ã€ŠThe Star Prince&#x27;s Gender Benderã€‹


 1: Gender Bender

    Planet Name, like all other planets, had customs deemed absurd for non-natives. Two of its deceased¡ªMr. and Mrs. Bender¡ªhad named their daughter Gender. She, a straight woman obsessed with the idea of love, dreamed of marrying a man but was too in love with masculinity.

    Gender, or Gen as she liked being called, sat on the balcony of a small restaurant a hundred floors high. Her fingers brushed the sides of a beer can, her black eyes gazing at the numerous flying vehicles whooshing by on planet North Star.

    She was dressed in her usual young-man outfit: dark-blue jeans; a maroon, long-sleeved shirt; and a black, down vest. Her cropped, ebony hair was spiked up at the front, but her sideburns were a bit too long. They were beginning to curl near the ears; she pulled at the hairs in slight nervousness and anticipation.

    ¡°Gen?¡± a man asked.

    She swirled around, and there he was, her handsome blind date possessing broad shoulders, deep eyes, and a masculine yet perfect amount of scruff. Blushing, she imagined his stubble scratching her lips as his tongue plunged into her mouth.

    ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± she said in a boyish voice as she winked. Then she rebuked herself for coming on too strong. Or, was he fine with it?

    He returned a charming smile and slid into the seat across her. His legs spread apart¡ªforming the kind of manspread that if he were next to her on a train, she would have whipped out her plasma pistol and shot him dead.

    But right now, oh wow, he was sexy.

    And so was his deep voice.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late, had business to attend to. I¡¯m honestly surprised about this date.¡± He looked her up and down then nodded. It was creepy, but Gen let it slide because she had done so first.

    Wouldn¡¯t want to be a hypocrite, she told herself.

    She asked, ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°It was set up by my sister¡ªand I guess your brother too. But my sister is kinda...well, nah. Don¡¯t want to ruin the mood.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon. Take a shot. What about your sister?¡± Gen took a fake swig of her beer then leaned into the metallic table.

    She was a tough lady. Give her a plasma blade, plop her onto some monstrous planet, and she¡¯d live her life contently eating monster meat.

    The man frowned. ¡°She¡¯s one of those people.¡±

    ¡°Those people?¡±

    ¡°Homophobes,¡± he said, voice filled with disgust. ¡°Whenever she hooks me up with someone, it¡¯s a woman. And sometimes they¡¯re real manly with beards, as if that would attract me.¡±

    Ah, there was the caveat, and it did ruin her mood; this man wasn¡¯t the one. She¡¯d stay her lonely self.

    ¡°So you¡¯re gay.¡± She tapped the table.

    His brows wrinkled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be here if I wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Like gay, gay,¡± Gen said. She rolled her eyes at her brother. How could a super-hacker miss something so basic?

    The man blinked; he must have been very confused.

    ¡°Gay, as in purely gay, not bisexual,¡± Gen explained.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t looking for a threesome, were you? I¡¯m not into that.¡± He reached towards the stand holding the salt and pepper shaker to press the button to call the waiter.

    Gen grabbed his hand but then released it. His skin was soft and warm, possibly delectable, but he was gay! How could her brother mess up so badly? She had been looking forward to this date.

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m a gal. Us won¡¯t work if you don¡¯t like a female package wrapped up in man.¡±

    He looked her up and down, and she shifted in her seat. ¡°As in a woman who¡¯s had a sex change? I¡¯m fine with that.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m a straight woman, born female and still female. And I like acting like a man. It¡¯s...hmm...a habit. That¡¯s the simplest way to explain it. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    She grabbed her beer, walked up to the pay machine, and scanned her wrist bracelet. The machine beeped, and she swiftly left the restaurant.

    Her sneakers echoed throughout the metal stairwell as she headed to the car dock. Before stepping through the exit, she tossed her beer can¡ªstill full¡ªinto the appropriate bin.

    ¡°Wait.¡± The man slammed the door. They stood at the end of the landing.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± she said, raising a brow. Gay men had flirted with her, but once they discovered she was a woman, they left unless they were bisexual. In that case, the man stayed until he found she was a bit too...eccentric.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡±¡ªhe pulled at his collar¡ª¡°pretty cute.¡±

    Gen shrugged. ¡°No need to force yourself.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°How¡¯d...how¡¯d you like to help me with something?¡±

    ¡°And that would be...?¡±

    He shrugged.

    Gen knocked on the exit. ¡°Hey man, if you¡¯re not gonna say it, let me be on my way. I¡¯ve got places to be.¡± Here reminded her too much of failed dates and disappointing men¡ªof days people abandoned you for being you.

    He sighed. ¡°There¡¯s this guy who might be gay. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not interesting in him. He¡¯s a friend...sort of...and I¡¯ll pay you if you can find out for sure.¡±

    She pursed her lips. ¡°Do you hear how crazy you sound? If you¡¯re his friend, why do you need me to scope him out?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for...well I can¡¯t tell you. And he¡¯s uh...very tight-lipped.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°He might hate women.¡±

    Gen laughed. ¡°You don¡¯t use your brain, do you? A women-hater, and you¡¯re sending a woman to spy on him?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t spy. You¡¯d be...I don¡¯t want to imagine it.¡±

    She crossed her arms and leaned against the door. Her gaze grew cold. This guy needed to hurry up and get to the point.

    She stared, and he remained silent. His fingers fidgeted, tapping his pocket without pattern.

    A girl holding hands with a young man passed them on the stairway. Twice she glanced at Gen. The first was nothing, but Gen sensed a tinge of surprise, maybe even infatuation, within her second gaze.

    Gen smiled at the girl, not because she liked her but because she was jealous. The girl blushed, and the young man, who had seen their exchange, narrowed his eyes. He hauled the girl upstairs.

    Oopsies, those two will be fighting, Gen thought, but she was not at all sorry for her instigations.

    Oblivious to it all, her blind date said, ¡°My sister wants to know if my boss likes women.¡±

    ¡°And you want to send me because...¡±

    ¡°You seem ballsy enough to face him.¡±

    She scoffed. ¡°Ha! That¡¯s hilarious. What made you think I was ballsy? Because I act like a man and wear men¡¯s clothing? I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    She yanked the door handle, nearly hitting him.

    ¡°Wait! Take this. I had wanted your number but...¡± His words trailed, and he retrieved a white business card from his pocket. ¡°If you ever need the pocket cash, just call me and we¡¯ll work out a deal or something.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Gen said, taking the card so he wouldn¡¯t chase her. ¡°So you know, my brother lied to you. I do have a phone number, but you don¡¯t deserve it.¡±

    Satisfied, she strode onto the car dock. The metal planks creaked. Rust had covered the bolts, and the fixture rested at an odd angle, as if it were peeling from the building like an old metal flake. But, it was deceptively tough.

    Three hundred years, Gen mumbled. It would last three hundred years. Two hundred if someone tossed a few grenades. And three seconds, if she destroyed it herself.

    She zipped the top of her vest, keeping herself warm as a cool breeze brushed by her. The twin moons hung in the sky alongside the sun. They were beautiful, but not as beautiful as her dearest baby.

    She stood before a dark-blue, streamlined Nightingale fitted with customized seating and a powerful plasma core. The flying vehicle hovered like some handsome falcon ready to hunt its prey. Orange light emitted from its underside, contrasting yet complementing its midnight paint.

    He was her love; her very own Sexy named in honor of both itself and her home planet¡¯s tradition of naming things poorly.

    Gen pressed a few buttons on her wrist bracelet, and Sexy¡¯s door opened. She slid inside, nestling herself at the central driving console. Unlike the vehicles of ancient times, it didn¡¯t have a driver¡¯s wheel but instead an orb with multiple panels. There were also no seats beside her, and the back seats were situated in the shape of a hook.

    Like an ancient limousine, she had told others, but nobody understood her reference. They gave her the same blank stare at the mention of tanks, airplanes, and boats. Only Gen had a fascination with antiquated vehicles.

    ¡°It¡¯s them who are missing out,¡± she said out loud then shoved her phone into the vehicle slot. Nobody understood her, and at times she felt lonely, so lonely that she had dismantled her vehicle¡¯s AI. This had incited bad reviews from her customers, but she had ignored them.

    She lived for herself, and when she meets the one, he would love her for who she is. They¡¯d laugh at everyone else.

    Gen took a deep breath then hummed to her vehicle¡¯s own humming. Her nerves calmed.

    ¡°Who shall I fly today?¡± A smile tugged at her lips, but it didn¡¯t match her current outfit. The smile was innocent with a touch of childish optimism.

    A girl¡¯s smile, not a boy¡¯s.

    ¡°Will I meet him?¡± She shrugged then laughed. ¡°Like that¡¯s gonna happen. Someone¡¯s gonna need some thick tastes and balls of steel to like me.¡±

    The app dinged, finding her a rider.

    A man named Aether.

 2: The Hardships of a Sparrow Driver

    Gen flew towards the Imperial Gardens, a floating district near the northern side of the city. The Imperial Gardens contained the city¡¯s most important buildings and facilities such as government offices, the town hall, and the imperial school for aura knights.

    The app marked a spot a little ways outside the floating district¡¯s boundary. Gen docked Sexy at the location and waited for her rider.

    Many minutes passed; she grabbed her phone and fiddled with her various apps¡ªdesigning weapons and vehicles and completing quizzes pertaining to their specs.

    Bang, bang, bang!

    Someone disrespected Sexy. Was this her rider? Some rude jerk?

    She flipped open the loading door. Her eyes were glaring, ready to give him the stink eye for touching her baby.

    When he stepped in, however, Gen¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    He was the hottest hottie among handsome men. He wore a black suit and tie. A tie, Gen might add, she wanted to tug and play with and pull him close so that his broad shoulders eclipsed hers as his strong arms caged her against a wall.

    His eyes beckoned her to do so. They were the most amazing and bewitching orange, like a Nightingale¡¯s underside when one gazed at it and the stars.

    Gen gulped, imagining the contrast his luscious, dark skin would have against hers. And the smoothness of it as he claimed her with his touch. She smiled, revealing none of her indecent thoughts.

    She said, ¡°Sorry about that. I suppose you¡¯re Aether?¡±

    He nodded then sat, closing his eyes to signal he didn¡¯t want to talk. Gen was fine with that. She wouldn¡¯t want him to destroy his own image by saying something stupid.

    She started up Sexy and began driving to his destination. It was an hour away! She smiled. An hour in the same vehicle as Mr. Handsome would complete her life and let her die in content.

    A phone rang. It wasn¡¯t hers.

    ¡°Yes?¡± the man said. His voice strummed all the romantic chords within Gen¡¯s body. She struggled to stop herself from imagining him asking, ¡°Will you marry me?¡±

    Aether wrinkled his brows. ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    A family man!

    ¡°Look, I didn''t come here to get married and settle down. I¡¯ve explained this to you.¡±

    The man nodded his head as if the other person could see his response. Gen wondered what his grandmother told him.

    ¡°Alright Grandmother. I promise.¡± Then he hung up. Gen was a little disappointed; she didn¡¯t get to hear an ¡°I love you.¡±

    Aether dialed a number and again placed the phone to his ears.

    The first thing he said was this: ¡°I need a date.¡±

    Gen¡¯s heart wildly thumped, but she had perfected the art of acting like a suave, young man. Not once did her expression crack.

    Aether furrowed his brows. His face grew increasingly dark. Soon it was completely black and the temperatures within Sexy had dropped by at least ten degrees.

    The man hung up the phone.

    He crossed his legs. Aura, which one might call a type of supernatural energy, seeped from his body. It contained an odd gloominess and a tinge of killing intent hidden under a strong force of icy dominance.

    Oh, how she wanted him to pounce her.

    ¡°Hey driver,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Gen replied. He was talking to her!

    Then there was an awkward pause, as if he regretted doing so. Her heart sank, but she didn¡¯t know why.

    She was a tough lady, she scolded herself. Others had shown her far more disgust than this man. Why should she be hurt? It was nonsensical.

    He asked, ¡°Know any single women?¡±

    ¡°Do I look like a man unpopular with the women?¡± Gen said, but then she yelled at herself. Of all things to say, why had she said something as stupid as that?!

    ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°Uhh, does that matter?¡± Gen asked, her opinion of him taking a drastic turn. She could forgive the awkward silence, but not this.

    He was a playboy who wanted to meet many single women.

    She hated playboys as much as she loved manly men, and hating the former took precedence over loving the latter.

    Aether said, ¡°I have particular criteria.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and what would that be?¡± she asked, hiding her disgust. Did he think of women as droids at the market?

    ¡°It¡¯s simple but hard to find: she can¡¯t like me.¡±

    Gen gripped the central console. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go be some queer woman¡¯s beard?¡±

    ¡°Tried. No matter what I do, women fall in love with me. So do men.¡±

    Gen thought he couldn¡¯t say anything to make her opinion of him drop lower, but he had proved her wrong. Playboy AND narcissist.

    Being a Sparrow driver owning a Nightingale, she had flown around many of the rich. They were all obnoxious, but Gen also had a theory. Only the obnoxious would be grounded, and only the grounded would have their vehicles confiscated, and only the rich without vehicles would pay for her services.

    It was a stressful job, but Gen loved it. There was a certain satisfaction that came with teaching them a lesson.

    She looked at Aether with increased curiosity and dislike. He was, what, late twenties? How did he not have a vehicle? It was a mystery to her.

    But, he had met her criteria of an obnoxious jerk. A jerk who needed a spanking.

    She said, ¡°Problem solved! I¡¯ll introduce you to my sister, but she¡¯s gonna want some pay.¡±

    It was a lie. She didn¡¯t have a sister, but she had her own female body.

    ¡°Your sister?¡± Aether wrinkled his brows. ¡°How would you stop her from falling for me?¡±

    Gen laughed. ¡°It¡¯s simple! You¡¯re nothing like her type. In fact, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll eat you alive then toss you aside like some unsavory chicken bones. You¡¯ll fall for her and beg her to marry you.¡±

    The man didn¡¯t react to her provocation. His face remained handsomely indifferent. ¡°What¡¯s her number? I¡¯ll give her a call.¡±

    ¡°Pfft. You think I¡¯ll give some random man my sister¡¯s number? Give me yours, and I¡¯ll pass it on.¡±

    Aether narrowed his eyes; the temperatures within Sexy dropped.

    Gen grinned at him through the mirror. As he exerted pressure on her, she deflected it. She thought: think you''re all tough? No one has ever squashed her with their aura. This sister eats people like you.

    Their auras clashed, pushing and tugging and smothering each other.

    Eventually, Aether reeled in his aura and retrieved a business card from his inner suit pocket. He passed it to her, and she shoved it into her jeans. A smug smile surfaced on her lips as they traveled in silence.

    Gen checked her mirrors then pulled up a full view of their surroundings. Frowning, she abruptly turned Sexy.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be taking a shortcut.¡± She lied. No, it wasn¡¯t a lie. All shortcuts no matter how long were quicker than taking a detour to the afterlife.

    Someone was following them. Three vehicles. Not a good sign.

    She switched gears then dropped their altitude. Gen peeked at the man. He was frowning and gazing through Sexy¡¯s panoramic sunroof.

    ¡°We¡¯re being followed,¡± he said.

    ¡°You¡¯re quicker than most.¡± She rotated Sexy onto its side and flew between two different floored docks. Neither Gen nor Aether shifted in their seats.

    ¡°Gravity stabilizer?¡± he mumbled, bringing a small smile to Gen¡¯s face.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Of course, she wanted to tell him, her vehicle had the whole package of...of everything. Gravity stabilizer, camo system, radar, dual core, things like that. She could prattle for an eternity with what her Sexy packed.

    Were all of them legal?

    No, but a Puresoul prince had assassinated her eldest brother. That was over a decade ago, yet the prince still wanted to kill her and her other sibling. It therefore made no difference to Gen whether or not she broke the law, as long as she lived.

    She decelerated Sexy then shifted the drive to reverse. They traveled past the people following them. With a click she activated the camo system, and Sexy transformed into an ugly, mundane ride¡ªblack and perfectly indistinguishable from the other vehicles.

    She flung Sexy into a heavily-trafficked, auto-drive airway. Surrounded by cars controlled by AI systems, she entered an air tunnel giving passage through large buildings. She glanced at the mirror; the cars were still following her.

    One¡¯s top began opening, revealing a turret. The AI vehicles quickly shifted to the side, opening a path for the aggressor and its target.

    ¡°Turrets.¡± Gen frowned. Usually her assassins didn¡¯t bring out such big guns. She had thought she had secured a good identity. Barely a year had passed. How had they found her so soon?

    Aether whipped out a small plasma pistol from who knows where.

    ¡°What are you doing with that?¡± She shifted in her seat. ¡°You better not get plasma on my beautiful baby.¡±

    ¡°Keep calm. Drive above them and rotate the vehicle.¡±

    ¡°Hell no! You¡¯re not blasting through my window with that cheap gun! What if it splashes and wrecks my paint?¡± Gen revved Sexy. Its speed sharply increased.

    The man smacked into the back of the car with a grunt. The change in velocity had been too great for the inertia stabilizer to bind him with the vehicle¡¯s movement.

    Gen turned left and spiraled between various buildings and alleys, not letting any of their foe¡¯s AI systems lock onto them. As an afterthought, she said, ¡°Hey man, I recommend putting on your seatbelt.¡±

    Looking back at Aether, she was startled to find that he had already found the harness and had strapped himself.

    ¡°Watch the airways,¡± he said, his eyes narrowed.

    Gen shrugged. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d been chased in a planet¡¯s capital. She knew these backstreets like the back of her...hmm...head, since she¡¯d never seen them before.

    She jerked the car, dodging the sudden emergence of a car dock and an oncoming mail delivery droid.

    Four vehicles blocked the end of the alley. Each of their roofs were opening, readying turrets. Five more cars ambushed them from both above and below. The bystander vehicles provided no cover. Their AI¡¯s were programmed to evade all third-party aggression, so they had fled.

    ¡°Oh crap. How have I offended so many people?¡± Frowning, she asked Aether, ¡°You didn¡¯t see anyone stick a tracking device to my car, did you?¡±

    He glared at her, but then his expression broke into a frown. He retrieved a cigarette lighter from his pocket. Upon opening its casing, he found a small, black device.

    ¡°Holy crap,¡± Gen cursed. It wasn¡¯t her they were after, it was this handsome jerk of a man. First he abused her Sexy by banging the window, and now he attracted a swarm of flying turrets. Her opinion of Aether dropped so low that it became deeper than a plasmatic mine pit.

    She glared at him, wishing she could drill holes through his handsome body.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you watching the airways?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Gen said, still glaring. She slammed her hand against the dashboard, causing a second control console to rise up next to her. This orb was much smaller than the main console, and it was orange in color.

    The turrets emitted light, any second and they would shoot.

    Gen gripped the console with her palm then closed her eyes. She channeled her energy into it. Sexy lit up and began pulsing. A barrier formed around them, and the plasma shots struck, quaking it but leaving no marks.

    Gen revved their speed and slammed into the flying vehicles blocking the end of the alley. They exploded, cloaking them in blue flame and smoke. Gen gasped; sweat dripped down her temples.

    Aether said, ¡°You¡¯re a¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± She poured more energy into the barrier. ¡°What the hell did you do?¡±

    The man didn¡¯t reply.

    More cars flooded towards them. There were so many. Where were the police? Could it be true that there was such a thing as a beauty who could cause the fall of nations?

    Twisting in her seat, she glared at the man as if he was a jinx.

    He blinked. ¡°Do you always drive without looking?¡±

    ¡°You,¡± she hesitated, but she couldn¡¯t maintain her aura barrier indefinitely. ¡°Can you...guh...I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m asking this. Are you good with weapons?¡±

    ¡°I have a plasma pistol,¡± he said, as if that meant yes.

    Gen took it as a no, but out of options, she pressed a few more buttons on the main central console then twisted the top half of the orb so that it rotated and slid.

    In the backseat, there was a soft click and the flooring moved to the side, revealing a plethora of weapons ranging from firmament swords to magma rifles.

    ¡°Choose one and shoot. I knew I should have had a turret installed, of all things Sexy isn¡¯t packing.¡±

    ¡°Sexy?¡±

    ¡°My car!¡± Gen yelled, flustered and tired. Sweat drenched her collar. She dropped her barriers and gulped in air in an effort to restore her energy.

    Crack! Her window burst.

    ¡°Guh, dang it! Man, couldn¡¯t you have waited for me to open the windows!¡±

    Aether was a bonafide jerk for hurting Sexy.

    He held the Million Joule sniper rifle¡ªMillion Joule was only its maker¡¯s name, it fired implosion shots¡ªand struck one of the chasing vehicles. The man then tossed the tracking device out the window.

    His actions seemed habitual, as if he had hunted vehicles ever since he had learned to walk. His eyes were calm, hands graceful as he reached for another implosion shot. His fingers slid naturally over metal, tantalizing Gen with their finesse. He loaded it. Click.

    She drooled; he was her type of man.

    He fired again, breaching the opponent¡¯s shields. Crunch! The vehicle imploded, leaving little shrapnel to harm the surrounding buildings.

    Gen snorted. She approved of his chosen weaponry but couldn¡¯t forgive him for hurting her baby. She descended Sexy, spiraling them between two skyscrapers. She heard a grunt; Aether must have hit his head.

    Good. She smirked.

    As their speed increased and altitude dropped, Gen watched the ground approach. They entered the city¡¯s shadowline where the sun¡¯s light never reached the lower buildings and levels.

    Their chasers slowed; some pulled away.

    Poor AI settings, Gen snickered.

    Three, two, one... She flipped the car upside-down and flew parallel to the ancient street. Performing a half-helix spin, they turned into another alley and righted themselves.

    Gen increased their altitude; one never knew what type of rubble and debris one could find at the city root. She preferred not to scratch Sexy¡¯s paint with some foul substance.

    And it wasn¡¯t common to find a man who could stomach her reckless yet gorgeous driving¡ªit was wild like her. Aether earned a few brownie points and restored a portion of his tarnished name.

    He said, ¡°Take us westward, towards these coordinates.¡± He sent them through the Sparrow app.

    ¡°You know they can track that,¡± Gen commented. Jerk and an idiot.

    Aether crawled up next to her. His hot breath was at her neck. His presence tantalized her with both his scent and his daring to stand in a vehicle moving at 600km/hr. If it weren¡¯t for her wind stabilizers, he would have flung out the window.

    He whispered into her ear, ¡°Listen carefully. The coords are in the south (37.235, 115.8111).¡±

    Oh, he was kinda smart.

    ¡°What about the altitude?¡± she asked, her heart pounding and mind struggling. He was so distracting; what if she crashed Sexy due to the man¡¯s hotness?

    ¡°Just get there.¡±

    Gen smiled, ascending the vehicle to above the shadowline. ¡°Hold tight, I¡¯m taking out the boosters.¡±

    She smacked the left side of Sexy¡¯s dashboard.

    I¡¯m sorry, she whispered to her vehicle. This would be the last time she rode her Sexy.

    A third console appeared, and she clenched it. She glanced at Aether; he had returned to his seat and was properly buckled. She channeled her power, but unlike her barrier, this channeling was only to act as a key to start the vehicle¡¯s second plasma core. Using a second plasma core was illegal. And dangerous.

    The core activated; the primary one ignited.

    The vehicle jerked, and she heard a clink. The jerk had dropped her sniper rifle and let it clip the wall...bye bye Cutie Tootie.

    Wrapping herself in her aura, Gen stressed her reaction speeds to the maximum and focused on the path before her. The slightest mistake would lead to their deaths.

    Adrenaline surged through her. She zoomed into an air tunnel, and their wake shook the neighboring docks. People grabbed onto rails and handholds, laying themselves flat.

    Gen dove left and right, up and down¡ªanything to dodge vehicles, delivery drones, and buildings. Eventually, they neared the outskirts of the city. Their followers had long been lost.

    Gen smiled to herself. Success, no one had ruined Sexy¡¯s paint. He would die in glory.

    She decreased their altitude as they approached the destination. She unstrapped herself and climbed into the backseat.

    Aether¡¯s brows wrinkled; there was no hint of his previous cold demeanor. He must have thought her crazy for leaving the driver seat without activating Sexy¡¯s AI.

    She grabbed onto his harness. His body stiffened.

    ¡°Sexy is gonna explode,¡± she said and pressed a button on her wrist bracelet. It popped the back of the vehicle and deactivated the windbreaker shields. Wind gushed at them, and she held him to steady herself.

    His harness unbuckled and she leapt, hugging him tightly.

    A bit of his smell wafted into her nose: an earthly musk mixed with the faint smell of melted metal. It ignited a fire deep within her, but she restrained it.

    She exerted her mental strength and formed a force field. It pulsed around them, contracting and expanding before repeating the process. It protected them as they skidded across the ground, digging a deep, long trench.

    They stopped, and she dropped the barrier.

    Blood seeped from her mouth; her body lay on Aether. She checked her vitals through her wrist bracelet. No permanent damage, a good sign.

    She lowered her head and rested her chin on the man¡¯s chest. He didn¡¯t say a word and her courage grew. She snuggled her cheek against his chest. A girl like her deserved a treat after so much hard work. She felt and listened for his heartbeat.

    Ba dum, ba dum, ba dum.

    It was calm and steady as if everything that had happened was as mundane as buying groceries.

    Oh, how she wanted to tease and excite him so that his heartbeat turned frantic.

    The back of her ears blushed in shame for her thoughts. She was a pure lady. It was both her lack of skill in romancing the right man and her fairy-tale innocence that had left her an intact first kiss.

    This was despite her lustful mind.

    Gen smiled. It was the type of smile she gave girls when she wanted to cause trouble. She said, to hide her fluster, ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Got you pretty close to your destination, huh?¡±

    He nodded, but his following words were far outside her expectations: ¡°Is your sister like you?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Gen said because, hey, most men fled to another planet when they discovered her eccentricities. How was she to torture this man if he ran before she made him fall for her feminine alter ego? She had to pay him back for causing the death of her Sexy.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Aether said. For a moment Gen thought he sounded disappointed.

 3: New Calling

    Gen and Aether sat in an underground bunker. It was wide and spacious and looked more like a classified training facility than an actual bomb bunker. Maybe it was built for soldiers. On the ground, there were some melted pieces of sand and dirt that looked like they had been touched by plasma.

    Gen kicked one such stone. ¡°Hey, man. Are you gonna play on your phone all day? Didn''t you say someone was coming?¡±

    Aether nodded, but she didn¡¯t know to which question. He asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m a Sparrow driver.¡±

    The man raised his phone, which Gen thought was unfair flaunting since hers had died with Sexy. ¡°It says your name is ¡®Fender Bender.¡¯ That¡¯s not true.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an alias.¡±

    ¡°Then who are you?¡± The man typed something into his phone.

    Oh, so that was what he was doing; he was looking her up. Gen wished him luck. She and her brother were pretty good at hiding their identities¡ªit was a necessity to live.

    An hour passed in silence. The man¡¯s brows knit until they formed a large knot. Gen feared he would ruin his handsome face if he continued.

    ¡°Gen. My name is Generation Rook. My ancestry hails from planet Planet Name, so don¡¯t laugh. It¡¯s traditional.¡±

    Silence¡­

    Except for Aether tapping his phone.

    After a minute he said, ¡°There¡¯s three strikes on your record: possessing contraband weapons, illegal vehicle modifications, and trespassing. Interesting...you¡¯ve managed to get them removed from public filing so you could continue working as a Sparrow driver. Looks like you also blackmailed and bought off a few Planet Name officials.¡±

    Gen smiled; she really wanted to push this man down and seal his lips with hers. Nothing was sexier than a man with decent connections. Of course, that identity and alleged charges were fake.

    ¡°Descending Rook, so that¡¯s your sister.¡± He frowned. ¡°She has a clean profile. Never broke the rules, graduated college with flying colors, and works as a babysitter and personal tutor.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t she beautiful?¡± Gen asked as she screamed: you better say I¡¯m freakin¡¯ hot! Do you know how much I tortured myself by wearing a dress for those pictures? My soul had fled, and it still hasn¡¯t returned.

    Aether shrugged.

    Gen narrowed her eyes, recalling he was both a playboy and a jerk who had caused the death of her Sexy. He deserves punishment. ¡°What do you mean? She¡¯s not cute because her chest is flat?¡±

    He raised a brow, giving her a strange look.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s decent.¡±

    Gen smiled, but she was imagining she was gutting his insides with a knife and crushing his bones with a crowbar. How dare he call her ¡°decent¡±?

    Suddenly, the rustic door to the bunker opened, accompanied with a loud beep and screeching scrape. Three people had entered, and they walked side by side. They wore matching uniforms that did little to reveal who they were.

    Gen¡¯s eyes widened. Large gauntlets, the symbol of an aura knight, were on each of their left wrists. In great interest and curiosity, she scrutinized the gauntlets, trying to identify their make, model, and specialization.

    She couldn¡¯t recognize the aura weapons. Were they from a new series or a new maker? And those uniforms, why didn¡¯t she recognize them?

    ¡°Boss!¡± the men saluted, snapping Gen from her preoccupations.

    ¡°You!¡± She gasped and pointed at the man on the far left. It was the man with whom she had had the blind date.

    He glanced at her but said nothing.

    Aether¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°Too slow. Ten laps.¡±

    The three hustled.

    ¡°You know Fenri?¡± asked Aether.

    Gen shrugged. Had that been his name? ¡°A bit. Why?¡±

    ¡°Good. You¡¯re now part of the team. Go join them.¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    He glared at her, exerting pressure through his aura. ¡°Respect your superiors. Fifteen laps.¡±

    ¡°Since when have I become an aura knight?¡± Gen asked. In truth she was retired. Her service lasted a year between the time she graduated Planet Name¡¯s Aura Knight Academy and the day her eldest brother died.

    If she said she didn¡¯t want to be an aura knight, it would be a lie. It had been her childhood dream right beside saving a prince and marrying him.

    Her priorities as a child had been somewhat off.

    Aether said, ¡°Dual core modifications, possession of a Million Joule sniper rifle, all those other weapons, plus being an unregistered aura-breaker. I could put you away for life. Twenty laps.¡±

    You couldn¡¯t, Gen snickered, but without a word she joined the three running laps. She consented to be his subordinate, but she had her own reasons for doing so apart from her dream of being an aura knight.

    They were hot men. Masculine men.

    Aether had won the jackpot of sexy underlings, making Gen both jealous and ecstatic.

    She ran up to Fenri, who was at the edge of the group. Pretending she had no designs on his two companions, she asked, ¡°So that¡¯s your boss? How much money do I get if I have my sister find out that answer for you?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the newbie talking about?¡± asked the man beside Fenri. He had a certain masculinity that attracted her despite having common features. He was also shorter than the other men in the room but was still half a head taller than her. His body was well toned, and his shaved head crowned him in manly goodness.

    ¡°The name¡¯s Gen,¡± she said with a smile. Then she sent a quick glance at the third man.

    The man was tall, and his face solemn but without the overbearing coldness Aether possessed. His black eyes were of the mysterious type. The type that enthralled young women with a single glance. His body¡ªlegs, arms, chest¡ªwere well proportioned with just the perfect amount of muscle. His glutes, Gen must admit, were very nice.

    The man running beside Fenri said, ¡°I¡¯m Drake. The tall, solemn one next to me is Joule, and I guess you know Fenri.¡±

    ¡°Yep, we¡¯ve met.¡± Gen sent a sideways look at Fenri, signaling: don¡¯t you dare tell them I was your blind date.

    She thought that if he did so, he would ruin her chances of getting together with one of his two comrades.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Gen was my blind date,¡± Fenri said. Gen cursed.

    ¡°Oh, how¡¯d that go?¡± Drake looked her up and down. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the first time your sister set you up with a guy? Kudos to your sister¡¯s progression towards acceptance.¡±

    Fenri scowled. ¡°If only that were true. Don¡¯t let her deceive you. She¡¯s a woman.¡±

    Drake¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You look just like a handsome, pretty boy¡ªthe kind girls like nowadays.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Gen replied with a smile. ¡°But just to be clear, I¡¯m straight, so don¡¯t try to hook me up with any women.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Drake looked her body up and down for a second time. ¡°If you¡¯re straight, why do you dress¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± Gen snorted. Was there something wrong with a straight woman crossdressing because she liked making herself look sexy for her own eyes?

    Why else would some women wear ridiculously high platform boots? She thought herself more sane than them.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice meeting you,¡± Drake said. ¡°So, how¡¯d the boss recruit you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about how he roped me in....¡±

    ¡°Then...what¡¯ll you be doing?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Gen said.

    ¡°What pronouns do you use?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I just go with whatever, but ¡®they¡¯ gets confusing, so I guess either ¡®he¡¯ or ¡®she¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Good to know.¡± Drake nodded his head and continued asking her questions. He struck Gen as someone a bit overly social and nosy. ¡°Does the captain know you¡¯re a woman? He¡¯s kinda... Well, let¡¯s just say he has PTSD and does not do well with them.¡±

    Gen shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He convinced me to have my sister act as his date.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Drake gaped. Fenri and Joule wrinkled their brows.

    Gen smiled awkwardly, concluding from their reactions that any woman who had met Aether had experienced a terrible fate.

    She turned towards Aether, who was still looking at his phone. She sent him a short, evil glare, but he raised his head at that exact moment, seemingly sensing it.

    He called out, ¡°Five more laps. Run until Gen finishes. No more talking.¡±

    Joule growled, his voice low. ¡°This is why we don¡¯t talk.¡±

    The group ran in silence.

    Gen prided herself on her endurance, but by the twentieth lap she diagnosed herself as dead. Sweat dripped down her face and had soaked through her shirt from which she had torn off her sleeves and removed her vest. The wet, maroon fabric clung to her body but revealed nothing of her wrapped breasts.

    Just five more laps, she told herself as she pushed herself to keep speed with the others.

    By the end she was coughing and dry-heaving. Joule and Fenri were a bit better. Drake looked like he hadn¡¯t run at all.

    ¡°Three hundred push-ups,¡± Aether said. He was ruthless.

    ¡°Hey, Boss.¡± Drake stretched his arms. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go easy on Gen. She¡¯s just a lady.¡±

    Did that man just say what she thought he said? Gen narrowed her eyes. His sexiness took an atomic plunge.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this,¡± she said. Vigor returned to her; she wasn¡¯t weak, and she hated anyone who thought she was incapable. She did push-ups without hesitation. 1, 2,...

    Aether raised a brow. ¡°You¡¯re a woman?¡±

    3, 4, 5,...

    ¡°You will answer me.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°Does it matter? Then I¡¯m a man.¡± What was this guy¡¯s problem?

    Aether exuded his aura, encasing her with a cold pressure that rocked her body. With it he shoved her to the side.

    Gen smirked then repelled his aura with her own. The pressure lightened. She didn¡¯t know what was his ability, but by the way he threw around his aura, she estimated he was an aura-breaker like herself.

    ¡°Stand next to me,¡± Aether ordered.

    ¡°Nope. Three hundred push-ups.¡±

    ¡°Four hundred.¡±

    Gen wouldn¡¯t let him have the last word, forgetting he was her future boss. ¡°Fine by me.¡±

    21, 22, 23,¡­ 200,...

    Sweat poured down her face like a cascading fountain built on the side of a skyscraper. How could these monsters do so many push-ups? Her upper body had never been that strong.

    Exhausted, she cheated and converted her aura into energy to bolster her body¡¯s strength. The next twenty push-ups were easy until Aether released his own aura and tripled the pressure.

    Gen fought against it. Then her thoughts slipped; she imagined it was his body pushing her. Why must he be so evil yet so sexy?

    ¡°Would you like to stop?¡± he asked, his deep voice teasing her with an imagined indecency only she herself knew.

    Flustered, Gen ignored him and continued doing push-ups. The other men beside her breathed heavily.

    They were monsters, and their stamina was very good.

    Her face blushed, and she became uncomfortable. A sensation gnawed at her from her lower abdomen.

    Fenri, Drake, Joule. Together she found them as sexually distracting as Aether. She picked out their heavy breathing and the sound of their rippling muscles.

    Don¡¯t think about that, Gen reprimanded herself. She needed to get laid; she was becoming too lustful.

    When was the last time? Never, because she had always succeeded in cockblocking herself. That or the man said something disastrously stupid.

    Like Aether and Drake. Should she forgive them?

    She hesitated.

    ¡°Get over here,¡± Aether said. His arms were crossed, brows furrowed.

    Gen smiled. ¡°I lost track of my count. I¡¯ll start over at two hundred.¡±

    ¡°372¡±

    ¡°You lie.¡±

    ¡°Five¡ª¡±

    ¡°Six hundred,¡± Gen interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯ll do six hundred, and you shut your mouth.¡±

    Someone snickered.

    ¡°You three are doing nine hundred,¡± Aether said, his voice frigid. That shut them up.

    After six hundred push-ups, Gen collapsed onto the ground, breath haggard and aura drained.

    She turned her head to the side, watching these fine manly specimens. A light smile tugged at her lips.

    ¡°Are they aura-breakers?¡± she asked. Not all aura knights were, and neither were aura gauntlets a good indication of it.

    Aether nodded. ¡°Will you come here? Please.¡±

    ¡°What do you want, Boss?¡± Gen hauled herself towards him.

    ¡°Do you like men?¡± He asked.

    She frowned. ¡°Why does everyone ask that? Is there anything wrong with a straight woman dressing herself as a man? And pretending to be one?¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re straight?¡±

    Gen didn¡¯t reply, only wiping the sweat from her face onto her ripped shirt.

    Aether said, ¡°Be my date.¡±

    A few gasps arose from the men doing push-ups. Aether glanced at them; that was all it took to silence them.

    ¡°Not interested,¡± Gen said. If she acted as herself, how could she make this jerk fall in love with her then break his heart? She didn¡¯t think he would fall for her true self. She had a very low opinion of herself, which she hid behind her toxic masculinity.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get my sister to do it. How does that sound? Just get me a new vehicle, and I¡¯ll convince her.¡±

    Aether remained silent, but when Gen thought he had changed his mind about recruiting a fake date, he asked, ¡°You want a Nightingale?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± she stuttered, taken aback by his sudden question.

    Aether fiddled with something on his phone. After a while, Gen¡¯s wrist bracelet dinged. It informed her of receiving the latest Nightingale model. In fact, it was the limited edition model due to be released in the next three months.

    The vehicle was bright red, but there was a note saying it would be painted midnight blue, the color of Former Sexy. It also came with a military license allowing it to be modified and outfitted with various specs. She no longer needed to make illegal modifications to add cores or tweak its stabilizers.

    ¡°For me?¡± Gen blinked, seeing a new part of him: he was stinking, filthy rich with deep connections. Her eyes sparkled.

    Was he paying a too much? But she didn¡¯t mind it. He was like a prince in a crappy fairy tale¡ªtwo dimensional yet romantic only because he had status, wealth, and good looks. Being a jerk, he deserved to be milked.

    ¡°Will you be my date?¡± he asked.

    Gen absentmindedly nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure my sister treats you well. She¡¯ll act as your perfect little wife.¡±

    Aether¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I want you to be my wife.¡±

    ¡°Aura has jumbled your brain.¡± Gen laughed. How could a crossdressing tomboy play as his wife? Others would question its validity¡ªright after asking if she was a woman. But if she dressed as her rarely-used feminine alter ego, she could trick them.

    And then she''d make him fall in love with her, and she¡¯d smash his playboy heart.

    Aether¡¯s lips pulled into a smile, but in no way did he look happy. The surrounding temperatures dropped.

    He said, ¡°Drake, Fenri, Joule, greet Gen. She¡¯ll be our new pilot and my personal aura partner. My future wife and your lady boss.¡±

    Gen shrugged at his response, her eyes drifting towards his three subordinates, subtly asking them if their boss was always so pushy. She had said she couldn¡¯t play his wife, so why did he insist?

    The three, who had just finished their push-ups, were staring at her. Their red, sweat-covered faces were twisted and distorted into strange expressions. Like malfunctioning androids.

    Gen scratched her chin.

    Was this the look of horror? Hmm, the jerk was good at controlling his subordinates.

    She slyly smiled, planning chaos against him. Like most of her previous riders, he needed to be taught a lesson.

 4: Phantom Mind

    Within a spaceship flying towards planet South Star, Aether sat at a desk, pen in hand as his eyes stared at his monitor. The screen was split in half: one side depicted Gen sitting on a bed and fiddling with her new phone and the other side showed her phone¡¯s screen.

    A faint smile tugged at Aether¡¯s lips. With smooth skin, clear eyes, and an enchanting smile, Gen was both beautiful and handsome. The two aspects somehow complemented each other, bestowing her with an irresistible attraction. It was as if she could be anything anyone wanted her to be¡ªas if she didn¡¯t have a face. Her charm was as great as one¡¯s imagination.

    Enthralled by her, he wrote the names of all the flying cars she spent extra time examining. He wondered what type of weapons she liked; he himself had a large collection of aura, magma, and plasma blades. Maybe he could show them to her one day.

    The door slid open.

    Aether frowned. Drake, Fenri, and Joule were supposed to be gathering intel on the recent assassination attempt or looking for leads to a decade-old disappearance of a man named Law Bender.

    Instead, they were here disturbing his happy moment.

    He gazed at them with cold eyes. ¡°This better be important.¡±

    Drake scratched his head. He said, ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯re here as your friends, not as your subordinates.¡±

    Aether tapped his desk. Whenever they declared themselves ¡°friends,¡± it was to criticize him. When they truly acted as friends, they would drop formalities. It was a smooth and natural transition built upon more than a decade of friendship, not this crude ¡°we¡¯re here as your friends¡± declaration.

    Drake coughed and elbowed Joule. Joule glared at Drake but said nothing.

    Aether said, ¡°Drake, speak.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t think this thing with Gen is a good idea,¡± Drake coughed out.

    Aura burst from Aether¡¯s body, surpassing the amount he could control. The temperature within the room dropped, and frost formed on the ground, walls, and ceiling. He said, ¡°Gen will be my wife. Period.¡±

    Something about her¡ªher insane driving, sharp instincts, choice of weapons, or ability to withstand his aura¡ªhad made him crazy about her. His attraction to her was instant the moment he discovered she was a woman. It was faster than a beat of a heart, yet also steadier than the Great Firmament Bridge that united the North Star and East Star planets.

    Aether¡¯s gaze bore into the three as they stood pale-faced. He saw no indignation within their eyes and he released a sigh of relief. They understood his inability to control his powers.

    He said¡ªto both explain to them Gen¡¯s importance and to calm his own nerves¡ª¡°When I first met Gen, I was intrigued. She withstood my aura as if she couldn¡¯t sense it. I talked to her because I believed she could be the key to solving my problems. It led to making her sister my fake date. And then the assassins attacked, and I became enthralled.¡±

    He smiled; the room warmed.

    He said, ¡°She noticed the assassins before I had and calmly responded to their advances. Her driving was reckless. She had disabled her vehicle¡¯s AI and didn¡¯t watch the airways. Before I knew it, my mind was swimming with the hopes that her sister was like her. I was disappointed when Gen said she wasn¡¯t.¡±

    He laughed, and his orange eyes turned to that of midnight blue.

    The frost within the room vanished, replaced by an ethereal glow akin to that of kindling flames. The temperatures soared; and Fenri, Drake, and Joule were freed from Aether¡¯s freezing aura. Their bodies quivered in reverence to his blazing presence.

    ¡°Then the unthinkable happened,¡± Aether said, his smile as radiant as the sun. ¡°Gen was a woman, a woman interested in men. Something snapped within me, and I fell in love.¡±

    Those were the most words Aether had ever spoken.

    Joule¡¯s expression scrunched up, and he sent multiple glances at Drake. The man in question said nothing. Fenri stood stunned.

    Their silence cut at Aether, as if he shouldn¡¯t have shared so much.

    His smile faded.

    He loved Gen, why did he need to explain it? It was what it was.

    The frost returned. His three friends didn¡¯t understand his feelings. She was the first and only woman he would fall for. He was sure of it.

    He scribbled a few words into his notebook, pen nib scraping the paper with each stroke. The letters left small depressions and formed the names of various daggers he thought Gen would like.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    He said, ¡°I will find a way to make her love me. She will be my wife.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s, uh, not exactly what we came to talk to you about,¡± Fenri said, his expression turning awkward. He also blushed.

    Aether raised a brow, hiding the many emotions within his gaze. Confusion, curiosity, fear... Fenri was one of the many men who had fallen for him. Aether had ignored it, but with Gen in the equation, he had the sudden fear she would misunderstand their friendship. A little of his aura gushed at the man in distaste.

