Royal Hearts Page 18

  “Get rid of me?” She gagged. What a lovely thought. She was a queen on another planet? She had Palers after her, trying to kill her? Did she really want to be a queen? It seemed like a job that required great personal risk. “What about you? Where do you fit into all of this?”

  “I’m the king. We got married right after you became queen.”

  “So if you’re the king, then are the Palers after you, too?”

  “No. The king doesn’t have the power on Raz. Only the queen does. Your role is crucial to the survival of the planet. My job is to serve and protect you.”

  “The king and queen aren’t equal?”

  “No, they’re not. And as I recall, you thought that was wrong when I first told you about it in North Dakota.”

  “Well, it doesn’t seem right. I mean, marriage is supposed to be a partnership, not a situation where one person is to serve the other.”

  “It’s the way things are done on Raz.” He grinned. “Look, I have no complaints. Being married to you is the best thing in my life. I wouldn’t trade what we have for anything.”

  She couldn’t believe it. She was twenty-three, married and the prime authority figure on another planet? It was too much to take in. As much as she wanted to laugh the whole thing away, she felt too overwhelmed. This couldn’t be true. It was impossible. The whole notion of time travel and losing her memory…or even the possibility of going from one planet to another… It just wasn’t possible.

  “There’s something else you should know,” he said, his voice soft.

  “There’s more?” she asked.

  “We have a daughter. Her name is Katherine, and she’s a little over a year old.”

  “I’m a mother, too?”

  She didn’t know where to begin in processing all of this information. Everything was happening too fast. She was only seventeen. She was still in high school. This couldn’t be possible. She couldn’t be married with a child. She couldn’t be old enough to rule a planet. All the responsibility was too much. Her biggest worries were supposed to be what she was going to wear the next day or which one of her friends to hang out with on the weekend. She didn’t know anything about being an adult, ruling another world, marriage, or motherhood.

  “I need to sit down,” she said, but she fainted before she could do so.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  When Ann regained consciousness, she was lying on a bed. She opened her eyes and saw Hathor peering down at her, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Do you feel alright?”

  “I don’t know. Did you just tell me I’m a queen on a place called Raz and that we’re married and have a daughter?”

  “Yes, I did.” He took her hand in his and squeezed it. “I know it’s a lot to take in. I didn’t tell you sooner because I knew it’d be a shock. I thought it’d be too much of a shock that you wouldn’t be able to cope with it.”

  Not only was it a shock, but she didn’t know if she could believe it. After a few minutes of silence, she finally asked, “Why do you remember all of this and I don’t?”

  “I’m not sure. We both ended up six years in the past. We were on our way to planet Olympia to get help for the Palers when we ended up on Earth. We were separated though. So you went back to your home in Xenia, and I landed somewhere on this planet where there are lots of trees. I went back to Raz, thinking I’d find you, but you weren’t there. I’ve been trying to figure out a way for you to regain your memories or to get us back to our correct time, but this book hasn’t given me any answers. So all I could think of to do was find you and try to protect you from the Paler when he comes to kill you.”

  Most of what he said made no sense to her. All she understood was that this person sitting next to her was claiming to be her husband six years from now and that they had a child. Then he was claiming he remembered everything but she didn’t? How was this possible?

  “How did we get to the past?” she finally asked.

  “William had contact with Omin’s clone. Omin’s clone is the Paler who wants to kill you. Omin’s clone-”

  “Whoa! Hold on. William? William Nichols is involved in this?”

  He nodded. “I’m not sure how, but he also came back to the past. He remembers everything, too.”

  “This is getting stranger all the time.” She sat up and studied him. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

  “I can’t because I’m not. I know this is hard to believe.”

  She sighed. She wasn’t sure if she should keep asking questions or not, but in the end, she ventured, “What does William have to do with this? I’m not going out with him anymore.”

  “No, not in this time. In the past you did. It’s a long story, and I don’t even understand all of it, but he wants to be the king of Raz.”

  “How does he know I’m the queen?” She shook her head. “That is, if I really am a queen, as you say.”

  “He found out when you went back into the past the first time.”

  “I’ve been back to the past before? Did I have my memories then?”

  “Not right away, but you slowly gained them back because the Palers allowed it. You see, the first time you met William, you two went out for half a year and you moved to Florida. He broke up with you and dated other people. You wanted him, but he didn’t want you. It’s something that I heard quite a bit when we first met because you were still in love with him.”

  “But I chose you instead?”

  “Not at first. When the Palers took you back to Earth, you got to be with him again, as if you two had just met. He didn’t remember going out with you before, so it was all new to him. You said you saw him in a different light and realized you didn’t love him after all. You told him about Raz and being the queen there, and he watched you leave Earth. I’ll never forget how you came back to Raz and said you wanted me instead of him. That was the best day of my life.”

