Page 37 of Stars in Halo

‘Fokk,’ one of her three men growled. ‘Just in time.’

The foursome plus one rushed for the doors, darting through while the platform inside lifted and vanished.

‘Lock up, and let’s head out like we were never here,’ Katya instructed her companions. ‘Also, untie the guards, throw some of this over them and leave the bottle by their side.’

From the folds of her impossible gown, she produced a crystal goblet filled with alcohol, no doubt and handed it to one of her brothers.

With a press of her lips and ice in her countenance, Katya turned on her heel. She headed towards the stairs and freedom, her steps echoing against the cold metal floor.

Xion stepped out of the shadows, his gaze fixed on her retreating figure, his curiosity more than piqued.

Tracking the motley band on their way back through the maze-like passages of The Grande, Xion’s mind raced.

Why switch out the Iris? Purely as a heist, or was there more to the game these kinais were playing? What was Katya’s endgame in all of this?

At the emergency exit door to the dance hall, Katya nodded to her crew and slipped back inside.

Xion swivelled his eyes to see the three men rush through the darkened staff corridors, disappearing.

He let them go, sure his metanoids would keep track of them wherever they went.

With an inhale, he reentered into the ballroom, back on the chase.

He stepped into auction chaos.

The bidding was in full swing.

He observed Katya slip back into the crowd, her expression unreadable as she mingled with the guests.

Her posture was relaxed, her smile charming, but Xion could sense an undercurrent of tension beneath her facade.

An auctioneer stood on a platform, hammer in the air.

With aplomb, he announced the principal item for the night’s bidding.

Below him waiting were the wealthy elite, draped in designer labels and dripping with opulence, eager to possess a piece of history at any cost.

The auctioneer’s voice boomed through the opulent ballroom, the chandeliers casting a glittering light over the well-dressed crowd. ‘Folks, I have it on good authority that we’ve raised six million schills for charity this evening in our silent auctions. And now the premiere, the marquee event. The Serpent’s Iris comes under the hammer, and this rare gem begs for a single-owner collection. Get your paddles ready and prepare to make an offer on this exquisite piece that has adorned the necks of royalty and celebrities alike. Let the bidding war begin!’

The audience murmured with anticipation, excitement and greed, swirling like a noxious perfume.

As the auctioneer continued his melodramatic preamble, Xion scanned the room, noting the faces bathed in the artificial glow of the auction house lights.

He widened his meta irises in search until he found her again, on the edge of the action, looking in with a sad smile on her face.

Even after she’d swiped the real gem, with her counterfeit one now up for auction, she was not crowing nor celebrating her heist.

Her lip trembled as she took one last look at the heaving event space, the fake gemstone on the hovering dais above the spectators, and left.

As the auctioneer’s voice boomed over the crowd, extolling the virtues of the next coveted item up for bid, Xion exited the crowded ballroom and loped towards Katya.

She was headed to the hotel bar, swaying in her heels as if she’d no care in the world.

Yet on her right shoulder was a ruby worth millions of schills.

Just then, a ping came through his neural node, and he slowed his roll along the lobby, his eyes fixed on Katya.

Mirage, what gives? he asked with no preamble.

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