Taming the Queen of Beasts

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RIKA

Rika met Gar's eyes, afraid of what he'd hear in that statement. She saw the flicker in him. The question. And she almost reached for his hand. Because no, when she looked at him she didn't see cattle. She didn't see animals. She didn't see a resource. She saw a person. A person who loved his people.

A people she admired and wished she could be a part of.

Holding his gaze for a moment longer, praying he saw the sincerity in her, she turned to face the others, the older Anima who all looked on her with varying degrees of suspicion and fear.

"I'm here because what they're doing isn't right. I think… I think they came to join me early because they suspected I was holding back. And I was. I had stopped giving them all my observations. I wasn't sharing anything important that was new. I wasn't logging as much. I just… look, I'm on your side, okay? It's why Gar brought me here, and it's why I'm here."

"How do we know you haven't come as a spy?"

Rika glanced at Gar, she'd raised this with him when he'd talked around her coming back to the Anima with him. Even though she'd loved dreaming about that, she'd never really thought it would happen. Couldn't quite believe that's where they were at right now. And yet… how did she prove she wasn't something?

"She came through the portal," Gar said, his voice deep and gruff.

Elreth turned to her brother, frowning. "Then how do we know that the voices didn't come with her? Which would be worse?"

Gar levered an eyebrow up at his sister. "You think my true mate would give in to the voices?"

"We don't even know she's your mate yet, Gar," Elreth growled, throwing a hand towards Rika. "We have no proof but what she says and what you say and—"

"You think I would lie to you? About this?" Gar sounded more startled than angry.

"No!" Elreth said, frustrated. "I think she might have deceived you!"

"I'm not lying either," Rika insisted. "I just showed you the technology—you think I would have shown you that if I was trying to tempt you into a trap?"

Elreth's eyes snapped to Rika's and she stepped forward, right up into Rika's space, looming over her by close to a foot. The urge was there to back away, to cower from this woman who felt so intimidating. But Rika made herself hold her gaze. She set her feet and stared up at her, balling her hands at her sides.

"I think that you are the enemy," Elreth hissed, putting a finger in her face. "You snuck into our world, you brought weapons and technology, and apparently shared what you learned with the greatest enemy we have ever faced. If you have had a change of heart, then I praise the Creator for that. I hope and pray you are true. I hope and pray you a provision from Him, rather than a tool of the enemy. But none of us—including my brother—is above being deceived and I will not trust you, I will not risk the lives of my people for you until I am certain that you are exactly what you say you are."

Rika nodded once. "Fair enough. But how do I prove it to you? How do I prove to you that I don't want to hurt you?"

"The disformed can test her," Gar said quietly behind Elreth.

Elreth didn't stop staring at Rika. "How?"

"Some Anima can scent it when someone's given over to the voices. Ask Mom. Gahrye could. She can do it. So can I. But if you don't trust me to be objective—or her—let's get someone you do trust," he growled.

Elreth finally turned away from her to face her brother and the two stared at each other, fire sparking in both their eyes. He was angry that she didn't trust him. And she was angry that he fought her wisdom.

Rika wanted to reach for him again. This was hurting him, the questions his sister had. They'd talked enough about how he felt within his family that she understood that much—he believed his family never trusted him, especially his father. But Rika didn't blame Elreth for being suspicious. If Rika were in her shoes, she would likely have spit on anyone who showed up the way Rika had.

"Look," Rika said after a long moment where the siblings silently judged each other. "I'll do whatever you want. Whatever it takes to prove to you that I'm not trying to lie to you. But regardless, if you're serious about stopping this from happening, you have to move.

"This isn't a war you can fight. If you try, you'll lose. We have machines that can do everything without getting tired, or sick, or hurt. We can watch you from the sky and know where you are without you even knowing we have eyes up there. We can dart you with poison, or a dose that will make you sleep. We can kill you from a quarter mile away. Your senses won't save you against the tools we have. I'm not making that up. It's just a fact. I could have killed a dozen Anima in the past month if I'd wanted to. I didn't want to. And neither to do they, honestly. But I think the things they want to do to you would be worse than death. That's why I came. That's why… that's why Gar trusts me. Because he knows I was already trying to figure out how to save you before I even met him."

Elreth turned again, arms folded and head tilted to the side. She narrowed her eyes and Rika could feel the waves of suspicion and anger in her.

Rika waited for the questions, but they didn't come. A moment later, Elreth turned away again. "Aaryn?"

The white haired man stepped up beside her.

"Can you please call in two disformed that aren't connected with the royal family that will give us an honest assessment of whether she's carrying the voices? And while you're at it, we need a healer who can smell an unformed bond. And at least one reliable scribe."

Aaryn nodded. With a quick squeeze of her arm, he started for the door.

When he was gone, the elders around them began to murmur. Gar stepped forward and was obviously going to say something, but Elreth stopped him with a glare.

Then she turned to the elders. "I propose we take a break for a meal. When those we need have joined us, we will listen to Rika's story, from start to finish—and I'll have the scribe copy it. Then we can ask questions and see if we'll catch her in a lie."

Rika's stomach tingled, not because she planned to lie, but because she hoped she could remember everything accurately.

There was a murmur of agreement in the room and everyone began to shift in their seats, or get to the their feet. But Gar frowned. "What are you going to do with her in the meantime?"

"Tarkyn," Elreth said as a response.

The handsome Captain stepped forward and Rika saw Gar tense.

Elreth looked at her brother once, then turned to Tarkyn. "Take her prisoner. I need to discuss the plan and questions with the elders before we question her. She can't be here for that. Use the prison tree. Keep her under guard—"

"What?! No!" Gar snarled.

But Elreth didn't even respond. "—and make sure that whoever is looking after her understands that if she threatens anyone, she is to be killed."

"Elreth, she's my mate! Not a prisoner!"

"Then you better pray that she proves true! This is the future of the entire Anima, Gar! I'm taking no risks.. None."

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