"But which one would be best?"
"You know which one is best, Amelia. You already resolved it in your heart," Leonas said. He returned the orb to her. "There's one other thing that you should know. These orbs were created for you and to save you. But they are not required for your success."
Amelia took it back and turned it over in her hand. "Is there any way that I do not die at the end of this, Leonas?" she asked. Sitting here, looking out over this beautiful land, she did not imagine that it would be so bad after the fact. Yet she wanted to live. Each mortal day was precious too, and, as wondrous as this place appeared, she did not want to come yet.
Off in the distance, ibexes and jackals played, darting in and out of the shadows. A butterfly landed on the spiderweb in the branch closest to her, but it didn't get stuck. It lifted and lowered its wings as the spider sat next to it, sucking away at a small blueberry. Then, after a few seconds, the butterfly flew away. This place was remarkable, but the actual process of dying…
Amelia folded her hands. "I don't mean to sound like a coward or a weakling, but I really can't imagine any way that it's not going to be painful and hard. And…I just don't want that in particular."
Leonas rested his hand on her shoulder. "I know. Death is rarely a pleasant experience."
A sadness pressed into Amelia. "So…there is no way out of it."
"So far as choices you make, you should know that the Salvation of the Third Nalenth is for your use. But it is unlikely you will avoid death so long as you continue to be the Third Nalenth."
"And I don't suppose someone else could be the Third Nalenth?" Amelia asked softly.
"Another would rise to take your place in the restoration of the Tue-Rah after a number of years, but not for the other matters. And you would have to live with the consequences."
"So no one else has any choices that might keep me from dying?"
"There are always choices that others can make that will influence that."
Amelia's stomach sank. She leaned forward, her arms folded over her legs. "What about Shon? Naatos is going to kill him if he can. Can you protect him? I want…" Amelia hugged the dragon as she looked around. If Naatos killed Shon, he would come to this place. And who knew what wonders he would experience? And yet, even if that was the case, he would be robbed of the life he had on Reltux and all that he might accomplish within those years. It wasn't as if their mortal time didn't matter. The life one lived before death counted. Amelia ducked her head against the dragon, its warm sides easing the tension in her neck and shoulders.
"I will see to it that Shon has favor, but I will not override another's choice. What I can tell you is that Shon will eventually find happiness and joy wherever he goes. And all will be well eventually. Now, you will need as much time as you can get, and it is up to you to maximize the time you have to ensure you are prepared when you meet Naatos. We will meet again soon."
Amelia let the dragon slip away and stood. "So you're going to leave me?"
"You won't be alone. Not really. Even if it feels that way. But you will not hear me with your ears until you reach Ecekom." Leonas placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Wait! One more question." Amelia bit her lip. "I know it's silly, but Claudius and…" Amelia choked, unable to get through the names of all the animals she had cared for. Tears pricked at her eyes.
"They're all here, and they are at peace. One day you'll see them again." Leonas kissed her forehead. The scent of cedar and cinnamon intensified. Amelia closed her eyes. "Stay strong, Amelia," Leonas continued. "It will all work out. Even when it seems impossible."
"Thank you." Amelia paused, her own voice sounding strange to her ears. It was as if she was waking from a dream. She opened her eyes. No. Not a dream. Her thoughts cleared, helping her to place herself. She was back in Levthro. No one else was there. A single torch burned above a winged box. Particles of dust floated in the air.
She was back. With a sigh, Amelia massaged her forehead. There was a lot to do.
16
The First Problem
She had almost kissed him.
Even after Amelia left, Shon still felt her warmth. His heart clenched and pulsed with desire. Once the door slammed shut, the cold of the room gradually descended upon him.
Opening his eyes, Shon stared at the door. She was on the other side now. His heart ached. Later, he told himself. Later we'll be together.
Turning, he braced himself against the wall, taking deep gulping breaths. His thoughts swam, but he kept coming back to all he longed for. If only he could take her back in his arms and tell her all would be well. He loved her more than he had ever thought possible.
