Tempt the Devil (The Devil of Ponong series #3)

by Jill Braden

  It seemed as if the entire town had risen from the midday rest and gone to the marketplace so they could be in his way. Kyam and Voorus pushed through the throngs to the funicular station. Fishmongers swarmed the funicular cars to haul the daily catch to stalls in the marketplace. The engine behind the shack puffed the stench of overcooked juam nut oil into the air. Kyam wasn’t sure which stink was worse. At least the fish smelled of ocean.

  His hand passed over his eyes. He missed the sea. Although he lived on an island, the water taunted him, rushing over the sand to greet him on the beach and then dancing away from his outstretched fingers. He wanted to stand on a deck again and feel the ship heave under his boots as if it were a great beast. He missed skies of churning gray clouds and foam-topped waves breaking over the railing, uncertain winds changing direction like a school of silvery fish on the reef. He wanted off Ponong. He hated his Grandfather for marooning him here, but he hated QuiTai even more for offering to help him escape and then betraying him. She’d broken his heart for this damned island. But now she could give him his ticket home.

  “Governor Zul!”

  Kyam lowered his hand. He saw RhiHanya first, because she was the sort of woman who drew your attention, but LiHoun had been the one to call out his name. He saw the old cat-man through a narrow break in the crowd. He also saw a young Ponongese woman with them.

  “Is that PhaSun with them?” he asked Voorus.

  “Yes. The little viper.”

  Kyam shot him a warning look. He glanced around at the crowd to see if any of them had heard the slur. They seemed too intent on the hard work of offloading the heavy baskets of fish to notice a couple of Thampurians.

  “We’re surrounded by them, Voorus, try to be a bit more polite,” he whispered.

  Voorus looked confused for a moment and then grimaced. “I didn’t mean like a snake. I meant she’s… Oh, never mind.”

  The crowd moved for RhiHanya, and LiHoun was able somehow to contort around baskets and people with odd grace despite his age, but PhaSun shoved and cursed to get through.

  “Governor Zul, we have brought PhaSun, as you requested.” LiHoun gestured to the petite, curvaceous young woman wearing a bright pink sarong.

  “Can it wait? We have a bit of an emergency down at the fortress,” Kyam said.

  RhiHanya and LiHoun exchanged a worried look, but PhaSun stepped forward. “Are you going to see QuiTai? Are you going to tell her what Inattra did?”

  Kyam looked at the funicular. It would be empty soon. He couldn’t risk missing it when it left the station, but when would he have another chance to talk to her? Too much was happening at once. “Captain Voorus, could you tell the funicular operator I need him to hold the train for us?”

  Voorus bowed and slipped away.

  Kyam turned back to PhaSun. She smiled up at him, but her eyes were full of malice. She probably thought she was cunning.

  “Have you eaten, little sister?” he asked.

  She regarded him with her hand on her hip. “Yes I have, uncle. And you?”

  Voorus caught his eye. He shook his head and shrugged. Kyam glanced at the funicular.

  Seemingly impatient to be past the courtesies, as if he were the one wasting her time, PhaSun drew closer to him. “Tell QuiTai that Inattra let Turyat into the Red Happiness early this morning. I think he was selling Turyat black lotus.”

  “Inattra was?”

  Voorus tapped on Kyam’s forearm.

  “Yes, I saw. He won’t hold the funicular for us.”

  “No. Look. Inattra is coming this way. He must have heard that they found PhaSun. And it looks like he’s angry.” Voorus pointed into the crowd.

  If Inattra shifted any further masculine, his burgundy suit would rip at the biceps. His jaw jutted forward as if it were leading him through the crowds. The blue tones of his skin deepened as he cast a poisonous look at PhaSun. The feeling was mutual. She stared fangs at him.

  “Whatever she says, it’s a lie, Governor,” Inattra said when he came closer.

  “Inattra, I’m on a tight schedule. I have to be on this funicular when it leaves. So please, let me ask PhaSun a few questions,” Kyam said.

  “You’re always spreading lies about me, but QuiTai is too smart to believe you,” Inattra told PhaSun.

