FIERCE: Sixteen Authors of Fantasy

by Mercedes Lackey

  After a meal of pork and vegetables, I bathed, pulled on clean clothes, and readied myself to face the tribal council, the elders, and the humiliating accusations Skelkra would reveal to my people. My stomach did a little flip at the idea of seeing Jeykal, the only other person who knew the truth.

  I made my way outside, where the sun sat low behind the Dividing Mountains, casting long shadows over the muddy street. The warriors who’d been guarding my hut followed close behind me. People stopped to stare, gossip, and scowl as I made my way to the council hall. One of them, a Wolf, sneered at me, and his Lion partner seemed equally prepared to slit my throat.

  Inside the large hall were thirty men and two women—the mothers of the dead. Both glowered at me. I gulped.

  My father whispered softly to the Lion leader, and both regarded me with sombre expressions. I moved to Jeykal. His eyes were red, his face was puffy, and his arm swollen with bruises. I clenched my teeth and made a silent promise to punish whoever had roughed him up.

  ‘It will be well,’ I said, trying to reassure him, but my voice lacked conviction.

  Jeykal didn’t look at me.

  The room filled with people—a sea of red hair and blue eyes. Some shoved and pushed, while others ducked and weaved to get a clearer view of Skelkra and me. The more passive onlookers settled around the doorway; behind them, heads bobbed up and down, and necks stretched. There were only the five main tribes there; the lesser tribes were not permitted to witness or to be involved in diplomatic decisions.

  Father addressed the room. ‘Welcome, my fellow tribesmen. Elders, leaders, mothers, daughters, sons, brothers, sisters. The last Bestial Passage occurred three hundred years ago, and for the last two days, sons from the Wolf, Lion, Hawgrald, and Snake have competed against my daughter for the right to rule. Unfortunately, cheating has occurred, and laws have been broken. For the first time in our history, Watchers, our wise elders, were killed.’ Father paused to let the information sink in.

  Murmurs and whispers rose from the crowd. Bodies shuffled, and heads twisted this way and that.

  ‘My greatest sympathy to the families of Thixal, Abel, Tasz, and Emarkasa. Those wise men and women were our guides. Without them, we will find ourselves lost.’

  Father rubbed his hands together while his eyes scanned the room. I followed his gaze, finding all manner of grave expression. The Watchers were often peaceful, knowledgeable, spiritual, and wise. Their deaths were a great loss. My eyes fell on Sankat, observing his long beard curled about his arm. The hand of that arm feebly gripped a walking stick. His pretending sad eyes and turned-down lips disgusted me. Skelkra stood to his right, his arm around the elder’s shoulders in a sympathetic embrace. I couldn’t wait to speak and expose their lies!

  The chieftain continued. ‘What is not uncommon in the Bestial Passage are challenger deaths, but even so, the loss of Lild and Ketnal is great.’ Father straightened, raised his chin and hardened his tone. ‘Now, we must discover the truth of what happened in the Death Peak Valley.’ He glanced at me, and my stomach rippled with fear. ‘My daughter, Klawdia of the Bears, has been accused of cheating by Skelkra, son of the Wolf leader. And she in kind has relayed her own version of the events. We will now hear them speak in their defence. Jeykal’—Father looked at my friend—‘you will speak your recollection as well.’

  Jeykal nodded.

  Father gestured for Skelkra and me to stand on either side of him. I caught the eye of a Lion warrior, and his hand tightened around his spear as if I might kill Skelkra right there in front of everyone. And how I wanted to.

  I joined Father at the centre of the room. All disappointed and angry faces stared back at me. Some shook their heads, others curled their lips, and one man bared his rotten teeth. Nausea and light-headedness accompanied the knots in my stomach.

  ‘Skelkra, so far the winner of the challenge, will speak first.’ Father stepped aside, and Skelkra took Father’s place and raised his hands to silence rising murmurs.

  ‘My fellow tribesmen, today you will hear only truth from my lips. There is a reason women shouldn’t rule: they do not understand leadership. A true leader does not betray, manipulate, cheat, or lie.’ He pointed at me. ‘And Klawdia has done all of these things.’

  I gripped the sides of my pants. Heat blazed on the back of my neck.

