by Lace, Lisa
"What are you doing?" he demanded. "Sit down!"
Another jolt sent her forward and into Tev's arms. He growled as he caught her, then he sniffed at her hair. Tev pressed his body against her. His hard length brushed against her hips.
"Okay, Tev," said Tracy nervously, "you can let me go now."
He sniffed again. "You, but not you," he muttered.
"What?"
He pushed her away. "Sit. We'll be landing soon."
"Where?"
"Our northern palace. It's an old place. It has been in our family for centuries."
"Was this the place Pa-Kregan wanted us to stay in when we arrived?"
"Yes. It is remote and difficult to access."
Tracy thought that it sounded like a convenient location to conceal dirty dealings. She had barely clicked her seat belt in place when the craft banked sharply. If she hadn’t been secured, she would have flown into the bulkhead. Instantly, she felt sick again.
"Oh God," she gulped.
Tev frowned. "What is wrong?"
"Airsick."
He made a derisive noise. "You get sick often."
"You have that effect on me," she said, feeling bile rise in her gut.
The Kerdos prince scowled but rummaged through the compartments in the bulkhead and pulled out a small plastic bag. "Here," he said. "Don't make a mess."
"You're a regular Prince Charming."
"Prince what?” Tev glared at her. “I don't know what you’re talking about."
"You sure don't," said Tracy under her breath. Then the craft dipped again. Tracy was too busy trying to control her nausea to make any more smart-mouthed remarks. She felt light-headed as the ship dropped through the sky and her stomach churned.
Suddenly her shivers turned to trembling, and her teeth chattered. If I ever get out of this mess, I'll be really, really, really good. I won't drink again ever. If Carol wants to go to a bar, I'll tell her no. I'll keep my hands off the hunky aliens, no matter how sexy they are.
Tracy realized her vows made no sense. She would never see Carol again. Still, she clung to the unlikely hope that someone, anyone, would rescue her. She was shaking and feeling very weak. All she wanted to do was crawl into a dark corner and puke her guts out. Her head started to pound.
"What is wrong with you?" growled Tev. "Your lips are blue. Why are your lips blue?"
Tracy wanted to cry. Why was the big green man yelling at her? It wasn't her fault she was sick. She didn't ask to get kidnapped. She never asked for any of this. She just did the best she could under difficult circumstances.
Rev. Where was Rev? Rev would take care of things. He'd make the big green man stop yelling at her.
He put his hands on her, and she tried to swat him away. "Get away," she croaked. "Leave me alone."
"Tracy!" called the big green man. "Tracy! By Endra, what have I done?"
That was the last thing she heard before she passed out.
"You must drink." The feminine voice was gentle but urgent.
Tracy had to struggle to open her eyes. She just wanted to sleep. Someone propped up her head and held a cup of water to her lips. She drank a few sips while her head was supported but then fell back into something soft. Despite her pounding head, the softness felt good.
"I don't understand what happened," said a masculine voice. "She was fine before we went up in the transport."
Tracy heard the woman mutter under her breath, "Addled-headed men." This brought a slight smile to Tracy's lips.
"My lord, you have enhancements to your body. They help you withstand the stresses of being a tracker, correct?"
"Yes, Lady Essen. Not just me; everyone in our air force has these enhancements."
"So if you were to go up in altitude quickly in an unpressurized cabin, your body would have no ill effect?"
"Of course."
"Lady Tracy has no such protection. She suffered altitude sickness."
Tev shook his head in disgust. "I don't know what was wrong with me. My head only cleared when I saw my brother's mate struggling."
The woman thought for a moment. "Do you have any scratches or cuts on your body?"
"Well, there is this scratch on my hand. I don't know where it came from."
"Let me see," said Essen. "Yes, it is unduly inflamed. I would guess, my lord, that the Du representative scratched a bit of his venom into your hand. It is deadly in full doses, but it has a narcotic effect in small amounts. In my training offworld, I saw how the Du healers use their venom to control especially difficult patients, but using it in other circumstances is strictly forbidden by law."
