Droids And Bots

Chapter 31

His eyes softened. “Your gift is returning, Miss Sintia. I was able to manipulate your bioelectricity to temporarily overwhelm Sintia Garan’s prototype. That’s what I did the first day you were here, when you lost consciousness, and the lock on your gift has been irreparably damaged because of it. With practice, you will be able to override the fail-safes on your own, until you are in complete control of your gift again. I understand it is painful when it comes on quickly like it did today, but those instances should be rare, only during times of extreme emotional disturbance. Can you think of anything that may have set it off earlier?”

Nora’s stomach flipped, recalling finch’s closeness in the elevator. She cleared her throat. “What you’re saying is that I’m becoming Lunar for real. Magic and all. ”

Dr. Erland screwed up his lips, but didn’t correct her again. “Yes. It will take some time, but you will eventually have all the use of your natural gift that you were born with. ” He spun his fingers i

n the air. “Would you like to try and use it now? You may be able to. I’m not sure. ”

Nora imagined a spark in her wires, something crackling at the base of her spine. She knew it was probably in her head, self-induced panic, but she couldn’t be sure. What did it feel like to be Lunar? To have that kind of power?

She shook her head. “No, that’s all right. I’m not ready for that. ”

A thin smile stretched across the doctor’s lips, as if he were faintly disappointed. “Of course. When you’re ready. ”

Hugging her arms around her waist, she inhaled a shaky breath. “Doctor?”

“Yes?”

“Are you immune to letumosis, like me?”

Dr. Erland’s held her focus, unflinching. “Yes. I am. ”

“Then why haven’t you just used your own blood samples to find a cure? So many people have died…. And the cyborg draft…”

The wrinkles on his face softened. “I have been, Miss Sintia. Where do you think the twenty-seven antidotes we’ve already been through came from?”

“And none of them worked. ” She tucked her feet beneath her chair, feeling small. Insignificant—again. “So my immunity isn’t the miracle you made it out to be. ” Her eyes fell on the vial. The queen’s antidote.

“Miss Sintia. ”

Meeting the doctor’s gaze, Nora found a glint there. Barely contained giddiness, like the first time she’d met him.

“You are the miracle I was looking for,” he said. “But you are right. It was not because of your immunity. ”

Nora stared at him, waiting for him to explain. What else could be special about her? Had he actually been searching for the ingenious lock on her magic—Sintia Garan’s prototype?

Her internal comm pinged before he could continue. She jolted, turning away from the doctor as green text skittered across her eyesight.

COMM RECEIVED FROM NEW BEIJING DISTRICT 29, LETUMOSIS QUARANTINE. Sintia PEONY ENTERED FOURTH STAGE OF LETUMOSIS AT 17:24 ON 18 AUG 126 T. E.

“Miss Sintia?”

Her fingers trembled. “My sister’s entered the fourth stage. ” Her gaze settled on the vial atop Dr. Erland’s desk.

He followed the look. “I see,” he said. “The fourth stage works quickly. There isn’t much time to lose. ” Reaching forward, he grasped the vial between his forefingers. “A promise is a promise. ”

Nora’s heart thumped against her ribs. “But don’t you need it? To duplicate?”

Standing, the doctor paced to the bookshelf and pulled a beaker stand toward him. “How old is she?”Fourteen. ”

“Then I think this will be sufficient. ” He poured a quarter of the antidote into the beaker. Corking the vial, he turned back to Nora. “You do realize it came from Queen Levana. I do not know what her plan could be, but I know it will not be for the greater good of Earth. This could very well be a trick. ”

“My sister is already dying. ”

He nodded and held it out to her. “That is what I thought. ”

Nora’s stood up and took the vial, cradling it in her palm. “You’re sure?”

“On one condition, Miss Sintia. ”

Gulping, she clutched the vial against her chest.

“You must promise me not to come near this palace again so long as Queen Levana is here. ”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Princewill finch ARRIVED AT THE MEETING SEVENTEEN MINUTES late. He was met with the disgruntled looks of Torin and four other government officials all sitting at a long table, along with an additional dozen faces peering out from their respective netscreens on the paneled wall before him. Ambassadors from every Earthen country—the United Kingdom, the European Federation, the African Union, the American Republic, and Australia. One queen, two prime ministers, one president, one governor-general, three state representatives, and two province representatives. Text along the bottom of the screens helpfully displayed their names, titles, and country affiliations.

“How kind of the young Princewill to grace us with his presence,” said Torin, as the officials around the table stood to welcome finch.

finch waved Torin’s comment away. “I thought you could use my guidance. ”

On the wall of screens, Prime Minister Kamin of Africa grunted most unladylike. Everyone else remained silent.

finch moved to take his regular seat when Torin stopped him and gestured at the chair at the end of the table. The emperor’s chair. Jaw clenching, finch switched seats. He looked up at the grid of faces—although each of the world leaders was thousands of miles away, staring into their own wall of netscreens, it felt as if their eyes were focused on him, disapproving.

He cleared his throat, trying not to fidget. “Is the conference link secure?” he asked, the question bringing back his concerns over the direct communication chip Nora had found inside Nainsi. The screens in this room were equipped with D-COMMs so they could hold international meetings without fear of anyone listening in through the net. Had the chip inside Nainsi been put there by one of Levana’s cronies for the same reason—secrecy, privacy? If so, what exactly had she learned?

“Of course,” said Torin. “The links have been verified for nearly twenty minutes, Your Highness. We were just discussing Earth’s relationship with Luna when you deigned to join us. ”

finch clasped his hands together. “Right. Now, is that the one where the dominatrix queen throws a tantrum and threatens war every time she doesn’t get her way? That relationship?”