by Cara Violet
“Come again, Adrian, World Minister for Hyravane.” Her words sliced daggers at him through the air. The audience fell silent.
“The Aquamorphs pledged allegiance to you to hunt the Mark,” Adrian flipped his hair behind one ear arrogantly. “Now the Defeated King has been released, we must stop him, and we must ensure the Universal Order is in good hands … new hands.”
Roars of voices thundered out, bouncing off the walls of the Avalanche room. Prudence looked ghostly.
“Not much of her anymore, is there?” Everett chimed in.
Nash sniffed. “Kan’Ging aura about to blow her top off—”
“Enough out of you two,” Owen said. “Taelen,” he scanned his Second’s face, “we must do some research, find out what Adrian is planning. The Sari won’t be enough to gain full votes.”
“Got a straw up his sleeve?” Taelen offered.
“I’m worried that straw is full of bloodshed.”
“Seen enough of it for today, sir.”
“Yes,” Owen nodded, “we must ensure peace on Valendean, but we also must assist the Felrin to preserve their reign and governance.”
“At this rate there won’t be a planet to go home to.”
Owen stepped forward in his booth, “Valendean pledge allegiance to the Felrin,” he commanded, over the chatter.
For the first time during the meeting, colour spread on Prudence’s face and the summoning sparks around her lessened.
“Thank you, Valendean,” she said calmly. “I have also been given word we have the support of the tri-species planet Rivalex.”
“Will that be enough?” Taelen said behind Owen.
“It will be,” Owen nodded, “for now.”
“Make it clear,” Prudence said with perfect composure, as if the preceding moments never happened, “we have run this democracy for an eternity and kept you safe. We have gained your trust and support for the very reason you chose against the Aquamorph Assembly those years ago. Do not make me remind you of who it is that keeps Liege as guardians over this very Felrin galaxy …” Owen glanced over at Adrian; the Aquamorph had a snarl plastered on his face. Prudence simply smiled at him and kept talking, as if he didn’t exist. “We will see you all again in a few full moons’ time for the Shiek Verticals, we also have several games of Farcry up and coming—”
A young Felrin Shiek scurried up frantically and interrupted Prudence.
“Oh, how lovely,” Prudence said boasting to the quiet audience, “a few Liege have returned, including Liege Ferak Jarryd, who has up until now been stationed on Rivalex. This means plenty of good games to be had. Remember, winning is only a Farcry away!” She laughed mechanically. “Until the sun readies its rise, we thank you, star system friends.”
She swiftly rose and departed, followed by the other two Liege.
“What’s she playing at?” Nash questioned.
“Holom knows,” Owen frowned, highly uncertain of the immediate future. “Let’s stay for a match. I want to see what my good friend Adrian is really up to.”
Chapter Twenty-One: A Game to Distract
With the four Kinsmen Rangers flanking him, Owen moved swiftly to the representatives’ booth of Mareema Stadium. The iconic stadium, Mareema, was a short trip from the Congress Estate, but that was due to its sheer size. A gigantic conglomeration of steel and concrete, the rectangular building had to cater for over forty thousand spectators that would line the stands to get a hungry view of the pitch set for Farcry.
The top level boasted separate boxes for exclusive guests, including those of the Universal Order electorates who had their own function space.
“I’ve counted three Liege,” Taelen advised, scanning the Farcry participants warming up on the stadium pitch. The glass box they were situated in gave them a top-down view of just about everything going on. Although Owen wished it didn’t give them such a proximity to half the other electorates already in here.
“Ferak?” Owen queried, doing his own perusing.
“Aye,” Taelen said “and Maki Ryhad and Garen Lofar. All returned from their missions, none successful in stopping the Defeated King nor the Mark from releasing him.”
“Noted.”
Adrian and another Aquamorph were already amongst the other representatives chewing on gedler sticks and sipping dark liquid from wine glasses.
“Owen!” a voice called, “so good to see you!” the man affirmed, also chewing on the opaque edible plant stick, gedler.
