Force: Book Two of the Zoya Chronicles Read online

Justice nodded and sat quietly. He felt a Sun God’s heavy arm on his shoulder. His mind was reeling. He steeled himself. He knew he’d be taken down to the dungeons. He just had to outwit the idiot Bamber for five days. That’s all.

  The King seemed to read his mind. He nodded then turned to watch the fight. Justice followed his gaze. He watched in horror as a man beat another man to death. Justice had the feeling that his fate would be the same.

  15

  Eli

  October 24, 210, 19:30

  Location: Melanthios forest, Langundo.

  Eli was leaning against a tree at the outer edge of the forest. He was picking his teeth with a small stick. His arms were folded in front of him, hiding a couple of throwing knives. Just in case. Always paid to be prepared.

  His group simply called themselves the Revolt and were a mix of ex-Sun Gods and Melanthios. They had surrounded ten Sun Gods in a clearing in the forest, and dispatched them of their weapons quickly and without fuss. They were kneeling in the clearing, eyes shifting around trying to count the Revolt’s numbers. Eli was hanging back and watching his group’s leader, Vick, work his magic.

  “You have been tracking us for a long time,” Vick said. He was pacing in front of the Sun Gods. He was strong and broad chested and spoke with confidence. The Sun Gods were kneeling in a line, most of their eyes averted. Eli noticed that they looked tired. “Why?” Vick asked.

  “You are a traitor to the crown,” the Captain of the Sun Gods replied. “We are hunting traitors.”

  Vick laughed, “We are no traitors.”

  “You work with those,” the Captain spat, “abominations.” He looked directly at Eli when he said it.

  Eli smiled and waved at him.

  Vick’s eyes flashed dark. “That was just plain rude,” he said.

  “You are traitors to the crown,” the Captain said again. “I don’t care if I’m rude to traitors. You’re working with the enemy.”

  Vick smiled, “Whose enemy?”

  The Captain looked confused. Eli shook his head. They were always so stupid. So noble and subservient. They had no idea why they were fighting anymore.

  The Captain seemed to gather himself, “You have been declared an enemy of the King.”

  “Which King?” Vick asked.

  “Our true King, King Sebastian the First,” the Captain said. His voice shrank and he averted his gaze.

  “My true King is King Sol the Nineteenth,” Vick said, “this King Sebastian, the mad King, is not my King. So I haven’t betrayed anyone. You’re the betrayer to your true ruler.”

  “Prince Sol the Nineteenth is dead,” the Captain said.

  Vick laughed, along with the fighters in the trees. Eli joined them. The Sun Gods looked around themselves nervously. They had apparently misjudged the number of people surrounding them. Vick had fighters hidden all throughout these trees, they numbered close to one hundred. And Eli knew that these ten would soon be joining them.

  “Prince Sol the Nineteenth is dead!” the Captain said again, trying to exude confidence.

  “Who told you that?” Vick asked.

  The Captain glanced around again. The other soldiers averted their gaze.

  “The King,” the Captain said nervously. Eli smiled. Vick was starting to get through to him.

  “The usurper,” Vick said.

  The Captain nodded, looking down, embarrassed. Vick switched tactics.

  “Since the usurper took power, how has life been for you?”

  The Sun Gods stayed silent but started glancing around nervously.

  “Well, the rain stopped,” Vick said, “and then the dry period. No rain for almost a full year. Famine and chaos ensued. Where was your King?”

  The Captain stayed silent.

  “Well, from what I can see, he certainly wasn’t giving the Sun Gods any money,” he leaned down and grabbed one of their swords. He ran a finger over the blade and smiled, “See? Dull. He sends you to lose, to die.” Vick turned and talked to the man beside the captain. “You hungry?”

  The man nodded vehemently, “We haven’t eaten in days, sir.”

  “Shut up, Petrov,” the Captain snapped.

  Vick smiled, “You’re telling me that members of the Sun Gods, his noblest men, are being allowed to go hungry?”

  “The drought–”

  Vick interrupted the Captain. “Revolt!” he yelled, “Have you eaten today?”

