Chapter 295: Miss Me Sweetheart?

Chapter 295: Miss Me Sweetheart?

I pushed open the door to Jona’s Diner and stepped inside. The warm scent of grilled meat, butter, and herbs immediately washed over me.

It was a welcome change from the dry, dusty air of the desert. The place was far larger than I expected. The lobby alone had a polished wooden floor, dim golden lighting, and a wide staircase curling upward to the upper levels.

My eyes swept across the space. Families gathered around tables, couples whispered to each other in booths, and lone travelers sat at the bar nursing drinks. Everyone seemed relaxed—like they had nothing to fear.

A waitress approached, and I noticed her immediately.

She was beautiful, with shoulder-length dark red hair tied in a loose bun and eyes the color of amber. Her uniform was neatly pressed, and she moved with the kind of calm confidence that only came from doing something a thousand times.

"Good evening, sir," she said, offering a polite smile. "Table for one?"

"Yeah," I replied, returning her smile. "Also... if there’s any way to catch up on recent news, that’d be helpful. I’ve been a little out of the loop."

She tilted her head, curious but not intrusive. "Of course. I’ll get you a private table and something to watch the news on."

She turned and led me up the stairs to the second floor. I followed her through rows of tables until we reached a small, half-enclosed booth near the corner. It had a perfect view of the floor below while still giving me some privacy.

I slid into the seat. "Nice spot."

"I thought you’d like it," she said, her smile widening just a bit. "I’ll be right back with the tab."

As she walked away, I leaned back and activated my perception.

Threads of sound came to me from all around—casual chatter, clinking silverware, laughter, the occasional argument between friends. I filtered through them quickly, trying to catch anything important.

Soon, the waitress returned with a sleek silver tablet. She set it down in front of me, tapped the screen, and it unlocked to a live news stream.

"Let me know when you’re ready to order," she said, then left me to it.

I nodded and focused on the screen.

The first headline hit me hard.

"FERANS ARRIVING ON EARTH FOR HISTORIC MEETING WITH THE EMPIRE"

I blinked. "What the hell?"

Ferans were coming to Vaythos.

That news did surprise me. And assuming Steve has already told them what needed to be told, this should have been cancelled.

’Maybe they have some plan.’ I wondered.

"When did this happen?" I muttered to myself, thumbing through the other channels. Each major network was covering the same event. Some had different angles or expert panels, but the message was the same: the Ferans were arriving to meet the Emperor.

I dug deeper, scrolling through other news. A few stories popped up about Abomination attacks, Peanu spies etc but the hottest news was still the arrival of the Ferans.

I shook my head slowly, trying to process it. "What game are they playing?"

Just then, the waitress returned. "Have you decided what you’d like?"

I glanced up at her. "Yeah. Bring me a mix—whatever your best meats are. All of them. Grilled, roasted, whatever you’ve got. And some strong alcohol to go with it."

She chuckled softly, jotting it down. "Anything else?"

"Actually, yeah. Can you pack some extra meat to go? Just a solid portion. I’ll need it later."

"Of course," she said, giving a small bow before walking off.

I leaned back and let my eyes drift across the room. Families laughed, lovers leaned close, children begged for desserts.

The smell of roasted spices and sizzling meat pulled me from my thoughts. The waitress returned, this time with a large tray balanced easily in one hand.

She set down a thick, juicy steak with a pepper crust, and other plates filled with different kind of meats.

My stomach growled.

The alcohol came in a tall glass—dark amber and strong enough that I could smell the bite before it touched my lips.

"Enjoy," she said with a smile, then walked off again.

I dug in without hesitation. I tore through the meal like a starving beast.

Halfway through, I paused and waved her over again. She arrived within moments.

"Could I borrow your phone for a moment? I need to make a call, and I’ve been off the grid for a while."

She hesitated, then nodded and handed over a slim black phone.

"Thanks," I said, dialing in one of the only two numbers I remembered.

The line rang twice before Steve’s voice came through, casual and curious.

"Hello?"

I couldn’t help but smirk as I leaned back in my chair. "Hey sweetheart, miss me?"

There was a pause. Two full seconds of silence before his deadpan response came.

"I don’t remember giving you my number, Samantha. How did you even get it?"

I nearly spat my drink out. "Fuck you."

He burst out laughing on the other end, clearly enjoying himself. "Damn, it’s really you. Where are you?"

"Western Continent. Caltech," I replied, casually glancing out the diner window.

There was a beat before he came back with, "Got that. Guess where I am?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Tell me."

"Capital. Royal Palace."

I gave a low whistle. "Well well, did the Emperor adopt you or something?"

He chuckled. "Not yet. Still trying to impress him though. You know, charm and raw talent."

I nodded, grinning. "Proud of you, bud. Too bad the Emperor doesn’t have a single daughter. If he did, we could’ve tried marrying into the throne."

We both went quiet for a few seconds.

Then Steve’s voice turned a little more serious, but not tense. "So... good news or bad news?"

I didn’t hesitate. "Only good news."

"Nice," Steve said with a relieved sigh. "I like that."

I leaned forward, my expression turning serious as I asked the thing that had been bugging me since I stepped out of the realm.

"What’s going on with this news about the Ferans arriving on the planet? I thought you made it clear to the higher-ups that those bastards are the enemy."

Steve let out a long breath on the other end. "I did. Believe me, I did. But by the time I got out of the realm, this meeting was already in motion. It was agreed upon weeks ago."

I frowned, my fingers tapping against the table. "Great."

"Yeah," he muttered. "Anyway, I’ll fill you in on everything once you’re here. Who do you want me to send to escort you?"

"Arkas," I said immediately.

"Got it. I’ll let him know. See you soon, man."

"Yeah. See you."

I ended the call and set the phone down, my mind already spinning with questions and possibilities.

Without wasting another second, I dug back into my food, this time eating much faster than before. No more leisurely chewing or savoring the flavors. I had what I needed, and the thought of finally getting back into the action pushed my appetite into overdrive.

I wiped my mouth clean, then knocked back the rest of my drink in one smooth gulp.

With a satisfied sigh, I stood up, grabbed the parcel of meat I’d ordered for Silver, and asked them to put the bill on my probation id.

With that, I walked out of the restaurant, the warm night air brushing against my face. The streets were still alive with chatter and movement, but I was done blending in.

A smile tugged at my lips as I left the city behind and headed toward where Silver was waiting.

Arkas was on his way.

And that meant things were finally about to move.