Part 14
Vilandra's hair was shorter, curlier and softer as it framed her face. But those eyes, those lips, that nose, were still Princess Vilandra's. Chloe did the one thing she swore she would never do when cornered.
Chloe pulled a Lana Lang and backed away, screaming her head off.
The tall blonde raised her hand towards her and Chloe flinched. Then she remembered just what Vilandra could do. Chloe straightened and forced herself to be brave. Vilandra had tried once, and she did not succeed. Sure, it was primarily because of Lexan. But she did not succeed.
"Isabel, did you find her?"
Her eyes focused on the people who stood behind Vilandra. Isabel. Her gaze widened and moved back and forth from the first tall guy to the next. Her lips parted. The first tear rolled down her cheek.
"Ch'ali," they said at the same time.
Chloe found herself swept up in strong arms. She wrapped her arms around Rath's shoulders. He peppered her face with kisses. "You're here!" she sniffled. "I thought I would never see you again."
"I was once your protector, Ch'ali. I will protect you in whatever galaxy you are," he promised.
Next, Chloe found herself moved into another embrace. Zan brushed a familiar kiss on her temple. In her ear, he whispered, "We both missed the stars, Ch'ali. But destiny will bring us together wherever we are."
Chloe pulled away and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I cannot believe you're both here. How?"
"I believe you have the answer to that, Ch'ali. If you'll remember that far back," Zan told her.
A look of wonder crossed her face. "You mean the Granolith?"
"Your father's masterpiece, Ch'ali. It served the greatest purpose," the princess, who they now called Isabel, said. "The Granolith was our only hope."
Chloe had no idea why Vilandra looked at her so kindly. The princess must have noticed her reaction, because she explained, "Ch'ali, we are no longer the same people that we were in Antar. We have part of our past selves with us, but we do not let them control you. We are different."
"Call me Chloe, Isabel. I've changed too."
Chloe saw Rath scratch his head. She turned to him. "You might want to start referring to me as Michael too," he told her. "Rath was a violent guy."
"Yes, you were," Chloe confirmed quickly, earning her first glare from her long lost friend. "Sorry."
"Yeah," he grudgingly allowed. "Anyway, I'm not like that anymore."
"Not usually at least," the girl called Maria added. Maria also received a scathing glare from the hothead.
"And Chloe," Zan caught her attention. He pulled a brunette close to him. "My name is Max. And this is Liz, my wife."
Chloe's brows lifted. Liz had not been part of their life in Antar. She did not even appear like the ladies that Zan adored back then. He must have taken this attraction from his human side. She could not keep the pang of sadness in her heart. Once, Zan had been completely hers. Rather than jealousy though, Chloe recognized the feeling as one of loss. What Isabel said was true. They were not the same people anymore.
Her eyes took in the way that Michael tugged Maria's hand, and the belligerent look that she threw his way. As night follows day, Chloe was certain that another human had captured the general's heart. She noticed the longing look that the fifth member of the group threw Isabel's way. Isabel herself wore a gold band that told her that she married another human. They had all changed so much. Was it only she that returned to the same person she loved then?
"We are all so different," was the only thing she said.
Max nodded. "If we remained the same, that means we learned nothing, Chloe. Then we would only be repeating the same mistakes we made in Antar."
"Second chances are meant for healing," Isabel said with a smile. "I'm happy to know I've changed a lot. It tells me that I won't go down the same path. I have not been the best person then. I'm trying now, though."
"Guys," the guy who had been silent until then cleared his throat, "we seem to be forgetting our purpose here. We came to this little village to find Ch'ali, right? We've found her, and you are all spouting off didactic melodrama. I thought this was urgent." And then he gave Chloe a sexy grin. "Kyle Valenti, at your service."
"Oh right!" Maria clapped her hands. "Liz, tell her!"
Liz nodded. She looked at Zan for affirmation. "Chloe," she said, "you're in danger."
Chloe bit her lip to stifle a chuckle. "Tell me something I don't know. I've been in danger since I went to this leafy little hamlet."
Michael stiffened. His hands fisted. "You have?"
Maria covered his hands with her own. "Down, boy. No enemies to blast right now."
Chloe beamed at Michael. Changed or not, Rath was still the same stubborn and protective man that she had been. "There are a lot of strange things happening here in Smallville. I'm not sure you're prepared."
