The End
Chapter Twenty-Four
The joy within me could’ve been perceived as greedy, possibly insatiable, but I welcomed it, trusting I deserved it. After all, the magic of Quoram chose me, and finally, I had accepted it.
We slowed as the transparent tunnel appeared ahead, coming to a stop when we recognised the person standing at the inner entrance.
Earlier, in the throes of passion, I’d forgotten about the consequences of the Debate Gala’s outcome. Lying naked in Torz’s arms, listening to his heartbeat stabilise, he told me Zuli’s manifesto had won.
“Being on Quoram is not going to stop me from helping the Purans, Rems.” He’d kissed the top of my hair, his fingers tenderly stroking the curve of my waist. “If anything, it may make things easier.”
I had my doubts, but he reminded me: “Just because we’ll be residing on Quoram doesn’t mean we’re banished to the surface. I can still make trips to the Argentum and Pura. Arlo and Saul will take the reins from Delta Ring.”
“But what about Zuli? Won’t she be watching them?”
“I voted for her. I obeyed every command she threw at me. Now with me out of the way, hopefully, she’ll be too caught up in her own plans to care if our undercover supply run survived.
But, nevertheless, I’m going to do what I can to put a stop to the madness.
The Purans deserve freedom. I will fight for them. ”
Overwhelmed with pride and admiration for the man I could now call my own, I ended up making love to him again, which left us running late.
Now mere metres from our point of escape, we were blocked by the one person who could ruin this reunion and turn our joy on its head.
“Come on.” Torz squeezed my hand, coercing me onwards. “She can’t go back on her word.”
Dressed in her usual flowing purple robes, Zuli turned as we approached, a broad smile gracing her lips like that of a doting grandmother. Inwardly, I snarled my distaste.
“Don’t you two look adorably happy?” She surveyed each of us, for once not flashing a look of disdain my way.
“And judging by the transport you are about to board, I assume you have…worked things out.” Her amiable tone was unnerving, and I couldn’t help scowling at her.
“Now, now, Remi, my dear. Everything worked out for the best, don’t you think? ”
“Excuse me?” I shot my eyes to Torz, who seemed just as offended by her comment as I was. If she was here to gloat about her victory—
“The magic of Quoram has many ways of retaining its power. Many ways, indeed.” She looked over her shoulder towards a man standing further along the busy corridor. I froze, noting his tall frame, the elaborate clothes, the long silver hair.
“He’s real?” Torz whispered in wonderment.
“Only to some.” Governor Zuli turned back to us, her eyes sparkling with an unnatural silver I hadn’t noticed before.
“The lack of Damson couples has been an ongoing concern of his. But with his and my combined efforts over the past few months, thirty-two previously rejected couples have rekindled their bond. That’s…
oh…enough capacity to restore the Quoram energy field for decades to come. ”
Both Torz and I gaped at her. Was that true?
“Wait!” I recalled Chaz’s comments yesterday about the Puran’s fake assassination attempts on specific individuals. “Did you plan this? All of it…from the blackmailing to…the attacks. They were aimed at rejected Damsons, weren’t they?”
Zuli tittered. “I’m glad you finally caught on, my dear.”
“You staged this all to…” Understanding hit me. “To make us realise how much we meant to each other.”
“Indeed.” She grinned, looking between us both.
“Why? You could’ve just asked,” I growled through gritted teeth, unsure if I should feel grateful or abused by her antics.
“And would you have listened?” Zuli reached a wrinkled hand out and tapped my arm. “The pair of you were completely and utterly in love with each other, yet too stubborn to accept it. You needed more…aggressive persuasion than the others.”
“Aggressive persuasion?”
“And your manifesto?” Torz asked, his tone clipped, clearly troubled by the fact she almost killed me in the attempt to make us realise. “Was that legit?”
“Of course not.” She rolled her eyes.
Torz glanced at me, a mix of anger and confusion dancing in his gaze. “But you won the vote,” he grumbled.
Zuli tutted, scrutinising Torz’s civilian clothes—the beige cargo pants and blue hoodie. Gods, he looked so cute.
