Ancient Guardians The Legacy of the Key (29 page)

“Simone!” Reece
snapped harshly. “Do you realize what you have done?”

“I know exactly
what I have done,” Simone growled, “I’ve found a way to have you removed from
our lands, and yet, keep peace with our enemy!”

Before she knew it,
Reece’s hand lashed out and slapped Simone’s face hard enough to jolt her head
sideways. Simone’s eyes flashed with fury, even as tears welled up in them.

“Have you lost your
mind? Levi and Harrison will be lucky if they ever return! You’ve done nothing
but condemn everyone! It seems to me that the Ciatron don’t make deals—at
least, they don’t keep them. Haven’t you paid attention to any of the reasons
why I was brought here to begin with? All anyone can do now is hope that, for
once, they will keep their word. And the only way we’ll know that is when, or
if, Harrison and Levi return.”

“When Harrison and
Levi return, dear Reece, which should be in a few hours, you will wish you had
never laid your hand upon my face.”

Reece shook her
head in disbelief, and turned to leave.

Simone called to
her. “I do hope you have enjoyed your time with Levi. I’ll make this promise to
you; your kiss with him this morning will have been your last.”

Reece stopped in
the doorway. “Emperor Navarre and your father need to know about your secret
arrangements with the Ciatron right away. You’ll either go with me to tell them
of it, or I will tell them on my own.”

Simone’s face
darkened as she approached Reece. She wove her arm through Reece’s. Reece
violently jerked her arm free. “Do not touch me!”

Simone giggled.
“Ah! Reece, you must relax. You wouldn’t be foolish enough to try to disrupt my
plans, now would you? You see, the friend who helped me wanted you dead, and I
can easily arrange that as well!” She brought her arm back through Reece’s, “It
would be wise for you to keep this conversation between you and me.” She
laughed. “Now, my Empress is waiting on us for breakfast. Let us go.”

Simone led Reece
from the room. Reece continued to walk by her side, disillusioned at the
thought of the events that Simone had set into action. Could Levi and Harrison
be heading into a trap set by the Ciatron? There was no way the Ciatron would
take the news of Navarre keeping Reece in Pemdas lightly. Levi and Harrison
could be in grave danger. Reece felt sick, but she had to stay focused. Navarre
would know best; she had to get away from Simone quickly and notify him somehow.
They walked into the dining hall where Allestaine, Elizabeth, Lillian, and
Catherine were seated.

“Good morning,
ladies.” Allestaine greeted them.

Reece offered a
faint smile as she quickly made her way to a seat next to Elizabeth.

“Good morning, Lady
Allestaine.” Simone said enthusiastically.

As the staff
brought out their breakfast plates, Reece sat silently contemplating how she
would get away from Simone, and get a message to Navarre. The longer she sat at
this table, the longer Levi and Harrison would be on their own. She stood
abruptly.

“Reece? Is
everything okay?” Allestaine said as she looked at Reece in confusion.

Reece cleared her
throat, “Everything is fine. If you’ll excuse me, I left something back in my
room. I’ll only be a minute.”

Simone stood.
“Reece, darling, allow me to go with you.”

Reece felt the
blood boiling beneath the surface of her skin.

“Simone, Reece can
manage her way around the Palace without someone at her side. There is no need
for you to dismiss yourself as well.” Allestaine said with a reproachful look
at Simone.

Reece smiled at
Allestaine, “I’ll only be a moment.”

“Take your time,
Reece.” Allestaine responded.

Without looking
back at the table, Reece quickly made her way from the room. Fortunately, just
outside of the dining hall, a servant was walking by.

“Excuse me, sir?
Where can I find a pen and piece of paper, quickly?”

