Jerof

by Phoebe Nix

  Anger rose in his chest. Before he could stop himself, Jerof brought his fists down on the table with such force that the other member recoiled in their seats.

  “Enough! You will not speak of her like that.”

  The room was silenced. Jerof drew a deep breath, looking at everyone around the table. “You would not think of her this way if you had met her. You judge purely based on her race.”

  “I judge based on history, which we all know repeats itself.”

  “It is humans that are harvested, Murrn,” Akar clarified.

  “It is humans who were. We do not know what the agenda is now. The new plan could be to use Hagrans as lab rats once again, and you are inviting the trap into your home. Allowing it to collect our information, our differences, our weaknesses. King Urik is right. You are nothing but a traitor.”

  Jerof flung the golden grail in front of him, spilling the blood-red drink over the table. “Enough!” he bellowed. “If it is an alpha battle that you and the kings want, then you will have one. But these childish arguments will not solve anything.”

  “We are hoping to change your mind before we see you killed,” King Urik claimed. “Believe it or not, Jerof, we still respect you and your father’s legacy. If there is anything we can say that will make you think twice, we will give it one more shot before we see you in that ring.”

  “You do not think I am worthy to rule, but I will prove myself worthy,” Jerof growled.

  Princess Finoa stood outside the door, eavesdropping and telling the guards to hush. This wasn’t the first time she had done this. Although she supported her brother, she had hoped he would change his mind as well. His mother’s premonition had seen him fall in love with an alien, but it never said anything about his fate afterwards. It was unclear whether the prophecy delineated Jerof’s future, or if it was going to end up with his inexorable brutal death.

  Belut rose, pushing his chair as he did. It toppled over and he stormed out the Council room. As the doors slid open, Finoa took a few steps back. She pretended that she’d just arrived with news, but he couldn’t care less why she was there.

  He shot her a scornful glance. “Your brother,” he scoffed. “He is walking himself to his grave. If you have an ounce of love or respect for him, stop him before he drags the whole planet down the abyss with him.”

  Finoa raised a brow. Liz had taught her to use the middle finger, but she refrained, knowing how powerful Belut was.

  “And that Earthling,” he added. “She must be eliminated.”

  “Your liege will be eliminated,” Finoa hissed.

  The Council member stroked his beard proudly before he strutted off, escorted by the guards to the main gate.

  Before the doors closed, Finoa shot her brother a curious glance. She could only see him from behind, but she watched Murrn, who was seated across from him on the other side of the table, glare at her threateningly. Incapable of stopping herself, she flipped him her middle finger with a straight face as the doors slid shut.

  “Whatever we discuss here is not the final answer, anyway. The Summit will decide whatever happens next,” Akar declared.

  “We do not need to wait. You can easily predict what will happen. Jerof, reconsider this decision,” Murrn said. “I know you think we are all these elders that spit out old-fashioned advice, but we have been around for a long time and we know what is best for this planet and your Kingdom.”

  “Exactly,” Jerof enunciated. “My Kingdom. The choice is mine to make.”

  “It does not matter any longer,” King Urik said. “I have offered you my daughter’s hand in marriage and you have so foolishly turned it down. This is not an option anymore. You have made your choice. But I promise you that you shall regret this.”

  “Jerof,” Murrn called out with a wave. He stroked his moustache before he continued. “I know that you are relying on your strength to win this battle, but it takes more than a warrior’s prowess. By doing this, you will compel many a prince to fight you, kill you, before they fight each other for the crown. You are not only harming yourself. You will cause chaos. The kind that your father had been able to avoid for decades.”

  “You said you were progressive,” King Urik taunted. “That peace did not need a wedding, but what you are doing will cause the deaths of many. You think your actions are for the good of the Kingdom, but you are promoting violence.”

  “Only because I must. I will not sit here and watch the kings walk away from my father’s plans because of some misconceptions. I will prove myself worthy if that is what it takes.”

