The Shattered Sylph

by L. J. McDonald

  Faintly came the orders, broadcast by the lead battler as directed by his mate: You are held by no commands but the queen’s. You can speak, you can change shape. You will only obey the queen. You can go anywhere, do anything. You are free. Finally, the last order came, fulfilling a promise made to the man who’d shown the queen her destiny. Save the girl Lizzy and the battler Ril. Bring them to us.

  Freedom! Beautiful freedom!

  Four-seventeen glanced at Kiala—his Kiala, his beloved Kiala, who secretly called him Yahe. She was standing fearfully in a handler’s grip only a few feet from Lizzy, who was about to have her throat cut.

  He shifted shape and attacked. He didn’t take his old, strange-legged, mouthless humanoid form, but instead he became human, assuming a man’s shape he knew would please Kiala. Lunging for her, he slammed through the surrounding handlers. He didn’t use his energy blast, not when his beloved was so close, but he cut through them just as surely and slaughtered the handler who was about to kill Lizzy.

  Saving her was satisfying. He liked the blonde girl, and orders from the queen were absolute. Of course, without them he’d have killed the battler he’d been cheering on just a minute before. He could feel how alien Ril now was, a foreign battler in his newly created hive—an impossibility, but one the queen had ordered.

  Yahe—for he’d never answer to Four-seventeen again—stopped before Kiala. She stared at the branded number on his chest, then up into his face as her eyes filled with tears. Her handler let go and backed away, but Yahe killed her anyway. Then he took Kiala into his arms. She was stiff against him for only a moment, then embraced him and started to cry.

  Behind him, the other battlers attacked. Even one was enough to massacre everyone in the room, and there were twenty. The struggle was brief.

  Lizzy crawled forward, sobbing. Around her, battle sylphs were murdering the remaining handlers. Squeezing her eyes shut, she grabbed Ril’s body, but he was unconscious and his form only partly solid. Her hands sank deeply into him.

  “Ril! Wake up, Ril. Please!”

  The battlers had finished the handlers. The only one left was Rashala, her face ashen. She stood with her back pressed to the wall, staring at the sylphs who coalesced before her. Some took human shape, others became more monstrous. A few even retained the green, odd-legged form they’d been ordered to use in the harems, but all wore the numbers Rashala and others like her had carved into their mantles.

  “Stand back!” she shouted. “I’m ordering you to stand back!” Her voice was forceful, her words strong, but she was no queen. Perhaps she could have been, had circumstances been different. Instead the battlers fell on her, and Lizzy looked away as they took their vengeance.

  “Lizzy,” Ril whispered.

  Her heart missing a beat, she glanced down. He was soaked in blood, and his hair was so tacky that it stuck out at odd angles, but Ril’s eyes were clear and fixed on her like chips of glossy pale stone. He took a deep breath, and she suddenly felt her energy flowing into him in great drafts, just as she felt his form grow more solid.

  “Are you all right?” she whispered.

  “I will be.” He drank a bit more and relaxed, letting his eyes close for a moment before he reopened them and reached up to lay a bloody hand on her cheek. She leaned into it. Her dress was soaked with gore, ruining the translucency she hated but also making her skin crawl.

  “What’s happened, Ril?”

  He surveyed their surroundings and sighed—almost regretfully, she thought. “A queen has ascended,” he told her. “All of the sylphs here belong to her hive.” His mouth twisted. “Except me.”

  Her eyes widened. “They wouldn’t attack you for that, would they?”

  “I would,” he admitted.

  The battlers surrounded them, staring, and Lizzy held Ril to her tightly, glowering up at them in fear. “Don’t you hurt him!” she cried.

  “The queen has forbidden it,” said a battler numbered 32. “She said we were to bring you both to her unharmed.”

  “Who’s the queen?” Lizzy asked, only a little relieved.

  “Eapha,” Ril said wearily. “Thanks to your father.”

  “What? Eapha? How?”

  He didn’t reply.

  The battlers surrounded them, lifting both her and Ril and carrying them outside. Lizzy saw the entrance to her prison as she was carried past it. The door had been ripped out, along with most of the frame. Those from the circle returned to the harem and their women there, and more than a few concubines joined the procession that made its way to the surface.

