Amazonia

  As they headed for the small gate, Amazonia asked, "Dominus, aren't you afraid Eurax will take revenge on you when he finds out, since he can't touch Lady Jhadra?"

  "Why do you think I am selling the Ludus? Bide a moment.” Above them the crowd’s voice was a muffled roar, and Az leaned forward to hear him better as Dominus lowered his voice. “Can I trust you to keep this strictly between us?” She nodded and he took a deep breath. “For this plan to work, it must be known across the civilized world and beyond, that a Reaver Knight and her Chaldean Wardogs have been created once more. However, the temples have not forgotten how that creation comes about or what a Reaver Knight is capable of, and if Emperor Konstan’s name is linked with this directly, the scandal will be used by his enemies against him.”

  “Enemies like Eurax.”

  Dominus gave her a knowing look. “Among others. Therefore, a scapegoat is needed, someone the emperor can denounce before everyone in the arena for the Reaver Knight’s creation… which is why after your collars are shattered, the emperor’s son Arcadia will denounce me as a traitor.”

  “But Dominus—”

  He raised a hand for silence and Az shut her mouth. “Emperor Konstan will be shocked, shocked, to hear of such a vile thing,” Dominus said in a sardonic voice, “and will order the Imperial guards to take me, my wife, and Little Paulus captive to await his judgment of exile. They will do so, and march us down to the docks where a ship will be waiting.”

  “Exile where, Dominus?”

  He gave Az the sly smile of a thief in the shadows watching the Vigiles run past him. “Someplace far different than the rock he will name. Eurax, of course, will send assassins after us, to kill me and kidnap my wife and son, but by the time he realizes the deception, we shall be long gone.” His hand fell onto her shoulder. “You and your Chaldean's will be exiled beyond the empire’s borders to the east, told never to return, and since you will be traveling overland, the tale should have spread to the Sasnayam satrapies well before you arrive there.”

  It was Amazonia’s turn to take a deep breath as she switched to Roma, for her next words would be harsh. “Dominus, apologies if words offend, but plan reminds of hunting lions. Warriors must be silent and must trust other warriors, or lion turns and hunts hunters himself.”

  Dominus visibly suppressed a sigh. “Agreement. Knowledge kept from Arcadia and others, only understanding of Reaver Knight creation, not of mission. Eurax will chase shadows, nothing more.”

  Is that a note of unease in his voice? I wouldn't be surprised, considering Eurax's reputation, yet it's not my concern. Just so Eurax's vengeance doesn't fall on the rest of us is all I ask. Dominus dropped his hand from her shoulder and led Amazonia back towards the small gate, Amko a silent shadow falling in behind them as they got close. The mana stones set in the silver spirals she wore in her ear lobes glowed blue as the guards opened the door of rusty bars.

  Lady Jhadra was waiting. "Ready?" Amazonia nodded with more confidence than she felt, and Lady Jhadra turned towards Antonius, already kneeling on the concrete floor with his tunic off. Below his breastbone was a dark red opening, no doubt leading to his heart. Lady Jhadra bent down to whisper in Antonius's ear; his eyes went wide, and as she straightened, he stared up at her as she said, "I swear by the sacred name of the queen I serve that I have spoken the truth. Amazonia, kneel behind Lord Antonius and hold him."

  Az knelt down behind Antonius, sitting back on her heels, and he leaned back against her chest as he looked up. "Did Paulus explain?"

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  "Yes," Az replied, keeping her voice impassive. "For what it's worth, a certain person should be cast into the deepest depths of Hades’ realm and never released."

  "He will wish he was already there by the time I am finished." At her puzzled look, Antonius shook his head. "In time you will understand. Az, please promise me you will return to Konstanopolis once the sword shatters and claim what is rightfully yours."

  "If I can," Amazonia answered with a shrug.

  "You will."

