“So now you’re going to fight them again?”
“No, I’m going to heal Rafe and he will fight them.”
“And what if you can’t heal Rafe?” Lexi said. “What if he doesn’t wake up from whatever Olyva gave him?”
A cold wave of doubt crashed on Tiberius. He knew that if that happened, he would have to fight the big warrior himself. He could never let anyone but Rafe fight for him, and then only because he trusted Rafe’s skills with a sword so much he doubted that anyone could defeat him.
“Then I’ll fight,” he said quietly.
“You’ll fight that Rogu warrior?” Lexi said. “Are you mad? He’s almost twice your size.”
“I’ve fought the Graypees,” Tiberius said. “I led the fight against that giant Draccon. You really think I can’t fight a single man?”
“This is different, Ti. Think about it. You’re exhausted. If you spend all day working magic, trying to heal Rafe and end up having to fight, what shape will you be in?”
Tiberius had to admit he wouldn’t be ready to fight anyone if his efforts to heal Rafe failed. And Lexi was right, they had no idea what effect Olyva’s ministrations might have had on Rafe. He might not wake up for days. Even if Tiberius was successful healing his friend, Rafe’s body had endured a great deal of abuse. He might not be back to full strength for a long time. Still, Tiberius felt he had done the right thing. He couldn’t back down from an enemy because he was afraid. It didn’t matter what the Hoskali customs were, the raiders had attacked first. Rafe had every right to defend himself, his tribe, and their property with whatever means were available.
“We’ll just have to see what happens,” Tiberius said. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry won’t be much use if you get killed,” Lexi said. “I knew better than to trust you, Tiberius. You don’t live in the real world.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tiberius asked.
“It means you’ve lived your whole life in a palace, where you have zero responsibilities. You have no idea what it takes to survive. You could have swallowed your pride. We have more than enough captives to trade back for all we lost and repay the raiders for Rafe’s butchery.”
“But Rafe did nothing wrong,” Tiberius insisted. “I’m not going to pretend he did for the sake of peaceful negotiation.”
“No, you’ll just get yourself killed,” Lexi said. “Then what happens to me? Huh? What happens to Olyva? To all the women of this tribe?”
“I won’t die,” Tiberius said angrily.
“You don’t know that,” Lexi replied. “If you are defeated, Rafe will be killed. He’s an outsider and the new chief will want vengeance for the Rogu he killed. I’ll be traded like cattle, married to some stranger who will think he can do whatever he wants to me.”
“Don’t think like that,” Tiberius said.
“Don’t you get it?” Lexi was angry now, her voice carrying in the camp. “I have to think like that. I don’t have the luxury of depending on anyone else to help me. Every person I meet wants something from me, Ti. They’re all potential threats.”
“Not everyone—”
“Yes, Tiberius. Every single person. Even you. You want me to love you and tell you what a great a leader you are. You want me to fall in line like a palace servant, lauding your every decision and never questioning anything you do. I will never be that person.”
“That’s not what I want.”
“You want me to let down my defenses and pretend everything is okay when it is clearly not okay. You can’t have things both ways, Ti.”
“Lexi, please,” Tiberius said, hoping to calm her down. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“You haven’t just frightened me. You’ve put me in an impossible position. You want me to stay, but it’s too great a risk.”
“What are you saying?”
“You know what I’m saying,” she said, her gaze unwavering.
“You can’t be serious. Where are you going to go?”
“I have no idea, but I can’t stay in a relationship with someone who doesn’t include me in their decisions. I love you, Ti, but you’re reckless.”
Lexi turned and stalked away. Tiberius started to go after her, but Te’sumee caught his arm. The Rogu leader was obviously distressed. Tiberius realized that his anger with the raiders had influenced his decisions and left the tribe in a poor position.
“I’m sorry,” Tiberius said.
“You must see to Rafe,” Te’sumee said. “He will need time to prepare for the Tuscogee.”
“You’re right,” Tiberius said.
