Enceladus

1902

Vela knew Orion was right on her heels. She could sense him but she had to keep running. The baby wasn’t his and he knew it. She could never let anyone know how it was conceived. They’d execute her, or worse; send her to Earth.

Vela kept running, not looking back. She ran into an open room on the second floor of the palace and locked the door. The baby did not cry at all.

Orion had thought the baby was his until he saw her—three months prematurely. He saw the black hair and was immediately furious. He thought Vela had cheated on him. If only she had really cheated on him.

“Vela! You ðüå,” the king shouted.

He was right outside the door. It was over. For the baby and for Vela. He tried to open the door.

“Vela, open this door right now!”

She didn’t say anything, as if he’d leave her alone.

He kicked down the door. Shockingly, he didn’t have any of his guards with him.

“Please, Orion. Do not kill her. It would be like killing me. We can learn to love her. I am so sorry for what I did,” Vela cried.

Orion yanked the baby from her arms. The baby girl still didn’t wail. He stared at the infant like his glare would kill her. “We can keep it.”

“Really?” Vela got on her knees and clasped her hands together. “I am in your debt. I do not know how I let this happen. I was dumb-”

“Forget it.” The king shoved the baby into Vela’s arms and stalked out of the room.

The baby’s eyes were wide open and they were a disturbing shade of grey. “I will name you Amelia, our defender.”