Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
K endra spent much of the next week in bed with her mates. Both males had busy schedules, but they tried to arrange their obligations so they could spend as much time with her as possible. They shared many of their meals and strolled around the outpost hand in hand, announcing to everyone that they were now a potential triad.
Anxious to test her new abilities, Kendra worked with a couple of the female trainers as well as Zevon and Arcon. Within hours she was throwing fireballs, the most common Altorian ability. But Kendra also had Pyronese blood so she could manipulate Air. One of the mentors, Jopsin, had been trained by a Pyronese Wraith. She taught Kendra how to ‘excite’ molecules, or the space between molecules to be more specific.
Kendra stood at one end of the training room, a small bottle of oil resting on a waist-high stand about twenty-five yards away. The room was set up like a shooting range with partial barricades to protect the individual participants. Jopsin stood a step back from Kendra, offering verbal commands without interfering.
“Look beyond the physical,” Jopsin began. “Sink into the oil and sense its molecular makeup.”
Kendra imagined the resistance of the bottle and then the slickness of the golden oil. She floated in the silky pool for a moment and then ventured deeper. Releasing the literal image, she pictured the inner structure. Jopsin had showed her an image of the molecules to help Kendra focus, but assured her that specificity wasn’t necessary.
“Feel the intermolecular space,” Jopsin instructed. “Let the vacuum pull you in.”
Allowing her mind to sink into the image, Kendra pictured herself surrounded by golden drops connected by thin filaments. Some formed messy lines. Others complete circles. All around her was emptiness, the intermolecular space Jopsin wanted Kendra to target.
“Now disrupt the emptiness. Fill it full of Air.” Jopsin’s voice was soft yet confident.
Kendra pushed energy outward, channeling Air through her body. The golden drops began to spin and bounce off each other, colliding with enough force to make the emptiness vibrate.
“More,” Jopsin urged. “Use violent bursts rather than a continual stream.”
The bottle cracked and the oil spilled out on Kendra’s first attempt. Her second caused the bottle to burst. The bottle exploded on her fourth attempt and the oil burst into flames.
“Very good,” Jopsin praised. “The technique works with anything, but targeting flammable objects has an obvious benefit. Of course, the size of your targets will be limited until you form a triad.”
“Of course,” Kendra grumbled. That seemed to be the case with everything. Without a source and a controller, she would never operate at anything close to her real potential. Well, she wasn’t quite ready to be claimed so she would continue to learn everything she could as an unbound female.
Busy days led to passionate nights. For the sake of convenience and to foster the building intimacy, Arcon moved into Zevon’s apartment. Arcon ‘made love’ to Kendra more often than he took her roughly. She savored the tenderness but also loved it when he lost control. Whenever Zevon was involved, however, the encounter never stayed tame for long. Zevon’s sexual aggression drew out Arcon’s controller tendencies and they both became more demanding. For the most part, Kendra submitted without hesitation, but occasionally something they said or did sparked her rebellious nature. Various forms of discipline inevitably followed, yet the pain and humiliation only made the sex more intense once the lesson had concluded.
There was still a surreal quality to the events that kept Kendra from accepting that what she was experiencing could become the rest of her life. A few short months ago she’d been on Earth believing that humans were alone in the universe. Now she was half a galaxy away being courted by two of the most powerful males in the star system. She found her mates fascinating, challenging, and sexy as hell. She had no idea why fate had been so generous but she wasn’t about to argue.
Zevon and Arcon had appointments first thing in the morning nine days into their courtship. Eden and Ansley had been away from the Citadel on missions so Kendra invited them to breakfast. This was the first time she’d seen either since Arcon started courting her. Arcon walked Kendra to the dining hall and kissed her in full view of everyone present. By the time she reached the table where her friends sat, they were staring at her in wide-eyed disbelief.
“When did that happen?” Eden cried as Kendra sat down.
“Does Zevon know?” Ansley asked, forehead creased by her confusion.
“Of course Zevon knows,” Kendra objected. “I would never allow another male to touch me unless Zevon knew and approved.”
“But they’re both controllers.” Eden looked as confused as Ansley.
