by Roxie Ray
We had just dined on sharek meat from the depths of the Svantian oceans. I had asked the kitchens to forgo the strong wine and bring us up honey nectar instead. Now that I knew about Rosa’s past, I felt uncomfortable drinking in front of her. She insisted she didn’t mind, but it was something I wanted to do, and despite her protests I could sense how much she appreciated the gesture.
Her fingers created little pathways through my hair, and I closed my eyes, savoring her touch. She was the one thing that grounded me. If it hadn’t been for Rosa’s presence, I would have raged into the skies without a plan or a strategy in pursuit of Bis’er, armed with nothing but my need for revenge.
“Things will be different with Brags gone,” Rosa said sadly.
I sighed. “It will be strange,” I agreed. “But if this is what he needs…”
Rosa bent down and kissed the bridge of my nose tenderly. “I think it is,” she said. “We have to support him.”
“I know.”
“You have your protectors,” Rosa said. “Terrox, Vuks, Brailin, and the rest.”
“You forgot my secret weapon,” I said.
Rosa frowned. “What’s your secret weapon?”
I smiled. “You.”
A blush blossomed on her cheeks, and I decided to make it my mission in life to make Rosa blush as often and as fiercely as possible.
“What can I possibly do?” Rosa asked.
“You are my counselor,” I said. “You keep me grounded. Your very presence reminds me that I need to be wise, as well as strong. I cannot simply chase Bis’er and the Sives into space. I need a plan — and a good one — if I’m going to track them down and retrieve the Gnosees.”
Rosa looked worried. “This galaxy is huge,” she said. “How can you hope to track them?”
“With eyes and ears everywhere,” I replied.
Rosa pursed her lips. “I have worked with a lot of people in powerful positions back on Earth,” she said. “They may be able to help us.”
“Who would you ask?” I asked.
She thought about it for a moment. “There’s Edward Molley. And there’s Bill, but I don’t trust him anymore.”
“Terrox is planning on making a trip to Earth in the near future,” I told her. “If you were to give him a list of names, I’m sure he’ll be able to wrangle some information from them.”
Rosa nodded. “I’ll do that,” she said. “Terrox’s trip to Earth isn’t strictly business though, is it?”
“He wants to find himself a mate,” I replied. “I would have thought Sophia’s death might have deterred him, but he still seems keen on finding a partner.”
“Good for him,” Rosa said. “I hope he gets as lucky as we did.”
I smiled, stroking her hands with the tips of my fingers.
“Who else can we trust?” Rosa asked, her minding teetering back to our main concern.
“The Xehrulians have always been friends to us,” I said. “And I’ve heard that the Xehrulian King has recently taken an Earthling to wife.”
“Wow,” Rosa said. “We do get around.”
I smiled. “Apparently the new Xehrulian Queen used to work for the IASD.”
“The IASD?” Rosa repeated.
“Interspecies Aero Space Directive,” I told her.
Rosa shook her head. “I’ll give them this much, they’ve managed to keep their secrets well enough,” she said. “I worked within a government compound for years, and I didn’t have a clue that all of this was going on. I suspected, but I never dreamed that humanity’s ties to other aliens were so well forged.”
“Humanity is terrified of other species,” I observed. “Perhaps that’s why they wish to keep their people in the dark.”
“It’s more than just that,” Rosa said. “It’s about power, too.”
“It’s always about power,” I agreed.
“Bis’er could be anywhere,” Rosa sighed, futility coloring her tone. “It could take years, even decades to find him.”
“Do not worry, my love,” I assured her. “Even in space, it is possible to track someone down. Bis’er cannot hide for long. He has stolen chaos, and there is no way that chaos can ever be reigned in.”
“So we have to wait for the Gnosees to start making trouble our there in the galaxy?” Rosa asked, sounding dubious.
“It sounds impossible, I know,” I acknowledged. “But while they were within Svante, the planet’s power contained the Gnosees’ magic. Now that they’ve been released from their magical bonds, it will only be a matter of time.”
