Chapter 23

Siona

L eaning against one of the central islands of the laboratory, I showed Nemrox the interface of the program I developed to scramble and destroy the psychic disruptor implants the Guldans we captured used to avoid being mind-controlled.

"Once you activate the program like this, the bracer will emit a low frequency signal up to a one-hundred-meter radius," I explained. "Unfortunately, the process is quite slow."

"Why is that?" he asked with curiosity.

"Because Sarenians perceive a broad ultrasonic spectrum. The signal is emitting right now, but you don't hear it, right?"

He strained his ear, as did Alred who was standing nearby. Both males shook their heads.

I puffed out my chest smugly before changing the frequency. "But if I increase it like this…"

"Yes!" Nemrox said. "I hear it now."

I glanced at Alred who nodded to confirm he could hear it as well.

"At this current frequency, I could disable the disruptor in about five minutes. The trouble is that a Sarenian would detect it. If we were only dealing with the Guldans, it would be a non-issue. But your people would quickly realize what's going on and act accordingly," I continued. "At a higher frequency, I could disable it in seconds, but anyone with psionic powers in range would be at risk of severe psychic bruising or worse. So for now, we must stick to this lower frequency to keep our men safe. It takes a lot more time to do its work, but at least it's undetectable and can give us the element of surprise, which could turn the tide."

"But the delay could prove problematic if it is too long," Nemrox mused aloud.

I nodded. "For this specific reason, I messaged Tevek to give me insights on how we can speed it up. To say he's intrigued by the challenge is quite an understatement," I added with amusement, my heart filling with affection thinking of my big brother.

I aspired to become as brilliant an engineer as he was and to put my skills to the prosperity of my new people.

"Excellent. Your skills and achievements are quite impressive, my daughter," Nemrox said in a paternal fashion that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

The way he wholeheartedly embraced me, not just as his son's mate and future Queen, but as a full member of his family with unwavering support meant the world to me.

"Thank you. I really enjoy doing this, especially knowing it can make us all safer," I said while tucking a strand of my silver hair behind my pointy ear, feeling a little shy and self-conscious.

"It pleases me tremendously to see you thrive," Nemrox said in a gentle tone. "I confess that when we first realized you were my Zerien's soulmate, I didn't really see how you were a match. As Fate makes no mistake, I didn't question or doubt it. But now, it is plain to see how you were always meant to be ours. We're blessed to have you. I cannot wait to see where you and Zerien will take our people."

My throat tightened with emotion. "Thank you. This means more to me than you'll ever know. It was quite scary—not to say terrifying—at first. But now, I'm finding my bearings. And I must say that having Kaelin by my side has been a tremendous blessing."

The look of deep approval on his stunning face made me realize he, too, had feared a potential clash between Kaelin and me.

"She truly is a blessing. No words can express how happy I am that you two get along. Kaelin is not the fruit of my body, but like you, she is a true daughter to me."

I nodded. "She is a good woman. To me, she has become a sister."

To my surprise, Nemrox raised this hand and gently caressed my cheek in that affectionate way I'd seen other Sarenians occasionally do. I remembered all too well Kaelin telling me that I wanted people from my inner circle to instinctively give me these types of gentle touches. It conveyed loyalty and true devotion. A caress to the face expressed the deepest bond.

I beamed at him and blinked back the stupid tears that were pricking my eyes. It wasn't like me to be randomly emotional like this. But then, I'd never been in a situation where I desperately wanted to be loved and accepted just the way I was by the people who were to become my new family.

My smile faded when a sudden ruckus outside seeped through the closed doors. Moments later, the doors burst open. Before I could even see who had barged in, moving at lightning speed, Nemrox and Alred took defensive positions in front of me.

"Princess! We must speak to you!" Deliah's voice exclaimed.

"Stand back, Korletheans, before I cut you down!" Commander Kolvar shouted, his weapons drawn menacingly towards Deliah and Killian.

"Stop!" I shouted, pushing through Nemrox and Alred.

"What's the meaning of this?!" Nemrox asked in a stern tone, his icy blue eyes glaring in turn at the Commander of his Imperial Guard and at the two Korletheans.

"They demand to speak with the Princess even though we've told them she's not to be disturbed," Kolvar said, his eyes throwing daggers at the Oracle.

"What is it, Deliah?" I asked in a gentle voice, although panic attempted to take root in my heart. "Is it Zerien?"

She pressed her fingertips to her temples, massaging them with a look of pain as if strained by a particularly brutal headache.

"There are too many paths colliding," she said in a haunted voice. "Too much death, too much blood. It keeps changing before I can fully grasp what is happening. I believe the attack will take place today."

