by Edward Lake
I could feel my blood boiling. I wanted to spit in his face and refuse to be his personal servant, but I had to keep my cool—for now. Defying Pastor Saros could be fatal. “Yes, of course, my priest.”
He put his arm around me and guided me to the entrance on the roof that led to the lower levels. “Come, Declan. I’ll have my maids clean you up and fetch you something to eat.”
That night, during twilight hours, the immaculate palace was quiet. Pastor Saros and Agnes had gone to bed. I figured Sadie was asleep, too—cozy and warm in a nice plush bed. As the High Priest had requested, I paced the halls and patrolled with a few members of the Holy Guard. When it was my turn to be relieved for the night, one of the priest’s servants took me to a room and told me to rest up for the sermon.
None of it felt real. The touch of the High Priest’s golden rings. Being inside the royal palace. Watching over Sadie. My one selfish act had taken me away from my mission. Evander warned me about Sadie, and I let her pretty green eyes suck me in like a fool.
Minutes later, as I lay on my bed, I heard footsteps approaching from down the hall. Curiously, the walking stopped at my door and someone knocked. “Come in,” I called out to whoever it was.
The door slid open and Sadie peeked her head inside. She slipped right through the thin opening and quickly closed the door. She stood there, gazing at me, her hair a wild, sensual mess. “I can’t sleep, Declan.”
I hurried out of my bed and hissed, “Sadie? Why have you come to me in the middle of the night?”
Wearing a sexy, loosely fitting gown, she strutted out from the shadows with flair. Her curvy hips swayed in the crisp, dim light, taking my breath away with every stride. “Relax, Declan. Sit back down on the bed.”
I sat down and moved over to make sure she had enough space. She sat down beside me and nuzzled up against my arm. She frolicked with her fingers like a nervous child, peering at me with her angelic eyes.
“All I can think about is how much fun I had with you tonight. The dancing. The danger. All of it was such a thrill.”
I narrowed my eyes. “We nearly died. Aren’t you a little shaken?”
She laughed so hard her face turned red. “Shaken?” She calmed herself and slid her hand onto my leg. “Sure, I was afraid. But we survived.”
I blushed hard and moved her hand away. “If anyone found us like this, I could be killed.”
She had a look in her eyes that seemed almost menacing. “Don’t be bashful, Declan.” She placed her hand on my face. “I’m the kind of woman who always gets what she wants—whenever I want it.”
My heart thundered in my chest. I had made the mistake of not listening to Evander already. I couldn’t let it happen again. “Look, Sadie, you are a very beautiful woman. But I can’t do this.”
“Stop your whining and kiss me, silly.” Her lips puckered, she closed her eyes and leaned into me.
I turned my head away and pushed her back. “Please, stop!”
In the blink of an eye, she grabbed my face. “Are you stupid or something? I told you, I always get what I want. No one rejects me, Declan. So stop being a coward and take your clothes off.”
I bit my lip and shook my head at her. Now I really understood what Evander was talking about when he called Sadie a “wild heart.” She seemed crazed, like a rabid animal hunting for her next kill. Does she only see me as her next plaything or is there something more to this? I hoped that maybe it was all an act and perhaps there was at least a shred of humility inside her. “Sorry, I just…”
She laughed again and gently set her fingers on my lips. “No more talking.” She slowly closed her eyes and leaned forward.
At this point, disobeying Sadie felt like a very bad idea. But no matter how hard I tried to force myself to go along with her demands, I just couldn’t. I wanted to get inside her head so I could see how she became such a spoiled diva. “Why me, Sadie? Can’t you at least tell me that?”
She grabbed my face again, but this time it was much more playful. “I said no more talking!” She ripped and pulled at my shirt. “Take it off.” She leaned back and removed her top.
My palms began to sweat, and my lips quivered. My fondness for her was fading by the minute. All this time, I thought she was this dream girl with a good heart. I prayed I would have a chance to get to know Sadie. Perhaps, deep down, she’s suffering like me. Maybe she hates her father as much as I do. Maybe this is her way of getting back at him. “Look, we really should stop.”
