Saven Defiance (The Saven Series Book 4) (32 page)

King Coryn is in the landing bay, awaiting us, when we enter the ship. Conducting a quick body count, he pales. His shoulders sag at the loss of most of his men. Apart from the four soldiers who protected us from the cover of the hills, the rest of his crew are gone.

“They were fiercely brave, and we would not have succeeded without them,” Logan says, gently placing a hand on the king’s shoulder. “I will forever be indebted to them and to you.”

The king nods and a solemn moment passes between them. “I’ve been keeping an eye on progress from the control room,” the king says, shedding his grief. He takes a step forward. “If you’d like to follow me.”

We walk swiftly out through the landing bay and follow him to the control room. He herds us into a large open space constructed over two levels. A massive screen rests on the back wall of the lower floor, offering ample viewing opportunity. A circular elevated platform rests in front of it, and five serious-looking men sit in high-tech chairs with a myriad of buttons on both arms. Their gazes are latched onto the images on the screen. The king descends the steps toward them, closely followed by Logan. I stay put, grasping the steel railing in front of me. Ax stands ramrod straight beside me. He still hasn’t uttered a word to me, and I’m wondering what’s going through his mind.

I flip a look over my shoulder, watching the busy operatives behind us. Focused solely on holoscreens and keypads, they sit in a sleek row of desks rimming the rear wall on both sides.

Sounds of battle reach my ears, and I swing back around, concentrating on the images on the screen. Someone has turned up the volume. A multitude of different shaped craft hover in the skies over the Saven Central City, while the fighting is contained to ground level. The camera angle changes, zooming in on the scenes of destruction below. Even if it’s expected, I’m still shocked at what I see.

Vicious fighting has broken out in the streets, as different groups of guards and soldiers go full-force at one another. Frightened civilians cower behind shiny glass storefronts and huddle in alleyways, too scared to even attempt to make a run for it. “Surrender if you are loyal to Prince Logan,” a voice booms out over the city in a repetitive manner. Civilians glance up at the sky, looking bewildered and confused. Some of the guards briefly hesitate, but no one downs arms.

“They don’t know what’s going on or who to believe,” the king admits with a sad frown, crossing his arms in front of him.

“Get me on the airwaves,” Logan commands. “As quick as you can, before they kill each other.”

The king nods at one of the men seated in front of him. He stabs several buttons on the side of his chair, before rising and affixing a thin, clear plastic band in front of Logan’s mouth. “Whenever you are ready,” he advises.

Logan begins speaking. “My fellow citizens. This is Prince Logan, and I am speaking to you from a Narik ship that is currently en route to the city. All I am asking for is a few minutes of your time, so, please stop fighting and hear me out.”

People stop what they are doing and start to listen. “Our great nation is in flux, and if we don’t lay down our arms, if we don’t stop killing one another, and work together to address our concerns, I fear for the future of our planet. This is not what my father would have wanted.”

He lets that sentiment hang in the air for a few seconds before continuing. “I know there are many of you who are loyal to me. I thank you for your support, and I beseech you to stop fighting the soldiers who have just arrived. They are our allies, and they do not wish you any harm. These people are working alongside me and King Coryn of the Narik to bring peace, not only to Saven but to the galaxy. Regaining my rightful place on the throne is not only my birthright, not solely my honor and my duty. It is the right thing for Saven, the only way to ensure we have a future, and protecting my people and keeping them safe is the only thing that matters to me now and always.”

People shift uneasily on the ground, and I’m fearful his words are not enough.

“I know you have concerns, and that is completely understandable. You’ve heard nothing but lies these last few weeks. I will attempt to set them right, but before I do, please recall everything you know of me. I have been your crown prince for years, and I have loyally worked alongside my father, the Elders, and the Royal Advisory Council, to serve the best interests of Saven. Many of you know me personally. I am still the same person you know.”

Behind me, everyone has stopped working. Every head is turned toward Logan, every pair of ears focused on what he is saying. Out on the streets people flaunt a variety of different expressions, but everyone is still listening and the fighting has halted.

“I love my brother, but he has lost his way,” Logan continues, with obvious hurt in his tone. “In an attempt to claim the throne, he leveled accusations at me and my Eterno, Sadie, that were not true. Sadie did not kill our king, nor did the Earthen president. My brother killed my father in order to gain control of Saven.”

Down on the ground, people share a mixture of impassive, bewildered, and suspicious looks. “Dante cannot be trusted to rule our nation. He is hell-bent on war and destruction and fixated on power. Everything he’s said and done has been delivering to his own personal agenda. Many of you may not believe me, but I speak no word of a lie. I am prepared to repeat my statement before a Truethen of your choosing, if you so wish, but I intend to return home today, to begin the process of stabilizing our society. Putting an end to the fighting, developing a new plan for conscience transfer, and solidifying a treaty with our neighbors are my key priorities. If you want that, if you believe in me, and you wish to finally see an end to the civil war, which has plagued our nation for years, then please lay down your arms. I beseech you—stop fighting, go home, and await further communication. Thank you for your time and attention. I will see you soon.”

You could hear a pin drop as the comm ceases and everyone in the control room collectively holds their breath. Everyone is focused on the screen, to see if Logan’s speech has had the desired effect.

Back on the streets, soldiers and guards regard each other suspiciously, as they contemplate their next move. Clusters of people, previously hiding, dart out from storefronts and alleyways, running along the sidewalk as they make a dash for home.

A few units of guards put their weapons on the ground and raise their hands in the air. Allied soldiers move forward to escort them away, when a core group of guards, dressed in the colors of the Saven Royal Guard, restarts the battle, showering the allied troops and those who surrendered with a robust volley of firepower. Bodies drop to the ground like flies. Logan curses as harried activity resumes instantaneously in the room. I clamp a hand over my mouth and attempt to mask my horror.

