Chained By Fear: 2 (10 page)

Bhacca knelt obediently at the sorcerer’s feet in front of the doorway. Invictus gently touched her between her breasts.

“
Raaga
,” he purred.

Bhacca gasped and rolled onto her back.

“Invictus, don’t do this!”

“
Raaga
,” he repeated, ignoring Laylah’s protests.

Bhacca’s eyes rolled to the back of her head.

“
Raaga
!” he said.

Bhacca moaned and writhed. But Laylah found that the word no longer held any power over her.

“
Raaga
!” Invictus said with the force of a thunderclap.

Bhacca howled. Spittle blew from her mouth, splattering on the front of her tunic. She screamed repeatedly, her back arching, but she finally lay still as if in a trance.

“Return to your position, child,” Invictus said firmly.

Bhacca opened her eyes slowly, then struggled to her hands and knees and crawled weakly back to Laylah’s feet.

“You see? I can provide pleasure as well as pain,” Invictus said proudly. “The vast lore of the demons is at my command, but that lore pales in comparison to my true strength. I am
Akanittha
. Before you discard my advances, consider well the words I have spoken.”

“You call that pleasure?” Laylah said. “As for your words, there is nothing to consider. You’re insane. Kill me, or set me free.”

“You stubborn
bitch
,” Invictus said, finally losing his patience. “Neither is an option.”

A second explosion of light filled the doorway, and the floor wobbled. Laylah was temporarily blinded. When she was able to see clearly again, her brother was gone.

Beneath her, Bhacca attempted to regain her composure, but she trembled.

Laylah walked to the door and inspected the hallway. The other chambermaids remained on the rug, tears in their eyes.

Laylah slammed the door shut. Then she went to Bhacca and knelt beside her. For a long time, both were silent.

“I’m as frightened as you,” Laylah finally said. “Will you be my friend?”

“I would be honored, my Queen,” Bhacca murmured, her face still flushed.

“Good. Let’s start with my bath. Afterward, I’d like to walk in the gardens. Will you join me?”

“Yes, my Queen.”

“While we walk, I’ll tell you stories of my life. Will you do the same for me?”

“There’s little to tell,” the young chambermaid said.

As evening approached, Laylah and Bhacca strolled through the interior garden on a walkway of white marble squares. Ingrained in the marble were traceries of gold spun into the outlines of suns. The room was no more than fifty cubits long and thirty wide, but the ceiling was tall and the plants cleverly arranged, including several dozen species of flowers and shrubs. But all had one thing in common: either the bloom or the foliage was yellow.

Laylah recognized some of the plants, some of which had grown in the Mahaggata valley she adored. She now stood next to one of Takoda’s favorites. He had called it a butterfly bush, and it was aptly named. Hundreds of butterflies and bees flocked to the honey-scented nectar in summer and fall. Takoda and she used to sit near the bushes at sunset and watch the delightful conglomeration of insects swarming around the yellow flowers.

Laylah also recognized a shrub she remembered her parents calling golden bell, but in her memory it only bloomed in early spring. In this garden, it remained in full bloom in midsummer.

Something else puzzled her. Most of the flowers and shrubs in the garden required a lot of sun. The room had many windows, but not enough to provide the kind of light these plants needed to thrive. They should not have grown well indoors; yet, they were perfectly healthy.

As if in response to her bemusement, the gold traceries in the marble began to glow, and Laylah felt a surge of warmth rising up beneath her dress. Without warning, the room became as bright as the noon-day sun. Laylah and Bhacca were forced to squint.

“It does this four or five times a day,” the chambermaid said. “If you visit here often enough, your skin will darken.”

“It is great magic, is it not?” came a baritone voice from behind them. Laylah jerked around, expecting Invictus to confront her. Instead, she saw the soldier she had met at the banquet the previous night, although he had discarded his armor in favor of a gold doublet with a jeweled belt. His cape and hose were matching crimson. Like Invictus, he was clean shaven with shoulder-length blond hair and brown eyes. His jaw was square, his teeth flawless.

“Pardon the interruption, my lady,” General Lucius said. “I wander the garden every day, yet this is just a taste of the beauty of this valley. There’s a vast field of wildflowers just a short walk from here. And beyond the wildflowers stretch the Gray Plains. Would you care to take a stroll? The sky is clear, and the moon will be beautiful when it finally rises. The chambermaid is welcome to join us, if that would make you feel more at ease.”

