Saven Defiance (The Saven Series Book 4) (5 page)

He looks over his shoulder at Zathur, and the Truethen nods in confirmation. Dante throws back his head and laughs heartily. “Stars! It’s true.” He wipes tears from under his eyes. “That is freaking genius! My admiration for Griselda has gone up a notch.”

Figures he’d idolize that crazy cow.

“And I have to give you kudos for destroying the Tempo. You’ve done me a massive favor, Sadie.”

“It wasn’t for your benefit, I can assure you,” I reply dourly.

Pressing his elbows into the table, he inclines toward me. “You know, it’s tempting to return you to Griselda and let her finish what she started. It would almost be worth it to watch you kill Logan with your own bare hands. But I have a much better idea in mind for the two of you.” Butterflies swarm my chest in blatant panic. Dante smiles knowingly. I plant my well-worn poker face on. We face off across the table for a few minutes. “Aren’t you even curious?” he asks eventually.

“I thought I wasn’t allowed to ask questions,” I retort.

“I’ll indulge you.” He winks, as if he’s doing me a huge favor.

Though I know this is what he wants, I reckon it’s worth pandering to his arrogance to gather some intel. “Okay, Dante. You’re right, I am curious. What
are
you planning?”

“World domination,” he says in the same casual tone of voice one would use to order a cappuccino.

“And how do you expect to achieve that?” I continue playing along.

“First, I’m going to unite my people behind my cause. I’ll effect the conscience transfer and create a disciplined army that will do my bidding. Then I’m going to allow that idiot from Amara to occupy your precious Earth. Once they are settled, I’m going to blow it to smithereens. Then,” he says, really on a roll now, “I’m going to remove the High Commission and Royal Commission and make every other planet bow to my command.” He slants back in his chair, more than happy with himself.

“You’re delusional if you think you can pull that off. You won’t get away with it.”

“I got away with killing the king, didn’t I? And that was only the beginning.” He shows zero remorse, and I’m not the only one shocked if that biting little huff from the corner of the room is any indication. Dante spins slowly in his chair, staring pointedly at the two startled aliens.

“Why did you do it?” I risk probing further while he’s still riding the ego train.

“I had my reasons.”

When he turns back around, the ferocious look on his face slams into me. Now, I’m most definitely afraid. “What reasons?” I choke out.

He purses his lips. “As if I’d tell you. I’ve already said too much. And don’t think I’ve forgotten that you haven’t answered my question. What does Axton mean to you? I saw the way he was looking at you, so don’t even attempt to fob me off.”

“He’s my friend. That’s all.” I force my eyes to stay locked on his as I lie. I wait for Zathur to call me on it, but he says nothing. Dante glances at him, and he subtly nods. I maintain a vacant façade so I don’t give the game away. I don’t know why he’s lying to protect me, but I’m not going to look a gift-horse in the mouth.

“And what do
you
mean to
him
?” He quirks a brow.

“The same. We’re friends.”

“Liar.” He says it in a menacing, low voice that has goose bumps emerging all over my body. “No matter, I have all the answers I need.”

I’m totally confused, but then again, nothing about Dante ever makes logical sense. He’s always been swinging from the cray-cray tree.

“Aren’t you in the least bit interested in what I plan to do with you and my
brother
?” His gloating smile sends blood whooshing through my veins. I fiddle nervously with the steel bands around my wrist.

His eyes swivel downwards. “What are those?”

My mind churns quickly. “ID trackers the Tor applied before I escaped.”

“She’s lying,” the Truethen tells him.
Well, thanks for nothing, buddy
. And here I thought we had come to some silent agreement.

“What are you hiding?” Dante’s eyes narrow suspiciously.

“Nothing.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway.” He rises, scraping his chair across the floor in the process. “You won’t be alive for much longer.”

I repress my panic and school my features into a disinterested mask. He waits for me to interrogate him, but I remain resolutely quiet.

I’m done playing his games.