Logan and the king converse in quick, whispered tones. Logan juts his chin up, exhibiting an anguished look. He’s clearly conflicted, and my heart aches for him. I walk toward him. “You don’t have a choice. You have to eliminate the Royal Guard before they kill everyone loyal to you,” I say, offering my views before he’s even asked.

Logan fixes his hands behind his head. “Sadie is right, Logan,” the king says. “I know you don’t want to do it, but you have tried to reach them, and it didn’t work. Too many innocents will get killed in the crossfire.”

Logan paces the room, severely troubled. “Give the order,” he says a couple of minutes later, in a resigned voice. “What is our ETA? We need to get on the ground.”

“Fifteen minutes, Crown Prince,” a quick-witted young man says from the elevated platform.

“Send word to our allies to tackle the Saven Royal Guard from the air via targeted shots. No civilian or faction loyal to Logan is to be harmed.” The king speaks directly to a dark-haired man seated on the right, and he nods before speaking urgently into a mouthpiece.

“Look!” someone calls out, and everyone’s gaze refocuses on the screen. Throngs of men, wearing armbands with Logan’s name etched upon them, swarm the streets from various directions.

The camera zooms in on someone well known leading the charge, and Haydn curses. “What the hell is he doing there?” Anxiety bleeds into his tone at the sight of his father marching head-on into the battle. “That wasn’t part of the plan.” A muscle pops in his taut jaw.

“Recant that order!” the king instructs the dark-haired man.

With the addition of the new arrivals, Logan’s supporters now have the upper hand. Up and down the streets, Dante’s contingent is being contained. Most don’t give up without a fight, and more bodies are added to the inert pile scattered all over the ground. The casualties are already considerable, and I shake my head at the pointless loss of so many lives.

“We are on the outskirts of Saven now, My King,” an operative says.

“Excellent. Take us down to the palace. Find someplace safe to land,” he replies. To us, he says, “Come on. I’ll take you to the military storage room to replenish your supplies.”

“I think you should stay onboard with Ax,”
Logan tells me as we sit, harnessed, in the seated area at the back of the landing bay.
“At least until we have secured the palace.”

“No chance. If you are going out there, then so am I.”

“If anything happens to you, Sadie, I …”

I thread my fingers in his as I turn to face him.
“I know how to defend myself, and nothing is going to happen to me. We are doing this as a team or not at all.”
I’m not giving him many options, but I refuse to be a passive bystander.

His look is full of reluctant admiration and respect.
“Okay. Let’s do this. But please be careful.”
He raises our conjoined hands and kisses my knuckles.

Ax stares straight ahead, schooling his features into a neutral line.

“Ax, are you okay?” I’m really worried about him. Since I told him the truth about his mother, he has retreated into himself, and it scares me. Bottling these things up is never good. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, and I’m fine.” His voice is completely devoid of emotion. He is like an unmoving, unfeeling lump of stone.

“He’s still in shock. It can’t have been easy to hear that your own mother threatened to kill you in such a flippant manner.”

The ship starts to slowly descend, and our usual gang lines up on the walkway, minus Fern. She has no training of any sort, and it’s far too dangerous for her. I can’t fathom how she managed to convince Rylan to let her come this far. I’m pretty sure he would’ve chained her to the ship if she hadn’t readily agreed to stay behind now. Izzy hops from foot to foot, weapons poised and ready, practically radiating with excited adrenaline. My knives are securely strapped to my calves, and I have a weapon in each hand. Haydn inches past us, moving to join the crowd of Narik soldiers who will exit the craft first. He touches my arm briefly as he passes. “Thank you.”

For the first time in days, I feel a sliver of hope building. Perhaps all isn’t lost between us. I smile at him, feeling lighter, which is crazy considering what we are about to face.

Vulgar pops, shrill screaming, and heavy thuds greet us the minute the walkway lowers to the ground. The soldiers bail out first with Haydn trailing in their wake. Once he has scouted the layout of the land, he thrusts his head around and wiggles his fingers at us. “We’re on the western side of the auditorium, just beyond the garden. All of the fighting is taking place in the main square. We have no choice but to battle our way through to the palace.”

We pile out and run through a small covering of trees, my feet pounding quietly against the soft floor. The noise of violent battle gets louder and louder the farther we advance.

Crouching down, we join the soldiers waiting at the edge of the tree-lined garden and peek out. My eyes blink ninety miles an hour as I struggle to adjust to the ghastly sight.

Strewn bodies lie in garish mounds on the open space in front of the stage. Rotting corpses dangle from the seated rows at the back, and judging by the stale stench wafting in the air, they have been lying there since we escaped the death sentence Dante had planned for us. Guilt churns in my stomach. Some of these people died because of us.

Different groups of guards and soldiers clash aggressively as Dante’s supporters battle to the death to hold Logan’s supporters at bay. The raised dais is awash with blood and torn limbs and my stomach roils. Bloodied and battered soldiers fight with guns and swords and, when they aren’t available, with their hands and fists. It’s so surreal that I have to pinch my arm to ground myself in the moment. I can’t afford any loss of focus or any distraction.

“There’s no safe way to do this,” Haydn confirms. “Let’s move out en masse, with Logan and Sadie in the middle of us. No matter what, they are not to be left unprotected. The Royal Advisory Council still have possession of the palace and our aim is to get them inside safely and without injury. Stay sharp.”

With a quick flick of his head, Haydn emits a gusty battle cry and charges out of the woods and into the middle of the fray, like the Saven’s deadliest avenger.
“Don’t stray from my side,”
Logan cautions one final time.