“To marry a Sworn Asset is like taking poison,” Methany said.
“That’s not a good analogy, my lord. Poison would be quick,” Ramsey said.
“If marrying a Sworn Asset is so terrible, why don’t they refuse?” I asked as I recalled how Arlee was being forced to be my companion. Circle and the other Discards were made to wait or me or join the lava. And on Earth, Parisa, Cosette, and Gail had been given the Approvals so they would be my friends. At this moment Sean was the only person I knew with absolute certainly who wanted to be around me. And now I was about to lose even him.
“There are consequences,” Leslie said with a cool upturn of her lips. “The Sworn Asset’s spouse is selected through a fair and impartial lottery. If that person chooses to join the lava rather than marry the Sworn Asset, we put that person’s entire family to the lava. Our goal is to provide a deterrent, and failing that, a way to remove from our gene pool those who put their own needs ahead of Geminay’s.”
I closed my eyes and put my hand over my mouth.
“To compensate them for their service, Lord Judah and Lady Leonie will be promoted to the rank of duke and duchess,” Ramsey said. “They will receive the privileges of their rank and be given excellent quarters and the best Discards to serve them and provide them with company.”
“And the in-laws?” Sean asked in a dry tone.
“They will acknowledge you at the times set forth in the marriage contract,” Ramsey said. “Usually that occurs about four times an Earth year. And your offspring, of course, will animate a potential Sworn Asset. Hopefully the creation will be successful.”
Amin put his hand out toward Leonie. “My lady, you have something to say to the Lady Darcy.”
Leonie stepped in front of me and curtsied. “My lady, though you are my Sworn Enemy, I am humbled and appreciative to your ladyship for saving Lord Sean’s life and honoring those who gave their lives for his creation.”
“I’m sure those who died are grateful too,” I said, trying to decide whether Leonie was being sarcastic.
Leonie only nodded solemnly and returned to her place between Sean and me. A rising tide of jealousy made my palms burn. I appalled even myself by wanting to shove her out of the way and tell her to stay away from Sean.
Sean ignored her as he addressed the company. “My lords and ladies, once the Lady Darcy and I return to Earth, we will have to face the investigation of the incident at our school this Earth morning.”
For a moment I thought they would ignore Sean, but people put their heads together and whispered. Amin tipped his head to the side so that his entourage could speak softly into his ear. He took up Sean’s argument, surprising me.
“Lord Sean has a point. The surface dwellers’ law enforcement is going to ask both Sworn Assets a lot of questions about the stabbings, as is their wont where violence is concerned at a school. And the vice principals at their schools will make a tiresome inquiry. The Sworn Assets may not find it possible to follow the Treaty on the surface, at least not for a while.”
Naomi’s sharp stare found Methany. “Give us your opinion.”
Methany frowned slightly, growing thoughtful. “I must concur with the First Shaman of our Sworn Enemy, my lady. For a while, an Earth year or two, the Sworn Assets will have no choice but to be in close proximity. The humans will make a big commotion about why the Sworn Assets were attacked at their school. If the Sworn Assets seem uncooperative, the human law enforcement will only increase its scrutiny. Too much about the occurrence at the Sworn Assets’ school is already puzzling to the humans, especially since we collected the bodies of the assassins Lady Darcy extinguished.”
“Are there other options?” Sylvan asked Methany.
“To divert the humans’ attention, it may be necessary to make an exception to the rule. If Lord Sean and Lady Darcy appear together, unharmed, the humans will be less likely to prolong their investigation.”
“How long must they be together?” Naomi asked.
“Twelve Earth months at least, but probably much longer,” Methany said. “The humans have a strong attachment to their offspring. Scrutiny will remain high for a long time. After twelve Earth months we can reevaluate. Once Lord Sean’s school is rebuilt, he’ll be sent there and away from the Lady Darcy. That will be the logical severance of their contact.”
“Logical? I’ve yet to see anything logical about these two Sworn Assets.” Naomi’s mouth stretched into a thin line. “Have I missed something?”
Amin nodded in her direction. “They are unusual, but they’ve shown promise in learning our ways and it shouldn’t affect their performance of their duties as Sworn Assets.”
“They’re missusans,” Ramsey said.
“And a danger to us all,” Naomi added.
“The Picard Sworn Asset wasn’t like that until she touched him,” Ramsey said.
“Can the House of Picard prove that?” Sylvan said. “He may have infected her.”
