Force: Book Two of the Zoya Chronicles Read online

  Jules shook his head. If Titus hadn’t pointed it out he would have thought he dreamt it. They each took a side of their boat and pushed it into the sea, hopping in and grabbing an oar. They did so silently, two years of training and living together in the coastal village of Shamrock had them accustomed to the ways of the small boat. They rowed hard south around a small outcrop of rocks to a small dock. They latched the boat to the dock and, grabbing their weapons and small bag of scallops, made their way silently to the village.

  The path was steep and rocky to the top of the cliff, but Titus and Jules had made the trek hundreds of times. They were barely puffing when they crested the cliff to see the small village. Its houses were weathered from the salt water of the sea. There were nets being mended outside and the smell of fish was always in the air. Children ran around screaming at each other, their guardians hollering at them to finish their chores.

  The village was emptier than usual. With winter quickly on its way and the drought having hit their vegetable gardens, the younger men and woman had taken their fishing vessels for one last trip to sea together. The grandparents were left in charge of keeping the village and raising the children while the adults were gone. Jules and Titus hadn’t joined them for this one last fish of the season. They had other things to do.

  “Josh, Theo!” a little girl of about eight yelled as they walked into the village. “Big Mamma Gertie is looking for you! You have better brought some scallops!”

  Jules smiled at her. “Of course Theo caught scallops!” he yelled back, winking at Titus. Titus held up the bag. The little girl beamed at them. She was going to say something else but her grandfather yelled at her from their house and she scurried away.

  Titus smiled, “I’ll never get used to our names here,” he said lowly to Jules.

  Jules shot him a warning look and Titus wisely fell silent.

  Titus smiled and they trudged their way to Big Mamma Gertie’s house. She was the matriarch, the head of the village. Her house wasn’t the largest but it was always the busiest. It was right at the center of town.

  She also happened to be Vick’s mother. She, along with her husband Hans were the only ones who knew the true identities of Jules and Titus.

  They walked down the street and Big Mamma was waiting for them outside the house.

  “’Bout time you showed up!” she called with a big smile. Big Mamma Gertie earned her name. She was easily three-hundred pounds, but she held herself with the sturdy grace of a much younger, much smaller woman. She’d had twelve children in her day with Vick being in the middle of the pack. And she was in charge of everything she touched. When Big Mamma spoke everyone listened.

  “The kid was slowing me down!” Jules called back. Titus elbowed him with a laugh.

  “Bring them scallops in, Theo,” Big Mamma called with a wink. Jules couldn’t help but smile. Every time Big Mamma called them by their fake names she winked. Jules was sure the entire village had figured that something else was going on by now, but no one said anything for fear of one of Big Mamma’s legendary whoopings.

  Titus laughed and ran up to her, giving her a peck on the cheek as he went through the door.

  “Wash up for dinner!” she yelled at the teenager’s back.

  Jules followed her and gave her a mandatory peck on the cheek.

  “You look troubled,” she said. Jules walked through the door and Big Mamma closed it behind them.

  “Not ready to leave just yet,” Jules said lowly.

  “Wash up, dear,” Big Mamma said. Jules obliged and made his way to a pot of water beside the table. He washed his hands slowly, watching the household. Jules wasn’t usually so sappy and sullen, but he would miss this place.

  Big Mamma’s youngest son, Stillman, was already cleaning the scallops with Titus. Stillman was small for his age. He was skinny, almost gaunt, with shiny red hair and bright eyes. He knew their secret but as he didn’t speak, their secret was safe with him. He had just turned ten, but as Vick had joined the Sun Gods for the family all those years ago, Stillman could live his life in peace.

  The Sun Gods and their mandatory enrolment had been ruining families for a thousand years.

  Jules had tried not to sway Titus in the decisions he may make as King one day. But he hoped every day that Titus would see how his decisions would affect families and to go with caution.

