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.
"It's true, then." To my surprise, it's Reena who takes a step forward, looking at Zara with awed, but accusatory eyes. "There are other Nero left. Not just Nova. Not just Valen."
"It is true," Zara says with a nod. Her expression is calm. Confident. She's sure of herself, of her abilities if she has to use them, but she isn't looking for a fight. "There are not many of us left, but there are some."
I'm not looking at any of my crew. I'm still in wonder and shock at what's in front of me. But behind me, I feel tension building, like it's a physical thing.
"If there are some of you left, why are you hiding out here on the edge of the galaxy when you could be doing something about Dominion?" Reena's voice is cold as ice and sharp as glass.
I do a quarter turn, glaring death at her, but she doesn't look at me in return. She glares up at Zara and Tomas with more emotion than I ever knew her to be capable of. That's anger. That's venom. That's hatred.
My first instinct is to shut her up. To make her apologize for speaking to them that way.
But a vision flashes before my eyes. Of eleven miners in the Square on Korpillion. I remember the Neron spear that shot through their heads like it was nothing.
Those men and women might not have been blood, but they were Reena's family. They are all dead because she employed them.
No. They're all dead because of Dominion's greed. They're dead because Cyrillius told Valen to kill them.
"I invited Nova to Salypso so that she might gain an education and training," Zara says. I see the muscles in her jaw tighten. I see the tight set to her shoulders. "I assumed there would be others with her. I assumed they would also seek to learn more. To find truth. If that is not the case, you are invited to leave."
"She is looking for answers." It's Edan who speaks up. He takes a step forward, looking up into Zara's eyes without fear. "She wants to know the truth. That's why she asked you the question."
And I feel it now. Everyone around me wants to know the same thing.
The Nero are more powerful than anything in the galaxy. It's gutted me: knowing that Valen could destroy Dominion; end Cyrillius. But he hasn't. A Nero could change the whole galaxy. And Zara just said there are multiple Nero here.
"Dominion's army is huge," I say. My voice comes out small and rough. "They dominate the entire galaxy. These people here? They're just individuals." I turn, catching the eyes of everyone around me. I make sure they see me. I make sure they understand. "This weight is terrifying. It's suffocating. We're just individuals."
I startle slightly when I feel a warm hand on my shoulder. Zara is at my side, her hand on my shoulder. I meet her eyes and see appreciation in them. I see understanding.
"We're guests here," I say as a wave of calm washes over me. "We'll get some answers. We'll talk. But don't any of you dare jump down any throats before we even get a chance to talk."
I glare at everyone around me.
I understand both sides.
But I've found myself in a new position.
I want to trust Zara. I want to believe that there is someone in this galaxy who can give me answers. Someone who can guide me. Someone who is a Nero and a good person. I want to believe that there is hope for me that I won't turn out like Valen.
I look back at my crew, and this time, I know there is pleading in my eyes. I'm begging them. I'm begging my father and Zayne. I'm begging Edan. I'm begging Reena.
They're just scared. We've been running for lunars now. Dominion will kill Reena if they find her. My father and Zayne are scared because if Dominion finds me, they will use me. They'll kill me. And Edan has just been dragged into a whole new mess of drama he has nothing to do with.
I see it in their eyes. They give. They nod.
"Please," I say, looking back to Zara. "Give us a chance."
Her eyes rise to look over my crew. I see that she isn't a woman who trusts easily. She took a risk inviting me here. But she's also a woman who must hope. She did take that risk on me. I think she wants to see a different future, too.
"Come with us," she says. She lets her hand linger on my shoulder for just a moment before she turns and walks back up the stairs to Tomas' side, and begins to ascend them.
I follow without question, without a backward glance.
I know I'm following too easily. I'm probably being blind. Too trusting.
But I'm desperate.
I follow them, and after a few moments, I hear the crew muttering behind me and then footsteps on the stones, following.
Up and up we rise. Dozens of stone steps rise up past buildings that look like simple homes made out of the same stone of the cliffs, before they drop down into the Neron blue sea. But even though they look like homes, even though they seem well cared for, I don't see any signs of life inside them.
As far as I can tell, the only two people on the planet Salypso are Zara and Tomas.
My eyes rise, climbing, and my neck cranes up and up, taking in the beautiful building where the stairs lead.
I've never seen anything like it. It's pure white. It looks a little like a castle I once saw in a book. It's huge, big enough to house a hundred people. White spires reach toward the clear sky. There are details carved into the surface of it, suns and moons and people and flowers and water. It's the most intricate piece of artwork I've ever seen.
"What is this place?" I ask in awe as we crest the last step and set across a flat walkway. Just ahead, there is a set of towering doors.
"The Tabernacle." Tomas speaks for the first time. When he says it, he doesn't look back at me. He, too, looks up at the beautiful building before us. There's...reverence in his expression.
And I have to remember. He is the leader of the Bahiri. They worship and revere the Nero. They dedicate their lives to serving them.
I don't get that.
I'm just a person.
I really hope he doesn't try to bow at my feet.
"It is the center of our lives here on Salypso," Zara offers a little more explanation as we approach the doors. "It is where we go for connection, for family. Where we receive much of our teaching. It is where we go to find peace in a galaxy that has tried to drive us to extinction."
Goosebumps wash over my arms.
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.
“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.
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.
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
Marriage was a bed of thorns for Stella. She lived like an overworked and unhappy slave for six years in her matrimonial home. One day, her uncaring husband, Waylon said to her, "Ayla will be back soon. You have to move out tomorrow." "I want a divorce," responded Stella. She left without shedding a tear or trying to change Waylon's stone-cold heart. Days after their divorce, they met again. Stella was in the arms of another man. Waylon's blood boiled at the sight of her looking so happy. "So, you couldn't even wait a while before jumping into another man's arms?" he queried distastefully. "And who are you to question my decision? It's my life, so I call the shots. Stay out of my business!" Stella fired at him before turning to look at her new man with shiny eyes. Waylon immediately lost it.
Rocky Bai, a young and talented scholar in the field of gene study, ranked number one among his peers. While he was on the flight headed for the venue, an aircraft accident occurred right before he passed out. ... Rocky Bai is reborn! He saves a dragon and trains it in the Holy Dragon Empire. To his surprise, his dragon can cure disease and even bring people back from death. With the dragon, Rocky starts a new life. He is no longer a good-for-nothing, but an ambitious martial arts master and spirit manipulator among his generation. Let's join in their adventure!
"Please trust me, I didn't do anything." "I don't believe you. I am rejecting you as my Queen and giving you the punishment of death." Alina was living outside her pack for five years. Her parents didn't try to contact her and always ignored her. Her best friend convinced her to go back to their pack and she agreed. But she had never imagined what was waiting there for her. She never thought she would meet her mate and had to face betrayal from everywhere. She had to pay for the crime which she never committed. Aaron Robertson is the king of Lycans. He is a very dominant and powerful King who not only rules Lycans but also rules other ranks of werewolves. Everyone is afraid of Lycans and he is the king of them. But who knew that he would get a mate who was just a simple Omega with no powers and strengths? He called her weak all the time but Little did he know that his weak Omega would give him the biggest betrayal of his life for which he had to give her the sentence of death.
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”