I look around the hall where the farewell feast is being held. I've never been this afraid in my whole life. One wrong move, one wrong word and I feel like they would kill me on the spot.

The Rajah's guests are bothersome. It is hard to get used to it. I feel like I am in a completely different world, a time totally detached from my own and I am going crazy about everything.

Now, I am regretting why I ever desired to look at the guests. The angel-looking women are standing on the side. They look like they come from heaven and all they lack are the wings. Next to them are the men from the Mainland who are wearing the same clothes as the Hiraya's sandigs. Except, they are only wearing a single accessory, a necklace with planets as its pendant. The prominent-looking ones have long hair and are lean and wiry. Their guards, on the other hand, are huge, bulky, and are sporting cropped hair.

Rajah Sinagtala is on the dais. On either side of him sits Isagani and Dakila. Rosa says that there are two reasons the Mainland people visit Rajah Sinagtala of Hiraya. One is so he could choose a wife. Another is to receive a tribute which happens every three years. But same as before, Rajah Sinagtala refuses to take a wife this year, even if both Dakila and Isagani are advising him to take one. And I know why–it's because of Jade.

I watch the Rajah. The feast is at its peak but he is not enjoying any of it. Despite his unmistakable scowl, the guests are enjoying the dancers in the middle, all are Mainland women. Rosa told me that the food for the feast is from the Mainland too. They even offered three years' supply of food for the Hirayans.

I look around again. Migo is on the corner, frowning. Renz is with him. Unexpectedly, they are not fighting. Aian and Jade are absent. They should be here. In less than an hour, Rosa said that the ceremony will begin.

Suddenly, the door to the hall opens. There's a commotion and a group of men enters while carrying someone. The dancers give way to them. Laya is with them and is angry at one of the men. I gasp when I realize the reason for it.

It is Jade. They shove her to kneel in front of Rajah Sinagtala and force her head down. Her hair is wild and unbound. Her cheeks are swollen and red. There are also trails of bruises snaking along her shoulders and down her arms, big and darkened. It's obvious she was struck multiple times.

Panicking, my gaze goes to Renz. He must not do anything foolish! Instead, it is Migo who is being stupid and Renz is holding him back while Migo is trying to get away from his clutch. However, the gasps and voices drown out his voice around the hall.

Rosa grabs my arm, probably, to prevent me from going to her rescue. "That girl, why is she even wearing a Nayan pendant," Rosa whispers.

That's when I noticed Jade's pendant. It's a strange-looking one, a digital eight with an extra dash at the center.

"It's crude and will only provoke the Fuhuan guest," Rosa adds.

The man with the blue pendant starts to talk. "I am Boqin pri Uranus and this woman stole a widget." He has scratches on his face, some of them still bleeding.

Instead of looking at the Rajah, Jade looks around the hall. Her eyes settle on mine. She notes the way Rosa is grabbing me. Then her eyes shift to Migo. She smiles at him. He understands the meaning of it and he relaxes a bit. But Renz is not taking any chances, his hands are still around Migo's arm, in case he comes to Jade's rescue.

Jade's smile did not go unnoticed by the one called Boqin. He catches a fistful of her hair and lifts her head. Then he says to her, "Now, stop smiling and tell everyone that you stole a widget."

Jade flinches at the pain. The calm smile she gave to Migo is gone. She's not crying. Instead, her smile is replaced with anger. Her eyes burn with it and she glares at her captor.

"I did not steal anything," she says.

"That's not what the system says," Boqin replies.

She spits on him and says, "Go to hell."

Angry, Boqin is about to smash Jade's head on the floor when Laya's knife goes threateningly close to his neck. "Go on, Pri Uranus. Do it and for the first time, we'll see a Prime's blood spilled in this very hall."

I turn my attention to Rajah Sinagtala. It is a smart move for Laya. The Rajah's grabbing tightly on the hilt of the sword beside him. Isagani's hand is atop his hand, holding him back. Then my eyes catch Bagwis. Like the Rajah, he's preparing to strike. He's close. Just behind the first row of the Mainland guests.

"Too protective of a single bitch." Boqin pri Uranus looks around. When he sees the tension around the hall, he lets go of Jade's hair and sneers, "A paradise indeed, before each of you fall into hell, one at a time." He leans to Jade and says, "I am looking forward when you fall to hell, woman."

It's Dakila who speaks next. "Whose widget is stolen?"

"Farlah sec Saturn," he answers.

There is a gasp and a woman steps forward. I gasp as well. This woman is the very definition of angelic beauty. It is soothing, calming and she instills desires of servitude to people who see her. The other Mainland women are nothing compared to her.

"Curious," Dakila comments. "A Pri Uranus wanting to be favored by a Sec Saturn."

Boqin flushes at this, of anger or embarrassment, I am not certain.

