Rex Aftermath (Elei's Chronicles)

by Thoma, Chrystalla

Marble pillars.

  Elei didn’t remember the grove of them at the entrance of the police station. When he’d stumbled out, he hadn’t paid much attention. Between the confused memories and Rex, it was surprising he didn’t crash into their polished surface now. But Alendra still held his hand, thank all the gods, steering him toward the tall doors.

  No. He resisted her pull. Not that way. Memories replayed: he’d exited through a narrow metal door. Maybe that was why he remembered no pillars. A side door. Emergency exit, probably.

  “What?” she muttered when he yanked her down the side of the building, between a smooth, tall wall and hedges where moths danced. “Where are we going?”

  He wasn’t sure where he was going. Rex fuelled him, powered him, like a core to a machine. He knew when he saw it: a metal door.

  Drawing Alendra back, he pressed his ear to it. Female voices, their cloying Gultur scent bleeding through the cracks, and a familiar tingling in his wrists and temples, telling him his scent was again shifting, sweetening. Making the Gultur think he was one of them.

  Alendra moved toward him but he put a hand up to stop her. She was downwind, they wouldn’t smell her, but he was positioned so they’d smell him. He resisted the urge to scratch and rub at his itchy skin, waited.

  Then he knocked.

  Alendra gasped and took a step back as the door cracked open.

  “At last. Come in, senet,” an irritated voice said. “Did you find the file we requested?”

  Elei shoved his shoulder through, bursting inside, drawing the longgun from its holster. He fired, shooting for the legs — not the chest, not the head — no small feat with Rex screaming at him to kill them. Their shouts had to be stopped, so he knocked them out.

  Only two of them.

  “Elei?” Alendra stood at the opening, hesitant.

  Ally, Rex whispered, helping us. Kill the others, erase this temple.

  He thought he saw Poena, dark eyes peering around Alendra’s leg, and he choked on a breath.

  “Hey.” Alendra shook him. When had she entered? It was as if he was skipping time. “We must find Iset and Bestret.”

  Traitors, sick dogs that ought to be put down. His head pounded. He pressed a hand over his eyes, hissing quietly.

  Shut up, Rex. Sisters, remember?

  “How are we going to find them?” Alendra muttered.

  Yeah, good point. He’d knocked the two Gultur out, so no way to ask. But there should be more where those two stinkers came from, and they’d get what they deserved. He’d cleanse the citadel, erase the contaminated temple and purify the world.

  Why...? Those weren’t his thoughts. Damn you, Rex, I said shut up. Elei grimaced, trying to sort through what he knew and decide what to do.

  Simple. Find another Gultur, threaten her until she told him where the two new Gultur were being kept.

  And kill her.

  No, Rex, no.

  Killkillkill.

  Pissing hells, he was going nuts. Wasn’t even sure which voice was his and which Rex’s. Or if he was talking to himself.

  “Elei.” Alendra’s low voice came near his ear, making him jump. She held a longgun, nicked from one of the unconscious police. “Which way now?”

  He opened a door into a huge hall with statues and square pillars. This was the place he remembered. Doors lined it and a portal opened somewhere on Elei’s left — presumably the way to Bone Tower.

  They could head that way, hope it was right, steal an aircar and somehow make their way out of the citadel. Return to Artemisia, or go to another town altogether.

  And Kalaes? Afia and Jek? Hera and Sacmis? Pelia’s sacrifice? Your promise?

  His ears rang. Erase this temple. Finish what you started. You are what you are. Time to reign.

  Dammit. Not so simple. He’d promised, yes. Had he sworn to die for it? The plan emerging in his mind was scaring the shit out of him.

  There had to be another way.

  Footsteps. The sound made him look up — and when had he become so absorbed in his thoughts that he wasn’t paying attention to what was happening?

  Alendra raised her gun. “Stop,” she said and proceeded to press the gun to the Gultur’s cheek. “Where are Iset and Bestret? The prisoners you took?”

  Closing his gaping mouth, Elei drew his gun too, and took aim. Would the Gultur know what they were talking about? He opened his mouth to tell her they were the ones who’d brought Rex to them.