    Fenri pulled at his collar. ¡°Um, I¡¯ll let Drake explain.¡±

    ¡°Ha! Sacrificing me to the icy volcano, like always.¡± Drake lifted up his hands and shook his head. ¡°Your Highness, there is nothing wrong with you marrying Gen¡ª¡±

    Joule elbowed Drake in the stomach. Then he made for the door. He said with his back turned, ¡°She won¡¯t marry you.¡±

    ¡°Explain,¡± Aether said. His eyes locked onto Drake.

    ¡°What he means to say is...you¡¯re...well...you¡¯re really bad with women. I mean look at what you¡¯re doing!¡± Drake pointed at the monitor. ¡°There¡¯s no romantic bone in your body.¡±

    Aether tapped his notepad. On his computer screen, Gen had rolled over onto her stomach and was gazing at her phone. This time, she was reading the news on the latest Nightingale model, the one Aether had gifted her.

    He smiled, and a warm feeling bubbled within him. He wanted to rub her head and buy her another flying car.

    Drake said, ¡°This is exactly what we¡¯re talking about. A proper prince won¡¯t spy on a woman.¡±

    Aether frowned.

    Drake sighed. ¡°If she discovers it, she¡¯s gonna hate your guts, and you¡¯ll never succeed in romancing her.¡±

    He replied¡ªbut only because he knew he needed their help¡ª¡°I want to know more about her.¡±

    Drake slapped his own forehead. ¡°Then ask her yourself.¡±

    Aether wrinkled his brows. He feared that if he talked to her, her opinion of him would drop. He sensed she didn¡¯t like him, but he didn''t know why. What had he done to displease her?

    ¡°Or, you can ask her sister,¡± Fenri commented.

    Aether liked neither of their ideas. Why couldn¡¯t he gather information the same way he did so of his enemies? Plant a bug of some kind and spy on their every action.

    As he gazed at his monitor, Gen left her current page. She typed a string of letters into her search engine.

    HE¡¯S RIGHT, the entry read, startling Aether. He jolted up in his chair and waved at Drake and Fenri.

    NO NEED FOR THAT. I CAN SEE YOU

    ¡°Gen?¡± Aether asked, scrutinizing her figure still lying on the bed. She was scrolling through her phone, not typing. His two companions walked around his desk, confusion on their faces.

    NOPE

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    PHANTOM MIND

    Drake sucked in a breath of air while Fenri ran for the door. Aether didn¡¯t need to ask; the man was retrieving Joule, who had the most experience with computer security and hacking.

    A fruitless endeavor, Aether thought. Phantom Mind was leagues better than Joule. He was a top-closs super-hacker. And super-hackers were aura-breakers with an ability that allowed them to dominate the web.

    No one knew what Phantom Mind could and couldn¡¯t do. Security sectors only found relief in knowing that he was insane and lacked goals¡ªbut Aether found that tidbit untrustworthy. He believed everyone had secret agendas no matter how crazy they themselves were.

    A star prince didn¡¯t keep his life without being skeptic.

    He tapped at his desk and sent a glance at each camera in the room: the obvious one in the upper-left corner, the hidden one behind the fake fern, and the one attached to his monitor. He wondered which one was compromised¡ªor maybe they all were.

    Aether asked, ¡°Did General Bluelight send you?¡±

    <ol>

    <li> I HATE POLITICS</li>

    </ol>

    Drake scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re here to collect dirt, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Drake,¡± Aether said, scorning his friend for his rude outburst. The last thing he wanted to do was to anger the hacker.

    If the hacker decided to crash their ship and hurt Gen in retaliation... Aether didn¡¯t know what to do. A sudden sense of helplessness overcame him. He could gamble with his own life but not Gen¡¯s.

    I¡¯M NOT NOSY. I FOLLOW A CODE

    ¡°Please enlighten us,¡± Aether said.

    I¡¯M OBEDIENT AND WELL BEHAVED

    ¡°Enlighten us,¡± Aether repeated, but it was almost a question. He had no idea what ran through the minds of super-hackers. It had taken him years to understand Joule, who was barely considered one. There was something discordant about the minds of aura-breakers who possessed certain skills, especially those relating to either the psyche or one¡¯s intelligence.

    I DON¡¯T OBEY YOU

    The door slid open, revealing the return of Joule and Fenri. They stood behind Aether.

    Joule closed his eyes, activated his aura break, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t pinpoint his motivations. He¡¯s hacked the mainframe but hasn¡¯t looked into any of our files.¡±

    His response was within Aether¡¯s expectations.

    I HAVE ONE GOAL

    ¡°Will you share it?¡± Aether asked as aura seeped from his body. He didn¡¯t like lowering his head to others, especially not one who could hurt his newfound love.

    I¡¯LL TELL YOU ON ONE CONDITION

    ¡°I agree,¡± Aether said, thinking only of Gen.

    THE GIRL YOU SAID YOU LOVED, LEAVE HER ALONE

    Aether¡¯s aura exploded, this time willingly. The monitor froze then shattered into shards of ice. Freezing, the desk¡¯s wood buckled and cracked.

    There was a beep, and Aether heard a voice over the intercom, his own voice: ¡°That¡¯s not nice. No deal.¡±

    The room went silent except for the grinding of Aether¡¯s teeth. He cursed, swearing he would tear the man to pieces if he ever met him in person. How dare he try to keep him from Gen?

    He stormed from his office and marched down the hallway, boots clinking as he headed towards Gen¡¯s room.

 5: What to do?

    Aether had an important goal in mind, but his three subordinates, or friends of the moment, chased after him. He wished they would return to their jobs and stop holding him from Gen.

    Drake yelled, ¡°Wait, Your Highness! What¡¯re you doing? The control center is in the other direction.¡±

    ¡°Proposing,¡± Aether said. This time he would tell Gen he loved her. He feared that if he didn¡¯t, he would go insane.

    ¡°Ah! He¡¯s suicidal! Fenri stop him before he ruins everything. I don¡¯t want to be the outlet for his failed romance, save me!¡±

    Fenri stepped forward, wrapping himself in aura. His body vanished then materialized. He appeared in the center of Aether¡¯s path. His body glowed with a faint, blue light. He had performed an aura break, and in the same way Gen could pulse and create a force field of aura, Fenri could phase short distances.

    Blocking Aether¡¯s path, he held up his hands. He said, ¡°I think you should listen to us. Drake has experience with women, and I have experience with men and¡ª¡±

    Joule tsked. ¡°You don¡¯t need that to know Prince Aether is a lost cause. Let him flop the relationship and learn from his mistakes. Next time he¡¯ll do better.¡±

    Drake glared at Joule. ¡°Whose side are you on?¡±

    ¡°Gen¡¯s.¡±

    Brows wrinkled, Fenri snapped his fingers, dispersing the lingering aura surrounding his body. ¡°You¡¯re more confusing than Aether¡¯s declaration of love.¡±

    Joule shrugged. ¡°I support Gen. She¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Quiet,¡± Aether ordered.

    He rubbed his temples, unsure what to do with these three subordinates-cum-friends. Maybe they were each right in their own way¡ªminus Joule. He didn¡¯t like Joule¡¯s way of doing things; his plans were disastrously random and often resulted in fat failures.

    Sighing, Aether swallowed his pride. To him Gen was more important than maintaining his aloof bearing. He had already performed actions he thought he would never do, such as explaining his feelings and bowing his head to a super-hacker. So why not more?

    He sincerely asked for help. ¡°What should I do to make her fall in love with me?¡±

    Drake laughed. ¡°Buy flowers and ask her about herself.¡±

    Fenri smiled. ¡°She puts great importance on family. Convince her sister to help you. I can get you her brother¡¯s number but...I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Drake¡¯s idea seemed reasonable, but Aether fumbled with Fenri¡¯s. The man¡¯s was biased. Fenri, although his relationship with his sister appeared to be bad, was actually her biggest fan. He would do almost anything for family, and he had the opinion that everyone loved family as much as he did.

    Joule shook his head, as if he too noticed Fenri¡¯s weakness. He said to Aether, ¡°Be sincere in your failure to woo her, so that she knows she¡¯s not the only crazy person alive.¡±

    Drake and Fenri glared at Joule. Joule had a way of throwing a wrench into every conversation. Aether knew nothing of romance and love, but he at least understood to stay clear of Joule¡¯s proposal.

    ¡°What type of flowers?¡± Aether slowly asked. Revealing his inadequacies, the question bit at him like his aura¡¯s constant numbing of his bones. He had learned to live with the latter, but for the former... What kind of man didn¡¯t know which flowers to send to his future wife?

    ¡°Red ro¡ªoh, wait.¡± Drake scratched his head. ¡°She was furious when we compared her to a stereotypical lady.¡±

    ¡°So guns?¡± Fenri raised a brow.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Flying cars?¡± Aether asked, to which Drake shook his head.

    Drake said, ¡°What would she think of your message? Here¡¯s some guns, go kill people for me? Or, I¡¯ll buy you with a car?¡±

    Joule frowned.

    Aether asked, ¡°What if I ask her what she wants?¡± His brows knit; the difficulty of wooing someone had stumped him.

    How had he done it before, when all the women and bent men flocked to him like swarms of man-eating ravens? He had done nothing. Was that the answer?

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Joule said.

    Aether grunted in acknowledgement; his friend¡¯s response was to his thoughts of doing nothing. Joule sometimes had accurate readings of one¡¯s intentions. It was a minor talent imbued into his aura. Emphasis on ¡°sometimes.¡±

    Drake guffawed. ¡°Ha! Even His Highness knows he¡¯ll mess it up.¡±

    ¡°So that leaves asking her family.¡± Fenri rubbed his chin. ¡°Her brother might be a hindrance. Who sets up his sister with a gay man unless they want her to remain pure and single?¡±

    Aether shrugged. ¡°Descending Rook is at most an average woman with average accomplishments. She¡¯ll toss herself at me.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Drake vigorously shook his head. ¡°With that mindset, you¡¯re going to drop flying cars from the sky and wreak havoc. If the sister falls in love with you, Gen will never accept your advances.¡±

    Fenri smiled. ¡°Sisters first, men last.¡±

    Aether¡¯s brows wrinkled, and the four stood in silence. Eventually he sighed and said, ¡°I hope Gen understands her sister and is sure I¡¯m not her type.¡±

    Drake¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°There are ways to stop her from liking you. Maybe get on her nerves, don¡¯t give her flowers, embarrass her in public, possibly insult her, gross her out, stick gum to her hair...I can go on and on and on.¡±

    Joule glowered. ¡°This isn¡¯t grade school.¡±

    Drake dismissed him with his hand. ¡°Your Highness, you need to be suave and gentle about pushing her away. If you push too hard, it will backfire and she¡¯ll never want you near Gen.¡±

    ¡°So complicated. What am I going to do about the gala?¡± Aether frowned. ¡°Gen keeps saying her sister will be my date.¡±

    If only his own sister and female cousin were alive to help him. Who thought it was a good idea to raise a prince like him as a mindless aura knight and then as a cold-hearted general?

    It was easier to live alone on some desolate planet than to woo somebody. Just drop him off, give him a plasma blade, and he¡¯d lavishly live his life eating monster meat.

    His eyes sparkled. Marooning himself on a planet with Gen didn¡¯t seem like a bad plan. It would be just the two of them, and with no other male competition, she would fall in love with him. Wasn¡¯t that how nature worked?

    Joule said, ¡°She¡¯s as crazy as you. Your best bet is to declare your love then propose.¡±

    ¡°Joule, give up. Your advice is crap. The chances of her being as love-impaired as our prince is one in a trillion,¡± Drake said and Fenri nodded.

    Aether¡¯s face darkened as faint amounts of aura seeped from his body. Love-impaired? How was he love-impaired? He was filled with love!

    As he quietly fumed, Joule said, ¡°You two are just as ignorant to love and affection.¡±

    The comment sparked a round of bickering between Drake, Fenri, and Joule. The former two argued that Joule had never experienced love while Joule argued that the two of them were secretly virgins who had failed horribly at removing their status of single.

    Giving up on his subordinates-cum-friends, Aether rubbed his temples, walked around them, then strode to Gen¡¯s room.

    What had happened to his three subordinates being the best in the galaxy? They couldn¡¯t help him woo a crossdressing lady. Maybe their talents had wilted when the Compass Constellation had revoked his old position.

    No longer a general, he was now a bodyguard and spy. A strange occupation for a star prince, unseemly yet a necessity.

    He further rubbed his temples, stressing over his predicament. He had been so close to uncovering the murders of his sister and cousin, but had failed. He had one clue left:

    A decade-old letter from a man named Law Bender.

    That, however, was an impossible lead.

    Law Bender was a mystery, his existence erased from most files and databases. He was an orphan with two younger siblings named Mind Bender and Gender Bender.

    That was all Aether knew, and he had tried to find the siblings. Near impossible. They were slippery, and he wasn¡¯t the only one searching for them. If anyone approached them, they would disappear for a few years.

    Aether stood in front of Gen¡¯s door. His ponderings vanished like melting snow greeting sunlight.

    He brushed off his suit, straightened his tie, and made sure he was presentable. Then, he inhaled a deep breath. His heart thumped in anticipation as his thoughts turned towards Gen.

    How to show his love?

    He whipped out his phone and bought red flowers that reminded him of Gen¡¯s reckless driving. Because he viewed her as his important person, he bought twenty-five of them to celebrate her twenty-five years of living.

    Satisfied with his actions, he knocked on her door then entered.

 6: A Mind Bender

    Laying on the bed, Gen was neither looking at weapons nor vehicles. She was texting her brother, Mind Bender. She had begun with a message referring to her date.

    Gen: Wtf. He¡¯s gay!

    Mind: I¡¯m a good brother.

    Gen: U suck

    Mind: I don¡¯t like misspelled words. And most abbreviations/acronyms.

    Then, the ¡°u¡± changed into a ¡°you,¡± and he added an exclamation point. He also erased ¡°wtf.¡± Gen cursed and sent another text.

    Gen: Dude, why do u always hack my phone? Is it necessary

    Mind: ¡°u¡± and ¡°?¡±

    Gen: Fine! Why did you hack my phone?

    Mind: Not your phone.

    Gen: You don¡¯t know that.

    Mind: Do you want me to explain? Last time you blocked me. And so I locked you out of your phone. Lol.

    Gen: Nevermind. Pls don¡¯t.

    Gen: please*

    Mind: I¡¯m fine with ¡°pls.¡± You no longer understand me. Have you forgotten me after finding your prince? I want my innocent little sister t.t

    She scoffed. He was playing dumb, a sure sign he knew her date was gay.

    Gen: Why did you set me up with a gay man?

    Mind: I <3 you.

    She snickered. ¡°I <3 you,¡± Mind¡¯s classic way of saying, ¡°It was an accident but not really.¡±

    Gen: Come on. Tell me why.

    Mind: Fine, but only because I¡¯m obedient. Look at how great of a brother I am! It¡¯s because I miss you.

    Gen: Mind, I¡¯m growling at you.

    Mind: No you aren¡¯t. And it really is because I miss you.

    Gen: Did you hack the starship? What happened to your ¡°I don¡¯t like hacking things cuz there¡¯s scary shit¡±?

    Mind: ¡°because¡± and no swearing.

    She groaned then tapped out another message.

    Gen: I¡¯m losing patience.

    Mind: And so are the readers of our messages

    Gen counted out loud, ¡°10, 9, 8, 7,...¡±

    Mind: Fine! You caught me red-handed. I hacked the ship and your phone. But only because it was bugged with outdated software! Did you know their refrigerator might be part of a bot army? It¡¯s sending funny data. I¡¯m going to make it a turncoat.

    Halfway through the message Gen slammed her forehead into the soft bed sheets. She groaned because all her suspicions were true.

    She didn¡¯t need to ask Mind whether or not he had hacked the starship or her phone. She always assumed he did, because his habits spoke of him constantly watching.

    A small part of her loved the gesture; it made her feel not so alone and that someone always had her back.

    With Law dead, Mind was her only family. No, there was also her nephew and sister-in-law but contacting them without Mind¡¯s help was difficult.

    If anyone else spied on her, she would gut them alive.

    She scowled at her phone¡¯s camera. Aether had bugged it like some perverted playboy-stalker. She was flattered but would rather have the jerk dead.

    Why had she agreed to work for him?

    For hot men, she told herself. For Joule...and that new Nightingale. And her childhood dream of being an aura knight.

    She opened her contacts. There was one entry: Hubby Aether. A weird name, but she attested it to being a traditional Planet Name name. Or so she hoped.

    She changed it to ¡°Hot Jerk¡± but then hesitated. It was a name with little class; it didn¡¯t fit him and couldn¡¯t compare to Sexy¡¯s.

    Ding! Another message.

    Mind: ¡°Hot Jerky.¡± Continue texting me or I¡¯ll throw a tantrum.

    She smiled. That name did him justice. Aether made her drool, but she felt something was off about ¡°Hot Jerky.¡±

    She shrugged, set Aether¡¯s name to just ¡°Jerky,¡± then sent a message to her brother.

    Gen: Did you squash the bug?

    Mind: It¡¯s still transmitting. But I¡¯m intersecting the data.

    Gen: Be a good brother and tell me honestly. Why did you set me up with a gay man?

    Mind: I miss you, and his sister reminds me of you. I like her ^-^

    Gen: I¡¯m concerned O.O

    Mind: Please! You need to help me! I have a tiny request...teeny tiny one.

    Gen: Date Fenri? No.

    Mind: Just distract Prince Aether. I¡¯ll help you cover Dessy¡¯s tracks.

    Dessy was Descending Rook¡¯s nickname¡ªthe name Gen used when she dressed as a woman and the name of her nonexistent sister. Dessy was the third reason why Gen decided to work for Aether; somebody had to keep the playboy in check. If he ditched Dessy to go hang with some other woman, her plans would spoil, so she needed someone¡ªherself¡ªto stop him from doing so.

    She narrowed her eyes.

    Gen: Prince Aether?This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Mind: Oh come on. You don¡¯t recognize him?

    Gen wrinkled her brows then typed ¡°Prince Aether¡± into the search bar. So many things came up that she was flabbergasted.

    And then, as she continued scrolling, her frown deepened and her expression darkened. There was a reason she didn''t recognize him; her mind had blocked him and all his achievements from it.

    Mind: Before you throw a fit, please be aware that he likes you and his relationship to his cousin is unclear.

    Gen: Wtf! He¡¯s related to the scum of the universe! I want nothing to do with him.

    Mind: Please! I beg of you! Just help me with Fenri¡¯s sister. I think I have a chance, but I can¡¯t compete with Prince Aether. She¡¯s crazy about him. Please take him off the market! I¡¯ll do anything orz

    Gen scoffed. Texting was too cumbersome to express her anger. She said, ¡°You didn¡¯t want me to date Fenri. Did you do something to force Aether to get a Sparrow?

    Mind: Maybe t.t

    ¡°And the chase?¡±

    Mind: Nope! Not at all.

    Gen raised a brow. ¡°Then brother, how did you orchestrate it? Did you know he would recruit me into being his subordinate and make me his aura knight? Did you blackmail him?¡±

    Mind: I had a hunch he would fall in love with you.

    ¡°Guh. Just because you love me, why do you assume everyone else would too? Many people hate me. Do I need to remind you?¡±

    Mind: Everyone loves you. I love you <3

    She rolled over and stared at the ceiling. It was off-white without overhanging lights. Unlike the pristine white walls of other starships, something was very homey.

    It reminded her nothing of the hospitals she so hated.

    Lifting her phone, she mashed out another text.

    Gen: You better tell me about the relationship between Aether Puresoul and his blasted cousin Janus Puresoul.

    Mind: Idk. ¡°Aether Maelstrom.¡± He prefers it that way.

    She tsked. She didn¡¯t care for his name; he was a Puresoul, and she hated them.

    Gen: Dig deep. Find their relation. Is Aether part of the scum¡¯s plans?

    Mind: Do you hate me? I¡¯ll never do it t.t

    Gen: I¡¯m sorry

    No response. Was he ignoring her or having a mental breakdown?

    She sighed and covered her face. Why had she touched his trigger? She imagined him hiding in the corner and crying like a small toddler. It must have been dark in his room. He liked the dark; he said it hid the ugliness of the galaxy.

    As a teenager he had found something¡ªsomething that had broken him. Mind was a super-hacker, an aura-breaker with the skills to pinpoint weaknesses, but his greatest talents weren¡¯t used. He spied on her and investigated what he classified as ¡°media friendly.¡± He didn¡¯t do anything outside this comfort zone, unless it was to recruit kitchen utilities into his bot army.

    Gen: I¡¯ll do it. And I¡¯ll make Aether fall in love with me then smash his heart. Not like he¡¯d fall for me... Maybe Dessy, but not the true me.

    Mind: ^-^

    She chuckled. He had tricked her and was now gloating, so she hoped.

    In the midst of typing a reply, she received another message.

    Mind: Your prince is here

    Someone knocked.

    Gen shoved her phone beneath her thigh then shifted her weight to cover it with her body. Mind would delete their conversation; he wouldn¡¯t let anyone have the satisfaction of spying on them. But, there was a certain joy to needlessly hiding the phone. The mere act excited her, stimulating her battle-hardened self to protect what¡¯s hers.

    She and Mind lived in a world consisting of only them. Outsiders weren¡¯t allowed.

    Aether furrowed his brows as he entered. He glanced at the poorly hidden cameras.

    ¡°Hey man, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Gen asked.

    ¡°I got you something.¡± Aether smiled, and his forehead smoothed so quickly she doubted he had been worried.

    On cue, her wrist bracelet dinged.

    Twenty-five potted spider lilies. To be delivered to her new living quarters.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said and rubbed her chin. Her mind churned. Was this a test of her intelligence?

    What could the spider lilies represent? She recalled that some people planted them around graves and that the bulbs were poisonous.

    They were a code to kill someone, she concluded. Was this prince a hitman or did he want her to do it?

    Her eyes gleamed, and maybe she was a bit too excited. She didn¡¯t enjoy killing, but if it meant holding a gun and getting paid, she¡¯d do it.

    She would prefer to be a spy or a bodyguard-cum-chauffeur. Both would be cool. Or a star explorer, which seemed pretty fun.

    But an assassin? It was at the bottom of the list, five occupations below ¡°actress.¡± But it made the list for one reason:

    ¡°Are we going to assassinate Prince Janus Puresoul?¡± she asked, half-joking and half-testing.

    He flinched; his body stiffened.

    ¡°I¡¯m kidding, man.¡± She laughed, keeping a close eye on him. As he loosened, she added, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to kill your cousin.¡±

    He made no reaction to her statement. ¡°You recognized me?¡±

    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t recognize Aether Maelstrom? The cold-hearted general and the star prince of young ladies¡¯ dreams.¡±

    ¡°You know I prefer ¡®Maelstrom¡¯?¡±

    Her hands began to sweat, and she cursed Mind. Aether¡¯s response was odd, as if he wasn¡¯t supposed to be recognized. She thought back to the simple search of his name.

    The only pictures of him were the ones where he wore a helmet.

    Her lips twitched. How did a prince go about his life without showing his face?

    She exaggerated a shrug then lied: ¡°My riders like to talk about you.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± he asked. The room grew cold.

    ¡°Don¡¯t remember. Mostly drunk rich kids. The obnoxious ones who get their vehicles impounded.¡±

    He sat next to her on the bed, so close that the heat of his skin touched hers. Her heart thumped.

    Alone, with him next to her. Pushing him down would be easy, just a little pulse of her aura break. She gulped.

    He asked, ¡°You like talking about me?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who blabber. I saw your name then put the pieces together. I didn¡¯t recognize you at first.¡±

    ¡°What do you like talking about?¡± He asked.

    ¡°What?¡± Her eyes widened. When had anyone been interested in what she wanted to say? The jerk was conscientious, and it swayed her. She attested this to hormones.

    He repeated, ¡°What do you like talking about?¡±

    ¡°I heard you the first time.¡± She rose to her feet, placing him to her back so he wouldn¡¯t see her blush and broken facade.

    She was tough, she told herself. A tough, handsome man with a female package. Aether was at most a target to destroy.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you,¡± he said, standing up from the bed. He stood behind her, and his breath tickled her neck.

    Playboy! Her mind screamed as she wrestled with her secret desires. Her thoughts went to an extreme to squash the bug gnawing at her heart.

    Who sat beside a lonely woman then stood so ambiguously close? Only a lewd flirt. He possessed foul thoughts for tossing himself at any which woman. And to toss himself at her, that proved how low his standards were.

    She pivoted to face him, blush long gone. She flashed a cocky smile. ¡°I enjoy plotting the demise of playboys.¡±

    ¡°Playboys?

    ¡°Yes. Playboys. I hate playboys.¡±

    He nodded, seemingly unaffected by her insults. Did he not realize she referred to him?

    Aether said, ¡°I hate gold diggers.¡±

    ¡°Love should be strong,¡± she said, suddenly recalling something Law had once told her. ¡°It¡¯s the feeling that one would do anything for the other, even reveal their deepest, darkest secrets. It¡¯s a bond forged from truth and understanding. It doesn¡¯t mean no arguments, but that at the end of the argument, you would have learned more about yourself and your other half.¡±

    Aether lowered his head, as if he had been reprimanded.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find your love and settle down someday.¡± Gen rubbed his head, but then paused, face paling. She had touched the star prince and had treated him like a kid. A fool¡¯s actions.

    A fiery aura burst from Aether¡¯s body. It demanded of reverence, akin to an angel¡¯s holy flame. A flame, Gen might add, that wanted to burn her in hell.

    The color of his orange eyes plunged, darkening to a midnight blue. They struck Gen as familiar, but she dismissed the sensation to focus on Aether¡¯s face.

    Could a man become so red with anger? His cheeks and ears were burning.

    Then, he stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

    ¡°Does he hate me?¡± Gen cocked her head then plopped onto her bed. She gazed at the ceiling.

    What had she done? Was it the playboy comment? The assaulting of his hair?

    Her phone dinged.

    Mind: Why would he hate you? Wait fifteen seconds

    She rolled her eyes; she had spoken to herself, not him.

 7: Faulty Brain

    Mind was wrong. Aether returned in twenty seconds, not fifteen.

    Gen rested her chin in her hand. ¡°Hey, sorry man. Didn¡¯t mean to touch you. So, want to tell me what¡¯s up with the spider lilies?¡±

    Aether wrinkled his brows.

    ¡°Are you going to tell me?¡± she asked, tapping her lips. His silence reminded her of annoying men who knew how to do nothing but judge her.

    ¡°The flowers were for you,¡± he said.

    Gen sighed. ¡°But what do they mean?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re flowers, for you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve said that.¡± The bedsheet crinkled as she slid off the bed and onto her feet. Putting on her shoes and straightening her uniform, she asked Aether, ¡°Are we killing anyone? Poisoning anybody? What about framing?¡±

    Aether¡¯s brow soothed, and he placed his arms behind his back. ¡°So you like the flowers?¡±

    She tilted her head and squinted. ¡°I asked you if we were killing someone.¡±

    He nodded then paused and shook his head. ¡°Not killing, spying.¡±

    ¡°I love spying!¡± She laughed. Specifically, she loved stealing secrets and disguising herself as someone else.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll be the chauffeur and also a bodyguard. The job begins in a couple weeks.¡±

    Chauffeur, bodyguard, and spy? A dream come true! Gen clenched her fist, and her body shivered with excitement. She saluted. ¡°Yes, Boss! I love you!¡±

    Aether¡¯s aura warmed the room. ¡°Love you, too.¡±

    Gen stiffened and tried to laugh. An odd, scoff-like utterance escaped her. What else could she do against such heart-stirring words? She said, ¡°Be careful of your jokes. Women will drop dead thinking you told the truth.¡±

    He clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure.¡± She strode past him and gestured a goodbye by waving her hand into the empty air.

    Once outside the room, Gen¡¯s willpower collapsed. She slammed her forehead against the wall in the hopes of droning out her thumping heart. Her quick pulse creaked her bones, and she clutched her chest, begging the beating to stop.

    She froze. A shiver traveled the length of her spine.

    The door, having just closed, clicked with a sound so soft yet so piercing that Gen wanted to demolish its frame.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Aether asked.

    He saw! Her ears rang, sabotaging her thought process. ¡°I-I ate something bad.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re hitting your head?¡±

    ¡°It was a worm infested apple! I¡¯m killing the spider.¡± She clasped her mouth. What gibberish did she just say?

    Her feet suddenly lifted from the ground, and a pair of strong arms wrapped her into a steady embrace holding her against a firm torso. A tantalizing smell akin to a deadly aphrodisiac assaulted her mind. Her remaining thoughts fizzed, and a warm liquid seeped from her nose.

    She covered the blood with her hands.

    Too late.

    Aether¡¯s face paled, and he rushed her to the ship¡¯s ward where the healing pods stood on standby. His muscles, worsening the situation, rubbed against her as he sprinted.

    Her heart thumped louder and quicker and instigated her blood to flow through the gaps between her fingers. She shut her eyes, wishing everything to be over.

    Eventually Aether halted. Peeking, Gen spied a cylindrical pod bearing a glass window, silver body, and black trim. She reached for it, arms waving and desperately begging the man to free her from his clutches.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be here if you need me,¡± he said then set her into the pod before closing it.

    She locked its door and closed her eyes, determined not to come out and face anyone until they had landed.

    Fool, fool, fool, her mind screamed. She peeped through her lashes and regretted it. He stood beside her with a hand placed against the glass. She glowered.

    Go away! I¡¯ll never get better with you here!

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    When they arrived at planet South Star, Gen was forced to leave her healing pod. Alighting the star ship, she held her head low and refused to make eye contact with Aether.

    ¡°Yours,¡± he said, causing her to glance across the stardock.

    Her mouth dropped, and her body shook. ¡°A beauty,¡± she gasped.

    Her new vehicle, Sexy the Fifth, hovered at the edge of the dock where the metal landing overhung the verdant forest and where the sun touched the mountain¡¯s summit. Reflecting rays of light, Sexy shone as bright as a haloed angel.

    Gen tossed herself onto its hood, slightly swaying the vehicle with her own weight. She splayed her limbs and basked in glory, but then a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and separated her from the hood.

    Aether was frowning, and his eyes gazed at the gap between Sexy and the dock.

    ¡°Afraid of heights?¡± Gen asked, restraining her hormones while she followed his gaze. It wasn¡¯t a bad fall. One would be dead the instant one hit the ground. A quick death.

    His arms tightened, and he rested his chin on her head. She felt his heartbeat quicken.

    Odd, thought Gen. The dive from Former Sexy hadn¡¯t riled him, but a cliff would? Maybe he was ill.

    She reached for his forehead then stopped herself from feeling his temperature. She flicked his brow.

    ¡°Spider,¡± she said, lying with a malfunctioning brain.

    Flicking him was just as bad as touching him, she rebuked herself. Now she was in his grasp and vulnerable to punishment...

    Her thoughts took a drastic turn. His body was warm, abs hard, grip tight. She wanted to touch him in ways indecent.

    Then his smell struck her. Intoxicating. Earthly. Manly.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Her brain shut off, and her face turned beet-red. Gen feared that if she performed no actions, her thoughts would lead to another nosebleed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t breathe!¡± Ignoring shame, she pretended to struggle and felt his body with each turn of her own.

    Aether distanced her from the gap then released her as if she were a wired bomb. He touched her wrist and chest and neck and then her forehead¡ªall in a manner too quick for Gen to process.

    She blinked.

    Joule, reminding Gen of company, said, ¡°She¡¯s insane.¡±

    Drake and Fenri nodded.

    ¡°What are you staring at?¡± Gen glared at them, and she straightened her clothes. Then she inspecting her aura gauntlet for dirt. Weapons calmed her nerves, and her heart yearned for rest. But her thoughts loved tangents...

    Note to self: Aether was afraid of heights and had the softest of hands. And the most intoxicating hugs.

    Her face reddened.

    Aether reached for her forehead as if she was the ill person. He was the sick one!

    She whacked his hand. ¡°Dude, what¡¯re you doing?¡±

    He nodded then pointed at a large estate situated on the mountain opposite them. ¡°We¡¯ll be staying there.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say.¡± She brushed her fingers across the Nightingale¡¯s rim. It squeaked under her touch like all smooth things should. Calm yourself.

    Aether¡¯s unwanted voice aroused her, ¡°Will you drive?¡±

    Why did the words excite her? They were innocent; he didn¡¯t want her to ride him. And how did ¡°drive¡± leap to ¡°ride¡±? Her mind was too lewd, possibly still suffering the aftermath of ¡°love you, too.¡±

    She glanced at Drake, Fenri, and Joule; and she hoped they¡¯d misdirect her hormones. They didn¡¯t. Aether was too powerful.

    Drake and Fenri blinked while Joule¡¯s face darkened. He said, ¡°Stay away from her.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll ride,¡± Gen said, pretending she hadn¡¯t heard Joule¡¯s slight.

    Her fingers pressed a string of buttons on her wrist bracelet. Having entered the wrong sequence, she failed twice to open Sexy.

    Should have bought a wrist watch, she thought. Those were clunky and needlessly complex but had large screens

    Aether caressed her hand¡ªhis touch gentle and soft¡ªand entered the code.

    Sexy¡¯s door slid open.

    Second note to self: have Mind boost Sexy¡¯s security, else she¡¯d use it as an excuse to hold the jerk¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Thanks, man,¡± she said.

    ¡°What¡¯s its name?¡± Aether gestured at the vehicle.

    ¡°Sexy the Fifth, or just Sexy.¡± She puffed her chest in pride, as if she had bought the Nightingale after decades of hard labor.

    Someone chuckled.

    ¡°It¡¯s traditional,¡± she retorted. It was her baby, and she¡¯d keep him safe from the assassins... She frowned. ¡°Boss, you sure the assassins won¡¯t follow you? Last time I checked, South Star is pretty close to North Star.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± Aether said.

    ¡°You need to be careful.¡± Gen shook her head, not believing him. Assassins were pesky fellows who lurked every corner, almost as much as Mind. A few days distance was a barrier as strong as a sheet of paper.

    She slid inside and found someone had placed potted spider lilies in the backseat. Their fragrance permeated the vehicle, tickling her nostrils.

    She raised a brow. It was weird. Very weird. When had her baby become a nursery for such ill-omened flowers?

    She had yet to uncover what they represented¡ªof who to kill, how many to kill, and when to kill.

    She began, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re flowers. For you,¡± Aether said.

    Bursting into laughter, Drake toppled to the ground and proved ¡°rofl¡± was more than an expression. ¡°Did you just? No way! OMG!¡±

    The temperatures dropped, and Gen clutched Aether¡¯s collar, yanking him into the vehicle. She would do anything to stop him from frosting Sexy¡¯s paint and marring it.

    His foot collided with the bottom ledge, tripping him. His shoulder slammed into her chest, his head smashed into her teeth, and his weight crushed her. Very unromantic.

    ¡°Ow!¡± Gen groaned; she couldn¡¯t breathe. Her powers reacted to her distress and they hiccupped. A small, uncontrollable pulse flung Aether against Sexy¡¯s roof. ¡°It was an accident!¡±

    She clambered to the side and reeled in her aura. He landed on the central console, and to Gen¡¯s relief, didn¡¯t break it.

    He gazed at her, tie messy, hair dishevelled. She blushed.

    ¡°You¡¯re sick,¡± he said. His hand loomed, and oh, how she wished he would trap her against the window. During her distraction, his palm touched her forehead.

    ¡°You¡¯re hot,¡± he said, and she stuttered.

    ¡°Hey! Open up.¡± Drake knocked, but to Gen it sounded of abuse.

    How dare he touch her baby? She has had enough emotional fluctuation for the day.

    ¡°You have legs.¡± She flicked Aether¡¯s hand then shut the driver¡¯s door. She clutched the console orb and activated the vehicle, leaving behind Drake, Fenri, and Joule.

    The pair, who hadn¡¯t spoken a word, arrived at his estate¡¯s parking dock.

    ¡°Hey man, I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± Gen scratched her head. Her words were for everything she had done, from touching his body to ditching his subordinates.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± He alighted the vehicle then held out a hand.

    Gen¡¯s face twitched. Any more contact and her brain would die. She opted to hand him a spider lily.

    Aether frowned at the plant as if it were some seven-legged creature.

    She pretended not to notice. ¡°What do the flowers represent?¡±

    ¡°My feelings,¡± he said.

    ¡°Someone to kill? The flowers are related to death, right?¡±

    He tossed the plant over his shoulder. It smashed into the wall, splaying dirt and shards of hardened clay onto the red carpeting. Cold air seeped from his body.

    ¡°Forget it,¡± he said. ¡°Come along.¡±

    Gen shrugged then followed. He asked her a few questions, small talk mostly; and she thought nothing of it. He brought her into various rooms as if to show off his vast wealth; the action further decreased her opinion of him.

    As they strode, Gen¡¯s brain churned, memorizing the layout of the estate and the locations of windows, doors, and rooms. It was a habit she had for longer than she could remember.

    Dimensions surfaced: the measurements of walls and the distances between them.

    There were many secret passages, and she wanted to explore each of them. Everything else--the marble floor, the fancy rugs, the ornate paintings, the old statues, the expensive antiques--all escaped her notice unless they hid a camera.

    A safe, Gen thought as she gazed at a large portrait of a woman. It, being neither too far nor too close to Aether¡¯s office and his bedroom, allowed him easy access. The surrounding areas, which were heavily surveillanced, secured this particular hallway; and the only windows embedded into the walls all faced the inner courtyard.

    She spied a guard patrolling the garden, and she nodded in approval at the safe¡¯s placement and securities. There was only one problem, which many people overlooked.

    ¡°My mother,¡± Aether said. ¡°She was a loving woman but was jealous of my father¡¯s previous wife. She was paranoid and risked too much to gain his attention. She died when I was young, and I became a general because of her. It was her wish.¡±

    Gen nodded, tugging at her sideburns. Learning something so intimate disturbed her. It wouldn¡¯t take long for Aether¡¯s cousin to discover her, and then she¡ªand her fake self, Dessy¡ªwould need to leave. Her goal was to teach him a lesson, not grow attached.

    ¡°Curious about anything?¡± His orange eyes met hers. They were deep and desirous of something.

    Gen grasped for what it could be. Information and trust, most likely. What else would a star prince want from a new subordinate?

    She shrugged. If it was trust he wanted... She said, ¡°You should move that safe.¡±

    Aether raised a brow. She had mentioned it because she wanted to be a loyal aura knight during the brief time she would be his subordinate.

    She explained, ¡°It¡¯s a good location, but it makes it obvious. Any professional thief paired with a hacker will be able to pinpoint its general location, crack it open, and steal your goods before your security team realizes your camera feeds were hijacked. Either the safe needs to be rock solid--which it isn¡¯t due to the thinness of the safe¡¯s walls--or you need to hide it better so that they waste time searching for it. And if you have a spy in your estate, well, that¡¯s your problem.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it has thin walls?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I guessed because the wall gap isn¡¯t wide, so either the safe has thin walls or it¡¯s shallow. But who would want a shallow safe unless to hide something small like a thumb drive? Man, in that case, there are thousands of better locations. I will judge you for sticking it here.¡±

    Aether smiled then punched a few buttons on his wrist bracelet. The painting sunk into the ground and a part of the wall slid to the side.

    It wasn¡¯t a safe but a glass exhibit filled with various daggers and knives. The blades gleamed; some emitted aura while others pulsed with plasma energy.

    ¡°So beautiful.¡± Gen¡¯s mouth fell agape, and she groped the glass, her fingers smudging it with fingerprints.

    The hallway warmed, touching her heart as of this was her home.

    ¡°Your Highness Prince Aether!¡± a woman¡¯s voice disturbed the moment.

    The warmth vanished, transforming into a chill that stabbed into one¡¯s skin. A frown replaced Aether''s smile.

 8: Meeting Fenris Sister

    Gen blinked; then she smiled to be polite. Who was this person who could summon a storm from Aether?

    ¡°Reya, what are you doing here?¡± Aether asked.

    The woman, not once glancing at Gen, blushed and twirled. The white folds of her dress encircled her and highlighted the curvature of her hips and the elegance of her long legs. Verdant hair draped over her chest and back; its lushness complemented the smoothness of her skin and the charming redness of her cheeks. She touched a golden barrette rimmed with rubies.

    Gaudy, thought Gen.

    ¡°Prince Aether, do you like it? Fenri bought it for me,¡± Reya said, her eyelashes fluttering in expectation.

    Gen grimaced. She had twirled for that? Her actions stabbed at Gen¡¯s soul. Even she wouldn¡¯t do that when dressed at Dessy. The level one would stoop to attract attention...ewe.

    Aether held his silence, and Reya frowned. Her face scrunched into that of a pug.

    As if sensing Gen¡¯s thoughts, she spoke with disgust: ¡°And who¡¯s he?¡±

    Ignoring her, Aether told Gen, ¡°This is Fenri¡¯s sister, Reya.¡±

    Gen¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°Fenri¡¯s sister? Does Frenri have another sister?¡±

    ¡°Prince Aether.¡± Reya pouted, grating Gen¡¯s nerves.

    First Reya ignored her, then she spoke rudely, and now she whined. This was the type of woman Gen disliked. Was liking her a sick joke of Mind¡¯s?

    Gen crossed her fingers and asked Aether, ¡°So does she have a sister?¡±

    ¡°Just her,¡± he said.

    ¡°Someone, kill me.¡± Her shoulders slumped. How could Mind be attracted to such a creature? And compare her to it! The audacity!

    Reya placed her hand over her own chest. ¡°I feel insulted. I am Fenri¡¯s darling sister and Prince Aether¡¯s childhood friend. Who are you?¡±

    The hall grew cold. Aether said, ¡°Gen is my wife-to-be.¡±

    ¡°His brother-in-law,¡± Gen blurted. ¡°I¡¯m his wife-to-be¡¯s brother.¡±

    Reya¡¯s eyes traced her body, flying every which way as if anything relating to Gen must have been ugly. Her small nostrils flared as she did so.

    Gen smiled, banishing whatever bad opinions Reya had of her like a programmer patching a buggy program. The woman¡¯s eyes shone with infatuation. She stuttered, and Gen chuckled, causing Reya to blush.

    ¡°So you are the beautiful lady I had heard so much about.¡± Gen winked. ¡°And I thought Fenri must have had another sister.¡±

    Reya nodded¡ªthen she shook her head. Her face reddened. ¡°Must have a sister? Prince Aether, he¡¯s insulting me.¡±

    Gen shrugged. ¡°Mere jest, madam.¡±

    ¡°Madam? Do I look old to you?¡± Reya fumed.

    ¡°I was only being polite, madam.¡± Gen cocked her head and blinked.

    ¡°Gen,¡± Aether said, sending her a warning glance.

    She cocked her head as if to say: I won¡¯t toy with her, she¡¯s too pompous. Gen then held out her hand and introduced herself. ¡°I am Generation Rook. You may call me Gen.¡±

    ¡°Generation Rook?¡± Reya¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°As in S¡¯s sister?¡±

    Gen took back her ignored hand. ¡°S? Is that what Ascending now calls himself?¡±

    ¡°You know Reya?¡± Aether raised his brow.

    Gen shook her head. It would¡¯ve been best to have never met her.

    ¡°Of course we know each other.¡± Reya fanned herself. Was that smugness? ¡°Gen is dating Fenri.¡±

    Aether frowned. Aura seeped from his body, and ice covered the glass case containing the blades. He glowered at Gen. ¡°Dating Fenri?¡±

    Gen shivered at the coldness of his voice. The jerk must have hated his subordinates dating each other. ¡°Not a date. A meeting. It lasted until I discovered he was homosexual, and he discovered I was a straight woman. A minute at most.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Straight,¡± Reya said with chin raised high. ¡°My brother is straight.¡±

    ¡°Hey, has anyone ever told you you¡¯re unbearable?¡± Gen fiddled with her sideburns. How could Mind like this creature? It must have been a lie. A sick lie.

    Reya snorted then grabbed Aether¡¯s arm. His face darkened, and the two stood frozen like a picturesque ice sculpture. Their eyes gazed into each other¡¯s.

    Gen sighed. Oh, what she had to do for Mind and her future Dessy scheme. To separate the pair of lovebirds, she strode to Reya then scooped her into her arms. The woman wasn¡¯t heavy, less than a magma-inforced crossbow spanning a meter¡¯s width. ¡°Princess, where would you like me to carry you?¡±

    Reya stuttered and her cheeks burned red. Faint aura escaped her body. Gen couldn¡¯t identify what ability it possessed, if any.

