So much about Raylen had changed over the past six months. He was a different person, or somewhat different, and he would prove it. He was tired of people thinking that he was incapable. His wife believed in him, but that wasn’t enough. It never was. He needed more. His people believed in him, and for a while, that was all that mattered. The council thought very little of him, especially since he chose not to fight against Wex and the Voids. He would prove to the council that he didn’t need to prove himself anymore.
Raylen rode along the trail to Bachenlaw where the council building had since been rebuilt. There was so much he wanted to say to them. He wanted them to believe that he was the right replacement for Polarist Governor Jon Uliah, but they didn’t. Jon was a war hero, and he had died as such. His peace strategies had beguiled the council for years, but now he was gone, killed by Wex and the Voids, the same Voids that Raylen was supposed to have fought against.
However, Raylen was told to go home and mourn for his wife whom he had helped kill. No one knew that though, except for Naturalist Governor Rian Pryle. But he had no proof. Nara knew, but only a few people believed her, and no one was going to listen to the band of Wanderers. He had staged the perfect coverup, but for some reason the council still treated him like an outsider. He needed to show them that he was stronger than Polarist Jon.
Raylen entered the circular building which was now set several hundred yards away from the previous location to honor the men who had died in the battle six months ago. It resembled the previous council building, except for a few modern upgrades. The stone was more refined, and the wood was more polished. Also, the ceiling was much higher than before, and the inside didn’t seem so drab.
The Illuminaries were given a boot-sized grated cage in the center of the building to roam around in, so that they would not flutter wildly about the room. It was a professional setting after all. But Raylen was not feeling too professional.
He could sense the members’ frustration with his entrance. All the governors were already there, and he was late, as usual. He rushed to his seat so that the others didn’t have to wait on him any longer.
This month it was Spiritualist Governor Yael Traith’s turn to moderate the meeting. “Polarist Raylen, we are all so glad that you decided to join us,” she said. Her annoyance was deeper than his tardiness. It had to do with her knowledge of the ice barricades.
“I had other business to attend to,” Polarist Raylen replied.
“And what business might that be? Creating more ice barricades in MY HOME!” She slammed her hand against the podium. The Illuminaries tossed their blue colors across the room as she activated her emblem. Then they settled as her rage subsided.
“Spiritualist Yael, calm yourself,” said Materialist Newt. “We do not yet know if those accusations are true.”
“You would if you would expedite the investigations. It has been nearly a week since I reported the incidents to the council, and nothing has been done.”
“We are a peaceful council, and we cannot act on every allegation that is brought to us,” said Polarist Connor Benton.
“You’re only saying that because it’s your people who the allegations are against!” replied Spiritualist Yael. The torches in the room brought a dreadfully eerie appearance to her face. The Illuminaries lit up again in her aggravation, and the haunting moans of the spirits surfaced in the room.
“Spiritualist Yael, you must calm yourself. This is a peaceful assembly,” said Naturalist Onri. “Besides. Contrary to your belief, the investigations have begun, but these things take time.”
Naturalist Onri’s singsong lack of urgency irritated her even more. “How much time do you need before my people are brought to shame?” she asked. “The Polarists should not even be in Broughtonhaven since Wex’s insurgence, and yet here we are, going about this as if diplomacy still has a place in what I would consider to be provincial trespassing.”
“If there is indeed no evidence, then why am I on trial?” Raylen asked, shaking his head and tapping the table with his index finger. His jaws jostled back and forth as he spoke. “Why am I being treated like I am a criminal when neither I nor my people have done anything wrong?” He knuckled his emblem, and he crossed his hands over his belly. His large ceremonial robe dipped in over his stomach while his cheeks sagged past his flabby lips that poked out.
Naturalist Onri started again with his rhythmic tone. “The investigations have brought back little evidence. All we have been able to gather over the past few days is that a few caves have been closed with seals of ice. That is an indication that the Polarists are involved, but it does not imply that it is Raylen’s doings. And it certainly doesn’t imply any underhandedness on behalf of Polarist Connor.”