  “You’re lost in deep thoughts, my dear,” Big Mamma Gertie said from behind him. Titus and Stillman looked up from the scallops, but a sidelong glance from Big Mamma had them hastily looking back at their work. Titus nudged Stillman and whispered something to him. Stillman smiled sheepishly. The whole exchange made Jules uncomfortable. He shouldn’t take Titus away from this place. They had found a semblance of peace over the past two years. Who was he to bring a child into war?

  Jules nodded, “Yes, I am. Thinking about what’s to come, I suppose.”

  Big Mamma shook her head. She went and grabbed the clean scallops from the boys, “Go grab the linen off the line.” The boys nodded and rushed out. Jules could hear Stillman giggle from behind the house.

  “That Titus is good for him,” Big Mamma said, taking the scallops and adding them to a pot of stew that was boiling on the stove. “I haven’t seen that boy open up like that with anybody.”

  The comment made Jules even sadder.

  “You’re worried about taking him away,” Big Mamma said. “But really, do you think you could keep him here?”

  “No,” Jules answered without hesitation, “kid’s a fighter. He wouldn’t stay. Not if I went.”

  Big Mamma smiled, “Hun he wouldn’t stay even if you didn’t go. He’s a Prince. He will stop at nothing to return his brother to the throne. As he shouldn’t.”

  Jules was instantly angry. It was a foreign emotion to him, anger didn’t often boil over. “He’s a child!” he nearly yelled. He maintained a small amount of control. Just enough so his voice didn’t carry to outside of the building.

  Big Mamma just smiled, stood, and wrapped him in a bear hug between her breasts. Jules almost cried, but he managed to keep it together.

  “When do you leave?” she asked him after she let him go.

  “Two more sleeps and we will start getting the horses ready,” Jules said. “I want to arrive a few days early and well rested. It’s a six day ride to Solias from here.”

  Big Mamma nodded, “We will throw a feast for you. Hans and the other sailors are due back tomorrow.”

  “Hope they caught.”

  “Oh we will manage,” Big Mamma said. “We always do.”

  Jules suddenly remembered the ship passing on the sea, heading north. He was just about to ask Big Mamma about it when Titus and Stillman burst through the back door.

  “What is it?” Big Mamma snapped. Then she noticed the fear on both their faces.

  The war horn sounded in the village.

  They were under attack.

  “Quick, Titus!” Big Mamma said. She heaved open a hidden hatch in the floor underneath the dinner table. Titus quickly jumped down. “You stay quiet, you hear? No heroics.”

  Titus nodded quickly once, white-faced.

  Big Mamma slammed the trap door down over top of him. The basement chamber was dug for Titus when they first arrived. He could hide and watch them through the floorboards. The trap door was seamless in the floor. If Titus kept quiet he’d be safe.

  Jules sat at the table with Stillman and Big Mamma started scooping out stew when four Sun Gods burst into the house.

  “Everyone!” the Captain yelled. She was a broad shouldered, tall woman of perhaps twenty-five. Her long brown hair was braided down her back. She carried a broadsword and Jules could tell that she knew how to use it. “Everyone! Hands on the table, face down. You!” she said, pointing the sword at Big Mamma. “Put that down and hands on the table.”

  Big Mamma stared at her, double chin trembling. Jules kept his hands on the table and watched Big Mamma, willing her to put the bowl down.

/>   “I’m dishing out supper,” Big Mamma said. She continued spooning stew into Stillman’s bowl. Jules could tell the kid was shaking with fear. “You burst in to my house, unannounced. I will finish dishing up my children’s dinner.”

  The Captain stared at her, for a second shocked by the insubordination. Then she laughed. The three other soldiers, all men, turned and looked at each other confused then joined her. The Captain sheathed her sword. “She wants to finish dishing up,” she said through laughter. She strode forward and struck Big Mamma across the face, hard, with her armour plated hand. Big Mamma fell backwards with a bang that shook the house. The pot of stew clanged against the floor, spilling the hard earned food.

  Before Jules knew what he was doing he was standing and yelling. Two of the soldiers rushed forward and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him down into his chair. They slammed his head down onto the table and one of them held him there with a heavy hand on the back of his head.

