Calabria, Royal Palace
"What do you mean that you have changed your mind?" Shamara nearly shrieked at her sister.
Chaela sniffed. "You heard me. I have decided that I do not want Avar."
Shamara stared at her incredulously. How could her sister do such a thing? "How does Avar feel about your sudden change of heart?"
Chaela's cheeks became pink, and then she said angrily, "I don't care what he thinks! I was blind where he is concerned! Now I have opened my eyes and found that there are much more interesting men in the galaxy."
Shamara glared at her sister whose face had become a deep red. "I suppose you haven't wasted any time sampling them!"
"I haven't made any promises! I can have any man I choose! Father has already told me so."
Shamara felt betrayed, by her sister and by her father. Why was her sister allowed to choose her own mate when Shamara's had been determined for her? And now that she had decided that perhaps her father's judgment in making an agreement with Bayman was in her best interest, she was being forced to marry Avar of Teralon.
"So tell me, sister, what is Prince Dagan like? Is he handsome? Perhaps I will choose him for my mate." Chaela was smirking. "We can marry on the same day: me to Dagan and you to Avar."
If she didn't leave her sister's presence, Shamara thought she might do her some harm, so she walked out of Chaela's room and headed straight to her father's office. Somehow she would straighten out this mess without telling her father about Chaela's indiscretion. Although she was furious, she didn't want to get Chaela into deeper trouble. It didn't seem as though she realized she was carrying Avar's child yet. Shamara had to stop her from marrying another man. There would be dire consequences not only for Chaela, but also for her father and Calabria if Chaela married a man other than Avar. Shamara wasn't about to let her sister marry Dagan of Bayman!
When Shamara came into the room outside her father's office, she was dismayed to see many men and women waiting to have a few moments of the emperor's time. Although she knew he probably didn't want to be disturbed at this time, she hadn't expected guards to detain her at the door! Shamara had always had quick access to her father, but now two beefy men stood in her way.
"He is very busy," one of them explained apologetically.
Shamara started to pace in the outer chamber, ignoring the curious glances from the others waiting to see the emperor. She hadn't a chance to speak to Avar yet. Chaela gave no excuse for her sudden disinterest in her lover, but if he no longer wanted Chaela so desperately, that might mean he would demand that Shamara honor the oath she had made to marry him. She wrung her hands as she paced. Just thinking of Chaela's confident smirks infuriated Shamara. How could her father favor that brat over her? Chaela had not once been an obedient daughter! She had been scolded and punished so often that her parents had been exasperated while Shamara had always done as expected. Now she had to hold back her tears as she considered their unfairness. Chaela was going to get exactly as she wanted while Shamara would do her duty as always.
The door opened and one of her father's advisors called a name and barely glanced at Shamara. A man who had been waiting in the outer chamber moved past Shamara into the office. Shamara hurried to the door before the advisor shut it.
"Will you tell my father that I need to speak to him immediately."
"He is very busy," snapped the older man. "I suggest you wait until this evening when he has finished with his duties."
The door shut in her face. Shamara turned around now to see the annoyance and resentment of the others waiting. The advisor was right, and she suddenly felt very selfish and foolish for nearly demanding that her father set aside his work to see her. As emperor of Calabria, her father had many duties and he took them very seriously. She could not expect to ask people with serious need of his help to wait until he solved her petty problem.
There wasn't really a problem, was there? Her only objection to marrying Avar was that he had been with her sister and she found the prospect of being intimate with him rather repulsive for that very reason. But Avar did have much to recommend him. He was handsome, charming, and his physical strength and skill was lauded through the galaxy. Such a man would be a great king, and his children would also be strong. Isn't that what a Calabrian woman wanted of a man? On the other hand, Dagan was also handsome though she had no evidence that he could be charming. In fact, he had, on several occasions, insulted her. His physical strength was lacking - Shamara thought she could probably beat him in hand to hand combat - and he possessed little or no skill with a weapon. Yet he was Guerani. That must be why she favored his suit. They were the same, and as she remembered how she felt when their hands had been joined, she knew that they were destined to be together.
So she went in search of her mother to talk about her dilemma, but she found her having hassles with her younger siblings. Shamara doubted she had been as rebellious when she was that young although she did recall Amyr's backside being swatted on many occasions as well as Chaela's. Arora was scolding two of her younger brothers who had been fighting while another of her sisters was whining about a missing toy. The baby was slinging food from which Shamara ducked. Another woman in her mother's position would have hired an army of nannies to watch her children, but Arora didn't want to give up any of her time with them. Shamara remembered her mother's regret and tears each time her children had gone to the moon to stay with Duo when a new infant came into the house and she needed to devote time to it. Shamara knew that she would feel the same about her own children.
Knowing she wasn't going to get anywhere with her mother, Shamara retreated to the garden to think and was annoyed to stumble across Avar. From what Shamara could see, he attempting to seduce one of the serving girls who, upon seeing Shamara, scurried away.
Clearly annoyed at the interruption, Avar turned to look at her and he pasted a false smile on his face. "Ah, Shamara! I see you have recovered from your mysterious illness."
"And I see that you are not suffering any despair over the ending of your relationship with my sister." Shamara folded her arms over her chest and glared at him.
He frowned at her. "I wasn't really serious about her."
"Do you think I will marry you?" demanded Shamara. "How can you suddenly forget how you felt for her?"
Avar came to stand before her and she was made very uncomfortable by his nearness. "I suppose I once thought she might be the one I loved, but soon after you left, the novelty wore off and I realized I don't want to be with her for the rest of my life." He reached out to touch her hair and run the backs of his fingers over her cheek.
"You are lying!" Shamara slapped his hand away, sensing in his touch that his reasons went much deeper. If she could touch him, she would be able to read his true intent. Avar seemed to realize it too, because he stepped out of her reach. "I am not going to marry you!"