She no sooner spoke those words than Nemrox nodded at Kolvar. As was often the case with people sharing a close bond or years of collaborating, the Commander didn't need his Emperor to speak to understand what he wanted. He frantically tapped on the interface of his bracer, opening a communication on a secure channel before ordering for everyone to be on high alert and to scan for intruders.

Dismissing him from my thoughts, I refocused on the Oracle.

"What of Zerien?" I pressed.

She shook her head and gave me a distressed look. "I'm sorry. All my efforts to probe the future show nothing. I can't see him."

"No!" I exclaimed, my blood draining from my face.

"Peace, Princess," Killian interjected, raising his palm in an arresting gesture. "The Prince lives. I saw him fighting during the Great War. Whatever happens today or in the near future, he will survive."

My shoulders slouched with relief. Of course, I knew this. But when it came to the welfare of the love of my life, the slightest threat made it difficult for me to keep thinking rationally.

"Then we must get Eldrin, the women of the Council, and all the noncombatant staff to safety at once," I said in a firm tone before remembering my place and glancing at Nemrox for his approval.

Until Zerien's coronation, Nemrox remained the Emperor.

"Agreed," he replied.

"Hmm…" Killian said, looking like he was searching for his words.

"You seem troubled," I told the Seer.

"I saw you talking with a Guldan," he said carefully. "You scream and then he fires his blaster at Eldrin."

"Oh, Goddess, no!" I exclaimed, pressing my palm to my chest. "He dies?!"

He opened his palms in a helpless gesture. "I don't know, Princess. The vision stopped when he fired."

I jerked my head towards the Oracle. "Deliah?" I asked.

She hesitated before answering in a cautious tone. "In some paths, he lives. In others, he doesn't. In all of them, you are the key."

"Which path? In which path does he live?" I insisted.

"It's not how it works, Siona. I only see that he lives, not the choices you made leading up to that outcome. I only know that there are a few positive paths," she said with a sad expression.

I growled with annoyance in a way eerily similar to my father's in similar circumstances.

"There's something else you should know," Killian said, reclaiming our attention. "I saw an explosion in the tunnels, battles in the gardens, and even more fighting in the Commons. If it is not today, it will be tomorrow. But judging by Deliah's constantly shifting visions, I am convinced the attack is imminent."

He appeared on the verge of saying more, then changed his mind. I opened my mouth to press him not to keep secrets as every bit of information could be valuable, but Nemrox speaking kept me from doing so.

"Kolvar, contact Zerien," he ordered.

"No!" I exclaimed. "If he's under attack, we can't distract him or give away to our enemies the fact that we know they're about to strike. Zerien must focus on his mission, especially if there's the slightest chance he might cut them down at the root. I say we secure the palace and protect our people until he returns, as planned."

"The Prince ordered that we message him as soon as we're under threat," Kolvar challenged.

"He asked that we contact him once the attack begins," I corrected in a gentle but firm tone, forcing myself to bite back my aggravation at his far-too-frequent patronizing tone.

I understood his difficulty at taking me seriously both because of my young age and the fact that I was an off-worlder. But he was a fool to underestimate me. I may not have faced real battle, but I had undergone the type of intense training most people could only dream about.

"The attack has not begun yet, and we're not certain that it will happen today," I continued in a reasonable tone. "It makes no sense to pull him away from his mission on a maybe. We're not helpless."

"So what do you suggest?" Nemrox asked in a gentle tone.

For the silliest reason, him seeming to genuinely want to defer to my opinion suddenly made me feel highly self-conscious and a little less cocky. It took every ounce of my willpower not to tuck my hair behind my ear or to squirm. It was the type of tell no one wanted to see displayed by a person in a position of power during a crisis.

"I believe we should move the women of the Serail, and both your and Zerien's Councils to the bunkers for safety. Then we should send all non-essential staff back home to reduce the risk of unnecessary casualties or hostage taking." I then turned to look at the Korlethean Seer. "Killian should go to the control room to see if he can recognize which tunnel collapsed. As I can only think of those leading to the bunkers, we want to avoid trapping anyone in the one that may become inaccessible because of debris."

Although he nodded, Kolvar slightly frowned. "You didn't say that we should bring Eldrin and his Matriarch to the bunker."

"Because of the bunker situation. We do not know which ones will remain safe once the collapse occurs. If it comes to that, the Council will comfortably handle being trapped a few days until they are rescued. The young Prince not so much. I think we should bring him to my wing as we have a direct secret passage to each of the bunkers. Or we could send him to Nemrox's wing," I amended sheepishly while glancing at my father-in-law.

"Yours is better," Nemrox immediately said. "As I'll be leading the charge with the Imperial Guard, I won't feel comfortable with him not being with one of us."

I didn't know what expression settled on my face, but it made Nemrox burst out laughing.