  Spitting angry, PhaSun circled Inattra. Kyam backed away and slid his baton out of its holster under his jacket. He hoped they wouldn’t attract a crowd, because this was good gossip in the making.

  “She lets you get away with all kinds of things because you remind her of Jezereet, but she won’t forgive you this time,” PhaSun said.

  “Forgive me for what?” Inattra asked. “What did I do?”

  PhaSun’s expression got sly. “As if you don’t know.”

  Outraged, Inattra shoved her. “Oh, no! You’re not going to pin that black lotus thing on me! See, I told everyone you’d be nosing around for some to slip to Turyat. And I told them that if anyone gave you some, I’d let QuiTai know that you defied her ban. I heard about you going from room to room late last night begging for a vial. The workers will testify to it.”

  PhaSun’s fists slammed Inattra’s chest. “Liar! You horrible, evil liar!”

  Inattra easily grabbed her wrists. Screaming obscenities in Thampurian, Ponongese, and Ingosolian, PhaSun writhed but couldn’t escape his grasp. She kicked Inattra. Voorus stepped in to stop Inattra from striking back.

  “Okay, I think that’s enough.” Kyam grabbed PhaSun by her waist and pulled her toward the funicular. If he could get her inside, he could talk to her on the ride down. PhaSun’s arms and legs sought every target they could hit. Her elbow caught Kyam in the cheek, and he dropped his baton.

  “Let go of me!” she screamed.

  “You’re fired!” Inattra said. “Don’t ever let me catch you in the Red Happiness again.”

  PhaSun nearly wriggled out of Kyam’s arms. “My clothes! You’re trying to steal them. Let me take my things!”

  “As if I’d want some cheap sarongs in ugly colors. I could buy better in this market.”

  Fingers curled, PhaSun lunged for Inattra’s eyes.

  Kyam dragged her toward a car. She gripped the sides of the doorway as he tried to push her inside. “A little help would be nice,” he called out.

  LiHoun smiled and shrugged.

  PhaSun’s kebaya blouse bunched under her arms. Her torso was slick with sweat, and he could barely hold on as she squirmed.

  “I’d help you, but you won’t let me thrash her,” Inattra said. He folded his arms over his chest. As he shifted androgynous, his bulky muscles disappeared.

  Kyam grunted as he took another blow to the cheek.

  RhiHanya rolled her eyes and sauntered over. “You tell anyone about this, Thampurian, and you and I are going to have words.” She bowed over the smaller woman as if she were going to whisper something in PhaSun’s ear.

  PhaSun went into frantic motion again. “I’ll tell the militia you showed fang in front of a Thampurian! They’ll hang you! No!” She knocked RhiHanya to her knees.

  To Kyam, it looked as if RhiHanya fell forward, but her arms wrapped around PhaSun’s thighs as if she’d planned it. PhaSun sagged. She still screamed and lashed out with her arms, but her legs gave out under her.

  “Can you do her arms so I can get her safely into the car?” Kyam asked between gasps. His cheek throbbed where she’d hit it.

  “Not without risking paralyzing her lungs. Dosing someone with venom isn’t an exact science.” RhiHanya pushed her fangs back with the tip of her tongue. “You did not see that.”

  Kyam touched his brow. It felt wet. “See what? Thank you, auntie.” He looked for his baton. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but he needed something for protection when they went into the fortress.

  RhiHanya spat. “The flavor of her personality is nothing but bitter. I may not be able to control my anger while I’m connected to her.”

  LiHoun and Inattra stared down at PhaSun. She looked like a
toddler throwing a temper tantrum, except that she couldn’t move her legs. Her hair stuck to her sweaty face, and she rolled on the ground. She switched between vile insults and pleading with Kyam to save her from Inattra.

  “We can’t let her go after the venom wears off. She’ll get RhiHanya in trouble,” Inattra said.

  “What about the things she said about you?” Kyam asked.

  Inattra shrugged. “Only QuiTai cares about the black lotus, and she can easily check my story with the others, if she escapes the noose. RhiHanya is the one who risked her life for you. You better make it count, Governor.”

  Kyam looked up. The funicular operator was methodically going up the line and locking the car doors.

  Voorus stepped over PhaSun to get into the car. “Is she coming with us? This is going to be a fun ride.”