“Arcon qualified as both a controller and a source, but he prefers the role of source,” Kendra clarified.
“Then this isn’t just physical? You three are forming a triad?” Eden shook her head, but she was smiling brightly. “Holy shit, woman. When you go for it, you really go for it. Half the conduits on this outpost wish they were you right now.”
A pleased smile parted Kendra’s lips. She knew Arcon was popular with other females, but Zevon was too intimidating to attract many wannabe mates. She didn’t care what anyone else thought. The combination was perfect for her and that was all that mattered. “Nothing is decided yet. We’re simply courting.”
Ansley and Eden both laughed, then Eden said, “ You might be courting, but I saw the look in Arcon’s eyes. His decision is set in stone. He intends to claim you.”
“And Zevon is even more possessive than Arcon,” Ansley added. “I hope you know what you’re doing because those two together are going to be hell on wheels.”
“Go back to the beginning,” Eden urged. “How did Arcon end up in bed with you and Zevon? Did Zevon recruit him, or did you finally get up the nerve to tell Arcon how you felt about him?”
“It was mostly Zevon,” Kendra admitted. “He asked if I had a source in mind, and I told him I was attracted to Arcon. They talked it over and the rest just happened.” In an explosion of blinding passion and aggressive dominance, it happened, but Kendra’s friends didn’t need to know the details.
“Well, congratulations,” Eden said. “You did good, girlfriend. Really good.”
“What’s it like with the two of them?” Ansley laughed when she saw Kendra’s shocked expression. “I didn’t mean in bed. How do Zevon and Arcon get along the rest of the time? They both have such strong personalities.”
“And Tandor and Jobek don’t?” Kendra laughed. “I think every conduit has to contend with the clash of strong personalities. That’s what courting is all about. Each triad learns how to operate as a team in and out of bed.”
“So what’s this going to do to the alliance?” Eden wanted to know. “The leaders of Houkdi are expecting two conduits in about ten days and they’re only going to get one.”
Kendra cringed. This was a complication she’d been trying not to think about. “I drew number five. Six and seven were asked if they wanted to switch to Houkdi. Not surprisingly, they said no. Number eight chose Houkdi already, so that means number nine would have been left with Houkdi if I hadn’t participated in the selection process. I’m sure she’s not happy about it, but number nine will now be going to Houkdi. That’s the only fair solution.”
“Who drew number nine?” Ansley asked.
“Jessie,” Kendra admitted with a sigh. “Zevon thinks it will do her good. Houkdi tribesmen are notorious for being strict. All I know is she won’t accept this without making a scene. Knowing Jessie, a very ugly scene.”
“I suspect you’re right,” Ansley conceded, “but I don’t see any other way to maintain the integrity of the process.”
“And Jessie agreed to the process,” Eden stressed. “She would have been number eight if you hadn’t drawn a number.”
“I agree. I’m just not sure…”
White noise suddenly filled Kendra’s ears, and her vision faded away from the outside in. For just a moment, she hung suspended in total darkness, isolated and unable to move. Fear expanded through her confusion and she tried to struggle within the void. What was this? What the hell was happening to her?
A room formed in front of her, coming into focus gradually. The walls were ivory accented in gold and the floor looked like marble. Opulent was the only word she could think of to describe it, but a strange sense of foreboding hung like a cloud over the scene.
In front of her stood a dais, and on the dais was a throne. It took her a moment to recognize the male seated upon the throne. She’d seen images of him a couple of times, but the news feeds hadn’t captured the arrogant malevolence of Emperor Jevara of Torret.
Jevara pushed to his feet and walked down the stairs, anger flashing in his blue-green eyes. He sneered, lips moving, but Kendra couldn’t hear what he was saying.
The scene expanded and Kendra saw the other male. Tall and lean with short auburn hair, the other male faced Jevara, hands clasped behind his back. His lips moved, likely responding to whatever the emperor had said.
What good were the images if she couldn’t hear their words? She focused, pulling energy into her mind as she listened more intently. Kendra’s ears buzzed and gradually their voices manifested in her mind.
