by L A Warren
She paused to examine the structure formed so far. A strained expression filled Alice’s face. All the energy had to channel through her position as the conduit. They had discussed this. The ten strongest WOR would act as keystones. The next ten strongest would manage the conduits. That left nearly eighty Fifth Rank WOR to take up the remaining positions.
Carek had devised several tests for the first linking attempt. Elise ran through each of them, surprised with how easily the power flowed.
She wanted to try a few other things, but Gregor's presence loomed just behind the circle. She signaled to Alice, who then released each woman out of the linked circle. The sub-dimensional crack folded and the supra-dimensions collapsed. The five women sat together and smiled. They understood what had happened.
Gregor's grip on her shoulder released and slipped away. "Opés, is this what it seems to be?"
Elise sighed. Gregor's voice reminded her this success was as much his as hers. "Yes, Gregor." She turned around and tried to make her eyes seem bright. "I just made a linked circle of five WOR."
Silver twinkled in his eyes. He grasped her shoulders and pulled her toward him, planting a solid kiss on her lips. “Wonderful, opés." He jerked his chin at Carek. "Mr. Tusel, return the WOR to the Fifth Deck and inform High Tender vlor'Vardhal of their success."
Carek bobbed his head and gestured for the women to follow him out. They went without fuss, except Alice who flashed a look of concern.
Gregor took Elise's hand in his and held her back. “I’m so very pleased, opés." He graced her with a genuine smile. He pulled her hand to his lips, kissed the back delicately, and turned smoldering eyes back to her face. She found herself pulled close until she was trapped in his embrace. “We have much to celebrate, opés. Come. I shall treat you to dinner.” He kicked with powerful strokes and they headed out of the am-net soup.
She wasn't surprised in the least when he headed to his personal quarters. Elise glanced at the time, worried about her other task for the night. There were still several hours before her jump-jet race. She might just make it.
Gregor opened a bottle of wine and filled two glasses. Elise cast dubious eyes on the liquor and wondered how much she would have to drink. She needed a clear head for her races. It would look suspicious if she didn’t join him.
"Where's your enthusiasm?" He tilted his head and his eyes pinched with disappointment.
"I'm sorry, Gregor." Elise raised her glass. "To a successful trial of a linked WOR circle." She tried to sound cheerful and failed miserably.
He lifted his glass and sipped. "Let me show you something, opés. A surprise.” He walked over to the large gray wall and pressed his palm to the gel-pad. A glittering starfield filled the screen.
It took Elise a moment before she realized the gray bleakness of WOR-space was gone. She walked to the wall and stretched out a hand.
"When did this happen?"
"We folded out of WOR-space a few hours ago. I wanted to share this with you, but I had no idea you were preparing for your first linking attempt."
"I'm sorry, Gregor. Was I supposed to have told you? I wasn’t sure it would work. I wanted to wait until we had it figured out before showing you. Was that okay?” Dear God, was he going to punish her for not giving a head's up?
Gregor came over and removed her untouched wine. He put both their glasses on the table. "Opés, I’m not upset. Quite the opposite. This is wonderful news.”
She stared into his eyes. Lost. Confused. Terrified. And something worse.
The bond sparked between them. That incessant flare of need, want, and unbearable desire for a man she should hate danced along her nerves.
Not only is my mind not my own, but my body betrays me as well.
Gregor’s eyes crinkled at the edges as he watched her reactions.
Unwilling to face the truth of her body’s reactions, she cast her gaze down.
Gregor brushed his lips across both her eyelids. He retrieved the wine glasses and stooped to meet her downcast gaze.
"Toast with me, Elise. Welcome to my home planet, Malbra. It’s a world beyond beauty." He gave her an odd stare. "You've traveled a long way, opés. That alone is worthy of celebration."
A long way indeed. Twisted, warped and forever changed. A journey not at all measured by distance.
He gave her a serpentine smile and licked his lips. “This is where we toast."
