Wind Demon Triology: Book II: Evil Wind (16 page)

A frown slipped over the face of the Grand Maitresse. “Those which condemned him before this Council, Dr. Kym."

"He murdered three Amazeen warrioresses,” the Militaire reminded Kym.

"Aye, but they were Amazeen warrioresses and not true Daughters,” Kym said. “And he did so only because they posed a threat to his lady.” She spread her hands. “Are we to fault the man for saving the mate he was promised he could have?"

The Council of Elders remained silent, none of them wishing to tackle the issue of what had been promised to the Reaper upon his help in freeing the women of Rysalia from their slavery to the Empire.

"Are you here to argue his cause, Dr. Kym?” the Gardine, the chief wardess of the prison inquired.

"I would champion him, aye,” Kym answered. “I have said all along that we treated the man unfairly, dishonorably, and I stand by that opinion."

The Législateur leaned forward. “What would you have us do, LeJong? Release him? Send him back to Terra?” She tapped a page of paper sitting before her. “A death warrant was issued for him—a decision not lightly taken."

"But perhaps erroneously taken?” Kym asked.

"It is evident you are his champion, Dr. Kym,” the Ravitailleur said. “Is it your opinion he should be treated with honor?"

Kym knew she had a staunch ally in Fabienne Corday, the Elder in charge of provisioning the Daughters. She swung her attention to the very thin woman.

"I do not believe we should torment him as I am sure is Her Eminence's plan. It will be hard enough on him watching his bloodkin dispatched at the Feast."

"I agree with you on what Her Eminence would like to see happen to Cree,” the Gardine said. “It bothers me that he was tortured onboard the
Alluvia
. There was no call for that."

Kym met Yvette Dubois’ eye and knew she had another friend sitting on the Council. “I was most distressed to hear he was treated in such a manner."

"What would you have us do, Kym?” the Grand Maitresse asked.

"Put forth an edict that will keep him from being abused by the Daughters,” Kym replied.

"And will that edict extend to Her Eminence?” the Législateur queried.

"It should specifically state Her Eminence,” the Architecte put in. “I found her conduct this morn irrational and counterproductive to our cause."

Surprised she had a supporter in Alexandre Neville, Kym breathed a sigh of relief. “I fear Her Eminence allows her heart to run away with her head at times."

"My feelings as well, Dr. Kym,” Marie Fasset, the Éducateur agreed. The woman in charge of the Daughters’ education smiled at Kym, her eyes twinkling.

Kym now knew there were at least four of the nine women behind her in the wish that Cree not suffer unduly. All it would take would be one more to side with her for there to be a majority should the issue come to a vote. The Grand Maitresse was certainly not one she could count on and she suspected the newest member—the Médicine—would wait to see how things stood before she put forth her support. Cyle Acet's stand on the matter was a given. That left only the Militaire or the Législateur who might prove to be receptive to aiding Cree.

"As a warrioress,” the Militaire began, “I have long admired the Iceman's abilities. It would be a shame to break such a valiant man."

Hard pressed not to smile, Kym simply tilted her head to one side in acknowledgement of Michelle Abney's comment. The Chrystallusian woman had her majority.

"We will take the matter under consideration,” the Grand Maitresse snapped. She was not a stupid woman and she realized hers was an opinion in the minority on the Council.

Kym bowed deeply. “That is all I can ask, Your Grace.” She looked at each of the Elders in turn then left the Council Chamber.

Kahmal also was having a difficult time keeping her smile from slipping into place. She had gone to the Rysalian Fleet offices to inquire after fueling and provisioning her ship and had been stunned to learn the Militaire had already left orders to see to the ship.

"Her Grace suggested you would want to leave for Amazeen directly after the Feast,” the yeoman in charge had told her. She handed Kahmal the necessary papers.

Leaving the Fleet offices, she glanced toward the cage. Cree was sitting where he'd been all morning and the cage was ringed with women gawking at him. The Amazeen Major ground her teeth as she neared the cage.

"Have you women nowhere to be?” she called out. “Or does pestering the man amuse you?"

Blank looks were turned Kahmal's way as she approached. “No one is pestering him,” one of the women told her. “We are merely observing him."

"Like we would any animal in a cage,” another said and a few of the women laughed.

