“This isn’t what you’ve promised!” the young girl yelled but smiled, as the sound of her voice betrayed the laugh she was containing. My eyelids fluttered a few times and I found myself standing up, at the very end of a long corridor, where beautiful rays of sunlight struck the floor through the open door on the right. The rest was bathed in darkness but it was obvious I was in a particularly rich family’s house.

“I’ve never promised anything, Nua,” a masculine tone responded, followed by the crumpling sound of papers being wiped and straightened. My feet decided to walk and reach for these two people joyously bickering. As if I was automatically drawn to them. Even the name seemed strangely familiar.

“Are you joking? You said you were going to show me!” she insisted, her words stretched into whining.

“I said I would if you stopped being so annoying,” he answered, before standing up, as I heard a chair scraping the ground.

“Come on, I’ve been gentle and docile all morning. I’ve done everything you’ve asked, all three of you, and I’ve made your breakfast. What else must I do to gain the privilege to see your magnificent powers, Lyen?”

The voices grew louder but no matter how many steps I was taking, the hallway still stretched longer and longer, the door receding endlessly. I was able to see the start of a long light wooden table and a white pearled lamp on the ceiling before a blond-haired man, almost white, stepped in front of the door frame for a split second. “I don’t feel the need to use them anymore. Besides, it hurts. Stop asking.” He concluded.

The girl growled and left the room abruptly, her stomps resonated inside the whole building, and strode right beside me, without even glancing at my direction. Glimpse of her mumbles reached my ears and I hid a smile because of her vulgarity. She walked so fast the wind shuffled the curls over my head and it felt like the house had lost its roof, letting the air fill the place and move along the corners and nooks. Lyen spoke again. “Do you think we should treat her better?”

Another man sighed. “I think I should be elsewhere. This kind of family business bores me to the core.” His voice was suave and smooth, as a tongue caressing lips.

“You’ve always been of great help, brother.”

“Pleasure is mine, grandpa.” He laughed, the sound only creating waves of a weird feeling inside my body, as a frozen finger stroking along the spine, my muscles strangely contracting. Multiple shadows emerged inside the room and I kept watching from afar, through the slight interstice I had an eye on. The man, named Lyen, sighed and cleaned the table. From where I was still walking, I could see he was launching for the sink, with hands full of plates. Fingers taped over the wooden kitchen table. “What are your plans for today, fellows?” the other male asked, a tainted question filled with curiosity.

“Is your prisoner still here, Nina?”

“He’s not my prisoner.” She exclaimed. Dark red hair whirled gracefully through the door frame. “He’s an outsider.”

“You do insist on keeping him leashed. Is that your little kink, sister?”

“Shut up, Kino.”

Her voice made the walls tremble. I sensed the floor shift under my boots and realized I had chains around my ankles. How come I didn’t notice I was tied up? That must have been the reason I was unable to reach for the only room along the corridor. “Oh my, you’re in a good mood today,” Kino continued, “I love it when you’re fun.” He clasped his hands together. “So, what are you going to do about it, mmh?”

“I don’t know.”

Silence fell. Her tone was soft, and unsure. As if she was genuinely concerned about my fate. And she had truly no idea. “That’s interesting.” Kino murmured.

“I don’t need that kind of answer, or paternalistic tone. I’m… lost.” She pleaded. Lyen stopped the water stream and dried his hands with a blue and pink shaded towel. I almost thought he saw me while facing his siblings.

“Did you talk to him? Since his arrival?”

“Yes. A bit.” She halted.

Ruffles echoed. “And everything is true? What you said? And Nua?”

“I guess. He’s here right?” Lyen answered for her. She used the doorframe to rest her back onto and shrugged.

“So, all of it… Really everything?” The suave voice insisted.

“Come on. We got the picture,” Lyen interrupted.

“No, please, do share the details!” Kino whined. His brother must have grimaced because his contagious laugh followed.

“Anyways, if you two don't want to take this seriously…” Nina complained.

“We want to,” the blond-haired man insisted.

“Of course,” Kino acquiesced. “I had nothing else to do today.” He almost growled.

