Royal Hearts Page 21

“Well, I didn’t get everything. He also has something else.”

  “What?”

  “It’s something to inject a chip into someone’s hand. I recognized it from what I saw on TV.”

  “A chip?” Hathor tensed. Omin’s clone must have decided that if he couldn’t kill Ann, he would settle for implanting her with the chip, and William was his tool for doing so. Then Ann and Raz would follow the clone’s orders. This wasn’t good.

  “Look,” Carson said, “as I was leaving the school parking lot, I saw William get in his car. He’s looking for me, so I have to go. I don’t want him to know I gave that thing to you.”

  Hathor glanced at the device. “Thank you, Carson. And good luck.”

  “You too.” He ran back to his car and drove off.

  Hathor shook his head in amazement. “I didn’t think people on this planet could be so helpful.”

  “We have our moments.” Kent grinned. “Now that we found the device you need, we should continue our search for Ann. I’m sure she went to her house.” He shifted the car into drive and left the parking lot.

  ***

  Ann’s house

  Xenia, Ohio

  Planet: Earth

  Ann had just finished explaining everything Hathor had told her to her parents while Stacey sat next to her on the couch in silence. “I know this sounds like fiction, but it’s not,” Ann concluded when she saw her parents were staring at her in shock.

  “And you go to this planet Raz, to be a queen, in four years from now?” her mother finally asked.

  Ann nodded. “I know this is the last thing you expected to find out about me, but it’s the only way you can understand why I have to go and help defeat Alexander Napoli. He’s really a Paler, and he’s after me. If he can kill me, then I won’t become the queen of Raz, and he’ll succeed in making Razians his servants. I have to fight for Raz. The queen is the only one on that planet with enough power to do this.”

  Her father shook his head. “Is it possible that Hathor lied to you?”

  “No. I wasn’t sure about this whole thing when he first told me, but after seeing the video of Alexander, I know it’s true.”

  Her parents sat back in their chairs, each taking time to reflect on what they had just learned.

  “Did we have any say in whether or not you became queen of Raz?” her mother finally asked.

  The question caught Ann off guard. She hadn’t thought to tell them about their early deaths. She debated whether or not to reveal that to them, but in the end, she decided against it. As painful as it was, it was meant to happen, and even with that being the case, she didn’t want to tell them.

  She was saved the awkwardness of having to tell her mother anything when the front door flew off its hinges.

  She jerked back, barely noting that Stacey and her parents did the same.

  A human woman and a Paler entered the house and went directly to Ann, who scooted as far back on the couch as she could.

  “You’re coming with us, Queen Ann,” they spoke simultaneously.

  “You can’t come barging in here and take our daughter away!” her father yelled, his face red as he stood up to them.

  The Paler sighed. “Athena, I told you there was going to be a distraction.”

  “It’s to be expected, Guard Falon,” Athena said. “These people care for her. Obviously, they won’t be willing to let her go.”

  Ann blinked several times. Something about the two seemed familiar. In another time, she suspected they were allies, but that was all she could recall.

  “You’re not taking her,” her father repeated, getting up so he was standing between her and the two intruders.

  Before anyone could protest, the Paler reached out, grabbed her father by the collar and threw him against the wall. The impact knocked him unconscious. Too stunned to move, Ann could only watch as Athena came over to her.

  Ann’s mother, however, was quick to act. She grabbed the lamp next to her chair and smashed it over Athena’s head. Unfortunately, this didn’t knock Athena out.

  Athena glanced at her mother and sighed. “That was extremely annoying.”

  The Paler picked up another lamp and hit her mother on the head with it. Her mother collapsed on the floor, blood trickling down the side of her face.

  “No!” Ann screamed.

  Ann didn’t think about what she was doing. She merely acted on instinct. She kicked Athena behind her knees. Startled, Athena fell to the floor. Ann was ready to step on her neck when Falon grabbed her from behind. Ann struggled against him while Stacey jumped on his back and put her hands over his eyes so he couldn’t see what he was doing. Seeing her opportunity to act, Ann slipped out of his arms. Athena lunged at her and grabbed her arms, pinning them firmly behind her back.

  Falon leaned forward with enough force to throw Stacey off his back, and she landed on her hands and knees. Disregarding her, he walked up to Ann and took out the thin rope he had in one of his pockets. He quickly and effortlessly tied Ann’s hands and feet together.

  “Paler rope. Made to endure the toughest fighter. Even Omin himself couldn’t break free of this stuff,” he sneered.

  Ann stopped struggling, realizing it was pointless to waste the energy she might need later.

  “Speaking of Omin, his clone will be delighted at the gift we will present to him,” Athena said with a smile. “We won’t have to worry about the threat of Raz now.”

  “Do you want to keep fighting me?” Falon asked Stacey who was getting to her feet.

  “It’s okay, Stacey,” Ann assured her, despite her fears. “Hathor will come for me.”

  “Oh, we’ll get him, too,” Falon said. “He can’t outwit the Palers and Olympians.”

  Ann raised her eyebrows. Olympians? “You’re one of the goddesses from planet Olympia?” she asked Athena.

  Athena frowned. “I thought you didn’t remember anything.”