"Be about your business, ladies,” Kahmal said. “There will be plenty for you to see come the Feast."

Grumbling, the women began to disburse, sending Kahmal nasty looks. To the women of Rysalia Amazeens were to be tolerated because they were warriors and their abilities were needed for protection but most Rysalians detested the tall, muscular females as well as feared them.

"You aren't making friends and influencing enemies, ‘Kadia,” Cree said softly.

"I was not aware this was a popularity contest, Reaper,” Kahmal snapped. “I do not care what those imbeciles think of me."

"Where is Dorrie?” Unable to penetrate the lead-lined walls of the Titaness, he had not been able to track his friend's whereabouts and he was concerned for her.

"She is in a cell near the Reapers,” Kahmal said and to a casual observer watching her speak to Cree, she appeared hostile.

"Is she all right?"

"She was cursing a blue streak as the Terrans say but other than being infuriated that they have deloused her and shorn off her braid, she is as well as can be expected. A lead torque was placed around her neck to keep the Reapers from communicating with her.” Kahmal grimaced. “Enough of her. How are you?"

Cree sighed. “I'm thirsty. Do you think they will at least give me something to drink? It is hot out here and I've got a bitch of a headache."

"I will see to it.” She walked around the cage where she could see his face. “Are you ill?"

"My back is killing me,” he replied. “I've had no Triso today."

Kahmal wrapped her hands around the bars. “Why did you not remind me of that this morn?"

He shrugged. “In the anticipation of landing, it slipped my mind. Now, the parasite is reminding me of how big a fool I was."

"I'll be right back!” she said and hurried off. The last thing they needed was for Cree to screw up his schedule and Transition out of cycle still again. She knew he had to be in greater discomfort that he was letting on and could have kicked herself for forgetting about what he needed.

The Healer's Complex was deep inside the Fleet Command headquarters—near the middle of the vast complex. Walking as fast as she could, Kahmal bulldozed past women who turned to glare at her. Nearly running by the time she reached the medical facility, she was sweating when she rushed up to the receptionist's desk.

"I need to speak with your Chief of Staff immediately,” Kahmal demanded.

The receptionist arched a thin brow. “Do you have an appointment?"

Not even thinking about what she was doing, Kahmal reached across the desk and grabbed the receptionist by her collar and pulled the woman out of her seat.

"I have a Prime Reaper who has not had his daily 250 mg dosage of Triso sitting out there in the hot sun. Do you want to be the one to tell the Council of Elders you are the cause of him Transitioning out of cycle? Would you like to be thrown into the cage with him to administer his Triso to keep that from happening?"

The receptionist's face paled. “No, Major,” she said and grunted when Kahmal shoved her back into her chair. The woman was quick to punch in the Chief of Staff's secretary. She spoke briefly with the secretary then looked up at Kahmal, her hands shaking.

"The Chief of Staff will be right out with the Triso, Major,” the receptionist said.

The thick double doors leading into the medical operatories swung open and an imposing blonde woman came straight toward Kahmal. “Do you know how to administer this?” she asked, holding up the vac-syringe.

"I would think he does,” Kahmal replied. “I doubt any one wants to get into the cage with him and that includes me."

Her face losing what little color it had, the Chief of Staff nodded, extending the vac-syringe to Kahmal. “Does he get this every morning?"

"Aye,” Kahmal replied. “Along with four veds of Sustenance. He must have both and he needs the Sustenance ASAP as well as water."

"I will arrange for it to be taken to him but as you say, none of my staff will venture into that cage."

"It is securely locked anyway,” Kahmal reminded the Chief of Staff. “They couldn't get in without a guard allowing them to do so.” She turned to leave.

"Is there anything else I should know in regards to his health?” the Chief of Staff called out.

"Under no circumstances is he to be given any food which contains garlic. Even a minute amount will cause him severe problems."

"Aye, I remember that from my pre-med days. I will make sure the nutritionists are made aware."

Kahmal waved a hand in acknowledgement of the Chief of Staff's words then sped back to the cage. Even before she reached the bars, she could see the sweat glistening on the Reaper's face and the shivers attacking his muscular frame.

"Can you inject yourself?” she asked.

