Page 29 of Stars in Halo

With this heist, there was little pleasure to be found.

Tears pricked her eyes as she thought of why she was doing this, putting herself through this torture.

She slugged back the wine, surprising the barman.

‘Another one,’ she breathed to him, blinking fast and swallowing the sob that threatened to unleash itself.

Straightening her spine, she took an anxious inhale, waiting for the inevitable high to kick in enough to dull her pain.

Shooting Meteors and Emeralds

The following night was perfect for a gala event.

The setting sun, a master painter, brushed the sky with hues of pink and orange, creating a breathtaking backdrop for the grand resort where the ball would take place.

The temperature was warm, a gentle caress on the skin, as the trees in Enia’s park came alive with a thousand sparkling fairy lights.

Like a trail of stardust, they illuminated the pathway, leading the way to The Grande’s entrance, beckoning the guests to the gala.

‘She’ll recognise you, though, unless you mask your face,’ Mirage commented, raking her digital eyes over him onboard the Tachy.

The stealthed ship hovered high in the skies above the sprawling park and hotel.

‘I don’t intend to hide my identity from her,’ Xion told the Sable consigliere. ‘That’s the point. To give her a little scare and perhaps finagle some intel on why her gems stole data from us.’

‘A solid plan, khan. Finish getting dressed; the gala begins in less than an hour.’

The Rider did as commanded, and before long, he was back on the bridge.

‘How do I look?’ he asked the AI.

‘Like a delicious treat.’

Xion took a mock bow. ‘I’m glad you approve.’

He sported a sequined, slim-fitting, tailored, single-breasted tuxedo suit with silk duchesse details. He wore no shirt under the jacket, which left nothing to the imagination regarding the flow of his muscles and the tautness of his abs.

It also showed off his meta tattoos that shifted and reformed beneath his skin.

His locks flowed free over his shoulders, and his feet were clad in crystal-embossed shoes.

He resembled a rockstar straight out of the celebrity holos.

Though Xion rarely wanted the attention, tonight, he needed to look like the life of the party. To sniff out the woman whom he suspected was about to ruin said party.

Minutes later, he landed on the surface, back at the park where he’d first set foot on Enia a day earlier.

He arranged his locks, and with a final glance up at the unseen location of his ship, he jerked his chin.

Good hunting.

‘My friend, I’m back,’ Xion rasped to The Grande Hotel’s friendly bellman. ‘For the Art and Gems Gala.’

The doorman eyed him up and down. ‘Welcome Mister Caelix. Quite dashing. You look the part, that’s for sure, sir.’

‘Sante. Now, where’s the entrance for this shindig?’

‘Ah, it’s the East wing, sir. Once inside the primary doors, turn right and keep walking. You won’t miss it. It’s crawling with holo media drones, celebrities and hundreds of rubberneckers.’

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