JOURNEY OF THE SACRED KING III

by JANRAE FRANK

  From the angle at which he lay, she could not tell if he still breathed. He was battered and bloody in what would have been a fatal beating for a human. Part of her wanted to weep at what they had done to him; but she would not give them the satisfaction of seeing it. Hadjys, she prayed, Dear My Lord God, vengeance and justice send.

  "Can we ride her?" One asked.

  Edouina smiled at him in a calculatedly sensuous invitation. "I'm a very good ride, soldier. You just try me." And I'll fry your little mind, she thought grimly.

  "No. She might be bi-kyndi. You remember what happened to those two soldiers."

  "The ones that raped the heir?"

  "Yeah, those two."

  Raped the heir? Edouina frowned. Were they talking about Talons?

  What seemed like hours passed. The sun reached its height and beat down through the trees. There had been neither a move nor sound from Dynarien. A few flies, lingering late into the season, crawled his body and Edouina feared that he was dead. The guards started getting impatient and grumbling.

  "We wait any longer, someone's going to come looking for us. They'll find we didn't take them to the temple. It's only going to work, if the whole thing happened fast. I mean who will believe it took us this many hours just to chase some escaping prisoners through the Stalking Grounds?"

  "I'm tired of waiting," said the third guard, who appeared to be the leader. "Kill them."

  The first guard seized Dynarien's hair and twisted his head back, putting a blade to the side of his throat to shove it in at the artery and rip it open.

  * * * *

  The Master of Blood left the Stalking Grounds and picked up his crew at the edges where they waited with their bags to make deliveries along the Cloverleaf, secure in the knowledge that the execution of one yuwenghau had begun. It was now time to find the other. He kept picking up tickles and prickles of power that led nowhere. This one was very active. Since Galee had given him a license, through a secret proxy, to sell his wares to the little shops about the compound, he would search through the Cloverleaf next. There was only a single yuwenghau, a peddler, who had ever bested him, Dyna. Some day he would encounter her again and that next time would be different. It stood to reason that this one could easily be a shopkeeper. Those minor divines liked to blend in, disappearing into the mix of humanity and sylvans unless forced to act.

  They entered the Great Central Hall, heading for the stairs to the Cloverleaf beneath the palace. A large crowd of nobles and their ladies had dragged chairs and couches into a circle near the stairs while a mon in ornate silken robes gestured with a pair of golden fans, moving in a stately dance in the center. Now and again he would leap high and then pose for an instant. As the fans moved, they left trails of illusion in their wake, images of dream like birds with streaming tails of white clouds.

  Master Zarliche Blood had to pass close to him to reach the stairs to the Cloverleaf and his whole body itched at the pure radiant magic of the Faery lord and his entourage. Sylvan and one of the worst kinds. Of all of Willodarus' people to encounter that one had to be the kind he most hated. Why the hell couldn't they stay on their damned island? Why the hell did he have to find one in Creeya? Master Blood almost turned around and left, but he had a job to do and he never failed at a job. So he walked on.

  Channadar's eyes widened, his mouth opening slightly. He paused like a falcon, spreading his arms, his sleeves and fans fluttering a moment like wings in a sign to his Thirteen Chosen and they swept down the stairs behind Blood and his people.

  "Master of Blood! You'll take no more lives here. Thus speak the Fae," shouted Channadar.

  The audience of nobles and their various retainers, servants, and others who moved about the palace compound scattered as the Fae rushed abruptly down the stairwell to the Cloverleaf in pursuit of the odd merchant and his folk, completely at a loss to comprehend whether this was real or another of their endless games and displays – except that to some it appeared oddly real.

  Juna laughed, for there was no better place to lie in wait for their prey than in the intersection of all traffic – which was the reason they spent so much time in the Great Central Hall – and no better mon to hunt beside than his brother. So Juna rushed to be right behind him, managing to be second down the stairs with Tiderider immediately next. Channadar's standing orders were that Tiderider, leader of his Thirteen Chosen, be always second to him and Juna third when combat came, but Juna's game was to steal Tiderider's place. If anyone were going to stand at his brother's right hand in a fight it would be Juna – laughing Juna.

