Without a Front: The Warrior's Challenge (Chronicles of Alsea Book 3)

by Fletcher DeLancey

  Ehron visibly relaxed at her response, and Tal watched in fascination as Salomen worked her magic once again. She could be extremely charming when she wished to be. After yesterday’s meetings, Tal had teased her about the vast difference between how she behaved now and how she’d acted in their delegate meetings. Salomen had given her an arch look and commented that her behavior was entirely reactive. If treated courteously, she responded in kind; if treated with arrogance and condescension… Well, a certain Lancer had seen the results of that.

  Tal had made her pay for that later.

  With some effort, she pulled her thoughts away from the pleasant memories and focused on the present. For ten ticks, Salomen asked questions on several topics and listened keenly to the answers, creating such a casual atmosphere that even though she was expecting it, Tal was still surprised when the real question came.

  “I know you’re not part of the Anti-Corruption Task Force, but perhaps you can give me a warrior’s point of view on it. How do the merchants and warriors work together when their value systems are so different? If half the members value honor and the other half value profit, isn’t there a potential for corruption within the task force itself?”

  Ehron shot an uncomfortable glance at Tal, who nodded encouragingly. “We’re in a private conversation, Councilor. There’s no need for politicking here.”

  Shifting his gaze back to Salomen, Ehron said, “It’s my understanding that the merchants on the task force were chosen for their known integrity. Corruption hurts the merchant caste more than any other, I think, because it’s already expected of them. They have to work harder to achieve the same level of respect that the other castes have by default. So most of the merchants on the task force are just as committed as the warriors to stamping out any corruption they find.” He radiated nervousness as he continued, “That said, I believe your question is very perceptive. One of my own warriors works with the task force, and she’s heard rumors about favors being exchanged. But is it possible to completely avoid dishonor in a situation of this type? I don’t believe so. And I believe that the task force is doing an excellent job overall. It’s better to have it with some minor issues than not to have it at all.”

  While he spoke, Tal skimmed him with an intensity that was just this side of a probe. She could not detect anything approaching what they were looking for, and knew that Salomen hadn’t felt anything either. Ehron was not their man.

  But he had just given them the perfect justification for bringing in the next best thing.

  “I agree,” she said. “Some internal corruption was probably unavoidable, and the accomplishments of the task force overshadow it. However, I would be very interested in hearing about these rumors. Which of your warriors is working with it?”

  “Her name is Alanor Salir. She’s an honorable warrior, Lancer Tal. She only spoke of these rumors to express her distaste for the possibility. I’m certain she would be happy to speak with you, though her information may not be of much help. Rumors are rarely accurate.”

  “Sometimes they are. And information from someone on the ground level is often more valuable than the reports I get from my normal sources. Please instruct your warrior to report to Chief Counselor Aldirk. He’ll schedule a meeting.”

  “Yes, my Lancer.” Ehron showed no unease at the prospect, but Tal suspected the order would unsettle Salir to the extreme.

  “Thank you.” She looked at Salomen. “Was there anything else you wished to ask Councilor Ehron?”

  “There is, yes. I’ve been studying the Truth and the Path these past few ninedays, and I wonder if you might give me your thoughts on a few of the teachings.”

  “With pleasure, though my thoughts are just that. The Truth and the Path can be interpreted in different ways, so my opinions may vary from those of other warriors.”

  “I’m counting on it,” Salomen said with a smile.

  The discussion that followed was so lively that Tal found herself drawn into it despite their original purpose. By the time Ehron made his departure, she quite liked him. Too bad he had poor taste in the warriors he chose to serve him.

  “Not what you hoped for,” Salomen said when the door closed behind their guest.

  “I’d have been sorry if he turned out to be our traitor.” Tal crossed to her desk and pulled up the vidcom code. “And this was more profitable than you think. You were perfect, tyrina.”

  Her call was picked up immediately; Colonel Razine had been waiting.

  “It’s not him,” Tal said without preamble. “But he volunteered the information that Alanor Salir had spoken of ‘rumors’ of corruption in the task force. I asked to speak with her, and he seemed to think she’d be happy to assist.”

  Razine smiled. “Somehow, I don’t think she’ll be nearly as happy as he believes.”

  “Nor do I. He should be passing on the instruction soon.”

  “Then we shall hope Salir will be nervous enough to seek advice. Both her personal and her office vidcoms have redirects installed, and her wristcom code has been tapped. If she contacts anyone, we’ll be watching.”

  “Good. Let me know as soon as you hear anything.”

  “Of course. Is Raiz Opah still with you? I have an update regarding her brother.”

  Salomen was next to Tal’s chair in an instant. “What is it?” Though her voice was calm, her tension hummed through their link.

  “We located a witness at the public transit station in Napoline. She commutes through the station on a regular basis and recognized the footage of Herot. She remembered him because she thought it odd that someone so dirty and unkempt would be walking with two well-dressed warriors. At first she thought they were escorting him out, but he was smiling.”

  “What? Herot doesn’t know any warriors! I mean, other than Lancer Tal and her Guards.”

