Bitter Heart by Mary Griggs

Author:Mary Griggs [Griggs, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781594934773
Publisher: Bella Books
Published: 2016-01-14T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Clarice jerked awake at the sound of a commotion at the door. She heard Julian roll off the bed and hit the floor, but her eyes were trained on the heavily armed soldiers filing through the doorway to take up positions around the room. She flinched back at the sight of the tall, gray-haired figure in a black uniform who stalked to the center of the room.

“Get to your feet,” he ordered.

“Who the blazes are you?” Clarice asked. She had never been a morning person, and spending the night on the floor hadn’t improved her mood.

“I am the commander of the Babwe delegation in this quadrant.” He clasped his hands behind his back and waited while the guards prodded them to their feet. “You are my prisoners.”

Phillip stood up and brushed at the wrinkles in his pants. “We are free citizens and members of the Trade Guild. We have their resources behind us, and you will regret any actions against us.”

“There is no one who will lift a finger to help you.”

“You don’t own everyone on this planet.”

“You people are nothing.”

“Then why are you making such an effort?” Phillip asked. “Why all the manpower? Just let us return to our ship, and we’ll forget this ever happened.”

“There are others who have taken a personal interest in your fate.”

“Really?” Phillip asked. “What have we done to deserve that?”

“Don’t be a fool. She’s the one we want.” He pointed at Julian.

“All this for little old me?” Julian asked. “Should I be flattered?”

“You should be quiet and respectful.”

One didn’t have to be an empath to feel the menace the soldiers were projecting. Julian climbed to her feet and said bravely, “I am a member of the royal family of the Imperial Republic of Atropos on a diplomatic mission.”

“Your planet is under our protection, your titles mean nothing and you are nothing but a criminal.”

“What is my crime?”

“The royal family was tried and found guilty of mass oppression of the newly freed peoples of the Babwe Protectorate of Atropos. The death sentence has already been carried out.”

“The king and queen were the legitimate rulers of the planet. Your occupation is illegal, and all acts following your invasion are acts of war. At the first opportunity, there will be genocide charges for what you’ve done to my world.”

The commander struck her with the back of his hand hard enough to put her on her back on the ground with a split lip. The guards brought their weapons up to keep Solver and the others from interfering.

“Enough of this,” he barked at his men. “Bring them.”

“Hey, I thought you were going to let us go.” Phillip pushed away from the soldiers who would have laid hands on him.

“I need you to make sure she gets safely incarcerated.”

“She’s hardly dangerous,” Clarice scoffed.

“Consider yourselves to be my guarantee she will remain so.” The commander glanced at his chronos and grimaced. “Move it!”

The soldiers dragged them down the hallway to an elevator, where they directed Clarice, Phillip and Solver to stand face-first against the mirror-like walls.

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