Enemy Known

by Butler, J. M.

  The rooms inside were clearly living quarters, comfortably furnished. Thick crimson and aubergine woven rugs carpeted the hall that opened into large rooms. Claw marks dug into the stones and ceiling, and the stone tiles of the floor revealed similar markings. Large stuffed couches without legs sat around a wood and glass table. Amelia paused, catching sight of children's toys gathered in the corner behind the couches in what might have been a play area. An even smaller table that was only a few inches off the ground had bits of parchment and dried paint on it. Streaks of color adorned the parchment, little more than stick figures. This area alone was unorganized. But there was no dust on the toys or even on the parchment. It was as if someone had lovingly dusted each item and set it back in its original place.

  Naatos pulled Amelia along before she could say anything. Several other doors lined the walls. He opened the third one and drew her in. "Vawtrian tradition requires that one always keep rooms for his family and his spouse's family. His parents, his brothers, his grandparents, whatever the case may be. When WroOth was Para, this was where I stayed when I visited."

  "A whole temple that takes up five mountains, and you three stay practically on top of each other." Amelia looked around the room, more curious than before. It was strange to imagine them having lives before they became the war lords she knew them as.

  This room was about the size of her living room and kitchen back on Earth, but this room was simple in its decor. A woven blanket of oranges, reds, and browns lay on the bed. A washing station as well as two bureaus and a small legless couch. Shelves lined the wall next to the window, and they were filled with books as well as a few book bindings with loose ecru parchment, ink, and quills. Over the door were two empty hooks, presumably for weapons. Did Naatos keep his spear here, Amelia wondered. It looked about the right size for a full spear. Perhaps his spear had not always had telescoping abilities.

  "Vawtrians value family above all else." Naatos shut the door behind them. He motioned to the wardrobe. "Seamstresses and tailors have been working on garments for you. They are not as tailored as they should be as I was not entirely certain of your size. But they will keep you covered."

  "Oh…wait…we're staying in the same room?" Amelia started at this. Somehow she had not considered that. Particularly with the agreement that there would be no feshtashooning until after the ceremony.

  "Where else would you be staying? You're my wife." Naatos gave a slightly perplexed frown. "And how else are we to come to know one another if we don't spend time together? You shouldn't be afraid of me, viskaro. I won't hurt you." He moved over to the slightly smaller wardrobe and opened its door. "Find what you want to wear. There's hot water from the heated springs in the next room. It's brought up through the aqueduct. Do you need attendants?"

  "No." Amelia edged closer to the wardrobe. "I've never had attendants." Even when she was lived in the palace, she had not had anyone to help her beyond the basics. Her dresses had been kept simple to allow her to dress herself without difficulty from an exceptionally young age. She had never had dozens of men and women to wait on her or even one or two that she could remember.

  "Everything else you'll need is in here." Naatos crossed over to the other door and pressed it open. It revealed another large room. He then removed his own garments from the other wardrobe and stepped inside. "Come in when you're ready."

  When I'm ready? Amelia raised an eyebrow. She turned her back to the door and returned her focus to the dresses. It was going to be a while before she joined Naatos in a bath.

  The rushing of water and a splash reached her ears.

  No. She was not going in there.

  Amelia placed her hand on the wooden wardrobe. To the seamstresses' credit, the gowns were quite impressive, particularly given how little knowledge they had of her. There were more than two dozen hanging on cedar hangers, each one a different color and a slightly different style. Most had free flowing waists with broad sashes that would allow tightening. Others had low shoulders and long flowing sleeves. There weren't any shoes though. Not that that surprised Amelia. Shoes and slippers weren't as easy to guesstimate as garments, but she still had the slippers Kepsalon had given her though they did need to be cleaned. She took her time, examining the dresses and touching them so that she would have an excuse if Naatos came to see what was taking her so long.

  Her thoughts drifted as she stood there. Oddly enough they returned to Jacinda. She would have had so many things to say about these dresses and the fabric. Several had that sheen Jacinda loved.