Raylen nodded in satisfaction.
Yael frowned and clicked her long fingernails on the podium. “So what will you do if Raylen takes more aggressive steps?”
Raylen smacked his open palms on the wooden table. “I haven’t taken any steps.”
Materialist Dorian interrupted. “My people cannot intervene. I can’t risk their safety. The Spiritualists Dominate us, and we cannot risk the chance of the Spiritualists turning on us, not after our losses from fighting against Wex.”
Naturalist Rian spoke up, holding his chin up on the tips of his knuckles. “Neither can we. I can only hope that Raylen will not push any farther. My people took a beating six months ago. Even more than you others — not to demean anyone’s sacrifice. Our men and women need time to recover from their losses, and six months is not enough.”
“I haven’t pushed anything!” Raylen yelled.
Spiritualist Yael clenched her teeth and rubbed her thumb against the knuckle of her index finger. “This is outrageous. Just because of a fear of Domination and a few losses, you all are willing to let my people suffer?”
“We are talking hypotheticals here,” said Polarist Connor, fingers interlocked on the table and leaning forward. “You are taking this too far, Yael.”
“It may be outrageous,” said Naturalist Rian. “But Polarist Connor is right. What can we do about it? I’ve been telling the council for months that Raylen had to have been involved in Governor Dena’s death, but the council has done nothing.”
“Those are some high accusations coming from someone who was newly appointed to the council,” said Materialist Newt.
“An appointment that I do not take lightly,” said Naturalist Rian. “My people and their safety is my priority, and for me to step back and let wicked scoundrels like Polarist Raylen rule unjustly would be less than a disservice. You all should feel the same.”
Materialist Dorian Lamberts nodded, glancing to his left and right. “I agree with Rian. Our appointments should not be taken lightly, and if Dena’s death and the ice barricades all point to Raylen, I think that we as members of the council, should move forward to the next step.”
Raylen leaned forward and put his flabby arms on the table. “The next step? And what might that be? You intend to put undue sanctions on me because of the flippant allegations from my adversaries, the Naturalists? They already Dominate us in strength. Do you want them to Dominate us in diplomatic power as well? I cannot stand for this.”
Rian sat up straight and pushed his hair to the side. These past six months had given him a dignified elegance that he did not have before. “Dominate you? We are not Dominating you. We allow your women to spend the duration of their pregnancies in Kyhelm for their safety. They are not…”
“Safety? What safety?” Raylen yelled, throwing his arms up. “Many of our women are killed in Kyhelm by those Dominating beastmongers whom you call your people! And we, Polarist Connor and I, have sat back and done nothing. So if anyone is a murderer, it would be you!”
Rian didn’t allow Raylen’s outburst to shake him. He fought against the anger that welled up within him. The Illuminaries remained untouched. “Do not allow the dealings of a few to determine the whole of my people.”
Raylen slapped his h
ands on the table. “That’s exactly what I’m asking of the council. So a few ice barricades show up in Broughtonhaven, and somehow I get blamed. I cannot beat the evil out of people. But I can restrain it. And I can guarantee that whoever is behind these barricades will pay with the extraction of their emblems.”
Spiritualist Yael lightly brushed her hands over the podium and dragged her eyes up to meet her adversary, white hair draped over her shoulders. “Can you make the same guarantee if that person is yourself?”
“I won’t entertain this foolishness anymore. This council has made a mockery out of me for the past six months, and I have allowed it, thinking that one day I would be respected amongst the other Alphas. But I realize now that the day that I hoped for is as distant as the lands of Dryshol or Marana off the Materialist coast of Narwine.”
Naturalist Rian stared at the wooden ceiling, chuckling wryly. “How can we respect you? Nothing you can do will ever prove that you were not involved in Dena’s assassination. And even if you were to somehow prove your innocence, the question still becomes, why did you not fight in the Battle of Bachenlaw when Wex brought the Voids? You still have yet to answer the council clearly on that.”
