Abendau's Heir (The Inheritance Trilogy Book 1) (48 page)

“We were at the end,” Kare whispered. He grabbed Silom’s other hand; it was warm, life still in it. There was hope– if they could get a medicine team quickly enough, if they had the right equipment, if he could find a way to do something. Distantly, he was aware of Lichio’s blaster clattering to the ground, of him joining the group, but it didn’t matter, nothing but Silom did.

Silom’s hand tightened on Kare’s and Kare leaned down to him. He made out the whisper of a name and nodded to one of the soldiers. “Get Sergeant Woods. Quickly.” His voice tailed off and there was only silence and Silom’s breathing, thick and wet.

A clatter of footsteps, and Sonly was pushed aside.
Kym
. She fell to her knees, taking Silom’s hand from Kare, cupping it like it was something precious.

“Don’t you
dare
,” she said. Silom’s hand tightened on hers, and Kare drew in a breath.
Fight
. She pushed Silom’s hair back, ran a hand down his cheek. “I mean it. We’ve got things to do. A baby. Marriage. Coming off the front line.” Her voice cracked; she swallowed, throat rippling. “You promised.”

Silom should get his chance; it would never be right if he didn’t. Kare reached inside himself, found the place his psyche should be, the power that could bring Silom back, that would stop this and give him– them–
the future they deserved. Silom had pulled Lichio through the quarries, he’d taken the palace for Kare, there had to be something left for him. Had to be. He put his hands to his head, tugged at his hair, seeking any last remnant that could make a difference: there was nothing.

“
Please
, Silom.” Kym’s voice, infinitely gentle. “The medics will be here soon. You said you were too tough to kill– prove it.”

His mouth moved, the words a low whisper, drawn out and pained. “Love you.” His breath stopped; his chest stilled.

Kare ripped at Silom’s jacket. He put one hand over the other, ready to press on his heart, keep it beating, not give in. Sam touched his arm, gave a soft shake of his head; there was nothing that could be done. The knowledge tore through him, sucking the breath from him.

Sonly had taken Kym in her arms, holding her as her shoulders shook, murmuring distant, useless words of comfort.

“No.” Kym lifted her head and glared at Kare, eyes swimming with tears. She pushed to her feet, and he didn’t look away, meeting her gaze, embracing the hatred in her eyes.

“This is your fault.” Her voice was cold, brittle. “You made him follow you, took him to the edge.”

“Kym…” He looked at Silom again, and then up to see the others watching him. He could see no way past where he was now. He’
d won, he tried to tell himself: if he had, the price was too high.

“I won’t forget,” she said. “Everyone else might buy into you. I don’t.”

Kare got to his feet. Silom’s chest was still, his big body unmoving. He had always been the strongest, the one able to go on, to survive another day in the quarry, to lead soldiers into battle through exhaustion and pain. Someone covered his face; Sam said quiet words over his body, a blessing or a prayer. Kare stumbled back, let two soldiers lift the body. The floor was red underneath, the deep carpet stained. Kym followed, soldiers from her squad joining her at the door, encircling her, giving the comfort she needed, the rigour of the army.

Two more soldiers entered the room– his mother’s escort, he recognised.

“Is she in the cells?” His words came from a distance, from someone else, someone who knew what he was supposed to do. “Guarded?”

“Yes, sir. With no one to enter the cells, except on your orders.”

His orders. Hell, he didn’t know how to think, let alone command. Distantly, he heard Lichio on the comms unit, ordering a squad to the room, presumably a clean-up. Sonly was beside him, face pale, eyes flitting from Lichio to Kare, as if unsure who needed her more. The normality of it all, the crystal nature of everyone’s actions, was at odds with the fracturing inside him. Silom was dead and things were going on the way they always had.

He sucked in a breath. The day Karia had died, he’d felt like this. He’d walked in a daze, barely knowing what steps he’d taken, relying on the direction-finder to take him to Shug. There was no
direction-finder this time. Nothing to tell him what should be. His legs buckled; his vision darkened.

