Oryon (Tornians Book 3.5) (11 page)

Between the two large windows sat Oryon’s desk. It was a large desk, with several levels that were full of little cubbyholes for him to store things. Some had doors and some didn't. Walking over to it, she let her fingers trail along its smooth surface, enjoying its silky feel. This was the private desk of a Lord. There were papers scattered across its wide surface, notes on training schedules, and reminders of things he needed to do.

Her manno’s desk had been like this, full of things that needed his attention, things he wanted to do. It made her smile slightly to realize the two most important males in her life had so much in common and she hadn’t even realized it.

Well now, they would have one more thing in common. Leaning forward, she placed the ancient carving of the Goddess on the top of Oryon’s desk, centering it so the Goddess appeared to be gazing lovingly down at whoever was sitting there.

In truth, she was gazing at the tiny offspring she held in her arms. Isis’ manno had told her how it had been in their bloodline since before the great infection and that it was believed to bless the male it was given to with female offspring. His own manno had been gifted with a female after Geb’s presentation and while Isis had never met the female, her manno had spoken fondly of her.

Isis had prayed nightly to this intricate carving. At first, she had prayed that the Goddess would allow her to give Oryon female offspring, something deep in her heart she still wished for. Later, as the offspring the Goddess
had
blessed her with grew, her prayers had changed. She had begun to pray for the Goddess to provide
them
with females instead of herself.

Bowing her head, Isis thanked the Goddess for all the blessings she had bestowed on her males and asked for her assistance in helping Ull to find his way. Turning, she brushed several papers with her sleeve, scattering them across the floor.

Shaking her head, Isis dropped to her knees, gathering up the papers. As she was about to rise, she saw one that had slipped all the way under the desk. Crawling all the way under the desk, she finally reached the stray paper and began to back out. Thinking she was clear, Isis started to rise and hit the back of her head on the edge of the desk.

“Ouch!” She reached up to rub the small bump that was forming. When she did, her hand bumped a small vial out of its hiding spot under the desk. It rolled across the floor, stopping only when it ran into the newly placed rug.

Slowly, Isis reached up and blindly dropped the papers back on the desk. Her gaze never left the vial.

What was it?

Why was Oryon hiding it?

Still on her hands and knees, Isis cautiously crawled toward the vial as if it were as deadly as a wild termagant. She carefully picked it up between two fingers and heard a slight rattle from whatever was inside.

Hesitantly, she twisted off the top of the vial and poured whatever was inside into her waiting palm. Tablets… small blue tablets… Lifting one, she touched it to her tongue, then jerked back in shock.

Cohosh Gorm! An herb that when used in extremely small amounts could help stomach problems, in a tablet like this… Isis’ mind flew. She knew this for some reason… why… her mother… her mother had told her that concentrated cohosh gorm… Isis’ eyes widened in shock. Prevented conceiving!

Why did Oryon have
this
?

Rising to her feet, Isis went to find out.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

“Get back on your comm, Jago!” Oryon ordered over his shoulder, his eyes never leaving the darkening smoke. He had heard no alarm sounding, and that let him know the fire had not yet been discovered. “Contact Shen about the fire. Tell him we are en route and that I want the entire House secured, especially Isis.” Oryon wasn’t sure what he was sensing, but something was very wrong here, and he needed to make sure his Isis was safe.

“Yes, my Lord,” Jago grunted, pulling out his comm. He had always known that his Lord was a fit male, but he was at least twenty years older than Jago, and Jago was having trouble keeping up with him. As Shen answered Jago’s call, an explosion ripped through House Rigel, shattering windows.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Kaspar smiled as he jogged up the rise. He had made it. He was free. No more would he have to serve a Lord that allowed a
female
to rule his House. Now
he
would be able to obtain a female. Cresting the rise, he skidded to a halt, for coming toward him at a dead run was Oryon himself, followed closely by Jago.