He followed the Rogu leader back to where Rafe was sleeping. Tiberius felt horrible. He had been naive in thinking he was smart enough to lead the tribe. He’d been around strong leaders all his life. His father had ruled Avondale with an iron fist, and Tiberius had always thought that if he were to become Earl, he would do things differently. Yet he was guilty of doing the same thing his father had done. Aegus had made decisions that Tiberius thought were selfish and sometimes cruel, but Tiberius had been just as selfish by insisting that the tribe stand on principles they never claimed to believe in. Tiberius had put his own beliefs ahead of the needs of his tribe, and he might end up paying for that mistake with his life.
He paced in front of Rafe, his emotions too distraught to focus on the healing spell. He didn’t know where Lexi had gone and he felt abandoned. Yet he couldn’t just leave the tribe and go in search of her. He had committed himself to the Tuscogee and he had no choice but to see it through.
“You must try to heal him,” Te’sumee said. “Bu’yorgi is a great warrior.”
“I just need a little time,” Tiberius said.
“There is no time, Tiswanee. We must act while we can.”
“You’re right,” Tiberius agreed. “See that I’m not disturbed.”
He knelt down by Rafe and tried to clear his mind. It was difficult. He felt like weeping in frustration. He was angry at Lexi for leaving him when he needed her most, and angry at himself for not making her feel like being with him was a safe place. He wanted to find her and beg her to stay. He needed to let her know that he would change, that he could include her in his decisions and not act so impulsively. He wanted to send the Rogu to bring her back to him, but that was exactly the kind of arrogant abuse of power that had driven her away.
He put his hand on Rafe’s bare arm. The skin was hot and feverish. Tiberius realized his friend was worse off than he had thought. Whatever Olyva had given him was masking the seriousness of his condition. Tiberius tried to clear his mind again. He focused on the words of the spell, bracing himself mentally for the power of the magic.
“Acies Penetralis Deprimo Sano Crudus Viscus,” he said quietly.
The storm of power erupted around him, but this time Tiberius was ready for it. It almost felt good to feel the strength of the magic buffeting his mind now that he knew what to expect and that he could control it. He let his consciousness slide into Rafe’s battered body. He could feel the aches and bruises from the previous night’s battle. Rafe’s chest was bruised, his forehead aching from the head butt he’d delivered, and his shoulder was so painful that Tiberius was scared to move forward with the spell. He knew the Corporeus Adfectus would transfer Rafe’s pain to Tiberius. The thought was a little like the idea of plunging his own hand into a smith’s forge. It took Tiberius several minutes to work up the courage.
When the pain hit, Tiberius clamped his mouth shut so tightly to keep from screaming that he tasted blood. Nothing had hurt like the dislocated shoulder. The pain wasn’t just intense, it was constant. Tiberius was frozen for what seemed like an eternity in a battle to control the pain and the raging magic. He felt like he was on the precipice of a high mountain. On one side was the excruciating pain that threatened to overwhelm him. On the other side was the raging magic, which threatened to break loose from his mental control. He had to stay focused and balance the two extreme forces.
After a w
hile, he let the healing magic flow into Rafe. Pressure built in his friend’s ruined shoulder. Something needed to happen, but Tiberius didn’t know what. The flow of healing magic only made the intense pain worse. He tried a different tack, letting the healing magic flow all through Rafe’s body. The pain in his chest eased, the ache in his head faded, but the shoulder still felt horrible. It was as if there was something blocking the healing that the magic wanted to usher in and the more he tried to heal Rafe, the more pressure and pain Tiberius felt. It was like a blockage to a stream that was causing a flood, and Tiberius couldn’t understand what was hindering his efforts.
He let his mind delve deeper into his friend’s shoulder. Tiberius felt the bulbous end of the upper arm bone, and the gaping void of the shoulder socket. The muscles, nerves, and tendons were all stretched to the breaking point. Some of the ligaments and sinew had torn apart during the injury, and Tiberius could feel his magic pulling them back together, wanting to complete the healing process, but they were too far apart.
Tiberius thought at first that he could magically grow the torn flesh so that it could heal, but then he realized if he did it would leave Rafe crippled. The temptation to just end the pain was so great that Tiberius broke out in a sweat. He needed to move the shoulder back into place so that the magic could complete the healing process.
