The Mansion of Amire Okrich, Day 49 A.F

-The Navigator!- cried a light female voice with an ominous edge that I'd never heard before.

-Victim of the Hermit,- agreed a dark voiced male that seemed to demand the attention of all those who heard him, compelling them to listen.

-The first to fall!- added a third voice.

-The Star has burned out,- Matthew's voice said gravely. -The first Card won.-

All day my voices had been abuzz, conversing amongst themselves for the first time, about something I couldn't understand. It took all my willpower not to rip out my hair.

The comfort of a formulated plan helped soothe me. After the Flood, I needed something certain. I'd decided that I would take Amire up on his offer, in whatever nature that may be. If he wanted a companion in his laboratory or simply for his bed, then so be it. I felt I owed it to the man who was doing so much for Lalita and I.

Matthew hadn't seemed to speak directly to me since the day of the Flood, which I took as both a comfort and annoyance. Yes, communicating with a boy in my head was concerning, but I longed for conversation with anyone. Even if Lita was speaking, she was never a conversationalist, and Amire was gone most of the day.

On occasions I did hear Matthew's voice join the jumbled chorus with a whisper of -Crazy like a fox!- Hadn't he said that to me before?

Now aware of Chesed's presence, I began to notice what Amire had meant by strange noises. Sometime the devilish looking boy would slam about, straining against his chains. Other times he'd bellow arbitrarily. The worst was when he'd make demands for blood.

If Lalita had noticed any of this, she never let it show.

-Red of Tooth and Claw.-

That voice, as well as the spin-tingling, -blood will tell. Blood will run. But the tears of the damned always taste sweet- hadn't quieted, only growing louder. Mercifully the demonic snarling voice had faded almost entirely.

The soft, girlish whisper of -I descend upon you like nightfall- had stopped all together.

"Ayesha!" Lita whined, interrupting my train of thought.

"Sorry," I mumbled. I was supposed to listen to Lalita read from her precious book again. "Keep going."

"Were you even listening?" She frowned, tilting her head.

"Of course," I lied. How could I with such chatter in my skull?

Lalita furrowed her eyebrows. "Then who's Icon is a star?"

"Um... The star?"

"Lucky guess," she grumbled, even if I'd only been repeating her words. "Now listen!"

"I will," I promised. But the constant drumming of my mind made focus all but impossible.

"The Arcane Navigator can use echolocation, sneaking up on his or her prey in a cloak of darkness," Lalita read. "The Star-"

"I think I'm going to be Amire's wife," I broke in. The idea hadn't stopped nagging at me.

Lita gave me a look of annoyance at being interrupted. "You can't be his wife. You didn't say yes. Focus, Ayesha! You have to learn."

"Maybe not his wife legally," I admitted. "But what does legality matter anymore? For all we know, there's not a single priest alive!"

Lalita tilted her head in consideration. "Well, the Priestess still lives."

"What I mean is," I continued, "I might not technically be Amire's wife, but he's a good man and I want to make him happy."

"Not a good man," Lalita stated. "Winning will make him happy. You don't want that."

I was surprised. Although she never spoke to Amire, I never got the impression Lita disliked him, especially since she wore his necklace even now. She had no reason to hold any animosity towards him. In such a damaged world with food stores that would eventually run out, most men wouldn't want extra mouths to feed. Especially not when one of them had a reputation for madness. Amire had allowed Lalita to stay for my sake, and I wanted to repay him.

Mother's words in that little, beach-side inn filtered through my mind. No good deed should go unreciprocated. Amire had done nothing but good for us, and it had been Mother's final request. I owed it to Amire. I owed it to Mother. Regardless of Lalita's objections.

"Don't say that. Amire is helping us."

"Helping himself." Lita's voice was a snide tone I'd never heard her use before, speaking of Amire as if he were a bit of filth on the bottom of her shoe. "The sooner he's trumped, the better."

"What do you mean?" I demanded, loyalty siding with Amire. Lalita might be my sister, but I hated when people insulted others for no apparent reason.

"Trump him, Ayesha," Lalita sighed. "The Wise Man. Weren't you listening?"

"Listening to what?" I asked, growing frustrated with Lalita, and the patronizing stare she was giving me. If she really wanted me to listen, maybe she should stop speaking in only riddles!

She looked at me like Mother used to when I'd lied about doing my chores. "Why should I bother to teach you if you don't listen?"

"I don't need you to teach me anything!" I snapped. I'd had it with Lalita treating me like I was a child, or as if she had some expectation of me that I could never reach. "When Amire gets back I'm telling him. I'm his in any way he wants me."

Lalita shook her head gravely and I turned my back on her. "You'll regret this, Ayesha. He sits in his shell and waits for you to come to him."

But I'd made up my mind and wouldn't be talked out of it. I didn't want Amire thinking I didn't appreciate everything he did for us. Amire was kind, and I had grown to enjoy his company despite his chilling aura. But no kindness could last forever. How long would he provide for us with nothing in return? Not only would I be repaying my debt, but I'd be ensuring our continued protection.

