Part 26
"Isabel?" Maria kept her voice soft as she came up behind the other girl. Her friend had been with Alex for close to an hour.
Maria had wanted a minute alone with Isabel. She had not missed the way Isabel had looked at her when she had first said hello. Her eyes had practically been burning with hatred. It had made Maria want to move away from Michael - had made her feel like she had no right to be touching her own boyfriend.
And the weirdest part was that, those eyes, for one instant, before Isabel had hurried from the room, had not been Isabel's at all. There had been someone else in there. Someone that Maria had known was not her friend.
She had shaken off the shivers that had erupted down her backbone and had spent a happy half an hour with Michael and Jennetta, before she had volunteered to go for Isabel when she had noticed Jemma starting to pace the room impatiently.
Jemma Stafford was all business. She wanted to help them, but she wanted it done her way and she wanted it done now if not sooner. Because Jenny trusted her, Maria did too. And so she had quieted Michael before he had erupted in annoyance.
"Is he going to wake up soon?" Isabel asked now, her voice small and weary. She was still staring down at Alex, the expression on her face so hopeless, it caused Maria to hurry towards her, to place a reassuring hand on the other girl's shoulder.
"I think he's just having fun playing Sleeping Handsome." Maria replied lightly. "He has a concussion, but the doctors said he'll be fine."
"I just really want to talk to him." Isabel continued, her voice hitching slightly.
Maria bit her lip, wondered what to say. "Can you talk to me?" She finally asked tentatively.
Maria felt Isabel's shoulder tense under her hand. She seemed to be weighing her options. "Did…did Michael tell you anything…about…about what's going on?"
Maria had never heard Isabel Evans have such a hard time uttering a simple sentence. "He said that you've been having nightmares again." Maria replied. "Are they really bad Izzy?" She asked sympathetically. If they were anything like the horrible dreams Isabel had experienced in the months before Jennetta had come out of the pod, Maria didn't blame her friend for acting weird.
"Is that all he said?" Isabel demanded, her voice suddenly harsh. She had whirled in her seat, was staring up at Maria in dismay.
"Well, I might not really have given him much of a chance." Maria admitted. "I was mostly filling him in on what happened in Roswell while you guys were here. Ren and Jennetta have gone insane. If I didn't know better, I would say that something was going on there. They're acting like Michael and I used to act, before we got…" she began, but cut herself off. Isabel did not look the least bit interested, had in fact turned back around and was staring at Alex again.
Maria frowned slightly, brought her arms up to wrap around herself. She felt a chill. Something was really wrong here. Michael had clearly kept something from her.
"Isabel. Tell me." Maria whispered, when the silence seemed to stretch on forever.
But Isabel said nothing. She stood up and moved to the door. "Are they waiting for me? I'd better go."
Maria watched her leave, her heart pounding. She dropped into the seat Isabel had just vacated, swallowed, hard.
She wasn't sure how long she sat there, her thoughts whirling, when she suddenly realized that Alex's eyes were open. They were a little glazed, but they were staring right at her and they seemed to recognize her.
Maria flew to her best friend's side. "Alex? Are you okay? Speak to me!"
Alex closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again. "Was…" He croaked, licked his lips and then continued. "Was Izzy here? I thought…I thought I heard her voice."
"She was here." Maria replied, brushing her hand lightly across Alex's forehead, moving a dark lock of hair out of his eyes. "Go back to sleep. She'll be here when you wake up again."
Maria watched Alex comply, heard him sigh with relief before his breathing became deep and even as he fell into a healing slumber.
She wrinkled her brow, clenched her fists in her lap, tried to push the nagging feeling away that she had just lied to Alex.
Because, again, that weird thought had penetrated her mind. That girl had not been Isabel Evans at all.
**********************************************
"…..humans are changed. When we connect with them, we can help them to access the unused portions of their brains, can help them to access their inherent abilities. The ones we take for granted."
When Isabel returned to the room where Michael and Jennetta were still conferencing with Jemma, this was what she heard. Michael was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, a frown on his face. Jennetta was seated on one of the couches, a pensive expression on her face.
The sight of Michael and Maria's daughter, gave Isabel a minor pang over the way she had just treated Maria, but she brushed it aside. It had only been natural to ask Maria if Michael had told her about what was going on with them. She hadn't wanted to say anything that would spill the beans if he hadn't.
It was Michael's place to tell her.
Right, a little voice, maybe her conscience, replied. Like you weren't trying to make her suspicious so she WOULD ask him about it.
Isabel ignored it, tuned into the conversation. She was doing nothing wrong.
Tristandor was hers. She had a right to fight for what belonged to her.
"You give them a choice though." Michael was stating, sounding like he was not going to be happy if Jemma disagreed with him. "Right?"
"We only connect with people who are already dying." Jemma replied. "We heal them and then give them a new lease on life. And a new role, helping to shape the future of their planet and our universe."
"So no choice." Michael rolled his eyes, glanced at Isabel. "Did you catch that Izzy? We're recruiting humans for a war they have no part in. I'm beginning to hate the sound of these armies I'm supposed to lead." Isabel felt her heart lighten at the tone of Michael's voice. He was clearly no longer annoyed with her, was obviously looking for an ally.
"What's going on?"