"You have no choice!" snapped Avar. "You vowed before witnesses that you would take me as your husband and I expect you to honor that vow. I suggest you reconcile yourself to that fact." He started to walk away, and then he paused and turned back to her. "As for Dagan, if he is foolish enough to challenge me, I will have no choice but to defend my right to have you as my wife."
Shamara gasped. "You…you would kill him?"
"I'm not about to let him make a fool of me by defeating me in a mock duel then taking the prize of the galaxy from me. I have come to my senses." Without waiting for her response, he walked away.
She stared after him not knowing what to say. Shamara had returned to Calabria from the second moon only when she had learned that Dagan was on his way. Dagan would be unprepared for a real fight against Avar, and she must warn him.
"Should I kill him?"
She heard the voice above her, and she looked up to see Taeron perched within the branches of the tree, a half-eaten fruit in his hand. "Were you spying on me?"
"I am your imperial guard. Isn't that my duty?" He swung down from the tree to land before her. "You didn't answer my question."
Shamara sighed. "That would be dishonorable, Taeron."
He shrugged. "Why should we deal honorably with Avar?"
"How would it reflect on Dagan to have you disposing of his rival?" She frowned at Taeron. "What brings you out here anyway? I thought you were spending all your time with Amyr and his unending succession of adoring females."
"He is being punished by your father, for his less than honorable actions toward the daughter of Lord Deylann, a powerful chieftain on the second moon and staunch zenoite."
"Since when has my father cared about Amyr's foolish behavior with women?" Shamara thought all men were annoying with their never-ending pursuit of women. The men of her own family were no different. Her father couldn't keep his hands off her mother, her uncle was a legend amongst the women of the Wastelands, the crowned prince wasted all his time and energy on them, and Staefyn, who was barely old enough to know what to do with them, spent every spare moment of his time pursuing them in the Guerani hillsides. Dr. Nelson had given Shamara a thorough description of the activity they engaged in, but Shamara could not imagine why it so enthralled the men or why the women should want to be willing participants.
"Princess, I heard what Avar said. Prince Dagan will arrive tomorrow and I would guess he will waste no time in challenging the prince from Teralon." Taeron folded his arms across his chest. "I would also guess he will be completely unprepared for an honest match with Avar."
Shamara bit her bottom lip nervously. "Is Avar really that good?"
Taeron shrugged. "I have seen his weaknesses in the training room, but I doubt telling them to Dagan would help him."
"You didn't answer my question," she pointed out. "Just how good is he?"
"He defeated Amyr in practice three days ago."
"That doesn't mean anything!" But Shamara knew that it did. Beside Taeron and his father, Amyr was probably the most skilled fighter on Calabria. Despite all his faults, Amyr had trained hard with Taeron, and if he had been defeated…
"You aren't going to cry, are you?" asked Taeron anxiously.
"No!" Yet her vision was suspiciously blurred.
Taeron put his arms around her and forced her head to his shoulder. "Go ahead and cry, princess. I have observed that females need to do such things to make them feel better."
Shamara had no reason to cry, and yet she burst into tears, hiding her face in Taeron's shoulder. Avar couldn't kill Dagan! They could not have survived all that they had on Mars Colony only to be brought to this!
When her tears had exhausted, Taeron handed her a handkerchief, and as she wiped her face, he said, "Do you think there is no hope for a reconciliation between Chaela and Avar?"
"I don't know. She seemed very upset, and so was Avar. They must have had a fight."
"Could you not touch either to ascertain the reason for their sudden disinterest?"
Shamara shook her head. "They don't want me to know what happened."
"I guess I will have to find out on my own." Taeron chucked her under the chin. "Do not worry, Shamara. We will sort out this mess. We didn't save Dagan just so Avar could cut him into little pieces."
The image he left her with was not calming. By the time evening rolled around, Shamara had worked herself into a nervous frenzy. It took almost all her willpower not to either throw herself at her father's feet and beg him to do something or to beat Chaela senseless. She didn't know whom to blame more for this predicament.
When the guards finally opened the doors to the emperor's private apartments, Shamara forced herself not to knock down her mother to get to her father first. Keeping him from his woman was not going to earn her any favors from him. Fortunately, she was distracted by Taeron's entrance behind him at Amyr's side. Taeron quickly left him and went to Shamara whose arm he grabbed and pulled aside as Trey greeted the younger children nipping at his heels like puppies desperate for attention.
"What have you discovered?" she asked with a surreptitious glance at Chaela who was with her two other younger sisters probably talking about men.
"I have learned through discussion with one of the serving girls who is the sister of a woman who is friends with…"
"Just get to the point!" she snapped.
Taeron shrugged. "I thought you should know that the sources are very reliable."
"Why am I not surprised you got this information from a female? Dare I ask how you come to know so many women?"
"Do you want the news or not?" Taeron was irritated and Shamara felt guilty taking out her frustration on him. When she nodded, he continued. "Seems Naoll of Varoonya was flirting with Chaela, and Avar caught them in the garden together."
"The garden seems to be my sister's favorite spot for a rendezvous," remarked Shamara.
"There are enough secluded spots in the garden that one could get away with anything," remarked a voice at her side.
She turned to look at Amyr. "You would know. I'm sure you have a map of the choicest spots."
Amyr grinned. "Would you like a copy?"
Ignoring her younger brother, she turned back to Taeron. "Is that it?"
"No. When Avar confronted her, they had an argument. She claimed nothing was going on with Naoll and he refused to believe her. The next day she caught him groping one of the serving girls."
"They deserve each other," grumbled Shamara, glaring across the room at her sister.
"That was ten days ago. They haven't spoken since."
"Just what is going on?" asked Amyr.
"None of your business. What happened to you? Taeron told me that father is actually annoyed by your behavior!" Shamara kept herself from laughing at his problems.
"I don't need a lecture from you. Father has already told me that I must begin to act responsibly, that I am his heir, that my behavior reflects upon him and so on and so on and so on."
