Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp (Tiva Boon Series Book 2) (50 page)

Tiva stepped back seeing the face form in the light, shaking her head back and forth. “No…no it is not possible. You are dead.”

“I am flesh and bone just like you, Tiva.”

“I…I do not understand, you were on the ship, I saw you. All the escape modules were destroyed.”

“I fled before the attack. Quite the luck of the spirits might I say, had I waited longer, I would have died with the others.”

“You planned to return?” she asked, confused and shocked. He was older than she remembered; his face weathered, eyes cold and ominous. She felt his anger envelope her like a dark fog.

“I couldn’t very well leave this woman behind to ruin everything we set in motion,” Harer’s first-born son replied and set his blaster on top of another container. He circled around it, his gaze locked on her. Then he smiled at her. “Surely you don’t think she did it all by herself.”

“Kenon, why?”

“Why?” He guffawed deeply shaking his head. “Let me question you. What would you do if someone came to you claiming that you were not the true heir to your father’s throne?”

Tiva felt the sting of tears biting to break free; she raised the sword up, her lips tightly pressed together as she whispered. “You betrayed your father.”

“He betrayed me!” Kenon growled and drew his own sword. “I knew he favored you above anyone else in his life. I saw how he treated you, gave you special privilege, and he talked about you all the time.” He waved the sword upward in disgust. “When
your
mother came to me and told me her findings, we formed an agreement. You were right about one thing though, she was mad. But she had the ability to sway weak minds so I kept her around.”

“Vile beast!” Tiva rushed him, her blade down at her side. She swung up and smashed it against his. Kenon spun his weapon to the right forcing hers down then swung at her again.

He grunted and countered every move she cast at him. He too had the training of a guardian. Kenon pushed forward blow for blow, he hadn’t been fighting for the last few hours, or the last several days, and he was bursting with energy and power.

“You let your mother and sister die!” Tiva thrust her blade forward catching the outside of his shoulder and drawing blood, nothing to celebrate, so she continued her attempts to clip and injure him. Every muscle was sore and burning from exertion, but it wouldn’t stop her.

“Unavoidable causalities,” he responded with quick breath as he parried and countered, nicking her a few times.

She smashed into him with her sword and body. Her knee came up and connected with his abdomen then she elbowed him across the face and sent him staggering back. When there was enough distance, she swung her sword again and cut the back of his hand.

“Lord Kenon!” a voice boomed through the empty bay. “Alien crafts have entered our atmosphere; they are landing in many of the provinces.”

Tiva grinned, used the distraction to inch her sword back up, and sliced off two of his fingers. Kenon screamed and dropped his sword. Tiva launched herself up into the air and came down with a slash to his chest. As he fell, he pulled another blaster from his belt and fired, hitting Tiva directly in the right shoulder. Both she and her weapon fell to the ground.

“Initiate protocol nine, immediately!” he shouted to the air and slid next to a container keeping his bleeding hand close to his chest. “You move an inch and I’ll blast your head from your shoulders.” Kenon helped himself up using the container and then backed against the wall to activate a panel.

Tiva watched him from the floor, eyed her sword, she’d never get to it in time.

Kenon approached with a smug look on his face as a slow steady beep began ringing through the facility. “Your other friends have arrived I see. Well, they shall be so busy cleaning up the rubble and the bodies of all your loyal followers they won’t have time to find us.”

“You will never see the suns again, Kenon, your end lies here in this room.”

“Oh, you have that quite backward,
sister
,” he replied, moving closer, his gun pointed directly at her chest.

She closed her eyes and balled her fist together.

“I failed by sending Pethor after you, but I won’t fail this time. I’ll destroy you just as I did all the others. Your fake family, your friends, even your pathetic potential…”

Her eyes snapped open and she glared at him.

“Yes, I set up that little attack at the palace gates when we returned from our mission. I had intended on you dying but Litru was a decent prize.” The beeping in the room grew faster and louder. Kenon hovered near her feet, the gun steady in his hand as if the pain in his other didn’t faze him in the least.

Tiva slowly rose to her feet and wiggled her fingers gently. “I doubt there will be mercy for you when you reach the Eternal Lands, perhaps they will forgive your misguided treachery, but I never will.”

“Greet our father when you see him, Tiva.” Kenon lined the gun up again and smiled.

