by Coralee June
She looked around the room, seemingly accepting that there was nothing she could do to stop the questions. "I have a relationship with a dignitary from Saberus. He has a fetter and is now a forced advisor to Cavil. Lowe is responsible for getting him out of there."
I snapped my attention to Lowe, and she shrugged. "I'm just following orders."
"I've known him for a long time. I've...loved him for a long time. I just want him out of there and safe. That's my motive." I took in the way her eyes went soft with affection. Her bottom lip dropped, as if she was remembering something with fondness. I knew then that she was just a woman in love, desperate to get him back. Like me, almost.
Jules tilted her head to the side. "This dignitary, you don't have any ideas about him being the new emperor, do you? Because that's not going to happen."
"I don't care about any of that. We need the riots to distract the guards so we can sneak out in the tunnels. They've been patrolling the auction post more lately. And if Cavil is killed, they're going to be out in full force, making sure that no one leaves Galla. Kaye is only going to be able to poison the men in Cavil's tower. The Zone is still flooded with hundreds of guards."
I slumped back in my seat and puffed out some air. She was right, we couldn't leave unless the guards were distracted. I flashed my eyes to Kemper, and I knew that he was trying to piece together a plan that didn't involve using the Resistance as sacrificial lambs.
"What about all the other Walkers? The ones that'll be left here," I asked.
"I don't know."
I bit my bottom lip. Madam B wasn't a mastermind. She wasn't equipped to lead a resistance or make grand plans for taking down an empire. She was a woman in love and looking out for herself.
"We need a distraction, Kemp," Jules said while standing. I always appreciated her ability to thread together a plan. I found myself leaning on the edge of my seat, clinging to her every word. "We need something on the complete opposite side of the Zone to draw the attention of the guards. Then the members of the Resistance need to help get Walkers through the tunnels and out of Galla."
"How many people live in the Zone?" I asked Louis, feeding off her feeble plan.
"A few hundred? Our numbers are dismal."
"So reach out to the Resistance. Let them know—"
"What is it with people jumping in and stealing my thunder!" Jules exclaimed with a joking smile. Everyone around us laughed. "Anyways. Tallis, reach out to the Resistance. Tell them the new plan. Each member will be assigned a street. Their job will be to get as many Walkers as they can out of here. Things will be utter chaos for a while."
"Where will they go?" Lowe asked.
"The deadlands," I whispered.
Everyone sat back in their seats while taking in the plan for tonight. Jade would kill Cavil. Kaye would poison the tower guards. I would get Cy and Mav out, and members of the Resistance would help Walkers in the Zone escape.
"We just need a distraction," Kemper said with a smile while looking at Louis. "Think we can handle that?"
"Oh. Absolutely," Louis replied with a sadistic grin that both terrified and comforted me. We had a plan. A real plan. I just hoped it worked.
Jules got me ready before leaving to go with Tallis. Her place in all of this was to help guide people through the underground tunnels. "You ready, Walker Queen?" she asked me with a fond smirk.
I looked down at the dress I wore with a smile and tried not to feel giddy. I needed to keep a level head and be flexible tonight. This was it, I'd finally have all my men back. "I think so!" I replied. The dress was sleek and, again, white. Unlike my other dresses, though, it had black leggings covered by thick tulle, a design that Jules proudly came up with. That way, when the time came, I could ditch the dress and run.
"You should design clothes," I told her. My time with Jules here was pleasant. She seemed happier when near Tallis, and having a purpose had brought her to this new state of awareness about herself. She was confident and didn't seem as dependent upon the approval or acceptance of others. Just then, Tallis walked into the small bathroom. He leaned against the door frame and stared at Jules.
"Agapimenos, you almost ready?" he asked.
"Almost," she replied while pulling a knife from a holster on her thigh. "I was thinking you should have this, just in case."
I looked down at the silver knife while cocking my eyebrow. It was beautiful and silver plated. Almost decorative. "Madam B gave it to me on my first mission. Figured it was good luck, and I could pass it along to you."
