by Zara Zenia
She stomped out of the kitchen, and for a beat, we all held our breath, waiting to hear her if she’d come back before the collective sigh was released. I stared at the ceiling so the well of hot tears wouldn’t instantly pour down my face like a broken-hearted waterfall.
“What a pain in the ass.” Felix, one of the grill cooks, grumbled and kicked the side of a table with resentful scorn.
Quiet murmurs of agreement were shared, but I kept quiet. If I’d learned anything from all the years on my own, it’s not to trust anyone. I couldn’t be certain if any one of them might turn on me. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. In this day and age, I had little time to make either.
Of course, I wanted to defend myself against Darla’s rants. And sure, I’d like to vent with everyone else about pulling fourteen-hour days of grueling work in the stifling heat of the kitchens in this floating alien palace. But I also need to survive. So, I bit my lip, swallowed my frustration, and kept my head down. There was no room for error or protest. I had to think of Corinne above all else. Her wellbeing was front and center in my mind.
When I first got hired on the ship, I’d been foolish. I’d thought I could trust people, thought that this was my magic ticket to a better life for Corinne and me. Darla had been so friendly at first. Looking back, it was clear that she was looking for weakness to manipulate. She was nothing if not crafty. Darla knew exactly how to put pressure on people, how to bully them, how to get under their skin and make them feel like the tiniest scrap of human existence. She also knew how to extract information.
She was a snake in the grass, ready to pounce. She was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, or any other common phrase used to describe people like her. Well-meaning as my coworkers might have been, I didn’t trust any of them not to repeat my complaints to her to save their own skin. It just wasn’t worth the risk.
I could almost laugh, looking back at how misguided and naïve my first impressions of her had been. She’d seemed so genuinely interested in being friends, checking in with me through training, even coming over to our apartment and meeting Corinne. The reversal had slapped any foolish notions of friendship clean out of my mind though. It was as if Darla had flipped a switch and completely altered her demeanor in a flash.
You’d think it wouldn’t have surprised me so much. After narrowly escaping a violent, bloody war that claimed my parents and scrounging to survive as a thirteen-year-old taking care of her baby sister, there shouldn’t be much optimism left in me. I’ve seen enough backstabbing, enough betrayal, enough violence to last ten lifetimes. Maybe I was just too tired, too relieved at the idea of someone looking out for me for once, that I didn’t want to see it.
Either way, Darla reminded me of the truth. No one would ever have my back, no one except Corinne, and for Corinne, I had to endure. There was no other option. We were family, and we had to preserve that tie at any and all cost. I’d do anything to keep Corinne under the umbrella and blanket of my security.
I started plaiting the dough for another tray of brioche and let my thoughts drift back to that happy place, the place that didn’t have to be tainted by reality. My hands were shaking with anger and anxiety, but after a few minutes, I began to plateau and calm down.
I wondered what Prince Gardax would look like at the party, whether he’d eat the cakes and tarts I’d made while dreaming of him . . . if he’d find his bride. Envy lashed at me like a whip, but it was no use in dreaming that he’d ever be mine.
With a sad smile, I let myself imagine what it would be like to be one of the guests, to have his eyes upon me, to be the focus of his attention. The sigh that escaped was entirely involuntary, but I was fully immersed in my own little world while I worked.
“Contents of bay four have surpassed maximum preparation cook time,” the automated voice announced.
Sure enough, the distinctive smell of charred dough filled the space. I rushed forward and sent up a silent plea that Darla wouldn’t smell the burned fumes and come charging back into the kitchens.
I pulled the pan out and singed my wrist in the process, a painful reminder to get my head out of the clouds and back to reality. I lived to dream but dreamed to live.
Chapter 3
Gardax
I adjusted the short, stiff collar of my jacket and surveyed myself in the reflective panel outside the ballroom. The smoky sound of a human singer’s voice sounded faintly through the walls, and I took a deep breath, preparing myself.
“Ready to find your bride?” Darbnix’s heavy hand landed on my shoulder. He squeezed and gave me a bittersweet smile.
I glanced at my brother’s reflection beside mine. We were both dressed in human formalwear, groomed and readied to meet our destinies. If Darbnix felt nervous, it didn’t show, and I envied his eternal calm. Nothing ever seemed to bother him and issues rarely set him off.
“Readier than Rawklix, I suppose,” I joked. My laughter sounded far away and foreign.
Darbnix chuckled but shook his head. “He’s already in there, and I’m sure he’s had his share of Tora pollen to take the edge off.”
I nodded. “No doubt. Well, let’s get this over with then,” I added and pulled out my scanner. The device glowed with a dull light.
We walked together in silence to the plain black wall, and as we approached, the whole of it dematerialized in an instant, granting us entrance before reforming behind us. We didn’t even feel a thing during the transition.
“Their Royal Highnesses, Prince Gardax of Erebis and Prince Darbnix of Noor,” the melodic artificial voice of the ship’s internal information system announced, naming our governing territories despite the fact that our human guests had no knowledge of Trilyn geography and were probably confused.