Realizing they had not yet seen him, Kaspar spun around and quickly retraced his steps back to House Rigel’s kitchen.

“I told you to
get
…” An explosion cut off the rest of Lajos words, shaking the walls of House Rigel. Pots and Pans rattled and plates fell from shelves.

Every male in the kitchen froze, their eyes flying to Lajos.

“Secure the kitchen!” Lajos immediately ordered. “Shut down
everything
! Every stove! Every oven!”

“But the meal…” someone dared ask.

“Will wait!” Lajos spat out, his gaze spearing the male stupid enough to question him. He glanced back to Kaspar, expecting him to take control of the situation, and found him gone.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

“Here, Warrior Vali?” Jael asked stepping back from where they had set the chair.

“Yes. Thank you.” Walking over to the chair his mother had given him, Vali couldn’t stop his hand from running along the wood on top of its high back.

“It is a magnificent chair.” Jael found himself saying, then lowered his eyes as Vali’s gaze turned to him. “My apologies, Warrior Vali.”

“Why are you apologizing? You are speaking truth.”

“Yes, but I have not yet earned the right to speak to a warrior,” he said quietly.

“Who has told you this?” Vali demanded. This was wrong. As long as a trainee showed respect, he was allowed to speak to whomever he liked.

“Master Kasper,” Jael admitted to Vali.

“He is wrong, Jael.” Vali waited, but when Jael said nothing and his eyes remained lowered, Vali realized there was more wrong here than he had thought. “Look at me Jael!”

Jael’s gaze immediately flew to Vali.

“I do not know what Master Kaspar has been teaching you, any of you,” Vali’s eyes traveled over the other three trainees in the room. “But you have the right to speak to any male you wish, as long as you show him respect. How else are you expected to learn from him?”

“I…” Jael looked to his friends.

“Speak freely Jael,” Vali ordered.

“Warrior Kaspar assured us he would not allow us to continue with our training if we did not do as he said. That Lord Oryon always agreed with his recommendations after his training.”

Vali couldn't believe Jael actually believed this. “Do you truly believe your Lord, a male worthy enough to have a female remain with him his entire life, would
blindly
follow
any
male’s recommendation?”

“I…” Jael’s eyes widened. “No, my… Warrior Vali… my Lord, would never do that.”

“Good, then it is understood that you may speak to warriors, and
I
will speak to Warrior Kaspar about…” An explosion drowned out the rest of Vali’s words.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Isis jerked open the outer doors of the Lord’s Wing, startling the two warriors guarding the door. As she opened her mouth to demand to know where their Lord was, an explosion ripped through the House. Immediately, both males reached for their comms that were suddenly squawking.

Isis recognized the voice of Oryon’s Captain through the comm, ordering House Rigel be secured and every male to the Common Wing to fight the fire. Static broke up the rest of his order.

“Go!” Isis ordered the two, who were looking at each in a panic.

“But my Lady!”

“You heard the Captain. He needs every male!”

“You will be unprotected!”

“House Rigel is being secured as we speak! Go! Make sure there is a House left to secure! I will be fine!” Spinning around on her heel, Isis reentered the Lord’s Wing and slammed the door shut behind her.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Kaspar rushed through the kitchen, uncaring what anyone thought. If Oryon caught up with him, Kaspar knew his life would be ended, for not only had he stolen from his Lord, but he had also attacked Oryon’s House by setting that fire.

He needed to get away, but how? Shen’s order came over the comms, calling for every male to converge in the Common Wing. Already the Warrior’s Wing was emptying, every male rushing to obey Shen’s order. If he went that way, it would raise the suspicions of every male.

If he stayed in the Common Wing, Oryon would find him. That left him only one means of escape, the Lord’s Wing.

Turning on his heel, Kaspar ignored the young male he knocked down and took off at a run.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Oryon burst through the kitchen door. He knew exactly where he needed to go. He had seen the flames shooting out of Kaspar’s office windows on his way in. What in the name of the Goddess was going on?

