In Xuidel, 3,000 years ago
"You know if we're caught, you'll be executed" The man with eyes the colour of amber stared down at me, his face unreadable, "If my guards were to find me like this with you, both of us would be executed."
"I know" I grasped his neck, the taste of his lips lingering on my mouth, "Only one person knows, and I'm certain she would never betray us."
"You seem very sure of that" His eyes narrowed, "How can you trust her?"
"Ren has a pure heart; she and I are good friends. The last thing she would dream of doing is selling us out to the kingdom" I shook my head, flicking my white ears, "It's okay Helios, just trust me for once." Helios laid back on the bed with a sigh, turning to me with a small smile. That small smile I'd loved since the day I'd first laid eyes on him.
"I always trust you, Erebus" He murmured, "It's just as king I cannot let them know I've been cavorting with a man, much less a hybrid. Our kind are not exactly a common sight yet."
"Well, there are only four of us" I laughed, "You can thank your father and Balkar that we're even here at all. I think the kingdom is still in shock that the royal family so willingly meddled with biology like that. Masrira and Kuya must be losing it." Tall, goat-like horns protruded from Helios's forehead, marking him as the first royal hybrid ever created. Rectangular pupils eyed me carefully, gentle as they inspected my face.
"I'm sure they are," he returned the laugh, pulling me close, "I have heard talk that Luris and Vraekya are considering following us. I think now that they have seen the benefits of being part animal, they want that power for themselves."
"Yes, humans flying is actually possible now with the creation of hybrids. Ren may not be quite what they expected, but without her, we wouldn't have discovered what we have so far" My eyes gleamed in excitement, "Who knows, maybe next we'll discover how to bring the dead back to life. I know you miss your father, despite how much you try to hide it."
Helios's eyes shone with sadness, tears brimming at their edge. He'd been forced to inherit the throne at the young age of nineteen, much younger than anyone had expected. His father, who had been the previous king of the newly formed Xuidel, had unfortunately met an untimely fate at the hands of a magic experiment gone wrong. Helios had one older brother, Sol, who had refused to take the crown and had instead fled the kingdom. Why this was the case, no one knew. Not even Helios had heard from his brother since that fateful night four months ago.
"I wish that like nothing else" he whispered, "But I also know people will use that power for evil. Perhaps it is not such a great idea after all, you know what happened to Ren."
"Yes, she'll be here long after we are gone" I nodded, "Perhaps she'll meet one of our descendants. I heard they are planning to seal her away somewhere in the castle, somewhere only royals can find her."
"What's the point of being king when mages clearly have all the power?" Helios said bitterly, "Balkar is doing everything I'm supposed to be doing, and he never listens to what I say. It's getting to the point where I'm understanding why my brother ran away."
"You are the king, you could have him exiled, or even executed" I pointed out, "Just because he made us doesn't mean he can boss you around. He claims credit for it even though he couldn't have done it without help."
"Erebus, you should be careful of what you say" Helios stared at me, "If Balkar overheard this conversation, you could be hanged for treason. You're walking a fine line as it is, the people don't appreciate strong opinions."
"Of course, they don't like me, I say what everyone else is too afraid to" I rolled my eyes, "And the council hates me because I'm right. They don't like anyone that dares speak badly about them."
