Makram ground his teeth together. “How is this going to change our plans?”
The older brother crossed is huge arms across his chest. “Well, if you leave it up to me, I say we just go in and bomb them with dark matter. It’ll eradicate the problem, and expose more Relissarium for us to dig up. I’m guessing you have a less efficient plan in mind, though.”
Prince Makramis searched his mind for a new way for them to overthrow the emperor. “I wouldn’t say less efficient, but definitely easier to cover up. The emperor won’t have much choice. He’s going to have to mobilize the entire fleet, or let the empire think he’s weak. When he does that, either he’ll send us with them, or go himself. A ship getting hit in a warzone without Relissarium shielding wouldn’t draw much suspicion, and if the emperor just happened to be on that ship when it went down…” He let his voice trail off.
The two brothers shared a smile. It was amazing what having a common enemy could do. Once that enemy was out of the picture, however, it would be every prince for himself.
Three
Cierra awoke still strapped to a table. Dr. Brax was standing at the foot of her bed, accompanied by emperor Pollus. She wasn’t sure how long she had been unconscious. She remembered a strange blue gas swirling around her. That was the last thing she could recall. Cierra’s heartbeat raced on the monitor that was tracking her vitals. She tried to jerk away from her bonds, but she wasn’t strong enough. Her body felt sluggish, and there was a faint metallic taste in her mouth.
Pollus was talking to Dr. Brax. “How did it go?”
The doctor’s brow was furrowed in concern. “We’ll have the results back momentarily. I had to change tactics. The needle wouldn’t pierce her skin. I had to use an inhalant instead. We knocked her out with a little anesthetic, and then deliver the fertility drugs through the ventilation system while she was asleep. Her body was more receptive when she was unconscious.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “What do you mean it wouldn’t pierce her skin?”
Dr. Brax held up two different needles that were bent at odd angles. “These are infintium needles. I’ve never seen anything bend them like that.”
Pollus took one of the needles and examined it closer. “Interesting. A woman who can’t be pierced by infintium, I’ve never seen such a thing. Imagine how safe her womb would be. She could grow many healthy princes without having to worry about being harmed.”
“What?” Cierra strained against the straps holding her down. “Are you all crazy? Let me out of here!”
Dr. Brax tried to calm her down. “You’ll be taken to a room where you can rest properly as soon as the results are back.”
Pollus took a few steps closer to her. “Now, now. Don’t stress yourself out. That won’t be helpful for anyone.” He caressed her cheek, but she turned her head to try and bite his finger. “A feisty one, huh? It’s been awhile since I’ve had one with some spunk in her.” He leaned down, and whispered in her ear. “It’ll be even more satisfying when I break your spirit.”
Cierra spat at him. “You will never break me.”
Pollus wiped her spit off of his cheek. Before he could say anything, Hans, Dr. Brax’s assistant, brought an envelope into the room. The emperor took it from him, and pulled out a slip of paper. A satisfied smile smeared across his face. “Oh, won’t I? You see, I won’t harm a woman in your condition, but there are others I can hurt. Your friend that you arrived here with heals remarkably well, by the way. Even when I put dark matter to him, he regrows all of the pieces I burn away from his body. The healing slows down though, if he isn’t given any nourishment. I would be lying if I said he wasn’t one of my new favorite toys. So, you can either behave, or I can let out all of my frustrations on him. His body may heal, but I would be interested to see how much he can take before his mind is irreparable. Shall we test that out?”
Cierra looked to Dr. Brax. Pollus was doing to her what he had done to the doctor. He was going after Cierra’s loved ones. How many other women had he done this to? She refused to cry, even though hot, angry tears welled up in her eyes. He would never see her in a moment of weakness. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “No.”
The emperor trailed one finger down beside her ear, and along her jawline. “Good girl. See, we’re already coming to an understanding. It’s better for the children that way.” His hand continued to slide down her body until it rested on her stomach.
Her eyes widened. “W-what?”
