Chapter 5
I called Mark. Before I could break down and tell him what happened, he casually mentioned he was on the same planet I was.
We decided to meet up for a drink. It would be easier to tell him in person. I could show him the damn betrothal contract. Otherwise, it was so ridiculous I doubted he’d believe me.
I used the implant in my neck to help me navigate to the bar Mark had suggested.
This planet was beautiful. Away from the Contracts Office, the city was denser, tall buildings leading up to the horizon line, connected with sky bridges and platforms thronging with aliens staring at the view.
I walked amongst them, head still in the clouds.
I found the right bar, a cozy looking affair sunk into the floor like a basement. I walked inside to wait, finding a table next to the wall, far away from the view, but far away from people’s enquiring glances too.
I wanted to be alone right now.
There was a holo television above the bar, showing footage of the news.
As I looked up from inspecting my hands for about the hundredth time, I saw a familiar face.
That Illuminate.
I wanted to ignore him – hell, I never wanted to see or hear about that man again.
I couldn’t stop my hand from walking up my neck and tapping my implant, though.
It automatically caught the audio feed of the televised broadcast and played it directly into my mind.
“Central saw a rare visit from Illuminate Hart today. A precursor to the upcoming Illuminate wedding – the event of the century – rumor had it he visited the contract building, possibly to find out what lucky person is betrothed to him.”
I stiffened on that word, and my fingernails curled in until they dug hard into my palms.
So he was betrothed too, ha?
That probably explained why he’d been in the betrothal office with me. It didn’t, however, explain why he was such a jerk and why people obviously had no problem with this.
Who was this man that his wedding would be the event of the century?
I stopped fuming long enough to tune back into the televised broadcast. An alien of some indefinite gender tittered loudly and shot onto the holographic screen in front of the picture of a scowling Hart. “Details of the betrothal will be revealed in the coming days. Whoever is betrothed to Illuminate Hart will enter into one of the most important families in the universe. An Illuminate wedding is a rare event, and allows us, the ordinary public, a brief glimpse into the mysterious lives of the universal protectors.”
Universal protectors?
What the heck?
Hart didn’t look like he could protect anyone; that hateful, judgmental gaze could only do damage.
Though the broadcast was making me progressively angrier, I didn’t get to see the end.
I got a message from Mark saying he’d just arrived.
I stood up to see him walk down the stairs and into the bar.
“Hey, kid.” Mark ducked his head down to avoid hitting the low ceiling and plucked a hand from his pocket to wave casually at me.
I smiled. Despite everything, I still managed the smallest of friendly greetings.
His eyebrows dug low into his eyes. “What’s the matter? You look tired.”
“I’m not tired,” I said. Technically it was a lie – my day had drained me. But my fatigue had nothing to do with my washed out expression.
“You okay?” His eyebrows peaked together.
“Ah… I found out what my contract is,” my voice barely registered above a whisper.
“Don’t sweat it, Annie – if you didn’t inherit that much, I can pay for the drinks.” He shrugged a shoulder toward the bar.
I didn’t move.
“Drinks are this way.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his trim navy blue uniform and angled his head toward the bar.
“Ah, can we maybe go outside? I want some air.” Before he had a chance to answer, I turned and walked through the door.
He shot me an odd look and followed.
I made it all the way out to one of the platforms that offered a panoramic view of the city below. Ships darted in and out of tall, sleek buildings, the lights of their exhausts like fireflies in the dark.
I leaned against a railing, a strong wind ruffling my hair.
Mark walked up beside me and silently rested an elbow on the railing. After a few seconds of staring at the same view, he swiveled his head to face me. A tiny smile crept across his lips. “You’re not about to have another rant, are you?”
I didn’t react.
“Annie, it was just a joke. Tell me what happened, kid.”
“Why do you always call me kid?” I suddenly asked, latching onto that because it was a hell of a lot easier than admitting what my real problem was.
He ran a hand over the back of his head then shrugged. “I guess because you were woken up after me. You’re a little like the little sister I never had.”
I nodded. It was a slight move, and I kept my gaze fixed on the view as I did.
“Ah, Annie, what’s going on?”
“I’m betrothed.” I pulled the document out of my pocket and handed it to him.
