The Lost Relics Box Set

by LJ Andrews

  “What’s up Kill?” Blake asked, shoveling a fishy smelling slab of black meat into his mouth. Mercedes sat next to him and lifted her emerald eyes from her plate.

  The comment jolted Killian from his thoughts and he realized he’d been pushing his food around for the entire time, not once taking a bite. “Sorry, nothing much. I’ve just been distracted today I guess.”

  Blake shrugged and went back to eating. His brown hair was shorter and spikier and Killian noticed he had a new black diamond earring pierced in one of his ears.

  “Maurelle said she was going to speak with Gwyniera about helping you train,” he said turning to Mercedes.

  “You spoke with Maurelle?” Blake asked, interrupting Mercedes’ response.

  Killian nodded. “Just this morning, I told her about wanting to go to Glaciem together,” he said gesturing with his fork between himself and Mercedes. “Anyway, she agreed Gwyniera should help you prepare so she said she would speak with the empress.”

  “Oh, that would be wonderful,” Mercedes breathed out as if she was holding her breath the entire time. At that moment they saw Egan making his way over to their table. Dax instantly stood at a stiff attention. Egan nodded in his direction, Killian knew Mercedes had told her father to acknowledge Dax who was as faithful a subject as one could be. Dax tried his best to hide it, but his small, jubilant smile was easily detected at the recognition. Killian sensed the wave of joy that his chief had acknowledged him seep through his heart. He rolled his eyes at Dax, but couldn’t help smile.

  “Mercedes,” Egan began in a deep voice, “would you like to continue training this afternoon? You’ve really improved with your knives; I was hoping to add uneven terrain.” The chief’s bright blue eyes glittered in anticipation.

  Mercedes and Egan had taken to training immediately after she’d learned her bloodline. Killian hadn’t been the only one to marvel at her strength and weaponry skills. She was a sight to behold, in his opinion. The Ignisian skill with combat had radiated through her; so much there was no mistaking somehow she was connected to the realm. The hope now was the empress would help her hone the skills of connecting to the environment and land, but the empress had shown little desire to help Mercedes.

  “I would love that,” she answered brightly. Egan smiled affectionately at her and nodded. He gave the rest at the table one final glance before stepping out of the dining area.

  Black tossed his fork down dramatically. “This isn’t fair.”

  “What?” Killian and Mercedes asked together. The clang of his fork had even snapped Dax and Sophia from their squabble.

  “I’ve worked my entire life trying to reach the level of skill Mercedes is at. She’s been here, what six months and already she is better than any of us.”

  Mercedes wrapped her arm around his shoulders. “Oh, Bwakeykins, I’ll always remember it was you who saved me though.” She pouted her lips dramatically, and batted her eyelashes up at a frowning Blake. Killian snickered into his rice, as the color flushed over Blake’s cheeks. It was true, Blake had saved them both from the Malumian wolves and brought them to the truth of where they’d come from.

  Finally, Blake couldn’t hold back his smile and shrugged her arm off his shoulders. “Yeah, well you better.”

  As they all laughed with one another an incredible crash filled the outer corridor snapping everyone in the dining hall to attention. Their gazes peered out the great steel doors seeking the cause of the commotion. Killian had instinctively jumped to his feet and his friends soon followed, all of them gripping their unsheathed weapons.

  The hallway filled with crashes and breaking glass, causing Killian and the others to rush toward the open door. Other dining recruits with weapons in hand followed them, while an analyst and engineer fled through an emergency door.

  Outside they saw Maurelle in her form fitting black gown holding her hands straight out in front of her. Fury pulsed through her silver eyes, and white and blue mist billowed from her hands. Killian gaped as he saw Empress Gwyniera writhing on the ground, struggling against an invisible gag and restraints.

