The Courier's Conflict Page 10

  The female bear shook her head and pawed at the ground.

  “Do something,” she pleaded.

  Ladi got up and ran at the bear, then jumped on her back as if to tame her. The bear flung her into the wall. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. They both moved more slowly than necessary and pulled back their blows. Ladi was able to duck or pretend to be hurt. Their stall didn’t work for long. The bird-men caught on, and, instead of delivering another shock, a set of doors opened.

  The she-bear howled in protest.

  Ladi stopped and turned her back on the bear to see what was behind her. They rolled three white bear cubs in a cage out to the center of the arena. The crowd urged the guards to hurt them.

  “I’m sorry,” the bear said, her voice low enough for only the two of them to hear.

  The she-bear delivered a ferocious swipe across Ladi’s back that left three bloody lines. Ladi cried out instinctively, falling forward and away from her. The crowd roared to life again and cheered with more enthusiasm.

  Ladi saw them roll out another cage. A large, collared dragon roared from inside. The dragon, it appeared, would take the place of whoever fell taking on the survivor. She scrambled up from the ground to avoid the bear’s next swipe. Ladi circled the arena, looking for any escape. Fighting the bear wasn’t an option, but neither was death. The doors they pushed the cages through were still open. If she managed to lead the bear that way, she might be able to move fast enough to escape through them.

  “No games,” the bear growled. Her eyes darted between Ladi and her cubs.

  Ladi feinted, but she was too slow, slipping on the loose sand. The bear clamped her jaw on Ladi’s leg and swung her further into the arena. She slammed against the cage where the cubs cried for their mother. Ladi was injured; she couldn’t move her legs. She used her arms to push herself up from the dirt. Around her, the shouts of the crowd grew louder. The she-bear looked at Ladi’s crumpled form, then back to her children. What came next, no one saw coming. Least of all Ladi.

  Another dragon dropped down from the sky and set down in the center of the arena. The beast without a collar roared at the crowd, who had no power over him.

  A small beastie, hissing with laughter, flew into the ring, carrying something in its mouth. It was the crazy animal that had been in the cage next to her. How had he escaped? It dropped a bag in front of Ladi. It was her pack. Ladi turned her head and heard the sound of many cages opening. The bull-men and the bird-men didn’t appear to notice.

  The pack in front of her had the device she’d modified. She reached inside and pulled it out. The weight of the pack was off; there was something else inside. She reached in and felt a controller. With a few more modifications, and the dragon distracting the others, she could use the controller the way she’d planned. Her legs wouldn’t move, but her hands flew as she focused on the sensors. The she-bear was standing in front of the cage now, blocking her from the view of the guards. Blood on her hands made the tools hard to hold, but even as they slipped, she worked. When she had it ready, she hesitated for just a moment. If she was wrong, she might kill them all. They would use their controllers soon, and they’d all die, anyway. She had to try. Her thumb found the small indention, and she pressed down.

  The collars around their necks hissed and snapped open at the same time. Ladi stared as the she-bear attacked the guard that stood between her and her cubs. With one paw, she knocked him to the ground and then rushed to open the cage and free her babies. More animals streamed into the arena and attacked the crowd. Bird-men tried to take to the sky in all directions, but they were no match for the freed dragons. The old wolf joined her a moment later.

  “Little green girl, can you run with us?”

  Ladi smiled. “I can’t. Will you help me?”

  “I will.”

  “Will you join the fight?”

  “We already have,” the old wolf said and knelt down so she could climb onto his back.

  30

  JAK RETURNED TO THE hub with the winged man. The place was as quiet as a tomb. Everyone’s eyes were on their communicators or on the vid screen above the bar.

  “What’s going on?” Ebere asked.

  A woman near him put a finger to her lips and shushed him.

  “The beasts destroyed the palace,” she said.

  “What?” Jak pushed his way through the crowd and watched as the Tero-Joro reported on the activity in around the palace that day. The explosion could be seen for miles, and the aftershocks felt throughout Adalu.

