Ashes of Andromeda by Chad R. Odom

Author:Chad R. Odom [Odom, Chad R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chad R. Odom
Published: 2018-10-11T04:00:00+00:00

Family

Celeste didn’t take Oryan to Asher. She wanted to, but she also knew the kind of trauma they’d both been through. She and Eldar had many conversations about soldiers and war and the stress that someone goes through even if they don’t realize it. Asher had endured more than any child should have to, and the last thing she wanted to give him was an unstable father.

She left Asher in the care of Rebekkah, her closest friend since she’d arrived. For several days, she showed Oryan more of the city and took him up into the mountains.

Under the starry sky, the pair climbed a fair way up one of the slopes that encircled the encampment so they could see the entire city. They stayed there for some time, watching the sun shrink behind the rocks. The sky had gone from blue, to shades of purple, red and gold… Gradually, it became a black canvas with the moon and stars painting wonderful pictures. At times, a star would streak through the sky on its way out of existence.

Oryan sat on the ground leaning against the firm rock wall, Celeste directly in front of him. The night was cool, but Oryan kept her warm.

Having her back was overwhelming for him. So much so, he realized he’d been talking almost the entire time. Now, with her in his arms, he soaked her in. For him, it was surreal. Until now, he’d imagined their reunion like another mission for the Warlord of Navarus. He’d plotted out dozens of ways to infiltrate a Slave Quarter. He thought of the guards he would have to disable, the walls he would have to climb, or the holes to dig, or any combination thereof.

He laid his head on the top of hers, remembering completely how soft her hair was. His heart swelled with gratitude for Sicari and whatever fate it was that allowed for this to happen. For the first time, someone he loved had been restored to him instead of being ripped away. A tear of pure happiness rolled down his cheek, and Sicari’s words about worthiness rang in his heart.

Oryan stared the stars, wondering if his mother and father were watching him now. “They really are beautiful,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I stopped and just looked at them.”

Celeste joined his gaze. A distant meteor streaked across the sky. She curled up further in his arms, feeling a wholeness she had not known in some time. It was as if time was standing still so she could live in this moment forever.

“I know that beyond this place is some of the harshest weather I have ever seen. How I can still see the world like this is beyond me,” Oryan mused.

“Eldar told me all about that,” Celeste replied.

“Who’s Eldar?”

“You’ll meet him eventually. He told me that it’s a result of the terraforming experiment they did here. Something about artificial environments in a contained space and utilizing atmospheric inhibitors to penetrate the weather conditions within that space.

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