“I don’t know how many different ways you want me to tell the story. My hometown, Yugan, was destroyed by those Spiritualist witches! And my poor wife, Jairah, was murdered in their mayhem! I went home to mourn, like any good husband would do. If I had it to do again, I’d do it the exact same way.”
Rian gently scratched the table with his fingertips. He moved the hair from his forehead and massaged his chin. “My people...men and women alike, lost their spouses in that battle. They sacrificed themselves so that cowards like you could live out your measly little lives. They died for the noble, and unfortunately…” Rian tossed his gaze across at Raylen, “they died for the ignoble.”
Raylen was furious. He stood up and made his way past the other Alphas. His gut bumped against their chairs. The Illuminaries remained unfazed. “You’ll see,” he said. “You all will see just how strong I am.” His voice was flat and pitchy. “You’ll see just how ignoble I am when this is all over.”
The door swung open as he stormed out of the council building, flailing his arms. The sunlight dragged in, and the members of the council were relieved upon his exit. Finally, they could get some real work done.
Raylen didn’t want to be linked to the barricades, and from what he could tell, the council saw him as inferior. They’d see. Wex was right. This committee wanted to take away the liberties of his people, but his people would prove to be stronger than any other province.
He trudged back to Valenheid so that he could meet with his Receptive in the capitol city of Gilganstor, where the Polarist meeting hall was located. The hall was designed much like the other buildings in the Polarist Region with the stairs climbing to the front door. The fire underneath the house heated up the metal that encased it so that the extreme temperatures could be thwarted.
The room was comfortable, and they kept the doors closed while they discussed business. Nara had recently stepped down as a Receptive when she found out that Raylen would be taking over as governor. She tried to rally against the appointment, but Raylen’s fame was too widespread. He had done so much for the people’s morale that Nara’s accusations seemed like whining jealous pleas.
A soft layer of creamy, white Perene fur covered the polished, wooden floor, and Raylen addressed his Receptive with the respect that he deserved. “I have just gotten back from the council. It wasn’t good,” he said.
Hydric Suman grumbled at Raylen’s complaint. He had come to despise the council as much as Raylen did. “And what did they do this time?” asked Hydric. His voice was deep and mellow which didn’t match his elongated, slender frame.
“The same as usual. They have chosen to treat me and the citizens of Valenheid like outcasts.”
“Do they still listen to Polarist Connor?”
“They do. And not to be disrespectful, but what does he know? He is so focused on peacemaking and policy that he has little time for his people. Unlike me.”
Hydric pushed his chair back. His long legs made it difficult for him to remain comfortable. He got his name because of how quickly he could drop and raise temperatures. He was as powerful as an Alpha Extremist, but the council only recognized two Alphas from each region. Whatever personal training the Alphas taught themselves could not be taught to their trainees.
Raylen found this to be absurd. Why should his people not be more powerful? Hydric could only lower temperatures when Raylen had first met him so many years ago. But after Raylen became an Alpha, he felt that Hydric should know the full capacity of his power, so Raylen went against the council’s edict, and he personally trained Hydric how to transfer temperatures, making Hydric as versatile as an Extremist.
“That means that we have no other choice, right?” asked Hydric.
Raylen frowned, nodding. “Exactly.”
The men sat in cold silence. They understood the gravity of their decision, but it had to be done. They had to move forward with it. Broughtonhaven had to be conquered.
Hydric’s long, curly hair was tied behind his head. He raised a curious eyebrow. “The people will go along with this?”
Raylen smiled and tilted his head to the side. “I have already prepared them. You were with me. How could you not know?”
“I just want to be sure. And the other provinces? What are their stances?”
“As expected.” Raylen shrugged, scratching the side of his face. “The Materialists don’t want to risk the Spiritualists Dominating them, and the Naturalists lost too many people in the Battle of Bachenlaw, so they say. You finished the expeditions of sealing off the caves right?”
