by Delia Roan
“I see,” Dovena continued. “Whatever the issue is, it will be resolved.”
“You sound so sure.”
“You are Avowed. There is no force in nature, save death, that could keep you apart.” Dovena leaned back. “You’re meant to be together.”
Jenna’s face crumpled. “What if we’re not?”
“Nonsense. Your current incarceration is a minor setback in the grand scheme.”
“I leave for Earth tomorrow,” Jenna said flatly.
Dovena made a sound of irritation. “You are looking for all the problems, and not for a solution to those problems.”
Jenna crossed her arms, and huddled in her borrowed cloak. “From where I’m sitting, the problems seem pretty damn urgent.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Jenna knew she was sulking, but Dovena pushed for an outcome that just couldn’t happen.
“I hated him at first, you know.”
Jenna looked up in surprise. “What?”
“Gemet. Kovos’s father. I knew he was my Avowed the second I laid eyes on him, and I knew I hated him.”
“Why?” Despite her sour mood, Jenna was curious. “I thought being Avowed meant you loved each other.”
“Oh, it does. But it doesn’t mean we have to like each other all the time. Gemet was a hard-headed fool. So wrapped up in following the tenets of honor that he ignored the needs of those around him.” Dovena smiled at the memory. “He could not see the shades between what was right and what was not.”
“What do you mean?”
“The war,” Dovena said. “He fought a war for honor which resulted in pain for millions of Ennoi, and for others too. I lost my entire clan during the wars. When I met him, his focus was absolute. He could not see the suffering around him, including my own.”
“But, you changed that,” Jenna said, leaning forward. “Everyone speaks of the peace Kovos’s father brought to Cadam.”
“That is precisely what the bond does. It brings together two people who are meant to be together. People who can bring out the best in each other. I made Gemet act beyond his duty, and he healed the part of me I lost in the war.”
Dovena stood. “The Avowal makes sense, even when we cannot see the reason. I believe you and Kovos can offer each other much. I hope you can realize the value of that.”
Jenna scrambled to her feet as Dovena walked to the door. “Wait!”
Dovena paused at the door. “Yes?”
“H-how is Kovos? Is-is he well?”
Dovena smiled. “He is in an awful state. He is rampaging around the palace like a wofeg.”
Jenna shuddered, remembering the picnic and her narrow brush with death under the wofeg’s rampage.
“Oh, don’t look so glum. He’s driving everyone insane, but they won’t hold it against him. Just like a real wofeg, he’s harmless.”
“Harmless?” The wofeg at Braddrak didn’t seem harmless to her. No, in fact, the beast seemed very determined to be as harmful as possible. Especially to her.
“Oh, they stomp and roar, but if you stand your ground against them, they retreat.” Dovena laughed, and her eyes grew misty with memories. “In fact, when Kovos was a child, I called him my baby wofeg, due to his love of crasma berries. They love the scent. They’d surround him at Braddrak, licking his face. How far he has come since then.”
A chill ran down Jenna’s spine. “C-crasma berries.”
“Anyway, I must bid you farewell. The gala begins soon, and I must prepare. Please think on what I said.”
“I will,” Jenna replied automatically.
When the door shut, her legs gave way and she sat on the edge of the bed with a thump. Her brain buzzed.
Harmless.
Crasma berry compote.
The memory of her dress stained red. The jar in her hands. The stomping beast.
Oh. No, no, she thought. It can’t be. It cannot.
She stood so abruptly, her head spun for a moment. “Guard! Guard!”
The guard threw open the door. “What is it, my lady?”
“I need to see the maid Cyndrae.”
“I’m afraid-”
“Now!”
At the sharpness of her voice, the guard stepped back, then bowed her head in acquiescence. “Yes, my lady.”
Jenna paced until the door opened, revealing Cyndrae.
“You called for me, Lady Jenna?”
Jenna studied Cyndrae’s face. She appeared placid, but Jenna had spent enough time in the woman’s company to know she was nervous. Anger boiled up low in Jenna’s belly.
Use it, Jenna. Don’t waste it.
