Chapter Four: New Trails
Lily giggled.
Pepper’s head started to swim. Rosewyld! She sucked in a huge breath before speaking. “Why? How?”
“Sister Daedra is convinced you have magic hands. She hasn’t stopped raving about your treatment since she was here. She says you are a national asset who can help our most senior members of government.”
“But my family—”
“Other than Lily, you have no family. And, as I can see plainly, Lily is an adult and the picture of good health. No, Sister Pepper, your exceptional gift is needed more urgently in our nation’s capital. All skilled citizens must be flexible. Those who have special powers must take their talents where they can do the most good.”
“Lily is only well because I’ve been working on her.” Pepper fought to keep the frustration out of her voice.
Quinn studied Lily for a few minutes, before standing. He straightened his cuffs and brushed an invisible crumb from his trousers. “I believe you. The reported cases of Waking Illness in this area are significantly higher than anywhere else in the country. I saw that for myself simply by walking from the market to here.”
His mug and cake plate made clinking sounds as he set them in the sink. “Nevertheless.” He turned back to Pepper, his voice cool. “You are coming to Rosewyld with me.”
“You can’t make me.” It was a stupid thing to say and she regretted it the moment the words left her mouth.
“Indeed I can. I command it.” He raised one eyebrow slightly. His expression was inscrutable. “You can come willingly, or I can send my guards to help you pack and bring you to me in chains if that’s what it takes.”
A lump of ice sank in Pepper’s stomach. Disobeying the commander could be grounds for the charge of treason. She swallowed and fought back tears of rage. “That’s not fair.”
“Correct. Life is hard and often grossly unfair. I’m sure you’ve learned that much in your twenty-three years.” He opened the door to leave. “You have twenty minutes to be ready.”
“But my patients at the clinic—”
“Will be treated by the other therapists. The clinic manager has been notified and is making arrangements for them. Now, it’s time to make haste. There will be consequences if I am kept waiting.”
Pepper followed Quinn outside. He walked down the stairs, but she remained standing on the stoop where she could look down on him for a change. Lily sidled up beside her in a gentle gesture of support.
Pepper inhaled the smell of moldering autumn leaves that rode on the mellow breeze. She needed to know what to pack. “Will I be back in time for the harvest celebrations?”
“You’ll be back when I decide your work in the capital is done.” Quinn touched his CommBand. “I’m setting a timer. Twenty minutes. My ride is parked behind the District Headquarters. You can’t miss it. It’s an electric blue Box.”
Lily and Pepper exchanged another wide-eyed glance. Neither of them had ever ridden in a personal ride before. Ordinary citizens used public transportation. On top of that, they’d only been out of Rosemoor County exactly once. Who traveled and how they traveled, like everything in Elsinania, was strictly controlled.
The sisters knew the Box, a slow sleek hover-ride, from dramas on the viewing screen. The stories that featured the Box usually involved people living lives of comfort and privilege. These characters always ended up renouncing the emptiness of their wealth as they embraced the normal, simple life in the great nation of Elsinania. Pepper thought some clever writer had invented the Box for a drama. Now she was going to ride in one.
Quinn fixed a stern gaze on Pepper. “The town square is very crowded today with the busy market. It may take you some time to cross it so don’t waste time.”
Something in his strict manner made Pepper’s temperature rise and her pussy throb. She resented him for having that effect on her and had to clear her throat before replying. “Thank you, Brother Quinn. I will keep that in mind.”
She and Lily stood shoulder to shoulder as he walked away, disappearing around the corner at the end of the street. Once he was out of sight, Pepper raced toward her house, with Lily a few paces behind her.
As they rushed past Brinley’s station, he was seated on the porch scowling. A ledger book was spread open on his lap. At the sight of the young women, he picked up his pen. “Sister Lily! Stop! Where are you going?”
“I haven’t got time to chat,” Lily paused for a split second, answering him in the sweetest voice imaginable. “Pepper is going to Rosewyld with Brother Quinn and I have to help her pack!”
