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  A tear fell from my eye, washing away the grit and pain. Soon more fell and I let them. I leaned my head back onto Marcus’s shoulder and allowed the grief for my father’s death, for Itury’s murder, for Salb’s betrayal and murder, for everything happening with Kas and the theft of my personal files, and Delilah’s continued absence. As the tears continued to fall, my sobs must have woken Marcus because he shifted and turned to me. Seeing my distress, he gathered me into his arms and pulled me against his chest, rubbing my back as he hummed soothing words.

  My tears eventually ran dry and I grabbed the skirt of my dress, pulling it up to clean my face. Marcus stopped me before I could wipe my eyes and produced a handkerchief from a pocket. He gently wiped my tears, then handed me the cloth.

  Don’t worry, Amira. We’ll get everything sorted out. Ryad will bring it all together and we’ll have answers soon.

  I nodded, needing to believe it was true. I missed Delilah and worried about her. Marshal had been put in an induced sleep by the Healers when he’d started having seizures. Whoever had Delilah would pay for harming her. Given the struggle Marshal felt, I wondered if Delilah would survive this ordeal.

  Marcus pulled me close and looked at his watch. It’s only a few hours until dawn. Would you like me to escort you to your room?

  If I move from this spot, I won’t sleep at all.

  Marcus settled back against the couch, his arm around my shoulder so my head rested perfectly against his chest. His heartbeat was slow and steady. Then let’s stay here. You need rest, and I’m perfectly comfortable myself. I don’t want to move either.

  I relaxed against him. Thank you, was the last coherent thought until the sun shining through the large windows kissed my cheek. I wished for a different sort of kiss, but I would take this for now.

  ****

  The communicator on Marcus’s arm beeped and he startled out of sleep. His arm around me tightened as he tried to bring that hand up to see the display on the communicator. I pulled away to allow him free movement and was immediately chilled at the loss of his warmth.

  I could see it was from Ryad, but Marcus stood and rubbed his other hand through his hair in an attempt to wake himself up completely as he read the message.

  Ryad has more information about Delilah.

  I stood up quickly and rushed over to Marcus, wanting to see the communicator. I glanced at mine, wishing he had sent me a message as well. Did Ryad often send information to Marcus and not me? Before that thought was complete, my communicator buzzed and I saw Ryad’s face on the screen. We were sent a ransom note for Delilah.

  My eyes met Marcus’s. The look of hope in his eyes must have mirrored my own. Another message from Ryad buzzed on both of our communicators simultaneously. How soon can you meet in your office for planning?

  “We’re here now.” I spoke the answer into the bracelet where it would transcribe my voice and send a written message and pressed send.

  Ryad replied he’d be there in ten minutes.

  Chapter Thirty Two

  Ransom

  I cleaned off the scattered papers from my desk, tucking away the important documents and returning them to the safe. I couldn’t believe I had left them all exposed after all that had happened. We’d even taken the precaution to have the safe’s code altered to require fingerprints, DNA, and voice activation as well. Marcus was also registered as an authorized user.

  Ryad entered the room followed by Jonah Plurz and three other council members. They all stopped talking at once and stared at me. Then they glanced to Marcus who stood near the large window.

  Ryad raised an eyebrow and sent a telepathic message just to me. Are you well?

  I lifted my hand to my face, then touched my hair, realizing I hadn’t even thought of my appearance. I had no idea if my makeup had been completely washed away from my crying fit in the middle of the night, or if I had black rings around my eyes from my mascara.

  Knowing it would make me appear shallow if I excused myself to clean up, I stood straighter and forced my hand away from my hair. I am fine.

  Marcus looked at me as if trying to decide what Ryad had questioned me for. He lifted his own hand to his head and I was pleased to see he looked rumpled as well.

  I strode purposefully to my desk, ignoring the mirror on the wall as I passed by, and sat in the high backed chair. I turned my attention to those who had entered the room. “What news do you have?”

  Ryad moved forward and placed a ransom note on my desk and a communicator to the side of it. I examined the words, seeing it was a blend of seven different languages. Whoever had written it had tried to throw us off by adding so many, but I was sure there would be a way to cypher who had sent it.

  As I translated each phrase in my mind, I shook my head. Marcus leaned forward. What does it say? I only understand a few of those languages.

  I touched each line, as I relayed the information.

  We have something you want. You have something we want. We will agree to a straight across trade. We require these items. I pointed at the list of things written in Rommaderian. Each item would be required to fly a spaceship, and most of them were also needed in the formula.

  When gathered, contact us by using this communicator. We’ll then give you the next step in the exchange.

  I looked up at Ryad.

  “Have you gathered the items yet?”

  He nodded.

  Marcus placed his hand on my shoulder. “Have you contacted them?”

  “We wanted to be prepared immediately, but came to you before giving them the call,” Ryad said.

  Marcus nodded his approval. I motioned for everyone to have a seat. Marcus stayed standing next to my chair and the others sat down. Jonah watched with interest. I looked to Ryad but allowed my thoughts to be heard by all. What does everyone know to this point?

