Royal Hearts Read online

  “We would meet the students there?”

  “The juniors and seniors. They’re the ones who are more likely to be thinking about college.”

  Ann was a junior in this time period. He could meet her there. “Yeah, I’m interested.”

  “Terrific. I can tell you what to do when we get there.”

  Hathor nodded, glad he had run into Kent. He couldn’t wait for Monday to come. It was going to be hard, waiting to see Ann. But she was safe at the moment. He could afford to wait two days.

  Two days. It was a short time, but a lot could happen between now and then. He wondered what she’d do in that time.

  Chapter Seven

  Six years in the past

  Lisa’s house

  Beavercreek, Ohio

  Planet: Earth

  Ann parked her mother’s car in Lisa’s yard. She was given permission to park there so Carson and William could use the driveway. She noted that Carson and William weren’t there yet. She turned off the ignition and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart. It was no big deal. She was going to meet a guy. That was it. If it didn’t work out, it didn’t work out.

  She pulled down the visor and studied her hair. The sides of her long hair were pulled back with barrettes so that her curls fell around her face. She smiled and saw there was nothing in between her teeth. Satisfied, she flipped the visor up, grabbed her purse and walked to the front door of Lisa’s house.

  Lisa opened the door before she could knock. “Hey, come on in! The guys are running late so they won’t be here for another five minutes.”

  “More time to build up the tension,” Ann said with a grin.

  Lisa snorted. “And they complain that girls take forever to get ready to go anywhere.”

  Sitting on the couch, Ann asked, “Are there any plans yet?”

  Lisa sat next to her. “No. Carson thought it would be best if we got together and then picked something to do.”

  “What is William like?”

  “I only met him once in the three months I’ve been going out with Carson. So let’s see…William likes computers and cars.”

  When she didn’t continue, Ann laughed. “Does he like anything else?”

  “I’m sure he does. It’s just that all Carson told me is that he’s big into those two things.” Lisa seemed hesitant to say more but then flipped her dark hair over her shoulder. “Okay. I’ll tell you something, but you have to swear not to tell Carson I told you.”

  “I swear. What is it?”

  “William saw a picture of you and thought you were cute.”

  Ann’s face flushed with pleasure. “Really? He said I was cute?”

  “And he asked to meet you. But you have to swear not to tell him that I told you he asked to meet you. He wants you to think that I’m trying to get you two together.”

  “If all secrets were this good, I’d say we need more of them.”

  Lisa giggled, and the doorbell rang. She cleared her throat, forcing aside more laughter. “It’s show time.”

  Ann stood up and got ready to meet William. She’d met Carson before, and since he was a blond, her gaze went to the boy next to him. William had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, a slender build, and was considerably taller than her. He seemed more rugged than the guys she was usually attracted to, but knowing that he thought she was good looking made her attracted to him right away. At the very least, it showed he had great taste.

  After Lisa made the introductions, she asked, “So, what do you guys want to do?”

  A moment of silence passed between the four before Ann asked, “Anybody like tacos?”

  “They’re my favorite,” William replied.

  “Carson?” Lisa asked.

  “Sure. Why not? We can all go in my car.”

  Ann’s heart skipped a beat. That meant she would have to sit next to William in the backseat.

  Lisa and Carson headed on out of the house, and William stopped and faced Ann. “Your name, Ann Kerwin… It sounds like a name meant for a queen.”

  She stared at him, not sure what to make of the ridiculous comment. She waited for him to tell her he was only joking, but he only smiled at her, as if he gave her the highest compliment a boy could give a girl. And who knew? Maybe this was something he told every girl he met.

  Since he seemed to expect her to say something, she offered a smile and thanked him. His smile widened, so she guessed she gave him the response he wanted. He gestured for her to head out the door first, so she did. At least he had good manners.

  His pick up line, if that’s what it was, needed some work, but maybe he was nervous and didn’t know what to say. She’d had moments when she said something stupid. She needed to give him more leeway. Girls weren’t the only ones who had trouble coming up with things to say when they were attracted to someone. Feeling better, she went to the car.

  ***

  Present day

  Paff ’s sleeping quarters

  Alpha Head I

  Planet: Pale

  By the time Paff woke up, a full day had passed. He woke up feeling refreshed, but he quickly recalled the impending war, which only brought back all the stress and worries that had been subdued during sleep.

  Halima, his wife, came into the room. “I thought I heard you stirring. I brought you something to eat.”

  She set a tray full of white apples and oranges before him. “You need to keep your strength up.”

  Despite the grim situation, seeing her beautiful face brought him some joy. “Thank you,” he replied with a smile. “Has anything happened while I was sleeping?”

  “No. I have no messages to give you.”

  He fought back the urge to groan. He didn’t like the sound of this. Queen Ann was in trouble. He knew it. The fact that Hathor hadn’t made contact with him either only emphasized the perilous situation they were in.

  He glanced at the clock by his bed. Twenty-four more hours. If he didn’t hear from them by then, he’d send out a search party.