    ¡°Your aura is as lovely as you,¡± Gen said with a charming smile. Reya nodded.

    What could possibly be running through this woman¡¯s head? Not only pompous, but also empty-headed and somewhat narcissistic. How many times had Reya stuttered to her smiles?

    Aether exerted pressure on Gen, and he yanked the woman from her arms. Reya was mine, Gen thought he¡¯d say. He didn¡¯t.

    His hands, unable to hold his childhood friend, slipped. The white dress and its occupant fell, followed by a cascade of green hair.

    Thud!

    ¡°Ow!¡± Reya sniveled with faint tears, and her silky hair lay in a mess about her. She looked helplessly pathetic. The type of helplessly pathetic that urged men to help her.

    Even Gen, a straight woman obsessed with masculine men, fell prey to it. She knelt beside Reya and caressed the woman¡¯s wayward locks of hair, gently tucking them behind reddened ears.

    Then she wiped the woman¡¯s tears with the tip of her thumb.

    The droplets froze, assaulted by Aether¡¯s aura. By touching Reya she had made the man jealous.

    Gen laughed. ¡°Hey man, calm down. It¡¯s not like I kidnapped her.¡±

    His pressure lessened.

    ¡°See? That wasn¡¯t too bad.¡± She offered a hand and helped Reya to her feet.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± the woman said; her gaze was blank.

    ¡°Anything for you.¡± Gen patted the wrinkles from the white dress. Her opinion of Reya increased¡ªempty-headed but the kind of woman who could be put into place.

    Gen glanced at the barette and thought of Fenri¡¯s sexuality. If Reya didn¡¯t come with those other problems, Gen would¡¯ve gladly handed her to Mind on a silver platter.

    But she loved her childish brother. So for him, she would gift him whatever he wanted even if she didn¡¯t want to.

    ¡°Reya, retrieve Fenri,¡± Aether said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    His brows furrowed. ¡°I said get your brother. Now.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Your Highness!¡± Reya fled, her high-heels clicking against the marble floor and echoing throughout the hall. The height of them impressed Gen.

    ¡°Wow,¡± she muttered. That was a skilled woman, and her strides stroked Gen¡¯s competitive nature.

    I, as Dessy, can do that too, Gen told herself.

    Aether pulled her from her reverie; he clutched her hand, grip tight.

    She winced at the pain then raised a brow. What had she done to warrant his anger? Was he jealous of her carrying Reya? It blew away her mind why two men would like a woman so haughty. Were women like her in style?

    But... A small part of her felt pained, as if she could be jealous of anyone close to Aether. She scoffed at herself.

    ¡°Gen, you¡¯ll be my date for the gala tonight.¡±

    ¡°Actually, my sister lives on this planet. She¡¯s not busy, so I won¡¯t need to fill in for her.¡±

    Aether¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°I don¡¯t want your sister. I want you.¡±

    ¡°No really, it¡¯s not a problem for her. And I¡¯ll be busy, so I won¡¯t be able to make it even if I wanted.¡±

    He gazed at her, and his expression struck Gen as disappointed. He said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell your sister, Dessy, I already have a date?¡±

    ¡°Bad idea.¡± Gen shook her head. Her stomach lurched at the thought of him escaping from her clutches. ¡°I¡¯ve explained this to you. She will kill me if you ditch her. You¡¯ll lose your newest subordinate because I will be D-E-A-D. Dead.¡±

    Aether blinked, and Gen panicked.

    ¡°No, really, man,¡± she said, clasping her hands together after freeing herself from his grip. ¡°You gotta save me. If she knows I accepted a Nightingale without paying the price, she¡¯ll flay me alive. She¡¯s already angry that I might¡¯ve...well...I kinda blackmailed her. Please help me!¡±

    Aether frowned, and when Gen opened her mouth to give another half-baked excuse, he nodded and said, ¡°Anything for you. You can pay me back by becoming my wife.¡±

    ¡°Too hard. Can¡¯t do it,¡± she said. Then, gloating in victory, she slicked back her hair. For a prince, Aether had very little backbone and followed whatever she said. It was no wonder he had lost his position of general.

    And it was odd he repeatedly¡ªand incessantly¡ªasked her to be his wife. Did he inquire this of every woman he meets? Or just his female subordinates? What a playboy.

    ¡°Please,¡± Aether said.

    Gen sighed, losing to his saddened eyes. ¡°What will make you happy?¡±

    ¡°I want you¡ª¡± He cut himself short then frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s get drinks.¡±

    ¡°Oh, man, that would be fun.¡± Gen beamed. ¡°I haven¡¯t gone drinking in a long time. What about tomorrow or the day after?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Aether said. His aura warmed the room.

    ¡°Great! I¡¯ll tell the guys.¡± Gen teetered on her toes, reaching cloud nine. She drooled at the thought of sexy men surrounding her.

    The hallway froze, marble floor turning to ice.

    Gen slipped but caught herself by grabbing onto Aether.

    The man tried holding her, and Gen, not wanting a hormone-clouded brain, slapped away his hands. She fled, placing one foot in front of the other, skating to the hall¡¯s end. ¡°Hey, prince, you should stop being so fickle. Choose one temperature and stick to it.¡±

    He grunted, and his orange eyes flickered with a blue flame resembling a will-o¡¯-wisp. The ice melted into liquid aura. It floated upward, cooling yet heating the hall as it scattered the rays of light that pierced it. The aura left shadows of rainbows¡ªa strange phenomena.

    Aether stiffened.

    ¡°Odd,¡± Gen mumbled. Something felt familiar. Had this happened before? In a dream perhaps?

 9: Preparing Dessy

    Gen¡¯s new room was far larger than expected, and it was oddly prepared for her. It wasn¡¯t odd that it was prepared, but why did everything match her interests? Posters of various flying vehicles covered one wall--the same wall that had a door leading to Aether¡¯s room, possibly for bodyguard purposes. There was also a bookshelf filled with gun models and theory books pertaining to energy and aura. It stood beside the sliding glass doors leading to the balcony potted with spider lilies.

    Gen brushed her fingers over one of the wooden shelves.

    No dust. And everything looked new as if someone had recently unpacked each item from a box.

    Gen glanced at her king-sized bed. Its stark-black bed sheets called to her, and oh, how she wanted to dive onto it then fiddle with her phone.

    But, there was a lot to sort out before she executed her Dessy scheme and broke Aether¡¯s heart. She swept her eyes around the room for a second time, scanning for hidden cameras. She entered her bathroom--which was obnoxiously large with a whirlpool bath, a shower, and a sauna--and then entered her walk-in closet.

    Just as large as the former, the closet was filled to the brim with men¡¯s clothes her size. It was also old-school, having no machines and robots to help her grab certain outfits. A plain, energy-efficient closet. Just how she liked it.

    She would be comfortable living here, she thought to herself. She especially loved how Aether¡¯s mansion didn¡¯t have any droids and pestering AIs. Pure old manpower, like the times before the Dark Era.

    Her blood suddenly boiled, and she whipped out her phone. She clenched it tightly so that she wouldn¡¯t drop it due to excessive excitement.

    She messaged Mind.

    Gen: I¡¯m dressing as Dessy! Help pls?

    She received a response within seconds.

    Mind: Evergreen City, Newton District, 9334 Gun Str, Apt. 123-194, Passcode 123456789

    It was the location of her alter ego¡¯s new living quarters in addition to the passcode for entry. As for why a super-hacker would use such a poor passcode, Gen had no idea. She, as a good sister, accepted the fact that not everything Mind did was smart.

    Gen rubbed her chin. What about herself?

    Exceedingly daring, she had agreed to stay by Aether¡¯s side as an aura knight. It was a matter of time before she met his cousin, Prince Janus Puresoul, who had a slim chance of recognizing her.

    The risk, no matter how small and no matter how dangerous, excited her. So did the notion of seducing the galaxy¡¯s number one hottie.

    She sent a message to Aether, meaning to both test the trustworthiness of her boss and to help hide her true identity of Gender Bender.

    Gen: Don¡¯t tell anyone about my aura break

    His reply came quick.

    Jerky: Ok.

    Gen: And don¡¯t tell them my sex. Order the others to keep it a secret, pls. Fenri, Drake, Joule, and Reya. Don¡¯t forget.

    Jerky: Ok.

    Gen: Dessy will meet you tonight

    Jerky: Ok.

    She raised a brow at his constant reply of ¡°ok.¡± Then, with a large grin, she typed what she thought was a cunning message.

    Gen: Marry me?

    Jerky: Ok.

    Gen: That was a joke.

    Jerky: Ok.

    Gen: You know, there¡¯s more replies than ok.

    Jerky: Okay.

    She laughed and grabbed the sofa for support. Shaking her head at Aether and his lacking social skills, she sat and texted Mind.

    Gen: How much did the apartment cost? And when did I supposedly move in?

    Mind: You may be poor, but I am rich. Let me pay. You moved in three years ago, and you work as a personal tutor at the neighboring school. You also...

    The message rambled for another hundred words or so. Gen skimmed it, but the phrases ingrained themselves into her mind as if she had studied them for hours.

    Gen: Will you cover for my male identity or do I need to make myself an alibi? I don¡¯t want a repeat of last year.

    Mind: I¡¯ve got you covered. I also sent you a dress and the usual supplies. Makeup, phone, extra vehicle, you name it. It¡¯s there ^-^

    Gen: Thanks, you¡¯re the best! Is the dress good? It must be comfortable with a matching pair of low heels. NO HIGH HEELS. NO STILETTOS. NO PUMPS!

    Mind: I <3 you.

    Her brows crinkled. That dreaded ¡°I <3 you.¡± What did Mind do? If he bought her the worst possible shoes, platform boots, he would soon need a new pair of teeth.

    Gen¡¯s thumbs twiddled, writing then deleting then rewriting then deleting. She groaned. She didn¡¯t want to know what horrors Mind had prepared for her. She didn¡¯t have enough money to buy herself a dress fit for a prince¡¯s date, either; she had spent every last cent on her Former Sexy.

    ¡°To hell with it,¡± she said.

    She closed her eyes and held her phone away from her body, treating it like an explosive. Her thumb pressed enter, sending it to Aether. Gotta milk him for all it¡¯s worth!

    Gen: Do you have formal attire for my sister?

    Ding!

    Jerky: No.

    Gen furiously tapped as she grumbled. ¡°Seriously, playboy? You were the one asking for the date...can¡¯t even supply a dress...¡±

    Gen: What about nice flats or low heels? Her shoe size is about the same as mine.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Jerky: No.

    Gen: If she doesn¡¯t have a proper outfit, she won¡¯t be able to be your date.

    Jerky: Okay. You¡¯ll be my date.

    This again, she rolled her eyes.

    Gen: Can¡¯t. Don¡¯t have a dress.

    Her phone dinged, receiving a few pictures of an off-the-shoulder, black and green ombre dress. It had a short length, but many long layers of fabric were attached to its waist and created a secondary skirt. This skirt flowed to the ground, creating an overall high-low dress bearing multiple ruffles.

    Gen would call it neither elegant nor gaudy. Maybe a bit playful and young because it had a certain ¡°poof¡± to it.

    Convenient. That¡¯s what it was. If she had to flee, she could tear of its skirt; and before then, she could hide weapons within its fabric. All she needed was a pair of low heels that wouldn¡¯t get stuck in the holes of metal skywalks. Then, she would happily wear the outfit without killing her soul.

    Ding!

    A pair of high boots. She cocked her head, unable to imagine whether or not they fit the dress. They did look comfortable, but if it was too casual or ugly, how would she seduce him? And this was a formal event; boots didn¡¯t seem appropriate.

    Gen weighed the pros and cons. Overall, it was better to wear the outfit than to place blind trust in Mind.

    Gen: Perfect! Dessy can wear it.

    Jerky: No.

    Gen: ???

    Jerky: The dog ate it.

    She dropped the phone, and her thoughts swirled. Jerky was Aether, right? Or was it somebody else? With her shoe she poked her phone, as if to see if the device existed and she wasn¡¯t dreaming. The immature message was bright and clear. Lifting the phone with shaky hands, she slowly typed a message.

    Gen: Mind?

    Jerky: ?

    She let out a long sigh; Mind would have replied with ¡°I <3 you¡± or something equally troubling. It was Aether and his usual jerk self. He wouldn¡¯t let her feminine alter ego, Dessy, touch the dress because he had found Dessy merely decent. How shallow. He better watch out.

    Gen stretched her neck, popping it. When had she ever failed crushing hearts while wearing a skirt?

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you begging for Dessy¡¯s love.¡± She smirked then departed the mansion to fulfill her plans.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Evergreen city was far from green. Like most large cities it suffered from overpopulation, rusty docks, and a high shadowline. The surveillance drones and the delivery droids were both painted green, lending the city awkward splashes of color as they flew between the many high-rises.

    The apartment complex rested near the city¡¯s center, just as Gen preferred. It provided her extra convenience when she needed to swap her identity and appear elsewhere. The neighboring skyscrapers also afforded her cover in the rare likelihood she had to flee assassins. Hiding within the city was much better than altogether fleeing it. Nothing was worse than driving above a large patty field of artificially grown meat. The dodged bullets would spray fountains of fleshy juice and wreck her baby¡¯s paint.

    Arriving at her destination, Gen docked her vehicle on the 123rd floor--the same floor as her apartment. Her lips peeled into an awkward smile. She was happy Mind chose a floor with a dock, but she was also concerned for his conscientious actions.

    She winced as she entered her studio. Mind had prepared it well. Too well.

    A bed--queen-size with disastrously pink bedding--rested in one corner while a meticulously placed coffee table stood beside it. There was enough space to walk, but not too much so as to clutter the rest of the room. A matching pink dresser lined the wall beneath the window, and in the corner opposite it and the bed was the kitchen. Knick-knacks of all kinds lent coziness to the room--mostly in shades of reds and pinks.

    Very worrisome. Gen pushed her sideburns behind her ears. Why had Mind prepared the room so well? Did he expect people to visit her? Or was he competing with Aether?

    Beeeeep! Beep!

    A mail delivery droid appeared at the far end of the window. It swayed from side to side, creating small circles of light so that its movements attracted the human eye.

    ¡°Room, answer it,¡± Gen said. A portion of the glass vanished, allowing the small, humanoid droid to enter.

    The droid wore a small hat whose top resembled the wings of an antiquated vehicle called a helicopter. As its hat swirled, its red eyes scanned her. ¡°Unidentified.¡±

    It began scanning her again. Fail. The droid cocked its head then looked around the room. It asked, ¡°Who are you? A guest? Where is Dessy?¡±

    ¡°Stupid AI.¡± Gen grabbed it by its head and carried it to her dresser. She opened the top drawer and retrieved Dessy¡¯s wrist watch, which Mind had always placed in the top drawer. She then pressed the watch¡¯s leftmost edge against the droid¡¯s chest.

    ¡°A wrist watch? I will begin fallback scan,¡± the droid said. ¡°Descending Rook identified. Delivering message: ¡®Hey sis, here¡¯s your dress and shoes. Kick bootie. Love, Mind Bender.¡¯ End message. I will now tell the carrier to enter.¡±

    A large droid flew up to the window then entered the room, carrying a large package. It plopped the box onto the coffee table. The small delivery droid jumped onto its head, and the pair departed. ¡°Have a nice day!¡± they said in unison as the apartment closed the glass.

    Gen sighed. An example of why they had to flee so often: Mind had labeled the package with his own name, not the alias Ascending Rook. She sent him a warning text before retrieving a knife. She tore open the package.

    It was a dress. A very familiar dress.

    She narrowed her eyes then checked her phone. It was the same dress as the ones in Aether¡¯s pictures, but instead of green, it was red. The black flowed nicely into it, far better than it had with the green. There were also faint traces of orange and yellows, as if to give the dress an extra flare.

    Like the other version it wasn¡¯t particularly elegant, but it was sexy. Playful and sexy, but not slutty. It was perfect, Gen thought.

    And the heels?

    Stilettos.

    Gen: Mind!!! I¡¯m gonna kill you!

    Mind: RIP me. Check them

    ¡°Check them?¡± Gen held them within her hands. As her fingers slid over the shoes¡¯ heels, her skin tingled and her eyes widened. Aura resonance. They were weapons: beautiful, sexy stiletto daggers for her feet.

    But how was this possible? She would have known if someone had completed the research and technology to make such a small aura weapon. Aura gauntlets were more than ten times the size of the shoe¡¯s heel, and gauntlets were believed to be the epitome of aura weapons. It was difficult to make them any more compacted.

    A prototype maybe? Or the heels had some stability issues? They better not break.

    Gen quickly slipped them on, forgetting she hated high heels. Lifting a leg, she exerted aura into them. A stiletto, twelve centimeters long and akin to an energy blade, materialized now that it had a source of energy.

    Gen twisted her body, pivoting as she swung her leg and slashed at the empty box. It sliced in half, and she gave it her judgment.

    Weaker than gauntlets and far more fragile. But, sharp. Ridiculously sharp.

    She then tested the penetration power by deactivating the blade, stepping onto the coffee table, and reactivating it. The formless stiletto blade pierced through the wood without cracking it. She sensed the blade had done so with more ease than it had slicing the box.

    Impressive, and a very fast activation speed. It seemed the hidden dagger was built for stabbing but could handle slicing. That was under the condition the material was soft. She nodded at her feet.

    ¡°Nice, very nice. You shall be True Stiletto L and you True Stiletto R. Together you are True Stilettos.¡± As a sign of approval, she bestowed them horrible names. And excited to show off her heels, she stripped herself and donned the dress. She wore her long, black wig. Midway through her makeup, she froze.

    Wait a moment... If there was nothing horribly wrong with the outfit, why were there so many horror signs?

    Gen: What did you do?

    Mind: I <3 you

    There it was again! She pursed her lips. He better not be building a bot army of refrigerators and coffee makers. He was up to no good; Gen was sure of it.

    Distressed, she paced around her room. With each stride her True Stilettos clinked against the metallic floor. The sound rang throughout the room, stirring her emotions.

    This was the sound of power, she thought. Of an unstoppable weapon marching through the hearts of men. She began swaying her hips and moving her body in the ways she thought made Dessy a mature, attractive woman. She rested one hand on her hip, and she held her chin high. A light, teasing smile surfaced on her lips.

    Descending Rook. A mature, refined woman who knew how to act coy and incite a man¡¯s urge to protect her.

    Soon it would be time for the gala, and Aether would meet his doom.

    Gen took one last glance in the mirror and stroked her body, feeling her own natural curves. She had a knack for changing her appearance, and it always surprised her how different she looked.

    She touched her bottom lip then leaned into her reflection.

    ¡°A woman of a million guises. That could be you,¡± she whispered. It was from an old memory, so distant it no longer separated itself from unclear dreams.

 10: The Fashion Galas Elite Section

    The fashion gala was stuffy; women dressed in high-low dresses stood around the outer hall rimmed with screens. Gen, disguised as Dessy, glanced at her own dress then relaxed her hips so that her weight shifted to one leg. She used the stance to emphasize her legs. As she walked, she swayed her hips.

    Everyone else wore boots, which she thought was a bit odd, while she wore stilettos, True Stilettos. Nothing else could make her soft legs stand out more.

    She approached the reception desk, which looked like the child of a lectern and a carrel. Skinny and tall, it had high walls blocking the view of the binder laid upon it. The inside shelf was most likely slanted, but Gen couldn¡¯t see it. The desk was situated next to the double doors leading to the gala¡¯s inner chamber, and a surveillance camera was angled down at it to stop people from peeking at the name list.

    The fashion gala had been divided into two main sections: an inner, private area for the elite and main guests, and an outer area for the public. The fashion exposition would occur within the inner section, but the other guests could watch it from the public section. The exhibit itself would be broadcast for anyone unable to attend.

    ¡°I¡¯m Descending Rook,¡± Gen said with a smile. It was neither too large nor too small; its size lent itself grace and elegance. Paired with her red lipstick, which matched the crimson part of her dress, it hinted of a mature, respectable woman.

    The man¡¯s eyes widened, and from the way he lowered his head to look into his binder, Gen gleaned he was trying his hardest to hide his interest in her. Behind the desk walls, his fingers roved through the pages, wrinkling them with his shaky movements. His eyebrows knit. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. You¡¯re not listed.¡±

    ¡°A mistake, possibly?¡± She tilted her head and placed a finger to her chin, acting coy. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you check the digital list. I won¡¯t see it as rude.¡±

    The man blushed. But possibly due to his superior¡¯s orders, he didn¡¯t open his wrist watch nor take out a tablet. He instead skimmed through the binder for a second time. ¡°Not here,¡± he said.

    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll contact my date and see what has happened.¡± She politely nodded then walked to a secluded corner. Gen glanced around herself, and finding no one watching her, she let her face twitch.

    That jerk! What did he do?

    She pressed a few buttons on her wrist watch and then touched its screen; though clunky, the watch allowed her to ditch Dessy¡¯s phone. She sent a message to Aether, aka Jerky.

    Dessy: Hey, it¡¯s Dessy. Gen said you would meet me at the gala¡¯s elite section?

    Jerky: Wrong number.

    It took all of Gen¡¯s concentration not to crush her watch into a thousand pieces. This was the correct number; she was sure of it. She took a deep breath so that her Dessy guise didn¡¯t reduce to a fuming, inelegant woman. She typed a message for Mind but paused midway, thinking.

    She erased the text then straightened her dress and tousled her wig. Returning to the reception desk, she bit her bottom lip and fluttered her lashes. Light tears formed in her eyes. Their size was small enough so that they didn¡¯t drip and ruin her makeup, but they were also large enough so that they glistened.

    ¡°He¡¯s ditched me for another woman,¡± she said as she touched her nose to restrain a fake sniffle. Gen slumped so slightly it was unnoticeable to passersby, but enough to properly position her cleavage for him.

    The man¡¯s brows wrinkled, and he leaned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±

    She raised her wrist watch and tapped it. ¡°I can pay the entrance fee. How much was it? You can help me can¡¯t you? There must be some guests who have failed to arrive.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still early,¡± the man whispered and leaned further over his desk. His eyes¡ªvery quickly¡ªpeeped at her breasts. She held back a snort of disdain as he said, ¡°Stay with me for a bit, and I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    ¡°Could you repeat that please?¡± Gen coyly tilted her head in order to position her ear next to his mouth. This also hid her eyes from the surveillance camera; experience had told her one could flummox the door keeper but not the watching AI. If the AI caught her glancing at the name list, she would be reported and questioned. It was neither a matter of privacy nor of security¡ªbut of the sanctity of a name.

    The elites, in their quest to appear well-versed, loved mashing ideologies from various planets. This one in particular came from Planet Name.

    And Gen, despite sharing friendship with Planet Name¡¯s princess, cared nothing for breaking it. Hidden from the AI, she glanced at the list, memorizing the names as soon as her eyes lay upon them. The man hadn¡¯t turned the page, so it still showed the entry of R surnames; and a certain name popped at her. Two in fact.

    The man, upon finishing the repeating of his words, asked, ¡°What do you say, miss?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    As she distanced herself from him, Gen chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of a fabulous idea. Do you want to know?¡± She cocked her head as if in tease.

    He grinned and gave a curt nod.

    She said, ¡°I¡¯ll take my brother¡¯s place. I¡¯m sure he has yet to arrive.¡±

    The man coughed, possibly to hide his sudden awkwardness at his failed attempt to keep her by his side. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Ascending Rook. Check his name. There¡¯s also my other brother, Generation Rook, but he¡¯s coming with a date. I wouldn¡¯t want to take his place.¡± Gen lifted her wrist watch. ¡°Look I¡¯ll send Ascending a message, and in the case he arrives without checking his phone¡ªdon¡¯t let me start with how often he misplaces it¡ªI¡¯ll give you my number. Will that work?¡±

    His brows raised at the prospect of her number. He quickly checked his books and lifted the small scanner designed to look like a boot. He motioned for her wrist watch. ¡°I¡¯ll register you as him.¡±

    ¡°Perfect! Thank you so much!¡± Gen smiled. The scanner implanted her identity code, which changed daily for everyone, into the gala¡¯s system. She wasn¡¯t privy of the inner workings of certain technologies, and she judged it by whether it worked or not and if there was an aura-breaker behind the tech. An aura-breaker had invented identity codes.

    She slyly handed the receptionist a phone number. Aether¡¯s number. She winked. ¡°Text me in the future, okay?¡±

    He beamed, and she strode to the elite section¡¯s entrance doors. Each step and clicking of her heels held immense pride and happiness.

    She had slain three monsters with one bullet. Mind, who frightened her heart with ¡°I <3 you,¡± would have trouble entering; Aether, who had created difficulties for her, would receive random messages; and the receptionist, whose fate depended on the respectability of his future texts, would fail in his endeavor to flirt with her.

    She scanned her watch, and the doors swung open.

    Not as stuffy but toxically high-end, the elite section was far more elegant than the public section. The women¡ªstill all wearing high-low dresses¡ªincreased their level of inventiveness with the designs and colors of their dresses. Some had bell sleeves, other high collars, and a few depicted prints of famous paintings. The men, dressed in either suits or tuxedos, sported the most expensive of aura gauntlets. Ribbon hung from one side of the room to the other, and boxy waiter-droids offered fashion pamphlets. The robots swiveled from guest to guest.

    Very colorful. And gaudy.

    The central stage stood relatively mute and took up only a small portion of the room. Gen assumed it was for the fashion exhibition, but it didn¡¯t match her expectation of a runway. None of it jutted into the main area. Instead, it rested in a dark corner to keep itself separated from the main, central area.

    Not too far from it, Aether instantly caught Gen¡¯s attention. Only he would don a full plate of silver armor, including the helmet, at a fashion gala. He exuded faint wisps of aura that obstructed others from approaching him. Standing so still and alone, he looked akin to a decorative statue.

    ¡°Oh! That dress!¡± a woman gasped. Gen, like most skilled aura-breakers, could sense a person¡¯s gaze, so she turned.

    It was Reya, wearing a black and green ombre dress of the same design... It was the dress in Aether¡¯s pictures. No wonder he didn¡¯t want to share it; he had prepared it for Fenri¡¯s sister. To have the gall to offer it to two women, he added new depth to the word ¡°playboy.¡±

    Fenri stood beside Reya, wearing a black tuxedo, green bowtie, and large gauntlet. He had shaved his stubble, and his shoulders and arms rested at a natural angle. He was far more relaxed than his usual self. Was it Reya¡¯s presence? Or did he feel comfortable among the elite? Gen speculated that the two were both born to the high class.

    Gen, pretending she didn¡¯t recognize them, smiled. ¡°Good evening. You have fine tastes.¡±

    Reya chuckled and patted her dress¡¯s ruffles, gesturing at the coloring. ¡°Green is my favorite color, but if I had known the dress came in red, we may be wearing the exact same!¡±

    Gen had no idea what flowed through Reya¡¯s head. Maybe the woman liked people with the same interests as her? Gen said, ¡°What do you mean? If I had known it came in green, I would be wearing yours instead.¡±

    ¡°It is gorgeous, isn¡¯t it? I picked it out, and His Highness, Prince Aether, bought it for me.¡± Reya twisted, swaying the dress¡¯s skirt. Her actions gave her a youthful charm.

    So she wanted to brag, thought Gen. She said, ¡°Prince Aether? He gave you the dress? So you must be Reya.¡±

    Her eyes widened. ¡°You didn¡¯t recognize me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not of the elite.¡± Gen chuckled. It was a half-lie. Her parents had been elites and Law had married one too, but the three were now dead.

    Reya¡¯s statement also affirmed Gen¡¯s speculations that Fenri and Reya were born to high status. And it seemed their status approached the most prestigious end of elite.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Reya shook her head, looking aghast. ¡°You hold yourself like an elite, and trust me, Fenri and I can tell when someone is faking it. Right brother?¡±

    Fenri smiled, and oh, did it look charming. Too bad he didn¡¯t like women. He said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°I try.¡± Gen shrugged, somewhat surprised Reya had flattered her. Many elites discriminated and marginalized the common people.

    Wealth had a part to do with it, but it was mainly due to their aura-breakers. The elites were families heavily saturated with them because they had a higher chance of siring aura-breakers than the common person. Aura-breakers had ruled society since aura first awakened and sparked the Dark Era, or the Era of Broken Suns as historians called it.

    Some extremist aura-breakers believed the mundane, common person should be enslaved; but it was the job of the Star Lines, such as Aether¡¯s royal family, to stop any signs of physical oppression.

    Reya asked, ¡°Do tell. If you¡¯re not an elite, how do you know the designer?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± A bad taste filled Gen¡¯s mouth in preparation for her following actions. She spun then struck a pose: hands on her hips, chin raised high, and one leg elongated to the side. She suppressed a vomit as she said, ¡°My eldest brother bought it for me. You know him. Ascending Rook.¡±

    She lamented: oh, what I do for Mind and his wretched interests.

    ¡°Ascending? As in S?¡± Reya¡¯s smile dropped. She snorted, her malice tangible enough for Gen to feel. It raised Gen¡¯s hairs, igniting her fighting spirit. Reya growled, ¡°So you¡¯re Descending Rook, Prince Aether¡¯s date.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Gen straightened her back, preparing for battle. Reya didn¡¯t discriminate based on status, but she sure had a belly full of vinegar and spite.

 11: Unwanted Guests

    Reya covered her mouth with the back of her hand, and she snickered, eyeing True Stilettos. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get the memo? I don¡¯t remember you being invited to the elite section.¡±

    ¡°Invited? Gen gave me his place, and my date is here.¡± Making a show of force, she pivoted on her heels and strode towards Aether. He stood at the center of the room, still with no one around him. His aura with its biting chill deterred them from approaching.

    Gen stepped into his domain, causing him to turn. She couldn¡¯t see his gaze¡ªhe was wearing a helmet¡ªbut she could feel it. It was cold, far colder than when he looked at her true self. What had Dessy done to summon his dislike?

    She continued marching forward, the surrounding conversations quieted, and his aura did little to affect her. With each step her stilettos echoed throughout the room with a force of presence.

    Gen reached Aether. Putting on a sweet smile, she wrapped an arm around his. Frost cloaked the hems of her dress.

    Leaning ambiguously close, she whispered, ¡°Mind warming up a bit? I¡¯m still your subordinate¡¯s sister.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re my date for only tonight,¡± he said. The ice dispersed, yet the temperature remained freezing.

    Gen tilted her head and let out a faint chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t like me? That¡¯s fine.¡± She was confident in her Dessy¡¯s ability to seduce a man.

    If Aether truly didn¡¯t want a date with Dessy after tonight, then there was something wrong with his head, and she would need to change her plans. Or somehow orchestrate another meeting. Worst case scenario, she pretends to bump into him as a completely different woman.

    ¡°Hey!¡± A woman stepped forward from the crowd. A dark-purple dress flowed around her, and aura seeped from her body in an unsteady stream, proving she was an aura-breaker.

    An amateur, Gen thought.

    The woman stomped with her boot, sending a gust of wind through the inner gala. ¡°Who do you think you are, grabbing His Highness¡¯s arm like that? Know your place.¡±

    Gen ducked behind Aether. ¡°I¡¯m his girlfriend. Why do you think he didn¡¯t repel me with his aura?¡±

    ¡°That...¡± The woman dressed in purple scrunched her brows; the inner chamber had become dead silent.

    Reya chuckled. She said her words loudly for everyone to hear: ¡°A fake date. Fenri, tell them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just for tonight due to a deal,¡± he said, remaining ambiguous about the details. The surrounding watchers nodded, and a few glowered at Gen.

    It was written on their faces. They thought it was her who had forced Aether to bring her as a date, not Aether who had asked for one. Restraining a snigger, she lowered her head and whispered. She employed all her willpower to muster up the most vomiting-inducing yet heart-stirring complaint. ¡°They¡¯re being mean. They think I¡¯m a gold digger.¡±

    ¡°A commoner like you should feel guilty.¡± Reya flipped her hair then said, ¡°Look at you, wearing heels to a gala celebrating weaponized fashion boots.¡±

    Weaponized? Gen¡¯s ears pricked up, and her eyes swept over each boot. She had thought people were weird for wearing such a thing to a formal event; now it was her who was being rude. She whispered to Aether, hoping he would respond. ¡°If you don¡¯t defend your supposed girlfriend, your reputation as a man will be in jeopardy.¡±

    ¡°What are you whispering?¡± asked Reya. She stepped closer but stopped at the border of Aether¡¯s domain. Eyes followed her carrying respect, gratitude, and envy. A few nods...

    What was this? Gen asked herself. The spectators¡¯ blatant bias towards Aether and Reya stung at her like a thin knife prying up her skin. She knew she was unimportant, but there was no reason to be so brusk about her insignificance. Gen swallowed and forced down her feelings of inferiority.

    She was tough, she told herself.

    Whispering, she asked Aether, ¡°What family is Reya from?¡±

    He said nothing, and Gen clicked her tongue. Who were Reya and Fenri? It had to be more complicated than she had originally thought. She made a mental note to question Mind on the matter. She shouldn¡¯t have ignored the politics surrounding the Puresouls nor the ancient saying, ¡°know your enemy.¡± She had no idea which families backed Aether as opposed to Janus.

    Such a foolish mistake, she scorned herself. Because the matter stressed her, she hadn¡¯t gathered such simple information when she had returned to the Compass Constellation one year prior.

    Reya crossed her arms and puffed her chest to display her dominance. ¡°I asked you a question. What are you whispering?¡±

    Gen coyly smiled at her. The spectators wouldn¡¯t lower their opinion of Aether and Reya regardless of their actions. Aether could slander her, and he¡¯d still be the number one prince in women¡¯s hearts. Might as well lie.

    Gen chuckled. ¡°Whispers of sweet nothings are private words shared between a woman and a man.¡±

    ¡°Ha! We all know His Highness Prince Aether is ignoring you.¡±

    Gen lightly tugged Aether¡¯s arm. C¡¯mon, say something, man. Don¡¯t be the biggest jerk in the galaxy.

    He remained silent despite the fact his gaze hadn¡¯t left her. Sure, his helmet faced Reya, but he was looking at Gen from the corner of his eye. She felt it piercing through her.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Gen whispered, ¡°I know you¡¯re watching me. Just say something.¡±

    ¡°Look at yourself.¡± Reya snickered. ¡°You¡¯re an embarrassment.¡±

    Plan B. Shifting her grip on Aether¡¯s arm, Gen jutted her chin and ignored Reya. If Aether could ignore people, why couldn¡¯t she?

    Aether suddenly stiffened, his gaze leaving her. His aura minutely changed, and a tinge of savageness spread throughout it as if some great foe stimulated it.

    Gen guessed the location of his focus and looked towards Reya. There was just her and Fenri.

    Then, the double doors opened for the arrival of a new guest.

    Gen¡¯s body stiffened, and Aether¡¯s aura probed her. Oh crap. ¡°I¡¯m not an embarrassment!¡± she yelled, hoping it was enough to explain her stiffening but knowing it was a poor lie.

    She cursed at herself. Why had that man come?

    ¡°Ha!¡± Reya sneered. ¡°Look at you causing¡ªah!¡±

    Fenri pulled Reya aside and held her tight within her grasp. He stepped away from the door and the man who had entered.

    The man, somewhat feminine for Gen¡¯s tastes, clapped. He wore a black tuxedo and a blue bowtie. The blue clashed with his hot-pink hair and ruby eyes, and it didn¡¯t fit his grin from which he showed his sharp canines. If he had worn casual clothes or another colored bowtie, Gen would have found him somewhat charming. That was under the condition he hadn¡¯t murdered Sexy the Third.

    Umbra Keith, hailing from planet D¡¯nathal.

    Once an orphan boy of unknown heritage, Umbra had awakened to become a powerful aura-breaker and ascended into the ranks of the elite. The day he had unlocked his aura break was also the same night he had slaughtered everyone who had ever slighted him. The news had spread across the Compass Constellation, and instead of executing him as was their duty, the Puresoul family pardoned him. They knighted him as one of their aura knights.

    Gen hid herself behind Aether, using him to hide her rage until she calmed herself. Umbra wasn¡¯t the one who had killed Law, but he was one of Janus Puresoul¡¯s hitmen. And that reminded her of a bad memory.

    ¡°Congratulations, Star Prince Aether. Are you finally getting married?¡± Umbra said and eyed Gen.

    She blinked at him and crossed her fingers. She placed trust in her own forgettable face¡ªpeople didn''t seem to remember what she looked like. All she had to do was wear some different clothes, change her gait, and introduce herself with a different name. It had certain limits, but it was enough to fool most people¡ªlike what she was now doing as Dessy.

    Her face, one of the reasons for her low opinion of herself, constantly reminded her that she was unimportant. Forgettable. Unneeded. Her many disguises and identities mocked both herself and others. She used them to spy and uncover one¡¯s heart. Fun petty tricks, but the result hurt her. People¡¯s obliviousness was her greatest joy, yet also her greatest pain.

    When would she find a man who would love her for who she is? A man who would value and remember her?

    Aether shifted his body so that he stood in front of Gen. His movements cut her from her thoughts of sadness, and her eyes sparkled. Had Dessy made some progress?

    Aether said, ¡°Hello, Umbra.¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. Don¡¯t be like that.¡± Umbra flicked his hair then aura broke, activating his aura ability. Within a split second, a red orb appeared in his hand and released a continuous beam of light and energy. It blasted towards them.

    Aether also aura broke, summoning seven shards of ice. They hovered around him as a vortex of hail tore through his surroundings. One shard expanded in size, forming a giant shield emblazoned with the Maelstrom emblem¡ªan armored seal encircled by an array of stars.

    The towering shield blocked the red energy beam. Their collision produced a loud, ringing screech; the wayward aura filled the room like glittering dust.

    The guests stumbled away from the pair, and their expressions contained no surprise. This must have been a common occurrence.

    Aether snapped his fingers, and one of his shards floated to above his head. Its surface morphed and rippled into the picture of a closed eye. The eye opened, and a blue beam, much like Umbra¡¯s, shot from its pupil.

    Snickering, Umbra opened his other hand. Another orb appeared in his palm, and it launched a beam of energy at Aether¡¯s attack. The two forces clashed, releasing light that overshadowed everything else in the room. A few people stumbled and gasped.

    Gen closed her eyes, shivering at the unbearable coldness oozing from Aether. Her teeth clenched, and she restrained her instinctive reaction to aura break. Her blood was boiling, but if she created a force field, Umbra would recognize her as Gender Bender; then everything would be ruined.

    The two men stopped in unison, as if they had planned it. Aether¡¯s ice shards, now inert and melting, clanked against the ground. Umbra¡¯s orbs vanished.

    ¡°I¡¯m just playing,¡± Umbra said. ¡°Will you be marrying her? She seems to be quite the little lamb. Not your style.¡±

    Gen narrowed her eyes. Who¡¯s a little lamb? I¡¯m a wolf!

    ¡°Heh, spunky.¡± The man straightened his clothes and approached.

    Aether held out his arm, meaning for Gen to stay behind him; but she quickly clutched it, creating the false impression he outstretched his arm for her to hold.

    She then offered to shake hands with Umbra, proud of her daring and willingness to spite Aether for ignoring her. He wasn¡¯t happy: the temperatures dropped and the ground cloaked with ice. Umbra, to her surprise, had raised his hand to shake hers but had suddenly halted. Immobilized by Aether, no doubt.

    Gen repressed a glare; Aether needed to stop freezing things whenever he wished to throw a tantrum.

    Was it jealousy or concern?

    Hiding her smugness, Gen showed everyone a gentle smile, and her mind churned. She thought of how both men were close to Janus Puresoul and how they had killed many people and had murdered either Sexy the Third or Sexy the Fourth. The result of her comparison?

    Aether, being a sinfully handsome playboy, outweighed the evils of Umbra. Using Umbra to attract his concern might help her in her Dessy scheme.

    Gen grabbed Umbra¡¯s immobile hand and shook it. Her eyes glistened with light tears as if she had been wronged. In her sweetest voice, she faked a blush and said, ¡°I¡¯m Descending Rook, and everyone calls me Dessy. I¡¯m Prince Aether¡¯s date.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t look too happy,¡± he said. His words came out clunky, and a drop of sweat dripped down his jaw. Aether¡¯s fault, no doubt.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± Gen lowered her eyes and gazed at True Stilettos. She whispered. ¡°The elites are jealous, and I¡¯m only a commoner. But you seem like a nice man.¡±

    Aether abruptly left the pair to stand by Reya and Fenri. His back faced them, and his pressure eased, freeing Umbra. This was not in Gen¡¯s expectations.

    A nagging sensation told her he still watched her. Looking through a mirror? A camera? Something else? She couldn¡¯t place it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally,¡± Umbra said, rolling his shoulders and neck. He sent a sidelong glance at Aether; and when he turned to Gen, his countenance relaxed. He grinned. ¡°He¡¯s very uptight.¡±

    Gen nodded.

    He said, ¡°If I were him, I would¡¯ve defended you. Watch this.¡±

    Umbra raised his hands above his head then clapped. The guests¡¯ faces darkened. The psycho was about to create another scene so soon after causing the last one. ¡°Hey, you elitist pricks. How dare you pick on Dessy?¡±

    Gen blushed. This time, she didn¡¯t fake it.

 12: Dancing with Umbra

    When Umbra clapped, he materialized five floating orbs. Spinning, they revolved around him, forming a red halo that released inward-slanting beams. Mere meters from the ceiling, they conjoined at a single point and made the shape of a cone. The cone¡¯s apex burst with a red light that lit up the room like a burning plasma core.

    Umbra cocked his head. ¡°Who dares to say Dessy isn¡¯t worthy of Prince Aether? I say he isn¡¯t worthy of the little lamb.¡±

    ¡°Wha-what are you doing! You psycho!¡± The woman dressed in purple shivered, so did most of the other guests.

    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡± Umbra took a single step towards her, and she cringed. Her face paled.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± said Aether. He spun to face Umbra, and summoning the aura within him, he aura broke. The seven shards of ice, which had been melting on the ground, sprang to life and beckoned the water covering the floor. The liquid swirled into them, forming a whirlpool as the shards orbited Aether.

    Umbra shrugged. ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. You know I¡¯m not gonna hurt her.¡±

    ¡°You should be guarding your Star Prince,¡± said Aether.

    ¡°Yeah, no. I¡¯m actually with the empress dowager. Don¡¯t know where she went.¡±

    The shards circling Aether faltered and shook like a wonky gear, but it was only for a moment. Few people seemed to notice.

    Gen raised a brow. It was an odd mistake for such a renown aura-breaker, especially for a star prince known to be one of the most powerful breakers.

    Umbra clapped his hands; the orbs widened their distance from each other, shortening the cone of light and fattening its base. The light released by its apex twisted and congealed, transforming into large, solid spikes.

    Aether stomped his foot, and a shard sunk into the ground. Ice radiated outward, casing the floor and expanding like a floating island appearing from the clouds. Various markings¡ªmostly fanciful shapes and lines¡ªwere engraved into its surface. They spread for every breath Aether exhaled.

    Another clap, and the tips of Umbra¡¯s spikes split into more spikes.

    The two men were competing in their ability to control their aura breaks by making a fanciful display. Although somewhat random, Gen thought it was much better than the chaos she had expected Umbra to cause.

    With a wave of his hand, Aether imprinted lions into the ice, but as the image grew more complicated, the ice expanded. A jagged ridge formed at its ends.

    Umbra said, ¡°C¡¯mon. We all know your control is crap. Aren¡¯t you worried your date will freeze if you bring it too close to me?¡±

    Remaining silent, Aether pointed his finger; and the ice rushed towards Umbra, rumbling and swelling like a wave.

    ¡°Excuse me, little lamb,¡± Umbra whispered into Gen¡¯s ear then swooped her into his arms. The spikes, including the cone-shaped beam, shattered into small, red glitters. They were soft and bore no obvious offensive capabilities.

    As the ice rushed towards her, a smile tugged at her lips and a faint blush threatened to show itself. She had realized Umbra¡¯s objective.

    The solid wave halted and retreated, returning to the location where the shard had sunk into the ground. After a moment, the shard revealed itself, mysterious arising from the floor and into the air.

