Because of that, I had to play my role. Had to keep to my usual schedule and manner of doing things. If that meant having a what seemed like a banal conversation with my father about planning a party for some unnamed uncle, so be it.
If there was one thing my father taught me that I valued, it was patience.
“Mother sends her love,” I said. “She wanted me to tell you that she misses you.”
He smiled. My mother genuinely cared for him – despite the fact that she knew of his many indiscretions. She reasoned that these alien woman were able to provide him with something she was not. And for some reason, she was okay with that. Loved him in spite of it.
“She is a good woman, your mother,” he said. “I hope that you are looking after her. And your sister.”
“Of course I am.”
He reached out and put a hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I know you are. You are a good boy, Veshna. I don't believe I have told you that enough.”
No, he hadn't. But I wasn't going to pick a fight. There were bigger things in play than simply needing my father's approval and validation.
“You are a good father,” I lied. “I have had a happy life. But I must go now. There is much work to be done.”
He nodded. “Of course, of course,” he said. “Please, come back soon. I want to hear all about the preparations for the festivities.”
“Of course, father.”
I stood up and gave him a small smile before turning and walking to the doorway. The guard on the outside pressed a button on the wall and the electro-wall came down with a hiss. After I'd passed, the hiss sounded again as the guard re-activated it.
I left the prison complex and headed for a more important meeting.
Chapter Five
“How is your father holding up?” Kalmor asked.
I shrugged. “He is irrelevant.”
Kalmor was my second in command and my most trusted ally. It would be him by my side when all of my plans came to fruition and I seized the throne of Optorio. He shared my vision and believed, as I did, that Optorio should be a world for Optorions only. He was as offended as I was that Jendrish had chosen an alien – a human – to be the queen of our world.
“That seems rather cold,” he said. “Even coming from you.”
We stood in one of the hidden underground rooms that dotted my family's home. My father had these rooms installed discretely so that he could indulge in some of his rather tasteless hobbies, believing that nobody knew of their existence. But I knew from a young age that knowledge was power and I had endeavored to learn my father's secrets – as well as the secrets of those in positions of power. It was a skill I'd honed and refined, and a skill that had paid off handsomely many times over.
Now that my father was in prison and – if I had anything to say about it – was never coming home, I had begun using the rooms for my own purposes. Which, at the moment, was mapping out my path to the throne.
“For such an ambitious man,” I said, “he thought rather small. He was unwilling to do what is required to achieve the ultimate victory.”
“I don't disagree with that.”
“At heart, my father is a coward,” I said. “And he is unwilling to get his hands dirty. He doesn't have the ruthlessness necessary to rule this world.”
Kalmor nodded, but looked guarded. “Ruthlessness does not seem to be something you're lacking, old friend.”
I grinned at him. “No, it's not,” I said. “But my ruthlessness is only matched by my loyalty. Rest easy, old friend. You are coming to the pinnacle with me.”
He seemed to be somewhat relieved by my words. Though, I did not know why he would have cause for concern in the first place. Kalmor had been my friend since we were children. We were closer than brothers and shared just about everything with one another. If there was one person I wanted by my side, it would be him.
Kalmor eyed me as if he could read my thoughts – and given how long we'd known one another, perhaps we could.
“You've changed, Veshna,” he said. “You've become harder. More – ruthless.”
“I do what is required,” I said. “I become what is necessary. If we are going to reclaim our world from this usurper and his alien whore, there is no other choice.”
Kalmor looked at me evenly. “Are you sure you're doing this for Optorio? For the right reasons?”
I felt my anger rising, but I fought to keep it in check. “What other reason would I be doing all of this for? I want to see Optorio returned to glory. Returned to a place of prominence in this planetary system. Right now, we're being laughed at by those on other worlds. That is intolerable to me. I seek to remedy that.”
Kalmor nodded. “Forgive the impertinence of my question,” he said. “It's just that your father lost his way. He sought to glorify himself. Not our world.”
“I am not my father,” I said, my voice cold.
“No, you are not,” he replied. “You have a vision and a drive that he lacked. As you said, he is no longer relevant.”
I looked at him, hoping this conversation was at an end. I did not like being questioned or having my motives scrutinized. What I was doing – what I was going to do – was all for Optorio.
“So, how are our preparations coming?” I asked.
Kalmor cleared his throat. “On your orders, we've told the Regent cells to scale their attacks. We've convinced them to focus on preparations rather than creating havoc.”
“Good,” I said. “And have the leaders of these cells all fallen into line?”
“For the most part,” he replied. “There are two who I believe will be troublesome. They belong to former Regent Calmoq and former Regent Burtek.”
Fewer than I'd anticipated. Which was good. Very good. Part of my plan depended on giving Jendrish's troops the impression that they'd defeated the rebellion. That they had beaten us into submission. If they believed it, they were more apt to ease the pressure they were putting on us. And if they eased the pressure, it would make it easier for us to move about and get ourselves in the right position to strike.