“No need to fight, brothers, I’ll handle it myself, as I always do.” Nina concluded and left the room, through the opposite door, surely, because when I thought I was about to see her face, her steps just slowly fainted into perfect silence. “Good job, Kin.”

“As if I’m the one to blame!”

“You’re always the one to blame.” Lyen solemnly stated. His brother stood up and quit the room as well, leaving the man alone with his papers. He sighed again and whispered, as I was pulled back once more to my reality.

Another hell of a morning.

I woke up from that daydream with aching ankles and a deep sensation of misunderstanding. This was the second time I had dreamt of something else than Nina and I doing… These crumbs of history, these people, I was starting to believe they only were inside my imagination. Maybe, they were my own brain personating a fictitious family I would have wished to be a part of. Since I had never had the opportunity to live among a sane environment. But why bother? I would still wake up and forget most of it. Although, the more I experienced them, the more I was able to reminisce, even after it ended. The deep curious feeling didn’t fade, nonetheless, and I was left lost and unsure of the journey to come. Why was I unchained? What was I doing there? Was I still Nolis? The images felt so real, like it had already taken place in another life, or a long time ago. The seconds passed again and the fog returned before my lids. My brows frowned and I shook my head to evacuate the fear that creeped inside my veins from the fact the dreams were now submerging me as I was completely awake.

Samay had revealed Halei’s fountain was really an open gate that Orulis could use to teleport to, but couldn’t teleport from. An entry spot. Anyone could have entered in the very center of Kendara from the fountain and the Jalyons were keeping inactivated portals from the others. If they knew the place could have welcomed outsiders, they would have taken hostage the whole perimeter, forcing people to trade elsewhere, maybe even annulling the giant market. We would need to be very careful and discrete if we were to use that passage. And as Samay was explaining it, there was no other way for us to return to Kendara from Maorat at this point.

“How would we be able to come back here, once we find the Orb?” I asked, my arms crossed over my chest, “It took us several days the first time we escaped.”

The eyes blinked slowly and the walls shifted in a form of a nod. “You leave me worry about this. I might have an idea. How damaged is the planet?”

Kâl and I shared a glance, “Pretty much completely,” she stated. “Kendara is well conserved. Most of the civilians live there. The rest is… ruined.”

Samay hummed and shifted his attention to the corner of the room, thinking, “Are you familiar with the Iris’ Chasm?” Both of us shook our heads. “It must be very close to your capitole, in my foggy memories. Beautiful galleries leading to another Orulis.” The silence that followed filled the room with palpable weight. “Once the Orb will be in your hands, I will be able to make contact. I will lead you from Kendara to the Chasm.”

Samay’s eyes strengthened, as he was gauging our capability. “We’ll do it,” was all Kâl answered. I only nodded once.

“It might take a little while before I manage to reach the two of you, since most of my powers will be used in the transfer to Halei. I’ll ask for your patience. Find the Orb.” He finished as the wall started to change positions and his voice echoed hard and long within the cave.

֍

In a blink of an eye, we arrived. It only lasted a second, in which we managed to see the blue and iridescent light of the Orulis, before we opened our lids and recognized the place, the famous fountain, the dark alleys, the streets disposed in diagonals, like rays of a sun. It was night, only the bright moon reflecting light across the pavers, and I thanked the sky for this thoughtful gesture, after weeks spent through complete darkness.

Kâl stayed close and for one whole minute, we didn’t move. We couldn’t. Time in Maorat felt different, without the sun as a guide, and although we left Kendara not so long ago, decades could have passed as it would hurt the same. I noticed her hands clenched and shaking, for I brushed my fingers along her knuckles, subtly, and she escaped a long breath through her mouth. “Are you ok?” I murmured, without keeping my eyes off of our surroundings. She only nodded and withdrew the tiara from her bag, handing it to me.

“Put it on,” she ordered. The magic already floating all around, tingling my senses. Invisibly taunting. Few seconds passed as I stayed still and Kâl’s brows frowned. But before she could ask anything, my index touched the thin side and my thumb caught it as it rolled beneath them. The material seemed fragile and breakable with light pressure, only its force resided in its spirit. Once my flesh entered its zone, it was almost as I could hear it, speaking to me. Ancient language. One word repeatedly exhaled in long and dramatical breaths. My own became distraught and I quickly placed it over my head before the crown possessed me. And with one bat of an eye, I could see everything around perfectly. “We should move,” Kâl interrupted, already blending her body along the dry and dusty walls of the capitol.

