Untouchable.

UNTOUCHABLE.

by Linda Winstead Jones.

This book is dedicated to Andrea Laurence, walking buddy, sounding board, and "Child."

Prologue.

The Columbyanan Palace in the Sixth Year.

of the Reign of Emperor Nechtyn Jahn Calcus.

Sadwyn Beckyt.

First Night of the Spring Festival.

ALIX watched silently as his brother, the emperor, toyed with the ministers and priests who had gathered around him. They did not see the muted sparkle of humor in Jahn's eyes, but Alix saw. He had watched his entire life as his brother-elder by a few important minutes-charmed and joked and glided his way to success. Whether that success was with women or gambling or ruling a country recovering from war, it came easily to Jahn.

Alix had spent many years trying to outs.h.i.+ne his brother in some way, not that he would ever allow anyone to see his efforts. He had been a more disciplined soldier than the elder twin, but in their time of battle Jahn had fought with great heart and determination which more than made up for his lack of discipline. Alix could not equal, much less surpa.s.s, his brother's natural ease and charm, so he excelled in other ways. He was steady, whereas Jahn was unpredictable. He was even-tempered, whereas Jahn was occasionally emotional and reckless. He was a rock in contrast to Jahn's storm.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Calvyno turned his head slightly and looked at Alix with more than a hint of accusation in his tired eyes. Alix knew there were many in the palace who wished he were emperor instead of his unpredictable brother. There were even those who expected bad blood between the brothers, who were quite certain that Alix would one day make a play for the throne. The outwardly unshakable Calvyno was likely among those who not only expected but looked forward to political excitement.

Alix took great satisfaction in denying them what they expected.

Beyond the open window in this large and elegantly furnished meeting room, revelers laughed and sang and danced as they enjoyed the first night of the Festival of Eramyn which ushered in the spring and said farewell to a cold winter. A large bonfire was visible, and now and then Alix's gaze drifted in that direction. Flames against the black night sky were more tolerable than the sight of Jahn arguing with those of power who surrounded him, those who insisted that it was time the emperor took a bride.

The twins had not always been Jahn and Alix Beckyt, emperor and prince. Until six years ago they had been known as Devlyn and Trystan Arndell, poor sons of a lost fisherman and a seamstress who worked hard to keep food on the table. They had been sentinels who'd gladly joined the fight against the demon-possessed Ciro. Those simple days might've been from another lifetime, they seemed so long ago. Alix very seldom thought of himself as Trystan Arndell anymore, and no one would mistake Emperor Jahn for a fisherman's son.

The majority of the common people of Columbyana had no idea their current emperor had come from such humble beginnings. They knew only that Emperor Sebestyen's twin sons miraculously had been found alive. However, many of those in power knew the whole sordid story, as did a large number of those who worked in the palace.

The sight of the bonfire did not distract Alix quite enough. He heard each minister and priest, one after another,wholeheartedly suggest a different woman to fill the position of empress. Each female was presented as more beautiful, more sweet-tempered, more suitable than the last.

After a short while the moment came when the emperor tired of playing with those around him. "Fine," Jahn said, a tenor of certainty and resignation in his voice. "I suppose I must marry." There was a collective sigh of relief from those surrounding him, but then the emperor added, "I will not, however, allow anyone else to choose my wife for me."

There was a flurry of argument as the men who had gathered around their emperor protested. They knew too well that Jahn's taste in women leaned to the unacceptable. An empress must be of an impeccable bloodline. She must not laugh too loudly or lose her temper or make bawdy jokes, and she certainly could not bare too much of her precious skin in public. An empress must be refined and elegant, a woman worthy of a country's loyalty and affection.

Jahn raised a hand, and the others were immediately silenced. The elder twin had taken quite well to his position, and he instinctively knew how to wield the power which was his by blood. "Those women who have been so glowingly suggested will be brought to the palace, where I will meet them all and make my choice."

"But, my lord," the Minister of Finance Tomos protested. He was pale and fleshy, looking very much like a man who spent his days bent over stacks of papers as numbers filled his head. "No woman of high rank will subject herself to such scrutiny and humiliation. These potential brides are not horses to be inspected and judged and... and discarded."

