Get these primitives sorted out, Theryn, and lead me to a decent dinner."

"Happily, Caster." Theryn gently freed herself from her wife's clinging grip. She clapped her hands. "All right! On your feet, Amazons!"

No one moved, which seemed to surprise no one but Theryn.

Brenna couldn't read Grythe's expression. The woman's face rarely betrayed any emotion other than hate. After a moment, Jess glanced down at Camryn. Cam whistled, and the group of warriors grumbled to their feet.

"I'm not foolish enough to let all your warriors in the ring at once, Jesstin." Theryn braced her gloved hands on her hips. "Pick ten of your best for the war games. Patana and Myrine will have fourteen in their cadre. I'm sure you won't begrudge us the extra bodies. Your fi ghters trained longer with Dyan."

* 134 *

Hakan frowned, brushing the dust of the arena from her broad hands. "What about the rest of the warriors, Amazon?"

"Don't worry, my violent sister. I'm sure Jesstin won't pa.s.s you up!" Theryn's face was fl ushed, either with cold or with relief that this a.s.sembly was ending. "The warriors she doesn't select will go into lockdown in the barracks of their guild until fi lming is complete."

"Oh, Brenna?" Caster trilled.

Brenna was examining Elodia's elbow, badly sc.r.a.ped in their mad dash through the woods. Jess and Camryn both turned when Caster called her.

"I do hope you've picked up some dazzling Amazon combat tricks, my former colleague, because I must insist that Jesstin include you among her warriors." Caster leaned on the railing of the review stand looking at Brenna fondly. "As you might remember, you were rather alluringly displayed in our Clinic fi lms of Jesstin's study. I watch them nightly, like home movies. And I'll want our funders to see you and Jesstin battling together, side by side, for Tristaine's mining rights."

"Caster, I'm not sure that's entirely fair." Theryn measured Brenna with her eyes, while Grythe pierced her with hers. "As you know, this girl is new to our village. And Brenna is a healer, not a warrior. Judging by-"

"Judging by the way she bagged your soldier, Theryn," Hakan called, "she's worth any three of your fi ghters."

There were a few defi ant snorts of agreement among the warriors, and Camryn grinned at Brenna.

"Save your worry, Theryn. Brenna doesn't need anyone's permission to watch my back." Jess's gaze fl ickered over the twenty warriors around her. Finally, she pointed several times, then snapped her fi ngers.

The milling women separated into two groups, shivering as twilight fell over the village. Brenna spied the mercenary named Dana coming back into the stadium. One of the soldiers jogged to her, carrying a clipboard. Dana nodded and began rapping out orders.

* 135 *

"Rodriguez, take that group to the barracks east of the stadium.

I'll settle this lot in here." Dana raised her voice, which sounded painfully young. "Theryn? We've got fi ve guarding the queen's council, fi ve on watch, and ten each on both Amazon buildings."

"Thank you, Dana." Theryn settled Grythe's thin hand in the crook of her arm. "Lock Jesstin's warriors down with care, please."

"Good night, ladies!" Caster called brightly and waved from the review stand. "Perhaps I should interview your queen this evening about the reported joys of all this inverted Sapphic activity!

See you bright and early tomorrow."

Jess gripped Camryn's arm and kept her walking steadily toward the gate where Dana herded them. "She's trying to goad us, Cam. Don't bite."

Jess turned and whistled a complex series of notes between her fi ngers at the other group of warriors who were being led out of the stadium. One of them raised a hand in acknowledgment.

"Keep moving!" Dana pushed Brenna's shoulder as they pa.s.sed.

Jess's warriors were being confi ned in the small stable at the south end of the arena used to shelter Tristaine's horses during tournaments and drills. Brenna squinted, trying to make out familiar faces in the gloom. She saw Hakan and Vicar and Elodia, eyeing the soldiers standing guard at the railing surrounding the stable. Camryn was already directing four other warriors in clearing an area on the wood-plank fl oor.

As always when needing rea.s.surance, Brenna sought out Jess. The nightmare progression of this day fi nally seemed to be winding down toward some kind of quiet, and she craved Jess's solid presence. She saw her ducking through the door into the stable.

Dana was standing behind her.

"You're Jesstin, right?"