“Kare!” Sonly called. He felt hands on him, but pushed them away.
Breathe.
He grew steadier, but his mind was frozen. He managed to start walking, steps slow, and left the room. No one stopped him; in the corridor people moved away, making space for him to leave. Silom wasn’t amongst them. He was gone, like his father, Karia, Marine. Dead because of him. He couldn’t breathe, and he unbuttoned the top button of his jacket. He stopped and this time his legs didn’t hold him; he sank to the floor and wondered how he’d ever get up again.

Arms under his shoulders pulled him to his feet. His name was called, but it was faint and far away. Slowly, he looked and saw Sam on one side of him, Lichio on the other, his face streaked with tears. Sonly stood in front of him.

“Kare, come on, love,” Sonly said. She sounded like she was coaxing a child, and that was okay because he felt like when he was a child, shocked and out of place, and glad for someone to take over.

“Where to?” asked Lichio.

“Somewhere quiet,” Sam said.

Kare closed his eyes and saw Silom’s eyes staring at him, dead and accusing. He stopped, leaning forward, hands on his knees, head against the cold wall. Someone rubbed his back, and he tried to straighten up.
He’s dead, fucking dead, and it’s my fault
.

“Get him into one of the anterooms,” said Lichio.

A small crowd had gathered, watching him. His soldiers. He let Lichio take him to an antechamber, and sank into a seat. They moved around him, Sonly, Sam and Lichio, all that was left, and he knew they were talking about him, but didn’t care. He wanted a bubble around him, one he’d never come out of again. He looked down at his hands and realised they were shaking. Sam came forward, holding a syringe, and Kare didn’t ask what it was, or try to stop him. A pinprick and the room slowly faded, blurring as it did, and he was glad. He couldn’t do any more. All he wanted was to let everything go, to stop being the one who mattered, who brought hurt to everyone he cared about. Slowly, the world faded into the distance, and he let it.

Sonly held the paper in front of her. Her hand shook slightly, no matter how hard she tried to stop it. “This is a declaration of a new empire.”

Tom Peiret, dressed in his usual trademark grey, and Maxin Clorinda, in a slightly battered pilot’s jacket, nodded. She wasn’t fooled by their lack of formality. In fact, the very fact they’d elected to come here in casual dress told her more than any uniform could have done: they thought this was a done deal, that she had ran out of negotiation space. They might even be right.

Still, she had to try. She shook her head. “I can’t sign this– only Kare Varnon could agree to the terms, and he won’t. He’s made it very clear he intends to dissolve the empire.”

“The document is a declaration for your daughter,” said Maxin Clorinda. His grey eyes were like stones, challenging her to refuse it.

“For Kerra?” Lichio’s voice, beside her, was smooth and she was grateful for him.

The two men exchanged glances and Tom leaned forward. He was the softer of the two, as ever. Playing each other off.

“Sonly, we’ll be honest with you, no games. Your husband has failed to convince anyone of his plans. If no one takes action, there will be war in the central zone– millions will die.”

Sonly closed her eyes, briefly. Until a week ago, her husband was just about getting up each morning, and mostly because Sam was forcing him to. That this had come now, when he was showing some signs of coming back to himself, when he’d actually started to engage and ask sensible questions about what was happening and what sort of mess his revolution had left behind, was an irony she didn’t miss. All she’d needed was another few weeks, a month at most, and she’d have been able to get him involved. Or at least put on a decent pretense that he was a functional leader.

“In fact,” said Maxin, “in the four months since the abdication, we’ve dealt with you and your brother.” Damn, they were turning the screw. The families knew they had to act before Kare came back. He’d been open about his views all the time he was at the Banned– they knew an empire wouldn’t be what he sought. And he’d had a chance, in those first weeks when the families were in disarray and ready to agree anything that might get rid of the vacuum the Empress’ removal had left. But that impetus had gone, and the families had regrouped. “An absentee leader is not what we need.”

