Even though ALCOR just rocketed out into space, he is still here. Because he is everywhere.
He is God.
Then a great cheer erupts. The cheer of a million or more people. The cheer of the station fills my ears. Fills my whole body until I’m so overwhelmed by the noise, and vibration, and emotion—that tears fall down my face and I begin to glow.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE – SERPINT
She glows for them.
First just a subtle pink, then brighter and brighter until she is a sun. She turns to me just as a pink tear falls down her cheek.
I can’t help myself. The sight of her sadness, for people she didn’t even know, it breaks me in half and I pull her into my chest and just hold her tight.
Some of the cheering has abruptly stopped. But just the people up here on the higher level who can see what I’m feeling.
A princess is glowing in sadness for one of their brothers.
And it is beautiful.
“Are you OK?” I ask her, swiping a piece of hair away from her cheek and tucking it behind her ear.
“Me?” She laughs a little. “I should be asking you that.”
“I’m OK,” I say, pressing my face into her hair. And for some reason, I truly believe that. I am OK.
“This was the most beautiful tribute I’ve ever seen,” she says, pulling back and wiping a tear off her cheek. “Just so… touching.”
I hug her tight again. How this girl, who was a complete stranger yesterday, suddenly became my rock, I have no idea. She just did.
“Serpint,” Jimmy says, placing a hand on my shoulder.
I look up and see him and Xyla, his partner in crime, standing just behind Lyra.
“Good to see you,” I say. “Both of you. I’m just sorry—”
“Stop,” Xyla says. “Just stop. We all know that the things we do have risk. Draden knew that and so did Ceres. It’s no one’s fault, Serpint. People just… die.”
Jimmy takes a breath. Maybe agreeing with her, maybe not. But he places a hand on Lyra’s shoulder and says, “Who’s this?”
Lyra turns, still brushing away tears.
“Lyra,” I say. “This is my brother Jimmy and his cohort, Xyla. Xyla and Jimmy, this is Princess Lyra.”
Jimmy shoots her one of his infamous sly grins. “Princess.” Then he tsks his tongue. “You should know better, brother.”
“Yeah, well. She popped into my life yesterday when I got home and I…” I take a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t seem to be able to let her go.”
“Imagine that,” Xyla says.
“Hello,” Lyra says, straightening up and extending her hand in greeting. “Very nice to meet you both. I’m so, so sorry for your loss.”
“Thanks,” Jimmy says, taking her hand and shaking it softly.
Then Valor is here, Luck trailing behind him. Their bot, Beauty, between them as always.
“Lyra, huh?” Luck says. “We’ve heard all about you.”
“From who?” I ask.
“Crux,” Valor says.
“And ALCOR.” Luck laughs. “In fact, pretty much everyone is talking about the new princess today.”
“How could we not?” Valor says.
And then Luck, being the charmer he is, takes Lyra’s hand and kisses it. “Very pleased to meet you, Princess Lyra.”
Her glow, which had been dying down, suddenly lights up again.
I push Luck back and say, “Hands off.”
Which only makes him laugh.
“Lyra,” Xyla purrs in her fembot voice. “I’m Xyla, this is Beauty,” she says, motioning to Valor and Luck’s bot. “But who is this little delicious morsel following you at every turn?” She smiles coyly at our new bot.
“Oh,” Lyra, says, catching her breath. “This is… well. Do you have a name?” She asks the bot.
It chirps out a long string of beeps and whistles, which makes Xyla guffaw. “Oh, honey,” she says. “We’re not calling you the Crowned King Prince of Planet Palasia. Get over yourself.”
The bot objects, but Lyra puts up a hand and says, “Prince, then. You can be called Prince.”
“Wonderful,” I say, rolling my eyes.
“Nice paint job,” Xyla says, trailing a finger over the bot’s ring of pink glitter. “Come dance with me, Prince.” And she beckons him with a single finger as she walks off, looking over her shoulder.
The bot squeaks in what seems to be cautious excitement, but follows.
When Xyla gives an order most people follow it. She’s just kinda… powerful like that.
“So, Lyra,” Jimmy says in his deep voice.
“So… I’m sorry. How do you say your name? Yimminy?”
“Jimmy,” I say quickly. “Not Yimminy.” Jimmy’s sensitive about this because his name is… weird. No one can say it right.
Lyra smiles back at him and tries again. “Himmy. Hmmm. That’s an unusual name. Where does it come from?”
Valor, Luck, Jimmy and I all trade glances. None of us correct her this time. It is what it is. Not our fault his name is weird.
“What?” Lyra says.
“He has no idea where the name comes from,” Valor says. “He’s making it all up so don’t believe him when he tells you. And we’ve begged him for years to change it but he refuses even though everyone gets it wrong.”