Cassandra's Challenge

by M. K. Eidem

  “Let go Cassandra. I’ve got you.” He softly demands.

  Cassandra’s aroused eyes met darkening violet. Moving his hips he watches her eyes darken, deepen, become driven as her body searches for its release. Pressing against her most sensitive part William sees her eyes glaze over as pleasure takes her. Her release triggers his and with one last deep thrust he joins her.

  Knowing the moment her mind reengages is humbling to William. For her to let go, to let her feelings rule…not intelligence…is something she gives only to him.

  Running his fingers threw her hair he rests his forehead on hers. “I love you Cassandra. With all that I am I love you.”

  Here he is, she thinks, the man she loves, her life mate. He is her center and her strength to handle what lies ahead.

  “I love you William. Never doubt it.”

  “I never will.”

  Lying in bed, they savor the time together, both knowing it will be a rare thing in the coming days. As they tell the other what’s happened while they’ve been apart, their bond strengthens.

  “How long until we head to Carina?” She asks propped up across William’s chest.

  “Three or four days.” He answers running a hand down her arm.

  “Then two more days to get there?”

  “Yes.” William waits knowing she’s thinking about something.

  “Tell me about the Sentinel.”

  “The Sentinel? It’s the pride of the House of Protection. Procne has been its Captain for three cycles, his service record impeccable.” Sitting up he pulls her across his lap.

  “What makes it special?”

  “Special?”

  “Why would someone target it?”

  “What do you mean, target?” Realizing he’s gone into ‘Admiral’ mode Cassandra starts to slide off his lap, only to have him stop her.

  “Cassandra…”

  “I need you to listen to something.” Letting her up, he follows her to the consul. Pulling up the last transmission she waits as he listens.

  “That’s Quinn talking to Tibullus.”

  “Tibullus! That’s who it is.” William waits. “Tibullus is the one receiving the transmissions on the Sentinel.”

  “Cassandra, Tibullus wouldn’t give up the fleet’s location. It’s a ridiculous to even consider.”

  “Why?” Knowing Tibullus is innocent Cassandra turns away finding she’s hurt by William’s doubt in her findings.

  “Because he’s the First Son!”

  “What do you mean he’s the First Son? Of what House?” Her head whips around.

  “The House of Protection,” William’s stunned she doesn’t know this. “You’ve been studying the Houses, Cassandra. How could you not know this?”

  “The First Son of the House of Protection is Barek. He’s King Jotham’s son with his wife Lata, who died in an accident when Barek was five.” Cassandra strides to the closet, yanking out a pair of pants.

  “That’s right.” He remembers the day well.

  “I’ve read all the available information William! And nowhere, in any of it did it say that Barek is also called Tibullus!”

  It’s Cassandra’s tone that brings him out of the past. Seeing her jerk on her pants he realizes he’s done what he promised he wouldn’t. He made her feel stupid for not knowing something that is common knowledge. As she’s changing shirts, he walks up behind her, kissing her now bare shoulder.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.” When she doesn’t respond he turns her to face him, the shirt between them. Lacing his fingers behind her neck, he tips her face up with his thumbs and sees the hurt in her eyes.

  “Tibullus is the family name for the House of Protection. It’s only used when they are serving in the Coalition.” His thumbs gently caress her jawline. “I’m sorry.” Taking a deep breath she closes her eye, when they open their clear with just a touch of humor.

  “So I called the First Son from the House of Protection a jerk.”

  “You did.”

  “Nice.”

  “Cassandra, I’m also his Second Father.” He watches to see if she understands.

  “Second Father?”

  “Jotham and I are not only related, but longtime friends. We went to through the academy together. When Barek was born he asked if I would make sure he was protected if anything ever happened to him.”

  “A Godparent, that’s what it was on Earth. I’m Victoria’s.”

  “Yes, you would be.” He looks into her eyes. “We’re okay?”

  “Yes, I over reacted.”

  “No you didn’t. I did. Do you understand now why Tibullus would never give up our location?”

  Walking away from him she pulls on her shirt. Tibullus is the First Son. He is on the Sentinel. The Sentinel is the target of at least two of the attacks. These are assassination attempts.

  “Is he alive?” She turns.

  “We don’t know.”

  “He gave up the fleets’ location William.” She watches his eyes, sees him struggle with believing her and what he knows of Tibullus. “He didn’t know he was.”

  “What don’t I know?” Walking back to the consul she pulls up the coding she uncovered.

  “The twentieth line of coding is a Trojan.” Stepping aside she lets him sit.

  “Trojan?”

  “A series of codes that activate once the transmission is received. In this case it searches for the location of the receiver then transmits the location back to the sender.”

  “You found this?”

  “Yes, last night. Both transmissions were answered by Tibullus.” Cassandra pauses wondering if she should continue. “William…”

  “It’s an assassination attempt.”

  “Yes. These two attacks have nothing to do with me. They’re all about Tibullus.” Cassandra sees rage fill William’s eyes.

  “Who?” Reaching around him Cassandra pulls up the original transmission.

  “Can you access this?” William enters his code to play the transmission, and is denied. “Why wouldn’t you be able to access a transmission on your own ship?”

