Amazon Chief (23 page)

"Which is why you're staying here, where it's safe!"

"The enemy wants to kill Queen Malora," Maya said, "and if I don't go back, she will probably succeed. And the first thing she is going to do, after wiping her sword off on the body of the woman I love, is look around and asked, 'where are Maya and Beria'? And a week later, she is going to show up here with an arm
y of Amazons. And she will raze Gallen's Cove to the ground looking for us. I will not let that happen!"

"So you're going to go back and make it easy for her?"

"No, I am going to go back and make sure Queen Malora plants her in the ground."

"From what I understand," Mama said, "You aren't a warrior. You will never be a warrior. What can you do?"

"I can still the voices that eat at her soul and sap her strength," Maya said.

They argued about it for a while. Finally Maya said, "I am going, and you cannot stop me. So I hope instead you will hug me and kiss me and maybe give me a little jam to take back with me."

Father grew quiet. Mama tried pleading, but finally she changed her attack. "Fine. If that's what you're going to do, you're right. I can't stop you. And of course, we'll hug you and kiss you goodbye. And of course, we'll send anything with you that you need. But your sister stays here."

That was when it grew loud. And that was when Maya's emotions got in the way.

I let them scream at each other for a while, but then I waited for a lull and said simply, "I am going. I am safer if I am with my warrior, Nori and Maya. But if I have to go alone, I will go alone. You cannot watch me forever."

Father tried the line, "You will do what you are told."

Mama tried yelling me into submission.

I let them both yell and just repeated what I had said. "Omie needs me, and I am someday going to be a very good Amazon. I hope you can be proud of me."

And that was the end of the argument. Mama cried, of course she did, but then she dried her tears and asked what she could send with us.

That was when Nori stepped forward. "Medicine for Beria's back."

"I have some," Mama said. "But can't she wait until she is healed?"

"No, Mama," I said. "Thank you for helping me, but now I want to be with my warrior. She needs me, and I need her, too."

"Renee, the jam was really good, but the jars are glass."

"If I pack some very carefully," Mama said, "will they survive the trip?"

"Maybe a jar or two," Nori said.

"And some of the honey, too," Mama said.

"When are you leaving?" father asked quietly.

"Today," Maya said after a single glance at me. "We're needed."

"Dannick," said Father, "they need more hooks, I'm sure. You know the size Maya prefers. And line."

"Food for the trip," Mama said. "And I know you need more clothing." She began puttering around the kitchen, trying to pull food together for us. Maya looked at me then at Mama.

I got up, caressing Omie, and then crossed the room to my mother. She was crying. I pulled her into my arms.

"I love you, Mama," I said. "A little of the bread, if there is more, and two jars of the jam."

"And honey," she said.

From behind me, I heard Father tell Nathano and Chandor to go with Nori and help pack up their camp.

"How long, Nori?" Maya asked.

"Twenty minutes," she said.

Mama heard every word, but she didn't say anything. She held me, and then Maya was there, and we pulled her into a hug, too.

Mama cried for a few minutes, then she pushed away. "I need to pack your things," she said. She pulled out three of the jars of jam, but Maya put one back.

"We're going to be riding hard, Mama."

So Mama carefully wrapped two of the jars. Maya retrieved our saddlebags, and we packed carefully, adding a jar of the honey
. Mama wrapped a loaf of the bread, then tried to find other things to send with us. Maya put her hands on Mama's.

"Do you need money?" Father asked. "Tell us what else you need."

"Father," Maya said, "No. We'll be fine. You work so hard, and you send so much now."

"It's not all from just us," he said. "Everyone chips in a little."

Mama finished packing, then suddenly she turned away from us and stomped over to Omie. She reached out and pulled my warrior to her feet. "You protect my daughter!"

"I will, Renee," Omie said. "We thought we were keeping them safe."

"You were wrong."

"Yes, we were wrong."

"It's not her fault, Mama," I said.

"Stay out of this, Beria. This is between Omie and me." She looked back at Omie, then slowly relaxed her grip. "I must be a fool to lay hands on an Amazon warrior, even one so small as you."

"We both want the same thing, Renee," Omie said. "We want Beria safe. And happy."

"Wait right here," she said, and she spun around. I heard her go upstairs, and she returned a moment later, pressing two jars into Omie's hands. "These go on her wounds," she said. "And you must keep them clean. You need to be strong enough to clean them, Omie."

"I will, Renee."

"Is your queen a good woman?"

"The best of women," Omie said. "We all love her."

Mama studied Omie, then nodded.

She turned back to Maya and me. "I expect letters."

"We'll send them as often as we can," Maya agreed.

"You will send one the day after this is over," she said.

"Yes, Mama," Maya said. "I'll ride out to the plains villages myself if I must."

Dannick returned carrying a small package. "Father, it's all the small hooks we have, and most of the lighter line Maya asked for last time." He thrust it into Maya's hands, and she added it to our pack. And then there was no reason to delay any further.

"Thank you, Dannick," Maya told him.

"It's just fishing hooks and line," he said.

"She's not thanking you for that," I said. "Don't be such a boy. Thank you for looking out for me, but I'm all grown up now. Come kiss me goodbye. We'll try to get back next year."

Dannick turned to me and held me gingerly. We exchanged quick kisses, and I hugged him far more tightly than it was safe to hold me.

"Wow, Beria," he said. "When did you get so strong?"

"Come visit us sometime and we'll show you how that happened," I said, letting him go. I grinned at him. "You're a good brother."

"You're a good sister," he agreed. "A lot better than the other one."

