by Tyler Chase
“It was those very instincts that caused me to place advanced surveillance on Ahmed,” she paused for effect until Thalonius looked directly at her. “He’s seriously contemplating accepting settlement for trade in non-richya-based currencies.”
“What and cut off the primary source of their capital flow?” he said with utter incredulity. “It will never happen.”
“The Hinter Worlds are offering themselves as a viable market.”
“Those uncivilized savages, they haven’t the sophistication or know how. Lord Ahmed is far smarter than that.”
“Savages?” she raised an eyebrow at him. “You obviously haven’t been keeping abreast of their technological and economic advancements over the past two decades. Thalonious, I tell you truthfully, they pose a real threat to the supremacy of the Hegemony, especially if they succeed in persuading Ahmed to trade in their basket of currencies.”
His brow drew low as he pondered the matter. Grusonious listened intently, but not as intently as he watched Anbelise. She resented his ardent persistence, which she interpreted as his tendency toward possessiveness. They weren’t together anymore, hadn’t been for years. Flaunting the scar in her face wouldn’t change that.
Thalonius turned to Grusonious. “Perhaps it’s time we reminded Lord Ahmed where true power lies and where his loyalties should. Make him hurt where it will count most so we can put an end to this nonsense.”
“Yes, my lord,” Grusonious said crisply then looked at her. “Colonel Nostrom, I will require all the intelligence you’ve gathered on Lord Ahmed. We can discuss our plans later this evening once I’ve had a chance to review them.”
“As familiar as I am with the material, General,” she replied sternly. “Major Bazer is far more versed on the topic. I’ll send him in my place.” She did not wait for an answer. “Cousin Thalonious, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave.”
“I’ll be in touch, Anbelise,” Thalonious said then turned to Grusonious. “Come, you and I have much more important matters to discuss.”
Chapter 14
“Yes, I’ve been thinking about them too of late,” Comron said from across the intimate dining table set out on the verandah under the veil of a starry night. “On Anchorii, they made all the difference between life and death for us.”
Vaush stared off wistfully at the brilliant star-speckled sky. “And yet Necum and his family were too kind and noble to accept any payment for their hospitality. I respect their right to do so but,” she looked earnestly at Comron, “I want to do something for them, to show a small token of our appreciation.”
“I wonder if word has travelled back to their village that the woman they saved that day was the Empress of the Sellusion Empire.”
She grimaced. “And if they have, what did they make of the fact that you’re married to another woman?” Her fingers drummed on the table. “I wish we could speak to them and explain so they would know our heartfelt gratitude, and that we weren’t trying to deceive them.” The sad smile on her face made him want to move mountains for her. She continued, “I’ll always love them for treating us with such kindness even though we were complete strangers. Such goodness shouldn’t go unrewarded.” Her gaze snapped into focus and she set her fork down. “What’s the primary industry in Monteras? How do the surrounding villagers earn a living?”
He swallowed down the mouthful he’d been chewing. “Monteras was a mining town and a minor trading post. But once the mine shut down, so did most of the commerce. The villagers are fairly self-sufficient, but a few travel into Monteras for work.”
“Couldn’t you redirect business to Monteras to boost their economy and improve the local’s employment prospects?”
A small grin crept across his lips. “I was going to surprise you with this on your birthday next week ….”
Vaush clasped her hands together and her hazel eyes lit up. “What splendid thing has my lord husband done?”
It was supposed to be a surprise but, seeing the anxious look on her face and that endearing way she called him my lord, Comron couldn’t resist telling her now. “I’ve invited Necum’s family to the Lion Palace so that we might honor them in a way befitting their kind deeds. That and I’ve established an imperial trading post in Monteras to facilitate greater commerce and tourism to the area.”
Vaush sprang from her chair. “Comron!” she squealed with delight as she raced into his outstretched arms. The most exquisite bejeweled necklace wouldn’t have elicited this response from her, but that was part of what he loved most about his wife.