“Even if we could prove it one way or another, my lords and ladies, there’s nothing for it now,” Amin broke in so smoothly that it was hard to notice the interruption. “They are the most powerful Sworn Assets ever made. Their Earth tenders have done a passable job of teaching them to get along in the human world. Lady Leonie and Lord Judah have agreed to marry them so we don’t lose our investment. As long as the Lady Darcy and Lord Sean don’t forget their duty to this world, all will be well.”
“Could a Sworn Asset ever forget?” Sean asked softly.
“Those who have tried remember soon enough, my lord,” Amin replied with an edge on his voice. “We close the portals and they can’t fall through and offload the yellow sun. It builds up inside them and they experience what the humans call spontaneous combustion. We like to say that the lava joins them from the inside, if you will.”
I swallowed hard and shared a long look with Sean. Then Leonie looked me in the face. Abruptly I turned away.
“Be that as it may, Lord Amin and I can propose to His and Her Majesty that these two Sworn Enemies be allowed to consort on Earth for the next twelve Earth months,” Methany said. “Thereafter we will reevaluate the situation.”
“I think that sounds reasonable,” Ramsey said.
“Until the contracts are signed, Lord Sean will stay here,” Naomi said.
“Hostages?” Leslie asked coldly.
“Fair terms,” Naomi replied.
“It’s an archaic custom.” Ramsey sat up higher in his chair and turned to Naomi and Sylvan. “It’s been thousands of Earth years since it was invoked.”
“It’s suitable under these unprecedented circumstances. You may take our Lord Eugene back to the House of Picard in exchange for Lord Sean,” Sylvan said and turned to one of the footmen. “Summon Lord Eugene.”
“Who is he?” Leslie asked sharply.
“My lord nephew,” Naomi said.
Leslie’s eyes snapped in fury. “Lord Sean is a high-value hostage.”
Naomi seemed to agree. “We will also give you Lady Canda, my lord husband’s niece.”
Leslie turned to a young man standing near her. “Lord Tardik, you’re staying here, as will Lady Leonie.” Leslie gave me a cold stare. “I think it best that Lady Leonie have the opportunity to spend some time with her betrothed. If there’s nothing else, we’ll take our leave.”
Leslie and Ramsey got to their feet, bowed their heads slightly at Naomi and Sylvan, and left the throne room with their entourage in tow. The nervous energy of those remaining dropped sharply. I started to say something to Sean when I found him looking at the girl he would marry. The hot fog of jealousy filled my mind. Then I scolded myself because she was on the verge of tears. Clearly she hadn’t expected to stay, and the people from her Great House left her without so much as a comforting word or a backward glance. If she needed a reminder of her drop in status, they had handed her a brutal one on a platter. She trembled and blinked her eyes rapidly.
Tardik, the other member of the Picard House, was so stricken by shock and horror that he appeared to have been punched in the stomach. Even Judah looked dismayed. Trembling, he stared at the floor.
Sylvan turned to a footman. “Tell the housekeeper that Lord Tardik and Lady Leonie will be given rooms and assigned footmen and maids. There’s no telling how long they’ll be with us.”
“My lord and lady, if you wish to have your staff from your own House brought here, that can be arranged,” Naomi said to Tardik and Leonie. Both refused, a response Naomi seemed to expect. “Lord Judah, take Lady Leonie to the visitors’ quarters. Lord Tardik, you stay.”
A jolt of energy flashed through the throne room like a bolt of lightning. I shuddered and became scared, and I didn’t know why.
“My lady, if you’ll come with me,” Judah said to Leonie in a hoarse, mechanical voice.
Leonie exchanged a panicked look with Tardik. Wide-eyed and frightened, he averted his eyes. For a moment I thought she might say something to him, but she held her tongue and went along with Judah. It wasn’t as if she could refuse. Sean and I started to follow them.
“Not you two,” Naomi said sharply to Sean and me.
Judah and Leonie, as if sensing something wrong, hesitated for a moment. They looked back at us before leaving the throne room. Naomi cleared the staff out with a glare. Soon we were alone with Sylvan, Naomi, and Tardik. The skin on my arms started to prickle.
Sylvan nodded at Sean and me. “Your staff is to be congratulated for how presentable you look. For the first time the Original Person’s genetic material in the two of you is quite evident.”
Naomi’s eyes flitted over Sean and me. “My lord husband is quite right. The two of you are much more aesthetically pleasing. Marrying the two of you won’t be as horrible for Lord Judah and Lady Leonie.”
“You really know how to make a girl feel good,” I said, becoming reckless.
