Amazonia (13 page)

“How do you two do that?”
Amber asked in disbelief.

“It’s a twin thing,” they
answered in unison, causing Blake and Amber to burst into hysterics.

Shale winked at Blake as the
trio headed for the food tables, and Blake gave her a dazzling smile.

“So, Blake,” Kale said,
drawing her attention. “Is Shale following Appollonia’s instructions? She
can be quite reluctant to give her body the proper time it needs to heal.
I’m surprised you managed to keep her in your cabin for as long as you
did.”

“She’s been fine.”

Kale looked pleased, and she
dropped her voice. “Thank you for taking care of her.”

Pale eyebrows shot up in
astonishment, Kale wasn’t only being polite to her, she was actually being
nice. Blake wondered what Amber had said to her. “You don’t have to thank
me for doing that, Kale, it was my pleasure.”

Kale reached the table and
started to fill two plates. When Blake dropped a couple of chicken legs
onto one, Kale smirked at her. “I don’t know how Shale eats that, I prefer
the lighter part of the meat myself.”

“I bet that’s handy at meal
times,” Blake said.

Kale nodded. “Yeah, no
arguing over who gets what.”

Amber filled four mugs of
ale, a small satisfied smile on her face. The welcoming dance began, and all
focussed on the women dancing around the fire.

Since everyone’s attention
was elsewhere, no one noticed Shale being dragged off into the forest.

JUST AS SHALE’S senses
alerted her to danger, a strong hand clamped over her mouth and another
wrapped around her body, pulling her roughly backward.

She struggled, but to no
avail, whoever held her had a fierce grip. Shale scanned the crowd,
willing someone to glance her way, to raise the alarm, but everyone was
watching the dancers.

The ground grew uneven as
they entered the forest and disappeared out of sight, and her legs bounced
over the rocks and tree roots, jarring her knee painfully.

Shale was dragged for a
while, and she realised they were headed for the stream. The stream that
connected directly onto the river that bordered on Kedross’s land. She
wondered whether this was one of the same group who had attacked her
village, but she didn’t get a chance to speculate further.

She was suddenly dropped, and
landed with a thud. A dagger was pressed to her throat.

KALE HAD JUST finished
filling their plates when she felt the urgent pull of her connection with
Shale. The plates clattered onto the table, and Amber touched her arm in
concern.

“Are you all right, Kale?”
Blake asked quickly.

“Shale,” Kale said fearfully.
“She’s in trouble.”

Blake’s eyes frantically
searched around the tree, but Shale was nowhere to be found. She had no
time to alert Aris of the situation, for Kale took off without another
word, moving swiftly toward the forest.

“MELAINA?” SHALE EXCLAIMED in
disbelief. “What in Hera’s name are you doing?”

“I thought it was pretty
obvious,” Melaina said. “Here, maybe this will help clear things up.” She
withdrew the blade from Shale’s throat and whipped it across her forearm
in a rush of motion.

Shale didn’t give her the
satisfaction of crying out, but blood flowed freely from the slice.
Without hesitation, Shale lashed out, her boot connecting hard against
Melaina’s face, snapping her head back.

Shale struggled to her feet,
knowing she needed to buy herself some time. She was unarmed and injured,
facing off against the best warrior in the tribe, who was apparently
intent on killing her.

Shale didn’t have to shout
for help—not that she would’ve anyway—as she knew Kale would find her soon
enough. She just had to distract Melaina.

“So what’s your plan? Surely
you’ve got one, everyone will automatically assume it was you. You’ll be
killed or exiled for this.” Shale shrugged. “If Kale doesn’t get to you
first.” She smiled darkly. “And you’d better pray she doesn’t.”

“I’m not scared of her.”

“You never struck me as dumb,
Melaina. Kale will hunt you down.”

“You’ve taken everything from
me!” she yelled. “My title, my tribe’s respect, even Blake.”

“Blake was never yours to
begin with!” Shale paused in puzzlement. “I haven’t taken your title.”

Melaina sneered. “My Queen
deemed it necessary to strip me of my command. I wonder who she’ll give it
to?”

“I didn’t ask for that,”
Shale said. “But it wasn’t anything you didn’t bring on yourself.” She
decided to try and talk Melaina out of this. “You’re only making things
worse. You can still turn it around, make things right.” Shale wanted to
convince her. “You’re a great second, Melaina, and a great warrior. I’m
sorry about Blake. You must care deeply for her. But this isn’t the way
forward. True warriors don’t kill this way, we only kill to defend, to
protect. This is cold-blooded murder. There’s no honor here. Please don’t
do this.” Shale could tell Melaina wasn’t convinced, so she tried another
tack. “You’ll have no sisters, Melaina, no tribe, nothing. And that’s if
Kale doesn’t kill you, which she will.”