  “I don’t. Hathor filled me in on the details.”

  She rolled her eyes. “That meddlesome Hathor. We’ll have to do something about him when we capture him. He’ll surely come to your rescue.”

  “What do you want me to do about them?” Falon asked, nodding toward Ann’s parents and her helpless friend.

  “Leave them,” Athena replied. “They are of little consequence to us.”

  Falon picked Ann up, and Athena followed him out of the house.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Six years in the past

  On the brink of Earth’s Atmosphere

  Galaxy: Average

  Leader Paff found the adjustment to time traveling to be easier than he’d anticipated. He had wondered if the other warships could follow him into the past, and they had. No one reported any missing Paler, which was a great relief. He had a feeling they would need all the Palers they could get.

  Since they had gone back to the past, it had been easy for him to locate Second Commander Jaz and Guards Lino and Falon. He wondered why Guard Falon was on another part of the planet, but when he realized that Queen Ann was with Falon, he relaxed. He must be rescuing her. Hathor was in the area, too, so he mistakenly figured that Ann no longer needed his assistance.

  His concern turned to Omin’s clone. He located the clone at a place called the United Nations. He also found that Second Commander Jaz and Guard Lino were there. Since he still wasn’t getting a response from Jaz’s telecommunicator, they must have run into trouble with the clone.

  Captain Hanty knocked on Paff ’s door.

  “Enter,” Paff said.

  “We will be entering Earth’s atmosphere in ten minutes,” the captain said. “I have noticed some aircraft activity below. It is safe to assume we will face immediate conflict with the Earthlings, Leader.”

  He sighed, not liking the news. “I was afraid of that. Omin’s clone has already rallied up an army of innocent lives who are forced to do his bidding. How many warships should we send into the atmosphere right now?”

  “From the size of th
eir army, I suggest twelve of our best warships. We stand a better chance of success if we begin with our best men.”

  Paff nodded. “Send out the order. Tell the others to hold back until they are instructed to intervene.”

  “Who should we send on the ground mission to confront Omin’s clone?”

  He had been asking himself the same question since they entered the Average Galaxy. “I am the Leader, so I will be the first to go. Then I recommend nine of the top combative fighters we have. If we need reinforcements, then we will call for it.”

  “Very good. Permission to leave.”

  “Granted.”

  The captain left, giving Paff a few minutes of privacy before he had to confront Omin’s clone, which was something he was dreading. He couldn’t forget how terrified he had been of Omin. There was one time when he fought Omin and had almost killed him, but he had a friend who talked him into being merciful, to not give into the violent Paler nature. Now that the Palers, himself included, had been unbrainwashed from being violent killers, Paff knew he would not kill Omin’s clone out of revenge. He would kill him in self-defense. Or he would die trying.

  His gaze fell upon the picture of Halima that sat on his desk. He smiled as he thought of her. She was the one source of strength that never wavered in his life. He looked down at the letter he had written to her and reread it, making sure he’d told her everything that was in his heart. If he was going to die on this mission, he wanted to at least die knowing he had told her how much he loved her. He folded the letter and put it into a special container that would preserve it. In case the warship was destroyed, it was set to deploy for planet Pale into the future six years.

  “Leader Paff?” Captain Hanty interrupted.

  Paff glanced up, startled that he had returned. Paff cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. What is it?”

  “We’re ready to enter the atmosphere. I’ve gathered your nine ground troop members.”

  Paff nodded. “Thank you, Captain.”

  He followed Hanty out of the room.

  ***

  Ann’s house

  Xenia, Ohio

  Planet: Earth

  By the time Hathor and Kent arrived at Ann’s house, the radio announcer was commenting on the alien spaceships, which were heading for the United Nations. “For now, it seems, the aliens are focusing their efforts on one location. That, of course, could change at any moment, so everyone is urged to stay inside. All military personnel from around the world are keeping watch over their nations just in case the aliens break up and start invading other parts of the world.”

  “The Palers won’t do that,” Hathor said. “They just want to capture Omin’s clone. If they engage in any combat, it will be in self-defense.”

  “I’m glad you know the aliens because I’d be panicking right now if you didn’t just tell me that.”

  Hathor saw the front door of Ann’s house was missing, so as soon as Kent stopped the car, he jumped out and ran inside where Stacey was holding an ice pack to Ann’s mother’s head. Ann’s father, meanwhile, was talking frantically into the phone.

  “Where’s Ann?” Hathor asked, the evidence of a struggle already making him assume the worst.

  “It was horrible,” Stacey said, crying. “They just barged in here and took her away.”

  “What happened here?” Kent asked then stopped in the middle of the room. “Whoa! Is everyone okay?”

  “They captured Ann,” Hathor informed him. “Do you know who captured her?” he asked Stacey.

  Stacey shook her head. “One of them was an alien. The other one was a woman. We tried to stop them, but they were too strong for us.”

  “Who are you?” Ann’s father demanded, coming over to Hathor and Kent. “Do you know anything about Ann?”

  “I’m Hathor. I came to protect Ann, but…but I got here too late.”

  “Hathor?” her mother asked. “The young man from Raz who took her to be queen over there?”

