by Lizzy Ford
The men led her into a large meeting hall with warriors clumped in small groups throughout the hall. The air was filled with quiet, serious discussions and with the faint scents of war: sweat and weapons. It was lit with warm yellow light. She paused inside the door, not wanting to deal with anything else. Her body hurt, her head pulsed, and she wanted nothing more than to curl up on a warm rock outside and go to sleep.
The warriors before her looked as if they’d just been released from some sort of meeting. Some left, ignoring her, while others shifted between small groups. She looked around for somewhere to sit or hide, aware the two men who’d followed her up the mountain were still there.
Her gaze stumbled on a familiar face at the other end of the hall, and she gasped. She took in the familiar dress and coloring of the men around her, startled to realize she did know where she was.
“Mansr!” she cried, tears filling her eyes again.
A look of astonishment crossed his face as he turned. She raced forward through the men, not caring what they thought, and flung herself into Mansr’s arms with enough force to drive him back a step.
He grunted and started to take her arms to pry her away. She shoved his hands away, clinging to him. He relented and spoke, his words garbled. She squeezed her eyes closed, not caring what he said and suspecting he was lecturing her on how not to behave in public. He wrapped one arm around her and touched her ear with his other hand, depositing a translator there.
“Nishani,” he chided.
“No!” she almost shouted, pulling away to glare at him with tear-filled eyes. “Don’t tell me what to do! I just had the most horrifying day of my life! I almost died a million times over, and if I didn’t know how to enable the shields on the escape pod, I would have burned up in the atmosphere, and if that didn’t kill me, then hitting the planet— ”
He held up a hand, planting it across her mouth when she refused to stop.
“I cannot understand you when you speak so quickly, nishani,” he said, warmth crossing his dark eyes. “Calm down.”
She hugged him, and he grunted.
“You want to meet the man who rescued you?”
She wiped her eyes and turned without releasing him.
“This is my son and the cousin of the dhjan, Leyon.”
Leyon was wiry and tall, his whip-like body unlike A’Ran’s, who was far thicker. His features, however, were similar, his eyes identical.
“It is my duty, nishani,” he replied. He looked hard at Mansr, who chuckled.
“Nishani, if you’ll let me go,” Mansr said, “I’ll take you somewhere to rest.”
She released him reluctantly. He took her arm and led her through the crowd into the night. Leyon followed, and Mansr took her into a small dwelling on the mountain. He led her to a bench in the middle of the house and glanced at an awaiting servant, who darted away. She crossed her arms.
“Can you call A’Ran and tell him where I am?” she asked.
“I will,” Mansr said, sitting down across from her.
Grass tickled her feet, and she glanced down at the swath of green beneath her. Irritated, she pulled her feet up and crossed her legs beneath her. Mansr and Leyon both stared at her, and she rubbed her face.
“Mansr, I really need some food,” she said, deflated. “I’ve had a bad day.”
“I would say so,” he replied. “Do you know where you are?”
“Anshan?”
“I’m not sure how you made it through the enemy’s defenses. We can’t get any ship off planet.”
“I don’t know,” she said, eyes watering.
“You are the battle planner?” Leyon asked.
“Yes.”
“Tomorrow, son,” Mansr said.
“A’Ran can’t come get me?” she asked, distressed.
“Not right now. He’s got a bad space battle on his hands. Your sister’s family joined our enemy.”
“This is where you want me to be anyway,” she observed glumly. “I’m supposed to be here, aren’t I?”
“You are,” Mansr said with another frown. “I didn’t expect you to arrive this way. Leyon said you arrived in an escape pod?”
“Yes,” she said. “The communications and control panels were disabled, but I figured out how to engage the shields. I did what I could. You know he even put bindings on me to make sure I didn’t survive?”
“Who?” he asked.
“Ne’Rin,” she said in a tight voice. “I don’t think he wanted me to survive at all.”
The two men shared a look.
“Mansr, I want A’Ran and I want to go home,” she said, at an end with her endurance. She started to cry again, too exhausted to stop. He rose and took her arm, leading her into one of the small bedrooms, where a grey bed awaited her.
“Sleep, nishani. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
God, her body hurt! Crashing into the planet left the left side of her torso black and bruised. If not for the painkillers Mansr gave her as soon as she awoke and her newest discovery to distract her from the lingering pain, she’d be too miserable to move.
She made grass grow. The realization made her want to laugh and cringe at the same time.
Who the hell could make grass grow?
She planted her hand on the red ground and counted to ten, until she felt the tickle of blades of grass beneath her hand. Astonished, she leaned back and watched it rise, thick and plush, to a height of several inches.
“Leyon?” She turned to find him staring at her from across the dwelling. She motioned to the small patch of grass. “Can you do this, too?”
“Only the nishani,” he said. He looked at her the way she looked at the six-legged cat that awoke her that morning.
“Only I can …” She trailed off, recalling her last conversation with A’Ran. She’d never thought he meant she’d literally help revive the planet. She’d thought her role more spiritual or symbolic. “This is good, right?”
