Authors: Jean Murray
He grabbed a pint of wine off the table and headed toward his usual spot in corner. With ease he faded into the shadows. With his back to the wall he scanned the large expanse of Moorish like arches and columns. He was the odd man out with lighter skin and eyes. His raised warrior tattoos extended past his elbow, but stopped at an imaginary dividing line between god and warrior. Fitting, as he felt an outcast in both at the moment.
The smooth, dry wine slid down his throat. A burst of plums, oak, and tannins filled his senses. Startled by the sudden flavor, he sniffed the glass. Again, the rich aroma tickled his nose. After his awakening everything tasted and smelled like ash, a byproduct of Kepi’s putrid blood. Kendra’s gift of life had purified him from the inside out. He wouldn’t have made it without her. Kendra truly saved him.
He had nothing to give her, except his honor, if he ever found it. He owed her that much. Hell, he owed himself. A couple of the warriors settled into the tables next to him. The largest of the pair and the most heavily tattooed maneuvered toward him. Bakari stiffened. The last time a group approached him they came to pummel him.
The warrior reached out his hand. “Name is Toben.”
Bakari hesitated but clasped the senior’s forearm in a warriors grasp. “Ari.”
The warrior turned Bakari’s forearm and focused on the scorpion on his arm. “The Commander does not like you much to have given you that name.”
“Well, he has every reason not to like me.”
The warrior’s black eyes locked on him. “Rumor has it you are a master swordsman.”
Bakari nodded. “It has been awhile.”
“Five years has not been kind to you.”
“Nothing I did not deserve.”
Toben released his arm. “Feeling sorry for yourself?”
“I have no use for that now.”
“Good. I require a warrior with skills such as yours.”
The hairs on Bomani’s neck stood on end. Was his loyalty toward Bomani being tested? “In what manner do you speak?”
“For training, of course.”
Bakari scanned the room. Despite the looks of disinterest, the warriors were listening. “For training then,” Bakari answered, but still with a certain amount of suspicion. Although loyal to the death in battle, the warriors were known to test their Commander for weaknesses. The last thing Bakari needed was to be a pawn in some warrior’s power play.
With blood and sacrifice his brother had earned the position of Commander of the Legion. Bakari had no designs on disrupting that, despite their differences. Toben turned to leave, but stopped to look over his massive shoulder. “What if I would have said otherwise?’
“You and I would not be friends.”
“Friends indeed, Death god.” Toben laughed deep and low. “Friends indeed.”
Bakari glanced at Sin, who abandoned his female to assist him, if needed. To his right several of the fledglings had moved closer. He was grateful for the reinforcement. Bakari sat and Sin joined him.
“You have caught the attention of Toben. Not an easy thing to do.”
Bakari grunted. “Who is he?”
Sin laughed. “He only commands two of the four auxiliaries in the legion. Very outspoken, but well respected for his extensive battle history.”
“Do you think I am being setup?”
“Hard to say. He has served the legion for a millennium. Although, Toben has been known to disagree with the Commander.”
Bakari finished his wine. “We are going to need training blades and shields.”
“We?” Sin’s eyes brightened.
“Yes, all of us.”
“Finally!” Sin signaled the female passing drinks. “Bring a round, love.”
The fresh air hit Bakari in the face. Sin and the rest of the fledglings shoved each other around in their drunken roughhousing. None of them held any rank or position, but Bakari for the moment would not want it any other way. These were his brothers on a level that he never would have appreciated before his kidnapping. Although paid in blood and pain, it was a wonderful new perspective.
He glanced over to the palace in the distance. Was Kendra sleeping? Researching? Eating? What he would not give to sit there with her and watch. Did she like wine? What was her favorite colour? He knew none of these, but wanted the chance to find out.
Her sister, Kit, was right. He needed to get his shit together. Up to this point he subsisted, but that was not enough. He clutched the flashlight in his pocket. The cold metal resonated a new meaning of hope. The chance to make things right.
His memories drifted to the warmth of her body against his. She had opened herself up to him, damning his last reserves to abstain. Her blood fed his entire being, healing the physical and mental damage inflicted by Kepi. It awakened a part of him he thought dead and gone. To find pleasure in a woman again after being at Kepi’s hands was a miracle. A miracle he would like to repeat. The pleasure that had racked Kendra’s small frame and the pink blush of her cheeks tightened his groin.
The draw to be with her again burned in his chest. This time he would earn her affection. To be worthy of such a gift. Not an easy task, considering his history. His hope faltered. One thing was certain, Bomani would not allow him to see her again. It killed him knowing he had the power to materialize feet from her, but he was a warrior under his brother’s command. If he had any hopes of regaining his honor, he had to obey Bomani.
Sin stumbled and knocked into him. Bakari grabbed his fellow warrior under the arm to steady him.
“Sorry,” Sin slurred.
“You need to learn how to hold your liquor.”
“Why would I want to do that?”
