by Dee Benson
"But he sounded sincere."
"I didn't think he was being sincere."
Michael stared into her eyes, as though trying to determine whether she was telling him the truth.
"I love you," Katie whispered.
Michael looked uncertain.
She took his other hand, too. "I love you, Michael."
His face softened.
Katie felt tears sting her eyes. "My brother, Gareth was killed yesterday."
"Really?"
"Yes. It was The Firemaster's people. He refused to pledge allegiance."
Michael looked horrified. "If it's any consolation to you, I am not among those going around killing people. I refuse to do that. Even during the selection ceremony, I was planning to help you escape."
Katie's tears rolled over. "Thank you," she whispered. "Put a force field around us."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
Immediately, both of them began to glow blue.
"No, not that kind of force field. I mean one that covers us and makes us invisible."
They stopped glowing blue and a dome-shaped forcefield covered them.
Katie reached up on her tiptoes and clamped her lips over his.
Michael seemed frozen for a moment. Then he responded, wrapping her in his arms and deepening the kiss.
Katie wished they could be transported away to another world. A peaceful place where they would be free to be together and where there was no crazed prince killing people senselessly.
She slipped her hands under Michael's shirt. His body tensed. Then he dug his hands into her hair and kissed her hard.
Katie pulled away slightly. "It's you I want."
He nodded.
"You, and you alone."
His eyes were sad as he nodded again. "But it's never going to happen."
Chapter 11
THE NEXT DAY, KATIE stood before the mirror in the dressing room at the Collegiate Abbey of Temsah, where the king's coronation was to take place.
Her wedding dress was fancy and puffy. Not her style. But Alice had insisted on it. After the coronation, she would come out and be presented to the nation as the queen.
She and the king ought to have married yesterday, after the selection ceremony, but with all that had happened, they hadn't. She imagined she would be told when that would happen.
A loud bang shook the ground beneath her feet.
Alice and the makeup girls froze.
"Was that an explosion?" One of the makeup girls asked.
Katie looked up. She was able to see through the roof and beyond. Outside, Prince Dresden and a number of other Supers were circling in the air above the building.
"I think we're under attack," she told Alice and the makeup girls. "Run for cover."
They all ran out.
Good. Katie stripped off her wedding dress, and dug into the purse containing her Super suit and mask.
She'd been expecting an attack today. There was no way Prince Dresden was going to sit by and allow his brother to be coronated, without at least putting up a fight.
The quickest way out there would be to fly up and burst through the roof, but she didn't want everyone to know that the 'masked Super' had come from inside the abbey. She moved to the window and peeked out. On the other side was an empty garden.
She opened the window, and then flew out. She zipped a mile away and then began to fly back, so that it would look like she was coming from someplace else.
She noticed that one of the Supers was flying high up into the sky. She wondered why. As she gaze that him, suddenly, her vision seemed to zoom in and she could see him clearly.
I have zooming vision, she noted. She would have to tell Regina when next she visited the Commission for Change.
Then her mind went blank as she realized what the Super was doing. He was holding somebody.
The king!
The king couldn't fly. Prince Dresden had flight abilities, but his brother didn't.
Prince Dresden appeared in the air above the outdoor courts of the abbey where the coronation was to take place. He pointed, and fire beamed from his finger and rushed downwards.
Suddenly, rain began to pelt down. It was heavier than any rain Katie had ever seen. It was like a tap had opened in the sky, and water was gushing out. She looked up, and realized it was the king. Even though he'd been snatched, he was still trying to help.
The Super that held him slugged him across the face, and the water stopped.
Prince Dresden roared. Fire gushed from his mouth, rushing downwards to the court below.
Katie was upon him in a flash. She punched him in the back of the head.
He went flying through the air and crashed into a skyscraper a mile away.
Katie flew upwards. The Super who'd snatched the king was watching her. If only she could distort her voice so that she could speak and tell him to release the king or else.
Speak, came a thought in her mind.
It was similar to the thought she'd had yesterday about going to the Commission for Change.
She obeyed it. "Release the king."
She was shocked at the loud, authoritative, man's voice that escaped her lips. It boomed all over the area like a clap of thunder.
Although she'd asked the Super to release the king, she was shocked when he did. The king came sailing down towards her, his body limp.
Katie caught him and then flew down to the ground. She laid him on the abbey steps and then got herself away.
THE FIREMASTER GROWLED WITH anger.
"Who is that masked Super?" he bellowed, ignoring the pain in his ribs and back.
"We don't know," Serloyd said.
The Firemaster glared at the clock on the wall. The coronation would have started. Despite being injured, he would have gone back to try and stop it again, or at least sent some of his men to try and stop it. But with a mystery Super on the loose, fighting against them, they wouldn't succeed.
"Desmond and Carl reported that they encountered a masked Super at the palace yesterday," Serloyd told him. "But I didn't think much of it since Michael didn't get in touch. I thought if it was really that serious, he would have come straightaway to tell us."
