Cassandra's Challenge (69 page)

“The Sentinel?” Lucas’ mind is racing. The
Sentinel was badly damaged in the first attack that the Regulians
had the fleets coordinate. It was dead in space after the second.
The Regulians have been sitting just inside the Relinquished zone,
as if waiting for confirmation.

“Barek.” Lucas says quietly, thinking about his
friend, and future King.

“Yes.” William acknowledges.

“Why?” Kyle’s mind is racing, trying to sort it
all out.

“You know the answer to that Kyle.” Cassandra
tells him.

“No.” He stares hard into Cassandra’s eyes. He
doesn’t want to believe it. Doesn’t want to think he’s had any part
in it.

“It’s the only logical conclusion. Whether you
like it or not, you can’t deny that.” Her eyes while firm are
sympathetic.

“You think it is Dadrian.” Lucas finally says it
out loud, finding he needs to sit down. William walks over, picking
up the bottle of ale refilling his sons’ glasses. “Dad, I know
Dadrian is a foabhor, tonight especially proves that, but he’s not
smart enough for something like this let alone patient enough, the
Glitter Man was on Earth over seven cycles ago.”

“I don’t believe he’s been involved that long.
The Regulians only started getting fleet locations about thirty
days ago. That’s when Dadrian got involved.”

“Got involved.” Kyle looks at his father.
“You’re saying Dadrian somehow discovered there was a traitor, one
that is responsible for the murder of everyone on Earth, and
instead of reporting it decides to take advantage of it?”

“That pretty much covers it.” William realizes
he’s underestimated his youngest son. Cassandra’s right again, just
because he isn’t ‘military’ doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand or
isn’t able to help. He owes him an apology.

“But that doesn’t make him King unless….” No one
says anything. “Dad it’s bad enough that he’d go after his brother,
but his father?”

“He wants to be King, thinks it’s his right.”
Cassandra’s voice is firm. “He all but admitted it tonight he said
he could make sure I had the support of the King of the House of
Protection.”

“He can’t promise Jotham’s support.” William
tells her.

“It wasn’t Jotham’s support he promised.” She
looks at William knowing he realizes what Dadrian wanted in return
by the hardening of his eyes. His sons realize it too.

“You made a point of saying he wasn’t on any
list.” Kyle looks at Cassandra, things falling into place. “At
dinner, when you ‘explained’ military procedure to Dadrian, you
said he wasn’t on any list.” Kyle’s eyes turn to his father.
“You’ve made sure his name stays off. Barek is alive.” William’s
respect for his son grows.

“He’s not on any list, and won’t be until he’s
on planet.”

“He knows?”

“Only that there had been assassination attempts
made on Cassandra by the Regulians, that because of them all Royals
needed to be removed from combat situations to curb more
attempts.”

“You said you can’t prove it yet.” Kyle looks to
Cassandra.

“The transmissions have Royal coding, until they
are played we can’t prove anything.”

“So Dadrian sent a transmission to Barek. Barek
wouldn’t give up the fleet’s location, especially to Dadrian.”
Lucas argues.

“There were two transmissions sent to the
Sentinel, each with twenty lines of coding.”

“No one has twenty lines, not even Royals.” Kyle
interrupts.

“The twentieth line is what on Earth we called a
Trojan, a program that activates when the transmission is answered.
It finds the location of the receiver and transmits it back to the
sender. It took two minutes. Each transmission was two minutes ten
seconds. Ten minutes later there is a transmission sent to the
Regulians containing only numbers.”

“Barek never knew.” Kyle whispers.

“No.”

“Dadrian isn’t smart enough to write a
‘trojan’.” Kyle informs her.

“No.” She waits. “I believe he got the program
from the original traitor.”

“But you have to have knowledge of the codes to
do that and the only ones who do are the Coalition, High Command
and…..” Kyle trails off.

“Those who write them, the House of
Knowledge.”

“It’s back to stopping you from returning.”

“Yes.” Cassandra rubs her temple William sees
her fatigue.

“Now you know what’s going on, what’s at
stake.”

“Why was Dadrian so intent on getting me
involved?” Kyle asks.

“It distracts your father.” Cassandra answers
for him. “He wants him concerned about you, not him, just in
case.”

