by C. M. Kane
‘Not bad for a girl from the Bacchus District huh?’ she said proudly. ‘Mum did my hair. I don’t know how, but I think it’s held up by a small mountain of pins, so we better not pass any magnets or I’m doomed. Oops. Looks like we’re starting’ she said. An older man of around sixty, dressed in a scarlet robe with intricate patterns of gold filigree woven into it, stepped onto a small platform.
Tae took a seat next to Brohan and Valaria, feeling surprisingly calm. Valaria is right she thought. Today I am the daughter of Kresley and the sister of Jason. I will show them no fear, no regret. If I die on the Island, then I want people to remember me as proud and strong. I owe my family, I owe Brohan and my friends, and I think I owe it to Loki. Yes! I can at least give them that much.
She sat quietly and listened as the local temples priest went through his spiel about the gods and their wisdom in setting up the castes. A system developed so that all could find their rightful place and contribute in a meaningful way to their society. He thanked everyone for honouring the gods with their presence, and then finally invited the five nominees to the front. Tae, Soola, Asianna, Trevor, and an incredibly scared looking Brian Richards, all made their way to the small platform where they each took a seat facing the audience. The priest introduced the representatives from each caste. The usual members from the Religious Caste, together with a new, young acolyte, sat to the left. The middle table was taken up by three members of the Worker Caste. They already knew some of the crowd from previous years, and they turned to wave and smile at them. Lastly he introduced the Warrior Caste. Once again two familiar faces looked around, lifting their hands casually in greeting. They also had one new member, a particularly large Thalien, who was staring directly at Tae.
She heard Soola gasp, and felt her clutch her hand. ‘That’s him, ‘she whispered urgently from behind her hand. ‘He’s one of the ones from that night.’
Tae turned to her casually and smiled as if Soola had just said something amusing. ‘Shhh,’ she said. ‘There’s nothing we can do about it now besides, it’s to be expected. Now enjoy your moment. It’s show-time. ‘She turned back and pretended to look nonchalantly over the assembled guests.
The priest began calling out for those who wished to join the Worker Caste. Brian and Soola raised their hands and stepped forward. Brian gave his sub-application as a factory worker in metal fabrication. Soola stepped further forward as Brian stepped back to stand behind his chair. She took a deep breath, and then voiced her sub-application as a computer tech. Several people clapped. Being a computer tech provided a good income and solid career path, and was in most people’s eyes, a big step up from where Soola had come from. She smiled and stepped back behind her chair with Brian.
The priest stepped forward once again and called for those who wished to join the Religious Caste. Asianna raised her hand, stepped forward, and gave her sub-application as a pleasure worker. Once again several people, including her parents and the acolyte, clapped delightedly. Two left now, thought Tae as she started to fidget. A smiling Asianna returned to stand behind her chair.
Tae was now concentrating on a fly that circled lazily above the priest’s left ear. She looked to Brohan for a moment and tried to reassure him with a look that said she was alright. He dipped his head slightly in acknowledgement. She swallowed nervously as the priest stepped forward yet again, this time he asked for applications to the Warrior Caste. Trevor stepped forward, and gave his sub-application as security enforcer to a loud round of applause, and then he too walked behind his chair. People began murmuring as Tae continued to sit, her gaze now focused on Brohan.
The priest stepped towards her, a confused expression on his face. ‘Excuse me young lady, but you seem to have forgotten to nominate.’
Tae looked up and smiled. She rose slowly and took two steps forward to face the audience, and then she shifted her attention momentarily to the thalien. She knew he had never taken his eyes from her since she had reached the stage. As the hall became quiet again, she spoke. ‘I choose,’ her eyes swung back to Brohan’s and she lifted her chin proudly.
‘The Island!’
At first there was stunned silence. She could see Brohan staring at her, his eyes shining with unconcealed pride, while Valaria clutched his hand and smiled up at her. Then a huge tidal wave of excited muttering broke out from seemingly everywhere at once, as the import of what Tae had just said sank in. She looked down at the thalien who had cocked his head to the side. A calculating look gleamed in his eyes as he continued to watch her. She turned around and walked slowly to stand behind her chair with the others.
