by Roxie Ray
“He’ll be here,” I said.
Brags had never failed me before, and his spies had never failed him. I moved to the head of the table and sat down.
“Did the recent threats contain any new information?” I asked Growan.
“Just more of the same,” he replied. “Every single message mentioned the vuter, except for the last one.”
“I don’t understand — this vuter seems to be of some importance,” Brailin said, his brow crinkled with confusion. “Why have we never heard of it before?”
“Maybe it’s just a feint?” Comadin suggested. “Maybe it’s a way of keeping us distracted while…”
“While what?” Terrox asked. “What is the motive behind a feint? This is not a distraction. Someone out there wants this vuter, and for some reason they believe we have it.”
“You think it has something to do with the Gnosees?” Growan asked.
“I’m almost certain it does,” I nodded. “That is the most powerful source of power our planet has to offer. They are the perfect tools for war making.”
“But the Sives?” Growan said, frowning with concentration. “They have been content to pillage and steal, they have never been interested in world domination.”
“They don’t like battles they can’t win,” I said. “They don’t like fighting wars, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make them, especially if they’re being paid handsomely to do it. But we can’t rule out the other possibility.”
“Which is?”
“Bis’er is more ambitious than we ever thought,” I said.
“Bis’er?” Comadin repeated. “As in, the leader of the Sives?”
“The very same,” I replied. “He was a nobody, a Mana from the oceans of Valkred who rose so high that he became leader of the most notorious outlaw gang in the galaxy in just a matter of years. I don’t think we should underestimate him.”
“We can easily defeat the Sives if it comes to that,” Comadin said cockily. “They are nobodies, beings without names whose home planets have cast them out. They are not soldiers.”
I shook my head. “That only makes them more dangerous,” I said. “They may not be soldiers, but they are all warriors in some form or another. They answer to no one and they have laws or rules governing them. They are ruthless and reckless and have nothing to lose. I don’t think they will be as easy to defeat as the rest of the galaxy believes.”
“The Sives have always been unruly,” Terrox pointed out. “They have always been difficult to control.”
“When is the last time we’ve heard of a break within the Sives?” I asked. “A decade ago, more than that?”
“Possibly,” Terrox said hesitantly.
“That was before Bis’er took the mantle of leader of the Sives,” I pointed out. “Have we heard of any problems within the Sives since then?”
“No,” Terrox said through gritted teeth.
“Precisely.” I nodded. “They have displayed a unified front since Bis’er took control of the group. They are no longer fingers flailing in every direction. The Sives are now a fist, and Bis’er rules that fist. We need to act carefully.”
Comadin and Brailin looked as though they wanted to prove me wrong immediately. I saw their chests rise and fall, anger hot on their faces, the impetuousness that came with youth; I had been the same not long ago. Kingship had a way of making a man of the greenest creature.
I thought about my father and amended the thought. Kingship had a way of making a man of almost everyone. Some creatures were too lost in darkness to find their way back to the light.
I reached out for the goblet of wine that sat in front of me and poured myself a glass. I had just taken my first sip when the door opened and Brags walked in. I searched his expression for some sign of the news he was bringing, but as usual, his features remained unnaturally impassive.
Terrox got to his feet immediately. “Well?” he asked urgently. “Did your spies deliver? Do you have anything for us?”
Brags was not one to be rushed into anything. He walked to his seat next to mine and sat down with a heavy sigh. The bells in his hair tinkled softly, but to me, they sounded almost ominous.
“Tell us,” I said, as Terrox sunk to his seat.
“One of my spies has discovered what a vuter is,” Brags revealed.
There was pin drop silence within the solar. “How bad is it?” I asked, preparing myself.
“Apparently it is a rare and powerful gem that grants the owner the power to control the Gnosees,” Brags revealed.
“Say that again,” Comadin said, leaning in and looking at Brags with disbelief.
“Is that even possible?” Terrox asked.
“Apparently it is,” Brags said, with a deep sigh.
“There is good news here,” I said, trying to maintain a sense of calm despite the chaos I could feel burning in the pit of my stomach.
“Indeed?” Terrox asked sarcastically. “Which is what?”
“Whoever wants this gem thinks I have it,” I pointed out. “All the threats we have received so far have demanded that we have over the vuter. Which means —”
“They don’t have it,” Brags said. “Precisely.”
“Why do they think we have it, though?” Brailin asked.
“Because the Gnosees are on my planet and under my protection,” I pointed out. “And ever since I moved them into the catacombs of this castle, they are no longer rampant in the wild. Whoever this power hungry creature is must assume that I have complete control over the Gnosees because I have this gem, this vuter he seeks.”
“And he believes you’re just going to hand it over?” Terrox asked incredulously.
“I’m guessing more threats will follow,” I said. “And not all will be so peaceable. It won’t be long before we have an army at our doorstep.”
“Then we must prepare,” Comadin said, rising to his feet as though he were about to go off to battle immediately.
“Sit down,” I said firmly. “I understand the need to fight, but we must be strategic as well as smart. There are civilians we need to make sure are protected, and we have the Gnosees to tend to. The creatures have been confined to the catacombs?” I asked, turning to Brags and Growan.
