Rogue Hunter: Inquest by Hendrickson Kevis

Author:Hendrickson, Kevis [Hendrickson, Kevis]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2015-02-01T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Zyra flinched, a sharp brilliance stinging her eyes. She raised a hand to her face, shielding it from the glare coming from the front of her dark cell. Her eyes hurt, but slowly adjusted to the glare to observe the distorted shapes moving toward her.

“You will remain where you are. Any sudden movement will result in me activating your shock-suit.”

Zyra recognized the voice of Warden Seris, coming quickly to attention as she pushed herself up from the hard floor. Her sleep-crusted eyes caught the glint of metal when she sat up straight and withdrew from the remote Seris brandished in her hand. Seris had seized every opportunity to make Zyra’s imprisonment a living nightmare. She was the typical steward of inmates: harsh and unyielding, ruling her kingdom with an iron fist. Zyra had submitted to all of her captor’s demands, but she still managed to incur her wrath. Her body was sore from the last time Seris lost her temper.

“You’ve put on quite a spectacle, Ms. Zanr, but the show is over.”

Zyra’s gaze shifted to the pale face of the woman who had been the thorn in her side for the past two days. The cross stare she received evoked one of her own. “Queen Karah?” Zyra was just able to make out the slightest hint of a nod and blinked her eyes again to clear her vision.

“I imagine it was the only card you had to play, trying to make my people feel guilty for our laws. But your performance in court earned you no one’s sympathy, least of all mine.”

Unspoken words invaded Zyra’s thoughts. No flowery speech or sermon could conceal them from her. “You’re going to execute me, aren’t you?”

The slit in the queen’s long dress rode up her thigh as she made a series of graceful steps toward Zyra. The expression on her face was unassuming, but threatening just the same. “To be frank, the trial was over before it began.”

“The verdict?”

Karah hefted a scarlet brow. “What else? Guilty.”

Zyra stood up slowly, keeping her arms at her side to avoid drawing the guards’ ire. “Why?”

Karah batted an eyelash and lifted her chin. “Why hold a public trial? Why broadcast the goings on of my court for the entire galaxy to see? Why make a martyr out of a bounty hunter? It’s simple. Political expediency.”

“I don’t understand.”

Karah rolled on with her explanation. Zyra got the impression she was gloating more than actually explaining anything.

“Granted, you broke the law. A law that is punishable by death. But this isn’t about you or Boris Skringler.”

“What?” Zyra had not expected this twist of events. Her ears perked, hanging on to every word the queen spoke.

“This may come as a shock to you, but I have far more important matters to worry about than a rogue bounty hunter and an escaped fugitive.”

“But the trial—”

“Was a façade.”

“You mean you weren’t going to execute Skringler?”

“I did not say that. I had every intention of having Skringler killed. His presence offends me.”

“And me?”

Karah’s lips curled.

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