season avatars 03 - chaos season (30 page)

“Your Majesty!” Just in time, she remembered to whisper. The air grew close with the weight of a thousand stares.

He smiled. “I can tell you have a warrior spirit.”

Then it was over, and she was able to return to her cushion to wonder what he had meant by that. A noblewoman tugged her train back into place as Ysabel approached the king. Lex refused to look at Jenna for the rest of the ceremony, making her heart sink. By All Four, let him complain to his brother if he was jealous. He was the one who insisted on kissing all the Avatars!

After Kay’s turn to be recognized and ennobled, the king announced, “As ruler of Challen, breadbasket of the Fip Empire, I declare the ladies in front of me to be the true Season Avatars of Challen, with all the rights and responsibilities that accompany their positions. Let us celebrate now with a dance!”

The musicians started a waltz. Clover came forward with Robbie in a velvet suit. Jenna cradled her sleepy child for a moment while Clover bustled her train so she could dance.

“Ava, your partner is too young to walk, let alone dance with you.” Lex stood at her shoulder. “Allow me to accompany you instead.”

She barely had time to hand Robbie back to his nurse before Lex swept her away, pressing her close enough to his body to shock their audience. For Jenna, it was a thrill nearly as powerful as taming Chaos Season.

“Ava—Jenna—perhaps I’ve misjudged you. You are more loyal than I realized.” He looked in her eyes. “If you can give me half the loyalty you show your Ava Spring, I’ll be a lucky man indeed.”

“I’ll give you all that and more,” she whispered.

“Then I will wed you,” he announced. “Though we must wait until your mourning time for your first husband is done.”

Jenna blinked. “Did I hear you properly? Are you asking me to marry you?”

“Isn’t that what I just said?”

“Well, a woman prefers a little more wooing before a proposal. I’m not a town you can persuade to surrender without firing a single shot.”

His mouth quirked. “Here I thought you were the conqueror of my heart, and I was surrendering to you.”

Her own heart soared at his words, but she forced down her excitement and said, “How could a mere farm girl overcome the Avatar of War?”

“With courage and beauty,” he replied. “No shield, no wall, can keep you out of my heart. You’ve undermined all the barriers I thought there were between us. I can’t imagine any other woman I’d want at my side.”

Jenna wondered if that included Gwen.

Lex smiled at her. “Our marriage will give me an excuse to adopt our son, though to avoid scandal, he won’t be able to claim War Blood.” His grip on her tightened. “Naturally, all of our other children will be candidates for the next War Avatar.”

Did he think she’d be foolish enough to have a child with someone else? She’d learned her lesson: no more affairs. Lex would have to work very hard to keep her satisfied. Hopefully, Gwen would be willing to ensure he was up for the challenge.

“Of course,” Jenna agreed. She hoped the Fip God wouldn’t claim any of her children. Perhaps He would find a better candidate back in the Fip heartland, especially if her children were raised to worship the Four.

Lex still hadn’t proposed properly to her. She met his gaze boldly. “Is that all you want to say to me?”

“No.” He grasped her tighter as he whirled her away from the crowded dance floor. Jenna thought she saw Gwen off to the side, arguing with her father and former fiancé. Gwen’s Aunt Gabri leaned on a cane next to her. Then Jenna and Lex were past them. He led her out through a pair of glass doors to a small courtyard. A fountain played water music in the center, while the scent of roses grew stronger from the bushes that bordered the edge of the courtyard. She smiled, remembering the afternoon Lex had given her Robbie.

Lex pulled her over to the fountain. In the starlight, his face was shadowed. “Perhaps wooing should not be done with words alone, but with more…delightful weapons.”

He kissed her, drawing her into his strong embrace. She opened her lips and pressed herself against him. Would anyone else notice if the rosebushes suddenly intertwined and grew ten feet? If they had more privacy, they could make love in the center of the garden.

Lex pulled away before she could use her magic. “Is that sufficient wooing, or shall we continue?” He smiled. “How will you answer me now, Jenna?”

“Yes, oh yes.” She clung to him. “But perhaps we should test that weapon again, to see how strong it is.”

