“So all of your visions have come true?” the Empress asked, looking even more interested.
“Well, yes,” I admitted. “Though I’ve only had three of four so far. The whole Lat-ti-zal thing is kind of new—it only happened after I met Vik’tor,” I added, nodding at him.
“I have heard it said that a La-ti-zal’s powers do not manifest until she leaves her home world,” the Empress said thoughtfully. “And some say her sexual desire does not manifest until she meets the male she is meant to Bond with.”
“I don’t know about that,” Vik’tor said, frowning. “I am a half-blood, Your Highness—I am unable to Bond with any female,” he told the Empress.
“Though it is true that no other man has ever, er, made mereactlike you,” I pointed out to him.
“Interesting—so you felt no sexual pleasure until this male touched you?” the Empress asked.
My cheeks were really burning now but a little voice inside my head was saying that I had to tell the absolute truth—it seemed very important for some reason.
“That’s true,” I said, lifting my head. “It was like my body was numb until Vik’tor touched me. And the minute he did, he kind of…woke me up.” I thought of the sexual shock we’d both gotten when he touched my bare skin for the first time. “It was really amazing,” I admitted in a low voice to the Empress, who was looking more and more interested.
“I see,” she murmured. “This would seem to prove that you are, indeed, a La-ti-zal. Which means you may be one of those I seek.”
“You’re looking for a La-ti-zal?” Vik’tor put an arm protectively around my shoulders. “Why?”
The Empress sighed and sat back on her throne.
“As you know, the people of my planet have been separated for centuries,” she told us. “The males inhabit one side of the globe and we females inhabit the other.”
“Um, yes,” I said, daring to speak up. “And we were wondering why? I mean, why did you split up the way you did?”
The Empress shook her head, her pastel rainbow hair flowing over her lavender shoulders.
“Alas, the reasons we first split are lost in the mists of time—the archives which contained all such knowledge burned long ago and so the reason for our Rift was lost,” she murmured sadly. “But there is a prophecy that one day we will be reunited and that the males and females of my planet will learn to live together in unity once more.”
She waved her hand and suddenly a kind of mirror appeared beside her throne. It was either magic or some technology so advanced it looked like magic to me. Since Vik’tor didn’t look shocked, I assumed it was the latter.
“Show me my counterpart,” the Empress commanded, speaking to the mirror. “Show me the Dark Emperor, Shadout the Twenty-second and one half.”
I felt a shock of surprise and recognition at the name. Wasn’t that the guy that Gumpus, the Eloim merchant who had bought me in the first place, was going to give me to as a present? I was almost certain it was but before I could say anything, a handsome face appeared in the magic mirror.
The Dark Emperor certainly lived up to his name. His eyes and hair were pure black and his skin was a very dark purple that seemed to be mixed with black as well. He had well shaped features with a proud, aquiline nose and sensual lips that looked like they could be cruel. He didn’t look happy—there was a brooding quality to his face—an undefined discontent.
“Do you see him?” the Empress asked us. “I look upon his visage often, though I have never met him. He rules the other half of my planet.”
“He’s very handsome,” I said honestly. Though I was pretty glad that Gumpas hadn’t actually given me to him as a gift. Considering how big the Tangellans were, he was probably ten feet tall!
“Yes, I think so too,” the Empress murmured, nodding. “His face is fair to me, though many would consider it too dark. But so it is with all the males of our planet—their light was taken when we females left them to form our own society.”
“That is most interesting, Your Majesty,” Vik’tor murmured politely.
“Yes, it is,” I agreed.
“If the males and the females of our world were to come back together, I would be paired with him—with Shadout.” The Empress leaned forward again, looking at me intently. “And according to this same prophecy, the reunion of the Tangellan people will be brought about my two La-ti-zals.”
“Two of them?” Vik’tor frowned. “Pardon me, Your Majesty, but I’m not sure where you’re going to find two at once,” he rumbled. “I mean, La-ti-zals are extremely rare, as I understand it.”
“Yes, that is my understanding as well.” The Empress nodded. “And yet, I have been longing for such a reunion of my people and now you appear, bringing one of them with you. Is it not fate?”
“I’m not sure what it is, Your Highness,” I said. “But Ididsee you in a vision. So maybe Vik’tor and I were meant to come here for some reason.” I decided not to mention the fact that I’d almost been given to her counterpart as a gift—it would only make things more complicated.
“Yes—Iknowyou were meant to come!” The Empress leaned forward again. “And I know the reason as well.”
“Er—you do?” Vik’tor raised his eyebrows politely. “And what is the reason, Your Highness. I was under the impression that we were just here to talk business.”