“Yes, nishani.”
He thought her crazy. She rolled her eyes and finished her breakfast. The dwelling was warm already in the midmorning, and she wondered how she’d survive another day of heat like yesterday’s. Drained despite her long night of rest, she didn’t look forward to anything this day.
“Do you want to talk to the dhjan?”
She rose quickly in response from her place kneeling at the small table. He led her into the hot morning. The battle still raged in the distance, the colors duller against the morning sky. Several fighter ships lifted off from the valley as they neared another of the buildings beside the meeting hall.
It was packed with warriors facing a screen with A’Ran’s calm, hard image displayed. Her heart quickened at the sight of him. She couldn’t hear the quiet discussions but saw Mansr at the front, speaking to A’Ran. Leyon waited with her at the doorway as the war discussions continued. Kiera pulled her hair into a ponytail, the back of her neck already damp with sweat. Grass tickled her feet as she stayed in place too long.
Agitated, she glanced down, then back— kneeling to pull a handful of it free. She placed it in her pocket, ignoring Leyon’s look. The warriors moved and shifted as one, and she backpedaled quickly out of their paths as they exited the dwelling. Mansr and another older man remained. He motioned her in, and she approached somewhat anxiously.
A’Ran was unreadable. He was seated, his fingers steepled and his gaze penetrating. He wasn’t happy, and part of her wondered if she’d done something already to piss him off. Mansr glanced at her.
“Hello, A’Ran,” she said quietly.
“Hello, Kiera.” He’d never used her name before. “Are you well?”
“Yes, I am,” she said. She could feel his angry energy even over the viewer. She withdrew the grass from her pocket and held it out as a peace offering, uncertain how to take his mood. “I can make grass grow! Doesn’t that make you happy?”
“You may be useful yet, nishani,” he allowed. A faint smile escaped despite h
is dark mood.
She rolled her eyes at him.
“You’re hurt,” he said, his mood darkening. She touched her bruised cheekbone and realized doing so exposed her black and blue arm.
“I crashed into the planet,” she said. “It could’ve been worse. I was able to re-engage the shields and the thrusters.”
“She’s fortunate. We saw the pod as it fell,” Mansr seconded. “It’s good you knew a thing or two about configuring a ship, nishani.”
A’Ran lifted his chin to his uncle, who bowed in response to the dismissal and left. She glanced over her shoulder as the others left.
“Are you angry?” she asked, returning her gaze to the dhjan. His position didn’t change even when they were alone, his gaze direct and hard.
“Not at you,” he replied. “What did Ne’Rin say to you before he ejected you from the ship?”
She looked away and cleared her throat, embarrassed to feel tears in her eyes again.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I’ve never had anyone hate me so much. He seemed to think you’d gone weak and I was the source of your weakness. He said without me, you might win your war.” She traced the bruises around her wrists from the bindings. “Are you disappointed with me?”
“I chose you. Anshan chose you.”
“Would you choose differently?”
“No, Kiera,” he said, voice softening. She crossed her arms, hugging herself.
“I’m so sorry, A’Ran.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“You have enough to worry about with all your duties,” she replied.
“My family should come before my duties. I’ll evacuate you as soon as it’s safe.”
“I can help you from here,” she said. “I can help Mansr battle plan.”
“Nishani— ”
“I want to! I’m supposed to be here!”
He gazed at her, shifting to lean forward, the only sign of his unease. She braced herself for a refusal and a fight. He took her in for a long moment before caving.
“Mansr needs the help.”
“You’ll let me stay?” Surprised, she met his dark gaze.
“Not too long, and only until the space war is calm enough for me to evacuate you,” he said firmly.
“I don’t want to disappoint you,” she said slowly. “It’s my fault Ne’Rin lost his faith in you.”
“That has nothing to do with you, nishani. Do not apologize for another’s betrayal.”
She wondered if he felt hurt at his best friend’s betrayal but didn’t have the nerve to ask. He appeared hard and strong as usual. There was no sign Ne’Rin’s betrayal affected him at all.
“I must go, nishani. Are you well enough to battle plan?”
She nodded.
“Have Mansr show you to the command center. The ground battle is yours.”
Her breath caught at his words. Thrilled, she realized he’d just granted her something he’d never given anyone else: the position as his equal.
“Thank you,” she said in a hushed voice. “Will I see you soon?”
“As soon as I can arrange it. You’ll see how difficult our position,” he replied. “Send in Mansr.”
“Be careful, A’Ran.”
“And you, nishani. Mansr and Leyon will take care of you.”
“I don’t— ”
“Hush, woman,” he said. “Go.”
She rolled her eyes at him again, and he offered another faint smile before she left. She joined Leyon outside in the hot morning and waited for Mansr.
“Is everyone from your planet like you?” Leyon asked, his gaze intent.
“For the most part,” she replied.
“You have no men on your planet.”
“We do!”
He shook his head. Mansr returned and motioned for her to follow him. He led her through the small encampment toward the mountain and up a smooth walkway to the flattened peak of one ridge. In the center was a massive console surrounded by a circular bench beneath the shade of a ledge. Several warriors loitered near the console. Mansr activated the audio communications.
