MasukShare
Chapter 71: She Can't Abandon Ship
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2024-10-29 19:42:56“Take the children and go to the basement,” he commanded Ellis. He was already punching buttons on the communicator.
“I’m coming with you.”
“No, you’re not,” Logan retorted. “It is not safe. Please… I won’t be able to keep my mind on the fight unless I know you are safe. Nin?” he glanced up.
“The Emperor is correct,” Nin spoke, oddly calm. “You must stay here where we can protect the children.”
Yes, Ellis sank. She had to protect the children.
Logan was speaking frantically into the communicator. “We’re under attack. Launch everything. It if flies, it needs to be in the air.”
Another explosion. This time, it was in the opposite direction.
Laurel ran to the window. “It’s the space port!”
Leo and Dorian ran through the connecting closet into their apartment. Ellis could see them head directly and pe
Bab terkait
The King's Brightest Star Chapter 72: Capturing the Empress
Understanding and shock dawned in Laurel’s eyes. “Ellis…” she whispered.Ellis tried to smile.“What about you?” Tears streaked Laurel’s face.“There’s another pod on the other wall,” Ellis lied. “Just go.” She suddenly understood what Logan had felt when he demanded she go to the underground city.She shoved Laurel toward the pod and heaved her up inside of it. Laurel began to fasten the restraints as Ellis scooped the babies up, tarp and all, kissing each one before she dropped them in Ellis's lap and covered them with a pillow. Then she pulled the hood down and snapped it shut. She stepped back, giving Laurel a little wave, hoping Laurel couldn't see the tears in her eyes, and hit the launch button with the palm of her hand. The pod shot up the track so fast that it seemed to simply disappear.The pod was designed to fly on autopilot to the space port in orbit above Zothea.
The King's Brightest Star Chapter 73: Wading Through Dangerous Waters
She gave a sideward glance at Ellis and then walked away behind the creature. Ellis knew that Nin would fare better if she didn’t need to protect Ellis. She could finish off these things and then come back to her side.Ellis crouched down beside Leo, trying to shake him awake. Despite multiple times, he could only open his glazed eyes and babble.“Ellis,” he whispered. “You have to go.”“I can’t leave you here!” she said. She glanced up and saw the reflection of the flames was closer.“You have to! Logan—”Ellis shook her head and said nothing."Glad I... didn't win you," Leo said. "Empire… needed you ... more."“Please try…” she whispered.“Done for…” he said, closing his eyes. “to be safe.”Ellis nodded. “I promise. I will be safe.”“Thank…”She waited,
The King's Brightest Star Chapter 74: Death, Destruction, and Rescue
Ellis flipped over and jumped to her feet, but sank again when all her strength went out of her limbs at the sight in front of her.The city was in ruin, a tangled mass of blackened rubble. She pushed herself to her feet and turned in a circle, no idea where she was.There were no landmarks she recognized. She could even tell where the streets had been. She should be able to see the temple: the tunned had seemed endless but it wasn’t that far.Her mind flashed to Micheal and Isabella and she gasped. What had happened to them?What kind of weapon had done this? Zothean aircrafts were armed with ammunition to blow up asteroids and protect their ships but this was something different.Zotheans didn’t have nuclear weapons. But she couldn’t think of anything else that could cause such destruction. Was she absorbing radiation and being cooked inside out? She hoped she didn’t find out.She shivered in the icy wind, her cloth
The King's Brightest Star Chapter 75: The Promise of An Empress
“Lower me,” Ellis commanded, handing the child she held to another woman and laid her blanket aside. “Hold on to my ankles.”“No, Ellis,” Dorian protested.“I’m the only one small enough to fit through.”“Ellis, Logan will kill me if I allow you to risk yourself.”“It’s not dangerous,” she argued. “I’ll be fine.”His tail swayed in indecision.“I’m the Empress. Now, do it!” She laid down and wiggled through the hole before he could argue further.Dorian grabbed one of her ankles and another man took the other and they slowly lowered Ellis toward the terrified woman.Ellis’s hair hung around her face, blinding her.She gathered it the best she could and tied it in a knot behind her neck, stuffing the tail of it down the back of her tunic.She stretched out her arms… almost there. &ldq
The King's Brightest Star Chapter 76: An Attempt to Help
One of the walls of the temple was still standing with part of the second floor jutting out, making a crude shelter under which Micheal had set up his hospital, though it had long since expanded far beyond the temple grounds. They found him there, ragged and stained with blood as he passed from bed to bed, offering what comfort he could until they could be seen by a doctor.He glanced up and saw Ellis and Dorian. “Empress!” Micheal said as if talking to himself. “Good.”“I brought more people to help,” Ellis offered, gesturing at her group.“Good,” he repeated. He wore the same dazed look most of the survivors had. For a moment, Ellis was in despair. She was in need of his guidance, but it seemed that she was on her own.He moved to the next bed, checked the pulse of the person lying on it. “This one is dead,” he said dispassionately.Ellis winced at the lack of emotion in his voice. She k
The King's Brightest Star Chapter 77: Find the Parents
