by Ali Vali
“No hints?” Isla asked.
“Aside from Etta, you two will be the first to know.”
“Good fortune then, Highness,” Isla said, and Talia agreed.
“Good fortune to us all, sisters,” she said, but didn’t think the woman walking at the same pace but across the street agreed with her wish.
*
“Do you have a team in place?” Galen asked from the throne room, trying her best not to lose her temper. “It’s a simple question so I’d appreciate it if you’d stop talking in circles.
Sol Oberon tapped his fingers together and smiled at her through the monitor. The first twenty minutes of their conversation had centered around how fortunate she was that he’d taken the time to talk to her at all. Everything that followed had been gibberish to avoid answering anything directly.
“Watch your tone, Princess. We are separated by space, but I’m still your king.”
“My title is Queen Galen, heir of Nessa, first queen of Atlantis. Your realm, rule, or law has no sway here, and we’ll fight to prove that fact.”
He laughed and finally put his hands down when she didn’t join him. “According to the true throne of Atlantis, we’ve given no such quarter, so you have no say in what happens here or in any territory under our rule.” He leaned forward and raised his voice. “If that’s all, go back to whatever takes up your day and stop wasting our time.”
“That man is an ass,” Hadley said when the screen went dark.
“Words that have been repeated by every queen since Nessa, I’m sure.” She stood and flexed her hands as she moved her head from side to side, trying to relax. “Are you sure they can’t pinpoint where we are?”
“Very few citizens in Atlantis have our true coordinates, since every system responds to what everyone believes to be our location. If it came to war, those systems would be changed and any attack would happen leagues from here, where the only casualties would be fish.” Hadley took her hand and walked to the large window that overlooked the city. “It’s a safeguard very few even realize exist, which makes me think your ancestors were geniuses.”
“You were right about Francesca Yelter. She was the one who shot Kai, and the women with her were part of the movement to take control of the entire planet.” She’d forbidden Laud from removing Bella from her staff until she’d talked to Hadley, but she’d already had something in mind as to how to handle this situation.
“The morgue confirmed it?”
“About an hour ago, so don’t pout,” she said as she sat on the grass and watched the lights of vessels through the corridors of buildings and homes. “I had Laud place discreet surveillance on both Wilma Yelter and Bella. In my heart I hope Francesca was in all this alone with a few lunatics, but if she wasn’t, I have to be prepared to act.”
“Is there a question in there? No matter what, I’m here at your side, and I’ll never allow anyone to hurt you as long as I have fight left in me.” Hadley laid her head in her lap and smiled up at her. “You shouldn’t feel guilty about punishing those who conspire to break our laws.”
“That’s true. I could have forgiven treason against the throne after an adequate punishment, but they tried to kill our child. I try not to think what would’ve happened if that bitch had as good an aim as you or Kai.” She took a deep breath to settle her heart rate. “I’d have ordered a trial for the entire lot of those people who followed Francesca. And if the council can prove they knew about the attack on Kai and helped her in any way, I’m going to order them killed and will gladly do it myself if that’s their vote.”
“And if that includes Bella and Wilma? That they were willing participants, I mean.”
“What would you do?” She placed her hand on Hadley’s forehead and thanked the goddess again for the unwavering strength she saw in Hadley’s gaze.
“I’d kill them all and would be blessed if my queen gives me the privilege of wielding the triton.” Hadley sat up and pointed outside. “My love, you have to realize that the people out there love you and they love Kai. They see your faults, but they trust your leadership and your ability to keep them safe. Why this Yelter woman or anyone else would think giving the Oberons an in will change their lives for the better is too stupid to waste time on.”
“That’s my decision if they helped plan the attack on Kai, and I hope it doesn’t cast me as a monster, but I can’t allow Sol to become any more brazen. He’ll take this throne only by killing me.”
“That’ll only happen if every Atlantean woman died protecting you, and I don’t foresee that.”
She smiled and kissed Hadley’s chin. “What do you foresee?”
“Your reign will last another thousand years.”
The words were part of the official royal toasts. Any queen’s reign would last another thousand years because of their heirs, so it was a blessing for all their royals. “Thank you, and my prayer is to share that eternity with you.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
The woman stopped when Kai slowed to check the traffic before she crossed the street. Obviously following someone wasn’t one of this woman’s talents, or she was actually part of the security detail Laud had sent. It wouldn’t do any good to complain about the latter, but if this wasn’t part of that scenario, the security around her would triple. She stared right at the woman as she got close, prepared to act if need be.
Her shadow made only brief eye contact and stayed quiet as she walked toward Etta’s building. Kai wasn’t about to lead her to her old friend so she entered a building halfway there. She didn’t hurry until she made it through the door and ran for the stairs. The door slammed behind her, but it didn’t concern her as she waited to the left of the opening. The woman was actually laughing when she opened the door, obviously at her expense for being so predictable, but she quickly stopped when Kai wrapped her arm around her neck and squeezed. She struggled for only a moment before becoming dead weight, so Kai put her down carefully and removed the backpack and her wallet. The pack held only a camera and the wallet only cash. It was what someone carried when there was even a remote chance of discovery.
