Third Earth, page 25
He crouched next to it and sent his magic into the bones.
“So many fractures. This person fell from a great height.”
I pointed up to the jagged cavern roof hundreds of feet above us. “What’s up there?”
Using his magic, Temnon explored the space above us. “Just a hallway.”
I turned to the boulders. “There’s a trail in the dirt.”
“I saw it. Looks like he crawled before dying.”
“Did you see where it started? What’s above that?”
He paused, like he didn’t want to tell me, and touched the skull. “Grandpa Thayn’s quarters.”
Reaching into the ribcage, he pulled out a bit of moldy cloth. The lava river glowed on gold thread stitched in the shape of a planet surrounded by three stars. The symbol of First Earth.
“He’s from my planet.” Temnon rubbed a thumb over the gold stars before delicately rifling through the scraps of rotted clothing. “He’s been here a long time. Over three years, I’d guess.”
As he lifted a patch of cloth from the ribcage, a heavier object slipped from the decaying threads and clattered on the ground. Temnon stared at it. I waited, determined to give him the time he needed. Finally, after several agonizing seconds, he wrapped his shaking fingers around a clunky metal chain and held up a grimy medallion. Lava glow glinted on the dented surface.
“What is it?”
“My first attempt at matter shaping. I found a flat rock in the river and wanted to make a medal. I worked on it for weeks.” He choked on a sound between a chuckle and a sob. “Look at the chain. What a mess. But he didn’t care. He proudly wore it everywhere.”
Temnon clutched the warped medallion and pressed his face hard into his fist. After a deep breath, he turned to me.
“This body,” he said, “this body is Grandpa Thayn. You knew, didn’t you?”
I knelt by the skeleton. Both femurs were snapped in half. It must have been torture crawling this far.
“I’m so sorry, Tem. After you sent me home, Nemantia came to my Apex. He’d been calling her for months, but she was too afraid to answer him. We told Dame Maudine.”
“Why didn’t she contact us immediately?”
“She said she was going to. She planned to get Grandmaster Shume and bring an army.”
My answer confused him. “We haven’t heard a thing. Why?”
It was exactly what I feared. Fake Thayn was always three steps ahead.
“The bad guy can impersonate anyone. He must have spoken to her as your dad, or Odric, or you. Who knows what he told her?”
“A shapeshifter,” Temnon said blankly as his brain wrapped around the reality of his grandfather’s fate. “It makes sense, now, what he did. He kept canceling visits and refused to come home. Of course he refused—Maudine might read his genetic code, Nemantia might suspect, even the security spell in the throne room could expose him.” Clenching the cloth in his fist, his face scrunched in agony. “He told me Third Earth was the key to saving the universe and that he needed me to take over for him. He convinced me that you made up the whole lie interference thing. I believed every word.”
I wanted to throw my arms around him, but he shook with anger. Now wasn’t the right time. “His impersonation was perfect.”
“No.” Temnon jumped up and paced. “No, it wasn’t. Grandpa Thayn was strong, but he was kind and loving and treated everyone with respect. That—that crap sack”—he pointed to the roof of the cavern—“is a power-hungry butt wipe who wishes he could impersonate my grandfather!” Temnon spun around, and with golden magic coating his fist, he punched a boulder. It flew back, smashing aside the other boulders until it hit the far wall. “I knew, Agnes. I knew, and I ignored my own conscience. How could I be so stupid?”
“Narcissists are really good at manipulating people.”
Temnon suddenly leaned forward and put a hand on the back of his head. Nemantia once told me our ancestors influenced us if we were open to them. Maybe Thayn led Temnon to his body and cuffed Tem in the back of his head himself. I liked to think he was with us, fighting for his family and to right all the imposter had wronged.
“So, now what?” Temnon turned to face me, meeting my eyes for the first time since I “lied” to Thayn.
This was it. Time to take charge. Good thing I made a plan in the Jent Path.
“I’m glad you asked,” I said, energy bubbling inside me. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while.”
I jumped on the stone tile. Temnon placed the homemade medallion and the scrap of cloth with the First Earth symbol in his pocket as he lifted us both with his magic.
