Still the thought of having to deal with that turmoil and the constant threat of death from these terrorists was too much for her to handle. Pain washed through her as she made the decision to consider her relationship with Katar done and over with, until he could prove otherwise.
Until then, she would focus on the infants and keeping everyone alive until Ergos was liberated. She prayed to the Holy One that it happened soon, very soon.
Later that evening two guards appeared with their evening meal. The empaths stirred and rose from their cots. Andru who had been sleeping on the floor next to Kendra rose and stretched painfully then helped Kendra up. Lysette and Joah were ordered to accompany the soldiers out into the Kings chambers. They were taken to the Queens bedside, where she still ay as before, unmoving. As the soldiers retreated back into the darkness of the dimly lit room the King glanced up from his chair beside the bed and spoke softly, his face pale and drawn, “My wife has neither spoken nor risen from this bed since the birth of our sons. You will examine her.” His eyes locked on Lysette, ignoring Joah completely.
Sitting on the edge of the large bed in order to reach the silent woman, Lysette realized that she was awake and staring into the distance giving no sign of awareness. Removing the slender silver probe from her jacket pocket Lysette pressed it gently against the Queens chest. It began to hum slightly as the miniature panel along the side began registering information.
Finding her in satisfactory health Lysette examined the abdominal incision where the children had been removed. The turning the probe over in her hands she activated a small light in the tip of the device and shone it in to the Queen’s eyes. Turning back to the King she glanced at Joah and he stepped forward as she rose speaking softly to the King, “She has some congestion in her lungs due to confinement to her bed after surgery, it is not abnormal. There appears to be an emotional factor that I can only suppose is denial and shock from her son’s birth. I am not skilled in this area. I don’t know how to help her.”
Accepting her deductions without comment the King stared past her to Joah as the empathy reached out to take the Queen’s hand saying, “There is no need to concern yourself, Lysette. I can feel her grief. She’s pulled it deep inside and hides it from herself. If you will allow me your majesty I can show her how to return to herself and face the pain she so desperately wants to forget.”
With a wave of his hand he motioned Lysette away and allowed Joah to begin saying, “You will remove the memory of the birth defect from her mind. Replace it with two separate infants that were merely ill at birth but will soon be healed.”
Maintaining the same calm tone the King used Joah focused on him and said, “I cannot.”
Rising, the King lashed out and struck Joah in the face. Joah took the blow holding his head high and not making a sound. He rose to face the King and said softly, “I will not take her memory.”
Lysette stepped toward them as the King struck Joah again saying, “Your Highness, surely you realize that the truth cannot be hidden from the Queen.”
“Silence!” Williams’s voice turned hard and threatening, his eyes still locked on Joah.
“You could push her past the edge of sanity. She is fighting to remain here with us. Any stress on her mind and you might lose her completely.” Lysette wasn’t sure if what she said was completely accurate, all she knew as she had to stop the King from beating Joah. “She’s bound to see the infants before they are separated. You would me making her live that moment of shock and denial all over again.”
Joah spoke softly, soothingly to the confused monarch, “It would be best if I simply lightened the grief and paint to a level she could deal with. I can show her that the deformity was not her doing. Then she will be able to deal with the children. With your comfort and support she will recover.”
“It has been very difficult for her.” William relaxed slightly rubbing his temples. “She tried so hard to ensure that the twins were healthy.”
“Yes, her earlier miscarriage caused great sorrow.” Joah added taking the King arm and settling him back in his chair. “The pain of that loss is still with her. She feels overwhelmed and frightened. I know you would gladly take all her pain and grief into yourself if you could. It is not possible. Removing it now would leave her mind weak and vulnerable to future harm. I can bring her back and make her strong, using the pain. We all grown and learn from our pain and sorrow. It prepares us for what lies ahead. With this remark Joah turned to Lysette with eyes that seemed to see inside her. “We all must learn how to defeat our pain and carry on instead of hiding from it.”
As Joah spoke the Kings expression changed to calm sadness. Feeling his soothing words penetrate her Lysette felt the tension leave her. It was an aspect of the empathic method she never knew existed. Once more she was filled with awe and captivated by this magical medicine. As she watched the Kings hunched shoulders sagged as the fell into a deep sleep. Joah returned to the Queen and placed his palm against her forehead as he sat down beside her.
At first there was no movement or sign of change. Then slowly the Queen began to breathe deeply. Suddenly she began to gasp. Hearing her stress the King woke and reached her side as she began to scream. Bolting upright in her bed the Queens horror could be heard throughout the complex, “No! No! No! My beautiful babies!” Her shrieks brought the guards closer to the bed and the King stood silently staring at his grieving wife.
Needing to maintain contact, Joah moved his hand to the base of her skull and allowed her to scream out her denial. Beating him on the chest she fought off the demons that plagued her, consumed by the rage of her children’s birth defect. Still Joah held her tightly in his grasp, taking the blows without consequence. After what seemed like hours Elsebeth collapsed exhausted back onto her pillow sobbing uncontrollably.
Through the night Elspeth wept as Joah spoke gently words of comfort and understanding. William returned to his vigil in the high backed chair as Lysette stood by and watched with awe. When the Queen finally fell asleep, Joah released her and stood saying, “She will need rest now and another session tomorrow.”