The tall doors at the back of the throne room opened and admitted a man wearing a plain tunic, one without jewels or fur, embellished only with some gold thread around the hem of his tunic and trousers. He came alone down the long carpet. When Tardik saw him, he made a sound as if he had taken a blow. He paled, turning a darker shade of blue. Sean whipped his head back toward the thrones.
“Why have you brought a clawman here?” Sean cried as he stepped forward.
“One more reason to feel good.” Naomi smiled slightly at Tardik’s mortal terror. “I know you and Lady Darcy think you’ve won something because those fool shamans will get the court to grant you the right to consort here in Geminay and on the surface.”
The strange man came to stand next to Tardik. The young lord’s skin was rapidly turning gray. He had become rigid, not even blinking his eyes.
“Darcy and I weren’t looking to win anything,” Sean cried, stabbing his finger at them. “There’s no reason for a clawman.”
“We beg to differ, my lord,” Sylvan said easily, but he never took his eyes off the clawman.
Sean’s voice rose and his words came faster. “My lord and lady, this isn’t a game to Darcy and me. We wouldn’t have contact on Earth if it wasn’t necessary. We would find a way to be apart.”
I could sense Naomi’s smug satisfaction at Sean’s anxiety about the clawman. I looked at the small, quiet man and couldn’t figure out why he inspired so much fear. Tardik began to sway on his feet. Sean blanched and trembled wildly.
I pointed to the clawman, a small and unimposing figure. “What’s going on?”
Naomi leaned back in her throne and issued a sad smile. “My dear lady, my lord husband and I asked His and Her Majesty to send a clawman because we’re not convinced you and Lord Sean really understand your role here.”
“No, my lady,” Sean cried. “We understand completely. After a year Darcy and I will no longer have contact. We’ll marry Judah and Leonie at the appointed time. We get that. There’s no need for a clawman.”
Pain stabbed my heart at how easily Sean threw me aside. I looked once again at the clawman, a bland little person, and couldn’t figure out what was going on here.
“We already know you’re going to do that,” Naomi was saying to Sean, her voice poisonously sweet. “I’m not convinced about your motivation.”
Sean rubbed his hand over his forehead. He didn’t look at me. “Fine, we’ll cut off contact now. I’ll stay away from Darcy. I’ll figure out something to tell my parents so I can go to a different school. Just send the clawman away.”
“Now hold on a minute,” I said, wounded at Sean’s willingness to dispose of me and our relationship as easily as if it were a used tissue. I grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?”
“He’s making a choice, my dear lady. That’s what he’s doing,” Sylvan said, grinning.
“What did he choose?” I cried.
“Leonie. And Geminay,” Naomi said softly.
“Does my House know that you’ve called a clawman?” Sean asked.
“Of course they do. Why do you think they left Lord Tardik?” Naomi replied.
“Why do you hate us so much?” Sean cried.
“You’re a Sworn Enemy, so we don’t actually hate you, my dear lord.” Sylvan’s eyes shifted from Sean to me. “This is more about her. The missusan.”
“What about me?” I asked. “I am what you made me.”
“Yes, but we don’t have to love that,” Naomi replied. “We have tried for generations out of count to rid ourselves of the bloodthirsty part of our nature, but every so often it turns back up in the form of a missusan. To us you are a drinker of energy, a mechanical killer, a machine with no understanding of morality or societal norms. Do you feel it now, my dear lady? Are your hands burning for my life?”
“She’s not like that!” Sean shouted.
“Yes, she is, my lord. A wild animal needs a strong chain.”
“I’m not an animal!” I snapped, but I closed my hands. My palms were so hot they felt as if I were holding hot embers.
“Do it,” Naomi said sharply to the man in the plain tunic. She pointed at Tardik. “Do it now.”
The man drew back his sleeve and revealed a sort of hand with fingers as thick as sausages and tipped with sharp talons, like a mutated lion’s paw. Striking as quickly as a rattlesnake, the clawman slashed Tardik’s chest, ripping through his tunic and laying open his skin worse than any scourge. Tardik screamed and Sean along with him. Four more times the clawman raked Tardik, once on each arm and leg. The last slashes the clawman delivered as Tardik lay on the pretty floors sobbing in pain, his blood running through the tears in his lovely clothes. Sean’s knees buckled and he lay on the ground quivering, his mouth clenched in agony. In the places where Tardik was slashed, Sean’s aura turned bright red. I dropped down next to him and touched his shoulder. Sean writhed in terrible anguish. I stood up, determined to force the clawman to stop this torture. My palms burned for him. I started toward the clawman in a rage so great I was almost outside my mind.