Chapter Thirty-One

I led Rel through my team’s floor and toward the common area in the middle, as I’d picked an elevator that exited to a different section of the floor. As we walked by where the individual apartments were, I glanced at my contemplative companion and the bags he carried—which reminded me of my precious ludrán.

“Here, let’s stop at my room so you can drop off the ludrán,” I suggested, pulling my keycard out.

After I opened the door, Rel grimaced. “This is quite…bare. I’m beginning to see what you meant by attempting to define your likes and dislikes. Where would you like your things?”

“Anywhere is fine, I can stash them later.” I leaned back in the doorframe and watched as the Syldrari glanced around the room. He seemed quite displeased. Amused, I asked, “Not to your taste?”

“It lacks personality.” Rel stacked the jars of candy off to the side on top of a table. “I expected something colorful or perhaps high-contrast given your personality.”

“Nothing…feels right,” I murmured thoughtfully. “Much like how human clothes make me uncomfortable, so do most human furnishings when I consider placing them in my space.”

“You could decorate with Syldrari furnishings,” Rel pointed out as he exited into the hall once more. “You seem uncomfortable, and not just because of the room.”

“You’re going to find Zafir…infuriating,” I remarked after a moment. “I thought it might be entertaining, but I’ve realized it won’t be for long.”

“He can’t be that bad.” Rel arched an eyebrow.

“Oh, yes he certainly can.” I leaned toward Rel. “And he will be. At least it may give you some insight into why I can be so…cranky about certain things.”

“I’ll hope you’re wrong,” Rel stated dryly. “Where to now?”

“The common area. If no one’s there, I’ll call them in for dinner.” I began walking ahead of Rel, leading him down the hallway.

“You didn’t have a music system or player in your room.”

“I don’t know what I like, so I decided to forgo either for now.”

“…then what do you do while holed up here?”

“Read. Train.”

“What else?”

“Sleep.”

Rel sighed in exasperation. “ Elara , that is hardly living. If you don’t know what you like, then experiment . You’ll find experimentation is key in many factors of life.”

“Oh, I’m sure it is.” I gave him a small smile. “But…never mind. We can talk about it another time if I’m still in a sharing mood.”

Something about Rel’s expression made me think he knew precisely what I’d been about to divulge—that discovering what I liked was a frightening prospect, and that I was concerned that, if I were to ever become ‘myself’ again, I’d hate everything I thought I liked, and that my current self would disappear.

“Elara…” Rel began carefully.

“It’s fine, Rel. Truly.” I shook my head.

“You do realize you are lying to a Syldrari right?” Rel gave me a small smile when I glanced at him. “I’m of the opinion you don’t need to worry that you’ll become someone else. Your memories were fully erased…there is no regaining them. This is ‘you’ now, and you deserve to have nice things and be treated like a person instead of a caged dog. That’s all that room is in its current state—a cage.”

“I doubt I can get Syldrari furnishings imported though,” I pointed out as we walked into the common area. There, to my surprise, I found most of my team plus Zafir on sofas watching TV. “Oh, most of you are here already. Good. Everyone, this is—”

“S-Syldrari!” Aisu scampered backward on the sofa, nearly tipping it over. Then, I sensed a change in her and her gaze became clouded.

“Of fucking course,” I muttered as her suit manifested and she leapt toward Rel, her mind clearly gone. Instead of letting Rel handle the problem, I stepped forward and roundhoused her in the stomach before she could reach him, sending her skidding back several yards—and drawing her attention to me. She shifted, ready to launch herself at me again. “Aisu, sit down and de-suit. He’s an ally, not a punching bag. If you attack him again, I’ll let him put you in your place himself.”

Aisu froze like a frightened deer, and everyone else in the room stiffened—including Rel. I glanced briefly at him, noting that his gaze was still entirely clear. He had reacted for some other reason, given the contemplative smile he was watching me with.

“But, Elara, the Syldrari—” Aisu cut herself off and shook her head groggily as I walked toward her. “They’re the ones that made us like this!”

Amused, I stopped in front of her and crouched down to her level. “Are they?”