  Eli cheered with the rest of them in the trees. They had learned to scavenge food in this new environment. They all ate or none of them did. It was a way of living for the Melanthios and their newly reformed Sun Gods soon learned and embraced the concept. They were always hungry, but never famished.

  The Sun Gods looked around enviously.

  “Look,” Vick said, waving his hand dismissively, “I will not have any further discussion with you about things you already know. The usurper will not stop until he is the only one alive in this country. My true King is Prince Sol. Or Prince Titus. But that lineage must be returned to the throne. Join us or walk home naked.” Vick smiled, “It’s up to you.”

  “He has our families!” the man the Captain called Petrov exclaimed. He jumped to his feet. Eli readied his throwing knives but he didn’t think he’d have to use them. The man was scared, not violent.

  “If we defect they kill them,” Petrov yelled frantically. “They would have killed all your families!” he cried to the woods.

  No laughter. Just uncomfortable silence. The men and women in the trees who had defected from the Sun Gods were suddenly sullen. They had no idea if this was true. No one contacted their families in the Revolt. From any background. Their entire life was for the cause.

  “How does he know who has defected?” Vick asked, brow furrowed. “No one contacts. You have no lists. How does he know?”

  “He took them all inside the inner walls. If we don’t check in they are sent to the prisons. They aren’t heard from again.”

  Vick nodded. The information aligned with what they had been told from their contacts on the inside. “They aren’t killed,” he said. There was a collective sigh of relief from the Revolt. “They have not had easy lives, but they are alive. Before I continue, will you join us? Will you fight to get the true bloodline back where it belongs?”

  Petrov nodded. Vick smiled and clasped his shoulder.

  “Get this man some food!” Vick yelled. Petrov smiled and a few of the Revolt rushed forward and ushered him away. The other Sun Gods looked longingly at his back from their knees.

  “Last chance,” Vick said, “join us or return to the city unarmed and shamed.”

  Eight of the Sun Gods sprang up to cheers from the Revolt. They rushed into the forest and were directed to a small meal of berries and roots. But to them it was a feast. The only Sun God left kneeling was the Captain.

  “I took an oath to serve my King,” the Captain said.

  Vick crouched and stared at him in the eyes, “That is not a King. That is a peasant in King’s clothes. He cares nothing for you or for Solias. He will bring Langundo to the ground.”

  The Captain nodded.

  “You took an oath to serve the Sol family. To serve Sol the Nineteenth and Titus. Therefore we have the same master.”

  Convinced the Captain nodded. Vick held out his hand and clasped his forearm, helping him to his feet.

  “How do you know they are alive?” the Captain asked.

  “Titus is. He’s being cared for by one of the Revolt, hidden away for the time being. Guarded by the best.”

  The Captain looked as though he was going to ask another question. Vick held up his hand, stopping him, “Go eat. We will talk tomorrow after your stomach is full and you’ve had rest.” The Captain nodded. And, with cheers, was ushered into the forest to join the rest of the men.

  Eli strode quietly and confidently towards Vick.

  “Kept a lot back,” he said.

  “I don’t trust him,” Vick said, turning towards Eli and rubbing his brow. El
i thought he looked old.

  “Never heard Jules described as the best before,” Eli said smugly.

  Vick smiled and shrugged, “Hey I had to get him to join somehow. And that involved a lie this time.”

  Vick was worried, Eli could tell. Hell, Eli was worried. The attack would be in two weeks. They were stressed. Two years of planning and it was two weeks away.

  “Any news from Ujarak?” Vick asked him.

  Eli shook his head, “No. He hasn’t found Sol. At least he hasn’t told us if he has.”

  Vick sighed again, “We will have to go ahead without them.”

  Eli was startled, “All of this is designed to go around Sol’s eighteenth nameday. When he legitimately has a claim to the throne. He turns eighteen in two weeks and we attack on the same day. That’s what we decided…” He drifted off.

  Vick clasped him on the shoulder, “We will have to put all of our hope in Titus. And you. For what you’ve agreed to do.”