Nothing seemed changed or new. Even fewer buildings stood tall between the roads, stalls appeared abandoned and numerously decreased as we walked along them quietly. Only our footsteps and respiration reminded us we didn’t lose the hearing; the silence weighting on our shoulders as if we were holding a tone behind our heads. Flanking Kâl, I remained close in case of another panic attack, but she looked serene and in control, her movements prompt, managed. When Vishan would appear, then I’d have to be careful.

Since the Collector and his Weapon were out of the picture, the Jalyon’s chief probably took advantage of the situation and decided to regulate the market more. The latter would dispose of so many stalls and dealers, the prices would sometimes be inappropriate, almost brushing scams. Jalyons weren’t the type to accept, rather preferred to negotiate, to the point where it wasn’t even a win for the seller. They always managed to rip off the poor that only tried to earn a few coins so they could eat at the end of the day.

Without us, they could proclaim their superiority, and force the other inhabitants to trade with them, or with nobody. Even if I had to leave this place for my own safety, the guilt crawled frequently along my spine, and the voices in my head kept reminding me how selfish I could be. Only decency was preventing me from barging into their territory and destroying every single one of them piece by piece, until Vishan’s eyes would turn into jelly between my palm.

Having no certainty about the course of our mission back to Jalyon’s territory terrified me more than I could admit. So many things had changed in the last few days and my own self acted as if I was a completely different person. From the beginning, I promised myself the second I had an opportunity out of that arrangement Hidram forced me to accept, I would grab it with both hands and with all the force I could gather. Turns out, to save ourselves, and the Maor community, I had to shove my hands back in the dirt. But even if I was dreaming of a peaceful life, serene mornings waking up to the sound of birds chirping, of the wind shuffling leaves, I knew, deep down, something was sleeping. Raging ice cold monster watching, analyzing before it would jump and destroy everything in its path. I had better convictions. And being used as a weapon for twenty years had me broken.

Kâl stayed back and eyed our surroundings as we walked quietly and swiftly among the disrupted ruins of an old and tired city. This, at least, remained untouched; the deep rotting sensation of an entity that would need to be put away. Trashed. Nothing else would come from here. Nothing good. But we had one hope. And didn’t want to give up without a fight.

I wondered if sharing the knowledge we gained in Maorat would help revive the Kendarians' energy and enthusiasm. Would they start praying Samay, realizing he was conscious and living? Would they rise against the Jalyons and their tyranny? Would anarchy cease to protrude when all inhabitants would decide to hold on that one thin string of possible deliverance?

The Tiara revealed parts of the town I’ve never even noticed or imagined. Dark corners disappearing, microscopic animals crawling under the thick layer of dust and sand, insides of ruined wards where beautiful furniture seemed to be trapped under destroyed ceilings, or cables tangled around their corners. I tried keeping focus on our goal, but I just couldn’t eschew the need to analyze every piece of new information the powers were sharing.

As I kept one eye over Kâl, who smoothly advanced farther than me, her knees bent, one hand close to the ground and the other one over her knives, I realized I wasn’t only seeing in the dark perfectly; the object provided much more. I could hear heartbeats, could succinctly depict silhouettes through walls, smell and feel warmth, heat and fear. “Have you seen something?” Kâl asked when we reached an angle and saw me with my mouth open. Her brows were slightly frowned but she kept watching around us, frightened. I swore I saw a drop fall from her temples.

“I’ve seen many things,” I responded, a chuckle slipping out from astonishment.

“You’re laughing?” she silently yelled, her fists clenched. “No,” I replied. “Everything is fine, don’t worry.”

My attempt to reassure her failed as she sighed and decided to step out of our hidden spot without saying another word. I cleared my throat, shook my head and rejoined her with a few large steps.

We marched through scattered debris, remnants of neon lights flickering on the ground, no soul around, no wind, no sound, almost no air. We had been quick on being used to the Maors’ climate, although we spent most of our time in the library, among two curious small Maors watching us in the shadows, whispering in the corners of existence.

