The Astonishing by Peter Orullian

Author:Peter Orullian [Orullian, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Peter Orullian
Published: 2019-03-19T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 28

HELL WAS ERUPTING on Endless Island, and Faythe had no intention of waiting until Ruthers could get her a flight window. For all she knew Gabriel was already dead. The video feeds had shown him clearly enough at the top of a signal tower. Then the feeds ended. Went blank.

With her most trusted two guards, she stepped onto the Imperial Dock. The waters of the North Bay were calm, and in an imperial watercraft she could be at Ravenskill in a few hours. Well ahead of their rendezvous with her father at Heaven’s Cove, and maybe she could stop this preposterous fighting. Daryus had to be to blame.

“Ravenskill,” she said to the captain of the boat.

“My lady?” the man said with obvious reluctance.

She nodded firmly. “Where the fight is, yes. And as fast as this thing can move.”

“Aye, aye,” he replied.

Her guards stepped down before and after her, per protocol, and exchanged proper identification with the boat personnel.

She got below into the communication center of the fastboat, and fired up the feeds again. Still nothing from Ravenskill, though other channels were working fine.

A response request message showed on her private screen. She keyed it up. Midwest Confederation and Eastern Empire communiques. Odd. She hit the call channel, and waited. A few moments later, Regent Grace Storal’s face emerged on her screen.

“You’re father’s an ass,” the regent said first.

“And you’re a shrew,” Faythe responded. “Did you call me to exchange immutable truths?”

The woman laughed, the sound dry and rough. “Nafaryus has promised to share new audio technology with the Eastern Empire in exchange for the services of one of our full battalions.”

Faythe stared into the monitor a bit dumbstruck. “And you said?”

“You know we keep a full contingent on our side of the Borderland.” Grace didn’t blink at all. “They’re moving into G.N.E. space as we speak. For show, your father says. Apparently your brother isn’t first rate at resource management.”

“So, you’ve taken the alliance I brokered and made it a war pact.” Faythe got her feet back under her. “Bad business, Grace. And you know it. Are you that desperate for weapons tech.”

“Who isn’t?” she said as if stating more truth.

Faythe thought a moment. “Then you’re an expansionist. And I read you wrong. That’s my failure.”

“Don’t play your politics with me, Faythe. That’s not why I signed the accord. It was honesty that got you your deal.” The woman tapped the screen as if tapping Faythe. “Try again.”

Faythe nodded. “I’m trying to broker peace internally. Stop the in-fighting. My father’s agreed to meet the spiritual leader of the rebel militia. I believe we can come to an agreement.”

“With your father,” Grace said, incredulous. “Not likely.”

“I’d rather run at those odds than have you help us escalate this to full war where the odds are everyone loses.” Faythe tapped the screen back.

“Except me,” Grace said. “G.N.E. may find itself in need of new leadership in the aftermath—”

“If military leaders fall, I will take the throne,” Faythe shot back. “And you may trust that a few weapons will be the least of your problems if you try to move on us.

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