Jahn would not be swayed. "Any woman who wishes to be empress will agree to my terms."

A tall, thin priest, Father Braen, bowed with a modic.u.m of respect. "I suspect Tomos is correct, my lord. No suitable female will wish to be examined and found lacking, only to be sent home in disgrace."

"Then perhaps I should marry them all," Jahn responded. "It's been a long while since the Emperor of Columbyana possessed a proper harem."

"You cannot suggest...," Braen snapped.

"I can suggest anything I wish," Jahn said coldly, in the voice he used to silence opposition. It was a voice Alix had not heard until his brother had been made emperor. "I can change the laws and take a dozen brides, if I so choose. I can ignore your suggestions and remain unwed. I can impregnate any number of immoral and willing women and allow you all to fight over who the heir might be. Anything is possible. Anything. Never forget that."

The smooth and seemingly unshakable Minister Calvyno bowed crisply. "My lord is correct, of course. I find his suggestion of bringing all the potential brides here for his inspection to be most"-he swallowed hard, unable to carry off his statement as smoothly as he'd intended- "reasonable," he finished in an uncertain voice.

"Excellent." Jahn stood. "I heard six names mentioned here tonight. Six of my most respected men will collect these women and bring them to me. Some reside quite a distance from the palace, so I suggest the bridal candidates be presented to me on the first night of the Summer Festival, in three months' time. Six of the fastest couriers should be dispatched immediately so the ladies will be prepared to be collected."

The men around the emperor nodded in approval- whether they actually approved of the plan or not. No one but Alix noticed the dulling of the light in Jahn's eyes. No one but Alix knew how deeply vexed the emperor was to be forced to take a wife.

"I will see to it, my lord," General Hydd said with his usual solemnity. "The couriers will leave at first light."

Jahn dismissed the crowd with a wave of his hand, and the men who had surrounded the emperor left quickly, almost as if they were glad to escape. Usually the emperor's meetings with his closest advisors were more genial, but the subject of an empress and a much-needed heir was a p.r.i.c.kly one.

When Alix made as if to follow the others, Jahn stopped him with a raised hand and waved him to his side, just as the last of the ministers left the room and the heavy door closed with an ominous, dull thud.

"I should like to send you to Tryfyn to collect the Princess Edlyn," Jahn said. No one else would see the tiredness and even the surrender in his eyes, but Alix saw. He knew his brother well.

"It may be difficult to convince the King of Tryfyn to send his daughter to you for inspection," Alix said.

"Having a prince designated as her escort should ease his reluctance." Jahn shrugged his shoulders; wide, tired shoulders encased in imperial crimson. "If Princess Edlyn does not come, then it was not meant to be, and my choice will be all that much easier. She is of the highest rank of all those proposed, so I suppose she has a bit of an advantage, if she should decide to partic.i.p.ate in the contest." He suddenly looked more Devlyn than emperor, his eyes hinting at the boy Alix had once known. "A contest for my bride. What do you think my closest advisors would think if I made it a real contest? I could bed them all and choose the one who pleases me most. I could strip them bare and search for imperfections. I can only imagine what Father Braen would think of that type of compet.i.tion."

Alix knew that his brother was joking

For the first time in a long while, Alix saw a true smile from his brother. "I doubt anyone ever expected wisdom from Devlyn Arndell."

"True, but they demand it from Emperor Jahn." Alix bowed crisply. "I will, of course, do as you ask."

After almost six years in the palace, the twins had heard many tales of their conception and birth. The stories were told in whispers and tinged with magic, and it was impossible to know what was true and what was myth. No matter how it was told, the story was unsavory and sad. One they did not wish to dwell upon or examine too closely. Still, they could not ignore what they heard. They did not know all, would never know all, but one aspect of the tale was unchanging.

One twin had been conceived in darkness, the other in light. One twin was destined to wrestle with darkness, and the other was born of goodness and light.

Those who knew them surely believed that Emperor Jahn, a man who gambled and occasionally drank to excess and often enjoyed the company of inappropriate women, was the twin who struggled with a darkness of the soul, and Alix, who was n.o.ble and steady and well mannered, was the twin born to light.