  Ryad answered. I have not filled them in on all of it. They are aware of those who’ve been murdered. That items have been stolen for a formula in the prototype stage and that the formula didn’t work. I thought I’d allow you to decide how much to share.

  I looked at the people in front of me. Jonah Plurz, the speaker of the council, was basically the next highest in authority in the kingdom after Marcus and myself. He would need to know, but I was still hesitant to share too much. The two guards with Ryad were the ones who had been with my father for years. Lance and Cory I would trust with any amount of information. Jamina Coost had been one of the most trusted of my father’s council members before I left. The chief of police and Gimpol, who were helping Ryad with the investigations, would need to know more in order to do their job completely.

  I focused my attention to Marcus. Do you think we should tell them everything? Tell them about the formula?

  Marcus nodded.

  I looked at those in the room. How many of you know the circumstances behind my leaving Rommader? Not the reason I left, but the method of Traveling?

  Lance and Cory raised their hands. Jonah nodded. I know.

  I explained how Traveling had been developed using pure niamon, and how it was limited to only two trips. Then I shared with them the information about the formula from my father’s safe and how it appeared it would allow unlimited Travel.

  Why hasn’t it been developed? Why aren’t we producing these Traveling medallions? Jonah’s eyes got wide. Can you imagine the power we could have in the universe if we controlled that information?

  I met his gaze and looked deep into his eyes, wishing I could judge the type of soul he possessed. I am aware of the power that could be held. That is why I believe my father never had this developed past the formula stage. Why the scientists didn’t create the actual product. There would be nothing to stop anyone from conquering another planet. I don’t think it would be in the best interest of anyone to exploit this.

  I looked at those around me. Some nodded in agreement; others looked disappointed.

  Delilah was sent to Earth with me to see if she could detect anything like ni
amon there. She found nothing. And we know it isn’t on any of the planets we have any interactions with here in our own galaxy. As far as we can tell, it is only found in one mountain range in its pure form. Another mountain has traces of it, but it is near a fault line. From the records of our history, as Marcus has discovered, if we dig too deep, we will cause a massive earthquake that could completely devastate our planet. It isn’t worth it. We would destroy Rommader. And if anyone from another planet were to discover it existed, what would stop them from destroying us to get the power to conquer the universe? It cannot be allowed to be shared.

  Jonah closed his eyes as if reluctant to accept the truth of my words.

  Jamina spoke. I agree, it makes complete sense. Is that why Delilah was kidnapped? They wanted to use her to find more niamon?

  I nodded. I believe so. She’s one of the most sensitive of Ore Talents we have. She can detect it in minute amounts. Somehow, the information that we were able to Travel like we did has leaked. Perhaps Shander let it slip in his obsession to find me. But someone knows about it.

  And is willing to kill for the information as well, Jamina said.

  Ryad cleared his throat. We have learned the Nexleen dignitary, Itury, was murdered by Salb. He was found with a piece of niamon large enough to make approximately twenty of the Traveling medallions with the new formula. Then we found Salb had most likely been the one to set the lab on fire to destroy any other notes or evidence of there being a formula.

  We no longer have the formula? Jonah asked, his voice rising.

  Everyone turned to look at me. I took a slow breath. It was in my safe, but has been stolen. And when a lab technician and a scientist crew member from the Kas ship tried to do the experiment, it malfunctioned and injured them. The man from Kas was murdered in the hospital, and our technician has been hidden away. The formula is still out there. Whoever forced them to try it, got away with that. But they know it doesn't work as written. What we don’t know is if it will work with those ingredients in different concentrates or if it was a decoy formula. And unless Dr. Nye recovers from the coma after trying to save the lab from the fire Dr. Salb started, we may never have the truth.

  Jamina asked, So we had the most powerful object in the universe for a short time, but now have lost it?

  It is still here on our planet, said Ryad. All communications have been blocked. No one can send or receive any transmissions from anywhere in our galaxy. Travel has been grounded. The formula was stolen after those precautions were set into place.

  I am almost certain the formula is still here on Rommader. Marcus agreed. But we don’t know who has it. Most fingers are pointing to Kas, but we can’t discount anyone now.

  What we need to decide currently is how we can trap them. We must get Delilah back. We have to prevent them from leaving the planet, I said.

  And the ransom note is demanding the materials needed to leave the planet and cross through a wormhole? Jonah asked.

  Ryad nodded.

  But no one has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping? Jamina asked.

  No one, Ryad answered. Though the note’s origin and language indicate Kas or Oshan.

  Are they being guarded closely? How many of them are here?

  Lance spoke for the first time since entering. Each visiting planet sent five or six dignitaries, each with two aides. They each had pages and crew members and some servants. Approximately twenty to thirty per planet.

  We could easily put each one of them under guard and make it seem like we are keeping them safe from threats made against them, Jamina suggested. After Itury’s death, none of them are feeling very comfortable being trapped here.

