Felitïa.

A jolt of pain.

Felitïa.

Another jolt. Eight all together one after another. Not as bad this time.

At least, she didn’t think it was as bad. But everything was pain now.

Felitïa.

There was a cacophony of emotions around her, but most of them were hers. Some concern and worry for her, though. Those were from others. One or two others. One? No, two. Two others.

Wait, three? Four?

The third and fourth were faint presences. Lon and Nesh. They were confused, and a bit panicked. They were still in the tattered remains of her cloak. No. One had gotten under her clothes. She could feel his feet on her back, crawling round to her stomach. The other was crawling along her leg. They did that sometimes.

Odd how their presences could help her forget everything else for a moment.

She opened her eyes.

It took a moment for her vision to clear, but she soon saw she was on the top of the Grand Temple pyramid, just outside the entrance doors. She was propped up against the jaguar statue. Nin-Akna sat beside her, holding her right hand and tying a splint into place on her index finger. The other fingers on her hand were already splinted, and all tied against each other. Her left hand was similarly splinted.

“I’m surprised they let you do that.”

Nin-Akna smiled at her. “I’m glad you’re awake.”

“Me too,” Rudiger said. He was sitting on the other side of Nin-Akna. “They’re probably going to kill us soon, though.”

“I’m surprised they haven’t killed us already,” Nin-Akna said. She finished splinting the finger and let go of Felitïa’s hand.

“Same reason I was blamed for the death of the Queen’s cousin and the jailer,” Felitïa said. “They want scapegoats. They intend to kill more people, and they need us alive to pin the blame on.”

She wanted to bend her fingers. It was a silly thought, but she really wanted it. The splints held them firm though. Even if the splints weren’t there, she doubted she would have been able to move them. Looking at them now, they were puffy and swollen.

She looked from her hands to Nin-Akna. “What’s my prognosis?”

“I’m not an expert,” Nin-Akna said, “but the breaks don’t seem bad. I’ve had a couple broken fingers before. Never more than one at once, but they don’t seem any worse than mine were. They took a little over a month to heal. You might want to get them checked by somebody who knows more than me though. If we survive, that is. Why do this to you?”

“Fra-Ichtaca knows I use my fingers as a significant part of my spellcasting,” Felitïa said. But how did she know? “I really need to develop some alternative methods.”

“Thoughts for another time, I suppose.” Nin-Akna offered another smile.

Felitïa looked around her. Fra-Ichtaca and six Queen’s Guards stood by the top of the stairs. The priest and three of the Queen’s Guards were looking out over the edge. The other three were facing towards Felitïa, Rudiger, and Nin-Akna. Two more Queen’s Guards stood at the entrance to the Temple.

“How many Queen’s Guards are there in total?” Felitïa asked Nin-Akna.

“About two dozen at the moment, I think. Active members, that is. Probably a dozen or so older inactive members. The number can vary a bit, though. It can be a dangerous profession. Why?”

“I’m just trying to keep track of everyone. If we’re going to get out of here, we need to pay attention to who still stands between us.”

“Got any ideas?” Rudiger asked.

Felitïa shook her head. “Not really. But if I don’t focus on getting out of here, I think I’ll just curl up into a ball and cry. I’m fighting the urge to do that right now.”

“Yeah, know what you mean,” Rudiger said.

Three more Queen’s Guards appeared coming up the pyramid stairs, Ses-Zeltzin one of them and carrying the lead of the jaguar beside her. Behind them was Queen Nin-Xoco, and behind her, three more Queen’s Guards.

“We have the so-called Will-Breaker and her associates, Holiness,” Fra-Ichtaca said.

“Here?” the Queen said.

“Do not worry, Holiness. They cannot harm you. Unfortunately, they killed Fra-Atl.”

The Queen lowered her head. “No.”

“It seems we were wrong. Fra-Atl was not helping them. She was their prisoner.”

“I always knew she could not be guilty of such crimes.”

“I apologise, Holiness,” Fra-Ichtaca said. “This was my error of judgement. I will, of course, accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate.”

The Queen shook her head. “No. You did your best. It is that outsider’s fault. Show me her.”

“Are you sure, Holiness?”

“Show me!”

“Over here, Holiness.”

Fra-Ichtaca led the Queen and her guards to Felitïa and the others. The Queen’s Guards remained in a circle around her, but she pushed past them to the front. Ses-Zeltzin held up a hand to caution her, but she shook her head.

“No, I must see them up close.”

Ses-Zeltzin nodded and stood beside the Queen. The jaguar growled.

The Queen’s eyes looked down at Felitïa, then Nin-Akna. They came to a stop at Rudiger. Her mouth quivered. “No.”

