Page 17 of Orin

If Orin left the palace, it suggested he placed little importance on our connection.

Clor seemed like he was getting ready to walk away.

My stomach soured. “Please forgive me for not mentioning him to you. It's a lot to ask, but I hope we can still be friends?”

His head bobbed. “All is forgiven. I understand... I hope you will be happy.” He turned to leave, and I watched him walkaway. The door slid closed, and I shook my head while tears streamed down my face.

I couldn’t help the flood of emotions inside as I paced around my living room. “If he cares so much, why does he keep ignoring me?” I grumbled, wiping at my cheeks.

Part of me wished I was attracted to Clor in the same way I was Orin. It would make things so much easier. Walking back and forth I grew more upset. “Why doesn’t he want me?” I spouted as a thought formed in my mind.

It’s clear he doesn’t want to be with me. He can’t control who I spend my time with.

FISTS CLENCHED BY MYsides I marched toward the door intending to seek help from palace security. Enough was enough. I was going tomakeOrin talk to me.

When the security office door opened, I was greeted by Kagin, the Captain of the palace guard. “Miss Olivia. What can I do for you?” His mouth curled into its usual cheeky grin.

Right now, I wasn’t in the mood to deal with his sense of humor.

I put my hands on my hips and thrust my chin forward before he could make a joke. “Do you have Orin's home address?”

His head snapped back and his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “Orin doesn’t work here. He’s with the city-”

With a grunt of annoyance and an eye roll, I interjected. “I’m aware he’s not at the palace. Just tell me how to get to his house. I need to speak to him.”

Kagin chuckled, then chewed the inside of his cheek. When he didn’t answer right away, I thought he wasn’t going to help me.

He studied me, then responded. “He is supposed to be staying at the city barracks, but I think we have a home addresson file. The barracks are closed to females and will be locked for the night now, anyway.”

“What about the home address?” I wondered why he would stay at the barracks at all if he had a home to go to?

“It’s further away. I’ll get the address, but you’ll need to take transportation to get there. It’s not safe to wander outside the palace without an escort.”

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes again. Right now, all I cared about was confronting Orin and straightening things out once and for all. I needed to know where I stood.

Kagin scratched his head, and it seemed like he was sensing my emotions, but I wasn’t sure. “I’ll order avikofor you, but I won’t be able to come along since I’m on duty. If you like, I can have another guard-”

“I’m okay going by myself,” I said, cutting him off.

His silent look of surprise made me realize the rudeness in my words given how he’d offered to help me. With an embarrassed smile, I uttered the words, “thank you.”

Address in hand, he accompanied me to the palace gates, staying by my side until my ride came. When it did, he told the onboard AI to wait for me at my destination, and return me to the palace when I was finished.

Kagin stepped back and waved me off while the AI responded.

Thanking him again, I got in and chose one of the many empty seats as the door slid shut. The onboard AI advised me to stay seated, then hovered and glided through the air.

The only sound it made was a faint hum as we made our way through the city streets.

Struna was a gigantic city and a lively trade hub. During the day, the white stone buildings with reflective glass were attractive, but at night they had an almost eerie presence as they loomed over the streets. The cleanliness of the city was pristine.

The streets were empty. Most of the citizens were probably at home unwinding. If that was the kind of thing an Alaran did. Honestly, I had no clue how they spent their free time. After today I knew there was a lot I still didn’t understand about the Alaran people.

I had gone sightseeing with Grace and Trex twice. I’d learned there were museum-like buildings that primarily focussed on the Monarchy, its past rulers and details about a war that ended around a century ago.

While it provided valuable insight into Alaran history, I wished I could see more of the city as well as the countryside. According to Clor, there were forested parks on the outskirts, although I had not had the chance to see them myself. We had only walked to the market, always taking the same route.

The city center was encircled first by businesses then further out by residential streets. The homes were quite distinct from the outside and nothing like homes on Earth. I was sure they would have AI just like every other place I’d seen. But I’d never stepped inside an Alaran home.

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