by Tasha Black
Could the heavens suck her upward and off the surface?
Could something monstrous swoop down and crush her?
Every terrifying possibility occurred to her at once and she froze in place, unable to move.
“Hailey?” the councilman said.
But she couldn’t tear her eyes from the heavens.
He moved close to her, making himself the biggest thing in her sight, looming over her face as if he were purposefully blotting out part of the sky.
“The sky,” she was able to murmur, focusing on his eyes. “I didn’t know it was so… big.”
“Do you want to know a secret?” he asked her.
She nodded.
“The first time I visited Lower Arkadia, I was terrified that Upper Arkadia was going to crash down and crush me,” he admitted, looking a little embarrassed. “I knew it didn’t make sense, but I was very sure it was going to happen anyway.”
She smiled at the idea. Of course, the two halves of Arkadia wouldn’t crash into each other. Every primary student learned about the gravitational relationship between the two bodies before they were old enough to tie their own shoes.
“I did get used to it,” he told her. “But probably not as quickly as you’re going to get used to this. Keep in mind that there is a barrier between us and the stars here, you just can’t see it.”
“The stratosphere,” she remembered.
“Exactly,” he told her. “What you’re seeing beyond that is just the view.”
She nodded slowly, knowing he was right.
“But for now,” he said. “We’ll just use this.”
He pulled something out of his pocket and waved his wrist once.
A hologram umbrella appeared and covered both their heads.
“Better?” he asked.
“Better,” she nodded gratefully.
An emotion crossed his face, something wistful and gratified all at once. Before she could figure out what it meant, it was gone.
“Let’s go home,” he told her.
Her mind caught on that word again.
Home.
She was going to have to do a lot of thinking about what that meant for her now.
He placed the hand that wasn’t holding the umbrella at the small of her back, and led her toward a hover vehicle that she hadn’t noticed, since she’d been too busy looking up.
She tried to ignore the tingle that shot through her at his touch, chalking it up to all the excitement of the day.
9
Orion
Orion kept his hand wrapped around Hailey’s as the car began to move.
She didn’t seem to be frightened anymore, and he felt a deep sense of satisfaction he’d never experienced before, knowing that he had helped her through her first few moments here.
She sat silently beside him, gazing through the portals with an expression of wonder as they sailed past the buildings of New Bairood.
He looked outside for a moment too. Orion had grown up in the suburbs of the city, with these buildings flying past every time he entered a craft.
But she was right, they were wondrous. Seeing the sleek glass facades and elegant composite domes through her eyes brought magic to his world that had been hidden to him before.
He snuck another look at her. She was going to be his wife, but it felt odd to allow his possessive gaze to linger on her small form.
She was thin, yet she looked stronger than many of the others, even though Marion had said it was her first day. He wondered what her life had been like before.
He could ask, but it wasn’t a conversation he really knew how to start. Maybe that would come with time.
He looked forward to knowing her better, and to making sure she had access to all the good food New Arkadia had to offer. And he would take her to the real City Fair Museum, and the orchestra, and anywhere else that might please her.
A buzz of anticipation went through him at the idea of other things that might please her.
But then he reminded himself of all she had been through. She was very young, and had her reasons for joining the agency, none of which likely had anything to do with craving male attention.
Suddenly, he thought about Opal, and how he would feel if she got boxed into a corner like the one Hailey was trying to climb her way out of. Would he want someone to take advantage of her, or offer a helping hand with no strings attached?
Orion glanced over at Hailey. She was still studying her new city, taking it all in.
He had chosen her because she had done a selfless deed for a friend, taking the blame for the ruined museum scene. Instinct had drawn him to her because she was kind and generous - the kind of person he wanted to influence his daughter.
Now it was his turn to be generous.
He just needed to lay down some clear ground rules.
I will not touch her. I will give her my home and my name, but I will not impose myself on her.
Now that the decision was made, he felt more at ease. Though there was a strange, hollow ache in his chest.
“We’re almost there,” he told her, noticing that the city had melted into the lush greenery of the suburbs while he was arguing with himself.
“It’s beautiful,” she told him, fixing him with her soft eyes.
“I hope you’ll like the house,” he told her. “You’ll have to tell me if there’s anything you need to be comfortable.”
She smiled and nodded, looking down at her hands again, as if his offer were overwhelming instead of a common courtesy.
Orion was starting to understand that there was a lot about his own life that he had been taking for granted.
As they approached the manor, he realized there were a dozen reporters waiting.
“Around back,” he called to the driver, knowing Hailey wasn’t ready for the press just yet.
The car swung around to the gate, which swept upward and out of the way when the sensors fixed on the vehicle.
They took the wending route slowly, under the trees around the estate to the back, passing a large gee-stone house with a copper roof.
“This is your home?” Hailey breathed. “It’s incredible.”
It took him a second to realize that she wasn’t joking.
