скачать книгу бесплатно
«You weren’t fast enough. If you were any better, you’d never have allowed her to be wounded!»
It was true – Serena wasn’t there in time to save the Empress before she fell to an injury, though, not a life-threatening one.
Now… everything that happened that distant day meant so little, if the Empress wouldn’t even hear her case.
The military guards took her through all the bureaucracy every high-end person on Velutha went through after their arrest. The last on the list was implanting the inhibitor that minimised all the regeneration process in the prisoner’s body.
Finally, she was escorted to the prison cell – a small confinement with just a simple cot and a toilet corner. Not a window, not a whiff of fresh air – only the grey, lifeless walls of a prison cell that she was supposed to stay in until her case will be seen.
The complete silence she found herself in was supposed to unnerve anyone, who was thrown into this confinement. But to Serena it was quite usual to hear only her thoughts, her breath and the beating of her heart.
At first she was trying to count the time that was passing by, but without anything to help her with that, she stopped and just fell into a very still and quiet meditation, awaiting anything that would make her understand if she made the right call.
She wasn’t able to say how much time passed, when the door slid open and a guard stepped in, looking at her heavily.
«You’re being transferred, prisoner. Stand and turn around.» the man said.
Serena complied, wilfully allowing the guard to shackle her wrists behind her back once again. He took her through the numerous corridors and a couple of elevators that took them deeper down, until they ended up in what seemed like an old part of the prison. The woman couldn’t help but frown, seeing that the corridor they were walking through was unkempt and the cameras that were supposed to monitor everything were either broken or dismantled.
Even stranger was the complete silence around – there seemed to be not a single soul in the numerous cells they were passing.
Serena felt her thoughts start racing.
Was the Empress going to meet her privately deep in the bowels of this dungeon? Or were Salaar’s men trying to get rid of her so sloppily?
The man dragged her further in, until they reached an open cell and he pushed her in so hard that she almost fell to the floor.
As she straightened, she suddenly saw the face of a man she never wanted to see in person.
«Welcome, little dove.» a creepy smile appeared on the face of the one Serena recognised to be none other than Salaar Dorn Kalun.
The woman saw three other men in the cell and felt herself cornered.
«My son here had so much to tell me about you…» Salaar chuckled, seeing her eyes dart from side to side.
Serena saw one of the men grinning and recognised him as well – a very long time ago she defeated him in a duel. After that his career took a turn for the worse. Lazarus Dorn Kalun, Salaar’s only son.
«You can’t do this.» Serena hissed. «I am a royal prisoner awaiting trial!»
«Oh, little dove… you are no one. Nobody will hear you case, trust me on that. The Empress has so much more important things to attend to.» Salaar smirked. «I will make sure she will forget all about you.»
Two guards that stood there grabbed her, immobilising, while Lazarus and Salaar watched her twitch and fail to free herself as she was pushed down onto the floor.
«Lazarus has so much to say to you, my dear. I do hope there’s going to be something left of you after he’s done with you.» Salaar leaned in, grinning at the way one of the guards held her in a choking grasp, tightening his arms. «But I am interested how long you’ll last. As I do understand you’re quite the… survivor.»
«Asshole!» Serena hissed, baring her teeth.
«Such a pity to have your genetics go to waste…» Salaar shook his head and headed out. «Have fun.»
Lazarus chuckled, sitting on top of the woman and unsheathing his blade, his eyes flashing with madness.
«I always wanted to wipe that smug smile off your face, bitch.» he said. «Long hair! Pfft! A symbol of your victories… Let’s see how it holds against my blade.»
The man grabbed her hair and sliced with his blade, cutting off a few thick locks with a cackle. Serena could only growl, as he began rudely cutting her hair and throwing it aside, enjoying humiliating the warrior woman who defeated him once long ago.
«You will never see a trial!» Lazarus grinned, pushing her face into the hard floor. «My father will make sure of that!»
Serena did not take her eyes off the man, growling from the pain and humiliation.
He looked at the body that was before him and cackled:
«You and your entitled attitude made my career drop. And I’m going to make you pay for it!» he glanced at the guard behind her and nodded.
Serena felt the guard tightening his grip on her neck, almost suffocating her. If the second guard wouldn’t have been holding her legs, she would start kicking in an attempt to free herself.
«I’m going to make you scream, Serena. And I’m going to make you beg.» Lazarus began rudely cutting off her clothes, leaving cuts on her skin.
She didn’t make a sound, baring her teeth in anger.
When he took her for the first time, she gritted her teeth, but remained silent, which made Lazarus furious. By the time he was done with her, he waved to the guard and allowed him to do as he pleased.
Serena still kept her mouth shut, though the guard was just as fierce as Lazarus.
This was only the beginning.
