Fire's Touch (The Enlightened Species Book Three) (26 page)

Conlon took Stacey’s hand and lead her into the grove of trees. “How did Atlantis fall?” This curious side of Stacey had started to peek through more and more lately. Especially after she learned the Tellus and Aquaties did not have wealth like human and Volaticus understood. It gave the species disadvantages when then choose to live amongst man. The SOSC had trusts set up, but it was still difficult. No doubt she had designs to reconcile that.

“Volaticus and Aquaties were warring over control of the Mediterranean. The Aquatie used their cumulative sonar and thermodynamic abilities to create an underwater earthquake, sending a boiling tsunami thousands of feet high. When it reached Atlantis and the surrounding area, it literally boiled the bodies of any Volaticus, human, Tellus, plants, animals—everything in its path. It missed my ancestral home by a few hundred yards. The Dead Sea is our reminder of that battle. All that remains of our great city now sits at the bottom of its depths.” Cassie listened intently. Conlon wondered if the Tellus version of what happened differed somewhat.

“War sucks.” Stacey squeezed his arm, demonstrating the sympathy her words lacked.

“I love you.” Conlon whispered the words; just saying them out loud lifted a weight from his shoulders. Her eyes widened with surprise as they stepped through the trees into a small clearing. A dirt-packed, domed cave rose from the otherwise flat ground. Conlon griped Stacey’s hand, stopping her. “Don’t move.”

A gasp left her as a pack of wolves walked out of the trees all around them. He could see easily a hundred or more pairs of eyes remaining under the tree cover. With the rustle of leaves, Stacey looked up. “Conlon, there are … really big cats in the trees.”

“They are Tellus guards. They’ve been monitoring us since we stepped out of the chortal.” Living amongst Tellus colonies his entire life, Conlon hadn’t given the Tellus following their progress much thought. This was just what Tellus did. Granted, there was a stronger presence than normal. That was completely understandable since they’d created a vulnerability to their colony by opening the tunnel to the surface.

Three females sidestepped past the wolves to greet them. They wore traditional garb of leather, thigh-length skirts and bikini-like, tied-on tops, dyed in different hues of deep tans to match the skin tone of the wearer. One was twirling a seven-foot bamboo pole infused with electromagnetic energy. The whirling sound emphasized the deadly weapon.

“Okay, I get the Amazonian myth.” Stacey elbowed Cassie.

With a thud the pole ceased, held tight in the females hand with the end to the ground. The three females bowed to one knee before Cassie. “Princess … welcome home.” The pole spinner’s voice caught with emotion. Conlon checked Cassie’s face for a reaction, noting that Cassie blinked away moisture but kept her chin lifted and shoulders squared. Regal in every way. As hard as this must have been on Cassie, she never let anything show. Conlon was impressed; Mattie would have acted completely different.

With a slightly shaking hand, Cassie touched the female’s bowed head. “Mia. It’s good to see you.” Conlon made a wide visual sweep, observing that every wolf, lynx, and panther was belly to the ground and ears back, showing Cassie both honor and submission. Conlon would bet big money that every face had the animal version of a grin. Still, his raw instinct when faced with this show of force was to extend his wings and snatch Stacey into the sky away from danger. She grinned up at him, probably reading his body language again.

“They adore her. It’s obvious they have no idea why she left,” Stacey whispered with her face to his neck. “Her mother is one cruel bitch.”

Conlon lifted her chin with his fingers, meeting the sapphire pools that filled his world with wonder and challenge. “They are simply glad Cassie’s here. I think Queen Della spared her subjects the truth out of kindness. She’s a great queen, Stacey. Give her the benefit of the doubt.” Stacey sneered and grumbled, making Conlon grin.

The bowed Tellus lifted her hand palm up toward the tunnel. This time Cassie led the way. Tellus sentries bowed to Cassie as they passed, and she addressed each of them by name.

At the entry to the ceremonial chamber Conlon had been in many times, a servant stepped in front of Cassie and bowed to one knee. “Princess Cassiopeia Aleen, the Queen requests that you join her in her private chambers.”

Cassie gave Stacey an “oh shit” look over her shoulder. “You want me to come with you?” Stacey offered. Cassie seemed to debate the question before nodding. Stacey kissed his cheek and went with Cassie.