“Lajos! Is your kitchen secure?!!” he demanded.

“Yes my Lord!” Lajos quickly informed him, “and I have sent my males to assist Captain Shen as ordered.”

Nodding, Oryon stormed through the kitchen. He headed for the stairs that lead to the second level of the Common Wing and Kaspar’s office.

Thick smoke billowed out of the corridor as Oryon and Jago charged down it. Trainees and warriors alike were working together to fight back the flames that were trying to take hold in House Rigel. Many had grabbed containers of flame repellant, while others where stomping out the small flames with their feet.

The flames in the hall were quickly extinguished, giving them access to the source, Kaspar’s office. Inside, the room was fully engulfed, the flames being fed by the amount of adhmad in the room and the air surging through the shattered windows. If they didn’t get it under control soon, it could destroy this entire wing of Rigel.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Kaspar couldn’t believe his luck. It had taken him some time, but he had been able to make it to the Lord’s Wing unseen. Even the warriors that normally guarded the main doors had gone to assist in fighting the fire he had started. He had not planned on the explosion, having forgotten about the buama he had hidden away in a cabinet. It was normally a very stable substance but when exposed to high temperatures it exploded.

While it wasn’t what he planned, it had turned out to be a blessing from the Goddess, for it cleared the path for his escape. Pushing open the outer door to Oryon’s chambers, he slipped inside. Now all he needed to do was slip out one of the first floor windows and he could disappear.

“Oryon? Is that you?”

At the female’s voice, Kaspar pivoted around.

Isis had been pacing ever since the guards left.

What was going on?

What had exploded?

Was anyone hurt?

Should she go find out?

Where was Oryon?

She couldn’t remember the last time she had been this distraught and indecisive. She had gone to the windows facing the Common Wing and seen the thick black, smoke that billowed out several  windows and the greedy flames that licked at the sides of her home.

Males came running from the training grounds, many raced into the wing to assist in putting out the flames, while others fought it from the outside, making sure the flames didn’t spread to the Lord’s Wing.

Hearing the outer door open, she rushed from their resting chamber. “Oryon? Is that you?” she asked before coming to an abrupt stop when she saw who had entered the chamber. “Kaspar. What are you doing here?”

Kaspar couldn’t believe it. What was
she
doing here, on
this
level? She didn’t belong here. She should have left House Rigel years ago. If she had, he would have been able to attract a female. Everything he had had to do today was
her
fault! She needed to
pay
for that.

“Kaspar, answer me, what are you doing here?” Isis refused to let the male see he intimidated her. This was
her
House. This was
her
Chamber.
He
had no right to be here without permission.

Kaspar growled at her words and moved toward her. Did she really think she could order
him
around?
Him
?
He
was Master of House Rigel! She was just a female, one that needed to be taught a lesson.

Isis took a startled step back at Kaspar’s growl. No male had ever growled so menacingly at her like that before. None had ever moved toward her as if they wanted to harm her. Suddenly, she realized Kaspar
did
want to harm her. Before she could turn and run, he grabbed her in a bruising grip.

“You think you can talk to
me
like that?” He shook her hard. “
I
am a Tornian warrior!
I
am Master of House Rigel!
You
are nothing but a
female
and an
inferior
one at that.”

“
Inferior!
” Isis found she couldn’t cower before this male, couldn’t stop herself from responding. “
I
have given my Lord
four
fit and worthy males!”

“You
stupid
female!” Kaspar pulled her to her toes as he spat at her. “You should have been giving that offspring to
other
males, males like
me!
You
are the reason our Empire is declining.”

“No!” Isis spat back. “It is because of
unfit
and
unworthy
males like
you
!”

“You
bitch
!” Lifting her off her feet, Kaspar threw her across the room.

Crying out in pain, Isis hit the wall and her world went black.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

It had taken some time, but they had finally gotten the fire out, had kept it from spreading. Stepping into the still smoldering room, Oryon inspected the damage and found most of it was concentrated where Kaspar’s desk should have been.