  Eli nodded slowly. A raven swooped down from the sky and landed on Vick’s shoulder. Vick immediately tore at the letter attached to its leg and read hurriedly. Eli saw his face fall and prepared himself for the worst. When Vick finally spoke, Eli wasn’t disappointed.

  “Our contacts in Solias think we’ve been discovered. The King has reinforcements coming in a week.”

  Eli blanched, “We can’t attack in a week! Ujarak will have no way to make it!”

  Vick shook his head, “No, we attack in five days. Before reinforcements can arrive.”

  “There’s no way!” Eli said. “We will barely make the wall in five days.”

  “It’s prepared. We have to. Send a letter to Jules. Tell him to move, now. We take the city regardless. If Titus isn’t there then we hold it until he makes it.” Vick strode away.

  “That gives us no chance!” Eli yelled.

  Vick turned, “You are our chance. And Titus. All our hope lies in him. We leave in six hours. Just after midnight. It gives the soldiers time to rest.”

  Eli watched his back in the fading light, stunned. All hope lied in Titus. Meaning all hope lied in Jules. His heart fell. He hoped Jules’ shoulders were wide enough to carry the weight of an entire nation.

  16

  Jules

  October 24, 210, 16:39

  Location: Shamrock, Langundo.

  Jules had his feet kicked up on the bow of the small fishing boat. He was leaning back, eyes closed, fingers interlaced behind his head. His tanned skin was soaking up the hot sun. He was completely and utterly relaxed.

  A splash of sea water on his face surprised him so much that he almost toppled the small boat in his surprise.

  “Hey!” he sputtered. He had salt water in his eyes and he rubbed them with the back of his hand.

  “Just making sure you’re awake, old man!” Titus yelled from beside the boat. The teenager’s head was sticking out of the water, sideways smirk on his face. He had just come up from a dive and his blond hair was plastered to the side of his face.

  “You could have just yelled!” Jules said, laughing. He leaned over the side of the boat and splashed at Titus. The boy laughed and swam away quickly. They were on the western coast of Langundo, farther south than Jules had ever been. The bright blue sea was framed by large cliffs behind him. They were in a cove with clear, calm water. The boy was diving for scallops and mussels for dinner.

  Jules smiled at himself. He internally referred to Titus as a boy, even though Jules was only eleven years his senior. And Titus was fifteen now. He had grown at least six inches over the past year. His voice had dropped and his shoulders were beginning to fill out. He took after his father. He would be over six feet after he was done this growth spurt, Jules was sure of it.

  “Old man!” Titus yelled. He was swimming towards a small beach that lined the cliff. “Shall we continue with our training?”

  Jules laughed. “Who are you calling old man!” he yelled back. He grabbed the oars of the boat and rowed after Titus. Jules rowed hard, sweat dripping from his face, but Titus was a strong swimmer. Especially for a kid who was landlocked his entire life, Jules thought through gritted teeth. He was rowing hard but he knew he was no match for the teenager. Titus was naturally gifted at anything physical. Jules was now more worried about training Titus’ leadership ability. Titus could swing the sword, but he was so hot headed Jules wasn’t sure if he knew when he should.

  Jules felt the bottom of the small boat grind against the sandy beach and the boat slowed suddenly. He jumped out, cool, clear water pooling around his knees. Keeping his back towards the beach, he pulled the small boat out of the water onto the beach.

  He heard Titus’ feet shift in the sand and Jules smiled to himself. Still too predictable, he thought. He made a show of struggling with the boat with his back turned. He heard the soft footsteps of the boy running at him across the beach. Jules waited until the last second and turned quickly, unsheathing the small dagger at his hip and successfully parrying Titus’ attack. Titus had swung hard and the unsuspected parry had sent him off balance and his sword, still a little too heavy for him, pulled him forward. Jules kicked him gently in the stomach and gripped his wrist and twisted, causing Titus’ sword to fall into the sand. Jules stepped forward and foot swept Titus sending him on his ass in the sand beside his sword.

  “You attack a man with his back turned,” Jules said, crouching over the fallen teenager.

  “I wanted to win against your old ass,” Titus said puffing, trying to smile. He was red-faced and angry, but trying to mask it with humor. Jules could tell. Titus didn’t like losing and right now he looked like a fool.

