Dark Empire Book Four: Revelations - Chapter Four, Scene Four

 

With only four days until release, even royal relationships have their moments...especially when the empire is threatened. In one corner, we have the fierce duo of Bevau and Jessica. In the other corner, their opponents, the very definition of fire and ice...Clajak and Egilka. Let's get ready to rumble! (I'm so Gen X, lol.)

* * * *

“We’ve been invaded. We must pull out all the stops to saveourselves from becoming another Bi’is.” Empress Jessica fought against glaringat her Dramok and Imdiko.

It was funny that Bevau, a most protective Nobek, had beenthe one to suggest putting women alongside Royal Guards to listen for thetelltale voice-doubling of those ridden by Darks. Her fierce clanmate wanted tohire as many as possible to guard the Royal and Government Houses, as well asthe Royal Council chambers.

Steel-haired Clajak and the usually reserved Egilka hadlaunched an immediate protest against the plan. “Our precious Mataras on thefront lines against an enemy? Absolutely not,” the Dramok emperor seethed.

“You prefer to have them killed en masse when the Darksovercome us?” Bevau pressed. His manner verged on casual, as if they engaged inpleasant conversation. Again, a funny situation given his was the battle-readybreed, but strong Imdiko traits tempered his warrior nature.

The hotheads of the group were Jessica and Clajak. Jessica,who allowed no men, including her clanmates, to see her as less strong simplybecause she was a woman, warned her Dramok. “We have the opportunity to stopthese creatures in their tracks. We’ll damned well take advantage of it.”

“You said some of our men can detect them by sight.” Clajakaddressed Bevau. “Why not use them?”

“Because we’re still in the testing stages of discoveringthose who are capable of doing so. We’ve just begun to do so on a larger scalein the fleet. Once I’ve determined whether my ground troops have beeninfiltrated and eradicated any threat, we’ll test there too.” Bevau’s patiencewas incredible, given he’d already mentioned these facts twice before. “It’lltake time, which given how the council is already impacted, we don’t have.”

“I told you Oiteil sounded strange,” Jessica muttered.“Terbal too.”

“You didn’t hear the others. The ability might beunreliable.” Egilka, whose lips had set in a stubborn line, was quick to pointit out.

“When have the rest spoken up in my presence lately?”Jessica turned to her assistant, Matara Narpok. “Have I been present duringtheir committee reports at any point?”

“I can check. Give me a couple of minutes.” The statuesqueKalquorian woman sitting beside her set her fingers dancing over her handheld.She wore a sly smirk, and it took Jessica’s willpower to keep from mirroringit. The slight smile said Narpok believed Jessica and Bevau would win thefight. Clajak and Egilka were wasting their breath.

“We don’t put our lifebringers in danger if we can help it,”Clajak growled, his handsome face stormy. “It’s non-negotiable.”

“At the present, Earther women are our only real hope ofdetermining who’s a risk.” Bevau turned to his own aide, Dramok Erybet. “Putthe discussion on the next general meeting’s agenda. It won’t happen until ouroperatives have done what they must to remove the Dark influence from the RoyalCouncil. Let’s talk to a few of those clanned to Earther women, ask if theirmates would consider standing in until we employ personnel.”

“I guarantee mine will be glad to assist,” Erybet said as hebent to his handheld, his black hair swinging forward to hide his disarmingbeauty, second only to Bevau’s perfection. “She loves having a front row seatto the debates.”

His comment lifted some of the tension as the Imperial Clanchuckled. Erybet’s Matara, nicknamed Ray-Ray, attended council meetings whenshe could. She typically pushed herself front and center in the spectators’gallery. Her comments of, “Give me a break” and “You can’t be serious” wereoften heard on the floor. Councilmen and royals alike lived in fear of hearingthe dreaded shout, “Sounds like I’m back on Earth. Are you a friend of the HolyLeader?” when someone dared utter an argument she vehemently disagreed with.

Egilka resumed his protests, his sharp features showingseldom-seen agitation. “Bevau, you’re basically saying our opinions don’tcount. You’re going ahead whether the rest of us agree to it?”

“I’m the Nobek Emperor. My mandate is to protect the empire.Earther Mataras are my one guaranteed option of doing so to defend us from theDarks.” Bevau regarded his clanmate, his gaze warm. “When have I given youcause to doubt my commitment to our people’s welfare?”

Egilka shook his head. “Never, but the women are tooprecious.”

“I agree, which is why I insist on this course of action.”

Clajak slammed against his backrest. He came dangerouslyclose to sulking. “At least share your plan to keep the women safe. I trustyou, but the way I see it, any risk to them is unconscionable.”

“Each will be teamed with two Royal Guards. Confronting theDark-ridden will be up to the Royal Guards, not the Mataras. The women willmerely alert our security detail to enemy presence.”

Silence held for a few seconds as the dissenting emperorsconsidered. It was broken by Narpok.

“Your pardon, my empress and emperors. As far as I canconfirm, Empress Jessica hasn’t had the opportunity to hear Councilmen Naresh,Evod, Eka, Tena, or Saomut speak since it’s believed the Darks arrived onKalquor. She’s attended none of their committee meetings, she’s had noappointments with them, nor have they spoken during the general meetings.”Narpok had the good taste to refrain from gloating, though she countedJessica’s victories in opposition to the emperors as her own. The men and shehad been at bitter odds in the past, long before Jessica had come on the scene.

“Thank you, Narpok.” Jessica beamed at the aide she countedas a teammate when it came to overriding her overly protective clanmates.

“I think you can count on Sonia to also stand guard,” Narpoksaid, naming her life partner. “I’ll check.”

Clajak’s and Egilka’s aides offered no indication they’drequest the duty of their Mataras, whether because they disapproved of the planor simply didn’t wish to irritate their reluctant employers. Jessica knew thewomen they were clanned to, women she believed would jump at the chance tohelp, but she wisely decided she’d leave the matter to their clans to debate.

“Make sure you impress on your lifemates the need to remainquiet about the Darks beyond yourselves,” Bevau warned Erybet and Narpok. “Wefirst have to try to capture those we’re aware of. Our enemy can’t know we’reon to them until we’re ready to inform the empire as a whole.”

“At least we can agree on that,” Clajak said.

* * **

Blythe Nelson is certain Clan Deram is keepingsomething from her. The clan of spies finds it difficult to stay a step aheadof the wily reporter who’s winning their hearts. What they don’t know is Blythehas a secret of her own. New love can’t survive without trust, and neither sideis ready when the truth comes out.

Dramok Ospar, determined to return to the politicalstage, strikes up a deal with Royal Councilman Oiteil. Unaware he’s dealingwith a Dark entity controlling Oiteil, he finds himself fighting for his honor,his relationship with his clan…and his life.

The Kalquorian Empire, already struggling against theDarks infiltrating its highest offices, suffers a new blow when it’s revealedit’s keeping a prisoner from the war against the first Earth: Holy LeaderBrowning Copeland. The schism between Kalquor and its allies grows deeper,setting the empire against the rest of the galaxy.

As chaos descends on rioting Earther colonies, theGalactic Council of Planets, and Kalquor, a desperate group of humans andKalquorians race to stop the force behind the turmoil: the Darks. Can theyloosen the grip on their worlds the enemy seeks to tighten, or is all lost?

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