by G. K. DeRosa
My gaze lifted to the tray of food Garridan had brought her and noted that not one bite was missing. She hadn’t touched it at all. “You need to eat, Solaris.”
She ignored me and continued feverishly tapping away at the tablet.
My jaw clenched. “You can’t keep punishing yourself like this. This wasn’t your fault.”
“Yes, it was,” she hissed. “And yours. And Xander’s. We’re all to blame.”
A growl clawed up my throat. If she wanted to blame Xander and me, then fine. But her guilt was unnecessary. I was the one who saved her. And I was the one who sent her back to Imera while I received my crown.
I snatched the tablet away and tossed it on the floor, the sleek machine sliding across the thick rug. “Stop it. Right now.”
Those green eyes burned me. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were capable of cutting right through me like a steel blade. “Leave me alone, Kaige.” She stood and headed for the tablet.
I stepped in her path. “I know you’re in pain. I know—”
“You don’t know anything, Kaige!” Her nostrils flared, and her pulse shot through the roof. “You’ve never lost a parent, and I’ve lost both of mine. You have no idea what being alone is like.”
A lump slid up my esophagus. “I may not have lost my parents, but did you forget we are bonded?” I rubbed the center of my chest, breathing through the anguish. “I feel every single bit of pain, guilt, and heartache flooding you.” I stepped close enough to touch her, but I didn’t dare. “And you’re not alone. You have me.”
A bitter laugh slipped from her lips. “You’re a nocturne, and I’m a human. We may have a bond, but you don’t really think we can be together, do you?”
Her words were like knives to my heart. They zapped my breath away. I swallowed hard, trying to regain my composure. Solaris was hurting, and I’d rather her take it out on me than herself.
She tried to go around me, but I blocked her path. She gave me a narrowed glare. “Move. Now.” Dark circles bruised beneath her eyes and her cheeks were pale. It wasn’t the sickness invading her. It was the grief.
I slowly reached out and touched her shoulder. “Punishing yourself won’t bring your father back.”
Her hand lifted. I saw it coming and stood still anyway. The harsh slap echoed through the room. It stung, but the distance she was trying to wedge between us hurt even more.
Her eyes widened and began filling with tears. She must have felt my heartache through the bond this time. She bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. “I-I’m sorry.” A sob slipped out, and she clamped her hand over her mouth to trap more inside.
“Don’t be sorry. You can hit me a hundred times as long as you don’t push me away.” My fingers hooked around her hip and after only a moment of resistance, she let me drag her into my arms.
Tremors ran through her body as she quietly cried into my chest, her tears wetting my shirt. It felt like a hundred thousand pounds of pressure was squeezing my heart. If it didn’t relent soon, the vital organ was going to disintegrate under the weight.
“There were so many things I should have done or not done.” She shook her head. “Ever since my mom died, I’ve been a terrible daughter. I got into trouble without really considering the effect it would have on him.” Her voice cracked. “I didn’t care.”
My arms tightened. “That’s not true, and you know it. You were just angry.”
“And now his death is on my hands.” Solaris pulled away, her green eyes staring up at me through damp lashes. “If I’d never taken that plane, my father would still be alive.”
My fingers brushed away the tears on her cheeks. I wished there was something I could do to take her pain away. I could compel her to forget her father entirely, but Solaris would never want that. She never took the easy way out. “I know this won’t take that away, but I want you to think about something.”
A tiny line formed between her brows. “What?”
“If you had never stolen that plane and crashed into my world, we’d never know about the blood bags.” My thumb ran along her cheekbone. “I would have been crowned king, and you would have become a pilot while those poor people continued to be treated worse than animals. Some would have died in filth, and more would have taken their places.”
Solaris swallowed hard. “Carissa would still be there, and Isla would still believe she was dead.”
“Exactly.” I brushed a lock of golden hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Now that she allowed me to, I didn’t want to stop touching her.
“There’s one little flaw in your reasoning, though.” Her fingers curled into my shirt. “If anyone else in Imera was infected and spreads it, freeing those blood slaves won’t matter. They’ll all be dead soon.”
My heart rammed into my ribcage, and before I could shut it out, my anxiety leaked through the bond.
Solaris’s eyes widened. “Kaige, what is it? What aren’t you telling me?”
I swallowed hard. I didn’t want to burden her with this just yet. She was finally letting down those horrible walls she’d put up. This wasn’t going to do anything to alleviate her guilt over her father’s death.
She backed up, putting a few more inches between us. “Tell me. I can handle it.”
I dragged my fingers through my hair, hesitant. “The last shipment of blood to Draconis never arrived.”
Some of the color drained from her face. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“It’s not.” I licked my dry lips. Just thinking about running out of synth spurred my thirst. “The nobles have noticed a depletion in their rations and so have the taranoi. Everyone’s on edge.”
“Do you think…?” Her words trailed off.
Neither one of us wanted to say it.
A static crackle suddenly tore through the heavy silence. Solaris’s brows knit as she looked around for the source. “What was that?”
I glanced behind me to see the screen on the discarded tablet flickering.
A voice emerged from the static. “Solaris? Solaris? Are you there?”
