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“So itisJaek!” I exclaimed, stunned by my own enthusiastic reaction.
Deimos chuckled. “Of course, it is.”
“Thank the Goddess,” I breathed out, pressing my palms to my chest. “Can I see him?”
The Sarenian pursed his lips and gave me a slow, assessing look. “It is late, and I wasn’t planning on letting you see him for another week. But you are exceeding my expectations. So yes, you may see him… But only for a few minutes,” he warned when I squealed. “Finish your meal, then I’ll take you to him.”
I nearly choked on my food, I chowed it down so fast.
Deimos chuckled as he escorted me out of my room. Although I had walked through these hallways when he had first brought me here, they all looked new to me. I couldn’t tell if the Sarenian had compelled me to forget the way here or if I’d been too distraught that day to remember. This time, I made sure to file away any information that could help me navigate these corridors. I didn’t try to hide the fact that I was looking around, as the opposite would have made him suspicious. Anyone exploring a new place would display natural curiosity about their surroundings.
To my dismay, the ship turned out to be much bigger than I expected. Or rather, the distance between the lab and my quarters proved to be far too great. While I didn’t notice any cameras along the way, we ran into a Sarenian and later a couple of Guldans, none of whom I had seen before. That, more than anything else, confirmed I’d never manage to sneak past such a long distance without getting caught. Then again, that implied me being able to unlock my room to leave.
After turning into various connecting corridors and passing a set of secured doors, we finally reached the medical and scientific wing of the ship. Multiple doors clearly indicated warnings that only authorized personnel were allowed to enter, while others requested decontamination first. I shuddered at the thought of what other fucked up experiments they might be running.
We finally stopped in front of an unremarkable door. Deimos stood in front of the biometric lock, which scanned his face before granting him access. My heart sank a bit more at that extra layer of security that I’d never be able to bypass.
The doors swished open, revealing a medium-sized lab, with only two workstations in the center of the room. Tons of counters laden with research paraphernalia occupied the left and right sides, while giant cooling units filled with flasks and vials lined the entire back wall. However, the lone figure in the room commanded all my attention.
My heart leapt, and a wave of affection and joy surged through me as Jaek abruptly lifted his head from his work to look with curiosity at who had entered his domain. His dark eyes first widened with surprise upon recognizing me, then his features melted in an expression of happiness filled with so much love that my throat tightened with emotion.
This man truly loved me.
And I love him…
But was Iin lovewith him? My head said yes, but my heart still wavered, a part of it timidly saying yes, while another flashed images of Keran. Even the unease triggered by the compulsion couldn’t snuff out his memory.
“Dawn,” Jaek breathed out with a glowing smile.
“Hey,” I said in a soft voice as I entered the room and walked towards him.
“You look stunning, as always,” Jaek said when I stopped right in front of him.
I lowered my eyes and shyly tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. Deimos had provided me with a wardrobe of short, draped, Sarenian dresses to wear during my stay here. Thankfully, being sleeveless, they accommodated my naturally broader shoulders. And the rest of the dress flattered my narrow waist and long legs.
“Thank you. Sarenian fashion seems to agree with me,” I replied.
“It does,” he said with an approving smile.
“You have thirty minutes,” Deimos said, breaking the moment. “I’ll return then to bring you back to your quarters, Dawn.”
I nodded with a genuinely grateful expression—not that he would come back and get me, but for granting me some time alone with Jaek. Though brief, this gave an opportunity to assess how much of an ally he would be. For days now, I had wondered if the Sarenians were using Jaek to help with their experiments. He was a brilliant biochemist. The Goddess only knew what they could make him do under compulsion.
My eyes remained locked on the Sarenian until the door closed behind him. I immediately refocused on Jaek, who was still smiling at me with an air of wonder.
“It’s so good to see you. I didn’t expect it to happen so soon,” he said with enthusiasm.
I frowned. “You knew I was here?”
He nodded. “Of course! Deimos said you agreed to join us.”
“Join you?” I repeated, with genuine confusion—and a sliver of worry.
“Yes, all of us who have chosen to move back to Braxia,” Jaek said as if it was self-evident. “Unlike the others, although I can fight, I have no interest in pursuing a training with Jardan. Deimos gave me a unique opportunity to work on a project that will benefit Braxians as a whole and increase my chances of securing a position in Mercy Xeldar’s research lab. I understand he offered you training to aspire to an even greater role on Braxia than merely hybrid affairs?”
“Right,” I said cautiously.
Did he know Deimos coerced me into this? Was he also wondering if I had somehow flipped? If the Sarenian still held him under his thrall, I couldn’t risk exposing myself just yet. But how to verify it safely?
