The Queen of Sidonia: Complete Edition by Moore Lauren & Fox Richard

Author:Moore, Lauren & Fox, Richard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Triplane Press
Published: 2023-08-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

The palace smelled of smoke and ash. Everywhere Cosima went had the smell of battle and loss. The morgue was no different.

There were three bodies, each cleaned and dressed for their funerals: King Rasczak, still in his stasis tube, Prince Francis in a military dress uniform, a golden braid worked into his service sash, and Remi. Remi’s body held a sword in his clasped hands. A gleaming blade ran from his chest to his knees.

Cosima, dressed in mourning black, sat on a stool next to Remi. She wiped away another tear and set her hand over Remi’s. His hands felt cool through the black lace gloves she wore.

It had been barely a day since the attack. Vincent had rallied the surviving Guardsmen and led reinforcements from Fort Schwehr in a counterattack. The attacking war bots were smashed, their mechanical heads hung from the palace walls in victory. The source of the droids, a merchant ship registered to a string of shell companies, had self-destructed before the orbital police could seize it.

Vincent had wasted no time asserting control over the palace and all of Sidonia. He was on TV within an hour of the last war bots’ destruction, assuring the planet that he and Cosima had survived and the palace still belonged to Sidonia.

Cosima had spent a sleepless night on Fort Schwehr surrounded by a battalion of infantry. She’d refused to eat or drink until she’d returned to the palace and found Remi. She’d been by his side since.

The door to the morgue opened and Vincent entered. He wore his military dress uniform, a gray glove over his prosthetic hand. He was entitled to wear a regent’s crown, but went bareheaded.

Vincent paused at his father’s side, then Francis’s.

The prince stood next to Remi’s shoulders, then knelt beside him.

“I’m sorry, brother,” Vincent said. “I wasn’t there when you needed me. I failed you. I failed you trying to save my father, the palace. I got to Cosima in time, finished the battle you’d won with your final strike. You are a good man, the best I’ve ever known. Forgive me, brother, I did all I could.” He stood and touched his metal hand against Remi’s forehead.

Vincent straightened his uniform and pressed his flesh and blood forearm against his face. Cosima watched as grief left his face, replaced by a regal manner.

“You can return to your space station at your convenience. The Chaebol Corporation is leaving. There’s no treaty, no reason anyone would hurt you now,” Vincent spun on his heels and walked away.

“Wait. If there’s no treaty, what will happen when the Aquitaine fleet gets here?”

Vincent stopped and half looked over his shoulder. “As king, I can surrender or fight and doom Sidonia to defeat.”

Cosima looked at Remi, the man who’d sacrificed his life for her, for Sidonia’s freedom. She couldn’t let his death be in vain.

“Vincent, take me up to the Chaebol ship. Now.”

***

The conference center of the Seoul could accommodate hundreds of business men and women with ease, but was almost empty.

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