  He locked eyes with a scared Titus beneath the floor boards. His blue, piercing eyes staring at Jules. Jules knew the kid would be angry and want to protect them, but he couldn’t. Jules stared at him and tried to shake his head. He heard Big Mamma drag herself to her feet.

  “Who do we have here?” the Captain said. The soldier holding Jules’ head down yanked his hair backwards, hard. Jules saw that Stillman was violently shaking holding his spoon, his eyes fixed on the face of his hurt mother. She was bleeding from the mouth, the red blood a stark contrast to her white face.

  The Captain walked up to him. He saw it, almost in comical slow motion, as recognition crossed her face. Jules knew her too, from his Sun God trials all those years ago. He smothered the recognition. His only hope now was denial.

  “You,” the Captain said with a smile. “You! I know you.”

  The soldiers looked at her with apprehension.

  “You have to know me,” the Captain said. “You’re Jules! The Queen’s guard! Traitor to the throne!”

  Realization crossed the soldiers’ faces and they grabbed on to him tighter. Jules shook his head. “No,” he gasped through the searing pain in his shoulder. “No. I’ve never seen you in my life.”

  “You think I’d forget you?” the Captain said. “Your face was plastered all over the city after the Queen died. We know you let in those Melanthios scum to kill her.”

  “I wasn’t a Queen’s guard,” Jules said, gritting his teeth, “I wasn’t in the Sun Gods at all. My older brother went for me.”

  “You have to remember me,” the Captain said. “I’m Bestla! You remember your friend, Bestla!” she leaned right in, so close that he could feel her breath on his face. “All through the Sun Gods’ training I knew you were a coward. I’m happy I lived long enough to kill you myself.”

  She stood up straight, standing over him, “Admit it.”

  “My name is Josh,” Jules said. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Captain Bestla rolled her eyes. She gave a sharp whistle and a soldier grabbed Stillman and lifted him right out of his chair. The boy’s eyes went wide and he let out a high pitched gasp. The last soldier went around the table and held a knife to the rising Big Mamma.

  “If you don’t admit who you are,” Captain Bestla said, “I will kill both of them.”

  Jules’ insides dropped. He saw no way out of this. Keep them from finding Titus, he thought to himself desperately, Titus needs to live.

  “That’s Josh!” Big Mamma said desperately, staring at Stillman. “He’s a friend of the family’s from a different town over. I swear it!”

  “No, he’s not,” Captain Bestla said, “if that’s what he told you, he’s lying. This is the Sun God Jules, traitor to the crown. He started a group that calls themselves the Revolt, him along with,” she turned to Big Mamma, “your son Vick.”

  The look of shock on Big Mamma’s face said it all.

  Captain Bestla laughed, a cold hard laugh, “You think we didn’t know?” Jules struggled against the soldiers, straining against the pain in his shoulder. Even Titus was forgotten. Poor silent Stillman, gentle soul, held by a Sun God shattered Jules’ resolve.

  “Why would I come here? To the south, where these people are as close to the Melanthios scum as can be, if not for you?” Captain Bestla said.

  “You’re right,” Jules said finally, relaxing in the soldiers’ grasp. “You’re right. I am Jules, the ex-Sun God.”

  Captain Bestla smiled and whistled. The soldiers holding Big Mamma and Stillman let go. Stillman ran into Big Mamma’s arms.

  “Take him outside,” Captain Bestla said, “we will publicly execute him and bring his head to King Sebastian.”

  The fight was out of Jules. There would be no future wars for him. Titus knew the plans and Big Mamma would make sure he got to Solias in time. That was his charge, and he figured he’d done his job pretty well for the last two years.

  Jules was dragged out of the house. Big Mamma following, leaving a shocked Stillman inside the house. Jules was grateful. At least he could look at Big Mamma when they killed him.

  They dragged him into the middle of the street.

  “Everyone from this shit-town Shamrock, leave your houses!” Captain Bestla shouted. Jules saw the scared people of the village slowly leave their houses. There were Sun Gods by every door. Bestla had come prepared.

