I finally got Zale out of my house before it got any more embarrassing. 

We reached the fence.

He stood beside me, then turned towards me. 

“Hera, go back inside.”

It had been a very long day. I walked to the front door and turned around once. He hadn’t moved from where he stood. He was always like that. He was always waiting whenever I was involved. 

“Zale, text me when you’re home,” I said it before I could stop myself. I didn’t have it in me to fight this attraction anyway. I just told the leader of a powerful race to text me when he is safely back home.  

He beamed and nodded.

I went inside and just leaned on the door. I was trying to gather my thoughts, but it seemed an impossible task for tonight, so I thought I should sleep on it.

I took a quick shower and went to bed.

I checked my phone and found his message.

- Hera, I am back home

- *Smile emoji* Good night Zale

- Good night, Hera

****************

The next morning, the date on my phone screen stopped me cold. I had an exhibition in three months, and I haven’t even wedged a single piece of clay for it. 

I rubbed my forehead. Maybe I should start thinking about it today. I looked through my emails to remember the specifics about the scene when my phone vibrated in my hand.

A message notification from an unknown number.

-Do you really believe his intentions are that honest and innocent?

What was that? 

Maybe it was a wrong number. I blocked it anyway. Whoever this person was, they already sounded too dramatic. I wasn’t getting dragged into that muddied water.

I had to plan for the exhibition before it was too late.

******************

I opened my laptop and started reading Helena’s email. My mentor. One of the most eccentric people you could ever meet. I met her during art school when I had to use her studio’s pottery wheel for practice and exam preparations. For some reason, after watching me a few times, she decided to become my mentor. 

I didn’t even have the chance to agree or disagree. Helena became a part of my life. She didn’t appear regularly. However, I owed her. She had taught me a lot and taken me along whenever she found unique ceramic pieces to study. She even introduced me to many artists.

And whenever she found me lazing around just doing classes and regular pottery and retreating into my bubble, she would drag my name out to a curator or a gallerist to have me included. 

I didn’t mind even if I sometimes acted otherwise. I shook my head. 

So the theme this time was about “Choice”

Choice. Somehow the word felt heavier than it should have.

I had always preached about choice, but how to get that through a ceramic piece. 

I just sat straight and had my head rest over the top of the chair. 

I had no idea. 

I picked up the phone and pressed a number.

“Fleur.”

“Hera, why are you up so early?”

“I need to go to the eclectic antique district.” 

“Work?”

“An exhibition in three months.”

“Ugh, Hera, you always do this odd ritual, but you never really get inspired by that.”

“Fleur, I will listen to your date details, all of it.”

“Deal then.” 

She was going to tag along anyway, but she had to get something out of it.

*******************

I threw on a pink t-shirt and jeans, left the house then hopped on the bus. Fleur came up the bus a few stations later.

She looked grumpy; after all, it was still ten a.m. on a Saturday. 

“We could have slept a few extra hours before going on this inspiration window shopping of yours.”

“No.”

“You owe me a cup of coffee.” She huffed.

“Kay.”

We finally reached our destination and headed to the nearest café.

She sat at a table. 

I went and placed our orders. 

Hot Spanish latte for Fleur 

I ordered Turkish coffee.

Humans were concentrated in five territories, but still history prevailed through coffee. 

I took our orders and sat at our table. 

The aroma of the coffee filled my nostrils. I felt more awake before even drinking. 

Fleur started sipping her drink, and she seemed to concentrate more. 

We finished our coffee and then started roaming around. I didn’t ask any questions. Fleur would probably start on her own when she was ready. 

Nothing really caught my attention until I saw it. 

A recreation of Thetis Dipping Achilles in the River Styx.

Even Fleur stared at it. 

It was beautiful. 

“Fleur, do you think Thetis was intentional when she left a weakness for Achilles?”

“If it is intentional, then that would be a curse, not just a weakness, Hera.”

“Maybe it was both a gift and a curse.” A deep, manly voice joined our conversation.

We looked up at the old man at the shop entrance. He was probably the owner.

We didn’t reply.

“Do you want to buy it?”

“No, thank you.”

“Artists.” He shook his head. 

We walked around more. I got all sorts of inspiration but none about “Choice”

Typical.

I was lost in thought when suddenly.

“Hera, Orion was my date; he is also my star bond mate.” Her voice was barely audible.

“Hmm.” I then turned my head so quickly towards her. “What did you say?”

“Orion is my mate, and I went on a date with him yesterday. He realized it when he came to class on Thursday.”

“His first lesson?”

“Yes. I was so flustered I threw paint at him, but he just said it so casually I was shocked. It was as if he was stating that day’s weather.”

She paused for a second, then went and sat at a nearby bench. I followed. 

“I felt nothing, Hera. No pull, nothing.”

“You asked him?”

“Yes, he said that is how it should be. I feel betrayed by our government, to be honest. Even though I knew these mates thing wasn’t necessarily romantic. It seems the propaganda has long settled that way in my subconscious.”

“What about him?”

“He didn’t talk much. He kept talking about obedience to a Goddess or something. He just said that he will accept my choice.”

“Choice?”

“To accept the bond or reject it.”

“And?”

“I don’t find a reason to reject him, but I don’t understand why I should accept it?”

