Majesty

by Brooke Vinson

  When no one answered, the almost feverish looking Ado started fidgeting and shoved me inside the dining car with the rest of the group. “Answer me!”

  “Everyone here is a Skypian.” I answered slowly, hoping she didn’t notice our one overly susceptible hostage, still sleeping unconscious in the next room. “You dear girl are trespassing.”

  “Skypians have no possessions in the eyes of the law. What about the boy in the other room? What’s wrong with him?” I winced, but refused to answer even when she prodded me with the gun. Raven, however, thought my life was a good trade for such unimportant information.

  “Anemia.”

  “So he’s a human.” She jerked her head and ordered the others to raise their hands. “All of you are under arrest for violating sanction eleven of the Earth Guard. Skypians are not allowed to pilot a holotrain or be an unregistered or collarless passenger. You do not—”

  “You went for the eleventh sanction?” I raised my eyebrow curiously. “You do realize I’m breaking practically all of the sanctions. Being Skypian and a citizen, being Skypian outside of Skypia, being Skypian and assaulting a human, being Skypian and impersonating a human, being Skypian and inhibiting the actions of an Earth Guard; there goes the big five right there and I haven’t even gone through the rest of the first ten, but you went for the eleventh… Interesting choice.”

  “You’re making an escape on a freaking holotrain for Earth’s sake! It’s the most relevant to the situation. I’m pretty sure you’re going to be charged with all of them anyway and hanged.” She was getting seriously upset and I had to wonder how such an anxious, moralistic person became an Earth Guard. “You come with me to turn this train back around before we pass the Skybarrier, please. If anybody moves, your boss gets electrocuted. I have enough charges in this gun to kill five of you. If you can choose who wants to be the sacrifices and who gets to survive, be my guest, but I don’t think that will go over weeeeelll—”

  The thunderous shaking came from behind us but rattled the entire train even though we were floating over a foot above the rails. I glanced at Ado hopefully, but even with the shaking she had not lost her footing or let her gun waver. We were all thrown to the floor, however, as violent aftershocks struck the rails and in turn our train. Only Zuhara O Kande’s quick reflexes stopped me from cracking my head on the edge of a chair.

  “What’s going on?” Ado shrieked, but I couldn’t answer her for fear of biting my own tongue in half.

  “The city… debt… calling.” Even though Zuhara O Kande was holding me I couldn’t hear what she was saying through the vicious shaking that was threatening to topple the train car. An ominous creaking and the moaning of metal shattered my confusion and set me back to my duties as the conductor.

  “Zuhara O Kande! The controls!” I screamed as loud as I could, praying that the train would stay upright. She nodded and with her enormous strength lifted me, rushing to the door. When the code didn’t work, she pressed her palm against it with a snarl and the electric lock sparked as the door flew open. As I reached the front of the train I stared in shock at the disaster staring back at me.

  “Able! Now is not the time, I can’t even make any rhymes!” Zuhara O Kande held my chair in place and I nodded, pulling open the control panels with a few quick jabs. The main screen protested as I took over the manual controls and with a screeching groan, the train stopped and let out its stabilizing legs.

  “We should be safe now.” I sighed, but the broken door let in Ado with her gun still held, unwaveringly at my head.

  “What was that? Answer me!” I looked at her and knew instantly that she knew what it was as much as the rest of us did.

  “Don’t look back young huntress, your life, your mind; your emotions will become a mess.” Zuhara O Kande tried to warn her and for a second I thought she would listen and not ruin the only home she had. Then she turned her head to look at the still collapsing remains of Sodom. “Long ago it was built upon salt, deeper and deeper they refused to halt. The ground shook and fell unstable, and soon it shall become only a fable.”

  As she finally realized what the crashing towers and billowing clouds of rubble meant, Ado fell. She collapsed in a heap, her breathing labored and her gun forgotten. I lunged for the weapon and Zuhara O Kande lunged for her.

  “What’s wrong with her?” I asked, opening the gun’s static chamber to let the charge disperse harmlessly through the air.