  But there was no need. The Gultur directed them in a shaky voice to a room behind a statue of Oceanus, dolphins jumping around him — at least that much Elei guessed from the vague blue shapes Rex showed him.

  “Keys,” Alendra said and took something glowing blue — metal — from the Gultur’s hand.

  His hearing was going, with Rex droning inside his head. Desecrate their temple, it hissed. Bring it down, burn it, erase it. Kill them all.

  Alendra dragged the Gultur with them and he tried to help but jerked back: Poena giggled, peeking from behind the statue, and although all he could see were colors, he knew her small face, her uneven teeth, her large eyes.

  “Go get them, Elei,” Poena whispered and the sound echoed inside his skull. “Finish what you started.”

  What he’d started?

  Shaking his head to stop the whispers, he backed away, and Poena walked toward him, small hands on her hips, her stained yellow dress sparkling.

  “Elei?” Alendra came back to him. “What is it?”

  Poena put her hand on his arm. “You know you have to do it. You’re here. You came back after all.”

  “Leave,” he said and swatted at her, “leave me alone.”

  “Hells, Elei.” Alendra released his arm. “I was only trying to help.”

  “Not you.” Please, not you.

  But she drew away. “Then who?”

  When he didn’t reply, Alendra turned around, pressed her gun to the Gultur’s side and marched her toward the indicated door.

  He lurched after her. Kill them, Rex keened. Erase this temple of pestilence and madness. Tear it to the ground.

  He hissed and stumbled. Madness? Yeah, he was going mad.

  “Just raze it to the ground,” Poena said, smiling sweetly. She’d caught up with him again. “You need explosives.”

  “I don’t have any.” He pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes, Alendra’s body heat a bright beacon.

  “But they do.” She pointed at the door Alendra was unlocking, the Gultur still held by her side. “They brought bombs, to take down the temple. They have explosives in their aircar. The two of them failed in their mission. You won’t.”

  “And how do you know this?” Oh right, because he’d known it, and Poena had access to his deepest pit of memories. “I can’t.” Can’t die for your purpose, for Rex’s purpose.

  “You made a promise to the children of Teos. The children of the Seven Worlds. You can’t just back out now.”

  “I never signed up for this.” Had he? “Leave me alone.”

  Poena only grinned and shook her blond head, which barely reached his waist. For one damn scary moment her face was that of Alendra and he barely contained a gasp.

  Dammit, Rex.

  Keeping his eyes ahead, trying to ignore her diminutive presence, he hurried across the hall. He’d let Alendra do all the work. He was a burden, jeopardizing her life for whispers inside his head.

  Stupid. Dangerous.

  “You can’t wish me away,” Poena chirped and he almost stumbled into a pillar. “Finish what you started, Elei.”

  Shit. He jogged past Oceanus’ statue, his heart booming, and entered the room. Two orange-yellow shapes sat on the floor at the far wall. Alendra was unshackling them. The Gultur she’d brought along was fumbling at her waist where a longgun hung, its handle glowing blue.

  “Don’t even think about it,” he ground out, drawing his own gun and walking closer. “Move back.”

  Kill her, Rex hissed, making his muscles tense, his hands t
remble. Pull the trigger.

  He groaned, his trigger finger shaking. No. Pissing gods, Rex, leave me in peace.

  Kill her. Kill them. Erase this temple—

  —of pestilence, yeah, I know. Raze it to the ground. He blinked sweat out of his eyes, the gun wavering. Can’t. Won’t. I’m leaving. Got to find Kalaes, make sure he’s okay.

  Elei, Rex whispered, voice silky like a caress, and it was the first time Rex had spoken his name.

  He shuddered, his stomach churning. Get out of my head.

  You can’t escape your fate, Elei. You started this. You can’t outrun the regime. You have to—

  “—Finish this,” Poena said, standing in front of his gun, the muzzle pressed to her smooth brow. “I’ve told you this before. You’re the King. What will you do now?”

  But he’d done what she’d asked, spilled his blood, infected the Gultur.

  “Finish what you started,” she pressed forward, the gun cutting into her flesh, “or fail the world.”

