Galaxy Circus Act Two
Bonus Scene
ATTENTION
If this is your first time reading the Galaxy Circus, I would suggest skipping this scene until you have read it in its entirety because it may contain spoilers for future books.
If you have already experienced this wild ride, then please continue.
Hopefully these new scenes add another layer of enjoyment to the experience.
Maxsim
My mother roars in triumph and holds the dead former matriarch’s heart up for all to see, Mazlan’s bloody corpse sprawled at her feet.
Blood speckles her face as the cheering crowd continues to celebrate her win, but a sob and gasp of shock has me turning my attention to the two other females on the dais.
Minx has wrapped her arms around her little sister, Soshi, shielding her from the sight, and I feel an uncomfortable hint of guilt.
Sure, Mazlan deserved everything she got after attacking Lila when she wasn’t happy with the outcome of the fight, but no child deserves to see their parent, dubious as she might be, die like that.
The Galaxy Circus contingent left abruptly, desperate to get somewhere safe while they try to figure out what is wrong with Lila, but Echo and I chose to remain to support my mother through her transition.
I’m not sure returning to the circus now is a good idea.
My omega is a little too attached to the Earth girl, and I have mixed feelings, jealousy being the most dominant one at the moment.
“Silence,” my mother commands, and the crowd instantly stills, the bite of anticipation fierce in the air.
Echo and I are still in the middle of the arena with Natalia at our feet, unconscious like Lila left her. We turn our attention to the dais, but I keep my senses on high alert for any movement or change of breathing or heart rate that could mean Natalia is waking and a danger to my omega.
“Today marks a new chapter on Iceen. Aggression toward male omegas will no longer be tolerated. Anyone continuing with the values of the former leadership will be punished accordingly. Male omegas will be cherished and welcome once more should any of them present. I also declare the previous command that all whisperers be hunted down and killed is no longer valid. I believe our lack of species diversity and whisperer interaction has led to a downfall in our society. Once upon a time, whisperers were cherished. They added much needed diversity to our species and had the ability to help lightning cats temper their moods and hone their abilities.”
The crowd murmurs, but their attention is completely on my mother and what she is saying.
“Let it be known that Iceen is once again a safe space for whisperers, and they will be valued and loved, and anyone plotting against them or taking aggressive action toward one will also be punished accordingly. It is my hope that my leadership will usher the lightning cats into a more fruitful and flourishing era where your designation doesn’t matter so much as being kind, caring, and loving and that streaks are formed for meaningful reasons and not because they might make your status better. ”
The crowd bursts into cheers. Mazlan and her supporters were definitely a minority on Iceen, but they were a loud group who forced their views onto all with violence and punishment.
“And with that, I would like to announce that Lila Adams is the rightful winner of that fight, and that Natalia will be confined to the dungeon until a punishment can be decided upon. Take her away.” She waves her hand in the direction of the fallen female who is still out cold.
Echo grabs my hand and gives it an excited squeeze.
He knows that no matter what happens next, he will be safe thanks to Lila.
I also feel grateful to the Earth girl, but my jealousy is still stronger, and my attraction is confusing.
The warlock would have a field day with my emotions if he was here now, and I’m grateful he is not.
My emotions are my own to figure out without any outside interference.
Natalia’s two brothers, who were guarding the doors when we first arrived, jump to obey my mother. They bend down and gather up their sister, hauling her to her feet where she hangs limply between them.
I step forward, growling quietly. “Merlion, Romulus, I trust that you will do as the new matriarch has directed and not take your sister and make a run for it.”
My body is braced to take them down if they even show an inkling of guilt, but both of them bow their heads to me in respect.
“I can assure you, neither of us had any fondness for our mother, nor do we believe our sister should go unpunished. It will be our honor to serve your mother in whatever capacity she requires, for she destroyed the woman who has kept us caged to her whims for years,” Merlion replies.
“Our mother would not allow either of us to join streaks, worried that our loyalty would no longer be for her. Now we are free to do so. As for our sister, she has been vicious and violent toward both of us since the day we were born. We have no love for her and hope she suffers for her behavior,” Romulus says gruffly, unable to fully hide the hatred in his tone.
