The Broken Kingdom (59 page)

‘Yes?’

‘Lillia, what were you doing with me?’

‘Huh- oh… Vann, I had nothing to do with it,
I swear. A man came, he was- he had blonde hair and blue eyes-’

‘Ellis!’ Vann jumped to his feet.

‘What- the man who hit me?’ Lillia
asked.

Riley was already walking away. She seemed
very calm.

Vann heard her ask Karesh where Ellis
was.

A moment later Riley returned, looking
annoyed. ‘He’s not here. Adila will find him for me.’ she said
ominously.

‘I’m sorry, Riley.’ Vann suddenly said.

Riley didn’t say anything.

‘What about everyone else?’ Lillia was
asking.

‘They’re waiting back at the planes for
you.’ Vann replied, his voice harsh again. ‘We’ll find somewhere
for you to stay for now, tomorrow morning we’ll take you back to
the planes.’

Vann left Lillia shortly after that to find
Riley, who had wandered off. He found her standing at the edge of
the camp, staring out at the forest.

‘Are you ok?’ he asked gently as he put his
arms around her.

She was fiddling with her necklace. She
always wore it, though it was under her shirt when she fought or
hunted.

‘No.’ she snapped. ‘They took you, Vann.
Ellis betrayed me and I let him!’

‘It’s not your fault-’

‘It is!’

Vann didn’t saying anything to that. He
waited until she was silent before he said, ‘it’s not.’

Riley sighed angrily but she didn’t
reply.

‘I almost got your friend killed too.’ Riley
added after a while.

‘Lillia’s fine. I feel a little angry at her
too, but I guess that’s not fair.’

Riley didn’t reply. Then she said, ‘you were
just worried.’

‘I was.’ he admitted. ‘But she shouldn’t
even have come here.’

There was silence. Vann could feel that
Riley was still angry and tense. But he couldn’t help smiling as he
held her.

She noticed though, Vann could tell from the
way she shifted irritably.

‘Hey,’ he chided gently.

‘Why are you happy?’ she demanded.

‘I like being like this with you.’

She didn’t say anything.

‘We can deal with everything tomorrow.’

‘Mm…’ He felt some of the tension start to
ease from her.

‘We don’t need to worry about anything
tonight.’

A moment passed. Then she sighed, ‘ok’, and
finally relaxed in his arms.

The next morning Adila walked into the camp
with Ellis beside her. As soon as Riley saw him all the anger
returned. Vann had to physically restrain her from launching
herself at Ellis. It wasn’t that he had anywhere near the physical
strength to stop her, she just didn’t want to hurt him.

Ellis was pale and trembling. He didn’t say
anything.

Riley fell still in Vann’s arms. She looked
over at Karesh and ordered, ‘get the council! I want him
dead
.’

Vann might have been angrier at seeing
Ellis, but Riley was angry enough for the both of them. As the
council was hastily convened, Vann tried to calm Riley.

As the council was being gathered Rose
approached Vann and Riley.

‘I see you have found the culprit.’

Vann nodded, stopping Riley from launching
into a tirade.

Rose turned her gaze on Riley. ‘I see you’re
very angry. Your anger is going to bias the judgement of the
council. They won’t give Ellis the same punishment as someone who
kidnapped someone other than Vann.’

Riley glared at her.

‘I offer my services as a judge.’

Riley looked so surprised some of her anger
faded. ‘You want to judge him?’

Rose nodded.

Riley was silent for what seemed a long
time. The council was assembled while she thought and struggled
with her emotions. She looked over at them. Finally she said
reluctantly. ‘Perhaps that would be best…’ she closed her eyes.
‘But then I’ll just be taking away their ability to make
decisions…’

‘I can show them my judgement.’ Rose
replied, having waited in uncharacteristic patience.

‘What?’

‘It’s not something we like to do, a
judgement reveals far more about a person than just their crime.
But I can show them my judgement, and if they make a decision
quickly enough, they will decide based on that and not on your
anger. It works a bit like what Aerlid is doing with the sheets and
his knowledge.’