“Tell me about the wofeg,” Jenna said.
“My lady? I don’t understand.”
Jenna strode up to Cyndrae. Even though she had to crane her neck to look up at the Ennoi woman, Jenna’s fury made Cyndrae pale. Her scales rustled as they rose.
“Don’t play dumb with me, Cyndrae.”
Cyndrae licked her lips and shot a glance at the guard, who stared in open curiosity. Cyndrae shut the door, and leaned against the wall. She closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath.
“I was assigned to be your lady's maid, but I was also ordered to spy on you and report back on your habits and secrets.”
“By who?” Jenna asked, but she already knew the answer.
“Lady Lithyon.”
“Tell me everything.” She took a breath. “Everything.”
“Lady Lithyon approached me with her plans for Braddrak a few days prior to our excursion.”
“She spilled the berries on me intentionally.”
“Yes,” Cyndrae replied. “Braddrak is known to be inhabited by wofeg. It was inevitable they would be drawn in by the scent.”
“Why?” Jenna’s voice was a whisper.
“If you had panicked and run, the wofeg would have trampled you. She wanted you dead.”
“So she could have Kovos to herself.”
“Yes,” Cyndrae replied. “She was horrified when she returned and discovered Lord Kovos had already achieved his Virtue of the Avowed. If you had died, Lord Kovos might have as well.”
“She loves him.”
“In her own way. Mostly she loves the idea of ruling the most powerful clans in Ennoi territory.” Cyndrae’s bitterness seeped into her words.
“She is ambitious,” Jenna replied. “One of the things I admired about her. Past tense, of course.”
“Naturally.” Cyndrae’s smile held no mirth.
Jenna paused, lost in thought. “There’s one other thing that’s bothering me,” she said slowly. “The poison.”
Cyndrae bowed her head. “It was me, my lady.”
“What!” Jenna clenched her fists. “Why would you do that?”
“I saw your suspicious behavior beside the cabinet. Once I left the hospital, I investigated, and reported back to Lady Lithyon on my findings. She fixed the lumis, and we saw your mission. Lithyon realized she couldn’t afford to wait. If she did, she wouldn’t be able to control Kovos’s death and use it to her advantage. She ordered me to poison Lord Kovos.”
“But why did you obey? You could have come to me! To Kovos!”
“I did it for you. I saw the message. They hold your sister for leverage against you.”
Jenna wanted to throw up. “Yeah, they have Mel.”
“You could not poison Kovos. Yet, you could not allow your loved one to die. I understood your dilemma.”
“You couldn’t possibly.” Jenna wrapped her arms around herself. “Trust me, you couldn’t.”
“I can, and I do.” Cyndrae scrubbed at her face. “Lady Lithyon holds my daughter captive.”
Jenna sat. “Your daughter. You told me she was away.”
“She’s being held on the Cadam Relay. If I don’t obey, my daughter dies.” Cyndrae’s voice broke. “She is all I have left.”
To Jenna’s surprise, she stood and wrapped her arms around Cyndr
ae, holding the woman as she sobbed into Jenna’s shoulder.
“You should have told me,” Jenna said, stroking Cyndrae’s back. “I could have helped you.”
“I could not risk it!”
“Cyndrae, I’m your friend. We could have fixed this, together, if you’d only told me.”
Yet, Jenna had done the same. She hadn’t told Kovos. She hadn’t trusted him enough to confide in him. He could have helped her carry her burden. As much as it hurt her now to see Cyndrae’s suffering, she knew Kovos would feel the same about Jenna’s own silence. If she hadn’t held back from Kovos, would Mel be home by now?
Oh, what a mess!
She might not be able to save Mel, but she could save Cyndrae’s little girl.
I can save Kovos.
“Wipe your tears, Cyndrae,” she said. “Let’s go get your daughter.”
Before she could grab the door, it opened, and a heavily armored Ennoi soldier stepped inside. Outside, several more guards stood to attention. It took Jenna a moment to recognize Yaldir under his heavy helmet.