William merely nodded and motioned for the guards to return them to the medical room. Lysette and Joah fell onto the cots and slept until the midday meal arrived. Upon awakening Lysette found the empaths in deep conversation. She approached them and asked, “Is something wrong? Is one of the twins ill?”
“The King sent a message,” Andru answered grimly. “The infants are to be separated today, or we are all to be executed.”
“Today? They aren’t ready!” Lysette gasped, “They are still in their healing sleep.”
Kendra smiled sadly at Lysette, “Actually Arbus has come out of the sleep early. He shouldn’t have responded so quickly, it’s amazing.”
“How can that be? I thought it would take them each at least three days before they would regain consciousness?” Lysette went to the chair where Joah sat only then realizing he was feeding Arbus a small bottle of synthesized breast mild.
“Arbus is a special child.” Chelsa came up beside her and smiled sweetly down at the infant. “His life force is exceptionally strong.”
“How can that be?” Lysette studied the contented child as he nursed quietly.
“He has Treborelan blood.” Joah answered casually, as if there could be no debate.
“Are you saying he’s an Empath?”
“Yes, someday I believe he will be a very strong one.” Joah said with a smile.
“What about Rey? Does he have a strong life force also?” Lysette was surprised that it could be sensed in one so young.
“Not that I can tell. He is a strong child physically, but there is no sign of a stronger than normal force within him.” Placing Arbus in a slumped position, Joah patted him softly on the back. After quickly receiving a burp he placed the infant back in the crib to sleep.
Lysette turned her attention on Andru taking him aside to question him further saying, “Andru, how could two born and bred Bantor
ians give birth to an Empath? I know William comes from a long line of Bantorian Royalty. I’m not sure about Elsebeth but she had to be a full blooded Bantorian for them to be allowed to marry.”
“Perhaps Queen Elsebeth has an ancestor from several generations back that hailed from Treborel.” Andru shrugged.
“So the emphatic power could skip a generation or two and simply reappear again?” Lysette said trying to understand.
“It’s a family trait. You can’t tell me that you don’t bare some resemblance to your grandmother or great grandfather?” Andru smiled and took Lysette’s hand leading her to a table of fruit that he had saved for her. They sat as he offered her an apple.
“I’m not sure; I guess I do, in some way or another.” Lysette recalled her grandmother having long blond hair and blue-green eyes. She had no memory of ever being told of her great grandparents of Treborel.
“Of course there is another explanation.” Andru’s smile broadened mischievously, “She could have a secret lover?”
Glancing around nervously, Lysette couldn’t help the smile that crossed her lips. “You had better be careful with your comments. That one could end your life very quickly around here.”
Kendra and Chelsa came over to sit at the table with them a solemn look at their faces as Kendra once again brought up the one situation they had not yet addressed. “We have been discussing the separation. Chelsa and I believe it is too risky, even with Arbus’ special gift. We cannot allow them to force us into a situation that would more than likely kill the infants.”
Andru cautioned them saying, “The King is not asking our opinion or giving us an option. We have no choice.” He felt the fear rising in the two empaths but he wasn’t going to pretend that they could simply say no.
“They will die Andru. “I can’t be a part of that.” Kendra reached across the table and took his hand. “I know our vow binds us to saving life at all cost. But it was never intended to force us to throw away our lives. I would gladly give my life for one of these children if it was truly called for but this is nothing short of suicide. With time and patience they can be separated safely with no more risk than necessary. I’m not going to give my life to save a Kings vanity.” Kendra’s voice broke as tears filled her eyes. “This is murder.”
Chelsa motioned for Joah to join them as she voiced her concerns saying, “We all realize King William is more concerned with the separation than the children. I have watched him when he enters to check on our progress. Only once have I heard him call Arbus by name. Yet he refers to Rey without hesitation. He would ha let the small one die, if Lysette and Joah had not intervened. His efforts to rid himself of the deformity as he sees it have exceeded his love of his sons. He believes that until they are separated, they are not worthy of him or his crown.” Chelsa faced Andru and spoke her last words softly, cautiously, “I believe he would rather have two dead separate sons than to leave them as they are. I insist we refuse. He can’t kill us all without endangering his sons and he has no one else who could perform this operation even at a later date. We are not helpless in this.”
None of them heard the door open or the King and Commander Connor enter. So intention on their discussion, they had not realized the danger of Chelsa’s words until it was too late. Only when Joah straightened and glance behind them did they realize they had been overheard. Connor moved into the small group as they rose from the table to meet him. Speaking in a low tone he smiled evilly at Chelsa as he neared saying, “My darling Chelsa, I’m afraid you’ve become confused. Being from Treborel you may be accustomed to refusing a monarch and living to tell of it. Here in Bantor refusing the kings command is considered treason.”
“I spoke out of concern for the children.” Chelsa face him, her voice breaking under his iron smile.
“I’m sure you did.” His smile changed to an amused grimace and he added, “That really doesn’t matter now. I’m afraid the twins will have to continue with one less empathic healer.” Stepping to one side he extended his arm toward the door.