Jess turned back to her. "That's right."

Dana grimaced. "Here's Caster's souvenir from the City."

She lifted her sidearm and shot Jess in the stomach.

There was immediate chaos in the stable, but Brenna heard little of it.

* 136 *

The impact knocked Jess off her feet, and she crashed bodily into the three Amazons behind her before falling to the hay-strewn fl oor, out of Brenna's sight.

"You crazy c.u.n.t." The soldier named Rodriguez joined the other rattled men at the stable railing. His rifl e snapped up to join the line of muzzles targeting the stunned Amazons. "Dana, what the f.u.c.k were you thinking?"

"It wasn't my idea, Rodriguez. Caster's direct order."

"You could have given us some f.u.c.king warning!" Rodriguez barked.

"Tell the lunatic paying for all this, gonad! She wrote the script, not me!"

"Let me see her," Brenna said.

Dana looked into the stable, startled by the commanding voice.

The hot blonde who had kept staring at her in the arena had just silenced the entire group of Amazons. Caster's notes said the dark woman named Jesstin was commander of the warriors, but there was nothing in her report about this girl-Brenna, was it?- being some kind of leader. One by one, the warriors stepped away from the fallen prisoner and cleared a path.

The tall Amazon with the white hair and bitter eyes eased Jesstin into a seated position against a support post. "She's breathing, Brenna," she said quietly.

Brenna knelt beside her patient. "Camryn, call them down."

Dana watched one of the younger warriors, her face the color of ash, climb to her feet, then look at the rifl es and the Amazons beginning to turn their new anger on their captors.

"Amazons, stand down!" Camryn's voice cracked painfully.

To Dana's astonishment, the brutish warriors heeded the girl. A few still lingered close to the railing, staring silent hatred at the line of soldiers, but most turned back to the circle of women surrounding Jesstin.

Dana frowned, rising up on her toes to try to see the unconscious woman. "It was just a taser," she called to the anxious throng, "a strong one, but she's not badly injured."

* 137 *

Brenna had indeed been able to learn that much, and the wave of relief made black sparks fl are behind her eyes. She had Jess's denim shirt open and saw the plastic projectile clamped to her pale skin a hand span below her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Four distinct, thin lines of blood wended from its corners, trickling down her lean sides.

Jess's eyes were fl uttering. The cold air held the bitter smell of cordite, and Brenna hesitated, her hand hovering over the taser bolt.

"What in b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l is that?" Vicar was gripping Jess's shoulders with white-knuckled hands.

"Pull it out, Brenna," Camryn told her quietly, her voice having not yet regained its strength. Hakan took her arm and pulled her closer so she could kneel beside Brenna. "It won't hurt you, but it's still shocking her, so hurry."

Brenna steeled herself and gripped the small square of vibrating plastic. She pulled up in one smooth motion and Jess gasped, her back arching as four thin metal p.r.o.ngs slid out of her skin. Vicar stared at the device in revulsion, but Brenna didn't spare it a glance. She handed it to Camryn and cupped Jess's face in her cold hands.

"Jesstin?" Brenna demanded. "Do you hear me?"

"She was woozy for a while the last time this happened."

Camryn lifted Jess's limp hand onto her knee. "She'll be okay, Brenna, just weak and sore for a few days."

"They use that on prisoners at the Clinic, Camryn?" Hakan asked, shock in her voice.

"There's nothing like this at the Clinic." Brenna raised Jess's eyelid to check her pupil in the dim light. "I've never seen this before."

"They use stunners in the Clinic, not tasers." Camryn smoothed one thumb over Jess's wrist. "Tasers are for the Prison."

"Hey, tasers hurt, but they don't kill, for G.o.d's sake!"

Dana called. "She'll even be able to fi ght tomorrow, honestly."

After a moment, Dana whirled and stalked toward the arena door.

"Rodriquez, as you were, you idiot!"

The soldiers lowered their rifl es, grumbling.

* 138 *

Jess's awakening was abrupt. "Brenna!"

"I'm right here, Jess," Brenna said, her voice both warm and stern. "Look at me."

The long muscles of Jess's body trembled, but she relaxed against her cousin, and her dazed eyes found Brenna.