  ‘I met with Klawdia soon after waking at the Death Peaks. She seemed uneasy, and I knew her weak female bones would snap in a bear attack. I wanted to help. Together, we hunted prey to tempt one bear away from its pack. After she attacked the beast alone, I saved her from her injuries.’

  I could feel the maggots crawling inside my leg wound. They were growing.

  ‘During our pre-passage training, Klawdia showed signs of her growing affection for me. I did not feel the same. When I tended to her wounds in the valley, she allowed her immature passions to become aroused. Her injuries scrambled her mind, and she forgot her own sense. Wearing little already, she began to undress, tempting me with her body. I refused. I do not care for her that way, and I never will.’

  My heart felt as if it would burst. He had flirted with me, embraced me, taken care of me, and then made love to me. I was a fool. I gritted my teeth, keeping composure in the face of such humiliating words.

  ‘Not wanting to lead her heart astray, I left Klawdia by a warm fire. I covered her with cloth that I needed for myself. I wanted her to live and return home safely.’

  Some of the girls in the audience batted their eyelashes at him. They could have him—if I didn’t kill him first.

  ‘And then, the next day, she attacked me, tied me up, and stole everything I had. My Watcher disappeared. After hours of pulling and tugging at my restraints, I finally managed to get free.’ Skelkra held his wrists up to the crowd, showing the bruises.

  The audience murmured, and I wanted to roll my eyes. I thought about my near-broken arm. No one had shown me sympathy for that.

  ‘Afterwards, I tracked my Watcher’s footprints and found him dead at the bottom of a steep mountain cliff. Part of it had collapsed. I climbed down to the body and buried it in the wild snowlands by the river where the snakes lived. He was a Snake, after all.’

  I looked over at the members of the Snake tribe; instead of anger, their eyes glistened with tears. How could Skelkra tell such lies? Where was his heart? Skelkra hung his head, joining in the Snake tribe’s mourning, I screamed inside my head and bit down on my tongue. I glanced at Jeykal expecting to see equal outrage, but found only fear.

  Skelkra finally lifted his head and threw a meaningful look across the crowd. ‘I found a sharp rock, used it to carve a spear, found a deer, killed it, and set my trap. Soon, a wolf came along, and like I’d been instructed, I killed it with my bare hands. This was my quest. I cut the flesh with a sharp rock and headed home. On the way, I met with Sankat, who told me of Lild’s death. We decided to return together. That night, we travelled by the stars and saw a wood fire. Assuming it was one of my fellow challengers, we spied on their conversation. Ketnal was there.’

  People shuffled forward upon Skelkra’s mention of the Lion boy.

  ‘He asked Klawdia and Jeykal for food, shelter, and the warmth of their fire. Ketnal admitted to having lost his supplies. He had nothing, and they had everything. But Klawdia and Jeykal turned the Lion boy away.’

  Angry mutters rose from the Lion tribe. They stared me down. My eyes swept to Ketnal’s family, and the mother’s eyes turned dark as she started whispering a curse. In public! People stepped away from her and claustrophobia tightened my throat, threatening me with death.

  ‘Then,’ Skelkra said, swishing his hand, ‘Klawdia threw a spear at Ketnal. It killed him instantly. But we must remember she had already captured her prize, the bear’s head. It was her right to kill another challenger. But her next action is unforgivable. She killed every Watcher within her reach, slashing at them with a dagger in each hand. Tasz managed to get away, but soon after, she took a bow and arrow and hunted the o
ld man down. Later, I found him dead.’

  The holes in his story gave me hope. First, I was too injured to run and slash at anything. Second, anyone who visited the scene would know that the Watchers died from stakes, not knives. I itched for my turn to talk.

  Skelkra lowered his head, and in a sad voice, said, ‘I…I wanted to stop her. But I couldn’t. I was afraid she might kill Jeykal. He was terrified, too. She’s bullied him into being her friend. I wouldn’t trust his word.’

  ‘This is unfair!’ I shouted. ‘He’s telling everyone not to believe us. How will the council hear our story fairly if he poisons their minds?’

  My father raised an eyebrow at me and turned back to Skelkra. ‘Stick to the story, boy.’

  Skelkra bowed slightly. ‘Yes, Chief.’ He turned back to the room. ‘Afraid for the life of Sankat of the Wolves, I made him return home with me immediately.’

  ‘Is that everything?’ Father asked him.

  Skelkra paused for a moment and then nodded.

