"I...am nothing." He takes a step forward, shaking his head twice, with absolute conviction. "You're not nothing, Nova." In the Eon galaxy, Dominion controls any planet with solid Neron deposits, and Nova just found out they're coming for hers. Korpillion isn't supposed to have any Neron-the galaxy's purest form of energy-but Nova Ainsley has been working with the owner of a secret mine for months, building highly illegal weapons that can wield Neron. She wants off Korpillion, and selling these weapons will buy her and her father a ticket to another planet in the galaxy. Neron is incredible on its own, but there are those who can wield it to their will, granting them the ability to read minds, see the future, and destroy worlds-the Nero. But this is a galaxy where they are ceasing to exist, and Dominion owns the last one in the known universe, using him to take over and destroy billions of lives. An encounter with the last Nero shows Nova her future: it's with him. She will stand by his side one day, her fingers laced through his, love and adoration in both their eyes, a dark queen to his evil, pawn king. Fate or destiny, Nova will do whatever it takes to change their future, and that of the galaxy.
Illegal transactions should never occur this early in the morning.
I shove my feet into my boots, not bothering to lace them up, because that requires brainpower, and I don't have enough of that when the sun hasn't even begun to think about touching the tips of the elite towers. But I do have to think about walking quietly. Dad is still sleeping, and considering what I'm heading to do, I need him to stay that way.
The thick smog hits my lungs as soon as I step out of our tiny cube of a home. It's one of thousands in the Stacks, the low-income corner of this city we call home. I cough, my lungs trying to adjust to all the pollution in the air, and I set down the weaving walkway that zigzags down past the same neighbors I've had for my entire life, before connecting to the skywalk that aims me toward the south end of town.
My connect-link beeps and I hold up my wrist, illuminating a screen against my forearm. A message from "The Mole" displays. You're late.
I speak to my wrist and the words appear on the screen. That's what you get for scheduling this so early.
Her response displays as an expletive and a searing strike of electricity in my wrist.
Despite the pain, I smirk and shake my head.
"Hey, watch where you're going, knobhead!"
Someone yells the words at me as I bump shoulders with another individual on the skywalk. I turn, making eye contact, glaring and daring them to cause even more of a scene.
"Share the walkway, you cack!" I yell back.
I turn and blend back into the crowd of people walking to and from work.
There are so many bodies I can hardly breathe without taking in the scent of an unwashed worker, or the potent perfume of the next space hog. I'm jostled and bumped into, and no one, except for the cack back there, seems to notice or mind.
It's just a part of life here on Korpillion.
When you're just one of twenty-eight point one billion people, you learn to share the road.
I aim for the alley coming up, but I don't even cast my eyes toward it. I shift to that side of the skywalk and raise my left hand a little.
Just as I pass it, another hand reaches out from the alley, and hooks the straps of a bag over my fingers. A quick and seamless handoff.
It's the reason I pay Crag. I give him the credits he needs to buy his drugs and swill, he hides certain packages around the underbelly of the city until I am ready for them-no one knows the dark and hidden places of Korpillion better than him.
Being a homeless addict on this planet will eat you alive, body and soul, but he gets the job done.
I slip a few blocks further down the skywalk and then duck down a side street, dropping down five flights of stairs until my feet touch the concrete ground of terra level. I slip past dingy, solid steel buildings, tucking around corners.
It smells like metal and rust down this low. The air tastes damp, even though there probably hasn't been a drop of natural rain to hit this ground in over a hundred solars.
It's quieter down here. No one wants to come down this far, so far away from the sun. It's all metal frames, the roots of the towering buildings that are constantly being built taller and taller. Our planet is in a constant race to reach new heights and find the sun through the smog.
So I really don't worry too much as I carry my bag through the silent streets and finally round into a wide opening beneath one of the city's oldest buildings.
Once upon a time, they would have parked transport vehicles here. But that was before they outlawed those on account of their pollution factor and deemed the common man had to walk everywhere.
Our entire lives are now lived within five square kilometers, or however far our legs can carry us.
Now this space is used to store old pipes and broken welding tools.
From the soot that covers everything, I don't think anyone beside our little operation has stepped foot in here in at least fifty solars.
"Told you she'd be at least fifteen minutes late."
I see the man standing beside her reach over and bump his wrist to hers, and hear a small ting, signaling he just transferred her some credits.
She bet the man I'd be late.
"Haven't you heard?" I ask, stepping inside and weaving my way through the abandoned equipment. "It's been scientifically proven that those who sleep in longer are actually smarter than those who are early risers."
I smirk at Reena as I set the bag on an oversized length of pipe that comes up to my waist in height.
Her lips are set thin and she just glares at me, clearly not amused.
But I smile and turn to the bag, unzipping it.
The man beside Reena steps forward, and his eyes fill with the manic gleam of excitement.
"It's exactly as you asked, fit to the measurements you gave me, and it's ready for use," I say, slipping into work mode. I reach inside the bag and pull the gun from it.
The man reaches forward, gently taking the weapon from me, looking it over with what I swear is reverence. Which is actually a relief to me. He doesn't have that malevolent look in his eye like some of the others do. I can only hope he ordered it as a defensive weapon, and not an offensive one.
"With the budget you presented me with, you get two shards of Neron," Reena explains. "Given average use of zero shots fired per lunar, it will last you a lifetime." She looks the man over as she places two, three-inch long shards of glowing blue crystal in his palm. "But if you find yourself in a desperate situation of need, you will get continuous shots for two weeks."
