A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 35 | Rallying To Keep The Lie Alive

Timeline- 2121 Present | Location- Allegiant | Next Day

"I don't understand why you are going," Madison stood in the hangar as the roar of the ships around them drowned out parts of her cousin's weak excuse for leaving her.

The early morning was not Madison's friend, nor did she think her cousin would be leaving again. She had only explained in the wee hours that morning while dressing where she had been going.

Madison was furious, forcing her to follow her down to the hangar. Why she wanted to help look for anyone else who could have survived their court was beyond her. She disagreed with this entire thing the further she listened to her cousin talking, going along with the soldiers to the rest of the sites and refugee locations.

"Because I need to make sure," the brunette yawned, having only returned herself from the early hours of the morning after last night with a certain commander and his friends.

"You can stay here and make sure," eyes watched the soldiers pass by them, bags and weapons in hand. She didn't like this, not one bit.

It would put her in direct danger, and that was not what she was about.

"I could, but I would prefer to be out searching for whom we have left. It'll be two days, Maddy, and I hope that Amara and Rae are found and alive."

"They could potentially blow your cover; they know what you look like with your little facade there," Madison flicked the locks of brunette hair from Eko's shoulder, indicating her false cover.

"They are going to recognize you."

"And they will know to keep their mouth shut," she gritted, pulling her hair into place, "stop doing that, okay? Stop drawing attention with how you act towards me."

Madison shook her head, "you are the future queen, Ser-"

"SHHH!" Eko pressed a finger to her lips, "stop it with that, will you!"

"We're out," the voice of a soldier called out to anyone remaining. It meant that Eko needed to get going if she wanted to spend the next few days with the rescue teams.

"Mads, I need to go."

"Jesus, christ, Sera," shaking her head, "we need to be thinking about you."

"Eko," the use of her real name snapped her, "I am Eko, here, and honestly, not now we don't. Can you just, while I am gone, take this time to breathe for me," resting her hands on her shoulders.

"I'll be back in two days." Without further rebuttal, the smiling masquerading queen-to-be gave her cousin a quick wink and disappeared towards the ship preparing for departure.

Racing aboard the Sierra Ace, the four pairs of eyes are curiously looking at her, three men and one woman that look her up and down before re-engaging with their tablets and the door hangers close.

"Assumed you weren't coming," Matthew's voice called out, and Eko looked ahead of the smaller craft built just enough for them, the man disembarking them from the controls.

"Take a seat," he commanded, his voice different around his soldiers, and Eko had done as instructed.

She found a spot along the strip of soldiers and strapped herself in, instantly hearing as the engines roared to life and she felt the ship disembark.

"Sierra disengage," she heard him speaking back to the control centre at Allegiant.

"Sierra, travel safe," the male's voice instructed from command. Pulling forward from her seat, Eko watched as the system before Matthew flickered completely to life.