Nero by Luna Hunter

Author:Luna Hunter [Hunter, Luna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-10-26T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Victoria

We walk through the halls of the Classis Octavius while silent. I’m still awe-struck by the marble floors, the archways, the intricate designs, the sheer love put in every inch of this ship.

It feels more like a palace than a ship. By comparison, human ships are focussed solely on functionality. Everything is gray, sleek, with no fanfare.

I have to look through the archways, out at the stars, to remind myself that yes, I am in fact still in space.

We encounter a few Elban warriors on the way. Each one snaps to attention, saluting Nero by banging their chest with a balled fist. I can tell that his people have nothing but respect for him.

Nero is brooding on something. I don’t want to rush him, but there’s a million questions I want to ask him. Finally, one pops out.

“Who is this ‘Emperor Decimus’?”

Nero sighs and looks away.

“I wish you hadn’t asked that.”

“I need to know, Nero. I need to know your past, your history. I need to know everything about you.”

“I don’t want to scare you away.”

“After all I’ve seen, nothing is going to be able to scare me anymore. You are not your father, Nero. How many times do I have to repeat myself?”

“A million more times,” Nero says. “Decimus was a monster… but a hero to most Elbans. It was he who, five centuries ago, united the warring families and founded the empire. We stopped fighting each other, and focused on our attention on the other species in our galaxy… who never stood a chance.”

He turns to me, a determined look in his eyes.

“We subjugated them, Victoria. We enslaved them. Elban society is based on ownership, on hierarchy, on violence. That is why I haven’t told you about my world yet. Why I don’t want to take you there. I can tell that your world is not like mine. You have a good heart. A pure one. Anything you see will only make you hate me.”

I listen attentively, while having trouble believing what I’m hearing.

“You are not like that at all,” I say.

“No,” he answers. “I take after my father, my real father, Gaius Octavius. He wasn’t a typical Elban, to say the least.”

Nero chuckles. Whenever he talks about Gaius his eyes light up, and a hint of a smile forms on his lips. I like it.

“You have a good heart, too, Nero,” I say.

He shakes his head.

“There is a darkness inside of me, Victoria.”

Nero’s eyes are filled with a world of hurt. He’s so damn hard on himself, like he has to carry the whole world on his shoulders… which, I suppose, is true in a sense.

The future of Earth itself might just depend on him.

I hug Nero tightly and squeeze him as hard I can.

“I love you, Nero Octavius, darkness and all.”

“You can’t say that.”

“I just did.”

He wraps his arms around me and holds me for a few moments. I wish all moments were like this. Calm. Quiet. Just me and him. No world-shattering problems.

“I have to go,” he says.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.