Between Flood and Flame (A Cat Among Dragons Book 6)

by Alma Boykin

  “I am aware of that, Lord Mammal, but I do not love Kahlee, she does not love me, and I refuse to take her as mate.” His defiant tone caused more than one member of the audience to growl and Rada banged her dagger hilt for order.

  “Be seated,” Rada ordered. Once the males returned to their places, she called Kahlee. “Kahlee daughter of Zhlee, step forward.” The dark green female hesitated, gathering her nerve as she climbed off her bench to stand in front of Rada. Rada pointed to the platform with her tail and Kahlee, after a confirming glance to her sire, stepped up. “Kahlee, are you of legal age and ability?”

  “Yes, Lord Mammal.”

  “Is it your wish that this contract be broken?”

  “No, Lord Mammal.” Rada smiled at the female’s firm, loud declaration.

  “Why not?”

  The answer rushed of Kahlee’s muzzle in a single breath. “Because a contract is a contract, because I’m ready, because I am not the sleep-about that Deel claims that I am but no one will believe me unless I’m mated.”

  Rada sensed pain behind the controlled voice and she raised her eyebrow. “Who claims that you are a sleep-about, Kahlee?”

  “Deel. He told Keekah and everyone else who would listen that he’d had relations with me and since I’m not pregnant I must be infertile and it’s not true!” The dark-green female vibrated with suppressed emotion but kept her voice and body steady, earning her points from the other Azdhagi as well as convincing Rada of the truth of her claim.

  Rada got to her feet. “Has anyone else heard such an accusation being made?” Four tails came up from within the audience and Keekah also raised his tail. Rada frowned. She heard a commotion at the back of the room. “Hold whoever that is,” she barked. Several males left their benches as the noises grew louder and then stopped abruptly.

  “Kahlee, answer me truly: have you had sexual relations with anyone, male or female?”

  If Azdhagi anatomy had permitted crying, Kahlee would have dissolved into a puddle of tears. Instead she made a quiet meeping sound and said, “No, Lord Mammal. I’m pledged and mated, and I did not want to jeopardize the contract.”

  Rada turned to the gray male that her guards had escorted forward between the benches full of witnesses. “Father Helee, put this male to oath, please.” The male shrank back from the priest but complied after one of the soldiers gave him a firm poke in the flank with a steel-tipped talon. “What is your name?”

  “I am called Deel, Lord Mammal.”

  “And who are your elders?”

  He stammered, “Sleed and Shtahre, Lord Mammal.” Several people nudged their neighbors and Zhlee turned enough that he could study Deel.

  Rada ignored the motion. “Deel, have you had sexual relations with Kahlee?”

  “Ah, my lord, well, um . . .” He squirmed and prevaricated.

  “Yes or no, Deel. Have you had sexual relations with Kahlee?” He muttered something inaudible and Rada snapped, “Louder, Deel.”

  “No, Lord Mammal.”

  “Have you told anyone that you did have such relations with Kahlee?”

  “Um, er, ow!” One of the soldiers poked Deel again. “Yes, yes, I told Keekah, and Shleer, and Shitahr, and—”

  Rada cut him off. “Enough.” She raised her voice just enough to cut through the wave of angry hissing filling the room. “Deel, why did you spread falsehoods about Kahlee?”

  “It was fun.” He grinned at Rada and the others. The grin faded as Rada and the two males stared at him. Rada drummed her claws on the tabletop. Zhlee and Kikoree both shifted their weight, starting to move, and Rada raised her hand in warning.

  “Zhlee, Kikoree, hold your peace until I dismiss this hearing.” She pointed to her soldiers and ordered, “Restrain Deel for the time being, please, including a muzzle.”

  “Yes, Lord Mammal,” the two villagers agreed, bowing in their seats.

  Rada’s tail swung back and forth as she turned to Keekah. “Keekah, does this change your attitude towards Kahlee?”

  He made a negation. “No, Lord Mammal. I’m still not in love with her.”

  Kikoree started hissing something and Rada interrupted. “Kahlee, is there someone you do want to take as mate?”

  “Shaylo, my dam’s half-sister’s mate’s daughter.”

  “And has she stated her intent to you or to her sire?”

