Page 88 of Night’s Fall (The Four Realms #1)
The holo pixilated like falling dust into the table, and a new one sprang up in 3D, full color, of a male in an elaborate mask and tuxedo alighting from a boat and going to talk to the RS agent who was guarding the dock.
“This male has been identified as Randal Tapshine , an Arnaud sympathizer,” the female reported.
I had to hold back another gasp as Tapshine engaged his demon speed and snapped the neck of the RS agent. He then turned some kind of weapon on the other agent who was in the guardhouse, and faster than a blink, she went down too.
Tapshine then moved into the guardhouse, and it was sickening how matter-of-factly he yanked her body out so he could enter it.
“At this point,” the female reporting said, “ Tapshine hacked into security, commandeering cameras to display false images. He also jammed nautical detection beacons and the frequency sensors on the west side of the island.”
That holo dropped and the island came back up again.
“Therefore, the trolls approached by boat and were able to breach the island here first.” She pointed to the red area, and another red area sprang up at the western end of the island.
“ This was their second point of entry.” A third illuminated on the northwestern side.
“ And this was their last. The landing was coordinated, and we found comm tech in their boats that were set to a short-range frequency to corroborate that.”
She took a deep breath and gave her conclusion.
“We believe the trolls were meant to decimate the beings populating the isle and then occupy it. The boats were captained by demons, and once the drop-off had been accomplished, they made their escape.”
“Considering what’s been happening, and the increased security we were meant to have because of it, in twenty-four hours I’ll want a report on how island security was so easily breached by a single male,” King Fillion said tightly.
The female nodded solemnly. “ I can already report, the digi-disk he used to hack our systems was something we’ve never encountered before.
He took it with him, and it self-destructed when he was apprehended half an hour ago.
We already have our techs working on the remnants, and any trails it left in the system, and obviously, they’re treating this code red.
Our lads in the lab are good, your majesty.
If there’s something to find, they’ll find it. ”
“And the voice recognition that clearly did not detect a recorded voice?” the Prime Minister demanded.
“This, too, we’re looking into,” she replied.
“Your highnesses,” a male across the table from us broke in, and he appeared to be addressing both Aleksei and Tanyn . “ Arnaud approaches the border to Sky’s Edge .”
My eyes flew to the screen displaying the lone craft being tracked. A craft that I now knew was transporting the pretender king.
Aleksei and Tanyn exchanged a glance.
Tanyn jutted his chin.
“Send in the units,” Aleksei said.
The image moved from a screen on the side to the one at the foot of the table and everyone watched as craft from all around appeared from out of nowhere, surrounding the red UtiliSport .
I could see RMI craft, Night’s Fall military craft, but also others that appeared to be not only from Sky’s Edge , but from Central Command (the law enforcement agency of the Center ).
“Open channel to Alpha Squad ,” one of the uniformed females called. Then she ordered, “ Report .”
A voice filled the room. “ The subject has been informed he’s being detained due to infractions of InterRealm Statutes 1A, sections eight, twelve and fifteen, 2C, sections three and seven, 5E, section four, 9B, section two, and to be questioned regarding the murder of Tula Longshot .
His craft has been shielded and locked down.
Tractor beams are engaged. Reversing course. ”
Tula Longshot ?
Who was Tula Longshot ?
I watched as the formation of crafts switched directions and started gliding the other way.
“I’m out,” Tanyn announced, prowling toward the door.
“Tan,” Aleksei called.
The prince turned back.
“Good luck,” Aleksei bid.
Another chin jut from the prince, and he was out the door.
“And you’re on,” Germaine said in the direction of the king and the Prime Minister .
Both males stood, so we all did, and Germaine and two of the uniformed beings left the room with them.
When the door closed behind them, we sat again, and I leaned into Aleksei , “ Who’s Tula Longshot ?”
Aleksei turned to me. “ Arnaud’s fiancée.”
Holy Hecate .
“She’s dead?”
“She was found beaten to death in the king’s suite at the Imperial .”
At that, I couldn’t help it.
I gasped.
“He did it?” I asked.
“Evidence gathered at the scene indicates that yes, he did. Without a doubt.”
“He beat a twelve-year-old child to death?” I snapped.
“Yes.”
My voice was rising. “ Why would he do that?”
“Perhaps when he returns to Nocturn , we’ll find out.”
Good gods.