"Jemma's just telling us about the humans she's changed." Jennetta replied. "They're all pledged to our cause and ALL of them have powers now."
"What kind of powers?" Isabel asked, thinking of Kyle and Liz, who had both seemingly been changed by Max having healed them, but had yet to display any truly amazing feat, other than the ability to open doors that were guarded by the silver hand print.
"Various and sundry." Jemma replied. "We have dreamwalkers, healers, warriors and mindwarpers. We are trying to create as many Four-Squares as possible for the battles ahead. We also have some telepaths and some telekenetics."
"Excuse me?" Michael interrupted, sounding irritated. "Can we get back to the fact that these people have no choice?" He frowned at Jennetta, who looked abashed.
"You sound like Max." Jennetta muttered, but she was clearly ashamed. "Why is it so important to change humans?" She asked Jemma, rubbing her neck in a way that reminded Isabel of Michael.
"They have a choice." Jemma told Michael. "Most choose to help us. They understand that if we do not stop the Dernians, Earth will be next. They WANT to help us."
"What do you mean Earth will be next?" Isabel asked, a chill descending her spine.
"You have to understand your highness." Jemma explained patiently. "The Dernians are determined to erase emotion in all living beings. Earth is the next logical place after they succeed in conquering our planet. Human physiology is so close to the Illyrian, it would take very little modification of the cleansing pods. Remember the history of this planet. It is an Illyrian colony. Humans are Illyrians who have not yet reached their full potential. Dernians want to erase all trace of the Illyrian - everywhere."
Isabel was horrified. A vivid image of her mom and dad floating in cleansing pods entered her mind, almost made her physically ill. She swallowed hard.
"Why?" Jennetta demanded. "If they are emotionless, why are they so determined? It doesn't make any sense."
"Because the cleansing has always been flawed." Jemma replied. "The Dernians THINK they are emotionless, but, in reality, the cleansing drives them literally insane. Their emotions are beyond control. They seem to be controlled, logical, but in reality, they are the complete opposite. They are unpredictable and, thus, even more dangerous."
"Well, that explains Tarsus." Michael snorted. "Nothing that guy EVER does makes sense."
"All who are cleansed are like this?" Jennetta asked, horrified.
"All."
"What about Ren?"
"Ren has been cleansed?" Jemma asked, sounding interested.
"Yes." Isabel nodded, wondered at the devastated expression on Michael's daughter's face.
"Well, then this is likely true of him as well."
Jennetta's expression was stony. "What are we going to do?" She asked, when they had all sat there in silence for several minutes.
"If you are, as he says," Jemma indicated Michael, "the Chosen One, you will end the divide once and for all. The path that you choose will forever determine the fates of three species. And there is only one way to do it."
"By ending the cleansings." Jennetta murmured.
"Correct."
"But what about those who have already been cleansed?" Jenny asked quietly.
Jemma did not reply, but the expression on her face spoke volumes.
"Genocide." Jennetta spat the word, looked like she wanted to be ill. Isabel didn't blame her. While the Dernians Isabel had encountered were definitely creepy, Isabel could no imagine exterminating an entire race. It was wrong, completely and in every way.
"There is no other way." Jemma said quietly.
"There must be!" Jennetta flared. "I will not kill an entire segment of my population in cold blood. It goes against every tenet of humanity."
"You are not human." Jemma returned.
"I AM human." Jennetta snapped, standing tall. For an instant Isabel saw Maria in her so clearly, it was hard to understand that this was Michael's daughter and NOT his girlfriend. "And we WILL find another way."
Isabel believed her.
Part 27
The Citadel, Illyria
Kyle tugged on the tunic he was wearing in annoyance. He couldn't believe that Tess had actually talked him into dressing in the uniform of the Illyrian guard, but here he was, despite all his arguments in blue and gold with the whirlwind galaxy emblazoned on his chest.
"I'm not wearing a skirt. I am not wearing tights. Forget it."
Those had been his exact words to Tess, to which she had simply replied, "Jeans, t-shirt and letter jacket scream 'I'm not from around here.' You have to blend Kyle. Its the only way I'm bringing you with us." She had paused, her blue eyes serious. "If they see that you're different Kyle, they'll target you. I refuse to allow that."
And because of the way she had looked at him, her eyes momentarily loving and affectionate, he had allowed it.
It still didn't mean he was happy about it.
"Are you a man or a mouse?" Kyle turned and glared at the owner of the sarcastic voice. It was Captain Lorn, the one who had given him nothing but grief since he had captured he and Tess days ago. "I don't know what a mouse is, but from the way you said it that one time, I'm assuming its bad. You are dressed like a real man now. Stop your fidgeting and get in."
"Real man. Right. In some alternate universe. Not in the universe that I come from." Kyle muttered under his breath as he climbed into the transport.
He was surprised to see Tess there. The Illyrians had been doing their utmost to keep their queen away from "The Human," as the soldiers had taken to calling him. Even though it was what he was, it sounded derogatory when they said it. No matter how hard he and Tess had tried to hide it, gossip was apparently already circulating through the camp about his relationship with Tess.
She had been right when she had told him that, in their eyes, any romantic relationship between the queen and anyone other than the king was treason. They apparently took it all pretty seriously too. And so he was doing his best to hide his feelings for her.
