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

to
the police is no small offense."
    Adira raised her eyebrows. "I don't think
that he will. I'm more than just an authoritative figure, I was
Armino's friend and want the same thing I know Anlon wants. I'll
make sure to tell him that so he'll have every reason to believe
me."
    "So you expect he'll come here and
immediately believe you will bring him justice for the death of his
family?"
    "No. Not immediately," She shook her head. "I
will have to earn his trust, but this is about more than just
questioning Anlon. He doesn't have to answer my questions if he
doesn't want to. My promise to Armino is just as important to me as
finding the races responsible for his death."
    "Just don't get too hopeful he'll help you.
You've never met him and I'm sure Armino never talked about his
work with his family," Abdul warned.
    "He didn't tell his family about me or his
work, with his kids anyway. Marguerite knew, but he said it'd be
safer if the kids were kept in the dark," She readjusted in her
seat. "If Anlon is as similar to Armino as he claimed all these
years, Anlon will eventually come through and help me."
    "Okay. It does make some sense to bring him
here, but what if he doesn't want your protection and refuses your
help?" Abdul asked. "Have you thought of that yet?"
    She rolled her eyes. "Nonsense. Who wouldn't
want to live in the Queen's Palace?"
    He shrugged. "I was just asking what ifs
Adira."
    "Well, don't. Anlon will accept the offer. I
know that he will."
    Abdul dipped his head. "Sorry, your majesty.
When do you want him brought here?"
    "Immediately. We know where he is now,
correct?"
    He nodded. "We do. He hasn't left Hassental
and seems to be living his life as normally as he possibly can
given his circumstances."
    "Well, bring him here. I'll make sure he
knows I'm on his side and that I want to protect him from any
danger."
    Abdul stood up and bowed. "I will get on it
immediately. He will be here within three days."
    Adira held up her hand to stop him. "Make it
one day."
    He dipped his head. "One day. You will see
him in one day."
    Abdul turned around and left Adira alone in
her office. She waited until she heard him shut the chamber door
before she got up from her desk. She scrambled over to her dresser
and rummaged through a hidden drawer to find Armino's letters.
    She quickly started tearing them open and
laid them down next to each other. There were dozens of letters
that Armino had written to her and every single one of them ended
exactly the same:
    If I die on this mission, bury my body where
I first said I wanted to protect you as a child. It is where it all
started and where you will bury old life to find new life.
    Adira grabbed all of the letters and ran over
to her fireplace and pressed the button to start it up. She threw
all of the letters in to be incinerated because she didn't need a
letter to remember where to go. She would have to make a trip to
Gaea and back to her home District of Hassental to uncover the
clue. Travel plans would have to be made and she would make sure
they were kept secret from everyone, including her Council. If this
is where she could find her only daughter, she wasn't going to let
anyone tip off the enemy where she was headed.
    She also knew that this was only the first of
many clue because Armino would never make finding something so
special to her this easy to find. After all of the years spent with
him, she knew he took every precaution necessary to ensure the
success of every mission. This mission would start underneath the
giant oak tree outside of her old house where Armino had first
promised to protect her with his life. There was no better place
for Armino to hide the clue for something so close to her.

Chapter 7
     
    Kirill waited patiently in his chair for
Donnchadh to arrive after deciding it was a good time to inform his
assassin of his first failure. Anlon didn't pose any real threat to
the Deimos Brotherhood, and Kirill knew he didn't really need to
tell Donnchadh, but