A bright red flush creeps over his neck and onto his face. “You know,” he says, walking around the table and scrutinizing my face, “I used to think you were a cute, sweet thing. But look how far the mighty have fallen.” He casts a disparaging look over me, lingering on the obvious bruising on my face and neck. “I don’t know what my brother even sees in you. You’re nothing but a liar and a cheat. And a lousy friend,” he tacks onto the end. I try not to rise to the bait, but I can’t control the notable heaving of my chest. How dare he bring Jenna into this!

He sniggers and I raise my hand and slap him hard across the face.

Dante grabs me to him, wrapping his hands around my throat. He squeezes tight. His face has turned an unflattering shade of red, much the same way I imagine my skin is flushing an unhealthy shade of blue. I claw at his wrists as my lungs holler for air. “I’m going to enjoy watching you die. You and my idiot brother, strung up in front of the entire Saven nation. Let them see how I treat traitors, how I intend to treat anyone who challenges my rule. Let it instill fear into their hearts. Then no one will dare to challenge me ever again.”

He releases his hold on me, and I pant frantically, sucking greedy chunks of air into my lungs. My whole body trembles at his admission and the look of sheer evil in his eye. Yanking me up by the elbow, he hauls me to the door. The two aliens cower in the room behind us.

“Contact the pilot desk and instruct them to set a course for Saven,” Dante commands Officer Vero.

“As you wish, My King.” He bows solemnly.

“And terminate those two,” Dante adds as a parting comment, gesticulating toward the two clearly terrified aliens in the corner.

Officer Vero doesn’t hesitate or show any compassion or concern. “I will see to it.”

“Excellent. Your loyal service will be rewarded.” Dante clamps a firm hand on his shoulder before hauling me off down the corridor.

“You are not going to get away this,” I hiss.

“Oh, I’m already getting away with it. And I haven’t even scratched the surface.” His steadfast demeanor sends shivers trekking all over my body. I don’t speak the rest of the way back to my cell.

He flings me roughly into the room, and I only narrowly avoid face planting the ground.

“On the bed,” he demands.

“What?” All the blood drains from my face.

A sneering smirk curves the corners of his mouth. “I’m not interested in playtime.” He extracts a slim metal container from his pants pocket. “I wouldn’t lower myself.” While I’m thankful, I still feel the urge to slap him again. “Lie down, stay quiet, and this will go much smoother.”

“Why should I?”

He sighs in aggravation. “If you don’t, I will call the officer in charge of the dungeons myself and demand he dole out his preferred form of punishment on Logan. I hear he’s rather fond of knives.”

Throwing myself onto the bed, I lie down as instructed. Dante presses a button on the bottom of the device and jabs it swiftly into my neck. There is no time to panic because the world promptly turns black.

I’m shivering profusely as I come to. My eyes blink open and scan the chilly, dark environment. My stiff, aching limbs contest movement. Even sitting up requires enormous effort. Whatever Dante gave me totally did a number on me. I moan quietly as I pull my knees into my chest. My ass feels practically nonexistent, oh-so numb underneath me, and my breath trickles out in cloudy puffs. It’s like the frigging Arctic in here.

My fingers trace the hard stone floor as my eyesight slowly adjusts to my new surroundings. I’m in a cell of some sort. Mesh bars encase me on all sides, except for the rear wall, which appears to be constructed of the same hard gray substance as the floor and ceiling. There is no furniture or furnishings in the space. Not a damned thing.

A customary warm tingle spreads up my spine, and I jerk my head around. My heart stutters as I rake over the inert body sprawled across the center of the floor in the adjoining cell.

Stretching out my creaky limbs, I climb inelegantly to my feet. I hobble to the steel bars and examine the still form. “No!” My anguished wail echoes off the walls. “Logan! Logan, it’s me. It’s Sadie.”

He doesn’t move a muscle.

If not for the manner in which Dante spoke about him, I would assume he was already dead. I send out a silent message to Logan’s mind, but that doesn’t register either. It’s hard to determine anything in the dark, and I can’t even properly identify his features. I can’t tell what sort of shape he’s in. “Logan. I’m so sorry,” I whisper.

