Fiona said, “That imbalance you mentioned. What if we were to purchase the raw materials for our upgrades as well. Just for the new subspace devices, so as not to put our mining operations out of business, at say seventy percent market rate. That should give you a small profit, and it will save our government thirty percent on material costs for our own refits. I think that would more that even things out between us.”

  She was so hot when she was being brainy and confident. It was a decent deal, and while saving the alliance from falling apart was a lot bigger than saving us some credits, it was the mutual defense deal that was most important. Having thirty-one worlds in mutual defense may temper any ambitions to conquer and expand in the confederacy’s thirty-five worlds.

  They weren’t stupid either, so they wouldn’t start a war on two fronts. They’d have probably swallowed the alliance whole first, then come after us. Better to fight together, whoever got attacked first meant the other would send aid. They hadn’t discussed that part in detail, but it was obvious enough to everyone in the room.

  Cora said, “I agree. I think we have a treaty. I will draw something up, append the video of this meeting, and transmit it home securely. The alliance will have to ratify it, and of course they’ll transmit it to your father for him to sign as well. They’ll also send the appended video, so he can see you agreed to it all and even came up with most of it. Does that meet your agreement?”

  “Yes,” Fiona said.

  Obviously if the numbers and intent in the treaty transmitted didn’t match the appended video discussion, the prelate wouldn’t sign it.

  Cora smiled again, and for the first time it reached her eyes. I supposed it was the first time she saw hope for the alliance in this whole mess.

  Then we returned to the surface.

  Chapter Twelve

  The queen was late to her own party. Outside of the already insane gall of what she was doing, the rest of the treaty the queen had sent us wasn’t too bad. It outlined and spelled out certain things, like we had to pay the royalty off of market costs, so we couldn’t fudge the numbers if we got the materials at less cost. Things like that. Of course, what was already discussed was bad enough.

  Unbeknownst to me at the time, it was all about to make an evil kind of sense. Why the queen seemed determined to launch an endless cold war and an inevitable shooting war while we all had no choice but to eat from her table and bow to her demands. Why she seemed to want the human sphere to devolve into chaos as these new technologies of New Australia’s redefined… everything.

  The nine of us sat around the table, the uncomfortable tension obvious between the three groups from three interstellar governments, but it wasn’t a hostile one.

  Evangelina’s hand was still on my thigh, her fingers drawing listless circles in place, even while above the table she was her usual self and maintained the cover. A part of me felt tense about that too, but until we returned to our own ship I couldn’t ask her about it, but my instincts were telling me that would be too late. Still, there was no way to know what it meant, I didn’t even know where to start to guess.

  Maybe if I’d still had my memories of my past lives, it would’ve all turned out differently.

  The din in the hall sounded like a low hiss, while the nobles at the other tables started to speculate about the queen’s absence and what was keeping her. Our own table was silent as the minutes lengthened. It was almost fifteen minutes when she made her grand entrance by her private entrance to the dining hall.

  She was quite a beauty, but nothing compared to the woman walking at her side, in a slinky red dress. She had shimmering black hair and dark brown eyes, and a curvy luscious body that was more than a match to Grace’s. Along with the face of angel, literally.

  A fallen angel. She truly was as beautiful as she was evil.

  My heart stopped, as the queen walked in with Malice on her arm. The rage that ignited in my chest was powerful. I didn’t need my past lives memories to hate that creature and want her dead. I had this life’s memories which were more than enough.

  The first instinct that took me was to attack, but we were in a room of New Australia nobles, and she was holding onto the arm of the queen. To attack Malice in that instant would be an act of war, and likely end in the deaths of the representatives from two other interstellar governments. It would start a war with everyone, so I clenched my teeth, and my hands curled into fists under the table.

  But neither was I idle, I was already taking measures, even as I determined to keep the malicious demoness talking.

  Evangelina’s fingers dug harshly into my leg, but I was too focused on my enemy to try and interpret what she was trying to communicate.