“Yes, my King,” Growan nodded. “As per your instructions.”
“Double the guards around the catacombs and fortify the defenses. But make sure you’re subtle about it,” I added. “I don’t want anyone getting wind of their presence within the castle. If we have a spy among us, I don’t want to hand them the information the enemy needs.”
“You think we may have a spy among our ranks?” Brailin asked.
“The Svantians who man this castle are creatures of honor. They would never betray their planet or their king,” Terrox said.
“Just because your loyalty is unquestionable does not mean that is true of everyone, Terrox,” I said gently. “There are three known Svantians that belong to the Sives.”
“A paltry number compared to the number of other species that have joined the Sives.”
“Regardless,” I said. “It is possible. We cannot be naïve to the fact that there might be a traitor among us. I simply want to be safe.”
“I will make sure the protection around the Gnosees is doubled,” Brags said. “And I will make sure no one but the Protectors are aware of it.”
“Good,” I nodded. “In the meantime, we need to reinforce security around our borders. And we also need to check on our war reserves. If this turns into a fully fledged battle, we need to be prepared.”
“I will check our arms supplies,” Growan confirmed.
“Make sure our spaceships are in working order as well,” I instructed. “As well as our missile supplies. It is more likely that we will be attacked from the skies.”
This meeting had turned into a war council, and despite the tension in the air, there was an underlying current of excitement. I knew my council well. They were all good, decent Svantians. But the primal beast in all of us stirred at the s
cent of war. We would never seek out a fight, but if it came to us, we most definitely would rise to the challenge.
“Send your spies into the galaxy,” I told Brags. “Ask them to come back with more information. It is not enough that we know what the vuter is, now we must find it before anyone else does. If we lose control of the Gnosees —”
“The galaxy will descend into chaos,” Terrox finished for me.
“And the master of the vuter will be king of the ashes,” I said. “We cannot let that happen.”
“We won’t,” Brags said immediately. “I will try and find us a lead. Then we can start the search for this strange gem.”
I nodded. I realized I was still on edge. This was not the atmosphere I wanted to bring Rosa into. Svante had always felt like a safe haven, a fortress that kept the wars and troubles of the galaxy at bay. But now it was vulnerable, and my calm was a carefully constructed façade. Rosa’s presence in my life had reminded me that I had something precious to lose, and that thought terrified me.
I had promised myself that I would protect her always, but I had brought her straight into danger. In the end, was I really any different from my father? The circumstances may be different, but if the end result was the same, did it really matter?
“This meeting is adjourned,” I said, distractedly. “You may all be excused.”
“Uh, my King?” Brags said. “I think you’ll find that we have one more matter to discuss.”
I frowned. “Which is?”
“The mating ceremony and the coronation,” Brags replied. “You have found your mate, and all of Svante must celebrate that.”
I felt my heart sink. “I think we should discuss that at a later date,” I said. “Once this vuter threat is dealt with.”
“Quatix,” Brags said, dropping the formalities and addressing me directly. “This is an important occasion, not just for you, but for our planet. It is best to do both ceremonies as soon as possible. The people will want to see their king mated. It will also boost morale and ensure that the royal lineage will continue.”
I understood what the mating ceremony would mean to my people, but that was not the issue that was plaguing me. I loved Rosa, and I didn’t want to see her hurt. She was not made for the kind of wars that Svantians were built and trained for. She was strong, resilient, and smart, but Earth’s battles were child’s play compared with the kind of destruction a galaxy war brought.
“We will discuss it at a later date,” I said firmly.
The clipped edge in my voice warned Brags to drop the subject immediately. He nodded in defeat and rose from his seat. “As you wish, my King,” he said, bowing his head.
As my council filtered out of the royal council room, I turned back to the magnificent view that awaited me. I had been away from Rosa for only a few hours, and already I missed her. Did I really have the strength to part with her for good, even if it was for her own sake?
I pictured her beautiful, soft features, the way her lips puckered in sleep, the way her eyelashes fluttered when she was feeling shy, and the way her smile came easily and often when she was happy.
I realized that I would do anything to make sure she was safe, and that included letting her go.
11
Rosa
It was one thing to hear Quatix refer to me as a queen, but a whole other thing to hear Sophia refer to me that way. It felt real.
All the same, I gave her a grateful smile and turned to look at the castle’s interior. My breath caught as I took in the sheer scale of the space I was in. I had to crane my neck so far back that I thought it might snap.
The ceilings were so high that I wondered if there was an end to them at all. There were sections of ceiling that were covered with glass. I could see the outlines of passing clouds, and every now and again, a creature with wings soared past. Other sections of the castle were covered over with vaulted ceilings that put me in mind of Gothic architecture.
The beauty of the interior was in the carvings that adorned almost every surface I looked upon. Even the marble looked like it had been worked over, depicting stories I had yet to hear, histories I had yet to learn.
There wasn’t much in the way of color. The stones, bricks, and marble were splashed about the castle in soft golds, rich browns and earthy reds, but it still came off as opulent and classical. I almost tripped twice because I was so engrossed in every facet.
