by Scott Rhine
“She is his concubine and the mother of his child.”
“It’s different now. She gets all soft when he’s around.”
“Pregnancy.”
“Not only is she using your perfume every day, but she’s dying her hair your color and using your stylist. Ember knows his type, and she’s changing to become it.”
“It’s a common style among the Imperial noblewomen. She probably just wants to be presentable at all the social functions she’s attending.” Corrie chewed her lip, suppressing the butterflies in her stomach.
“No. Pagaose took a nap with her this afternoon, insisting the mother needed her rest. He fell asleep with an arm protectively over Ember. She let him.”
Corrie hugged herself, less positive now. Pagaose hadn’t mentioned any naps to her this week. “He’s happy, and he’s given us what we all want. Have you any cause for grievance?”
“No. Ember trained our marriage class in the mana-vortex technique. After days of practice, I can barely control the flow of energy enough to snuff out a candle.”
“Your imagery works differently, dear heart. Ember is almost entirely body-centered; whereas, you spend most of your time in your mind, focusing on diagrams. Try drawing a ward on the ground that does the same thing.”
Komiko cocked her head. “That might work. You’re good at magic and sneaking around things.”
“The point is: Pagaose has paid you for the use of your girlfriend. Our only hope to return to normal is to distract him, overwhelm him with our gratitude and duty.”
“What did you have in mind?” Komiko asked, eager to get his majesty’s mind and body off Ember.
“Wickedness like you’ve never imagined. You’ve only read the first chapter of my pillow book, girl. It’s too bad Ember never touched the figurine.”
“But she did. When we set Ember’s knee after the assassination attempt, Pagaose held the bird against it to absorb her pain and swelling. The kindness in his eyes that day made me swear to serve him my whole life. He took so long to visit you because the edges of the bird turned black. The emperor had to suck the pain out before he gave the figurine to you.”
“He did that for me?” Corrie cooed.
“He couldn’t hold it all. There was still a little dark around the edges of the claws and beak.”
“Then why couldn’t I reach Ember in dreams?”
“She’s not sleeping right now. With all her naps, she doesn’t sleep much at night.”
“In that case, I’ll teach you both about the next sexual technique—slow scalding.”
“What’s that?”
“Have you ever watched the cook make cinnamon rolls for his highness?”
“Yes. The smell is wonderful, and I like to carry them to him while they’re still warm.”
“It takes patience and an even hand. When she scalds the milk, she applies steady heat and stirs constantly until the milk magically transforms into froth.”
“Sometimes it overflows the container,” noted Komiko.
“That’s how Pagaose’s body is going to feel when we’re done. We’ll meet together tonight and plan our strategy.”
“What’s to plan?” the witch asked. “It’s sex.”
The noblewoman chuckled. “I’ve been decorating my palace of dreams in preparation for his return. I want to drive him mad for hours at a time, and then relax him. When he thinks he’s done, we stir him again.” Corrie handed her a sack. “These are all the frillies I’ve worn in the last month during our night visits. I want you to add yours and Ember’s to the mix. Stock up on juices and days’ worth of his favorite foods. The moment he’s finished with his last appointment this Fireday afternoon, tell him we want a special nap. Then, we’ll tie him to the bed till Starday night.”
“If we don’t collapse before then.”
“Would you rather Majah do it for you? She’s spreading rumors to the nobles that boys run in her family.”
“We’ll have to work in shifts. I’ll also bring cards, dice, and poetry books in case we get bored.”
“By Sunday, he won’t even look at another dancer. More importantly, he’ll learn that giving us what we want results in more pleasure than he can ever obtain on his own.
Chapter 44 – The Right of Challenge
Vinspar met with Urgot the fire mage and Emperor Sandarac. “My intelligence operatives have told me that Pagaose will be outside the umbrella for a ceremony. It will only be for few bits, starting Sunday at noon. Our goal is to get assassins close enough to the dueling grounds to end his reign. We have to be careful because the maidens of the Dance will be close by. I recommend—”
Sandarac interrupted. “Sneak men in on those paddleboards the night before and hit them with every fireball we have.