“You sanctimonious prick.” The voice was sharp with anger and Jevara’s mouth wasn’t moving, so Kendra presumed the words had come from the second male. “Every planet in this star system had ships out hunting for those females. No one could have done better,” the stranger insisted.
Jevara reached the main floor and faced off with the auburn-haired male. “You promised not to fail, so where is my goddam conduit?” Apparently, the angry question wasn’t impactful enough because Jevara shoved the other male.
“I tried to bring you one but there were complications beyond my control.” Who was he? Only someone who knew the emperor well would dare to speak to him so angrily.
“A good commander anticipates complications.” Jevara stressed his displeasure with another shove. “You are fucking useless!”
“I had no idea the warship would be there and you know it. I set my trap for a hunter team. Cylex ambushed me with a warship.”
“Irrelevant!” Jevara’s voice became shrill as he stomped his foot. “You failed. You failed. You failed! At every fucking turn you failed.” He sounded deranged and looked as if he might tear into the other male with his bare hands.
The other male suddenly punched Jevara right in the face. The emperor’s arms flapped wildly trying to prevent his fall. It did no good. Jevara slammed down across the stone stairs. A loud thunk echoed in the room as his head connected with the carved marble. Blood flowed out from beneath his head and Kendra sensed the energy flowing out of Jevara’s body. She felt him grow colder and colder until there was no spark, no heartbeat, no life left in the emperor.
White noise returned and the vision faded, releasing Kendra’s mind.
“Kendra. Kendra,” Eden was calling, and Ansley knelt beside Kendra’s chair.
Blinking repeatedly, Kendra tried to clear her mind. It was hard to focus and flashes of the vision remained.
Ansley lightly slapped Kendra’s fingers. “Come on, Kendra. Come back to us.”
Jevara was dead or soon would be. Did that mean the war was over? “Zevon,” Kendra whispered. “I need Zevon.” She started to stand up, but Eden urged her back down.
“You stay put,” Eden insisted. “He can come here.” When Kendra didn’t argue or try to rise, she added, “What the hell just happened?”
“Have you ever had a seizure before?” Ansley asked. “I’m pretty sure that’s what this was.”
Kendra shook her head. “I saw… this was a new power.”
“You had a vision?” Eden pulled out the chair next to Kendra and sat down. “What did you see?”
She started to tell them but hesitated, her certainty ebbing as her mind cleared. She wasn’t even sure if what she’d seen was real. Wouldn’t the entire star system be in an uproar if someone had killed Jevara? “I don’t know. I’m hoping Zevon can help me untangle the images.”
“I’ll comm him and ask him to…”
Their telepathic link must have alerted her mates because Zevon strode into the dining room with Arcon on his heels.
Zevon reached her first and swept her up into his arms. “Are you all right, mate? Your emotions were extremely confusing.”
The demand in his deep voice made Kendra smile. “I’m fine. Really.”
“Comm us later,” Eden urged as Zevon headed for the doorway with Kendra in his arms. “Let us know what this was about.”
After acknowledging the request with a wave, Kendra focused on her mates. “I don’t need a doctor,” she insisted when she realized they weren’t headed toward their apartment. “I had a vision, not a seizure.”
Zevon’s steps faltered and his eyes locked with hers, but he continued along the corridor. “I want you checked out anyway.”
Kendra felt drained and slightly queasy, so she simply wrapped her arms around his neck and relaxed in his strong embrace.
Dr. Damaris motioned them into one of the private treatment rooms as soon as she saw Zevon carrying a female. “Is she injured? What are her symptoms?”
“Her abilities were recently released and she just had some sort of vision,” Zevon explained. “I want to make sure she was not harmed by the uncontrolled surge of energy.”
“Of course. Set her on the table.”
Zevon placed Kendra on the treatment table, then moved to the other side so the doctor could access her instruments. She activated a full body scanner, then offered Kendra a gentle smile. “Are you comfortable with these two staying or shall I have them escorted from the clinic?”
“We’re courting,” she answered with a faint smile. “They can stay.”
