Page 45 of The Quoram Effect

“The man with long silver hair. Purple jacket. He’s moving towards Marla Hyde.”

“Remi, I can’t see anyone. Everyone is sitting at their tables.”

“Saul, he’s…” Something stirred inside me. Doubt. It was doubt. Was the image of that man in my head? Had I gone mad?

No. No, it can’t be.I could clearly see him casting shadows over the guests as he passed them. His tall, slim body blocked my sight of Torz for a split second as my commander glanced at the approaching god.

“Saul, can you see him now?”

“No, Remi! What the hell is up with you?”

The Damson God stopped a few paces from Torz’s table. With Marla sitting directly in front of him—her head twisted to the side, looking towards the stage—he raised his gun, aiming at her temple.

Fear almost crippled me, transgressing into an assault of adrenaline roaring down my legs. I launched myself forward through the laughing guests. Like a dark huntress, I jumped over the abandoned chair blocking my route, weaving around a newly appeared waitress distributing drinks. Everybody seemed oblivious to the threat the Damson God posed. Everyone except me.

I slowed as I approached the godly assassin and raised my gun to his back. “Do not move.”

Gasps echoed around the room, and the admiral on stage fell silent.

“Drop the weapon!” I prodded the silver-haired man’s shoulder blade. His gun still aimed at Marla, whose gaze turned in our direction, looking directly at me. Movement to my right had my eyes flicking to Torz as he slowly stood up.

“Rems.” He tentatively took a step closer, his scowl brimming with confusion and concern. “Rems, what are you doing?”

My breaths were erratic, my mind tingling with trepidation as I took in the horrified faces staring at me. Not at the Damson God. At me!

“I need to stop…” My hands began to tremble, a strange tingling sensation settling in my right wrist. “He wants to…”

“Rems, put the gun down.” Torz’s voice was nurturing, persuasive, as if I was the threat, not the assassin. Not…

Coming closer, Torz stepped through the image of the Damson God, the purple shimmer of the assailant’s coat fading to mist in front of my very eyes. Dazed, I gasped, suddenly afraid. I was only vaguely aware of Torz gently placing his hand around mine, lowering the gun, and removing it from my grasp.

I stared at Marla’s petrified face, at her aunt frantically rushing over to her. My gun…my gun had been pointing at Marla.

“She needs to be detained!” Zuli announced. Murmurs of agreement ricocheted around the room before I shuddered at the admiral’s orders to arrest me.

“She’s my responsibility, sir,” Torz’s voice boomed from beside me towards the stage. “I will detain and reprimand her.”

I turned to Torz, desperate for him to understand. “Torz, I didn’t—”

He instantly shushed me, still conversing with the admiral. The look he pinned me with was startling. It was fierce, cold, as if he’d had enough of me. As if he wanted me gone.

Shame slammed into my chest with unwavering force. What had I done? Was I going insane? Was The Quoram Effect eating away at me like it did to those who ventured to the surface unbonded?

Through a fog of hazy movements, I was ushered through the sea of shocked and angry faces. Torz handed me to Saul. His orders were clear: “Take her back to Delta Ring and detain her.”

Saul escorted me away, his eyes sporadically shifting to me without the usual friendly joviality. He was dubious, disgusted. And as he gripped my arm, tugging me through the function room door, I called out, “I was protecting her. I was protecting her!” But nobody acknowledged me. Not even Torz.

Chapter Twenty-Three

My mind replayed the condemning event dozens, perhaps hundreds of times during the three-hour flight back to the Argentum. Why hadn’t I known it was all in my head? The Damson God was a figment of my imagination. He’d messed with my dreams. Now, he’d ruined my life.

They would charge me with attempted murder. Everyone saw me pointing my gun at Marla. No defence I offered would excuse my actions.

Gods, what if I’d pulled the trigger?

My life was over. My hope to love and be with Torz was gone. I’d end up in Pura Prison, living out my days wondering how long I had left before they executed me in some hideous way. Gods, if Zuli won the manifesto vote, I’d probably be one of the first she’d feed to Quoram. Without the accepted Damson bond, I was as vulnerable as the rest.

I looked up at Saul sitting across from me. He’d barely said three words since we departed Titus, and he was still avoiding my gaze. We were the only two passengers aboard the small military jet, and his silence was suffocating, confirming his thoughts on what had happened—what I’d done. I guessed he was compelled to escort me back to Delta Ring as Torz had stated. But in those moments, I wasn’t his friend or colleague. I was his detainee, and it was in both our best interests not to compromise the situation with his questions or opinions.