DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER LIV

E M P R E S S   R Y K O

I tucked my hands behind me as we walked past rows of elite trained Dawn guards. Their armour was flawless and their stature even more so. I should know, I trained with half of them.

"So, what you're saying, Empress–is we do not have an alliance with the Division?" The counceller got out in an uncomfortable rasp. His white hair was supposed to indicate experience and wisdom... but I usually had to provide that for both of us.

I rolled my eyes and flexed my hands.

"I'm sure it seems simple from up here in the clouds... But Scorpion is a complicated woman. This needs a finer touch." I stated, glancing at the tropical plants imported into the great hall we walked.

A complicated woman indeed. Powerful and self made. A woman that changed the world around her if it didn't suit her. Exactly the kind of ally you wanted. One that ran the outer world while you ran the inner. She was a necessary player and Emperor Xavier was a fool to see her as less. She proved that to him eventually anyway–

He raised an eyebrow and adjusted his suit, "Perhaps we could send ambassadors–"

A laugh left me at his sheer ignorance.

"You think seeing more upper Merridians will sway her? Honestly, Harmon do you realise who we are dealing with?" He spluttered in indignation but wisely didn't interrupt, "–she lives for the outer sectors and responds to those who follow their ways. If we send a bunch of pristine negotiators we will receive them back in pieces."

"They are not savages." He grumbled, but I saw the consideration in his face at the idea. "We have tried an imperial event, we have tried engaging them on their own territory–what more is there?" He asked exasperated.

I paused before a flowering vine and appraised the purple leaves.

"I've tried more direct means..." I murmured, thinking of the darkness in her eyes when she saw me so close. The strange collision of conflict and desire. Even Scorpion had her limits. Harmon stilled beside me and stared plainly at my face. "–But she's rather fond of our former Emperor's daughter." I sighed.

"We could handle that..." He ventured with emphasis.

I snorted and faced him directly.

"You kill Makayla Xavier and there isn't a single thing Scorpion would not do to kill us all." I deadpanned, enjoying the way he flinched like I had struck him.

Fool. Why was a man's first thought always to attack so directly? It was so obvious–so simple minded. Which reminded me.

"Have you tracked down the faceless maker yet?"

At this he perked up.

"Dawn guard apprehended him just this morning. Would you like an audience?"

I nodded, "At some point, yes. For now I want to know how to play this. Getting an alliance is still on the table." I murmured.

"But you said it yourself... Scorpion does not respond to us–to outsiders."

I smirked despite it.

"Who said we had to look like outsiders at all? Know your enemy, Harmon and everything else becomes much more simple." 

He caught up to my train of thought and glanced back down the vast hall.

"Do you think the faceless has such appearances for the task?"

"He or she has been face to face with Scorpion and Miss Xavier themself. So I would say yes."

He grinned back and gestured a hand.

"You would play the part brilliantly as either one."

I shrugged. Of course I would. But again this had to be done well. If she knew we had the faceless the game was up... If she knew it was me shrouding myself as Makayla even more so. It was all or nothing. An alliance or a war.

But at least I was trying to avoid the latter before it came to that.

"I need the idea to come from within–she will not listen to me again. Her trust in me is completely gone since..." My thoughts went briefly to the press of my body against her own and the gun Xavier trained on my head. "–anyway. Our goal remains to get them onboard before another lunatic in this city tries to unbalance the sectors."

"This sounds plausible so far. You just need to ensure we have no more lapses in trust." He said eyeing me deliberately.

I smirked and rolled my neck.

"That was just a bit of fun. There was no harm done–"

"Upsetting the ruler of the Underworld is harm, your highness." He reminded me in a polite tone.

"It won't happen again."

It wouldn't be so bad if it did... She was carved like a goddess–

"If it does, let us make sure we are on the same side first." He quipped, adjusting his collar.

I thought about it happening again in more detail. She was... certainly something. I considered many things about that red cloaked ruler as we reached the end of the marble hall and looked out the vast glass pane to the clouds beyond.

This would be so much more simple with a classical union. We were young, beautiful and powerful what wasn't there to agree on? One blonde with an excited trigger finger perhaps. Scorpion would come around if the idea came from Xavier that was certain... But the question was how I would get that much time with her without both parties becoming aware.

"Will that be all, Empress?"

I almost flinched realising Harmon was still waiting on my word. I waved him off with my thoughts elsewhere and two guards shadows his leave with a curt bow. I was still fully armoured in white myself. Training kept the mind and body sharp. Scorpion knew it all too well.

It was madness that she hadn't already come to the same reasoning I had. We both held two halves of the city. We both wanted the same things. We both needed this alliance to work–enough with the petty games. There didn't need to be so much collateral damage all the time in this city.

Perhaps the slow game then.

Observe their movements under our own Underworld faces. We needed to prepare. To map out the opportune moment for the day Makayla would walk up to the Underworld's queen and put the idea in her head herself that an alliance with Dawn Guard was the only way forward.

Scorpion couldn't see that yet but she would. She could if given the right face to tell her the words.

Removing Xavier was not an option. I needed Scorpion alert and rational not vengeful. Maybe with time she would see things differently. Maybe she'd see a seat beside the Empress differently. I smiled out at the skyline beyond.

I always liked a challenge.