by Lexi Ander
Mestor did not miss how his father’s eye twitched. His anger was barely controlled.
“The Ancients… the Ryo’Pardeep, I do not even know what to call them,” Valdor grumbled. “If I understand correctly, all with water affinity should have been summoned as witnesses? They regard the circles as an official court and the one who wins is always the one in the right?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” answered Canry’s mentor, Arion.
Mestor’s meme placed a hand on his father’s arm. “Then it is settled. We will all go.” She looked to the conversation areas where extended family sat. “We need help gathering all who were summoned and preparing transportation.”
Mestor’s rebel aunt who had joined the mercenary guild, Davina Vondorian, nodded sharply, her scowl menacing. “I can help arrange transport.” She nudged her sisters with a foot. “We all can help.”
“Yes, we can,” Meme’s brother, Josan Anahita, replied.
With that, Meme dismissed everyone. “Except you five standing against the wall,” she called. Pointing at each one in turn just in case they were confused. Mestor knew that look and was glad he was not on the other end of it.
Zeus hurried to his people and made sure they had escorts to their rooms. Everyone left but Hok, Zeus’s Valuzial, and Hadon. They followed Zeus back to the conversation nest where Amlyn seemingly appeared out of nowhere to help Hadon with Dargon. The Dar Massaga groused about riding the hoverpallet but eventually capitulated when Zeus gave him a nudge, saying, “I just want you comfortable as well as mobile.”
Shaneva, Canry, and Arion used the underwater canals to swim to a pool closer to where Mestor and Azaes remained sitting. Earlier, Ariafella had risen to greet the hooded figures but had not returned to Azaes’ side. Since Meme wanted those same people to stay, Ariafella was ushering them toward the front. One trailed behind, obviously reluctant. Mestor squinted, not recognizing the robes. Both his curiosity and his suspicion were piqued since the strangers had yet to uncover their faces. One of them clopped as if they wore metal-soled boots or something equally heavy.
Mestor pulled Sohm’lan down next to him, knowing he wanted to follow his father and ensure he was all right, but they had been commanded to stay. When the last straggler left and the doors were secured, tension slowly arose with the weighted silence.
Father looked grim and Meme wrang her hands. What had them so worried?
“Zeus… Son.” Father finally sat with them, drawing a data pad out of his robe’s pocket.
“Father?” Zeus’s voice wavered, his uncertainty clear.
“Your Meme and I have kept something from you. We even kept this from your brothers until recently.”
Zeus glanced around, a little lost, and suddenly Mestor knew what was coming. Dargon spoke to Amlyn and she moved the hoverpallet closer to Zeus, where he could lay his head on the end of the pallet and touch Zeus at the same time.
“At Haven, I told you that I knew what happened to you at the hand of Timsah Gadrius.” Father heaved a heavy, pain-filled sigh at Zeus’s flinch. The wounds were still there, and Mestor wondered if knowing would help Zeus heal. “There is more.”
Zeus glanced at the hooded figures. “I do not think this is the time to discuss something like that.”
“On the contrary, we need to rid ourselves of secrets before we meet this enemy Sohm’lan has uncovered.” Father tapped the data screen.
Movement made Mestor glance at the mysterious hooded figures. The reluctant one was backing away from the group. Ariafella hurried to their side, speaking in a hushed tone. Mestor was not the only one who saw—Zeus’s skin took on a green cast. Anger, hurt, and sorrow flitted across his expression before he pulled a Sohm’lan and his expression turned into a blank mask.
“Father,” Zeus rasped, the plea there though unsaid.
“We are so very sorry for keeping the truth from you,” Meme said when Father seemed to struggle to find words. “At first it was to protect you. Timsah had planned for every scenario, making sure that at first glance all blame would be laid at your feet. The truth would have eventually been revealed since his prepared accusation could not hold up under expert scrutiny, but by then the damage would have already been done. But you were not the only one we needed to protect. There were others, and we did what we thought was right at that time.”
Zeus’s eyes burned with a fire that Mestor only saw one other time in his life. When he was almost eleven summers, Zeus, Ariafella, and Rathmar had been kidnapped. When they were found, the three were fighting their captors. Zeus had been blind, but his eyes had glowed with a silver fire as he protected Ariafella’s and Rathmar’s backs. He wore that same look now.
