“Why would I listen to the likes of you?” she spits, with so much venom the hair stands up on the back of my neck.
“Please, I’m here to help you.”
“Ha! You, help me? You are the cause of all this, you and that insipid fairy tale.”
I need to get through to her and I struggle to find a common ground. “I know you don’t like me, but if you’ll just listen, I’m offering you a chance to live.”
“What would you know of living?”
“I’ve seen the outside, it’s all there, Empress, all of it. The trees, meadows, animals, people, it’s all there and it’s safe.”
Her eyes widen. “You lie!”
“No. It’s true, it’s all there. We can survive beyond the walls. He lied; the emperor lied to all of us. There never was an apocalypse.” Stunned silence hangs between us for so long I fear she’s in shock.
“Did you see... did you see them?” she whispers.
“Them?” I’ve no idea to what she is referring.
“Horses.”
I kneel before her cot. “Yes, I saw them. I stood in the midst as they ran past. They went by on either side, shaking the ground. I smelled the sweat and dust and felt their slick coats brush my fingertips. It was glorious.”
She sighs and closes her eyes for a moment. “I have waited an eternity to see them again. I had one before... before all this. His name was Thunder.” She opens her eyes and for the first time a sincere smile rides her lips. “I used to gallop him across the fields, his hooves beating like thunder and the wind in his mane whipping against my cheeks.”
The two of us who have shared so much hate, now share a love of something so deep and profound it takes my breath away. The empress is not my enemy, she never was. She is no different than those in the hubs she reigns over. Like them all, she desires what used to be.
Taking her cold hand in mine, I squeeze it. “Let me help you.”
She ponders me for a moment and then slowly nods. “I didn’t do it, you know. I didn’t order those girls’ deaths, even though I hate the concubine program.”
“I know. The emperor showed me the disk of their slaughter. He intended to blame you and the official’s wives in order to put us concubines in your place.”
Anger snaps in her dark eyes and for a minute I think it’s me she hates. “I stood by him and he will kill me for it. All of Imram wants to see me dead. How can you help me now?”
“The broadcast was sabotaged. No one but the officials saw it. There is a revolt at foot. I must get that disk and show the people of Imram what the Emperor has done. The people will fight for their freedom once they know they are being ethnically cleansed.”
The empress nods. “I can help.”
“How?”
“I know the combination to the safe where he will have the disk for safekeeping, and I know how and when you can get it.”
Chapter Thirty-five
Miguel has told me to be strong. I don’t need to be told. For the first time since this all began I can feel the strength coursing through my veins. Whether or not I am this messiah, I will fight for the people and see them freed. When night falls, I’m lying awake in my suite, not from the inability to sleep, but because I have a mission to complete. I get up to look out over the lights of the garden. Why someone would choose this artificial world over the glorious one outside is a mystery.
I glance at my wristband. The Emperor should be at the official’s meeting in the pageant building by now. This is my chance. On tip-toe I cross to the door and ease it open. The hall outside is dimly lit and unoccupied. I can’t risk taking the elevator to the second floor, so I make my way to the stairwell at the far end of the hall. I hurry down the steps to the second floor where the Emperor’s personal suite of rooms is located. Opening the landing entry a crack, I peer through the slit at the second floor beyond. An enforcer strolls down the hallway to the elevator. He presses the button and after a moment it opens. He enters and then the doors close. I slip through the entrance, wait until the number one lights up above the elevator shaft, and then scurry down the hall to the third door on the left as the Empress instructed. Pausing I listen, my heart pounding in my chest. Can I trust the Empress, or has she sent me into a trap? I’ve no other choice at this point but to trust her. The knob twists easily in my hand and the door pops open. After taking a deep breath, I enter the Emperor’s study.
A large cherry wood desk takes up most of the space, flanked by two wing chairs and a padded office one. The painting of a horrible bowl of fruit hanging behind the desk catches my eye. I can’t help a snicker at the thought that this might be one of my former instructor’s masterpieces. I guess the old saying is true, those who can’t, teach.