  The visitors from Nexleen have opted to remain in their rooms, Marcus explained. Their custom dictates they aren’t to interact with anyone for weeks after a death of an official. It’s their mourning period. We have video surveillance and guards stationed around their apartments. We’ve also supplied them with enough of the ritual food they are allowed during a funeral month to last them until the period is over.

  What about Dempka? Jonah asked.

  They are under suspicion as well, I answered. Master Lecity asked me if we had anything developed that allowed a person to disappear. At first I wondered if he had heard of our Traveling Medallions, but then we started to wonder if it was possible to cloak a person in some sort of invisibility. Marcus found records of correspondence with Kas and Oshan about them researching ways to cloak ships. Since they are the most advanced in that research, it made me wonder if perhaps they had been able to find a way to turn a person invisible.

  You can’t be serious, Jonah said. That would be impossible.

  So was Traveling across the universe at the speed of thought once.

  Jonah closed his mouth and looked at me begrudgingly.

  Do you really think someone has figured out invisibility? Jamina asked.

  Ryad pulled out a tablet and searched for something. The man from Kas who was forced into helping was murdered in the hospital with guards right outside the door. It appeared someone could have come through the window. The cameras in the room indicate there was no one there, but you can see the knife being picked up and the action of it going across his throat.

  I closed my eyes and shuddered, grateful I hadn’t had to review the security footage.

  Jonah nodded. That would make it more believable.

  Lance, Cory, Gimpol and Ryad nodded. Apparently they had seen it on the tape. Ryad set the tablet on holographic display. This showed Delilah entering a room and never leaving. That room did not have any cameras in it, but all the doors leading to it were visible. You can see at this point here, the door slides open and closes without anyone activating the sensors.

  He stopped the video, typed in a series of commands and pressed play. I had Gimpol isolate some of the wavelengths on the video and this is what we found.

  This time the visuals were enhanced with reds, oranges, and blues. I could see the heat radiating off Delilah showing up in bright colors on the otherwise black and white holographic image. “You see her move through the hall here. You see her enter the room.” He sped up the image for a moment then returned it to regular speed. “Now watch this.”

  We waited, everyone leaning in closer to see what would happen. A smudge of blue moved slowly across the screen and as it passed directly in front of the camera, I could almost visualize a person in the odd shaped color. It was followed by a second blur, then by a third. The sliding door activated like it had before, and three figures disappeared from the room.

  My heart thudded as I thought of the possible outcomes.

  Ryad sped the image up and then stopped it at a point in time fifteen minutes later. The smudges moved past the camera location, but instead of them all moving smoothly like before, the first one kept jerking oddly, and then in between the other two blue blurs, a greenish yellow tinted blob hung suspended.

  Ryad froze the image there. That is where I believe she was carried out. She’s most likely that yellow blur.

  I stared at the image. How was it even possible what they had done?

  How do we protect ourselves from something invisible? I asked.

  Chapter Thirty Three

  Demands

  Ryad zoomed in on the image of Delilah’s abduction. We’ve installed infrared cameras and heat sensors all over the palace. But that’s only a start. Gimpol is going through all of the video footage we have from the entire palace trying to pinpoint where these invisible people are from. Where they set up their home base. He’s got so much footage to look through it will take some time.

  Gimpol nodded. We’re working as fast as we can and hope to have it narrowed down soon.

  Jonah Plurz touched the hologram frozen still at the blob hanging between the invisible bodies. Are these the ones who sent the ransom note?

  Ryad nodded. I believe so.

  Cory spoke. So to expose them after we do the drops, we can be watching with heat vision goggles and make
sure to track them. If they think we don’t know, then we’ll be able to stop them before they leave.

  Marcus looked at me. Let’s inform them we have their list of requirements.

  I picked up the communicator. Isn’t this one of ours? What did they use to contact us?

  Ryad nodded. It’s the one Delilah had. They’ve deactivated the tracker. It only works for communication.

  I frowned at the machine. Not many people would know how to turn off the tracker while leaving the communicator working. We were up against some very smart people.

  Marcus reached over my shoulder and picked up the bracelet. Would you like me to contact them?

  I nodded, knowing my emotional state right now would not come across as a strong ruler. They needed to hear from someone with a shred of composure.

  He pressed the button and spoke into the communicator. “Hello. This is King Marcus.”

  We all waited for a few moments, wondering what would happen next. The communicator crackled and a digitalized voice replied. “We are relieved to know you value your Ore Talent.”

  “Is she well?” Marcus asked.

  “She is alive.” The response held no emotion, but the words sent a flood of relief through me.

  “Can I speak to her?” Marcus asked.

  The answer was immediate. “No.”

  “Unless we have proof she’s living, there is no point in negotiating for her. We know she’s been tortured. Give us proof.” Marcus’s voice was clear and precise.

  The communicator was silent for a moment, then an image showed up on the small screen. Delilah looked as if she were sleeping. Her face looked free from pain or damage. Though the image was small, I could see she was breathing.

  “Satisfied?” the voice said.

  Marcus looked to me. I nodded and he spoke into the communicator. “What is your next demand?”