by J. A. Comley
If she is Soreiaphin, then she's not human, and our future will be more secure, Larkel told himself sternly.
If she is Soreiaphin, her death may be required to stop this war, his mind retorted.
Taking a deep breath, he shoved the dark thoughts aside, even if he felt sure that that was her secret. Death was only a theorized requirement, as only a true Soreiaphin’s power would be worth so much. In theory it would consume the Soreiaphin to release powerful magic for a single purpose. No, if Starla was a Soreiaphin, that would not be her fate. He would not allow it to be.
If she is all that can stop this war, you will have no choice.
He balled his hands into fists, muscles rippling along his back as he fought down the image blooming in his mind, Starla engulfed in fiery magic, consumed in the heart of the flames.
He knew Starla had read the book, could see her distraction all evening, how she hadn't wanted to link minds. He wondered if she had noticed the same things.
They needed to discuss it, but not now. He nodded to himself, remembering feeling a similar resolve in Starla's mind the first day. He had chosen not to pursue its source, because it didn't matter. He wanted time to pretend that only these feelings mattered as much as she did.
Not today. Today was special.
Watching the dawning light strengthen, he decided he had waited long enough, or at least as long as he could bear. With hope and excitement he hadn't felt in years, he hurried down the steps and out of his door, feeling the draw of her, even halfway across the city.
***
Starla awoke from yet another nightmare of her human family being tortured and shook her head. These horrible dreams had begun to take on a too-real quality that left her with a pit in her stomach for hours. It was barely dawn, but Starla pulled herself out of the bed anyway, deciding to take extra care getting ready. Larkel had promised her that, today, he was hers all day with no duties to get in the way, although Larkel had mentioned that there was one engagement that they couldn’t miss.
Even as the thought made her heart race, the remembered sound of snapping bones and agonised screams followed her to the wash area, not even fading as she filled the tub. She tried to drown them out instead with her best memories from Earth, all involving Father Joe, Pierre, or Raoul.
Thinking of Earth and her life there, Starla was surprised to find she had forgotten about a celebration of her own. If she was tallying correctly, today would mark the 20th day since arriving on Galatia, May 15th on Earth, her twenty-first birthday. Normally this day would have been spent wondering if her aunt might show up, or if the Amiot twins would get past her guard of Pierre and Raoul and ruin the day. But this year, she was here, spending the day with the man who made her heart race, who loved her for her kindness and intelligence and not just her looks.
Letting only thoughts of Larkel remain, she shut off the water and slipped into the tub, relishing the warmth and the scented salts, all helping to chase away the lingering shadows.
Starla grinned like a child on Christmas morning at the knock on her door an hour later. They had been meant to meet at a restaurant, but she wouldn't complain over getting to share the walk there too. She all but threw herself at the door and felt her heart fall as Mrs Lanteg made a quick bow and then hurried into the room uninvited.
“Well done, Miss. However did you do it?” she inquired, looking pleased as a cat with cream.
“Whatever do you mean, Mrs Lanteg?” Starla asked, keeping her voice smooth. She wondered why this woman followed the Baron, why everyone seemed to treat him with respect that didn't belong at the feet of a man who would do what he had done before her trial.
“The High Lord, Miss, he moved back home yesterday. You must have turned him down enough times for him to realise his efforts were in vain.” Suddenly her smile vanished, replaced by a worried frown. “Oh, but he'll retaliate, he will. He's always been one for vengeance. Such a cold, cruel man. Listen, deary, if he stops paying your bill here, you're welcome to come and stay with me and my husband. We have a spare bed in the attic.”
Starla fought the urge to roll her eyes. She played her part very well, but now Starla knew who this woman was, just as she knew Larkel.
“Actually, last night was my last here. I already have alternate accommodation, thank you. Now please excuse me, Mrs Lanteg, I must be about my day,” she said, shooing the servant out of the room ahead of her.
She left the inn and found Makhi Redkin waiting. The spluttering Mrs Lanteg faltered under his gaze, watching his ears tilt backwards and retreated back inside the Inn.
“Are you my guard until I reach Larkel?” Starla asked him as he smiled a greeting.
“I'm not sure. Larkel was coming himself, I believe, but got held up. So he asked me to come instead,” he said, tapping his forehead.
Starla shrugged. “Shall we?”
Redkin gave her a smile, and they set off together, making amiable chit-chat, with him getting her to read shop signs and notices, testing her Pareon.
She had grown very fond of the man, and not only because he was like a surrogate father in many of the memories Larkel had shared with her. He always made them laugh and seemed to keep Larkel from being pulled into a dark mood when people in the street scurried off in fear or whispered behind their hands with hate clear in their eyes. If only for that, she truly loved the old Makhi, just as she loved Father Joe, her own surrogate father.
As they neared the restaurant she and Larkel had first eaten at, they spotted him standing off to the side, his whole frame tense, face hard and eyes cold and glittering. The people were giving him a wide berth, terror and hate filling the air.
They sighed in unison, and Redkin glanced down at her, ears twitching in amusement. Starla gave him a wry smile in return, and they closed the remaining distance.
