To think that in a few months—their wedding day—I’d have to do this all over again.
While I appreciated Frank and Kaia’s thoughtful choice of venue, these beautiful gardens—intended to provide me refuge—were neither silent nor peaceful, merely… muted. Still, despite the beat thumping against my system even here, I could breathe more easily and enjoy the glass sculptures scattered among the plants.
A regal figure with brown, sun-kissed skin whose yellow eyes betrayed his naga heritage nodded in greeting. I braced for a conversation as I returned the gesture, but he let me pass without a comment. I wasn’t the only one seeking solace from the noise.
Not long until I could politely disappear, and tomorrow, I’d sit in my own little garden, listening to the birds and the wind. Where I could justbe, feel the energy of the island thrum through me, instead of this insistent thumping. I hovered a hand over a vibrant flower made of glass, so delicate it seemed to float among the thriving green bushes, but I felt no energy.
A softpinginterrupted my thoughts.
Min-Tess drifted gracefully down the path, the tips of his long white fiber-optic hair sparkling, his intricate violet layered dress whispering around him, exuding his regal status. ::I knew I’d find you here. These gardens are beautiful, aren’t they? So full of life.::
His assistant hovered at a distance, blocking the path to give us space. Dressed in his preferred black suit-dress, he was often mistaken for a bodyguard, which suited Min—Queen Tess of Niralen—well. It meant fewer questions about the lack of an actual bodyguard and eliminated the need to disclose our internal security modules.
His skirt brushed mine as he joined me and studied me with a tilted head.
I turned back to the glass flower. ::Why can’t I sense energy in glass? Something that takes so much work to make should have energy, shouldn’t it?::
He reached out and hovered his hand next to mine, his energy lines flashing sage beneath the shimmering top layer of his skin, where mine glowed cerulean.
::Human-made objects carry the maker’s energy inside. Contained. Protected. It marks… ownership. Intention. It’s not for us to absorb. Only to admire.::
As I processed what that meant, he guided my hand to the nearest bush. It thrived compared to the glass and willingly shared its energy with me, though plants didn’t nurture me the way they did my mins or Frank. I could still sense my family’s biomantic influence, even here, in this very human city.
Warmth sparked along our energetic bond as Min sent, ::You worry too much, Chkchk, about our differences.::
I couldn’t help it. Our differences were part of our everyday life. From answering biomancy questions from strangers to the way a bush filled Min’s energy storage times ten compared to mine.
::You’ve handled yourself well tonight. We received much praise about your extensive knowledge, and you can expect invitations for follow-up meetings soon.:: Min twirled around and held out his hand. ::I’d best let our King have his turn in the gardens now. Ready to go back in?::
Laughter from Min-Oliver echoed across our bond as I touched my palm to Min’s—fingers aligned, three to three—and flooded his system with gratitude. I was nowhere near ready. All I could think about was having to attend more meetings instead of spending my days with our tech teams, doing what I loved. But the sooner I went back in, the sooner I could leave.
As the evening progressed, the noise, the lights, and the music grew worse—louder, more vibrant—fraying my senses just shy of frying them. My storage capacity buzzed with the information from all the conversations—stored with permission—as if I were drunk.
Nothing seemed to bother our mins, who sat holding hands as they chatted with various dignitaries, nor Frank, who twirled Kaia on the dance floor, fresh and vibrant, as if it were their first dance of the evening. Their joy shook me to my core, dulling Min’s kind words. I didn’t belong here.
I turned and left.
An attendant nodded at me as I approached, disappearing between the racks before I turned in my ticket. He returned with my cloak and handed it to me with a smile. He also slid a small card across the counter as I wrapped my cloak around myself.
“Safe travels, Your Highness. Your ride will be with you in a moment.”
“Thank you.” I took the card in confusion and stared at it as I exited and breathed in the fresh, chilled night air. It was a simple white card with a QR code next to the text,Need to run away? Check out the Renversé Hotel at Renversé Plaza, Princedelphia, Oregon.Beneath it, someone had written,Ask for Layla.
Did I look that bad? I’d been trying so hard not to let my feelings show. The exhaustion. My frayed senses. The information overload.
“Are you all right, Your Highness?”
I blinked at our driver, who bowed and held the car door open.
“Yes. Thank you,” I mumbled as I sat in the backseat, clutching the card to my chest. When even our driver asked, I had to appear as if my systems had fried.
Images of a plaza with a fountain and a seaside city popped up on my internal screen as I placed my fingers on the QRcode, along with directions. I zoomed in on the plaza. The hotel—inviting and well-maintained at first glance—stood to one side, and a coffee shop with a small patio called Le Café Magnifique on the other. It brought up memories of the last espresso I’d had—a mediocre one, hours before the party. I craved one now as much as I craved quiet. It seemed like a wonderful place to disappear to.
I accessed my system. There was a bus leaving in about an hour. It was a long way to travel for espresso, but it wasn’t about the coffee. It was the idea of being somewhere I wouldn’t have to perform, somewhere without the pressure of representing our kingdom. Somewhere I could breathe. Excitement flooded my system—the same feeling that hit me when working with Kin-Bertie, my mentor, fixing systems and finding solutions. I booked a seat, using my secured account to hide my tracks.
I was running away to Princedelphia.
Chapter Two