“It’s the perfect gift,” she exclaimed, as she hopped into his lap and peppered his cheeks with kisses. “It will be so wonderful to see them again, especially sweet little Laka.” She pulled back, staring curiously at him. “In the midst of dealing with the Nostrom Hegemony and brokering trade with the Hinter Worlds, how did you manage to fit this in?”
He gazed into those stunning hazel eyes. “As your husband, it’s my duty to anticipate your needs, to know what will make you happy and deliver it when it’s in my power to do so. Nothing means more to me than your happiness, Vaush.” He felt that beautiful surge of emotion flow from her and he greedily drank it in, knowing it deepened their bond inextricably.
“You are my happiness,” she said in a smoky voice, tracing a finger along his strong jawline. He breathed her in as she leaned in closer and nibbled his earlobe. “I love you so much, darling,” she said in a soft, sultry tone.
Ahh, yes, the other reason he engaged in certain philanthropic activities … it inevitably produced an inexplicably amorous response in Vaush, prompting her to temporarily cast aside her quaint bedroom inhibitions.
“Pardon me, Your Highness,” Laney said as she entered the verandah and rolled her eyes at the affectionate display. “The Lady Chaiyse of Wyskelle wishes an audience with you.”
Already on her feet, Vaush smoothed her ruffled skirts and tried to project a dignified air as if she hadn’t been caught canoodling with him a few seconds earlier. She lifted her chin and spoke stiffly, “Thank you, Laney. Please send her in.”
“Of course.” Laney smirked and pointed at Vaush’s face. “But you might want to fix your lip color first, Your Majesty.”
Vaush blushed and grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth. “Just send her in, Laney.”
As Laney turned on her heel and departed, Comron ran his own napkin across his ear and cheeks.
The tall and elegant Murkudahl female entered the room, her pale blue skin was particularly luminous and her fiery red hair lay in a thick braid over her shoulder. “Your Highness,” she said with a nod of the head.
Comron rose from the table as Vaush went to embrace her in greeting.
“Chaiyse, how good it is to see you. Please come join us.”
Comron took that moment to retrieve an additional chair. This was the first that they’d seen of her since they’d breached the Bramech protocol. The Bramech link hadn’t been severed, but did that mean they were unaware of the breach or that it was not considered a serious infraction? There was also the matter of the Fort Extremis build up.
Chaiyse glanced at Comron, her eyes lingered a second too long. “Thank you, Lord Van Laven.”
“My pleasure, Chaiyse of Wyskelle,” he said in kind, though he hardly sensed any pleasure from her at seeing him.
One of the servo-bots moved in with an additional place setting, another to pour the wine.
“Forgive my intrusion at this hour, but we have a few urgent matters to discuss,” Chaiyse said as her eyes fixed upon Vaush. “It has come to the Kait’s attention that the two of you have visited the Chronicle Archives on our home world without the use of the Bramech.”
Vaush exchanged an anxious glance with Comron but, before he could say a word, she blurted out, “Yes, we did. But it was by accident. We had no idea what was happening at the time. We’re very sorry.”
“Or, more importantly,” Comron spoke up, “we weren’t aware that it qualified as any sor
t of infraction since you were the one who granted our access to the Archives in the first place. You could have warned us.”
“We were unaware that you possessed the telepathic capabilities required to gain direct access to our Archives. Your access was granted under certain restrictions,” Chaiyse said rather sharply.
Vaush blinked at the tone. “What difference does it make whether—”
“The Bramech has safeguards programmed in,” Comron answered, his gaze locked with Chaiyse’s, “preventing us from viewing certain passages of history and real-time events as they’re occurring. Obviously, our telepathic eroticism triggered something profound enabling us to circumvent those safeguards. We’ve surprised them, Vaush.”
Chaiyse’s dark eyes examined Comron as if he were a fascinating specimen. “You are quite the enigma, Lord Van Laven,” Chaiyse said and then turned to Vaush. “I once told you that the Murkudahl can no longer see Lord Van Laven, perhaps you thought the words mere theatrics. However, I put it to you—try viewing Lord Van Laven’s history post-essence. You will discover for yourself that you cannot find any record of him after the fall at Monteras. We are quite blind to this version of Lord Van Laven.”
