Rout of the Dem-Shyr (The Ascendant Series) (6 page)

“So, don’t I get any more details about this competition?” she prodded. “Was it a fight to the death? Is that how you came about your manly scar?”

His gaze slid from hers. She intuited his discomfort over the question and wished she could take it back. Reaching out in a gesture of apology, she touched the back of his hand.

An image flashed through her mind: a red-haired young woman with fire in her eyes and a sharp blade in her hand.

Lifting her fingers from him, Kyr thought,
I’m so sorry, Gren. I didn’t mean—

It’s okay, Ma’jah
, he interrupted, shifting away from her. “Is there anything more you want to eat?”

Sorrow clung to them both. She shook her head. “No, thank you.”

“
Dem-Shyr
TaeDane is on his way,” Gren said, getting to his feet and setting the tray on the table. “I’ll wait for him outside. If you want anything else to eat or drink, just let me know.”

Kyr wanted to beg his forgiveness for inadvertently accessing what was obviously a sensitive memory, but she knew he didn’t want to discuss it. “Sure. Thanks for sitting with me.”

He nodded. For a moment, she thought he might say something else. Then he just turned and walked out of the room, leaving her feeling guilty and terribly alone.

Chapter 7

For the next couple days, Ty remained with Kyr. Until they figured out where the poison had come from and whether it had been intended for her, his place was at her side. He slept on a couch in her receiving chamber and oversaw every aspect of her day, leaving the interrogations up to Gren and a team of Inquisitors.

Shouldn’t they have found something by now?
Kyr thought as they walked to Shaya’s chambers for the second day in a row.

It’s unusual that they haven’t picked up any thoughts or behavior that would identify the person or persons behind this
, Ty acknowledged.
I don’t think there has ever been a poisoning where the perpetrator wasn’t identified quickly
.

She looked troubled. The line between her brows had been nearly constant since the poisoning. He wished he could do something to ease her mind, but he was just as worried as she was. Until they figured out what was going on, she was at risk. He had no idea how the person who tampered with the yarrow nectar did it without leaving any sort of clue or having any perceivable thoughts about it. It was just unheard of.

There was also the timing to consider. Was it a coincidence that the poison had been planted right after Kyr met with the V’larian ambassadors? He didn’t believe in coincidences. So what was the significance of it? Did it have any tie-in with the fact that the V’larians happened to save Kyr’s life when she was on Earth?

Until they identified the poisoner, there wasn’t much use in dwelling on what-ifs. Nevertheless, what had happened to Shaya was at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

They reached the Guardian’s bedchambers a few minutes later. Ty nodded at the two Mynders guarding her doors, silently asking them to announce Kyr’s presence. One of the guards, DibonDane, returned the nod and stepped inside to inform Shaya they were there. Ty gave Kyr’s arm a squeeze when he saw her wringing her hands. Her anxiety was clear in her thoughts and expression, but she had warned him not to influence her. She wanted to process everything that had happened on her own.

“I’m sorry,
Dem-Shyr
,” Dibon said when he returned to his post and closed the door behind him. “Guardian Shaya has decided that she isn’t prepared for visitors right now.”

“But I checked with you before we came down here. You said she was meeting with Advisor Vycor.”

“Yes,
Dem-Shyr
. However, her time with the Advisor exhausted her. She asked that you come again another time when she’s more rested and presentable.”

Ty’s back teeth clamped together as Kyr’s disappointment struck him. Shaya had refused to see Kyr ever since she was brought back to her chambers from the sanctuary. Hemmel had informed them that the Guardian was able to receive visitors, so her refusal to see her daughter made no sense.

I’m not her daughter in her eyes
, Kyr thought.
I’m Ma’jah Kyr, the female she’s jealous of. She can’t look anything less than her best around me
.

Her melancholy seemed to be growing deeper by the second. He had to do something.

Isn’t it odd that the poison was delivered to the Guardian under the
Dem-Shyr’s
watch?