Tiberius tried to move his friend’s arm, but the pain flared to such an extent that Tiberius nearly swooned. He was breathing heavy. A crowd had gathered around him, watching as he tried to heal Rafe. They talked quietly, murmuring as Tiberius’ struggle increased. Ti had to ignore them, he blocked out everything he could. His mind was starting to feel the strain. Tiberius knew if he didn’t do something soon, he would lose his control of the magic, perhaps even damage his mind with the intense effort.
He took a deep breath and yanked on Rafe’s arm. Instinctively, Rafe’s whole body moved, trying to protect him from the pain of the ordeal. Tears rolled down Tiberius’ face. His body shook from the pain, but he knew he had to keep going. He couldn’t just yank the arm. He had to pull the shoulder away from the body so that it could slide back into place. Tiberius raised his foot, and put it against Rafe’s side, just below the armpit. Then, taking another deep breath, he tugged on the arm again.
This time the pain raged so white hot that it was all Tiberius could comprehend. But just as quickly as the pain came, it also began to fade. Tiberius could feel the healing taking place. He continued to chant the spell quietly as he sucked in great lungfuls of shuddering breath. Slowly the pain faded away and Tiberius felt his friend’s strength returning. He let the magic go, ending the spell and savoring the final pull of the magical power slip away like a gust of wind.
When Tiberius opened his eyes a few minutes later, he saw bright, silvery flecks of light around the perimeter of his vision. Almost the entire tribe was gathered around him. The sun was setting and everything was quiet.
“Rafe,” Tiberius said in a hoarse croak. “Wake up.”
Rafe lay perfectly still. He looked peaceful, at rest. Terror struck in Tiberius’ heart.
“Rafe, you’ve got to wake up,” he said, shaking his friend.
Tiberius turned to Olyva who was standing up nearby.
“What did you give him?” he asked. “Why won’t he wake up?”
“I gave him what I had to ease his pain,” Olyva said. “He’ll wake up when he’s ready to.”
“I need him now.”
“He’s been through a lot,” Olyva said calmly.
“I know that,” Tiberius said. “I’ve been with him. I felt his pain, but he’s better now. Why doesn’t he wake up?”
“I don’t know,” Olyva said, her peaceful demeanor infuriating Tiberius.
“He has to wake up.”
“Tiswanee,” Te’sumee said. “It is time for the Ullantee. Come, you must prepare yourself for the Tuscogee.”
Tiberius looked at Olyva, but she stood unmoving, staring down at Rafe. She seemed completely unconcerned with Tiberius or the dilemma he faced. Tiberius got slowly to his feet. His legs were shaky and he felt weak. The ground seemed to shift underneath him, reminding him of when he was a child. He and Rafe used to spin around and around until the world seemed to spin and lurch around them. Te’sumee took Tiberius’ arm to steady him. They moved away from the crowd and Tiberius saw the Rogu preparing a ring of fire beyond the edge of the camp.
He remembered his first Tuscogee and how it had been like a sacred ceremony to the Hoskali. He realized there was no getting out of the challenge now. He was the Swanee, the chief of the tribe. If he was challenged, he was honor bound to meet that challenge. When he’d fought before, Rafe had faced Moswanee’s champion and Tiberius had used his magic to aid Rafe. Moswanee had done the same thing, so the odds were fair, but this Tuscogee would be different. There was no Swanee to face Tiberius, and no champion to fight Ti’s battle. He would have to face Bu’yorgi alone.
Ti saw Filsa and the other women of his harem. They were all waiting for him, everyone except for Lexi. He had no idea where she was or what she was doing. And he didn’t know if he would have the chance to tell her how sorry he was, or how much she meant to him. He felt tears stinging his eyes and he couldn’t hold them back. He didn’t have the strength to do anything more than keep walking toward the women who were there to prepare him for the Hallinsae, the fight to the death. His mind stayed fixed on Lexi. He felt as if he had lost his best friend and he feared he would never see her again.
