by Holly Hook
Darren looked down at the divided city of Frelladon from his temporary headquarters, the towering Center of Industry. Below, factories gathered around the skyscraper as if in worship, and Delainian soldiers patrolled the nearly empty streets. Clouds rolled overhead, blocking out the annoying sun. The CDV virus made his vision too sensitive to the sun, so it was a blessing that his forces had brought their home weather with them. Ever since introducing CDV to most of the country’s water supply, the clouds had moved in, staying around large groups of Delainians wherever they went. Darren was still at a loss as to why, and vowed to start researching this matter soon. Control over the air around them was a very useful combat ability, but control over the weather itself, even unintentional, might have benefits for Delainia beyond his dreams.
But first, he had a pressing matter to attend to. Something didn’t smell right here in Keilara’s capital. Darren raised his binoculars to peer down at the industrial area, then at the Royal Palace almost dead ahead. Keilaran soldiers were still gathered around the building, guarding the Royal Family, but there didn’t seem to be as many there as there had been yesterday. Keilara seemed to have pulled some of its troops from the perimeter of the Industrial District as well, though there were still a number of tanks in the area. "It doesn't seem like the Keilaran army is focused on us. I wonder why?"
"I've wondered about that myself. Did something happen?" The voice of his wife, Gracie, rang out behind him.
Darren tried in vain to look past the downtown area, to the north end of Frelladon, but to no avail. He couldn’t see over the skyscrapers, but he had seen some of Keilara’s helicopters flying in that direction. A sense of dread gathered in his gut. To the north was the border of Lateine. Had the Emperor decided to begin his march through Keilara in response to his own invasion? If so, he had a much larger problem on his hands than finding out a safe way to expand his claim on Keilara and capture the palace. Perhaps he should go ahead while the soldiers had thinned, with the promise that he would treat the Royal Family humanely, so long as they could help keep Lateine away from his own border. If Lateine seized Frelladon and its industry, it might become unstoppable in this region.
“I don’t know,” Darren said, running his hand down the back of her blouse. “Maybe they’re preparing to surrender to us. It would be better that way.” The words were more for him than her, to distract him from the looming danger. How well could CDV’s powers fight against ancient Lateinian magic? As their scientists back in the Alpha Labs were still trying to find out, it was all a guessing game right now.
“It’s not like the Royal Family to surrender,” Gracie said. “They’re too loyal to their people. I still say we should strike. At least try to make contact with the King and Queen again. We can glean from them if anything new has developed.”
Darren shook his head, muttering to himself. The crews below still had not repaired the fallen power lines below, thanks to his overzealous soldiers using their newfound, air-controlling powers so much. No signal had gotten through either the phones or the Internet for days, and his patience was wearing thin. He needed to speak to the King and Queen, had needed to speak to them for days. Darren stayed silent, a sure sign that frustration was starting to get the better of him.
Gracie seemed to understand this. Fifteen years of marriage had done that to her. "We should probably strike before they do. Take as much of the land as we can before Ivan makes a move."
"I don't know," Darren said. "Something just doesn't seem right."
Footsteps echoed up the stairwell, since the elevators weren’t working. The door to the meeting room swung open
"What doesn't seem right?" Patrick said, walking in. His black and red uniform carried a lot of dust. He’d been down below, yelling at the crews to hurry up with their repairs.
"Ah, just in time," Darren said, turning to face him. "Would you happen to know if it's common for the King and Queen to just lay low? You know, not attack and give the impression that they might surrender?"
"In all my years of serving under them, no." Patrick said. “Then again, Keilara has not seen much war in this generation, except for the Lateine Border Skirmish.” He patted himself on the chest with his fist, as if to puff up his importance in that battle. “I’ve heard nothing from them since my relatives broke me out of prison.”
"I told you," Darren said to Gracie, holding back a sigh. Patrick might make an ambitious new Commander, but he was still full of himself. "We should wait until we know more before we act. Think this out rationally."