Brinley narrowed his eyes at Pepper. He grunted with disapproval and returned to his ledger.
“He lets you get away with anything,” Pepper said to Lily as they trotted down the road to her street.
“Yeah, he’s kind of sweet on me.” Lily’s voice was lighthearted, aware of how Brinley favored her.
That was putting it mildly, Pepper thought. Lily was so comely and sweet natured, everyone liked her, which was why she’d been assigned to work in the general store. Many people went just to visit her and ended up buying things they hadn’t known they needed.
Brinley was another matter entirely. For as long as Pepper could remember, he’d hung around Lily like a wasp around sugar, ready to sting to keep others away. He made his dislike of Pepper clear, just as he disliked anyone who might be a rival for Lily’s affections.
Pepper sighed. Lily would be vulnerable, a sweet fruit for the picking without Pepper there to discourage Brinley.
They reached Pepper’s house in less than five minutes and found Anna waiting for them outside.
“You heard?” Pepper unlocked the door and the three of them went inside.
“Yes,” Anna said. “I brought you a suitcase because I’m sure you don’t have one.”
“Thanks,” Pepper said and opened the door of the small closet beside the bathroom. She took out her second pinafore dress.
Anna set the suitcase on the narrow sofa and said softly, “Darling girl, you know I love you and want what’s best for you. So please listen when I say that as long as you’re in the commander’s custody, you must try to practice the maidenly virtue of obedience to authority.”
“I’ll try.” Pepper took Anna’s hand and pressed on the healing point at the joint of her thumb and index finger. Immediately the pulse there quickened and the skin warmed. Anna had the early symptoms of Waking Illness even though neither she nor Pepper had admitted it out loud yet.
Anna smiled gratefully. “Just try to behave yourself, that’s all I’m saying. Now I’m going to get you some food for the road.”
With Lily’s help, packing was easy. Pepper had few clothes.
“We’re lucky our lives are simple, aren’t we?” Lily said, a note of false brightness in her voice. Owning a lot of clothes was considered a sign of moral weakness in Elsinania, a violation of the basic Handbook rules that forbade hoarding.
Pepper picked up her shoulder bag and tucked her toiletries, a few jars of massage oils, and her precious notebook into it. With that sorted, there was nothing to do but wait for Anna.
Lily started pacing, despite how small Pepper’s house was. She took two steps one way then two steps back. Her restlessness wore on Pepper’s nerves so she stood and stilled Lily in a hug.
“I’m going to miss you,” Lily said.
“I don’t know about that.” Pepper forced a small laugh. “I think your many admirers won’t give you the chance.”
Lily grinned shyly and Pepper broke the embrace. Fifteen minutes had passed since Quinn had told her to meet him at his ride. She needed to start walking to the town square. Now.
As if Anna had heard her worry, she knocked on the door and entered without waiting for an invitation.
“There are few good places to eat between here and Torpeth where you’ll stay overnight.” Anna peeled back the picnic cloth. “Cheddar and chive muffins, jerky, gingerfruit, salad, two caramel apples, chocolate ca
ke, and a flask of strong tea with milk and sugar.”
“Thank you.” Pepper looked at the time. “I’d better hurry now or I’ll be late.”
“Of course. My apologies.” Anna’s face paled slightly.
Pepper knew her thinking processes were impaired by poor sleep. A month ago, she would have been rushing Pepper out the door with minutes to spare. Now she had caused her to be late.
Lily carried the suitcase down the steps, followed by Anna with the hand basket.
On the sidewalk out front, Anna kissed Pepper lightly on each cheek. “Promise me one thing?”
Pepper looked around her, trying to memorize every detail of the only place she’d ever lived. “What’s that?
“Promise you won’t let the big city change you.”
Pepper nodded, knowing that was a promise she couldn’t keep. She had already started building a wall around the deep ache of loss that was burning in her chest. That wall was fueled with anger and defiance.
Not only was she being forced to leave behind the people she loved, she was being taken into the lion’s den. To Rosewyld, the power center of Elsinania.