"Where is Michael?" The Firemaster asked.
"I don't know," Serloyd said. "He hasn't returned to the barracks since he left for the selection ceremony mission yesterday morning. The mission failed, by the way."
The Firemaster glared at Serloyd. Serloyd was constantly trying to outdo Michael, always pointing out his weaknesses. Michael was a better general than Serloyd would ever be.
"Beep him, now!" The Firemaster snapped. "And summon everybody who saw the masked Super at the palace yesterday."
Serloyd left the room to do his bidding.
Earl, another of his generals, switched on the TV in the corner. He clicked through the channels, until he found the one showing the coronation.
"Switch that off!" The Firemaster bellowed.
Earl quickly switched off the TV. "Permission to speak, sir?"
"No!" Blood was pumping hard through The Firemaster's veins. He glared at Earl. He was the oldest of his generals. Anything he said was wise. Maybe he should listen to what he had to say. "Speak."
"Don't you want to see who the queen will be?" Earl asked.
The Firemaster sucked in a deep breath. "Okay. Put it back on, but mute it. I don't want to hear it."
Earl obeyed.
The Firemaster turned onto his other side, so that he couldn't see the TV.
Thirty minutes later, Serloyd returned. "The soldiers are assembled outside, and Michael has arrived."
The Firemaster struggled into a sitting position.
"Wait, sir," Earl said. "The queen is about to be announced."
The Firemaster looked at the TV. "Increase the volume."
Earl did so.
"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice announced. "Please rise as we present your new queen."
The Firemaster held his breat
h as the procession began. Fancily dressed men and women emerged from the abbey, tossing confetti in the air.
Then, he saw her.
Wearing a white wedding dress and a big smile.
Katie Frankel.
He roared. Fire shot from his mouth.
His generals jumped out of the way.
The fire caught onto one of the walls. Earl grabbed a fire extinguisher and put it out.
"The soldiers await you outside," Serloyd said meekly.
The Firemaster walked out. His generals all followed. He felt like his spine and ribs were still broken, but the medics had checked him over and administered an injection that ought to speed up the healing process.
When he reached where the soldiers who had been part of yesterday's selection ceremony mission had gathered, he nodded to Serloyd to do the questioning, and then sank into a seat that had been set out for him.
He listened as Serloyd took their reports. Michael was noticeably silent, allowing others to do the talking.
"Michael," The Firemaster said after a while. "You are the general among them. Please give your report."
He listened as Michael gave his report. It was the same as the report others had given.
"You should have more information than that," The Firemaster snapped when he finished. "You got the closest to him. Tell us everything you sensed about him."
"He is more powerful than anyone I've ever encountered," Michael said.
"And he refused to kill you, didn't he?" Desmond piped up.
"Oh, yes. He didn't kill me."
"At the palace?" The Firemaster asked. "I thought you said he threw you miles away."
"He went to check on Michael after throwing him," Desmond said. "But then he ran off when we arrived with the helicopter to rescue him."
The Firemaster frowned, wondering why Michael had withheld that information and not offered it upfront.
Interesting.
"What will our next move be?" Serloyd asked.
The Firemaster considered it. He was torn between going to capture and kill Katie and the king, and searching for the masked Super.
Well, he could do both.
"I want to investigate this masked Super. I also want to kill Katie and the king."
"Katie?" Michael asked.
"Yes," The Firemaster replied. "She is the new queen. I want them both dead. They won't be expecting us to attack again tonight, since the coronation is over. We will storm the coronation party and kill everybody there."
"What if the masked Super comes to their defense again?" Michael asked. "I say we wait and investigate the Super before we attack, or he'll just keep blocking us. And I, for one, don't want another run-in with that guy."
"Sounds like good advice," Earl said.
The Firemaster nodded. He wasn't in great shape at the moment anyway. Their attack on the king and Katie could wait. But not for long. "We will attack them tomorrow. In the meantime," he looked at Michael, "write me a report, telling me everything in detail about all that happened with that masked Super."
Michael nodded and saluted.
The Firemaster looked as Serloyd. "Review the footage of the masked Super fighting us at the abbey today and analyze it thoroughly. I want to know his height, weight, fighting style, and all his powers."
Serloyd nodded and saluted.
The Firemaster looked at the rest of the generals. "Begin an investigation. Start at the abbey and trace where the masked Super went from there."
Chapter 12
THE CLINKING OF A spoon against a glass made everyone at the high table stop talking. They all looked at Larry Tate, who had risen to his feet.
The king had told Katie that Larry had been one of his father's closest personal aides, and would be his personal aide too.
"I propose a toast," Larry said. "To the masked Super."
Everyone cheered and clinked their glasses.
