Dovetailed (13 page)

“I think that’s a great idea,” he said over the Chans’ discussion of Amberlee becoming queen.

For some reason his agreement seemed to quiet the Chans. Modna faced Palmo. “What if the two of you were married?” Her brown eyes twinkled.

Amberlee knew she was ready, but it was against tradition. Normally they needed to be at least sixteen and receive their Kelvieri’s boots before a marriage took place.

She and Palmo had talked about it, though. Amberlee glanced at him. His eyes seemed to have glazed over. Perhaps he wasn’t as ready as he’d led her to believe.

“I want my marriage to be a celebration. One filled with the people of Alayeah.”

Modna waved a dismissive hand. “It was just a thought.”

“Usually a crown is made for the future ruler. We don’t even know where the king and queen’s crowns are,” one of the Chans said haughtily.

Amberlee knew some of the Chans felt she’d betrayed Alayeah and because of that, they believed a new family should rule. She could understand their thoughts and wished Venus were here. She would know how to lay their fears to rest. Venus had always been good at talking to the Chans and those in authority, way better than Amberlee ever had been.

Right now they were looking at her, waiting for her to say something and prove to them that she deserved to be a queen. She swallowed. A thought to run away struck her but, if she left, that would leave Alayeah even more broken.

She opened her mouth. Paused. Then spoke. “I know many of you believe I shouldn’t be queen. I betrayed my parents, Alayeah, and all of its citizens.” Several murmurs of agreement came from the Chans. “I can’t take back what I did. It was terrible of me and I acted like a spoiled brat. I believed the words of the King of Canaru because I was jealous of my sister and felt betrayed by my parents. I was easily converted by the Order of Eternal Fire.”

“My thoughts exactly,” someone in the back said.

Amberlee tried to look over their heads and see who had spoken, but no one stood out to her. She continued. “I’ve made mistakes. Perhaps some of you think they’re too big for me to properly apologize for them…” Palmo stiffened beside her, causing her to pause. She didn’t look his way, but got the feeling he didn’t agree with the way her speech was going. Probably he believed those under him should just accept what he said as law. He certainly spoke to those of a lesser station as though he were better.

But it was just the way he was raised. He couldn’t help it. She, on the other hand, had been treated like a second-class citizen. Venus had been the golden child while she’d been brushed aside and raised by servants. She realized it didn’t matter that her parents said they loved her. They’d never shown her any love. All of their attention had been on Venus.

Because of that, Amberlee understood what it meant to have your thoughts and beliefs trampled on. As Queen she wouldn’t make the mistakes her parents made, and the Chans needed to know that.

“I stand before you a changed person. I know what I did was wrong, but I still have much to offer. I know how King Antyon thinks. I can help counteract any injustice he tries to inflict upon these people. My people.” She sighed. “That’s how I feel. Alayeah is my land, and the people within its borders are my people. I will fight for them to my last breath. I will do whatever it takes to show the people that I am their servant. I will make you proud, and especially my parents. I promise.” Amberlee straightened her back, waiting for the barrage of anger she was sure would come her way.

Before anyone else could speak, Modna stepped beside Amberlee. “Our goddess, Venus, has shown me what this child…” she cleared her throat and continued, “what Amberlee will accomplish as Queen of Alayeah. She is the true ruler. There isn’t a single person in all of Kelari who would be better suited for this position.”

Amberlee was shocked at the praise. What had Venus shown her? What did Venus know? Modna had always treated Amberlee as little more than a servant, so the words coming from her mouth both shocked and moved her.

“Thank you, Modna,” Amberlee whispered.

Modna placed her hands on Amberlee’s shoulders. She was several inches taller than Amberlee and the movements made her feel small. “I speak the truth. If Venus hadn’t shown me what you’re capable of, I never would’ve believed it. But know this, I’ve seen the potential in you, so I will expect a great deal more than you may think possible.”

Amberlee felt her epsis race. “I understand.”

“This isn’t open for debate,” Modna said to the Chans. “We will coronate her immediately so that it is the Queen of Alayeah who goes into the tunnels to save her people.” She shot the group with a fierce glare.

There were more murmurings.

Modna huffed. “Let’s put it to a vote.”

“Agreed,” one of the Chans said.

“All in favor of Amberlee becoming queen raise your hand.” There was silence. “I would remind you that it is our goddess, Venus, who has sanctioned this. She knows what Alayeah will become because of Amberlee and she showed that future to me. It would be in your best interest to vote in the affirmative.” At those words nearly every hand went up.

Palmo stood on the other side of her. She felt a tickle of doubt for Palmo, but she brushed it aside and smiled.

“All opposed,” Modna said.

Two hands went up. Amberlee focused on them. “I hope with time your feelings for me will change.”

They nodded. One said, “I hope so too.”

The other added, “We can’t coronate the child without a crown.”

Amberlee agreed. “I know where my mother’s crown is. I’ll be right back.” She turned to Modna. “Thank you for standing up for me. I know it must be hard, but I swear I won’t let you down.”

Modna smiled kindly. “I know you won’t. Hurry, get the crown and return quickly.”

Amberlee ran out of the war room and down the enormous hall toward her bedroom. When she reached the door, she waved her hand over the Carania family crest and the door opened. Inside she ran to her closet, pressed several buttons, and waited for the hatbox she’d requested to come out.

