The Kingdom

by Bryan M. Litfin

  Ana sank down until all but her face was submerged. Teo did the same. For a long time the pair soaked in the hot spring without speaking. A sense of deep relaxation descended on them. Somewhere nearby a bird warbled, but no other sound broke the stillness. Then, unexpectedly, Teo rose from the pool to stand in the waterfall’s cooling flow with his head down.

  As Ana looked at Teo standing in the trickle of water, a wave of aching desire caught her by surprise. It wasn’t the superficial infatuation of a girl with a crush, but the full-bodied yearning of an adult woman, ripe for love with the man in her life. Teo’s powerful arms were spread as he braced himself between the grotto’s walls and let the water roll down his back. The corded ripples of his shoulders, the square-cut shape of his chest, the leanness of his muscular stomach—these things aroused a breathtaking ardor in Ana.

  So she swam to him.

  Teo glanced up as she rose from the water, her dress clingy against her skin. Ana’s heart fluttered in her chest, and her limbs felt shaky. Something was about to happen, and she was entirely willing.

  “Ana . . . ” Teo’s tone was uncertain. He had seen the look in her eyes and didn’t know what to make of it.

  She approached very close. “I remember when you got this,” she said, tracing her finger along one of the three scars that crisscrossed his chest. “You were looking out for me.”

  Teo lowered his hands to his sides. Though he did not embrace Ana, he leaned toward her. She tipped back her head and lifted her chin until she was cheek-to-cheek with him. Her lips were close to his ear.

  “Why are you so good to me, Teo?” she whispered.

  “Because I love you. I’ve loved you since the day you stepped out of the forest with your courage and your bow.”

  Ana could resist no longer. She slipped her arms around Teo. Though his hands didn’t move, she felt him trembling against her.

  “Kiss me,” she said.

  Teo exhaled against her neck but did nothing else.

  “Quick,” she urged. “Don’t wait anymore. I’m ready.”

  “Here? Now? Is this how you want it to be?”

  For a long moment Ana could not speak. Warring desires battled in her mind, her body, her soul. The shouts of her sexual craving demanded satisfaction, yet another voice spoke too. It was faint at first, and she tried to shove it away, but it persisted. Not like this, it said. No, daughter . . . not like this.

  But I’ve waited so long! I love this man with all my heart! You know it’s a holy love! Why not? Why not?

  The voice didn’t answer, but Teo did.

  “Hard choices,” he said through clenched teeth. His words came out more like a groan.

  The spell broke. Ana shook her head, covering her eyes with her hand. “Oh, Teo, I’m sorry.”

  She backed away, but he refused to let her go. Following her, he took her hand in his. Now he did kiss her, though on the cheek; then he put his hand under her chin and lifted her face. She looked up into Teo’s eyes. His warm smile was a solid anchor in an unsteady moment.

  “Ana?”

  She waited.

  “Let’s take our steps one at a time, okay?”

  “Alright, Teo.” She nodded demurely. “As long as you keep walking them with me.”

  Nestled among the bluffs that rose above the sea, the village of Tara Mena spread out before Teo and Ana. Though it was little more than a tiny hamlet of houses and shops surrounding a harbor, Teo thought it looked like a metropolis after four and a half weeks of isolation. The respite in the wilderness had been refreshing, but now he was looking forward to being among people again.

  “There’s a little water left in here. You want it?” Teo offered his canteen to Ana.

  “Only if you promise my next drink will be sparkly.” Ana winked at him, then put the canteen to her lips and finished it off.

  Teo laughed. “I can probably find you something in the village.” He examined Ana more closely. “How are you holding up?”

  “It was a long walk, but I’m fine.”

  “Jané said it was twenty-five leagues. Is your back feeling okay?”

  “It doesn’t hurt anymore, though I’ll be scarred for life.”

  “If it’s any comfort to you, so will I.”

  Ana slid her arm into Teo’s. “Then I guess we match, Captain. Now take this girl into town for that drink you promised.”