The Imperial commander paled. “Sire, the Dance symbolizes the very thing we wish to preserve with our actions: innocence, island culture, and beauty.”
Urgot grunted and rubbed his bald head. “Aristocrats will breed more. Maybe this will teach them to obey us when we make our demands. We need to strike this man at his weak points. So far, we haven’t found many.”
Vinspar stared at the mage’s half-melted face. Urgot’s god bubbled with wrath, and his kingdom writhed with the snakes of conspiracy, like the swamp that they crawled out of. The fire mage would sacrifice anything for a victory; however, Vinspar’s daughter, Majah, was one of the dancers. “Highness, Imperials are supposed to be civil. Princess Ember will be among the innocents that Pagaose wraps around him as a shield.”
“She’ll know to dive into the water when she hears the sound of the launches,” the head fire mage insisted.
Sandarac summarized the week’s events. “All major islands except Center are in our hands now. We only spent five hundred men to occupy and three hundred in casualties. This is the endgame to the war. With all our ships participating, nothing can get in or out of that place. Yet still, they refuse to surrender. We’re ready for the decisive blow.” He ended the meeting with, “Urgot, have your men spearhead the raid; the fireballs will signal us to close with the flagship. Once you seize the dueling grounds, we can lower the ramps and flood the island over the drawbridges. Vinspar, take your ship to Shade Side and be prepared to assault the weak ward during the commotion. Either way, we’ll have our beachhead on Center by Sunday afternoon. Whichever group succeeds, the rest of the ships will follow.”
Grimly, Vinspar readied his men to land.
****
Komiko rolled her eyes. “Why do I have to greet everyone for Dance practice?”
Ember sat on her posh palanquin, parked as far from the other women as possible. Any farther away and she’d be in the water. She had a wonderful view of three enemy ships. “Because I can’t stand for that long, love.”
“Why can’t Anna do it?” whined the witch with glasses.
“Because the hostess has to be a female relative of Pagaose. We are his family now, ‘Miko. You don’t have to recognize all of them; just check them off on the list. If they’re not on the list, then Anna can step in.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s polite and people like her.”
“People like me, too.”
“People who lust after you are nice to you despite your rudeness.”
“If it weren’t for that sparkle in your eye when you say lust, I’d be angry.”
“Greet!” Ember ordered. Women were pouring over the drawbridge and onto the dueling island. The area had been decorated that morning with bunting and ribbons.
Anna rushed over when she heard the pregnant concubine shout. “Problems?”
“This place gives me the chills after what happened last time. I still smell burned flesh.”
“The servants scrubbed all morning to remove the burn marks from Lord Burningsand. Do you want to cancel?”
Ember sighed. “No. They’ll all call me a bitch if I do.”
“They wouldn’t . . .” Ember raised an eyebrow. Anna decided that selective hones
ty was the best policy with a hormonal woman. “You’re right.”
“It was a nightmare to coordinate the event with the military.”
“Niftkin was very good at his job; he hid most of the details from us.”
“Two bodyguards, a dozen archers on the rocks, and ten patrol yachts in the harbor aren’t going to help if those ships decide to attack,” Ember complained. “If they had any longboats out there, I’m sure they would’ve attacked the poor scrubwomen. At least the warships are out of range for bow and fireball.”
“The catapults taught them to keep their distance, but they’re watching through every available telescope and sextant. Every red-blooded man on those ships wishes they were at this dance practice with you instead of on a ship with hundreds of other men. Smile and wave; you’re weakening the will of the enemy.”
Ember waved to the watchers in her skimpy, sleeveless dress. Several men waved back.
The two women chatted as participants registered and mingled. Anna sighed. “They’re all so young and painted. And they’re all picturing what they’ll look like in your palanquin.”
The concubine said, “They can have it. I prefer to walk.”
