by L A Warren
Carek turned deathly pale. “Sire!”
“Is this not the novice you subsidized in the jump-jet circuit?”
Carek took a knee and bowed before his Emperor. “Yes, Sire.”
“And how long have you known what she was?”
“Several sun cycles, Sire.”
“And you chose to keep this from me?”
“Yes, Sire.”
“Carek Tusel, you’re hereby stripped of your citizenship, your position, and all rights. Your life is forfeit.”
Elise swayed. “No!”
“Silence,” he roared and stepped to within a hair’s breadth of Elise.
She flinched and choked back her fear.
Steel glinted off his eyes. With a press to his temple, he reactivated the mist, obscuring his features from prying eyes.
Her four sisters clamored in the darkness. Elise drew breath and silenced them. Give me a moment!
He’s dead, he’s dead, he’s dead! Whimper wailed. We killed Carek!
Shriek cried out, We killed him!
He made his own choices, Malice whispered. It’s a shame. I really liked him.
Alex crawled out of her tunnel and turned on the light. Malikai gave you his word if you won. Demand his word!
Elise let out her breath and lifted her chin. She flicked her gaze to where the tattoo should be. “On your word, I make this request, pardon Carek.”
Gregor hissed. “I told you to be silent.”
“He sought to serve the empire.” Her voice rang out strong and clear. “He told me to return to you when he found out what I was. He demanded I stop training for the jump-jet circuit and withdrew his support. He persuaded me to dedicate myself to the linking program. If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have your precious WOR-link. He serves the empire—and his emperor—in his way.” She took in a deep breath and shuddered as she exhaled. “You gave your word, Gregor. That was the bet, was it not? To grant me one request, whatever it may be. Or is your word worth nothing?”
“You go too far.” Gregor grabbed and pulled her to him. He yanked her arm up and behind her back.
She cried out in pain.
Then, he crushed her lips with his mouth. Elise crumbled as the bond ignited and set her body aflame.
Gregor released her and she fell back into Dove’s arms. “Before you make your request, opés, consider it carefully. There may be something else, something more important, that you desire.”
She shook her head. “You'll never free the Earth WOR. Pardon Carek. That's my request. Honor it or not, but you gave me your word.”
“I am warning you, opés. I’ve given you only one request. Is he really so important to you?”
“You made the bet. Will you honor it?” She arched a brow and stared defiantly at her master.
The call came for the finalists to report to the podium. Carek remained where he was, kneeling at the foot of his emperor. All color had drained from his face, leaving a pasty gray cast to his skin. He looked up in agony.
“I would do it all again, Elise. Don’t worry for me. I knew the risk.” Carek turned his gaze to Gregor. “You have no idea of the strength of this woman, Sire. I ask for no pardon for my crimes.”
Gregor jerked, stricken by Carek’s words. “Mr. Tusel, you are very wrong. I know her entirely too well. I know exactly what she's capable of, perhaps more than she realizes.”
He jerked his chin to Elise, indicating she should follow. Without a word, Gregor walked away. She glanced at Carek on his knees and Jeena standing to her side. These were more than friends. They'd become her family. She would protect them with her last breath.
But for now, it was time to go. She followed Gregor and, in an act of submission, took his arm in her hand. He stopped and placed his opposite hand over hers. He spoke over his shoulder for her friends to hear. “Mr. Tusel, at her behest, you have your pardon.”
Jeena and Dove gasped.
Carek fell on both knees and sobbed.
To Elise, Gregor said, “You are a fool, opés. You could have asked forgiveness for yourself and avoided the braklav.”
“At the expense of a friend’s life?”
“Is he a friend? Or is he more?”
“Like I said, Gregor, he demanded I serve you, even after explaining what the Binding would do to me. We were friends to start. At one point, he desired more, but then he discovered what I was. He’s dedicated to the Vendel, and to you. Despite his actions, you have the most loyal subject in that man. He’s a friend, of sorts, nothing more.”
