Zenith

by Sasha Alsberg

  Chapter Seventy-Seven

  * * *

  ANDROMA

  ANDI NEVER MADE it to Bavista, her coming-of-age ball.

  When Arcardians reached sixteen years of age, young women and men alike attended a ceremony that they’d dreamed of since their early years. A way to show their fellow citizens that they were willing and able to become adult members of society.

  She could still remember seeing the otherworldly dresses and suits float by her on the feeds as she watched the girls and boys glide into the A’Vianna House in the Glass Sector. They seemed light as air, full of pride, bursting at the seams with excitement. Once inside, they would be greeted by members of the Priest Guild, who would award each young person three items.

  The first was a vial of water from the Northern Ocean, symbolizing strength. For growth, they accepted a single leaf from the oldest tree on Arcardius, known as The Mother, which was said to have been planted when the Ancients first arrived. Lastly, they were given a single floating pebble, no larger than a child’s fingernail, chiseled from the very gravarock where the Cortas estate was. It represented the wisdom of rising above.

  If Kalee hadn’t died, if she hadn’t been branded a traitor and forced to flee Arcardius...she and Kalee would have joined their peers at Bavista the year they came of age. Instead, she spent it hiking to the top of a Soleran mountain. Staring at the cold world below through a rifle scope as she and Dex waited for a glimpse of an enemy crew.

  She hadn’t really thought about how she’d missed her Bavista ceremony until now, as she waited for Valen to arrive at her door.

  The girls had gone on ahead, too eager to wait. Andi had allowed them, relishing another few moments of peace before Valen arrived.

  She stood in front of a full-length, ornate golden mirror, gazing at her reflection.

  A gorgeous stranger stared back.

  As much as she hated to admit it, the dress Valen had chosen for her did look nice. The bodice was a dark purple that hugged her curves down to the ground, and the sides of the dress had an intricate mesh paneling that flowed into a sweeping train. Her favorite part of the dress, however, were the sword holsters she’d managed to have the dressmaker include. They were formed to her back, and the bodice fabric was thick enough to cover any ridges. It was perfect.

  The dressmaker had also accented her gown with a sparkling necklace full of jewels that Andi didn’t plan on giving back.

  The gems alone would go for thousands of Krevs on the black market.

  The hairdresser had loosely curled her hair so the blond and purple strands melded together in soft waves down her back. Andi had seriously contemplated asking the woman if she would like a spot on the crew. Her skills bordered on the magical.

  The makeup artist, a frail-looking woman with deep ebony eyes that matched her close-cropped hair, had brushed a shimmering shadow over Andi’s lids, followed by a dark wing that made her look almost feline.

  Admitting to herself that she looked pretty was something Andi kept private. She didn’t want to give her crew the satisfaction of knowing her true thoughts about fashion. How even though she was a fierce, hardened criminal, she could still appreciate the joy of a beautiful, impractical ball gown.

  A knock sounded at the door just as the sun was dipping below the horizon, casting Andi’s room in a deep golden glow. She took one last look at herself in the mirror before she made her way across the plush carpet, careful not to step on her gown or breathe too deeply, lest the bodice split.

  When she opened the door, Valen was standing there, hands stuffed into the pockets of his suit. It was white and pure, at complete odds with Andi’s darker gown. Valen’s gold eyes widened as he took her in.

  “You look great, Androma. I can’t wait to see the look on my father’s face when we take to the dance floor together.”

  Andi gave him a smile, taking his outstretched arm as he led them down the hallway.

  “You know, you don’t look too shabby yourself,” she said. “All eyes across Mirabel will be on you.”

  “I’m counting on it,” he said.

  “Valen the Resurrected.”

  He stopped to look at her, brows raised. “What?”

  She shrugged. “It’s what the press is calling you in all the feeds.”

  Valen let out a deep chuckle.

  “It’s good to be back, Androma.” He resumed his pace, and for a moment, Andi let herself dream of what it would have been like to grow up here beside him.

  If Kalee was here, too, her arm linked through Valen’s. The three of them against the world.

  “Something tells me things are about to change for the better,” he said. “I’m ready to see it all happen.”

  Andi wondered what he would do now that he was home with a whole planet at his disposal.

  He deserved to have some fun.

  With that thought in her mind, they moved down the halls of the Cortas estate, toward the south end, where the ballroom awaited.

  Chapter Seventy-Eight

  * * *

  ANDROMA

  IT LOOKED AS if stars were falling from the heavens when Valen and Andi entered the ballroom. There was no roof on this section of the estate, only the clear night sky, illuminated by two full moons and the Dyllutos Nebula above. Abstract sculptures sat upon the high-top tables that dotted the room. At the head of the ballroom, the flags of each Unified System hung above an elaborate, pearly stage set with four extravagant seats, one for each system leader.

  Although the other decorations were enchanting, it was the floor that awed Andi the most. She wasn’t sure how they did it, but below her feet were the swirling colors of a royal blue nebula. It was as if they had bottled it up just to release the nebula below them, so the partygoers could dance atop the skies.

  As Andi took in the space, she felt as if she were looking out the varillium sides of the Marauder.

