Lilith: Eden's Planetary Princess (The Michael Archives Book 1)

by Robinson, C. E.

  “No… uh… No, my Queen, as far as I know, they had never met.”

  “Then the older sister would not be reacting as you. They would not be so…”

  Amphitrite twisted her head. She scratched the back of her neck, in search for the right word.

  “Noble acceptance of reality?” Vilecia offered.

  Amphitrite looked at Vilecia. “Yes, yes. That’s right Erin. Another act of nobility. A noble acceptance of reality.” Amphitrite nodded her head in agreement. She turned her full attention back to Rozner. “But this is not the end of my story. As it happened, my son Sandeep was standing right beside me. In fact, the arrow that hit Douglas flew right between our heads. Do you know my son, Sandeep?”

  “No, Ma’am. I don’t know him,” Rozner replied.

  “Oh yes, of course. Everyone on Elysium must refer to him by his formal name, Dhanvantari.”

  “Uh. Yes, Ma’am. I know of Dhanvantari.”

  “Well, under other circumstances, Dhanvantari would have seen this as none of his business. But because of how bastard Diocletian intentionally targeted his little sister, and how Douglas saved his little sister’s life, he rushed over and immediately performed surgery.” Amphitrite studied Rozner’s face closely. “Dhanvantari is quite a remarkable surgeon, you know.”

  Rozner did not reply. She had stopped breathing.

  Amphitrite continued. “I was so very moved by the whole affair. So I thought it appropriate and useful to breathe some prana into him. He lost a lot of blood. And he did slip past death a couple of times. But between Dhanvantari and me, he seems to be fine now, and I’m sure…”

  Rozner grabbed Amphitrite and squeezed her hard. She planted a full kiss on her lips. “You saved my Doug’s life?”

  “Well, it only seemed fair, you know. After all, h…”

  Rozner kissed her again.

  Had you told me yesterday I would just stand here and allow an ugly Nazz female to kiss me like that, I would have laughed in your face, Amphitrite thought to herself. She stroked her fingers through Rozner’s short hair, and then returned a delicate kiss on her lips.

  Rozner’s face wrinkled. She collapsed to the floor sobbing. She leaned forward and kissed one of Amphitrite’s feet and then the other. “How can I ever thank you?” she said.

  A powerful hand grasped her by the arm and pulled her up. Amphitrite took a delicate handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes. “You can thank me by being a welcomed guest at the royal reception and banquet I am throwing in Lieutenant Franziska’s honor.” Amphitrite looked down at Erin. “Of course, I am expecting you and your sister to attend as well. Possibly you can help arrange the guest list.”

  Amphitrite paused. “You look upset,” she said to Vilecia.

  “My Queen. Please forgive me. I must correct the royal person.” Amphitrite could not remember the last time someone had addressed her in such a way.

  “The presence of my sister and me would be insulting to the dignity of individuals such as Lieutenant Franziska and Captain Rozner as well as to the dignity of the entire Corps of Elysium guards.” Vilecia briefly looked up at the Queen, then back down. “It is a common mistake. My sister and I have a physical appearance that reminds the royal mind of Madame Kuko Kiena. We, however, have little else in common with our m…”

  Vilecia corrected herself, “…Madame Kuko Kiena is an archetype of a Nazz warrior. She is brave, powerful, self-sacrificing, and as brilliant in military strategy as she is in all matters of art and literature and so much more. My sister and I are not. We are self-serving dilettantes. We are mediocre fighters. We lie when there is no greater good to do so. We manipulate to get what we want versus what we deserve.”

  Amphitrite crossed her arms and studied the back of Erin’s head for a moment. She looked at Captain Rozner who appeared to agree with what Vilecia had just said. Her expression was not condemning. If anything, it looked as if Rozner felt sorry for her.

  “It would be more appropriate for someone such as Captain Rozner to help organize the guest list,” Vilecia continued. “She well knows all of Lieutenant Franziska’s friends. It would be more appropriate for you to look upon me, not as a good Nazz warrior, but as a common whore. Now, please allow me to remove my eyes from the royal person.”

  “Very well,” Queen Amphitrite said to the back of Vilecia’s head. She looked at Rozner. “Captain Rozner. Would you be willing to help the royal court of Castile assemble an appropriate guest list for a reception and banquet in Lieutenant Franziska’s honor?”

