Chapter 57
Fifty-Seven
Ronan sat in the cockpit of his destroyer as he zipped through the endless stars with Sean by his side. His boyfriend was still shaken up, and for good reason, unable to sleep for the last few suns and moons. The call with one of the Grand Supreme’s lackeys was way too close for comfort, and Mr. Ramon was missing?—
Because of him.
How could he stand to look her in the face again? He’d let Autumn down on so many different levels. He was a complete and total failure.
Guilt wracked his twisting insides as they entered Universe 13, Sector 1, right on schedule. They approached Surge at a rapid speed. When they arrived, the planet was hidden from plain sight, thanks to an invisible forcefield. After he sent a silent signal from the cockpit of his ship that he was waiting, a small circular pathway cleared for him to enter. The planet underneath glimmered the brilliant shade of cobalt blue.
Although he was home and should be happy to be here with Sean after all this time, he felt responsible for the kidnapping.
What was wrong with him? How could he not recognize his own brother? What an idiot he was. And worst of all, Armienti was headed to Universe 24 to sort matters out.
Whatever that meant.
He hoped he was okay and wouldn’t get himself into any more trouble, or worse, killed .
They descended through the rainbow atmosphere, shooting through the vibrant layers of sky. Giarldinia was as he remembered it: brilliant, robust, and full of life.
His stomach toppled as he lowered the destroyer onto the rooftop landing pad marked with a simple white X.
In a matter of minutes, he’d have to face his empress. The ship stirred before going quiet and he turned to Sean who stared out the window eyes wide.
“This is where you live?” Sean turned to him and asked.
“Yes,” he nodded slowly. “But before I give you a tour of the grounds, I have to speak with the empress about what happened.”
How he dreaded the conversation. He cringed. Autumn was going to be so furious with him.
Sean’s mouth twisted to the side. Clearly, he sensed the severity of the situation. He didn’t mean to worry him.
Ronan unclicked his harness and Sean followed suit. They walked onto the granulated rooftop. The golden rays of the sun warmed his skin through his bodysuit. He inhaled the rich floral scent. There was no place like home.
“This is amazing,” Sean’s brown eyes sparkled as he admired the massive cityscape. “I want to take a second semester off college so I can stay a bit longer. If that’s okay?” He squeezed his hand. His reddish-brown hair brushed against his cheeks.
“Sounds good,” his mouth curved into a deceptive smile although he was a nervous wreck. His hands perspired inside his gloves. All he could focus on was how Autumn would react.
They entered the throne room, and nobody was there to greet them. Unsurprising. The hairs on the back of his neck rose. He was in for a shitstorm no doubt.
A pair of footsteps came up behind him. He whirled around. An obsidian clothed guard stood there with his blaster cocked in his hands. Sean clung to Ronan’s arm for dear life as he fell into a bow.
“The empress will see you in the gravity chamber, Your Imperial Highness,” he said in the monotone voice the guards of the palace tended to have. They were like robots. He rolled his eyes.
Fine.
Why there? He wondered, but he followed the guard nonetheless. Was Autumn going to fight him? Was she going to try to kick his ass?
When they arrived, the steel door of the gravity chamber was sealed airtight. A training session was in progress.
He gulped and raised his fist to the door and knocked a few times. The commotion inside stopped followed by a high-pitched hum cutting the gravity off.
He braced himself for impact.
A pair of heeled boots stomped against the floor, and he blocked Sean with his body just in case. All his boyfriend could do was watch in silence.
The door slid open, and Leyla stood there with her hand resting on her hip. She rasped, catching her breath. The sun from the skylight sparkled along the fibers of her hot-pink bodysuit. Her long wavy hair was bound in a high ponytail.
He bit his cheeks. Was she actually training for the first time in her life? It appeared so.
“You’d better wipe that smug smile off your face this instant, Ronan Martyne.” She slammed her boot against the ground. “Where have you been?” Her shrill voice echoed through the hallway. The guard who accompanied them took two steps in retreat, quivering against the wall. The guards lined up on either side of the door followed suit. What a loudmouth.