“I am sorry, Holiness,” Fra-Ichtaca said, “but it’s true. He is in league with the woman. They are lovers apparently.”

Tears trickled down the Queen’s face. “You betrayed me?”

Rudiger shook his head. “I never betrayed you, Xoco. We haven’t done the things they say. Fra-Ichtaca and Ses-Zeltzin are Darkers. I tried to warn you about them. They—”

The Queen spat at him. “I gave you the right to address me in that way. I called you my brother, and you make a mockery of it! Zeltzin!”

“Yes, Holiness?”

“I don’t want my horse anymore. Kill it.”

Ses-Zeltzin smiled. “It will be done as soon as the crisis is over, Holiness.”

“No!” Rudiger cried. “Xoco, you must believe me.”

“Make him shut up,” the Queen said.

Ses-Zeltzin stepped forward and kicked Rudiger in the stomach. “Not so big now, are you?”

Rudiger groaned, but kept his mouth shut.

“And one of my Youth Guard,” the Queen said. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Holiness, I still serve you devotedly,” Nin-Akna replied.

“The other two were seen assisting the attack on the Palace,” Ses-Zeltzin said.

“That is what you call devoted?”

“If I might intercede, Holiness,” Fra-Ichtaca said. The Queen nodded and the priest continued, “We have reason to believe the Youth Guard may be under some form of magical control. As Ses-Xipil said of Ses-Tlacotl, the woman outsider has strong magical powers. I believe it is called mentalism, but I’m not the expert. You will have to ask Ses-Xipil for specifics. However, we believe she has been mind controlling the Youth Guard. Free of her influence, they will be devoted to you again.”

The Queen’s eyes widened and she turned to face Fra-Ichtaca. “Could she be mind controlling Rudiger, too?”

“It is possible, Holiness, but we have evidence suggesting they have been in association for many years. If she is controlling him, it has been for so long now there is no freeing him from it. The Youth Guard are more recent and might still be recovered.”

The Queen’s face fell and she turned back to face Felitïa. “I want her to die.”

Fra-Ichtaca nodded. “It will happen, Holiness. However, it should be a public execution. The people need to see that the instigator of the troubles has been caught and dealt with. Otherwise, her followers can continue to claim she lives and use her name as a way to generate fear.”

“I don’t care about that. I want her dead now. Kill her, Zeltzin.”

Ses-Zeltzin handed the jaguar’s lead to one of the other Queen’s Guards, then clutched her spear in both hands. “If you command me, Holiness, I will obey, but I believe you should listen to her Reverence on this.”

“I have already listened, and I have decided.”

“So be it, Holiness,” Fra-Ichtaca said. “Kill her, Ses-Zeltzin.”

Ses-Zeltzin raised her spear and rammed it through the Queen’s stomach. The jaguar growled.

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“No!” Nin-Akna and Rudiger screamed.

Ses-Zeltzin withdrew the spear and Nin-Xoco dropped to the ground, coughing up blood. Rudiger scrambled over to her, tried to place pressure over the bleeding wound in her chest. “Oh gods no, please no.” But the Queen was already still and unmoving.

Ses-Zeltzin dropped the spear at Nin-Akna’s feet.

“I am appalled, Ses-Zeltzin,” Fra-Ichtaca said, a smile on her face. “How could you let that man get hold of a spear so close to the Queen?”

“You had a vow!” Nin-Akna yelled. “You were sworn to protect her! All of you! How could you just stand there?”

“She’s a Darker, Nin-Akna,” Rudiger said. He laid Nin-Xoco’s head in his lap, stroked her hair with his blood-soaked hands. “I told you that. The others probably are, too.”

“The vow is not to the Queen,” Fra-Ichtaca said. “It is to the throne. If the person on the throne is a threat to Ninifin, then that person must be removed.”

“How was she a threat?” Nin-Akna jumped to her feet, but two of the Queen’s Guards pushed her back down again.

There was a lot of anger emanating around.

“She was an ineffective leader,” Fra-Ichtaca said. “She would have ruined Ninifin.”

That there was anger didn’t surprise Felitïa. The source of some of it did, however. There was also confusion and uncertainty. Although they were staying out of it, not all the Queen’s Guards were comfortable with what had happened.

“It was too soon,” Ses-Zeltzin hissed.

Fra-Ichtaca shrugged. “She gave us no other choice. She was ever so flighty.”

“She just led you to think that, you stupid—” Rudiger began, but the Queen’s Guard now holding the jaguar’s lead kicked him in the face.

Ses-Zeltzin pointed at Felitïa. “We could have just killed her.”