“He what?” Zeus’s angry hiss-click was followed by a zip of electricity sparking over his fingertips.
Father glanced at the person Ariafella still spoke to. Zeus followed his gaze, his lips pursing. “You told me that my silence made uncovering Timsah’s treachery harder. I thought you meant… he wanted the Vondorians off the throne, but you did not say he was torturing others. My leaving, my running away allowed him to—” Zeus pressed his palms to his eyes. “What did I do?”
“Son.” Meme leaned forward as if she wanted to touch Zeus but dared not. “Timsah was a master manipulator and skilled at hiding. He hurt many people before and after you. You are not responsible for his actions.”
“Perhaps not, but I am responsible for my own. I ran instead of confronting him for what he did. I did not want to shame my family for being too weak to protect myself. I was too worried about what the noble houses thought. Though I know now it was foolish thinking, I did not want to be the reason Father banished another house. How selfish of me, thinking only of myself and others’ opinions instead of making sure Timsah could never harm another.” Zeus angrily wiped at his tears, and Dargon purred, licking his face. Mestor wanted to go to his little brother, but Canry hopped out of the pool and squeezed into the seat next to Zeus, dripping water everywhere but no one cared.
“He had planned for you confronting him.” Father passed over the data pad. “He had it set up for you to look like a monster, an abuser of someone who everyone knew was your best friend.”
Zeus hesitated before taking the device. Mestor wanted to close his eyes so he would not have to see his little brother in more pain. Remaining in his seat was getting harder by the moment. So many emotions flitted over Zeus’s features, too many for Mestor to identify, but horror settled over his expression like a shroud.
“Oh, Poseidon help me. I did not do this. How did he make it look like me?”
“He videoed the torture at the same time you and Rathmar were held captive. The detective found the person he hired to splice your image from some of the practice vids from the Academy,” Father replied softly, his voice gruff.
“At the same time?” Zeus whispered, gaze going distant as if pulling up the memories of his time under Timsah’s tender care. “It was taken at the same time… Oh, no, no, no. Why did Rath… and I believed him. Stars above. What did I do?” Zeus choked, expression bleak. “I left him there. I walked away.”
“No!” roared the person speaking to Ariafella, jabbing two fingers toward Father as he moved toward the group. “All you are doing is hurting him.”
Before Mestor could rise to his feet, the person snatched the data pad out of Zeus’s hands and stormed away with it. They looked at the screen, making unintelligible noises before dropping it on the tiled floor and stomping on it with their heavy boot until only small pieces were left.
Mestor stood. He and Azaes were halted by their father’s raised hand. He motioned for them to retake their seats. Reluctantly, Mestor obeyed but did not relax in case he needed to move quickly.
“You promised.” More than accusation, there was hurt in the person’s deep voice.
Meme stood, going to the stranger, sorrow in her eyes. “Yes, we did. Your siblings are safe now. You are safe. Timsah will not be leaving Valespia’s custody. Now it is time for y
ou and Zeus to heal.” She put her arm around hunched shoulders, speaking softly enough that Mestor could not make out what she said.
“Rathmar?” Zeus stood, taking an unsure half step.
“This will work out fine,” Meme said, staring up into the shadowed face.
With a gusty sigh, the person turned and let down the hood. The headwraps worn by the desert dwellers covered everything but for stormy gray eyes. Zeus made a wounded noise and took another step. Rathmar removed the wrap, revealing his scarred face. Those healed wounds had not been there when Mestor and Azaes left to bring Zeus home.
Zeus suddenly bent, his hands gripping his knees as a low sound of distress, of gut-wrenching sorrow was wrung from his little brother. Mestor jumped up and quickly crossed to Zeus, but when he reached out, he received an electrical shock that made him step back. He shook out his numb hand.
Before Zeus could be surrounded by everyone, who like Mestor wanted to help, Canry stepped to Zeus’s side, motioning for everyone to leave him alone. “Wait,” he cautioned. “It is not safe yet.”
Helplessly, Mestor stood with Sohm’lan, Azaes, and his parents, needing to give comfort but unable to do anything other than watch. Zeus exited the conversation-nest, his attention never leaving Rathmar.
“This is why I did not want you to tell him!” Rathmar raged. “He has been hurt enough.”