Shamara frowned at him. "I hope you were listening to his speech. Someday you are going to seduce the wrong woman, if you haven't already."
"I suppose you have never had one of those lectures from him. Perfect Shamara! Too bad the rest of us are mere mortals." Amyr walked away.
"Don't listen to him," said Taeron. "He is still upset about his father's reproach which was done rather publicly with Lord Deylann in attendance."
Shamara looked across the room to Trey. Amazing as it seemed, he was standing alone as everyone was getting settled at the table. Taking a deep breath, she started across the room, then paused when the door opened and the guard announced the arrival of Prince Avar.
"What is he doing here?!" She hadn't realized she said it aloud with more than just a little disgust until her father answered the question as he put his arm around her shoulders.
"I thought we should welcome him into the family since he will soon become a part of it." He gave her a quick squeeze. "Why don't you greet him properly."
Shamara felt herself shoved forward and she glanced over her shoulder to see Trey smiling with encouragement. Dreading every step that took her to him, she crossed to Avar who seemed more interested in Chaela's movements. "Greetings, my lord, and welcome to our home."
He looked down at her, and she immediately read the disappointment in his eyes. Avar would rather she were Chaela. "Your father invited me."
"It is your right to be here." She held out her hand to him, but he didn't take it, so she dropped it at her side. What kind of marriage could they have if he was afraid to touch her?
Avar moved past her to greet her parents. Chaela kept looking at him with more than just sisterly interest. Her parents could not possibly be blind to what was between them!
"Will you be joining us?" Trey asked Shamara, and she realized that all but her had gone to the table and were already seated.
She clasped her hands and took a breath. "Actually, father, I was hoping we could have a word in private before we eat."
He raised a brow. "I'm sure it can wait. I am quite hungry. Come and take your place beside Avar."
Avar glanced at her with a frown but said nothing. He nodded to the empty place beside him.
She ignored him. "Father, it is imperative that I speak to you. I didn't get a chance today, and…"
"Your father will speak to you later." Arora was warning Shamara with her eyes.
Shamara was getting quite tired of doing as expected and then having her concerns brushed aside. "Please! Father?"
Trey took his eyes from the food on the table and she felt an inch tall when his gaze landed on her. "I am not in the habit of repeating myself."
"You repeat yourself plenty with Chaela and Amyr!" The words slipped out before Shamara could stop herself. She immediately put her hands over her mouth as all eyes turned to her. The younger children were shocked while Chaela and Amyr had difficulty hiding their glee that the perfect first princess was now in deep trouble. She saw that her mother was disappointed, and her father…
"I am going to pretend I did not hear that!" He was furious. "Now sit down and eat this meal with us and I will consider speaking to you once it is finished."
She took a step toward the table, then stopped. "I won't! You have purposely avoided me since I returned, but I insist that you speak to me now. It is very important!"
He slammed his hand on the table so that the dishes rattled. The smaller children whimpered and the baby began to cry. Shamara even flinched at the anger she saw in his eyes. "I do not recall giving you permission to go with Duo in the first place! In fact, if my memory serves, we discussed your foolish venture and I told you to forget it. Yet you imposed yourself on Duo and could have gotten yourself killed. I have not even had a chance to speak to him because your brother has messed up the second moon so badly with his mismanagement that Duo has been too busy sorting it out."
"Do not blame Duo!" cried Shamara. "I gave him little choice."
"I had no intention of blaming him! I want to apologize for your behavior, not to mention that of my bungling son." Trey took a moment to fix a censuring stare on Amyr who hung his head. "Now, do not ruin what is supposed to be the best moments of my day with my family. Your selfish needs can wait. You shame yourself in the eyes of the man who would be your husband." He turned his attention back to the table. Avar didn't even bother looking at her. "Pass me the meat before I take a bite out of your mother!"
The younger children giggled nervously, and the baby cried louder as Amyr quickly passed the meat platter to Chaela. Chaela was about to pass it further, but Shamara hurried forward and grabbed it from her hands to prevent it from reaching the emperor of Calabria.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Trey.
"I want to speak to you!"
"Not now," he said through gritted teeth. Everyone else was completely silent.
Shamara had already stepped over the line, so she reasoned she had nothing to lose. She took the platter and slammed it on the floor. "There! Since supper won't be ready for several minutes, maybe you could spare them for me!"
"Guards!" bellowed Trey, and the men outside the door hurried in with their swords drawn, looking first at Avar who was the only outsider. "Escort Princess Shamara to her room and see that she doesn't leave it until I find the time to speak to her." He looked at Shamara. "You can forget about eating tonight."
"I wasn't hungry!" she retorted. She turned on her heel and marched to the door.
"I was starving," hissed Taeron in her ear.
"You don't have to come with me," she whispered as they left the room.
"Yes, I do."
Shamara paced her room for hours until the two moons were high in the sky and the second sun was long gone. Taeron was lying on her bed snoring before she finally realized that her father was so furious he was not going to speak to her at all. Ignoring her snoozing imperial guard, she went to the door and opened it, finding the guards still at their posts.
She smiled at the kinder looking of the two. "I am ready to apologize to my father."
"I am sorry, princess, but his instructions were that you must remain in your room until he personally comes to release you."
Shamara stared at him unblinking. That gaze usually yielded results. "I am sure you must be mistaken."
"There was no misunderstanding his orders," spoke up the gruff guard to her left. "His Excellency was very angry. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes, princess."
The following morning, after a near sleepless night, Shamara was awakened by a knock at the door. She had slept beside Taeron and saw that he was still sound asleep. Shamara shoved him awake. "Go to the door."
He yawned and rubbed his eyes. Seeing Shamara beside him, he grunted in annoyance then swung his legs over the bed. "I had plans last night, princess."
The knock at the door sounded again, but this time the door opened and a servant entered carrying a tray. Shamara had hoped her father had come to speak to her, but following the woman was Avar. When he saw Taeron rising from the bed where she was still reclining, Avar reached for his sword, then seemed to think better of it. His hand dropped to his side.
