Page 105 of Becoming Super

CHAPTER 17 – Chloe

I didn’t go to promor spend hours of time on my make-up and hair. So, I have to admit that I wasn’t the best canvas for Rylee to do her magic on. A trap was laid out for Mart, and it all came down to the ball being held in celebration of Volton’s rich history and young king.

If that wasn’t stressful enough. Somehow Drake had managed to escape from his captors and was now heaven only knew where.

And now, rather than searching for him, we were putting on finery to attend the ball. It was decided that even with Drake being a loose cannon, it was worth the effort to capture Mart.

The story that Tantar had told us was sadly one that I had heard before. I met other kids that lived on the street. In a strange way, it is something of a community. You know whose turf you can crash and who will slit you from neck to navel.

Usually, the kids I came across had a familiar theme. Drug use and/or abusive families. When Tantar broke down and told us about his uncle being abusive, I remembered the other kids that I had known. I wondered if they made it.

His uncle had been loving and kind until he found out that Tantar was gay. Shortly after, he started hitting him. He was going to beat the impurity out of him. The other classes, they could love where they may, but not royalty. His duty and his planet depended on it.

Tantar was afraid and rightly so. He had promised his uncle that he would marry and produce an heir. He had even gone so far as to break up with his boyfriend. I was shocked that he would allow his uncle to push him around in such a way. It seemed to me that this boy was not fit to run the planet, no matter what blood was in his veins.

I said as much to Rylee as she helped get both of us prepared.

Rylee shrugged, “I felt the same way. But I don’t know how much The Intergalactic Council interferes with the planet’s government.”

“I just feel that the Stavainians couldn’t have picked a more perfect place to attack. Their leader is young and under the thumb of a terrible man. Who is making the hard decisions here? Because if Mart is the driving force, then when we capture him will Tantar be able to stand strong enough on his own?”

Rylee applied the last bit of shimmery substance to my eyelids and then moved back to see if I was finished.

“I do think that Tantar has what it takes,” Rylee said finally. “He needs guidance though, and who better to do that than a man who is well revered and in need of a change in scene?”

“Rafe,” I smiled, “That would be perfect. It could give him something to take his mind off things and it would benefit Volton.”

Rylee handed me a few bangles for my wrist and added some for her own. We wore long ballgowns with more shimmer and see-through fabric than I was comfortable with. However, Rylee assured me that this was the going fashion for such an event.

I had gotten used to wearing the uniform for warrior’s while on Zeron and actually missed the jumpsuit.

There was a knock on the panel connecting Rylee’s room with mine and Zack’s. When I opened the door, he stood there in his dark leather pants and shiny boots. His broad chest was bare except for a sash of sturdy purple silk indicating that he was from Zeron.

I wasn’t going to complain about that custom. My mouth watered, and my fingers itched to touch him.

“No, don’t!” Rylee said firmly to both of us, “You will not ruin everything I just did.”

“You are fucking gorgeous,” Zack breathed.

Rylee answered for me, “Yes, she is. Make sure she stays that way.”

He laughed and wrapped an arm around my waist. “What I wouldn’t give for a few moments alone.”

I felt the same way. Just being near him had my pulse pounding and my knees threatening to buckle. Heath and Rafe stood behind Zack. I hadn’t even noticed them.

But as I turned to see Rylee’s appreciative eyes go over Heath’s bare chest and abs, I stifled a giggle. This could get interesting.

Heath’s sash was purple like Zack’s, but Rafe had a black one, indicating that he was from The Intergalactic Council.

“The procession has already begun,” Heath held his arm out for Rylee. “It’s time we made our way to the ballroom.”

Rafe fiddled with his comms unit. “No one is to take Drake, Mart, or the Stavainians on alone. We will stay together as much as possible.”

I nodded, knowing that there wasn’t any way I would be leaving Zack’s side.

THE BALLROOM WAS LITwith a thousand candles and tiny sparkling lights. There were people there from all over the galaxy. Queen Neopia and I crossed paths just as we were to meet Tantar. Her fiery red locks and skin as black as night reminded me of those first few days when my heart was full of anger and sorrow.

“You seem to have found yourself, human.”

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