“What about you?” Zeus panted as if he had run across the continent. “You were always trying to protect me. Is this the reason why you were sometimes hot and then cold?”
“It was my fault he hurt you. I did not know how closely he was watching me.” Rathmar rubbed a hand over his azure scales. “I kept defying him. He…”
“You lied to me,” Zeus accused, shoulders hunched. “And I was an idiot, I should have known better. Why? I do not understand why, Rathmar?”
“I… if I had left with you, his watchers would have killed us both. I heard him give the orders after he released me from the table. You would not have left without me, so I lied and made you believe I had betrayed you. I was in no shape to protect you. I barely got you up the stairs without passing out. How was I going to protect us both? So, I chose to get you to safety.”
Even as deep as they were in the palace, the boom of thunder rumbled through the room. The doors to the hallway opened. Kaldor and Rheax entered, holding palm-sized milky-colored stones. Behind them came the two beings who had arrived with Princess Athena. They shut the doors and then stood as if guarding the exit while Kaldor and Rheax cautiously approached, holding the stones in front of them.
“I want to see what he did,” Zeus growled.
Rathmar sighed is if he expected as much. “You are going to argue with me if I say no, so this one time I will show you. Then never again, Zeus.”
Zeus nodded his acceptance and moved out of the conversation-nest and closer to Rathmar. The tall Mar’Sani unbuttoned the cloak, hesitating before turning and letting the material fall to the crook of his elbows. There were several soft gasps as the scars and brands like the ones that marred Zeus’s back were revealed. Some of the scars were so deep that the scales had not grown back.
A heavy dose of guilt and remorse ate at Mestor. He and Azaes had searched for answers about Zeus’s disappearance, unaware of what their father had found. They had only uncovered partial information and he had attacked and beaten Rathmar, allowing misplaced righteous fury to guide his hand. Looking back at how Rathmar had not defended himself, as if he deserved to be hurt, and Mestor saw the truth that had been staring at him for summers. At the time, he had believed it was a sign of Rathmar’s guilt and felt justified. He and Azaes had been wrong and there was nothing he could do that would make up for his despicable actions. But he would try.
A wave of energy washed over him. The same had happened on Qestaire, when Zeus had yelled for the Pool of Truth to relinquish Star Eater and Madux. If they were outside, he had no doubt they would be in the middle of a frightening storm. Power fill the room until Mestor struggled to breathe. Zeus release a piercing scream so filled with anguish that tears blurred Mestor’s vision. Rheax and Kaldor moved behind Zeus, the milky stones now the color of a blue sky and a dusky sunrise were growing darker in hue, as if they soaked up Zeus’s energy.
“I know you can never forgive me,” Rathmar said looking everywhere but at Zeus. “I never meant for you to get hurt. I was just trying to grab some happiness for myself. Being selfish. He was not supposed to find out. We loved each other, but we were not mates. You and I both knew our affair was coming to an end. I am so sorry, I thought we were safe.”
The air crackled. “There is nothing to forgive.” Zeus trembled, hands curling into fists. “He was right there, Rath,” he hissed-clicked. “He was right there in front of me before the Council of Neighn tribunal, spewing more lies. I would have killed him for you then if I had known.” The menace in Zeus’s voice promised that if he ever saw Timsah again, he would commit murder.
Rathmar’s breath stuttered out, and he covered his eyes.
When they were at Haven, Canry had warned against telling Zeus about Rathmar. Now Mestor understood why. Zeus was serious about killing Timsah. And this power that Zeus wielded, something Zeus had had all his life, was quickening. If Zeus had lost control when faced with Timsah, there was no guarantee that Timsah would have been the only person caught in Zeus’s wrath. The air zipped with so much energy that not only was breathing difficult, but an uncomfortable buzz ran along his scales.
Worriedly, Mestor looked to Dargon and Alpha. Hadon, who was a null and his mere presence naturally cancelled out psionic abilities within a couple-meter radius, stood between Hok and Dargon’s hoverpallet. They seemed unaffected by the weight of power that bore down on everyone else. Did that mean Zeus was psi? Mestor was not sure with Kaldor and Rheax working together. Rheax put the now dark-blue crystal in the pouch at her waist and pulled out another milky-white stone that immediately turned a pale blue when she held it toward Zeus.
