by Jaleta Clegg
The house was luxurious, more ostentatious than Tuarik's. It was almost as if the owner were trying to prove he was rich. Shadita peed on a rug that I was sure cost a lot. It was too ugly to be cheap. I pretended not to notice.
Tiryana escorted Lilliasa to a suite of rooms larger than her own.
"I'm sure you're tired and would like to rest for a bit," Tiryana said. "Dinner will be in an hour." She waved her fingers in a way that could only be described as twinkling and left.
Lilliasa looked around the room. Mayguena directed the servants to put the bags in the bedroom. I followed Shadita as she sniffed every furniture leg in the room.
"I believe Shadita would like some exercise," Mayguena said. "Please show Pooki the way to the gardens."
The servant she addressed shot a suspicious glance at me. I tried to look as innocent and harmless as possible. Shadita snapped, her teeth grating on a table leg. The servant opened the door.
"This way," he said to me.
I ducked my head and pulled Shadita away from the table.
The gardens were just down the hall, through a massive double door of glass. Shadita pranced happily along paths, sampling the vegetation as we went. The servant tailed me, watching my every move.
The path curved around an artificially rounded hill. A stream that was just as artificial wound its way down the side of the hill and into a pond full of bright fish. Shadita chirped happily and splashed into the stream. She jumped at the fish, snapping and popping. The water was shallow enough I wasn't concerned about her. I sat on the edge of the pond and unclipped her leash.
Time passed. Shadita played in the water. I sat and kept her from getting too deep. The servant finally left. I was alone. I waited a while longer to make certain.
"Enough, Shadita," I said. I held out her leash. She trotted up to me, tongue flapping loose. She was tired and happy and thoroughly wet. She shook herself dry right in front of me, splattering me with water that smelled like wet animal. I clipped her leash on.
"Which way now?" I murmured, studying the rest of the garden.
We wandered for another hour, until the sun was lowering. I saw no sign of slaves. Or their compound. Shadita was dragging, trotting tiredly at my heels.
I went back to the mansion and let myself in. Lilliasa's suite was empty. She and Mayguena must be at dinner. I found the bathroom and washed my face. Shadita needed brushed. I fetched her things and spent a while brushing and combing her long fur. She plopped on the floor, sighing contentedly. My stomach growled. I wondered if I was going to be fed.
The door opened. I looked up. Mayguena entered.
"I was sent to fetch you," she said. "They want to see Lilliasa's toy."
"Yes, des Shira," I said and touched my forehead to the floor. I clipped the leash on Shadita.
Mayguena waited for me at the door. "I will see that you are fed, when Shadita is fed."
I nodded, understanding much more than just she was going to see I was fed. It was half an apology for the way I was treated. Half a warning to do my part.
"I saw nothing," I whispered as she turned away.
She nodded once. I followed her, carrying Shadita.
The dining room was full of women in fancy clothing. I was paraded around the room. They fussed over Shadita and exclaimed over my height. I was touched and pinched and patted. My clothes were examined. Shadita wasn't fussed over as much. She was tired. She started snapping at fingers. The women let her retreat to Lilliasa's lap and concentrated on me. I wanted to bite fingers so they'd leave me alone. I didn't dare. I kept my head down and let them pose me.
The evening dragged on much too long. I was finally dismissed when they went to another room to gift the bride. Lilliasa handed Shadita to me and went, the center of attention. I saw the glint in her eyes. I took Shadita, backing away and keeping my head down, waiting for orders.
Mayguena talked quietly with several of the women. I saw the speculative looks on their faces and wondered what Mayguena said to them.
A servant escorted me back to the suite. There were two trays there, one loaded with Shadita's favorite treats, the other with a thick gruel. I guessed it was my dinner. I envied Shadita as she crunched leaves and fruits, snuffling happily. I ate the tasteless slop on my tray, sitting on the floor next to Shadita under the table.