  “Because of the royal coding.”

  “But you’re Royal.”

  “Not at this level.”

  “I’ve isolated the sender’s code but I can’t tell you who it is. I’m sorry.” William pulls her onto his lap, his arms encircling her.

  “You have nothing to be sorry for. You found what no one else could.”

  “But not in time to help Tibullus.”

  “We don’t know that. There are survivors on the Sentinel, they were able to maintain their life systems and are making repairs. Their communications are gone, so until someone physically goes over no one is going to know.”

  “When will that be?”

  “It’s not high priority.”

  “How can it not be?”

  “Because the border isn’t secure, the Regulians are sitting just on the other side, waiting.”

  “To see if they were successful.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m sorry William.”

  “Cassandra…”

  “For Tibullus, you love him.” Pulling her close he allows her concern to comfort him.

  “I need to shower and change before the girls get up.” Giving her a kiss he stands.

  “When do you need to be on the bridge?” She watches him.

  “Not until later. Why?”

  “Go shower, I’ll let Hutu know we’re up.”

  “Cassandra…”

  “I had another dream. I need to tell you about it.” Walking back he frames her face, his eyes intense.

  “You’re okay?”

  “I’m fine. I just need to tell you.” After a long minute he nods, taking some clothes he heads for the shower.

  Straightening the bed after calling Hutu, Cassandra wonders if she should tell William she’s conceived. She has no actual proof, just a dream. Salish lied to him about conceiving. She needs to be sure before s
he tells him.

  How will William react when she tells him she met Kayden? The ancestor he condemns. What is it that Sabah had said? About the baby? It would be their first son, named after Kayden’s father.

  But Sabah and Kayden’s first born son was named Barack, not Tibus. There’d been a scroll she’d studied while getting her doctorate. It told the story of how Kayden and Sabah had traveled a great distance from their homeland. That Kayden’s father had given not only his blessing but the symbol to prove he was the King’s son.

  Cassandra never discovered what that symbol was. Answering the buzzing hatch Cassandra lets Hutu in.

  “Hello Hutu.”

  “Hello mam.

  “You can call me Cassandra, Hutu.”

  “No mam, you’re the Admiral’s life mate, that wouldn’t be right.”

  “Why?” She’s honestly curious.

  “Because he’s the Admiral.” Hutu seems to think that explains all.

  “The Admiral says you’ve been with him for over five cycles now.”

  “Yes mam.

  “You can set the tray on the Admiral’s desk. We’ll eat in here since the girls are still asleep.” As he does he checks both meals.

  “What will you do once we return to Carina?”

  “Mam?”

  “Don’t play dumb with me Hutu. You are the most informed person on this ship. You know once we get to Carina all hell is going to break loose.”

  “I go with the Admiral mam, no matter what. Who else knows what you and Tori like?” He watches Cassandra’s eyes fill.

  “Thank you Hutu.”

  “You’re welcome, mam.” He shuffles his feet. “Let me know when the girls are ready for their meal.” Turning he leaves. Securing the door she turns to find William standing just inside the room.

  “What did you say to fluster Hutu?”

  “I asked him what he would do when we returned to Carina.” She walks up to him.

  “What did he say?” He looks at the secured hatch

  “That he goes with the Admiral, no matter what. You have a very loyal crew Admiral.”

  William doesn’t know what to say. He hadn’t considered that Hutu would go with him when they left the Retribution. He would never have asked.

  “Eat William.” She sees she’s caught him unaware. He hadn’t realized others are willing to sacrifice…for him…without him asking.

  Sitting down Cassandra hands him a plate. Picking up hers she sits wondering if she’ll be able to eat, the smell has her stomach clenching. Pregnant?

  “Tell me about your dream.” He takes his first bite.

  “I’m not sure you’ll like it.” She takes a small bite.

  “Why?” With her stomach holding, she takes another.

  “I met Kayden.” William lowers the bite he’d been about to take.

  “What?”

  “The ancestor you condemn. The one no one will speak off.”

  “I know who he his!” Cassandra raises her eyes from her plate.

  “How? If no one speaks his name?”

  “I met him in a dream.” Setting her plate aside she leans back in her chair, waiting.

  Watching her he realizes he should have told her sooner, she’s been open with him about her dreams. Another area he needs to work on.

  “It was the night you realized what the Dioscuri coming would mean to my career.” He didn’t want to think about how close he’d come to losing her. Forcing himself to remain sitting he looks at her. While her eyes darkened she isn’t shutting him out.

  “I was standing on the cliffs, there was a storm brewing, it blocked out the suns light. When I turned he was there, I knew him, didn’t have to be told, I just knew.”

  Cassandra nods.

  “I accused him of murdering his brother than running away. He told me that I knew nothing, that if he had I would never be. He told me that his brother lived and that the King’s first son gave him his blessing.” Finding he can’t sit any longer he walks towards Cassandra.

  “He made me realize that I couldn’t protect you if I wasn’t with you.” William runs the back of his hand down her cheek, needing to touch. “I realized I’d made a mistake, that I would lose you. I wasn’t willing to sacrifice you. Not you, not our future together.”

