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“I know the ins and outs of this palace, including all its secret passageways,” he said. “Do you honestly think me so stupid as to not keep them watched at all times?”
He was far too smug with himself. I wanted to wipe it from his face.
His eyes flicked and found mine.
“And what is this?” he said. “Consorting with lower lifeforms, are we?”
“She’s not the lower life form,” Nus said, spitting to one side. “You are. You betrayed your own race!”
The Changeling soldiers stiffened and aimed their weapons at her.
Nus was now cowed.
“I’m just smart enough to pick the winning side,” Slak said. “If you were in my shoes you would have done the same thing.”
“You have no honor,” M’rar Thres growled.
Despite his superiority complex, that insult had stung. No matter how hard he might try, he could never fully escape what he was. If you were born a Titan, honor was very important to you.
“We will see who has honor by the end,” Slak said.
There was another Titan in the room. He looked on and didn’t approve of what was happening in front of him. His armor was plain and simple, worn and dented from a thousand battles. He had to be Garrick, I decided. The only member of Fiath’s closest confidants he still trusted.
Slak waved a hand, and the Titan guardsmen arranged around the room opened the balcony doors wide, revealing the view of the battle still taking place in the valley. The Titan’s side had swollen in number. It must have been the reserve forces that weren’t meant to take part until the Changeling army had been destroyed. Instead, they leaped to their allies’ side, into the breach even though they knew it meant certain death.
“I’m pleased you have a front-row seat of the end of your destruction,” Slak said.
We were witnessing the massacre of innocent people, fighting to defend their home planet and their loved ones.
“Were you always a traitor?” Fiath said from beneath his hood. “Or did it happen slowly, over time?”
Slak growled and gnashed his teeth.
“It’s thanks to me we’re no longer led by a weak ruler!” he said. “The emperor never cared about the people. He only cared about himself. He was lazy and stupid. How else do you think I had him removed?”
“I could never fully bring myself to believe you were so rotten inside,” Fiath said. “But now I see you for who you truly are.”
Garrick snapped to attention, his interest piqued. Did he recognize Fiath’s voice? And what would he do if he knew it was him? Was he really his friend?
Slak squinted at him.
“Who are you?” he said. “You say you see the real me. How about we see the real you?”
“Very well,” Fiath said.
He yanked his hood and tossed it aside.
Slak and Garrick reacted the same way. Their eyes bulged and snapped to his bare wrists. Not seeing the ring of skin around his arm, it meant he couldn’t be a Changeling.
It was really him.
And then the blood drained from both their faces.
“That’s impossible!” Slak said. “I saw the explosion! No one could survive that!”
“No one but the emperor,” Garrick said. “Long may he reign.”
He reacted faster than Slak, who was still in shock.
