Flower Queen

by Lilliana Rose

  “Glad to be here to offer it,” answered Braklen.

  “This is serious.” Triena didn’t know how they could joke at a time like this. She stood back from them and reluctantly put the rabbit on the floor. You stay safe. I want you to be by my side leading the new generation of Energy Readers.

  I can look after myself. You just concentrate on not getting caught. He bounced away into the shadows of the crates before Triena could pick him up and cuddle him one more time.

  She took a deep breath to loosen her awareness from her body. Her skin tingled as her etheric form eased along the path to the Energy Field. They were close. Be safe. She sent the prayer to both the rabbit and Braklen, then tried not to think of what her life would be like without them.

  Stop being so dramatic. Get into the Field and help out. The rabbit’s thought jolted her. She’d done it before, brought in energy from the Field into the physical world. She adjusted her balance, keeping half of her essence in the physical realm and the other half in the astral plane, making her body a conduit.

  A loud sound caused Triena to jump, and she nearly lost her equilibrium. The door shook. The vibrations extended out through the metal of the ship. Triena felt Braklen shiver, but he held strong.

  You have to disconnect from him to be able to do this, thought the rabbit. Get ready to do your part. And that’s not with the particle gun.

  Triena pulled in metallic-like energy from the Field, bringing it across and sent it to the door to strengthen it, buying them more time.

  There still could be a way out of this, reminded the rabbit. Be ready.

  The next thud on the door wasn’t as intense, but the shockwaves rippled through Triena, hitting her like a rock. She lost her hold of the energy she’d just brought in.

  Fuck the Queens. She stumbled backwards, unable to hold her balance or the energy. Her back hit the metal railing behind her pushing the wind out of her lungs. More pain shot through her body.

  And we’ve barely started, thought the rabbit. You’re a walking mess already.

  Braklen glanced back of her. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, they’ll be through the door next hit.” She held her stomach.

  “Get ready to shoot them,” said Rangit.

  “Try not to shoot me,” said Braklen to Triena. “Again.”

  Triena ignored Braklen and took out one of the guns from her belt. The door burst open and two Peacekeepers came in firing. Braklen took one out with his first shot. Another took the fallen man’s place.

  “They’ve got an entire army here to try and get us.” Braklen fired toward the door. Another man fell to the ground.

  Triena stepped backwards to construct her view. The blossoming blood on the shirt of the fallen Peacekeepers caused her stomach to contract and her mind blurred. She couldn’t afford to faint.

  Keep it together, thought the rabbit. Don’t go getting queasy now. And get the hell into the Energy to help out.

  I am. She closed her eyes to keep herself from seeing any more blood.

  She heard Rangit yell and knew straight away he’d been hit. Fatally hit. As much as the man annoyed her, she didn’t want him to die.

  Leave him, thought the rabbit. Get the fuck into the Energy.

  Triena resisted the urge to run to Rangit. I can help him in the Energy.

  No, leave him. For the sake of destroying the Queens. Read the patterns, the rabbit urged her.

  Triena forced herself back into the Energy. A whirlwind of energy from those recently killed moved in the Field. Their pain chilled her. Her own essence spiked with fear. She could feel them, hear their sadness, their screams echoed through her. They haunted her and tried to cling to her scent of life, weighing Triena down.

  Leave me. She told them with a prickly force. They moved a little away from her, but stayed nearby, swirling lost souls waiting to be absorbed. Then they began to form a message in the Field. Their ghostly shadows moved slow, but with purpose as the Energy spelled out the message.

  Triena read the patterns. Her mind alert from the tea, she looked into the Energy while the Peacekeepers stormed the cargo bay. The distant sound of guns firing reminded her of the threat. The Energy swirled around her. A pathway emerged. She reeled away from the option, but it stood clearly, unmoving. She paused. The scene changed and she saw herself in the catacombs, crowned, Braklen by her side. This is the way to get there. A surety vibrated within her essence making it easier to make the decision.

  This was what she had to do. Take the unexpected option to switch the balance to gain the upper hand over the Queens.

  There was only one thing to do now. She changed the setting of the gun, and then pointed it at Braklen. If he was out he wasn’t going to try any heroics which would cause him to be killed. I just need to knock him out, that’s all. Triena squeezed the trigger. Particles flashed out, and hit Braklen in the back. Time slowed down. He glanced over his shoulder at her. His eyes widened with shock. He went to mouth something, but then his body seized up, hung in the air, before toppling to the ground.

  What are you doing? The rabbit’s thought punched into her mind.

  Saving us all. Triena swung around looking for the rabbit.

  You’ve lost your mind. Triena, don’t do this.

  Particles continued to be fired in her direction. She struggled to see clearly from the smoke.

  Triena tuned herself into his thoughts, following the small disruption in the Energy in order to find him. A small tuft of black tail poked out from under the crates. She pointed, aimed quickly, and fired before she lost her nerve.

  Fuck the Queens! screamed the rabbit. Now, you want my tail?

