Emerge- The Heir

by Melissa A. Craven

  Shocked whispers swept the room.

  “So you are the one making great claims to the throne of Indriell?” the Chairman asked.

  “It’s no secret that Soma is corrupt,” Allie said. “And it’s no secret that the Senate is their best customer.” Allie glared around the room. “I know who you are. I’ve seen your files. I stepped forward as the named heir of Indriell to put an end to the corruption I saw running rampant within our own government. Our children deserve better than to be bought and sold by those who should know better.”

  “You take it upon yourself to police the Senate?” he asked.

  “Chairman…?”

  “Thomas,” he supplied. “Edward Thomas.”

  “Chairman Thomas,” Allie began. “I am the granddaughter of Queen Alísun of Indriell, and Alexander the Scholar. It is my right and my duty as a royal to intercede when I see so many of my generation suffering at the hands of those older and wiser.”

  “You make a daring claim, young lady. Have you the means to back it up?”

  “I do. Grandmother, Grandfather, could you please join us?”

  Murmured conversation flew across the Senate as Alísun and Alexander came to stand behind Allie at the podium. Allie felt the ice queen’s presence more than she ever had before. She felt the sheer omniscience of her grandfather, overwhelming in its intensity. There was no doubt these two were exactly who they claimed to be. Allie struggled to find that sense of oneness with her people that always brought on her own princess mojo. But she wasn’t one with the people in this room. Instead, she brought up memories of her time with the kids of Soma. The mantle of power fell heavy on her shoulders. She was getting used to the weight of it.

  The room grew silent as Alísun and Allie settled their gaze on the Chairman. He gave a visible shiver at their scrutiny.

  “My granddaughter speaks the truth,” Alísun said. “You can surely sense the mantle of authority she now wears. She is my named heir and first princess. You would do well to listen to her. She is wise beyond her years.”

  “This farce of a trial has gone far enough,” Sarah Madison said. “Guards, take the girl into custody as I have commanded or face charges for your insubordination.”

  Allie held her breath as each of the Syntrophos looked to Aidan for direction. With a nod from him, they all settled back to attention.

  “Respectfully, we will not,” Aidan said.

  “She is guilty of treason, and I will charge you all with accessory to her high crimes if you do not follow orders now!”

  “High crimes? Treason? I have not finished questioning the accused.” Chairman Thomas raised his hand. “I find little evidence of treason, despite her claims to Indriell or what amounts to a corporate takeover of Soma. If anything, we should be thanking her for dealing with that accursed institution. Soma was never under our jurisdiction and she has not made a bid for the power of the Senate. So I ask you, how can her actions amount to treason? If this woman is to face punishment, she will have a fair trial first.”

  “We have heard quite enough,” Charles said. “The girl is guilty of treason for daring to call herself first princess.”

  “The court has not yet decided what that means,” Chairman Thomas said. “The Chief Justice will remember they work for the Senate who represent the people of this democracy. They do not have supreme authority to sentence anyone for their crimes without evidence of those crimes. The Chair asks the court to revaluate the charges against Ms. Alexis Carmichael. I move that the court disregard her failure to register with the Senate in light of who she is. She was obviously trying to protect her identity and her privacy. Any further accusations against Ms. Carmichael will come after the court has questioned her. What say you?” The Chairman turned to the Senate for a vote.

  Allie breathed a sigh of relief at the overwhelming response of “Aye” from the court.

  Sarah and Charles settled back nervously in their chairs.

  “The court wishes to fully understand the identity of Ms. Carmichael as the named heir of Indriell as well as her intentions.” Chairman Thomas addressed the court.

  “Queen Alísun, you stand here today, a relic of the ancient world come to life again.” Chairwoman Thomas stood, speaking for the first time. “I can hardly believe it, but clearly the last queen of Indriell we all thought to be dead stands before us again with the Scholar at her side. This is an unprecedented moment in our history. You claim this child, your granddaughter, is the second natural daughter of the ancients, Kassandre and Ashar?”

  The queen nodded. “We do.”

