by K M Martinez
“Is it made from Malum?” Victor asked.
“I don’t think so. The Malum skin looks dead and rotted. This is beautiful.”
Thrash took the tunic from her and pulled a knife from out of nowhere.
“Sneaky fucker,” said Drew, impressed.
Thrash plunged the knife into the tunic. “Huh. It won’t cut through.”
Justine snatched the tunic from his hands and held it to her chest.
“It must be armor then,” said Victor.
“Beautiful armor,” said Justine, stroking the glossy material.
“Armor usually means weapons,” said Thrash with excitement. “We’ll help you search.”
“Actually, we were just about to come get you two,” Paul said. “These doors are locked. Do you want us to bust them open?”
“Fuck yeah!” said Victor.
Paul and Drew busted the two doors open. Behind them were closets filled with weapons of all kinds: swords, knives, clubs, axes, spears. All looked to be made of gold.
Victor felt like he’d hit the lottery; he knew this was what they were looking for. He opened the duffel and pulled out the foul Malum leg.
Thrash grabbed a double-edged short sword. “Over here, cousin.”
Victor tossed the limb toward Thrash, and Thrash slashed at it with one hand. The blade cut through the Malum leg with swift ease. The two separated halves fell to the floor with a sick, squishy thud, but it was the most beautiful noise that Victor had heard in ages.
“All right,” Victor said. “You three pick a weapon. I want you guys armed with one of these at all times. Thrash, take as many as you can, just in case.”
“You got it, cuz.”
He picked out a beautiful axe with intricate carvings on the blade. As he studied the gold blade, he vaguely remembered a moment at the Opening Ceremony when he had seen his sister in conversation with Sapienti Reddy. He remembered seeing Sapienti Reddy unsheathe a sword and place a gold blade in Mel’s hands. With effort, he brought up his memory of Sapienti Reddy’s cold, lifeless body. He was certain of it: Reddy had been stripped of his swords.
So that’s how you did it.
****
They had spent most of the day in the bowels of Victor’s family’s home, and when at last they emerged, the rain was coming down hard. Fat raindrops beat down on his head, leaking down into his eyes, blurring his vision. Thrash walked beside him, looking miserable carrying the large bag of extra weapons, which included Victor’s axe. His hair was plastered to his face and his tunic clung to his body. The depression that Victor had seen glimpses of all day was in full bloom, and still Victor had no idea what to do for him. Where was that Smeagol kid?
The Wileys and Paul, by contrast, looked almost buoyant with their new weapons. Paul had picked out a longsword, and walked proudly with it on his waist, his hand resting on the hilt. Drew had picked out two long knives that were now hidden in his tunic; he’d claimed it was all he needed. Justine had a short sword, and had also hidden two knives in her tunic. Victor supposed she was just as sneaky as her brother. This belief was furthered when she tried to sneak the armor out, but Thrash caught her and made her put it back.
Just as they got to the Kale tents, a horn sounded back toward the house. Several Kales popped out of the tents.
“Was that a horn?” one of them asked.
The horn sounded again, deep and low, foreboding in the rain.
“They’re calling a gathering,” Victor said.
“Is this about Ambulant Laboriosum?” the Kale said. “Maybe they’re finally going to tell everyone what really happened.”
The Kale was young, probably not even an Advanced yet. The others that crowded around were only a little older, and they all gave Victor the same deferential look.
“We know what really happened,” Victor said. “Go on, get down there.”
The young Kales hurried off, and more Kales joined them. Those with children were told to leave the kids in the tents, and some parents were putting up a fight, feeling understandably scared for their kids after all that had occurred. Victor finally had to intervene, telling them they could stay in the tents with their kids if they didn’t trust the Advanced students who were being charged with sitting. That seemed to do the trick. Some parents stayed, and others hugged their children and said goodbye as if they were going off to war. Victor thought of his own kids and how, despite how much he wanted to see them, it was fortunate that they weren’t at the Agora.
Victor looked at the bag in Thrash’s hand. He didn’t want to leave the weapons unattended. Someone had already stolen Mel’s belongings; what was to stop them from stealing the weapons?