Suddenly, we were faced with a mass of humans, most of them women. The sheer volume of femininity was overwhelming, and the air hung humid with it. The scents of various types of perfume stung my nostrils. It was an estrogen party for us to feast upon.
“How is that thing supposed to pick up on just one woman?” Darbnix pointed to the gadget and eyed me skeptically.
“Honestly, I guess we will just have to find out. Your guess is as good as mine.” I scanned the room with intrigue and curiosity.
Bright, sparkling fabrics shimmered around us as we moved through the warmly-lit, crowded room. Seductive, hungry smiles flashed, and while I was the one hunting for a wife, the way these women watched us felt faintly predatory. The thought that they would happily devour me crossed my mind more than once.
We were being eyed as if we were prime real estate. The prospect of being a piece of meat for these women both rattled me and shook up my senses with wild delight.
It was mildly intoxicating, somewhat thrilling, but mostly suffocating. The eager expressions in these women’s eyes told me I could have any of them, all of them, even. They weren’t even trying to hide their desperation, which was slightly peculiar.
While I waited for my scanner to give me a signal, I allowed myself to mingle and socialize. There was no point in just standing there. I might as well be productive during this venture.
“Prince Gardax, you know how to throw a party,” a lone male guest said. He was tall, with dark skin and silver-streaked black hair. He seemed familiar, and soon enough, I placed his face. He was on the Union’s Ruling Committee, one of the politicians with whom we had negotiated. He threw me an enthusiastic grin.
“Thank you. My brothers and I are grateful for your attendance and pleased you are enjoying yourself.” I inclined my head with a swift bow.
“I assure you, the gratitude is mutual. I’m very eager to get to working with your scientists,” he said, referring to the conditions of our alliance. In return for allowing our presence and for some assistance in our pursuit of human brides, we had agreed to share with the Union some of Trilynia’s space-fold technology. We were always looking for a way to join forces for a common interest. It was always better to gather intergalactic allies than enemies.<
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Having observed the state of their society, it became clear that these humans were quickly outgrowing their home planet. Sharing with them our knowledge of shipcraft and interstellar travel was a small concession to ensure the continuation of my people and likely, through time, the fate of their own species.
“And we will be pleased to share what we know with your academics. But surely, tonight is not for work. Please enjoy the refreshments and entertainment,” I urged him.
I gestured around to the lavish array of food spread out on tables and cocktails of just about every concoction as the dull hum of conversation could be heard as people mingled.
“Indeed, I don’t want to keep you from your many lovely guests.” He smiled suggestively and raised his glass. “In fact, I fear for my safety if I monopolize any more of your time. Happy hunting, Your Highness!” He let out a high shriek of exuberance.
As soon as he turned and headed away, a rush of women crowded the space he had vacated, like a vacuum. They were swarming me from all angles.
“Your highness,” a woman in a sheer dress that, while it covered her from neck to toe, left almost nothing to the imagination, said, curtsying before me. Her soft black curls reached her waist, and she licked her lips as she let her gaze travel over me. “Please allow me to submit myself,” she said, running a hand along the line of her waist and hip, “for your appraisal.” Her ocean-blue eyes left a current of electricity charging through the air.
“My lady,” I said, bowing over her hand with a flourish in the Trilyn fashion. I watched as she swooned by batting her eyelashes and grinned eagerly from my direct attention given to her.
Unfortunately for her, my scanner didn’t emit even the faintest beep. “Alas, we are not a match, madam.” I hated to rain on her parade, but the truth spoke for itself. I was a ruler, not one to waste time on evasively leading anyone on.
Her expression and shoulders slumped for just a moment before she slinked closer and persisted. “With all due respect, are you going to trust that hunk of metal or your own instincts?” she asked in a breathy whisper. “I promise I’m very eager . . . to please.” She licked her lips and continued to fawn over me, making movements to reveal her cleavage and bare her thigh.
I stepped back, smiling diplomatically. “And any other gentleman who engages your company is very lucky for that, but sadly, I cannot be him.” I had to let her down easy, but there was a twinge of formality and firmness laced in my voice.
She shrugged, and the half-smile that touched her face looked infinitely more natural. “Well, can’t blame a girl for trying! Nice place you’ve got, by the way.” She was making small talk, hesitating like a child who had been told to go to bed but who wanted to stall as long as they possibly could get away with.
Pushed aside by other women eager to be scanned, she hurried off to offer herself to one of my brothers. There was always another prince lurking about that she could hunt down and pounce on. I wished her all the best.
And so it went for what felt like an eternity. Women presenting themselves, some more aggressively than others, but none of them elicited a reaction from my scanner. It was hard not to feel disappointed. I did not expect instant success, but not only was my scanner silent, but I was likewise personally unmoved by the women before me. It was foolish to hold onto any romantic notions, but part of me still hoped that I’d know my match when I met her, without the aid of some lab-created instrument.
There even was a part of me that secretly wondered if my scanner was working properly. Its buttons were on as if it were properly functioning, but I wasn’t getting a signal on any of these girls. Surely, one of them was a match?
Unfortunately, I was not bowled over by any such sensation as I moved through the party, interacting with our guests. If anything, I felt a bit jaded by the whole affair. It was a bit daunting to put myself on the line like that and expect immediate results without any effort being put in whatsoever. As a prince, I was used to receiving a sizable amount of attention, but by tonight’s standards, it fell under an entirely different category.
