***
The power coming from her was incredible, and she walked slowly through the village, ignoring the screams and pleas from the people. She threw her hands in every direction, sending out blazes of purple lights that caused houses to explode and people to fall instantly dead. Children were crying over their dead mothers, and women were carrying their injured children, trying to find someone to help them.
Old men came at her with swords, but their frail bodies were no match for the magic she inflicted on them. When no building was left standing and the last of the crying faded into deathly gurgles, Kyrin stopped and looked around.
Rubble and ash scattered the streets and blood was splashed across every surface. The village was unnaturally silent. No sound at all could be heard as she smiled. “For you, my Lord.”
A deep, harrowing laugh suddenly echoed through the death filled streets.
She felt as though he was appeased and finally pleased with her again. When the sound of horses coming broke the silence, she turned and fled into the trees, back toward Valhara. The elation fueled her, and she made it to the castle in record time. She stopped in the orchard and looked out from behind a tree. Knights were surrounding the castle and patrolling the ground in threes.
Kyrin wasn’t sure how she was going to get back into the castle unnoticed. Surely, they would know by morning that she was gone, and she needed to be sound asleep when news of the attack made it to Alric’s ears.
She looked down over her clothing. Her shirt was covered in blood, and her pants were caked in thick ash. Kyrin slipped off her tunic and shoved it underneath one of the old apple trees, concealing it within the roots. The lighter shirt beneath it showed off her feminine curves, so she never wore just it, but she didn’t have a choice. She then reached into a puddle of mud and began to smear it on her pants, covering the ash.
Once she washed her face and hands in the same mud puddle, she was ready. Kyrin waited until Finn walked past, and she ran at him. “Finn!”
He spun, wide eyes. “Kyrin! What are you doing out here?”
“I’m helping,” she said, pretending to be out of breath. “I searched through the orchard for intruders and found none.”
“I didn’t even know you were out here with us. That’s dangerous!”
“I can search an orchard alone and not die,” she snapped.
“The rest of us are out in groups for a reason! Now get back inside where you belong.”
Irritated that he was treating her like a damsel, she walked into the castle and slammed the door shut to her room. Once inside, she smiled and then began to get out of the dirty clothing. She tossed it into the fire to hide any evidence that the dark-red pants were stained with blood.
The next morning, she awoke to a knock on her door. She yawned and stretched, then called for them to come in. It was lucky she never slept undressed. She was often woken up by the servants bringing breakfast.
This morning though, it was Trox and Alric.
She watched them carefully, as Trox had never been in her room before, and she wondered if they suspected the village attack was her.
“Good morning,” Alric said, sitting down beside her.
She nodded and watched Trox.
Trox smiled at her and sat down also.
“Is there a problem?” she asked them.
“Trox and I are worried about what happened last night.”
“What do you mean?”
“Daemionis’ visit,” Trox said. “He was obviously angry, and you were in pain when he left. We’re concerned for your welfare.”
Kyrin relaxed some. They didn’t seem to know that she had taken out one of Qualsax’s villages in the middle of the night. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“Still, you’re in my care, and it’s my responsibility to see to your welfare,” Alric said to her.
She frowned. “I’m not in your care. I’m in your servitude, and my welfare is none of your concern.”
“On the contrary. I take care of everyone in Valhara.”
“Not me. I take care of myself, and I don’t need your protection or your pity.” Kyrin was very careful not to show any loyalty or to give any indication that Alric was interested in her. She knew that Daemionis would be watching, and the sacrifice she performed the night before would be short lived if he thought Alric was taking over.
“In Valhara, you are under my care, like it or not. As my indentured servant it’s my responsibility to make sure you are taken care of too. It’s concerning us that Daemionis was so furious with you and caused pain.”
“I’m not afraid of a little pain.”
“I didn’t say you are. I simply feel like we need to enlist Sithias in the matter, and as such, we’ll need you to be there.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I have no loyalties to Sithias, nor do I ever wish to be in his presence.”
“He can help you.”
“Why would he help me? I’m a follower of another god, a loyal follower.”
“He is a good god. It’s in his nature to help those in need.”
“It’s not my fault that he shows such weaknesses.”
Alric stood up and towered above her. “Do not refer to Sithias as weak.”
“Then don’t push him on me!”