Thrash seemed to read his mind. “You go ahead,” he said, pushing his way into the tent. “I’ll stay behind.”
****
The gathering was held in the same area that had housed the Opening Ceremony. The Sapientis stood on the platform, drenched from the rain. In the center, Anton was on his knees, rain beating down on his head. He had received medical attention, but he still looked horrible. His face was swollen, unrecognizable, bruised purple and blue. Victor wondered if Anton still bore the Traitor’s Mark. If he did, it was hidden under a fresh tunic. What wasn’t hidden was the look of terror on his face. To his right, a pile on the platform was covered in a blue tarp.
Victor, Paul, and the Wileys pushed their way to the front, heedless of the angry murmurs. They found Gabe and Siva already there.
“Hey, brotha,” Gabe said.
As they waited for the gathering to begin, Sandeep Reddy climbed onto the far side of the platform. Sapienti Kelser tried to stop him, but Sandeep Reddy would not be dissuaded. He pushed past Sapienti Kelser and stood alongside the rest of the Council, daring them to say a word. The other Sapientis looked at him with unreadable expressions, but Grandma Mari walked over to him and exchanged a few words with him, which seemed to placate him.
“Guess your father is getting what he wants,” Gabe said to Siva.
Victor figured Sandeep Reddy was making a play to be Sapienti for Clan Janso. It was his right to do so, but usually there was some decision worked out within the clan prior. Not that it was any of his business, or any Kale’s.
Grandma Mari stepped forward and opened her mouth to speak. But Sapienti Kelser quickly stepped in front of her. Victor was incensed. From the hissing behind him, he could tell the other Kales were as well.
“Descendants!” Sapienti Kelser said, raising his voice over the rain. “Today we seek answers for the murders of our brothers and sisters.”
Sapienti Kelser put out a hand to Anton, much to the dismay of Sapientis O’Shea, Li, and Grandma Mari. Sapienti Wershall’s expression was neutral, his arms crossed.
Anton stood up feebly. He looked like an old man standing on shaky legs. He moved slowly and stiffly up to Sapienti Kelser, his eyes never leaving the ground.
Sapienti Kelser spoke again. “Anton Morel, the only descendant found alive at the scene, who witnessed the entire massacre, has decided to explain exactly what happened.”
Anton lifted his head slightly. His eyes met Gabe’s and Victor’s. The fear that had been in them before was gone, replaced by hate. Victor sent a heated look right back.
Sapienti Kelser put his hand on Anton’s shoulder. “Go on, son.”
“Yeah,” Gabe said, loud enough for Anton to hear. “Go on, son.”
Anton bared what was left of his teeth. Then he opened his mouth and spoke. What came out was unintelligible.
“Can’t understand you, son!” Gabe shouted. “Maybe you should talk a little louder, and a little more clearly. Use the two teeth you got left to enunciate.” Gabe drew the last word out.
“That’s enough from you,” Sapienti Kelser said angrily.
“Fuck you!” Gabe spat.
Murmurs of displeasure sounded behind them, but Victor agreed with Gabe and enjoyed the shocked look on Sapienti Kelser’s face.
The Moors man drew back in surprise, then
looked with disdain at Grandma Mari. “This is how your family shows respect?”
“Don’t speak to me about respect, Rudolph,” Grandma Mari said. “You who spoke over me, and hijacked this gathering, and is now complaining since it isn’t going your way. I’m tired of you. Step aside!”
She stepped forward and faced Anton. “Anton Morel. If you wish to speak, then speak!”
Anton looked at the other Sapientis and hesitated. The fearful look had returned. He seemed almost… timid. It was a side of him Victor had never seen.
“Are you going to tell us your account of the events or not?” Grandma Mari asked.
Then descendants in the audience finally found their voices.
“Yes! What happened to Sapienti Bartley?”
“My brother! What happened to my brother?”
“My sister was sliced in two! Tell us what happened!”
So many voices spoke at once that the words were mostly indistinguishable.
“Enough!” screamed Sapienti O’Shea.