  Amko entered the room holding an Ironwood sword resembling the katanas used by Khitian warriors, but longer, almost the length of a great sword. A round metal guard was set in place over the hilt, already wrapped in strips of black leather, with the dark brown blade carved to razor sharpness on the front side, and halfway down the blade on the back. Blood red runes had been drawn all along both sides of the blade. By tradition, Amko should’ve handed it their Dominus first. She walked past him instead, reversing the sword and handing it hilt first to Lady Jhadra. By tradition the Daemo shouldn't have accepted it, yet did so without rebuke.

  Dominus frowned at Amko, who ignored him while Lady Jhadra ignored them both. Her attention was fixed on Az and Antoninus kneeling at her feet. "Antonius, I am going to slide the tip of the blade a few inches into the channel leading to your heart." She took the sword and gently moved it towards Antonius' chest until he stiffened in Amazonia’s arms. "Amazonia, grip him by the shoulders." She moved her hands to the point where his shoulders met his arms, and Lady Jhadra said, "When Lord Antonius commands you, push him onto the blade with a fast motion so the tip will pierce his heart, and hold onto him until the transformation ends."

  Amazonia’s lips had gone completely dry. "Yes, Domina." Antonius' face reminded her of a new gladiator ready for his first fight. "Be brave."

  "I will be better than brave," he replied, swaying in her arms. "I am going to be fierce." He took a deep breath. "Do it." Az shoved him forward onto the blade…

  At the same moment Lady Jhadra unleashed her enchantment. Purple lightning crackled around the three of them as the blade changed from dark brown to shiny black, the runes burning themselves into the Ironwood as they began glowing red as the blood bubbling out of his chest. Az couldn’t move or even blink, her gaze held by the dragon scale shining like a purple star... blazing like a purple sun... filling the earth and sky with purple fire as she was consumed...

  Then it winked out. Az fell back onto something hard while a body fell on top of her, people yelling... Why is a sword sticking up out of his chest? Faces, speaking gibberish as hands shook her... Az being pulled away from the body...

  Wait, I know this face. "Io?"

  He grinned down at her, crouched at Amazonia’s side as her mind and memories sorted themselves out. "Az, don't scare me like that."

  "What just happened was scary enough." Standing over her, Cotus held out his hand and she took it, Io standing up as he took Az’s other one. They hauled her to her feet. The room spun and she gripped their calloused hands until it stopped. "Are you better?"

  Amazonia nodded as Io said, "Antonius is dead."

  They released her hands and stepped aside. Antonius laid crumpled on the concrete floor, his head flopped towards her, staring up with sightless eyes. His mouth was set in the rictus of a wild grin. Lady Jhadra held onto the sword sticking out of his chest by the hilt with her eyes on Amazonia. "If you are recovered, the time has come for you to claim your sword."

  Taking a deep breath, she stepped past her two companions towards Lady Jhadra, who moved her hands to the sword's metal guard to continue supporting it, leaving the leather bound hilt free. Could I refuse to take the sword at this point? Would I dare? No, I wouldn't and what's more, I don't want to. I want this sword. Az stopped beside Lady Jhadra and grasped the hilt as the Daemo took her hand away, then pulled the sword from Antonius' chest as if from a sheath. Blood drops fell from the blade like red rain onto the concrete as she held it up.

  The black blade glimmered as if made from obsidian, the runes glowing a sinister shade of dark red from the tip down to the metal guard. The sword felt light as a feather in her hand. "Domina, I have wielded normal Artifact weapons smaller than this and carved from ordinary wood, and none of them felt as weightless as this one."

  Lady Jhadra gave Amazonia a sly smile as she stepped away from the blood slowly pooling around Antonius' body. "I cannot explain my magic in a way that would make sense to you. So accept it, and take a few moments outside the chamber getting acquainted with your new sword." As Amazonia stepped away, being careful not to accidentally cut someone, Lady Jhadra crouched down and passed a hand over the pooling blood as the scale in her forehead began to glow.

  She pulled out a wooden stylus carved with more runes as the blood began glowing purple as well. "So, who wants to be the first tattooed?"