Born of Shadows

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  "Narcissa, hit the showers. We'll talk later about your outburst."

  Narcissa curled her lip as she wiped the blood from her nose and glared at Desideria. Without a word, she headed across the ring for the stairs that would take her into the shower rooms.

  Her aunt turned that deep, fierce scowl on her. "You..."

  Desideria sighed in resignation as she ignored her bleeding lip and swelling eye. "Punishment. I know." Well at least the good news was she'd lose some of the extra weight her mother always complained about her carrying. Not the way she wanted to do it, but...

  Kara glowered at her. "Why didn't you strike when you had the chance?"

  Because Cissy may get on my nerves to the nth degree, but at the end of the day, she's still my older sister and I love her. I would never really hurt her, never mind kill her. Desideria knew better than to even breathe a hint of that sentiment out loud. Kara would never understand it.

  She was Qillaq and they didn't have those weaknesses.

  When she didn't answer right away, her aunt grabbed her by the shirt and jerked her until they were nose to nose--an impressive feat since Desideria was a full six inches shorter. The force of her jerk caused Desideria's braid to fall over her shoulder and dangle loosely down her back. "No mercy. Ever. No matter who it is. When you fight, any fight, your opponent is your enemy. Do you understand?"

  Desideria nodded.

  Her aunt shook her. "Do. You. Understand?"

  "Yes."

  Kara slung her away and she barely caught herself before she went tumbling into the dirt. "Pathetic waste. Just like your worthless mongrel father."

  Those words resonated deep inside her and before she could rein herself in, she attacked.

  Laughing at her audacity, Kara sidestepped her charge and unsheathed her own sword to engage her.

  Desideria hesitated as she realized what she'd done. But it was too late. She couldn't back down. A challenge issued was a challenge met. To withdraw now would be an official and public beating.

  True to the nature of her people, her aunt was ruthless as she tried her best to kill her.

  But Desideria didn't want to hurt her aunt any more than she'd wanted to kill her sister. It's your father's blood tainting you. That accusation had been made by everyone around her. And it was true. Unlike her sisters, she was only half Qillaq which made her less in the eyes of all.

  You are my delicate rose--the most precious thing I have. She could still hear her father's last words to her. Delicate rose was what Desideria meant in his language. He'd talked her mother into naming her that even though he'd had to lie about the meaning at her birth in order to get his way. Her mother thought it meant "strong warrior."

  The name Desideria was his inside joke on her mother's warring people who'd enslaved him.

  And he'd died under questionable circumstances.

  Now no one was allowed to even speak his name out loud and she'd been forbidden to mourn him.

  To this day, she wanted blood over that too. But right now, as she fought her aunt, she didn't feel like she was part Gondarion. She felt the heat of her mother's people and she wanted to hear Kara cry for the insult she'd given Desideria's beloved father.

  Delving deep to tap every bit of her training, she swung her sword and twisted it, catching Kara's blade. In one deft move, she disarmed her. Desideria caught the sword with her left hand and angled both of them at Kara's throat as she circled her.

  There was nothing Kara could do without getting her throat sliced.

  "Yield?"

  Kara narrowed her dark gaze. "Only because this is a training exercise and you're still to be punished."

  Of course she was.

  But she'd won the fight and that was the most important thing. "You may punish me, but we both know the truth. I'm no longer your pupil." Not after she'd defeated her. Now she was a master and deserving of her aunt's respect.

  Mixed blood or not.

  Kara inclined her head to her and held her hand out for her sword.

  Desideria paused before she handed it over. I't going to be that simple. Not this time. Making sure to keep her expression blank, she broke the blade in half across her thigh before she handed the hilt back to Kara.

  Kara's cheeks turned bright pink as her anger no doubt mounted to a murderous level. The sword had been a coming-of-age gift to her from her own mother when she'd advanced from pupil to master. But that was what happened when you lost. The victor chose whether or not to snap the blade or return it intact. Intact was an act of respectful civility. Snapping it was the ultimate act of punishment and a very personal slap. Since her aunt had insulted her father, she would be ruthless in this. Sentimentality be damned.

