Then There Was New York

by Kristina Garlick

  Grier: “So this is where you live?”

  Riley: “Yes.”

  Grier picked up a framed newspaper article.

  Grier: “Vicis saves the day. Is that your name?”

  Riley: “It’s what I go by when fighting crime, but I prefer teaching these days, even though I don’t age—”

  Grier: “Because of the Nital.”

  Riley: “Can you explain what the Nital is?”

  Grier: “May I ask what my queen’s true name is first?”

  Riley: “Riley Roman.”

  Grier: “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. What is this?”

  Grier pointed to a framed comic on the wall.

  Riley: “A signed comic by Jordan Jacobs.”

  Grier: “He draws your likeness well.”

  Riley: “Jordan gave it to me ten years ago when I was speaking at a conference on cyberbullying. Not sure if you know what that is.”

  Grier: “This Jordan meant something to you.”

  Riley: “At one time, yes. How did you know?”

  Grier: “You are my mate. Now that we have found one another, our connection will only grow. In time, not only will we be able to feel one another’s emotions but also be able to communicate telepathically.”

  Riley: “You have the wrong girl.”

  Grier: “When I was a young boy, I dreamt of you, but only in your blue form. I spent years looking for this woman who haunted my sleep.”

  Riley: “Then what makes you think it was me?”

  Grier: “It was dark out and there was some kind of snow monster who was attacking some city. You fearless charged at him in your blue form and punched him right in the face. There was another dream, where you fought a robot near some mountain with some heads carved in it.”

  Riley: “Mount Rushmore.”

  Grier: “So those things happened?”

  Riley: “The Icedons attacked about four years ago and the Mount Rushmore thing happened about six years back.”

  Grier: “There were two hundred years when I didn’t have any dreams about you, but then, a month ago, I had another.”

  Riley: “How old are you?”

  Grier: “Four hundred and thirty-eight years old. Most royals find their mates between two and three hundred years old. For that reason, a union was to be arranged between me and Queen Kalana of Xelum. I mentioned her much younger brother to Emery earlier.”

  Riley: “If you have a mate, why would your family arrange a marriage?”

  Grier: “I cannot be king until I am married.”

  Riley: “What of Queen Kalana’s mate?”

  Grier: “Her mate, Louve, is a female princess whose older brother rules Cente. Even though the union is allowed, a legitimate heir for Xelum is still needed, so that’s why her family and mine thought it was a good idea that we were wed. After marrying Kalana, we would have to produce two heirs—one for her planet and one for mine. Before you ask, I would also be required to take care of Louve’s needs as she is Kalana’s mate. In other words, they are a package deal.”

  Riley: “Two wives; every straight man’s dream.”

  Grier: “It is not my wish. I only want to be with my true queen. It just so happens that unusual circumstances have befallen me. I practically grew up with Kalana; she is like a sister. Doing my husbandly duties does not really appeal to me, let alone for two who are not my mate. Maybe when I was younger, I would have thought differently, but I am at an age where I’d rather have the woman who I am supposed to be with.”

  Ugh. Don’t swoon, Riley. Don’t swoon.

  Riley: “Can you explain the whole match thing, and while we are at it, the Nital.”

  Grier: “Tell me something about you and I in turn will do the same.”

  Riley: “We aren’t playing this game.”

  Grier: “I spent twenty-six years trying to find Earth. The least you can do is grant me this request.”

  Riley: “Fine, ask away.”

  Grier: “What are some of your hobbies?”

  Riley: “Really?”

  Grier: “Yes, I want to know everything about you.”

  Riley: “I really don’t have hobbies. Maybe at one time I did, but I spend most of my time training young children. I guess, when I get a chance, I like to read a good book or see a play. I am kind of boring.”

  Grier: “I seriously doubt you are boring.”

  Riley: “Your turn. Start explaining.”

  Grier: “I am a descendant of a Vonnela, who existed prior to what you might call the Big Bang. These beings had extraordinary abilities and some of them settled in the solar system in which I reside. As for the others, I do not know where they went. However, my ancestors created life on my planet and the other Vonnela brought forth existence on the other worlds; no two planets are the same in my solar system. After the invention of life, these beings settled in as rulers of the various planets. It was usually two to four Vonnela per planet.”

  Riley: “And?”

  Grier: “What is your favorite food?”

  I didn’t know why Grier cared what food I liked or my hobbies. I couldn’t even get Earth men to give a shit about that stuff. About fifteen years ago, I’d given up on the idea of finding someone. Sure, when I’d talked with my future self, she had told me that someday I would find a relationship that wasn’t doomed but she couldn’t have been talking about the prince. Grier probably just assumed I was his mate because I thought my future self had stolen the tattoo ink from whatever world he was from.

  Riley: “I like breakfast food. Waffles. Eggs. Pancakes.”

  Grier: “Thank you. So, to continue with what I was saying, two to four Vonnela per planet, which was typical a set of mates who would rule one planet. In some instances, a sibling and his or her mate might decide to live on a particular planet as well. The Vonnela were wise, so even though they could live forever, most chose not to. Typically, a Vonnela and his or her mate will rule for a thousand or so years and afterwards, they will step down. It’s at that point that the oldest child will take the throne and the parents will either be no more or will retire, as you might call it, until they choose to die.”

