“Tell her what you told me earlier,” Valen coaxed.
“Androma would do anything to set us free, if she believed we were in danger,” the Adhiran girl said in that lyrical voice. “If what Valen says is true, Majesty, and you need to track down our old captain...then you could use us.”
“We can find her for you,” the giantess said. “Hunting people down was once our specialty, and we know all of Androma’s preferred hideouts.”
“I believe that you could find her,” Nor said, her mind churning as she considered the possibilities this crew presented. She looked down at the smallest one, who hadn’t yet spoken. She was a tiny thing, red braids dangling past her dainty shoulders. Nor knelt, pressing her golden prosthetic to the girl’s chin and lifting it so that their gazes met. To her surprise, the child’s eyes held little innocence.
“However, I think there is a far better way,” Nor mused. “Do you know, little one, what Androma loves the most?”
The girl smiled. “Oh, yes. She loves her ship. But above all, she loves us.”
“And do you know what we do to those things our enemies love?” Nor asked sweetly.
For an idea was brewing in her mind as she took in the three young women. Strong, she could tell. And yet they would break so easily—had already broken, beneath the strength of Valen’s compulsion.
“No,” the little girl answered. “But I’d love for you to tell me already.”
“Gilly,” the New Vedan hissed. “I’m sorry, my queen. She’s as blunt as they come.”
Nor smiled. “It’s alright.” She stood, pulling her hand from the child’s chin as she spun to look at Darai, Valen and Zahn. “It’s time for me to make a speech. Alert the soldiers. Bring in the camera crew. I’ll speak to my people from the Academy’s square. I want everyone on Arcardius to be there to see me, and everyone else in the galaxy to hear me.”
“Nor, my love,” Zahn started. “It’s too risky to—”
His words trailed off as Nor spun back to look at the three girls. Her gaze fell on the smallest again—Gilly. A pretty little thing, and so pliable beneath her brother’s power.
“The answer to my earlier question, child, is that we crush the things our enemies love. We destroy them. And we will do exactly that with you three.” She reached out to stroke one of Gilly’s braids. “I will send out an ultimatum, so loud that Androma Racella will have to hear it. And if she does not arrive on Arcardius within three days, defenseless and willing to hand herself over to me...then the three of you will die. And I will personally be the one who swings the blade.”
She smiled at the girls, so perfectly willing to obey her—to die for her, should it come to that.
“A wise plan, my queen,” the Adhiran girl said. “And an honor, to fall as a sacrifice to your cause.”
“Will she come?” Nor asked. “Will it work?”
“Oh, yes,” the little girl answered, a smile illuminating her freckled face. “She’ll come. Andi always comes for us.”
Her small hands touched the Solis sigil pinned to her chest, as if it were a token of good luck.
* * *
The transport ship’s engine purred as the pilot carried them down through the clouds, toward Veronus.
“I have a number of guards stationed on the Academy grounds, where you’ll make the speech,” Zahn said. His voice was tense, filling the small space. The transport ship wasn’t large, with room enough for only six passengers, plus the pilot in an enclosure at the front and a cargo bay in the back.
Nor knew Zahn feared for her safety, away from the well-guarded estate in the clouds. It was true that Arachnid was a threat as real as any, but Valen held control over most of the minds in the galaxy. She trusted her brother to control the crowds.
“I’ll be fine,” she whispered to Zahn, taking his hand. She squeezed it gently, but he only nodded and focused on the notescreen he held, scanning the security measures one last time.
“Your speech, Majesty, should last no longer than three minutes,” Darai said. His hood was pulled low over his face, the shadows beneath his scars deep in the soft red glow of the ship’s dash. “A powerful, impactful performance. Show Arachnid you have no fear. Show Androma she has no options. Show them that you will not bargain, and most important, show the people your power.” He smiled suddenly, his teeth glowing almost as red as blood. “You will be a vision before the Academy, my dear.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Nor saw a flicker of annoyance cross Zahn’s face at her uncle’s lecturing. She knew he wasn’t a fan of Darai; had never really been. His attempts to offer counsel often felt a trifle condescending these days, but the old man had his uses, especially as a source of information about Exonia. So Zahn tolerated the adviser, but only because Nor insisted on keeping him around—just as Valen did.
Nor’s gaze shifted to her brother. He’d been silent this whole time, swimming through the recesses of his mind, desperately searching for anything that could give them a clue about where Androma might be, or any intel on Arachnid. He could see through the eyes of millions, and Nor knew he was doing everything in his power to help her.
Yet still, Valen had come up with nothing.
A shadow fell over them as the transport passed below a looming gravarock. A waterfall pounded down its rocky side, glowing in the fading light of dusk. The wind caught the droplets of water as they fell, carrying them across the sky to sprinkle the windows of their ship.
“They defy the odds, these floating mountains,” Nor said quietly.
Zahn’s answering smile was tight, but he placed a comforting hand on her knee. “Some might say you have always done the same.”
“It’s funny,” Nor replied, returning his smile. “I’ve always thought that about you. The boy who cleared me from the rubble. Now you’re commanding my soldiers.”
