part0031

“The men on the other side. My world. Dr. Jack Lassiter. Colonel Drew Dexter. Eugene Drisk. He’s the man that used to inhabit this body before me. You see, the military in my world created the rift, and now, well, they want to take up full occupancy here.”

“Why do they want to come here? Is your world so bad?” Queen Clarann asked.

Abraham scratched the scruff on the side of his jaw and said, “Something like that. My world has a lot of pleasures and conveniences that this world doesn’t offer. That’s not enough for some. They think they can do better. They want a new frontier to conquer, so to speak.”

The king straightened up in his chair and said, “You tell them the next time you see them that this king will never surrender. I say we find this tunnel and we take their world by force.” He slammed his fist on the table. “I’ll invade them!”

“They don’t have the process mastered. They can send weapons and other vehicles over, but they can’t send people. It’s this essence swap that they need control of.” Abraham poked his finger on the table. “There is still time to put a stop to it. We only need to find out where their lair is, and we know that it is in the Spine, but that is all.”

“This is outrageous.” Lewis gestured toward Abraham. “This fool barters with our enemies, who we haven’t even seen, and now he is negotiating on their behalf. He’s making up stories, Father.”

“No, he’s not,” the king said. “This otherworlder has done nothing but serve with honor. And he bears the brand. You cannot betray the crown without consequences.” He nodded. “There he sits, a true Guardian of Kingsland.”

Lewis shook his head.

“I only want what is best for both worlds,” Abraham continued. “Even if that means that I don’t make it back home. I do think there are more problems than the oncoming invasion that you need to be warned about.”

“It gets worse?”

“Apparently, there are more otherworlders like me. They are already working with the people on the other side. Part of that is the Sect. The Underlord, a wraith called Fleece, is controlled by a horned halfling named Big Apple. Big Apple’s real name is Edgar, and he’s from my world. Somehow, I don’t know how, he controls Fleece, who controls the Sect. He also leads the thieves’ guild called the Shell. All of those people are under his thumb from here to the Old Kingdom. He has spies everywhere, some from this world and others not. King Hector, you can’t trust anyone, except maybe your Henchmen.”

Pratt cleared his throat.

King Hector grabbed Clarann by the hand and said, “I can certainly trust my queen.”

“That goes without saying,” he said though he was thinking about the queen’s secret relationship with Ruger Slade and their daughter, Clarice. “You have to be careful who you trust from here on out. Very careful.”

“Anything else?” the king said with a bemoaning sigh.

“They want the King’s Steel.”

King Hector raised an eyebrow and asked, “Why?”

“The metal is precious, unlike any other metal. It contains qualities that they need to manage their Time Tunnel. The more steel they have, the longer they can keep the portal open. It’s the key ingredient they are missing.” Abraham drank the rest of his wine. “Wherever it is, I’d triple the guard on it.”

King’s Hector’s face sagged. “Oh.”

Abraham leaned forward. “Oh, what?”

“Nothing that concerns you.” King Hector clenched his fists. “These people in your world—if I find them, I’ll put a noose around their necks.” He wagged a finger at Abraham and said, “The next time you are in your world, you kill them. That’s an order.”

“Your Highness, I can’t just murder someone in my world. There are laws against that, the same as the laws you have here.”

Prince Lewis jumped up. “You will do as the king says! Are you defying his order?”

“No, I mean”—Abraham lifted his hands—“I can’t kill in cold blood.”

“This isn’t cold blood. This is war!” King Hector stood up. “I want the enemy dead!” The gems in his crown burned with new fire. His eyes glazed over. “I will have their heads. And you will bring them to me.”

The queen and princess pushed back in their seats.

“Hector, control yourself,” Queen Clarann said.

King Hector glared at the queen. “You dare speak to me in that tone? I am the king.” He hit the table. “I am the king!”

The table burst into cinders, and a force of energy knocked everyone back in their seats. The queen and the princess lay on the ground, holding onto one another, shaking. Shards of wood were sticking out of their faces.

Abraham rolled over on one side and plucked a splinter from his noggin. Everyone at the table was on the ground with splinters in their faces and specks of blood behind them, except for Melris. The Elderling sat in his chair, dusting the splinters off his robe and shaking them out of his hair.

King Hector’s fierce expression softened the moment he saw Clarann and Clarice lying on the ground bleeding. He dropped to his knees and reached toward the queen. “My love, I’m sorry!”