“What do you—” Aisu stopped, staring at me, her suit fully disappearing. Her cheeks turned deep blue as she took in what I was wearing. “U-uh…”

“Something deeper is going on,” I informed her, leaning forward slightly. “Now, apologize to Rel. Considering I know you’ve been chasing Brihl girl ass all over the city, it’s obvious you’re not xenophobic. Quite the opposite. So…”

“I don’t require an apology from her,” Rel remarked dismissively. “I’m here to train you. If the others wish to be problematic—”

I shot him a glare over my shoulder, which resulted in a satisfied smirk from him. “ I require an apology from her. We’re supposed to protect the city and all its peoples. If she can’t do that, she’ll end up back in isolation. If she won’t get herself under control, I will .”

“I see Elara is in a fine mood,” Zafir remarked, finally rising to his feet, and shooting Rel a suspicious look. “What did you do?”

“Nothing.” Rel smiled.

“…and I’d imagine that’s half the problem.” Zafir rubbed his temples. “And, the clothes?”

Aisu stood up, and so did I. She hesitated briefly, before walking over to Rel and extending a hand. “I’m sorry. Don’t know what came over me—I’ve been just fine ‘round Syldrari before…”

That latter part seemed to grab Rel’s attention, and he looked to me for confirmation. I nodded and answered, “We ran into Jysel before his threat to humanity speech. She didn’t like him much, sure, but nothing like this happened.”

“I will forgive you this once, then, Aisu,” Rel remarked with what I could only describe as a powerful smile—one that made Aisu squirm, and not from fear or discomfort. “Now then, where will we be eating?”

“ Well , my room—” Aisu started, but Rel walked past her and in my direction.

He glanced back just long enough to respond, “The only such invitation I would accept would have to come from Elara.”

“Aww, really?” Diana peered over the back of the couch at Rel as we walked past them and in the direction of the dining area. “There goes my chances…”

Zafir sighed heavily as he joined us. “Please forgive them. The brass forbade sexual relations for all the survivors and banned access to tools—virtual or otherwise—that could assist with such matters.”

“Do they all use Syldrari under armor?” Rel asked, and Zafir gave him his best confused human researcher expression.

“Under armor? I’m afraid I don’t…” Zafir murmured.

Rel muttered something venomously in Syldran but Zafir didn’t waver. I tried to bite back a snicker, and instead just patted Rel’s arm as I picked a seat and made myself comfortable.

Crossing his arms, Rel said, “…the suit that Aisu girl summoned is merely under armor. It blocks weapons meant to cut or pierce, and it blocks the brunt of blunt impact. It does nothing against elemental, energy, or harmonic weaponry, and only provides slight protection against concussive or shockwave type attacks.”

“Ah, I see…that could be problematic…” Zafir murmured, rubbing his chin. “It’s much stronger than any armor we have, so it didn’t occur to us it may be something else… I’m afraid it is their best equipment.”

“…So you haven’t checked if Elara or the others have an armory module or at least a true battle suit tucked away anywhere.” Rel massaged his temples, then glanced at me. “You were right.”

“Unfortunately.” I smiled back at him. “I take it an armory module is the combatant’s equivalent of my wardrobe module?”

“Yes. Only Syldrari soldiers, queens, and ‘royal guards’ are outfitted with them.” Rel glanced around the room briefly, then summoned all the food from his ring to different seats.

Only… Well, no I don’t want to know. I sighed and propped my cheek against my fist. “So, by your standards, I’ve been doing battle in my underwear.”

Both of them paused at that, giving me the impression they may have been considering just what that would look like.

“Not quite…” Rel laughed. “But we need to determine if you have proper armor. It will dictate the methods I use to train you. Zafir, if you’re going to do nothing but smirk and mumble to yourself—go fetch the others for dinner.”

“Ah, speaking of which,” I remarked, glancing up at one of the cameras. “Amara, get in here. I know you’re starving by now.”

After making certain everything was in place, Rel strolled over to me and sat down beside me. Then he leaned down to speak quietly by my ear, “Be careful with that little submission trick of yours. It’s good you called your target by name…but in a more crowded setting it could still be problematic. Especially near other Syldrari .”

“Is that why you’re fine? Because I said her name instead of leaving it vague?” I inquired, reaching for my drink.

“I am not fine . Under any other circumstances I’d be challenging everyone in this damned building for the right to bend you over the nearest surface,” He growled back, this time getting a glance from me. “ Be more careful . If anyone else attempts to attack me, let me handle it. Understood?”

