Chapter 5

"You're going to change a lot in this world" My father runs a brush through my hair and sighs. "I just wish I could be around to see it."

I look at him, in the chocolate brown eyes we share and poke his nose. "You'll see it dad, I'll be a cosmonaut just like you."

He looks down at his seven year old daughter with regret he can't hide, "It's dangerous in space Cece."

I shrug and smile, "I'm brave! Just like you!"

He shakes his head and smile, "alright kiddo, but first you need to get a full night's sleep."

"Will you be back from your trip?" I drop into the covers and pull the star covered blanket up to my chin. My father traces the constellations of freckles on my face and sighs. "Absolutely."

~

My eyelids couldn't be anymore heavy than they feel now. There's a weight in my head I can't escape and I sit up from where I lay. The faint aroma of lavender passes under my nose and i finally open my eyes. It's a bit blurred but its a large room, the white walls adorned with gold and navy blue. A desk and lamp sit in a corner, the lamp being a little furry animal resembling a cat. But those had gone extinct a long time ago with every other animal on Earth.

Where the hell am I?

The glowing cat thing leaps down from the desk and stalks over to the bed I now sit on the edge of and lays on the blanket beside me. Its fur is a speckled gold and black, the form of a cat is paired with two curled horns and a long spiked tail. Cautiously of course I have to pet it, its been so long since I seen anything resembling a cat.

"His name is Mimas." A voice from the doorway I hadn't seen draws my attention. Belonging to a tall female with skin the colour of lilacs. Her vibrant blue eyes hold my own and I notice the large folded wings behind her. "Did anyone ever tell you staring is rude," She walks over, arms crossed with a slight look of disdain on her face.

"Who are you...Where am I? Am I dead?" I look to the space cat and point to it, "what the hell is that?"

"You're not dead, I can tell you that." She scratches her jaw and looks to the closed window.

"Where's Kaid?"

She looks down at me blankly. "Your friends are dead."

"Why thank you." I reply dryly and stand up, I only go up to her collar bone so I crane my neck to glare at her. She looks unimpressed by my existence.

"Okay look," she places a hand on my shoulder and pushes me back down to sit. "I've spent about two days trying to convince the Council to not kill you for being here."

I open my mouth to speak but she bops my face with a feathered wing.

"Shut up, I'm not done. Those creatures that attacked your ship? They were Impics, and they were looking for something. That of which I believe to be was you."

"Can't you just launch me back into space please," I fall back on the bed, the space cat meows angrily and wacks me on the face with it's tail.

She stares down at me curiously and looks back at the door, "I guess I can but its not really worth it when I literally fist fought a man for your life." she turns back, looking a bit ashamed. "A council member that was. It's okay though, he's just a little bit dead. They'll replace him in a few days."

"What?" I sit back up and narrow my eyes. "Who even are you?"

"Centauri..."

"Like the constellation?"

"Yes...You are?" She purses her lips and looks down at me again.

"Cecelia...Glass..." I find her eyes incredibly intimidating but also very ethereal.

"Alright, come with me." Centauri tuns for the door and stops, waiting for me. I stand, light headed and follow like a drunkard.