-A Wise Man in the Guise of a Boy.-

Amire walked into the room and I could instantly sense his aggression.He took a long drink from his favorite water goblet, one he seemed to always carry with him. Like everything else in his mansion, it was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. But despite the commonplace action, he seemed to be itching for a fight, but there was a glint of pride in his eyes.

"Heat of Battle," Lita whispered, watching Amire carefully. "The more he experiments, the more he wants to."

But I didn't care. I walked over to my future husband determinedly.

Amire whirled on me. I took a step back, for a moment fearing he might strike me, although I didn't know why he would.

Amire took a deep breath and his eyelids drooped subtly. "Hello, Ayesha."

"Good evening, Amire," I replied, happy Amire's hostility seemed to vanish. "There's something I'd like to tell you... if you're in the mood for it?"

"I'm in a wonderful mood." He smiled, still inhaling, as if being intoxicated by a scent I wasn't aware of.

"That's good." I nodded, my resolve cracking slightly. Maybe I wasn't ready? "How was your work?"

"I had that development I told you about yesterday," Amire said proudly.

"And that was?" I asked.

"Not important." He shrugged, pulling off his leather work gloves. "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

"About the marriage..." My eyes drifted to his hands. How come I'd never noticed that odd mark? Across Amire's hand was the image of a small white star. I was positive it hadn't been there before. "What's that tattoo?"

Amire glanced at his hand, chuckling. "Sometimes I forget just how little you know."

Something in his voice made my heart race. What exactly didn't I know? Was he hiding something from me? "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing important," Amire promised. "You needn't worry about it."

"Okay..." I said skeptically, taking a step backward.

"What was it you had to tell me?" he urged, daring to look hopeful. "About the marriage?"

"Nothing important," I managed, copying Amire's words to me. "You needn't worry about it."

"Okay..." Amire nodded, sensing my unease. "Well, I'll leave you with your sister."

Had he sounded disappointed?

As soon as Amire left, guilt overcame me. I couldn't imagine how much stress Amire must be under, yet he hadn't let it show. How could I blame him for wanting to keep some things private?

It's not as if I share everything... He certainly doesn't know about the voices.

I had a way to make things slightly easier for Amire, and I'd take it. The next time I saw him, I'd tell him.

"See?" Lalita asked, scooting over to me and taking a dainty sip from a glass of water. "Not a good man."

"Yes, he is," I insisted. "I'm still going through with it!"

"You still don't believe me?" Lita frowned, looking desperate. "What will make you see?"

"I don't believe you because you have no right to dislike Amire," I stated.

Lita played with her necklace, chewing her lip. "I'll have to prove it to you. Nothing else will make you see."

Before I could respond, Lalita picked up her water glass, dumping it on herself. Water splashed across her neck and chest.

I was about to chide her for soaking one of the few outfits Amire had for the two of us, when her face contorted in pain, and smoke sizzled from her neck.

The chain of the lantern necklace seared into Lita's flesh, the metal eroding away by some unknown substance.

"Take it off!" I shrieked in horror as angry red burns formed on Lalita's skin.

Lita clawed at the necklace but to no avail, only succeeding in causing blisters to be seared into her fingers as tears spilled from her eyes.

What could I do? I had absolutely no idea how to remove the necklace before it burned through my sister's neck completely. Adrenaline and fear coursed through me, tickling my arms and neck.

-Your claws, Empress,- Matthew urged. It was the first time he'd spoken to me directly since the Flood.

My eyes darted to my shaking hands. Just like the day of the Flood, my nails had darkened, elongating to a wicked point like the thorn of a rose.

Desperate, and lacking any other options, I kneeled next to Lalita. Her cries of pain were growing louder and she thrashed on the floor in an effort to rip off the necklace.

I hooked my nail under the chain and tugged. It broke free instantly, the metal slicing like warm butter.

Lalita curled into fetal position on the floor, her agonized yells quieting to pathetic whimpers as she cried softly, breath coming in strangled gasps.

I couldn't help but steal a furtive glance at the dark purple blades at the end of my fingers as I inspected Lita's wounds. I must not have imagined them. How else had I cut through that chain?

And that chain... Amire had given that to me?

Had he known it was deadly?

He must have. And like a fool a trusted his kindness over my own sister! But why would he gift me with poisoned jewelry? How had Lalita known it was? She'd known there was more to Amire than he let on. She'd risked her own life to prove that to me?

Bile rose in my throat. My own foolish stubbornness nearly cost my sister's life. My pride, my constantly thinking I knew what was best for us. Her warnings had fallen on deaf ears as if another voice blocked them out.

Could I touch her without causing more pain? I couldn't guess what else my claws could do, but my entire being thrummed with rage. Something within me screamed for blood, specifically Amire's.

As I moved to rip off the hem of Lalita's skirt for a bandage, Amire broke into the room. "Ayesha, I heard-" His eyes fell on me, a cruel light sparking in the nearly black irises. "I was wondering when the Empress would surface."

((Duh duh duh! Just when we thought that maybe Amire was good after all! Why do you think Ayesha could cut through the necklace? How did Lalita know? Why would Amire poison it? What were the voices talking about? Lots of questions to be answered! Not all of them will be in the next chapter, but some. And we'll meet some new characters!))