“Yaldir? What are you doing here?” Jenna’s heart lurched. “Is Kovos okay?”
“Kovos was fine when last I saw him. Boneheaded and irresponsible, but fine,” he replied. “I came to see if you would talk some sense into him. Instead I heard a rather interesting conversation. About treason.”
Jenna stepped in front of Cyndrae and extended her arms. “She had no choice!”
“If what she’s saying is true, then Lady Lithyon has a lot for which she must answer.”
“Can you speak to Kovos? He might not listen to me.”
“He left on Lithyon’s private ship a short while ago. He’s heading to the Relay.”
“He’s alone? Up there with that- that… harpy?! We have to save him!”
“We are not going anywhere,” Yaldir replied. “You are staying here.”
“No freaking way.” Jenna drew herself up. “You will not keep me from my Avowed. You can lock me up, but I’ll- I’ll gnaw my way out!”
Yaldir narrowed his eyes. “You are safer here, my lady.”
“You can take your my lady and shove it up your-”
Cyndrae stepped forward. “Jenna is a witness to some of Lithyon’s machinations. Her testimony will be valuable in convincing Lord Kovos of Lithyon’s ill intent.”
With a sigh, Yaldir relented. “Fine. You can come.”
“I knew you’d see sense,” Jenna replied. “We can make Kovos see it, too.”
“Yet, we still have a problem,” Yaldir continued. “We cannot gain entry to Lithyon’s vessel without access codes.”
“I can provide those,” Cyndrae said.
“Then let’s go!” Jenna pushed past Yaldir, and took off down the hall. Behind her, the guards protested, then grew silent at Yaldir’s order. She heard the clatter of armor as the soldiers ran after her, but her attention was focused straight ahead.
I’m coming, Kovos.
I won’t let anything happen to you.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
KOVOS
Kovos wondered when he would finally feel the cool touch of death’s embrace. He glanced around the room, taking in the Ennoi dignitaries stuffing their faces with canapes and sipping from drinks. Each glass held concoctions in Lithyon’s colors of pale green and blue. A classy touch.
Lithyon walked through the crowd, a vision in a shimmering gown. Even with the tight fit of her gown, she glided with grace. The large bay windows along the far wall showed Cadam below. From up here, he could see the planet swirled with greenery and patches of snowy deserts. In the vacuum beyond, the three moons were just beginning to align. Once they aligned, the Relay would be opened.
Yes, I’ll certainly die. Possibly from boredom, but more likely from mother’s incessant nagging.
“Kovos? Kovos!”
He turned to his left, where his mother stood, glaring at him. He’d been too slow in catching Lithyon’s shuttle. Before he could leave, his mother had found him, and blast it all, she had demanded to come along.
Now he was stuck with her.
And her glares.
“You haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you Kovostad Ar’Cadam?”
Kovos snagged a drink from a passing waiter, and downed it. The acidic drink burned his nostrils, but a warm glow spread down his throat and into his stomach.
“I’ve been trying not to, Mother, but your voice is quite persistent.”
Her lips pursed. “You shouldn’t be drinking so much.”
“The ultimate perk of being grown, Mother, is I no longer have to listen to you.” He snagged a second drink.
Dovena snatched it from his hand. “You shouldn’t be here.”
Kovos frowned at her. “Neither should you.”
“Your place is back on Cadam.”
“As is yours,” he retorted.
“My place,” Dovena said, each word frosty, “is by your side to ensure you do nothing foolish. Like drink to excess.”
“What about eating to excess?” he said, grabbing a canape off a passing tray.
She sighed. “Please, Kovos. I want to talk about Jenna.”
Kovos’s mouth twisted. The flaky pastry tasted like dirt suddenly. “I do not. Jenna was a distraction. I need to focus on my people.”
“She is no more a distraction to you than I was to your father!”
“I’m not my father.”
“That is abundantly clear! He knew how to appreciate a good thing when it landed in his arms.”
“He was better at being clan chief. He did so much for our people. He achieved more in his lifetime than I ever could hope to attain.”
