Amazon Chief (81 page)

* * * *

We gave the news at each village, receiving a variety of responses, most of them enthusiastic. Some immediately asked how to select their competitors.

"However you wish," Malora said. "As long as you send your very best warriors, I do not care how you select them."

At a few villages, especially the further we were from Queen's Town, there were concerns about covering patrol duties.

"I understand," Queen Malora said. "This is why we are giving you such a lengthy advance notice. You have time to hold your own tournaments and adjust your patrol roster accordingly. I know the villages somewhat closer to Queen's Town have a slight advantage in this regard, but if you plan for your competitors to remain for the entire week, the advantage should be minimal."

At each village, Nori quietly asked me, "Whom do you think they'll send?" And together we discussed it, weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each prospective competitor.

At one village, Nori said, "She's one to watch."

"Who, Haylia?"

"Yes. She's tough."

"She has a tell," I said. "She flashes her eyes to the left if she is about to feint right and attack left. She does the opposite for the other side."

"It might be intentional."

"She also never practices with staff or against a staff," I said. I smiled. "She'll last for a few rounds if she has easier opponents, but she'll be out early. Sooner if she's against someone who knows her tell. And a really good companion with a staff can probably beat her."

Several villages later, I told Nori, "Bilai. She could win it. She's good with sword and staff and has a solid defense."

"Have you ever fought her with two swords?"

"No."

"Ever seen her fight against two opponents at once?"

"No."

Nori smiled. "Her entire style assumes a single sword against her. She might be as good as I was, one on one, but she falls apart against multiple swords."

"How do you know that?"

"I asked her to help me with bandits about three years ago. She had a difficult time."

"She had a difficult time with bandits?"

"She took three cuts. There were only eight of them. We split them evenly. Mine were dead, and she was barely holding her own. I pulled one off of her and then still had to help her."

"Against bandits?"

"Your sister would have been better that day, Beria. She saw more than one sword and flailed at them, barely holding them back, and she let them surround her besides."

"Bandits?"

"Yes. Get over it. If you face her, use two swords and she'll crumble."

And so it went.

At a few villages, we were there during training. Ahead of time, Malora told me to not to fight with two swords. "I don't want to give ideas of facing someone holding more than one sword," she said. And the few times Malora lifted a weapon, it was only one. I made any bouts into training bouts and refused to accept the occasiona
l wagers I was offered. Malora had asked for that when she gave me the job in the first place, so that wasn't new.

Finally, three weeks later, we returned home. Everyone was wet and tired. We arrived in Queen's Town and Malora immediately asked Maya to set a fire in their hut, inviting all of us to talk for a while before we headed to Lake Juna.

I'd had an amazing time. So did the girls; they were the darlings everywhere we went, with some of the Amazons telling them, "You remind me of my little sister." I loved being able to spend so much time with my closest friends, and Lia and Aren were nearly inseparable.

"Do you suppose that means trouble for us?" Omie asked me one day.

"If so, I bet neither of us are going to mind all that much."

We stayed through afternoon training, then those of us from Lake Juna saddled up our horses and turned them to the north. I was sad to part from Maya, especially as I wouldn't see her again until they returned from the recruitment drive, but I knew Lia would find ways to distract me.

* * * *

When we got home, I learned the village hadn't wasted any time. Frida and Glorana had organized events to start preparing. "We're trying to see who is going with you," Frida said.

"I'm not competing," I replied.

"What?" Lia asked.

"This goes no further," I said. "Do you three understand?" They nodded. "I need to remain a mystery. Some day, someone is going to challenge Malora, and I'm going to be there in front of her. I don't want anyone to know what I can do."

"Can you do that?" Glorana asked.

"I'll be doing it," I said. "She is queen until she retires. So you two need to find our two best fighters, not just our second best."

"It's too bad they don't consider us as one," Glorana said with a grin. "But I am looking forward to this doubles competition your sister mentioned."

"You do understand she meant a swimming competition, don't you?"

"What?" Neither of them were that good in the water.

"I am from a place called Gallen's Cove. You understand what a cove is, right?" They were from a plains village that barely had water. "And as you can guess, my sister is from the same place. Years ago, she was beating Nori and Malora in the water, and she still gives me a good match."

"Water fighting?"

"Water wrestling," I said. "In water over your heads. If you want to compete, you better start practicing your swimming."

"Damn it," said Frida. "Can't you talk her into a doubles match with real weapons?"

"She won't compete," I said, "but she might be willing to host something."

We announced the change in plans at the bonfire that night. There was some dismay. "We should send our best," Yalta said. "Everyone here knows who that is, Chief Beria."

Yalta was actually pretty good.

"I wish to remain in the shadows," I said.

"Like a glykin," Lia said. Glykin were known for being timid.

"Exactly," I said. "Seriously, I wouldn't win, and I can't stand the thought of my companion learning I'm not the greatest warrior the Amazons have ever known."

There were chuckles about that.

"We should send our best," Yalta repeated.

"Maybe in a few more years," I said. "If this proves popular, maybe Queen Malora will do it again."

* * * *

And so the competition at Lake Juna changed, and while the queen was recruiting more companions for the Amazons, Lake Juna selected Aura and Malai to represent us at the tournament. I wrote a note informing Maya and delivered it via the Queen's Town patrol.

