Finding Stardust

"We need to talk," Emma said firmly.

Therius turned to Natan, and the doctor immediately understood that he should leave his own clinic to give these esteemed guests privacy. However, suddenly, Therius changed his mind. He did not want to talk to Emma at the clinic.

"We better go somewhere else," Therius said. He walked out of the clinic without waiting for Emma to reply. The girl knew she had no choice so she had to follow him out.

Reluctantly she turned to the room where Haoran was being treated and then took a deep breath. She calmed her heart, then walked alongside Therius.

She would not ask where Therius was going to take her. She was not willing to spare the man more words to ask about unnecessary things.

Both of them walked in silence through the hallway where they had come earlier. They bore the same cold expressions and indifferent att.i.tudes toward their surroundings. Therius got into the elevator and then pressed the pin on his chest. A white b.u.t.ton flashed on the wall.

"This s.h.i.+p has five levels and a capacity of 200 people. One hundred of them are soldiers for security, the rests are normal crews and researchers. This is actually a research s.h.i.+p that I borrowed for this secret mission. The crew doesn"t know who I really am. So, I appreciate you not revealing my ident.i.ty in front of them," said Therius without looking at Emma.

The girl just nodded.

Ah, apparently, Therius was indeed a prince, and he came on this mission in disguise as some general"s son. She could understand that much.

"What did you say to them about me?" Emma finally asked.

"They don"t dare to ask. I don"t need to say anything about you," Therius said casually.

DING

The elevator door opened on the 5th floor, and Therius walked out with both hands in his pockets. He then stopped in front of a blue door and suddenly, the door slid open to the side. This was the training room he often used to practice his abilities when he was not studying various state doc.u.ments.

Emma turned her gaze into the room. It looked like a huge empty hall.

"This is a training room. It is equipped with walls that could withstand high-level training exercises. You can train your pyromancy, hydromancy, or electromancy here," said Therius. "Our journey home will take six months. You can choose to sleep in the sleeping pod until we get home, or spend your time doing useful things, like training your abilities."

He walked to the right and suddenly, a sliding door opened for him to give access to enter a lounge.

"Hey ... you are awake?"

Emma turned toward the sound and found Xion sitting on one of the sofas in the lounge. He was enjoying himself by juggling several gla.s.ses in the air without ever touching them. The handsome young man"s face looked cheerful when he saw her enter.

Emma looked at him and his gla.s.ses attentively. She remembered how Xion tossed her and Therius out of the penthouse using a giant hand made of air.

If Therius couldn"t hold Xion throwing him out like that... then Emma could draw the conclusion that Xion is a stronger aeromancer than Therius.

Inwardly, she wondered how to become like Xion so she could win in a fight against Therius.

"I thought you said you would sleep in a sleeping pod for six months until we arrive in Akkadia," Therius quipped.

"Too much sleep will make people sick," Xion answered nonchalantly. "Besides, if I let you both out of my sight, I might never wake up because you two will destroy the s.h.i.+p with your stupid fights."

Emma grumbled to herself. In terms of strength, she was still far below Therius. How could she possibly destroy this s.h.i.+p and Therius?

Besides, Emma didn"t want to take any risk. Haoran was in this s.h.i.+p.

"We are here now. I want to talk," Emma finally said. She decided to ignore Xion.

Therius nodded. He took a bottle of Akkadian wine, which he had served to Emma before, and two gla.s.ses for them. "I think talking while drinking will make the atmosphere more relaxed."

Emma didn"t refuse when Therius filled the two gla.s.ses with wine and handed one to her. She did really like the taste of the wine which Xion called as the best wine in the universe. 

After she took a sip, her anger and worries slowly dissipated

She sat next to Xion who had stopped juggling his gla.s.ses and now turned, facing her.

"Do you want to know how you can defeat Therius?" Xion whispered into Emma"s ear as she plopped herself next to him. He made sure Therius did not hear him.

Emma frowned. How did Xion know that she wanted to defeat Therius?

"How did you know that I was thinking about it?" Emma whispered back.

"I can see from your expression. You look like you want to tear his face apart." Xion giggled softly. He pointed his hand at the wine bottle on the lounge counter and brought it to his hand. He then poured himself wine. "If you are good at drinking, you will be able to defeat Therius. That"s the only way to defeat him. A drinking game. He is a lousy drinker. I can teach you how."

"Ugh ... I"d rather you teach me how to use aeromancy," Emma commented. "I see that you are very skilled."

Xion shook his head. "I don"t accept disciples."

He didn"t have time for other people but himself, nor did he care about them. Taking her as his disciple? Scoff.

Therius finally got annoyed because the two people seemed to talk about him between themselves and ignored his presence. He cleared his throat and asked Emma to get straight to the point.

"Didn"t you just say you need to talk to me?" He stared fixedly at her. "I"m listening."

Emma turned her head to look at Therius with the same intensity.

"You kidnapped me!" she exclaimed in annoyance.

"I did NOT kidnap you. I only granted your wish. You said that you would go to Akkadia if the man was going with you."

Xion looked away when he heard Therius" words. He knew Therius would fit the role of a king because he was manipulative and diplomatic. The prince made it look like he was fulfilling Emma"s wishes, but at the same time, he was actually forcing her to do what he wanted all along.

What was the point of going to Akkadia dying?

Xion knew he hated politics and the people in it, but today he just hated it more.