  My father was a good man. And she'd fight to the death for his honor.

  Sheathing her training sword, Desideria headed for the showers while her aunt went the opposite direction. No doubt planning her demise every step of the way.

  Better yet, my punishment. She sighed in resignation of what would be coming to her all too soon.

  As she reached the door that led to the dressing rooms, she saw her mother step forward from the shadows of the seating area. That made her suck her breath in sharply. Her mother didn't often attend their training, except to tell them what a massive disappointment they all were and how their skills lagged far behind hers and her sisters' when they'd been their ages.

  An older version of Desideria with the same dark hair, deep tawny skin and black eyes, Queen Sarra looked more like Desideria's older sister than her mother. Her body well toned and sleek from her own countless hours of martial practice, her mother could easily pass for a woman in her early thirties.

  Fierce and stern, Sarra had no king to co-rule by her side--the law of their people said that no woman could marry a man who couldn't defeat her in battle and no man had ever bested her mother.

  No woman either.

  But that didn't mean her mother lived without companionship. In fact, her mother's three male consorts stood two feet behind her and each one of them, just like Desideria's father, had been won through battle. In the case of her father, he'd been a slave who had crash-landed here and been stranded. A border patrol had picked him up and he'd been donated as the prize for a competition.

  Her mother's other three consorts were Qillaq born and as such had been trained from birth as warriors, the same as the Qillaq women. But because of their perfect beauty, they'd been auctioned off instead of being sent into battle to be scarred. The only time her mother's consorts had been allowed to fight was when her mother had claimed them.

  One battle only to see if they were worthy of being a king. All of them had failed. Now they were nothing more than pampered pets who were at the mercy of her mother's whims.

  Her mother's eyes glowed with a pride Desideria had never seen in them before. "Kara cherished that sword above everything."

  Desideria made sure the regret she felt over those words show in her demeanor or expression. "Then she should have fought harder to keep it."

  Her mother laughed. "You continue thinking like that and you may yet be my successor, tainted bloodline and all."

  Desideria pressed her lips together to keep from saying something that might get her banished. After all, her mother had chosen to sleep with her father and allowed herself to become pregnant by him. If there was anyone to blame for her faulty bloodline, it was her mother and not her.

  But her mother didn't want to hear that.

  "You did me proud, Desideria. And since you're no longer a student or a child, I want to offer you Kara's former position in my Guard."

  Those words took her by complete surprise. Not hard to do since she was more accustomed to her mother's condemnation than praise. "Pardon?"

  "You heard me and you know how much I hate to repeat myself."

  Desideria barely caught herself before she hugged her mother as excitement raced through her. That wouldn't be received well. The only emotions Qillaqs were allowed to show were
anger, but never during battle, and occasionally humor. The rest of the time, they were to be stern and serious.

  She cleared her throat and inclined her head to her mother. "I accept your offer, My Queen, and am honored that you think enough of me to make it."

  Narcissa gasped behind her as she must have come out of the dressing area.

  Turning, Desideria saw her sister stalk toward them.

  Her sister raked her with a repugnant sneer. "What of me? I'm older. If anyone deserves to stand in your Guard, Mother, surely it is I."

  Their mother's eyes were cold and empty. "And you are still a student. You have never defeated your aunt and as such you're unworthy to be in my Guard."

  "But--"

  Her mother held her hand up fast in a gesture that cut Narcissa off. "You heard me, child." That one word was a slap in the face and a reminder that their mother didn't see Narcissa as an adult yet, but rather as a little girl who needed more instruction and discipline. "Now tend your place."

  The look on her sister's face was fierce and it promised Desideria a rematch. Furious at them both, she spun around and left.

  Desideria hated the fact that she'd just made a vicious enemy. This was not what she wanted.

