by K T Munson
“What does that matter?” Melanie asked, not understanding the connection.
“Everything is not as it seems,” she responded vaguely. “The translations are dependent upon the person. Kal Zed, please say something.”
“This is ridiculous,” he grumbled.
Melanie seemed to laugh despite herself and muttered, “Poppycock.”
“No,” Diana said, her eyes gleaming. “He said ‘ridiculous.’ Well, that is what I heard anyway. You hear ‘poppycock’ because that is what you would say. Babel Stones interpret based on the wearer.”
“Weird,” Melanie said, glancing down at the stone.
“Which means everything we hear in a language is heard differently by different people,” Diana explained as the elevator opened and she started down the hall, “except for our native tongue.”
“I still don’t get it.” Melanie was walking double time to keep up with Diana’s determined strides.
“Stella,” Diana whispered. She had to clear her throat because her name was still hard to say. “She said ‘His eyes and nose a butterfly’s song.’”
“She was completely lost,” Melanie pointed out. “Going through withdrawals. It was all madness.”
“Except it wasn’t,” Diana countered as she arrived at Jacrifcar’s room.
Pushing at the door, she was annoyed when it didn’t give. Lifting her wrist, she focused, and the lock clicked. With a happy sound of victory she shoved the doors open, and there was Jacrifcar sleeping. He hopped to his feet instantly with a dagger in hand when the door cracked open. His skin was all red, and he was thoroughly naked.
Melanie squeaked and twirled around quickly, but Diana didn’t have time for modesty. “Who was the man sitting at our table? The one with tattoo on his face?” she demanded.
He gave her a strange look. “Gregrifarn. He is a priest of our world who is serving here for the time being,” he answered hesitantly.
“Who is he loyal to?” Diana asked as he relaxed. “Emperor Himond?”
“Affirmative,” Jacrifcar said. He seemed to realize he was naked, but made no move to cover up. “He is Himond’s favorite and he has been angling to get a seat on his council.”
“Make yourself decent,” Diana said and smiled wickedly as the pieces fell into place. “We’re going hunting.”
Chapter 44
Dimar’s face contorted in shock when he saw her enter Emperor Himond’s council room. He any many others stood as she gave him a glance that said ‘Be ready.’ Melanie and Kal Zed walked in behind her with Jacrifcar bringing up the rear. Adom closed the door behind him, crossing his arms to look as imposing as he could.
With a sense of determination she approached the Emperor and his council with her head held high, and Emperor Himond stood, bewildered. While Jacrifar had gotten ready so had she by changing into a fine gown that was open in a diamond shape where her breasts were. A matching headpiece hung past her jaw and up over her head. It seemed like the right thing to wear when hunting the murderer of an Empress.
“What is the meaning of this?” Emperor Himond asked.
“It is because of my regard for you that I do this in the privacy of your council room,” Diana responded carefully.
“What are you talking about?” He demanded clearly annoyed.
“I am talking about your wife,” Diana explained as she strode along the length of the tables towards him.
“Katali? What does this have to with Katali?” he asked, his jaw tightening.
Diana met his gaze and watched him carefully. “It is about her death.”
“She killed herself,” Himond said.
“She killed herself to save her son,” Diana informed him. Gasps rippled through the room. A Vindari at the end of the council table, who looked a lot like the fish creature Grek, squirted something from his ears. “But you already knew that didn’t you, Gregfan.”
“It’s Gregrifarn,” Jacrifcar whispered.
She gave Jacrifcar a look as Gregrifarn started to sweat. He faltered with his cup as he stumbled to his feet, choking on whatever he had been drinking. Dimar was behind him before he could blink. He laid a very rough hand on his shoulder.
“Gregrifarn?” Emperor Himond asked. “What are they talking about?”
His limbs started to shake as his eyes shifted nervously around the room. “Gregrifarn has no idea!” he squeaked.
Diana marched around the back of the room, all eyes between her and the Vindari, bouncing back and forth like they were watching a ping-pong match. The little man tried to back up as she approached, but Dimar kept him firm in hand. Jacrifcar was close on her heels wearing a menacing scowl.
“Tell me who helped you,” Diana asked politely.
“Gregrifarn doesn’t know what the Bearer is talking about,” he said, refusing to look her in the eyes as he turned to the Emperor. “Emperor, please tell them Gregrifarn is innocent.”
The Emperor shook his head. Diana leaned forward and said ever so softly with steel in her voice, “I know you did not attack me the other night, but your accomplice did. It is not in good taste for a Bearer to use the Heart of the Cosmos for such ugliness. Luckily, I have Jacrifcar here. By my orders, he could use whatever means necessary to extract the information I seek.”
His eyes widened as his pupils became pinpricks; he was afraid. Diana could smell his sweat and recognized his worried glances. He was going to break.
Jacrifcar reached into his belt and extracted a strange little knife. “For peeling,” he explained.
The Vindari fell to his knees. “Please, spare Gregrifarn,” he begged.
“A name,” Diana demanded.
“Forgive Gregrifarn.” Gregrifarn’s voice shook as he looked up at Emperor Himond. “It is Hamyl.”