  “Are you certain of that?”

  Salomen’s posture slumped. “I’m not certain of anything anymore.”

  “At least this moves us one step forward,” Razine said. “Before, we only suspected that Herot had help. Now we know it. We have descriptions of the two warriors and an entire team of investigators looking for them. We’ll find your brother, Raiz Opah.”

  Salomen gave her a tiny nod. “Thank you.”

  “Was there anything else?” Tal asked.

  “One more detail that you may find interesting. The warriors wore the uniform of Lancer’s Guards. Someone was planning ahead. They wanted to make sure no one asked them any questions.”

  “What is he doing?” Salomen looked from the screen to Tal. “That sounds as if the whole thing was prearranged. But Herot’s message was real.”

  “With respect,” said Razine, “we can no longer accept that as fact. It’s possible the message was meant to raise your sympathies and possibly influence the Lancer through you.”

  “Herot is not that good an actor!”

  “At this point in the investigation, we cannot assume anything. The truth will only be known when we can subject him to an empathic scan.”

  “Good work, Colonel,” Tal said. “This puts us in a far better position. Two fake Lancer’s Guards can’t have strolled through that station unnoticed.”

  “Agreed. It will be easier to find people who saw the warriors than people who saw Herot. That may have been a mistake on the part of whoever planned this.”

  “I hope so. Keep me apprised of any change, no matter the time.”

  “Yes, Lancer.” The screen went dark.

  Tal stood up and reached out, only to let her arm drop when Salomen turned away. She understood, but the rejection still stung.

  Salomen walked to the window and stared out at the city, her arms wrapped around her torso. It made her look much too alone, and Tal’s resolve to give her space evaporated. Carefully, she moved up beside her, keeping
her hands to herself while she monitored Salomen’s churning emotions.

  “It’s hard to hear you say that.” Salomen didn’t take her eyes off the view. “Congratulating Colonel Razine on hunting down my brother.”

  “Colonel Razine is doing her job. And Herot betrayed a trust. I’m sorry, tyrina, but you know that’s true.”

  “I have no idea what’s true. The only thing I know for sure is that Herot won’t be coming home.”

  Tal dared to slip an arm around her waist, feeling the stiff bearing give way slightly. “If his message was real, he’ll be coming home. Not right away, but he will.”

  With a sigh, Salomen turned and burrowed in for a warmron. “I’m sorry. I know this is difficult for you as well.”

  “The most difficult part is feeling what it’s doing to you.”

  “You must be very confused, then. My feelings change from one moment to the next. And who are those warriors? Does Herot have a secret life that none of us ever knew about? Is he even who I thought he was?”

  Tal held her silently. Two of those questions were unanswerable with their current information, but the third had evoked a suspicion she was not ready to share.

  Warriors as a caste did not take kindly to assassination attempts on their highest-ranked member. It was possible that those two warriors were not there to help Herot at all.

  And if that was the case, she had a much bigger problem on her hands.

  CHAPTER 22:

  To Herot’s health

  “That is not good news,” Micah said.

  “I know.” Tal looked at him from across the table, the stress evident in her face. “I didn’t even think to put out a directive. It never occurred to me, and now—” She didn’t finish, but she didn’t need to.

  He had been surprised to find Tal knocking on his door. By this time of evening, he would have expected her to be enjoying Salomen’s company, not his. But the moment she voiced her suspicions, he understood the urgency.

  “You’ve sent it now?” he asked.

  “Yes, but it’s been eight days. Eight days, Micah! If Herot turns up dead, I have no defense. Not a believable one, anyway.”

  “Five of those days were spent in the health center,” he pointed out, but his heart was sinking. He had failed her again. She had been in no condition to be worrying about a vengeance killing; this was not her fault. He should have seen this possibility and prevented it. Because he hadn’t, no directive had gone out to the warrior caste warning against unauthorized action. For any warrior bent on avenging the Lancer’s honor, a lack of orders to the contrary was tantamount to permission. Such a killing would have been legal had Tal died in the attack, but now the rules were very different. Tal would be held partially responsible for Herot’s death, and the ramifications were enormous.

  “Yes, and the other three were spent at the State House in full health and visibility,” she said. “I even had my first run yesterday morning. I don’t think the new lover excuse will fly in the face of a public outcry. And given the fact that I’ve only just recovered public opinion after the economist debacle and the war criminal contingent has never stopped biting at my ankles, I think my chances of surviving Herot’s death are small. Even if I had put out a directive, I’d lose respect for not being able to control my caste. The fact that I failed to send one makes it worse.” She put her head in her hands. “Shek, shek, shek! I could lose my title and Salomen, all at the same time.”

  “Nothing has happened yet,” he said. “And it may not. The important thing is that you’ve sent the directive now.”

  “No, the important thing is that we shekking find Herot! There must be a way. I can’t afford to wait any longer.” She gave a short, unamused laugh. “What an irony. Eight days ago, I wanted to kill him myself. And now everything depends on him being alive.”

  “I’m sorry,” Micah began, but Tal held up a hand.