  Jules held out his hand. “Was it worth it, to win?”

  Titus took it and Jules hauled him up. “No,” Titus said. “Honestly it wasn’t.”

  Jules nodded. “Never attack a man with his back turned.”

  Titus shrugged, “I was taught differently. In Sun God training it was all about winning. If a man’s back is turned to the attack then it’s his fault for trusting you to begin with.”

  Jules smiled and bent down, returning Titus’ sword. He then turned his back on the teenager and walked to the center of the beach where they had dumped their swords after the morning session. Jules was happy that Titus didn’t charge. The instinct to attack a man with his back turned was proving to be the hardest to break. Titus would soon surpass his limited ability with a sword. Training with Eli, Ujarak, Tory and his beloved Senka had helped him. That move he had just used on Titus was one of Senka’s specialties. His heart dropped when he thought of his old family. The memories had an annoying habit of popping up when he least expected them to.

  He turned towards Titus. Titus had followed him with a lowered sword. Jules wiped a tear from his eye and he saw Titus frown.

  “I’m sorry,” Jules said.

  “It’s allowed,” Titus replied, “I miss people too. My family. I’m sorry I attacked you with your back turned. I know you don’t like it when I do that. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

  Jules looked at him then sat heavily in the sand. He tapped the sand beside him and Titus, looking confused, sat down.

  “You don’t disappoint me,” Jules said. “You never have. I don’t think you could.”

  “I just… I just want to get Sol’s throne back for him,” Titus said. “They killed my mom and my dad for it. I want to avenge them. I want to hurt the people who hurt them.”

  Jules understood completely. “When you were young and in Sun God training, did you honestly want to be there?”

  Titus thought about it, “No. I hated it.”

  “So why are you trying to be like one?”

  Titus didn’t have an answer, he hung his head and stared into the sand.

  “The Sun Gods used to be a noble army, just and fair, only using violence to protect Solias and its royalty. We only got a madman’s twisted version of that,” Jules said. “Your uncle Armend had been twisting the Sun Gods to his whims and in his image for a lot of ye
ars.”

  Titus nodded and sniffled, “I wish I could kill him.”

  Jules shrugged and his shoulder screamed. It didn’t bother him often anymore but his old injury, suffered in that final battle between the Melanthios and the Sun Gods, acted up once in a while. He had almost died. He used to wish he had. He had passed out and woken and his beloved was dead. The town that he had defected to had burned. Everything had been broken.

  “I wish I could too,” Jules said. “But my girlfriend took care of that for both of us,” he said with a smile. “Your mom started it, Senka finished it.”

  Titus sniffled again, “They shouldn’t have had to. We should have known he was an asshole a long time ago.”

  “We often overlook the flaws of people we love,” Jules said. “Human nature. And your mom and Senka made their choice. I’m sure they would make it again if they were given the chance.”

  They sat in silence, staring at the beautiful calm blue sea, each lost in his own grief and thoughts. It had been three years and it hadn’t gotten any easier. Jules began to doubt it ever would.

  “What’s that?” Titus said suddenly, pointing out to sea in the distance. Jules squinted his eyes and followed Titus’ finger towards the horizon. A ship, larger than he’d ever seen, was starting to form on the horizon.

  “Looks like a ship,” Jules said quizzically.

  “But Hans and the rest of the fleet aren’t due back from fishing for a couple of days,” Titus said.

  “Looks too big to be a fishing boat,” Jules said.

  “Where would they have come from?” Titus asked. “There’s nothing west, just water then the end of the world.”

  “Don’t believe everything you hear,” Jules said softly. “We should be getting back to Shamrock anyway. Big Mamma Gertie will be waiting for us for dinner. We can ask her if any ships were due back early.”

  Titus nodded and hopped up, heading towards their small boat. Jules followed, staring at the vessel looming on the horizon. Jules thought he saw sails, larger than any he’d ever seen, billowing ahead of the ship. They looked purple. There was a gold symbol on the sail, but the ship was too far away for Jules to see what it was. The ship changed course slightly to the north and barrelled away up the coastline.