The Ice Queen of Lessaenes (Book 5)

Liermann

The entire day after Fenorel left, I couldn't stop thinking about the Iceheart Serum, and how I was going to be the first one to get it. Me, not Keilee. The victorious feeling stuck with me until that night, while I lay contentedly in bed.

Suddenly, I was jerked out of my peaceful thoughts by two Ice Guards rushing urgently into my room.

"What's going on?" I asked groggily.

"Lessaenite ships near Earth have managed to capture President Drake Liermann of the Human Union!" One of the Ice Guards exclaimed.

"Seriously?" My eyes lit up with joy. Finally, I could avenge the death of my parents, and thousands of loyal Ice Guards...

"Yes!" The second Ice Guard beamed. "He's being transported to Icicle Hall right now, Your Highness! You'd better hurry if you want to see."

I was out of bed in a flash, and dressed in a long green coat over my nightgown. I followed the Ice Guards out of my room and to the balcony, where I saw a truck imprinted with the Royal insignia of Lessaenes pull up in the courtyard below.

A team of six Ice Guards stepped out of the truck, dragging along with them a man in a human-style suit. His wrists were cuffed and there was a bag over his head.

"Is that...Liermann?" I asked on of the Ice Guards and he nodded.

"The public will only find out tomorrow. If you want to see him with no disturbances, you'll have to do that now."

"Where are they taking him?" I asked.

"The passageways behind the Grand Hall. They're keeping him there until tomorrow."

"Okay," I nodded, climbing quickly down from the balcony and into the passageways they spoke of just in time to hear the scuffling of feet and shouts of Ice Guards up ahead.

As they turned the corner, I saw that they had removed the bag from their prisoner's head, and Liermann walked limply without protest. He had accepted his fate.

This Liermann looked nothing like the pompous, powerful President adored by Earth, who wanted to "forever rid the Human Union of alien scum!" His suit was muddy, his forehead shone with sweat, and his mop of brown hair hung in front of his face.

I stepped forward, curious. I had never seen a human in real life before. Surprisingly, they didn't look much different than us.

"Princess Saralee?" Liermann's eyes narrowed with recognition when he saw me standing in the passageway ahead of him. Yet, there was no anger in his expression, only desperation.

"Princess Saralee! You have to help me!" He yelled, suddenly trying in vain to fight the Ice Guards.

"Move along!" One of the Ice Guards said gruffly, but I put my hand up.

"Stop," I said coolly. "Let me hear him out. He's hopeless anyway."

"Yes...Your Highness," the first Ice Guard gave me an inquisitive look before leaving the chained President in the hallway and walking away, followed by the rest of his unit.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Liermann began to frantically point at a ledge, where a gleaming silver knife sat.

"Kill me!" He screamed. "Kill me now!"

"Why?" I gave him an incredulous look.

"Your savage Queen will have me tortured!" He spat. "Or worse."

"What makes you think I don't want to see that happen?" I scowled.

"You seem different from the other aliens," Liermann shrugged. "You seem like you might have a heart. You actually remind me of my daughter Kamryn," he laughed hoarsely. "You two could've been good friends...under different circumstances."

I grabbed the knife and turned it over in my hands. "I shouldn't do this," I said softly.

"You deserve to be tortured!" I snarled. "You killed my parents!"

"And your parents killed mine," Liermann sighed. "It's a cycle of revenge, Saralee, that's what's keeping this war going. A human kills a Lessaenite leader, the Lessaenites kill a human one in retaliation. Then, the humans strike again. I'm not asking for my life, I'm asking for you to help end the cycle, or more blood will be lost on both sides, until..."

"Until there's nothing left," I nodded it's understanding. "Until we've both destroyed each other, and ultimately destroyed ourselves."

"Precisely," Liermann grimaced.

"I'm not doing this for you," I said, drawing the blade of the knife.

"I'm doing this for Lessaenes." I thrust the knife into Liermann's stomach as hard as I could. "And the promise I made to my people, that I would kill you with my own two hands."

"Thank you, Princess Saralee," he choked. "There is still hope...for two stupid, hateful races."

I dropped the knife on the ground and left the former President of the Human Union's corpse lying on the stone cold floor for the Ice Guards to find.