They hit a traffic jam in one of the tunnels, so Lara scooted toward the wall, tugging Skye along with her. Lara almost felt giddy with the newfound ability to walk through a crowded city.
While they waited for the hall to clear, Chion added, While Eiren and I awaited your return, we shared what information we had from Pyran.
An excited whisper captured first her attention, then the rest of her friends. “Noli, is tha’ who I think it is?”
“Who?” another young woman asked.
“Noli,” the girl hissed, “the Goddess’s Lady. The story told a’ the market described the Lady having brown, curly hair. It has t’ be her.”
“Where? I do no’ see her.”
“Over there. Ye aren’t lookin’ in the right direction. Look where I am pointin’.”
By that time, Lara pinpointed the two girls—teenagers, really, and they were staring right at her with looks akin to reverence. Startled, she glanced around, hoping to see another woman who fit the description. No such luck. The only brown-haired woman in the entire Kurite kingdom would be her.
Uh, guys? Lara asked, at a loss. Why the hell are two girls staring at me?
No sooner than she asked, a man carrying a bushel of some type of red fruit looked in the direction the two girls pointed and did a double take.
Noli spoke louder, “Ye were right. See, the white paka is behind her. Didn’t the washerwoman say they were bonded?”
The woman who bumped into the man carrying the fruit gave a loud harrumph. Lara watched with helpless confusion as the woman’s mouth snapped shut at seeing her.
The Kurites all stared at her like she was the second coming, and Lara felt the sudden need to get rid of her bedhead and straighten her wrinkled clothes. It hadn’t even crossed her mind before they left the healer’s room.
Or hiding. As seconds ticked by, hiding was definitely looking better and better. Seriously, what is happening right now, she asked with desperation.
With no one moving in either direction, the hallway quickly became congested, increasing the number of eyes that locked onto her. Safe behind her shield, she could feel their excitement at seeing her, and Lara didn’t know why. She’d never met any of these people before.
Every additional Kurite stopping in the tunnel around them raised the Lan’Ai’s combined tension within the bond. There were too many to fight. There was no escape route available.
Apprehensive, his words strained, Chion explained, You saved Skye in Olun.
That is not entirely accurate, she denied.
My Lady, in their minds, you saved the villagers from becoming murderers. You stopped an angry mob from attacking an enemy warrior with your words alone. You reminded them their family and friends needed them. Then you disappeared.
Eiren said, I’ve heard the rumors. The people of Olun have spread the news of your appearance and consequent disappearance far and wide. To them, you are the Goddess’s Chosen Lady.
But I didn’t do anything, she argued. Desperate, she huddled behind Skye’s larger body, away from the people’s fervor.
It doesn’t matter, Skye assured her. I do not believe reasoning with the commoners, either here or elsewhere, will change their belief.
And, in a way, you were chosen by the God and Goddess. Chion purred with pride. Simply because the people’s belief is due to an unexplained phenomenon does not mean they are wrong.
But… Chion, you were also chosen. All of you. Why is it me they are so focused on? she asked plaintively. Lara didn’t want the attention. The pressure to succeed, or rather to defeat the Malirrans, already made her want to hyperventilate. If the Kurites looked to her to save them, she was in a world of trouble.
“The Chosen Lady,” they whispered, pointing at her. The crowd pressed closer as their awed whispers became enthusiastic shouts. Lara and her friends should have escaped when they had the chance. The number of people in the hallway swelled. The crush of people pushed Skye back into her, and Lara’s butt hit the wall a split second before her shoulders and head did.
It had become a full-fledged mob.
Her panic grew. They were trapped.
God and Goddess, and she even threw Jesus in for good measure, save them.
Despite Chion’s loud, protective growl that rolled through the tunnel, people elbowed each other. Hands reached for her. Both Chion and Eiren swiped at searching arms and extended legs. The crowd’s cries for the Chosen Lady grew in volume. Skye blocked their way, pushing against the tide, slapping hands away.