"But the only way I can protect her is to leave her."
Shon clenched his eyes shut, his lungs tightening. He couldn't believe it. The pain, the loss, it was suffocating him. He felt like such a coward. Weak. Useless. He pulled back his fist and struck the wall.
"Ah!" He shouted with pain and then dug his fingers into his scalp.
The stone wall broke the skin on his knuckles, bloodying them. Shon yelled again. He struck the wall and the bedpost. This was wrong! Beating the wall and bedpost did nothing but increase his fury, but he couldn't stop.
At last, he fell to the ground, his back against the wall. He dropped his head back to stare up at the ceiling. Hot blood dripped from his hands, his knuckles skinned and cut.
"This is some cruel joke," he muttered. "To find the woman I love, to fall in love with her soul, and then have to abandon her. To have to run and save my own skin so that she won't be sealed to death. Well, whoever thought this up, it's not funny. Do you hear me? It's not funny!" He struck his fists against the ground. The pain shot up through his arms. Ducking forward, he moaned.
The door slid open. "Hey, everything all right in here?" Matthu asked. He pointed back over his shoulder. "Amelia's…" He paused, his mouth gaping.
Shon pushed up from the ground and strode to the water basin. Measuring his breaths, he struggled to keep the agony from showing. His brother did not need to see this. Picking up the clay pitcher, he poured water into the basin and bathed his hands. The blood colored the water, and the wounds stung.
Matthu closed the door. "What happened? Are you all right?"
"Fine. Everything is fine." Shon set his jaw. His throat was tight, and the fiery tension radiated through his back and chest. He avoided meeting his brother's gaze. Speaking about this would only make it worse. "Listen."
Shon picked up a roll of bandages and began wrapping his hand. The cuts might get infected if he didn't get the proper medication, but he didn't care. Not really. Perhaps he deserved it. At least then he might have a more acceptable reason why he could not stay at Amelia's side like a real man would.
"Yes…" Matthu folded his arms and tilted his head, trying to catch Shon's gaze. He shrugged. "I'm listening, Shon. What happened?"
"Amelia wants to be alone to pursue her studies of being a Neyeb. And there are traitors here who are going to be leading Naatos and his army into the city. We'll need to help them prepare for the attack or the siege or whatever it is."
"Yeah. I heard about what these Truth Bringers are up to," Matthu said. "We only just finished convincing everyone that Amelia isn't a traitor. But the Machat are packing everyone up for some secret destination. Most of the Ayamin are going with them to regroup and prepare for another attack and protect all the Libyshans going with the Machat."
Shon nodded again. It was hard to speak around the hate-filled knot. If it weren't for Naatos, he and Amelia would have the life that they deserved, the life that Shon wanted for them. "That leaves the palace. There's still some outposts where I think some of the other Ayamin may have gone. I want to head down that way. I'll gather up the forces, scout out the palace. Father and the queen are still out there along with the prince. Maybe we'll pick up some refugees and other able-bodied warriors from the borders. But we'll be ready to take back the palace."
It was a scattered
plan, and it didn't sound as good aloud as he wanted. Shon continued to wind the bandages tighter and tighter. He set his jaw. Don't ask questions, Matthu, he thought. He didn't want to have to explain this anymore.
Matthu stood there. He folded his arms, then let them fall back to his sides. "So…Amelia's going off on her own? No one's protecting her?"
"She's safest on her own," Shon said, his voice tight. "If Naatos finds her, he won't hurt her."
"I guess not in the strictest sense." Matthu scratched his head, his expression confused. "You both talked about it?"
"We did." Just stop, Matthu, Shon thought. He tore off the end of the bandage and tucked it in the top band.
Finally, Matthu nodded. "If that's what you think is best. I'll start packing." He pulled a leather pack out from under the bunks.
"No, Matthu." Shon turned to face him, his tone grim. "I'm going alone. If Naatos finds me, he's certain to kill me and anyone with me."
