Tiva Boon: Heir of Abennelp (Tiva Boon Series Book 2) (13 page)

T
he arboretum was empty, as it usually was. Mist lingered on the grass, the watering cycling having just finished. A sense of loneliness filled the air. All the trees and brush knew they were not planet side, and their inner cores longed for true sunlight and natural air. Everything was different now.

Her entire life was a cruel lie. The pieces shifted into place, and the more she dwelt on the facts the more they made sense. But it also brought up more questions. How could Harer let this happen to her? Why didn’t he tell her? He had wanted to, had tried many times, but something, she realized looking back, always stood in the way.

Still, she was in more danger now than ever before, and she refused to put the crew of the
Tolox
in the line of fire.

Walking the twisted path of the arboretum, Tiva tried to make sense of all she knew. Some of the tree branches bent slightly as she passed. The Rebels had destroyed her life not once, but twice. Had they left her alone to roam the universe in her solitude she would never have known the truth. Now, she had a calling, a path once more.

The doors to the arboretum opened. She gazed at the door to see Aliri and Adam enter. They’d been trying to get her alone for a few days now, but she refused to see anyone. Finally, they cornered her, and she was aware they desired information. Sighing, she met them half way down the path.

“Hello, Tiva.” Aliri smiled.

“Greetings,” she said to both.

“How are you?” Adam asked.

“I have seen better days…” she trailed off, turned around, and continued down the path. She felt Aliri probe into her thoughts.

“Why don’t you free your mind, Tiva?” Aliri moved near.

Tiva shook her head.

Adam appeared above her and floated down to meet her eyes. “If I may ask, what’s so troubling?”

“All that I have known is a lie. All that I am, all that I must be...everything is wrong. They know I am alive. They will not stop coming for me. I am the last...” She paused realizing she was rambling.

“Those Rebel scum? So, you’re the last guardian, why would they want you so bad?” Adam asked, as his feet touched the ground.

Tiva continued down the path and crossed into the grass. Seeing a small hill at the edge of the area, she moved toward it and sat down. Aliri sat next to her saying nothing, and Adam knelt down and looked her in the eyes.

“You can tell us, Tiva, we’re your friends, we want to help.”

“I’m afraid there is no helping me this time, Adam…” She sighed and rubbed her temple.“On the Abennelpian ship that was heading for my home there was a Yantar—my holy book—in the cell. After my release from the infirmary, I looked through it. I found a letter hidden inside...”

“What did it say?” Adam asked.

“Many years ago, King Delos took a lover. Of that relationship a child was born. At the same time the mistress was giving birth, my parents were in the ward having their child. The Boon child died and he switched us.” She wiped her cheeks quickly hiding the tears. “I was given to the Boons as their own…”

“He must have had his reasons…but you still had a good childhood, didn’t you? You shouldn’t let it upset you so much,” Aliri chimed in softly.

“My entire life has been a lie!”

“But now you know the truth and you can do something about it, can’t you?” Adam responded.

“I am the heir to the throne of Abennelp. It is now my
duty
to rid the planet of the Rebel threat, Adam.”

Aliri rested her hand on Tiva’s shoulder, trying to offer a calming wave of emotion. It was lost in the moment, but she let her hand linger. “Tiva, your entire life was not a lie. Your parents, birth or otherwise, loved you. You have told me as much. Your king worried for your safety and did what he thought best, I’m sure.” She wrapped an arm around Tiva’s shoulder. “And besides, I am not a lie. Adam is not a lie. We are part of your life and we’re here for you.”

“I thank you for that, but, my people need a leader and that burden has fallen to my shoulders.”

“There are no other members of the royal family?”

“No, they are all dead. I am the last of the guardians and royal bloodline. The people want to rid the capital of the Rebels, and now they look to me to right this atrocity.” Tiva felt the tears spill down her cheek.

“Don’t cry…please.” He met her eyes and brushed her cheeks. “We’ll figure out a way to help you, I promise.”

Tiva stood up and walk away from them. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, fighting the pain and anger inside.

“The Vexillum will help you,” Aliri said suddenly.

“They cannot, my friend, though I wish they could. Abennelp is not part of the Union…”

“But if you are the leader now, you can ask for help,” Adam offered.

“I have yet to accept the responsibility. And even if I were to ask for help, I would have to prove my birthright, and that proof is not within my grasp.”

“There has to be a way…” he grunted.

“There is. I must return home.”

“But I don’t want you to leave…I mean we…you…You can’t just leave.”

“I am bound. I am no longer just a guardian, I am his…first born.” She lowered her head, dejectedly. “King Delos knew all along, he tried to tell me, to warn me, tell me the truth. He said I was the future of my people, but I did not understand at the time. I would not doubt that he programmed my escape pod to save me…”

“You have friends here that will help you Tiva, with or without the Vexillum…I will do whatever I can.” Aliri added.

“Exactly!” Adam tore his blade from his sheath. “Sir Adam Cooper at your service…”

“I do not know, perhaps…” She turned to her friends. “I will have to tell the captain. I am at risk still, even more now. The Rebels thought more of us were alive, but now they know I am the last. And when Pethor’s ship does not return…they will know. Their first attempt to kill me failed, I am sure they will not give up so easily. The crew must know the danger they face with me on board.”

