Defender of the Empire: Cadet #1 by Catherine Beery Page A

said while mentally commanding his personal inner-com to lock onto the secure channel. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his aid initiate the dampening field around the study. No one but he and Balen would hear this conversation on their end. “Most High WarKing, Zar’Shash, it is an honor to hear from you.” He said once the link was established.
                  “Admiral, I hear you have good news for Us regarding our mutual causes.” Zar’Shash, the WarKing of the Zar’daka clicked.
                  “That I do. We have found the spear point for our operation. All we have to do is take it and shape it to our purposes.”
                  “And what is this ‘sspear point’?”
                  Adrian smiled. “The third son of Emperor Vailence, Gaelen. He has yet to reveal the Gift of the Imperial family and is young enough to be turned to our way of thinking.”
                  “What is your point, Admiral? We have long thought he would make the perfect tool, but he has always been well protected.” Zar’Shash pointed out.
                  Adrian’s smile grew larger. “That is no longer true, Honored War King. He has left behind his protection and has joined the Legion Fleet Academy in the guise of a normal student. This gives us ample opportunity to take him.”
                  There was a pause and then he heard Zar’Shash’s pleased purrs. Admiral Knight and Balen shared a smile. The day of the Movement was coming ever closer.
     
    ***
                  Trapped within the core of the cursed Lous-eci’dalb , Kylesst sank into himself. His ancient mind sought for ways to counteract the dark plan his captors were hatching. The young prince was in danger, but how could he save the lad and the people of the empire? As pathetic as it was and sounded, he could not escape the knife as he was trapped under layers of other, unlucky Spectrals.
                  No matter how he looked at it he could do nothing trapped in the blade. So, he just had to free himself. Easier said than done . He thought darkly. He could not break out with the blade fully charged with numerous Spectrals. He had tried many times over the years. It was an exercise in futility. Long ago he had rationalized that if he could peel off the other Spectrals and link them to something else, he could than weaken the blade’s hold on him and be able to break free. The only hitch in the plan was that he had nowhere to link them to… till now.
                  For years he had languished in his very own hell. And there had been absolutely nothing he could do to stop the murders of Shades or to help his kindred. Their screams had grown louder and louder till he was nearly insane.
                  Then this very day God had given him hope again. Rylynn. The only corporeal being he had encountered in hundreds of years who could hear him. As with any corporeal who could link to a Spectral, there had been a thin half link that a Spectral could connect to. But unlike normal, hers had already, somehow, been tied to him. Kylesst was not one to stick his nose up at a proffered gift from the divine. He had immediately strengthened it. Once he was free it would become a cord that could only be broken when one partner died. But for now it was a half link.
    Rylynn may have come too late to save the woman, but not too late for the mouse. Kylesst had been able to drape the mouse’s broken cord over his link with Rylynn. It wasn’t something most could have done. In fact, it had been thought impossible. But he had done it. And, looking at the writhing, wailing wall of imprisoned Spectrals, he would do it again. Each freed Spectral would pay him back by adding strength to the bond till he was either free or, at the very least, able to warn Rylynn of the coming trouble. And he wouldn’t need Knight to be close to her in order to do it.