  Leeza and Chucomei Who-Calls-the-Birds tried to keep the fireflies, servants, others of the entourage, and Juna's four summerflies – they no longer called them anything else, making no secret of their disdain and the others were picking up the habit – from following after the Chosen.

  "If you loved him as much as I love Juna, you'd not be holding us back," Yolany spit at Leeza.

  Leeza flinched. They meant Tiderider; but she was thinking Channadar, still weak from his wounding on the rooftops and hiding it well.

  "Mage!" Tongari stamped her feet at Chucomei. "You could help them. The Master of Blood is deadly."

  Leeza gasped and wavered. Yolany saw that and shoved her down. Although Leeza was back up in an instant, the entire herd in silken skirts had rushed past her to the stairwell. Now the watchers had decided it was but another show of the Fae and were laughing at her as Leeza pushed her way through. She kicked, stamped feet, jostled and shoved, pulling hair in an indiscriminant manner to get to the bottom of the stairs first, not even bothering to see whom she had damaged in the process. There would be a lot of angry women in their apartments that night. If anything happened to Channadar, then she would let the air out of these airy bitches. This firefly would become a hornet.

  Tongari, Pelaui, Sysymi, and Yolany had reached the bottom first, talking excitedly about Juna and Channadar, gesturing oddly in a way that sent a shiver along Leeza's spine – although she could not say why. A flash of metal came just beyond them, not at them and not exactly from them, and Leeza screamed because she felt as if it were connected to them. Juna was not where he was supposed to be. He was never where he was supposed to be. He was competing with Tiderider again, and Channadar's back was unguarded.

  "Channadar! Behind you!" Leeza screamed.

  Channadar reacted by twisting out of the way. The first two missed him and the third brought him down.

  The Cloverleaf filled with people, but Leeza barely noticed them. She had reached him, cradling him in her arms, careful of the blade protruding from his shoulder.

  "Leeza... Leeza, it only hurts a little." Channadar touched her eyes, drawing his finger through the tears that had started. "Silly firefly cries at nothing," he struggled for his usual bantering tone.

  "I'll pinch you," she responded, dispiritedly. Why did he always belittle her concern? She felt closed out by the game he danced.

  "Cruel Leeza."

  Shaheeramaat's hands closed on Leeza's. "I need to Read him. Let him have him."

  Leeza glanced, saw Sha, and yielded Channadar reluctantly to the Guild healer. She saw the Guild cordoning off that part of the Cloverleaf. Black and gold uniforms were everywhere. The Chosen had returned; yet only Tiderider had been allowed to approach. Aramyn squatted beside them with Tiderider at his shoulder.

  The Guildsmon had two blades in his hands, turning them over, examining them. "What did you see, Leeza? Tiderider tells me you shouted a warning. These are an assassin's weapons."

  "I saw a flash of silver and yelled. I did not see a thrower. The summerflies were already down here. I went to Channadar and the rest came rushing down."

  "Summerflies?" Aramyn glanced at Tiderider.

  "Juna's women. A derogatory term."

  "You're certain that none of Blood's myn could have gotten around behind you?"

  "None." Tiderider took one of the blades from Aramyn. "May I keep this for a while?"

  "Yes, but i
f you get any ideas, tell me. I've seen similar things, but nothing exactly like it."

  Tiderider nodded.

  The Golden Fae held his head tilted thoughtfully to one side. Three blades thrown or fired. Three wickedly sharp, barbed blades, small and deadly, easily concealed and only one had found its mark because Leeza screamed. The summerflies bore watching. Juna was a fool. Tiderider left Aramyn, approaching Juna and the other Chosen where the Guildsmyn were holding them at a distance from the healers and their lord while Aramyn spoke to them and Sha did her work. Juna looked sullen with his summerflies pulling at him.

