by Delia Roan
Cyndrae said nothing, but her silence spoke volumes.
“And,” Jenna continued, “she’ll get away with it because the Council loves Lithyon. The Ennoi love Lithyon.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“And Lithyon knows this.”
“She plans every action counting on that fact, my lady.”
Jenna stopped abruptly.
Her helplessness chafed. It shouldn’t be this way. Maybe Jenna wasn’t as tough as the Ennoi, but she had her own strengths. She was flexible. Years of theater work meant she knew how to roll with the unexpected.
Think, Jenna, think!
Her stubbornness helped her learn skills where she lacked natural talent. Her eyes fell on the troeben. In fact, her boneheadedness on the night of the concert had been a huge triumph. People had loved listening to her play. She’d won over the crowd by acting as Ennoi as she could.
A plan began to form in Jenna’s mind.
She walked slowly to the troeben, and ran her fingers across the strings, letting each note peal out and then fade. Thedi sat up at the music.
“Well, if Lithyon thinks she’s going to get away with it,” Jenna said, “we’re going to have to prove to her that she’s wrong.”
“My lady?”
Jenna turned to her friend. “Cyndrae, I need your help. Yours, too, Thedi.”
The two Ennoi jumped to their feet.
“What can we do for you, my lady?” Cyndrae said.
“I’m going to need a bath, a sharp knife, and a really, really pretty dress.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
KOVOS
As they ran through the bowels of the Relay, Stronn filled Kovos in on Jenna’s discover of Lithyon’s treachery.
“A sister,” Kovos said.
“Held captive by an unknown enemy, my lord.”
The thought of Jenna suffering in silence put an ache in his chest. She’d put on such a brave front. From now on, they wouldn’t face their problems alone. They would be a team. There was precious little Kovos wouldn’t do to protect his loved ones. Maybe even trying my hand at murder.
“And the maid poisoned me?”
Stronn’s face flushed. “She was under duress, my lord. She is a widow. Her child is all she has.”
Kovos shot a glance at Stronn. “Hmm. You must know what that is like, Stronn? To experience such loss?”
Stronn nodded, his mouth making a grim line. “Yes, my lord. My Merikkai died during an attack on a farming colony. She was an engineer. Working on water filtration. I was in the infirmary due to an injury on duty. Doctors pumped me full of Temanzyme as soon as they learned of Meri’s passing. Only reason I’m here.”
“Stronn, once this situation is resolved, I will require your assistance.”
“Anything, Lord Kovos.”
“Cyndrae will require sanctuary among the Cadam Ennoi. Would you help her settle in, as well as keep an eye on her?”
“As you command, my lord.”
Kovos hid his grin. Maybe they would never feel the passion of their first loves, but if two lonely souls could find comfort in each other, well, that was often enough.
By the moons, I’m turning into my meddlesome mother!
They entered the shuttle bay, where they found Yaldir and Dovena.
“Kovos!” Dovena rushed to her son. “Is it true what these guards say? Lithyon plots against us?”
“Yes, Mother, unfortunately, it is so.”
“I never liked that harridan,” Dovena replied, her voice flat.
Kovos laughed and threw his arms around his mother.
Dovena narrowed her eyes at her son. “From your jovial mood, am I correct in assuming that you and Jenna have made up?”
“A wise woman told me not to throw away what time takes eventually.” Kovos placed a kiss on his mother’s brow. “Now, what shall we do about the Sykorians?”
“Kill them all,” Dovena replied. “It’s Ennoi lives we risk letting them live.”
Yaldir stepped forward. “My lord, Treylen is scouting the ship for signs of further Sykorian presence.”
“I know there are more Sykorians somewhere on this ship,” Kovos replied. “The ones I killed while escaping were not the same as the ones who captured me.”
“What is Lithyon thinking?” Dovena shook her head. “Foolish girl. She’s playing a game she barely understands. Does she realize this will spark war?”
“That seems an unreasonable goal,” Yaldir said.
“Lithyon is a planner,” Kovos said. “Even if we can’t see the pattern, I’m sure she can. She only gambles when the odds favor her.”