“As one of his Holy Knights, it’s my job to ensure those in his lands are cared for and that they are followers! As you are bound to me by a debt, you will do as I ask in this matter.”
“No, I won’t! You cannot force your god on me. Bring me before him, and I’ll be forced to destroy him.”
“You cannot destroy him. He is all powerful.”
“Not if he shows the weakness of compassion.”
Alric immediately lifted his hand in anger, but when she ducked away from him, he lowered it. “Watch what you say around me.”
Frantic knocking sounded and Trox stood to see who it was. One of the knights said that Lord Qualsax was requesting an immediate audience, and that he’d brought many of his warriors along and into Valhara.
Alric turned, shocked. “They’re here?”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s waiting for you at the crossroads in Valhara.”
Alric scowled and stormed out of her room. He would deal with her later but realized he had to calm his temper first, or he risked hurting her. He didn’t take it lightly when his god was criticized, but he knew that to make an impact, he had to calm down and show Kyrin how civility could prevail.
His horse was ready, and he kicked it into a gallop, along with all of the knights. The city was alive with citizens coming out to see what was going on. Never before had Lord Qualsax ventured past his own lands, and they knew that Alric wouldn’t be pleased that he was now standing inside of Valhara.
They rode up and stopped at the crossroads, where Lord Qualsax stood with over a hundred of his Warriors. He was tall and thick, with black hair and a long, pointed goatee. His armor was also black and was dented and obviously well used. His helm was at his side, under his arm, and he scowled as Alric approached.
“Why are you here?” Alric asked. He stood a few inches taller than Qualsax but didn’t take that to mean the enemy was weak.
“You know damned well why! How dare you attack a peaceful village while they sleep?”
“We did no such thing.”
“Of course you did! You knew the warriors were out. You had scouts in the area. I thought your god wouldn’t allow you to kill innocents,” he said angrily.
“That’s proof we didn’t do it. We wouldn’t defy Sithias by slaughtering innocents, and I’m insulted by the implication.”
A smile crossed his lips. “If it wasn’t you, then it had to be the evil one you’re harboring.”
Alric simply glared at him.
“Genessa told us about your houseguest. She told us of her evil ways, and I’m surprised you allow her to walk free among the goo
d people of Valhara.”
“She is not an evil. Genessa doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Oh I think she does. She was able to give quite intricate details about the evil deeds of the young demon.”
Alric studied him before speaking. “When did this attack occur?”
“Of that we aren’t sure, sometime last night. No call for help was sent out because you were underhanded and conniving!”
“We did not attack you! Neither did Kyrin. I happen to know that she was by the castle last night patrolling the orchards.”
Qualsax grinned evilly. “She has you under her spell. Evils can get under your skin, and you wouldn’t even know it. She massacred those women and children last night in the name of her god, and I demand revenge!”
“She did not! She was here with us last night.”
“The ugly being has you fooled! Her hideousness alone should tell you she’s an evil. Bring her here and let me question her.”
“You cannot question her, but I will bring her here so you can see that Genessa is lying to you.”
“She’s not lying. She told me that under torture,” he said, smiling.
“Finn, bring Kyrin here,” Alric said. He let no emotions cross his face about Genessa being tortured.
Kyrin looked up from beside the bathtub when she heard the knock. She went to the door as she brushed her hair and let Finn in.
“Let’s go,” Finn said, taking her arm.
“I’m not dressed!” she gasped. He hauled her toward the door in her nightgown.
“You’re covered.”
She struggled against him, not wanting to be seen by anyone in the soft white nightgown she was provided when she arrived. Her hair was down and her flail was sitting beside her clothing. “Let me go, Finn!”
“No, Lord Alric has called for you.”
“You didn’t allow me a weapon.”
“You don’t need it.”
She continued to try to get away from him, but he was mad and hauled her onto the horse when he mounted it. Kyrin’s eyes grew wide when she saw how many townspeople had gathered, and she even debated casting on Finn to make him let her go.
Finn stopped his horse outside of the temple and then took her arm and dragged her toward Alric. She was still struggling, frantic to get away before someone saw her with her hair down and wearing the nightgown.
She’d seen too many women sold after being pulled from their homes while they slept. They were often still in their nightgowns with their hair down, which was easily cut to prove they were available for bids.