But he couldn't help it when a silly grin appeared on his face in her presence. He really couldn't.
"Nice legs." Tess smirked. She looked beautiful of course. She was dressed in her queenly attire, all heavy velvet-like materials in different shades of blues and golds. A heavy crown sat on her head as well. She was being taken to the front as a figurehead, as a rallying point for the troops who were about to attack the Citadel in an attempt to free Max before the Dernians could execute him.
Kyle had not been pleased to hear this at all. She would be in danger in the thick of the battle. But no one had listened to his protests. Hamor had simply replied that it was her duty and that she wouldn't be in the fighting anyway. Tess would be positioned towards the back, using her mind- warp to help confuse the Dernian army. Hamor had emphasized what an advantage this was for the Illyrian Guard.
It had not taken long to discover that there were not many Illyrians who were as strong in their powers as Tess and the other three Czechs of Kyle's close acquaintance. Captain Lorn was a mind-warper - he HAD mindwarped Tess and Kyle when he had captured them after all - but no one was capable of the elaborate illusions that they seemed to think Tess could create. Fortunately, Tess's strength had started to return, despite the fact that she had seriously drained herself with all the mindwarping she had done in England to keep Kyle and the others off of her and Max's trail.
Kyle had learned a little bit about Illyrian culture during the couple of days he had spent in the camp. It seemed that there were various guilds for all the various gifts. Each of the Royal Four was the figurehead of the cult that represented their power, being the strongest in that ability. The Healers, Max's guild, were currently in dispute with the Warriors, Michael's guild, because their powers were so diametrically opposed. It made Kyle shake his head in dismay. Like this planet needed MORE divisions. Apparently the divide between the two had resolved itself somewhat when Jaxon/Max and Tristandor/Michael had allied themselves, but since their disappearance, approximately two years ago in Illyrian time, the feud had reignited.
The Mindwarpers Guild had made a formal presentation to Tess the day before. Kyle had been allowed to watch, had seen how much it had pleased Tess to meet others like her. It had almost been like she had been truly coming home since the first time they had arrived on Illyria.
It made him frown slightly now. Although they were about to head into battle, Tess seemed strangely serene at the moment - like she was comfortable in the role into which she had been thrust. It was the role Nasedo had spent her whole life preparing her for after all.
It caused a knawing pain in the pit of Kyle's stomach. Because no matter how much Tess denied that she wanted to be with Max, no matter that she had kissed him and declared that she loved him, Kyle couldn't help but fear that when this was all over, she would not want to stop being Queen of Illyria. That she would not want to go back to being simply Tess Harding - would not just want to be human and boring Kyle Valenti's girlfriend.
He was no Max Evans. He was not a king and he could not give her a planet to rule. Would Tess always crave what she was missing out on? Because although Kyle knew that Max had no intention of ever being with Tess, it didn't mean that Tess couldn't go back to wanting to be with Max. Because wasn't it just a little too convenient that she had fallen in love with he, Kyle, just because he was the only guy who knew her secret not involved with someone else?
Kyle did not want to be a convenience. He wanted to be her first choice, now and always.
"I said nice legs." Tess repeated, waving a small hand in front of his face. "Earth to Kyle." When he continued to stare at her silently, her good mood seemed to fade a little. "What's wrong? This can't just be because you're wearing tights."
"I'm just taking this seriously Tess." Kyle snapped back, not meaning to do so, but unable to help himself. "We're going to war here you know."
Tess eyed him for a moment. "I do know." She finally replied quietly.
He sighed heavily, knowing that he had hurt her feelings, but unable to say anything to fix it because of the guards seated in the front of the transport, waiting for the command to depart. He couldn't say exactly what he wanted to say, that he loved her, that he was scared for her, that he was afraid that he was going to lose her to this life that was just opening up for her - a life that had once been hers and could be again.
They sat in an uncomfortable silence for several moments before they were joined by Hamor. The old general settled into the transport, a concerned expression on his face.
"Has something happened?" Tess asked, clearly seeing the tension as Kyle did.
"I've just had a communication from the front." Hamor replied, addressing Kyle and ignoring Tess completely. "The Citadel has been surrendered. The Dernians have left under cover of night. The Guard has Jaxon in its custody."
"In custody?" Kyle demanded. "What is that supposed to mean?" He felt a great woosh of relief flowing through him at the news. Apparently Max was not to be executed after all. But this "in custody" thing did not sound very promising. Had Tarsus managed to somehow work his brainwashing voodoo on Max again? Had he forgotten who he was? Did he think that they were his enemies?
Hamor just shrugged. "The Guard found him incarcerated in the dungeon of the Citadel. Milena was with him. It seems that the King did not wish to return to his people. In fact he's presently rounding up a force to follow Tarsus and the Dernians."
"That sounds like a good thing to me." Kyle replied, confused. "Rout them and end this game once and for all."
"It is not our way." Hamor replied. "Illyrians do not attack. We simply defend."
"You're going to lose the game then Hamor old boy." Kyle returned, rolling his eyes. "No team without an offense will ever score any points."
"It is not our way." Hamor repeated firmly.
