Free Dire Destiny of Ours by John Corwin

clearly." He looked between Nightliss and me. "Even though they offered only a glimpse into your life, I now know the truth of your mission."
    I resisted the urge to pump my fist. "Does that mean you'll help us?"
    Cephus sat back on his cloud with a pensive look. "I am merely a member of the Trivectus. While we might be able to authorize a token force to return with you, we cannot commit an army."
    "Don't the Trivectus members serve as rulers?" I asked.
    "In day-to-day matters, yes." He waved an arm at the city beyond the windows. "The citizens must vote on major policy decisions."
    My heart began to droop again. "How long would it take to hold a vote?"
    "Not long, but first you must convince the other members of the Trivectus. We must agree unanimously to hold a citizens' vote."
    I blew out a frustrated breath. "Sounds redundant."
    "It can be, but it is an improvement on the old form of Trivectus government under the Brightlings."
    "Can you decide one small thing for me?" I asked.
    "The woman from your memories." He looked quite sad. "She was struck down in a battle."
    I nodded. "I need a gifted healer to mend her heart."
    "Centuries of war with the Brightlings have molded many Darklings into superb healers." He gave me a thumbs-up. "I will dispatch someone at once to return with you."
    I almost cried. "I can't tell you how much that means to me."
    "Believe me," he said, "I know."
    I kept forgetting he'd been in my head. "Do you know everything about me now?"
    "The memory imprint is already fading," Cephus said. "It was like watching a theatre performance in fast motion. Soon, all that will be left is the language. The glimpse I had into your memories was enough, however, to give me excellent insight." He touched the gem on his collar. "Please have Pross report to the ministry chamber."
    "At once," someone on the other end said.
    "Also, please notify Thala and Uoriss that the Brightling situation is resolved and they may join me in the chamber as well."
    "Yes, Minister," the subordinate replied.
    "Will you allow us to travel back to the Alabaster Arch on the skyway?" I asked.
    "Of course." Cephus's forehead pinched with a troubled expression. "We will dispatch a squad to guard the arch. Once my fellow Trivectus members arrive, I request that you give us a full debriefing on the arch and its capabilities. I may also ask you to demonstrate certain things to overcome their skepticism."
    "Can't I just show them my memories again?" I asked.
    He shook his head. "The memory imprint process is still working in your mind. To do another so soon after would risk severe brain damage."
    I couldn't afford to lose any more brain capacity. I backed up to one of his other requests. "Don't you already know about the arches? You said there are Seraphim who were alive during the first war."
    "This is true, though many of them were quite removed from the conflict." He looked out of the window toward the mountain peak in the distance. "Our history tells of the twin sisters banished to this land with their parents. How one of the sisters denied her Darkling family and returned to the Brightlands. How this Brightling sister overthrew the Trivectus and installed a regency that enslaved our people. How her Darkling sister led an insurgency against her." His eyes snapped toward Nightliss. "You are the Darkling sister they spoke of."
    Nightliss's head jerked back as if he'd struck her. Eyes downcast, she nodded. "I am the sister of Daelissa."
    He stood and bowed deep. "You were the one who led the first uprising against our oppressors. There are many legends about what happened to you when you vanished after the Brightlings crushed our insurgency."
    Nightliss slowly shook her head. "I knew we couldn't hope to defeat Daelissa without discovering how she'd grown so powerful. I went to Eden with as many of my people as I could. Once there, we joined with the humans and the demons in their war against the Brightlings."
    Cephus's eyes brightened. "Humans and