  Kyam was exhausted. It was amazing how much effort it took to hold down a crazed person. “We can’t let her go, but we can’t take her with us. Can you take her to the Red Happiness and detain her somewhere private until I can deal with her?”

  “We can carry her there,” LiHoun said.

  RhiHanya nodded. Inattra seemed to look forward to it. Perhaps he planned to drop PhaSun a few times or pinch her mercilessly as he carried her across town.

  Kyam nodded wearily. He grimaced as he bent over to pick up his baton, but not because of the pangs shooting down his back. He’d ruined his only chance to talk to PhaSun. From the hatred in her eyes, she’d never give him any information. What was he going to do now?

  He squatted close to her head but beyond her reach. “Was Governor Turyat alive when QuiTai left the Red Happiness this morning, little sister?”

  He didn’t usually throw down a luck sign, but he did it quickly now and hoped his sleeve hid his fingers.

  “Are you riding or not?” the funicular operator asked.

  “Riding, but give me a moment.”

  “I’ve got to keep on schedule, Governor.”

  “A schedule? On this island? Don’t make me laugh. Give me a moment. Go lock the rest of the cars.” Kyam gestured to the rest of the funicular.

  The operator glared at him then stomped off.

  “Now, PhaSun, an answer, please,” Kyam said.

  “Of course Turyat was still alive after QuiTai left the brothel this morning. He was waiting for someone, you know.” PhaSun’s gaze shifted to Inattra. “He was alive until I came downstairs and caught Inattra standing over his bloody corpse.”

  “Liar!” In his male form, Inattra’s voice was surprisingly high.

  Kyam held out a hand to warn Inattra to stay quiet. “Was he still alive when you went to use the outhouse?”

  “I don’t remember.”

  “You don’t remember.” He didn’t need to tell her he didn’t believe it.

  Her gaze darted everywhere, but she had no friends here. Her mouth snapped shut with such finality that he knew he wouldn’t get another word out of her.

  The operator came back to them. He cast suspicious glances at LiHoun and PhaSun, but his dirtiest look was saved for Kyam. “Governor, I can’t wait for you any longer.”

  He had to choose between trying to get more from PhaSun and saving QuiTai. Kyam jumped into the car. He barely had time to move his hands before the door slammed shut.

  Chapter 20: At the End of Their Rope

  The funicular jolted as it began its slow descent down to the harbor. Thankfully, few people were headed downslope this time of day, and Kyam and Voorus had a car to themselves. There were no seats, so they gripped the railing at the bottom of the windows and leaned against the walls.

  Kyam rubbed his jaw. PhaSun hit surprisingly hard.

  “Do you think Cuulon has gone to the fortress already?” Voorus asked.

  “We should have asked the operator before he locked the car door. Cuulon wouldn’t have walked, would he?”

  “In this heat? It’s faster to ride anyway.”

  “So Cuulon murdered Turyat.” Now Kyam understood why QuiTai refused to name the murderer when she clearly knew. He wouldn’t have believed her if she’d named Cuulon. The first time they’d worked together, she’d suggested blaming Cuulon for Jezereet’s death. Although she hadn’t been far from wrong, now that he thought about it. Jezereet’s death had been… not an accident, but not part of the plan either. Cuulon had hired the killer, so that made him responsible for her death.

  “I’m glad I don’t have to work with those two.” Voorus nodded upslope. “It must be torture to get between Inattra and PhaSun when they’re fighting.”

  “I’m surprised QuiTai puts up with it.”

  “That’s why I don’t live in the barracks in the fortress anymore. There’s a strange mentality down there, like its own little world. Some of those soldiers don’t leave the fortress for months at a time. They get odd ideas, and there’s something about the isolation and heat that seems to cook the crazy into their brains. They have real contempt for Levapur. Say it needs cleansing.”

  “Wonderful. As if I need another faction with a fanatical agenda to deal with.”

  Voorus drew up. “I wonder if they murdered Turyat.”

  “That idea has been floated today. I wish I could remember who said it. But I thought we’d decided Cuulon murdered Turyat in order to frame QuiTai.” He looked at Voorus and lifted an eyebrow.

