Skit leaned closer, listening in, as well. He glanced at me and blinked once. “He’s in there.”
“Good,” I replied, then pushed open the door.
The high chancellor was easy to spot. He wore a silken robe over his black tunic—crimson red with bejeweled embellishments running down from his shoulders on both sleeves. The others wore simple suits, in shades of navy-blue and gray, but seemed just as dignified as the Cerixian leading their conversation. Dellon Figgen. The high chancellor of Cerix. Taeral’s crew had already briefed us on whatever names and functions they were able to learn from Inalia, Eira and the other locals they’d interacted with, prior to their brief prison stint.
They were all surprised to see me. Some, I assumed, fearful once they realized I wasn’t local—not that it took a genius to figure that one out. My eyes alone, with white irises circled by a pale blue line, were more than enough proof that I came from another world. My orange hair stood out, as well, even though I’d tamed it into a tight bun. Oh, well. I’d never intended to blend in, anyway.
“What is the meaning of this? Who are you?” the high chancellor asked, his voice loud and sharp. It was enough to make Skit quiver. I figured I’d exhausted his bravery supply from the Landing Bed.
“High Chancellor! Greetings! I’m Lumi, swamp witch of Calliope and a lieutenant of GASP,” I said. “I believe your assistant, Nalyon Martell, has brought you up to speed regarding our existence and our mission.”
“You shouldn’t be in here!” one of the officials snapped.
I glared at him, then pointed a thumb at the door behind me. “Get out. All of you. I need to have a word with the high chancellor.”
“Who do you think you—” A second official tried to intimidate me, but I brought my thumb and index finger together and forced his lips shut tight.
“I said… Get. Out,” I reiterated, my tone still calm.
They didn’t oppose me this time. They all hustled out of the room as if it was about to explode. The high chancellor kept his hands behind his back, his expression firm and unreadable as Skit closed the door behind us.
This lounge room was actually beautiful, and more to my taste, with dark wood paneling and velvety textiles covering the sofas and the chairs. Shelves covered significant parts of the walls, loaded with leather-bound books and various decorative objects made of bone, brass, and marble. The windows faced east, giving the entire place a morning glow that was rather difficult to stage otherwise. No wonder he liked working here during the first part of the day.
“This is highly unusual, to say the least,” the high chancellor said.
“Well, highly unusual circumstances call for highly unusual measures,” I replied. “I do apologize for barging in like this, High Chancellor, but we do need to talk, and your assistant wasn’t very helpful.”
He smirked. “Yes. I heard something, but I’ve yet to talk to Mr. Martell about it.”
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll give you all the juicy details,” I said. “I’m here for two equally important reasons, High Chancellor. First, the way our delegation has been treated. They are in no way responsible for the temple incident, or the fire templar’s death. Similar incidents occurred in our worlds, as well, leading to the deaths of dozens of innocent creatures. Our team was, in fact, investigating. It’s why they came here, in the first place, following a lead. Surely, Mr. Martell told you about that!”
He didn’t reply, so I took it as my cue to continue, while Skit shivered by my side.
“There’s a Hermessi death cult spreading across this universe, and it’s making people do terrible things. It’s clear now, from our team’s field reports, that Cerix is suffering from a problem similar to ours. We are only here to help, not to cause trouble. So, your assistant’s handling of the case has been beyond dismal. On behalf of GASP and about four different planets—I may have miscounted, given the team’s diversity—I hereby demand that they be released and cleared of all charges. The same goes for Inalia, the ambassador who greeted them in the first place. What happened to her is mindboggling, to say the least.”
I’d yet to hear from Taeral and the others, but I knew they’d reach out as soon as they could. Even so, I knew enough about Inalia and Eira to tread carefully around any Cerixian official.
“Is that all?” the high chancellor asked, and I wasn’t sure if he was being sarcastic or not.