"I guess you are right. We shouldn't rush into this."
Patrick moved out of the doorway and into the room, taking a seat in a nearby office chair. He spun around in a circle and joined Darren in staring out the window.
“Commander,” Darren said. “Do you know when your relatives are going to turn you? We may need to search for a way to make ourselves stronger, if Lateine is in fact starting its invasion of other countries.”
Patrick reclined in his chair, placing his hands behind his head. “Oh, you mean you want to find a way to add Emoshi powers to CDV. I remember, you did mention something about that a few weeks ago.” His tone told Darren that he’d been waiting for this question for a while, and was trying to pretend that he hadn’t. It didn’t fool him any.
“Yes. It may be necessary if Ivan is in fact advancing. I will not have my country turned into mud huts and superstitions.”
“Soon. Maybe even next time I meet with Ariel and Marcus.”
“Agreed. The sooner, the better.” Darren paced around the room, staring at the patterns in the floor. He’d ask Ariel or Marcus himself, but he didn’t want them around, for good reason. How did he know their hatred for humans didn’t extend to Delainians, who had been no different from other humans until the introduction of CDV? Delainia had aided other countries in the genocide by deporting thousands of Emoshis, a fact the two of them probably wouldn’t ignore. “Do not disclose to your relatives what we are planning. We’re in desperate times.”
“I understand, sir.”
“Also, a question. Be sure to keep a tighter collar around the soldiers down there. They tend to go overboard with their new abilities.” Darren stopped pacing and placed his hands on the meeting table, facing Patrick. “I did not order any excess damage to the area or civilian deaths during the invasion, but I’m aware that both occurred. I won’t have this.”
“Precisely. We are not murderers. We are not Emperor Ivan,” Gracie finished for him, reciting the speech she had given to Delainia the night before the invasion.
Patrick sat upright, glaring back with those intense green eyes. “Are you saying that this was my fault?”
Darren couldn’t help but take a step back. “No, of course not. I only wanted you to be aware of the situation. Rest assured, I will not treat you the way your former overlords did.”
He’d said the right words, because Patrick settled back into his chair. The man did have a quick temper, but he was too valuable not to use. He’d been in contact with Revolution Fire and knew something about the inner workings of Lateine. Delainia didn’t have that.
Darren returned to the picture window, staring out over the divided city, waiting. Waiting for the first of the Emperor’s forces to appear over the horizon.
* * * * *
Riley shifted. Jacob was due back any minute. He said he’d needed to go order the soldiers around. In other words, he had to go deliver the Emperor’s orders to the soldiers. He didn’t really get much say in what the military did.
The morning sun peeked in through the window of the guest bedroom, casting a bright square on the red bed sheets. It did nothing to remove the musty smell coming out of the stone walls, like this room hadn’t been used in centuries. Probably, it hadn’t. Even her simple white blouse and tan skirt from the closet reeked of mothballs. According to Jacob, the Emperor very rarely brought in guests, and this room had been prepared in less than a day. Ivan never wanted outsiders to see how he real
ly lived. The people living in those shacks beyond the palace walls might rebel if they learned the Emperor was really rolling in wealth instead of working hard to make sure the sun rose every day, like he probably told them all. No doubt he made himself sound like a god.
Jacob was supposed to show her around the palace today, by order of the Emperor. The thought made little tingles run up and down Riley’s arms, and she wasn’t sure why. Well, it definitely beat the Emperor himself showing her around. The fact that he had barely even spoken to her just proved he only wanted her so he could take over Keilara, no matter what he said. The thought of Ivan chased the tingles off her skin like grains of sand in a hurricane.
Footsteps approached, growing louder by the second. Jacob. All the muscles in her body relaxed. She was about to see him again, to escape from this nightmare again for a while.
The door squeaked a bit and then opened.
It wasn’t Jacob standing in the doorway, but Emperor Ivan.
