"Fine, but we’re checking into a hotel first," Allie muttered as she followed Darius and Livia from the train car. “My hair has become an emergency situation, and no one’s going anywhere until I get a shower.”
“No, we can’t go anywhere with you looking like that,” Livia said, heading for the escalator and down to baggage claim. “You’ll never make it past Soma security.
“I told you to wear a hat.” Darius winked, but more than anyone, he looked like he could use a good meal, a long nap, and a hot shower.
“Well, at least there’s one thing I can count on.” Allie sighed as she followed them. “While I might be thinking about taking the leap to claim my title as first princess, I’m almost certain you two won’t ever be kissing my royal butt.
A sleek, black town car met them at the curb outside their hotel. Feeling refreshed after a long, hot shower and an hour attempting, and failing, to work out all the tangles in her hair, Allie was ready to see Sterling Tower for herself.
“Are you kidding me?” Allie rolled her eyes as she slid into the backseat beside Darius.
"Really, Grandfather, you need some new tricks," Livia said, cracking a smile. "This one is getting old."
"But it’s my favorite." Alexander glanced back at them from the driver's seat.
"Grandma, can't you get him on a leash?" Allie asked the queen, sitting in the front passenger seat.
"I've tried. He's become cagey in his old age. I've found it best to go along with his shenanigans. It's usually entertaining. Oh dear, what is going on with your hair?"
“The curls don’t travel well.” Allie sighed. “Why are you guys here?”
"I take it you don't need instructions?" Livia asked as they headed toward Midtown.
“Way ahead of you, sweetheart,” Alexander said.
"You didn’t think we’d let our girls walk into Sterling Tower alone?" Alísun glanced back at them over her sunglasses. "We are here to assist."
“It’s called backup, honey,” Alexander said.
“Ah, well then, we’re here for backup.” Alísun smiled.
“Or take over?” Allie narrowed her eyes at her grandmother.
"My dear, I named you my heir for a reason. Haven't you figured that out yet?"
"Not really, Grandma.”
"We can never return to the days of Indriell, but we need leaders who advocate for their people the way our ancestors did. In the old days, when it came time for a queen to name her heir, it wasn't about strengthening her own rule; it was a symbol of her desire to pass her rule on to the next generation. I named you my heir, not to give our family the power of the royals again, but to give it to you. We are here to support you and give you guidance and protection if you need it. But as they say, the ball is on your side now, dear.”
“The ball is in your court,” Alexander corrected her with a chuckle.
“What he said.” Alísun laughed. “Your grandfather is still trying to teach me all the new slang you kids use these days. We spent all last month on emojis.”
“You still might need to work on that, Grandma. The brown swirly emoji doesn’t mean what you think it means.” Allie laughed at all the times she got a text from Alísun suggesting they go get frozen yogurt.
“Tell us your plan, girls. Your grandfather likes to think he knows it already, but the subtle nuances of intent can escape his omniscient power.”
“Hey, I got us here before the party started, didn’t I?” Alexander gave his Complement a wink.
Alísun squeezed his shoulder. “Hush, dear.”
"We have a meeting with Jayesh. He has been making some changes at Soma," Livia said. “Enough to help us if Allie decides to stage a coup.”
"We're—I'm not making any moves," Allie said. "This is just a reconnaissance mission."
"We will be taking over eventually, though?" Alexander asked. "I assume that is your intent," he added with an exaggerated eye roll in his wife's direction.
"Just let the girls decide, Alexander. They know what they're doing."
"I'm just asking questions, dear. It's the polite thing to do, rather than assume I know it all already."
“Have you two thought about therapy?” Allie smiled, grateful for her grandparent’s comic relief. She was so nervous, if she really took the time to think about what she was about to do, she’d chicken out.
"It's just a conversation, Allie," Darius said softly, taking her hand. But he looked even more worried than she felt.