“Right this way,
Miss Bryant,” the servant responded as he led her into a room across the way.
He pulled a paper and pen from a cabinet drawer, and handed it to her. “Is
there anything—”

“Yes, wait just a
moment, please.” Reece said as she sat down at a nearby table to write. When
she finished writing about her confrontation with Simone, she stood and handed
the note to the servant. “Take this message to the Emperor immediately. Let him
know I said it is imperative that he reads this as soon as you place it into
his hands.”

 “Yes, Miss
Bryant.” The servant gave her a quick bow, and turned hastily to make his way
out of the room.

Reece remained in
the room, trying to gather herself. She closed her eyes and exhaled, her nerves
felt as though they were on fire. There was nothing more she could do now, and
she hoped she wasn’t too late for Levi and Harrison’s sake. After a few
minutes, Reece was finally able to return to the dining room.

She avoided looking
at Simone, and instead returned to her chair without a word. She looked at the
food on her plate, and forced herself to begin eating it.

“Reece, you seem
unwell? Are you sure you are okay?” Allestaine asked.

Reece forced a
smile, “I’m fine, Lady Allestaine. It’s just been a rough morning for me.”

Before Allestaine
could respond, Navarre and Samuel stormed into the room. Navarre still carried
Reece’s note in his hand. Reece had never seen Navarre look so hostile, and her
heart reacted with fear at the anger apparent on his face.

“My Lord—”

“Simone!” Navarre
growled, interrupting his wife. “Simone, is it true that you have made contact
with the Ciatron?”

Simone stared at
Navarre in shock.

“IS IT TRUE?” Navarre
roared, causing Reece to startle in response.

“My Lord, yes, it
is true.” She dropped her head, “But, I never believed—”

“Have you any idea
what this means?” Navarre turned to his commanding officer. “How was she able
to make contact with them? Am I to believe that you are behind this betrayal as
well?” He squared up to his highest in command.

 Samuel flinched,
and reflexively stepped back. “My Lord, I am only aware of this now, along with
you. I cannot tell you how she has come into contact with them.” He turned to
his daughter as if she were an enemy, “You will tell us at once how this has
happened, Simone, or you will suffer the consequence of high treason!” He
demanded.

Simone burst into
tears.

Navarre looked at
her and brought a deadly gaze back to Samuel. Samuel looked back at his Emperor
sternly. “My Lord, you must believe me.”

Navarre stared
intently into Samuel’s eyes, before he exhaled and nodded. “Quickly, Samuel,
dispatch a troop of Guardians to the Philadelphia vortex.” Before Samuel could
take a breath, Navarre demanded, “Go now! We may already be too late.”

Samuel’s expression
was as dangerous as Navarre’s when he swiftly turned to leave the room.

As Navarre
approached the table, Simone tried to remain calm, “Your Majesty, allow me to
inform you privately—”

“I have no time for
private conversations, Simone!”

Simone swallowed
loudly. “My Lord, I beg of you, what I am to tell you, you would only want to
hear in private.”

His gaze darkened,
and she shivered in response. “Simone! Do not argue with me. My son and
Harrison could be in grave danger—you will tell me everything you know
immediately!”

All eyes at the
table stared intently at Simone as she dropped her head into her hands and
began to sob. Navarre walked over to Simone and towered over her. “Stand up.”
His voice was even and deadly.

Allestaine was
immediately at his side. Simone stood and managed to speak through her sobs. “I
meant no harm, your Majesty, you must believe me. I thought the Ciatron…” She
paused as her increased sobbing was preventing her from being able to speak.

Navarre grabbed her
arms. “What—Simone—what did they tell you?” He growled.

Simone went into
hysterics, unable to respond.

Allestaine put her
hand over her husband’s. “Please, my Lord, release her and allow her to collect
herself, or I fear she will be incapable of telling us what we need to know.”

Allestaine led her
over to a seating area near the large dining room windows, and Navarre
followed. Allestaine sat and embraced the broken woman, rubbing her back
soothingly.

With the lady’s
encouragement, Simone looked up at Navarre. “I was only trying to help us reach
peace with our enemy.”