Leaning over, Mestor braced his palms on his knees as the pressure increased. His ears popped, but he still felt as if he were being crushed. Beside him, Sohm’lan and Azaes knelt on one knee, panting.
Dargon roared, his lion’s call snapped through the air, cutting through the tension and popping it like a bubble. The heavy energy disappeared from one breath to another, and Mestor panted in relief. Zeus scrubbed at his eyes, turning to his mate, but the Dargon had already left the hoverpallet and crossed the space, pressing his head into Zeus’s stomach. With care, he pushed Zeus toward Rathmar.
With fondness in his tone, Dargon said, “Your friend does not need you to spill blood for him. He needs comfort and friendship.”
Dargon stopped pushing when Zeus was only a hand’s breadth away from Rathmar. Zeus’s silver-white eyes were still stormy. He reached up and touched the three parallel scars on Rathmar’s cheek. As tall as Valdor, Rathmar leaned down, allowing Zeus to run his fingers over the marred scales.
“I will fix this,” Zeus vowed.
“It is not—”
“Yes, it is necessary, my friend.”
Rathmar’s expression crumpled at Zeus’s words. “You would still have me as your friend?”
“I am sorry for abandoning you. I do not know how I am going to make up for my foolishness, but I will always be your friend, if you allow it,” Zeus replied, his voice husky and full of tears.
A stubborn glint entered Zeus’s gaze, then he pulled Rathmar’s head down until it rested on Zeus’s shoulder. Rathmar’s big body shook before soft weeping met Mestor’s ears.
Sohm’lan tugged on Mestor’s hand. Father and Meme were ushering Canry, Azaes, and Ariafella to the door along with the other four hooded figures. Hadon and Hok sat on the edge of the conversation nest to wait for Dargon and Zeus. Dargon sat on his haunches, leaning against Zeus and whispering something up to Rathmar. Kaldor and Rheax exchanged their stones again, making no move to leave the room. Princess Athena’s guests remained by the door
.
Father and Meme obviously knew something he did not. “What are those two doing?” he asked, not expecting to get an answer.
“They are there to help deal with any excess power Zeus unintentionally exudes,” Father said looking worn and tired. He looked at Sohm’lan and said, “We should have asked for help when Zeus was younger instead of trying to keep him hidden.”
Sohm’lan clapped Valdor on the back. “We cannot undo history. For all we know, the V’Saar would have come here for him if we let others know he was not human. He has not harmed anyone and has more control than you think.”
Mestor had so many questions. What were the stones Rheax and Kaldor were using? They looked like M’Cathian crystals, just the wrong color until they were near Zeus. As much as he wanted to push for more answers, there were too many people in the hallway waiting for Azaes and Father. Monticore, Basilisc, and message runners from the nobles begging for time with a Vondorian all gathered around. Azaes handled the message runners first, dispersing them with a few words. The family would be unavailable for the rest of the day. Their cousins, Kappa and Noelani, would handle any urgent issues.
Captains Hesperos, Kaduna, and Laras dispersed the extra guards, many of whom wanted to stay since hearing about the Numina. Mestor did not think they would go far, unless one of the captains gave them an assignment. The guards who remained were assigned to Zeus, Dargon, and Alpha’s detail. Ariafella’s father joined them and everyone else followed Father a few rooms down to the family’s personal library, one of the few internal rooms that did not have windows or doors leading outside.
Mestor crossed to the private bar where staff kept some favorite drinks and gave a small exclamation when he found a decanter of Blue Ice. He poured himself a healthy serving and gulped the contents down as if it was juice. The icy grip the liquid had on his throat was painful, reminding him of the reason why sane individuals sipped the liquor. Trying not to cough, Mestor pulled out several trays and glasses, then filled carafes with ice water. He needed to be doing something, otherwise he would lose his temper. He absolutely hated seeing Zeus so upset. Azaes’ own frustration was so strong that Mestor did not have to touch their twin bond to know his brother was just as distraught. He clamped down on the connection to keep their emotions from feeding off each other. The family did not need them to have an angry meltdown. Sohm’lan needed his support. Father needed their support. And Mestor needed to run a few Numina through with very big, very pointy things, starting with Nethus.