  A pang of sadness struck Amelia. Jacinda had always said that when Amelia got married, she would be her maid of honor just as Amelia would be hers. It was the way things were. It had never made much sense to Amelia how Jacinda had decided that she was her best friend, particularly when she had done so much to keep Jacinda at a distance. But Jacinda had stuck around through all of it. She'd probably have some choice things to say to Naatos though. As much as Jacinda had wanted to set Amelia up with someone, anyone who was breathing and single essentially, Amelia doubted Naatos would receive Jacinda's blessing. That encounter was one she'd rather not ponder.

  Sighing, Amelia pressed through the dresses. If there had been a pink or a magenta one, she would have chosen that as a reminder of Jacinda. But these color choices were from an autumn and gemstone palette. No pinks, lavenders, or pale blues. Green, turquoise, yellow, gold, silver, jade, emerald, and similar colors were her options. In truth these were Amelia's preference though she was not sure how Naatos had determined that. She settled on the turquoise gown and removed it from its hanger. The last design Jacinda had had her try on was a deep turquoise ruched halter top with embroidered white capris. Jacinda kept fiddling with the placement of the embroidery, much to Amelia's annoyance. Now the color combination comforted Amelia, but she could not bring herself to put it on.

  The door to the bath chamber remained open. How could he still not be done? Amelia sat on the floor, her back pressed against the wooden end of the bed. She scratched some dirt off her sleeve and waited. And waited. Apparently Naatos liked long baths. Amelia closed her eyes and released a long sigh.

  "I told you to come in when you were ready," Naatos said from the doorway. "And why are you sitting on the floor?"

  Amelia hinged a glance back and breathed with relief, grateful he had chosen to dress in the bath chamber. "If you're done, then I'm ready."

  Naatos shook his head, half-smiling. His long damp hair hung longer than hers now. It hadn't been that long a few days ago. "You shouldn't be so shy, viskaro."

  "Are you done in there?" Amelia stood, placing her change of clothes over her arm.

  Naatos glanced at the dress. He gave a slight nod. "I suppose this is your way of indicating that you don't want me to join you."

  "You catch on quick." Amelia walked to the door.

  Naatos chuckled. He pressed the water from his hair and dried it as he stepped away from the door. "I do not see what difference it makes. It's not as if I haven't—"

  "Oh no! No, you aren't going to tell me that." Amelia's cheeks heated. It made sense, of course. Considering where the wounds from the spider bites were and the fact that she had been fully changed from her original garments, it didn't take much to figure out the rest of his statement. "That never happened. Now. Excuse me. I'm going to wash away all those implications along with the mud."

  "You'll have to scrub hard to remove that blush. Had I known that my flirting with you would fluster you so much, I would have attempted it sooner. How did you grow up in an Awdawm world and yet become so…"

  "You don't need to finish that thought." Amelia held up her hands. Naatos's open enjoyment embarrassed her even more. Stepping into the bath chamber, she slammed the door shut behind her.

  The bathroom was approximately half the size of the bedroom. Most everything was made of stone here as well, but the room was quite warm with steam rising from a ten-foot square tub set in the floor. Two columns flowed into it and drained
out. From the steam rising, one was hot and the other cold. Amelia slid off her slippers and dipped her toe in. The water was hotter than she would have liked, but it didn't look as if there was a way to make it cooler.

  A large panel mirror with wavy glass hung on the wall. It had fogged over from the steam. Thick woven towels lined the racks next to it. Wooden shelves had been put up, and they appeared fresh. Amelia wondered if these were a new addition given the brightness of their color. She also doubted that Naatos used rose oil or any of the other beauty ointments and hair treatments available. Most were low enough for her to reach. But there was also a series of stools and backless chairs. Amelia picked up the tallest, dragged it to the door, and wedged it beneath the knob. She then undressed, selected a number of the vials, and started to slip into the water. Only there was no step as she expected, and she slipped on the oily stone. She plunged beneath the hot water, her feet slipping along the slick sides.