  “So be it,” King Urik said.

  Murrn picked up the grail set before him and took a sip. He set it back down and wiped his lips with the ball of his thumb. His eyes travelled to Jerof’s, who glared back at him. “Twenty Kingdoms, my Liege,” he proudly said. “Some of the best fighters on our planet. Please, think carefully about your decision.”

  Chapter 19

  In the dark of the night, the three crescent moons hung high. Sparkling shafts of moonlight shone inside Liz’s bedroom, making her hair shimmer as she maneuvered across the room.

  Despite Jerof assuring her that everything would turn out in their favor, a sudden visceral feeling that he was in danger overwhelmed her. She thought about sneaking to his bedroom, but it was quite late, and she wasn’t sure whether she would find him. Despite Jerof insisting she move into his room, Liz had declined, not wanting to cause any more trouble for him. Still, there was nothing more that she wanted right now then to see him safe with her.

  She combed her hair in the quietude of the night, the scratching sound of her curls becoming untangled was relaxing until felt a thudding in her chest. Muffled steps grew louder until she heard the sound right outside her door. It stopped, but no one knocked. Through the slit at the bottom of the door, she could see someone’s shadow, standing still as they waited.

  Although terrified, she unlocked the door to see who it was spying on her.

  “Hey,” Finoa whispered. “It’s just me. Sorry, I was going to knock but then I thought you may have been asleep.”

  “You scared the living shit out of me.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Is everything okay? I overheard snippets from the guards and it sounded like the meetings aren’t going too well?” Liz inquired gesturing her inside.

  Finoa sighed, glancing behind her before she closed the door. She paced toward the dressing table and perched on a stool, crossing one leg over the other. “It’s Jerof.”

  “Is he alright? Is he safe?”

  “For now he is,” Finoa elaborated. “But not for long if he keeps acting so god damned reckless.”

  “What did he do?” Liz asked, putting the comb down on the dressing table and flipping her hair back. She tucked her locks behind her ear as she kneeled beside her friend.

  “He’s going into the ring.”

  “For training?” Liz asked.

  Finoa groaned. “God, sorry, sometimes I forget that I have to explain things to you. No, not training. He’s going there during the Summit. See, two things can happen in the Summit. Either the Kings agree to pledge allegiance to Jerof, or they agree to watch him fight off other Princes in the ring. Fighting, as in fighting to the death. Whoever lives wins the crown. Otherwise, the coronation won’t see the light.”

  Liz’s chest heaved. She parted her lips to say something, but she couldn’t verbalize her thoughts. She panted heavily, slowly climbing to her feet as she tried to process what Finoa had just explained. She moved to the bed in a trance, leaning against the canopy pole for support.

  Her world was wildly turning, as though she was about to blackout. She was nearing a panic attack, but she managed to calm herself down with breath exercises.

  She had thought the worst-case scenario would be some dispute between the two Royal families. She never imagined that the planet was brutal enough to suggest such a battle. She wondered how they could so casually host such a ceremony and yet dare refer
to humans as blood thirsty.

  “Why would he do this? What for?” Liz wheezed, turning to Finoa.

  “For you. He’s in love with you, Liz. He’s actually dying for you,” Finoa explained. “But that’s not why I’m here. I’m worried about you. I want you to stay put right here. Trust no one; not even the guards. If you ever want to go anywhere, just call out for me first. I’ll escort you myself.”

  “What the hell is going on?” Liz asked, tears filling her eyes. “I left you for a couple of hours and you start telling me this. Is this a prank or something?”

  “It’s not. It’s just some disagreements with the Council members. I don’t think you need to worry too much, but this is just in case you suspect something,” Finoa continued. “I don’t trust them. I never once did. Even when Father was alive, I was wary of them, but now I’m positive they’re not good news. If anyone tries to talk to you or to lure you anywhere, you know what button to press. I’ll come immediately, and I’ll have your back. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

  Liz nodded, sinking down onto the edge of the bed. “I don’t care about myself; I just wish I could help in some way. I don’t want Jerof to go through with this, Finoa! He told me everything earlier, but he never explained the consequences. I thought the two families would just meet up and start throwing rocks at each other or something. Or stop trade between the Kingdoms. But a battle in the ring?”

