Chapter 56 (Surprise Visitor)

RJ's POV

The house felt empty without Valin asking me to join him in a game, screaming at his online friends, or loudly typing on his laptop. It's an odd feeling, missing him. Today he and Zai are going to an Event center with their partners... I should find someone to be with so the next time I can join without making things awkward. Just as I sat down to watch a movie there was a knock at my door. All the people who know where I live are busy... maybe Valin ordered a package online... which is weird since he's been planning on moving out again. I opened the door to see a tall woman, around 6 feet with large gold-colored almond-shaped eyes, caramel skin, and long straight dark brown hair with golden highlights, that only curled slightly at the ends. Her hair stopped at the center of her back, and she had on a loose white dress.... she was beautiful, unlike anyone I'd seen before yet somehow familiar.

"Oh..." She took a step back from the door. "I heard that Zai lives here... I wanted to talk to him." She stated in a humble voice. {Cera said this is Zaikel's home... he did not mention Raijian} She was shivering and couldn't maintain eye contact with me for even a second... Now I know who she reminds me of... 

"Are you... Tana?" She gasped and said,

"I'm not here to cause trouble I promise! I just wanted to see Zai... Not for anything you'd disapprove of! I just want to talk, I promise!" She shielded her face with her arms, so I gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside. 

"Wait here," I commanded after closing the front door and heading to my room... What is Tana doing here? How is her face all better... wasn't she dead? I need a drink. After finishing off 2 beer bottles, I returned to her and said, "Why are you looking for Zai?" Tana hadn't moved from the spot I left her... charmingly obedient.

"I... V has lost it... I've stayed by his side for 10 thousand years and I thought eventually he'd change but... I was hoping to raise Zai to take over in his place. It's time for my brother to relinquish the throne. You... You'll come too, right?" I touched her cheek, and her eyes grew wide.

"Why do you look like this?" She gasped and squeezed her arm with the opposite hand, digging her nails into the skin so deep she bled. Then she stepped just out of reach, I had to resist the urge to pursue.

"V... had been hiring a specialist to repair my body... The last experiments were successful." {Thanks to Insinz's help.} Then she met my eyes for the first time. I felt a flutter in my chest, so I walked away and slammed my head into the nearby brick wall. She's Tana! Pull yourself together! "Are you okay?" She asked rushing over to me and touching my shoulder.

"Yes... Just going through some psychological turmoil. You are ... my aunt... right?" She giggled and seemed to finally relax.

"That's right." Damn it. Outside of taboo rituals, it would be wrong to put my hands on her. {Wow, Raijian has grown so much, I'm glad he's been well all this time} Would be a lot easier if she still looked the way I remember. Ignoring family ties is something my father would do... I'm not like him. Plus... she's just as unhinged as him, a new appearance can't change that... although, her thoughts seem so mellow. "When is Zai coming home?" She asked, taking a look around the house.

"Why are you looking for him?" My question made her bite her lip {Would he really return to Afaria with me? What if he refuses... Raijian couldn't help me alone.} "Oh, I see." She has no defense against my mind reading unlike usual, which is very convenient. Maybe she let her guard down on purpose so I'd know she can be trusted. "I don't believe he'll be willing to go back," I commented.

"Why not?" Her question seemed stupid to me, there are multiple reasons why he wouldn't but... the largest reason is something she's not aware of.

"Before I tell you... Tell me what happened to Aluma." Tan started biting her nails {That woman again... the Infaniyan bride}

"She's alive... and she misses you." {Something told me to bring her with me as a peace offering, I'm so stupid, I shouldn't have left so frantically} Being able to read her mind made Tana seem more normal... Did fixing her face also fix her personality?

"If you can bring her back to me... I'll help you meet with Zai, I'll even help convince him to help you." Her eyes lit up and she bounced on the balls of her feet.

"Do you promise?!" I nodded and replied,

"I cannot lie, after all." After that, she rushed out, no doubt to return to Afaria with the suicide mission I sent her on... Or maybe she'll be fine. She tried to kill the King and confessed to it, he kept her alive and even healed her old wounds... I expect to see her again soon. That's when I can break her heart and tell her about Zai's marriage. I'm excited to see what expression her pretty face will make when I give her the bad news. Zai is probably too busy to check his phone but I'll text him anyway so he can know Tana stopped by and while I'm at it, I'll visit Cera. 

Cera's place was 2 hours away. On the phone, he sounded happy to hear from me,

"Rai! It's been so long! How've you been?"

"What's your address?" He squealed on the other end of the phone so I pulled it far away from my ear,

"Why? Are you coming by?... Is Zai coming with you?!" He asked excitedly,

"Just text it to me," I replied, then I hung up. My social meter for the day is already at zero.

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12 years ago...

