The Secret Weapon (17 page)

“I found a flyer in San Diego.” Katarin answered. “I followed the old highways to L.A. to get here. I was so scared, Coraset, but that piece of paper promised hope and a safe place to live. I had to come. I’d been out
there by myself for so long. I was tired of being afraid, of being alone.”

“I remember seeing those flyers
, too. The Federation made Erato sound like it was the promise land.”

“It-”

Before Katarin could finish what she was about to say, someone started screaming from the great room. Katarin instantly took off running to see what was going on. Coraset had a feeling the fuss was about the Chancellor. She walked out slowly. She entered the great room and saw girls huddled around Sekai and the other women that brought them all there originally.

By the time Coraset reached the small group, Sekai and her constituents
left the room. They locked the doors to the garden and pool area, and the other set of doors to the hallway. Some women were whispering and others cried. She looked for Katarin hoping she heard what was going on.

Coraset found
her sitting on the sofa, staring straight ahead. She joined her and touched her hands. Katarin didn’t respond. Tears rolled down her eyes. Coraset stood and got the attention of another woman.

“What’s going on?” She asked her.

“Chancellor Erato is dead.” The woman answered.

Coraset nodded, secretly smiling within. She turned back to Katarin, who had her face buried in her hands.
Coraset remained with her. She wished things could have been different for Katarin. It was more than apparent how important it was for her to be in the harem. She felt like she had nothing else. Coraset didn’t know what to say to comfort her. She simply sat beside Katarin as she wept.

“What’s going to happen to us now?” A voice sounded from the crowd o
f women.

Aisling
announced as she crossed her arms, “Well, he already said that he was going to marry me. So, I’ll definitely get to stay in the palace.”

“He never said that,” another woman objected.

“You weren’t there. So, how would you know?”

“Did he put a ring on your finger? I don’t see a ring.” Another lady joined in the crowd that was growing against
Aisling.

“I don’t need a ring to prove anything. He took
me
to the ball. I stayed the whole night with him while all of you were in here. All of you just better get your stuff packed because you’re out of here.”

Everyb
ody started arguing and fussing, and Coraset grew tired of the cattiness. She helped Katarin to her feet, and she walked her back to their bedroom. She didn’t want to see or hear any more noise. In her opinion, their argument was ridiculous. The man was dead, and they were his harem. Therefore, there were two possible outcomes. Either they were going to be all sent home or the Elite Guard was going to kill them.

Coraset put Katarin to bed. She was really worried about her. She wasn’t reacting in a normal way. She never truly got to know Chancellor Erato, and she was absolutely devastated like she’d known him for a lifetime.

The question Coraset asked herself was killing him worth it? Was the human race really that bad off with him in charge? The simple truth was that it didn’t matter now. He was dead, and there was no turning back. Now, Coraset simply needed to wait and see what happened next.

The next morning, the doors
to the harem were unlocked. Most of the women were already in the great room. Sekai sent Jorda and Lacey to get the other ladies out of bed.

Once everyone was gathered, Sekai stood in front of the ladies and announced, “Chancellor Erato is indeed dead.
The cause is unknown at this time. A new Chancellor has already been named, and it’s his brother, Frederick Erato. The inauguration will take place this afternoon.”

The choice of Chancellor surprised Coraset. Xavier and Malie thought that Sergei would be chose
n. What happened to their plan?

“Since
Chancellor Dominic Erato is gone, you’re not allowed to stay in the palace.”

“Now wait a minute!”
Aisling objected.

Sekai kept right on talking like she didn’t say a word, “You must go back to your life as it was before you came here.”

Aisling stepped forward quickly and said, “You can’t do that.”

Sekai looked at
Aisling and asked her calmly. “Are you disputing the orders of the new Chancellor? That’s who I’m speaking for.”

“No, I’m just-”

“You are disputing the orders. Let me wake you up to a couple of facts, Aisling. Number one, Chancellor Frederick Erato
has
a wife, and number two, he doesn’t want you.”

Aisling
stepped back with defeated pride. Her confidence turned to worry quickly. She crossed her arms and looked away.

Three
women entered the room carrying folded clothes. They placed them on the nearest couch, and they walked right back out.

“These are
your new clothes. The garments that were given to you must be left behind, including what you’re wearing. You have five minutes to change.” Sekai stood by the settee as the women grabbed the one size fit all grey t-shirts and grey sweat pants.

The women stripped down and dressed quickly. Clothes were left all over the floor. Several guards walked in and gathered b
ehind the nervous women.

“Sequester Katarin, Pili, Coraset, and Aisling. Escort the others to the palace gates.”
Sekai ordered the Elite Guards.

The
four women were marched out of the great room, and when they reached the end of the hallway, the guards separated them. Coraset heard Katarin’s calls. She wanted to help her and but two Elite Guards held on to Coraset tightly. She knew it wouldn’t do any good to try and fight them. The Elite Guards were trained killers, and they wouldn’t hesitate to put her down if she tried to resist them or getaway. She heard one last cry from Katarin before a door slammed closed.