  But her mother didn't care. If anything, she fostered their resentment toward each other and reveled in it. "Report in the morning for your uniform. I'll make sure that Coryn knows to put you on the summit detail, so prepare to leave with us."

  In spite of her sister's anger, that really made her want to jump up and down in excitement. She'd never left their planet before. As a child she'd spent hours listening to her father tell her about all the places he'd visited before being captured and all the incredible things he'd seen and done while there.

  Now she'd finally see some of them. She couldn't wait.

  Maintaining her exterior calm, she gave her mother a tight-lipped smile. "Thank you, My Queen."

  Her mother held her hand out to her.

  Desideria bent over and kissed her ring before she bowed low and took her leave. She didn't let her happiness show until she was in her dressing room.

  As soon as the door closed, her best friend and servant, Tanith, waylaid her.

  "Oh my God! I can't believe what you did! You crushed that bitch and made her eat all her years of insulting you. Congratulations!" Squealing, Tanith grabbed Desideria's arms and jumped up and down.

  "Sh, sh, sh," Desideria breathed, refusing to jump with her even though she really wanted to. "Don't let anyone overhear you." They'd both be punished and now that Desideria had earned the rank of adult, it would be much worse than her punishments of the past.

  Tanith settled down. "I'm sorry. I'm just so thrilled for you! Narcissa on the other hand... I wouldn't be drinking out of an open cup anytime in the near future if I were you. There's no telling what she might do over this."

  "Believe me, I know." Her other sister, Gwenela, would be furious when she found out too. They were still in training and Desideria was the youngest. How dare she be the first to gain adult status...

  They would both be out to take her head now.

  "I can't believe I won."

  Tanith beamed. "I do. In spite of what they say, you are ten times the fighter the inbreds are."

  She cringed at an insult that would have Tanith executed should anyone ever hear it. "You shouldn't say that."

  "It's true and you know it. Your father was a hero and he was a good man... unlike the others. All they do is sit around and whine, waiting for someone to wipe their butts."

  And that was why she loved Tanith. She alone believed what Desideria did. Her father hadn't killed himself like a coward. It wasn't in him any more than it was in her. While it was true that other people were weaker than the Qillaqs, he'd possessed the heart of a warrior and the strength of a cyborg. His fighting spirit flowed through her too.

  I will do my mother proud. She would prove her breeding to all of them and she would redeem her father's name. Even if it was the last thing she did.

  "What do you mean the assassination failed?"

  "The newfound prince has skills we didn't count on. He's unfortunately not incompetent anI can't stress just how well trained he is."

  "How is it he survived all these years? He was just an infant when we kidnapped him. I still can't believe he returned after all we did to ensure he wouldn't."

  "I know. Both he and Evzen are the luckiest bastards ever born. Every time we think we have them, they escape."

  "We cannot fail again. Things here are unraveling fast. After today, we don't have a moment to waste. We cannot allow the line of succession to change."

  "I hear you and I will make sure that the next--"

  "No. We need to rethink our plan. When next we strike, it must be with purpose. Most of all, it must be fatal.

  "And what of our other problem?"

  "I have a perfect plan for that as well. Are you sure you can handle your side of the matter?"

  "Absolutely. And you?"

  "I have it under control. But we must strike during the summit."

  "Are you sure you can get past security?"

  "Don't insult me with that insipid question. Of course I can. Two weeks and we will live the lives we were meant to and they will be nothing more than bad memories we laugh about having endured."

  "And Desideria?"

  "Just another casualty. Let her name be banished the same as her father's. Then we will be the only ones left worth remembering."

  7

  Two Weeks Later

  Caillen adjusted the small comlink that was inside his ear so that no one would know Darling and Maris were feeding him instructions on how to behave. Gah, I really am an effing five year old...

  Just don't drool down my shirt. At least not while he was sober.

