HMS Valediction

Chapter 35

Everyone turns to face Ledi.

In four words, my universe tilts. I clutch the pillar so I don't tumble across the room and land on my head.

Maybe this is my myriad of head injuries playing with my senses.

I'm hallucinating.

My eyes are intaking the reality, but my ears trick me into perceiving this torment like it's tangible. They've captured me. I feel as much a prisoner as my friends who are lined up and gawking at Ledi who doesn't give away a hint as to whether he heard the words or not.

"You better have a great fucking response to this, Freyer," Kai says, the fiery hatred behind his eyes illuminates his scowl in the dimness of the throne room.

I internally slap myself. I forgot to tell Kai and Cambell about Ledi and his ability to disguise himself as my friends, family, and self. I didn't share most of my current plan because, rightly enough, I didn't know who to trust.

But Dean.

It can't be.

Ledi stares straight ahead. Hopefully, he's scanned enough of my memories with Dean to make this real.

Make this real.

This is real.

I want to cut through the room and tell everyone to go back to battle. This isn't happening.

Ledi salutes her. "I never left, Empress."

Juno is suspicious. Her jaw clenches and her lips purse. "Juno watched you board with Commander Hayomo. The Guilded escorted you and ARC9 to secured Olympi air space. How can this be?"

If I wasn't so numb, maybe this would have been another knife in my back to join the collection growing like a second spine.

"I was instructed by Commander Hayomo to stay. To wait for Janika Lorn, Empress."

"You bastard." Kai struggles against his restraints. "She would have done anything for you. You fucking betrayed her."

Ledi's lofty gaze tells me he's using my memories to construct context for Kai's outburst. He smirks. "Jealous, Kamalani?"

Finally, Juno loosens her stance. She grins in front of Kai. "Another victim of Janika Lorn?"

Kai hasn't removed his piercing glare from Ledi's profile. He spits at his boots.

With her attention on this new drama, Juno seems reinvigorated by my friends' appearance. She approaches Teeno. "And how about you, Teeno? Have you fallen for Commander Lorn's charm?"

Teeno rolls his shoulders, cracks his neck right and left, and flashes his most devious grin. "How are you so sure Commander Janika Lorn has not fallen for mine?"

I swear to the Lady, the only thing bigger than the Olympi is Teeno's ego.

I follow Juno's movement as she steps up to Ledi. In Dean's body, he caps off the line of prisoners like a tower at the end of a wall. Juno, however, reaches his chin. She's tall enough to look him in the eye and not have to crane her neck or stare at the underside of his chin.

"Why are you here, Commander Freyer? Your instructions were clear enough. Now you are caught squabbling among the insurgent's friends?"

"My mission is need-to-know basis, Empress."

Kai rolls his eyes and groans. "Oh what a pot of shit. Just spit it out, Freyer. You used her. You were with them all along."

"I serve my people. That's my only mission."