Chaos (Lanie Bross) - Lanie Bross Page 0,9

her, making the floor of her cell sink slightly when she moved.

Outside her cell rose great white spires of bone, curving like ribs around a cavernous space that housed the pulsing life center of Vita. Here is where the Tribunal handed down punishments.

There had been no sign of the council members in the days—or was it weeks?—since she’d been dragged here. But now, as Miranda watched, flickers of light began appearing all around the dais. Steam rose from the ground and, one by one, the members of the Tribunal slowly assumed corporeal form.

Dread spread through Miranda. This was it. They were assembling for her trial.

Tess’s familiar form materialized and Miranda felt the dull ache of her loss—they shared the same matter, but Tess had made it clear Miranda was now on her own.

One chair remained empty: Rhys’s. Secretly she had been hoping that despite everything, he might come to her defense. Stupid. The last time they talked, he made it clear that there was nothing left between them. Rhys had chosen to die an outcast. It was the reality of those who chose to live free. It was also why Miranda had tried to change things. One force should not rule the universe in its entirety. Fate must learn to bow to chance.

But Rhys had refused to fight with her.

The great love they had shared was gone.

He would not come to her rescue.

There was no one to speak on her behalf, which would make the Tribunal’s job that much easier. Sirius sat in the center, the spot reserved for the oldest star in the universe, and waved his hand. The swirling bars in front of Miranda fell away, leaving one side of her prison open.

“Miranda, you have been charged with treason against the Tribunal. Your actions nearly caused our ruination. You behaved recklessly and without consideration of the Tribunal’s wishes. What have you to say to this?”

A fire-haired woman had stood and was addressing Miranda. Councilwoman Basia. One of the first Radicals, and much too conservative for Miranda’s taste. Of course she would be the one to pass judgment.

Rebellion flared inside Miranda like a flame. This was the source of her power, the true source of all the Radicals’ power—the desire to be free. The resistance to following rules. “You are content to sit and do nothing while the Unseen Ones treat you like caged dogs. You, our leaders, have suppressed us to the point of extinction. So why shouldn’t we fight for our lives? We are Radicals. Once whole worlds bowed before us, and any one of us was strong enough to split the fabric of the universe in two.”

Murmurs ran among the Tribunal. Some members looked angry, while others looked scared.

“You say you have a grand plan,” Miranda continued, “but in the meantime we are dying. By the time you realize you were wrong, it will be too late.” She wanted to shriek, to reach through the bars of her cage and shake every one of them, but even if she could reach them, they would never understand. They had grown too content. They had forgotten their true purpose. “We weaken each time a Radical dies. Our power is in our numbers, can’t you see that?”

“Excuse me, Tribunal, may I speak?” Tess stepped up before the council and Miranda stared. She had not expected this.

Several council members protested, but the man in the middle silenced them with his hand. “You may.”

“Miranda has always been hotheaded.” Tess had taken a form Miranda had seen her use quite often, a human body with long brown dreadlocks. But her image flickered; she was obviously very tired. “Surely you can see that what she does is out of love for the Radicals.”

This was certainly an unexpected twist. Here Tess was, defending her against the Tribunal. Miranda’s chest swelled with admiration and something deeper than that. Yes. With love. Tess was the closest thing Miranda had to a daughter. She was not alone after all.

“If you would extend mercy this one time, I’m sure she will abandon her idea of a revolution.” Tess stared directly at Miranda, as though trying to communicate a warning to her. Miranda looked away. Tess might have been trying to help. But believing that Miranda would agree to bow to the wishes of the Tribunal proved that Tess really did not know her anymore.

“Tell us, Miranda. If we agree to leniency, will you stop this destructive path and abide by our rules?” The head council member stared directly