“I’m sure this is one of those purchased phones, but let’s give it a shot,” Kai said as she removed the cell from the woman’s front pocket. Thankfully it wasn’t pass-code protected so she dialed the only number in memory.
“Where the hell are you?” a man gruffly asked.
“Following, like you asked,” she whispered. “Why?” she asked, trying to figure out who this was.
“Get back here. I told you we don’t need anything else on that front. I need you here to keep the fuckers on the board occupied. Don’t flake out on me now that we’re so close.”
This had to be Steve, but why in the hell would he need her followed? “No problem. She’s too close for me to talk anyway.”
“Where are you?” Steve asked and laughed. If she had to guess, he was still obsessed with Vivien and obviously anyone who got in the way of that.
“Got to go.” She hung up and snapped the cheap phone in half. She went through the photos in the camera, not liking the number of shots of Vivien, her family, and her. Before she left, she positioned the woman so she could take her picture to show the Palmers later. “Hope you have aspirin handy,” she said as she let the woman go and she slumped over. “Your headache will wake you up in about an hour.”
Etta downloaded the picture after Kai made sure the woman was working alone. “You don’t recognize her?” Etta asked.
“Her face is vaguely familiar, but no. Maybe the team will get a lead with that.” She pointed to the computer screen. “That’s not why I’m here though. Did you get what I asked for?”
Etta opened her laptop and brought up a world map that had a red dot wherever the strange boxes had been found. So far they’d appeared only on oil rigs, military ships, and other vessels with high clearance. Kai started typing in a command-strategy sequence and waited for the results.
“Do you have anything interesting? Vi
vien will want to know why I’m here since I’m staying with her and her family.” She smiled when Etta immediately handed her a rolled-up map. “She also wants to know if you’ve got a young lover you run off to see every summer.”
“I’m working on it, but it’s just my parents for now. I live surrounded by water here, but it’s nice to go home. Your mother, and grandmother, and I have a lot of cataloging to do.”
The computer emitted a small ping so they both looked. “Don’t worry. I won’t keep you long.”
“Your Highness, I’ll do whatever you require to help you,” Etta said, lowering her head.
“I know, but your mothers are waiting and I want you to go. Right now I only want to see how viable my theory is.” The dots were connected by a series of lines that overlapped more frequently in four different locations worldwide. From what she could tell, they seemed to concentrate around oil platforms but all of them in deep water. “Could you secure the door?”
She typed another strategy scenario and watched what the capital’s main computer system’s prediction would be. All the lines and dots disappeared toward the end. “Mom,” she said to Hadley when she opened a link.
“How’s the leg?” Hadley asked, and Kai noticed her grandmothers Brook and Mari had joined in.
“Stings a little but I’m good. I wanted to check in and give you some updates.” She started with the woman in the stairwell.
“You’ve never seen her?” Brook asked.
“Was she a citizen?” Mari asked.
“No and no, and she works for Steve Hawksworth, so I kind of see her motives. What I really called about are the boxes.”
“We’ve got people working on it,” Hadley said, watching their system tie the boxes together and coming up with the four locations Kai had pinpointed. “We’ve had the same results, but placing a signal with the amount of strength it’s going to take to annihilate them will take time.”
“I’ve got an idea about that and wanted your input before I make a fool of myself in front of the council.”
“Let’s hear it, tadpole,” Mari said, the others nodding.
She explained what had come to her the night before and ran the simulations for them. No one had an explanation yet as to where the boxes had come from or who had placed them, but destroying them would also destroy their usefulness. They’d have to find another way to trace them.
“We’ve got a lead on who, but not why yet,” Hadley said, running the scenario again. “Laud and the others came up with the same thing but don’t have the specifics needed. Will what you’re proposing withstand the strength of the beam? We’ve never mixed our technology with that of the humans like this before.”
“I might cook it, but can we try this tomorrow if you agree?”
“I’ll have teams in place by tonight.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
All three of her family members bowed. “Thank you, Highness. You’ve been a good student, and now you’ve proved beyond doubt that you’ve learned well. I’d be proud to follow you into any fight,” Hadley said.
“Let’s hope this keeps us off the battlefield.”
“Well spoken,” Mari and Brook said almost together.
*
Vivien opened her eyes slowly, hoping the room wasn’t spinning like it had been when she first woke up. She very seldom got sick so the morning’s bout of vomiting was definitely memorable. Like earlier, though, she didn’t move, enjoying the feel of Kai next to her. The desire to touch Kai and be touched was there even if her stomach issues hadn’t completely vanished.
“You’re back early,” she said, turning slightly and molding her body to Kai’s.
“I missed you so I asked Etta for the condensed version. She didn’t mind, since she could leave early to visit her parents.”
“So no great love affair?” she asked, laughing. “That’s a shame. She doesn’t realize what she’s missing.”
“How are you feeling, my little romantic fool?” Kai tightened her hold and brought her closer so she was practically on top of her.
