Chapter 8
The scrape of leather boots against marble tile was the only sound echoing through the eerily quiet hall.
With nothing to do but walk and think, I found myself wondering the names of the two guards flanking me.
Did they have families? Had they lost loved ones to the Tenebrae?
Had they ever fought in battle? I was curious about how they had become royal guards and if anyone loved them.
I wondered who they truly were.
My conversation with Kaiyah had shifted something crucial in my perspective on the intergalactic war with the Tenebrae. Hearing her personal story—how she lost her father—created a sense of realness and validity that I found difficult to ignore.
Before speaking with Kaiyah, I hadn’t considered the real lives affected by this genocide. Guilt washed over me for my ignorance. People like Jodana, Kaiyah, and maybe, just maybe, even myself, had all been caught in the crossfire of this cruel maliciousness.
I had been assigned the same two guards for most of the day. One was tall with broad shoulders and a crew-cut of black hair, while the other was shorter and stockier, with a bald head. They appeared normal, ordinary, human.
“What are your names?” I questioned the taller guard as we walked down the corridor toward the dining room.
He peeked over my shoulder at his companion, silently seeking permission. When I turned to face the shorter guard, he tensely shook his head.
“Come on, I don’t bite!” I laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “I just want to know your names. I’m Jane. It’s lovely to meet—”
The wind was knocked out of my lungs as if I had walked straight into a wall, and I fell onto my rear. I had been so focused on the shorter guard that I hadn’t noticed Glade stepping out from an adjoining hallway.
I knew it was him, even before I could lift my chin.
My eyes travelled upwards from his leather boots, which hugged his muscular calves, to his dark mahogany pants and light beige tunic, topped with worn-out brown fighting leathers. Blades were strapped to his belt. Were they really necessary for dinner?
Glade extended his hand toward me as a peaceful offering, though he rolled his eyes at the same time. I begrudgingly accepted his help, though wishing instead that I could pull him down onto the ground with me.
“We have to stop meeting like this,” he muttered, lifting me to my feet.
I shot him a crabby glare and, feeling self-conscious, mumbled under my breath, “Thanks.”
Glade acknowledged my guards, though he stepped between them and me. “Gentlemen, I will escort Ms. Jane the rest of the way. You may take your leave.”
Both men exchanged confused glances with one another but nodded in acceptance before turning their backs to us.
Glade leaned forward and placed his mouth near my ear. “I need to speak to you.”
“I thought you’d rather be sent to a desolate planet than spend another minute with me,” I hissed, gritting my teeth at him.
The prince raised his eyebrows and blinked.
“I mean, Caelum might be desolate… It might be thriving for all we know. Who’s really to say…
” he said, raising his arms, palms upward.
His lips lowered into an odd, quirky upside-down frown—an expression that was almost amused—as his eyes roamed the hallway in thought.
“What do you want, Glade?” I huffed. My hands latched onto my waist in exasperation. “It’s bad enough I have to sit through your family’s dreadful dinners. Now I have to play your games too? Do I have ‘fool’ written across my forehead? And don’t even get me started on how sore I am—”
“Will you just shut up for a second?” He cut off.
How. Dare. He.
With his palms facing forward, as if to physically block my words, he opened his mouth, eyes narrowing. “You’re whining.”
Anger seemed far too trivial of a word to describe the emotion surging within me. A fire blazed, ready to erupt beneath my skin. My face burned hot and flushed into what I could only guess was a deep shade of crimson as my fists clenched tightly at my sides. “I am not whining!”
“Yes, you are,” Glade said dismissively, his demeanour calm and steady as he refused to match my intensity.
He leaned in, trying to level with me. “Look, we’re about to have dinner with my parents—with the king—and I need you to keep our little…
squabble off the table, okay?” He searched my eyes for some sign of understanding.
One of my eyebrows shot up, and I crossed my arms over my chest, nearly laughing. “Oh yeah? And why is that?”
Anger flickered in his eyes before he blinked hard, forcing the emotion away. He inhaled deeply, exhaling with equal force, an amusing effort to control his temper.
His voice strained, barely controlled as he pressed on, “I need to be training you, Jane. It’s critical that the king sees your progress and believes in your abilities.
As much as I wish the circumstances were different, this is my chance to prove myself—the only way I’ll ever earn his approval, his trust. Believe me, I want to be out there facing the Tenebranian army with Jion—no, need to.