  “Please, don’t talk. You need to rest,” her father said, concerned for his wife. He turned to Hathor and Kent. “Well? Is she okay?”

  “I don’t know,” Hathor replied. “I hope so.”

  He groaned. “What are we going to do?”

  “Can you use something from that magical book you have?” Kent asked.

  Hathor pulled it out of his pocket. It immediately grew to its normal size.

  Everyone but Hathor and Kent gasped in surprise.

  “You really are from another planet, aren’t you?” Ann’s father whispered.

  Hathor nodded. “Raz. This is really the magician’s book, but in cases like this, it’s the job of the king to use it.”

  “So she really is married and queen of another planet,” her mother mumbled. “I just couldn’t believe it.”

  “Now, please. I need you to rest,” her father said as he sat by her and held her hand.

  Hathor frantically searched the spells for something he could use. “I wonder if I can locate her yet.”

  “I thought you couldn’t use it for that,” Kent said.

  “It’ll only work in this situation if Ann is in danger. That would put Raz in danger, too. This book and Raz are connected. Raz makes sure its safety is a priority.” He spoke the spell, and a holographic map of the globe appeared in front of them, the red dot marking Ann’s current location.

  “What does that mean?” her father asked, gesturing to the map.

  “It means Ann’s in danger,” Hathor forced out. He’d figured the book would now locate her, but it was still hard to find out for sure.

  “She’s only seventeen,” her mother said. “How can all of this be happening to her?”

  Hathor couldn’t worry about what her parents were going through, even though it hurt to see them agonize over their daughter. Time was wasting, and quite frankly, he didn’t have time to explain everything.

  “You need to get to the hospital,” Kent told Ann’s mother, providing a much needed distraction.

  “I already called for an ambulance,” her father replied. “This day has been unbelievable.”

  “Ann’s on her way to the United Nations,” Hathor said as he flipped to another page. “I’ll have to go there and rescue her.”

  “Why would she go there?” Stacey asked.

  “Omin’s clone wants her dead.” When Hathor saw their startled expressions, he explained, “Omin’s clone is Alexander Napoli.”

  “She told us who he is. We just never imagined he wanted to kill her,” her father softly replied.

  “She’s in charge of Raz, and she’s made alliances with planets Pale and Olympia. Even Omin would have a hard time defeating the three planets working together against him. This is his clone’s way of eliminating his enemies.” Hathor could tell that they were too stunned to fully take in what he was saying. He decided to stop and just focus on the spell he needed. When he found it, he began to recite it but looked up at the four bewildered people. “I will do everything I can to save her. I promise.” He quickly said the spell and disappeared.

  ***

  Six years in the past

  United Nations

  Planet: Earth

  Hathor arrived at the United Nations before Ann did since the Book of Spells was more efficient than any of the Paler or Olympian spaceships were. The scene around him was chaotic. Massive groups of people rushed for cover as fighting ensued between the military aircraft and Paler warships in the sky.

  Pieces of furniture and flags were strewn across the room, and he sadly noted a few dead people lying on the floor. Omin’s clone should never have been allowed to create such havoc on an innocent planet, but Omin was notorious for being a creature of no mercy. Apparently, Omin’s clone was the same way.

  Hathor glanced around the unfamiliar building. Where should he go? The Book of Spells led him here for a reason, and it had to do with finding Ann.

  “Aliens! They’re here!” a woman screamed as she ran into the room.

  Several ot
her scared people followed her.

  She saw Hathor and ran over to him. “They’re coming. The invaders are coming into this building. Hide yourself!”

  It took Hathor a moment to realize she was talking about the Palers. Before she could run off, he stopped her. “Who are they coming after?”

  “All of us. They want to take over Earth!”

  “Are they a threat to Alexander Napoli?” He had to know if these Palers would help him or not.

  “They’re a threat to all humans. Of course, they’re after him, too.” She shook her head in wonder at his questions. “Please, let me go. I need to hide!”

  He released her arm and watched her and the others hurry for cover. He breathed a sigh of relief. He hoped it was Leader Paff and his army. Just to be sure he had some protection from anyone who might have a chip inserted in them, he used the Book of Spells to produce a sword that would give him protection from the Paler guns. He wasn’t worried about being attacked by an Earthling since he looked like them. No doubt, they would see him as an ally.

  Soon, ten Palers stormed into the room. He recognized Leader Paff right away. Behind him were nine of his best ground fighters.

  Paff saw Hathor and rushed over to him. “Hathor! Thank goodness you’re safe. But where is Queen Ann, and what are you doing here? When we tracked you and Queen Ann, you weren’t here.”

  “It’s a long story,” Hathor replied, glad to see that Paff and his men weren’t being controlled by a chip. “Queen Ann was abducted by a Paler and a human woman. She should be here soon. I think Omin’s clone is bringing her here.”

  “Do you know who the Paler was that took the queen?”

  “No.”

  Paff sighed. “Second Commander Jaz, Guard Lino and Guard Falon went on a search with some Olympians to find you and the queen. I haven’t been able to make contact with Jaz for days. I’m afraid something has happened to them.”