Amelia watched him through half-closed eyes. Though her mind spun through a thousand thoughts, she could not consider what was to come next or how she would heal in time. What she felt from Matthu, Naatos, and WroOth pressed in upon her like an unending stream of information. AaQar's deep sleep blissfully meant she had one less person to concern herself with. But it was surreal to feel such fear from the others separate from herself. "You're doing fine," she said softly. "I'm not hurting so much. Can I sleep now?"
"You should stay awake as long as you can. At least another twenty minutes. Skelt said this medicine is going to help your body make more blood fast and reduce the swelling and help you get your energy back in case you have to run. The side effects might not be so great, but I guess we'll deal with those when they come around." Matthu set his jaw. Tears brimmed in his eyes, a few spilling over. "I think I'm doing it right. He didn't have any diagrams or pictures for me to look at."
"Pictures wouldn't do you any good," WroOth said. "You're doing the best you can, but you're a grunt with a pound of clay sent to build a defensive wall around a city."
"No matter what you do, she will die within a matter of days." Naatos continued pacing. "And she doesn't even have the sense to be concerned about it."
"Dying wouldn't be the worst thing I've ever done." Amelia smiled faintly.
"Stop that talk now." Naatos pointed at her. "You are useless in this."
Amelia wanted to laugh, but the heavy weariness shortened her breaths.
"If she dies," Naatos continued, his paces quickening. "If she dies because you wanted to protect those creatures—"
"First," Matthu started, "those creatures are my friends. At least some of them. Assuming you mean everyone in Libysha. Second, you three Paras are evil. There's no way I'm letting you out." Matthu snapped the vial shut, glaring at Naatos. "Now, you be quiet because I'm here to help Amelia, not you."
"You like these Libyshans. Fair enough." WroOth sighed. He came to a stop as near to Matthu and Amelia as he could. "I will make you a deal then. Let us out, and we will spare your life and ten others of your choosing. We'll even throw your family in without requiring that they be part of the ten."
"No." Matthu laid another waxy strip on Amelia's back.
"Twenty then," WroOth said.
"No."
"Fifty."
"No."
"Seventy. But you have to get them out of the city."
"No!"
"A hundred then," WroOth said, lifting his hand as if he was being more than generous. "There cannot be more than a hundred people you like in this barbaric dreck's nest. Sparing a hundred is more than generous."
"More than generous?" Matthu stood abruptly, turning on WroOth. He stalked toward him. "What have these people ever done to you that they deserve to be wiped out?"
"Matthu," Amelia said, alarm striking her. "Don't get too close."
"Must you ask?" WroOth's eyes narrowed. "Do you see what they have done to my sister?"
"They wouldn't have done it if you hadn't invaded in the first place and killed all those people!" Matthu shouted. "This is as much your fault as Vorec's." He crossed the final flagstone before the bars.
WroOth's arm shot out, and he seized Matthu by the throat. "My brothers and I have only taken what is ours. If your people had not resisted, all this would have been far simpler."
"WroOth!" Amelia struggled to sit up. Dizziness swept over her, and shards of pain cut back in. She thrust her arm against the wall. "WroOth, let him go!"
Matthu gagged. He struggled to break free, but WroOth's grip remained tight on him. "I could kill you right now, break you apart, and turn your bones into lockpicks," WroOth said. "Not that I ever spent much time learning how to pick locks, but I'm fairly motivated now. I got some practice on the attendants. I think I'm close to a breakthrough."
Matthu spat at WroOth.
"WroOth, put him down now!" Amelia shouted. Her voice strained.
"However," WroOth continued, not looking away from Matthu. "There is a simpler alternative. One that is much less bloody and ends far better for you. And that involves you unlocking this cell and letting us out. Doesn't that sound better?"
"WroOth! I said put him down now." Amelia struggled to stand, but her movements were too clumsy and her legs too weak.
"Stay down, Amelia," Naatos bellowed.
Amelia rose to her feet but crashed back against the wall again, stunning herself.
