"Otto, what is it that a humble old woman may do for her king?" The crone's words mock me, she clicks her fingers together so that her long nails make sharp snicking noises, like little beetles dismissing my presence. I'd have my revenge on her tomorrow, I'd have my revenge on all of them soon. Teach them not to slight me. I try to draw Lela's attention by jerking my head rapidly to the side.
"Obviously Otto is trying to say that our presences will be expected in the ritual chambers very soon. Perhaps you had best take my sister to the bath and clean her up a bit. We want her to look nice and fresh for her death after all." Silently, I praise Lela's quick woman's intuition. For this reason she is a leader and I her humble follower. She will make a glorious queen for me. It didn't seem to be enough though, because the old hag certainly wasn't fooled.
"Oh go ahead with your little plans then, it's not as if an old woman can prevent you. I have seen the future anyhow and there is little to be done to halt this ceremony once certain events are set into motion." With that dire predilection she hoists the transgenic woman up beneath the armpits and hauls her away like a half drowned kitten.
In great strides I cross the room to my lover's side, ignoring for once the pressing need to keep a safe distance from her fists and blood red nails. "We're in big trouble Lela." Best to start off with the bad news, she won't appreciate my dawdling. God I don't look forward to the tirade she's about to give though.
"We or you Otto? Because I'm pretty sure that you're old enough to get out of any scrapes you've gotten yourself into. Now what is it that you've done now?"
"Well I found something out about the transgenics plans." Her eyebrows come together skeptically. "But then of course I rushed to tell you all about it and ask your advice." Now her dark eyes are blazing, she can sense that the story is taking an unpleasant turn. "I thought I heard the crone taking Max out to clean her up so I took my opportunity. I walked in to tell you, but from the back I couldn't see which one of you it was. Well see, I was just about to turn you over and see which it was, when I happened to see one of the rune tattoos on the person's back. I didn't think that she had any of the runes so I just automatically assumed that it was you." She is practically spitting in anger now, and I'm thinking that this might not have been the best idea.
"She doesn't have any runes you idiot. How could she huh? She'd need to have touched that little beast of hers and that's obviously impossible. Now what was it that you spilled out to her?" I gulp down the bile rising in my throat, this is doable. She's only human after all.
"Well I kind of told her that I'd found out about the rescue that Sandeman is mounting, and that I knew when her people were attacking and where." Huh, when put in that way, it really did sound like I'd screwed up bad. Lela's face had made an alarming transformation from beet red to granite.
"She knows that we know." Her voice slowly hushes until the last word comes out a whisper. "The moment she sees the rescue forces she'll alert them somehow, they're soldiers, she'll find a way. I don't see how." Words fail her for a moment. "I don't see how you could possibly be so foolish as to not check which of us it was. Do you realize the damage you've done? Do you." Ignoring the pain of her cuts she sits to face me, her nose a half inch from mine. "You, you are done with this. We are through, our association is ended. Go now, you get out of my sight and pray that you never see me again." Her words, sharp as blows, rock me back until I find myself half kneeling, half sitting on the floor.
"Lela, don't do this, it's still fixable. Please Lela." Her hand snaps out in a blur knocking me to the floor. As I try to rise her foot catches the back of my head and spins my entire body. "God Otto, you're such a clueless little shit. Ames was right, what possible use could you be to anybody. Look at you, you're pathetic. Now get out before I decide to do the world a favor and remove you from it."
Bitch, god she was bitch. If I couldn't have power with her, there were other ways. There's always another way.
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"I have something for you Charlotte. Consider it my first husbandly gift."
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Twenty-three fifty hours, ten minutes until the day. Sandeman has spent his entire life preparing for this day. I have been bred in preparation for this day. She and I were made for one another so that we might stop this day from going forward. For one moment I wonder what will become of us on the day after tomorrow. Will mankind find its destruction with our deaths? If we save the world then what could possibly be left to us.