All these women throwing themselves at myself, at my brothers. None of them knew us, knew anything of the role they hoped to win for themselves. They saw only the grandeur of our affair, the fine clothes, the sleek technology of my ship. Their motivation was superficial, and I wanted more. Yet, I needed someone ready to dive right into this life.
I yearned for someone who would be willing to play both roles. I wanted a mate who would love me for me, not all the flashy and expensive things I owned. I also needed a strong woman who possessed the capabilities of portraying leadership roles of her own.
I shook my head, trying to push away the conflicting interests in my mind and focus on what must be done. There were plenty of grazing breasts and ‘accidental’ collisions, and I nearly laughed at the brazenness of our human guests, though none of it moved me.
I was waiting for that spark, that connection. I was ready to be mystified by my soulmate. I expected her to take my breath away the instant our eyes locked. It was a ridiculous assumption, no matter how hopeful I was.
Across the room, I saw Rawklix dancing with a buxom woman whose hair was the same shade of pale gold as his. The glazed, flushed look on his face told me Darbnix’s guess about Rawklix’s intoxication was spot-on. I shook my head. The pollen of the Tora flower that grew so plentifully in Rawklix’s territory was the most potent and truest aphrodisiac known, and Rawklix was quite fond of indulging in it. I shook my head and rubbed my temples with frustration. Rawklix was clearly not seeing the whole point of this entire shindig tonight.
Surveying the room, it seemed my youngest brother was not the only one caught up in the sensual attention. Jinurak and Lortnam were together, a crowd of women cooing over them. Being identical twins was always an easy novelty for them to exploit. Even under normal circumstances, attention flocked to them because they were different.
Akrawn wore his share of jewels, a testament to the riches of the continent he ruled, gaining him his own crowd of admirers, and Darbnix was showing his watch lizards off to a number of wide-eyed guests, letting them pet the tiny creatures. Manzar moved through the crowd with focus, scanning and denying any attempts to further engage his attention. At least one of us is on task, I thought. I gave Manzar a subtle nod of approval as our eyes met across the room.
It was strange that I should feel so detached from the festivities. Erebis, the territory I governed on Trilynia, was the cultural center of our planet. I had hosted my share of parties, had enjoyed my share of women and moments of hedonism. Social events were common in my territory, and I was certainly in my element of familiarity.
Unfortunately, I was zoning out, and I didn’t know whether it had to do with the artificial reason for the party or the fact that my scanner wasn’t picking my mate from the crowd.
But everything was different now. I was no longer a prince at leisure to occupy himself with shallow diversions. A crisis brewed at home and I had a responsibility to fulfill. The situation was grave, and each valuable day became more important than the next. Knowing the seriousness of what lay before me, I no longer craved the same sort of youthful debauchery. I just wanted something . . . real.
Guests trickled in and out of the room, moving between the ballroom and the dining room where long tables had been dressed with extravagant floral arrangements and fine china. The party was fit for royalty, yet I craved something more tangible.
The décor, the furnishings, the entertainment had all been suggested by our human staff. It was a lavish, pleasant affair. If only I could summon the spirit to appreciate it. I considered wading into the dining area, but on a whim, I darted out a side entrance instead. I knew the humans had worked hard to impress me and my brothers, but I felt numb to the entire event.
My head ached, the result of having spent too long in a haze of perfume, so I went out to the main hall, hoping to find some clean air and a moment of silence before I went once more into the cru
sh. I aimed for a few moments of peace and quiet to collect my thoughts and regroup.
The hall was empty, and I took several deep breaths, enjoying the relative silence. It was like a snake pit inside that ballroom, and I was the one being hunted.
But it didn’t last long. My long-welcomed silence was disrupted.
The scanner in my pocket vibrated against my hip for a moment. I pulled it out and tapped at the glass screen. Then it shook again. It startled me because I hadn’t been expecting it to start buzzing, and I was under the impression that I was seemingly alone.
I looked up, expecting to see someone behind me, fear and excitement mixing in my chest. But there was no one. I walked toward the ballroom and waited, but nothing happened. The hair prickled on the back of my neck. My senses were at peak alert. My heart pounded in my chest. Who was out there, making this device go crazy?
Confused, I walked further down the hall again. The space narrowed, and the scanner vibrated at shorter and shorter intervals. Lifiya had said the whole thing would light up and the screen would display a report when an ideal candidate was located.
A line of servants passed me with trays to replenish the buffet, some of them females, but the device didn’t light. At least I had witnessed the thing working and I could live with the reassurance that it was indeed functional.
Had a guest wandered away from the party? Apparently, the scanner really did have quite a range. If someone had slipped away discreetly, then they were clearly out of my sight range. Confusion made me feel woozy. Curiosity kept me on target.
I walked with greater speed, nearly running as I followed the signal. My worst fear was losing the signal completely. I couldn’t let it burn out before discovering the source. I stopped suddenly as I faced the doorway to the kitchen. The scanner in my hand began to emit the faintest glow.