"I have come to share your breakfast with you. Perhaps I am interrupting."
The woman set the tray on the table then hurried out.
Shamara looked from Avar to Taeron. If Avar were jealous of Taeron, he might challenge him and Shamara was completely confident in Taeron's skill. Taeron was confident in his own ability to defeat Avar as well. But she caught Taeron looking at her with warning disapproval and she sighed knowing she could not capriciously put Taeron in any danger. Such a ploy would dishonor them both.
"If you will excuse me, princess, I will leave your safety for the moment in the hands of your betrothed."
Her eyes cursed Taeron before he walked out leaving them alone. She looked at Avar. "There is nothing going on between Taeron and myself. It is common practice for an imperial guard to sleep in the room with the person they are protecting."
"Don't think the fact that your mother was your father's imperial guard has escaped my notice." As Avar crossed the room to sit at the table, Shamara swallowed her angry retort. "Come and share the meal with me. You must be hungry."
She didn't want to admit it, but she was, so she sat at the small writing table where the servant had left the tray. The setting was intimate, but Avar didn't say anything as he ate. She noted to herself that he seemed to enjoy traditional Calabrian food. Dagan would be horrified to see what they were served for breakfast. So she had yet another reason to logically prefer Avar to Dagan.
Shamara looked away and stared out the window of her room, which was the highest in the western tower of the palace. When she had been given her own room her father joked that it was the safest place to keep her, high above the ground and any over-enthusiastic suitors. Those suitors hadn't materialized. He had quickly betrothed her to Dagan of Bayman, and now that she had finally accepted that he would be her mate for the rest of her life and was looking forward to it, she found herself facing life with Avar of Teralon.
Sighing, she glanced back at Avar and caught him staring down at his food. He seemed as miserable as she felt. "I don't suppose you wish to discuss what happened with my sister."
He pushed himself away from the table. "In three day's time we will be married. I hope you have the sense to prepare yourself. If you have some special affection for that idiot from Bayman…"
Shamara shot to her feet. "I have no such special affection! I do not want to see him suffer."
Avar glared at her. "I think you are lying! Whether you do or not does matter to me! You will be my wife, and I will have rid Bayman of the abomination that is next in line to their throne. They will be better off with Ryana as their ruler."
Shamara followed him to the door. "How can you say such things!? Do you consider the same of me for my powers?"
He raised a brow and in the silence that followed, she realized that he did. "My personal feelings for you do not matter. I need only to do my duty, just as you do. When we have done that, I expect we will live our own lives on Teralon. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to prepare myself for Dagan's challenge."
She caught his arm before he reached the door. "Please, Avar, I beg you not to kill him!"
Avar shook her off. "Why should I listen to you and why should I let him live? If I do, I have little doubt that as the disobedient, willful female that you are, you will run away to be with him."
Shamara dropped to her knees and clasped her hands. "I will swear to you, Avar, that I would never do such a thing if you would only let him live."
He made a sound of disgust and after he had walked out, Shamara tried to control her tears and failed. She buried her face in her hands and cried. She was still sobbing when Taeron returned, and she knew that he was exasperated to see her in such a condition. "Princess, this is becoming a habit!" He helped her to her feet and back to the bed. "I think you need some rest. Prince Dagan has landed at the port in the Wastelands. He should reach the palace too late to issue a challenge to Avar tonight."
"You must go to him and warn him not to do it!" cried Shamara frantically. "Avar has every intention of killing him!"
"Avar must kill him," stated Taeron. "Dagan's claim is just, Shamara, and in order for Avar to have you, he must dispose of him. The gods must decide who they favor."
"This is primitive! I must speak to my father!" She tried to get up, but Taeron pushed her back down.
"The guards will not let you leave and your father is busy welcoming guests for your wedding to Avar as well as trying to find a solution to the riots the followers of Camridaeus have spawned."
Shamara sighed, then frowned as she looked at Taeron. "What riots?"
"You certainly know that the Camridaens committed heinous crimes on the second moon while my father was at Mars Colony."
"I thought they were isolated incidents." For some reason the mention of the Camridaens disturbed Shamara. While Duo was gone, they had burned villages to the ground, killed men, women and children all in the name of their god.
"Camridaeus does not have many followers, but they are fanatical. They are convinced that he is about to be reincarnated and will return to Calabria any day now. For some reason, my father's trip to Mars Colony made them take up arms on the second moon. Many of the sect members have made their homes on the second moon and have lived peacefully up until the time when we were actually making our return trip."
"What do you suppose has caused their unrest?"
"Their prophecies, no doubt." Taeron patted her back. "Get some rest, Shamara. I will do what I can."
She thought she wouldn't be able to rest, but she did fall asleep and when she awoke, she saw that the last sun had already set and there was a tray of food on the table. Shamara left the bed and went to eat some supper. She was just finishing by the time Taeron returned. By the glum expression on his face, she guessed he hadn't found any good news for her.
"Your father is still rather angry at you, Shamara. I heard that he would not see you until after this mess with Dagan has resolved itself. He is not even going to greet Dagan when he arrives, having already received word that Seighen does not give his approval for Dagan's challenge."
"So is Dagan going to be sleeping in the stables?" demanded Shamara angrily. "He is still a prince, and to be treated so shabbily is dishonorable, especially since a few months ago he was good enough to be my husband."
"The emperor delegated his greeting to Chaela."
"To Chaela!!" For some reason Shamara couldn't define her blood ran hot and cold at the same time and she found her vision blurry. "My…my sister is greeting him?!"
Taeron took a step back from her and Shamara realized she must have been looking frightful. She breathed in several calming breaths before she was able to relax. "Avar reacted the same way," remarked her imperial guard.