My little human bolted by me and snatched the tablet off the plush rug. “Isla? Is that you?”
I peered over her shoulder just as the screen cleared and a grainy image of her friend appeared.
“Solaris!”
Solaris’s mouth hung open. “How are you doing this?”
Isla shook her head. “No time. I’m not sure how long this connection will last. I had to hack into a lot of unhackable things.”
“What’s going on?” Solaris’s pulse elevated, and tension zipped through the bond.
I slipped my hand into her free one, weaving our fingers together. She held on tight.
Her friend’s expression darkened. “It’s happening.”
We both held our breath, but Isla didn’t have to tell us. We already knew.
“The disease—it’s spreading.”
Chapter 15
Solaris
Gray and black lines of static blanketed the screen, then a harsh crackle blasted across the ominous silence. Isla’s image disappeared.
“No!” I shook the tablet, willing my friend’s face back. Instead the screen filled with colorful gems and jewels from a stupid game I’d been playing earlier. I whipped my head around to face Kaige. He stood frozen, staring at the tablet, his face a pallid shade of green.
“Oh god, Kaige, this is it. This is how we destroy both of our kinds. Everything the seers foresaw—it’s happening now.” My heart wanted to jump out of my chest, and I wanted to bail out with it.
“No…”
“Snap out of it!” I shook his shoulders and silver seeped into his dull eyes. “We have to do something. If the humans die, the nocturnes will be next, and it’ll all be because of us.”
“I know that,” he growled, raking both hands over his face. “Don’t you think I know that? I’ve only been king for a second and already our worlds are on the brink of destruction.” He paced in front of the couch like
a caged lion. I sank down into the sofa, the fury of emotions rolling through the bond nearly toppling me over. “How could we have been foolish enough to believe that our actions would have no consequences?”
The truth speared me in the heart, leaving me struggling for air. We’d been so stupid and reckless. My father’s death was enough, but now this? I jumped up and raced to the door.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going back to Imera. I need to get away from you—don’t you see that?” My throat tightened, and hot tears pricked at the back of my eyes.
Kaige closed the distance between us before I could take another step. His arms fastened around me, impeding any further movement. “It’s too late, Solaris. Even if I could let you go, which so help me gods, would shatter every remaining piece of me, it wouldn’t help anything. How would staying away from each other benefit those sick humans?”
I snagged my lower lip between my teeth to keep it from trembling. “I don’t know.”
He pulled me into his chest, and my traitorous body molded right into him. His arms tightened around me, the erratic pounding of his heart reverberating in my ear. Everything felt so right when I was in his arms—how could this be the cause of so much damage?
“I must talk to my father. He needs to know what’s happening. Perhaps there’s something he can do.”
Trepidation whizzed through the bond. Telling Razvan meant admitting our sins out loud. This was it—the beginning of the end.
Anders ushered us into Razvan’s study. The air in the cavernous room felt cooler than normal, or maybe it was just me. A chill had settled over my body, and even Kaige’s warm arms hadn’t been able to chase it away.
The former king sat at his desk sipping synth and talking to someone across the table. The tall wing-backed chair prevented me from making out the figure until it was too late.
Xander rose when he heard us enter, his navy eyes widening.
“You! This is all your fault.” Kaige released his grip on my hand and flew across the room, pummeling into his twin.
“Kaige!” Razvan shot up from his chair. “What is the meaning of this?”
Xander was pinned to the floor with Kaige’s fingers curled around his collar. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? And for what—just to hurt me? Killing Solaris would’ve accomplished nothing.”
For such a big man, Razvan moved much faster than I’d expected. He heaved Kaige off Xander, separating the two across his wide wingspan.
Xander straightened, readjusting his shirt and spat out a dribble of blood. “He’s lost his mind, Father. Do you see what this bond with the human has done to him?”
Fiery rage burned across Kaige’s irises, silver eclipsing the blue and his fangs descended. “You’re done, Brother. I’m finished protecting you. Father will know your part in all of this.”
Finally.
Razvan’s glare bounced back and forth from son to son before settling on me. An icy chill skittered up my spine, but I steeled my nerve and met his gaze straight on. “Xander poisoned me with Mortiphen—again. Only this time he succeeded and the illness is spreading across Imera.” The words came out in a rushed jumble, but at least they were out. The boulder-sized knot in my gut began to unravel.
Razvan released his grip on both sons, his expression falling. “No… it cannot be.” He turned his gaze to Xander whose cheeks burned deep crimson. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” He echoed Kaige’s words from earlier, the intensity of his voice booming across the marble walls.
Xander took a step back, his arms clenched over his chest. “Good riddance. The humans can all go to hell.”
“You’re an idiot,” I hissed, suppressing the urge to punch him in his smug face. Kaige must have sensed my intentions through the bond because he moved closer and wrapped his hand around mine.
“Tell him, Father. Tell him exactly what he’s done.”
Xander’s dark brows furrowed as he regarded his father expectantly.
“You’ve just condemned us all to death.” Razvan sank down into the chair, his breaths coming in shallow spurts. “We need human blood to manufacture synth. We always have. Without it, we wouldn’t survive.”