“And what are we doing about those two?” I asked.
“They're being – removed,” he replied. “Discretely.”
Excellent. I wasn't a fan of executing people who were fighting on the same side. But when they were operating according to their own program rather than falling into line behind me, that was a problem that needed to be dealt with.
I nodded but didn't feel very good about it. “Be sure it's kept quiet,” I said. “The last thing we need is dissension within the ranks.”
We needed soldiers, and the fighters who made up these cells who pledged themselves to the Regents were going to make up our army. They would constitute the new Royal Guard when all of this was said and done. I needed them to be willing to fight and die for me. I needed them to be loyal. And having their leaders executed was not a good way of ensuring that loyalty.
Which was yet another reason having Kalmor by my side was an ideal situation. It gave me a layer of insulation between myself and the terrible things we had to do. Kalmor wasn't connected to a political or high profile family as I was. Which allowed him to be seen as the head of the snake and the one in charge of the rebellion. And that allowed me to move unencumbered behind the scenes. And it allowed me to navigate the bumpy roads of Optorion politics.
All of the behind the scenes work allowed me to accrue both political as well as military power. And when the time came, I was going to need both.
“The coronation is in a week,” Kalmor said. “Will we be ready?”
I nodded. “We have to be. It will be our best opportunity to pull off our little coup. Especially if the Royal Guard believes the rebellion is no longer a threat.”
“What is our plan?”
The details were still a little bit murky, but I was trying to sort it all out on the fly. Jendrish was going to die on his coronation day. Of that, there was
no question. The only question was – how. We'd considered and dismissed the idea of snipers. The Guard would be on the lookout and with the technology they had available to them, they would find our shooters faster than we could get the shot off.
Which meant that we had little choice but to make it an up close and personal assassination. It was something that was going to make things far more complex and difficult. But not impossible.
“We have allies within the Royal Palace,” I said. “So far, they've just been feeding us information. But it appears that they will have to take a more active role in the proceedings.”
Kalmor's jaw clenched. “I don't like involving non-fighters,” he said. “Too many variables to account for. They're too unpredictable and may screw it up at the most sensitive moment.”
I'd anticipated his hesitance and merely nodded. “I agree with you,” I said. “Unfortunately, we may not have much of a choice. We can't send snipers. A bomb is out of the question. What's left?”
“Perhaps we can disguise some of our fighters,” he said. “Have them blend in with the crowd and they can take the shot.”
“Anybody connected to the Regents – especially family – are likely going to be barred from the coronation,” I said. “The rebellion is being led by Regent sympathizers. Jendrish and his Guard aren't foolish enough to open the gates for everybody. They have a watch list and you can rest assured that you and I are probably on it. As well as the fighters in these cells.”
He sighed. “Perhaps,” he said. “But perhaps there is another way we can use our contacts inside the palace.”
“I am open to suggestions.”
He shook his head. “I do not know just yet,” he said. “But perhaps they can somehow get us into the palace without the Guard being aware. That way we can strike from the inside ourselves. Cut down the uncertainty and be sure about things.”
“Perhaps,” I conceded. “Let me think on it a while.”
“As will I.”
Chapter Six
Riley
“Your coronation is tomorrow,” I murmured.
He sighed. “Don't remind me. That's the last thing I want to be doing. Who needs silly little ceremonies like that anyway?”
We were laying in bed, and I was resting my head upon his hard, sculpted chest. Optorion skin was soft, but had a different texture than human skin. It was a little rougher – almost like their body was covered in scales. Like a fish – except way less gross and slimy. It was a strange observation, but one I'd made long ago. Not that I was complaining, mind you. Jendrish's skin was a beautiful thing to behold and feel against my own. It was just – a bit of a strange sensation until you got used to it.
“Your people for one,” I said. “People – be they human or Optorion – have a need for ceremonies. For pomp and circumstance.”
“It seems like a waste of time. There is much more I could do if I did not have to attend to the Court,” he grumbled.
“The people need to see you – their king – being crowned,” I said. “You may find it silly, but your people need to believe in something bigger than all of them. They need a face for this world. A face they can look up to and trust. They need to know there is somebody in charge – and that somebody is you.”
Jendrish stared up at the ceiling, his eyes fixed on nothing I could make out. He was simply zoning out. He was there with me physically, but his mind was obviously elsewhere. It had been that way between us for the last few days, actually. I didn't know if he was distracted with the coronation or what, but he just hadn't been present, in the moment with me for some time. It was like there was this wall between us.
And I had no idea how to get through it or break it down.
The fact that it existed in the first place baffled me. From what he'd told me, the rebellion he and his men had been trying so hard to quash, was dying. If not dead already. They hadn't had to go on a raid since the day he'd come home hurt after getting shot – thankfully. He thought that they'd finally managed to turn the tide on the rebellion and they could begin working on building the peace.
And yet, despite that, he still seemed pensive. And entirely distracted.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
“Fine,” he replied without even turning to look at me. “Everything is fine.”