  “Like their main crop, they eat sodium nonstop. Her heart has formed a clot, and her body is starting to rot. She will not remain long in this life, short as it’s been and full of strife.” I stared at the sickeningly pale young girl crumpled on the floor and my heart twinged. Zuhara O Kande was in a different state, however, looking at the girl with a sneering smile.

  “Can you save her? Zuhara O Kande, I want a true answer, one free of bias and retribution.” Zuhara O Kande stared at me with a look akin to hatred.

  “Save her I can, but it is an unwise plan. Normally I would not warn you, but this day you will live to rue. She will become your greatest opposition, if you force me to stop her transition. She is witty and sticky as a bur, are you sure wish to save her?” I nodded and without another word, but with absolute rage on her face, she picked up the collapsed girl and headed to the back of the train. I rubbed my aching head with a slight sweep of my hand and wished for sleep that I would not get.

  In The Imperial Earth Guard

  “You can’t do this! I am a member of the Imperial Earth Guard and—”

  “A captive we are very kindly letting go after she attempted to arrest and/or kill us. I think this will be a wondrous knew start to your life.” I looked down at the lake we were going to drop her into. “There’s even a city over by the west shore. You’ll be fine.”

  “I will arrest you, you horrible, disgusting—” I tapped my finger against her lips with a slight flicker of my eyes to stop her annoying chattering.

  “Do you really think I’m a horrendously vile, ignorant being? I don’t like to seem vain, but I personally think I’m pleasant to look at and last I checked I had an IQ of one hundred and ninety.” She didn’t answer, looking away from my gaze as she muttered unintelligibly under her breath.

  “I’m not trying to hypnotize you into answering. I try not to use my powers when I want true answers unless it is a matter of extreme importance or urgency. This is mere curiosity. If I wasn’t a Skypian, would you find me attractive?” She muttered something even lower under her breath and I sighed.

  “Then let me tell you this, Earth Guard Ado.” I leaned in quick and gave her a quick goodbye brush of my lips on her cheek. “You are very beautiful and very resourceful and if you choose to chase after me, I will hold no grudge.”

  “Then where are you heading!?” She snarled and I laughed, leaning in close to her ear before pushing her off. She screamed as she fell, pin-wheeling her arms in a futile attempt to slow her descent. At the last second, she wrapped her body in tight, but I still winced at the sound of her landing.

  “Restart the engines.” I called and as the side door slid shut, a small hum signaled our movement. I sighed and headed to the engine room, checking our radar once more before heading to check up on Amica.

  Somehow Zuhara O Kande’s train car managed to be exactly or at least extremely close to the same size and was organized in the same way as her hut. She was muttering under her breath when I entered, crushing something into a fine powder. I looked at the still resting Amica with renewed worry for his health. He had woken up a few days ago only to go into a wild panic about me so Zuhara O Kande had been forced to increase the dosage of what she had been giving him.

  “Sad are we about your love, yet you sent her flying like a dove. What business have you here, otherwise I don’t want you near.” I frowned as she moved away from her workshop and into the curtained area that served as her bedroom.

  “Love? Are you talking about Ado?” Zuhara O Kande flipped her hair and stalked past me back
to Amica, whisking a burning pile of grass under his nose. With a choking cough, his eyes flew open. Zuhara O Kande ignored me as she sat back down and took out a notebook, writing something in the same archaic language that was tattooed over her body.

  “Your friend is fine now, now ciao.” She hissed at me, but I refused to move. I shepherded Amica out with a word for him to wait as I tried to fix whatever I had done to make her so mad.

  “I have nothing more than curiosity for Ado.” I couldn’t imagine Zuhara O Kande being jealous, but I was willing to bet my life that was exactly what was wrong with her. “She is merely a strange gem found in the dregs of society. I can see her becoming someone strong, influential in this world or possibly my greatest adversary.”

