Mantivore Dreams, page 30
part #1 of The Arcadian Chronicles Series
I blinked, turned inside out with its beauty as the image faded.
Vrox took hold of my mind. This was important. I have to know!
Oh no! Not that. Please. Not that— But I had no choice. Vrox forced me to watch how my sedentary, middle-aged father managed to kill a hulking bully like Kyrillian Trader, a man used to physical violence. It wasn’t pretty.
When it was over, Vrox gripped me with his fearsome talons and stroked my forehead with his long, blue tongue. His claws prickled my skin as he tightened his grip. I hugged him back, trying not to press against his sore scales too much.
Uncle Trislen and Beal are lying amongst the ruins of Vrox’s prison, instead of Vrox and Seth.
He was right. It was the only way we could get rid of them without hurting anyone else. Without endangering the Node. Without even leaving this building.
Vrox huffed the question at me. Could I do this thing?
I thought of how Uncle Trislen had snatched me and Seth up without bothering to ask; how he’d been threatening us ever since. How he’d wrecked his brother’s life to become Overlord; the look in Yuna’s eyes when I asked her about Vrox; of Arlester’s desperation at having spent a lifetime serving his unreasonable demands. And above all, about all the people who would die if Vrox was killed while he was still in control of the Node…
Given what was at stake, I wouldn’t wilt away from the task of killing Uncle Trislen. Or Beal. If I didn’t, they’d certainly murder Vrox, Seth and probably me after I’d served my purpose. Meantime, I needed to find out exactly how far Arlester was willing to go and whether he’d help us escape afterwards. And ensure that Seth understood what had to be done. After all, he’s more than willing to consider Vrox’s death. Surely he’ll also see that we can’t survive unless Uncle Trislen and Beal are taken care of?
When I found Seth, he was with Arlester, who was talking to a bunch of people via his slate. After he finished, I asked them both, “If I can kill Uncle Trislen and Beal without getting anyone else involved, are you up for it?”
“Oh, Kyrillia…” Seth breathed.
I rounded on him. “If you can find a way out of this nemmet nest without getting rid of those twisters, then share it with me right now!”
He shook his head slowly. “No… I can’t. For what it’s worth, it may be a sin, but every other option is going to see a lot of innocent lives lost.” His voice was hoarse, “If there’s anything I can do, tell me.”
I hugged him. Hard. I’d spent enough time around him to know that this would be a major deal for him. And his God.
Arlester stared me straight in the eyes. “Of course. There really is no other way.” He paused for a beat, before adding a question of his own. “Are you up for replacing him immediately? Because if you aren’t, Arcadia will be tipped into civil war.”
No! I can’t… I closed my eyes.
“If it isn’t you, who else can keep that monster under control, and safe?” Seth’s voice pulled me out of my panic.
He’s right. Anyone else tries to step in, the old mantivore is liable to do something extreme to keep his home burrow safe. I clenched my fists and took a shaking breath. “Yeah. Until you find someone else more suitable.”
Because this won’t be a lifetime deal. It can’t be. Seth and I are as comfy here in Gloriosa as a pair of puppies in a nemmet nest. And these upswept Gloriosans won’t want to be permanently ruled by some dust-scurfed cook from the wrong side of the planet.
“Give me a couple more hours and I’ll have everyone in place.”
“No violence. You won’t need to threaten anyone. We’ll have control of the Node nexus, by then.” Actually, we’ve got control right now, but I’m not sharing that with anyone else.
There was one more thing we needed. I found the mantivore expert staring at the holopad and feverishly making notes on his slate. He jumped up as I entered the room.
His face shone. “The relationship between you! Every book ever written has always claimed that mantivores can’t bond with adults. And here it is - I’ve got the proof! This is… it’s beyond anything I’ve ever hoped…” He showed me the recorded footage of Vrox stroking me with his tongue and hugging me.