  “Then by default, you also claim she is the child of prophecy? The son we’ve waited and wondered about for millennia? How do we know this isn’t a manipulation of the prophecy?”

  “I am the one who foretold of Alexis’s birth. I recorded the original prophecy with a false interpretation to protect her,” Alísun said.

  “Then how can we know for certain what the true prophecy means?” Chairman Thomas asked.

  “It is a sad day when the nature of prophecy is no longer understood by those who profess to lead us.” Alísun stepped forward. “Do you not realize what you have standing before you? I am a prophetess. The knowledge of every prophecy I’ve ever spoken lies within my gift. If the court wishes to see the original prophecy concerning Alexis, I am prepared to share that knowledge with everyone present.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Allie wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the true prophecy her grandmother gave so many thousands of years before her birth.

  “It would please the court,” Chairwoman Thomas said. “Proceed.”

  “This is ridiculous,” Sarah Madison protested. “These people have manipulated their way into a powerful position, taking over Soma, and making claims they cannot hope to prove. Let this end now.”

  “The court wishes to get to the bottom of this,” Chairman Thomas said. “We will hear the whole story. Including the original prophecy as given by the queen.”

  “The queen?” Sarah harrumphed, leaning back in her seat.

  Alísun ignored Sarah’s remark as she approached the podium to stand beside Allie. “Please take your seats and try to relax as I share the prophecy. This will not be comfortable.” She raised her eyes toward the oculus above them, the fading light of evening casting them all in shadow.

  The silver of her eyes grew opaque, like opals. A cool breeze flew in from the oculus causing those inside to shiver. Alísun held out her hands for Allie and Livia. “Stand with me, my girls. I am sorry to have to show you this.”

  Allie and Livia quickly took their grandmother’s hands, standing solemnly beside her. Darius stumbled to sit on the steps behind them. A blast of power shot through the room, snapping Allie’s head back. Tightness coiled in her chest, and a sense of doom settled all around them like a mist. Murmurs of distress rose from concerned voices but were silenced as a shadow, thick as night, fell upon the room. No one could move. No one could speak. Terrified eyes gazed above.

  Silvery swirling figures took shape, dancing across the domed ceiling. The sound of her grandmother’s otherworldly voice echoed across the chamber as she quoted the prophecy Allie knew by heart. But something was lost in the translation from Alísun's original prophetic vision and the simple words she ultimately recorded on paper.

  The ethereal figures took on the forms of the ancient queens: Allie’s ancestors. Queens Ashlynn, Celyn, Alyvia, Fáelynn, Eiselynn, and a younger Alísun with a baby Kassandre in her arms, all looked down on the Senate with disappointment and anger—anger for their laziness and complacency.

  The queens faded, leaving only Alísun and her young daughter, Kassandre, standing beside her father, Alexander the Scholar.

  Tears slid down Allie’s face as she watched her mother grow up a happy child, her beautiful red hair as vibrant as Allie’s. Alexander chased his young daughter with a spark of laughter in his eyes. A shadow of his voice called out for his “Kassie-girl.”

  Kassandre grew
into a strong woman with her Complement, Ashar, by her side. Allie choked on a sob, seeing how happy her father was with the woman he loved. But she cried out in anguish when an innocent young Livia joined them. Her sister was a beautiful child, surrounded by a family who adored her. But a moment later, a faceless man ripped Livia from her parent’s arms and disappeared with her in a puff of smoke. Several lifetimes would pass before they saw their daughter again.

  “Livia,” Allie sobbed her sister’s name, grasping for her free hand. Livia shook with sorrow and rage as she watched her parents mourn the loss of their child.

  More than two hundred years later, Kassandre and Ashar grew strong again. Allie watched in awe as her brave mother, the only daughter of Indriell to never be queen, became Chief Justice of the modern Immortal world alongside her Complement.