    ¡°Look,¡± Umbra said. ¡°If you didn¡¯t care about your little date, why did you stop the ice? You¡¯re just too embarrassed to admit it.¡± He gently released Gen, setting her on her feet. ¡°But I¡¯m not you; I¡¯ll proudly admit it. I¡¯m stealing your date.¡±

    Gen desperately tried to stop her face from twitching. Things had gone too far. She¡¯d rather not embroil herself with a man who had proven himself so easily irritated. She only meant to tease Umbra in order to prod Aether.

    She had been ninety percent sure she would get a reaction, because firstly, Aether was wary of Umbra, and secondly, she was supposedly his subordinate¡¯s sister. If Aether was smart, he wouldn¡¯t let a possible enemy lurk so close to him and his people.

    ¡°Let her go,¡± Aether said.

    ¡°No. We¡¯re dancing.¡± Umbra grinned and simultaneously bared his teeth. Then, he glared at the woman dressed in purple. She shivered as he ordered, ¡°Hurry up and put on some music.¡±

    ¡°I-I-I,¡± she stammered.

    ¡°The droid next to you. Request music. Now.¡±

    She scrambled to the closest droid. It was holding refreshments in its hands and pamphlets on its head, and her fumbling knocked them to the ground. Ignoring the mess, she placed her wrist watch to the droid¡¯s chest. ¡°Please play some music.¡±

    ¡°A slow song.¡± Umbra snorted.

    She obeyed, and the droid played a slow yet melancholic song. Gen didn¡¯t know if the woman was dumb, being spiteful towards Umbra, or just nervous; the song was far from Umbra¡¯s expectations. His jaw clenched.

    One of the gala¡¯s hosts¡ªlikewise misunderstanding the differences between a slow, romantic song and a slow, melancholic song¡ªhelped her by recruiting the other droids. In sync, the robots played the song and sang its lyrics. A few of them, however, were preset to alter their voice to a robotic sound, causing a jagged disharmony.

    Umbra snapped his fingers, light flashed, and the offending droids blew up into pieces. The men, by siphoning aura into their aura gauntlets, erected thin barriers to block the shrapnel; a few women possessing boots of a similar nature did the same. After the initial fright, they backed away from Umbra and the droids. Having their pride, however, none of them left the elite section and instead chose to glare at the man.

    Umbra calmly held out a hand for Gen as if nothing had happened. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s dance.¡±

    She nodded, but what she really wanted to do was fight. Fist against fist, aura versus aura, laser gun versus energy beam. The song was slow, yet it pumped her blood. She wanted to destroy, and her thoughts grew increasingly violent and irrational.

    No, she said to herself. She scanned her surroundings. Someone must have aura broken and tried to affect her thoughts. Perhaps they wanted her to anger Umbra so that he killed her in a fit of rage.

    There were many reasons to target her. Jealousy, pettiness, discrimination... Was it a man or a woman? Should she blame Aether and his silence? He was a true, bonafide jerk.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Aether, possibly believing the danger had abated, dismissed his summoned aura shards. He faced the crowd, but every few seconds his glances turned her way.

    ¡°Look at me, little lamb. Let¡¯s dance.¡± Umbra pulled her close so that she pressed against his body. He was warm, his touch soft, and he smelled of roses.

    Her mind fizzled. She was a shy creature to a man¡¯s touch, and she compared herself to a vehicle possessing dual cores. When only one core was lit, her mind would function properly and imagine all kinds of boldness; but once the second core ignited, her brain would overload and reduce itself to worthless scrap.

    Umbra¡¯s eyes enthralled her, and she leaned into him. In her absent mindedness, he danced her around the hall in an awkward waltz. The beat of the music, which was that of some random melancholic song, made him difficult to follow because none of his dancing made sense. His steps were also out of beat.

    Like a piece of paper plastered onto a window with water mixed with flour, their dancing was horrid.

    Was he mocking her or was he just that inexperienced?

    After the restoration of her brain and a few more steps, Gen began to dance with him in earnest. She followed his haphazard steps in a graceful manner, sparing them at least some dignity with her skills.

    As Generation she didn¡¯t know how to do so, but Dessy managed to accomplish it with elegance. She couldn¡¯t explain her sudden awareness of their movements. Everything just clicked, and that was that. She called it a defensive mechanism. During moments of nervousness or anxiety, her instincts would kick in, and her guise would complete itself.

    As she followed Umbra¡¯s steps, her inner self yelled. She wanted to lead, not follow his missteps. At the same time, a part of her whispered he would never like her. His eyes and smile seemed to speak of a proud nature that wouldn¡¯t bend to others. He wouldn¡¯t let her dominate him.

    Oh, how she wanted to push him down and have him begging for her. Gen¡¯s face reddened at her sudden train of thought, and she faltered and stepped on his foot. She lowered her head to hide her blush. ¡°My bad.¡±

    He placed his lips to her ear. His breath was warm and sent a shiver down her spine. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Step on me all you want.¡±

    ¡°Oh-um-ok,¡± she said, mindlessly nodding. His words pushed her to the utmost limit, and she wanted to know if his words were true. She had a very strong urge to step on his feet. Then to pulse him with her aura. And mash her knee into his groin. Mind jolting, she searched the crowd encircling them.

    It was that feeling. Someone had tried affecting her for a second time and had ruined her romantic moment. Unforgivable. She met eyes with a man. She didn¡¯t know who he was, but by the way he stood next to the woman in purple, Gen figured he was doing it to appease the woman.

    They deserved to be taught a lesson.

    The two were glowering at her, and the man turned his head as soon as he realized she had spotted him. Her artificial aggression vanished.

    Tsk, amateur.

    ¡°Something bothering you?¡± asked Umbra.

    ¡°No,¡± she said.

    He suddenly dipped her so that her back arched. Her eyes met his, which gleamed with mischief. He raised his forefinger, and a small, red bead formed at its tip. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s play a game. It¡¯ll be fun.¡±

    ¡°What are you thinking of?¡± Gen outwardly smiled but was feeling the onset of a headache. Umbra had noticed the pair and wanted to cause another scene, maybe even attack them. As Dessy, she cared for her reputation and didn¡¯t want to reduce herself to such erratic pettiness. If he had her do something so crude, how would she seduce Aether by the end of the night?

    Umbra said, ¡°You point my finger and I¡¯ll blast. Understand, little lamb?¡±

    She felt Aether¡¯s gaze on her, so she chuckled and raised her arms, wrapping them around Umbra¡¯s neck as she stood up. Tiptoeing, she coyly whispered into Umbra¡¯s ear, ¡°And what if I decide to point your finger at you?¡±

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not a vital spot and you promise to keep me company in the healing pod.¡±

    ¡°What about your family jewels?¡± Gen asked, feeling pleased with herself, especially so since Aether had begun approaching. She loved toying with men when dressed as a woman¡ªmainly because she felt perfectly safe doing so. Her heart was steeled against falling for anyone who didn¡¯t love or know her true self, and if a man decided to get extra handsy, she could beat him to a pulp. Her heart and body felt safe, albeit the rare short-circuiting of her brain.

    ¡°That depends.¡± Umbra chuckled. ¡°Do you want children?¡±

    Gen coughed and turned her head. Man, way too blunt. She peeked at him and blamed herself for setting herself up for that one. Behind her Aether¡¯s coldness nipped at her, but he stopped his approach. Would he or would he not take her away from Umbra?

    Umbra suddenly laughed. Unlike his chuckling, it was deep and hearty and unexpected. And it was manly, possibly the manliness thing about him. His ruby eyes seemed softer than before. ¡°Let¡¯s dance. Relax, follow the flow, and listen to the music.¡± He turned and yelled, ¡°You poor hosts, play a better song!¡±

    He took her by the waist and increased the distance between her and Aether. Once satisfied he ushered her to dance with him, and she accepted his hand. Gen expected Umbra to send a wry sneer at Aether to gloat about capturing her, but he didn¡¯t. His eyes remained fixated on her.

    The droids began playing another song. Dark and dreary, a song about love, heartbreak, and death. It was inauspicious for a couple to dance to, and it caused Umbra¡¯s mouth to pull into a thin line. Once was an accident, twice was on purpose. Someone wanted to incite his anger and possibly snub him.

    The droids beeped, and the song abruptly stopped.

    ¡°Here¡¯s a song for our two lovebirds. ¡®Planet Name¡¯s The True Love Song,¡¯ ¡± a voice drifted through the gala¡¯s inner section. Gen, narrowing her eyes, recognized it instantly. Phantom Mind. What was her brother up to?

    The droids climbed onto the gala¡¯s stage and opened their robotic mouths. There were no words, but the melody itself spoke of love. The beat was neither slow nor quick, instead it altered between them as if telling a story. Everyone from Planet Name would know how to dance to it, but Umbra didn¡¯t.

    His complexion grew stormy.

    ¡°It¡¯s my favorite song,¡± Gen said with a light smile. ¡°Still want to dance with me?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Umbra replied, and his expression smoothed.

    Gen placed her palms against the back of his neck, thumbs behind his ears and fingers intertwined. He rested his hands on her hips. Whether he knew Planet Name¡¯s traditions or just assumed it was correct, Gen didn¡¯t know; though, she guessed the latter.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± she said. And he did, which pleased her inner self. Whenever she stepped forward, he stepped back. They moved with the music, through slow and sadness, through quick and joy. Her smile grew and sunk with the changing of the rhythm and beat as was tradition, but Umbra¡¯s remained a perpetual, teasing smile.

    She couldn¡¯t read his thoughts. Maybe he was happy for beating Aether, or maybe he just liked dancing without a care for his own appearance. He was truly horrible at it, and Gen began to think that he might have problems hearing its beat. Or maybe he liked flaunting his lack of skill and so never tried to do better.

    ¡°Step forward and dip me,¡± Gen said. As he stepped, she straightened one leg and let True Stiletto slide against the ground. She lifted the other one¡ªwhich was holding her up¡ªand let her body swoop downward. She released his neck. Only his hands placed on her hips stopped her from falling.

    Umbra¡¯s eyes widened as if he was afraid of dropping her; Gen hadn¡¯t expected him to be so surprised. This was the classic Planet Name swoop. Odd and somewhat dangerous, but commonly performed within the Compass Constellation.

    Feeling his support, she arched her back and neck. Her head dipped close to the ground, hair brushing against it.

    She saw Aether, helm pointed towards her. A swarm of hail hovered around him, and he stood on his own island of ice. No one was near him; even Reya and Fenri had fled.

    ¡°Lift,¡± Gen said then regretted it. Umbra swung her, throwing her upward. She stiffened her core, straightened her body, and placed her hands on his shoulders. They succeeded in not blundering it due to their pure strength. An East Star lift... She should have been more clear, and now she knew he at least new something about dancing. Maybe.

    A few watchers sniggered, possibly laughing at the dance¡¯s sudden change. To dance with missteps was one thing, but his mistake with a traditional song and dance was a monster of its own.

    Gen ignored the spectators and pushed them to the recesses of her mind. She envisioned smiles and expressions of envy and admiration. Aether still gazed at her, and she imagined him jealous...

    And that the world was only of her and a man who cared, not the discordant gala whose flooring bore the marks of Aether¡¯s ice and the scars of ruined droids.

    Umbra lifted her higher and spun so that they rotated. She released his shoulders, spread her arms, and arched her back, all while putting trust into his strength to not drop her. A breeze brushed against her cheeks, and Umbra¡¯s face blurred. Her mind drifted to the past...

    Of the day Law married a princess.

 13: Memories of the Past

    Thirteen years prior on Planet Name...

    Gen, twelve years old, spread her arms wide as her older brother Law, who was twenty-five at the time, held her in the air and spun in circles. Wind brushed her cheeks, ¡°Planet Name¡¯s The True Love Song¡± filled the wedding reception, and the surrounding people laughed. There weren¡¯t many people, just a few important officials and the family members who would have approved of Law marrying Planet Name¡¯s princess, Princess King¡ªfirst name Princess, last name King.

    It was a laid back ceremony. Princess was the next heir to the throne, so her act of marrying an orphan of a fallen elite family would have caused riots. To avoid this she borrowed from the traditions of D¡¯nathal, and Law married her as her secret mister, which some people in the know-how called him.

    The dance floor was empty except for Gen and Law. Princess watched them from afar, hands resting on her pregnant belly. She stood next to the longevity turtles, which were to be named and released at the very end of the reception.

    A droid stood next to her. Humanoid with boxy shoulders, small skinny legs, and a single eye, it antagonized Gen with its presence. Even now as Law lifted her into the air, she wanted to toss a stone at it.

    That¡¯s what it deserves for never recognizing her, Gen thought. Her current puffy, pink dress did little to soothe her frustration. She had wanted to wear a suit, because suits were handsome, but she was left with a girly, itchy dress. It pricked her soul.

    ¡°Gen, smile a bit for me, won¡¯t you? I just got married,¡± Law said as he slowly stopped spinning. He teetered a little; his constant spinning of her in the days prior to the wedding did little to get him used to the dizziness.

    Gen smiled, donning a perfectly sincere guise. Her words didn¡¯t match it: ¡°Why does the droid get to be here? I want to kick it. It has a mean AI.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you get along with it?¡± Law patted her head. Seeing that the groom¡¯s family dance was done, the other guests walked onto the dance floor and began pairing off.

    Approaching, Princess stood next to Law and hooked her arm in his. She chuckled and said to Gen, ¡°Even at a party you still have a bone to pick with droids.¡±

    Gen wrinkled her brows and cocked her head. ¡°I do? What makes you think that?¡±

    ¡°You were glaring.¡± Princess patted Gen¡¯s head, revealing she had been watching them. Whatever Law did, she would do to.

    ¡°Stop lying.¡± Law flicked Gen¡¯s forehead, causing Princess to flick his. He then kissed his new wife on the lips.

    Grimacing, Gen found the pair unbearable to watch. She didn¡¯t like how Princess married her brother; it made Law have less time for her. She felt closest to Law because he always recognized her no matter what she wore. Everyone else had trouble, including Mind; and she only forgave her second brother because he was crazy and fixated on refrigerators.

    Gen pursed her lips then forced tears to fall from her eyes. Fake crying, she sniffled and said, ¡°Droids are mean.¡±

    ¡°Gen.¡± Law wrinkled his brows and picked her up. She was too large and old to be held, and Gen imagined they looked very awkward, but she was happy. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled in triumph. Law said, ¡°Princess, please give us a moment.¡±

    His sweetheart nodded.

    He then took Gen into the kitchen, which was connected to the reception area; the kitchen was built near the wedding reception so that Mind wouldn¡¯t wander far. Law placed Gen on the counter. She sat next to a few of Mind¡¯s gizmos, and gazing around the room, she couldn¡¯t see Mind. She guessed her thirteen-year-old brother was crouching on the other side of the kitchen island, outside her view.

    Law wiped away her tears. ¡°Gen do you want to tell me what this is all about?¡±

    She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m wearing a dress.¡±

    ¡°Gen,¡± he said her name sternly and raised a single brow at her.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t like them.¡± Gen shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m being honest. I really don¡¯t like them. And...¡± she went silent.

    ¡°And what?¡±

    ¡°Do I look pretty? Five people, FIVE people wanted to send me away.¡± She held up her hand, splaying her fingers wide. The problem didn¡¯t lay in beauty, but that people didn¡¯t realize it was her in the dress; and Law knew it.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    He sighed. ¡°Of course you¡¯re pretty. You¡¯re gorgeous.¡± He paused to smile. ¡°They didn¡¯t recognize you because you stunned them with your beauty.¡±

    Gen flared her nostrils, not believing him. She said, ¡°So you mean to say my normal self is ugly?¡±

    ¡°Gen, let me ask you something.¡± Lifting himself, Law sat onto the counter and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. ¡°Did you say your name was Gender Bender?¡±

    She looked away and mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t like that name.¡±

    ¡°Gen, if you do that...¡±

    ¡°What does that matter?¡± she asked. Her eyes met his. ¡°The droids never recognize me and they¡¯ve got freakin¡¯ scanners! I grow a centimeter, and people find me only somewhat familiar. And when I change my name...they...they think I¡¯m a complete stranger.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s an aura side effect. You can¡¯t change that.¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s not. Look.¡± She raised her hand and created a little pulse of aura. It was tiny, but it had grown larger and more solid than it had been the week prior. ¡°This is my aura break, and it has nothing to do with being invisible. I know side effects always relate to one¡¯s aura break, so you¡¯re just saying that to comfort me.¡±

    Law shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not your aura break.¡±

    ¡°How do you know? I haven¡¯t fully awakened. Come little pulses.¡± She flicked her fingers and made more pulses. Seeing them excited her, and her lips pulled up into a grin. ¡°One day, I¡¯ll build a force field.¡±

    He rubbed her head. ¡°Trust me, that is not your aura break.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to comfort me because I¡¯m unimportant. So worthless that nobody remembers me.¡± Her eyes began to swell. ¡°Only you care about me.¡±

    Law hugged her. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, and don¡¯t trick yourself into believing it. Mind loves you too. Don¡¯t you, Mind?¡±

    A small snort of assent came from the other side of the kitchen island. He was eavesdropping, as always.

    Gen gazed at Law. ¡°May I enroll into Aura Knight Academy? I don¡¯t want to be a nobody. I want to be a hero and rescue a prince someday. And then we¡¯ll marry.¡±

    Law laughed and ruffled her hair. ¡°When you¡¯re fifteen. But only if you learn to be more honest. Understand? No more pretending to be someone else, no more fake tears, no more pretending to be confused. No more manipulation. Got it?¡±

    Gen wrinkled her brows.

    Law sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine to a certain extent. But you need to at least know your true self. I love you for you, not some fake guise.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I promise.¡±

    ¡°Want to return to the dance floor?¡± Law coaxed her, ¡°We¡¯ll soon name and release the longevity turtles. I¡¯ll let you name one, even if you decide to name it ¡®Dead Carcass¡¯ or ¡®Turtle Soup.¡¯ ¡±

    Gen shook her head, and he jumped down from the counter. When he reached the door, Gen called out to him.

    ¡°Wait! Why, err, how do you recognize me? No matter what I disguise myself as, you always know it¡¯s me.¡±

    Law smiled. She never forgot his words: ¡°It¡¯s because I love you.¡±

    ¡°Then, will someone else ever love me too?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°What, I¡¯m not enough?¡±

    Gen leapt off the counter and pranced to him. She clutched his hand and thought of Princess¡¯s belly. ¡°I want to get married too. And have little children to protect.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too soon to be thinking about children? I¡¯m twenty-five; you¡¯re twelve.¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t start now, how will I marry by your age?¡± Gen tugged his arm. ¡°I gotta first make myself unforgettable.¡±

    Law shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. ¡°Here, if you¡¯re single and still not married by twenty-five, I¡¯ll set you up on a date. It¡¯ll be with a man who will fall in love with you at first sight. Got it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid,¡± she said. ¡°Love at first sight? That only happens in fairy tales.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re special. You will be the princess of a fairy tale.¡± Then Law called out to behind the kitchen counter. ¡°Hey Mind, let¡¯s make this promise. If Gen isn¡¯t married by twenty-five, we¡¯ll find her a husband. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Mind exclaimed.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    ¡°Hey, little lamb? Little lamb!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Gen looked up. She was back at the fashion gala, thoughts no longer drifting. Umbra¡¯s brows were furrowed. The music had stopped and so did their dance, but she didn¡¯t remember any of it. It had been years since the last time her mind had drifted like that, and it left her exhausted.

    Something warm and wet covered her cheeks. She went to touch it, but Umbra was quicker. He used his palm and thumb to wipe it away her tears. His touch felt soft against her skin. No calluses.

    ¡°You were crying,¡± he said, and Gen nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s not important.¡±

    A burst of cold assaulted her back and the rest of the room. Aether had aura broken, summoning his seven ice shards. They orbited him as he strode towards Gen. He said, ¡°Umbra, get away from her.¡±

    Umbra¡¯s smile grew malicious. He clapped, forming five orbs as his palms pulled away from each other. ¡°Want to play?¡±

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t,¡± Gen said and placed herself between the two men. She felt frustrated at everything but didn¡¯t know why. The back of her neck tingled; the spectators were glaring at her, each of their stares painfully sharp.

    ¡°As you wish, little lamb.¡± Umbra dismissed his orbs. He smirked at Aether. ¡°So now you¡¯re jealous.¡±

    ¡°So petty,¡± Aether said.

    Their auras exuded pressure against each other. Caught in the middle, Gen used all her willpower to stop herself from slamming an aura barrier into both of them. If only she wasn¡¯t Dessy but instead Gen; she¡¯d kick them in the groin then flee.

    Instantly, the two men halted and their pressures abated. They faced the door.

    Gen frowned. Who could it be this time? She hoped it wasn¡¯t Janus Puresoul. All she wanted was to lay in her bed and sleep.

 14: His Greatest Obstacle (part 1)

    When he had come to the fashion gala, Aether had two plans, one of which was a fallback. The first was to prevent Dessy from entering the elite section, so that there would be no chance of her falling for him and sabotaging his future relationship with Gen. She had surmounted this obstacle within minutes, causing him to prepare for his fallback plan.

    It had been simple: tell Dessy he liked Gen then convince her to help him. This wilted like an expired energy charge the moment he turned and saw her approaching. She was beautiful¡ªlong silky hair, a seductive figure, an enchanting gait, the smoothest of legs... Dessy¡¯s presence was inexplicable; it demanded his attention and pushed everyone else out of it. He only saw her, and his heart throbbed as if Gen had smiled at him.

    And then that feeling returned¡ªthe fear Dessy would die. It was an illogical feeling, but one that plagued him ever since his cousin, Janus¡¯s sister, had mysteriously died. The corpses of female aura knights surfaced within his memories, blood seeping from their eyes, bodies strewn. And a vague memory of his sister...

    Aether shivered; his aura slipped from his control, further decreasing the temperatures around him. Unaffected by it, Dessy continued forward, and he shut his eyes and wished she would leave.

    He thought of Gen. She was strong, confident, and possessed an undefeatable will. Her presence comforted him like an unbreakable shield under the assault of gunfire, and her aura break was the greatest of defensive abilities he had ever seen. She wouldn¡¯t die, his mind whispered, so he accepted the baffling emotion of loving her.

    Dessy, however, stirred the same amount of mysterious affection but with the addition of fear. She made his body cold.

    Gen or Dessy? He would always choose Gen.

    Aether no longer bothered with whether or not Dessy fell for him; he worried he would fall for Dessy and lose Gen. Why was the universe so cruel? Was he driven by lust or by love? Having been raised to follow the duty of a star prince at the expense of his emotional intelligence, he didn¡¯t know the answer.

    Dessy grabbed his arm, and despite the armor separating their bodies, he felt her warmth against his skin. He inhaled, breathing in her vanilla-scented perfume. She said, ¡°Mind warming up a bit? I¡¯m still your subordinate¡¯s sister.¡±

    His blood stirred at the sweetness of her voice, and he found his mouth dry. He gulped. This was a seductress¡ªhe told himself¡ªan evil seductress who would keep him from Gen. If he fell for her, Gen would be an impossibility. He didn¡¯t need Fenri to tell him about the loyalty between sisters... A greedy part of him wished the two sisters were from D¡¯nathal. There it was common for siblings to marry the same person.

    ¡°You¡¯re my date for only tonight,¡± he said with uncertainty. He wanted to see her again yet also wished she would disappear forever.

    Dessy chuckled, its lightness teasing his every sense and stiffening his body, especially his little brother, which surprised him and left him lustful. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t like me? That¡¯s fine.¡±

    It took all his willpower not to prove her wrong and whisk her away to some bed. Aether had never understood how some of his subordinates allowed themselves to be seduced by enemy spies, and now he did. The strength of a woman¡¯s charm was unbeatable.

    To push Dessy from his mind, he thought of the time Gen grasped him, leapt from her vehicle, and laid her head against his chest. The memory soothed his nerves, but his little brother enlarged.

    Suddenly, Dessy shifted herself to behind him and used him like a shield. He bit his tongue, ignoring how Dessy¡¯s behavior stroked an inner ego he never knew he possessed. She was having an argument with Reya and another elite.

    Defend her and there will be emotional complications, he warned himself. For Gen, he had to let her lose.

    Dessy declared, ¡°I¡¯m his girlfriend. Why do you think he didn¡¯t repel me with his aura?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Her lips, inciting him to seal them with his own, puckered as she said it. He inwardly groaned: he needed an ice bath to cool himself off.

    The argument continued, and Dessy complained to him, ¡°They¡¯re being mean. They think I¡¯m a gold digger.¡±

    Her long lashes fluttered, her voice almost like a whine. She tilted herself perfectly, allowing him a glimpse down her dress. Evil seductress. But something about her actions multiplied his fears of her death. Her whine, possibly? She was weak and delicate, nothing like Gen; and it turned him off.

    Reya said to her, ¡°A commoner like you should feel guilty. Look at you, wearing heels to a gala celebrating weaponized fashion boots.¡±

    Dessy whispered, tugging at his arm and reigniting his lust. ¡°If you don¡¯t defend your supposed girlfriend, your reputation as a man will be in jeopardy.¡±

    He frowned, realizing the grievances she might tell Gen. Why was everything so complicated? If he defended her, she would gain the upper hand in seducing him and keep him from Gen. If he didn¡¯t defend her, Gen would hear of it. Either way he would lose.

    Dessy was the greatest obstacle to his dream life with Gen.

    He had to make her hate him, he told himself. He redoubled his efforts to let her struggle, and he cursed at the rampant beating of his heart. His eyes, no matter what he did, wouldn¡¯t tear themselves off her. Instead they memorized her every feature.

    Dessy looked like Gen, possessing the same nose, eyes, and mouth; yet there was something starkly different about their faces. He couldn¡¯t identify what. He compared their jaw line, the shape of their cheek bones, the smoothness of their skin... They were the same, yet in his memories Gen was different.

    Dread overcame him. Did he forget what Gen looked like?

    Aether¡¯s spine tingled as his sixth sense perceived the approach of a dangerous entity. There were few people who could incite such a reaction. He furrowed his brows: was it his grandmother who wished him to marry? Had she come with some foreign constellation¡¯s princess or was she engaging him to Reya?

    The doors opened, and another kind of dread surfaced. Umbra Keith, his cousin¡¯s right-hand man. What was Janus up to?

    Dessy flinched and her eyes widened. Her reaction pricked Aether and clouded his mind with a petty jealousy. Women tended to like Umbra¡¯s androgynous appearance and mischievous smile, but did she need to be so obvious? He struck her with a small wave of aura to wake her from her reverie.

    ¡°I¡¯m not an embarrassment!¡± she yelled, shocking Aether as she then hid herself behind him like a shy rabbit. Cold sweat dripped down his temple.

    Had he ruined her brain with his aura? Gen would never forgive him.

    Umbra smiled. ¡°Congratulations, Star Prince Aether. Are you finally getting married?¡±

    ¡°Hello, Umbra,¡± he said, further covering Dessy to redeem himself for muddling her brain. His aura entered each cell of his body, preparing for Umbra¡¯s attack. The man never failed to challenge him in a fight.

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. Don¡¯t be like that.¡± Umbra aura broke, launching a laser beam from a red orb. Aether likewise aura broke and summoned seven ice shards.

    Their exchange proceeded in the same way as all their previous exchanges: a simple block, the return of a strike, and no clear winner. Their overall strengths were about the same, and if they had continued, the bout would last hours. Accepting the draw, they dissipated their auras, but Aether didn¡¯t unsummon his shards. Instead, he let them clink to the ground like mundane ice cubes.

    Umbra shrugged, a large grin plastered on his face. ¡°I¡¯m just playing. Will you be marrying her? She seems to be quite the little lamb. Not your style.¡±

    Dessy glared at Umbra, to which the man remarked, ¡°Heh, spunky.¡±

    Aether raised his arm, signaling Dessy to not respond to Umbra. She did and even had the gall to grab Aether¡¯s arm then shake Umbra¡¯s hand. Aether gritted his teeth. Her boldness charmed him yet also fueled his jealousy.

    ¡°I¡¯m Descending Rook, and everyone calls me Dessy. I¡¯m Prince Aether¡¯s date,¡± she said, but her latter words stung at Aether and conflicted with the blush that plagued her cheeks. She liked Umbra and must have regretted being his date.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look happy,¡± Umbra said. Each word stabbed at Aether. Aura, slipping from his control, poured into his surroundings. Dessy¡¯s following words hammered a spike into his weak spot.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy,¡± she said to Umbra, contradicting her downcast gaze. She whispered, ¡°The elites are jealous, and I¡¯m only a commoner. But you seem like a nice man.¡±

    Aether couldn¡¯t stand more of it, so he stomped away and left them to their conversation. Stopping beside to Fenri and Reya, he inwardly fumed as his aura gushed at the siblings. Their lips twitched, hands shook, and hair raised; but they said nothing in regards to his lack of control.

    Maybe this was for the best, he thought of Dessy¡¯s blush. If she liked Umbra, he wouldn¡¯t worry about something happening between her, himself, and Gen.

 15: His Greatest Obstacle (part 2)

    Aether closed his eyes and peered through one of his seven ice shards, which were still connected to his senses. He spied on Dessy, and he told himself he only did so to protect her because Umbra was erratic. Who knew if he would hurt her? And what if all Umbra cared for was screwing with him? Dessy would become nothing more than a pawn.

    Gen would never forgive him if he let that happen.

    Umbra, summoning a halo of orbs, faced the crowd. ¡°Hey, you elitist pricks. How dare you pick on Dessy? Who dares to say Dessy isn¡¯t worthy of Prince Aether? I say he isn¡¯t worthy of the little lamb.¡±

    Aether clenched his fists and whipped around, inwardly seething. Umbra¡¯s goal was too obvious. The man wanted to flatter Dessy and do what Aether convinced himself not to do: defend her.

    Umbra¡¯s beam, shaped like that of a cone, hovered in the air and grew stronger as his red energy condensed and solidified.

    ¡°Wha-what are you doing! You psycho!¡± a woman yelled.

    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡± Umbra threatened, taking a large step towards her. Her face paled.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Aether said. He couldn¡¯t stand Umbra and the way Dessy gazed at the man. A romantic relationship between the two... Aether grimaced at the thought. He refueled his seven shards and called them to his side.

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. You know I¡¯m not gonna hurt her,¡± Umbra said, tilting his head.

    ¡°You should be guarding your star prince.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no. I¡¯m actually with the empress dowager. Don¡¯t know where she went.¡±

    Aether¡¯s concentration slipped at his words, resulting in his seven shards faltering. If she came, his other fears would come true.

    Umbra clapped and morphed his cone-shaped beam. It thickened and solidified; a star appeared at its peak, flaring with light that painted the room red. His smile taunted Aether: care to compete?

    Aether gritted his teeth then stomped his foot, sending one of his shards into the ground. It sank into the flooring like a falling drop of water disturbing a still pond. The ground undulated, and the small aura waves coated it with ice. Focusing, Aether sculpted multiple lines in the pattern of a rug that rested somewhere in his grandmother¡¯s palace. Sweat dripped down his brow, and his breath turned haggard. He gulped the air.

    Aware of Aether¡¯s weakness, Umbra donned a sly grin. He clapped and split the ends of the star, but didn¡¯t repeat the action. By not doing so, he silently and knowingly jeered at Aether. Aether knew full well Umbra could recursively split each point into a massive labyrinth of spikes, and even shrink and extend them. People shouldn¡¯t fear his beams¡ªthey should fear the solidified, mystical energy created from their blasts.

    Aether waved his hand, straining his control to carve lion heads as the ice expanded. The aura buckled within him, and a sharp pain radiated from his chest. The centermost point felt unbearably cold, yet the rims of the pain derived itself from a suffering akin to the feeling of burning flesh. The taste of iron filled his mouth.

    ¡°C¡¯mon. We all know your control is crap.¡± Umbra taunted him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried your date will freeze if you bring it too close to me?¡±

    Aether shut his eyes for a moment; then upon opening them, he forfeited his control and let his aura swell within itself. As it went berserk, he pointed at Umbra and funneled its energies, which was the extent of what he could currently do. Like a raging storm, the ice rushed forward.

    Umbra lifted Dessy into his arms and placed her between himself and Aether. The beam structure disintegrated into small glitters of aura, and they rained onto the ice. As they touched it, the glitters¡ªunseen by the human eye¡ªexploded and deteriorated Aether¡¯s ice. But by doing so, they helped Aether regain some control.

    Aether forcefully tugged with his will; the ice retreated and blood seeped from his mouth. He licked his lips, meaning to stop the blood before it reached the lower crevice of his helmet. The sunken shard rose from the flooring then rejoined the other six shards orbiting him. Shaking, Aether clenched his fists and scowled at his feet.

    He would¡¯ve loved to punch Umbra in the jaw, but he was the one who had lost.

    ¡°Look,¡± Umbra said, softly caressing Dessy as he let her to her feet. His gentle actions pricked Aether. ¡°If you didn¡¯t care about your little date, why did you stop the ice? You¡¯re just too embarrassed to admit it. But I¡¯m not you; I¡¯ll proudly admit it. I¡¯m stealing your date.¡±

    ¡°Let her go.¡± He regarded Umbra and the way Dessy smiled. The temperatures within his suit of armor dropped, and the hair on his arms collected frost.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re dancing,¡± Umbra said then went about threatening a lady to have a droid play a song. After some confusion, one of the hosts helped him gather the support of all the other droids¡ªa few of which Umbra destroyed in a fit of pettiness.

    Aether watched this from afar as he restrained the urge to steal Dessy. He eventually managed to pull his eyes away from her, but every few seconds he caught himself gazing at her graceful form. She was smiling and dancing with Umbra, enjoying each moment while her dress fluttered in equal happiness to their movements. Aether¡¯s weight shifted from foot to foot¡ªnot enough to be noticed, but enough to appease his anxious self. For Gen and his own selfish reasons, he had to get Dessy away from him.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Umbra dipped Dessy, and she stared into the man¡¯s eyes, a happy glimmer in her own. They chatted as if they were the only two at the gala, oblivious to how their affections stabbed Aether like a rusted blade meant to fell beasts. Biting his tongue, Aether approached and used aura to boost his hearing; he was very shoddy at improving his senses, so by the time he managed to catch a few words, he was relatively close to them.

    ¡°That depends. Do you want to have children?¡± Umbra asked her.

    Aura slipped from Aether¡¯s body; there was enough to get through his armor too. The cold nipped at his surroundings.

    Children? Aether¡¯s face darkened. Were they debating about having children?

    He glared at Umbra. Envy and anxiety filled every cell of his body. How did the man do it? On multiple occasions Aether had tried to convince Gen to have a date with him, but she brushed it off as a joke and shoved Dessy his way. On the other hand, Umbra had danced with Gen¡¯s sister for a few minutes and managed to get Dessy speaking of having his babies.

    Umbra was good looking, but Aether doubted he himself was any worse. For the aspect of romance, Aether even bought Gen twenty-five spider lilies to show his love, but what did Umbra do? He toyed with Dessy and tossed her in front of a raging wave of ice. Something must be wrong with Dessy¡¯s head to even think about being with Umbra.

    Where was the fairness in the world?

    Umbra laughed; loud and annoying, it pierced Aether¡¯s thoughts. He said to Dessy, ¡°Let¡¯s dance. Relax, follow the flow, and listen to the music.¡± Then he turned to the watching spectators and yelled, ¡°You poor hosts, play a better song!¡±

    They scrambled to get the droids to play something else. A sad melancholy filled the air, and Aether recognized it instantly: ¡°Love and Death Eternal.¡± It was a famous song from East Star and was commonly danced to during their theatrical performances. It was inauspicious, however, for an actual couple to dance to it. Aether was about to say something¡ªnot because he wanted the two together, but because Umbra¡¯s face was turning a dangerous shade of loathing and he was prone to killing sprees.

    The droids beeped and stopped. A voice filled the hall, ¡°Here¡¯s a song for our two lovebirds. ¡®Planet Name¡¯s The True Love Song.¡¯ ¡±

    The droids, clambering over each other, lined up on the stage then began playing the song. Its melody filled the hall, and Aether unwillingly stepped aside, pondering which of Janus¡¯s super-hackers, if any, could have hacked the gala¡¯s network and altered the droids¡¯ AIs. He licked his bottom lip, tasting the blood that had once seeped from his mouth. His eyes narrowed at Umbra and at Dessy¡¯s naivety.

    She was walking into a trap, Aether thought. Then, fear swamped him. An image of her body¡ªneck snapped, limbs twisted, torso torn open¡ªsurfaced in his mind. His stomach churned with a seething rage that had appeared only once before: the day he had discovered Janus might have had something to do with the death of his own sister, Aether¡¯s cousin. And Law Bender knew something about it too, but this was actually the last thought in Aether¡¯s mind.

    He worried for Gen and for her sister. His fingers numbed at the thought of their deaths, and his aura coalesced into a swirling hailstorm. Battered by it, he stood on a lonesome hill of ice, facing a hidden scar that resurfaced within him. Pristine white walls, a small hand clutching his arm, a giant with a blade¡ª

    Aether jolted awake; Dessy lurched and fell but Umbra caught her. A Planet Name swoop¡ªactually invented on East Star, but that was to be precise. Aether released a sigh of relief upon seeing her safe. Dessy arched her back and gazed at him, and his heart fluttered. His previous worries melted into forgotten thoughts and assumptions. He wished it was him dancing with her.

    He scolded himself: he wanted Gen, not Dessy.

    Umbra lifted Dessy into the air, and she spread her arms. The skirt of her dress flowed behind her like the tail feathers of a phoenix rising above the ashes of scrapped droids. Her smile lit the room with its radiance, and it broke the spectators¡¯ snickers, silencing them in awe. Striking them further, an ineffable will emanated from her body and rode on the undulations of her aura.

    Aether found her far more mythical than some fiery bird.

    The surrounding guests shivered, and he closed his eyes. He released a bit of his own aura and mixed it into hers. Her aura was too undefined for her to be an awakened aura-breaker, but it was powerful enough to be at the critical point of awakening. A few days and she¡¯d have an aura break.

    Retracting his aura and opening his eyes, Aether gazed at her soaring figure. He should look away, he told himself; but Dessy¡¯s elegance held him prisoner. She landed gently¡ªas if perching on water¡ªthen continued dancing with Umbra. Her mystical presence faded, and she returned to being an earthly woman constricting Aether¡¯s heart. He frowned then gnawed at his bottom lip, growing increasingly jealous of Umbra.

    When he discovered his thoughts had wandered, he whispered with conviction: he wanted Gen, not her sister. Dessy was proving herself to be his greatest obstacle. One, he risked falling for her. Two, she naively liked Umbra. Three, she could die and break any trust Gen had for him. And four, she could tattle to Gen about anything he did.

    Her smile vanished, and tears poured down her cheeks, ruining her makeup and smearing her mascara. Umbra brushed away her tears. Something snapped within Aether.

    ¡°Umbra, get away from her,¡± he said.

    The pest grinned and activated his aura break with a clap. Five orbs hovered before him. Umbra didn¡¯t seem to care for Dessy¡¯s pain, and he asked, ¡°Want to play?¡±

    Aether lunged, but Dessy used her body to block his advance. ¡°Please, don¡¯t,¡± she pleaded with a voice so soft it soothed his nerves yet ignited his desire to protect her.

    ¡°As you wish, little lamb,¡± Umbra replied. In challenge, he smirked at Aether. ¡°So now you¡¯re jealous.¡±

    ¡°So petty,¡± Aether said, inwardly rebuking himself. Why had he ignored Dessy enough for Umbra to use it to flatter her into liking him? Aether should have risked falling prey to her beauty. But then... What about Gen? He felt helpless.

    Why had the universe thrown two heart-stirring women at him? Couldn¡¯t it have said, ¡°Here¡¯s Gen,¡± then be done with it? Why toss Dessy at him and complicate his whole life?

    He shut his eyes, resolving to protect¡ªand only to protect¡ªDessy. He¡¯d wrench her from Umbra¡¯s hands then find her a respectable man to marry. That plan seemed to solve most of his problems, and he thought it the most reasonable thing to do in his predicament.

    Sensing a sudden, familiar presence, Aether looked towards the elite section¡¯s entrance and so did Umbra. His grandmother, the empress dowager, had arrived. She stood behind the double doors, possibly expecting to see the elite granddaughter-in-law she had always expected to find.

    The doors opened, and Aether¡¯s temples throbbed. He wished to destroy the universe for all the obstacles it threw at him.

 16: Empress Dowager of the Compass Constellation

    Aether pulled Dessy behind himself as his grandmother stepped into the gala¡¯s elite section.

    His grandmother, the empress dowager, wore a high-low dress similar to Dessy¡¯s. It was purple instead of red, and its folds of fabric lay flat so that the skirt wasn¡¯t overly puffy. Her boots, black with metal straps, reached her knees and released faint wisps of blue aura. The boots weren¡¯t weaponized in the sense they were weapons, but they improved their wearer¡¯s control over aura and helped mitigate aura side effects, which proved themselves to be unmanageable phenomena such as Aether¡¯s accidental fluctuation of temperature.

    His grandmother¡¯s long, white hair, upon which rested a crown, was tied into a low bun, and although she approached the age of a hundred, no wrinkles plagued her face and she still exhibited the youthfulness of a young woman. She wore a stern frown that made Aether shiver, and her blue eyes possessed a sharpness that likewise pierced into him.

    Umbra and the surrounding spectators knelt on one knee, and Aether caught Dessy by the elbow, preventing her from following their lead. It would be improper for his future sister-in-law to kneel, but she twisted her arm and released a small blast of aura, loosening his grip as she defied his wishes. She fell to her knee, and Aether wrinkled his nose.

    ¡°Empress Dowager of the Compass Constellation,¡± the people said in unison, to which the empress dowager waved her hand.

    ¡°Please stand,¡± she said. ¡°Aether, won¡¯t you introduce me to the woman by your side? Is this the one you were telling me about?¡±

    Dessy glanced at him, and their eyes met. Hers were filled with confusion; of course she would be confused. He had made the mistake of promising his grandmother he would bring his girlfriend¡ªwho didn¡¯t exist at the time¡ªto the gala.

    ¡°Come here, don¡¯t be shy,¡± his grandmother beckoned. Her aura seeped into the crowd and attached itself to everyone¡¯s thoughts. It had the side effect of convincing others to do whatever she wanted¡ªunder the condition they weren¡¯t strong enough to repel her aura. Within the room only Aether and Umbra could do so, but if she formally aura broke, even they would struggle to resist her commands.

    Dessy smiled and nodded at his grandmother. ¡°I am Descending Rook, and I hail from Planet Name. Everyone calls me Dessy.¡±

    ¡°Good girl.¡± The empress dowager looked her up and down, and Aether felt the onset of a small headache. His grandmother was the type of person who would force others to answer nosy questions. ¡°Are you fertile?¡±

    ¡°I think so,¡± Dessy said, and her face twitched. Combined with her ruined makeup, she looked ragged and ghastly.

    ¡°Not the most elegant, are you?¡±

    Dessy lowered her head. ¡°I am only as great and as worthless as you say me to be, Your Majesty.¡±

    His grandmother nodded. She didn¡¯t show it on her face, but Aether knew she was happy with Dessy¡¯s response. He only hoped she would restrain her aura and allow Dessy the right to lie. She then asked, ¡°Do you care for my grandson?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you desire his wealth? Influence? Power?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t care at all.¡±

    His grandmother raised a brow. ¡°What about his handsomeness?¡±

    ¡°Blind to it.¡± Dessy smiled; her head tilted slightly to the side as if teasing the Empress Dowager of the Compass Constellation. Her answers, Aether noted, were exactly what his grandmother wanted.

    ¡°Then what do you want?¡±

    ¡°Nothing your grandson can give me.¡± Dessy raised her chin, indifferent to earthly goods.

    His grandmother scrutinized her body. ¡°Are you a virgin?¡±

    Aether furrowed his brows; only his grandmother would care about that because of some unfounded rumors surrounding aura-breaker inheritance.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Dessy nodded.

    The empress dowager stepped next to her and whispered something into her ear. Aether knew it was the most important question: ¡°Are you an aura-breaker?¡± Dessy whispered something in return, which could be nothing more than a resounding no.

    Frowning, his grandmother filled the hall with her aura then aura broke, multiplying her powers of command. The surrounding guests faced the walls and stage, their ears turning deaf. Even Umbra let her control him and obediently stepped aside. The droids collapsed; the cameras lost power.

