Lukys rose to his feet before he could doubt himself, drawing the attention of the others at the table.
“On that sentiment, my good lords and ladies—” he started, but as he spoke the door to the chamber banged open, and a man garbed in the red uniform of the Flumeeren army entered, a sword hanging from his belt.
Lukys tensed, but he spied the golden lieutenants badge a second before Wallace leapt to his feet. “Finally! Lieutenant Ewan, what kept you?”
The lieutenant frowned as he crossed the room. “The safety of the city?” he said shortly, irritation in his voice. “You do realise we’re at war, steward? I cannot attend every dalliance you decide to host on a whim. There was another protest amongst the Calafe camps that needed dealing with…” he trailed off, eyes noting the presence of Sophia and Lukys at the table.
“Yes, well, as you can see lieutenant, we have important guests,” Wallace replied shortly. “My dear Sovereigns, may I introduce Lieutenant Ewan, the man in charge of our defences in the queen’s absence.” He paused, belatedly remembering that Lukys was on his feet and clearing his throat. “Er, Sovereign, you were saying something?”
Lukys hesitated, needles prickling at his brow as the attention of the room returned to him. This was their chance. With the members of this room captured, the city would be left without leaders. He cast his gaze to the back of the room, where Dale and Keria lurked. The Flumeerens had guards of their own of course, but none possessed the strength of the Tangata. With Sophia and Keria on their side, it wouldn’t be difficult to take control…
…but what if violence was not the answer here?
“Thank you, Wallace, for your kindness,” he said softly. “It is welcome after the difficulties we have suffered these last months.” He drew in a breath as a frown crossed the steward’s lips, then continued before the questions could begin. “In truth, we are new to our roles as Sovereigns. Word would not yet have reached you here on the mainland, but there has been a change in leadership in Perfugia. The old Sovereigns were killed…unexpectedly.”
“Killed?” Wallace exclaimed. Seated nearby, the elderly Zayaan only frowned, lips pressed in a line, eyes fixed on Lukys.
“Slain by their own guards,” Lukys confirmed grimly, gesturing for Sophia to rise. He sensed the tension in his partner as she came to her feet, felt it too from Dale and Keria as they edged towards the other guards. “We do not intend to make the same mistakes.”
“I should hope not,” Zayaan responded calmly. “Treachery must be quashed wherever it is found.”
“That was not their mistake,” Lukys said. “Their mistake filling the hearts of their people with hatred, in clinging to the past.”
Even as he spoke, images flickered in Lukys’s mind, of a people exiled, of the former Tangata as they landed on a barren shore, of men and women coming together to create a new kingdom. But always those memories were clouded, distorted by the hatred of his predecessors, by their anger towards those who had seen them banished.
“We must find a new way,” Lukys continued. “One of peace, of respect amongst equals. We can no longer blindly follow your queen.”
13
The Tangata
Adonis shivered as he looked upon the human queen. Seeing her standing calm amongst the chaos, Adonis realised he knew this creature. He had glimpsed her from afar, at the height of the human invasion so many years before, when the Tangata had trapped the human army between their forces. The enemy might have been crushed that day, had it not been for a calvary charge that had forced the Tangata back, giving the humans time to retreat.
This woman had led that charge against his people, had saved the humans from disaster so long ago. If not for her, the war might have ended that day, with the strength of humanity destroyed in one terrible battle.
Adonis would not allow her to save them again. Now, on this night, she would finally fall. And the last resistance of humanity with her.
Brothers, sisters, on me.
Standing in the shadows, he gathered his Tangata. Already the humans were responding to their queen, retreating from the Tangata inspired chaos and raising their weapons in a defensive formation. His people would need to change their tactics too, if they were to destroy this creature.
Thankfully, the Tangata had already taken a heavy toll upon the human forces. There couldn’t be more than twenty left to stand against an equal number of Adonis’s brethren. Impossible odds, even for this queen.
Kill them all, Adonis said softly when the last of his Tangata joined him.
As one, they surged forward, charging across the blood-slickened deck, silhouettes in the night. The humans roared in answer and hefted weapons. But most had lost their spears earlier, the one advantage they might have had against the Tangatan charge. Instead, the humans met their foes with swords in hand.
And died screaming.
Ducking beneath a wild swing, Adonis shattered the ribs of the human before him, then leapt over the falling body, eyes on the woman who stood at their centre. Dressed in chainmail armour with a greatsword in hand, she alone amongst the humans stood her ground. Indeed, as Adonis watched, one of his sisters leapt at her and the queen spun, her blade slashing out to catch the Tangata in the neck. The blow almost decapitated the Tangata, and she fell amongst the other bodies littering the deck.
A growl rumbled from the back of his throat and fists clenched, he pushed aside one of his brethren.
Focus on the followers, he hissed. The queen is mine.
Encased in her armour, it would be difficult for one of his lesser brethren to pierce her defences, but one blow from Adonis would crush the metal like a hammer. This was the moment he had waited for, the foe he had been created to face.
The other Tangata
