“Sire, I’m very sorry,” Nero blurts with more panic than I’ve ever heard from him so far. “But this is my only chance at seeing the outside world.”

He tugs at my arm and drags me towards the escape pod. I gasp. I struggle against his hold. There is chatter in the air now, and I’m sure of it—that it won’t be long before we are discovered. I just have to stay put until then and stall for time, I think. Just stay put and don’t do anything too—

Nero tries to push my arm, my gauntlet, up against the control panel currently holding the ship captive with its multiple looks.

“Oh, that is it,” I yell as something snaps within me and I find myself throwing a kick at his side. “I’m done with holding back! Do you truly think you can simply use a Vlexidian prince in such vulgar ways and get away with—”

The end of my phrase is stolen from me—as is the air from my lung—as I am thrown across the room; not by Nero, but from my own strength that I’d been using to pull and push him away.

As I sit there on the floor, wide-eyed and confused as to why he suddenly decided to let me go—I realise he didn’t, and that things are much worse now, for the gauntlet is nowhere near me and very much in Nero’s own hands. “Give it back!” I shout as I rise once more and shake off the bits of glass that stuck to my coat. “Give it back and we won’t hurt you, I promise!”

“I’m intelligent!” Nero calls; I can only assume he meant: I’m not stupid. The dread in my stomach spreads to my throat as he manages to bypass the security system and gains access to the ship. “I know you can’t hurt me anyway because you will need me! I’ll be back in three days!” He opens the rescue pod’s hatch. I take off without thinking and run towards him. “Just let me explore the world for a bit.”

I curse under my breath. Is he kidding, right now? “Stop this nonsense! That’s a rescue pod, it’s not a regular ship. You won’t be able to come back if you leave in—”

But Nero doesn’t listen, and the door is closing, with him and my only heirloom inside it. I gulp and shake my head. Panic of the purest kind bubbles in my gut as the pod slowly slips out of its dock. “I know I’m going to regret this…” I mutter. But I doubt I have a choice at this point… I jump and reach for its entrance.

As I crawl inside the cramped space, Nero tries to shove me out of the pod. “What are you doing?” he snaps, his eyes wide with fear. “Are you crazy? You need to get out!”

“I don’t think so, buddy! You’re not leaving!” I kick at his chest. “Not on this Prince’s watch!”

Nero goes tumbling towards the control panel. A sigh of relief escapes past my lips as my gauntlet rolls out of his grasp and down onto the dark padded floor. I make haste and grab it, ready to drag Nero out of here if I must. Yet, as I turn back to the door—I notice it is locked for good.

Nero groans. He leans against his elbow in an attempt to regain his footing. The movement is accompanied by a brief noise of confirmation, and a feminine voice saying, “Thank you for selecting planet Daibos, launching in three—”

“Nero!” I shout. “Cancel that right now or I swear I’ll—”

“Two—”

“Sire,” he yells over the voice. “I— I don’t know how!”

“I don’t care, just press on something or—”

“One.”

No.

We are blasted into space.

Oh no.

I shut my eyes and press a palm to my forehead.

Gods, no… this can’t be happening…

It’s over.

We’re doomed. Doomed!