  Again, most of what he said was too much for her to understand. It was like looking down at an incomplete jigsaw puzzle. She got glimpses of the picture but couldn’t see the entire thing. But did she really believe this? Why was she entertaining him by asking more questions? Why didn’t she just get up and leave? This whole thing was ridiculous. It had to be. Yet, there was a part of her that felt like what he was telling her was right, and that was the part she couldn’t ignore, no matter how weird everything seemed.

  “You chose me again,” Hathor said. “You have no idea how much it means to me that you chose me over William, especially since he was being as charming as he could be.”

  “William is such a jerk,” she replied. “There was no competition there.”

  He grinned. “You didn’t always think that way.”

  She could only stare at him in wonder. He loved her. Really loved her. But could she believe all of this?

  Her mind switched back to the Paler who wanted to kill her. “You said there’s a male Paler after me,” she said. “Where is he?”

  “Have you heard of Alexander Napoli?”

  Her jaw dropped. “The leader of the United Nations?”

  He nodded. “He disguised himself as a human in order to blend in. He knew it would be difficult for me to find him if he was somewhere I didn’t think he’d be. I never imagined he would be in such a public place. It was only by chance that I happened to see him on TV right before you got here.”

  “But Alexander Napoli is a good man. I watched him give a speech at Teresa’s house earlier today, and what he says makes sense. The best way to protect people and keep the peace he started on Earth is by giving everyone a chip. I don’t see how that’s wrong, even if he is a Paler.”

  “That’s right. He wants to give everyone a chip. I was too busy figuring out he was Omin’s clone to think about the chip. Everyone seems to like that idea. The people on TV were worshiping him, calling him a god and everything. The girls in the cafeteria were mesmerized by him. They were giving him the same look you have now when you think of him.”

  She broke out of her tr
ance. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

  “You have to see this man for what he really is.” He picked up the book and flipped through it.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m finding a spell to make you see his deception. You can’t fall for his lies. You’re the queen of Raz. You have the ability to help destroy him.”

  “What? Why would I destroy him? He wants to help Earth. We have wars, famines, plagues… He’s going to eliminate all of that.”

  “Maybe, but he’ll also make everyone on this planet his slave in the process.”

  A tiny spark lit up in the back of her mind as she realized he was right. She began to recall why she had originally objected to the idea of being implanted with a chip. It was a violation of her privacy.

  “No, no,” she argued aloud. “I can’t believe he would be so deceitful. Not him. He brought peace to the Middle East. No one has ever been able to do that. He wants nothing but peace.”

  “Are you arguing with me or with yourself?” he asked, glancing up from the book.

  “I don’t know. I think it’s me. I had a bad feeling about the chip when I first heard about it, but I don’t know why. It’s the right thing to do. It’s easy and logical.”

  “You need to focus on the part of you that knows it’s wrong.”

  “Why would I want to do that? It doesn’t make sense to object to it.”

  He put the book down, put his hands on her shoulders, and looked her in the eyes. “Please, Ann. Do this for me.”

  After a moment, she relented. “Okay. What am I supposed to tell myself?”

  “The same thing you told yourself when you first heard about the chip. What was your original thought?”

  “That it was invasive.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Uh, let’s see. I didn’t like it. I had a bad feeling about it. I wondered if Alexander Napoli was really doing what was best for us. The chip isn’t voluntary. It’s mandatory. Everyone has to get one.” The more she talked, the easier it became for her to see through the fog of adoration she had felt for Alexander Napoli.

  “Good, Ann,” Hathor whispered.

  “When I started watching the TV at Teresa’s house, I couldn’t understand why she and her family seemed to be hypnotized by him. Then I watched him talk, and it was like I was being pulled into him. Suddenly everything he said made perfect sense. I would be a fool not to do what he wanted.” Through the dissipating fog came a startling realization. “Manipulation,” she said. “Control. It’s all about mind control. That’s what the chip will do. It will control us. The mind control I experienced from watching him on TV was temporary. It was just meant to mesmerize me long enough so I’d accept the chip. Once I get the chip, I’ll be his. What a horrible thing to do to someone.”

  He released his hold on her. “Thank goodness. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to get you out of his spell. You need to know him and his trickery if you are to go against him.”

  “You mean, I have to confront him?”

  “You’re the queen.”

  “But I don’t remember being a queen. I don’t know anything about defending myself.”

  “Yes, you do. Remember the Paler who attacked you in the parking lot? You may not remember who you are, but you still possess your queenly abilities.”

  She sighed. “I don’t know. It still doesn’t seem possible.”

  “There has to be something we can do to help get your memories back. William got here with his memories intact. He knew that he was coming back here. He had to have had some form of communication with Omin’s clone. If we could figure out what he did, it might give us insight into what to do about you.”

  She wasn’t sure if she should encourage him about the whole time travel thing, but in the end, she said, “I wonder if Lisa or Carson might have an idea of what’s going on. Carson is William’s best friend. Maybe William let something slip to Carson.”