“I’m much better. Thank you for taking care of me.” She gently ran her fingers along Kai’s eyebrows, and suddenly her eyes filled with tears, blurring her vision. Her face was hot from a blush, she was sure, but she couldn’t help the onslaught of emotion. She had never been this completely happy.
Kai surprised her by not asking why she was crying and simply held her. It was like a reassurance that she could express whatever she was feeling and still be safe in Kai’s arms. She’d been content with her life, happy when she was with Frankie and free from judgment or ridicule, but nothing like this.
“You want to try to eat anything?” Kai asked after thirty minutes.
“I guess we need to go in to the office today, even though I’d rather gouge my eyes out. I still can’t believe that weasel got the board to go along with him.” She kissed Kai’s shoulder before getting up.
“That won’t stand,” Kai said, joining her in the bathroom. “I’m sure things will return to normal as soon as the general stock-meeting vote takes place.”
“I wish I could be so sure.” Standing in the shower with Kai was like a shot of adrenaline to her system that seemed to stabilize the queasiness in her stomach. They didn’t talk much after that, but she enjoyed having Kai nearby as they got ready.
Kai held her hand until they got to the elevators and smiled when the doors closed with only them in the car. “Remember who you are and what’s rightfully yours. The rest is annoying background noise,” Kai said when they reached the top floor.
Winston was in his office with his feet propped up, listening to Frankie give him some kind of report, but Frankie stopped when they walked in. “Sorry we’re late. I wasn’t feeling well this morning,” Vivien said.
Kai closed her eyes momentarily when the tension in the room seemed to close in around her. The Palmers weren’t upset with each other, but they were still reeling from the shock. She sat between Vivien and Frankie, needing the nearness of all of them to sway their thoughts to what she had to do.
“All set on the stock-holder meeting?” she asked, concentrating on her shell. She smiled when the siblings lifted their hands to touch their own, as if they couldn’t help the motion.
“Frankie can give you both the date, but it’s set. Hope those fuckers know it’s a two-way street once it’s convened. The stockholders can vote the board out too,” Winston said. He started rubbing his temples after he spoke. “Kai, I hate to ask, but could you make a quick trip out to Triton and see if everything’s okay?”
Vivien’s expression was unreadable at first, but she eventually nodded. “That’s a good idea, so we can have an update for the meeting.”
“I won’t mind at all, sir. Anything you need, just ask. You deserve better than you’ve gotten.” The manipulation of their thoughts was necessary because she didn’t want company out on the water, so she was glad Vivien didn’t object. “Let’s see how close I can get.” Vivien followed her out and pointed to her office. “Remember where you’re staying when you get back.”
She put her arms around Vivien and kissed the top of her head. The bond between them was growing and strengthening, which would make it excruciatingly painful when she severed it. “I’d lose sight of who I am before I forget you. I won’t be long.”
Vivien moaned when they kissed, and she didn’t let go when the door opened behind them. “Steve’s going to be devastated, but you’ve got much nicer hair,” Frankie said with a wide smile.
“The rest of her is as spectacular,” Vivien said, so she took the opportunity to leave.
“I’ll give you a chance to talk about me,” she said, then kissed Vivien again and shook Franklin’s hand on the way out. “Keep an eye on her for me.”
“Sure, but I don’t mind sharing the job,” Franklin said.
“What job is that?” Steve asked as Franklin’s shoulders hitched at the sound of his voice. “Never mind. Before too long you won’t have any job
here to worry about, but I’ll make sure the board saddles you with the bill for all your great progressive ideas.”
“If you’re trying to scare me, dig a little deeper,” she said, staring intently at him. Something about him was off, but she couldn’t quite grasp what that was, though she recognized the woman who stood behind him. “How’s your head, Miss…?”
“Tanice Themis,” Tanice said but wouldn’t make eye contact. “I’m Mr. Hawksworth’s assistant.”
“You two know each other?” Vivien asked.
“Not really, no,” she said, laughing. “Miss Themis just looks like someone who has a splitting headache. See you soon.”
In the elevator she made a call to Edil and ordered some of her people ashore to watch over Vivien and her family. “Make sure they’re not spotted, and if you have anyone to spare I need Steve Hawksworth and his assistant followed. For some reason I get the impression we’ll find some of our answers with these two.”
“As you wish, Highness,” Edil said, and she could sense some hesitation. “Etta did as you asked this morning and contacted your parents about what happened.”
“How many are you sending?” She’d been right in that her freedom was about to be curtailed.
“Your guards are waiting aboard the Salacia, but if you return to shore, Consort Hadley requested four guards at all times.”
“Relax, Edil,” she said, blowing out a long breath. “I rarely kill the messenger, and I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Can I have that in writing about not killing the messenger?” Edil asked, laughing.
“Sure, but if you want me to sign it in blood, don’t say I didn’t warn you about the bloody nose you’ll have to provide.”
*
“What did that bitch mean about your head?” Steve asked, pinning Tanis against the closed door of his office. She didn’t move when he wrapped his hand around her throat, her eyes closing as if to hide something from him. “What aren’t you telling me?” He tightened his grip.