“And then what would we do?” Fra-Ichtaca said. “We cannot present the people with the head of a mass murderer if she dies before the people she’s supposed to have killed.” Anger was rising in Fra-Ichtaca now, too.

“We could find someone else. Any of her associates or followers would do.”

“No, it must be her.”

“Why?”

“Do not question me!” Fra-Ichtaca snapped.

Ses-Zeltzin snapped to attention.

Was there a way to set these two against each other?

“What about the attack on the Palace, Reverence?” Ses-Zeltzin asked.

“The rebels have scored only a minor victory. Ses-Xipil should be in position soon. She will take care of them.”

Felitïa.

It was that presence again. She’d felt it a short while ago, too. Just before she woke up, but she’d forgotten, distracted by everything else.

Felitïa.

It seemed distant, hard to make out. She needed to find out what it was.

Felitïa.

But she couldn’t do that here. She had to get the three of them away before Fra-Ichtaca gave in and killed them.

Felitïa.

Two of the Queen’s Guards picked up Nin-Xoco’s body and moved her to the blood-stained stone. There was a gruesome irony to that. Felitïa was fairly certain that was the stone where sacrifices took place. The guards placed the spear that had killed her beside her.

Fra-Ichtaca and Ses-Zeltzin moved farther away, but were still...discussing, Felitïa supposed the correct word was. She strained to listen.

“They were well armed,” Ses-Zeltzin said.

“They clearly have resources,” Fra-Ichtaca said.

“Yes, and where are they getting them?”

“They must have had help. It was probably Fra-Atl.”

“She didn’t have the money for something like this,” Ses-Zeltzin said.

Felitïa leaned closer to Nin-Akna. “Can I ask a favour?” she whispered.

Nin-Akna nodded.

“This might get a bit embarrassing. One of my rats is sitting on my stomach right now. See the little bulge? I can’t use my hands. Can you get him? He won’t want you to pick him up, so he’ll try to get away.”

“I’ll try.”

“Just try not to let the guards see.”

Nin-Akna sidled closer to Felitïa so that their sides were touching. She lifted Felitïa’s tunic and blouse and slid one hand along her belly. The rat scurried off.

“Up by my right shoulder now. The other’s on my thigh. I just need one.” She hoped he didn’t aggravate her wound.

Nin-Akna changed positions and reached across Felitïa’s chest.

“What are you doing?” one of the guards asked.

Fra-Ichtaca and Ses-Zeltzin stopped their conversation, turned, and looked back.

“Her shoulder was injured earlier,” Nin-Akna replied. “I’m checking the bandages.”

“All right, but be quick about it,” the guard said.

Fra-Ichtaca and Ses-Zeltzin returned to their conversation.

Nin-Akna shifted positions again and this time came at the rat with both hands, one from each direction. The movement of the rat and Nin-Akna’s hands was rather ticklish, and Felitïa held back a giggle. It was nice to feel something other than pain, though.

Nin-Akna sat back, having successfully retrieved Lon, who squeaked in annoyance.

“What was that?” the guard said.

“Just a rat,” Felitïa said.

“I’ve never seen a rat up here before,” the guard said.

“Rats get everywhere,” Nin-Akna said.

The guard shrugged.

“What now?” Nin-Akna whispered.

“Just hold on to him for a moment,” Felitïa said.

Fra-Ichtaca came back over to them. Ses-Zeltzin followed at a short distance. “The revolutionaries attacking the Palace,” the priest said, “where did they get their supplies?”

“How should we know?” Felitïa said.

“I think you do. However, you don’t need to tell me. I have a strong idea already. You.” She indicated Rudiger. “Isn’t it an interesting coincidence that Fra-Tepeu should happen to send you to the Palace? That your lover is one of the lead revolutionaries? And that she happened to stop at Fra-Mecatl’s on the way to the Palace to pick you up?”

“Quite the coincidence, yeah,” Rudiger said.

“Ses-Zeltzin,” Fra-Ichtaca said, “please take a contingent of your most trusted warriors to Fra-Mecatl’s ranch. Kill everyone there.”

“No,” Rudiger growled.

Ses-Zeltzin bowed. “As you wish, Reverence. What of Fra-Tepeu’s horses? I hear he used to be some sort of prize winner because of them. Shall I claim them for you?”

“I have no interest in horses. Slaughter them. We’ll serve them in the feast when this rebellion is quelled.”

Rudiger lunged forward, but two Queen’s Guards were on him in a moment, pushing him back until he was against the statue again.

“Keep him under control!” Fra-Ichtaca snapped.

The guards tied Rudiger’s hands behind his back, then tied his legs together.