Zahn’s shoulders loosened a little. “I would have you be safe always, Nor,” he told her. “But I would also have you be happy. And if happiness means that I must set aside my personal fears of losing you...then I will shove them far away. And I will support you, my queen. Whatever it is that you wish to do, I will stand at your side.”
He leaned over to kiss her gently, sweetly, mindful of the others watching. Nor suppressed a sigh of longing when Zahn pulled away and turned his attention back to his duties. It seemed like they never had enough time together, these days.
Zahn’s hands flew across his notescreen, perusing guard orders, communications and whatever else he dealt with so that she didn’t have to. “Androma’s crew will be stationed as guards to your left and right,” he told her. “The cameras will focus on them long enough for Androma to see that they are, in fact, loyal.”
“Of course they are. We all know the Zenith virus has sealed my reign,” Nor answered. “But we need the Unaffecteds to recognize that truth. That I am no longer the starving, broken princess from Xen Ptera, but a queen who will tear apart the Void and make way for something far greater than Mirabel has ever been capable of before. Nobody will harm me—not here. Not today. They will help me bring Androma forth, and Arachnid’s threat will falter.”
Nor felt in her heart that it was true.
Behind her, Valen suddenly groaned, as if he were in pain. Nor glanced over her shoulder, but her brother was still lost in his mind, eyes clenched shut. For a moment, she debated trying to reach him through the mental doorway between their minds, to see if he was alright, but Nor knew he would resent the intrusion. Valen needed to remain strong, to believe that she trusted in his ability to see this through.
“I want extra guards stationed around Valen,” she said, looking to Darai this time and lowering her voice to a whisper. “It’s not safe for him out there.”
Her adviser gave a curt nod, the metal etchings on his face catching the light from the sunset outside the transport window. “I agree, my dear. We must keep him as safe a
s we can, in the event that an attack occurs.”
“It won’t,” Zahn interjected. “My guards will be on high alert.” He glanced back at Valen’s thin form, too. “But I agree. We’ll make sure he’s looked after. And Androma’s crew will be at your side, willing to die for both of you, should they need to.”
“I hope she sees the message,” Nor said gleefully. “I hope she sees their faces, full of adoration for their queen, and comes running like a loyal dog.”
“She will,” Darai said with confidence. “After today, there will be nothing, and no one, who can stand in your way. Exonia will be ours once more.”
Nor raised a brow at him.
“Yours, my dear,” he corrected hastily. “Exonia will be yours, and you will reign supreme until the end of your days.” Darai smiled. “I can see it now. A lifetime of patience, and pain, finally coming to fruition.”
“And then our children will reign after,” Nor said, taking Zahn’s hand again, nodding along to her uncle’s words. “Valen’s message will ring out for eternity, and the Solis bloodline will rule forever.”
Though Arcardius wasn’t her true home, and though she’d had to fight tooth and nail to win her place here...this planet was nearly hers now. These people, these floating mountains, the Nexus satellite floating in the sky, almost complete. All of it would belong to Nor the moment Androma came for her crew.
So it was with confidence that Nor relaxed back into her seat and turned her gaze to the window, drinking in the sight of her domain. For Arcardius would be hers—it was only a matter of time now. And once she had Arcardius, and Mirabel, firmly in her grasp...
Then Exonia would finally be free.
CHAPTER 16
VALEN
Valen pulled himself from his mind castle as Veronus came into view, his head wobbling and pulsing from the effort. Still, he smiled through the pain as he saw the city that was no longer trapped beneath his father’s iron rule.
To Valen, Veronus had always seemed to be made of stars. The buildings, largely crafted from glass and steel, glowed in the moonlight as the ship landed among them like a bird, polished silver wings outspread to catch the reflections of every admiring face in the city.
For the queen was coming down from her castle in the sky.
The tiny tendrils of fear Valen had felt as the ship soared away from Averia gradually melted away. As the ship’s loading ramp lowered, steam hissing from the cooling vents creating a gentle curtain of clouds, he heard the sound of his people cheering—a mighty roar that could not be silenced.
Everyone wanted to see the queen. Innumerable flags with the Solis family crest waved in Valen’s sights as soldiers lined up to escort Nor through the flanking crowds.
“Nor!” the people screamed. “The true queen!”
He had done this. Valen had never accomplished anything of true merit in his life until he’d met Nor, and even now, there were days when he had doubts about himself.
But this? This had been worth the wait.
Zahn called for his squadron to fall into formation, and they cut a solid pathway through the crowd, leaving just enough space for the queen’s group to pass through. Nor and Zahn walked side by side, guarded by Lira, Breck and Gilly, while Darai and Valen followed close behind.
“Stay close,” Zahn said over his shoulder to Valen as they moved toward the Academy. He felt a surge of irritation at the command—Zahn didn’t need to talk down to him as if he were a child. And where else would he be right now, but by his sister’s side?
Yet as the roar of the crowd pressed in around him, Valen’s annoyance gave way to awe, his eyes widening. His father had been adored by the Arcardian people, his speeches and rallies full of supporters...but this was something entirely different.