“No,” I replied, shaking my head. “GASP seeks peace and cooperation as far as this Hermessi death cult investigation is concerned. However, if Cerix insists on being a thorn in our side, we will have no choice but to resort to brute force. And, trust me, High Chancellor, you don’t want it to get to that point. Your biology is significantly inferior to that of our GASP agents.”
He chuckled softly, as if I’d told him a great joke. Ah, the conundrums of being underestimated.
“So, you’re threatening our planet with violence?” he concluded, unfairly.
“Not at all. I’m promising a world of pain to those who get in our way,” I said. “We’re risking our livelihoods to save innocent people, including those you’re supposed to be serving as high chancellor. If you’re not going to help, fine. Just don’t get in the way. Oh, and, most importantly, don’t toy with things you don’t understand—like the Hermessi.”
His lips stretched into a cold grin. It gave me chills. “Are you referring to Inalia, perhaps?”
My stomach sank. He knew about her connection to Brann, the Fire Hermessi of Cerix. That smug smirk of his was fueled by greed. It had seemed familiar a second ago, but now it made more sense than ever. It all fit with what Skit had told me about him, Nalyon Martell, and the empire, as well. Still, I decided to play dumb. I wanted to see how well or ill-informed he was.
“I’m not sure I’m following you,” I said.
The high chancellor laughed, the mockery dripping from every chortle. “Oh, Lumi, lieutenant of GASP and whatever, please, do not insult my intelligence. I’ve already been told that you people communicate among yourselves, even across large, interstellar distances. I’m sure your team told you about Inalia and her potential as a source of energy for Cerix.”
My stomach was now on the floor. The lowest it could possibly get. Nausea threatened to crawl up my throat. How despicable could these creatures be, to treat one of their own the way they’d treated Inalia? And for what?
“I don’t get it. You have solar energy. Wind. Powerful seas. From what I can tell, your cities work perfectly fine without impacting the environment,” I said. “Why, oh, why, would you resort to capturing and torturing an innocent Cerixian to drain them of their energy, thus eventually killing them? Because I can’t see this going any other way. I might even know how you’d make it possible. After all, a swamp witch gave you some tips a long time ago, about using crystals as batteries. Maybe she told you more than she should’ve.”
“Oh no, the knowledge she gave us was quite limited,” the high chancellor replied. “We’re simply going to use the same methods, but we’ll replace the crystals with Inalia. Larger scale delivery and whatnot. Some customization required, but nothing our engineers can’t handle.”
“Nah, that’s not what she wanted you to do with the knowledge she gave you, you… ghoul!” I snapped, feeling the rage replace the blood in my veins, as it poured red-hot through me. “You don’t get to torture someone so you can give your people comfort. That’s insane!”
“A Hermessi child’s power is enough to fuel all seven domains, seamlessly,” the high chancellor replied. “Two Hermessi children will be even better, as we’re still searching. We know there is more than one in our world.”
That statement made my throat close up. Eira came to mind. I had to bring this to an end, before anyone else got hurt. I couldn’t let this wretched greed and corruption keep going. It was bound to fester and infect minds that wouldn’t otherwise consider such a brutal endeavor.
“Lumi, the Cerixian population is growing,” the high chancellor added, wearing a
half-smile. “Soon, our current energy sources and mechanisms will not be able to sustain a comfortable life for all the people in our empire. And, as you probably know, unhappy and poor people don’t pay taxes. Taxes make the empire rich. Using Hermessi children will revolutionize the way our world functions! I approved Mr. Martell’s project because I understood the implications. Because I’m objective enough to understand that the deaths of a few will help nurture the happiness and comfort of many. Wind, solar, and water-based energy isn’t enough anymore. We have to think outside the box. Besides, Inalia and her kind are abominations. They’re not Cerixians. They shouldn’t even exist. We’re doing them a favor! I’m giving them a purpose.”
I blinked several times, trying to understand whether I’d actually heard all this crap, or I’d imagined it. “You can’t possibly be this cruel and wretched,” I managed, fighting the urge to retch.