She pointed a demanding finger in my face. “If I have to tell you to underdress one more time, I’ll have you—”
“I’m a woman!” God, what have I done?
It felt like time had stopped. Sadie stared at me with a puzzled gaze in her eyes. We sat there for a few seconds, stiff and in total silence. Finally, I sighed and looked away from her.
She burst into laughter. “You’re so funny, Declan. You’d say anything to stop me, huh?”
I stood up and removed my shirt. Sadie scooted backward, and her eyes widened. She covered her mouth and gulped. I reached behind my back and carefully undid the piece of cloth I had been using to tie down my breasts.
Sadie’s eyes twitched. “My goodness. You really are a woman.”
I put my head down and placed my hands on my hips. “Yes, I am.”
A long, uncomfortable silence hung over us. There was nothing else for me to say. My life was in Sadie’s hands, and I was ready for whatever she was going to do.
“I want you to leave my home, Declan—or whatever your name is. You’re a freak and a liar.” She snatched the sheets off the bed and covered herself.
I grabbed my shirt off the floor and put it back on.
Sadie’s face turned red as she glared back at me. “I can’t believe this. Now I look like the stupid one.” She crossed her arms and shook her head at me. “You’re nothing more than an imposter.” She looked away and closed her eyes. “I should have you killed for this.”
In that moment, my whole life flashed before my eyes. I saw the loving faces of my mother and father. I envisioned my brother when he was much younger, Kyra, and all the other kids we used to play with on the prison yard. I saw Grandma Petra and Turk and Lydia. I felt the pain of all my years of suffering—and the joy of all my smiles.
Sadie peeked at me with curious eyes. “Who are you?”
“Zena Ezra. Declan is my brother. I took his place to save him from the war.”
She wiped her eyes again and stared at me. “You must love him very much.”
“I do.” I remained still and quiet for a moment. Finally, I threw up my hands. “Can I ask you something?”
She shrugged and fixed her hair. “Sure.”
“You could have any person you want.” I placed my hands on my chest. “Why a slave soldier from the North Star?”
She rolled her eyes and spat out an uneasy laugh. “I wasn’t lying when I called you cute.” She looked me up and down. “There was also a shyness about you. A curiousness I wanted to explore.” She waved her hand over her head. “I’ve seen all the spectacles of Sodus and Agholor and all the other planets we rule. I wanted to share it with someone new to my world, so I could relive it all through their eyes.” She bent forward and tucked her lips. “I wanted someone I could control. Someone who wouldn’t say no.”
You wanted a plaything, a man toy. “Evander warned me about you.”
She smiled wickedly. “Did he now?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Well, that’s because he’s bitter from a broken heart.” She shrugged again. “It’s what I do.” She covered her face and gently massaged the space between her eyes. “Leave, Zena, and never speak of this night to anyone.” She breathed out a long sigh. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“Why would you help me?”
She looked up at me and pulled the sheets up higher. “Because you saved my life.”
I gave her a bow. “Thank you.”
“Leave before I have a change
of heart.”
Before I could put my armor and helmet back on, Sadie stopped me.
“Wait.” She tossed the sheets to the floor and picked up her top. She put it on in a hurry, then stepped forward, reached down, and grabbed the ripped cloth. “Turn around.”
I spun around and let her tie my breasts down with the cloth. I put my armor and helmet back on and grabbed my gun off the shelf.
“I’ll tell my father you couldn’t join us for the sermon.” She closed her eyes and placed a hand over her forehead. “Please go.”
I walked to the door and opened it. I looked back at her once more. “For what it’s worth, I always wanted you, Sadie. I just never thought someone like me could ever get this close to you.” I put my head down and left the room. I carefully shut the door and closed my eyes. From outside the room, I listened to Sadie cry.
Tears welled from my eyes as I took a long, shameful walk to the stairway. Goodbye, Sadie Saros. I reached the stairs and turned my head to steal one last look at the room, wishing I could go back in time and make things right. “Goodbye.”