“I would have given you anything, opés. You still do not understand. I would have spared you . . . you wasted your request.”
“Would you have given me my freedom and that of the Earth WOR?”
He shook his head. "That is not within my power.”
“Then, I made the right choice.”
“Like I said, you are a fool.” He jerked his head forward. “Come, we need to finish this charade.”
She laughed. “It’s not a charade. I beat you. I earned this.”
For a moment, she thought he gave a gentle laugh, but maybe it had just been a cough. With the veil, it was impossible to see his facial expression.
In front of them, a massive crowd had gathered. A long central aisle stretched down the center of the ordered rows. A huge stage had been erected at the front and a large three-tiered podium waited for the arrival of the winners.
Gregor led her down the aisle, holding her hand the entire way. She listened to the whispers of the crowd as they watched Malikai and Chickadee walking together hand-in-hand. Speculation would run wild and none of it would be the truth.
They reached the front of the stage and he guided her to a set of stairs. The crowd roared. Three officials came forward and greeted them.
“Sir, Miss, if you would please follow me. We’ll get you set for the presentation.” The man guided them behind the tiered podium. Gregor released her hand, but kept his eyes glued to her body. Segour was already there, standing behind the podium.
There was more pomp to the ceremony than she expected. After ten minutes of speeches, and the holovideo jump-jet history piece, they finally got down to the business at hand.
“Citizens and Ladies, it is now time for the prize presentations.” The announcer, a Mr. Aleksi, pitched his voice to carry across the hangar deck. “All of our semi-finalists will proceed to the Imperial Jump-jet Finals to be held in three cycles.” The voice of the crowd surged.
Elise glanced over. Candice approach and stood to the side with the other semi-finalists. Candice waved a hand over her head and the crowd roared.
“For our Third Place Prize, with a cash payout of five-hundred-thousand Imperial marks, please congratulate Mr. Segour Hamman.”
Segour stepped up to the platform and climbed onto the lowest level. Loud applause greeted him. Mr. Aleksi allowed the noise of the crowd to die out.
“In second place, after a spectacular flight, please welcome Mr. Malikai Ulysses.”
Gregor stepped up to the platform and spun in a slow circle with his arms upraised. The crowd cheered and clapped.
The noise astonished Elise. She swayed on her feet.
Mr. Aleksi had to wait for the cheering to die down before continuing. “As you know, the second-place finisher is entitled to a cash prize of one-million Imperial marks. Malikai has requested his prize money be set aside for junior jump-jet training camps around the empire.” This received even more applause and a deafening roar from the crowd.
Elise glanced at Gregor and he responded with a slight nod.
Mr. Aleksi raised and lowered his arms in a shushing gesture. Slowly the sound died down. “Citizens, this has been a spectacular competition. For the first time, we have an astounding win by a novice jump-jet pilot. As many of you know, she was trained by our very own Jeena, Imperial Jump-Jet First Place finisher for an incredible ten years running.” The crowd surged again, the noise level rose. “We sorely miss Jeena on the Jump-jet circuit, a
lthough, most of us are secretly glad we don’t have to face off against her!”
Laughter ripped through the cheering crowd.
“What we did not expect was for her to train another pilot to fill her shoes. For the First Place Finish in the Gambit Fleet Jump-jet Circuit Race, please raise your voices for the novice pilot, Chickadee!”
The roar of the crowd before was nothing compared to the avalanche of sound rushing toward Elise as she took the topmost step of the podium. Her heart thumped as their cries filled her lungs with each breath.
Mr. Aleksi allowed the crowd’s applause to stretch for many long minutes.
Elise put on a smile and waved her hands over her head. Larkin jumped up and down in the very first row and laughed as his golden curls bounced in the light.
“Chickadee will walk away from this competition with ten-million Imperial marks. A cash award for her personal use. Gods help her sponsor!”
The roar built up to a frenzied fury and crashed around her ears. She crinkled her brow and wondered how much more exciting this would have been if Gregor hadn’t been standing to her right. Belatedly, she remembered to raise her arms and wave to the crowd.