“That’s the servants’ quarters,” he said gently. “Here comes our house.”
The trees opened to reveal the emerald rear lawns at the back of the manor. It wasn’t as impressive as the front, but Orion liked to think it was more welcoming. And it showed off the walls of glass that spanned the back of the first floor.
Hailey’s hand went soft in his and a tense expression crossed her face. Was she frightened?
“There’s a large staff, and we host many foreign dignitaries,” he told her gently. “But the house itself feels like a home, I promise you. And if it doesn’t, we’ll build another one.”
That made her jaw drop.
“Truly, Hailey, you are my betrothed,” he told her. “Tell me what you want, and I will make it happen for you, if it is in my power.”
“I-I don’t care about the house,” she murmured.
Orion was getting something wrong. He could sense that much. But he couldn’t imagine what it was.
He thought about asking her, but then the driver pulled up at the rear entry hall and there was no more time to talk.
Kypha was already sprinting toward the car in precarious high heels.
“This woman is my publicity consultant,” he had time to warn Hailey. “She’s high energy, but she has a big heart. You’ll like her.”
The doors of the craft slid open and Kypha stood there panting with her hands on her hips.
“What are you doing, VynFleet?” she demanded. “I’ve got a curated selection of the press out there and you’re sneaking in the back door?”
“Hailey and I wanted some privacy,” he said firmly, stepping out.
Hailey was still clinging to his hand, so she had no choice but to follow.
“Hailey,” Kypha echoe
d, looking the girl up and down with an expression of rapture. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
Hailey let go of his hand to bow to Kypha.
Kypha frowned.
“Hailey arrived at the agency today,” Orion said pointedly, hoping he wasn’t going to have to spell it out for her. “She will need your help finding someone to teach her our customs.”
“It would be my pleasure,” Kypha said, realization dawning. “As a matter of fact, I’ll teach her myself, if you will allow it. And if that would please you, Hailey?”
He smiled, glad that she had remembered to address the girl herself, though she showed no sign that she planned to speak at all.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice soft and low.
“It’s my pleasure, Hailey,” Kypha said with a warm smile. “I just know we’re going to be good friends. Now first things first. We’re going to go and get makeovers - my treat. You’ll love having bright hair and eye mods like the other Upper Arkadian ladies. Do you think you can get away at some point tonight?”
Orion frowned. He liked Hailey just as she was. His heart sank a little at the thought of her looking like one more spoiled socialite.
“Thank you,” Hailey said. “But I think I’ll pass on the makeover for now, if that’s okay?”
“Of course,” Kypha said brightly, looking like someone had just run over her childhood pet. “Since we’re not having a session with the press, I’ll head out so you two can have some quiet time. But the instant you’re even a little bit bored, I’m your girl.”
She lifted her bracelet to Hailey and Hailey bumped hers into it. Now they had each other’s contacts. And even though it was a small thing, and Kypha was his employee, Orion felt a surge of pride that Hailey had a friend.
Kypha swept away toward her own car, giving Orion a little wave over her shoulder.
Two of the butlers stood on the back stairs to greet them as two more swung open the doors.
The entry hall was simpler than the one at the front of the house, but still welcoming with its composite floor, stained by a local artist. Tubes of heated thermo-gel under the surface kept it warm through the frigid mornings and evenings.
“This way,” he told Hailey, stepping into the family room that spanned the back of the house.
He watched as she took in the floating furniture and luxurious rugs and tapestries from all over the system. There was little room for artwork when most of the walls were glass, but her eyes did catch on the sculptures displayed on the pillars set at intervals throughout the space.
“Syllatet,” a soft droid-like voice called out.
A moment later, Syllatet, the afternoon nanny, appeared with Opal in her arms.
Syllatet was tall, with pale hair, dispassionate blue eyes and a solid, curvy figure. But all three nannies had the same features, and honestly, if it weren’t for the time of day, Orion wasn’t entirely convinced he would know which one was which.
“Councilman VynFleet,” she said in a bored way, making a rough approximation of the Upper Arkadian bow with the baby in her arms.
“Thank you, Syllatet,” he said, holding his arms out for Opal.
The little one recognized him. He was sure of it. She made a humming noise and snuggled right into his arms.
“Hello, darling,” he cooed.
Syllatet bowed again and disappeared into the house. But Orion had eyes only for his daughter.
“Opal, there’s someone I want you to meet,” he told the little one.
Turning back to Hailey, he felt his heart almost stop beating in his chest.
After all the marvels she had seen today, the transport, the open sky, the big city, and their beautiful home, nothing had put an expression of wonder on her face like the one she wore right now, gazing down at little Opal in his arms.
10
Hailey
Hailey awoke in a strange bed, the soft glow of floating light globes showing her the outlines of the room.
She vaguely remembered one of the maids showing her up here after she fell asleep on the family room sofa.
And she had clearly nodded off again, fully clothed, on the bed.
