Ristèard Unwilling Empress (13 page)

Ricki released a delicate snort and a blush rose up her cheeks. She looked at him as if he had lost his mind. Maybe he had, but if he had to lose it, he couldn’t think of a better way. Bending forward, he pressed another tender kiss to her lips before pulling back reluctantly when the door behind him opened.

“What is it, Andras?” He asked in a low, hard voice, not turning away from Ricki.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Ristèard, I was just checking on Lady Ricki to make sure she was safe and to see if she was ready to join her parents,” Andras quietly replied.

Ristèard glanced over his shoulder. “I will escort her,” he responded. “I need for you to prepare for my departure. We will need a transport and several days rations.”

“Do you wish for me to recall Harald and Emyr to travel with us?” Andras asked with a raised eyebrow. “They are still overseeing the zones.”

Ristèard shook his head. “No, Sadao will travel with Ricki and I as we make our way to the hidden Temple of the Empress,” he decided. “I want you to remain here to monitor the shields and make sure there are no more attacks.”

“As you wish,” Andras said, bowing his head in acknowledgement.

“Andras,” Ristèard called when Andras started to turn. “While I am gone, I want you to review the video and data on Texla and the other council members that attacked us. Also, speak with Manderlin and see if he can shed any light on who is behind this. My gut is telling me that whoever has been behind the attacks, will strike again, especially now that there might be a way to save the planet."

Andras paused, his eyes briefly flickered to Ricki before they returned to Ristèard. "I will let you know as soon as I find anything."

“One last thing,” Ristéard said, staring intently into Andras’ eyes. “See that Cherissa is removed from the palace.”

A cold smile curved Andras’ lips. “I will see to that personally,” he replied, withdrawing from the room.

"Suck it up, Blueboy, we're going," Walter stated, nodding to Marvin and Martin. "Make sure you have Nema's things, will you boys?"

Marvin grinned at his brother. "No problem, Walter. Nema has already asked us," he replied in a slightly accented voice. "She has your’s and Ricki's bags packed as well."

"I need to remember to thank mom for bringing me some clothes," Ricki replied, checking the satchel with her notepads and tablets. "Dad, are you sure you and mom should go? It could be dangerous. We don't know what we are going to find there."

Ristèard scowled as he listened to the chaos in the room. It didn't help when he heard Ajaska's soft chuckle behind him. The Kassisan was enjoying his frustration far too much.

"You know that your laughing about this is not building a good diplomatic relationship, don't you?" Ristèard grumbled under his breath. "How do you deal with that human? He has no concept of what I could do to him."

Ajaska looked in amusement at him. “I have watched him with the others. He has a very commanding presence, can be very gruff, but he has a good heart,” he observed.

Ristéard rubbed the back of his neck and watched as Martin picked up the items Walter was referring to and placed them on the back of the air skids that he and Marvin would be using. He had escorted Ricki to break their fast while Andras organized the equipment they would need for their journey. What he had not expected was her parents insistence that they accompany them. Of course, Marvin and Martin refused to allow them to go without their protection, which led to Ajaska shrugging his shoulders and informing him that he was also going along.

“I might as well accompany you. You could use someone to cover your back and my new daughters would kill me if anything happened to Walter, Nema, or Ricki. Besides, I am curious about Lady Ricki’s findings,” Ajaska had commented. “Jarmen has also requested more time to analyze why your shields keep failing. He is fascinated by their structure and the technology behind it.”

Ristéard knew exactly why the shields kept failing. Someone was sabotaging them. The failures had started shortly after his first meeting with Ajaska. At first, he had suspected it might have been a covert attack by the Kassisans to test their technology and responses. He had quickly dismissed that notion after he visited their world.

“Do you have any idea of who is behind the attacks on you?” Ajaska asked quietly, pulling Ristéard back to the present situation.

Ristéard shook his head. “I have Andras going through every record, every person involved from the lowest level to the highest. It has only been since I met with you that the attacks have escalated to the shield stations,” he said warily.

Ajaska gave him a sharp glance. “You are not suggesting that I or any of my people are to blame, are you?” He asked with an edge to his voice. “It is better to have my people as your ally than your enemy.”

