ROAD TO CORDIA (27 page)

     A child prodigy, Jay’Ce had been Lil’Li’s chaos tutor for six years. The Princess trusted her completely.

     “I’m a prisoner here,” Lil’Li told her. “Did you see Lord Raptor’s guards at the door?”

     “They’re not very good at their job. Because I was carrying food and wearing servant’s clothing, they didn’t even glance at me. Also, there was no up roar when the others left, which means they didn’t do a head count.”

     Lil”li thought about that for a minute, and then shook it off. Getting out of her rooms had never really presented a problem.

     “Tell me what’s going on,” she ordered.

     “Lord Raptor is looking for the possible “killer” of your mother.”

     Lil”li’s knees felt weak, the few bites of food she had managed to get down were threatening to come right back up. She sat down heavily on the side of her bed.

     “Then she was murdered?”

     “It’s not really known, at least not yet. The Necro-Healer has been summoned to make a decision.”

     “Why is it taking so long?”

     “Lord Raptor and his friends are holding an inquisition. They’re using the threat of Regicide to terrify any opposition. If a noble declares for Lord Raptor, then he is obviously innocent and is cleared. So far he’s scoring a hundred percent.”

     “The council?” asked Lil’Li.

     “The smart ones are being difficult to find; crisis at home, called away on business, on vacation in a remote area, or just not around.”

     “Does he really think he can rule Cancordia?”

     “He can.”

     “No.”

     “Yes, through you he can.”

     Lil’Li was shaking her head.

      “It’s been done before. As your Regent or… well, as your husband--”

     “Husband!” The two young women stared at each other. “What about the militia?” Lil’Li finally asked.

     “I don’t know how much Captain Y’Nota knows about what is going on,” said Jay’Ce. “He and his forces are being kept out of the city, guarding against a possible attack now that the Queen is dead. Lord Raptor’s men are inside the walls. Since this afternoon, the comings and goings in and out of Cordia are being carefully monitored.”

     Lil’Li pulled absently on one of her braids. “I have to talk to Captain Y’Nota,” she said. “Any other news?”

     “Two strangers were arrested by Lord Raptor and thrown in the dungeon.”

     “Why?”

     “There’s a rumor they came from Lady Fayre.”

     “Really?”

     “It’s just a rumor,” warned Jay’Ce. “Also there’s something odd about one of them.”

     Lil’Li waited.

     “I don’t know how true it is. Remember I haven’t seen them. It’s just a rumor.”

     “And what is the rumor?” asked Lil’Li.

     “They say one of them, a male, is of a race never before seen in all of Cancordia.”

     Lil’Li, smiled. She had been taught from early childhood about all the sentient races in Cancordia and on the whole planet of D'za.

     “If they came from Lady Fayre, I must talk to them,” she said.

     “I don’t see how I can get them out of the dungeon and into your rooms.”

     Lil’Li waved the difficulty away. “I’ll take care of that. Can you get outside the walls safely?”

     “Probably.”

     “I want you to go to Capt. Y’Nota and tell him what’s going on.”

     Jay’Ce nodded. “The difficulty will be in finding him. Remember he has two units on either side of Cordia. He’s probably constantly traveling between the two. I’ll have to ask his messengers to track him down.”

     “No! You must speak to him yourself. We don’t know how far Lord Raptor’s influence extends.”

     “It will take longer,” warned Jay’Ce.

     “That can’t be helped. The information must be delivered correctly.”

     “What are your orders for Capt. Y’Nota?”

     Lil’Li hesitated. She had never issued orders to a military officer. In fact, she had never issued orders to anyone except the servants. What she really wanted Y’Nota to do was bash his way into the city and take Lord Raptor prisoner. To kill him if necessary. She could almost see her mother sadly shaking her head.

     “Tell him he is to make his way into the city with as little bloodshed as possible. He has my authority to arrest Lord Raptor and hold him incommunicado until he hears further from me.”

     “Arrest Lord Raptor!”

     “Tell Y’Nota that is my desire. But, in order to minimize bloodshed and maintain civil order, I trust him to use his own discretion. Basically, I want Lord Raptor neutralized. At the very least, I want him slowed down. Everything must not go his way. He cannot be allowed to take over Cancordia. The Pillars would withhold their gifts. Chaos would reign.”

