Forged Destiny [Book 9: Ch. 5]

"Salem," I said, nodding.

Her smile grew. "Jaune."

Rituals of a sort, a greeting. Was that something to do with her nature, or just her own way of making me acknowledge her presence? It was hard to say. It might just as easily have been a whim.

"You're early," I said. "A whole month early."

"I've never been good at keeping up with human time. Your lives pass so quickly." Salem strode toward the edge of her Grimm and looked me up and down. "You've been promoted, I see. My, you certainly are moving up in the world."

"It's a temporary thing. The King wishes to speak with you."

"Do I care to speak with him? He is not my King."

"It would show respect-"

"But I do not respect him."

My teeth ground together. "Will you speak with him?" I tried again. "What would it cost you, really? Or are you planning to attack straight away? That wouldn't be very sporting."

"Sporting?"

"You said you'd give us two months to prepare and you haven't. If you attack now, you might win, but you'd forever be left wondering if you only won because you cheated. Wouldn't it mean more to defeat us without doing so?"

Salem stared at me. Her eyes were, for once, surprised. For a second, I dared to think I'd shocked her – and that was true – but it was not in the way I'd hoped.

She burst out laughing.

"Oh! Oh, that is delightful. You're trying to appeal to a sense of competitiveness within me. Or is that pride? Ego? Oh Jaune, why would I have need of such things? I am the only one of my kind. There is no one for me to show off to, no one to impress and no one to hold myself to such ideals to. The death of your kind is not something for me to feel pride in. It simply is." She wiped an invisible tear from her eye, regaining control of her mirth. "It doesn't matter to me if I destroy you now or in a month's time. It's all the same to me."

My hands tightened on the reins. Angry, I blurted out the first thing to cross my mind.

"I'd judge you!"

Salem froze.

"I'd judge you," I said again, louder. "I'd call you a coward who went back on her word because she was afraid of us."

"You play a dangerous game, Jaune."

"You've said that before. I'm still playing it." I adjusted my hands on the reins. "Will you come speak with the King and Ozpin? I can guarantee your safety if you're afraid." The barb was intentional.

"Very well. I will meet with your leaders." Salem raised a hand and a pool of darkness appeared before her. Faith shied back, snorting nervously as what appeared to be a horse born of black flesh and bone grew up from the ground. It was taller than mine and moved unnaturally, as though it lacked any mannerisms of personality of its own. Slowly, it knelt its forelegs down, bending low so that Salem could step off the beetle's back and onto it.

Two of the large bodyguard Grimm stepped up beside her.

"You would not begrudge me company, I hope. There are three of you and but one of me. Or would it frighten your leaders too much?"

"I'm sure they'll be fine."

"Hmph." Salem snorted, amused. "Lead on, then. If nothing else, this should be entertaining."

[...]

"You will have your month."

Surprise struck. I looked up. Salem was looking back to her horde but speaking to us still.

"It seems I have come early, and you are not yet prepared. I will give you thirty days. The Grimm shall not attack until then. You may build your fortifications, gather your supplies and even continue bringing in your refugees. We will not encircle the city until the last day."

"Why?" Ozpin asked. "Why do this?"

"Why not? It makes no difference to me in the end." Salem looked back. Her eyes met mine. "But I will be better than the monsters your kind are. I gave my word and I will honour it." She turned away fully. "Tell your people not to harm my Grimm or I shall consider it a declaration of war and the attack shall begin imminently. Any who enter my domain shall be slain."

Salem's steed carried her away. Rather than turn to follow, her bodyguards moved backward, membranes rattling around their necks as though ready to react to any attack on her unprotected back.

"Oh, and one last thing," she called. "A message for you, Jaune."

Tensing, I called out. "Yes?"

"Whatever our relationship has been, whatever I might think of you, this is the last time I shall let you walk away." Her eyes pierced into mine as she looked back over her shoulder. "The next time we stand before one another, you shall die."

—Forged Destiny [Book 9: Ch. 5]