She paused, then started scratching her neck. She always did that when she was about to say something out of character. 

“But what scares me, Hera, is that I enjoyed his company. It was calm and peaceful. We talked about everything from paintings to the studio to Yin-Ra to family. I kept a conversation long enough with a stranger without doing something ridiculous. Weird no matter how I looked at it.”

“Will you accept the bond then?”

“Don’t know, but I really don’t mind having him in my life, not because of something mystical. No, he is just that nice.”

I looked at the sky while she got lost in thought again.

****************

Zale

After the longest Friday I ever had. I slept after reading her message. 

- Good night, Zale. 

I woke up late the next morning.

I smiled to myself as I remembered how she asked me to text her back when I was back home. 

I had already surrendered to the truth that she inhabited a deep part of my being.

I went down and had a quick breakfast. 

I had to go to the office after all Vaxar went to take the dying Yin-Ra back to Yin-Ra. 

I took Mrs. Cole's lunchbox before I left the house. 

I reached the office. The atmosphere was calm yet tense. It had always been that way. The curse would be in full motion while the Yin-Ra people couldn't mourn sincerely, knowing that at any moment that could be their fate. 

They looked relieved when I appeared. 

I sat at my desk and read the primary reports. 

It was just like Hera's mother said. The human woman was shot after an attempted robbery. She was going back home after buying some baby clothes. She was five months pregnant. 

Humans had their violent tendencies; I was perfectly aware of that. 

However, after what Hera's mother said yesterday, I couldn't help but doubt the entire situation.

The door knocked, and Vaxar entered. 

"Elder. The dying Yin-Ra had been moved back to Yin-Ra, and the second elder will carry out the last rites of departure." 

He started before I even asked. 

"The Yin-Ra man was called Enox. He met his star bond five years ago. His human mate is called Clair. She accepted the bond back then and they developed a romantic relationship. They completed the bond 5 years ago but only got married three years ago. She became pregnant with a hybrid child five months ago. She got shot yesterday while on an errand by some robbers, but Enox was in another human territory doing a job. When he came back, it was too late to try and save her by transferring one of his star lines." 

He remained silent after recounting the whole situation. He hadn't looked up at me yet. 

"Sit down Vaxar." 

He sat down, and when he looked at me, he was worried. He then calmed down when he realized that I wasn't agitated. 

"Vaxar, have Draco investigate those robbers when he is back." 

"Why?" 

"Something is not adding up." 

He didn't ask any further. 

Vaxar didn't leave for the rest of the day.

He eyed me as though, at any moment, I might head back to take another shot at destroying the Goddess altar.

I shook my head at that buried memory from a century ago. 

"Elder, we should have lunch. Tilda prepared star dust stew." 

"I have my lunch, though." I pointed to the lunch box. 

"C'mon, Elder, star dust stew is your favourite." 

I remembered that disastrous rumor that the third elder spread decades ago about my food preferences. Well, it wasn't a lie, but I wasn't interested today.  

"You enjoy it." 

He looked at me suspiciously. I ignored him. 

He left. I thought I finally had some peace. 

I had someone warm the lunchbox. 

I didn't get to start eating when Vaxar barged in carrying his own food. 

He looked at my food.

"Elder, did you just give up star dust stew for pasta and meatballs?" 

He sounded as if I had shattered his belief about the world. 

"And?" 

He remained silent for a few seconds.

"Elder, let me try." 

"Why?" 

"Safety protocol." 

"What are you even saying?" 

I knew he wouldn't let me have lunch in peace. I just slid some pasta and meatballs into his dish.

I started eating. 

He then tried the food. He didn't react for a long time. 

"Elder, these are just pasta and meatballs." 

I nodded.

In the 150 years I had known Vaxar, I had never seen him speechless.

For once, that was a nice change.

*********** 

Monday finally came around. It was the auction day. 

I was getting ready at my house when two uninvited guests appeared. 

They saw me in a formal indigo suit with a deep burgundy silk dress shirt beneath it, and started asking questions.  

"Elder, where are you going?" Draco asked.

"I have a date." 

Vaxar, who rarely changed colors, became an interesting shade of yellow.

"With who?"

"Hera." 

"Elder, do you know what a date is?" Draco asked

"Two people meeting to enjoy their time," I repeated Mr Cole's explanation.

Draco started rubbing his forehead. 

"Elder, a date is when two romantically involved people go out together." He paused, then carefully said. "Does Miss Hera know that this is your intention?"

"Well, I didn't know the romantically involved part, but last time I was at her house, her family saw this as a date. She didn't deny it." 

"Elder, what do you mean by her house and meeting her family?" Vaxar asked. 

"I don't find my words difficult to understand." 

I looked at the clock. 

"I will be late. I have to leave now. I can't have her wait for me." 

I went to pick up Hera from her house.

I heard Vaxar interrogating Draco inside about what exactly was going on between my pottery teacher and me. 

I smiled.

Author Note

Chapter 19 is here! ❤️

A little more Hera and Zale, a little more Fleur and Orion, and a few things quietly moving in the background. 👀

Also... Zale has learned what a “date” is.

Or at least he thinks he has. 😂

Thank you so much for reading and supporting Star Bound. We're getting closer to some very important moments, so I hope you're enjoying the journey! ✨