  ***

  Hera was driving through the rubble of the outer city ring, keeping an eye on the war machine lumbering after them. Since the first war tower had been put out of commission with their rockets, the other seemed determined to stop them entering the inner ring of Dakru City.

  Meanwhile, the inner city was bringing out its own cannons, and although they were not of war machine caliber, Hera was certain they’d cause damage.

  No distraction to keep the eyes of the capital away from them. Damn. The plan had gone to the hells. She could see the realization in Mantis’ eyes, although he covered it with a scowl. Sacmis’ gaze was hidden behind the visor.

  Hera had no doubt Sacmis was ready to die for this cause. Had been for years now.

  And what about the others? Had they already sacrificed their lives?

  Helicopters circled, gleaming in the searchlights of the city wall’s watchtowers.

  Like a show, Hera thought. Like a goddamn show.

  She jerked the steering lever, sending the war machine into a slow turn to avoid a missile, giving Sacmis the chance to retaliate.

  Military aircars — Silver Bullets — were lining up at the inner city gate with their guns ready.

  Sacmis positioned the cannons, took aim. The rockets blasted out and hit with unerring precision. The vehicles exploded, a ball of flame and smoke rising in the night.

  Not enough.

  “Seleukids. And drones. Incoming.” Mantis’ breathless voice penetrated the battle fog like a light through murky water.

  “Shit.”

  “I got them,” Sacmis said.

  But the seleukids were damn fast, the drones even faster, and how many could you blast away before new ones came? A whole freaking fleet.

  Again.

  Please, Hera prayed, please Elei. You have to be okay, you have to get them off our backs.

  “Communication alert,” Sacmis muttered, and Mantis leaned next to her to fling the switch on.

  “Surrender,” a harsh female voice said. “You are surrounded and alone. Stop the war machine and come out now.”

  “Damn them,” Hera muttered. “We’re not stopping.”

  “Of course not,” Mantis said.

  “Your friends have been captured,” the voice went on. “Elei Rex has been taken to Bone Tower. Kalaes Ster has been killed.”

  Hera stilled. A hush fell inside her head. The words made no sense. This could not be real.

  Sacmis was saying something. Hera could not hear her. This was not happening. No.

  “They’re lying,” Mantis whispered. “They’re pissing liars.”

  “The only way this plan would have worked, the only chance we had was if the others managed to draw the regime’s attention,” Sacmis said. “We were supposed to sneak onto Dakru City and take it by surprise. We cannot fight the whole fleet.”

  “Unless I see a picture of Elei taken and Kalaes dead, I won’t believe it,” Mantis said through gritted teeth. “And what about Alendra?”

  “Look at the giga screens,” Sacmis breathed.

  Hera managed to wrench her gaze off the controls to do as Sacmis said. Enormous screens mounted on the inner wall were coming to life, showing Elei — unconscious, curled on the floor, bound. Another image, this time of Alendra, in a similar state. Then the temple of Bone Tower, the fleet stationed on its vast roof.

  Hera’s stomach cramped. Sourness rose in her throat. Gods.

  “Bone Tower’s fleet is ready to launch,” the grating voice from the speakers continued. “Be warned that no mercy will be shown unless you stop now.”

  Mantis cocked his gun, as if about to shoot the giant screens, his face twisted with fury. “Damn them.”

  “Turn it off,” Sacmis snapped.

  “Sacmis...”

  Sacmis leaned forward and flicked the switch off.

  The silence was deafening.

  “Two fleets, Sacmis,” Mantis said, his voice tight. “The Attalid fleet is coming. No way can we make it.”

  “Keep your eye on the gates,” Sacmis bit out, then grabbed Hera’s shoulder and shook her. “Hey.”

  Hera blinked. Shit. With trembling hands, she gripped the lever and checked the thrusters. “Maybe if we just roll into the city...”

  Would it matter? With Kalaes dead, and Elei and Ale soon to die?

  “Snap out of it, senet,” Sacmis said. “You cannot let this break you. It’s a war. We may yet all die.”

  Hera was not sure she cared.

  “We can take them down,” Sacmis whispered.