Navarre’s fists
clenched and his body turned rigid. Reece couldn’t see his face, but she saw
the quelling look Allestaine gave him.

“Please
understand,” said Simone. “There was no malice intended.”

 Reece contained
her rage at the lie. She stared at the hateful woman with repulsion.

Simone, calmer now,
began to speak more clearly. “I arranged a meeting with the Ciatron, with the
hope that they would accept Reece as payment for an alliance with our world.
They assured me they would. I knew we never had any chance against them, and
that an arrangement such as this could be our only way out of a war—a war, I
believe, we could never win.” She dropped her head into her hands, sobbing.

Navarre’s knuckles
turned white, as Allestaine’s expression became dark. “You know nothing of
military alliances and war! Do you understand that your deceitful plan would
not only result in Reece’s demise, but also the destruction, and likely
enslavement, of our world and others?” Navarre questioned in a low growl. “Of
course you do not, because you have not a clue about who Miss Bryant really is!
What gives you the power to go behind my back, and make an agreement with our
enemy? If Harrison, or my son,—” He took a breath. “—or anyone else, meets his
death due to this
treason
, then I assure you, your fate will be the same
as theirs.”

Simone nearly
fainted after hearing Navarre’s threat.

“How were you able
to come into contact with them?”

Simone opened her
mouth, but no words came out. Navarre seemed to be growing more impatient by
the second. “Answer me, now!” He shouted.

Allestaine looked
up at her husband, “My Lord, allow me a few moments with Simone. Please, go
with Samuel, and see if we are having success with the troop he has dispatched.
I will be there shortly.”

She looked at him
confidently, and Reece watched Navarre relax in that moment. “Very well.” He
looked down at Simone, who was crying hysterically. “Simone, your fate has yet
to be decided.” He spun on his heel, and turned to leave the room.

As Navarre left,
the young women still seated at the table were enveloped by their various
emotions—shock, grief, possibly remorse. Reece wasn’t sure what Simone felt. It
might be mere chagrin that made her cry.

Elizabeth had
broken into silent tears, and Reece sat with her arm around her. “Levi is the
most determined man I’ve ever met, Elizabeth. We can’t forget this is what
they’re trained to do. I am sure they will be okay.” She whispered, and
Elizabeth tried to smile.

“You’re right. I
hope the men sent to save them will help them in time.” She said.

Reece hugged her,
“Me, too.” She answered softly as she returned her attention to those around
her.

Lillian was
comforting Catherine, who stared at Simone as if her sister was a stranger,
shocked that she would do such a thing.

Allestaine
continued to pursue answers. “Simone, the only way you can make this right with
everyone, and I know that is what you desire, is to tell me every detail of
what you have done.”

Simone stared down
at her hands. “I was given an opportunity to speak with one of the Ciatron
guards. I foolishly thought that there might be a way to help Reece to return
to the life she was most comfortable with, and also to help the stressful
situation of our—”

Allestaine calmly
interrupted her. “Reasons will not help us now. I need you to explain to me how
you got the information to approach our most powerful adversary, and how you
succeeded in meeting with them? How can a young woman from Pemdas not only
disappear unnoticed, but find her way into the company of our greatest enemy?”

Simone stared at
her with apparent regret. “I was motivated to seek them out myself, my lady.
I—I went through the notes in my father’s office. He had written in great
detail about the particular ways that our warriors would confront the Ciatron,
and it motivated me to make plans of my own.” She sniffed.

Allestaine’s eyes
narrowed. “I fail to understand why a lady of Pemdas would feel it is in her
interest to meddle with battle plans. Perhaps it was the fact that you are a
child of our greatest Pemdai commander that inspired this interest? However, I
am not so ignorant to believe that.” She sighed.

“Simone, I don’t
believe you came up with this idea alone. I believe you have been betrayed, not
only by the Ciatron, but by another who helped encourage your ideas.”