Free War for Orion: Ghosts from the Past by Conner Walworth

Adira,"
Abdul whispered, barely audible to the rest of the Council. "You
must tread carefully."
    Adira pretended not to hear Abdul. "So what
if killing Armino was a strategic move? What am I supposed to do
now?"
    "Find your daughter, your majesty," Alura, a
Filibian, suggested.
    "How do you know about my daughter?" She
looked over at Abdul. "Does everybody here know about my
daughter?"
    "Sadly, there are many more races than just
the ones in this room who know about your daughter," Abdul nodded.
"It has been some time since they found out."
    "How dare you tell them! I trusted you Abdul
Hakim!" she raged. "You swore secrecy to me!"
    Abdul looked away. "It was not I who told
Queen Adira."
    "Are you suggesting that Armino told?" she
fumed. "Armino would never tell anybody!"
    Abdul raised his hands a couple of inches.
"All I know is that it was not I who told. I kept my mouth closed,
and only recently, found out others knew about your daughter too.
Not all of those who know are your friends either Adira, and I'm
afraid they may tell the Deimos Brotherhood, who will surely find
her unless you act swiftly."
    "So individuals know she survived, but
not where Armino took her?"
    "Yes. That's correct, your majesty," Abdul
said.
    "Do any of you have any guesses where Armino
took her?" All of the Council members shook their heads. "Well,
neither do I. He took her someplace that she would be safe and that
is good enough for me."
    "I don't think that's good enough your
majesty," Aldrick said.
    "No? If I don't know where she is, and the
only person that does is
dead
, how is my enemy going to
find her?" She looked around the room. "Anybody want to answer that
question for me?"
    "This is the Deimos Brotherhood, your
majesty. They make it their job to find people who are supposed to
be safe or hidden," Alura said.
    "There are no records of her! She never had
an identity! How is a nyone going to find her when her own
mother can't find her? As far as any race is concerned, she is
non-existent."
    The Quierleon spoke up. "If information was
leaked regarding her survival, how do you know information
regarding where she's hidden wasn't released too? I'm not saying
that anybody does know, but what if? Do you want to take the
risk that whoever leaked this may have also leaked a location?"
    Adira ignored the shot questioning Armino's
loyalty to her. "I will think long and hard about this. You all
bring up excellent points and I need to think over all of this more
clearly, without any clouded judgment from myself or distractions
from others," She stood up. "I will let you know my decision by the
end of the week, if not sooner. You are all dismissed."
    "What's happening Abdul?" Adira let out a
long drawn breath.
    He put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm not
sure Adira, but I think the rest of the Council is right to fear
for your life and your daughter's safety. The Deimos Brotherhood
has proven to be a potent enemy, we can't take them lightly any
longer."
    "Why now after all of this time? Surely
they've had plenty of other opportunities to take me out."
    "Maybe they've been planning for years, but
were only just now able to start. Without talking to them we can
only guess what they are planning."
    Adira walked towards the doors. "I need time
to think about everything that has happened. Once I have decided, I
will call you to my personal chambers to discuss what our next
moves will be."
    Abdul smiled. "I know whatever you choose
will be right Adira."
    "I haven't even made a decision, yet you
think it'll be the correct one?"
    "I don't think you've made a wrong decision
yet in your reign as Queen."
    "If you say so Abdul. Just don't be
disappointed if I make my first wrong decision," She turned and
left him alone in the Council Chamber.

    Adira went straight to her personal chambers
and pulled all of the curtains closed so she could be absorbed in
the darkness. She plopped down on her oversized bed and stared at
the ceiling.
    At the start of the day she had