“Ellis?” She heard it. The voice she longed to hear. She spun and there he was, a bit worse for wear but alive and safe.“Logan!” She threw herself into his arms and he scooped her up to shower kisses on her face.He murmured her name, his face ducked in her neck, nuzzling and purring. His tail wrapped around her leg.She burst into tears as she squeezed him and kissed him. The baby in her arms squawked in protest when he was squished against Logan’s chest.Logan looked at the infant and his eyes widened in distress. “Ellis, this is not our baby.”Ellis laughed through her tears. “I know. Ours are with Laurel. I found this one and I can’t put him down because he cries every time I try.”He gave her a smile..Communication was slow and tentative because the grid was still down and runners had to be sent with messages, but there were no other reports of attacks on other
The King's Brightest Star Chapter 78: The Monsters of the War
“We should put a tracker on you and a tag to your clothes that informs people where to return you in case you get lost.”Ellis smacked his shoulder lightly.“You are easy to track, Micheal commented. “Look.” He pointed towards several flat stones that bote bloody footprints.”Logan shuddered.“What is it?” Ellis asked.“God, it must have been horrible…” he said.“Don’t think about it. I’m fine. All of us are fine. Let’s focus on that.”“Found them!” Micheal called. As Logan drew closer, Ellis confirmed that these were indeed the parents. Micheal rolled the bodies over and paused.Logan nearly dropped Ellis. “What is it?” she asked frantically.“It’s Sean… Micheal’s youngest son.” Logan said. “But what is he doing here? And when did he get a mate?”Miche
The King's Brightest Star Chapter 79: Right to a Fair Trial
They were taken to a minister’s home in the neighboring city. He and his mate had not been found, so Ellis felt uncomfortable using their house without permission. The Council wanted them to leave Zothea entirely, but this was as far as Logan and Ellis were willing to go. They could not leave their people in their time of need.Laurel was on her way back from the space station, and Leo and Dorian were headed to the second planet. Ellis wanted to wait for both of them, but Logan insisted they needed some rest.Ellis was certain she wouldn't be able to sleep, even as exhausted as she was because she was too wired, too anxious, too nervous. She agreed to it only because she knew Logan needed it. She decided she'd just lay there quietly with him. It would be warm and peaceful, at least, and give her time to think.They chose a small nest in one of the guest bedrooms. Logan laid Ellis amongst the pillows and she was out before Logan even had even settled down b
Bab terbaru
The King's Brightest Star Short Scene: Solace
Technology had advanced, but Ellis and Cristine still waited for the day when they could travel to their timelines and see their parents for one last time. To ensure them that they weren’t in a hopeless state, dead or have run away from home.But the technology never allowed it. There were basic rules of the planet that couldn’t be breached.So, they plotted.Cristine had used all her free time to learn how to operate Zothean ships. She was adept at aeronautics and engineering and negotiation, so Ellis and Logan had leaned heavily on her in their negotiations. It could be said that the Empire was in a time of peace under their rule.One day, Cristine came up with the idea.“These jumpers travel to the universes all the time without breaking the fragment of the universe. The only rule is to not meet yourself or members of your own family after you have been pronounced dead, right?” she asked.Ellis nodded. “Yes,
The King's Brightest Star The Lesson Logan Must Learn [Part 4]
He hadn't seen her again until it was over until the city was in ruins and the palace itself was leveled to the ground. The underground city had been hit; Mitch must have known that Logan would try to send his family there. As he made his way to the ruins of the temple, he hoped and prayed that Ellis had disregarded his directions.So many had perished. So much had been lost.The Goddess lay back and propped her head on her hands as she looked up at the stars. "Perhaps someday, I'll show you Ellis's memories of it. She never told you the entire story of what she went through that day. I'll just say that she made me proud again for being so brave and resourceful."His mind was drawn back to the moment he had found Ellis in the rubble of the temple, his relief at finding her safe so deep and intense that he couldn't even form a proper prayer of gratitude.He had wanted to give her a shake when she told him of sending Laurel and the babies away in the escape
The King's Brightest Star The Lesson Logan Must Learn [Part 3]
Isabella drove out the Council members and the cameras, her manner so brisk and officious that no one dared question her, and shut the door firmly. She sat down beside Logan and drew him into her arms, just as she had done when he was a little boy and hurting from his parents' neglect. He was too large now to snuggle into her as he once had done, so he laid his head on top of hers and wrapped his tail around her arm."It can't have been him," he said. "It can't."She pulled back to look up into his face. Her eyes were soft with compassion. She said nothing. She didn't have to.Logan buried his hands in his hair and tugged. The pain was the only thing that felt real. But Isabella gently reached up and tugged his hands away. He wanted to scream, to attack something with his claws and shred it to bits. The pain was swelling within him to the point where he thought he might burst if he couldn't let it out in some way.Isabella pulled him back into her arms an
The King's Brightest Star The Lesson Logan Must Learn [Part 2]
