by Eric Vall
“What do you think?” I asked my cat-girl. “Should we let them in?”
“Hey!” Sef’sla hissed through the door. “We can hear you, you know!”
We all laughed once more as I hopped up to open the door and let in the other two loves of my life.
Akela and Sef’sla were both bright red when I pulled the door open, and I flashed them a grin as I gestured for them to come inside.
“While you two were busy playing around, Sef’sla and I got the plan underway,” Akela informed me. “The poison has been delivered.”
“Great.” I nodded. “Thank you both. You’re wonderful.”
“You all tired out now?” Akela asked with a wry smile.
“It sounded like Neka put you to work,” Sef’sla giggled.
“Yeah,” Akela said, and she plopped down on the bed and stared at me with hungry eyes. “I bet you’re too tired for round two, huh?”
“Never,” I said with a grin, and I walked toward the bed.
Chapter 16
The next morning, we all woke before dawn and headed out to the garden. It was well before the time we had been told to meet, but still, we found the king in his usual seat, with a pot of tea in front of him. The moon was bright above us, and it illuminated the garden in a beautiful silver hue that reflected off Akela’s already silver hair.
I smiled as I took in the sight of all my women under the moonlight. They were all uniquely stunning.
“I thought you all might be up early as well,” King Grenn chuckled as he gestured to the chairs around him.
“I like to be early.” I shrugged and poured myself a cup of tea.
“What are you doing up so early, Your Majesty?” Neka asked. “We still have an hour before we all need to leave for the ritual.”
“I know, but I found it hard to sleep last night,” the old male sighed, and he looked down at his tea. Then he met my gaze, and there was a deep sadness in his eyes. “Whether you realize it or not, this was not an easy decision.”
“I understand,” I said, and I gently placed a hand on the king’s arm. “I’m sorry I gave you such grief yesterday. I’ll support whatever decision you make. You are one of the most honorable rulers I have ever met.”
“I appreciate that.” The king huffed out a dry laugh. “But it’s not easy to rule. Whoever you thought were dishonorable before may have only been doing what they believed was best for their people.”
I smiled at King Grenn, but I didn’t tell him he was utterly wrong about that point. While I’m sure some of the leaders I’d met had actually felt that way, I’d met plenty who were money or power-hungry assholes who didn’t give a crap about their citizens. It was only the good kings who would ever give someone the benefit of the doubt like that. Good looks for good, while bad looks for bad. That was another of those universal truths I’d learned over the years.
“Did you all sleep well last night?” the king asked, and all the girls went bright red.
“We slept fine,” I said with a grin as I thought about what we had done the night before.
“I am happy to hear this.” Grenn smiled. “Once all of this ugliness is over, I hope we can get back to work on the improvements around here.”
“Of course,” I promised. “Nothing has steered us off course quite yet.”
“I did have a request,” the king added, and he looked almost embarrassed.
“What is it?” I asked.
“We have lands for growing plants,” he explained, “but not all of our plants are able to grow there. I believe it’s because of the soil. It took many years for me to build the garden I have here.”
“Would you like us to look at the soil?” Sef’sla gasped, and she seemed genuinely excited. “We would be happy to. I’m sure we could find a way to maximize your harvest.”
“That would be wonderful,” the king said. “I know my people do not go hungry, but I would like for them to be able to eat all of the wonderful treats that can be grown on our planet, not just what will grow in the soil.”
“You are a very wonderful king,” Neka giggled, and her eyes crinkled with a smile.
“Thank you, sweet girl.” The older Gelm gave her a small bow. “I try my best for my people.”
The conversation was a welcome distraction from the task of the morning, and I figured focusing on something positive helped the king to stay in high spirits. I knew the decision to eradicate the group of zealots had been difficult on him, and I was happy to see him genuinely smile once more.
My girls chatted with King Grenn about the different plants on Zalia while I drank my tea and ate my cake. I’d become accustomed to the delicious treats the king bestowed upon us every morning. The tea always tasted like nectar from the sweetest flower, and the cakes always had the best combination of bitter flavors to balance out the tea. I’d also noticed the king attempted to make a fish flavored cake to satisfy Neka. He’d taken to putting out fresh fish for her every morning, but the past few days she’d had a new little cake in front of her, too, and he waited patiently for her approval, always with a small plate of fish nearby in case she didn’t like it.
“Good morning,” Shaso announced as he approached the table a few minutes later.
“Shaso,” the king greeted him, “please, take a seat and have some tea. We still have some time before we need to leave.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” the Elphad leader said with a small bow, and he sat down and poured himself a cup of the nectar.
I eyed the male curiously while he stared down at his cup and seemed lost in thought. I wondered if he was here early because he couldn’t sleep as well. Did he truly comprehend what all his bullshit had caused?
“Shaso,” I said after several minutes.
The Elphad did not speak, but he looked up at me.
“The king has asked us to look at the soil used for harvest,” I informed him. “He wants to see if we can improve the soil so the farmers can grow different kinds of food there.”
“An excellent idea,” Shaso muttered, and Akela gave me a confused glance at his words.
