Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Olivia stared at him. Heart Bound. The highest Lord on this alien planet wanted to be Heart Bound to her.
She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. Hell, she’d do anything, anything, to get out of the situation she was in.
They’ve only just met! And here he was, in his chiseled body made to kill, asking her to make the total sacrifice.
And it was going to be a sacrifice. How would she ever go back home if she were expected to be by his side and have his children? Could she even have his children?
There were so many words she wanted to say, but his dark stare told her to shut up. There were no words that would stop this. What Lord Kaias said was law.
Something clattered in the distance. Olivia turned to look around Kaias to see Lord Auryn charge through.
He pushed into Kaias, twisting the male to face him.
Lord Auryn spoke quickly and loudly, and spit flew as the words came out.
Olivia tried to catch the words, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what he was saying.
But as Lord Auryn spoke, Kaias’ body began to shift. His hands clenched, and his body straightened. He raised one fist and leveled it at Lord Auryn’s face. It cracked on impact. Blood pooled out of the broken skin where Kaias’ knuckle spurs drove into flesh.
Lord Auryn stumbled backwards. Anger sparked in his eyes. He whipped his attention to Olivia and made a move to reach for her, but Kaias stepped between.
“I will say this once,” Kaias’ voice was loud and demanding. The room went silent, and the noise of life outside the temple seemed to quiet down in reverence for him. “I will be heartbound to this human. If her blood or the blood of her kin is spilled, it is treason.”
The silence that followed was deafening. Brian opened his mouth to say something, but Olivia shook her head. He didn’t know what was transpiring, and to tell him now would break whatever spell Kaias had with his people. Slowly, the people of Vrex in the room bowed down to Olivia in supplication.
If she wanted to get out of the situation, it was too late. The decision was made and final.
Lord Auryn hissed out more words she didn't know before leaving the room. Some of the guards, including the one he was speaking to, followed. Olivia felt an uneasy pressure in her stomach. Whatever was said between the two Lords, she feared it would end in bloodshed.
“What is going on?” Brian asked in a hushed tone. He leaned over Olivia, confusion written on his face.
Olivia sighed. “We’re hosting a Heart Binding with the feast.”
“Oh?” Brian scratched his chin. “Who’s getting married?”
“Lord Kaias has ordered the Heart Binding between me and him.”
“Oh,” Brian nodded. Slowly, the dawning realization appeared, and his eyes widened. He whipped his head to Olivia. “What? No.”
Lord Kaias glared over his shoulder at Brian. “What did Bri-Ahn say?”
“He does not agree to a Heart Binding.”
“Tell him,” Kaias glared down at Brian and spoke slowly, “That is not his decision.”
Olivia bit her lower lip before relaying the message to Brian. Brian glared up at Kaias.
“It is yours, though, and you say no,” Brian said.
“What is he saying?” Kaias demanded.
Brian whipped his head to Kaias, his face contorted in anger. He stepped forward, his chest out, readying for a fight. Kaias looked down at the slightly shorter man. His dark eyes narrowed downwards.
“She,” Brian pointed to Olivia, “says no.”
“We are having the Heart Binding.”
“I don’t understand you. Why can’t you speak English?”
“You are an idiot.”
With each sentence spoken, the two moved closer. Neither one was willing to make the first blow, even though the anger was bubbling. Olivia growled and pushed herself between the two—a hand lay on Kaias’ chest.
“Stop,” Olivia glared at Brian and turned to Kaias, “Stop.”
There was a moment of silence. Kaias stared into Olivia’s eyes and slowly nodded.
“He started it,” Kaias pointed at Brian. “I will hurt him if he doesn’t stop.”
“I understand,” Olivia said calmly, “but my people don’t. Give me time to speak with them about this.”
“Did you tell him that there’s no way you are marrying an alien?” Brian hissed.
“We are here on a peace mission,” Olivia reminded him calmly.
“Yes,” Brian said, “but no one said you had to fuck one of them for it.”
Olivia stiffened. His use of profanity left a sour taste in her mouth.
There was a time when she respected him.
Brian had an aptitude for politics. The man was well spoken and educated.
He shared stories about his time in Oxford, including playing rugby with the current Prince of Wales.
He recounted how he was the youngest assistant to the Prime Minister when he graduated from the University.
Brian Wilcox was a vital member of their group.
But he was also problematic.
Brian Wilcox was attracted to her. During the interstellar trip between worlds, he attempted to start a relationship with her.
He said he was smitten with her ease into languages, and together, they would be a powerhouse.