  “Maurelle, what are you doing?” Egan rushed up behind her, his voice frantic. The chief's blue flaming eyes landed on Mercedes who stood nearby the ferocious attack. Slowly he shook his head as Mercedes prepared her daggers. Maurelle swiped her hands across the air and the empress lifted from the ground and was pushed against the wall, still bound by Maurelle’s magic. Maurelle held one hand out and turned toward Egan, her face was furious. When she turned Killian saw a large gash along her face and in the crook of her neck. The cuts weren’t normal, along the gashes frosty ice crystals formed that were coated in thick, dark blood.

  “Stand back Egan,” Maurelle shouted, though somehow the cry still kept the poetic tone Killian admired.

  “Maurelle, stop this at once.” Egan made a swift move toward the queen, but with her free hand Maurelle swiped it across the air sending Egan hurling to the floor. Mercedes quickly rushed to her father’s side. Her face was confused, scared and determined all at once. Killian watched as she readied her dagger's aim at the furious queen. Killian saw the gashes on her pale, perfect skin. Somehow he knew there was a reason for the attack, but if he left Mercedes to defend her hostile grandmother Maurelle may never get the chance to tell her side.

  Making the split decision, Killian darted between Mercedes and Maurelle just as one small sleek dagger launched from Mercedes' hand toward the feuding leaders. Holding up his hand Killian gave a mental command to the blade, and Mercedes’ precious knife dissolved into dust.

  Her emerald eyes were stunned; Killian met her gaze silently pleading with her to wait.

  “Your Majesty,” Killian whispered to the back of Maurelle, trying to avoid Mercedes’ steely, stunned glare. “What is going on? Please stop and let us help you.” He looked around the room. Hordes of concerned Cimmerians huddled close to one another, unsure what to do for their beloved queen, or if she had slipped the realm of sanity. He saw Speron, the handsome Beastie try to reach his empress, but was blocked by an invisible shield surely set up by Maurelle.

  Miller had arrived and was ranting above the growing shouts and cries of the Ponderi members for the queen to stop at once. Maurelle turned and glanced at Killian, her silver eyes forced him to hold his breath. They were furious, but frightened. The frosty gashes were still spewing trails of her dark blood, staining her silky gown. Killian inwardly pleaded for her to stop as a slew of fearful, angry emotion pulsed through his chest from her direction.

  Maurelle swiped her hand again and a powerful force flew toward the empress. The unseen shield knocked over several close bystanders and seemed to freeze the empress against the wall. The hall was silent, no one moved as the breathless queen turned toward the crowd.

  Miller pushed passed Killian, who quietly slunk back to Mercedes. Her jaw twitched and she didn’t look at him. He tried not to feel the anger pulsing from her, but even without his gift he could see she was upset at him. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind. Mercedes’ anger would have to wait, right now Maurelle needed help.

  “Maurelle…I mean Your Majesty…” Miller corrected himself, “what is going on?”

  “She used magic,” a soft, cry came from the crowd though Killian couldn’t see who’d said it. Maurelle scoffed at the remark before turning vigorously to face Miller.

  “I used a lot of magic, and I would do it again,” she seethed rather gracefully Killian thought. Maurelle reached up and touched her cheek feeling the blood on her skin. “Miller you must take Gwyniera into custody.”

  A gasp rippled through the crowd, even Mercedes loosened her taut jaw and shifted her eyes between Maurelle and Gwyniera.

  “Queen Maurelle,” Miller said lowering his voice. “Should we perhaps take this to my office?”

  Maurelle shook her head. “No, this should be for all to hear. I went to speak with the empress earlier this morning. I wanted to plead with her to assist her granddaughter in the ways
of Glaciem, to help prepare the realms for the storm surely coming.” Maurelle scanned the crowd, every person captivated by her powerful regality. “I made mention of the Glacien relic and that we were close to finding it. At that moment the empress turned against me. You can see the marks from the powerful Glacien dagger she holds.” The queen pointed to the gashes in her skin before turning to Miller and speaking in a lower tone. “I cannot say for sure, but I fear our dear leader may be involved with the Trinity. She made it quite clear she did not want us to reach the relic.”

