“There’s no way I could convince her to stay, huh?”

  Venlin Dread swirled his drink—something dark and expensive—and leaned back in his oversized chair like he already knew the answer.

  Inelius sat opposite him, one foot hooked lazily over the ankle of the other, nursing a drink of his own that he barely touched. Soren was beside him, quiet, calm, alert as ever. They’d gathered in Venlin’s office for what amounted to a farewell toast—less formal, more final.

  “Sorry,” Inelius said, glancing out the window at the dying sun. “I doubt it. Amalia’s great, and she likes you, clearly. But she likes our planet more.”

  Venlin sighed, slow and heavy. “You think she’ll come back after your mission’s done?”

  Soren shrugged. “Who's to say? But try not to get your hopes up. The attachment you’re feeling is normal, but don’t let it sour. Be happy for the time you’ve had with her. I’m sure she feels the same.”

  Venlin nodded slowly, then gave a small huff of a laugh and sipped his drink. “You’re lucky. You get to stay with yours.”

  Inelius didn’t think he meant it to sound possessive. Just the leftover tone of a man still adjusting. Still learning.

  “Mine?” Soren asked, arching an eyebrow.

  Venlin looked at him like it was obvious. “You and Aurania. Are you not a thing?”

  Soren smiled, looked away, and then back again. “Even if we were together… she doesn’t belong to me.”

  “I don’t think he meant anything by it,” Inelius said, gently tossing him a verbal rope.

  “No, sorry,” Venlin added quickly, raising one hand in apology. “Didn’t mean to offend.”

  “It’s fine,” Soren said. “Anyway… Aurania and I are friends. Hopefully more, when she’s ready.”

  Venlin studied him a moment, then turned to Inelius. “And you’re with the purple-haired CIPHER, right? Raine?”

  “Correct.”

  “Good man,” Venlin said, tipping his glass. Then, more casually: “She doesn’t mind you being surrounded by the lacravida?”

  Inelius lifted a brow, thinking about it. “No, she trusts me. Although… Veolo did ask Raine for permission to sleep with me a while back. Raine said she’d think about it.”

  Venlin laughed, Soren smirked.

  “And how do you feel about that?” Venlin asked.

  Inelius shrugged. “I’ve been around the lacravida long enough to know she’s only asking for something physical. She respects what Raine and I have. I don’t know. I’m not opposed, if Raine’s okay with it. Honestly, it’d be more like doing Veolo a favor than anything I’m after.”

  Venlin turned to Soren and said, “He’s over here talking like he wouldn’t enjoy it.”

  That earned a round of low chuckles.

  “Now, hold on,” Soren said, grinning. “I heard there’s a risk when you sleep with a lacravida for the first time. People fall in love on the spot. Something to do with their pheromones.”

  Venlin threw his head back. “Is that why I can’t stop thinking about Amalia?!”

  Laughter echoed off the wooden walls.

  “You ever been with a lacravida, Inelius?” Soren asked, eyebrow raised.

  “Uh, no. I haven’t.”

  A beat passed. All three glanced at one another, like they were silently daring someone to make the next joke.

  “I doubt Veolo had bad intentions,” Soren said, half-laughing.

  “Might be worth having a conversation about,” Venlin added, nodding.

  “Yeah,” Inelius agreed. “She’s still kind of figuring herself out.”

  “Poor Tarnik,” Soren murmured, and they all cracked up again.

  The conversation kept going—meandering through quieter trails. They talked about life on Mol’eyne, about their mission ahead, about things better left unsaid but safe in the warmth of brotherhood. When the bottle ran low, no one called for another.

  Tomorrow, the Liberty Union ship would arrive, and everything would change again.

  By the next morning, Boadicea was buzzing with a quiet kind of reverence. The team’s gear was loaded aboard The Ghost of Mandachor, crates stacked in neat rows on the cargo lift, and half the town had turned up to see them off.

  The Liberty Union was already in orbit, large shuttles shooting across the sky to collect troops from across the planet.

  Inelius stood at the edge of the crowd with Venlin, both of them watching as Tarnik—brow furrowed, arms full of Veolo’s things—followed her around like an obedient dog trying to impress its trainer. She didn’t stop him. She didn’t even acknowledge him.

  Not until they were almost done.

  “Tarnik,” Veolo said, finally turning to him. “It’s been fun, but I hope you’re not planning to try waiting for me or anything.”

  He looked like a puppy someone had kicked.

  Before he could respond, she grabbed him by the front of his jacket and pulled him into a deep, lingering kiss.

  Inelius raised his brow as he watched, wondering how long it would go on for.

  Amalia popped up between Venlin and Inelius, draping an arm across each of their shoulders and joining their observation. “Wow she is really giving him something to remember.”

  “Do I detect tongue?” Venlin asked

  “Oh yeah,” Inelius replied. “It’s really in there.”

  They watched and struggled to hold back laughter as Veolo pulled back, balled up a fist, and punched Tarnik hard enough in the chest to knock the wind out of him. Then she turned and walked off toward the ship. She caught them all staring and smirked.

