The Savage King

by Michelle M. Pillow

  Despite the pleasantness of his voice, Ulyssa whipped her hand from the bag and shot a tranquilizer at him. The bullet pierced the tunic over his chest, sinking beneath the skin. Falke looked down in shock at what she’d done, obviously not expecting her to react to him in such a way. He blinked as his eyes turned a milky white. Ulyssa sprung forward, looking for others as she reached forward to steady Falke before he fell.

  Sensing he’d come alone, she relaxed slightly and eased him against the trunk of a tree. With a heave, she hauled his massive weight and adjusted him the best she could. He didn’t move, and she knew that his arms and legs would be like dead weights. His mouth fell slack, and his head rolled to the side. The only things that moved were his glazed eyes. They glared angrily at her in disbelief.

  “You shouldn’t have tracked me, Falke,” Ulyssa said, trying to adjust his arms in what looked like a comfortable position. His chest lifted in shallow breaths.

  Going to her bag, she grabbed a hand-held travel decontaminator and began running it over her body. Turning her back to him, she tore off her Var style shirt and began bathing by running the laser quickly over her skin. As discreetly as she could manage, she did her legs and feet before dressing in a fresh change of clothes. They were a little musty from being stored outdoors, but they were much more comfortable. Then, taking a ring out of her bag, she slipped it on her finger.

  She tucked the communicator and a gun into her waistband before grabbing a small bottle. She crossed over to Falke. He hadn’t moved, but his eyes watched her approach. Ulyssa licked her lips before kneeling.

  “Falke, I’m sorry about this. But you must understand I have no choice. I know that it sucks not being able to move. I’ve been shot with this damned thing four times, and it does wear off. You’ll stay like this for a few hours.” Taking a small pill out of the bottle, she rolled it into his tunic sleeve. “Take this as soon as you come around. If you don’t, you’ll have a terrible headache that will last for days. I probably shouldn’t give it to you, but I’m hoping you’ll heed me and just leave me alone.”

  Falke didn’t move, except for the shallow rise and fall of his chest.

  Taking a pulser from her pack, she shoved it into the ground and turned it on. The domed machine blinked. “This will keep the animals away until you recover.”

  Falke managed to blink, but that was it.

  “I’m sorry Falke, about everything. Tell Kirill you couldn’t find me.” Shaking slightly, she stood. “Tell him I disappeared.”

  Not knowing why exactly, she let him watch her. She stood tall before him and turned the ring on her finger. Maybe if he saw her morph he’d listen to her and stay out of her business. She grunted uncomfortably as she shifted and stretched. Her limbs weakened and she trembled. No matter how many times she morphed, she’d never get used to it.

  Her red blonde hair grew longer and filled in with a dark auburn tone, erasing all traces of gold and red. Her nose lengthened slightly. The blue of her eyes filled in with green. Her lips bowed and thinned, drawing her features into a permanent pout. The skin around her cheekbones plumped, filling in her features with a roundness she didn’t normally possess, and a subtle weight was added to her stomach and legs, softening her sculpted form. Taking a deep breath as the last of the tingling sensations left her limbs, she stood tall.

  “Damn, I hate that.” When she spoke, her voice was no longer her own. It was higher and sounded almost like a whine. Just to hear it again made Ulyssa cringe. She had to listen to it for a month on the Galaxy Brides’ ship and still hadn’t gotten used to the sound of ‘Gena’. If she weren’t so preoccupied, she’d have cursed Franklin once again for picking the hideous disguise.

  Falke’s glazed eyes rounded, and he looked at her in a mix of horror and amazement.

  “Awful isn’t it?” she chuckled without much humor. Then, her new face turning serious, she brushed back a piece of his hair. “I’m truly sorry about this Falke. I did value your friendship while I had it.”

  With that, Ulyssa left him slouched against the tree. Taking off at a sprint, she jogged toward the Draig palace. Her large breasts bounced uncomfortably, feeling like lead weights on her lungs. She held them up to keep them still. Within minutes, she was in sight of the large mountain.