"I was drugged?" Tev sounded horrified.
"Yes, my lord."
"Tracy," said Tev, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. If any harm comes to you..."
"Rev will have your ass," Tracy finished, with a weak smile. She was gaining an awareness of her surroundings and found she was lying in a soft bed with sheets and pillows of mrina fibers.
"Yes, he will," admitted Tev.
"I guess it's my job to get better, then."
"That should be no problem, Lady Tracy," said Essen. "You need to rest in bed with plenty of food and water, but you should be fine in just a day or two."
Chapter Forty-Six
Rev was ready to tear his hair out.
Tracy and his brother were still missing, and certain elements of the Council of Kerdos were trying to usurp his authority. These council lords didn't care a bit about Rev possibly being the Prince of the Aligned Worlds. What they cared about was how it would affect them. They were worried about their own business concerns and the flow of money, preferably directly into their pockets. Many of them couldn't stomach the idea that Rev could be involved in a rebellion against the Aligned Worlds government. A rebellion would hurt their business interests, unless they all started manufacturing weapons. They certainly didn't care that Tracy had a claim on the Vacant Throne. The possibility that Tracy would sit on that throne was as remote as the throne itself.
He stared at those lords now in the middle of yet another interminable meeting. This time they wanted him to banish the rebel forces that had massed behind Endra, the largest moon of their planet. Se-Margen politely put it as "sending the rebels away."
Margen had support from the moderate contingent. The traditionalists kept their own counsel because they, like the progressives, saw what everyone else saw. Margen wanted his daughter Se-Trila to mate with Rev against the wishes of all other parties.
In an almost vulgar display of intent, Trila stood behind her father's chair, as if she were an administrative attendant. She appeared to listen closely to the council discussions while she said nothing about her own ideas in public. From time to time, she'd lay her hand on her father's shoulder when an important point was made, and Margen would nod. It was clear that Trila was a full participant in her father's plans.
Rev would have none of it. But in an earlier meeting, Pa-Kregan had counseled Rev that the prince had to play his hand carefully. "The moderates may not have a majority in the council, but they control important resources within the empire. If you anger them, our military support could suffer."
More and more, Rev came to appreciate his father's wisdom in leaving governance to his uncle. Rev was beginning to realize that it didn't matter if he or Tev became Emperor in name. They would both be needed to control the Council of Kerdos. The thought did not appeal to him.
The Western Reaches governor, Ac-Taunton, a moderate, asked permission to speak. The portly elderly gentleman stood. His hand shook in his nervousness. "Your Highness, we are in a grave situation. We must know where you stand. You have the Aligned Worlds representative being held as a prisoner in our palace. Rebel forces are massed in an attack position over our planet. Either you lead Kerdos or you do not. Either you represent the interests of the Empire of Kerdos or you do not."
"I represent the people of our empire."
"But you are at odds with the Aligned Worlds," said Margen. "We need an emp
eror, not a rebel leader. Either you—"
"Either I what? Are you making demands on me, Margen?"
The other lords started to mutter among themselves.
"If you wish to be Emperor, you need a proper queen. Not a mate the Aligned Worlds will punish all of Kerdos for. An emperor thinks of his people first."
"And you think a proper queen is your daughter."
"As a matter of fact, she would be."
"I see. A subject thinks of his lord. Either change your attitude, Margen, or you can walk out of this room. I am happy to strip you of your rank."
"Perhaps this council will declare your brother Emperor in absentia instead," Margen retorted.
The council room doors opened, and all eyes turned to see who dared to enter.
Tev stood in the doorway. "Perhaps not," he said.
"Your Highness!" said Margen. "Thank the goddess. We were worried about you! Your brother—"
"Rev, causing trouble again, little brother?"
"It seems so."