Tess and Kyle exchanged a glance. "Milena was the only one with him?" Tess inquired, clearly trying to change the subject and ignoring the fact that Hamor seemed to prefer to address Kyle, who he viewed as Tess's mouthpiece. At first Kyle had thought it was a sexist thing - but now that he had seen the inner workings of the Illyrian army, he knew that wasn't true. There were just as many women as men in positions of power.
No, this was a Sabrya thing. It was becoming more and more clear that Tess had not been considered the sharpest knife in the drawer in her last incarnation. This prejudice was leaking into Hamor's dealings with her more often, especially since Kyle had been allowed to join her at official meetings. While Kyle was flattered, he knew it galled Tess, who was anything but dumb now.
"Was there no one else?" Kyle asked, understanding what Tess was asking. Where was Liz? There was no way Max would leave the Citadel without her. This was the only explanation for Max's reluctance to return to Illyria.
"No one."
Tess turned worried eyes to the window of the transport, glanced out across the waving grasses that seemed to make up the majority of the planet and brought her hands up to rub her temples. "Liz is gone. It's the only answer. Tarsus must have taken her with him."
"Which means he has a new plan." Kyle finished for her. "This is not good. This is SO not good."
Not that things were ever good when one was dealing with an emotionless, maniacal shapeshifter. In fact, they always just seemed to get worse.
"You'd better take us to Ma…er Jaxon." Kyle told Hamor. "I think we're probably the only ones he'll talk to."
Hamor rapped the window dividing the passenger section of the transport from the driver with his fist. "I don' t understand the way Jaxon thinks." He confided to Tess and Kyle as they sped across the countryside at a speed so fast it was making Kyle's head spin to just look out the window. The old man looked weary and beaten. "He behaves nothing like he did in the past. He does not think rationally anymore."
Kyle smirked. "There was no Liz in the past." He replied. "Max NEVER thinks rationally when it comes to Liz. In fact, I think its safe to say that he behaves like a raving lunatic more often than not."
Tess was silent in the seat next to him. For about the eight millionth time since he had met her, Kyle wondered what she was thinking. Was she thinking that the jig as queen was going to be up as soon as Max rejoined them and showed that he no longer wanted her as his wife?
He had no further time to think about it though, because his eyes were drawn to the horizon, upon which the most gigantic building he had ever seen was beginning to rise. Two of the Illyrian moons were shining fully in the pre-dawn sky overhead, reflecting off the surface of the building, which seemed to be made of some sort of silver material. Kyle had never seen a more impressive structure in his life - and he had seen a damn lot of cathedrals in his short stay in England before he had fallen through the portal with Max and Tess.
"What the hell…" He trailed off, flabbergasted. "When you said Citadel, you meant Citadel." He glanced at Tess, who's eyes were focused on the fortress as well.
"I remember it." She whispered to Kyle. "It was the only place that ever felt like home to me."
Kyle felt a pang. Score another point for being a queen. His column of good points was beginning to look extremely bare. "You call that a home?" He scoffed, not meaning to sound flippant, but knowing he did. "It's not exactly what I would call cozy."
"It wasn't the place." Tess replied, seemingly oblivious to his distress. "It was the people who lived in it."
Or person. The king who had lived in it.
The transport slid to a stop several minutes later. They had driven right through the Citadel's front gate, which was flung wide open and was now guarded by several soldiers in Illyrian blue and gold. Kyle rubbed his neck, glancing up. He had to look up for a long time before he even began to glimpse the top of the towers soaring into the brightening sky.
"Welcome to the governmental centre of our planet." Hamor said to them as he helped Tess out of the transport. Kyle could see her kicking her long skirts out of the way impatiently.
"I still don't understand why the Dernians would give it up so easily." Tess told Kyle. "From what I heard, it took them months to claim it and whoever holds the Citadel holds the planet. Why would they just run away?"
"They still hold the Ring." Kyle shrugged. "Isn't it more important in the long run?"
Tess just shook her head. "I have no idea. I don't know anything anymore."
"What I want to know is, where's King Max?" Kyle demanded as Hamor led them through the elaborate front door and into a huge entrance-way with soaring buttresses holding galleries as far as the eye could see. Kyle shivered. As usual, it was damn cold. "You'd think the guy would be happy enough to see us that he could at least come and say hey."
"Hey." Kyle turned at the familiar voice.
Tess shrieked with joy. "Max!" She flew across the marble-like floor and threw herself at her friend. "Are you all right? We thought they were going to execute you!"
Max caught her easily, gave her a warm hug before setting her down beside him, keeping one arm around her waist. Kyle averted his eyes. The sight literally made him want to puke.
"I thought so too." Max replied wryly. "It would seem that I have more allies than I expected."
Kyle tensed at the sight of the soldiers Max indicated, who were marching double time from the door behind Max and Tess. They took up position around Max and Tess, standing at attention as though guarding their lives - from what, Kyle could not have said.
There were twelve of them and they were all dressed in tunics of red and gold with a symbol Kyle recognized from the transformation chamber on Earth emblazoned on the front.
He also recognized it from the uniform he had seen Captain Lorn and his underlings burning disdainfully the night before. It had come off a Dernian shapeshifting spy who had been found on the perimeter of the camp.
These were Dernian soldiers.
These were their enemies.
Which could only mean one thing.
He had been right. Max had been turned again.
They had fallen right into a trap.
