by K. E. Young
I glared at him. The gold weighed my hand down and I carefully tucked it into my belt pouch. "Only ten percent? I'm in pain here. I deserve at least twenty."
Mero responded, "Demon spit, for that fight you deserve all of it. You'll be getting a bonus for this."
Koris seemed amused. "Hazard pay."
Mero tipped his head briefly. "Okay, you get hazard pay too. It's worth it. You bit me!"
"And you bit me."
He waved a hand dismissively. "That was retaliation. I'm not complaining. It just surprised me. Nobody ever bit me before."
I cocked one eyebrow at him. He was acting weird. Unless I was mistaken, he was pleased that I bit him. "It seemed appropriate at the time. I can do it again if you want."
Mero laughed. "No thank you. It hurts. Zaki, I'm not sure we ever introduced you to Kendra. I suspect she could use your talents as well. Kendra, Zaki is our healer. He hasn't gotten his mastership yet but he knows more than enough to meet our needs most of the time and he's quite good." The slight fellow nodded hello.
He cleaned the bite and scrapes, smoothed on a salve that deadened the pain, and then checked over the rest of me. "He cracked two of your ribs near the spine. They'll take a few weeks to heal. Try not to sleep on your right side for a while. It'll put pressure on the cracks. Meanwhile, don't push yourself too hard in practice. The ankle should be fine in a week. Stay off it as much as possible today and tomorrow. The teeth will tighten up in a couple days, stick to liquids and soft foods until then though. Chew with the other side of your mouth. I'll send extra salve up to your quarters."
A shy smile peeked out. "The bruising should be spectacular. I would give you a magic assist to speed the healing but I haven't mastered the technique yet and it requires delicacy. You may want a massage for the sore muscles, but don't do it. There's too much bruising. Wait at least a week. Stick to hot baths and stretching instead. I'll have the servants bring you a special tea in a little bit. Drink it all. It'll help."
Mero pulled himself to his feet with a groan. "Back to my rooms. I think we need a drink. Koris, a little help here." He put his hand on Koris' shoulder and limped towards the doors to the palace. I followed, also limping.
I was a bit startled when a laughing Dantalion picked me up. "You're supposed to stay off it, remember?" My ankle hurt and I was weary so I didn't argue although it gathered a few odd looks on our way through the palace.
Chapter 5
Day 5: 43rd Day of Sanctuary, 3866
When we got to Mero's rooms Dantalion dumped me in a cushy chair and propped my ankle on a cushion he put on the table. Mero got the couch to himself so he could stretch out his leg. Dantalion pulled up another comfortable chair. Koris went to a cupboard and pulled out a bottle and some glasses.
The liquid he poured for me was a deep reddish amber and it smelled like a cross between cognac and pecan pralines. I took a small sip and it hit me with a rich burn that tasted of butter, pralines, caramel and spices, all wrapped in a rye/cognac base. It was divine. I sighed happily and took another sip.
When I looked up, I found that Mero and Dantalion both were watching my reaction. "I take it you like flis?" Mero asked.
"It's lovely. Reminds me of rye whiskey with overtones of cognac and a nice colheita. Delightful."
"So you have something like this where you're from?"
"Doesn't everyone?"
Dantalion answered. "Not always. My people don't. No spirits at all, it's against the dictates of the priests. Admittedly, this stuff was pleasant enough that I was quick to get used to it, but I still can't stand the stuff the army drinks. And I've been here for over fifteen years now."
I huffed. "If it helps any, the stuff the army drinks is dreadful where I come from too. The cheap stuff is cheap for a reason. It's usually bad, effective, but bad. Unfortunately, army folk can't afford to drink good, just effective. I assume the same holds true here."
"It does, and you have a good point."
"So what does the army drink where you're from?"
"There is no army. There are serfs, nobles, and priests. Many of the noble class learn combat but it's only ever one-on-one. They never fight between groups because there aren't any other groups." He took a sip before continuing.
