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    A Time of Kings Episode Two
    A Time of Kings Episode Two
    A Time of Kings Episode Two
    Ebook157 pages2 hours

    A Time of Kings Episode Two

    By Odette C. Bell

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    They are on the run, and they must learn to work together or be split apart forever.
    Prince Alderon is determined to turn the galaxy upside down to get to Sierra, but she’ll do anything to stay out of his clutches. She’ll need Smith’s help, though, and slowly, the dogged Royal Guard will come around to her side.
    He has no choice. The King residing in Sierra’s mind has changed Smith Falcon, and neither he nor the Milky Way will ever be the same again.
    ...
    A Time of Kings follows a royal guard and a prophesied bride fighting to remember real power. If you love your space opera with action, heart, and a splash of romance, grab A Time of Kings Episode Two today and soar free with an Odette C. Bell series.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOdette C. Bell
    Release dateMay 31, 2018
    ISBN9780463113615
    A Time of Kings Episode Two

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      Book preview

      A Time of Kings Episode Two - Odette C. Bell

      Chapter 1

      Smith Falcon

      This shouldn’t be happening.

      It was.

      Smith hunched forward over the controls at the front of the small escape pod, his brow plastered with sweat, his face crumpled with fear, consternation, and heart-shuddering confusion.

      But his expression was nothing compared to Sierra’s.

      She was still huddled precisely where he’d dropped her on the other side of this small, cramped bridge after he’d dragged her in here.

      Though there was a navigational seat right next to him, one with a headrest and built-in comfort, she didn’t move. Either it was because she didn’t want to get any closer to him, or because her mind had broken down from the stress.

      He’d managed to detach from the Celestial Barge and flee.

      Mr. Gray hadn’t caught up to them. Yet.

      He… couldn’t believe this was happening.

      Though he’d never had anything to do with the dream shaman program, he understood what they were. Every single person who had anything to do with the inner workings of the Zenith Royal family understood the shamans.

      Because without them, the Zenith Family wouldn’t exist.

      Though Smith didn’t understand it fully, he appreciated that the Zenith family had genetic memories – a lineage that was handed down through the dream shamans.

      The shamans – or dream walkers as they were also called – weren’t necessarily born of Zenith descent but could access the genetic memories of past Kings.

      That was how the Zenith Royal family had managed to rise to the top of the Milky Way; they had the ability to access the secrets of the past.

      Though it was pure supposition, and Smith had only heard rumors here and there, according to legend, there had once been a Time of Kings. During that time, the gate system that ran throughout the Milky Way and allowed interstellar travel had been built. This Time of Kings – a race with unsurpassed technological knowledge – was the very force that the dream shamans could awaken.

      As far as Smith understood it, a dream shaman would be bonded with a senior member of the Zenith Royal family, one of Alderon’s or princesses. The dream shaman would transfer the memories of the previous king to the new host.

      The transfer did not remove the personality of the original host, just added to it with the knowledge of the Time of Kings.

      As such, dream shamans were the most highly protected secret of the Zenith Royal family. They were not allowed off Zenith Prime. And yet, behind Smith, only two and a half meters away, one was crouched, her body rocking as she tried not to cry.

      Not for the first time and not for the last, Smith brought up a hand, clutched it over his mouth, and ran his sweaty fingers over his stubble-covered jaw.

      He caught sight of himself in a reflective panel on the navigational console to his left.

      He looked like hell.

      He looked as if his entire world had just been taken out from underneath him and crushed.

      Because it had.

      Five years – for five damn years he’d been tracking down Prince Alderon. And then, when he’d finally been in Smith’s clutches, he’d been forced to let him go.

      As Smith darted his gaze once more over his shoulder, locking it on Sierra, he wondered if he’d made the right decision. Then, in a moment of clarity, he reminded himself that of course he had. Prince Alderon was one thing. A free dream shaman was another.

      But something far worse was to allow Prince Alderon to get his hands on Sierra.

      Smith swallowed, the move harsh, forcing his Adam’s apple against the tight collar of his flight uniform.

      For the first time in minutes, Sierra pulled her head up from the top of her knees and locked her tear-streaked eyes on him. What? Why are you staring at me?

      Are you injured? he defaulted to saying.

      She let out a harsh, twisted breath. You’ve asked that 10 times already. The answer is no. I just want to know what’s going on. Her eyes sparkled with tears as she stared at him, a faint glimmer of hope marking her gaze.

      He pressed his lips together, turned, and locked his attention on the screen. He had no intention of telling her a thing.

      Though perhaps he could assume that Sierra was a runaway from the dream shaman program, something in his gut told him she wasn’t.

      He’d seen unquestionable surprise marking her face when he’d talked about the dream shamans.

      And it was clear, though she wore a xanta ore pendant, she had no idea how to use it.

      Though he could endeavor to tell her the truth and reveal precisely what she was, there was no point. It would only make her more upset.

      Plus, he didn’t know what he was doing.

      He could run, he could fly, he could fight. He could head somewhere, set up a secret com line, and contact the Royal Guards to inform them what was going on. The one thing he could not do, however, was control a dream shaman.