“They won’t know it was me.”
She looked smug. “Why do you think I brought you here? Your body will
float down this stream and into the river. Everyone will assume it was me,
but when your bloated corpse shows up near Kedross’s territory...” Melaina
left the sentence hanging.

“They’ll think it was the
same group who wiped out my tribe,” Shale completed. She had to admit, it
was quite ingenious. Especially if the Amazons saw Melaina at the
festivities, she would have numerous alibis. It could work.

As Shale examined the stream,
a cocky smile crossed her face. “You’ve forgotten one thing, Melaina.”

“What’s that?”

“We haven’t had rain for
weeks, there’s not enough water to carry me downstream.”

In a sudden fury, Melaina
growled and threw herself at Shale.

Shale missed being stabbed by
a hairsbreadth, jumping sideways out of her path. “Don’t do this, Melaina.
Come with me now, and we’ll forget this ever happened.” She held out a
hand and Melaina nearly took her fingers off with another swipe of her
dagger.

“In a few days this will have
all blown over,” Shale said. “Once they realise I’ve forgiven you, and
that we can get along, everything will go back to normal.”

Melaina shook her head. “I’m
not taking orders from you or your twin.”

“You won’t have to. Aris
wouldn’t offer it to either of us, we’re still new here. And even if she
did, Kale and I aren’t ready for that responsibility again. We’d turn it
down. It’s likely to be Lathana.”

Melaina hesitated, then
laughed. “You honestly think I’d fall for that? How gullible do you think
I am?”

“I’m telling you the truth,”
Shale said. “I’m giving you another chance.”

Melaina lunged and drove
Shale back into a tree. As they wrestled with the knife, Melaina kicked at
Shale’s injured leg, grinning when Shale grunted and dropped onto her good
knee.

Melaina now had the upper
hand, and used her considerable strength to press the blade down toward
Shale’s chest.

Melaina was suddenly tackled
off Shale and taken to the floor. Kale rolled with her, reversed the
blade, and stuck it deep into Melaina’s heart.

Shale pulled herself along
the ground, coming to a halt beside the fallen warrior. She could tell
Melaina was dying, the woman’s labored breathing told her that, but she
glanced at Kale to confirm it anyway.

Kale shook her head,
conveying that Melaina was beyond healers’ hands now.

“Damn it, Melaina,” Shale
whispered sadly. “It didn’t have to be like this.”

“It had to be exactly like
this,” she rasped.

Shale clasped Melaina’s hand,
and didn’t let go until Melaina had taken her last breath.

Hurried footsteps were heard
approaching, then Blake and Amber emerged, finally catching up with Kale.

“Shale!” Blake cried out upon
seeing her, sprinting to her side. “Are you all right?” Her hands were all
over Shale, checking for damage. She winced at the deep gash along Shale’s
arm. “You’re bleeding.”

Amber tore off some of her
trouser leg and handed it to a grateful Blake. Amber was panting, and she
stared at the perfectly composed Kale in awe. “By the gods, you’re fast,”
she said. She then noticed Melaina, and bowed her head in respect.

Blake tied the cloth tightly
around Shale’s wound, glancing apologetically at her as she did so. Shale
didn’t move or make a sound. She followed Shale’s fixed gaze, finding
Melaina’s lifeless form on the end of it. “What happened?”

Shale met Blake’s troubled
green eyes. “Melaina wanted me dead. Kale saved me.” She brushed her
knuckles reassuringly against Blake’s cheek. “I’m all right. But I’ll need
a hand to get up.”

With Blake’s assistance, she
was able to stand, though Shale was dismayed when she tried to put weight
on her knee. It gave out instantly, and she hissed in agony. The pain
worked its way throughout her leg, so intense she actually felt
light-headed.

“Don’t use that leg, Shale,”
Amber said, helping Blake to brace her. “We can support you.”

Kale immediately moved toward
them, but Blake spoke up, “We’ve got her, Kale. Can you bring Melaina
back? We’ll give her an Amazon funeral.” Blake clearly intended to honor
that tradition, even though Melaina had lost her way toward the end.

Kale nodded. “Of course. You
go on, I’ll be right behind you.”

“YOU KNOW, I’VE been a lot
busier since you two arrived,” Appollonia said good-naturedly, as they
entered the lodge.

Shale smiled slightly, though
it was tense. The journey here had taken its toll, and the pain was really
starting to get to her. Even though she had been unable to use her injured
leg, every movement forward still jolted it. Much to her chagrin, Blake
and Amber had practically carried her into the healer’s lodge.

“She’s very pale,” Blake said
unnecessarily to Appollonia. She felt Shale’s damp brow. “Clammy, too.”

“Lay her down,” Appollonia
instructed.