Thankfully, Sophia seemed to understand my fascination. She linked my hand with hers and guided me along. We walked through the massive marbled hall and entered a broad cloistered passageway that overlooked a huge garden whose central focal point was a circular fountain with a huge marble statue in the center.
As beautiful as the fountain and the exquisitely rendered statue of a large Svantian was, the remarkable fanned vaulting of the cloisters transfixed me.
“This is amazing,” I said, standing still for a moment so that I could take it in properly.
Sophia smiled. “I felt the same way when I first stepped through the halls of this castle. There are spaces within these walls that will simply take your breath away.”
“Isn’t this one?” I asked, wondering how anything could possibly be more beautiful.
“Oh, just you wait.” Sophia smiled. “You haven’t seen the grand hall yet.”
Once we left the cloister behind, Sophia led me up the grand staircase. We walked up one flight, and I rushed toward the balcony to enjoy the view. I could see one story down and what seemed like a dozen stories up.
“No wonder everyone on this planet looks like they live in the gym,” I joked. “You have all these stairs to climb.”
Sophia laughed. “I haven’t thought about a gym in quite some time. I don’t miss them at all.”
“I’m shocked,” I said sarcastically.
Sophia smiled. “The staircases were a necessary part of the architecture,” she said. “But they’re rarely ever used.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Sophia led me away from the balcony toward a gilded door that stood at about twelve feet high, much smaller than any of the other doorways I had seen since I’d been on Svante. She pressed a diminutive button to the side, and the doors glided open to reveal that it was, in fact, an elevator disguised as an ordinary door.
“Oh my God,” I laughed.
“The king’s private chambers are on the twenty-third and topmost floor,” Sophia told me. “The elevators are your friends.”
“I’m a fan already,” I said, stepping into the elevator beside her.
When the doors opened again, we were in a carpeted foyer that was significantly smaller than I was expecting. There was only one massive black door right in front of me.
“This floor is reserved for the King and Queen alone,” Sophia informed me.
I followed her out of the elevator, towards the chamber door. Sophia hung back while I walked up and placed my hand against the surprisingly cool wood.
“Go on,” Sophia encouraged.
I took a deep breath and pushed open the door. I pushed hard, but the door swung open as if by its own accord, as though the pressure I had put on it had acted as some kind of catalyst. I walked in and took a deep, steadying breath.
Apparently the foyer had been so small because the King’s chambers had swallowed up all the space. I felt like I had just walked into a sprawling penthouse suite, the kind with seven bedrooms, a gymnasium, a pool, and an entertainment room.
I couldn’t even see the bed from where I was standing. My tired brain picked out a few interesting objects: the massive black bookcase that doubled as a wall, the collection of antique weapons that had been encased in glass and were hanging from the walls, and the giant nook that extended into open sky, allowing me a panoramic view of Svante’s breathtaking jungles.
“This is incredible,” I sighed. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to living here.”
“That’s what I thought, too.” Sophia nodded. “Trust me… you get used to it.
”
I rushed out into the nook that protruded from the main body of the room. Its three walls were made entirely of floor-to-ceiling glass. If I looked to my left, I saw jungle; if I looked to my right, I saw the castle’s silver battlements glinting in the distance; and if I looked straight ahead, I saw the most amazing waterfall I had ever laid eyes on. Its waters were actually the color of soft lavender and surged down into a lake of dark royal purple.
“Sophia?” I asked, without taking my eyes off the waterfall.
“Yes?” Sophia asked, as she came to stand beside me.
“Is that Skorasis Falls?” I asked, remembering that Quatix had mentioned it on Xehrul.
“It is,” Sophia nodded. “A natural beauty, is it not?”
I smiled. “Quatix was right.”
“Excuse me?” Sophia asked.
“Nothing,” I said. “How long have you lived here?”
“It’s been almost a decade since I’ve made Svante my home,” Sophia replied.
I turned to her in surprise. “Ten years? How did you meet?”
Sophia smiled fondly. “That’s a long story.”
“Will you tell me about it one day?”
She nodded. “I will,” she promised. “If you would like some privacy, I can leave you to rest —”
“No,” I said immediately. “I don’t think I’ll be able to rest. I want to explore.”
“Explore?” Sophia asked, sounding both surprised and impressed.
“Yes,” I nodded. “I want to see more of Svante.”
“Well, if that is your desire, there is something I think you may enjoy.”
“Tell me,” I said excitedly.
“The marketplace,” Sophia said. “It’s sort of like a bazaar — the local people arrive early each morning to sell their wares. It’s a short walk outside of the castle’s main gates. I’m sure you’d love it.”
“I will love it.” I nodded. “Let’s go.”
“You’re sure you don’t want to rest first?” Sophia asked, in amusement.
“Actually, I’d like to change,” I admitted.
Sophia took my hand and led me further into the room toward a tall, embellished door that directly preceded the bedroom. We walked in, and I gasped as I realized this was the Svantian equivalent of a walk-in closet. Gowns, corsets, and robes had been laid out on silver pegs, and I grazed my fingers over several of them as I moved through the room.