Star Storm

Chapter Five

A Strong Feeling

Golden light flickered across the room as the strings holding the hanging candles were sent swinging back and forth. A spacecraft landing on the roof was the cause of the disturbance. The roar of its engines could be heard in the narrow corridors of the palace's southern wing. Another of the Celestial Watch's vessels, Kael noted as he heard the craft's doors open with a pop.

He knocked twice on the only glass door in the palace, the sound of his quick rasps echoing down the hall, then invited himself inside.

Silk curtains drifted around him and Kael gently swept them aside, fingers brushing against the smooth fabric. Somehow these chambers made the world seem peaceful. If Kael stayed hidden beneath the waves of fabric long enough, he was sure he could forget about his mother's anger.

Nothing could distract him from Nona's abduction, though. Not a million drifting curtains. Not a thousand soft lights. He would never be able to drag the memory of her being carried away from the front of his mind.

Leh Lena O'Frien was standing between a decorative pillar and the open archway leading to the balcony, the city a dark silhouette behind her. She turned her head slightly to acknowledge Kael's presence, her attention focused on a ship taking off from the bay below.

"I saw you down there," she said quietly, her voice raspy. Leh came from a city far away from Uterca, but she had lost the accent of her people years before and now spoke in a unique style. "The guard you were with, I recognized him."

Kael stopped advancing towards her and ran his hand over an antique vase. Leh had an eye for picking out beautiful artwork. Her room had been decorated with all her finds, every inch of the floor and walls covered with masterpieces.

"Myteor," he said, eyes searching for new additions to Leh's forever growing collection. A small terracotta piece caught his eye and he carefully picked the instrument up carefully to admire it.

"A clock," Leh said, her hair cascading over her shoulders as she moved to his side.

Her wide eyes filled with joy at the sight of her clock, a relic from Eartha which was highly valuable. Kael had studied the people of the planet and knew clocks were used to measure time there.

In space-time was measure by the position of the sun, or from flashing screens which never too far away. Clocks like the one Leh had bought were oddly fashioned and counted time in a funny fashion, the minutes gathered in sixties rather than hundreds. Kael was not sure how Leh planned to use such a piece, but the clock was rather pretty, nonetheless.

"You are worried, tense, and perhaps a little afraid." Leh took the clock from his hands, her skin warm against his. "Some tea shall make you feel better."

"Thank you," Kael said with a weak smile as he sat down on the end of her bed.

Despite the size of the room, Leh had very little furniture which was not shelves or decorations. Her four-post bed, a small chair for reading by the window, and a wardrobe were all she owned. Her collection of worn objects, historical junk and books was sprawled across the floor.

A few moments after she had suggested tea, Leh had composed a letter requesting two hot cups were sent to her room and slid the enclosed note down a service hatch. She joined Kael on the bed and crossed one long leg over another.

"Tell me your troubles," she whispered, her breath tickling his skin.

The O'Frien clan was a talented family of Feelings. They were known around the galaxy for their ability to sense the emotions of others and for their calming abilities. Each city requested a member to live with their rulers and, in return, the O'Frien's were given special privileges.