Chapter Twenty-Five

I wandered down the dimly lit hallway, my steps hesitant yet resolute. A strange unease twisted in my gut, but I pushed it aside. This wasn't the time for doubts. As I rounded a corner, I stumbled upon a scene that hit me like a blow to the chest.
The Kaimari, shirtless and relaxed, lounged in a lavish room. His gaze, shrouded behind the ever-present helmet, was fixed on the trio of women who adorned him like prized possessions. Laughter swirled around them, a symphony of indulgence that echoed through the opulent room.

My breath hitched, an unexpected pang of unfamiliar emotions clawing at my chest. For an instant, I was a spectator on the fringe of an intimate tableau, an unwelcome intruder in their midst. Jealousy and a tumultuous blend of hurt and anger surged within me, a storm that threatened to consume me whole.

“Do you require something?” His voice sliced through the air, a blade of ice and fire that sent every gaze in the room turning toward me. Stammering, I struggled to form words as his attention bore into me, an intensity that made the room shrink around us. His body was a melody of darkness and desire, echoing through the infinite cosmos I labeled my heart.

“I-I,” never before had he made me falter like this. Never before had I experienced such jealousy.

“You’re free to join if you wish,” a sultry voice, belonging to a stunning redhead, interjected. The words seemed innocent, but they ignited every insecurity, every weight that pressed upon me.

But I wasn't the girl from the island anymore, one who'd shrink back from such confrontations. I had learned to wield my emotions, to armor myself just as he wore his helmet. With my chin raised, I stepped into the room, channeling a confidence I hadn't known I possessed.

"Oh, I didn't know we were having a party," I purred, my tone carrying an edge I hoped would cut through the tension in the air. The women turned to me, eyes widening, and Kaimari's gaze snapped in my direction.

A flicker of surprise passed over his features, almost too quick to catch. The trio exchanged furtive glances, sensing a shift in the atmosphere. Heartbeats quickened, and the air grew charged, as the realization dawned upon them that they stood in the presence of the princess.

I smiled, a challenge dancing in my eyes. "I'm Irina," I introduced myself, emphasizing the name as if it should hold some weight.

The Kaimari's jaw tightened beneath his helmet, a muscle jumping along his cheek. I watched, satisfaction bubbling within me, as the three women exchanged nervous looks and slowly started to disentangle themselves from him.

"Princess," one of them stammered, hastily retreating from the room along with her companions.

And then it was just the two of us, alone in that dimly lit space. The tension between us was palpable, a storm brewing in the air. I could see the anger glinting in his eyes, masked by that damn helmet.

"Jealousy doesn't befit you," he eventually spoke, his voice carrying an edge that mirrored my own.

I tilted my head, a small smile playing on my lips. "Who said anything about jealousy? I simply thought I'd join the party."

He stood, his movements fluid and graceful, and took a step towards me. "You're here to provoke me, aren't you?"

I shrugged, my bravado only growing. "Maybe I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Witness what has been whispered about in the shadows since your arrival, what it is to take a Kaimari lover.”

His gaze bore into me, a mixture of irritation and something else I couldn't quite decipher. "Well, you've had your fun. Are you satisfied?"

I took a step closer, closing the gap between us. "Not quite," I whispered, my breath mingling with his. "But you know, there's plenty of room on that lounge for one more."

His helmet cocked, an inscrutable gesture. "You're playing with fire, Princess."

I met his gaze head-on, the challenge in my eyes matching the one in his. "And you're the one who struck the match."

A suspended breath hung heavy in the air, a heartbeat frozen in time. The charged tension between us was a palpable force, ready to snap. But just as the silence became nearly unbearable, a disruptive presence shattered the moment—Amaya, her hair a wild tangle, crashed into the hallway like a tempest.

"It's Irina," her words cut through the air like a blade, urgency in every syllable. “I don’t have eyes on her.”

"Irina...?" The Kaimari's voice echoed, his helmet swiveling back to me as if realizing my absence anew. "This is Irina," he asserted a note of both realization and accusation in his tone.

Amaya gripped my wrist, urgency igniting in her eyes. “You are such a damn fool,” she hissed at him, and the two of us sprinted away.
---
The best invention in all of mankind was not the spaceship, nor the star cannons, but Nano, short for Nanorehab. Nano emerged as the beacon of human ingenuity—salvation from the post-celebratory torment of hangovers. Using this, however, when drunk, as I and Irina had discovered so many years ago, has a much more minor effect. But still, it did something.

In an orchestrated rhythm, Amaya and I engaged our cyrosuits with a swift gesture, the liquid-metal armor enveloping us seamlessly. Bulletproof and responsive, they cocooned our bodies with precision, both protection and instrument in our trade.

"South tower, check," my voice flowed through the communicator in my earpiece as my legs carried me in determined strides. With precision honed through years of relentless training, I plunged the Nano vials into my thigh, the relief soon coursing through me.

"She's not there," Aelia's voice confirmed, her presence linked to us through the intricate network we maintained.

"Solariums, then?" Amaya queried.

"Negative," Saija reported, her voice steady despite the urgency.

“Fuck,” Amaya cursed, though not into the communicator. “I knew this was a bad idea, come on.” Swiftly, she tossed me a sleek RA-14 laser gun, which I caught with one hand.
—--
Our search, orchestrated by the vigilant gaze of the Legion and cloaked in controlled chaos, unfolded in mere minutes. The vast expanse of the library now housed our collective weariness, each one of us standing before the panoramic tapestry of the Astral Ocean. The weight of our endeavor bore down on us, amplified by the grandeur of the surroundings. And yet, Amaya's voice sliced through the tension, her words wielding a power that mirrored the strength she held as a leader—a symphony of commands that cut through the air, a testament to her prowess.

“Amaya, rest,” Aelia's plea held the fatigue we all felt, her voice soft amidst the reverberating aftermath.

"There's no trace of the Empire's code, no enemy vessel in our orbit," Saija's words followed, a thread of frustration lacing her tone. "Irina has merely run off with that boy."

With a graceful gesture, Amaya dismissed the soldiers, the controlled chaos fading into a hollow silence. Defeated, she crumbled before us, her armor of leadership momentarily shattered. "I am a failure," she whispered, the edge of despair creeping into her voice. "Nerida will never entrust me with Astreaus's forces."

"Perhaps it's a matter of being on the wrong planet," I offered, my arm encircling her in a gesture of comfort. "You're a remarkable leader, Amaya. Irina's choices do not define your capability."

A broken laugh escaped her, mingling with the fragility of her emotions. "I can't even keep track of the king and queen's daughter. How could I possibly stand against the Empire?"

"You will stand brilliantly," my reassurance carried conviction, my eyes meeting hers. "When the Empire returns, you'll be ready."

As if in answer to our collective hopes, a presence manifested—a weakened Irina, carried into the room by the enigmatic figure of the Kaimari. Amaya's usual enmity towards him wavered in the face of this newfound revelation. "Where was she?" Amaya's voice was edged with concern as the rest of us enveloped Irina in a shared embrace, a mixture of relief and worry flooding our emotions.

"Hiding beneath her bed," the Kaimari's response held a matter-of-fact air as if his presence alone was enough to upend any presumption.

"But we conducted body scans," Saija's incredulity surfaced, a testament to our thoroughness.

A dismissive shrug answered her, the Kaimari's demeanor unaffected. "That's where I found her."

"I-I was abducted," Irina's voice trembled, her body crouched in a form shaken by both physical and emotional turmoil. "Taken into the sky."

"Hush," I murmured, my voice gentle as I lowered myself to the ground, enfolding her within the circle of my arms. "You're safe now. Let's get you to your bed."