  “Yes, my Queen,” Rozner replied with a polite Castile-like bow. “Of course. I am honored by your request,” she said to the Queen’s feet.

  “Then please expect a letter from Jacques.” Rozner looked up, and they exchanged a quick smile. Rozner bowed again, wondering who Jacques was.

  Amphitrite elegantly strolled toward the exit. When she reached the exit, she turned back, briefly glancing between Vilecia and Rozner. Humm, she thought to herself. How all very interesting. I wonder if Erin knows that some of my best friends are whores.

  It did not take Doctor Gonboth long to locate Kuko Kiena. There she was, on the third level of Indra’s pyramid, standing next to Castor Mayhew. They gave each other a dirty look. Gonboth did not signal; she just stomped her way over to Indra’s pyramid.

  When Gonboth arrived, Kuko was waiting for her. Like her uniform, Kuko’s face was splattered with multiple colors of blood. “What do you want, Teresa?” Kuko spat.

  “Torturing children your new pastime?” Gonboth asked.

  “Dozens of Nazz warriors were killed because the Erin twins were showing off, distracting the archers from their targets. In my eyes, they are just the same as murderers. So I gave them the choice between the sword and the strap. It’s a Nazz mother’s duty to extricate rotten…”

  “Mother? You have the audacity to call yourself a mother?”

  “Pardon me. You are correct. I am no longer their mother. I disavowed the both of them. My only regret is that I waited so long to do so.”

  Gonboth crossed her right arm across her solar plexus. She rested the elbow of her left upon it and her chin in her left hand. She had not expected this explanation. “Was this the twin’s first war?”

  “Don’t play stupid with me, Teresa. You know it wasn’t. It’s their third.”

  “I knew of two previous. I didn’t know if there had been others.” The two powerful women locked eyes. Gonboth continued. “As I recall, Castor Mayhew led the protective team that guided the Erin twins and their peers through the first battle. Pope Hukarknar guided their protective team through the second. Tell me, Madame Kiena,” Gonboth hissed. “Who guided the twins through this one?”

  “It’s about time they…”

  “No it isn’t. You throw children into the middle of a battle, and then beat them when they behave like children. Are you stupid?”

  Kuko stiffened. “There’s always a time when…”

  “And did that have to be today?” Gonboth asked. “Are you saying that Elysium would have fallen if two children hadn’t picked up the sword?”

  “If you’re so freaking smart, why don’t you try to break through their arrogant…”

  “Arrogant. Well, I wonder where they got that from?”

  Kuko rolled her eyes. Suddenly, she felt a sting on her face. Gonboth had just slapped her.

  “Kiena. You’re a bad mother. So why don’t you just go kill some more Cardinals? At least you’re good at that.” Gonboth spun on her heels and marched back toward the hospital.

  Indra, anxiously watching the entire dynamic, worried what would happen next. He knew Gonboth well. It was he, who had long ago promoted her to the head doctor general of all medical services. And with two tempers and egos like that…

  He jumped down to Kuko’s level. Her head hung down. When he lifted her chin, he expected to see rage.

  “Kuko? What’s so funny?” he asked.

  Grinning, she took a deep breath and let it out. �
��Phew. What a relief.”

  Indra shook his head. “Kuko, every time I think I have you figured out…”

  Kuko gave him a sly smirk.

  “Please. Enlighten me,” he said.

  “Who is the absolute best mother under your command?”

  He remained silent.

  She continued. “I know there are a lot of excellent Nazz mothers. But who is it — the archetype — that one who is so excellent — who could write the book on good mothering?”

  “Well, Teresa, of course.”

  Kuko nodded. “So now, what’s she going to do?”

  Kuko did not wait for his response. “Teresa just can’t wait to show me up. She’s going to show me how it’s done. So now, Vilecia and Patricia will have guidance from the best mother in Elysium. I’m relieved. I’ve been so worried about them.”

  “Kuko. Has anyone ever told you you’re a master manipulator?” Indra asked, shaking his head.

  “Why thank you, my dear Lord Indra. What a wonderful compliment.”

