"We will make camp here for the luna." Aryan dismounted from his horse.
Sera studied the grass-covered mountains, which looked more like very large hills. There were three peaks nearly pointed, one large, one medium and a smaller one. She felt a strong pull toward them, but was it because this was near where she landed, where she had met Jerad, or was it something else? Sera recognized Eksaf’s resemblance to the spectrocorde, but another memory wailed through her brain. Three stone structures came to mind, pyramids, the Egyptian ruins at Giza.
"There is a rough trail around the center peak. It is avoided by travelers, mostly out of fear, but it will shorten our journey by several quarters and take us directly into the Fourth kingdom."
"Are you not afraid to travel through them, Aryan?"
"Ochi, I am not afraid."
"What will we do when we get there?" Sera suddenly realized they had no plan. They certainly couldn’t storm the kingdom, expecting to take command.
"I am without a notion, Sera. I had hoped our warriors would have arrived by now. Perhaps we should wait…"
"No!" Sera interrupted. "I can’t. I feel like I am being ripped apart."
Aryan rubbed his forehead and implored the Origins to give him guidance. It was pure lunacy to enter the Zone as they were, but convinced Sera would refuse to tarry, he decided they would break camp at first light.
He did not sleep that luna, and Sera did not fare any better. He watched her toss and turn in her restless slumber, mumbling words he could not discern.
Sera was hearing voices. She was fighting against a tugging that threatened to snatch her away.
Inhibit Serotonin…forcing alpha waves…slowly now…
"Not yet," Sera cried. "Let me go…"
It was by horrendous ill fortune the following rise that Aryan and Sera happened upon Ezra’s tattered and bloodstained cloak. A bloodied misericorde was discarded nearby. Sera looked at the pick-like dagger and nearly retched. There was only one reason to use such weapon--to drive a death blow through the throat or chest of the intended victim.
Aryan clenched the cloak in fisted hands, his grip so tight his knuckles turned white. He turned to Sera with anguished eyes--the jade-colored eyes of Sondra whose glimmer dulled as death came to claim her.
Aryan’s entire body began to quiver, and then, he lost all control.
He dropped the cloak and fell to his knees, while pulling his dagger from his belt. He lifted it over his head, held it with two hands and began stabbing the dirt over and over and over, roaring a tormented outcry, while Sera numbly stood by.
Suddenly realizing they were in dangerous territory, Aryan gritted his teeth to suppress the outrage that threatened to expose them to their enemies.
It was all for naught however. They were discovered and captured.
Chapter Twenty-four
"I did not waste twenty years of my life mastering the language, searching for answers, learning to manipulate their society to my benefit, only to come home and find my kingdom in anarchy!"
Moros crushed the red star on the warrior’s jerkin with his fist and pulled him so close their faces nearly touched. His breath was hot with fury.
"Do you hear my words, Gorgar?"
"My lord, those who support the Noble Jerad’s triumph for the throne might be swayed by your return."
"Yet my advisors tell me that it has not happened thus far, and likely will not unless the Noble Chancellor is executed."
With a glower, Moros released Gorgar, pushing him with such force he stumbled and fell into the throne chair behind him.
"What the hell made Zoren think he could rule my kingdom anyway!"
"My lord, he is...was your little brother. It was only fitting."
Moros slashed his hand through the air and sniffed with indignation. He cursed Zoren for the wager he had made. His sibling was never a wise thinker. The fact that Zoren had bargained the kingdom away had only served to complicate Moros’ purpose. It was best his idiot brother went to Elysium without is head.
"What was that blasted fool thinking?"
"Zoren could not resist such a Challenge my lord. I was hidden in his private chamber that rise and I heard the terms. The Antheian descendant promised the Key if Zoren was the victor."
"Well, he certainly leapt for that dangling carrot, did he not?" Moros walked to the throne chair and grasped Gorgar by the upper arms. "Get out of my chair!"
Moros threw the large warrior from his seat. Gorgar stumbled and landed solidly against a column. Unscathed, he brushed himself off.
