King of Eon by Anna Hackett ePUB)

Chapter Thirteen

With his arms clasped behind his back, Gayel stood on the bridge of the Desteron.

He felt the faint vibrations of the warship’s engines beneath his feet, and the sensation made him realize it had been too long since he’d been on a warship.

He remembered his time aboard the Deracinon as a warrior-in-training fondly. War Commander Tann-Ath had not gone easy on him. Perhaps because he’d been the Eon heir.

Davion stood in the center of the bridge, in a stance similar to Gayel’s. All around, warriors were at their stations, working feverishly.

Gayel glanced down and a punch of pleasure hit him.

Alea stood beside him. She’d traded her Space Corps uniform for a formfitting, black-and-white Space Corps spacesuit. It showed every lovely part of her fit body. His gut tightened, and he fought his desire down.

Now was not the time.

“Tobis, report,” Davion said, voice tense.

The viewscreen flashed.

“War Commander, we’re traveling at top speed,” the seasoned warrior behind a console said, then paused. “The Kantos fleet will beat us to Orzon by thirty-four ship minutes.”

Cren. Gayel clamped his fingers together.

“Orzon is not completely vulnerable.” Davion turned to Gayel. “It has two well-armed cruisers, and planetary defenses.”

Gayel nodded. “Get Base Commander Lann-Jadd on screen.” An image of the blue orb of the planet blinked up. Orzon. Visible was the science space station that orbited the planet. It was where they carried out experimental research.

A face flashed up. Base Commander Lann-Jadd was a young, but experienced, commander. Her brown hair was cut to her shoulders, her eyes a swirl of gold and black.

“Your Highness.” Lines bracketed the female warrior’s mouth.

“We’re en route, Base Commander. But the Kantos will beat us by thirty-four ship minutes.”

The woman’s eyes flickered. “We’ll hold.”

“I know. The Oronis and the Terrans are coming, too. The warrior trainees?”

“We’re evacuating the base as we speak. We’ll shift them into the catacombs.”

The mountains near the main base on Orzon were riddled with caverns. The Eon had reinforced them as safe havens for the trainees, in case of emergency.

“Very good.” He kept the woman’s gaze. “We’re coming.”

She nodded. “Thank you, Your Highness.” Then she was gone.

The noise on the bridge echoed in his ears.

They’d lose people. He knew it in his heart. The Kantos were coming and he was certain they’d launched now because they’d perfected their pathogen.

He wanted to yell, or hit something.

But his people needed his strength and calm.

“Davion…I need your office.”

The war commander nodded. “Of course.”

Near the back of the bridge, he saw his sister and Ryphen straighten from where they’d been standing. He waved them off.

Gayel strode into the office. The compact space was dominated by a large desk and a round window looking into space. He dragged in some deep breaths.

People would die. Perhaps young warriors. He’d failed them.

The helindai.He might be forced to use the ancient power. He released a breath.

The door whispered open.

“Leave,” he growled.

“No.”

Alea. He scented her. Felt her. Like she was in his bones.

He didn’t want her to see him like this.

“I’m not one of your subjects to order around,” she said.

A hand touched his back, and she slipped around in front of him.

“I’m here,” she said quietly. “I can’t make this better, but I’m here, by your side. You don’t have to shoulder this alone.”

And she didn’t think she’d make a good queen.

He cupped her head, and pressed his forehead to hers. And the pressure in his chest eased a little.

“We’ll face the Kantos together,” she said.

“Alea.” He kissed her.

The door chimed and she quickly stepped back.

Gayel straightened. “Enter.”

Davion entered, followed by Eve, his Security Commander Caze Vann-Jad and his Terran mate, Lara. Medical Commander Aydin Kann-Ath, Adlyn, and Ryphen were the last to enter.

The group all looked grim.

“What is it?” Gayel asked.

“You know that Thane and I have been working on a way to neutralize the Kantos pathogen or to affect the Kantos,” Aydin said.

“And?”

“We’ve developed an agent. One that violently affects the Kantos nervous system.”

Alea straightened. The air in the office charged.

“It kills them,” Davion said.

Gayel sucked in a breath, processing the implications.