"Isabel?" Maria kept her voice soft as she came up behind the other girl. Her friend had been with Alex for close to an hour.
Maria had wanted a minute alone with Isabel. She had not missed the way Isabel had looked at her when she had first said hello. Her eyes had practically been burning with hatred. It had made Maria want to move away from Michael - had made her feel like she had no right to be touching her own boyfriend.
And the weirdest part was that, those eyes, for one instant, before Isabel had hurried from the room, had not been Isabel's at all. There had been someone else in there. Someone that Maria had known was not her friend.
She had shaken off the shivers that had erupted down her backbone and had spent a happy half an hour with Michael and Jennetta, before she had volunteered to go for Isabel when she had noticed Jemma starting to pace the room impatiently.
Jemma Stafford was all business. She wanted to help them, but she wanted it done her way and she wanted it done now if not sooner. Because Jenny trusted her, Maria did too. And so she had quieted Michael before he had erupted in annoyance.
"Is he going to wake up soon?" Isabel asked now, her voice small and weary. She was still staring down at Alex, the expression on her face so hopeless, it caused Maria to hurry towards her, to place a reassuring hand on the other girl's shoulder.
"I think he's just having fun playing Sleeping Handsome." Maria replied lightly. "He has a concussion, but the doctors said he'll be fine."
"I just really want to talk to him." Isabel continued, her voice hitching slightly.
Maria bit her lip, wondered what to say. "Can you talk to me?" She finally asked tentatively.
Maria felt Isabel's shoulder tense under her hand. She seemed to be weighing her options. "Did…did Michael tell you anything…about…about what's going on?"
Maria had never heard Isabel Evans have such a hard time uttering a simple sentence. "He said that you've been having nightmares again." Maria replied. "Are they really bad Izzy?" She asked sympathetically. If they were anything like the horrible dreams Isabel had experienced in the months before Jennetta had come out of the pod, Maria didn't blame her friend for acting weird.
"Is that all he said?" Isabel demanded, her voice suddenly harsh. She had whirled in her seat, was staring up at Maria in dismay.
"Well, I might not really have given him much of a chance." Maria admitted. "I was mostly filling him in on what happened in Roswell while you guys were here. Ren and Jennetta have gone insane. If I didn't know better, I would say that something was going on there. They're acting like Michael and I used to act, before we got…" she began, but cut herself off. Isabel did not look the least bit interested, had in fact turned back around and was staring at Alex again.
Maria frowned slightly, brought her arms up to wrap around herself. She felt a chill. Something was really wrong here. Michael had clearly kept something from her.
"Isabel. Tell me." Maria whispered, when the silence seemed to stretch on forever.
But Isabel said nothing. She stood up and moved to the door. "Are they waiting for me? I'd better go."
Maria watched her leave, her heart pounding. She dropped into the seat Isabel had just vacated, swallowed, hard.
She wasn't sure how long she sat there, her thoughts whirling, when she suddenly realized that Alex's eyes were open. They were a little glazed, but they were staring right at her and they seemed to recognize her.
Maria flew to her best friend's side. "Alex? Are you okay? Speak to me!"
Alex closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again. "Was…" He croaked, licked his lips and then continued. "Was Izzy here? I thought…I thought I heard her voice."
"She was here." Maria replied, brushing her hand lightly across Alex's forehead, moving a dark lock of hair out of his eyes. "Go back to sleep. She'll be here when you wake up again."
Maria watched Alex comply, heard him sigh with relief before his breathing became deep and even as he fell into a healing slumber.
She wrinkled her brow, clenched her fists in her lap, tried to push the nagging feeling away that she had just lied to Alex.
Because, again, that weird thought had penetrated her mind. That girl had not been Isabel Evans at all.
**********************************************
"…..humans are changed. When we connect with them, we can help them to access the unused portions of their brains, can help them to access their inherent abilities. The ones we take for granted."
When Isabel returned to the room where Michael and Jennetta were still conferencing with Jemma, this was what she heard. Michael was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, a frown on his face. Jennetta was seated on one of the couches, a pensive expression on her face.
The sight of Michael and Maria's daughter, gave Isabel a minor pang over the way she had just treated Maria, but she brushed it aside. It had only been natural to ask Maria if Michael had told her about what was going on with them. She hadn't wanted to say anything that would spill the beans if he hadn't.
It was Michael's place to tell her.
Right, a little voice, maybe her conscience, replied. Like you weren't trying to make her suspicious so she WOULD ask him about it.
Isabel ignored it, tuned into the conversation. She was doing nothing wrong.
Tristandor was hers. She had a right to fight for what belonged to her.
"You give them a choice though." Michael was stating, sounding like he was not going to be happy if Jemma disagreed with him. "Right?"
"We only connect with people who are already dying." Jemma replied. "We heal them and then give them a new lease on life. And a new role, helping to shape the future of their planet and our universe."
"So no choice." Michael rolled his eyes, glanced at Isabel. "Did you catch that Izzy? We're recruiting humans for a war they have no part in. I'm beginning to hate the sound of these armies I'm supposed to lead." Isabel felt her heart lighten at the tone of Michael's voice. He was clearly no longer annoyed with her, was obviously looking for an ally.
"What's going on?"
