To My Dear Readers,
This is my 50th story post!! Just a friendly reminder to those coming to this story for the first time - Welcome. But you might want to read A Wider Sky first. This is the second book of the BEYOND ECLIPSE series and this series isn't a standalone. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for reading.
Cheers and Happy Reading,
~Talyis.
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Weight of Penumbra
Beyond Eclipse
Book 2
by Talyis Bagley Ellison
(C) 2017
Chapter 2
โฏโฎโฐ~Gaelen~ โฐโโฌ
When I got home, I just wanted to avoid everyone. I couldn't think anymore. I was exhausted thinking nonstop about Kiowa, the colony, my brothers, my life and my continual failure as the next King. It was a continual cycle that was driving me mad. I can't lead anyone if I'm in love with a human.
But I love Kiowa. And seeing her today, for what she really is was changing. All her kindness and sacrifice - I love her all the more. She wasn't like these privileged girls that were desperate to be with the future king and have all the trappings of power. Kiowa wasn't who she was because of what she was born as but who she was raised to be a loving, smart and courageous woman.
But she was born human and I, Y'vori. We couldn't be together, we couldn't last in a world together. Our kind were not meant to be together.
I flopped onto my warm bed. I had to figure something out. I had to make things right for Kiowa.
"So, you went to the colony," I turned quickly to my open door. My father stood in the doorway, his chin dipping to his chest in that condescending way I knew a biting retort was coming my way. "You fell for that girl didn't you?"
I closed my eyes willing them not to tear in shame because that was the exact truth. I was a defect and I fell in love with a human. I had given my parents yet another reason to feel disappointed in me. I feel like I'mm leading the entire cause down. After decades of hard work to take over the planet, I was going to single-handedly destroy it.
My father crossed his arms and stood in the middle of my door - no escape. "I spoke with Professor Windsor." He continued, "He told me that the human girl was your tutor."
I winced again and bared my chest in a billow of air to block the next emotional blow.
My father arched a silver eyebrow and jutted his chin in a mixed signal of judgment and satisfaction, "He thinks you have great promise. He wants to see you three times a week for private teaching lessons when school starts again."
I didn't even realize that my body had responded by sitting up. I was in shock. How could Windsor think I had potential? I avoided him at all costs the entire school year.
"Don't worry," he toned turned to mock, "Your little human girl will be required to return to school. And I will meet her. She'll stay here the week before you return to school."
With that, he turned on his heels and shut my door.
The air tumbled out of my body; it was hot and it was painful. I had so much built up inside me since this afternoon. I was on a mad roller coaster from almost killing the love of my life, to now this.
I can't believe what had I just thought - Kiowa was the love of my life. I didn't need a damn soul opening to tell me what I had already known.
I rolled over looked at the clock, it was after 2 am and I was now restless than ever before.
Kiowa was coming back to school. She's the love of my life. She was coming over to my house. The love of my life and I were going to be able to spend time together.
Then, it hit my again - another loop and bend on the ride.
I had to convince her that I love her. She had to know that I would never use her like Matthias had. That slug of a human. I wanted to toss salt on him and watch him melt, as he made Mouse melt. He only needed her when she was convenient. That was no way to treat Mouse nor all that she had given up and it was so much. She was so sweet, so selfish and so courageous. She deserved much more and I was determined to make her life better.
I just had to figure out how.
She had thought so high of me. I couldn't wait to tell her that Professor Windsor didn't think I was a complete idiot. She was right, that I just had to prove myself to him. Of course, she understood there was no need for me to feel intimidated by Windsor. Mouse had seen past my defect and she saw me. She was the only one to see the real me and I had to cherish that.
I cherish my Mouse.
I turned on the music and just wanted to melt into the notes just as Mouse had done some many times when listening to human music, enthralled by the emotional pull it created. I love letting the music pull and push my emotions. She was right, it was brilliant, special.
Damn, I was becoming like one of those Perfect-within-Imperfectionist. Fuck.
But Kiowa Walker was damn near perfect for a human. She was perfect because she wasn't like the others that surrounded me, Sons of Eclipse, Generals, and Daughters of Ship Captains that brought us to this damnable planet. They rested on the laurels of their grandparents and their intelligence was simply what they were born with, they didn't have to work for anything. They were perfect because they were simply born. But Kiowa and I, we weren't born into genetic privilege.
Was there a place on this planet for us both? Was there a place in the universe for us?