"I know a few spices that would make this edible," I said to Shadita.
I got a snore in return. Shadita was asleep in her food.
"Bedtime," I said and picked her up.
We shared a flat cushion on the floor in a corner.
Chapter 23
"Success," Mayguena announced when we were safely back in Lilliasa's courtyard two days later.
"I never found the slaves." I sat on the ground, Shadita draped over my lap. We were both tired from the trip.
"Those are the most tiresome, idiotic women ever," Lilliasa said as she dropped dramatically onto the bench.
"And you played them beautifully," Mayguena said. "They were eating out of your hand."
"After Shadita almost ate their hands." Lilliasa giggled.
"She worked well as a distraction." Mayguena turned her attention to me. "There are no human slaves at their estate and only a handful of others, all too docile to serve our purposes. They are of poor quality, not very smart. So it does not matter that you were not successful in establishing contact. We did find out that Shadita provides a good reason for you to explore. You were not questioned?"
I shook my head. I pulled the black box out of my dress and held it out. She watched me, her eyes blank and unreadable. It was a gesture of trust on my part. I held the key to freeing myself and Tayvis and any other slaves I could reach. And I was giving it back.
She smiled. "Thank you, Dace. These are quite costly. I'll keep it safe until our next trip."
"Another one?" Lilliasa groaned.
"In three days," Mayguena said. "Another bridal party for you."
Three days of preparation passed quickly. I sewed constantly, embroidering and edging scarves for Lilliasa to give away. She and Mayguena spent the three days digging through her wardrobe. Clothes were piled everywhere. I was almost glad to be out in the courtyard sewing while Shadita played in the plants around me and splashed through the water.
I did a scarf that was water and shells intertwined. I thought about Lady Rina while I sewed. She would have been intrigued by this latest mess I was in. I would never admit it, but there were times I missed her. Before she died, she'd adopted me into her Gypsy clan. And Jasyn and Jerimon. And by extension, Clark and Beryn and anyone else we chose to make permanent crew of our ship. She'd hired Leon as her lawyer and manager.
Thoughts of Leon reminded me of all the trouble I was in. I wished he were here, arguing legalities with the authorities. The idea of him facing off against Mayguena was amusing. I wasn't sure who would win. That led to fish swimming in the shadows of the water on the scarf. I left them shadowy outlines and moved on to another scarf.
I embroidered more birds, fanciful colors and shapes, and thought about Tayvis. I hadn't seen him since he'd finished the streambed through the courtyard. Just seeing him, being near him, for those few days had been almost enough. I wondered when I would see him again, if Mayguena guessed what he meant to me. I was almost certain she did.
I finished seven scarves during those three days. And then spent half the night mending one of Lilliasa's dresses she'd torn. It was tissue thin fabric. It took me hours and left me with a massive headache before I was through stitching the seam closed again.
They let me sleep most of the flight to our next party. It wasn't far, only an hour or so. It was more of the same. Rich house, rich women, and me with Shadita through most of it.
I caught glimpses of slaves working in the garden and nudged Shadita that direction. Some looked human. I wandered, watching Shadita nibble bushes, until I saw a walled complex that I hoped was the slave quarters.
I'd convinced Mayguena to give me a short length of
wire and a lock to practice on. The pick wasn't near as nice as the set hidden under my mattress on my ship, but it worked. Mayguena hadn't said much about that skill. Lilliasa went on at length about the moral shortcomings of a society that created the need to pick locks. I didn't point out to her that I was using the lockpick on the slave quarters of her friends. I didn't think she'd appreciate the comment.
I was paraded around at dinner again. Mayguena dressed me in a copy of Lilliasa's dress. It would have been more flattering if they hadn't dressed Shadita up in one, too. The creature's face was puffed and angry. Her fur stuck out of the neck. She popped and spit as she tripped over the skirts on her short legs. They laughed and decided I was harmless enough. I was sent back to the room.