This should be interesting.
Conlon thought. If he hadn’t seen Stacey’s meeting at Winkel Holdings, he might be concerned for his bloodmate-to-be. Now, he almost felt sorry for Queen Della.

****

With every step down the familiar tunnel, Cassie’s chest constricted tighter. When the dirt-packed, torch-lit access expanded to reveal the main colony city below, visible through beautiful archway overlooks, it intensified rather than relieved her longing for home. The walls glistened and glowed with crushed gems. Light from above ground created daylight conditions in the hub of the colony by a series of mirror like spheres, strategically placed to reflect, direct, and capture illumination from the sun’s rays.

“Damn,” Stacey exclaimed, catching her attention. She looked back to see her best friend leaning out the archway with a soft, impressed whistle. “It’s like frickin’ New York City down there.”

Cassie leaned from the archway next to Stacey. Pride filled her as she looked over her colony. People halted in the brick paved streets below and waved up to her. She waved back, her heart overflowing with love for those that had once been
her
people. The main park had children running and playing … children she’d never met. Before her expulsion, she’d made a point of knowing every member of every family, attending nearly every birth.

The path they took led from the castle and encircled the heart of the palace. Through the arch she could see the front of the palace looming ahead of them. The foot traffic from the lowest floor moved at a quick, bustling pace. All were welcome. All came regularly.

“Princess Cassiopeia …” The servant hesitated to interrupt, but her mother was waiting. Cassie knew the drill.
Time to face the music.

Stacey let out another low whistle when the outer doors to the palace opened wide for them. Money wasn’t the mode of community within a Tellus colony. Craft, skill, working for the benefit of the colony as a whole … that was the proof of their riches, and the palace reflected a rich level of craftsmanship. Another wave of pride rippled through her.

They turned to an offshoot inclined hallway. The high polish of the marble floors reflected her image up at her. Her mother’s quarters lay ahead. With a few fortifying breaths, Cassie thanked the escorting servant, grasped the door, and pushed it open. Mattie’s tear-streaked face lifted from her knees tucked tightly to her chest. Sitting on one of her mother’s plush loveseats in the reception area, her sister looked miserable. She’d lost weight. The gown she wore drooped on her shoulders. Bare toes peeked from beneath the layers of fabric.

Mattie stood and ran on shaky legs into Cassie’s arms. “Oh, thank the Fates.” The tangle of hair beneath her hand when she held the back of Mattie’s head to her shoulder pissed her off. What had her mother done to poor Mattie? She led her weak sister back to the seat, settling in beside her. A scroll lay discarded on the floor. Cassie swallowed at the line visible: “Contract of Nuptial.” Stacey picked it up and sat on one of the two chairs across from them, reading.

“What’s happened to you?” Cassie asked.

“She’s made me a prisoner, but I don’t care. I won’t mate him and I won’t sign that stupid thing.” She waved in the general direction of the contract in Stacey’s hands, her voice muffled in Cassie’s chest. “Cassie, I can’t do this … I thought—I thought when the time came I’d be ready, but I’m not ready.
I’ll never be ready
. And mother is insisting.”

“What, that you be queen or that you—mate?” A rod of pain lanced Cassie’s chest with the words.

“Mate—for now. I think mother freaked about Hans and you finding each other. She told me I will have to stay here after the ceremony to prepare for her crown and throne. Cancel my warrior contract and leave the SOSC.” Mattie pursed her lips defiantly.

Everything her mother was asking of Mattie made sense. Honestly, Cassie had been surprised the Queen had allowed her heir to go on active duty at all. Mattie put herself in dangerous situations all the time, hunting the trappers. Of course, it was possible Queen Della didn’t have a full understanding of what Mattie did. That would be just like her sister to manipulate the facts and get her way.

“Mother’s right, Mattie. You are too important to risk. Try to see things from her perspective—” Cassie snapped her lips shut as the door to her mother’s private office opened.

The second her mother entered the room, Cassie could feel her cold fury. The Queen’s eyes flashed from Cassie’s to Stacey and back. She smoothed the front of her cream-colored gown. “She’s refused to eat or speak to me without your presence, Cassiopeia. The Albas are becoming concerned, restless. My hope in submitting to her whining and summoning you is that
you
will be able to talk some sense into your insolent sister.”