Tiva lifted her hand, palm up and the fire engulfed her fingers then curled into a ball the size of his head. He gasped slightly and stepped back. She drew every bit of strength she had left in her body and the ball continued to grow.

“By the spirits…”

She flicked her wrist upward and she pushed the flame toward him. It enveloped his chest and shoulders then crawled up his body hungry and intent on feeding on his clothing and flesh. Tiva bolted toward him, sweeping the side of his legs. Kenon yelled and staggered. Tiva jumped to the right as he reached out with his hand to brace his burning body. She quickly seized his sword and with daunting precision separated his head from his body, sending the flaming globe across the room.

Burned clothing, flesh, and blood permeated the air. Tiva choked as she crawled away from his body. The beeping grew faster and louder. She pushed herself up, grabbed her sword from the floor and her dagger beside Ziola’s motionless hand before rushing toward the door Kenon had emerged from earlier. She darted through the short corridor, ignoring the pain and dizziness flooding her body and mind. Inside the room, she found a control center. Each province was lit up on the panels in succession. Every province keeper’s house, ministry house, and Rebel stronghold was on the display. Many of the lights were lit and blinking. They were all set to blow remotely.

Tiva scurried around the room deactivating them, but as she moved, she couldn’t find one for the research facility. The noise continued faster and faster, she was running out of time.

Slapping her hand on the communications port, she found internal and external speakers. “Evacuate the area surrounding this facility!” Her voice cracked. “Alert the Loyalists of potential explosion in the keeper and ministry houses in all provinces.”

Whettland, Cenii, and Obadan were safe. She forced herself forward. Hentor, Quintor, and Yann. The panel on the far side of the station blinked, she didn’t have time to stop many more; the final countdown had begun. Tiva slammed down the last one she could reach and bolted for the exit. Her legs burned, her mind swimming within itself.

Get out, get out!
A mixture of Cala and Adam’s voice was somewhere deep inside the confusion of her thoughts. She pumped her legs faster and entered the bay. The beeping turned to a solid stream of sound. Rounding the frame of the door, she leapt over a container and pushed through the door. Unable to spare a moment, she dashed down the final corridor only to hear the rumbling of the detonation behind her. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

The ground beneath her shook violently. She palmed the wall to keep balanced, but kept moving as fast as possible toward the exit.

A few more feet…

She didn’t need to turn back to know the fire was rolling down the corridor behind her, the heat was enough. The last door opened, escape was right before her, but the fiery explosion of the research facility disintegrated her trembling cries to Adam.

T
he temperature was a few degrees cooler as the sun had set. Fire and ash hung densely in the atmosphere. Heavy footsteps of people shuffled back and forth and mumbled softly as hunks of rock thumped against the ground. There was no gunfire, nor could she hear the clashing of swords.

Safely nestled between two trees, Tiva slowly opened her eyes and moaned as the pain gripped her body. Craning her neck slightly, she noticed people going through the rubble of the fallen facility and struggled to sit upright. Her body fought every motion, but soon she was leaning back against the tree.

The blast had launched her almost thirty feet from the rear exit and she was outside the scope of the search perimeter. Her sword was stuck in the ground by her feet, the dagger beside her hand. Reaching for it, she cringed at the pain shooting through her arm. It was broken. She had a gash on her left thigh and another deep cut on her right calf. Using her good arm, she managed to pull herself up along the tree trunk and reached over to retrieve the dagger. Next, she jerked the sword out of the dirt and thanked the spirits that it was still in one piece.

Carefully, she took a step and the branches and grass crunched under her feet. Several heads turned as she staggered out of the trees.

“Miss Boon?” an unfamiliar voice asked.

“Identify yourself,” she answered and lifted her sword.

“Captain Chamin, we’re with Major Raku and the Union.”

Tiva stepped from the safety of the trees and limped toward the Uucorian officer. He immediately moved to her side and helped her over the rubble. “Thank you.” She cast another look at him and indeed saw the markings of the people on his neck. Her body relaxed against his strong arms. “When did you arrive?”

“Several hours ago, ma’am. We’ve been searching the facility for survivors for the last four. You had many people worried.”

“I was fortunate,” she replied and hobbled along the outer left side of the crumpled facility. Several dozen vehicles of all types brightly lit the area behind the palace. “Where is Raku? Who else is here from the Union?”

“I’m unsure, I can find out for you though. One of the captains ordered the majority of your group to rest while we,” he paused for a moment, “cleaned up the streets.”