  Miller gulped subtly before speaking. “With this information,” he said to the crowd, “we will complete a full investigation. We must allow time for the empress’s council to arrive as is the way. I would ask the queen to extract the events for us to deliberate. Until this time, I see fit that the Empress Gwyniera of Glaciem remain under watchful eye and be detained from contact of others.”

  A hushed murmur, and a few protests, filled the group at Miller’s statement. Killian glanced at Mercedes. She looked at the ground before slowly meeting his gaze. He felt the regret seeping into his heart, and he slowly grabbed her hand; hoping to let her know he wasn’t upset with her.

  “Until this matter is resolved, it is the custom of Glaciem the next in line will stand in for the empress." He took a deep breath and gulped before continuing. His gray eyes turned to the couple behind him. "Mercedes, for the time being you are the voice of Glaciem.”

  Mercedes gripped Killian's hand tight as her chest rose and fell against her swift breath. Almost as if on cue the white-haired Glaciens fell to their knees bowing low to Mercedes. She backed away, intimidated by the signs of respect until she backed into her father’s large chest. Egan shared a similar look of shock, but wrapped his hands around her shoulders in support.

  “Dalia,” Miller said pointing at the mysterious Cimmerian who had stayed in the shadows during the commotion. He scanned the group until his eyes met Killian’s. “Killian, I will need you both to help me escort the empress to her holding chambers. Blake you come as well.” Blake nodded and tapped Killian’s shoulder, urging him to follow his grandfather.

  Dalia helped the bound empress to her feet, though no gags or restraints could be seen, Gwyniera violently fought against the invisible forces. Killian glanced at Maurelle who was staring right at him. Shannon, the head medical doctor, had rushed to her side and had begun patching the gashes with the suture light. The gashes were already fading underneath the warm bulb. Maurelle smiled softly at Killian and mouthed the words “thank you” before he turned and followed Blake and Dalia, both struggling to carry the agitated empress.

  Before they were safe behind the steel doors of an elevator, a frosty breeze and blue light shown around Gwyniera's mouth. Her pale eyes were full of rage as her voice burst above the crowd, breaking the invisible gag Maurelle's magic instilled.

  "You vill not...succeed!" she stammered angrily as if it were difficult to speak. "Tenebris dux fallit, tenebris dux fallit." The empress proceeded to chant the strange words until the steel doors closed upon the frightened crowd. Gwyniera slumped against her entourage and drifted away into an unconscious stupor leaving Killian, Blake and Dalia confused and worried at the strange turn of events.

  "Where are we taking her?" Blake asked after several moments of the speeding elevator car drifting lower and lower into the depths of the Praetorium.

  "The prison cells underground." Dalia's soft reply sent chills up Killian's spine. He'd grown close to the Cimmerian woman over the months and something in her undertone delivered the sense of emergency. Dalia had the most experience with Infinium, so she had learned to control her emotions, the fact she was allowing him to sense her foreboding caused him greater concern. This event had rattled her for deeper reasons she wasn't sharing, at least publicly.

  When the elevator reached the clinic on the lowest floor the other two stood unsure what to do.

  "Killian, are you going to take us underground?" Blake asked.

  Killian whipped around confused how Blake had learned he'd been to the prison cells before.

  Blake's demeanor didn't change as it once would've. He was sure his friend was in recruit mode and sensed the dire circumstances of two realm leaders battling.

  "I...how did you—"

  "It doesn't really matter how I found out, but it's not a secret you've been down there. Kill, we need to detain the empress if she is truly a Trinity member.” Killian nodded and typed in the six zeros, urging the car downward.

  “It’s upsetting if the Trinity has recruited a realm ruler,” Blake continued softly. “It could potentially mean an entire realm would be in their pocket if they showed loyalty to the empress.”

  Dalia nodded her agreement, her eyes were soft but her jaw flicked in agitation. Killian guessed she was troubled by the attack of her queen. It must take great restraint for the fierce woman to not finish the empress.

  Finally, the doors opened and the hidden laundry room came into view. They didn’t have time to visit with Killian’s skittish laundry fairies, he led them straight to the wooden armoire. The fascinating wooden box shifted yet again into the aged Terrenian elevator car.