Finn hauled her up to the front and then stopped beside Alric. Kyrin stopped fighting and looked over at the angry looking man before her. He was smiling at her as he ran his eyes down her. He had the same look in his eye that Mika did the night she escaped, the night when Mika decided not to wait the year for her to be of legal age to marry.
“Did you bring this one as a distraction?” Qualsax asked, focusing in on her breasts.
“No, this is Kyrin,” Alric said to him. “This is the one you claim to be evil and vile enough to slaughter a city.”
Kyrin gasped and looked at Qualsax. She wondered if she’d left some sign that she did it, and he was there to collect a debt for the murdered.
“This cannot be Kyrin. Kyrin is ugly and scarred, evil.”
“This is Kyrin, and she is nothing of the sort. She was with us last night when your city was wiped out.”
“I know what you’re doing though,” Qualsax said, running his cracked tongue along his lips. “I’ll take her in payment for what Kyrin did.”
Alric roared. “You will not talk about her like that!”
Kyrin couldn’t breathe. Her worst fears were being realized as the bidding process began.
“I’ll take her into my bed, and if I choose to keep her, then I will consider repayment complete.”
Finn let go of her and reached out to take Alric’s arm, to keep him from advancing on Qualsax. “My Lord…”
Kyrin saw the knight beside her and immediately knew she had to stop this. He was watching Alric, not his sword, and when she unsheathed it, he barely had time to react before she ran at Qualsax. No one was watching her, and when her foot connected with his stomach, he flew back, landing hard on the ground of the enemy town.
She landed beside him and immediately brought her foot to rest against his neck, with the tip of the sword poised over the small band of skin on his abdomen that was exposed between his armor. The Qualsax warriors backed away. They knew that any movement could send the sword plunging into his stomach, and the look on her face let them know that she was a fraction of a second from doing it.
The top-ranking Qualsax snarled at her and put his hands out. “Don’t do it, baby girl. You won’t hurt him.”
“Wanna bet?” she asked, and sent the tip of the sword into his flesh.
“Stop!” he bellowed.
“Get back.”
He glared at her and took a step back. “Let him go.”
Her eyes narrowed as she lowered her foot and cut off his airway. “I won’t go with you.”
“Kyrin, no one’s taking you from Valhara,” Alric said from behind her. He was still shocked that she had attacked when violence wasn’t necessary. His concern deepened when she actually showed signs that she was going to kill him.
Kyrin didn’t take her eyes off the Qualsax warrior. “I didn’t kill your puny little village, but if you doubt my abilities, I can prove myself to you with your king.”
“It breaks the laws of the land to kill our king!”
“I don’t care about laws. I won’t be his bride, so either he can die, or I will… and I choose him.” The Qualsax king was losing the battle to breathe and slowly slumped down, unmoving.
“You’re killing him!”
“That’s the idea.”
“Kyrin, let him go,” Finn said sternly.
“No one is going to take you from Valhara,” Alric said again. “He’s not going to take you, and you aren’t going to be forced to marry him.”
She turned pitch-black eyes to him. “You swear to Sithias on that?”
“Yes, I do.” Alric held his voice calm, when his insides were tightened and part of him wished she would finish of the enemy king.
Kyrin looked down at the lifeless face of Lord Qualsax and stepped off of him. The Qualsax warriors moved to attack her, and she dropped defensively.
“Enough,” Alric ordered. “Get your king out of here and leave my city.”
To save their king, they did as he asked and rushed him back to the priests in their town. When lookouts shouted that the Qualsax were off of Valhara land, Alric walked up to Kyrin and took the sword away from her. He turned and handed it to the knight it belonged to, and then faced Kyrin.
He walked up beside her and whispered harshly, “I’ve told you that you won’t be sold into marriage. I’m tired of being ignored about this, and I’ll expect in the future that you’ll believe me when I speak to you.”
She finally stood up straight and nodded, not meeting his eye. She’d angered her master and felt trapped between his wishes and that of her god.
“Now get back to the castle, get dressed, and then report to me for punishment.”
Finn took her arm and began to haul her back to the castle. Nothing was said, and she was dreading a punishment. She had only seen Alric hand out two punishments before but didn’t think he would banish a perfectly good slave.
Once in her room, she dressed quickly and tied her hair into a braid. Her stomach was in knots when she opened her door and nodded at the two knights by her door. They walked her up to the king’s bedroom and one of them knocked.