“The primary objective,” I said, “is to prevent the imposter and his supporters from escaping again. So, when you join your dad and uncle, quietly tell them about Thayn and the imposter and ask them to put up a barrier like Odric did at the battle with the demon army.”
He caught my enthusiasm. “Good idea, but even working together, they’ll need several minutes.”
“No problem. Fake Thayn likes listening to himself talk. That should give them time to build the enchantment. Once it’s up, King Odric can expose Thayn as an imposter. The real Thayn’s body lies in evidence.”
It felt good to have Kyprios’s words work in our favor for once.
“Perfect,” Temnon said, but his smile melted away. “No, it isn’t perfect. The tombs are sacred, remember? We can’t admit we’ve been down here, or we’ll be sentenced to death and Fake Thayn wins.”
Dang it. I knew it was too easy.
“That leaves one choice. I’ll reveal Thayn in front of the whole court. The spell I used on Suelta strips away false identities. Regent Menneth will order his capture. If he tries to run, he’ll be trapped by the barrier.”
“Don’t forget the ring of radicals. He’s sure to have support among the noblesse,” Temnon said. “They’ll target Dad and Uncle Odric, and they can’t fight if they’re holding the barrier.”
“Right. You protect them. Maudine said she was going to bring Grandmaster Shume and the paladins. I don’t know what misinformation the imposter gave them, but if they are still here, they can help.”
“Jenz can contact them.”
We approached the top of the tombs where Fake Thayn and his traitorous society of evil dragons waited for us. One mistake, and Lumi was doomed. A stab of fear stuck firmly in my heart. That guy didn’t leave much wiggle room. My plan had to go perfectly, or he’d win. The problem was, I didn’t know what his intents were other than to discredit me and kill my Lumi.
“The loyal dragons will help,” I said, more for my own encouragement than for Temnon’s benefit.
“I don’t like leaving you alone.”
“I won’t be alone. Grimmal and Lumi will have a lot of pent up anger they’ll want to unleash.”
Just below the ceiling, Temnon’s magic still glittered on the covered hole.
“One more thing, Tem,” I said, linking one finger around his pinky. “The last thing I said to you—Thayn’s spell made me lie. I could never hate you.”
“I don’t know why I believed it.” Temnon, the old Temnon, almost put his hand on my face, but he stopped just short of my skin and dropped his arm. “I don’t blame you if you never forgive me,” he said. “I’m an idiot.”
“Psht,” I said, flopping a dismissive hand. “We’ll get to that. Let’s save our friends first.”
It had been too long since I’d seen that gentle love in his blue eyes.
“Ready?”
I stoked my new spell and streaks of light surrounded me. “Bend,” I whispered.
Temnon opened the hole, and we entered the courtroom in front of the door to the human waiting room. Hundreds of roaring dragons leaned out of their boxes, their flame and smoke licking the air. Grimmal and Lumi huddled in a dejected pile of fur, and Phar Sekmet, in full helcat form, danced around in front of the witness stand with an arched back, hissing white-hot sparks at the noblesse.
I guessed her plea for mercy hadn’t gone well.
27
Villain Unmasked—What the . . .?
“Go,” I whispered to Temnon. “It will look like you came from the door.”
Temnon straightened his back and marched in with confidence. Arch Mage Claude bravely calmed the phar and escorted her back to the stand. Fake Thayn stepped up and held out his hands to the crowd, like a self-important defender of dragonkind. The noblesse settled down in their boxes and waited intently.
Kyprios eyed Thayn from his box. We were scheduled to hear from Phar Sekmet of Fifth Earth, he declared. Do you have a statement, Ambassador?
“I do,” Fake Thayn replied, his arms crossed over his puffed-out chest.
He launched into a passionate speech about law verses mercy. I half-listened. Temnon reached his uncle and father and whispered into their ears. He showed them the medallion and scrap of cloth. If they were surprised, their identical faces didn’t announce it. The two of them grasped hands, and a ball of golden light swirled around their fingers.
“While we have all sworn to uphold dragon law,” Thayn said, “are we willing to risk endangering the alliances we have won?”