  "Juna, your place..." Tiderider said, his voice steely in its chill softness. "Was at his back, not gaming for my place at his side. When you are mature enough to learn to dance the steps, I will teach them to you. From now on Da'Shanagara will stand as my second and not you. You are now last of all." Tiderider had never publicly reprimanded him before because Juna was Channadar's brother, but if shame could not cure him then only death would. Besides, his own twelve truebloods were coming and he would give over the training of these to another. He found a kind of grim amusement at the image of Juna trying to play these games on StealsThunder. That diminutive little Fae would have fed him his balls by now. Her temper was a thing of legend.

  Tiderider returned to his lord, kneeling again beside him. "How fares my lord, Sha?" He touched his lord's shoulder. Leeza had calmed, held by Chucomei, who Sha had allowed in to comfort her. Channadar's eyes were closed and his breathing even.

  "Not good. We should have a litter soon to get him to the Guild Wing. We need to cut the damned thing out of his shoulder. I gave him fire poppy and holadil, but it's going to be a mess. He was still weak to begin with. What possessed you to go after these creatures? You could have called for guards and Guild."

  "There is a saying among my people. Do not hunt the Fae, for the Fae will hunt you. These are the same who came after my lord before and they will again. The Master of Blood escaped. We feared he would if we took time to call for you this time."

  "He has a point there, Sha," Aramyn said mildly.

  "Then seal off the entire Cloverleaf, Aramyn."

  "Giving orders now, Sha?"

  "Common sense." She snapped back at him.

  Aramyn barked out orders. Guild had jurisdiction over the guard and he cleared the guard out as well as the civilians. After what had happened to Mohanja, he knew the guard had been infiltrated. "Tiderider, leave the rest to Sha. I want to have a talk with you about Juna."

  Tiderider gave him a short bow of his shoulders, following him away from the others.

  Aramyn's chestnut eyes held a chill clarity, reflecting his attention to details as he investigated, his thumbs caught in the edge of his sword belt. "I know little of Lord Ky's progeny, but are there any other legal siblings besides Juna and Channadar? Any bastards that could be legalized?"

  "Just the two brothers. When Lord Ky died, Channadar searched and found none."

  "Why?"

  "We love family. He also wanted someone more stable than Juna around."

  "So there is a problem with Juna?"

  "Juna is Juna. A child forever."

  "Doesn't Channadar have lands and titles of some kind in Faewin as well?"

  "Some."

  Aramyn sensed an increasingly guarded tone in Tiderider's voice. "I'd like to have more specifics on that."

  "I cannot give them to you."

  "Juna would get the Creeyan lands and titles. Would he also get the Fae lands?"

  "Are you seeing stinging flies?"

  "What?"

  "Treachery. No. He would not get the Fae lands. Their mother has already said she would disinherit Juna if his stupidity caused Channadar's death. She has other children. Besides, Juna loves his brother."

  "I don't know how politics work in Faewin, but in these outlands, it isn't always run by the lord who holds the titles, but by the ones who hold the lord in their hands. Juna seems like someone who would be damned easy to control or manipulate. I'd be wondering who might be pushing him around, pulling his strings. What really makes me nervous is that Channadar's holdings border the escarpment. And then there is the matter of the branch clan. I've heard rumors they've hidden themselves in Hellsguard."

  "Branch clan? That is a myth. There is no branch clan."

  Aramyn scratched his nose and looked at Tiderider again, but his face was totally unreadable.

  * * * *

  Channadar floated in the darkness. Somehow he was both there and not there. A battle had been fought. His people, what was left of them, were gathered in a great hall, which had been transformed into makeshift quarters with sleeping pallets. There were bodies, shrouded bodies along one wall, and Guildsmyn kneeling to one side while four Chosen – the only ones left alive – stood before the mirror. The others are all slain? He turned again toward the bodies, counting. Too many bodies. The attackers had killed everyone. Then he drifted back to the mirror and saw that Leeza had survived. She clung to Tiderider, weeping. There was one more body, wrapped in his colors.

  Meileilyki stared forth from the mirror; saw the body and rose, her face hardening.

  "My Lady," Tiderider said. "Your son is slain. He died well."

  I am dead. They killed me. It was indeed my death I read in the stones that day.

  Then Channadar awoke in his bed, in his own chamber.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  WRATH

  "Get 'em," a female voice growled.