  The figure of Kassandre drifted away from Ashar as she grew heavy with her second pregnancy, hiding it from the Senate. Kassandre removed herself from her duties for a short while until after the birth of her secret child. Allie trembled, sinking to her knees when she saw a new figure join Kassandre. Her face was blurred in shadow, but Allie would recognize the woman who raised her anywhere. Lily Carmichael helped Kassandre through the birth of her second daughter. Kassandre sobbed in agony as she kissed the redheaded child on the head and left her with Lily and Carson Carmichael.

  Allie rested her head against her grandmother’s knee, clutching her hand like a lifeline.

  “Allie-girl!” The ghost of Kassandre’s voice echoed across the domed ceiling. Kassandre and Ashar raced down the beach toward a toddler-Allie, sweeping her up in a tight embrace. “How we’ve missed you, my love.” She buried her nose in Allie’s hair, turning to greet Lily and Carson, thanking them for caring for their daughter.

  Allie’s shoulders shook as she sobbed at the sight of both of her mothers and fathers.

  “Stay strong for our girls,” Kassandre spoke softly to her Complement. “Watch over Allie. She will be lonely. She’ll need you more than she knows. And help Alivia forgive herself. She is a fighter. She will survive it all and come out stronger for it, but she will be hard on herself. And promise me, if you can ever learn to love again, my darling Ashar, find whatever happiness you can.” The life in Kassandre’s eyes grew dim as blood bloomed across her chest. Kassandre and Ashar vanished like smoke on the wind.

  A young Allie stood alone and lonely as the years went by until Ashar returned for her, taking her to a safe place to become the woman she was destined to be.

  An ominous darkness lay behind Allie, an oppressive void representing an uncertain future that no other prophecy had ever foretold. A faceless man grew strong in the darkness. He moved with stealth through the years, seeking to destroy everything the modern Immortal world had built. This faceless man was the great darkness.

  But Allie shone as a beacon of light in that void. Shadowed young Immortals came to stand with her. Strong and powerful, they were united with the strength of their ancestors. They shielded Allie with an aura of power and protection. They were the pathway through the abyss. They would find the light of the future together. The uncertainty frightened the older generations, but it excited these brave, young warriors.

  Only they would have the strength and power to fight the darkness and move their people forward. Their biggest obstacle wasn’t the unknown: it was their parents and grandparents. It was their leaders and teachers who told them time and again that they didn’t matter because they were too young. Allie stood as their champion. To stop her was to let the darkness win—a darkness that already held sway within the world.

  Allie’s head fell forward as the prophetic moment faded into nothing. Silence echoed across the ancient chamber. She took a deep, shuddering breath, and the sound of movement returned. Quiet murmured conversation hummed all around her, but she couldn’t find the strength to stand.

  Stand up, Alexis Ann. You’re the strongest person I know. The prophecy isn’t just about you; it’s about all of us. Get up and show them who you are.

  Allie nodded, settling her eyes on Aidan. Reaching for her grandmother’s hand, she got back on her feet. Livia sat motionless behind her, eyes rounded with shock.

  “Seeing is believing,” Allie said with more confidence than she felt.

  Alísun clung to Allie’s hand and turned to face Livia. “My girls are strong,” she whispered. “Strong like their mother.”

  “I think we can all agree that Alexis Carmichael is the undisputed heir of Indriell and the child of prophecy,” Chairwoman Thomas said with an unsteady voice. “Yet the court needs to determine what that means in terms of her authority in the modern world.”

  “Really, Chairwoman Thomas?” Sarah scoffed. “That is quite a leap.”

  “Have you ever witnessed a prophet speak, Sarah?” she asked. “I have. My father was a prophet with nothing resembling the talent the queen possesses, but I know a true prophecy when I see one. No one here can deny what we just witnessed was indeed the original prophecy. Not even you.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “Are you prepared for what comes next?” Chief Justice Sarah Madison asked the Senate. “It is Soma today, but what happens when this girl desires more power? We cannot allow her the kind of authority the royals are suggesting.”

  “Do not put words in my mouth,” Allie said. “I have no desire to rule. Perhaps the court should ask me why I seized Soma in the first place?”