Part 5
Death to Zena
20
Evander
Restless and unable to calm my nerves and get some sleep before the early-dawn sermon, I wandered around my ship all night. Something was out of place. I figured Commander Vault would have sniffed out the traitor by now. But maybe there is something more to it. Something inconceivable, I wondered. If there was one place I figured the rebels and Serpents would never reach, it was my home, Sodus, the Holy Planet.
I heard footsteps approaching from the entryway of my ship and drew my gun. I spun around and aimed at the empty space between the ramp and the ceiling. “Who’s there?”
“It’s just me, Captain,” Declan called out as he emerged from the shadows with his hands up. “Please, don’t shoot.”
I blew out a deep sigh. “What are you doing here, Ezra? I thought you were staying with the pastor’s family tonight.”
He walked to me and shrugged. “Well, I was, but I decided to leave.” He crossed his arms and looked away from me, as if he wasn’t telling me the truth about his early exit from the Saros palace. “I let you down tonight, sir. I’m very sorry for that.”
I looked him up and down and noticed the pain in his eyes. Still, everything inside me wanted to yell at him—and tell him what a fool he was for not listening to me. But I was also responsible for Declan and all the soldiers of the Holy Guard. I had let them down, too. “I can see that there is more to your troubles than the attack at the ocean. Would you like to talk about it?”
He put his head down and moved closer to me. “Yes, there is something I would like to tell you.” He turned away and made his way to the table at the center of the ship. He carefully placed his hands on the edge of the table and looked down again.
I waited and waited for him to speak, then turned around and walked toward him. “Go on, Declan. Tell me what’s on your mind.”
After a short while longer, he finally looked up at me. “I have a… fondness for Sadie.” He clenched his lips like he was afraid to confess this to me. “Tell me, Captain, do you love her? And is that the real reason you wanted me to stay away from her?”
I nodded to his first question. “Yes, I do love her.” I crossed my arms and stared into the distance. “However, I was being sincere when I told you about Sadie’s wild heart. You see, she’s the kind of woman who can’t be tamed.” I glanced at Declan, hoping he would listen this time. “So forget about her and move on with your life, or you’ll end up with a broken heart like me.”
He remained still for a moment, gazing like a fool stuck in a trance. At last, he nodded and stood up straight. “You’re right, Captain. I need to stay away from her.” Declan turned and faced me. “It will be hard, but that is what I must do.”
Seeing him come to this conclusion was rather rewarding for me. Sadie was nothing but trouble. I didn’t want to see Declan added to the list of men she had ruined. I reached out to him and tapped his arm. “Listen, why don’t you stay here tonight? We’ll get some rest, then wake up and head to the early-dawn sermon together.”
He smiled. “I’d like that, sir.”
I placed my hand on his back and showed him to his bed. It wasn’t much, just a foldout unit that guests rarely used. “Lie down, soldier, and rest up. I’ll get you some sheets and blankets.”
Hours later, Declan and I woke to a beautiful sunrise. After getting ourselves cleaned up, we climbed in the cockpit and prepared the ship for takeoff. Declan kept a close eye on me the whole time and asked many questions about piloting a ship as I flew toward the Stadium of Sodus.
Seeing him so eager to learn was refreshing. He had a hunger about him, a thirst for knowledge. Perhaps he developed such characteristics as a fighter for the GGC. Regardless, I loved seeing that fire in his eyes. It gave me hope that he had a real chance to make it as a member of the Holy Guard.
When we arrived at the stadium, I landed near the main entrance. My troops were waiting for me there, standing by the doors and awaiting instructions. With Declan by my side, I left my ship and huddled up with the others. My orders were simple and quick. “Keep your eyes open for any suspicious activity. I have a strong feeling the rebel spy is among us, hiding in plain sight.”
To finish, I introduced Declan to the group and proclaimed him the newest member of the Holy Guard.
