Duplicitous: The Leordian Chronicles Page 10

  Three of the agents, who had prepared breakfast, brought out our plates and served the food.

  "This is Ethan's favorite, Vel," Leaha pointed out, as I picked up my utensils to eat.

  "It's called an omelet. Basically, they combine eggs with bacon, ham, and some vegetables, and each ingredient blends together to become a whole new thing. The combination is really quite tasty," she explained, smiling at Ethan.

  I took a bite of the omelet that Leaha had so exuberantly described and found that I wholeheartedly agreed. I could clearly see each of the ingredients within the egg, but combined, they became an entirely different flavor.

  "This is wonderful," I said trying not to talk with my mouth full, nodding to Leaha in approval. I quickly raised my glass of juice and nodded at the agents that prepared it.

  While we ate, conversations struck up between everyone at the table, including the agents. It seemed as though Regali's Berf, and the transparency everyone displayed during the event, had created a stronger sense of unity amongst the team. It no longer felt like us and them, rather, the organization had benefited from the camaraderie that had been built through our shared loss. After we finished eating, the agents began clearing the table, and I stood to my feet, ready to make my announcement.

  "Please, everyone, if I could have just a moment," I said, grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. "Today, I am renouncing my right to the throne of Leordia," I said confidently, knowing my friends would object.

  "But majesty," Seles said, the first to attempt to interject. "You are our queen, both by birth and by decree of the Council of Leordia. It's a role which not only represents your position but also your families legacy," she insisted, standing to attention before me.

  "Seles is correct," Grimaldi jumped in, also standing to attention. "There is no other that I would ever follow."

  I saw Leaha stand to her feet, and I knew she would come to my side. “Respectfully, Leordia and this world are not the same place," she stated, nodding to Seles and Grimaldi. "Velareedra, our queen, is not abandoning her duty, rather, she is adapting to our current circumstances. She is joining alongside us as a champion in this fight, one we so desperately need!" Leaha explained on my behalf, clearly understanding my reasoning.

  "I would very much like, while we're in this world, for you to try to view me as an equal member of the team and let go of any previous formalities. In other words, please address me as Vel or Velareedra. However, I do have one final request as your queen. My hope is that you will facilitate the release of Lucas Wright," I said, appealing to Leaha. "I ask that you release him to my charge, and I will take full responsibility for him at all times while he is within in the UTF Headquarters." I turned to Ethan and placed my fist to my chest, indicating that I was making a promise on my honor.

  Ethan walked to me, grasping my hand firmly, and raised it while we shook hands. "I saw how he looked when we found you." he chuckled. "I have no concerns whatsoever with you taking charge of Lucas," he agreed, releasing my hand. Ethan commanded one of the agents to take me to Lucas's cell when I was ready before walking with some of his men out of the room.

  I turned to my captains, looking at them expectantly.

  "If that's what you want, I will comply, Maj…I mean Vel," Seles agreed, struggling to bring herself to speak my name directly.

  I looked to Grimaldi, not intending to put him on the spot, but I was curious as to how he felt about my request. To my surprise, he had tears in his eyes.

  "I cannot, my Queen. I am sorry, but I am just an unworthy servant, and I don't deserve to speak your name," he claimed, walking toward the door.

  I wanted to call out to him, but I could tell he just needed time to accept me as just another warrior. Grimaldi had always held my family in high esteem. He was the youngest son of Dranir Wenot, a high ranking member of The Council of Leordia and a great friend of my father. Grimaldi and Astiel were close companions when we were children. Frequently, when Astiel wasn't with me, he was with Grimaldi. When Astiel rebelled and left Leordia City, after I was selected by the Council to succeed my father, Grimaldi had taken it very hard. When we received word that Astiel had forcefully united the rogue factions surrounding Leordia City and began mounting assaults on our land and our people, Grimaldi sought me out personally to offer his service to the crown and the people of Leordia.

  "He'll come around, Velareedra," Seles said as if practicing how best to use my name.