I bit my lip, grateful for the goggles shielding my eyes as unshed tears blurred my vision. We’ll make sure Arcadia is a better, fairer place. And that Vrox lives out the rest of his life in comfort, I promised myself, and any God out there judging this wicked thing I was about to do.
While he was running down, I had a chance to haul myself together. But then, he took me by surprise as he continued working his slate at a speed that would impress many Brarions. “Your friend Arlester was a big help. Managed to fill in some background on the mantivore from way back.”
What does Arlester have to do with Vrox? “Oh?” I tensed, waiting to hear that he was pulling some blur-handed trick. That we were about to be betrayed, after all.
“Yeah. He knew one of the Vore girls and regularly used to visit the mantivore when he was imprisoned under Brarion Palace. Made a habit of taking him the odd treat over the years. Got to know him quite well. So he’s given me some useful info that I can cross-check with the Vore Family and…”
I relaxed. Arlester wasn’t running any scam. He’d just felt sorry for Vrox’s miserable life. Meantime, this bod was still flying about the discoveries he reckoned he’d made…
I interrupted, “I need a favour. Right now.”
“Ask. It’s yours. The findings I’ve recorded today will make my career.”
I looked across at the corner of the room. “Let me borrow the holopad. To stop Uncle Trislen from killing Vrox.”
He licked his lips, avoiding my eyes. “What if he finds out it was me that lent it?”
He won’t. He’ll be dead. I raised my eyebrows. “Who’s going to tell him? Me? Or Vrox?”
“They… can make you, you know.” He swivelled his eyes around the small monitoring room, as if The Council’s interrogators were about to materialise right then.
I shrugged. “It’d be a big help. But if you don’t want to save poor old Vrox…” I turned away, my head spinning as I tried to figure what else we could do—
“No, wait. You’re right. He shouldn’t die. It’s not right.” He twisted his hands together. “I’m off to the University to write up my preliminary findings. And I’ll just leave it activitated…” Grabbing his slate, he rushed out of the room.
It was the work of a moment to slave the holopad codings to Seth’s tab and shut it down. Which was just as well, because as I was tucking his tab into my tunic, one of the healers ambled into the room.
“Oh. Didn’t know you were in here. Seen Idrac? I need to find out if he wants any food before the guards do this security lockdown drill they’ve just warned us about.”
Idrac… so that’s his name. Wonder if I’ll ever meet him again? “He’s excited about the data he’s collected on Vrox. Wanted to go and write it up, I think.” I blinked. “What security lockdown?”
“There’s to be a drill, apparently. The soldier boys littering up the place are going to act out a scenario that a bunch of rebels are attacking Vrox’s lair.” The healer tutted. “Typical that they didn’t get around to mentioning it. But you need to know, because the internal systems are going to be slagged at the same time. We’ll be on personal coms only. All the external and internal feeds are being cut off as well. Cripping nuisance. Do you want a com link in Vrox’s den?”
Arlester has been a busy boy. “No. We’ll probably take the chance to sleep without being stared at.”
The healer shifted. “Yeah. Good idea. Er, if it were down to me, I wouldn’t be… you know… spying on you.”
“Thanks.” I tried to smile as I backed out of the room and made my way to Vrox.
*
The next hour and a half would have dragged. Except that while waiting in Vrox’s den, I fell asleep.
I woke up to the mantivore gently huffing in my face. Actually not so gently. His impatience flooded into my head. I staggered to my feet, clear-headed and sharply aware of every small sensation around me. Vrox’s quivering crest; the smell of his breath; the bioluminescence shimmering across his newly polished scales; the feel of the floor beneath my boots… I’ll remember this time and place for the rest of my life.
Vrox had already coded the holopad to Uncle’s slate. As the lights flickered and a distant alarm started to sound, I opened the channel.
Uncle’s surprised face jumped onto the holopad in the corner of the room.
“Greetings, Uncle. I’ve nearly finished here. Meantime I’ve got those Codes. I must say, we’re both so excited at returning to Acinos…” Easy. Don’t overdo the country-tic idiot act.
