by Auryn Hadley
"No," Jase said.
They were all laughing when Laern returned with the bottle and four glasses. "Should I get more?" he asked looking at Risk.
"Nah. I'm headed out. What is that?"
"Absinthe," Sal said.
"Plants." Risk shook his head. "Can't do ‘em."
"Nah," Laern said. "It's distilled, made from wood and flowers. It's Iliran. Kaisae, let me show you." He opened the bottle and poured a glass half full. He then set a sugar cube on a grate and grabbed a second bottle. This one had a small spout. "Simply dissolve the sugar, and the drink is considered prepared. Please, try it." He removed the grate and gestured for Sal to taste it.
She grabbed the glass and inhaled before sipping at it. The rich taste of licorice flowed into her mouth, only a hint of sugar mingling with it. "That's really very nice," she said, taking another sip.
"Ok, let me try." Risk gestured for her to pass the drink up to him. Sal did, and he repeated the process of sniffing then sipping. "Oh," Risk sighed. "Yep, we need more of that."
Laern laughed and waved back at the bar. "I have four more bottles. Go easy on it, Kaisae. It packs a kick. Now, let me get your meals."
Sal passed around the glass as Laern waddled back to the kitchens. Shift preferred the mead but found it to be nice for a change. Zep, however, despised the taste.
"Oh no. That is all yours," he said, making a face.
"What's it like?" Shift asked.
"Strange," Zep said, looking for the right words. "It's very astringent, like drinking antiseptic. Tastes like the herbs they use to scent the cleaners in the infirmary."
He gestured to them. "Fair's fair. Describe."
Sal giggled. "I'll do you one better," she said, taking a long slow drink. "Catch."
Zep's eyes widened for a second, and then he stared at nothing. "Yeah. If it tasted like that, I'd gladly drink it. I guess it's like the wine thing?"
"Probably," Jase said as Laern scurried back to them.
"Um, Kaisae?" he asked, glancing at Zep.
"Yeah?"
"The cook has maerte. I wasn't sure if you'd want that, with your guest," he said, his eyes never leaving Zep.
"Yeah," Zep said. "Maerte for them. Beef or fowl for me, please."
"You do understand what maerte is?" His tone was condescending.
"Laern, I smell like a human. I hear I taste like a human, but I don't think like a human. I'm a Black Blade," he said pointing at his neck. "Or as my cessivi says, a really fucked up iliri. I don't care if you eat human flesh. I help the grauori bring it in."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Doesn't taste the same to me, but it doesn't bother me. I appreciate the concern and all, but yeah."
"We're berserkers," Jase said to Laern. "It's nice ta have someone watch our back when we feed."
Laern looked from Jase to Sal and inhaled.
"Ahnor," Sal said pointing to Jase. "Taunor," she pointed to Zep. "My Dernor is out somewhere. Both cessivi. Yes, both. Yes, I know it's rare. There were some exceptional circumstances."
Zep chuckled. "Yeah. Sir? She's starving, and making me that way."
"Oh!" Laern gasped. "I'm sorry. Yes, I'll be right back."
Shift smothered his laughter as the man rushed to get their meals again. "How often does that happen?"
"Every fucking time," Jase growled. "Either they're trying ta throw Zep out or being overly polite, like this one."
"Fucking annoying," Zep grumbled. "How many kills we giving him?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Shade got about thirty, according to Arctic. I got at least five," Sal said.
"Four for me," Shift added.
"Seven." Jase shrugged.
"So, say fifty?" Sal asked. "Spread the rest out to the other public places with the condition that they feed the needy?"
"Not a bad idea," Zep said. "What about humans?"
"There's always the horses," Jase pointed out. "If they're that hungry, they will na turn their noses up at it."
"True." Sal sighed. "Humans are so damned picky. Horses are cute, dogs are friends, rats are disgusting. Meat is meat, isn't it?"
"Maerte?" Zep asked, grinning.
"He's got a point, Sal," Shift said. "Maybe it tastes different to them?"
"Nah." Zep shook his head. "It's all in our minds. We like to think that food just appears on a plate. I bet humans are a lot more accepting of less popular meats the further east we go. Idealism takes a back seat to true hunger. You all should know that."