“A matter of time before what?” Rosa asked.
“Before all hell breaks loose.”
Rosa looked out at the jungle bowing down before us. “As long we keep hell far from Svante’s atmosphere. And Earth’s,” she added, almost as an afterthought.
“We will do it together, my love.”
I could sense her preoccupation, and even though I couldn’t read her thoughts, I knew what was on her mind. She had spent the last few hours painstakingly planning Sophia’s funeral. It was going to be held in a little clearing just outside the castle walls. That area of the mountain was quiet and rarely frequented; trees would surround us, and the sky would hang over us as witness. It was the perfect spot, and Brags had approved it instantly.
“Don’t fret, my love,” I said. “You have done all you can do for Sophia’s funeral.”
Rosa sighed. “I still feel as though it’s not enough.”
“Trust me, Brags does not need pomp and circumstance. He just wants a dignified send-off for his love.”
“I’m going to miss her,” Rosa said softly.
“I know.”
“She was my friend.”
I knew I didn’t need to say anything further. We sat in comfortable silence, reading each other’s moods, touching each other every now and again. The soul bond was so much more intense than I had ever imagined.
After a moment, Rosa kissed me on the forehead absentmindedly. “My mother used to say that whenever she was depressed or stressed, she would close her eyes and think about trees. If only she could see this planet. I think this would be her version of heaven.”
This time when Rosa spoke about her parents, there was no tension or anxiety in her tone or her body language.
“We lived in a concrete jungle all our lives,” Rosa continued. “We hardly ever saw trees, and when we did, they weren’t very impressive.”
“My mother loved riding,” I shared. “When I was very young she used to disappear for days with her Svetcor. Once she was gone for almost a week. After that, my father confined her to the castle.”
Rosa shook her head. “That must have been torture for her.”
“There was a time that I hated her,” I admitted quietly. “I hated her for not loving me. I hated her for killing herself. I thought she was weak. It wasn’t until recently that I realized there was strength in what she did. She wanted freedom, and she took it the only way she could.”
“I used to hate my parents, too,” Rosa replied softly. “They were just so uninterested in me. Their lives revolved around work and drugs and each other. But now I see that they were trying to survive the only way they knew how. And I realized that, in the end, they loved me after all. Otherwise they never would have taken the rap for me.”
“I can’t imagine anyone not loving you,” I admitted, reached up and stroking the side of her face.
“You might be a little biased.” Rosa smiled.
“I don’t think I am.”
Rosa shook her head at me, and then she shimmied out from underneath my head. I rested my head against the carpet as Rosa climbed on top of me, straddling me with ease. I felt my cock stiffen instantly as her weight settled against my groin. She ran her hands up and down my naked chest, her fingers lingering over the muscles of my stomach, and I felt lust spark inside her. It was wonderful to know that her desire for me matched my desire for her.
She leaned in and kissed me, long and slow, her tongu
e slipping into my mouth and making me groan with pleasure. She slipped down on my body and started to undo the buckle of my trousers. She pulled them down and over my feet, and then her hand wrapped around my girth. She massaged my cock slowly, kissing me every now and again.
Then she bent her head and took the length of me into her mouth. I cried out at the wave of delirious pleasure that overtook me. My body felt like it was floating — my soul was soaring. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I reached down and pulled her face up to my own. As I kissed her, she climbed on top of me and my cock slipped inside her.
She moved slowly on top of me, taking her time and drawing out the moment. Her body felt as familiar to me now as my own. I knew every curve, every birthmark, and every sharp edge that she was made of. I cupped both her breasts as she rode me, tenderly at first and then more and more vigorously as her emotions piqued. I sat up, grabbing Rosa around the waist. Then I rolled onto my side, taking her with me. She gasped and writhed within my arms; I had never heard sounds more beautiful or more melodious.
