The Cycles of Revelation Series

Artifact of the Dawn: Jealousy (A Queer Sci-Fi Adventure)

Episode 64: Fleet Commander Aramys arrives from Aria’naa and Ardyn becomes jealous as Jevan flirts with the pretty Athla’naa.

They may have had advanced warning, but the operatives could not give them a precise time of when to expect the attack. So, tensions ran high as everyone helped to settle in as many as they could into the Rahn’naa.

Everyone was giving up their privacy, doubling up on accommodations, because many of Ardyn’s people were reluctant to go into cryostasis. They also didn’t have time to adapt the cryopods to the Medellan’s physiology. Those who wouldn’t go into cryostasis were sent up to the Pah’ora or allowed to join the encampment, taking their chances and hoping the reinforced shields would hold up against the expected attack.

After several days, the tensions frayed the nerves of both Ardyn and Jevan. The usually jovial Jevan was being short and snappish much of the time these days. It didn’t help that they now shared their quarters with Ardyn’s mother, Saelyn, and Jevan’s sister, Jenira.

Jevan’s mother, Asha, had refused to be relocated to the Rahn’naa, which weighed heavily on Jevan’s mind. While Asha insisted she’d be safe enough in her root cellar if worse came to worst, Jenira’s bondmate, Micah, remained in Yanen to protect her. However, Micah asked Jenira to go to the Rahn’naa to be with her brother. So, now here they all were, crammed together in their quarters and constantly getting in each other’s way.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me, elf!” Jevan snapped at Ardyn. That was the fifth time in as many days that Jevan had called him that.

“I wasn’t rolling my eyes,” Ardyn said, exasperated.

“Do I need to separate you two again?” Jenira asked, crossing her arms at the two of them.

Before either of them could respond, Cytra chimed in with a message. “Jevan and Ardyn, please report to the control center.”

“Now what?!” They both snapped at the AI just as her face disappeared from the display. They both looked at each other and broke out into laughter.

“I’m sorry,” Jevan apologized. “Everything has just been — ”

“Too much,” Ardyn finished for him. “Yes, I know. Hopefully, we can get through this without killing each other and doing the work of the Maara’dahl for them.”

Shaking his head, Jevan headed for the door. “Come on, let’s see what they want.”

When they arrived, Takyra and Keryth were waiting for them with a new Athla’naa they hadn’t met before. “Thank you for joining us,” Keryth greeted. “Jevan, Ardyn, meet Commander Aramys, leader of the Seventy-First Battalion. They just arrived and are ready to help defend Med’nor.”

Commander Aramys was lithe and winsome. Her hair was a shade of purple, so dark it was almost black, and she wore it long, piled neatly upon her head in an elaborate hairdo.

“I am pleased to meet you both,” Aramys said.

Ardyn watched as Jevan put on his brightest smile when greeting the new commander. “The pleasure is all mine, Commander Aramys.”

A frisson of jealousy stirred when Aramys ducked her head and lowered her ears when looking at Jevan with appreciative eyes. Then Jevan winked at her, and Ardyn felt his face flush with barely controlled anger.

“Keryth has been briefing me about what’s been going on here and has spoken of you both often,” Aramys said, breaking the tension. “Aerys tells me you two would be excellent guides to show me around the Rahn’naa while he prepares his briefing of the completed preparations.”

“It would be our pleasure,” Jevan said, inclining his head. “I’m so glad you arrived in time.”

Jevan led Aramys out of the control center and answered her questions while Ardyn trailed silently behind. The commander seemed quite taken by the tall, handsome Medellan, and a knot of jealousy grew in the pit of Ardyn’s stomach.

Stop being so jealous, Ardyn reprimanded himself. Jevan’s always like this. Isn’t he?

As they continued their tour, Ardyn watched as Jevan’s easy smile was back as he clearly flirted with Aramys. With tensions running high, he hadn’t seen that smile from Jevan in days, and it hurt to see someone else bring it out in the man he had grown to care for so deeply. Eventually, Ardyn couldn’t take it anymore, and he slipped away.

Ardyn kept himself busy the rest of the day, assisting others with various tasks. He did his best to avoid Jevan and Aramys as much as possible. Occasionally, he’d catch a glimpse of them, and it hurt his heart to see them together, as Jevan smiled and laughed so easily in her presence.

While he’d had plenty of opportunities to have multiple bed partners, until now, Jevan hadn’t shown interest in anyone other than Ardyn. Is he finally tired of me? Ardyn wondered as his heart sank. Eventually, his dark thoughts got the better of him, and Ardyn returned to their quarters. Thankfully, neither Jenira nor Saelyn were there.

After making some preparations, Ardyn left with his old pack slung across his back, wearing replicated leathers and a new cloak. He’d packed some provisions and a bedroll, heading back to the woods for some peace and quiet. He also brought his rahn’ora in case he needed to fend off a sar’ora.

I need some time to think, Ardyn told himself. He tried in vain to stop picturing Jevan and Aramys together intimately, but what he didn’t want to face was sleeping in their bed alone that night.

When Ardyn left the elevator and was heading toward the observation tower exit, he saw Jevan returning from somewhere outside. “Hey! Ardyn, where are you off to?” Noting the pack Ardyn had slung over his shoulder. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Why aren’t you wearing your communicator?”

Ardyn kept making his way toward the door. “I am heading out for a few nights.”

“Ardyn, stop!” Jevan begged, running in front of Ardyn to block his path. “It’s too dangerous to go out there now. You know the Maara’dahl could attack at any time.”

“I need to get out of here,” Ardyn said with a scowl. “Why don’t you spend more time with Commander Aramys?”

Jevan gave him a confused look. “I finished giving Aramys the tour of the Rahn’naa. She’s busy being briefed by Takyra, Aerys, and Keryth over the defense preparations. That’s why I’ve been looking for you. Why did you abandon us when we were both supposed to escort her?”

“You looked like you had it well enough in-hand,” Ardyn grumbled, trying to get past Jevan.

Once again, Jevan seemed confused, before a look of understanding shone on his face. “Are you jealous of Aramys?”

“Jevan, please let me go.”

“Ardyn, don’t leave,” Jevan pleaded again. “I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you. I’m sorry if you thought I was paying too much attention to Aramys, but I was trying to be a good host.”

“So, you weren’t trying to flirt with her?” Ardyn asked, quirking his ears.

“No, of course not!” Jevan insisted.

Before either of them could argue further, they heard a shipwide announcement. “The Maara’dahl fleet has been detected. They’ll arrive within the hour. Everyone, please take your stations!”