by Jason Letts
“Shall we put it to a vote? Those in favor say aye.”
Sierra raised her hand and looked out at the assembled group of nearly one hundred packed shoulder to shoulder in the conference room. She knew well that while Keize may have had a tight grip on their minds, Bolt had their hearts, and his loss was likely to still be a painful wound that had never properly been attended to. This was their chance to set it right.
Hands and voices arose in favor one after another, putting a smile on her face. The militarization of the company would be the first thing to go. They’d get back to solidifying the world-wide network of installations that they had only just activated. Once the outcome became clear, the crowd broke into applause and cheers. It was enough to send a charge down Sierra’s spine.
“Good. That’s real good,” she said. On the way out, the receptionist caught her once she entered the hallway.
“Does this mean we’ll be making any changes to the masthead? Here, let me show you to the executive offices,” he said.
“Yes,” Sierra replied, though she wasn’t expecting to be confronted with this quite so soon. “Let’s rename the company after our two visionaries, Bracken & Bolt Energy.”
The receptionist nodded and ushered them into another hallway with wood-paneled walls, light gray carpet, and small light sconces.
“You’re welcome to have your pick of offices, but I have a feeling you’ll prefer this one. We’ve kept it exactly the same,” he said, pushing open a door.
Inside was a near mountain of toys, as well as a three dimensional model of the planet’s surface stretched out in the middle. When Toria ran in and threw herself at some giant stuffed animals, Sierra knew she wouldn’t be able to change a thing.
“I think this will do fine for now. We’ll be bringing the headquarters back to the ClawLands. There’ll be plenty of sun there for some new installations,” she said, stepping in and perusing the items on the shelves and tables.
When she finally made it around to the desk, she noticed a number of pictures there of Jim, his wife Maura, and Toria. They appeared so happy together, blissfully unaware of the horror they were about to get wrapped up in. Or maybe they were smiling because they thought their little girl was now in good hands. It startled Sierra when Toria suddenly careened into her lap.
“Do you remember your father?” she asked her. Toria reached out her hand and ran her fingers down the picture frame. “We’ll have to get a few pictures of my father around as well. He’d be happy knowing how much he did to put the Bracken legacy back on track.”
CHAPTER 18
When all four of the Brackens traveled to the OrePlains as part of a national “healing tour” designed to present the leaders of the premier families together, Tris had expected the worst. But after the scheduled public appearances she became surprised at how quickly the animosity had drained out of the people here. They had their own lives and grief to deal with, and seeing a bunch of the rich and famous parading around in front of them gave them little more than something to do as the sun set.
“I thought I’d never come back here,” Tris said as she stood around the Wozniak estate’s main foyer, so close to the main hall where Velo had previously held his sham funeral for Lowell. Sierra, Randall, and Taylor were all dressed nicely, though Tris could tell spending a few weeks on the road would wear on them.
“Excuse me,” came a voice from an adjoining hall, and everyone looked to see Merritt Wozniak striding toward them. “If you don’t mind, I have something I’d like to show you.”
“What else have we got to do?” Sierra asked, shrugging to her family and giving Merritt the OK.
“Come with me,” he said, leading them through the mansion hallways and toward a back door, which opened up to a grand view of the pock-marked landscape adorned with countless deep mining pits. The sky had streaks of gray running through it. The group followed a road past some buildings adjoining the mansion complex and toward an open field that Tris didn’t remember from her time here.
“What used to be over there?” Tris pondered, struggling to remember.
“The stage used to be there,” Taylor said. It didn’t take more than a moment for Tris to put the situation together and cast an inquisitive look at Merritt.
“We’ve done some remodeling in light of recent events,” he said. “The Wozniaks are not infallible, as my late brother has shown us.”
As they got closer, Tris was surprised to see that the entire field had been planted with green grass, the only green visible in the area. In the center of the plateau connected to other parts of the surface by narrow roads, there was a statue a few feet high. It had a plaque in the center of it and appeared to double as a gravestone. This was where Lowell had been killed.
Tris felt Randall’s arm over her shoulder, and before she knew it she was having trouble even walking. The loss hit her again so suddenly it felt like she was losing her husband all over again.
“Thank you for this,” Sierra said to Merritt as they took their first steps on the grass and approached the statue, a sword of stone with a red tassel buried in a table. Merritt stopped, put his hands in his pockets, and let them inspect the memorial by themselves. The statue was made of fine stone and the plaque was made of gold.