She snapped out of her contemplation and mutely raised her glass.
“To the true treasure of Earth. I salute you. You have exceeded my expectations.”
He tilted his glass and swallowed the entire contents. Deep-set eyes regarded her, reminding her of the predator that lurked beneath.
She inclined her head. "To your accomplishments, Gregor." She filled her mouth with the bitter wine and swallowed its robust flavor.
He walked to the far end of the room, leaving her to stare out at the stars. The clinking of glassware and other plates sounded from the bar.
"Opés, come here please.”
Elise turned to see a small feast laid out on the low table. Gregor tossed two pillows to the floor, one on either side of the table.
“Dinner is served."
Her stomach sank. It had been a while since Gregor had found time for them to be alone. She wondered what he had planned, perhaps even more importantly, how long it would take. In a little less than three hours she needed to be on the flight deck if she were to make her race against Malikai.
"Is this to celebrate our arrival or something else?"
He gestured for her to sit.
This was entirely too civilized. Too much like a date.
"I don't know what any of it is, but it's smells good.” She placed the napkin in her lap and glanced at the food he had spread out.
He laughed. "I had all my local favorites delivered. I’m eager to share them with you. To start, we have a cream soup made from a crustacean similar to the crabs of Earth. I think you’ll like it." He pointed to the plates on the table and described the rest of the meal.
Every plate on the table was some form of seafood. She leaned forward and breathed in the enticing smells. A smile crept onto her face and her mouth watered.
His laughter softened his features and made it easier to be around him. The tension in the room dissipated as they talked, not about WOR or his plans for her, but about the very mundane topic of the variety of seafood found on Malbra and the many favorite dishes he cherished. He relaxed and she found herself following his lead. They established an easy banter and settled into comfortable conversation.
"Tell me about Malbra."
"It is a water world with only a few large strings of archipelagos. There are no continents. Most of our cities float on the seas, half above and half below the water. It's a world full of beauty and the seas are a garden of life. I hope you learn to love it as much as I do.”
"You sound homesick, Gregor.”
He filled a plate with food and set it at her place. "I grew up here. It will always be home, but now my home is all of the empire. Most of the time I live on the Gambit, traveling from one crisis to the next. I try to get back to Malbra at least once a year. This happens to be perfect timing. The Gambit has arrived in time to complete its fleet finals in the jump-jet circuit above Malbra. Do you remember me talking to Mr. Tusel about the jump-jet circuit?"
"Vaguely, I'm not much of a sports fan."
"Well, jump-jet racing is perhaps one of the most popular sports in the empire, and a personal favorite of mine." His eyes glowed with excitement, and the features of his face softened, turned boyish and genuine. “Jump-jet racing has a huge following. Competitions are held on every planet, in every colony fleet, nearly every age bracket . . . it’s infectious. For those who don’t race, the betting circles are just as exciting.”
Elise spooned soup into her mouth and nodded politely to his conversation. She closed her eyes and reveled in the taste. What she didn't want was to engage in a conversation about j
ump-jet racing. Not when she was due to race in less than a few hours. She needed to hurry this dinner along.
"This is fabulous, Gregor."
“That’s my favorite."
"Thank you for sharing it with me." She wiped her chin.
"I thought you deserved a treat." He gripped her fingers gently. “I hope to share much more with you over the years. You will have a good life with me, opés. Despite your feelings, I will make you happy. I promise.”
Elise looked down. Her heart and stomach tumbled together into the blackness of space. His promise made her want to retch, but did other things as well. It was almost as if he cared for her future. Like it was important she found happiness. Where was he going with this?
"I'm surprised you're not more interested in the jump-jet circuit. I'm quite a fan."
"So you keep telling me, but it's not like I have time to focus on Vendel sports, not with learning WOR-skill and working on the linking project. I barely have time to breathe." She kept her voice smooth and level. The lie came easily to her lips.