“We’ve only run small-scale lab tests,” Aydin said. “But all Kantos tissue dies.”

“It will annihilate them,” Alea said quietly, her tone devoid of emotion.

“It’s a way to stop them preying on any more worlds,” Davion said.

A muscle ticked in Gayel’s jaw. Like his father had wiped out the Kognak, and driven another species, the Ehla, close to extinction. He’d used the helindai against the Kognak, but he’d launched a powerful biological weapon against the Ehla.

Yes, they’d been antagonistic killers, but it had never sat well with Gayel. And now he knew that his father had suffered regrets.

“There are good Kantos,” Alea said.

Nisid and his rogue allies from the planet Crolla. Gayel frowned. “Can we ensure Nisid and his people remain unaffected?”

“There are no guarantees without a lot more testing.” Aydin shrugged a shoulder. “We don’t have time for tests.”

The Kantos would attack Orzon within minutes.

And Orzon would only be the start. They would continue to swarm other Eon and allied worlds unless the Eon stopped them.

“The Kantos must be stopped,” Gayel said carefully.

Alea swallowed. She was still standing beside him, but he felt the distance growing.

“The Kantos elite council are mass murderers,” Alea said. “Out to annihilate my planet. But does that give us the right to annihilate an entire species in return?”

Gayel felt his warriors watching.

“I came from bad people,” she said. “I watched them being killed. I don’t think they deserved the bloody death they suffered, whatever their crimes. And it affected more than just them.”

Yes, she still bore the scars.

“I hold so many lives in my hands,” Gayel said quietly.

“I know. Eon, Terran…and Kantos.” She stared at him for a beat, then walked out.

Cren. His gut was tied in knots.

So many lives, young ones, depended on him and the decisions he made.

“Gayel?”

He looked at Davion.

“She has some good points, but the most salient point is that a planet full of young warriors and innocents is about to have the helians ripped from them.” Davion’s eyes flashed blue. “Most will die.”

Gayel gave a tight nod. “Aydin, please keep working. I need a solution that stops the Kantos, that doesn’t wipe out the species completely.”

The medical commander released a breath. “Gayel, there isn’t any time.”

“Do what you can. And still prepare the agent. That’s our plan.”

The humans and warriors left, except for Davion.

“Terrans perpetually surprise,” Davion said. “They feel so much. They make you look at things in different ways.”

“My father wouldn’t hesitate.” He might regret it later, but he wouldn’t hesitate.

“You’re not your father, Gayel. You are so much more than he ever was.”

Davion left.

Gayel stared out the window, lost in his thoughts, and feeling alone without Alea.

* * *

Alea pacedthe length of the observation room, all the while watching the expanse of star-studded space out the window. They weren’t in visual range of the planet yet.

But she knew the Kantos were out there.

Ready to kill.

The rest of the Eon fleet, along with ships belonging to Earth and other allies were racing toward Orzon.

She knew this was self-defense. Kill or be killed. She believed in all of those. But annihilation of an entire species? No, she couldn’t get behind that.

She wondered how Ben was doing back on Eon. He’d stayed to guard the women and the delegates. Alea really wished he was here, to listen, to offer her his no-nonsense, straight-forward advice.

Eve appeared, rubbing her belly. “I heard about the agent the medical commanders have developed.”

Alea blew out a breath. “Am I crazy to say we shouldn’t use it?”

“No. A part of me wants the Kantos dead. I’ve seen up close and personal how horrible they can be.” Eve shook her head. “But my heart has trouble with the idea of killing an entire species.”

Alea nodded. God, she’d left Gayel with more weight on his broad shoulders. She should’ve stayed, talked with him about it.

Alarms started blaring.

“Shit,” Eve muttered. “Let’s get to the bridge.”

When they stepped onto the Desteron’s bridge, it was a flurry of activity.

Warriors raced between stations. Gayel and Davion stood with their gazes glued to the viewscreen.

The display was filled with static.

“Clear it up,” Davion barked.

“What’s happening?” Eve asked her mate.

Davion wrapped a brawny arm around her.

Alea moved closer to Gayel. He looked carved from stone, his jaw tight.