  “What can I do for you?” Halima asked, sitting beside him.

  He pulled her to him and held her, burying his face in her neck. She was his strength. If it hadn’t been for her, he’d never have the courage to face this. “You’ve done everything already,” he whispered.

  She returned his hug then rose to her feet. “I’ll get your uniform while you eat.” She walked over to their closet and pulled out his metallic blue suit with the Leader’s mark sewn into it.

  He took his time in eating his meal. He knew he’d better eat now because it would probably be a long time before he would have the chance to eat again.

  ***

  Six years in the past

  Lisa’s front yard

  Beavercreek, Ohio

  Planet: Earth

  After Ann, William, Carson, and Lisa got back, they decided to throw Lisa’s Frisbee around in her front yard.

  William was amazed at how well he remembered everything that had happened the first time he went through this. He knew when Carson would jump up to retrieve the Frisbee only to miss and fall on his rear end. He remembered how Ann felt so self-conscious about running that she’d just walk after the Frisbee. He remembered the way Lisa threw the Frisbee so it went in the opposite direction. It was so uncanny because it seemed like it had happened yesterday instead of six years ago.

  “I’m tired of this game,” Lisa finally said. “Can we go into the house?”

  “It is starting to get chilly out,” Ann agreed. “I forgot to bring my jacket.”

  “Good idea, Ann. Let’s go in,” William said.

  “Is this because I was winning?” Carson asked.

  “Yes, Carson. We’re all intimidated by the way you fell flat on your butt,” William joked.

  “I slipped! It wasn’t my fault the ground is wet.”

  “It hasn’t rained in days.”

  “The sprinkler must have been on.”

  “Sure it was.” William rolled his eyes. He had forgotten how
easily embarrassed Carson got over the silliest things.

  “Okay, you two. Break it up,” Lisa interrupted. “My mom made her famous lemonade, so if you want it, stop your bickering and get into the house.”

  “And they say men lead the women in relationships,” Carson whispered good-naturedly to William.

  “Oh, I bet there are some planets out there where women are the leaders and men serve them.” William smiled, enjoying his insight into the universe.

  Carson gave him a strange look but didn’t say anything.

  The four friends sat in Lisa’s living room. William sat next to Ann on one couch, and Carson sat on the other couch, waiting for Lisa to come back with the lemonade.

  “You’ll love this lemonade,” Carson told William.

  “It is delicious,” Ann agreed. Then, turning to William, she asked, “You go to school with Carson, right?”

  Lisa brought four tall glasses of lemonade into the room and handed them out.

  “Yes,” William replied. “I’m a senior. I’m thinking about going to college in Florida.”

  Carson, who was taking a drink of lemonade, swallowed it the wrong way and coughed. “Since when are you going to college? I thought you hated school.”

  William hid his amusement. He didn’t realize his friend was so easy to throw off guard. “All I can say is that this is a whole new me.”

  “Are you serious?” Ann asked. “Where in Florida are you planning to move to?”

  “The panhandle area. Pensacola, to be exact,” he said, knowing full well this was where her family would soon be moving to.

  “Wow! What a coincidence,” Lisa said. “Ann’s moving there.”

  “Oh?” William asked Ann. “When?”

  “I don’t know yet,” she replied. “We’re waiting for my dad’s boss to tell him.”

  “It’s been about a year since she expected to move, so it could still be another year yet,” Lisa added. “With any luck, that will be the case, and she can graduate up here.”

  He, of course, knew she would be moving in September, but he didn’t say anything.

  “Moving in my senior year isn’t something I’m looking forward to,” Ann admitted. “It would be nice to finish high school with my friends.”

  “If she does stay here, are you still going to go to college in Florida?” Carson asked, shooting him a pointed look.

  “I can always adjust my plans,” he replied. “I don’t want to rush things. Let’s just see what happens.”

  He noticed Ann blush. He hadn’t realized how easy she had been to impress. So unlike Carol and some of his other ex-girlfriends who made life difficult for him.

  “I agree. We should just enjoy today while it’s here. Whatever happens will happen,” Lisa said.

  Carson glanced over at him.

  William couldn’t help but wonder what Carson was thinking. He also wondered if he should keep a close eye on his friend. He suspected his friend might piece things together if he wasn’t careful, and who knew what Carson’s moral code would compel him to do?

  ***

  Present day

  Alpha Head I

  Planet: Pale

  Paff, Zak, and Jaz walked around the Security Forces Gamma Division where Pale’s military force was getting ready for the impending war.

  “Be sure to prepare for Omin’s classic sneak up from behind maneuver,” Paff told the head of the security guard. “That’s what the clone used when he knocked Guard Rico unconscious so he could escape.”

  The guard nodded. “Will do, Leader.”

  Paff turned his attention back to the large room. Pale had advanced its weapon technology in the past year, and he hoped some of the new weapons would take Omin’s clone by surprise. It might be the one advantage that would get them through the war successfully.

  “Keep up the good work,” Paff said then headed back to his office.

