Legends of Amacia Heart of Darkness
Chapter 33: Unlikely Allies

Meanwhile in the Harem, Selina lay asleep on her cushions still chained to the column with Jennifer, and Tasha sitting around her. She suddenly stirred and flinched noticeably. “She’s waking up,” Tasha said to Jennifer. Jennifer nodded and they watched as several more times she flinched as if being beaten. “This is strange,” Tasha said with growing concern about Selina’s activity. “Go get Myra.” Jennifer rose and went to get Myra.

Tasha gently took hold of Selina’s hand and asked softly, “What are you seeing, great princess of the stars?” Selina’s sleeping face contorted with pain as she continued to stir rather violently. As Jennifer, Myra, Sakura, Jasmine, Hitomi and Izanami approached, Selina let out a cry and bolted upright, moving with such speed that it startled everyone there, especially Tasha. She immediately let go of Selina’s hand and backed off quickly as she moved to the end of her chains despite her legs still being wrapped in the leather restraint in addition to the splint immobilizing her broken left leg. The chains didn’t give and when she reached the limits, it snatched her back to the cushion. Selina sat on her cushion on her hands and bound knees with her hair hanging down around her face as she looked down at the cushion.

Myra saw it and said to everyone, “Stay back. She’s had a nightmare and may not be awake at the moment.” Cautiously, she moved forward and asked, “Selina. Selina, can you hear me?” A growl escaped Selina’s lips, and then she sat down and looked up. Her eyes were very intense as she scanned the Harem. “Selina, what is it?” Myra asked as she knelt down in front of Selina with Selina propping herself up with her arm.

When she finally calmed down, Selina finally whispered, “Hanna is being beaten and taken to the Arena. Since she was taken from us, our telepathic link was quiet until now. Now, it is like it was before.” Selina sat there for a moment and an expression of shock came over her face.

Seeing the shock on Selina’s face, Myra asked, “What is it? What are you seeing?” Tasha, Sakura, Izanami, Jasmine, Hitomi, and Jennifer had gathered around her once Selina had quieted down.

Selina motioned for them to come close and she whispered, “We’re not alone. We have allies in the most unlikely places. Hanna has met three already. Say nothing to the others. We don’t want to give away their positions. They’re going to try to help us.” The seven women looked at each other with amazement as Selina said aloud so everyone could hear, “I had a nightmare. Sometimes, I get a little physical when waking because of it. Does anyone have anything to eat? I’m starving.”

Myra smiled at Selina, knowing what she was doing, and then said to Sakura and Jasmine, “Go get her some food and drink.” As Sakura and Jasmine gathered the food, the other women went back to their activities.

Selina pulled her hair back and began to braid it into a ponytail. “Here, let me do that for you,” Jennifer offered as Sakura and Jasmine brought a plate of meat and vegetables with a goblet of water to Selina.

The aroma from the food stimulated Selina’s appetite and she said to Jennifer, “Sure. Knock yourself out.” Once handing the hair to Jennifer, Selina’s belly growled loudly, making those around her giggle.

“Sounds like you’re hungry,” Sakura stated.

“Yeah,” Selina answered, staring at her plate with a concerned look as a terrible thought entered her mind.

“What’s wrong?” Izanami asked, noticing Selina’s reaction to the food. “You look troubled by what’s on your plate.”

“I just had the most terrible thought,” Selina declared. “I just remembered what Hanna saw in Hell’s Kitchen. What if this is somebody they cooked there? I can’t eat another intelligent being like that.”

A deep, troubled sigh escaped Izanami’s lips. “I see your point,” she stated. “You don’t want to eat a human, but let me calm your fears. The meat on your plate is mastodon, not human. One of the perks of being here in the Harem is that we only receive the finest foods, none of which is human-based. I’ve had the good fortune to see where our food is prepared and none of it comes from that infernal kitchen. The Emperor forbade us to eat foodstuffs prepared in his infernal kitchen. From what I understand, that food goes primarily to the Zarukars, Xenians, his pets, and to those locked in the dungeons. He fears feeding us food from Hell’s Kitchen would contaminate his playthings. He wants us pure so only he can defile us.”

“That’s good to hear,” Selina murmured. “But how can you be sure? The Emperor is a pathological liar.”

“I understand what you’re saying,” Izanami replied. “To be honest, there’s no way for us to know for sure. He’s a devious shit for sure, and could be deceiving us. However, I know the taste of human flesh because I was force-fed it for several weeks in the dungeons. It has a unique flavor that nothing else has. I came to loathe it.” She reached out, pulled a small piece of meat from Selina’s plate, and ate it slowly, savoring its taste. “Just as I thought,” she stated. “This is a piece of mastodon, not a piece of human flesh. The cook actually did a good job on it too. It’s very tender and tasty. Try some.”

“Okay,” Selina acquiesced. “I’ll try it. Besides, I’m really hungry.” She nibbled on the meat and smiled saying, “You’re right. It’s good.” Selina then eagerly ate her portion, savoring the tastes of it as Jennifer braided her hair into a long ponytail.

As she ate, Myra asked softly, “Why did you tell me, Izanami, Tasha, Sakura, Jasmine, Hitomi, and Jennifer that we had unlikely allies that were going to help us, and then tell everyone else that you had a nightmare?” Myra asked.

Selina grinned mischievously and motioned for her to come closer. “Just a precaution,” she whispered after taking a sip of water. “Let’s just say that walls may have ears.”

Myra pondered the answer for a few moments, and then said as understanding came, “Ahh; I see your point. There are some things left best unsaid in this environment. You’re learning quickly, just like sister Izanami said you would.”