Bhacca bowed. “I would be honored to be in your presence.”

Laylah was unimpressed. “You would dare to walk with me? Aren’t you afraid my brother will have another fit of jealousy? You saw what happened last night at the banquet.”

“I witnessed what happened, yes, but perhaps I understood it better than you. King Invictus can see far. Some say he can even see
into
a person’s mind. The ogre was more than just a lecher; he was a traitor to our cause. Most of the others in the room were already aware of this and were not at all surprised by your brother’s actions. Invictus was regretful that you were offended. He told me so this afternoon.”

“Good for him and good for you. As for walking with you, I’d rather not. Anyone who is a friend of my brother’s is no friend of mine.”

A man and woman strolling in the garden scampered off, as if afraid to be in the physical presence of such heresy.

Laylah laughed. “Apparently they’re as in love with him as you are, General Lucius. Is that your name? I’m having a hard time remembering what happened last night
 . . .
for some reason.”

“General Lucius is indeed my name. As for last night, I’m truly sorry for whatever discomfort you experienced. I’m not your brother’s keeper. Like any powerful king, he does what he pleases when he pleases. I’m just an officer who follows orders.”

Laylah believed that Lucius was play-acting, but something in his tone rang true, lessening her resistance. If she were to study the grounds outside the palace, this was an opportunity she should not dismiss.

“Bhacca can come with us?” she said.

“Of course. It would be my pleasure to escort both of you.”

The general clapped his hands, and a servitor raced forward with two cups of wine.

“Bring a third,” Lucius said, tilting his head toward the chambermaid.

The servitor raised an eyebrow.

“Now! And
hurry
.”

When they entered the yard behind the palace, all three held silver cups filled with luscious red wine. Dusk had dissolved into darkness, and a warm breeze swept through their hair. Lucius walked between Laylah and Bhacca. To Laylah, the chambermaid looked like the general’s younger sister. But it was clear there was a division in rank. Bhacca skittered alongside Lucius like an adoring puppy, hardly daring to look him in the eye.

The general didn’t speak to the chambermaid again. Instead, his entire focus was on Laylah. “Does the wine please you?”

“A prisoner doesn’t take much pleasure in food or drink.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way.”

“You mean I’m not a prisoner? I can leave?”

“Your brother would prefer you do not. He fears for your safety. Like any great king, he has enemies—and some may already be aware of your arrival. If you were to wander too far from the protection of Avici, you might be in danger.”

“I’m sure my brother’s good intentions are the only reason I’m being held here. And while he’s so busy protecting me, he can rape me whenever he likes. How
noble
of him.”

If Lucius was shocked, he hid it well. “As I said before, I’m not your brother’s keeper. I only follow orders.”

Laylah found herself starting to like the general, if just a bit. And perhaps she could make use of him. She didn’t have other options.

“Show me the wildflowers, and what lies beyond,” she said. “My memories of Avici are dim. So much has changed.”

“With pleasure.”

The servitor trotted out and refilled their glasses. Bhacca already was acting a little tipsy. Laylah could tell she was enjoying being so prominently displayed with such important people.

The wildflowers were fragrant. Once again the predominant color was yellow. Laylah took off her sandals and walked barefoot through the field. The breeze stroked the petals like a gentle hand sweeping along the blooms.

“I can tell you the names of all these flowers,” Lucius said, with something resembling pride.

“Go on,” she said.

He knelt down, picked one, and handed it to Laylah.

“This is a dogtooth violet. The vines that grow along the border trestles are yellow jessamine. There are trillium, star-grass, and milkwort, all in bloom. Invictus’ magic works in many ways. Plants that normally bloom only in spring remain in flower through the summer and fall. And those that usually wait until fall bloom here in the spring, along with the others.”

“I feel sorry for the plants. What Invictus is doing is obscene.”

“Whatever you say, my lady. I only report what I see. How you perceive it is up to you.”

Laylah tossed the violet into the air. It tumbled in the breeze. “And beyond the flowers? The Gray Plains?”

“There is a nearby hillock from which you can see a great distance.”

“I used to go there as a child, though I spent most of my playtime at my favorite tree.”

“We can visit the sycamore, if you like. It’s your brother’s favorite, as well, though I’m sure that brings you no pleasure.”

