Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp (Tiva Boon Series Book 2) (48 page)

“It’s as beautiful as you said it was,” Harai commented softly. “Will you live there when the war is over?”

“I…I am not sure. If the people still wish someone to oversee the new government and want to keep with tradition, I supposed Adam and I would reside here. I still have my home in Yann as well and I also have the option of returning to the Union if we lose the war.”

“The Loyalists aren’t going to lose, Tiva. It’s true that the emotions of your people are overwhelming my ability to foresee danger, but I know that you’re going to lead these people to peace.” She smiled slightly and pulled her back toward the shop.

“I just hope the cost of victory is not too high, my friend.”

~*~

Tiva stood in the middle of the road facing the gates of the palace. Almost five thousand men and women stood behind her, swords and guns at their sides. The first sun of the last day of the Cooling season spewed its magenta and coral streaks across the horizon. The air still carried the stench of death, though putrid now. Adam moved up beside her and laced his fingers through hers. The hopters and cannon-hovers were at the front of the line, six wide along the expanse of the marketplace road. No more than a hundred feet stood between them and the reinforced palace gates. Her guard was tight, Cala adding the extra protection she needed to face the minds that overpowered her before.

Every Loyalist was on their guard. Their emotions locked tight; minds sheltered from pending attacks, Tiva hoped it was enough. Harai, Neola, Wixx, and Wirto neared, weapons ready, stoic faces staring ahead at their destinations.

“You should say something…” Adam whispered softly against her ear.

“To whom?” she asked.

“Everyone, m’lady.” He looked down at her and squeezed her hand again. “This is the final battle. You need to rouse them. Give them hope and reason to fight and face death. Every good leader gives a speech to their troops.”

Nodding, Tiva slipped her hand from his and climbed on top of the nearest hovercraft. The dirty, tired, and hopeful faces of the Loyalists, townspeople who joined the fight and alien friends there to support the effort looked at her. Some smiled; others stared blankly at her, waiting. Her sword stayed close to her side, her fingers tight around the hilt. She looked up to the sky, asking for strength from her fathers, her mother, all the spirits watching her from the Eternal Lands.

When she looked back to the thousands of people on the road, on top of the marketplace buildings, standing inside hovers or the doorways of the merchant shops, her eyes watered.

“Long ago, a plot to over throw our great King Harer was uncovered in the hills of Hentor. My cycles of service to Harer and the people of Abennelp have been a struggle. Many of you have suffered alongside me in attempts to return our world to a state of peace. Now our time has come full circle. We must remember we are fighting against our own people. We are not here to destroy the fabric of our society, only bring closure to the oppression you have lived with.” She took a short breath and looked at Adam and the rest of her friends. “I believed once I was exiled and alone in the universe and that I would never see my home again…” Pausing, she turned her head to the palace in the distance. “However, when I learned you were in need, I did all that I could to return and help end this despicable regime, and free you and your families from tyranny. I ask you all to fight with me, not for me. This is your land, your home, as it is mine. Abennelp will again be free.” She raised her voice and the crowd cheered. Adam smiled up at her and nodded slightly. “Together, we will return Abennelp and the Palace of Kinchar to its former glory.” They cheered louder. “Abennelp and all her children will again live in peace!”

Swords and blaster rose in the air as the Loyalist bellowed their approval. Her friends beamed at her, and for a fleeting moment, she felt like a leader. “Rebel rule ends now, by the spirits, we shall prevail.” She pressed her fist to her heart and held the hilt of her sword. “By guardian light we will protect Abennelp in this time of darkness until the bitter end.”

The vibration of voices and bodies filled the marketplace. Tiva jumped down, but the crowd continued to cheer and chant. Several people praised their queen. Others thanked the spirits. Adam smiled and held her chin softly in his hand. “Couldn’t have said it better myself, m’lady.”

Her markings blushed and she rose up to kiss him tenderly. “It is time, my love.”

“We’re ready, Tiva.” He released her and gripped Cala firmly, turned and began ordering people around the marketplace. Wixx bowed and moved up to his hopter, the entire line lifted off the ground, and the hovers inched closer to the edge of the marketplace road. Neola and Harai stood behind Tiva smiling approvingly. A few long moments passed and the group was in place, weapons, and hearts ready for the battle.

Her PCD beeped and Wixx’s voice echoed through the much quieter air. “Say the word, my queen…it’s time to show these guys there’s a new boss in town.”

Smirking, Tiva lifted the device to her lips, “Blast the gates open, my friend, remain on guard.”

“With pleasure…” His voice cut off and the hopters rose higher in the air and began firing on the gates. The cannon-hovers discharged orbs over the walls, high-arched for minimal casualties. Groups moved into position to blast through the side entrances. Tiva ordered them to fire and the streaks of weapons illuminated the entire area.

An explosion rocked the ground and the main gates splintered into a hundred pieces. The Rebels began firing back, but as they only had a small opening in which to fight started moving backward, seeing the forces of people, hovers, and hopters cluttering the market. Tiva motioned with her sword for the group to spread out along the wall. Adam called for everyone to take cover. The group did so, finding shelter against buildings and inside the alleyways nearest the palace walls. The side gates blew open, more fire poured out from the grounds. Wixx lurched his craft forward and fired, forcing the Rebels to scatter and move back.

“Incoming!” Adam shouted as crimson streams of weapons’ fire soar over their heads. The thousands behind him scurried to find shelter against the buildings and crafts about the market.