Moros shifted in his chair and leaned against the arm rail.
"What if the Noble Jerad had lost? Do you really think his people would give up the Key?"
"Perhaps we can barter the Noble’s life for the Key to Orion’s belt. If you execute him we surely will not acquire it. "
"Not true my friend. The Key will be mine, if I have to steal it myself!"
"But Moros, we do not even know what it is."
"You have heard the rumors, idiot! The Ptino asteri is with them. If they are aware of who she is, then I am sure they have revealed the Key to her."
"But what makes you think she will reveal it to you."
"You are an ass, Gorgar. You forget the lady is mine. Her loyalty is preserved for me. After all, I did foster her."
"But what if she has learned nothing, lord?"
"It is fated, my most loyal warrior. She is the chosen one. Through her the Edict will be fulfilled and Protogio will be mine."
They turned their heads to the treading of heavy boots. Three men knelt before Moros.
"On your feet, I don’t have all day."
"We have them, my lord. One appears to be the woman you described."
"Them?"
"Nai, she was with the Noble Chancellor, Aryan."
"Escort them here, and then bring in the other prisoner."
Sera and Aryan were led into the throne room. Their heads were hooded and iron shackles that cuffed their wrists and ankles restrained them. The weighty chains made moving about a laborious feat, but worse than the bonds that ensnared them, they were yoked by chain linked collars that tightened like a noose around their necks when pulled on. Sera struggled against her vanquishers several times and was rewarded with a sharp yank on her unwanted necklace, the tightening bond nearly choking her. From the gurgled sounds of Aryan’s voice next to her, she assumed he suffered the same consequence.
Moros moved in front of Sera and pulled the covering from her head. He grasped her under the chin and lifted her face to look at her. "Finally, Sera."
Sera blinked several times to adjust her eyes to the light, then wrenched her chin from his clutches. Moros crooked an eyebrow at her and then turned to one of his men.
"Take the damn leashes off of her!"
"But my lord…"
"She will not try to harm me, will you, Sera?"
Sera was released from her bonds. She rubbed her wrists where the cuffs bit through her flesh and stared at her captor. He did not look like the rest of the men she had met on Protogio. Where most wore their hair at shoulder length, this one barely had any at all, it was cropped so closely to his skull. He had steely gray eyes and an angular jaw. He had handsome, but harsh features. Aside from being the enemy, something about him disturbed her. Sera knew that face, but from where?
"Who are you?"
Moros wrinkled his brows as he returned her gaze, searching Sera’s confused looking eyes until understanding struck. "Oh isn’t this rich! You’ve lost your memory!"
He strolled in front of Aryan and looked him up and down before returning his attention back to Sera. "I suppose it makes sense. You did suffer quite a blow to your head."
"How do you know that?"
Moros ignored her question and turned back to Aryan. He yanked the hood off his prisoner’s head.
"Moros!"
"Very good, very good, Noble. You know who I am, at least."
"How could I forget the vile bla
ckguard I beat to a pulp when I was sprig of a child!"
"Tsk, tsk, Noble. Insults will get you nowhere. In case you have not noticed, you are at a bit of a disadvantage at the moment."
"What have you done with the Noble Jerad, and where is the woman brought here with him?"
"Nai, a wild one she was. Bloodied one of my warriors before he knocked her senseless."
"Where is she?" Aryan demanded through gritted teeth.
"When I realized she was not this one," he paused to stroke Sera’s hair. Sera shuddered, but not because of his touch. It was his name--Moros.
Recognition seized her brain.
"I threw her to my men. I am sure they used her well before they killed her." He turned to Aryan and grinned, "As for the other one…"
Aryan lunged at him, snarling his rage, but the guard behind him jerked the restraining chain and it tightened, seizing his neck in a choking grip. Aryan sputtered, grabbed at the chain with his fingers and dropped to his knees.
Moros’ lip curled up menacingly. "Careful Noble, or you might crush your windpipe."
Sera was trembling. Her brain was in a tailspin. Though she was no longer restrained, she could not move. She could not speak.
