Not a date. Not a call. Not even a glance.

I dig my nails into the palms of my hands and stare at Lazarus who is currently deep in conversation with one of the ministers from Earth.

It's like our kiss never even happened. Maybe I had imagined the whole thing. I've been wanting to talk to him ever since he got punished by his father but he's been acting so indifferent. Every time we're in a room together, it's like I don't exist.

And I hate to admit it but it has been slowly eating away at me like a disease.

The war council are gathered here today to meet with our liaisons on Earth, all of them currently fussed over our inevitable move to our new home.

Our bunkers have been laid over most of the Northern territories already. Only the South has been met with some resistance. Some of the humans have managed to debunk the myths surrounding aliens helping Earth's leaders.

Normally that wouldn't be a problem for us but when a whistle blower leaks this kind of information to the general public, things tend to get a little messy.

General Grievous and Lazarus are leading the discussion today. They seem to pair up more often these days. Lazarus is on fire today, quick with his suggestions, earning appreciative smiles from the leaders on Earth. He's always been so passionate when it came to Earth and they seem to love him for it.

He's telling them about this tracking device we have that can expose whistle blowers even if their IP addresses vary or if they use different VPN locations to upload information.

Every time I look at him I feel a deep longing, the feel of his lips on mine a memory I will never forget. But it seems he has.

The pain in my chest multiplies, it feels like a gaping wound has left me bare and exposed for everyone to judge.

I am an idiot. Just another girl who has been used and discarded by Lazarus IX. Just another statistic like the bunker numbers currently laid out on one of the screens before us.

I feel nauseous and this is the last place I want to be at right now even though my parents will kill me if I got up to leave.

Scratch that, my parents don't give a damn about my existence but General Lyra will. My eyes instinctively fall on where she is seated across the room.

Her silver hair has been pulled back into a tight bun, stretching her face, making her look fiercer than usual. At fifty, she's still a force to be reckoned with and she gives the Hungarian president her utmost attention, never breaking eye contact even once.

My admiration always seems to grow for her. She's someone I aspire to be like when I'm older. So calm, so indifferent to the men around her. Always just business and the Sympathizers.

Her gaze flickers my way for just a second, the first time she's broken eye contact with the leaders on screen. My heart rate spikes when she gestures at Lazarus's hands.

I've been watching him the entire day and I notice he taps his finger twice across the edge of the table again. It's the second time he's done it during this conversation and because I've been staring at him most of the time, I realise he's done this exact same gesture multiple times already.

Lazarus isn't the tapping finger type. He usually crosses his arms over his chest or interlaces his fingers when he's listening intently to someone.

General Lyra must have noticed this as well. I look around me at the Commanders, my parents and then at Lucian, wondering if anyone else sees this but nobody gives anything away.

Lucian currently looks like hell. His eyes are hooded and he's currently nodding off to sleep. I nudge him quickly before anyone else notices and he snaps to attention, eyes fluttering incessantly like he'd just been stunned with an electro pole.

His cheeks flush with colour when he sees me staring at him and he quickly looks away. He has been acting so weird lately.

"Lucian, anything to add?" His father asks, looking at his son in disappointment. "Or do you need a crate of coffee from Earth?"

Lucian's face reddens even further and his spine snaps straight to attention.

"You know kids nowadays. Always staying up late, partying." General Aldric jokes, trying to diffuse the tension between father and son.

"It is the same with ours, here on Earth," The American Secretary of State adds, chuckling to himself.

The meeting continues, thankfully without anyone calling anyone out anymore. Lucian remains awake for the rest of it and Lazarus can't seem to hide how happy he is whenever he's asked for an opinion.

I give my two bits worth when asked, knowing that this must be another test to evaluate us again. The generals are retiring soon, everyone knows that in a couple of years the three of us will be taking over.

They just don't know in what order.

Our current oligarchy is headed by General Aldric, followed by General Lyra and then General Ursae. Spouses follow in that order, their titles only slightly secondary.

The purity of our bloodline must always be preserved and therefore only the highest position of commanders are allowed to marry within our circle. General Mondric was a bastard offspring of a previous general who died in the Milky Wars and my father lead the army into the battle of the Seven Stars, freeing the Elcians from slavery.

He married my mother soon after, when he was already fifty years old. An arranged marriage that should have never happened.

Lazarus's mother was deemed the most beautiful Plutonian when she was younger. Her father comes from a diluted bloodline of generals, the history goes too far back that I haven't bothered to remember.

All I know is that he got his golden highlights from her. His turquoise eyes however remain a mystery to this day.

I watch him tap those same two fingers just before the screen goes blank and I notice a minister in the top left corner eye his movements.

My focus goes razor sharp, analysing his uniform and the badge perched over his breast pocket. Chief of State, President Ludwig of South Africa.

I frown and try to catch the others for a reaction but the monitor goes blank within seconds, leaving me in gnawing frustration.

What is Lazarus up to?

Everyone greets us, all the Commanders eager to lick our boots before we take over the empire. I'm polite and friendly to most. It's a two way thing. We need their votes and they need our support, even the commanders have their own hierarchy.