"Serfs aren't very smart and are bred to follow the orders of nobles without question. The nobles follow the orders of the priesthood without question. Life is very formal, regimented, stagnant, and above all, always in the service of the priesthood. I hated it there. Every breath you take is to the glory of the gods. I may have been pure noble, but I was an outcast anyway due to my 'attitude'. I wasn't popular. They wouldn't even give me my name. I hadn't earned it they said. I could have my name as soon as I learned to behave properly. If I had stayed, the priests would undoubtedly have exiled me like so many others of my bloodline."
I'd have to ask him about the name thing later. "Sounds familiar. I was an outcast all the time I was growing up because I didn't think like the other children. I didn't see things the way they did. Different. It made me a target. Then I would fight which just upset them more. I never started it, but I couldn't convince those in authority of that. They told me I shouldn't be so sensitive because the others didn't mean anything by it.
"Even at that age, I knew their insults and petty cruelties were an attempt to establish dominance and I refused to let them make me less. I saw the exact same dominance behavior in animals but that argument counted against me. People didn't do that, they said, people are civilized." I snorted in defeated disgust. No matter how hard I tried to explain, it never did any good.
"Coming here is the first time I've spent time with people who don't seem to mind. Now, I wouldn't go back even if I could. I feel comfortable here. Life is certainly more interesting here."
Mero looked puckish. "Why don't you give Dantalion the summary of your time since arriving in this world?"
Dantalion gave me a questioning look, knowing something was up. "Well, let's see… pulled through a portal from another world, abducted, beaten, tied up, escaped, killed a Karthim with my feet, fought in a battle, learned to ride a keth, went camping, went on a boat ride, toured the market, learned a new language, got a spiffy new wardrobe, designed a court gown, gave Koris nightmares, learned to play Hamsat, discovered and mapped a network of secret passages in the palace, knocked the stuffing out of all the household's warriors, won a bet, got the crap beaten out of me, and bit my employer."
Mero and Koris were both laughing their heads off by this point and Dantalion was looking a little stunned. "How long have you been here?"
I grinned at him. "Four days? No… Five I think. I spent two of those days on the boat and one tied up in a Karthim camp waiting to be eaten. I've been a very busy girl." Koris poured me more of the lovely stuff.
"The Gods wept, woman!" Dantalion exclaimed. Mero was still laughing his head off. "Um. Giving Koris nightmares?"
"Trust me, you do not want to know!" Koris interjected. Mero shrugged in a noncommittal fashion.
"And there are secret passages here?"
"Yes. She made friends with Thermin, so he showed her his precious builder's diagrams of the palace. She noticed passages inside some of the walls, including an exit in the library itself. Since she couldn't see a door, she assumed that they were secret. When I mentioned that the map in my office was more up to date than what was in the library, she asked if they included the secret passages. I told her we didn't have any. She informed me I was wrong, and then proved it. She made me a set of maps and figured out how to open the doors. I have a man verifying the condition of the passages as we speak."
Mero grinned. "Before you ask, she beat me two games out of three at Hamsat. I want to see how she does against Geran."
Dantalion shook his head. "You're right, she's better off in your household."
"She would have been a good first for you, but Kendra is a catalyst. You need someone more stable than that. I was planning on making her my Adjutant in a month or
two. Now I'm thinking a week."
Dantalion snorted. "That long?"
"Well, everyone knows she can fight. Now we need to teach them that she can think too. She'll be my escort to the ambassador's reception tomorrow night. Wait till you see the dress she designed!"
I held my glass out to Koris for a refill. "It will look awful with my bruises."
"If it does no one will dare say so. Now show Dantalion your pendant." He turned towards Dantalion with a slight smile. "She made it herself back in her previous world."
I took it off and handed it to him. Koris moved to peer at it over his shoulder. Dantalion looked at it a long time before he said anything. "Why does she have a picture of your dragon on her pendant, Mero? It's clear that it's you."