Everything he said was beautiful and alluring, but silver tongues rarely spoke truth.
Brian was a politician, and with that, Olivia couldn’t trust him.
The rejection came as a shock to him, and though he didn’t show it when they were working, there were little moments that showed his true feelings; a blunt statement or a snide remark about her work with the children. Or even a cold shoulder when she was voicing an opinion.
This moment was just another example of his pettiness. Olivia wanted to scream and hit him. How dare he demean her like that? A woman’s sexual life was her own. Biran Wilcox had no right to her body. No one did but herself.
Olivia opened her mouth to say something, but a firm hand landed on her shoulder. Olivia turned her head to see the sharp knuckles glisten. Kaias squeezed her shoulder, and she turned to look at him. Slowly, he shook his head.
The tension working up in her shoulders dissipated with his look.
“Speak with them,” Kaias said, “I will wait here for you.”
Having nothing else to say, he turned away from Olivia to speak with the High Sister.
“What did he have to say?” Brian demanded.
Olivia sighed. Brian was nothing like Kaias. The demanding commands of Kaias held power and expectations. Olivia wanted to listen to him. Brian, though? His demands came out in a whine. He seemed insecure with his bravado.
“Lord Kaias has allowed me time to speak with you and the others about this,” Olivia answered.
“Allow you time?” Brian grumbled, ready for an argument.
Olivia ignored him and locked eyes with Eun-Ji. She waved her down to them.
“You’re seriously thinking about this?” Brian’s voice rose an octave. He grabbed Eun-Ji’s arm and pulled her closer. “Tell her she’s being an idiot.”
“Okay,” Eun-Ji pulled her arm free from Brian, “what is going on?”
“Lord Kaias has announced that there will be a Heart Binding with the feast,” Olivia answered. Her eyes wandered to Kaia's as he spoke with the High Sister. “He has ordered that he and I would be Heart Bound.”
“What?” Eun-Ji blinked in confusion.
“Exactly!” Brian growled. “You aren’t doing it.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “I have agreed to it.”
“What?” Eun-Ji asked again.
Brian opened his mouth to retort, but Olivia raised her hand to silence him. She shook her head and sighed.
“Lord Auryn hates us,” she said calmly, “I believe that he wants us dead.”
“Fine. We’ll leave then.” Brian pouted.
Olivia rolled her eyes. “We are on a mission for peace. Lord Kaias is willing to protect us if I am Heart Bound to him. We could learn more about the culture and language this way. You can leave, Brian, but I’m staying.”
There was a momentary silence before Eun-Ji clapped her hands together. “Okay. Then, congratulations. You could do worse.”
“Eun-Ji,” Brian groaned.
Eun-Ji shook her head. “No, this is for the best.”
“This is stupid!”
“What do you expect us to do, Brian?” Olivia hissed at him. “We are strangers on this planet. There are only a few of us, and none of us is equipped for a battle. If we defy the Sovereign of the Abyss, what do you think would happen?”
She let the idea hang in the air. Lord Kaias wasn’t just the Lord of Vrex; he was the Sovereign of the Abyss.
It was a title that held more power than any on Earth.
Lord Kaias was akin to a walking God, rumored to be born from the same lineage as Vrex and Koureshtka.
To go against a God was a death sentence.
It didn’t matter if their cultures didn’t believe in the same ideals; if anyone went against Lord Kaias, they were not safe.
Olivia waited for what she said to sink in. She watched the defiant anger and frustration change on Brian’s face. Slowly, he nodded.
“I don’t like this,” he commented, “but you have a point.”
“I know,” Olivia said. She wasn’t sure what to feel about the arrangement. Lord Kaias had something about him that pulled her in, but there was no denying that this was outside the norm for most Earth nations. People didn’t marry to save their coworkers.
“This is like one of my romance books,” Eun-Ji commented, breaking the tension.
Olivia snorted and shook her head. “It’s something. I don’t know if I’d go that far.”
Her eyes wandered to Kaias. He was attractive.
Aside from the very alien parts — the bone crown, sharp knuckles, and red skin tone — Lord Kaias had an impressive physique.
Years of physical labor defined every aspect of his body.
He looked like he could bench press her and still have time to run a marathon.
And she had to be serious. She wondered just how alike the people of Vrex were to humans. How much of their anatomy was the same?
“Maybe some good could come from this,” Olivia shrugged.
Kaias glanced over her direction. He cocked his head to the side, one of his eyebrows arched up in question.
“Just remember what you’re really here for,” Brian grunted out.
Olivia smiled softly and nodded. She had a job to do.