Euthara (53 page)

Terri looked up at Jon said, “Jon I have to get him to my ship or he’ll die.”

Jon nodded, “Go.”

As people realized the glass was now gone and started to react Terri and Oojoung faded from view. Jon turned his attention back towards the Duke and saw the Duke was now back at Deatra’s side.

“Hold,” Jon said. “No one do anything.”

“I’ll kill her,” the Duke said. “Back off and leave now or I’ll do it.” The Duke wasn’t doing so well Oojoung had done a number on him, and he could feel himself weakening. He had to move fast if he was going to complete his task.

“Just give it up,” Jon said. “You can’t win, so just stop the bloodshed.”

“I can and will win,” the Duke said. “I’ll kill her if you do not leave.” As if to make his point Deatra grunted in pain as the Duke motioned at her. The Duke glared at Jon, occasionally turning his gaze to those around Jon, as if daring them to make a move.

Jon motioned people to fall back, he knew the Duke was telling the truth. Jon didn’t move as those around him retreated.

“I’m not moving,” Jon said.

“Fine you can stay and watch to your dying breath,” the Duke said. He turned his attention to Deatra while he kept Jon in his peripheral vision. “Release my men.”

Deatra shook her head as she spoke, “Not on your life, well maybe if you gave up your life.” Deatra felt something start burning her from the inside. The feeling coursed up through her body, it was actually a pleasant feeling.

“How about on his life?” the Duke said as he motioned towards Jon.

Jon’s throat suddenly felt tight and it was almost impossible to breath. Jon felt his weight lift as his feet cleared the floor. He reached up and clawed at whatever was holding his throat closed, but his fingers passed through air.

It was then that Jon heard Arianna yelling that the bond had established itself back to Nefeit and Kelly. Panic filled Jon as he knew everything he had done was for nothing. He started struggling harder as he thought of the women he loved dying.

“Do it,” Deatra said as the heat filled her body. She felt power surge through her mind as her senses became amplified. She didn’t know what was going on, but she knew the Duke’s hold on her was slipping.

“You’re the worst kind of murderer,” Jon managed to get out.

The Duke laughed, “I thought that was obvious.”

“You’re willing to kill two innocent children?” Jon said. “All to gain power, soldiers I understand, but children.”

“I have never killed children,” the Duke said. “Well maybe one or two, but I try to avoid it. Even I have some scruples.”

“You’re killing my bond mate Kelly,” Jon said. “She is carrying two unborn children that are not even mine.”

Deatra gasped as the sensations through her body strengthened.

“No, you’re killing her,” the Duke said. “You can break the bond, I know you know how.”

“I tried,” Jon said. Heat washed his body as he suddenly started to feel much better. “It established itself again.”

“Oh, they rejected the disconnection,” the Duke said.

Then it dawned on the Duke what was going on with Opellissa. He looked down her prone form and then back to Jon. “That’s what you did,” the Duke said.

Jon nodded his head as he struggled to break free from the hold the duke had on him.

“Oh, well,” the Duke said. “You tried to save them. Not that I would have let them live anyway.

Suddenly, Jon fell to the floor as the Duke’s control was broken. The Duke gasped in surprise as he suddenly lost touch with his powers. It was in that second the Duke knew what had happened, and he looked up at a Deatra who was both beautiful and scary all at the same time.

Deatra’s hair floated in the air as if she was in weightless space. Raw psychic energy seeped from her eyes as she stared down at the Duke. The injuries she had sustained had all healed and the debris around her floated just off the floor.

“Kneel and beg,” Deatra commanded. “Beg for your life and ask to be forgiven for all your past crimes. As your Queen I command it.”

“I’ll never kneel to you,” the Duke said.

Two loud pops filled the air as the Duke howled in pain. The Duke fell to his knees and let out another scream of pain. “Beg,” Deatra said.

“Never,” the Duke said.

“Fine, then you will die,” Deatra said. “You have woken something that hasn’t been seen in a hundred years. Something our people had thought lost, for that I thank you. It lets us know there is hope for our people after all.”

Unknown to everyone in medical on the
Atlantis
what was going on was being broadcast all across Euthara and all the ships.

“Your evil shall be wiped away and your name never spoken again Duke Andara, this is the last time you shall hear it,” Deatra said. She reached out and pressed one of her fingers to the Dukes head as psychic energy poured forth, and the Duke screamed. “I will know what you know and I will right your wrong.”

Jon stood up and took a step towards Deatra. Power surged through him as his senses came alive. In his mind he could hear all his bond mates.

“Jon please do not interfere,” Deatra said.

He nodded and replied, “All your show.”

“Jon? Deatra?” Nefeit said. “Are you all ok?”

“Yes, we’re fine,” Deatra said.

“Kelly has stabilized, and I think she is going to be fat and grumpy a while longer,” Nefeit said.

“I can hear you,” Kelly said.

“I’m ok too,” Opellissa said.

“Enjoy the show,” Deatra said. She allowed them all to see what she was seeing.

“I sentence you to death,” Deatra said.

“I…” That was all the Duke got out before his bones burst and his screams began filling the air. His death wasn’t pretty, and Deatra drew it out for the better part of ten minutes. In the end, all that was left of the Duke was a pile of clothes and a red smear on the floor. Of course Kelly got sick and had to be removed from the stream that was sent through the bond.

So, ended the reign of Duke Andara and the down fall of Euthara.

Several Eutharan ships fled as the Duke died. One of the Admirals loyal to the Duke jumped in the Eutharan atmosphere. It caused a chain reaction that destroyed all the underground facilities that were being used to suppress the birth rate for half of Euthara. It also made the atmosphere unbreathable for the next year, something to do with the facilities.

The hidden city immediately jumped in to help evacuate the population off planet. Troops supporting the Duke laid down their arms and pitched in to help with the evacuation. The Duke had in a backwards way united the Eutharan people and made them stronger.

Reports from Terri had Oojoung doing well. She had taken him with her as she returned to the Ga’sahde home world to deal with her own problems that were stacking up as the races realized they were back.

Jon had appointed Breq as interim Governor of Euthara as he went after the ship that had fled. He wasn’t going to let them escape when they needed every ship possible. Deatra stood next to him her arm around his waist. She smiled up at him as he gave the order to begin the pursuit of the rogue ships.

To be continued

Michael McClain live with his best friend and his best friend’s wife in Minnesota. In a trailer with a goofy cat and a cranky dog.

He has always dreamed of being able to write books and actually publish them. Thanks to the many fans that support his work and friends that encourage him, he has seen this dream come true. This is also due to the books that sites like Amazon (Kindle) and other POD companies have done for the regular author.

Atlantis Rising: Book I

Euthara: Book II