After easing the painting from its hook, I expose the safe behind. Pushing up my sleeve, I reveal the numbers so carefully written on the inside of my arm by the empress. I turn the dial to “0”, then taking a deep breath left to “21”, right to “49”, and then back left to “18”. With shaking hands I pull the knob. The safe swings open silently. I can’t help my gasp when I look inside. It’s crammed with gold, jewels and silver. Some of the jewellery looks very old. Resisting the urge to examine all of it, I look for a disk. There are three disks in a glass box on the bottom shelf. I pull it out and open it. The first is dated the day of the apocalypse, the second the day of the concubine round up and the third the day of my bedding ceremony. The sick bastard. I don’t have to watch the disk to know what is on it. I snatch up the second disk. Then since I’m already stealing one, I figure I might as well take them all. I’ll destroy the third one while I have a chance. After slipping them into my bra for safe keeping I close the safe, spin the dial to relock it and hang the painting back in place. I sneak from the study and head back up the staircase. Once in my suite safe and sound, I hide the disks under my mattress, and not a moment too soon. The door to my suite opens. Spinning around, I’m surprised as the Emperor enters.
He sees me there and crosses to the bedroom door. “Waiting for me?”
My denial catches in my throat. Surely he doesn’t want to... I mean I’m already carrying the reason for his bedroom visits, whether or not it is his. My mind returns to the disk with the date of my first bedding on it. Of course he’s here now.
The emperor comes to a halt before me and smiles. “It is just you and me now, Ocean, as I always meant it to be.”
I can’t hide my shiver of repulsion. “What about the Empress?”
“What about her?” His eyes remain blank and emotionless.
Does he have so little care for the woman he married twenty years ago? No wonder the woman hates him.
“Take off your clothes, Ocean. Tonight I am going to make love to you as often and as long as I wish. There is no one forbidding our union now.”
Sick to my stomach, I do what I must to survive another day.
Chapter Thirty-six
It’s not until two days later I get the chance to slip away from the Emperor to visit Miguel. With the first two disks tucked in my bra, I head for the shopping district. The enforcer who approached me on the rooftop escorts me. Since I know I can trust him I pause at the candy shop display window. Lollipops in the shape of animals in a little box made to look like a cage catch my eye. Stuff like this is never seen in the hubs. I’m sure it would be illegal for me to buy them and take them to my brother, even if the Emperor would allow me to visit him. I glance at the enforcer. “If I use my tokens to buy these can you see they get to my little brother, Petie?”
He nods and lowers his voice. “Where there is a will there’s a way, Two-twenty-three.”
After I spend most of my tokens on the little box of treats I hand them to the enforcer and he tucks them safely in his pocket. We carry on to the salon.
When Miguel sees me enter the beauty shop he smiles over the head of the woman who is trying on a black and white wig. “Just a trim today, Two-twenty-three? I will be with you in a moment.”
The woman p
uts a hand to her wig and spins around. The look of disgust on her face makes me recoil. I’m certainly hated here in the official’s hub. I’m guessing she’s medical personnel, or someone else high up in the government and is afraid I’m infectious. “I’ll take this one, Miguel,” she mumbles without taking her eyes from me.
“Ah, very good, shall I box it for you?”
“No.” She edges toward the door, “I’ll wear it home.” With that she flees without a backward glance.
Miguel smirks. “Well, you certainly know how to clear out a room, Ocean.” When I sigh he laughs. “Come into ze back where we can talk.” He flips the ‘Out’ sign over and ushers me into the back behind a white curtain. The little room is wall to wall shelves stacked with artificial hair, wigs, dyes and bottles of shampoos. “Did you speak to ze Empress?”
“Yes.” I slip the disks from my bra and hold them out. “She told me where to find them.”