  Captain Rozner grasped Vilecia’s hand and led her to an educational pyramid. “Doctor General Gonboth told me to bring you here as soon as you finished your treatments. We’re to stay here, under the eye of Khalifah Za’afiel and observe as many details of the battle as we can. You’re to focus on how the individual fighters interact with the tacticians.”

  Actually, Gonboth had told Rozner the real purpose of this exercise was to distract Vilecia from her wounds by giving her something complex to focus on. If Rozner saw Vilecia’s mind wandering into unpleasant recent events, she was to refocus her. Had a tough guard like Rozner received these instructions only a half an hour earlier, she would have been deeply insulted. If there was anything Rozner was not, it was a babysitter — especially if the baby was a spoiled little brat like Vilecia.

  But Vilecia had surprised Rozner — the way she reacted to the dead Major Vilhem Nezith and her interactions with Queen Amphitrite. After standing on the pyramid for a moment, Rozner felt Vilecia’s grip on her hand tighten.

  “What’s wrong?” Rozner asked.

  “Please don’t give up on me,” Vilecia said, her head down.

  The request caught Rozner by surprise. “You know I won’t give up on you. Why do you say that? If nothing else, I promised Rickey I would be responsible for your training.”

  Vilecia gave Rozner’s hand another squeeze. “An hour ago, would you be holding my hand like this?” Vilecia let go of Rozner’s hand.

  “I have a big problem, Captain Rozner.”

  Rozner waited.

  “It’s called charisma. Both my sister and I inherited charisma from our parents. You might think this a blessing, but as you have just seen with your own eyes, it has resulted in the death of many Nazz warriors.”

  Rozner did not know what to say.

  “It is our charisma that allows us to get away with almost anything we want. Our teachers have been seduced by our charisma. And unless you understand this, and recognize this for what it is, you too will be seduced.”

  Vilecia’s eyes filled with tears. “All my life, I’ve watched how teachers fashion Nazz warriors. So precise — so relentless — steel forging steel. And you. I have seen how you train Douglas and his peers. I’ve been so jealous. Again and again, I wondered if everyone just thought I wasn’t worthy enough. You are my last hope to become a real Nazz warrior. So please, Captain Rozner. Don’t give up on me.”

  “Oh crap,” Rozner said quietly. Of absolutely any one thing Vilecia could have said, this was the very last thing she could have imagined.

  “Begging your pardon, Captain Rozner, but what is that I’m seeing?” Rozner followed Vilecia’s finger.

  “Pope Hukarknar. One thirty. Forty… forty-three, maybe.”

  Rozner placed herself in Hukarknar’s point of view and looked fifty degrees to the right. Her mind tracked along that line and counted 40 faces away.

  “Light black. No…several shades toward brown.”

  Rozner scanned the faces in the vicinity.

  “I’m pretty sure I saw him change from a Daligastian robe into a Nazz uniform.”

  Oh that’s not good, Rozner thought to herself.

  “To Indra… To Konsta… To Hukarknar… To me… To…”

  Rozner knew Vilecia was calling out the directions where the suspect was looking. Clearly, Vilecia’s eyes were far superior to hers. The best she could do was hope the individual in question was turning his head as he looked around because she certainly could not see his eyes.

  “Konsta. He keeps looking at Konsta.”

  “Quick. You go,” Rozner said, scanning available guards. Rozner gave a quick hand signal, and then looked to see who else might be involved.

  Vilecia, as quickly as she could without attracting the attention of her prey, moved through the battlefield. The fighting was winding down now. As there were not as many bodies available to mask her approach, her pattern of movement was much more serpentine. She removed a large dart from under her sleeve and tied a ribbon to the end. Time was screaming past and she could not move fast enough. She knew if the assassin saw her coming, he would strike immediately. If a Nazz warrior was seen killing Prince Daligastia’s oldest son, Konsta, a brand new type of war would unfold.

  Vilecia looked one way while slipping the other way. In a complex environment, a watcher would focus on the direction their target was looking rather than the direction they were actually moving. The assassin was doing the same thing, looking in different directions while moving in another. It was clear; the assassin was moving toward Konsta.