“You’re beginning to comprehend me. Yes, I’d like to go there too. The night is so pleasant. Under this sparkling sky, I can imagine for a little while that I’m free.”

“You can be free
 . . .
if you allow yourself to be.”

“Not as long as my brother is alive.”

“He tormented you before, but he will do so no longer. He wants you to be happy.”

“You’re a liar. But a
smooth
liar.”

Lucius sighed and then started through the flowers toward the hillock. Bhacca came up beside Laylah and whispered in her ear. “My Queen, how do you dare say such things? Except for the king, General Lucius is the most powerful man in Avici. Even the dracools follow his commands.”

Laylah only laughed. “What have I to lose?”

Lucius walked about twenty paces before stopping and waiting for Laylah to catch up. She came up beside him, Bhacca trailing behind. They went to the top of the hillock and looked out at the Gray Plains. Though it was now well into evening, the light from the newly risen moon illuminated the countryside, revealing a wide expanse of flat, gray land extending for leagues—northeast to the Ice Ocean, east to the Salt Sea, and southeast to the Great Desert.

Laylah remembered a scarcity of rainfall on this side of the mountains, especially in late spring and summer. The arid conditions stunted the prairie grass and gave it a gray-green hue. From her viewpoint on the hillock, Laylah could see a paved road plunging eastward that glistened in the moonlight.

“Where does that lead? That wasn’t here before.”

“Isn’t it impressive? We began construction less than three years ago, yet it stretches more than fifty leagues, attaching our city to Kilesa, where the newborns are nurtured. Portions of the road are paved with a special metal that shines like gold but has the feel of granite.”

“Who are the newborns?” Laylah said, pretending she knew nothing.

“We’re the children of Invictus. Born to look like him, act like him and serve him. Bhacca is a newborn, torn from her pink sac just three years ago. From precious drops of our king’s own blood, we are birthed into the world, and we grow quickly. I’m the first of the newborns, created six years ago.”

“How can that be? You’re a fully grown man. And a general. I would have guessed you to be closer to forty.”

“I’ve been bred to look this way. Invictus says I’ll live several hundred years, with little change in my appearance. As for being a general, I was schooled in Kilesa on the subtleties of the martial arts. The newborns learn quickly and never forget what they’ve been taught. I’m a formidable tactician, and though never tested in battle, my time will come. Our army grows quickly.”

Laylah stared at Lucius’ face. His eyes were lined, and there were streaks of gray above his ears. In fact, he was exactly what a boy playing in his room would imagine a general to be. The thought made Laylah shiver. Did that describe Invictus? A boy playing with toys—but capable of creating any toy he desired?

Lucius misread her dismay. “I’m not a monster. I’m a man of flesh and blood. I can be injured and killed. My life has been short, but my future has grand possibilities. You can understand, at least, why I don’t hate him.”

“One day, I was running free through the wilderness. The next, my people were dead and I was imprisoned. You can understand, at least, why I
do
hate him.”

Lucius gave her a strange look. Then he attempted to change the subject. “More wine is in order. It lightens the heart. It’s too late to show you the rest of Avici, but we can enjoy the great sycamore before we say goodnight.”

Tears ran down Laylah’s cheeks. Suddenly she found herself confiding in the stranger. “I sound angry, but it’s only to cover my fear. Will he come for me again? Tonight, after you’re gone? Tomorrow? The next day? If he does, will you protect me, General Lucius?”

As if experiencing a swell of sympathy, he started to stroke her cheek. But then he backed away. “I cannot make such a promise. But I can promise this:
I
will never hurt you.”

Laylah started to sob. Bhacca came over and hugged her from the side. Lucius stood still as a statue, but through the veil of her own tears, Laylah saw a single tear slide down his cheek.

From his tower, Invictus
watched with trembling anticipation. He stroked his erection, oh so delicately.

“Very good, General Lucius,” he whispered to himself. “You’ve made excellent progress in just your first meeting. We’ll build on this, you and I, until my sister finally puts aside her anger and invites me into her bed. I shall have my heir.”

Invictus stopped what he was doing with his hand. An orgasm—and the resulting conflagration—would attract too much attention through the open tower window. And it would ruin some of his beautiful furniture. Besides, it rarely was as satisfying after sunset.