She glared at him. "Are you implying that I am jealous? Ha! I have no reason to be jealous! He means absolutely nothing to me. Now get back down there to keep an eye on Chaela!"
Taeron threw up his hands as he walked to the door. "I thought I was your imperial guard! When did all this spying become part of my duties?"
After he had gone, Shamara paced her room anxiously and went to her window several times to see if she could locate Dagan's party approaching, but he would probably be coming from the Wastelands from a direction facing away form her window. She couldn't help but imagine Chaela using that sickening false sweet smile on Dagan, batting her long lashes at him. Even worse was the fact that Chaela was well experienced in what a man might expect of a woman. She knew just how to play up to Dagan, and Shamara knew Dagan could be a fool where women were concerned. His obsession with his white-haired whore was proof of that! Suddenly Shamara wondered if the woman traveled with him. How had she come to be on Mars Colony unless Dagan had brought her with him?
It was hours before Taeron returned, and she pounced on him immediately. "Did he bring his whore with him?"
Taeron was taken aback and she realized she had almost shrieked. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about that white-haired slut!"
Taeron shook his head. "If you are asking who attends Prince Dagan, then I will tell you that the old master is with him. In addition, several dragoons, the captain of which seems very friendly, escort him. I was not allowed near them, so I am sorry, princess, I could not warn Dagan. If there was anyone else in the party from Bayman I did not see him or her."
"Did my sister try to seduce him?"
"In front of the court? Princess, what are you thinking? Chaela would not be so dishonorable."
Shamara wouldn't put it past her. "Did she flirt with him? How did he react?"
"Why should you care?" Taeron was grinning.
She wanted to slap him. "You think you know how I feel?"
He shrugged. "I do have some news. He's not staying in the stables. In fact, he is staying in this very tower on the second floor."
Four floors beneath her very feet! "I must go to him and warn him."
"The guards aren't going to budge. Your father doesn't want you interfering."
"Ridiculous!" Shamara began to hunt through her room for something that could help her reach Dagan. Finally she settled on knotting all her clothing together and climbing down. Taeron was completely against it and threatened to go to her father if she actually did something so foolhardy as climb down the side of the tower.
"You will fall to your death," he predicted.
"Since you are supposed to be preventing my death, I suggest you get over here and make sure the knots I have made will support us."
"What do you mean "us"? I don't remember saying I would be a party to this absurd scheme." But Taeron picked up what she had already done and tightened it. "I do not wish to lose my head over this."
"My father hasn't chopped anyone's head off since the last rebellion."
"I believe this is a rebellion of some sort."
Shamara snorted. "He won't cut off your head. You are Lord Duo's heir. I doubt your father would forgive him."
"My father has another son," commented Taeron as he worked.
Shamara glanced at him. "You aren't worried about Stryfe usurping your place are you?"
Taeron didn't look up. "I know that he has strong feelings for his other son's mother. How could he not favor him over me?"
"I know how he feels, Taeron. It is true that he love's Stryfe's mother, but he doesn't know Stryfe! He has known you your whole life, and even though he didn't acknowledge you, now that he knows the truth, he is eager to make up for the lost time between you."
"I must seem very selfish to distrust my own brother."
Shamara raised a brow. "Do I trust my sister? She's probably slithering around in Dagan's bed this very moment. By the gods, if I find her with him…"
"I pray to the gods that you do not. I am sure to lose my head if you kill your sister."
"Stop whining about your head!" Shamara threw out the rope she had made and saw that it fell short. "We need more. Go get your own clothing."
"Princess, what are the guards going to think if I suddenly get a pile of clothing to bring in here?" Taeron folded his arms. "I'm not going to do it!"
"I think you will."
Taeron marched to the door. "I surely hope that Amyr won't be as demanding as you."
Shamara waited impatiently for him to return. By the time he had, she had connected the bedding to her rope, but it was still very short of its mark."
Taeron dumped a pile of clothing on the floor. Shamara picked up a garment. "This isn't yours! This is women's clothing!"
"I'm not letting you use my clothing to make this instrument of death! I asked one of the girls I know for them. Besides, the guards didn't even bat an eye when I told them you were packing for your trip to Teralon and needed more clothing."
Shamara looked at him skeptically. "And just what did you tell your female friend as an excuse for taking her clothing? I'm sure she's not accustomed to men asking her for all her clothing, and if she is, I wonder about what kind of place my father is running."
Taeron chuckled. "I told her I would compensate her later if she wouldn't ask questions."
"You are as bad as my brother! Now get over here and get to work."
By the time they finished, Shamara's hands were already aching, but the rope seemed to be long enough even after Taeron tied the end to the anchored bed.
They stood at the window for a moment staring down at the rope Shamara had tossed into the darkness below. She looked up to see that clouds obscured the moons. Shamara considered it a sign from the gods that she was doing the right thing.
"You go first," she ordered Taeron.
Grumbling, he swung over the edge and began to climb down. Shamara followed him. The stone wall was rough against her, but she ignored it as she followed Taeron. He paused by a window, then whispered up, "Princess, do not look in this window. It is the Prince of Varoonya's room and you might see more of him than you would want."
"Thanks for the warning." But when she reached the room, she peeked in and saw nothing but darkness. "I don't see him!"
Taeron snorted with laughter. "I knew you would look!"
Shamara kicked his head with her foot. "Get going you oaf!"
He continued to snicker on and off until Shamara had almost lost all patience with him. Finally, they reached the balcony, and when Taeron jumped the last few feet, Shamara heard a scuffle and knew that he had been attacked. She dangled above, unable to see anything in the dark.
After a moment, all sound ceased. Shamara remained where she was until Taeron called up, "Jump, princess."
She jumped, expecting Taeron to catch her, but she landed on a body and she stumbled and fell flat on her face on the stone floor. "Why didn't you catch me?" she snapped at Taeron.
"I couldn't see you in the dark! I'm not a god!"