“Is there anything you would like to request?” I asked with an arched brow. “My team is quite capable of just about anything you could think of.”
It may not have been fair to test the Elphad in such a way, but I wanted to know what he had to say. Would he request something for himself? Or perhaps nothing at all, not even something that could help the Gelm as a whole? I eyed him curiously as I waited for him to reply. His response wouldn’t be a complete judge of character, but it would at least show me if he was on the path to changing.
“I wonder if we could improve the way we harvest,” the Elphad leader replied at length.
“What do you mean?” I questioned.
“Most farmers harvest their crops by hand,” Shaso explained. “It is tiring and difficult work, and many farmers are old, with no one to help them but their children. I wonder if we could help them figure out an easier way to harvest their crops.”
My crew and I stared at Shaso in stunned silence for a long moment.
“Yes,” I finally blurted out, “I’m sure we can manage that.”
“That would be most appreciated,” the Elphad leader said, then he stood up. “I think I will check on the carriages.”
The king said nothing, but he smiled softly and nodded.
“Okay,” Akela said after Shaso had left. “What the hell was that all about?”
“Yes,” Sef’sla hissed and frowned sharply. “It does not seem like Shaso to think of something so beneficial for the Gelm.”
“Has anyone told you how the Elphad are chosen?” King Grenn asked suddenly.
“No.” I shook my head. “I don’t suppose anyone has. I figured it was the next in line in a family.”
“Oh, no,” the king laughed. “The Elphad are chosen when they are still young. They go to school to be an Elphad, and many do not make the cut. They are sent back home to their families. There is no dishonor in it,
it simply means they are not chosen.”
“Wait,” Akela said with a frown. “They take the kids away from their families to send them to this school?”
“No,” Grenn chuckled, “it is a school, much the same as the other small schools we have. The children still go home at night and live with their families.”
“Shaso came from a farming family, didn’t he?” Sef’sla asked.
“He did.” The king nodded. “He has been an Elphad for so long I’d thought he may have forgotten. It seems you all have reminded him of his past.”
I wasn’t sure if I totally believed it or not, but I smiled at the thought.
“Maybe he feels bad about the way he’s been behaving all these years,” Neka suggested before she shoved a piece of fish cake into her mouth.
“I’m not sure if we are quite there, yet,” King Grenn remarked with a wistful expression, “but I think we may be getting closer.”
I was happy to hear the king still didn’t fully trust the Elphad, but he was right, it seemed Shaso may be on a better path than I’d originally thought him capable of, whether I had to force him down it or not.
“The carriages are ready,” Shaso announced as he made his way back to the table. “We should be leaving now.”
“I believe you are right,” the king sighed, put his cup down, and stood up slowly. “It’s time to be off.”
The moon was still high above us as we rode down to the city, through the crowds of people, and up to the same stone cliff where Shaso had attempted to murder a child just days before. The thought brought back some disdain for the male, but I tried to keep an open mind to the idea that he may be on a better path. If he was, then I didn’t want to push him back the other way by insinuating that his mistakes were all he’d ever be.
The carriages moved slowly among the people, and it seemed the majority of the city was here once again to witness the ritual.
We reached the bottom of the cliff and parked our carriages. The moon was huge as we walked up the cliff, and I couldn’t help but stare at it.
The zealots were already there in their blue robes, and they’d taken the seats of the Elphad, as well as the king’s chair.
King Grenn made no comment and simply stood at the front of the crowd, with the ritual stone just meters away from him.
Off to the side, I noticed a female Gelm holding her small boy close to her. She said nothing, but she had silvery tears running down her face, and I figured this was the boy to be sacrificed.
Luckily, it wouldn’t come to that.
I watched the zealots as they waited for the crowd to gather. The leader sat in the king’s chair and stared out at the people with a cold, angry glare. Once it appeared most of the city had gathered, and it would be dawn soon, the zealot leader stood up and addressed the crowd.
“You all are here today to witness a long overdue ritual,” the male said with a pointed look at Shaso and the king.
Some of the crowd cheered, but I heard a few negative reactions, too, which was satisfying. Not all of the Gelm would be tricked by these people.
“The men you looked up to have been corrupted,” the zealot continued as he paced back and forth. “Shaso, the Elphad leader, and even the great king of our people, they have been corrupted by demons!”
King Grenn’s chin lifted slightly at the mention of him, but he said nothing in response, and the look on his face said, “I’m the king and you can’t touch me.”
“Your leaders have become nothing more than demons themselves!” the male shouted. “Now, it is our time to reclaim our people for the true gods. Who is with me?”
There was a loud cheer from a good portion of the crowd, and the few boos were outweighed by the rouse of support.
I slowly pushed the girls in front of me so I was back further in the crowd then they were. They each looked at me, but none of them said anything. If anything went wrong, then we were not welcome here, and we would have to get out of this already angry crowd ourselves.
Of course, I trusted Akela and Sef’sla totally, and I knew the plan would go off without a hitch, but I couldn’t take any chances. My girls were far too important to me, and there was always the voice in my head that said “what if.”
