Amazon Chief (66 page)

"You noticed we played out this drama after Queen Malora demanded we send the girls home with them, didn't you?" Lia asked.

"You were getting them out of the way," Frida said.

"I didn't want them to see me yelling at their mother," I explained.

Badra smiled at them. "I had great fun forwarding a letter through the Queen's Town patrol, summoning the queen."

The four of them looked between us then hung their heads. "I'm sorry about your tunic," Frida said. "And anything else that got out of hand."

"This thing?" I asked. "I've had it forever. I'm currently wearing the tunic Omie first gave me. I only wear it for special occasions."

They continued to hang their heads for a moment, then Glorana looked up. "What are you going to do to us?"

"Not a thing," I said. "Good match."

"I, however..." Lia said. "The pranks were funny. But you did them in a way it was reasonable for us to blame the other, and what would have happened if we'd had this conversation in private? Neither of us would ever have trusted the other one again, and I would have ended up cutting my hair. That's the promise if Beria ever accuses me without proof. If you're going to prank, keep them under control."

Then I spoke up. "These four are fair game for the next month. Have fun, everyone." I turned to them. "You will not offer retribution, either."

"No, Chief Beria."

Lia looked over at me. "How are the voices?"

* * * *

They waited until Lia left. Seconds later, there was a knock.

"Come in, Frida."

The four of them stepped in and came to a stop in front of me.

"How angry are you?" Glorana asked.

"I'm not. We had fun catching you. It was Lia that figured out someone else was involved, but it didn't occur to us for a while there were so many involved. You covered yourselves really well."

"We spent hours planning everything we did," Frida said.

"I suspected Tamma first," I said.

"We considered framing her," Glorana said. "And we made sure she was home every time we did anything, but then Rahna pointed out that might be going too far."

"So we did a few when she was on patrol," Yalta added. "We thought we were careful to only do them when you could blame each other."

"Well, we were impressed, but I am calling a truce on pranks against the village chief for a while. Lia and I may start our game again. If we do, I recommend you quietly make sure everyone stays out of it."

"We saw how much fun you were having," Frida said. "And we know you prank people at Queen's Town."

"I'm not angry. Honestly, it was all in fun." I grinned. "Anyone pranking you yet?"

"Someone got back to our hut before we did," Yalta said. "They stole all our bedding."

"Find it yet?"

"Did you notice my hair is wet?" Rahna said. "It was in your boat out in the middle of the lake."

"So if you find someone with wet hair, you'll know who did it. She would have to swim back."

"Everyone's hair is dry," Rahna said. "We checked everyone."

"While we were getting the bedding back, someone suspended our beds from the ceiling of the hut," Glorana said.

I grinned. "Well, I will say this: it wasn't Lia or me. Beyond that, I have no clues for you. Enjoy the next month."

"You said we're not allowed retribution," Frida said.

"That is correct."

"Even if we have rock solid evidence?" Glorana clarified.

"If they are blatant about it," I said "I'll add them to the list of open targets. But don't tell anyone that. Anything else?"

"Are the voices quiet?" Yalta asked.

"Lia took care of them. Thank you for asking."

* * * *

Malora and Maya returned with the girls during training the next morning. It was some time later that Yalta came back out of her hut, covered in chicken feathers. Maya grinned at me.

"Good one," I whispered to her.

"Thanks," she said. "I was saving those feathers for you, you know."

"I had a supply for you, but I used them on Lia."

"I wish I'd seen it." She grinned. "I wouldn't suppose you were thinking of stealing some more rabbits again?"

I grinned.

Lia stepped into my hut. Her hair was already down, and she smiled, but then she hesitated just inside the threshold.

I looked up at her then cocked my head. "Is something wrong?"

"No," she said. "I want to ask you something, but I suddenly find myself somewhat nervous."

"Oh?" I rose from my chair and then saw she had a bottle of wine with her. "Were you going to ask if I had an opener?"

"What?" I gestured at the bottle. "Oh, no," she said. "It's already open." Then she held up two glasses.

"Oh, serious conversation," I said with a smile. "Come on in."

She stepped forward, then held out the glasses. I took them from her and held them upright while she poured. She set the bottle on my table and took one of the glasses from me.

She held her glass up and cocked her head, then said, "To taking chances."

"All right," I said. "To taking chances." We tapped glasses before sipping. I watched her, but she looked away, then began roaming around my hut, looking at the few decorations I had. She came to my net of fishing flies and studied them carefully. I stepped up next to her.

"You haven't taught me to fish."

"You haven't asked. Is that what you came to talk about?"

"No." But she turned away from me slightly, giving me a shoulder to look at.

"Hey," I said, setting my hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

She stepped away from me, and I let my hand fall to my side.

"I was thinking about the permanency of my situation."

I heart plummeted. She was going to ask to leave.

"Lia," I said softly.

"I know having the children has been difficult at times."

"Everyone likes them. Lia, you know you're welcome to stay."

"I know. You've all been very kind."

"Aren't you happy?"

"Not entirely."

I closed my eyes. I'd gotten used to her. I'd gotten used to the girls, too. She had brightened my life here, and now she was leaving.