Ses-Zeltzin motioned to several of the guards and they started down the steps.

Four left. Plus Fra-Ichtaca and the jaguar. Those were slightly better odds.

Fra-Ichtaca walked over to the Temple entrance. “Watch them carefully.” She pointed to Felitïa. “Especially her.” One of the guards opened the door for her and she went inside.

Even better odds.

She needed to wait a bit longer though, give Ses-Zeltzin more than enough time to reach the bottom and be gone before she tried anything.

“I’m going to create a distraction in a few minutes,” Felitïa whispered to Nin-Akna. “When it happens, can you get to the spear by the Queen’s body?”

“Of course,” Nin-Akna said.

“I really wish Rudiger hadn’t been bound. Get the spear, then free Rudiger. Do you know what they did with his sword?”

She shook her head. “I was unconscious at the time. Though he might. I’ll ask.” She leaned over to Rudiger, then returned to Felitïa a few moments later. “He says he thinks it’s inside, in the room with the sacrificial knives, where those two priests were when we first went in.”

“Okay, we’ll need to get there then,” Felitïa said.

She let several minutes pass. Then she let several more pass just to be sure.

“Place Lon on my lap and hold him there,” Felitïa whispered to Nin-Akna.

When Lon was in position, she held her hand over him and stroked him with her thumb. Elderaan had used rats with the very first magic he had ever taught her. She had practised her earliest spells on the rats in the shop, many of them previous Lons. Simple calming spells at first, that she often overdid and ended up putting them to sleep. Minor spells to influence their actions, convince them to go one way instead of another, once even to roll over. She hadn’t done anything like this in a long time.

This could get Lon killed. She knew that. She hoped it didn’t happen, but if she didn’t try something, they would all die anyway.

She stroked the rat a few more times, whispered some loving words to him, and then muttered the incantation of the spell. Then she jabbed her thumb into the back of his neck. Lon squealed and took off. She jerked her head and Lon changed directions.

“What the hell?” the nearest guard said.

“It’s that rat again.” Felitïa jerked her head again and sent Lon running around the guard’s feet. “There he is!”

The guard stepped back, lifted her foot and brought it down. A jerk of Felitïa’s head sent Lon out of the way just before the foot squashed him. She turned Lon back to run round the guard’s feet again.

The other three turned to see what was happening. A couple of them laughed as the first tried to stomp her foot on Lon. The jaguar looked up from where it had lain down, growled in annoyance, then put its head back down again.

Nin-Akna leapt to her feet and dashed for the sacrificial stone.

Felitïa half-closed her eyes, tilted her head and put the jaguar to sleep. Then she did the same to the guard trying to squash Lon. The guard slumped against the statue and slid to the ground while Lon darted out of the way.

Felitïa smiled. She wasn’t entirely reliant on her hands.

Nin-Akna dived for the spear and grabbed it. She rolled out of the way as one of the other guards thrust her spear at her.

There was a thud to Felitïa’s left as one of the other guards fell to the ground. Rudiger had somehow rolled around to trip her. Felitïa put her to sleep before she could get back up.

The fourth guard yanked on the jaguar’s lead. “Come on, you stupid cat.” When the jaguar didn’t respond, she jabbed her spear down at Rudiger. He tried to roll, but the spear caught the side of his armour. It tore through the links of his chain but didn’t appear to hit any flesh. Felitïa put that guard to sleep as well.

Nin-Akna and the remaining guard were circling around the sacrificial stone and the Queen’s body, each just out of reach of the other. The distance was a bit too much to get a good flow of energy on the sleep spell.

The guard jabbed forward, but Nin-Akna stepped back. Then Nin-Akna came in high, and the guard blocked.

Felitïa looked about, found Lon, and jerked her head towards the guard. Lon dashed under the guards feet.

“Damn rat!” the guard yelled, glancing down. Nin-Akna thrust her spear through the guard’s neck. The guard fell on top of Lon.

Nin-Akna circled round the stone and ran her spear through the first of the sleeping guards, and then the second.

Felitïa grimaced.

“They betrayed their vow,” Nin-Akna said. “Plus, like you said, we need to be sure where our enemies are at any time. This gets rid of a few.” She ran her spear through the last sleeping guard. Then she bent down to untie Rudiger.

There was a squeal from near the stone. Felitïa looked over to see Lon squeezing out from under the guard’s body. He was covered in blood—the guard’s—but seemed otherwise fine. With a jerk of her head, she brought him back to her and guided him under her clothes again. Then she released the spell. Nesh scurried over to him, and the two rats circled on her stomach, both squealing at her in protest.

“Help me up,” Felitïa said to the others. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”