GRETA

"Adler!" I say anxiously. I reach toward his shoulder. His eyes open as I grab his hand. "You cannot keep me here forever."

"I know," he sighs. He rolls over facing me fully. I gulp taking in his new sly smile. "Do not worry, my sweet. All will be taken care of. I am emperor for good reason and there is good reason my empire is feared most across the cosmos!"

Feared? No wonder I had a bad feeling about this place and this strange man who supposedly rules it.

He watches me as though he is waiting for me to share his pride and excitement.

The emperor's changes in mood make no sense at all to me.

He sets his hand between us flat on the clout's surface. Its glow completely dims into complete darkness. And there is no more seeing anything but the silver form of Adler.

I do not like to be dependent on him but I also do not like where my mind travels when I think about if he never did find me.

Strong arms wrap around me. He reels me in gently until he can cradle me in his hold. I relax a little more when he tucks his tunic over me.

He did this too when I was shrunken. His wife always stayed with us for naps. Does he truly think I do not understand what he is doing?

I pull away from him and sit up.

"What is the matter, my little pearl?"

"In what way do you love me, Emperor? You said you do not know yourself if you are friend or family to me. Maybe you do not love me at all," I whisper gently.

"I love you like a father loves a child. You know that."

Nervous, I hop off the clout.

"I should be going."

"Do not worry, little pearl. I will find a new wife for Zard. That has been my plan all along."

Something tells me it wasn't. He is not much of a planner. I am beginning to see a pattern. He likes to live in the moment, and does not consider the impact on others, his sons carry the burden of his unwanted duties.

I don't believe it is a coincidence he chose someone of his race. Someone far out alone in the black desert. So easily, he could have found a woman right in this city.

"I can see right through you," I whisper, "Your joy and elation around me is a pretense. A show. For some reason, you do not want me to see your true self. Why is that?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about, little pearl."

The amusement in his tone is frustrating.

He knows exactly what I am talking about, but he is getting some form of entertainment out of avoiding my question.

"One moment you are silly and kind, but the next, you are angry and capable of going so far as to murder someone in an emotionally charged situation."

Silently, he sits there with that same smile.

"Which is the real you?" I ask.

"I am entirely confused by your observation. I think you need a nap, little pearl."

"I do not need a nap. What do you find so funny?"

He watches the ground.

"Maybe you answered your own question," he replies. All smiles gone, he looks up at me with those piercing eyes. "I have a question of my own. Have I disappointed you?"

His stone cold stare makes me feel like I'm watching a complete stranger.

"I...I am not feeling well. I should be going."

The switch flips as his gaze darkens on me.

"Do not bother coming back. You foolish child. I am the emperor, you will learn not to question my intentions. Most would be dead before given the opportunity. I saved you," he rounds out. I cower back as he moves from the floating cloud. Has he always been this tall? This intimidating? His movements are rigid as he storms over to me. The cloud behind him darkens along with his sudden anger. "Get out! You are an ugly and ungrateful child!" he yells.

My lip trembles, in a hurry, I run out of the room.

"Wait," Adler's voice softens, he sounds hysterical, "Come back! I didn't mean to...little pearl! Where are you going?"

I keep running.

I hear objects being thrown around behind me. Hiding behind the safety of a column, I watch from a distance.

With fury, he rapidly flips over the marble tables in front of his throne. Goblets, glassware and baskets go flying. Like startled birds, my sisters praying inside go running away quickly.

When every marble table is turned over, only then does he settle down and return to his throne.

I do not know how, but he isn't holding his star map and his head moves exactly in my direction. He is looking right at me.

He leaps down from his chair.

The heavy feeling in my chest returns.

"I ordered you to leave."

"Silence!" a familiar voice shouts. "What unnecessary dramatics have you stirred up now in that wine-drenched brain of yours?" Brommy asks. He walks out from the shadows of the columns across from me. "You lazy fool! The door to your chamber was left open and anyone could have snuck in and stole the Book of Sood."

Adler looks surprised by his son.

"She is an ungrateful brat!"

"And you are a disgraceful drunk!" Brommy yells in his face. I cannot understand why Adler is not enraged by it. "You are going to march back into your chamber and shut the goddamn door behind you! Or so help me, I will let Greta see the amount of nameless whores you spend your free time with and give your undivided attention to the moment she leaves your sight. You know, the reason why your visits are so short and limited. You choose your whores, and every other addiction of yours, over family! Leave, now!"

I can hear the cloud inside Adler's chamber rumbling as though in sync with Brommy's anger.

Adler does not look embarrassed. Like a spoiled child, he raises his chin with an entitled pout.

"I can do whatever I please. There is no law against enjoying the favors and pleasure women choose to give me freely. There is nothing wrong with it at all! They offer it themselves. I did not ask for them to come to me. Every man is encouraged to get pleasure from their bodies. It is what makes us men. Wives age and there's no possibility of arousal from wrinkled bodies. Most wives cannot compare to the body of my beautiful women...neither could this ungrateful hideous child-"

I jump watching Brommy's fist connect with Adler's jaw.

Stunned, I step back as his father's body falls onto the ground. Knocked out cold.

"Guards!" Brommy yells. A chilling smirk forms on his face as he watches his unconscious father. "Take the drunken bastard back into his chamber where no one else has to witness the embarrassment he is to this empire!"

Enoch joins his side shaking his head in disapproval.

"I heard thunder and rushed over from the palace. What in Ashtium's name has he done now?"

"Luckily, just another tantrum. No one got hurt, but him!" Brommy laughs.

Enoch joins in on his laughter, but if I knew any better, I'd say his laughter is a nervous one.

I'm not the only one who doesn't find it funny.

A son knocking out his father? It was only just the other day Brommy hit his mother and grabbed Enoch's neck. I think Enoch is more afraid of Brommy than his unhinged father.

I think I am too. Brommy, for some reason, has some amount of control over Adler. I'm really beginning to think they are not father and son at all. They very well may be brothers.

My mind is spinning. This family is absolutely crazy.

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