  When the news ended, a few of the patrons caught his eye. Jak took it as a signal to speak.

  “Do you see now? This isn’t just a Bolaji kingdom’s problem. It will be a problem for you soon enough. The winged men from your eastern border have agreed to join us.” Jak gestured to Tarrik, who gave a solemn nod. “They make up the majority of the Wilds territory east of here, and they will become the eleventh kingdom of Bolaji.”

  The entire bar was riveted. Some grumbles came from the table where Mr. Waza was.

  “There are thousands of them, and we’re only too happy to welcome them into our kingdom. Details and paperwork pending, their requests have been agreed to.” Jak made eye contact with several of them as he spoke.

  “What about us? We have demands too!” A woman in the back corner who’d scoffed earlier stood up to speak.

  Jak smiled. He’d been hoping for this reaction. “I apologize, I’m merely a representative of the Adalu kingdom. I cannot speak for Tarrik, who has assumed the role of Wild’s representative. Address your questions to him.”

  Tarrik stood up and waited, but the bar remained silent. Most of them had seen little of the Wola. They’d be having a lot more dealings with them in the future.

  “We Wola don’t want to disrupt the community you’ve created here, but we are lawless no more. We have plenty of time to discuss the details of the agreement later.”

  Mr. Waza stood up. “That’s not the way we do business around here Mr. Tarrik.” He glanced around.

  Tarrik took a threatening step closer to Mr. Waza.

  "No, you don’t do business here at all unless we say so. This land has belonged to our people for generations, and we’ve grown tired of your lawless ways. I suggest you get used to a new way of doing things.

  “However, in cases of emergency, I’m sure we can make an exception.”

  There was chatter after that, but the general malcontents didn’t argue.

  “We need to hurry. The situation at the palace is dire. With your help, we may change things,” Jak said.

  “It may be too late,” Tarrik replied. He glanced at the monitor. “But we’ve agreed to your terms. Let’s see if there’s anything we can do.”

  * * *

  Flying with the winged men wasn’t as comfortable or as convenient as Jak imagined. The position of their wings meant Tarrik could only hold him facing the ground or embrace him face to face. Both felt too intimate for their short acquaintance, but he decided that looking out over the landscape would be better than not seeing what was coming.

  Jak watched as the sky went from black to purple and then orange. The sun was rising behind them. When they reached the third kingdom, Jak yelled, “Wait, I see something. We need to go down there.”

  “This is not the first kingdom,” Tarrik said.

  “No, but I believe they’ve moved the government officials here.”

  “Why would you think that?”

  “The princess. This is where she’s from. We need to check.”

  “As you wish.” Tarrik changed course, and the Wola went with him.

  There was too much activity here for it to be a regular day at the castle. He’d been there and seen their routine. They banked toward the castle, and the guards, two lines of men dressed in purple, loosed arrows at them before Jak could explain who they were. He understood their confusion: they could be a new kind of beast. But where was their leader? Rasha had a way of telling the difference between
beast and humanoid.

  The Wola outmaneuvered the arrows with ease. Tarrik put Jak down right in front of the line. At the sight of Jak, the archers paused.

  “Hold your fire!” Jak put his arms up. “These are the Wola. They’re here to help us fight the beasts. Lower your weapons.”

  The head of the guard dropped his bow and nodded to his men.

  “What’s going on here? Where is the Princess?” Jak asked. The Wola stood behind him.

  “I beg your pardon, Your Grace. I am Kufre, captain of the guard. The Princess hasn’t been heard from since before the palace fell.” The guard turned and led them back to the castle.

  Jak looked up at the foreboding castle and reminded himself he was the prince incumbent. He still had a job to do.

  “The council. Where are they?”

  “They are somewhere in Chilali, but we don’t know exactly where. No one knows. We have orders to shoot any beasts and await the Princess.”

  Jak felt something heavy in his chest. What if she’d been inside during the explosion? He reached up and touched the mermaid necklace.