Comron gripped the arms of his chair. They couldn’t see him in the archives! What sort of madness was this? He felt the weight of Vaush’s stare.
“I’ve never thought to try,” she spoke to Chaiyse but her eyes remained steadfast on Comron. “What does that mean that the Chronicle cannot see him?”
“He is like nothing we have ever encountered, an unnatural thing,” Chaiyse replied. “As I said, we do not make it a practice to reanimate the dead.”
Comron slammed his hand down on the table. “I wasn’t dead. I know the precise moment that I received the essence. I assure you, I was very much alive.”
“It’s true, Chaiyse,” Vaush said eagerly. “He coughed up some of the essence at first, but I gave him more and saw him swallow it down.”
“It was too late for it to take effect on his living tissue,” Chaiyse said grimly. “But enough remained in his system to reanimate his corpse.”
Comron glanced at Vaush, he didn’t care for what this talk was doing to her. “Could you please refrain from using such grave terms?”
Chaiyse drew up in her chair. “The Kait do not know what to make of you, Lord Van Laven. For now, you serve the empress and, by extension, our purpose. But we are not certain that will always be the case.”
Was there a threat implied in that statement? He reached for Vaush’s hand, held it securely. “I will serve my empress for as long as there is breath in me.”
“With all due respect, Chaiyse,” Vaush said, with a bit of impatience in her tone. “I cannot listen to you disparage Lord Van Laven not after he’s proven himself time and again.”
“There is no need for concern at present; we perceive no immediate threat,” Chaiyse flatly stated, “but we will remain vigilant in that regard as we feel responsible for the both of you.”
Comron and Vaush exchanged glances. Did she know about the arsenal they were building?
“One more thing on the matter of the Archives,” Chaiyse paused for emphasis. “Do not attempt to access the Chronicle Archives by that unauthorized means again. Do it and we will sever your Bramech link to the Archives.”
They fear me! Comron thought, they fear what I could learn, and what I could become. The archives may not be limited to the Sellusion Empire. What if he could view the Murkudahl world too?
“Please accept our apology, Chaiyse,” Vaush said in a tone of supplication. “We will restrict our Archives visits to the Bramech filter.”
Vaush and Chaiyse both turned to Comron. He cocked an eyebrow, “It was an accident. I don’t think we could repeat it if we tried.”
“See that you don’t, Lord Van Laven,” Chaiyse said in an authoritative tone. She let the words hang in the air a moment before returning her attention to Vaush. “Onto other matters. Bhedrus and I have been able to convince more of the Kait to stand with us and to draft a petition to make the Kurukaii reconsider their course. I do not hold out much hope for the petition, but adding numbers to our ranks will make our voice all the stronger.”
Vaush looked at Comron, then back to Chaiyse. “That’s wonderful news. How were you able to persuade them?”
“You must take the credit for that, Your Highness. The manner in which you have staunchly enforced the Murkudahl Edict with such dire consequences for infractions has impressed them. The economic initiatives and educational legislation you’ve enacted is equally impressive to the Murkudahl.” She nodded, the closest thing to a smile. “For the first time in a long time, the Kait have reason to hope for better things for your empire. This may provide them with the moral directive to deter the Kurakaii from attacking your system.”
“How many do you count among the supporters?” Comron asked in a pragmatic tone.
“Only twenty at present, but our numbers are growing.”
“A whole twenty out of fifty thousand Kait,” Comron said cynically, “Forgive me for not breaking out the champagne bottles, but I think we’ll move forward with our contingency plan.” He might as well broach the topic and gage their position on the matter.
“And what might this contingency plan involve?” Chaiyse inquired in a rather amused, if not condescending, tone.
Comron’s jaw clenched as he fixed her with fervent look. “To be prepared for battle.”