"I have no idea. Dragons are mythical creatures that symbolize power and wisdom where she comes from. She designed and crafted it herself. She claims the resemblance is accidental."
Koris looked mournful. "We've killed the bottle."
Mero looked beatific. "There's another in the chest under the window in the other room. Willing to fetch it?"
Koris' expression lightened. "I'll be right back."
I gazed at Mero. "You don't believe me when I say it's accidental?"
His head tipped as he gazed back. "I believe you think it's accidental. However, I've been doing some research and I've found the Goddess has a habit of manipulating probabilities to obtain the exact person she wants for the Task. Lady Sara is the primary example that comes to mind. Before the Goddess brought her here, she had been tortured and set on fire by a criminal of her world, leaving her with horrific scars. Those scars were absent when she arrived here. After completing her task, the Goddess spoke to her and admitted to bringing the mind of the tortured girl, but the body of a version of Sara that had committed suicide and never even met the criminal."
"Sara wasn't the only Nakairu who had a similar tale to tell. The consistency of it all argues that the Goddess has power in your world as well, to one degree or another. A coincidence like your pendant is suspect. You aren't lying. You just may not know all the facts in the matter."
Set on fire? Whoa. Still, he hadn't convinced me. "I've seen nothing in my world that would indicate that gods are real. It has always been a matter of faith, and my mind demands proof."
Mero shrugged. "Perhaps they're limited due to the lack of magic in your world. Perhaps the priests are telling you to look for the wrong thing."
"Mero has a point," Dantalion added. "This world reeks of magic and the gods are always interfering, the Goddess more than her brother. There's less magic where I'm from and the Goddess interferes less but is still an active presence. However, most of the people there only know the Goddess and what she wants from what the priests tell them, not their personal experience. Here, the God has his own say as well so their presence is more conspicuous.
"We may have free will and the ability to make up our own minds, but the gods have been around a long time and they're better at manipulation than we will ever be. It makes 'free will' more of a technicality than a reality. However, they are quite adamant that we do have free will and the choice is always ours."
It was worth thinking about. After what I had already seen and experienced since coming here I couldn't reject anything out of hand. Learning a language, both written and spoken in minutes just by laying on hands just was not possible without magic. Having accepted the possibility of magic, the rest of it was easy. My mind still craved proof, but at least it was in the realm of possibility now.
Koris refilled everyone's glass from the new bottle before sitting on the floor next to the couch. "There isn't any doubt Kendra was meant to come here, or that she belongs in this household. What I want to know is what do we do if Geran asks Mero to give her to him? It could lead to bad feelings in the household. She hasn't been here long, but our warriors are already proud of her. She makes the household look good."
Mero tugged on his ponytail. "They should be proud of her. I'm not sure. Her testing was so public. The way it ended only increases the chance he'll do just that, and we have little time." I watched him as he bit his lip in thought. I didn't quite understand the issue.
He shifted and winced when his foot caught on a cushion. "I'm honored to serve under him, but he's greedy regarding capable people. He hoards them instead of challenging them. She wouldn't be happy in his household and she'll have a greater chance to contribute in mine. That pendant tells me so. It's as if the Goddess wanted to hang a sign on her saying 'This is where she belongs'."
He tossed down the dregs of his drink and tugged his hair tie loose so he could run anxious fingers through his hair. "Geran won't listen to that argument though. He grew up with tales of what happened to Lady Sara. What Fanul put her through still outrages the whole clan. He's argued that we should take all Nakairi to Drakken where they'll be safe until they figure out what their task is. I follow High-Lord Dragos' stance that the Goddess puts them where she wants them. I think Kendra's pendant is as clear a sign as anyone could hope for regarding where the Goddess wants her."
Dantalion looked grim. "It will be an issue, Mero. You had better come up with something. Tonight, if not sooner."
Everyone was quiet for a long time, each lost in thought. "I could always marry her," Mero mused.
"You're joking!" Dantalion's expression was disbelieving.
Mero smiled. "You may not have noticed this Dantalion, but she is an extremely attractive woman."