After multiple minutes, I managed to tame the device, its magic absorbing my energy and concentration faster than ever. I could even visualize where its limits were reaching for mine in my brain, poking at the entrance, searching a way in to control my whole body and spirit. But I was trained and strong. And I kept focusing on the mission. Ceding couldn’t be considered. Kâl hushed and straightened her palm towards me, ordering to stop. A smirk stretched my lips as I continued being surprised by her commanding tone and gestures. “Look over there, on your right,” she murmured, her eyes wide and injected with blood. “I saw something move.”

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As I obeyed and searched for anything suspicious in the area, I noticed her heart pounding in her chest, so fast I worried it would just stop in a matter of seconds. “You’re frantic,” I admitted, my brows frowned with worry, although she understood differently regarding how she responded. “Of course, I am, can’t you see the danger we’re facing?” she exclaimed, her voice rising and her veins popping on her throat.

“You’re being paranoid. This won’t serve you.” I checked again where she pointed earlier to make sure nothing was there and came closer to her. “Breathe. It’ll be fine.”

Her gaze had a hard time focusing on mine but she ended up exhaling hard and long before shaking her head, as to gather her thoughts.

We continued for several minutes until we reached their famous enormous gate. Along the way, we crossed a few inhabitants, mostly merchants and sellers searching for carcasses, and materials to steal, or rather pick, because nothing was really owned anymore. Some Jalyons were roaming around, drinking in front of a fire with a group, but they didn’t pay much attention to us. They must think they were out of problems now that Hidram and I were no longer in the picture. And with the outfits the Maors lended us, we weren’t as recognizable as we once were.

Few cautious steps later and we were seeing the two columns of white stones, and the enormous long staircase leading to them. Strangely, the whole place seemed abandoned. Although it was dark, probably around midnight, Jalyons were usually out, drinking, enjoying their privileges while the others tried resting as much as they could after spending all day long negotiating, buying and selling for a taste of normal life without worries and anxiety. Their houses looked empty, no lights, no sounds. They were away.

Again, Kâl and I didn’t even need to ogle each other to know we were thinking the same. This was unusual.

We stayed low, glancing right and left and right again but we knew we were all alone. As much as we recognized Kendara’s silence and deadness of things, this was peculiar. Why would they leave the area, that was the big question. Maybe they had started their plan to conquer the whole city, and Vishan had found another place to display his monstrosities.

Even when we climbed up the stairs, we kept an eye around us, waiting for the moment where a hundredth of Jalyons would jump on our throats.

Nothing happened.

We entered Vishan’s office as if we were welcoming guests and searched for any alarm or device that would betray our unwanted presence here.

Again, absolute silence.

The desk had scattered papers all over its surface and hurled out of the drawers, even more than the first time we visited. I ogled them furtively, recognizing some symbols we had also seen at the library, in Maorat.

“Could the tiara help us find it?” she interrupted. “This place is a mess.”

“Since we’re here, and nobody seems to care,” I explained. “Vishan’s hiding something.”

As I sat at the Jalyon’s chief desk, I wondered why I couldn’t sense anything in the room yet. The last three objects had reacted with my instinct, I imagined the Orb would apply to the same hypothesis. Either the dagger and the two gems were a total coincidence, or the Orb wasn’t here.

My train of thoughts abruptly stopped once I started reading what Vishan had written all over the pages. He had a plan. A long term plan. That he fermented for years.

What I uncovered went beyond what I ever could have imagined. We knew he was ambitious. We knew he wanted to control more than a bunch of mutated male show-offs. He had always expressed — the way he talked and presented himself — his desire for better purposes, his destiny among bigger challenges. But what he was scheming was close to becoming a God.

His handwriting was harder to decrypt as I was advancing through the pages of his diaries, at least it looked like journals. Although they were my enemy’s, the phrases were so raw and pure and genuine, I almost felt bad for snooping into his personal stuff. His plan was impossible. We had not so much information to refute all of his plotting, but what we had learned from our journey around magic was that none of it could be mastered unless it would decide the man’s or woman’s worth. Nobody could become a god just because they wanted to. And gathering artifacts wouldn’t change that outcome.