  “You forget something, Able. Your enemies and friends are often the same. I see many things within the stars, and many things that will become scars. She will be your bane one day and with her you can never stay. Be wise and forget her soon, or you will fall victim to the daughter of the dune.” I opened my mouth to say something else and try to comfort Zuhara O Kande, but Amica disobeyed my order and came back in.

  “What happened? I remember trying to clean up for you and then nothing. Where are we? Have we crossed the Skybarrier? Are we in Skypia? What… where… Able?” I looked at Zuhara O Kande for help, but she just shrugged and closed her book.

  “Confusion is common when being treated, he will need to be watched over and leaded. Over time he will be fine.” Amica opened his mouth, but I closed it with a finger over his lips and beckoned for him to join me in the engine room.

  “Who was she?” He burst out and I stared at the red coloring of his cheeks with mixed feelings.

  Before I had only had idiotic weaklings chasing after me for my brains and future money. Now, I had a love triangle forming around me and no clue what my own feelings where. Maybe I liked Zuhara O Kande with her strange abilities and powerful presence. Maybe I liked the breakable but also resourceful and witty Ado. She needed guiding and help, but she had all the makings of a powerful ally. Or maybe I had some feelings for Amica. Honest, friendly, scarred Amica who needed my support and who was willing to do anything for me in turn for a little love and attention. I had all ends of the spectrum on my plate and no clue what kind of partner I wanted. At this point I couldn’t even figure out if I had a gender preference. I didn’t care for children; they complicated and would only hinder the lifestyle I wanted, but there were other aspects to consider.

  “Able, who is she?” Amica asked again and I hid my thoughts away for another time.

  “Zuhara O Kande. She is neither Skypian nor human but something far older. The only real thing you need to know about her is that she’s a doctor.” Just being near a conscious, healthy Amica was making my throat constrict in hunger. I had been ravenously downing the mixture Zuhara O Kande made for me, but she was right when she said it could never replace the real thing.

  “When did she join? How did I get here? What is going on? Able!” Amica’s voice kept rising in pitch and finally I had to grab him and stare into his eyes with my hypnotic ones to get him to calm down.

  “You need to listen and listen well, okay? You got sick, very, very sick and we had to get you help. We stopped at a city called Sodom, but they wouldn’t let anyone, human or Skypian in. Somehow Zuhara O Kande knew we had docked and were in need of medical assistance and ever since she has been treating you. Shortly after we left, the city of Sodom literally crumbled to the ground so Zuhara O Kande has agreed to be our train’s doctor.” Amica looked horrified, but seemed to be staying calm. “You have been unconscious for about a week. We should be reaching the Skybarrier shortly. Is there anything else you need to know?”

  “Are you and her…” He stopped the question as I raised an eyebrow. Instead he turned his head to expose his delectable neck and grabbed his arm in a show of fragility. My throat wasn’t the only organ burning to bite him now. My whole body seemed to be begging for me to open a bloody hickey on his neck. “Are you feeding off her?”

  “No.” I was thoroughly stumped by the question. Did biting seem like a form of intimacy to him? This, everything was so bizarre. “She has some sort of concoction that helps stave off my appetite. You’re the last person I’ve bitten.”

  “You mean you can’t bite anyone anymore? How can someone create a replacement for blood? That’s—” I silenced Amica with a hug, hoping the intimacy of the act would calm him down.

  “It’s only a temporary solution. It helps me last longer between feedings so I won’t kill my target of choice.” I felt Amica stiffen in my grasp and his pulse quicken. “That doesn’t mean I’m impervious to your reactions. If you keep this up, I’ll bite you and you need more time to recover…”

  I could smell and hear it on him; he was perfectly fine and perfectly fine to bite, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t potentially destroy him again when last time I had melded his entire existence to mine. “I don’t need time and I know you know I don’t. I can sense it; I can feel the aching in your gums. Able,” he pulled me back to look in my face and lifted his face to expose his neck, “bite me.”

