Part 25 (1/2)

”By doing what? Serving in our shops? Cleaning our homes? Cooking and fetching things for us? Not that I'm saying there's anything wrong with the above if they get paid for their services, and if that is all they aspire to. The problem is that they don't have choices and opportunities to better their lives.”

Silence followed. The uneasy kind.

”We should learn from humans when it comes to this. They once treated each other the way we treat Subsixers. We call them minions; they called them slaves. Time and opportunities showed they were wrong in their thinking. I know it's going-”

”Stop!” Solange's voice whipped across the room and cut the air like shards of gla.s.s. ”Is this what Master Rahm”-she said it like my tutor was a slug-”has been teaching you? That we ignore the needs of our people? That we are less civilized than humans?”

My tutor and I had discussed a lot of things during history-how Queen Coronis had ruled our people, how humans had changed their methods of governing over the centuries. The humans were still making strides while we were stuck in the Dark Ages, despite our abilities.

”No, he hasn't, Solange,” I said, leaning forward, begging please listen to me with an open mind. ”I listen to our people when they talk. I know that we feed and clothe them.”

She glared. ”And what's wrong with that?”

”Nothing if you like to be treated like a child,” I retorted this time. ”They don't. They want to work, get paid for their services, and decide how to use their wages. If they can take care of themselves, the time spent taking care of them will be spent elsewhere.” I looked down the table, but no one met my gaze this time except one. Lord Snow. He smiled encouragingly. ”Lord Snow, do you employ Subsixers?”

”Yes, Princess. I also pay them wages.” He smiled.

”Good. That is what they all need.”

Lord Snow puffed his chest.

”What positions do they hold?”

The smile disappeared from his face.

”They are low-ranked,” I said with certainty. I didn't wait for him to verbally confirm what I'd already read from his thoughts. Once again, I studied the other members of the Council. This time, my gaze locked with Sir Malax's. The head of security wore a weird expression as though he was constipated.

”Sir Malax, do you have any guards in the castle or on the island without powers?”

”No, Princess,” he said, speaking slowly.

”Can Subsixers be trained to protect us?”

Amus.e.m.e.nt flickered in his mismatched eyes, but I didn't get the same emotion from him. He was smug about something. ”Yes, Princess. In fact, because of your intervention, we've started training min...Subsixers. They are picking up skills fast.”

”Thank you,” I said. ”Despite lack of special abilities, they can still be trained to use weapons.” I glanced at the women, and something in Lady Urius's thoughts had my eyes returning to her. ”Lady Urius, do you have humans ranked higher than minions in your chain of hotels?”

She hesitated before saying, ”Yes. Lawyers and upper management.”

”Why?”

She sighed. ”They are more educated and there are times when we need to deal with human employees or government officials. They see to such things. We don't own all of them.” She looked around and added, ”Yet.”

Laughter filled the room.

Own? Interesting way of putting it. ”So, if we had our people live and learn with the humans, they could easily replace them as your lawyers and upper management, couldn't they?”

She glanced at her husband and then leaned forward. ”Yes, Princess, but after Coronis Isle was destroyed, our people tried living among humans and failed to be integrated into their society.”

”They turned to criminal activities,” Lord Urius piped in.

”And against each other,” an older lord said from the other end of the table.

”Bringing them to the island was our way of protecting them. If we send them out there, they will return to that kind of life,” Lady Urius finished.

”They weren't prepared to live among humans,” I said. ”That's why they had to do whatever they could to survive. If you educate our people here on the island and follow the human education system, they will be prepared. Finding employment will not be a problem, because from what I've heard here tonight, our people are already running one-third of the world's businesses.”

The silence that followed this time was different. I could feel them becoming less defensive and actually listening to what I was saying.

”Master Rahm reminded me in the last couple of weeks that we are naturally brilliant. Geniuses, even. We can educate most of our people in half or a third the time it takes humans to get education and have them out there working alongside you in your companies and gaining the trust of humans.”

I had everyone's attention, and from their mood, they were finally seeing things my way, except for a couple of die-hard skeptics and Solange.

”We talk about preparing our people to take over the world. How will we do that when we don't know how to interact with the average human? Right now, we head businesses, control politicians, and are part of the top one percent of their population. Uh, how did Lady Urius put it? We don't own them yet. Who is going to help us control the remaining ninety-nine percent? When we take over, we shouldn't just be running things. We should be in all levels of the human society.”

More nods. Solange was looking rather lonely out there on a limb.

”People tend to trust people they know, people they work with, people they believe are just like them or have things in common with. Subsixers would blend perfectly with humans. They don't have to worry about using their powers and revealing their ident.i.ties.”

My heart was pounding hard by the time I finished, but I felt good. I had laid out my plan and it was solid. I glanced at my father. The expression on his face made me feel invincible.

”So, as the representative of the Subsixers, I want to see them trained, educated, and contributing members of our society. They have an equal stake in this world, just like you and me.”

Everyone started talking at once, but I focused on Solange. She was studying me with a frown, not particularly pleased with my ideas. She was also super jealous. The lessons in diplomacy I'd received from Lady Nemea flashed in my head.

I can't do this without you, sis, I said. I need your help.

Her eyes narrowed.

You're in charge of education, I added. Without your approval, I can't get this project off the ground.

Solange gave me a slow smile. It wasn't the yeah-I'm-eager-to-helpyou kind. She was going to make me pay for calling her a b.i.t.c.h.

Okay, little sis. Leave everything to me.

Thanks, Solange. This is going to be...huge, I telepathed her excitedly.

She rolled her eyes and then glanced at our father. ”Lilith and I can work together on this project, Father.”

He didn't respond to her right away. Instead, he studied the others and then glanced at Sir Malax. The head of security telepathically demanded silence.

”When my daughter joined us after the Great Battle, most of you thought it wasn't a good idea. You suspected her of spying for the Guardians, doubted where her loyalties were.” He paused and studied the faces around the table. He leaned forward. ”No need to be embarra.s.sed or apprehensive. I understood your misgivings. However, I didn't doubt her for one single moment.” He glanced at me and smiled. ”She's been conscious for two months now, and within that short time, she's figured out something we all overlooked in our hurry to solidify our hold on the world-preparing all of our people. The little things she pointed out could easily foil our grand plan if ignored.” He reached out and gripped my shoulder, his eyes on my face. ”Lilith, I'm very proud of you. You have my support.” He studied the others. ”We all are going to do what we can to make sure her plan works.”

”Father?” Solange asked from his other side.

He reached for her hand. ”My dearest Solange, I love your suggestion. The two of you will work together. Lilith is going to need your help with the students at the Academy and your guidance.”