It's nearly my twelve birthday, Jupiter thinks, eyes opening slowly.
Her breath is even, and her eyes squint a little at the dawn light. She and Grey had left the window open last night when they had snuck out to visit the Apinis. Final preparations. Food, supplies, documentation, and identification that she will need. Arms, at Stinger's unrelenting urgency. It is today that Jupiter Jones leaves Earth.
I wish I had more time.
Tears gather at the corner of her eyes.
I don't want to leave Mama.
"I am but the wind," she whispered, curling up, small into a ball. "I am but the wind."
So much time had passed since she had remembered. So little time had really passed. She feels it, curling in her stomach, the pain of what she is about to leave behind. The pain of what she is about to face.
She is afraid.
She would be stupid not to be afraid. She knows what waits for her in the stars. In the dark and light, her father had called full of miracles. The Verse is dangerous and vile, and it's especially hard because this is just the beginning of a large struggle. She will wreck the foundations of what is a system that has granted gratuitous wealth, time, and opulence on a very small select group of people. In a past life, she had been at the top of that system, the damn ruler of it in the ways that mattered, so she knows exactly how to tare it down. She knows its weaknesses, she knows it faults, and she will exploit them all, one by one with the calculation of Seraphi Abrasax before her. With the heart and compassion of herself.
Jupiter Jones, to be Queen of House Abrasax, is about to declare war on the Entitleds, on her own House, and she is playing for keeps.
She feels her age then. Just about to turn twelve, too young, too new to do this. But there is no one else. Not that she knows of. And there are sins on her soul, placed by the life it had lived before, and it only her that can set it right.
"Jupiter," it is Grey, standing, careful, dressed in a formal costume that is fitting for someone to escort a Recurrence of Seraphi.
Jupiter rises.
Slips out of bed.
"The ship?"
"Ready."
Jupiter trembled.
"Stinger and Kiza?"
"Already have permission to be off-planet, and are waiting."
She swallowed.
"Mama and Grandfather?"
"Asleep with the Rest solution we gave them last night. The holographic messages have been put in place. They will wake and know everything when we are off-planet."
"The course?"
"Set. We will reach Orous exactly when you are of age to receive your inheritance."
Jupiter closes her eyes. Breathes deeply.
"Then, my dearest friend… Just give me a moment to get dressed. It's time to get started."
AN: I lied. I want to make the time-skip now and leave you all in suspense until next Saturday (;p)
Because I am cruel.
No, but really, it's because I couldn't think of what else to add on Earth at this point.
So... Get ready for paperwork? And poor Kalique, Balem, and Titus to be SHOOK.