He shoves Ax. Caught off guard, Ax stumbles to the ground, cursing. Logan’s fist juts out, hitting him square on the jaw and snapping his head back. Ax slides out of the way, narrowly missing Logan’s second strike. He swings his legs, taking Logan down at the ankles. Logan face plants the ground as Ax climbs to his feet. Logan pushes swiftly off the ground, fury evident on his face. I’m far too dazed to do anything, but Izzy jumps in between them, throwing her arms out and holding them back. “Stop fighting. This isn’t helping anyone.”
Logan straightens up, lunging for Ax again, but Izzy blocks him. “Logan, Sadie needs you.”
Predictably, that snaps him out of it. He walks to my side, crouching down. “Angel? What’s wrong? Did he hurt you?” When I don’t respond, he tilts my chin up with the tip of his finger. “Baby, talk to me.” A trickle of blood slips out of his nose, and he swiftly swipes it away.
“It’s him, Logan. The VP’s been the real threat this whole time, and I didn’t see it. Didn’t see what was directly under my eyes.”
“We’ve always known he was a threat, Angel.” He caresses my cheek.
“You don’t understand. He’s like me, Logan. Griselda did the same thing to him.”
Logan’s alarmed eyes pin mine in place. He rises, hauling me up with him, locking his arms around me as he spins us to face Ax. “You better start explaining, asshole. Right now.”
Ax rubs his hand over his jaw, dropping into a chair as he glowers at Logan. “I know I messed up and I’ve got to live with it for the rest of my life, but I am not going to sit here and take this shit from you. I’d like to tell you both what I came here today to say, but if you interrupt me again, Logan, I’m leaving.”
Logan sinks into the seat, pulling me onto his lap. “Tell us everything you know.”
He didn’t tack “asshole” onto the end this time—that’s about as civil as he’s going to get.
“I’ve discovered new files Griselda kept on Horace and Sadie. After Sadie was returned to Earth, something my mother saw in the future led to her decision to form a backup plan in case Sadie failed. So, she went back to the past and abducted Horace as a kid, conditioning him in the same way she did with Sadie. He was sent back with a mission to infiltrate government and rise through the ranks. When he was fifteen, she brought him back to Torc and told him everything, showed him everything, and from that point on, she maintained regular communication with him, helping him achieve the VP position. He, in turn, kept tabs on the Saven and fed intel back to her on the exact nature of the deal with the humans. He also kept tabs on you and your broth—on Dante, and she was building up a formidable picture of your movements.”
He combs his fingers through his hair. “When it became obvious that Sadie wasn’t going to follow through, she gave him orders to complete the mission. He spent weeks with Griselda while I was on Earth, and she didn’t update the records before her death, so I’ve no idea exactly what his instructions are now, but it’s safe to assume he intends to come after both of you.”
“Awesome,” Logan says, bitter irony underscoring his words. He holds me tighter against his body. “Do you know where he is now?”
“No. As far as I can make out, my mother insisted he leave Torc before I brought Sadie there.”
I’ve managed to stem my freak-out while Ax was talking, and I focus on practicalities to keep my mind occupied. “Is he an incendio, like me?”
Ax’s face contorts. “I don’t know. There was nothing in the file referencing that.”
I mull it over in my head. “So, when you say he’s like me, do you mean his DNA composition is the same?”
Ax shakes his head. “No, he doesn’t have my DNA. He was given a pure Tor strain.”
“Does that mean tha—”
“Wait. What?” Logan cuts my words off dead, moving me on his lap until our faces are level. “It was his DNA?” He jabs his finger at Ax. “You were injected with his DNA?”
“Apparently so,” I say, glancing over my shoulder at Ax. “Griselda only shared that intel in recent times.” Nervously, I refocus my attention on Logan. “We only just found out.”
Logan twists his neck from side to side, and I don’t need an Eterno connection to figure out what he’s thinking and feeling. “Don’t dwell on it,” I tell him. “It’s far too complex to even think about, and it doesn’t matter. I’m a mix of human, Tor, and Saven, and that’s all you should focus on.”