  So instead, I just focused my aura to resist Malice’s, and expanded it out to cover everyone in the room. It was too late for the queen of course, and the implications started hitting me hard at that point. This whole thing, was her. Not Queen Allison, that monarch’s power play and determination to bring chaos to the human sphere was done dancing at the tune of a demoness.

  It was Malice that wanted chaos, death, and to bring it all down. Suffering, was her bread and butter, and this must’ve been a once in a lifetime opportunity even for an immortal being. Throw all of humanity, and hundreds of billion lives on the seventy-four known human worlds into the chaos of war.

  It was demon’s wet dream.

  Malice said as they sat, “What, no hello for an old friend, Damien?”

  Everyone at the table stared at me, save Fiona who was also well aware of how dangerous this situation was.

  “Here to gloat?”

  Malice snorted, “Yes. It’s a bit childish granted, but then you used to be a better opponent and I got bored moving in the shadows. It’s almost like you don’t remember any of my tricks, and it’s taken a lot of the fun out of it. Oh, wait, you don’t remember, do you,” she smirked, “I’ve been messing with you for a while now, hinting bigger and waiting for you to figure it out. But this new version of you is so naïve, and stupid.”

  Traven interjected in demanding tones, “Who are you, and what is going on here?”

  Malice smirked, “Go ahead, tell him Damien. If he knows maybe he won’t interrupt the adults at the table again.”

  “I don’t think so, Malice. I won’t follow your orders, even the reasonable ones, I’m not that stupid and I know how your powers work.”

  Malice sighed, “Very well. Evangelina, be a dear and kill Traven, before he annoys me further.”

  Evangelina didn’t even hesitate, smoothly grabbing a knife off the table. She was about to flick her wrist and impale the councilor of another government. Fortunately, I was so much faster than her it wasn’t even a contest, as I gripped her forearm like a striking python, and squeezed until her fingers opened and the knife clattered on the table.

  Now I understood why she’d been acting differently, she was in Malice’s thrall. I just didn’t know how or when it’d happened. I’d also noticed the same listlessness in the queen at times, like ignoring the threats for the most part, and being so casual about her unreasonable demands. The signs were there, I just hadn’t had my memories to recognize them.

  Evangelina tried to twist out of my grip as she spun out of her chair, and I grimaced as she almost managed it.

  “This is going to hurt.”

  The flames of purification poured out of my hand, and everyone in the room gasped as Evangelina’s body was wreathed in golden flames. The guards along the walls all pulled their weapons.

  Fortunately, they weren’t shooting yet, and looking at the queen for guidance, who honestly looked bored.

  Regardless, the flames entered her body and her back arched, and she screamed as if I was torturing her soul. Then it was over, the curse and Malice’s power burnt out of her. She collapsed against me, and then started to sob.

  Traven at least, appearing terrified, kept his trap shut.

  I growled, “How did you get to her.”

  Malice shrugged, “It wasn’t easy, I couldn’t at first. You kept her about you all the time, at least until you got here and stopped keeping her in your bed. You’re a very sound sleeper Damien, you didn’t even feel me steal into her room two nights ago. Pathetic. The old you… you’d wake up if I came within a mile of you.”

  My eyes widened, as more connections occurred, “You bitch. You did it to Talia too, didn’t you?”

  That would explain the wild change to her personality. Why didn’t I think of that, even consider it? Yes, Talia had been suspicious of me from the start, but she hadn’t been unstable about it, not until that afternoon. Shit.

  Malice smirked, “Okay, only mostly stupid. She was much easier, I hit her right outside the restaurant, after you two had that cute breakfast together. It was revolting to watch you flirt like horny teenagers, you know. She was supposed to sabotage your life in a smart way, but the bitch fought my magic, it drove her crazy. She must’ve really cared for you a great deal to even manage that much, and you tossed her aside like garbage. You know, you let her down so badly. Her attacks on you were a major hint, a cry for help, and you put her in an asylum and picked up a new toy instead. The old you would’ve recognized the signs immediately, it really is a disappointment. You’re not a threat to me, you’re a baby who hasn’t even teethed yet.”