“This was intentionally started,” Oryon said to no one in particular.

“Agreed.” Ull strode up next to his manno, his face streaked with soot. “But the question is why? And who?”

“Kaspar,” Vali growled out, stepping next to his brother, the rims of his eyes darker then the soot covering him, “because of what mother discovered.”

“What?” Ull’s looked to Vali. “What are you talking about?”

“Mother discovered Kaspar was allowing substandard furniture into House Rigel.”

“Not allowing, ordering
,
” Oryon told them.

“What?!!” Both of them exclaimed.

“I’ve spoken to Master Bard myself, seen his invoices, and I would guess,” Oryon’s looked back to what remained of Kaspar’s desk. “That the fire was started with Kaspar’s falsified invoices.”

“That son of Daco!” Ull spat out.

“Yes, and I’m sure he is long gone by now.” Oryon agreed.

“He was still in the House after the explosion.” All heads turned to Zev whose normally sparkling eyes were unusually serious. “He ran into me outside the kitchen and was heading for your wing.”

“Towards
my
wing!” Oryon exclaimed.

“Yes, he was carrying a bag and knocked me down. I thought it was strange, but then I forgot about it once I got here. I’m sorry manno.”

“It is not your fault. You did not know,” Oryon reassured him. “Your mother will be fine. Mahir and Malden are guarding the door.”

“Mahir and Malden...” Zev frowned at his manno, his gaze traveling behind him. “They are right there.” He pointed.

“What!” Oryon spun around to find the two warriors in question standing by the window.

“Mahir! Malden!”

Oryon’s shout had both males jumping, and then rushing to their Lord’s side. “My Lord?”

“Why are you here?”

“My Lord?” Mahir and Malden looked at him in confusion.

“Who is guarding my Isis?” Oryon demanded.

“My Lord, Captain Shen ordered all males to the Common Wing!”

“Except those that were protecting my Isis!”

“My Lord that was not the orders we received, and when Lady Isis heard the House was being secured,
she
ordered us here to make sure there was a House left to secure.”

“Of all the….” Oryon cut off his next words. That feeling that something was wrong returned with a vengeance. “Shen! Secure this area! The rest of you.” He looked to his offspring. “You are with me.”

“Yes, my Lord.” Shen was talking to empty space for the males of House Rigel were gone.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Oryon shoved males out of his way as he stormed out of the Common Wing. He needed to get to his Isis, needed to get to her
now
! He needed to make sure she was safe. Kaspar had been willing to burn down House Rigel to try to hide his crimes. If Isis came between him and his freedom, there was no telling what that unfit male might do to her.

Oryon held up his hand as they approached the closed doors of his wing, signaling his males to slow. They couldn’t just run blindly in. They did not know the situation yet. If Kaspar was still in there, he might harm Isis.

Oryon was reaching for the handle when he heard Isis cry out, followed by the sound of something hitting a wall. Uncaring that he didn’t even have his sword, Oryon threw open the door and rushed in.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Kaspar smiled as Isis collapsed into a heap on the floor.
Now that’s how you treat a female.
he thought then looked around the room. He had time. Maybe he should make use of her before he left.
That
would show
Lord
Oryon just who truly was the fittest warrior. As he took a step toward her, the Chamber door burst open and Oryon charged toward him.

Heart pounding with fear, Oryon spied Isis crumpled on the floor, unconscious, with Kaspar advancing on her. The rage that filled Oryon went beyond anything he had ever felt in his life, and he launched himself at the other male.

Kaspar stumbled back under the furious onslaught of Oryon’s attack. He tried to protect himself from the punishing blows the older male was delivering, but for each one he blocked, two more seemed to land, the last one sending Kaspar to his knees. Looking up at his Lord, Kaspar was ready to plead for mercy, but never got the chance as Oryon punched him directly in the throat, crushing his windpipe.