“Sadie?” A dry, croaky voice inquires from the cell on my right. Until now, I hadn’t even realized I was sandwiched between
two
cells. “It’s Evana,” she calls out in a low tone.

I crawl over to the other side of my cell and grip the bars. Peering in, I spot her crumpled form hunched over on the floor. “Oh my God, Evana, what have they done to you?”

Lifting her head up, she gazes at me through sad, defeated eyes. With great effort, she drags herself upright and shunts over to the edge of the cell. We both settle with our backs against the rear wall, our knees bent in front of us. Wire-thin fingers clutch the steel bars. As best I can, I wrap my fingers around the tips of hers. Her skin is frozen stiff, and she’s shaking all over.

“I hate that you’re here,” she whispers, “and Logan will be most upset. He wouldn’t tell Dante anything about your whereabouts because he was fervently hoping you’d avoid capture.”

Taking a proper look at her, I struggle to contain my shock at her emaciated form. Dirty, threadbare clothing hangs off her near-skeletal frame. Her normal vibrant copper-colored hair is masked underneath a mass of unwashed, tangled strands. Sunken eyes and gaunt cheekbones, rest within a pale, undernourished face. Her lips are cracked and broken, and strips of dried blood cake her face. “Why is he doing this to you?”

“Anyone that has shown loyalty to Logan or his father is a threat in Dante’s mind. The Elders managed to flee, but most everyone else has been incarcerated.” Her breath wheezes out in painful spurts.

“How is he getting away with this, Evana? Why aren’t the Saven rebelling? I don’t understand.” I shake my head in consternation.

“They aren’t happy, Sadie, but they are scared, and most of the military corps have rowed in behind Dante. They think you and the president killed King Adjani, and they are baying for blood. Dante is feeding off that to cement their allegiance. He has incarcerated the entire Royal Advisory Council, with the exception of Advisor Mellor. There is no one to oppose him. No one to stop him. He is completely insane, and we are all going to die.”

She lets out a strangled cry. “I will never get to see my little Glenn again …” She slumps against the bar, tears rolling down her cheeks.

My failure sits like a calorific meal in my stomach, bloated and heavy and imbued with feelings of disgust and regret.

I have disappointed her, too.

“I’m so sorry, Evana. If I’d only had more time …” My pathetic attempt of an excuse dies on my tongue.

“It’s not your fault, sweetie.” She brushes her tears away. “It’s Adjani’s fault for taking me in the first place. For making false promises that he had no intention of keeping. Logan would’ve put things right. He’s a good boy. He has a good heart. But Dante? He’s a lost cause. There is no hope for him or us.” She hangs her head, and depression shrouds both of us in a dark, dreary dome of hopelessness.

“What about Advisor Mellor? Whose side is he on?”

“His own.” A hard look flits across her eyes. “I believe he had this planned with Dante all along. It was no secret that the king wasn’t overly fond of him, was even tiring of him. Mellor knew Logan was shrewd enough not to pick him as part of the Council going forward, so he preyed on Dante’s neediness, manipulating him perfectly so he delivered his agenda. I wouldn’t be surprised if he plans to kill Dante himself and take control.” She barks out a hoarse cough, and the grotesque sound sends darts of panic slicing through me.

Clutching her throat, she makes a gagging sound as her eyes well up. Her delicate, fair complexion turns an unnatural shade of blue. She continues to cough, painfully, repeatedly, as she struggles to catch her breath. “Water,” she manages to shriek mid-cough. “Please.”

I cast my eyes over my cell and hers, but there is no water in sight.

“Please, sir,” Evana splutters, “water!”

The sound of approaching footsteps catches me off guard. My blood pressure skyrockets. Clinking sounds reverberate in the hollow space as a key is turned in the latch. Heavy boots plod across the floor toward Evana’s heaving frame. A guard, wearing the red, black, and gold emblem of the Saven Royal Guard, squats down in front of her. His nose wrinkles in disgust as he hands her a container of water.