Although it broke with tradition, he had taught her how to fight, how to hunt, and beyond the basics to more advanced magic. While she liked the physical demands of training, she’d never want to face a real enemy in battle if she could help it. Though she was no match for Alden’s skill with weapons or hand-to-hand combat, she had surpassed his abilities using magic.
That was something she never got tired of teasing him about.
Spellcasting came easy to her. The call of power could be addicting, so she remained careful not to overdo it, especially when it came to tapping into the dark. While most Xenon avoided having anything to do with dark magic, Alden had taught her enough to ensure she could protect herself against it, or at least the basics. Those lessons became even more vital after the deaths of her mother, father, and sister.
The only blood family Lyrica had left was her twin, Lynx. As united as they were, she and her brother were complete opposites when it came to their personalities and temperament. Unlike Lynx, she had never felt as if she were meant to rule the Southern Isle. Instead, she had longed for a life filled with travel and adventure. She’d dreamed of visiting distant worlds to learn about other races but leaving the planet had been prohibited by the rules governing all Xenon.
Now that those rules had changed, she was finally getting her wish.
Sighing, she rested her hands on her stomach and tried to relax and embrace the silence. Alden’s hard back wasn’t a very comfortable pillow, although the thick blanket made it a little more tolerable. She didn’t feel like returning to her own quarters just yet. Perhaps being a twin made it difficult for her to be alone, or maybe she was having trouble sleeping because they were so far away from home. Either way, she knew she had to get some rest. It wouldn’t be wise to arrive on Earth exhausted and cranky.
Since Alden had left the wide windows unblocked in his sleeping quarters, Lyrica stared out at the black abyss of space beyond the glass. She knew they were approaching the Alliance space station since she had seen it on the navigation system when she had been on the command deck a few minutes ago. They were still a good distance away from the space station, but she was hoping for a glimpse of it before she went back to bed.
Alden’s loud sigh broke the silence. “You’re nervous.”
Because he knew her so well, she didn’t bother trying to deny it. “A little,” she admitted, knowing she could be completely honest with him. “What if Earth is a horrible place? What if we hate it there?”
Giving up on sleep for the moment, he grumbled a bit as he shifted over on the bed. Even though he was annoyed at being woken up, he shoved a pillow under her head, making sure she was comfortable. “Then, we’ll leave and explore another planet,” he said simply. “But before we go, we need to deliver Elder Blue’s gift to the Dragon Warriors, or we won’t be able to return home.”
That made Lyrica shudder.
Elder Blue was the very last individual she would ever want to make angry. She’d been surprised when the powerful elder had entrusted her with his gift for his Dragon Warrior friends’ new youngling. Then again, it saved him from personally making the journey all the way to Earth, which seemed like something he would rather avoid if at all possible.
Lyrica didn’t mind delivering the gift since it gave her the perfect excuse to meet the mysterious Dragon Warriors. It also gave her a reason to travel to Earth. The humans she had met so far fascinated her, and she wanted to learn more about them and their home planet. She figured the best way to do that was to go directly to the source.
There were many things she admired about the human race, like their diversity and how innovative they were when it came to technology. What she didn’t understand was their complete reliance on their military structure, but perhaps not having magic had made them more concerned about potential threats.
Xenthian was a relatively peaceful world. Part of that was due to the fact they had hidden their planet for millennia. Since they had revealed their world again, the Xenon had slowly begun to interact and integrate with other races. However, just because they had closed themselves off from the rest of the universe, that didn’t mean Xenthian had always been free of conflict.
The Xenon had experienced their share of treachery and betrayal over the years. While those occurrences had been rare, they had recently suffered a few events that had cost a number of lives. Lyrica still felt the pain of losing her father and mother, and more recently, her older sister, Lasha. She missed them every day and knew she always would, but she was eternally grateful she still had Lynx and Alden.
Now, her brother had taken over the role of Vesere of the Southern Isle. Although the twins were both adored by their people, Lynx was the best choice to rule. He was happiest when he was at home, and unlike her, he had no desire to travel or explore other worlds. Even so, she felt bad for leaving him behind.
“Stop it,” Alden ordered. “You have nothing to feel guilty about.”
She narrowed her lavender eyes at him. “What, can you read minds now?”
He gently tapped her forehead. “I’ve always been able to read yours. Lynx is pleased you are finally able to travel. He would never