  Kahlee looked down and scuffed the back of his talons against the floor. “Her parents are dead, my lord, and I have not asked her.”

  Rada rubbed under her blind eye and suppressed the urge to beat sense into the male with the flat of her sword, or to shoot him in the rump for being such a twit. “Is Shaylo’s guardian here?”

  A voice from the audience called, “No, Lord Mammal. Keekoh, the woodsman, is her guardian and he’s out working. Everyone knows that he wants to get rid of Shaylo.”

  “Is this true?” Rada asked.

  A chorus of affirmatives filled the room. Zhlee added, “Yes, Lord Mammal. Shaylo has no family and Keekoh is too indebted to be able to afford a mate gift.”

  “Father Helee?”

  “I have heard the same from Keekoh, yes, Lord Mammal.”

  Rada sat down, reviewed her notes, and thought for a few minutes. “Kahlee, would you accept Shaylo if Keekah took her as a junior mate?”

  Dark green Kahlee gestured her agreement. “Yes, Lord Mammal, so long as he does his duty to both of us as he should.”

  I can’t believe I’m doing this, Rada thought. She rose to her feet and announced in her parade-ground voice, “Then hear my decision: Keekah and Kahlee are mated, as per their contract. Kahlee is the primary mate with such privileges and responsibilities as are her due. Keekah will take the female Shaylo as his junior mate.” Keekah started protesting but his dam clamped her forefoot around his muzzle and Rada ignored him. She continued, “After Keekah and Kahlee have raised two juniors past their second growth phases, they are free to separate without claim or return of mate-gift, provided that Shaylo agrees.”

  Rada hated the decision but saw no other good solution that kept peace in the village. The two sets of parents talked quietly. All four turned to Rada and said as one, “We accept.”

  “Someone bring Shaylo to me. If there are no further complaints?” Rada waited. “Hearing none, this court is adjourned. Sergeant, after everyone else has left, release Deel.”

  “Yes, Lord Mammal.” The soldier gave the gray male a look that boded ill for his enjoying the rest of the day. Rada did not say anything. If Deel got a few bruises it served him right.

  An hour later, after Rada finished confirming the details of the formal ceremony with Father Helee, a group of females led by Shtahre, Deel’s dam, cornered Rada on the temple porch. “Lord Mammal, you wished to speak with Shaylo?”

  “That is correct.” Rada studied the youngest, shyest member of the group. “Are you Shaylo?”

  “Yes, Lord Mammal.” The reptile’s voice grated, as if she’d been injured in the throat.

  “I will be blunt, Shaylo. Keekah wants to take you as junior mate, with Kahlee as senior. Is this acceptable to you?” Rada folded her arms and waited, watching the grey and yellow reptile.

  Shaylo rocked from side to side before blurting, “Yes, my lord, yes, yes. He comes from a good lineage and has skills and has never hurt Kahlee.” The words spilled out in a torrent and one of the older females draped her tail over Shaylo, calming her.

  “Very well. I will inform your guardian when he returns. Thank you for finding and bringing Shaylo here,” Rada nodded to Shtahre and the others. “You may return to your business.”

  The females bowed and went their way.

  Nine year-turns later, Rada wondered why these things always happened when she really wanted to be elsewhere. “I’m sorry, Lord Mammal,” Acting Headman Zhlee apologized, “but this is a special request that requires the manor lord’s or your permission.”

  And of course Lan-zhe can not be bothered to consider a petition for a mate taking be
tween three commoners, Rada sighed silently. “Very well. Have them come here, to the manor, tomorrow. If a conflict arises in their schedules, let me know.” If a conflict arose in the Lord Defender’s schedule, everyone on Drakon IV would know.

  That evening Rada escaped her office and went up to the wall walk, shooing away the soldier on watch. “Come back in half an hour and if the sergeant fusses, have him come and fuss directly to me.” She needed fresh air and thinking room. Shibo and Shinbora, the two moons, hung over the eastern plains, one waxing and the other waning. The combination happened only three times a year-turn and Rada tried to recall if it meant good or ill luck. She rumpled her tail. Probably did not matter either way.

