Bonded Telepaths
Page 11
“No, sir. My mate is human… and she’s been kidnapped by The Order along with the other survivors. We have no idea where they are or what’s been done with them.”
“You two need medical attention. Erato, Clio, help them onto the ship. Doctor Gamma expected injured soldiers but he’ll have to make do stitching them up.”
28
Imprisoned By The Order
Penelope woke on the stone floor, her back and neck ached from improper posture and a poor night’s sleep. The Order had been gracious enough to leave her clothes and her cloak, but prisons, not typically designed for comfort, were designed less so for human comfort. Poppy tucked her legs in close in the corner of the cell.
She heard footsteps coming toward her but didn’t see anything until she blinked. In the corner of her eye, Sibyl appeared. When she reopened them, Sibyl was gone. Poppy closed her eyes again. Sibyl was there, in all her resplendent glory, her fangs clicking and her eyes blinking loudly, wet skin pulled back as she saw.
«Is this what you wanted?» Poppy asked, «Ajax is dead, I’m in prison, couldn’t you have warned me of this?»
«I see possibilities, not certainties and many of those possibilities have come to pass. You will wish that your mate had died. It would have been much easier if he had died.»
«I appreciate the warm sentiment,» Poppy snapped.
Sibyl, as usual, appeared unaffected by Penelope’s lack of manners which made her so much more infuriating. She was impervious to rudeness, or sarcasm.
«A series of events will unfold, Penelope. A war is starting. A civil war. The last time the Devorans had troubles, planets were destroyed. Telepaths are dangerous warriors. This rebellion could destroy the planet, the star system and all of Devor’s allies.»
«Great.»
«You must leave here and protect the defector. The Order will be looking for her and you must protect her. Now that you have saved your mate and that future will not come to pass, you must protect the defector.»
«Try making sense for a change, then I’ll listen to you.»
«I don’t know the identity of the defector but the one who led you to your deaths does.»
«Poseidon?»
Sibyl nodded.
«None of us are dead, so I guess you’re wrong about that too. Leave me alone unless you’re going to tell me anything useful.»
«You will not die if you protect the defector. None of you will die. But you must be willing to accept what I have given to you.»
«What is that?»
«I can see that you’ve felt it already. The call to use your power to slip into minds and bend them to your will. You must use it.»
«That’s dark telepathy. It’s taboo amongst Devorans. It’s the reason The Order has turned so sick and deadly. You can’t ask me to use it.»
«You are not Devoran, child. You have not yet accepted that you’re different from them, but you must endure to awaken.»
«What does that mean?»
«You must learn the identity of the defector and find out why Poseidon knows. You must put aside your differences with the Devoran.»
«Is there going to be any reward for me running off and acting like your lap dog?»
«The Fengari no longer have the influence we once did. All we have is our children and even those children have grown weak and sheltered. There is much waiting for you on Fengar, Penelope, once you wish to have it.»
«I never understand a word of what you’re saying.»
«You do not need to understand. You need to act. The futures are slimming, becoming less and less. I cannot see as clearly in my old age. I see enough to protect the precious alien child. Out of love.»
Poppy hugged her legs tighter to her chest. Love. Sibyl, nor any Fengari had ever mentioned love. She assumed they were capable of it, in private, but she never thought the Fengari could have that love for her.
«I know what you are thinking, child. Of course, we love you, like we love your mother, poor doll. For her, you must continue, if for no one else. She fears you are hurt.»
«She hardly knows where she is.»
«One day, she will come back to you.»
«Sibyl?»
«Yes?»
«Tell me how to get out of here. Please.»
«You have what you need already. Now, open your eyes.»
Poppy’s eyes flew open against her will. She was still alone in her cell with no sign of Sibyl, nor any clue what the Fengari queen wanted from her. At least she knew Ajax was alive. He wouldn’t leave her alone for long if he were alive.
A red-robed guard came by and shoved food through the bars. Poppy sensed he was nervous around her. Fearful, even.
“Hello,” she greeted him and he winced.
“You don’t need to be afraid of me.”
He hurried off. He didn’t need to be scared of her. What did The Order think about her? It was a few hours yet before Castor called to her.
«I think we can get out of here soon.»
«Ajax is alive,» Poppy blurted out.
Castor had been asleep for hours and impossible to reach out to.
«How can you know that?»
«Sibyl came to me in a vision. Where’s Jason?»
Castor fell silent.
«Cas?»
«They took him away. I think they’re going to question him.»
«Why?»
«I don’t know. But we need to get out of here,» Castor sounded frustrated. Poppy sensed an undercurrent of fear from him, unusual for Cas.
«We can’t leave without Jason.»
«Can’t you get where he is from a guard?»
She could, but it wouldn’t be easy. Poppy sighed.
«You’re right. We need to get out. What’s your plan?»
«You’re not gonna like this…»
«It’s reckless?»
«Yes.»
«Let me guess, it’s also going to be insane.»
«Yes.»
«We don’t have much of a choice, do we?»