What a hypocrite. Shutting out his lies, I double-checked my spell for holes and silently crept closer. As I passed Grimmal and Lumi, she lifted her tiny head and turned her ears toward my nearly silent footsteps. Sweet Lumi, always on guard.
“Of course,” Thayn’s tone shifted from sincere to accusing, “the trust of an alliance must be reciprocated for it to work.”
I froze to listen. What did he have planned?
“Arch Mage Agnes of Second Earth proved herself untrustworthy. She outed herself in her own lies, and now two more representatives of allied planets are here, King Odric of First Earth and Phar Sekmet of Fifth Earth.”
I glanced over my shoulder. Odric and Claude both wore the same hardened expressions of fury but poured energy into their spell. The ball of gold enclosed the whole witness stand. Temnon whispered to the phar. White hot claws snapped out of her flaming toes and her head lowered, exposing her sizzling, arched neck.
Thayn spoke on. “As you know, I am a son of First Earth.”
My lie detector alerted me with an irritating buzz. I wished all the dragons in the court felt it. I placed myself firmly between Thayn and the door to the annex. If he tried to run before Claude and Odric finished their spell, I’d be ready.
“My heart will always remember my home planet, but I have dedicated my life to you of the dragon world. While I am torn inside”—Thayn’s voice shook with emotion and he coughed to hide his turmoil—“I have to act according to my conscience.”
Here it was. The point of all the lies.
What are you saying? the vice regent boomed.
Thayn’s broad chest expanded, and he bellowed, “King Odric and Phar Sekmet have joined armies to march against Third Earth. Their men wait on the edge of the Jent Path, ready to invade.”
A powerful quiet blanketed the arena.
Magnus Dux Dominath, Menneth said, has this been verified?
Dominath’s white scales glinted as he lowered his head. Although they have not crossed into our atmosphere or broken any of our laws, a regiment of paladins from First Earth has been spotted, Regent.
My head burst with hundreds of telepathic voices yelling in protest, anger, fear, and every other emotion spurred by the catastrophic announcement. Jerk imposter used Maudine and the paladins to make us seem like hostile aggressors. It was a spiteful, manipulative, brilliant move. Thayn’s fake sadness didn’t completely hide his expression of triumph; the same look he displayed as Ranah when he slapped his interference spell on my head. Who was this guy really?
The regent shook his furry mane. Peace magic drifted and filled the court with its influence. He uncoiled from his mound of coins and floated down from his box. I ran out from under him and stopped where Grimmal and Lumi were chained. As Menneth landed, his huge body displaced a rush of air which blew through my hair.
Lumi lifted her head and sniffed the air. She wobbled over to her father and mewed. Grimmal sniffed once, and his green eyes searched in my direction. They knew I was here. I hoped my presence was enough to counter any ideas of abandonment.
Menneth stomped over to Thayn and the others. As he approached, his head and front legs rose, and he balanced his weight on the remaining four legs. Towering over my friends, he crossed his forelegs, and scowled down at them.
King Odric of First Earth, he said with quiet intensity, your own father accuses you of acts of war. The presence of your armies supports these accusations. How do you respond?
Still grasping the hand of his twin, Odric raised his voice for all to hear. “My armies are organized and at the ready, Regent Menneth, but not to march against you or those loyal to Third Earth. They are here to expose this traitor.” He spat the final word out and pointed at Thayn with his free hand. “This imposter is not my father.”
I only noticed the flash of panic on Thayn’s face because I hoped to see it. The lying shapeshifter adapted in an instant.
“What is wrong with you?” he thundered, chest out and biceps clenched. “You mean to distract the court with this outrageous claim?”
“Claim? It’s the truth,” Odric countered, standing firm. “My daughter and Arch Mage Agnes traveled to the spirit realm and talked to the deceased spirit of our real father.”
“You murdered him,” Claude said, adding his testimony, “and stole his appearance to infiltrate the noblesse of this court. You are the threat to Third Earth, not the allied worlds.”
