Alien Me (7 page)

“This Discard is even more revolting than usual,” another soldier said as she kicked me savagely on my hip. “Get up.”

“No!” I screamed and tried to get away.

Two of the soldiers grabbed my arms and tied my hands behind my back. They pushed me ahead of them through the red-lit woods. All around us were the sounds of fighting and screaming and animals crying out. It was a battlefield and I didn’t know which side had caught me. I kept looking around for Sean, my eyes darting all over, until one of the soldiers cuffed me on the temple. My palms began burning as if I were holding hot rocks.

“This one stinks like floor cleaner,” one of the guards said.

“What do you expect from a Picard?” replied the other.

“They’re retreating,” the first soldier said. “Don’t complain. It’s given us the chance to spill some of their blood and clear these woods of traitors. The lava will be stewing Discards today.”

All the soldiers began laughing. They cuffed each other’s shoulders playfully and two of them broke off and disappeared in the underbrush.

“I need you to take me—,” I started.

The blow to the side of my head left my ears ringing.

The soldiers’ body armor creaked as the three of them pushed me before them. All were as tall as Sean, broad-shouldered and with legs like tree stumps. They were muddy and smelled of plants, like a freshly mown lawn. They propelled me ahead of them through woods that had thick branches and shiny leaves the size of dinner plates. The forest floor was covered with a mat of heavy vegetation that crunched and squeaked beneath our feet. My head was pounding and I wanted to stop, but every time I slowed down, one of them would jab me in the back with something hard and sharp.

Occasionally someone would go running by, and one of the mounted soldiers would ride the person down so soldiers could throw a net over him or her. The person’s screams and calls for mercy were silenced with blows. Some prisoners were chained, and all of us seemed to be heading toward a tall wall of shiny black granite. It divided the forest like a cliff. Bloodied and torn prisoners were being shoved into it, making a heap at its base. I tried to see if Sean was one of them, but the soldiers who had captured me kept shoving me forward.

A woman rode toward us. She pointed to me. “What is that?”

“My lady, a Discard we found in the forest,” one of my captors said, his voice suddenly high with tension.

The woman frowned at me. She was as tall as the men and her arms were heavily muscled. Spots of blood and mud decorated her face and her intricately braided hair. She dismounted and tossed the reins of her mount to someone without bothering to look at him.

“Where did you find this one?” she demanded, obviously suspicious as she drew her sword.

“Near the waterfall, my lady. She was running with the Discards.”

“Who are you?” the woman asked, putting the point of her sword to the delicate skin beneath my chin. “And you had better get this question right.”

My mind spun with terror as I tried to recall Sean’s words.

“I am Lady Darcy, the Sworn Asset of the House of Beck.” I squared my shoulders and fought for some courage. “I had just fallen through. I want to be taken to Lord Sylvan and Lady Naomi.”

I felt the buzz of energy around me change. The soldiers who had captured me lost their cocky air and became wary. The commander wasn’t so quick to believe. She lowered her sword, but her stare lost none of its intensity.

“The Sworn Assets all gave their life energy to the universe,” she said.

“Not all,” I said, grasping for something to say that would make me sound credible. “I was on the surface. I am here now to meet with Lord Sylvan and Lady Naomi.” I fought to the keep the whisper of fear out of my voice. “Untie me.”

The commander nodded to the soldiers, but she didn’t seem completely convinced yet. I felt the rough hands untying the knot and the bonds slip over my hands. My head was still pounding and I could see that my word wasn’t enough. I was afraid they would kill me before I had a chance to prove who I was. Worse, if Sean had been captured, he would certainly die at their hands if they were killing members of the House of Picard. The thought of him being harmed made my hands tingle aggressively.

“The Sworn Asset of the House of Beck ought to be able to prove her identity,” the commander said slowly. “Your horrible-smelling human clothes aren’t enough.”

Whatever I did next had to be sure and confident. In a movement as quick as lightning, I grabbed her throat. The soldiers behind me cried out and drew their swords, but they didn’t touch me.

“I’m a missusan,” I said, recalling the word that the guard in the school had used. I didn’t know what that word meant, but it seemed important and menacing. I pulled her face close to mine and drilled my eyes into hers. “Do you feel me?”

“Yes, my lady,” she whispered as her eyes rolled back into her head.