"In that case I must take over. Put this situation into older, more experienced hands."
An audible sigh of relief went up from some members of the council.
"Does that mean, my lord," said Margen, "that you've accepted my proposal?"
"I will take your daughter. Se-Trila, come stand by me," said Tev. "We will go to the Priestesses of Endra. Rev, come as a witness. After the priestesses have confirmed the mating, the true Emperor of Kerdos will stand in these halls. I trust, my lords, that the Empire of Kerdos can withstand a few days without its emperor so I may take care of this important business. Pa-Kregan, I leave you in charge of the council. Do not make any decisions without us."
"But what about—" started Pa-Kregan.
Tev turned quickly and left the council hall in long strides, not listening to any comments or questions from the lords. Rev followed him, and Trila trailed behind.
"Wait, my lord. Wait for me," the woman said, huffing.
Tev did not even slow down. He walked through the halls like a man possessed. He led them to military ground transports outside the palace and loaded Trila into one.
"Aren't you traveling with me?" Trila asked.
"We'll be together soon," he said tersely, then he shut the door and locked it. "Driver, move out."
He motioned for Rev to enter another vehicle. Rev eyed the determined look on his brother's face. "Tev, what's going on?"
"Time is short. Every moment we delay is another chance for the council to start asking questions."
Rev climbed into the transport, and he was disappointed to find that Tracy wasn't there. Tev climbed in and pounded on the glass between the driver's and passenger sections. The driver nodded and the vehicle moved off.
"Tev, where's Tracy?"
"Don't be alarmed. She's safe with the Priestesses of Endra. She wanted to come, but the healer wanted her to rest."
"Healer!" croaked Rev.
"She's fine. She is at the temple, brother. The priestesses are waiting there for you to confirm your mating."
Rev cocked an eyebrow at Tev. "So you aren't going to mate with Trila?"
Tev laughed. "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. You don't really wish that on me, do you?"
"Considering how you had me worried to death...maybe."
"I'm sending her to our palace in the Northern Reaches. By the time she gets a message to her father, your mating will be confirmed, and you will officially be the Emperor of Kerdos."
"It may not be that simple. Margen seems to be poised on the edge of a coup."
"That is why we have his daughter as our hostage."
"You may be left to rule Kerdos anyway. In your absence we discovered Tracy is a descendant of the Moc-Notons. She is a genetic candidate to fill the Vacant Throne."
Tev stared at him for several long seconds before he smirked. "You always did know how to pick the good women."
Rev laughed and relaxed a bit. "Which temple is Tracy at?" asked Rev.
"The Northern Reaches temple," said Tev. "Rev, I have to tell you something. I hope that when I’m finished you won't hate me. " Tev looked at his hands. "This is hard. I know I've given you trouble about Tracy."
"You're not the only one," said Rev.
"But, you see, Ja-Idin Du unduly influenced me with his venom."
"How?"
"It was a scratch on my hand. I'm not sure how or when he did it. Maybe a fingernail across my skin. Doesn’t really matter. I mentioned to the healer who was helping Tracy that I’d been behaving oddly. She asked me if I had any scratches. I showed her my hand and she explained that the Du can use small amounts of venom as a narcotic. It made me unreasonable. Even more unreasonable than usual."
Tev lowered his head, obviously uncomfortable. "I may have touched Tracy inappropriately. I'm sorry, Rev."
After Rev punched him in the mouth, the next sound was Tev's head hitting the side of the car. Tev's chin was dripping blood. "Do you feel better now?"
"You know, I think I do. I don't need to know everything, but now you understand why we can't trust Du."
"He's the kind of evil we swore as trackers to eliminate," said Tev, wiping his face.
Rev nodded. "Agreed. It's no longer an option to ignore him and play along. He's dangerous."
"You aren't angry with me?"
"You're my brother. I can get furious at you in a minute, but I couldn’t stay angry with you if I tried."
