Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 43296 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43296 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
“You should have more respect, Genet.”
Genet scowled over at him and then said, “I believe we all are guilty of this.”
Raimi chuckled, and Erak felt his anger mounting. “I think you two should have more respect for our father than that.” Stopping right before he reached the entry that led to the common room, Erak turned around and looked the two of them in the eye.
The three of them were similar in appearance but different.
They all resembled their father: seven feet in height and muscular builds, but their eye and hair color varied.
“What is this you speak of, brother?” Genet took a step forward. His light green eyes were narrowed, and Erak could feel his brother’s rage escalating as well. “Is it not you that Father blames our recklessness on?” Genet spread his arms wide. A cruel smirk covered his expression.
Erak held his younger brother’s stare with a glacial one of his own.
Genet was right. Being the eldest, he had led his brothers astray, showing them that the kingdom could wait. He took claim for starting it, but that had been when they were adolescents.
His brothers had led their own life from that point on, and what they did was on them. Their father wanted to descend from the throne, and it was time the three of them stepped up and took on the responsibility.
Erak refused to back down from Genet.
“I do not deny that I have led you down a path of destruction, but heed my words, little brother. It is time we take the throne and ease Father of his burdens. It is time we find our fated females and produce heirs. I am ready to be the ruler Father knows me to be. Are you two ready to take that responsibility?” Erak stared at Genet and then directed his authority at Raimi.
Genet would have been the harder to break, but the words his younger brother spoke shocked him.
“I admit I am growing weary of this life, of the random females, and of feeling like I’m missing something.” Genet breathed out roughly and ran a hand through his ash-colored hair. “I am with you, brother. I am ready to find my female. I do not wish to fight with you and can accept my role as an honorable male.” He turned around and spoke to Raimi. “Are you ready to do this? Ready to be a ruler Father needs?”
All was quiet for a moment before their youngest Asek brother murmured his agreement. Erak exhaled, not realizing that he had been holding his breath.
Their next adventure would be one that would change their lives and their planet’s history.
Chapter Three
LUNA
Planet of Kat’aki
Luna wiped the sweat that beaded across her brow with the back of her hand. Every part of her body ached, but she didn’t dare stop what she was doing. She scrubbed the table harder, trying to get out all the Caltika monster blood.
The fight that had just happened hours before had been fatal, with random body parts scattered across the bar and the stench of death lingering in the air. The gelatinous, green goo had come from the beast when it challenged one of the Monte males to spend the evening with a female.
It was clear the Caltika had no idea the powers the Monte species actually possessed. The large, wooden bucket beside her feet held what was left of said beast after she scraped him from the table. It took every ounce of willpower for her to hold back her gag reflex every time she glanced down at the chunky remnants.
“Really put some elbow grease into it.”
She gritted her teeth at the flirtatious comment right behind her. Luna didn’t bother responding or lifting her gaze. Maximo slapped her on the ass as he passed, but the only reaction she gave was to tighten her hand around the blood-soaked rag she held.
Just a few more months and you’ll be out of this shithole.
Luna said the mantra over and over in her head and scrubbed harder. The small restaurant, Tao, was where she had worked for the last two years. Kat’aki, or the planet of red dust as it was more commonly known, was her home, at least for the time being.
Working in the gritty, rundown bar on a planet known for prostitution, illegal activities, and filled with the worst of the worst criminals was not how Luna saw spending her life. It didn’t matter, though, not when she was hoping to save enough to leave and travel to Euk’toria, the planet of happiness.
This had been her life since birth. It didn’t matter that she was born to a human prostitute and left in the street until a couple, who had to be the only kind and decent people who lived on this forsaken planet, had claimed her as their own.