by Stuart Jaffe
“Be patient.”
“My back hurts horribly.”
“Be quiet. If they hear us ...”
Another hour went by. Javery stretched his legs out, starting with the left, and tried not to groan as the muscles found relief. He rubbed his neck and cracked his knuckles. Druzane held still. She had become a statue — her determination keeping her still and focused on listening to every creak of wood, every cough, every breath, every word. She would miss nothing.
Javery opened his mouth, but Fawbry spoke the words for him. “I can’t take it anymore.”
Both Druzane and Javery tensed as they pressed closer to the wall.
Fawbry’s feet pounded on the floor as he paced the room. “I don’t know what’s got both of you acting like this, but clearly something is wrong. Considering that we’re sitting around here like idiots waiting to be attacked, my guess is that whatever the problem, it’s got something to do with this little war we’ve stumbled into. So, one of you give me a clue, please.”
“It’s my fault,” Malja said. “Don’t take it out on him.”
There was a moment where Javery only heard the rustle of clothing.
Fawbry said, “Looks like Tommy thinks it’s partly his doing, too.”
“That’s not true. I brought this to him. He didn’t have to —”
“It would really help to know what it is.” Javery had never heard Fawbry speak so harshly. And to Malja, no less. Fawbry must be more of a danger than he realized.
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Another silence.
Something slammed on the table, and Druzane jumped a bit. Fawbry said, “I gave up my home for you. I’m here because we’re supposed to be family now. My possessions, my safety, my entire existence is at risk because of you, and you want to keep a secret from me? How are we going to survive this, let alone any of the other worlds we’ll be traveling to, if you don’t trust me?”
Javery mouthed the word worlds to an equally surprised Druzane.
“I do trust you,” Malja said. “I simply wanted to wait for you to calm down. But it seems the more I wait the worse you become.”
“Are you trying to —”
“I’m luring Harskill here,” Malja said, cold and firm.
Silence. Not even breathing could be heard.
“I see,” Fawbry said.
Malja went on, “We know too little about our enemy. I think if I can get Harskill here, his pride will allow me to get more information.”
“When you say ‘our enemy,’ do you mean the Scarites or Harskill?”
“I’m always after Harskill. I don’t want to see these people hurt, and you know I hate an unfair fight, so I’ll give the Carsites everything I can, but Harskill remains my sole objective.”
“Remember the black beast. Don’t let it tear you apart.”
“This isn’t vengeance, and you know it. This is about stopping an insane Gate from destroying countless worlds. This is about freeing these people here and saving those worlds that have yet to be touched.”
“Isn’t this more about you finding out about the Gate, and —”
“They’re just called Gate, and yes, I want to find out as much as I can about them. They’re my people, and I know almost nothing.”
“Okay, then,” Fawbry said, relaxing his voice. “Why do you make this so hard? I’m on your side. You want to lure Harskill here, then fine. No need to hide it from me. Tell me what I can do to help. How exactly are we going to lure him?”
“We’ve already started. The last few days, Tommy’s been opening portals.”
“Is that wise? Can he handle it?”
Somebody thumped a chest and moved about rapidly.
“Okay, okay,” Fawbry said. “I believe you. But come on, Tommy, you can’t blame me for asking. I was there at the Dish. I saw what happened —”
“Let’s not rehash our past. You know now what we’re up to. Harskill is dangerous. Bringing him to the battle could create serious problems. If he doesn’t want to talk with me, he might raze the entire country and forget these people ever existed. Which means I’ll have to be ready to fight my best, enough to keep him from doing any real harm to the town or worse, and if I’m to face him in a fight, then I need to be rested. So both of you, get out. Go to sleep.”
“We’re not tired. Maybe we’ll go see if we can get a drink somewhere.”
“I don’t care,” Malja said, a hint of bitterness, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Just go, so I can sleep.”
Even before the bedroom door shut, Druzane took Javery by the hand and led him back through the darkness. The cold night air closed around him like a Scarite snake crushing his chest in a tight coil. His breath shortened, then stopped altogether. Pulling his hand loose, he hunched over, placed his hands on his knees and wheezed.
Druzane rubbed his back. “I know that was a shock, but pull yourself together.”
“She’s going to bring back that god. He’ll kill us all.”
“You’ve seen her fight. She can handle him.”
“No.” Javery dropped, hitting a rock with his knee and ignoring the pain. “When Harskill came the first time, I saw what kind of god he is. I was there. Just a boy, just a little kid, and I saw what he did to my brother.”
“I didn’t know you have a brother.”
“I don’t anymore. Harskill killed him. Like he’ll kill all of us when he finds out that he’s been brought here to face Malja.”
“You poor thing.” Druzane rested her head on his back, and the warmth of her body soaked through his skin.
He saw his brother’s face before him. Ronnic’s sad, mournful look as Harskill peeled him to the bone. “I have to do something. Warn our people, make peace with the Scarites, something, anything to stop our demise.”
He tried to stand, but Druzane hung on him with her full weight. “If you say anything,” she said, “you’ll cause a panic. More people will be injured and frightened than now.”
“At least, they’ll be alive.”