I took her in so many different positions that I lost count. She was content to let me take the more dominant role. She orgasmed three times, before I finally achieved pleasure while I was still deep inside her.
She lay against my sweaty chest, her own breath mixing in with mine. Her emotions were complicated, but I knew exactly what she was feeling. We were experiencing a little bit of heaven even while Brags struggled to maintain his grip on reality. It didn’t seem fair, but Sophia’s death had only reminded us that we were still alive.
“Don’t ever leave me, Quatix,” Rosa said firmly. She lifted her head and met my gaze. “I don’t think I could survive it.”
“You can survive anything,” I said confidently.
“I have survived a lot,” Rosa admitted. “But I don’t think I could endure losing you. Don’t make me have to.”
I had no business making her that kind of promise, but in that moment, washed in the afterglow of our love making, I felt invincible.
“I won’t,” I said, laying my heart and soul at her feet.
25
Rosa
I chose a dark, moss green gown that covered my shoulders and flowed to my ankles. I picked bracelets and moss pearls that I knew Sophia loved, and I wore my hair up in a delicate arrangement of braids and silver bells.
I kept tearing up as I walked closer and closer to the clearing I had chosen for Sophia’s funeral. Every time I blinked I kept seeing her face. I stumbled twice, and both times Luxor had reached out and grabbed me. I had asked Quatix to be with Brags in the lead-up to the funeral. I had sensed he hadn’t been happy about it, but he had agreed in the end.
“My Queen,” Antallon said, on my third stumble. “Perhaps you would like to sit down for a moment?”
“No,” I said earnestly. “I’m just… I’m fine.”
The clearing was only a short walk down from the castle’s gates. It was surrounded by smooth marbled rock that held all the colors of autumn. The trees that ringed in the clearing were large, mossy fern-like shrouds that almost completely covered their dark trunks from view. It felt like some sort of fairytale grove straight out of a children’s book.
The pyre had been set in the middle of the clearing. Large pieces of jagged wood created an artistic casing on which the pyre had been set. Sophia’s body lay on top of it, nestled on soft moss that was surrounded by jungle flowers. She had been laid out in a deep purple gown with bronze detailing, but her hair lay loose around her head, and her arms and neck remained conspicuously bear. It was not the custom in Svante to be buried with jewelry or any kind of metal.
She looked like a fallen angel. I stepped up to the marble stone so that I could stand beside her and say my goodbyes. Brags’ only request was that the funeral be private. Apart from the Protectors, only my personal guards were in attendance. I wasn’t really looking around, but I knew that Quatix had not arrived yet. I could see Terrox, Brailin, and Comadin standing on the opposite side of the pyre. They were dressed in warrior’s grab, a mark of respect for Sophia’s position.
I looked down at Sophia and fresh tears ran down my face. “I am so sorry,” I whispered to her.
A moment later, soft music started to swell, and I turned to my right to see that Voxor was playing a strange instrument that resembled a cross between a guitar and a harp. Its shape was more similar to a harp but he held it and played it like a guitar. The music it made was heartbreakingly sad and my soul shuddered in response.
Quatix, where are you?
As the music rose to a crescendo, I saw Quatix emerge from between two tall trees. Brags was by his side, and he looked at the pyre with dead eyes that were glassy with pain. As Brags approached the pyre, I stepped away from it. Quatix came to stand beside me, and I reached for his hand at the same time he reached for mine.
“How are you, my love?” he asked gently.
I wanted to tell him I was heartbroken, but he already knew. So instead, I leaned my head against his shoulder and waited till the music had fallen to its last note. As silence fell upon the clearing, Brags leaned into the pyre and kissed Sophia. He kissed her on the forehead, on each cheek, and then a final kiss on her lips.
Then he straightened and stared down at Sophia’s face. He looked like a dying man who had just accepted his fate. He looked conspicuously alone up there, and I wished I could have gone to stand beside him.