Only Alix knew that they were wrong.

Chapter One.

Four Weeks Later.

THE court of King Bhaltair, ruler of Tryfyn and father of five princesses and one young son, was lavish and properly regal. The food was superb, the servants were ever-present, and Alix had been well entertained since his arrival four days earlier.

The castle which housed the royal court sprawled across a large plot of very green land lush with spring growth. A mere three stories high, the castle was very much unlike the narrower and much taller palace in Arthes. Some aspects were the same, of course. The castle was spotlessly clean, thanks to constant tending by an untold number of maids and manservants who were always underfoot. Stone walls gleamed and soft rugs lined oft-walked pathways. To welcome spring, the windows were unshuttered, allowing sunlight and fresh air to fill the confines of the castle on balmy days. The dining hall, ballroom, and private suite where Alix pa.s.sed much of his time were lavishly furnished and adorned with potted plants and flowers in painted vases. Even the housemaids wore flowers in their hair. There were moments when Alix thought life in the castle too bright, too perfect, as if they were putting on a show for his benefit.

Each night, after a plentiful supper, there was music and dancing, or a well-acted play, or a sweet-voiced minstrel to sing tales of Tryfyn victory and beauty. There was even a lilting song to Princess Edlyn. The song praised her beauty, which was true enough, but did not mention her sour disposition or her spoiled demands.

The official color of the court of King Bhaltair was a dark and dreary green, much unlike the bright crimson which dominated in the palace of Arthes. Most days every member of the royal family dressed in that drab shade, but the women always adorned themselves with much gold to brighten the dreary green. They wore gold circlets in their hair, and jangling gold girdles to bring light and life to their costumes.

As a representative of Columbyana, Alix dressed each day in imperial crimson. Both trousers and vest were made of a fine fabric in that shade. Thank goodness the s.h.i.+rt he wore beneath the vest was plain white. His traveling clothes were plainer and more serviceable, though the trousers and vest were adorned with imperial embroideries, and he was anxious to get back to them. He did not care for standing out in a crowd; he did not like being the one bright spot of bloodred against a sea of dull green.

He was anxious to be on his way for many reasons, his wardrobe being the least of his concerns. With the entourage Edlyn's father insisted on providing for the journey, they'd be lucky to make it back to Arthes in six weeks. Having spent some time in Princess Edlyn's company, he suspected his sanity would be tested along the way.

As Alix had a.s.sumed from the beginning, Edlyn was not pleased to be offered for the emperor's inspection. Still, she was the only one of the five princesses that remained unwed, and if she often behaved as she had since his arrival, he could understand why she had not yet married- and why her father was so anxious to see her off.

Queen Coira was very well pleased. Any mother might feel a pang of regret at seeing her youngest daughter ride away for potential marriage to a stranger-emperor or not-but the queen was Bhaltair's second wife, an exquisite woman not much older than Edlyn herself. She was all but smug about sending her stepdaughter away.

On this, Alix's final night in the Tryfyn royal castle, the dinner was sumptuous, the service was impeccable, and the queen could not contain her joyous smile. Princess Edlyn's mouth remained tightly pursed most of the time, and she seemed to fight back tears of outrage and disappointment. Alix studied her from his place at the table, not far from where she sat. Edlyn was beautiful, he would allow that much. Her hair was a nice pale yellow, and her skin was fair. Her eyes were a pale blue and hinted at a bit of intelligence-but not too much. That was just as well, as women who were too smart could be burdensome. Her mouth was nicely shaped, but since he never saw it curve into a smile or heard it speak a kind word, he wasn't impressed.

Traveling with her was going to be a nightmare.

Alix noticed that as the meal neared an end, the queen nudged the king more than once. Queen Coira nodded in Alix's direction, and then poked her husband in the ribs as she whispered a command. Finally, the king sighed and lifted his hand to signal the servant who waited at his side. The thin attendant obviously knew what was required, as he simply bowed and then exited the room with a quick and purposeful step.

