Mysterious Warriors: Alone (6 page)

~ Chapter 13 ~

              Kitnan turned her moss green eyes on the others as she looked between them. “So thou knoweth Black Hood hath a hist'ry attach'd to us.”

              Sacrifice and Cabaya nodded.

              “We were buccaneers back in the day.” Galdut explained. “Black Hood was our enemy on the seas.”

              “Why does she hate you so much?” Cabaya looked at Kitnan.

              “I puteth h'r broth'r, Brutis, in a coma.” Kitnan explained. “I lost mine fork to him that battleth.”

              “Fork?” Cabaya frowned.

              “That’s what she calls her leg.” Sacrifice stood and moved to sit beside Galdut.

              Cabaya wondered if he needed the companionship of the other man in the room. She turned her attention back to Kitnan. “Oh. How did you lose your leg?”

              “'Twas o'er thirty years ago on a dark stormy night.” Kitnan spoke like a playwright.

              Over thirty years ago? Kitnan looked to be only a few years older than Cabaya. How was it possible they were sailing over thirty years before?

              “I was lookout, standing in the crow’s nesteth, when I notic'd anoth'r vessel coming but soft toward us. I blew the h'rn f’r ‘attention thither is an attacketh.’ All the others rac'd around, gathering sword, knife, and bow.”

              Cabaya noticed Sarasa shake her head and Galdut roll his eyes. How many times had they heard this tale? She was fascinated by Kitnan’s words. She wondered what it would be like to sail on a ship, wind whipping her hair, the smell of salt and seaweed invading her senses. Who had these Mysterious Warriors been in their previous life?

              “Then chaos erupted.” Kitnan’s voice rose. “The oth'r crew jump'd onto our ship, weteth and smelly; their weapons pois'd and deadly. 'Twas the infamous Captain Brutis and his crew.”

              “Captain Brutis?”

              “Thou knoweth, the atomy pirate?” Kitnan turned to Sacrifice. “Captain Brutis was a fearsome pirate who roam'd the flote. He was atomy, but whence he lack'd height, he gain'd cruelty. He beateth his crews, leaving sev'ral scarr'd f'r life. Most of his crew stay'd with him all the timeth, too disturb'd to function on anoth'r vessel. They wast ravenous dogs, and their biteth couldst infect anyone.”

              “Their bite?” Cabaya frowned. Whatever magic Black Hood embodied, at least she wasn’t into biting people.

              Kitnan nodded. “Poisonous. They w're false teeth, since Brutis beateth the real ones out.”

              “So what happened when they attacked?” Sacrifice demanded.

              “I swung down, seeing the fighting on deck. I wasn’t about to leteth them taketh us.” Kitnan grabbed her knife and smacked it point down into the table. She rose slowly. “I pull'd mine blade free and attack'd four men betimes, gutting each of them in turneth.” She pulled the knife free and slashed an invisible enemy. “The oth'rs wast defeating their attack'rs. Then Brutis fac'd me. He charged; his headeth at mine waist. I spun, kicking him with mine right fork. He fell backeth, but not 'ere he bit me. I was able to throweth him o'erboard, but it be too late.” Kitnan sat back down, small tears forming at the sides of her eyes. “Mine fork was infect'd from his poison. If I didn’t loseth it, I wouldst die.”

              “That’s terrible!” Cabaya couldn’t imagine having to make that choice.

              “Black Hood sav'd h'r broth'r’s life, but he remains in a coma. He may yet returneth to t'rr'rize Erde’s flotes once again. That’s wherefore she hates me.”

              “We were all there during the battle.” Galdut stated. “She will never forgive our crew for defending ourselves.”

              “She’s powerful and dangerous.” Sarasa nodded. “She’s ruthless, and she does whatever it takes to get what she wants.”

              “Especially when 'tis someone she despises.” Kitnan grinned. “But I feareth that while h'r revenge brought h'r hither, she will not stopeth until she gets something far ranker than mine life.”

              “Like what?” Sacrifice asked.

              “She already tri'd to kidnap Princess Tara.” Kitnan glanced around to the others. “I thinketh she hath h'r goals seteth high'r than Low'r City.”

~ Chapter 14 ~

              Tara looked out the window as she set her book on her lap. The rain was steady, dripping down the glass.

              “Do you want a fire?” Monika walked into her room and set some wood down beside the fireplace. “I can start it.”

              “Isn’t it beautiful?” Tara stated.

              “Excuse me?” Monika looked up.

              “The rain. I love curling up in my window seat with a good book and listening to the rain. When I look outside, I can’t help but think about the beauty of it all.”

              “I love the rain too.” Monika placed wood in the fireplace. “I prefer it. I’ve always enjoyed water.”