“The help is much appreciated, we may have lost the battle had you not showed,” Tiva said gratefully.

“It was mostly over when the building blew up; apparently that was their main communication center. We had it targeted on our sweeps moments before it exploded.” He grinned at her.

“Yes, I heard the announcement inside.” She stopped and glanced up at him. “Did any of the provinces suffer explosions?”

“There was one south of here, but the area was evacuated.”

Tiva nodded and continued toward the cluster of vehicles and people moving about collecting up injured people. Rebels and Loyalists were ushered away. There was still much to do. The Loyalists would interrogate the surviving Rebels for level of involvement. Ziola’s attack on her mind was proof enough some people were manipulated so she wasn’t ready to hand the same sentence to each one.

Chamin helped her to the nearest craft and asked her to remain there while he went to find his unit leader. Her strength was slowly starting to return; her arm however, would need care.

Blood stained grass covered the whole area behind the palace. Weapons, bodies, and pieces of crafts littered the stretch of land. Had they truly won the battle? A large shadow approached from the distance, jogging toward her. She stood up straight, her sword still gripped in her uninjured hand.

“Boon?”

“Yes.”

Maar’s face broke through the darkness, his bright razor teeth wide and smiling. “You’re one tough cookie, Tiva.” He laughed and gently pulled her against him.

She hugged him with her good arm, glanced upland handed him her sword. “Carry this for me?”

“Sure, I can carry you, too, Chief, or is that un-queenlike?”

Chuckling, she kept her arm around his back for support and headed toward the front of the palace. “I can walk just fine, Captain.”

“Well, you did it Boon, the easy part is over.”

“Yes, I know. The reform and rebuilding is next.” She sighed and leaned against him some more.

“Your application to the Union has been accepted.”

She paused and blinked. “I had not yet submitted it, how have we been accepted?”

“I just happened to mention your dilemma to Ambassador Dival and he pulled a few strings for you. So, you’ll have all the resources of the Union to help you with food and medical supplies if you need it, as well as help for rebuilding and retraining your forces.”

“Thank you, Trevo. I know not how I can repay you for all your kindness,” Tiva said, her eyes watering. “Your family, you, and the Union have saved my people.”

“No way, Chief…that was all you guys here. I’m just sorry I couldn’t make it here earlier.”

“I assume the Union defeated the Syndicate,” she asked with a smile and continued walking again.

“For the time being. We destroyed the global weapons on both moons, but they’re still out there. No treaty yet, but we’re working on it. I’ll tell you about it later, we have plenty of time.”

“Yes, sir.” She smirked and hugged him once more. “Now, tell me where are the others?”

“Wixx would know - he’s in the market. Want me to call him?”

“I shall find him, do you have this under control?”

“Of course, your majesty,” he laughed and bowed.

Tiva rolled her eyes, but blushed. “Humorous, Captain. May I procure an extra wrist comm?”

“Sure, take mine, it’s set on a secure frequency. Call me if you need anything, otherwise we’ll regroup in the morning back here?”

She nodded her agreement. “Thank you.”

Tiva lumbered through the palace grounds and noticed the two decimated buildings on either side of the palace. The Guardian Hall, though heavily damaged, still stood proudly in the distance. Most of the palace gates and walls were gone; stone, metal, and other raw materials scattered all along the ground. As she weaved through the debris and dead, she saw several familiar faces from Wixx’s group and the Loyalists from Yaan helping clear the area. Most of the people however were from the Union or Uucor. They had not let her down, each one of them had kept to their word and come to her aid.

She wondered about the details as she moved past the burned down flower garden and onto the main path leading out. How many ships had come? What had happened to the Syndicate? Were any Bujeni found on Abennelp? When she saw Wixx come into view, she cast aside the thoughts; she’d have tomorrow and the rest of her life to get those answers.

“Wixx,” she shouted over the commotion.

He whipped his head around and grinned just like his cousin. “There you are.”

They met half way and again she found herself in a tender embrace of an Oninusian. “Thank you, my friend….we did it.”

“Yes, we did, you should be proud Tiva, your people fought bravely and cautiously.”

“I am thankful for that,” she replied with a sigh. “There is much to do, but I am injured and anxious to see everyone…”

“Uh, listen, Tiva we had a couple of critical injuries and I haven’t really had time to get an update, but...”