The three iliri nodded as Laern returned with a young girl beside him. They both carried plates heaped full. Laern carefully passed one to Zep. "Beef, sir," he said before passing the others out.
"I got it," Shift said, digging in his pouch. He handed a coin to the girl and offered one to Laern.
"No, thank you, sirs. I'm not staff." With that, the owner of the inn turned and left them in peace.
"Oh," Jase said. "This is good."
Shift nodded, and Sal said nothing. She ate like a true carnivore, barely chewing, swallowing huge chunks. The only sounds from the table were the pleasant moans at the taste of the food. When their plates were cleared, Shift leaned back and sighed contentedly.
"We're gonna have to call the others in. I know LT hasn't eaten yet, either," he said.
"Yeh," Jase agreed. "Zep, take Sal up? I'll assign shifts to the greens and coordinate with Blaec."
"Mm," Zep said. "How we dividing rooms?"
"Your life is so complicated," Shift teased before he turned and called at the kitchens, "Hey Laern?"
"Yes, sir?" the man asked rushing over to them.
"I've got twelve Blades, eight Shields, the King, a grauori family, and twenty-five Devil Dogs. How many can you hold?"
"All of them," Laern said proudly.
Shift nodded. "Need one room with a bed big enough for three. Hm, at least two more with beds for two."
"All of our beds will fit two. I have..." Laern grinned. "The wedding suite is what the Terrans called it. Top floor has two rooms able to hold a Kaisae's harem."
"Give one to Sal and one to Dom?" Shift asked Jase.
He nodded. "That'll work. I need the key ta one of those, fer the Kaisae?"
Laern nodded and gestured at the girl, who hurried over with keys. "I have four keys for that room."
"One fer us," Jase said pointing, "and give the last ta Blaec, the General. He'll want a second room as well."
"Yes, sir," Laern said. "And," he glanced at the girl quickly as she walked through the kitchen door, "you have humans, right?"
"Your daughter?" Sal asked.
"Yes, Kaisae."
"I have Anglians." Sal clarified. "They won't even touch her skin without asking proper permission. If any get out of line, just tell us."
"Laern," Zep said to the man. "Sexual assault is considered a death sentence. Anglia executes criminals by bleeding them out."
Laern's mouth fell open before he began to smile. "How? Why?"
"No one told them they should hate us," Sal said, the exhaustion in her voice showing.
"I'm sorry, Kaisae." Laern beamed at her. "I'm being rude. It's just so nice to have true iliri here, again. Excuse me." He backed away, leaving them.
"And you, demon," Zep said, grabbing her hand. "You're coming upstairs with me."
Sal sighed. "I can't, Zep, and you know it."
"Nah," Jase said. "Go. Just read fer a bit. Let me sort out the greens. Ya know ya'll just get in the way."
"Ok," she agreed. "Just let me know before the sun goes down. It'll be too cold tonight to listen to the rest of them."
"Gotcha." Jase smiled at her. "Shift? Can I borrow ya?"
"Sure," he said, standing with Jase. The two of them walked out of the inn, leaving Zep alone with Sal.
"C'mon, kid. You're either walking upstairs, or I'm carrying you."
Sal crawled from her seat. She laced her fingers in Zep's, then climbed the stairs with him, floor after floor. When they reached the fo
urth, she paused. The decor was luxurious. Two doors, one at each end of a short hall, were the only rooms. Zep checked his key and turned to the right. He unlocked the door, pushed it open, then grabbed Sal and swept her into his arms.
"Honeymoon suite was the phrase he wanted," Zep said as he carried Sal across the threshold. He set her down gently on the other side, grinning. "It's a human thing."
Sal just shook her head and moved into the room, sighing appreciatively. "Wow, this is nice. Ok. So what's the thing?" she asked, gesturing back to the door.
"It's just a thing. Get out of your armor, Sal. Boots too."
"Our stuff hasn't made it up yet, has it?" she asked.
"Nah. But only Jase and I will be running through here. Clothes only in this room. No armor. Leather, acrylic, resin, mail… none."
"Ok!" Sal laughed, peeling down to a pair of soft pants and her tank.
Zep did the same, stacking his boots beside hers. He flopped on the bed and gestured for her to come closer. "Cuddle with me and I'll tell you about the door thing."
