{Invasion Day | April 2006}

You've learned by now my worst sin wasn't necessarily against you. There were many before you. But with you, I gave into reckless abandon. I didn't need reason. You held my revenge inside you. I meant to let it out.

I ordered Korac to order our men to set off the Tantamounts across the world. They harvested humans for testing on the Villam. We needed blood for our people on Cinder. We destroyed your school. I hurt you to force Xelan into imbuing you with a nacre. He dragged his feet with it long enough. He wanted you to stay as you were.

I needed you strong enough to withstand your fate.

"Brilliant notion to install the skid, General." I nodded to Korac as we made our way across the lake bearing our loads. Li shone down from the opening of the square pit many hundreds of stories above us.

He stared at the Martyr Complex as if he didn't see it. As if he saw nothing, save for a certain young blond woman.

I let him be.

"You're shutting me out. I can feel it." Colita whined from the ramp above.

I pointed out, "We brought you back, didn't we? Korac carried you from the burning building without being asked. We aren't shutting you out."

Korac backed me with a "humph."

Her hair bounced when she stamped her foot. "That's not what I'm talking about. You still need me to manipulate the males, but... Ever since you laid eyes on her, you haven't even looked at me."

Korac spared me a pitying glance and rolled his eyes as he tested the cylinder drills.

The Icarean female continued her tantrum, "That girl has the Traitor Prince's heart. Your vision for leadership. And with enough time to grow into her features, she'll be prettier than Korac."

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"Quite the triple threat, your majesty," the General mused beneath his breath. He looked almost offended.

I inspected the plumbing for the blood chutes and tried not to think too hard on the woman's words. In the duration of that pitiful excuse for a battle, Colita measured you with frightful accuracy. Aloud, I assured, "Now, isn't the time to discuss this--"

"She will never accept you for the monster I know you to be."

Without a word or another glance, Korac left the chamber, granting me some privacy to deal with my scorned ex-lover.

I approached Colita, careful to check my temper. "I care for you. I do. But we both knew from the start this was a casual arrangement. You left me to my relationship with Celindria. And I let you seduce the young Progeny men with no jealousy. Why can't we keep things that way?"

Acid dripped from her words, "Because you won't return to me from Rayne. I can see it in your eyes. I've lost you." She turned her back to me and sniffled.

I reached out to chafe her arms--

"When she sees you for what you really are, she'll reject you and kill you as I should have done so very long ago. And then I'll kill her and rule Cinder as its first Queen."

Too close to treachery. Hateful and ugly. And too close to the truth.I hauled Colita up and away. She screamed and scratched at my arms around her waist. Kicked, clawed, and howled.

Korac rushed in, seeking an ambush.

As he pieced it together, I commanded, "Open the complex."

He didn't hesitate. The best soldier.

Colita shrieked ragged animal cries. We wrangled her to the island. My arms around her waist, and his like a vice on her legs.

When we took the skid to the Complex, she cried, "Korac, help me. Please!"

He dutifully ignored her.

I regretted giving her my blood more so than ever. She was strong with the determination to live. I held her down at the throat while Korac secured her limbs in the machine. We started it, and I watched her receive the treatment I'd always wished for Celindria.

"I hope she kills you, Nox. I hope she razes Cinder. May you never know so much as her smile--"

The whirring of the drills drowned out her last cries.

Within seconds, Colita died. Sedated and exsanguinated.I executed one lover while fantasizing the death of another.I won't waste time with further examination of the implications involving my mental health.

Time grows short. In real time, representatives from the Vast Collective arrived at Iona-29 to negotiate terms of supporting your army. You've no idea what's in store for you.