Then Dakila addresses the woman called Farlah. "Is your widget stolen, girl?"

"It's not stolen, sire."

Her voice is thin and high. The way she says it is like a song, soprano. She shows her necklace, hidden underneath her orange-white dress. Her pendant is an orange sphere with rings around it. She removes it, clicks on the center and it becomes twice its previous size while retaining its orange hue. I frown. How is that possible?

"And so the case is solved. Let the poor girl go," Dakila says, referring to Jade.

Laya helps Jade stand up. He supports her and is about to move towards Migo and Renz when Boqin stops her.

"But my dear Dakila. There is no law against a Prime injuring Hiraya's inhabitant. But not if it's the other way around."

Everyone is silent. Boqin points at his cheeks and his wounded arm. "This woman bit my flesh like a cannibal. Not to mention the scratches she caused on my face." He smirks. He is too certain of himself. He knows the law and the five of us are ignorant of it.

Jade glares at him, her hatred is still there, boiling. Isagani shakes his head and both Dakila and Rajah Sinagtala are quiet.

"I say brand her with the Nayan symbol like her pendant," he says, glaring back at Jade who refuses to bow down. "One little gash is fine and since she's a Hiraya inhabitant," he reaches up to the side of his legs. He draws a knife from its sheath and throws it before the dais. "Rajah Sinagtala should do the honor of branding her."

Boqin leers. He's both hateful and frightening. When the Rajah did not move, he adds, "That or, well, you know what exactly will fall upon you."

Rajah Sinagtala flinches and Farlah speaks up. "Stop this now, Boqin. None is stolen. Please."

"Oh, so sweet and kind Farlah. But aren't you only saying that because you have the hots for Sinagtala here? You want a man who is as soft to his people as you are. But my dear, it will never work. You are exactly and perfectly the kind of person that this man hates the most."

Farlah starts to tear up. I can't even imagine how she got the courage to speak up to this man. "You are not to insult anyone in this hall!" she continues, her voice trembling.

"Sec Farlah, stand down." Rajah Sinagtala finally moves and there it is again, the mad, boiling hatred that could burn anyone who comes close. He takes the knife and whispers, "Hmmm, a ceremonial knife."

He looks at Jade and ushers her to come closer. Jade obeys. There's no doubt on her steps. "Kneel," the Rajah commands.

Jade did as she is told. She kneels in front of him. There is not a single sign of fear in her eyes, only trust. Rajah Sinagtala raises her chin and tilts it to the side. His grip on the hilt of the knife is light, gentle like he's about to create art rather than brand a person. Jade closes her eyes and the knife glides along her neck, making a trail of blood.

When it's done, Jade looks at him and he says the words, "Let this mark be a reminder to avert your eyes from those that cause the disorder."

"Yes, my Rajah," Jade answers.

Rajah Sinagtala raises her and the way they look at each other speaks volumes of their relationship. Laya comes between the two and takes Jade away.

Rajah Sinagtala shifts his attention towards Boqin. He approaches him and asks, "Have you been wandering around my island with this in tow?" He is dangling and playing with the knife in his hands. "Looking for a victim?" he asks, his voice cold.

Rajah Sinagtala towers over Boqin and the latter recoils, finally becoming aware of the kind of man he's trying to provoke.

"It is from my Cluster," he answers, the trembling in his voice is evident.

"Your Cluster," Rajah Sinagtala repeats, emphasizing the word. "I hate war and I'd rather avoid killing whimpering men like you. But I must let you know, that injuring my people is more than enough to incur my wrath."

Boqin is not given the chance to reply. In a swift flick of his wrist, Rajah Sinagtala creates a gash on his neck, a long, ugly straight line.

Boqin's hand goes automatically to it and retreats from him. "What are you doing?! You have no right to mark a Prime of Uranus! I will be the next Ruler of Fuhua!"

He might have forgotten his fear because the next he did is attack the Rajah. However, Rajah Sinagtala is faster. He reaches for his head and smashes it into the floor like what he planned for Jade if not for Laya's interference.

Then the Rajah lifts his head and says, "Under the law, I have every right to do this." His anger is seeping out into the surface. He takes a deep breath and then lets him go. He takes a few steps back and declares, "I am Rajah Sinagtala, previously known as Sinagtala pri Mars, from the previous ruling Cluster, and also the previous Aubade and Ruler of the Fuhua Kingdom." His gaze bores a hole into Boqin. "And the law says that the previous ruler has more right than the next ones."

Boqin did not reply. His face is losing color. He's now realizing the kind of man he roused.

"Go to your friend. See to her need," Rosa whispers to me. "And come back later for the tribute."

It's what I'm waiting to hear. My steps are nimble as I hurriedly leave the hall, not wanting to witness the next scenes.