He was twelve and Isabella had taken him to the market with her to buy herbs. Logan wandered over to the next stall, which sold jewelry. There was a set of jewels that his eyes kept being drawn back to as he examined the merchant's wares. It was a headband of red-black stones with a matching bracelet and ring.He imagined giving that set to his mate. Would she squeal in delight the way his mother did when his father presented her with jewels? Would she throw her arms around him and press her mouth to his? (The latter Logan thought was a bit disgusting, but Micheal had said humans liked "kissing.")Last night, he'd asked Micheal, his voice low and shy, for this question meant much to him: "Micheal, what will my mate be like?" He knew she'd likely be human. Though Earth had been one of the later additions to the database, the majority of their matches now came from its people."She will be the most beautiful creature you've ever seen," Micheal said, and his eyes t
The King's Brightest Star The Lessons Logan Must Learn [Part 1]
Despite Laurel's reassurances, Ellis didn’t leave Logan’s side until the doctor arrived. Laurel held her, gently stroking Ellis's back, murmuring soft, soothing nonsense."He has it, doesn't he?" Ellis asked the doctor after he'd run his reader over Logan's prone body. Logan's tail twitched at the sound of her voice, but he didn't react otherwise. He mumbled unintelligible words."Yes, Empress, he does," the doctor said. He looked exhausted, but his eyes were kind."Oh, my God," Ellis whispered. Hopelessness set in."There's no reason to panic," the doctor said firmly. "As long as we can keep his fever under control and keep him hydrated, he will be fine. Zotheans rarely die from this."It was all reassurance.Ellis nodded. She knew that. Logan had explained it to her when the outbreak first began, and the talk videos said the same. Just like the human common cold, there was no cure for it, and it simply had to run its course. Bu
The King's Brightest Star Izzy's Mating [Part 5]
The king brought Izzy breakfast in bed the next morning. She sat up groggily and accepted a cup of tea. She had to admit being impressed by his courtesy and thoughtfulness. She really needed the tea. She had stayed up late into the night and was no closer to an answer than she had been when she first lay down.She spent the day with the king, taking him to see some of Zothea's museums and cultural institutions. She was pretty sure that it was Drake who was following them all day. Once, she saw him duck behind a tree, and a tail with light hair poked out to the side. The bodyguard knew that Drake wasn't a threat and the king's bodyguard seemed to have decided to ignore him. The king, for his part, seemed to agree with them and didn't question the very large man trying to hide behind fence posts, but it made Izzy's heart ache. If the king was the one she chose, this would be Drake's life, lurking on the periphery of hers.The king was as he described himself: easy to get
The King's Brightest Star Izzy's Mating [Part 4]
Drake was already gone when Izzy and Ellis came back to the dining room and her heart ached that she wouldn't be able to say goodbye to him, but maybe Micheal and Isabella had decided that Izzy would only get more upset. She gnawed on her tail as they passed through the room to where the king was waiting for her in the hallway outside. He had been seated on a bench and he stood politely when she joined him. Another of his kind stood behind him, his skin as green as the forest leaves."This is my bodyguard," he offered. The bodyguard in question ignored Izzy, but sized up her female bodyguard and apparently wasn't impressed with what he saw."Follow me," Izzy directed. The king walked down the hall beside her and Izzy noticed that she was at least a foot taller than he was.She arrived at her nest room to find that all of Drake's things had been cleaned out already and she felt a piercing ache in her heart. She sat down on a cushion beside her table, despondent.
The King's Brightest Star Izzy's Mating [Part 3]
Logan put out an announcement that tonight would be a state dinner and so the temple dining room was packed with people, all of them speculating as to the cause. He and the empress rarely had them and when they did it was usually for a special announcement. The last had been to announce the empress was expecting Prince Edward and the one before that, to announce that Nessie was being appointed to the emperor's Council.Izzy ate mechanically. She wasn't hungry, but Aunt Cristine was right: she had to make sure the baby got what it needed. Drake was alight with excitement and impatient for the meal to end. The entire extended family was seated around the table, all of them wearing their finery. Her mother wore the glow stone tunic she'd worn to her own mating ceremony and Aunt Laurel was dressed in a purple tunic so bright that it hurt the eyes to look at it. Leo kept flirtatiously tickling Cristine's neck with his tail and then looking away innocently whenever she looked up fr
The King's Brightest Star Izzy's Mating [Part 2]
"I saw a doctor less than an hour ago." Izzy unwound her tail from her leg with effort and gnawed on the end of it anxiously.Her father stood and without a word, headed for the door."Daddy, wait, please!" Nessie pleaded. "I'm so sorry! Talk to me.""I can't." Logan's eyes were on the door and his tail lashed in either agitation or anger; she couldn't tell which."Please," Izzy pleaded. "I need to know what you're thinking. Do—do you still love me?""Of course, I do," Logan said tightly. He twisted the doorknob."Don't leave," Izzy begged."Sweetheart, your father just needs a little time," Ellis interjected. "Let him go, and we'll all talk over this later."Goddess, didn't her mother understand that her anxiety was increasing exponentially every moment? She wouldn't survive a wait of a few hours. "Daddy… please.""You want to know what I'm thinking?" Logan turned from the door and marched back to stand in
