Chapter 25: A Murder

Arron had used the culvert to gain access to the castle grounds for a second night. He was half expecting to have to use one of the other secret entrances but he was amazed nothing had changed. He envisaged the Grojan's would use the royal quarters, and since he had warned them of his intensions he hoped they would stay close together. Ideal from his point of view, because he knew all the secret passages in the royal residence. He hoped one was sleeping in what had been the Princess's bed chamber.

He moved silently across the garden, then with a quick look around he stepped into a small gazebo. He pushed two tiles on the wall then lifted a slab to one side and descended the steps below. The slab slid back into position. He found himself in a narrow cramped tunnel. He followed it for a while then came to some spiral stone steps. He ascended the steps then, at a junction, turned right. He followed that new tunnel for a short distance then took one on his left, another short distance before he came to an apparent dead end.

He pushed a tile next to the dead end then lent on the center of the wall. It swung outward on silent balanced hinges. He walked over to the bed and found it occupied by a Grojan female. His guess was correct.

He felt sorry for her and had to force the picture of children being butchered into his mind before he could continue his plan. He hesitated, and then took a deep breath. The woman opened her eyes and pulled a pistol out from under her pillow. Arron, who was only just quicker, shot her in the heart just before she fired her shot, which went wide fizzing out on the stone ceiling of the large vaulted room.

The almost silent discharge of the two pulse pistols seemed to echo around the room in his mind, so he froze and listened. No sounds of approaching feet or alarm was apparent. He did not feel better that he had shot her in self defense rather than cold blood. His backup plan had been to simply stun her and then take her prisoner if he could not bring himself to pull the trigger at the last moment.

Oh God, now for the grizzly part. He pulled his knife and cut off her ears. How can they do that and still think themselves civilized? Hate for the Grojan flared in his breast, but then his mind jumped to Minara and he shuddered.

With the Grojan's blood he wrote on the wall - "One down five of you left. Who will be next?" He exited the room the way he came then out through the gazebo through the garden into the culvert and away. Once he had reached the outskirts of the city he buried the ears and returned to his hide away.

While he had been lingering in the market the following morning he spotted Minara walk into the market place. She appeared uneasy after she had passed him, almost as if she sensed something. Arron ducked behind a stall as she stopped and looked back. He decided he would snatch her next. He would follow her back then take her as she neared the house. He would then leave a message in blood on her house wall. If he then killed their leader, the one they apparently called Varna, he hoped the final three would give up. He could imprison them for a time then banish them to some remote island to live out the rest of their days in peace.

On the morning of Market day Minara walked into town. She liked to buy treats and fresh vegetables. She could send the servants as a normal noble woman would have done but she liked the fresh air and the solitude of walking. She had left little Arron with the Queen for the day, ensuring he had his feeds ready in bottles. Both the Queen and the King took on the role of servants as far as an outsider were concerned. Behind closed doors she gave them the deference due to them, but for any callers, being servants, they were ignored and safe. The other household servants did not know who they were, disguising them in full view had been working. No one expected the King and Queen to be the two new servants the Mistress had just employed.

When she first left the child for the day it was on the Queen's insistence. "Minara, I can look after him and you can have a rest or get out of the house for a few hours. Please, I want to do this for you and I would enjoy it. It would be good practice for when, or if, my time comes."

Minara was dubious at first because she didn't want to leave him and because it was beneath the Queen to look after a small baby; after all that was what nannies were for. The Queen then pointed out that the King had chopped wood and worked in the gardens so she wanted to do something useful as well. In the end the Queen had won the argument so every market day was Minara's day off.

The morning was sunny and the walk lifted her spirits. After seeing the message from Arron she wondered when and if he would come for her. She was still shocked and confused at the message. Did he regard her the same as Varna's crew? She had after all told him about killing human families. His apparent death was almost too much to bear, but it was the letter that had devastated her. Then she found out she was pregnant. Because Grojan fertility had been reducing for generations as a species they were on the decline. The war with the humans had been a disaster, and even though they had won the losses may never be replaced. Here and on other worlds the Grojani were also in slow decline. Arron had told her he was human, a different species, yet after three days as a mated pair ... if he were after her then she was taking a risk walking alone, but she knew in her heart there would be nothing to stop him if she became a target.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a presence nearby, her skin tingled, and she looked behind but saw nothing. At that moment a palace guard approached her. "Excuse me, but you are required in the palace, my lady."

Ancestors, what do they want now? "Please let them know I will be there directly."

I wonder if Arron has struck again? She shivered. If only he had not included her in the message and his reference to Vermin ... She had told the King and Queen how the sky ship had been destroyed by General Arron, who seemed to have come back from the dead. The Queen had of course been overjoyed for her and little Arron. But Minara had not told her everything.

Tomorrow she had a meeting with the resistance to discuss bringing the uprising forward. Now Varna had no ship and few modern weapons it would likely succeed. They would still have to fight the traitors and turncoats who had seized their chance and welcomed Varna's dictatorship as a way to further their power base. They would fight to maintain their position.

She reached the palace steps and walked up to the royal reception rooms. She pushed open the door and walked in. Varna and three of her crew stood arguing. They stopped and turned as Minara entered. Sisanne was missing. Minara narrowed her eyes. "Has something happened?"