"Hey!" said Maya.

I hugged Father next, and then I found myself in Mama's arms. "You let them take care of you for a while," she whispered.

"I think I will, Mama."

"And no more kissing. You're not old enough."

"We both know I'm old enough for kissing, Mama," I said. "And that will be enough for a while."

I pushed away. "Thank you for taking care of me, Mama," I told her. "And thank you for understanding."

She nodded, but it was sad. And a moment later, we were out the door.

We got outside, and Omie said, "I guess we walk."

"Yes," Maya said. "The stable is two blocks that way." She pointed. She set out, our bags thrown over her shoulder. I grabbed Omie's hand, and then I hurried to catch up to my sister, taking her hand in mine.

We got a half block and I said, "I'll wait for more, but there is going to be more kissing. Do I make myself clear?"

"We'll talk about it later," Omie said. "When you're sixteen."

"Omie," I said, "Much of life is uncertain, but one thing we know. I will not be your companion forever. And I intend to live life to the fullest."

"Right," she said. "And you'll be sixteen in only a few more months."

I glanced at Maya, and she said simply, "Go slow."

"We'll see," I said. "We'll see."

I turned sixteen. The entire village spent the entire day giving me a hard time. I knew it was coming, as I'd seen the way they had treated both Neela and Aura for their sixteenth birthdays. I put up with it good-naturedly. I knew it was meant in an odd form of kindness. And that night, Malora gave a beautiful speech, and one by one, everyone in the village stood up and said nice things about me. Then they went around a second time, offering advice for the new adult. Some of it was pretty raucous, which I think made Maya upset, but I thought it was funny.

And by the entire village, I meant everyone. The villages to the north and south of us took our patrol for us so everyone could attend.

I'd gotten my way with the kisses. Of course I had. There were kisses, and there were touches. And Omie looked at me like Malora looked at Maya. But there wasn't more than that, and I wasn't ready for more, either. But the kisses were nice, and knowing she loved me was nice, too.

When we arrived in the hut after the bonfire, Omie was nervous. I was sixteen now, and she couldn't use that as an excuse anymore. I couldn't tell if she was excited with anticipation, or if she was just nervous.

So I took her hands. "I'm sixteen now," I said.

"Yes."

"I don't feel any different."

"Maybe Maya was right when she said you were born shortly before midnight, and you'll feel differently right at the stroke of midnight."

I smiled.

"I'm not ready for more. I hope that's okay, Omie."

The look of relief she gave me told me quite a lot.

"You're relieved?"

"Actually? Benala and I rushed it. I think that was a mistake. Well, I rushed it, and she let me."

"So it's not that you don't want me?"

"No, Beria, it's not."

"Good." And so I helped her undress and I put her things away, and then my own. We climbed into bed together. She kissed me, long, slow and soft, and I almost changed my mind, but instead I asked her to hold me, and maybe rub my back.

"Did you want some of the ointment?"

My back had healed, but it was scarred, and sometimes the scars grew tight.

"Hold me," I asked again. "I like when you hold me."

"I like holding you," she said. "Beria, thank you for being my companion. I don't know what I'd have done without you."

"It's been getting better," I observed as she wrapped me in her arms. "You're easier to soothe the last month or two."

She giggled.

"No, you're just better at it."

It was the kissing, and the more intimate touching we did, and we both knew it.

"Beria," she said, "Don't take this the wrong way, but sometimes I wish you weren't any better of a warrior than your sister."

"So I'd be your companion forever?"

"It's not fair to you, but if it takes ten more years for you to become a warrior, it's still a lifetime too soon."

I clasped her hands.

"Do all warriors feel that way?"

"Not all," she said. "And the day you become a warrior is a source of pride for me. The day I declare you ready is, too. But it's bittersweet. I'd protect you from that."

"But it is the Amazon way," I said. "And unless my sister figures out a way to chase the demons to their own home, it will remain the Amazon way."

"Maybe it'll be you to figure that out," Omie replied.

"Well, right now, there's something much closer I'm trying to figure out."

"What's that?"

"How to beat Bea wrestling."

Omie chuckled. "I have more moves to teach you, but she has three years on you."

"She'll be a warrior soon. Will she leave Queen's Town? It'll break Maya's heart."

"Maya tends to get her way around here. Perhaps you haven't noticed. I don't think Bea is going anywhere."

We talked quietly for a while, slowly drifting off.

I was amazingly happy.

* * * *

I still hadn't seen my first demon, although I now accompanied Omie on all her patrols. That was to change, three weeks after my sixteenth birthday.

The trip started like any other. Omie, Ping and Clara, along with Bea and me, left Queen's Town early in the morning. We would meet with the patrol that Balorie was leading, and Balorie would immediately turn around and become the lead for this patrol. I didn't understand how she could ride so many patrols, but it was her job to make the roster, and Malora let her do it, so it must be okay.

I was on my own horse, my sword hanging along the side of the horse, tied to the saddle, my unstrung bow hanging on the other side and a small quiver of arrows across my back. It had been warm, but we were well covered as protection from the trees and occasional biting insects. I was last in line, immediately behind Bea, with Omie in front of her. On the left, Bea pointed to a large spider's web, a fat spider sitting in the middle of it. She turned and grinned at me. I quietly drew my sword from its scabbard and then quickly wrapped the web around the tip of the sword, capturing, at least for a moment, a very surprised and, presumably, annoyed arachnid. Bea grinned even wider as I passed around her on the trail then carefully deposited the spider on the back of Omie's horse before falling behind Bea again.