"Jemma's just telling us about the humans she's changed." Jennetta replied. "They're all pledged to our cause and ALL of them have powers now."
"What kind of powers?" Isabel asked, thinking of Kyle and Liz, who had both seemingly been changed by Max having healed them, but had yet to display any truly amazing feat, other than the ability to open doors that were guarded by the silver hand print.
"Various and sundry." Jemma replied. "We have dreamwalkers, healers, warriors and mindwarpers. We are trying to create as many Four-Squares as possible for the battles ahead. We also have some telepaths and some telekenetics."
"Excuse me?" Michael interrupted, sounding irritated. "Can we get back to the fact that these people have no choice?" He frowned at Jennetta, who looked abashed.
"You sound like Max." Jennetta muttered, but she was clearly ashamed. "Why is it so important to change humans?" She asked Jemma, rubbing her neck in a way that reminded Isabel of Michael.
"They have a choice." Jemma told Michael. "Most choose to help us. They understand that if we do not stop the Dernians, Earth will be next. They WANT to help us."
"What do you mean Earth will be next?" Isabel asked, a chill descending her spine.
"You have to understand your highness." Jemma explained patiently. "The Dernians are determined to erase emotion in all living beings. Earth is the next logical place after they succeed in conquering our planet. Human physiology is so close to the Illyrian, it would take very little modification of the cleansing pods. Remember the history of this planet. It is an Illyrian colony. Humans are Illyrians who have not yet reached their full potential. Dernians want to erase all trace of the Illyrian - everywhere."
Isabel was horrified. A vivid image of her mom and dad floating in cleansing pods entered her mind, almost made her physically ill. She swallowed hard.
"Why?" Jennetta demanded. "If they are emotionless, why are they so determined? It doesn't make any sense."
"Because the cleansing has always been flawed." Jemma replied. "The Dernians THINK they are emotionless, but, in reality, the cleansing drives them literally insane. Their emotions are beyond control. They seem to be controlled, logical, but in reality, they are the complete opposite. They are unpredictable and, thus, even more dangerous."
"Well, that explains Tarsus." Michael snorted. "Nothing that guy EVER does makes sense."
"All who are cleansed are like this?" Jennetta asked, horrified.
"All."
"What about Ren?"
"Ren has been cleansed?" Jemma asked, sounding interested.
"Yes." Isabel nodded, wondered at the devastated expression on Michael's daughter's face.
"Well, then this is likely true of him as well."
Jennetta's expression was stony. "What are we going to do?" She asked, when they had all sat there in silence for several minutes.
"If you are, as he says," Jemma indicated Michael, "the Chosen One, you will end the divide once and for all. The path that you choose will forever determine the fates of three species. And there is only one way to do it."
"By ending the cleansings." Jennetta murmured.
"Correct."
"But what about those who have already been cleansed?" Jenny asked quietly.
Jemma did not reply, but the expression on her face spoke volumes.
"Genocide." Jennetta spat the word, looked like she wanted to be ill. Isabel didn't blame her. While the Dernians Isabel had encountered were definitely creepy, Isabel could no imagine exterminating an entire race. It was wrong, completely and in every way.
"There is no other way." Jemma said quietly.
"There must be!" Jennetta flared. "I will not kill an entire segment of my population in cold blood. It goes against every tenet of humanity."
"You are not human." Jemma returned.
"I AM human." Jennetta snapped, standing tall. For an instant Isabel saw Maria in her so clearly, it was hard to understand that this was Michael's daughter and NOT his girlfriend. "And we WILL find another way."
Isabel believed her.
Part 27
The Citadel, Illyria
Kyle tugged on the tunic he was wearing in annoyance. He couldn't believe that Tess had actually talked him into dressing in the uniform of the Illyrian guard, but here he was, despite all his arguments in blue and gold with the whirlwind galaxy emblazoned on his chest.
"I'm not wearing a skirt. I am not wearing tights. Forget it."
Those had been his exact words to Tess, to which she had simply replied, "Jeans, t-shirt and letter jacket scream 'I'm not from around here.' You have to blend Kyle. Its the only way I'm bringing you with us." She had paused, her blue eyes serious. "If they see that you're different Kyle, they'll target you. I refuse to allow that."
And because of the way she had looked at him, her eyes momentarily loving and affectionate, he had allowed it.
It still didn't mean he was happy about it.
"Are you a man or a mouse?" Kyle turned and glared at the owner of the sarcastic voice. It was Captain Lorn, the one who had given him nothing but grief since he had captured he and Tess days ago. "I don't know what a mouse is, but from the way you said it that one time, I'm assuming its bad. You are dressed like a real man now. Stop your fidgeting and get in."
"Real man. Right. In some alternate universe. Not in the universe that I come from." Kyle muttered under his breath as he climbed into the transport.
He was surprised to see Tess there. The Illyrians had been doing their utmost to keep their queen away from "The Human," as the soldiers had taken to calling him. Even though it was what he was, it sounded derogatory when they said it. No matter how hard he and Tess had tried to hide it, gossip was apparently already circulating through the camp about his relationship with Tess.
She had been right when she had told him that, in their eyes, any romantic relationship between the queen and anyone other than the king was treason. They apparently took it all pretty seriously too. And so he was doing his best to hide his feelings for her.