Owen barely registered who it was, his eyes still on Adrian.
“Did you hear,” the man went on, fluffing about his burnt bronze robes, “the Defeated King was on Felrin, and so was the Mark? They crash landed all before we arrived. Apparently, he stole Tiegra before making a getaway, and the Mark is on the loose in the Woods Devine. No sighting of her yet though. Whispers of Dersji Brikin accompanying her grow.”
Owen turned to face the young Cousin King of Sari; his voice hoarse after rushing through the information.
“Darial, how true is this?”
“I’m certain,” the young Cousin King said “the Felrin have been sending out feelers for more support ever since.”
Support that perhaps Darial can’t give them if he is siding with Adrian, thought Owen.
“They now need the Mark to destroy the Defeated King,” Darial continued, “some type of balance scenario.”
“And that would be the only way to get enough votes for the election,” Owen muttered.
“Aye,” Darial said sipping his tonic.
Owen scrutinised him. “And you now support the Aquamorph Assembly?”
“Good gracious Giliou, no,” the short Sari laughed, but Owen noticed something seemed off with him.
“Then what was Adrian talking about?”
“I’ve no—”
An alarm blared out over the speakers.
“What’s that?” Nash said elbowing Everett. The other representative electorates broke up, returning to their respective parties. Some even leaving.
“Check it out,” Owen said to Taelen.
“Taelen and I will go,” Lafael said in a hurry.
Owen observed the Liege on the pitch running for the exits—the crowds in the stands did the same. There must be some emergency.
“Owen,” the voice came from behind, “so nice of you to make another Quarter Summit after your humiliating debacle on Janjuc.”
“What’s going on with you?” Owen said containing his irritation, stepping closer to the Aquamorph.
“Oh,” Adrian snaked his blue tongue round his mouth, “everything that you can’t stop.”
“The Mark has been spotted,” Taelen said as he returned, “they are sending Liege.”
“Farcry?” Nash said with concern.
“Over.”
Everett slapped Nash over the head. “Now is not the time.”
By this time the alarms had subsided and Adrian had disappeared.
“I need to find out what he is up to,” Owen said. “Janjuc can wait a little longer. We are staying for dinner.”
Nash and Everett both dropped their shoulders and sighed.
Chapter Twenty-Two: Dinner with Enemies
Silver glitter graced Owen the minute he stepped inside the Felrin hall.
“Sparkly, isn’t it?”
“Shut up, Nash,” Everett snapped.
“But look at the marble walls shining. Look at the swirling colourful fire in the metal fireplace!”
“Are you decorating at home or something?” Lafael said.
“And the hanging crystal lights,” Nash said longingly, “so so—”
“Ostentatious?” Lafael offered.
“Perfect.”
Glancing past the dressed-up Shiek and Felrin Liege, Owen headed his team to the rear.
“Let’s just keep some space,” he said sitting down at a vacant table.
“Heard the news, boys?”
“Darial,” Owen nodded.
“Principal Aige has passed.�
�
“What?”
“Yes, he was with the Rivalex Mark, and then, all of a sudden—crash to his knees and dead.”
“You’re lying.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” he said. “I won’t be staying long now. As long as they can send me back through a Vector generator, I have no qualms staying here. I wish to bid you adieu, and to remind you my allegiance is with the Felrin.”
“Owen,” Taelen said lifting his chin in the air toward a girl who had just entered.
“You’re joking?” Owen didn’t know what to think; he had never felt so out of sorts. He understood there had been commotion in the afternoon before dinner. Whispers of the Mark on Felrin running riot. But now, here she was, waltzing about looking like Queen of Layos and an invited Felrin guest? And wasn’t she just involved in Principal Aige’s demise?
“She’s quite pretty, isn’t she?” Everett commented.
“Not as big as I thought though,” Nash added. “Looks a bit like a minilute.”
Lafael rolled his eyes. “What are you two even talking about?”
