Prologue

“I love you,” Omnino whispered.

“I love you, too,” Ednea whispered back.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead, stroking the face of his newly born daughter, who was nestled in her mother’s arms, with his fingertips. His heart welled with happiness and love as he looked at Ednea gazing at the child she held. His throat clutched with…- well words can’t even describe the emotion – as she turned and smiled him. Her face seemed to say, Can you believe we made something this beautiful? She wrapped an arm around Omnino’s neck, pulled him to her and kissed him deeply. A pleasant heat washed through him, loosening his throat and warming his heart.

The bustle and noise of the hospital hit him as a bright white flash filled the room. A nurse had shuffled in and was holding a camera in her hands. He and Ednea looked over at her, and she lowered her camera, looking a little embarrassed.

“Mr. and Mrs. Pacalis?”

“Actually we’re not married,” Ednea corrected. “My last name is Rhine.”

“Oh; I’m sorry. About the picture, too. I couldn’t help myself; you look so adorable together. It’s time for me to show Ednea how to correctly breast feed,” she said, smiling. She turned to Omnino. “You are more than welcome to stay and… um… watch. It’s up to you.”

He turned to Ednea. “I’m going to go to the car and get my change of clothes, maybe a sandwich or something in the cafeteria. Unless you want me to stay. It’s your choice.”

“You go and get changed and have a bite to eat,” she replied. “I think I can take it from here.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“Because I can wait a little longer, so you aren’t alone. I don’t need –”

“Nino!” Ednea said sternly, cutting him off. “The nurse is here; I’m not alone. And you’re starting to smell. Go and get changed and eat. Don’t make me get out of this bed and make you.” She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, but was unable to hide the laughter in her face.

Omnino had to grin. He loved her fiery temper. “Okay, okay, I’ll go,” he said, getting up from his chair. Groaning, he stretched his stiff arms, legs, and back. He'd been sitting in that chair before Ednea fell asleep, and after she woke up. He leaned over and kissed her. “I love you,” he whispered again, pushing her dark hair delicately from her eyes.

“I know. And I love you, too.”

“I’ll be back before you realize I ever left.” He turned and walked out of the room.

Ednea’s eyes followed him lovingly as he left. Sighing with happiness, she gazed down at her child, who was sleeping peacefully in the crook of her arm.

“I meant what I said before,’ the nurse said, making her way to the side of the bed. “You two are the cutest couple I’ve ever seen. And that’s twenty-five years of working here experience talking. And your daughter is just precious! What is her name?”

“Hesper.”

“That’s a gorgeous name. You are a very lucky woman, Ms. Rhine.”

She thought of the life she was about to spend with her husband-to-be and daughter. “You have no idea.”

It was the last time she ever saw him.

-

Omnino walked through the parking lot to his car, soda in his hand and half a sandwich in his mouth, absentmindedly chewing. He swallowed, wiped the crumbs off his hands on to his pants, and reached into his pocket. His fingers sound the small, velvet case hidden within, and he rubbed the box absentmindedly as he walked to the car.

I love this woman, he said to himself. How will I explain a thing like this to her? I could just try to ignore it all…but that won’t work. I’m going to have to tell her sooner or later.

‘No you won’t,’ the little voice in his head answered. ‘You don’t have to tell her anything.’

But she bore my child, he replied. She deserves to be told.

‘She deserves nothing. She is nothing but a foolish mortal, incapable of any caliber of wisdom that comes close the likes of our own. And you were just as foolish as she to get involved with their trivial lives. You will be severely punished when you return. The Senatus is very displeased, I assure you.’

That is their problem, not mine. I am not returning. They have no control over me.

‘You stupid, brainless child!’ the voice roared, causing Omnino to wince externally. ‘You know exactly with whom you are dealing with, and still you remain contumacious. The Senatus will not tolerate such inane behavior. Do you realize what you have done? Or what the child is, or what she has the potential to become? You will suffer the same fate the others did, and you know it. Yet you continue with this asinine presentation!’

You have no idea what I am feeling. You’ve no right to scold as you would a child.

‘Then you are even more senseless than I gave you credit for. We will not risk being exposed. You cannot beat us. We are unstoppable.’

Omnino turned around to face the source of the footsteps that had followed him discreetly through the parking lot. ‘You don’t need to do this.”

“Yes, I do. You have broken The Privilegium.” The procurator stood a few feet in front of him. “This can be easy or difficult. It is your choice.”

“Please,” Omnino pleaded, “let me be free. My daughter; she will need me to protect her. I can’t leave her or my Pectus Compar.”

“That is absurd,” the man snapped. “These… humans haven’t the intellectual capacity for such a thing. This is your last chance to come willingly, Omnino.’

Tears welled in his eyes as Omnino came to realize that he would most likely never again see his family. “I can’t,” he whispered. His heart leapt into his throat.

The procurator shook his head. “I can.” He closed his eyes, and raised his arms and face to the heavens. “Recurses contra nostri…” The sun was shadowed by clouds, and it seemed the world was lit by his single body.

“No,” Omnino whispered; the sad result of a scream attempt. As he felt his entire body engulfed with heat, the voice inside of him was laughing maniacally.

They were both gone before Omnino's only tear hit the asphalt.