The Fifth Queen Read online

  Published in Canada by Engen Books, St. John’s, NL.

  Title: The fifth queen / Ali House.

  Names: House, Ali, 1982- author.

  Description: Series statement: The segment delta archives ; 2

  Identifiers: Canadiana 2019005400X | ISBN 9781926903958 (softcover)

  Classification: LCC PS8615.O867 F54 2019 | DDC C813/.6—dc23

  Copyright © 2019 Ali House

  NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING AND RECORDING, OR BY ANY INFORMATION STORAGE OR RETRIEVAL SYSTEM WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR, EXCEPT FOR BRIEF PASSAGES QUOTED IN A REVIEW.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  Distributed by:

  Engen Books

  www.engenbooks.com

  [email protected]

  Cover Image: Melody Pond

  http://melodyypond.weebly.com/

  First mass market paperback printing: March 2019

  Ebook ISBN-13: 978-1-926903-98-9

  The FIFTH QUEEN

  ALI HOUSE

  Kendra Chen thought she knew the direction her life was taking, but when her Uncle revealed a secret about her family, she finds herself on a new path, one that seems to be headed straight for the legendary Six-Elemental.

  In this new Dystopian YA Epic, Award-Winning author Ali House will take you on the rise -- and possibly, the fall -- of the Fifth Queen.

  Table of Contents

  The FIFTH QUEEN ALI HOUSE

  Part One

  Chapter 1 693 A.R. (After Rebuilding)

  Chapter 2 6 years later (699 A.R.)

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Part TWO

  Chapter 14 Five months later. Stanton

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Part THREE

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Epilogue

  Author Bio

  Part One

  Chapter 1

  693 A.R. (After Rebuilding)

  The newborn’s cries rang throughout the birthing room. While a nurse tended to the infant, a young woman lay on the bed, looking out the nearby window. Exhaustion coursed through her limbs and sweat plastered her bright red hair to her face, but she felt a sense of triumph now that the whole ordeal was over with. Instead of concentrating on breathing or pushing, all she needed to do was lie back and admire the beautiful sunset.

  The woman had come to the hospital by herself and refused to contact any friends or family. The only phone call she allowed the receptionist to make was to an adoption agency, to say that the child was on the way. During the birth, a second nurse had come in to hold her hand and coach her along. This nurse had tried to make small talk by enquiring about the child’s father, but the woman pretended that she hadn’t heard the question and refused to answer. The nurse quickly realized that personal questions were not a welcome subject and refrained from asking any more, leaving the room as soon as her services were no longer required.

  The child’s cries quieted down, and the nurse asked the young woman if she would like to hold her, but she ignored his question, never taking her green eyes off the sky and the way it slowly darkened from pink to red. It was only when the adoption clerk walked into the room that she looked away, giving the clerk her full attention. Much of the important information had been sorted out beforehand, as privacy was very important to the woman, so there were only a few cursory questions left. The clerk went through his list and the woman answered quickly and efficiently, already eager for this to be over with.

  Once they had finished, the nurse wheeled the newborn over, stopping near the bed as he asked the clerk a question. While they talked, the woman looked down at the sleeping child: her dark skin stood out against the pale, yellow blanket she had been wrapped in, and dark hair crowned her head. The woman couldn’t help wondering if the child had the same eyes as her biological father. If she could choose, she would want this baby to have the same drive and determination. She wanted the world to open up its arms and give this child everything it could offer – and everything she could not. There was a part of her that wondered what it would’ve been like for the father to be here, holding her hand, smiling at their child. The young woman knew why it couldn’t be that way, and although it hurt, she wouldn’t have changed anything.

  The nurse nodded at the clerk’s instructions and wheeled the child out of the room. The clerk turned to follow, but the woman called out to him. She hadn’t planned on making any requests but had suddenly been struck with a thought. Taking a deep breath for courage, she asked if she could suggest a name for the baby. The clerk nodded and readied his pen.

  The woman glanced over at the sky, which had darkened to a deep purple, and spoke:

  Kendra.

  Chapter 2

  6 years later (699 A.R.)

  “And that is why Tecken is the bestest island in the whole of Segment Delta!” Pitor Ruskin spread his arms wide, giving his story the big finish that was required by his audience.

  The six-year-old girl sitting in front of him clapped her hands enthusiastically and a large smile broke out on her face. “Another, Unky Petey!”

  “All right, Kendra,” he smiled. “Any requests?”

  “Umm...” Her head tilted to the side and her mouth fell open as she considered which story she most wanted to hear.

  Pitor tried to hide how much this amused him. She took story time very seriously and would not have appreciated him laughing at her.

  It was his job to entertain Kendra in the living room while her mothers and his husband talked in the dining room. As much as he would have liked to be involved in the conversation, he knew that it was important to keep Kendra distracted. Besides, his husband would fill him in later.