“No, I do not think you or the Royal House is behind the attacks,” Ristéard replied thoughtfully, watching Ricki as she knelt in front of her mom who had just joined them. He could see the concern on her face as well as the resignation. She was just as frustrated with her parents’ determination to come with them as he was. “What confuses me is the attacks have been random and easily fixed until the past few days.”

Ajaska turned his head to study where Ristéard was looking. A frown creased his brow. His eyes darkened with concern.

“You think it is because of Ricki, don’t you?” Ajaska observed. “The attacks have increased since you learned about her.”

“Yes,” Ristéard murmured. “That is why I don’t want her out of my sight. I fear that whoever is behind the attacks on the shields will target her next.”

Ajaska’s lips curved up at the corner. “You are in love with her,” he stated with a satisfied nod. “I must admit, I find human women fascinating.”

Ristéard looked at Ajaska in surprise, but didn’t say anything. Yes, they were fascinating. It was more than their unique coloring, it was the way they approached things. While the Kassisan females were sheltered and considered fragile, the Elipdios women were forced by the history of their world to be more aggressive, much like the males. The human women contained a balance between the two; Fragile, yet strong at the same time. The strength was more internal, than physical, or at least it appeared that way until he remembered the amazing feats Ricki’s friends, River, Star, and Jo had completed during the fight with Tai Tek.

A reluctant smile curved his lips as he watched Ricki lean forward and brush a kiss across her mother’s cheek.
Ricki’s friends were not the only strong ones,
he thought with a wry grin.
She did a pretty good job of knocking me on my ass more than once.

“It is time to leave,” he suddenly said. “We should reach the area just before dark. I do not want to take an airship. There are still tribal groups there that hold that area as being sacred lands. The air skids can come in under their surveillance, but we will still need to travel with care.”

“I’ve been wanting to get my hands on one of your bikes since the first time I saw one,” Ajaska replied, rubbing his hands together. “How fast can they go?”

Ristéard grinned. “They are my personal design,” he said, turning to walk over to the solid black air bike. “Fast enough when the need arises.”

Ristéard’s eyes connected with Ricki’s worried ones. He held out his hand to her. She would ride behind him, while her father rode with Martin, and her mother with Marvin. Sadao and Ajaska would take the rear and carry most of the supplies on their air bikes.

Each of them were dressed in an environmentally controlled black body suit designed for the brutal heat of the Eastern desert day and the extreme cold of the night. It had been a challenge getting one modified for Walter and Nema at such short notice and was another reason why they were running more than three hours past the time he had wanted to leave. As it was, he wasn’t positive they would make it to the edge of the mountains before dark.

“Thank you,” Ricki murmured in a low voice, taking the black helmet he held out.

“For what?” Ristéard asked in surprise.

Ricki glanced to the side where Marvin was lifting her mom onto the back of the air skid and making sure she was not only comfortable, but also secure. A sigh escaped her as she returned her attention back to Ristéard. Her emotions were all over the place right now. She was still hurt by her earlier encounter in the hallway with Cherissa and not sure what to believe or not believe.

“For being patient and for allowing my parents to go, even if I would prefer they returned to the warship,” she admitted.

Ristéard cupped her cheek and leaned close enough to brush a kiss across her lips. “It is a father’s right to protect his daughter,” he replied before giving her a wry grin. “Besides, he threatened to kick my ass if I tried to stop him.”

A chuckle escaped Ricki and a soft, rosy flush colored her cheeks when she looked back at her dad and realized that everyone was waiting on them. Lifting the helmet, she slid it over her head. Immediately, the solid black shield lit with a soft green glow and she could see the inside of the underground cavern that housed Ristéard’s private transports. On the left side of the front shield was a series of information telling her the temperature outside, her location, and her communication link with Ristéard.

“Can you hear me?” His deep voice echoed in her ears.

Ricki nodded before grimacing. “Yes, sorry,” she answered in a husky voice.

“If you need to connect with any of the others in the group, just say their names,” Ristéard explained. “I have linked my helmet with yours, so I can monitor your systems. If you feel uncomfortable or need anything, let me know.”