    ¡°Aether, I don¡¯t want you to marry her,¡± his grandmother said. Then she slapped Dessy. A red palm print formed, and Dessy clutched it. Light tears glistened in her eyes, churning Aether¡¯s stomach with guilt.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    He gazed at her shaking form and pursed his lips. He desired to hold her close to his chest until her tears vanished. But what could he do in front of his grandmother who cared only for the legacy blood of the Star Lines?

    ¡°Not even an aura-breaker.¡± His grandmother scoffed. ¡°Do you know the importance of the Star Lines?¡±

    Dessy let out a small utterance of no, which further displeased his grandmother.

    She said, ¡°We protect the common people from the aura-breakers who misuse their powers. Our ancestors were the heroes who brought humanity out of the Dark Era and blessed the myriad galaxies, so it is our duty to rule the stars. Our blood is noble and our right derives itself from our aura. How could a mundane like you possibly hope to bear a child with our blood?¡±

    ¡°I do not dare,¡± Dessy said, and the sadness in her voice panged Aether.

    ¡°Do you know why I am called the Empress Dowager of the Compass Constellation and not the Star Empress of the Puresoul Galaxy?¡±

    It was a question Aether didn¡¯t know the answer to. His grandmother, Psyche Puresoul, ruled the Compass Constellation while her son, the constellation¡¯s emperor and also his uncle, lay sick in bed. Meanwhile, her younger sister ruled the Puresoul Galaxy as its star empress, and her other relatives ruled their respective constellations with the title of either emperor or empress¡ªwithout the star. The latter were essentially glorified star princes and princesses.

    Dessy shook her head to the question.

    The empress dowager said, ¡°My aura break lacks strength, so I never dared to eye the galaxy¡¯s star throne. Instead, I ceded it to my sister. My grandson, however, has far more power than anyone hopes to possess. He will inherit the constellation then lead the galaxy, but this is impossible if he can¡¯t pass on his blood and continue the Puresoul¡¯s Star Line. I know my place, so an insect like you should too. On your knees. Now.¡±

    Dessy dropped to the floor and kowtowed. Her back shivered.

    Aether frowned at his grandmother¡¯s explanation. There had to be more to it than that.

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± His grandmother smiled. ¡°Aether dear, you may marry whoever you wish as long as they possess a decent aura break.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, lowering his head. He sighed in relief that Gen was a strong aura-breaker. That solved some of his problems, and his mind spun with ideas of compensating Dessy for the trouble he had caused. If he didn¡¯t, Gen might blame him for taking poor care of her sister. Then, how would he ever convince Gen to marry him?

    Slap!

    His grandmother suddenly smacked him. At the last moment he had seen her hand but let her hit his helmet. She didn¡¯t restrain herself, allowing the full strength of an aura-breaker to strike him. He flexed his jaw in response to the jolt.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand,¡± she said. ¡°Haven¡¯t you learned your lesson after your uncle stripped you of your position as a general? Are you that desperate for Janus to inherit the constellation¡¯s throne? I will not let such a weak aura-breaker succeed his father¡¯s place in the Star Line. The others will laugh.¡±

    ¡°Janus won¡¯t succeed him.¡±

    His grandmother scoffed. ¡°I wish that were true, but don¡¯t underestimate the help he has garnered. Look at Umbra Keith. He¡¯s almost as strong as you, and he¡¯s not the only one supporting him. We can¡¯t let a fluke take our position by relying on outside aura-breakers.¡±

    ¡°I will inherit,¡± Aether said. His grandmother only cared for the aura concentration within her successors, not their ability to lead and govern. And more importantly, she only cared for powerful aura-breakers who had a chance of siring equally powerful offspring. This made it relatively easy for Aether to marry Gen if he wanted. There would be problems down the line, however, if he wished to inherit the galaxy¡¯s star throne.

    ¡°When will you marry?¡± asked his grandmother as she snubbed Dessy¡¯s still kneeling figure. ¡°You need to prove your potency. Janus already has a son and a daughter. Both aura-breakers of average strength, but they¡¯re young.¡±

    After a moment¡¯s pause, Aether revealed his innermost desires. He thought of Gen, but to keep his promise to not reveal her sex, he said she was Dessy¡¯s friend. ¡°I¡¯ve found someone I wish to marry. She¡¯s a powerful aura-breaker and also Descending Rook¡¯s friend. So Grandmother, please stop tormenting the woman I brought to the gala.¡±

    ¡°Her friend?¡± The empress dowager¡¯s eyes widened, and she took a second glance at Dessy. ¡°Stand and tell me everything about your friend.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Aether said; his heart beat in panic. Under his grandmother¡¯s aura break, Dessy wouldn¡¯t lie, so he feared she would reveal she had no friends who knew him.

    ¡°Quiet,¡± said the empress dowager. She helped Dessy to her feet, and Dessy, by accepting her help, showed respect to the empress dowager.

    Aether gazed in curiosity at Dessy. Most often, commoners mixed the customs of their planet¡¯s royalty with the customs of the Star Lines, resulting in many unseemly slights; yet Dessy knew how to respond.

    His grandmother¡ªwhile aura breaking¡ªordered, ¡°Now, tell me all about this friend of yours.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s from the D¡¯nathian lowlands,¡± Dessy said, shocking Aether. ¡°She¡¯s a mother of two and has a large butt, an oversized bust, and a seductive face. Her brain is wonky, and she gets whatever she wants by pummeling people. We¡¯re friends because I taught her the common tongue, which she still speaks in broken words. Once I caught her washing her hands in the toilet with a bidet. Prince Aether was too embarrassed to bring her to the gala, so he convinced me to be his fake date.¡±

    Aether¡¯s eye twitched, and his grandmother gasped. Too proud of her power, she never expected someone without an aura break to resist her powers of persuasion. She believed every word true, even though Aether realized it was a big, fat, insulting lie. What had he done to earn Dessy¡¯s spurn? Ignored her?

    ¡°You wretched grandson! I take back my words.¡± His grandmother¡¯s eyes lit with fury, and her hands shook. ¡°You are not fit to choose your own wife.¡± She raised her hands and turned the guests to face her. After releasing them from her powers, she said, ¡°Everyone! I have arrived, so let¡¯s begin the exhibition. I also have an important announcement to make. My grandson, Aether Puresoul, has decided to marry South Star¡¯s elite princess, Reya Odis!¡±

    There was a scream¡ªReya, no doubt¡ªand she fainted. Fenri wasn¡¯t quick enough to catch her; her head smacked the floor, and green hair splayed like a clump of grass hitting concrete.

    Aether glared at Dessy. Seductive or not, if she hadn¡¯t been Gen¡¯s sister, he would¡¯ve torn her to shreds. As if feeling his irritation, she innocently turned her head and blinked at him, unaware of the mess she had created. His conviction wavered as his throat tightened at her fluttering lashes and limpid eyes. He struggled to resist her charm; then upon succeeding, he gritted his teeth and declared war.

    How dare she keep him from Gen?

 17: Feeling Smug

    Gen was laughing at Aether, and she wished to knock off his helmet and examine his scowl. It had been so tempting to insult him, so when the empress dowager gave her the perfect chance, she burned him as hard as she could¡ªeven if that meant discarding her chance of seducing him. Who had told him to use her as some shield for his supposed fiancee? He had ignored her, so he got what he deserved.

    Gen was disappointed, however, that she inadvertently helped him capture his childhood sweetheart, Reya. It surprised her that Reya was a princess, but not that much. It was normal for someone of a star-less royalty to not use honorifics and titles, especially so in the presence of a star prince.

    Gleaming with happiness, Gen stood next to Umbra while the hosts manually lined up chairs and prepared for the fashion exhibition. Normally the flooring parted to reveal them, but Aether had destroyed the mechanism during his bout with Umbra.

    ¡°You seem happy,¡± Umbra said.

    Gen fanned herself and grinned. ¡°Did you eavesdrop?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m gutsy but not that gutsy.¡±

    ¡°Hoho, it was fantastic,¡± Gen laughed. To her Umbra suddenly looked pleasing to the eye. Maybe it was the dancing, or that he was the only one willing to talk to her, or the sudden idea of enemies turned lovers. Either way, she forgave him for trying to kill her years ago in another constellation. ¡°I said something that really smashed his balls.¡±

    ¡°Smashed his balls?¡± Umbra¡¯s brow raised, and Gen returned a gentle smile, remaining silent. He chuckled. ¡°I think it¡¯s cute.¡±

    ¡°That I screwed him over?¡±

    Umbra leaned and whispered, ¡°That you said you ¡®smashed his balls.¡¯ ¡±

    ¡°Did I? It¡¯s not proper for a lady to speak like that,¡± she said then felt a sudden coldness nip her neck. Aether stood behind her, his armor fingerbreadths from her. She wryly asked, ¡°Aether dear, are you still marrying my friend?¡±

    He gripped her arm then growled at Umbra. ¡°Get back to your duty.¡±

    Seeing his hotheaded anger, Gen widened her grin. Her insult had struck Aether¡¯s sore spot and whittled his composure, and the giddiness of doing so filled her head. Oh, how wonderful it would be once she crushed his heart.

    Umbra left to stand by the empress dowager¡¯s side. The old woman was staring at her, and following her lead, Umbra glared at Aether. With ruby eyes, hot-pink hair, and a blue bowtie, he looked rather comical with his scrunched brows.

    ¡°Dessy, what was that?¡± Aether asked.

    She fluttered her eyelashes. ¡°What was what? Am I not allowed to speak to a bodyguard?¡±

    Cold seeped into her bones, and he whispered into her ear. His helmet clinked against her head, and his sexy voice teased her senses. ¡°Why did you make those things up about some D¡¯nathian?¡±

    Gen pressed herself against his armor and glanced at Reya to find her still unconscious. She had hoped Reya would see, resulting in tension between the woman and Aether. Light tears¡ªfake of course¡ªglistened in Gen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was angry that you didn¡¯t defend me, and we both know you¡¯re not planning to marry some friend of mine. Will you forgive me? I got slapped.¡±

    Aether shifted, and Gen sensed his discomfort. Feeling mischievous, she clung to him even as Umbra¡¯s and the empress dowager¡¯s glares shot daggers. And having delayed the gala¡¯s events, the pair remained silent to Gen¡¯s actions.

    ¡°You have a considerate grandmother,¡± she whispered to Aether, not caring whether he responded or not. She didn¡¯t follow politics, but she assumed it was rare for someone of his grandmother¡¯s status to let him choose his own wife. Guilt¡ªbut only a little¡ªstabbed at her and dampened her happy mood.

    The assassins had and could kill Law because his marriage wasn¡¯t approved and few people knew of it. If more had known, Janus wouldn¡¯t have dared to have him murdered. And even now, Law¡¯s son had to pretend he never existed.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    The hosts finished setting up the chairs, and most of the guests took their seats. Aether and Gen remained standing, their bodies ambiguously close and clutching each other like murderous droids. Neither relented to release the other.

    The first person¡ªthe annoying woman dressed in purple¡ªclimbed onto the stage. Her boots were glowing and created a simple barrier. She strutted around while someone shot at her. The bullets hit her barrier then fell to the ground. Gen found nothing special about the boots, which disappointed her.

    ¡°Gen,¡± Aether said, causing all the hairs on Gen¡¯s back to stand on end. Had he discovered who she was? Her heart wildly thumped: could he recognize her? But his next words disappointed her, and she rebuked herself for her unfounded optimism. ¡°I want to marry Gen.¡±

    And then her brain faltered upon realizing their meaning. There was a difference between him joking to Gen and joking to Dessy. The former was a playboy teasing a crossdresser while the latter was...well...it was weird. Very weird.

    ¡°Are you joking?¡± she carefully asked.

    ¡°No,¡± he said with conviction, and she imagined his deadpan expression.

    Her cheeks burned red, and she tried to grasp at something logical. It made no sense for Aether to like her; she was bold, daring, competitive, crude, and overly eccentric about weapons, vehicles, and men¡ªand teaching others a lesson. This was only half the list, and nothing about her spoke of a likable woman who a star prince would want to marry. Sure, she believed her true love was out there somewhere, but he was definitely not someone so handsome and leagues above her. And neither was he a playboy.

    Gen grasped one possible explanation. He wanted to make Dessy jealous as punishment for lying to the empress dowager. It was a poor way to go about it. And did he actually think Dessy was interested in him? Ok, maybe she was, but that was purely on a physical level because, hey, who could resist the hottest hottie of the galaxy?

    Gen weakly coughed and flattered him, hoping it would further her plan of seducing him. ¡°I understand. And you¡¯re telling me this because...¡±

    ¡°I need your help.¡±

    She smiled sweetly, concealing her slyness. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell Gen what happened tonight. Tell her I took care of you well and that there were no problems.¡±

    ¡°On one condition,¡± Gen said, inwardly laughing at him: man, I¡¯m right here. If you want to pretend to be a good boss, try not to be such a jerk in the first place.

    ¡°What?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I want another date.¡±

    His aura exploded outward, casing the ground in ice and freezing her dress. Her body shivered, and she tilted her head at him, blinking her eyes as she pursed her lips. Suddenly, she felt his grandmother focus on her.

    ¡°Is that a no?¡± Gen asked.

    He groaned¡ªvery faintly¡ªand said, ¡°It¡¯s a deal. But you also need to tell me her likes and dislikes.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± she said.

    The empress dowager stood from her seat, and next to her Umbra snapped his fingers. Orbs hovered in the air, creating the outline of a spinning ring. He launched a few beams towards the stage, and the woman currently showing off her jet-black boots vaulted aside. She flew through the air, then twisting, landed on her feet. The stage shook.

    ¡°Sorry to disturb.¡± Umbra shrugged. ¡°Empress Dowager of the Compass Constellation has an announcement to make.¡±

    The elderly woman glanced at Gen then at one of the hosts. ¡°Everyone who came to the gala brought a fashionable weapon. Descending, why don¡¯t you come up on the stage and show us yours?¡±

    ¡°Grandmother, she is my date for tonight. I want her by my side,¡± Aether said. His grip on Gen¡¯s arm tightened, and she sent him a sidelong glance. Now you defend me?

    ¡°I think that¡¯s a great idea,¡± Gen said, donning a large smile as she shook off his hand. She slowly ascended the side ramp to the stage. Standing in front of everyone, she coyly placed a finger to her chin and asked, ¡°Does anyone want to guess what type of weapon I brought?¡±

    ¡°Pen,¡± Umbra said, and he patted his left hip. Aether, facing him and releasing a small storm of hail, likewise patted his right thigh. They were so obvious that the people sitting in the front row noticed their actions.

    Don¡¯t tell me... Face twitching, she brought her hands to the folds of her puffy dress and felt between its ruffles. Her fingertips touched two cylindrical objects¡ªpens. She could explain one as Aether¡¯s last ditch effort to help her; but how, when, and why had Umbra sneaked the other into her dress?

    It turned her on¡ªthat two men had slipped weapons into her clothes¡ªand it also stroked her competitive streak. She should have noticed their actions, but she didn¡¯t, and this was why she hated poofy dresses. What if it had been a bug or a bomb? She was losing her touch.

    Gen clucked her tongue then met eyes with the man who had previously incited aggression within her. He had aura broken and was currently directing his power at her, but she didn¡¯t care. Closing her eyes, she accepted the manipulation. Later, she¡¯d teach him a lesson.

    She inhaled a deep breath and smirked. Aether and Umbra had hurt her manly pride, so to hell with maintaining a low profile and acting like some elegant woman. She was a tough lady no matter what guise she wore!

    She reached for her dress¡¯s skirt.

 18: A Shocking Display

    Gen tore the two weaponized pens from her dress¡ªAether¡¯s had been connected with ice and Umbra¡¯s had been clipped. They were both the same make and model, so she presumed they were common and didn¡¯t mind destroying them. Calling them pens, however, was inaccurate because they couldn¡¯t write. Crafted from the metal commonly used within aura gauntlets, they were the second smallest aura weapons she had ever seen¡ªright after True Stilettos¡¯ heels.

    Gen held them before the crowd and injected aura into them. They lit up, releasing a small smokescreen. A poor ability that did nothing to help her display... Gen pursed her lips then tossed them high into the air. The woman in purple scoffed, ¡°Lame!¡±

    Gen stepped back and spread her legs, hoping her annoying dress didn¡¯t get in the way and that she wouldn¡¯t twist her ankles. If an accident did happen, well, she had the healing pods to fix the injury, and hopefully Aether wouldn¡¯t send her to a hospital instead. Gen hated hospitals.

    Her eyes remained transfixed on the falling pens; she calculating their path. Once they hit the appropriate height, she placed her hand onto the stage and swung her leg behind her. She kicked up her other leg and placed down her second hand, beginning a breakdance flare. She carried through with the move, swinging her legs around her body and raising her arms as she activated True Stilettos. The blue aura blades created afterimages in the air, akin to a vehicle¡¯s neon lights piercing through the night.

    During the second revolution, the pens fell into True Stilettos¡¯ range. A blade struck them both but didn¡¯t slice through; instead, the pens activated. Smoke covered her, hiding her figure from the audience. As she entered the third revolution, the edge of her palm landed on the skirt of her dress. Rip! She gritted her teeth in frustration. Her hips, upon meeting the friction, had shifted and disoriented her balance.

    She pulsed her aura, not enough for Umbra to recognize her, but enough to undulate the smoke and shift herself into position so that she could continue her revolutions. The smoke swirled around her with the movements of her legs, forming a thin wind barrier that rippled with her aura. Her stiletto blades, piercing it, tore long gaps.

    Peering through, Gen noticed the audience¡¯s gaping mouths¡ªbut that was not all. Some women covered their eyes, a few men turned their heads from the stage, others were frozen stiff; and Umbra, face a vibrant red, coughed and pulled at the leg of his pants. The empress dowager¡¯s jaw twitched as if her lips didn¡¯t know what to do. And Aether¡ªhe stormed from the gala, his head low.

    Oh crap, did I just...? Gen halted her flares and snapped her thighs, shutting her legs as she rose to stand. Her cheeks burned hotter than Sexy¡¯s plasma core. Dresses. She hated them and the black, lacy lingerie she had worn to complete her Dessy outfit. Thank goodness she had decided not to wear a flimsy thong. Her obscene display could have been much worse¡ªthere could have been no smoke. But did the smokescreen help hide what was beneath her dress or did it fuel one¡¯s fantasies?

    Act cool, act cool, she told herself as she picked up the two pens with quivering hands. She raised one of her legs, placed the pens at its heel, then activated the respective True Stiletto. The aura blade punctured them so quickly that the metal rods didn¡¯t release smoke. The needless destruction did nothing to abate her nerves, and her dress¡¯s partly ripped ruffle taunted her to tear it off.

    Gen smiled at the still stunned crowd, heart beating rapidly from embarrassment, praying to be blessed with thick skin and a shield of shamelessness. ¡°Thanks for watching, everyone,¡± she said as cutely as she could. Then, she hopped off the stage and refused to make eye contact with anyone¡ªespecially not with the random man whose nose began to bleed.

    The audience remained eerily silent; it pricked her more than laughter. Were they impressed? Embarrassed? Shocked? Confused? Aroused? A bit of everything?

    STAR PRINCE¡¯S DATE FLAUNTS HER PANTIES. She imagined tomorrow¡¯s headline and the gossiping sneers. The broadcasting cameras seemed far more evil to her than Janus Puresoul. Gen had made her performance unforgettable, but not in the way she had wanted. She strode¡ªalmost jogging¡ªaround the seats, following Aether¡¯s footsteps to leave.

    Somebody broke the silence; thankfully, the man didn¡¯t mention her panties. ¡°Those pens were worth 5 million star credits... Each.¡±

    Gen lowered her head and pushed through the double doors. No way they were worth as much as a few Nightingales. Right?

    When she entered the gala¡¯s outer section, she found the people milling about in confusion. The large screens had become static, showing only white and black lines. Gen sighed in relief; Mind still had his reliable moments and had cut the broadcast.

    Her steps faltered; she sensed Umbra behind her. She picked up her pace and turned down the hallway. He still followed. A few more turns, three flights of stairs, and a sliding door. She stepped onto an old, rusty skywalk bridging the distance from this skyscraper to the one across her. Few people used it¡ªGen couldn¡¯t be relied upon for knowing people, but she always checked a building¡¯s blueprints and the locations of their skywalks and docks.

    ¡°Are you going to continue following me?¡± she asked, swirling around on her heels. She stumbled; one had caught in the skywalk¡¯s grate. She yanked her foot and inwardly cursed True Stilettos¡¯ thinness.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Let me help.¡± Umbra supported her by the arm, and she stiffened, gazing into his eyes. His ears were still red, not having cooled down from her display. Had he come to tease her or had he noticed her pulsing the smoke?

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be with Her Majesty?¡± she asked and tightly gripped his wrist. If he recognized her¡ªwhich she doubted because most aura-breakers could lightly pulse their aura¡ªhe might toss her over the railing. At least by holding him she¡¯d take him with her.

    ¡°It¡¯s more of a formality,¡± Umbra said. The cold, night breeze nipped her skin, and Gen realized the amount of warmth emanating from his skin. Her body moved closer to his, almost instinctively. He said, ¡°Lift your heel.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she stammered, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out two oddly shaped metal sheets. They each had small prongs on one side, and during her muddle-headedness, he bumped her nose with them. She exclaimed, ¡°Hey! Those better be clean, whatever they are.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen these?¡±

    Gen raised a brow. Should she have?

    Umbra chuckled. ¡°And I thought you wore heels often. They connect to the heels so they don¡¯t get stuck in grates. These are the old lady¡¯s, treat them nicely.¡± He dropped to his knee and lifted her right foot.

    She leaned into him and grabbed the back of his tuxedo. He wasn¡¯t tricking her into letting him throw her off the skywalk¡ªor at least that¡¯s what she hoped he was thinking about and not her black lingerie. At her own thoughts, her cheeks reddened and discomfort formed below her abdomen. ¡°The old lady¡¯s? You mean the empress dowager¡¯s?¡±

    He glossed over her question with a shrug. ¡°You were stunning during your performance, and your pumps are amazing.¡± His fingers brushed her skin, tantalizing her as he lowered her foot. ¡°Next.¡±

    Gen lifted her other heel and tried shifting the topic away from the exhibition. ¡°They¡¯re stilettos, not pumps.¡±

    ¡°Do you breakdance?¡± he asked.

    She rolled her eyes. Please, stop reminding her how she hated wearing dresses. ¡°My brother taught me some power moves.¡±

    ¡°He must be pretty good. What¡¯s his name?¡±

    ¡°Generation.¡±

    Umbra rose. Then taking off his tuxedo¡¯s jacket, he draped it over her shoulders. ¡°Stay warm. May I drive you home?¡±

    His scent and body heat lingered on his jacket, and she grabbed his arm¡ªnot romantically, but for survival¡¯s sake. She couldn¡¯t have herself tipping over the rail and falling more than 200 stories because of a giddy head. That would be far more embarrassing than the sight she had shown the crowd.

    Umbra, possibly getting the wrong idea, pulled her to his chest and lowered his lips close to hers. She turned her head, ignoring the fluttering in her heart.

    This was dangerous, she told herself. He was Janus¡¯s hitman, and he knew nothing of her true self. Anything that happened between them would dissolve into nothingness when Dessy¡¯s existence as a disguise met its end. If and of anything left over, it would be pain and disappointment.

    Umbra disengaged and muttered an apology. Gen¡¯s wrist watch vibrated; it was either Mind or Aether, most likely the former.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Umbra said softly, directing her gaze at his own. ¡°I mean it. You were amazing tonight, and I had a lot of fun.¡±

    Gen coughed. It was easier to brush him off by joking, so thinking of how he got a full view of her underwear, she said, ¡°Sure, you did.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± he said, flashing a grin. ¡°Thinking about something lewd?¡±

    She choked and shook her head. Her wrist watch vibrated for a second time. And then a third.

    Umbra glanced at it. ¡°So, is that Aether? He¡¯s not the greatest date, is he? I don¡¯t get why women say he¡¯s the number one bachelor.¡± He snapped his fingers, forming a small orb. ¡°Shall I gouge out his eyes?¡±

    ¡°It might be my brother,¡± she said and opened her messages. She used her shoulders to hide them from Umbra but relaxed her vigilance upon realizing Mind had changed his contact name. She let Umbra chance a peek. He didn¡¯t do so.

    Ascending: Mayday! Code 12! Code 12!

    Ascending: I said Code 12!

    Ascending: Enough with the toaster and the oven!

    Gen¡¯s face blackened at the last message. The toaster and the oven, it was one of Mind¡¯s weird euphemisms for sex. And code 12¡ªa randomly picked number¡ªmeant that Aether was searching for Gen¡¯s whereabouts and that she should prepare to make an appearance.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I need to go,¡± Gen told Umbra.

    ¡°Want a ride?¡±

    She shook her head, and her wrist watch vibrated for a fourth time. Before she checked it, Umbra covered it with his palm.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he said, ¡°I mean it. I had a lot of fun dancing with you, and I have a business card in my jacket¡¯s inner pocket. Feel free to give me a call when you¡¯re free.¡± Then he released her.

    What was with all these aura knights carrying business cards? First Fenri, then Aether, and now Umbra. Did they have nothing else to do with such an expensive commodity such as paper?

    Gen nodded, planning to never call him. It wasn¡¯t good for her and Dessy how her heart thumped too wildly to his attentiveness.

    Ascending: Code 93!

    Code 93? She wrinkled her nose; she didn¡¯t remember that one. Another message arrived.

    Ascending: C 0

    Her heart leapt. Mind¡¯s life was in danger.

    ¡°Umbra, I need to borrow your car!¡± She grasped Umbra¡¯s arm, her nails digging into his skin.

    He raised a brow, moving too slowly for her. ¡°What made you¡ª¡±

    Boom! Clouds of smoke. Shattering glass.

    The skyway lurched, and Umbra wrapped his arms around her. Her mind flooded with thoughts: someone was attacking the gala, and the name Ascending Rook was on the guest list. Mind was inside.

    Her back shivered, sensing ill-intent and the crosshairs of some distant weapon.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± She grabbed Umbra and pulled him off the skywalk, flipping them over the railing. A rocket exploded where they had stood, spraying plasma and melting the metal grate. The walkway collapsed in on itself and detached from the high-rises.

 19: Attack on the Gala

    Why did she do that? Gen yelled at herself as she fell through the air. Lights from various offices and apartments drifted by her, and above the pair the skywalk fell and chased their descent. Its glowing metal reminded her of her idiocy like a droplet of plasma burning her skin after choosing to overload a plasma pistol.

    Why had she taken Umbra with her? It only complicated things. If she had fallen by herself, she could have aura broken and used her force field to survive the fall. Now that he was with her, doing so would reveal her identity and leave her with no choice but to waste time and kill him. She should have left him to fend for himself against that rocket...

    Umbra slapped her back, materializing five head-sized orbs. His aura undulated, and the orbs fired at the skyscraper and combined their lasers into one. Glass shattered, metal screeched. The beam dragged downward, and its energy deflected off the building, forming a slanting, crystal-like spike. Aura spilled from Umbra¡¯s body, breaking their fall as they hit its surface.

    Umbra groaned, but Gen, who had landed on him, snickered. It seemed he still had his uses... She didn¡¯t need to steal a ride to return to the gala, nor did she need to climb a vexing amount of stairs. And to her own secret delight, he was unexpectedly soft.

    Umbra raised his hands, entrapping her with straightened arms that held her sides. His open palms faced the falling skywalk, and the orbs fired, striking it in a burning mesh of reds and oranges. Sparks flew.

    Gen squirmed off his chest and scrambled to her feet. She dashed towards the skyscraper¡ªheels slipping and sliding on the crystal¡¯s surface, so she stabbed with True Stilettos¡¯ blades. Carelessly waving her hand, she called out, ¡°Thanks, Umbra!¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± He lay on his back and focused his attack on the skywalk. Unless he wanted it to crash into him and break his crystal platform, he couldn''t chase after her. He yelled, ¡°Dessy!!!¡±

    ¡°Sorry!¡± Gen jumped through the broken window. The choice was simple: her brother was her world. She took off True Stilettos, held them, and sprinted down the hallway¡ªall while aura imbued her muscles and accelerated her speed. The people watched with wide eyes. A few tried to stop her¡ªpossibly finding her suspicious with the recent explosions¡ªand she pushed them aside and stormed the stairway.

    Fifteen floors. There were fifteen floors until she reached the gala. She bounded upward, legs spreading and hiking up her dress. Gen didn¡¯t care. What was reputation if she didn¡¯t have a family to share in her pride? By the tenth floor, she met people spilling forth from above and fleeing the gala. Some fighters they were... They couldn¡¯t defend themselves despite the weapons they wore.

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± Gen wedged herself through and restrained the urge to pulse open a path. ¡°Ah!¡±

    The stairs shook, startling her as screeching filled the stairwell; the high-pitch sound rang within her ears. Gen grabbed the railing, and the people fell and tumbled. What was happening?

    A laser beam pierced the landing in front of her, saturating the stairs with red light. An unlucky man lost half his body¡ªdeath swift, his organs had disintegrated before he could yell in either pain or surprise.

    Standing on a red spike, Umbra rose from the hole and offered his hand. He wore a smug grin. ¡°Up?¡±

    Annoyed, Gen grabbed his arm and dug her nails into his skin. What a psycho. With aura-breakers like him, no one doubted how aura caused the ancient apocalypse and sparked the Dark Era. The mundane had no chance of surviving, and people like Umbra were gods to them, but in a way, so was she.

    Umbra pressed her against his body then extended his crystal, elevating them upward. He said, ¡°Saved your life, acted as your elevator... I think you owe me a date.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Gen said. A large smile plastered her face; her eyelashes fluttered with insincerity.

    He nuzzled her cheek with his nose, and she resisted the urge to pulse him¡ªMind needed her. The scoundrel chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t seem too sincere. Is it because I tried to kiss you?¡±

    Gen remained silent, face still smiling. They arrived at the gala¡¯s floor.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s a date.¡± Umbra nodded and set her feet on the warped landing whose warmth tickled her toes. Brushing past her, he kicked the door and summoned his orbs with a clap. ¡°Stay behind me.¡±

    Gen flared her nostrils at his comment, and she saw the wreckage as nothing special. Smoke filled the gala¡¯s outer halls; various bodies lay strewn on the ground, groaning in pain; and splotches of blood covered the shattered screens as the walls sparked.

    A large gap had rent itself at the far end of the hall, and six soldiers spilled inside, leaping from a large flying pod. Each wore a black, leather suit and a red crow mask that covered more than half their face.

    The Starblood Sealers. They were aura knights who pretended to be a revolutionary group fighting for equality between the elite aura-breakers and the common person. A decent cause, but they actually worked for Star Prince Janus, which Gen knew only because they, like Umbra, had tried to kill her without reason on multiple occasions.

    Umbra frowned at the sight of them, and he released a frenzy of beams. His lasers cracked the translucent shields powered by their opponent¡¯s aura gauntlets. The invaders fired their guns, but having normal ammunition, the bullets curved around them upon meeting the pressure suffused by Umbra¡¯s aura. Someone fired a plasma shot¡ªnot something his aura could deflect¡ªand it hid itself within the barrage. Picking it out, Umbra struck it with his beam; the energies exploded, further cracking the screen walls.

    Gen, with her True Stilettos tucked beneath one arm, checked her wrist watch. Her lips quivered upon finding no new messages from Mind. Please let him have remembered, she prayed then jabbed a few buttons.

    A map appeared, and she sighed in relief. Mind had given her access to his own tracking device, which he had injected into his wrist when she had complained about him spying on her while she herself never knew his location.

    She enlarged the map and found that the marker blinked within the inner section. Her brows wrinkled. If he had been there, she would have noticed his presence during her embarrassing display. Or did he seek sanctuary when the Starblood Sealers attacked?

    ¡°Umbra, can you take me to the inner hall? The elite section?¡± Gen asked. She could easily reach her destination using her aura break, but if she had a willing glass cannon, why not have him escort her? It would save her trouble because revealing herself would complicate Mind¡¯s rescue. Presumably, the Starblood Sealers were targeting the empress dowager but would swap targets if they discovered her, because Gen was someone they had hunted for almost ten years.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Umbra raised his hands, and the beams crafted a web of spikes, blocking the ever-invading soldiers. His breath was haggard¡ªhe was running low on aura and had expended most of it during their initial fall. ¡°That¡¯s probably the safest.¡±

    As three of his orbs supplied energy to his blockade, his remaining two carved a human-sized oval into the wall. Braving glass, Gen kicked it with her bare feet and opened the passage.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Umbra placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from walking first. She nodded obediently but crushed his ribs with an imaginary crowbar for treating her like a delicate lady.

    ¡°Hurry up,¡± Gen said. Then, she reminded herself not to deviate too much from Dessy¡¯s personality and that it would be best if she rescued Mind without being caught. She sweetly added, ¡°Please.¡±

    Umbra wrapped his arm around her waist, startling her as he pulled her close and used his body to shield her from danger. It was sickening yet charming. He halted his three orbs, and then the barricade exploded and he carried her into the next hallway. His beams fired¡ªhaphazardly striking anyone standing around them, foe or not. Many people, unaware of what happened, lost their heads and plunked to the ground. This psycho... Such needless killing.

    ¡°My brother is here.¡± Gen jabbed True Stiletto R into his stomach. Mind, of course, wasn¡¯t in the outer section, but if he had been, Umbra would¡¯ve taken his head.

    He pursed his lips then cut through the next wall¡ªthe last one that separated them from the inner section. Gen held her breath, embracing herself for the possible sight. Memories of Law¡¯s dead body clouded her vision: a white skywalk, a puddle of blood, a waterfall of tears.

    The slamming of the cut-out wall snapped Gen awake, stopping her mind from drifting. A thick smoke cloud stood motionless before her, so still it was akin to a picture. There was no breeze, and neither was there a sound.

    ¡°Disperse,¡± a voice pierced the silence, carrying with it an overbearing will. The clouds held slave to the word and billowed into the hallway and kicked up the skirt of Gen¡¯s dress. The empress dowager stood at the center of the room, her arms raised like an eagle spreading its wings. Beneath her, her boots released swirling wisps of aura and entangled the plasma shots that hung in the air like floating droplets.

    Gen hesitated, not because she felt appalled, but because the empress dowager¡¯s will clashed with hers. She inhaled a deep breath, cleared her mind, and thought of her brother. Don¡¯t give in. Gen¡¯s aura coursed through every cell of her own body, wrenching her muscles from the dowager¡¯s control. Upon regaining her faculties, she scanned the room with bated breath.

    Mind wasn¡¯t present; her face paled, hand quivering. Gen clutched Umbra¡¯s arm, which still hooked her waist, and squeezed until her fingers went white and her anxiety calmed. Umbra bit his bottom lip¡ªpained, no doubt.

    Think, she whispered to herself.

    ¡°Drop,¡± said the empress dowager. The hovering bullets and plasma shots began to fall, but then an unknown yet oddly familiar aura swept through the room. Gen¡¯s body quivered; her own aura, which she had imbued into her flesh, revolted and shook. Her stomach lurched.

    Pop!

    Umbra¡¯s orbs exploded, blinding everyone with a sudden flash. Screams. Stampeding feet. More smoke.

    Eyes recovering, Gen discerned the moving figure of the empress dowager. The elderly woman held a miniature plasma pistol and a rapier¡ªwho knows where she had hid them on her person? She somersaulted through the air, dress fanning the smoke and body dodging the incoming plasma shots. Twisting to safety, the empress dowager landed beside an enemy soldier and thrust her blade into his skull.

    The kitchen! Where else would Mind be if he wasn¡¯t in the elite section? Gen shoved Umbra in order to free herself, and a giant shield of ice slammed into his back and alarmed her with its appearance. It would have struck her too if she hadn¡¯t fled his side.

    Aether. That careless jerk.

    ¡°Umbra,¡± Aether¡¯s voice was quiet, yet the sound nipped her ears with an icy chill. Hail spun around his body like a vortex of resentment. He spat, ¡°You traitor.¡±

    Umbra, now freed from the empress dowager, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not part of this.¡±

    Aether snorted and raised his right hand. One of his seven shards transformed into a claymore, and its pommel bore the crest of the Puresoul family¡ªa cloud pierced by a strike of lightning.

    Gen slunk into the smoke, leaving them as she tightly gripped a True Stiletto in each hand. The shoes were the worst dagger handles, but she liked the blade itself.

    ¡°Dessy, stay close,¡± the two men said in unison, causing her to frown.

    Couldn¡¯t they continue their argument? Why drag her into it? She had her brother to rescue, so she turned and sprinted, aiming for the hole in the ground where a few enemy soldiers had entered. She should have realized it first, but the floor below the gala held all the utilities needed to host events. A computer and broadcasting room, a storage area with tables and chairs, a backup generator, and most importantly, a kitchen. These were all things Mind loved most.

    Gen clenched her jaw and clutched her high heels, fingers turning white. Her brother better have survived the blast or she¡¯d do what she had always been hesitant to do¡ªkill Janus and face his Star Line¡¯s wrath. Her eyes dampened with fear and tears, and she told herself, be tough.

    Gen charged at the soldier blocking her path, and the man stumbled back a step. He lifted his handgun¡ªa cheap 15cc plasma pistol that fired globs the size of its designated volume¡ªand took aim. Gen¡¯s foot released a pulse of aura, jolting her forward. Her shoulder turned as she ducked, avoiding his pistol¡¯s delayed shot.

    Although their shots resisted the pressure created from aura, plasma guns had a split-second delay before firing, and during this time they couldn¡¯t be moved unless one risked jamming and overheating the weapon. They weren¡¯t as efficient for killing people as a normal pistol, but if one wanted to kill an aura-breaker, one needed to use a plasma weapon. That or either a blade through the heart or the more expensive magma alternative.

    Gen knocked the pistol from his hand and sliced his neck with True Stiletto R. His blood sprayed, and as he fell, she abandoned her True Stiletto L and snatched the 9mm handgun from his holster. Feeling its weight, she instinctively knew it was fully loaded, and she turned and pulled the trigger. A bullet planted itself into the forehead of a female Starblood Sealer who had tried to ambush her.

    Boom!

    Gen¡¯s spine shivered, and aura condensed around her, bending the path of a flying shard formed from both Umbra¡¯s energy and Aether¡¯s ice. The projectile brushed past her temple; its wind lifted a lock of her hair.

    These idiots! Aether and Umbra... Regardless of whether or not their goal was to clear the smoke or to kill each other, there was no need for friendly fire.

    ¡°You two, stop,¡± the empress dowager ordered, and the muscles of the two men stiffened. Aiming for those possessing adequate amounts of aura, she loaded plasma into multiple Starblood Sealers then pointed her rapier at a group of stunned elites. ¡°Fight.¡±

    The elites rose and activated their respective aura gauntlets and weaponized boots. It surprised Gen that none of them had previously acted professional. This was a weaponized fashion gala... Where were all the battle-hardened aura knights?

    Aether and Umbra turned their heads towards Gen. Umbra frowned, scrunching his brow until he looked like a child who had just been scolded and abandoned. Gen feared what kind of expression Aether bore beneath his helmet.

    Seriously? Leave me alone, she grumbled.

    She flipped them both off, despite the fact all her fingers gripped her pistol and shoe. Her actions could just as easily be mistaken for a wave as it could be for an obscene gesture. Feeling a mixture of guilt and satisfaction at deviating from her Dessy disguise, Gen leapt into the hole and landed on checkered flooring.

    The kitchen. Smoke blanketed the area and hid the sparking appliances, while the acrid smell of burning plastic¡ªshe couldn¡¯t identify its source¡ªassaulted her nostrils.

    ¡°Ascending!¡± she called.

    No response.

 20: Rescuing Mind

    The poor lighting within the kitchen, in addition to the smoke screen, prevented Gen from seeing farther than three meters from herself. She knelt and swapped her weapon hands, moving her True Stiletto R to her left and her pistol to the right. Aura covered her ears and enhanced her hearing as she closed her eyes and listened: dripping water, rickety fan, buzzing electricity, faint breathing.

    Three people¡ªall lying on the floor.

    Teeth clenched, Gen slunk towards the closest person. It was a woman whose body slumped against the door to the dry storage room. Locks of hair, which had fallen from her ponytail, matted her bloodied face; and numerous glass shards had torn her blue IT uniform and pencil skirt. Her shoulder bled profusely¡ªa bullet wound. Her shallow breathing forewarned of her closely approaching death.

    The woman had likely fled to the kitchen after the Starblood Sealers invaded. Someone had then shot her but left her with a chance to live. She would survive only if she reached a healing pod.

    Mind... Gen gnawed her bottom lip and prayed to the stars that Mind faced a more hopeful situation. She stepped over the woman¡¯s legs. Her eyes dampened, and it wasn¡¯t from the smoke.

    The second person¡ªa man wearing a similar IT uniform¡ªcrawled aimlessly. His broken dragged against the checkered flooring and smeared it with blood. Possibly hearing Gen¡¯s footsteps or breath, he flung his arm and shoulder and rolled onto his back. His blue eyes, standing apart from his brown mustache and beard, remained unfocused while he gazed at Gen in fear. He struggled away from her.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to help,¡± Gen whispered and touched his arm. He flinched. She asked, ¡°What happened? Have you seen a man wearing a three-quarter mask?¡±

    The man spat; then, grabbing a frying pan, he swung it at her head. Gen blocked it with her elbow and a miniature barrier of aura. It flung from the man¡¯s hand and clanged into a broken cabinet. Gen pinned his arm with her foot and his other one with True Stiletto¡¯s heel. His broken legs flailed but exerted no strength. Wails escaped his mouth, ringing throughout the kitchen.

    No one came. Where were the Starblood Sealers? The question flew swiftly, leaving just as quickly as it had come. Mind was more important.

    Gen stuffed the handgun into her cleavage, turned on her wrist watch¡¯s light, then carefully placed her fingers over the man¡¯s right eyelid. She gently pried it wide so that she could see the pupil and iris in whole. The man squirmed, almost causing her to poke his eye.

    ¡°Stay still,¡± she growled. A blue mist swirled within his cornea, clouding his vision; his eyes were hazel, not blue. Aura. Someone had bewitched him, but Gen wasn¡¯t privy of the details of this specific aura break.

    Her hand pulsed as her aura undulated like the rippling of water touched by wind. The mist within the man¡¯s eyes cleared, and his limbs fell slack as he lost consciousness.

    Just great, Gen grumbled and hurried towards the third and final person. Her breath tightened in her chest; if it wasn¡¯t Mind... She shook her head, not wanting to think about it.

    Click.

    She ducked, crouching close to the ground. A quick scan ensured no flashing lights and utilities revealed her figure through the smoke.

    Two people entered the far side of the kitchen, opposite both her and the third person. She slid her bare feet across the flooring, avoiding pots and pans and plastic containers, and clutching her gun¡¯s handle with sweaty fingers. As she continued forward, the amount of scattered items increased, and she felt an odd sense of foreboding.

    The two people whispered, their voices deep¡ªmost likely men. Gen condensed her aura, further amplifying both her hearing and the incoming sound waves.

    ¡°Why are we doing this?¡± asked a man.

    No response. A shrug, maybe?

    The man said, ¡°I really don¡¯t get it.¡±

    ¡°Just follow orders.¡±

    He groaned, ¡°Everyone else received a command for retreat.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll leave soon.¡±

    Crash! Silverware fell to the floor, followed by something much larger and an echoing thud. Gen winced. The amplified sound stabbed into her ears; she stretched her jaw, popping them.

    ¡°Careful!¡± said the partner.

    ¡°Sorry, sorry¡±¡ªa clink of some kind¡ª¡°Are they leaving us here to die?¡±

    His solemn partner made an exasperated groan.

    ¡°Like really,¡± said the talkative man, ¡°this operation is a total failure.¡±

    ¡°Be quiet.¡±

    ¡°Think we¡¯re a diversion?¡±

    The men approached the dry storage room where the dying woman lay slumped against its door. Their footsteps paused for a moment then continued.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The talkative man asked, ¡°Why would they tell us to walk around the kitchen? Like, nobody¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, already.¡±

    ¡°Hey, everybody knows I like to talk. I¡¯m Mr. Chatterbox.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re on a mission,¡± his partner growled.

    ¡°And we¡¯re gonna be dead soon. Too late to retreat. Oooohhhh, maybe they want me to talk.¡±

    ¡°What? Are you high?¡±

    ¡°Nah. I¡¯m a distraction genius.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of gunshots.

    ¡°Argh!¡± Gen howled and dropped her weapons to cover her ears. Her eardrums had ruptured, and blood drained from them; the warm liquid touched her palms. As she dismissed her aura, she retraced her steps and dashed towards the wall beside the injured man and woman. She was unwilling to risk letting a stray bullet hit the person who may be her brother.