She looked up and grabbed his sleeve. “Who, tell me.”

“I’m not sure about everyone, Harai’s back at the base house…”

“She is okay?” Tiva nodded slightly but never tore her gaze from him. “Who, Wixx…please.”

“Adam was searching for you when the building went up, someone shot him down.”

“What? By the spirits, is he…alive?”

“I don’t know he was…hit hard. I can have one of the guys take you there.”

“Yes, please, hurry my friend.” Her heart thumped rapidly under her chest as she watched him jog away. She couldn’t bear to think of Adam dead. Ever since hearing him in his private loft at his home she worried more and more that the Mystic’s prophecy would come true. Her mind bent to him, trying to search through the massive number of minds around her. They had a bond beyond any she shared with another person; if he were alive, she
should
feel him.

“Lady Boon?”

“Yes,” she responded remotely and shook herself from the trance. The young woman standing before her wore a tattered cloak, but had good weapons on her side.

“Ula Verto, I’m with the Whettland Loyalists. Captain Wixx said you needed transport?” She put her fist to her chest and dipped her head.

“I do, yes…do you know the Finto home?”

“Yes, I trained there after the Great War.” She nodded proudly. “We have a hopter free. One of the um, alien men is ready to pilot it back for us.”

“Us?”

“Respectfully, Captain Wixx insisted I escort you back due to your injuries.”

Tiva nodded, she wouldn’t win, besides having company on the journey back, would garner her plenty of information she needed.

“I am thankful for the gesture. Perhaps you can bring me up to date with what you know.”

“I’d be delighted, Lady Boon.”

The hopter flew through the air; Tiva’s heart ached seeing the damage to all the little towns between Degort Proper and the edge of the Yann province. Verto went over every detail she could remember. Her group and the Cenii group merged south of Degort Outer around the same time Tiva and her group broke through the palace gates. Packs of Rebels were coming out of hiding spots covertly trying to sneak up behind them in the marketplace. The Cenii and Whettland groups thwarted their plans.

The majority of the provinces erupted in fighting as word of Tiva’s return fueled the populace to rise up; they too had had enough of Rebel rule.

It seemed that everything had unfolded rapidly. While Verto’s group stopped the reinforcements, Tiva and her people were pushing through the palace grounds. Adam alerted all cells of the Union’s arrival, which filtered quickly down the ranks. Verto expressed her curiosity and gratefulness toward the strangers.

When Verto’s group arrived at the marketplace after the facility exploded, they fought alongside the aliens for a while longer, but most of the Rebel province fights had ended after the communications ceased and Ziola’s control via the mysterious crystal had faltered.

The bridge to her section of Yann province came into view. Beyond it was her home, and that which had belonged to the Fintos in the neighboring province. Her pulse quickened, but she continued to listen to Verto talk of helping the injured, gathering the dead and taking Rebels into custody. She told Tiva that many of the rebels had not fought at all, and claimed disorientation.

“There is a reason for that, but there is time for that later. Has Mirta’s family been found? Are the other nobles safe?”

“Yes, the Tenspars were being held in Hentor, everyone is safe.”

“Do you know of any from my section that perished?” Tiva asked anxiously.

Verto shook her head. “I don’t, but I know we didn’t lose as many people this war. I think that your presence saved many lives, Lady Boon. Many thank the spirits you have returned.”

“Thanks should go to all those who fought together, friend and stranger alike.”

“Indeed, we might still be fighting had they not appeared.”

The hopter reached the edge of her land. Tiva peered out the front window. Hovers, hopters, and Union transport ships filled the area. Scattered tents for medical triage were busy and full. Faces blurred as she went passed. She tore her gaze away and searched the opposite side seeing her house in the distance. Her land was also covered with crafts and tents.

“Stop here,” Tiva requested after seeing a figure in the distance. The hopter slowed and she jumped out after thanking both for their help. When she moved away from the craft heads began to turn.

“It’s Lady Boon!” a voice shouted. The chatter grew louder, more heads turned. Suddenly, the chatter turned to joyous victory cheering. She felt her markings blush and walked toward the base. The sea of people began saluting her as she passed and the celebratory hoots continued. Three figures emerged from the main building and paused. Harai started crying. Standing next to her were Aliri and Emerala. With a grunt, Tiva moved faster ignoring the pain and the cheers around her. The people continued bowing and saluting.