Space Junque (17 page)
Authors: L K Rigel
She always brought goodies from Corcovado, and she always meant to eat them. But it was just too tacky to hide treats from people who survived on textured protein and raptor carcasses with the occasional carrot. The strawberries and chocolates and coffee and real beef jerky usually became gifts for the servants within an hour of her arrival.
“Lord Ardri!” In the center of the common the wagon driver stood over the real treasure, the gorgeous black-tailed doe the raptor had dropped. “Will you have this deer cut into steaks for tomorrow’s feast?”
If looks were poison quarrels, the driver would be a dead man. A mason slammed his hammer against a stone, but the driver seemed unaware of the distress he had caused. There was a ban on hunting endangered deer, but this doe was a gift from the gods.
Jake got that twinkle in his eye. “That’s fine of you to care, Hamish.” He walked out of the cage onto the open perimeter wall. “You’ll be attending that feast, I believe?”
“That I will, my lord.” Hamish beamed with pleasure at being recognized and ignored the grumbles all around.
“And as chief of hydroponics, you know all these hard-working people have so graciously given up their share of this week’s crop in order to impress the poobahs coming in for that feast.”
The pleasure left Hamish’s face.
“Haul that animal down to the kitchen,” Jake said. “I want a good venison stew made for all the workers in the common, masons and cagers alike.”
“To Lord Ardri!” One of the cagers cried.
“Rah!” The masons and cagers responded in unison. They broke into laughter at the driver’s tragic expression.
“And Hamish.”
“Yes, my lord?”
“You will personally see that the ghost woman who makes the cage nets eats a cup of the stew. I don’t care if it takes her a day.”
Char wrapped her arms around Jake’s waist and leaned her head against his chest. “No wonder your people love you.”
“It’s my secret to successful lording. People like to eat.” He kissed her forehead and tweaked her cap. “Jordana’s work gets more interesting all the time.” His gaze traveled from her cap to her lips, and then his mouth was on hers, and for a moment the world went away. There was only Jake’s kiss, his arms, his aching murmur of desire, and her body’s responding heat.
“To Lady Char!” The approval of the kiss was answered by a group
Rah!
Jake grinned and gave the cagers and masons a thumbs-up. “It’s good to be alive, Meadowlark.”
The sane part of Char’s brain knew that Jake loved her. But a perversity in her couldn’t let go of one small problem. He was having children with someone else. It was kind of driving her crazy, even though it was her own fault.
Char had helped Durga and Magda convince him to do it. Jake could be lord sheriff of the settlement without heirs; but city status required a king, and a king must have two natural born children. It was all about establishing dynastic rule and stability. This was Asherah’s law.
The chalice Faina had already delivered a girl, and she was five months pregnant with a boy. Everything was going according to plan. Char just hadn’t expected to feel so jealous and insecure about it. Jake swore he didn’t compare Char to Faina, but how could he not? Char
compared herself
to Faina, and always came out wanting.
Beautiful, sweet, fertile Faina. Truly nice Faina, always a pleasure to be with.
“There they are.” Jake nodded toward the gate where a handler held the reins of two horses, saddled and packed for a daytrip. “Let’s get out of here.”
-oOo-
Other books in the Apocalypto series
Visit the
Blog of LK Rigel
-oOo-
Lexicon Apocalypto Published by L.K. Rigel Copyright 2011 L.K. Rigel The books to which this glossary refers are works of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. All Rights Are Reserved. |
Term
Book
Definition
Alice
Spiderwork, Alice Ghosting
A ghost of Allel.
Asherah
Series
A goddess, emanated from Sophia. Saved humankind and therefore the material world by making a select few women fertile. Samael’s putative consort, angry that he won’t pay attention to her.
Beastie
Firebird
Mal’s pug dog.
bleeder
Spiderwork, Firebird
A fertile female before she is consecrated as a chalice.
Blue Marble
Space Junque
Bar on the Imperial Space Station. Has a plexiglass floor so customers can watch the world go by.
breeder
Firebird
What kings and counselors call the chalice who bore them.
Celia
Firebird
A retired chalice, breeder of Prince Garrick and Counselor of Garrick, Edmund and Counselor of Allel, and twenty others. Served as regent of Allel until Edmund reached his majority. Totem: black dragon
chalice
Series
Human female made fertile by the goddess Asherah and granted a lifespan of 150 years. Able to manipulate the processes of pregnancy.
Char Meadowlark
Space Junque, Spiderwork
Hydroponics agronomist, twin sister of Scylla Meadowlark, lover of Jake Ardri.
Chita
Space Junque, Spiderwork
One of the original nine chalices.
city symbol
Firebird
Symbol associated with a city-state. Chalices tattoo the symbol on their bodies at the end of a contract. The final tattoo is called the completion tattoo; it goes on their left cheek.
Claire
Firebird
A bleeder from Allel, descendant of Hamish Drahan. Totem: cherubim (angel with flaming sword)
counselor
Firebird
Female, the unnamed first born of a Triune Contract. She serves as advisor to her brother when he becomes king.
counselor’s dagger
Spiderwork, Firebird
The symbol of a counselor’s position, the dagger is a gift from her breeder. The hilt jewel represents the breeder’s totem.
Delilah
Firebird
Kairo’s black Maltese dog.
Dix
Firebird
Architect of Allel. A ghost who fights the condition. Lover of Steve.
DOGs
Space Junque
Defenders of Gaia. Ecological terrorists bent on destroying all polluting entities.
Durga
Series
The Chosen One. Asherah’s favored person. Marked by Asherah with blood-red hair. A chalice. Totem: black widow spider. Durga means unattainable, twelve-armed warrior.
Edmund
Firebird
King of Allel.
Emissary
Spiderwork, Firebird
Representative of Red City who collects bleeders from around the world. Durga was the first Emissary, Jordana the second.
Empani
Series
A special species. Not human. Shapeshifters who take form according to human desires. They avoid humans and stay in “nests” in nonpopulated areas. Nobody knows what they want.
exotic
Series
Human being, mutant. Hairless, extraordinarily tall, irises change color according to their mood. At first shunned like ghosts and Pteryi, but coveted after the Emperor acknowledged their beauty.
Faina
Spiderwork
A chalice. Totem: lotus flower
Father Jesse
Firebird
Priest of Samael with special powers.
Garrick (city, corporation)
Series
At the time of the cataclysm, the world’s most powerful corporation. Later, the world’s most powerful city-state. Worst polluter on the planet, yet the city survived the cataclysm intact. Samael’s favored city.
Geraldo
Space Junque, Spiderwork
Son of Reynaldo. Co-founder of Red City.
Gerhold
Firebird
Blade master of Red City. Gerhold means ruler of the spear.
ghosts
Series
Human beings. The “ghosting” gene is a mutation caused by excessive buildup of toxins. The gene is triggered by a critical level of stress. Symptoms: loss of all body hair, loss of much muscle mass, extreme apathy. No will to eat, play, make love. At first thought fatal, later found to be treatable.
Great Chain of Being
Spiderwork, Firebird
Concept of hierarchy imposed by goddess Asherah. From the top down: Emperor, king, aristocrat, citizen, citadeller, settlement worker, the soulless, wildlings. Chalices and proof-of-service children are independent of the chain.
Hamish Drahan
Spiderwork
Allel’s Master of hydroponics.
Harriet
Firebird
Physician of Red City. Lover of blood oranges.