“I am whatever I need to be in order for the empire to succeed,” the high chancellor hissed. “Once we power up the Rose Domain first, the others will pay whatever the government asks. We’ll outsource the Hermessi children to the remaining domains, and all the rebel factions will finally dissolve and give up challenging the empire. That’s the endgame, Lumi. Peace and prosperity, across the board, at all costs.”
I loathed the way he called me by my name. Sure, I’d given it to him, but it rolled off his tongue wrong. There was a familiarity that made me feel like the idiot student, while he was the all-knowing teacher.
It irked me to a whole new level. “Yeah… No,” I said.
“Your threats are futile. If you claim to seek peace and cooperation, sure,” he replied. “I’ll waive off the accusations. Your team will be free to investigate whatever death cult they want. But don’t butt into empire affairs. Inalia and the other Hermessi children do not concern you. Take it or leave it.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Oh, so you’re giving us the go-ahead to investigate our Hermessi problem, but only if we don’t get involved in you kidnapping, torturing, and eventually murdering of innocent Hermessi children to power up your cities?”
He shrugged. He actually seemed content with his offer. “I believe it’s a reasonable concession. You know, since GASP wants peace and cooperation.”
This was the second time he quoted me on GASP’s mission, and he was doing it in a rather derisive, almost belligerent manner. That just made me want to punch him harder.
“Hm. Okay, so you’re no good to me, either,” I muttered. “I suppose I’ll have to take this up with the emperor, directly.”
He didn’t seem to like that. At all. His hand slipped into his robe pocket, then came out with a short but sharp blade. With lightning speed, he threw it at me. Unimpressed, I dodged it, then raised my own hand and whispered the stunning spell—and stun him it did!
I had the high chancellor at my fingertips, gaping at me like an animal about to go to the slaughterhouse. I flung him to the side. He crashed into a pair of chairs and a side table. The wood broke. The glass shattered on the shiny parquet-style flooring. And the high chancellor bled from several superficial wounds on his face and neck. A couple of tiny glass shards poked out of him, here and there.
Still, he couldn’t move. Breathing heavily, he groaned from the pain and even tried to speak, but I stopped him before he pissed me off even more. “I told you, High Chancellor. With Skit here as my witness, I warned you. I specifically said I would resort to violence if you decided to continue as the Cerixian thorn in my side. Well, here we are.”
I stepped forward, getting close enough for him to see me clearly.
“Mark my words, High Chancellor,” I added. “I don’t like how your world has treated us, so far. I don’t take kindly to threats, and neither does GASP. Our mission is to protect all supernaturals, including the ones hunted and oppressed by their greedy, maniacal governments. You’ve just stepped in a hot mess, and you will need some time to recover. I recommend you stick to governing the empire and leave the Hermessi children be. Unless you want me to beat you, Nalyon Martell, and anyone else who’s involved in this insane scheme into a bleeding pulp. In which case, I dare you.”
I left him there and turned to face a perplexed Skit. He clearly hadn’t seen the high chancellor’s knife coming. Frankly, neither had I, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t always ready for the worst. I’d dealt with terrifying enemies before—a bunch of greedy bureaucrats wouldn’t be the end of me!
“Skit, I need to see Emperor Tulla, now,” I said, serene as a morning spring.
It took him a minute to gather his thoughts. “Uh… Okay. Yeah, I can take you there,” he said. “But, mind you, after what happened here, the Armed Forces will be all over us. And the emperor’s palace, for sure.”
“Don’t worry about that,” I replied. “Take me there.”
He nodded slowly, then led me out of the high chancellor’s palatial residence. From what I could tell, not everyone in the upper circles of the Cerixian government knew about this ploy to exploit Hermessi children—Skit confirmed my suspicion. If Emperor Tulla was also unaware, then we still had a chance to settle it without GASP intervention on a larger scale.
However, if he did know, if he endorsed such horrors, I was bound to call in reinforcements. I would be well within my rights, given GASP’s credo and purpose in the In-Between. We looked after supernaturals, especially innocent ones like Inalia and Eira, who’d never had a say in what sort of creatures they were going to be. Their abilities needed to be honed and nurtured, not exploited so the Rose Domain could light up a few more blocks.
