Mortal Flames_The Magical

by Averi Hope

  Jaydee took his hand next, but his dark red pupils held an inner anger that surprised him. “My Khar.”

  They took their fathers’ places at the table next to him, and the room grew silent.

  “But where are your great fathers?” Raiden frowned, unable to comprehend where the loyal and kind old men had gone.

  “They are dead.” Jaydee said, his voice holding the same sharp edge as a piece of glass.

  Saura touched Raiden’s arm, drawing him back into his seat. “How?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

  Turk cleared his throat, then swept a hand through his shoulder-length dark hair. “Trying to calm an uprising among our people.”

  An Elder was killed by our own people? Why didn’t I know of this?

  But still, he had the sinking feeling the worst was yet to come.

  None of the Elders looked at Jaydee, but Raiden stared at the young man who had helped him build his ship, Starspeeder. Jaydee had been the closest thing to a confidant for him after Saura had been taken to the Garden of Virtue. “My father’s death was by his own hand.”

  Saura inhaled sharply beside him. “Our world is darker for the loss of them both.”

  No, it’s impossible. Elder Brot was a happy man who adored his mate and son. He would not do such a thing.

  “I don’t understand.”

  The red rings around Jaydee’s eyes darkened as he pinned Raiden with his gaze. “You do not know why he killed himself or why you failed to know such an important fact?”

  It was like a blow to his chest. Had he been standing, he would have staggered under the weight of his friend’s accusation.

  All eyes were on him. “Either.”

  Jaydee raised his head, which had been closely shaved to make the sharp lines of his face appear sharper. “We are not space travelers. These people were the wealthiest, most intelligent citizens of Falaytious. The people deemed most worthy of starting a new and better civilization. But they were not trained for these conditions. Most of them cannot handle being trapped in space much longer.” Sadness pulled at his lips and his eyes lost their fire. “My father was not the first to appear fine one moment and then to take his life in the next. The people are calling it Silent Death. I do not know what else to call it but wrong.”

  Raiden swallowed. “I feel your loss.”

  “Do you?” he asked, tilting his head.

  His question gave Raiden pause. Of course I mourn the loss of Jaydee’s father. Why does he doubt me?

  He reached over and clasped his friend’s shoulder. “Of course.”

  Jaydee’s shoulders slumped, and he suddenly looked far younger than his twenty-five years. “You should have known before this moment.” He met his gaze. “I know why we built Starspeeder, but perhaps things would have been different if you were here with your people instead of on Erth.”

  Urjirick chose that moment to speak, his gravelly voice filled with malice. “Which brings me back to my question, Khar. Why should we obey you? Because of your blood? Because the gods have blessed your ruling?” He spat. “In times of peace and certainty that meant something, but those are not the times we live in. As a boy you took little interest in your people or the responsibilities of a ruler. You—”

  “I did everything that was asked of me!” Raiden asserted, feeling his anger rise.

  Saura touched his knee beneath the table, and he took a deep breath.

  “That’s exactly it,” Urjirick continued, his voice shaking, “you did exactly what was asked of you. And nothing more.” His gaze swept to Saura. “Even she made an effort. Visiting with her people. Caring for the elderly. Watching the children so their parents might work. Learning about the workings of the council and the ship. While you sulked.”

  I didn’t…my father always said everything I did was wrong. My time here was miserable, but—

  “You are wrong,” Saura said, her voice strong. “Raiden should not be your ruler because of his blood or because of the crown. He should be your ruler because he is the best man for the job. It is easy to give you what you want. To murder billions of people like Kaemon promises to do. It is harder to do what is right.”

  Urjirick slammed his hands on the table. “Right for who? For the people of Earth perhaps, but not for us!”

  Several heads at the table nodded.

  I must try a different tactic. “There is a woman on Earth named Rose. She runs a restaurant along the main road. Most of the people who stop in are regular customers. Her cooking is incredible, but they don’t stop there just for the food. They stop to talk to her. She will sit with anyone who needs an ear and give advice when it’s needed. Many of the people call her Grandma.”

  He paused, noticing the subtle change in the air. They’re interested in the humans. “I asked her once why she opened the shop. She said that she and her husband…her mate, and their only daughter were involved in a car…in an accident. Both her mate and her daughter died. She was told she would never walk again.”

  “But she ran a restaurant?” Urjirick asked, his expression truly curious.

  “She did. Despite what the doctors said, she fought to walk again. Her goal always clear. She would live her life to help others. But more than that, she had to live a lot. Enough so that she could tell herself that she had lived because it was the will of her god.”

  The room grew silent as the impact of his words flowed over them.

  Jaydee spoke after a moment. “These are people. With families. With mates and children. With businesses. With faith. How could we justify killing them?”

  Turk shrugged. “By deciding that our lives are worth more than theirs. That killing them really doesn’t mean anything, because they’re an alien species.” He raised a brow. “Which I can’t do, despite how bad things are on this damned ship.”