     “Are you sure you want me to tell Y’Nota about the Pillars?”

     Lil’Li thought for a moment. “No, you’re right. But ask him to imagine Cancordia with Lord Raptor on the throne.”

     Jay’Ce smiled. “That should do it. What are you going to do?”

     “I believe I will examine the two prisoners in the dungeon.”

     “Be careful. Right now Lord Raptor is treating you like precious Seleen Silk; you don’t want him to change his tactics.”

     Jay’Ce went to the door and opened it a sliver. Sounds of Lady Bel’Dor’s snores reached them. The girls grinned at each other. Jay’Ce grabbed up some towels and let herself out of the bedroom. She tiptoed past the lounge where Bel’Dor was sprawled with her mouth open, mighty snores and periodic snorts issuing from her.

     Lil’Li watched Jay’Ce open the outer door and slip out, putting her fingers to her lips, warning the guards not to wake Bel’Dor. The two guards closed the door behind her.

     Now, how by the Pillars and the Circle, was she to question the two prisoners?

CHAPTER 27

     Ja’Nil, who had fallen asleep, awoke to find Ee’Rick studying the barred door in the ceiling. Miraculously, the lanterns above were still lit, their light filtering down into the cell.

     “How long have we been here?” she asked.

     “Ten hours and fourteen minutes.”

     She stood up and walked to the trickle of water. “They’re not going to feed us, are they?”

     “Probably not,” Ee'Rick agreed. “Ready to try again?”

     “Again?”  He pointed up at the ceiling.

      She shrugged. “Jadµ.” What else could they do, lie down, and die?

     “What we are going to do is practice,” he told her.

     “Practice?”

     “Exactly. We’ll practice you standing on my hands but close to the floor.”

     “You won’t have any leverage. Are you strong enough to lift me from low down?”

     “Yes.”

     Ja’Nil shrugged. At least when she fell there was less chance of getting hurt.

     Ee'Rick squatted down, rested his elbows on his knees, and held his hands open, with his palms up. “Stand in front of me,” he instructed. “Hold on to my shoulders and step into my hands.”

     She did as he instructed. Grasping his rather bony, but very wide shoulders, she first put her right foot in his left hand then her left foot in his right hand, all the time clutching his shoulders.

     “Jadµ,” he said. “Now still holding on to me, straighten up as much as possible.”

     She did. A little shaky at first, but no real problem.

     “Now let go with one of your hands.”

     “Which one?”

     “Doesn’t matter.”

     Very slowly, she removed her right hand from his shoulder.

     “Now, put that hand on my head.”

     She placed her hand on his head. His hair was warm and dry and felt nice and thick to the touch.

     “Now, remove your other hand from my shoulder and also place it on my head.”

     “There’s not room for two hands.”

     “Just do it, Ja’Nil.”

     She did.

     “Straighten up a bit more.”

     She straightened a few inches.

     “Jadµ, now I’m going to stand up. Keep your hands on my head and try not to pull my hair.”

     “Why can’t I keep my hands on your shoulders?”    

     “Center of gravity is too low.”

     She clutched his head as she felt him slowly straightening his knees.

     “Don’t pull my hair.”

     “Sorry.”          

     He was standing erect now. His hands, with her feet in them, were at waist level. “I’m going to walk around now. Try to relax.”

     “Jadµ.” She sounded far from confident.

     The first step jolted her and made her grab on tighter.

     “The hair!” he reminded her.

     She relaxed her death grip as he walked around their cell.

     “How about holding on with just one hand?” he suggested.

     Ja’Nil froze. Then slowly, she removed her left hand. This enabled her to straighten more. They continued walking.

     “Aren’t I too heavy?”

     “No.”

     More walking. Without being told, Ja’Nil lifted her right hand a few inches off Ee'Rick’s head.

     They continued walking.

     “Aren’t you getting tired?”

     “No.”

     Ja’Nil straightened slightly and removed her hand completely from the vicinity of his head.