"I rather thought you were." The voice came from the open door leading to the balcony. Shamara recognized it immediately
"Dagan!" She hurried to him. Shamara wasn't sure how she should greet him, but Dagan didn't seem to have any doubts. He quickly drew her into his arms and she was blessed with his kiss. She slipped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes, as the heavens seemed to open up and shine light down upon them.
"Damn! There go the clouds! Princess, if the guards see the rope, I am going to lose my head!"
I've already lost mine, she thought as Dagan stepped back. He knelt beside the body on the floor. "You didn't kill Vanig, did you, Taeron?"
"I don't think so. He is a very diligent guard, my lord. You should be proud!"
Shamara could see Dagan frown. "I might be a bit prouder if you were the one at my feet. But I guess I will forgive Vanig considering he was attacked by a demi-god."
"I have to speak to you. Let's go inside. Taeron, stay out here and keep watch." Shamara took Dagan's arm and pulled him to the door.
"Princess, my duty…"
"Shut up! Now do as I say!"
When they were inside, Dagan commented, "You were very rude to Taeron."
"Taeron can be an annoying pain in the backside! Besides, I didn't want him to interrupt us." Shamara was thinking about that kiss and whatever else they might do. Her eyes strayed to the bed and she saw that there was already another form in it. "Who is that?!" Believing it to be Chaela and infuriated beyond reason, Shamara dashed across the room and jerked back the blanket.
The old man who was sleeping looked at Shamara and sighed deeply. "Princess! I am glad to see that you are alive and well."
"Master Nazzar!" Shamara was deeply ashamed for what she had just done.
Dagan came up behind her. "Who were you expecting to find?"
Shamara felt like a fool. "I…I…"
Dagan caressed her cheek. "Did you think I had a woman with me? Does that mean you might be jealous?"
"Don't be ridiculous! I …I just didn't want to be overheard." Shamara looked away from Dagan's knowing eyes. "Why should I be jealous?"
"I don't know. By the way, you never told me how lovely your sister is. She as much as told me that should I wish to forget my foolish challenge of Avar that she would be more than willing to marry me."
Shamara clenched her fists, wishing Chaela were within striking distance. Then she relaxed them. "Perhaps you would be better off taking her up on her generous offer."
Dagan framed her face with his hands. "You are the only woman I want, Shamara."
She looked into his dark eyes. "Dagan, Avar will not deliberately lose to you. He wishes to marry me, so now he intends to fight to win."
"I guessed that the gods were not favoring the match between Chaela and Avar when she made her offer." Dagan sighed, then looked back at Shamara. "I must challenge him, Shamara."
"Why?" she demanded. "Because of your foolish pride? Because everyone in the galaxy knows your intention and you would be humiliated for backing down now?"
Dagan laughed softly as he caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. "You haven't heard me, Shamara. I told you that you are the only woman that I want. If I cannot have you, I would rather Avar ended my life."
"That is foolish!" Shamara felt tears forming. She didn't want Dagan to see her cry so she forced them back. "I insist you withdraw. I do not want your death on my conscience."
"So it is your conscience that has brought you here?" Dagan seemed to be annoyed. His hands dropped from her face. "You had best return to your room and let me sleep."
"But…"
A throat cleared, and she looked in the direction of the bed from where it had come and realized she was still holding the blanket. "Oh!" She was actually glad of the distraction as she hurried to cover Dagan's old teacher. When she tucked the blanket up to his chin, she felt his bony hands grasping hers.
Shamara began to feel a strange energy flowing into her from Master Nazzar's hands. The room seemed to spin around her and she heard Dagan asking if she was all right although his voice seemed to be many miles away. Nazzar let go of her hands, and Shamara took a deep breath. It was a deep, cleansing breath, such as the breath she might take after remaining under water for a very long time. She had some difficulty focusing for a moment, and during that time she looked at Dagan and thought he was a stranger, but she recognized Nazzar. Shamara was momentarily confused.
"Shamara, you should return to your room."
She mentally shook herself and looked at Dagan. His tone had been rather flat. "I…I was hoping we could talk more."
"I need my rest, Shamara."
Taeron poked his head in. "Princess, you have surely told him what you need to. Now let us get back to your room before your absence is discovered."
Dagan came to Shamara and put his arm around her waist to escort her to the balcony. "Your imperial god is waiting."
"Dagan, won't you please listen to reason?" She asked desperately as they reached the balcony.
"Good-bye, Shamara." He turned and went back into his room.
Taeron was waiting beside the rope. "Hurry, princess."
Shamara stared at the empty doorway for a moment. "What is wrong with him?" she whispered angrily to herself.
"Think about it later!" Taeron was already climbing up. "Follow me. When I get up there I will pull you up."
Shamara's thoughts were a whirl as she slowly crawled up behind Taeron. First she had to consider the strange feelings she had gotten from Master Nazzar's touch. Even now she couldn't think of the words to describe what had happened to her, and she felt somehow different. Then there was Dagan's behavior. He had been quite pleased to see her. Her lips still tingled from his kiss, and then he seemed to want her gone. Of course, she had to realize that he needed his rest if he was going to challenge Avar. Shamara wished he wasn't so damned stubborn!
By the time Taeron finally reached her room and began pulling her up, she was relieved because she was tired. When she reached the top, a hand reached down to grasp her arm. Shamara hadn't thought Taeron would be so thoughtful, especially after all the complaining he had done this night.
But as she was hauled into the room, she saw that Taeron was standing across the room with a terrified look on his now pale face. Shamara slowly raised her head, and then flinched when she saw that it was her father who was holding her arm. The anger she had seen last night at the supper table was nothing compared to the blazing fury she now saw.
Shamara swallowed nervously. "Good-evening father."
He glared at her in silence for several moments, and when she thought she couldn't take any more, he spoke through gritted teeth. "I thought I would be doing you a favor you didn't deserve by coming to speak to you. I didn't expect to find you dangling hundreds of feet above the ground in some foolish attempt to visit your lover."
