They took his wife into the largest temple in the galaxy, one staffed by no less than a thousand agents. He could sense all of their lifesigns, their energy, their power. It was overwhelming, even to a god.
Kuja remained invisible, hiding his presence behind a small potted plant that was resting on the table beside Fei’s head. He could teleport her away within moments — she was no stranger to Bagara moving her around the galaxy in that manner. And, if he wanted, he could even attack the Chippers without physically appearing.
I need to show myself to them, Kuja thought grimly. So they know who they’re dealing with. So they know to never again come after my followers — or anyone else under my protection, for that matter.
But if he took human form and attacked the Chippers, they would use his father’s powers against him. Fayay had been just one enemy; here there were several. And since Kuja lacked telekinesis or the ability to manipulate energy the way the Chippers could, he would be at a disadvantage. But their fear and surprise might slow them down — he was willing to bet they’d never been attacked by a god before.
You’ll reveal yourself to her if you do this, a voice piped up at the back of his head. And she’ll leave you.
Not if I do it right.
She will find out eventually, his inner voice taunted.
I know that! I know that, stark it! Kuja snapped. But if she wants to leave, to use her free will… Agony lanced through his very being. Then that is her right. I cannot refuse her that.
A stray tendril reached for Kuja, distracting him from his thoughts, and he immediately traced it back to his wife.
I will never leave you, Kuja promised his son.
Emotions and wordless demands crashed against Kuja’s mind. The boy was scared for his mother. The boy wanted the scary people to go away. Why wasn’t his father doing anything?
Kuja was asking himself the same question.
• • •
The first thing Fei noticed when she woke up was that her bed was ringed by men and women garbed in purple, most of them with golden slashes on their shoulders, betraying them as high-ranking members of GLEA. Fei eased her way into a sitting position, using the wall behind her pillow for support. She still felt groggy from whatever sedative they’d used on her and her mouth was as dry and gritty as the surface of Yalsa 5.
‘We can get some water for you if you’d like,’ Head General Huw Hunslow offered. No slashes for him. He wore the stars of his rank.
Fei spitted a glare at Hunslow and didn’t let up, not even when the illusion providing his human face flickered, revealing the scales beneath.
‘Um, no,’ she finally said. ‘I wouldn’t trust anything you’d bring me. Obviously you still see me as a threat given that there are fifteen of you in here and only one of me.’
‘You are a threat to the Creator God’s grand design,’ Lilon Neron declared, standing far too close for comfort.
Fei snorted. ‘No, I’m a threat to your self importance. I did nothing to any of you! Well, I mean, except for ensuring that you’ll never set foot on Yalsa 5 again. But that doesn’t justify kidnapping me. The mediaists will rip you to shreds for this. And I’m pregnant, if that wasn’t obvious. This is just going to make you look even worse.’
‘Your father informed us of your situation,’ Huw Hunslow said, a hand outstretched and creeping towards Fei’s stomach. ‘Your child will be raised within this temple and taught to honour the Creator God.’
A vine shot out of Fei’s palm and slapped Hunslow’s hand back to his side. Fei breathed deeply as the vine disintegrated, fighting the heady rush that came from using Bagara’s powers.
‘Don’t even try to touch me,’ Fei warned, flinging her eyes around the room. Most of the agents looked at the floor rather than try to meet her gaze.
Her father’s frown was unwavering, however. ‘Surely you must realise that you and your child should remain here, so that we can use the both of you for the good of the galaxy and the glory of the Creator God.’
‘Or,’ said a very different voice, ‘Fei has already done enough for the Creator God and she can return home whenever she wants to.’
‘Kuja — how?’ Fei whispered as he entered the room from the corridor outside.
His green eyes were soft when he glanced at her. I can’t explain. Don’t ask me to. Just accept.
Then he raised his hands. The Chippers began to respond but he was quicker. Gnarled roots swept across the floor, tripping the agents in their way, then scrambled up the walls, cracking apart plaster and plexiglass as they went. Fei stared in wonder as Kuja stood on a bridge of vines above the chaos, letting the Chippers see how superior he was to them.
He was saying something to the agents, Fei realised, but he wasn’t using his mouth. When she reached for his mind, to listen in, he withdrew from her, his fear as potent as the power he was wielding. Whatever he’d said to the Chippers, it was enough to send them running for the door. Not even Lilon or the Head General were willing to take Kuja on.
His face twisting beneath a grim smile, Kuja moved towards Fei and pulled her into his arms. When she pried her face away from his chest to ask him if he was alright, since he was still so afraid, she realised they were back in their hut in Bagath, surrounded by their things.