  "I know," I replied with a grin, relieved that at least one of captains had approved of my request.

  "I'm going to stick with him for now; give him a taste of his own medicine," she snickered with a mischievous look, walking to the door in pursuit of Grimaldi. I was certain that he would quickly see things my way if Seles had anything to say about it.

  "I need to go and help Ethan manage the reports from yesterday," Leaha said, walking to me and embracing me. "You're sure this is what you want, right?" She asked, motherly, her hormones clearly firing on all cylinders.

  "I'm sure," I answered with a smile.

  "Okay then, so be it," she said, walking to the door. "Be careful with Lucas, at least until we know what his true intentions are. A captive loved one is a powerful motive to do whatever you can to earn their freedom," she said, as she walked out of the room.

  I turned to the agent who had been patiently waiting for me, ready to escort me to Lucas's cell. "I'm ready now, thank you for being so patient," I said apologetically, as I walked to the door where he stood.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Aaron Briggs

  As I walked into the cell block where Lucas was being held, I took note of the many cameras lining the walls. Unlike the iron doors used to detain prisoners in Leordia City, the dungeon in the UTF headquarters was comprised of many large rooms with glass windows, which allowed those outside of the room to monitor the prisoners within. We arrived at the cell where Lucas was being held, and I could see that he was sitting on a bench near the rear wall. My heart skipped a beat as I looked in upon him, remembering his kindness the day we met. While I stared, I remembered my reaction to his tale, and I secretly hoped that it hadn't been entirely fabricated.

  "Open the door, please," I said to the agent who had guided me here.

  The agent did as I asked, opening the door to allow me inside. Lucas shifted his attention to the door as I walked in, and I noticed that his face was swollen and bandaged where his nose had broken. I stood at the door for what felt like hours, neither of us saying anything.

  "I'm sure you're pretty angry with me at the moment," I said, pointing to my nose, unsure of how to break the silence.

  Lucas simply turned his head away, rolling his eyes as he looked back to the wall. Truthfully, the day that Lucas used his portal device to take me to the cliffside and explain his predicament, I hadn't considered that if his story were true, he had risked his life in bringing me there to ask for my help.

  "Listen, I know that you're angry because I broke your nose," I said before Lucas violently turned his head to me, staring through me.

  "I'm not angry, I'm furious!" Lucas exclaimed, standing to his feet. "My father is a prisoner in that monster's camp. I can only hope that your brother believes that either you or these people saw through my front and captured me, otherwise, my father is as good as dead," he screamed, walking toward me, yet stopping a safe distance away. "You are as much of a monster as Astiel! I could have dropped you from that cliff if I were lying. I specifically ported us there to make that point, but all you could see was how you felt about the situation!" He clearly wanted to come closer but seemed afraid to do so after our last encounter.

  I stepped forward to him, placing my hands behind my back, showing that I wasn't going to attack him, and wasn’t afraid of him either.

  "Even now, Lucas, I don't know that I can trust you," I said softly, hoping to avoid a physical confrontation. "If you were privy to the situation, which you clearly are, then you knew this isn't a result of a portal acci
dent or some sort of game. My people and I are from another world, Lucas, and we are trapped here." I watched as his demeanor shifted, and his will to be angry started to fade.

  "You are not victims, Vel, your people may have been transported here unintentionally; however, thousands of your people have joined with Astiel, and your race seeks to try to conquer this world, not cohabitate with it," Lucas said, his eyes changing from rage to despair.

  "Thousands?" I thought to myself. If that many casters were here, it would indicate that all of Leordia City, as well as the tribes under Astiel's rule, had been brought here. I didn't want to believe that Leordia's citizens truly accounted for a portion of Astiel's army, but with a number so large, there was no doubt, my people were now his.

  "Once Astiel learned about the portal technology my father created, he immediately sent his men to capture him," Lucas stated, interrupting my self-reflection.

  "I don't know what to say, Lucas," I said, unable to stop from reaching my hand toward him.