  Saura’s father, Elder Yurki, spoke after remaining silent throughout the meeting. “I have been the biggest advocate of not harming the blue planet. But…”

  Raiden stiffened, and saw Saura do the same beside him.

  “We cannot keep going.”

  His words fell like stones in the room.

  Elder Yurki continued, “I had hoped…hoped we could endure this, but fights have been constant. Our birthrates have dropped to nearly nothing. Spirits are low. Two council members have been attacked, and one killed.” He looked at Turk, then continued, his voice softer. “A few of the ships in our fleet are considering turning back to join the others at the ice planet.”

  Raiden knew his shock was visible. When the Elementa scientists had discovered the asteroid barreling toward their planet, the one that would wipe out all life on Falaytious, they’d developed a plan. There were two livable planets detected. An ice world that would keep them trapped in deep tunnels beneath the surface for ten months out of the year, but was only a few years’ travel away. And the little blue planet, that offered them a chance at a real life.

  A few hundred citizens were carefully selected for the dozen ships heading for the blue planet, including the massive mothership. All others were left to find a way to the ice planet, or stay behind and perish.

  If my people are considering traveling all the way back to the ice planet, they must be more desperate than I thought possible.

  Elder Yurki spoke, drawing him back to the conversation. “Some of these problems were expected, after spending so long trapped together on a ship. But some of it is Kaemon’s doing. If we bypass the blue planet, the people will rebel against us. And we truly can’t be certain of how many are loyal to him now.”

  A dozen voices rose and seemed to overwhelm the room.

  “But to slaughter a whole people?”

  “The gods will smite us!”

  “Should we just continue on as we are until we die out?”

  “More likely as leaders we’ll be slaughtered in our beds!”

  Raiden closed his eyes, willing all the voices away. What should I do, Father?

  No answer came to him.

 
His gut tightened. Bypassing the planet could mean anarchy. And more bloodshed.

  But we can’t kill the humans.

  There must be another way.

  If only… his heart raced.

  It wasn’t possible. Was it?

  His eyes snapped open. “Quiet!”

  All heads turned to him in stunned silence.

  “What if we didn’t have to do either?”

  It was so quiet he swore he could hear the beating of the many hearts aboard the ship, filling his ears.

  “How?” Saura asked.

  He turned to her and took her hand, squeezing it, then spoke. “Our technology is far superior to the humans. And many of the rulers have more lands than they know what to do with. If we could make a trade, we might be able to work something out.”

  “You’re suggesting…living with them?” Elder Jetri said, his brows so high they nearly disappeared into his white hair.

  Raiden pulled himself up to his full height. “Exactly.”

  Murmurs went around the table.

  “But to share a planet with another intelligent species… it could mean trouble in the future,” Jetri countered.

  “And it might not,” Raiden said. “But if there was ever a time to try, this is it.”

  More than a few of the council members looked skeptical, but in the end, all agreed to work out a plan. The council meeting lasted several more hours before a concrete offer was formed. Over the course of that time, the faces slowly changed from hopeless to hopeful. When each of them signed their name, they all looked tired, but happy. Years seemed to have melted from the old men’s faces, and Raiden felt a spark of pride at the solution. As long as it works.

  Finally, Elder Jetri rose from the table. “You must reassure your people. Calm their fears and anger.”

  Raiden nodded and stood, moving to the corner where a blue circle stood. Entering in his code, the shimmering blue light encased him, and his image projected into the center of the room. And into the center of each room in the ship. Let me address them directly.

  “My people,” he greeted, trying to sound more confident than he felt. “I am infinitely grateful to be addressing you tonight. Regrettably, the circumstances of my return are less than desirable. Even though my father has died, I have returned to carry on his legacy. I have the same love for all of you, the same goals, and the same faith that we will achieve them.

  “Recently, I was rescued by our future Khara and returned to Hope. Together, my mate and I have been to the Temple of the Gods. I bathed in the Pool of Judgment, and to my surprise and eternal joy, I received a gem from each of the four gods to lead us through these trying times. Their decision was unanimous, and they have bestowed upon us their greatest blessing. And your Khara has been given not one, but three of the largest water stones I have ever imagined. She, too, has been granted a great blessing. The gods have faith that we are the Khar and Khara to usher our people into the next chapter of history.

  “I know there has been much talk, much fear about this next chapter of our lives. I speak in hopes of bringing you comfort. The blue planet, Earth, has an intelligent people who reside there. After spending two years living among them, I have found them to be fascinating, kind, and a worthy species to live alongside. In its wisdom, the council has agreed with me that we should not bypass the blue planet, nor should we kill its intelligent species. In two weeks’ time, we will negotiate with the humans of Earth to buy a place on the blue planet as our own.”

  He raised his chin. “This should be a time of hope. You all will be informed the moment our negotiations conclude. And hopefully soon we all, as the humans say, can get packing.”

  Clicking the button, the holographic image of him faded, followed by the shimmering blue lights.

  The entire table started to clap, looks of relief mirrored in their faces.

  When everyone rose to leave, Saura’s father stayed behind and blocked his path. “We need to speak in private. Now.”