Hopefully they didn’t all think she suffered from narcolepsy. It had just been an incredibly stressful day. And as the adrenaline of it all wore off, she just couldn’t seem to keep her eyes open.
She looked around in disbelief at the room the maid had told her was hers. It was larger than an entire family home on Lower Arkadia, by a lot.
Giant windows gave her an expansive view over the lawn, and the inside of the room had floating furnishings, walls of built-in bookshelves, and even her own bathroom.
She hadn’t expected a room of her own. Since the whole point of being here was to become a wife, she’d expected to be sharing quarters. But the maid had explained that Orion’s rooms were at the end of the hall.
Did wealthy husbands and wives on Upper Arkadia not sleep together? Or was this just because they weren’t married yet?
She wished desperately that there had been time for a little more information back at the agency. But she was scrappy, and she was sure she would get to the bottom of it.
Suddenly, she felt a bolt of panicked lightning go through her body.
What if she had been expected to sleep with Orion tonight? These were modern times. He wouldn’t want to have a wedding without sampling her offerings.
But then she had gone to sleep before he could touch her.
Twice.
Her heart pounded like a drum, and she leapt off the bed and began to pace the room. She couldn’t afford to mess this up.
Orion was probably bitterly disappointed. He could easily stop the payment of her bonus, and just return her to the agency in the morning when she failed to live up to her side of the bargain.
She was surprised to find that the bonus wasn’t the only reason she was feeling bad about messing up.
Orion wasn’t just wealthy and powerful, like any man who could afford the agency would be. He was also handsome, but that wasn’t everything.
It was his kindness to her that warmed her heart, and the love he so clearly felt for his little one.
“You can’t screw this up,” she murmured to herself.
There was only one thing to do. And it would require a level of bravery she hadn’t anticipated needing just yet.
She stripped off her clothes and headed to the shower, counting her blessing that she had watched Valerie work the one back at the agency.
In no time, she was warm and squeaky clean, heart pounding with anticipation. The wardrobe printer in the corner of her room was waiting, and she stepped inside.
It scanned her quickly, then began offering nightwear.
It was freezing in the room and instinct had her almost touching her hand to a set of cozy flannels, but she withdrew her hand just in time and kept scrolling.
There were incredibly sexy outfits. Those were tempting with what she had in mind. But she was trying to be a wife, not a mistress.
She traced the word traditional into the search bar and a lovely white gown popped up. It seemed to be made in layers of sheer fabric that flowed out at the waist and skimmed the thighs.
She pressed the button instantly. It had to be perfect.
A few minutes later, the gown was finished, and she hurriedly slipped it over her head.
The embroidered front had a row of small buttons that went all the way up, leaving no portion of her breasts or clavicle exposed. But she was showing enough leg that she hoped he would still get the idea.
And what an idea…
“Don’t worry about it,” she whispered to herself. “It doesn’t matter that you’re inexperienced. He’s a good man, he won’t hurt you.”
As a matter of fact, she got the sense that he enjoyed showing her his world. Maybe he would enjoy introducing her to lovemaking as well. He seemed like a natural teacher.
She shivered all over, her skin feeling feverish, though she wasn’t ill.
&n
bsp; Before she could change her mind, she marched out into the hallway and right up to his door.
She lifted her hand to knock and then let it drop to her side again, uncertain.
What if he let me sleep in my own room because he doesn’t want me?
What if he gets angry that I’m waking him up?
What if it’s too late, and he’s already messaged the agency for a new bride?
Insecurities swirled, but she forced herself to knock on that door. If she couldn’t do it for herself, she would do it for her brother, her father, her family. Although she pushed the thoughts of family aside as soon as she knocked. Images of her parents were the last thing she needed floating around in her head at the moment.
“Come in,” a deep voice shouted.
She threw open the door and marched inside, hoping she looked more confident than she felt.
His rooms were even nicer than hers, but Hailey had eyes only for Orion.
He gazed at her, his dark eyes taking on a hungry, green glow as they raked over her body. She tried her best to hold still and not to cower.
She’d heard the Arkadians eyes often glowed when they were feeling strong emotions, but she’d never known one in person to see for herself. Orion’s eyes had gone a cool blue when he was looking lovingly at Opal. Hailey was pretty sure which emotion he was feeling at the moment.
She knew she looked lovely. Even the odd nightgown was prettier than any clothing she had ever owned. And she was young and strong and healthy. For whatever reason, he had chosen her. She had to believe he liked what he saw.
“What are you doing here?” he asked her, sitting up in bed and revealing his muscled arms and chest.
Soft light from the globes showed off every contour of his big, bare torso.
Hailey cleared her throat and tried not to stare.
“I, um, I’m sorry I fell asleep, Councilman VynFleet,” she said. “This is our first night together, and I belong in your bed.”
The glow in his eyes deepened, and she felt a corresponding tightening in her belly.
