As soon as they stepped outside into the fresh, cool air, he felt the weight of Kyr’s troubles lift. Sending a thought to the other Mynders to wait inside the doors leading to the garden, he walked alone with Kyr to her favorite spot. She smiled when she saw the fountain and headed right for the bench that encircled it.
“Thank you, Ty,” she said softly as she sat down and trailed her fingers through the shimmering water. “I needed this. I’d forgotten about this place.”
“You’re welcome.”
Her gaze moved to the distance, where she had a high, birds-eye view of the grand entrance leading into the palace proper. There was a steady stream of people walking, riding on horseback, or traveling in carriages as they entered or exited the palace. The bustling energy was quite unlike the quieter, more restricted part of the palace where Kyr and the Guardians lived.
“I remember longing to be among them when I was younger,” Kyr said, her voice barely audible over the fountain. “I hated being so removed from everyone else. I hated that I had to spend so much time alone with you. I didn’t understand that it was because I was attracted to you even though I had been taught that I couldn’t be.”
Her words gave his heart a painful squeeze. Their path together had been anything but easy.
“Even now that I’ve finally been introduced to other Alametrians, I feel removed. Disconnected. It’s because the people I’ve met are the ones Shaya dictated as suitable.” She rose and walked closer to the half-wall providing the view, so Ty went with her. “The people down there are living ordinary lives, lives like the ones I experienced while away learning my lessons. Why would I be taught how to relate to typical individuals and their daily lives if I’m not going to be allowed to meet them here?”
It was a good question. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “Perhaps that’s one of the things you’ll change as you assume your responsibilities as the Ascendant.”
She considered that in silence as she watched the people below. He knew she was frustrated about not remembering more about her own planet. She didn’t know much about any of the megais outside of her own. Anything she might have learned before she left Alametria had yet to resurface in her memories. It made her feel all the more like a stranger in her home world.
“We can fix that,” Ty said, reaching out and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The pink sunlight brought out the rich ruby-colored hues in her dark tresses. “Which megai would you like to learn about first?”
A small smile touched her lips. “Yours.”
“All right.” He leaned a hip against the half-wall and crossed his arms over his chest so he didn’t reach for her. The gardens were monitored. “The Dane megai is about a three-day ride from the palace. It’s the closest megai to this one, which works well since so many Mynders work out here.”
“How big is it?”
“Big. It’s a full week to get to the Luja megai to the north. About half that to get to the Rowe megai to the west.”
“What’s to the east?”
“The Savyaan Sea. Some of the Dane who don’t work here at the palace make their living on the sea.”
“Ah. Is there a palace in the Dane megai?”
“No. It’s more like you might picture a human settlement. Homes made of stone or wood, built in communities. Most of the time, the communities are made up of several generations of a few families. They’re very tight-knit.”
Her eyes were steady on his. “Do you miss it?”
“Sometimes. I miss my family. I haven’t seen them since I left with you for your lessons.”
She brushed her fingertips over his bicep in a sympathetic gesture. “I’m sorry, Ty. Can we arrange a visit with them?”
“Maybe…after all of this excitement dies down.”
“Yeah,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself and returning her focus to the view. “Excitement.”
Great, Ty, he thought to himself. Way to get her mind off things.
“You’re doing fine,” she said out loud. “Tell me about the other megais. What are they like?”
“Well, you know Avana and the Great Divyner are from the Luja megai. It’s where most Divyners live. Only a select few are brought here to the palace, and that’s for roles like the one Avana served. Helping to oversee off-planet lessons for those people who warrant it.”
“You mean those people whom the Guardians feel need extra protection?”
“Yes.”
Her lips pressed together, but she didn’t comment.
“Most of the Luja megai also borders the Savyaan Sea on the east. It’s a heavily forested megai. In fact, many Luja choose to live among the trees. They try to integrate nature into everything they do. It’s almost opposite of the Rowe megai. Since the Rowe are technologically focused and always looking to make advances for Alametria, they live in protective sterile pods that allow them to experiment without risking the health or safety of those around them. There’s even a force field around the border to prevent unapproved access to the megai.”
“Wow. That sounds crazy.”
“If you knew half of what they experimented with, you’d thank Yen-Ki for the force field.”
Kyr laughed, making Ty’s spirits lift. “I’ll take your word for it. Which megai borders theirs on the other side? Talk about fences making great neighbors.”
The lighthearted feeling disappeared. “There isn’t a megai on the other side of the Rowe border,” he replied. “That’s where the Dark Lands begin.”
“Dark Lands? What are those? I don’t remember them.”
“I’m not sure the Guardians ever discussed them with you. Do you remember Sem mentioning the AI revolution we experienced?”
“Yes. He said Earth had about a hundred years or so until it experienced what Alametria did. He said that advances in technology aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.”
“That’s right. A number of generations ago, AI grew so advanced that it started outthinking us. The resulting battle destroyed a large part of the planet. The air in that area is now poisonous. The ground is unfertile. Only rubble remains where there used to be enormous buildings and living spaces. It’s essentially a technology graveyard.”