Ax leans forward on his elbows, staring at me. “I’ve wondered if that’s why I was always so drawn to you.”
“Don’t say that,” Logan is quick to interject. “That’s like admitting you were lusting after your sister or something. It’s—”
“Weird, I know.” Ax says, slouching back in this chair.
“I was going for gross, but weird works too.” Logan’s eyes flash with something indecipherable.
“There’s something else you should know.” Ax drums his fingers nervously off the desk. “Perhaps Sadie’s already told you, but I figure you’d want to hear it from me. Our marriage was never legalized. Sadie was never officially my wife.” Ax doesn’t look at me, but he doesn’t need to. I can tell how much it hurts him to admit that out loud.
“I forgot to tell you because it’s never been that big of a deal to me.” Or, at least, it wasn’t, not until I retrieved my memories. Now, thoughts of that day, that weekend, hurt so much because it was so beautiful and full of love and it’s impossible to look back on it and feel regret. How can I regret something that was so perfect and so right in that moment? Is it wrong to think on it like that? To look back at a time in my life that was filled with anguish and suffering, an experience which could’ve been so much worse, but it was bearable because I fell in love with a boy who was never meant for me. I gave Ax my heart in all honesty and without premeditation because we were best friends who did everything together, and one day I acknowledged that that friendship had evolved, transformed into a love that was the most natural, most amazing thing I’d ever felt. Being with him was as easy as breathing, and in another lifetime I know we could’ve been happy together.
I look over at Ax, so heartbroken, so destroyed, and I hate Griselda for the way she’s manipulated our lives. We are all suffering because of her, and it doesn’t matter that she’s dead, that I was the one to do it—the warped legacy she left behind continues to wreak havoc.
I know Logan doesn’t understand how I can forgive Ax, but how can I hold his actions against him when he was the one by my side, day in, day out, taking care of me the best way he knew how? His attempt to save me from my fate ended in further heartbreak. It cost him his best friend, and it was all for nothing because he lost me anyway.
How can I punish him anymore than he’s been punished?
The answer is I can’t.
We are all suffering, but at least Logan and I have each other. Ax has no one, and that isn’t fair.
I haven’t broached any of this with Logan yet because he’s entitled to his anger and his frustration, and I guess there’s a part of me that’s still hoping they can work things out. I’m still praying for reconciliation between two boys that I love with all my heart. I haven’t given up hope that there’ll come a point where Logan can accept my past with Ax and learn to understand how I’ll always have love in my heart for him. It will never replace what I share with him, and I’ll never change my mind, but is it too much to hope that my present and my future can accept my past? To hope that Logan and Ax can find a way to embrace each other as brothers?
I don’t even realize I’m crying until the tears drip down over my chin. Logan wipes them away with his thumb, his own eyes glistening with tears. “The connection was open, Sadie. I felt all that.”
I stare at him through horrorstruck eyes. “Logan, I’m sorry. I got drawn into the moment and I …”
Leaning in, he kisses my cheek. “It’s okay, Angel. I think I’m starting to get it. It doesn’t change how I feel, but I can understand where you’re coming fro
m.” He swallows once, twice, three times before looking across the table at Ax. My eyes follow suit, and fresh pain cuts a new line through me. Ax has his head in his hands, his face covered by strands of his silky hair, his body convulsing with silent tears. He hurts so much, and I feel his pain as acutely as if it were my own. “It’s okay, Sadie. Go to him. I think he needs to hear it too.”
Logan lifts me off his lap, placing me carefully on the floor. He presses his mouth to my forehead. “I know you’re trying to do the right thing, and I love you more for it. Smooth things over with him. I’ll wait outside.”
I watch as Logan lifts one shoulder at Izzy, gesturing her toward the door. She bobs her head in understanding, grabbing me into a quick hug before she exits the room, leaving Ax and me alone.
I approach him carefully, kneeling down in slow motion. “Ax,” I say softly, “look at me.” Slowly, he lifts his head, piercing me with his pained expression. I sit back on my butt, opening my arms. “Come here.” His eyes dart to the door. “It’s okay. He understands.”