The priest returned to the stage, clearly at a loss as to how to proceed. This had never happened before, although it was allowed, no-one ever volunteered for the Island. He held his hands up to quieten the room. ‘That will be all. We will reconvene in seven days at this venue, at this time, with everyone’s results.’ He glanced over at Tae then continued. ‘Thank-you for coming. Praise be to the gods, and may their reign be ever merciful.’ And with that, he hurried from the stage.
Trevor and the other applicants were staring at her with a mixture of horror and awe. Trevor actually took a step toward her as if he wanted to say something, but she turned swiftly to Soola and spoke with a forced brightness. ‘Well that’s over, let’s go grab a cake before we go shall we?’ Then they walked swiftly off the podium toward Brohan, Margarete and Valaria.
Just before she reached them Tae felt a hand roughly grab her arm. ‘You’ll be going with me woman. Now!’ Tae and Soola turned to see the thalien staring at her intently. He had followed them and grabbed Tae’s arm, squeezing it with unnecessary force.
Brohan pushed forward quickly until he was standing directly in front of them, Valaria close behind. ‘Is there a problem?’
The thalien curled his lip. ‘It is no concern of yours old man.’
Brohan casually brought the large, double-edged knife that he had once pressed to Tae’s’ throat out from behind his back, and started picking his nails with it. ‘Is that so?’ He asked softly and smiled.
The scene was now attracting quite a crowd, Tae was trying to pry her arm free as another member of the Warrior caste joined them. ‘Hello Brohan, Jaden, is there a problem?’
Jaden, is that the bastard’s name? Tae thought as she tried to move her arm from his vice like grip with no success.
‘Good morning Bralleck,’ Brohan said good naturedly. ‘No problem. Your little friend here seems to think he’s conveying Tae somewhere without her permission. I was simply about to show him the error of his ways.’
‘This old man,’ Jaden spat, ‘thinks to interfere with the WLE and the Island. This woman has applied, I’m taking her to headquarters now Sub Commander.’ He dragged Tae closer to himself. Brohan took a menacing step forward.
‘Well this is easily settled. I’m pretty sure about the rules but I’d like to double check, let’s get the priest over here, he has the final say on anything to do with the Gathering.’ Bralleck was gesturing franticly at the priest to join them, before a full-scale knife fight broke out. ‘Your Eminence,’ he said, as the priest reluctantly joined the large crowd who were watching the unfolding events eagerly. ‘We would ask your ruling on this dispute. Lieutenant Ardaan,’ he gestured to the thalien who was now looking at Brohans knife and frowning, ‘wishes to take the Island applicant with him immediately. Neither, Brohan nor the girl,’ he glanced at Tae, ‘seem to be in agreement with his plans.’
Tae piped up quickly. ‘Your Eminence, I beg your indulgence,’ she said, ‘but I was under the impression I would have the same amount of time as the other applicants, so that I could settle any outstanding affairs I might have. But, more importantly, I still need to make my peace with the gods, and to pray for their guidance.’ She looked innocently at the priest.
He smiled at her, seemingly delighted by her response. ‘Well of course you do dear child. Of course you do.’
Jaden glared at the priest. ‘Surely you’r
e not gullible enough to believe that tripe?’
The priest straightened his robes, outraged at his tone and lack of respect. A Thalien daring to question the rights of the obviously god faring child in front of him, why it bordered on blasphemy! ‘It is the right of all applicants to have a minimum of seven days when applying for a position at the Gathering’ he said stridently. ‘It is a law sent down to us by the very gods themselves. You,’ he pointed at Jaden, ‘will be able to collect the girl when, and only when, the other castes come to their decisions, how-ever long that may take. That is the law, as you should well know. I have made my ruling.’ He turned kindly eyes to Tae. ‘I hope to see you in temple soon my child.’ Then with one last angry look at Jaden, he stalked off.