  ‘Then it is Klawdia’s turn to talk.’ Father gestured at me.

  I took a deep breath and moved to stand on the spot Skelkra had previously occupied. I stole a glance at him as he returned to his mother and father. They patted him on the back, and his mother kissed his cheek. Skelkra caught me looking, and his eyes lightened. He was enjoying this! How could I have ever let him touch me? My hands shook, and my knees wobbled. I took a deep breath and met the hateful gazes of my people. They’d already condemned me—I had nothing to lose.

  Chapter VII

  MY MIND WENT BLANK, AND my words caught in my throat.

  ‘Go ahead,’ Father urged.

  I could see the panic in his eyes. I worried that these people didn’t want the truth. Maybe what they wanted was a male chieftain. Maybe they wanted to be led by the Wolf tribe.

  ‘She’s guilty! See how she stalls,’ someone shouted from the crowd. ‘She’s thinking up lies.’

  The crowd broke into angry mutters, but Father silenced them.

  I closed my eyes for a moment and centred myself. When I opened them, I spoke. ‘Skelkra has lied to you today. My family has ruled over Ruxdor for generations. I have my mother’s blood. My father’s blood. They are honest people, and so am I. Clear your minds of Skelkra’s words and hear mine as fresh and real. Listen to me, for if you judge me wrongly, your next leader will be a murderer and a liar. In opening your hearts to me, you will discern the truth.’

  I rubbed my sweaty palms on the sides of my pants and met the many dubious faces. Some of them had softened, and others nodded. That gave me hope—confidence reignited in my gut.

  ‘I followed the Death Peaks river. On my travels, I saw Lild hunting for his prize. I did not interfere, and he did not see me. I tracked the bears only. On the mountain, Skelkra found me, flirted with me, and followed me. I asked him to leave me alone, he didn’t, and continued to play on my fears and convince me that I needed him. I let him stay close. I had been given a bow, so Skelkra and I made arrows, and I killed a hawgrald for us. We cut it in half so he could trap a wolf and I could lure a bear.’

  I paused. Soon, I would tell them of my shame, of how I’d given myself to Skelkra. I inhaled sharply.

  ‘At sunset, I lured him a young bear into a ravine with the fresh meat. I lay above him, waiting. When he ate, I leaped onto his back and stabbed him twice, hitting a blood vessel. The bear threw me to the ground, and when I tried to get away he chased me down and clawed my body. Skelkra stopped the bleeding, and even though I was weak and dizzy from loss of blood, I cut off the bear’s head. I woke up that same night by a fire. Skelkra had already cooked and hunted for us. We ate together, and later, we were close. We kissed, and we bonded.’

  The crowd whispered. Some people shook their heads, and a couple argued over the details. I had cast some doubt on Skelkra’s story, and that made me more determined to reveal every single fact.

  ‘While I slept, Skelkra took everything. He’d planned it from the beginning.’ Heat spread through my body as the humiliation of that truth wrung true. Skelkra outsmarted me. ‘Later, I found him. I knocked him unconscious and tied him up. I could not see his Watcher. I believe Skelkra had already killed him. So I took Skelkra’s belongings as he had taken mine. But I had my prize. He did not have his.’

  I glanced at Skelkra’s parents, whose arms were tightly linked. His mother’s hand grasped the hilt of a knife.

  ‘I decided to return home. I made my way up the river, limping and staggering from the pain in my leg. Thixal was close by, and I saw Sankat, Lild’s Watcher. Lild had grown frustrated. He hadn’t yet caught a water snake. He edged onto the thinnest part of the ice and fell in. He became trapped in the current. I tried to help, but I couldn’t run, and he was dragged under the ice, where he drowned.’ The memory sat heavy in my heart. ‘Sankat didn’t even try to help him.’ I took a moment to glare at the Wolf elder. ‘I took some of Lild’s things.’ I reached into my pocket and retrieved the drawing I’d taken from Lild’s knapsack, the instructions to catch his prize.

  Father took the paper from my hand and presented it to Lild’s mother and father. Tears brimmed in their eyes.

  ‘I wanted to kill Sankat for dismissing Lild’s death. Instead, I made my way home. That night, I built a fire, and Jeykal found me. He had not yet caught his prize, and after telling him about Skelkra, he decided to help me get home. Ketnal came to our camp. He’d been hunting in the woods. He was desperate, asking us for help. Having been betrayed once by Skelkra, I did not trust Ketnal’s intentions. I could only trusted Jeykal.’ I spared a brief glance at my dearest friend.