Pollus turned the sheet of paper Hans had brought in, so Cierra could read it. “Congratulations. You’re going to be a mother.”
Vomit leapt from Cierra’s stomach into her mouth. Her eyes flicked to Dr. Brax. “When you knocked me out…did you let him…did he…” she gurgled. She couldn’t bring herself to finish the question.
Dr. Brax shook her head. “No, no. It’s nothing as crass as that. It was all done medically. The emperor has children with many different races. Most of the time, cross species DNA will not mix to form a viable offspring. We have found a way to take key segments of the emperor’s genetic information, and mix it with that of the mother in order to make healthy children.”
Emperor Pollus called out an order. “Take her to the incubation suite.”
Several women and guards came into the room. They untied her straps, and helped her up off the table. Cierra was suddenly aware that her legs were shaky. A sharp pain in her lower abdomen made her wince.
Dr. Brax saw her twisted expression, and reassured her. “The pain will only last a few days. It’s a small side effect of the procedure. If you notice any bleeding, cold sweats, or vomiting, let one of your ladies know. The first few months are the riskiest with these types of procedures.”
Cierra looked at her in confusion. “My ladies?”
The emperor gestured to the women around her. “Until your pregnancy is further along, you will have ladies in waiting to make sure you don’t engage in much strenuous activity.” The emperor’s faux concern made Cierra’s skin crawl. “Once your child is determined to be healthy and thriving, you will be given more freedom. It’ll give you time to adjust to your new role here. Take her out of here. Make sure she’s comfortable.”
The women surrounded Cierra, and guided her out of the room. It occurred to her that they were forming a protective ring around her. The guards were posted with two in front of the group and two behind. Through the gaps in between the women, Cierra saw someone walking briskly towards them. Her heart leapt with hope, but then plummeted again. It was Makram. His fast pace was carrying him on a path directly towards the emperor. She strained to hear what was being said, as the women led her away.
Makram’s voice was urgent. “We received a cry for help from the fleet that was guarding Relisse, but now all communications have gone silent. We have reason to believe that the planet has been taken over by enemy forces.”
Pollus let out a low growl. “Incompetence seems to be a quickly spreading disease. Rally the rest of the fleet. We’ll put an end to this, once and for all.”
If anything else was said after that, Cierra was too far away to hear it. Someone had taken over Relisse? Had Cherish managed to convince the Yasta to help strike back at the empire? A sudden, devastating thought hit her. None of them even knew she and Theo were at the palace. There would be no rescue team sent for them. Had the rest of the team already assumed that they were dead?
The group surrounding Cierra took her to a room with white doors. Stepping inside, she saw the room was fully decorated in white. All the furniture was padded and smooth. No sharp edges were visible anywhere in the room. The guards left the women to settle in.
Cierra looked down at her stomach in disgust. A part of the emperor was growing inside of her. She wanted to cut it out, to make her body her own again. But, she knew if she did, Theo would pay for her actions. It wasn’t the child’s fault that it was being forcefully created. It was a violation of one of the most personal and private parts of herself.
Cierra let out a forlorn sigh, and walked over to the window. She felt dirty and corrupted. She placed her palms on the windowsill. Thick bars blocked any hope of escape. Peering through them, she could see the city glistening. Her heart longed for the farmland of Relisse before it had been scorched. The tall buildings seemed to be bars of their own, making the whole capital her prison.
Trailing her fingers along the windowsill, she felt ridges. Cierra looked down to see what appeared to be fingernail scratches in the wood. The damage had been painted over several times, but she could still see the marks. Her fingers recoiled from the scrapes. She turned away from the window, and looked at the other women in horror.
A sweet looking girl with timid eyes walked over to her. “Are you okay, my lady? Do you need anything?”
Cierra’s eyes were wide. “What’s your name?”
“Bealize, miss.”
Cierra pulled the girl aside, and showed her the marks on the wood. “What happened here?”
