Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
The Complex
About the Author
Novels by Elizabeth Burgess
Excerpt from Misdirection (Counterplay Book 1)
Misdirection
Elizabeth Burgess
Copyright © 2017 Elizabeth Burgess
Cover Design by Shoutline Designs
Editing by Sarah M. Cradit
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Prologue
Planet Famiil
December 13, 3 AS (Ama Seldova)
Aldous Ravenwood hurried down the west wing corridor of the Mages’ Imperial Palace, and slipped into his mother’s chambers. At dinner, amid talk of Lorn and the Complex with dignitaries and counselors of other Meta races, she’d sent him a message with her mind, asking him to meet her after midnight. Initially, he’d wondered why she was so secretive. Certainly, a mother and son having a conversation wasn’t anything unusual, but something inside told him she didn’t want anyone else’s ears to hear what she had to say. One thing Aldous had come to appreciate about the dowager queen: she never did anything without a reason.
“You’re late.” Lake Ravenwood glared. Her ice blue eyes conveyed less irritation than her tone. At seventeen-thousand-seven-hundred-thirty-one, she was one of the oldest living Mages, yet to look at her, she could have passed for Aldous’ sister. Her hair was silver—as were several Mages’ of a certain power—the definitive sign magick was strong within their blood.
“You didn’t specify a time earlier when you shot me that stare. Sorry.” Aldous bent to peck her cheek.
“Where’s your son tonight?”
“With Torrun,” he said, speaking of his best friend and most trusted advisor. What’s going on? Why’d you want to meet?”
“I think I may have come up with a way for Rath to receive more specialized medical attention.” Her fingers brushed a hologram of the little boy, activating his laughter. “It’s… illegal.”
Aldous didn’t care. His son was sick with an ailment no Mage could treat. They’d had no luck within their planet, Famiil, either, despite other Meta races offering counsel. “Mother, you know I would do anything for Rath. Tell me. Please.”
“The Complex. If Rath is inside, he’ll have access to all medical treatment, legal and black market, Meta and Human alike.”
“That’s impossible. You know those with diseases of unknown origin aren’t allowed to go. Rath could be contagious.” Crafted on the lone planet Lorn within the Seldova solar system, the Complex was an experiment of sorts meant to teach the two races to co-exist. The large dome-shaped structure could house up to a hundred thousand people and was completely self-sufficient, the perfect Meta and Human melting pot. “Not to mention, their security is better than ours ever thought to be. The Climintra would discover Rath as soon as we checked in. We’d never be able to hide him.”
“I know this, son.” Lake bit her bottom lip, the way she did when she knew she was right. “That’s why we’re going to smuggle him in.”
Chapter One
January 1, 4 AS
Standing in line at the entrance of the Complex, True Mathieu took a hair tie from her wrist and secured her crimson locks in a low bun. Despite the pleasant sixty-five degrees inside the dome, the body heat of what she estimated to be ten-thousand wall-to-wall people upped the temperature by at least twenty-five degrees. As she glanced around, she nearly lost her breath at all the different types of creatures around her. Angels, Demons, Zombies, Banshees, Shifters, Sorcerers, Witches. Giants. Some were over seven-feet-tall, and some, even taller. Several were invisible, and others could only make the journey in total darkness. Until arriving in the Seldova solar system, these creatures only existed in mythology, and the knowledge they were real made Humans question their Humanity.
“Name,” a guard said.
“True Mathieu.” She extended her right hand, preparing to be scanned.
“Says here, you’re a doctor and research scientist.”
“Yes. From Planet Wreston.” True couldn’t shake the sensation of being watched. She turned her head to see a man with shimmering skin and shoulder length silver and black hair staring. He made no move to stop gawking when she met his gaze.
“And you’ll be staying in the Aquatic Dome?”
Preoccupied with her watcher, True didn’t answer.
“Doctor? You’ll be staying in the Aquatic Dome, correct?”
“Oh. Yes. I’m sorry. That’s where I was assigned.”
“Very good.” He pressed several buttons on his mini-tab.
“I don’t mean to sound daft, but can you tell me what kind of Meta that man is? The one with sparkling skin and odd hair.”
He looked up. “Sure, that’s easy. He’s a Mage.”
“Mage. As in a wise person?” she asked, thinking of the Magi who followed the North Star in Biblical times.
“Sort of. They do practice magick, but are known to be the wisest and shrewdest Meta. They’re also arrogant, egotistical assholes. Word on the street is they had to be forced to send ambassadors from their race. Strange thing though. Last minute, their entire Imperial family decided to join our little experiment. No one knows why, but the Presidents are happy.”
“Oh? I thought all Metas existed under a Democracy? As in no kings or queens?”
“They do, but these wise guys just had to come up with a fancy way of saying which person was in charge. A piece of advice for you, Dr. Mathieu: A Mage always believes he’s better than you, me, and everyone else in the damned Galaxy. It’s just who they are. But don’t worry. Everyone’s the same inside the Complex. Royal blood or not.”