I slipped out when the night was quiet. Shadita grumbled and complained but went happily enough once she realized we were exploring the garden. I tried to look innocent as I led Shadita down the path towards the walled quarters. I could always say that Shadita's favorite bushes were right there, because they were.
I slipped through the shadows to the compound. There were barred windows high up on the wall, too narrow for even me to sneak through. I wedged a foot against the wall and lifted myself up. I hung on the bars, my feet searching for rough spots to lever me up higher. I found a series of blocks that were slightly larger than the rest and used those.
I peered through the window. It was dark inside. I could barely see the shapes of people sleeping. One stirred and glanced up at me. I gave him a hand signal I hoped he understood. I'd spent a lot of time thinking about how to make contact. In the Academy, we were taught hand signals to use during shipwide emergencies when voice contact might be lost. I gave him the sign to be quiet, that danger was close.
He stared at me, looking as if he'd seen a ghost. I waved him closer.
"Who are you?" he whispered.
I could see the others in the room stirring.
"How many humans are here?" I asked.
"Twenty two, and another thirty slaves that aren't human. Who are you?"
"Dace." It was inevitable, I was going to have to admit who I was eventually. "Of the Phoenix Rising. Commander Lowell sent me. Sort of."
The others moved to stand silently under the window.
The man I was talking to stared at me. "I've never heard of you."
"I have," someone else said from the back. "The tales of Vallius."
"The Targon Syndicate," someone else spoke up.
"The Sessimoniss," a third added.
"You aren't real, then," another man said. "No one could have done all that."
"The stories are exaggerated." I was running out of time. My back itched as if unseen eyes were watching, ready to shout discovery.
"So why are you here?" the first man asked.
"Because in four months you have a chance to get free. If you'll take it."
That caused a stir. I freed one hand and got out the key to the collars. I held it where the light from Trythia's one moon glinted on it.
"You have to give me your word you'll do what I say," I said. "You're Patrol. Will you follow orders?"
The group shifted, looking at each other and back at me. The first man finally nodded.
"Captain Crey, reporting for duty, sir." The others chimed in with name and rank.
I shifted my foot, easing a cramp in my leg.
"In four months," I whispered once they shut up again, "High Festival will be held. The first night of Festival, after the men have left, you are to cause a disturbance here. Get free and run for the hills." I dropped the key into the room. "That will neutralize the collars. You have to promise you will not use it until that night."
"And what happens once we get free?" one of the men spoke up. "We hide in the hills and they hunt us down."
"Then you'd better hope we're successful at the Festival," I said.
"What are you going to do?"
"Stage a revolution." I eased down the wall, leaving their questions unanswered.
I thought a lot as I headed back with Shadita. What purpose would their disturbance serve? Some were going to die, I could see that now. So why was I setting them up?
Because it was the only hope I had, the only hope they had, of ever getting free. I would just have to be successful at helping Mayguena and Lilliasa overthrow the current government. And then hope they'd honor their promises.
With maps and a better plan, we would have a bigger chance of accomplishing something. Maybe we could establish rendezvous points. Maybe I would grow wings and learn to fly. I wasn't any good at this kind of planning. I had to convince Mayguena to bring Tayvis in. He knew how to plan this kind of thing. He would find a way for us to win.
It would also give me an excuse to see him again. I locked that thought back away. I didn't have time to think about him. Not now.
I eased through the door into the suite. Mayguena waited up, sitting in a chair. I felt the tingling through my head of the weird computer system they used. She was doing the equivalent of reading. I caught just a part of it as I came into the room. It was a bizarre mix of colors and textures and tastes that made no sense. She shut it down quickly when she realized I was in the room.
"Well?" she asked.
"I gave it to them. They promised to wait four months until the festival." I sat on a chair and ran my fingers through Shadita's fur, looking for stray leaves and twigs. "With a bit more planning they could do more than just distract whoever you're trying to distract. Do you want to tell me the full plan or should I just keep guessing?"