  It was still night, but the sky was nearly as bright as day, lit by fire sylphs celebrating their freedom. Air sylphs darted everywhere, dancing madly, while fountains made of water sylphs and mountains formed by earth sylphs exulted similarly. Lizzy had never seen so many sylphs! The sky was full of them, as were the streets, and there were people everywhere, too, staring in amazement or terror.

  Battlers flew and roared among the crowds, bellowing from time to time and sweeping down to attack. People were everywhere, many of them freed slaves, others looking so poor that the feeders seemed rich by comparison. Anyone who’d ever been cruel to a sylph seemed to be paying for it now, and Lizzy could see the arena crumbling in the distance, the battlers tearing it apart, while earth sylphs swallowed the remains into the ground. Overhead, carried by hundreds of other battlers, the floating island she’d spotted on her first day here was moving toward the ocean, picking up speed as it went. The battlers carried the massive island out over deep water and dropped it, and Lizzy could nearly hear the screams as it fell. She jerked her head away, not wanting to see more.

  Lizzy was encased in the mantle of one battler, Ril borne by another. Frightened, she sat inside the sylph who carried her, arms around her drawn-up knees, hoping they weren’t about to cast her into the ocean as well. Instead she was carried toward the desert, stopping where a broken-down old wall marked the edge of the city. She was set upon the sand there, and found herself facing a small collection of ragged huts and campfires. Thousands of sylphs surrounded the huts, shimmering in the darkness.

  Three huge battlers guarded the way. Lizzy was urged forward, though, Ril limping at her side. He was exhausted, but he looked at the battlers calmly and held her hand. Even so, she could tell he was afraid. He didn’t belong here. He never had, but now he was in real danger.

  People surrounded the nearest campfire, most of them eyeing the battlers in terror. Several disengaged, one running ahead of the others, and Lizzy recognized Eapha immediately, though she wore a man’s linen shirt that fell to her knees. The brunette embraced her, crying and uncaring of all the blood, and Lizzy hugged her back, sharing the woman’s joy and amazement.

  “You’re alive!” Eapha drew back and indicated the blood with concern. “Are you hurt? Healer!” she shouted, and a sylph in the shape of a beautiful woman stepped out of the crowd. She considered Lizzy critically, then Ril.

  “Can you heal him?” Lizzy asked. The sylph consulted Eapha, who nodded, and so the healer laid her hand upon him. Ril sighed audibly, and Lizzy had to giggle at the sound of his relief.

  “Lizzy…”

  She turned at the voice, and Eapha stepped back with a smile. Her father stood only a few feet away, his fists clenched at his sides.

  Lizzy’s eyes filled with tears. “Daddy!” she screamed, and threw herself into his arms. He hugged her tightly, nearly breaking her ribs, and wept against her shoulder.

  Ril stepped close, his eyes clearer now that he was healed but still somewhat nervous. Leon reached for him, pulling him into the embrace as well. For a long moment, Lizzy wanted nothing more.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  The hug seemed to go on forever, followed by exhaustion and finally slumber, in a building filled with silk and marble that was more opulent than anything she’d ever imagined. Lizzy now sat on the side of the bed, stroking Ril’s hair as he continued to sleep, his face relaxed as he lay on his side, turned towa
rd her. He’d drained himself beyond comprehension, nearly dying, all for her. Lizzy smiled as she ran her hand along his hair again, glad that he was safe.

  Well, almost safe. She glared out the window at the shadow of yet another passing battler. The building was surrounded by them, and she had no doubt that they wanted very much to tear Ril to bits. If Eapha’s orders hadn’t held them back, Lizzy would have shielded him with her body.

  She sighed, resting her hand against Ril’s cheek. He turned slightly toward it, mumbling something unintelligible, and she wondered both what he was dreaming and if he was walking through someone else’s dream. There wasn’t any reason to assume so, she supposed, given that she and her father were both awake.

  A faint knock sounded on the door, and it opened to admit her father. He moved quietly, seeing Ril was still asleep, and shut the door behind him without a sound.