The girl turned her eyes to the floor. Her gentle voice was hard to hear at first. “The incubation suite was not always as safe for young mothers as it is now. In the early days, some of them jumped to their deaths. They needed to be protected from themselves, so the emperor had bars put in, as well as other precautions.”
Cierra took a better look at the room she was in. The interior that had originally appeared soft and white now started to show smaller defects that her eyes seemed to have glossed over before. The hem of the white blanket on the bed was dotted with the rusty color of old blood. The edge of the rug by the fireplace was singed and charred. The table in the center of the room had rounded corners. Looking closer, she could see what seemed to be teeth marks in the wood.
It wasn’t just the room that was more battered, upon taking a better look. The ladies waiting on her were the same way. Bealize had a green tinge under her left eye, a faded reminder of what had undoubtedly been a terrible bruise. A girl that Cierra heard called Gita tried to keep the sleeves of her dress pulled down, around her hands, to cover up the fact that she was missing her pinkie and ring finger on her right hand. Another woman, with sweeping black hair, had a thick scar peeking out of the neckline at the back of her dress. The incubation suite wasn’t a luxury room for mothers-to-be to stay. It was a place to lock away the unpleasant reality of how the emperor was amassing his heirs.
Four
Mari’s blood had dried along Theo’s fingers, but he didn’t bother to wipe them off. His body was out of tears. Only the deep ache of loss, and the inability to protect the ones that mattered to him remained. A ringing in his ears made him squeeze his eyes shut and clamp his hands over his ears.
When he opened his eyes again, the room had changed. Mari’s body was no longer in his lap. There was a soft glow everywhere. Standing in front of him was Irane. Theo’s heart leapt. “You’re here! Save her. Please, save her.”
Irane didn’t move. His hands were folded neatly in front of him. “Theo, I’m not here to heal Mari.”
“What? Why not? You can bring her back!”
Irane’s voice seemed to echo with a timeless wisdom that Theo couldn’t understand. Yet, his words went way beyond being audible, and penetrated every fiber of Theo’s being. “Just because some things can be done, it does not mean they should be. It was her time, Theo.”
Refusing to believe that, Theo stood angrily. “No! No, it wasn’t! I saw her in the future. You took me there!”
Irane nodded slowly. “Yes, you saw her there, and because you saw her, you set out to attack Makram. The future changed once you tried to act to change it. You did just that, Theo. You changed the future. But, your job is not finished yet. You saved her from many years of torture and pain. She was able to see you one more time before her life was ended. It did her soul good to know that you still cared for her, and that you were willing to try and rescue her.”
Theo’s anger started to melt back into sadness. “Why could I save Cherish, but not her? It’s not fair.”
“Cherish still has things she needs to do. Her time isn’t over yet. Your healing power comes from me. It is not something that you completely control. If a person still has unfinished time, then you have the ability to heal them. If their time is over, not even your gift can save them. You are an instrument of my power and wisdom, Theo. You are never alone, even in the darkest of times. I cannot bring Mari back to life, but perhaps I can give you some comfort.”
Theo dug his fingernails into his palms. “It hurts, so badly. Can you take this pain away from me? I don’t want this anymore. I don’t want to feel like I failed her, like I failed my family. I can’t heal it on my own.”
The voice that spoke next was not Irane’s. Soft tones came from behind his back. “You didn’t fail me.” Theo whirled around to see Mari swathed in golden light. Her body was healed, and she was no longer pregnant. She was embellished with a sash-like ribbon of sparkling gold, which spiraled down all the way from her shoulders to her feet. “Hello, Theo.”
Theo rushed to her, and pulled her into his arms. “Mari! I’m so sorry that this happened to you. I should have known you were still alive. I should have come for you.”
Mari brushed his hair away from his face. Her skin felt different. She was softer now. The harsh callouses from years on a farm were gone. She was pale like the richest cream. Her hair smelled of sunlight and the bread she always made when she was happy. Her hug reached the core of Theo’s being. “You have no need to be sorry, or to hurt. I am free of pain. You’re a good man, Theo. But your journey is not yet over. Do not use my death as an excuse to run from your destiny. There is so much left to do. So many people are depending on you, Theo. You must be brave.”