Lazarus enjoyed tormenting her. Day after day he came to her – first, with two guards, then with another two men.
They were all too eager to have her again and again, tearing into her body with a relentless, sadistic urge to destroy what was left of her. She never gave them the joy of hearing her screams or cries. She tried her best to be silent. Just like with John Summers, she simply allowed her mind to go blank and all she did was just look at them and growl. She had to look. It was the only form of proof she could offer – if only the Empress would really go through with her word on having the royal trial.
The inhibitor made her body frail and incapable of regenerating, but she could withstand the pain. She had to. Otherwise there really was nothing else left of her.
In the short silent moments, when her rapists left her for the time being, she would allow herself to drift into sleep on the cold stone floor, her arms shackled behind her back. But every time she would be woken to another one of them taking her once more, bringing more pain and humiliation to what they’ve already caused.
She didn’t want to think that Lazarus was right. She couldn’t make herself believe that the Empress would not see her case at all. However powerful Salaar Dorn Kalun was, the Empress had all the right and power to bring the man down.
But as the days went by, Serena slowly began falling into a desperate stupor, realising that, perhaps, the Empress was not as just as she thought.
Chapter 4. Empress
Lindon walked into the training room and saw Hunter relentlessly boxing in the atmospheric settings that were almost close to Veluthian.
«Any news?» Hunter stepped away from the punching bag and looked at his friend.
The Veluthian shook his head sadly. He too was worried that days were passing by, and there was no news on what was happening to Serena or her case.
«How long have you been here?» Lindon asked, seeing the Terran slide down the wall in desperation and exhaustion.
«Two hours… at least.» Hunter gritted his teeth. «I can’t rest, Lindon. I can’t…»
«Growler, return Terran settings please.»
«Yes, Lindon.» the AI replied, changing the settings almost immediately.
«Take a break, brother. Things like these take time.» Lindon felt even more unnerved ever since Lyssa was confiscated for the time of investigation and they had to stay with Cipher on his ship.
«We don’t even know what they’re doing to her in that prison!» Hunter gritted his teeth.
«Veluthians are proud people, Hunter. We honour our code of conduct. Our prisoners are always treated fairly.»
«And what guarantees are there that this Empress of yours will even remember about her promise?» Hunter punched the wall in frustration.
«The only guarantees we have are her word, given to Serena in front of a lot of witnesses.» Lindon shook his head. «Things like this will not go unnoticed if the people won’t hear any sort of update or development on such a case. Usually, Royal Trials are broadcasted all throughout the Laithorian Empire.»
«Usually does not mean all the time!»
«True. But even those that are not broadcasted, are being talked about in the media. We are proud people, Hunter. We honour the code. And if someone does not… we arm ourselves and go against them.»
«And how many people have you all done that to? Personally?» Hunter frowned, feeling nothing, but anger. «I know nothing of your system, but I’m supposed to trust your Empress will be fair to Serena?»
Lindon sighed heavily and walked up to his friend, kneeling next to him:
«Please understand that the title given to our Empress is not that of legacy. We do not pass this title from mother to daughter or father to son. All throughout our history there were times when the Emperor or Empress was overthrown by their own people, because they no longer honoured the Code. If Laithora, or whole of Velutha finds out that Serena’s case was forgotten about… there can be riots. There can be unrest. This is exactly the reason Serena risked everything to do what she did. She placed her trust in the Empress being the same person everyone knows her to be. Because if unrest begins… the Empress will fall out of favour. We have to trust her.»
«You Veluthians…» Hunter grimaced. «You keep talking about honour and the Code, but you are just like humans. Just as corrupt and greedy. Just as flawed.»
«Perhaps, some of us, yes. But it doesn’t mean we all are. Just like being human doesn’t mean all humans are corrupt and evil in their nature, right?»
Hunter took a very deep breath.
«I just…» he growled, jumping to his feet. «I just wish there was some way to know if anything is happening out there.»
Lindon straightened and put his palm on Hunter’s shoulder:
«We need to wait. And have faith. Other than that… there’s nothing we can do for the time being. Don’t exhaust yourself with training just because you feel helpless, alright?»
«I don’t feel helpless, Lindon. I’m desperate and enraged that days are going by without any news as to what is happening in that darn prison!» Hunter growled, squeezing his fists.
«You need rest, brother.» Lindon sighed heavily. «After all, we can be summoned at any given time to the trial.»
«If there even will be one!» Hunter growled, heading out.
Lindon shook his head, understanding the distress his friend was in. Having the woman he loved – they both loved! – incarcerated and being under investigation was definitely nerve-wracking. The Veluthian didn’t know if they will be in any position able to help Serena’s case at all, considering they too were under investigation.