He was overly gracious to me and the others, like a kid attending the academy who finally got a chance to party with the popular kids. “Thank you, to all of you.”
Shortly thereafter, when Pastor Saros arrived, we dispersed. I took Declan and two others with me to the stage. The rest of the Holy Guard lined up around the stage and mixed in with the crowd.
The choir sang praise to God as the stadium filled up. All the happy attendees, dressed in white and gold, found their seats, then sang and danced with the choir. Minutes later, the horns of glory sounded, and the High Priest marched onto the stage with Sadie and Agnes. Pastor Saros had this frowning stare on his face, like someone had sucked all the joy out of his soul. It was sad to see him like that. He looked lost and hopeless as he ambled to the podium and waved to the tens of thousands in attendance. He sluggishly positioned himself at the podium and cleared his throat before he began the sermon. “God is good, Starlight. Yes, God is good.”
For a moment, I shifted my focus to Sadie, and I couldn’t help but notice her peering at Declan—glancing his way, over and over, then back at her father. Has Declan told me everything about his “fondness” for Sadie? I feared perhaps something sexual had occurred between them. Even worse, thinking about it made my heart sting, and I realized I still had deep feelings for Sadie. I took a deep breath, which helped calm my nerves.
Like always, Pastor Saros started his speech by babbling about the origins of our religion.
“God came to man and told him the laws of the universe.” He paused and scanned the crowd. “That man’s name was Abe, and he journeyed the galaxy for the rest of his life, spreading the word of God. From the scenic mountains of Agholor to the snowy hills of Cato, he went from planet to planet, on and on, for many years until he finally came home to Sodus, the Holy Planet.” He did a full turn and checked every section of the stadium before coming back to the podium. “Brothers and sisters of the Holy Empire, our planet was attacked last night.”
All around me, a loud echoing chatter erupted.
Pastor Saros put a hand up to calm the noise. “Settle down, my people. Settle down. The situation is under control. The Holy Army is stronger than ever before, and our enemies will be destroyed soon.” He turned to Sadie. “I would now like to bring forth my daughter, Sadie Saros, who survived the attack and would like to share some encouragement with you all.”
With great concern, I checked Declan to read his reaction. His eyes twitched like a trampled flower, and he kept licking his lips and folding them into his mouth.
The congregation boomed and
rocked with cheers as Sadie stepped to the podium. She took her time to adjust the speaker and cleared her throat a few times. “Yes, Father, God is good.” She stood there, frozen and speechless, gazing into the distance like a bird on a tree. “Excuse me, I…”
A cluster of whispers sparked from every corner of the stadium. Pastor Saros and Agnes looked at each other in utter disbelief. I was in shock, too, praying that Sadie was okay.
She broke down at the podium and crumbled to her knees. “I’m sorry, Father. I’m so sorry.” She sank into tears and covered her face.
Pastor Saros hurried to his daughter’s aid and quickly escorted her off the stage. Agnes went to the podium and graciously dismissed everyone from the sermon.
Right away, I ordered Declan and the others inside to keep a close eye on the High Priest and his family. I hoped that Sadie had only experienced a little stage fright. Maybe she was still in shock from the attack at the ocean. But in the back of my mind, I feared there was something far worse going on with her.
Thereafter, inside the palace, I stood on the right side of Sadie’s room while Declan stood on the left. I could hear her cries throughout the tall, ranging hallway. Pastor Saros and his wife were also inside the room, pleading with Sadie and asking her to tell them what happened.
“Leave me alone!” she screamed. Soon after, she snapped at her parents again and ordered them to leave.
After some uncomfortable shouting between Pastor Saros and his wife, they finally agreed to leave the room. When they came to the hallway, Agnes shoved past her husband and sneered, “Why, Linus? Why would God do this to us?”
The High Priest stood next to me, staring at his wife as she scurried away. He stood there for a few seconds and listened to his daughter cry. “Captain Cain, follow me to my office.” He glanced at Declan and ordered, “Watch over her, soldier. Make sure she stays in her room.”