Gemini the Heir

by Kristen DaRay

  I sat in the chair and used my foot to wheel it back and forth in a circle. “Just go ahead and ask.”

  “Well, I noticed how you and Aaronmon acted around each other. Did you finally seal the deal?”

  My eyes widened. “No!”

  “You wouldn’t be lying, would you? Because you know I won’t tell the press.”

  “We haven’t even kissed, which is ridiculous since the ceremony is one amona away.”

  “One amona! When did you two decide on a date?” Jase squealed. Her excitement practically yelled at me, too.

  I stopped spinning the chair and looked down, trying to hide my smile.

  “Wow! So you two are really going to be that chaste even before the ceremony?” Jase raised her eyebrow. “I heard that the bond was hard to resist.”

  “It is hard,” I said, recalling the few times we came close to kissing, and my heart fluttered.

  “Your cheeks are flushing. Something did happen.”

  “No, it didn’t,” I protested. “We came close, but it didn’t happen.”

  “Why are you two fighting it, then?”

  “It’s complicated.” I sighed. “He thinks if he kisses me, he won’t be able to keep himself from going further.”

  “That would be some kiss!” Jase said with a growl in her voice.

  I felt my cheeks burn more.

  “So what if you decide to seal the bond before the ceremony?” Jase asked. “It’s not exactly forbidden in Emréiana, nor is it looked down upon.”

  “They do still prefer a ceremony before binding for the Elaeye family. I mean they don’t even like public displays of affection,” I pointed out. “But you’re right. They don’t look down upon it. And my empathy tells me that Aaronmon is more worried about my true feelings for him. He says he wants me to be able to focus on becoming Krea first, but I feel it.”

  “Is he still worried about that human boy?”

  I looked at my hands and sighed. “I think so, but I am over it. I will never forget Kyle, and I’ll always remember our love, but I do care for Aaronmon. I’m ready to give in to our bond together.”

  “So tell him that, and get the bonding over with.”

  I nodded. “I should, but during this term I need to focus on learning first. It’s actually better that he didn’t come. It’s hard to concentrate on anything else when he is around, because of the bonding. The way he moves, smells, talks, and breathes all seem to steal my attention.”

  “I hate to think what it will be like when you do finally bond,” Jase joked. It was funny because those thoughts had crossed my mind, too.

  That night after Jase went back to her chambers, I thought more about it. I should talk to Aaronmon about my feelings. We should have the ceremony sooner. Maybe not too soon, but not another amona, either. I should also discuss it with my mother, the Krea. I was over Kyle, and I wanted them to know that. I really did care for Aaronmon, too. I couldn’t honestly say that it was love over the bond, but something was there. I felt it, and I wanted to give in to it. That yearning desire to be with him—I didn’t want to control it anymore; I wanted to set it free. The best way to do that was to have the ceremony sooner. Then I thought about the permanence my choice would have. If I made that decision, the press would expect it to go through without hindrance. Otherwise it could cause an uproar. Once it was released to the press, we could never go back. I would have to bond to Aaronmon—even if I changed my mind.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  A few days had passed, and I was adjusting to my new schedule. In the mornings, I was learning Emréian economics, followed by Emréian composition. I had some free time before I had universal immediate history and Emréian law.

  Nouse stayed close to me at all times. Jase was the only person who could approach me without being manhandled by him. He treated everyone like a terror suspect. Gabon checked each building and room before I could enter it. At this point, I was surprised Jase was even my friend. I didn’t fight the extra security, though. During my first term, I’d had an upset student approach me. His home had been seized by the Bremoir, and he was angry that we couldn’t help him. During that time, we had been protecting a planet that was still in the stage of growing and learning. They had no way of protecting themselves from an alien race. We had not made that hard choice lightly.

  Today, my economics class dragged by. We learned that, instead of giving food cards to Emréians who could not afford to feed themselves, Emréiana had food houses where an Emréian could get free breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They had to obtain passes in order to prove their financial status.