Cassie noted her mother did not mention having any personal desire to see her. The Queen pivoted and exited the room, returning to her private sitting area and leaving them alone.

“Nice,” Stacey muttered. “So nice to meet you too, queenie-poo,” she snapped at the closed door with a roll of her eyes and returned her attention to the scroll. Cassie stifled a small grin.

“Mattie, if you wanted me here to give you some kind of … permission, you have it. You have to mate Hansi. He’s a good male; he will make an excellent king. Think of the colony’s welfare. This is about more than mating; it’s about honor, sacrifice … duty.” The words seared pain inside her, yet Cassie knew using three things that mattered most to Mattie was the only way to sway her sister when she dug her heels into something. Her sister might be reckless, but Cassie knew Mattie would lay down her life for what she believed in.

Mattie sniffled and gave Cassie a squeeze, then stood up. “I’m sorry, Cassie.”
Sorry for what?
Mattie pointed at Stacey. “I hope you’re right about this.” Stacey smirked but never took her eyes off the document scroll.

They are in cahoots on something.
Shit, impulsive meets innovative … something big was going to go down.
Please don’t do anything stupid,
Cassie prayed.

Mattie stomped to the doorway, took a visible breath, and pushed it open. “Mother. I, Princess Matalina Aleen, do hereby and forevermore renounce myself as crowned queen, heir to the throne of Aleen.” Her mother’s gasp was audible from the adjacent room. Mattie slammed the door shut with authority.

Cassie knew she was gaping. It felt like she was standing on quicksand. If Hans’s colony heard that Mattie had even threatened to renounce, it would be all over. Everything her family had built would be destroyed or surrendered in war. Anger flooded her like she’d never felt before.

“What the fuck are you thinking, Mattie?” Cassie stepped toe-to-toe with her sister. Mattie tried shoving against her chest. Cassie pushed back. “You unbelievably thoughtless, selfish little shit. People will die. Our people … Alba people. You can’t do this.” She clenched her fists to curb the tremors of fury.

Mattie lifted her chin. “So be it. I am not fit to be queen … I don’t want to be queen. And
I never want children.
” As much as Cassie wanted to cast aside Mattie’s tantrum, the truth of her statement blazed from her eyes.

Without thought, Cassie felt her arm rise to slap her beloved sister. Thank the Fates, Mattie caught it mid-swing. Few if any realized Mattie was a better fighter than her, but Cassie didn’t kid herself on that. If it became physical, Mattie would win. Right now she didn’t care. “YOU’RE RIGHT! You aren’t fit to be queen; you are not worthy of these people. That doesn’t mean you quit! You aspire to be worthy … to do your duty … to give them a monarchy they can be proud of. Have children, if not for yourself, then for them. This colony isn’t a toy you can just discard, Mattie. Their lives depend on mother … and on you. Be a leader.”

The door flew open, sending a blast of air into her hair and missing her arm by a fraction of an inch. Cassie stepped back and dropped her head. She had no desire to see the anger in her mother’s face that no doubt was there. She’d overstepped her boundaries; all she could do was accept the consequences. Leave her home … and never come back.

The pregnant silence was deafening. Unbelievable, she felt Mattie’s hand slip into hers and squeeze. She could see the bottom hem of her mother’s gown swish as she paced the floor from the upper edge of her downcast vision. Her mother sat in the chair next to Stacey and let out a long, resigned sign. “Sit down, girls.”

Huh?
Her mother didn’t sound upset. How was that possible? Cassie and Mattie returned to the loveseat. Stacey hadn’t lifted her eyes from the contract scroll; she seemed oblivious to the drama surrounding her.

“First off, I wish to apologize … to both of you. As I listened to you arguing, my mind began to replay every time I’ve heard you two have the same type of conversations,” her mother began. Mattie met her gaze with a confused expression. Had her mother ever apologized? Cassie felt pretty confused herself. “They are always the same; Matalina iterating her resistance to the throne and Cassiopeia reiterating the importance and reassuring her.” Her mother’s eye met Mattie’s and then shifted to Cassie when she said their names.

Stacey rolled the scroll and set it in her lap, turning her attention to the conversation. “Your first-born daughter isn’t meant to be your heir,” she stated.

The queen’s lips lifted into a slight smile. “It is that obvious, even to a stranger, yet I have stubbornly remained obtuse. Thinking I knew best.”