  I pushed down the guilt that engendered, I could fix Talia when we got home. The friendship would be over of course, she wouldn’t forgive me, but she’d be able to get her life back on track once I’d burned out the curse.

  “What else, besides the obvious,” I waved at the queen who seemed a little listless. Much like Evangelina had been, I wouldn’t miss those signs again, at least in the people around me.

  Not that it mattered, I was going to kill this bitch, and it wouldn’t be a problem at all anymore. I’d come up with a plan, but I just had to keep her talking a little longer.

  Malice shrugged, “Little things, most of my efforts have been here in truth. I just couldn’t help messing with you a little bit while I got the real work done. It’s going to be glorious.”

  “Little things,” I said through clenched teeth, “I thought you were here to gloat.”

  She giggled, “The leak, that was me. That poor psychiatric intern your wife made disappear down a dark hole, I may have been controlling him. Oh, and I did try to stop you from speaking to that seer. That was it really, for personal stuff. Mostly I was stirring up discord and anti-supernatural sentiments, Baron Cross, the protests, civilians murdering each other, it was awesome. But then I caught wind of what was going on here and abandoned that venture for greener pastures. I think we’re all caught up now. Why don’t you sit, and we’ll eat.”

  She smirked, daring me to act in this roomful of potential casualties. Our battle would not go well with bystanders.

  But I was already acting. Throughout her last speech I’d been gripping my magic, and focusing on the reality I wanted. I knew better than to try to use my magic directly on the demoness, but everyone else was fair game. I’d only waited so long because it’d taken time for Grace and Christy to get into position, I’d alerted them immediately when Malice had walked in, via our interfaces.

  The fact the palace counterintelligence would pick it up, was a moot point, and I didn’t give a shit. This bitch needed to die, for good.

  I really didn’t want to put them in danger, but I knew the best chance of taking out Malice permanently wasn’t just my purifying fire, it was to act as a team. Without Grace and Fiona at my side, our last confrontation would’ve ended in my death, and my power released or not I wasn’t arrogant enough to think I was fully the match of a mid-level demon. Perhaps in power, but not experience, canniness, and treachery.

  I released the magic, and reality shifted. Everyone in the room save Malice, Fiona, and myself, including Evangelina who would be no help in a fight with a demoness, was suddenly on the tarmac in the palace’s shuttle landing area.

  It took a lot of magic to do it, perhaps a quarter of the deep pond inside me, but hopefully not too much.

  Then I sent a blasting plume of purifying fire her way. She dodged it, moving so quickly most wouldn’t see it, but with my power released I not only saw it, I matched her movement with my own and raked her with fire.

  Fiona screamed a dissonant cord, and the ground exploded under Malice, but she looked almost bored as her tumble straightened out and she landed on her feet.

  She sent a blast of her own power my way, but unlike last time I could direct my flames anywhere, and while it still sent me reeling back several feet, it didn’t break me like last time as my flames burned off most of the impact.

  Malice sneered, “I’ve fought angels with that power, Damien. Do you think you can really end me, you? I was your mistress, and when I kill you I will own you again. I will make you my…” Malice’s eyes widened, as she gasped for breath, and she turned to see my air sorceress and witch, just in time to take a telekinetic punch in the face.

  Fiona screamed another dissonant chord, and the ground behind the demoness exploded, sending her tumbling into the air again as she tried to aim through her disorientation and her air supply getting cut off.

  Her attack went wide though, totally destroying the wall of the room, but just missing Christy by a hair’s breadth. It was enough to spin her around, and she had to grab a table to avoid falling, but she also maintained her air spell.