Kâl peeked succinctly but didn’t show much interest, she’d rather search for the Orb. “It’s not here,” I stated, not leaving my eyes off the papers in front of me.

“What?” She whispered, her eyes widening. “Then what are we doing?”

“Take a look at this,” I insisted. She sighed, surveyed the open door for any incoming Jalyons and finally put her gaze on what I was pointing at. She nodded, hummed and waited. Her irises found mine twice before she shrugged. “What am I supposed to see?” She asked, bothered.

I arranged the pages, so it would align the drawings Vishan executed on his journals. Gems, a bracelet, a dagger. “What is this?” Kâl murmured, more from shock rather than discretion. I grabbed another page next to the lamp where he had written ‘these would make one the Master’

“The master of what?” she continued and I had never been more clueless than this moment. I had so many questions, some unrelated that swirled around my mind. Were they searching for the blue stone when they ransacked my house? Were all the Jalyons working toward Vishan’s same direction? What was Vishan’s plan employing my father to retrieve that gem when he had been handling the mission himself for the Orb? What was the point in imprisoning Kâl and I when he could have just killed us now that we had done the job for him and even fell into his trap? “The only master we know is Samay.”

“And the drawings don’t even represent the Orb.”

“Come on, Nolis, we don’t have time to scrutinize his fantasies.” She concluded.

I stood up and took some of the torn paper into my pockets when we heard voices growing louder and louder through the open window behind us. We managed to hide within seconds before they emerged in our vision and walked towards a little cabin not so far away. They were five, laughing and roaring. As one of them closed the door, I saw the others pouring themselves glasses of alcohol and sitting around a dark wooden table, their feet over the latter, their backs deforming the rush chair that I heard wincing all across the distance separating the two houses. They emptied their pockets, full of junk they looted, money they probably stole and…

“This can’t be,” I sighed, before Kâl joined me at the window and witnessed the same.

“Shit,” she added. “What do we do?”

“As you said, we don’t have much time. And I have an idea.”

Although we weren’t recognizable as the Weapon or Shadow, we had odd gears for anyone living in Kendara, and going in the small cabin with that kind of clothes could have raised suspicions right away. We needed to pretend to be one of them. To be whoever. Another Jalyon among the pack. Kâl and I were capable of discretion, and as we walked with our fighting pants, black t-shirt under a long black leather jacket, our hoods on, we decided we would try sneaking in at first, and use our fists later if it didn’t work out.

Fortunately, keeping their hoods on was part of their attitude. They didn’t react or change tone once we entered, Kâl being twice as careful as I was, and I planned on keeping the attention over me, so they wouldn’t tease her too much. If they saw a glimpse of anything that could betray her genre, they would destroy the whole place if they needed to make sure she was dead. After what we had pulled to leave, coming back inside their own ranks was the worst of all insults. The Shadow that had slipped from their fingers once. She wouldn’t have a second chance. Neither would I.

We saluted, two fingers over the temple and I grabbed a chair, turned it so I would sit the other way around, my forearms pressed over the backrest. “Gentlemen,” I engaged, my eyes uncontrollably resting over the Orb one of them was rolling on the table, idly. I had stayed away from their affairs enough so they wouldn’t be completely familiar with my stature, nor my voice. The tiara sent another wave of her powers over my body and I hissed, certain it had betrayed me to the group. But none of them moved.

“Want a drink?” a face tattooed Jalyon asked, his hands hovering the bottles at the bar.

“We’ll take Velreh,” I answered for both of us.

“You ain’t talking, pal?” One green eyed Jalyon smiled at Kâl and approached her dangerously. Again, wave of power.

“He lost his tongue in a fight,” I blurted, hoping that was possible.

“Really? Who?” the bartender interrupted, serving us the Velreh we asked.

“The Shadow,” I invented. Although she kept her head low, the others couldn’t see any features, I sensed a smirk crossing her lips.

“That bitch!” another one joined. “Shocking she didn’t finish you. Remember that one time, Srail? When you almost shove your knife between her two eyes? Damn, we really thought we had her.”