She stepped away from me, past me, but I stared at my fishing flies, my heart in my throat. I heard her set her wine glass on my table. A moment later, it was her hand on my shoulder. She reached past me and took my glass from me, and then I heard that glass set down as well. Then she was at my shoulder again.

"Beria," she said softly. "I had a question."

I turned to her, and I found her hands waiting for me, one coming to a rest on my cheek, the other cupping the back of my head. She stepped closer to me then pulled my mouth to hers.

I was so shocked;
I stood there as she kissed me.

Then she ended the kiss.

She turned away. "I'm sorry. Can you arrange an escort for my children and me?"

She took three steps before I caught up to her and spun her to face me, my hands on her arms.

"You asked me a question," I said. "Aren't you going to wait for my answer?"

And then I pulled her to me, wrapping my arms around her, and when I lowered my lips, I found hers waiting.

She tasted like... I don't know what she tasted like. I couldn't think. Or I thought about everything all at once.

I released her, and we stared into each other's eyes.

My mouth remembered the last mouth I'd tasted, all those years ago. I still loved Omie, all these years later.

But I could never have this with Omie again.

"Lia," I whispered.

She lifted a hand to my cheek.
She looked as confused as I felt. I didn't have words to answer her confusion, and so I pulled her against me, wrapping my arms around her, nearly crushing her against me, burying my face in her hair. She responded with her arms around me, holding me as I held her.

She kissed my shoulder, and I kissed her hair.

"Is this your answer?" she asked.

I still had no words, and all I could do was nod.

"I have two daughters, Beria."

That I could answer. "I know. Who is with them?"

"They are asleep. Alone. I cannot spend the night here."

I tightened my arms, letting my desires be known.

"It's complicated," she said. "Come." She pulled away from me, but she led me to the side of my bed. "Sit."

Obedient, I sat. She knelt in front of me and slowly removed my boots. I reached for the laces of my tunic, but she captured my hands. "Slower than that." And I nodded.

She sat down next to me and removed her own boots, then she bore me to the pillows, kissing me quickly before we wrapped in each other's arms.

"I couldn't stand if you left. Please tell me you're staying."

"For now," she said.

"For now?" My voice cracked. "But-"

She put fingers against my lips. "I've seen how you look at Omie. I've seen how she looks at you. I won't accept anything less."

"Lia-"

"I don't expect you to stop loving her. But I expect there to be room in your heart for me. And I don't think you know if there is."

She was wrong, but I didn't know how to tell her that.

"No one has ever looked at me like that."

"Joelle and Annalise's father-"

"-Did not look at me like you look at Omie."

Then she smiled. "But I like the way you are looking at me right now. It's a start. You've been looking at me like this for a while, but I wasn't sure what it was." She chuckled. "I overheard Aura and Badra talking."

"Oh?"

"Aura asked Badra when you were going to figure out how you felt about me."

"Oh."

"And Badra told her, 'About when Lia figures out how she feels about Beria'."

I smiled.

"You're the first woman I have ever kissed like that."

"And so," I said, "we go slowly?"

She nodded.

"How slowly?" I began to grin a little.

"Perhaps tonight there could be a little more kissing," she said.

And so there was.

She stayed for perhaps another hour. We talked more with our hands, our fingers, our lips, than we did with words. We touched a great deal, the voices long silenced.

Finally she said, "I must go. The girls may wake up."

I slipped from the bed then knelt in front of her and put her boots on for her. Then I pulled her to her feet and led her to the door.

"We didn't drink the wine," I said.

"Then I won't need to bring another bottle tomorrow night," she replied. She turned around in my arms and pressed against me. We kissed again, there by the side of the door. Then she turned to go, but I stopped her.

"Lia."

"Beria."

I turned her back to face me. "Will you be my companion?"

She looked down. "Tonight, you look at me with hunger. When you look at me like you look at Omie, you may ask that again."

"Lia," I said, "I have no intention of looking at you like I look at Omie. I intend to look at you like the woman I will share the rest of my life with. Omie and I always knew there would be an end."

She looked up and smiled broadly.
"I am not ready to say 'yes'. Ask again."

I nodded.

"Kiss me once more."

She stepped back into my arms. It was a soft kiss, a gentle kiss. But with it, we said everything we each required that night.

And then she was gone. I leaned against the doorframe watching her as she crossed the compound to her hut. When she reached her door, she turned around, looking at me. We stared across the dimly lit distance, staring at each other.

* * * *

I woke early. I always did, except for those nights I spent with Maya. I took some work with me to the dining hall, waiting around and trying to look busy.

Lia and the girls showed up an hour and a half later. About half the Amazons were already having breakfast. As soon as I saw her, I told Aura, "I'll see you at training" and stood up, catching Lia's eye.

We started at each other for a moment, then I said, "Lia, do you have a few minutes for me?"

"Will it make me late for training?"

"I just need a minute or two."

"I'll take care of the girls," Lin said. She rose from the table and took them in hand, and then I took Lia's arm and gently pulled her towards my hut.

As soon as the door closed, she moved into my arms, lifting her lips for a kiss. I pulled her to me.

It was a short kiss, and then I wrapped my arms more fully around her and held her.