The trip to Ombrit Air Station proceeded smoothly. The cityscape gave way to large farming estates. Rev looked at the tidy farms. They all had similar layouts. Each was graced with wide spaces around the main house. The thought crossed his mind that a place like that would be good to raise a family. He shook his head and smiled. As an officer of the law in a dangerous job, he had never been able to contemplate having a mate or a family before.
"What are you thinking about, brother?"
Tev's question broke his reverie.
"Children," he said quietly.
Tev smiled. "Never thought I'd hear you say that."
"Neither did I."
"They will be a necessity for you, no matter which throne you occupy."
"The irony is neither of us had the chance for children before because our jobs were too dangerous, but nothing can be more dangerous than holding a throne. You never know who is your friend and who is your enemy. How do I protect a family from those kinds of dangers, Tev?"
"Don't worry, I'll be there. We'll have each other's backs just like always."
The farms gave way to brush, and wild outcroppings became stone. Gazing out of the window, they saw they were nearly there. They soon climbed to the plateau that held the air station. Rev could see a security fence in the distance, and he tapped his fingers on his leg impatiently. He had been away from Tracy too long.
A beep sounded through the cab of the transport, and Tev activated the comms to receive an incoming call. The holo projected an image of Pa-Kregan. He hung in the air between them, face drawn with tension.
"Forgive me, my lords. I have bad news. Se-Margen just left here claiming you’d deceived him. He has called for his reserve troops to intercept you."
"Thank you, Kregan," said Tev. "Understand that we expect the council to honor their commitment to a confirmed mating that will secure the throne."
"Yes, my lords, all the other lords are in agreement."
"They better be," muttered Rev.
"Do what is required to secure the palace," said Rev. "Make sure Ja-Idin Du is held in place. We'll need him in the days to come."
"Yes, my lord."
He switched the holo projection off. "I'm worried about Kregan," said Rev immediately.
"His loyalty?"
"Yes. Perhaps it was a mistake to leave Du in the palace. Now that I know he can influence people with his venom, I—"
A loud crack filled the air, and the transport jolted, swerving wildly on the road. Rev and Tev bounced inside the vehicle, tossed from side to side.
More bombs hit the ground, spraying dirt and gravel against the transport. Rev watched in horror as a large rock struck a side window. The bulletproof glass cracked in a web pattern but didn't break, preventing the rock from entering the vehicle. To the driver's credit, through the chaos he kept control of the vehicle. The bouncing soon stopped.
Tev opened the glass privacy panel. The driver had an iron grip on the wheel. His face was white, and he was shaking.
"Did you see what it was?"
"It looked like small missiles, my lord. The vehicle carrying Lady Se-Trila stopped some time ago, and troops wearing Se-Margen's colors surrounded it."
"Damn," said Tev. "Someone betrayed us. But who? No one knew my plan."
"I don't know, but there goes our leverage," said Rev.
"We can’t let that stop us," said Tev.
"No," said Rev grimly. "Drive as fast as you can," he said to the driver. "We need to make it safely to that air base."
The driver sped up the vehicle as bombs exploded around them. The tires skidded from speeding on the gravel roadway and the jolts of additional missiles hitting the ground. The gate to the air base grew closer but did not open as they approached.
Tev punched at the control pads for the holoscreen, and the face of Colonel Ge-Ekben shimmered before them. "Colonel, open your gates. We're almost there."
The image on the holoscreen broke up as the ground shook again. Tev snorted in frustration. "Did he hear us?"
"I don't know. Have you been wondering how Margen can attack us like this?" said Rev. "Where are these weapons coming from?"
"I have no idea," Tev said through his teeth.
Their vehicle was almost at the gate.
"Don't slow down," Rev told the driver. "Ram the gates if you have to."
"Yes, my lord."
At the last possible second, the metal gates swung open, and the transport sped through.
"Go directly to the airfield," said Tev. "There," he said, pointing to a sign, "follow that to the short-range craft."