WE DITCH THE already wild party, neither of us looking back as we walk. We don't talk as we let our feet guide us, moving to a destination our minds don't know as we walk side by side. Xerxion's gaze passes over me once in a while as we walk down the crowded sidewalk, my shoulder brushing against his arm. Xerxion is a warrior who leaves countless opponents at his mercy, so I'll let you imagine just how muscular that arm is as it brushes against mine. Never have I ever felt so... soft.
Now that we are forced to walk close together so we don't lose each other in the crowd, I am forced to take notice of how tall he is. He looms over me and just about everyone else we pass. Even many of the men look like dwarfs next to him. We've never really been this close before and when we are even remotely close, my brain seems to shut down and his height is the last thing on my mind. Now, as I sneak a glance at him, watching his long legs as they move him forward confidently, I think I'd say he was at least 6'7.
In my memories, he wasn't quite so tall. I think that maybe that might have been because I was taller in my alien life than in my human one. Now that I'm thinking back, Ithuriel, Fauvian, and Halcyon were all pretty high up on the height scale, too. Although, I recall Xerxion saying Ithuriel was from a planet called Solis and was definitely not Niburian, maybe such height was an alien thing.
Because me? Well, let's just say I'm not the tallest girl in the world. In fact, a girl of normal height could stand beside me and feel like a supermodel. The only thing someone could really like about me is my personality. And honestly? I'm lacking in that department, too.
Xerxion pulls me into a nearby Chinese restaurant and right at that moment, I decide that he really is my soul mate. Without me even speaking, he sensed my need for food. And bringing me to a Chinese restaurant further compliments him in my eyes.
Xerxion lets me order since he admits-a tad sheepishly-that he is not really sure about the restaurants on Earth and the large menu seems to give him anxiety.
When I've ordered, Xerxion reaches in his back pocket and whips out money to pay. Money as in American currency. I cannot help but raise my brows in surprise.
I still have so many questions for Xerxion and I plan to get my answers to said questions tonight.
After a few minutes, we're seated in a corner booth at the far end of the restaurant, surrounded by food. Xerxion is looking at it all wide eyed, hands at his sides as if he's afraid to touch it.
I pick up a pork bun, lips twitching as I desperately fight a smile. "I've never tried the pork buns here," I admit, biting down. The flavor explodes in my mouth and I nod my head, my mind, and body in complete agreement: we're going to eat all these pork buns ourselves.
Glancing at Xerxion as he reaches for one of the pork buns and studies it inquisitively. He leans toward it and takes a bite. Once he does his eyes widen as he swallows it, looking at the pork bun the same way I look at pork buns: with awe.
"A pork bun?"
"A pork bun."
He continues eating the pork bun, not nearly as hesitant anymore, his eyes sweeping over to the Lo Mein, the egg rolls, and the fortune cookies. His eyes sweep over to my plate and he tilts his head to one side, curiosity all of his face.
"What's that?" He wonders, leaning forward to get a better look.
"It's called Laziji."
"Laziji?"
"Yeah, um... it's got this marinated deep fried chicken and..." I twist my lips as I try to explain it, then shake my head, deciding I can't. "It would be better if you tried it yourself." I looked at him very seriously as I said, "I'm about to do something I've never done before."
Seeing my seriousness, Xerxion's eyes sweep over my face, waiting for me to give away what I was about to do.
"I'm sharing my food with you." My heart is pounding at that thought. I've never-ever-shared my food with anyone. Ever.
"Be lucky that I like you."
"Is that a confession?"
The tone of Xerxion's voice sounded a lot like he was flirting. When I look up at him, his face is doing that thing where it's completely straight, giving nothing away, but his eyes are laughing, amused by how flustered I clearly am.
"Just try it." I push my plate over to him lightly, trying to ignore my warm cheeks and Xerxion's obvious amusement.
When he does, his eyes widen and he just stares at the plate, then slowly drags his gaze to meet my eyes.
"That's amazing."
I laugh and nod.
"Now, give me my food."
Halfway through eating, I clear my mouth of food and say, "I still have a lot of questions..."
Xerxion looks up, nodding once. His serious gaze seems to say he figured as much.
"The first time we met on that beach, Ithuriel said you and your merry band of idiots crashed into him. That being said, I'm assuming you're not here alone...?"
Xerxion looks at me for a long time before he opens his mouth to speak.