I convinced Zai and Cera to help me break the barrier again so I could see Aluma. I will forever be disappointed that my first time wasn't with her but that doesn't mean I have to give up on being together now. The rune to age me was much easier to apply and took a lot less energy now. More time must have passed than I realized, I've grown. She was at the lake again, which both, did not surprise me and surprised me. Why is she always at this lake that's so near the palace... and why is she all alone each time?

"Raijian!?" She yelled then she rushed over and hugged me, "It's been weeks... I thought I wouldn't see you again!"

"I'm sorry... I was held up." Her eyes scanned my face then she kissed me and said,

"I... understand. I had obligations too but... I don't care. I feel like I'm being stupid but... I choose you. So can you help me escape from this world?" Her suggestion made me laugh but it was a bitter laugh,

"How can we leave? I've lived here my whole life, and I wasn't taught space travel."

"There's a portal! It's in Town Central. It's how I got here." I scoffed... This conversation is going nowhere, even if I left through that portal, I'd just be followed. There's no way I'd be allowed to live in peace and Aluma would most likely be killed.

"I'll think about it," I said to reassure her, and she beamed at me. I will think about how impossible it is, but also how sweet she is for suggesting it. Then I embraced her planting light kisses on her lips. {I shouldn't be doing this. I need to tell him the truth but he might hate me if I do}

"Raijian wait... I need to tell you... I'm... engaged." Her confession struck me hard, I felt like I'd been punched in the chest. "It's an arranged marriage! I've only met him once and... he hasn't visited me since the engagement... With you I feel fireworks, that's why it has to be you. I want to marry for love." She mumbled while caressing my cheek. I sighed with relief.

"So I can still kiss you?" My question caused her cheeks to redden.

"You can kiss me." She whispered shyly. So I kissed her lips and then asked,

"Can I take things further than kissing?"

"What?! Here? Now?" Aluma asked while looking around in a panic, {Things are progressing so fast!} Even her mind is screaming

"Why not?"

"... How about we go to your place?" She suggested... so she's not opposed. The fire in my body roared with so much lust it became hard to keep my face straight. 

"We can't go to my place right now." Which is true, WE can't. She'd never be allowed into my wing of the palace and if I go back, security will be overbearing and I'd never be able to leave. And my hole in the ground wouldn't be comfortable at all. {I don't want him to leave me, he's the only bit of warmth I have found since coming to Afaria. If I make him wait, I could be forced to marry and never see him again... I would hate that.} 

"Let's at least go into the water." Aluma offered. So I followed her into the center of the lake and even though it was no longer my first time, I soon discovered it was hers. So it was special for both of us. Aluma ended things promptly at the same time she always left, even though I was still hungry for more. "I'm sorry I have to go!" She shouted, {If I'm late for roll call I'll be punished} She thought while collecting the clothes that she left on the shore, dressing and running away. Reading her mind doesn't seem to be answering all my questions like I'd hoped... I guess I need to ask her some direct questions the next time I see her to get the answers I seek.

"I'm happy," I muttered to no one since I was alone, and I drifted across the lake on my back for an hour before going into the shelter I created by melting the dirt to create a tunnel with a room just large enough for me to sleep at its end. Bushes hid the entrance to the tunnel and I couldn't sleep so I adjusted myself. That way, I could watch the stars through the branches, to pass the time until the next day came.

Present Day:

When I showed up at Cera's house he flung the door open. His house reeked of herbs, alcohol, and incense. There were also 2 scrawny men and one woman sitting on a worn-out couch in the front room.

"Get out my brothers are here!" Cera yelled in a demanding voice, and they all scrambled to follow his orders. "Where's Zai?"

"He doesn't want to see you." I clarified, and then Cera slammed the door behind me and sat on the couch hugging his knees and pouting.

"Is he still with that bitch?!"

"He's married to that bitch." My reply made me laugh and that loosened up Cera a bit even though he wanted to stay mad. "Tana told me that you revealed our house to her."

"Oh... uh... Wow, that stupid hoe can't keep one secret."

"It's fine, I'm not mad. I was happy to see her." Cera smiled then. "How have you been?"

"Oh... the same as usual but... it's depressing knowing I can't come back to that house when things get out of hand out here."

"You can come back" I replied,

"Really?" Cera asked cheerfully,

"Yeah, Zai and Snowe moved out." He then threw a pillow at me and screamed,

"Then what's the point!?" I caught the pillow, then he groaned feeling defeated, and rolled over onto his side. 

"Why did you tell her about the house?" I asked, getting the subject back on track.

"I... wanted her to meet Snowe." He admitted.

"See... this is why your life is so miserable. You're always causing trouble, so much bad Karma." I remarked.

"Karma is a f**king hoax and you know it!" He argued, and then we laughed and shared a few drinks, catching up on life.