WroOth put his other arm through the bar, switching hands holding onto Matthu's throat. Then he stepped to the side. "This would all have been so much easier if you had simply cooperated, Awdawm. But it isn't too late now."
Matthu swiped at him, his knuckles battering the bars.
WroOth continued along the side of the cell, switching arms through the bars and pulling Matthu with him. When they reached the end of the cell, he stopped. The door to Amelia's cell was too far.
Matthu stopped struggling. "What next?" His face was red, some of the vessels on his cheeks broken. "I can't reach the keys from here."
"Naatos, give me your cloak," WroOth said. Naatos tossed it over at once. WroOth caught the heavy green hemmed garment with his free hand and then passed it to Matthu. "Make a retractable noose out of this. I assume you know how." His fingers still gripped Matthu's throat tight enough to leave marks but not so tight to keep him from breathing.
Matthu sullenly twisted the cloak into a basic noose. WroOth then put it around his neck. "You're going to get the keys, and if you don't, I'm going to snap your neck and go with my first plan."
Matthu nodded.
"WroOth, if you kill him, I will never forgive you," Amelia said. The words stumbled from her lips, slurring.
"It's all right. This is for the best." Matthu breathed a little easier as WroOth let him go, even with the noose around his neck. "I can do this."
"Good. I'm glad you agree," WroOth said. "And it truly is for the best. You don't want Amelia to die and neither do we. So, quickly now."
Matthu nodded. He stepped slowly to the side and through the open door. He then moved to the side as WroOth negotiated the cloak rope through the bars.
Going as far as he could, Matthu stretched out his arm. He wiggled his fingers, just out of reach of the iron ring. "You're going to have to let go."
"Reach farther," WroOth said. He strained through the bars.
"I can't!" Matthu paused. "Wait. There's a bo staff. Just a minute." He held up his hands, hinging back to look at WroOth. "I'm just going to use it to get the keys off. All right?"
WroOth nodded.
Matthu stepped back, picked up the bo staff leaning against the table, and then spun around, twisting the noose in it.
WroOth jerked the rope back, but the bo staff caught long ways against the bars.
Matthu ripped the noose off his neck and sprang backwards. "Ha! You are not getting out," he said.
"Son of a marskelpt!" WroOth snarled. He seized the bo staff and swiped at Matthu as Naatos bellowed in frustration. "Do you want her to die?"
"No. I'm going to save her and keep you from destroying Libysha. This is my home, and these are my people. Some of them have made horrible mistakes. I'll probably be branded a traitor for even being down here and helping Amelia, but that doesn't mean I am one. And I'm not going to open the doors to genocide."
"Then you had best pray that Elonumato spares you because I will hold you personally accountable if she dies," Naatos snarled.
"You two are pointless." Matthu rolled up his sleeves and returned to Amelia. He helped her onto the bench. "You shouldn't have tried to get up."
"Are you all right?" Amelia asked.
"Yeah. Just stupid." Matthu sighed. "I've got to hurry or else we're not going to be ready in time."
"We? You mean you're actually going to try to escape with her?" WroOth asked scornfully. "Are you going to use a staff to block your Ayamin when they come after you as well?"
"It worked well enough on you." Matthu clenc
hed his jaw. "And I'm not alone. We're going to get her out of here."
"Who else is with you?" Amelia asked. She racked her brain, trying to recall who might be willing to risk being branded a traitor. Shon had turned on her. But perhaps the Machat had returned?
"A lot more than you'd think. Skelt. Traol. Some of the other patients you helped—"
"Patients?" Naatos repeated. Disdain filled his voice. "If your ranks are so sparse you must go to the infirmary to find support, then surely you can see that this is a fool's plan."
"They're strong enough," Matthu said tensely.
"And how many are there exactly?" WroOth demanded. He cracked the staff in half and tossed one segment to Naatos.
"Hey!" Matthu tried to catch it. Before he could run after the broken staff, Amelia grabbed his sleeve, her grip weak.
"Leave them alone," she whispered hoarsely. "They can't do anything with it."
"But what if they make lockpicks?" Matthu asked.