“Fuck he used me.”

“Yes, yes he did.” Cassandra goes to stand she
needs to let these men have some time alone. William is there
helping her, a concerned look in his eyes. “I think we’ve covered
everything. I’m going to bed.” She touches William’s cheek. “Kyle,
there’s an open room in the other suite, your welcome to it. I hope
you’ll stay, but it’s your choice. Goodnight.”

Three pairs of eyes follow her exit, each with
their own concerns.

“Dad, is she okay?” Lucas draws his father’s
attention.

“She just needs more rest. She’s had a lot to
adjust to in a very short time.” He hopes that’s all it is.

“That’s what she said earlier.” Kyle tells
him.

“When?” William demands.

“When we were in the garden, I’m sorry dad.”
Kyle rushes on. “I shouldn’t have left her, even without knowing
what’s going on, you taught us better than that.” William stares at
his youngest son, seeing the honest remorse.

“Why did you go into the garden?”

“We were dancing, one minute she’s fine, the
next she’s pale and asking if I’d take her to get some air.”

“Knowing that you left her?” Lucas demands.

“After a few minutes she was fine, than Dadrian
showed up. The rest you know.” Kyle continues to look at his
father. “I’m sorry.”

William walks up to his youngest, looks at him
then pulls him into his arms for a hug. “Cassandra’s right, this
isn’t your fault, even though you know better.” William steps back.
“There’s something you need to understand Kyle, Cassandra’s my life
mate. You may not like it, but it’s not going to change.”

“Life mate?” Kyle looks at Lucas who nods. “And
she understands what that means?”

“She understands Regulian, you think she doesn’t
understand life mates. On Earth they called it soul mates.”

“And you didn’t kill Dadrian?”

“She needed me to get her out of there more.
Her
needs take priority.”

“Even over your career?” He’s still having a
hard time with that.

“Everything I’ve ever done, right or wrong, has
been leading me to her. I won’t give her up, especially not for a
career. I did that with your mother.” The commitment in his
father’s voice amazes Kyle.

“And after the Challenge?” Kyle can’t help but
ask.

“After she’s Queen we’ll work it out.”

“Dad….”

“Kyle, she is the Queen, never doubt it.”

“Then why the Challenge?” Kyle has to believe
his father. William rubs a hand through his hair.

“Cassandra wants justice. For the people of
Earth, for her family, I can’t blame her.”

“The Houses deal with their own ‘Royal’
problems, unless it affects all, then it up to the Assembly. You
have to have a full Assembly, like one for a Challenge.” Kyle sees
what she’s doing.

“Yes.”

“It puts her in greater danger.”

“She knows that, so do I.” Kyle can tell his
father has already thought of all this.

“Okay. Is it alright with
you
if I stay?”
William closes his eyes for a moment.

“Yes, of course it’s okay. Kyle, I owe you and
apology. I should have contacted you as soon as we arrived.”

“You’ve had a lot going on and it’s not like I’m
going to be a lot of help.”

“I think you are, you knew about the Succession
Protection Law, and what it takes to accuse a Royal. I’m sure there
will be more things you know that will help.” William looks to
Lucas. “You’ll get him set up next door?”

“Not a problem.”

“Good, then I’ll see you in the morning. We’ll
go over our next steps concerning Dadrian.”

Victoria is sound asleep when Cassandra checks
on her. Smiling she tucks her feet in and pulls the covers up.
Leaning over she gives her a kiss. “Love you kiddo.” Back in their
room she opens a bureau drawer pulling out the test. Looking at it
she walks over to the window seat and waits.

Walking into the private area William first
checks Victoria then heads to Cassandra. Entering their suite he
finds the lights dimmed the bed empty. Scanning the room he finds
her in the window seat.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” Sitting across from her
he gently rubs her leg.

“I was waiting for you.”

“I’m here, come on, you’re tired.” He moves to
rises but Cassandra’s hand stops him.

“We need to talk.” She squeezes his arm, her
eyes serious.

“Whatever it is it can wait until tomorrow.
You’ve been through enough today.”

“So have you, but it’s waited all day, that’s
long enough.” She hands him the test.

