HERA

The pottery room fell silent.

My gaze dropped to the cracked wheel.

I stormed out of the room. I needed space. He didn’t mean it, and I didn’t want to take it out on him.

“Hera, please wait,” Zale followed me to the reception. “Hear me.”

“Elder!” Draco came out of the painting classroom.

Fleur came out next. I went to the fridge. I was about to open it when he started again.

“Hera, let me explain.”

“No need.”

Fleur then entered the kitchen.

“Did you finally lose your first kiss?”

I froze.

Zale froze.

Draco dropped the brushes he was holding.

I looked up at Zale. Then my eyes travelled to his lips. I quickly turned my head.

“What, no, Fleur!” I eventually said.

“Then what started this lovers-argue sort of scene?”

I face-palmed.

“He broke my wheel,” I started crying.

Maeve gasped.

“What do you mean he broke the wheel?” Fleur’s eyes twitched.

“I told him to throw the clay in the center, then ... it cracked”

“You are kidding, right?” Fleur lost composure for the very first time in ages.

“Go see for yourself.”

Maeve handed me a tissue, and I wiped away my tears.

Fleur and Maeve walked towards the pottery room, and I followed them. We bypassed Zale and Draco.

Maeve and Fleur finally saw it.

“It is really broken.” Maeve held up the broken half of the wheel head with difficulty.

“Is that even possible?” Fleur wondered.

“The proof is in Maeve’s hands,” I pointed at the wheel’s head in Maeve’s hand.

“I did hear that the Yin-ra people were very strong,” Maeve explained.

“Strong as in what scale?” Fleur wondered.

I took out my phone and started searching.

I would lie if I said I wasn’t curious.

“Hera, what are you doing?” Maeve asked.

“I am searching about how strong they are?” I started scrolling through an article

“What did you find?”

“This article says they can easily carry a car with one hand,” I stated.

“Can they?” Maeve was bewildered.

“Oh my god, they can even carry a bus.” I continued reading.

“Why have we never known about this?” Fleur asked.

“The article says that their laws prevent them from using excessive, unwarranted strength in front of humans,” I explained.

“We just never really mix with people outside of our art circle; that’s why we don’t know a lot about them?” Maeve reasoned.

I shrugged.

“Wait, should we hire a Yin-Ra to help us around here?” Fleur began having ideas.

God save us.

“I would prefer if we don’t start a galactic war, dear Fleur.” I sighed.

“C’mon, I give a nice salary, and they get free classes.”

“I don’t think that is their purpose for coming to Earth.” Maeve tried to reason.

“This would relieve their boredom. Cultural exchange.”

This had already become a hopeless conversation.

Maeve and I just shook our heads. Praying for the poor Yin-ra soul who Fleur would try to hire.

We finally returned to the reception.

Draco was a serious shade of blue. He was as colorful as always.

Zale stood straight.

“Hera, I apologize.”

“It is okay,” I patted his arm. He was probably shocked too.

“Elders, we just checked out and found that your people are really strong?” Fleur wouldn’t miss a chance, would she?

They nodded.

“I was wondering if you could help us move the broken wheel to the storage and get the one from the storage room to the classroom,” she pointed to the storage room.

“Understood, Draco, let’s go.”

“Fleur, seriously!”

“What? He broke it; that is the least he could do?” She shrugged.

After ten minutes, they came back to the reception.

I handed Zale and Draco water bottles from the fridge. They didn’t look tired at all.

They were really strong. Fleur, Maeve, and I just stuck to the studio and our homes. We never really went out of our way to know anything about strangers, humans, or Yin-ra. It seemed that we were very underinformed.

“Zale, I hope you enjoyed our first lesson.” I looked at him. Even though there was a mishap at the end, it was fun.

“I did.”

I smiled.

“Are you sure he didn’t steal your first kiss?” Fleur whispered. I glared at her.

I looked at him. A faint haze of pink coloured his cheeks. Is he blushing?

Then I accidentally looked at his lips again.

Oh my god, I am becoming depraved.

What has the world come to?