“What does it say?” Tris asked, hardly able to see through her watery eyes.
“Let me take a look,” Taylor said, kneeling closer and putting his hand on the stone. “Here lies Lowell Bracken, a man of family, drive, and honor. Our greatest triumphs are the relationships we build.”
They paused for a moment and let the soft wind run through their hair. Their arms around each other, Tris spent her time thinking how she wished she could hear from him one more time. She had her children, and they had their future, but there would always be something missing.
“They didn’t have to do this,” Sierra said, pursing her lips.
“I think he’ll rest a little easier in After knowing they did,” Randall said. “It’s never too late to start on a better path seeking forgiveness.”
Tris continued to ponder the inscription on the plaque though, eventually turning back to Merritt, who was still standing a ways behind them.
“Who chose these words?” she asked. Nodding his head, Merritt strolled over. He was thin and had many of the same features of Velo, but his hair was shaggier and he had much more of a carefree vibe about him.
“Lowell did, or maybe I should say we chose it from among his last words. He might not have left a will, but he did leave this, which we found later,” Merritt said, reaching into his pocket and handing over a used napkin covered in scribbles. Tris gasped when he set it in her hand and she recognized the writing.
“This is unbelievable!” Tris said, her heart welling up. Merritt nodded and smile, turning on his heels and taking long strides back toward the mansion.
“Well, are you going to read it?” Sierra asked. “The suspense is killing me!”
It took Tris a couple of deep breaths before she could compose herself enough to go on. The napkin was so flimsy and the writing was small and smudged in places.
“To my loved ones, I fear now for the first time that I’ll never see your faces again. When one laugh, one smile, or one look would be enough to quell my doubts and boost my spirits, I’m instead facing the end of my days and a short trip to After. It’s in this dark moment that I can look back with clear eyes at what I’ve done. Some may call me a hero for fighting to the last breath, but in truth I resemble the part of the old fool. Even now I can’t accept the forfeiture of everything the Bracken family has built, even if it robs me of everything I value most in life.
“Our greatest triumphs are the relationships we build. And it’s in you that I hold so much optimism about the future, that you’ll make better choices than I did. The love of my life has been a woman of unequal grace and compassion. You will continue to make Iyne a brighter place. And in my children I’ve held the deepest confidence since the instant you were born. If y
ou can create love in your life and surround yourself with those who freely give it back, never letting them go, then you’ll have built a legacy far exceeding that of any company.
“Time and space are running short. Once upon a time, Tris, you wrote me a letter asking me to come follow you. I’ve got all the time in the world now to wait while you live out full and remarkable days, and then when it’s time we’ll again be together where not even foolish decisions of mine could drive us apart. Remember you are all imbued with incredible gifts, and you are all so loved.”
Tris could scarcely hold the napkin or get the words out by the time she’d finished reading.
“He sounded so conflicted, so trapped,” Sierra said as she squelched back tears.
“If he wants us to continue on striving to bring more love and happiness in our lives, I think that’s a legacy we can all hold true to,” Tris said, wrapping her arms around Sierra, Randall, and Taylor.
Although it was marked by an undeniable degree of sadness, Tris saw that this was a new beginning for all of them. Lowell may not have known it at the time, but his sacrifices led to a better world that he would’ve been proud of.
The End of the Cumerian Unraveling Trilogy
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aside from battling it out on the keyboard, Jason Letts is an endurance athlete and World’s Toughest Mudder competitor. He enjoys running forest trails, cycling winding back-country roads, and exploring rivers and lakes in a kayak. He reads mostly fantasy and has all his life, not because it’s trendy or violent, but because good fantasy always speaks to something essential about the human condition.
I hope you enjoyed reading The Cycles of Power. I’m not sure there’s a better way to explain it than that I wrote this story because it’s the kind of story I’d want to read. If you found something in it that resonated with you, I’d encourage you to please leave a review on the product page of the website you found it. Reviews are crucial to making the difference between life and death for a story, and your opinion could be valuable to other potential readers just like you. You’re also invited to join me at my Facebook page for more updates: http://www.facebook.com/authorjasonletts. You can also email me at [email protected].
