Of Gears and Humanity

| 17.1

[DAMIEN]

The party's music echoed in the halls. As I made my way to my bedroom, I hopped to the beat. One step, two steps. With a smirk on my face, I turned and hummed.

Despite knowing my time in Homestead was coming to an end, I had a moment with Elena. She wasn't herself, no, but she spoke to me. Without fear, she told me what was in her heart. She was afraid of being Queen, afraid she wouldn't live up to her mother's memory. And in that fear, in that weakness, she admitted she liked me. It wasn't outright, she didn't use all the words. But she said enough.

I was the handsome boy she met at the Gate.

At her side, I would never be alone.

With my smile stuck on my face, I turned down the hall leading to my bedroom door but stopped when I heard a slam. It was loud. And it echoed. I thought of ignoring it until I heard Kieron's voice.

"No one knows who this boy is. He's a mystery. He's—"

Just opposite of my door was another; it was open just enough to look inside. I crept towards it, hugging the wall until I saw movement inside. I stopped, hoping no one would see me.

"Stop." The King's back faced the door. His fists were at his side, shoulders heaving with deep breaths.

I crept closer towards the door frame as Kieron slid into view. His hands were up beside his head, While the King's body language screamed anger, Kieron's reacted to him with pleading fear. He took a step forward and pressed his hands together in prayer. "You must listen to me, Rodrigo. This boy—"

At the sound of his name, the King sharply turned his head and glared at his counselor. The older man cowered, turning around a table to put space between them. Out of arm's reach, Kieron bowed. "I am sorry, my King."

The King shook his head. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. Sighing, he said, "I've known you my whole life, Kieron, and—"

"Since you were a boy, my lord, yes." Kieron bowed again.

With a deep breath, the King turned again, back to Kieron. He walked towards the window beside his bookcase and pressed his hand against the fifth row. Slowly, his fingers traced the books stacked close together. "And since I was a boy I've known you weren't always correct with certain matters."

My brows lifted. The King's words were simple, but with his tone, they cut like ice. Kieron shriveled, cowering more than he had moments before. He held a chair for balance, but his elbow crashed down on the table in front of him. "My King," he whispered, "I am your most trusted advisor."

The King pulled out a large book from the center row. One finger traced the spine.

Kieron gulped. With the silence around them, I heard it; a body's sound of fear. Placing his hand on his chest, he said, "My King, I only wish to help the people of Homestead and—"

The King pressed the book against his shoulder as he slowly turned around to face the older man. I inched away from the door, fearing he would see me. But I made sure to stay close enough, and caught the darkness spread over his eyes.

"Kieron," the King patted the book against his shoulder, "you're only in this position out of the love I have fo my father. Had I left your future in the hands of Lina—"

Kieron bowed his head, raised his hand with three fingers pointed towards the finger. My eye twitched as they slowly dropped into a fist, one finger at a time. I knew that gesture, a salute.

The Attributions raised their hands just like that when Arvon came to town.

Kieron lifted his head. "Forever rest the Queen," he said.

"The Queen." The King slammed the book on the table. Kieron flinched and stepped back as the King continued, "She would have made sure you lived on the streets."

The silence came back, thicker, heavier than before. Even I felt it and I wasn't a part of their conversation, But having listened, I felt the tension, the anger, hurt, possible lies. The air was too heavy to breathe.

With pursed lips, I sipped a quick breath.

"My King..." Kieron walked around the table as the King slid his hand away from the book and returned to the case filled with others. Kieron extended one hand towards the younger man. "I only worry about the Kingdom—"

"You worry about yourself," the King hissed. "You pretend to care."

"I pretend?" Kieron stepped back. "And what of you, Rodrigo?"

The King didn't turn this time as his name swam through the air. It was like Kieron's voice attempted to break the tension. Instead, it added concrete and metal. If oxygen bore weight, the room would collapse under them.

Kieron reached and lifted the book the King had slammed on the table. "Did you forget about what you did all those years ago?"

Now the King turned. His eyes glowed with the flame from a single candlelight.

Kieron lifted his chin. "Can't you see this mysterious boy is a danger? He'll bring ruin to Homestead. He'll destroy us all."

My mouth hung open as I stepped away. Kieron's words echoed in my head. A danger. Destroy. These were the same words Arvon used to describe humans as he raised me, but to hear a human use them to describe me? A weight crashed down on my chest. And with a quick turn, I stumbled into my bedroom door.

It gave way under me. The knob barely turned. My foot skidded across red carpet. In the space meant for me, I took in a deep breath. No tension. No heavy emotions. Just the air from the window left open in the corner.

"Shit..." Closing the door behind me, I gently pressed my back against it and hoped it didn't make noise. The last thing I needed was the King knowing I overheard his argument with Kieron. He had been so nice to me, gifting me with clothes and praise since the moment he knew I was in his castle. All I knew was his smile, the proud glint in his eye.

But Kieron was right. I was a mystery. The entire village of Homestead praised the boy with no name in their world, no title. Nothing. To the humans who smiled at me, I was a ghost of their past, written in their old history books as the last friend of the machines. And maybe I was. I didn't belong. As much as I wanted to help Elena, see the smile on her face, I knew I couldn't stay more than another day,

I have to go to the Gate.

I turned the golden key left in the door until it locked. "I need to go home."

"Oh, you do."

My heart stopped as I pushed off the door and into my room. Moonlight broke the shadows. Curtains around my window blew with the night's air. And seat on the windowsill like a crow in the night was a person, a man, a machine I didn't think I'd see.

And it scared me.

My fingers trembled at my side. "Eon?"

*

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