He let her slide down but had too much pain to open his arms. "Hold on to me, Mother." He rested his face against her fair hair.
Tiklaus and Pretosia had shadowed them along the trail. The cats sat and cleaned their paws. Pretosia gave Tiklaus a lick on the cheek and the bigger panther gave one back.
Pietas fought the tremble of exhaustion, forcing it back with pure will. No pain defeats me. I am unstoppable. His shields wavered, tall grass in a storm. Any minute, they would fall and everyone would see how weak he'd become. How damaged. I am unstoppable. I am unstoppable. I am--
Joss hugged them both. The momentary interruption threatened to topple his illusion, but then Joss slid her shields over his and strengthened the image he broadcast. Her intimate touch shored up his ability, adding a level of protection higher than anything he'd experienced alone.
"I'm with you," she sent. "They don't need to know how much it hurts."
He willed her to feel his gratitude. His pain eased and he took a deeper breath. His sister joined their group hug and her touch lessened his pain even more. He reached out and gathered her close.
Dessy squeezed him. "Did we ever do a group hug before today? Ever?"
"Yes. You were young." With one hand, his mother caressed first his face, then Dessy's. "When you were babies. Toddlers. When I held you both." She didn't say it, but Pietas knew the rest.
When your father didn't know. When your father wasn't around. When your father wasn't looking.
When he wasn't there to tyrannize them.
Pietas would expel the man from the Council and oversee a fair trial. He'd hear what the man had to say. He'd listen to the proposed solution. He'd make sure to comprehend every detail.
Once he did, he'd employ the most valuable lesson his father ever taught him, used in every battle. He'd extinguish weakness, tenderness, love, or mercy. He'd send in his troops and savor their victory.
He'd bond with the panther tribe as they hunted Mahikos down, ripped him apart, masticated every chunk of raw flesh, and slaked their seething lust for his blood.
Chapter Forty-two
This lowly cave was a far cry from the luxury of the Council's flagship, the Uurahkal. Though Pietas could not yet prove his father's collusion with the humans and their treachery, it was a fact that humans had destroyed the magnificent ship and slaughtered its entire crew.
They were gone. Every single person. All gone.
He'd hoped his own ship would take vengeance and his troops would release him. When time passed and no one freed him, he feared for the fate of Soomus Bellum. We Are War: the finest contingent of soldiers in all of the galaxy. Never in its hundreds of years had it faced so vile a threat.
And he had been helpless to assist them.
The gritty scrape of sand underfoot careened him back to the present, with its barren rock walls and dirt floor. For the trial, they'd removed everything from the cave.
Armand and Philippe entered with Mahikos between them and the three proceeded to the deepest end. The cavern ceiling rose no more than a handspan above the twins' heads.
His father remained calm and confident, as if he were the one who'd called the Council meeting. He was fit, in his prime after a rebirth less than three years before. As was his custom, he'd shielded himself. No emotion leaked, but he held himself as he always had, cocky, smug, above it all, bored by whatever happened around him.
The other Councilmembers entered and stood side-by-side, facing the man. Six remained at the exit. Last to join them, Helia walked in with Dessy, took a spot between her and Pietas. Though she revealed no emotion, he sensed a fine tremor of fear running through her.
He squeezed her hand, shielding his murderous thoughts and savage hatred. If she saw the violence he planned for his father, she'd try to stop him. Not out of love for Mahikos, but because it was his mother's nature to soothe and mend, not destroy.
His father would not leave here unpunished. The knife Pietas had in his pocket made that promise a solid guarantee.
As War Leader, he made life and death decisions over the enemy every day. For him, passing judgment on this man would be closer to joy than hate.
In the pod aboard the transport ship, Pietas had borne over a year of unrelenting pain, hunger, thirst and confinement without asking for so much as one drop of water. It was not time in that pod that had taught him to suffer in silence.
That had been drilled into him as a child. If Pietas could credit his father with one thing, it was the knowledge that begging meant he'd suffer worse.
Oh, yes. His father taught that lesson well.