Moros…Moros…Moros… she rolled the name through her thoughts.
Sera Moros…I’m Sera Moros.
The clinking of dragging metal drew her attention to a side entry.
Jerad was led into the throne room. It took four guardsmen to keep him restrained. He was shackled with wrist and ankle chains and a choker collar around his neck, bound in the same manner as Aryan.
"Jerad!" Sera shrieked. A tremendous amount of relief filled her at seeing him alive. She attempted to run toward him, but Moros caught her about the waist and pulled her back.
Sera thrashed and kicked to free herself, but with Moros’ greater might, Sera‘s strength quickly withered. Moros laughed with smug satisfaction and handed her off to one of his guards.
Sera stared at Jerad with helpless desperation.
Jerad released a feral growl at seeing his wife in the grips of the Nyx monarch and struggled against his chains. He was immediately brought to heel. Moros signaled his guards with a hand gesture, and Jerad was dragged to a chair. His arms were forced to the table top in front of him and a spike was hammered through the chain connecting the irons clamped around his wrists. He was pinioned to the table. The same was done to the manacles at his feet, riveting his feet to the floor.
"I will kill you, Moros." Jerad stirred wildly, pulling at the chains that bound him.
"Be wise whom you threaten, Noble." Moros held out his hand. "Come to me, Sera."
Sera shook her head, but the warrior behind her shoved her forward.
Moros caressed her shoulders. Sera looked at him with dread. Her thoughts were racing. A myriad of disjointed pictures flashed through her brain.
"Lovely Sera. I was worried about you. He lifted her hand to kiss it, but halted upon seeing the Marks of Permanence.
"Married," he mumbled as he ran his thumb along the indelible engraving.
He darted a baneful sneer toward Jerad’s fettered hands, recognizing that he bore a similar mark. "So, Jerad, not only do you think to take possession of my kingdom, but it looks as though you wish to claim my woman as well." He turned back to Sera. "Don’t fret my dear, you will be free of him when he is executed."
Sera tried to pull away from him but his grip on her arms tightened. "Yes, Sera. The best is yet to come."
The best is yet to come…
She grew up hearing that expression constantly. It was the last thing he said to her before…before their ship crashed.
There was no ship, no dead crew.
"Garret?"
"Ah, you recognize me, love."
"Sera!" Jerad furiously struggled against the chains that bound him. It was a futile effort.
Aryan attempted to move toward Sera and Moros, but was thrown forcefully to the stone floor by the guards.
The buzzing in Sera’s head grew louder. The room started to fade then snapped back sharply. A memory jolted her to awareness.
"The POSSUM!" She looked to Garret for confirmation but it was not necessary, for she suddenly understood.
Then she heard voices.
…ease the beta waves… injecting epinephrine…not too fast…
"Shit! Not yet!" Garret yelled and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose.
Sera’s eyes widened and she froze. Her breathing increased to a painfully abnormal rate. "You hear it too! Don’t you?" She knew he did. They were sharing the same experience.
A barrier collapsed, and thousands of memories began pouring in. Sera threw a hand to her forehead. Her chest tightened as she gasped.
Sera was remembering.
"Jerad!" Sera cried and she started toward her husband. She needed to touch Jerad, to tell him…
Moros clasped his hands around Sera’s upper arms. His fingers bit into her flesh. He pushed her closer to Jerad and shook her from behind.
"Behold Jerad of the Tenth Zone..." Garret Moros laughed banefully, "...I present my queen!"
"No!" Sera screamed.
Jerad bucked against his restraints and roared.
"My god! No…Jerad!" Sera reached for him, but Garret would not release her.
A tortured cry flew from Sera’s throat. "You have to be real, Jerad. I love you!"
The colors in the chamber suddenly drained, leaving only shades of gray. The straight lines of the walls, crispness of the wooden furniture and hardness of the floor beneath her began to waver and implode.
"Sera!" Jerad watched as her image began to dissolve before his eyes.