She continued. “You sneak off like a bandit in the night and tell nobody where you’re going, and I have to find out from a secondary source. What were you thinking? And somehow in the process you managed to get Autumn’s father kidnapped. Absolutely pathetic. I could’ve done a better job. And by the way, everyone in the universes knows what happened to him and that it’s all your fault,” she stretched her neck, peeking behind him. “Who the heck is this? Your lover boy? Unfreakingbelievable.”
Like brother, like sister. He shuddered to think how Dante would react if Leyla was this pissed. It would be ten times worse to face him.
Ronan stared at her in silence, feeling more foolish than he’d ever felt in his life. He’d really messed up this time.
Leyla’s brown eyes thinned to slits, as she leaned against the doorframe. “You’re lucky I didn’t speak in human so your boyfriend could understand. Autumn and I have been practicing,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Leyla, stop,” Autumn walked up behind her wiping the sweat from her brow against her arm. She appeared thinner than usual. Her full rosy cheeks became gaunt and worry lines crept across her forehead. Leyla stood to the side, arms crossed, glowering at Ronan.
“I’m so sorry, Autumn, truly I am. I never meant?—”
“I know; accidents happen, and I don’t blame you for this. No matter what I do, I’ll always be a target because of who I’m married to,” she stared at him, her gray eyes becoming glassy with impending tears. He’d never been so sorry in his life. She sniffed. “Thank you for bringing everyone back home safely though. I really appreciate your effort after the mess Dante made.” She shook her head.
She turned to walk back into the chamber, and he grabbed her hand, stopping her in her tracks. “How can I make things right? Should I go to Universe 24? Your wish is my comm?—”
Autumn folded her arms, her soft features straightening. “There’s no need, Dante is already on his way to negotiate.”
“And she hasn’t heard from him since,” Leyla hissed in a lowered voice. “Nobody has. You’ve done enough damage, cousin.”
His stomach twisted and turned with dread, but he figured he needed to tell everyone one other detail regardless of their reaction.
“Armienti is also on his way to Universe 24 to speak with the Grand Supreme,” he blurted.
Autumn’s jaw lowered; her gray eyes widened. “What? Are you serious? When did you see him?”
“Not too long ago,” he paused for a moment. “He’s trying to make things up to you. He’s so very sorry about what transpired.”
After he spoke, Autumn’s knees buckled beneath her weight. He rushed over and caught her before her backside hit the ground. Leyla knelt and held her in her arms.
Autumn sighed. “Sorry, I haven’t been feeling well and I haven’t been sleeping much either. I’m too stressed out. Training is the only thing that relaxes me anymore. Reading doesn’t even help. All I want is for my dad and Dante to come home safely.”
Sean knelt as well. Leyla’s eyes flickered to him, and Autumn flashed him a small smile. “I remember you from the Castle, welcome,” she extended a hand. “I’m Autumn, the empress of Universe 13.”
“My name is Sean. Thank you. It’s nice to meet you. I remember you too.” He stuttered as he shook her hand in a form of human greeting. They helped her back to a stand and she brushed her palms along her black spandex uniform.
“How can you be the empress if you’re a human like me?”
She tilted her head to the side. “It’s a long story for another time.”
She turned toward Ronan and sighed. “I can’t say that I’m happy about this. To be honest I’m angrier than ever,” her fists tightened. Ronan could sense her change of energy zap through the air. It was staticky, frustrated, and rageful. But she stayed calm and poised on the outside, maintaining perfect composure. Her face remained painfully neutral. “Regardless of what’s happened, we’re family now, and family sticks together no matter what. I need you here with me, especially now.”
Ronan glanced to the side before looking her in the eyes. He was determined to make things right. “I won’t let you down again.”
She leaned against the doorframe. “I know I can count on you.”