Now that everyone had arrived, Pietas stepped forward. "I am Pietas. I serve."
One by one, each councilmember voiced their name and the Ultra vow.
Mahikos said nothing.
Dessy came up next to Pietas and set one hand on his arm. "Father insisted since you were missing, he was in command as Chancellor Emeritus." She addressed the Council. "As Lieutenant Chancellor of the High Council, it's my duty to request reinstatement of Pietas ap Lorectic as Chancellor. All in favor?"
A unanimous "aye" sounded.
"Thank you, Dessy." He bowed to her. Pietas took time to meet the gaze of each person in the room, including Six. "I accept command."
Koliga raised his hand. "I vote Mahikos ap Lorectic be removed from the Council."
"Is there any discussion?" When no one spoke, Pietas nodded. "All in favor?"
The instant and unanimous response accompanied a pulse of emotion. Had it been directed at him, Pietas would have cringed. Mahikos drew himself up with such pride, you'd think he'd been elected instead of disgraced.
"The vote carries. Mahikos ap Lorectic is hereby removed from the Council and stripped of all rights and privileges. We are gathered to bear witness against Mahikos for one count of assault, seven thousand counts of attempted homicide, and one count of homicide."
His father's aplomb faltered. "Seven thousand?"
"That is how many Ultras would have perished had you set that unit on fire. Assuming it had not spread to the others."
The man rubbed his brow. "I had no idea there were so many in those things."
"You are not on trial for being uninformed. Not even immortals have enough time to recount your failings in that regard."
A snicker sounded from the back of the room. When Pietas turned in that direction, Six gave a shame-faced smile and mimed zipping his lips.
Mahikos dusted off a sleeve. "I murdered no one."
"Did you not? I call a witness." He turned and motioned to Six.
"Point of order," Mahikos interjected. "A human cannot testify! Mortals have no voice on the High Council."
Pietas tapped one finger against his lips. "You challenge the testimony of a human?"
"I do." Sneering, Mahikos lifted his chin.
"Are you suggesting a mortal has no right to justice? You? After all the work you did to bring the Ultras into peace talks with humans? Now you claim humans have no place?"
"I do. No human has the right to judge me. Only an immortal."
Oh, how satisfying to hear that claim. Once more, he nodded to Six, who stepped outside the cave.
The ghost returned seconds later and ushered in Tiklaus and the fourteen other members of the panther tribe.
Mahikos almost fell over himself backing away, but Armand and Philippe prevented him from leaving.
Tiklaus padded over to Pietas and sat. Pretosia rubbed Helia's hand, then joined the others as they spread out. All the cats watched Mahikos.
"You can't bring those animals in here!"
"According to you," Pietas indicated the tribe, "they have every right. These are immortal beings."
"Im--" Mahikos sputtered a laugh. "Don't be ludicrous! They're animals!"
"Even humans protect their animals from unlawful killing." Pietas stooped beside Tiklaus and laid one hand on its back. "Tiklaus is immortal, intelligent and sentient. Like the other members of the tribe."
His fathe
r cast a wary eye on the panthers.
"I'll demonstrate their cognitive abilities. Tiklaus, this is the proof I told you about. Are you and the tribe ready?"
The panther made a low huffing sound. The tribe encircled Pietas.
"Tiklaus, you are number one. Please demonstrate you understand our language and also numbers by asking every other member of the tribe to sit after you do."
If the panther communicated, it was out of hearing range for Ultras. Once Tiklaus sat, every other panther took a seat.
"So they know a trick." Mahikos jutted his chin at them. "That proves nothing."
"Tiklaus, please ask those standing to circle the panther sitting on their left and then sit facing the opposite direction."
As the panthers carried out the command, the pleasure of the other Ultras fed through to Pietas. Erryq clapped her hands in delight.
Mahikos, who had always been fair, paled. He swallowed. "It's still a trick."
"Is it?" Pietas clasped his hands before him. "Tiklaus, this is a difficult request, and I hope you will forgive me for asking. If you see the man who stabbed you, will you stand before him, please? I promise he will not hurt you while I am here."