“I did.” Hydric only spoke a few words, though he was very efficient in accomplishing his missions.
“Good. Those witches won’t be able to flee into the caves. Our people don’t want to deal with the spirits in those catacombs. Now if they retreat into the caves, we will slaughter them where they stand.” Raylen knuckled his emblem. He gazed at the table knowing that if he could conquer the Spiritualists, then it would not be long before he could force the Spiritualists to Dominate the Materialists. Then he would have a voice with the other provinces. The council would see his strength, and they would wish they had listened to him.
Hydric turned to Raylen. His pale curls stretched across the side of his head. “I don’t think that you told me everything that happened after Dena died.”
“I’ll tell you now. Then you can see how much I have pleaded with the council for their confidence, the confidence that none of them offered to me.”
THE PAST: A YEAR AND A HALF POST EXTRACTION
“Raylen…” Dena whimpered. Her dark hair stuck against her face, and she pleaded with him through her fear-filled eyes.
The conflict within Raylen peaked. So many people had died from his decisions. He looked at Wex. Ice formed on his hands as his blue emblem lit up, activating. His voice was bold, heavy, and certain – altered from its usual pitchy shrill. “Don’t let her take another breath.”
Wex turned back to Dena and grabbed her throat with both hands, finishing the strangulation. Her body lay on the ground, and there was nothing left within her. Raylen felt no remorse. He did what needed to be done. She was going to turn him into the council, and they were certainly going to kill him. Or worse, they were going to extract him.
The Void stood behind him, panting. Its leathery skin seemed to absorb the moonlight, dulling the rays rather than reflecting them. The metal panel around its neck rattled as it approached Raylen.
Wex wiped his hand on his tunic, and he peered at Raylen. Raylen’s heart raced. What was Wex going to do to him? Was he upset? He shouldn’t be. He could have stopped Wex from killing Dena, and he didn’t. Wex should be proud of him, right?
Wex rubbed his brow. His Spiritualist emblem shined through the threads in his vest. “You betrayed me.”
Ra
ylen pressed his palms together, pleading. “Wex, I can explain. I can fix it.”
“You betrayed me. But then you ammend your insubordination. You will live. I will have you to know that you would have been dead weeks ago when you told Dena’s people about me. But I see the alliance of our two nations as something of a benefit, whereas it is apparent that you do not.”
“That’s not it. I just didn’t want to lose my emblem over this. I know what I had agreed to, but I would have rather that you killed me than to have the council take my stone.”
“That may be true, but I would like for the two of us to come to an agreement.”
“Anything,” said Raylen.
The Void snarled behind them. The frigidness of The Deficit still remained within the canopy of Broughtonhaven. “I need you to go home and mourn for your wife. I don’t want you fighting when I send the Voids.”
Raylen's eyes gaped open. “What are you going to do?”
“I am going to destroy the Alpha Council. Their power is too far-reaching. I do not like them controlling me and my people. I tire of them meddling in my affairs. When they are gone, the alliance that you and I form will be more powerful than the people of Narwine or Kyhelm. We will not be Dominated or Balanced by either of them.”
“That seems risky. What if they stop you?”
“They won’t. The Voids are too strong, and they have no idea what I’m planning. Even if they could stop the assault, I will have killed all the Alphas before they could respond. With the Alphas dead, the other provinces will be in disarray.”
Raylen tapped his chest with his palm, begging. “What about me?”
“This is why you and I have been working together for so long. For this very moment.” Wex stepped closer to Raylen to intensify his point. A mystic breeze cut through the canopy. “The people of Valenheid believe you to be the person they can count on. They believe in you. They trust you. You are the one who has been saving their women and their children during the Exodus for over ten years. These men and women would do anything for you. Who else can say that?”
Infused (Book 2 of The Pioneers Saga) Page 6