Lex chuckled. “We’d best not linger too long here, as much as I would like to. Otherwise, there will be gossip about us. Shall we see what’s been laid out on the supper table? I hear it’s a spread fit for an Avatar, or several of them.”

She agreed, beaming at shocked nobles as Lex took her arm and escorted her to a small room filled with tables of food. Gwen stood there alone, a goblet of wine in her hand and meat scraps for Pouncer in the other.

Jenna made straight for her as Lex ordered a servant to prepare plates of food for them. “Gwen, I’m betrothed!”

“I’m not.”

“Oh.” Jenna stared at her, trying to gauge her mood. She knew Gwen hadn’t been in love with William, but she’d been concerned about breaking the engagement anyway. Some of the tension Gwen always bore was gone. Her shoulders didn’t sag under the perpetual burden she carried. “Congratulations, I think?”

“Oh, it is congratulations.” Gwen smiled as she fed Ysabel’s cat. A collar around his neck twinkled with garnets and rubies. “Aunt Gabri took my side against my father. She said I have a wise old head on my shoulders, and even if I am over-willful, whoever I choose would be suitable and have the Four’s blessings, so my father should bless him too. Wasn’t that a wonderful thing to say?”

“Especially coming from your aunt.” Jenna leaned closer to her. “Only consult your heart too when you choose someone, not just your head.”

Gwen sighed. “My heart hasn’t found anyone it prefers above all others yet.”

That’s what happens when you ask for a life in which we can’t marry.
Jenna checked to make sure they weren’t touching. Gwen didn’t need to overhear that thought.

Lex approached them and gave a glass of wine to Jenna.

“Congratulations to both of you,” Gwen said. “I wish you much happiness, Your Royal Highness.”

Lex dipped his head toward her. “Ava, there are many fine young men here who would be overjoyed to meet you.”

“I know. How will I ever choose among them?” She suddenly looked up at Jenna and smiled knowingly. “A summerborn. I shall choose a summerborn. You know why, Jenna.”

Jenna tried not to choke on her wine. A summerborn man couldn’t link with Gwen the way the two of them could, but if he could give her the passion she needed, it might work.

Ysabel entered the supper room, her cheeks flushed. Kron followed her, looking annoyed. “By All Four, I can’t believe how many men want to dance with me!” She fanned herself.

“Far too many,” Kron muttered.

“Even with Jon next to her, Poor Kay is surrounded by noblemen. I don’t know if she’s going to faint or freeze them!”

Gwen plucked a pastry off of her plate and handed the rest of her food to one of the servers. “I suppose we’d better rescue her. Perhaps we could all dance a quadrille together.”

“I don’t know that dance, but I’d like to learn,” Kron said to Ysabel.

Jenna hid a smile as she finished her wine. Kron must be worried Ysabel would prefer a younger man over him. Perhaps now that Jenna was settled, she could help her sister Avatars find suitable mates of their own. Summer was the best time to find a new love, but love had to be strong enough to last through all four seasons.

If love is strong enough, it will last.
Jenna bit down a pang as Lex offered Gwen his free arm and she accepted. Both of them were honorable, so she also had to be honorable to be worthy of them. Someday she and Gwen would be ready to love each other again. Until then, she would be happy with Lex.

The group proceeded into the ballroom to meet their future, one Jenna hoped would be full of love, laughter, and magic.

Author’s Note

Thanks for reading my work; I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers decide if a particular book is for them, and many advertisers require a certain number of positive reviews before accepting a book.

Although the deathbush is not based on a real plant, I drew inspiration for it from Amy Stewart’s book
Wicked Plants: The Weed that Killed Lincoln’s Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities.
Cocoa beans or pods can harm other plants, according to
The Triumph of Seeds: How Grains, Nuts, Kernels, Pulses and Pips Conquered the Plant Kingdom and Shaped Human History
by Thor Hanson. I have not found any data proving processed cocoa powder would be toxic to other plants, but for the purposes of this story I decided the powder would be effective against a fictitious plant.