  The pair continued walking until they reached the outskirts of Tara Mena. Most of its buildings clustered around the harbor, though a few spread uphill before giving way to the countryside. It was late in the fourth month, so the orange trees were in blossom. Afternoon sunshine warmed the road, and puffy clouds dotted the sky.

  The country lane became a village street that meandered past shops and homes and markets. Teo didn’t see a tavern, but a man with a cart had unrolled an awning and appeared to be selling refreshments.

  “Something cold to drink, sir?” the merchant asked as Teo approached.

  “Cold and sparkly, my friend.”

  “Aha! I have just the thing.” The man reached into his cart and produced a bottle of chilled rosé champagne, which he poured into two flutes. Teo paid the man with some of the money left over from the Papa’s mission. A nearby bench in the shade of a palm tree served as the seating area of the merchant’s makeshift restaurant. Teo and Ana sat down with their drinks.

  “Did you see the harbor as we turned the corner?” Teo asked.

  “I saw it. No sign of the Midnight Glider.” Ana glanced at Teo. “You sure Marco is coming?”

  “I told him to meet me here on the next full moon if we got separated. Escorting the captives to safety was his first priority. The other convents are a lot farther away than Lido di Ostia.”

  Ana sighed. “That place was a haven for me. Now it’s burned down. Nothing is left for me there.”

  “We’ll regroup in Roma and figure out what to do next. The Papa will have insight.”

  “Assuming Marco shows up.”

  “He will. The moon will be full tonight. I expect to see him tomorrow.”

  “What do we do until then?”

  “Would you like to visit the ruins?” Teo pointed to some crumbling structures poking from the forest.

  “Oh, yes! I’d love to see the old theater Jané mentioned.”

  Teo stood up. “Alright. Hand me your glass and we’ll go.”

  He approached the merchant with the cart. After returning the empty champagne flutes, he asked for directions to the ancient site.

  “The Teatro Greko!” cried the merchant. “According to legend it was built by people who lived long before the Great War.”

  “You know how to get there from here?”

  “Easy. Follow that lane. It will become a footpath. Keep going—you can’t miss it.”

  “Thanks.”

  Teo turned to go, but the merchant stopped him. “Sir! You need something special if you’re going up to the theater.”

  “What?”

  The clever merchant smiled as he reached into his ice-packed cart. He rummaged around for a moment, then produced an inexpensive clay bowl. Two seashells protruded from the red substance heaped inside it. A triumphant smile was on the man’s face.

  “What is it?” Teo asked.

  “It’s called jilatto. A frozen cream. Raspberry flavor.”

  Teo turned to Ana. “You want it?”

  She looked at him like he was crazy. “What girl would turn that down?”

  Chuckling, Teo paid the man, who covered the bowl and put it in a small sack. The walk uphill was pleasant. Prickly pear lined the way, and the orange blossoms gave the air a fragrant scent. At last the trail came to an end. As Teo and Ana emerged from the undergrowth, they were confronted with a breathtaking spectacle.

  “Wow, look at that!” Teo exclaimed. He glanced at Ana. Her mouth hung open.

  “What a magnificent view,” she breathed.

  The theater was semicircular, carved from the hillside in a series of tiers.
Its stage was backed by a screen decorated with columns, though it was broken in the middle so Tara Mena’s sheltered bay was visible below. The azure sea stretched to the distant horizon. Off to the side, Fire Mountain’s snowcapped summit sent a column of smoke into the sky.

  Sitting down on one of the risers, Teo and Ana dipped their shell spoons into the raspberry jilatto. Its cool sweetness made the perfect treat under the warm Sessalayan sun. When the bowl was empty, Teo and Ana leaned back on their elbows against the tier behind them. Teo removed his outer jerkin, and Ana hiked her gown’s skirt above her knees. Jané had done a marvelous job of patching the burn holes in both garments.

  “Ah, the sweet life,” Ana said.

  Suddenly Teo sat up, staring past the theater’s stage. A malevolent presence had appeared in the bay, like a stain upon the clear blue sea.

  Ana sat up too. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong?”

  Teo pointed. Ana followed his gaze, then uttered a little cry as she put her hand to her chest. A ship had arrived in the harbor.

  A black caravel.

