Chapter 39
Drex pulled Lillian’s transport into the termination center’s loading bay. It was a bland construction well beyond the city’s limits. The mammoth structures in the heart of the city had turned to a faint lavender outline to the west. Drex opened the back hatch and locked eyes with Katherine as if to tell her to remain calm. Yatha was the first to exit the transport.
“Very efficient driving,” he said, eyeing the unfamiliar guard. “And not one incident. I’ll see that you get a recommendation.”
“Yes, sir,” Drex gave the appropriate salute. “Happy to do my duty, sir.” Saw waved him away and sought out the guard on duty to manage Lillian’s transfer into the facility.
Katherine exited next, having detached Lillian’s restraints from the transport. She guided Lillian out, making sure she didn’t stumble or bump her head. Lillian found Katherine’s eyes and placed her hand where Saw’s weapon had marked her so long ago. Though there were layers of cloth between Lillian’s hand and the fetterseal, Lillian’s touch caused the mark to burn a little, like the first kiss of sun on a bright summer’s day. Katherine didn’t know what to say to Lillian, or if she should say anything at all. She’d borne so much resentment toward her, for the attention she’d taken from Evan. But she also regretted the failed rescue plan and hated to see anyone executed.
“Thank you,” Lillian said to Katherine, her voice warm and relaxed. “Rest your mind. Your assistance will not go unnoticed.”
Lillian lowered her hand just before Saw returned with the transfer guard in tow.
“This is her, then?” the transfer guard asked. “She looks so much different than what you get on the screen, you know what I’m saying? Taller, mostly.” He checked his device and continued talking. “Yeah, the guys have been talking about this moment for a while. Who would get the transfer duty. Turns out it was me. How about that?
“Yes, how about that?” Saw grumbled. “Let’s take her inside and secure.” The guard led Saw and Lillian through a series of lifts and corridors, leading them carefully through the underground labyrinth of the termination center.
“As you wish, sir. It’s not every day we get a prisoner of, what’s the word, it’s on the tip of me… notoriety! That’s it. Notoriety. Normally, it’s the rough of the rough, as I’m sure you can imagine. Not very pleasant. Imagine what my friends will think of me when I tell them I was the one who handled the transfer.” The guard gave a sidelong look at Lillian, “I know this is all very difficult for you, but it’s a big day for me.”
“Please take a breath,” Saw said. “I would like to have my own thoughts.”
“Very good, sir. My mother always said I liked to hear the sound of my own voice. But, I’m sure you know the feeling, sir, I have so many thoughts running through my mind, and I have to hear them all before I know what to think of them.”
Saw groaned to himself as the guard displayed his inability to keep a single thought to himself. It took some doing, but eventually, Saw was able to imagine the litany of words as wind blowing through trees, and he was once again able to distinguish his thoughts from the guard’s. Saw wanted to relish this moment. This was his triumph. Nova or any other rebel could do nothing to reverse Lillian’s demise. And with Zungher Dol out of the way, he would be able to cement Merlain’s dominance over the Seven Realms. Saw allowed a smile to spread across his face as he imagined his future in the ultimate seat of power.
“Here we are, sir,” Saw heard the guard say. Saw looked up at the cell number. 2185.
“This is not the one I want,” Saw said.
“It’s the one she’s been assigned, sir.”
“I understand, but I don’t want this one. Please move her to the next one.”
For the first time since he’d joined Saw and Lillian, the guard was without words. “What’s the matter?” Saw snapped. “Get moving.”
“Yes, sir,” the guard stammered. “It’s just that, well, sir, I’m not allowed to…”
“I don’t care what you’re allowed to do. Do you have access to the next cell?” The guard nodded. “Is the next cell available?” Again, the guard nodded. “Then put her in it. I’ll fix it with your superiors when we come back up. Understood?” The guard, visibly shaken, nodded a third time and fumbled for his access key. Cell 2187 was opened, and Saw looked at Lillian and said, “After you, your Highness.” Lillian stepped inside.
The cell was unimpressive and spartan. Seeing no place to sit, Lillian stood and faced her captors. “Don’t fret, Princess,” Saw said, “you won’t be in this dreary place for long.” He turned to the guard and smiled. “You want to impress your friends? Tell them this cell number 2187. Remember it. Sear it into your memory. Tell everyone you know that you were the hero who placed the Princess in her final holding cell on the eve of her execution. I want that number memorized by every future generation, do you hear me?”
“Loud and clear, sir,” the guard saluted.
“Now, away with you. I have some final business with the Princess.”
The guard saluted once more and left the great adversaries alone. Saw gave an icy smile to Lillian and said, “I want you to know that I know about your, let’s call it a negotiation, with Chieftan Dol. I know that you and he were working out some sort of deal where you remained alive but remained under his thumb. You would run back to your father but would lead at the bidding of the Chieftain. I don’t blame you for entertaining the notion, but I want to make something very clear to you: Chieftain Dol is dead. I killed him with my own hands. Any deal that existed between the two of you is null and void. I want all Coellum to know that Merlain is victorious. I want that nuisance Nova to be cowed into never defacing another public building with his repulsive protests. I want to make it clear that I am in charge, and I intend to lead Merlain to even greater glory than this one.
“So, because you’ll miss out on all of this, since you’ll be dead, I thought I’d let you know what’s about to happen. First, that mouthpiece who led us here will tell all of his friends what I told him. I didn’t lie when I said I wanted everyone to know this cell number, but there’s more to it than that. I want to increase the chances that Nova discovers it and makes a desperate mistake. Do you know what his last insult was? You would have loved to see it. It was a depiction of you getting free of my authority and flying away to freedom. I can only hope that that means someone, perhaps Nova himself, plans to make a daring rescue.”
At this Saw could not help a small snicker as he marveled at his own cleverness. “But one thing I’ll tell you that no one else knows. I asked one of my assistants to change the numbers on the cells in the official records. Do you know what that means? Of course, you don’t. It means that this cell’s number will lead Nova to the cell next to this, and next door is not your regular cell. No, no, no. It’s a cell, I admit, I designed, in secret, mind you, for yourself. A special cell intended, really, to help you go out of your mind, and if we would be so fortunate, you would have taken your own life and spared us the expense of the public execution. As it is, perhaps Nova will end up there instead. He will die (good riddance), you’ll be helplessly forced to listen to the whole agonizing episode, and then you’ll be led to your own demise. I’m sorry to smile; it’s just that I can’t believe, after all this time, things are finally working out. Think of it, I’m about to become the next Chieftain, you’ll die, your father will likely meet the same fate, and some pitiful rebel will be added to the pile, and it’s all your own doing, Princess.”
Saw Yatha spread his arms in victory, “So, Princess Lillian, enjoy your last day. I will leave you now to your thoughts, and the next time we see each other, you’ll know you only have mere moments to live.”
With a flourish, Saw backed out of the cell, ensuring Lillian could not successfully attack him, and watched the cell door clatter into its jamb. As he walked away from Lillain’s cell, Saw rested his hand on the door of 2187 and gave it a parental pat. Then he turned his steps toward the exit and his thoughts to making the transfer of his power to Chieftain evident to everyone else.