  Vilecia looked at Konsta and to the guards around him. Something was missing. She looked again. No, someone is missing. Vilecia found the assassin again through the network of bodies. She figured the assassin would throw a poison knife. All he had to do was just graze the skin to kill his prey. He was within range. Time had run out.

  Vilecia made eye contact with several guards Captain Rozner had sent to assist her. They saw Vilecia’s eye contact and although they were unsure of the exact individual, it was easy enough to clear a suitable path. The assassin looked back in Vilecia’s direction. He jerked slightly when he saw Vilecia staring at him. It was not the first time Vilecia had been mistaken for her mother.

  The assassin hesitated.

  Vilecia flicked her wrist. An instant later, a dart with a violet ribbon and red stripes smashed into the assassin’s hand. Every Nazz in the vicinity who saw the ribbon instantly knew the message.

  TRAITOR.

  Chapter 76

  The Wrong God

  I don’t like treason and traitors in the family — in any family. Such reprehensible behavior tends to make me sting.

  —Na Ra, God of the Insects, The First Self-Aware Deity Made by the Hands of El Elyon and Rose

  Elysium

  A cordon of Nazz guards leapt on Konsta’s pyramid. As Captain Rozner suspected, there was more than one assassin. She scanned the guards in the vicinity of the assassin for unfamiliar brown faces. Almost immediately, the second assassin was identified and subjugated.

  At first, Konsta was confused. Why were the Nazz bringing Louis and Alvesta, his two most trusted bodyguards and advisors, before him? Why were they dressed in Nazz uniforms? Then he saw the violet ribbon with red stripes and knew. For a Nazz warrior, this was their most reprehensible symbol. The violet represented envy of God. The red represented lust. Simply translated, ‘My lusts have caused me to envy and therefore betray my God.’

  Konsta took two long strides toward Louis with his sword pointed at his throat. Louis tried to appear defiant but fear filled his eyes. In his peripheral vision, Konsta saw Alvesta smirk.

  Louis was ambitious, and Konsta knew it. He loved making his fortunes on the toils of the Zom, a caste of slow-witted Daligastian workers who were easy to exploit. But Alvesta? He thought Alvesta was more than his advisor and most trusted bodyguard. He thought Alvesta was his best friend. Konsta turned his back without looking at Alvesta and
caught his father’s eye. Clearly, Prince Daligastia was also saddened by what he saw. It was painful to see his son betrayed in such a cruel way.

  Quite surprisingly, Ma Meshabber, his mother, stepped from behind her husband’s massive body. She returned her sewing to her bag, and then walked into the realm of battle. It was remarkable for the Tribe of Elder Women to participate in such matters. Konsta saw the fury in her eyes. Because Konsta had turned his back to them, and the head of the Tribe of Elder Women had stood, revenge had now been taken to an entirely different level. He would bow and step aside.

  Ma gave but a single glance to Pearl, her daughter. Pearl gave a single glance to her five massive daughters — all of them Zul, an elite caste of warriors. A groan leaked out of Louis’ mouth before they even touched him. The five massive Zul daughters stripped off Louis’ clothes while wearing gloves spiked with thorns, thorns that ripped into his skin. They led him away as if he were nothing more than a dog.

  By now, Ma Meshabber stood in front of Alvesta. “I am a brown-skinned male. I do not respect you in these matters, old woman.”

  She did not respond to his taunts. It was as though he had said nothing at all.

  “Oh, mai, mai. Da bs foman hisslf. Da hatr of da por Dagastan Zom,” she said with calculating black eyes. “Sa prd, sa prd.” [Oh, my, my. The boss foreman hisself. The hater of the poor Daligastian Zom. So proud, so proud.”]

  She turned to address her son. “Mes dn tol ya, ma swt sn. Mes dn tol ya, hal da brn kn lk at da Zom un da Zul.” [Me done told you, my sweet son. Me done told you, how the brown skin looks at the Zom and the Zul.]

  She turned back to Alvesta. “Na, mes gna fin it ol aot. Ys, yus gna tels Ma Mshbr de ho tng.” [Now, me is going to find it all out. Yes, you is going to tell Ma Meshabber the whole thing.]

  Alvesta wanted to spit on her. He was more powerful than any female black-skinned Zom. What could she do to him? What petty torments could this primitive black woman offer to a brown-skinned God such as himself?