     “I’ve seen acrobats spread their arms wide to help keep their balance,” Ee'Rick suggested.

     Ja’Nil very slowly spread her arms. It did help a little.

     Ee'Rick kept walking.

     “Suppose I raise you a little higher?” he said.

     “How high?”

     “You’ll barely notice.”

     “Just a little.”

     “Just a little,” he assured her. He raised his hands to his chest.

     Ja’Nil gasped and leaned over and grabbed his head.

     “The hair.”

     “Sorry.” She carefully let go of his head and straightened. Ee'Rick resumed walking.

     His hands were at shoulder level when he called a halt. He lowered his hands to waist height and she jumped gracefully and gratefully to the floor.

     As Ee'Rick did a few stretching exercises to get the kinks out of his arms and shoulders. Ja’Nil watched him carefully. How could he be so young and skinny and yet so strong? She doubted any man in her village could do what he had just done, for as long as he had done it.

     “Ready?” he asked.

     “Again?”

     “We’re still here aren’t we?”

     This time they progressed from knee high to shoulder high in a matter of minutes. “Try lifting your hands over your head,” Ee'Rick suggested.

     She did. This is almost fun, she thought. He continued walking.

     “I’m going to lift you higher.”

     “Jadµ,” she agreed.

     She wobbled, and was about to fall, so he lowered her enough so she could rest her hands lightly on his head. When she was steady she said, “Jadµ. Go higher.”

     Ee'Rick smiled and raised his hands above his shoulders and kept going until his hands with her feet in them, were level with his head.

     “You know this may really work,” she said, balancing lightly on his outstretched hands.

     He moved to the center of the room. “How far above you is the trap door?

     “I can just touch it,” she answered, excitement in her voice.

     “I’m going to raise my arms to their full length.” He did so.

     “I’ve got it!”

     “Give it a small push, just to see if it’s locked or not.”

     There was silence. He could feel her pushing, and then he could feel her pushing harder, with all her might.

     “Well?”

     “It’s not locked,” she said. “At least it moved an inch or two.”

     “Great.”

     “Ee'Rick, it’s too heavy.”

     “Too heavy?”

     “I’m not strong enough to push it open.” He could hear the despair in her voice.

     “Try again,” he said. He could feel her trying, pushing, pushing…nothing.

     “Two inches,” she said. “That’s all I can move it.”

     “Are you sure?”

     “Let me down.”

     Reluctantly he lowered her to waist height. She jumped the rest of the way.

     “I’m just not strong enough.” Her voice was bitter. She blew absently on her hands. By the dim light, he could see red streaks on her hands where she had pushed and struggled with the heavy door. “I’m sorry.” She looked ready to cry.

     “I don’t suppose you’re strong enough to hold me?” he asked.

     She just looked at him.

     “I mean on your shoulders,” he said.

     “Ee'Rick, I weigh about a hundred units. What do you weigh?”

     “One and ninety. It may not work,” he admitted.

     She looked up at the barred trapdoor, and then she looked at him. He was huge. She would probably end up with a broken back. She looked around their dank little cell. She was hungry, she was scared, and she was angry. “Jadµ, let’s do it.”

     He smiled, and guided her into the middle of the cell just under the trapdoor. “Kneel down on one leg,” he said.

     She did.

     “I’m going to step from your bent leg to your shoulders. Hold your hands above your head so I can grab them and steady myself.”

     She knelt on her right knee with her left leg bent out in front of her.

     “Ready?”

     She nodded. He reached out, grabbed her hands, placed his right foot on her left thigh and moved quickly onto her shoulders. To his surprise, she didn’t fall over. Her shoulders felt thin and fragile under his bare feet. “Stand up slowly,” he instructed.

            She tried. She actually managed to raise herself up a few inches before she collapsed. Ee'Rick jumped free, so that at least he didn’t land on her. When he turned, she was lying on her side, her knees curled up close to her chest, panting.

     “Ja’Nil?”

     She continued panting.

     “Hey, curly-head.” He put a hand on her shoulder. Oh, Golden Goddess, has she ruptured something? What an idiot he was. Had he really expected this little human girl to be able to hold him on her shoulders?

     “Ja’Nil?”