“Mhm, loud and clear.” I leaned toward him with an amused smile—clearly not the reaction he was expecting. “And, even if you beat every person in this building—that doesn’t mean I’d fuck you. I’m not that simple, and I’m less likely to have some fun if I think the catalyst was something like my power.”

“ Behave .” Rel narrowed his eyes at me.

“I should be saying that to you—you’re in my territory now.“ I smirked at him and gently pressed him away. “And, unfortunately, Zafir was quite right about sexual…anything being forbidden.”

“…yet they want you to seduce us for information?” Rel muttered bitterly.

“Your guess is as good as mine on that one,” I offered with a shrug. “If you really want to know, you could try asking Zafir.”

“I think I will pass on that suggestion.” Rel shook his head as he reached out and grabbed a thermos. “Finish your drink. This will pair better with your meal.”

“Mmm?” I peered at him curiously, then knocked back the remainder of my drink and placed the empty cup between us. “What’s this one?”

“Another mixed drink—and likely the last one I’m giving you tonight,” Rel replied dryly.

“Indeed, she should get some sleep once she’s had her food. After all, you will likely be waking her up early for training, I would imagine,” Zafir remarked as he joined us at the table. He placed a sheet of paper next to Rel. “This is Elara’s schedule. After dinner, I’ll give you a tour of our facilities.”

“I’m not tired.” I pouted

“You will be.” Rel nudged my drink closer to me with an amused smile. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice you haven’t been sleeping well? It’s easy enough to fix.”

“Thanks?” I tilted my head, not entirely sure how to feel about his observation or apparent attempt to fix the problem.

“Now then, my superiors have asked that you give the team your opinion on the R’selkti queen, so they know just what they’re dealing with should they encounter her, her servants, or other queens.” Zafir flicked his data pad a few times, then showed Rel a message from General Crowe.

“She’s still here?” Rel narrowed his eyes, then stared at his drink for a moment while the others gathered around to listen. After a moment, he sighed. “I will admit, I don’t particularly care what happens to the team—I am here to train Elara, and that is it. However, the information will be of use to her as well.

“Queen Citomy is the most controversial Jalan-ki —that is the short form word for ‘a queen who rules and oversees the Tower of Celestial Houses’—that we’ve had in several thousand years. There are those who adore her and believe that she has brought upon us the Golden Era of Syldrari culture and power—then there are those who believe she destroyed it.

“A lesser, third group believes that this era can still be reclaimed and salvaged, but they are widely considered crazed fanatics because their beliefs are wrought from forbidden legends and self-proclaimed prophecies.”

“Then, those clans must be outlawed, right? Diana murmured, earning a curt nod from Rel. “But what are those legends?”

“Who knows? I may not approve of the current Jalan-ki, but I don’t associate with those dogs either,” Rel answered dismissively, waving his hand.

“What’s this ‘Tower of Celestial Houses?’” I asked, earning an odd side-glance from Rel.

“It is like… I’m honestly not sure if humans have a word for it. It is our system of government—each clan that hasn’t been outcast has a representative within the tower. Usually, it is a queen. The V’shir have one of our founding members—an Iri who is not a queen—serve as our representative. Ours is the only such clan.”

“So, it’s a congress or parliament manner of body,” Zafir murmured, continuing to make notes as if he didn’t already know this. “With Jalan-ki Citomy as its head? Then, what is her role?”

I felt Rel twitch beside me, but he answered levelly, “Her word is final, and she can veto anything she pleases. Much like your emperor, though significantly older and more conniving.”

“So polarizing…” Aisu murmured. To her credit, she didn’t flinch at the piercing glare Rel shot in her direction. “There’s no way for us to know how someone feels about her beforehand, is there?”

Rel slowly shook his head. “No. And if any of you encounter her, it’s unlikely you will be returning to HQ. Your cellular dissonance is quite obvious to Syldrari, visibly and audibly.

“Citomy and her entourage will identify that you are muddled between human and Syldrari, which has varying degrees of implications depending on which of the two species you originally were. You would be captured, studied, and forced to serve her clan or be executed. She bounces between extremes with everyone and everything in her life.”

“Well, in that case, it’s in our best interests to be careful,” Nikolai remarked, crossing his arms. “What about other Syldrari and other queens? Elara is the only one here who has interacted with Syldrari other than Jysel.”