As Larkel's eyes fell on her, all the ice melted away as a soft flame came to life, a slow smile warming his face.
“Good morning.”
“Morning.”
Redkin uttered a despairing chuckle under his breath. “For the sake of all of us, I do not think she should ever leave your side.”
Starla felt her cheeks heating, but Larkel pulled her closer. “That was always my intention.”
Redkin barked a laugh, and Starla shook her head even as she gave Larkel's hand a gentle squeeze.
“Well, now that you are in good hands, I must get to work.”
Starla waved Redkin off and looked back to find Larkel watching her, his eyes burning her skin. Slowly he bent and left a kiss on her cheek, lightning flowing from it across her body.
“Ready?”
Starla managed a nod as he pulled away, suddenly seeming to become conscious of the other people around them.
She let him lead her down the road but hesitated when they reached the end of the Market District.
He raised an eyebrow. “No.”
“What?”
“No. I'm not answering any questions. You'll see when we get there.”
Starla chuckled. “Lead the way.”
“Oh, we can't walk there.”
He led them to an archway filled from top to bottom with gently rolling, pink waves. He had told her on their other journeys through the city that they were a rather ingenious invention of his father’s, a way to travel swiftly around the huge city.
They stepped in together, and Larkel cast the appropriate spell. A non-magic-user would need a special token, linked to a single destination.
They stepped out of the portal in a new section of the enormous city.
Magic really does make life and travel far more convenient.
Larkel paused their progress on the edge of the Park District, and Starla drew an audible breath. She would have seen this place from the vantage of his garden, but they had never come here. His work had kept them in the Makhi District, and her love of all the strange trinkets of Trianon had kept them in the Market District for the rest of the time.
He watched her eyes widen
in delight as they took in the wide swathe of sea-green grass and the glimmering lake backed by a mini wood of trees like the ones that surrounded his home.
“We're eating here?”
He nodded, turning her slightly. “We're eating there.”
He watched a smile light up her eyes as she spotted the elevated deck set out with tables and chairs. Or, at least, that’s what he knew from her mind she was seeing.
Her eyes cut to him, narrowing as he swallowed a chuckle and made to pull out of her mind, but she stilled her curiosity first.
He raised an eyebrow, and she shrugged. “I love surprises. I would never intentionally ruin one.”
Larkel laughed. “Then I had better reward such good behaviour by not making you wait any longer.”
She slipped her fingers through his as he led the way, and he had to fight down a renewed wave of desire. As much as he did not want to mar this week, he had to tell her soon, or this fire would get the better of him, and then it would be so much worse if she turned from him.
They entered the Red Blossom cafe, and he steered her towards the deck that faced out over the park towards the lake.
“Where is everyone? There are no waiters or patrons.”
He gave a soft laugh, lips grazing her ear. “That's because, just for today, this whole place is mine.”
Starla shivered in his arms and turned her head slightly so that she could see him.
“You booked out an entire cafe? Why?”
“Surprise!” two familiar voices called, though she could see no one.
He caught Starla as she jumped, his illusion fading, and his carefully planned day revealed.
“They wanted to throw you a welcome party,” he said as she glanced back in alarm.
Starla tried to locate her lungs so that she could breathe again. Before her, the deck and tables had morphed, fading into a grand display of flowers, balloons, and streamers. Already sitting at the single, long table, laden with food, were Niden, Eben, Eltara, and Redkin.
Eben and Niden were laughing, her reaction to their shouted word clearly having surpassed their expectations.
She shook her head at them, laughing too.
“I wanted to welcome you, personally, Miss Starla. I also wished to express my happiness for you and my old friend here,” Niden said, resuming a more serious expression.
Starla shot a sideways glance at Larkel. He was leaning towards the Crown Prince, almost as if he were prepared to silence the young monarch physically.
“I mean, it has been a long time since he has been any fun,” Niden continued, ignoring the hard look Larkel was giving him. “I do wonder, how … ow!” He rubbed his side, looked at Eben, who had just poked him in the ribs.
“Larkel!”
They both spun to face the booming voice.
Starla felt thrown off balance again. The man now bending low to pass through the door frame onto the secluded and enormous deck, was clearly how tales of giants had started.
He was at least as muscled as Eben, but his skin was far paler than his, though his white-blonde hair was tied in a similar fashion to Eben's.
“Markis!”
Larkel was grinning, and Starla felt her heart warm even further. Yes, all this had been done for her, and that alone left her speechless, but seeing him like this, surrounded only by friends, made her heart sing.
Then the man's name clicked, and Starla glanced back at Eben wide-eyed. He gave her a wink and nodded.
She looked back at the giant with new eyes. He was human, Eben's father, and roughly three thousand years old.
“It is an honour to finally meet you, Starla,” he said, turning his piercing blue eyes on her. “Larkel has spoken of nothing else for weeks.”
Starla blushed and shook her head. “I apologise.”
He laughed, a sound that seemed to shake the wooden boards under her feet. “Don't be. I'm only glad we're finally allowed to meet you.”
“Well, I didn't want you frightening her to death,” Larkel said, shaking his head.