  Floundering, she slapped her hands against the water, struggled to her feet, and gasped, still panicked from the shock. Hot water streamed all around her in muddy rivulets. It was the deepest tub she had ever been in. For a few moments, she just stood there breathing. Even now the water covered her breasts as she stood on her tip toes. When she returned to the ground flat-footed, it reached her neck. "Let's not do that again," she muttered.

  Two of the vials had unscrewed, their contents flowing freely into the large tub. Bubbles formed, building up in a fragrant rose and almond scented froth. Gathering up the other vials, Amelia placed them on the side of the tub. At least she hadn't hit her head. As there were no hand or footholds, getting out of this tub would be neither graceful nor pleasant.

  With her hair already soaked, it was trickier to remove the bands. Amelia wrestled them out. Her hair was stiff, caked in dirt, and filthy. She ducked under the water, scrubbed, added soap, scrubbed, and then repeated several times. Even with the slick fragrant oils, it was difficult to work out the mats and tangles. But the water soon felt incredible. The good thing about its depth was that she did not have to look at the mangled black scar tissue on her body. The constant bubbling and fragrant scents made the bath chamber a sweet haven. And because of the continuous flow, the water did not become filthy. Her concern that Naatos would interrupt her soon faded as she relaxed. She could either stand or float. Other than that, it was almost as good as any jacuzzi she had ever been in. Pushing every other disturbing thought out of her mind, she focused simply on the warmth of the water and being clean.

  A sharp knock sounded on the door. "Amelia, you should be done."

  Amelia bobbed back to her feet, glaring at the door. "Does someone else want to use this room?"

  "If you want to see Theol before the restoration, you need to finish. I will be waiting for you."

  "I'll be done shortly." Amelia checked her hair. The soap had washed out, and it felt cleaner than it had for some time. Her chest felt strange though. Her throat as well. Almost a tightening. Or perhaps the air was just too thick. She swam to the edge and hauled herself out. Droplets of water fell onto the stone.

  It was every bit as undignified as she anticipated. Rolling out, she picked up a towel, spun her hair up in it, and then began wiping the excess water from her body. She ignored the scars as best she could. But the tightness in her chest increased. She pressed her hand to her chest and coughed to loosen it. That accomplished nothing.

  One of the towels turned out to be a large robe, similar to spa robes. Amelia wrapped it around herself. It trailed to the ground, and the sleeves hung more than five inches past the tips of her fingers. At least it was soft. She cleared her throat again, frowning, but the tightness persisted. Maybe she was having a reaction to the oils in the air.

  She tightened the sash around the robe, then reached for the turquoise gown. As she extended her arm, pain shot through her body. She clutched at her heart and fell to her knees. That same awful pain spasmed over her, choking her. She gave a strangled cry, desperately trying to suck in a breath. Her heart bulged against her hands.

  "Amelia?" Naatos called from the other room. Concern tinged his voice. "Amelia, are you all right?"

  Amelia dug her fingers into her chest. Her eyes streamed with tears. What was this? Why was it happening again? She choked, willing her heart to beat. Her panic grew. The pain radiated from her heart, and the bulging felt larger than the first time. She pulled back the white fabric and stared at the horrible veins pressing out from her skin. What was she supposed to do?

  "Amelia, answer me." The door knob jiggled, and the door then caught against the stool. "Amelia!" The door slammed three times before the stool fell forward and the door struck the wall. Naatos lunged in. Surprise filled his face.

  "What's happening?" Amelia gasped out what little air she'd managed to gather, tears streaming from her eyes. Fear only made it worse, but it was growing.

  Naatos lifted her in his arms and carried her back to the bedroom. Placing her on the bed, he sat down beside her. "It's the split heart, viskaro. Keep trying to breathe. That's the only way through it." He kept his arm around her shoulders, his other hand clasped over hers.

  There was nothing Amelia could do but obey. Little by little the tightness and agony eased. Amelia slowly released his hand, wiping the tears from her eyes. "What is this? What does it mean."

