“No,” I hissed. “But I should be. I’m sorry to bring you into this.”
He snorted. “Don’t say those things. There isn’t a place in the Universe I’d rather be.” Zaren took my face in his hands and kissed me. It was full of a passion I hadn’t known he possessed. I melted into him, wishing with all my heart we were alone.
Seconds later, he released me, leaning his forehead against mine. “I love you Venus of Alayeah. With everything I am.”
“I-I love you too, Zaren.” My immortal heart, my epsis, thundered against my chest. I did love him.
“Awwww, how very touching,” Palmo said, his voice like oil, thick and slippery.
“I concur, dear brother. Very romantic,” Dervinias added.
Zaren gripped my hand, “Don’t worry about them. They’re jealous.”
I nodded. “Dervinias and Palmo are brothers?” I whispered, trying to stifle my shock.
“Apparently. Though it doesn’t surprise me. The king of Canaru has something of a reputation.”
“Really?” I was beginning to realize I knew nothing about the other rulers of Kelari. I was like a minnow in a piranha tank. The Chans, my tutors, and my parents had taught me much, but they hadn’t taught me everything. That wouldn’t do if I wanted to keep my country thriving.
The vapor cleared and I looked around. Zaren gave my hand a quick squeeze before releasing it. “Be ready.”
“For what?” Palmo asked, terror in his voice.
“Anything,” Zaren answered.
Zaren’s back touched mine. Whatever Ramien had planned, Zaren obviously believed it wouldn’t be good. I had no weapon but my body, so I widened my stance, and lowered my center.
We were no longer in the same room. This one was perfectly circular. Thousands of dimly lit lights were nestled randomly in the rock walls. A chilly wind blew, bringing with it the stench of brine. Water seeped in from tiny cracks in the rocky walls. Above, water dripped in a steady beat.
On the floor, in the center of the room, lay a golden door. Intrigued, I bent down to get a closer look. Zaren pulled me up. “Wait,” he hissed.
Palmo muttered, like a nervous old man, his lips flapping incoherently. The last part I understood, no doubt because he meant for me to hear. “It seems, once again, I’m required to suffer unnecessarily thanks to you, Venus.” Palmo spoke my name like it contained something vile. “I don’t know why, but everyone is overly concerned about you—whether you live or die, whether you stay on Kelari or not, whether we marry or not . . .” Palmo gave me a once over. “You aren’t the slightest bit impressive. At all. Amberlee is better suited to rule Alayeah.” He sniffed and shoved his hands into his armpits. “What happens to you means nothing to me, as long as you don’t hurt Amberlee. So why am I here?”
“I have no idea.” I shrugged. When we were younger, Palmo came to our families’ castle often, with his parents, the king and queen of Canaru. He constantly teased me. I considered him a nuisance. My parents always made me behave nicely, since we were betrothed. He was always sweet to my sister though. I was curious why Ramien brought him here as well. I gave Zaren an inquiring look.
Zaren fixed his gaze on Palmo. “Ramien said you were here for a reason. They matter only to you. Remember those words.”
“They should matter to you as well, guardian.” Palmo marched over, trying to intimidate Zaren. I covered my mouth to hide my laugh. Palmo was a head shorter than Zaren. He barely stood taller than me. Not to mention Palmo’s body was . . . much more feminine than Zaren’s. The boy went on, “As a Formytian, it is your sacred duty to protect royalty. At all costs.” Palmo’s eyes narrowed. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll do all in your power to keep me safe. Otherwise I’ll make sure you suffer for your insolence,” he said sharply.
“Stop being a baby and see if you can find a way out,” I snapped. No need to mention the obvious. If Palmo died, he wouldn’t have a way to make Zaren pay for his pretend crimes. “And, for your information, Zaren isn’t—”
Zaren ran a hand along my side. His face was impassive, but I understood he wanted me to stop. Zaren didn’t care what Palmo thought. I wouldn’t either. Chev whimpered and Palmo’s insipidness was forgotten. The human girl was pregnant, by Dervinias, which shouldn’t be feasible. Running to her side, I kneeled.