Shamara gasped. "Father! Prince Dagan is not my lover!" He raised a brow and she remembered that he had interrupted a trance when they were in a most compromising situation. Although her face was blazing in embarrassment at the look he was giving her, she would not back down. "It is true! He has behaved honorably towards me!"
"I suppose I can credit him for sending you back up here." He sighed, then glanced at Taeron. "I know my daughter can be very persuasive, Taeron, but I am disappointed that you would allow her to manipulate you when you are to have only her safety in your mind."
"You aren't going to chop off his head!" Shamara gasped and looked at Taeron. Taeron swallowed.
Trey snorted. "Why would I do such a thing? I am more likely to chop off your head than Taeron's!"
Shamara put her hand to her neck, already imagining a blade slicing through.
Her father chuckled. "I am not going to do anything so drastic. Taeron, you may leave. I want to speak to Shamara alone."
When he had gone, Shamara remarked, "I will just tell him anyway what you say to me."
He moved to a chair and sat down and Shamara hurried to sit at his feet. "I am glad that you have a close relationship with Taeron. In fact, that relationship was the subject of Avar's complaints to me today. He suspects that Taeron is your lover, and I admit that I was insulted by his implications. I trust you and I trust Taeron. I have always thought of Taeron as another of my sons."
"What else did Avar complain about?" asked Shamara bitterly. She could not imagine spending the rest of her life with such a crybaby.
"He told me of your pleas on behalf of Prince Dagan. Did you believe he might spare Dagan? Avar is even more adamant now that Dagan must die so that he doesn't have to worry that you will dishonor him."
"I do not want to marry Avar!" Shamara suddenly blurted.
"What is your objection? He is young, handsome and strong. The kingdom of his father is very wealthy and growing. Our trade ties with them will strengthen with your marriage to him. Our treaties with Teralon depend on this marriage." Trey raised a brow as he looked down at her. "Give me a good reason, Shamara, to ignore all those facts. In my eyes, he is the ideal son-in-law."
"But…but what of Prince Dagan? You certainly had the highest recommendations for him!"
"Many years ago I felt I had a reason to negotiate with Bayman, and marriage between you and Dagan seemed ideal. Since then Bayman has been so terribly mismanaged that making an alliance with it would not be in the best interests of Calabria. In addition, you yourself have told me that Dagan cannot protect you. How would he stop a man such as Avar of Teralon from taking you from him once you did become his wife? My advisors tell me that despite its technology, Bayman has become weak and could be conquered by any well-trained force." He reached down to stroke her hair. "Shamara, can you give me a good reason to set aside your oath to Avar?"
Shamara couldn't keep her silence any longer. "He has been with Chaela! I don't want to marry a man who has been with my sister!"
Her father didn't seem surprised and Shamara realized her mother must have discovered what was going on. Shamara wouldn't be surprised if Trey also knew that Chaela was carrying Avar's child. "You are going to have to give me a better reason, Shamara. I regret that Avar has dishonored your sister, but I strongly suspect Chaela played a very prominent role in that. You are just going to have to live with it. You have made your objection to Avar know to me. Now, why should I favor Dagan over the heir of Teralon?"
Shamara didn't know what he wanted her to say. He waited patiently for her response, and when she didn't say anything, he sighed and stood.
"We will have to rely on the gods, Shamara. If you don't know what you want, then the gods will decide Dagan's fate." He kissed the top of her head, then walked to the door.
She took a step after him. "Father, I do not want to see Dagan die."
He smiled. "I didn't think that you did. Perhaps if you come up with an answer to my question before tomorrow, you won't have to."
"What should I do, father?" Shamara wanted to do what was right. "I have already asked Dagan not to challenge Avar, but he will not listen to me."
"And why is that?" Trey chuckled when she didn't say anything. "You don't have to answer, Shamara. I already know the reason. Men in love do very foolish things. Now I suggest you get some rest because I expect you to be at my side tomorrow."
"You want me to watch Dagan die?" Shamara was horrified.
"Perhaps the gods will favor him, Shamara. You know as well as I do that even the most skilled of fighters can make mistakes. Often their lives depend upon that mistake. I suggest you pray to the gods if you have so little faith in Dagan of Bayman." He walked out the door, and Shamara heard him give instructions to the guards. One of the men walked into her room, and without glancing at her, pulled the rope she had made up and carried it out the door with him.
Shamara stared at the door long after he left. Her father really didn't trust her! Then again, Shamara knew she might have climbed back down that rope in an effort to talk some sense into Dagan. She went to her window and looked down into the darkness for a moment, gauging her chances of not breaking every bone in her body by jumping. The odds were not in her favor, so she looked upward, and raising her arms to the sky, she prayed to the gods to spare Dagan's life even if he were not successful against Avar.
Exhausted from her climb down and up the improvised rope and feeling overwhelmed by the events of the day, Shamara went to her bed and was annoyed but too tired to do anything about the lack of bedding. The guard had taken that with him too. As she laid her head on the pillow, she thought of what she had expected on her return. After a comfortable journey in from the Wastelands spaceport, Shamara had expected to finalize plans for the mock duel between Avar and Dagan. She certainly hadn't foreseen any trouble between her sister and her lover. They were obviously in the midst of a lover's quarrel; Shamara could see just by the way the looked at each other that they had deep feelings for one another, but their pride was standing in the way. Shamara thought it was very unfair that she was suffering because of Chaela's pride.
With a sigh, Shamara realized that she was suffering because of her own pride. When she had become aware of Dagan's woman, she had become as infuriated as she was this evening believing he must travel with her. That was why she had made an oath with Avar, to get back at Dagan. She certainly didn't think it would come to this! Now because she had acted impulsively and childishly, Dagan would lose his life. She could not help the tears that slipped from her eyes.
"If I cannot have you, I would rather Avar ended my life."