Matthu slammed the bag down, glaring at Shon. "Don't even try to talk me out of it. If Amelia isn't going to let you go with her, she sure isn't going to let me go with her, and you know what? That's good because at least then I don't have to choose between family and duty. So I'm going with you. Besides, you'll be sure to run into trouble. There's got to be something out there. So don't try to tell me to stay away." He pushed Shon aside and gathered up their limited supplies as well as the fresh clothing the Machat had given them.
It wasn't often Matthu got upset. Shon picked up his vest and fastened it over his tunic. Realizing he had to be strong for his brother calmed his own emotions. "I suppose it's for the best. If I tried to leave without you, you would probably come after me."
"Exactly." Matthu did not smile. He shook his head as he thrust the items into the bag. "You'd think that these Machat would have come up with more to stop Naatos and his armies than that electricity they were talking about. Whatever that is. Particularly if it turns out that the Paras can get used to it. It doesn’t seem to last really long even now.“
"Maybe there is no way to really stop them." Shon fastened his belt. The grim weight remained heavy on his shoulders. "Unless you're the Third Nalenth."
If Naatos had been just any other Awdawm, Shon would have challenged him to a fight. At least then he would have had a chance, but he knew better than to be so suicidal. Particularly not after all of those visions.
"There's got to be."
Shon gave a slight shrug. "Now listen, we're not leaving just yet. There's still a lot that has to be done here. We're going to help them prepare for the siege or the move or whatever needs to be done. We'll get our supplies at the end."
Matthu offered no arguments, and Shon took comfort in the fact that he would not have to make the journey alone. He was even more comforted that Matthu seemed to have guessed what was happening, or at least knew better than to ask too many questions. It was their task now to find the Machat and see what needed to be done.
The halls had come alive with activity. Men, women, and children all hurried about, loading up wooden slat wagons with rolled blankets, baskets of fruit, parcels of clothes, woven nests of eggs, and more. Tension filled the air. Mothers shushed their little ones, promising them that all would be well even though they did not look as if they believed it themselves. Libyshans and Machat worked together. The quarrels and the mob intelligence of the Libyshans of only a few hours ago had vanished entirely. All focus was on escape and survival.
"Come along then, let's move faster," said one of the Machat men, walking down the hall. "Fill the wagons and get down to the fourth level. Escort your children and animals to the inner sanctum before you return for your other possessions. Prioritize essentials. They could be here before night falls."
A child started crying, burying his face in his mother's dress. She picked him up, smoothed the tears from his cheeks, and sang a soft lullaby. The haunting tones soothed the child, but it made Shon's skin prickle with discomfort. The notes were haunting, the words strange. It unsettled him.
"Do you think we really have a chance?" Matthu whispered.
Shon only stared, his own fears voicing themselves. He realized that some of the children were watching them. Perhaps they had overheard Matthu's question. "Of course," he said. He set his hand against Matthu's shoulder and forced a smile. "Of course we have a chance. We all do." Those words sounded so weak in his own ears.
"Even if you don't believe it, it's true," Kepsalon said, coming alongside them.
Shon and Matthu both started. How does he keep popping up, Shon wondered. He straightened his vest. "Good to know."
"We do have two problems." Kepsalon folded his arms. "I know how unappealing it is for you to leave, but I assure you that it is the right choice. In fact, it is the only choice. If Naatos finds you here, his jealousy will overcome him, and he will kill you. Both of you, in fact, because if he finds you with your brother, well, he'll just finish Matthu off as well. He knows how dangerous loyal brothers can be. But your part in this is far from finished. To accomplish it successfully, you must leave within the next hour. Otherwise, everything fails."
Shon frowned. "If you think I'm going to abandon—"
"This has nothing to do with abandonment." Kepsalon waved his hand. "No. There's a saying, a very, very old saying: a Machat will never lie nor will he tell you everything. No Machat has only one plan. The older the Machat, the more he has up his sleeves. In fact, we all have our secrets.
"Years ago, Elonumato warned the Honored Elders of the Truth Bringers, though He did not tell us the names of all involved. Only how to prepare and some whom we could trust. There is a secret passage that leads to a place where we will be safe provided we are there in time."