"PG Luna," Commander Bardotta walks up to me with a cheerful smile stretched across his pale cheeks. Between the three of us, he's always favoured me the most. "I hear you'll be turning eighteen in three days. We have already sent a gift to your residence. The finest jewellery from the Seven Star constellation."

Around us, commanders have started to gather. Each one commenting about the gifts they have either gotten ready for me or are waiting to procure.

It's the same every year. My house will be filled with gifts from all over the galaxy but this year it's worse. I started receiving gifts over a month ago.

Everyone knows I'll be turning eighteen and then the race will start.

Will I marry Lazarus or Lucian or pursue leadership separately and marry one of their sons instead?

"Thank you, Commander Bardotta. You have always been so kind." I give him a small curtsy and he beams at me in admiration.

The way men have looked at me over the years has changed as well. Before it used to feel innocent, now most of them look at me with want and desire in their eyes, even the married ones.

General Lyra tells me it's a weapon I should be wielding but it doesn't seem to work on the one person I want it to.

I notice Lazarus watching our exchange. It's the first time he's looked at me since we kissed. There are about a dozen commanders between us but when our eyes meet I don't see anyone else.

My heart dances like it's having it's very own party in my chest and suddenly the gaping hole doesn't feel so gaping.

I smile at him even though I should be furious that he's been giving me the cold shoulder since we kissed. I should roll my eyes or scowl or do something that would show him the pain he's been putting me through.

But as mentioned previously I am an idiot. So I smile, expecting him to do the same. A smile, a wink, maybe a gesture at his communicator, telling me he's going to text me.

But he doesn't do any of the above. He stares at me and I can almost see the resentment in his eyes. Plutonians say the only thing that can hurt you are battle wounds or words.

No one ever mentioned how a single look can completely decimate a person. It feels like someone just pulled the floor from underneath my feet.

He turns around and walks away, a group of commanders following suit. I notice my father by his side, my mother scuttling behind like a lost lamb.

I stagger to the wall and lean against it, trying not to cry in front of everyone present. I plaster a smile across my face, grinning so hard that my cheeks hurt once everyone has left.

Only Lucian stays behind, leaning by the door to the exit.

"You want to talk about it?" He asks tentatively.

I swallow down the sob that threatens to turn me into a crying mess and take a deep, calming breath.

"Do you?" I counter, reminding him of how he had fallen asleep during a crucial meeting with Earth's representatives.

His face turns grim and he shakes his head.

"Me neither." I say, my voice coming out wobbly as I remember the way Lazarus looked at me only moments ago.

"Come on, let's get some frosted cream and head to our favourite spot."

I follow Lucian, holding him tightly as we weave through the city on his glider and then head to our place at the Western border.

Lucian sits by the open ledge perched at the end of the cave, overlooking the vast space around us while I walk along the edge, tip toeing precariously, my feet only centimetres from imminent death.

"Luna, stop it. I know you're upset with Lazarus but it isn't worth killing yourself over. That worm doesn't deserve anyone's death."

I laugh at his words and lick the frosted cream in my hand. "Why do you two hate each other so much?"

"He's arrogant. He treats everyone like disposable trash and he orders executions like life means nothing. What is there to like?" Lucian leans back, resting his palms over the icy grey floor. "Are you going to sit down or do I have to come there and grab you?"

"We never used to be like this. The three of us used to be so united." I sigh wistfully, remembering the days when we used to run around the training centres, painting graffiti and getting into trouble together.

"Yeah, well that was before everything became a competition." Lucian says, looking out into space, his gaze now reminiscent.

"He hates me too. I saw it in his eyes." My throat tightens and I feel my eyes sting once those words leave my mouth. The floor is more slippery here, I take a step forward, my foot half off the ledge. One wrong step and I plummet through the nothingness below us.

My foot slips just as the thought crosses my mind and the next thing I know I'm toppling forward. I instinctively close my eyes but something pulls me back and then my back hits a hard surface.

I open my eyes to see Lucian hovering over me. His cold blue eyes are wild, like a raging icy fire and he fists my hair, panic painted all over his beautiful face. Up close he's even more striking than I imagined, the type of handsome that grows every time I look at him.

"Don't ever do that again," He warns me, voice knife edged.

I nod, half afraid, half wondering what it would be like if I reached up and kissed him right now. My brain is all scrambled, my body feels numb like I'm floating. I can't believe I nearly died from my own carelessness.

Lucian stares at my lips, the icy worry in his face turning to tender admiration. The moment suddenly becomes too intimate and I wonder if I've been pining for the wrong person the entire time.

Maybe I should reach up and kiss him but would that be fair to him?

Lucian leans in and I close my eyes, forcing myself not to overthink things but then our communicators ring simultaneously.

The moment breaks and he pulls away reluctantly. I swallow hard, blood racing at what could have almost transpired between us.

I grab my phone and see a message from General Lyra.

"I have to go," We both say at the same time.

Hey guys sry for the late update. I went on holiday and just got back :) Hope you enjoyed the chapter :)