Power changed people. Her father had drilled that into her since childhood.
But he never mentioned this other side of that coin. He never warned her that being powerless changed people too. Survival demanded it.
She brushed Anna’s cheek with a kiss. “Only if you promise to look after Lily.”
Chapter Five: Kidnapped
Quinn was right. The town square was packed. People of all ages were there, stocking up for the Harvest Feast and Bonfire Night as well as the long winter ahead.
“Should we go around?” Lily bit her lip.
“That’s twice as long and likely to be blocked by traffic anyway.” Pepper groaned.
Progress through the crowd was painfully slow. Senior townspeople stopped to comment on how well Lily was looking. Others had already heard of Quinn’s mission to take Pepper to Rosewyld and were eager for details. It seemed like everyone wanted to talk, to ask questions, to send a message to someone they knew in the capital city. Pepper had no doubt that Brinley was the spark that had lit this wildfire of gossip. He knew whose ear to whisper into and would have considered it a personal achievement to be the first to spread the news.
In the end it was Lily with her engaging smile and ready dimples who parted the crowd. When people stopped them, Lily spoke up with her personal promise to give them full details the next time they came into the general store. Pepper’s exile was going to make good money for the co-op.
When they arrived at the District Headquarters, there were two Tribunal Guards waiting out front. Pepper’s teeth clenched. They were armed. Daedra’s guards hadn’t packed visible weapons. This was a show of strength.
Even though Pepper resolved not to be frightened, the mere presence of their guns sent a cold shiver over her. Avoiding eye contact, she tried to walk around the male guard. Lily followed close behind her.
The guard held up his left hand while his right moved reflexively to his sidearm. “This area is restricted today.”
“I know it is,” Pepper said impatiently. “Commander Garrick is waiting for me.”
The female security guard wandered over. She was dressed identically to her male counterpart, in all black clothing with knee-high boots. Her sunglasses hid her eyes, and a peaked cap rode low on her forehead. Her blue skin indicated she was Devmaerean, which also explained her height. Pepper envied her clothing. Not only was it the same trim-fitting style reserved for a precious few, it was black. Regular citizens were not allowed to wear black except as the Handbook permitted when in mourning for a period of six months.
This guard snapped her gum, studying Pepper from head to foot.
My boots, thought Pepper. I forgot to clean them.
The gum snapped again. “What did you say your name was?”
“I didn’t.” Pepper glared at the woman.
“You might want to if you plan to get past my guards,” Quinn said as he strode around the corner. The guards clicked to attention.
* * *
Quinn’s mood was dark as he considered a message that had just arrived from the Lord Treasurer in the capital. When he left Rosewyld, he’d publicly announced that he was heading down the coast to the resort town of Berlis. He explained that he needed a few days of recharging. He was only to be contacted through the executive branch of the Tribunal and only in the case of an emergency.
Then he’d taken his guards and set a course inland, to the town of Rosemoor. The fewer people who knew his true destination, the better.
As he arrived back at the District Headquarters to wait for Pepper, a message star had arrived from the Lord Treasurer. Alfred Seymour’s lean face appeared in the frame. He spoke clearly, in a somber tone. “Commander, I felt you should know that as soon as you left yesterday, Minister Mazrant presented me with an arrest warrant for Piera Elin Thornback, known as Pepper, citizen grade four, resident of the town of Rosemoor. Charge: insubordination. Daughter of a known subversive. The timing of the request seemed too coincidental to ignore so I put her off until I spoke to you. Today she demanded I sign off on it.”
The Executive Tribunal was comprised of the Commander, the Lord Treasurer, and the Minister of Citizens’ Services. When either the treasurer or minister initiated an arrest warrant, they needed a second executive signature to validate it. Only the commander could issue arrest orders on his signature alone.
The content of the message was only part of what worried Quinn. The fact that Lord Treasurer Seymour had sent it at all was cause for concern. Something in Daedra’s request had raised the suspicions of the normally reticent treasurer Seymour.