Diana had honestly not expected that. Until that moment, she had been sure it was the Emperor himself, not his son. She gasped along with the rest of the crowd, but her gasp was mingled with satisfaction. Jacrifcar slid the little knife back into his belt and darted towards the door. This is where he came in to her plan. Jacrifcar needed to hunt Hamyl down before he could run.
“Dimar, lock down the elevators,” Diana said as her little assassin slipped from the room. “Adom, don’t let anyone leave.”
Dimar nodded and left the room as Adom went to stand by the door. Diana studied Emperor Himond, who appeared dazed as he sunk back into his chair. His body sagged as though it needed all the support it could get. Diana came beside him and knelt, resting a hand on his arm.
“I am sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t know.”
From the listless expression she wasn’t sure he was going to answer. His pointed teeth suddenly didn’t seem to menacing when paired with the devastation in his eyes. “I lost my wife because of my son, and now I will lose my son.”
Taking a breath to steady herself she gathered her strength before looking back up at him. “He took your wife’s and my friend’s lives. I cannot allow leniency.”
“I understand,” he said as he put his face in his hand, “but please leave me out of it.”
“I will,” Diana said, looking down the row of council members.
When she was about to stand when he caught her arm. “How? How did you know?”
“I didn’t,” Diana admitted. “But it occurred to me that Katali loved you and her three sons more than anything. She would have killed herself before she would have let anything happen. She sent Dimar away, so I suspected she had sacrificed herself for him. Someone had threatened him, someone with power: his two brothers, your son, any member of the council, even you. It could have been anyone in this nest of vipers.”
“How did you know about Gregrifarn?” he asked.
“Stella told me.” Diana smiled sadly. “The tattoo on his face looked like a butterfly. I remember seeing it at the dinner, but he left in the middle. It didn’t mean anything at the time, but after I understood how the Babel Stone translates things, it made sense.”
“I am embarra
ssed,” he admitted. “I never even considered that Katali had been indirectly murdered.”
“The bracelet knew or at least suspected,” she said, patting his arm before standing. “That is why it brought me here and why it hid on my wrist all these years. It had to wait until I was ready, until the Babel Stone could translate for me, specifically. So that I could discover the truth and bring Katali’s killer to justice. I don’t know how your son convinced Katali to kill herself, but I imagine we’ll know soon.”
“You lied,” Kal Zed said from behind her.
She swallowed hard before turning to face her little guardian. It felt terrible and wonderful to Diana to be able to admit that she had no intention of being Empress of the Universe. “I did.” She confirmed.
Kal Zed was about the say more when the door was thrown open, knocking Adom aside. Hamyl raised the gun and fired a single blast. Diana’s left arm went out as she gave a startled cry. Fear gripped her heart, but she had no time for any other reaction. The bolt of light and fire fizzled and turned to water before her eyes. It splashed against Gregrifarn, who was crying on his knees as the gun in Hamyl’s hands turned to dust.
Blood, surprisingly redder then her own, appeared on his neck. It splattered against the wall as Emperor Himond yelled in surprise. Hamyl fell to his knees, his hand covering his neck, and blood rolled down his fingers. Melanie gave a startled yell and turned away, gagging. Diana stared, knowing she could save him, but hesitated.
Closing her eyes a tear rolled down her cheek. Hamyl gasped for breath as Diana lifted her left hand and the blood stopped flowing from his wound. The skin around the wound burned and blistered because of her anger, but he would live. Diana looked up at Dimar as Jacrifcar put away his bloody blade. Dimar’s expression was dark. He had wanted Hamyl dead, but Diana knew he would forgive her eventually.
Chapter 45
Diana watched as the case against Hamyl was carried out from the highest point at the farthest corner of the trial room. Her fingers fisted in the fabric of the purple dress with tulip like embroideries that she worse. Despite her anger she had stopped to watch before meeting with Kal Zed. He’d said there was something important to show her. She had finally told him everything about the Heart of the Cosmos and their deal, the cat hadn’t taken it well but he must be coming around.
Leaning against a crystal that looked like stone she watched the small dots of people down below for a moment longer. When she glanced up, Jacrifcar was walking towards her. The sight of him made her fingers relax.
“You haven’t killed anyone today, have you?” Diana asked.
“Sadly, no, but the day isn’t over. There is still time,” he answered with a half-smile.
“Thank you,” she said, pushing off the wall.
“I have heard you will be leaving soon,” the Vindari said, sounding disappointed.
“I’ve done what the Heart of the Cosmos asked,” Diana explained. “It is time I went home. To my family and a real life.”
“This is a real life,” Jacrifcar reminded her. “You are more suited to rule than you think, and this old ship needs new life.”
Diana smiled despite herself. “No one will accept me.”
“I would,” he said, taking her hand. “Even if you don’t stay, I would want you as a wife.”
“Jacrifcar,” she said gently, shaking her head.
“I know,” he said as he pressed a small coin into her hand. There was a gem set in its center that appeared to act as a button. “But take this. If you ever need someone or feel like an adventure, press and hold the middle, and I’ll come get you.”
Diana bent down and kissed his cheek. “In the short time I have known you, you’ve been a good friend to me.”