“You’ll be able to communicate with me as required.” A’Ran’s low voice came to her through the unseen speaker.
She approached the console, circling it once as she took in the different symbols. She touched her palm to the activation key, and the ground battle hologram sprung up before her. It whirled slowly.
“A lot changed fast,” she murmured.
“It did.”
“And not for the best.”
“We have reinforcements inbound. The Council split on sanctioning me, and those whose support Jetr swayed for me are sending their armies to battle.”
She reviewed the last several days, taking in the swelling number of enemies in the skies and on the ground.
“How many ground forces do you expect?” she asked.
“One and a half times what we have now.”
“Where did you learn?” Leyon asked, standing beside her.
“In A’Ran’s battle room.”
“Check grid 77,” A’Ran instructed.
She manipulated the scene before her and saw his concern: the only food repository in the area was under attack. She nudged Leyon aside to punch another set of buttons and issued an order to reinforce the failing efforts there.
“There aren’t many good water sources,” she murmured. “The next nearest is on the moon and a logistical nightmare.”
“I’m sending a list of trouble areas. I’ve got to go. I trust you to handle these.”
“Thank you, thank you,” she whispered. “You don’t know how much this means to me. You’re not treating me like some enslaved woman with no brain.”
“I’ve not given up on righting your behavior,” he assured her.
“Good luck!” she retorted. She shook her head as he closed the communication line with a click and concentrated on the scene before her. The grids with issues popped up as a layer over the hologram of the existing battles. She couldn’t read the writing, but she knew the numbers well enough to find the grids.
She sat down, growing oblivious to those around her as she manipulated and modified the battlefield. A’Ran submitted changes, and she reviewed the images. The day grew hot fast, though the surrounding peaks shaded her from the sun itself. Mansr sat beside her and remained, watching the scene before her. Only when the pain in her body returned did she lean back for a break with a grimace.
“You must rest,” Mansr said quietly. “You’ve done more this day than I could in seven.”
“My body hurts.”
“Leyon will take you to the medical facility,” he said. “Forgive me, nishani, I should have taken you yesterday. I wanted my nephew to see what kind of enemy he had.”
She wasn’t sure what to say and offered a smile instead. She didn’t doubt the impact of her battered visage on any man, especially A’Ran. Leyon motioned for her to follow him and guided her through the rocky trails to another of the low stone buildings at the base of the hills.
An hour later, she left the medical facility, completely healed though still exhausted. Leyon took her into one of the mountains, and she sighed at the blast of chilled air that greeted her. The dining hall was vacant and massive, a cave converted into a cafeteria. He motioned for her to sit and brought her food and water.
“How did you learn to battle plan?” he asked, sitting across from her.
“In A’Ran’s battle room. I was bored after he kidnapped me and left me with his sisters,” she replied. She was getting used to the hard stares the warriors gave her, the only indication of their surprise at her candidness.
“I pity my cousin,” he said at last. At her surprised look, he added, “I know him well enough to know you will change him. I do not know if he realizes how much.”
“I’m not sure if you’re insulting me or complimenting me,” she said with a puzzled smile.
“He chose well, nishani.”
“Thank you, I think.”
>
“Are there many women on your planet?”
“Yes, there are about three billion. You want one?”
“I may.” He was serious enough that she laughed.
“At least I haven’t scared you away from them!”
“I want to see what kind of planet produces women like you.”
She laughed harder, glancing up as Mansr joined them. He tossed his head to Leyon, who left quietly.
“How do you fare, nishani?” he asked.
“Good.”
“You’ve mastered battle planning.”
“Not yet. A’Ran is better than me.”
“As he should be. He’s been doing it for many years.”
She ate her dinner, beat. He made no move to leave her in the cafeteria.
“I hoped you would come,” he said softly.
“I don’t know how long I can stay,” she replied. “I don’t think grass will benefit the war effort, though.”
“It’s a start. The world and its people will take time to heal.”
She paused and stared at him, unable to comprehend an entire planet that depended on her. He seemed to assume she was staying for good, and she didn’t know how to tell him A’Ran had given her a choice she hadn’t yet made.
“A’Ran chose well,” Mansr added. “Even if you are unusual.”
“He has a lot on his shoulders.”
“He has since his parents were killed. He’s been the dhjan fighting this battle since he reached my shoulder. He’s known nothing else in all these years. I am happy he found you, not only for Anshan but for him. He needs someone to remind him that there is more to his life than war.”
“I don’t want to disappoint any of you,” she murmured. “Especially not him. Mansr, I can’t help but think it’s my fault that Ne’Rin betrayed him.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said with A’Ran’s firmness. “Ne’Rin’s father betrayed A’Ran’s father. Each man followed in his father’s shadow. You were an excuse for him to do what he did.”
“Ne’Rin’s father?” she echoed, surprised to learn she’d overheard them plotting without knowing what they were doing. “That’s awful.”