“The ritual will be completed today,” the male hollered out to the crowd, “and you will see the gods have forgiven us for forsaking them! Once the sacrifice is made, only then can the gods return us to the Gelm we once were! Only then can they cure you of The Gray Cough and of the demon elixir the Elphad have fed you!”
I had to roll my eyes at this guy. That “demon elixir” was the only reason a good portion of these citizens were still alive right now.
“The time is near!” the male said, and another of the zealots retrieved the boy from the crying mother and led him to the chopping block.
“One minute to sunrise,” Omni said into my ear.
“Thanks, O,” I muttered.
That meant, any second now, our plan would go into motion, and I looked down at my watch impatiently.
“With this sacrifice, we beg you!” the male shouted up to the sky. “Forgive us!”
As he yelled this, he lifted the dagger above his head, but before he could swing, he began to cough and choke. The people in the audience gasped at the sudden choking fit, and their gasps only became louder as the rest of the zealots began to hack as well.
Soon, they were all foaming at the mouth, and the crowd had moved back several meters as the zealots stumbled around the stage and eventually fell to their knees, then forward onto their faces, with their dead eyes staring straight ahead.
The plan had liftoff.
Akela made sure the poison would release into their systems directly at sunrise, that way they would go publicly, and the people around wouldn’t have an explanation for it since the poison was not from this planet.
So, now it appeared as though the very gods the zealots claimed to have spoken for had struck them down.
It was a clever ruse, if I did say so myself.
The king quietly walked forward and untied the boy from the stone, then he calmly walked the boy back to his mother, who thanked the king profusely. The ruler then made a slow walk to the center of the fallen zealots and faced the crowd.
“I do not believe now is my time to speak,” King Grenn said. “I am as unsure as you all are as to what has just happened here. I believe it is time we hear from the Elphad. May they help us make sense of all that has happened.”
The older male walked back to his spot at the front of the crowd, and Shaso took his place.
“It is clear what has happened here today,” Shaso intoned, and he looked down at the dead men with a sense of pity. “These men here were ill.”
I raised an eyebrow at that. We hadn’t discussed exactly what the Elphad leader would say, but somehow, I didn’t think we were going with disease.
“These men ignored the truth because it went against tradition,” Shaso continued. “They ignored the truth because they trusted me far too much.”
With that, the Elphad paused for a moment.
“Your king,” he finally continued with a gesture toward the ruler, “he knew I was not to be trusted implicitly. That is why he paused the ritual days ago. He knew he had to do what was best for his people.”
The Gelm in the crowd moved closer as he spoke, and I thought this plan just might work.
“Your king is the reason why we are healed,” Shaso declared just loud enough for the crowd to hear. “His wisdom and closeness to the gods has allowed him to serve his people. He stopped me from making a mistake the day I attempted to perform the ritual, but today, it was not the king who stopped this mistake. Today, it was the gods.”
The Elphad leader gestured up to the sky, and the people in the crowd followed his lead with their eyes. Even if they’d believed the zealots just minutes before, it was hard to argue with foaming at the mouth and dying during a ritual. For anyone who didn’t know the real story, that seemed a pretty
clear sign the gods had spoken.
“It is our duty now to listen to the gods,” Shaso continued. “We must not have any more rituals. The gods do not demand sacrifice. They demand we be good to one another. That is why they have cured us. That is why they have killed these zealots who burned down our temple. It is up to us now. We know the ways of the gods, let us follow them.”
I smiled as the crowd erupted in triumph. Shaso’s speech had worked, and it seemed the plan was back on track.
The king stepped forward then, and he requested everyone gather some things to start a fire. They would burn the bodies of the deceased unless the families wanted to take them home. None of the families offered, though, and I wondered if that was shameful for them, or if they would rather have their loved ones be cremated by the king.
After the fire was going, King Grenn said a prayer, and Shaso dismissed the citizens and told them to go to the temple and worship. The Elphad leader added that he would be there shortly, and together they would clean their place of worship and become closer to the gods.
I was shocked to hear all Shaso had said, and I wondered if there was any truth to it. It seemed like there was, but looks could be deceiving, and I’d been fooled before.
The girls and I followed the crowd down toward our carriages and waited on Shaso and the king.
“Do you think he meant any of what he said?” Neka whispered.
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “I hope so.”
“As do I,” Sef’sla hissed.
“I still don’t completely trust him,” Akela muttered and pursed her lips.
I smiled at the mechanic. She and I were always on the same page when it came to people’s characters.
Soon enough, Shaso and the king joined us at the carriages, and we all hopped in and followed the crowd down toward the temple.
One of the twin suns had come up during Shaso’s speech, and it was now above us, a bright ball of yellow that slowly cast out the blue on the horizon.
The ride down to the temples was long and silent as our carriages followed the crowd. The Gelm people did not seem relieved, but they didn’t seem angry, either. If anything, they seemed rather sad, and it was then I realized the Gelm didn’t value life any less than myself. They were all upset they’d witnessed the deaths of those individuals, whether they’d committed a crime or not. That was still not something anyone wanted to see, and they were rightfully upset. The king and Shaso must have known this was the case. Even during Shaso’s speech, the people were quiet and solemn as they regarded the bodies in front of them.