Surprise arched Damaris’ brows but a soft smile curved her lips. “Most believe our president is a devout bachelor who cannot be tempted by any female. I’ve known him for many cycles, however, so I am not surprised by this development. Congratulations. He will make a strong and honorable mate.” The beam passed over Kendra’s body twice then cycled off. The doctor studied the data for a few moments then said, “All of your systems are functioning within expected parameters. In fact, you’re in remarkably good health. There is one more test I’d like to run, but it requires an injection. Do I have permission to administer it?”
“What’s in the injection?” Arcon wanted to know.
“A contrasting agent. It simply makes the scan more effective.”
“That’s fine,” Kendra said as much for the benefit of her overprotective mates as the doctor.
The injection made Kendra feel hot and dizzy, so she lay down while the final scanner assessed her brain.
“Everything looks good,” Dr. Damaris assured them. “Whatever happened was metaphysical and had no lasting effects on your physical body. If it happens again, you should probably contact a healer. The best are on Pyron.”
“Thank you,” Arcon said as Zevon picked Kendra up again.
“You don’t need to carry me,” she objected. “I had a vision. I didn’t break my legs.”
He ignored her and headed for their apartment.
Deciding that it wasn’t worth fighting over, Kendra snuggled into the warmth of his chest and waited until they were alone before she tried to explain what she’d seen. When they reached their apartment, Zevon carried her to the sofa and sat down with her on his lap. Arcon pulled one of the matching chairs closer to the sofa and then sat down facing her.
“All right, explain what happened,” Zevon prompted. “You said you had a vision. What did you see?”
“I don’t know if what I saw has already happened or if this was some sort of warning, but Emperor Jevara was shouting at this other male. Jevara shoved him a couple times and then the other male punched the emperor. Jevara lost his footing and fell back against the stairs leading up to his throne. His head slammed down against the edge of one of the stairs and it split his skull wide open. There was blood everywhere. It just poured out of him. I don’t think he survived.”
Zevon and Arcon looked at each other then back at her.
“Describe the other male,” Zevon directed.
“Tall and thin, but not nearly as skinny as Jevara. He had reddish brown hair and… you know, they had the same eyes. They were both a strange bluish-green color.”
“Verbet,” her mates said in unison.
“The half-brother?” she asked and her mates nodded. That made perfect sense. “No one can fight like family.”
“Is the blood you saw the only reason you believe he’s dead?” Zevon asked, his features guarded. “Torret has some of the best medical technology in the sector. Even if he was badly injured, it’s likely they could have saved him.”
This was why she hadn’t told her friends. She’d never had a vision before. Kendra wasn’t sure she could make anyone believe her. “It was more than that. I felt his life force slip away. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I felt him die.”
Zevon stroked the back of her hair, but his attention kept shifting to Arcon. Were they communicating telepathically? “If you’re talking about me,” she said firmly. “I’d prefer you do it out loud.”
“We weren’t talking about you,” Arcon assured her. “We were talking about the board of governors.”
“They’re stubborn and argumentative.” Zevon shifted her to the sofa beside him then pivoted so he was more or less facing her. “If I hope to convince them to act, I have to be absolutely sure about your vision.”
“Do we still need to act?” Kendra asked. “Jevara is dead. Isn’t that what we were trying to accomplish with the alliance?”
“Freedom for Torretians is what we are trying to accomplish,” Arcon corrected. “Removing Jevara is only the first step.”
“If my word isn’t enough, how do you become ‘absolutely sure’ about my vision?” Their reluctance didn’t surprise her. She wasn’t even absolutely sure her vision had been real. Zevon reached for her hand and she moved it away. She wasn’t ready to be touched. She was still agitated from the vision.
“If we’d been present when you had the vision, this would be less complicated,” Zevon said with a sigh. “It’s likely we could have accessed the images.”
“Can you scan my memory and verify what I saw?” Zevon and Arcon weren’t the only ones who would require some form of verification. If she wanted to be taken seriously, she needed concrete proof.
Zevon shook his head. “I have interrogators that can do that sort of thing, but my abilities don’t work that way. And there is no way I’m letting an interrogator access your mind.”
“If we expand the transfer link, she could share the memory with us,” Arcon pointed out. “That would be much easier on her than if someone goes digging for the images.”
Zevon smiled. “I was just about to suggest the same thing.”
