Page 39 of The Sovereign, Part One (The Sovereign Saga #1)

The shift from deep sleep to waking felt like surfacing through warm water, the edges of a dream dissolving as consciousness took hold. I blinked up at the ceiling, the morning interface casting a golden hue over the room. Before I could move, Calyx’s voice filled the space.

A smile formed before my thoughts fully aligned. Maxim wanted to see me the moment I was ready. The warmth of it lingered as I stretched beneath the sheets, reliving the previous day in flickers of touch, conversation, and understanding.

My expression fell.

Calyx hadn’t mentioned any notifications from The Citadel. The realization crept in slowly, a mixture of relief and disbelief. I propped myself up on one elbow. “Calyx, confirm—there are no new messages from The Citadel?”

“Confirmed. No communications from The Citadel have been received.”

I exhaled, caught between gratitude and suspicion. Perhaps the infraction hadn’t been flagged. Perhaps we had managed to bend the rules without consequence.

“Would you like me to proceed with Bellam’s messages?” Calyx inquired.

“Yes, please.”

The interface phased in smoothly, and a moment later, Bellam’s face materialized in front of me—bright-eyed, radiant, the familiar warmth in her expression making me feel as though she were perched at the foot of my bed rather than speaking through a projection.

“Well? How did it go?” she asked, her tone lilting with curiosity. “And don’t you dare leave out details.”

The message ended, shifting immediately to the next. This time, Bellam’s expression had sharpened, her lips pressed together in faux annoyance.

“Isara, you’re seriously not calling me back until morning? Why? What could be more vital than updating your dearest, most devoted friend? Have I been cast aside, left to wither in the unbearable agony of suspense?”

“Oh, she’s absolutely been with Roan,” I murmured.

She sighed dramatically. “You’d better have a good reason. I have a lot to tell you, so call me the second you get this.”

I smirked. “Roan. I knew it.”

“Calyx, call Bellam.”

The interface’s main frame was blank for a moment, then solidified into Bellam’s live projection. She answered immediately, her hair tousled, dark circles under her eyes, but her energy was unmistakable.

“Late night?” I asked, arching a brow.

She groaned, running a hand through her disheveled waves. “Very late, and you’ll never guess why. Roan got my linkcode.”

I straightened. “He called you last night?”

She nodded. “Before you ask, no, I didn’t give it to him. He acquired it.”

I suppressed a laugh. “And?”

Bellam crossed her arms, her expression teetering between exasperation and reluctance. “He kept me up half the night talking.”

“ And? ” I prompted again.

She sighed, dramatic but not entirely put upon. “And it wasn’t bad. Actually, it was… nice. Entertaining, I mean. Just, because you know, he’s entertaining.”

I grinned. “Bellam Erel, are you saying you enjoyed talking to him?”

“I’m saying,” she corrected, “that I haven’t decided if I despise him completely .”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Noted.”

Bellam waved a hand dismissively. “Enough about me. How was breakfast with Maxim?”

The ghost of a smile touched my lips as memories drifted through my mind: the easy conversation, the way the most ordinary moments with him felt like something significant, the way time slowed, as if the universe had conspired to give us just a little more.

But there was also Maxim’s reaction to Joss: his possessiveness, the aggression, and treating Joss like a threat—none of which I could tell Bellam.

I couldn’t tell anyone.

“It was perfect,” I answered truthfully. “Until Joss showed up.”

Bellam closed her eyes, then quickly blinked a few times. “I’m sorry, what?” She leaned forward, incredulous. “He what ? That’s so out of pocket. It’s utterly outrageous to disturb you on a date, but after your Court Date? Has he completely disregarded all decorum?”

I hesitated for the briefest moment. “I don’t know, he definitely seems out of sorts. I’m a little worried about him.”

Bellam narrowed her gaze. “You’re nicer than me, Is. I would’ve lost my ish. Sovereign were undoubtedly staring.”

“I barely noticed. Maxim is a great distraction.”

An impish grin tugged at her lips. “Oh? How so?”

I lifted a shoulder in a delicate shrug. “He just… made it all okay. We ended up making a day of it.”

I didn’t mention the rule we had broken, the way the hours had passed in the privacy of my Sablestone, or how easy it had been to disregard the carefully laid structure we were expected to uphold. Some things were better left unsaid.

Bellam sighed. “You’re infuriating when you’re vague, you know that?”

I smirked. “Yes.”

She huffed but let it slide. “So, what’s on the agenda today?”