She leaned forward. "Do you trust them that much?"
"As much as I trust you," I lied. I trusted them more, I knew the Patrol.
"We have contacts, women who will support us. They will be at the Festival. The men will be there, pretending to discuss the laws and the Code. I have a friend who will provide us with weapons. When your friends take off their collars and begin to run crazy, the men will be called away to deal with the situation. Leaving us holding the power at High Festival." She sat back, smiling triumphantly.
"And that's it? You run the Festival and that will make the men listen to you? That will change everything?"
"You don't understand, you're incapable of understanding."
"Try explaining it to me."
Her smile was gone as if it had never existed. She studied me, her face pinched in a frown. She finally waved her hands.
My head was filled with the feel of blue and the texture of taste and the smell of color. I made myself focus on one thread at a time until it settled in my head and came clear. Once I got most of it, I blinked my mind free of the tangling tastes and textures.
High Festival was more than just a social event, more than just a tradition. Whoever held power at the end of High Festival would be the rulers of the Hegemony for the next year. Regardless of custom and law, if Mayguena's plan worked, Lilliasa would be part of the Triad. The idea of Lilliasa, Mayguena and me as the next Triad wasn't just a lame joke. If the three of us were present in the right chamber at the right time during the Festival, it would be true.
"What if the men don't go? What if they send others to deal with the problem?" I asked. "Then where is your plan?"
"Then we change everything. The chamber will be destroyed along with whoever is in it at the time. And then we must fight."
"They won't leave," I said, understanding more than I wanted to. "You'd better think of a different plan because the alpha males will never willingly leave that chamber until they've been confirmed for another year."
"You understand too clearly," she said softly, dangerous as a zitha snake.
"That was your plan all along, wasn't it? You never intended to do this the easy way. Because you knew it wasn't going to work."
"And if you tell Lilliasa, I will see you destroyed."
"Tell me your real plan."
"The only way to change Trythia is to remove the alpha males. All of them. And the chamber. And the only copy of the Code known to exist
in the Hegemony."
"They outnumber you. They hold the weapons. How do you plan to fight?"
"With the army you are gathering for me. Maps will be provided later. Plans are being made. You make the initial contact and we will follow later with more."
I blew out a long breath. "I don't like it. Too many people are going to die."
"You don't have to like it, Pooki," she said, deliberately using my slave name.
"I have a better plan. The Festival is held at the space port. You find a dozen slaves like me, who know how to fly ships. We steal one ship and go to the Empire. Two months later, I will be back with a fleet that will make the Hegemony ships look like a child's set of toys."
"And what will their price be for helping us?"
"Free the slaves, let them return home. And sign a treaty with the Empire." I was fuzzy on the details of those kinds of interactions. Let her work it out later.
"I'll think about it," she said.
She rose and left me plucking twigs from Shadita's fur. while the animal snored on my leg. What had I just done? Had I saved anything or only made it worse?
Chapter 24
Six weeks went by, a blur of parties and trips and midnight walks in unfamiliar gardens. I made contact five more times. I was almost caught twice. Mayguena said nothing more to me about her plans. She watched me with more respect and more suspicion than before.
I caught glimpses of Tayvis at work in the far reaches of the garden several times. I wanted to talk to him, to see what he thought of Mayguena's schemes. I wasn't given that chance.
I embroidered scarves. Lilliasa said that everyone who was anyone wanted to have one. She gave them out capriciously, using them to buy influence and curry favor.
I was uneasy about Mayguena's plans. I didn't trust her to keep her word. I didn't trust her to wait. It would get me off the planet, though, and I didn't have to come back. As long as I could get Tayvis with me, I told myself it didn't matter. But it did. I couldn't leave the rest of the slaves behind. I couldn't take them all with me. It was a dilemma. I couldn't think only about myself anymore. I'd grown beyond just surviving.