Kendra tensed. She’d just gotten to the point that sensing their emotions wasn’t shocking, and she startled each time one of them sent a thought to her mind. However, sharing thoughts and emotions was a natural part of life in this star system. She needed to get used to it. “All right. Expand the link. I know it was a vision, so let’s put it to the test.”
Even though Zevon was empathic, Arcon was the stronger telepath, so he took the lead. He moved to sit on the other side of Kendra and rested his arm on the back of the couch.
“Close your eyes and try to relax,” Arcon coached.
She smiled. “Why do people always say that when something is going to hurt?”
“You’re more prepared for this than you realize,” Zevon told her. “Just do what Arcon tells you to do.”
Yeah, she’d gotten good at obeying without question over the past few days. She settled back into the cushions and closed her eyes. Zevon lightly stroked her hair and Arcon gathered her hands between his. She’d grown familiar enough with the way they touched her that she didn’t need to see them to know who was touching her where.
Energy swirled around her hands and flowed up through her arms. Even if they weren’t touching her, she would have known that this was Arcon. Zevon’s energy exploded with sudden bursts of intensity. Arcon’s was more concentrated. It flowed like a massive river, sweeping along everything in its path.
Something shifted inside her and emotions inundated her mind. She gasped then shuddered, unprepared for the sensory deluge. She drew the sensations in like a sponge but didn’t take time to analyze them.
“Go back to the vision,” Arcon coached. “Picture the setting, reshape your surroundings with as much detail as possible.”
She followed his directions, forming the room within her mind, the gleaming floors and gilt-trimmed walls, the gaudy throne perched upon its marble dais.
“That’s Mercelon Palace,” Zevon confirmed. “Now show us the rest.”
She let the memory run through her mind, reviewing what she’d seen and allowing herself to feel what she’d felt at the time. Jevara sneered and yelled, his words caustic and cruel. Jevara shoved Verbet, seeming almost deranged as he shouted right into Verbet’s face. Provoked beyond endurance, Verbet punched Jevara. Even knowing what was coming, Kendra’s stomach clenched as she heard the sickening thunk and watched the blood streaming out across the stairs. Concentrating on what she’d sensed for a moment, she shared those feelings with her mates then eased out of the meld.
“Emperor Jevara is dead,” she said firmly. “Or he soon will be. Do you believe me now?”
Zevon cupped her chin, tilting her head back until their gazes met. “I never doubted that what you told us was true. We are simply trying to establish the validity of what you were shown. Verification is standard procedure for any new seer.”
She released her breath and nodded. He was right. There was no reason for her defensiveness. “It seemed so real when I felt him die. I think it has happened already.”
“As do I,” Zevon told her. “But we need to find out for sure.”
“Do you know anyone who has direct access to Jevara? Anyone who could simply comm him to see if he responds?” Arcon shifted his gaze from Kendra to Zevon and back as he waited for an answer.
“Not anymore. I had to pull most of my spies as Jevara became more irrational.” Zevon pushed to his feet and started pacing as he often did when he was deep in thought. “And now the rebels have become so bold that it has forced Jevara to keep his public appearances to a minimum. He could be dead for months and no one would know.”
“That’s probably what Verbet is counting on,” Kendra muttered. She hadn’t realized this would be so complicated when she first comprehended what she’d witnessed. Even if they could prove that Jevara was dead, she wasn’t sure if it would benefit them or not.
After a few moments of tense silence, Zevon said, “There is one bait that will draw Jevara out of hiding or prove that he is dead if he does not respond. What is the one bait that he is simply incapable of resisting?”
“Conduits,” Kendra guessed. Everyone knew that Jevara coveted the other planet leader’s ability to control power triads. His bloodline had never been able to manipulate magic and he lashed out because of it. He focused his animosity on the Citadel in general and Zevon in particular. The injustice—from his perspective—was not the only reason for the war, but it was a significant factor.
“If I offer to meet with Jevara and promise him that access to conduits will be part of the proposed alliance, he would not hesitate to attend.”
“And when Verbet shows up in his place, we’ll know Jevara is dead,” Arcon concluded.