  “Temi, the animal she travels with, is he here?”

  “No, Your Grace.”

  That was something. Temi wouldn’t leave Rasha if she were still alive. He wouldn’t leave her if she was dead either, but he pushed that thought away before it could take root and worry him.

  “The king and queen will wish to meet with you,” said Kufre.

  “I’m sure they will.” Jak remembered his last visit. He’d been chained up and locked in a cell. To Tarrik he said, “I need to speak with king of Chilali. Will you be all right here with Ebere?”

  “We’ll be fine. Patrols can be extended, and additional eyes on the sky and in the trees may be of help.”

  Kufre looked the winged man up and down. He was only about half the Wola’s height. Anyone else would have been intimidated by their muscular physique and large, white wings. Kufre stood up straight and nodded. “Good idea. Get your people where they can be the most help. Just let me take the Prince to the castle, and we’ll coordinate from here.”

  Tarrik gave him a brisk nod and turned to Jak. “I will have my best people coordinate the patrols and report back to the guards. I will join you, Jak, after your council with the king.” As he spoke, the nearest Wola nodded.

  “When I conclude my business, I’ll meet you both back here.”

  Ebere nodded.

  “This way, Your Grace.” Kufre gestured to the steps leading to the upper levels.

  Jak laughed to himself. “Of course,” he said.

  The large doors swung open, and the guard motioned Jak inside, but didn’t follow. The king and queen, adorned with crowns and fur-trimmed robes, were sitting on thrones.

  “Please, Your Highness, you’re welcome here.” Rasha’s mother’s eyes gleamed as he entered. He didn’t have a clue what was going in her head, and was grateful he didn’t know.

  “How very nice to see you,” Rasha’s father said through gritted teeth.

  Jak noticed that, aside from Rasha’s parents on their thrones and their personal guards behind them, the room was empty.

  Jak bowed to them.

  “You have brought the Wola.” The King’s voice was expressionless. That’s where Rasha got it, he thought.

  “Yes. They are willing and able to help us on the front lines against the beasts. I was hoping to find Rasha here with her people after what happened in Adalu last night.”

  Rasha’s mother let out a squeak as she held a handkerchief to her mouth in distress.

  “She has not returned home. We expect that she might have been delayed, but guards have been sent to retrieve her and bring her here,” the king said.

  “When were the guards sent?”

  The king’s color deepened. “An hour ago.”

  "An hour?”

  “At the moment, protecting the kingdom from the beasts must be our priority. Many from Adalu have sought shelter here, and we must attend them.”

  “I see.” Jak worried his lip, wondering what to do. Her parents seemed less than concerned for her safety, and the northern border still needed protection. Without Rasha, he wasn’t sure which plan to execute. Perhaps he should go and find her himself. The Wola might be willing to spare a few for the search. If she was injured, or worse, the guard might not find her in time.

  “Is there anything else we can do for you?” the King asked. Jak noticed that he refused to use his title. He didn’t seem to like being subservient to the young prince. Jak would have found it funny if he wasn’t so preoccupied with Rasha.

  “Not at this time. It is the priority of the first kingdom that we be prepared to face the enemy. It is my personal responsibility to find the Princess, and I will.” He looked at the queen of Chilali and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring nod.

  She mouthed a thank you, and he excused himself.

  “Young Prince,” the King called to him before he reached the doors. Jak turned back. He stood from his throne and walked over to Jak. He wasn’t as tall as Jak, but he managed look down on him as if he were an insect.

  “Let me be clear about something. My daughter may be the last princess alive, but you are not the last prince. I will see that my daughter has The Choosing at her earliest convenience.”

  Jak nodded and left. If he’d been wondering about her parents’ opinion of him, he didn’t have to wonder anymore. The king was letting him know not only that he wasn’t good enough, but they didn’t trust that Rasha had chosen him herself. He didn’t concern himself with their opinions. Instead, he wondered how he was going to get Rasha. Her aunt had been among the fighters. He would coordinate with her in order to track down Rasha. Besides, he was pretty sure that Sochi had a better opinion of him than her brother.