  Not to mention he still felt like he was drowning inside the heavy layers of fabric. He'd tried his best to talk his father into rearranging five hundred years of royal de Orczy dress code, but his father refused. Apparently it was a mark of honor to look like a ten-ton walking freak of nature.

  Boggi kept passing a warning glare toward him.

  Oh the urge to make an obscene gesture was so strong that he honestly didn't know how he kept himself from doing it.

  But he wouldn't embarrass his father today. Today he was going to look and act royal if it killed him.

  And it damn well might. Especially if their assassin decided to make a move whil his limbs were weighted down. Then again, all he had to do was throw his clothes at the man. The weight of them alone would crush him.

  "Don't worry, Cai. We're with you."

  Since he was in public and around so many other dignitaries, he didn't respond to Darling's encouraging words in his ear. His father had taken up an official stance just inside a doorway so that he could greet territorial governors, ambassadors, senators and other representatives from the various planets that made up the highest rank of the Nine Systems--last time he'd seen this many aristos in one place, his head had been under a ten-foot blade that was about to come rattling down and kill him.

  Yeah, it felt about the same way today. But at least no one had made a move on his dad. So far the assassin was lying low.

  Cowardly bastard.

  He stood to his father's right while Boggi remained on the left to introduce the men and women wanting to speak to his father. The lights were turned up so bright that they washed everyone with a halo effect. Most of all, they made the shiny fabrics and jewels glitter. A jewel thief would be in nirvana to see this.

  Whereas normal ship walls were most often drab gray, these had been overlaid with gold so that they shimmered. Servants mingled among the elite with gold trays filled with finger foods from numerous worlds and alcohol, which seemed to be a bad idea. Several of the people were imbibing a little too much and speaking way too freely.

  Caillen swept the room doing what he always did in a crowd--looking for someone out to kill him or attack. But there was no visible threat. A
t least not yet. Well, none other than Darling and Maris off in a far corner, laughing at him as he stood with his feet together and his hands folded stiffly in front of him.

  What a stupid gesture. He looked like he should be standing in a box on the shelf of a toy store.

  Hello, people, I have no genitalia and I can only repeat three things programmed into my chip.

  "It's killing you, isn't it?" Darling let out an evil snicker as he intruded on Caillen's silent tirade.

  Maris joined him in the taunt. "I have to say only you could make that garish outfit look sexy." He purred like a contented cat eyeing a piece of meat it was craving.

  Caillen made a low "heh" sound before he brushed his hand through his hair and made a subtle obscenity at them.

  "Ah, now that's just rude." Darling tsked. "You keep that up and we'll abandon you to this."

  Maris scoffed. "Speak for yourself. If that's an invitation, I say sign me up in the backroom, baby. So not fair to tease me like this, Cai, when you know how big a crush I have on you."

  "Isn't that right, Caillen?"

  His father's question startled him as four pairs of eyes looked at him expectantly. Shit. What had been said and who were the elderly couple in front of him?

  Luckily Darling had been paying attention. "They're Ferryns. Ambassador Torren and his wife. Say, yes. Absolutely. And smile like you want her in your bed."

  He had no idea why that last bit was thrown in, but he did exactly what Darling said.

  The older lady blushed. "You're very kind, Your Highness. It's such a pleasure to meet you. I've heard only wonderful things about you."

  Really? That had to be a first. It definitely hadn't come out of Boggi's mouth.

  His uncle's either. In fact, his uncle had done everything he could to make Caillen stay behind. But since he was convinced the assassin would make his attack against his father at the summit, Caillen had insisted he stay by his father's side.

  "Kiss her hand," Darling whispered.

  Caillen obeyed. She blushed even more before she and her husband left them.

  His father frowned. "You seem a bit preoccupied. Are you all right?"

  "Not preoccupied. Just not used to having this many aristos around me without them checking their wallets or calling for my arrest."

  Darling choked in his ear. "I notice you left out some of the other more choice times."

  Caillen gave him a scathing glare.