  Damn. Triena hadn’t managed to knock him out. It was difficult to find him. The Energy shivered around her, constantly changing its form. The noise from the weapons firing distracted her. Rangit had picked up Braklen’s weapons and begun firing. They were losing. It was a fight that they were never going to win. I can save them.

  Don’t be stupid, thought the rabbit.

  Triena, you’ve got to fight against them. If they take you and Braklen you will die, after they’ve read you and used up your essence to make the manipulated Energy to serve their purposes. You don’t want that.

  No. Triena didn’t. But she didn’t want this. She fired the weapon around the general area where she’d traced back the rabbit’s thoughts. She didn’t know if she’d hit the rabbit or not. There wasn’t time to go and check, and there wasn’t time to fire again.

  She turned the gun to Rangit. He was concentrating hard, and with the help of the Energy his aim was near perfect. Peacekeepers were dropping around him. But it wasn’t going to be enough. There was an entire army of Peacekeepers ready to give up their lives for the Queens and to board their ship.

  She felt the Energy of the fallen around her. Their essence twisted at her heart, winding tight like a vine with thorns that dug into her flesh. She gasped in pain as another fell to the ground dead. Her chest constricted. We tried. Right now, she’d rather that the Queens had her. Then, the agony wrapped around her would stop.

  This ends now. She fired. Missed.

  Rangit turned to her. It won’t work this way, he screamed through the Energy.

  It might. She hadn’t thought of this before. It was the best way to get into the castle. To be taken there by the Peacekeepers. And one thing the patterns had told her was that both her and Braklen needed to be in the castle, down in the catacombs for the change to begin.

  What better way to get there than to be taken there directly. They didn’t have a plan of how to get inside, she was an Energy Reader, not a soldier. That was what she was doing now. Using her skill with the Energy. Trusting what she knew. The patters were clear.

  Triena, no . . . Rangit collapsed on the ground, hit by a Peacekeeper.
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br />   Triena dropped her weapon. It’s over.

  Oh no, darling, it’s only beginning. A female’s voice echoed in her mind, followed by sharp laughter.

  A trick? Triena went to pick up the particle gun. A sharp pain in her head caused her to collapse on the ground. No.

  Chapter 12

  Laughter haunted Triena’s dream. Her younger self stood in the catacombs. A memory of the past. She’d been summoned to hear the initiation she needed to complete in order to begin her training in Energy Reading, the proper training, the training that she longed for. Her belly hungered for the skill. But, then she sank to her knees as she was told.

  Kill Braklen.

  No. She sobbed. No, I won’t.

  The twelve Queens smirked. Then you fail. They spoke in unison, their white robes, stained with the blood of the animals and people they had used in readings. Dizziness caught Triena and her vision blurred. The dream changed.

  The laughter returned. You already killed him.

  No. She was her adult self in the catacombs. A Queen with dark curly hair stood in front of her. You did what I told you to do.

  Triena stood disbelieving. It’s not possible. I read the Energy. It was true.

  It was saying what I told it to tell you.

  Triena froze. I didn’t kill him. She’d been careful, well as careful as she could be with the particle gun. It was set to only stun.

  But you can’t be sure, can you? The woman continued to laugh.

  You shouldn’t be wearing that. The Queen grabbed at the necklace, but Triena moved backwards. The pendant was hers. She’d taken it from Pernally, but it was more than that. It felt like it belonged to her, something that she’d reclaimed.

  The Queen suddenly looked scared. This isn’t possible.

  Someone grabbed Triena. Quick.

  Triena smelled roses. Mother? But it didn’t feel like her mother. She was pulled her away from the catacombs.

  Come back! screamed the Queen. She tried to follow, but whoever was pulling her away sent thick smoke spiraling behind them to slow them down. Come back!

  Triena twisted around but couldn’t get free. A cloaked figure turned to face her. Triena gasped. Margory?

  The woman held a finger to her lips.

  What are you . . .? continued Triena. Confusion welled inside her, teasing with her memory as she struggled to balance what was real and what wasn’t. What had just happened wasn’t real, but it had happened before. But some of it hadn’t happened, yet. She shook her head. It didn’t quite make sense to her. Memories of the past, and potentials for the future were stitched together out of order.

  Don’t go back there. Margory held Triena tight and looked into her essence. Don’t go back there until you are ready for the final fight. You have to wait.

  Triena sobbed. I killed him.

  No. They are manipulating the Energy. You have to get strong before you go back there. Her form began to fade. I’ve stayed too long. They will come for me now. But, you have some time.

  Triena didn’t like the idea of losing someone who had befriended her, who had tried to keep her safe. A true friend, unlike Salene. I need your help.

  Don’t waste the time I’ve given you.

  Triena reached out to the fading form of Margory. It was too late. She was gone. A hot breeze blasted Triena and she was pushed out from the Field.

  ~ ~ ~

  Triena dry retched. Stomach juices burned in her throat. Her body trembled from the reverse motion. She put her hands on the side of the toilet bowl and pushed herself up, then stumbled back to the bed. A thin, hard mattress caused more aches and pains in her body since she’d been here.

  The physical agony on top of the emotional pain burned in her mind as she struggled not to remember what happened on the Petal. Special blend. That’s what I need. Her hand shook as she rested it on her forehead.