He takes them. “This is good. Now all we have to do is get them broadcast to ze hubs and let those helping us there put ze wheels of revolution in motion.”
“How are the people supposed to fight the Emperor’s enforcers with no weapons?”
“Rest assured, we will have weapons when ze time comes. There are a few enforcers who are loyal to ze revolution who will take care of it. All we need do is flame ze people’s desire to fight.”
“What about me?” I glance over my shoulder at the curtain.
“Rafel, ze enforcer who brought you to me, will sneak you back into ze hubs when it’s time.”
“So I do nothing?”
Miguel squeezes my hand. “You have done much already, Ocean, but never fear, there is more for you to do yet.”
“What about Link?”
“Link delivered you back into ze Emperor’s hands, he knows his fate is tied to ze Emperor’s.”
Stunned I try to fathom the events which led me back into captivity. “Link deliberately got me recaptured?”
Surprise flickers across Miguel’s face. “Did you think your recapture was an accident?”
I trusted Link and he betrayed me. He never wanted to help me free my family. And I tried to save his miserable life. How could I have been so stupid?
The little bell above the shop door jingles and there is no time to ask any further questions when the enforcer enters. “Number Two-twenty-three? We need to go.”
“Don’t worry, Ocean.” Miguel kisses the back of my hand. “Rafel will take care of you.”
As I walk out of the shop with Rafel in tow, I decide to take care of myself from now on.
* * *
That evening I’m summoned to dine with the Emperor. As I’m dressing, the housekeeper enters my suite with a garment bag slung over her arm.
“The emperor requests you wear this.” She hands me the bag and leaves.
Crossing to the bed, I unzip the bag and lay out the contents. A salmon pink evening gown and matching shoes is revealed. It’s a simple silk gown, elegant and flowing. In a sudden fit of defiance I’m tempted to shred the delicate material and send the Emperor’s gift back. I doubt he’ll take the refusal of the dress lightly, however, and I’m reminded of the time Sol told me not to draw attention to myself. Nothing can be gained by pricking the Emperor’s ire at this point.
After I’m dressed I go to the Emperor’s private dining room. Pausing on the threshold I take in the elegant room which seems so out of place in my world, more so than the dorms even, due to the cozy comfort of my grandmother’s kitchen all these weeks. The huge crystal chandelier casts rainbow shadows along the white walls. Silverware and delicate glass flutes reflect the light. I’d rather be in my grandmother’s kitchen in jeans and a t-shirt than dressed to the nines having dinner with the emperor.
Before I can let my desires bear fruit the emperor enters the room. “Ah, Ocean, you look lovely, my dear.”
My silence lends more awkwardness to the moment. He pours a glass of amber liquid into a glass and motions to the nearest chair. “Please, have a seat.”
I slip into the chair as he pours a second glass and then crosses the room to set it before me. His fingers skim up my arm and linger on my exposed collarbone a moment before he dips his head and presses his lips to my neck behind my ear. It takes every fiber of my being not to shudder at the unwelcome contact.
“You are so beautiful, Ocean. You have the power to slay my heart with a simple smile.”
I look up as he moves away. “Do I?”
“Yes.” He smiles and takes his seat. “Everyone will be so captivated by you they won’t hesitate to believe every word that comes out of your lovely lips. That’s why you are so dangerous, unless I have you on my side, that is. Then you are a weapon of mass destruction I aim to use.”
His words make me sick and I struggle to keep an outwardly calm appearance. “Haven’t you used me enough, Emperor?”
“Far from it, my dear, far from it.” A servant enters with the first course and he waits until it’s served before continuing. “You see, you will cement my leadership. Together we will see the deaths of the official’s wives and the empress.”
I lift my gaze from the soup before me. “How will that cement your leadership?”
“It’s simple. When a commoner like yourself refutes the belief of what is beyond Imram’s walls, abolishes evil officials, and then becomes the most influential woman in the city, you will inspire the hubs.”