“I’ll be fine,” she replied, sliding on the back of the air skid and gripping the handgrips that rose up. “Let’s go save your planet.”

“Our planet,” Ristéard corrected, huskily. “This is your world now as well, my Empress.”

Ricki didn’t respond. She didn’t want to admit the overwhelming fear coursing through her that she might be wrong. What if she had misinterpreted the information? What if it had just been an elaborate story carved into the door to give people hope when there was no hope? What if…

No,
she thought fiercely, pushing her fear and doubts away.

There was a way to save Elipdios. The thought that so many people could die threatened to choke her. The loud roar from the crowd when Ristéard had lifted their joined hands still left a sense of stunned disbelief inside her.

For a moment, she remembered the look on the faces of the children as they stood there. She had walked down the platform, unable to ignore their outstretched arms. Brushing the guards concern away, she had touched their small hands, giving them a squeeze and murmuring to them. It was when she had risen and looked into the pleading eyes of their parents, that she realized that she couldn’t turn and walk away. They knew that their planet was dying, yet she also saw hope and renewed determination.

Ricki curled her fingers tightly around the bar in front of her as the air skid lifted. Swallowing, she could feel the sense of panic build as it rose from the ground. She glanced to the side, breathing a sigh of relief when she realized that it was only about four feet to the ground. She could step down if she needed too. Four feet wasn’t bad, she could handle that.

“Breathe, Ricki,” Ristéard murmured in her ear.

Ricki looked back up, staring at the back of his helmet. “I’m breathing,” she muttered. “I was afraid it might go higher, but this isn’t so bad.”

She should have known from the husky chuckle in her ear that she was in trouble. She didn’t know why she hadn’t put two and two together. Of course they were only a few feet off the ground, they were inside a tunnel system under the palace. That changed the moment they broke out of the restrictive walls. That was when she released more of the words she didn’t realize she knew in Ristéard’s ear. The first ones starting with ‘Oh, shit!’

Ricki pierced Ristéard with another annoyed look when he grinned at her. Turning her back on him, she tugged on the black knit cap that her mother had pulled out of the never-ending supply of items she had packed. She had to admit she was thankful her mother was so resourceful. Not so much for her, but for them as she thought of how chilly it was compared to earlier. The suits might regulate their bodies, but they would need a cover for their heads with the stiff wind that was blowing.

“Are you cold?” Ristéard asked, coming up behind her.

Ricki glanced over her shoulder and scowled at him. “No,” she said, before reluctantly admitting why. “I’ve never had a problem with the cold, it is the heat that bothers me. Mom was always on me when I was little to wear my sweater, or put on warmer clothes, but I loved it when the weather cooled off, and when we traveled to countries where it was frequently cold. Now, I think I understand why.”

Ristéard watched as Ricki raised her left hand and concentrated for a few seconds. Delicate ice crystals formed on the tips of her fingers. He jerked back when she suddenly twisted her hand and pointed it away from where they were standing. A burst of ice shot from the center of her palm.

His arm slipped around her when she swayed and her knees buckled. Concern darkened his gaze as he stared down into her pale face. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing shallow.

“Ricki?”

Her eyelashes fluttered before her eyelids slowly lifted. “Sorry,” she whispered. “I wasn’t expecting that. It, sort of, drained me.”

Ristéard snorted, lifting her in his arms and carried her to their shelter that he had set up just a short time before. They had made good time considering they had covered over twenty-four hundred kilometers of treacherous terrain. The last hour had been done in almost complete darkness.

They had settled the air skids at the foot of the mountains, closest to the position Ricki had determined would take them to the entrance to the maze. He had ordered Martin and Marvin to take the first watch, knowing the two Kor d’lurs were excellent at mapping and blending into their environments. Sadao had set up a perimeter defense system while Ajaska helped Walter and Nema set up their shelter for the night.

He had set up his and Ricki’s shelter before moving away from the group to contact Andras. They talked for several minutes before he shut down communications and returned to camp. Concern washed through him when he saw Ricki standing off to the side in the darkness.