Katie cheered too. She clinked glasses with the king, and José, who was sitting on her other side. The king had told her that he was one of the most senior interpreters of the law.
"Haven't you heard?" José said. "The masked Super has been given a name. They're calling him Black Thunder because his Super suit is all black, and he has a voice like thunder."
Katie was glad that everyone had assumed the masked Super was a man. But it was getting harder and harder to keep an innocent expression while they all talked about 'him'.
"I'm going for some air," she whispered to the king.
He gazed at her with a look full of tenderness. "Okay. Don't stay away too long."
Katie smiled. He actually likes me, she thought as she walked away.
She made her way outside to the balcony. Darkness covered the city. She moved to the balustrade that surrounded the balcony, and looked down. City lights twinkled like stars for as far as her eyes could see.
Katie took out her cell phone and tapped onto a news website. An image of her in her black Super suit and mask dominated the homepage. She looked at it critically, wondering if anybody who knew her personally would be able to tell that it was her. She didn't think so.
The headline said: Masked Super Defeats The Firemaster.
She snorted. Why were people giving in to Prince Dresden's demand to be called The Firemaster?
She checked another news website. She was the headline news on that one too: The Firemaster Challenged by Black Thunder.
The headline on the third website she checked made her heart skip a beat: Unmasking Black Thunder.
Had they discovered her identity?
She tapped on the headline and it took her to an article that listed all the powers they'd figured out that she possessed.
It was a little disturbing because they were hitting a little too close to home, correctly determining the force of her strength, and her flying speed. They were even speculating that from her slight build, she was either a teenage boy, or a woman.
"Katie."
Katie spun around. It was the king.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."
"I've just received an intelligence report about plans The Firemaster is making to attack tomorrow."
Katie noted that he too was calling Prince Dresden 'The Firemaster'. Maybe that made it easier for him to fight against him.
"I'm sorry, but I must go."
"Of course," Katie replied. "Please don't apologize for doing your duty."
The king leaned in and kissed her lips lingeringly. "I was hoping we could spend tonight together."
His intention was clear in his tone.
"Go and defeat The Firemaster. Then, we'll have plenty of nights to spend together."
The king smiled. "I like how you think."
MICHAEL WATCHED AS THE king kissed Katie.
Stop watching, he told himself. But he couldn't tear his gaze away.
The king's hands roved all over her, stopping short of certain places that would have probably made Michael howl with jealousy and give away his location.
He was glad when they pulled apart and the king left, leaving Katie alone on the balcony.
Michael flew over to the balcony and landed beside her.
She jumped.
"It's me," he said quickly, before she slapped him, or something.
Katie clutched her chest. "You're making a habit of creeping up on me."
Michael took in the long red dress she was wearing. She'd changed out of the white dress she'd worn for the coronation. This dress clung to every curve of her body.
"Are you married now?" he asked her.
"No."
"Are you staying with him tonight?"
Katie was quiet.
Michael felt like kicking himself. Why was he asking? Why did he want to know?
"Don't worry. I won't stay long. I just…had to see you."
Katie looked up at him with guilty eyes. The moonlight illuminated the tears shining in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Michael."
"I know." Mi
chael turned away to fly away. He felt her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm not staying with him tonight. He's busy."
Michael turned around. "Too busy to spend time with you. I know that if I were him I'd never get too busy to…be with you."
"I understand he received important information that he needs to attend to."
"What kind of information?" Michael asked.
Katie was quiet.
Michael had thought they were close. But now, she was being sketchy with him, holding things back. Did she consider him the enemy? Sure, he was in The Firemaster's army, but it wasn't out of choice. The Firemaster would hunt him down and kill him if he defected.
"I leaked the information, Katie," Michael told her sadly. "The Firemaster is planning to kill you and the king tomorrow. I came to leak it, so that the king will be prepared. I want him able to defend you."
Katie touched his cheek. "Thank you."
Michael turned his head, and her hand fell away. He didn't want her touching him when she'd just been kissing another man. "When all this is over, don't let the king put me to death. Tell him I leaked the information."
"What if The Firemaster wins?" Katie asked.
"I doubt he will with that masked Super on the case. But if he does, I will speak to him for you, and plead with him not to hurt you."
"He won't listen."
"Then I will help you escape."
Katie's hair was fluttering in the breeze.
Michael steeled himself against the pull of her blue eyes. "Swear to me that you'll put in a good word with the king for me if The Firemaster is defeated."
"I swear," Katie said.
"Thank you." Michael turned to fly away again.
She grabbed him from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Take me with you."
"Are you sure?"
"The king isn't coming back."
Michael turned, and lifted her into his arms.
Then he flew up into the air, carrying her.
She clung to him, her arms clutching around his neck.
Michael planted a kiss on her nose.
She kissed his lips.
Michael buried his face into her hair. She smelled like heaven. No doubt she'd been all perfumed up by the king's staff.
"I love you," she whispered.