She slumped to the ground. The soldiers who had held me captive all took a step away. Their eyes flitted fearfully from their fallen commander to me. Their bravado was replaced by dread.

“You will take me to whoever is in charge,” I said. “Now.”

They gaped at their fallen commander. “Yes, my lady.”

“And you three will walk in front of me.”

“Yes, my lady.”

The commander’s entourage stayed with her as I followed three of the soldiers who had captured me. We passed many men and women sitting under guard in groups on the ground. They were crumpled and bereft in their ornate, silky clothes, as if they were attendees to a fine ball suddenly sent for a romp through the woods. Everywhere I searched the faces for Sean. I was terrified that he had been killed on sight. Riders rushed past on the strange animals. Groups of people walked single file, each captive with his or her hands on the shoulders of the person in front. The three who were leading me stopped.

Even from afar I knew the man in the distance was Lord Sylvan. Unlike the others, he hadn’t bothered with armor or a weapon. He was mounted upon an animal of the sort the others had, but his was larger and more magnificent. Its bridle and saddle were gold and crusted with so many jewels it seemed to be on fire. Sylvan wore a tunic that shimmered, as if it had been made with chips of rubies. His ebony trousers shone with black diamonds.

Sylvan stood as an island of calm in the motion all around us. He was a narrow and tall man with a triangular, foxlike face and thin lips. His eyebrows were high, as if skepticism was his predominant emotion. One of his hands kept a delicate touch on the reins. Courtiers stood around him awaiting decisions. He sent them to and fro with a gesture and a tip of his head.

I started toward him when one of the three soldiers threw a cloak over me. I screamed and fought to get it off, but their arms were like bands of steel around me. I kicked and fought until one of them struck me across the face hard enough to make my eyes water. Then the cloak came off, and a loop dropped over my neck and tightened. The loop was on a long pole, like the ones used to move savage dogs. The three soldiers forced me forward and stopped me in front of Sylvan.

“My lord, this one claims to be a Sworn Asset,” said one of the soldiers. “She’s a missusan.”

Sylvan didn’t seem impressed. “When did you find her?”

“Just now, my lord.”

“Was she alone?”

“Yes, my lord.”

Sylvan stared at me for a moment without a flicker of emotion crossing his face. “Take that thing off her neck.” Sylvan slipped down from the saddle and turned to a man standing behind him. “Give me your cloak.” He took the cloak and laid it over my shoulders, careful not to touch me as I rubbed my sore neck. “I apologize for the idiocy of soldiers, my lady. You are the Lady Darcy?”

“I am,” I said, so relieved at his kindness that my knees quivered. For the first time since falling through, I thought I might be safe.

“Where is your shaman, my lady?”

“I never knew her. She disappeared without my ever knowing that she was a shaman. What’s happening here?”

Sylvan studied me intently. “When the wall came down, some of the Picards came through the opening. We are driving them back and rounding up rogue Discards.”

I thought Discards must be a tribe of rivals. “I need your help finding someone who fell through with me. His name is Sean Banks. He’s here in these woods somewhere. Please ask your soldiers to find him. He saved my life today more than once. Please help me find him.”

Sylvan’s stare intensified. “I wasn’t aware we had a Sworn Asset named Sean Banks, my lady.”

“You don’t.” Suddenly I realized that I had just told Lord Sylvan that he had a Sworn Enemy nearby. I panicked and started babbling an explanation. “Sean is from the House of Picard. He’s a Sworn Enemy, but that’s just a label. It isn’t fair to think of him that way. Please, please, listen to me. Sean doesn’t bear you any ill will and he’s saved my life.”

Sylvan’s response was a long stare. “My lady, are you really saying that you fell through with a Sworn Enemy?”

“I am.” My heart hammered as I became frantic. “But it wasn’t on purpose. We had to because people at the school were trying to kill us. Please listen to me. Sean is out there somewhere and he could be killed by these knights or whatever they are. Please, tell these soldiers to find him and not to hurt him. Sean isn’t your enemy. Please!”

“You have met and had contact with a Sworn Enemy, my lady?”

Suddenly I realized my own danger. “Yes, but it was an accident. I didn’t even know about this world until I met Sean. It’s not fair to punish us.”

