Noble Lies

by Lyneal Jenkins

  The rage dwindled as fast as it had flared. ‘Not Maria.’ God, I was tired. ‘I think we might need her abilities.’

  He nodded and shoved Doug into a chair. The man looked about ready to wet himself.

  I needed answers. ‘Now, can someone please tell me what the hell happened, and where the hell we are.’ I forced myself to look away from Eris. I had so much more to say but now wasn’t the time.

  Adam glanced at Maria, his face drawn with exhaustion. ‘You had better start.’

  Maria rambled on for the next few minutes, recounting most of what I remembered, such as our journey through Downing Street with Cleas hot on our tails. I let her go through it even though I remembered ever moment with haunting detail. ‘Then you sucked up his shi.’ She grinned, her hands flailing about as she recounted her tale. ‘First him, and then all the other Siis in the place. Cleas went first and the cowards quickly scampered after him.’ She paused and stared at her hands as if they were the most interesting thing in the room.

  ‘Then what?’

  ‘Well…’ She shifted on her feet and looked at the floor. ‘That’s when you screamed.’ She met my eyes with concern. ‘I have never heard a person scream like that before. I was sure that you were dying.’

  If only she would get through the story faster. My limbs shook and my stomach rolled. ‘And then?’

  She grinned. ‘You went as crazy as a chimpanzee with no eyes and started running around like a headless chicken.’

  Eris scoffed. ‘What is she? A farmyard?’

  Maria scowled. ‘Sod off, you. It’s been a crappy day.’

  ‘Just finish your account.’ I needed as much information as possible before the General arrived.

  ‘Well, like I said before, you went crazy. You attacked everyone in sight. You even hurt a couple of the soldiers. But don’t worry, they are okay now.’

  As if I cared what happened to them. I stared at her with irritation, wishing she would hurry the hell up. ‘And?’

  ‘Thankfully, someone had the good sense to sedate you.’ She glared at the door as if thinking of someone in particular. ‘I had to stop one of them shooting you.’

  I looked around. The room was windowless, giving me no idea of our location. ‘Where are we?’

  Maria’s eyes gleamed. ‘In one of their secret bases in the south. How cool is that?’

  Adam plated a couple of sandwiches and placed them before me. Upon seeing the food, my stomach growled. I grimaced and smiled in thanks. ‘Maria I understand being here, she would have transported with me, but how did you get here?’ I nibbled on the crust-less corner. I hadn’t eaten solid food in a while and would need to go slow.

  ‘I came as soon as we spoke.’ He scowled. ‘It took some time to get into this place, but their defence is far from infallible.’

  ‘We spoke?’ I focused on my sandwich, unable to look at him in case he saw the hope in my eyes. I’d been so sure I imagined the conversation I’d had with him, so convinced that I’d gone crazy.

  He nodded. ‘When Cleas inhabited your mind, until I was pushed out.’

  Maria stuffed one of my sandwiches into her mouth. Specks of food flew from her lips as she spoke. ‘That’s probably about when you went as crazy as a loon.’

  Eris scoffed. ‘There you go with the animals again.’

  Maria stuffed a whole sandwich into her mouth and grinned at Eris, revealing the half-chewed food. ‘I have more if you want.’

  Eris scowled. ‘The only thing I want is for you to shut your mouth while eating, or better still, permanently.’

  Maria stuck her tongue out with a chewed-up chunk of food resting on the end. ‘Do you want some?’ She rolled the food at the end of her bobbling tongue.

  Eris smiled. ‘Keep going, little witch, and I will rip your tongue out.’

  Maria snorted, though, she pulled her tongue back into her mouth and stopped chewing like a baby. ‘Yeah right.’

  I managed one small triangle of ham sandwich. It lay heavy on my stomach. By the time the door opened, my energy was nearly depleted and my eyes gritty and drooping. Three armed guards stood at attention outside, staring ahead. A tall man with cropped tawny hair and thick moustache spoke to them in hushed tones before he entered. The soldiers remained outside the room, but the closest pulled the door closed.