“So do I. She has tried to kill me so many times,” Echo murmurs, huddling closer to me like Natalia is going to open her eyes and attack him at any moment.
“What about your other sisters?” I ask, looking toward the dais where Soshi and Minx still huddle against one another.
“Minx feels as we do. There is no love lost between them, especially since our mother punished her harshly when Natalia took her place in the circus. You will find no trouble with her. She just wanted to take her rightful place with the rest of your former streak,” Merlion answers, confirming what I already knew.
“And the little one?” I ask, and Romulus winces.
“Mother has been kinder to Soshi than she has to the rest of us. I think she realizes she messed up with us, and instead of making us strong and loyal, she made all but Natalia hate her. She decided to try again with a new litter, but she was only able to have one kitten instead of four like ours. Soshi has had the full focus of her attention ever since. She may be a problem, but she may not be. As much as our mother tried to be kinder, it wasn’t really in her nature, and Soshi has suffered—not as much as we did, but it may be enough for her to be grateful our mother is gone. ”
“Poor little one. She just needs to be shown how to love the right way,” my soft-hearted omega murmurs.
“What about her father? I noticed your mother’s streak is not here.” I don’t actually remember ever seeing Mazlan with a streak.
They exchange a glance. “Mother never had a streak. She said it was beneath her to take mates when she was the matriarch,” Romulus admits.
“So what about your fathers?” I ask, feeling a little off balance. “Actually, I don’t even remember Mazlan’s pregnancy with Soshi.”
Before either of them can reply, my mother says something that grabs my attention, and I turn to listen. The brothers take the opportunity to leave, dragging Natalia with them. I’ll have to catch up with them later to get answers to my question.
“Lila Adams is now firmly a friend of Iceen, and I’d like to acknowledge her as the first Skarrian to have whisperer powers in over twenty years.
There may be more out there, but because of our mandate to hunt and kill them, they have kept it secret.
I hope by acknowledging Lila, more of them will surface and choose to reach out to us to establish relationships. ”
The crowd erupts into gasps and whispers of shock and awe.
“So she didn’t win on merit, she cheated,” a voice calls from the crowd, and my mother tosses Mazlan’s heart onto her cold corpse and steps forward, her eyes narrowing as lightning sparks from the tip of her tail.
“Who dares speak?” she demands, her gaze scanning the arena.
No one steps forward, and a bolt of lightning spears from the tip of my mother’s tail.
“There were no rules, only until someone tapped out or was unconscious. How they got that way was not specified. Lila Adams did not cheat, and it was I who informed her of her powers. To challenge her is to challenge me. Step forward, you coward, and face me.”
The crowd shuffles, and the area opposite the dais parts, and someone is pushed forward, the cats surrounding them stepping back almost as if they do not want to be associated with the female.
My mother scowls when she sees who it is.
“Shade. I should have known it was you trying to stir up trouble. Your precious alpha is defeated.” Mother gestures at Mazlan’s corpse.
“You no longer hold any standing amongst the streaks. You are but a bitter, rejected beta who turned down many offers to join a streak because you were riding on Mazlan’s tail.
Keep your dissension to yourself if you ever wish to be looked upon favorably again.
Slink back to your cave, lick your metaphorical wounds, and take a clear look at yourself.
Maybe someone will see value in you again one day. ”
My mother is not pulling any punches today, her claws and fangs firmly on display. Shade hisses at her, her own lightning sparking as she takes another step forward.
My mother chuckles with mirth. “I’ve already ripped out one heart today, I am happy to add yours to the pile if you wish to push this.
” She takes her own step forward and roars, pushing her dominance over the crowd and sending them all to their knees.
Only I remain standing, and she smiles at me with pride.
Shade is so terrified, she involuntarily shifts and slinks away.
I doubt that will be the end of her dissension, but she doesn’t have the guts to do it publicly anymore.
My mother will have to keep an eye on her secret plotting, because I am sure she isn’t the only Mazlan follower who will disagree with my mother’s new decrees, but it isn’t anything she and the rest of her streak can’t handle.