OFF BALANCE

The Aunare Chronicles, Book Two

Nightmares are plaguing me.

I wake up smelling sulfur, feeling my skin burning, knowing that I’m burning to death on the surface of Abaddon, but I’m not. I’m on Sel’Ani, my father’s home planet. I’m alive and using my true name and finally free to be myself. And yet, I’m completely falling apart.

Every time I wake up screaming, Lorne is there. I don’t understand how he knows when I need him, but he does, and even if I can’t say the words aloud, I’m so thankful that he’s there. Because I wouldn’t survive this without him.

It’s not just my nightmares and exhaustion and trauma making this hard.

I thought escaping Earth, Abaddon, and SpaceTech would mean I was safe, but I’m not. The Aunare don’t want me here, mostly because if I’m here that means my betrothal to the heir to the Aunare High Throne is back on. I would call it off, but I can’t seem to make myself say the words because Lorne is the heir.

Everything in me is drawn to Lorne, the man that haunted my dreams, the man that lures me in with his every look, the man that I can’t seem to get away from because everywhere I go, every time I need him, he’s there.

Lorne makes me forget that the Aunare hate me enough to send assassins to kill me.

I can’t resist him. Lorne makes me think that everything is possible, that I will be okay, that I should just say yes to him. Because being with him means that I will eventually become the High Queen of the Aunare, and I’m not sure I can do that job. I’m not sure I should.

Because the Aunare hate me for being a half-Earther, and I’m just one more assassination attempt away from being dead.