“We’re climbing Smith Rock.” The words left my mouth before I fully considered them, and immediately, I regretted it.

Bellam’s brow shot up. “Already? Isn’t it a bit soon for an outing?”

“It’s a guideline, not an infraction,” I defended.

She shook her head, though amusement danced in her eyes. “You, willingly bending a rule? That’s even more surprising than your nonchalant mention of venturing outside the walls. Maxim is certainly making an impression on you.”

“Speaking of,” I cut in before she could argue further, “I have to get ready. But we should all have lunch soon. Me, you, Lourdes, and”—I braced for her reaction—“Roan.”

Bellam’s expression transformed from mild curiosity to barely concealed irritation. “Is that really necessary? ”

“That my closest friends meet Maxim? Yes.”

Bellam rolled her eyes. “Fine. Call me later.”

“You’re not that upset about it, are you?” I goaded.

She huffed, her shoulders sagging. “That’s why I’m upset!”

“I know. I’ll call when I’m finished.”

Her smile returned. “You’d better.”

The interface faded, and I rose from bed, stretching before heading toward the dressing alcove. “Calyx, prepare climbing attire options. I’ll also need appropriate footwear for a short hike, aside from my climbing shoes. And… notify Maxim that he can depart.”

“Acknowledged.”

The wardrobe panels illuminated, revealing three selections.

The first was a sleek, form-fitting jumpsuit with integrated temperature control and reinforced support.

The second, a two-piece set with flexible, impact-resistant fabric designed for high-movement activities.

Lastly, a streamlined climbing suit with embedded grip enhancements and kinetic energy absorption woven into the material.

I studied them, then selected the second—practical, efficient, and polished in its design.

Calyx then presented a pair of sturdy hiking boots, ideal for the hike, along with lightweight, hyper-responsive climbing shoes that adapted to surface shifts.

“Calyx, please confirm Maxim’s ETA.”

“Maxim will arrive in approximately fourteen minutes.”

I inhaled deeply, anticipation curling in my chest. Was it possible we’d actually gotten away with him spending the day in my Sablestone? And if so, should we chance it again?

The moment Maxim stepped through the threshold, his expression shifted, as if he had walked into a dream so vivid, he wasn’t sure whether to trust it.

His gaze traced every inch of me, absolute devotion warming the sharp angles of his face.

He didn’t speak. He simply crossed the space between us and kissed me, deep and certain, as though that one moment of contact was the only way to confirm I was real.

The kiss was brief, but it sent a slow, radiant warmth through me, leaving behind a lingering ache when he pulled away. He exhaled, a sound so subtle it could have been mistaken for relief. “I worried all night I might not be able to do that today.”

His tone bordered on resignation. I searched his face, the perfection of his features so striking that I had to remind myself to inhale.

“We didn’t get an infraction,” I murmured, not entirely sure whether to be relieved or more concerned. “I was hoping, but I didn’t actually believe we’d slip through the system.”

“Agreed. I hesitate to question it, because while it’s a relief, it’s also highly irregular…

and suspicious.” He turned slightly, as if sifting through data I couldn’t see.

“Under standard conditions, the probability of it being overlooked is low. Either The Citadel flagged it and chose not to act, or—”

“Or it has to do with your deviations.”

His eyes met mine, something dark swimming beneath the surface. “I can’t rule it out.”

A realization settled over me like a quiet storm.

“It’s troubling either way. If The Citadel is aware of your deviations and is choosing not to intervene, that means they’re observing.

Having studied their enforcement patterns while working under the Dominion umbrella, how they respond to laws—even questionable ones—being broken, I doubt it’s negligence.

But if they’re not aware, we’re being hidden.

” Maxim wasn’t the only one existing in an uncertain space.

I was, too.

“Then who—or what—is suppressing the record? And if they have that level of control, are they also responsible for my deviations?” He asked the questions almost to himself, lost in thought.

“Those are exactly the questions we should be asking. Maybe even the most important ones. But whatever the answer is, I can’t seem to find it in myself to regret what happened last night.”

Maxim’s stance shifted, tension giving way to something lighter. He crouched slightly, his back toward me. “Hop on.”

I grinned. “That’s your solution?”

“I can calculate at least three more, but this is the most efficient—and the most fun.” He glanced over his shoulder, a boyish smirk making the heaviness of the conversation vanish.

It didn’t take much persuasion. I stepped forward, placing my hands on his shoulders before springing up, my arms looping around his neck as he lifted me without the slightest exertion. My legs wrapped around his waist as he straightened, his hands securing me in place.