“It’s not irrefutable proof, but it would be damn suspicious.” Zevon stopped pacing and faced the other two.
“We need to arrange it so the board of governors can watch the meeting live,” Kendra suggested.
“She’s right,” Arcon stressed. “Watching Verbet squirm and make excuses will be much more impactful than hearing about it afterward.”
“I’ll insist on a face-to-face meeting,” Zevon decided. “Interactive comms are hard to fake, but I’ve heard of it happening.”
Arcon stood as well. “I can sense deepfakes. They give off a very different energy resonance than un-manipulated transmission.”
“Good to know,” Zevon grumbled. “Why haven’t you mentioned this to me before?”
Arcon chuckled. “Because you would have locked me in a control room somewhere and told me to verify every incoming transmission.”
“No,” Zevon corrected, his expression completely deadpan. “Just all of mine.” He looked at Kendra and smiled. He was doing that a lot lately. “You did good, mate. I’ll go set things in motion with Jevara, or more likely Verbet. I’ll also notify the governors of what we suspect.”
“I need to get back as well,” Arcon added.
A responding smile lingered on Kendra’s lips as her mates paused long enough to kiss her and then went back to work. She was an official part of the resistance. She’d provided important information that the president of the Citadel intended to act upon. The waiting was over. Her life as a conduit had finally begun.
Three days later Verbet prepared to activate the waiting holo-comm from Zevon Raydo. Verbet—who had been communicating as if he were Jevara—was intrigued by Zevon’s sudden interest in an alliance. Unfortunately, he also suspected some sort of trap. Zevon wanted to meet in person and suggested several neutral locations. Any physical interaction was much more dangerous than remote communication, so Verbet insisted on the latter.
“You need to calm down, my love,” Domar cautioned, her voice silky smooth, nearly hypnotizing. “Your anxiety is written all over your face.”
He took a deep breath and released his tension with his next exhale.
“All he knows is that Jevara is unavailable for this comm,” she reminded. “There is no way he could have learned the truth.”
He glanced at her and nodded, but her unwanted advice was starting to annoy.
“Answer questions as honestly as you can, but do not volunteer information,” she advised. Her gown was vivid green. The shimmering material flowed from her shoulders to her ankles, outlining every enticing curve of her lush body. Her neck, wrists, and one ankle were encircled by jewel-encrusted bands, and her hair had been swept up into an elaborate style impossible for one person to accomplish. She had moved into the palace eight days ago and already her habits were changing. He couldn’t really blame her. His own wardrobe had been replaced and his private quarters were being renovated. Power and wealth were addictive, especially when they were available without limits.
Verbet looked longingly at the throne at the other end of the gilt and ivory room, but chose to sit down at the round table instead. As far as the galaxy knew, he was not yet emperor. It would be presumptuous to sit upon the throne. Domar moved farther away yet chose not to leave the room. It was time to reestablish their boundaries. He didn’t care if she indulged her love for the finer things, but she was his mistress, not his mate.
After activating privacy mode to ensure that he wouldn’t be interrupted, Verbet accepted the comm request. It took a moment to connect, then the holographic representation of a conference room appeared in the center of his table. He faced Zevon, but a beautiful red-haired female and a blond male flanked him. The two wore formal finery. Zevon wore his dress uniform. Zevon had requested the meeting, so Verbet waited for him to speak.
“Good afternoon, Commander,” Zevon greeted. “Will Emperor Jevara be joining us?”
Verbet clenched his teeth and barely kept his hands from fisting. The slur was subtle but unmistakable. Zevon was only interested in speaking with the emperor. To this arrogant prick, Verbet was nothing. “My brother is unavailable at the moment. He sends his apologies and asks that you think of me as him. I have full authority to make decisions on his behalf.”
“I can explain what I have in mind. We can even negotiate specific terms, but I will need to have final confirmation from Emperor Jevara himself,” Zevon insisted, his golden gaze narrowed and bright.
“Who are your companions?” It was insulting that he’d needed to ask. Introductions were common courtesy.
The hint of a smile lifted the corners of Zevon’s mouth. “I have recently bonded. This is Kendra, my conduit, and Arcon, my source.”
