(RJ's POV)
The house felt empty without Valin asking me to join him in a game, screaming at his online friends, or loudly typing on his laptop. It's an odd feeling, missing him.
Today, he and Zai are going to an event center with their girlfriends...
I should find someone to be with so the next time I can join without making things awkward.
Just as I sat down to watch a movie, there was a knock at my door.
All the people who know where I live are busy... maybe Valin ordered a package online... which is weird since he's been planning on moving out again.
I opened the door to see a tall woman (around 5'10 or 178 cm) with large gold-colored almond-shaped eyes and thick lashes. Her skin was a soft caramel color, and she had long, straight dark brown hair with shimmering golden highlights.
Her hair curled slightly at the ends and stopped at the center of her back.
She had on a loose white dress....
She was beautiful, unlike anyone I'd seen before, yet somehow familiar.
"Oh..." she mumbled, then backed away from the door, as if she were frightened by me.
"I heard that Zai lives here... I wanted to talk to him," she stated in a humble voice.
I read her thoughts:
"Cera said this is Zaikel's home... he did not mention Raijian."
She was shivering and couldn't maintain eye contact with me for even a second... Now I know who she reminds me of...
"Are you... Tana?" she gasped and said,
"I'm not here to cause trouble, I promise! I just wanted to see Zai... Not for anything you'd disapprove of! I just want to talk, I promise!"
She shielded her face with her arms, so I gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside.
"Wait here," I commanded after closing the front door and heading to my room.
What is Tana doing here?
How is her face all better... wasn't she dead?
I need a drink.
After finishing off two beer bottles, I returned to her and said, "Why are you looking for Zai?" Tana hadn't moved from the spot I left her... charmingly obedient.
"I... Vetro has lost it. I've stayed by his side for ten thousand years, and I thought eventually he'd change, but... I was hoping to raise Zai to take over in his place. My brother needs to relinquish the throne. You... You'll come too, right?" she stammered.
I touched her cheek, and her eyes grew wide.
"Why do you look like this?" I inquired quizzically.
She gasped and squeezed her arm with the opposite hand, digging her nails into the skin so deep she bled.
Then she stepped just out of reach; I had to resist the urge to pursue her.
"V... had been hiring a specialist to repair my body... The last experiments were successful. This is how I used to look before the war began," she explained.
I squinted at her and decided to read her mind to see if she was being truthful.
"I recovered thanks to Insinz's help," she thought.
Then she met my eyes for the first time. I felt a flutter in my chest, so I walked away and slammed my head into the nearby brick wall.
She's Tana!
Pull yourself together!
"Are you okay?" she asked, rushing over to me and touching my shoulder.
"Yes... Just going through some psychological turmoil. You are ... my aunt... right?" I inquired.
She giggled and seemed to finally relax.
"That's right."
Damn it.
Outside of taboo rituals, it would be wrong to put my hands on her.
Only my father would be immoral enough to do it anyway.
I heard her thinking: Wow, Raijian has grown so much, I'm glad he's been well all this time.
It would be a lot easier if she still looked the way I remember.
I can control myself; I'm not like him.
Plus, she's just as unhinged as he is; a new appearance can't change that.
Although her thoughts seem so mellow. "When is Zai coming home?" She asked, taking a look around the house.
"Why are you looking for him?" I asked.
My question made her bite her lip and ponder:
"Would he really return to Afaria with me? What if he refuses... Raijian couldn't help me alone."
"Oh, I see," I remarked.
She has no defense against my mind-reading, unlike usual, which is very convenient.
It's also possible she let her guard down on purpose, so I'd know she can be trusted.
"I don't believe he'll be willing to go back," I commented.
"Why not?"
Her question seemed stupid to me; there are multiple reasons why he wouldn't, but the largest reason is something she's not aware of: Snowe.
"Before I tell you... Tell me what happened to Aluma."
Tana started biting her nails, and these words echoed from her mind: "He's worried about that woman again... the Infaniyan bride, I suppose I can tell him."
"She's alive... and she misses you," she answered aloud.
"Something told me to bring her with me as a peace offering. I'm so stupid, I shouldn't have left so frantically," she thought to herself.
With the ability to read her mind, Tana seems more normal.
Did fixing her face also fix her personality?
"If you can bring her back to me... I'll help you meet with Zai, I'll even help convince him to help you."
Her eyes lit up, and she bounced on the balls of her feet.
"Do you promise?!"
I nodded and replied,
"I cannot lie, after all."
After that, she rushed out, no doubt to return to Afaria with the suicide mission I sent her on... Or maybe she'll be fine.
She tried to kill the King and confessed to it; he kept her alive and even healed her old wounds.
I expect to see her again soon.
That's when I can break her heart and tell her about Zai's marriage.
I'm excited to see what expression her pretty face will make when I give her the bad news.
Zai is probably too busy to check his phone, but I'll text him anyway so he can know Tana stopped by, and while I'm at it, I'll visit Cera.
Cera's place was two hours away.
On the phone, he sounded happy to hear from me,
"Rai! It's been so long! How've you been?"
"What's your address?" He squealed on the other end of the phone, so I pulled it far away from my ear,
"Why? Are you coming by?... Is Zai coming with you?!" He asked excitedly,
"Just text it to me," I replied, then I hung up. My social meter for the day is already at zero.