  “Are you ready?” Valen asked.

  Andi glanced sideways at him. “Are you?”

  He nodded curtly, and together, they entered the crowd.

  The ballroom was a melting pot, filled with hundreds of people from all across the galaxy. People with many arms and legs. People with horns sprouting from their hairlines. Tenebran Guardians with constellation tattoos like Dex’s and the tall, billowing forms of Sorans milled about the crowd. They passed a Soleran woman whose expression was so sharp, it looked like she was carved from ice. Her dress was transparent as an icicle, sparkling with each step she took to reveal her body beneath. The woman momentarily glanced at Andi with white irises—a product of body modification, no doubt.

  She spotted a man with technicolored skin that swirled and sparkled and changed shades at random, as if his whole body was covered with one migratory tattoo. He wore a red tunic that was tied at the waist with sparkling diamonds.

  People of all races, backgrounds, ages and careers streamed around her as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

  As if one of the Unified Systems wasn’t attacked mere days ago in a bloodbath drawn by the Olen System.

  The wealthy citizens of Mirabel didn’t stop for anyone. A party was a party, no matter what hell was raining down around them. Money was the ultimate protector. As long as it was available in plenty, they would always feel safe.

  Valen came to a stop near a high-top table toward the back. Andi was keenly aware of the stares and whispers that followed them like a shadow through the room. They saw a pirate and a prisoner, a decorated son and his sister’s killer. Andi had expected this, so she ignored them.

  Valen, on the other hand, looked like a caged animal.

  “Just ignore them,” Andi suggested. “It will only make you look stronger.”

  She wasn’t that great at soothing others’ nerves—had never truly been able to calm even herself—but she tried her best with Valen as his eyes
darted to different locations in the room.

  His gaze finally settled on a group in the middle of the crowd. He smiled.

  “They seem to be enjoying themselves.”

  The music was soft and elegant, but Breck and Gilly were dancing wildly, arms and legs flying everywhere so haphazardly that the nearest dancers were at least five feet away. Andi choked back a laugh. They had their matching dresses on.

  Lira was off to the side, talking to an Adhiran official. Her brows were scrunched together like they always did when she concentrated on something serious.

  “Valen!” a voice called from behind them.

  They both turned to see a plump man approaching, a shock of wine-red hair styled like a wave atop his head.

  “Is that—” Andi started, cocking her head toward the approaching figure.

  “Alodius Mintus,” finished Valen. “Yes, I believe it is. It has to be. He still has that mole above his left eye.”

  Alodius, an old classmate who’d always been interested in Kalee, stopped in front of them, releasing a huge sigh.

  “Good Godstars, man,” he said, grabbing Valen’s hand from the table and clasping it in his own. “I’m so happy you are home. I thought I’d never see you again!” He playfully swung two fists at Valen’s shoulder. “You gave those Xen Pterrans a good pummeling, didn’t you, Cortas?”

  Andi wanted to cringe at his bad joke, but she resisted as his eyes drifted to her.

  “And who do we have here? Already getting the girls, am I right?” Andi wanted to laugh, not at his second attempt at a joke, but because he tried to wink at her and ended up failing, scrunching his entire face instead.

  Andi cocked her head. “What, you don’t remember me? I thought for certain you would, since you always asked me to pass your disturbingly intimate love poems to Kalee.” She felt immense pleasure as his smile dropped. Even his carefully coiled red hair seemed to go limp on his forehead.

  “Alodius, you remember Androma Racella,” Valen offered.

  Alodius opened his mouth, as if he was going to say something, but then thought better of it.

  Valen and Andi watched as he started to retreat into the growing crowd of people.

  “I have to... There’s someone... Oh, look at the time!” he squeaked, giving them a little wave before turning on his heel and nearly tripping as he disappeared into the crowd.

  “Well, then,” Valen breathed. “That certainly improved my mood.”

  For the next little while, he smiled as old friends, and those intent on becoming new ones, greeted him. The look on his face was genuine. Andi watched him closely, surprised to see that he’d fallen easily into the role he had to play. Valen the Resurrected, returned home from the horrors he’d faced, yet still with all the poise of a general’s son.

  But his expression changed when the announcer appeared on stage and called for the official start of the ball.

  “This is it,” Valen said, turning to Andi.

  On stage, General Cortas’s face twitched as Valen and Andi stood together and swept onto the now-empty dance floor. A few gasps broke out, then whispers, trickling throughout the room like bugs.

  Valen’s palms shook as he placed a hand on her waist and grasped her left hand with the other.

  “Relax,” Andi whispered. “Let’s give them something to talk about.”

  She flashed him a wicked grin as the music began.

  And as Valen spun her into the first move of the dance, Andi saw Dex standing on the fringes of the crowd, an expression of longing clear on his face.

  Chapter Seventy-Nine

  * * *

  DEX

  DEX WONDERED WHY this was happening again. Either it was a very strong form of déjà vu, or a cruel joke being played just for kicks.

  Here Dex was, dressed to make the ladies swoon, but all he could do was watch Valen and Andi waltz on the dance floor to the melodic music, wishing he could take Valen’s place.