  She leaned against the summer-warm stones and rubbed under her blind eye, frustrated yet again with Azdhag laws and mores. She wanted to reject the petition. According to the document currently on her computer display, Breek, a male well into his later years, desired to take two females as mates. He owned a small shop and leased a very fertile vegetable patch where he grew luxury produce. According to Father Helee, Breek’s first mate had died without issue and Breek never took another mate, despite multiple offers. Now he petitioned to take in Sheeri and Dahre. The age difference between the three posed no problem and neither did Breek bringing two females into his household, since he certainly had the resources to support them. Rada turned around and rested her head against the rough stone, wishing the ancient rocks could grant her wisdom.

  No, Breek had to petition because Sheeri and Dahre were dam and daughter. Oh, all three had done their research, turning in a very large data file of genealogy information and medical histories. Father Helee had already verified the family trees for Rada. Sheeri and Breek shared a common maternal ancestor eight generations back, but no others because Sheeri’s parents had migrated to Burnt Mountain from an estate farther downstream on the Zhangki River.

  Rada’s fur rose at the thought of Breek, or any male, mating with both dam and daughter. Incest per se bothered her a great deal, even more so given how small the Azdhag gene pool on Drakon IV seemed to be. Blessed Bookkeeper there has to be a better solution, Rada squirmed. But she could not find one. His Imperial Majesty refused to allow Rada to hire more servants at the manor house, and no one on the neighboring estates knew of another male willing to take in an impoverished dam with a female offspring. Rada could not support a body servant on her current miniscule budget, either. Without resources, Sheeri could not travel to a city where she could find work as a servant or pleasuremate. In short, Sheeri had to find a spouse at Singing Pines or Burnt Mountain, or she and Dahre would starve. And by taking Dahre as mate, Breek had the chance of future offspring to maintain his line and honor his spirit, rather than trusting to a son-in-law.

  Rada saw no way to refuse the petition. She ran through the facts one more time, searching for a hole or an alternative. Dahre’s sire was related to Breek four generations prior, but only as a descendent of Breek’s g-g-granddam’s brother, so enough genetic difference existed to permit the mating. All three parties were agreeable and of minimum age. Breek could support the females and any offspring. The residents of Singing Pines village had not protested when Fr. Helee called for challenges to the petition. “Aw, gnardbites,” Rada groaned.

  The next morning Breek led Sheeri and Dahre into Rada’s office. Rada studied the trio as they bowed. The grey-green male looked around, curious but not cowed or overly impressed with being in Rada’s presence. In contrast, brown-blotched Sheeri hung back, nervous, her worn robe tied tight around her hunger-shrunk flanks. Grey-yellow Dahre stayed close to her dam’s hip, curious but also nervous. Dahre looked younger than her years and Rada smothered another surge of dismay.

  “I have read your petition and supporting documents, Breek, Sheeri,” Rada began. “Father Helee found nothing to raise questions of overly-close lineage lines. No objection has been raised within the village.” Breek perked up, as did Sheeri, when they heard the news.

  “I must ask this. Dahre.” Rada stood and walked around the desk, dropping to one knee so that she could make eye contact with the young female. “Dahre, you know that I can sense if words are spoken under compulsion or are false.”

  Dahre made a small forefoot gesture and whispered, “Yes, Lord Mammal.”

  “Dahre, do you take Breek as mate of your own free will?”

  “Um, yes, Lord Mammal.”

  Rada lowered her shields completely and slid her hand, palm up, under Dahre’s muzzle, forcing her to maintain eye contact. “Is this what you want to do? Not what your dam wants you to do, but what you, Dahre, want to do?” Rada heard Breek’s noise of protest and ignored it.

  “Yes. I want sons, Lord Mammal, and I do not want to starve to death.” All Rada sensed from Dahre were determination and hope, and the mammal cursed silently. Damn. So be it.

  She stood up. “Very well. Breek, Sheeri, Dahre, in the name of his Imperial Majesty, I grant your petition.” Rada took the form off her printer. In this case, an electronic signature and seal would not do, and she lit a stick of blue-green wax, poured a small drop onto the page and dipped her signet into it, making an official seal. Rada signed below the seal, including her full legal titles and using special, restricted access ink that glittered from the metal flakes suspended in it. She rolled the page and tied it with a matching blue-green ribbon, marking it as a hand-sealed original legal document. “Breek, Sheeri, Dahre, may your Ancestors grant you health, peace, and prosperity. You may go.” She’d add an electronic copy to the trio’s file with the village legal records later that day.