She had said some very interesting words at the beginning of their journey. It had taken him almost an hour of talking to her in a quiet, soothing tone before she finally calmed down enough to breathe normally. He had suggested taking her back to the palace when her pulse spiked alarmingly. She had refused, but he knew she had a death grip on the air skid. Ristéard's pride and admiration for her continued to grow as she fought to overcome her fear of heights as they sped toward the Eastern Mountains.

He shouldered his way through the thin fabric barrier of the shelter. His arms tightened around her when she moved restlessly. Bending, he gently laid her down on the soft bedding.

“Do not move,” he ordered, reaching into the small pack next to the bed. Pulling a scanner out, he slowly ran it over her. “You are dehydrated.”

Returning the scanner to the bag, he pulled out a small flask and held it to her lips. He waited until she drank almost half of it before he pulled it away from her lips. Cupping her cheek, he ran his gaze over her face.

“I’m fine,” she whispered. “It just took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting that, the ice just… came out.”

“Well, don’t let it happen again,” he growled. “I don’t like what it does to you. Have you eaten?”

Ricki shook her head and grimaced. “I forgot,” she admitted. “I tend to do that when I get focused on something.”

Ristéard sat back on his heels and rummaged through the bag again. This time, he pulled out a small package. He pressed a button on the corner. A red light lit up for several seconds, before it flashed green. He ripped the cover off of it and a fragrant aroma filled the shelter.

He slid a thin spork-looking utensil out of the lid and placed it in the food tray. Sitting forward again, he used one arm to help her sit up. He shook his head when she started to reach for the tray.

“Let me,” he said, lifting the spork to her mouth.

Ricki rolled her eyes. “I can feed myself,” she complained. “I….”

Ristéard took the opportunity to slip more food between her protesting lips. It was the first time he had ever cared for someone else. His brow furrowed in concentration as he continued to feed her.

“I’ve never done this before,” he said quietly. “I remember my mother feeding my younger brother. I would watch her as she cared for him. He was born early and was very sick. The only medicine we had were the few herbs my mother and a few other women grew.”

Ricki swallowed the warm liquid he was feeding her. Her mind flashed to the painting on the wall above the fireplace in his office. She remembered in the background a woman holding the body of a small child and the grief in the older man’s eyes.

“The painting,” she murmured. “That was you and your father in the center. Was the woman holding the child behind you, your mother and brother?”

Ristéard nodded, looking down at the empty container of food. “I don’t think of them often anymore. There has been so much death since then and there will be more, much, much more, if I cannot find a way to save my world,” he admitted.

“How old… How old were you when you were sent down to the prison?” Ricki asked hesitantly, drawing her legs up and wrapping her arms around her knees.

Ristéard set the empty tray next to the bag and nudged her over to the other side of their makeshift bed. Once she had scooted over, he pulled the thermal sheet over them and lay back, taking her with him as he lay down. For several minutes, they laid in silence. The only sounds were the soft voices of her parents and Ajaska talking and the wind as it swept through the mountains above them. Somewhere out there were the two brothers. He and Sadao would take the second watch in a few hours.

“I was ten when my grandfather was murdered,” he said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her closer. “They attacked late at night. I understand now that it was a culmination of centuries of disagreements and power struggles between the various warlords that led up to it.” He paused for a moment giving Ricki time when she rolled onto her side so she could rest her head on his shoulder. Her hand lay gently over his heart. A deep sigh escaped him and he relaxed before continuing his story.

“My great, great grandfather had been increasingly vocal about the amount of Blood crystals the warlords were mining and selling off-world. He was the one who had pushed for the warlords to form a council in an effort to stabilize the harvesting and sale of the Blood crystals. He wanted each zone to realize just how much of what they were doing was affecting not just their areas, but the entire world. It took almost a century for the scientists to admit that the gradual increase in radiation was caused by the dwindling amount of Blood crystals. They suggested setting up the shields in an effort to slow the process until more Blood crystals could either be found or replicated. A small reserve of the crystals were stored to power the shields and provide a source for replication. Then, during my grandfather’s time, a young and powerful warlord named Alcolsis was elected to represent his zone. He was a cruel and greedy man. He convinced the other warlords on the council that my grandfather was making up the information so that he could control the Blood Stones, and thus control Elipdios.”