Dominion’s strong hold, the planet Isroth, is crawling with soldiers, and worse—the Kinduri. Nova knew her mission was impossible, but hiding the truth of what she really is may be the most critical thing she’s ever done.Presented to Cyrillius as the fugitive he’s been chasing for lunars, the last thing Nova expected was to be complimented and revered by the man, praised for her work. The destroyer of planets has offered her a job, and it’s one Nova can’t refuse.She came to Isroth with a goal: kill Cyrillius. But something is wrong. She just…can’t. Something is stopping her. Maybe she judged Valen for not being able to leave Cyrillius too harshly. Maybe he truly just can’t. Time is ticking. Because the longer it takes her to figure their freedom out, the more sense Cyrillius and Dominion is starting to make.
The Bahiri are real and Nova has found them hidden away on an invisible planet. With their help, she’s finally ready to accept what she is: a Nero. She has to train, to learn how to use her abilities, and she’s got years’ worth of catching up to do. Desperate, she’ll push herself—possibly beyond her limits.But learning how to use her abilities not only awakens her capability to control Neron, but her power to see the future. Going to sleep is a nightmare and heaven, all in the same breath. Her future hasn’t changed—it’s still with Valen Nero, standing and ruling by his side. Every morning she wakes, gutted and alone. Her visions of the love between them aren’t real. At least…not yet.Nova is losing her mind. Her heart is fractured, and conflicted into knots. How is she supposed to let him go, to walk away from the galaxy’s second cruelest man, when she knows what kind of love they could have?The time for a choice has come: stay on Salypso where it’s safe, where Cyrillius will never find her. Or take what she has learned as a Nero and try to change her future, and that of the galaxy.
Nova knew that the galaxy wanted to be rid of Dominion, but she did not expect the immediate bravery that came after she and Valen declared war against Cyrillius. It’s a daily battle to protect Kaelea from his fleets, but leaders, soldiers, and publicists from planets near and far have come to aide in the fight. Best of all, Nova has reunited with her family.But this undertaking isn’t without its trials. Most of the galaxy still doesn’t trust Valen. With decades of rumors and witnessed actions, it will take an incredible act of risk to prove he’s changed. Until then, the weight of leadership falls squarely upon Nova’s shoulders. She’s never been trained to be a leader, but the entire galaxy is watching her. Failure is not an option.In the end, they don’t win this war until three things are decimated: Isroth, The Dominion, and Cyrillius. It’s time for Nova to build her most powerful weapon yet.
It’s been rumored about in bedtime stories for decades. Nova has seen it in her visions. It’s too dangerous to get within a league of. But those aboard Deliverance have arrived at Glorra Quin Lune, the planet Cyrillius stole Nova from.Everything is uncertain. How will they land on a planet entirely engulfed in Neron? How could anyone survive that blast? What will they find if they make their way to the surface? And will it change everything Nova knows about herself? It’s time for her to confront the past she was too young to remember, and try to save the family she can’t recall.Cyrillius has now lost two Nero and he made the mistake of telling Nova his plan. He’s on his way to the Frozen Kingdom to come claim a new child. It’s time to take care of him once and for all. Justice is going to taste sweet.
Nova and Valen barely escaped Isroth with their lives and now they’ve crash-landed on an empty planet—no people, no tools to fix their ship. Nova has spent her life building and creating mechanics, but this is the most advanced vessel in the galaxy, and she can’t figure out what’s wrong with it. But maybe the crash was a blessing in disguise. They’ve seen their entire lives together, but this is the first real time they’ve ever had with one another. This is their chance to see if their future is worth fighting for, and if there is anything between them besides attraction and fate. On this empty planet, there is no fighting, no war, no conflict. Their days and nights are filled with uncertain glances, soft touches, and life-altering vows.What was once never a question is now a serious consideration: do they even want to fix the ship, or is this the beginning of a brand new, perfect life?
Dominion has Nova’s face and Reena’s name—Cyrillius will use and kill them if they’re caught. But being on the run in space isn’t so bad, Nova’s always wanted a different life, and she’s got it now. It started with a rumor, that the Bahiri still exist—peaceful worshipers of the Nero and Neron. After what happened on Korpillion, Valen told Nova to find them, and to stay away from him. So that’s where the wanted crew aboard The Corsair is headed, across the entire galaxy to the G sector. Nova wants answers about what she did and how it’s possible. She’s in denial. About what she might be. About where her heart lies. She knows Valen Nero is a bad man, so why is he the only one who fills the hollowness in her chest? Why does she ask him to keep his promise: I will come for you, Nova. And when he does, she’ll learn the truth about him, and what happened to shape him into the man he is today.
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
"I heard you're going to marry Marcelo. Is this perhaps your revenge against me? It's very laughable, Renee. That man can barely function." Her foster family, her cheating ex, everyone thought Renee was going to live in pure hell after getting married to a disabled and cruel man. She didn't know if anything good would ever come out of it after all, she had always thought it would be hard for anyone to love her but this cruel man with dark secrets is never going to grant her a divorce because she makes him forget how to breathe.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
To fund her father's medical bills, Helena stepped in for her half‑sister and wed the city's notorious deaf heir. On their wedding night, as she bared herself, he dismissed her hope with, "This is strictly business." Living beneath the weight of his unpredictable moods, she learned to fear every moment. When everyone bet on her ruin, he became her fiercest protector. But as their contract expired and she gathered her things, tears shimmered in his eyes. "Please… don't leave me."