“I withdrew it,” she announced. “I conjured the idea to make rejected Damsons see sense, although some took far longer than others to understand the motive behind it. But it’s also exposed the governors who would contemplate Puran genocide.
It has opened other leaders’ eyes to the despicable situation.
And I’m hoping”—she cast her silvery gaze along the corridor full of normal Delta Ring civilians going about their daily lives—“things will begin to change. I do not despise the Purans. They are the same as any other human. Many are one half of a Damson couple denied the chance to find their soulmate. That, especially, needs to change.”
The epiphany that hit me left a well of hope stirring in my chest—Zuli was on our side. She’d always been on our side.
“Then what manifesto was appointed?” Torz asked, still bristling.
“It’s still being decided.” Zuli sighed.
“Dix’s refinery proposal is the most logical, but now the energy field is secure, the population issue will be at the forefront of the debate.
But either way, I advise you, Torz Benoit, to be your mother’s son and continue to fight for those less fortunate than yourself.
The Orbital Government can’t touch you on Quoram, and you may find some other revolutionaries on the surface already who will offer you a hand. ”
Torz stilled next to me as I took in Zuli’s smirk and the wink that followed. The elation and relief bouncing across our bond announced Torz’s understanding. She wanted him to start a revolution. My only hope was that one day he would see his mother again. She would be so proud of him.
But something flittering through our connection confirmed Torz was still dubious about this revelation. I glanced at him. His frown furrowed as a new wave of guilt and anguish shot from him into me.
“The woman you fed to Quoram,” Torz pushed out. “Was she a part of your plan, too?”
Zuli’s face paled slightly, her smile tightening with unease. “She volunteered. I did not force it upon her. She knew something drastic had to take place for the right people to open their eyes. In times of tyranny, sacrifices need to be made. She won’t be forgotten.”
Albeit pretty, if not honourable, her words did not erase the fact Purans were dying to aid their cause. Even the three men I had killed only signed up to stage the attacks in order to keep their families safe.
If only I’d known.
“Hey.” Torz squeezed my hand, clearly following my train of thought. “It wasn’t your fault. They knew what they were doing.”
“I guess.” I swallowed the guilt, but doubted it would ever fade.
His hand landed on my hip and pulled me closer, filling me with a warmth I’d never experienced before.
It was love. Hope. But through the contentment swelling between us, I knew there was one thing that still plagued Torz’s mind.
We’d also spoken about it earlier, while tangled up in bedsheets and each other’s arms.
“I have to warn you,” Torz lowered his voice, stepping closer to Zuli. “Nikos Russo may cause a problem for everyone.”
“Ah, nonsense.” Zuli flapped her hand at him.
“He knows when to step in and when to take a step back. The will of the Gods can occasionally overpower those of the mortal world. Let’s just say he settled for a handsome sum of quin and a dozen crates of Q.
” She chortled. “He can be a very reasonable man when he wants to be.”
“I doubt that,” I mumbled, catching Torz’s stunned expression.
“Well, then. Your ship awaits.” Stepping aside, Zuli motioned to the transparent tunnel.
Offering our bewildered and awkward thanks, we slowly crossed the threshold into the tunnel, only to stop and watch the purple-clad woman take the arm of the silver-haired god who had consumed our dreams for so long.
They both laughed before ambling along the corridor, and in the blink of an eye, they disappeared into thin air.
Shaking the fog of disbelief from my mind, I smiled up at Torz. “Was she even real?”
“I have no idea.” He lifted our interlocked hands to his lips and placed a kiss on my knuckles, his eyes sparkling with ease. “Let’s get out of here. I want to see if this planet lives up to the hype.”
I laughed, letting him lead me into the sleek silver shuttle.
We took our seats, falling into a sated silence of companionship as a hum of apprehension simmered between us. With the understanding that deities existed, and despite their arrogance and meddling ways, they clearly encouraged the fight for Pura’s freedom. But they had also believed in our bond.
And now, nine years after it was intended to happen, we were finally ready to start a new adventure. Together.
The End
…for now