Someone cleaned up the image. She sucked back a harsh gasp.

The image was of a crisp, clean room. Not a ship, but a lab.

“The Orzon science station,” Gayel said. “Orbiting the planet. The Kantos attacked them first.”

There were bodies on the floor, and blood sprayed up the walls, both green and red.

A warrior appeared, heaving himself up on the console. He was covered in blood.

“Your H-Highness.”

“It’s Science Commander Brant Dann-Ath,” a warrior called out.

“Brant,” Gayel said. “We’re almost there.”

The warrior grimaced, back arching. “It’s too late for me.” The man made a low groan. “They…cut me off from my helian.”

He lifted his wrist. The brown band around it was withered and bleeding.

Alea bit her lip. She felt the horror from the Desteron’s warriors.

“I…felt it die.” His voice hitched. “They released a plague. It started tearing at the bonds with the helian. They’re all dead. All my warriors are dead, and I’m dying.”

“Brant…” Gayel’s voice was terrible. “I’m sorry we weren’t faster.”

“It’s not your fault. King Gayel, a team of Kantos is on their way to the surface.”

Gayel sharpened. “Do you know what they have planned?”

Brant grimaced, coughed. There was blood on his lips. “The elite was talking in my head. Taunting.”

Assholes. Alea gritted her teeth.

“They talked of deploying the plague on Orzon. Destroying all our young warriors.”

Curses filled the bridge. The warriors were all angry, bristling.

“Brant, how? Did they share anything about their plan?”

The man slumped.

“Brant?”

He lifted his head. “Locust plague. Storms. Clouds.”

Alea frowned and met Eve’s gaze. What did that mean?

“Brant?” Gayel urged. “What locust plague?”

“They’ll set locusts, filled with the pathogen, free on Orzon. Destroy the helians and their warriors.”

No. No. No. Alea’s hands balled.

The man on the screen’s voice lowered. “Can’t…hold on.”

“You did well, Brant. You’ve helped save lives.” Gayel bowed his head. “You and your helians will be avenged.”

“Thank you…Your Highness. Save the trainees.”

“Be with the warriors.”

God. Alea wanted to touch Gayel. His jaw was hard and a terrible tension radiated from him.

Screw it.She couldn’t just let him stand there and deal with this tragedy alone.

She moved closer and slipped her hand into his.

He didn’t look down, but his fingers squeezed hers, hard.

“Your Highness, the Kantos fleet is in visual range,” Davion said.

Gayel nodded. “On screen.”

Alea stared at the ships, ice sliding into her veins. So many. They were all shapes and sizes, most looking like gigantic bugs.

As she watched, she saw a Kantos ship start to bombard the planet. There were two Eon ships defending, but they weren’t enough.

“How long until we’re in range?” she asked.

Davion’s eyes gleamed with blue fire. “Ten minutes.”

“Do you still think we shouldn’t kill the cren-cursed bugs?” Caze asked Alea.

“These ones, yes, but they’re not all like this. And—” she met Gayel’s gaze “—without the hunger forced on them, even these ones would be different.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I understand. If these were my people…”

The doors burst open and Aydin raced in.

“I have something.” He held up a vial. It looked like it was filled with black smoke.

“What is it?” Gayel demanded.

“If I’m correct, and my prelim tests look good, this agent blocks the hunger.”

Alea gasped and looked at Gayel.

“It stops the Kantos changing and getting more aggressive?” she asked Aydin.

The medical commander nodded.

“You’ve tested it?” Gayel asked.

“Small-scale.” Aydin took a deep breath. “I can’t guarantee it will work, but there’s a chance.”

Gayel looked conflicted.

“There’s more. It doesn’t just block the hunger, it reverses it.”

Alea stepped forward. “It could transform all those Kantos—” she flung an arm at the screen “—back to their natural state?”

Aydin nodded.

“Make as much as you can, Aydin,” Gayel ordered. He turned to the screen.

“Gayel?” Davion said. “We’ll be in range in seconds.”

“Good. Scan the surface for the Kantos.” His lips formed a grim line. “And War Commander, engage the enemy.”

“With pleasure, Your Highness.”