“He’s working through us,” she said, her words calm despite the quick panic that had leaped in her. She reached and took a sip of water, proud to see her hands were steady. Beside her, Lichio glanced at her and then back to the two men.

“There’s a lot to put in place,” he said smoothly. “But Kare is very aware of the plans outlined and will not support an empire. He has been clear on the matter.”

Maxin Clorinda’s mouth tightened. “No more games. Kare Varnon has been playing no part in any plans. Now, we appreciate, after such an… ordeal– ”

“Torture is the word we’re using,” said Lichio. “We’ll be open– he was badly hurt; he no longer has the powers that sustained him. On medical grounds, he has to be cautious until he fully recovers. But he is directing us in every matter.”

Sonly saw Tom shake his head and knew they’d found out– however they’d done it– that Kare was… what? Destroyed by what had happened– breaking down. No amount of arguing that he was improving would change their views. It would only make her seem weak.

She read it again and set it down. “I can’t allow it.”

Maxin slammed his hand on the table. “He won’t sign to be Emperor, he won’t meet any of us, and the empire is teetering.”

“Fighting for Abendau again won’t stop that.” She put steel in her voice, determined to hold firm for Kare, as she had all along.

Tom Peiret held his hand up, his family’s signet ring, with its huge amber stone, glistening. It was a sign that he spoke for all of Peiret, that this
was
a formal meeting.

“Sonly, this is what’s on the table. If you can get Kare to take the Emperorship, we will accept that outcome. But he must take it formally– a coronation, a true commitment. Otherwise, your daughter succeeds
. We will not support a presidency– and we, the great families, hold the army.”

Hiactol were still holding out, damn them. They’d never given their support to Kare’s faction. That Phelps was part of their family, that he’d returned to them from Belaudii, had only strengthened their resolve. And Peiret was right– without Hiactol, the army would never be held.

Sonly glanced at Lichio and saw his knuckles had whitened as he’d clenched his hands. Kare– a coronation? But Kerra... she couldn’t give her up to the families and their scheming. She’d be a target everywhere she went, even more than now. She looked down at the document again and it was swimming under her eyes. She picked it up and scrunched it.

“This is Kare’s empire,” she said. “No one else’s.”

Lichio turned to her, his mouth open, but she shook her head. If she didn’t do this, Kare would lose everything he’d fought for. If she didn’t do this, Kerra would be forced to it, and she
knew
Kare wouldn’t want that. Not if he was thinking straight.
Please let him forgive me
. “I’ll see that he takes the Emperorship. You’ll have your coronation. I promise.”

She got up and left, turning in to the corridor that led to the personal suite she’d taken with Kerra. Halfway down, she had to stop and lean against the wall. She’d done what she’d promised she’d never do, and forced Kare into the position of Emperor. She hadn’t been strong enough to fight for him, she’d put their daughter first. She stood, head swimming, and knew he’d never forgive her. That this would stand between them, a betrayal of all they’d been to each other, and she hated herself for it.

THE END

• PROLOGUE
  
• CHAPTER ONE
  
• CHAPTER TWO
  
• CHAPTER THREE
  
• CHAPTER FOUR
  
• CHAPTER FIVE
  
• CHAPTER SIX
  
• CHAPTER SEVEN
  
• CHAPTER EIGHT
  
• CHAPTER NINE
  
• CHAPTER TEN
  
• CHAPTER ELEVEN
  
• CHAPTER TWELVE
  
• CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  
• CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  
• CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  
• CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  
• CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  
• CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  
• CHAPTER NINETEEN
  
• CHAPTER TWENTY
  
• CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  
• CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  
• CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  
• CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  
• CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  
• CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  
• CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  
• CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  
• CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  
• CHAPTER THIRTY
  
• CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  
• CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  
• CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  
• CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  
• CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  
• CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  
• CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  
• CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  
• CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  
• CHAPTER FORTY
  
• CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  
• CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  
• CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  
• CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  
• CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  
• CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  
• CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  
• CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  
• CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  
• EPILOGUE