The loud screech of metal on metal interrupted them. Treylen pushed aside an access hatch, and sprung into the shuttle bay. He sprinted across to his fellow Ennoi.
“The Sykorians come,” he gasped out. “They are fleeing, and their means of escape lie yonder.” He pointed to the giant shuttles on the far side of the bay.
Kovos’s mouth grew grim. “We cannot let them escape. We need to stop them. How many did you count, Treylen?”
“Several dozens.”
Kovos cursed. “Armed?”
“Fortunately not all, my lord. They seemed ill-equipped.”
“So are we,” pointed out Yaldir. “We are in no position to stop that many Sykorians.”
Kovos shook his head. “We don’t have to stop them. We just have to slow them down. There are more Ennoi on this Relay than just us. Treylen, get back in the vents, and find the dignitaries. Tell them a Sykorian invasion is underway. Get them here by any means necessary.”
“Yes, my lord!” Treylen scurried away.
“Come. Let’s bar the doors,” Kovos said.
Together, Kovos and his men pulled shut the blast doors on the shuttle bay. The heavy doors were meant to secure the Relay during attacks, but once they destroyed the lock, the doors became a fortification.
“Just in time,” muttered Yaldir, as a thumping began on the other side of the metal wall.
“It won’t hold them forever. They’ll get through,” Kovos said. “Once they do, we fight.”
“Four against a horde,” Dovena mused. “Doesn’t seem fair on the Sykorians.”
“Should we sabotage the ships?” asked Yaldir. “We’re sitting on an active Relay. They could access any part of Ennoi space from here.”
Kovos shook his head. “We’ll need the ships to evacuate our people if things turn sour. Better to stop the Sykorians from ever entering the Relay portal.”
The thumping stopped.
“What do you suppose they’re up to now?” Dovena pursed her lips.
“They’re going to blow the doors,” Kovos responded. “Let’s move back.”
“That means they’re desperate,” Yaldir replied. “They’re sacrificing silence for speed.”
A thrumming sound filled the air, and then the door heaved and buckled, revealing a narrow gap. A bar squeezed through as the Sykorians began to lever the door open.
“Mother! Go hide!”
Dovena frowned at her son. “I’ll remind you that I’ve been in more battles than you’ve got years on your bones.”
“Mother,” Kovos said, a note of exasperation in his voice, “Please?”
“No.” Dovena crossed her arms. “If you die here, I die here.”
“I don’t intend to die, Mother.”
“Neither do I! I intend to see my first grandchild born. But I will not run.”
A warm glow filled Kovos’s chest at the thought of having children with Jenna. He added reproduction, and all the fun ways to try for a pregnancy, to the list of topics to discuss later.
If I don’t die.
“Mother, if we both survive this, I will give you a thousand grandchildren. Promise me you won’t die,” he said. “Just say the words and ease my heart.”
Dovena smiled in triumph. “You have my oath. No dying in exchange for grandchildren.”
&
nbsp; Lithyon isn’t the only one who can play odds to her favor.
“Here they come!” Stronn stepped into a crouch. The gap in the door grew wider, and Sykorian hands and faces began to squeeze through. The first of the Sykorians stumbled in, and then blinked in surprise when he spotted the Ennoi.
“Ready for battle!” Kovos ordered.
As Dovena, Kovos and Stronn slipped into their Virtuous forms, Yaldir sighed, examining the giant beasts surrounding him. He lifted his sword.
“I’ll just… stay as I am, shall I?” Yaldir muttered under his breath. “I suppose someone has to be the small, squishy target.”
The Sykorian by the door was joined by several others. Emboldened by the support, he raised his stun stick and roared, charging at the Ennoi. Kovos lowered his head, and met the first of the Sykorians with the heavy side of his spiked skull. The Sykorian flew backward, and hit a stack of containers with a crunch.
The bottleneck at the door aided the Ennoi. With only a trickle of Sykorians coming through at a time, they dispatched enemies with ease. Realizing they wouldn’t be able to fight against the Ennoi, some of the Sykorians weaved past, heading for the ships. Yaldir darted out, and struck them down.
