Nascent Decay (The Goddess of Decay Book 1) (22 page)

“With one finger,” she said as the tendrils around their throats grew slender. She could feel the heartbeat of each one of them through her fingers, almost as though she were connected with them. It was time to send the Council a message. She was so over being fucked with.

“Just one finger each.” The tendrils became thinner and thinner until they were no more than the breadth of a hair. She constricted them all simultaneously, slicing through flesh and bone as though it were air, decapitating them all at once.

The bodies slumped to the floor, flopping and twitching like fish out of water. Blood began pumping from the stumps of their necks as though someone had turned on a faucet of it inside their bodies. She was suddenly glad she couldn’t see the faces behind the visors. She didn’t want to look into their eyes. What had she become? The realization of what had just happened hit her like a hammer to the chest. Maybe Ben was right. Maybe she was a monster.

She fell to her knees as the blood pooled around her. She should have just strangled them. There was going to be so much blood. She stared at the rich red pool as it spread across the carpet.
A better fate than what awaits me if Vorcia gets her hands on me again
, she thought. She frowned.
A better fate than what awaits us all if she doesn’t
.

She put her hand down in the warm sticky fluid and pulled it back. She stared at the wet red dripping down her forearm from her palm.
So much more blood to come
, she thought.
No matter what I do
.

She thought about her parents, her brothers. Sora’s dire warnings came drifting back to her. Rhylie began laughing soundlessly, madly, tears flowing from her eyes. After everything she had endured, she couldn’t believe it was going to end like this. Maybe Isaar could rescue her twice. The thought made her laugh even harder.

He should have killed me when he had the chance
, she thought madly. At least then, her struggle would be over.

*

Rhylie was shocked when her parents walked through the door the next time it slid open. She was still kneeling amidst the slew of decapitated bodies that were lying scattered across the floor like broken dolls. The massive pool of blood had begun to congeal and the whole room stunk of feces. She lowered her head in shame as her parents stared around themselves in horror, their mouths gaping.

“I’m a monster,” she said as they stood there in silence. “Ben was right.”

“They told us what you did. But seeing it for myself,” her father said. “Why would you do something like this, Rhylie? Why?” His voice sounded thick, like he going to vomit. Why were they even here? Was this some kind of cruel joke? She had never wanted them to see this side of her.

“I’m just sick and tired of being ordered around,” Rhylie said without looking up. “I’m sick and tired of being humanity’s savior. I’m sick and tired of being humanity’s doom.”

“These men were just doing their jobs,” her father said. She was surprised he hadn’t thrown up yet.

“I gave them a choice,” said Rhylie. “Some of them made it out alive. These were the stubborn ones that didn’t want to listen.” She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was her mother. She had made her way through the corpses to reach Rhylie. She was holding her other hand over her mouth and nose as though to block out the smell.

“You’re still our daughter,” her mother said, her eyes tearing up. “No matter what, nothing will ever change that.” Rhylie looked back down in shame.

“This is just the beginning,” she said softly. “The Siirocians are not going to give us peace.” She looked back up at her mother, and then over to her father. “I wish there were someplace safe you could go and take Ben, but I’m afraid there isn’t.” Her mother pursed her lips together.

“Are you sure?” her mother asked. “They can’t all be bad.”

“I don’t know,” said Rhylie. “I really only know Vorcia. I thought she was nice at first. I thought she cared about me. But she was just using me.” Rhylie paused. “She’s going to kill us all.” She looked at the bodies lying around her. “Whether I give myself up or not, whether we sign the treaty…it doesn’t matter.” She looked back up at her parents. “But I really don’t have a choice, do I?” It wasn’t really a question. Her father frowned.

“You always have a choice, Rhylie,” he said slowly, with a sad look in his eyes. “And choices always have consequences.”

“Sometimes different decisions lead to the same conclusion,” she said. “I’m not going to be remembered as a monster. I’m not.” She pushed herself up from the floor. “But I won’t be taken into custody again either.” She changed her dull gray body into her favorite pajama bottoms and t-shirt with her comfy bunny rabbit slippers. Something non-threatening. “Let’s go find the Council, if they’re not hiding.” Carefully she picked her way through the dead, holding her mother’s hand. When she got to her father, she took his hand and led them through the door.