Yeah, that was convincing. This sudden distance between us left me feeling uneasy. Uncertain. I had no idea what was going through his head. I was fearful of the idea that our little whirlwind romance, born in the midst of a crisis, was nothing more than a passing fancy for him. I feared that he was beginning to wake up and realize that being with me had been a novelty, had been fun, but he was – well – over it now.
There was only one way I was going to know where I stood with him. And that was to speak up. I'd never been shy about voicing my opinions. Back on Earth, people knew me as a girl who didn't take anybody's shit. And yet, when it came to Jendrish, for some reason, I was hesitant. Maybe a little scared.
It had been something I'd felt for a little while now. And it hadn't taken me very long to figure out why. Jendrish was the first man I'd opened my heart to in a long time. I'd sworn off men and relationships after my last one had flamed out so spectacularly. But somehow, some way, Jendrish had broken down my walls and had inserted himself into my thoughts and my heart.
For a while, I'd thought that maybe I had jumped the gun. That maybe, because of the intensity of the situation we'd found ourselves in together had sparked feelings within me that were mere – mirages. That I really didn't feel what I thought I felt.
But no, I truly felt for him what I felt for him. And what I felt for him was love. As much as I wanted to deny it, rationalize it away as something else, I just couldn't. I loved Jendrish. Plain and simple.
Which is what made the uncertainty I was feeling all the more painful. All the more frustrating. I wasn't a girl who liked feeling uncertain or insecure as it was. To know that it was love in my heart for a man I wasn't sure returned the feelings made it all the more terrifying for me.
I didn't want to ask. Was afraid of the answer. But I knew if I didn't ask, didn't try to get some clarification, I was only going to continue tormenting and torturing myself.
“What I meant though,” I started, my voice hesitant, “was are we okay? Is everything okay with us?”
He finally turned to me, his expression no less inscrutable. “Why would you ask?”
I shrugged. “I don't know, I just feel like you've been distant lately.”
He gave me a soft smile. “If I've made you feel that way, I apologize,” he said. “I've been distracted. There has been a lot going on that has demanded my attention. I didn't realize I was not as attentive as I should be.”
It wasn't quite the answer or the reassurance I'd been looking for, but I supposed it had to do. Optorions weren't the most expressive or demonstrative people. Jendrish had come a long way, but he could still sometimes come off a little cold and unfeeling. Not that he meant to, it was just the way of his people. Humans were a lot more – emotional. It was something I knew he struggled with. But we were working on it.
“I understand,” I said. “And I'm sorry if I come off like I'm – needy. I don't mean to be. It's just... ”
I trailed off, not sure I wanted to open up this can of worms. I knew he already had a lot on his plate. The last thing I wanted was to add more to it.
“It's just that what?” he asked.
“It's silly,” I said. “Don't worry about it. I'm just being stupid.”
His laugh was soft. “You are a lot of things, Riley,” he said. “But stupid is not one of them. Please. Tell me what is troubling you.”
I shrugged again. “I don't know,” I said. “Sometimes, I just feel – lonely. Like I don't have any purpose.”
I cringed on the inside, hearing the words come out of my mouth. I sounded like one of those girls – the kind of girl I loathed. Needy. Clingy. Entirely depen
dent upon somebody else for their identity.
“Lonely?” he asked, rolling over and propping himself up on an arm. “I – I didn't know. You're always surrounded by people. I know you and Ynora are close, I – ”
“Ynora is great.,” I said. “She's been a good friend and I adore her, but she's always busy working and I don't want to bother her. And I don't really have any other friends. I have little to do all day. I wander around aimlessly.”
Jendrish nodded as if he understood. Perhaps he did. “I apologize, Riley,” he said. “I didn't stop to think that you weren't getting enough stimulation. I have been so wrapped up in everything I'm doing that I didn't stop to think about you. That is my failing.”
“It's not a failing, sweetheart,” I said. “We are just two different people with different minds, different needs.”
“What can I do to help?” he asked.
He looked at me earnestly and spoke sincerely. It gave me hope that everything I'd been feeling was wrong. Foolish. It gave me hope that Jendrish truly did care. Did love me like he said he did. The trouble was, I didn't know what he could do to help – other than be around and be with me more than he was. But could I really ask that of him? He had an entire planet to run.
“I really don't know, Jendrish,” I admitted. “I know it's stupid to dump all of this on you and have no answers. I guess, at the root of it all, I just want to spend more time with you. I feel like ever since I came to Optorio, we've seen so little of each other. There is so much I still want to learn about you. So much I need to know.”
“And there is much I still want and need to learn about you, Riley,” he said. “There is still so much about you that is shrouded in mystery. I want to cut through all of that and see to the heart of you.”
He reached out and stroked my cheek and I leaned into his touch. Savored it. I looked into his eyes and saw nothing but love and compassion in them. And I suddenly began to feel guilt over doubting his feelings for me. For doubting him.
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