I couldn’t stop my hand from shaking.
He looked from my hand, to the document, then up to my deadened expression. “You’re kidding right?” His mouth crumpled into an amused smile.
I stared past him, my wide-open eyes locking onto the view. “No,” I said in a dead voice.
He stiffened, that smile melting away. “Annie, there has to have been a mistake. You can’t be betrothed. You’re a newfound one. There’s no way that could work. You were born over 400 years ago. If for some insane reason you were betrothed back then, the person you were betrothed to would be dead by now. There has to have been a mistake.”
I darted my eyes over to him and swallowed.
“We’ll go back to the Contracts Office, and we’ll sort this out.” He let a commiserating smile crumple his lips, and it extended up to his piercing blue eyes.
Even though that smile should have washed away my every concern, it didn’t.
I shook my head. “I already told the guy at the Contracts Office I’m a newfound one. He said it didn’t matter. I’m still betrothed,” I could barely speak now. My voice was a stuttering squeak, like rubber soled shoes running quickly over marble.
Mark blinked back his surprise. His usually dark cheeks paled. “There has to be some kind of mistake.”
I shook my head, bringing up two sweaty fingers and pressing them against my lips. “There’s no mistake, Mark. I’ve got the contract.” I pushed the contract toward him.
Mark took it off me, and his eyes darted from the holographic symbol in the upper right corner to the enormous underlined betrothed in the middle.
A few seconds later, he met my gaze.
He looked like I felt. “This is impossible,” he said softly, but the conviction was gone from his voice.
I took a step back, pressed my lips against my teeth, and shook my head bitterly. “I sure do hope it is, but unless there’s been a monumental cock up, it’s real.”
“But how? You were born 400 years ago,” he repeated.
I shrugged my shoulders. It wasn’t an apathetic move; it was defeated. I was defeated.
Maybe my surrender was obvious, because Mark took a quick step toward me. He angled his head down until he caught my gaze. “Hey, this ain’t over, kid. There’ll be something we can do. Trust me.”
“It’s a binding contract through time and space.” I pushed a hand down my face, trying to hide my emotion.
He reached out a hand and locked it on my shoulder. “Don’t give up yet. Look, even if this is real,” he gestured with the paper, “it clearly hasn’t come into effect yet.”
I looked up at him, an iota of hope kindling in my gaze. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you’re still here, Annie. I mean your betrothed – whoever the hell they are – clearl
y doesn’t know about you, or…” he trailed off with a shrug.
“Or what?”
“Or – and this is going to sound harsh – they don’t care about you.”
My brow crumpled. “What do you mean?”
“I mean there is every chance that they know who you are, and they don’t want to bring the contract into effect.”
“… So you don’t think I should go to the Identity Office and see who I’m betrothed to?”
He considered my question, his brow crumpling. He shook his head. “They’ve had plenty of time. Whoever it is, they would know they’re betrothed. If they haven’t found you by now—”
“They aren’t looking,” I finished his sentence. A gust of wind tugged at my hair, sending it tumbling and whipping over my shoulder as a blue hover ship swung close by our platform. I stared at the exhaust as it lit us up in a blue glow.
“Hey,” he ducked his head close to mine and shot me a distracting smile, “it’ll all be okay. I promise.”
I eventually looked over at him. “Are you sure you can promise that?”
He patted his chest and chuckled, his broad fingers barely rumpling the well-fitted fabric of his uniform. “Heck yes. You know who you’re talking to here, right? I’m the Foundation Forces’ best soldier.”
“Are you also their most arrogant soldier?” I managed a crinkled-lipped smile.
He tipped his head back and chuckled. “Damn straight I am. I’m arrogant enough to promise that this,” he gestured with the contract, “will all be sorted.”
“I thought you recommended that I just ignore it?”
“I’ll still look into it for you.”
I shot him a thankful smile. “Really?”
“For you, anything. Now, what do you say we go inside and you buy me a drink?”
“I didn’t inherit anything. Unless you want water, I suggest you pay.”
He chuckled. “What would you do without me?” He shifted his head toward the bar and walked ahead.
What would I do without Mark? Oh, I don’t know, probably nothing. I was useless without him. He was my one rock in this whole confusing universe, and without him, I’d drown.