  “No one wants Jerof to go through with this, but he’s made up his mind. And once he has, not even the love of his life could stop him. The only way you could help is if you listen to me and don’t go wandering about.”

  Liz shook her head, then quickly nodded. “I won’t.” She paused. “But I need to see Jerof.”

  “He’s not in his room. I’m not sure where he is, he might be out in the terrace, but remember what we said about your safety,” she reminded Liz. “And this is only temporary. If anything bad happens to Jerof, I’ll make sure that you find your way home.”

  “That’s the least of my worries right now,” Liz mumbled, lowering her head as she turned to the window. She pressed the button on the side of her nightstand and watched the window close. “I know that my home is here now. Where Jerof is. I don’t even want to think about anything like that happening to him. My whole life, I’ve felt like I was missing something that I couldn’t put my finger on. But after I met Jerof, that feeling was gone. I can’t go back to the way life was.”

  “I understand,” Finoa said, “but it’s always smart to think ahead. You have to be ready for whatever happens.”

  Liz turned to her. “Will you be in the ring?”

  She shook her head. “No. That’s what the Princes are for.”

  Liz slid her hand down the canopy pole. She was about to continue asking questions, but there was no point in learning more. She felt lightheaded and needed to sleep the shock off. She just wished she could be with Jerof now. It physically pained her to learn what he was going to do for her. Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

  “I think I need to lie down.”

  “Alright,” Finoa replied, rising from the stool. She hugged Liz and then saw herself out.

  Liz climbed into bed, pulling the silk covers over her. Her eyes seemed to be glued open. She couldn’t get any sleep no matter how hard she tried. All she could think about was Jerof in that ring, with tens of other Hagrans tearing at his flesh for the crown. She wanted to scream at the thought of him getting hurt.

  Apparently, it wasn’t just humans who were hungry for power. Or perhaps, the human part of these Hagrans was more dominant than it should be. Liz couldn’t wrap her head around the politics of this planet.

  Muffled steps approached her door once again. She didn’t feel like speaking to Finoa, so she pretended to be sleep. She forced her eyes shut and waited until her visitor left.

  Without knocking, someone slipped in, their steps much quieter than Finoa’s. The door was left open, lights washing over the room from the hallway, making it more difficult to keep her eyes shut.

  She then felt a shadow standing before her. She slowly opened her eyes, thinking it was Jerof, but then stared at the figure before her in shock. A bearded man with red-brown eyes was looking down at her. His skin was a deep bronze that almost glittered in the dim lighting. His two rows of teeth glowed bluish white. Liz was frozen in her place. It was like she’d suddenly forgotten how to breathe.

  She gulped, glancing at the man’s fingers. She witnessed his grin grow into a quiet chuckle.

  “Don’t take it personally,” he whispered. “Your kind just needs to be eliminated. You don’t belong in this kingdom or on this planet. You’re a pest.”

  He grabbed the silk cover and pulled it down slowly. Liz shivered as she watched the bearded man uncover her. Her throat seemed to be frozen as she couldn’t make a sound.

  “Bare and weak,” he spat.

  The man was about as tall as Jerof, but not nearly as muscular. Liz had seen him in the hallway before. He’d shot her a scornful look before, and she hadn’t understood why. She saw him wearing a collar and had expected him to start a conversation with her but had later concluded he must have worn it for other visitors.

  Whoever he was, he had certainly made it clear that he didn’t want her alive.

  After gazing at her body for a moment, he used his fingers to lift the strap of her nightgown. “Let’s make you completely bare so I can see where I dive my claws in.” He heaved a sigh, as though his fantasies aroused him.