And then I put it out of my mind.

* * * *

"Maya sent word," Lia said. "She'll be back tomorrow. I need to talk to her. We're short on some supplies, and I want to negotiate with her directly for more."

"What's the real reason you're going?" I asked.

She grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"All right," I said, "but you are not to travel at night without an escort. If you won't be back by dinner, then I expect you to arrive the next morning well after sunup."

"Yes, Chief Beria."

She left in the morning after training, and when I didn't see her by dinner, I figured I wouldn't until the next day.

So I took the girls fishing. Annalise liked to sit on my lap next to the lake. Lia always laughed when she saw it, because while I held the girl, the girl chased the voices away. So not only did I have a companion my age, but I also had what I always thought I didn't want: a very young companion.

I loved both girls to pieces.

It was nearly dark when I heard someone approach from behind me. We had maybe ten more minutes of light remaining, and then it would be time to get the girls ready for bed. I would read to them for a half hour and cuddle with them both until they slept.

"Chief Beria," I heard Lia say.

I froze. She was supposed to have spent the night.

"You girls bring your lines in," I said. "Then you will wash up before greeting your mother." I hoisted Annalise from my lap then climbed to my feet and turned to my companion.

She looked exceedingly worried. She should, too.

I advanced on her. "You promised me," I said. "You promised me two things. Two things. We would never lie to each other, and you would accept my judgment on your safety."

She put her hands on my lips.

"I had an escort. But Beria, I'm sorry. It's the queen, and she's livid about something. I was with Omie and Aren, and suddenly she burst into their hut, practically foaming at the mouth. I don't know what she thinks you did, but whatever it was, it's bad."

"I'm sorry."

"No. Don't worry about that. She wants to see you alone."

"Who is with her?"

"Nori and your sister. They're in your hut." We had my hut and our hut.

"Of course."

"I'll take care of our girls." She pulled me into a hug and kissed me quickly. "Are the voices okay?"

"I had Annalise for two hours," I said. "I'm fine."

"All right. Better not keep her waiting. Remember I love you. And so does she."

I nodded then stepped past her.

Frida intercepted me. "The queen is in your hut."

"I know. If this goes on more than twenty minutes, send someone very brave with refreshments. It'll be fine."

I headed to the hut, knocking before opening the door. They'd lit the lamps, and Malora was sitting with Maya standing behind her, pressed tightly against her, and I knew the voices must be bad. As soon as they saw me, Malora stood up.

"Get. Over. Here." She said.

"Queen Malora-"

"I said, Get. Over. Here." She pointed to the floor in front of her.

I crossed the room and stopped in front of her, trying to look small.

"Whatever I did-"

"Shut. Up."

Then she held out her hand, and Nori set a piece of paper in it. "What the hell is this?" She waved it at me so quickly I had no idea.

"Queen Malora, I have no idea."

"Aura and Malai? Lake Juna is sending Aura and Malai? Did the goddess herself descend from the heavens and grant both of them with divine powers? If not, then they couldn't beat you together, much less separately. And Yalta is better than Malai."

"Queen Malora-"

"Shut up!" she said. "When I am done berating you, you may speak."

"Malora," said Nori. "Maybe it will be more fun if you let her offer an explanation first."

"I am not interested in fun," Malora said. "I am still working on expressing my displeasure. I have had two hours to get worked up, and I will express it!"

"Yes, Queen Malora," Nori said.

She turned her attention back to me. "And so, I am wondering what happened. Did you eat something that disagreed with you the day you held your tournament here? Did the goddess that gave Aura and Malai their abilities also stun you or cast upon you a spell of weakness? I thought perhaps she might have blinded you, but if you can't beat those two while blindfolded, then I am no judge of a fighter."

She growled at me. She actually growled at me. Then she waved the paper at me. "This is an insult to me," she said. "Why isn't Badra's name on here? Why is Malai on here instead of at least Yalta?"

I opened my mouth to answer, then shut it.

"Oh no," she said. "I want answers to those questions."

"Badra declined to compete," I said. "The companions also declined to compete. They did not outright tell me this, but I believe they didn't feel it would be good if a companion beat a warrior. I am not sure whether I agree with their decision, but I also did not have opportunity to ask whether companions were allowed to compete, and so I did not overrule their decision."

"Ree's name is not here."

"Ree has slowed down," I said.
"While she could probably have beaten Aura and Malai, she does not wish to compete in a week-long tournament."

"And Astarine?"

"She blatantly threw her competitions. Even my companion knew she was doing it. When I pressed her on it privately, she asked me to leave it alone. I honored her privacy. She is on patrol, so we may not summon her for a more thorough explanation, but I can send her to Queen's Town when she returns if you wish to ask her yourself. I would ask you to leave her be."

Malora raised an eyebrow.

"With all respect, Queen Malora. She has in the past stated she wishes to confine her violence to demons. It may be that she is bitter for having been forced to leave Two Bends, but she has asked me to leave those questions alone, too. But she makes no trouble for me and does anything I ask. She is quiet and not popular, but she takes far more than her share of the patrol duties, and she is very efficient when she does it. She is kind to the companions and respectful of everyone else. Maybe she'll open to someone else, but if she asks for privacy, I hope you will honor her request."