Ax slides off the chair and joins me on the floor. I shunt backward, pressing my back flat against the wall. I maneuver Ax so his head is in my lap. I smooth his hair back from his face. “You have to stop blaming yourself. I’ve forgiven you, and you need to forgive yourself.”
“How can I, Sadie? I promised to always love and protect you, and I let you down in the worst way.”
“Please take your contacts out. I want to see you, the real you.” Ax removes them without hesitation. “You’re a beautiful person, Ax, inside and out, and I’m glad you made me reclaim my memories. I needed to remember them. To know how much you loved me and how hard you tried to save me.” A tear trickles down my face. “You loved me good, Ax. You loved me great.”
He pulls himself upright, cautiously slinging his arm over my shoulder. I rest my head against him. “I will forever cherish our time together, and I will never stop loving you. Never, I promise.” We are both silent for a bit.
I peer up at him. “What happened to us is awful, it’s unfair and unjust, and you don’t deserve any of it, but it’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.” I sniff. “You are one of the best people I know, and you are stronger than you think. You will get through this. You are going to be the best leader, and your people are going to love you. And, in time, you will meet a girl, and it’ll feel right, and I’ll be so happy for you because you deserve the world, Ax. Just don’t give up on life. Don’t give up on love, and promise me that you’ll open your heart. I know it won’t happen today or tomorrow, but don’t close yourself off to other possibilities.” Tears are streaming down his face, and I wrap my arms around him, holding his close. “I love you, and I will always be here for you. Always. Don’t ever forget that.”
“Thank you,” he whispers. “For not holding it against me, for still wanting me to be a part of your life.”
“I care about you, so much, Ax.” I cup his face. “You aren’t alone. You will always have me, and, maybe, in time you and Logan can find a way to put all of this behind you, because you are both good men.”
“I don’t know about that, Sadie. There is so much history between us. Too much, perhaps, but I’m prepared to try, for you.”
I shake my head. “You have to stop that. If you do it, do it for you.”
Logan and I are both quiet on the trip back home. It’s been an overwrought day, and the aftermath weighs heavy on both our minds, but there isn’t much time to dwell on it. Plans need to be made.
Logan has called another meeting with the Royal Advisory Council. I’m seated at his side as he explains what happened last night, as he names those who sought to betray him and harm me. The other traitors are called out, cuffed and escorted from the room by members of the Royal Guard as Logan faces the remaining council members.
“I have a few choices here. I can dismiss you all and replace you with people I know I can trust or you can swear an oath to me, give me your word that you are loyal and committed and accepting of the decisions I make including the decision to make Sadie my queen. We have huge issues to deal with here and in the galaxy, and I am not going to waste further time on petty resistance. If you can’t do that, I will let you go freely, but you must submit to an implant. You will be monitored, and if you are true to your word and wish me or mine no harm, then you can live your life out here as you wish. However, if anyone poses a threat, no matter how slight the infraction might be, you will be eliminated.”
He stands up, taking my hand in his. “I hate that it’s come to this, but I won’t be held back by my own council any longer. I’ll give you some time to think it through. I’ll return shortly.”
He nods at the members of the Royal Guard, silently instructing them to maintain order in the room. When we step out into the corridor Logan appears to have a renewed spring in his step. “You okay?” I ask.
“Yeah. That needed to be said, and I’ve a few other changes to make, too.”
Rylan, Haydn, and his father are waiting for us in the small dining room. They all stand when we step into the space. “Sit, please,” Logan says, claiming a seat across from them. Naturally, I sit down alongside him. “I’ve arrested those members of the council who were planning to remove me, and I’ve put the others on the spot. They will either swear a new oath of loyalty or be chipped and monitored for the rest of their lives. Irrespective of individual decision, that negates any imminent threat of mutiny. There are two more things I need to attend to before we leave for Earth.” His eyes skim over the three men. “Haydn, I want you with us on Earth, and my proposal is that your father will take full control of the guard corps while we are away. Would that be acceptable, Commander Rox?”
“It is my honor to serve you, My King.” He bows his head.
