GRETA

In the desert, I was used to eating urkmink and larvitch among other insects I could dig up in the sand.

There is not much soil to scavenge food from down in the market. This mass of flowers and gardens, for certain, would take a long time for anyone to find me in.

The wonderful thing about bugs is I can eat them for free.

I have my own hiding spot all the way back here in the atrium behind the temple.

"My sweet!"

I shrink back as Adler strides over to me with his star map in hand. I completely forgot about that. It has only been a week.

I wonder how long he knew I was back here.

I'm hugged tightly before I have any say in the matter.

"I'm so glad you have come to me, my little baby-"

"Adler, I am not a baby...and I did not come to you. I have been hiding back here to avoid trouble."

"But you are so small like a child - even in your adult body! I bet you are starving! Come, let us fill your belly with a mighty meal, my little pearl."

What choice do I have? His guards have followed him back here. Timid, I take his hand. The closer we get to his massive temple, the slower I walk.

Adler guides me inside. There is plenty of food in here because my sister's offer it to him every day.

After stuffing more than enough food in my mouth, Adler shrinks me without warning. He then wraps me up in his tunic. I'm sure he is expecting me to fight against him, but this heavy feeling in my heart keeps me still.

"Are you feeling well? I wanted to give you some freedom. That is why I did not come for you right away."

His guards were probably watching me the whole time.

"I am sad, Emperor. I thought you saved me and you were to give me away."

Instead of addressing my anxiety, the emperor's eyes narrow on the angry burning new ring around my neck.

"Who did that to you?" he asks. He pulls out a small jar from behind the curtain of his tunic and starts smoothing it over my flesh wound. "Nevermind, we will discuss it later. Are you sleepy?"

"No," I answer.

I do not want to go in his chamber, but he continues to walk around his giant chair. Razor-sharp spikes stick out of it. I always found it scary looking for a god to have.

Things are beginning to make sense.

Adler reaches the door to his chamber and slides it open with one hand while holding me with the other.

The emperor's strength is frightening just like any god's would be. No normal man or woman could so easily slide open such a heavy stone door with such little effort.

Inside the chamber, the large clout glows letting me see the mess of cushions, clothing, goblets and dirt all over the ground.

The air smells bad in here like smoke and something else pungent.

Adler sits on the clout and gestures for me to join him. I sit down beside him and he begins combing the dirt and tangles from my thin hair. There is not much to comb.

There is a soft box of music playing somewhere above us where diamond is carved into the ceiling of his great telescope. The tower of his observatory is in here. Usually, the door is left open for people to enter. Warily, I peer up the staircase remembering Parshavar's horrible screams.

I feel shameful knowing my vision has deteriorated. I was not using my optic lens since leaving the hospice's care...and taking my own escape in the atrium for a few days.

As a result, my world has returned to a mass of blurry silvers and black.

"Are you going to tell me who whipped you, Greta?" A shiver rakes down my back as he pauses with the comb. I always know I am in trouble when he calls me by my real name. "You must understand my concern. Surely, it must be the same soul that made you run away again."

"It was your wife, Adler," I answer. "She knows I am not a baby. She wanted to get rid of me, but she was right to. I spoke out of place, but she wanted me to do something bad. I could not do it so I refused."

His voice makes me straighten, he speaks icily, "This new wound is unforgivable." His next words are so soft, the contrast in tone is ridiculous, "Why did you not tell me it was Femke sooner?"

My heart flutters when his lips brush against the side of my head. Was that an accident? I fold my arms turning my face away from him.

He hugs me, pulling me back into his chest. It is frustrating how he touches me like this. I am not a child.

"I am afraid of all of you. Enoch warned me you wish for my death!" I cry out. "Your sons tell me you are not what you seem. Please do not touch me. You are making me uncomfortable."

"I believe you are quite comfortable around me, little pearl. The true issue seems to be you are uncomfortable in your adult body."

We stand, well, he stands, holding me in front of the mirrored wall. I do not know why there are so many mirrors in here. I do not like it anymore than when I last saw my reflection.

Luckily, Adler is too busy looking at his own.

He begins fixing his own hair and does not recognize my sorrow. I do not ever wish for him to know that part of me. He may think I am ungrateful. Then he will punish me like his wife.

I do not trust him anymore at all.

"What's wrong, Greta? Why are you crying? I've told you, you are safest in my arms. I am the only one in this entire city who knows your needs," he says while holding my optic lense in front of my face. It is comprised of a triangular prism of diamond. The longer I stare into it, the more defined shapes become around me. My heart settles as my vision finally focuses. "See? All better. Look how beautiful you are!"

The only beautiful thing in the mirror is him.

His serious expression makes it hard for me to relax. I'm afraid to look in his eyes. I do not want him to see my disappointment.

"Please take me to the hospice. I am not feeling well."

It is not a complete lie.

An unspoken emotion swirls in his eyes as he whisks me away from the mirror.

We sit back down next to each other on the clout.

"I want you to hand me over to Zard, please, Adler. I think it is the best choice for this city. Parshavar was right. I'm only one person. I have no family...no friends-"

"What am I to you? I am neither friends nor family. Am I?"

Why does he sound so angry? I must have offended him.

"I do not know," I confess.

"I do not know either," he mumbles.

He lays down with me giving me my own space on the cloud beside him. When I was small, he used to take naps with me like this.

The giant white puffs of ever-moving fluff help me form some amount of inner peace. I watch him lay back and close his eyes.

"I'm sorry your life has begun so terribly here. You are important to me, little pearl."

"The empress is not wrong about me. You do not want to keep me here forever. Zard is coming. Brommy says the Eyu people will slaughter the civilians."

He is stil laying on his back with his eyes closed.

Why won't he respond? He is not sleeping. He is pretending to so he does not have to answer me.

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