"Won't work." Amelia fought to keep her eyes open. She wanted to explain that what they were doing was weakening the wood, and using wood as a pick and lever was difficult anyway when it wasn't prepared properly. Especially on a lock like this. But it was too hard to speak.
Matthu hesitated. "There isn't much time."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" WroOth asked. "That she's going to die? Yes, that is a brilliant observation and precisely what we were trying to avoid." He beat his half of the staff against the ground, breaking off shards. Taking the sturdiest two, he then moved to the cell door and finagled them within the lock. When one broke, he swore.
"It would seem to be about the level of foresight I would expect from an Awdawm," Naatos said as he examined his staff.
Matthu set the fragrant medicine against Amelia's mouth. "Drink more of this. We're going to get you out of here before the end of the watch. After a few hours of rest, you'll be up again. Pretty stiff for a bit, but you'll get your energy back. But when the medicine goes, if we can't get you more, you're going to fall fast. You're not going to be as healed as you'll feel." He resumed binding her back.
"What happens at the third watch?" Naatos demanded. He split the staff further, making stronger shards. "That is just before the dawn."
Matthu continued to place the waxy bikro patches over her wounds. "Vorec had runners come in from King Theol's escort. Apparently our allies won't honor their treaties so long as you three here. In fact, they want you executed or at the very least banished to Ecekom. The king and queen and my father are fighting for Amelia to have some protections and freedoms. But right now, it looks like she'll be imprisoned in some tower to the north at best, possibly banished. Maybe executed. Dian says probably executed. Vorec says Amelia is dangerous so long as she lives. He said she'll draw you three like bloated corpses draw plague flies."
"So flattering," Amelia mumbled. The fear pressed in upon her again, this time not only theirs but her own.
"So what does the Awdawm intend to do to her then?" Naatos demanded. "Execute her at dawn?"
"No." Matthu gave Amelia another drink. "He's going to open the Tue-Rah and send her to Ecekom alone."
23
The Stage Is Set
Naatos stiffened, cold fear radiating through his body. "That is a death sentence." The rage swelled inside Naatos, expanding and eating at his thoughts. "She will either bleed to death or be eaten alive."
Matthu paused. "Vawtrians eat Neyeb?"
"No," Naatos said tersely. "But cabiza monsters, besreds, ciclos, and camels do."
"So there aren't any cities?" Matthu asked. He unrolled more of the wax bandages and placed them over Amelia's back. "We figured it wasn't the best place, but surely there are some cities."
"Not many. Why do you think Vawtrians are as strong as they are? Because our world is harsher. She wouldn't last five minutes." Naatos's gaze fell to Amelia. Her eyes had slid shut again.
"Ten perhaps. She's remarkably stubborn." WroOth swore again when another of the wood fragments broke. This one remained in the lock. "Oh, and she's sleeping now. Of course she is. Why wouldn't she sleep? Her life just lies in the balance."
"It's been over an hour. Skelt said it should be fine. Not ideal, but fine." Matthu slid the cork back into the waterskin. "All of this combined helps her relax. She's had the maximum dose. The gum promotes healing and regrowth. Everything together works fast."
Naatos couldn't tear his gaze away. Blood had turned her pale green dress a dingy reddish and blackish brown, the pale sash thoroughly dyed. And even with the bandages that Matthu applied, she was seriously injured. Assuming the most rapid rate of healing this land could provide, she would make it through the night. She would probably be strong enough to walk, perhaps even run if she had sufficient motivation and will. But beyond that… He clenched his fist. She would be an easy target on Ecekom.
The wood pieces snapped in his hand. Naatos cursed again. This staff must have been intended only for basic training rather than true battle.
An alarming thought struck him. Naatos cast the splinters aside. "You said Vorec was watching the physician."
"Yeah. And a couple of other members too." Matthu continued his application. Amelia's back was almost entirely covered in thin pale-blue strips. "We're going to get her back to Joseph. He'll know what to do."
