Chapter 30
Avery
I’m still hurting, but I’m recovering.
Not that it matters. I’m about to be executed.
All four of us will be, based on what we know about Mallow.
Morlock’s judgment is what they call a trial.
Everyone who faces it dies. They don’t make arrests unless they’re sure they will get a conviction.
Or the system is so corrupt innocent people die just like the guilty ones.
I’m not mourning my death. I’m mourning the fact my children will grow up without me.
I didn’t understand the connection between mother and child until I saw mine.
Now I do. I’d do anything to protect those children.
Even if it means dying without putting up a fight, just so they’ll be taken care of.
“They told me what will happen to our children,” I say, glancing at my mates. “After we’re gone. They’ll be put up for adoption and babies are always placed with families.”
“They’ll suffer,” Sigurd growls. “Especially the boy, if he has Fenrir’s Mark.”
“He does,” I confirm. “I checked the first time I held him. It’s faint, but it’s there. He’ll be a wolf like his fathers.”
“Maybe our daughters will live good lives here,” Ivar sighs. “Hopefully, they’ll remain together, so they at least have each other.”
“Not Vivar. Not when they find out he’s a wolf,” Sigurd says.
My heart sinks because I know he’s right.
But I don’t have time to dwell on it. The doors behind us open, and I notice the black horns first. It’s a demon.
Or whatever Dr. Grix was. In fact, this one looks exactly like the drawings I’ve seen of their god, Morlock.
He’s wearing a long black robe that reminds me of what judges wore back on Earth.
His horns glimmer from the flickering fire that engulfs the walls.
My mates and I watch as he walks past us, but he doesn’t look our way.
He steps onto the platform, walks behind the desk, and sits in the chair.
There’s a gavel to his right, but he doesn’t reach for it.
He just glares at us before shaking his head and rubbing his tongue across his teeth, which sounds like metal scraping against metal and feels uncomfortable in my ears.
“Three sons of Fenrir and a human girl,” the demon rumbles. “Are you prepared to face my judgment?”
“Your judgment?” Erik asks. “Are you supposed to be Morlock?”
“I am,” the demon says.
“Impossible,” Ivar argues. “They’ve been worshipping Morlock too long for you to be their god. We’ve met Gali’gorath’krians before. Let me guess, you found a planet where they worship someone who looks like you and decided to manipulate them into believing you were him?”
“Strong words for someone facing my judgment,” Morlock says.
“I’ve been here longer than the people here have lived in cities.
But a living god is frightening, so I remain hidden except from those who need to know of my existence.
Until someone is sitting in front of me, of course.
I like to look them in the eyes when I pass judgment, even if it’s unnecessary. ”
“Take these shackles off and I’ll show you that you’re not a living god,” Sigurd growls. “Just a fucking demon masquerading as one. You’re definitely not as old as you claim.”
“I knew to use wolfsbane to stop you. I’m sure you noticed the shackles looked nothing like what you’ve seen since you’ve been living on this world.
Believe what you wish. It does not matter,” Morlock says.
“What matters is that you have disturbed the peace on my world. I’ve worked too hard to ensure it to have it upended by those who do not belong here. ”
“How do you know what we are?” Erik asks. “And how did you find us?”
“My equipment is much more advanced than what you’ve seen on this world.
I have technology older than your Midgard.
Older than her Earth. I share what the primitives need to advance naturally, but I don’t normally meddle with their progress,” he answers.
“I detected your ship when it appeared, but I couldn’t track it once you entered the atmosphere.
Until you got your communication systems back online, at least. Then I knew exactly how to find you.
I monitored your communication, heard the…
good news about your mate. I knew it was only a matter of time before you showed your faces. My team was ready.”
I stare at the demon. I want to say something. Plead for my life. Plead for my babies to be safe. But it feels so hopeless. Even if this demon isn’t a god, he might as well be one. He can have us executed. He might even be able to do it himself.
“What are you doing to do with our children?” Ivar asks.
“They’ll face the same fate as their parents,” he announces.
My eyes widen in a panic. They’re going to kill my children. “What?” I scream. “No!”
“That’s not right!” Sigurd yells. “Your man… Agent Anderson. He said you don’t execute children!”
“We generally don’t hold the sins of the father, or fathers, against the children,” Morlock grinds out. “But this is a special circumstance. I can’t have a wolf running around my peaceful paradise.”