Kyle clutched his stomach and started laughing so hard that he had to suck in his breath in heaves. Liz patted Kyle on the back. She threw an apologetic smile to Chloe. "Suffice to say that we're used to strange things. Some of the battles and. errrm. skirmishes for your planet happened in our café even."
"Oh. Okay." Chloe nodded.
"So you can definitely tell us what we're up against."
"There's this whitelighter who doesn't seem to be a threat. But his mere presence tells me that there will be a lot of trouble, because let's face it, he won't bother coming to Smallville, Kansas if there wasn't a big thing happening here."
"Okay," Max acknowledged. "Something we haven't encountered before but-"
"But I'm Hispanic and somewhat of a Catholic and have a lot of knowledge about angels," Maria interrupted. "Rest assured. I have us covered there."
"I don't think he's that kind of angel," Chloe said. "Anyway, there's also a demon named Belthazor who's been running after me, calling me a slut, and a devil, and then he started saying he wanted to impregnate me."
"Can't say I blame him," Kyle interjected.
"Don't talk to her that way," Michael snapped.
"Relax, man!"
"Well, yeah. Basically, that's all I know of. I'm sure there are a lot more though, because I've heard mentions of an Angel guy, but someone different from the angel I was telling you about. And oh, yeah, there's also a Glory."
"Oh!" Liz gasped. "That's what I wanted to warn you about. I saw her, with this dark background, and lots of fire. She looked very evil. And I know she wanted to hurt you."
"Really?" Chloe frowned. "I thought you were human."
Liz nodded emphatically. "I was alienized by Max's love." Max beamed and kissed her on the lips. Liz reciprocated with fervor, wrapping her arms around Max's wide shoulders.
Chloe's face crumpled with undefined reaction. Isabel grinned at her. "It's called disgust, Chloe. Don't feel bad. We all experience it. Now we just know how to hide it."
"I wonder if we can stop them from being to licorice sweet if I pretend to be put off by the fact that she's on my ex-fiance."
"Give it up, Chloe. They're married. And you got married first," Michael reminded her. "You've got to forgive the guy."
Chloe shrugged. She thought of some other way to stop the interaction. "Liz!" Liz whirled around at Chloe's abrupt and sharp voice. "I'm so happy that my Zan found happiness with you!" Chloe stepped right between them and hugged Liz, forcing the brunette to hug back.
Liz drew a sharp breath. She tightened her arms around Chloe and closed her eyes, riding out the premonition. Chloe stepped back and waited with the others. Finally, Liz opened her eyes and blinked at Chloe. "I can't believe it!" she gasped in reproach.
"What did I do?"
"You're with him!"
"With who?"
Liz turned to Max, Michael and Isabel. And then she glanced accusingly at Chloe. "She's still with Lexan!" she revealed.
Michael's face became livid. He turned to Chloe. "You're still with that bastard!"
Chloe gasped. "You said you were okay as long as I'm happy!" she cried in disbelief. "Has the cloning and travel to another galaxy made you a complete imbecile?"
Maria applauded her silently from behind Michael.
"I've always known he hurt you. And then when we came to save you, you stubbornly denied it! Look what happened!"
Chloe was bewildered. Michael was the one who seemed so ecstatic to see her again. Now he was pissed? "What happened?" she demanded.
"She doesn't remember, Michael!" Isabel said. "Quit it."
Max placed his hand on Michael's arm. He walked forward and placed his hand on Chloe's cheek. "Chloe," he started, wanting to slowly break the truth to her, "are you with Lexan again?"
"It's none of your business," she answered acidly.
He nodded. "I understand. I respect your privacy. I just want you to know, Chloe, that in case you are, you have to stay away from him."
She jutted her chin out. Max saw so much of his little Ch'ali in this young woman. If only her life was not in danger, he would laugh and kiss her. He missed her so much.
"When you died, the war broke out. Do you know why?"
"Because Rath," she glared at Michael, "couldn't keep his temper in check."
"You're right," Michael said softly. "And I had a reason. So you want to know what it is?" Chloe didn't answer.
Max waited until Chloe's eyes met his. He said, "Both Rath and I decided to destroy his kingdom because of you."
"I was dead."
"Lexan killed you with his own hands."
"No," she breathed.
"By his own admission, Chloe," Max continued. "He killed you in your own bed."