"Would you like to watch some of the races with me?"
"If you insist, then, of course."
The corners of his mouth twitched downward. “I’m inviting you to spend time with me, opés. Time away from WOR-skill training, away from the am-net tank, away from the High Tender. Just you and me, doing something fun. I want you to get to know me better, outside of WOR-skill training.”
She looked up in alarm. Get to know him better? Was he insane?
He continued, “Consider it a gesture of good will from me to you. An effort to do something pleasant together for a change.”
"I'm sorry, but how is that possible?”
His eyes narrowed.
"How can you think I would want to?” She placed her hands in her lap and wrung the fabric in frustration. "I'm supposed to be honest with you, Gregor. This is me being honest, but I don't see the two of us spending fun time together and getting chummy."
“Elise," he began with a long sigh, "we’ll be together for a very long time.” His fingers stroked the back of her hand. "I don't want to fight you. We shouldn't be in conflict. I want you by my side and working with me. I don't want you to fight me every step of the way. You need to accept this. Hate is a very demanding emotion. We should work towards something less antagonistic. Something we can both live with."
His smile infected her and she found herself responding, because the truth of it was that she admired Gregor. His choices came at great cost, to him, to her, and to the billions who died. But he had a responsibility to the greater good. She should accept that, but she couldn't forgive the things he'd done to her, the Tender Training he'd consigned her too, or any of the rest.
Silence descended between them while she picked at her food and thought about what he'd said. “How can you demand my enthusiasm when you hand out the harshest punishments? You can't expect me to forget everything you've done and just agree to hang out and have fun with you.”
He drummed the tabletop with his fingers. When he looked up, his gaze was dark and brooding. "Like it or not you’re stuck with me. This is permanent, but it doesn’t have to be unpleasant for you. The Binding Rite occurs in four days, opés.”
There it was, that sinking feeling. Her stomach and heart both hurtled through space and were now being sucked down a black hole.
"Four days?" A quaver filled her voice.
"Yes, opés. I've been relieved of my oath."
Her spoon clattered to the floor, dropped forgotten from her hand. It splashed cream soup on her dress. "But, Mr. Tusel would’ve told me."
"No, I removed him from the High Council."
"Why?"
“Conflict of interest." His eyes settled on hers, an ominous darkness brewed in their depths.
“You’re wrong. Mr. Tusel is your strongest supporter."
"I have reason to believe otherwise."
Anger surged in her belly. "Don't worry about him. Your little slave is very much yours. I only bring it up because Mr. Tusel is aware of the Binding problem. He would have told me. And for the record, I asked him to vote against you. He said no. Told me he served the empire above anything else, despite the cost to me."
Gregor's brows drew together and the tattoo writhed. "Be careful with your tone, opés. Tell me about the Binding problem."
Elise wiped off the fallen spoon and placed it back on the table. “I found a problem with the linking project. The High Tenders spotted the flaw too, although they wouldn’t say anything to me. It was Mr. Tusel who explained the changes the Binding Rite made to a WOR’s mind. I figured out the rest.”
Gregor took in a deep breath. It was enough.
Elise continued, her voice rising with every word. “What you call binding is the worst kind of rape I can imagine. You will take not just my body, but my mind as well. And yet you sit here with this stupid dinner,” she waved at the delicious feast in front of them, “and go on about how we should get to know each other better. It’s a lie.”
“Opés . . .”
Her head shook with the fury stirring in her gut. “For your information, Mr. Tusel feels I need the restraint of Binding. You removed your fiercest supporter.” She pushed back from the table. Her gaze rested on the food, she didn't have the strength to look at him. “The joke’s on you, though. None of your bound WOR will survive a link. It’ll kill them.”
“Elise, Binding is not what you think.”
She turned her back to him. Her entire body shook. Tears welled in her eyes and she brushed them away, angry at her weakness. Her fingers curled into fists and she spun around to confront him.