  Riley: “You get to decide when I die?”

  Grier: “Very much so. It is a Vonnela privilege, which we can even extend to our mate if he or she is not of our species. However, I can tell you are of Vonnela ancestry, which must have activated when you received your abilities and thus stopped your aging process.”

  Riley: “How would you even begin to know this?”

  Grier: “Have you ever loved someone before?”

  Riley: “Different question.”

  Grier: “I will tell you that when I was younger, I loved a beautiful woman, but when my parents discovered it, they sent her to another planet. It hurt at the time but I see now that it was the best thing for me as she was a passing fancy.”

  Riley: “I loved once and it was doomed, and there was no other way to describe that relationship.”

  Grier: “I am sorry that he broke your heart.”

  Riley: “It wasn’t him. Life just got in the way. So can you please continue the story, as I am dying to know more?”

  Grier: “All right. All Vonnela have a mate and an ability which grows stronger if he or she takes in the Nital. The Nital will only bond with the true rulers on the planet and will increase their powers exponentially. The added power helps protect the worlds from outside forces. If anyone who isn’t the proper heir, claims the Nital, he or she will die and that is how I know you are my queen. You have the Nital flowing through your veins.”

  Riley: “What makes you think that?”

  Grier: “I think the best thing to do is show you, but I need you to take few steps closer and also trust me.”

  Riley: “Trust is not easily won.”

  Grier: “It’s a good thing I am immortal, although my ship will be here in three weeks to come and get me, so I prefer a bit sooner.”

  I stepped closer to Grier, not really sure what he was
going to do. When Grier put his arms around my waist and pulled me against him, I considered slapping the prince’s face. However, before I could, his lips claimed mine and I forgot to think. My eyes closed as the kiss deepened and something I hadn’t felt in a long time began to stir; for that reason, I decided to open my eyes and pull away. To my shock, I was in my blue form and Grier … he was … he was standing there, shimmering white energy along with having blue hair.

  Riley: “How is this possible?”

  Grier: “That is what I was hoping you would know. Over twenty-six years ago, the Nital was stole from my family’s private vault. It was right after I had agreed to marry Queen Kalana and accept her mate, Louve, as mine. I had taken in my father’s Nital, but my mother’s was supposed to remain locked in the vault until if or when my mate appeared. Two days before my wedding, it just vanished and, in its place, were coordinates, which I later discovered were for Earth. I told my family I would not wed or take the throne until the Nital was returned to its proper place.”

  It suddenly dawned on me what must have happened. My future self had somehow stolen the Nital and that was what I must have injected into my body. My heart began to race as I debated on whether or not to tell Grier. Perhaps if I had a bit more information first.

  Grier: “We traced the Nital to your planet but unfortunately we didn’t have the capacity to travel to your galaxy. So I assigned the brightest minds to create such technology and, in the meantime, I taught myself everything I could about this planet. I wanted to know what type of foe I was up against.”

  Riley: “How did you learn about Earth?”

  Grier: “Just because we didn’t have the technology to travel so far didn’t mean we couldn’t watch your planet. Kind of like a television, which we viewed, and we could hack into your computers, which are very primitive by the way.”

  Riley: “So in twenty-six years, your people learned to travel to another galaxy.”

  Grier: “Yes, and I don’t mean to brag, but it only takes three weeks to get from my planet of Reirg to Earth.”

  Riley: “Impressive.”

  Grier: “In all seriousness, I would spend a hundred years or even a thousand searching the galaxy if it meant finding my queen.”

  Fuck. Grier really needed to stop saying such sweet things to me. I didn’t need his words to keep me up at night after he was gone.

  Riley: “What did you think happened to the Nital?”

  Grier: “I honestly did not know. I thought a Vonnela was holding it hostage, which is why I brought my general and best men to Earth.”

  Riley: “So the pointy-hatted man is a general and not a vicar.”

  Grier: “Exactly. And he is also kind of my uncle, but enough talk about him. When our ship crashed and I saw you standing there with this resounding strength, not fearful of what you’d just witnessed, I thought you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever met.”

  Riley: “So why the fuck did you try to trap me in a metal box?”

  Grier: “I didn’t want to hurt you for some reason, despite the twenty-six years of anger I felt for the Nital being stolen. I was truly flabbergasted, Riley, when you broke out of the metal enclosure, which, by the way, I had planned to release you from once I had secured the Nital. I was planning on personally questioning you as to why the Nital was in your compound. My guards were going to question the rest of humans. We hadn’t counted on any Earthlings with abilities.”

  Riley: “Why not? I thought you said that you watched Earth from your planet.”

  Grier: “I did, but I assumed the news was reporting fake stories. Mortals with powers didn’t make sense. I thought it was just another version of entertainment.”

  Riley: “Nope. We have powers.”

  Grier: “What are your abilities?”

  Riley: “What are yours?”

  Grier: “Besides having dashingly great blue hair in my other form, I can put people to sleep and move things with my mind.”

