GRETA

I do not wish to be put anywhere near the shelter of Zard. I cannot rely on Enoch anymore.

In the night, I wandered the streets until I found the very market the family of thieves live.

"Hida!" I yell using my manly voice.

I knock on the closed entryway until the wood slab is moved open. I raise my chin, towering over her plump father with my sword in arm.

"Can I help you?"

"You robbed me. I request money or I will kill you."

I can see Hida lurking behind her father.

"Let him come in, Father," she says softly. She bows her head while I pass through the entryway. "He is not working for the commune!"

"Truly not?" her father says to my face. "I suppose that is why he is wearing a red tunic!"

"I owe allegiance to no one but myself. Now, I ask you," I retort, "Why did you steal my robes?"

Hida moves to the small table patting her father's shoulder as he sits down.

"He thought you were lying. You are built like a soldier and many times Zard's guards will lie to spy on civilians. We were looking out for ourselves...as you can see we are not of wealth either," she mumbles.

"I told you before I was not working with him and you didn't believe me," I reply, wanting to be bitter. It is hard to feel so with such a lovely-looking person. I still cannot get over how easily she moves over this slippery floor. My legs are covered in bruises from falling so much on my way to this market. "Do you believe me now?"

"Yes," her father grumbles while shrinking back against my glare. "Hida, bring out his tunic. Luckily, we kept the belonging. For folk of our standing, selling such an item would raise suspicion...you probably shouldn't walk around in it. I would keep the red one. How did you acquire it, if I may ask?" he asks.

"Like you, others have assumed I am fit to be a guard. I was offered a position but refused. Unfortunately, I did not know colors meant so much to all of you."

One moment, Hida acts shy and innocent, the next, she is resting her head on my arm and petting my chest.

"Father, I believe him."

"Of course you do," he grumbles.

***

BROMMY

I don't know why Adler thought Cephine would not be angry to witness our arrival.

"I hoped you died," she shouts while shielding the baby's body from us. She is still a woman, and obviously, still in love with him. "Zard will find you soon. Where do you plan to go first, the whore house?"

"I'm going to join the ranks," Adler answers evenly, "In a mass of armoured men, it will be easy to go unnoticed."

"But for how long, Adler? Why did you bother coming here?" she asks with a soft gaze. Amazing how easily he stirs up the emotions of females. "I thought you wanted to die? That's why you and your son stayed on Ashtium. You did not want to admit defeat. You did not want to admit you couldn't save your people."

"No," he chides while cradling her face. His pout is phony. "I could never have saved those people. In the heat of the moment, why, I only told Zard that little lie so he would spare my daughter. Were you expecting me to simply give him what he came for-"

"Daughter? You still think I will believe that lie? You are the greatest fool!"

Celeste begins crying. Cephine turns her back to us to nurse the baby on a bench.

"Enoch wants to marry me," she announces while letting the top of her tunic fall down to the bench. She turns toward us, teasing our attention with the curve of her huge chest. "I have refused. I prayed to the gods you would come for me. I do not wish to parent alone."

Even after everything this wicked woman has done, he still will not ignore her seduction. If she were not so beautiful, her immodesty would be repulsive to him I'm sure.

She lays the baby in its noyk and already has her robes off.

Adler looks my way.

"Get out."

With ringing ears, I do feel inclined to leave them to it. I suppose he had plenty of time to miss her, or more accurately, the body of a woman, being alone with me in the dark.

"What do you think will happen when she finds out?" I whisper back for Greta's sake only.

His low chuckle makes my skin crawl.

"Did you truly think I fell in love with that child? Her mind is bent. She is in love with women."

I storm out of the room.

"And you are in love with yourself," I sneer under my breath. "Damn you!" I mutter while finding my voltak outside the commune.

We learned it is where Zard lives. Cephine is housed in the building next over to it.