There wasn’t enough room to draw a weapon; there was barely enough room to draw breath.
From behind the mass of Kurites, a female paka roared, bringing a brief respite to the growing chaos. Into the silence, she yelled, People of Luthis, make way for our warriors.
The weight of the Kurites pushing them into a tight circle receded an increment for every heart-stopping second that followed the order, but it still took too much time. Finally, when there was more breathing room, the people closest to Lara made one last effort to touch her, ignoring Chion’s hissing and Skye’s fierce countenance, before turning away. She fisted the back of her friend-turned-bodyguard’s shirt to keep him in front of her as the crowd slowly dispersed. With great reluctance, she let go when Skye stepped forward and looked up. Lara saw a muscular and scarred paka approach with a small contingent of warriors behind her. The commoners flattened themselves against the walls, making room for the armed newcomers.
What is the meaning of this? The paka snarled, showing an impressive set of sharp teeth. Her furious gaze swept over their small group before fixing a glare at Chion and Eiren. We are preparing for war, and you start an incident in the city by bringing in two of our enemies?
At that, Chion’s growl crawled through the hall, and he raked the ground, strewing pebbles and dirt everywhere. Lara realized that he was too angry at the accusation to respond verbally.
The female paka’s eyes glinted with barely suppressed rage at his seeming disrespect, the feline readying herself to pounce.
This was not good. Lara scrambled for a way to offset the mounting tension. On a gamble, she said in a bored voice, making sure everyone in the near vicinity heard her, “You must have recently arrived if you are that far out of the loop.”
When the feline turned her irate attention to her, Chion prowled closer to distract the other paka. He cautioned through their Lan’Ai link, No, My Lady, I do not trust her. Do not draw attention to yourself more than necessary.
Lara thinned the shield around her to better judge the emotions of those in the hall. A dark rage slammed into her barrier, causing her to jerk back and slam her head into the tunnel wall.
“Ow,” she muttered, raising a hand to rub the spot. Assessing the battle-scarred paka from behind Skye’s arm, Lara warned, Something is driving her to recklessness. The paka is filled with too much rage for me to parse out the other underlying emotions she might have. She’s pushed them too deep. She doesn’t care whether she lives or dies.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
It means she is a danger to us, her Ai concluded. Chion’s tail gave a frenetic twirl before his entire body seemed to expand in size.
“Lieutenant,” a tall man began before snapping his mouth closed, his blanched face showing his nerves. The other warriors shifted their weight, glancing at each other, uncertain what to do.
What, Hunate? The female hissed, her eyes never leaving Chion. You dare to intercept on their behalf? I will have you brought up on charges. A Pyranni warrior and a Malirran woman stand before us. One of our own is protecting them.
Lara opened her mouth to correct the lieutenant. The idiot paka was too filled with rage to count Eiren. It was a mistake to discount Eiren. Lara snuck in a quick look around and shut her mouth. Eiren had disappeared into the crowd.
As if the small paka knew that Lara looked for her, Eiren said, I can cause a scene behind them if necessary. I am in place.
One day, Skye swore, you are going to teach us how you can disappear.
I agree, Lara murmured.
Eiren sniffed with haughty disdain, her words at odds with the situation they were in. I think not. You, My Lord, step like a pack of rakir.
Watching Chion take the brunt of the attention from the hostile soldiers, Lara said, Let’s hope the distraction isn’t necessary. She drew her weapon, keeping the movement hidden behind Skye. There are only five of them, easy enough for us to fight. However, we can’t afford to injure them. We are supposed to be on the same side, the idiots.
Chion tried to explain, We—
From Skye, the feeling of urgency and warning flooded their bond. “Chion, watch out,” he yelled, except Chion was already moving.