But if I fail here, I’ll be demoted even further—sidelined and forgotten.
I can’t let that happen. You need to grow strong—quickly—and I need to be the one to show my father that I am capable of anything. ”
On one hand, he was an asshole. On the other, I admired his determination to make a difference in the fight against the Tenebrae. Still, there were far better ways for him to express that ambition.
“If you’re so special, why aren’t you already out there fighting? Hm? Why are you stuck here with little old me?” I teased, gazing up into his eyes. My own glimmered mischievously as I flashed a toothy grin.
Glade averted his gaze to the ceiling, clearly frustrated. “I don’t know, Jane. Jion is the saviour of the universe—the most powerful man on the planet, destined to face the Tenebrae head-on. My wants and needs have never really been a top priority here on Ornath.”
Did the wealthy, handsome, privileged prince want me to feel sorry for him? Oh, woe is me…
Before I could snicker in his face, Glade placed his hands on my shoulders and peered deeply into my eyes with his bright blues.
His desire for transparency was clear as he steadily spoke.
“Look, I know you’re new here and just beginning to understand who the Tenebrae are and what they do, but this is serious.
For decades, we’ve been battling these bastards, and we’re not winning.
I need to be out there with my men. I need to be fighting. ”
For a moment, I paused and considered his words. Everything in me wanted to say no, to not go along with his little plan, but I was struck with the memory of a tear falling down Kaiyah’s cheek.
With a great exhale, I reluctantly agreed, “Fine. But only because I’d rather be on Caelum than spend another minute with you.”
“Ha!” The prince burst into cheerful laughter, completely unfazed by my insult. “That was good, Jane. Very good.” He clutched his chest with one hand, grinning. “I’ll try to train you as fast as possible.”
“Great,” I muttered.
As I approached the large wooden doors leading into the grand dining room, Glade called after me, “You look nice, by the way.”
I glanced down at the cream-coloured lace gown that Kaiyah had insisted I wear, despite my reluctance. It clung in all the right places, and I could feel heat creeping into my cheeks.
“Though I must admit,” he continued, his voice dropping to a low drawl, “I kind of prefer you covered in mud.”
“Urgh,” I groaned, rolling my eyes so hard it felt like they might get stuck. As if I could possibly detest him more.
So far, dinner had been quiet, filled only with pleasantries. Hoping to avoid conversation, I stuffed food into my mouth. All I wanted was to finish and be given the blessing to retreat to my chambers. I might have even pretended to yawn a few times to signal my desire to leave.
The queen clasped her hands in her lap, smiling nervously as she glanced around the room at each face before breaking the dull silence. “Jion, Jane, how was the library this morning? Did you find the information you were looking for?”
Jion paused mid-soup, glancing up across the table at me. He gave me a reassuring nod, and I felt a surge of trust in him.
“It was wonderful, thank you. I began researching the Anu and the creation of humans, but I’m afraid I have a thousand more questions than answers now.”
“Ah,” the king interjected, stroking his beard with a smug grin. “The Great Colonizers, designed by Amantius herself. Our long-lost ancestors. What an intriguing tale. Truly fascinating.”
“Yes,” I replied. “We have no such information on Earth. It was shocking to discover where humans came from and how we evolved.”
The queen leaned forward, her eyes fixed on me with genuine curiosity. “If you have no such information on Earth, then what do your people believe? What is their explanation for the creation of life?”
“Well,” I hesitated, “honestly, everyone has their own beliefs. Some people believe in one God, some in many. Others believe in none at all, and some simply don’t know. But nothing like this.”
The king’s dismissive laughter boomed through the room. “Ha! Earthlings. Such ignorant fools!” He chuckled, tearing into a turkey leg. “It’s a wonder they’ve survived this long with such incompetence!”
Once again, my temper flared, and my face heated as I watched this man look down upon the people and the place I called home. Who did he think he was?
“Earthlings have not had access to their Celestial’s Light for a hundred millennia, dear,” the queen crooned, stroking her husband’s right hand. “It is not their fault they are ignorant. That is Mother Time’s doing.”
“Why doesn’t Earth have access to Source Light?” I probed, ignoring the king and focusing instead on his wife.
Unfortunately, he did not take my rejection kindly.