  “Don’t you even start with that. I don’t want to hear it. Gehrain didn’t think about it either, so don’t try to convince me that this is one more failure on your part. We all created this pile of dokshin.” Her spine slumped as she added, “And now I have to go back to my quarters and explain to Salomen why I’m so upset. She’s already upset herself, just feeling it.”

  “Even if the worst happens, you will not lose Salomen. She’ll understand. She won’t judge you.”

  “No, but every time she looks at me she’ll know I’m at least partially at fault. And that will change everything.”

  Not knowing what else to do, Micah rose, pulled two short glasses from his sideboard, and filled them with grain spirits. He set one in front of Tal and said, “Then let us drink a toast to Herot Opah’s vibrant health. He’s the only man I know who’s an even bigger pain in the backside dead than alive.”

  Tal’s frown turned into a wry half-smile. “True words. May Fahla witness them.”

  They drained their glasses and smacked them back on the table, and when their eyes met, he could see that some of her normal fight had returned.

  “I needed that,” she said. “Damn him anyway.” She pushed herself out of her chair and turned toward the door. “I’m open to suggestions, Micah. Anything at all.”

  The door closed behind her, and Micah was left staring at his bottle of spirits. He poured a fresh glass and held it up, peering into the dark brown depths as if the answers might appear there.

  “Where are you, you little fantenshekken?” he murmured.

  CHAPTER 23:

  Lead Guard Vellmar

  Fianna Vellmar dropped her travel bag on the floor of her assigned housing and looked around with an appreciative smile. “Nice.”

  “Bigger than your old quarters, eh?” Head Guardian Gehrain stood near the front door, the top of his head almost brushing the frame. He was as fit as he was tall, with a charming smile that lit up his hazel eyes and creased his cheeks, and she guessed he had no shortage of lovers. “The pay is better, too.”

  “Who cares about the pay? I’m just happy to have somewhere to spend it. Koneza isn’t exactly a shopping metropolis.” She poked her head into the bedroom. Fahla on a funstick, it was huge! Curious, she trotted toward the bathroom. “Are your new quarters even bigger than these?”

  “They are. But take good care of this unit, all right? I have a special attachment to it.”

  “How long were you here?” she called. Goddess above, the bathroom was big enough for herself and two or three friends.

  “Six cycles.”

  She walked back into the living room and eyed him with increased respect. “Then you’ve been with the Lancer since her election.”

  He nodded. “I joined her Guard eight cycles ago and made Lead Guard right after her election.”

  “I can’t imagine being in one place that long.” She felt a twinge of envy. His career had been very different from hers.

  “Show her loyalty and respect, do your job well, and you’ll be here as long as you want to be. Lancer Tal keeps good warriors forever. But she has no patience at all for warriors who don’t live up to her expectations, so make sure you keep discipline tight.”

  “That won’t be a problem. Discipline was the only thing that stood between my unit and utter boredom at the Pit. We used to pray for an escapee, just so we could have a little excitement.”

  “I believe it. That’s not exactly a prime action spot, but it’s high prestige. And your post there is what brought you to the Lancer’s attention.”

  “I know.” She still couldn’t believe her luck. “When she stopped in front of me and told me to explain my sword grip, I had just one thought in my head.”

  “What was that?”

  “Don’t shek this up.”

  He laughed. “You really impressed her. She mentioned on the flight home that she wished she could have seen you do it a second
time.”

  Vellmar could practically feel her head swelling. “I’ll be happy to show her any time she asks. I could even train her if she’s interested.” For a moment she entertained a dizzying fantasy of actually teaching the Lancer something, but sternly told herself to get realistic.

  “She might be,” Gehrain said, promptly kicking her fantasy back into full flight. “She’s better than any of us with throwing blades; I can easily see her wanting to expand into something bigger. Do you spar with that sword as well, or just throw it?”

  “I’m pretty good at sparring.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Pretty good, eh?”

  “Mm-hm. I’ve had a few sessions here and there.” She met his gaze with all the innocence she could muster, but he grinned and shook his head.

  “Your front is perfect, but your confidence is leaking out through your skin. If you’re just pretty good, then I’m Fahla’s latest lover.”

  “What’s she like in bed?” she asked, and enjoyed his deep chuckle. “My birthmother trained me in blade handling. Anything sharp, she loved. It was either learn it or lose body parts.”

  He looked her over in frank appraisal. “Everything still seems to be attached, so I’d guess you learned.”

  “Eyes elsewhere, Gehrain. I’m not your type.”

  “No, you’re not. I like them less curvy.”

  “Perfect.” The best of all possible situations, she thought. It was always easier when you could get the sexual issues out of the way right from the start.

  “And even if you were my type,” he continued, “I’m taken.”

  “Is he local?”

  He nodded. “A crafter. I was going to his house as soon as I got you settled in.”

  “Consider me settled. Go see your lover.”

  “Are you sure? There’s a lot we need to discuss yet.”

  “Does any of it need to be discussed tonight, or can it wait until tomorrow when I’m actually on duty?”