Lara raised her sword, flowing forward with Skye to attack the remaining four. The sound of steel hitting the ground clashed with the snarls and growls from the two fighting pakas. The remaining commoners screamed and scampered back. At the sight of the four Kurites with their hands empty and raised above their heads in surrender, Lara stopped her blade inches from drawing blood on Hunate. Scanning everyone, she realized the Kurites had dropped every weapon they carried. Knives, daggers, swords, bows. They covered the ground like a deadly canopy.
Yelling loud enough to be heard, Hunate repeated his mantra, “We surrender. We surrender to the Goddess’s Chosen Lady. We surrender.”
Skye said, Watch them. I will help Chion with the maddened officer.
They all watched the scuffle as Skye inched ever closer. In a move that surprised even her, Skye snaked forward, tapping the tip of his sword against the lieutenant’s vulnerable throat hard enough to draw blood. “Cease your struggle, paka.”
His words brought the struggle to an abrupt stop. The feline’s black coat had rivulets of blood where Chion had scored several deep claw marks. She’d need a healer if she planned to battle against the Malirrans in the next week or two.
Lara waited until Eiren ghosted out from her hiding spot to stand guard over the Kurites before running to check on Chion. “Are you all right?”
Yes, My Lady. Chion’s sides heaved from his exertion. I regret harming a fellow Kurite, even if she gave me no choice.
Lara examined him from head to tail, not finding a single scratch on him. “How?” she sputtered.
Chion’s sneeze gave away his contempt. The paka relies too much on brute strength. I fear she is on the edge of insanity to attack without warranted reason. Her conduct must be brought to the attention of the war council. Kureto cannot trust her to direct her warriors if she is so easily triggered.
His words incited another snarl from the paka, proving his point to everyone watching.
Hunate said in a low voice, “If I may, Tal’Ai. She recently lost her mate. We arrived in Luthis late last night, and we all heard the rumors about two Tal’Ai pairs joining together into a single bond. Laughing, we all discarded the tale.” He shrugged. “War often brings out strange rumors as a way of raising the people’s morale.” He pointed at each of them as he listed their respective physical features. “It wasn’t until I saw the Pyranni, a brown-haired woman, and the large paka with a white coat that I realized the rumor might be truth.”
“You didn’t say Tal’Ai before, or even Lan’Ai,” Lara accused. “You said Goddess’s Chosen Lady. I heard you when you surrendered, Hunate.”
A woman bowed her head in a placating gesture before tapping Hunate on the bicep. “We heard another rumor. I admit I scoffed at the idea that the Goddess would choose a woman from above.” It took a second before Lara deciphered “above” as someone who lived above ground, not heaven. “Hunate did not lie, Goddess’s Chosen Lady. I, we, apologize for our commanding officer’s behavior. We hail from Reiner. Unlike those who live here or in Malkese, we have had the misfortune of meeting the Malirrans on the battlefield.” The Kurite bowed her head again after shooting a sharp glance toward the unmoving paka on the ground. “The Malirrans are a diverse breed of humans. Some even have blond hair, similar to Pyrannis. What is more, the majority of Malirran soldiers have brown hair similar to yours.”
Hunate dropped to his knees and bowed his head. “Please, Chosen Lady, do not hold Lieutenant Bumis’s attitude toward you as a reflection for our own feelings. Not only are you the Goddess’s Chosen Lady, you are bonded to two pakas. All the men, women, and pakas we brought with us would guard your life with our own.”
“You would protect me even though this is the first time you’ve ever met me?” Lara asked, stunned. She scrubbed her face before looking to Chion and Eiren for clues on how to respond.
Eiren dipped her head ever so slightly. They will follow you if you let them.
I don’t want to be set on a pedestal, Lara hissed with horror. I’m not a leader.
What you want no longer holds weight, at least in this circumstance, Chion said with grave inflection. The Kurite people have made you their talisman, through no fault or effort on your part. My Lady, look around. The people await your words with bated breath. Decide what you will say, but do not delay your decision.