    ¡°Hey! Someone¡¯s here,¡± said the talkative man¡ªhis words were muffled yet distinguishable. He fired his handgun, missing her by a long shot.

    Gen clenched her teeth¡ªhit my brother and I¡¯ll toss you off a high-rise more than three hundred stories tall She fired her pistol to attract their attention then yelled, ¡°Your aim is crap!¡±

    The man fired another shot.

    ¡°Dudes, I¡¯m here. Standing by the wall. Don¡¯t you see the sparking burner? What about this target?¡± Gen lifted True Stiletto R, activating its blade and waving it through the air like a torch. Meanwhile, aura suffused from her body and melded into two layers¡ªan outer and an inner sphere.

    Bang! A bullet whistled towards her, and as it entered the outer sphere, her aura exerted soft pressure against her body and trailed the bullet¡¯s flight path. The slug entered the inner sphere then veered, affected by the thickened aura.

    Scrutinizing the conveyed trajectory, Gen calculated the location of the man then pulled her gun¡¯s trigger. There was a thud and a grunt. Stupid bullet proof vest... She fired again and hit a translucent shield; a spark flashed within the smoke.

    Consecutive shots echoed in rapid succession; the man¡¯s partner was firing a submachine gun.

    Adrenaline surged through Gen and pushed down her crippling anxiety for her brother. Her body loosened and relaxed¡ªthis was the life she dreamed of: flurries of bullets, men to rescue, rooms of enemies, smokescreens to hide within....

    She released True Stiletto and covered her gun¡¯s chamber with her palm. She filled it with aura, which latched itself onto the chambered cartridge. A smug smile hung on her lips.

    Why would those two fellows¡ªUmbra and Aether¡ªbelieve she couldn¡¯t handle herself? No one could match her when it came to aura techniques. She knew them so well that she questioned whether her pulsing force field was an aura break or just another trick.

    Gen fired for a third time. The bullet, cloaked with her aura, flew towards the talkative man, and when it touched his shield, the aura melded itself into the barrier. It wedged open a small hole. The bullet passed through it and implanted itself into the man¡¯s flesh¡ªeither the shoulder or the arm.

    ¡°Aura-breaker,¡± he said then ran. Heavy footsteps echoed throughout the room, interspersing his pained words: ¡°Use plasma and get cover! He can pierce through shields.¡±

    The barrage of bullets ceased. More footsteps.

    Gen laughed, fully enjoying herself. ¡°Ha! Plasma? Man, you think too lightly of me. Get magma.¡±

    Aura surged from her body, and her aura field altered from two layers to three. As the inner two spheres thickened into heavily saturated zones, her aura reserves began draining; she could maintain her domain for at most fifteen minutes. Her third layer¡ªusing little aura¡ªremained much like the previous outer sphere and allowed her to sense flight trajectories.

    A plasma shot entered her aura field, and she adjusted her hand, aiming for its origin, which came from the chatter man¡¯s partner. The 20 cc glob of plasma sizzled within the smoke then curved. As it brushed past Umbra¡¯s jacket, she shot his plasma pistol.

    Boom!

    The partner crashed into a work table and screamed in pain, the table legs screeching against the floor. Jolts of electricity snaked through the smoke, and Gen surmised the exploded pistol had begun to condense and release droplets of plasma.

    ¡°Aaahhhh!¡± the man wailed. Then his voice faded¡ªhe had fallen unconscious.

    ¡°Die!¡± yelled the talkative man. He fired a plasma shot, which curved around her figure as she injected more aura into her gun chamber. She took aim and awaited the approach of the second shot.

    Coldness flooded the room, causing her to frown. Why had Aether come now of all times? She dove to the side and dissolved her three-layered domain. The incoming shot brushed past her upper arm, numbing it and burning the sleeve of Umbra¡¯s jacket. When she hit the ground, Gen released a vomit-inducing cry for help.

    Was the yell necessary? Nope, but she might as well try acting like a damsel in distress. It irked her soul, so she comforted herself, saying she did it for her grand plot of vengeance. Princes couldn¡¯t resist distressed damsels, right?

    The clouds billowed and funneled towards Aether, being devoured by his figure¡¯s orbiting ice shield. He stood at the center of the storm like a hero braving a galaxy¡¯s aura maelstrom. Gen¡¯s adrenaline bowed in ardor for his show of might¡ªand maybe her heart did too, but she refused to admit it.

    Aether faced the man. He didn¡¯t need to say anything, and the attacker dropped his gun and surrendered.

    How sexy. Gen blushed then chided herself to remember Mind. Her emotions flopped on themselves, taking a dive and causing her stomach to lurch and her lips to quiver. Her head, growing dizzy with anxiety, whipped around the room in search of Mind. There.

    ¡°Ascending!¡± She bolted towards her unconscious brother, ignoring the empress dowager and Umbra who had just entered the kitchen. Broken dishes sliced her feet as she stumbled closer to him. Her throat tightened, and genuine tears stained her cheeks.

    The amount of shrapnel increased as she approached the far corner. Unlike elsewhere in the kitchen, there had been stacks of glass cups and porcelain plates and bowls, which shattered during the explosion. The shards haloed her brother like a choking grave of thorns¡ªthey choked her too.

    Gen knelt beside him, ignoring the pain of glass digging into her knees. Her hands shook; the only comfort she had was that he still breathed.

    Torn clothes covered his body, and blood pooled around him. He was wearing his r-shaped mask, which covered three-fourths of his face to prevent others from recognizing him as Mind Bender. Gen caressed his revealed cheek, fingers shaking.

    Obstructed by fear, her mouth opened and closed, unable to say the words she wanted to yell: help him.

    A hand touched her back. It was oddly warm despite being covered by a gauntlet, and its warmth wrapped her in a comfort that cleared both her throat and her worries. She gazed up at him. Aether.

    ¡°He¡¯ll live,¡± he said. Something within his voice commanded her into believing him.

 21: End of the Gala

    Gen wiped her tears, and Aether knelt beside her and said, ¡°An ambulance is coming.¡±

    His words reversed the magic that had vanquished her worry, and she found herself grinding her teeth. This new agitation, directed at herself for using Ascending¡¯s name to enter the gala, flared her protective instincts as if she needed to rectify the mistake. If he had entered the elite section, would he be not as hurt?

    Mind required a healing pod, Gen told herself; and her brows wrinkled. Too many elites were injured, expending any hope of a medic admitting Mind into one. Instead, the ambulance would send him to a hospital to be treated by doctors¡ªpeople who healed others for the sake of learning and improving technology. It was cheaper and used fewer resources, but he might die before arriving. And if Mind did survive, he¡¯d have a mental breakdown on their ¡°research¡± tables, and the pristine walls would imprison his sanity. He hated hospitals more than she did.

    ¡°He needs a healing pod.¡± Gen grabbed Aether¡¯s shoulders, fingers squeezing his armor until they turned white. Aether was her only chance, and her eyes narrowed to ward off the answer of no. ¡°Please.¡±

    He nodded, and when he reached for Mind, Gen swatted his hand without thinking.

    ¡°Careful,¡± she said.

    ¡°He seems fine.¡±

    ¡°Fine?¡± Gen scoffed, completely abandoning Dessy and grinding her guise between clenched teeth. ¡°How is this fine!¡±

    ¡°Calm, little lamb,¡± Umbra said. He leaned close to Mind¡¯s nose, inciting Gen to lunge at him. Aether hooked an arm around her waist, restraining her.

    ¡°Hurt him, and I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Gen said. Killing intent infused itself into her aura, and she pressured Umbra with it, threatening him and appeasing her own frustration. The man shivered then donned a large grin.

    ¡°Heh, spunky. Never knew you could be so ferocious.¡± Umbra rolled up Mind¡¯s torn sleeve and smeared the blood with his fingers. No cuts.

    Gen¡¯s eyes widened, and as Aether released her, she slipped her fingers through the tears of Mind¡¯s suit jacket and formal shirt. Sticky blood coated her nails, but his skin was smooth and he bore no wounds. Somebody had healed him... But who? And Why?

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Gen faked a stutter. A foreboding different from Mind¡¯s death surfaced within her, replacing her agitation and forcing her brain to act. She was no longer clueless about Aether and Janus¡¯s relationship; they were enemies¡ªlikely due to their rivalry to inherit the constellation. If Aether discovered someone had healed Ascending, her and Mind¡¯s situation would turn precarious, especially so with the empress dowager watching. ¡°I-I thought his aura break wouldn¡¯t heal him if he fell unconscious. Please don¡¯t tell anyone. He¡¯s not registered.¡±

    ¡°An aura-breaker?¡± Umbra mumbled and rubbed his chin. ¡°And a super-healer. Those are rare.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Aether scooped Gen into his arms, pulling her body away from Mind but not her eyes. His voice turned threatening: ¡°Umbra will keep the secret. Won¡¯t you?¡±

    Umbra grinned. ¡°Anything for my little lamb.¡±

    ¡°Not yours,¡± Aether said as a cold wind grazed Gen¡¯s still-dampened cheeks.

    Gen exhaled a long-held breath, allowing Dessy¡¯s return as she comforted herself with the knowledge that Mind wouldn¡¯t die. Body relaxing, she smiled and hooked her arms around the back of Aether¡¯s neck. Her hands caressed his helmet, and she teased, ¡°Then, am I yours?¡±

    The kitchen warmed, but his voice was cold and stern. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then whose am I?¡± she asked. Her forefinger traced the crack in his face shield, and she wondered if he¡¯d say something cliche like her being her own woman.

    ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you to a good man.¡±

    Gen¡¯s face twitched. What the hell did that mean? Was he trying to marry her off to someone?

    Carrying her, Aether went to pick up True Stiletto R but left the pistol on the ground. Gen pretended not to be disappointed, and she muttered a thank you when he handed her the shoe.

    Aether whispered, ¡°Later, I need to talk to you.¡±

    She nodded then flinched upon seeing Umbra swing Mind over his shoulder. Her jaw clenched, and she flexed her abdominal muscles, hoping to vanquish the sudden urge to crack Umbra¡¯s skull. Dessy, be Dessy, she repeated to herself. ¡°Umbra, please handle him gently. Princess carry.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°For you, my little lamb.¡± Umbra wryly grinned then released Mind, letting him fall. At the last moment, he squatted and caught him in his arms.

    Her lips twitched, and she repeated mantra after mantra: Dessy is an elegant woman, an elegant woman,... Umbra¡¯s grin increased in size. Why had she ever thought him charming?

    ¡°Grandmother, leave everything to me,¡± Aether spoke. Gen turned her head; the empress dowager was staring at her. Her gaze, bearing neither malice nor goodwill, seemed perfectly indifferent, yet it hovered for too long. Goosebumps arose on Gen¡¯s skin as the hairs on her neck stood on end.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, then,¡± assented the empress dowager. ¡°Descending, visit me in three days time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Gen bowed her head but planned to flee before then. Dessy was a fake; why make an appearance before the empress dowager if it didn¡¯t help her seduce Aether? For respecting the Star Lines? Gen didn¡¯t mind slighting the elderly woman. The empress dowager had slapped her first.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    The weaponized fashion gala had officially ended during the attack, but Aether lingered to smooth it over as a terrorist attack¡ªneither him nor Umbra mentioned Prince Janus.

    Gen rolled her eyes. This was why she hated Star Line politics: all the star princes and princesses upheld the heroic image of their ancestors as their first priority. No matter how horrible the crime, the Star Lines, including those from other galaxies, would combine the force of their super-hackers to hide the information.

    Like how it seemed only she knew Aether was a playboy. Somebody must have erased the evidence... If only Mind liked digging into secrets, then she¡¯d have first hand proof of the star prince¡¯s delinquency.

    A small smile tugged at Gen¡¯s lips. Aether moved slower than a dock peeling off a skyscraper, but he carried her in his arms and wrapped her with his warm aura. It filled her head with smugness and poisonous desires. She hid them, forcing herself to think of Mind and her ultimate goal of smashing Aether. And reminded of revenge...

    Gen kicked her feet, splattering droplets of blood onto Reya¡¯s face for the woman¡¯s indifference towards Mind¡¯s unconscious state. She thought, cruel princess, you should be happy I¡¯m currently Dessy.

    Having been reprimanded for earlier complaints, Reya growled but otherwise remained silent.

    Gen flicked her ankles.

    Shy about their recent engagement, Aether avoided Reya¡¯s pout and told Gen, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to the healing pod once my vehicle fetches it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, dear, but as I¡¯ve said, my feet are fine. It¡¯s Ascending¡¯s blood.¡± Gen squashed her desire to tell him about her ruptured eardrums, and she instead fluttered her lashes. Are you seduced yet? Her gaze drifted onto Mind, who Umbra still carried. She explained, ¡°I¡¯m worried for my brother¡¯s head. He still hasn¡¯t awakened.¡±

    Umbra grinned. ¡°Peeking at me again, little lamb? This is the twenty-third time.¡±

    Gen blinked, saying nothing.

    A medic approached them, and Aether brushed him off with two words, ¡°good job.¡± Then, Fenri¡ªunharmed due to his aura break that allowed him to phase through walls and whisk his sister to safety¡ªaddressed the medic. The pair spoke of remunerations, various logistics, and how one of the medics, despite having floor maps, had become lost after taking a few elevators.

    Gen restrained a snicker. Dude, who took elevators? They were mazes, spanning limited floors and sections. They were especially horrid after a floor owner decided to remodel and block the door. Okay, she used elevators, but she preferred old-fashioned stairs, which remained straightforward due to the legacy laws pertaining to fire safety.

    ¡°Little lamb, what are you thinking?¡± Umbra slunk into her personal space, Aether¡¯s too. Mind¡¯s legs pressed against Aether¡¯s armor, reminding the man that he shouldn¡¯t freeze Umbra.

    Dessy, remember Dessy; Gen wrinkled her brows. ¡°I think my dear should carry Ascending. I trust him more not to drop him.¡±

    Aether warmed, and Umbra pursed his lips. The latter spoke softly so the chatting medic wouldn¡¯t hear, ¡°Still using ¡®dear¡¯? We all know you have a deal with him.¡±

    Inwardly chuckling, Gen formed an ¡°o¡± with her mouth and said, ¡°Really? Didn¡¯t you prove that wrong?¡±

    Umbra¡¯s face darkened. Then he beamed, sending a shiver down Gen¡¯s spine. ¡°What about our kiss?¡±

    Coldness nipped her, and she cursed both Umbra and herself. Why had she thought this man was charming? But at least he hadn¡¯t stolen her first kiss... Oh, that didn¡¯t seem like a bad lie to get Aether¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Assault. You kissed me without permission,¡± she said. Tears spilled over her cheeks, dripping until they froze and shattered against the floor. Gen shuddered at the dropping temperatures. Jerk! Show some compassion.

    ¡°What, you¡ª¡± Umbra¡¯s mouth snapped shut, and his lips turned blue, arms shaking as he held Mind.

    ¡°Aether!¡± Gen slapped the man¡¯s breastplate, and Aether turned his head and mumbled. What did he say? Her shoulder pressed into him, and she regretted her ruptured eardrums. If everything weren¡¯t so muffled, would she have heard a ¡°sorry¡±? Was Aether capable of saying that word?

    Gen felt his gaze fixate on her, and she imagined his hidden expression. Unaware of their actions, her fingers trailed the edge of his helmet as her cheeks blushed. She fantasized about using a small dagger to pry his armor off his body, inserting the blade into thin slits like an assassin slipping a sword through one¡¯s throat.

    ¡°Prince Aether,¡± Reya whined, causing Gen to frown at her ruined moment. ¡°Don¡¯t let her ogle you.¡±

    Ogle? Gen jutted her chin, hiding her wounded pride: Dessy doesn¡¯t ogle, only her true self.

    Fenri¡¯s wrist watch dinged, and he excused himself from the medic and checked it. He said, ¡°Your Highness, your vehicle has arrived with the newest healing pod.¡±

    Gen raised a brow. Newest healing pod? Is that why it took so long? Guh, this inconsiderate jerk. Her wounds weren¡¯t as shallow as she had said; a former general should know better. Her lips pulled into a sly smile. Maybe she could place Mind inside and heal her legs afterwards?

    A few scratches and scars meant nothing to her. She was a tough lady, but her brother was her one weakness¡ªapart from handsome men.

 22: Together in the Ravenbrood

    Within Aether¡¯s arms, Gen stared gobsmacked. How was this a star prince¡¯s vehicle?

    The rickety Ravenbrood hovered before them, humming with jerking stutters. The lights of its underside flickered, unlike the steady glow of a Nightingale; and with each gust of wind, old flecks of paint chipped off and drifted downward. The chips floated into a lower airway, where they disappeared among a congested stream of vehicles. Because Ravenbroods possessed poor parking capabilities, a mechanical rope tethered Aether¡¯s vehicle to the dock.

    A chauffeur stood beside the driver¡¯s door, and they entered a few numbers through their wrist bracelet. The loading door opened upward, and Aether embarked the Ravenbrood with Gen in his arms.

    She nodded in approval at the luxurious sight that greeted her.

    The inside, unlike the outside, exuded lavishness. Plush carpeting covered the floor, and someone had installed liquor cabinets below the loading door. The partition that separated a Ravenbrood¡¯s driver seat from the back seating area had been removed, causing the already large interior to feel larger.

    In the center of it all was a silver healing pod with a glass dome oddly reminiscent of the Ravenbrood¡¯s own transparent roof. Its opaque parts, also like the vehicle, were painted black. Overall, Gen couldn¡¯t identify what was special about this new healing pod.

    Aether stood tall beside it; Ravenbroods had roofs much higher than a Nightingale¡¯s, so he didn¡¯t need to crouch. He set Gen onto its soft, inner cushion.

    ¡°I want Ascending to be in the pod,¡± she said, clambering over its side as soon as Aether¡¯s hands left her.

    ¡°He¡¯s healed.¡± Aether grabbed her waist and lifted her as if she were some pet hamster. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding.¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡± Gen blinked, and his aura cooled. Was he preparing to throw another tantrum?

    ¡°You are,¡± he said then plopped her inside and locked the pod.

    Gen secretly assented to his actions, or else he wouldn¡¯t have been able to do so. She flared her nostrils and quivered her lips, acting as weak and delicate as she could. Mixed feelings bubbled within her: she still wanted to seduce him, but she also wanted to destroy the pod to prove she couldn¡¯t be tamed.

    Umbra entered the Ravenbrood and laid Mind onto the seats beside the pod¡ªthe ones that stood opposite the loading door. Meeting eyes with her, he gesticulated at his pocket then signed for her to call him.

    Gen nodded, hoping the action provoked Aether. She scrutinized him through her peripheral vision. What will you do? Take me out on a date? Become jealous? Let me seduce you?

    Umbra blew her a kiss, and Aether aura broke, tossing Umbra out the vehicle by knocking him with an ice shard. He slammed the loading door then swiftly activated the Ravenbrood¡¯s AI. By itself, it departed the dock and entered an auto-drive airway where similar cars flew towards their destinations.

    No Fenri, no Reya, no chauffeur, and locked into a healing pod... Anyone sane would think Aether had kidnapped her so that she could have her to himself. Gen¡¯s face reddened.

    She pressed the button to activate the pod¡¯s microphone. ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡±

    ¡°Rest,¡± he said and flipped a switch. What did it do? The microphone¡¯s light still glowed.

    ¡°Aether?¡± Gen lied, ¡°I¡¯m claustrophobic.¡±

    No response.

    ¡°Can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Are you able to turn off the mic?¡± Gen pressed the button a few times. The light went on and off and on again. If Mind was awake, she¡¯d have him reveal the switch''s purpose. What had Aether done?

    Her eyes wandered towards her brother. His face was calm¡ªAether had removed his mask after the Ravenbrood departed the dock. Gen found his appearance more like her own than Law¡¯s. His eyes, though closed, were just as black as hers, maybe more so. His hair, of a similar ebony, framed his pallid face and made his already pale skin look a ghastly white. The inhabitants of planet Lukeen would find his fairness a mark of beauty, but Gen preferred a darker, more luscious skin tone¡ªlike Aether¡¯s.

    She peered through the glass. Mr. Hot Jerk had removed his helmet, and he slumped in his seat. The word ¡°exhausted¡± summed up his appearance: face pale, hair matted with sweat, and breath unsteady. Blood smeared his bottom lip, and she wanted to wipe it with her thumb. Or lick it clean.

    Something about his armor excited her, and she imagined herself prying it off with a dagger, eventually tearing off his clothes and stripping him naked. Cheeks hot, she averted her gaze.

    Not that thought again.

    Her slowly drifting eyes returned to him, justifying themselves with needing to check on Mind. She lingered for a second on her brother and much longer on Aether. His bloody lip...

    Gen knocked the healing pod¡¯s glass, and he opened his eyes. Their orange glow charmed her, and she questioned herself whether or not her earlier surge of adrenaline had ignited her horny instincts. She gestured at her own lips, brushing them with a finger.

    Aether raised a brow.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Feeling devious, she stuck out her tongue and licked her bottom lip. He fidgeted uncomfortably.

    Oh, this was fun. She rolled onto her stomach and kicked up her legs, showing off her calves and ankles.

    Aether looked away; and she laughed. Being Dessy was the best, but it quickly grew boring. She sighed. Driving the Ravenbrood would be more fun or playing with Aether¡¯s armor. She slapped her forehead.

    Bad. Don¡¯t think about it.

    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± she asked, to which he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°You know, you have blood smeared on your bottom lip.¡±

    Taking off his gauntlets, he wiped his mouth and smudged the blood onto his fingers.

    So he could hear her.

    Aether then licked his lip, and Gen¡¯s face reddened.

    So sexy, she thought¡ªeven though she knew he did so to check if the blood was a result of overdrawing aura. Blood, for some unknown reason, tasted sweeter and not as metallic if there was aura imbued into it.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna kill me.¡± Gen buried her head into her arms and lay obediently within the healing pod. After her wounds healed, including her eardrums, she asked, ¡°Hey, Aether dear, what did you want to speak to me about? Our second date?¡±

    His brows wrinkled.

    ¡°I¡¯m all healed.¡± Gen rubbed her fingers against the glass and smiled. ¡°Won¡¯t you let me out?¡±

    Aether closed his eyes.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t put Ascending into the healing pod, I¡¯ll tell Gen you don¡¯t know how to treat the wounded. Then, he wouldn¡¯t be your subordinate because he values his own life.¡±

    To her surprise, Aether swiftly released her then shoved Mind into the pod, plunking him down like some hapless pile of meat.

    Gen glared at Aether¡¯s back, wishing she could shoot lasers like Umbra and pierce a hole through his spine.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell Gen.¡± He shut the healing pod.

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell her a thing.¡± Jerk, she didn¡¯t need to. How dare he treat her brother like some bag of trash? Gen smiled sweetly and coquettishly raised a finger to her lips. ¡°Ah, but one condition, please.¡±

    Aether narrowed his eyes. ¡°No more dates.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m hungry, and there¡¯s this store I love. They make delicious steamed buns.¡±

    ¡°Eating together is a date.¡±

    Gen shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s a chain store. Not a restaurant. Don¡¯t you know the difference?¡±

    Aether sat then shut his eyes, as if scorning her words.

    Dude, seriously. Why have you decided to be so tight-lipped?

    Gen plopped beside him and rested her hands on his pauldron. She whispered into his ear and resisted the urge to puke, yet there was something stimulating about her words: ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be fun to shop for clothes with me? I¡¯ll try on whatever you want.¡±

    Of course, she would prefer shopping for weapons, but if she were shopping for clothes, it would be for men¡¯s clothing to make herself the sexiest man alive. But she was unfortunately Dessy. Maybe later she could drag Fenri out to shop? He¡¯d understand fashion among men. A gay prince¡ªhe¡¯d be perfect.

    And he¡¯s an aura knight! They could swing by a weapon shop.

    Aether retrieved his phone, which was hidden below the driver¡¯s seat. After a few presses and swipes, he showed Gen a picture. ¡°What do you think of him?¡±

    Gen wrinkled her brows. Drake was smiling at the camera, and behind him were trees found within the compounds of Aether¡¯s estate. ¡°Should I know him?¡±

    ¡°What do you think of his looks?¡±

    ¡°Looks? I guess he¡¯s cute,¡± she said, knowing full well she thought him sexy, but that would be a strange thing to tell Aether, especially considering how she labelled most masculine men with the sexy tag.

    ¡°And him?¡± Aether swiped his screen, showing her a similar picture of Joule.

    She raised a brow. What was he doing?

    ¡°No?¡± he tossed his phone into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°We¡¯ll get steamed buns and in return you go on a date with Drake. He¡¯s the first man I had shown you.¡±

    What was he trying to do? And who had taught him to bribe girls into dating his subordinates?

    Gen revealed none of her thoughts, and she nodded. ¡°Sounds good. Let¡¯s get the buns from StarGroove. There¡¯s one in the Newton District not too far from here.¡±

    He raised a brow, possibly wondering why a clothing store would sell steamed buns.

    ¡°Have you never been inside?¡± she asked, baffled. The chain store could be found throughout the Puresoul Galaxy and within a few constellations of the Maelstrom Galaxy. It was one of the major leaders of fashion, and most had an inner dining area. The company¡¯s popularity also allowed the store outlets to use various decorations and utilities deemed otherwise contraband within the Compass Constellation, such as holographic directories, sliding doors, and levitation pads.

    Why such things were illegal had a lot to do with a constellation¡¯s luck, the tastes of its elites, and the surrounding trade consortia. For every single planet capable of mass producing holograms, there were thousands more pushing for solid screens¡ªthe same could be said for wooden doors. And sometimes the law limitations were connected to a planet¡¯s total energy production and its native, natural resources.

    The Star Lines had only legalized a few high technologies throughout the whole universe, such as identity codes, wrist bracelets, and language converters.

    ¡°Raven, take us to StarGroove, Newton District,¡± Aether announced.

    The central console flashed, and a male voice sounded, ¡°There are three StarGroove stores within Evergreen City, Newton District. Would you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Skyscraper G54, floor 230,¡± Gen said. This particular high-rise was a few blocks from Gun Street and her apartment. She knew this due to the information conveyed within Mind¡¯s text message that pertained to Dessy¡¯s identity.

    ¡°Unidentified voice. Access denied.¡±

    Gen sighed. Why did she even try? This always happened, and it left her with a lonesome aftertaste.

    ¡°Skyscraper G54, floor 230,¡± Aether repeated.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    The Ravenbrood arrived at the StarGroove clothing store, and Aether stayed behind as Gen entered through the sliding doors.

    Pristine.

    Not a speck of grime covered the floors, and droids stood at the entrance of each aisle, ready to provide assistance. Above them holographic letters listed the brands found within each section. In both of the store¡¯s far corners, similar holographic signs marked the location of levitation pads, which ferried customers to different floors. StarGroove stores spanned anywhere between three to six levels and were one of the reasons for a high-rise¡¯s labyrinthine network of elevators¡ªthe company enjoyed destroying the shafts for the sake of aesthetics.

    Gen walked to the small dining area beside the entrance. The droid greeted her, and ignoring it, she directly snapped a picture of the holographic menu and sent it to Aether with a message:

    Dessy: I can¡¯t decide if I want pork, beef, or grown meat. What about berkan? But I hear it¡¯s a giant worm.

    Swiftly leaving the dining area, she strode through the various aisles, heading towards the shoe section as she took random pictures of feminine clothes. Gen still hadn¡¯t forgotten Code 12¡ª Aether had tried searching for Generation. Without Mind¡¯s support, it was best to disappear before the man remembered.

 23: The Love Kitchen Chat Group

    After removing the armor covering his torso and arms, Aether leaned into the seat. He rested the back of his head against the Ravenbrood''s tinted window, and the glass¡¯s coolness soothed him.

    Dessy was evil incarnate, he thought to himself. She had obediently rested in his arms as he carried her, teasing him with slight fidgets and limpid eyes. He had wanted to give her to someone else so that her charm wouldn¡¯t affect him, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so. And no way would he let Umbra hold her. The two had grown close, too close for his liking.

    Aether gnashed his teeth together, and his hands clenched into fists. So many problems. He had failed Gen by not protecting Dessy from the Starblood Sealers and Umbra, and her brother had almost died.

    There was also the announcement of his engagement with Reya, which baffled him. He knew why his grandmother wanted it¡ªReya ranked among the strongest aura-breakers within the Compass Constellation¡ªbut why was Reya herself so ecstatic? She didn¡¯t love him; she loved someone else.

    Sighing, Aether retrieved his phone and saw Dessy¡¯s text. He promptly ignored it then signed into a chat group he had joined that morning. He knew nothing about love and wooing women, and he had grown distrustful of the advice Fenri, Drake, and Joule gave him. When he saw an advertisement of a chat group giving love advice, he had therefore joined it.

    Upon logging in, the unbearable name ¡°Love Kitchen¡± appeared on his screen along with the names of its four advisors: Fridgewarmer, MsChef, Toastie, and Heartblender. The first two were the admins, and Toastie¡ªan unreliable kid¡ªregularly gave illogical advice, asked questions, and replied with either emojis, emoticons, or stickers. Heartblender was a bot who posted random love quotes and links to romantic songs.

    Other than himself, there were two other so-called students of love¡ªPinkBrittle and CrazyStrudel. Both nicknames, like Aether¡¯s own HotJerky, were bestowed by Fridgewarmer, the leader of the group.

    Aether scrolled through the most recent posts, hoping to glean some emotional knowledge before asking a difficult question.

    PinkBrittle: It¡¯s happened again! Love at first sight!

    Aether clicked his tongue. He didn¡¯t know PinkBrittle well, but having skimmed through her older messages, he thought her mentally unsound. Her previous love-at-first-sight had captured her heart with a single glance, and ever since then her messages were a steady stream of what-ifs spanning the past four years. And she had never spoken a word to the man... What insanity.

    Toastie: O.O

    PinkBrittle: She¡¯s amazing! Beautiful and cuddly like a little lamb.

    CrazyStrudel: A girl? This time, did you remember to have a conversation? And by the way, I¡¯ve had another dream about my darling.

    Aether shook his head, asking himself why he had joined this group. His two companions¡¯ lack of sanity irked his heart, as if their affiliation proved that his love for Gen was fake.

    CrazyStrudel, who had fallen for a female hallucination, far outstripped PinkBrittle. He swore she existed and that they new each other¡ªbut he also said someone had altered his memories and wiped her from them. This aligned with the many conspiracy theories he fabricated, including the one where the Star Lines partook in human experimentation and had injected his body with aura.

    Aether assumed reality was much simpler: CrazyStrudel, presumably an aura-breaker, suffered from an aura side effect that severely warped his perception of reality.

    PinkBrittle: C¡¯mon, who do you think I am? We danced and she led.

    CrazyStrudel: I¡¯ve read thousands of your messages...

    PinkBrittle: What would you know!!! At least she¡¯s solid.

    Toastie: No fighting t.t

    CrazyStrudel: I¡¯ve already told you. My darling is real </img>

    PinkBrittle: Don¡¯t believe you.

    The arguing continued, and Aether scrolled to the latest message. MsChef, who logged in a few minutes prior, was typing. His phone suddenly dinged with messages from Dessy. Pictures of low-cut shirts.

    An image of her black lingerie surfaced within his memories, and he coughed, shoving away the recollection.

    Dessy: I need clothes but can¡¯t decide. Which one would look better on me?

    Too dangerous... Without replying, Aether returned to the Love Kitchen and thought of Gen. He wanted to return home and see her, not waste time waiting on Dessy whose soft skin provoked him.

    Stop thinking of her, he scolded himself. Gen, think of Gen. She was tough and bold... A smile bloomed on his lips.

    MsChef: All loves are unique. That¡¯s the beauty of it. Someone could be either a star prince or a phantom drifting through your heart, and your soul would still stir. Now, no more fighting.

    Toastie: ^-^

    CrazyStrudel: The chef has spoken.

    PinkBrittle: Meh. So what do I do if she¡¯s dating someone else?You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Toastie: O.O

    CrazyStrudel: Open relationship?

    PinkBrittle: Idk. And unfortunately I can¡¯t kill him.

    CrazyStrudel: That¡¯s a bummer </img>

    MsChef: NO KILLING! That¡¯s a sure way to ruin things.

    PinkBrittle: Hey, what does the newbie say? I see you¡¯re active. C¡¯mon say something.

    Aether pursed his lips, but if he wanted advice, he figured he should be polite. The pains he had spent explaining his love to them discouraged him from switching to another group. If he did so, he would need to explain it again. Plus, he appreciated how the group chat automatically corrected spelling mistakes, elongated certain abbreviations, and replaced most jargon. What type of sane person understood ¡°no1,¡± ¡°gr8,¡± ¡°ama,¡± and ¡°tl;dr¡±?

    HotJerky: Blackmail and/or subterfuge.

    MsChef: NO! If she finds out, she¡¯ll drop flying cars from the sky and you¡¯ll find yourself at the bottom of a plasmatic mine pit. This is why you three are part of our Love Kitchen. We are the best of the best of the best of the best.

    Toastie: Threatening is ok.

    MsChef: No, Toastie, no!

    PinkBrittle: What if I put him into a coma?

    MsChef: Maybe you should find out if she¡¯s in an open relationship and if she¡¯s interested in you.

    PinkBrittle: No, I hate open relationships. How do I get rid of the man?

    CrazyStrudel: Just have a secret love affair then steal her. That¡¯s what I plan to do.

    PinkBrittle: A secret affair? Have you heard of planet D¡¯nathal of the Compass Constellation? Let¡¯s not recreate that slutty place.

    Toastie: @MsChef How does one steal a hallucination?

    CrazyStrudel: My darling is real!

    PinkBrittle: And so are unicorns.

    CrazyStrudel: See, Toastie. Even Brittle understands.

    PinkBrittle: That was sarcasm.

    CrazyStrudel: On planet Zealot of the Crimson Galaxy, pure-white horses have single horns made of an aura-pliable crystal. They¡¯re commonly hunted for the material. Don¡¯t you know this?

    Toastie: O.O

    MsChef: That¡¯s interesting. Maybe you should share some of your tidbits with your darling.

    PinkBrittle: No normal person would know that. We¡¯re all from the Puresoul Galaxy with the exception of you, Strudel. And you¡¯re only from Maelstrom. Nowhere near Crimson.

    CrazyStrudel: You Puresouls should¡¯ve known about unicorns. Umbra Keith is from the Crimson Galaxy. Other people could be too.

    Toastie: O.O

    PinkBrittle: Do I sense a conspiracy theory?

    MsChef: Let¡¯s stay on the topic of love <3

    PinkBrittle: I¡¯m kinda curious about this one. Let me guess, he was kidnapped and then experimented on because of his vast quantities of aura?

    CrazyStrudel: Not exactly... He was born aura-less to the Crimson Star Line. That¡¯s why he has pink hair. To save his life, his mother sent him far away to a distant relative who happened to have some relation with the Maelstrom Star Line. From there he became Prince Aether Puresoul¡¯s personal servant and best friend. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so close to the Compass Constellation¡¯s star princes. Oh wait, he was a baby at the time, so I guess he wouldn¡¯t know about the unicorns.

    Aether furrowed his brows. Umbra, best friend, close? The very words caused aura to seep from his body and cloak the Ravenbrood¡¯s seats with frost.

    MsChef: Umbra is only close to Prince Janus, not Prince Aether. Now, on the topic of love, what do you three want me to address today?

    CrazyStrudel: They¡¯re best buds! I swear!

    PinkBrittle: Lol. Just keep making theories until you say something reasonable.

    Aether¡¯s hands shook and he sent a message. He had wanted to ask the question ever since he had opened up the chat group, but found it too unbearable to send. It burned his pride; why would a star prince need help wooing somebody?

    HotJerky: If I¡¯ve fallen for my love¡¯s sister, what should I do?

    Toastie: Is this the same sister Fridge told you to treat nicely?

    HotJerky: Yes.

    PinkBrittle: Simple. Choose one.

    CrazyStrudel: Are you sure they¡¯re not the same person? I sometimes get confused, too.

    Toastie: Confused?

    CrazyStrudel: My love can alter her face and bone structure.

    Toastie: How does that work? Can love do that?

    MsChef: Jerky, are you still trying to woo your crush or are you giving up and targeting her sister?

    CrazyStrudel: ¡°Love¡± as in ¡°lover,¡± not the power of love. It¡¯s my darling¡¯s aura break.

    Toastie: Oh.

    PinkBrittle: Strudel, it¡¯s called ¡°you¡¯re having fantasies.¡±

    Aether rubbed his temples.

    HotJerky: I don¡¯t want the sister.

    PinkBrittle: Simple. Don¡¯t invite her to tumble beneath the sheets </img>

    CrazyStrudel: Then, they¡¯re not the same person?

    MsChef: Treat her no different than you would treat a good friend. If she¡¯s interested in you, just friendzone her. Maybe @Fridgewarmer has better advice?

    Fridgewarmer was offline, and the others supplied simple responses that even Aether had known. He logged off and placed down his phone; his brows were as wrinkled as they were when he had logged into the chat.

    Aether had wanted to learn how to resist Dessy, not how to deal with two sisters.

    Dessy¡¯s charm was unbearable, and it tore at him like a poisonous aphrodisiac dizzying his mind with an unstoppable crave. How could she be so seductive? And those legs...

    Aether groaned and stood up, disembarking his Ravenbrood. Only Gen could stop him from thinking of Dessy. He sent them both a message:

    To Dessy: What is Gen¡¯s favorite flavor of steamed buns?

    To Gen: Are you hungry?

    When Aether entered StarGroove, he scanned the store in search for steamed buns, and his eyes fell onto a certain person¡¯s figure. His pulse quickened like it did when he stood in Gen¡¯s presence.

    The person stood at the same height as her, and they avoided the droids, speaking to the only human cashier. With slumping shoulders, their posture was different from Gen¡¯s, but Aether couldn¡¯t stop speculating.

    As he gnawed the inside of his cheek, his legs drifted him to the person. He couldn¡¯t see their face, but instincts¡ªsuch as his wildly beating heart¡ªtold him it was Gen.

    ¡°Gen?¡± he asked, and the person stiffened but didn¡¯t turn. Aether touched their arm.

    ¡°Please, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± The person spun and cowered, shoulders shrinking in on themselves. His fidgeting fingers pulled at the sleeves of his own coat as he shifted unsteadily on his feet. Thick, smoky eyeliner darkened the rims of his eyes, causing his lowered face to appear sallow.

    Aether frowned. It wasn¡¯t Gen.

 24: The Chase and the Protest

    Aether stood within the dining area and used his phone camera to spy on the strange boy. Something churned within his stomach as if a great secret brewed mere meters from him, but what? Had CrazyStrudel infected him with conspiracy theories? Was Janus spying on Dessy, aiming to kidnap Aether¡¯s supposed date? Her messages informed him that she was changing within the dressing room, but could she be in trouble?

    Aether clutched his phone¡¯s metal casing, his eyes trusting the instincts that allowed him to survive years of bloodshed on the anarchy planets. Not one movement escaped him¡ªfrom the way the boy clutched the shopping bag, to the method in which the boy nodded to the cashier, and the subtle fidgeting of the shoulder. Hurried steps revealed hidden insecurities as the boy sauntered past the dressing rooms and to the back of the store.

    Aether followed from a distance and ignored a droid¡¯s words, ¡°Your steamed buns!¡±

    Beside the levitation pad located in the far corner, the boy placed his wrist bracelet below the scanner. At the beep, he said, ¡°Floor 229.¡±

    ¡°Unidentified voice.¡±

    Aether raised a brow. Floor 229 was one floor below the StarGroove store and connected to a real estate floor possessing various apartments. So unless the boy happened to live on floor 229, he planned to flee. The scanner¡¯s comment further solidified Aether¡¯s thoughts of the boy being not who he appeared¡ªhis voice was disguised somehow.

    Aether lowered his body, preparing to dash as he watched the boy manually punch in the floor number. The scanner extended, and its red light brushed over the shopping bag.

    ¡°Scanning items... Access granted.¡±

    The white, opaque railing retreated to the side, and the boy stepped onto the levitation pad. It wobbled, but upon steadying, began its slow descent.

    Aether waited a moment then sprinted, his large form exiting his hiding spot and scaling the waist-high railing.

    Alarms blared; the calm, blue lights turned red while insect-sized drones flooded in from the ceiling. Why StarGroove had such security baffled him, and he brushed it off as some elite¡¯s twisted idea of fun.

    Those should be illegal to use against shoplifters, Aether thought.

    His feet hit the levitation pad, causing it to shake. The boy had already slipped through the gap between it and the flooring¡ªpossibly having done so as soon as the railing hid his head, the same moment Aether began his sprint. The boy ran down the hall.

    ¡°Unauthorized access! Levitation Pad R1.¡±

    Aether leapt off the pad and gave chase. As he rounded the corner, he stumbled over a bag of items carefully placed so as to hide them from view. A shirt caught onto Aether¡¯s sabaton, and he crouched to tear it off. Aura infused his person. But perhaps it was the leg armor or his lack of aura control: Aether found himself still slower than the boy, whose speed constantly increased.

    Who was this guy? A spy? Was he an aura-breaker or did he possess a support-type weapon?

    Doors swung and Aether burst onto the vehicle dock, wind blasting his face. The sound of footsteps rang to the right of him, so he chased as his eyes latched onto a fleeing figure. The docks shook and creaked against the high-rise, the boy turned another corner, and Aether followed.

    He froze. Empty.

    The path was clear except for the few vehicles moored to its posts. The neighboring building, separated by a skyway alley only two to three vehicles wide, stood quiet and unassuming. No docks extended into the gap, and neither were there skywalks within five stories above and below Aether.

    His eyes swept over the parked vehicles and then onto the docks of the neighboring building. There. A few stories down, the boy pressed close to the wall as he traversed the base of a thin dock. He lowered his head and walked at a normal pace to not attract attention.

    Aether took three steps back, looked left then right then left, and sprinted. Leaping at the edge, he soared through the airway, and as he descended his eyes met those of the boy¡¯s. Black with a shimmer of excitement. The boy was enjoying himself, but then his eyes fogged like a cloud swallowing the light of a sunny day. A feign of fear; he fled, his composure betraying his guise.

    Aether crashed into the dock, legs dangling and arms slipping from its smooth surface. He groaned. What happened to rough, grate docks?

    ¡°Encase,¡± he said, focusing his aura break with his voice instead of his hands. Others with better control or lesser amounts of aura wouldn¡¯t need such an aid, but he, like Umbra, benefited greatly from the mental accentuation.

    One of seven shards materialized before him, and it sunk into the metal. Ice expanded and anchored him to the dock, stopping his slide. His arm muscles rippled, and he pulled himself up, dismissing his aura upon clambering to his feet.

    Aether charged into the nearest entrance, and he spotted the boy at the end of the hallway. He stood in an elevator; his hand, creating a false sense of panic, repeatedly mashed the button to close the doors. Down, revealed the call button.

    Aether entered the stairwell¡ªwhich happened to be beside him¡ªand gripped the rail. Instead of bounding down the stairs, he jumped and twisted, landing before the next floor entrance. He tried the handle; locked, so he kicked it open.

    His phone suddenly vibrated as he dashed into the warehouse, past piles of corrugated metals and to the elevator shaft. Concrete blocked its door, and he rounded it, seeing if the elevator was double-sided.

    It wasn¡¯t.

    Grinding his teeth, Aether descended another flight of stairs. Blocked. Another, and the elevator stood innocently with its slowly opening doors. Aether¡¯s phone vibrated. He charged inside expecting to see the boy.

    No one. Where could he have gone?

    A quick scan revealed an askew panel leading into the elevator shaft. Aether jumped, pushing it aside as he grabbed onto the ledge and wedged himself through.

    The sound of grating metal¡ªwhich echoed from a factory floor multiple stories above him¡ªpenetrated his ears with a sharp, continual screech. Where was the boy? Aether released waves of aura that undulated through the passage in search of foreign aura.

    Nothing. His brows knit. How could that be possible?

    Click. The elevator shifted, and he climbed down, eyes widening as he saw half the buttons destroyed and the lowest floor, FL 202, lit. Faint aura covered the panel.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Curses. It was a trap. The boy had exited the elevator, and Aether hadn¡¯t seen the doors opening but re-opening. The boy, who most likely tried the shaft first, realized that the grating metal would cloak the sound of both closing the elevator doors and destroying the panel.