  I craned my neck to meet the new arrival’s eyes. Unlike Doug, his shoulders were straight and his stare direct. Even without the pips on the lapels of green and brown camouflage uniform, I would have guessed him to be the General. He held himself with authority like he was born for it.

  I maintained eye contact with him, suddenly aware of how the tracksuit bottoms hung low on my hips and how the hospital gown covering my top half was held together with one flimsy tie. I reached behind, trying to pull the sides of the gown together to stuff the material down the bottoms.

  Adam nudged my hands away and pulled the gown around me, sealing it in place. I sensed that looking away from the General wasn’t an option, that this one moment was about strength. The silence in the room became heavy as we continued to study each other. Even Maria didn’t break it.

  Sweat broke out on my forehead as my legs trembled. It took everything I had not to sway as my vision swam in and out and my stomach rolled in waves. I really shouldn’t have eaten the sandwich.

  ‘I think Ms. Martin needs a seat,’ the General said from far away.

  Prickling spiders scurried over my head. I took slow breaths, wishing for a cool breeze on my face, desperate to win this battle over my body. Hands helped me into a seat. Even though I could barely see him, I kept my eyes on the soldier as he sat. Someone thrust a drink into my hand and ordered me to sip. Adam asked Eris if there was anything she could do. The ringing in my ears blocked out her reply, but I continued to feel like crap, so she had either refused or couldn’t help. I kept my gaze on the blur of the General. He was now the focal point to keep me from hitting the floor face first.

  After a few deep breaths, the world came into focus again. I leant back in the chair and, with a little effort, managed to control my breathing. I felt so weak, even lifting an arm to have a sip of water taxed me. I needed to be taken seriously by the man sat waiting for me to explain why I’d called him in here. My near faint had made me look like a crazy person. I suspected that I had less than five minutes to make my case before he left.

  He likely knew everything human about me—my name, age and history—yet I felt the need to introduce myself, if only to get his name. I didn’t hold my hand out as the distance between us was too great to reach him. I waited for him to respond, listening to the tick of the wall clock, the constant noise loud and annoying, like a sharp nail scratching my brain.

  ‘I know who you are.’ His eyes remained stern and watchful, as if he expected me to attack at any minute. After a long pause, he added, ‘I am General Riley, Commander of this base.’

  I took a moment to figure out how to approach the situation. After going over a few scenarios in my mind, I figured I would follow my mother’s advice when it came to bad news; just rip the plaster off in one quick tear. ‘You have a leak.’

  His eyes widened a fraction in surprise before his face became stoic once more. The man before me would give Adam a run for his money when it came to being a closed book.

  ‘This man here’—I pointed at Doug—‘has unwittingly been giving information to Cleas, once second in command to Vakros, now leader of his own rebellion.’

  Doug lurched. ‘I have done no such thing.’ His back stiffened with indignation as he turned to the General. ‘Mark, I can assure you, I have no idea—’

  Adam placed his hand on Doug’s shoulder, pinning him into the chair. ‘Quiet!’

  Doug glared at Adam, and for a moment, I thought he might continue anyway, but his shoulders slumped as he muttered something intelligible and lapsed into silence.

  I turned back to the General, who stared at Adam with narrow eyes. Just what we needed. Although Adam had bee
n trying to help, he might well have just made things worse. ‘You are aware of witches?’ I asked, knowing very well that he was. A flash of memory came to me, of the witch stood in the doorway, hurling magic into the room. She’d been working with a human companion, the man who had haunted many of my dreams, the demon who had secured me to the table while he poured water onto my covered face. Fury shattered through my forced calm, and I nearly screamed with it. I swallow it back too late; the General watched with suspicion, as if he could see the pain I wanted to cause. As there was nothing I could do about the rage he’d seen, or the man I promised myself I would kill, I continued. ‘Cleas is working with at least one witch named Damien.’

  Maria growled under her breath. The General glanced at her and then at his watch, before meeting my gaze once more. His eyes were fixed and sceptical, and by the looks of it, I was fast running out of time.

  Well, as my mum used to say, in for a penny, in for a pound. ‘He has an ability of persuasion and he has been using those skills on Doug here.’