He snorted. "I had noticed. I'm just not sure that anyone would believe it. You have a reputation for being indifferent to women. There are rumors you prefer men."
Mero jerked in outrage. "I'm not indifferent. I just want one that can think. Kendra does."
Koris looked thoughtful. "I think the household would be overjoyed. She's worthy of you."
"See, Dantalion? It's the perfect solution."
"You might want to ask her opinion first," Dantalion said dryly.
I had been watching the discussion with some bemusement. It hadn't really registered that they were serious. On one hand, knowing that I could be hustled off to another household without my permission was disquieting and something deep down adamantly said 'no' to the idea. On the other hand, the idea of marrying Mero was equal parts dismaying and compelling. My internal reaction to the concept was complex enough that I didn't know how to take it.
Everyone turned to look at me and I realized they were serious. "Oh good lord! You're not even going to try anything else first are you?" This was real? What was I going to say to this?
Mero's tone was mollifying. "Well, it would be far more believable if we approach Geran before he asks for you. You needn't worry. I would never force myself on you. We only have to make it look good in public."
So it was all going to be an act? My demon was decidedly unhappy about that. And since when did it come out outside of a fight? With opinions? It was taking up a life of its own and I wasn't sure how I should feel about that. On the one hand, it was weird, but on the other, my demon and I had been together forever. It was part of me.
"Everyone will think I got the spot as your Adjutant due to favoritism rather than ability." I looked at Dantalion. "Is he always this manipulative?"
He sighed. "Yes. That's part of why Geran made Mero his spymaster." He looked annoyed and a little angry at Mero.
Mero waved his hand in dismissal. "We'll wait on the Adjutant title for a few months although you can have the actual job. It is a good plan though. I like it! It solves many problems and not just the one we were discussing."
I still didn't quite know how to take it. A marriage of convenience that was all an act upset me. I had wanted more than that. "You know you're romantic as a piss pot, right?"
Once again, Mero tried to be mollifying. "Those of the nobility have always married for political reasons. This is no different."
I growled. I hate when people herd me. On the other hand, these guys knew more about the situation than I did. The
fact Dantalion wasn't arguing against it was telling. "Women still appreciate being wanted for more than their political value. Besides, it'll put a big target on my back for Marin or anyone else who wants you out of the picture or distracted."
Mero looked at me with surprised innocence. "I do appreciate you. You're beautiful, funny, wise, intelligent, and talented. You fight like a demon and you smell good. I can't name even one other woman who fits that description except for the Empress. As for Marin, if they go up against you they'll lose their heads, even if I have to do it personally." His delivery lacked a certain something, but the thoughts expressed calmed me more than I wanted to admit. It was nice to know he appreciated me. Since when did I smell good? I hadn't even seen a deodorant stick since I arrived, much less used one.
Dantalion gave a deep, rumbling growl, his expression annoyed. "Unfortunately, Mero is right. It is a good plan and it would solve several potential problems. He's also correct in that we have to move fast. If Geran makes a request to add you to his household, Mero doesn't have the rank to refuse. Geran is second in line for the Imperial throne. Being in Geran's household would bring you status, but would also severely curtail your scope for action. He might even send you to Drakken for your safety and you can't perform the Goddess's Task there. If she had wanted you in Drakken, she would have put you there, but she didn't. She brought you here so she needs you here."
Dantalion scowled at Mero. "If you ever take her for granted or make her unhappy, I'm taking her away from you."
Mero grinned widely. "I'll petition Geran at dinner. I like this plan. It's a good plan."
I sipped my drink. I liked Mero and thought he was too yummy for words. Having him to myself was more appealing than I wanted to admit. What I didn't like was his way of assuming he would lead and I would follow. I've never been good at being a follower. It rankled. "Don't worry Dantalion. If he makes me too unhappy, I'll just give him more of what I gave him earlier. I may not be quite so willing to stop though."
Mero's expression turned wary as Dantalion shot me an evil grin. "Good."
