of the hell he was about to unleash. “How do you mean?”
The guard turned on the wall monitor and stepped back to let Talyn see the screen.
“All the stations have been playing this on a loop. Your female has started one serious firestorm.”
Talyn’s frown deepened as the scene went from two anchors to Ferrick and Erix at a press conference he’d forgotten was being held today about his upcoming fights. It had Andarions from every major news agency and even species from other planets. All hungry for information and stats on who would kill whom in the Ring.
Dressed in Talyn’s custom fighting robes and carrying the Warsword Talyn used for his Ring matches, which looked gigantic in her delicate hands, Felicia made her way to the podium to address the bemused crowd.
Stunned and a little scared over her actions, he met his mother’s gaping stare that said she’d had no idea Felicia had planned this.
After leaning his Warsword against the podium, Felicia lowered the hood and stared out at the swarm of reporters. “Obviously, I’m not the Iron Hammer. But I am here with important news.” She lifted her hand that held a link and pressed it. Immediately, it began playing the call from Chrisen where he insulted Talyn and boldly propositioned Felicia.
Growling, Talyn charged the bars and glared at his mother. “Why didn’t you tell me what that putrid bastard said to her!”
Before his mother could respond, Felicia spoke again. “All of you have come to ask about Talyn, and I’m here to tell you that, right now, this very instant, Major Talyn Batur, the Iron Hammer and a national Andarion hero who, as a fighter pilot, has bled in protection of his homeworld and for all of us, sits in jail. Not for a crime he committed, but over a personal vendetta started by a royal coward who has refused Talyn’s repeated invitations to handle it like a true Andarion… in the Ring.” She enunciated each word slowly.
A group of soldiers started forward in the crowd, but were stopped by Sentella members who emerged to form a barricade and protect her.
Felicia adjusted her mic. “Before you arrest me and drag me off into banishment as you’ve done so many other innocent Andarion citizens whose only crime was breathing, I want Andarions, and the rest of the Nine Worlds, to know the truth about our ruling lineage. I am not a rebel. I’m a mere college student who’s studying pediatric and physical medicine at North Eris. I never asked to be a tool for certain members of the royal family to use to cripple an Andarion warrior as noble and honorable as Talyn Batur. I didn’t believe what I thought were the lies spun by those who hated our government and tadara. This is not the Scythian Age. Or the time of Justicale Cruel. Who in their right mind would believe such crimes could happen in this day and age? I didn’t want to believe that Merrell Anatole killed my brother to marry his wife. Or that his brother raped my sister and then forced her to sign a nondisclosure or be killed for it. Nor that Chrisen Anatole would try to kidnap me in broad daylight, outside my own home – just to strike at Talyn for a grudge he holds against Talyn’s parents. Those things happen on human worlds. They don’t happen here. Not to our race.”
She pressed her link again. This time, it was Merrell and Chrisen blatantly discussing their crimes and laughing over them. Anger rose up from the reporters.
Felicia nodded. “It’s in their own voices. Check your inboxes. Each one of you has a copy of these recordings, and more that have been unencrypted and delivered to your e-mails, and to every news agency in the Ichidian Universe, as well as that of The League prime commander. It is time for these criminals to be held accountable for the atrocities they’ve committed against their family and us! Are we cowed humans to be terrified of standing up to such tyranny? Or are we not the same warrior race that birthed a family of thirteen brave males and females who, united by blood and determination, held back an invading army to protect our brethren?”
A cheer of support went through the crowd.
Felicia struck her heart with her fist and raised Talyn’s Warsword high – the Andarion sign of honor, and a challenge to enemies. “Andaria forever! I know Chrisen Anatole went to school with humans, but