Chapter 3

His father had called him a defector! And although the curse had wounded him like none other had it had also fanned the flames of his new found focus. Denim Rays would not be his father’s puppet or anyone else’s.

The argument of the stolen water, the back and forth bantering between Governors and the Congressman went on until the sky outside had been flushed with the show of lights that often accompanied the stars at night. By the time the conference had come to an end, many were forced to hold their tongues lest they ruin good relationships, Besting Card had played a strong hand as Denim’s advocate, Meekus Claudius had lost his prior glee, and Denim was still left pierced by the crime committed at the hands of Charis Joba.

Rather than being found completely guilty Besting had managed to have him notarized as an unwitting accomplice. Denim didn’t know what the man was about defending him with such fervor and even doing so against the Congressman and his future bride. The man had rushed into treacherous waters battling against the two even though he was given a worthy alley in Aunt Henelly.

Denim didn’t know if Besting’s efforts were a sign of his true character and integrity or if the man was out to only ensure that Denim was never able to be made his rival again, be that by force or by choice. No matter what his reasons were, Denim was indebted to the man.

Still, the spike of pain that Denim had experienced from the heat of his final words with his father gnawed at him with exquisite agony. He wasn’t a defector. He wasn’t turning away from his people to join the cause of the enemy. No, he was simply not going to hide under the folds of his father’s robe with his tail tucked between his legs. He’d never been that type of person, not even as a child, and he certainly wasn’t going to take on that role as a man.

True to form he’d stood his ground even at the cost of disappointing his Aunt and earning the bitterness of his father. But what other option did he have? He had two options actual and those were thanks to Besting and his quick tongue. Both options put before him required his guilty plea for the stolen water. The option that his father favored involved him resigning indefinitely from his station as RRS, committing to thirty-eight cycles of community service, and taking on a seat within the government.

The second option was to remain in suspension from his RRS station while he acted as bounty hunter for the one who’d not only made a fool of him but had potentially jeopardized the safety of all who lived on Disius 9.