“What?” William’s confused as he looks down, not
sure what she’s handed him. Staring at it for several moments he
suddenly freezes, he’s eyes shoot to hers. “You’ve conceived.”

“Yes.” She watches him closely, not sure what
she’s seeing.

Standing he walks across the room. She’s
conceived. She is carrying his child. Dadrian attacked her while
she is carrying his child.

“How long have you known?”

“I took the test this morning.” She doesn’t move
from the window seat.

“That’s not what I asked.”

“William, I wasn’t sure until this morning.”

“But you suspected.”

“Yes, for about ten days.” While they’d still
been on the Retribution, he realizes.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He starts to pace.

“Because I didn’t
know.
” Cassandra
stresses to him.

“You
knew
or you won’t have gotten the
test!” William looks at her. “Where did you get the test?”

”Javiera got it for me.”

“That’s why you needed to talk to Leander, he
knew.”

“He found it, thought it was Javiera’s. It
caused….problems.”

“He knew you’d conceived.”

“NO!
You
are the first person I’ve told.”
She isn’t sure what’s happening, this isn’t how she’d thought he’d
react.

“You’ve been tiring easily suddenly paling you
promised
me you were okay!”

“I am.”

“Fuck that! You got dizzy on the dance floor,
that’s way Kyle took you into the garden. That’s why Dadrian was
able to attack you! Damn it Cassandra! You should have told me as
soon as you suspected!”

“And if I was wrong?” Cassandra finds she can’t
sit any longer. “If it really was just all the changes, space
travel, food, stress. If that’s all it was, and I’d told you, what
would your first thought have been?” She demands.

“What are you
talking
about!” He glares
at her

“You would have thought of Salish, and how she
deceived you.” Cassandra’s eyes meet his hard look. “I’m not
Salish. I wasn’t going to make a
mistake
.” Feeling her eyes
start to fill, she turns away.

William’s stunned. She thought he wouldn’t
believe her, not without proof. That he’d compare her to Salish.
She’s nothing like Salish.

“Cassandra….” As he approaches her, she suddenly
bolts for the bathroom.

Thinking she’s shutting him out, he races after
her, only to find her on her knees vomiting. Kneeling down he puts
a tentative hand on her back.

“Cassandra…”

“Go away.” She demands in a weak voice.

“No.” Standing he wets a cloth bringing it back
to wipe her pale sweaty face. It hurt his heart to see her like
this. “Breath Cassandra.”

Concentrating on her breathing, she tries to get
her body back under control. There’s nothing left in her stomach.
With closed eyes she slowly eases back, seeing how her stomach
reacts. When it stays steady she opens them and starts to
stand.

“Easy.” He mummers to her, gripping her waist he
helps her up.

“I’m fine.” She tries to move out of his
grip.

“I’m not letting go Cassandra.” William’s eyes
bore into hers. “Never.”

Closing her eyes she sighs not realizing how
much she’d needed to hear that.

“Drink this.” He hands her a glass of water.

“No.”

“Drink.” William raises the glass to her
lips.

“Stop William.” She pushes his hand away. “I’m
not a child.”

“No you’re having one. You need to drink.”

“It’ll just come back up. Just let me rinse out
my mouth. It will be enough for now.” Taking the glass from him she
does just that. With a slightly shaky hand she puts the glass down.
Looking in the mirror she sees the concern in his eyes.

“I’m fine.” Saying nothing he guides her to the
bed. Untying her robe he tosses it to the end of the bed.

“Get in.”

“William…”

“Do it Cassandra or I’ll put you there.” Knowing
he’s serious and not sure how her stomach will take it, she slides
into the bed.

Pulling the sheets up, much like she’d done to
Victoria, he leans down to give her a hard kiss. “I love you.”
Rising, he heads to the closet to change.

She’s conceived. It’s like a drum in his head.
His life mate is going to have his child. Ripping off his shirt
he’s about to throw it down when he sees her dress, her ripped
dress, ripped by Dadrian. She’d gotten light headed because she’d
conceived. She hadn’t eaten her third meal, because she couldn’t
keep it down. She hadn’t told him until she had proof, because of
his past. Closing his eyes he takes a deep breath. Pulling on his
sleeping pants he heads back to her.