When Nor passed by, mothers held up their infants, desperate for the queen to press a kiss to their foreheads. Children called his sister’s name, some of them singing songs of adoration. A man in the crowd had fat tears rolling down his cheeks at the very sight of Nor passing by.
It was everything she’d ever wanted—and it was all happening because of Valen.
The Solis name was now adored instead of cursed. And today, his sister would give these people a great gift, by not showing any fear of Arachnid’s threats. She would also give them a purpose; a mission they would surely be able to help her complete.
Stay safe, Nor told Valen through their mental link. Stay right at my side, Valen. Promise?
I promise, Mother, Valen said, his voice carrying a hint of laughter through the link.
Zahn shouted out an order, and the soldiers escorted Nor onto a makeshift stage. Valen stepped up beside her, watching the people swarm around the stage, as closely as the soldiers would allow. Behind them stood the Arcardian Academy, a pyramid-shaped structure made entirely of glass. This very place was where Androma had first met Kalee and Valen. Where her strange connection to Valen’s father had originated, though none of them could have possibly imagined then that she’d someday be given his title when he passed on.
This was where the Arcardian military students trained. Where they had once learned to call the Olen System their enemy.
Now they praised the very queen their mothers and fathers had tried to kill, long ago. Everything had come full circle. Valen looked to the sky, imagining he could see the Nexus satellite, and the Void far beyond. Soon, this crowd would have a new group of people to join them in their praise of Nor Solis.
“Show them you will not bow to fear,” Zahn said as he joined them on the stage, taking his place between Nor and Valen. Camera droids buzzed about, bobbing up and down, ready to record Nor’s message and send it out across the galaxy as Zahn’s intelligence team worked to combat Arachnid’s constant looped messages.
They’d take back the feeds. Then they’d root him out once and for all—and crush him like the bug he was.
Show them their queen, Valen thought to Nor.
Together, they looked out upon the crowd. A million faces looked back. Faces of every shape and size and color, all of them looking at Nor as if she were their one true ruler. The woman their mother, Klaren, had tried and failed to be.
“People of Arcardius,” Nor said, and the crowd fell silent at once. “I come to you this evening in the wake of a message sent out by a monster. A man who hides in the shadows, who threatens the well-being of many others. He calls himself Arachnid. He dares defy the truth I was sent here to spread across every system in Mirabel, the truth that you now all know: that if you follow me, I will bring new order and new light to this galaxy. I will wipe away the bloodstains of the past, and remove the need for war and terror and destruction.”
Murmurs spread through the crowd at the mention of Arachnid.
Still, the adoration hung like a perfume in the air, thick with Valen’s compulsion. His head buzzed from the noise, but also from the effort of commanding all of them. He needed sleep—sleep, and time to dwell inside his mind and compel more people.
Valen tried to focus on Nor’s voice as it rang across the Academy grounds like a song.
“I refuse to hide the way Arachnid does. The message that I have shared with you, since the beginning of my reign, still remains. We must carry on building Nexus, our shining beacon in the sky. We must dedicate every ounce of our energies to ensure that it is completed on time.” Nor paused a moment for effect, then added, “But there is another mission I must now call upon you to complete.”
Her gaze swept across the crowd as they roared.
As her name formed again on all of their lips.
“Arachnid is our enemy. But there is another who dares to defy me and my name. Androma Racella, known widely as the Bloody Baroness, has spread a reign of terror across this galaxy for far too long. She is my enemy—the only other person standing in our way as we aim to bring peace to Mirabel.” Nor lifted her hands to the sky, smiling
triumphantly. “I implore you, my beloved people, to rise up with me, and bring this young woman forth. Anyone who has intelligence on Androma, or who delivers her to Averia, will have my favor until the end of my days.”
Valen watched as Nor directed her gaze right into the cameras, smiling to himself as she spoke her next words. As she laid the trap for their enemy.
“Androma, if you are watching, I offer you a gift in exchange for your compliance.”
She glanced back at Valen then. He motioned for the girls to step forward from the background, into full view of the camera droids.
Breck, towering over everyone, held her chin high as she moved to stand by Nor’s side. Gilly bobbed excitedly on her toes, the very same way she always had, but now her excitement was for Nor. And Lira, delicate but brave, simply stared ahead, face expressionless as she looked at the cameras.
“Your crew has given their fealty to me. They are loyal to me now, and me alone,” Nor declared, her voice ringing out over all. The droids hovered closer, filming the three girls from all angles. Valen could just imagine the look on Andi’s face when she saw her crew. Alive, and well, but no longer hers. It would hurt her more than any weapon ever could.
Triumph flared in his chest at the genius of his plan.
Nor motioned for the girls to kneel. Valen could feel the dedication pouring off them in waves, see the adoration in their eyes just before they knelt, heads bowing low before their queen. All of them, once mighty soldiers as free as the stars, now fully in bondage to a new leader. So perfect was their commitment to her that they had freely offered up their lives.
Nor lifted her chin in challenge. “Pay close attention, Androma, for I will only say this once. You have three days’ time to arrive at Averia, ready and willing to hand yourself over to me without defiance. Should you fail to arrive on time... I will slaughter your beloved crew, one by one by one.”
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