Sighing, Rel shifted and crossed one leg over the other, looking surprisingly like a bored aristocrat. “Be honest and do not lie to Syldrari. Half-truths, such as those Elara has used, are acceptable when you’re asked something you cannot answer—if the question you were asked is direct, however, you should simply say you cannot disclose that information.

“However, if it’s something you can’t say because the information attached to it is sensitive…say… Ah, Elara’s misdirection when questioned about Lethe would be an excellent example. When asked questions about Lethe, Elara often referenced the fact that the imperial forces weren’t told much aside from being ordered to bring her in.”

Nikolai nodded. “Which is true because the imperials were given that order, but also false depending on how you look at it.”

“As for dealing with queens…you should hope you don’t have to.” Rel shook his head, then glanced over at me. “You are going to be getting an early start tomorrow—you should head to your room.”

I wanna listen to him talk more though… I considered it for a moment, then narrowed my eyes at him. “Or I could stay and learn what other information you have to disclose.”

“ Or you could make certain you’re prepared for a real fight.” Rel leaned toward me, his glow shifting to a deep silvery green. “Unlike Jysel, I am not going to go easy on you. Someone…such as you, needs to be prepared for the conflicts you will face. Nor will I coddle you as Zafir clearly has.”

“I don’t coddle—” Zafir started to protest, but he went silent at the look Rel gave him.

“I am going to escort Elara to her room. After, you and I have things to discuss, Zafir—and I will need that tour you mentioned.” Rel rose gracefully to his feet, then pivoted to offer me a hand. “Please. Don’t put on a brave face. You are tired and have had enough alcohol to knock a human out for the next eighteen hours. It would be irresponsible of me to let you return to your apartment alone in those heels.”

“Okay,” I grumbled, letting him pull me to my feet. I couldn’t exactly argue with his logic, and I didn’t want to insult his gentlemanliness either. “They’re not that high.”

“Hush.” Rel pulled me out of the dining area and down the hall. I studied his physique for a moment, then his expression. “You’re staring.”

“You’re agitated,” I pointed out.

“I wonder why .” Rel grimaced, then gave me a sideways glance. “You’re not even the slightest bit tipsy, are you?”

I held up one hand, spreading my thumb and forefinger barely apart. “A little bit tipsy.”

“I will keep that in mind,” Rel chuckled and shook his head, slowing to a stop outside my door. He turned and looked down at me, a questioning expression on his face. “Do you remember how to use your wardrobe module? It wouldn’t do for you to sleep in that.”

“I remember.” I nodded, then shot him an amused smirk. “Try not to strangle Zafir, alright?”

“I’m sure I can find other uses for him if he frustrates me too much,” Rel remarked, rubbing his chin. “Though, I doubt he would be quite as entertaining as you—and you are significantly higher on the endearing scale. Now. Behave and go to bed. I meant what I said about—”

“ Rel ,” I interrupted, pressing him back into the wall. I wasn’t tall enough to place my hand against the wall beside his head, but the situation seemed to have the desired effect anyway. “Zafir already took the mother hen role. If you start down that path too, me waking up on time will be the least of your concerns. I don’t have to be a capable fighter to be a massive thorn in your side.” I paused and leaned closer, smirking, “I’d prefer we maintained the playful, respectful rapport we’ve had up to this point. Even if it’s a different kind of…frustrating.”

Rel let out a low laugh and leaned down, smirking, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “Oh, you needn’t worry about me mothering you. I’m here to train you and I am keeping track of just how much work you will be for me.”

Damnit, Elara, don’t kiss him. You know there’s surveillance everywhere, I told myself. Kissing him to shut him up would just lead to other…things that’d make things worse for us both. Behave. Behave, behave, behave!

Rel gently extricated himself and ruffled my hair, an amused smile still playing on his lips. “Good night, Elara. Get some rest, perhaps work off some of that aforementioned frustration…”

He laughed outright at the look I shot him and let his tail brush against my legs as he strolled off, hands tucked into his pockets. I wasn’t sure if he could look any more full of himself. …and why was it sexy?

Shaking my head, I unlocked my apartment and strolled in. What was I doing here again…oh. Right. Shower, bed, rest for whatever it is he has in store for me in the morning… It can’t be that bad, right?

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