  “That’s a good idea. Can you find out?”

  “I’ll have to give Lisa a call when I get home. And speaking of home, I’d better head back before I get in trouble. I might,” or might not, “be on my own in the future, but I’m still a teenager who has to report to her parents in this time.”

  “I know you can take care of yourself, but I wish I could go with you.”

  Despite the situation, she chuckled. “My parents would flip if I brought you home and told them it’s perfectly fine for you to stay in my bedroom because we’re married in the future.”

  He grinned. “At least I can walk you to your car.”

  She headed for the door. “Is it weird?” She glanced at him as he joined her.

  “Is what weird?”

  “Well, you know that you’re married to me, but for me, it’s as if we’re just dating.”

  “As long as I can be with you, it really doesn’t matter. Yes, I miss being intimate with you, but I figure even if you don’t regain your memory, we can always marry again so it will be real for you, too.”

  “Wow. I can understand why I wanted to marry you instead of bringing William back with me to Raz. You know, from when I was in the past before.” Okay. It was a ridiculous story. Time travel and other planets and all. But something about it was beginning to seem like it was the truth. Maybe she was going crazy.

  “Ann?”

  She turned to him, surprised when he took her in his arms and kissed her. There was something familiar about the kiss, as if they’d done it before. It just felt…right, like it was meant to be. Alright. Now she really was going crazy because she was beginning to believe him.

  After the kiss ended, he cupped her face in his hands and whispered, “I love you so much.” Before she could respond, he took her hand and opened the door. “I know. You don’t remember any of it. I don’t expect you to say it in return. I just wanted you to know how I feel about you.”

  Since he relieved her from having to say something, she decided to walk in silence with him to the car.

  “On Raz, this is the time in the evening when we’d go out for a nice walk in the garden with Katherine,” Hathor said, gazing up at the sky.

  She glanced up at the sky with him. “You miss Raz.” She mentally kicked herself. Raz might not even exist.

  He nodded. “And Katherine. It will be good to get back.” He squeezed her hand. “Together.”

  Since she didn’t know what else to say, she decided to go with, “I’ll give you a call later tonight after I talk to Lisa. She may not know anything about how William got here, but she may know how to find out.”

  “Okay.” He kissed her again, this time letting his lips linger on hers.

  She melted in his arms as he deepened the kiss. He brushed her lower lip with his tongue, and she tentatively opened her mouth to receive him, surprised by the spark of pleasure that shot straight through her when their tongues met. Kissing him was certainly nice. She wouldn’t mind doing this for the rest of her life. She just hoped he wasn’t a lunatic.

  ***

  Present day

  Galaxy: Mystic

  Leader Paff sat at his chair in his warship. The massive fleet following his spacecraft was armed and fully ready to attack anyone who was in league with Omin’s clone.

  “Second Commander Jaz,” he spoke into his telecommunicator. “Come in, Second Commander Jaz.”

  Again, he didn’t get a response.

  The Olympians and Jaz’s team should have already arrived on Earth. Could Omin’s clone have built up a military force in such a short period of time?

  Paff’s nerves were on edge. He hadn’t been able to do much since he found out about Omin’s clone, but now that he was actively pursuing him, he couldn’t relax at all. Could he really win against someone as powerful as Omin’s clone?

  He groaned. He tried calling Jaz again. Just as he expected, no one answered on the other end. She was in trouble. He had tried to reach Guards Falon and Lino with as much success. No one was responding to him.

  H
e called for the captain of his large ship.

  Captain Hanty came into his office. “Yes, Leader Paff?”

  “I was wondering how much longer it will take to reach Earth.”

  “I estimate a day’s travel, Leader.”

  Paff sighed. Was that fast enough to help Jaz and her team help queen Ann? Was it enough to defeat Omin’s clone before he did so much damage that both Earth and Pale would be in jeopardy? “When will we travel back into the past?” he softly asked, trying to hide his apprehension.

  “When we get to the Average Galaxy, we will make the necessary arrangements.”

  “Thank you, Captain. You are excused.”

  “Yes, Leader.”

  As the captain left, Paff turned to the window behind him. Two-thirds of his entire fleet followed behind him. He had brought his best warriors along. He’d taken very few chances with this war. He knew that if they failed on Earth, then Pale would be threatened. If he could eliminate Omin’s clone right now, he could prevent a lot of future damage.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Six years in the past

  William’s house

  Dayton, Ohio

  Planet: Earth

  The door to William’s bedroom flung open. William jumped out of his chair, the device in his hand. He gasped at the menacing figure that stood before him. It wasn’t human. He wasn’t sure what it was. It was tall and pure white. He gulped the lump in his throat, unable to speak.

  The creature walked over to William and took the device from him. “You are quite curious about this thing,” the creature noted, mildly amused. “Humans… You are boringly predictable.”

  William swallowed as the Paler turned the device over in his hands.