“If she wasn't frightened by you, we were never going to be enough.”
Starla laughed along with the others as she turned to the new voice, who had been entirely hidden until Markis had moved aside.
She had stunning, deep-gold skin, eyes of jade, and hair of onyx that fell almost to her knees.
“I am Shaneulia, Markis' wife. It is lovely to meet you.”
Starla returned the greetings, still feeling stunned, but loving the intense flow of happiness surrounding her. Following the source, she realised that it wasn't all hers. Although they were not currently touching, she was still sensing Larkel's mind and emotions.
I'm afraid it wasn't me, Larkel sent, noticing her confusion as she prodded the connection.
Then how?
There are a few possibilities. I'm not sure which is more likely. Something in his mind twinged, belying his statement, and he came to her, running a hand down her arm.
What are you not telling me?
The question roused far more chaotic emotions than she had been expecting.
Starla scolded herself. No. She would not ruin this day.
Promise to tell me later?
Larkel watched her for a long moment, then nodded.
“I see I am the last to arrive. I hope I have not kept you all waiting.”
Larkel turned from Starla and bowed low, causing Starla's eyes to snap up to the newcomer in shock. The High Lord didn't bow that low to anyone but the King.
“Not at all. Starla, may I present her royal highness, High Queen Zerina of Cosmaltia, and High Priestess Venashia of Cosmaltia,” he added, nodding politely at the sever looking woman shadowing the High Queen.
The High Queen gave him a small smile and turned her bright amber eyes on Starla. “It is nice to finally meet the source of Niden's latest tales.”
Starla choked on a curse as she bowed to the High Queen of Cosmaltia. “An honour, High Queen Zerina.”
She nodded as Niden came forwards and wrapped her in a familiar embrace, kissing her soundly.
They're betrothed, Larkel sent. Their union was decided soon after their births, but all this has made them realise that they are actually a good match. I believe they have come to love each other very much indeed.
Starla fought to keep her frown hidden. But isn't Niden Galatia's heir?
A kind of darkness settled over Larkel, and she wished she could take back the question.
Don't feel so guilty all the time. None of this is your fault. Neither of them was meant to be a ruler, but now, they are all that is left. It is unlikely that Cosmaltia will ever be restored. So when the time comes, Niden will be crowned King, and she will step down from Cosmaltia's throne and take the seat of Galatia's Queen instead.
At his words, Starla felt herself bombarded with the Guardians’ words, the magic still shielding them from Larkel. The Queen. She needed to get to the Queen.
Starla…
“Starla!”
She looked away from Larkel as she was caught up in a tight hug.
“Aferion!”
“We've missed you at the camp, but Makhi Horato explained why he'd chased you off. You'll be back again, right, once the soldiers leave?”
“Absolutely,” Starla said, offering a softer greeting to the Brosneian monks who followed. They were not the same ones who had saved her from the Baron, but they returned her greeting and took up positions guarding their High Queen, as directed by their High Priestess.
“I hope you don't mind that I came.”
Larkel chuckled and patted the young man's shoulder. “Of course not. Any friend of Starla’s is welcome. Please, be welcome.”
Starla grinned at the gathering and wrapped her arm around Larkel's waist, giving him a sideways squeeze.
“Thank you.”
The morning had turned into afternoon, with laughter, games, and lots of opportunities to talk with people who were fast becoming her friends.
Starla gave
a small chuckle. It was like she had known these people for much longer than a few hours, Larkel's memories and emotions giving her a far deeper sense of who they were.
“What is it like, living for so long?” Starla asked Eltara as they watched the men playing a rather complicated looking card game. Eben’s sister gave her a side-long look, and Starla hoped she wasn't being impolite. Though cordial, Eltara had never sought Starla’s company or opinion as they had worked side by side at the Healing Ward. Starla had chalked it up to the fact the Eltara was almost a thousand years old, making Starla’s company akin to that of a child.Then she smiled conspiratorially. “In a word? Interesting. There is always much to learn and see. But I don't know if we would have been quite so happy if we'd remained on Earth. Not that the war with Kyron hasn’t left us unhappy too.” She sighed, lost in some memory, her dark eyes looking over Starla’s shoulder.
“How did your parents get here?” Starla asked, hopeful for some other explanation for her own travelling that didn't involve potentially deadly amulets. She hoped Larkel was too busy to notice, as she was never sure she'd succeeded in concealing her emotions.
“When my father first appeared in the desert near my mother’s village, she thought he was a spirit. No one she knew had ever seen his kind before. He took to living in a cave nearby. Slowly, over time, they found a way to communicate, and soon, he began to tell her of his work, of alchemy. She was amazed and frightened by his story of a drink that stops the body's ageing, never letting it get sick or old. He believed in other worlds out among the stars and had a desire to travel to them, just as he'd managed to traverse the Earth and end up in her homeland. Her keen mind was drawn to his impossible theories, and she left her family for him.”
“Now they’re here. So he did it. He discovered a way to travel to other planets,” Starla said, sounding slightly awed, but no less anxious for an answer to her initial question.