“The Codes? Did you say you’ve got the Codes?” He leaned forward, poised like a maw shark.
“Yeah. When jer want them? I could bring them across to the Nodery, if you like.”
“The Nodery? Why do you want to go to the Nodery?” His eyes slitted.
I shrugged. “I don’t, particularly. I’d rather stay here with Vrox. I’ll be glad when I’ve seen the last of these voreleeches—”
“So, why the Nodery?” His voice was edged.
Where’s Beal? This won’t work if Beal isn’t with him. “The Codes need to be accessed into the system before they work. Surely you know that?” I smirked and tossed my hair, knowing just how much that would annoy him. “Just thought as I’m quicker with the Node than anyone else…”
Uncle’s face reddened and he spluttered, as Beal bounced onto the pad alongside him.
Aha… and then there were two.
“It’s alright, Kyrillia. Your Uncle and I will zip across to the Nodery and get back in touch with you there.” His expression hardened. “Kyrillia…”
Oh no, what’s bothering him now? I pasted an idiot smile across my face and clenched my fists behind my back.
“How have you patched into this system?”
I sniggered, giddy with relief that he’d not scented anything amiss so far. “We’ve got the Codes, Beal. How jer think we patched into Uncle’s system?”
His eyes widened slightly and flicked across to where Uncle was probably standing. “Of course. See you soon.”
This waiting business was a whole lot harder when awake. To take my mind off the stretching seconds and motionless minutes, I leaned against the mantivore. What about living with your own kind? I visualised him frisking with other mantivores on a wide plain in Acinos.
Vrox is running, fleeing across a parched landscape, chased by a mantivore hunting horde. They are snarling and yipping with blood lust and excitement. Kill the traitor who stinks of human monsters…
I bit my lip. It hadn’t occurred to me that he’d be forced to stay here in Gloriosa amongst humankind. I’d had a vague image of him living out his life in Acinos, in the hunting grounds of his old home burrow. Away from the Node.
Vrox snorts contempt, pointing out that he’d never hunted in his life and given that I wouldn’t even allow him to kill a solitary nemmet, he’d probably die within a week.
“Kyrillia?” called my Uncle.
My hands greased. For all my brave words, I’d soon have to follow them up with action. And murder. I forced my trembling fingers to activate the Codings I needed. “Yeah?” my voice squeaked. The holopad zoomed into Pan mode, giving me a view of the whole Nodery. As I’d expected, Uncle and Beal were alone.
“Well, get on with it, girl. I haven’t got all day.” Uncle’s tone was outright hostile and his eyes glittered with contempt.
My heart pounded with anger that this was necessary. I gave Uncle the TotalArm Coding for the Nodery defence system with a steady voice, feeling the pressure of Vrox’s red-tinged excitement in the back of my mind.
“Right, that’s the Coding for access to the Motherprog – what you call the Cynosure,” I lied, wondering how I could ever be forgiven for what was about to happen. Oh, God… God… please, help me… “There’s a red button on the North side of the Nodetable. If you want to get straight into the Motherprog that’s the one you press.” My voice seemed to come from a long way away.
Uncle rushed round to it, his face hungry as he raised his hand.
“Just a minute, Trislen.” Beal was looking around. “Why is the button tucked away on the side like that?”
I took a breath. Please, God… make him press it. I shrugged. “Don’t know. I didn’t design the system. But – well, you wouldn’t want to jab that one by accident, would you?”
The push from the mantivore was becoming unbearable. I swallowed the saliva which was threatening to drool down my chin.
Beal’s pointed face was etched with doubt. “No, but it doesn’t seem…”
I can’t do this much longer… I rolled my eyes and put my hands on my hips. “We’ll be here for a century if you oldsters can’t go quicker than this! Why don’t I come over and key them all in for you?”
“No!” Uncle snarled at me, and jabbed at the button.