"Don't look so shocked, my dear. I'm not the Emperor just because I'm the prettiest Sarenian," he said with a teasing expression. "I rule because I'm the most ruthless and vicious male among our people… Well, after my son Zerien, that is."

I snorted, enjoying this playful side of him. Nemrox was indeed breathtakingly beautiful, even more so than the average Sarenian population who were all stunning. Although I knew the apex alpha ruled their people, having only ever seen his sweet and fatherly side, I struggled to reconcile the image of him as a merciless and bloodthirsty predator.

"While I wouldn't be so foolish as to question your battle prowess, you are the current Emperor," I gently reminded him. "It seems to me that we should keep you safe and not fighting at the front."

He raised an eyebrow and looked at me as if I'd said something silly.

"Tell me, Siona. You who have grown in the shadow of both Magna Ravik and Magnar Keran, would either of them have remained safely tucked away in their fortress while their men went to battle, or would they have led the charge?" he asked in a soft tone.

My cheeks heated, and I made a face at him, which only made him chuckle.

"Fine, you win. But you can't blame me for wanting to keep you safe," I said with a slight pout that made him chuckle even more.

"The Imperial Guard has done so for the more than two decades of his reign," Kolvar said in a clipped tone, visibly offended. " We will protect the Emperor."

"Of course," I replied in my best impression of a sheepish apology.

"No, Kolvar," Nemrox replied in a taunting fashion laced with a hint of hardness that I believed was triggered by his annoyance at his Commander's not-so-subtle distrust of me. " I will be the one protecting all of you."

I bit the inside of my cheeks not to smile to have the obnoxious male thus put back in his place. However, as was his wont, Nemrox didn't drag the matter out. He always went straight to the point. When discipline needed to be handed down, it was swift, and then the matter was deemed settled. Having made his point, he didn't needlessly prolong Kolvar's humiliation.

"If we're all in agreement, let's go," Nemrox said. "I want our people safe as quickly as possible."

As we headed towards the door, I noticed Killian casting furtive glances my way, looking troubled.

"What is it?" I asked the Seer just as Alred was reaching for the door.

"Nothing," Killian said, averting his eyes.

"Don't lie to me," I said, my tone instantly hardening. "If there's something else you've seen, speak up. Too many lives are on the line for you to keep secrets."

Sudden understanding dawned on me when he started casting nervous glances at the others.

"I have nothing to hide from anyone here," I added in a gentler tone. "You may speak freely."

Far from appeasing him, my words seemed to unnerve him even more. He shifted on his feet and glanced once more at the others before going for it.

"During your confrontation with the Guldan, you will tell him that you don't care if he kills Eldrin," Killian said.

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed.

"You lie!" Alred hissed, taking a menacing step towards the Seer, his hand instinctively settling on the pommel of his sword, ready to attack.

"It's okay," I interjected quickly while pressing my palm in a soothing fashion on his right shoulder to keep him from advancing further. "Killian, surely you know that I would never think that, let alone say it?"

The oddest expression fleeted over his features before he took on a mulish expression. "Must I remind you that I'm a Seer? The visions I receive always come true exactly as I see them. You will say those words."

"But why would I…?"

My voice trailed off as Killian held my gaze with great intensity. A spark of sudden understanding went off inside my head. He was giving me a hint about events that would take place so that I would be mentally prepared for the type of actions I might need to take.

By the Goddess, what I wouldn't give to get inside the head of a Seer or an Oracle. They had to tread an incredibly fine line between what they had to say, and what they should keep silent not to influence the target in a way that might stir them away from the path they would have otherwise chosen for themselves.

"Duly noted," I said at last.

The discreet smile and the glimmer of approval in his eyes confirmed I properly interpreted his intentions. It still confused me why I would say such a thing, but I would likely need to bluff my way out of whatever mess awaited us.

"Trust in yourself, Princess. You're far greater than you give yourself credit for," Killian added in a mysterious way.

"I do trust myself. But others, not so much," I blurted out, my eyes flicking in a not-so-subtle way towards Kolvar.

I instantly kicked myself for it, but it was too late to take it back. Although he clearly bristled at this, the Commander of the Imperial Guard didn't comment. To my shock, it was Alred who spoke.

"We proudly serve you, Princess."

My chest constricted upon hearing his word and seeing the somewhat shy smile stretching his lips. In his own way, my bodyguard just acknowledged that he now had faith in me. I returned his smile, moved to the core.

"Thank you. Now let's go get my son to safety."

"Yes, Princess," Alred said.

To my shock, he absentmindedly caressed my upper arm before opening the door and leading the way out. I gaped at his receding back, my hand instinctively settling over the part of my arm he had touched. The look of approval on both Nemrox's and Deliah's faces melted me from the inside out.

My heart soaring, I walked out of the room with the others.