“The girls aren’t wolves,” Ivar says.
“They aren’t, no,” Morlock says. “More human than Viking and certainly not wolves. But humans are just as bad as wolves. All they do is fight and make weapons to destroy each other with. I made sure that doesn’t happen here, but you complicate things. So do your children.”
“You’ve been to Earth?” I ask, confused by how familiar he is with us. “And Midgard?”
“I’ve been to most of them,” he answers, waving a clawed hand dismissively. “Enough with the pleasantries. It’s time for me to pass judgment.”
I exchange glances with my mates. My heart is thundering in my chest. My stomach is coiled in a tight knot. This is it. We’re going to die. Not only us, but our children. Sweet, innocent babies who have done nothing wrong.
“Wait,” Erik says. “Just… please, not Avery. Not our children. We’ll accept your judgment. If you want to kill us, kill us, but please spare them.”
“We kidnapped Avery,” Ivar says. “She’s not with us by choice. She was chosen from Earth’s survivors by the Intergalactic Alliance. That means something, right? She’s supposed to survive. So are her children.”
“I don’t give a damn about the Intergalactic Alliance as long as they stay away from Mallow,” Morlock says. “They’re children playing God, just like we were once upon a time. But I have a feeling they will soon meet the same fate as their ancestors, if history repeats itself, as it often does.”
“She’s still innocent. So are those babies,” Sigurd growls, digging his nails into the table. “You can’t kill them!”
“You will all be judged the same,” Morlock says, raising his gavel. “My word is absolute. For your crimes since arriving on Mallow, you will be sentenced. Please rise.”
Sigurd lowers his head. He puts his palms on the desk and pushes himself up.
Erik and Ivar do the same, then Erik helps me to my feet.
I’m a mess. Tears are about to fall. My knees are wobbling.
I’d like to believe I could face my own death with more dignity.
I certainly did when the meteor was minutes away.
But now I’m worried about more than myself.
“I sentence you to banishment,” Morlock calls out, banging his gavel. “The sentence will be carried out immediately.”
I look at my mates, and they’re as confused as I am. Banishment doesn’t sound like death.
“Banishment?” Erik asks. “What does that mean?”
“It means you are banished from Mallow. Forever. You will leave tonight, and you will never return,” Morlock says. “If you do, you will be executed, even if I believe you should be spared.”
Erik looks conflicted. He swallows hard and shakes his head. “Our ship won’t fly. There’s no way we can get home.”
“I don’t care where you go, but I will repair your ship,” Morlock says, standing up. “My judgment has been rendered. My decision is final. Follow me.”
“Our children,” I say, gripping Ivar’s hand.
“They will face the same banishment as you,” Morlock pronounces, walking to the wall to the right.
“And the same applies to them. If they return, they will be executed, no matter how much time has passed. I’d suggest you pass that warning to the rest of your kind, as well.
Mallow is my home. You’ve got the rest of the universe to do with as you wish. ”
Morlock holds up his hand and holograms appear over his palm. He aims his palm at the wall, the flames part, and the wall opens with a hiss. All I can see on the other side is a bright white light.
“Come,” Morlock says, stepping into the light.
We’re still shackled, but we shuffle toward the wall. Erik holds my hand the entire way to make sure I don’t fall. Ivar is the first to the wall. He steps into the light without saying anything. Sigurd hesitates and mutters a few obscenities before stepping through.
“I don’t know what is happening here, but if he can repair our ship, we can leave this planet,” Erik sighs. “But not without our children.”
“Agreed,” I say, wincing as we step through.
The white light is blinding for a moment, then the world seems to materialize under my feet and all around me. I look around in confusion until I realize we’re standing in the barn. In Erik’s workshop. The ship is no longer cloaked, and the doors are wide open.
“I’ve reclaimed the gold that you hadn’t already wasted,” Morlock snaps. “It’s useless to me, but it’s currency here, so I returned what I could.”
Morlock aims his device then three seams appear out of thin air. They crackle for a moment, then remain where they are. I can’t see what is on the other side, but the darkness reminds me of outer space.
“What the hell is that?” Erik asks.
“Pocket dimensions,” Morlock says. “Where I keep the supplies I’ve stored over the years. Most of it can’t be found on this planet.”