Back in Cnicus fifteen years ago, Osmar is hunched over the Nodetable, scrolling Facs around the Nodery in a skill-blazed display that leaves me breathless – and aching with regret that I never got to know him before...
Kyrillian Trader bursts in, swinging a heavy plank of wood towards Osmar’s head. But at the last moment, Osmar lunges sideways. If he hadn’t, the plank would’ve smashed his skull like an egg. Instead it strikes a glancing blow, the blow that leaves him brain-damaged. As he throws himself off his chair, his hand stabs at a red button on the side of the Nodetable, activating the TotalArm Coding that attacks anyone not logged into the Nodery.
There is a blinding flash. Kyrillian Trader screams. A long, wavering cry of agony as his blood boils dry and his eyeballs pop…
…jabbed at the button.
I will watch. I am not going to commit murder with closed eyes.
Vrox was slavering and yipping behind me as my vision hazed red.
A long moment of tension.
The organi-packs in their tanks lining the Nodery flared rainbow colours, bubbling furiously. Other than that, nothing happened.
Pulped planets, why-why not? They’re dead… Vrox and Seth… And me – I’ll be handed over to some inbred Bridgedeck Uppie…
Beal laughed. “For a minute there—” His face froze as a sound like tearing paper crackled around the Nodery. There was a blinding flicker of light.
Uncle’s body jack-knifed across the room as his hair burst into flame. Beal’s face stretched into a rictus of torment.
I will not look away… I will not look away…
It took forever.
As their charred bodies hit the floor with a pair of meaty thumps, sending up clouds of smoking sparks, Vrox ululated in triumph.
I vomited on the floor.
Trislen and Beal were found dead in the Prime Nodery, while we were tucked away in Vrox’s temporary lair at the other end of Gloriosa, surrounded by Trislen’s elite guard who were on an exercise. No one even considered us. We were finally safe, after all this time.
We’d won.
Yet I didn’t feel relieved. Just numb and horrified. I even wept for them when I was informed of their deaths. Great heaving sobs of guilty misery. It wasn’t an act. I wish that it was…
*
The words jumped around as I read them off the feed on override mode, transmitted into every single home and workplace on the planet. “I am devastated at the unexpected deaths of Overlord, Trislen Brarian and Deputy Overlord Beal Gator from what appeared to be a malfunction in the Nodery that they were attempting to repair.”
I took a breath and looked up at the holocam. “Uncle Trislen recently kindly accepted me into his home as his heir. Obviously, I had no idea this onerous task would fall to me so soon. However, I have successfully activated all the access codings to the Node nexus, which has accepted my claim, and been confirmed by The Prime Council. Therefore, I Declare that I am now the new reigning Brarian Overlord and – with the help of my husband – I will endeavour to serve everyone on Arcadia to the very best of my ability.” And may his God forgive me for what I did…
The feed shut off and everyone crammed into the Receiving Room of Brarian Place, from where I’d made my announcement, broke into cheers and clapping. I smiled and waved and nodded, like some puppet.
Puppet, or puppetmaster? I didn’t know. But I expected to find out soon. Very soon.
THE END
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Also available from Griffinwing Publishing
Mantivore Prey (The Arcadian Chronicles #2) available on pre-order
Running Out Of Space (Sunblinded #1)
Dying For Space (Sunblinded #2)
Breathing Space (Sunblinded #3)
Sunblinded: The Complete Trilogy box set
Read on for a sneak peek at the second book in The Arcadian Chronicles series, Mantivore Prey
CHAPTER ONE
I opened my mouth, but as anger and grief sliced through the muffling exhaustion enfolding me, nothing came out. Why do I care so much? I hated her.
“Kyrillia - are you shady?” asked Felina, before slapping her hand to her forehead. “What am I babbling about? Course not. Where’s Seth? Or those advisors always wafting around you like a bad smell?” She craned her neck to look past me.