“You lied to me. You said I had nothing to fear from the Binding. It doesn’t matter how I feel about you. Binding removes any free will I have left. I won’t have a choice but to be your perfect little slave. Why even bother with gestures such as this? In four days none of it will matter. I'll be your perfect, obedient robot!”
"Look at me." The force of his words snapped her eyes to his. "I admit I held back the truth of the Binding, opés, but you’re wrong about many things. First and foremost, I do care about you. It would please me greatly to have you come to me willingly.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her with a single raised finger.
“Despite what you think, the Binding Rite won't turn you into a mindless slave. That would be counterproductive. It will, however, be impossible for you to lie or disobey me ever again. It accomplishes at least that much. It will also allow me to take you places even Tender Training cannot. Despite all of that, it will be easier on both of us if you stopped fighting me."
"I'm not ready to roll over and play dead, Gregor."
"Obviously."
"If you've been released of your oath, why are we here eating dinner and not in your bedroom? Why not just take me? That's what you want, isn't it? Rape my body and pillage my mind. When I think you're not some horrible monster, you go and show me how evil you really are.”
He leaned forward, and his voice lowered. "I'm no monster, Elise. I would prefer if you came to me of your own accord, it's why I asked, and why I wish to share personal pieces of myself with you. I choose to wait because it's my wish to give you as much time as you need to see what is right before your eyes."
"You don't want to know what I see when I look at you, and if that earns me the whipstick or more Tender Training, I don't care." She blew out her exasperation.
He'd been breathing down her neck for months, alluding to having sex, practically promising it with every breath. Now he wanted points for telling her he was willing to wait? She might be crazy, but he was certifiable.
“I chose to wait because I know about the issue with Binding and the Linking project. High Tender vlor’Vardhal mentioned the problem to me and we’ve discussed it at length. He asked me to wait, and I have faith in your abilities. I have faith in you, Elise, more than you realize. Besides, I've waited long enough to have you. A few more days won't kill me, and m
aybe, just maybe, you'll understand what I'm trying to tell you."
"I have no idea what you're trying to tell me. You speak in riddles, Gregor, and I'm tired of trying to figure anything out."
"Arguing with you is pointless, Elise, and a waste of both our times. Now, I mentioned I'm a huge jump-jet fan. There's a particular race tonight that I'm particularly interested in. It's been generating a lot of interest in the betting circles. I'd love to spend the evening with you, sharing one of my passions. You're not going anywhere and High Tender Marcus wants you to continue to work in the am-net. In the meantime, we have a moment to take a pause, and reevaluate where we are with each other."
He came to her and tugged her to his chest. Strong arms wrapped around her as he tucked her head under his chin. She didn't want to be in his embrace, but she didn’t want him to let go either. None of it made sense. He was her enemy, and yet she found comfort within his embrace.
He kissed the crown of her head and whispered, “I want you to listen and remember what I have to say. I’m Emperor first and foremost. Anything, and I mean anything, I can do to save my people I will do. The Linking project is all I have to use as a weapon against the S’lorek. If Binding with you hampers progress on that project, I won’t do it. You need to understand how desperate we are. We have no weapons. Nothing has worked. My subjects depend on me to overcome this threat. I will do anything, including the unconventional to save them."
He pulled back so he could stare into her eyes. “Even if it means going to Earth and destroying everything you held dear. Or turning you into my slave. I will do it without hesitation. Not all my choices are easy, opés, but I swear they’re necessary. That is my burden to bear.”
Her hands shook and she felt sick to her stomach.
“Elise?” Concern filled his voice.
"What do you expect me to say? What do you want from me, Gregor? I'm a dead woman walking. Why wait any longer?" She began to untie the laces of her gown.
He stopped her hands. “Stop, opés. Not tonight. We wait. I have faith in you, in your ideas. All of them. Let's give this a few more days to play out. I need you to succeed.”