Alric opened the door and stepped aside so Kyrin could enter. He reached to her side and removed the flail from her belt, and handed it to the closest knight before shutting the door behind them.
Kyrin walked into his room and then turned t
o look at him. It was the first time she’d seen him in casual clothing, and he sat down in a chair beside a wide fireplace and motioned for her to sit next to him.
She sat down and faced him.
He sat back. “We need to come to an understanding.”
Kyrin nodded.
“The people in town are afraid of you. They wonder why I keep you in the castle when you demonstrate the tendencies to be dangerous and unpredictably violent.”
When she didn’t say anything, he continued calmly, “I see that you still don’t believe me that you aren’t going to be sold into marriage. I am also getting frustrated with your lack of trust or faith in me. I see it in your eyes when I tell you that I have your best interest at heart, that you don’t believe the words as I say them.”
She shifted nervously and watched him.
“I’ve grown attached to you, and it’s hard for me to see the way you look at me, as if I’m about to turn on you.”
“What is the punishment then?” she asked him.
He smiled. “Your punishment is that you are going to trust me.”
“How so?”
“Go change first. I want you to stop looking like a homeless girl on the run from danger.”
She was shocked at how close he came to the truth. “Change into what?”
“Go into the dressing corner. There’s a dress for you, and I want your hair down.”
She nodded and then hesitated before walking behind the dressing curtain.
Alric sat in his chair and watched her. He hadn’t realized before that the mirror by the fire gave a partial view from behind the dressing curtain. He knew it was intrusive but was having a difficult time pulling his eyes away from the soft look of her skin. She put out such a hard, angry front, that he sometimes forgot that she was still a young woman behind the façade.
In the past, the tailors had been conscious of her modesty and had made dresses that were not revealing and had high collars and loose fitting bodies. This one was in contrast to those, and after she slipped it on, she winced. The body fit tightly against hers, showing off the curves she hated so badly. The neck was lower and showed cleavage, no matter how hard she tried to pull it up.
Kyrin avoided looking in the mirror as she untied her hair and smoothed it between her fingers. It fell softly past her shoulders and down to lay against her skirt.
When she walked out from behind the curtain, he smiled. “So, you are a woman.”
She didn’t look at him but watched out the window.
“Come here,” he said, and his voice was light and amused.
Kyrin finally looked over at him and walked toward him, taking his hands when he put them out.
Alric knew what he was doing was risky, and he wanted her hands separated just in case she’d been hiding any magic from him. He doubted it but wasn’t going to risk it after seeing how fast she turned on people.
He pulled her up against him and looked down into her eyes. “You aren’t going to attack me.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You aren’t going to hit me or fight against me. Is that understood?”
Kyrin nodded slightly.
“You’re going to trust me that I’m not going to hurt you.”
Before she could even protest, he’d pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes grew wide and she tried to pull away from him, but he let go of one wrist and wrapped a hand around to the small of her back to hold her in place. Her stomach tightened as the feel of his closeness engulfed her, and she began to panic.
Alric broke the kiss and looked at her. “Did that hurt?”
“No, but,” she started, but he kissed her again. His tongue danced across her lips, and she had an internal conflict. She wanted to bite his tongue, to stop the feel of what he was doing, but he was her master, and she had agreed to do as he asked.
Kyrin had often seen newly purchased brides forced to endure the touching lips, and the thought made her skin crawl. This seemed different though, not repulsive or wrong.
Alric stepped back and smiled. “Now we’re going to go for a walk. I want you to let the townspeople see you how you are.”
“What?” she gasped, taking a step away from him.
“They see you dressed as a man, fighting as a warrior, and they are terrified of you. I want them to see that you are a beautiful woman and not one to be feared.”
“Why would you do that to me?”
“I’m not doing that to you. I’m doing it for you. Do you want to be feared?”
Her answer shocked him. “Yes!”
“Why do you want to be feared?” he asked, lightly brushing the back of his hand along her neck.
“Please, don’t.”
“Why?”
Her words were a whisper, things she was told by everyone from the Shadowmere to Creteloc. “Trust no one. Let no one near enough to you to hurt you. Attack without thought or reason. If you learn to trust, you will learn the meaning of humiliation. If they fear you, they will not try to get close.”
“Who told you that?” he asked her.