  A soldier brought out a large log to the center of the street. The two soldiers flanking Jules kicked his knees out from under him. He landed with a thud. They bent him over so the side of his head was being pressed into the log. He saw Big Mamma and locked eyes. He was breathing quickly. As prepared as he was to give his life for the cause and join Senka, he didn’t want to die yet.

  “This man is a traitor to the Sun Gods and your king!” Captain Bestla yelled. No one dared move, they were far too outnumbered. The sun was setting and Jules felt the cool air on his face. “He has been sentenced to death,” Bestla finished yelling.

  She knelt down and whispered in his ear, “You think you’ve saved them? I will kill everyone in this village after you’re dead. Die with their blood on your hands.”

  Jules found his fight and started struggling against the Sun Gods but it was too late. “No!” he yelled.

  Bestla smiled and stepped back. Jules heard her unsheathe her sword.

  Run, he thought to Big Mamma with his eyes. She just stood there, wiping tears, being the rock that she always was. Big Mamma wouldn’t look away.

  Jules prepared himself for the final blow.

  He heard the sound of a bow loosing an arrow and a thud, then a gurgle coming from beside him.

  The soldiers holding Jules looked around suddenly, relieving the pressure on the back of his head. He looked around and saw Bestla. She was white-faced, gasping and clawing at an arrow sticking out of her neck. She fell to her knees, her sword dropping beside her. She looked at Jules, lips pursed, gasping for air. She slouched over on her side, dead.

  The soldiers didn’t know what to do. A yell sounded and more arrows were loosed on the unsuspecting Sun Gods. Both the men holding Jules were killed and Jules struggled to his feet. He was confused by what was happening. He looked towards Big Mamma but she was gone.

  He looked around quickly. The Sun Gods were locked in battle. When he focused he saw it was with the sailors. They had returned early from the sea.

  Hans, a large white-haired man, husband of Big Mamma, ran up to him.

  “Jules!” he said. “You must take the Prince and leave.”

  “No!” Jules said, “I’m not leaving you!”

  “We will win this battle, and the next, and the next. But if you and Titus don’t get out of here there will be no end to the battles,” he said urgently. A Sun God came behind Jules and Hans stabbed him through the neck with his sword. “Go!” he yelled and launched himself into the fray.

  Jules turned and saw Titus on his horse riding hard towards him, Jules’ horse in tow. Big Mamma must have saddled them quickly.

  “
Get on!” Titus yelled.

  Jules jumped on his horse and they rode hard out of the village towards the plains. He saw men and women in battle with the Sun Gods and felt shame as he rode away. They rode hard until they were well out of the village. Titus slowed his horse.

  “We have to go back!” Titus said, puffing. It was dark by now and they were well out of Shamrock.

  “We can’t,” Jules said. He hadn’t had time to process anything. Big Mamma had strapped his sword to his horse along with emergency supplies.

  “They are dying for us!” Titus exclaimed. “We never should have left them in the first place. Big Mamma just told me what to do and I panicked!”

  “We have to get you to Vick,” Jules said. “It’s all about you.”

  “I don’t want it to be!” Titus exploded. “I DON’T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO DIE FOR ME!”

  Jules stopped and let the kid relax a bit. “You will most likely be King,” he said finally. “That is your birthright. People will always be dying for you. But it’s your cross to bear.”

  Titus looked like he was going to yell again. A raven swooped down from the sky, interrupting him. The raven landed on Jules’ outstretched arm. Jules ripped the attached letter open and read greedily by the moonlight.

  “We must ride to Solias,” Jules said. “We have been discovered. The attack is to begin in five days.”

  “But we are six days from Solias,” Titus said softly.

  “Then we better ride hard, kid,” Jules said. “We will talk about it later. They aren’t dying for you,” he said. “They are dying for your parents. Your brother, their families. This is bigger than all of us.”

  Titus nodded.

  They rode north together, taking only short breaks to rest their horses and to nap.

  The ship sailing north on the horizon was forgotten.

  17

  Ujarak