  Riley: “I control time, which allows me to do a lot of things.”

  Grier: “My mate is very strong, I sense.”

  I had this overwhelming urge to tell Grier what Riley from the future had done. Once Grier discovered that she had stolen the Nital and somehow found a way I could take in the Nital without dying, he would hate me. The older me had robbed Grier’s mate of a precious gift that was meant to protect his planet.

  Riley: “I don’t think you will feel so strongly about me when I tell you what I know.”

  Grier: “Nothing will change how I feel about you.”

  Riley: “I stole the Nital. Well, not me, but I think a future version of myself stole it along with your fancy tattoo ink. I was visited twenty-six years ago by the older me and was given a serum to inject into my body. It made me sick, but somehow I survived and was able to defeat the horrible monster that ruled this planet and was killing good people. I don’t know what Riley of the future did so I could take in the Nital and not die, but she obviously robbed your mate of something really special. I would give your Nital back to you but I need to make sure Earth is safe. So I am sorry, but you will return home empty handed.”

  Grier: “I see …”

  Not wanting to see the look of disgust on Grier’s face, I tried to walk off but he grabbed my arm and spun me around so I was now facing him. When I looked him in the eyes, I did not see resentment on his face. Grier looked as though he just had questions for me.

  Grier: “Tell me about the monster.”

  Riley: “The monster … is just a man that no one remembers. Broderick Boucher was his name and he took over the planet and killed superheroes or anyone who opposed him. He gave me my abilities on what probably would have been my deathbed and for that, I guess, I am grateful. Broderick wanted to use me, and others he created, as soldiers to do his bidding. One of those soldiers was Jordan Jacobs and we were in love, but apparently he was bound to the madman.”

  Grier: “The comic artist?”

  Riley: “Yes, but he wasn’t an artist then. Jordan could teleport and control people with song, but that wasn’t the life he was meant to have. There were a lot of good people besides Jordan who were suffering or dead. So I went back in time and made it so Broderick was never born. I saved the world, but it came at a cost. My ordinary human self was erased from time to avoid a time paradox. In other words, not only did I lose the man I loved, as we now had never met, but all my friends and family forgot about me. Since that day, I have dedicated my life to being a hero. The funny thing was, for so long I didn’t think I was capable of being one, but I guess the cape in my closet says otherwise. I wish I regretted what I did, but I saved millions of lives. So I am sorry that I am not sorry.”

  For what felt like an eternity, Prince Grier says nothing. I didn’t know why I expected him to yell or run. Maybe it was because I wasn’t used to people staying, or opening up to anyone for that matter, but Grier had the right to know the truth. He’d spent twenty-six years looking for something that was stolen for him, so I didn’t blame his shocked silence. I actually thought Grier was taking this better than I would have if I was in his place.

  Grier: “Tell me, Riley, when was the last time you did something for you?”

  Riley: “What?”

  Grier: “Almost everything you do is to protect your people.”

  Riley: “That’s what superheroes do.”

  Grier: “What about the other people of Earth who have powers? Don’t they have lives? I saw children, so I know they have families.”

  Riley: “Why aren’t you mad? I just confessed that my future self, had stolen the Nital.”

  Grier: “Because you are my mate, my queen, and if theft is what brought us together, then so be it. Before you even ask, there is no way your future self couldn’t have manipulated the Nital as that is impossible to do. I imagined that future Riley and myself had agreed that she would go back in time and steal the Nital. It would make sense why no surveillance caught her stealing from family’s vault because I
know how to disable the system. As for the ink, I imagine that was to make sure everything else fell into place. This was obviously a plan many, many years in the making.”

  Riley: “I don’t know what to say other than I could really use a drink.”

  Grier: “So let’s go get one.”

  Riley: “We can’t just leave and get a drink.”

  Grier: “Why not? While we are at it, why not add a bit of food?”

  Riley: “Are you asking me out on a date?”

  Grier: “You still owe me questions. I answered a lot more than you.”

  Riley: “Look, Grier, this isn’t going to go how you think it will.”

  Grier: “How do you suspect I want this to end?

  Riley: “That I go back to your planet and we live happily ever after, but that can’t happen. It just can’t.”

  Grier: “Why not? I have ships that will take you to and from Earth as you wish.”

  Riley: “In three weeks. What happens if the planet is attacked and they need me?”

  Grier: “Travel back in time and stop them.”

  Riley: “I am not sure how my powers will work if I am off world when something bad happens.”

  Grier: “Twenty-five years ago, when you changed the course of history, I felt this wave of energy hit me on Reirg. Your abilities are stronger than you realize, but if three weeks is too long, we can upgrade our teleporters like we did our ships. My people can teleport to any planets in my solar system and imagine if we installed the same technology here; we could do the same. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility as I can already view Earth from my planet. So, in reality, there is nothing keeping you here but you.”

  Riley: “Look, we just met today. This is a lot to take in. A lot. I will go out with you on a date, as I acknowledge that there is something here. And I will take the next three weeks to decide what I am going to do. You will have to accept whatever answer I give you.”