by Rebecca Rode
His words sank in, and suddenly Ember felt sick. She straightened, still trembling from shock. “I will never do that again. Not for you, not for anyone. I’m no weapon to be used as you see fit.”
“Not yet, but I will make you into something powerful. They’ll kneel at your feet before I’m done. The emperor will hear of this when he wakes.”
“No. I won’t do it.” Horror crept up her spine, paralyzing her. “You will send me home and leave my people alone. We’re peaceful, and I—I’m the only one with this gift. I’d rather die than be a weapon in your hands.”
“That’s exactly what the other flare said at first. He eventually saw the wisdom in my plan, and so will you. And your village will be tested for their own protection. Your kind are like pests. If you find one, there are usually more hidden somewhere.”
Anger had taken hold of her thoughts now, and she felt herself reaching out to his inner light. She felt it pulsing just out of reach. He was angry too. She felt along the edges of his shield, wishing desperately that she could—
She pulled away, shuddering. There would be no more death. This horrible man deserved it, but she wouldn’t become what he wanted. Not even if it meant ending him.
He nodded, seeming to see her battle. Then he headed for the door. One swipe of his wristband and the door clicked open. “Oh, and I’d be careful about revealing your gift to anyone else. Your secret is a dangerous one. Your guards are specially trained to deal with flickers, and they’ll know if you try to read them. You’ll be stunned before you know what—”
Ember lunged for the open door, cutting him off.
She had intended to shove him aside with her shoulder, but he whirled out of the way, recovering quickly. As she began to ease through the door’s narrow opening toward freedom, he reached out and grabbed her head, then slammed it against the doorframe.
Pain exploded in her skull. Her legs buckled and she nearly hit the floor, but fought to remain on her feet. The doorway blurred in her vision. She reached out for it, desperate to escape.
Kane was a dark mass now. He drew closer, looming over her. “A gypsy girl attacking a High Commander with thirty-one years of combat experience. Too bad I turned the security feed off. It would have been great entertainment for later.”
The dark blur shoved her backward. Ember wasn’t prepared for it. She stumbled and collapsed on the ground. Her vision was finally beginning to sharpen as Kane pulled the door closed behind him and the lock clicked.
“Consider yourself fortunate,” he said. “Anyone else would be serving a prison sentence for trying to smuggle something off a military station. But I’m submitting a pardon for you and taking you on as an assistant instead. The other flickers will be incredibly jealous.” He turned and called out over his shoulder. “I hope you’ll find our combat training ship, the Lennai’i, more suitable to your taste.”
Ember stood, listening to his footsteps fade. Then she released an angry yell. She kicked the sink protruding from the wall over and over until a small dent appeared, then fell onto her bed and screamed into the mattress. She was tired of being manipulated, forced against her will, examined like a scientific specimen.
In her struggle to get home, she’d just made everything a hundred times worse.
They would descend on her village next. They’d test everyone. That meant they would plunge needles into the people she loved, prodding and invading. Perhaps even stealing them away for tests on a ship. Would there be anything left of her village when they were through?
And Dai. Would they find him and take him to a hospital? They would test his blood with the others and find a DNA match. It wouldn’t be long before they found an Empire connection.
She thought back to the article, feeling her stomach sink. It had featured a man named Mario Nicholas. Her father’s name was Nicholae. He’d wandered into their village in his late twenties and told everyone he was studying Roma culture. It wasn’t long before he fell in love with her mother and decided to stay—or so he’d told her. Was there more to it? Had the village simply served as a convenient hiding place from the Empire?
Her heart ached as she thought back to their last conversation. She could see it now. He’d been trying to tell her the truth about her gift without scaring her. He’d tried to convince her to marry, to join the protection of a man’s house. To be hidden away from the claws of the Empire as a boria. Was it a father’s concern or something more?
All his warnings about avoiding officers and hiding her gift. His prediction about his impending death. It all suddenly clicked, and her entire perspective shifted.
You don’t know that, she had protested.
I do, my Ember.
Maybe it was true. Perhaps he’d read his own future in his daughter’s inner light.
And now she was to take his place at Kane’s side.
Ember was now indispensable. She’d be under the highest security, watched every moment day and night. And if she somehow managed to make it home, Kane knew exactly where to find her.
Her escape would have to be quick and unexpected. It wasn’t about Ember and Dai anymore—it was the entire village. It was her way of life that was at risk now. The moment an opportunity presented itself, Ember would be gone. She’d go home, fetch her father, warn her people, and escape to the farthest reaches of the realm—so far the Empire would never find them again.
18
Three days later, Ember sat at the desk of her new quarters and glared at the desk screen in front of her.
ACCESS DENIED
She closed the error screen and tapped the word news again. The error message returned.
“You could at least tell me what’s going on,” she muttered to the screen.
They’d transported her to the Lennai’i under extremely high security, belting her arms to her chest and even blindfolding her. The gesture was amusing. She could ignore Kane's warning and read her guards if she decided to.