“Thank you.” Logan switches his attention to Haydn. “This is totally your call. If you need to remain here for personal reasons, I understand, and I will not hold it against you.”
“I’m with you, Logan. Both of you. We need to see this through, although I will need to head back to Talla at some point before we leave, if that’s okay.”
“Of course. Go now. Take whatever time you need.”
The chair screeches as Haydn stands. “Thank you. I’ll catch up with you in the morning.” He strides with purpose out of the room.
“Rylan,” Logan addresses him next. “I need you to stay here, to oversee the council and the conscience development serum distribution, and to liaise with Commander Rox on military operations.”
Rylan can’t hide the pride from his face. “I will serve you in whatever capacity you need me, My King.”
“Thank you, Rylan. I hope you understand how much your support has come to mean to me these last few months. At a time when it’s hard to know who to trust, I know I can always count on you.”
Rylan blushes. It’s darn cute.
Logan smiles. “I would like to appoint you as my chief advisor, my most trusted confidant.”
Rylan’s mouth hangs open and out of the corner of my eye, I spot Commander Rox smothering a grin.
“I don’t know what to say,” Rylan stutters, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so flustered.
“Say yes.” Logan’s smirk is teasing.
“Stars! Yes, a hundred times yes. Thank you, Logan. Sorry, My King.”
Logan laughs. “Rylan. We don’t need to stand on ceremony when we’re alone. I’m still Logan to you.”
Rylan rounds the table, pulling Logan into a hug. He slaps him on the back. “Thank you for trusting me with this. I won’t let you down.”
Rylan winks at me, and I smile up at him, giving him a none-too-subtle thumbs-up.
“Great.” Logan rubs his hands together, pleased as punch. “All sorted.”
And so it appears it is.
CHAPTER 16
We are up at the butt crack of dawn the next morning for the trip to Earth. Logan and Win are in the cockpit, while Dali and Haydn keep me company in the cabin. I can
’t stop fidgeting, agitated over what’s lying in wait.
When we breach Earth’s atmosphere, Logan deploys the invisibility shield, and we head toward the coordinates Jarod supplied. We are meeting him in Vin’s rebel compound this time.
Dali and I keep our noses glued to the window, and it’s hard to witness the destruction on the ground without succumbing to guilt. While we’ve been focused on restoring peace in the galaxy, the Amaretti have been inflicting vengeance on my home planet.
Miles of scorched earth stretch by with no sign of life. Everything has been razed to the ground, and we don’t happen across a single tree, a single house, a single vehicle. Even the roads are barely recognizable. After a while, we fly over a large town that was once, no doubt, a thriving hotspot. Now, we’re greeted by death and destruction at every turn. Trucks and cars lie overturned in the middle of the road, doors left halfway open when passengers fled for their lives. Buildings and storefronts are in various stages of deterioration. Some appear to have withheld attack quite well while others are nothing more than crumpled piles of debris. Streaks of painted lines on the streets are like some strange form of branding—further evidence, as if it was needed, of the alien invaders. Lifeless bodies, in various stages of decay, litter the pavements. A shiver races over my skin, and I have to quell the rising nausea in my throat.
“I’ve never felt so ashamed of my race,” Dali admits quietly, hanging her head.
“You didn’t do this.”
“It doesn’t matter. I still feel responsible.” Her voice chokes on a sob, and I shoot her a sympathetic look.
The ship angles lower, and I concentrate my gaze on the vast structure we are headed toward. The compound looks like any other large-scale industrial premises, housing an array of flat, two-level, and multi-story buildings and looming circular towers that point skyward, spread over acres and acres of wasteland. Four giant warehouses reside at the rear of the facility, and that’s where we are headed. The shimmery dome, invisible to the human eye, is the only evidence that this place isn’t what it appears to be. I remember now that Vin confirmed his father—Glenn Taylor, who turned out to be Evana’s long lost son—was in cahoots with the VP, and I wonder if he supplied some of the technology that Glenn and his organization have had access to. I add a note to the mental list in my head, reminding me to ask Vin if I can speak to his father, to find out if he can shed any light on the VP and his current whereabouts.
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