Bralleck looked sternly at the angry thalien. ‘You have your ruling Lieutenant. Now I suggest you let the girl go before Brohan here introduces you to that rather lovely knife of his. By the way, that’s a direct order if you’re wondering.’
Jaden dropped Tae’s arm and she quickly stepped toward Brohan.
‘Seven days woman, then I’ll be back’ he said.
Valaria giggled and, in a loud stage whisper that everyone heard, said. ‘Well, isn’t that just like a Thalien, premature with the girls … as usual!’ At her statement the entire room erupted with laughter and the tension was broken.
Jaden gave Valaria a killing look and stormed from the room. Bralleck stepped toward Brohan chuckling, ‘I’m not sure what’s going on here Brohan, but I’d be careful of that one if I were you, there’s something about him that’s a bit off.’ He clapped the old warrior on the back, ‘But back to more important matters, where’s the mead?’ He eyed a grinning Valaria before adding ‘And please won’t you introduce me to your delightful new friend?’
Tae felt as if a weight she had never known she was carrying had been lifted from her shoulders. It was finally done, she was going to the Island in seven days! Nothing and no-one could stop that now. She looked up at Brohan. ‘Thank-you,’ she said, tears forming in her eyes. No-one, apart from Jason and Soola, had ever stuck up for her like this before. She stepped forward and hugged him briefly then turned to do the same to Valaria. ‘And thank you too. ‘Now’ she said, suddenly all business, ‘I am going to leave you two to your own devices while I steal your thirsty friend here, and show him where the mead is located.’
Valaria grabbed Brohan’s arm and purred. ‘What an excellent idea. I’ve got a few things I want to show him’ Brohan flushed lightly, looking simultaneously alarmed and pleased.
Tae grabbed Bralleck’s arm and escorted him to the mead where she left him, making an excuse of needing to get to the cakes before the hungry hoard devoured the lot. Instead she made her escape outside. There she leant against Valaria’s darter and let all the tension of the last two weeks ease from her mind. She felt drained and incredibly tired. All she wanted to do now was crawl into her bed with Jason’s quilt and sleep. She knew none of her friends would mind if she slipped away early. They would understand her need to escape the million and one questions the other townspeople would have for her, so she decided to walk home.
As she walked she slipped off her shoes and replayed the day’s events over and over in her mind. The encounter with the Thalien definitely hadn’t gone well. Couldn’t have gone much worse really she thought dejectedly. I was supposed to convince him of a reason for wanting to die on the Island. Instead he’s out their reporting to god knows who all about me and my friends. What a total balls up! She could still feel a fluttering of the intense fear that had gripped her. No-one had thought he would try to cart her off today, and in the ensuing panic things had gotten a tad out of control. Still, it was done now. The first part of her plan was finished. She went through her check list internally. She was fitter than she had ever been. She was becoming quite proficient with a knife. Her nanites would be turned off in seven days time as she’d already arranged. She had memorised the coordinates on the maps and the paths she’d have to take to reach her destination. She’d also started studying the night sky so she could –hopefully- travel by night if necessary. She had the Ithacian White and the sea salt. And she had just applied to the Island.
She walked leisurely up her street. Barring unforeseen injuries, nothing could go wrong before the Island now. There was nothing left to do but train and wait. She heaved a welcome sigh of relief. Just as she reached the driveway of her house she saw Jaden step out from the shadows of the front verandah and begin walking toward her.
Oh Shit!
CHAPTER 11
Tae froze, clutching her shoes in front of her like a shield as she watched Jadens approach. What the hell do I do now? She thought wildly. He came to a halt in front of her and raised his hand to her neck. His palm encircled the side and back while his thumb sat just above her windpipe with only the lightest of pressure. She realised her immediate life expectancy was about to be decided on her ability to lie through her teeth convincingly. If there was one lesson she remembered from her mother, it was on flattery. Or as Tae had called it, ‘the amount you could safely bullshit another person without their knowing.’
Jason was brilliant at it while she was – not. But then again, this wasn’t based on simple flattery. Now she was trying to save her own life from someone who definitely looked in the mood to end it quickly. Her mother had told them both that the best forms of flattery were always wrapped around the truth, so pick a truth and extrapolate your way around it to fit the situation you find yourself in.