“Stay behind me,” Rhylie said once they were out in the corridor, letting go of their hands. It was empty and silent, like a cemetery on a cold, foggy morning.

“They’ve been monitoring you from a room near here. They were watching you when we were escorted through. They’re scared to death of you, you know,” her father said. Rhylie laughed mirthlessly.

“They should be,” she said with a hint of satisfaction. “Let’s go find them.”

They found her first. A lone soldier stood in the middle of the hallway on the next turn. He appeared to be unarmed. He raised his hands.

“I’m only here to talk,” he said from behind his visor.

“Then just take us to the Council,” she said. The soldier nodded his head in response and turned to walk down the corridor. They followed him down a series of tubular hallways until they came out into the Great Chamber of Mars through a side door. Marcus and Adanna were represented by holograms in their seats. There were two more Council members there as holograms as well, a pale woman with flame red hair and freckles, and an older, distinguished gentleman with graying hair. They were being cautious. She could appreciate that. Rhylie strode to the center of the grand room with purpose. Her parents stayed behind with the soldier.

“Why have you left your quarters, Rhylie?” Marcus asked without any pomp or air.

“I have decided I am going to surrender myself to the Siirocians,” she said as defiantly as she could. “But I will not surrender myself to you again.” Marcus frowned slightly and nodded his head once, slowly. He leaned forward and placed his fingertips together.

“I had not intended for our discussion to go the way it did earlier,” he said. “Connor is still under medical care. The doctors say the ulcer you caused on his chest may never fully heal.” Rhylie gave a short laugh. Marcus narrowed his eyes at her and frowned with displeasure but continued on anyway.

“The treaty ceremony is in less than two days,” he said.
At least he knows when not to push me
, she thought. “We’ll be leaving in a few hours for the moon.” Rhylie pursed her lips together and furrowed her brow.

“Where is Isaar?” she asked.

“He’s being kept in a secure location,” Marcus said as he leaned forward on his elbows and placed his fingertips together. “Let’s call him an insurance policy, shall we?” Rhylie knew exactly what he meant.

“How do I know he’s alright?” she asked.

“Because we don’t want to make you any angrier than you already are, and risk you not going along with the terms of the treaty,” he responded.

“What’s going to happen to him?”

“He will be retained on Mars until after the ceremony, and then allowed to leave if he wishes,” Marcus said.

“So he will be released after the ceremony? Unharmed?” she asked.

“Yes,” said Marcus. “I promise.” Rhylie didn’t believe him. Isaar would probably be handed over too.
He knew the risks,
she thought.
He could probably escape anytime he wanted to anyway
. She wished she had one of those anti-security bracelets now. She could slip away and find him.

“I’ll be waiting with my mother and father in one of the conference rooms,” she stated, and then turned to walk back towards her parents.

“Rhylie, wait.” She turned back around. Adanna and the other woman were walking across the room towards her. She didn’t know where they had come from. Maybe they had been hiding in plain sight. “We’ll wait with you, if that’s alright. For a little while at least,” she said.

“That’ll be fine,” Rhylie said curtly, and turned to walk back to her parents. The other women followed closely behind her. They were braver than most of the men she had met. They entered the nearest empty conference room and the door slid shut behind them.

“I just wanted to offer my gratitude,” Adanna said immediately. “I don’t know what I would do if I were you. The burden must be tremendous on top of what you’ve endured.”

“We were afraid you weren’t going to go along with the conditions of the treaty,” said the other woman. Adanna cut her a look.

“Yes…Vorcia has been overly insistent that we all be on Earth as soon as possible. It’s made some of us a little uncomfortable,” Adanna said.

“We had to tell her that you were already on Earth with the rest of us to get her to relax a little,” said the red headed woman. “She really wants you back more than anything, it seems.”

“Lamara!” exclaimed Adanna. “That is classified information!” Lamara rolled her eyes.