  “What? Jealous?”

  Inelius laughed.

  Venlin looked at Amalia. “Can I get one of those?”

  She giggled at him, said, “Nope,” then pecked him on the cheek before heading up the ramp.

  Venlin just shook his head, chuckling. “You take care,” he offered Inelius his hand.

  “I’ll do my best,” he replied, gripping it firmly.

  With that, Inelius slung the last crate under one arm and carried it up the boarding ramp. He dropped it in the hold, straightened his spine with a small grunt, then made his way to the cockpit.

  Raine was already there, fingers gliding over the controls with ease.

  “All good?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Just let me know when everyone’s aboard and I’ll take us out. The Bastion of Libertas already sent docking coordinates.”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Inelius blinked. “The what now?”

  A new voice answered. “The Bastion of Libertas is the flagship of the entire Liberty Union military.”

  He turned, and of course—Riza was there. Quiet as a breath.

  Inelius furrowed his brow. “What happened to The Resolute Wind?”

  Raine glanced at him, then back at her console. “Apparently it’s docked in one of The Bastion’s berthing suites.”

  Inelius looked between them slowly. “Isn’t The Resolute Wind over three miles long?”

  “Yeah,” Raine said, eyes wide in mutual understanding.

  Inelius felt his stomach tighten. “What the hell are they expecting to find at those ruins?”

  Neither woman answered.

  He ran a hand over his head and took a slow breath. “Alright. I’m gonna finish helping with the last of the prep.”

  He turned to Raine, cupped her face, and kissed her—slow and deliberate.

  “I love you,” he said.

  Her fingers curled gently around his wrist, and her eyes fluttered as he pulled away. She was blushing. “The fuck, I’m supposed to keep a clear head to fly the ship!”

  He grinned and walked out of the cockpit.

  The Bastion of Libertas didn’t just dwarf The Resolute Wind—it made it look like a life raft. Everywhere Inelius turned, there were levels. Corridors. Rooms designed for a military hierarchy so sprawling it almost defied belief.

  It made him uneasy.

  He wasn’t even sure how many decks this ship had. Some of the hallways curved in impossible ways—vertically stacked compartments running like veins through a hull that felt more like a megastructure than a vessel.

  Admiral Marrow led the way through one of the upper decks, his uniform crisp, voice even as he guided Inelius, Aurania, Riza, and Soren toward the main strategy hall.

  “Commandant Carnasi,” Marrow explained, “is the highest-ranking officer in the Liberty Union fleets. He answers directly to the Interplanetary Congress, and when he moves, entire fleets move with him.”

  Inelius raised a brow.

  “No need to worry though,” Marrow added after a beat. “He’s not here to scold you. He asked to meet you all personally. And… before we arrive,” he slowed to a stop and turned to Aurania.

  “I wanted to offer my sincerest apologies to you, ma’am. For my earlier ignorance of your customs. I should never have assumed your role without understanding it.”

  Aurania blinked in surprise but nodded graciously. “Apology accepted, Admiral. Thank you for taking the time to learn.”

  They arrived at the towering doors of the strategy hall, flanked by armored guards who stood like sculptures. With a nod from Marrow, the doors opened.

  Inside, a dozen officers stood around a luminous war table. But all eyes turned as Commandant Carnasi approached. Tall, silver-haired, skin a light cream aged with wisdom, his presence radiated calm authority. He looked like the kind of man who didn’t raise his voice because he didn’t need to.

  Marrow stepped forward and gestured formally. “Commandant Carnasi. May I present: Madame Aurania Enderchild, one of the three leaders of Berilinsk on Nox. Major Inelius Drozek, Aurania’s second in command. Colonel Emberfell I believe you already are familiar with, and finally, their associate Soren.”

  Aurania dipped her head. “Commandant.”

  Inelius gave a respectful nod. “Sir.”

  Soren bowed his head slightly.

  “Hi, Kade,” Riza said flatly.

  Aurania gave her a side-eye. “Is there anyone in the Liberty Union you’re not on a first-name basis with?”

  Riza shrugged. “I don’t know all the new guys.”

  Carnasi chuckled. “But they all know her.” He stepped closer, and his tone softened. “Good to see you, Riza. How are you feeling?” His eyes flicked to her belly.

  “Well, thank you,” she said, placing a hand gently over it.

  Carnasi nodded. “I wanted to personally offer my condolences about Elias. We will hold him as long as you need.”

  Riza’s voice was low. “Thank you.”

  He turned next to Aurania. “Madame Enderchild. It’s good to have lacravida royalty aboard. I hope you’ve been able to return home more recently than I have—I haven’t stepped foot on Lacravi in almost a decade.”

  “Unfortunately,” Aurania said, “I haven’t been back in nearly that long either. But thank you for your hospitality, Commandant.”

  “Of course,” he said. Then his gaze shifted to Soren. “I have been most anxious to meet this one.”

  Soren glanced at Aurania, then back to the Commandant. “Yes, sir. Soren. Just Soren, I’m afraid.”

