12. Ryker
Ryker
Across campus, I find my transport already waiting, professors and staff directing the flow of students to their correct destinations. When I reach my transport, I spot Professor Ainslyn running toward us.
“Prince Anders,” he hollers, out of breath.
“I’m being summoned to Kyrr. I will continue training with the Princess, but I wanted to tell you—” He inhales sharply, his features tight.
“—keep an eye on everything from here on out. Any change in the energy fields, auras, anything that can give you a warning.” With that, he nods and turns back to the path leading toward the staff housing.
I walk up the ramp, the blue lights illuminate my path with every step.
Trysten is already on board. When I reach the door, he shakes his head.
That’s when I see Sienna and Gunnar sitting at the table in the transport’s sitting area.
My jaw clenches as I turn and make my way to the bunks, showing Rune and Aksel where to place my things.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, stopping at the table.
The doors close with a thud. I look out one of the windows, and my heart feels like it’s being ripped into two. Leaving Raea feels wrong, like something is out of balance. Every instinct is telling me to go back to her.
“Our parents are sending us to the palace,” Sienna says, clearly pissed at me. “I was here visiting with Gunnar when we got the notification from my mother.” Her eyes narrow into slits, waiting to see how I will respond.
I tuck my hands in my pockets, facing Gunnar, my mask already slipping into place. Confident and unreachable…that’s what I become in an instant.
“Sorry, man.” Gunnar sighs, crosses his arms over his chest, and leans back in his chair.
“Fine,” I start, already walking away. “Stay away from me and keep Raea’s name out of your mouths. One word and you’ll be sent to a moon to wait out whatever is coming for us.” I drop into the pilot’s seat, Rune and Aksel take a seat behind me as I slip on a headset.
“You good?” Trysten asks from my side. I glance at him just once, but it's enough. “Thought so.”
We radio in for takeoff, and then the steady burn of the thrusters kicks on, slowly lifting us away from the school.
I give one last glance to Taeolyn, my home for the past two years, then to the rest of Drithm.
My home away from home for half my life.
Then to the stadium that is full of some of the best memories I have.
There won’t be a graduation. This is likely the last time I’ll see the academy that has raised me.
Once we clear the atmosphere, I swallow down whatever lingering emotions I have. It’s time to get back to work.
Landing on the launch pad is almost as chaotic as school.
Several transports are landing and taking off in a synchronized movement, allowing officials to drop off loved ones or stay for the meeting we’re about to have.
Our transport lands with a loud thud, followed by the familiar hiss of the ramp opening behind me.
“See you later,” I say to Trysten.
One of our generals meets us on the launch pad and ushers me into the palace ahead of my friends. Rune stays close to my side, and I’m immediately brought into the palace command center, where several of our quadrant’s leaders are discussing the recent movements of other kingdoms’ quadrants.
“Prince Anders.” The Colonel bows, the rest of the room following.
My mother is at the other end of the room, weight and exhaustion etched into her features. I’m sure she never planned on ruling alone, let alone having to deal with the Veil disappearing.
The talks begin again while they discuss where they’d like to strategically place our four quadrants.
For now, we will begin accepting a handful of refugees from Oris since they only have three planets and their quadrants would be better suited to join the larger ones.
The rest will be moved to Treon, which has more resources to handle the influx of population.
“I want fresh reports delivered every hour,” I interrupt. “System-wide. I don’t care how you make it happen, just make it happen. I want eyes on Ateria’s region, anything strange or out of place, I want it recorded and sent straight to me.”
“Prince Anders,” Colonel Bowen says. “We don’t have the resources to watch their sector and do a full sweep of the system every hour.”
My gaze hardens. “I said I don’t care how you make it happen. Work with Treon, pull from Oris Protos, I don’t care. Don’t make me do your job for you. Every hour, Colonel.”
His eyes jump from me to my mother, who nods in approval.
For the next hour, every time I feel panic grip my chest, it’s washed away by my mother’s calming powers. I’m exhausted when the meeting breaks. The reports that were delivered still show no change.
“Anders, honey, go shower and take a nap. I’ll see you at dinner. No need to worry,” my mother says softly.
When I attempt to argue, she uses “the look” on me that says she knows better. Right now, it’s the Queen of Okenen who is speaking. Knowing arguing won’t get me anywhere, I kiss her cheek and head straight for my room, accepting I won’t be able to sleep, but at least I can wash off the day.
After showering and slipping into something more fit for the role I’m supposed to play—the Crown Prince—I head to Clara’s rooms. Her nanny nods to me and then steps out of the living space and into Clara’s bed chamber.
“Anders!” Clara sobs, jumping to her feet and straight into my arms. She wraps her whole body around me as I lift her off the ground.
“Hey, little tidefish,” I whisper, gripping her tighter as she buries her face in my neck. “It’s okay. I’m home now.”
I feel her weight settle into me. “What’s happening?
” she asks, pulling away, her face flushed and streaked with tears.
“Mama said I had to stay in here, and then Ana was over for a playdate, and she was taken home, and Lillian started crying.” She wipes her tears with the back of her hands. “Savi won’t tell me.”
I sit on the sofa, cradling her to my chest, thankful for her nanny keeping her mouth shut. “Savi was smart not to say anything. It’s my job to tell you, Clara. You need to remember that I won’t let anything happen to you, okay?”
She nods, her blonde curls dancing as she does. Her bright blue eyes look up to me.
I sigh, dragging a palm down my face. I hate this.
“Do you know what the Veil is, little tidefish?”
She nods.
“Good. That's good. Well, the Veil was created to protect us, but today, it disappeared, and we don’t know why.”
“Where did it go?”
“Well, that’s what we are trying to figure out. In the meantime, it’s better that you stay here with Savi. That way, I know where to find you, okay?”
She crawls out of my lap and crosses the room to where her little jellyfish stuffed animal is lying on the floor among her toys. She retrieves it and settles back into my lap.
“Are we going to die?” she asks.
My heart breaks. “No!” I shake my head. “No, Clara. I won’t let that happen, okay? As your big brother, it’s my job to protect you, and that’s not happening.”
She offers me a hint of a smile before snuggling into me and closing her eyes.
I stay there for an hour, holding her. Between her and Raea, as far as I’m concerned, I will use my body to shield theirs if it comes down to it, because at the end of the day, they are the goodness in this world that must live, that must persist.
They are what the worlds will be rebuilt upon.
These two are the light and goodness in the darkness.