That poor child.
My eyes went to the door then back to my mate. “ Where are the king and the Prime Minister going?”
“To do a live broadcast to announce the pretender king, Arnaud , launched an attack on the Celestial Palace tonight. Along with the fact that, for centuries, Sky’s Edge has been clandestinely harboring and breeding trolls for military use.
And Night’s Fall considers this an act of war, and as such, the Edge is in criminal breach of at least four statutes of the InterRealm Accord of 1933.
Further , Arnaud will be returned to Nocturn to be questioned in the murder of Tula Longshot , before he’s moved to the Center to answer to charges pertaining to the breaches of the Accord .
However , if Prince Tanyn is crowned king within forty-eight hours, and any remaining trolls are transported to the Center for assessment and confinement, Night’s Fall will not be moved to retaliate against the realm of Sky’s Edge . ”
I was having trouble breathing, but still I managed to get out, “ Where are kings Dagsbrun and Niall ?”
“They’re returning to their realms to discuss with their president and prime minister respectively, making public announcements of alliance with Night’s Fall in its war with Sky’s Edge .”
Well, one could say, while we were drinking, chatting, and I was reading about Aerin and Iphelia , Aleksei and all the rest had been busy.
My gaze drifted to the crafts gliding back to Nocturn .
And I asked anxiously, “ Does this seem a bit easy to you?”
“It does and it doesn’t,” he replied.
I returned my attention to him.
“The defense bots are a new acquisition to Sceptred Isle ,” he stated.
That was surprising.
“They are?”
He nodded. “ Yes . They were assigned here after the first assassination attempt on me. This was known by the military, the RS , Father and me. Not Errol .”
Hmm.
“As such,” he carried on, “we believe Arnaud didn’t know we had an army of bots readily available to defend the island.
Bots whose modern weapon capability would easily penetrate troll skin.
We had agents providing security, but the additional bots doubled their number, and completely outnumbered the trolls, something he didn’t envisage.
However , although preliminarily, the trolls were expected to occupy the island, they were not ultimately expected to survive, or triumph, as obviously, the military would have eventually launched a counteroffensive. ”
When I nodded, he carried on.
“Therefore, their mission was simply to wreak havoc and make a statement. We believe Arnaud anticipated and planned for a good deal more carnage, if not the annihilation of three royal families, as well as what was perhaps his main target, Tanyn . We know he had a least one operator among the guests at the Masque . We believe this male reported back to Arnaud that his plan had not succeeded, and in a fit of rage, and the timing of death appears to corroborate this, he murdered his ‘true love,’ beat a hasty retreat to his craft and attempted to flee back to Sky’s Edge . ”
“Why would he come all the way down to Night’s Fall if he never intended to show at the Masque ?” I asked.
“It makes no sense,” Aleksei agreed. “ But some killers return to the scene of the crime or involve themselves in the investigation to get some sick thrill reliving their deeds. Perhaps it’s something like that.”
Perhaps it was.
I took a surreptitious look around at the remaining personnel in the room, all of which were conferring, or working on tablets, the displays in front of them or their Palms , though I noted Bainon and Cormac had left the room.
Then I leaned closer to Aleksei , “ Why am I here?”
He didn’t answer me.
He turned to the last being in uniform and asked (but it was an order), “ You’ll contact me when he’s officially in custody?”
“Yes, your highness,” the male replied.
With that, Aleksei stood, taking my hand to pull me to my feet.
We were both silent as we walked back to the Palace , Fannon leading us.
He took his post with Geleena outside as we entered the suite. Aleksei closed the door behind us and went directly to the cabinet in the sitting room that concealed the contents of a bar.
“Want something?” he asked me.
I shook my head.
He poured himself two fingers of whisky.
He then walked to the windows, pushed a hand in the pocket of his jeans, and sipped while he stared out of them.
“Aleksei?” I called, feeling strange because his mood was strange.
I mean, obviously, it would be.
But also, he was with me, and I’d hoped he’d learned that he could lay anything on me.
“You stream,” he said to the windows.
Oh dear.
“Honey.”
He turned to me.
Before he could speak, I said, “ Like I told you in the courtyard, I didn’t know I did.
It was a surprise to me as well. And I had no control over transforming.
I don’t know what came over me, but the instant those trolls got hold of you, there was nothing I could do.
She wouldn’t allow anything, but what we did. ”