  Breek and the others bowed and left Rada’s office. She had just enough time to clean the wax off her signet when Keekah, Kahlee, and Shaylo knocked for admittance. “Enter.” She turned on a transcribing recorder that she’d pre-loaded with the earlier case information and stipulations. The device made a legal recording of the meeting that she could enter into the village files. Keekah and his mates knew and had agreed to this in advance. It saved paperwork.

  Rada studied the three adults as they walked in and bowed. The family now included three male juniors and one female junior, and Keekah supported all his offspring well. Kahlee and Shaylo looked equally well fed and well dressed, although Shaylo’s robe boasted less decoration than did Kahlee’s. Rada sat back in her chair. “You now have two juniors past their second growth phases,” Rada stated, cutting straight to business. “What is your decision?”

  The three adults exchanged glances. “We remain as we are, Lord Mammal,” Keekah announced.

  “And that is acceptable to you, Kahlee? Shaylo?”

  Kahlee answered first, “Yes, Lord Mammal.”

  “Oh yes, Lord Mammal!” Then Shaylo ducked her head.

  Rada hid a smile behind her hand at the enthusiastic declaration. I’m sure you do, Shaylo. Your guardian tried, but his gambling problem would have starved you to death since he refused to sell you.

  “Very well. I apologize for summoning you to my office, but I needed your official word. You may go.” She knew that Keekah already had business to do with the royal steward, so she wasn’t imposing that much.

  After the trio bowed and departed, Rada turned off the recorder, “signed” the form with her electronic signature and released it to the village. Then she slammed her fist against the top of her desk so hard that the computer and other flotsam jumped. “Ow.” She still hated Azdhagi family law.

  Rings of Fire

  Summer, A.D. 4025

  If anyone says ‘but it’s a dry heat’ I will turn him into a bench cover! Rada Ni Drako snarled as she leaned on the stone of the wall and scanned the western sky, looking for smoke. Only the usual afternoon storm clouds marred the hard blue sky and she relaxed a fraction. She took a deep breath of the hot, still, pine-laden air and studied the horizon once more before returning to the cool refuge of Singing Pines manor house. The two Azdhagi on watch noted Lord Ni Drako’s departure but remained silent. They knew all too well the shortness of th
e mammal’s temper, even if they did not understand it. After all, everyone felt better in hot weather.

  Rada shed her shirt as soon as the outer door closed behind her. She’d already trained for the day, leaving her outer garments soaked with sweat and starting to chafe. At least my armor doesn’t rub! She could live with damp breeches but blisters were another matter entirely. The servants steered clear of the over-warm mammal as she limped back to her private quarters. Once there, she shed her breeches, stripped off her armor, and laid down on the cool stone floor, letting it soak up some of her body heat while she imagined glaciers, waterfalls, snow, and heaping bowls of frozen sugar milk; anything to counter the effects of the early, intense summer. After some internal debate she sat up, hauled herself to her feet and shifted into her most humanoid form. The prospect of not having a thick pelt overcame her fear of the brief, intense pain and reduced hearing that the shift inflicted. Unless I have to go to Court, I’m staying like this.

  She rinsed the sweat and dirt off of her skin, wiped down her armor, and started returning to the floor when her computer chimed. “Ah, fewmets,” she cursed, grabbing a blouse and tugging it just closed enough to cover her chest. She heard her business partner laughing at her from somewhere in her memory and Rada shrugged. Very old habits died hard. And only very important calls came directly to her computer. Rada settled onto her seat, wincing a little at the pressure on her still-tender tailbones.

  “Lord Ni Drako receiving, go ahead,” she spoke while typing her authentication code.

  “Good afternoon, Ni Drako,” a soft male voice replied. The image projected above Rada’s work desk shimmered then solidified into the head and shoulders of a blue-green True-dragon. Lord Oragi, Head of House Moytu, reached up and settled his tele-converter into a more comfortable position. “Any word of rain?”