"Really?" Shon set his arms akimbo. Glancing around, he saw that there were others still within earshot and lowered his voice. "Maybe for the Talbokians it'll be enough. But what about Naatos, AaQar, and WroOth? You know—"
"Yes. Few things compare with a skilled Vawtrian's tracking abilities. But that is the second problem. And we are working on that. The first problem is the one that you two can handle. Follow me."
Shon wondered whether he should trust this man. He wasn't feeling quite so charitable toward him, as he had even a short time before. Yet Kepsalon acted as if there was no question. Matthu gave Shon a quizzical glance and half shrug, but they followed.
Kepsalon led them down one of the side passages. After a few minutes, they were away from the growing mass in the main halls. "The secret to defeating Vawtrians is staying ahead of their learning curve. Their healing abilities are what make them the most formidable because it prevents lasting damage from being done until their strength is worn down.
"Now, we found a way to harness lightning and channel the electricity into weapons. It temporarily stuns Vawtrians, makes it hard for them to respond, heal, transform. But with each use, they become more immune to it. And what we have to do is completely incapacitate them. We need something that will take them down for hours at a time because after those three are taken down, they must be restrained in such a way that when they recover, they won't be able to just shift out of it."
"And regular ropes and chains obviously won't cut it," Matthu said.
"Not at all. More importantly, it would not work as a long-term solution because of the time factor.” Kepsalon kept the pace brisk, not glancing at either of them. "After these three are taken down, they will have to be imprisoned until they are needed to complete the restoration of the Tue-Rahs and then judgment can occur. After the Fall of the Tue-Rah, they were captured and restrained using Vawtrian drugs and Unato tricks. We no longer have either of those, but, all this time, we have been working to find something similar. Something that would have the same effect that can be delivered through a powerful weapon such as an electrical blast or something similar.”
"Wait…" Shon grabbed Kepsalon by the arm. "This drug—you mean it will make them like us. They won't be able to heal or transform." Hope spread through him on
ce again. "I could fight Naatos. I could kill him!"
Kepsalon whirled around. He seized Shon and shoved him against the wall. "No," he snarled, his eyes narrowing. "You do that and you might as well slit your own throat. It's not for you to execute the Para of Eiram. It never has been. It never will be. Your task is simple, and if you go beyond that—if you try to turn this into something more—you will pay with your life. Naatos has been warned of the consequences, but he will no more resist the opportunity to kill you than a shark will resist blood in the water." He stepped back and fixed Matthu with a stern gaze. "You'd best see to it that your brother remembers that or else you'll be an only child."
Matthu nodded slowly. "But…theoretically—"
"No." Kepsalon slashed his hand through the air. "There is no but, there is no theoretical. This is your choice because you two are the best suited to complete this task and resolve our problem, but answer me now. Can you be trusted?"
Shon straightened his tunic and nodded. Hypocrite, he thought. If it hadn't been for Kepsalon, he wouldn't have been so deeply in love with Amelia and this wouldn't even be such an issue. But he didn't say it out loud. "What do you need us to do?"
Kepsalon continued walking. "This way."
Matthu nudged Shon. "I don't know if I can be trusted myself," he said under his breath.
Somehow that made Shon smile. If the Machat had been wrong before, they could be wrong now. The simple fact that the Machat might have come up with some weapon to remove the Vawtrians' shapeshifting and healing abilities, even if it was only for a short time, was enormous. For once, they might have an advantage.
"This drug that we've been working on is exceptionally powerful, " Kepsalon continued. "For its most devastating effect, it is delivered through an electrical blast that will both incapacitate and weaken any Vawtrian for a sufficient period of time to imprison him. Even in the event that the Vawtrians are immune to that, the drug will still keep them from transforming but with the potential for certain side effects." Kepsalon stopped in front of a door. He then knelt before it, slid his hand beneath the crack, and pulled on the floor. A trap door slid back, revealing a low slanting staircase. "Stay up here."
Enemy Known Page 14