“What?” Xander’s smirk twisted into a scowl. “How?”
Kaige sneered at his twin, his expression frighteningly similar to Xander’s. “You’ve single-handedly caused the destruction of both our races. Well done, Brother.”
“How the hell was I to know?” He stalked toward Kaige, his own fangs emerging. “This is because you couldn’t keep your hands off that human. Don’t try and blame me for all of this. You two are the ones the prophecy spoke of. You practically spat at the seer’s words for weeks.”
Kaige lunged at his brother, jabbing his finger into his chest. “Me? You’re the one that drank from Solaris the moment you had the chance.”
Razvan grimaced, his face growing paler. “Oh gods, you’ve both ruined us all.” He buried his face in his hands.
I’d had enough of this blame game. I darted in between the twins, marching right to the former king’s desk. “We need to fix this. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is anymore, but we can’t lose more innocent people—humans or nocturnes.”
Razvan glared up at me, his electric blue eyes piercing. “And what do you suggest we do?” he snarled.
“Kaige has Delvin working on a potion to reverse the effects of the Mortiphen, but he hasn’t had any luck so far. If there were more alchemists working on it, maybe they’d find a cure.”
“Do you realize what you’re suggesting?” He clasped his meaty hands together on top of the desk. “The more nocturnes that know about the synth, the higher the possibility that the truth will get out. We’d have mass panic. The taranoi would revolt; they easily outnumber us—we’d all be at risk.”
Kaige returned to my side, sliding his fingers between mine. “She’s right, Father. What other choice do we have?”
A growl rumbled in his throat. “Xander, you will head up this project as you are so intent in dabbling in dark potions. Perhaps your perverse fascination will be good for something.” He fixed his fiery gaze on his son. “And if you don’t find a way to fix this, you’ll be joining your brother and his human in the royal dungeons.”
Xander gulped. “Yes, Father.”
“Now all of you, get out of my sight.” He shooed us off with a flick of his hand. Xander sped out of the room, and we followed close behind. “I need to find out exactly what the situation is in Imera.”
I spun back around, taking Kaige with me as the heated words crossed his father’s lips. “How?”
“Excuse me?” Razvan rose to his feet, bracing his hands on the desk.
I opened my mouth to answer, but Kaige squeezed my hand and cleared his throat. “Father, I’m the king now. If there are matters to be discussed with your contact in Imera, I need to be a part of them.”
His father barked out a laugh. “That’s right. You are king. The king that has doomed all of his people.” He waved his hand, motioning for Kaige to sit. “You want to take over? Be my guest. Speaking to the Head Minister of Imera is not a task I ever enjoy.”
Chapter 16
Solaris
Each ring of the dial tone accelerated the thrashing of my heart against my ribs. Kaige rubbed his thumb along my palm under the desk, my anxiety ripping through the bond. Finally after the fifth ring, a chillingly familiar voice rasped through the speaker.
“Ah, King Razvan, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
Just the sound of his voice made my skin crawl.
Kaige nodded at his father, and he huffed. “Head Minister, unfortunately, this is not a pleasant call I’m forced to make. Your last shipment never arrived, and the one prior was severely lacking. I must inquire as to the cause. This is inciting unnecessary discord to arise amongst my people.”
Turstan stuttered, and a small smile tugged at my lips. It faded as soon as my brain registered the reason for the dwindling suppl
y. He cleared his throat. “As you know, we lost quite a few crates in that unforeseen plane crash a few weeks back. Then our last few batches were a bit light due to a refrigeration malfunction, which is why the current shipment has yet to arrive.”
I rolled my eyes. Yeah, right.
“And this issue has been rectified?”
“Yes, of course. You have nothing to worry about.”
Kaige scrawled something on a piece of paper and slid it across the desk to his father. Razvan scowled, the tendons in his jaw flexing. He drew in a long breath. “Head Minister, there is another important matter I failed to mention at the beginning of our conversation. The coronation went forward as planned, and my son Kaige is the new king. He’s actually here now and would like to speak to you.”
Kaige straightened in the chair, his spine going rigid. “Head Minister, this is King Kaige.”
“Congratulations, Your Highness. I hope we will continue the mutually beneficial relationship your father and I have cultivated over the years.”
I glared at Kaige. Now was the time to end this.
“Yes, well, that is yet to be determined.”
Turstan went silent.
“Regarding the blood—”
Razvan’s hand shot out, smacking his son on the arm. He pressed his index finger to his lips.
Kaige cleared his throat. “Regarding the shipment—there is no other reason that would delay the next delivery?”
I jabbed my elbow into Kaige’s side. Why wasn’t he telling him to release all the blood slaves immediately? “What the hell?” I mouthed to him. He disregarded me with a shake of his head.
“The batch scheduled for next week will be back to normal quantities; I guarantee it. We need your resources as much as you need ours.”
“Fine. I’ll be in contact soon to discuss new terms to the arrangement.”
“New terms?” Turstan choked out.
“Yes. Speak to you soon, Head Minister.”
“Of course, King Kaige.”