  Raiden cast Saura a look. She was speaking to her uncle and gave him a serious nod in reply.

  “All right, but will Saura be safe?”

  Her father raised his hands in reassurance. “Her uncle will take her back to your suite, flanked by six guards. She’ll be fine.”

  Uncertainty filled him. “Perhaps we should bring Saura.”

  Her father shook his head. “Having a female in her mating frenzy strutting about the ship would be reckless, at the very least. I’ve already asked my brother to care for her in our absence. And time is of the essence.”

  He’s right, but it feels wrong to leave her side when I waited so long to finally be with her…

  Elder Yurki leaned closer, lowering his voice. “I have found proof linking the traitor to your father’s death, but we have to go immediately to catch him.”

  Rage raced through Raiden. At last, Kaemon will pay. “Let’s go.”

  His gaze clung to Saura for a long moment. How can she look so powerful and so fragile at the same time? Her eyes, ringed with different shades of blue, turned to him, holding his gaze. We are so close to solidifying our mating bond. We just need a little more time. His cock rose at the thought. He imagined laying her down on his bed and filling her pussy the way she needed. But first, I must see the proof.

  Then I’m going to kill that bastard, Kaemon.

  “Goodbye, my love,” he mouthed, without speaking the words aloud.

  A breathtaking smile danced along her lips and her expression said what her words didn’t: I love you, too.

  It took everything in him to turn and walk away. Peace has been made with the council. A plan for our future has been formed. Now, I must deal with the traitor, and then, at last, I can make Saura mine for eternity.

  Six guards flanked them as they entered the hall, hands resting on the hilts of their swords as they walked. Leaving the more luxurious part of the ship, they passed through the halls of the smaller suites. His people moved about in small groups, bowing briefly as he passed. There was an air of excitement among them. They must feel relieved that not only won’t there be a rebellion, but that their days of travel will soon be coming to an end. A pair of women glanced at him, blushes highlighting their youthful cheeks, before two males hurried them along.

  They reached the center of the ship where the busy market had changed remarkably in the two years he’d been gone. He was accustomed to seeing the place packed. The people on this ship were experts in their fields, and the ship had been equipped to keep their skills sharp.

  “Where are the agriculturists selling their herbs and produce? The scientists selling their little gadgets? The artists? The singers?”

  Saura’s father sighed and continued walking. Raiden followed more slowly.

  “People are staying in their suites more and more. Sometimes lying in bed all day. At least, ever since your father announced that they might not take over the little blue planet.”

  Raiden stiffened. “My father…but I thought he was dead-set on taking it.”

  The old man was quiet as they walked past a lone man painting a picture of the pale purple trees growing in the center of the market. A couple sat next to each other on a bench, her knitting, he with a book in his hands.

  “That was before you left. Your father… had a lot of regrets on the way he handled things with you. He wished he would have told you that he’d never allow the Neutralizer to be used without seeing Erth’s dominant species first.”

  What? Impossible! I never would have left if…

  “But he left no room for argument.”

  Saura’s father raised a brow. “Perhaps that’s because you were always too busy arguing to listen.”

  Raiden swallowed around the lump in his throat. “He said we would use the Neutralizer regardless.”

  “Only because a king must always seem certain, and his people must never be made to worry unnecessarily.”

  So two years ago when I was making my way to Earth, everything was changing on this shi
p, and likely within the whole fleet.

  He cleared his throat. “So all this chaos didn’t start with my father’s death, it started when I left?”

  “Yes,” Saura’s father answered. “The moment our Khar mentioned the possibility that we may have to bypass the planet and search for another livable one, well, it was as if the people started to lose all hope. Kaemon, of course, never did anything to reveal himself as a traitor while your father lived. He was simply always there when the people shared their doubts and fears, and rather than calm them, he added fuel to the fire.”

  If only I’d listened so my father could talk, could tell me his true plans for Earth. Then instead of the people looking to Kaemon for comfort, my father and I would have been there.

  Birds sang overhead, but their tune held a sad note that he’d never noticed in the birds of Earth. Four children chased each other through the nearly empty benches, before darting onto the grass. It doesn’t feel like that long ago when my own bare feet raced along these same familiar paths with Saura while my mother and father looked on smiling.

  “I never meant for any of this to happen.”

  They reached the other side of the market, the metal doors sliding open with a soft hiss.

  To his credit, the older man’s eyes held kindness and empathy. “It will be hard to focus on the future if we’re trapped in the past.”

  Raiden inclined his head. He’s right. I can’t undo what was done, but I can punish the man responsible for taking my father’s life. Then, and only then, can I focus on Saura and the needs of my people.

  “The proof we need is in an older section of the ship. I’m lucky my men stumbled upon it in our search for clues,” Saura’s father explained. Tension made the old man’s moves stiff, but he never slowed.

  Raiden began to feel uneasy as they circled deeper and deeper into the ship. The lights had been darkened in the rarely used space to conserve energy, and the darkness gave everything a strange air of warning that set Raiden on edge.

  Then they stopped before a door. One like any other.