Anna nodded. “You carry your own weight, girl. I just meant that the sharks are circling. They’re already gossiping about what island they’d exile you to once they’re empress. Don’t worry; Pagaose won’t allow them to separate you from Komiko.”
“Maybe I don’t want to be separated from him, either.”
For the first time ever, Anna held Ember’s hand.
When she saw Pagaose’s entourage approach, Anna bellowed, “All right, ladies. Form a single line according to your card number to meet the emperor. Majah and Komiko, take the lead near the entrance. Lowest number goes first. Come on, ladies, the instructions only get more difficult from here.” After a brief scuffle between women, she added, “People in the stands up there will be watching your every move, so no more pushing, scratching, or nose picking.”
Ember’s bodyguards laughed. Anna continued, “Each of you will get a chance to meet the emperor. Curtsy, make sure he can see your number, and tell him a little about yourself. Trust me, he looks for more than the physical, and his tastes are eclectic. If you’re a woman, he’s going to find something to like about each of you. When that part is done, Pagaose will sit in the stands, and we’ll practice your grand entrance for the event. We’ll come across the bridge and parade you in a circle so everyone can get a good look. After a complete circuit around the perimeter, you’ll stop where you see your number on the ground.”
There was a pause while girls searched the stones. Anna explained, “Don’t worry. If you stay in order everything will work out naturally.”
“Will we wear our numbers during the Dance?”
“No. Just remember what the girls on either side of you look like.”
“Why is that area of sand blocked off by the drawbridge?”
“That’s where we’ll seat the musicians during the Dance.”
When the trumpet blew, the ladies bowed their heads. Anna stood by the entry gate and proclaimed, “Behold the Sun Emperor, Pagaose the Protector!”
The emperor crossed to the tiny island first, with guards and aristocrats clogging the bridge behind him. The crowd behind him buzzed, remarking on the women and the decorations. The girls gossiped about how tall and handsome the emperor was as he stepped forward to kiss Majah’s hand.
Suddenly, from her place at the end of the line, Ember perked up. “Mana flow. Oh, gods. The orchestra pits!”
The Brotherhood spearmen rose up out of the sand first and defenders shot arrows at them. Even with shields, the mercenaries took heavy casualties as they protected a long row of mages. Pagaose shouted, “Incoming!” Few defenders dove for cover, though, and the first volley of fireballs devastated the archers on the rocks.
Because the enemy was between them and land, Ember shouted, “Everybody, into the water!”
Anna and Komiko led the screaming teenage girls into the water. Anna swam ahead with a length of bunting, and Komiko helped girls grab the makeshift rope and pushed them toward the safety of the harbor. Friendly yachts rushed to help.
The few archers left and bodyguards with spears eliminated several mages, but the mages remaining burned down any defenders with ranged weapons. A small knot of bodyguards with swords huddled around Pagaose and pushed him toward the drawbridge.
“Use the palanquin as a shield,” said Ember. Her two guards obeyed, and she limped after them, providing a rearguard for the emperor. The palanquin blocked the first fireball but the defenders had to drop the burning fabric. One of the guards tried to pick the pregnant consort up, but she said, “Hold!”
Closing her eyes, she felt the next fireball forming and diverted it toward the sea.
****
Komiko decided that men were useless. If you wanted someone dead, you had to do it yourself. While the others were occupied, she disappeared from sight, swimming underwater toward the enemy. When she surfaced, hidden behind the bridge footings, she could see her Ember sweating with concentration. Three mages were left, and she was holding against them. Just a few beats more, she thought, pulling out a throwing dagger. Thanks to Corrie, she’d picked formalwear with sheaths. Having lost her glasses in the water, Komiko had to get a little closer.
On the bridge, the emperor commanded. “Run!”
Three fireballs launched toward Pagaose at once. Ember spun them around her center as soon as they left the staves. Good job! Komiko thought. I told you that you were a natural at magic.