“Inspire them to what?”
His brows raise and a look of confusion crosses his face. “Why, you’ll inspire them to become you, Ocean.”
In disgust, I pick up my spoon. “Why would anyone want to be me?”
“Why wouldn’t they? You’ll have power, freedom and respect.”
Dropping my spoon, I glare at him across the table. “Killing innocent people doesn’t earn you respect, it gets you fear and resentment. And this,” I gesture at the room, “is not freedom.”
With a grunt, he picks up his glass. “And you think scrounging in the dirt for a meager existence out in the elements, is better than living within the protection of Imram?”
“Without a doubt.”
After a shake of his head, he takes a sip and then sets the glass down. “You have a lot to learn about becoming a leader, Ocean. Power is everything.”
“Power is nothing,” I return with venom. “You think you have power, Emperor, but all you have is fear. One day the people will no longer fear you, then where will you be? Dead. The people will revolt and render your precious Imram to rubble.”
“Ah, you see, that is why I chose you to become my new empress. You will keep that from happening.”
“Don’t be stupid. I don’t have the power, or desire to see the people content in their cement prison.”
He locks gazes with me, his eyes cold as ice. “Oh, yes you will, my empress, if you don’t I’ll see you die along with everyone you love and those still on the outside.”
The silence is eerie as we stare at each other in mute challenge across the expanse of table cloth, silver and crystal. I don’t doubt his claim. He will kill me, those I love and everyone on the outside, whether I cooperate, or not. All I need to do is pretend to go along with his plan to buy some time. “If I do this, I have some conditions.”
He raises an eyebrow and a little smirk rides his thin lips. “And you think you are in a position to negotiate with me, do you?”
“Yes.” I challenge him with a steady stare. “You need me more than I need you.”
A slow smile spreads across his face. “What is it you want, Ocean?”
“I want the people to inflict their own punishment on the Empress, she’ll not die by my hand.”
When he nods I continue, “I want access to the outside, whenever I please.”
He frowns. “I’m not stupid, Ocean, there is no way I am simply going to let you walk away.”
I try my best to look nonchalant and shrug. “Then grant me access to the outside with my personal enforcer. How am I to bes
t an armed man, trained to be loyal to you?”
He considers this for a moment. “All right. Is that all?”
“I want to see my family.”
“I will have them moved to the compound.”
“No.” Swallowing I try to think of a reason for them to stay in the hubs. “It will be easier for them to believe I’m happy here if they aren’t here full time.”
“Fine, one visit a week is all I’ll grant you and it must be under the supervision of an enforcer.”
“Fine.” I’ve won the battle to come and the emperor has no idea.
“The people will have their revenge on the former empress in two days and then we shall be married.”
My fingers tighten around the stem of my wine glass and I raise it to my lips to keep from protesting. Dear Lord, I hope Miguel has a plan.
Chapter Thirty-seven
Today is bittersweet. I will finally get to see my ma, pa and Petie, but the empress will be stoned to death if I can’t manage to save her. I’ve so much to tell my parents. I can only hope Rafel is going with me. I was afraid to specify him as an escort in case the emperor suspected him as being sympathetic to me, however, this morning when I informed the housekeeper I was in need of an escort on an outing I did ask for Rafel.
The rap on the door has me slipping on the jacket matching the smart pantsuit I’m wearing. It seems strange wearing the empress’ clothing, but I’ve little choice as they are the only ones I found in my closet upon returning to my suite after dinner with the emperor. I cross to the door and open it. Instead of Rafel, I find Link.
My gasp fills the room. “Link!” My first reaction is to throw my arms around him, yet I recall the conversation with Miguel and refrain. Link is a traitor to me. “What are you doing here?”
Guilt twists his handsome dark features. “I’m here to escort you to see your family.”
Stunned, I just stare at him for a few seconds before I find my tongue. “You betrayed me. All this time I thought you were a prisoner, but you never were, were you?”
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