Akillia's Reign
Page 31
“I’m eighteen,” Jessica lowered her head and I knew it was a lie. “But, no, we snuck down to the labs and broke in. Mum will kill us when she finds out.”
“Don’t tell me—your mum’s name is Jane, right?”
Jessica frowned and cocked her head to one side. “How did you know that?”
I laughed. I wondered if this was all a set up from the start. Did Jane get me to help rescue her daughters? Was this a huge elaborate plan by her and Dresel? I sucked in quick and suddenly felt faint.
“I’ve met your mum, Jessica. She was the one who got me to sign in.”
When her eyes lit up, I knew I was in the right place at the right time for this, but that didn’t explain Maddie or her situation.
I needed to log out or speak to Tibex again, but as much as I tried, it almost sounded like I got a busy or engaged tone. Could the games A.I. do that?
I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and started to walk away with her back to the others.
We’d grab the wagon, Sven, and get on the road.
Kamaal waited for us as we’d packed all our stuff up and were ready to go.
“Hell’s Pass it is then?”
I nodded. “You know it. We have some more puzzles along the way to figure out.”
Kamaal looked behind him to his son. “I don’t need to order him to do this, but my son has asked for permission to join you to Hell’s Pass.”
Macie stared at the necromancer, his stance never altered, his clothing sleek. “He can’t. He’s not right.”
But I held up a hand and motioned to him. “You’re more than welcome to join us, but you’d need to bring your own steed. I don’t think one of our horses would carry you.”
He nodded and moved to walk away. “I can do that. I’ll be right back.”
“Good luck, Princess of Earthlight, guiding star to all.” Kamaal bowed and crossed his fists again for me.
“I don’t demand any respect, but I am thankful to have it.”
Patrise pulled me to her again. “Do not ever think you can’t call on us. There might be many a foe you’re up against. We’ll be within a breath from you if you call.”
She slipped a silver and gold etched bracelet into my hand. It had intricate skulls, bones, and gems within. “This will be your communication with us or any of the Dark Lords. Just remember to use it.”
I took it and secured it to my wrist, the bracelets details flashing up. I flicked it away and thanked her.
I walked to the caravan, and within minutes, we were underway. Bracer had been happy to see me, and Zurath was back on a perch attached to the side of the wagon. I looked back and knew we had done an amazing feat, but once again, looking forward, I wondered what lay ahead, and the adrenaline in my system pushed me on.
I’d been in the game thirty full days. Time in my world had passed much slower. Just over a week. It seemed crazy, but I knew it was true. I wondered if all the legalities of my separation with Andy had been sorted. Then briefly, what my odds were of staying alive now?
I laughed to myself. I was proving to myself how strong I was, but to the outside world, I hoped it looked like I was kicking ass.
Settling down in the bunk, I didn’t know who was more excited, me for the fact that I would actually get to see and meet Abel—Mark—or Jessica who watched me carefully. She knew this was something that might make or break her. She had expected a scolding from me after I’d confronted her mother, but she was okay with it. She just wanted to get home now.
I closed my eyes and selected the log out button. I never once had thought it wouldn’t work or that I’d be stuck in here. I wondered what was going through the young girl’s mind, and yet I knew it had to have been the hardest wake-up call they ever had. Thinking this was going to be a fun ride. To then have to find their way through and get involved in things they probably knew nothing of—warfighting, magic, not to mention killing. I shuddered at the thought that she might have killed, but soon pushed it away.
The sinking feeling that I was going somewhere settled in my mind, and then, when I opened my eyes, there was the click. I felt it as the tubes and sensors disconnected. Then Jane was at the door and through it, crying before I even had the chance to speak.
“Emma, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to lie to you. I never meant that. I just had no other option.” She babbled on as she walked me to the outside rooms. The bright light stung my eyes for a little. “It was all true at first, everything, but then the girls snuck down here. They’re in one of the spare units.”
“Calm down. Tell me what happened?”
“It was just a regular party,” she handed me a glass of water, and just like last time, I pushed it away, not wanting it right this minute. “I was busy with our guests, and the girls snuck off. By the time we realised something was wrong, they were already stuck. Jessica has never done this before, she’s always been the sensible one.”
“But this one time, she wasn’t.” I reached for her shaking hands and steadied them.
“No, she knew all my passwords and somehow managed to get through main security and into the lab before I even knew the pods had been activated. We’d had this first glitch in the system. Simon and Mark had been working hard to try to sort it out, but things got worse.”
“Simon is Dresel, right?”
When she nodded, I started to get the timeline sorted in my head. Tiny snippets of information here and there formed in my mind.
“I want you to tell me everything you can about your daughters and the A.I. in here, but after I see Abel, sorry Mark.”
Jane smiled. “He’s gotten quite a soft spot for you over the weeks, hasn’t he?”
“And I for him. After what we just went through and knowing he is here, I just want to see him.”
Jane frowned. “It’s really against protocol to let you out of this room, you know.”
I banged my hand on the table and shocked her. “Do you really think with what’s going on the protocol matters? Your daughters are stuck inside the game!”
She lowered her head and motioned to the door. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s instinct to run through the spiel.”
I followed her to the door, and when she opened it, we moved out into a long corridor. “Mark’s on the first floor near to Simon’s main stations. He’s over on the main computer island trying to work out what’s wrong with the game.”
“I can tell you what’s wrong with it,” I said
She grabbed my hand. “How do you know?”
I started the walk down the corridor as she tried to tug me back.
“Tell me, please. What’s going on?”
“It’s the same reason humans have been worried about crossing the stars for many years.” The door opened on the far side, and I saw a young man standing there. He wore the same suit I did, and he stared straight at me. I glanced at his lean physique, and he started to walk my way with a huge smile on his face.
“What is it?” Jane shouted to me.
I answered her as I met Mark in the hallway.
“There’s more intelligent life out there, not only intelligent but digital.”
I looked at his features. He lied about the potbelly. He was firm, muscles where they should be. When he pulled me into a real kiss, I melted against him, only just hearing Jane’s whispered, “Impossible.”
To be continued…
Coming Soon
Twists and turns galore as the journey continues in — Jessica’s Challenge- Puatera Online’s Magic Sequence.
Expected publication date April 25th
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From the Author
Dawn Chapman has been creating sci-fi and fantasy stories for thirty years. Until 2005 when her life and attention turned to scripts, and she started work on The Secret King, a 13-episode Sci-Fi TV series, with a great passion for this medium.
In 2015, Dawn returned to h
er first love of prose where she revelled in the world of The Secret King, Letháo and First Contact, as an epic prose space journey over 3 generations.
This year her experience of working with Producers/Directors from the US and AUS has expanded. From Drama, Sci-Fi, Action, to Litrpg. Dawn's built a portfolio of writing, consulting and publishing.
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