“They going to execute her in front of us or something?” Nash said.
“Apparently she must survive to take down the Defeated King.”
“Ah,” Everett scratched his face, eyes following the young Queen mingling with the Liege, particularly Dersji Brikin, and then taking a seat for dinner. “I’m getting hungry.”
“Is she really on Felrin’s side?” Taelen looked to Owen.
“Seems so,” he replied, information still filtering through him in riddles.
“Ah, Kinsmen Rangers?” the husky voice carried over the entire table.
On instinct Owen stood, with Taelen following right after.
“Just wanted to say hello,” Adrian twirled his wrist around. “So many planets after a word with me; I’m sure the Valendean may be persuaded to see the views of the Assembly more fitting than those of Congress.”
Owen laughed, hand on scabbard, “You’ve no influence here.”
“Yeah, fish,” Nash muttered under his breath to Everett’s chortle.
Adrian shot livid eyes at the Ranger, not entirely sure what was said. “Diplomats, you are? I see a need for reaching a diplomatic solution, how do you fare, Kinsmen?”
“Our diplomacy belongs to the Felrin,” Owen stated, firmly.
“Very well,” Adrian sneered, then, before departing, spoke whimsically, “demise is imminent.”
Owen stared after Adrian; Nash and Everett rising as directed by Owen. “Follow him,” he said “I’ll meet up with you both soon.”
“What about dinner?” Everett said shocked.
“Get to it,” Taelen interjected, “now.”
“Got any ideas?” Lafael asked Owen.
His eyes were on a small critter running down a hall, toward an exit. “Wait here,” he said just as the festivities were beginning.
“Prudence must speak her piece,” Lafael explained.
“And I must not listen.”
Taelen frowned and waved his hand in defeat toward Owen as he left.
Owen quickly scaled the exterior of the building, looking for the little runt he’d just seen. A shift in the bushes gave the creature away. Crouching down on his knees, Owen waited.
One, two, three, four…
When the runt thought the coast was clear, he pushed the leaves aside and took one step onto the concrete path and then—
Yank!
“Owww, owww, owww!” the creature wailed as Owen grasped him around the back of his neck, barely holding on to the stick-thin insect.
“Shut up, would you?” Owen said dropping the thing. “Who are you?” he questioned, lowering his face to the sobbing creature.
“Me,” he used one of his thin, childlike fingers to point at his just-as-thin, maroon chest, “Cuki.”
“Why are you here?”
“Just was told to keep out of trouble, sir.”
“Trouble?”
“I knows too much sir. Found me in the woods, wit my friends.”
Owen raised his eyebrows. “With Dersji Brikin and the young Queen?” The critter nodded. “Do you know about what is going on with the Queen of Layos and Dersji Brikin?”
“Oh yes sir,” Cuki kept nodding.
“Can you tell me?”
“Would be conflict of interest, sir.”
“For me or you?”
The Daem-Raal’s eyes moved sidelong, and he lowered his voice to a whisper, “Both, sir.”
“What about where you’re from?”
“Croone, sir?”
“Yes, what happened there?”
“The Defeated King is alive—”
“We know that, what about the girl? This Kaianan?”
“Just going to kill the Defeated King.”
“Can she?”
“Oh yes, neva seen power like this, sir, ne-va eva! Mr Brikin knows too.”
“Hmm,” Owen’s mind went into overdrive. Did the Felrin think they could control a girl with as much power as the Defeated King? “Do you know their plans?”
“Cuki says too much.”
Animosity crept through Owen but he thought the better of hustling the creature.
“Alright, I understand. Where will you go from here?”
“Miss Pru given me pardon, sir, I can roam only on the Felrin Congress Estate.”
“Very well.” Owen stood back up, none the wiser, his attention pulling toward another figure stalking off in the distance. “Damn those two!” he said. “Sorry, I must depart, best you do keep out of trouble.”
