The Space Empress He Craved

Chapter 146

POV: Lyra

I blinked before sighing in frustration. "I honestly don't know what to think, Orion. Whatever we just heard, and whatever we went through these past few solar days just feels like this complicated web of events that may be connected, but may not be at the same time."

"What do you mean by that, sweetheart?"

I stared into space as I started explaining, "Well, I understand that Sasha's behavior on the training facility was because she thinks I'm the reason behind her father's imprisonment. On the same day she's placed in custody, the strongest stations get threats from Rogues to draw me to the Nebula Sector. Jake mentioned they were acting for a client. What if Livia Aphael is that client?"

Orion's hand holding mine tensed up slightly. "If she is, she's going to have a lot to answer for."

"But that's where things start to not make sense." I looked at Orion like I was trying to solve a confusing puzzle. "Why would she want me infertile? Up until today, I didn't even know her name. If this is about me being bonded to Cummings, whom she hypothetically likes, then I still don't see what her problem is. I never took him away from her. If anything, I made it easier for her when I rejected him. And...if she had the resources to make Greg disappear, why would she let him give me those incriminating evidence? She could very well make any piece of evidence vanish into thin air. Besides, from what you guys have been saying about Greg...I don't really see why he would need any help disappearing. He seems really capable of doing that on his own. And how does Tanner fit into all of this?"

Orion couldn't give me an answer, so he looked at his cousin uneasily. Christian merely uttered, "Don't look at me, cuz. I thought I was lost. But what the Empress said just made me feel more lost than before."

Orion sighed before running his fingers through my cranial strands again. "Maybe it's not connected, sweetheart. Maybe they are all separate events."

"Then why are these events happening one after another? Why are the beings we're hunting down disappearing one after another? It's as if they know who the security force will be going after next, and they disappear just in time to avoid getting caught."

Blink! A sudden sound in the small pod made me flinch in surprise.

"Oh, that's my communicator. Sorry about that, my Empress." Christian said as he got out his device.

Orion chuckled lightly at my reaction, wondering how I could look so adorable even when shocked. I narrowed my eyes at him when I mistook his affection as teasing.

Right after he pressed a kiss on my cheek, Christian said, "That was Annie. Just checking what time I'll be picking her up from our habitat tonight."

Orion's eyes snapped to Christian's. "You're not joining us tonight?"

"What do you mean, cuz? Of course I am. Annie's joining us tonight too. We're coming together." Christian explained casually.

"Really?" Orion asked in disbelief. Christian studied his cousin in confusion. Why was Orion so surprised that Annie decided to join government events, especially when he knew that Lyra and Annie spent hours together at the consumption center the other day?

When the High Commander came to the only possible conclusion, he threw me a cheeky smirk. "You didn't tell him, did you, my Empress? It's not good to keep the Emperor in the dark, especially when it comes to your good deeds of bringing others back into the light, you know?"

Orion looked at me. "Lyra, you said you only encouraged Annie to go along with her intentions to contribute as the High Commander's match."

I shrugged and uttered innocently, "That's exactly what happened."

"Hah! That wasn't even half of it!" Christian started chuckling at his cousin who looked like a sad, left-out youngling on the recreation platform.

"Star-heart! What did you not tell me?!" Orion asked as he held my wrists and leaned toward me.

I thought for a moment before muttering, "Uh...I did tell her to disregard certain...derogatory remarks made by beings who aren't worth the attention. Hm...Also, we'll be there for her whenever she needs us, and...I guess that's about it."

"Still not even half of it." Christian muttered under his breath before saying aloud, "Let me do it, my Empress."

"Alright, but I don't know what else there is to add. That was pretty much the gist of our conversation. Don't exaggerate anything, please, Christian."

I returned my sights to Orion before declaring, "I'll see you both on the training facility."

Right after I pressed a quick kiss on Orion's cheek and stood to leave, he held onto my forearms. "Oh, no no no. You're staying, sweetheart. You can't leave me alone here while my cousin gloats about knowing what you said to Annie when I don't."

I rolled my eyes. "You'll be fine, my Emperor." I tried to tug my arms away but his firm grip wasn't letting me go. "Darling, we've been gone long enough. I need to guide the Kaelari and Lyrokans on the new techniques. I have to go!" I whined and used my large multifaceted eyes on him.

After losing his inner Lyrokan's support, Orion sighed and pressed a kiss on my nose before muttering 'over-responsible Empress' and let me go.

When the portal closed with a gentle sound, Orion faced the smug-looking Christian. "What? You're gonna make me beg for information now, Christian?"

The High Commander started chuckling and patted Orion on the back before heading for the portal. "I'll tell you on the way to the training facility, cuz. C'mon."

Orion reluctantly got up from his seat and followed his second-in-command as he grumbled, "What is it with you beings and the need to head for the training facility the exact moment I want to know something?"