He stood, dressed in a black suit with some stray crumbs from his breakfast all over the front. His pointed crown shined in the morning sunlight, glimmering with white-blue energy as if the magic of Lateine itself was contained within. Ivan had his hands hidden behind his back, as if he was hiding something, and the grin on his face told her what he’d come for before either of them spoke.
Riley wiggled backwards on the bed, too choked up to say a word. There she was again, being that quiet girl that he wanted. She opened her mouth to speak, and no words came out at first. She had to speak. It was the only chance to dissuade him, to slow him down. “What the hell do you want?”
Ivan took a step back out into the hallway and stood for a second, as if a friendly dog he’d been leaning down to pet had just growled at him. But it was short-lived. He shook his head and advanced towards her.
"I want you, my dear."
He lunged at her, taking her arms and slamming her down on the bed. The room tilted in Riley’s vision as Ivan’s leering face appeared in front of her. The air left her lungs as his knees pinned her down and his ponytail brushed against her cheek like a dirty broom.
"Stop!" Riley yelled. But Ivan was beyond listening now.
Ivan did not listen. His hands ripped at her shirt, exposing her bra. Riley lost all control and started kicking and screaming, doing anything she could to get Ivan off of her, but he was too strong, too powerful, too heavy. His fingers fumbled around her skirt, starting to pull it up over her legs...
"Stop! I don't want you!"
The door swung open all the way with a bang. Jacob appeared in her vision, out of breath, behind Ivan. “My honorable Emperor, please stop!"
The room fell silent as Ivan stopped to glare at Jacob. He turned, loosening his grip on Riley and standing up off the bed, straightening out his clothes. "This had better be important!” The tone of his voice betrayed the Emperor’s embarrassment.
Riley took the chance to stand up off the bed and move away. Only then, she realized she had stopped screaming. She was careful not to stare too much at Jacob as she backed towards the window, feeling helpless. If only she’d used that pistol Damon gave her!
Jacob stood there and swallowed. He had better come up with something to say, and fast. Riley had a feeling his magic wasn’t as powerful as the Emperor’s.
"My honorable Emperor,” he repeated. “I believe the leader of Delainia is attempting to contact you for a video meeting. He came through for a few seconds, and then the signal faded out again. He may be having problems on his end, but he must have something very important to say. Also,” Jacob managed a smile, “as Commander, I believe you will be in the Keilaran Royal Family’s good graces if you wait to have sex until after you are married. They’re pretty conservative about those things, from what I understand. That can only help you in your quest to unite our neighbor countries under your rule. If they see that their daughter appears to be happy on your wedding day, they will be more willing to join your empire.”
Ivan stood for a long time, chin in hand, thinking. “The King and Queen have been stubborn, yes.”
“I agree, my honorable Emperor,” Jacob said. He was clearly laying on the butter for this, and to Riley’s relief, it seemed to be working. “Once we get Keilara under your rule, we can take Delainia in days.”
Ivan smiled. “You are truly loyal, Commander. I will make sure Riley is happy for her wedding day.” He turned to her. "I am sorry, my dear. My lust for you had taken over my mentality. I am a moral and honorable ruler, destined to bring peace to the continent.” His apology sounded as fake as any commercial she’d seen. But the last thing he said...he really seemed to believe that.
“Delainia, sir,” Jacob reminded.
“Yes. Show the Princess around my palace now, Commander. I will radio you once the technicians make contact.” The Emperor turned and left the room.
He seemed to take some of the mustiness out with him, because Riley felt that she could breathe better, that the air itself was cleaner. Tears teased at the corners of her vision, but she held them back. She looked helpless enough. Kiki would have had something smart to say after the Emperor. Little meek Riley didn’t.
Ivan’s footfalls vanished down the hall. Jacob exhaled, listened for a moment, and rushed over to her. "He didn't leave marks on you, did he?" The Commander’s brown-eyed gaze swept up and down her. “He’s such a pig. The only way to convince him to do anything is to tell him it’ll benefit him somehow.”