“Indeed,” Izanami murmured. “Hanna’s fate has now been set in motion. Soon we shall see whose god is supreme.”

Selina nodded deliberately, pleased that Myra understood. “You’re very bright, Myra: a credit to your people and species,” she replied nobly after she finished her food. After taking a long draught from her cup, she said softly to just Myra, Tasha, Izanami, Sakura, Jasmine, Hitomi, and Jennifer, “I can feel Hanna’s presence in the castle. They’re taking her to the Arena to apparently be killed in a gladiator contest of some kind. But she’s unusually calm for the predicament she’s in and I’m not sure why.”

They all looked at Selina with wonder and Tasha asked, “You can sense that? The Arena is on the other side of the fortress in the gladiator school.”

Selina nodded as she telepathically reached Hanna’s innermost being where Hannibal resided. They touched psychically and she said with a strange, faraway look in her eye, “Yes, something is definitely going on. There’s a powerful spirit rising in her as I speak. It’s the same one we confronted in the Archives at Kaal Bek. He’s friendly to us, but very powerful and ancient. I can feel his presence in Hanna’s mind. He’s saying fear not for the Lord is with Hanna and us.” Suddenly, she snapped out of it as several women ran up while the doors clanged. Selina looked toward the doors and saw an elderly man and several guards coming straight toward them.

“Kronos and some guards are coming,” one of the women reported.

“What does he want here?” Tasha growled.

“Who’s the old man?” Selina asked as Kronos and the guards walked across the floor toward them.

“That’s Kronos...the Emperor’s high advisor and vizier,” Myra answered as they strode up. Myra rose, as did Tasha, Sakura, Jasmine, Izanami, and Jennifer, placing themselves between Kronos and Selina. In seconds, a dozen more women did the same thing. Kronos stopped at the picket line. “What’re you doing here, vizier?” Myra demanded forcefully.

One of the four guards that were with him raised a hand to strike Myra and Kronos said, “Hold your hand, sergeant. Would you dare touch one of the Emperor’s prized possessions in such a manner? He’d have your head for such a violation.” Then to Myra, he stated, “The Emperor has demanded the cat’s appearance at the Arena. Now step aside, Myra.”

“Not until you tell us why,” Myra returned brazenly.

Kronos sighed and said with some sadness in his voice, “She’s to sit at the Emperor’s side and watch the execution of her mutated husband. Now step aside or you will be forcibly removed.” Selina sat there and watched the line become even stouter with another dozen women. She marveled as all the women surrounded her.

“The Emperor can’t make her do that!” Tasha railed. “We won’t let him!”

Anger began to rise in Kronos’ face and he hissed, “You forget your place, missy. The Emperor does as he pleases with any of you. If you dare cross him, he can inflict much worse fates than being in here. The sex floor and the Kitchen are always waiting for rebellious malcontents. Now step aside!”

At this point, Selina acted. She touched Myra on the leg, saying, “It’s okay, sisters. I’ll go with them. Who knows what this may bring?”

Myra turned and looked at Selina, asking, “Are you sure about this?”

Selina nodded and said, “Yes, I am. If Hanna is about to die, then the least I can do is be there to witness it since I’m given the opportunity. Besides, this may be interesting, if you know what I mean.”

Myra smiled and nodded. “Yes, it may,” she replied. “Step aside, sisters. She wishes to go.”

The women parted as Kronos said, “Wise choice, ladies. It’s best not to antagonize the Emperor by refusing him.” The guards came forward, unchained Selina, picked her up, and brought her to Kronos.

Just before stepping aside, Izanami hissed, “You’ll regret this in the end, Kronos. That’s a promise.”

“Still clinging to that old wives tale I see,” Kronos retorted. “You will soon see the fallacy of believing in such lies when this man Beowulf is disposed of in the Arena and the Emperor adds his skull to his trophy case.”

“We shall see, vizier,” Izanami replied with a cryptic smile, moving away as the guards hauled Selina to Kronos.

Once the guards held Selina before Kronos, he smiled. “You’re a pleasant sight in this infernal place,” Kronos admitted. “We had thought to give you something a bit more fitting to wear, but you’re too much of a risk to be allowed out of that restraint. Bind her hands carefully and make sure there isn’t a scratch on her. She’s the Emperor’s prize catch. If she’s hurt in any way, he’ll have our heads.”

Selina sensed their apprehension, particularly in Kronos, as they bound her hands together in front of her by the manacles so she scanned his mind telepathically. She could sense much sadness in him. “Don’t bother trying to read it, Lynxian. You won’t replace anything of use,” Kronos said pointedly, sensing her telepathic probe.

“I wasn’t trying to read your mind, Kronos,” Selina replied softly, “...more like just getting a feel for who you really are. The Emperor treats you badly, doesn’t he?”

Kronos’ eyes flashed and he said angrily, “You forget your place, cat. You’re our prisoner and don’t you forget it.”

Selina bowed her head slightly, saying, “Forgive me, sir; I was just making an observation. I didn’t mean to intrude where I wasn’t supposed to. May we go now?” Selina turned and looked at Myra and Izanami, winking with a mischievous grin.

“Bring her,” Kronos ordered gruffly. They turned and carried Selina out of the Harem.

As they left the Harem and the door was shut, Jennifer looked at Myra, Tasha, Sakura, Hitomi, and Izanami saying, “She’s amazing, isn’t she. Did you see how she was able to rouse him like that?”

Myra smiled and said, “She’s truly a wonder.”

“Do you suppose she’ll come back?” one of the women asked Myra.

“One can only wonder,” Izanami replied. “She has the strength of a saber cat and the patience of a spider. I believe we’ll see her again.”