Verbet stared at the woman silently for a moment. Of course she was a conduit. The fucking Citadel was full of them. “Congratulations.” He forced the word out through gritted teeth.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, my lovely mate was one of forty-six conduits rescued from an island on Earth,” Zevon went on. “There are forty-four left and all of them are trained and ready for mates.”
Easily anticipating where this was leading, Verbet jumped on ahead. “That’s eleven per planet. If you intend to offer anything that does not include the conduits, I am not interested.”
“You may assure the emperor that equal distribution is exactly what I have in mind.”
“Dealing with me is the same as dealing with Jevara,” Verbet snapped. He was sick of the pretense, sick of bowing to his half-brother’s ghost. “What about the disputed territories and all your past attacks? We expect reparations for the losses of our lunar outposts.”
Zevon had the audacity to scoff. “I’ll rebuild those outposts when you compensate me for the state-of-the-art facility that was supposed to be our new Citadel, not to mention the ships I’ve lost. Next shall we compare the lives we’ve lost? I have done everything in my power to minimize civilian casualties. Can your side say the same? Wars are expensive, Commander, and your half-brother started this one.”
“Eleven empowered females to end hostilities?” Verbet digressed, refusing to debate the other issues. “Are there any other concessions, or is that your final offer?”
Zevon shook his head, anger sparking to life in his gaze. “I’m offering to end this war by rebalancing the power structure of this entire star system. Does Torret want to participate in the system-wide alliance or will you remain the only hostile planet?”
“How many of the other planetary leaders are onboard?”
“All of them.” Zevon went on to explain that the conduits would be delivered two at a time, at one-month intervals. That meant he wouldn’t have all eleven conduits for at least six months. Zevon seemed sincere, but Verbet knew this was all a sham. The duplicitous bastard had made the exact same offer to the rebels. Verbet started to confront him with that fact but changed his mind. Let Zevon think he was being clever. Verbet would begin the real negotiation once he sat upon the throne.
“This will accomplish much of what we wanted,” Verbet admitted as Zevon finished his explanation. “I will advise my brother to join the alliance. But as you indicated, the final decision is his.”
A meaningful look passed between Zevon and his mates.
Verbet tensed. Had he just given himself away? No, he was being paranoid. They did not know that Jevara was dead.
“I will wait for the final confirmation,” Zevon said.
The holo-display blinked off and Verbet released a deep sigh. “What the fuck was that about? He has no interest in securing an alliance with me. He already struck a deal with the rebels.”
Domar closed the distance between them and perched on the edge of the table. “I’m not so sure. He could be shopping the alliance to see who will offer him the best deal.”
“The rebels have nothing,” he objected. “What could they offer Zevon that I could not double or triple?”
“You have land and wealth, but the rebels have trained controllers and powerful sources,” Domar pointed out. “We both know which Zevon values more.”
Verbet glared at her, but Jevara was the cause of his frustration. As usual. Jevara’s feud with the Citadel had motivated nearly all of the empowered people on Torret to join the rebellion. His refusal to compromise year after year made it impossible for them to remain loyal to the crown.
Despite the fact that Verbet agreed with her assessment, her boldness abraded his already raw nerves. “You need to leave. I must devise a way out of this mess.”
She slipped off the table and offered him a weak smile. “I’ll go, but I’d like to offer one final suggestion.”
She paused, wisely waiting for permission this time.
“Go on.”
“Our biggest challenge has been locating conduits away from the protection of the Citadel, correct?”
He nodded, not wanting to prolong the conversation.
“Zevon just told you where they can be easily intercepted.”
His eyes widened as he realized what she meant. “Two will be dispatched to each planet every month. And those fools can’t resist pomp and pageantry. I can picture it now. They’ll have some sort of ceremony as the four sets of conduits depart at the same time.”
Domar nodded, then smiled brightly. “You won’t be able to get away with an ambush more than once, but one coordinated attack could result in eight conduits. Eight fully trained conduits who are ready for mates. Isn’t that how Zevon described them?”
Shocked that such a crucial detail had escaped his notice, he held out his hand. “Join me, my love. Let’s devise a plan together.”