“If the Scarites are gutsy enough to attack us here, then they’ll have no fear of hunting down the strays no matter how deep inland we go.”
Javery allowed her to bring him back to the ground. “Then what do we do?”
Stroking his cheek, she said, “Nothing. For now.”
“Nothing?”
“This is how you use information, my love. We hold on tight to what we know, and we wait. Fools give up all they know right away, but we will be smart and patient. We use what we’ve learned when it will help us the most. Help us get the power to protect the people.”
Javery could smell the sweet perfume of Druzane’s skin as her hand caressed his face. He held her palm to his nose and inhaled. Kissing the center of that same palm, he held back the tears that threatened to start and never stop. “I don’t know if I can do that,” he said. “I don’t see how we can help the people by being quiet. Malja’s plan isn’t for our defense but for her benefit.”
“It’s both. She’s using us, but we’re using her, too. She’s our muscle, our guide, and for you specifically, she’s a badge you’ve been wearing to enhance the way the people see you. We’re not innocent in any of this. And if you go telling the people what you overheard, you’ll have to admit those truths. My way means that we continue to help Malja, she continues to help us, and when the time presents itself, we use what we know to exact the most profit for us.”
“But —”
“Javery, enough. Trust me.” Druzane kissed him, letting it begin with soft touches of the lips and quickly growing into needy groping of their mouths.
His hands went straight to her breasts, and he hardened in seconds. Part of his mind stepped back and called attention to the idea that she was trying to distract him, but the rest of his mind shut down all objections. He had been without her body for weeks. Why she offered herself didn’t matter. He wanted what he could have.
When her hands reached between his legs, all argum
ents ceased. His mind drifted in the night sky; his pleasure the breeze pushing the clouds passed the moon. Her mouth was everywhere. His hands discovered one soft delight after another.
She mounted him, pushing on his chest for him to rest back while she raised and lowered upon him. He looked up and saw only darkness. He felt her body on his, her skin in his hands, but her face was obscured by the night. Only the shadowy outline of her made sense.
Javery closed his eyes and allowed her to take him wherever she led.
Javery awoke. Squinting against the morning sun, his body ached from sleeping on the hard ground. To his right, he saw Druzane, her robe open to her hips. Her breasts poked out, and he felt his desire rise again. He leaned over to suckle her awake, to lose himself in her flesh one more time before finding a false face to wear the rest of the day. How else would he be able to look at Malja and pretend he had no idea of her full plan?
He opened his mouth, ready to enjoy Druzane’s intense pleasures, when he heard a sound — tut-tut-tut-tut. Pausing, he listened close. It came again — tut-tut-tut-tut.
Druzane woke and also listened. “Is that?”
Javery stood and fixed his robes. “The Summoning Horn. The Scarites are attacking.”
Chapter 13
Malja
Although Malja had managed to get Tommy and Fawbry out of her room at a decent hour, and even felt some relief after having confessed her plan to Fawbry, she hardly slept that night. Her mind tossed over her defense plans for the town and how it worked (or failed to work) with her plans for Harskill. The biggest problem she had was that once Harskill arrived, she would no longer be able to run her army. The Carsites would be on their own while she dealt with him. As a result of the turmoil in her brain, Malja was fully awake, in the middle of warming up and stretching, when the Summoning Horn sounded.
She grabbed her long coat and Viper and suited up as she headed out her door. Fawbry stumbled into the hall bleary-eyed and smelling of fermented fruit. “Had a good night?” she asked.
Fawbry grinned. “I think her name was Coshala. Very appreciative woman.”
“Then let’s try to keep her alive. Go to the old men and get them ready.”
“You just be there when we need you.”
“You know I will.” Malja pounded on Tommy’s door. “Wake up. Time for battle.”
When she stepped outside and breathed in the fresh air tinted with morning dew, a thrill surged through her body. More than an adrenaline jolt, she felt all the frustrated waiting release through her veins. To be sure, she checked her do-kha, but it had done nothing to her that she could tell — this sensation came from within.
Across the street, Hirasa directed several young women toward a group of buildings. They were clearing out all the women, children, and elderly, guiding them toward the shelters that had been completed. When Hirasa noticed Malja, she rushed over and place a hand over her stomach.
“What do you know?” Malja said, slipping on her commanding voice like a favorite shirt.
“Two of our scouts on watch in the east saw Scarites approaching. They hurried to the Summoning Horn and gave the boys posted there the signal.”
“How long from when they spotted the enemy to when the warning was sounded?”
“I-I don’t know. Maybe three minutes? I’m sorry. I didn’t think to ask.”
“It’s okay. You’re new to this. Get back to helping move the non-combatants to safety. Then take your position and be ready.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Malja watched Hirasa hurry off. The girl cursed herself but jumped right into her task without pause. She’s going to make a fine fighter.
Walking with a confident stride, Canto approached Malja. “We’ve had so little time to talk, and now we must lead a fight together.”
“We’ll be fine.”
“With you by our side, I have no fear.” Canto looked like a child about to play a favorite game.
Ten young farmboys burst out of a building further down the street. They each carried a sword and body armor made from thick, wellspiker hide. Though they jogged with purpose and shouted with vigor, Malja knew fear when she saw it. She hoped this would be the kind that helped them fight better.