Shamara pounded on her pillow. Was he completely without any sense? She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. Closing her eyes, she tried to will herself to him, to meet him in a trance. But soon her eyelids grew heavy and she drifted to a place far away and long ago.
"Who are you thinking about with such a sweet smile?"
She opened her eyes and turned her head to see Camrin leaning against the stone wall near the entrance to the garden. "I was thinking of Dagmar."
"His name is Dagmaeus and has been since his father bestowed upon him his dark powers." Camrin stared at her as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you not afraid of him, Ulfyna?"
She smiled and sighed. "I do not fear him. He is kind and gentle."
"Unlike me?" Camrin raised a brow.
Ulfyna could feel the evil rolling off him like waves and the very air she breathed was defiled by his rotting soul. "I should go inside."
"You wouldn't want your master to catch you in the garden in the dark with me, would you?" Camrin pushed himself off the wall and approached her.
Ulfyna glanced out to the dark garden, then back at Camrin. "I…I am not afraid of you."
"You should be, Ulfyna." As he advanced toward her, Ulfyna backed away. He merely laughed softly, and when he reached out for her, she turned and ran further into the garden. Ulfyna could hear him behind her, but she was quicker than he was, and as she darted around bushes and trees, she heard him cursing. Were it not so dark, she suspected he would easily hunt her down.
Finally, she scrambled up a tree and was able to reach higher limbs before she had to stop because he had come close.
"Where are you, wolf-girl?" Did he think she was foolish enough to answer? When she didn't, he chuckled, and Ulfyna shivered with sickening apprehension. "I will hunt you down, one day, Ulfyna. Unlike my foolish brother, I know what to do with you."
She stayed in the tree for what seemed like hours after Camrin had left. Her keen senses told her that he had gone, and she thought it very likely that Camrin was by the great fire drinking warm fermented fruits with his admirers. Ulfyna knew he had many followers who believed Iator should grant Camrin powers. She had even heard the rumor that Camrin was not the foster child Iator claimed he found in the forest, but that he was indeed Iator's son from another woman. Ulfyna didn't know what to believe.
Returning late to Queen Rahina's apartments, Ulfyna was not surprised to find it deserted because everyone would have sought their beds by now. But as she was walking to her own simple cot, she paused when she heard an anguished voice and she recognized it as Rahina.
"What should I do, Nazzar? The betrayal of my son is even worse than my betrayal of Iator!"
"You must do nothing, my queen," replied Ulfyna's master.
Ulfyna inched close to the queen's room and peered inside. The queen was pacing and wringing her hands. "You cannot imagine what I feel inside, Nazzar. He demands that I release his power, and I feel as though I am losing control. I am not as strong as I once was!"
"You must not release Mordraeus' evil power, Rahina!"
"I have paid a terrible price in capturing it, Nazzar. Do you think I would release it if there were any way of preventing it? You and I have both known for a very long time now that I am not the sacred shield of the prophecies! The power of Mordraeus will some day soon escape from the hold I have on it and we will all suffer his revenge."
"Not unless another comes to take your place."
"Are you speaking of Ulfyna? I am amazed by the progress she has made in the healing arts. Do you believe that she is the sacred shield, the one who would protect us from the evil of Mordraeus? Perhaps there is no way for us to stop the horror he would inflict upon mankind!"
Ulfyna stepped out the shadows and both Rahina and Nazzar were startled to see her. "I would help you, your majesty."
Rahina crossed the room to take her hands and pull her further inside. Ulfyna could feel that the older woman was very distraught. "You do not know what you are agreeing to, Ulfyna."
"I have heard enough to know that you need my help." She looked at Nazzar. "You have told me, master, that I am very skilled. I no longer feel weak after I heal others, and I do not need to touch you to know your thoughts. At this moment you are thinking that I am your only hope."
"Mordraeus was Iator's brother," Rahina told her. "He was consumed with such deep jealousy that when his father tried to bestow the powers of the skies, of thunder and wind and rain, on him, he drew out the darkest powers that have for eons remained dormant. Mordraeus gained the ability to change his shape and to give that power to others who would do his bidding, to create monsters to terrify so that he could gain control."
"What became of him?" asked Ulfyna fearfully.
Rahina looked at Nazzar, then down at her hands. "I was chosen to entrap his powers. I lured him to my bed, and when he was asleep, I stabbed him in the heart. As he died, I drew his essence to lock inside of me. Now it yearns to be free of my control."
"There is more," stated Ulfyna. She sensed that the queen was not telling everything.
"Camrin was born of that night," she admitted, then covered her face with her hands. "I could not forgive myself even though Iator would. He did not let me destroy the child of Mordraeus despite my warning that we could never be sure of how much of his brother's evil was drawn into him while I carried him inside me."
Ulfyna now understood her fear of Dagmaeus' handsome brother. "The power of Mordraeus is a danger to us all, isn't it?"
"All dark powers are a danger," said Nazzar, "If they are passed onto those whose hearts are not pure…"
"Dagmar has a pure heart," Ulfyna pointed out.
His mother looked away, but not before Ulfyna saw the sadness in her eyes. "I fear both of my sons are doomed."
Ulfyna looked to Nazzar for an explanation.
He also sighed. "Iator has decided that Dagmaeus cannot pass on his powers. He cannot risk one such as Mordraeus getting control of such strong power."
Ulfyna knew what it meant without asking them. Iator meant for Dagmar to die alone, isolated, unable to pass on his powers.
"Not again, princess." Shamara felt strong arms around her and she buried her face in the shoulder of her imperial guard. "I truly hope that this is a duty Amyr does not expect of me. I had no training for this."
Despite the deep sadness that she felt, Shamara smiled. "I am sorry, Taeron."
"Tomorrow, this will be all over," he said as he patted her back. "We must believe in the will of the gods. Without it, we would be lost."
Shamara wished she knew what the gods wanted of her and of Dagan.
What had they demanded of Ulfyna?
