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Manzar grunted. “There is sense in this. We make ourselves vulnerable by going out and moving through their world. Far safer for us to conduct this search on our own territory.”
Lortnam scratched the olive skin of his chin as he thought. “It needs to be done in an orderly, controlled fashion then. We can host a forum at a set time and announce it with an open invitation?” His voice showed enthusiasm.
Rawklix yawned. “A forum? Could we make the mating process any more methodical or dry? Let us throw a party, at least. If we must chain ourselves to some random human, why shouldn’t we have a good time in the process?” He smirked with youthful arrogance.
For once, I agreed with my pleasure-seeking youngest brother. “Rawklix, though tactless, makes a good point. There is no reason we cannot enjoy ourselves. Besides, making the occasion festive may ensure a greater number of attendees, which will improve our chance of success.”
Agreement was murmured, and plans began to take shape. Finally, we were getting somewhere. I loved to see unity come together. Brainstorming held an important place in this palace.
I thanked Lifiya and her assistant and dismissed them to resume their work. After collecting samples from myself and each of my brothers, they rushed off to finish the devices. They hurried away with chattering and bubbly enthusiasm. At least they were engrossed in their work and loved to produce something that would reach the masses and change the world we lived in.
An hour later, the matter was settled. We would host a gathering at the week’s end, here on my ship, which functioned as a remote Central Palace. Depending on how successful the occasion turned out, we would do the same at each of my brother’s ships. We were aiming for the highest numbers possible, and we had to make the first event engaging, enticing, and thrillingly entertaining.
“We’ll want to contract more human staffers beyond the few who have already been employed,” Lortnam added. “This event should conform to Earth culture wherever possible and be as close to their traditional gatherings as we can make it.”
Rawklix closed his eyes. “Please let that include orgies! Please let that include orgies!” His lips curled into a mischievous grin.
“Pardon me, Your Highness.” Coel cleared his throat. “But we’ve surpassed the allotted time for today’s council.” He was right, I realized. The concentration of us all being here on one ship made us all vulnerable. As the future rulers of our planet, we did not have the luxury of taking such things for granted.
I nodded professionally. “Thank you.” I turned back to my brothers. “We will conduct remote conferences for the preparations.” I gave them each a glance, locking eyes with them to ensure they understood the protocol and plans to take off from here.
Each of my brothers excused themselves from the council room, making their way to their own itinerant pods that would return them to their individual vessels. One by one, they disembarked, and I was left alone in the great council room with my own thoughts. My head screamed with ideas, fantasies, and hope for the future. There was no shutting off my emotions. I was always going to be spinning in the web of my own making.
I shared Rawklix’s concerns about being linked to a female I would not otherwise have chosen for myself, of course, but what good did it do to give space to such worry in my mind? There was, after all, nothing to be done about it. I was born into a position of the highest privilege, and along with it came the weight of duty. I would not shirk it now, when my service mattered most. Cosmetic and surface beauty were always fixable. Saving my species was of the upmost importance now.
The idea of returning to Trilyn appealed to me, as well. As the future High King, my successful return would do a great deal toward restoring stability to our kingdom. Indeed, though I may never fully silence the fears at the periphery of my mind, I felt quite pleased at the prospect of fulfilling my duty to my people and ensuring the survival of our race. Surely, there could be no greater honor.
I walked down the great hall with its transparent floor, allowing me an unimpeded view of the Earth metropolis below. We hovered in the atmosphere above what was called New York, I was told. Though I longed to set foot once more on Trilynian soil, there was a certain beauty to the glitter of lights that spread across the land, twinkling like burning embers.
The lights from the city below twinkled like tiny stars. The energy was electric and was already rubbing off on me. My heart raced as I stared down at the earth below. Was my future mate somewhere down there? Would we fall in love easily? So many unanswered questions lingered, begging to be answered.
The artificial lights would fade soon as the planet’s rotation caused the city to be bathed in the life-giving rays of Earth’s sun. Somewhere, down below in the sparkling ether of the night, was the woman whom I would wed and share my life with. For a moment, I let myself feel the warmth of hope. If I embarked on this adventure with an open mind and a positive attitude, I was bound to succeed.
CHAPTER 2 - AMY
“Tell me something, Amy,” Darla said, her lean frame silhouetted in the wide doorway of the dark kitchen where I’d been working all day.
I looked up, the sick feeling of dread coiling in my stomach as I asked, “Yes, Darla?” I swallowed hard and willed myself not to allow any of my fears or trepidation to escape.
“How is it that you are so incompetent? Do you think you were just born a simpleton, or was it growing up as gutter skuzz that did it?” I looked down, avoiding her catty grey eyes and willing myself to be numb and remain silent. If I didn’t respond to the jabs, then I hoped this encounter wouldn’t last as long.
The other kitchen workers had the good sense to scurry away from the central prepping table I was working at, anticipating Darla’s tirade. If she was in the kitchens, it was to chew on someone. Luckily for the other workers, we all knew I was her preferred victim. I could hardly blame them for withdrawing, though just once, it would be nice to go a day without her abuse. I didn’t expect anyone to stick up for me, but it was just as well. I didn’t want to hold onto false hope.
Darla came forward, surveying the racks of delicate pastries and confections I’d been frantically churning out as quickly as I was physically able. She grabbed a plaited brioche, still warm from the oven, inspecting it. She scrutinized the treat as if she were just ready to pounce on any microscopic flaw. It seemed silly that she bothered with the pretense. We both knew it wouldn’t meet her standards, no matter how perfectly prepared the item was.
“By now, I should know better than to expect anything else,” she said, tossing the fluffy, buttery brioche in the waste shoot along with the rest of the tray. My heart dropped through my shoe at her hateful gesture, but I didn’t flinch. “Since your dim-witted goldfish brain is incapable of holding onto information for more than a few minutes, let me remind you that we are preparing a feast for royalty.Royalty!Do you understand what that means? That means that this has to beflawless!” Her voice carried through the room like a siren screeching through the night.
She knocked over several more trays, the metal clattering in a deafening clamor. “This is all shit!”
I held my breath and waited for her tantrum to end, if it ever would. Sometimes, it was better to ride out the storm than to avoid it.
My knuckles turned white as I forcefully kneaded the massive mound of dough, refusing to give in to the anger bubbling inside me. In the refugee camp, on the streets, I’d done what I had to survive, things that in a perfect world, I’d maybe regret. But violence wasn’t something I got to shy away from. Life isn’t sunshine and peaches for a homeless teenage girl with a baby. Hard times were a way of life for me.
It was different now, though. I had something to lose. I was on the way to getting Corinne and me out of that and into a better life, and the instincts that kept me alive before had no place here. I had to bite my tongue until I tasted the bitter, coppery taste of blood in order to prevent myself from spewing vile words at this terrible woman in front of me.
“You know what gets at me?” Darla said, coming up behind me, oblivious to the well of anger inside me. “I gave you every opportunity, took you out of the gutter, took you under my wing, and this is how you repay me? This is the most important event we’ve hosted. If it doesn’t go off perfectly, it reflects onme!” She yelled dramatically and waved her hands in the air as if she were swimming against the swell of a panic attack. “And isn’t it just my luck that I have little bitches like you down here, sabotaging everything I’ve worked so hard for! What is that wretched smell?” She turned toward the saucier and scowled. Her nose wrinkled with patronizing disapproval.
He was a bow-legged man with a deep scar that extended from his hairline to his chin. He’d seen his share of horror. All of us had our scars, though. Some were just better hidden than others. Mine were tucked away beneath the surface and I never wanted them to see the light of day.