«They’re immune to my telepathy but if you’re getting a sense of them, you should be able to figure out what needs to be done.»
«Explain, Castor.»
Poppy was getting frustrated by telepaths and their riddles. Her harshness was better suited for Sibyl than for Cas. He began to share his plan with her — his crazy, mad man’s plan.
29
Ajax & The Prince
Prince Prometheus leaned against the console, his commanding hand making contact with the ship’s telepathic brain. He could only strategize when he saw all his soldiers, the proud Devoran men and women prepared to die for their planets the way he was. His parents sent him here to serve their planet, to understand that only through service can a monarch rule.
He rescued students, which was fair enough. The decades since his Academy years flitted by faster than he’d been prepared for. His father Titan warned him that the decades would do that and that even as a half-human prince, he’d have a Devoran reckoning with his lifespan. He’d become emperor in a few hundred years, once he’d gained the experience and wisdom his mother longed to protect him from.
The Order’s rise surprised him, like everyone in the royal family. There was peace on Devor. What sorts of people could want chaos from peace? What sorts of people could kill their kind and leave children and soldiers’ bodies lying in the snow without the rites? Such actions made Prometheus uneasy.
The two students rescued slept for three days on the ship. Doctor Gamma advised against questioning them too soon, but there were more unsafe children. He’d question the boy first.
Prometheus found Ajax laying awake, staring at the ceiling, a pained expression on his face. He hardly noticed the prince’s entrance and when he did, he attempted to scramble to an upright, appropriate position. Prometheus dismissed the genuflection.
“You’ve told Doctor Gamma how your pod came to be lost and how many of your friends died. Some simply disappeared, you mentioned.”
Ajax nodded
.
“You haven’t spoken in three days aloud. Is there some way I can coax you?”
Ajax shook his head.
“Perhaps not yet. I apologize if you are not comfortable here. I recognize you from your look. Your parents are scientists. They have contributed much to understanding the tundra.”
Ajax bowed his head.
“Your parents will be contacted.”
Ajax shook his head.
“Don’t worry about them. They are researched in Sekhmet-gamma by now. There’s no need for them to be troubled.”
“Their son nearly died. I believe they should be informed.”
Prometheus wasn’t accustomed to contradiction, but he was pleased that the boy finally spoke.
“Don’t. Please.”
“Very well, Ajax. I’m pleased that you’ve found your voice.”
“I’m sorry,” Ajax grumbled, “It’s who is missing that troubles me. I… uh… I don’t commonly announce it, but I’ve been mated and my mate is among the missing.”
“Not dead?”
Ajax shook his head.
“Not dead. Missing.”
“Hm.”
Ajax sensed the prince’s disbelief but didn’t think it right to correct him.
«I can sense you biting your tongue.»
«With all due respect, Prince Prometheus, beasts leave behind evidence. We know The Order felled the military vessel. We know they likely felled our pod. They have reason to kidnap one of us.»
«You know more about the order?»
«Yes. I had an encounter with them last year.»
«At the Academy? The royal family was not informed of this.»
«It’s complicated. I believe the administration didn’t want to make a fuss. A human girl was nearly killed.»
The boy had Prometheus’ attention. He pulled a chair up next to the boy’s hospital bed. He heard the story of the human mate and was reminded of his mother. The royal family had been informed, but he’d been on the borderlands fighting the Taurean confederates for their new allies in the senate.
“The Order is no longer a fringe organization,” Prometheus explained, “They’re getting stronger. This human telepath they have poses no threat to them. I cannot imagine why they want her.”
“She’s not fully human.”
Prometheus’ stomach lurched for a moment. Perhaps the girl was like him, a human and Devoran mix. Ajax quickly restrained his excitement with his explanation.
“She’s part of the ancient creatures. The Fengari. Her father was half.”
“She’s mostly human then.”
“Mostly. But they have taught her Fengari techniques. Perhaps that’s why The Order is eager to have her.”
Prometheus nodded. The boy was a keen thinker, and forward, too. He was on the young side, but he’d gain wisdom and experience soon enough. Age couldn’t be helped.
“Come, Ajax. How are you with a weapon?”
“Not bad.”
“You’re only a first-year at the Academy?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Bruised for a first-year.”
“I lived in the wilderness with my parents for years.”
“Hunter?”
“No, sir. My parents are…”
Ajax paused, seeming to hesitate with embarrassment.
“They do not believe in harming creatures of any kind, not for food, not for anything.”
“Hm.”
“What would you have me do, Prince?”
“I would have you arm yourself. We’re going to use your mate to find The Order’s stronghold.”
“I can’t reach her telepathically.”
“Not alone you can’t. I’m a Prince, remember? There are secrets and rituals I’ve learned because of my family. We’ll find and rescue your mate, and then we’ll discuss what to do with you.”
“Me?”
Ajax grunted and tried to get out of his bed. Prometheus didn’t stop him from testing his strength.
“You would make a great soldier. I sense potential in you.”
“I’ve always intended to become a scientist like my parents.”
“Hm.”