  He’d told himself he wasn’t going to do this.

  That last night, after their kiss, they had said their goodbyes. He’d carefully placed his feelings into a locked box deep in the confines of his mind, then thrown away the key.

  But Godstars above, she was striking, her beauty every bit as deadly as her fists.

  He had seen her wear various types of clothing in the past—and sometimes nothing at all—but she’d never worn a smile so easily. Never truly danced in the way she’d spent her life training, and tonight, she was impossible to look away from.

  He’d thought that the time they shared last night would be enough.

  But now, as Valen dipped her, and Andi laughed...

  He couldn’t take it. He still wanted to be by her side. To be the one whose hands held her, instead of Valen.

  Lucky bastard, Dex thought.

  He turned away, shouldering through the crowd until he found the crew.

  “That bad?” Lira asked when she saw the expression on his face, the way Dex slumped into a chair and reached for a glass of bubbling liquid on the table.

  “Worse,” Dex said.

  Gilly sighed wistfully. “I can’t wait until I’m in love.”

  “It’s not love,” Dex growled. “Not even close.”

  Breck raised a brow without saying a word.

  He sat with them, stewing in his misery, until the song ended and General Cortas took the stage.

  Chapter Eighty

  * * *

  ANDROMA

  WHEN ANDI WAS YOUNGER, she’d watched the Ucatoria Ball on the feeds in her parents’ living room.

  No matter which planet the ball took place on, the room on the feed always shone, as if glitter were cascading down upon the partygoers like a constant, shimmering rain. She’d always turned on the holo feature so that the flickering images of dancers filled the room. It was as if they’d been transported right from the Ucatoria Ball into Andi’s home. When the music played on the feed, she danced to its beat and fell into step among the glamorous patrons.

  Women in lush gowns danced beside her, while others twirled through the couch at her back. Partners spun atop the coffee table, then glided right through Andi as if she was simply a part of them and they of her.

  She’d always dreamed of attending the ball, but when it came time for the dancing to end, and the host system’s leader to make his or her speech, Andi had always frowned, turned off the holo and found other things to occupy her time.

  Tonight, she wished she could do the very same.

  But the host of this year’s Ucatoria was General Cortas, and he wasn’t just a holo before her. He was flesh and blood as he stood on the dais at the front of the room, his golden suit blinding in the bright lights over his head. Cameras hovered beside him, catching every detail of the general’s face.

  He looked ten years younger tonight, as if he’d put on a second skin to hide his age.

  But his true self still lay beneath.

  “I’m going to need another drink after this speech,” Breck said as Andi joined her crew at their table.

  “Have you seen Dex?” Andi whispered, glancing around the room.

  Breck shrugged her large shoulders. “He said he was going to the bar. I’m sure he’s already guzzling his jealousy away.”

  Her words trailed off as the crowd fell silent. Behind General Cortas, the other system leaders took their places, seated on plush throne-like chairs, the colors of their respective systems woven into the fabric.

  “Citizens of Mirabel,” the general began. His voice, usually so cold, was dripping with a charm that made Andi want to retch. “Welcome,” he said, lifting his arms wide, “to the fifteenth annual Ucatoria Ball!”

  The crowd cheered, ladies gently tapping their fans against their palms, joyous laughter ringing across the room like the tinkling of bells.

 
General Cortas grinned as he waited for silence to wash over the room again. “For fifteen years, the Unified Systems have lived in peace. Tonight, we celebrate that unity!” He gestured toward his fellow system leaders. “Let us extend a warm Arcardian welcome to the leaders of the Stuna, Tavina and Prime Systems!”

  The crowd cheered again as the leaders behind the general stood together, hands raised in celebration. Governor Kravan of the Tavina System had hair utterly bleached of color, just like Solera, the ice planet where he lived. To the right was General Polerana of the Prime System. She was a muscular woman who looked like she could split Governor Kravan in half. Beneath her black military uniform, Andi could see constellation tattoos crisscrossing her body just like Dex’s, the sign of a Tenebran Guardian.

  Andi’s eyes then fell on Alara, the most breathtaking of them all. She stood with her shoulders back, her small pointed chin held high in a stance that spoke of Adhiran grace. Her bald head was adorned with a glittering green crown, vines and white moonflowers woven intricately around it like delicate, living jewels.

  General Cortas extended a hand in her direction. “An extra warm greeting, my friends, for our dear Queen Alara of Adhira, who has journeyed far to show her people’s resilience and bravery during the aftermath of the grievous attack on her planet.”

  She stood and gave the crowd a slight smile, one that looked empty, almost sad. She touched her forehead, an Adhiran sign of gratitude, before sitting back down.

  The general pressed a hand to his heart, sending a look of utmost honor toward Alara. Andi imagined him practicing that look before the mirror today, ensuring that he’d look the ever-concerned leader of Arcardius.

  He turned back to the crowd, a smooth smile on his thin lips. “Many years ago, these four systems came together and declared a shared desire for unity. Tonight, we celebrate that unity. We celebrate the fact that the Unified Systems, though light-years apart, are one system. One world spread across many.”