Kyr’s eyes widened. “Man, I’m glad I wasn’t alive for that. How awful.”
“It was the darkest time in our history.”
“That’s such a shame,” she said, rubbing her upper arms to fight off a shiver. He didn’t know if she was chilled by the wind or the story. “To think that our ignorance left so much of the planet uninhabitable.”
Ty debated whether to clarify her statement. She seemed discomfited enough already. After a moment, he decided that she wanted knowledge, so he would share it.
“The Dark Lands are inhabited, though,” he said.
Her mouth fell open. “They are? But you said they’re full of poisonous air and that nothing can grow there.”
“Be that as it may, people are sent there.”
“Who?”
“Alametrians who commit the most terrible crimes. Those who are permanently exiled. They’re the murderers and attempted murderers. They’re the ones who are prone to extreme violence. They’re the monsters of our society.
“They’re the Outcasts.”
Chapter 8
Shaya continued to refuse meetings with Kyr, blaming her weak condition and damaged constitution. When a full week of refusals had gone by after the poisoning, Kyr gave up. If the Guardian wanted to see her, she could damn well ask.
Over the past few days, Kyr’s attitude towards the entire poisoning investigation had changed, too. She had progressed from numbness to helplessness to anger, and was now at the take-action stage. She wanted to find out who had done it and why, and she wanted to find out now.
Ty was in complete agreement with her, outside of her desire to plow into peoples’ minds and force information out of them. He reasoned with her that they couldn’t abuse their power that way. It would be like the human police forc
efully interrogating an entire city in order to catch one criminal. Alametrians had rights, and he and Kyr had to respect them. She would regret it, he assured her, if she harmed an innocent person due to her frustration and impatience.
The truth was, even Ty’s rationalizations might not have worked if Kyr wasn’t also thinking about the Guardians and how they would react if she or Ty used their abilities that way. If she was going to convince them to allow Ty to become the Faire-Amanti, she couldn’t afford to tick them off.
So she filled her days with activities that took her mind off of the flagging investigation. Since the V’larians had finally returned home to share the news of her Ascension with their people, she didn’t have any political tasks to handle. That left her free to visit with her friend Avana and her Kyndred, Wyk and Ullah, as much as she wanted. All of them were worried sick about her and spent as much time with her as possible. It was quite the departure from her birth parents, who hadn’t checked on her once. Nor had Vycor, for that matter, but Kyr was grateful about that.
When she wasn’t spending time with those she loved, she was training. Ty had gotten her into a rotation that varied throughout the week. Some days he trained her, some days Gren trained her, and some days, like today, Ty’s cousin, Sem, trained her.
“You seem partial to the Ora blades,” Sem observed as they selected weapons for the last part of that day’s training.
Kyr held up the twin blades he referenced and gave them a considering study. The slender lines of metal, each about as long as a man’s forearm, gleamed in the pink sunlight filtering through a skylight in the training room’s ceiling. The blades had been artfully etched, giving them a deceptive beauty. She knew well enough that the blades were as lethal as they were delicate in appearance.
“They suit me,” she said as she covered the blades with protective covers for training.
“They certainly do,” Sem agreed.
Something about his tone sounded suggestive. On the far side of the room, Ty crossed his arms over his chest, telling her he thought the same thing. Not wanting to start a fight between the cousins, she turned on her booted heel and strode into the center of the room.
“Don’t go trying to take it easy on me with this lesson, SemDane,” she said in her most royal tone. “I’ll never learn to properly defend myself if you hold back.”
Sem looked affronted. “Why do you think that I…?” He trailed off at her give-me-a-break look. “Fine. I won’t hold back. But don’t blame me when you end up a weeping, sniveling mess on the mat. You’ll get no sympathy from me just because you’re a woman.”
“Well, you’ll get no sympathy from me just because you’re a man,” she countered.
She assumed a defensive stance as he whipped the bo he held in an arc to test its weight. She had to be on her toes. The pole-like weapon he had chosen gave him the advantage of range since it was longer than her blades. He was also the most nimble person she’d ever met. The guy was like a cat or one of the ninjas from the human movies she had seen. He moved quickly, silently, and lethally if he wanted to.
Fortunately, her growing abilities included extra strength and speed. Although she hadn’t been able to keep up with him yet, she found that he challenged her physically more than Ty or Gren. That, in turn, helped her develop those skills.
He was true to his word. The bo swung around him like a natural extension of his body, whirling towards her with the intent to disarm and neutralize. She used her blades and the angle of her body to deflect him, jumping, twirling, and rolling to escape his attack. The sound of her sheathed weapons contacting the solid wood of the bo filled the room. She pushed herself, moving as quickly as she could. But even with her enhanced speed and the two blades, she couldn’t get through his defenses.
She unfurled her abilities, following his movements as they circled around the mats in a combative dance. Her swords lashed out in testing strikes, thudding against the bo again and again.
And then, like a glimmer flashing in her mind, her intuition spoke to her. She went low, sweeping across Sem’s legs so he had to jump to get out of the way. He instinctively brought the bo up and then down as he landed. She allowed it to whistle past her shoulder as she turned, using the sword in her right hand to slice in the direction of his neck.