“How did this happen?” I asked, tentatively touching her belly. A part of me wanted to believe it wasn’t real.
“Well Venus, when a boy and a girl get together in an intimate way,” Dervinias began sarcastically.
“Shut up.” I glared. Chev’s pregnancy was shocking. She should’ve died. The mortal body of a human and the immortal “essence” of a kelvieri should be like steel toxin in Chev’s body. But here she was, a mockery to all the doctrine I was taught, looking as though she were ready to pop. The gestational period of a kelvieri child was two months. I knew it was a lot longer for humans. It had only been six weeks. What was she growing? She didn’t look very good. Not to mention the issue of Kelari’s air. It was different from Earth’s. That alone should’ve killed her.
“How is she able to breathe without difficulty?” I asked Dervinias.
“Earth’s air became poisonous to her. I think the child has changed her somehow, but honestly, I don’t know,” Dervinias said with quiet reverence. He appeared to be in awe of Chev and the child.
To Chev, I asked the obvious, “Are you pregnant?” I really just wanted to verify the two of them had sex. “Dervinias didn’t . . .” I searched for a word that wouldn’t remind her she was a rat in Dervinias’s crazy lab of horrors. “He didn’t hurt you?”
“No. Venus, it was wonderful.” It looked like she wanted to go on, like she desperately wanted someone to confide in. A friend. But I couldn’t be that for her. Not now. Maybe not ever.
“I still can’t believe it,” Dervinias said, shaking his head, a goofy grin plastered on his face.
The two of them together was weird. Dervinias, though he looked like a sixteen-year-old human teen, was actually much older. He was a killer. Chev, as far as I knew, was nothing more than a girl from Wyoming who loved to ride horses.
Zaren bent down and placed a hand on Chev’s raised abdomen. “The baby will come soon,” he said.
Dervinias pushed Zaren’s hand off. “Don’t touch her.” Desperation throbbed in his voice, along with something else.
“Do you mean to say you have feelings for this human?” Zaren asked, indicating Cheverly.
I watched Dervinias’s face soften. “I do. It may be . . .” he stifled before continuing, “difficult to believe, but it’s true.”
I rocked on my heels. Michael told me Dervinias killed his mother, and he’d been killing humans for a long time, so why would Dervinias care for one he impregnated?
“We’re going to get out of here,” I cooed, desperate to believe the words, hoping they would comfort Chev.
Chev nodded, but she couldn’t hide the doubt in her eyes.
10. Creep
“Check this out,” Palmo shouted.
We all crouched around the door, kneeling like worshippers praying over our sacrifice.
“Cover your eyes, I’m going to blow away the dust,” Zaren commanded.
We did and he blew. Particles struck my skin.
“Okay,” Zaren said when he finished.
“Talk about creepy,” Dervinias said, peering closer.
I had to agree. An intricate image of a sandy beach with a large tree in the center was etched into the door. At the base of the trees thick trunk yawned a weathered face. The eyebrows were tilted in anger. Empty crimson eyes stared at nothing. Its nose was a tangled branch and its mouth was opened. The top of the tree sprouted winding branches filled with blackened leaves. Strange creatures hid within them. A snake, with flowing red hair and the tail of an angelfish, curled around an upper branch. Monkeys with curved beaks and wings hung by their tails. On a lower branch sat a leopard-man with a forked tongue. A child kneeled in the sand, play
ing with a shovel and pail. Near the boys’ big toe was a crab about to pinch, and behind the boy slithered a giant snake with a tiger’s mane. Beneath the sand were the trees’ roots. They feathered out like veins. Sharire, octopi, and whaletins circled hungrily below.
“Seriously creepy,” Palmo added.
“Stand back,” Zaren said. “I’m going to open the door.” He pulled on the diamond and ruby encrusted handle. Nothing happened. He pulled again.
“Let me try,” Dervinias said, shouldering Zaren out of the way.
It didn’t budge.
“There’s got to be something else,” I said, scrutinizing every inch of the picture. The child smiled. I brushed away a piece of dirt near his cheek. At my touch, the child ran away, disappearing from the picture, and strange writing appeared.