APPENDIX
Key Names and Personages
LOWELL BRACKEN, CEO of Bracken Energy and Patriarch of the Brackens, Premier Family of the ClawLands;
—his ex-wife, TRIS BRACKEN, of the Cumerian Horticultural Society;
—their children:
—SIERRA BRACKEN, a junior partner at Fiori Law and successor to Bracken Energy’s Presidency;
—RANDALL BRACKEN, member of the Cumerian Grand Council for the ClawLands;
—his wife, MELODY HOCKLEY, heir to the Hockley Banking Empire;
—their children:
—TAYLOR BRACKEN, member of the Cumerian Guard, former scholar at Lynxstra Academy, also known as ROARK CARDAN;
—his professional associates:
—SKUIRE, his personal assistant;
—CARLISLE EMPRY, Chairman of the Board at Bracken Energy;
—ORAN JORGUND, member of the board;
—MILFORD, head of Intercorporate Relations;
—TENNY, private jet pilot;
—JEANO, personal security liaison;
—EMRY, personal security liaison;
—his personal associates:
—GLICKON, martial artist residing in the ClawLands.
VELO WOZNIAK, CEO of the Wozniak Steel Conglomerate, Premier Family of the OrePlains;
—his brother, MERRITT WOZNIAK, a senior executive
SOPHIA ILLIAM, CEO of Illiam Producers Inc., Premier Family of the FarmFields;
RALPH FIORI, founder and CEO of Fiori Law, located in the city of Ristle;
—his wife, GRETCHEN FIORI, socialite in Ristle;
—his professional associates:
—SIERRA BRACKEN, a junior partner;
—RAIDEN WOZNIAK, a junior partner and successor to the Wozniak Mining & Steel Conglomerate, Premier Family of the OrePlains;
—AIMEE GRADDOCK, a junior partner;
—DWYRE FOLSON, a junior partner;
—ERON, another junior partner;
—WEST, mail clerk.
JIM BOLT, co-founder of Bolt & Keize Solar, located in the city of Rock Shield near the Seasand Desert;
—his wife, {MAURA BOLT}, who died of Carbon-Influx Disease;
—their children:
—TORIA, a girl of two;
ARNOLD KEIZE, co-founder of Bolt & Keize Solar;
—their professional associates:
—ANDRESSA, Toria’s nurse;
—DARBY, chief engineer;
—ELISE, another engineer;
—GORT KIKKERSON, Bolt & Keize covert operations.
Members of the Cumerian Horticultural Society:
GEREDINE, philanthropic socialite;
SUZN, philanthropic socialite.
Staff of Grand Councilor RANDALL BRACKEN;
NIFER, public relations specialist who poses as Randall’s wife;
MUSTACHE, campaign manager;
MUTTON CHOPS, campaign manager;
SKUNKY, Chief of Staff;
FAST TALKER, council delegation liaison;
CORI, custodial assistant and secret love of Randall’s.
DODSON, journalist for the Megga Media Corporation assigned to Randall;
FLORET, assistant and equipment manager for Dodson.
Cumerian Grand Council Members:
CHANCELLOR AGGART, a shipping titan;
QI PTOCK, Chairman of the Private Oversight Committee;
—SHELMAN TOGGLER, chief investigator pursuing Bracken Energy.
Cumerian Guard Members:
CAPTAIN KERAN, overseer of the Cumerian Guard;
LANDON, Guard member in the mechanic corps;
SANDER, Guard member in the personnel department;
Persons of Plagrass and Environs:
ANGELA LU, CEO of the Lu Dynasty, a telecommunications and information technology company located in the Iron City;
LUX, schooner captain sailing the territory around the island nation of Copia;
—his associate, ZANDY, galleon owner and trader;
DEFENDER of Madora, also called the UNSEEN MAN, rogue vigilante of unknown allegiances;
MIND of Madora, conjoined twins and information brokers located in an underground bunker;
TOMMACK LINKTER, itinerant adventurer of the WildLands;
AGJAM, resident of Madora and friend to Tris, adept at sewing;
—her husband, MILLORKA, guard and mercenary
DEDRICK, orphaned boy of seven years;
RAZI, leader of the scavenger troop Razi’s Raiders;
—MAGLUM, member of Razi’s Raiders;
—HINKALO, member of Razi’s Raiders;
LEESER, frog hunter.
© 2014 by Jason Letts
All rights reserved: no part of this book may be reproduced by any means without written permission from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any actual person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Title Page
Map (east)
Map (west)
THE SCARS OF AMBITION
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 27
THE VENDETTA CLAUSE
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
THE CYCLES OF POWER
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
About the Author
Appendix
Copyright Page