Tiva ordered the hopters and cannon-hovers to blast the remaining walls for their impending march into the palace grounds. Wirto and Adam gave the order for the Loyalists on the rooftops to fire. The walls began to crumble under the pressure of the advanced weapons, the stinging sound of the weapons building louder and louder. More Rebels retreated, but continued to fire wildly at their attackers. People fell on both sides as the acidic smoke rose in the air.

Fires sprang up on the dirt where the walls crumbled. The hopters and hovers moved in first, forcing the enemy back toward the buildings and palace in the distance. More orbs appeared in the sky.

“Move in!” Tiva called on her PCD and the Loyalist began their march to take back the Palace of Kinchar.

Hundreds of dead lay still on the grass behind her, ahead of her, and on either side. Still, they marched forward firing weapons and pushing back the Rebels. Many had taken shelter in the Guardian Hall and the other buildings around the palace grounds, using them as cover as they continued firing from the windows and rooftops. The hovers and hopters inched closer and closer trying to damage the structures more than the people. Half of the Loyalists were still in the market place firing from a distance. The advanced weapons of the Rebels were lost one by one. Several hovers took damaged or were destroyed, two hopters were useless, but the group continued pushing the enemy further back. Thirty yards separated the front line of the Loyalists from the Rebels. Suddenly, the piercing sound of the palace siren reverberated in the air.

Hundreds, if not a thousand more Rebels came barreling out of the palace, another hundred from each side. Wixx jumped out of his hopter and gave it to another. He retrieved his heptock and nodded to Tiva before motioning his men toward the oncoming Rebels. Those approaching were the strength that surrounded the leaders. She was certain because there was no fear in their faces, they were certain of their victory. Tiva leapt forward, but a hand gripped her shoulder.

“Not yet, Tiva,” Adam said softly. “Watch them, see what skills they have, study their movements then, when the masses have crossed the threshold of the walls…you can fight.”

She kept her gaze forward, as the two forces collided in a thunderous clap of metal and bodies. The initial group of Rebels, which protected the gates, ran off, scared. However, the elite group continued toward the Loyalists. When the majority of the forces had merged in a frenzy of battle, Tiva turned to Adam anxious to participate and show the people she would indeed fight with them.

His fingers uncurled from her shoulder and he nodded somberly and raised Cala up to his waist. “Stay close, m’lady.” She kissed his cheek softly and together rushed into the heat of the battle.

Swords and lances clashed. Loyalist and Rebels alike fell to the earth. Tiva, Adam, and their friends fought side by side through the droves of men and woman bent on protecting their leader. Lo’mu died before her eyes, as did several of Wixx’s men. But Tiva couldn’t afford a moment to morn, the Rebel group was giving every bit of strength they had. An hour passed. Everyone was injured, but the casualties were far less than they would be had Tiva unleashed the anger held in the hearts of her followers.

They all did as she had told them, killing only when necessary. Half way to the palace, the Loyalists were completely inside the grounds now. More townspeople took up arms and joined the fight. Word spread quickly through the provinces that the Loyalists were making progress. The people of Abennelp responded by rising up all over the planet, destroying Rebel posts and control centers in all provinces across the land.

Tiva smiled to herself upon hearing the news and pushed forward. She and Adam didn’t speak a word to each other as they cut down enemy after enemy. Her sights were on the palace and beyond.

None of the faces were recognizable until she filtered through the crowd to the far reaches of the Rebel group. Several of the former Hentor children fought together against Wixx’s group. Two or three ex-Legionnaires battled beside them. Not a guardian face appeared, for that, Tiva was grateful.

As she slashed the legs of her nearest opponent, Tiva felt a mind force its way past her and Cala’s mental shielding. Strong, and now somewhat familiar, it was inviting her to come closer—baiting her to meet her fate. Confused for a moment, Tiva froze, her eyes moving up taking in the palace. Adam thwarted a nearby enemy approaching her, which she realized just as the man fell.

“What’s wrong, m’lady?” he asked grabbing her forearm.

“I…” She stared at the palace, then looked to the side entrance, the one she’d run though many times as a child and young adult. She didn’t finish her answer, instead rushed toward it without a word.

“Tiva! Wait!” Adam’s voice was lost in the crowd, Cala clashing with another Rebel.

She slashed her way through a group of three men leaving them behind crippled and cursing. Her confusion and her intuition forced her forward selfishly. The doors were wide open, but she found herself alone. As she inched closer to the doors, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, the portrait hall was empty, not a single person guarded the palace. She continued, the sounds and smells of the battle behind her fading as the trees surrounding the research building came into focus.

Her legs burned as she picked up her pace. Fatigue was the last thing on her mind though her body was feeling it. A gust of wind caught her hair; she whipped around to see Adam landing firmly on the ground his eyes red, lips tight.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Call some of the others, we will need their strength,” she replied and forced Cala’s protection aside. Immediately, she felt woozy and Adam gripped her tightly. “They are there, waiting…”

“Tiva, damn it, you can’t leave everyone back there and you can’t go in alone, think, please.”

“Do it, Adam!” Her markings darkened and she broke from his arm attempting to gain her composure. He mumbled softly and called Wixx and Neola on the PCD, they appeared a few moments later with a group of fifty people.

“Razzil has command for the moment, what’s going on?” Neola asked approaching quickly.

“I believe the leaders are in the compound,” Tiva answered without turning her gaze from the forest.

“The research building?” Wirto asked appearing behind the others.

Nodding, Tiva moved through the clearing, her grip tight on the sword and her focus unwavering. The group followed behind silently until the rustle of grass and brush caught their attention. Her hand shot up and everyone stopped.