Vilandra's hair was shorter, curlier and softer as it framed her face. But those eyes, those lips, that nose, were still Princess Vilandra's. Chloe did the one thing she swore she would never do when cornered.
Chloe pulled a Lana Lang and backed away, screaming her head off.
The tall blonde raised her hand towards her and Chloe flinched. Then she remembered just what Vilandra could do. Chloe straightened and forced herself to be brave. Vilandra had tried once, and she did not succeed. Sure, it was primarily because of Lexan. But she did not succeed.
"Isabel, did you find her?"
Her eyes focused on the people who stood behind Vilandra. Isabel. Her gaze widened and moved back and forth from the first tall guy to the next. Her lips parted. The first tear rolled down her cheek.
"Ch'ali," they said at the same time.
Chloe found herself swept up in strong arms. She wrapped her arms around Rath's shoulders. He peppered her face with kisses. "You're here!" she sniffled. "I thought I would never see you again."
"I was once your protector, Ch'ali. I will protect you in whatever galaxy you are," he promised.
Next, Chloe found herself moved into another embrace. Zan brushed a familiar kiss on her temple. In her ear, he whispered, "We both missed the stars, Ch'ali. But destiny will bring us together wherever we are."
Chloe pulled away and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I cannot believe you're both here. How?"
"I believe you have the answer to that, Ch'ali. If you'll remember that far back," Zan told her.
A look of wonder crossed her face. "You mean the Granolith?"
"Your father's masterpiece, Ch'ali. It served the greatest purpose," the princess, who they now called Isabel, said. "The Granolith was our only hope."
Chloe had no idea why Vilandra looked at her so kindly. The princess must have noticed her reaction, because she explained, "Ch'ali, we are no longer the same people that we were in Antar. We have part of our past selves with us, but we do not let them control you. We are different."
"Call me Chloe, Isabel. I've changed too."
Chloe saw Rath scratch his head. She turned to him. "You might want to start referring to me as Michael too," he told her. "Rath was a violent guy."
"Yes, you were," Chloe confirmed quickly, earning her first glare from her long lost friend. "Sorry."
"Yeah," he grudgingly allowed. "Anyway, I'm not like that anymore."
"Not usually at least," the girl called Maria added. Maria also received a scathing glare from the hothead.
"And Chloe," Zan caught her attention. He pulled a brunette close to him. "My name is Max. And this is Liz, my wife."
Chloe's brows lifted. Liz had not been part of their life in Antar. She did not even appear like the ladies that Zan adored back then. He must have taken this attraction from his human side. She could not keep the pang of sadness in her heart. Once, Zan had been completely hers. Rather than jealousy though, Chloe recognized the feeling as one of loss. What Isabel said was true. They were not the same people anymore.
Her eyes took in the way that Michael tugged Maria's hand, and the belligerent look that she threw his way. As night follows day, Chloe was certain that another human had captured the general's heart. She noticed the longing look that the fifth member of the group threw Isabel's way. Isabel herself wore a gold band that told her that she married another human. They had all changed so much. Was it only she that returned to the same person she loved then?
"We are all so different," was the only thing she said.
Max nodded. "If we remained the same, that means we learned nothing, Chloe. Then we would only be repeating the same mistakes we made in Antar."
"Second chances are meant for healing," Isabel said with a smile. "I'm happy to know I've changed a lot. It tells me that I won't go down the same path. I have not been the best person then. I'm trying now, though."
"Guys," the guy who had been silent until then cleared his throat, "we seem to be forgetting our purpose here. We came to this little village to find Ch'ali, right? We've found her, and you are all spouting off didactic melodrama. I thought this was urgent." And then he gave Chloe a sexy grin. "Kyle Valenti, at your service."
"Oh right!" Maria clapped her hands. "Liz, tell her!"
Liz nodded. She looked at Zan for affirmation. "Chloe," she said, "you're in danger."
Chloe bit her lip to stifle a chuckle. "Tell me something I don't know. I've been in danger since I went to this leafy little hamlet."
Michael stiffened. His hands fisted. "You have?"
Maria covered his hands with her own. "Down, boy. No enemies to blast right now."
Chloe beamed at Michael. Changed or not, Rath was still the same stubborn and protective man that she had been. "There are a lot of strange things happening here in Smallville. I'm not sure you're prepared."