Coraset
was taken to Sekai’s office, which surprised her. The Elite Guards stood on either side of the door. She fearfully sat down in the nearest seat and waited.

Sekai
arrived shortly afterwards.

“Why am I here?” Coraset asked.

Sekai leaned on the front side of her desk with her hands together. She asked, “What happened when you were with the Chancellor?”

Coraset stated
nervously, “We ate.”

“
You did more than that,” Sekai commented.

“That’s all we had time for.”

“Do you think I’m stupid, Coraset?”

“No, not at all,” she answered quickly.

“You and I both know what happened in that room.”

“Were you watching us, Sekai?” Coraset tried to appear ca
lm, but she was a ball of nerves inside.

“The Chancellor is always being watched.”

Coraset didn’t need further explanation. She had to ask. “Why didn’t you stop me?”

“
There are many others, including myself, who wanted him out of office. There was a plan already in the works, but you took the task right out of our hands. What was in the vial, Coraset?”

“
Poison,” she answered smartly.

Sekai asked impatiently,
“Who do you work for?”

She
stared at her, a clear indication she wasn’t telling.

“
It’s the same person that altered your history, and I could easily track that person down.”

“Well
, have at it. I’m not talking.”

Sekai nodded with a smile. She went to sit behind her desk and said,
“I knew you had another motive for being here. I just didn’t think that was it. Whoever your handler is, he or she will be proud of you.”

“Whatever,” Coraset stated with disgust.

“You will be allowed to leave the palace, but you are no longer allowed to leave Erato for any reason. If you try, you will be arrested and brought back to the palace.”

“I have no real reason to leave
in the first place. Why are you telling me this?”

“You might be pregnant.”

“I can’t get pregnant. Nobody can.”

Sekai
leaned back in her chair and asked in a smart manner, “Do you remember the question you asked me the last time you were in here?”

Coraset couldn’t recall any question at first, but then
she remembered the shot. She asked the doctor about it, but he left without answering her question.

Sekai revealed,
“The shot you were given promotes fertility.”

Her heart began to flutter. She had sex with the Chancellor without protection. He ejaculated inside of her. Coraset swallowed hard. She asked
, “Are you serious?”

“
Yes.”

Coraset was speechless. She didn’t know what to say
. She could feel the heat rising in her face. The truth of the matter is that she didn’t want to have Dominic Erato’s child. She didn’t want any children at all.

Then another thought popped in her head. She asked,
“What about the other girls? They got the shot, too?”

“
You, Aisling, Katarin, and Pili were administered the shots.”

“Do they know?”

“Aisling knows. The Chancellor told her the night he slept with her.” Sekai answered dryly.

Coraset figured that’s the reason why Aisling thought she was going to stay in the palace, even though the Chancellor
was dead.

Sekai commented,
“She might be pregnant, as well. She is being held to the same set of rules.”

“
What about Katarin and the other girl? If they can get pregnant, and they-”

“
They will not be released.”

“What are you going to do with Katarin?”

“She is no longer your concern.”

“
You better not hurt her, Sekai!”

“
Or you’ll do what, Coraset? Your threats mean nothing to me, and I’m not Aisling. I would recommend you keeping the possibility that you’re pregnant to yourself. Rumors like that spread fast, and you could be putting yourself in danger.”

“Is that a threat?” She asked angrily.

“Oh yes, it is very much a threat.” Sekai stood and nodded to the Elite Guards at the door. They walked up behind Coraset and made her stand.

“
You will be escorted to the gates of the palace. You’ll have to find your way home from there. Remember, Coraset, you are being monitored.” Sekai watched as she was marched out of her office.

The Elite Guards
escorted Coraset to the western gates of the palace. She didn’t want to leave without Katarin, but she saw no other choice. She couldn’t stay at the gates forever.

Coraset started her trek through the Erato Government Center. There were long fli
ghts of steps leading to marble and stone buildings. All of the lawns and parks that adorned the area were perfectly manicured and decorated with floral bushes and statues of Erato leaders. Coraset barely noticed as she rushed to the western gate of the Erato Government Center. She simply wanted to get home.

A familiar black car pulled up beside
her and she stopped. She got into the back seat knowing full well Xavier and Malie would be in the car.

“You completed the mission quicker than I thought you would.” He commented with a reserved demeanor.

“Why
wasn’t Sergei chosen?” She asked not really having anything to say about his last statement.

“He declined.” Xavier answered
with clear annoyance.

Coraset laughed and shook her head. “All
that planning and the man you wanted in office declined. Does Frederick Erato want a democratic government?”

“No,”
Xavier answered. “The current form of government will remain.”

Coraset just wanted to slap the both of them. The exercise was futile. She crossed her arms in pure disgust.
“I warned you both. I told you that change wouldn’t come so easy. Oh no, you wouldn’t listen to me.”

Xavier rubbed at his forehead in aggravation.

“How did you switch the vial?” Malie asked as she leaned forward.

“I didn’t. I poisoned his drink
with oleander.”

Malie looked at Xavier confused and asked, “Oleander?”

“It’s a flower. It’s very poisonous.” He answered with a short attitude. “What did you do with the vial Brecco gave you?”