Earth or not, Ronan had never walked the streets of a city. He'd heard about them and seen them in movies. They never slept, filled with more shops and restaurants than you could ever try in a lifetime. Wondrous and strange in his imagination.Cramped and disgusting in his reality.There was still space to walk across the white stones of the main streets, but in the blur of lavish clothes, trinket stuffed shops, strange animals, and deal screaming merchants, Ronan felt there was so much of a fight to do anything even breathing the air was harder.It was only until the paths became ornate, and the towering piles of stacked shops shrank to singular boutiques, that some air and calm could be found. But where the screaming merchants running street side carts had vanished, the enticing lure of cooked meat and fresh flowers shifted to the pounding assault of the perfume clinging to the people they passed. Walking rainbows of fur and jewels, prim and proper down to the last toddler. Every ch

Veronica was surging with triumph. Her feet quick, side by side with Ariabella Augebelle, and one step behind Elisious Aeric—the most powerful man in the world.And she'd stuck him under her boot.Ronan didn't exist. The emperor had no successors, as did his sister, Mystral Aeric, who had worn the crown of Alta Staar till the end of the war. Formally unwed up until her death days after the march on Shakri'gurn. Since Ronan didn't exist, she knew he wanted to keep it that way.She wasn't going to be cheated of the treat. The labour of her efforts picking up the wreckage Ronan left in his ignorant strides. He was going to another freaking planet, and she was coming. Everyone that had to eat grass in blistering starlight was coming."What do you think their houses look like?" Truvius' whispered, his breath brushing her ear, spurring her lips to curve.Ugly. Obviously."You think they all dress like Ronan did?" Veronica snickered, catching the smallest snort from Elisious."Y-You think th

The woman chuckled, unconvinced. "You should really come down before you hurt yourself.""Even more," the man added.Ronan kept a smile on the couple, feeling the shears hook around his chosen branch. Sucking in a sharp breath he squeezed, the soft woody flesh shearing clean off with a rubbing shriek. A branch half his height tumbled to the ground, Ronan eyeing the shears questionably to figure out if the sound had come from them."Jump, Ronan! Jump and run!"Ronan looked at Phantom, slipping his leg around to drop off the branch. But as he swung, something hooked his hands in place, legs hanging as he looked up at the slithering branch that pressed his hands down."Oh shit—"A branch swung out beneath him, slamming his stomach to rip him right off the tree and into the grass a few feet away. He let out a wheezing cough, the shears in his hand now sharpened into a toothed black mini-saw.He felt a root grab his ankle, paling as the tree shuddered with rage.He hadn't sawed a thing in

Ronan let out a sigh, the nerves still tingling his skin as he stared at the tight cream coloured room. The metal table was bolted to the floor, probably the most expensive thing in the small shack of a police station Iridis had. They passed officers on their way in, not one of them confused by their captors, some even giving the group friendly yet timid nods. Now he was seated next to Veronica, listening to the rattle of her handcuffs as she tugged at the contraption, red faced and ready to burst. Across the table, the man sat, his blue jacket covering his torn tee as he tried at casual conversation while they waited for his less than friendly counterparts. "You seem anxious," he said, ignoring the roll in Veronica's eyes as he poured over them with a warm smile. "We can practice some breathing exercises. You kids aren't in trouble." Ronan raised his cuffs with a deadpanned glare. "Then take these off." Veronica stopped struggling, leaning to whisper in Ronan's ear. "Phoenix's u

Veronica heard the chair beside her shift, Ronan now held in his seat by the bulky man behind him. She felt a hand grip her arm, the ill manners of Earth pulling her final straw. The flimsy cuffs had finally broken, and this was the perfect time to catch them off guard.She whipped the loose cuffs across the man's face, scowling as he didn't even flinch.Feeling his grip still digging into her arm she twisted around, snatching a sheathed Cursimian off the table and clubbing the man in the side of the face. If the soft flesh over his temple wasn't there, she would have half expected a loud clang.Veronica's heart quickened, losing a tug of war with the blade that the man slammed back on the table after an audible zap. Earth didn't have Lumience or magic. Golems were impossible.She gritted her teeth, feeling her feet drag as the man tugged her towards the door. Lumience or not, anything was flammable with enough fire."Cinder!" She felt the phoenix squirm in her jacket, a soft warmth t