As the boys moved down the street, the townspeople cheered for them. Some of the boys raised their swords. Others looked straight ahead, avoiding the eyes of those they knew. Malja knew those reactions well. The ones that survived this fight would do so by keeping their minds on only one idea — destroy the enemy.
These boys climbed into the autoflys that had been lined up and waiting. They were going to be the first Carsites to taste battle. A few days earlier, Canto had asked Malja to give them advice, but what could she say beyond the generalities of battle? She had never fought aerial combat. Never really seen it before. But she said some words anyway — the last thing any of these boys needed was to doubt her ability or leadership.
Javery bumbled his way out of an alley looking as if he had partaken in a night similar to Fawbry. Smoothing down his hair before adjusting his robe and resetting his hat, Javery looked panicked but calming with each second. Malja had seen that in many people, too. Javery’s adrenaline must have hit when he heard the Summoning Horn and now he pulled himself together. In fact, by the time he reached Malja and Canto, he acted as determined and in control as Malja would expect from a seasoned veteran.
“I have an autofly at the ready to take us to the Hantlia farm,” he said. “We should get an excellent view there to run our forces.”
“The signals?”
“Everything is set where it needs to be. I’ve seen to it all.”
Malja caught a strange look between Javery and Canto. Then as Javery headed for the autofly, she caught an even stranger look towards her. Before she could comment, Tommy popped out of the guest house and rushed off. He knew what to do, but it bothered her the way he went about things.
She could hear Fawbry in her head, “He’s a man now. You can’t control him. And you shouldn’t.”
“Damn. Why does that idiot have to make sense?”
“Who? Javery?” Canto asked. “Sometimes I think he’s too smart. Gets him thinking stupid thoughts when really we’re all trying to do the same thing — save our people.”
Javery sat at the autofly’s controls. “Come on,” he shouted. “We’ve got to hurry.”
Malja and Canto hustled down the street and climbed aboard. As she strapped in the safety belts — she made sure such things had been installed in the last week — Javery had the craft in the air and soaring for a small farm towards the south. He pushed the autofly until the metal started to shake.
“Slow down,” Malja said. “All of our people are getting in position. There’s no rush. In war, everything takes forever to start. When it does, we’ll be moving plenty fast.”
Javery eased back and brought them around to the front of the farm. He landed them near the edge where a perimeter wall had been set up. A small fire burned low to keep the area near the wall warm. From there, they would be able to observe the battle while being protected by the wall. It also prevented them from leaning over too far and falling.
A boy no older than Tommy ran up to them. “I’m all set whenever you need me.”
Javery gestured to the boy. “Malja, this is Rewt Hantlia. He’ll be our first messenger.”
Malja gave the boy a curt nod before turning to the wall — their command station. A small desk with a map of the town had been placed to one side. Two cylindrical objects sat on the table. Canto picked up one and handed it to Malja but she declined. She preferred her own spyglass. Though dented and with a slight crack in the lens, it provided a better view than the inferior Carsite version.
“Now we wait?” Canto asked.
Peering through the spyglass, she saw one autofly after another take position in the sky — hovering, waiting, watching as the dark marks in the distance grew in size and number. “We wait.”
Judging by how fast the distan
t spots grew, Malja guessed the wait would be short. However, she learned long ago to take advantage of any peace one can find. She lowered her spyglass and breathed in the farm fragrant air — sweet and full of life.
She turned to young Rewt Hantlia. “What does your family grow here?”
Rewt licked his lips and cleared his throat. When he looked up, his eyes stuck on Viper. “W-We grow vegetables, mostly. But my mom likes to grow flowers, too, so she’s got a half-acre set aside for that. Lots of kinds of flowers. Sells them to the girls and for the dances and weddings and —” He froze with his mouth open and stared at Canto.
“It’s okay,” Canto said. “Your mom did a wonderful job for my wedding.”
“S-Sorry.”
Malja inhaled deeply. Flowers. That was the sweet aroma she had noticed. Flowers, plants, a fire burned down to embers — calming, centering smells. She breathed again, this time with her eyes closed. And she felt her mind clear.
“Okay,” she said, snapping her eyes open. “Get ready with the signal.”
“What?” Javery said. “The plan was to wait for them to attack. We only set up for defense.”
“Canto, get the signal ready. Javery, you will not debate every order I give. Once this starts, there will be no time.”
“But how can we attack? Why? You’ll be sending them to slaughter.”
“Your enemy has many assumptions about you. We must use those assumptions to our advantage. Your boys are fast and small. The enemy won’t expect the attack. You watch what happens. And if you question me again, you better do so from far away or I might throw you over this wall.”
While Javery backed off, grumbling but cowed, Canto yanked open the chest of fireworks. He set two red rockets in the ground and picked up a burning stick from the fire. “Whenever you’re ready.”
Malja peered through her spyglass once more. “Light them.”
The rockets shot off with a high-pitched whine and exploded in large bursts of red. Seconds later, the autoflys pressed forward towards the approaching Scarites. Malja, Canto, and Javery all stood silently as they watched through their spyglasses.