“Funnel them!” Kovos roared. “Move them away from the ships!”
As a team, the Ennoi pushed and pulled Sykorians, maneuvering them against walls, trapping them near bulkheads, and stalling their progress at every turn.
Kovos kept a sharp eye on the battle, keeping his people safe, even at the cost of his own.
I was made for this.
The rhythm of battle had been in Ennoi blood for generations.
Why isn’t it this easy to control the flow of the Council?
He ensured his mother stayed in the rear, where she wouldn’t encounter much resistance, and that Yaldir wasn’t overwhelmed with the stragglers. Stronn, with his old war injuries, couldn’t move quickly to his left, so Kovos had placed him beside a wall to protect his weak side.
With a start, Kovos realized the Council was no different than the combatants in this battle. They were all Ennoi. He was using their own strengths to build a stronger community. He needed to use his own skills to guide the Council where they needed to go. He’d given them too much freedom and not enough guidance.
As Kovos threw himself into the battle with renewed purpose, he realized the tide of battle had shifted. The Sykorians pushing at the door seemed preoccupied, turning their heads to glance behind them.
“They are distracted,” Yaldir said.
A clang echoed across the room as Treylen wriggled his way out of the vent.
“My lord!” Treylen ran up beside Yaldir, drawing his dagger. “The dignitaries are coming!”
“I believe they are already here,” Kovos rumbled.
Yells and roars mingled from beyond the door. The Sykorians breaching the bay grew even more desperate. They made a final push, with dozens streaming through the doorway at once. They scurried across the floor, heading to the ships.
“Too many!” Stronn roared. “They’re getting away!”
“Stop who you can,” Kovos ordered.
The Ennoi pushed against the wave of Sykorians, who broke against them and poured around, like a river meeting a rock. The Ennoi doubled their attacks, killing Sykorians by the dozens. Despite their efforts, Kovos heard several ships power up behind him. They launched, and Kovos roared in anger as the Sykorians disappeared.
“They escaped!”
“The battle is over,” Yaldir replied. “We stopped most of them.”
“It is not enough,” Kovos said. “We should have stopped them all.”
Yaldir placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “At the very least, we have secured the ships. Lithyon cannot leave without facing us.”
Kovos nodded. The taste of defeat filled his mouth. “That will have to do for now. Let’s go find Lithyon.”
Treylen stepped forward. “My lord, I have news. By the time I reached the banquet hall, Lady Lithyon had left the room. She was called away by her maid.”
“By her-” The color drained from Kovos’s face. “No! The maid betrayed us!”
Painting the air with curses, Kovos dove for the doors, pushing aside corpses as he tried to leverage himself into the door. His fingers slipped on blood. Fool! I should have known better than to think I could outwit Lithyon! Yaldir raced to his side. Together the men heaved. The door groaned, and opened an extra inch.
“Too slow! I must get to Jenna.” Kovos staggered away from the door. “Treylen! Lead me through the access ways!”
Treylen bowed. He eyed Kovos up and down. “No offense, my lord, but with your bulk, this may be slow going.”
“I don’t care,” Kovos ground out. “Just get me there.”
Yaldir stepped forward. “Be reasonable. Breathe until your scales lie flat. Until you can fit in that duct.”
Kovos clenched his fists, but took a moment to inhale and exhale, willing his racing heart to slow.
“Better,” he said. “Let’s go.”
He boosted Treylen up to the entry of the duct, and then climbed up. The darkness of the duct seemed complete after the bright lights of the dock, but after a few feet, Treylen pulled out a lumis, which lit his way.
“I found a schematic of the Relay, my lord,” Treylen said.
“Resourceful,” Kovos said. He’d have to keep an eye on this young guard.
“I’ll figure out the fastest route, sir,” replied Treylen. His fingers danced over the lumis. After a few seconds, he spoke. “This way.”
Kovos squirmed on his belly, doing his best to keep up with the younger and smaller Ennoi soldier.