"The Imperial Guard came along with me."
"Imperial Guard?" That sounds familiar, but when I try to remember where I've heard that name, all I'm drawing are blanks.
Understanding my confusion immediately, Xerxion explains, "They were your private army in your other life. They did a lot of missions in the Cosmos that you didn't trust anyone else with. I told you, remember? Now that the people of our planet know their queen is alive, many of them wish to follow you."
"And the ones who don't want to follow me want me dead."
"That won't happen." Xerxion fixes me with his serious gaze. "Not only is the Imperial Guard here, but I'm here, too. I failed to protect you once, I don't plan on doing so again."
When my eyes meet Xerxion's, I see that he is serious. There are no shadows of doubt in his deep, expressive eyes. He plans to protect me with his life if he needs to.
"Where are you all staying? And how in the hell did you end up with money?"
"For now, we're continuing to stay in our ship. It's still broken from our crash landing here, but once it's fixed the General thinks it would be a good idea to take you and head for Niburu." Xerxion frowns a little.
"You don't think that's a good idea." There's no need to ask, his disapproval is as plain as day.
"It's like you said, many still do not wish for you to rule. For the time being, Earth is the safest place for you. But your government hunts us. Ever since we landed in your Sahara Desert, they have been searching far and wide. It won't be long until they discover where we've hidden our ship. We don't wish to quarrel with mankind. Our only concern is you."
I lean back in my seat, considering things for a moment.
"Who's been running Niburu for the last seventeen years?"
"As your king, that responsibility fell upon me," Xerxion replies, frown deepening. "Once you are able to return, the task will return to you." He looks like he feels relieved about that. Seeing the thinly veiled relief on his face, I'm reminded of my memory. The one where he told me he was not fit to rule people and he didn't know the first thing about being a leader.
"My body is human now..." I trail off.
"I am aware of this."
"Is being on Niburu...safe for me?"
"The air of Niburu and the air of Earth are very similar to one another. If anything, the Niburuian air should be much better for you than your Earth air."
I nod once, my mind moving a thousand miles a minute. If I do end up having to return to Niburu, what would I say to Lari, Ty and Ava? I don't like the idea of having to leave them behind. And what about Aida. When all is said and done, those four are the ones I can't stand the idea of leaving.
Suddenly, though, my heart is beating in overdrive, my skin is far too overheated and there are tingles starting from the tips of my toes and working their way up to the crown of my head, and all of this is because Xerxion has lightly bumped his foot against mine.
My eyes shoot up, seeking his, wondering if the whole foot bump thing was intentional or if he did it by accident. Because he is tall and his legs are long and it's very possible it was completely an accident. Even if it is an accident, I will tell myself it was done purposely.
Giving nothing away, Xerxion says, "You don't have to leave if you wish. We can stay here as long as you want. Forever if that's what you desire."
What I desire is you, my love, the deepest fathoms of my soul whispers.
Clearing my throat, I give him a nod.
The minute we step out of the restaurant is when everything goes wrong. The cars whirling by us warp like some drug induced hallucination. It's like the feeling I had the one time I took the kids to Disney World and they insisted on riding one of those big roller coasters. It's that feeling of dropping from the highest point, feeling all your organs slam against the front of your stomach as you fall screaming, feeling the wind whip by you and feeling your heart race from the danger.
It's exactly like that but so much worse.
I stagger as the once colorful world turns black. The sensation is like I'm being pulled forward at light speed.
I hear Xerxion muttering something, but I can't understand him over the wind and the blood rushing in my ears.
Then, just like that, the world around us comes back into focus. The weird thing is that we're not where we started. The first thing my body registers is the great difference in temperature. The once warm night is very chilly, at least fifty degrees and steadily dropping. My shoes are not on a sidewalk, but instead, they are in sand. So much sand. A sea of sand.
Ithuriel is standing in front of us, his wild eyes moving from Xerxion to me and back again. Halcyon is standing behind him, staring at me hard. Fauvian is looking straight at Xerxion, his handsome face dripping with malice. It seems like he doesn't intend to forgive Xerxion for chucking a blade into his shoulder the last time they met.
"Xerxion, Rania, welcome to the party," Ithuriel greets us like a perfect host, smiling as his eyes glint in the moonlit dark. "Seeing my two favorite lovebirds is always a pleasant surprise."