Quinn hit reply on the message star and answered, “Please tell Minister Mazrant that I contacted you about other matters and asked you to hold the warrant until my return.”
He thought about this new development, as he approached Pepper and Lily. Yes, Pepper was a beautiful young woman, but there were plenty of those in the capital. Daedra had her sights set on Pepper for some unknown reason. That did not bode well for the unsuspecting country girl.
He stifled his worry and wreathed his face with his brightest smile.
“At ease,” he said to the guards. “These ladies are with me. Sister Pepper will be accompanying me back to Rosewyld. Sister Lily has come to see her into my safekeeping.”
He saw the flash of fear in Pepper’s eyes before she quickly masked it with a neutral expression. That staunch sign of courage melted his heart. He’d wanted to frighten her, to keep her wary of the dangers in the capital city but had hoped he might be kinder. Now he knew he needed to scare her just a little. She had no idea how much danger she was in.
Quinn waved the sisters to the parking area at the back of the headquarters where two more of his guards patrolled the area.
* * *
Pepper noted the way his mood had shifted from severe and commanding to something kinder and for a few seconds she forgot to be afraid. Still, she moved away from the guards slightly, as if they might suddenly slap the chains on her that Quinn mentioned earlier.
Papa had always questioned the need for the Tribunal Guards. Why, if Elsinania was such a peaceful, orderly nation, were Tribunal Guards needed at all?
Mama used to reply, “Because you never know when one disgruntled rebel will whip others to mutiny.”
Pepper was twenty-three years old. She’d never heard of a single rebel in all of Elsinania. Most people followed the Handbook, praising its ability to keep peace across their nation.
“Thank you for getting Pepper here,” Quinn said to Lily in a lighthearted tone, as if they shared a private joke. “Better late than never.”
“My apologies, Brother Quinn.” Lily turned the warmth of her smile on him. “Pepper wanted to come straight here, but we had to wait as Sister Anna insisted on providing this picnic for your journey. It would have been impertinent to ask a high-ranking citizen to hurry.�
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Quinn raised an eyebrow, casting an amused look first at Lily then at Pepper.
Pepper hid her shock at the way her little sister had rushed to defend her. She wanted to protest, to say she didn’t need Lily’s help, but she realized this might be Lily’s last chance to speak for her in a long, long time.
Quinn remained silent, letting the clamor from the farmers’ market fill the silence between them. A gentle autumn wind made the leaves in the parking lot dance around them, bringing with it the faint smell of burnt sugar mixed with hot buttered popcorn. Pepper had never wanted to go to a market more than this one today.
“Thank you for clarifying that. I’m glad it wasn’t Sister Pepper’s fault that she was late. That would have been a poor way to start our association.” He lifted Pepper’s suitcase and basket into the trunk. “Now say goodbye, girls. The sooner Sister Pepper gets to Rosewyld, the sooner she can be home again.”
Pepper and Lily hugged long and hard. Lily sniffed once, so low and quiet Pepper was certain she was the only one who could have heard her. She swallowed the lump in her throat and turned away from Lily. If she looked into her sister’s tearful eyes, she wouldn’t be able to resist the grief that threatened to swamp her.
She went to where Quinn held the door open for her. Stony-faced, she slid into her seat, took out her sunglasses, and resolved to speak to him only when she had to.
He remained outside the vehicle, talking to his four guards. When he climbed in beside her, he said nothing. The ride started with a touch of his thumb over the bio-reader. It lifted off the ground and, with a blink of an eye, they’d left Rosemoor behind. Aware of the warm, sunny scent of him, she stole admiring glances at his large hands that were ropey with muscle. They were so unlike the pampered hands of Daedra Mazrant.
Pepper had never been so high above ground before. Civilian antigravity vehicles rode only four or five feet above earth. Quinn’s sleek ride soared high over the forests in a matter of seconds. Her stomach flipped as she watched the ground below her slip away.
Bound to the Commander Page 3