16 Empress Dowager of the Compass Constellation

Aether pulled Dessy behind himself as his grandmother stepped into the gala's elite section.

His grandmother, the empress dowager, wore a high-low dress similar to Dessy's. It was purple instead of red, and its folds of fabric lay flat so that the skirt wasn't overly puffy. Her boots, black with metal straps, reached her knees and released faint wisps of blue aura. The boots weren't weaponized in the sense they were weapons, but they improved their wearer's control over aura and helped mitigate aura side effects, which proved themselves to be unmanageable phenomena such as Aether's accidental fluctuation of temperature.

His grandmother's long, white hair, upon which rested a crown, was tied into a low bun, and although she approached the age of a hundred, no wrinkles plagued her face and she still exhibited the youthfulness of a young woman. She wore a stern frown that made Aether shiver, and her blue eyes possessed a sharpness that likewise pierced into him.

Umbra and the surrounding spectators knelt on one knee, and Aether caught Dessy by the elbow, preventing her from following their lead. It would be improper for his future sister-in-law to kneel, but she twisted her arm and released a small blast of aura, loosening his grip as she defied his wishes. She fell to her knee, and Aether wrinkled his nose.

"Empress Dowager of the Compass Constellation," the people said in unison, to which the empress dowager waved her hand.

"Please stand," she said. "Aether, won't you introduce me to the woman by your side? Is this the one you were telling me about?"

Dessy glanced at him, and their eyes met. Hers were filled with confusion; of course she would be confused. He had made the mistake of promising his grandmother he would bring his girlfriend—who didn't exist at the time—to the gala.

"Come here, don't be shy," his grandmother beckoned. Her aura seeped into the crowd and attached itself to everyone's thoughts. It had the side effect of convincing others to do whatever she wanted—under the condition they weren't strong enough to repel her aura. Within the room only Aether and Umbra could do so, but if she formally aura broke, even they would struggle to resist her commands.

Dessy smiled and nodded at his grandmother. "I am Descending Rook, and I hail from Planet Name. Everyone calls me Dessy."

"Good girl." The empress dowager looked her up and down, and Aether felt the onset of a small headache. His grandmother was the type of person who would force others to answer nosy questions. "Are you fertile?"

"I think so," Dessy said, and her face twitched. Combined with her ruined makeup, she looked ragged and ghastly.

"Not the most elegant, are you?"

Dessy lowered her head. "I am only as great and as worthless as you say me to be, Your Majesty."

His grandmother nodded. She didn't show it on her face, but Aether knew she was happy with Dessy's response. He only hoped she would restrain her aura and allow Dessy the right to lie. She then asked, "Do you care for my grandson?"

"Yes."

"Do you desire his wealth? Influence? Power?"

"I couldn't care at all."

His grandmother raised a brow. "What about his handsomeness?"

"Blind to it." Dessy smiled; her head tilted slightly to the side as if teasing the Empress Dowager of the Compass Constellation. Her answers, Aether noted, were exactly what his grandmother wanted.

"Then what do you want?"

"Nothing your grandson can give me." Dessy raised her chin, indifferent to earthly goods.

His grandmother scrutinized her body. "Are you a virgin?"

Aether furrowed his brows; only his grandmother would care about that because of some unfounded rumors surrounding aura-breaker inheritance.

"Yes." Dessy nodded.

The empress dowager stepped next to her and whispered something into her ear. Aether knew it was the most important question: "Are you an aura-breaker?" Dessy whispered something in return, which could be nothing more than a resounding no.

Frowning, his grandmother filled the hall with her aura then aura broke, multiplying her powers of command. The surrounding guests faced the walls and stage, their ears turning deaf. Even Umbra let her control him and obediently stepped aside. The droids collapsed; the cameras lost power.

"Aether, I don't want you to marry her," his grandmother said. Then she slapped Dessy. A red palm print formed, and Dessy clutched it. Light tears glistened in her eyes, churning Aether's stomach with guilt.

He gazed at her shaking form and pursed his lips. He desired to hold her close to his chest until her tears vanished. But what could he do in front of his grandmother who cared only for the legacy blood of the Star Lines?

"Not even an aura-breaker." His grandmother scoffed. "Do you know the importance of the Star Lines?"

Dessy let out a small utterance of no, which further displeased his grandmother.

She said, "We protect the common people from the aura-breakers who misuse their powers. Our ancestors were the heroes who brought humanity out of the Dark Era and blessed the myriad galaxies, so it is our duty to rule the stars. Our blood is noble and our right derives itself from our aura. How could a mundane like you possibly hope to bear a child with our blood?"

"I do not dare," Dessy said, and the sadness in her voice panged Aether.

"Do you know why I am called the Empress Dowager of the Compass Constellation and not the Star Empress of the Puresoul Galaxy?"

It was a question Aether didn't know the answer to. His grandmother, Psyche Puresoul, ruled the Compass Constellation while her son, the constellation's emperor and also his uncle, lay sick in bed. Meanwhile, her younger sister ruled the Puresoul Galaxy as its star empress, and her other relatives ruled their respective constellations with the title of either emperor or empress—without the star. The latter were essentially glorified star princes and princesses.