Sal crawled beside him and tucked her head against his shoulder. Zep pulled her closer until she gazed up at him, waiting.
"So, as a kid, I always expected to end up human, right? I mean it kinda makes sense."
Sal giggled and nodded.
"Well. I wasn't exactly a very popular kid, not with my iliri friends and all, so I didn't do real well with the girls until I joined the military. That made it something I wanted even more, ya know? I used to daydream about getting married. A big fancy ordeal. I'd have some beautiful bride, pale skin, blonde hair, and everyone would be jealous of how perfect she was."
"You liked the pale ones even as a kid?"
"Yeah," Zep admitted. "All my friends were iliri. Anyways, so point being, I was a kid. Never had a girl before, so that whole wedding night consummation thing, it seemed amazing and romantic, right?"
Sal nodded.
"Thing is, there's some old tradition about how the man is supposed to carry his new bride across the threshold to their room. I was a gangly, dorky, shit of a kid. Nothing fit right, and not a damned muscle on me. So that whole carrying the girl thing seemed intimidating and yet romantic."
"What happened?" Sal asked, poking his broad chest.
"Fuck. The army, Sal. Push-ups, hauling my own gear, you name it, I hadn't done it. I was a spoiled, rich brat. Thing is, iliri don't get married, you know?"
"Yeah."
"Well, the way I see it, we're about as married as iliri get. So, since we haven't really had a real door to a room, well, this is the first chance I had."
"I love you, Zep." Sal snuggled closer. "I'm glad to be your wife."
He smiled and pulled her tight. "You're a damned good wife, Sal. Ayati, I'm the luckiest fucking man ever."
"You're a perfect husband," she whispered, kissing his chest.
"I'm trying, babe. Now close your eyes, just for a bit, ok?"
She nodded against his side, and Zep lay as still as he could until her breathing slowed. In his heart, he felt her anxiety and stress slowly fade away to a gentle warmth that always stayed with him, and he knew she was truly asleep.
She's out, he told Jase.
Yeh, I felt that, Jase said. Take a break, too. I'll trade off with ya in a bit?
Deal, little brother. This bed is fucking amazing.
Yeh, but Zep? I'm sending her ta Blaec tonight.
Zep tried not to laugh, fearing he'd wake Sal. No, I agree, Jase. She needs him. Just don't tell me he gets the damned bed.
Oh fuck no, Jase said. His will hold two.
Chapter 12
"Stop acting like common soldiers, and try using yer minds!" Jase yelled as he walked through what was supposed to be the human encampment outside Syhar's walls. "We need paths through the tents. Yes the walls curve. So curve the damned paths. Na hard, men."
"Sorry, Ahnor," a man close to him said respectfully.
Jase held up his hand. "Just fix this. We need ta be able ta move through the camp quickly. That's why we have structure. Cavalry, infantry, archers. Alternate units. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!" the men around him called out.
Soldiers began pulling tent pegs and shuffling their items, so Jase continued on. Grauori mingled with the humans, helping to haul crates and stake tents. Jase laughed, watching one large male dig at the ground in the center of a unit's cluster. The aufrio paused and looked at him, grinning.
"Fire pit," he said before digging again.
"Nice," Jase agreed.
"We gave him some kills from the battle in exchange," a woman said dropping a load of wood. "The way I see it, less to clean up out there and a hell of a lot faster to get a regulation pit."
Jase nodded. "I approve. Good thinking," he said, moving on.
The next few groups seemed organized, and Jase only had a few corrections to make. He was almost halfway around the walls, on the south side of Syhar, when a soldier called out to him.
"Ahnor? Your eyes are better than mine, sir." The man pointed across the field to the south. "I swear I'm seeing something out there."
Jase followed his hand. In the distance, a group of riders made their way toward them. He could just make out the men on the horses, but the blue of their uniforms was vivid to his iliri sight.
"Nice eyes," he said to the soldier, looking at his shoulders. "134th infantry?"
"Yes, sir," the soldier said. "Friend or foe, sir?"
Jase shrugged. "Conglomerate. Can na wait to see what they want."
"Fuck ‘em," the soldier grumbled. "They thought they were hot shit back in Myrosica. Bet they're here beggin', sir."