Chapter 28
Tiberius
The women helped Tiberius strip out of his dirty clothes. They washed him and dressed him in the white garments that were reserved for the Tuscogee. It was a solemn ceremony. None of the women spoke. Tiberius was grim faced, his mind far away through the entire ordeal. None of it seemed real. He was tired, his body felt as spent as if he’d been through the most arduous physical training of his life. He wasn’t in pain. There was no lingering soreness from his magical spell since his physical body hadn’t actually been damaged. It was a magical link that allowed him to share Rafe’s pain, but in his mind it was real.
Night fell and the camp was completely dark. Food was brought to Tiberius, but he had difficulty eating. He had faced death before, but it was always a sudden development. He found that dealing with the fear of death was worse than facing the danger itself. He felt as if he had a crazed creature deep inside him. His fear bit and clawed, scratching and scrambling inside him. He wasn’t sure if the fear wanted out, or if it was trying to devour him.
Filsa and the other women fed Tiberius the Ullantee. It was a special meal reserved for those who might die. He was given the best cuts of meat from the Tamaka horde, special vegetables that were rare on the great plains, and more of the flat bread which was a staple of the Hoskali diet. Tiberius didn’t taste any of it.
Then the weapons were brought to Tiberius. As the Swanee of the tribe, he was expected to insure the ancient brass swords were ready for combat. The women polished the golden blades until they were as bright as mirrors. Tiberius picked one up and his spirits sank even lower. He had never been skilled with a sword, but the ceremonial brass swords were extremely heavy. Even if Tiberius wasn’t exhausted, he wouldn’t have been able to wield the heavy weapons effectively enough to best an opponent.
“Bu’yorgi is a dangerous foe,” Filsa said quietly. “Why not name Te’sumee as your champion?”
“Rafe is my champion,” Tiberius said grimly.
“He is unfit.”
“Then I will stand against Bu’yorgi myself. No one else needs to die on my behalf.”
“Then you will call down fire from the sky to defeat him?” Filsa said hopefully.
“No,” Tiberius said. “I can’t. It’s too risky. If I lose control casting that spell, many of the Hoskali could be hurt.”
“But you must find a way to defeat Bu’yorgi,” Filsa said, and Tiberius heard a note of desperation in her voice.
“I will,” Tiberius
said.
“Let me fight him,” said a soft voice behind Tiberius.
He turned around, his mind not believing what he was hearing.
“Lexi?”
She had the Wangorian blade in her hands.
“If you die, then I should too,” she said. “I won’t go on without you.”
There were tears sliding down her face. In the light of the fire, Tiberius thought she looked more beautiful that he’d ever seen her before.
“No,” he said, but he couldn’t hold back the smile that broke out across his face.
“I’m not joking,” Lexi said. “You’re not a killer Ti, but I’ve seen your opponent. He won’t hesitate to cut you to pieces.”
“He’s not more fierce than a Graypee,” Tiberius said. “He’s not stronger than the Draccon. We defeated the trees, Lexi. We survived the Tamaka herd. We were victorious in the Tuscogee against Moswanee and Ummar. We didn’t come through all of that to die now.”
“Tiberius,” Lexi said, stepping close to him, “this isn’t a game.”
“I know that.”
“Then you know Bu’yorgi wants to kill you. He won’t be expecting me. He’ll underestimate me. I can get close to him, Ti. I’m fast, faster even than Rafe. I’ll cut his heart out before he even knows…”
Her words trailed off. Tiberius put his hand on her shoulder. They both knew she couldn’t stand in for him. Tiberius was sure that having a woman as his champion would be met with shock by the Hoskali. He could practically hear Te’sumee saying it wasn’t their way. It might not have been a bad idea if Tiberius could have protected her with magic, but since Bu’yorgi was facing Tiberius alone, it wouldn’t be fair if Tiberius worked magic outside the circle of the duel.
Lexi covered her mouth with her hand, and for a moment Tiberius was afraid that she was going to break down. He wanted to be strong for her. He wanted to face the Tuscogee with strength, not red faced from weeping, but he didn’t think he could hold back his tears if Lexi fell into his arms crying.
“It will be okay,” he said.
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