The noblesse gave mixed reactions. Some ready to listen, while many others displayed aggression. A particularly loud huff of ridicule came from that rust-colored wyvern in the west wing behind me. She stomped her winged foreclaws in firm objection and let loose a hoarse caw.
Phar Sekmet stalked a few paces in Thayn’s direction, her claws scratching burn marks on the stone. “It is you who have engineered these circumstances,” she snarled. “I will join my forces with those of First Earth and defend my loved ones against your traitorous scheming.”
Odric continued, free hand placed on the hilt of his sword. “Regent Menneth, we officially request the noblesse to release this imposter into our custody to answer to the murder of Thayn Rayden, ambassador to Third Earth, and son of the warrior queen of First Earth, Dame Maudine Odonata.”
Thayn chuckled and shook his head in disbelief.
“I see,” he said, just loud enough to engage the projection enchantment. “You have fallen for the lies of the so-called truth wizard, haven’t you, son? She puts on a good performance, I’ll admit. I believed in her at first, but she just couldn’t keep ahead of her own lies.”
That jack-a degenerate! My magic hummed and, almost on its own, collected an intense ball of heat in my chest. The chains holding Grimmal and Lumi rattled in the blast of power coming from me. Lumi’s nose inhaled the air, and the frightened defeat melted from her face. Her silver eyes glittered, and she grew into a snow leopard the size of a truck, with diamond claws.
Thayn didn’t notice my building magic or Lumi’s transformation. He was too busy with his sympathetic grandfather act.
“She ensnared Nemantia with her false innocence, but in truth, she’s pure hate. Just ask Temnon.” Thayn put a heavy hand on Temnon’s shoulder, bringing the attention of the whole court to him. “Tell them what she said to you, Tem. When you chose to be loyal to Third Earth, tell them how she responded.”
Temnon, pale and rigid, clutched the medallion he gave to his real grandfather, his eyes showing his fuming anger very similar to Claude’s.
“My grandson’s been through the worst betrayal,” Thayn continued. “Betrayal of the heart. But he’s young and naive. What’s your excuse, Odric?”
“You keep turning this back to me and my family,” Odric stated. “But you have yet to answer my accusation.”
Thayn gave Odric a dismissive shrug. “You say I’m an imposter, but where is your proof, son? Other than the testimony of a discredited wizard and your daughter, who was misled by her lies, where is your proof?”
Odric hesitated. The blank expression of someone with no way out paled his face. He had concrete proof, but he couldn’t legally present it to the court. Thayn’s plan was so absolute, even the testimonies of King Odric and Nemantia were useless because they supported me, the proven liar. A delighted snarl of victory twisted Thayn’s lip, and he leaned back, pointing at Odric.
“You and First Earth are the true enemies,” he accused. “You and the girl liar construed the fallacy of sun larvae to trick your way into our court and spread lies and disharmony. When Iloress discovered your plot and tried to intervene, you commanded your traitorous sciftan allies to kill her.”
An angry swell of supporting roars rose in the arena. Thayn intended to convince the noblesse to secede from the alliance and turn Odric and Phar Sekmet into enemies of the dragons. Judging from the reaction of the noblesse, he was getting away with it.
“Don’t listen to him,” Odric insisted. “He’s lying!”
With arrogance, Thayn strode to take the center of the floor, forcing the mighty Menneth to back up closer to his box. His jeweled headdress caught the light and sent crazy rainbows dancing over the floor. The rainbows collided with my spell, and they flew in unnatural directions. Menneth’s huge, yellow eye slits glanced at me. Crap. He saw me. Or at least, he saw the haphazardly flying rainbows. I held my breath, waiting to be roasted alive, but he remained still.
Thayn threw up both hands like a fascist despot. “Friends of the noblesse. When will you see the truth? When will you rise against our enemies? We must punish these conspirators and save our planet from their cunning plot before they debilitate our raw power with their underhanded politics.”
“Our plot?” Odric spat. “You are blaming us for what you have orchestrated!”
“Every bit of evidence is against you, son. Your own daughter’s skill showed the court Iloress’s true motivations. You cannot support what you claim. You can’t prove I’m an imposter,” he shouted in triumph, “no one can!”