              Tara looked at her friend. “How do you know Roanna?”

              “She’s a distant cousin.”

              “Have you always lived in Junipero?”

              “No.” Monika moved from the fireplace, and Tara gestured for the maid to join her.

              “Where else have you lived?” Tara leaned against the cushioned wall of the window seat.

              “Southside and a few places in Ada’s Circle.” Monika sat on the opposite end of the cushioned seat. “I enjoy the mountains of Junipero.”

              “I loved Whitehaven.” Tara sighed. “I’m a little jealous my sister lives there.”

              “Would you have preferred to marry a Naxison prince?”

              Tara thought of Gary and Rodger and shook her head. “Gary truly loves my sister, and I hate Rodger. He’s the embodiment of malevolence.”

              “What did he do that makes you hate him so much?”

              “He murdered a hero and friend of mine, Janie Creaton.” Tara pulled her legs toward her as she looked out at the rain. “Janie was good, honest, and true. She was the definition of integrity, and she used her magic to help others. Rodger thought Janie did something bad in her past, which is completely untrue, so he murdered her.”

              “I’ve lost close friends too.” Monika whispered.

              Tara looked at her maid. “What happened?”

              “They were murdered, hunted down, blown up.” Monika closed her eyes. “I lost the love of my life because of an evil man.”

              “He killed the man you loved?”

              “Worse.” Monika’s dark brown eyes fixed on the princess, but she didn’t continue.

              “My sister, her husband, my niece, and our friends are coming to Junipero soon.” Tara changed the subject to something less depressing. “I can’t wait for you to meet them.”

              “What are they like?”

              “Rachel and Gary are very much in love, and they are equals in their marriage. They’re kind and loving, and my niece is adorable. She’s about three months old now, and she’s beautiful. I know she’s going to grow up as a strong, brave young woman. Rachel and I share our best friend, Pearl. Pearl was our maid growing up. In Whitehaven, she fell in love with Ian, who’s a knight and heir to a dukedom. Pearl’s one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met, and she loves Ian very much. With them is coming our friend Neal, who has been best friends with Gary for a long time. Neal was courting our friend Janie before she was murdered. He’s still not over her death. I don’t know if he ever will.”

              “Your friends sound nice.” Monika smiled.

              “What about you?” Tara was curious. “Tell me about your friends.”

              “Well you know Roanna.”

              “Your distant cousin.”

              Monika nodded. “I have some friends in Upper City as well. They’re loyal and brave.”

              Tara waited for Monika to say more, but her maid didn’t continue. Tara didn’t know if Monika was nervous about speaking to the princess as if they were friends, which Tara hoped they would be, or if Monika was keeping her personal life secret for another reason. Either way Tara didn’t want to prod and tarnish her relationship with the maid.

              “You know I was best friends with my former maid, right?” Tara questioned.

              Monika nodded. “You three were brought up together.”

              “I want to be friends with you too.” Tara stood and smoothed her skirts.

              “I know.”

              Tara nodded. “What about you? Do you want to be my friend?”

              Monika didn’t answer right away, and Tara swallowed. She didn’t think it would be a hard question to answer.

              Finally Monika spoke. “I hope you and I will get to know each other better. I don’t open up to strangers easily, and I have many demons. There’s a reason I am closed, and I hope you can understand that. I don’t not want to be your friend, and I hope we will continue to grow close.”

              “We all have secrets.” Tara assured her. “We all have things we keep to ourselves. Sometimes sharing those things is good, but sharing those things we keep hidden always comes with a cost.”

              She hadn’t known someone so closed since she’d met Blake, and her friend had kept so many secrets: female training to be a knight, Strike, possibly killing Joanne Swanson. Tara wondered if she ever knew the true Janie Creaton, and she hoped she would know the true Monika Lister.

              Monika nodded. “Thank you for understanding Your Highness.”

              “Friends call me Tara.”

              “Yes.”

~ Chapter 15 ~

              Cabaya ducked as the heavy-set man swung his punch wildly. He reeked of rum and cigar smoke. It made her stomach turn, and she blocked his next attack with her bow. He fell back as she smacked the wood into his face. He dropped, and Cabaya grabbed his arm, trying to pull him up.

              The man groaned, but he didn’t move.

              “Why do you have to be so heavy?” Cabaya complained to herself. She tugged the man, but he didn’t budge.

              “Need a hand?”

              Cabaya turned, expecting Kitnan or Sarasa. Instead, a woman in a striped tuta and mask with her dark hair pulled back in a bun stood behind her. Cabaya raised a brow. “Hello.”

              “Koketa.” She grinned and held her hand out. “You must be Cabaya.”

              “I am.” So Patience had finally joined the Mysterious Warriors. It was about time.