Kyle clutched his stomach and started laughing so hard that he had to suck in his breath in heaves. Liz patted Kyle on the back. She threw an apologetic smile to Chloe. "Suffice to say that we're used to strange things. Some of the battles and. errrm. skirmishes for your planet happened in our café even."
"Oh. Okay." Chloe nodded.
"So you can definitely tell us what we're up against."
"There's this whitelighter who doesn't seem to be a threat. But his mere presence tells me that there will be a lot of trouble, because let's face it, he won't bother coming to Smallville, Kansas if there wasn't a big thing happening here."
"Okay," Max acknowledged. "Something we haven't encountered before but-"
"But I'm Hispanic and somewhat of a Catholic and have a lot of knowledge about angels," Maria interrupted. "Rest assured. I have us covered there."
"I don't think he's that kind of angel," Chloe said. "Anyway, there's also a demon named Belthazor who's been running after me, calling me a slut, and a devil, and then he started saying he wanted to impregnate me."
"Can't say I blame him," Kyle interjected.
"Don't talk to her that way," Michael snapped.
"Relax, man!"
"Well, yeah. Basically, that's all I know of. I'm sure there are a lot more though, because I've heard mentions of an Angel guy, but someone different from the angel I was telling you about. And oh, yeah, there's also a Glory."
"Oh!" Liz gasped. "That's what I wanted to warn you about. I saw her, with this dark background, and lots of fire. She looked very evil. And I know she wanted to hurt you."
"Really?" Chloe frowned. "I thought you were human."
Liz nodded emphatically. "I was alienized by Max's love." Max beamed and kissed her on the lips. Liz reciprocated with fervor, wrapping her arms around Max's wide shoulders.
Chloe's face crumpled with undefined reaction. Isabel grinned at her. "It's called disgust, Chloe. Don't feel bad. We all experience it. Now we just know how to hide it."
"I wonder if we can stop them from being to licorice sweet if I pretend to be put off by the fact that she's on my ex-fiance."
"Give it up, Chloe. They're married. And you got married first," Michael reminded her. "You've got to forgive the guy."
Chloe shrugged. She thought of some other way to stop the interaction. "Liz!" Liz whirled around at Chloe's abrupt and sharp voice. "I'm so happy that my Zan found happiness with you!" Chloe stepped right between them and hugged Liz, forcing the brunette to hug back.
Liz drew a sharp breath. She tightened her arms around Chloe and closed her eyes, riding out the premonition. Chloe stepped back and waited with the others. Finally, Liz opened her eyes and blinked at Chloe. "I can't believe it!" she gasped in reproach.
"What did I do?"
"You're with him!"
"With who?"
Liz turned to Max, Michael and Isabel. And then she glanced accusingly at Chloe. "She's still with Lexan!" she revealed.
Michael's face became livid. He turned to Chloe. "You're still with that bastard!"
Chloe gasped. "You said you were okay as long as I'm happy!" she cried in disbelief. "Has the cloning and travel to another galaxy made you a complete imbecile?"
Maria applauded her silently from behind Michael.
"I've always known he hurt you. And then when we came to save you, you stubbornly denied it! Look what happened!"
Chloe was bewildered. Michael was the one who seemed so ecstatic to see her again. Now he was pissed? "What happened?" she demanded.
"She doesn't remember, Michael!" Isabel said. "Quit it."
Max placed his hand on Michael's arm. He walked forward and placed his hand on Chloe's cheek. "Chloe," he started, wanting to slowly break the truth to her, "are you with Lexan again?"
"It's none of your business," she answered acidly.
He nodded. "I understand. I respect your privacy. I just want you to know, Chloe, that in case you are, you have to stay away from him."
She jutted her chin out. Max saw so much of his little Ch'ali in this young woman. If only her life was not in danger, he would laugh and kiss her. He missed her so much.
"When you died, the war broke out. Do you know why?"
"Because Rath," she glared at Michael, "couldn't keep his temper in check."
"You're right," Michael said softly. "And I had a reason. So you want to know what it is?" Chloe didn't answer.
Max waited until Chloe's eyes met his. He said, "Both Rath and I decided to destroy his kingdom because of you."
"I was dead."
"Lexan killed you with his own hands."
"No," she breathed.
"By his own admission, Chloe," Max continued. "He killed you in your own bed."