Chapter Thirteen
Sterling Tower was a rather unassuming addition to the Atlanta skyline. No one would ever know it was really a prison for innocent children and teens headed for the slave market.
"How will we get past security?" Darius asked. Allie absently took his clammy hand. She eyed him warily, noticing how his hands shook. Everything was moving so fast, she hadn’t had the time to ask him how he felt about all of this. He’d seemed all for it on the plane when it was just an idea they were discussing, but everything she did affected him. If she really chose to take on this huge responsibility, Darius would be in it with her, whether he liked it or not. She needed him to know she wouldn’t do anything against his wishes. But her forced smile and gentle pressure on his hand was all the encouragement she could muster at the moment.
"Jayesh knows we're coming, and he knows the gist of the plan. He's prepared security for my return," Livia said. "We just walk in like we're home."
"Are you sure about this, Liv?" Allie asked nervously, staring up at the building across the street. "I really don't want you to go in there. This place was bad for you. And you've come so far. I can do this with—"
"I will be fine, little sister." Livia took her free hand and squeezed it tight. "Just ... stay with me and I'll be okay."
"All right, we're all following your lead, then." Allie stepped off the curb, trailing after her sister across the street. She didn’t like the way Livia’s shoulders stiffened with tension the closer they got to the entrance. Allie took one last deep breath as they stepped through the front doors of Sterling Tower.
"Ms. Livia. It's good to see you," one of the security guards said.
"Thank you, Robert. It's good to be home."
"Mr. Basu is expecting you." The security officer stepped aside to let them through, bypassing the inspection completely.
Allie watched as the other security officers collectively took two steps back from the ancient royals, unconsciously responding to their collective presence.
"May I take your coats? Offer you coffee? Water?" The concierge asked nervously.
Allie gazed around the white marbled lobby. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, setting the crystal chandelier ablaze. She could see her sister’s touch in the décor—clean, white, and minimal with small pops of color in the artwork hanging on the walls. Elegant, without much fuss.
"No thank you, Eric," Livia replied. "We will go straight up if you'll call the elevator."
The young man lunged for the elevator bank and inserted a key to call a car down from the top floor.
It was a stressful few moments, waiting in silence for the elevator to arrive. Livia let out a breath as the doors closed behind them, and they began to ascend. Quickly.
"Whoa, that's fast." Allie stumbled, her stomach back on the ground floor with Eric.
"I was an impatient woman back then," Livia muttered. “This elevator was for my personal use, so I could get in and out of the building quickly and not have to encounter anyone on the way.”
“Not impatient, Livia,” Alísun said. “You kept yourself as far removed from the children as you could. You had to. To protect yourself.”
"This way, quickly," Jayesh said the moment the elevator doors opened. "The fewer people who see you here, the better. I'd rather it be more of a rumor that you're back, than a fact."
Allie had never actually met Jayesh Basu before, but Sasha spoke of him often. The two were close friends after spending years together at the Chola Valley Temple. When they w
ent their separate ways, Jayesh returned to work for Marcus and was put in charge of Soma when Livia went missing. But his time with Sasha had changed him for the better. He was dedicated to making a difference at Soma—as much as one person could do on their own.
"It is an honor to meet you, Allie, Darius." He gave a respectful nod to Alísun and Alexander. "I've heard so much about you all from Sasha. How is she?" Jayesh leaned a hip against the cluttered desk behind him.
Sasha was head over heels for the older man, but Jayesh kept them firmly on the “just friends” track. "She's doing well, thank you," Allie murmured, looking around the disaster of an office. Underneath the mess, the room was once a pristine, white space worthy of Livia’s taste for simple elegance.
"What have you done to my office?" Livia cringed.
"I was never a fan of all the cold, hard surfaces in this place. All this white crap needed some color."
“In the form of paper by the looks of it.” Livia eyed a stack of brightly colored folders strewn across his desk.