When the lavender box arrived at the front of the closet, she opened it. There, amongst some gauzy cream fabric, was her mother’s crown. She gently picked it up and ran back.

Before she reached the war room, she heard the raised voices of those still opposed to her becoming queen. Their points were understandable. She was asking a lot of them. Why should they trust her after what she’d done?

Slowing to a walk, she touched a hand to her short hair, patting it down so that it wasn’t as spiky. She stopped in front of one of the many mirrors lining the hallway and glanced at her appearance. She looked rebellious, not at all queenly. She wiped the black star off her face as well as some of the eyeliner. She readjusted her shirt and combed down her hair some more.

It would have to do.

Gulping down her fears, she trusted in what Venus had shown Modna and the leader of the Chans. She was meant to be a great leader. No, she was a great leader. She just needed to prove it. To the Chans, to her people, and to herself.

And she would. She stared at her reflection in the glass and swore to it on her life. She would be the best leader her people had ever known.

Being a goddess had its advantages. There was no waiting, no riding in a Transport. Travelling from one world to another consisted of thinking about where she wanted to go, instantly travelling through space and time, and there she was.

Earth.

She’d thought of the meadow, the one where Zaren first told her she’d been sent to Earth. It was even more beautiful than she remembered. At first glance it was similar in many ways to Kelari. Upon closer inspection the differences were obvious. There was the weightiness of the atmosphere. This planet had only one sun and one moon. The photosynthesis of this planet made the trees, flowers, and grasses feel different.

She reached down, picked a wild daisy, and brought it to her nose. It smelled sweet and the petals were soft. She pressed them against her cheek. To her left was the stream; the rushing water raged in the distance. She dropped the flower and ran toward the sound, enjoying the feel of the warm breeze in her hair and against her bare arms and face.

At the edge of the stream she stopped. It seemed larger than last time, but the log, the one Michael had been sitting on when she first saw him, looked exactly the same.

Venus stared at it, remembering Michael’s extreme sadness and the rough way he’d kissed her. She’d thought he was a jerk, and he had been, but his reasons were understandable. Looking back she realized how wise and kind the gods—her parents, Ith and Aetha—had been. They knew of Michael and that he needed her.

She’d needed him as well. Still did. And always would.

Someday we’ll come back to this spot and have a proper kiss
, she thought.

Now, though, she needed to locate Dervinias and figure out what happened. Part of her thought she shouldn’t worry. He was a Kelvieri, after all. Earth, the people on it, and their weapons shouldn’t be able to harm him.

But somehow they had.

The goddess in her knew he was in trouble. Various scenarios played in her mind. While she knew a lot, a great deal more than she ever thought possible, the powers were still too new to know exactly what had happened to Dervinias on this world. On Kelari it was different. Ith and Aetha had given her all they knew. They’d also given her what they knew of Earth, and the ways needed to determine where all creatures were. Determining different creatures on different planets… that was still too new. Thanks to the device taken from the Transport, she knew where his spacecraft had landed and decided to start there.

Using her powers she thought of Cheverley’s ranch. She’d gone riding there. It’d been cold and snowy then. Now, the summer heat beat against her face. She closed her eyes, tipped her head toward the sky, and thought of the enormous cattle ranch.

Instantly, she was there. She knew it and, when she opened her eyes, her surroundings proved it.

“Chev’s house.” The Hartford Ranch. She knew there was a sign above the entrance to the ranch bearing those words. The house looked the same, southern ranch style painted yellow. Dark green shutters hung on either side of the windows. A white column stood on either side of the steps leading up to the front door. The porch ran the length of the house.

Two training corrals still stood in front. A horse had been placed in one and it trotted in a circle. She thought the animal looked familiar. It only took a second to realize it was Ishtar, the horse she’d ridden the last time she was here. Ishtar seemed to sense her presence. She came to the edge of the fence closest to Venus and stuck her head over the fence.

“Hey, girl,” Venus whispered.

The horse’s ears pricked up and she nickered.

Venus wanted to stroke the tuft of hair between her eyes, but she needed to hurry. “Maybe some other time.”

Venus scanned the area for clues as to what happened to Dervinias. It was simple to detect that this had been where his Transport landed. She could make out the slight impressions from the landing gear. It also looked like something had been dragged; she guessed it was probably Dervinias. She knelt down and touched a portion of dirt that looked wet, then brought it to her nose. It was celestrum—Kelvieri blood. He’d somehow been wounded.

She’d given Dervinias the Ostwallow sword. Had the leader of A.L.T. used it against him? If so, Dervinias could be dead. The Ostwallow sword was a weapon too powerful for humans. She needed to get it and Dervinias back as soon as possible.

Worried, Venus followed the trail through dense trees to an opening where there were several sets of tire tracks. A.L.T. hadn’t made much of an effort to hide their presence.

She followed the trail, instinctively knowing it would lead her to the A.L.T. compound and Abe. Venus forced herself to stay calm, to remember she was different in every way than she had been the last time she’d seen the evil doctor. Abe couldn’t harm her now.

When the barbwire fence surrounding the compound came into view she winced, but quickly forced herself not to think of the tests he’d done on her, the instruments he’d used, and the way he’d pulled her body apart and put it back together again.