Lara did as Chion asked. She scanned the tunnel from left to right. In the aftermath of the pakas’ short fight, she’d forgotten the commoners huddled nearby. Now subdued, everyone watched her for an indication of what she expected from them, their gazes hopeful, their bodies trembling. She thought back to her parents’ belief in her, including how strong and comfortable in her own skin they thought she now was. Lara realized she couldn’t take these people’s confidence away before they fought the Malirrans. It really didn’t matter what she thought about her position in Kurite society. She knew her place was with Chion, Skye, and Eiren; unfortunately, others thought otherwise.
She could do this.
Standing straight and lifting her chin, she waved at Skye’s sword, hoping no one saw her hand tremble. “Allow the Lieutenant up. Chion and Hunate, please take her to the commanders. Make sure she doesn’t harm either you or any others along the way. Hunate, give a full accounting of what happened here. Chion, explain why there was a disturbance to start with.” She faced the crowd and said, “We are preparing for war and do not need a deranged paka on the loose. We must remember that our people cannot fight amongst ourselves if we are to defeat the Malirrans. Please, spread the word. I am singularly focused on the enemy, as should we all be. Kureto cannot afford to have another mob occur. I welcome any and all greetings, but let’s not have another incident like this again. I pray that the God and Goddess bless you in the coming days.”
A cheer went up. Lara watched as Hunate ordered the woman who had spoken to help Chion and him arrest Bumis and take her to their commander. The paka, whose golden eyes now appeared restrained and dejected, left with a heavy escort. The crowd dispersed soon after, though Skye kept watch, his hand on the pommel of his sword, to ensure their safety.
He murmured, “Are you certain you are not the Chosen Lady?”
At a loss, she asked through their bond, What are you talking about? Of course not. Not how they mean it anyway.
Skye placed a firm hand on the back of her neck and kissed her forehead. He leaned down a little farther and whispered into her ear. “Lara, your speech sounded rehearsed and full of dignity.”
I agree, My Lord. You, Lara, sounded as if you were meant to rule, Eiren added.
Tilting her head back to stare up at the ceiling, Lara emitted a groan, long and loud. “Shut up, the both of you. I don’t want to hear another word about fate or destiny or the God and Goddess. I know you mean well, but can we just go grab some food? I’m starving, and my stomach feels as if it’s gnawing on my organs.” A thought came to her, and she turned to Skye. “You used your second sight. How difficult was it?”
“I could not leave my battlemates to fight without me.” He shrugged with a grimace. “I merely slammed mirrors down around the immediate threat. We were lucky. Anyone outside the mirrors could have taken a bow and shot us, and it would have been too late.”
Eiren apologized, I had heard word spreading about the Chosen Lady. Much to my chagrin, I had no idea it would cause such an issue. For that, I regret not telling you sooner, Lara. I thought to give you a chance to regain your strength; instead, they ambushed you with no warning.
“It isn’t your fault. I’m just sorry you might have been injured or killed in the mob. We are lucky nothing bad happened. I remember reading about instances where mobs have killed people in the crush. Despite Bumis’s actions, we’re lucky she stopped the crowd when she did.”
Sounding preoccupied, Chion updated them through their bond, Hunate is giving his report to the commanders. My Lady, it might take some time before I can return to you. Skye, Eiren, I am charging you to ensure Solara eats.
Be careful, Lara told him.
Aloud, she said with a grin, “We’ve been given our marching orders. Let’s find some grub. Eiren, lead the way.” Lara took hold of Skye’s arm and guided him to a small cavern filled with long, wooden tables and benches. The ceiling, covered with dangling roots, released a muted, blue light, providing Skye the ability to maneuver without her help. They found an unoccupied table and tucked into the food. Hunching over her plate and cup, Lara ignored the looks and low murmur of voices around her. After stuffing themselves, Lara chatted with both Skye and Eiren while they waited for Chion. They kept the conversation light, with Lara relating amusing anecdotes of Skye’s reaction to some of the dishes they ate on Earth.