An enemy spearman rose from the surf on the exposed side. He was at extreme range but threw his weapon at the concubine. One of her two guards dove in front of the spear while the other pulled Ember rudely from behind. Komiko could see the combination break Ember’s concentration at the critical moment. The three fireballs converged on her location.
Everyone, including the mages, stared in horror as the magical blue flames consumed the pregnant princess and the bodyguard touching her.
Her other bodyguard removed the spear from his side, roared, and hurled the weapon into one of the stunned mages. This broke the silence and the two mages left burned the bodyguard down.
Screaming in rage, Komiko charged the final pair and plunged her dagger manually into the throat of an assassin. The final mage pointed his staff at her. Surprisingly, she wasn’t afraid. The best thing in her life had just vanished in flames, and he was the cause. Through gritted teeth, she hissed, “I’m wet enough that the fire will take a while to kill me. I bet I can stab you through the heart before I die.”
Pagaose shouted, “I have the right to challenge!”
The mage smirked. “Can you cast the holy fire?”
“No, but I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”
The fire mage laughed out loud. “Done. Everyone but you and your second clear out.”
“I’m his second,” Komiko insisted. The mage doubled over with mirth.
The Brotherhood of Executioners spearman who’d risen from the water announced, “I’m Lengrot’s second. Everyone else take the swim. We’ll start as soon as everyone else is out of the way.”
The emperor knelt by Ember and put out the flames with his fur-trimmed cloak. Komiko climbed to the emperor’s side. When Pagaose tried to take Ember’s hand to check for a pulse, it snapped off. Her chest was a smoking coal. In the middle of the battlefield, he fought to hold back tears.
Komiko was beyond crying. “Highness, let me distract them while you escape.”
“Lengrot must die,” he said menacingly.
She could feel the air crackle with magical potential. Clouds churned overhead. “I agree. Lightning?”
“Draw your new ward, and I’ll do the rest.”
Komiko grinned like a wolf. She obeyed, chalking the mana trap while the innocents escaped. When the Brotherhood mercenary asked, “What are you doing?”
“Standard Imperial dueling rules. If you want to
draw a circle for your man, be my guest.”
“Naw. It’ll be over too soon.”
Komiko nodded.
The actual duel was anticlimactic. When Anna announced the start, Komiko put every ounce of rage, pain, and hatred she had into the stylized picture of a tornado. Lengrot, the fire mage looked shocked when the blue flame on his staff flickered out. The light in the arena got dimmer and Pagaose strode unhurriedly toward the man.
When the mage swung the staff at the emperor’s head, he ducked and grabbed the man’s arm. With a deft twist, he opened Lengrot’s hand, and the staff dropped to the ground. Pagaose kicked the staff away.
“Break his arms!” Komiko shouted with relish.
And Pagaose did.
The mage didn’t stand a chance, but she cheered every blow that hammered down on his face. When the man tried to run, she said, “Break his knees like they did hers.”
And the emperor did, methodically. Stone wasn’t his preferred form, but he knew enough to rain horrendous, weight-enhanced blows onto the culprit. At the center of the vortex, even the blood droplets seemed to circle in the air. So much blood splattered on his tunic and face that observers were certain the mage was long dead. Anna turned her back on the spectacle. When Pagaose paused to wipe the red mist from his eyes, both seconds ran up to check.
Shocked, the mercenary said, “He still breathes.”
Pagaose huffed, “Not for long. I need him to take a message to his god Intaglios for me. Who planned this attack on my family?” He grabbed the mage’s staff, flickering faintly again now that Komiko’s concentration had lapsed.
“Urgot, sire,” said the mercenary, more than a little terrified by the towering cloud of rage.
“Komiko, give this man a gold to carry the same word to Urgot for me.” After she obeyed, the emperor said, “Hear me. You have slain Unity. Now I declare anathema on the entire sect of fire mages. The people of Intaglios are my subjects, but the priests of the Burning One will be wiped from the face of the earth forever.”
Pagaose punctuated the last word by thrusting the staff tip through the mage’s heart and quenching the fire.