The great cat flicked its tail and then trotted straight to Mahikos, sat, and angled its head upward. The man jerked back.
"Does the accused request a trick of this panther?"
"No." Mahikos made shooing motions. "Take him away now."
"Tiklaus, you may stand down."
After a few tail flicks and a growl, the panther returned to Pietas and paced, head turned toward Mahikos. The tribe's growing bloodlust coursed through Pietas, a river of retaliation piling high behind a dam already bulging with hunger for retribution.
Three of the panthers crept closer to Mahikos.
His father backed away.
Tiklaus, Pietas sent. They must wait. Soon. I promise.
With tail straight out, the alpha cat hissed a warning. The three panthers halted, but laid back their ears and hissed in return. Tiklaus launched full force into the trio, snarling and snapping.
Councilmembers scurried to safety.
Yelping, the panthers rolled onto their backs and remained there while Tiklaus sniffed each in turn. Upon reaching the last one, Tiklaus bared fangs and growled. The cat remained on its back, tail flicking, but turned its head. Tiklaus nipped its ear, causing it to yip in pain. The alpha sniffed the wounded ear, licked it, and nose-bumped the other cat.
Tail between its legs, it submitted.
With a swagger, Tiklaus returned to Pietas.
The trio slunk back to the pack, snarling at each other like brothers fighting over who was to blame for their whipping.
In silence, the Council resumed its former position.
Tiklaus sat and wrapped its tail around Pietas's closest leg.
He placed his hand near the cat.
Tiklaus nudged it. Promise.
Thank you. Pietas folded his arms. "Does the accused deny killing this immortal opponent?"
"It was self-defense! That animal had his jaws on my neck."
"Self-defense?" Pietas indicated Tiklaus. "If you recall, the panther was protecting me because you tried to stab me in the back. Had we deputized the tribe before that moment, it would have been murder while on duty. Count yourself lucky. The penalty for murder is death in like fashion. Committing murder while the victim is on duty requires the punishment twice. One of our most honored decrees is 'The front must not fall. A death on duty weakens us all.'" Pietas turned to his sister. "What lawgiver am I quoting, Dessy?"
She folded her arms and faced Mahikos. "Our father."
The man put his head down.
"The victim identified the attacker. The attacker has himself admitted to stabbing the victim."
"I killed an animal!" Mahikos threw out his arms. "An animal has no rights in this court and you know it!"
With a rumbling snarl, Tiklaus stood.
Mahikos stumbled backward.
While the twins subdued the prisoner, Pietas stroked Tiklaus. "We will now proceed to the verdict. Does the Council require privacy for discussion?"
No one spoke.
"No privacy, then. What say you on the charge of murdering another immortal?"
Around the cavern, all beheld Mahikos with resolution on their faces as they spoke in turn. His mother looked down, then lifted her gaze once more and cast the last vote, making it unanimous. "Guilty."
Though his father remained silent, the look he gave Helia promised recompense. She stared back with the fearless pride of a queen.
How Pietas wished she had found that resolve before now, but he closed his thoughts to the past.
"Mahikos ap Lorectic has been found guilty of murdering another immortal. What sentence does the Council require?"
Koliga stepped forward. "Death in like manner." One at a time, they all agreed.
"Thank you." Pietas motioned to them. "The sentence shall be carried out immediately." He stooped beside Tiklaus.
"No!" Terror erupted from Mahikos. He backed away. "You can't allow that animal to attack me!"
Armand and Philippe gripped Mahikos by the arms and brought him under control.
"You can't do this!" Mahikos jerked and fought, but the twins held him fast. "This is barbaric! Pietas, stop! You have far too much honor."
"Honor?" Pietas stilled himself. "What do you know of honor? You, who sold our people's freedom for the price of power?"
Brief recognition flared, then hid behind ill-disguised fear.
Pietas allowed himself a smile of satisfaction. The father worried over what the son knew. Good. "Do not depend on the honor of others when you possess none."
"Pietas, be reasonable!"