The audience quieted.
“Speak, Anton,” said Sapienti O’Shea. “You will not be given another chance.” His voice was cold and unyielding.
Anton blinked his swollen eyes and nodded. He turned to face the crowd. “We were attacked,” he said. His consonants were mumbled, but he spoke loudly. “By Malum.”
A gasp rose from the crowd.
Sapienti Kelser lifted the blue tarp with a flourish, revealing a dead Malum underneath.
The crowd quieted.
“Someone opened a gateway and let them in,” Anton said. “The Malum slaughtered everyone. They ate… oh God.” Anton was shaking, his hands over his face.
“Who opened the gateway?” someone yelled from the crowd.
More voices joined in.
“Who was it?”
“Who would do that?”
“I’ll kill them!”
“I’ll cut them down!”
“They need to pay!”
Anton lowered his hands from his face, and Victor knew exactly what he was going to say. He had expected it.
“It was Melanie Mendez.”
Chapter Nineteen
As the Kales yelled in outrage, Gabe stayed quiet. He had known what Anton was going to say, had been prepared for it. Anton was such a fucking asshole—there was no way he was going to pass up the opportunity to blame Mel.
Beside him, Victor put his hands on the platform, and Gabe knew his brother planned to jump up there and knock the last two teeth out of Anton’s mouth.
Gabe grabbed him and held him back. “Not yet, brotha.”
It was a strange role reversal; usually it was Victor stopping Gabe from doing something stupid.
When the crowd was quieted, Anton continued his story. All lies, Gabe knew.
He said they were all drinking around the campfire, having a good time, except for Mel, who didn’t want to be there. She had no honor, see? Mel was disdainful, condescending to everyone, speaking only to Charlotte. She treated Sapientis Bartley and Reddy rudely, and shocked all the descendants with her blatant disrespect for the Elders. Anton didn’t even understand why she was there, since she had never before elected to represent her clan in the games. It didn’t make sense to him… until she pulled out a knife and stabbed Sapienti Reddy in the back. She stole an artifact stone from his body, Anton said, and before anyone could react, she’d used that stone to open a gateway to Inter Spatium Abyssus. That was when the Malum crawled out and murdered everyone.
When Anton finished his tale, the crowd erupted in outrage. Many voices called for Mel’s life. The horn had to be blown again to settle everyone down.
“And what happened to Melanie and Charlotte Mendez? Where are they?” Sapienti Kelser asked. He spoke as if he already knew the answer.
Anton once again faced the crowd. “Melanie Mendez dragged her cousin bodily through the gate.”
“So Charlotte Mendez was forced?”
“Yes.”
“And Melanie Mendez was responsible for everything?”
“Yes.”
Gabe was infuriated, but he kept a tight lid on it. He also kept a hold on Victor, even though he knew that if his brother really wanted to charge the mound, Gabe could do nothing to stop him.
“And where is Cori?” Killian O’Shea shouted. “Where’s my sister?” He was standing with a group of Ferus, looking as angry as Gabe had ever seen him.
Anton frowned, looking confused. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, you don’t know? You said you saw everyone die when the Malum attacked, but you don’t remember seeing my sister?”
“No,” Anton said. “I was too busy trying to protect Charlotte from her devious cousin.”
“Really? Her devious cousin? And is Mel also the person who beat the shite out of you and left you strung up to a tree?”
Anton glared daggers at Killian. “Yes,” he spat.
“This is the same Mel who’s never competed in the games? Never fought against competition? That Mel? And she… bested you?”
“She couldn’t best me fairly!” Anton screamed. “She’s a demon! Her eyes were blood red! She commanded the Malum—they did her bidding! She ordered them to kill!”
For a moment, all was silent. Then Killian spoke, his voice calm. “You know what? I don’t believe a word that’s come out of your mouth. I think you’re a liar. I think you’re a killer. And I think you’re responsible for what happened to our brothers and sisters. You’re a traitor, Anton Morel. That’s why you had the Traitor’s Mark written on your chest.”
Shouts erupted from throughout the crowd.