"Sheesh! " Jess gasped.

Brenna nodded. "Tell me how you are."

Jess winced, then looked up at her second. "I'll be next to useless tomorrow, Cam."

"Jesstin. Answer me." Brenna's fi rmness had won out over her warmth, but Jess just shuddered and rested her head back on Vicar's shoulder.

"It'll hurt for a while." Cam nodded thanks to Elodia, who brought a clean dipper fi lled with water for Jess. "I think we have to just let her rest. There's not a lot we can do. Except make her keep still. Ha ha."

Brenna gauged Jess's breathing. The frightening rapid-fi re of her pulse was calming slightly. The voltage of the taser was powerful enough to contract muscle in strong spasms, and the effect was obviously painful. Sweat still beaded her forehead.

Jess fi lled her lungs with a deep breath. She frowned up at Vicar, still supporting her against the post. "What, Bigfoot, you waiting for a kiss?"

"Hardly, Stumpy," Vicar snorted. "Not unless your healer here packed some fi erce antibiotics." Her hands were gentle as she helped Jess sit up against the post.

"Freya, Elodia, Jaye, Shasa." Jess swallowed, and Brenna helped her sip from the dipper of water. Find some bedding, adanin.

We'll hold council in the morning."

"So you're all right, Jesstin?" Elodia's arms were folded, but concern softened her voice.

"I'll live." Jess smiled at Elodia grimly. "Have Brenna check that sc.r.a.ped arm again before you turn in, youngster."

Jess's listless wave signaled a general dismissal, and the warriors turned to setting up something resembling bedding. A sullen soldier offered them a medical kit, which they accepted. They * 139 *

were also offered armloads of scratchy Army blankets, which they declined. The stable held enough hay to warm them through an early winter night.

As twilight gave way to full dark and Selene's moon began her slow climb over the mountain valley, the Amazons were served shrink-wrapped bags of rations, which Brenna informed them were tasteless but harmless.

The captives formed a tight circle in the center of the wood fl oor. Vicar and Camryn stacked enough hay to provide Jess relative comfort.

The Amazons rotated guard throughout the night, keeping watch while their sisters slept. Hakan fi nished her stint just as the small generator the soldiers carried clicked on, providing a solitary light. It cast macabre shadows over the cramped s.p.a.ce, adding to the stable's aura of bleakness.

Hakan sat beside Jess and studied her pale features, pursing her full lips in thought. She balanced one elbow on her meaty thigh and fl exed her fi ngers, inviting an arm-wrestling match. Jess smiled at her friend and, with effort, raised an extended middle fi nger and waved it at her. Vicar and Camryn laughed, but the sound was quickly subdued.

Hakan's deep voice was pitched low. "There's no lasting paralysis then, Brenna?"

"No, just a lot of residual stiffness." Brenna's tension tightened her own shoulders. "Your pulse is steady, Jess, and I don't see any sign of shock."

"There's no real damage, la.s.s. I'll be peachy in three days."

Jess frowned and shifted against the hay bale. "But in the morning, I'll fi ght like a b.l.o.o.d.y crone."

"You mean an older one?" Vicar's rejoinder was automatic, but her expressive features were grave.

"Yeah, we'll need to protect you, Jess." Camryn looked worried as well. "We don't even know what kind of fi ght we're facing tomorrow. We're supposed to 'sham' fi ght for some stupid doc.u.mentary?"

"Shann was right, Cam," Jess said, "This is all about Caster's * 140 *

redemption. I think Theryn's warriors are supposed to beat us in this fi lm and then pretend to surrender to Caster."

"Is that what this was about? Caster's souvenir?" Brenna laid her hand lightly on Jess's bandaged side. "Do you think that taser bolt was just stupid revenge, or do she and Theryn want you physically rocky for some reason?"

"Good question, Bren. Hey," Jess's brows rose, "we have company."

Brenna heard it too, a m.u.f.fl ed cursing in the arena coming closer.

"...and Caster can take you with her, f.u.c.k you very much, you pinche excuse for a City warrior, get your sorry hand off me, I've been walking upright for..."

Jess groaned, but she was grinning. Camryn's face lit up, and incredible as it seemed after this day, Brenna found she could smile too.