“Do you really believe that, my love?” Dovena laid a hand on his arm. “Kovos, the only reason he could do so much is because he had me. He knew he would always have my support. Even when the Council defied him. Even when his people questioned his judgment, he knew I would remain by his side. My faith loaned him the bravery be a great leader.”
Kovos swallowed. “He was a better man than I.”
“That’s the magic of having love in your life. It makes us all stronger.”
“I’m sorry he is not here,” Kovos said. He bowed his head and studied the morsel clutched in his hand.
“As am I. I am also sorry Jenna isn’t here, because it’s clear that you are miserable without her.”
“I’m not-”
“Oh, hush, Kovos. If anyone knows misery, it is me. You think my life to be easy? The drugs dull the physical discomfort, but they don’t ease the ache in my soul. I miss Gemet every day. The only balm for my pain is watching you and your brothers grow into fulfilled men.”
“Mother-”
“I’m not done. This is not you, Kovos. Your heart is too big to be this bitter bully. It suits you even less than those robes.” She nudged his arm, and indicated Cadam. “Happiness waits for you in a cell down there.”
Despite his best efforts, his eyes flicked to the planet.
“I would give anything to laugh once more with your father. Don’t give away what time takes eventually.”
Kovos stared at Cadam, but said nothing.
Dovena sighed. Tears glimmered in the corners of her eyes. From the way her hands trembled, she needed a dose of Temanzyme.
“Excuse me, I must go find the powder room.”
She left him alone with his thoughts. He stared at the empty glass in his hand. As much as it irritated him, he had to admit his mother was right. He didn’t like this dour man. He didn’t like how he sulked, or yelled, or how petulant he’d been this past day.
What am I doing here?
I want Jenna.
I need Jenna.
Kovos flagged down a passing servant and handed the glass to her. “Thank you,” he said. “Please convey my appreciation to the kitchen staff. They have outdone themselves.”
Her face lit up. “You are welcome, my lord!”
“Could you direct me to the shuttle bay?”
Following her directions, Kovos headed away from the banquet room, slipping out a side door. He’d tried to catch Lithyon’s eye, but her focus had been elsewhere as she mingled with other Ennoi dignitaries. When word had spread that Lord Kovos would be attending Lithyon’s party aboard the Relay, there had been a last minute rush to the Relay.
I’ll give her my regrets later, he thought. Right now, I must fix what I’ve broken.
As he wound his way through the ship, he encountered fewer and fewer personnel. The waitress had warned the shuttle bay might be deserted, with crews taking time off to enjoy the view of the Alignment. Kovos knew he wouldn’t be able to spend the special event with Jenna, but when the crews returned, he intended to be waiting for the first available shuttle back to Cadam.
If I can find my way through this forsaken maze.
Kovos squinted down a dark corridor. The directions had seemed straightforward, but he must’ve turned incorrectly. The shuttle bay should be well-lit and easier to find than this!
Movement at the far end caught his eye.
“Hello?” he called, stepping into the corridor. “Is someone there?”
The figure hunched over and scurried away.
“Wait!” Kovos hurried after it as fast as his formal robes allowed. “I require your assistance.”
The figure broke into a run. Kovos followed, a feeling of unease growing in his mind. There was no innocent reason for a member of Lithyon’s crew to run — only nefarious ones.
He sped up, hitching his ornate robes away from his legs and setting the bells jangling. They hindered his movement, but he wasn’t about to cause another scandal by breaking protocol on such an auspicious event. Kovos turned the corner in time to hear a door clang shut. Grabbing the handle, he braced his shoulder and pushed, expecting resistance from the other side.
Instead, the door swung open freely, and Kovos stumbled into the room beyond. After the darkness of the corridor, the bright lights stung. He raised his hand, shielding his eyes.
“By the-”
Kovos registered the seven Sykorians spread about the room. The one directly in front of him panted from their chase as he backed away, teeth bared. Kovos saw the three on the left, playing dice, their hands frozen in mid-gesture. Another two rose from the cots they lay on, their wide mouths agape. He noted another, biting into a chunk of meat.