  “What is that?” Dalia asked, a hint of disgust apparent in her voice.

  “An elevator,” Killian sighed, “come on let’s go. Be prepared, the ride is not near as smooth.”

  The trio of escorts and their prisoner stumbled into the car, pressing the downward arrow they bumbled and bounced against the walls. At one point Dalia lost her grip on the unconscious empress and she slid to the floor. Part of Killian wondered if she’d done it on purpose. When they reached the icy room a fleeting anxiety spilled across Killian as he remembered the panic of freezing to death. Blake stood behind him helping Dalia with the empress, who was slowly coming to.

  “It’s freezing in here,” Dalia chattered.

  “It’s designed to be a trap,” Killian responded, moving as quickly as his cold legs would go. The room seemed even colder than before, almost as if it were resisting their desire to enter the prison. Placing his hand on the frosty iron door he whispered through chapped lips a soft command to open and grant them praised entry to the dank prison corridor.

  The impressive locks and bolts cranked open one by one allowing them the chance to push the heavy door into the dark passage. Blake and Dalia rushed before Killian into the prison hallway and breathed heavily as the warmer air hit their lungs.

  Gwyniera was more alert now, standing stiff and proud as she faced away from her escorts. Blake pulled out a small translucent device from his pocket. After scanning the screen for a few moments he held onto the empress’s arm and shuffled along the earthy corridor.

  “Miller sent instructions for Empress Gwyniera to be placed in the furthest cell, reserved for high profile defendants,” he said shaking the device in front of them.

  The empress was taken proudly and willingly to her cell. The walls shimmered in sleek steel, and the floor was covered by an exquisite rug. A soft four post bed was set up in the corner, and a similar, functional bathroom similar to Nathaniel’s was built into the wall. The empress walked briskly to a wing-back chair against the wall and turned her face away from the three onlookers. As Blake began closing the heavy iron door Gwyniera locked eyes with Killian. Her stare was not angry, but purposeful. Immediately he was filled with a sense of urgency. Somehow he knew this fight was not over.

  As the trio walked back toward the frigid icy room, Killian overheard Blake and Dalia speaking of the upsetting event.

  “Do you think she’s part of the Trinity? Be honest.” Blake whispered to Dalia.

  Dalia shrugged and hung her head. “It would be a frightening thing if we lost an entire realm to that wretched society.”

  “Well the queen wouldn’t just attack her without a reason.”

  “I agree, my queen is fair and just. She respects the Ponderi’s restrictions on magic. I believe she had great reason to use her magic. Though, Gwyniera was a fool for at
tacking the queen, there is no match to Maurelle’s power.”

  Killian’s heart raced. The stress of everything was caving in on him. If the Trinity could corrupt a ruler, what chance did they stand against such a society? He thought of Mercedes, she was Glaciem’s empress now, but who would help her? Her mother was gone, and now her grandmother locked away. Blake’s loud, haughty voice suddenly broke his thoughts.

  “You know what? I bet Gwyniera is the Architect. She’s a ruler of a realm,” he scoffed and chuckled all at once. “Some threatening society leader she turned out to be. If that’s all the Trinity can dish out, we’ll wipe them out soon enough.”

  Killian wanted to feel confident with his friend as they reached the thick, impenetrable iron door guarding the underground cells. The cold, brash laugh that came from Nathaniel’s cell as if he believed they were the fools of the earth sent a paralyzing tremble up his spine. The old man was sure to have overheard them, and he knew something more. But one thing Killian knew, the Praetorium was not the haven he once believed it to be. Enemies were near, but it would be nearly impossible to weed them out before it was too late.

  Chapter 6

  Rhetta Returns

  Killian didn't know what had drawn him to the underground prison yet again. Something about Gwyniera's attack didn't sit well with him, and Nathaniel was the only sure connection he had to the Trinity's Architect.

  Placing his hand on the large iron door the bolts clanged and hissed open. Inside Nathaniel sat on the edge of the cot, grinning in the dim light. His face was eerie, and knowing as if he expected Killian to return.