              “You are incredible, almost as awesome as my hero.”

              “Your hero?”

              “Lunette, of course.” Koketa grabbed the unconscious man’s arm. “We’re going to take him somewhere? Tie him up? Move him?”

              “If we were in Whitehaven, we’d take him to the sheriff, but there is nothing like that here in Junipero.” Cabaya wondered why the girl seemed so bubbly. It almost made her laugh.

              “Should we tie him up?”

              “We can.”

              Koketa placed her hands on her belt, as if she was looking for something. She frowned as she touched the pockets and looked up at Cabaya with wide hazel eyes. “I don’t have any rope.”

              Cabaya bit back a grin. “I do.” She pulled some free from her quiver.

              Koketa helped Cabaya tie the man’s hands behind his back.

              “How do we keep criminals off the street?” Koketa’s wrists were wrapped with black bracelets.

              “We do the best we can.”

              “Doesn’t seem wise.” Koketa frowned. “Why don’t the king and queen set up some kind of system to protect the people in Lower City?”

              “They can’t be bothered.” Cabaya tried to keep the bitterness from her voice. She would be a better queen. She hoped to be a better princess, but her parents didn’t like any of her ideas of how to change the city. Queen Margaret didn’t want to hear about how the royal family of Ada’s Circle works with a sheriff and the Mysterious Warriors. The idea was madness to the royals of Zorba’s Reach.

              “What made you decide to come to Junipero?” Koketa asked as they moved away from the drunk.

              “Lunette asked me to come and protect the people.” Cabaya answered.

              “I wish I knew Lunette.” Koketa sighed. “She’s incredible. She saved my life once, and I’ve always wanted to do something to thank her. I’ve been training, and my teacher finally said I was ready to join the Mysterious Warriors.”

              Cabaya nodded.

              “My entire family lives in Lower City.” Koketa added, her tone rising. “I lived there a long time, and I know how much the people need protection. Upper City is rough too, but it’s not nearly as bad as down here.”

              “Yup.”

              “You’re a good fighter too.” Koketa stated. “Where are the others? Is it true Sarasa is a fairy, and she can control water? That must be incredible. And Kitnan really has a pegleg which she uses as a weapon? I can’t wait to see that! Galdut is supposed to be the bravest and most impressive sword fighter this land has ever seen. And Sacrifice is stoic and courageous. It must be the best thing ever to work with such amazing and diverse warriors.”

              Cabaya laughed. “You totally remind me of myself when I first joined.”

              Felix Belrose sat with Black Hood in his cabin just outside Lower City. He preferred the rugged mountain, close to dense forest and a waterfall, to the dank, decaying city within walking distance.

              “What do ya think of the Mysterious Warriors?” Black Hood asked as she moved to sit at his table.

              “I look forward t’ hurtin’ ‘em.” He smirked. “I always look forward t’ causin’ pain.” He sharpened a knife against a stone.

              “And what makes you such a sadist?” Her long blonde hair fell around her shoulders, and her green eye made him wonder why she had enemies.

              “I suppose it was the first time my mother showed me how t’ take my pain out.” He paused. “She encouraged me t’ skin a live cat.”

              Felix thought he saw her shiver, either in disgust or pleasure; he wasn’t sure.

              “I remember the screams as the cat thrashed ‘gainst me. I was covered in scratches, bleedin’ ‘n’ broken. I felt more alive in that moment than I ‘ad ever before. Now I enjoy challenges, ‘n’ I look forward t’ seeing what kind of challenge these Mysterious Warriors give me. I’ve traveled many places, ‘n’ I ‘ate seeing tyrants rulin’ with compassion.” He nearly choked on the word. “I admire when people act as they truly are, but it’s even better when people feed on the misery of others, as ya do.” He went to her and touched her shoulder. “Ya be something of legend my dear, ‘n’ I am fortunate t’ know ya.”

              He screamed as something shattered in him. He dropped to his knees and he felt like his chest was going to explode. He jerked his head up to stare at her.

              “Do not think we be the same.” Black Hood snarled. “I will inflict pain on others as I must, but I do not take the same pleasure in it as ya do.” She spun on her heels. “Ya be nothin’ compared t’ me. Ya don’t know anythin’ about me.”

              His pain only made him love and admire her more. She was a creature unlike any he had encountered before. Her cold looks were beautiful, and her blood-red eye was something precious, a gift. He cried out as the agony doubled. Black Hood went to his door. “I need ya t’ distract the Mysterious Warriors as my plan plays out. Do yer job, ‘n’ we’ll see what kinda future we may ‘ave together.”

              He nodded and gasped as the pain stopped. He frowned at looked at her. Her multi-colored gaze was cool, smooth, and hostile.

              Felix smirked. “Why did ya stop?”