  The General studied Doug with a frown, observing how the Defence Minister looked down at his hands before his gaze settled on me once more. ‘Do you have proof?’

  If only I did. ‘Not as such.’ I filled him in on the details of Doug’s meeting with Damien. The General glanced at Doug in question, but his disbelief still showed in his stern, unrelenting eyes.

  I tried another tactic. ‘Let me ask you this, whose idea was it to involve me in the press conference? A press conference in Ten Downing Street at that?’

  ‘I don’t have that information,’ the General said as Doug groaned.

  I looked at the dishevelled man hunched over in his seat. His glasses were crooked, with one arm resting on his ear instead of hooked over it. I leant towards him, and forced tenderness into my voice, or what I hoped could pass for tenderness; my empathy felt at an all-time low right now. I watched the sweaty man, my teeth clenched, the urge to hit him riding me hard. Even if it had been unintentional, he had put me in this situation. He was the reason Cleas had now moved into my mind.

  ‘It was me.’ Doug groaned into his hands. ‘I told the Prime Minister that it would be the only thing to appease her.’ He pointed at Eris.

  Her eyes widened in genuine surprise. ‘What did I do?’

  ‘You told us that we had to proclaim her innocent to the public.’

  Eris snorted. ‘I never said you should parade her in front of the cameras.’

  I gave her a stern silent stare, warning her not to cause another argument. For the first time ever, she conceded and looked around the room as if bored.

  I turned my attention back to Doug. ‘Why did I need to be there? And more importantly, when did you decide that my presence was needed?’

  Doug shuddered and murmured something under his breath.

  The General leant forwards, his elbows on the table as he studied Doug. ‘Speak louder, man.’

  Doug shuddered again. Keeping his eyes on his hands, he said, ‘The idea came to me when….’ He gulped. ‘When I was… er….’

  ‘With that woman?’ I needed the conversation to move along with more speed. My energy faded fast as I already ran on fumes.

  Doug nodded, unable or unwilling to meet my gaze. I stared at him with revulsion, I couldn’t help it. Not after seeing him in Cleas’s memories.

  I relaxed in my seat. ‘I guess that Doug here knew the location of the daku vain, too?’

  Doug’s eyes widened in surprise followed by horror. He didn’t confirm my suspicions with words; he didn’t need to. I may not have seen that memory in Cleas’s mind, but it didn’t take much common sense to guess who had spilt the beans about the government’s most closely guarded secret.

  The General watched Doug with unease before dragging his gaze to me. ‘Is it possible for a witch to do such a thing?’

  I nodded. ‘I have seen it done.’ I made sure not to look at Maria. If they knew she held such a gift, she would likely be thrown out of the camp, or worse, locked up. ‘You need to call the Prime Minister, and anyone else in power that knows about the Siis. I don’t know how far Cleas’s reach is, and if they were using him’—I pointed at Doug—‘then I guess they couldn’t get to the Prime Minister, but we need to know for sure. Maria?’ She jumped, startled from her thoughts. ‘Is there any way to tell if Damien has messed with anyone else’s mind?’

  She considered my words and shrugged. ‘I will speak to Fi and Grandmamma to see if they know.’

  I’d never heard of Fi but didn’t care enough to ask. I turned back to the General, who no longer looked like a headmaster about to tell me off. ‘There is more, but it will be best if I tell it to everyone at once, save me repeating myself. You need to call an emergency meeting.’ I didn’t want to mention that my strength was fading fast. It took all my concentration not to keel over. Obviously, being in a coma was different from getting sleep, as I didn’t feel refreshed at all.

  The General shook his head. ‘I cannot call a meeting like that. I don’t have the authority.’

  My gaze wandered from Doug to the General. ‘You don’t have a choice. The fate of the human race lies in the balance.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Adam helped me back to the hospital room to wait, leaving the General to organise the meeting. Doug had been taken into a room on his own, a room now guarded with a couple of men. I tried to feel pity for the Defence Minister but couldn’t find it in me. The government had lost their best weapon because of him, and I had nearly lost my life. Worse, I might have lost my sanity; the jury was still out on that one.