"I can try,” he said and pushed up from the concrete. He staggered, putting a hand to his back where his parasite was bulging beneath the skin.

"Come close to the bars and I'll do it for you,” Kahmal said, her face showing her concern for his condition. “Are you going through withdrawal this soon?"

"Aye, unfortunately so,” he said. He walked over to where she was standing and laid his forehead against the bars that separated them. Sweat was pouring down his face and the underarms and back of his jumpsuit was soaked. His hands were trembling badly.

It was easy to see the large vein in his neck. Kahmal plunged the needle into his flesh and felt the tremor that shuddered through him as the potent, fiery drug invaded his system.

"By Alel, that never gets any easier,” he whispered. “Especially when it's been longer than twenty-four hours in between doses."

"You need water,” Kahmal said, allowing her hand to touch his cheek before she stepped back. “You are dehydrating. Where the hell is that Sustenance and water?” That said, she spun on her heel and stalked off.

The fight had been drained out of the Reaper when the pain in his back began and he slid down beside the bars, leaning against the coolness of the tempered steel. He wrapped his arms around him to still the shakes that had him in their grip.

"Here,” Kahmal said, hunkering down before him and thrusting a large cup of water through the bars.

Cree reached out and covered Kahmal's fingers with his own and brought the cup to his mouth. He drained it, gulping in the liquid. “My bloodkin?” he asked. “Have you learned anything of them?"

"Don't worry about that right now,” Kahmal snapped. “They are no doubt in better condition than you are."

He looked into her vivid green eyes. “Do you know that for a fact, ‘Kadia, or are you just guessing?"

She knew he could easily read her mind so she shrugged. “I've yet to take a look at them but I will. I was told they have not been maltreated."

"I don't trust these women to tell the truth. See to them, ‘Kadia,” he asked.

"I will,” she repeated.

The Triso was calming the hellion beneath his skin and the Reaper relaxed as he sat leaning against the bars. He plowed a hand through his thick brown hair. “Thank you, ‘Kadia."

Kahmal ached to reach out and touch him, to stroke the beads of sweat from his brow. “Don't stay close to the bars,” she warned him. “Only the goddess knows what some of these women are capable of doing if they can lay hands to you."

He nodded and took hold of the bars to lever himself up. For a moment he wavered then walked back to the center of the cage and sat down, drawing his knees up again.

"See to my sons,” he reminded Kahmal still again.

"Stop worrying, Reaper,” she said. “They'll be bringing you some Sustenance and more water in a few minutes."

He locked gazes with her before lowering his head to his crossed arms. There was no need for him to tell her he would stop worrying when they made their escape from Rysalia Prime.

"I will come see you in the morning,” Kahmal told him.

"I think I'll stay here for awhile,” he said with a snort.

Kahmal turned to see a guard hurrying toward her with a beaker of Sustenance and a jug of water. “Just put it inside the cage. He will get it when you are out of his reach."

The guard's eyes widened but she did as she was told, scurrying back from the cage as quickly as she could. Without waiting to see if the Reaper would take the offerings, she practically ran back into Fleet Command.

"Does it seem to you we have allies here we weren't counting on?” Sern asked Kahmal as the Major got ready to leave the ship later than afternoon.

"Kym is definitely a supporter,” Kahmal stated. “I was surprised on that account."

"She is in love with our Reaper,” Sern informed her Major.

Kahmal blinked. “Are you certain?"

"As surely as I stand here,” Sern replied. “I've been tracking her movements and she went straight to the Council of Elders after sedating the mad woman. She has a majority of the Council behind her."

"Cree said the goddess swore She would not hinder him in taking his men and leaving Rysalia,” Aegean said. “Perhaps She has a hand in this?"

"Aye, but She also told him She would not lift a hand to help him,” Kahmal snapped.

"Maybe She changed Her mind,” Chanz commented.

"Maybe,” Kahmal agreed. “There was far less anger in that crowd than I expected.” She swiped a hand over her face. “Those gathered seemed more concerned with getting a look at Cree rather than wanting to see him on his knees."

Ceatie—Sern's weretiger—pushed his head under the Amazeen woman's arm to remind her he was there. A loud purring filled the ship's bridge as Sern reached down to scratch the animal behind his ear.