The sound quieted. Mr. Aleksi walked to the front of the stage. “Now, betting is a jump-jet tradition. We begin when the first pilots are selected for competition and then it gets crazier from there.”
Applause greeted his words.
“This is a special competition for the Gambit. We don’t always have our Imperial Master joining us during the Fleet Finals. However, this year we did. And, according to tradition, Emperor vlor’Malita placed his bet.”
Ear piercing whistles and loud calls sounded from the crowd. Elise heard her name and that of Malikai’s shouted through the throng in front of her.
“Sometimes, almost as exciting as the actual races, the Imperial bet draws intense interest within the betting circles.”
The crowd grew silent.
“This year was no different, with one minor exception.” He raised his hands over his head. “Citizens, this year, the Imperial betting pool surpassed the jump-jet pool for the first time ever in imperial history.”
Elise made out individual voices in the crowd.
“Who was it?”
“Malikai?”
“Segour?”
“Chickadee?”
Elise looked to the ceiling, far in the distance, overhead. The swarm of bio-pods continued about their business of cleaning and air purification, oblivious to the human drama playing out beneath them. They looked like a swarm of ants, relentless and with a singular purpose in life. Clean, clean, clean. The mass of black pods danced above her head in beautiful harmony as they flowed around the many obstructions protruding from the ceiling.
Mr. Aleksi lowered his arms. “Do you want to know who the Emperor placed his bet on?”
The people roared their desire. She decided Mr. Aleksi enjoyed his job. He played the crowd, tugging on their emotions and fanning their desires. He waited for the sound to die down. Only the rustling of clothing, the shifting of feet, and the occasional cough could be heard.
“Citizens! Our Imperial master thought long and hard about his bet. He debated several times over which pilot to take a chance on. I know personally he changed his mind several times before finally settling his bet.”
“Who is it?” a voice called out.
“Tell us!” demanded another.
Mr. Aleksi laughed. “The Emperor decided to go against common wisdom, against sanity, and against the advice of many. He bet on a complete unknown! A novice! Our very own Chickadee!”
At his announcement, huge bins opened up above the crowd, streamers and confetti floated down upon their heads.
Elise’s head snapped over to stare at Gregor. What? She couldn’t see his features, couldn’t read his face.
He gave a half bow. “Sometimes, the long shot is the safest bet. I decided you wanted the win very much to risk so much. I did not, however, throw the race. This is truly yours, Elise, and well earned, despite the cost.”
"You bet on me? Before or after you knew?"
In the front row, Larkin bounced on the balls of his feet, clapping his hands. Jeena and Dove joined him and looked on in silent wonder. Dove held Jeena’s hand.
Mr. Aleksi watched the crowd and then yelled over the noise. “In recognition for her accomplishments, Chickadee has added an additional twenty-million Imperial marks to her First Place Finish.” He turned to her, but spoke to the crowd. “Chickadee, you’ve just become fabulously wealthy. Congratulations.”
If only she could do something with it, but her prize money would be going to Dove.
Oh, my God! It’s going to Dove!
Her lips twisted into a grin. Gregor fined Dove a million marks—a fortune for the average citizen—and had taken away Dove’s broken ship. Her win replaced that money, leaving more than enough for Dove to buy over fifty brand new ships.
Gregor’s wrath had lost its sting. Carek would live. Dove was rich, and if she were any judge, he’d shortly be presented with a matrimonial offer he truly desired. And Jeena would continue on as a pilot. Her friends were safe.
The ceremony wound down. Segour, Gregor and Elise accepted their prize money. When she pressed her palm to the gel-pad, she reaffirmed the deposit into Dove’s personal accounts. Jeena whispered into Larkin’s ear. His face seemed to melt and he cast a watery gaze to Elise. She nodded and pressed her fingers to her lips. She blew out her kisses as Gregor dragged her off the stage.
It was time to be Bound.