Naatos exchanged looks with WroOth. This Awdawm was likely to get Amelia killed in his attempts to save her, but his intentions were unquestionably good. "Matthu." Naatos made his tone as persuasive and calm as he could manage. "You need to listen very carefully. Before we began our conquest, my brothers and I visited each of the central worlds to understand how they had progressed. The technology on Eiram is more advanced than what is here. Indeed, it is very different. But it is not enough to save her. And they will ask questions. Questions neither you nor Joseph can answer. They know nothing of the Neyeb, and they will kill her before they realize what she needs. Their method for replenishing the blood involves putting other people's blood into the body, and that will kill her."
Matthu scoffed. "That's disgusting. You really don't expect me to believe that, do you? Why would anyone pump one person's blood out and then put it in someone else?"
"My point is that there is one matter on which we agree. Amelia must survive. And what happens on Eiram is irrelevant, Matthu, because you will not make it back before the third watch," Naatos said. "This commander is cunning. The only reason he has not imprisoned you is because he is allowing you to betray yourself. And all those who are helping you. All three members of your resistance will wind up in that cell over there."
"There's more than three of us," Matthu said. "And a lot more who wanted to help but couldn't."
"But less than ten, I'd warrant," WroOth muttered.
"Matthu." Naatos crossed back to the point nearest Amelia and Matthu. "I appreciate your efforts. The fact that you have intervened and stopped Vorec from wounding Amelia further is noted and appreciated."
"Your brother tried to strangle me," Matthu muttered darkly.
"Out of love for my sister," WroOth said. "And it was only a threat. We still appreciate you."
"You are a friend of the Vawtrians now," Naatos continued. "You have saved my viskaro, and for that, I will remember you." Naatos struggled to keep his words calm. He knew better than to give his rage full vent, and at least it was true that Matthu had saved her life for at least a few hours. "But you must help her further. I understand that you cannot release us. But you must do what is necessary to protect her. And that means that you must put her in my cell or WroOth's."
"Put her in with you?" Matthu echoed. "Why would I do that?"
"So we can protect her," WroOth said. He stopped trying to fish the broken bits of wood out of the lock. "You know we would never harm her. And if you make it back, I will let you chain whichever of us to the bars so that you can retrieve her. We won't stop you. But Naatos is right. Vorec has set a trap for you, and you've walked into it perfectly. He'll wait to sp
ring it until all seven members of your little resistance are rounded up. You probably won't get out of this dungeon without being caught." He lifted his hand as Matthu scoffed. "Don't overestimate yourself, boy."
"Boy." Matthu's expression hardened, his feelings about the offense obvious. "I'm practically twenty."
"Well, if you're practically twenty." WroOth rolled his eyes. "Let's hope the other three members of your resistance are as well aged. My point is that you're not nearly as experienced in combat or tactical maneuvers, and even this elder commander of yours is beyond your skill to outwit. So what is your contingency plan?"
"Not to get caught." Matthu opened Amelia's Neyeb book and ran his finger down the index.
"Your strategies are truly destined for the halls of greatness," Naatos said. "But on the microscopically small chance that you should not succeed, what happens to Amelia?"
Matthu stepped back. Uncertainty flashed through his eyes. "Well…"
"We can all agree on this point," WroOth said. "Vorec will do everything he can to destroy her. And she is in no condition to defend herself. So let's focus on what we agree on, shall we? Of course, if that's too much, you could always put out the huanna."
"If I did that, then you'd be able to shift. And then you'd break out, and you'd do a lot worse."
"Then put Amelia in one of our cells!" Naatos jammed his hand against the bars. "If you don't want her death on your head, then you will do that."
"All right. Fine." Matthu shook Amelia's shoulder. "Amelia."
Amelia moaned and wrapped her arms around her head.
"Amelia, do you want me to put you in WroOth's cell or Naatos's?"
"Please," Amelia whispered, the words stumbling from her mouth. "Go away."
"It's not that difficult." Naatos braced himself against the bars. "She's my wife. She belongs with me."
"I just don't want to put her in with you if she doesn't want me to," Matthu said.
Princess Reviled Page 23