He had to stop Lithyon. He had to make it back to Jenna.
Before it was too late.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
JENNA
Lithyon’s quarters took Jenna’s breath away. Lush indigo fabrics lined the walls and covered the canopy bed which dominated the space. Every surface was adorned with jewels that sparkled in the dim light. She stepped into the room, and her bare feet sank into the carpet. She wiggled her toes, and giggled as the plush tickled her toes. It’s like walking on a cloud at night. I’m surrounded by stars.
Jenna shook off the distraction. She had a job to do. She studied the room, taking in the troeben in the corner, and the placement of the furniture. Quickly she paced around the room, noting of the number of steps between the door and the bed, the bed and the wall, the wall and the entry to the facilities.
She learned as much as she could about Lithyon’s room, and then she stepped beside the door, pressing her back to the dark fabric. She slipped her hand into the pouch by her side, and pulled out a knife. Even with the lights out, her pure white gown glowed, and the heavy Promise Stone on her chest gleamed brighter than the jewels surrounding her.
It’ll have to do, she thought. I’ll have to do the best I can. She ran her fingers over the pendant. For Kovos.
Steeling herself, she waited.
With a few moments, she heard Lithyon’s voice, shrill with anger, through the door.
“Pack what you can, but do not dawdle,” Lithyon said. “We need to leave. Now.”
“Yes, Lady Lithyon,” replied Cyndrae. “My lady, what about my daughter?”
A clap of skin on skin made Jenna wince.
“If you don’t hurry, you better pray the Sykorians treat her with kindness. Begone!”
Jenna gritted her teeth. Lithyon’s words made her anxious for what would come next. She clenched the handle of the knife. Lithyon strode into her chambers, head up, and without a care in the world.
Almost, almost.
Jenna braced herself, then ran at Lithyon, knife raised. “Die, traitor!”
It was enough warning for Lithyon. She spun around, and her eyes grew wide. Jenna brought the blade down, but Lithyon caught her by the wrist. With a twist of her hand, Lithyon bent Jenna’s elbow at an awkward angle. Pain f
lared up Jenna’s arm. With a scream, she dropped the knife.
“Screw you!” Jenna sobbed, twisting in Lithyon’s grip. “You should suffer for what you’ve done!”
Lithyon’s smile held frost, but her eyes held flame. “You first, my lady.”
She shoved Jenna back, and as Jenna stumbled, Lithyon whipped her arm around in a backhand, catching Jenna across the face. The force was enough to send Jenna sprawling. The back of her head slammed into the troeben, and she saw stars.
Hold on, she urged. You can’t quit now.
With a groan, Jenna pulled herself up using the troeben. Her legs wobbled, as she leaned against the instrument. Jenna raised a hand to her head. Her fingers came back wet and sticky. She fought back the bile in her throat. She shot a fearful glance over her shoulder to where Lithyon stood, arms crossed, smirking.
“How could you?” Jenna asked. “How could you bring the Sykorians here?”
Lithyon shrugged. “When you control the Relays, it’s a simple matter. I control the logs. Nobody questions the logs.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. You said you hated the Sykorians. F-for what they did to you on Braddrak.”
Lithyon’s eyes narrowed. “I do. I hate them. But they are a tool. Like any tool, their only value lies in the skill of the tradesman who wields them.”
“You’re using them,” Jenna said.
“Of course! You don’t really think I want an alliance with the Sykorians, do you? They’re barbarians!” Lithyon stepped toward Jenna. “No, once they’ve served their purpose, I intend to wipe every single one from the universe.”
“Wait!” Jenna raised her bloody hand and cowered back. “Please! I just… I just don’t understand.”
Lithyon sighed, and rolled her eyes. “Your stupidity grows tiresome. Ennoi politics are beyond you. Your human brain is insufficient to understand our people’s ways.” Her voice grew gentle. “I say this with great concern. Give up. Go back to Earth.”
Jenna clutched the pendant on her chest. She stared into the jewel for a moment, lost in the swirling galaxies within. When she looked up, Lithyon glared at the pendant with a predator’s hunger.