"Prob'bly," Jase agreed. "Thanks fer the heads up." He sighed and made his way back into the city gates, calling out for Blaec as he did so. We've got a group of CFC riders coming in from the south.
That's probably not good news. Where's Sal? Blaec asked.
Sleeping. Zep convinced her to pass out.
Well, wake her, Blaec ordered. I'll get the pavilion set up in the square to meet them.
No. She's working on three hours of sleep in three days. Dom can handle this with Rragri. We have secure rooms in the White Stone, too.
Nice, Blaec thought. Ok. Send the Dogs out to meet the riders.
Can na. They're seeking spiders.
Fuck! Blaec growled back at Jase. Who do we have then?
Jase chuckled. Grauori. Lots of them.
Do it. How Iliran is the White Stone?
Very. Main room probably smells like roast maerte by now too. Sal gave him leave.
Blaec couldn't contain his amusement, and it flooded across their link. Even Pig likes the scent. Will be amusing when they ask what smells so good. Ok. I'll tell the King and Orassae. Why hasn't Sal been sleeping?
Na us, man, Jase told him. She's got herself so strung out with leading that she can na stop planning the next move. We're sending her ta ya tonight.
Gotcha. I'll have Arctic help me take some of that from her. Blaec paused a moment. She's doing amazing, though. Never would have expected a true Kaisae from that waif a year and a half ago.
Shoulda looked closer, Jase said, breaking the link.
The interior of Syhar was as hectic as the exterior, now. Someone had raised the wine and jade flag of Unav over the tower, and Anglian soldiers were cleaning up the shattered masonry around it. Tents for the leadership were stationed across the courtyard to receive guests in the event the weather turned sour again. He saw a group in grey armor dart between buildings, men in white directing the removal of corpses. Two teams of drafts hauled open bed wagons filled with bodies laid out neatly. Ilija stood next to one speaking to the driver and pointing.
"Colonel," Jase said walking up.
"Ahnor, your timing is perfect. We've got about a thousand salvageable corpses for you all after the grauori took their cut. Where am I sending them?"
"Fifty ta the White Stone. Divide the rest among the other taverns in town, but they're welcome ta refuse t
hem. I do na think many will."
"Ugh," Ilija shuddered. "Still creeps me out a bit thinking about it. Better than burial mounds, though. But we have a group willing to, um, set up a soup kitchen of sorts."
"How are horses fer humans?" Jase asked him.
"You mean as meat?" Jase nodded, and Ilija sighed before continuing. "It's not really considered civilized, Jase. We have enough humans in here that we need to feed?"
"Yeh, from the sounds of it." He shrugged at the Colonel. "Can na just feed the iliri, ya know. We also can na really set up a maerte kitchen in the middle of town, either."
"Tavern down in the poor area offered. Mostly iliri there. There's another a few blocks over. I can talk to them about setting something up for humans?"
"Yer gonna be a lot less biased than us," Jase agreed. "We just want ta get Syhar back on its feet. Make sure the soldiers know that these people can na afford ta give gifts. They will try."
"Mm, demote those taking advantage of them?" Ilija asked.
"Nah. Just whisper it around. I think the other men will take care of it." Jase paused. "We've got Conglomerate riders coming in."
"What do they want?" Ilija grumbled.
The man driving the cart answered, "Prolly didn't think we'd do it, sirs. Gotta be hurting with the Blades and the Dogs gone."
Jase waved that away. "Let's na shock them too much?"
"Simple body removal, sir," the driver said.
Ilija nodded. "Yeah, Anglians aren't going to make a deal of it. We won't hide it, either. They want us, then they take all of us. Three kingdoms, Ahnor. All three."
Jase nodded and slapped Ilija's arm before turning back to the White Stone. He entered the inn and smiled at the aromas. Laern looked up at the sound of the door and hurried to him.
"Ahnor! Can I help you?"
"Yeh," Jase answered. "Remember those rooms? I need one prepared fer the leaders. We have diplomats riding here, probably half an hour before they arrive."
Laern looked thoughtful for a moment. "Have any Anglian banners or flags, sir?"
"Yeh?" Jase asked, confused.
"I can set up the reception hall pretty quick." Laern grinned at him. "I just don't happen to have a lot of your shade of green."
"Unavi flags, Laern. We're here ta liberate, na conquer."