  The unemployment rate in Emréiana was really low, which was some relief. I didn’t know what I would do if I were handed a broke planet. In the early years of my reign, I doubt I would have been able to provide for them, knowing as little as I did at that moment. I still had a lot to learn first.

  At the moment, it seemed as though the major issue among the citizens was the war. The oldest male of every family had been drafted. There had been talk that if more planets were found that needed protection, the younger ones would be drafted, as well.

  “Lenai Carsona, do you think this could happen?” Professor Hogens asked.

  I was startled by his question. I felt everyone’s eyes fall upon me. Every student was curious and feared the second draft. I knew that I would have to give my answer carefully in order to not cause problems or unnecessary fear among the citizens.

  “While I am not able to answer military questions on behalf of my mother Krea Mannannala, I can say that right now we have just enough Emréians serving, and help from other planets to watch and protect them. As the Bremoir grow, taking in other worlds, we need to grow as well. That may not be an issue for a while, however.”

  I could tell that my answer did not ease their worry. I tried not to slump down in my seat and instead kept my posture straight and my head up. I had to give the citizens hope that we could beat this before the extended draft was necessary.

  As the class finished, I felt as though I needed a nap. I knew I couldn’t skip my next class, though, so I blinked hard, trying to wake up.

  Professor Hogens dismissed us. I grabbed my books and made my way down the stairs heading toward the door, my garnix following close behind. Professor Hogens called my name and gestured for me to join him.

  “Yes sir.”

  “Lenai, your answer was very professional. I see a lot of improvement from last term.”

  “Thank you.” I smiled weakly.

  He cleared his throat. I noticed from my empathy that he wasn’t feeling like himself today. Then I noticed his skin was ashen.

  “Are you feeling alright?” I asked him.

  “I just have a migraine. I think I am going to rest. Thank you for your concern, Lenai.”

  “Yes, you should rest,” I said and nodded before exiting the class room.

  I met up with Jase as we both had Emréian Composition. We sat in the top row, away from the rest of the students. My eyes grew heavier as we waited for the professor.

  “Carsona, are you okay? You look tired.” Jase asked me.

  “Yeah, I guess I didn’t sleep well last night.”

  “You have a break after this class, right?” I nodded. “You should definitely nap before your next,” Jase said.

  “I think that is a good idea,” I said. Her worry lessened, easing the flow of my empathy.

  The professor arrived, and the rest of the room silenced. I could barely pay attention to the rules of the Emréian language and composition that the professor was writing on the board. As I tried to concentrate and fight sleep, my body started to weaken. I slapped my face lightly trying to keep my eyes open.

  The hour dragged by. Sleep tugged at my eyes; it became a battle with every blink to keep them from opening again. I fought it, trying to keep up my image to the public. I didn’t want them to think I was slacking off. My focus on the professor’s lesson became feeble along with my body.

  Class ended,
and when I stood up a warm sensation brushed over my skin as I became light headed. The feeling was soon replaced by a cool, clammy sweat.

  “I’ll walk with you to your chambers,” Jase told me. I didn’t fight her and allowed her to walk with me to the room. I took light breaths with every step, not wanting to cause a scene. I wanted desperately to get to the room, but it seemed to take an eternity. When we made it there, she hesitated before she entered. She whispered something to one of the garnix. She didn’t stay long, thankfully. Her fear was wore on me with my lack of strength. Before she left, she told me that she would check on me before the next class.

  I curled up on the bed and pulled the covers up to my chest. My heavy eyelids fell, pulling me into the darkness.

  During my slumber, I had a dream. Aunt Trish was up in the sky waving to me, and I waved back as tears fell from my eyes. Her tattoo of the Aríenom sign was glowing, and the sky began to cry, hiding my tears. She rose higher in the sky, almost disappearing into the light, but my feet became light as I was lifted up and drifted after her. Then there was a loud knocking, and the sky turned into a storm; a lightning bolt shot me down. My lungs filled with air as I tried to scream. The harder I tried, the more exhausting it was to make even the slightest sound.