  “You have the floor,” Chairman Thomas said.

  “I never wanted anything from you,” Allie said. “I just wanted to be left alone to run Soma as an independent safe haven for young students to come and learn without the threat of being used for their talents.”

  “While you train your students to support your bid for power wherever you can?” Charles Madison accused.

  “No more interruptions,” Chairman Thomas said. “Let the heir speak.”

  “I initiated the takeover of Soma before Chief Justice Sarah and Charles Madison could do so,” Allie announced to the wild murmurs spreading across the room. “I couldn’t allow Soma to become a government institution. We must provide a place for our children that has no ties to any government.”

  “How do you know the Chief Justice meant to seize Soma?” Chairman Thomas asked.

  “Move to strike the question,” Charles said. “This child is skating on thin ice with her accusations.”

  “Denied. The Chair would like to hear her answer,” Edward said. “Please continue, Alexis.”

  “The Milan Initiative,” Allie said. “A top secret organization meant to take over Soma with the aid of a Syntrophos army Sarah and Charles have built.”

  “Syntrophos?” outraged cries rang out among the Senate.

  “What do you mean, Syntrophos?” Chairman Thomas asked.

  Allie glanced at Aidan and his team. Will you show them? she asked.

  “She means us. The special forces team,” Aidan said. He turned and nodded to his soldiers, who were all loyal to him. “Show them.”

  Aidan and Naomi were the first to drop the protective facade that shielded their bond from the Senate. The others followed, one by one until all five Syntrophos couples stood proudly, allowing the Senate to experience the bond for themselves. Allie and Darius followed suit, as did Sasha and Quinn. Collectively, their power surged together. Their bonds ignited among all the Syntrophos, feeding off one another, leaving no doubt in the minds of those who witnessed it that a Syntrophos army was something to be feared.

  “The Syntrophos bond is alive and well among our generation. I suppose you can thank me for that,” Allie said sadly. “You just saw my grandmother’s prophecy of how I would ‘gather my equals.’ This bond unites us all. But my fellow Syntrophos here today have been hunted and drafted into the Milan Initiative. Aidan McBrien’s family was threatened unless he agreed to enter the initiative. They also threatened him with my safety.” Allie turned her gaze to him. “We believe he agreed, so he could protect his family. To protect
me, at first. But as time passed, he also took on the responsibility for the others. He stayed with the initiative for them.”

  I knew you would get it.

  “Aidan and the others have been trained for the sole purpose of seizing control of Sterling Tower on the orders of the Chief Justice.”

  “She lies,” Charles said, outraged.

  “I can prove it.” Allie raised her voice over Charles’s blustering.

  “How?” the Chairman asked, darting a glare at the dais.

  “If the Senate would allow my mentor, Emma Renard, to question the Chief Justice, all will be revealed.”

  “Emma Renard? She is an officer of this court, is she not? Lieutenant governor of the Great Lakes Region of North America, I believe,” Chairwoman Thomas said.

  “And a powerful truth seeker,” Allie added.

  “We will not be subjected to such an insult,” Sarah bellowed. “This has gone far enough.”

  “We will put it to a vote,” the Chairman said. “All those in favor of the questioning?”

  The ayes and nays rang out among the Senators, but the ayes were easily the majority.

  “Emma Renard will address the Senate. Let it be on record, the Chief Justice, Sarah and Charles Madison, will take the stand for questioning, but they have not been officially charged. This is not a formal trial.” He gestured for them to remove themselves from their seats of office to take the witness stand.

  Allie watched them move slowly to stand before the Senate. Each wore a mask of confidence. But Allie knew they were no match for her mentor.

  “What am I asking?” Emma approached the podium where Allie stood.

  “Just a few questions.” Allie handed Emma a piece of paper. She’d written her questions before they arrived.

  “Clairvoyant indeed,” she murmured. “Your mother would be proud.”

  “Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, you are familiar with my gift?” Emma turned to face the court. “Let it be known, what you will hear is the undisputed truth, on my oath as an officer of this court.”