But we’re not done fighting, Alex said. I have a plan.
Part Two
Chapter Eleven
Gregor did not let go of Elise’s arm until they entered the pod car. His silence thundered in the space between them. The tattoo over his left eyebrow did not dance, swirl or menace with the fire dancing in his eyes. Instead, he focused straight ahead and revealed nothing about his mood.
He was angry, but there was something else as well.
She didn’t know if he was furious, impressed, or amused. That was quite a range of emotions. Any one of them could belong to the expression stamped upon his face. Occasionally, when she dared to peek, he seemed shocked or introspective. That look would rapidly be replaced by pursed lips and a frown. Once, he shook his head while he stared at his feet and chuckled. That confused the hell out of her. Why would he laugh at her doom? Was it possible for one man to be that cruel?
The inevitable approached. She was to be bound in the Vendel’s ritual Binding Rite. From jump-jet circuit winner to participant in an intimate Vendel Binding Rite, the universe certainly had a wicked sense of humor.
“You should be frightened, opés, and yet you’re not. How is that?” His cultured voice lacked any anger. He seemed more reflective than anything else.
“I am.” Elise shrugged but did not meet his eyes. “You’re not as angry as I thought you’d be.”
Gregor led her out of the pod car and they walked down an empty corridor. She recognized the place. Down the hall, across the sweeping walkway, a public lift tube waited. Gregor had taken her in that lift tube a long time ago. It had been the first time he’d kissed her and the first time she’d felt the exciting betrayal of her body. To be claimed by him would not be an unpleasant experience. If she could forget about him stealing her free will, she might actually look forward to it.
“I’ve had a long time to think about this,” he said. “I expected something different from you as well.”
“Fear?”
“Yes, instead, you radiate confidence. You never cease to surprise me, Elise.”
“You expected me to cry and beg for forgiveness? I told you, you can’t hurt me.” She picked at the seams of her flightsuit. “Honestly, I find myself relieved. I’m glad it’s finally over.”
“It has never been my intention to hurt you.” He placed her hand in the crook of his arm and led her forward.
Elise and opés.
T
hose two names held meaning to this vlor’lord. Vendel were particular about names. High Tender Marcus made sure she learned that lesson early.
She hadn’t quite figured it out, but when Gregor used her name, the hairs on her arms stood on end. Opés, she understood. It was meant to be possessive and defined her as property. Elise however? What did it mean when he used her name?
“You’ve hurt me every step of the way. You sentenced me to the attentions of High Tender Marcus. He may enjoy his job, but you made the decision. You didn’t have to pass judgment on my friends, and yet you did. They were innocent.”
“Mr. Tusel was far from innocent, and Tender Training is generally an effective education. Despite my personal feelings, you are still WOR. Instant and complete obedience by a WOR is vital. Tender Training has a way of shaping a WOR’s mind and instilling those traits. Some of what I must ask of you will cause you pain. I need to be able to push you past and through such pain.”
Personal feelings? Elise stopped that line of thought.
Instead, she said, “Nevertheless, Dove and Jeena didn’t deserve that sentence.”
“As Emperor, I couldn’t let them go unpunished. Your little escapade will become common knowledge soon enough.” He became silent for a time and then sighed. “Alas, Malikai has run his last race. I’ll have to retire that identity and find a suitable story to explain why you were in the jump-jet finals. Truthfully, I hoped you’d ask for all of them to be pardoned. Instead, you only asked for Mr. Tusel. I tried to give you that concession. I had hoped you would have realized it and taken it. I’m not your enemy, Elise. I never have been.”
She realized her mistake by the regret in his voice.
“Is that why you made that bet?”
He nodded. “I gave what I could.”
“Did you throw the race, then, so I would win? To give me that chance?”
“No, I never lose intentionally.” He said that with great sincerity. “Not with Jeena and not with you. I felt confident I’d win, but if you had beaten me, I hoped to give you something. I knew what would happen after the race; what it would cost you and your friends.”