Zale

“Are you sure he didn’t steal your first kiss?” I heard it crystal clear even though Fleur was whispering. I wanted to steal that very first kiss. I had to give her time.

My left hand pulse hummed slowly. I squeezed my left hand. The star bond pulse was too serene.

Nothing like the pounding heart inside my chest.

I wanted her before the star bond even pulsed.

Every smile, every pat, even every scowl and disapproval. I earned them myself.

But she might only see me as a responsibility. Let’s wait a bit more. I don’t even understand what this is, but I don’t want to lose it yet.

“Draco, send one of the military-trained Yin-ra for Miss Fleur to hire.”

“What?”

“Undercover. Just helping out as an assistant or whatever Miss Fleur is looking for,” I explained. “I did break their equipment; this is the least I can offer.”

“Does it have to be military?”

“Yes, three women staying alone without any protection could be dangerous.” They left the door open during working hours for Goddess’ sake

Recent intelligence reports suggested that not all anti-hybrid groups were peaceful. Two Yin-Ra elders appearing at an art studio sooner or later will attract attention. I would rather keep her safe.

We reached the office building.

“Elder, there is a clean suit in your office.” I looked down at my clothes. My shirt had too many clay streaks. Also, replacing the wheel in the classroom totally creased my clothes.

I nodded, then left the car.

“Elder, I have something to report,” Vaxar rushed after me as I entered my office.

I started changing my clothes while Vaxar stood waiting. His expression was a weird one.

“Elder, has something happened?”

“Why do you say so?”

“There are streaks of mud on your clothes.”

“This is not mud; it is called clay.” I stressed every word. “Too much ignorance for someone who simply judged a whole race after limited interactions.” I huffed.

Draco, who came in, was smiling.

Vaxar looked ashamed.

“So what is the report about?”

“There is a Yin-ra who was rejected by his star-bond. He refuses to go to Yin-ra and has applied for an extended stay.” Vaxar started explaining. “He is waiting outside.”

I buttoned my shirt and sat down at the desk.

“Let him in.”

A very young Yin-ra man walked inside and knelt on the floor. He greeted us according to protocol, then stayed silent.

“State what is the purpose of your visit?” I broke the silence.

“Elders, my star bond has rejected forming the bond; however, she didn’t mind being friends. I want to give it a try... Being friends”

Vaxar shook his head while Draco stayed silent.

“Do you know how painful it will get the more you stay near your star bond without forming a bond?”

“I understand.”

“Let me be clear. We live by the Goddess’s rules. We try our best to find our star bonds, but the moment a Yin-Ra is rejected or can’t finish forming the bond, they are allowed to stay away from their mates. This is the only way to lessen the pain.”

“I understand ... I just want a few days as her friend.”

“The humming of the bond will no longer be peaceful or steady as it is now. It will be as if your heart had been ripped out of your chest. It might be bearable at first, but I have seen strong men go crazy because of the pain.”

“I will also go crazy if I just leave like that”

“If a Yin-Ra reports that your situation has become dangerous, you will be taken back to Yin-Ra regardless of your will.”

“I understand.”

“Approved. You can leave.” He bowed, then stood up and left.

“See, Vaxar, this is the result of your negligence.” I reprimanded.

“Humans, most of them have nothing against us. They treat us as cohabitants. They aren’t even malicious or fickle. We, the elders, kept our people’s curse a secret to protect our race. They don’t even know what prices we have to pay”

“And that is not their problem to start with.”

“The bond was introduced as an obligation binding people together, and now we have anti-hybrids on our hands.”

“The star bond is both the Goddess’s greatest gift and our greatest curse. Yet humans reject it before even giving it a chance”

“What is the result, Vaxar?”

He looked ashamed.

“This young man is the result.”

My eyes lingered on the door where the young Yin-Ra had just exited.

“He gets to pay for our failures as his Elders.”

Author's note

Poor Hera... she survived a broken pottery wheel only to be ambushed by Fleur. 😂

Also... Zale dropped a few interesting thoughts near the end of the chapter. Nothing important... definitely don't overthink them. 👀