      Though he wanted to tell himself that Sierra had absolutely no idea what she really was, Smith had seen her face crumple when he’d mentioned the Prince. It had been instinctual, as if something had reached inside her body, grabbed hold of her brow, and scrunched it like paper in a tight fist.

      From the little Smith knew, he understood that dream shamans could literally access the memories and personalities of Kings from the past.

      … What would happen if Sierra began to access her king?

      It would throw yet another spanner in the works, as an old human saying went, and Smith really couldn’t afford to have any more complications right now.

      So he pushed further over the console, locking his shoulders in place against the flight seat behind him, tilting his head back and checking on one of the panels up to his left.

      It was showing flight telemetry. He was keeping a watchful eye on it in case he picked up any fluctuations in the escape pod’s quantum effect field, fluctuations that would indicate a ship was coming alongside their slipstream.

      Nothing.

      For now.

      Sierra let out another stuttering sigh. I know you’re not going to tell me anything, she said in a defeated voice, but at least tell me where you’re taking me.

      Smith ground his lips together and didn’t say a word.

      There was another reason he couldn’t afford to reveal anything. If he let it slip that he was a Royal Guard, who knew what she would do? She’d already admitted to killing one.

      While that was a crime punishable by death for any ordinary citizen of the Milky Way, his sole purpose right now was to keep her safe.

      Sierra appeared to wait for his answer. Her hope lasted for several seconds until she crumpled. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her bring up a hand, grind it over her brow, and press her lips together until they turned white.

      I shouldn’t have trusted it, she whispered.

      Though she could have misspoken, an electric jolt of fear blasted up his spine on the word it.

      He couldn’t stop himself, and he whirled around in his seat, the move so fast, his cheeks slackened. What?

      He shouldn’t have reacted so obviously, as Sierra immediately dropped her hand, her gaze sharpening. She looked him up and down. I said I shouldn’t have trusted it.

      He made eye contact with her.

      Dammit.

      Though Sierra sometimes looked innocent, she also had the hardened edge of somebody who’d been forced to look after themselves for most of their life. She wasn’t an idiot. And right now she’d be latching onto the fact that she had finally forced his hand.

      Though perhaps the smart thing to do would be to turn around and continue assessing the ship’s flight plan, he needed to know if she’d already started to access her king. He took a breath through clenched teeth. Who is it?

      Her eyes narrowed. So you know more than you’re letting on, then?

      What?

      You said who, not what. So you know. She took a sharp breath, her chest shoving out hard against her legs as she pressed them against her torso, one wiry arm locked over her ankles.

      Smith swore under his breath as he realized she was right.

      She kept her eyes on him the entire time. They were brighter now. Though they were still streaked with a few tears, her fear was rapidly giving way to interest. To answer your question, Smith, if that’s even your real name, I’m talking about the… her gaze became unfocused as she brought a hand up and ground the base of her palm into her chest. She would be touching the pendant under her clothes as she obviously wasn’t brave enough to pluck it out and hold it in front of him. I guess you’d call it presence. The ghost, she said, her voice suddenly constricting as if someone had clutched their hands around her throat, in my head.

      Smith sat there, and his body ran the gamut of fear. It jolted up his spine, a prickling, cold, spiky sweat spreading down the backs of his arms, over his legs, and between his fingers. His heart skipped a beat, then settled into a pounding drum.

      … She was starting to access her king.

      Dammit.

      The entire time, Sierra let her gaze dart across Smith, drawing in his emotional reaction. When he didn’t say anything at her revelation, she shifted forward, finally letting her legs fall from her chest. For the first time since they’d fled, she placed a hand on the floor beside her, and she rose.

      Her stance was a little wobbly, but that didn’t stop her from pressing her lips into a tense line. What do you know about what’s going on with me?

      Smith now turned all the way around and took a heavy swallow, his throat pushing out hard against his collar. It was the second time he’d done it, and it wouldn’t be the last. See, there was only so long he could ignore the sheer importance of what was sitting in front of him, or who, rather.

      As his gaze darted over Sierra’s upturned face, he wondered just which king was currently resting inside her mind.

      … Why are you looking at me like that? she asked, her voice soft.

      It was uncharacteristic of her. Or maybe it wasn’t. How much did he really know about this woman? Apart from the fact she’d been on the run, and apart from all the times he’d saved her and gotten close to those doe brown eyes, Sierra was a complete unknown.

      Now he couldn’t help but stare deeply into those same brown eyes and wonder what her future would bring. Not just for him, but for everyone.

      In another moment, he finally regained his nerve. He clenched his teeth, shifting his lips hard around them. Tell me exactly what you’re experiencing.

      She soldered her lips shut, pressing them together with such force, the skin up and down her cheeks and chin became as white as powdered bone. Why should I? It’s clear you know what’s happening to me, but it’s just as clear you won’t tell.

      Smith brought up a hand and scratched the bridge of his nose, letting the same fingers fall down his cheek until his nails dragged against his stubble. Fine, I’ll give you a little – if you give me a little.

      Her gaze sharpened at the offer of his deal.

      You’re a dream shaman, he said. He’d already used that phrase, but this time he slowed his voice right down as he gave it the importance it deserved.

      As he told her she was a dream shaman, he could tell

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