  “How about the boy who played with fire?” he suggested helpfully.

  “No... Heard that one a million billion times.” She rocked from side to side as she tried to figure out which story she wanted to hear the most. “Can Unky Fizy tell me the story about the girl who planted rocks?”

  Pitor put a hand to his heart and gasped in an exaggerated manner. “Are Unky Petey’s stories not good enough anymore?”

  “No, but Unky Fizy makes the ground shake, just like in the story.”

  “Ah, so you like Earth more than Fire?” he teased, snapping his fingers. His green eyes glowed red as a small flame appeared above his thumb. He let the flame flicker a few times, just long enough for a smile to cross Kendra’s face, before blowing it out.

  “I like all elements, Unky Petey.”

  “So, you won’t be sad if you get dumb old Fire as your element when you turn twenty-one?” He put on an exaggerated frown.

  She shook her head vehemently, her dark purp
le hair flying around her face. “Nope. What are Mama and Mommy talking to Unky Fizy about? They’re all quiet and seer-ee-ous.”

  Pitor looked over at the dining room. The mood around the table was subdued, with heads close and voices low, unlike their usual talks, and it wasn’t surprising that even a six-year-old could pick up on it. “It’s nothing to worry yourself about,” he reassured Kendra. “Have you picked another story yet?”

  “Mommy was really quiet on the walk over,” she said, ignoring him. She began to trace some whimsical design on the floor, her index finger gliding over the wood-grain in unidentifiable patterns. There was a sad look in her grey eyes. “Unky Petey, did I do something wrong?”

  “Of course not!” Pitor sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulder. “They’re talking about serious things, because something very important is going to happen soon.”

  “What is it?”

  Pitor took in a deep breath. She was too young to understand exactly what was going on, but he had to tell her something. “You know how there are six islands in our Segment, and all of them are controlled by the Council of Twelve, except for us? How we’re no longer connected to the other islands, and we follow Magnus Erikson and make our own rules?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, the Council doesn’t like that. They see our freedom as a threat, and they want us back under their control. See, they’re worried that if other people see how good life is over here, they’ll want to break away and form their own governments, just like we did.”

  “But what’s wrong with that?”

  “Some people love having control over others and they’ll do anything not to lose it. We don’t want to join them, so they’ll try to conquer us by force. Which is why we have to defend ourselves.”

  Kendra’s face screwed up into a frown as she tried to understand. “Like when Byl hit Lila ‘cause she took his blocks?”

  “Kind of. It’s a bit more serious than that.”

  “It’s really seer-ee-ous?”

  “Really serious. If we don’t win this fight, then the other side is going to come over here and make us change everything, and we’ll end up losing a lot of the things we like.”

  “Are Mama and Mommy going to fight?”

  Pitor nodded. “They want to make sure you grow up in a good world.”

  Her lower lip stuck out. “But what if I don’t want them to fight?”

  “Nobody wants to fight, sweetie,” he said. “But we have to if we want to protect ourselves and our neighbours. Luckily your mama and mommy will be here, on the island. They’ll only have to fight if the bad people make it past all our soldiers and come over here, which I’m sure they won’t.”

  “Oh.” Kendra smiled brightly, but her smile fell away as fast as it had arrived. “But what about Unky Fizy? Is he staying here too?”

  “Fizy...” Pitor’s voice faltered. “Fizy also wants to make sure you grow up safe and sound, so he’s going over with the other soldiers to stop the bad people from coming here.”

  “So, he’s going to fight?”

  He nodded.

  She went back to tracing patterns on the floor. “But after the fighting is over, he’ll tell me my story, right?”

  As Pitor stared at the man he had spent the past ten years of his life with, uncertainty crossed his face. No matter how prepared they were, there was always a possibility of something going wrong – especially during a war.

  He quickly shook off the feeling and smiled at Kendra. “Of course he will.”

  Δ

  An hour later, Kendra and her mothers headed home. Pitor and Fitz smiled and waved goodbye, but as soon as the front door was closed, Pitor let out a heavy sigh.

  “Rough visit?” Fitz said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

  Pitor nodded. “She asked a lot of tough questions. I kept trying to change the subject, but she wouldn’t be deterred.”

  “Well, if anyone knows how to put a spin on things, it’s you.” Fitz wrapped his arms around Pitor and laid his head on his shoulder.

  Pitor closed his eyes and leaned into the hug, enjoying the peaceful moment. Talking strategy with adults was one thing, but explaining a war like this to a child was completely different. There were a lot of politics and reasoning that needed to be simplified, and each word had to be carefully chosen. It had been surprisingly exhausting.