Sera held out her vacant arms, reaching for Jerad’s echoing voice. Suddenly it felt like she was being drawn backwards through a speeding tunnel. Jerad and the room surrounding him began shrinking rapidly until the scene before her became a tiny, black pinhole.
And then, it all vanished.
…The Ptino Asteri…in truth will be of spirit but flesh to the touch…
Sera’s eyes fluttered open to view a white ceiling with recessed lighting. She was surrounded by medics intent on beginning their routine exam. Sera bolted upright, tore the reciprocator from her head and opened her mouth to speak. She was choked with a throat culture swab.
"Damn it!" Garret was angry. He rose quickly from his girth and threw off his headpiece. He yanked out his intravenous line. A medic attempted to approach him, but Garret pushed him aside.
"Times up! How was your trip Major?" Melissa asked cheerfully.
Garret paused to stare at his medical research officer before responding. He drew a deep breath and composed himself. "It’s been eight hours?"
In a lower voice, he mumbled, "Two months on Protogio."
"On What?" Melissa asked.
"Nothing, never mind."
Sera’s chest was heaving with her fury. A medic was attempting to put an oxygen mask on her but she grabbed it and threw it to the ground.
Her eyes riveted onto Garret.
"You liar!" Enraged, Sera lunged at him. Garret was caught off guard and Sera knocked him to the floor. She landed on top of him
"You son-of-a-bitch!" Sera grabbed him around the throat and started slamming his head against the floor.
Two medics pulled her off of Garret as the physician prepared to inject her with a tranquilizer. She threw a fist to the doctor’s jaw but missed, hitting his arm instead. The syringe flew from his hand and slid across the floor. Melissa ran to retrieve it.
At that moment their Commander and another officer entered the lab. They watched the melee with astonishment.
Sera was struggling against the two medics who had just pulled her off of Garret. She managed to bite one of them in the arm while kicking the other in the shin, causing them both to release their grasp on her. Sera took advantage of her temporary freedom and pounced on Garret again.
"Why did you tell him that!"
She was grabbed again
and thrown to the floor. The lab team firmly restrained her.
"Calm down, Sera!" Garret rose to his feet and straightened his uniform. "You are out of your mind!"
"What is this behavior all about?" The Commander questioned, looking disappointedly at Sera.
"I’m going to kill you!" She spit angrily at Garret.
"She was a bit disoriented when we were awakened," Garret answered, grimacing as he looked down at Sera. She was prone on the floor. One of the medics placed a knee across the back of her neck, the other held her fisted hands behind her back. The staff physician sank the syringe needle into her arm and pushed the plunger.
"Well she is acting more like a lunatic, Major." The Commander barked. "I expect a full report on your success with this research within forty-eight hours."
He turned to leave. "And for god’s sakes get the Lieutenant under control."
"Yes sir, I am sure she will regain her composure quickly," Garret assured him.
Chapter Twenty-five
Gaia:2063 AD
Sera awoke with a start. The infirmary room was dimmed by thick drapes covering the window, but she could tell it was daylight.
Where was she?
Gaia… Earth.
Sera was twenty years old.
Twenty!
Almost twenty-one. She wouldn’t even be of legal drinking age for at least four more years.
She thought she was older, much older. Twenty-eight at least.
And she was not the Captain of a starship.
She was a Lieutenant, in the Air Force.
A Second Lieutenant!
Peon.
Low man on the totem pole.
A lackey.
The Captain of a starship, imagine that!
The space program had progressed as far as travel to Mars, but no farther. The IASA--International Aeronautics and Space Administration, landed a manned flight on the planet a little more than ten years ago, but it was only in the last two years that they had begun to colonize it. Their technology had only advanced that far, and Sera was not even a part of that project. Sera was a part of the POSSUM--Project on Sub-sensory Understanding and Manipulation. It was a military research endeavor, supported by the C.O.R.E.--the Committee on Research Expansion. Garret revived the study just one year ago after convincing the committee it had merit. Their assignment was to explore the possibilities of dream linking as an alternate and painless method of eliciting critical information from a reluctant individual.
The Third Corridor Page 25