But he couldn't help it when a silly grin appeared on his face in her presence. He really couldn't.
"Nice legs." Tess smirked. She looked beautiful of course. She was dressed in her queenly attire, all heavy velvet-like materials in different shades of blues and golds. A heavy crown sat on her head as well. She was being taken to the front as a figurehead, as a rallying point for the troops who were about to attack the Citadel in an attempt to free Max before the Dernians could execute him.
Kyle had not been pleased to hear this at all. She would be in danger in the thick of the battle. But no one had listened to his protests. Hamor had simply replied that it was her duty and that she wouldn't be in the fighting anyway. Tess would be positioned towards the back, using her mind- warp to help confuse the Dernian army. Hamor had emphasized what an advantage this was for the Illyrian Guard.
It had not taken long to discover that there were not many Illyrians who were as strong in their powers as Tess and the other three Czechs of Kyle's close acquaintance. Captain Lorn was a mind-warper - he HAD mindwarped Tess and Kyle when he had captured them after all - but no one was capable of the elaborate illusions that they seemed to think Tess could create. Fortunately, Tess's strength had started to return, despite the fact that she had seriously drained herself with all the mindwarping she had done in England to keep Kyle and the others off of her and Max's trail.
Kyle had learned a little bit about Illyrian culture during the couple of days he had spent in the camp. It seemed that there were various guilds for all the various gifts. Each of the Royal Four was the figurehead of the cult that represented their power, being the strongest in that ability. The Healers, Max's guild, were currently in dispute with the Warriors, Michael's guild, because their powers were so diametrically opposed. It made Kyle shake his head in dismay. Like this planet needed MORE divisions. Apparently the divide between the two had resolved itself somewhat when Jaxon/Max and Tristandor/Michael had allied themselves, but since their disappearance, approximately two years ago in Illyrian time, the feud had reignited.
The Mindwarpers Guild had made a formal presentation to Tess the day before. Kyle had been allowed to watch, had seen how much it had pleased Tess to meet others like her. It had almost been like she had been truly coming home since the first time they had arrived on Illyria.
It made him frown slightly now. Although they were about to head into battle, Tess seemed strangely serene at the moment - like she was comfortable in the role into which she had been thrust. It was the role Nasedo had spent her whole life preparing her for after all.
It caused a knawing pain in the pit of Kyle's stomach. Because no matter how much Tess denied that she wanted to be with Max, no matter that she had kissed him and declared that she loved him, Kyle couldn't help but fear that when this was all over, she would not want to stop being Queen of Illyria. That she would not want to go back to being simply Tess Harding - would not just want to be human and boring Kyle Valenti's girlfriend.
He was no Max Evans. He was not a king and he could not give her a planet to rule. Would Tess always crave what she was missing out on? Because although Kyle knew that Max had no intention of ever being with Tess, it didn't mean that Tess couldn't go back to wanting to be with Max. Because wasn't it just a little too convenient that she had fallen in love with he, Kyle, just because he was the only guy who knew her secret not involved with someone else?
Kyle did not want to be a convenience. He wanted to be her first choice, now and always.
"I said nice legs." Tess repeated, waving a small hand in front of his face. "Earth to Kyle." When he continued to stare at her silently, her good mood seemed to fade a little. "What's wrong? This can't just be because you're wearing tights."
"I'm just taking this seriously Tess." Kyle snapped back, not meaning to do so, but unable to help himself. "We're going to war here you know."
Tess eyed him for a moment. "I do know." She finally replied quietly.
He sighed heavily, knowing that he had hurt her feelings, but unable to say anything to fix it because of the guards seated in the front of the transport, waiting for the command to depart. He couldn't say exactly what he wanted to say, that he loved her, that he was scared for her, that he was afraid that he was going to lose her to this life that was just opening up for her - a life that had once been hers and could be again.
They sat in an uncomfortable silence for several moments before they were joined by Hamor. The old general settled into the transport, a concerned expression on his face.
"Has something happened?" Tess asked, clearly seeing the tension as Kyle did.
"I've just had a communication from the front." Hamor replied, addressing Kyle and ignoring Tess completely. "The Citadel has been surrendered. The Dernians have left under cover of night. The Guard has Jaxon in its custody."
"In custody?" Kyle demanded. "What is that supposed to mean?" He felt a great woosh of relief flowing through him at the news. Apparently Max was not to be executed after all. But this "in custody" thing did not sound very promising. Had Tarsus managed to somehow work his brainwashing voodoo on Max again? Had he forgotten who he was? Did he think that they were his enemies?
Hamor just shrugged. "The Guard found him incarcerated in the dungeon of the Citadel. Milena was with him. It seems that the King did not wish to return to his people. In fact he's presently rounding up a force to follow Tarsus and the Dernians."
"That sounds like a good thing to me." Kyle replied, confused. "Rout them and end this game once and for all."
"It is not our way." Hamor replied. "Illyrians do not attack. We simply defend."
"You're going to lose the game then Hamor old boy." Kyle returned, rolling his eyes. "No team without an offense will ever score any points."
"It is not our way." Hamor repeated firmly.
