Page 7 of Blinding Light

They got up and had just left the kitchen when Bekn suddenly grabbed Cyprian roughly by the shoulder. Annoyance flared through him.

“What?” Cyprian yanked back.

“Wait…” It looked as if Bekn wanted to push him into a corner but was abruptly interrupted by a booming voice.

“Hey, you.” One of the burly soldiers came walking down the hall, his eyes on Cyprian.

“Why don’t you go see the captain and request that break?” Bekn proposed. “You didn’t pay extra for that bed for nothing.” Pushing him in the right direction, Cyprian practically jogged back to the main entrance in search of Delaine.

“Captain?” He said, making Delaine, who was staring out the window, turn over his shoulder with a surprised frown. “Can I take my break? Now? Please?”

The frown deepened, and Cyprian fisted his hands, trying to keep himself together. “I’m not feeling very well. I think it might be the effect of being in space for the first time,” he rushed out.Lies.

“Recruit.” The soldier entered the entrance hall, followed by Bekn. Cyprian squeezed his eyes shut in defeat. This would be the shortest escape in history.

Loser got caught in a shuttle.

Xander Devers really is Cyprian Creighton, a low-class scum adopted kid who was raised in Tulniri, but where is he from?

Where is he from?

“Imperial Moargan Zephyranth requests more refreshments. He?—”

“It’s already covered, Captain,” Bekn said, a bright smile on his face. He pointed toward the full tray. The soldier’s unblinking glare faltered when he turned to see Bekn’s wide smile. “Shall we go up?”

The soldier hesitated before he let out a grunt of approval. “Very well. Follow me.”

Cyprian watched them climb the stairs and let out a shuddering breath.

“I suppose you can go for now,” the Captain finally shrugged with a bored fling of his fingers. “You’ve got thirty minutes.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank your new friend. And make sure to leave this ship when we arrive in Helion,Xander Devers.”

Cyprian blinked. “Captain?”

Delaine held out his multi-slate. It showed a police report.

Hispolice report.

A photo of himself stared right back at him, with his real name mentioned just below. So, his foster parents had reported him missing. That…Cyprian’s chest tightened. He didn’t know how that made him feel. All they’d ever cared for was the check they received to cover the costs of taking care of a child. Money that for sure had never been used on him.

“I’m assuming there aren’t hundreds of yellow-eyed guys on Tulniri,” Captain Delaine grumbled. Cyprian licked his dry lips. His gaze flicked to the missing report, then back to the captain.

“I can assure you?—”

“Save your bullshit with me, boy. You aren’t the first and won’t be the last refugee I have had on my ship. As a captain, it is expected of me to deliver you back to where you belong.”

“If you do, they will kill me. Please don’t?—”

“That’s why I’m telling you to leave my ship when we arrivein Helion. I never want to see you again.” He opened his mouth, then hesitated, eyes roaming around. “Be careful of the prince.”

“W-what do you m?—”

“I saw how he looked at you, the way his eyes glimmered. Lay low. Just…” The captain closed his multi-slate and turned back to face the window. Outside was mostly inky-black, aside from the occasional bulb of light, a ship, or a planet. “What you did earlier was a mistake. Don’t do it again.” Delaine folded his hands behind his back and didn’t say anything else. Conversation finished.

“Thank you,” Cyprian muttered and left for the basement.

---