  The guard, with his blade at Dynarien's throat, looked up. A silver disk flashed like pale lightning across the bit of open ground and struck the guard in the throat, taking his head off. The knife fell away from Dynarien. The headless body collapsed against the unmoving yuwenghau, blood gushing out to coat his chest and face.

  A shout brought the other seven soldiers running toward the newcomers. The disk, lying on the ground, looked strangely like a pie pan. Edouina twisted around to see where it had come from. Two small people, who looked like children, stood beside an angry, very pregnant woman. The small female in black waved a twig broom at the soldiers, shouting something in a language that sounded vaguely sylvan to Edouina.

  Trees reached out, grabbing the first pair of running myn. They screamed once, thrashing frantically and died with their throats crushed. The others drew back and hesitated, confronted by magic they could not fight, caught between their training, and their instinctual fear of the unknown. The pie pan vanished and flew again, accounting for a second guard. The third ran at Pieface. Edouina threw herself forward, tripping him and Dynanna kicked him in the head. He collapsed. Realizing that this was magic beyond their ken, the soldiers turned to run. Sugar Maple spoke once more. The grass beneath their feet grew suddenly higher than their heads, wrapping around them with the strength of steel bands.

  Dynanna cut her brother free and awakened him through their link; her face twisted in fury. She wanted to summon all her Badree Nym and knock the city down. "Why didn't you call to me?" she demanded, her voice hoarse.

  "The spellcord..." he answered weakly. He did not have the strength to check himself, but suspected that ribs were cracked and possibly broken. "It's strange somehow... Blocked my powers ... and our link."

  Sugar Maple leaned her broom on a tree and cut Edouina loose. "There. That's better, isn't it?"

  The Hadjysheen sat up, rubbing her wrists. She heard Dynarien speaking to the mon and realized it was his sister. A rush of gratitude at his survival rushed through her. "Thanks," Edouina said, and then frowned. "What are you?"

  "Who am I would be more polite," Sugar Maple admonished her. "I'm Sugar Maple of the Blue Dog Pass. I'm Badree Nym. So's my cousin, Pieface." She had incredibly large, soulful dark brown eyes and marmalade hair hanging to her waist with a habit of slipping over her face. She had a small perfect mouth with a thoughtful turn at the corners. Edouina thought she was beautiful.

  Dynanna focused and called out, bringing another of her people to her; a craggy mountain mon in be
arskins with a huge blue shaggy dog beside him.

  "What chances, My Lady," he said, scanning the tableau.

  "Bernard, can you get my brother up? He's hurt bad. I think I'm gonna have to kill somebody."

  "It looks like you already have," he observed blandly.

  * * * *

  Dynanna stalked through the palace with Dynarien and Edouina in tow, followed by her paladins marching their captives along. People stared at the disturbing procession: a pregnant woman, followed by a bloody, beaten mon supported by a large male in animal skins with a dog walking at his side; four battered guards, their hands bound behind them with what looked like grass; and two children prodding them along. Guildsmyn, recognizing Edouina and Dynarien, faded back to watch what chanced. Guards reacted to the condition and circumstance of their fellows by trying to halt her. With a wave she dropped whole units of the guard and everyone else within range.

  "Asses, asses, all fall down!" She chanted in a grim voice, anger magnifying her talents and powers. Soon nearly everyone in the great hall – guardsmyn, nobles, and servants, everyone who was caught by the sweep of the casting – lay groaning on the ground, clutching at their stomachs. Those who were not hit scattered, screaming. Guildsmyn gave her a polite smile and a bow. At her nod, some of them fell in around her; others went after the Patriarch, fully cognizant that they had a very angry deity striding through the halls.

  "I don't want to kill'em, I just want to stop 'em," she muttered, fuming. She slammed open the council chamber door and stalked in, glaring. "I'm Dynanna, God of Cussedness, and I'm pissed." She indicated her swollen belly and told them, "This kid belongs to Hadjys. He put it there. He's supposed to be your liege-god and yet you're harassing my brother who's a friend of his."