  I grabbed him and he went stiff as my teeth punctured his neck. He was perfectly still as I scraped his throat and let the wondrous wetness flow down my throat to curb the aching hunger in my stomach. This time wasn’t the fervent scramble of last time and as my stomach filled, I pulled back and left him not only still standing, but perfectly fine. I was the one intoxicated and Amica took advantage of the opening to kiss me. He didn’t kiss me chastely; he forced our mouths to meld and as he drew back nipped my lip playfully.

  “Able… I know you can’t love me like I love you, but no matter what, I want to be the most important person in your life. If you can’t accept me, at least allow me to stay by your side. Let me be your source of life. Let me be yours even if it can’t be romantically.” My heart twinged, but all I could think of was how this was entirely my fault.

  “Amica… you do realize that this is entirely my fault? The only reason you feel this way is because I trapped your existence to mine. Your feelings could be fake. Do you understand that? I have forced this connection and perhaps these feelings on you and if–”

  “You don’t seem to realize a lot either.” Amica’s face was sad as he let go and lifted his hand to cover the wound on his neck. He moved to the door, but paused before opening it to turn and tell me exactly what he was feeling. “I liked you before you bit me. It wasn’t to the extent I do now, but… I like strong men. I don’t like girly guys like Raven, I don’t like muscle like Nihilo and I certainly don’t like abusive men like Eris. I like men like you; you’re totally my type. Even if what I feel now is an illusion, I believe that God has planned out everything for a reason. These feelings are real to me and I’m not the kind of guy to stand by and let them go to waste.”

  “How can you believe in a God after everything?” I asked, looking out the window at the starry sky before turning back to look at his gaze. “After everything that has happened to you? After every bible or religious text known to man has been destroyed? How can you believe something is out there guiding it all?”

  “How can I not?” He opened the door and left the next words as he retreated. “If not, then this crappy hell of a world is all there is. I can’t believe that. I’m not that strong.”

  I stared out the window and the shining moon with a sigh. “Neither am I…”

  The screeching siren drew me from my thoughts as we approached the heavily guarded Skybarrier. I slowed our pace considerably and posted our information as the barrier caught us in its magnetic field. I came over the intercom with slight anxiety towards the inspection we would go through.

  “We are a circus troupe heading to the Skycity to try our luck in their theaters. Any questions are to be answered in that manner. If they dig any deeper or try to test us, stall and find a way to contact me. With all due respect, good luck and don’t get into any trouble.” I went off the intercom and obe
yed the order from the Earth Guard post to head towards the back of the train.

  “Interesting choice for passage, are you trying to send a message?” I raised an eyebrow at Zuhara O Kande who let out a loud, maniacal laugh. “Are you trying to play a trick, to learn and to mimic? The enemy’s origin is right outside, now would be the perfect time to spy.”

  “That’s not an exact rhyme.” I teased, but my curiosity was peeked. An interesting concept… to infiltrate and observe the Earth Guard’s Training Camp. It would be informative and probably fairly interesting.

  “Exact or approximate is close enough; even speaking this language is pretty tough. My language is full of rhyme, no need to waste my time. One day I’ll share it with you, but only when your choices ring true.” She touched my lips, but didn’t display even an ounce of the anger she had about Ado.

  “What would you say to spending a day with the Earth Guard Trainees?” I smiled and Zuhara O Kande laughed again.

  “Fun, fun, fun! I would love to frolic and run among the humans in the sun! You would be the one in pain; day is bad even in the rain.” I made my decision as the armed man came on board and I flashed my eyes instantly, pulling him into my control.

  “We’re here on behalf of the commander of the Deeper Earth capital. We are here to observe your operations and methods of training. Take us to your commander and don’t dillydally.” My companions were silent, but I could tell it wasn’t by choice. They wanted to know what the hell I was doing, but they didn’t think protesting now would be a good idea.

  We were escorted by three armed guards inside a winding maze that led to the largest office and the oldest man I had ever seen sitting behind it. He was yelling at somebody on a holoscreen when we entered. He motioned for us to leave, but the private I had mind controlled made some sort of silent hand signal that the commander narrowed his eyes at. After a moment he finished his conversation and turned to us.