What do you mean she’s infiltrated the enemy?” There was a dark edge to Evi’s words. “She’s no soldier. No enforcer. No nothing.”

Kai’s glare cut through to his general, but what he saw stayed his hand. Worry. Evi wasn’t undermining Nalini’s aptitudes, as much as worrying on her behalf.

“She can handle this. Trust me.”

That was the one reason why, against his every instinct, he’d let her do what she’d proposed to do. She could handle this.

“What the hell? They could kill her there, or worse.”

Kai turned his back on his general, returning to his window. Watching the infinity of space always calmed him. Today, it didn’t work.

“We should go get her out of there before it’s too late—”

“Evi,” Hart interrupted. “Have you ever seen Nalini afraid?”

The general paused.

Park nodded, agreeing with the Coat, and adding, “I practically pissed myself on my first raid. She was in the bridge, taking over command when you and Kai were busy elsewhere, and damn, the way she flew this ship? Never seen anything like that, before or since.”

Kai smiled. It had been some damn fine flying, that was for sure.

“And let’s not forget how she, a tiny little waif, almost won against Kai in a fucking fist fight.”

“Yeah, he actually had to break his own damn arm to take the upper hand,” Ollis reminded them, shaking his head as if he still couldn’t believe it.

A smile flashed at the recollection. Kai was pretty certain the only reason he’d won was because his move had shocked the heck out of her.

“She can handle this. And if she couldn’t, Kai would be on his way to get her back already.”

He was tempted to go regardless; although she’d kick his ass for ruining her crazy-ass plan.

Finally finding his words, he returned to the command console, purposefully staring down Evi before turning to the rest of the cabinet.

“Every day, I fight for this kingdom of ours and no one blinks. Let your queen fight for what’s hers.”

A long silence followed this. Queen, he’d said. Not consort or wife—because she was neither. She’d proved as much today.

* * *

Seven minds, all strong, all pushing hers, willing it to fall.

Well, six of them were pushing. Ian Krane, seated at the very center of the half-circular table, the place of honor, wasn’t attempting to invade her mind. Instead, he sent her a knowing smile and a wink. He wasn’t even hiding it. The others saw it and assumed he was congratulating her for making the right choice, returning to their side.

Nalini knew better.

She recapped her life, purposefully letting them see glimpses that gave truth to her lies. Kronos in her arms, her cursing Kai, telling him it was all his fault. She always wanted to flinch when she recalled doing that, but she sold it well.

The lies truly started when she’d come aboard the Dominion, but by that point, they had enough proof. No reason to doubt her.

“When Kovak’s men came, I saw in their minds that they meant to offer me asylum, and I leaped at the chance.”

She’d leaped, all right.

The Wise Council exchanged glances and finally nodded. “You did well, Kovak. And, Nalini, you’ll be very safe here, from now on.”

Rator Main, the dark-blue-skinned Evris who spoke, meant every word, but she couldn’t quite see what purpose they had for her yet. She knew it concerned Kai, that she was the piece they needed to destroy him, but how remained to be seen. No matter. She could wait. She hadn’t expected all the answers in her first hour here.

“We shall discuss a course of action amongst ourselves, child,” said Rator. “Go anywhere you please in this complex. You’re safe.”

That word again. They truly were trying to drill that notion into her for some reason.

Nalini wasn’t surprised that they’d given her freedom. How could anyone truly test her intention without observing her doing as she pleased?

She didn’t lift her head to see the cameras on every ceiling, and the drones flying by if she ever stepped too far from their range. She knew they were there, recording her every move, but blatantly looking at them would have seemed conspicuous. Nalini made her way through the building until she’d found a balcony giving her a view of Magneo.

It truly was an enchanting place, even to one who’d seen Tejen; but where everything had seemed natural and in balance back there, Magneo was a pretty, handcrafted picture. Bright, overly vibrant, with pink bushes and fluorescent fountains.

She leaned forward, pretending to bask in its beauty, and made the connection.

«I’m there. It’s pretty.»

She shared a flash of the landscape before her eyes.

«Looks like a unicorn puked all over it.»

She tried not to snort.

«We arrived in the main hangar. There’s a hundred landing platforms, all guarded by two squadrons. Our ship was small and low risk, yet we were followed by a dozen fighters. They take their security fucking seriously.»

«So they should.»

«The Imperial palace is linked to the main hangar; there’s a tunnel leading there. The Wise live in a separate building. That’s where I am now. There’s only a few guards, and the seven members of the council in this building. Our old friend is among them.»

Kai paused.

«You’re surrounded and guarded.»

He didn’t like it. Nor did she.

«For now.»

«For now,» he agreed.

She let the link go, feeling the approaching Evris, the one who’d introduced herself as Flara Duchey.

“Magnificent, is it not?”

“Truly.”

If one favored unicorn puke.

“It’s dangerous out there when the sun goes down. There’s many wild creatures in these woods.”

She wondered if they, too, had been painted pink.

“Let me show you to your quarters, child.”

She hadn’t failed to note how fucking condescending they always were with her, calling her a child and patting her hand like Flara did just then.

She would have loved to see their faces when they realized the child had destroyed everything they held dear, but she planned to be fucking far away from them by the time they understood she’d played them.