Tess and Kyle exchanged a glance. "Milena was the only one with him?" Tess inquired, clearly trying to change the subject and ignoring the fact that Hamor seemed to prefer to address Kyle, who he viewed as Tess's mouthpiece. At first Kyle had thought it was a sexist thing - but now that he had seen the inner workings of the Illyrian army, he knew that wasn't true. There were just as many women as men in positions of power.
No, this was a Sabrya thing. It was becoming more and more clear that Tess had not been considered the sharpest knife in the drawer in her last incarnation. This prejudice was leaking into Hamor's dealings with her more often, especially since Kyle had been allowed to join her at official meetings. While Kyle was flattered, he knew it galled Tess, who was anything but dumb now.
"Was there no one else?" Kyle asked, understanding what Tess was asking. Where was Liz? There was no way Max would leave the Citadel without her. This was the only explanation for Max's reluctance to return to Illyria.
"No one."
Tess turned worried eyes to the window of the transport, glanced out across the waving grasses that seemed to make up the majority of the planet and brought her hands up to rub her temples. "Liz is gone. It's the only answer. Tarsus must have taken her with him."
"Which means he has a new plan." Kyle finished for her. "This is not good. This is SO not good."
Not that things were ever good when one was dealing with an emotionless, maniacal shapeshifter. In fact, they always just seemed to get worse.
"You'd better take us to Ma…er Jaxon." Kyle told Hamor. "I think we're probably the only ones he'll talk to."
Hamor rapped the window dividing the passenger section of the transport from the driver with his fist. "I don' t understand the way Jaxon thinks." He confided to Tess and Kyle as they sped across the countryside at a speed so fast it was making Kyle's head spin to just look out the window. The old man looked weary and beaten. "He behaves nothing like he did in the past. He does not think rationally anymore."
Kyle smirked. "There was no Liz in the past." He replied. "Max NEVER thinks rationally when it comes to Liz. In fact, I think its safe to say that he behaves like a raving lunatic more often than not."
Tess was silent in the seat next to him. For about the eight millionth time since he had met her, Kyle wondered what she was thinking. Was she thinking that the jig as queen was going to be up as soon as Max rejoined them and showed that he no longer wanted her as his wife?
He had no further time to think about it though, because his eyes were drawn to the horizon, upon which the most gigantic building he had ever seen was beginning to rise. Two of the Illyrian moons were shining fully in the pre-dawn sky overhead, reflecting off the surface of the building, which seemed to be made of some sort of silver material. Kyle had never seen a more impressive structure in his life - and he had seen a damn lot of cathedrals in his short stay in England before he had fallen through the portal with Max and Tess.
"What the hell…" He trailed off, flabbergasted. "When you said Citadel, you meant Citadel." He glanced at Tess, who's eyes were focused on the fortress as well.
"I remember it." She whispered to Kyle. "It was the only place that ever felt like home to me."
Kyle felt a pang. Score another point for being a queen. His column of good points was beginning to look extremely bare. "You call that a home?" He scoffed, not meaning to sound flippant, but knowing he did. "It's not exactly what I would call cozy."
"It wasn't the place." Tess replied, seemingly oblivious to his distress. "It was the people who lived in it."
Or person. The king who had lived in it.
The transport slid to a stop several minutes later. They had driven right through the Citadel's front gate, which was flung wide open and was now guarded by several soldiers in Illyrian blue and gold. Kyle rubbed his neck, glancing up. He had to look up for a long time before he even began to glimpse the top of the towers soaring into the brightening sky.
"Welcome to the governmental centre of our planet." Hamor said to them as he helped Tess out of the transport. Kyle could see her kicking her long skirts out of the way impatiently.
"I still don't understand why the Dernians would give it up so easily." Tess told Kyle. "From what I heard, it took them months to claim it and whoever holds the Citadel holds the planet. Why would they just run away?"
"They still hold the Ring." Kyle shrugged. "Isn't it more important in the long run?"
Tess just shook her head. "I have no idea. I don't know anything anymore."
"What I want to know is, where's King Max?" Kyle demanded as Hamor led them through the elaborate front door and into a huge entrance-way with soaring buttresses holding galleries as far as the eye could see. Kyle shivered. As usual, it was damn cold. "You'd think the guy would be happy enough to see us that he could at least come and say hey."
"Hey." Kyle turned at the familiar voice.
Tess shrieked with joy. "Max!" She flew across the marble-like floor and threw herself at her friend. "Are you all right? We thought they were going to execute you!"
Max caught her easily, gave her a warm hug before setting her down beside him, keeping one arm around her waist. Kyle averted his eyes. The sight literally made him want to puke.
"I thought so too." Max replied wryly. "It would seem that I have more allies than I expected."
Kyle tensed at the sight of the soldiers Max indicated, who were marching double time from the door behind Max and Tess. They took up position around Max and Tess, standing at attention as though guarding their lives - from what, Kyle could not have said.
There were twelve of them and they were all dressed in tunics of red and gold with a symbol Kyle recognized from the transformation chamber on Earth emblazoned on the front.
He also recognized it from the uniform he had seen Captain Lorn and his underlings burning disdainfully the night before. It had come off a Dernian shapeshifting spy who had been found on the perimeter of the camp.
These were Dernian soldiers.
These were their enemies.
Which could only mean one thing.
He had been right. Max had been turned again.
They had fallen right into a trap.
