Between Burning Worlds (System Divine #2) - Jessica Brody Page 0,202

general the ability to control people. To make them violent.”

“We believe he wants to turn the Third Estate into his own personal army,” Marcellus added.

“What?” Chatine said in a breathless whisper.

“Our source on Albion designed an inhibitor that would prevent the general from being able to control people through the Skins,” Marcellus explained. “But unfortunately, the majority of it was destroyed.”

“What exactly does he plan to do with this weapon?” Chatine asked.

“We don’t know yet,” said Marcellus. “All we know is that he wants control of the Regime, and he’s going to use the Third Estate to get it.”

Chatine glanced down at her left wrist, and Marcellus could make out a faint red scar where her Skin used to be.

It was only then that Marcellus realized the médecin still hadn’t reacted to what he’d just told them. And when he peered back up at Brigitte, he noticed she was not looking at him. She was looking back into the operating room, a pensive, almost troubled expression on her face.

“What is it?” Marcellus asked, alarmed.

It felt like forever before Brigitte spoke. Her gaze was still trained on the operating room door, her mind clearly working. “Something happened when I was operating on your friend.”

“What?” Cerise asked.

“Right before I removed his Skin,” Brigitte said haltingly, like she was trying to organize her thoughts and speak at the same time, “something appeared on the screen. I believe it was one of your Universal Alerts.”

Marcellus’s stomach rolled. His grandfather. The weapon. It was already starting. “What was it?” he asked desperately, leaping to his feet. “What did the general say?”

When Brigitte finally turned back to Marcellus, there was something in her eyes that told him it was even worse than he imagined. “No, not the general. It was the Patriarche.”

- CHAPTER 60 - MARCELLUS

“FELLOW LATERRIANS. OUR PLANET HAS recently experienced several disturbing setbacks.”

The stout, jowly face of Lyon Paresse filled the screen of the strange Défecteur device. Just like their ships, it was unlike anything Marcellus had ever seen. It was the same shape as a TéléCom, but it looked ancient. Like an old First World relic, with its maze of wires, hard black casing, and winking lights.

Everyone in the Med Center was gathered around the screen, listening to the Patriarche’s voice seep out of the device’s small, tinny speakers.

“A few weeks ago, we said good-bye to our beloved daughter and Premier Enfant, Marie Paresse. At barely three years old, she was taken from us by a brutal, depraved group of terrorists. Thankfully, we were able to apprehend Marie’s murderer, Nadette Epernay, and bring her to justice.”

Marcellus cringed as the view on the screen changed from the Patriarche’s bereft face to the archived footage of Marie’s governess being marched to her death. Two hulking droids led her across the stage at the center of the Marsh, toward the terrible exécuteur with its glowing blue laser fuzzing and sparking ominously in the wet air. The girl was young. Beautiful. And so innocent. Framed for a crime she didn’t commit. Just another pawn in the general’s terrifying game of power and corruption.

Marcellus knew exactly why they were replaying this footage for the entire planet to see. It was a reminder. A threat. That any of them could be next.

The footage continued and Marcellus watched, once again, as the head of Nadette Epernay was severed from her body in one blinding, remorseless slice of blue light. Beside him, Chatine winced and averted her eyes.

As the dreadful smell of burning flesh flooded Marcellus’s memory, the Patriarche’s voice resumed over the ghastly images.

“Because of this fateful event and the turmoil that followed, we were forced to cancel the annual Ascension until balance and order could be restored to our planet.”

The archived footage ended, and the Patriarche returned to the screen. But even though it was Lyon Paresse’s face being broadcast to all of Laterre, Marcellus knew these weren’t his words. He recognized his grandfather’s precise language and diplomatic phrasing. And judging from the Patriarche’s stilted tone, Marcellus had no doubt that these carefully considered words were being broadcast into an audio patch for him to parrot.

“And now, I am pleased to announce,” the Patriarche continued with a taut, forced smile, “as I’m sure you will all be pleased to hear, that not only has the annual Ascension ceremony been rescheduled, it will begin promptly in five minutes.”

Alouette glanced up from the device long enough to share a wary look with Marcellus. She was clearly as suspicious and distrusting of