The Sympathizer

Chapter 31

I'm dressed in a long flowing gown, the tresses falling at my feet like a waterfall, the colour a deep turquoise blue with flecks of green, mimicking the colour of my fiancé's eyes. 

Prominent silver bangles adorn my wrists, latching on to my skin like shackles. My parents and Lazarus took me home after the altercation that lead me to Lucian's house and now we are on the way to the VIP hall overlooking the pits. 

Today is match day, the day of the week when human fighters face off each other in hopes of winning and surviving. The system is a damned one, humans don't stand a chance at joining Plutonian society. 

We've made it impossible for them, exploiting their hopes to our own advantage and greed. Due to my own self respect and worth, I have sworn to myself that I would never take a human paramour even if it meant getting them into the army. 

I have too much pride but I doubt the same can be said for the Plutonian next to me. Lazarus has taken human lovers more than once and I've made them disappear just as often. 

And I will continue to do so because the first human paramour I found him with, left his estate with cuts lining her arms and face. The second never left at all. 

Prying eyes may think I'm the jealous lover who gets rid of all the humans he sleeps with. However, only the Sympathizers know we've hidden them away in the depths of our labs. The humans work for us now, unable to leave their confinements, doomed to a life in the underground. 

But they remain alive and unharmed. It is all I can do for now, my chances at becoming sole commander slipping through my fingers day by day. When Lucian turned eighteen, General Lyra told the three of us young hopefuls about the general who usurped leadership because the others were unfit. 

General Peqa became the Sole General, the highest in command, not having to answer to anyone else. The others remained as commanders, only offering advise when needed. I remembered wondering then, what it would be like to wield such power over the entire population, the entire universe. 

And then I'd turned to Lucian and Lazarus, noting the same hunger in Lazarus's eyes whilst Lucian remained unimpressed. I wonder now if General Lyra had told us that story during our trainings for a reason. 

Did she slowly but intentionally drive us apart? It's no secret she wants Lazarus out of the picture, but did she allude to Lucian or I taking sole leadership one day?

Wondering about these things now seems so hopeless now that Lazarus has me in the palm of his hand.

I steal a glance at him. His gaze is fixed on the road. He's been silent ever since I came home with him but I can feel the anger radiating off of him in waves. An explosion just waiting to go off. 

"Your mind has been poisoned against me," He says suddenly, breaking the silence between us. We zip past other gliders, the traffic clearing when they see the emblem on his glider's front. Lights turning green automatically at every turn. 

"You only have your actions to blame for that." I answer in a clipped tone. My bangles jingle when I cross my arms over my chest. 

"You were barely there for an hour. My door locked and your comm had no signal and the first conclusion you drew was that I had imprisoned you." His voice grows sharper by the second. I watch his fingers clench around the steering handles, his rage barely contained. 

"Can you blame me? You're just as untrusting as I am. You would have drawn the same conclusions just as quickly."

"Why are we like this?" He sighs in frustration, running a hand through his golden and silver hair. The street lights make him glow in an array of colours, it's impossible how someone can be so deceptively beautiful.