  Although Fitz and he had been married for nine years, they’d never desired children of their own. Still, they were delighted when their close family friends, Alix and Jaya Chen adopted Kendra. Although Pitor never turned down an opportunity to babysit, he often appreciated the quiet that came after Kendra’s parents took her home.

  “It won’t be long now,” Fitz said, breaking the silence. “Erikson’s putting the final pieces into play, and then we’ll march. It’ll likely happen within the week.”

  “I’m surprised that he’s doing this so soon,” Pitor said. He walked over to the couch and sat down. This might end up being a long conversation and he wanted to be comfortable.

  “Well,” Fitz leaned against the fireplace mantel, “as the saying goes, strike while the iron’s hot.”

  Pitor nodded, but he couldn’t help feeling that Erikson was rushing into this war. The plan to invade Stanton and fight the ISS had always seemed inevitable, but during the past month the plan had gained enormous momentum. Fitz worked for the Tecken Army as a captain, so he knew more than most people, including information about Tecken’s secret weapon. Pitor had his reservations about this weapon, wondering if it would work as well as everyone hoped. Although Pitor believed whole-heartedly in Erikson, he couldn’t help wondering why he was choosing to fight now, instead of waiting the few months until the new year. Pitor had always had a suspicion that some kind of conflict would happen next year, as 700 A.R. would be exactly one hundred years after Magnus Erikson the First invaded Stanton and started the first war in New Earth’s history. Despite being highly intelligent and analytical, Magnus Erikson the Second was also a man who believed in signs. He tried to emulate his great-grandfather and namesake in all matters, and Pitor often wondered if it was true that Erikson had never received an elemental vision, or if he’d had one and declined it in order to be just like his great-grandfather.

  Despite what he’d told Kendra, there was no immediate threat from their enemies. In fact, he was certain that if a war was going to happen, they would have to initiate it, as The Council of Twelve was too scared to cause conflict. So why wasn’t Erikson waiting?

  “You’re worried,” Fitz said.

  Pitor rolled his eyes. “Of course I am. War isn’t a trifling matter.” He looked over at his husband, whose short green hair always seemed to be perfectly in place, no matter what the situation. The white shirt he was wearing complimented his bronze skin and red eyes, but the smile that started to appear on Pitor’s face quickly vanished as he felt the same uncertainty from his conversation with Kendra.

  Fitz saw this change and walked over to the couch, sitting down next to him. “You know that I’m not one to be reckless, even in the middle of a war. And Erikson wouldn’t be doing this if he wasn’t confident that he could win.”

  “I know... I just...” He sighed and tried to push his worries away. “I wish I could be out there with you.”

  “I know. But you have an important job to do here. I’d even say a much harder job.”

  Pitor laughed. “If Kendra asks any more difficult questions, I might run out of here and join you at the front.” As humorous as that idea was, he knew that it was important to keep Kendra safe. Someone had to stay behind to take care of her, and it might as well be the person who wasn’t the best fighter.

  “I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Fitz said. “Just concentrate on what you have to do, and I’ll concentrate on what I have to do. As much as I know you wish you controlled everything, some things are out of your hands.” He gave Pitor a quick kiss. “Now, can we change the subject? There’s been a lot of talk about war this ev
ening, and I’d like something lighter to think about.”

  “What would you suggest?”

  He paused for thought. “Perhaps we could attempt to make something from that cookbook Jaya gave us?”

  Pitor burst out laughing. “I think that would be a terrible idea.” Jaya was an amazing cook, and he was pretty certain that she’d only given them that cookbook as a joke. Every recipe had at least twenty ingredients and thirty steps, and the last time they’d tried to make one of the dishes, they’d splattered sauce over most of the kitchen.

  Fitz raised an eyebrow. “So, you’re in?”

  “Of course I’m in.”

  Chapter 3

  There were a lot of things Kendra didn’t like about today, like having to wake up early, before the sun had risen. Even though it was now bright outside, she knew that if today had been a normal day, she’d still be in bed. Another thing she didn’t like was how quiet and grim everyone’s mood was. Usually the mornings were full of movement and noise, with breakfast being made, lunches being packed, Mommy wondering why she could never remember where she put anything, and Mama repeatedly asking if everyone was ready. Kendra preferred those kinds of mornings.

  She frowned as she waited for her mothers to finish getting ready. She’d been ready to go for a long time, but they were taking forever. Normally Mama would pull her long purple hair into a ponytail, but today she was taking forever putting it into a bun, adding lots of pins to make sure every single hair was secure. Mommy kept moving from room to room, muttering to herself about making sure everything was ready. They weren’t even paying much attention to her.

  At least she didn’t have to wear anything special. She was allowed to wear jeans and a t-shirt while her parents had to dress in the dark blue uniform of the Tecken army. The uniforms had only ever been worn for important occasions, and Kendra used to think that they were to make everyone look official and not to actually fight in. They didn’t look very comfortable.