Bakari laughed. He did not realize he had until all of the warriors turned to stare at him. Even Sin was speechless, but that never lasted long.
“I must be drunk, if I heard
you
laugh.”
“Shut up.” Bakari pushed Sin to his feet. He genuinely smiled with the lightness reflected in his soul. The group of men laughed and started roughhousing again. Sin grabbed him around the chest and pinned his arms at his sides. Bakari easily broke his hold and shoved him away. “Do not push your luck.”
Although Sin meant no harm, the sense of being restrained made Bakari ill at ease. He shook off the feeling to recapture the light hearted moment.
These were his friends
, he reminded himself.
Sin stumbled and landed on his ass. He rolled on the ground laughing.
“You are a sorry sight, brother.” Bakari smiled and held out his hand for Sin to take.
“Having fun,” growled a voice from the darkness.
Bakari frowned, the lightness in his chest evaporated. He yanked Sin to his feet and pushed him toward the group of fledglings. Bakari would face his brother alone.
“Commander.”
Bomani stepped out of the darkness. His eyes matched the color of his black skin. Hatred radiated off him in waves of frigid air.
Bakari diverted his eyes to the ground. He knew his place. His relationship with Kendra had no place here, although it was the very reason Bomani stood before him. His brother had always had some level of hatred toward him, but not to the extent of the murderous gaze that locked on him now.
“You think you really belong among the rest of these warriors?” Bomani grabbed Bakari’s wrist with his steel fingers. His brother jerked Bakari’s arm up, bringing the scorpion hieroglyphic into view. “You do not. You have earned your warrior tattoos under false pretenses.”
Bomani slammed his fist into Bakari’s chest. Despite the incredible amount of force behind it, Bakari took only one step back.
Toben and the rest of the warriors had filtered out of the great hall. Bomani stabbed a finger at Bakari and addressed the group of dark warriors that had gathered.
“He is not one of us. He is a fucking traitor to everything we stand for.”
Bakari gathered his strength and looked up into the faces of the crowd. He had no apology. His brother spoke the truth, at one point he had been. At one point, but not now.
“He is right,” Bakari spoke up. “I do not deserve this life, but I am here regardless. I cannot change what I have done, only live with the consequences. Take responsibility for what I have done.” He raised his arms. “I am done hiding and will face your judgment, scrutiny and hatred, if need be.”
His brother bared his teeth. “You think it is that easy. All is forgiven?”
Bakari looked straight into his brother’s hard gaze. “No, I do not. I am not asking for your forgiveness.”
“Good, because what you have done is unforgiveable.”
Toben scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. His glare rested on his Commander. A murmur erupted through the crowd.
“You may be right,” Bakari agreed, “and I accept you will never forgive me, but those I have wronged will decide for themselves, although I would never ask it of them. I only ask for the opportunity to make the right choices and find my honor.”
“You speak of something you have no concept of.”
“I am learning. I want to learn.”
“Like hell you are.”
“Can you not see past your own hatred, brother?”
“Hatred has nothing to do with this.” Despite Bomani’s statement, the venom dripped from his words and hung in the air around them.
“When you agreed to have me here, you expected me to fail,” Bakari said with revelation. His brother
wanted
him to fail. Crawl into the hole of his own darkness and disappear.
Bomani’s silence only sealed the fact.
“Is hatred part of your code of honor you hold so dearly?” Bakari spat. His brother had always carried his honor as a shield of superiority when they were younger, rubbing it in Bakari’s face every chance he got. Now that shield had holes. The dark warriors’ attention shifted to their Commander. Their murmurs grew louder.
“Do not believe a fucking word he says. He is a master of the silver tongue of lies. He killed three of our brothers,” Bomani shouted.
Bakari refused to hang his head. He readied himself for the backlash, but it never came. Instead silence filled the space between them—a victory he did not desire.
Bomani’s eyes widened. “Did you not hear what I said? He killed our brothers.” His brother whirled around to face him with fists clenched.
Bakari recognized the red fire in Bomani’s eyes. The demon they all carried had little reasoning or control. His brother would fight him to the death, a fight that Bomani had no chance of winning against the god whose gift owned it. He would be forced to use it to protect Kendra’s life. The outcome was unacceptable.
Bakari dropped to his knees. He would not challenge Bomani’s authority any further. It was wrong to let it go on this long. “It was wrong of me to question you, Commander. You are right.”
Bomani stared at him, stunned by his submission. All but Toben and the fledglings turned their back to Bakari.
He was the outcast once again, but one step closer to finding honor.
“What game are you playing,” Bomani hissed, still suspicious of Bakari’s motivation. His brother submitted to him. A god submitting to a warrior. It reeked of deception. His brother dared question his honor in the presence of the legion then suddenly kowtow to him.
Bomani was no fool. He could see his warriors’ allegiance falter in those minutes. Bomani would not be so easily put out, not at the hands of his traitor brother.