Nothing has ever excited Tylen Merodine more than being invited by the Regent himself to celebrate the first solar eclipse in his planet’s recorded history. It’s the party of the millennium, and if he has to restrain his normal exuberant instincts to fit in, that’s what he’ll do to be a part of it. His good intentions vanish, however, the moment he’s presented to the Regent. Because there, in a gilded cage, playing music unlike anything Tylen’s ever heard, is the most beautiful alien he could imagine. For more than twenty years, Dek has lived in captivity, performing at the whim of those who see him as an animal. The Regent is just the latest in a long line of owners, and while he’s kind, he’s still blind to Dek’s sentient nature. Only music gives Dek a voice, until Tylen breaks the rules and sneaks in to see and speak to him alone. The time they have together is stolen and precious, the minutes ticking away until the eclipse is past and they have to go back to the way their lives were before. But when the Regent shows an unexpected interest in Tylen’s future, they begin to wonder if their worlds need to remain so separate ...

Aria of the Eclipse

“I did research on Dek’s species after I got him,”the Regent replied.“I didn’t want to take anything for granted,and frankly,I didn’t completely trust the diplomat who brought him here.I’ve known almost since the beginning that he was sentient.The ability to speak,on the other hand…”He glanced at me out of the corner of his twinkling eye.“That,I didn’t know until you came into the picture.”


When I began to defend myself,however,he waved me off.“No one but me saw the transmissions,”he said.“You and I are the only two who know about Dek’s true nature.”


That startled the Regent.“What do you mean?”


We listened to Dek explain his morning,how Johaf had scolded him for sulking,then taken him outside while his cage was being cleaned.The Regent’s brows climbed higher and higher as Dek talked.


“I had no idea,”he said.“Johaf never said a word.”


Chapter 24