Joah’s voice broke the tense silence as he addressed the King, “Your Majesty, we need Chelsa desperately. Especially if the children are to be separated today.” He implored the frozen King for mercy. Yet his voice was not heard, the King simply stood glassy eyed in the doorway, not even aware of his surroundings. His eyes never left Commander Connor, mesmerized by his presence. Chelsa held her head high and preceded Connor through the door. She did not glance back at her friends, fearing her courage would fade.
Lysette rushed forward in a desperate attempt to save Chelsa she blurted out, “Commander, if you murder Chelsa we will no longer be responsible for the care of the infants.”
Stopping in the doorway as her threat reached hi the commander turned back to face his new challenge smiling once again, surprised at her courage. “Are you threatening me doctor?’ He asked his voice full of amusement.
Moving closed, her fear replaced by desperate outrage, she met his gaze and answered, “Yes, I am.”
“We can always find another surgeon, Dr Nolan.” Connor stepped forward moving within inches of her face. “However, I’m sure your uncle would be very upset if we returned you to him in several different pieces.” He turned his attention to the others as he ignored the stricken look on Lysette’s face saying, “The infants will be separated immediately or one by one you will meet Chelsa on the next plain of existence.”
Lysette could only stare after Connor and Chelsa as they disappeared through the door. The unknown death that awaited Chelsa was horrifying. Commander Connor was enjoying terrifying them all. Now he knew her identity and she could easily be used as a pawn in this game Connor was playing with everyone’s lives.
Finding Andru beside her, they held each other as grief for the loss and pain Chelsa was about to experience flowed through them. Lysette prayed harder than she ever had in her life that her Uncle and Katar would find them quickly before Chelsa was killed, knowing it was already too late.
Chapter Twelve
Deep under the darkness of night the small helijet hovered momentarily over the deck of the naval destroyer before landing silently. The Treborelan Commander was only too glad to allow Prince Katar temporary use of one of his small rescue craft. Dressed in the dark blue of Treborel the three men boarded the small boat and headed toward the heard of the Bantorian arbor. The darkness of the overcast sky concealed them as they passed the last of the Bantorian war ships still operational.
Pulling up to a large store drain which led into the belly of the city Sean broke the silence as they headed into a new kind of darkness, “I’ve spent a lot of time in these sewers, chasing ghosts.”
“What kind of ghosts?” Caps quiet question came as he stopped at a large junction in the drainage system, his raspy voice intensified by the echoes of the sewer.
“The kind that assassinate Kings.” Katar answered as Sean inspected a tunnel that went off to the left.
“How did you know?” Sean asked, turning back to him.
“You told me you were in the city when King Thomas was murdered. That was about 15 years ago. If you were working for the Intelligence system then you must have been on assignment.” Katar smiled at him as they headed down the tunnel. “I took a wild guess.”
“Well then take a wild guess as to where they are holding Lysette and the others. It might get us out of her a whole lot quicker.” Sean added adjusting the glow of his luminescent dangling from his belt as the darkness deepened.
“I’ve been working on that.” Katar began then noticed a ladder on the tunnel wall stretching up into the blackness. “Hey Cap, why don’t you take a look up there and see if you can get a fix on our location?”
Without hesitation Cap leapt onto the ladder and moved out of sight, leaving on the faint glow of his left lantern to note his presence.
“Our operatives have been asking a lot of questions.” Katar continued. “The transport landed on the medical complex roof and people were seen leaving from t
he rear of the building on a small caravan. After that they seemed to have disappeared.”
“They could be anywhere in the city. Have your people been able to confirm that Elsebeth gave birth to a child?” Sean asked as he peered into the darkness about no longer able to see Cap’s light.
“Al I know is that she was bedridden throughout the pregnancy and hardly ever seen. No one know if they baby was carried full term or if it even survived.”
“Well I don’t know much about babies but I’d say it wouldn’t take much for a child that small to become ill or injured under the circumstances of war.” Sean said.
“Maybe it’s not the baby at all. It could be William or Elsebeth themselves.” Katar countered, “The point is we have to reach them before the person in question recovers.”
Reappearing about the Cap jumped the last few rungs of the ladder landing lightly on the damp floor. “We’re about three blocks from the rendezvous point, off to the left.”
Continuing on in silence they reached their exit point quickly, climbing out of the sewer into the alley where Lysette and her companions had been loaded into the caravan. Two figures emerged from the shadows and approached them. The young man and woman greeter Katar with silent nods and they all moved back into the shadows. The short thin young man was Tan; the red haired thin young girl with him was Leanna. The two operatives informed them that there were no new developments.
Tan reported, “We have searched all of the medical centers and local health offices. The city is riddled with abandoned buildings so we have tried to be selective. We have been searching only those still supplied with power and water. We have found nothing so far.” Tan studied the man that would someday be his king and found conviction in his expression.
Katar said, “I want to look around before we go to the safe house. William sounds to be extremely paranoid. If he’s held up somewhere in the city, it’s got to be heavily fortified against any type of assault. I’m sure Connor would insist on only one obvious entrance.”
Tempest Rise (Treborel) Page 20