The latter nodded, his eyes drifting into his memories, a snarl escaping his throat while reminiscing. “Pity we were not there when we had finally caught them. Can’t believe they escaped.” I stayed quiet, and Kâl enjoyed her Velreh in one sip. They cheered. Srail talked. “Mio, let’s make it a round.” And we were all served again.

They chattered a while longer as we patiently waited for one of them to leave the Orb alone, so we could subtly steal it. “This is bullshit,” Srail’s fist bumped the table and alcohol sprayed all over it. “Vishan’s getting out of hand. We have the whole terrain for us to play in, and he’s not even here. How’s this being a leader? A chief?”

The others acquiesced and shook their heads. “Do you know where he went this time?” I queried, not looking Srail directly in the eye.

“He won’t tell. But between us, he’s got something going on. Something the Jalyons don't know. Something he’s keeping secret.” He drank his Velreh before continuing, wincing at the taste. “He’s off somewhere, searching for junk. I heard him speak all alone in his office. He’s going crazy, fellows.”

While he spoke, he lurked the Orb still rolling over the table and between his fingers, before he grabbed it entirely and lifted it to our eye level. “This is one of his shit. He’s convinced he’s going to rule the world.”

“What? How?” Mio asked, distributing another round of Velreh. Kâl’s foot teased my leg but I didn’t dare look in her direction.

“Probably these idiots dancing around the fountain have brainwashed the guy,” the blond, almost white, haired Jalyon intervened, his smile bright and terrifying.

“Dael has a point,” a fourth one, dressed in reddish colors, entered the conversation.

“They won’t be a problem anymore,” Srail batted his hand away, as chasing an unpleasant idea, and by that gesture alone, I understood what they’d done to them. “Edgar and Dael have always been the clever ones,” he added, turning to me, rolling his eyes to the sky while he hid his face to them. I forced a chuckle. “Anyways. The Luminis aren’t in the picture, the Weapon is gone, The Collector is in pieces, the Shadow, vanished, and our fucking Chief can’t see the straight road that’s displayed in front of him. We could have the whole city to ourselves, do whatever the hell we want and enjoy our time within the walls of Kendara.”

The last one of them, seated against a wall, right behind Dael’s shoulders that was blocking the view completely, shyly coughed. “Isn’t that what we’re already doing?”

We all turned to look at him. He wasn’t scared to talk or speak his mind, he had a body any man could wish for, strong, muscular, big and tall. But I could see, behind his eyes was a veil of total stupidity. Nobody in the room deigned respond. Srail stood, the Orb still in his hand, and walked toward the bottles. Mio took his own glass and stalled his body against the wall opposite to us, right next to the door. He glanced outside.

As he poured himself a drink, Srail left the Orb unattended for a second, and I wondered how we would subtilize it. He picked it up on purpose, probably to piss off Vishan once he would get back. Seizing it from its grasp seemed to be a complicated mission. I needed to think of something for him to lend it over to me. “Do you know what the ball is?” I interrogated, trying to lower my intelligence as I spoke to them, so they wouldn’t become suspicious.

“I don’t,” Srail answered. “But since it was in his office, I concluded it was important.”

“We should crush it!” Edgar proposed and my blood started boiling in my veins.

“No,” Mio raised his hands. “Vishan would kill us.”

“Would he?” Srail yelled after taking his shot of Velreh. I could see the burn follow along his throat as his veins popped on his neck. The Tiara shared visions of my surroundings I couldn’t possibly acknowledge at once. Even the Jalyons postures and micro-expressions were giving information on how to play this. We needed a plan and fast. Vishan could return any second.

“Srail, don’t start,” Mio insisted.

“I’m sick of following along. I’m done agreeing to his plans, his decisions. Where is he now? While the others are everywhere and nowhere. We lost our domination.”

Mio approached Srail and caressed his cheek as a calming stroke. Even though pure rage burst out of Srail eyes, he leaned into the touch and kissed the man’s palm. They shared a glance nobody could have missed. “I know it’s hard seeing the clan dissolving, but…”

“It’s not dissolving,” Srail interrupted. “We are the Jalyons. There are no creatures, humans or species stronger than us. Don’t any of you give up on your blood,” he added, his fingers pointed at us in defiance, until it stopped over me. “What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t.” I responded. But Srail’s gaze ordered to elaborate. “I’m Klory.”