A full day of travel, then two days locked in her quarters. She hadn’t spoken to anyone since her arrival. Occasionally she heard a guard cough or sneeze outside her door, but they ignored her questions. Meal trays appeared through a hatch four times a day. When she thanked whoever brought them, nobody replied.
“Come on,” Ember grumbled at the desk-screen error message. Even if there was no news of Earth, she had to know what was going on with the other flickers. Were Mar and Stefan safe?
She felt physically ill when she thought of the assassin in her cell. She’d barely survived, and she had a special ability they didn’t.
Her quarters were irritatingly luxurious, a stark contrast to her cell and consisting of three rooms—a sitting room, an office, and a bedroom. It all felt like such a waste. Lennai’i wasn’t its own planet like the station but rather a massive triangular ship with an opening in the center. Whereas the station’s walls and floor had been a bright white, this ship was all silver and black, sleek and modern. Ember hated every inch of it.
Her solitude gave her plenty of time to think, but that was the last thing she wanted to do right now.
Ember sighed and gave up on the desk screen, eyeing the food tray that had arrived minutes before. She always left the fork and the meat untouched, but the rest was decent enough, much better than the station’s vegetable glob. She lifted the bowl of yellow sauce to her mouth and took a sip. It tasted like apples. She finished it off and glared at the tiny grayish-brown square in the corner. If that was dessert, it didn’t look very appetizing.
When she heard movement at the hatch, she gave her tray one last look, then shoved it through. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” a female voice said, taking the tray.
Ember recognized her immediately as one of the guards who had escorted her here—Amai, a woman ten years older than Ember but who looked to have lived four lifetimes. She had never been rough with Ember, just distant and quiet. These were the first words the woman had spoken in her presence.
Ember was so su
rprised to receive an answer she stumbled over her next words. “When does Commander Kane get here?”
“He just arrived this morning,” Amai said, still holding the hatch open. “He’s coming to see you any minute. His security team just informed me.”
Ember’s surprise at the woman’s detailed answer was overcome by dread mixed with a tinge of relief. Kane was already here. That meant whatever he’d done to her village was finished. Did he have Dai? Was everyone else safe?
The hatch was still open. “You’re one of the more powerful flickers, aren’t you?” Amai asked in a low voice. “You must be for the commander to be so interested in you.”
So Kane hadn’t told them what she really was. Of course he’d want to keep his new weapon a secret.
“He thinks I’m something I’m not,” Ember finally said.
“I see.” The woman paused. “Now that the commander has arrived, they’re going to reassign us. I know this is a little unorthodox, but I was wondering if you could do a reading for me before he gets here.”
Ember had resisted using her gift since that night in her cell. Curse was a better word. The stars obviously hated her. The last thing she wanted was to pretend like she was a good person.
It was just that killing that man had been so easy.
“I’d rather not,” Ember said. “I’m not exactly safe to be around right now.”
“I, uh—my daughter is missing,” the guard rushed on. “I was hoping you could tell me what happened.”
Ember closed her eyes, guilt flooding her. “That’s not how it works. I can’t read her future. Only yours.”
“If you’ll try, maybe I can help you.”
Ember sat back against the door. “Help me? As in get me out of here?”
“Maybe. No promises.”
She sighed. Then she hesitantly, carefully reached for the woman’s light. It met her with an eagerness she hadn’t experienced before. If the woman had a mental shield, she was obviously experienced enough to remove it on demand.
Ember scanned through the woman’s memories. She did have a daughter, but the girl was a teenager. She pushed forward to the less-sure edges of the light, then pulled back with a gasp.
“Your daughter isn’t missing,” Ember said, not bothering to hide the accusation in her voice. “She went off to join the Union. You already knew that.” The full effect of what she’d seen hit her hard. “You’re with the Union too.”
“Keep your voice down,” Amai whispered. “They monitor you day and night. If you look up, you’ll see the cameras.”
Ember had noticed them within minutes of her arrival. “Why did you lie to me?”
“They asked me to investigate a rumor. A powerful flicker, someone who broke a testing machine. It has to be you.”
“So you’re sizing up the competition.”
“No, we’re making you an offer. We want you to join us.”
Ember groaned. “And leave one side to fight for another? How many times do I have to tell you people? I don’t want to be involved in your war. I’m not a weapon, and I’m tired of being used. I just want to get home.”
“To Earth. Yes, we know where you’re from, and we know about your village. Commander Kane recently sent a testing team in. Last I heard they were still there. We can’t keep everyone safe, but we can retrieve your immediate family. Assuming you agree to join us.”
Dai.
Excitement rose in Ember’s chest, but she stamped it down. “And what would be expected of me?”
“We can’t get you out yet. We’ll need you to be a special agent for a while, gathering intelligence and trying to minimize damage to our forces until we can send a unit in to get you. It will probably be a few more days. After that, your specific role will be determined by the Daughter herself.”
“The Daughter? Who’s that?”
“We’ll answer all your questions when we can.” She cut off quickly, then rushed on. “Kane is almost here. Do you agree or not?”