  ‘In the meantime, Skelkra freed himself. He tracked me with a freshly made spear and killed Ketnal at our camp.’ I met Ketnal’s father’s eyes and said, ‘He died quickly.’

  I sighed before continuing. ‘Then Skelkra killed Emarkasa and Thixal with stakes hidden in his belt. After that, stomped on my arm, and stole my dagger. Soon after, I heard Tasz scream. Skelkra had killed Ketnal’s Watcher. He has no honour. He is a cheat.’

  Skelkra’s mouth hung open as he pretended to be flabbergasted by my words.

  ‘You can step back,’ Father said and I obeyed. He gestured for Jeykal to step forward.

  Hesitantly, he moved to the stand before the crowd and relayed a story identical to mine, except his started the night we’d met up.

  Afterwards, the leaders and other elders whispered to each other.

  Father joined them briefly in hushed discussion before turning back to the room. ‘Everyone will leave the room and wait for our verdict.’

  Eyes darted between me, Skelkra, Jeykal, and Sankat. People threw up their hands, shook their heads, and shuffled out of the hall. Their confusion was obvious. No one seemed certain who was responsible for the deaths of the Watchers.

  ‘Take them,’ Father said to the guards, and Skelkra and I were pushed to the doorway.

  Once outside, I sat down on the stairs of the great hall to rest my leg. Warriors kept the more aggressive people away.

  ‘Tainted,’ an old man said and shook a fist in my direction, his old skin jiggling with his accusation. Tainted meant I had bonded without a ceremony. As the chieftain’s daughter, people expected me to act appropriately. I hadn’t, and would now face life as a social pariah.

  Skelkra gave a low chuckle beside me; he leaned casually against a pole.

  ‘Did you ever care for me at all?’ I hissed at him.

  He joined me on the stairs. The women in the crowd looked appalled at our closeness, although their glares were all aimed at me. ‘What do you mean?’ he asked.

  I shuffled away from him, but he moved with me. ‘You know exactly what I mean.’

  ‘You Bears will do anything to keep control of our country.’ He threw a charming smile at the girls adoring him from afar. They swayed under his influence.

  I made a choked noise, and Skelkra looked hurt.

  ‘Oh, please,’ I said. ‘Haven’t we always done what’s in th
e best interest of our people? Built houses, traded with the southerners, ensured a constant supply of food in the snowtimes?’

  ‘Yet here we are, Klawdia. Our borders unexpanded, our people still grappling over farmable land. Your family are the old ways. The Wolves are the future.’

  I huffed and focused on the mists that swirled around the distant mountain peaks. The sun had almost set completely, the stars twinkled, and the wolves howled in the distance, signalling the evening hunt.

  Moments later, Father emerged. ‘We have decided.’

  He gave Skelkra a sideways glance and gestured for us to follow. We entered, escorted by our guards. The doors to the hall closed behind us, and I heard the disappointed moans from the crowd outside.

  When we reached the back of the hall, Father pointed to the front row of seats. ‘Sit down.’

  I looked at Jeykal, who’d been allowed to stay inside while the leaders deliberated. Jeykal pursed his lips, and I feared the worst.

  Father rubbed his clothes with his hands and lowered his head. His shoulders slumped. ‘You will face each other in a fight.’

  I looked over at Skelkra. He was larger and older, and at nineteen he was practically a man, naturally stronger. I’d always been built like my mother, petite and trim, but quick. In hand-to-hand combat, he would defeat me.

  I stood and spread my hands. ‘Weapons?’

  Father raised his eyes to mine. ‘One dagger each.’

  My mouth dried, and I sat. With a dagger, I had a chance.

  Skelkra crossed his arms like an impatient child. ‘I want a sword.’

  ‘No. You must be equally matched. In size, you already have the advantage, Skelkra. The dagger is Klawdia’s preferred weapon.’

  The elders and leaders nodded their heads. I gave silent thanks to them all with my eyes. Thixal’s bonded mate, now one half of a whole, smiled at me, and I knew what that smile meant—he believed I hadn’t killed Thixal. I returned his smile and placed a hand over my heart out of respect.