"I'm alright." Riley said, meeting his gaze. "Thank you, Jacob. He was disgusting.” The feel of his ponytail was still there on her cheek like a coating of slime, and there still seemed to be a pair of invisible hands on her pelvis. “Can you show me where there’s a shower first?”
Jacob nodded. “Understandable.”
Riley wrapped her arms around Jacob to thank him more, and he hugged back. She only caught a glimpse of his face before the collapsed into his embrace, but she could have sworn that he was smiling.
Chapter Ten
August 23rd, 2017
Kiki felt as if she were going to throw up for the seventh time since the sun came up. Light shined through the glass of the Keilaran National Bank logo, illuminating the dust swirling in the secret meeting room. Her parents sat at the table, starting down at the glass with black rings under their eyes. None of them had slept all night, and the fatigue was starting to weigh Kiki down, especially after her hospital stay. She wasn’t sure how much longer any of them could take this.
“Anything?” she asked Damon, who sat in front of the telecom screen, waiting for the inevitable call that the Emperor had captured Riley. Troops had rescued the survivors of a Lateinian attack about forty miles north of her grandmother’s estate late yesterday after they lost contact with Riley’s armored van. Damon had received a report that the soldiers were found tied up, so the Emperor had wanted them to know what had happened.
“No.” He shook his head. Her fiancé sounded about ten years older. It had been a horrible time for him to take the role as Royal General. Maybe Patrick had planned it that way.
Kiki sighed and headed for the window, resisting the urge to put her fist through the glass. Something horrible could be happening to Riley right now, and she couldn’t do anything to stop it. Riley didn’t have the same interest in fighting that she had, and even if she did, the Emperor’s magic was too strong. “Nothing through Revolution Fire? He has access to Ivan’s palace.”
“I’m sure he’s been too busy since the invasion started. He may not have had a chance to get in contact. I don’t know when Patrick spoke to him last.”
He was right. Their contact—whatever his name was—could barely get through to them without a war going on. The Emperor truly ruled his country with an iron fist.
“That settles it,” the King said. He rose from his chair and faced them all. “I am sending the Special Elite into Lateine to bring Riley back. Damon, call them. We need our best soldiers on this mission.”
Dawn lifted her head. “
It will be a suicide mission. We’re barely holding Lateine out of the rest of the city. We should call the Emperor and tell him that I will take Riley’s place if necessary.”
“Mom, no!” Ryan rose from the armchair near the window, cheeks flushed scarlet. “If I have to, I’ll go on this mission myself. If that pig touches my sister—”
The desk phone buzzed, silencing the room.
All eyes turned to the blinking green light on the table, the light that could literally mean anything. The King rushed over to answer it. A loud click filled the room as he put it on speakerphone.
“Yes?” Worry lines creased her father’s forehead as he spoke. Everything was weighing him down so much.
“There's a visitor here for you,” the secretary said from the office below. “His name is Alexander Maxwell. Should I send him up?”
An even thicker silence fell over everyone. Kiki stared at her mother, whose eyes widened with shock. Alexander Maxwell. One of the five Maxwell siblings who had become Emoshis over a hundred years ago...and their relative. Did this have something to do with Patrick? No one had seen Alexander in Keilara for over twenty years.
Her father’s voice contained no hint of doubt. “Go ahead.” Another click rang out as he turned off the speakerphone.
“You invited—” Kiki started, inching closer to Damon.
Her fiancé stared at the king, open mouthed. “Are you sure this is a good idea? What if he’s the one Patrick’s been getting in contact with?”
“I highly doubt it. Alexander’s the best one of the bunch. I’d know. I’ve met him before, right when we got together.” He eyed her mother for a moment. “It’s rare, but he does stop in from time to time to check on the family. Now’s a good time, with all this going on.” He seemed to sense the doubt on Kiki’s face, because he turned to her next. “From what I understand, he no longer has anything to do with Ariel or Marcus. Hasn’t since the two of them committed their murders.”