“And your friend?” he insisted.

“Neive.”

“How come I never saw you before? What part of Kendara do you live in?” he switched his positions to be in front of us, his hands resting over the bar, Mio’s arm around his waist while he planted kisses on his neck. I wasn’t scared, nor disturbed by the scene, even if Jalyon’s habit of being very sexual was not something that was experienced every day. Kâl’s foot found my tibia again. And the Tiara shoved another wave of power. Was it some kind of warning?

“Pelandra. Across the third district. So, far from here. We don’t come often.”

Srail hummed and closed his eyes while appreciating his lover’s attention. The others ogled but didn’t fully look. The occasion was too good to let it slip and I finally crossed eyes with Kâl. She only moved her head toward Srail and Mio, her chin going up and up again. My brows frowned. She winked.

My head turned and I saw them kissing. Mio smiled and sighed. “You’re much more enjoyable when you’re relaxed,” he teased as Srail’s features softened. His lids flustered for a second as he gave up his neck again to his mate before his gaze fell into mine, deep and raw intentions became very clear in my head, as the Tiara was translating the silence around. Dael had stood up and grabbed beers inside a refrigerator while the shy one decided to turn on the speakers. Soft rock music filled out the room.

My palms slipped over my black cargo pants and I suddenly became aware of what I was about to do. Every Kendarian knew that Jalyons were extreme in all ways, as much in violence as in sex. They didn’t care about relationships, jealousy, decency or any rules. They did whatever they wanted. And were frontal about it. The way Srail was looking at me was undeniable. His face was covered in scars, even on his scalp, that his short black hair let visible. But besides his sharp and coarse traits, he could be considered a handsome man. His body seemed stiff, muscular but thin, and his hands were tattooed all over. Dark brown eyes couldn’t let go of mine and I felt my cheeks reddened.

I’ve never wondered what my preferences were. My goal and mission were so time-consuming that imagining myself with someone never crossed my mind. Let alone physically. I couldn’t feel anything watching Srail, but seeing their body close and touching lightened a part of my brain I never acknowledge. My breath became shaky as I was considering what I was about to do. Although I didn’t really care about pretending to be someone, realizing my first experience would be biased and forced made me wince. Again, Kâl shoved me forward while the others feigned to be interested by cracks on the table, I finally used my legs and reached them in two strides.

Srail’s look was so powerful, my whole body trembled. A shy lump formed inside my belly, and I couldn’t recognize fear or lust. He neared his hand to my lips and I decided my first kiss would be real. Never I imagined it to be something important to me, but as I was sharing this moment with these men, I envisioned another person, a woman. I imagined her being in front of me, striking hair color, and as I was seeing Srail’s lips advancing toward me, I felt like betraying that girl.

Right in time, my nose flipped his and I teased his mouth away from mine, tipped my head over the soft spot between his ear and jaw, without really kissing but more nudging. My fear grew all the way to my throat, my hands awkwardly resting over his hips as I tried being plausible. Jalyons’ first times were pretty early compared to any other inhabitants, so they had enough experience to recognize an amateur. Hidden on his neck, I frowned, focusing on the mission and role I had to play, my hands twitching and squeezing his sides without realizing. Only when I heard his soft moan and his growth over my thighs, my thoughts snapped and gathered into one, as every single pore on my body wanted this minute to be over already. I groaned, more from annoyance than desire but they interpreted it as they wished.

Finally, Edgar chuckled and talked. “Get a room, you three.”

“Is there a problem, Edgar? Want to join?” Srail taunted, and I fucking prayed for him to decline. The Jalyon’s hand cupped my ass and laughed with his mouth open and the gesture determined my next move. I made sure nobody was watching, Mio and Srail mocking the others as they played with my body, and I snatched the Orb into my hand and inside my sleeve. One second later, I was pushing Srail away, finding my seat again. “Not a toy, man,” I growled.

“Oh sorry, honey, you’re a softy. You like cuddles and little kisses, is that right?” he answered, and they all laughed. At least they changed the subject and he didn’t care about the Orb or Vishan. Or I thought. “Now, give me the ball back, thief.” He spat, and a beautifully carved knife appeared inside his hand.