“You have no proof!”
“He had the Traitor’s Mark! We can’t believe a word he’s said!”
“Lies! To sully a good man’s name!”
“He’s not a good man! He has no honor!”
“He has more honor than Melanie Mendez!”
And so it went, on and on, the descendants divided. Gabe pulled Siva closer to him. He felt violence would erupt any moment.
And he was right. The crowd surged forward, and Gabe had to brace himself against the platform as he put an arm out to protect Siva. All around him, descendants pushed, grabbed, hit. The horn blew, but this time it did nothing to calm them. The Sapientis rushed to the edge of the platform, arms outstretched, trying to deescalate the situation. Victor and the Wileys also tried to push the crowd back.
“I think you should go into the house,” Gabe said to Siva.
“No. I told you if you were gonna do this, I would be here for you. I meant it.”
“Siva…”
“No,” Siva repeated, in a tone that brooked no argument. “Now get on with it before you piss me off.”
“All right.” Gabe turned to Victor. “Brotha!”
When Victor looked over, Gabe leapt onto the platform. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Victor, Siva, Justine, and Drew jump onto the platform as well.
Gabe felt his face stretch into a smile as he looked at Anton’s alarmed face. The Janso was terrified. With the Sapientis busy dealing with the crowd, he turned and ran.
Gabe and the other Kales easily caught up to him at the side of the house. Trapped, Anton looked anxiously from face to face. Siva hung back, watching.
“You ain’t getting away this time, fucker,” Gabe said. He grabbed Anton’s arm and threw him to the ground.
Before Anton could get back up, Victor put him in a chokehold. He squeezed his neck until Anton lost consciousness, then dropped him without ceremony. “Take him down to the Safe Room and wait for me,” he said to the Wileys. “Make sure you’re not seen.”
Andrew threw Anton over his shoulder and carried him away through the rain toward the front of the house, Justine following.
“What now?” Gabe asked.
“I’m going to question Anton,” Victor said. “You and Thrash try to throw off anyone who’s looking for him. And try to stick close to Grandma; I don’t trust Kelser.” And wi
th that, he ran off after the Wileys.
Gabe looked at Siva. “Well, it's just you and me, kid,” he said with a half smile.
Siva rolled her eyes, took his hand, and led them back toward the gathering. “If Killian hadn’t done what we discussed—basically starting a riot—there’s no way we could’ve gotten to Anton without being noticed.”
Gabe thought back to the meeting he’d had with Killian in the Ferus tents earlier. To say that Killian and the rest of Clan Ferus were upset with the disappearance of Cori O’Shea was an understatement. As soon as he stepped toward their tent, he was bombarded with questions he couldn’t answer. And when Jack Teller’s wife approached him, it was damn near heartbreaking. Gabe didn’t know what was worse: wondering and hoping that your sister and cousin were still alive, or knowing without a doubt that a loved one had been mauled to death.
But all in all, the meeting had been the complete opposite of what Gabe had expected. He had thought he would experience hostility from the clan, considering the way he’d treated Cori before the Ambulant Laboriosum, but that wasn’t the case at all. Perhaps it was because Gabe was missing a sister and a cousin; perhaps it was Killian keeping the Feruses in line. Either way, the Ferus clansmen seemed to want to let bygones be bygones.
Gabe was grateful. It seemed those days were long ago, and the things that had brought on the feud were small and petty. After all, he and Killian were now in the same boat. Their objectives were the same. To find out where the missing were and who was responsible for the carnage. An alliance made sense.
“You really think no one noticed four Kales running after the bastard we know is responsible for killing descendants and opening a gate into Inter Spatium Abyssus?” Gabe said to Siva. “I don’t know about that. I think I have my work cut out for me.”
Before Gabe could react, Siva’s fist made contact with his face.
“Motherfucker!” He grabbed his nose. “What the—?”
“Oh, shut up,” Siva said. “You need a story. I just gave you one.”
Gabe stared angrily at this woman he had grown to care about—this woman who had just hit him square in the face. He could feel blood running down his nose, and his vision blurred with tears.