“Have a seat everyone.” Jayesh waved Allie, Darius, and Livia into the seats in front of his desk, offering the couch to Alísun and Alexander. "You were cryptic on the phone, Liv. What's going on?"
"No need to beat around the bush,” she said. “The Chief Justice is preparing to make a move on Soma. They intend to hit you with a total takeover. Inside job.”
"We've been prepared for that for years. What makes this threat any more vital than the other rumors?"
"It’s not a rumor. They are building an army of Syntrophos, called the Milan Initiative,” Allie interjected. “They intend to place them all here in the guise of new students. The Syntrophos pairs can work together, using their collective abilities in ways you will never be able to predict. They’ve been trained as an army. They’ll have you over a barrel before you even know they’re here.”
Jayesh rubbed his chin. “And is the Senate also behind this Initiative?”
“Only the top tier Senators and Chief Justice from what we can tell,” Livia said. “They are doing it in the name of ending the Soma slave market and the abuse of the children who come here for help, but when it’s all said and done, Soma will be a government run institution."
"So they’ll make it even worse." Jayesh sighed. "We can’t let that happen."
"Marcus won’t let you resign," Livia said. “But you’re not working for him anymore. We’re going to take Soma before the Milan Initiative has a chance to. You know Allie has been named. She will be able to make a stand.”
“I’ve been ready for this for a long time.” Jayesh’s face broke into a wide grin. “We need to get our plan in motion, secure the building, and then have Allie address the students.”
“Wait a frigging minute.” Allie’s voice cracked with fear. “We’re just talking here. We can’t just wing it. We need to work out a careful plan and then decide if it’s even feasible.”
“We need to get the ball rolling now, Allie. Before it’s too late,” Livia said. “I understand if you have reservations about taking your title, but we have to at least thwart this takeover while we have a chance. With or without you.”
“I’m with you. I just—it’s happening so fast.” Allie leaned back in her chair, trying to stop her mind from spinning. She eyed her sister and Jayesh, so eager to move forward with this plan. With a deep breath, she decided to put her big girl pants on and do this thing.
"I won’t leave the kids in residence unprotected,” Jayesh said, “but we’ve got a lot of kids in the field we need to think about, too.”
"We can’t free them all at once,” Livia said. “But you can issue a recall on a few select individuals we've placed into slavery. We owe it to them all, but we have to start with those who are essential."
"For what?" Allie frowned. She didn't want to be part of yet another group using young people for their own agendas.
"We will give them a choice, Allie. Complete freedom, no strings attached. Or, if they choose, they can help us end this bullshit once and for all. I imagine most of them will leave us without a backward glance, but a few might stay. One in particular I would like to see stay.”
“She will,” Jayesh said. “I’ll go get her myself. And once she has the full story, I think we can count on her to pick up where she left off.”
Livia nodded. “When you return, we will meet again. You will no longer be working for the old Soma. You will be working with us to make a new Soma. It's time we offer these kids a genuine safe haven."
“And it’s about time we work together, on the same side,” Jayesh said.
“Wait just a minute.” Allie stood, throwing her arms out as if to physically restrain them from making plans faster than she could comprehend. “Pause.” Her gaze sought Darius. He was pale and far too quiet for one who never hesitated to offer his opinion. The bond between them grew cold, making Allie shiver. “You guys are forgetting one very important thing. If this were just about me taking my birthright and doing some good with it, I wouldn’t hesitate. But Darius is my Syntrophos. What we’re deciding right now affects his future, too, and I’m not going to make this decision without him.”
“We have to do this, Allie,” Darius said, his voice weak.
“You say that, but I’m feeling all sorts of things from our bond that say something else. If you don’t want to do this, tell me now.”
“I’m just a little nervous about what all this means. But you know me. I’m not one to shy away from a fight. You have my full support.”
“Okay.” Allie sat back on the edge of her seat. “Unpause. We’re really doing this?” She gave them each a hard stare.
