The Blood Empress Read Online Free Page B
Author: Ken McConnell
Tags: Science-Fiction, Space Opera, Military, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Space Fleet
She had no desire to sleep, her thoughts still lingered on Ketar. He was the first boy she had ever kissed and it felt so right inside her. She knew he was her soul mate. Her one true romantic love.
Votainions were not a very romantic race. But they did believe in destiny and sacred love. Their literature was filled with great romances between warriors and their lovers. Some with happy endings and some with tragic endings. Hers could not be allowed to end in tragedy. Ketar had to win the contest outright. She knew that he would, no matter how difficult the task. It was only a matter of time before they were together forever and she could focus her attentions on expanding the empire.
She felt a sudden drop in temperature as a cool breeze swept over her from across her room. Her heart turned cold as she realized who it was that had slipped into her bed chambers.
Standing across the room in his black cloak was the Kwizarra Lonn. She knew he had a secret entry into her bed chambers, but she had never caught him in the act of entering by one.
"My Empress, I was hoping you were still awake. We need to talk."
She sat up and stared coldly across the room at the shadowy figure.
"Get out of my chambers! How dare you enter without permission?"
The figure floated forward as if on air.
"I felt it best that only you knew that I was here, my Empress."
Her mental shields were up and fully hardened. She was ready for anything he had to say to her.
"What is it?"
"I know about the boy you sneaked in here earlier. I know who he is and I know how long you've been seeing him over the communication link."
Nykostra's face flushed with anger, her normally pale blue skin nearly white. Her anger boiled just below the surface.
"I have come to warn you away from him, my Empress. For he will not survive the competition. He is young and weak and no match at all for Lord Surg."
"Be gone you gray brute! Who I see and where I see them is of no concern to anyone but me. Lord Ketar will defeat all your efforts to keep him from me, so don't bother trying."
The old man smiled wickedly as he stopped before her bed, his arms crossed before him. She peered into his mind and repeated her sentiment but it was like penetrating one of the solid stone bricks in the wall of the castle. Hard and immutable.
Nykostra rose to her knees and faced the Soothsayer. Her voice lowered to the command tone. "Get out of here before I get my falchion."
His wicked smile faded. She had never threatened to kill him before and she knew that he would take such a threat seriously. For she had slain his master before him and would show no hesitation to slay another vile creature from the underworld.
The Kwizarra Lonn retreated silently to the hidden door near the back of her room. How he managed to come and go through solid stone she had no idea. Sorcery was a skill that only the most powerful Soothsayers could command.
"The final test is to the death, my Empress," said the disembodied voice of the Kwizarra Lonn.
She felt the breeze again and the dark shadow was gone.
***
The second test was one of teamwork. But the contestants were not told this. Instead, they were tasked with a typical military mission to assault a target and retrieve an item from the enemy. There were no rules, per se. Just that the winners had to return with the object.
The opposing forces were captured enemy soldiers from the farthest planetary system that the Empire was currently fighting in. The Benzotii race were scattered around three star systems. The Votainions had been at war with the Benzotii for hundreds of years and never seemed to be able to rid the galaxy of them. Clans would pop up every few decades and fight tooth and nail until the very last one was killed.
The average Benzotii stood seven feet tall on two legs and a sturdy tail that they often used to leverage balance in combat. They had two sets of opposing arms and two heads, a primary and a secondary that gave them nearly a three
Votainions were not a very romantic race. But they did believe in destiny and sacred love. Their literature was filled with great romances between warriors and their lovers. Some with happy endings and some with tragic endings. Hers could not be allowed to end in tragedy. Ketar had to win the contest outright. She knew that he would, no matter how difficult the task. It was only a matter of time before they were together forever and she could focus her attentions on expanding the empire.
She felt a sudden drop in temperature as a cool breeze swept over her from across her room. Her heart turned cold as she realized who it was that had slipped into her bed chambers.
Standing across the room in his black cloak was the Kwizarra Lonn. She knew he had a secret entry into her bed chambers, but she had never caught him in the act of entering by one.
"My Empress, I was hoping you were still awake. We need to talk."
She sat up and stared coldly across the room at the shadowy figure.
"Get out of my chambers! How dare you enter without permission?"
The figure floated forward as if on air.
"I felt it best that only you knew that I was here, my Empress."
Her mental shields were up and fully hardened. She was ready for anything he had to say to her.
"What is it?"
"I know about the boy you sneaked in here earlier. I know who he is and I know how long you've been seeing him over the communication link."
Nykostra's face flushed with anger, her normally pale blue skin nearly white. Her anger boiled just below the surface.
"I have come to warn you away from him, my Empress. For he will not survive the competition. He is young and weak and no match at all for Lord Surg."
"Be gone you gray brute! Who I see and where I see them is of no concern to anyone but me. Lord Ketar will defeat all your efforts to keep him from me, so don't bother trying."
The old man smiled wickedly as he stopped before her bed, his arms crossed before him. She peered into his mind and repeated her sentiment but it was like penetrating one of the solid stone bricks in the wall of the castle. Hard and immutable.
Nykostra rose to her knees and faced the Soothsayer. Her voice lowered to the command tone. "Get out of here before I get my falchion."
His wicked smile faded. She had never threatened to kill him before and she knew that he would take such a threat seriously. For she had slain his master before him and would show no hesitation to slay another vile creature from the underworld.
The Kwizarra Lonn retreated silently to the hidden door near the back of her room. How he managed to come and go through solid stone she had no idea. Sorcery was a skill that only the most powerful Soothsayers could command.
"The final test is to the death, my Empress," said the disembodied voice of the Kwizarra Lonn.
She felt the breeze again and the dark shadow was gone.
***
The second test was one of teamwork. But the contestants were not told this. Instead, they were tasked with a typical military mission to assault a target and retrieve an item from the enemy. There were no rules, per se. Just that the winners had to return with the object.
The opposing forces were captured enemy soldiers from the farthest planetary system that the Empire was currently fighting in. The Benzotii race were scattered around three star systems. The Votainions had been at war with the Benzotii for hundreds of years and never seemed to be able to rid the galaxy of them. Clans would pop up every few decades and fight tooth and nail until the very last one was killed.
The average Benzotii stood seven feet tall on two legs and a sturdy tail that they often used to leverage balance in combat. They had two sets of opposing arms and two heads, a primary and a secondary that gave them nearly a three
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