I sent a brief message to Derek and Sofia with updates about my meeting with the high chancellor. Judging by their reply, they, too, agreed that this had to be stopped from the top of the command chain. Therefore, I now had a Cerixian emperor to shake up.
Sofia
After Lumi’s and Amelia’s messages about their latest Cerixian “adventures,” Derek and I decided it was time to head back to our treehouse in The Shade, at least for a few hours, to rest. We’d been so focused on this mission and so worried about more Hermessi death cult incidents, that we’d been neglecting ourselves.
We were in the process of preparing for adoption. That in itself was emotional and time-consuming. Becoming parents again felt like a much bigger decision after all these years—and, since we’d both agreed that turning back to human was no longer an option, since the cure was far too dangerous after repeated usage, it all seemed a lot more complicated and intense.
I’d yet to put my finger on what exactly made it so complex. Maybe it was just my anxiety. After all, it had been a while since I’d last raised a child. Part of me was nervous, too. What if I wasn’t good at it anymore? I’d voiced that concern with Derek, and he’d been the amazing husband that I knew and loved, telling me that we were both going to ace this.
The nursery was almost ready. We’d painted it in coppery shades of orange and yellow, representing the sunshine that a new baby would bring to our lives. It matched Derek’s overall recent state of mind, too, since he was now a day-walker. There were times when I yearned to be with him in the sun, but I left it up to the brilliant minds of Amal, Amane and our other GASP allies to figure out what Ta’Zan had done to cure Derek’s deadly sensitivity, and hoped I’d join my husband soon enough.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Derek asked as we walked through the redwood forest, hand in hand, like two young lovers in the twilight. Well, we weren’t that young anymore, but lovers we still were.
“I think the number of thoughts booming through my head right now are worth more than a penny,” I replied, giggling.
He smiled. “You name the price, toots. I’ll make it happen.”
I laughed hard, like I hadn’t in days. This whole Hermessi death cult issue and its adjacent dangers had taken the fun out of things, lately. I’d been to one too many fire fae funerals already. I didn’t want the body count to rise. We’d lost hundreds of great people last year, and I was still recovering from
that, emotionally speaking. The toll had been significant, to say the least.
“I don’t know, honey. It’s a lot. I mean, there’s a lot going on,” I replied.
Around us, the night was permanent and charmingly quiet. The treetops swayed gently in the breeze, the leaves quivering and rattling in a delightful ensemble. Birds chirped from the branches, and crickets orchestrated their own symphony in nearby bushes.
This was home for me. Our sanctuary. Peaceful. Serene. Untouchable.
“Lumi and Taeral’s crew are making some headway, though,” Derek said. “I’m sure we’ll get to the bottom of this, soon enough. Once we figure out who the rogue Hermessi is, it’ll be easier to hunt down and obliterate the cults, too.”
I nodded slowly. “I agree. It’s just… I was hoping we’d get a longer break this time. Fate keeps throwing these hot piles of crap at us. I’m tired. I want to focus on our parenting skills.”
“We need a kid to apply those skills to first.”
“Yeah, exactly. I’d rather be out there, on Earth, visiting orphanages and feeling terrible because I can’t adopt all of them at once. There’s a soul that’s waiting for us, Derek. And I’m afraid we’re running late.”
Derek stopped and turned to face me. His hands settled on my shoulders. “Sofia, nothing stops us from going into the human world right now. We’ve already made the decision. The room is ready. What’s stopping us?”
I thought about it for a moment. Technically speaking, nothing. Nothing at all. We’d decided on a human child because the In-Between was remarkably good at looking after its orphaned children. For every son or daughter that had lost a parent in the Nerakian and Eritopian wars, there were couples or single supernaturals who were more than happy to look after them. Earth, however, had yet to figure out a way to curb the abandonment rates. If Derek and I could do something to lower those numbers, then so be it.
A Shade of Vampire 70: A Breed of Elements Page 9