“I mean it, Diana of Earth,” Jacrifcar insisted, his face serious. “I would protect you, as lover or as friend. If the stars call, press the button.”
“I will,” she agreed, and he left.
Diana without looking back walked down the hall, knowing that Hamyl would have his justice. She was nearly all the way there when Kal Zed appeared, coming towards her. His tail was low, and he appeared to be worried. Diana felt the skin on her arms prickle and her hair stand on end—she could take no more bad news.
“What is it?” Diana asked as a woman appeared around the corner.
Diana glanced up and nearly fainted. Her heart stopped dead as Dimar escorted Stella down the hall toward her. She couldn’t breathe, and every emotion welled up inside her.
“Stella?” Diana cried out, hardly able to form words.
“Diana!” she called, her arms flying open.
The two women ran and threw their arms around each other. They both started crying as they clung to one another. Diana was smiling through her tears, overjoyed and unable to compute what was happening.
“I don’t understand,” Diana said after a moment. “I saw you die.”
“A slow acting paralytic,” Stella explained. “Maura and Dimar had put it on all of their weapons’ hilts just in case I got hold of them. That little tattooed man didn’t know that when he gave me Maura’s dagger so I could cut myself free.”
Diana’s eyes turned to Dimar. “You knew?”
“It was better that everyone thought she was dead. She was safer that way.” Dimar explained, but Diana wanted to punch him. He’d let her think Stella was dead!
“It doesn’t matter,” Stella insisted, hugging her again. “I’m all better, and we’re in space!”
Diana eased back and searched her face. “You’re okay?”
“All better,” she insisted with a big smile. “Did I mention that we’re in space?”
“Yeah, I know,” Diana said, pushing her excitement aside. “But are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah,” Stella said, leaning forward. “Especially with all these hot aliens around!”
Diana threw her arms around Stella in relief and laughed. “You are back!”
“I said so!” Stella said, laughing.
Melanie came running down the hall with Adom and Maura behind her and threw her arms around them. They accepted her into their circle and stood there soaking up each other’s relief and happiness. Diana’s legs were trembling and she nearly started crying again. Stupid emotions. They could be so hard to control!
“We are going to have a girls’ day!” Stella announced, linking her arms in one each of theirs.
“Very well!” Melanie agreed as the three of them went laughing down the hall.
“Adom, prepare capsules to the surface,” Diana announced. “We want to go swimming!”
“Beach day!” Stella giggled as they went down the hall, high on happiness.
Chapter 46
The water was cool on her toes and yet warm all at the same time. Melanie and Stella were riding one of the creatures that reminded her vaguely of a dolphin mixed with a zebra—a sort of striped dolphin with a somewhat different shaped head.
“Diana?” Dimar said.
She had to shield her eyes to look up at him. “What is it?” she asked, suddenly worried.
He sat down next to her, and she noticed he wasn’t wearing any shoes as his feet went into the water. Inspecting him she tried to understand why he was there, why he had obviously sought her out. When he didn’t say anything Diana turned her attention back to the girls. It was such a relief to see Stella alive. And of course it would be so much easier to explain her disappearance than her death. It still gave her chills, though, to think she’d nearly died.
“I forgive you,” Diana finally said, breaking the silence. “I know why you did it and why you couldn’t tell me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Dimar responded.
“About what?” she asked, confused.
“The bracelet’s offer,” he said. Diana realized Kal Zed must have told him.
“Oh.” Diana turned back to the ocean. “Girl has to have her secrets.”
“It would have changed everything,” Dimar said. “I could have helped you m
ore. She was my mother.”
“Everything turned out fine,” she said. “And before you know it, I’ll be out of your hair. You can go back to fighting with your brothers and seducing and sleeping with the rest of the species in the known multiverse.”
He was quiet for a while, and when she turned her head, he leaned forward and kissed her. It was exactly like she remembered, and this time she actually closed her eyes to commit it even more firmly to memory. She knew what she was and what he was.
When Dimar leaned back, he held her face in his hands. “No punch?”
Smiling wickedly, she locked her arms around him, and then tipped them over. He gave a startled cry as they both fell into the ocean. She came up from the water laughing and swam away from him.
“You are insufferable!” he called, pushing his long hair back from his head.
“And you have hair that is prettier than mine,” Diana snapped. “You don’t see me complaining, spaceman.”
His eyes sparkled. “You’re playing with me.”
“No,” Diana admitted. “I am setting boundaries.”
Dimar frowned. “You’re rejecting me,” Dimar suddenly realized.
“I guess I am. At the end of the day I want to fall asleep knowing that our lives are intertwined in a way only we understand. Not because some omnipresent being wished for us to solve your mother’s death, but because of something greater,” Diana said. “And I don’t think you understand that.”
“I don’t,” he responded.
“At the end of the day, you are the son of an Empress and one of the greatest houses in the universe. I am just a human,” Diana said, almost sadly. “Once the bracelet is returned to its pocket universe and it leaves Earth, I’ll go back to my life.”
“Can you?” he asked, wading closer to her. “Go back?”
“For my family I can,” Diana said, even though her heart gave a little protest.