  Ana tugged Teo’s sleeve. “I think that’s close enough.”

  “Just a little more. It’s dusk. They can’t tell who we are.”

  Let’s hope not, Ana thought.

  She stood with Teo in the shadow of a warehouse along Tara Mena’s waterfront. The Iron Shield’s caravel had docked alongside the wharf, as ships often did before tackling the dangerous Strait of Mezzine. Legend said the strait was guarded by a whirlpool on one side and a sea monster on the other. Ana thought the real monster was lodged aboard the ship itself.

  Teo inched closer, craning his neck. Though a few Exterminati moved around on deck, their dark lord was nowhere to be seen. A full moon hung low on the horizon, bathing the ship in its pale glow. A rat scurried across the wharf and was enveloped by the shadows.

  “The ship is sitting low in the water,” Teo remarked. “That means its hold is full of cargo.”

  “Human cargo wouldn’t weigh it down like that.”

  “Right. So no slaves. I wonder what it is?”

  Ana peered over Teo’s shoulder as he examined the caravel. “Do we really need to know? Isn’t it enough that we escaped?”

  Teo turned around, resting his hand on the pommel of his sword. “He’s our enemy, Ana. He stands opposed to everything we believe. I can’t back down out of fear. If I don’t confront him, who will?” Teo glanced down at his waist. “This is the sword of Armand. Your grandfather believed in fighting injustice with courage and honor. I’m a soldier of his regiment. Those are the principles I live by as well.”

  Ana stared at the sword for a moment, then lifted her eyes to Teo’s. “Alright. Whatever you face, I’ll stand at your side.”

  Teo was about to reply when he noticed movement on the ship. “Look! There he is!”

  The pair retreated into the shadows as the Iron Shield appeared at the top of the gangplank. His impressive height and wide-shouldered physique were unmistakable even in the evening gloom. He descended to the wharf and began to walk away.

  “Come on, let’s follow him,” Teo said.

  Ana took a deep breath and nodded her assent. Though the Iron Shield had profoundly traumatized her, she decided Teo was right: she couldn’t give in to fear.

  They followed the dark warrior at a distance. He turned into an alley, but when Teo and Ana reached it, their enemy was gone. Cautiously they advanced. Teo’s hand was on his sword. Ana’s heart was pounding.

  A door opened, spilling a shaft of light from inside. Teo yanked Ana into a dark corner. They crouched behind a crate, not daring to breathe.

  Several shamans exited the building, a tavern of some sort. A moment later the Iron Shield followed them, engaged in sharp debate with another man. Each held the edge of a large parchment. They jabbed their fingers at it as they argued.

  “It is possible!” the Iron Shield insisted. “This chart proves it. Strike out across the open sea and maintain a northwesterly course. If we don’t stop at night we’ll reach land within a matter of days!”

  “My lord, such things are not done!”

  “What do you mean, ‘not done’? We did it when we came to Sessalay from Napoly!”

  “That is not the same,” the other man pleaded.

  “You are my navigator! You will do as I say.”

  “The sea is vast. We could get lost in that great expanse.”

  “We will not get lost! My mistress has ordered me to bring her the brimstone of Sessalay. The god of this world shall ensure its safe delivery.”

  “Straight . . . across the ocean?”

  “Yes, and even beyond. At Marsay we shall transfer the cargo to river­boats and proceed up the Rone. We have a long and arduous journey ahead of us. It is a good thing we have divine protection.”

  “But, my lord, what god can rule over so vast a domain?”

  The Iron Shield released his hold on the chart and raised his finger to the sky. “The god of my mistress can! He is the Beautiful One, the Star of the Morning, the sovereign of land and sea! He is Astrebril the Great, and every knee shall one day bow at his name.”

  Ana gasped in her hiding place. Astrebril!

  Suddenly a barrel of refuse toppled over with a crash. The shamans’ heads swung around at the commotion.

  “What was that?” The Iron Shield stalked over. Ana remained frozen like a statue, her eyes wide, her muscles tensed. Teo gripped her arm in the shadows.