Riley thought about that for a moment. ‘Very
well. You show the council your judgement. They’ll make a decision,
and I will abide by it.’

‘I would prefer not to be present while they
present their decision.’

Vann didn’t quite understand, but he saw
from Riley’s face she did. And so he didn’t ask.

‘Unfortunately,’ Riley said, ‘death is not
the penalty for kidnapping or attempted murder. But you can leave
whenever you like. And… I guess I should thank you.’

The council was soon organized. The
procedure was explained to them. And then Rose placed a seed in
Ellis’s hand. It grew, covering him in roses. And then when it was
done she plucked the roses from the plant and placed them in front
of the council. The council members all went still and stiff.

And then it was over. Rose unravelled the
plant from Ellis, likely to plant it somewhere, and left while the
council quietly discussed.

Karesh was the one who went and asked for
their decision, Riley stayed out of sight.

‘This man is guilty of attacking and
kidnapping a member of the tribe and grievously hurting an
outsider.’ one of the council members said. ‘We are all in
agreement on that. But we also feel he cannot be trusted, that he
will try again.’

Ellis blanched. He made an objection but was
quickly silenced.

‘We can’t kill him; that is reserved for
murder. But he can’t stay here. He must be exiled from the tribe.
Whenever he tries to come close he must be chased away. That is our
decision.’

Grimly satisfied Riley went to speak to
Aerlid about sending Ellis back to where he came from.

Later that day Riley and Vann escorted
Lillia back to the planes.

Riley held Vann’s hand tightly and she did
not speak.

Vann seemed perfectly content with this,
Lillia seemed a little uncomfortable.

When they arrived at the planes they found
Azra standing outside waiting, surrounded by most of the soldiers.
They wore SIGPEWs, but they were not pointed at them.

Riley trembled, Vann squeezed her hand. To
Lillia he said, ‘go on.’

She nodded and quickly walked the distance
between the two groups.

‘You may all leave.’ Riley said, her voice
very hard and cold. ‘Vann is safe, and unfortunately justice does
not suit me right now. So you may all leave. You have a message to
deliver for me.’

That was all she said.

The humans waited awkwardly for a moment.
And then they all slowly boarded the planes. Riley and Vann walked
away.

Once they were away Vann said, ‘we’ll never
be able to make peace if we insist on revenge.’

She sighed, ‘I know.’

Chapter 70

D
espite her anger, Riley
waited a few days after Ellis’ judgement before starting the next
part of the plan. The Astarians would get their time to
prepare.

When she felt she had waited long enough,
she went to speak to Aerlid.

‘I need to talk to a dragon in the Land of
the Ehlkrid.’

‘And you want me to take you?’ Aerlid
asked.

‘No. I want you to bring him here, and I
will talk to him here. Then I want you to go get the Ehlkrid King,
and I will speak to him.’

‘Riley-’

‘I don’t want your opinion, Aerlid, I just
want you to do it. Adila will let you out.’

Aerlid sighed. ‘Very well. Is it too much to
ask that you be careful?’

Riley regarded him coolly. ‘Do you know the
dragon ehlkrid? He lives near the King’s cave.’

‘I think I can find him.’

‘Fine.’ she looked up, her gaze going to
Aerlid. ‘You’ll leave now then.’

The next day a large, black shape flew over
the campsite. Riley, seeing it, quickly ran out past the edge of
the camp. She followed the dragon, which flew above, to a clearing
where he landed.

‘Yes, can you talk a bit softer?’

is this better?

‘Thank you. Dragon, I have a plan, but I
need your help.’

what do you need?

‘My people will head to a place just outside
a big city. The King will attack the city. I need you to have the
ehlkrid gather with my tribe. I need them to stay there peacefully
and wait.’

you think the city will kill the King?

‘Something like that. Can you do it?’

how many ehlkrid do you need?

‘All of them. I won’t ask them to attack the
King. I just need them to wait.’

very well. it will not be easy, but i will
do what you ask.