"I do hope your brother will be pleased with our Edlyn," the king said with a forced smile. "She is a treasure."

Alix simply nodded, unsure of a response that would be both proper and honest.

"We are honored that the emperor will consider Edlyn to be his bride. To thank him for his generosity of spirit, we have a gift for him. A very special gift."

Alix could only hope the gift was small and easy to transport. One never knew what others would consider a proper gift for an emperor who had everything any man might ever desire. In the palace in Arthes, there were entire rooms devoted to the storage of jewels and pottery and woodcarvings which had been deemed by someone, somewhere, to be a proper gift for the emperor.

Every head in the room turned toward the dining hall entrance, and Alix did the same. He did not know what this night's entertainment might be, but he hoped it would be short in duration. As talented as the performers had been to this point, he really wanted nothing more than a good night's sleep before the long journey to Arthes began. This would be his last night in a proper bed for quite some time.

The two men who led the way, stepping into the dining hall with purpose, were dressed differently than the Tryfynians Alix had come to know in his days in the castle. The squat, muscled men wore bright, multicolored vests over smooth, naked chests. Their trousers were equally bright and ended just below their knees, above ma.s.sive muscled calves and wide bare feet. Their skin was bronze, as if they spent all their days in the sun, and they were both bald and clean-shaven. Each wore a broad, curved sword at his waist.

His eyes did not remain on the men long, as his gaze was drawn to the woman who walked directly behind them.

Alix blinked as the woman stepped into the light cast by the many candles and lamps which filled the hall. She was blue. As she moved closer, he could tell that the blue was a powder of some sort, a flawlessly applied cosmetic. Every speck of exposed skin was covered-her face, neck, arms. Even her full lips were blue, but they were an even darker shade-almost black, it seemed. The rise of her bosom and the leg that peeked out of her skimpy skirt as she walked were a smooth sapphire blue, as was the curve of hip revealed beneath the low-slung band of the loosely fitted skirt. The woman was as tall as her escorts-perhaps taller than one-but instead of wearing colorful dress as they did, her outfit was entirely gold. The fabric s.h.i.+mmeredand glittered as she walked into the room with a powerful and sensual grace that made Alix's mouth go dry.

Long, black hair flowed down her back, and amid the silky strands he caught the sparkle of ornate earrings that hung to her shapely shoulders. She wore many bracelets of gold and gems that caught the light, anklets that flashed gold with each step that sent the panels of her skirt dancing, and a low-slung girdle that looked to be made of many, many small golden coins. She jangled softly with each step, and the rattle of her adornments held a musical note that was unlike the clatter of the other women.

No one breathed, it seemed, as this blue woman took command of the room merely by entering. She moved with such grace, and her attire was so sensual, that Alix a.s.sumed this evening's entertainment would be an exotic dance of some sort. Moments earlier he had wanted only sleep, but to see this woman dance... surely it would be a most memorable diversion.

Sleep suddenly seemed unnecessary.

The blue woman had almost reached the main table, where Alix sat with the royal family, when he noticed that her wrists not only were adorned with many bracelets but were also bound with st.u.r.dy golden chains.

The guards before her parted and allowed the woman to come close to the table-close to the king, to be precise. Her eyes briefly met Alix's, and he saw no fear there, no hint of submission. Bound or not, she was proud and unbending.

The queen's mouth was thinned and hard, and once again she poked at her husband.

"Have you heard of the newly discovered Island of Claennis?" the king asked.

"I have heard very little," Alix admitted, "but yes, I did hear of its discovery." In the past few years brave travelers who ventured beyond the known world had returned with colorful tales, spices and fruits, and strange people. The world grew larger every day.

"I recently enjoyed a visit with the amba.s.sador from the island country of Claennis, and he presented me with this gift. Sanura is one of a treasured tribe of that island, a tribe called the Agnese. Their women are possessed of great powers."

Good G.o.d in heaven, the gift the king had spoken of was a woman, and judging by the chains, she was a slave. Jahn would not be pleased. Women pleased him mightily, especially those who were beautiful and barely dressed, but he was staunchly opposed to owning another human being. "I can't possibly...," Alix began.