As she stepped onto the transport to the water zone, True looked over her shoulder at the man again. He seemed to know her. Intrinsically. Entirely. With that thought, she blushed, and turned away.
After settling into her modest, but comfortable quarters, True went to the bottom floor and the windowless silver building where she’d be treating different kinds of Human and Meta patients for the next two-and-a-half years. Unlike most of her colleagues, she was one of the only volunteers to serve in the Complex. For her, it had been more about escape than actual desire. Everywhere she went in Wreston was a reminder of her deceased husband and the life they’d shared. Though it had been over a year, True still ached for him as if it were yesterday. She’d gladly channel her grief into action and, in turn, be a part of history in the maki
ng.
Not expecting her staff until later in the day, True did a walk-through of the new clinic and hospital. She marveled at the high-tech equipment and available medications. Medicine had made many advancements, but mostly, it remained the same. Because of that fact, she specifically requested an old-fashioned library that must’ve taken up two exam rooms’ worth of space.
True loved to read. As she perused the titles, she discovered medical journals from all six planets in the Seldova solar system, plus entire books devoted to each Meta and the illnesses specific to their kind. Going down the alphabet, she stopped at M. Mage. Pulling the sage-colored leather bound tome, she opened the first page. A History of Mages for Humans by the Honorable, Imperial, Undisputed, Emperor King of all Magick, Barnum Ravenwood. Chuckling at the long and exaggerated name, she began reading.
What is a Mage? A simplistic answer for Humans would be the interpreters of the Heavens, but we are truly so much more. Practitioners of magick and wielders thaumaturgic energy, we are the most intellectually gifted Meta race. We are the prophets and soothsayers of the Galaxy, yet we possess the ability to cast illusions and heal the sick and dying when in alignment with the Oceans and Stars. Our intrasensory and extrasensory abilities work together so that we may experience and advise the Galaxy and its inhabitants completely.
As a Human, you may relate to us as the Magi who followed the North Star in the Bible. While they were not Mages, they possessed a wisdom greater than the average mortal allowing them to pursue something higher. Throughout your history, you have seen other individuals who have crossed this plane and were guided by our influence: Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Darwin, Galileo Galilei, yet these people only employed a fraction of our intellect.
In the pages ahead, you will read about each one of our abilities and other nuances of our existence. We hope you will gain a deeper understanding of the magnificent, superlative, glorious, and splendid world of the Mage.
Sincerely,
The Honorable, Imperial, Undisputed, Emperor King of all Magick, Barnum Ravenwood
True closed the book and chuckled again at the man’s name. Mages were certainly Metas she was interested in learning more about. At the sound of the front door opening, she hurried from the library to the waiting area, shocked at the sight of an obviously distressed red-skinned Meta supported by a Human Intra.
“Oh dear, let me help.” Arms around the half-conscious woman, True and the man limped into the hallway. “What happened?”
“I was patrolling in Main City and she couldn’t breathe, then she collapsed.”
“Goodness. Let’s get her into an exam room. She’s a Demon, right?”
“Right.”
Before starting her examination, True pulled a mask over the woman’s face, and turned on the oxygen. “Take some deep breaths, hon. Let’s see if we can’t get you breathing regular again.” The woman coughed and by True’s estimation, her lungs were full. Using her mini-tab, she scanned the pleural cavity and the organs inside. Despite having no need for it, True pulled the archaic stethoscope from her neck and listened: high-pitched crackles in all four lobes.
“What’s… wrong… with me?” the Demon managed to say through gasps for air.
“Well, you have some sort of respiratory infection. Maybe pneumonia? I won’t know until I test the fluid inside. May I get a sample?”
She nodded.
“Are you allergic to anything?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Good. You may feel a small prick.” After cleansing a spot on the woman’s side, True took a thin needle and pushed it between the pleural space and into the lungs to extract the thick fluid inside. Purple? That was unexpected. She didn’t know much about demons except their body systems were similar to Humans, so purple could very easily be an indicator of infection in these types of Metas. There was time to check when the Demon was stable. She set the sample to the side and started a breathing treatment for the patient. With her mini-tab in hand, True began a full body assessment and hoped to pinpoint the exact cause for her ailment.
Chapter Two
In the safety of her private quarters, Lake shrugged off the drab uniformed clothes provided by the Complex and slipped into something more appropriate for a Dowager Queen. Studying her reflection, she cinched the midnight blue robe tighter around her waist, then tugged at the center, baring her cleavage. She expected a visitor. An old friend. Someone who all her plans hinged upon. Lake wouldn’t hesitate in using her femininity to procure what she wanted, though if she remembered anything about Gideon Stone, the Human, he wouldn’t need much persuasion.