He moved at the last possible second. Her sword swept uselessly through the air, upsetting her balance. Before she could right herself, the end of the bo smacked her under the chin, snapping her head back. She flew back onto the mat.
As her breath returned to her, she blinked a few times. She registered that Sem and Ty were both leaning over her. How had they gotten to her so quickly?
“You blacked out,” Ty said.
“I did? Well, that sucks.” Her gaze moved to Sem, who looked a little pale. “I’d like to point out that I’m not weeping or sniveling.”
The anxiety in his eyes eased a bit. “And I have no sympathy for you,” he said. “You should have anticipated my move and angled yourself to strike me from behind. If you had, you would have won that match.”
Ty reached along her collarbone to cradle her neck. “Let me check your injuries. You were hit at a dangerous angle.”
His anger towards his cousin was clear to her, even though his tone was calm. “Don’t be upset with Sem,” she said. “I wanted him to challenge me.”
Ty’s fingers moved along the back of her neck as he felt for injury. His touch sent pleasant shivers along her entire body. She suddenly wished the injury had happened somewhere other than her neck.
Giving her a look as he picked up the thought, he said, “Everything seems fine. I think we’re done for today, though.”
Sem nodded in agreement. He helped Kyr sit up. “You know, if you wanted me on top of you while you were flat on the mat, all you had to do was ask.”
She couldn’t help but grin over the cheesy line and accompanying eyebrow wiggle. Ty didn’t appreciate Sem’s flirtations, but she had to admit she got a kick out of them.
“You obviously haven’t undergone the Rite yet,” she observed.
“Nope,” he confirmed, grabbing their weapons and walking over to the weapons rack to put them away. “Ty agreed to let me keep all of those pesky feelings and emotions that the Guardians wanted repressed. At moments like this, I think he regrets that decision.”
A smile threatened her, but she held it back. This was actually a serious subject. Like all Alametrians, Sem was supposed to have undergone the Ruvex Rite when he returned from off-planet so that he could be purged of negativity and sexual impulses. Ty’s decision to allow his cousin to bypass the Rite could have serious consequences if anyone found out.
You and I both know he’s hardly the only one, Ty thought.
He was right. They had both discovered over the past couple weeks that Alametrians were experiencing all kinds of feelings that they shouldn’t. As her abilities strengthened, she picked up on those feelings more and more.
The problem was, they didn’t know why. It seemed things had changed while they were off-planet for her life lessons. So far, they hadn’t discovered exactly how.
But she suspected who. Vycor.
Maybe it was time she met with the Advisor, she privately mused as Ty led her from the training room and they parted with Sem. Vycor had shown some level of interest in her. She wasn’t sure if it was physical attraction or just a lust for her power, but she knew there was something between them that she could possibly play upon in order to gather information.
If an opportunity presented itself, she would see what she could discover. Maybe she’d even have the chance at her Day of Life celebration that afternoon. Vycor was obviously up to something.
She owed it to the people of Alametria to find out what it was and put a stop to it.
Chapter 9
“Welcome back, Ma’jah Kyr,” Zasha greeted her as she and Ty entered her chambers.
Kyr smiled. Per her request, the Wrym who worked with her every day had recently started
speaking to her, though they only did so if Shaya wasn’t around. Zasha seemed the most comfortable with this change.
“Thanks, Zasha. I’m ready to get refreshed after that training session.”
“Would you like some tea, Ma’jah?”
“No, thanks.” Kyr headed straight to the bathing chamber. “I really just want to have a bath.”
Zasha hurried ahead, signaling to Heshi and J’li, the Wrym waiting to draw the bathwater. They added scented foam that filled the air with musky hints of wild tilly blossoms as the central cascade of water filled the pond-sized tub. Kyr stood compliantly so the Wrym could help her remove her lightweight armor. She noted that Ty was the only Mynder keeping watch over her bath and barely contained her smile.
“Thank you for preparing my bath, ladies,” she said once she had been completely disrobed. “But now I would like for you to give me some privacy.”
The three Wrym in the room looked at her with wide, unblinking eyes. They obviously didn’t know how to respond.
“As I’ve mentioned,” Kyr explained as she entered the scented water, “I still retain my memories from my time on Earth. I’ve found that I miss taking care of certain personal tasks on my own, including bathing. Since it’s my Day of Life celebration today, I would like to ask that you please give me the gift of privacy. I’ll call you back in here the moment I’m ready to be prepared for today’s event.”
The silence stretched for so long, she didn’t think they’d do it. Zasha was the first to recover.
“Of course, Ma’jah,” she said with a bow. “As you wish.”
She took the arms of her still-befuddled companions and hurried out of the room, closing the door behind them. Ty watched them go before turning back to her.
What was that all about?
Rather than answer him, she walked back out of the water. She had only gone in far enough to reach her waist, so it didn’t take more than a few steps to leave the water and cross the room to him. He showed no reaction as she stood naked before him, but she sensed his uncontrollable surge of desire.