"Take her," the queen said sharply. "If you do not, Sanura will be dead by morning, even if I have to see to it myself."

It was a bold statement, considering that the large dining hall was filled with many distant relations, close friends, and political allies.

The king blushed, and Alix understood. This Sanura had been given to the king as a gift, and his wife would not allow him to keep her. What wife, no matter how pretty and favored, would rest easy with a woman like Sanura living under the same roof?

Alix opened his mouth to refuse the gift, and then he remembered the queen's sharp words. Judging by the fire in her eyes, the promise of death for Sanura was not an idle threat.

And yet, the blue woman did not seem to be afraid.

"These men"-Alix indicated the two sword-bearing bald guards with a wave of his hand-"who are they?" They were not dressed like soldiers of Tryfyn.

"These are Sanura's keepers," the king explained. "I must admit, I am not entirely certain of all the rules concerning the Agnese, but I do know this. If any man other than he who owns Sanura touches her in any way, if any man is caught with blue marking his skin, these keepers will carry out an immediate execution."

So, he was to travel not only with a demanding princess and her soldiers and maids, but with this "gift" and her entourage as well. They would be lucky to make it to Arthes by the first night of the Summer Festival.

Alix considered refusing this gift, in spite of the price she'd have to pay. What did it matter to him if the woman was executed? She was not his concern, and in the end she would be much more trouble than she'd be worth. Once they reached Arthes, Jahn would surely give Sanura her freedom, anyway. The queen's threat was likely an idle one. Murder was an extreme reaction to her obvious jealousy. Surely there were others who would be happy to accept such a gift. A recipient from Tryfyn would be best.

As he was about to refuse the gift, Sanura's eyes met his. In spite of her cool and almost haughty demeanor, he saw the subtle touch of fear lurking there. He saw the almost hidden pleading in her eyes. Such deep and expressive eyes they were, a blue of such a remarkable hue that they were not dulled against her blue skin. Yes, she was brave and she was proud, but she was not fearless.

He could always free her along the way, since he was certain that's what Jahn would do when-if-he received this gift. "I'm sure my brother will be very pleased," Alix said in his most diplomatic voice.

Princess Edlyn pushed her chair back and jumped to her feet. "This is entirely unacceptable. It's bad enough that I'm forced to travel to another country to be scrutinized to see if I'm good enough for the blasted Emperor of Columbyana or not. Now I have to endure the journey with her? I refuse," she said tersely. "I absolutely, positively, refuse."

The king and queen did not react strongly to the outburst, but Edlyn's father did respond with quiet authority. "If you refuse to travel to Arthes with Prince Alixandyr, then I must insist that you accept the only other suitor who has persisted all these years. Tyren Mils is still willing to..."

"Tyren Mils is a pig!" Edlyn shouted. "And he's older than you!"

"The choice is yours," the king responded calmly. "Arthes and Emperor Jahn, or Tyren Mils."

Edlyn sat down hard, displaying not even an attempt at grace. "Arthes it is, but that perverted blue creature had best keep her distance from me."

Sanura, who had not spoken a word to this point, stepped toward Edlyn. The room was so silent it seemed that no one breathed. Every eye was on the blue woman, every ear strained to hear her words. Alix awaited an attack, but Sanura spoke to the princess in a calm, lightly accented voice. "I see who you are, sad little girl," she said with a hint of tenderness. "You are afraid, afraid to the pit of your soul, and that fear makes you strike out at those who only care for you. We are not enemies, you and I. We are much the same, given to men without the favor of a voice. We are given to others without considerations of love or personal inclination. You are crying inside, but you should not do so. This is who we are, little girl, and it is useless to fight against what is."

Edlyn stared at her dinner plate, and even from his position at the table Alix could see that her cheeks turned bright red. "Do not look at me, you... you witch. We are not the same, not at all! Turn away! I do not want you seeing that which is not yours to see."

"All is mine to see," Sanura said in a lowered, soothing voice, and then she did as the princess demanded and turned away. Her head twisted slightly and again she caught Alix's eyes with her own. "All," she whispered.