This city is so beautiful and rich in wealth. Curiosity takes me further away from the commune and into the heart of one of many markets. The area is composed of vendor stands, and the homes of their owners, shacks.

How could I forget those soft grey eyes? The bulk of her amazing muscle. Her hair has grown short, above her ears in a healthier thick layer that makes her look like a man.

Why is she dressed as a soldier of the commune?

A thin woman with scales for skin enters the shack behind her.

I don't want to approach yet. It's best I wait and return to Adler. Moving quickly through the crowds, I find my way back to Cephine's place of living. Luckily, I find Adler already outside. Alone.

"Have you finished?" I ask sharply.

"She is still my wife, Brometheus."

"And Greta your daughter? By the gods, you are truly horrific! Would you have done such a thing in Greta's presence?"

"She has already been present to watch once before. Do you not remember? That child is the reason we have lost everything and been forced to come here!" he growls. "I am well aware of the lines I will not cross. Have you found her yet?" he asks rapidly, remorseful, behind those bleeding eyes he furiously wipes.

"You would not feel shame or regret if you thought once for a soul other than your own. How could I have possibly found her so soon?"

I don't want to give Adler the privilege of seeing her. I think her heart will break for the last time when she uncovers his latest poor decision. It does not matter what I wish, unfortunately, the limpnut survived our trip here and will now be used to bring us to her.

We have already begun walking away from the building.

"What kind of woman do you think my sweet would settle for?"

"Someone with a beautiful soul. Incubators are not greedy. Imagine being thought of for use rather than an intellectual...such is the life they live. Imagine the trauma it would take for a soul to question its existence," I round out, relentless. "When man writes history, and speaks the wisdom for man, what do you think man does by it?"

"Enough talk," he cuts back while dusting off his tunic. "I must find my sweet," he says through the silver plating of his helmet.

We have dressed as soldiers of the commune ourselves. It works best to hide our identities. The people here are of all different races but Zard and Enoch know our faces.

"Why don't we settle for the night?"

"Where?" he retorts in a low voice. "We are without the currency of this empire!"

"Well, perhaps Cephine could shelter us?"

"No, I will not endanger another woman. I promised my pearl I would look out for my wife and child."

I try not to listen as he goes on about many other delusional memories of his. His mind is corroded. Only I can look out for Greta now. Adler is changing but it will not be enough for her.

I catch his dark stare and pull my hand from my necklace.

"You wish for her now, don't you? May I ask why you have kept this from me?"

"No, as I have told you before, I do not. Unlike you, if I wished for Greta, there would be no wrong by it for our youth is not so distant from each other."

"I...think I agree. As I told my wife, it is for the best I remain a parental figure."

"Or could it be you fallen for Cephine's charms like every man? She is beautiful and smart. She is graceful-"

"What kind of woman do you wish for?" he interjects.

Only one face comes to mind. I admit, I do fancy a woman's attention but I do not hold a bodily desire for them to the extent he does.

"If there is one thing I have learned from the wise, it is I should be more concerned with my standing in the eyes of the gods, rather than my irrelevant preference for pleasure. For that is what you seek in all things, isn't it, Adler?"

"What else could man want?"

"Imagine what power you would gain considering what the incubators want too. The mind of sheep are easily swayed. "

I watch with unease as he sets the desert rat down.

"Show us the way." It sniffs the air, its long blue tail going rigid as it squeaks and bolts forward. Adler claps his hands appearing elated as we hurry after it. "I can't wait to find my pearl!"

"How are your eyes here?"

"Perfectly healthy."

"Then why have they turned black?"

"A chemical reaction from the ash and chemicals in the atmosphere we crossed on our way here. I can see in color like I could as a young lad."

"I don't know if we should go to Greta so soon. Well...I mean you. She may be convinced she is still dead if you show."

Adler nods.

"Then," he begins, "I suppose you should go and bring her to me. Yes, that probably is best. She will be happier to see you rather than me. I will be waiting with Cephine. Do not delay."

☁️