"There is no way I'm sneaking that inside," I replied while clutching my chest. They’d catch me for sure.
Jules didn't respond, she simply rolled her eyes and spun me around. I felt her hands in my hair as she rolled the knife up and twisted. "It's now in your hair. I hear these things are big drunk fests. With any luck, the guards will be too busy looking at your breasts to pay attention to the shiny thing in your hair."
We both exchanged small giggles before Tallis cleared his throat. "Come on, Agapimenos. Time to go." Jules stood after squeezing my shoulder.
"Be strong," she said. Tallis wrapped his arms around her middle and pulled her out of the doorway, but I could still see their shadows. I blushed when I heard her moan, and he kissed her down the hall. I was happy for them, Jules deserved a man like Tallis. She deserved love. Didn't we all?
Downstairs, Huxley was pacing the floor while Kemper and Louis wired something that looked like a bunch of household appliances woven together. "What's that?" I asked.
It was Jacob's mindspeak that answered. "They say it's a bomb, but I think they're just tossing shit together like fucking evil scientists."
Kemper tossed a rogue wire at him, and I covered my mouth to laugh. "Damn, Ash. You look good," Patrick said. He strolled up and gave me a giant hug. "You ready to save Cy and Mav?" he asked.
"I'm ready to go home," I replied. I'd been granted the opportunity to see the world, meet new people, and travel to exotic places. But at the cusp of it all, I just wanted to be back in Dormas with its simple cabins and simple people.
"Me too," Kemper said while clipping a wire into place.
"I wanted to tell you all something before I go," I said while waiting for each of them to stop what they were doing to look at me. "Under no circumstance is anyone allowed to stay behind nor do something stupid. At the end of the night, I expect all my men to be in the same place at the same time. Is that understood?" I asked.
Huxley smirked at me before strolling over and placing a long kiss upon my lips. "You got it, little Walker."
Jacob's mindspeak went frazzled. "Why does her bossy voice turn me on so much? God, keep it under control, Jacob!" He didn't even look embarrassed when I gave him a look. I’d grown used to his mindspeak. I missed his honey tone but loved knowing each of his thoughts. I almost now couldn’t imagine him without it.
"Of course," Patrick and Kemper said at the same time, each looking at each other and laughing before going back to what they were doing.
I looked at them all once more before the rest of the Companions came downstairs. I knew that tonight would change everything. I just hoped I was ready.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The ride to Cavil’s tower had an excited yet ominous feel. Each of us kept quiet, thinking about all that we would be required to do. Of all of us, Jade seemed the most calm despite having a gruesome job ahead of her. “Are you nervous?” I asked her while patting Cy’s and Mav’s pills in the hem of my corset.
“I should be, right?” Jade looked around the transport while snuggling closer to Lowe. “I mean, I’m a bit nervous, but mostly I’m just excited. He killed my…” Jade swallowed then, the first true sign of emotion since we left. A glossy shine came over her eyes, and she blinked away the emotion with a frown. “My sister was a Walker in Ethros. She mostly kept to herself. Never bothered anyone. She worked in his home, and one day, he set his eyes on her. She was barely a teen. Barely knew the world was cruel. She k
illed herself the same night he invited her to his ivory room.”
I gasped at her story and tried not to ask too many questions. She spoke with a numbness I hadn’t expected. “She was my only family left, and he broke her. So I’m okay with murder. In fact, I’m going to enjoy it.”
When we arrived at the tower, the guards didn’t give us a second glance. They had grown relaxed with their rosy cheeks and wide grins. There was an excitement in the air; apparently Cavil wasn’t the only one who was homesick, his guards were, too. Too bad they’d never see their home again.
The gathering room was more crowded than any other time before. Cavil had invited every dignitary within a hundred mile radius. It took me a moment to find Cyler’s black hair and flirty smile in the crowd. But once I did see him, I was instantly taken aback by the pure fury in his gaze as he stormed closer to me.
“Something isn’t right. You need to leave now.”
I looked around the room for Maverick, unsure what was going on but feeling scared nevertheless. “What do you mean?” I asked.