“No one told me that. That’s what I’ve learned.”
“Out on your own, you learned that?”
“Yes”
“It’s wrong,” Alric said to her. He then took her hand and started for the door. “Time for a walk.”
She followed him as her mind swam. She hated the flutter of her stomach when he pressed his lips to hers. She hated how the dress made her feel and how the thought of being paraded through the town put her on display.
Neither spoke as they walked the short distance into town. Many of the townsfolk came out to say hello to them, and all were cordial and friendly. Alric spoke to them about family members and upcoming events. Kyrin followed along silently and tried not to look at anyone.
“Emerisa!” Alric said pleasantly. “How are you feeling?”
“Lord Alric,” she said bowing. “I’m feeling fine, thank you.”
Kyrin looked over at Finn’s wife and gasped. She was pregnant and out in broad daylight among people from the town.
“Getting big too, I see,” he said, admiring her growing middle.
She nodded and rubbed her tummy. “This’ll be a boy, I’d wager.”
“Finn mentioned you’ve been sicker with this pregnancy.”
“Yes, this baby had me very sick for a while. The priests helped though, and it’s much better.”
Kyrin couldn’t help but gawk. Men didn’t speak of such things, and Emerisa shouldn’t be out in public with an obvious pregnancy.
“Are you okay, Kyrin?” Emerisa asked her.
Kyrin looked quickly around and then whispered, “You can’t be out here.”
“Why not?” Emerisa was ready for this, as the entire encounter was well planned out.
Kyrin couldn’t even look squarely at her. Her shame was too great, and she didn’t want to add to the disgrace by looking at the pregnant bulge. “It’s… you have to get back inside.”
Emerisa smiled. “The baby is kicking, would you like to feel it?”
Kyrin gasped. “Do what?”
“I would,” Alric told her. He stepped forward and put his hand against her belly. He felt for a few moments and then nodded. “I agree. It’s a boy. He has quite the kick.”
“Oh good, Finn’s home,” Emerisa said, watching down the street.
Kyrin looked quickly and began to panic. He would punish her for showing her humiliation to the townsfolk, and she had to protect her from the vile thoughts of the man who’d bestowed the shame on her.
“Stay back, Finn,” Kyrin said, stepping between them.
He stopped and frowned. “Why?”
Emerisa thought quickly. “Finn, Lord Alric was just feeling the baby kick. He thinks it’s a boy.”
Finn smiled and walked around Kyrin. “Nope, it’s a girl. I’d swear by it.”
Kyrin turned quickly to Emerisa. “I can help you die.”
r /> Emerisa hid the brief fear. “I don’t want to die though.”
“It’s better than what he will do to you. I told you not to be out here!”
“Fresh bread this morning, Emerisa,” a woman said from behind them. Kyrin looked over and frowned when this woman was also pregnant.
“My god, Stephania!” Finn laughed. “When is that baby coming out?”
“Hopefully soon… or not soon enough, I’m not sure which,” she said happily, and then handed the bread over to Emerisa.
It was all too foreign. Kyrin had been to hundreds of dimensions, and each shared her view of the vile act of becoming pregnant and the humiliating and shameful act of carrying a child and delivering it. It was hidden away in dark houses, houses where all of a sudden the curtains were drawn, and no one was allowed in.
“Are you okay, Kyrin?” Finn asked, watching her.
She was staring awkwardly at the two pregnant women who were talking.
“Kyrin?” Alric asked her.
She backed away. What kind of dimension was this? What kind wasn’t plagued with the drought and didn’t fear the now dimension shifting Consortiums? How could they not share the views of the rest of the universe? It was confusing, and she felt the world closing in around her.
Everything from the awkward moment when their lips met, to the warning from Daemionis about how close she got to those from Paragoy Dimension, came crashing down on her.
Alric and Finn rushed to Kyrin when she collapsed. Alric felt her neck. “She’s alive.”
“I think she fainted.”
“Maybe this was too much,” Alric said, picking her up.
“Maybe, she has to learn though, and she didn’t believe us.”
“She’ll be okay,” Alric said, smiling. “I’ll lie her down and get her a cool rag.”
Finn nodded and watched the king walk off, carrying his young charge. Finn couldn’t help but smile. Everyone in Valhara knew the king was falling for the strange girl, everyone but the king.