  Lizzy was suddenly nervous. Before, they’d all just been so hysterically happy to be reunited. She still couldn’t imagine exactly what her father and Ril had gone through to save her, and gratitude made it tough for her to swallow. At the same time, she felt a wholly new shyness. When she left home, she’d been a naive little girl. Today, she was the confirmed lover of his battle sylph. She didn’t know how her father felt about that. But if he disapproved, she wouldn’t agree to stay away from Ril—she knew that much.

  Her father approached, his newly gifted sandals making a soft sound upon the marble floor. He wasn’t dressed in travel-stained clothes anymore, just as she had given up her translucent dress. Thin, expensive linen garbed them both, and she noted briefly that her father looked good in white. A moment later, she felt shy again and hated it because she loved him so much.

  Leon gazed at his daughter and then at Ril. When Lizzy gulped audibly, he shot her what could have been an amused look and crooked his finger, moving to the window where they wouldn’t disturb Ril. Feeling like a little girl about to be punished for eating too many sweets, she followed.

  He stopped at the window, motioning to the clouds of battlers drifting angrily outside. “We’ll have to leave as soon as we can,” he said. “They’re getting restless.”

  “Yes,” Lizzy agreed. It would probably have been okay if Ril were any other kind of sylph, but as it was, he wanted to fight as much as they did.

  “Yes,” her father repeated with a sigh. He looked tired. While she was resting with Ril, he’d spent his time training Eapha in the myriad things she’d have to know as queen. From the look in his eyes, he hadn’t been as successful as he’d hoped, though no one could expect much in a day. Lizzy just hoped that her friend had the innate character necessary to be a good leader. Certain qualities would never have been encouraged in a slave.

  Another battler floated by, glaring. Leon and Lizzy watched him pass and then regarded each other.

  “Daddy,” Lizzy said. “I…Ril and I—”

  He raised a hand. “Stop.” He closed his eyes tightly for a second, clearly emotional, and Lizzy heard Ril stir behind her. Her father opened his eyes again, his expression sardonic. “I’ve had time to think. I didn’t expect you to end up with Ril. If I’d thought of it, I probably would have ordered him never to touch you.”

  Lizzy’s eyes widened, her heart pounding.

  Leon sighed. “A father’s prerogative…and it would have been wrong.” His hand cupped her cheek with as much love as she’d earlier cupped Ril’s. “I love you, and I love Ril. I always have, though it took a while longer to realize it with him, miserable bird that he was.” Despite herself, Lizzy smiled. She didn’t speak, though, afraid to ruin her father’s confession.

  “I loved you while you were still in your mother’s womb,” he continued, “from the moment she told me you were coming. And I know that Ril loves you. Even with everything I did to him, how I overwhelmed him with my orders, he still loved you despite it. I couldn’t even touch that in him. So how can I think to stand in your way?” He smiled a little sadly before adding, “Just don’t expect me to get in the way of your mother’s reaction.”

  Lizzy giggled, feeling better even as she tried not to think what her mother would say. “Daddy, I really do love him.”

  “I know you do. I always knew that.” He gripped her shoulder. “And you’ll be good for him. Just never let yourself forget the power you have. He can’t disobey even an unthinking order.”

  “I know,” she whispered, though she wondered what he was getting at. She’d never abuse Ril. Lunging forward, she took her father in her arms. He hugged her back so tightly that her ribs creaked, and it felt wonderful. Her father had come for her, just as she’d believed.

  “Hey.” At the sound, Lizzy pulled back enough to see Ril sitting up in bed, his hair tousled. He rubbed his eyes with the edge of his palm and eyed them both. “What’s going on?”

  Lizzy’s father didn’t answer. His grip tightened on her for a moment and he said, “I have some work to do with Eapha still, until the ship is ready to take us home. But there’s something more important I have to do first. Remember what I told you about the power you have.”

  “What…?” Lizzy started, but her father pulled away and walked toward Ril, who was eyeing him dubiously. She was left by the window, cast in the shadow of another passing battler.