“Oh Cyler!” Cavil’s voice said over the crowd. Trumpets started frantically playing as Cavil strolled through the room, trying to catch up with his processional. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere, Master Black.”
“You obviously haven’t been looking very hard,” Cy began. “It’s not like I can go anywhere.”
When Cavil’s beady eyes connected with mine, I just knew that something was up. It was the same calculating stare that I saw when I first met him in that abandoned home outside of the city. Cavil had something planned.
“Well, hello there, Shade,” he said. I didn’t remember telling him my name, which meant that he had looked me up in the database. “So happy to see you here again. I was thinking tonight that I would switch things up and claim you for the night. I think I’d very much like to see what all the fuss is to have the Cyler Black all out of sorts.” My mouth dropped open in shock as I took in what that would mean for me.
“Is that going to be a problem?” he asked in a sinister way that made my breathing go shallow with fear.
“No, sir. I mean, Commodore,” I replied with a stutter, it felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest.
“That’s emperor, Shade. I’m an emperor now.”
Not my emperor.
“Yes, of course, Emperor Cavil. My apologies, sir.”
Cavil wrapped his arm around my lower back, and his hand lingered dangerously low. His fingers brushed right between my white corset top and the tulle pant skirt I was wearing. My skin prickled with discomfort at his touch, and I wanted nothing more than to run away.
Cyler‘s face was a bright red, and I wondered if this was it. If this was the moment that he broke. “Oh Cyler. I was thinking, since you don’t much enjoy these sorts of things, you could just spend the evening with your brother. He’s working very hard on a new finding.”
At that suggestion, Cyler curled over and clutched his arm. I could hear the zap of electricity and smell his burning skin. Someone had turned on Cyler’s fetter, leaving him no choice. “Yes, emperor,” Cyler said through clenched teeth. A guard clasped his hand on Cyler’s shoulder and guided him away, Cyler making sure to drag his feet along the marble as they went.
I wanted to stab Cavil right there and run to Cyler to end his suffering, but I knew it wasn’t that easy. Something was up, and Cavil seemed to know about our plans. It was odd that he’d requested me today. Was this some sort of power trip over Cyler?
Jade walked up to us, looking beautiful but nervous as she threw Cavil a coy smile. “Emperor, if I might be so bold as to say, I was truly looking forward to enjoying one last evening with you.” She sounded desperate, stroking his arm with a manicured fingernail.
“Don’t you worry. I have plans for you, Jade,” he said with a snarl before snapping his fingers. Three guards strolled up and grabbed Jade by the arms. One drifted a hand up her thigh, and she flinched when they pulled a knife from a holster attached to her leg.
“Send her to a holding cell to wait until tomorrow. We can have one last little execution before I leave,” he said with a smile as Jade struggled against their hold. I knew it was useless, but nevertheless she fought. Our plan was falling apart before we even got a chance to try.
Once she was out of sight, everyone went back to their hushed conversations, and the band began playing once more. Cavil stared at the hallway Jade and the guards disappeared down before turning his attention to me. “Ready for tonight, Ash? I think we’re going to have lots of fun.”
At the sound of my real name, all hope fled me. It was over. Cavil had won.
Cavil lifted a hand up and, with a flick of his wrist, unraveled my hair, making sure to pocket the knife Jules hid there earlier. “We can play with your knife a little later, Ash. I should send you with Jade, but I prefer to have a bit of fun first.”
I shivered when his hand wrapped around my throat. He leaned forward like he was going to kiss me, and bile filled my mouth, threatening to spill past my teeth. I wanted to flee. But instead of touching his lips to mine, he inhaled my scent. “Smell that, little Walker? I smelled it on you when I first met you outside of Galla.” How did he know it was me? When did he figure it out? “You smell like fear. Practically overflowing with it. It smells delicious.”
“How’d you know?” I whispered.