  The effects of the special blend had worn away, leaving her with the building tension of wanting more. She didn’t care about being addicted. I’ve failed. She closed her eyes against the pristine cell. White walls and white floor, made her eyes hurt.

  Then, there was the space sickness. Despite her requests she’d been given no quem tea. Battling against the after effects of drinking the special blend, space sickness, and the shattering realization that she was being taken to the Queens to be ripped apart, her body had reacted and gone into shock.

  If the rabbit was here, he’d tell her to bring in the energy of the quem tea. She rolled over onto her side and curled up against thoughts of the rabbit spilling into her mind. She’d no idea if the rabbit was alive, or if Braklen was all right. She’d seen enough of Rangit to believe he hadn’t survived. All for nothing. Even if the rabbit survived, the Queens would use him for a reading.

  Her stomach muscles cramped again. Triena fought against the motion. There was nothing left for her to vomit. She was too exhausted to move. They had taken her things, anything that they thought she could use against them.

  An electrical sound caused her senses to sharpen. Must be mealtime. Triena rallied herself. This was the only time she had contact with people and the only chance she had to try and change her situation. On the surface she’d given up, but deep within her an ember burned. Keep looking for a chance. There’s got to be an opportunity.

  “I need some quem tea.” Triena’s mouth was so dry that her voice barely cracked out. A soldier stood holding a tray. The transparent shield that kept her in the cell shivered as it powered down.

  A meaty broth smell wafted into the cell and Triena gripped her stomach. “I’m sure the Queens don’t want me to die before I get there.” She put a hand over her mouth at the smell of food. She held herself stiffen against the contraction in her belly.

  “Surely you want to present me healthy.” Her voice sounded weak. She stood up, which was a mistake and she stumbled.

  The soldier didn’t come and help her. His face was blank like an unpainted canvas and he told her nothing. He placed the tray on the floor.

  “Where’s Braklen?” she asked. The soldier didn’t change his expression.

  She took a few steps towards him. This was her chance. It didn’t matter what happened to her now. She had to do something. Triena grabbed his shirt, using the last of her strength, bringing in the Energy to support her. She pushed him with a force that surprised even her. He fell backwards. His stone expression changed to shock.

  “You shouldn’t mess with me.” Triena didn’t have much strength left, and the only plan was to get the hell out of the cell. The whiteness pressed down on her in all directions, suffocating her.

  The soldier struggled to rise. She stepped out of the cell, went up to him, and lifted the particle gun from his belt. She fired it at him without giving it a second thought. He slumped unconscious or dead.

  Triena walked along the corridor looking into the cells. Empty. Empty. She kept going, moving as fast as her weakened body would take her. There was one person she needed to see. She had to know if Braklen was still alive. Not knowing made the thoughts in her mind fold back on each other and form knots.

  “I was wondering when you’d try something like this,” A woman’s voice from behind her caused Triena to stop. A chill went down her back.

  “I must admit I had expected you to try to escape much earlier.”

  Triena didn’t want to turn around. She edged her foot forward, then paused.

  “Don’t think about it.” The woman’s voice was commanding. “Now, you’ve tried to escape, or whatever this is.” The woman’s boots echoed on the floor. Triena’s heart thudded in time with the steps. She held the particle gun by her side, hidden in the folds of her skirt.

  One more. One at a time. But she wasn’t sure she could do it. Each time she killed someone, their energy melded with hers. Sh
e didn’t want to have this woman’s energy. Pernally’s was enough to endure. Triena wasn’t sure how she was going to disperse the energy of the eleven remaining Queens, assuming one had already replaced Pernally.

  The Queen stepped in front of Triena. “This means I get to do something to you.” Her grey hair flowed down to her waist.

  Triena found it difficult to look at the Queen’s dark eyes. The soulless look sucked at Triena and pulled at her energy in as if feeding. She braced herself. It strengthened the walls around her energy.

  “You’ve done more than enough already.” Triena had a vague memory of this Queen from when she was younger. She was one who stopped me. The ember inside of Triena flared.

  The Queen laughed. “I’ve only just started. Well, I’m about to start.”

  “So am I.” Triena fired the gun at the Queen. The woman was thrown backward with the force. Her face contorted into surprise, then pain, then fear as she realized what was happening. Her body hit the ground with a thud.

  “You won’t get away with this.” The Queen tried to sit up. “There are more of us, and we will work together.”

  “So, what?” Triena had enough of hearing how strong they were.

  “You won’t get off the ship.” The Queen’s face grayed as her energy leaked out from the wound.

  “Maybe I don’t need to.” Triena fired again. The Queen’s body jerked, then stilled as the last of her life left.

  Knowing what was coming, Triena went up to the Queen’s body. Time to absorb the Queen’s energy. Best not to fight against the process. But, she felt her body contracting against the new energy as it filtered into her aura.

  Triena sat next to the Queen’s body and opened herself to the energy. The new energy disrupted Triena’s vertigo. If she fought it, then it would be more painful. Feeling sick from moving through space didn’t help with this process.