  By the time he got there, Zak and Jaz were waiting with two guards who were the most qualified to lead a search and rescue mission. The four stood up as he entered the room.

  “I’m sorry to call you on short notice, but Queen Ann and Hathor have been missing for forty-eight hours,” Paff said, deciding to get right to the point. They were on edge anyway. Why go through the pretense of formalities? “The last time we saw them, they were on their way to Olympia to seek help from the gods and goddesses who live there. They were acting on our behalf, and that being the case, we need to send a search party for them. We aren’t even sure if they made it to Olympia, but that is the most logical place to start.”

  “Do you know where Omin’s clone is?” Guard Lino asked.

  Paff shook his head. “Not yet.”

  “If we find Queen Ann, we might find him,” Zak said. “Omin made a threat to kill her. It’s looking more and more like something he intends his clone to do.”

  Jaz turned to the guards. “I will be going with you on this search. How long will it take for you to get ready?”

  “I can gather a week’s worth of supplies in thirty minutes,” Guard Lino replied.

  “And I can get the spaceship ready in that time as well,” Guard Falon added.

  She nodded. “Good. I will get my own things ready. Let’s hope we find her and Hathor on Olympia,” she said.

  As the three left the room, Paff turned to Zak. “What are the chances that she and Hathor made it to Olympia?”

  Zak frowned. “At this point, I would guess they never made it.”

  Paff was afraid of that.

  Chapter Eight

  Six years in the past

  Dayton, Ohio

  Planet: Earth

  The next day, Hathor boarded another city bus and paid the fare. Fortunately, Kent had briefed him on what to do when riding the bus. Hathor felt so out of place on this planet. It was hard to adjust to the automobiles and big stores. Earthlings had a surprisingly busy lifestyle. Even the queen didn’t rush all about like Earthlings did, and she was the busiest person on Raz. Everyone seemed to be in such a hurry all the time. He didn’t think he could handle it.

  Thank goodness this trip was temporary. He sat on one of the empty seats and braced himself for the initial pull when the bus would start up again. The first time he felt it, he nearly fell off his seat since he hadn’t expected it. But now he was prepared and better able to handle it.

  He opened the map he bought, with Kent showing him how to make a purchase at the cash register, and studied the cities of Dayton, Beavercreek, and Xenia. Those were cities he remembered Ann talking about.

  He found the street that the bus was on and searched for it on the map, which Kent had helped him learn since he hadn’t known about street signs before. Thankfully, Kent didn’t ask him why he didn’t know how to do simple things like ride a bus or buy something from a store. Perhaps Kent didn’t want to embarrass him. Whatever the reason, Hathor would take it.

  Hathor was on his way to Beavercreek. He recalled that Ann had often gone there to visit her friend who lived there. He didn’t recall the exact name but thought it started with an ‘L’. And that, unfortunately, wasn’t enough of a lead to find Ann.

  As the bus continued through the city, he allowed himself a few moments to miss his home on Raz. He missed Katherine and how her face lit up whenever he walked into the room. He missed the stroller rides he and Ann took Katherine on in the evenings. He missed the beauty of Raz and the simplicity of life there.

  Most of all, he missed Ann and knowing she loved him as much as he loved her. He forced back his tears. Would his life ever go back to the way it used to be?

  The bus stopped, and the driver called out, “The mall.”

  Hathor was tired of sitting, so he decided to get off the bus. His search earlier in the day had taken him through most of Dayton. And now, he was tired and hungry. Since Kent had mentioned that malls had places people could eat, he figured this might be his only opportunity to do so. After noting that the bus arrived every half hour at this spot, he checked his watch
to make sure he’d be back by then.

  He followed other people into the mall. As soon as he entered it, he recalled the markets on Raz. This wasn’t so unlike that. People were selling things all over the place, but people here hurried to wherever they wanted to go. He didn’t understand why they rushed about just to collect things to put in bags. But then, there was no group singing or actors on a stage to entertain the crowd. Though, he did note some music playing throughout the place.

  Someone bumped into him.

  “Sorry,” a teenage boy apologized.

  “Boy, you are one of the clumsiest people I’ve ever met,” his teenage friend joked. “Yesterday at Lisa’s with the Frisbee, and today you’re running people over. You’re on a roll.”

  “Whatever,” the boy replied in irritation.

  That was the last Hathor heard of the conversation as they walked off. He turned his attention back to studying his surroundings. He wanted to check some of the stores out, but his growling stomach informed him he had to take care of more pressing matters.

  He found the food court without too much trouble. He had never seen so many selections in his entire life. It was like a huge banquet except people had to get the food themselves instead of being served the meal. He studied the pictures of the different food selections. He finally decided on a sandwich shop since he figured it was hard to mess up a sandwich, and he was familiar enough with it.

  He watched the person in front of him order the contents for his sandwich, finding it surprising people got to choose what they wanted instead of just being served it.

  “What do you want?” the employee asked as she grabbed new plastic gloves and put them on.

  He ordered the exact same sandwich that the person in front of him had. That was probably his safest bet. If the other person liked it, he probably would, too.