better than a dog. Orick lay there, perfectly miserable, praying.

  At length, Tallea rolled over, looked up at him, sniffed the air. "Something's wrong!" she whispered. "I smell blood!"

  Orick didn't dare speak. In a moment she recognized the source of it.

  "I'm sorry, Sister Tallea," Orick whispered. "I-I don't know what to do."

  "Oh, Orick, your vow!"

  "Yes," Orick whispered. "God has chosen to punish me, or test me. Or maybe it's Satan, I don't know.”

  "It's not just you being tested. It's both of us. We should pray."

  "Good idea " Orick said. He picked up his Bible in his teeth and Tallea commanded the ship to turn up the lights in the hold. Orick had the ship close the door to the hold, so that the sound of their voices would not disturb anyone else. The air was so thick with Tallea's odor, closing the door only made it worse.

  Tallea let the Bible flip open at random, and began to read:

  "And from the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and he brought her unto the man.

  "And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: She shall be called Woman, for she was taken out of Man.

  "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife: and they two shall be one flesh "

  Orrick perked up, surprised at the Scripture she had picked to read. "Wait a minute!" He said, "Try another one.”

  Tallea closed the Bible and flipped it open again, near the end this time. She read:

  "But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife.

  “And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

  "What therefore. God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

  Tallea looked up at Orick, her snout wrinkled in surprise. "Oh, Orick, do you think God is trying to tell us something?"

  Orick frowned. "Wait a minute. Let me see that thing!"

  Orick closed the Bible, closed his eyes, then flipped it open at random and opened his eyes. In the dim light, one passage seemed illuminated above the rest-a holy glow, shining down on
the paper. He read:

  "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled."

  The hairs raised on Orick's back. To open the Scriptures three times and find such passages, it seemed more than pure coincidence could claim. Surely this was a message. He squinted up at the ship's lights, saw that they were not brighter. He looked back down on the page. Surely that verse stood out more than all others. He gazed at it for a moment, saw the difference-the paper behind those words was whiter than the rest, somehow highlighting that verse. It was a miracle!

  "But what of my vows?" Orick asked.

  Tallea looked about warily. Gallen and the others were all still asleep. She whispered, "Perhaps this is God's way of telling you that it's all right for us, that this is more important to Him."

  Orick didn't like the idea of taking spiritual direction from someone like Tallea. She hadn't been baptized for more than a few months. Her fur was hardly even dry, and here she was expounding the will of God to him.

  "One more. Let me try one more!" Orick said. He flipped open the Bible and read silently:

  "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is shame unto him?"

  Orick frowned. This had something to do with prayer--Paul spouting nonsense about the virtues of baldness, something Orick sincerely doubted he would ever experience firsthand. But then he saw it, the brightness three verses higher on the page, and he read aloud:

  "Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord."

  Orick's heart pounded, and he could not think straight. Surely the Lord willed that Orick take Tallea to wife, and Orick could think of no commandment he would rather keep at the moment, yet somehow it saddened him.

  He felt, in a way, that God rejected him. Orick set the Bible down.

  "Tallea, will you take me to be your lawful husband?" he asked. It was a simple vow, the kind poor folks who could not afford donations to the church would make back home. Yet all his life, this vow had been treated as sacred by everyone he knew.