  I lunged forward and drew my aura in tight, making it like armor, and led with a hand burning with the flames of purification. The fire and my aura slammed into hers. The same aura that had held me back last time, and had been unbreakable, broke. I slammed through it, and my hand gripped her throat.

  She swung a fist at me, but I twisted her whole body by her throat, even while dancing to the side, pulling her into me so her back hit my chest. My other hand wrapped around and covered her mouth, then sent purifying flames down her gullet.

  I thought, hoped, she was done for.

  She did that nova explosion thing that had sent us all reeling in the past, but despite our bodies separating I kept a hold of her head firmly by the mouth and throat from behind, and I pulled her back to me as I sent fire down her gullet.

  It hurt like hell, my whole body had deformed from the aura blast, and it was likely my organs were suffering from impact trauma. I could fix it later, and I focused through that pain.

  Fiona sang another chord, this one of seduction and allure. Seducing a creature of hell would never work, but it was one more thing she had to fight with her magic, one more thing consuming magic that wasn’t aimed at me.

  Grace wrapped her in bands of telekinetic power, trying to help hold her still for me as my flames ate the demoness from the inside out. Focusing on her power, her fallen spirit being, and not so much her body.

  She exploded her aura again, this time more focused in my direction, and that time I couldn’t hold on, we both went flying in opposite directions. It also sent the others tumbling, and Malice broke the air spell as well as the telekinetic bonds.

  She growled, “I will destroy you utterly,” as she raised her hand toward Fiona, not me at all.

  Fiona’s death would destroy me. The demoness was obviously changing tactics, realizing the danger of fighting me and my support, and her power to smite with force would be far deadlier to them.

  I zipped between them, just in time to take the blast which threw me backwards, then charged her, but she was already running for the door. Retreating. Maybe she was more damaged than I’d thought, on the inside, her power and her very being consumed and charred by the flames of purification.

  I needed to finish her off, but she was as fast as I was, and I’d never catch her if she escaped the room.

  Fiona sang a compelling chord, and the doorway melted closed just in time for her to slam into it, full speed.

  She snarled as she turned around, and pulsed her aura at me, but this time I barely felt it, as it went past me like wave lapping around a dock post.

  She yelled, “You can’t destroy me!”

  Right before my shifting hand became a claw, and tore into her body, while my other hand clamped around her throat and slammed her into the wall.

  Another sung chord from Fiona had the wall capturing the demoness, surrounding her legs and arms with the plascrete walls holding her there, and thanks to Christy she wasn’t breathing or talking anymore either, all while I resumed burning her magic and being out of the physical body. A matter of intent, but the flesh of her body was smoking too.

  Her eyes widened in terror, rage, and denial.

  “The old me must not have had allies in our little fights, a little too jaded and untrusting himself I’d imagine. Goodbye, forever, Malice.”

  I turned up the heat so to speak, and the flames consumed the darkness within her, then the flames poured out of her eyes and mouth, as her body flared, burned, and then turned to ash.

  I hoped my old self could rest in peace, but he was me, and he was gone forever, so he’d never know of his success through me.

  Malice was gone, but there was still a hell of a lot left to do, to clean up her messes.

  Not to mention using my magic on a queen, a room full of nobles, and representatives from two other interstellar governments. Besides that, it wouldn’t do much for supernatural and human relations.

  Fiona sung that compelling chord, and the walls and damaged floors listened and fixed themselves.

  “I need to cleanse the queen.”

  Fiona nodded, “I know. I’ll disarm the guards when they arrive. Hopefully once freed, the queen will thank us, and the Fellowship won’t be cut out of the deal.”

  Yeah, that would be bad. Malice was gone, but in that act would be the seeds of destruction for the Fellowship, if the queen chose to be uncharitable despite her mind being freed.

  Well, at least I wouldn’t have a powerful demoness dogging me through my lives, and ending my free ones sooner than they should’ve.