  The Draig palace was a magnificent structure built inside the mountain. From the ground, because of the angle, she couldn’t see any windows or balconies. It just looked like a large mountain dominating the surrounding valley. The night Nadja killed her father in self-defense, Ulyssa had overheard some of the Draig warriors talking about the palace. If not for that, she wouldn’t have known it was there. It was truly an impenetrable fortress.

  Taking the long way around through the forest paths, Ulyssa hoped to avoid coming into contact with any of the locals. It was harder to defend herself in her morphed body, and she didn’t want to scare a primitive race by changing back in front of them. She knew they were aware of technology, but she doubted they came into contact with such sophisticated equipment as her morphing ring. Morphing was different than a natural shift. To anyone who didn’t know better, it would look like her face was melting from her head. She’d sent primitive races into a panic before with that neat little trick.

  Taking a path that led up a small hill to a raised courtyard before the palace entrance, Ulyssa glanced over to the little village in the valley below. It was much different than the Var city in looks. The villager’s homes were of rock and wood so that even the poorest of families appeared to be prosperous. The red earth streets were carved to perfection, and the town looked very tidy and planned, instead of the maze-like streets of the Var.

  Going into the soft haze of the triple suns, Ulyssa took a calming breath, trying to still her racing heart. She could see some of the villagers down below. They wore light linen tunics, and all had long hair, their style very reminiscent of medieval Old Earth. Seeing them and their town, she didn’t think they looked all that different from the Var. She again wondered what the problem was between the two races.

  Walking straight toward the wrought-iron gates that were lifted high over the side of the mountain, marking the entrance to the castle, Ulyssa smiled at the blond guard. He was dressed like the rest of his kind, in a tunic. A crystal hung about his thick neck on a leather band, signifying that he was single. He had the handsome, proud features of his kind. Simpering as only Gena’s voice could, she purred, “Hello there handsome.”

  The guard looked momentarily uncomfortable by her open look and cleared his throat. He scanned over the distance to see if she was alone. Then, assessing her and finally deciding she couldn’t possibly mean him any harm, he nodded back. “What business do you have in the palace?”

  “Actually, this is a little strange.” Ulyssa sidled up to the guard and slowly drew her finger along his sleeve. “I’m a friend of Princess Nadja and I wished to seek an audience with her, if I may.”

  “Uh, I’m sorry, but no one is allowed into the palace without royal escort or permission.” The guard glanced down to his arm where her fingers trailed over his bicep in lazy circles. He cleared his throat. To his obvious disappointment, she drew her hand away.

  Giggling in her high-pitched voice, she let her chest bounce to draw his attention. Ulyssa wanted to laugh for real as his eyes drew down to the monstrous protrusions. Men were so predictable, no matter where she went. Well, all except for Kirill. She hadn’t been able to predict him at all. Instantly, her mind sobered, and she focused on her work. She wouldn’t let him kill all these people.

  “But, how can I get a royal escort if I can’t first get a royal audience. See my problem, sweetie?” Ulyssa giggled and batted her lashes over her green eyes. “So, do you think you could at least tell Princess Nadja that her friend Gena is here?”

  The guard considered her a moment longer. Stepping out of the entryway, he looked up the side of the mountain and gave a low growl. Ulyssa gasped as a man hopped down the side of the mountain with ease, landin
g next to her.

  “I have to escort her,” the guard said to the newcomer. Ulyssa gulped as he stood possessively close to her. “Watch the entrance.”

  The new guard eyed her before shooting a jealous glare at his friend. Stiffly, he nodded and took his new post.

  At the blond guard’s motion, Ulyssa followed him into the Draig palace. The mountain castle was as picturesque as she would have expected the castle to be. Wide domes allowed light inside the tunneled path of red rock. Entering a front door of thick oak, they came to a series of passageways. The halls were clean and decorated with tasteful paintings and sculptures. Tapestries hung on the walls, alongside banners with the emblem of the royal dragon.

  They walked in silence for some time until Ulyssa was sure they were deep into the mountain. Stopping by two large doors, the Draig guard pushed them open and stepped aside.

  “You may wait here,” he said quietly. His lips twitched, and his eyes roamed over her body in a way that was pure dominance. Letting his eyes linger on her breasts, he licked his lips.

