Chapter 33
"God dammit!" I came awake cursing, sat up and looked wildly around my room. I was tucked under a light coverlet and in pajamas, slathered with a thiin film of salve that smelled like balsam. When I rubbed it off, my skin felt cool and the bruises were gone. I felt okay, not sore or stiff but I was definitely hungry and I had to piss. I was pissed, I wass tired of being babied and put to bed like some idiot who didn‘t know when to quit.
The moment my feet hit the marble floor, a tingle went through me and the doors opened letting in three courtiers and soldiers. They escorted me to the bathroom under my growling protestation and wouldn‘t even let me slam the door in their faces. I finished, wiped my hands and body cleaning off the last of the goop and suffered through their dressing me. I did draw the line at wiping my own butt. The clothes they had picked out for me was a uniform like what they wore, black pant, tunic with high collar and a zipper up the side. It was stiff and had a belt off the right side from which dangled one of those power rods and a short blade or very long knife. No insignia or rank, not even silver buttons to spruce it up. My boots were soft leather, laced on the instep, calf, came up almost to my knees, and the bottom of my pants bloused into the tops.
Underwear was a kind of padded long johns. I smoothed the chest down with one hand; the material felt stiff on the outside but wore like soft silk.
Captain K said," It‘s sythica, Jadewyn, and will turn a blade, projectile or acid."
"Like Kevlar."
"Kevlar?"
"Bullet proof vest material," I explained and he knew what I was talking about from Murphy‘s description of his weapons and gear. Murph had told me that they were busy at work replicating his automatic rifle and Glock 19. I wasn‘t sure if that was such a good thing.
"Where is Murphy?"
"Training class," Kiannyn returned. He cleared his throat. "Uh, my Lord, your doctors request you remain in your room and rest. For at least two more days."
"They do? If they think I‘m going to sit here and watch the mold grow, they‘re crazy."
"It was more an order than a request," he grumbled. "And King Fetherwyn asked that you obey it."
All my American genes wanted to kick up a fuss over being ordered but my will squirmed in my stomach that I should listen to my King. I bitched some more but wound up throwing myself on the couch where I stared out the window. "What else can I do?"
"Do you play games of skill or gamble?"
"Like chess? Or do you have video games?" I perked up. I had to explain the concept but he knew what I meant and asked one of the other dudes to bring a collection of such devices to us. He showed me how they worked, and we spent the afternoon annihilating vast armies and aliens until my thumbs were sore. Some of the tactics he used were so outdated that I was surprised his army had won any engagements. Some of my own elicited frowns of disapproval and mutters of dishonor and sneakiness.
"War is hell," I quoted. "All‘s fair in war and video games. The Redcoats don‘t march into battle anymore and the guerillas hide behind trees. Can‘t shoot what you don‘t see."
His face wore a look of complete bafflement and I had to explain how Navy SEALS and Delta Team worked.
"Didn‘t Murphy tell you about SWAT?"
"Yes," he gasped. "But I thought he was joking."
"They never joke about SWAT," I commented. "It‘s a dead serious bunch of dudes when on a mission."
"Snipers."
"The best in the business. Well, except for SEAL Team 6. With them covering your back, you‘re safer than gold in Fort Knox."
A knock sounded on the door and two plain-jacketed dudes carted in a feast setting it on the table where we were gaming. Sandwiches, soup, sweet treats and bottles of ice-cold wine and sweet liquor that I had developed a particular taste for-it reminded me of Dr. Pepper and lemonade but with a kick. Not enough so you‘d notice a buzz after a few. Their beers were good for that.
I didn‘t recognize the serving dude that brought in the food; he was dark-skinned with a pointed face and rather foxlike. Not from Celene, Dursvan or Druz. He opened a bottle and poured me a glass.
Captain K stared. "What is your name?" he asked and the person dropped his head so that the amber eyes were fixed on the floor. They weren‘t still, but flicked here and about as I caught him looking at me.
"Stellath, my Lord Captain." Its voice was a thiin wheeze and made the hair on the back of my neck twitch. His shirt was a dark blue tunic and his slacks with spirals of silver down the outside of the legs. Silver buttons faced with lions heads and a stylized lions mane on his back and chest. The uniform recognized as Household staff.
"What plane are you from?" Kiannyn demanded.
"Evenmon, My Lord Captain."
"I am not your lord. How did you get here to Celene from Evenmon?"
"Through the Gate. Tarrin recruited many of us to serve in the Palace. Times are poor on Evenmon." Now his eyes rose to mine and I did not like the curious flash of triumph in them as I raised the glass to my mouth. Without thinking, I threw it in his face, leaped backwards as he shrieked. Red rivulets raced down his cheek like blood. His hands clawed at his throat, he gagged and sank to the carpeting as he wheezed for air. His face turned a purplish hue, his eyes bulged and his heels drummed the floor. White foam covered his jaw and he bit his own lips. He gasped, shivered as blood poured from his mouth and then became a silent corpse at our feet.
The other manservant remained frozen in horror at the point of Kiannyn‘s sword as he stood between us. I hadn‘t even seen him move.
"I am no part of his machinations, My Lord!" he shrieked and he was clearly of a different race.
"Don‘t eat or touch anything, Jadewyn," Kiannyn snarled and called for re-enforcements.
In minutes, my suite filled with guardsman and doctors who removed the questionable food to check for poisons. Murphy and Zip were some of the first to arrive.
"Who wants me dead?" I whispered in shock at the rapid and ugliness of the poisoning.
"I don‘t know, Jadewyn but I will find out," Kiannyn and the Grand Commander promised. "In the meantime, you will have your own food taster."
I shook my head. "No one need die for me. I can read the strings before I eat again and it will tell me if I can trust the food."
"No," he was adamant. "In this, I hold sway and you will obey me. Nor will you sleep alone. From here on, you will be protected 25/9."
"24/7."
He smiled grimly. "Not on Celene. 25/9." I grumbled, bitched and complained but I was ignored. And bored. Bored. Bored. Bored.