Prometheus added nothing more after that. With Doctor Gamma’s approval, they led Ajax to Prometheus’ private meditation room. The thick smell of incense filled the air. Doctor Gamma gave them both a ritual bath and they wore nothing but cloths wrapped around their waists as they sat before the smoke.
“Inhale,” Prometheus instructed, “And picture your mate’s face in all its detail. Picture her human touch and how different it is from Devoran touch. Find her in your mind and I will do the rest.”
Ajax inhaled deeply, his legs crossed and his large back straightened as he focused on the task of finding her. Penelope. He should have never let them take her.
30
The Defector
Penelope and Castor postponed their plans when Ajax connected with her telepathically. Poppy was just happy that he was alive. Most of the others hadn't been so lucky.
Ajax and Prince Prometheus were five days away and coming with a royal military ship. That meant reinforcements, which meant playing their hand too soon could get them all killed. They could all get killed anyway. Penelope had no intention of letting that happen.
When Jason returned from questioning, Poppy nearly gave in. He was hurt badly and spending his energy concealing his pain from her.
Cas refused to let her see what they’d done to him. The next day, Cas disappeared. When he came back, he was even weaker than Jason.
The military ship should have been two days away when The Order soldiers yanked Poppy from her cell and dragged her through the cold halls of her prison. Hunger should have weakened her, but she was used to a biting stomach over the summer. Fengari food was unappealing and she’d force herself to go a day or two at a time eating only what she needed to survive. That part was easy.
The one who had been feeding her, Boreas, slipped a hood over her head when he dragged her to be questioned. Penelope sensed things about him; the hood did nothing to block her perceptions of him or her surroundings. On the moon, she’d learned to see in darkness, and her mind expanded in so many ways.
Boreas had no children, no mate. The old Devoran man from before waited for her in the questioning room. The room was pure white with a box in the middle. They thought she couldn't see. Penelope had no intention of showing them otherwise.
“Sit.”
Poppy sat and Boreas removed her hood.
“Bind the prisoner.”
That one was named Typhon. She hadn’t listened closely enough to see his name before. It stuck out now. He was smaller than Boreas, and stockier, though being small by Devoran standards still made him bigger than her.
Poppy's back stiffened. They’d torture her the way they tortured Jason and Castor, she was sure. Poppy could only withstand her pending torment knowing Ajax would come for them.
“Penelope Darden, jazad on our homeworld, invader, and thief.”
“You've heard about me then.”
“Your attitude is nearly as legendary as your disrespect for Devoran history and custom.”
“I've always wanted to be a legend.”
Typhon surprised her by delivering a hard slap across her face. Poppy’s cheeks stung.
“Pink flesh. A sickening, disgusting color," he spat as her cheek turned color before him.
“Thank you, I made it myself.”
“The games are finished."
“So soon?”
“You know the defector.”
“I’m afraid not.”
Now Poppy had no idea what they were talking about. Before she'd been sure that they wanted her, and her Fengari abilities. Now, she sensed that wasn't all they wanted. There was something else. The defector.
“You children stick to your silly script. Do you not know how old I am?”
“234 years. Almost to the day."
Typhon raised a dark brow and scowled again.<
br />
“Insolent child.”
Her accuracy earned her another slap.
“If you think slapping me will give you the answers you want, you’re sorely mistaken,” Poppy spat.
Typhon slapped her again. Time. If only she could buy herself time, she’d learn what she needed to.
“I will get the answers I want, child. I have not fallen to weakness like the rest of my people. You will learn that there’s still strength in Devor.”
Poppy screamed as the agonizing twisting started in the base of her skull. Daphne attacked her the same way before. She’d been naive to telepathy and the damage that could be done with it at the time. This man was naive too. He thought she was still just a human. He might have heard of her powers, but he didn't understand their extent.
«Bend to me, jazad or I will explode every blood vessel in your skull.»
Poppy tried to resist him as he wriggled into her head. Pain exploded on the sides of her head and she could feel a trickle of blood prepared to flow from her nose. She pushed the pain of his attack out of her mind.
She had to fight back. He’d kill her here as he’d promised. Is this what Sibyl meant?
«I am not weak. Leave me be or you will sssssuffer, Devoran.»
Her limbs trembled and she a vein on her neck bulged as hot blood pumped through it. Poppy glared at him, her brow knitting tightly together as she pushed the energy of his attack out of her head. Typhon’s eyes glowed. He couldn’t hide his surprise. Poppy wasn’t so arrogant as to think she’d bested him yet.
«Let go of me!»
Poppy screamed and to her surprise, Typhon fell backward. The glowing from his eyes intensified and she rose to her feet, breaking the binds they’d used on her wrists.
«Sit down or I will kill you!»
«Do it!» Poppy roared, «If you can kill me, DO IT!»
Power tingled in her fingertips and her legs trembled as she stepped closer to Typhon. He lay on his back and she kept him there using her telepathic power and his. He was pressed to the ground like an insect trapped beneath a cup. It would take nothing for her to squish the life out of him.