"Reasonable? As you were with my sister and me when we were children? Forcing us to stay at lessons until we slept at our desks? Marching us in the cold without shoes so we'd be tough? Locking us out in the snow with nothing but a worn blanket?" The combined pity of the Councilmembers swept over Pietas but he blocked their concern.
"And because of it, you two are the finest soldiers in the galaxy."
Pietas took a step toward him. "One evening, you kept us up learning tactics and then sent us to bed less than a minute before the day started. You made us get up again. You forced us through hours of work the entire day. That night, you set us on watch and made sure we stayed awake. The next day, you drove us through more grueling work. Tell the Council why you did that, Father."
"It was for your own good, you ingrate!" Mahikos let out a theatrical sigh. "You never appreciated anything I did for you!"
"Did I not? Was I not required to thank you for every single thing? I had to thank you when you sent me to bed hungry after every thrashing you said I deserved."
"I beat you because you disobeyed. Be a man and own up to it."
The man's scorn lashed over Pietas, sharp as the sting of a whip. Accustomed to the pain, he bore up under the empathic attack without a twitch. The anger that rose within himself at the man's arrogance, though, tightened a noose around his chest.
Five short steps to reach that vile tormenter. Tear out his throat.
"Pietas." Joss's mindvoice touched his, her strength an armored glove over his own iron fist. "I promise. I'll help you kill him."
Pietas flexed his hands.
"No, my love. After the trial."
He ground his teeth. "Now!"
"No, Pietas. Bring him to justice. Make him pay. Make him confess to the entire Council."
Pietas sheathed his anger like the blade it was. He spun around and went back the place where he'd been standing.
Tiklaus stood and nudged his hand.
He stroked the cat. "As usual, Father, you bait me into an argument to avoid discussing the truth. You put Dessy and me through two days of misery, working us harder than soldiers as a gift for our birthday. To show us what good soldiers should expect."
"And look at him!" Mahikos faced the Council. "Look at him! Have you ev
er known a more magnificent soldier? I made him what he is. I trained him. I created him."
"Liar!" Pietas smacked a fist against his chest.
The entire tribe scrambled to its feet, fangs bared.
As one, the Council stepped back.
A furnace of rage erupted within Pietas. "You get credit for nothing I did! Nothing!"
Tiklaus crept up beside Pietas, chest down, hindquarters raised, poised to pounce.
The acrid smell of urine--not the cats'--permeated the air.
Pietas flung out an arm, pointing at Dessy. "My sister and I give you no credit for what we are." He smacked his chest again. "We are everything you are not!"
Tiklaus hissed.
"We are soldiers by our will, not yours! Our skills. Not yours! Our reputation as stone-cold killers?" Pietas straightened, chin lifted. "Yes. That I will lay at your feet. Every time I kill a human, instead of his face, I see yours."
Helia gasped.
Mahikos did not look up.
Pietas faced the Council. "It was Dessy's and my sixth birthday. He locked Mother away for two days so she couldn't interfere with our gift. She clawed the door so hard, trying to get out and protect us, she left bloody grooves in the wood. My father forced her to fill them with putty and paint over them."
His mother hid her face against Dessy's shoulder.
With a sharp intake of breath, the Council turned toward Mahikos. The fury ebbing from Joss toward his father was gratifying.
"Yes, expect me to be reasonable." Pietas stabbed his forefinger into the palm of his other hand. "Like father, like son."
Taking his time, Pietas strolled across the cave floor. His regret was that Mahikos would come back from death. At least...this time.
"Son!" Sweat soiled the man's already dirty uniform. A dark streak ran down one leg where he'd wet himself. His wild-eyed gaze pleaded with the others. "Think this through. You don't want to do this."
Oh, but he did. He'd dreamed of the day he'd humble this man, lived for it for centuries. He'd be denied no longer. "You have been sentenced to death."
The man panted faster than a cornered animal. "Pietas, don't do this! Don't let those animals loose on me!" He jerked and bucked, but the twins gripped his arms, preventing him from breaking free. He trembled in their grasp. "Son, please! This is barbaric! They'll rip me to pieces!"
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