Chaiyse glanced at Vaush and blinked; the Murkudahl equivalent of a snicker. “I do not think you understand what you are up against, Lord Van Laven.”
“And I don’t think Kurukaii know what they’re up against,” Comron replied crisply. “We appreciate your efforts, but we are not going to cower behind your skirts. When I say we will be prepared it is no empty boast.” If they had knowledge of the developments at Fort Extremis, now was her moment to disparage or condemn it.
“This topic makes him a little anxious,” Vaush said apologetically. “He knows that I will be the Kurukaii’s primary target.”
Chaiyse’s gaze fell upon Comron. “Deluding yourself into believing you are prepared for the enemy will not improve her chances of survival.”
The color rose in Comron’s cheeks. “Perhaps you’re the one deluding yourself into believing the Murkudahl are so far superior to everyone else that nothing can make them bleed.”
“If there was the slightest probability that you could succeed against the Kuruakaii, I would not be spending my time lobbying for support amongst the Kait and thereby risking complete ostracism from the collective.”
“We applaud your efforts and encourage you to keep trying,” Comron said rigidly. “And so will I.”
“Yes, Lord Van Laven, your toys at Fort Extremis are impressive,” Chaiyse said quietly confirming Comron’s suspicion. “But compared to the Kuruakaii’s arsenal, they are merely that—toys.”
Were the tips of his ears as red as they felt? His head was pounding and his heart raced as his thoughts flowed toward a singularity—the Kurukaii would brutally rape and torture Vaush before they finally decided to kill her unless he did something to stop them. And now this Kait mocked him and told him his hopes of saving Vaush were futile, that he’d be utterly helpless as they tore Vaush to pieces!
SHE WOULDN’T BE THE ONLY ONE!
Suddenly Chaiyse winced and touched her brow.
“Are you all right?” Vaush asked the Murkudahl.
Chaiyse dark eyes lightened a degree as she met Comron’s glare. “Cease this instant, Lord Van Laven.”
Comron’s brow pinched together in confusion, though his body thrummed with electricity and disorientation. “Cease what? I haven’t done anything.”
Chaiyse’s large dark eyes returned to their natural color. You know perfectly well what you were doing.
Comron started at the sound of her voice in his head. It had the roar of a waterfall. What in hell are you talking about? He shot back, his inherent trepidation trumped by his curi
osity over this foreign sensation.
Vaush looked between the two of them. “Comron, your eyes!” she said, her own wide with alarm. “The color is … is returning. Will someone please explain to me what’s happening here?”
When Chaiyse finally spoke, there was a hint of surprise in her voice. “Lord Van Laven is a rather gifted telepath, Your Highness. Which no doubt explains the unexpected visit to the Chronicle Archives. The essence has exponentially increased his latent abilities. And now it seems that he has stumbled across another practical skill.” Her gaze never wavered from Comron.
“You want to elaborate or do I have to guess?” Vaush said uneasily.
“He has learned how to channel powerful emotion to inflict physical pain.” Chaiyse said. “Lord Van Laven, I can teach you how to control and harness the power …”
To better monitor and control my use of it, Comron heard the unspoken message.
“… lest you hurt yourself or someone else unintentionally.” She nodded in acquiescence, but he sensed something darker in the gesture. “You just may surprise the Kurukaii after all.”
Chapter 15
The moment Chaiyse left, Comron braced himself for the onslaught of questions as he and Vaush moved to the living room. “So, was that the first time you used that w— that skill?” Vaush asked as they sat on the sofa, facing one another.
“I wasn’t trying to hurt Chaiyse,” Comron said, draping his arm along the back cushions to where Vaush sat. “For all I know she’s just messing with our minds as payback for breaching their Archive security.”
Vaush frowned. “That’s not her style. Besides, it wouldn’t explain the whole fading irises trick or the fact that we can’t see you in the archives.” She placed one of the pillows in her lap and fussed with one of the tassels. “The essence did things to you that it didn’t do to me, and I think that has scared the Murkudahl.”