Markram Battles: Omens of Doom (Part II) Read Online Free Page A

me an advantage over her. It could have easily gone the other way."
     
    “But it didn't,” he replies. “Luck is merely the universe conspiring in your favor.”
     
    My body freezes on the spot at the sound of those words. They pierce the air around me, unlocking a memory long forgotten in the most secluded corner of my mind. Krana. The woman who left me for another despite her feelings for me. The woman who nearly drove me to insanity. The woman who prompted my desire to join the army, in an attempt to flee from the memory of her betrayal. The image of the Senator comes with perfect clarity now. The same cheekbones, the same nose, the same honey-colored eyes. Her brother. I had never met him before. My background and recessive status then prevented me from approaching her family in a formal way. “Weakness has many faces,” he continues. “If the forces of the universe gather against you, perhaps they are simply exposing a weakness unseen by others. There should be no resentment, no sadness, no regret, only acceptance of your circumstances. That is the Markram way.”
     
    Thirteen's attention returns to Six just in time to see her falling sideways, dead. Thirteen’s breathing quickens and she lifts her eyes to scan the crowd. She stops at the sight of Seven, looking at her as if he understood with perfect clarity what she feels. Seven conceals his expression almost immediately though, returning to the unresponsive soldier, and makes his way forward. As tradition dictates, only the unit leader over the winning fighter can recognize her victory. Seven reaches Thirteen and takes her hand, lifting her up and raising her arm as acknowledgment of her triumph.
     
    Senator Thirty-Two steps forward. His white dress uniform completely devoid of black piping, signifying his authority as a ruling Senator, glistens amid the black sea of unit leaders around him. He nods in approval. "Honor to the dead. Honor to the victor."
     
    The voices of every Markram in the room resound with pride and admiration at their unequivocal victory. "Honor to the dead. Honor to the victor."
     
    I cannot help my stomach from contracting painfully as I watch Senator Six make his way to greet the two warriors standing in the middle of the Grand Hall, their fingers still interlaced and raised in triumph. My legs move forward, covering the distance in only a few strides, and when I reach him I have to bite down the bitter resentment threatening to escape from deep within me.
     
    “You must be very pleased with the performance of the soldiers under your charge, Commander. Seven, and now Thirteen, have proven themselves rather skilled in the art of combat.”
     
    I don’t answer. I don’t even nod in acknowledgment. The Senator eyes me curiously, and out of the corner of my eye I see Seven and Thirteen bowing, petitioning for dismissal. I tilt my head toward Seven without taking my eyes off the Senator, and sense him walking away with Thirteen.
     
    “I trust your sister is well.” My voice comes out sharp and unfriendly.
     
    The Senator’s lips curve slightly in delighted surprise. “Yes, she is rather well.”  He averts his eyes, focusing them on the group of attendants clearing the bloody aftermath of the match. “She has taken a post as a patronage representative.”
     
    I grind my teeth together, uninterested. “It has been a pleasure to finally meet you.” I force my neck to bend slightly, nodding in spite of my desire to just walk away. He nods back, his expression warm and sympathetic.
     
    I take my leave, immediately darting through the room toward the exit doors, only to find that most attendees have gathered outside. Their loud expressions of excitement are still focused on the match that took place. The rounded veranda facing the gleaming city of Velkram, capital of Sector 32, or Earth as it used to be known before its annexation to the empire, expands all the way around the massive building. I begin to walk away from the