  Suddenly, rage built up inside her. An anger so strong, she acted more on instinct than anything else. Slapping his hand away, she flipped over the bed and, using the canopy pole to spin around, kicked the attacker in the face.

  “Who the hell are you and what the hell do you want?” she shouted.

  “I already told you what I want,” he said with a grimace, swinging his clenched fist toward her face. Liz veered his blow and leaped off the bed. She distracted him with one fist aimed at his face, then punched him in the gut.

  He groaned in pain, lurching backwards.

  “Son of a fucking bitch!”

  Liz’s attention snapped to the door where Finoa stood, her claws drawn. “I knew if I waited around, I’d find you here, Belut. I wanted to believe you weren’t as bad as I thought, but unfortunately, I’m right as always.”

  “She needs to be eliminated!” Belut shouted.

  “The likes of you need to be wiped off Hagran,” Finoa shouted. “You think you’re doing good for this planet. You fancy yourselves some sort of protectors, but you’re only infesting it with your extremist ideals. That’s what started the wars in the first place. You’re perpetuating what my Father worked so hard to end.”

  “You talk much like Jerof.”

  “You talk like a murderer!” she exclaimed, dashing toward him.

  Liz flipped over and leapt off the bed, watching the fight from a corner of the room.

  Belut shoved Finoa to the ground and started swishing his claws at her face. She blocked his attacks as her expression wavered – tilting her head back to glance at the open door, at Liz, then back at her attacker.

  The see-through canopy drapes buffeted as Liz watched the fight willing Finoa to get the upper hand.

  Finoa slid her claws through the spaces between Belut’s, then spread his arms and kneed him in the groin.

  He screeched and curled into a ball, desperately trying to block the Princess’s kicks with his fist. His claws retracted as he squirmed in pain.

  Finoa continued her assault, and it took a few more hits before he finally screamed, “I surrender!”

  “I expected more from you, you cowering slug!”

  She stopped and turned to Liz, gesturing for her to come.

  The princess had one foot on Belut’s head, speckled with blood. His eye was already bruised and he was gasping for air. Finoa looked down at him, setting her foot on his throat for a few seconds, then stepped back to watch him wheeze.

  Li
z reluctantly paced toward the attacker, glancing at him then back at Finoa.

  The princess smiled. “Anything you’d like to add?”

  Liz bit her lip as she ambled closer to him. She leaned down and hawked a ball of spit at his face.

  He flinched, still gasping for air.

  Finoa squatted and grabbed the attacker by the chin. She leaned closer to his ear and whispered, “I could kill you right now.” She slid her hands up his face, pinching his ears and smiling as he wailed in pain. “But where’s the fun in that?”

  She lifted his head up and slammed it on the floor.

  The Princess rose. “Belut Grundovock of Belugh. I declare you a traitor. Guards!”

  Chapter 20

  The day that decided Jerof’s fate came far too quickly.

  With how terribly the meetings had gone, he had already predicted the outcome. If the choice was his alone, he would have preferred to cut to the chase and go straight to the ring. The Summit was going to be nothing but a declaration of the alpha battle.

  As he vacantly gazed at his reflection, his eyes travelled to Liz, who was coming up behind him. Her face was puffy and red from her tears. She wrapped her arms around his waist and planted a peck on his bare back. He felt her wet cheek on his back and frowned, wishing he could take away her pain.

  “I can’t bear this. I don’t want you to go, lets run away.”

  Jerof caressed her fingers with his thumb. “There’s no other way. All the Kings of Hagran will be there. If I don’t go, it’ll just make matters worse. I’ll look like a coward in the eyes of my people.”

  “What if I lose you?” Her voice broke as she pressed her cheek against his back. “You say we can’t just run off to another planet, but if that’s the only way to keep you safe…”

  “No, my little Earthling. You won’t lose me. I’m only doing this so that I don’t lose you,” he assured her.

  “But it’s not worth it!”