And if things go wrong, Lindon and Wolfin would have to face their charges right here on Velutha, but as to Hunter, Cipher and Pher – the trio would be sent out to the Terran authorities. After all, the Terrans were, in fact fugitives from the Company that issued a bounty on their heads.
Knowing very well that he still needed to keep his head cool and his determination unwavering, Lindon headed to the bridge. Ever since Serena was arrested and MSS Lyssandra confiscated for the trial proceedings, they were all cramped up in the SS Growler, which was found to be cleared for them to be on, as no one was really thinking about them at the moment. The authorities only swept through the ship to know if there were any of the possible contraband, but as soon as they realised everything was at Lyssandra, they left the crew remain on the Growler until the end of the trial.
And since then Lindon unofficially took upon himself the role of a Commander – just like before losing his own ship. Mitigating the rising unrest among the crew, answering any possible questions – all this and much more was weighing on him, as he tried hard not to think about Serena making a terrible mistake by putting her trust in the Empress and those close to her.
Approaching the bridge, Lindon noticed Cipher jumping to his feet and hurried in, as the Growler AI reported:
«You are being hailed by Captain of the Imperial Guard Dillian Dorn Merr-Philas.»
Cipher glanced at Lindon and saw him nod:
«Put him through!»
The screen lit up, showing the very same man they were dealing with while confined to their ship for the past week. The Veluthian seemed calm, collected and proud as always:
«I was asked to inform you that you are being summoned to the palace. As I was made aware, the Empress wanted to question Lindon Dorn Grey-Linn, Wolfin Ghor-Dinn, Cipher Reeds and Hunter Winters before she would speak to Serena Dal Thara-Lyss.»
«We are honoured for the invitation and are ready to face the Empress.» Lindon stepped up.
«Ten minutes. I shall escort you to the palace personally. No weapons, if you be so kind.»
«Of course.»
The screen grew dark and Lindon exchanged glances with Cipher.
«Growler, tell Pher, Wolfin and Hunter to meet us by the cargo bay in five minutes!» Cipher ordered.
«Done.»
Lindon headed out, wondering if Hunter will be happy to hear that they were finally given a possibility for an update on Serena’s case. He hoped that the trial will be swift and fast, claiming the woman innocent, as they did, after all, collect a lot of information on the dark dealings that were going on Velutha without the authorities knowing. Or – known and not dealt with…
As they gathered by the exit, Lindon saw Cipher leaving Pher as the one in charge, offering him some advice on dealing with the unusual neighbour – Laneth, who has added a bit of chaos into the ship’s crew with her being around. Wolfin and Hunter seemed anxious, though Serena’s mentor tried hard to keep a calm and collected demeanour.
After that was done, and Hunter hurried their friend to open the door, they stepped out – Hunter and Cipher wearing only the atmospheric bracelets to negate the harsh environment of the planet.
Captain of the Imperial Guard Dillian Dorn Merr-Philas stood ready with a regiment of his soldiers, waiting for the men to walk up. As soon as they did, the soldiers surrounded them and they all headed out towards the biggest building that stood ahead – the so-called Palace, where most of the council meetings were held and al the Royal Trials commenced.
Hunter knew that the low building next to it was the prison, which was mostly guarded by drones, and the Veluthians that worked there mainly oversaw the robots, rarely ever engaging with prisoners. At least, that’s what he was told by Wolfin.
Escorted through the lavishly decorated plaza before the Palace, the crew walked into the building, where their guards stopped only once – for a few drones to scan the visitors for any sort of weapons. Finding none, they continued their way, and Hunter suddenly thought if this place was so secure, how was it even possible for criminals like Salaar Dorn Kalun to operate and steal things that were supposed to be held in even more secure areas.
Finally, they were showed into a very large, luxuriously decorated hall, where the Empress already sat on a golden throne, surrounded by her counsellors. A number of people stood by the walls, and for a minute or two Cipher and Hunter felt themselves being on trial by the sole looks they were given.
«Captain Dillian, thank you for escorting them to us. You are free to go.» the Empress waved the Veluthian and his men off.
Seeing the Royal Guards located all over, Hunter swallowed a sudden lump, realising that this place was always ready to defend or attack anyone, who would do something stupid.
«Approach.» one of the counsellors waved to Serena’s crew.
They obliged, feeling uncomfortable and vulnerable, though, their biggest concern was the fact that Serena was nowhere to be found.
«I have studied the evidence you and your Captain have provided. And though I do not condone such a familiar way to send me a personal message, I do find the extent of this information to be quite admirable.» the Empress glanced at Wolfin. «Wolfin Ghor-Dinn, as I understand, the search for this information began after you have encountered Serena Dal Thara-Lyss on some distant planet?»
«Yes, Empress. I was forced to hide for a long time after being falsely accused of murder.» Wolfin replied, trying not to make his answers too long.