A shiver went through Ricki. She had heard or read the same type of stories over and over throughout history. It would appear that it didn’t matter which world or species it was, greed and power played a significant role. She didn’t know why it surprised her as much as it did. Throughout the animal kingdom, it was the way of life.

“What happened?” She asked.

His arms tightened around her, one caressing her hip, while the other one ran a tender path up and down the arm lying on his chest. Something told her that he had never shared what happened with another. Only those that had been there really knew.

“My mother was pregnant with my brother,” he murmured. “She came into my room and woke me. I could hear the sounds of fighting. My father and grandfather, along with the security force loyal to them, fought against Alcolsis’ forces, but there were too many. He had combined the forces of the other warlords and taken control. A dozen of Alcolsis’ men broke through the door to my bedroom. One of them struck my mother when she tried to stop them, knocking her out. I tried to protect her, but there were too many of them and I was too young.”

“It must have been terrifying,” Ricki whispered. “No child should go through something like that.”

”No,” he agreed. “But, for me, I think it is worse for a child to grow up knowing that their planet is dying.”

Another shiver ran through Ricki’s body as she thought of Earth. How would she feel if she knew it was dying? Even worse, how would she feel if she brought a child into the world knowing that they would almost surely die or would be forced to leave their home for someplace unknown.

“Oh, Ristéard,” she choked, turning her face into his neck. “It must be heartbreaking.”

For several minutes, he didn’t say anything. What could he say? Yes, it is heartbreaking to watch the home you love die? That the feelings of helplessness sometimes almost drown him in their intensity? It was only his determination to not let it happen that kept him going some days. Before Ricki, he had nothing but his drive to save his world to keep him going.

“Alcolsis executed my grandfather before us,” he continued in an emotionless voice. “The next day, we were transported to the underground city of Elipsis. There, anyone who did not swear allegiance to Alcolsis was imprisoned.” A bitter smile curled his lip. “What Alcolsis didn’t expect was the advancement of the people that lived there before us or our will to survive. Our people had lived for centuries below ground before, using the natural elements contained underneath the surface of Elipdios to build and prosper. Every few months, a shipment of supplies was delivered. My father suspected it was by the families of those held captive.”

“Did you have any family above ground still?” She asked.

Ristéard shook his head, his hand pausing on her arm. “No,” he replied in a quiet voice. “The only family left was my father, my mother, and my little brother who was born in the underground city a few weeks after we were sealed in. He was almost two months early and the healer imprisoned with us didn’t think he would live through the night. He did, but he was very sick, as were many of the other young children. The scientists studying the period and the underground city later learned there was a type of fungus growing in the caverns that released spores into the air. Our immune system would normally not be affected by it, but those that were very young, sick, or elderly could not fight against it. It would settle in their lungs and they would slowly drown. My brother, Erindos, was seven when he died. My mother never fully regained her strength after his birth and passed away just days after we were freed. My father devoted his life to righting the wrong done to our world. I have continued his fight.”

“I’m so sorry, Ristéard,” Ricki whispered. “You’ve been through so much. To live through that, and to have the fate of your world on your shoulders, must be overwhelming at times.”

He released a low chuckle. “I have very broad shoulders,” he teased, before sobering. “Sleep now, my beautiful Empress. Tomorrow, I plan to give hope back to my world.”

Ricki snuggled closer, enjoying the feel of his arms. A reluctant smile curved her lips as she remembered him telling her about some of the mischief he, Andras, and the other men with him used to get into, in an effort to distract and calm her when he had increased their altitude during the flight. For as gruff and arrogant as his persona was, he really was a man who cared deeply under all the rough edges. The stress from the day, combined with a lack of sleep the night before, lured her into an exhausted sleep.

I’m definitely falling in love with him,
she thought as she faded into the vivid world of a young boy and his adventures in a magical underground city.

A satisfied grin curved Ristéard’s lips at Ricki’s softly whispered words. He knew she didn’t realize she had spoken aloud, but he had heard her. One step at a time, he reminded himself. To reach the top of the mountain, he needed to focus on the step ahead of him. It would be the same with Ricki.