Joining the Union couldn’t possibly be worse than working for the Empire. That much was clear. And if Kane’s team hadn’t found Dai yet, the Union could whisk him away to safety.
Dread formed in her belly at the lack of information, but she ignored it for now. They were offering her everything she wanted. “I’ll join you if you get my dai—I mean my father—somewhere safe. His name is Nicholae. Oh, and my friend Bianca and her son. And husband.”
“I was told immediate family only.”
“Those are my terms. It’s only four people.” She wasn’t sure how Bianca would feel about being torn from her home, but Ember couldn’t risk her friend’s safety, especially when she was so vulnerable. Ember owed her that much.
Footsteps and voices sounded in the corridor.
“I’ll do what I can.” The hatch snapped closed.
Kane’s voice echoed outside her door. He had seen Amai looking through the hatch. They exchanged low voices for a moment.
“You will report to Commander Furough’s office for disciplinary action immediately,” he finally said.
“Yes, sir.”
A click sounded in the door and it slid open. Kane entered alone with a broad grin, as if completely unconcerned about her ability. He strode to the seating area and plopped down into an overstuffed chair.
“Sit,” he said. “I’ve spoken with your village chief, and he had a very interesting story to tell about you. It seems my theory is correct about your gift.”
As always, she folded her arms and remained standing. “Gift? You imply that it was given to me, yet you deny the source. The stars didn’t mean for it to be used in this way. I’m not a killer.”
“I assure you, if you cross me in any way, your village will pay for it. That’s exactly 462 deaths on your head. That’s not including the three gypsy lives you took a few years ago. I suppose you could say the rest are depending on you for their lives now.”
She flinched, her earlier dread weighing heavy in her stomach. He knew everything.
If she escaped with the Union, there was a chance Dai and Bianca would be okay. But was it worth the deaths of everyone else to accomplish it? There was no way the Union would agree to rescue the entire village. It was too dangerous.
Ember felt the hands closing around her throat again.
“Your defiance up till now has been admirable. Foolish, but still admirable. Things are about to change. As my special assistant, you’ll be doing a great service for the emperor. The entire realm, really. Our enemies have done terrible things, committed atrocities you can’t imagine. They’ve destroyed entire worlds full of people without a second glance.”
The Union had destroyed worlds? Of course Kane would see it that way. “Have they murdered a village full of innocent settlers just to make a point?”
“This isn’t about avoiding death, gypsy girl. It’s about choosing who lives—the peaceful cities of our Empire or a group of coldhearted killers.”
“I don’t see why there has to be a choice at all.”
His smile wavered just a bit, then he stood. “Whether you agree with my methods or not, your training begins tomorrow. When you’re ready, we’ll give the emperor a demonstration of your power. If you refuse to cooperate, your village and everyone in it will be burned to the ground. But don’t worry too much. You’ll still have somewhere else to go.” A dark glint entered his eyes.
His words felt like acid to her ears. “That will never happen.”
“We’ll see.”
He made his way to the door. It opened to reveal several anxious guards standing outside. Amai wasn’t there.
The door clicked closed behind him, and Ember was alone once again.
19
Ember spent the rest of the day pacing, and she couldn’t sleep that night. Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw home. Soldiers running about, shooting people down and setting buildings on fire. Kane standing there laughing.
Every time a noise outside her door roused her, she sat up and lis
tened for Amai’s voice. Ember had to talk to the woman, tell her she’d changed her mind. Either they agreed to protect the entire village or she wouldn’t cooperate.
To her disappointment, Amai never returned.
A tray of breakfast was shoved through the hatch the next morning, but Ember didn’t eat anything. She sat at the desk, trying every possible combination of passwords and terms. She tried taking a shower, but the hot water just reminded her how far she was from home. Ember even tried talking to the guard outside, but he refused to respond. She touched his inner light and pulled back in disappointment. His defenses were rock hard.
The door opened without warning. Ember stood to face two guards.
“We’re to take you to Commander Kane’s office,” the woman said. It wasn’t Amai. The guard’s companion held out the clamps expectantly.
With a sigh, Ember allowed him to lock them over her wrists. Then they set off.
The corridors looked much the same as in the station—one dizzying hallway after another. The Empire liked things uniform and dreadfully dull, it seemed. They turned several corners, rode a lift upward, and then emerged into a much emptier corridor. They took her directly to the last door, where the woman swiped her wristband and let them in.
Commander Kane sat at a conference table, another man sitting to his right. Ember blinked and stumbled, nearly tripping over her own feet.
Stefan?
He gave her a grim smile, but there was nothing happy in his expression. Stefan seemed resigned more than anything. His eye was discolored as if he’d recently had a black eye, and he moved carefully.
But he was alive.
“Gypsy girl,” Kane said, waving the guards away. “We were just talking about you. Come sit down.”
Ember’s gaze hadn’t left Stefan. She watched him for any indication of what was happening, but he refused to meet her gaze.