Page 49 of The Quoram Effect

“Being on Quoram is not going to stop me from helping the Purans, Rems.” He’d kissed the top of my hair, his fingers tenderly stroking the curve of my waist. “If anything, it may make things easier.”

I had my doubts, but he reminded me: “Just because we’ll be residing on Quoram doesn’t mean we’re banished to the surface. I can still make trips to the Argentum and Pura. Arlo and Saul will take the reins from Delta Ring.”

“But what about Zuli? Won’t she be watching them?”

“I voted for her. I obeyed every command she threw at me. Now with me out of the way, hopefully, she’ll be too caught up in her own plans to care if our undercover supply run survived. But, nevertheless, I’m going to do what I can to put a stop to the madness. The Purans deserve freedom. I will fight for them.”

Overwhelmed with pride and admiration for the man I could now call my own, I ended up making love to him again, which left us running late.

Now mere metres from our point of escape, we were blocked by the one person who could ruin this reunion and turn our joy on its head.

“Come on.” Torz squeezed my hand, coercing me onwards. “She can’t go back on her word.”

Dressed in her usual flowing purple robes, Zuli turned as we approached, a broad smile gracing her lips like that of a doting grandmother. Inwardly, I snarled my distaste.

“Don’t you two look adorably happy?” She surveyed each of us, for once not flashing a look of disdain my way. “And judging by the transport you are about to board, I assume you have…worked things out.” Her amiable tone was unnerving, and I couldn’t help scowling at her. “Now, now, Remi, my dear. Everything worked out for the best, don’t you think?”

“Excuse me?” I shot my eyes to Torz, who seemed just as offended by her comment as I was. If she was here to gloat about her victory—

“The magic of Quoram has many ways of retaining its power. Many ways, indeed.” She looked over her shoulder towards a man standing further along the busy corridor. I froze, noting his tall frame, the elaborate clothes, the long silver hair.

“He’s real?” Torz whispered in wonderment.

“Only to some.” Governor Zuli turned back to us, her eyes sparkling with an unnatural silver I hadn’t noticed before. “The lack of Damson couples has been an ongoing concern ofhis. But with his and my combined efforts over the past few months, thirty-two previously rejected couples have rekindled their bond. That’s…oh…enough capacity to restore the Quoram energy field for decades to come.”

Both Torz and I gaped at her.Was that true?

“Wait!” I recalled Chaz’s comments yesterday about the Puran’s fake assassination attempts on specific individuals. “Did you plan this? All of it…from the blackmailing to…the attacks. They were aimed at rejected Damsons, weren’t they?”

Zuli tittered. “I’m glad you finally caught on, my dear.”

“You staged this all to…” Understanding hit me. “To make us realise how much we meant to each other.”

“Indeed.” She grinned, looking between us both.

“Why? You could’ve just asked,” I growled through gritted teeth, unsure if I should feel grateful or abused by her antics.

“And would you have listened?” Zuli reached a wrinkled hand out and tapped my arm. “The pair of you were completely and utterly in love with each other, yet too stubborn to accept it. You needed more…aggressive persuasion than the others.”

“Aggressive persuasion?”

“And your manifesto?” Torz asked, his tone clipped, clearly troubled by the fact she almost killed me in the attempt to make usrealise. “Was that legit?”

“Of course not.” She rolled her eyes.

Torz glanced at me, a mix of anger and confusion dancing in his gaze. “But you won the vote,” he grumbled.

Zuli tutted, scrutinising Torz’s civilian clothes—the beige cargo pants and blue hoodie. Gods, he looked so cute.

“I withdrew it,” she announced. “I conjured the idea to make rejected Damsons see sense, althoughsometook far longer than others to understand the motive behind it. But it’s also exposed the governors who would contemplate Puran genocide. It has opened other leaders’ eyes to the despicable situation. And I’mhoping”—she cast her silvery gaze along the corridor full of normal Delta Ring civilians going about their daily lives—“things will begin to change. I do not despise the Purans. They are the same as any other human. Many are one half of a Damson couple denied the chance to find their soulmate. That, especially, needs to change.”

The epiphany that hit me left a well of hope stirring in my chest—Zuli was on our side. She’d always been on our side.

“Then what manifesto was appointed?” Torz asked, still bristling.

“It’s still being decided.” Zuli sighed. “Dix’s refinery proposal is the most logical, but now the energy field is secure, the population issue will be at the forefront of the debate. But either way, I advise you, Torz Benoit, to be your mother’s son and continue to fight for those less fortunate than yourself. The Orbital Government can’t touch you on Quoram, and you may find some other revolutionaries on the surface already who will offer you a hand.”

Torz stilled next to me as I took in Zuli’s smirk and the wink that followed. The elation and relief bouncing across our bond announced Torz’s understanding. She wanted him to start a revolution. My only hope was that one day he would see his mother again. She would be so proud of him.