The stray thought had Ty looking between Dibon and his companion. Did they think he had poisoned the yarrow nectar? His gaze moved to the three other Mynders who had escorted Kyr along with him. How many others felt that way?

Kyr surged forward. “How dare you suspect
Dem-Shyr
TaeDane of wrong-doing? He would never harm me or the Guardians. He’s the most vigilant, protective Mynder on Alametria!”

It took Ty a moment to intervene, he was so surprised by her outburst. She even shoved Dibon, who must have been the one to share the thought. Her push sent the large male stumbling back a foot, reminding Ty that her physical strength was Ascending along with her mental abilities. With a combination of gratitude and reluctance, he stepped between her and the stunned guard.

Calm yourself, Kyr. You don’t want everyone finding out how we feel about each other before we’re ready
.

Opening his mind so that the other Mynders could read the truth in his response, he said, “I didn’t poison Guardian Shaya. I wouldn’t harm the Guardians or Ma’jah Kyr.”

All of the Mynders processed what he had said in combination with his sincerity. After a moment, they all sent thoughts that they believed him. He knew they would share what they had just discovered with any other doubters.

Behind him, Kyr took a deep breath as she struggled to regain her control. He felt her continued anger and knew it was misplaced. She was upset over their circumstances and Shaya’s treatment, not over Dibon’s random thought. Mynders were trained to ask such questions, after all.

“Please let Guardian Shaya know that Ma’jah is concerned for her and hopes to see her soon,” Ty said.

“Of course,
Dem-Shyr
,” Dibon said. “My apologies for upsetting you and Ma’jah. It wasn’t intentional.”

“We know. Thank you.”

Ty took Kyr’s arm and led her down the hallway. He didn’t bring her back to her chambers, which had begun to feel like a prison for both of them over the past couple days. Instead, he headed for her private gardens. The pretty, fragrant environment had always cheered her up. He hoped it did today, too. He didn’t know what else to do, and seeing her so stressed and upset was killing him.

As soon as they stepped outside into the fresh, cool air, he felt the weight of Kyr’s troubles lift. Sending a thought to the other Mynders to wait inside the doors leading to the garden, he walked alone with Kyr to her favorite spot. She smiled when she saw the fountain and headed right for the bench that encircled it.

“Thank you, Ty,” she said softly as she sat down and trailed her fingers through the shimmering water. “I needed this. I’d forgotten about this place.”

“You’re welcome.”

Her gaze moved to the distance, where she had a high, birds-eye view of the grand entrance leading into the palace proper. There was a steady stream of people walking, riding on horseback, or traveling in carriages as they entered or exited the palace. The bustling energy was quite unlike the quieter, more restricted part of the palace where Kyr and the Guardians lived.

“I remember longing to be among them when I was younger,” Kyr said, her voice barely audible over the fountain. “I hated being so removed from everyone else. I hated that I had to spend so much time alone with you. I didn’t understand that it was because I was attracted to you even though I had been taught that I couldn’t be.”

Her words gave his heart a painful squeeze. Their path together had been anything but easy.

“Even now that I’ve finally been introduced to other Alametrians, I feel removed. Disconnected. It’s because the people I’ve met are the ones Shaya dictated as suitable.” She rose and walked closer to the half-wall providing the view, so Ty went with her. “The people down there are living ordinary lives, lives like the ones I experienced while away learning my lessons. Why would I be taught how to relate to typical individuals and their daily lives if I’m not going to be allowed to meet them here?”

It was a good question. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “Perhaps that’s one of the things you’ll change as you assume your responsibilities as the Ascendant.”

She considered that in silence as she watched the people below. He knew she was frustrated about not remembering more about her own planet. She didn’t know much about any of the megais outside of her own. Anything she might have learned before she left Alametria had yet to resurface in her memories. It made her feel all the more like a stranger in her home world.

“We can fix that,” Ty said, reaching out and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The pink sunlight brought out the rich ruby-colored hues in her dark tresses. “Which megai would you like to learn about first?”

A small smile touched her lips. “Yours.”