“Is there really a choice here, Allie?” Livia tilted her head with a pointed look of her own.
“No.” Allie focused on her hands in her lap. “Okay.” She nodded, sitting up straighter. “I want everyone at Sterling Tower given the opportunity to leave if they want to. From management all the way down to the concierge.”
“Agreed,” Jayesh said. “Although we will have many more in house who will be willing to stay, but likely, only two recalled from the field will be with us.”
“Who?” Livia asked. “Tessa St. James, but who else?”
“Dean McBrien," Jayesh said. “He’s with her.”
"Dean?" Darius gasped, growing even paler. Dean was Darius and Aidan’s cousin. He was taken the night of Livia’s attack on their family.
"You've had him all this time? His parents believe he is in a Coalition prison,” Allie said.
"Unfortunately, he is in a prison of sorts, but not with the Coalition. He trusts me. His situation could have been far worse. And Tessa, she’s going to be a tough sell. I’m the one who put her there, but I put Dean with her, so she wouldn’t be alone.”
"We need her," Livia said. "The people here will trust her. If she’s on board, she will inspire many others to stay."
“Who is she?” Allie asked.
“She’s probably the one we screwed over the most.” Livia frowned. “But she might be willing to help.”
"Where are they?" Allie asked.
"South America," Jayesh replied. "It will take me a few weeks to arrange their release."
"Meet us back in Cleveland when you've got them," Allie said. "It's time we have something of a summit meeting."
"Are you ready for this, my girl?" Alísun said softly. True to their word, she and Alexander had remained on the sidelines during the entire exchange.
Allie nodded. "Something has to be done. In the last five years, I've seen so many young Immortals suffering at the hands of our very own government. It has to end. If that means I have to be the freaking first princess and heir of the Indriell throne to do something about it, then so be it." Allie stood and faced Jayesh. Livia and Darius rose to stand at her side.
"From this moment forward, Soma is no more. I'm dissolving it, and we're going to work like hell to build it back up into something we can be proud of. But we are going to free the Syntrophos of the
Milan initiative, too. Bringing Aidan and Naomi home is a priority. I just need everyone here to understand that I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
"We are right here with you," Alexander said, draping his arm around the queen. "And we are so very proud of you both."
"It is my honor to swear my fealty to the royals of Indriell and to the heir," Jayesh said with respect.
"Oh come on! Are people really going to do that?" Allie groaned.
"You'll get used to it, dear," Alísun said. “You will eventually learn to think of yourself as two individuals. Allie the heir. And Allie the girl. The heir will not flinch when someone pledges their loyalty, but the girl can have a hissy fit about it later.” Alísun moved to stand in front of Allie. “You just need to remember that none of us expect you to be perfect.” She grabbed Allie’s hands and held them tightly in her own. “We simply believe in you, darling girl.”
“It’s still up to you,” Livia said. “Will you be the heir? Will you step forward and use your voice to end this once and for all?”
Allie nodded. “I will.” I have to do this for Aidan. For Aidan, she would move mountains.
Allie was sitting quietly in the car when the pressure of so much responsibility suddenly hit her. And it wasn’t as scary as she’d built it up in her mind to be. She was excited.
I can do this.
Livia climbed into the seat beside her, giving a full body shiver the moment she closed the car door. "I'm glad that's over. That place is like stepping into a nightmare of my own making."
"We'll redecorate," Alísun said, sliding into the front seat. "It'll be beautiful. The place just needs some color and warmth."
"Call George." Darius opened the door and fell into the backseat. "Like right now." He bent over, clutching his head.
"What's wrong?" Allie tugged him closer, running her hands over his back, looking for injury. She felt a tremor of fear and dread wash over her. Fear that wasn’t her own. “Darius look at me,” Allie said, lifting his chin. His eyes were glazed with pain. “I thought you were just freaked out by the decisions we just made but that wasn’t it. What’s going on, Dare?”
Emerge- The Heir Page 9