  Ril gazed up at his master. He’d always been aware of the man, at first reluctantly, and later as a source of familiarity and comfort. Now that Leon had taken absolute control, giving him his freedom by removing it, Ril looked at him with complete surrender and it felt good. He didn’t have to think or worry; Leon would take care of everything. He only had to fight when necessary, to protect both his master and his master’s daughter Lizzy. Though he loved Lizzy for herself, too, didn’t he?

  Leon reached down, holding Ril’s chin with a grip that was firm but not harsh. Those blue eyes drilled into him, grabbing his will far more tightly and holding it.

  “Ril,” Leon said. “I am your master. Say it.”

  “You are my master,” Ril repeated with absolute conviction.

  “I own you. You are mine, completely.”

  “I am yours.” So good. It felt so good.

  Leon breathed a little sigh—one so soft that even standing only a few feet away, Lizzy wouldn’t hear. Ril felt a bit of selfish regret in him, a sorrow about having to share, and a determination to do so anyway, all gone in a heartbeat. “Ril, I release you.”

  Ril tried to jerk away. Normally strong enough to shatter stone, his movements now held no strength. He wanted to scream. No! He didn’t want to go back to the way he’d been, vulnerable to the orders of anyone who’d imprinted him with their pattern. But Leon and Lizzy knew that of course. They knew how much at risk he was. They’d protect him from everyone else. And yet…wouldn’t it be better to stay in this safe place where he could be a simple tool? That’s all he was. That’s all he was supposed to be, and it was easier, so very much easier. But even as something deep inside screamed yes, something else shrieked no, for there was no room for Lizzy. There was no room for himself.

  Leon was relentless. “I give you your freedom, Ril,” he said. Lizzy stepped forward, opening her mouth to say something, but he waved her into silence. “I give you the right to make your own choices.”

  The bonds wound through the pattern of Ril’s soul loosened. They didn’t go away completely. After all, Leon was still his master and always would be. Ril would always obey him, just as he would every master. To break that kind of bond entirely would destroy him, since it would destroy the most fundamental part of him, the very thing which made him a battler. Still, he felt his freedom return, and as it did, he welcomed it.

  Exhaling loudly, he closed his eyes and he felt himself return. He hadn’t realized how far he’d truly traveled away from himself, and he felt gratitude that Leon had. And despite all of the man’s own feelings and need for Ril in his life, Leon had chosen to give him back control. It was a sacrifice.

  Thanks, he sent.

  The man smiled and l
et go of his chin, stepping to one side so that Lizzy could hurry up and make sure that he was all right. Not that it was necessary. He was. Ril was as happy as he’d ever been.

  Eapha was staying in a mansion that had once belonged to a lesser noble not ranked highly enough to live on the emperor’s floating island. His lack of status hadn’t saved him, though. The entire male upper class of Meridal was gone—Leon didn’t know where and he thought it best not to inquire. He didn’t know either where the former lady of the house had gone, but she certainly wasn’t protesting Eapha’s presence.

  He found the new queen in a gallery with huge windows that allowed in light and the view of a garden that would never have survived the desert without sylphs. Art that reached from the floor to the vaulted ceiling decorated the walls, scenes from a way of life now utterly destroyed. It was up to this woman to decide what kind of society would be the replacement.

  Eapha was surrounded by her friends, the ten women who’d been part of the secret circle in the harem. All were dressed in sumptuous if thin fabrics and sat on pillows they’d gathered onto the floor despite the furniture. They were giggling madly. Leon watched them gossip and laugh, and he shook his head. These women were having a social gathering, not planning the future of a kingdom. A battler stood in the background, but Leon ignored him.

  Upon seeing his arrival, Eapha rose and joined him, though the women immediately chorused for her not to go. She managed to shake them off nonetheless, and she paced beside him toward a quieter end of the gallery. The battler followed at a distance, his dislike of any man near his queen palpable.

  “How are you doing?” Leon asked.

  Eapha shrugged, trying to look casual. She bit her bottom lip, though, betraying her nervousness. Leon didn’t blame her.

  “I’m okay,” she admitted. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around all of this. It’s so…overwhelming.”