Of all the Season Avatars, Jenna has the most interest in sex—and what we would consider the most liberal views on sex. Challen itself is more progressive on social issues than technologically-equivalent Victorian England. Those who for whatever reason do not wish to marry can dedicate themselves to the God of Summer or Goddess of Fall, like Ysabel’s mother. Although Jenna might do this, Gwen wouldn’t at this point of her life. She believes her duty to produce heirs is more important than her own desires. I’ve mulled over whether Gwen and Jenna would have a sexual relationship, but they’re not ready for one yet. After so many lifetimes as spouses, they need time away from each other. That said, I have plans to continue writing in this world after the Season Avatars series finishes this particular story arc. Anything else I say at this point would be a potential spoiler, so you’ll have to wait and see how the characters develop.

As always, thanks go out to my beta reviewers, Bert Hammerstead and Elizabeth Hull, for catching my mistakes and to Maria Zannini of The Book Diva for creating the cover. I also thank my husband, Eugene, and my son, Alex, for putting up with my constant reading and writing.

This book is dedicated to the men and women of the Midwest Garrison, part of the 501st Legion.

There are two more novels planned in this series. As of May 2016, the first draft of Book Four,
Fifth Season,
is complete.  I’ve also started the final book,
Summon the Seasons.
These books will feature Ysabel and Kay respectively. I also eventually plan to publish a short story collection featuring the Season Avatars. Please check my blog or website often to learn when these stories will be ready.

Thanks again for reading!

Best,

Sandra

The Season Avatars

(Names in parentheses are from the Avatars’ first lives as shown in
Seasons’ Beginnings.
)

Group 1 (Future Avatars)

Gwendolyn lo Havil (Galia)—Spring

Jenna Dorshay t’Reve (Janno)—Summer

Avatar Name: Jenna dor Treve

Ysabel s’Ivena Lathatilltin (Bella)—Fall

Avatar Name: Ysabel ava Sivena

Kay Seltich (Caye)—Winter

Avatar Name: Kay ava Seltich

Group 2 (Current Avatars)

Margaret gran Garnell (Magstrom)—Spring (deceased)

Charles vin Estcher (Carver)—Summer

Sophia vin Estcher  (Sylva)—Fall

Dorian gran Garnell (Domina)—Winter

Group 3 (Past Avatars
—
all deceased)

Tylon fi Vort (Tylan)—Spring

Frederick min Jole (Flilya)—Summer

Helene ava Hartfut (Hala)—Fall

Olivia ava Kalt (Ocul)—Winter

Other Works By the Author

Science Fiction: Catalyst Chronicles Series

Lyon’s Legacy

The Mommy Clone

Twinned Universes

Seasonal Stories from the
Sagan

Non-Fiction

Life at Seventeen Syllables a Day: A Journal in Haiku

SF Women A-Z: A Reader’s Guide

Fantasy: Short Stories

The Book of Beasts

Letters to Psyche

Silver Rain

Fantasy: Season Avatars Series

Seasons’ Beginnings

Scattered Seasons

Chaos Season

Fifth Season
(tentative publication late 2016)

Summon the Seasons
(tentative publication 2017)

About the Author

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan started reading at the age of three and only stops when absolutely required to. Although she hasn’t been writing quite that long, she did compose a very simple play in German during middle school. Her science fiction novella
Move Over Ms. L.
(an early version of
Lyon’s Legacy
) earned an Honorable Mention in the 2001 UPC Science Fiction Awards, and her short story “A Reptile at the Reunion” was published in the anthology
Firestorm of Dragons.
Other works include the science fiction
Catalyst Chronicles
series
,
the fantasy
Season Avatars
series,
SF Women A-Z: A Reader’s Guide,
and several science fiction and fantasy short stories. She is a founding member of Broad Universe, which promotes science fiction, fantasy, and horror written by women. Her undergraduate degree is in molecular biology/English, and she has a Master of Technical and Scientific Communication degree. She currently works for an enzyme company; she’s also been a technical writer and a part-time copyeditor for a local newspaper. Some of her other accomplishments are losing on
Jeopardy!
and taking a stuffed orca to three continents. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, Eugene; and son, Alex. In her rare moments of free time, she enjoys archery, crocheting, listening to classic rock (particularly the Beatles), trooping as a Jawa with the Midwest Garrison of the 501
^st
Legion, and watching improv comedy.