  "Don't presume it's okay for you to touch me," he took a step back. "I'm fully aware that you're his sister and truly the cause of all of this. I had hoped that you would take responsibility and end things, but a broken nose answered that for me," he shook his head, walking back to the bench and sitting down. "Astiel is using my father to create new technology as we speak. The teleporter I used to port us to the cliff side is only one of many. I can only pray that Astiel places value in him as an asset, and keeps him alive," he finished, placing his head on his knee's.

  As I looked at Lucas, I wanted to believe him, and I wanted to trust him.

  "I have secured your release into my custody," I said, walking back to the doorway. "You don't have to forgive me for my doubt, but I hope you can at least understand it. When you're ready to help me find a way to take Astiel down and save your father, let the agent know so he can bring you to me." I started walking out of the door.

  I stopped in front of the window as the door to the cell slammed shut, and I noticed that it was a one-way mirror, so I watched him while I considered what he had said. I wondered if he was right and if I really was the cause of all of this. Had I declined the Council of Leordia's appointment as queen, Astiel would have been king, and none of this would have happened.

  "I don't believe that what he said about this being your fault is the truth," the agent assigned to lead me to the cell block said, noticing my distress.

  "Why?" I asked, raising my head.

  "Well, I don't really know much about how you arrived here, and I know even less about the politics of your world; however, it seems to me that if you were the rightful queen in your world, your brother is just pitching a temper tantrum like a child. He seems to be the one responsible for initiating the chain of events which lead us to where we are now, right?" He asked, rhetorically. "My name is Briggs, Aaron Briggs." he held his hand out to me. "I've been stationed here for the last nine years, and I can tell you that during my time here, I've seen the destruction that your brother and his men rain down upon innocent people. His aren't the actions I would expect from a King," he said, smiling as he shook my hand.

  "I see that you finally found the nerve to introduce yourself, brother!" Ethan called out from behind us.

  I was surprised I hadn't noticed the resemblance earlier, Aaron was Ethan's brother, and just as handsome. He was a bit taller than his brother, and broader as well. But they had the same brown hair and vibrant green eyes.

  "Be careful, Vel, Ethan's convinced that his brother has eyes for you already," Leaha said with a smirk, standing beside Ethan.

  I turned to Aaron who quickly dropped my hand, turning five shades of red.

  "Thank you for your kind words, Aaron," I said, not wanting to embarrass him further. "I'm also glad that you introduced yourself, and I truly look forward to speaking with you again."

  "A..As do I, Vel," he said, quickly returning to Lucas's cell door.

  It was nice to hear him say my name, even if he fumbled his words a bit; it was cute, and so was he. I smiled as I turned to take a final look into Lucas's cell, but saw that he was still sitting with his head between his knees, unwavering.

  "Come with us Vel. We're going out to grab some lunch from Di Fara Pizza! There's nothing like it anywhere, in this world or ours!" Leaha exclaimed, clearly excited.

  I wasn't sure what pizza was, but Leaha had great taste, so I knew it would be good. "Sounds great!" I let go of my sorrow about the Lucas situation and followed behind Ethan and Leaha, who walked hand in hand. As we walked through the garage and approached the car, all I could think about was how much I hoped Ethan would be driving.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Aftermath

  After a delicious lunch, we arrived back at the UTF headquarters, and I found that I was greatly pleased to get out of the car. Ethan had driven, thankfully, but the experience of riding in a car, I feared, had forever been ruined by my previous trip with Leaha behind the wheel. Even though Ethan's driving was much smoother, I maintained a constant state of elevated awareness and noticed each time our speed fluctuated that my heart rate would increase.

  "Thank you so much for including me," I said to Ethan and Leaha, as we exited the elevator onto the sixth floor where the dormitories were housed.

  "I'm glad you enjoyed it," Leaha gave me a quick squeeze to let me know that she appreciated the company.

  "I can always count on your tastes, Leaha," I said, honestly impressed by the food that she had called pizza.