Shale didn’t protest as both
women went into motion, Amber carefully lifting Shale’s legs onto the bed,
while Blake guided her gently down into a reclining position, taking the
time to make sure Shale was comfortable.

Appollonia frowned when she
removed the bandage and examined Shale’s knee. “Can you put any weight on
it?”

Shale shook her head.

“It could be broken. It’s too
swollen to tell.” Appollonia hit a particularly sore spot, and Shale’s
entire body tensed. Her vision blurred, and black spots appeared before
her eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying to regain her focus, but all she
could feel was the searing pain in her leg. The bed moved as Blake sat
down and gripped her hand, and Shale concentrated on that instead, the
touch grounding her.

“Shale?” Appollonia watched
her closely. “How do you feel, Shale?”

When Shale didn't answer,
Blake instinctively knew the reason why—a fellow warrior was present.
Warriors had a strong sense of pride, and saw emotion as a weakness.
Though Amber was Shale’s friend, Shale wasn’t yet comfortable enough to
consciously show that weakness in front of her.

“Amber, will you make sure
Kale’s managing all right?”

Amber nodded. “No problem.”
The door clicked shut behind her as she left.

Shale squeezed Blake’s hand
gratefully, then answered the patiently waiting Appollonia. “The pain’s
making me dizzy.”

“Do you feel nauseous?”

“A little.”

“Does it hurt much worse than
before?”

“Let me put it this way, I’m
actually looking forward to that awful herbal drink you give me.”

Appollonia chuckled. “Well
I’m sorry to disappoint, but I’ll have to give you something stronger this
time.”

Shale frowned. “Something
worse?” she asked, though she wasn’t sure she wanted an answer.

“Stronger always tastes
worse,” Appollonia said. She started to unwrap the cloth around Shale’s
forearm.

“I’m not sure I can keep it
down,” Shale said meekly.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got
plenty,” Appollonia said. “If at first we don’t succeed...”

Shale’s nose scrunched up at
the thought of drinking some disgusting substance repeatedly. She didn’t
find Appollonia’s words to be comforting in the least. Luckily for Shale,
Blake’s touch was as much comfort as she needed, and she relaxed against
Blake’s gentle ministrations, the feather-light stroking of her forehead
almost blissful in comparison to the pain elsewhere.

“I’ll have to stitch this,”
Appollonia said, as she studied the wound.

“Feel free,” Shale said
quietly. “It’ll match my others.”

“How many scars have you
got?” Blake wondered aloud.

“My fair share. Though you’ve
probably seen most of them.”

Appollonia’s eyebrows shot
up, and a humorous look crossed her face, causing Blake to blush.
Appollonia made no comment as she moved about the room, collecting the
various implements that she needed.

“I meant most of them aren’t
covered by my clothes.” Shale tapped the one at the base of her throat to
prove her point, then another on her ribcage. “This one,” she nodded to
her bicep, where a jagged line worked its way around to her back, “is the
worst. You can’t see because of my top, but it stretches horizontally,
right across my shoulder blades.”

Appollonia sprinkled the
wound with herbs, and then started to stitch Shale’s forearm. “How’d it
happen?”

“Some Roman pig. He sliced me
pretty good, even though I had my back to him at the time.”

“Coward,” Blake muttered.

“Mm,” Shale said. “Worked out
all right though. Kale’s still jealous about that one.”

Blake made a face, looking
half amused and half mortified. “You compete over who’s got the best
scar?”

“Sure,” Shale replied, as
though it was the most natural thing in the world. She regarded her
injured forearm. “This isn’t too bad I suppose.”

Blake covered her face with a
hand. “I just don’t understand warriors sometimes.”

Appollonia chortled. “Want me
to add a couple of extra stitches?” She winked at Shale to let her know
she was joking. “Maybe that will make it look more impressive.”

Blake’s head snapped up,
clearly appalled at the notion.

Shale pretended to consider
it.

“Shale, come on now, that’s
ridiculous. Your body’s been through enough for one day, without you
intentionally making it worse.” Blake crossed her arms over her chest. “I
won’t allow it.”

Shale pouted, trying to keep
the smile off her face.

“And I’m shocked that you
would even suggest such a thing,” Blake said to Appollonia.

Appollonia burst out
laughing, which triggered Shale off also.

“This isn’t fun—” Blake broke
off, apparently realising she was being teased. “Ha ha.” She scowled at
them, and lightly swatted Shale on her stomach.

“There, all done,” Appollonia
said.

“Thanks.” Shale flexed her
fingers, pleased when the movement didn’t cause too much discomfort.

Appollonia gathered a
concoction of herbs together.

Shale sat up in anticipation
of the drink, knowing she would never keep it down if she remained flat on
her back.