  The Iron Shield picked up a rock. Ana could see his gaping eye socket where he had once worn a lump of yellow glass. He hurled the rock down the alley, and a cat yowled in the distance. “Join me next time, little one!” the Iron Shield called, then turned back to his men. “Come! We must return to the ship.” The shamans departed with their master, and the alley fell silent. Teo blew out a breath as he released his grip on Ana’s arm.

  She turned toward him. “Teo! Did you hear what he said?”

  “I did. It changes everything.” He rose to his feet. Ana stood up too.

  “The ship is loaded with brimstone,” she said. “With an amount like that he could make huge quantities of the explosive powder.”

  “Yes, if he knew how. But he doesn’t.”

  “Then what does he want with the brimstone?”

  “You heard him. He said it’s a delivery.”

  “To whom?”

  “His mistress. Don’t you see, Ana? He’s taking it to Marsay to put on riverboats.”

  “Right . . . ”

  “And he believes Astrebril will protect him. Where would he have learned about Astrebril? The same place a shipment of brimstone would become the world’s most deadly weapon.”

  Ana felt her knees go slack as the implications dawned on her. “He’s going straight to Chiveis,” she said, “and that means . . . ”

  Teo nodded. “So are we.”

  P A R T T H R E E

  C A T H O L I C I T Y

  C H A P T E R

  11

  The rabbit’s eyes were swollen shut, and its breath came in raspy pants. It lay on its side, twitching spasmodically. From time to time it mewed, though the creature’s pitiful cries did it no good.

  “You have served your purpose well,” the High Priestess said as she plunged a knife into the rabbit’s flank. “Return now to the bosom of Astrebril.”

  Laying aside the bloodstained dagger, the High Priestess left the rabbit’s hutch and walked to the window of her lofty spire. Her temple was located above the treeline, nestled against the north face of one of Chiveis’s highest summits. From this vantage point, the queen of Astrebril could survey all the lands her god had given her.

  But she wanted more.

  “Where are you now?” the High Priestess whispered to the wind. Somewhere beyond the jagged peaks that receded to the horizon, her servant, the Iron Shield, was obtaining the sacred brimstone so necessary to her sulfurous yellow gas. Soon armies would flee and kingdoms would fall before the deadly fumes. The new weap
on was a glorious provision of Astrebril—a way to extend his worship across the face of the earth. Every inch of territory reclaimed from the Creator and the Criminal was a victory for the Beautiful One.

  “Where are you right now, vassal of my heart?” the priestess wondered again. She knew she could find out if she wished, but that information wouldn’t be worth the toll the spirits would take on her body. She would wait. Spinning away from the window, she shouted to the doorkeeper who stood outside. “Send in the scientist!”

  Moments later the door creaked open and a humpbacked old man entered. His eyes were fearful, yet the priestess discerned intelligence in his visage as well. The man was both gifted and afraid, useful qualities in a servant.

  “You brought one of the canisters?” she inquired.

  “Yes, Your Eminence.” The scientist held up a metal cylinder.

  “It is empty?”

  “Of course.”

  The High Priestess pointed to the window. “Prove it to me before we continue.” She backed away.

  Obediently the scientist walked to the spire’s window and opened the can. Though he aimed it outside, no sickly fumes emerged from it. “See?”

  “Bring it here then.”

  The bent scientist shuffled over. “It can be pressurized,” he said. “This gasket seals the opening.”

  The High Priestess licked her lips as she leaned close to the old man. Though he started to recoil, she ordered him to be still. Trembling, he waited until she had brought her mouth close to his ear. “I have a secret to share with you,” she breathed.

  “Y-y-yes, m-m’lady?”

  “The substance needs further testing.”

  The scientist did not answer, so the High Priestess turned away and slinked to the rabbit’s hutch. “Come here,” she commanded.

  The old man went to her side.

  “See what this gas has done?”

  The dead rabbit lay in the cage. Blisters covered its carcass. Blood and serum oozed from the knife wound.

  Swallowing hard, the scientist nodded.

  “Now we must see what it can do to a man.” The priestess paused, then caught the scientist’s eyes and stared directly at him. “I was thinking of testing it upon you.”