Theo felt some of the hurt and self-disappointment lessen inside of him. She was the one that had died, and yet she was taking care of him. “I tried to save you.”
Mari smiled sweetly at him, and cupped his cheek in her hand. “I know you did, but now there’s someone else you need to save. You know, for an off worlder, she isn’t so bad.” Mari turned towards Irane. “Is it time now?”
Reaching out his hand to her, Irane nodded. “Yes, it is time. You will be reunited with your children now.” An even bigger smile spread across Mari’s face, as she released Theo and turned to follow Irane. She glanced back one more time at Theo.
A blinding white light made Theo close his eyes. When he opened them again, the soft glow was gone. The laboratory was back to the way it had been moments ago. Mari’s dead body was in his lap once again. The sorrow inside of him had eased some, but he knew he would always feel her death. Mari’s words came back to him. “There is someone else you need to save. You know, for an off worlder, she isn’t so bad.”
Theo tried to pull himself together. Somewhere, Cierra was in trouble. It was too late to save Mari, but it wasn’t too late for Cierra.
Five
Cherish awoke to the buzz of chattering voices. Her head was pounding. Her eyes moved behind her eyelids. Distorted words made her feel as if she were underwater. The whirling hum of her processors rebooting sharpened her senses. Opening her eyes, she squinted into the bright overhead lighting.
Somewhere in the room, she heard Hubard calling out instructions. “Someone disable those cameras. I don’t care if you have to paint over them, shoot them down, or hold your hands over the lenses. Figure it out.”
Cherish sat up. Vertigo made her queasy. “What’s going on?”
Dozens of men and women in Yasta robes were bustling around the mine. The energy in the room was anxious. Hubard was standing with his hands on his hips. His hair was a disheveled mess. A few paces away, Cherish could see Jiyeon and Arden. Oxygen masks were secured over their faces, and Seneca was attaching a pulse oximetry device to the Aphaian’s right index finger.
Nial walked over to her in a few, graceful strides. His gait reminded her of the gentle movements of wind blowing across a field of grain. “You’re awake! How are you feeling?”
Cherish was
trying to make sense of what happened. “I’m a little light headed, but everything else seems to be alright. How did we get inside? Why are there so many Yasta here? I thought the fleet wasn’t coming.”
The green splotches on his skin shifted into a new pattern. Nial glanced at Hubard. “The conversation that you and the others were having, before Makka and Fabois flew into the carriers, was broadcasted live to all of the Yasta leaders. Hubard made sure they couldn’t ignore the situation. Originally, they didn’t want to send anyone else to Relisse, because they were afraid of losing too many soldiers in an attack that they were certain was a lost cause.”
Cherish knitted her eyebrows together. “What made them change their minds? Listening to a conversation shouldn’t have made them change their minds if they were honestly worried about losing men. The odds of the fight didn’t change just because we said some goodbyes.”
“Actually,” Nial glanced behind her, over her shoulder, “you have someone special to thank for that.”
Cherish shook her head in confusion. “What? Who has that much sway?” She turned to look, at whoever had captured Nial’s attention. Her eyes widened in surprise, and shock.
Grandmother Yasta was standing in the doorway. “Hello, Cherish.”
Without thinking, Cherish jumped to her feet, rushed over, and threw her arms around her. “You’re alive! We thought Karl had killed you!”
The older woman patted her on the back. “It was a bit touch and go there for a while, but then I had a very special visitor.”
“Huh?”
Grandmother Yasta pointed her eyes to the ceiling. “Batumah came to me, when I was on my death bed. He told me that there was still something that I needed to do before I could leave behind my worldly body. He said that I would know what I needed to do when it was time.”
The Relissarium Wars Omnibus Page 60