  “Thank you,” Ulyssa purred. The man was handsome and ordinarily she’d have considered taking him up on the offer in his eyes, but as she looked at him, she felt cold, dead. The image of Kirill flashed into her mind. No matter how she tried to deny it, she missed him terribly. It didn’t matter that he was a tyrant. Her body missed him, as did her heart. And she hated herself for feeling that way.

  The guard had taken her to the main common hall of the palace. It had steep, arched ceilings with a center dome for light. The red stone floor was swept clean, and her feet echoed off it as she walked into the large room. Lines of empty tables reached across the floor for dining. Banners of the Draig family crest lined the walls with the silver symbol of a dragon boldly woven into them. Compared to the decorative tile of the Var, the Draig palace was very plain, beautiful, but plain.

  After a short time, she heard the door open behind her. She turned to see Nadja enter. Her boots clacked lightly as she came across the floor. Nadja was a pretty woman, reserved and quiet in nature. Ulyssa knew the character of Gena had put her off more than once with her brassiness on the Galaxy Brides’ ship, but the woman had been too kind to say anything about it. At first, Ulyssa hadn’t realized who she was until she saw the woman strapped to the chair by her psychotic father. Doc had threatened to kill her and the baby she carried unless she harmed Princess Olena, who he’d also kidnaped. Nadja refused and had killed her own father instead.

  Nadja Aleksander was a true lady, despite what her father had been and despite the fact she’d killed him.

  Nadja’s long brown hair was swept back into a bun, and she wore a pair of flowing gray cotton pants and a fitted blue shirt. Her features were reserved, and she had the perfect coloring of white porcelain. The light blue of her eyes was confident, yet refined. At her side was a man, who Ulyssa guessed was her princely husband.

  The prince’s greater height complimented Nadja’s slender frame. His green gaze looked her over suspiciously, and he stepped protectively closer to his bride. His hand lifted to rest on her shoulder, as they came to stand before the stranger in their midst. The possessive act took Ulyssa by surprise. If she wasn’t mistaken, Nadja Aleksander had found love in her marriage.

  “Gena?” Nadja asked, taken aback. She glanced at her husband in confusion. “What are you doing here? Didn’t you go back on the Galaxy Brides’ ship?”

  “Not quite,” Ulyssa answered. She swallowed nervously. “Ah, would it be possible for us to talk alone?”

  The prince’s grip on his wife tightened.

  “Olek, it’s all right,” Nadja murmured. “I have a feeling I know what this is about.”

  Olek slowly nodded. His eyes softened, and he said quietly. “I’ll be right outside the door if you need me.”

  Nadja smiled at him, her look a little too dreamy, as he leaned over to place a tender kiss on her lips. Ulyssa glanced away in discomfort. Jealousy surged in her heart to see the couple so affectionate in public. Kirill had never looked at her so openly. He never kissed her so tenderly, so publicly. No, in public he’d treated her like a slave.

  “I’ll be fine,” Nadja answered, pulling away. She motioned to a nearby table for Ulyssa to sit.

  Ulyssa sank onto the bench, not realizing how tired she was until that moment. She hadn’t eaten a decent meal in days, and all the running around was starting to take its toll.

  “Are you all right Gena?” Nadja asked with concern. “Has something happened to you?”

  Ulyssa shook her head and took a deep breath. The dizziness lessened, and she forced herself to concentrate. “I don’t know how to say this, so I’ll just say it.”

  “You want me to try and find you a Draig husband?” Nadja offered. “Where have you been hiding all this time? The Galaxy Brides’ ship’s been gone a long time.”

  “What?” Ulyssa asked in confusion, before remembering what a pervert ‘Gena’ had been on the ship. She shook her head in mild annoyance. “No, believe me, a husband is the last thing I want.”

  Nadja frowned in obvious disbelief. Ulyssa couldn’t blame her.

  “Listen to me very carefully, Nadja, please. I’m here to help you. You and your new family are in danger.”

  Nadja listened in silence as Ulyssa told her about being in the Var palace and finding the document. After she’d finished, the woman sat back and sighed heavily. Quietly, the princess said, “I thank you, Gena, for bringing this to my attention. I will speak of it with my husband, and we’ll take care of it.”