‘So I’m not the only one Bagara has blessed,’ Fei said, awed.
Kuja winced. ‘I don’t think you have powers, Fei. Not really.’
Fei held out her hand and a miniature tree grew out of her palm, no bigger than her tallest finger. She arched an eyebrow at her husband. ‘See? I do have powers.’
‘Those are our son’s powers,’ Kuja said, reaching over to brush her florid orange hair off her face. ‘He inherited them from me and I believe you’ve been accessing them.’
‘But Bagara…’ she insisted, her heart skating to the edge of a cliff.
‘Bagara is there for you, he is, but these powers are from me,’ Kuja told her.
Her heart leapt and fell, crushed onto the rocks below by a raging waterfall that sought to bury her hopes and dreams.
Fei drew a shaky breath. ‘But…but what does this mean? If he hasn’t given me these powers and I only have them because…oh my God, this isn’t fair! You’re saying Bagara gave powers to my son and not me? Why?’ The sob lodged in her throat until she spat it out. ‘No! I don’t believe you! I have powers and — and Bagara loves me!’
Kuja visibly deflated. ‘I do love you.’
‘I meant Bagar…’ Fei trailed off. Her mind whirred. ‘Tell me what’s inside that chest in your mind, Kuja.’
He began to turn away so she grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her.
‘You already know what’s in there,’ Kuja said quietly.
‘I want to hear you say it. Say it!’
His green eyes filled with tears. ‘I am Bagara.’
‘That’s impossible,’ Fei said, dropping his chin and taking a step back. ‘You’re human. I mean, your name doesn’t show up in the Galactic Database…but that doesn’t mean anything. Plenty of people don’t have the names they were born with.’
‘You looked me up?’ His smile lasted for several seconds before it faded away.
Fei threw up her hands in exasperation. ‘Of course I did. I’m not completely stupid. At least now I know why you made me wear those gloves. Ala and Bock know what the scars mean, don’t they? You didn’t want them outing you! So how come they knew and I didn’t? Don’t you think this is something you should tell a woman before you marry her?’
‘Callista, my brother’s wife, seems to have told Bock and Ala about Sandsa and myself.’ Kuja looked pained. ‘I wish she hadn’t.’
‘I bet you wish you hadn’t needed to turn up and save me,’ Fei said bitterly. ‘Then you could go on pretending you were a man.’
Kuja surged forward, arms outstretched. ‘Fei! I will always protect you! I should have said something, I know, but I was afraid that you would hate me and leave.’
‘I might not hate you so much if you’d warned me not to start fawning over you as a god,’ she snapped and darted aside, avoiding his embrace.
‘It’s…hard to explain.’ Kuja wrung his hands. ‘I’ll open the chest in my mind. You’ll see. You’ll understand why.’
Fei backed further away from him, until she hit the door. ‘It’s not the same! I shouldn’t have to read your mind to know who you are. I just want you to tell me. I tell you everything. Everything. And all you’ve ever done was lie to me.’
He pressed his lips together instead of defending himself. Fei could read from him that he’d told some truths, but not nearly enough. He knew that. And he was so very sorry, especially when she found that last awful secret in his mind.
Fei looked down at her hands, tracing the lines on her palms. ‘The scars. They transferred your immortality to me. Just how permanent is this binding?’
‘Fei, please…’
‘Tell me!’
‘The scars can be removed,’ he said, his voice shaking. ‘But I don’t want you to do that.’
Fei nodded curtly. ‘Thanks for not lying to me. This time. When were you going to tell me I’d signed up for immortality?’
‘I love you.’ He was whispering now.
‘I can’t even look at you for three seconds without feeling ill,’ Fei bit out. ‘I’m not sure I can handle an eternity in your presence.’
She marched out of the hut, ignoring the confused looks many of the villagers sent her way, refusing to stop when they called her name. They would only ask her awkward questions about how she was already back from Gerasnin and she had no idea how to answer them. Kuja was the one who’d lied; he could deal with the consequences of his actions.
She couldn’t stifle the shivers. No matter where I go on this planet, he’ll find me. He’ll fucking find me.
I could, Bagara’s — Kuja’s — voice said softly as she picked up the hem of her nightie and began to run. But I won’t come after you. It’s your choice to return or to…leave.
Callista, his sister-in-law, had made a choice like that, her memories told her — no, those memories were his. The pain that came with them squeezed Fei’s heart.
Her fingers curled reflexively over the scars her husband had given her.
But she didn’t turn back.