  Carnasi tilted his head. “You have no surname?”

  Soren hesitated. “Strange… I actually can’t remember it now that you ask. Apologies—my memories are a bit all over the place.”

  “Would you mind explaining why?”

  The air changed. Inelius could feel it. Carnasi already knew something—he wasn’t asking out of curiosity.

  Soren must have sensed the same, because he told them everything.

  How he’d been found floating in open space, in the place where The Mandachor Abyss should have been. How the black hole had vanished—and how its disappearance was slowly dooming the planet Nox.

  He told them about his powers. What he could do. What he felt. How his abilities were growing more complex, and harder to fully understand.

  By the time he finished, the room was still. Marrow, standing off to the side, looked like someone had punched the air from his lungs.

  Carnasi, unreadable, folded his hands behind his back. “And you personally knew Tywin Enderfield, correct?”

  Soren’s expression tightened, caught off-guard. “Y-yes.”

  “Did he ever mention a place called The Cradle?”

  Soren eyed the Commandant carefully. “Not that I recall. But I’ve come to understand he… compartmentalized things. He kept people and information separate. I learned a lot from him—but I know he kept far more from me.”

  Carnasi nodded once. “Unfortunate. Tomorrow, we depart for the location of The Cradle’s ruins. It will take us approximately four days to reach it. Whatever lies there…” His eyes scanned the group. “I expect a high possibility of discovering contradictions to many things our modern galactic society holds to be true.”

  Day one aboard The Bastion of Libertas had been overwhelming in a dozen quiet ways. The ship was massive, but not just in size—in presence. Everything echoed power. Precision. Pressure.

  Still, by late afternoon, the team had begun to settle into their assigned quarters—an area dedicated to their use not unlike what they’d had aboard The Resolute Wind, complete with common room. The familiarity helped.

  Inelius had spent most of the day wandering the ship with Soren and Tamiyo, getting a lay of the land and just marveling at the technological monstrosity. Then he peeled off to head back early, hoping for a moment of quiet.

  He got… something else.

  As he stepped into the team’s common room, the lighting was dimmed to an ambient glow. Pillows and blankets had already been rearranged across the wide floor seating. He spotted Violet and Veolo lying together on one of the large lounge couches like the lacravida normally relaxed on.

  But they weren’t relaxing.

  They were completely naked, a tangle of limbs, grinding, and moans.

  Inelius froze mid-step. He blinked. Then blinked again. His brain stalled for a full second before catching up to his eyeballs.

  To his left, he heard a soft scratching sound. He turned to find Raine, seated cross-legged on a cushion, casually jotting something into a notebook.

  “…Hey,” he said slowly. “What are you doing?”

  “Research,” she replied without looking up. “About the lacravida. They’re so different from the human behaviors I was taught in the Conservatory.”

  He stepped closer, squinting at the notebook. “Are you taking lacravida sex notes in my little sister’s notebook?!”

  Raine glanced up, startled. “N-no!” She quickly closed it, looked at the cover, then frowned. “…I guess they do look kind of similar. But no. Different notebook.”

  From the couch, Veolo shifted slightly, still half-draped over Violet. “Could you keep it down? Or come join in? Either one, but right now you’re distracting.”

  “Hey!” Inelius shot back, pointing at her. “I’ve got a bone to pick with you. I heard all about your damn pheromones. About how people fall in love with you just from one night.”

  Violet poked her head up, her hair tousled and her eyes heavy-lidded. “That’s not exactly true,” she muttered. “It’s only if someone’s really lonely, hasn’t gotten laid in a while, and hasn’t been with a lacravida before. That’s when it hits hardest.”

  Inelius looked between them. “Oh.” Then back at Raine. “Okay good. Because you’re not getting in my head.” He jabbed a thumb at himself, then at Raine. “I am in love with this woman, you hear?”

  Veolo rolled onto her back, clearly unbothered. “No one’s trying to steal you, Loverboy. Our bodies just need what they need.”

  Violet sat up a little more, propping herself on an elbow. “You know,” she said, “we can avoid all this worrying pretty easily.”

  Inelius recoiled slightly, narrowing his eyes. “What do you mean?”

  Her face grew sultry. “Well, like I said—the effect only really hits if A, you haven’t had sex in a while, B, it’s your first time with a lacravida, and C, it’s one-on-one. So… how about you and Raine come over here and help me destress from that shitty red dustball of a planet.”

  There was a long, long pause.

  Inelius looked at Raine. Raine looked at Inelius.

  Then they both looked back at Violet and Veolo, who were watching them like cats at play.

  “…Are you serious?” Raine asked.

  Veolo winked. “You’re just doing research, right?”

  If you're enjoying the journey so far, please consider:

  ?? Following for new chapters every Tuesday & Friday at 5PM EST

  ?? Commenting your thoughts - this story was built to be shared

  ?? for advanced chapters, bonus scenes, and more!

  ?? to discuss chapters, share theories, and connect with other readers