    Well-trained and one of Janus¡¯s goons, Aether thought. It wasn¡¯t common for someone to hide their presence so well that he couldn¡¯t sense them messing with the elevator panel.

    Aether sighed and crossed his arms, forfeiting his chase. He could have climbed the shaft, but he decided to instead return to his Ravenbrood and then to his estate where he would see Gen. His lips upturned into a smile; images of her floated in his mind.

    His phone vibrated for a third time. There were three messages: two from Dessy, one from Gen. He read Gen¡¯s first, even though it was the most recent message received.

    Gen: A bit. And, man, remind me next time to place bags within Sexy. The jerk I called friend barfed all over it. Gonna be late. Hope you don¡¯t mind, Boss.

    Dessy: I¡¯m all done! But where are you, dear? Oh, right, I haven¡¯t told Gen about Ascending yet. Didn¡¯t want her to worry.

    Dessy: Did you leave Ascending alone? I can¡¯t believe you! Where are you?

    Another message arrived.

    Dessy: That¡¯s it! I¡¯m leaving, and I don¡¯t care if your grandmother is the empress dowager, I¡¯m not meeting her. And don¡¯t search for me. I¡¯m going on a teacher¡¯s retreat after our horrible date. I can¡¯t believe I did this for Gen. You owe me three more dates! High-end places only. You pay.

    Aether rubbed his temples, head spinning at the most recent message. It didn¡¯t sound like Dessy... What happened to her boldness to tease him? And her subtle elegance?

    He felt his body loosen and relax. With her gone, he didn¡¯t need to worry about the passion she instilled within him. He could focus all his attention on Gen.

    The elevator dinged, and a busy foyer greeted Aether. No one entered his elevator; instead, they either took the one beside him or entered the stairway, traveling to the lower floors and returning home after a long day. Exhaustion tainted each of their expressions.

    Aether stepped onto the traffic pier, which glowing lamps lit up as if it were day. Unlike a car dock, no one parked at the pier, and the vehicles came and went, dropping off passengers who then traveled by foot and over skywalks to their destinations.

    The fixture jutted into the wide-open airway and expanded into a large circular platform. Food stalls, still opened, surrounded a central landing base for flying pods¡ªanother name for buses¡ªand Sparrow drivers. In a steady stream the vehicles would arrive for passengers throughout the night, traffic slowing near 2am but returning to congestion by 5am. Sometimes the driver slept as the AI drove, even though it was Compass law to always have a conscious driver.

    As Aether approached the loading site, a mob of people marched about the pier, holding neon, metal sign boards that bore pictures of sliding doors and spoons.

    His lips pulled into a slight frown. Though common on North Star, protests like these were rare on South Star because the planet was much more militaristic than the other Compass planets. Here the common person spent their time arguing over equality between them and veterans who had received exorbitant benefits upon retirement.

    It further disturbed him that they would protest long after sunset. What could be so important?

    ¡°Wooden spoons! Wooden spoons! We want wooden spoons!¡± a woman bellowed, leading the other protesters. Spit flew from her fat lips. ¡°No more metallic soup! No more icky congee! No more leaching metal! We want wooden spoons!¡±

    Aether¡¯s frown deepened. Were wooden spoons illegal? Wooden furniture filled his estate, so was it just the spoons?

    ¡°And elevator doors! Elevator doors!¡± another woman yelled, but the wooden spoon protesters drowned out the cries of her and her followers. ¡°No more broken noses! No more being pushed down stairs! We want elevator doors!¡±

    Elevator doors? As in sliding doors?

    The wooden spoon leader pivoted, spinning on her heels like a battle-hardened knight. ¡°Get out of here! We want the legalization of wooden spoons! Not freakin¡¯ elevator doors.¡±

    ¡°Wooden spoons!¡±

    ¡°Elevator doors!¡±

    ¡°Wooden spoons!¡±

    This madness, Aether shook his head, judging the elites of the Compass Constellation for banning wooden spoons of all things tradable.

    The wooden spoon leader¡¯s eyes met his; they blazed with determination.

    ¡°You! How dare you shake your head?¡±

    Incited, the protesters encircled him, and Aether held his hands before his torso, ready to defend himself if need be. He said words to pacify them, which he also believed, ¡°Wooden spoons should be legalized. The elites are crazy.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± The leader raised her sign board. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re petitioning for the legalization of wooden spoons.¡±

    ¡°And elevator doors!¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± she growled before facing Aether. ¡°Sir Aura Knight¡ªyou are an aura knight, aren¡¯t you?¡ªwe need your help. We must stop this madness!¡± She yelled to her followers, ¡°What do we want?¡±

    ¡°Wooden spoons!¡± their words drowned out the sparse, ¡°Elevator doors.¡±

    ¡°So who do we want?¡±

    ¡°Star Prince Janus!¡±

    Aether pursed his lips. How did Janus relate to wooden spoons?

    ¡°Who do we hate?¡±

    ¡°Star Prince Aether!¡±

    Did Janus hire astroturfers? Aether narrowed his eyes, sensing the true gravity of the protests. South Star was his base planet, the one planet that wholeheartedly supported him. With these protests... Was Janus not satisfied with having East Star, West Star, and Planet Name? Maybe his cousin had something to do with his failed negotiations at North Star.

    The hairs on the back of his neck rose; Aether sensed a rapidly escalating undercurrent. If he considered the recent gala attack, it seemed his uncle and Janus were ready to uproot him. But it seemed too early for them to do so. Had they grown careless and overly ambitious?

    ¡°What do we yell?¡± The leader opened her mouth, waking Aether from his ponderings.

    ¡°Wooden spoons! Wooden spoons! We want wooden spoons! No more metallic soup! No more icky congee! No more leaching metal! We want wooden spoons!¡±

    Aether asked her, ¡°Excuse me, why Star Prince Janus and not Star Prince Aether?¡±

    She scoffed at him and flared her nostrils. Tilting her head like a veteran aura knight who had slaughtered monsters with her bare hands, she said, ¡°Tell him.¡±

    With gusto, her followers lifted their sign boards and chanted: ¡°Star Prince Aether, raised with a wooden spoon, knows nothing, knows nothing. Star Prince Janus, raised with a metal spoon, knows our hearts, knows our hearts.¡±

    Excited, the protesters drifted away from him and continued marching in beat with their odd chants. Their leader then wished Aether a good night and joined her followers.

    ¡°Wooden spoons! Wooden spoons...¡±

    An expensive flying car flew above them¡ªGen would have known the make and model. Its speakers buzzed then blasted the words: ¡°You lowlifes can¡¯t afford wood!¡±

    ¡°Get him!¡± someone yelled.

    A metal sign arced through the air, its edge hitting the vehicle¡¯s window and cracking it.

    ¡°AHHH!¡± screamed the driver. Aether¡¯s eyes widened as more signs soared. The AI quickly maneuvered the vehicle from the pier.

    The protesters chanted in victory, ¡°Wooden spoons! Wooden spoons! Wooden spoons!¡±

    ¡°And elevator doors!¡± someone added.

    A watching pedestrian asked, ¡°Are wooden spoons worth it to attack some rich kid?¡±

    They glared at him and announced in unison, ¡°Everybody loves wooden spoons!¡±

    Is that so? Aether tilted his head and released a low hum. Maybe he should gift Gen a wooden spoon.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Eventually a Sparrow brought Aether to his vehicle¡ªthankfully Ascending was still safely inside the Ravenbrood. During the journey home, his mind churned with ideas, and he prepared a medic for Ascending then scheduled an emergency meeting for 11pm.

    This meeting, pertaining to the Compass Constellation¡¯s various powers, was held promptly not because it was time sensitive, but because Aether missed Gen and didn¡¯t want to wait until sunrise.

    As the time slowly passed, Aether sent a short notice to Drake and Joule, telling them to arrive early. He wished to organize a smuggling operation. It sounded stupid to his own ears, but Aether would smuggle anything for his love, even if it was a wooden spoon.

 25: Before the 11pm Meeting

    Various paintings mounted the walls, ferns stood beside the wooden doors, and the tall windows revealed the night sky. With a coffee table, a plush couch, and an armchair, the meeting room resembled nothing of a conference hall.

    Aether sat within the armchair, fingers brushing its leather seams, eyes hiding his hurt pride. Why all this for a wooden spoon? No, it was for Gen. He pulled the collar of his shirt, straightening it as he sat upright. There was nothing wrong with spoiling her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t, or we¡¯ll die,¡± said Joule. He crossed his legs, and as his shoe swept dangerously close to Drake, he incited a small grunt from the man.

    ¡°Are we smuggling weapons?¡± Drake asked. He polished his sniper rifle with a cloth; minutes earlier he had said he needed to do so in preparation for an attack from the Starblood Sealers.

    Aether saw it as nothing more than an excuse to avoid his eyes. And if there was an attack... Hidden turrets, contraband barriers, and trained personnel would defend the estate. The current security would suffice, although a few days prior armed droids had surveyed the halls. Defense had been better then, before the humans replaced the droids along with all the other servant bots.

    For Gen.

    Aether¡¯s aura warmed; the memory of her arguing with his spaceship¡¯s AI and various crewbots still lingered in his mind. Absolutely adorable, but he didn¡¯t want to aggravate her into leaving, so he had fired all the droids and sent them to Reya¡¯s neighboring estate. To his grief, Reya called it her wing of his estate.

    ¡°Wood,¡± Aether said and glanced at the grandfather clock. Not yet eleven o¡¯clock. When would Gen arrive?

    ¡°Wha?¡± Drake¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡°I know wood is expensive within the Compass Constellation, but we need to smuggle it? And isn¡¯t it...legal?¡±

    Aether took a sip of iced water, which he had retrieved from the tray beside him. His pride halted him from saying what he wanted to smuggle.

    Joule shook his head. ¡°If you can¡¯t say it, give up.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Aura suffused from Aether¡¯s hands, and it enlarged the ice cubes within his glass.

    ¡°Would somebody explain?¡± Drake disassembled his sniper rifle then fiddled with the scope, peering through it as if it had changed from the last time he had checked it.

    ¡°Gift for Gen,¡± Joule said.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Drake jolted, nearly dropping the scope. He gave Aether a thumbs up. ¡°Like a necklace made of amberwood or crystallia? Finally being romantic, I see. And going big with something so expensive. You¡¯ll need the best crafters and the most loyal of carriers. If only teleporters could transfer wood...¡±

    Aether gazed at the ceiling. A wooden spoon composed of crystallia would be nice, but what type of wood was crystallia? Its name reminded him of a jewel, and he hoped it would rival at least a tenth of Gen¡¯s handsome beauty. Anything less would be unworthy of her.

    Joule wrinkled his brows, and Drake swiveled his head between the two.

    Drake asked, ¡°Why am I getting a weird vibe? Is it not a necklace? Should I go ask Gen what she, err, he wants?¡±

    Because Gen didn¡¯t mind pronoun use, Aether chose for her and forced his subordinates to use ¡°him.¡± If they broke Aether¡¯s promise with Gen to not reveal her sex, he didn¡¯t want to find a new subordinate because of their untimely execution.

    Warmth bubbled within Aether; ¡°her¡± was for his use only.

    ¡°Spoon,¡± Joule said. ¡°Aether wants to gift him a wooden spoon.¡±

    The sniper fell through Drake¡¯s hands as his jaw similarly fell agape. ¡°Please, tell me you¡¯re joking.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re getting married!¡± The doors suddenly burst open, swinging and hitting the pedestals upon which the ferns rested. Reya pranced to Aether and placed her hands on his shoulder. She exclaimed, ¡°Did you hear? We¡¯re getting married! Let¡¯s have a large celebration, preferably on the peak of East Star¡¯s Eternal Tower or on a new flying island made just for us. Okay?¡±

    Aether subtly shifted, trying to free himself from her grasp as her presence plagued him. Just ignore her, he said to himself. Speaking to her would quickly drop flying cars from the sky. Head filled with gaping holes, hidden desires, and thoughts that didn¡¯t match her words, she was the most difficult person to understand. If brain matter filled a normal person¡¯s head, butterflies filled hers; and Aether felt sorry for anyone who thought of her as only a straightforward, haughty woman.

    ¡°Not getting married,¡± Joule said, helping Aether diffuse the situation. Aether nodded in thanks.

    Reya jutted her chin, ¡°The empress dowager said so, and we¡¯re a perfect match.¡±

    ¡°Reya,¡± Fenri began, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this later.¡±

    ¡°Later? No. Your Highness, I want an explanation.¡± She hooked her arms around Aether¡¯s neck, and his aura permeated the room as his hands quivered. His glass shattered, and his subordinates shivered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t want to marry you,¡± Aether said as he forced his pressure under his control. Once it vanished, Reya pouted.

    She said, ¡°We belong together. You¡¯re a star prince, and I¡¯m a princess. You need the support of South Star, which I have; and we¡¯re both beautiful people and are childhood friends.¡±

    ¡°Reya,¡± Fenri growled, and Drake rolled his eyes.

    Aether crumbled the rest of his glass cup into crystalline shards before brushing the pieces onto the floor. He expected a small, automatic bot to appear and sweep it up, but then he remembered that he had exiled anything with a semblance of an AI.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°What?¡± Reya raised a hand to her chest. ¡°It¡¯s true in the same way you need to marry a woman and have children.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gay,¡± he said and plopped beside Joule.

    ¡°Stop telling people that. How will you marry a woman if you think that?¡±

    ¡°But I am.¡±

    ¡°You still need to marry, so you¡¯re not.¡±

    Fenri let out a long, exaggerated sigh. ¡°You spend too much time with droids. Your reasoning is off. I will never¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Reya snorted. ¡°And if you¡¯ve never tried it, how would you know you won¡¯t be happy?¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say isn¡¯t going to change me.¡±

    Aether shut his eyes, waiting for the bickering to end. If he said something, Reya would turn her attention to him, and then nothing he said would quiet her unless he blasted his aura.

    As the siblings argued like children, Joule stared at the pair with rapt interest. Who knew what he understood and gleaned from their conversation? Similarly, Drake reassembled his sniper, polished it, then disassembled it, cleaned it, then repeated the process. The clicks soothed Aether, taking his mind off Reya and back to the time he sat within Gen¡¯s car, of when he loaded her Million Joule sniper rifle...

    Crash! Reya pushed over a fern; its clay pot shattered.

    ¡°Say that again, Fenri!¡±

    Her brother rose from the couch, face red. ¡°You just want to marry Prince Aether because he¡¯s a star prince. Shallow, petty, attention whore.¡±

    ¡°Uh!¡± Reya gasped and covered her mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t know me. You¡¯ve never understood me.¡± Light tears blurred her eyes, and her attention snapped to Joule. She snarled. ¡°Tomorrow evening, my place for your lesson.¡±

    Then she stormed away, and her stomping snapped one of her heels. She tore off her shoes and pattered barefoot down the hall, not caring to shut the door.

    ¡°Intense,¡± Drake said, tossing the rest of his sniper onto the floor. He must have broken something¡ªa bolt, maybe, or a small electric connector. ¡°Your sister needs to get a grip of the real world.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that!¡± Fenri shouted. He aura broke as he kicked the couch. His leg flew through it as a blue, misty cloud bearing no physical consequence, but the action seemed to calm his nerves. ¡°You don¡¯t understood her. You know nothing about her.¡±

    ¡°Calm down,¡± Aether said, and Fenri sat.

    After a few seconds, the man¡¯s breathing returned to normal. He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, reverting to his usual sedate self. ¡°Hey, uh, sorry about that. I didn¡¯t mean that stuff about her wanting to marry you just because you¡¯re a star prince...so...don¡¯t think about it. She¡¯s happy.¡±

    ¡°Not wrong,¡± Joule said; he had a way of prolonging problems. Aether raised a brow at him, and the man shirked. ¡°Not right, either.¡±

    ¡°So, Joule.¡± Drake smiled. His face flushed red in excitement like the many times he thought there was a juicy rumor to devour. ¡°You and Reya are¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then¡ª¡±

    ¡°Aether needs super-hacker help,¡± Joule stated.

    Aether raised a brow and tapped the armchair. ¡°And for what do I need a super-hacker¡¯s help?¡±

    ¡°Gen.¡±

    He jolted upright. ¡°What about Gen?

    ¡°I, uh, don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to ask Reya.¡± Fenri shook his head.

    Joule nodded. ¡°His best bet is to understand her.¡±

    ¡° ¡®Her¡¯ as in my sister or Gen?¡±

    Joule nodded for a second time, and Aether pursed his lips. Yes for Gen or yes for Reya?

    Drake scratched his chin. ¡°So let me get this straight. Aether needs help with Gen, so you are continuing your super-hacker lessons with Reya even though there is nothing she can teach you that you will understand? And then you are going to do what with your newly learned skills?¡±

    Joule shook his head.

    ¡°You know¡±¡ªDrake upturned his palms¡ª¡°we can¡¯t understand you if you don¡¯t explain everything sequentially with words.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sense Phantom Mind¡¯s intent because his aura resisted my break, so I thought I¡¯d go ask Reya about him. She¡¯s giving me a lesson about all his habits, likes, and dislikes, and then I might discover why he was spying on Gen.¡±

    Aether interweaved his fingers and observed Joule. Faint wisps of aura escaped through his breath. ¡°What does Reya know about Phantom Mind?¡±

    ¡°A lot.¡±

    ¡°Fenri?¡± Aether turned his head. The man in question shrugged.

    ¡°Wait, they know each other?¡± Drake¡¯s eyes widened, and his smile grew. ¡°I knew it! Super-hackers are a close-knit community. If we wanted to know about Phantom Mind we should have asked a real super-hacker¡ªno offense Joule.¡±

    Joule pursed his lips. ¡°Not true.¡±

    Drake spun to face Fenri. ¡°You don¡¯t think they¡¯ve done¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything incriminating my sister,¡± Fenri said, narrowing his eyes.

    Frost covered Aether¡¯s armchair. ¡°Joule, why didn¡¯t you inform me that they knew each other?¡±

    ¡°She mentions him all the time.¡± Joule wrinkled his brows, and Aether sighed. In other words, Reya commonly thought about Phantom Mind, and Joule had assumed they had known this.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean!¡± Drake squealed, completely destroying his image as one of Aether¡¯s personally trained aura knights. Joule elbowed him but failed to snap the grown man into reality. ¡°Are they¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think it,¡± Fenri growled.

    ¡°Shh.¡± Aether suffused aura from his body, chilling everyone. He turned and faced the hallway. The medic he had assigned Ascending was approaching, and he held a tablet beneath his arm.

    Drake, Fenri, and Joule sat upright and straightened their clothes. Hardened, indifferent expressions masked their faces, and the men released a force of presence bearing tints of killing intent.

    Aether nodded. Here were his battle-hardened subordinates¡ªmen who had slaughtered enemies and monsters from meal to meal, dawn to dawn, year to year.

    The medic knocked on the opened door, to which Aether released a grunt of approval. The man entered, legs shaking as his cold sweat smudged the tablet. Fumbling, he held it before his chest, as if that could protect him from their presence.

    ¡°Report,¡± Joule said, properly acting as Aether¡¯s head representative. Objectively, Drake and Fenri had far better communication skills, but Joule was best at peering through lies and deceits.

    ¡°T-t-the patient, Ascending Rook, he¡¯s...uh...¡±

    ¡°Speak properly,¡± Joule ordered; though Aether was aware Joule had already perceived the medic¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°He¡¯s in a coma and might not wake up.¡±

    Aura blasted through the room, freezing everything. Eyes filled with hate, Aether glared at the medic. ¡°Get out. Now.¡±

    The medic fled, and Aether¡¯s aura nipped at his back and gave him a shove. The tablet slipped from his fingers; its screen cracked against the hard floor. In his hurry, the medic abandoned it.

    Aether gripped the arms of his chair, nails digging into it as he fidgeted from side to side¡ªnot enough for the others to notice¡ªbut enough that he grew wary of his own anxiety.

    Gen would hate him, he thought; and he felt as if he had fallen into quicksand, sinking and drowning, grasping desperately for a handhold.

    ¡°So...when will Gen arrive?¡± Drake asked. Joule elbowed him in the stomach and glowered.

 26: Comfort

    After Gen escaped StarGroove and Aether¡ªwho had given her a fright by almost recognizing her¡ªshe shed her disguise and returned to his estate. She visited Mind, who was placed into her room, and planned to arrive at the meeting afterwards.

    A medic holding a small tablet stood beside the pod, reading the various indicators telling him about Mind''s condition. Unlike doctors, medics were more attuned to helping people than dissecting them.

    ¡°How is he?¡± Gen asked, and the medic leapt.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t see you.¡±

    ¡°Will he be waking up soon?¡±

    The medic pursed his lips. ¡°I think you should sit down.¡±

    ¡°So, coma,¡± Gen said, feeling the sudden tightness of the room. Her head swirled, and she left, staggering through the halls, trying to keep the tears at bay.

    Be tough, be tough, she chanted to herself. She found herself drifting towards the image of Aether¡¯s mother and looking for the hidden weapons for comfort. Of course she wouldn¡¯t be able to open the display, she grumbled with soft hiccups. She rested her back against the painting, slid to the ground, and buried her head in her palms.

    What was she going to do? Mind was everything to her, and she feared that his aura break would interfere with his ability to wake up. A normal person would have a higher chance of awakening, but Mind? His aura contained a hodgepodge of imbued talents and side effects to hack and pinpoint weaknesses, but his actual aura break turned his brain into a computer, sort of.

    Gen didn¡¯t understand the details¡ªsuch as whether it affected his thinking process¡ªbut he could store his memories as files and send packets of data to other devices through an intangible connection. Sometimes, Mind¡¯s fingers danced through the air, typing and sending her messages. Other times, he pinched the wind and plucked down private conversations.

    Gen croaked a small laugh. She would miss the way he huddled in the corner, eyes wandering as he sent her pictures of refrigerator models and coffee makers. He¡¯d also send her interesting tidbits of news¡ªthe only kind of news Gen paid attention to.

    Even if it was the exasperating ¡°I <3 you,¡± she begged for him to immediately awaken and send her another text.

    Without Mind, she felt lost and vulnerable like a lone moon drifting through a sea of foreign stars. He tethered her with a semblance of home, and he encouraged her to meet people¡ªan irony since he was the anti-social super-hacker. He also completed the missing pieces of her knowledge and let her have some fun by running errands¡ªwhether that be stealing contraband computers for him or replacing an elite¡¯s microwave oven with a knock-off brand item.

    Gen rubbed her eyes, remembering the meeting Aether wanted her to partake in. Politics. The word churned her stomach and discouraged her already downtrodden self. She hated politics, and so had left them to Mind, trusting him that if there was anything she needed to know, he would tell her.

    Be tough, be tough, she told herself, but her chanting failed. Weak, she hugged her knees, and the cold floor gave no comfort. How was she to do this?

    The thought of fleeing crossed her mind: to take Mind and head to another constellation before Janus discovered them. But then what would she do? How would she alter their identities if they couldn¡¯t hack into a system and re-implant themselves into the identity code database?

    She ground her teeth as the tears poured, angry at herself. How would she protect Mind? And why was Janus such a hound?

    ¡°Gen,¡± a word pierced her ears like an exploding plasma core; her head snapped up. Aether stood before her, and he crouched, lowering himself so that his eyes were level with hers. ¡°Do you know the time?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± She forced a smile then ran her fingers through her hair, as if nothing bothered her. ¡°Sorry, man, forgot about the meeting.¡±

    Shaking his head, Aether placed his palm against her cheek and brushed her tears with his thumb.

    Gen stiffened, and that warmth... She craved it. Her eyes lowered, and she thought of all her failed dates and all the broken relationships due to either herself or Janus¡¯s untimely appearance.

    To receive care from a playboy, she disdained how pathetic it sounded; and a strained, self-deprecating laugh forced itself through her lips.

    A part of her wished Mind was right: that she understood little about people and their relations, and that she often judged people wrongly.

    She wanted Aether¡¯s care to be sincere, yet she feared sincerity. It was easier to abandon people you didn¡¯t like, and it was easier to remember the failed dates over the happy ones. They hurt less after abrupt partings.

    And maybe one day, she¡¯d find someone who would accept her eccentric tendencies and wouldn¡¯t leave her¡ªsomeone who would love and follow her no matter how much Janus wanted them dead. Sometimes she asked herself why Janus was so persistent, but she only stamped the question with ¡°because Janus was evil.¡± She didn¡¯t think of the reasonings behind his actions because he seemed too distant from love and what she thought truly mattered.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°If you want to cry, then cry,¡± Aether said and lifted her; or maybe he was just trying to hug her. Either way, Gen assented to a carry and wrapped her arms around his neck and plastered herself to his torso. His body stiffened; then he rose, supporting her with one hand beneath her and the other on her back.

    As she savored his warmth, Gen snorted. ¡°Do I look like a softie? Just because I have a female package does not mean I¡¯m a crybaby.¡±

    ¡°A crybaby?¡± He smiled, and his orange eyes faded into a midnight blue, shocking her as she perceived a small will-o¡¯-wisp of aura. She touched his lids and examined his irises. He said, ¡°I¡¯ve cried too.¡±

    Gen raised a brow; then, realizing she was touching his face, pulled away her hand and flushed red. She hid her blush against his neck. So warm, and his heady scent assailed her like fresh clay after rainfall.

    She grew giddy and asked, ¡°Do you use that line on a lot of women?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He shook his head and carried her towards her room.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±

    ¡°I really have cried,¡± he said, dodging the topic. Crying was believable¡ªhe threw tantrums and froze things willy-nilly, so why wouldn¡¯t he cry too? But, the image of someone so masculine and handsome as him covered in tears disconcerted her. Aether explained, ¡°I cried when I had realized my sister had died.¡±

    ¡°Realized?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°It just...clicked one day, and I had burst into tears. It was a year after she and my father had died. I was thirteen when it happened, and fourteen when I had realized it.¡±

    ¡°How does that work?¡± Gen asked then shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I want to tell you.¡± His body exuded heat¡ªhis aura, most likely; and it soothed her. ¡°My sister and I had gone on a trip with my father. I don¡¯t remember the details, but somebody killed him then kidnapped us. When the empress dowager retrieved me, my sister was already dead and I had been standing in her blood. For the following year my mind had been hazy as if someone had altered my memories and erased that week.¡±

    Gen gripped the back of his shirt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss. I never knew about your sister.¡±

    ¡°Few people know she existed. Her aura break was...peculiar...so my parents had kept her a secret. I also cried when my cousin had died, Janus¡¯s older sister. Murdered, just like my sister. I was sixteen.¡±

    ¡°Would you...¡± Gen stopped her question and went silent. She feared the possible answer.

    ¡°Ask me anything.¡±

    She scoffed and gave him a half smile. ¡°What happened to you being cold and tight-lipped?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you anything.¡± Aether smiled, and Gen feared her cheeks would permanently dye themselves red.

    She tugged at her sideburns. ¡°Would you be saddened if Prince Janus died?¡±

    His eyes blazed orange, and aura swirled around him, its coldness stinging Gen¡¯s skin. Why had she asked that? Dread overcame her, but then he said, ¡°No. He and his father were the reasons for their deaths.¡±

    Gen raised a brow as a guilty sense of happiness flooded her body. She shouldn¡¯t be happy Janus had killed them, but Aether¡¯s hate delighted her. It stroked her petty side. ¡°And you know that for sure?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I had a hunch at first, but then I received a letter from someone who had never existed. He insinuated a connection and confirmed my suspicions.¡±

    ¡°They just sent you a letter? And you just believed it? Pretty odd and suspicious.¡± Gen stared into his eyes; they were turning blue again.

    ¡°It contained some things that no one else should have known.¡±

    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Gen rested her chin on his shoulder and gazed at the floor. ¡°I¡¯m just a new recruit.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how many subordinates I have?¡± Aether tightened his grip, and she shook her head. He said, ¡°Five, if I include you and Reya. Or at least, officially.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡±

    Aether whispered into her ear. ¡°I trust you, and I wanted to tell you.¡±

    Gen tilted her head and wrinkled her nose. ¡°Man, you have issues if you trust me.¡±

    ¡°Then, tell me why I shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I could disappear with your secrets, and you don¡¯t know if I¡¯m a spy for Prince Janus.¡±

    Aether chuckled. ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    She could¡¯ve been, and with Mind¡¯s help she could disappear too. The latter thought caused sadness to return to her, and she realized how much Aether had calmed her. She had forgotten her worries like a young child sitting beside their family home¡¯s hearth.

    Arriving at her room, Aether carried her inside, and she pointed towards Mind, meaning for him to place her beside the healing pod. The medic was gone, having left after discovering Mind was in a coma.

    Aether dragged over a chair and sat, keeping her in his lap. She leaned into him, basking in his warmth as she pondered the possibility of him not being a playboy. To her, the chances seemed slim, and a biting pain encroached the rims of her heart.

    She wanted him to see her as more than a female creature¡ªas a person who had emotions and wants and needs. Someone bold, daring, and masculine yet sometimes feminine. A gender-fluid man who just wanted to be loved for being herself¡ªeven if that meant accepting her petty grudges, aggressive urges, and lying guises.

    As her wishes blurred her eyes, she gazed at Mind¡¯s slumbering face.

    She thought of disguising herself then prying from Aether his opinion of her, but past experiences had made her pessimistic. Too many times she had heard exasperated rants about her eccentricities: she was too manly, spent too much time with her vehicle, smuggled too many weapons, wouldn¡¯t wear a dress, was too shy to kiss him but could wrestle a twelve-armed monster, and her face was too forgettable, her brother too pestering...

    And sometimes, the man pretended she didn¡¯t exist then attempted to hook up with her disguise.

    Gen gnawed her lower lip.

    If only she had Mind to ask about Aether¡¯s thoughts, because at least her brother would sugar coat it. But he was in an indefinite coma, deemed so by technology she wished wasn¡¯t so advanced and accurate.

    Would she be left all alone?

    Be tough, she told herself, fingers gripping Aether¡¯s shirt. The man¡¯s quiet presence seemed to bolster her conviction to be courageous.

    This time, her chant kept away the tears, and she eventually fell asleep.

 27: Meeting about the Compass Constellation (1)

    Warmth.

    Gen yawned, feeling the dawn sun against her closed lids. The redness that shone through encouraged her to rise, but she enjoyed this warmth and feared the early morning coldness, when marble floor bit the feet and soft drafts chilled the arms.

    As crisp air tickled her toes, Gen reached for her blanket, fingers clasping the thin material; and she tugged. Its corner caught something, so she gave it another yank before her hands searched for the culprit. As she found the blanket¡¯s hem, she also discovered a smooth, hot surface. Her fingertips outlined smooth ridges and perceived a soft yet firm surface.

    That¡¯s not right. Gen opened her eyes and flinched upon meeting Aether¡¯s peering gaze. Stars, what was he doing?

    Her ears throbbed with the beat of her heart, and her cheeks seared hotter than an overloaded plasma pistol. She retrieved her fingers from beneath his shirt¡ªher so-called blanket¡ªand fought the urge to feel his abs for a second time.

    ¡°Dude, what¡¯re you doing?¡± she asked, brushing aside the fact that she was the one sitting on his lap and leaning against his shoulder and that she had been the one to grope his toned muscles.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he said. His throat opened oddly, as if to stifle a yawn. With large bags rimming his bloodshot eyes, he seemed tired, and Gen presumed he hadn¡¯t slept at all.

    ¡°Did you stare at me the whole night?¡±

    ¡°No. My neck ached after an hour, so I turned off the light.¡±

    ¡°You know, your words are creepy, not comforting.¡± She glanced at the door connecting her room to his. ¡°If you got up to turn off the light, why didn¡¯t you tuck me into bed then return to your room?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡± Aether aura broke, pointed his finger, and controlled one of his shards to flip the switch. While doing so, he scratched the wall, which bore scars from presumably last night.

    So Aether sat here, without moving?

    ¡°How do I know you weren¡¯t doing crude things to me?¡± She lifted her chin, giving him a smug smile of: man, I know exactly what you were thinking. ¡°Such as stripping me naked with your eyes.¡±

    His brows wrinkled, and Gen found it somewhat adorable, so she wiggled just to see his reaction. He blandly replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to drop you.¡±

    ¡°So you held me, throughout the night and without sleeping? Even though my bed is within an arm¡¯s reach?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t want to wake you,¡± he said for a second time, eyes drifting towards the balcony in what she thought was guilt.

    Gen smirked. If he had placed her on the bed, he would need to leave, and if he had lain beside her, she would have killed him at dawn. Both were a loss for him so he kept her on his lap. Jerk.

    ¡°Aether, I¡¯ll give you three seconds. Three, two...¡±

    His gaze returned to her; the slight raise of one brow hinted of confusion.

    ¡°Zero.¡± She pulsed her aura, creating a solid wave of pressure that slammed into him. The chair buckled, and his arms, which were placed gently around her, released her. He crashed to the ground, nose bleeding from being smacked by her barrier.

    Gen glanced at Mind and surveyed the healing pod for damage. The pod, which was a meter from her, avoided the pulse that had only extended a few centimeters. Had she grown too paranoid?

    Gen leaned over Aether¡ªwho sat on the floor, hand wiping his bloodied lips, blue eyes gazing at her figure.

    His ears were red. Embarrassment or had he caught a cold? Either way, the pervert looked delicate, and a sudden idea crossed her mind. Crouching, she slipped one arm beneath his hamstrings and the other behind his shoulders; then, she lifted him.

    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Princess carry,¡± Gen said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to toss a star prince over a shoulder. Plus, a guy like me has gotta remain somewhat suave.¡±

    An arm hooked behind her neck, and he fidgeted but remained oddly obedient. With a size that overshadowed hers, all he needed to do was twist his waist and he¡¯d slip free of her grip.

    Gen carried him to the door¡ªthe one leading to the hallway because she didn¡¯t want to break the other one and have it not close. She raised her foot and said, ¡°Time to toss you out.¡±

    Then, she aura broke, destroying the doorknob and its latch.

    SMACK!

    ¡°Aaugh!¡± The door hit something¡ªor somebody¡ªthen slammed shut.

    Gen unceremoniously dropped Aether and stepped over him, opening the door again. Whoever had been hit the first time suffered another blow.

    ¡°Ow! Stop it.¡±

    Gen pursed her lips.

    Drake. And Fenri. The former clutched his face while the latter stood still, pulling his collar as a blush surfaced on his cheeks and covered his whole face, including his forehead. If Gen didn¡¯t see how Fenri¡¯s gaze drifted anxiously about the corners of the halls, she would have thought he had suffered an allergic reaction.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked.

    ¡°We kinda came for the meeting,¡± Fenri said. Not once did his eyes meet hers.

    Gen crossed her arms. ¡°What meeting?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so violent!¡± Drake complained, still covering his nose. She hoped it was broken. ¡°You didn¡¯t come to the meeting last night, so Boss texted us this morning. He told us we¡¯ll have it once you wake up.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Coldness nipped at her back, and Aether stepped beside her. He likewise crossed his arms but said nothing.

    Gen¡¯s lips pulled into a thin line. ¡°How long were you standing in front of my door?¡±

    ¡°Not long,¡± Drake said.

    Fenri added, ¡°I tried to stop him. He wouldn¡¯t listen.¡±

    ¡°Shush.¡± Drake spun on the man then faced Gen with a smile. ¡°As aura knights, we must always be prepared. What were you two doing?¡±

    Gen¡¯s cheeks turned hot at his question. Were they visibly red or was it merely heat? A porcelain plate caught her attention¡ªits contents licked clean, all but for a smear of egg yoke.

    She smirked. ¡°I see you¡¯ve had enough time to eat breakfast.¡±

    Drake blinked. ¡°Sorry about that. I got hungry.¡±

    ¡°Why be sorry? It wasn¡¯t my breakfast you¡ª¡± Pausing, she faced Aether. Had it been for her? ¡°Man, you¡¯re real creepy.¡±

    He glared at Drake; the frostiness between them glimmered like translucent snow.

    ¡°So where¡¯s Joule?¡± Gen asked, ignoring Drake¡¯s shivering and Aether¡¯s tantrum. She peered behind the door then sighed in relief upon seeing no one. Not all of Aether¡¯s subordinates were nosy.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be here,¡± Aether said, retrieving his phone, possibly ready to message the man.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna brush my teeth and get ready.¡± Gen returned to her room and made sure to close the door, not caring whether or not it swung open. The message of ¡°do not enter¡± was delivered, and the men should understand it. She entered her bathroom and prepared herself for the day.

    Having cleaned herself, Gen stood in the shower, her mind pensive. The warm water cascaded down her face and congregated at her chin before gliding over her body. With less smoothness, she pushed away her worries for Mind and grappled with the idea of politics.

    How did Princess do it?

    Her sister-in-law understood the planets, knew everything about their relations, goals, and history, but this information escaped Gen¡¯s understanding, leaving behind disconnected bubbles of facts, such as that Planet Name had a bad relation with D¡¯nathal but the reason why had escaped her memory.

    It was as if someone had taught her to ignore such things, or maybe she just cared too much about emotions and couldn¡¯t understand complicated schemes. Give her a gun and an objective; that was how Gen saw the world.

    As she turned off the water and dried her body, she thought of the few things she remembered:

    Planet Name¡ªled by a monarchy, good economy, called the jack of all but master of none.

    D¡¯nathal¡ªled by a plutocracy residing in the skylands, extremely wealthy, called the constellation¡¯s money tyrant.

    North Star¡ªled by an elected ruler among the elites, balanced economy, called both the schemers and the friendly neighbor.

    East Star¡ªled by some kind of democracy, money derived from entertainment, called the dream planet.

    South Star¡ªled by a monarchy, wealth derived from selling manpower and raw resources to other planets, called either the constellation¡¯s mercenary or its largest military base.

    West Star¡ªled by a council but ruled by Janus, balanced economy, called the science and medicinal hub.

    The anarchy planets speckled the Compass Constellation; they lacked both order and civilian residents. Gen knew the most about them, but that was only because her information focused on what type of materials they possessed, the size and rank of their monsters, and the planet¡¯s environmental conditions.

    The Firmament Bridge, recently crafted by a group of aura-breakers, physically united North Star and East Star and acted as a mercenary hub for the surrounding constellations. This she had heard from Mind.

    Gen recalled the Central Palace¡ªa giant space station¡ªwhere the emperor and empress dowager lived. She shook her head, scorning herself for almost forgetting something so important.

    There was also some other place, but it escaped her completely.

    Sighing, Gen wrapped a towel around her waist and left the bathroom.

    She froze.

    Aether, Drake, Joule, and Fenri sat before Mind¡¯s healing pod. Did they not know of privacy?

    Fenri¡¯s chair, which stood beside Joule¡¯s and opposite of Drake¡¯s, faced the bathroom door. His eyes widened, and Gen yanked her towel upward to cover the fat on her chest. Yes, fat, because thinking of them in any other way would incite her into murdering him.

    A drop of blood suddenly escaped his nostril.

    Dude, aren¡¯t you gay? Gen glared at him. Then she straightened her towel, feeling smug. She supposed she did make a sexy young man.

    Drake¡¯s head turned, mouth agape.

    ¡°Save me!¡± he yelled, and Gen¡¯s face blackened. Was she an ugly monster? No, she wasn¡¯t!

    Frost cloaked the room. Its white form clouded the glass doors leading to the balcony and snaked the rims of items, such as the corners of her shelves and of the healing pod.

    ¡°Immature boys,¡± Gen growled. A hailstorm gathered from the frost, small clumps of ice compacting into hail, swirling about the room. Aether¡¯s glare graced each of his subordinates, causing them to shiver. She imagined that each glance carried the warning, ¡°Have propriety.¡±

    Entering her closet, Gen waved a hand over her shoulder. At least Joule hadn¡¯t made much of a reaction.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be done in a sec,¡± she said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

    Someone had organized the clothes by color. Who organized clothes in such a barbaric manner?

    Gen wasted time finding what she needed, as the shirts and pants and bras were intermixed with each other. Upon finding binders for breasts, she tossed them onto the floor to later trash. Her blobs of fat were rather small¡ªshe surprised herself each time she made Dessy¡¯s pop¡ªand she preferred the extra mobility, so binders weren¡¯t for her. Maybe for others, but not for her.

    She donned a comfortable sports bra then a pair of athletic boxer briefs. For her eyes only, underwear helped her call upon her inner self. That was why Dessy wore lacy lingerie and she wore boxer briefs.

    Someone had hung her aura knight uniform in one corner, separated from the organized rainbow. She scratched her chin and debated whether to wear it. The others weren¡¯t.

    Taking longer than she had expected, Gen donned a pair of black, cargo pants; an armored, tactical vest; and a maroon, long-sleeved shirt. She also added a leg holster then posed in front of the mirror, looking very much like a mercenary soldier.

    Very handsome. She nodded to herself and exited the closet.

    ¡°You look nice,¡± Aether said, and Drake gave a sly thumbs-up¡ªnot to her as he had tried to hide it with his thigh. Was he approving of Aether¡¯s comment? So weird.

    Under the four men¡¯s gazes, Gen grabbed a weapon model from her shelf. Oh, they were real. A smile tugged at her lips and she inspected the plasma pistol, weighing it in her hand. ¡°What¡¯s the specs?¡±

    Aether replied, ¡°It¡¯s a Million Joule 10cc endurance pistol. Doesn¡¯t do rapid fire but it¡¯s good for about 150 shots.¡±

    Wow. Gen gently caressed the pistol. Such a high-tech little baby. Of the 10cc plasma pistols she had seen, their cores only lasted about a hundred shots. ¡°What¡¯s the overload amount, and rest period? Delay?¡±

    ¡°It overloads after eight repeated shots, and there is a two second rest period. Complete cooldown takes about six seconds. Delay is three-tenths a second, and the pistol resists movement jams. I wouldn¡¯t risk it, but the jamming rate is around thirty percent if you jerk it at critical moments.¡±

    ¡°Sweet!¡± Gen smiled holding the pistol high in the air. ¡°What¡¯s the model name? I¡¯m guessing this is a weapon just for the Star Lines?¡±

    Aether¡¯s eyes softened, and he leaned in his chair, bringing himself closer to her. ¡°Just for me. Plasmatic EP MJ-10 Mark II. There are only two in existence, and that¡¯s one of them.¡±

    Nodding, Gen stuck it into her holster then sat on the healing pod and splayed her legs. After procrastinating, she was finally ready for the meeting, but she wished she could just ditch it and either go kill monsters or take Sexy on a joyride.

 28: Meeting about the Compass Constellation (2)

    Gen glanced at her brother within the healing pod and whispered, "Please wake up soon."

    ¡°Ready?¡± Aether asked as he leaned into his seat. His tired eyes seemed to have relaxed.

    ¡°Okay, Boss. What¡¯s so important about this meeting?¡±

    ¡°I assume Dessy told you what had occurred at the gala? This might be a shock, but it was staged by Prince Janus.¡±

    Not a shock at all. Gen guessed, ¡°An assassination attempt on the empress dowager?¡±

    ¡°If only it was that simple,¡± Drake sighed and before he said more, Aether silenced him with a bit of frost.

    ¡°I¡¯m speaking to Gen.¡± Aether knocked the side of his own chair then smiled at her. ¡°No. It was an attack on a weaponized fashion gala hosted on South Star.¡±

    Gen forced a smile, her cheek twitching. Was that supposed to mean something?

    ¡°Explain,¡± Joule said with a small nod and smile. Was he being smug for knowing nothing? Gen found herself understanding her three comrades less and less.

    Drake eavesdropping through the door, Fenri receiving a bloody nose, and Joule celebrating his lack of knowledge... What would happen next? Reya bursting into the room and tossing cursing at Aether?

    ¡°South Star is a military planet and my home base of operations,¡± Aether said. ¡°So an attack, whether it fails or not, undermines my authority, which has weakened ever since I lost the position of general. In a few days there will be movements to replace the officers I had once appointed. That or they cut ties.¡±

    Gen nodded, mind filled with muggy clouds.

    ¡°Aether, you need to explain things from the beginning. Everything,¡± Joule said. His smile grew large, and if Gen had to guess, he was expecting a large bonus or an extended vacation.

    ¡°You call him ¡®Aether¡¯?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Aether, Prince Aether, Boss, Your Highness. It depends on the context.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t confusing at all... Gen slicked back her hair, and she gazed at Aether, hoping for an explanation.

    ¡°You can call me ¡®dear,¡¯ ¡± he said, and Drake coughed then covered his own mouth with his hands. His eyes, however, told of an unfounded excitement.