“Adrian,” Owen said catching him hurrying past the Razers on the north side of the Congress Estate—slightly bitter his fellow Kinsmen had not tailed him.
“Ah, Mr Worldwide himself, you still haven’t answered: how are the battle-weary Kinsmen Rangers after their fall on Janjuc?”
Owen’s jaw feathered, not allowing his temper to convert into his tone. “Sometimes even with exceptional planning, there is not enough of us to do what is required.”
“You didn’t send your Rangers stationed back home though, did you? Thousands of Rangers protecting Valendean. What will you do when the Aquamorphs take reign again?”
If Adrian kept banging on about taking control, Owen felt desperate enough to show him how his Rangers could dismantle the Aquamorph’s gawking face. “What makes you think you’ve got any chance?” he said with as much control as he could.
Adrian stepped closer, heat lightening his blue skin with every step. “Look around you, Kinsman. Felrin is falling apart; the Mark set free the Defeated King. The Galaxy wants answers, they want control to return—”
“That’s not enough, Adrian; even with all that’s happened, you can’t think the representatives won’t vote for Felrin. They’ve been the saviour of the galaxy for thousands of years.”
“Oh, but when I strike down another of those anarchic planets, when I have another army on my side, when that Mark is in my grasp—”
“What are you talking about?”
“Sari will support me.”
“The Cousin King denies it. So, what are you talking about?”
“Princess Archibel is alive and well.”
“What?”
“And Hilan, who the Felrin have let go for far too long, will come to its end under my rule.”
Concern rattled through Owen. Princess Archibel alive? And what was he saying about the Harpies? “Hilan?” Owen said confused, “the Harpies are a peaceful, free species. They bother no-one.”
“Not under my rule.”
“Your rule? Your Assembly board would have to decide that.”
“It’s the current Star Systems that want it, Kinsman. The current pleas of the people of our galaxy to shut down that flurrying Anarchy.”
“You mean you have support now?”
“More than you think.”
Owen swallowed, his eyes shooting to all parts of Adrian’s unwavering face trying to pinpoint what exact support this f
iend had. And could the madman be reasoned with?
“There’s too much going on Adrian; the Defeated King has stolen the gatekeepers; we have no time for games when everything we have is on the line. What you are speaking of is secondary to saving the universe as we know it.”
“Ah, I fear not, because when everything falls into place, then, and only then, will the Universal Election require the Aquamorphs to take rule.”
“This is ludicrous,” Owen said exasperated. “You are an alliance system, you must assist now, we must stop the Defeated King—”
“Must we now?”
“You’re talking as if you stand a chance—”
“Oh, we do,” he winked, “and there is nothing you can do to stop our victory.”
Owen couldn’t read the Aquamorph; Adrian’s skin had become pale and translucent.
“What exactly do you plan on doing to the people on Hilan?”
“Pray to your god, Kinsmen Ranger,” Adrian said with deep harshness. “It may be all you have left. Good day.”
Owen headed for his quarters; representatives were still waltzing about discussing the choice of party for this year. Never had he seen the electorates so on edge. But the Universal Election was run purely by the rulers of the planets, never the people themselves.
“Taelen,” he said spotting his Second.
“We have word from Nash and Everett,” he said out of breath, “the Felrin plan to place the Mark as a competitor in the Shiek Verticals.”
“I don’t like this,” Owen admitted. “What do they plan to do with her when she succeeds? Feed her to the wolves?”
“Wouldn’t be that tasty, I don’t think.”
“Put a cork in it, Nash,” Owen reprimanded. “So much for you two keeping an eye on our favourite fish.”
“He got away,” Everett admitted, wiping his face from the remnants of dinner.
Owen frowned, pursing his lips, then turned back to Taelen. “Who’s going to train her?”
“Dersji Brikin, I heard,” Taelen said. “What about you? Did you find your fish friend?”
“Yes, I found our blue fish friend,” his eyes went scathingly to Nash and Everett again. “He has support to infiltrate Hilan.”