“The Treaty decides what’s fair and what isn’t, my lady.”

“Please, please. Sean saved my life this morning. Without him you wouldn’t have me,” I said, putting my pride in my pocket and letting my desperation show. “Without him you wouldn’t have a Sworn Asset at all.”

My stomach was a hard knot of fear. For a long time Sylvan stared at me, his face as unforgiving as a slab of granite.

“Summon Lord Cairo,” Sylvan said to no one in specific.

Four of his foot soldiers sprang into action, one running off in each direction. Sylvan didn’t say anything else to me. He just stood quietly. Never had my hands been more desperate for a cell phone. Would they even work here? I needed to call someone who would give me advice. The sensation of helplessness made me want to pace like a caged animal. Sylvan kept his eyes on me, as if I were some kind of fascinating bug. The man named Lord Cairo rushed up to us.

“My lord,” he said.

“Lord Cairo, it seems that not all our Sworn Assets have released their energy to the universe,” Lord Sylvan said, his eyes still on me. “Clearly the reports you brought the Lady Naomi and me were erroneous. Meet the Lady Darcy.”

“My lady,” Cairo said, his eyes wide as he bowed to me. “I apologize if I was deceived by misinformation.”

“When the Lady Darcy fell through, she brought with her the Sworn Asset from the House of Picard,” Sylvan said, his voice carrying an edge. “I presume he will be dressed like the Lady Darcy. You will find him and bring him to me unharmed. Go now.” He flicked his fingers and sent the man away. “My lady, come with me back to my pavilion. This is no place for a Sworn Asset.”

The chaos seemed to part in front of us as I accompanied Lord Sylvan. Everyone we passed stopped what they were doing and bowed, ignoring those who lay on the ground bloodied and broken. Sylvan’s pavilion that had a silky roof and curtains on three sides. Inside was a collection of cushions, pillows, and ottomans. He returned to the battlefield. I tried to sit down, but my legs had too much energy and wouldn’t stay still. I stood in the doorway. Next to the pavilion was an ornate coach drawn by four tall creatures with thin legs like deer and long curving necks. Their harnesses and hooves were embellished with precious gems. The coach was gilded in silver, gold, and platinum. When one of the animals turned to look at me, I saw that its eyes were turquoise with diamond-shaped pupils.

Two men who wore no armor and carried no weapons stood watching me, their faces flat and blank against the screams and cries that filled the air around us. I sat down and got up immediately. I wanted to brood and pace and scream for them to find Sean. I wanted to unhitch one of those animals and ride it through the battlefield to find him myself. A soldier tethered an animal near me. I contemplated stealing it, when several men walked past me dragging someone between them, someone wearing jeans.

“Sean!” I screamed as I ran toward them, big brutes who were covered in sweat, gore, and bloodlust. One of the soldiers made as if to hit me and then thought better of it when Sylvan’s men rushed after me.

“Put him down!” I shouted at the men who were holding Sean.

“Who is this woman to give me an order?” the largest of them asked, raising the tip of his sword to me. His face darkened with challenge as his eyes raked over my body.

My hands began a burning itching, and I longed to put them on his throat and make his arrogance go away. “You will drop Lord Sean now or Lord Sylvan will hear how you disobeyed the Lady Darcy and threatened her with your weapon.”

At the mention of Lord Sylvan, the man lowered his sword, frowned, and nodded to the guards to release Sean. Sean lay gasping. His hand jutted sideways at an impossible angle from his wrist. Both his eyes were swollen and blackened and a cut on his lip streamed blood down his neck and into his shirt collar. The new blood wet the old from this morning. I dropped to my knees next to him and straightened his arm. My eyes burned with tears as he groaned. I put my hands on both sides of his neck and could feel his life coursing through the arteries. My hands felt thick and warm, as if covered with oven mitts. Inside they were abuzz and hot with the energy of life. I closed my eyes and concentrated on pushing healing into Sean.

My body fought back. Sean’s pain, the broken bones, the bruises, and internal injuries came flooding back toward me, pecking and fighting me like a flock of vicious birds. The agony almost unraveled me. Finally it subsided and I could feel Sean stirring beneath my hands. Vaguely, as if from a distance, I could hear shouting. As I weakened, everything became fuzzy and warm and drowsy. Sean came to life.