Chapter 24

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Ruune

O livia’s mother’s eyes, as blue as the ice fields of Kryon-4, swept over me with unconcealed disapproval as I walked her daughter through the room.

The apartment was spacious and opulent, decorated lavishly for the Earth holiday. Glittering lights adorned every surface, and a massive tree dominated one corner of the room. It reminded me of the one I'd seen in the hotel lobby, but this one sparkled with what appeared to be real gems among its ornaments.

Humans in formal attire milled about, their quiet conversations creating a low hum of noise. Servers in black and white uniforms weaved through the crowd, carrying trays of delicate glasses filled with bubbling, golden liquid.

Olivia snagged two glasses from a passing server, downing one in a single gulp before pressing the other into my hand. I sipped mine more slowly, surprised by the peppery bite of the drink. It tickled my nose, making me want to sneeze.

"Champagne," Olivia explained, noticing my reaction. "Traditional for New Year's Eve."

I nodded, taking another small sip. The bubbles danced on my tongue; not unpleasant, but certainly different from any beverage I'd encountered in my travels.

An older man approached us, his demeanor slightly warmer. "Welcome," he said, extending a hand. I shook it, careful not to grip too hard. "I'm Robert Harper."

Olivia’s father.

I appreciated the effort at civility even if it was tinged with hesitation. "Thank you for having me.”

“Hi, Dad.” Olivia gave him an air kiss.

“Olivia,” he started, then stopped and pressed his lips together.

Before he could finish what he’d started to say, a group of older women approached us, their eyes roving over me with unconcealed appreciation. I was used to such looks, but there was something predatory in their gazes that made me want to shield Olivia.

"Olivia, darling," one of them cooed, her voice syrupy sweet. "You look absolutely stunning. That dress is divine."

Olivia smiled, but I could see the strain around her eyes. "Thank you, Mrs. Vanderholt. You're looking lovely as well."

Mrs. Vanderholt's gaze shifted to me, her heavily painted lips curving into a smile that reminded me of a Centurian sand viper. "And who is this young…?”

"This is Prince Ruune, my boyfriend."

"How exotic," another woman said, her eyes raking over me. "You always were a bold thing, Olivia.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Olivia cut in smoothly. "If you'll excuse us, I'd like to show Ruune the view."

She tugged on my hand, leading me away from the group. As we moved through the crowd, I noticed Olivia's parents on the far side of the room, studiously avoiding looking in our direction.

We reached a wall of windows that offered a breathtaking view of the city. Lights twinkled in all directions, reminding me of the star fields I'd traveled through.

"It's beautiful," I murmured.

Olivia nodded, some of the tension leaving her shoulders as she gazed out at the city. "It really is. Especially on nights like this."

I wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "I will miss this view when I leave," I said softly. "I will miss New York."

She turned to look at me, her eyes searching mine. "Will you miss me?"

The vulnerability in her voice made my chest tighten. "Very much," I replied, surprised by how true the words felt.

For a moment, we stood there, lost in each other's eyes. I found myself wanting to lean in, to kiss her again, to forget about the party and the pretense and just be with her. Then I caught myself.

"Is this allowed?" I asked, my gaze dropping to my arm around her waist. "With the rule revisions?"

"Screw the rules," she said, grabbing my hand. "Come on."

Before I could process what was happening, she was tugging me toward the door. I caught a glimpse of her mother's shocked face as we hurried past.

Olivia slowed enough to give her mother a sweet smile. “I just realized that I don’t owe anything to anyone who isn’t in my corner.” Her voice cracked. “And you have never been in my corner.”

Her mother opened and closed her perfectly lipsticked mouth, but Olivia didn’t stop.

We fled the apartment and into the waiting elevator, both of us breathing hard.

As the doors closed, Olivia leaned against the wall, a grin spreading across her face. “That was enough of that.”

“Are you sure you want to leave so soon?”

“Positive.”

The elevator started moving. “Where are we going?"

She shrugged, her eyes twinkling. "I don't know. Anywhere but there. You said you’d miss New York, right? Let's go see more of it.”

We exited the building, the brittle, night air a shock after the warmth of the party. Olivia shivered, and I immediately shrugged off my jacket, draping it over her shoulders.

"Such a gentleman," she teased, but her smile was warm.

"Where to now, my lady?" I asked, offering her my arm.

She thought for a moment, then her face brightened. "I know just the place. Trust me?"

I nodded without hesitation. "Always."

We set off down the street, Olivia leading the way. The city was alive with energy, humans laughing and celebrating as we passed. A few gave us curious looks—maybe a blue alien in formal wear wasn't a common sight, even in New York—but most were too caught up in their own revelry to pay us much attention.

"Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly, coming to a stop. “I can’t believe it’s still open. We have to get hot dogs. It's a New York tradition."

Before I could ask what a hot dog was, she was pulling me toward a small cart on the street corner. The smell emanating from it was savory and oddly mouth-watering.

"Two with everything," she told the vendor, who barely batted an eye at my appearance as he prepared our food.

Olivia handed me a strange object wrapped in paper. Inside was some kind of meat product nestled in a soft bread roll, covered in a variety of colorful toppings.

"This is a delicacy?" I asked, eyeing it dubiously.

She laughed, taking a big bite of her own. "Just try it. Trust me."

I took a tentative bite. It was salty and sweet, spicy and tangy all at once. "This is actually quite good," I admitted, taking another bite.

We continued our walk, eating our hot dogs, until we were outside the Plaza.

“We won’t be able to get close to Times Square," Olivia explained. "That's where they drop the ball at midnight to ring in the New Year."

I looked at her, confused. "They drop a ball? Why?"

She shrugged, grinning. "Tradition.”

Even though we weren’t in Times Square, I could hear the buzz of people cheering. “I do not need to watch a ball fall to celebrate. What else do humans do for the new year?”

“We find someone to kiss at the stroke of midnight.”

I curled a hand around her waist. “I have found you.”

The din grew louder as people around us began to count down. "Ten! Nine! Eight!"

Olivia's eyes met my gaze. "Seven, six, five…”

I slid my hand up her back and cradled her head, tipping her head back.

"Four! Three! Two!"

"One,” she whispered as I crushed my mouth to hers.