Dessy shook her head to the question.

The empress dowager said, "My aura break lacks strength, so I never dared to eye the galaxy's star throne. Instead, I ceded it to my sister. My grandson, however, has far more power than anyone hopes to possess. He will inherit the constellation then lead the galaxy, but this is impossible if he can't pass on his blood and continue the Puresoul's Star Line. I know my place, so an insect like you should too. On your knees. Now."

Dessy dropped to the floor and kowtowed. Her back shivered.

Aether frowned at his grandmother's explanation. There had to be more to it than that.

"That's more like it." His grandmother smiled. "Aether dear, you may marry whoever you wish as long as they possess a decent aura break."

"Yes," he said, lowering his head. He sighed in relief that Gen was a strong aura-breaker. That solved some of his problems, and his mind spun with ideas of compensating Dessy for the trouble he had caused. If he didn't, Gen might blame him for taking poor care of her sister. Then, how would he ever convince Gen to marry him?

Slap!

His grandmother suddenly smacked him. At the last moment he had seen her hand but let her hit his helmet. She didn't restrain herself, allowing the full strength of an aura-breaker to strike him. He flexed his jaw in response to the jolt.

"You don't seem to understand," she said. "Haven't you learned your lesson after your uncle stripped you of your position as a general? Are you that desperate for Janus to inherit the constellation's throne? I will not let such a weak aura-breaker succeed his father's place in the Star Line. The others will laugh."

"Janus won't succeed him."

His grandmother scoffed. "I wish that were true, but don't underestimate the help he has garnered. Look at Umbra Keith. He's almost as strong as you, and he's not the only one supporting him. We can't let a fluke take our position by relying on outside aura-breakers."

"I will inherit," Aether said. His grandmother only cared for the aura concentration within her successors, not their ability to lead and govern. And more importantly, she only cared for powerful aura-breakers who had a chance of siring equally powerful offspring. This made it relatively easy for Aether to marry Gen if he wanted. There would be problems down the line, however, if he wished to inherit the galaxy's star throne.

"When will you marry?" asked his grandmother as she snubbed Dessy's still kneeling figure. "You need to prove your potency. Janus already has a son and a daughter. Both aura-breakers of average strength, but they're young."

After a moment's pause, Aether revealed his innermost desires. He thought of Gen, but to keep his promise to not reveal her sex, he said she was Dessy's friend. "I've found someone I wish to marry. She's a powerful aura-breaker and also Descending Rook's friend. So Grandmother, please stop tormenting the woman I brought to the gala."

"Her friend?" The empress dowager's eyes widened, and she took a second glance at Dessy. "Stand and tell me everything about your friend."

"There's no need for that," Aether said; his heart beat in panic. Under his grandmother's aura break, Dessy wouldn't lie, so he feared she would reveal she had no friends who knew him.

"Quiet," said the empress dowager. She helped Dessy to her feet, and Dessy, by accepting her help, showed respect to the empress dowager.

Aether gazed in curiosity at Dessy. Most often, commoners mixed the customs of their planet's royalty with the customs of the Star Lines, resulting in many unseemly slights; yet Dessy knew how to respond.

His grandmother—while aura breaking—ordered, "Now, tell me all about this friend of yours."

"She's from the D'nathian lowlands," Dessy said, shocking Aether. "She's a mother of two and has a large butt, an oversized bust, and a seductive face. Her brain is wonky, and she gets whatever she wants by pummeling people. We're friends because I taught her the common tongue, which she still speaks in broken words. Once I caught her washing her hands in the toilet with a bidet. Prince Aether was too embarrassed to bring her to the gala, so he convinced me to be his fake date."

Aether's eye twitched, and his grandmother gasped. Too proud of her power, she never expected someone without an aura break to resist her powers of persuasion. She believed every word true, even though Aether realized it was a big, fat, insulting lie. What had he done to earn Dessy's spurn? Ignored her?

"You wretched grandson! I take back my words." His grandmother's eyes lit with fury, and her hands shook. "You are not fit to choose your own wife." She raised her hands and turned the guests to face her. After releasing them from her powers, she said, "Everyone! I have arrived, so let's begin the exhibition. I also have an important announcement to make. My grandson, Aether Puresoul, has decided to marry South Star's elite princess, Reya Odis!"

There was a scream—Reya, no doubt—and she fainted. Fenri wasn't quick enough to catch her; her head smacked the floor, and green hair splayed like a clump of grass hitting concrete.

Aether glared at Dessy. Seductive or not, if she hadn't been Gen's sister, he would've torn her to shreds. As if feeling his irritation, she innocently turned her head and blinked at him, unaware of the mess she had created. His conviction wavered as his throat tightened at her fluttering lashes and limpid eyes. He struggled to resist her charm; then upon succeeding, he gritted his teeth and declared war.

How dare she keep him from Gen?