  31

  WHEN RASHA AND Chigo reached Chilali, she didn’t go in the direction of the castle. She turned instead in the direction of her Aunt Sochi’s home.

  Rasha opened the door to the small cottage, and a warm gust of heat welcomed her. They stumbled inside, both blue from the cold.

  “I thought maybe you would have started a fire and kept yourselves warm until morning,” Sochi said as she pulled them inside.

  Temi walked in behind the others, shaking the cold off of his fur. He walked to the fire and sat himself down.

  “T-too cold, and wet. B-better to keep m-moving.” Rasha’s teeth chattered as she spoke.

  “Look at you both, cold, tired, and starving.” She pulled out a chair for each of them. “Sit yourselves down. I’ve got breakfast on.” She bustled around the kitchen, preparing their bowls.

  She put the bowls of porridge in front of them, and they ate hungrily. The warmth of the fire seeped into Rasha’s bones. She felt herself nodding off and sat up sharply.

  “I need to meet with the council and discuss what is to be done now that the…” Her voice trailed off, and her eyes fluttered closed as she fought sleep.

  “Right now, you’re not going anywhere. Off to bed with you.”

  Sochi took Chigo by the hand and led him to a small cot near the fire, where he curled up and fell asleep in seconds. Temi lay near his feet and hadn’t moved from the fire since their arrival.

  Sochi shooed Rasha along to the bedroom. Sochi’s room was filled with books and candles, and was a quiet sanctuary. She kept her current reading and keepsakes near the bed, along with a vase of white flowers. There was a desk and chair in the corner nearest the window. Rasha lay down on the bed and felt her body sink into the mattress. The last thing she remembered was her aunt humming as she removed Rasha’s boots.

  When Rasha woke, the sun was high in the sky. Her throat was dry and scratchy enough to force her out of the heavy blankets. She sat up and saw a glass of water on the table and drank the entire thing. Sighing, she put her boots back on and went into the other room.

  Chigo was already awake and eating another bowl of porridge.

  “Good morning, again,” Sochi said.
“Come eat.”

  “I’m fine. I need to meet with the others. Are they here?”

  “Yes, I’ve given them something to eat and they are awaiting your orders, Your Highness.”

  “You don’t have to call me that anymore. I think you know that.”

  “Until you are officially replaced I’ll respect your role as we all should.” Her aunt gave her a significant look.

  Rasha nodded and went to the door.

  “Temi, stay here and watch Chigo.”

  Temi made a half circle behind her, and then sat looking at Chigo.

  Chigo said, “Rasha, wait, maybe I should come with you.” Rasha was already out the door. The meeting she had planned couldn’t include an ordinary citizen of the ten kingdoms. The real princess and prince would be there.

  Rasha made sure no one was watching when she went into the barn. In the last stall on the right, she pulled a loop of rope, revealing a set of stairs leading down. She could see a faint light emanating from the rooms below.

  Years ago, when she’d gotten into some trouble and needed a place to hide, Rasha had come here. Though it was three years ago, it seemed like another life now. Things had changed so much in such a short time. But Aunt Sochi hadn’t changed at all. She’d always stood by Rasha.

  Rasha followed the familiar tunnel until she reached the main room, two guards alert at their post outside. Each of them took a knee and bowed to her.

  “Is the council ready?”

  “Yes, Your Highness.”

  Rasha went in and found the council waiting, as promised. This room was nothing like the chamber in the palace. The council sat around a long wooden table. There were only twelve high-backed chairs, leaving Rasha to stand. Everyone stood as she entered. It was just habit she knew, because when the council stood, Prince Bashir and Princess Chiza looked up with confusion. A few councilmen sat back down. The real prince and princess incumbent were in the room; they shouldn’t be looking to her anymore. Why did that bother her?