“Fly into the skies, child of Svante, daughter of Earth,” Brags said, his voice was gravelly with grief. “We will meet again soon, my friend, my lover, my wife.”
He raised his hand, and Comadin lit the bronze torch and passed it to Brags.
“Goodbye, Sophia,” Brags whispered.
Then he pressed the torch to the bottom of the pyre. The flames caught immediately and fire danced across Sophia’s body, clutching at her clothes with hunger. It felt so wrong to just stand there and watch her burn. I turned my face into Quatix’s chest, and he held me hard against him, as though he were trying to hold me together.
We stood there for a long time as the flames licked at the air like ravaging intruders. Red-orange sparks hissed from the fire’s depths, devouring Sophia’s body until she became something I didn’t recognize. I felt Quatix’s worry bend and flex as he looked at Brags. I could tell he was still hoping that Brags would change his mind about leaving.
“When does Brags plan to leave?” I asked, turning so that I could see Quatix’s face.
The firelight had turned his profile a shade of soft crimson. “He wanted to leave straight after the funeral,” Quatix replied. “But we managed to convince him to stay for a meal before he left.”
I nodded. “He’s still determined to go?”
“He is,” Quatix sighed. “You will join us for the meal, won’t you?”
I gazed around at the tight knit circle of Svantian Protectors. I understood more fully the bond they shared now because of my connection to Quatix’s mind. They were more than just warriors and friends. They were brothers on a deeper level. I knew that every protector present would die for one another if necessary.
“No,” I replied gently. “I think it should just be the Protectors. Thank you including me, though.”
He smiled and nodded, kissing the top of my head as he accepted my decision. Once the fire started to flame less brightly, Brags stepped toward the trees. It was his way of closing the funeral. The Protectors dropped their formal stances and started to edge back toward the castle.
We left Sophia on her pyre and made our way back up the hilly ridges that led to the gates. Every so often, I glanced back to see the licking flames dance.
“What happens now?” I asked Quatix.
“The fire will burn for perhaps another hour,” Quatix replied. “We will collect her ashes and hand them over to Brags. And then he will leave us, too.”
“But we’ll see him again,” I pointed out, realizing that my tone sounded uncertain.
Once we had entered the castle
, Brags walked up to me. I moved forward and took both his hands in mine.“Quatix tells me you’re leaving soon after you’ve collected Rosa’s ashes.”
“I intend to spread them across the galaxies,” Brags replied. “Sophia always wanted to travel through the galaxies and visit as many planets as she could; she said she wanted to see all that the universe had to offer. Now she will live into eternity with the universe as her home.”
I smiled. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”
“Take care of yourself, my Queen,” Brags said, bowing low.
I leaned in and hugged him tightly. Then I kissed him on each cheek and released him with a heavy breath.
“Until we meet again,” I said.
I moved back to Quatix and gripped his arm tightly. “Don’t hurry back to me tonight,” I said. “I want you to be with your brothers, Brags most of all.”
I could sense how much Quatix appreciated my words. He kissed me gently, and then I headed up to my chambers with Lexor and Antallon at my back. I dismissed the two of them at the elevators and rode up alone. I had given Meri-Dana the day off, so I knew I would have the chambers to myself today. I was actually looking forward to sitting by myself on the balcony and going through the details of the funeral. I wanted to take the time to mourn Sophia in private.
I changed out of my funeral attire the moment I got back to my quarters and slipped on a pale pink gown in the softest silk I had ever touched. I removed the bells and braids from my hair and shook my hair loose.
Feeling slightly more comfortable, I walked through my bedroom toward the balcony I loved so much, Svante laid out before me like a painting. I stared at the lush canopy of trees below, dipped in every incarnation of green imaginable. But if you looked closely, you could the vibrant color hidden under every surface. There was purple in the vines that connected the old Hermata trees, there was silver-gold moss that snaked up the sliding hills that surrounded the jungle, there was the deep orange of the Sermine flowers that grew on the tops of every Liken tree.