  “You believed him, when he said he didn’t kill his brother.”

  “I… Yes….I can’t tell you why but yes, I believed him.”

  “Wait here.” Cassandra leaves him to go into their private chambers, returning with the Ipod.

  “When I was working on my doctorate I came across a scroll, read this.” Cassandra finds what she’s looking for then hands it to William. Looking at the device William reads the ancient Carinian.

  “His father gave him his blessing.” William reads out loud.

  “In my dream Sabah was heavily pregnant,” Seeing he’s look, explains. “With child. I asked her which child it was and she told it was their first son, that they would name him after Kayden’s father.”

  “They named him Tibus.”

  “No. Read the rest of the scroll.” As he does William goes still.

  “Barack.”

  “Yes, that would mean Kayden was the First Son of the First Son.”

  Sitting down in his chair William’s mind is racing. If Cassandra is right then the history of the House of Protection is false. Everything believed about Kayden a lie.

  Giving William time to think, she walks over to the painting of the setting suns. Kayden had said she had what she needs. So maybe it is time to stop gathering information and start putting it all together.

  Barack was assassinated all those years ago. Why? The obvious answer is so he couldn’t become King. The King’s second son became King.

  Tibullus has a brother, Dadrian, not from King Jotham’s wife Lata.

  Coincidence? Possible, but Cassandra’s instinct tells her no. This is what her dreams have been trying to tell her. That the past is repeating itself. Is she too late? Is Tibullus dead?

  Hearing William, she turns. The man can make her catch her breath just by being, Sabah is right, together they are more than they are apart. What she doesn’t know or understand he would. Just like with Tibullus.

  “There’s something I keep meaning to ask you.”

  “Ask.” William wraps his arms around her pulling her close.

  “Is that painting,” Cassandra points to the wall, “of the setting suns of Carina?” William raises an eyebrow.

  “Yes.” Turning she looks at it again.

  “I thought so. I’ve sat on that cliff watching them set with Sabah in a dream. But I didn’t really know.” William pulls her close, he knew better than anyone how important knowing was to her.

  “I stood on those cliffs when I met Kayden.”

  “What do you think that means? That they both met us there?” Waiting while William thinks, Cassandra looks back at the painting.

  “It must have been an important spot for them.”

  “Yes, and you just happened to have a painting of it.”

  “Coincidence.”

  “And the book?”

  William says nothing.

  “You descend from his brother, Walwyn. I descend from Sabah. House of Protection. House of Knowledge. Again.”

  “Too many to coincidences.”

  “Yes, too many. Kayden told me I had what I needed, had all I needed. Sabah said that what I didn’t understand you would. They’re right.”

  “They’re right.”

  “What do we do William?” She turns in his arms, looking up at him.

  “We put it together, together. Find out who is threatening you and Tibullus. We stop them.”

  “Together.”

  “Together.” Leaning down William seals the promise with a kiss.

  “Aunt Cassie?” Both turn to see Victoria standing in the doorway.

  “Hi sweetie, you’re awake.”

  “Yeah. We’re hungry.”

  “I’ll call Hutu.” W
illiam goes to his comm.

  “So Amina’s up too?” Cassandra walks over to Tori.

  “Yeah, she’s in the bathroom.”

  “Well let’s get the two of you dressed, than Hutu should be here.”

  Left in his ready room William sits. Assassination. While attempts were not unheard of, they were rare on Carina. Two traitors, one wanting Cassandra, one wanting Tibullus. Did it start out that way?

  William’s instincts tell him no. This all started with Cassandra. Tibullus came later. Someone saw an opportunity with the Sentinel’s original damage. Someone who found out about Cassandra and instead of reporting it used it for his own advantage. Who benefited? The obvious answer is Dadrian.

  His gut told him Dadrian. But can he trust that? He’s never liked Dadrian. Something about him rubbed him wrong. But who else? Sometimes the most obvious is the answer.

  If Dadrian is trying to gain the throne, that means he discovered the plot against Cassandra, and had done nothing. He knew the Regulians were involved, and had done nothing. If the Regulians had gotten by the Retribution they would have attack Carina, and he’d done nothing.

  Rage begins to build in William, the little foabhar! Who does he think he is? Standing by while his life mate is attacked! He’d destroy him! He didn’t care who his father was!

  The Admiral in him knows he has to bank the rage, not let it out, not until the time is right. But the man wants to attack now!

  The buzzing of the hatch brings William out of his thoughts. Hutu is here with first meal for the girls. People are depending on him. Cassandra is depending on him, to keep them safe, he can’t do that if he’s bent on revenge. Pushing it aside, he lets Hutu in and waits.

  Hutu finds the Admiral waiting for him when he returns to the ready room.

  “Sir?”

  “Cassandra’s informed me you plan on leaving the ship with me.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “It will jeopardize you’re career.”

  “With all due respect sir, you wouldn’t jeopardize yours unless you truly believe it’s necessary. That’s enough for me.”

  “Thank you Hutu.” Nodding Hutu goes to pick up Cassandra’s plate then stops.