  “Is that a question or a statement?” Voorus asked.

  “Truthfully, I’m not sure. Ideas?”

  Voorus exhaled slowly. “Even if he didn’t, I think we made the right decision going to the fortress. You’re not only protecting QuiTai from Cuulon, after all. Most of the militia have been waiting for this day ever since the werewolves killed four of our men in the fortress when she escaped unharmed.”

  “That wasn’t her fault.”

  “Maybe not, but she’s the only one left to blame. She… and you.”

  Kyam realized Voorus knew the situation there better than he did. “Damn it. Are there any men down there you can count on?”

  Voorus shook his head. “Maybe one or two. After a while on this island, you stop accepting Thampur’s rule and start following the colonial government. I think that really means we’re ruled by Chief Justice Cuulon. No offense, Governor, but do you actually do anything? Turyat sure didn’t. Cuulon makes up laws, and the militia blindly enforces them.”

  He didn’t look happy as he admitted, “And you have to include me with the militia. We overlooked crimes we knew he and Turyat were committing because they let us do what we wanted. I didn’t realize how far out of hand it had gotten until I saw it through Mityam’s eyes. Now I’m ashamed.”

  “QuiTai said that all the time.” Kyam knew she would never forgive him for believing it only because Voorus said it too. He could tell her he’d always believed her, but she’d know he’d lied.

  He’d never seen Voorus so enthusiastic before. He’d talked about studying the law. Now that he was, he seemed happy.

  “She’s right. And she’s going to be angry when she finds out what Mityam and I uncovered. Do you know that it’s not illegal for a Ponongese to show their fangs to a Thampurian?”

  Kyam snorted. “Oh, come on. Everyone knows that’s against the law.”

  Voorus shook his head. “It isn’t in the legal code, and according to Mityam, that means it isn’t against the law. So RhiHanya didn’t actually risk her life when she fanged PhaSun in front of us – although she thought she did, so we still owe her gratitude. She’s a brave woman. Not that you’d expect less from one of QuiTai’s people.”

  Realization opened Kyam’s eyes to a horrible truth. “But… All those people, Voorus. All those Ponongese the militia executed.”

  “Murdered, Kyam. We murdered them. I murdered innocent people in the name of the state, which destroys not only my honor, but also our King’s honor, and that of every soldier and citizen of Thampur. We are unclean.”

  The funicular broke out of the jungle canopy. Ponongese women with huge baskets of fish balanced on
their heads waited for it to pass so they could continue their climb upslope. Their teenage sons helped carry younger brothers and sisters. Kyam felt a pang of guilt. Those same youths, who looked so harmless now, worried him when they gathered on the steps of the government building. But what was the difference? Not who they were, but how he chose to look at them.

  The waiting Ponongese looked back at him with uninterested gazes. He had no idea what their opinion of him was, but they didn’t seem to fear him. Why had that worried him earlier but comforted him now? Nothing changed in Levapur, ever; only the way he saw it changed.

  As soon as their car crossed the intersection with the road, the jungle canopy arched over the rails again and he couldn’t see the harbor road.

  “It’s a huge problem,” Voorus said.

  It took a moment for Kyam to remember what they’d been talking about. “I wish you hadn’t told me,” he admitted. Playing politics made him sick. The truth should always come out. People of honor didn’t cover up evil, especially when the government was the source of it. Expediency was moral corruption. He liked the Ponongese. But…

  “What will we do about it? Keep it to ourselves and mull it over until we think of the most advantageous way to use the information? Do we keep letting people die, or do we risk giving the Ponongese reason to murder us in our beds?” Voorus asked.

  “Not now! We’ll discuss this later.”

  Voorus looked queasy. “Are we bad people?” he asked plaintively.

  Kyam wished he had the answer to that too.

  ~ ~ ~

  Kyam and Voorus rushed out of the funicular the moment their car was unlocked. They ran across the white sand on the narrow beach to the militia’s dock. The afternoon wind was rising, and with it white caps formed on the waves beyond the breakwater.

  “Is that–” Kyam frowned at the rowboat crossing the harbor.

  Voorus shielded his eyes from the sun and peered across the turquoise water. “Ma’am Zul was at the fortress again?”