  "Sorry to eat and run, but we have some reports left to file," Ethan turned and grasped Leaha's hand.

  "Oh it’s no problem, I understand," I said with a smile, waving goodbye as I made my way to the hallway which led to my room.

  "I'll come and check on you before dinner, Vel," Leaha smiled as they walked to the hall leading to the command center.

  After the pizza experience, I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to eat again, I was so full. I had become familiar with the twisted hallways on this floor, and could easily navigate around them. As I turned the corner which led to my room, I noticed Aaron was standing outside of my door. He looked troubled, so I made my way to him.

  "Aaron, it's nice to see you again. Is everything okay?" I asked, curious what was bothering him.

  "Vel?" He questioned, as though I had interrupted him in the midst of deep thought. "Yea, everything is fine.Shortly after you left, Lucas came to his senses and asked me to let you know that he is ready to talk," he explained, seemingly saddened to have to tell me of Lucas’s change of heart.

  "Great!" I was hopeful that Lucas would indeed cooperate and help us locate Astiel's operation.

  "Before I take you to him, though, I have a quick question," Aaron was starting to fidget as if he was nervous about something.

  “Oh, sure. Fire away,” I nodded, wondering what he might be worried about.

  "Lucas Wright has been working with Astiel, and as far as we know, he could be manipulating you to help achieve Astiel's purposes," he started, as he leaned against the wall, placing his finger on his cheek as he worked to find the right words to properly express his intent. "Clearly you can take care of yourself, Lucas's nose is proof of that; However, rather than simply having a potential threat freely roaming around and living in your quarters, would you like for me to ask Ethan to assign me as your guard and a second set of eyes? I can also have Lucas bunk with me, at least until he proves to be an ally."

  His sincere concern for me was displayed on his face, and I found it endearing. Most people would have been insulted, or possibly even weirded out by such a question from a person they just met; however, I could see his intent clearly in his eyes, and to be honest, I found it rather flattering that he had even thought to ask.

  "I don't mean that in a weird or insulting way, but from what I've seen, you are our best hope against Astiel and his caster army. If I can help ensure your safety, I'd be happy to do so," he said, noticing my hesitation.

  "I understand completely,
and I take no offense at all," I assured him. "However, I began this journey with just Lucas, and I believe that he'll be more honest with me if I work with him alone." I hoped to put his concerns to rest.

  "Okay, if that is what you think is best, then I guess I will just have to have a little faith," he was smiling, though I could see the genuine concern lingering in his eyes.

  "I would feel safer at night if he were to bunk with you, though, if that's okay," I said, relieved to have another option for sleeping arrangements, which I hadn't really considered.

  "Absolutely!" He said, seeming relieved as well.

  “Well now that we have settled that, lead the way!" I said, smiling.

  As we walked through the halls, Aaron told me that he had joined the military a year after Ethan, inspired by his brother's choice to do so. They had fought in the same unit during a large scale battle, in a region known as The Middle East, shortly after he joined the service. During the battle, they were pinned down inside of a building by enemy units at one point, and he explained that they had faced certain death when an explosive device called a grenade was thrown into the room through a window. Ethan had used his body as a shield and covered the grenade to protect their unit. Fortunately, the grenade proved to be a dud and never actually exploded, but it made a very real impact on how Aaron viewed members of his team. Aaron had been one of the human members of Regali's team on the day that he was killed and referenced how he had developed a strong bond with Regali during their time together, mentioning that he really missed him.

  Many people would be thrown off by the way Aaron spoke. He was a very free and open person, one whom you instantly felt like you had known forever. It was clear to me that he was the type of person that would be there for you in a time of need, and he seemed to truly appreciate those who were there for him as well. I was quickly finding myself somewhat enamored by Aaron, which was ironic, considering he was taking me to see Lucas. It made me feel a little guilty for having such thoughts. When we arrived at the cell block, Aaron raised his hand to his head, I assumed as a salutation of some kind.