Denied - 77. Chapter 77

“We will discuss that more later.” Rilecca’s father sat in a chair pulled up at the center of the long table. It was actually set up higher than the other chairs so he could look down on everyone. He shifted his gaze to Anyas who stood to one side of the group, a weapon in his hand. “Lord Anyas, we worried for a time that you were harmed by these beings.” He raised one brow and pursed narrow, dry lips. “Or, perhaps, working with them.”

“I would not be so careless as to align myself with beings who couldn’t help me achieve my aims.”

“Be that as it may, you are in chambers with the council and none may be armed here but our guard. I’m curious how you came by a weapon that bypassed the security sweeps.” He gestured to one of the two guards waiting to guard the chamber from outside the doors once they were dismissed.

“A simple precaution based on what I knew of these barbarians, your eminence.” Anyas bowed and released the weapon he held to the guard who came to take it from him. “Nothing that could harm an Elite with our superior system.”

“We are not inferior,” Captain seethed.

“Such a statement is so patently false that I cannot be bothered to argue the point.” The old Elite waved a hand, and in that motion, I saw the similarity between the father and daughter. Their coloring was nothing alike, their features weren’t shared. But their mannerisms… the coldness, the arrogance. Locked in my brain, I could only observe and hate.

Plot my revenge.

If I did anything else, I’d start screaming in fear and not stop.

“I do not know why you are without your guards, Rilecca, but we can address that later. I see you have my assets subdued. Odd how that seems to have happened, since you were not allowed to assist in that project.”

“Subdued?” Her eyes went wide. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Do you think that Captain Querry would let his lover stand so far from him? That his security chief wouldn’t take up a guard position? That the AI wouldn’t be drawn like metal to a magnet to the hybrid?” He joined his fingers together, tapping the forefingers slowly. “And those blank stares are not human expressions, and I have scientists who did a very good job to make them human.”

“Really? From the records I read, the scientists did a lot of work to dehumanize him. Then you threw him into a cell. I had Anyas to protect me. The guards who broke in cowed them. They cannot fight back without losing. This is what defeat looks like, Father.” Her tinkling laugh fell flatly in the room.

Murmurs from the others and frowns were directed at Rilecca. Her father shook his head. “You admit to reading records? Then expect me to believe you are ignorant? You have no head for intrigue and deception.”

Rilecca tilted her head. “Oh, I don’t know about that, Father,” she said airily. “See, you might enjoy these little verbal jousts and games, but I am not afraid of your threats anymore. And I have deceived you far more than you know.” Her smile turned wicked, her wide eyes narrowed in the hate and spite that dripped off her tongue. “And death shall be the reward for your ignorance.”

A spate of that language flew from her, words I once again didn’t understand but didn’t need to for my body to act. Every motion was so swift the room passed by in a blur. I yanked the heavy metal table from its legs and used the slab to crush the council members to the right against their chairs. They flew into the wall behind them, all three bisected nearly in half as the metal hit and wedged through them and into the cream stone that crushed beneath its weight.

Danie moved like an automaton, stiff and unyielding. He grabbed the two members on the left, one in each hand, and lifted them from their chairs. They clawed at his hands, their nails gouging his skin, but beneath the flesh was metal and wires, not nerves, and he betrayed no pain as he crushed their lean throats. He dropped them, leaving them to gurgle and spit frothy blood as they died breathlessly on the edge of the dais.

Without the table in the way, I was able to jump from my place and loom over the Elite who had ordered my torture and pain. In a way, I relished the thought of his death. He deserved it. I reached for him as the screams finally began behind us, time catching up to our speed.

I yanked the Elite from his chair, smacking him to his knees so hard I could hear the bone of one ancient knee shatter. He wailed, writhing in my grip.

“No, no, stop. Please don’t kill my father,” Rilecca screamed.

What? That was… she brought us here to kill him! She’d given me the order! Danie stood beside me, his chest barely moving as he blinked slowly. Somehow, in the seconds we’d rampaged, Freska had moved from her place. She stood behind Danie, one hand on his neck, the wires buried in his ports. Like snakes, her wires slithered to me and slid home.

I arched, screaming in pain, my vocal cords my own once again instead of locked away from me by the command of another. She glared at Rilecca. “I won’t let you use them. Not anymore, not ever again.” Then the whispers began, deep inside my mind.

They wiped away the words, untwisting the jumble, breaking the controls. I gasped and let go of Rilecca’s father as Freska released me. I stumbled back, turning, unable to stop seeing the people I’d killed once again.

“No!” Rilecca screamed. “You’re ruining everything!” She stomped her foot. “Guards. Guards!”