“Freaky,” Chev said.
“Will you read it, Venus,” Zaren asked.
With an unsteady voice, I began:
My first is in hauntingly but not in laughingly
My second is in generator but not in regnant
My first is in burnout but not in brunt
My second is in temple but not in melt
My third is in rasher but not in harsh
My fourth is in pertinence but not in receipt
My first is in into but not in ion
My second is in whither but not in rewrite
My third is in scrubber but not in scrub
My first is in prude but not in upper
My second is in ornament but not in remnant
My third is in secretion but not in strictness
My fourth is in confiscator but not in ossification
My first is in prosperous but not in propose
My second is in shaver but not in heaver
My third is in patella but not in plat
My first is in constituency but not in incestuousness
My second is in intercontinental but not in tricentennial
My third is in enthusiastically but not in synthetically
My fourth is in transitiveness but not in inattentiveness
My first is in filing but not in lining
My second is in restoration but not in ornateness
My third is in nonferrous but not in forerunner
My fourth is in alternate but not in learner
When I finished, Palmo let out a frustrated groan and stomped around like a kelni child who didn’t get his way. “What the helker does it mean? I heard the words, but it makes no sense.”
“Zaren?” I questioned, hoping he had a clue.
“I’m not sure.”
“It’s a riddle,” Dervinias chimed in, taking Chev’s hand in his, and patting it. “They’re popular on Earth.”
“Right,” Chev agreed, perking up at the mention of her planet.
“What’s a riddle?” Palmo probed, obviously still confused.
“It’s like an amere,” Dervinias said, lacing his fingers together. “Each piece must be joined precisely, in its proper place, or it’ll fall apart.”
As if to emphasize the point, the room started to shake violently again, careening us into each other. Chev clung onto Dervinias, and I grabbed Zaren’s arm.
“Now what?” Palmo yelled.
“It looks like we’ve got company.” Dervinias indicated the other side of the room.
Zaren and I turned as though we were a solid unit. Three creatures, their faces furry and spotted like a leopard stood at attention like soldiers awaiting their orders. Their eyes held no pupil, and glowed red. They wore silver tunics with matching pants and shoes that reminded me of slippers. The fabric on the tunic shone like a dying star giving off its last light. Around each waist was a belt filled with varying weapons, and crisscrossed across their backs were dual swords. Worn much the same way as the Formytians.
Zaren blew out a breath.
“What?” I asked, wondering why he’d lost his composure. Usually he was so calm in the face of danger.
“Nothing,” he said too quickly.
I checked his face. He’d gone pale, his eyes were wide, his lips parted.
“Zaren?” I followed his gaze.
He drew his sword, and I wished I had one.
One of the creatures took a step forward. “You always were over anxious for a fight, Zar-Zar,” it said in a sultry female voice.
“Do you know . . . it?” I whispered.
He glanced at me sideways, terror and pain screwing up his gorgeous face. “It-she reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago.”
“It’s me. Palamina. Remember?” The soldier’s face softened, and momentarily looked kelarian.
Zaren let out a battle cry. “No. Mina’s dead. You’re nothing but evil sent to torment me.” He lunged, his Ostwallow sword coming down on her neck, but he didn’t follow through. The soldier’s words had affected him.
“Do it, Zaren,” I shouted, desperate to get these soldiers gone—her gone. If she affected Zaren so deeply, we were in trouble. The other two soldiers still hadn’t moved, their empty crimson eyes stared blankly ahead. Palamina made no move to block his blow. I didn’t know what they waited for.
“I-I can’t.” Zaren stepped away, turning his back on her. His opponent. She really must’ve disturbed him.
This was serious! Who the helker was Palamina? “I don’t understand,” I uttered, stepping toward her. She’d called him Zar-Zar, and he called her Mina. Nicknames.
“It could be Zaren still has guilt over the choices he made years ago,” Palamina said, keeping her eyes locked on Zaren. “Perhaps he regrets his decision to slay the woman he supposedly loved. His wife, no less, based on the word of one accuser.”