  “Sacmis?” Mantis’ voice was strained.

  “Two fleets,” Sacmis said. “It makes you wonder why they think they need another fleet to bring us down...”

  Hera sent Sacmis a sidelong glance. “What’s on your mind?”

  “They must think we can defeat this fleet. Which is why they are waiting for reinforcements from Bone Tower.”

  “How in the hells can we defeat a fleet?” Hera’s voice rose in panic and she pressed her lips together, swallowed. “How?”

  “Working on it.” Sacmis’ fingers flew about the controls. “There must be a weapon here we do not know about. But they do.”

  “If such a weapon is available, why would they not use it on us?”

  “I do not know,” Sacmis muttered, drawing her lower lip between her teeth. “Perhaps they’ve never used it. Perhaps the need has never arisen before.”

  “Better find this weapon quickly. If it exists.” Hera drove toward the gates once more, but the other war machine moved in their way, blocking them, making them easy fodder for the seleukids.

  The ground exploded, making her jerk. The drones were dropping missiles. “Sacmis...”

  “Give me a minute.” Sacmis was examining the controls.

  “We do not have a minute!”

  A missile hit them as she spun the machine around, jerking them. Another hit them from behind, so they lurched forward. How long until real damage was done and they were immobilized?

  “Got it,” Sacmis crowed and touched something on the silver helmet she wore. Green lights flickered on her visor, and a new console rose from the panel, with handles that were replicas of guns.

  At least Hera thought they were replicas. “What are you going to—?”

  “Swing the machine around, Hera.” Sacmis closed her hands around the handles and poised her forefingers over the triggers.

  Gods. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” Hera swung the machine around, toward the swarming fleet.

  “Trust me,” Sacmis said.

  And began to fire.

  Her hands worked the replicas, but the cannons mimicked her actions outside, throwing what looked like grenades at the seleukids.

  And the drones exploded, one by one.

  A rain of fire and black smoke.

  A rain of death.

  Hera gaped at the destruction, letting the machine roll to a stop. What in the hells was this weapon?

  “We’ll get them all
!” Mantis splayed his hand on the window pane, his pale hair hiding his eyes. “Holy pissing hells.”

  Seleukids joined the drones, falling, crashing, more and more of them, shot like birds out of the sky. Fragments fell around their moving tower, flaming and twisting with heat.

  Death...

  Then Sacmis cursed, and the flaming rain stopped.

  “What?” Hera glanced from the clearing sky to her and back, where more seleukids were appearing. “What happened?”

  “Weapon jammed.” Sacmis slammed her fist on the armrest. “I got most of them, though. Maybe we can shoot these ones down the traditional way.”

  Hera nodded, her heart hammering. “Right. Cannons?”

  Sacmis sighed and grabbed another set of controls. “Yes, senet.”

  ***

  “Lean on me,” Elei said to Iset, trying not to think too hard about what they’d done to him. “Can you stand?”

  Iset nodded and used his hand as leverage to stand. “It was for nothing,” she said. “All this... coming here, giving you up, it was for nothing.” Her mouth tightened as he pulled her to her feet. “Forgive us. I thought we’d prevail and take you back.”

  He gripped her arm so hard she tried to pull it back. With Rex wailing inside his mind to kill her, his control was waning.

  “Do you know your way around Bone Tower?” he snapped. “We need to find your aircar.”

  “I know the way.” Iset pushed off him and tore the visor off the other Gultur, placing it over her face. “Follow me.”

  Bestret found a roll of sticky tape on a desk and gagged the police officer who was glaring daggers. “Ready to go.”

  Killkillkill, Rex boomed inside Elei’s head, moving his hand toward his gun. Kill them now.

  Shut up. Elei balled his hands into fists and pressed them at his sides. I don’t have to listen to you.

  “Take out the temple,” Poena said cheerfully, hopping to keep up with him. “It’s their symbol, and they’re waiting to sacrifice you, waiting for you. You can get right inside.”

  “And what good will that do?” he spat the words and that earned him a curious look from Bestret.

  “Give us your guns,” Iset said. “We need to cross the hall and the yards. I suggest we pretend you’re our prisoners.”