  Maria left to find out more about her ability, maybe talking to this Fi, whoever she or he was. Eris followed us to the room, but once Adam helped me sit on the bed, he kicked her out and closed the door, blocking the world out. He stroked his fingers down the side of my face leaving a trail of warmth on my skin.

  I wanted him to continue with his touch, but I flinched back, not able to torture myself any longer. ‘So, what has been happening here?’

  He scowled and dropped his hand down. ‘Mainly arguments.’ He pulled the chair to the bed and sank into it. ‘Maria refused for us to take you which, as you can imagine, caused ruction between her and Eris.’

  I smiled a little. ‘She won, though?’

  He nodded. ‘When Eris agreed there was nothing we could do.’

  I frowned. ‘That still doesn’t sound like Eris. Giving up isn’t her style.’

  He chuckled and a little light returned to his tired eyes. Had he stayed with me the entire time? Had he had any sleep? They said I’d been under for eighteen days, and he looked like he hadn’t slept for any of them.

  ‘She eventually understood that, although we may not trust the humans, taking you to Malachi would put you in more danger.’

  I blinked in surprise. ‘She has gone against Malachi?’

  His smile broadened. My heart ached seeing it. ‘She did not disobey him as she has not spoken to him to receive any orders regarding you.’

  ‘That is a fine line she walks.’

  He nodded. ‘Indeed it is, yet she has become quite practised at walking it.’

  We sat in silence for a few minutes, each deep in our own thoughts, mine a contemplation of getting some sleep and deciding whether to discuss what I’d learnt from Adam’s memories.

  I was just about to follow the first option when Adam spoke.

  ‘Ana—’

  ‘I saw your memories.’ Option two it was then. ‘I saw your wife and child. I am so sorry. Not just for their deaths, but for how they died.’ Grief thickened my throat, the residual feelings from his memories overwhelming me.

  His eyes widened with surprise. ‘You entered my mind?’

  I shrugged. ‘I don’t know about that, I just know that Cleas’s memories weren’t the only ones I got to experience.’

  Adam watched me, waiting, able to sense that I needed to speak what was on my mind.

  ‘I also saw the night that we … er �
� you know.’

  ‘Conceived our child?’

  I nodded. ‘I know how you felt before and after.’ I swallowed deeply. I would say these words, even if it killed me. ‘I know the guilt that haunts you, not just for the betrayal you feel towards Gabriel, but—’ I swallowed again. I would not cry ‘—the guilt you feel for betraying your wife.’ She was dead, but it didn’t stop his feelings from being intense and cutting. ‘I know you thought about her after, and even—’ I would say it. I wouldn’t be a coward ‘—even when we were… er… committing the act.’ His gaze laid heavy on me, but I couldn’t look up. ‘I now fully understand how I pushed you into doing it.’ The emotions I had thrust onto him were clear in my mind. He had even begged me to stop. But after the fight with Suraya and her cronies, I’d needed to feel alive, to feel safe. ‘I know that it was against your will.’ I forced myself to meet his eyes again. I never would have thought that you could cry without tears, but as I looked at the Siis I loved with all my heart, I couldn’t deny my grief, even if my face remained dry.

  Adam reached for me, but I slapped his hands away. I couldn’t have him touch me. I wouldn’t be able to handle that. I forced strength into my words. ‘I know it has only been a few years since they died. I know that in your heart, you are not ready to move on.’ I looked down at my hands unable to meet his gaze. If I did, I would crack apart, maybe beg him to love me. ‘Maybe one day, when our lives are different, maybe then we can ….’ I couldn’t finish the rest. I shook myself. I needed to get my mind on other things. I laid back in the bed. ‘So…’ I instantly felt vulnerable and sat straight back up, though left my legs out before me. ‘What were the arguments about when I came into the room?’

  He groaned. ‘Maria has tried to engage both parties in discussions, us and the humans. As you may have seen, it has not worked as well as she hoped.’

  I sighed with a heavy heart. ‘We need it to work. Cleas plans to wipe us out, then take on Vakros, and then Malachi.’

  Adam snorted. ‘He has always held high ambitions, even after he failed to be selected for training.’