“All right.” He leaned a hip against the half-wall and crossed his arms over his chest so he didn’t reach for her. The gardens were monitored. “The Dane megai is about a three-day ride from the palace. It’s the closest megai to this one, which works well since so many Mynders work out here.”

“How big is it?”

“Big. It’s a full week to get to the Luja megai to the north. About half that to get to the Rowe megai to the west.”

“What’s to the east?”

“The Savyaan Sea. Some of the Dane who don’t work here at the palace make their living on the sea.”

“Ah. Is there a palace in the Dane megai?”

“No. It’s more like you might picture a human settlement. Homes made of stone or wood, built in communities. Most of the time, the communities are made up of several generations of a few families. They’re very tight-knit.”

Her eyes were steady on his. “Do you miss it?”

“Sometimes. I miss my family. I haven’t seen them since I left with you for your lessons.”

She brushed her fingertips over his bicep in a sympathetic gesture. “I’m sorry, Ty. Can we arrange a visit with them?”

“Maybe…after all of this excitement dies down.”

“Yeah,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself and returning her focus to the view. “Excitement.”

Great, Ty
, he thought to himself.
Way to get her mind off things
.

“You’re doing fine,” she said out loud. “Tell me about the other megais. What are they like?”

“Well, you know Avana and the Great Divyner are from the Luja megai. It’s where most Divyners live. Only a select few are brought here to the palace, and that’s for roles like the one Avana served. Helping to oversee off-planet lessons for those people who warrant it.”

“You mean those people whom the Guardians feel need extra protection?”

“Yes.”

Her lips pressed together, but she didn’t comment.

“Most of the Luja megai also borders the Savyaan Sea on the east. It’s a heavily forested megai. In fact, many Luja choose to live among the trees. They try to integrate nature into everything they do. It’s almost opposite of the Rowe megai. Since the Rowe are technologically focused and always looking to make advances for Alametria, they live in protective sterile pods that allow them to experiment without risking the health or safety of those around them. There’s even a force field around the border to prevent unapproved access to the megai.”

“Wow. That sounds crazy.”

“If you knew half of what they experimented with, you’d thank Yen-Ki for the force field.”

Kyr laughed, making Ty’s spirits lift. “I’ll take your word for it. Which megai borders theirs on the other side? Talk about fences making great neighbors.”

The lighthearted feeling disappeared. “There isn’t a megai on the other side of the Rowe border,” he replied. “That’s where the Dark Lands begin.”

“Dark Lands? What are those? I don’t remember them.”

“I’m not sure the Guardians ever discussed them with you. Do you remember Sem mentioning the AI revolution we experienced?”

“Yes. He said Earth had about a hundred years or so until it experienced what Alametria did. He said that advances in technology aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.”

“That’s right. A number of generations ago, AI grew so advanced that it started outthinking us. The resulting battle destroyed a large part of the planet. The air in that area is now poisonous. The ground is unfertile. Only rubble remains where there used to be enormous buildings and living spaces. It’s essentially a technology graveyard.”

Kyr’s eyes widened. “Man, I’m glad I wasn’t alive for that. How awful.”

“It was the darkest time in our history.”

“That’s such a shame,” she said, rubbing her upper arms to fight off a shiver. He didn’t know if she was chilled by the wind or the story. “To think that our ignorance left so much of the planet uninhabitable.”

Ty debated whether to clarify her statement. She seemed discomfited enough already. After a moment, he decided that she wanted knowledge, so he would share it.

“The Dark Lands are inhabited, though,” he said.

Her mouth fell open. “They are? But you said they’re full of poisonous air and that nothing can grow there.”

“Be that as it may, people are sent there.”

“Who?”

“Alametrians who commit the most terrible crimes. Those who are permanently exiled. They’re the murderers and attempted murderers. They’re the ones who are prone to extreme violence. They’re the monsters of our society.

“They’re the Outcasts.”

Chapter 8

Shaya continued to refuse meetings with Kyr, blaming her weak condition and damaged constitution. When a full week of refusals had gone by after the poisoning, Kyr gave up. If the Guardian wanted to see her, she could damn well ask.