  My eyes shot open, and there was another knock. I took a breath, realizing I was in my room.

  “Lenai Carsona, you have a guest,” Gabon said outside the door.

  I was about to tell them to enter, but when I sat up I realized that my clothes clung to my body with sweat, and I had even more vertigo than before my nap. I grabbed the glass of water that was on the table next to the bed. Jase must have filled it before she left. I took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from my face.

  “Lenai?” Gabon asked.

  “Sorry, come in,” I told him.

  The door opened, and I composed myself, trying to hide how I was feeling. A tall, familiar figure walked in.

  “Aaronmon!” I said, still gasping for breath.

  “Carsona.” He bowed his head slightly and shut the door behind him. “I heard you were sick.”

  “I’m not sick,” I lied. “Just tired from studying.”

  Aaronmon searched my face for answers, but I had questions.

  “Did you really come here to see if I was sick?”

  Aaronmon took a breath and put his hands in his pockets. My body warmed, making my head feel like a hot air balloon ready to fly away.

  “No. I came because of the Bremoir T virus.”

  “Have they found an antidote?” I asked. My mouth grew drier the more I talked.

  He shook his head. “Are you sure you are feeling okay?”

  “I’m fine,” I told him, taking a seat in my chair in order to hide how dizzy I felt.

  “I think you are lying to me.” Aaronmon walked over and went down on one knee. He brought his hand up to my head. “You’re burning up!”

  “I’m fine!” I growled, standing up. My head spun, and I latched on to the table to keep my balance.

  Aaronmon stood up quickly and placed his hands on my shoulders.

  “Carsona, if you are sick, we need to get you home and have doctors take care of you. The virus has a high fatality rate.”

  “I don’t have the Bremoir T virus. There hasn’t even been a case in Chasia.”

  Aaronmon sighed and shook his head. “That is why I am here. There was a case last night, and more this morning.”

  I sat down and put my hand to my head.

  “I thought we had it contained in the other cities.” I licked my lips, trying to ease the dryness of my mouth.

  “The problem is that the virus stays dormant for a couple of days before it reacts in the victims’ bodies. It’s hard to contain it when we don’t know who has it.”

  “We need to set up inspections for all the students on campus. We don’t want any sick people entering the school,” I ordered.

  “Lenai, taeu annonun has been canceled until the virus has either been cured, or run its course.”

  “Run its course?” I raised my voice. “By the time that happens, we will all be dead.”

  As the words escaped, my head spun, and my stomach churned.

  “Carsona, we really need to get you to a doctor.”

  “I’m fine. I just need to lie down,” I said. I looked toward the bed and stood up. My head grew light, and my mouth tingled with a bitter, acid taste.

  “Carson?” Aaronmon grabbed my arm.

  Even Aaronmon’s worry was washed out by the woozy feeling overtaking me. I grabbed the chair’s arm, but even that wasn’t enough. My feverish body felt as if it was trapped in a hot bubble, stealing my every breath.

  My legs collapsed beneath me. As my eyelids drifted closed, the nausea disappeared.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The throbbing pain in my head felt like a ticking bomb waiting to explode. Throughout the night, the pain kept me awake. My body, drenched in sweat, ached as if a train had run over me hundreds of times and was still running. Something moist and cold touched my head, and I could hear Aaronmon whispering to me, but the nausea took over, and my stomach purged any bit of water I had managed to get down in the past few hours. I was careful not to rip the IV out of my arm.

  I let my body fall into slumber, knowing that even my sleep was tainted by the virus.

  Screaming surrounded me, and bodies lay at my feet. I soon recognized the auditorium in Alice. I was sitting in the balcony, watching as parents and children tried to crawl over each other in the stairwell. The urex fired, and I watched in horror; most of them fell to their deaths. The rest, injured, tried to climb over the dead and escape, but the dark creatures called the Borain Warriors walked over the dead bodies and grabbed the survivors by their heads and snapped their necks. Unable to move away, I flinched upon hearing the popping of their bones.

