The moment I walk past the luminescent doors and into the foyer my mind goes blank and my mouth falls open in awe.

I don't know what I was expecting to see here, maybe something fitting for such a sadistic civilization like widespread dungeons or torture chambers, anything but what I saw in front of me.

The long sofas and extended chairs remind me of the living room in my house on Earth but the similarities end there. The mere size of this room could rival the size of a football field.

"This way Miss Aria," Another polite Plutonian gestures for me to follow him through a maze of artistry. We walk past intricately carved statues of creatures I've never seen before, paintings and tapestries of various colours that I have ceased to remember.

And gold. I have never seen so much gold in my life.

Gold painted across the walls, gold chandeliers that hang from the ceiling and gold jewels littered on top of every piece of decoration, bringing everything to life.

I follow the tall Plutonian past the living room and down a long corridor. He doesn't utter a word as we walk along a row of portraits and I can't help but stare at the faces who watch me. Lucian I, Lucian XI, Lucian VII and so on. All generals of the Plutonian army.

The creatures responsible for plundering all the other planets under their control and exploiting them, just like they are doing to Earth. My fists clench and I force myself to take a breath. When we reach the end I see the name Lucian X printed boldly below a golden frame that gleams under a bright spotlight, I look up and am surprised to see a blank canvas with no face.

We stop at a glass balcony that looks over a beautiful garden with a blue pool in the centre that glows fluorescent blue. I peer over the glass edge and look up when I hear a whizzing sound approach us.

I barely pull my head in in time to avoid the platform that stops right beyond the balcony. I cast a wary glance at the Plutonian escorting me, he never bothered mentioning that a moving floor was about to smash into my head but he only stares ahead blankly.

He walks passed the glass railing that has folded to the sides and waits for me to do the same. I walk in apprehensively and try to steady myself as we move up a few floors.

Unlike the closed compartment lifts I am used to, this one consists of only a floor and glass barriers that reach up to my hips on all sides. If I were to fall over here I am certain no one would be bothered to help.

We go up three floors and he leads me in a circle down a corridor that looks over the pool in the centre. We walk past five doors before he finally stops at one and knocks on it.

He pauses and we wait in silence until I hear the words "Come in."

He opens the door for me and I take a deep breath before walking in. I am afraid of what awaits and am only partly thankful when the Plutonian who lead me here walks in after.

On one hand I am afraid to be alone with Lucian but this Plutonian doesn't seem so helpful. I suddenly long for the calmness in Aster's voice or the assurance in Quan's gaze.

Once we are in I have to blink a few times to adjust to the dimness of my surroundings.

Everything outside is bright and vibrant, but here it is dark, almost menacing.

My heart thumps in my chest as I take in the faint outline of a huge bed that takes up half of the large room. There are no lights on, only lamps with translucent bubbles that burst with each other upon contact.

They are all different shades of blue and they give the room a rather ominous look making me wonder if he has done this to frighten me.

"Master Lucian, would you like me to send in an appetizer or a snack before your meal is ready?" The Plutonian next to me almost whispers and I notice that his hands are shivering.

"No, that will be all. You may leave now," A voice echoes from beyond the shadows. I glance up to see two bubbles burst as they hit each other, the reaction emits a shot of brilliant blue light that illuminates a table I didn't see before and then I see the faint outline of silver hair.

I jump as the door shuts behind me.

"Take a seat, Aria," Lucian speaks softly but it sounds more like a command than an invitation.

"Where?" I squint my eyes and walk towards the darkness slowly. I see a flicker of movement and blue flames come to life illuminating a long table at the end of the room.

Lucian puts two glasses between us and pours some liquid into them.

When I take a seat he raises a glass and waits for me to do the same.

"Thank you for joining me tonight," He smiles and I try to find a discrepancy in the scene before me.

I am in a Plutonian's room, that too some form of Plutonian royalty and he is offering me a drink, not to mention he said the words 'Thank you' to me. A human.

There is no part of this that makes sense.

I cast a wary glance at the dark purple liquid swirling before me. Is it poison? But why would he want to poison me?

My skin tingles when I feel his skin brush against mine as he places the stem of the glass in my hand and squeezes my fingers to close around it. I don't realize my hand is shaking until he releases me.

"Please relax. I'm not going to harm you. That's not why I invited you to dinner," He says and then he takes a sip of his drink. "Try some, it will relax you."