---
Twelve years ago...
I convinced Zai and Cera to help me break the barrier again so I could see Aluma. I will forever be disappointed that my first time wasn't with her, but that doesn't mean I have to give up on being together now. The rune to age me was much easier to apply and took a lot less energy now. More time must have passed than I realized; I've grown. She was at the lake again, which both surprised and did not surprise me. Why is she always at this lake that's so near the palace... and why is she all alone each time?
"Raijian!?" she yelled, then she rushed over and hugged me, "It's been weeks... I thought I wouldn't see you again!"
"I'm sorry... I was held up." Her eyes scanned my face, then she kissed me and said,
"I... understand. I had obligations too, but... I don't care. I feel like I'm being stupid but... I choose you. So can you help me escape from this world?" Her suggestion made me laugh, but it was a bitter laugh.
"How can we leave? I've lived here my whole life, and I wasn't taught space travel."
"There's a portal! It's in Town Central. It's how I got here." I scoffed... This conversation is going nowhere.
Even if I left through that portal, I'd just be followed.
There's no way I'd be allowed to live in peace, and Aluma would most likely be killed.
"I'll think about it," I said to reassure her, and she beamed at me. I will think about how impossible it is, but also how sweet she is for suggesting it.
Then I embraced her, planting light kisses on her lips.
Her mind whispered: "I shouldn't be doing this. I need to tell him the truth but he might hate me if I do"
"Raijian, wait... I need to tell you... I'm... engaged."
Her confession struck me hard; I felt like I'd been punched in the chest.
"It's an arranged marriage! I've only met him once and... he hasn't visited me since the engagement... With you, I feel fireworks; that's why it has to be you. I want to marry for love," she mumbled while caressing my cheek.
I sighed with relief.
"So I can still kiss you?"
My question caused her cheeks to redden.
"You can kiss me," she answered shyly.
So I kissed her lips and then asked,
"Can I take things further than kissing?"
"What?! Here? Now?" Aluma asked while looking around in a panic
"Things are progressing so fast!" Her mind screamed.
"Why not?" I teased.
"... How about we go to your place?" she suggested... so she's not opposed.
The fire in my body roared with so much lust that it became hard to keep my face straight.
"We can't go to my place right now."
Which is true, WE can't.
She'd never be allowed into my wing of the palace, and if it's discovered that I escaped again, security would be tightened, and I'd never be able to leave.
Plus, the hole in the ground wouldn't be comfortable at all.
"I don't want him to leave me; he's the only bit of warmth I have found since coming to Afaria. If I make him wait, I could be forced to marry and never see him again... I would hate that," she thought with her eyes cast down sadly.
"Let's at least go into the water," Aluma offered.
So I followed her into the center of the lake, and even though it was no longer my first time, I soon discovered it was hers.
So it was special for both of us.
Aluma ended things promptly.
By rushing away at the same time, she always left.
She left me standing there, hungry for more.
"I'm sorry I have to go!" she shouted, then thinking to herself, "If I'm late for roll call, I'll be punished."
She collected the clothes that she had left on the shore, dressing frantically and running away.
Being able to read her mind doesn't seem to be answering all my questions like I'd hoped...
I guess I need to ask her some direct questions the next time I see her to get the answers I seek.
"I'm happy," I muttered to no one since I was alone.
I drifted across the lake on my back for an hour before going into the shelter I created by blasting through the dirt to create a tunnel. It had just enough room for me to sleep at its bottom with a cushion of leaves.
There were bushes around that hid the entrance to the tunnel.
I lay there, but I couldn't sleep, so I adjusted myself.
That way, I could watch the stars through the branches to pass the time until the next day came.
Present Day:
When I showed up at Cera's house, he flung the door open. His house reeked of herbs, alcohol, and incense. There were also two scrawny men and one woman sitting on a worn-out couch in the front room.
"Get out, my brothers are here!" Cera yelled in a demanding voice, and they all scrambled to follow his orders. "Where's Zai?"
"He doesn't want to see you." I clarified, and then Cera slammed the door behind me and sat on the couch, hugging his knees and pouting.
"Is he still with that bitch?!"
"He's married to that bitch." My reply made me laugh, and that loosened up Cera a bit even though he wanted to stay mad. "Tana told me that you revealed our house to her."
"Oh... uh... Wow, that stupid hoe can't keep one secret."
"It's fine, I'm not mad. I was happy to see her." Cera smiled then. "How have you been?"
"Oh... the same as usual but... it's depressing knowing I can't come back to that house when things get out of hand out here."
"You can come back," I replied.
"Really?" Cera asked cheerfully.
"Yeah, Zai and Snowe moved out."
He then threw a pillow at me and screamed,
"Then what's the point!?"
I caught the pillow, then he groaned, feeling defeated, and rolled over onto his side.
"Why did you tell her about the house?" I asked, getting the subject back on track.
"I... wanted her to meet Snowe." He admitted.
"See... this is why your life is so miserable. You're always causing trouble, so much bad Karma," I remarked.
"Karma is a f**king hoax, and you know it!" he argued, and then we laughed and shared a few drinks, catching up on life.