In Enemy Hands Chapter 7

Chapter Seven
The trip to the palace was turning into a nightmare.
“What are you doing?” Varo glared at Adlar.
Adlar ignored the heated looks Varo flashed his way as he placed the shirt Varo held back in the closet. He’d finished packing his clothes, and now was overseeing Varo’s.
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
“Picking out my clothes.” Varo took the shirt back out of the closet. “I’m more than capable of dressing myself appropriately to meet a king. Well…” Varo glanced at his clothing choices. “I used to be. What I wouldn’t give to have access to my wardrobe. But then, all my things have probably been… appropriated by my brothers.”
Adlar let Varo keep the shirt after hearing that. “Speaking of brothers… our king is just my brother and—”
“Oh no.” Varo swung around. “No king is just anything, no matter what you may think. He may be a blood relation, but ultimately that means very little, Adlar. Trust me on this. Blood is not thicker than water.”
Adlar paused, taking in Varo’s flushed face. He heard the pain behind the words. Frack, just exactly what kind of people were the Yesri? “I… sometimes that’s true. And sometimes it’s not.”
Varo just snorted, but the moment passed.
Adlar didn’t want to pursue this subject. Not when he didn’t have time. But he did intend to come back to it at some point. “Besides, we’re not attending any formal functions.”
Adlar moved some of the clothing Varo had packed, examining each article.
“ Now what are you doing?” Varo asked, disgruntled.
“Just looking.”
“Just looking?” Varo put his hands on his hips. “It looks like you’re monitoring what I pack.”
“It looks like that because that’s what I’m doing.”
There were two rather large trunks on the floor by the bed. One held Adlar’s clothes and other personal things while the other trunk was to hold Varo’s. Not that VAro had much to begin with, but that didn’t matter.
“Oh, for stars sake, I’m not a child, Adlar. I know how to pack.”
“I’m sure you do.” This wasn’t an attempt to control Varo, but more of a security measure.
There was no way he’d let Varo sneak something in the palace that could later be as a weapon against the king. While it was becoming painfully apparent Varo’s family were no better than space junk, he and his brother were very close.
He knew full well such an attempt would result in a death sentence for Varo. That was unacceptable. No one, and he meant no one , was going to take Varo from him. Varo including.
“Would you like to do my packing?” Varo asked sweetly, still holding a shirt he’d picked out.
Adlar flopped down on the bed, crossed his ankles, and then stacked his arms under behind his head. Might as well get comfortable since it looked as if this was going to take a while.
“Sure. How do you feel about being naked the whole time?”
“Right.” Varo dropped the shirt in the truck. “Never mind.”
Adlar smirked as he watched Varo flounce back to the closet. “If you’re sure, princeling. It would solve the problem of what to pack.”
“Oh, I’m sure.”
Adlar watched as Varo’s pants tightened over his ass as he bent over the truck to straighten something. Too bad. Varo would look sexy with nothing but all that blond hair and his collar on… and nothing else. And he was going to be dreadfully uncomfortable if he didn’t stop that train of thought.
Eventually Varo managed to get packed, and Adlar hadn’t seen anything added to the trunks to be concerned about. They loaded the trunks in his personal flyer, and Adlar secured his home. The trip to El-Deiray, the capitol city, was uneventful and mostly passed in silence.
As they neared, security scanned his flyer as they did any craft that came within distance of the palace. Once he passed inspection, he commed the palace to arrange for a servant to meet him at his reserved space.
No sooner did he dock than a young Helkan female appear with a luggage hovercraft. Since she was so small, Adlar loaded the trunks on the hovercraft. He made a mental note to check to see why she was assigned the duty… or if she even was.
She didn’t have the upper body strength to handle such massive luggage that many arrived with. Someone was either slacking off or had made a mistake, and that was unacceptable. Adlar requested their trunks be sent to his rooms.
As he led Varo through the palace, he tried to see it through the other male’s eyes. The floor was a white marble-type material that lightened the room. The walls they strode past were shining veined Black Phospolrock with endless rows of floor to ceiling windows.
Tall white columns separated each massive window. Lights in the columns also lightened the hallways. The ceilings were half-arches done in the same material as the floor. It was elegant and understated… much like his brother.
They turned into a small hallway and passed several palace guards that eyed Varo. Adlar didn’t like it, but he understood. Varo was class and elegance wrapped up in bright blond hair and simmering brown eyes. He fit in the grand surroundings, whereas Adlar often didn’t feel like he did. Varo shined. Adlar belonged to the shadows.
He caught the guard’s eye and let his displeasure show briefly. He swore he heard a thud as they dropped their gazes to the floor in a rapid bid to appease him.
Varo’s head bobbed back and forth as he looked around, not noticing. “Impressive, but um, can I ask where we’re going?”
Adlar walked toward a door at the end of the hallway. Two guards stood in front of the sturdy, decorative doors.
“My brother’s private rooms.” Adlar stopped in front of the guards and turned to Varo. “Varo, they’re going to search you. Please stand still.”
“Is that really…” One of the guards reached for his stunner. “Okay, okay! Check away. Stars.” Varo held his arms out, frowning at Adlar. “Do they really think I’d try something with a trained assassin right here? Not to mention this stupid collar.”
One of the guards scanned Varo using a small handheld box.
Adlar shrugged. “It’s standard procedure. I’m sure your family does the same.”
“He’s clear,” the guard said as he opened the chamber door.
“Thank you.” Adlar slightly bowed his head. He knew Varo was clean, but he also knew the guards wouldn’t let Varo pass without checking. It was better to be safe than sorry in his opinion.
The doors opened to a spacious, two-tiered room. The lower level where they entered contained bloodred large couches that overflowed with pillows in shades of red and overstuff white chairs that had been positioned in the middle of the room. The floor was the same white marble-type material as the hallways with an oversized back and white geometrically designed rug.
The walls were also the same shining veined Black Phospolrock with columns. Each massive pillar contained square, medium-sized lights that stretched the length of the column. They glowed. One whole side of the room was floor to ceiling windows that allowed light in to lessen the gloom of the day.
There was also a black entertainment center on another wall. On yet another wall was a huge floor to ceiling fireplace covered in Black Phospolrock. Rather large white stairs led to another level that held an enormous bed draped in sheer white fabrics.
“Varo, it is my pleasure to introduce King Omori, leader of the Helkan people and my brother.”
Coming down the stairs was a striking male. His long, silky black hair fell to his knees. On each side of his face he wore a braid. His pointed ears held rings made from Black Phospolrock. He wore simple, black flowing pants tucked into black boots that extend to mid thigh.
His shirt was a dove gray that opened into a V down the front exposing a muscular chest. Even in his quarters the king wore a variety of weapons that hung from his waist. He had a long, straight nose, chiseled cheekbones, and a square jaw. Just like all Helkans he had pale, flawless skin. His eyes were the same bright amber as Adlar’s.
Adlar extended his hand toward Omori. “King Omori, this is Prince Varo Kutchif and third son to the Yesri king. He is also mine, claimed in battle.”
Omori stopped before Adalr and Varo. He bowed slightly at the waist. “Greeting Prince Varo of Yesri. I bid you welcome.”

Varo bowed also, but his was much deeper of a bow as due for a king. “Many thanks, King Omori.”
TBC