Chapter 60
Sixty
Is this what death felt like? Dante wondered. At this point, he’d rather be dead. The embarrassment he’d suffered thus far had been indescribable. Of all the species to discover his defeat, why did it have to be the Zambarians? He shuddered with shame.
Is this what it felt like to be weak like everyone else? To be completely and utterly average? To be helpless?
His eyes flitted open and an oxygen mask was attached to his face, wrapping around the back of his head. A cool blue liquid encased his body whole. His hand hovered over his abdomen. The puncture wound had healed. A smile crossed his mouth that instantly flattened when his eyes connected with Emperor Brumha’s, who stared back at him through the other side of the glass.
He was on display for all to see. Medics scurried in the background, monitoring his vitals.
Brumha’s arms crossed as he leaned against a steel table in the medical bay. He sighed through his mask. Dammit.
Dante could only imagine what he’d ask of him for this favor. He owed him his life.
The liquid began to drain, although he wished he could stay in the tank forever to avoid having a conversation with his inferior.
He glanced down, he was naked to boot. As he climbed out, his feet collided with the smooth metallic tiled floor. Emperor Brumha ambled over and handed him a white fluffy towel, which he ran over his body before wrapping it around his waist.
He crossed his arms, staring back at him.
“You look well,” the emperor spittled as he spoke. Why did he have to be so gross?
Dante remained silent, regarding him.
“I think a thank you is in order. While you were out, I carried you here myself,” the emperor’s chest puffed.
He scowled. “A thank you? I don’t think so. I defeated Valdez with my bare hands. I watched the hellfire fade from her eyes. It’s not like I lost the fight against her. She nicked me. I would’ve recovered eventually without your help,” he lied through his teeth. Dante had been knocking at death’s door. It was the worst feeling he’d ever experienced in his life, besides being separated from his wife.
Brumha shrugged. His snow-white hair fell over the silver points of his ears in wisps. “Believe whatever you want to believe, emperor. You’re lucky I found you when I did. Any longer and you’d be hunched against the wall beside your superior with insects and vermin devouring your remains.”
“Where’s the inhabitant I was with?” His fist shook.
“She and her family are being taken care of. You’ll see her in due time.”
His mouth flattened. “Where’s my armor?” He scanned the room. Having made a full recovery, he needed to search Valdez’s ship for supplies before going on his way. Universe 24 promised to be a treacherous journey.
Brumha walked to the opposite side of the room and grabbed a pile of blues. He handed them to Dante, who made a face he couldn’t control.
“Don’t think for one second that I’ll be wearing your Zambarian garb. Where’s my handcrafted armor? Give it to me at once. I need to be on my way.”
“It had to be destroyed in the process of stripping you. The material was pretty far gone and had no hope of being repaired.” Emperor Brumha stared at his navy-gloved hands.
Great, just great. He sighed a long, agonizing sigh. He had no choice but to comply. He’d failed to pack a second set of armor. It was either wear this foreign uniform or travel in the nude. He mumbled obscenities beneath the warmth of his breath. He was all out of options.
Dante grabbed the pile of clothing from the emperor’s hands and began to dress himself, pulling on his navy-blue bodysuit, gloves, and knee-high boots. A circular emblem of silver snowflakes and mountains sat over his right breast. It didn’t so much matter what he was wearing, he supposed. But this wasn’t the ensemble he envisioned murdering the Grand Supreme in. He wanted to wear the armor from his house. So he’d never forget it was he who had defeated him and broken the four-hundred-year treaty.
In the meantime, he needed to rescue his wife’s father and get home to her. His entire body ached for her presence.
Dante smoothed a navy-gloved hand through his midnight hair. He brushed past Emperor Brumha and didn’t utter a word.
Emperor Brumha folded his arms, head held high. “My fleet.”
Dante stopped dead in his tracks, his fists clenched at his sides as he turned around. “What about your fleet?” His interest piqued, but he tried his best to hide it.
“I know you’re on a rescue mission to the furthest universe on the map. I’m sure you could use some help. The Grand Supreme?—”
Dante turned again to leave. “You know nothing of him. You haven’t seen the half of it, so don’t pretend for a second that you have,” he paused. “I could kill you right here and now and take your ships from you. I don’t need your permission to command your fleet.”
“Even still, I offer you my hand, and you don’t have an ounce of gratitude in your body. It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. We could all use help sometimes.”
He sighed and turned back around, folding his arms. Brumha was right, he could use all the help he could get, although he refused to admit it aloud. He couldn’t believe he was going through with his ridiculous offer.
“Fine, what do you have in mind?” he finally asked.
“I propose an exchange,” the emperor’s silver cheeks lifted.
He cocked his head to the side. “My sister is off limits as I indicated earlier?—”
“I was thinking more along the lines of becoming allies or friends.”
Dante’s jaw dropped, his mind spinning in circles. He didn’t have time for this nonsense. Autumn’s father was waiting. He hoped he was still alive, or he’d never be able to face her again.
“You want to be my friend? But why? Why would you want to be friends with someone like me? Don’t you know the horrible things that I’ve done throughout the years? I’m a monster.”
“I’m well aware,” Emperor Brumha smoothed his hands against his velvet white cape. “Like I said, I’ve always admired you, Dante. You always made the best out of a bad situation that was out of your control. Nobody is perfect, but you handled yourself so well. We’re both different in our own ways, and I feel we have so much to learn from one another.”
He turned on his heel and left the medical bay. “I’ll think about it.” Was all he said.
Deep down he was jumping for joy. Nobody had ever wanted to be his friend before. And as strange as the emperor was, he wanted to take him up on his offer. He’d always wondered what it would be like to have a friend.