  Nadja stood from the table.

  “No, wait,” Ulyssa exclaimed. “You...you don’t believe me?”

  “If the Var are our enemy, I have no doubt they dream of killing us,” Nadja answered. “In fact, they have already tried and failed. I promise to look into what you say.”

  “No, those things were something else entirely. What they tried before was nothing compared to what I’m talking about,” Ulyssa insisted. “They’ve got biological weapons.”

  Nadja chuckled. “I’ve thoroughly searched this planet's vegetation. How exactly would they have gotten the type of biological weapons you describe—?”

  “Doc,” Ulyssa stated. She hadn’t wanted to be so blunt about the woman’s dead father, knowing the memory would still be fresh in her mind. “Your father brought it here and sold it to King Attor. I believe he stockpiled it somewhere on this planet, but I don’t know what to look for. That’s why I need your help. Please, help me. Tell me where and what to look for.”

  Nadja paled slightly. Her voice a whisper, she demanded, “What do you know about my father? Who sent you?”

  The door flew open, and Olek stormed inside. It was as if he could feel his wife’s distress. Seeing Nadja’s pale face, he marched forward. Nadja lifted her hand to him and motioned that she was all right.

  Ulyssa felt another stab of jealousy as she watched the loving couple. A quiver ran over her, and she wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and cry. Kirill’s face wouldn’t leave her mind, and it became difficult to concentrate. Her body felt fragile, and she swayed lightly in her seat.

  “I know who your father is, Nadja,” Ulyssa stated in a rush before Prince Olek had her tossed from the palace as a madwoman who upset his wife. “I’m an undercover agent sent here to stop him, only you did it first. My name is really Ulyssa Payne.”

  Nadja let loose a weakened gasp and reached for her husband’s hand. Her mouth worked, but no sound came out.

  “I’m not crazy. I know how I acted on the Galaxy Brides’ ship, but that’s not how I am,” Ulyssa said. “Please, you have to believe me. I have to find the weapon, or the entire Draig population will be wiped out and possibly a good percentage of the Var—at least those not given an antidote.”

  At that declaration, Olek stiffened and pushed his wife behind him. “You threaten us?”

  “No, I’ve come to help.” Ulyssa looked around the prince to Nadja. The woman was pale, shaken. “Here,
watch. I’ll prove it.”

  Taking the ring, Ulyssa twisted it on her finger. Her body tingled, as her features appeared to melt from her face. A stabbing pain washed over her as she morphed, instantly sapping her of her energy. Ulyssa blinked, feeling lightheaded. When the change finished, she was breathing rapidly as she looked at the couple. Nadja’s mouth was agape, and she stared at her in awe.

  “Gena?” Nadja whispered, amazed.

  “See,” Ulyssa said. “I’m not Gena. I’m an agent for the Human Intelligence Agency. Ple...ease, Nadja. You...have to...hel—phh.”

  Ulyssa swayed on her feet, unable to keep upright. Her world spun, blurring around her, as she fell forward. Right before everything turned black, she saw Prince Olek sweep forward to catch her.

  33

  “You know, I like this look for you much better.”

  Ulyssa blinked, trying to come out of the fog that clouded her brain. Looking over at the bed next to her, she saw Nadja smile. There was a row of empty hospital beds along one wall behind Nadja. They led to a long hallway where Ulyssa could see three doors. Suddenly, she realized she was in a medical ward in the Draig palace.

  “What?” Ulyssa croaked, feeling weak.

  “Your face,” Nadja clarified. “I like it better without the morph.”

  “I like that I can breathe without the weight of two spaceships on my chest. You’ll never know how difficult it was to keep it on for the whole month on that ship.” Ulyssa chuckled. Clearing her throat, she asked weakly, “What happened to me? What am I doing here?”

  “You fainted,” Nadja answered. “The medic said you were malnourished and most likely exhausted. He said it looked like you’d been kept up for days.”

  Ulyssa closed her eyes and nodded.

  “You said you were kidnaped by King Attor. Were you held prisoner for very long?” Nadja asked. She reached a gentle hand forward to brush back a piece of Ulyssa’s hair. “Did they torture you?”