  Down below, the stage was filled with screaming people being tortured by the warriors. A woman wailed in horror as her husband was pulled apart by two of the warriors.

  I became aware of a close presence. There was an odd sound coming from behind me: a crunching, as though a horse were taking a bite from a carrot. Against my will, I stood up and turned toward to sound and found myself heading toward the corner of the room. I got closer, and a dark figure revealed itself, hunched over and eating. I stiffened, realizing it was a Borain Warrior. The beast continued to eat without noticing me, his hairy body covered in blood and his long nails digging into the person’s stomach as he scooped out the organs and shoved them into his mouth. All I could see clearly were the victim’s feet, but something told me to get a closer look.

  The warrior took the corpse’s leg and started gnawing on the calf, causing the body to shift. Dead eyes, open and wide, met mine—eyes that belonged to a man I had loved even as a kid. Kyle’s eyes.

  I screamed. The warrior grunted and looked up, noticing me. His eerie white eyes stared evilly into mine. He lunged after me, and I turned to run, but everything was in slow motion, and I could not run fast enough. I screamed, but all that left my throat was air.

  Pounds of weight took hold of me and nailed me to the ground as I struggled.

  “Carson! Carson!” a familiar voice called. My eyes opened to the spinning ceiling. The weight that still held me down had me panicking. I fought weakly against it. “Carson! It’s okay,” the voice said again, confusing me. Borain Warriors did not speak Emréian. “It’s only a dream.” Aaronmon’s voice soothed me.

  Tears streamed down my face, but not before pain consumed me.

  Aaronmon let go of me and placed a cool towel over my head. My mouth soured, and I leaned over the side of the bed to allow my stomach to regurgitate. A warm copper taste filled my mouth. I looked down and saw red. The taste of blood lingered on my tongue—the final stage in the virus. I spit out the remaining blood, and I heard frantic voices around me. They knew it, too. My stomach ached; the rest of my body did as well. I kept my eyes closed; the light in the room made my head pound even mo
re. It was worse now than it had been earlier; every throb felt heavy and loud. The pain was building up, and I was sure that my skull could not hold the pressure.

  My body’s strength was lost, and I struggled to fight sleep. If I closed my eyes, would I wake up? I wanted to resist, but my body had no strength. My eyes drifted, and I took in the darkness, afraid to meet what awaited me there.

  “Carson?” Aaronmon’s voice reached out to me.

  I was relieved to be sitting outside the palace in the garden. The skies were blue and the Raegon moon was high in the sky.

  I turned and saw Aaronmon sitting on the rocks next to the lake.

  “Am I in another dream, and how is this going to go bad?” I wondered.

  “If this were a dream, would you have been able to think that?” Aaronmon asked.

  “A memonai?”

  Aaronmon smiled weakly.

  “My head still hurts a bit though,” I told him, noticing the weak pounding in the back of my mind.

  “But it’s weak, right?”

  I grinned and sat next to him on the rocks.

  “We weren’t sure if your body could handle a memonai, but I had to try,” he said.

  “Thank you.” I reached for his hand. “It’s nice to know that I can leave in peace.”

  Aaronmon’s face became pained. “Carson, you are not going to die.”

  My eyes watered, and I bit my tongue, trying to hold back the tears. “You saw it. I’m throwing up blood now. I’ll probably die within a few hours.”

  “You can’t. We are working on a cure, just wait.” Aaronmon’s voice cracked. “You’re strong. You can pull through this. I know you can.”

  My eyes stung. How could I expect him to be strong if I can’t?

  “It will be okay.” I assured him. ”Just let me go.”

  Aaronmon stood up and took a few steps away from me. He brushed his hand through his hair and sighed heavily. He turned back toward me and fell to his knees.