Cavil let out a low cackle so threatening and dark that I felt it in my bones. Kaye broke through the crowd with her sister from the kitchen on her heels, and I knew then where she had disappeared to this morning. She didn’t even pretend to be apologetic as she looked down her nose at me. She wasn’t wearing white anymore. “I reward those loyal to me, Ash,” Cavil said with venom.
“Why?” I whispered to her. I should have known this all along, right? She didn’t seek out a position in the Resistance. She grew up at Madam B’s brothel and was forced into this role. I thought back to the advice she gave me my first night here.
“Cling to that innate part of you that wants to survive.”
When Kaye’s sister backed out, her survival instincts kicked in, and she was more than willing to sacrifice all of us to save herself. “I survive, Ash,” she said. “I always survive.”
Cavil placed his hand at my lower back and guided me away from Kaye, smiling at onlookers and acting like ruining assassination attempts was a normal occurrence for him. I wondered if he wanted the public display to show that he was invincible, and at that moment, it seemed like he very well was.
“I was going to wait until after dinner, but I don’t think I can stomach sitting next to you for the next hour and not slitting your throat,” he growled. The hallway lights seemed to flicker as he dragged me. Each step felt like trudging through wet cement. I didn’t want to go with him, but what choice did I have?
I didn’t want to die like this, once again being pulled to my fate without any way out of it. The lights ahead flickered once more, and for a moment, I felt like I was back in the dark streets of Ethros. He was pulling me back into the darkest night of my life. Commodore—sorry, Emperor—Cavil was evil.
I looked in the corner and let out a shocked whimper when I saw Cyler and Maverick on their knees on the floor. “Ash!” Cyler yelled while struggling to move. He lifted his leg to stand up and a nearby guard pressed a button on his tablet, activating his fetter.
Harsh screams echoed off the walls, and I choked back a sob. I wanted to beg Cavil to stop hurting him, but he would just get more pleasure from my groveling. That’s what he wanted, wasn’t it? He wanted to feel powerful. “Do you like my new ivory room? I had it installed when we moved here,” Cavil said while waltzing over to Cyler and patting him on the head like he was a pet.
I closed my eyes, knowing that this was it. Cyler, Maverick, and I would most likely die here in this room. I knew that the white walls and furniture would be coated with our blood and that there was nothing to stop him. The only consolation I had was that Kemper, Jacob, Patrick,
and Huxley would survive.
No. That just wasn’t good enough.
I took in the four poster bed in the middle of the room. Tall posts at each corner of the bed with white bedding and a canopy over top drew my attention. The bedding was pulled tight, and white pillows rested against the headboard. “It looks tacky. I’ve never really been one for showy rooms,” I replied with a smile.
I should have been submissive or at least pretended to be. But if I was going to die in this room, I’d die with dignity. I wouldn’t roll over on my back and accept whatever the fates dealt me. I’d die a strong Dormas woman, through and through.
I was expecting retaliation, but the backhanded slap still caught me off guard. I fell to the ground, and Maverick let out a curse. “Fuck you, Cavil,” he groaned as the guard pressed the button once more, activating his fetter.
“I don’t need you anymore, Maverick,” Cavil spat. “Your brain and talent can’t protect you. I found out the clue to saving the empire. It’ll be ME that saves everyone.”
“What does that even mean? How could someone like you save everyone?” I asked. I was baiting him and trying to buy us some time. There had to be something that could get us out of here.
“I found out some interesting news this week. Something that made me eager to go back home and explore a bit more,” Cavil replied cryptically while moving closer to me. Slowly, he wrapped his hand around my wrist, pulled me towards the bed, and sat me down on the hard mattress. Once more, I eyed the four posts on the bed frame.
“You might remember my Companion in Ethros, Dominique. She’s been keeping some dirty secrets,” Cavil snarled as he spoke, unbuttoning his dress shirt and keeping his eyes locked on me.
I thought back to Allaire and his ominous statement before dying at the hands of the executioner. “I think it’s hardly world-altering that she was seeing Allaire behind your back.” I made sure to keep my voice even as I spoke. My plan was to keep him talking; as long as he was talking, I could figure something out.