“Like it really matters if anyone here knows. We’ll all be on our way soon enough,” she said. Adanna shook her head.

“I really wish Ivan hadn’t told her that,” Adanna said. “Dishonesty is not a good way to begin a diplomatic relationship.”

“You know how he is. He acts like a bully, but he’s the biggest chickenshit there is,” Lamara said. Rhylie snorted with laughter. Lamara joined her. “It’s a shame we don’t have more time with you. You don’t seem so dangerous to me.” Lamara leaned closer to Rhylie. “Personally I find any woman that butchers men like you do to be absolutely fascinating!” she said with a wink. Rhylie looked over to her parents. Her dad had a horrified look on his face. She laughed again.

“Come, sit, let’s talk. Tell us what you’ve been through,” Lamara said. “Don’t leave anything out.”

By the time Rhylie had finished telling them everything, they all had looks of horror on their faces. Even Lamara. For the first time, she hadn’t held back.

“I…don’t know what to say,” said Lamara. Adanna just sat there in stunned silence. “Do you think they really killed your baby?”

“I don’t know,” Rhylie said sadly. “It was all a lie. But I know I birthed a child. I felt it grow inside of me. That was real.” Lamara cut a glance at Adanna.

“We’re in some serious shit,” Lamara said. Apparently she did not mince words. Adanna’s eyes were still wide with horrified shock. “Should we tell the rest of the Council?”

“I don’t know,” Adanna said. “What good would it do? Would it change anyone’s mind?”

“No, it wouldn’t,” said
Rhylie bluntly
. Just then the door slid open and a visored soldier stepped through.

“It’s time to go,” he said.

As they were disembarking from their ship, Rhylie stopped in the middle of the airlock, looking up wistfully through the curved glass above her, at the Earth beyond.
I hope this is worth it
, she thought. She pursed her lips together.

“Everyone else can go on without me,” she said. “I want to take a walk outside, on the surface of the Moon.” Her skin slid up her neck to cover her head. “These may be my last hours as a free woman.”

“We are supposed to depart within the hour,” Adanna said irritably, her bitchiness surfacing, but Rhylie didn’t care what anyone thought anymore, except her parents. She was the one willing to sacrificing herself to save them all. The very least they all could do is show her a little respect and courtesy.

“There ceremony isn’t until tomorrow. I’ll be back before then,” she said. Adanna eyed her with cold frustration for a moment before nodding her head once. It wasn’t like anyone present could stop her anyway. They would be stupid to even try.

“Brian, Viktor, accompany her, would you please?” Adanna commanded more than asked. Two of the visored guards nodded their heads in silence. Rhylie laughed, amused.

“Are you boys going to be my last date as a free woman?” she asked with playful mockery. “I have to warn you, I can get a little wild.” They both stiffened up at the proposition, but neither responded verbally. She shrugged and stepped into one of the unoccupied side airlocks, and activated it.

Stepping out onto the lunar surface for the first time was exhilarating, like nothing she’d ever experienced before. She took a couple of short skips across the surface, turning tiny hops into leaps and bounds. The guards followed her cautiously, taking baby hops. The lunar gravity really did mess with your equilibrium, she realized as she almost pitched headfirst into the dust and rocks that covered the surface.

She felt as though she could just leap off into space, and almost did, before remembering that she most likely could. Maybe she could jump to Earth from here. She laughed soundlessly at the thought and kept hopping across the surface until she found her equilibrium and began to sprint across the ground.

Once she was out of sight of the moon base, she settled down in a small crater that gave a perfect view of Earth. She leaned back on her hands with her legs crossed beneath her, staring up at it until the guards found her, marveling at it. They half-slid down the slope as cautiously as they could, as if they were still unaccustomed to the low gravity. They probably couldn’t acclimate as well as she had. It was a shame she couldn’t communicate with them through the vacuum. She could have some fun with them. It had been a long time since she had flirted with anyone. She’d been pretty good at it once.

The guards just stood beside her silently as she lounged at the bottom of the crater, savoring her last bit of supervised freedom. She wondered whether Vorcia would put her back in the Chamber or just kill her. At this point she really didn’t care.