Please. Another word I've never heard from a Plutonian.

He eyes narrow at me and I realize that although his tone is patient, testing him would not be wise.

I say a silent prayer and bring the glass to my lips. With my eyes on him I taste a bit and almost sigh as the bittersweet liquid coats my tongue. My shoulders slump slightly and I lean back against the silk cushion chair.

"Are you hungry?" Lucian asks.

I shake my head when a bubble forms in my chest, threatening to burst. I am unable to hold his gaze anymore as I burst from over whelming curiosity.

"Is it true? Am I the first guest you have ever invited here?" I want to smack myself for being so direct. I am unsure how to act around him when he is being so polite.

Where is the line between us and how do I not cross it if it is blurred?

I suck in a breath and stare at him warily wondering if I am about to be punished for speaking to him that way. Instead, he smiles a boyish smile and leans back in his seat. "Yes, you are the first guest I have ever invited over and with good reason."

He stands up and walks behind his chair. He towers above me and I have to arch my neck to keep up with his pacing but I watch him anyway.

That is when I see different specks of light glow on the black suit he is wearing, each speck of light glows with each step he takes and I notice a different lamps lights up at the same time.

Illumination by motion sensors. I am awed as much as I am curious.

"It's been awhile since I've seen a human who isn't captivated by Plutonians and the Trinity or desperate to please us. But you want something, something only I can provide. I need someone like that."

He walks a few steps away from me and the lamps beyond light up to reveal a wall of books and articles. Papers stick out from in between and my heart leaps at the sight. Could they be floor plans? Routes to and from the army base? Flight manuals?

"I can help you join the army, Aria. I will help you win your next three fights. When the time for deliberation comes the Trinity are given the option to nominate candidates for their squads and I will choose you." He walks back to me and sits down again.

My heart swells with happiness at this news. It is as if he plucked out my deepest desires from the depths of my mind and held them out to me on a silver platter. With Plutonian royalty behind me, I am unstoppable but there was something I am refusing to acknowledge.

Why is he helping me? And what can I possibly give in return. My body stiffens at the thought of being his paramour. Would he want me to share his bed like all the others or does he want to torture me like Lazarus wanted to?

I bite my lip paralyzed by the realization that I am considering torture in hopes for freedom.

"What are you thinking about? We need to communicate, Aria. If we want to work together." His voice is like a sweet caress, I brace myself for a command or threat but it never comes. He just stares at me patiently.

"That sounds really nice. It is what I have dreamed about for the past few years," I nearly choke on my emotions and the truth behind those words. "But why? What can I do for you in return?"

At this his expression darkens and his gaze hardens.

"I want you to stay with me, everyday till I deem it unnecessary. I promise to never touch you inappropriately but you must sleep on the same bed. You are to observe if anything out of the ordinary occurs during the night and report to me every morning."

"Observe you?" I cross my arms over my chest, feeling confused. "On the same bed?"

"Yes, I need you to be alert should there be any unexpected movement and that won't work if you're sleeping on a different bed. It is also imperative that everyone else thinks we are lovers. You will not share any experience you have within these walls with anyone outside. If you so much as breathe a sliver of my secrets to another I will make sure you and that person is killed in the fastest yet most painful way imaginable," Lucian threatens me in a flat tone that seems strictly professional.

"What secrets? What do you need me to observe?" My eyes widen in fear. "I'm sorry but I need to know what I'm getting into since I'm still unsure why you chose me. Just so I can prepare."

"There's nothing to prepare. You can fight so you should be able to defend yourself and you have no interest in sleeping with me and exploiting me which makes you one of the only trustworthy people here. That is the only reason why I chose you," He says then he runs a hand through his hair and stares at me looking conflicted.

"There have been rumours in this building. My staff, my care takers, they speak about sounds coming from this room during the night," He pulls up his sleeve and my eyes widen at the multiple bruises on his forearm. "I don't hear anything but I wake up with these. Your job is to tell me how it happens."

My eyes flit from the dark swirls that marr his white skin to the earnest look in his eyes. In a way he is desperate and he reminds me of myself. I don't know what to expect but a part of me is relieved that all I have to do is observe him, although at what cost I am unsure.

We stare at each other as our hands clutch the stems of our glasses but really we are holding on to so much more. And then I break the silence.

"When would you like me to move in?"