Artemis clutches my arm and escorts me up many flights of stairs till we are on the fourth floor, our entourage in tow. I try not to look over the railing for fear of getting dizzy from the height. He shoves me into an expansive sitting room at the back of the palace, shutting the door, and locking me in. I hear him instruct the bodyguards to stay at my door. Kedua advises Jagger, who she apparently thinks is her personal protector, that he is relieved for the evening and she will call for him if he’s needed. Then she retreats down the hall and enters another room.
Like Artemis’ penthouse at the Letchworth, the entire back wall has floor-to-ceiling windows. I walk over to them trying to see how far down the water actually is, noticing what appears to be a barrier just below the surface that seems to circumscribe the whole platform. Four large boats filled with a mixture of bodyguards and Regulators also patrol the area.
Clouds slowly roll in as rain gently hits the panes. I case the room for an hour, looking for a way out, or something I can use as a weapon. The marble statues that adorn the bookshelves are cemented into place; nothing in the room can be moved except the furniture. From what I can tell the only way out is through the door, or the windows. I press up against the glass, testing its tension. It doesn’t give, no matter how much weight I push against it, so I decide to pick up one of the fabric covered footstools to test the window. As I’m about to throw it Artemis clears his throat from the doorway. I turn and look at him, then proceed to heave the stool against the glass anyway, a small crack appearing and beginning to extend outward in a spider web pattern.
“If you’re hoping to escape out the window, that will be a very painful way to go, Meg.” He strolls into the room, hands behind his back. The look on his face is one of triumph. “How foolish your escape attempt was…trying to get to Kedua before me, how laughable. I told you I knew who sold her. What I neglected to mention was that person sold her to me,” he smirks, as he begins to move about the room, walking slowly, hands behind his back.
“Did you know who she was when you purchased her?”
“Of course I did. Remember, I inspect everything I buy or collect, so when I saw the two small markings on the back of her neck I knew exactly who she was.”
“Did she know?”
“Yes. You see the person who sold her to me was her protector from the Dormitories. My men had collected her and Kedua in the Wasteland. She made a deal with me that if I didn’t send her to the hatcheries or enslave her as a fighter I could keep Kedua. Of course I didn’t believe the woman at first, until I inspected Kedua, saw the markings, and knew she was telling the truth.”
“Where is this woman now?” I ask, moving away from the windows.
“You met her earlier. Poor Midge will probably never heal from the injuries you inflicted upon her frail body.”
“Why kill the High Ruler?”
“I didn’t kill anyone. Very few people outside of his guards have ever actually seen what the High Ruler of Acheron looks like. The person in that position is constantly being altered. It’s easier for the people not to know who really is in power.”
“Why?”
“Why take power? Why not? Being the leader of a city is very profitable.”
“And the war that Vladim is about to start?”
“How naïve you are, Meg. There is no war coming. My Superior of Communication is very skilled at distorting the truth. Vladim only gave part of that speech; the rest of it was added by Hayden, my predecessor. Fear is what keeps the people in line, and how we make a profit. The Laics will need to work harder to provide for the increase of supplies that will be demanded by the citizens of Acheron.”
“This, in turn, will generate more profit for you.”
“Now you’re catching on,” he says, winking at me.
“What do you want me for?” I ask, as I fold my arms against my chest.
“You will help me obtain everything Sirain holds,” he replies, as he walks up to me, pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Remember what I told you in Tyre? If I want something, nothing can stop me from getting it.” He kisses me hard on the lips.
My hand flies across his face, striking him hard. He hits back, harder, splitting my lip.
“Don’t you ever raise a hand to me again,” he spits at me. “You enjoyed our moments together in Tyre. What happened to you, Meg?”
“Trea happened. She’s not a fan of you.”
“I can get her to like me,” he sneers, letting go of me. “But before that, I need your assistance.” He gestures over to the doorway where Kedua now stands, freshly bathed, and wearing a sheer pink gown.
Artemis removes a Levin gun from under his shirt. “It wasn’t until your encounter with Munera that I realized the true potential the Antaeans have. What power you contain, what force you have when yielding the appropriate weapon. When I came back to Acheron, I had Kedua here try and mimic your ability, but she failed.”
She rolls her eyes at his comment.
“I requested the test that had been performed on you back in Tyre to be done on Kedua. And that’s when I saw it. The Quantum Stream needs a catalyst in order to become activated.” Artemis takes my right hand, removes the glove, and rolls up my sleeve, revealing the snake on my arm.
“I saw the blast wound on your back, the entry wound in your palm. I knew it had been caused by a Levin gun, and reasoned that it was the
