Battle for the Photon Core WATTPAD VERSION [Inter-Universal Protectors: Book 1]

Chapter Seventeen (Colt)

Colt paced in the long green grass alongside the rushing waters of the Lotus River on a planet named Glacirem. He rubbed his hands together, agitated. It was not because of the slight chill in the air, though he had never been used to colder temperatures. It was the downside of growing up in a desert. "She has been down there for over half an hour now," he muttered, still pacing back and forth. "What is taking her so long?"

"It's a very long and deep river," Leo answered.

He was lounging on a rock in the sunlight, his hands braced behind his head and his eyes closed. He had not bothered opening them when speaking. The General looked completely unconcerned by the fact that his Queen had been gone for longer than expected. A golden eagle – Nikki, no doubt – was sitting on his shoulder. After pruning her feathers, she looked to be slowly falling asleep.

"Glacirem is known for its rivers, lakes, and oceans. Most of them are fed by the snow and glacial runoff further up the mountains." Leo pointed towards some of the mountains he was speaking of. Indeed, their peaks were covered in fresh white sparkling snow despite it being the warmest time of year on this world. Apparently. Colt was rather sceptical of that. "Makes the water purer while keeping it nice and cold at the same time." The General frowned. "I really do sound like Amnsy sometimes, don't I."

Nikki squawked her confirmation, earning a sour look from Leo. It was a strange site to Colt, seeing the famed General of Lyriumia having a silent argument with a golden eagle. Nikki flapped her wings, jumping from his shoulder. She landed on the rock he was leaning on where she shook her feathers and sat again, tucking her head into a wing for a sleep in the sun. Leo only rolled his eyes at the Queen's Second.

"Even so," Colt said, wiping the confused expression from his face at the scene unfolding before them. "How can it take half an hour?"

All that he had been told was that they were retrieving a stone. He had not been told why but assumed it had something to do with Tara's plan to release the Dark King. Amneris had insisted on getting it herself, dropping her long zaffre cloak into the grass and vanishing into the water without anyone having the chance to change her mind. He let out a frustrated sigh.

Leo placed a hand on the spot beside him almost invitingly. "Sit and relax for five minutes, will you? You'll wear a hole through to the planet's core at the rate you're going." There was humour in his voice. That was rare for Colt to hear, especially when directed towards him. Leo seemed to have a problem with his presence. It had only become worse since Amneris allowed for him to join the Court.

Reluctantly, he did as he was told. Still, it did not stop him from worrying. What if something had happened? What if she was in trouble? Or hurt? Or dead? Or worse? He raised a hand to his head. There was no way he could stop himself worrying about her safety. It did not matter that she had absolutely no idea who he was.

"If you don't stop worrying, I'll put my gladius through your gut." Colt faced Leo who had a hand resting on the leather-wrapped hilt of one sword. He gave him a slightly softer and reassuring look. "She's fine. We would know if she was in trouble."

"Yeah," Colt agreed. "There would be a large explosion if she was."

Leo laughed. Actually laughed. "That does sound like the Amnsy way to solve a problem." He sat up straighter, a grin on his features. "There was this one thing she told me. Basically, she sent a guy through a wall because he was poisoning people at a party. Apparently, they never found the body."

Colt knew the story very well. He had been there when it happened all those years ago. The memory of the Amneris he remembered made him smile. Some things never change when it comes to that woman, he thought with a laugh.