    Gen shrugged. If led by a playboy, what should she have expected from his subordinates? ¡°I¡¯ll call you ¡®Boss¡¯ or just ¡®Aether.¡¯ ¡±

    ¡°You call Prince Janus ¡®prince,¡¯ ¡± Aether said, the corners of his lips sloping.

    ¡°Yeah, and I don¡¯t like the guy.¡±

    The room warmed, and Drake asked, ¡°But you¡¯re from Planet Name.¡±

    ¡°And Planet Name hates him.¡±

    ¡°Wait...¡± Fenri spoke, breaking his silence. ¡°I thought Planet Name was his second largest supporter, right after West Star. I mean, he¡¯s married to Princess King, and they have two children.¡±

    Oh right... Gen¡¯s stomach bubbled with loathing, and she scoffed, saying nothing. If she didn¡¯t fear the Star Lines and the harm they could do to Mind, she would have killed Janus. Princess hated him; it was plain, simple coercion, not unconditional support.

    Aether asked Gen, ¡°Do you know what¡¯s happening within the Puresoul Galaxy?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± she replied with a shake of her head.

    ¡°Every fifty years the Puresoul Galaxy has a competition to replace the current star emperor or star empress. The participants only consist of the star princes and star princesses who rule their own constellations. The common people call them the emperors and empresses, but we call them either the representative star prince or the representative star princess. My branch¡¯s current representative star prince, the Emperor of the Compass Constellation, is terminally ill, but the competition is in six years.

    ¡°The competition focuses on one''s power as an aura-breaker. My grandmother hopes for me to participate and become the new star emperor, but unless I become the Compass Constellation¡¯s emperor and representative star prince, I won¡¯t gain the right to participate. Prince Janus is my one contender.¡±

    ¡°But his aura break is weak,¡± Gen said, crossing her arms.

    Aether shook his head as he inhaled a deep breath. ¡°But he has the power to influence others. The Dewberry Galaxy has a special rule for its Star Line succession, which the Puresoul Galaxy sometimes follow. A participant can have someone else fight for them, as show of their strategic mind and leadership.¡±

    ¡°Umbra Keith,¡± Gen said. The constellation approved of Prince Janus because he had Umbra. And many people suspected Umbra could force a draw with Aether.

    ¡°And Lukani Ender and Emily Zore. He also has the support of super-hackers Acid Rain, Net Clanker, and The Byter. I can contend with them individually, but together¡ª¡± he shook his head.

    ¡°What are the requirements to become the Compass Constellation¡¯s emperor?¡±

    ¡°Among the Star Lines, there are two methods. The first being to slaughter the competition, but the Puresoul Star Line has forbidden this for half its constellations, including this one. The second is to gain the support of the constellation¡¯s leaders. In other words, more than half of its non-anarchy planets.¡±

    Gen rubbed her chin and glanced at Mind. He would have known this. ¡°Planet Name, D¡¯nathal, North Star, East Star, South Star, West Star... Six planets. You¡¯ll need four planets supporting you.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°D¡¯nathal and South Star are my only supporters, but D¡¯nathal is tentative and not to be trusted. I¡¯m also losing the support of South Star. The gala attack allows Janus to launch campaigns against the military might I once possessed.¡±

    Grim, unless he married Reya. A sticky feeling washed over Gen; her stomach twisted, and her lips pursed. Stop thinking about Aether and the way he comforted you, she told herself. ¡°But marrying Reya would fix that.¡±

    ¡°Not happening.¡± Aether¡¯s eyes met hers, their glimmer instilling an odd wanting within her. But it wasn¡¯t going to happen; they would know each other for a year, and then she¡¯d be gone. Or maybe she¡¯d disappear once Mind awakened¡ªif he did.

    Gen¡¯s throat tightened, and she pulled at her collar, swallowing hard. Before she realized her own hopeful self, her mouth asked, ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something I want more than the galaxy,¡± Aether replied. He then faced Joule, reminding her that the others were still present. ¡°What else?¡±

    Joule nodded. ¡°Gen, Prince Janus has the support of West Star, East Star, and Planet Name. North Star remains neutral, and when Aether went to negotiate with North Star, they turned him down. Furthermore, the assassins you both faced had no relation to North Star¡¯s political climate. They came from elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Assassins?¡± Gen glanced at Mind. ¡°The same ones who destroyed Sexy the Fourth?¡±

    Joule nodded.

    Aether said, ¡°North Star won¡¯t join Prince Janus. They were once close to Planet Name due to their close proximity and trade agreements, but when they discovered Princess¡¯s secret marriage to Prince Janus and their trade agreements with West Star, they were furious. North Star took it as betrayal and so cut ties with Planet Name. They hate each other, and both fear that the other has more methods of ruining them. The two planets have shared too many secrets to not be wary of each other.¡±

    Something was odd about those planets, Gen thought. She was sure the answer was simple and was only difficult for her to understand.

    Princess had invited a few high-ranking elites of North Star to her wedding with Law. In other words, North Star should have known that Princess¡¯s so-called secret marriage to Janus was fake and that it had been Law she had married thirteen years ago. So why would they hate each other?

    ¡°Hypothetically,¡± Gen began, ¡°if Prince Janus threatened Planet Name to side with him, and North Star was still best friends with Planet Name, then, would they both support you?¡±

    Aether wrinkled his brows, and he sent a glance at Joule, who then shrugged. He said, ¡°North Star would support me, and with no choice, Planet Name would support Prince Janus.¡±

    ¡°Then, isn¡¯t that like now?¡±

    ¡°No. North Star is trying to receive the most benefits by dragging things until their decision becomes immediately important. They have little hope of either me or Janus inheriting the galaxy, so they don¡¯t care if they ruin the constellation¡¯s chance of becoming the galaxy¡¯s crowned capital. D¡¯nathal has similar thoughts, but they¡¯re desperate for me to execute Umbra, so they openly support me. Gen, do you think Prince Janus and his wife have a poor relation?¡±

    Not just poor. Gen opened her mouth but then shut it. Her gaze lingered on Mind. She couldn¡¯t tell Aether about Law¡¯s murder. Law, as far as the galaxy knew, didn¡¯t exist, and Gen wasn¡¯t confident what Janus had told others.

    Why were so many people still chasing her and Mind? Did they know Mind was Phantom Mind, or did they hunt them because Janus put a bounty on their heads? Was Aether after them too? Did he know of Law?

    Aether may be open to her: recruiting her, sharing secrets about his life, and inviting her to this meeting. But Gen didn¡¯t know what else he was hiding, of what secrets resided within this estate and whether he had told her the truth. So she lied:

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was a hunch.¡±

    She glanced at Drake, Joule, and Fenri, examining them as quickly as she could. Their expressions showed patience. No interest. They had known of everything that had been said¡ªJoule had feigned ignorance, the reason for his smug smiles.

    The meeting was for her, and maybe Aether knew she was Gender Bender. Her palms turned sticky. The four men leaned into their chairs, gazing at her as she sat opposite them and on the center of the healing pod.

    An object of scrutiny; that¡¯s what she was. She pulled her sideburns.

    Aether tapped his chair, directing her attention to him. ¡°Whatever vendetta you have against Janus, I support you. We¡¯ll be together for years.¡±

    Her lips rose into an awkward smile, affected by his words. A thought crossed her mind¡ªthat in addition to her brother, she could speak to Aether¡ªand it stung her. Years... She doubted they had years. One or two at most, and what type of star prince recruited a subordinate with such little thought? Did he do so for her driving skills? Her aura break?

    Aether could dispose of her as easily as he had recruited her.

    Joule, possibly using the awkward silence as his cue, made his report: ¡°After the gala attack, General Bluelight petitioned for the reorganization of aura knights. He has proposed the idea of dissolving the fifth field army¡ªGen, that one was Prince Aether¡¯s. He says it¡¯s to use them to protect the public.

    ¡°Concurrently, East Star and West Star have come forward with trade deals to supply South Star with the latest of medicinal drugs and with a few sponsored festivals, so as to subvert public dissent with the constellation¡¯s contraband items. In exchange, they want a part of the army to be divided into their public security sectors.¡±

    Aether rubbed his temples ¡°Where they will then be stifled into being simple security guards, which will discourage my other connections from helping me. There will also be problems on North Star.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joule said. ¡°Without the fifth field army we¡¯ll lose control of Anarchy Planet C3 and the resources we had planned to use for bargaining with them. D¡¯nathal also fears we will lose Anarchy Planet C9, specifically the ethereal steel mine. Gen, that¡¯s the main mine that supplies them with the material to build their newest sky island. Without it they wouldn¡¯t be able to complete the island and would have wasted almost ninety billion star credits.

    ¡°Your Highness, D¡¯nathal is also very distraught that you didn¡¯t kill Umbra during the gala¡¯s confusion. They¡¯ve proposed some preposterous ideas such as breaking Thorne Maximus out of the Maelstrom Vortex Prison and have him contend with Umbra.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Gen said. How did the planets propose everything so quickly? Not even twenty-four hours had passed, and if Aether had scheduled the meeting for last night... How the hell did they do it? She asked, ¡°Why Thorne Maximus of all people? Isn¡¯t he ten times worse than Umbra?¡±

    Aether sighed. ¡°Gen, it seems we won¡¯t be able to get drinks tonight.¡±

    Oh, she had forgotten about that. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. Wasn¡¯t in the mood. So, Boss, how are you planning to fix things? Seems like none of the planets like you.¡±

    The room grew cold as Aether frowned. ¡°The bodyguard and spy operation. It will buy us some time and hopefully give us some information. We¡¯ll be escorting Prince Janus¡¯s son to one of the anarchy planets for the boy¡¯s rite of passage as a star prince.¡±

    Gen¡¯s heart jolted. Her fingertips clutched the smooth surface of the healing pod, releasing a small squeak as they slid. Janus had one son, his step-son, her nephew. How could Defender receive the title of star prince? He didn¡¯t have the blood. Was he the hostage who kept Planet Name loyal to Janus?

    ¡°Our main goal is to glean information from either him or Umbra, who will also be protecting the kid. If that fails, we¡¯ll kidnap the boy and force him to reveal Prince Janus¡¯s secrets,¡± Aether said, and her face paled, perspiration gathering at her temples and within her palms. Torturing a thirteen-year-old boy...

    Joule added, ¡°I¡¯ll be questioning him. And afterwards, hold him ransom.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Gen tugged at her sideburns; all their words about relations and alignments slipped from her memories. Mind was enough for her to worry about, and now she had to save her nephew from both Aether and Janus.

 29: Understanding Gen

    After signing the last letter to his correspondence within the fifth field army, Aether placed the fountain pen onto his mahogany desk, carefully so as to not create a click. Possibly hearing something, Gen glanced at him then returned to staring at the ceiling. Her legs hung over the couch¡¯s arm, and her back lay against its cushion.

    Aether gently opened a drawer and retrieved his phone. For the past week, something weighed heavily on Gen¡¯s mind; he wasn¡¯t sure what: Ascending, or maybe the current state of the Compass Constellation. Either way, it resulted in her needing a quiet space. Anywhere else Drake hounded her with questions and Reya attacked with insults.

    Using a phone application, he sent a small bonus to Drake, whose useless prying proved to be not so useless. His thumb hovered over another send button¡ªgift Reya or not? She didn¡¯t need it, but she liked receiving gifts and they kept her quiet. He closed the app, choosing not to fuel her psychotic tendencies. Instead, he signed into the Love Kitchen.

    Treating each word with the gravity of a former general, Aether reread Fridgewarmer¡¯s advice and the man¡¯s ¡°The Seven Ingredients of Utmost Importance¡±:

    <ol>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Be kind to the crush¡¯s sister and brother.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Never, ever talk bad about either her or her siblings.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Don¡¯t be a creepy stalker.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Don¡¯t take secret pictures and/or videos of her.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Don¡¯t come on too strong or she¡¯d think you¡¯re either crazy or joking.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Don¡¯t be mean to her or she¡¯ll push you off a five-hundred-story skyscraper.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Most importantly, you¡¯re not allowed to say ¡°I <3 you.¡±</li>

    </ol>

    Fridgewarmer had yet to log in since the day Aether had joined, so there was no knew advice. Disappointing.

    MsChef: @Fridgewarmer are you ignoring me? Has anyone seen him come online?

    Toastie: </img>

    CrazyStrudel: Nope. Maybe he died?

    MsChef: Don¡¯t say that! Strudel, how is your darling doing?

    CrazyStrudel: She¡¯s well, I think. She complained about all her other suitors, saying they had fought each other and ignored her.

    MsChef: I think she wants more attention and care. It¡¯s good you listened to her. You must have made her happy. I think your relationship is coming along well.

    CrazyStrudel: Actually, this was more of a memory from when we were kids. She was scolding me for starting the fight.

    MsChef: Oh... Well then, did you apologize?

    CrazyStrudel: Was I supposed to? I thought she wanted someone to argue with her.

    Toastie sent a short video of a cartoon toaster facepalming itself.

    CrazyStrudel replied with a steaming strudel.

    ...

    Useless and no Fridgewarmer. Aether tossed his phone into the drawer; it clacked against his old wrist watch. MsChef was good, but she lacked the concrete ideas and recommendations that Fridgewarmer sometimes gave. He rubbed his temples.

    Gen was still staring at the ceiling, her fingers rhythmically tapping her stomach.

    Knock! A single knock meant Joule.

    ¡°Come in,¡± Aether said, and Gen leapt to her feet. A smile graced her lips, and she charged to the door, swinging it open with a yank.

    ¡°Finally! Man, you¡¯re so slow,¡± she said. Her figure leaned too close to Joule for Aether¡¯s comfort.

    His teeth clenched, and the room cooled. Why was she so excited to see Joule but never him?

    Joule, after meeting his eyes, drifted away from Gen. He shirked as he put space between them. ¡°Don¡¯t compare me to Phantom Mind.¡±

    Gen¡¯s body stiffened. ¡°Phantom Mind? Don¡¯t know him. Did you get the information I wanted?¡±

    Joule nodded, pushed a piece of paper into her hands, then fled. The door clicked shut.

    ¡°What did you want from Joule?¡± Aether asked.

    She flicked the paper with her finger, as if she was the star prince and it was her most important document. ¡°I need to teach someone a lesson.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    Gen squinted at it. ¡°Apparently an ¡®Ember Nestling.¡¯ He was mean to Dessy.¡±

    ¡°The elite with the power to instill aggression?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, him, and unfortunately his purple-loving lady friend has disappeared.¡± She tapped his desk. ¡°Want to help me?¡±

    Aether¡¯s aura warm, and he nodded despite the suspicions swelling within his stomach. Why would she ask for his help? Gen either avoided him or came to chat about Dessy.

    ¡°A few words and I can tarnish the elite¡¯s reputation,¡± Aether said.

    ¡°Too boring.¡± Gen grabbed his paperweight and inspected the laser image within¡ªan armored seal swimming within a vortex of stars. She plunked it onto his papers. ¡°I was thinking about something more fun.¡±

    Aether nodded then abandoned his letters, following her to his indoor car dock.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    Aether peered through the Nightingale¡¯s windows as Evergreen City came into sight. Like metallic walls bearing vertical cracks, its monstrous skyscrapers blocked their view of its inner districts and darkened its insides.

    Instead of entering the city, however, Gen took them to the city¡¯s train station, or port station as some people called it. It rested a ways outside Evergreen City, safely distant to prevent the disaster of a train failing to slow and dock.

    Whether it crashed or not, the passengers would be safe¡ªthe surrounding city, not so much.

    The station¡¯s platform resembled a traffic pier, but its rectangular width and length surpassed the size of a typical pier. It attached itself onto the side of a lone building, and its metal appendage hung over an artificial meat plantation, whose rancid smell seeped into the Nightingale.

    Gen drove into the building, and choosing one of the many docks crisscrossing its innards, moored the vehicle between two other cars. A small metal arm extended from beneath the Nightingale, grasping the nearest post. A superfluous action, but Aether suspected she just wanted to manually control the arm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get separated,¡± she said, stepping onto the docks. Travelers and day workers strode past them, most carrying briefcases and wearing long coats. Scanning her wrist bracelet at the entry gate, she followed them onto the platform.

    Aether stayed close to her, delighting in their proximity. Other people, however, avoided Gen and stepped around her, their eyes watching her holstered pistol.

    Aether happily dismissed them as fools and leaned closer to Gen, but not close enough that Fridgewarmer or anyone would call him creepy¡ªhe hoped. Gen had no scent; his nose wrinkled.

    Another sniff. Odd. He had expected cologne, or at the very least, the smell of the brown sugar shampoo supplied within the estate. The two smells suddenly assaulted him, and he stumbled.

    Gen grabbed the sleeve of his coat. ¡°This high up, don¡¯t look down. I heard it makes it worse.¡±

    Aether took a small step away from her, but the pungent cologne clashing with the shampoo still burned his nostrils. ¡°What cologne do you wear?¡±

    ¡°Me? Nothing. Do I smell delicious?¡± she said, head down, sniffing the inside of her wrist. The smell of cologne suddenly vanished, leaving behind the scent of brown sugar.

    ¡°Aura side effect?¡± he mumbled. Either she didn¡¯t hear or didn¡¯t want to respond.

    Her eyes avoided his, and still holding his sleeve, she pulled him onto the port¡¯s platform, which expanded two hundred meters in both directions. Although the train wouldn¡¯t arrive for another twenty minutes, commuters filled the benches.

    Aether and Gen stood next to a vending machine, whose silver, streamlined body juxtaposed the platform¡¯s rustic planks. Gen faced the direction from which the train would approach.

    Wanting her to face him, Aether asked, ¡°What¡¯s your favorite food?¡±

    She didn¡¯t turn. ¡°Steamed buns filled with berkan meat.¡±

    ¡°What about color?¡±

    ¡°Orange.¡±

    ¡°Animal?¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Berkan.¡± She still wouldn¡¯t face him.

    ¡°That¡¯s a monster. What animal?¡± he said; the aggravation within his own voice surprised him. He whispered, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°So what if it¡¯s a giant, man-eating worm?¡± Gen spun, revealing red cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s still cute, hence it¡¯s an animal.¡±

    Why was she so red? He began unzipping his coat. ¡°Cold?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± She glared. ¡°I¡¯m not a typical woman. In fact, right now, I¡¯m a dude. So say it.¡±

    ¡°Sorry?¡±

    Her eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯m a guy, say it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a guy,¡± he said, re-zipping his coat.

    She flashed a smile then turned to watch the train¡¯s airway, no longer facing him. What could be so great about a train? Or had he done something to infuriate her?

    ¡°You like trains?¡± Aether asked, hoping it wasn¡¯t the latter.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Want one?¡±

    Her head shook.

    He asked, ¡°What¡¯s your hobby?¡±

    Facing him again, she leaned against the side of the vending machine and crossed her arms. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    His aura warmed at her attention. ¡°I want to know more about you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how you do it,¡± Gen said. He gazed at her, and they remained silent for a while. Eventually she sighed, and her words sounded more of a question than a statement: ¡°Somebody mentioned you had people problems?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really an expert.¡± Gen fiddled with her sideburns. ¡°In fact, you shouldn¡¯t be asking me. I¡¯m...gah...you know what? Just hold a conversation and spend a little time with the other person. That will tell you more than any question. Like Drake, Fenri, and Joule. You know them, right?¡±

    Aether nodded.

    ¡°Then¡±¡ªher gaze turned towards a small boy playing with a plastic sword¡ª¡°tell me something about each of them.¡±

    ¡°Drake specializes in both hand-to-hand combat and¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°What are they like?¡±

    He didn¡¯t give much thought to the answer. ¡°Drake is nosy, Fenri loves Reya, and Joule is odd.¡±

    ¡°You fail,¡± Gen laughed. Aether¡¯s hands, which he hadn¡¯t realized were clenched, loosened to her voice. ¡°Like really, man, I discovered that within a week. You¡¯ve had, what, years? Okay, what about your previous girlfriends? How many have you had, and do you remember their names? What stood out to you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never had a girlfriend.¡± His brows furrowed. How did this turn into her asking him questions?

    The distant boy swung his sword at another boy who screamed for him to stop. Gen scoffed. ¡°So you don¡¯t remember them?¡±

    ¡°Never had any.¡±

    She gave him an indifferent nod. ¡°You are self-centered and possibly prideful, egotistical, and uncaring. Hedonistic, too. And pushy.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Aether towered over her, his head tilted downward to look at her. His tongue scraped against his molars, abating his frustration through the sensation of light pain. His fists balled, and the whole port seemed to tilt. He was light-headed. How could Gen have such a low opinion of him?

    ¡°I¡¯m none of those things,¡± he said, ¡°and I¡¯m the opposite of hedonistic. Maybe a bit prideful, but that¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± She blandly raised her brows. He bit his tongue; the pain shot through him but not as much as her gaze.

    How could she incite such emotion within him? Why did he continue speaking? It wasn¡¯t like him at all. The normal him would remain indifferent and silent.

    ¡°I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡± He took out his phone, and she clicked her tongue.

    ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re not tossing money at something.¡±

    Aether jolted then shoved the device back into his pocket. He kept his fingers inside too; they had begun to quiver. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to dinner.¡±

    ¡°Wow, just wow.¡± She turned away from him, and her shoulder leaned into the vending machine.

    ¡°Gen,¡± he said. And she didn¡¯t respond. With her back to him, Aether pulled out his phone and signed into Love Kitchen. Sweat covered his palms and greased the screen. He glanced at Gen then garnered the courage to send an embarrassing message.

    HotJerky: I made her really angry.

    CrazyStrudel: Hey! I forgot you were here. Welcome!

    Toastie: I remembered Jerky ^-^

    HotJerky: @MsChef I need help.

    MsChef: How did you make her angry? Tell me a bit about her so that I can give you some recommendations.

    HotJerky: I don¡¯t know.

    CrazyStrudel: I can help, too. You know I¡¯m pretty lonely when my darling doesn¡¯t come visit.

    MsChef: You don¡¯t have any idea? Then, I guess we need to take this step by step. What¡¯s she like?

    HotJerky: I don¡¯t know what she likes.

    MsChef: You don¡¯t know? As in you know nothing about her and have no idea how you angered her?

    Toastie: O.O

    HotJerky: She¡¯s boyish?

    MsChef: This is a job for Fridgewarmer. Unfortunately, I think he¡¯s angry at me, so he¡¯s ignoring the whole group. Sorry :\ But, at the very least, you can try speaking to her. Listen to her complaints. That might help.

    CrazyStrudel: I wish you both luck. If I angered my darling, she¡¯d murder me when I¡¯m not looking. Isn¡¯t she a sweetie <3

    Aether put away his phone and sighed. He stood beside Gen, positioning himself so that his shoulder was beside hers and that he faced the same direction.

    ¡°What did I do?¡± he asked.

    She shifted. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re angry, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Sighing, she faced him with a complexion far more flushed than before. ¡°I just have a lot on my mind. And...conflicting thoughts¡±

    ¡°Ascending will wake up, and before then the healing pod will preserve his body and prevent muscle degeneration.¡±

    She nodded then went to the front of the vending machine. Scanning her wrist bracelet, she bought a can of water then gestured. ¡°Want something?¡±

    ¡°No, thanks,¡± Aether said.

    Gen continued watching the two kids, and he followed her gaze. What was so interesting? First Joule, then the train, and now two children. Aether¡¯s aura turned frigid.

    The kids ran about the platform, one waving his sword while the other yelled for him to stop. The surrounding bystanders ignored them, but Gen pointed. She said, ¡°Your decision. What do you want to do? Stop the boy with the toy sword? Ignore the other one¡¯s pleas? What?¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯d stop him.¡±

    Gen laughed. Her hand still held her can of water. She had yet to take a drink, and she waved it at his nose. ¡°Come on. I know you noticed them. If you wanted to stop them, you would have already done so. See, you¡¯re vain. You only said you¡¯d stop him because I asked you.¡±

    ¡°Then, I guess I¡¯m ignoring them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m watching for the train. You see how there¡¯s no garbage near the boys but there¡¯s garbage around here?¡± She pointed at a few scraps of metal¡ªmainly crushed cans and cups. ¡°In my estimates, when the train arrives, the wind will throw them off balance.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re ignoring them?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I think a little roughhousing is beneficial, but I¡¯m not going to let the boy with the sword get away without any scratches. Just wait...¡±

    Aether observed her: the slight smile on her lips, the excited eyes, the strong fingers gripping the can, the relaxed manner in which she stood...

    Handsome and beautiful, albeit for the redness of her face, which brought him concern.

    Eventually the droids, who stood near the posts on the edge of the dock, released a loud whistle. The train was coming, and the air vibrated. White wind¡ªcreated by technology Aether didn¡¯t understand¡ªcloaked its form, but as the train approached, the wind thinned and the train¡¯s elongated, spherical segments grew more defined. It reminded him of a stained-glass snake hidden within mist, one that had swallowed more than a dozen eggs, with a gently swaying tail.

    At five hundred meters, the train decelerated, and the sharp smell of char filled the air. Its origin was unknown to Aether¡ªbut Gen might know. He gazed at her, watching her every movement.

    Her hand, which held the can, recoiled then flexed, her wrist flicking. A wave of aura, which formed the shape of a crescent, blasted from her palm the moment her fingers loosed the can. The pulse boosted the force of her throw, hurtling the can through the graying wind that threw the children off balance.

    So graceful.

    The can smacked the hand holding the plastic sword, and the boy yelled and fell. He crashed into the platform while the other boy, who struggled against the wind, regained his balance. The gusts subsided, and the latter boy laughed, pointing a finger at the one who had fallen.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Gen said with a large smile. She strutted to the train¡¯s last segment¡ªa large glass bulb reminding Aether of a gecko¡¯s clubbed tail. The crowd parted ways for them, and she boarded the train. She chose the most unpopular seat, which was one of the three seats at the very end.

    Aether sat beside her, his eyes scanning the immediate surroundings for vomit. No one else had entered this particular train car; the travelers jammed themselves into the cars closer to the front.

    Gen brushed the dust off her pants. ¡°You know, you don¡¯t need to sit here with me. I can text you our destination, and we could meet up at the city¡¯s port.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Just don¡¯t barf on me.¡± Gen grinned and lightly elbowed him. ¡°Prince or not, I¡¯ll pummel you until you have no more vomit.¡±

    He smiled and leaned into her. Their shoulders touched, causing aura to escape his body and warm their train segment. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t let your aura fracture the glass. Trust me, it really hurts the ears if there¡¯s a crack when we start moving. No wind stabilizer.¡± She nudged him, a strange expectation within her smile. ¡°So what did you learn about me?¡±

    ¡°You like the back of the train.¡±

    She laughed, but her dry cadence hinted of disappointment. Her words were more vibrant, yet something about them struck Aether as discordant. ¡°Did you just see what I did? I hit a kid¡ªa kid¡ªwith a can of water. A grown person hitting a kid! And oh, did I enjoy it, man. I didn¡¯t like how he was bullying the other boy.¡±

    ¡°You could have stopped him,¡± he said slowly, each word holding more confusion than conviction.

    ¡°They were brothers.¡± Gen slicked her hair. ¡°They look alike, and there was only one other person watching them. The mother, I suppose, or maybe an older sister. She held a toddler and looked exceptionally tired. A night worker, maybe, who for some reason needed to bring them to another city.¡±

    ¡°To welcome home their parents,¡± Aether added. His finger trailed their seats, feeling for slime but finding none. ¡°It¡¯s approaching the end of the month when certain divisions let the aura knights with children visit home. It¡¯s a regular occurrence on South Star.¡±

    Slumping, Gen nodded then said, ¡°Stopping them would do nothing. They would still fight, but by smacking him, I get to delight in trivial vengeance and so does his brother. I have nothing against the boy, but when there¡¯s someone you really want to beat down but can¡¯t, you start to enjoy the smallest acts of avenging others¡ªand of yourself. It gives hope that maybe there¡¯s someone out there who would return the favor and deal with your problem.¡± She smiled, wearing an air of pride. ¡°Nah, I might do it myself one day if Ascending doesn¡¯t awaken. Plus, I¡¯m petty. That¡¯s what you should¡¯ve learned.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Aether said then mimicked her slumping. Usually such an informal pose would make him feel out of place, as if his grandmother would scold him or if the action shamed his dead parents. But Gen¡¯s presence let him relax, soothing him yet also quickening his pulse.

    Brown sugar. She smelled of home.

    ¡°I¡¯d sit straight and buckle the harness if this is the first time riding the tail. There is a reason it is called ¡®the death pod.¡¯ ¡± Gen crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and splayed her legs; her thigh and knee touched his. Was it purposeful or not?

    Aether loosened his muscles, letting his leg relax and gently push against hers. She didn¡¯t move, and he suddenly found his palms sweating.

    What could her actions mean? Hadn¡¯t Fridgewarmer mentioned something about a pressure test within his long list of recommendations?

    Unfortunately, his phone rested in the pocket beside Gen. He¡¯d rather not disturb her.

    She yawned. ¡°Sorry for being rude. Like I¡¯ve said, I¡¯ve been stressed. But now, it¡¯s time for fun. I think it¡¯ll be great to mess with that Empty Nest, or whatever his name.¡±

    ¡°Ember Nestling.¡± Aether smiled, and the train lurched, taking them from Evergreen City. Before the tail began swaying, he said, ¡°You¡¯re very sharp but too quick to make judgments. I¡¯ll prove to you I¡¯m a reliable man.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Good luck.¡±

 30: Step 1, Buy a Vehicle

    How could this be possible? An icky feeling¡ªlike that of food poisoning¡ªlodged itself into Aether¡¯s throat. He staggered off the train and onto Cyprus City¡¯s port station. Gen caught his arm then dragged him towards the nearby trash bin. He leaned over its white rim, and she rubbed his back.

    A new kind of feeling invaded his stomach: warm, bubbly pride. Who cared if he had an image to uphold? Nobody would recognize his face, and even if they did, it was a worthy sacrifice for Gen¡¯s caress. Hmph. Joule hasn¡¯t had her rub his back.

    Smack. She slapped his shoulder, and he teetered. What was that for?

    ¡°Man, you should have ridden closer to the front,¡± Gen said with a smile. Then she prodded his side.

    ¡°You seem fine.¡±

    ¡°I have tons of experience. But, hey, man, on the return trip we can ride at the front. How does that sound?¡±

    ¡°The back.¡± Aether dry heaved, and she rubbed him some more.

    ¡°You have nothing to prove by challenging the hell pod. Just take the front.¡±

    He shook his head. It wasn¡¯t about proving his bravery or the durability of his stomach. It was about sitting next to her on a vehicle that jostled their bodies closer to each other. And the sweet feeling of her care. Nausea? He might as well fake it in the future. In fact, motion sickness might be his new best friend.

    After he dry heaved until he felt satisfied, they headed to the port station¡¯s pier and waited in line at the pickup platform. Gen had her phone at the ready, Sparrow app opened so that she could quickly link to the driver¡¯s application.

    The vehicle arrived: a generic Ravenbrood painted a dark purple. Aether lay onto its ripped seats opposite the loading door. They smelled odd, like burning rubber but not as pungent.

    He groaned, meaning to emphasize his nausea, then covered his eyes with an arm. The seats depressed¡ªGen had sat beside his head¡ªand he repressed a smile.

    ¡°If he throws up, that¡¯s an extra fifty star creds,¡± said the driver.

    ¡°He¡¯s not gonna vomit. Just take us to our destination.¡±

    Aether flinched. Did she know he had already shaken off nausea and had begun pretending?

    The driver grumbled, and the vehicle teetered, switching from stationary gear to flight mode.

    Aether released a groan, and a warmth brushed his forehead. Had he fallen asleep and dreamt of it? He held his breath as he peeked for certainty.

    Gen. Her fingertips hovered above his skin and emitted an elusive warmth.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to get so motion sick,¡± she said. There was something soft within her eyes, unlike her usual gaze that hid a tinge of judgmental prejudice. How did she see him?

    Warm aura escaped through his breath as he said, ¡°The last train segment is far worse than being thrown into a blender.¡±

    ¡°You remind me of Ascending,¡± she said, eyes further softening.

    Aether frowned, and with a distant smile, she kneaded the space between his brows. Should he be concerned? Happy? On guard? What was she thinking?

    ¡°Lift up your head,¡± Gen said then patted her thigh. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better with a pillow.¡±

    Definitely concerned, he told himself as the wrinkles of his forehead deepened. Gen didn¡¯t seem like herself. But falling for her allure, he obeyed, rolled onto his side, and rested his cheek on her lap. He¡¯d worry about it later.

    ¡°There, there,¡± she said, and his heart stopped due to a cacophony of emotions. Fear¡ªwas she treating him as her brother? And hope¡ªmaybe they had become closer.

    Her fingers touched his hair, and he nuzzled his face into her vest, hiding the smile that had forced its way onto his lips.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    The ride was too short for Aether¡ªabout an hour. The driver had dropped them off at a pier deep within the city. It was empty albeit for a few people, mostly window shoppers and young students who congregated near food stalls.

    Gen crossed her arms and grumbled. ¡°Could have driven that in ten minutes... Why use the AI and take the AI airways? Lame.¡±

    Aether nodded, although he preferred the extra length.

    Together, they entered the pier¡¯s main skyscraper, whose entrance floor was a StarGroove. Gen led him to the levitation pad then to the stairway. With each floor they descended, her smile grew larger and radiated a healthy amount of mischievousness.

    So cute... Aether drifted towards her.

    After seven flights, they arrived at a foyer lined with paintings and busts of unknown people. Vehicles and their inventors, most likely. Acting familiar with the place, Gen pushed through a pair of wooden double doors, above which resided the inscription ¡°Eternal Nest.¡±

    A large, open space greeted them. It spanned four floors and showcased new flying cars. Below them the white, marble flooring glared at Aether, and so did the single reception desk sitting at its center.

    The receptionist stood within it, and beside him was an aqua paint¡ªsomething similar to a holographic image but crafted from water. It bore the store¡¯s logo: an elongated vehicle flying into a nest. The receptionist¡¯s gaze repeatedly returned to it as he spoke to another customer.

    What political connections could Eternal Nest have to receive the rights to own an aqua paint? The sculptures were nonexistent within the Puresoul Galaxy; only in the Maelstrom Galaxy would one find them.

    ¡°Azure Dragon.¡± Gen leaned into Aether, her face reddening. She discreetly pointed at the store¡¯s logo. ¡°It¡¯s one of the few vehicles not named after some kind of bird. I think it¡¯s a firmament vehicle, but I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve only seen one before in my life.¡±

    How did she manage that? Aether recognized its name; his mother, being from the Maelstrom Star Line, had once spoken of it¡ªmaybe. He couldn¡¯t remember most things about her. ¡°It¡¯s a firmament vehicle crafted by a member of the Maelstrom Star Line.¡±

    ¡°You know what it does?¡± Gen¡¯s eyes glimmered, and his spirits sank. He didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Do you want a car?¡± he asked, changing the topic. He was her credit dispenser after all, wasn¡¯t he? That was why she had invited him and not Joule. A smile encroached his lips. As long as he alone was her money bag, he¡¯d be content.

    Gen shrugged. ¡°Anything as long as it¡¯s eligible for the elite Sparrow status. So I guess either a Nightingale, Bluejay, or Crimson Cardinal. Hoopoe would be way too expensive and possibly overkill.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°Would you like one?¡±

    ¡°A Hoopoe? No, thanks. I¡¯m not the biggest fan of firmament vehicles. Sometimes the aura imbued into them makes them feel stuffy.¡± Gen leaned to the side, peering over the shoulder of the customer speaking to the receptionist. ¡°This place is too low-end to carry a Hoopoe.¡±

    Was it really? They must have had some connection to the Maelstrom Star Line if they dared to use an Azure Dragon within their logo. Aether said, ¡°The Firmament Bridge might have one.¡±

    ¡°I thought only mercenaries gathered there. And there¡¯s one.¡± She pointed towards a red vehicle hidden in the far corner. Odd place to put a Hoopoe.

    ¡°Traders, too,¡± Aether said, ¡°and most of them carry contraband items, but they¡¯re hard to deal with since they¡¯re all aura-breakers.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Gen said, her body tilting to take another glance. She mumbled, ¡°Man, what¡¯s taking so long?¡±

    ¡°What are we doing to Ember Nestling?¡±

    She grinned. ¡°Just wait. It¡¯s gonna be great.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re interesting,¡± he said, to which she raised a brow. He explained, ¡°In addition to being sharp, you¡¯re also interesting.¡±

    ¡°Petty.¡± Her grin grew large. ¡°I like to see myself as petty.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I am?¡±

    Aether leaned, nose hovering a fingerbreadth from her face. She flushed red. Hmm, maybe he was a bit too close. ¡°Who said you were?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡ª¡± Her words cut short, and she suddenly faced the customer who had been speaking to the receptionist.

    He was glowering at them, and Aether recognized his boxy face to be that of the adopted elite Nathaniel Hoopoe.

    ¡°Faggots,¡± Nathaniel scoffed.

    Gen clung onto Aether. ¡°Dude, you¡¯re just jealous. You can¡¯t hope to have such a hottie.¡±

    Aether wrapped an arm around her waist. She suddenly wobbled, and he caught her before she could fall. So she wanted him to carry her? To incite the man? He lifted her into his arms, and he took her silence as approval of his actions.

    ¡°You two are disgusting,¡± Nathaniel said. He ordered the receptionist, ¡°Send them out.¡±

    Gen snorted. ¡°What makes you think he¡¯ll listen to you? You¡¯re just an arrogant, spoiled brat.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an ignorant commoner, ¡± the elite retorted. Then, he strode towards the exit.

    Gen raised her middle finger and shouted, ¡°Look here!¡± Her body squirmed, and Aether struggled to hold her properly. The heat rose within him.

    ¡°Child,¡± Nathaniel spat. The doors swung shut behind him.

    ¡°Take that!¡± Gen yelled and further waved her middle finger as if the man could see it through the wall.

    ¡°Satisfied?¡± Aether asked, and she grinned.

    ¡°Nothing is more calming than petty remarks.¡±

    He pressed her body into his own, grip tightening. ¡°You just want to argue with someone, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t scream at Prince Janus for Ascending¡¯s coma.¡±

    Aether motioned at the receptionist. ¡°There¡¯s another person for you to yell at.¡±

    ¡°Nah, man. I¡¯m good.¡± She looked into his eyes and blinked. ¡°So, when are you planning to put me down?¡±

    Blushing behind the ears, he averted his gaze and lowered her to her feet.

    ¡°You two should leave,¡± the receptionist said.

    Gen smirked. ¡°Even if we had planned to buy that Hoopoe?¡±

    Aether smiled and patted her head. She still wanted to cause trouble.

    ¡°Please, leave,¡± the receptionist said, but his voice had lost confidence. Maybe he feared they really did come to buy a Hoopoe.

    ¡°No, really,¡± Gen said and pointed at the red Hoopoe. ¡°We want that one from the Sage Corporation. The Hoopoe NH Mark III. The one imbued with the aura break of that one Nathaniel dude.¡±

    ¡°Nathaniel Hoopoe,¡± Aether whispered into her ear. ¡°That¡¯s the elite you had just insulted.¡±

    ¡°What? No way.¡± Gen narrowed her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. And who names themselves after a line of cars? It¡¯s a horrible name.¡±

    ¡°Gen.¡± Aether raised a brow.

    ¡°Okay, okay, you can¡¯t get worse than mine. Still, that guy was Nathaniel Hoopoe?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he is,¡± the receptionist replied.

    Gen barred her teeth. ¡°We two lovebirds are talking. Don¡¯t butt in.¡±

    Lovebirds? Aether liked the sound of that. He nuzzled her head, smelling her sweet, brown-sugar scent. She jabbed him in the kidney, and judging from her ferocity and his throbbing pain, he guessed she hadn¡¯t restrained her strength.

    She whispered, ¡°I already ignored the pat to my head, so don¡¯t push it and don¡¯t take me seriously. It was a joke.¡±

    He lied, ¡°I was just playing.¡±

    She shot him a glare then faced the receptionist. ¡°Okay, desk person. Are you going to call your salesperson so we can buy your Hoopoe?¡±

    The man frowned. ¡°You still want to¡ª¡±

    ¡°What would be more fun than to buy the guy¡¯s own car after he told you to get rid of us?¡± Gen puffed her chest.

    ¡°I-I think you guys should leave. For me, please.¡±

    Gen shook her head then gazed at Aether. Her eyes revealed desire for his support, so he nodded, more than obliged to give it. He dialed a number and placed the phone to his ear.

    ¡°Hello?¡± answered an elderly man called the Hoopoe Sage. He regularly supplied Aether with military-grade vehicles, and he had seventeen children¡ªmost adopted and all part of his business. This included Nathaniel Hoopoe.

    ¡°It¡¯s me. I met Nathaniel today.¡±

    There was an exasperated groan. ¡°If he insulted you, please forgive him, General Aether. He¡¯s very hot-blooded and nothing like the young you. Did you say you had wanted a Hoopoe with twin core modifications and a mounted magma turret? We can work out a deal; just don¡¯t be too harsh on him.¡±

    ¡°Who are you speaking to?¡± Gen tiptoed to bridge the distance between her and his phone.

    Aether lowered it and placed it on speaker. He said, ¡°I¡¯m at an Eternal Nest, and your son told the staff to have me leave.¡±

    ¡°Eternal Nest...¡± the phone buzzed. ¡°Do I deal to them?¡±

    Aether nodded.

    After a moment of silence, he heard a sigh. ¡°Young people... If you just nodded, must I remind you I cannot see your nods?¡±

    ¡°He did,¡± Gen said. Her lips peeled into a wide smile that reach the ends of her cheeks. ¡°So, are you the Hoopoe Sage? Dude, I love your vehicles!¡±

    Aether resisted a jealous snort. Who said she didn¡¯t want a Hoopoe because they felt stuffy?

    ¡°Oh, who is this young lad? Are you a new recruit? That¡¯s good. I was beginning to think the general would forever live understaffed.¡±

    ¡°He is weird, isn¡¯t he?¡± Gen said. Aether¡¯s frown further deepened, and the receptionist shivered.

    ¡°Quite bold, aren¡¯t you?¡± The elderly man¡¯s voice came through as oddly vibrant. ¡°I think you may be the bravest knight I have ever met.¡±

    Gen¡¯s head bobbed up and down. ¡°Why? Because I¡¯m honest? Somebody needs to teach this jerk some manners.¡±

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s you,¡± Aether mumbled. She raised a brow; her smile fell. He shrugged, unsure what had overcome him to say something like that. Could this be the ancient adage ¡°love changes you¡±?

    ¡°Ah, right.¡± The Hoopoe Sage asked, ¡°Who are you by the way? Have we met before?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Gen said. Her response sounded abnormally crisp.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie. I can tell when people lie.¡±

    Aether snorted at the man¡¯s audacity to question her. ¡°He¡¯s my husband-to-be.¡±

    There was a loud thud on the other side of the phone, and it disconnected.

    Gen nudged him. ¡°Man, I knew you were cold, but I never thought your words could outright kill somebody.¡±

    Unsure how to reply, Aether repeated her words: ¡°Don¡¯t take me seriously. It was a joke.¡±

    ¡°No one expects you to ever settle down. Oh, but I guess you¡¯re marrying Reya. Good job.¡± Gen gave him a thumbs-up, and it soured his mood more than the Hoopoe Sage¡¯s exaggerated response.

    Redirecting his anger, Aether glowered at the receptionist. The scrawny man shivered and hid behind the desk as his whitened fingers clasped its edge. The desk phone rang, and he jumped and yelped. Eyes avoiding Aether¡¯s, the man answered the call.

    ¡°What do you think that call is about?¡± Gen asked, a wry smile returning to her lips. She must have thought of something nefarious.

    ¡°Fired, I hope.¡±

    She hummed. ¡°That seems like a light punishment.¡±

    The receptionist hung up the phone. Jaw quivering, he opened his mouth but said no words.

    Aether smiled, and there was no happiness behind it, only cold aura. ¡°Do something for me, and I¡¯ll help you keep your job.¡±

    ¡°Anything!¡± the receptionist said.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be buying all these vehicles.¡± Aether¡¯s finger waved about the store. ¡°And you¡¯ll be gifting them, all but the Hoopoe, to Nathaniel. Sign it ¡®from the faggots.¡¯ ¡±

    Gen whispered, ¡°I never thought you had a fun side.¡±

    Feeling proud, he smiled. He hadn¡¯t felt so happy about himself since before the death of his sister.