She’d met him several years before, during Project Extinction, the great land war between Humans and Metas, and the very reason for the Complex. Gideon was a reconnaissance officer sent to Famiil to discern any Meta weaknesses and kill the opposition. It had been happenstance that he’d found Lake at her late husband’s tomb, a knife blade poised at the center of her chest. After Barnum was killed in the war—despite her son, grandson, and love for her people—Lake struggled to find a reason to live. When Gideon tackled her to the ground to stop her, she conjured a protection spell around herself so intense that it sent him seventy-five feet into the air. Able to float to the ground with the aid of his jet-propelled uniform, he approached her with hands in the air and a message that gave her the hope to carry on. You don’t want to die, ma’am. You want to live. I feel the desire and drive within you as strong as I feel my own heartbeat. For whatever reason, Gideon’s words resonated with Lake and from that moment, her heart softened toward the people who took her husband.
Later that same month, when Gideon was captured and brought before Aldous for judgment, Lake pleaded for his life, telling her son the mortal man had spared hers when he’d seen her walking several weeks before. That didn’t prevent Aldous from throwing Gideon in prison, but it did avert a long and painful death. Lake couldn’t blame Aldous for his harsh attitude against the mortals. Barnum had been too trusting, too curious about Humans, and he’d paid for it with his life. But Gideon was different. He wasn’t an uncivilized barbarian who mindlessly killed simply to see blood splatter. Gideon was kind and decent.
Or at least he used to be. Better than five human years had passed since they’d seen each other. Unbeknownst to Aldous or anyone on Famiil, Gideon and Lake communicated once a year, around the anniversary of the time he saved her life. He always initiated, because what is a Mage without her pride? So when he mentioned last month that he was taking an extremely important job in the Complex, Lake couldn’t resist the opportunity to smuggle her sick grandson inside. Seeing Gideon again would be an added bonus.
“Your Highness,” a voice said inside the suite. “A Human’s here to see you. Commissioner Gideon Stone of the Climintra. He says he has an appointment to discuss the security of the Imperial Family.”
“Excellent. Send him in.” Lake straightened as Gideon entered her suite. More nervous than she anticipated, she adjusted her breathing and calmed her rapid heartbeat. Standing motionless as if she were a statue, she studied him from top to bottom. He was as she remembered, except older. Perhaps aged. Unable to harness the part of their mind controlling their growth, a Human’s body used their years differently than the Mages. His brown hair had a few silver flecks and his chest wasn’t as broad as it used to be, but Lake still found him attractive. Her cheeks burned at the thought. A Mage attracted to a Human? Despite the implant above his left ear intended to block her from entering his mind, Lake sensed his thoughts as clearly as she did the day he left Famiil: he was attracted to her too.
“Majesty.” Gideon bowed, his eyes fixed on her face. “Is this an appropriate title to address the Dowager Queen of the Mages?” His smile was crooked, emphasizing his deep-set dimples.
“You know as well as I do that our titles are meaningless since the formation of the new government.”
“Yet the Mage population would rather follow their Emperor than the Ama Seldova.
It’s quite a big stride in the right direction…” He moved closer. “The Imperial Family coming into the Complex. But I must ask, if both you and Aldous are here, who is caring for Rath?”
Her lips thinned into a partial smirk. This was the part where she’d need to use her charm and whatever Human allure she could muster. “He’s with a nanny and not without protection.”
“You do realize the Complex will last for two-point-five years. That’s a long time for Rath to be without his father and grandmother, don’t you think?”
“Two-point-five years for a Mage is a drop in the bucket of eternity. But I digress, I appreciate you pulling the strings of the powers that be to get Aldous and I inside the Complex on such short notice. And I hope you’ll be able to assist me with something of grave importance to the survival of my family line.” Lake batted her eyes and blew a thick, cerulean colored mist in Gideon’s direction.
“Lake Ravenwood.” He marched through the cloud of blue and gripped her wrists, his hold tighter than she expected. “Why are you using your magick? And why are you dressed like you’ve just spent twenty-four hours in a whorehouse?”
“Are you immune to me?” That never happened. Lake’s mist was foolproof, implant or no implant.
“Not immune, just wiser than you think. Humans aren’t fools, no matter how you may see them. I will ask again… why are you trying to use your powers on me?”
She twisted from his grasp and went to the window overlooking Lorn’s barren wasteland. “I need your help.”
“I gathered that from our conversation a month ago. No reason for you and Aldous to be here, especially since your race sent the appropriate number of participants. What’s going on? Why do you need my help?”
“You remember me telling you Rath is sick? He’s been ill for about a year now and he’s not getting any better. I can’t tell you how inadequate and helpless this makes me feel as the most powerful practitioner of Mage magick.” Lake bit the inside of her cheek to stall her emotions. Rarely did she show such vulnerability, and when she did, it was only in the presence of her late husband or son. Yet, for reasons unknown, Gideon was a safe haven. He always had been. “I should be able to heal him. I should have the ability to restore him, but everything I do, everything anyone does, only seems to make him worse. I know the rules about sickness and communicable diseases, and if they hadn’t had scanners with the ability to detect our magick when we checked into the Complex, I wouldn’t be involving you now. But Rath needs to have access to better medical care. More, he deserves it.”
True North (The Complex Book 0) Page 1