Tae crushed down her fear, and then looked up unconcernedly. ‘I see you found my home; I suppose I should feel flattered.’
Jaden raised his eyebrows in surprise. She hadn’t tried to scream, hadn’t tried to run, she hadn’t even struggled, any of which might have caused him to tighten his thumb over her windpipe, crushing it. He was still angry, but now he added intrigued to his thoughts about this woman. ‘You’re not scared I might hurt you?’ He ran his thumb slowly up and down her throat in a gentle, but warning caress.
Tae shrugged lightly and looked at his face, studying him as he had studied her. Dark violet eyes, which were a trait of his species, were surrounded by short dark lashes. He had weird but oddly attractive pointed ears similar to the Elven, Vampire and Wolven. Except instead of sweeping straight back to end in a point, Thalien ears stood straight up beside their head out level with their temple, their ears then curled around to point forward and were supported by a lightly coloured bony growth that attached them fully to the head. He had a high forehead and wide cheekbones which narrowed down to a strong jaw. Slightly over full lips, and a largish nose completed his looks. Not unattractive, she mused.
Her eyes were drawn down to his neck, where she noticed his pulse beating its slow steady rhythm. She found herself staring at it, becoming momentarily entranced. She found herself unconsciously leaning forward to be nearer, before she came to her senses. What the hell am I doing? She thought as she stopped herself abruptly. She returned her gaze to his eyes, only to find him staring at her with a new intensity. ‘If you had wanted to kill me you would have done so by now.’ she said. ‘Besides, what benefit would you gain from doing such a thing?’
‘Perhaps vengeance against that warrior and his whore,’ he answered.
Her temper flared immediately at his words but she ruthlessly tamped it down. ‘No, I don’t think so,’ she mused. She placed her hand over his and gently removed it from her throat. He continued watching her but allowed it. ‘So, why are you here?’
‘I’m curious as to why someone of your intelligence, don’t deny it’ he said as she was about to open her mouth, ‘and your obvious attributes,’ he swept his gaze over her body in a way that caused a blush to heat her cheeks, ‘should nominate for the Island.’ He smiled slightly ‘Care to enlighten me?’
Tae stood silently with her eyes lowered as her mind worked frantically ‘I don’t like to discuss my personal life,’ she murmured.
‘Indulge me, I insist.’ He edged close
r until they were only inches apart.
Tae shrugged resignedly and raised her eyes; she knew this was the chance Brohan had hoped for. She realised this was her chance, she had to take it, she had to convince her watchers of some plausible reason for her entering the Island.
‘Very well. Two weeks ago my mother and my twin brother left. They left without a note and without telling anyone, even without telling me. Now I can understand them wanting to get away from my father’ she said, allowing genuine hurt to enter her voice. ‘The man is a drunkard who never deserved my mother or Jason in the first place. I can’t understand why she stayed with him as long as she did as it is, but why did they leave me behind?’ She glanced up, letting him see the teary eyes that she always got when she spoke of her mother and brother, Truth within a lie her mind whispered. Always mix truth within a lie to make it seem genuine. ‘Do you have any idea what it’s like to have a twin?’ she asked.
Jaden shook his head.
Tae walked over to the fence and leant against it as if she were agitated by what she was saying. In truth she was trying to get a little distance between them. ‘It’s difficult to explain’ she said, frowning at him. ‘It’s like we’re each one half of the same coin.’ She crossed her fingers in front of him. ‘Two parts of the one soul. I could never have left Jase, let alone left him with our father.’ She raised tear filled eyes to meet his. ‘So tell me Jaden, what am I supposed to do? Go on pretending I’m not broken? Because guess what? I am. I’m not whole anymore. I’m missing a part of me. A part that didn’t even care enough to leave me a damn note.’ She finished on a surprisingly genuine sob and turned away, breathing raggedly.
After a brief silence he spoke. ‘So you intend to die? For what? To punish them? Why would they care if they left you as easily as you say?’