Nalini woke up to a copper android informing her in its robotic voice that breakfast was ready. She stretched before getting out of bed and popping into her advanced, sleek bathroom.

Coming back, she found the machine standing at the exact same spot where she’d left it.

“Well, lead the way.”

The android took her to an elegant dining room decorated in white and blood blue; all the Wise council members were seated around the table.

“Ah. Come, come. Take a seat.”

She obediently went to occupy the place Kovak was patting, next to her.

“I trust you slept well.”

She had. She’d slept feeling Kai next to her all night long. He’d been so bold as to tease her nipples, taking them in his mouth, from half a galaxy away. A smile on her face, she nodded. “Never better. I’m truly glad to be here. I hope I’ll be able to help.”

Translation: tell me how you mean to use me.

The Wise exchanged that look again. She itched to try to breach their filthy minds and see what they meant by it, but it just wouldn’t work with the naive and slightly dumb role she was playing.

“And you will,” Krane said, his blue eyes boring into hers. “Soon.”

She got the message loud and clear. Patience, little lady. Too bad that had never been her forte. She had to push it.

“Great. I was pretty much kept in one room the whole time, but I’m sure I have intel to share. About the Dominion, Vratis, and all.”

She’d lie through her teeth, sprinkling it all with a bit of truth; then she’d rush to tell Kai exactly what she’d revealed, so he could make sure to be ready to act consequently.

But the Wise spared her the bother. They were laughing.

“We’re not concerned about that ship or that little planet, girl,” said Rator. “Our StarX can destroy an entire fleet of Dominions in minutes. Or destroy an entire city. The problem isn’t killing Kai Lor. He’s nothing but the one shell a true blight has used this time around. What our order needs to do is put an end to that blight.”

Food tasted like ash in her mouth. She had a hard time swallowing it.

“What do you mean?”

“You know of Darkness. A long time ago, using the dark, terrible magic it wields, it ensured its ability to return to our world, even after death.”

She nodded. She knew as much; that explained Kai. The prophecy said Darkness would return.

“So, if we kill Kai, after his death, Darkness will form again, and again, and again. This circle of death will never end.”

She nodded, wanting more. Needing more.

“Right. How do you stop it?”

“We couldn’t,” Krane replied, putting his fork down. “Not without you. I don’t suppose you understand; you never were very good at detangling all these visions.”

She sent him a pointed glare, as he winked and removed his glove, leaving it next to his cutlery. Nalini frowned as she tried to recall seeing him without gloves, and came up blank. Slowly and carefully, she moved her hand across the table and wrapped it around his.

Ian Krane opened his tightly bound, closed mind to her for the fraction of a fleeting instant.

And then, she saw everything.

Not simply visions. Memories, clear ones. She saw the face of a girl who bore an expression so dark and fierce.

“Kai, as female,” she said, unsurprised. She’d seen as much in her vision, a long time ago.

“Yes, he was, in that first life. And since, he’s been reborn many times, in the shape of a male and a female. Male, more often than not, of course.”

Of course, because for every two Evris males, only one female was born. Over sixty percent of their population was male. She hadn’t seen any stats on this, but it seemed to her that females were even rarer amongst mages. She’d seen perhaps five males for every female, in Kai’s rank, and back on Tejen.

Male or female, he was recognizable. The same eyes. The same focus and determination.

It didn’t end just there though. That female who so many called Darkness smiled sometimes. Softly, sadly, fleetingly, but she smiled still. Always at the same person. A male with eyes Nalini knew. She’d seen them in the mirror often enough.

“Okay, I’m a guy. That’s weird.”

She grimaced, feeling a little queasy.

“What happened?” she asked Ian, as he removed his hand before she could see it.

“Darkness was about to do something that would have killed a hell of a lot of people. So, you killed her.”

Time seemed to stop the moment he said it. Nalini shook her head and opened her mouth to deny it. She would have loved to, but she couldn’t.

Of course she had. Everything made sense to her now. Her fear at the start. She wasn’t one to run from danger, not really.

Running away from the responsibility of killing him, though? Hell yes. Hiding at the end of the universe to not have to ever do that sounded like a good plan to her.

“And then?”

“And then, you died. I was there back then. The moment you passed, I had that vision. Quite clear. Very, very much a prophecy. So, I wrote it down.”

And the rest of the Wise decreed that no mage should ever be born, to avoid fulfilling it. It worked for a thousand years or so, until now. Until Kai.

“I don’t really understand what it all has to do with killing Darkness for good.”

“Darkness,” said Rator, “isn’t the only thing coming back through time.”

Oh.

Her. She stiffened.

“So, you want to kill me, too.”

More condescending laughter.

“That would be quite counterproductive, child. When Darkness died, each time through the ages, you’ve perished along with it. And when it is reborn, shortly after, you’re also brought back to life. Darkness has created a circle where she and her Light could meet again. There’s one easy way to break that circle for good. Ensure that when Darkness perishes, this time, you, his Light, stay alive. If you’re not reunited beyond death, we have every reason to believe that Darkness won’t be able to come back.”

She was getting a headache, attempting to understand it all.

Ian translated that statement. “We’re gonna make you immortal, kid.”

And then, they’d send their machine and destroy Kai.

A good plan. A great plan, in fact.

And it might have worked if they hadn’t shared it with her.