Unemotionally, Oryon stared down at the male he had just given a deathblow to. Kaspar lay at his feet, his fingers clawing at his neck, trying to draw a breath from a throat that no longer existed. His eyes pleaded with Oryon’s for a mercy that Oryon would never give.

“Manno!” Vali’s call had Oryon turning his back on the dying male and rushing to his Isis’ side.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Isis fought to find her way out of the fog that seemed determined to blind her to where she was going. Up ahead was a faint light trying to guide her, but the fog kept trying to block it.

“Keep coming,” a melodic voice encouraged, startling Isis, “if you want the life you have always prayed for.”

“What?” Isis asked, her eyes searching for the voice, but was only answered by the fog thickening.

“Hurry,” the voice said again, “or lose it all.”

Isis didn’t know what the voice was talking about, but she knew she didn’t want to lose what she had fought so hard for. So trusting the voice, she ran toward the light that became brighter the closer she got. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, the fog finally released her and she was surrounded with the most amazing light.

“It took you long enough, child,” the voice said.

Looking around, Isis found the source of the ‘voice’. Dropping to her knees, she bowed her head. “Goddess,” Isis whispered reverently.

“Rise child,” the Goddess said, extending her hand to assist her.

After a moment's hesitation, Isis slipped her hand into the Goddess’ and amazing warmth filled her. Everything was suddenly crisp and clear, there were colors she had never seen before and scents she had never smelled, yet every one comforted her.

“As you have comforted me for many years, you were the only one that gave me hope Isis.”

“Hope?” Isis gave her a confused look.

“Yes that the Tornian people were worth saving.”

“I…” Isis didn’t know what to say. What could she have done to draw the attention of the Goddess?

“You refused to leave the male of your choice, even though many condemned you for it,” the Goddess informed her.

“How could I have left him?” Isis asked. “It would have destroyed me to Join with another.”

“As it did your mother,” the Goddess looked at her with knowing eyes. “She had very strong feelings for your manno and I had hopes, but she allowed herself to be lulled away by ‘things.'” The Goddess spat the word ‘things’ out as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.

“Her manno influenced her greatly.” Isis didn’t know why she was defending her mother, but she knew, while her manno had never forgiven her, he had continued to have strong feelings for her.

“For his own gain,” the Goddess told her.

“He gained from her leaving my manno?”

“Of course.” The Goddess’ gazes softened. “You did not realize.”

“No. Did my mother?”

“Only after it was too late,” the Goddess informed her.

“That was why she became so bitter.” Isis’ mind traveled back to all the things her mother had said to her. How hard she had tried to get Isis to leave Oryon.

“Yes.” The Goddess agreed.

“Did my manno know?”

“Yes.”

“That was why he said he would always stand by me if I wanted to stay with just one male.” Isis now had a better understanding of some of the things her manno had told her.

“Warrior Geb was a truly fit and worthy male.”

“He was.” Isis agreed knowing the amazing tribute the Goddess had just given her manno.

“You were my last hope, Isis," The Goddess quietly told her.

“Me?” Isis couldn’t hide her surprise.

“Yes. If
you
had chosen another, if
Oryon
had forced you to give your gift to another, then I would abandon all hope for the Tornian people, but you didn’t and he didn’t. Because of
that
, I have allowed compatible females to be found.”

“But…” Isis frowned at her.

“You question my decision?” the Goddess raised an eyebrow and the music ceased.

Isis looked at the Goddess. Only weeks ago she wouldn’t have been brave enough to question the Goddess’ actions. Now, because of the support and acceptance she had found from those who the Goddess called ‘compatible’ females, Isis found she had to. “Kim suffered.”

“It was necessary…” the Goddess began and was shocked when she was cut off.

“No! It wasn’t!” Isis ripped her hand way from the Goddess. “You are a Goddess! You could have prevented it! For you to just stand by and allow it, makes you no different than those that assisted Emperor Lucan!”