Zaren swung around. “The king and queen ordered your death. I had no choice.” The words ripped from his throat. His sorrow so palpable I felt it.
I was stunned. He and Palamina had been husband and wife? He’d never mentioned her, that part of his life. And he was forced to kill her on orders from my parents. I wondered what she was like before Ramien altered her? I wondered if Zaren kissed her the way he kissed me? I wondered . . .
“Show no mercy. These things won’t,” Zaren yelled, but his face belied his anger. He pulled the smaller sword from over his right shoulder and handed it to me.
“What are they?” I asked, trying to understand. When he didn’t answer, I muttered, “Got it.” One thing was certain, come helker or high water, Palamina was mine. “Dervinias. Palmo. Are you prepared to fight?” I asked over my shoulder.
“No,” Palmo hollered. He stood over the door, studying the words in the riddle.
Chev was crying again. Dervinias held her, rocking.
No matter. It was two against three.
Those aren’t bad odds, I thought standing next to Zaren.
“Come on,” I shouted. With all the power I possessed, I brought the sword down on Palamina’s body, slicing her in two with one blow.
Palamina let out an agonizing scream. She dropped her sword, and touched her hands to her body. Black blood gushed through her fingers. Her top half of her body slid from the bottom half and fell to the ground with a stomach-turning thud.
Zaren sucked in his breath. “Venus . . .”
He didn’t finish, and I moved on to the next soldier. Maybe I’d kill them all before they could fight.
This would be an easy first challenge. Ramien would need to do better than send a few altered souls.
Before I could finish the thought though, the something the soldiers waited for happened.
Water. Gallons of it pushed its way through cracks in the ceiling, sending chunks of concrete, dirt, and debris down on our heads. The water broke through the walls, cascading like waterfalls. It was seawater, cold and pungent. A thick dread settled in my stomach. Not more water.
A large piece of debris smacked Palmo on the head, sending him down hard into the foot deep water. He howled, sputtering. Zaren went over and lifted him to his feet.
“Watch yourself,” Zaren said.
> The room was filling up with water quickly.
“No,” I whispered, feeling an unseen hand circle my throat.
Zaren returned to my side, but shouted, “Dervinias!”
“What?”
“You and Palmo work out the riddle. We need to get the door opened.”
“Will do.”
“Venus,” Zaren spun me toward him. “You’re going to be fine. We’re going to be fine. I’ll be right here beside you. Okay?”
I felt frozen, helpless against the rising water.
It is just water, Venus. It is just water. I repeated the phrase over and over in my mind, searching for the angry resolve I possessed moments ago.
Tortevia came to my rescue with a roar in my ears. Push away your fears, child.
She was right. This was not the time to panic.
“Zaren, I’m good.”
He nodded, planting a kiss on my cheek. “Excellent.”
But, when Palamina’s body reassembled itself, a pang of doubt filled my heart.
11. Never Said
“Are you ready for a rematch?” the female soldier asked.
“Don’t you know it,” I answered, deflecting her blade with mine. We traded blows, the sound of metal biting metal echoing around the room. It was hard to hear anything except the falling water, and the clang of our swords. The other two soldiers went after me, but Zaren blocked their weapons. I noted the swords they swung looked like the revered Formytian’s Ostwallow blades and I wondered if they truly were.
I didn’t have to speculate long though because the female soldier’s blade caught me on my bicep, and filleted my flesh. Celestrum leaked from the wound.
“Awwww,” I cried. “Zaren their swords are Ostwallow. Be careful.” Even as I said the words, I marveled at the possibility. Ostwallow blades chose their guardians. They were the only weapons on Kelari able to kill a kelvieri, their death song as unique as the guardian the blade chose.
“I noticed. Be careful, and go for their eyes. Cutting them out is what destroys them,” Zaren said, his words huffing at my back.
With Zaren so close, the female soldier fixated on him. She pushed me into another soldier. I heard the she-leopard, Palamina, roar and lunge for Zaren. This time Zaren was prepared, and met her blow for blow.
Beguiled (Book 2 Immortal Essence series) Page 6
