Amazon Queen

There had been some discussion of returning to Mel's, but none of us thought that attack was going to happen, not with Tess and Andres already missing.

No, the battle was in Illinois, probably had been all along.

It was time to return to my camp.

We left Dana and Pisto at Jack's neighbor's house.

The rest of us split into two groups.

Lao, Kale, and I would approach the camp directly, walk in like we had every right to be there. . which we did. We would try talking first, see if Kale's story convinced the Amazons that Padia had misled them, and that the high council they were following wasn't the high council at all but a rogue portion of it.

While we talked, the rest would come through the woods. They would search the outdoor areas, including the barn, for Cleo, Tess, and the baby. They would also be there to jump in if a battle broke out.

I couldn't imagine words would fix this, though, couldn't imagine a battle wouldn't break out.

I packed the truck and my body accordingly.

Lao drove. Kale and I rode in the back, ready to jump out and fight without doors slowing us down.

It was a silent trip down the bumpy drive, a drive I'd traveled too many times to count, but only one other time as an outsider.

An outsider among Amazons.

There was a time I'd have chosen death over that.

Things were quiet outside the safe house, but not normal, not completely.

The horses were in the paddock, looking as if they hadn't been ridden or groomed since we left. The gardens looked unkempt too. Nothing horribly noticeable, we hadn't been gone that long, just small things. . a watering can left turned over on its side in the middle of a row of beans, mud caked in a few of the mares' tails, and no smells of cooking coming from the kitchens. It was after one on a Monday, bread baking day; the yard should have smelled of baking yeast and wheat.

As we climbed out of the truck, I glanced at Lao. She was frowning. She'd noticed too.

There were signs of life, however. Someone had set up a loom on the front porch, and there was a stack of spears fifty or so feet from the house plus a target hanging on a tree.

And then there were the two men in cable uniforms walking out the front door.

Thea was behind them. One man held a clipboard out for her signature. She signed it and watched them get into a white truck before turning to me.

'Zery, you came back.'

She seemed unconcerned. She was studying Kale, who had walked a few feet away, and had her back to the priestess.

'Where is the tribe?' I asked.

Thea's eyes jumped, her focus shifting from Kale to me. 'Inside. We've been doing some upgrades. There is a lot to learn.' With a frown, she looked back at Kale.

I bristled at her disregard and the idea that she was bringing technology into my safe camp without my permission, but knew stating that now would get us nowhere.

Instead, I stepped forward. 'You've met Kale.' I stated it as fact. We'd found Kale at Artemis's obelisk. Whether she remembered it or not, she had to have come from camp. I hoped her intense scrutiny of the place now meant the visit was coming back to her.

I glanced at the council member who was staring at the house.

'Kale. . ' Thea glanced around.

At her name, the warrior turned. As her eyes passed over Thea, her lips moved slightly. She spoke, but I couldn't make out her words.

Lines formed on Thea's forehead; she pressed fingers to them. 'Why are you here, Zery? I don't know anyone named Kale.'

After closing her eyes briefly, she took a breath and looked back at me. 'Are you here to say you've decided to follow the high council's directive, to beg for a place back in the tribe?'

My hand lowered to my belt. I'd placed one of Jack's knives in a sheath there earlier. It was in clear view. I wasn't trying to hide that I was prepared to fight. 'I wasn't aware I had left the tribe, only this house.'

'Hmmm. Is that how you see it?' Thea shifted her eyes over the three of us and seemed to miss Kale's presence entirely. 'How about you, Lao? You'd really choose one weak queen over the tribe you've helped to birth and raise?'

Tired of Thea's passive-aggressive insults, I touched the knife's handle. 'Where are Tess and Andres?'

The priestess sighed. 'Tess I know, but Andres?' Her voice was bored, almost condescending.

'The baby, the one you want to kill.'

Her eyes flashed, but her body posture remained nonthreatening. 'You mean the one the Amazons want to kill, the one the high council ordered us to kill?'

'That would be the one. Have you seen him and Tess?'

'If I had, the job would have been done.'

Kale stepped forward. 'We know Padia's here.'

Thea looked at her as if she'd forgotten the council member was standing next to me. 'Padia here?' There was surprise in her voice.

Tense, I responded. 'The visiting priestess. We know she was here. Does she have Tess and Andres?'

Thea growled. 'I know who Padia is. She isn't here. You would know if she was. I would-'

I cut her off. 'We have a new enemy, Thea, and it isn't the sons.'

She laughed. 'Not the sons? Don't tell me, you've been seduced like your friend? Have you been visiting her? Associating with sons?' Her voice rose, incredulous. 'I knew you'd fallen, that you were too weak to carry out the council's orders, but I wouldn't have thought that of you.'

I jerked Jack's knife from its sheath and held it under her chin. 'We are here to get Tess, Andres, and Cleo. Turn them over.'

Her eyes sparked. 'I already told you Tess and the baby aren't here. Maybe she took the little mutant. Maybe she has the strength to do what you didn't.'

This barb took, sank into my subconscious and ate away at it. Could Tess have taken Andres? Could she have been lying to us, deceiving us all along?

'And Cleo?'

'Cleo, the new warrior? Why would you want her?' Bored, polite, and well-mannered.

Her manner gnawed at me, worse than any direct insult.

The porch had filled with Amazons. I leaned closer to the priestess. Hissed in her ear, 'Padia lied to you, Thea.'

Louder, I repeated, 'She's lied to all of you. Padia may be a member of the high council, but she isn't the only member. She's told you the high council is in agreement, but they aren't. I've brought a council member here, to tell you the other side.' I nodded at Kale but kept my eyes focused on Thea.

I waited, expecting Kale to step forward and declare who she was, to force the deluded Amazons to listen, to out Padia and the Amazons who followed her for their worship of another goddess.

Thea's voice rose. 'Why would you come here with such stories? Are you that desperate to regain the role you lost?'

The priestess was still talking. 'I told you we would accept you back as a warrior, but that isn't good enough, is it? You failed as queen, failed the council, and thus failed the tribe. Time to face that, Zery. Time to face you will never regain the role again.'

Her voice was strong, with a shade of sympathy, but her eyes were cold, like the metal blade posed inches from her artery. You've cracked, Zery. Cracked.

The thought sprang from nowhere.

Startled, I glanced at Thea's eyes. They were steady and still cold. Admit you aren't strong. Don't embarrass yourself and your tribe.

My hand began to shake. A pain, concentrated and sharp, like a knitting needle being thrust through my brain, cut off my breath. Sweat broke out on my upper lip. I wanted to drop the knife, to cradle my head in my hands.