Hale's War by Richard Fox & Josh Hayes

Author:Richard Fox & Josh Hayes [Fox, Richard & Hayes, Josh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Triplane Press
Published: 2019-06-24T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Kyrios screamed, his voice cracking with the effort. He shoved one of the Netherguard aside, causing the black-and-red-clad bodyguard to stumble. Yanking its halberd away from him, Kyrios leveled it at the next one in line. Twin beams of energy shot through the soldier before it even had time to react—not that it could’ve done anything to protect itself.

The remaining Elite fell back, dropping its halberd to the deck and stepping away. It remained silent, appearing completely obvious to what had just happened.

“Master, please!” Tral shouted, backing away.

The Emperor ignored him, lashing out again, sending a beam of energy through another guard. He smashed the halberd against the deck as the dead soldier fell, sending sparks flying. The entire scene reminded Jared of a child throwing a fit when they didn’t get what they’d asked for on Christmas or for their birthday. A tantrum of deadly proportions.

To say that Kyrios had taken the news of Prince Zviera’s death badly was an understatement. Jared flinched as Kyrios fired again. The shattered beam emitters on the tip of the halberd fractured and sent tendrils of emerald energy streaking across the throne room. A group of Founders huddled together behind the obsidian pillars on the far side of the room, while a group of captains did the same to Jared’s left.

Kyrios pointed the halberd and turned toward Tral, breathing heavily. “You! You failed your charge and now Zviera is gone because of your incompetence!”

“Master, I—”

“Silence!” Kyrios tried to shoot the Ultari, but the halberd only flashed briefly, sending out a shower of sparks. Kyrios growled and swung the weapon in a horizontal arc. Tral ducked and backed away again as the Emperor pointed. “Seize him.”

The remaining constructs moved forward and grabbed Tral roughly by both arms, lifting him off the deck. His feet dangled underneath him, his toes reaching for purchase. “Master, I didn’t—”

Kyrios turned to Jared, his red eyes burning with fury and hatred. “Where did your people get a weapon of that magnitude? Have you been keeping things from me? A secret or a lie of omission?”

Jared had been as surprised as Kyrios at the appearance of the macro cannon. His brother’s ingenuity apparently knew no bounds, but he shouldn’t have expected any different. Ken Hale had always managed to rise to the challenge, no matter the situation. “I didn’t know about the weapon, Master. I promise. That weapon is not part of the standard colonial package. Such things were only experimental when I left Earth many years ago.”

“He’s lying,” said Cigyd, the Archduke, stepping forward for the first time. “He’s been conspiring with the humans since the beginning.”

“No,” Jared said. “I live to serve the Emperor.”

Kyrios was silent for a long moment. “You know the penalty for failure.”

“I do, Master. Very well.”

“And what of this one?” Cigyd said, motioning to the boy held by two Netherguard.

Elias hung limp in their grasp, barely conscious. They’d stopped the bleeding from his head wound and kept him sedated during the return trip, but Tral had never allowed the boy to be alone.

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