  "A problem." Naatos drew her closer, resting his head against hers. "This isn't following the pattern it should be. Amelia, you have to let me kill Shon."

  30

  Father

  "Why!" Amelia struggled to sit up, but Naatos pushed her back against the pillows. "He has nothing to do with this."

  "He has everything to do with it." Naatos guided her gaze back to his. The intensity of his eyes burned her. "Amelia, you are Neyeb. The Neyeb are typically compassionate and empathetic, capable of seeing into the darkest corners of a person's soul and yet finding something to prize and cherish in that person. They are capable of caring for thousands in all but one way. When it comes to eros or romantic love, their hearts are limited. Some say Elonumato did this to keep them from the torment of perpetually falling in love and struggling to juggle that with everything else that was required. So typically when a Neyeb falls in love with one man, she cannot fall in love with another. That particular love fills her heart. Most of the time. When that wretched Machat struck the Awdawm with the bakai and linked you both, he forced a connection."

  A lump tightened Amelia's throat. She pressed her palm to her chest harder as if that could push the pain away. "I made my choice. That's all that matters," she said hoarsely.

  "It should. I was…pleased at first that you were developing the split heart. I thought it would break you, but…" Naatos sighed. He fell silent, then shook his head. "But it's far more severe than I would have expected. It should have…" He covered his eyes. "If I had known how deep the connection went or how it much worse it would be for you, I would have killed him."

  "You can't." Amelia whispered. Her lungs ached. "Why would this be worse?"

  "You are my wife. The connection between us is strong. It's part of the reason why when marriages are arranged for Neyeb, the betrotheds stay apart. That way, in the event that one falls in love, the bond can be separated without damage. But we did not do that. So Shon filled your heart, and you and I bonded. Most likely there's some impact from the added connections that members of the Council of Elders provided to ensure the closeness of the bond. It may be making it more severe."

  Amelia stared at him incredulously. "So my emotions are actually physically in my heart?"

  "Emotions are different for the races with mind powers. Some emotions manifest there. Others in other places. But this is extreme. It cannot continue."

  "So I breathe through, and it goes? Or…" Was she going to have episodes like this for the rest of her life?

  "You have to stop loving one of us. Or one of us has to die. Or, given enough time, you'll develop the split heart, but that is a painful and grueling proces
s."

  Amelia stiffened. "I told you, you cannot kill Shon. This isn't his fault. He did not—"

  "It doesn't matter whether it is his fault. If a tree falls across the road, it must be cut up. It does not matter that it did not mean to fall there. If an arrow lodges in your side, it must be removed." Naatos's tone became more terse. He set his jaw, his fingers tightening over hers. "The split heart should not be striking this swiftly."

  "Is it deadly?" Amelia asked.

  "I've heard rumors of death once or twice." Naatos kissed her forehead. His warm breath wisped against her skin, a heaviness hanging over them. "But I won't let that happen to you. I will kill him painlessly, and you will not find it so hard to love me."

  Amelia shook her head. Pushing away, she struggled to her feet. "I'll get a split heart. We give it time. It develops. That's all."

  "It normally takes weeks, even months for this to develop," Naatos said sternly. "Simply because these attacks are moving faster does not mean they will end sooner. You will endure them at least once a day until you have adapted, and you may never adapt. You may suffer with this until the day you die."

  "Then I will suffer!" Amelia shouted hoarsely. She clenched her hands into fists. "If you kill Shon, I will never forgive you, Naatos, and I couldn't live with myself. He was innocent in this. You can't kill him."

  The muscles in Naatos's neck throbbed. He stood, fixing his gaze on her intently. "You want me to stand by and watch you convulse in agony day after day because of another man's hold on your heart?"

  "Yes. If you love me like you say, then yes. This won't kill me." She wrapped the robe tighter about her body. "In the end, I will be stronger. Besides…I thought you wanted me broken."

  "Broken, not suffering and dead. I want you, Amelia. I don't want your corpse."

  "I can't restore the Tue-Rah if I am dead."