“It’s nothing we can’t handle, we’ve already established that,” Adam said with a comforting smile. “Besides, I’m not about to let anything happen to you…not again, not anymore.”

“Nor I…” Aliri added. “And you have your Uucorian friends too.”

“They may help if I asked…”

“See, you have plenty of options, you just need a well thought out plan first.” Adam moved up alongside her and wrapped a wing around her shoulder. “We’ll figure this out, don’t worry.”

“Yes, we will…”Aliri agreed. “Take your time, Tiva. Don’t do anything rash.” A soft beep echoed through the room. Aliri spoke softly into her wrist-comm and rose to her feet. “When you are ready, tell the captain, and we’ll take it from there…but I have to go, we’re almost at the expanse.”

Tiva had forgotten about their new assignment. The Union had ordered them into a region of space believed to be a Bujeni hideout. They ordered all ships to various sectors searching for signs of the group. The reconnaissance mission was a precursor to an attempt to find a peaceful solution between the fighting parties. The
Enigma
and
Marlo
were on the trail of the Pizilites, and the
Excelsior
and
Sandpiper
were following leads for the Kihlmaro. The
Tolox
and her sister ship the
Lexilon
were searching for the last of the three.

“Thank you for coming to see me, my friend. I appreciate you listening and offering your help.” Tiva tried to smile. “I will see you in the morning.”

Aliri walked up to her and hugged gently. “Don’t worry too much, Tiva, you’re safe now, and as long as you live, your people have a chance.”

“Thank you.” Tiva returned the embrace and watched her leave the room. She glanced over at Adam. He held out his hands to her. She walked to him and took shelter in his arms. He wrapped his arms and wings around her, holding her against him.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“I am uncertain…”

“What did they do to you, Tiva? Aliri, the doctor, Trevo…they won’t tell me anything.”

“It was horrible, Adam…” she choked.

“Tell me, let me help.”

“I…I do not wish to relive it now, please understand.”

“I do, but I’m here, I’m not going anywhere,” he said softly. “I’ve been thinking…now that you’re a princess, you need a knight to protect you…”

She looked up at him. “I am a guardian, Adam. I can take care of…” She stopped and sighed. Pethor proved otherwise.

“Well, you need someone to look out for you, so nothing like this happens again.”

“Are you offering to be my personal sentry?”

“That and more.” He smiled. Gently, he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. His eyes turned from blue to a light red as his fingers traced the cuts on her neck. Tiva turned her head away ashamed. She didn’t wish to be the cause of more anger regardless if it was directed toward her or others. She just wanted peace: peace of mind, peace for her people, and peace for her heart. Adam tilted her chin up, his eyes green now and a smile was on his face. “I can take care of you.”

“I am still unsure, Adam…I cannot gage your feelings. You are blocked from me. I want you to court me. I want you to be my potential; I want you to be the one to break my emotional barrier.”

“You have a powerful mind, Tiva and I have a lot of dark memories deep in my head. It’s not something I’m used to doing…I want to be with you, but why does one have to go through this whole, exaggerated courting ritual?”

“It is just part of what I am accustomed to, Adam. You do not have to court me my way. I cannot expect everyone to do the same things I did at home…I am here now.” She met his gaze again. “Either way, breaking the barrier is something that must be done if we intend to become intimate...It will require you to be involved.”

“I understand that. But what’s wrong with my simply asking you...to be mine? No psionic bonding, no emotional mixing, for now...”

“Adam...do I have your heart or not?” She looked up at him. Being with Adam helped keep her calm, but when he released her and stared into her eyes, she felt the darkness touch her core. Not being able to sense him still agitated her, and the expression on his face did little to comfort her.

He opened his mouth to speak, then shook himself viciously, his eyes closed then opened to normal blue which shimmered down at her. “Yes. I’m falling for you, I can’t deny it. Almost losing you…I would be a fool to answer that question with a no.”

Her markings lightened. Tiva pressed her head against his chest and allowed the happiness to envelope her.“I am willing to try it your way, Adam. And I will translate the Yantar for you so you can understand better what is needed to break my barrier. If you wish us to be together, it is something you will have to help me do.”

“All right, I can deal with that.”

“So, are we now considered a couple?”

“I do believe so. Which means... I get to hug you whenever I see you!” He wrapped her up in his arms again and squeezed gently. She smiled. “We’ve a problem here...I don’t want to let you go.”

“Then do not let go.”

“I have to get back…” he grunted then whispered, “Mine.”

“Yours?”

“Yes, you’re mine now, and I’m yours, that’s the way it works.” His eyes shifted to purple and he caressed her cheek with his hand then released her. “But now, I get to do something I haven’t legitimately been able to do in centuries…” She watched him curiously, as he took her hand in his. He stared into her eyes, and then lowered his lips to the back of her hand. “You shall return to my arms soon enough. May the goddess protect you, m’lady.”

A week to the day the
Tolox
arrived in the expanse, Aliri and Emerala uncovered a settlement on a distant moon, near a gaseous uninhabitable planet. An in-depth analysis of the moon and its occupants was inconclusive. The atmosphere of the planet created havoc on their readings. Hill and Nassut deemed it impossible for the ship to pass nearby undetected, but said they would be able to mask the fighters if needed.