“Were Cofah agents responsible?” he asked.
“Colonel Troskar, the pilot who reported to me, hadn’t seen sign of the enemy yet when he left. The murderers disappeared back into their tunnel and never showed themselves. Since the radio was out, Troskar left to report in right away, as he’s supposed to do.”
“I suspect someone blew a new entrance, elsewhere on the side of the mountain, then carved a way in. It would have been a laborious process, and it’s hard to believe that our people wouldn’t have heard some noise.”
“Were any of the prototypes stolen?” Angulus thought of the massive rocket being built—and the incredibly powerful explosives the scientists had been testing. The three-story rocket would be difficult to walk away with, but there were other advanced weapons in there.
“According to Troskar, the enemy hadn’t infiltrated the lab yet and nothing had been stolen. It might still be possible to minimize the damage. With your permission, I’d like to take a team back out there with Colonel Troskar, investigate that tunnel, and find those responsible for the murders.”
“You don’t have a team that has the clearance.” Angulus could count the people who knew about the facility on his fingers and toes, and most of them were already out there. If the Cofah—or someone else—now knew about the Dandelion Project, then he had a leak somewhere. The last thing he needed was for more people to know about it.
“I have Colonel Troskar,” Braksonoth said. “We have demolitions experts with security clearances that could be added to your list of cleared personnel. In case we are dealing with some new kind of explosive, it would be good to take such a soldier out there.”
Demolitions expert? Angulus promptly thought of Kaika. There were others of higher rank who had her same background, but she was on the way to the castle.... He’d never brought anyone below the rank of colonel in on the Dandelion Project, but nobody could question Kaika’s loyalty. And she had a high level of clearance already, thanks to her covert work in Cofahre.
Still, he couldn’t deny that he was thinking of her for this because of reasons other than national security. Might this not be an excuse to get to know her without anyone nagging him about courting inappropriate people? Also, discussions held during an investigation about bombings might be less awkward and stilted than discussions held over a dinner table. Maybe he could even go along to the research facility. Then they would have more time to talk.
“Sire?” Braksonoth prompted.
Angulus gave himself a mental kick. Men were dead, the Cofah might have access to his prototype weapons, and all the other research in that facility could be at risk. This was not the time to be contemplating a woman.
“Colonel Troskar and I will both go with you,” Angulus said. “I’ve been meaning to check up on the facility and see how the scientists are progressing.” That was actually true. He had put together an extensive to-do list while he’d been locked in that cursed lighthouse. “We need those weapons now more than ever.”
Braksonoth was staring at him. Gaping at him, actually. With his mouth hanging down to his collarbone. “Sire, this is not the time for you to visit. It’s very likely that there are Cofah agents running around the facility, spies and saboteurs who would love a chance to kill the Iskandian king.”
“If recent events are anything to go by, that could happen right here in this castle.” Angulus frowned at the bitterness in his tone, glad Sarkon wasn’t there to hear the condemnation. Why couldn’t he quit obsessing about how easily his wife had arranged to imprison him?
“But, Sire, to deliberately court danger—”
“I’m not courting it. I’m going to see that this problem is resolved and that the scientists I promised would be working in a secure facility will not be in further danger. If the installation needs to be moved, I’ll make that assessment when I’m there.”
“I suppose we could spare a few hours to have a dirigible prepared so your security could come along, but I’d thought to fly back with Troskar right away. He came in the two-seater from the facility.”
“We can still do that. General Ort is cleared to go out there. I’ll get him to pilot my flier, and we’ll take off as soon as Troskar and our demolitions expert are ready.”
“Sire, it’s foolish to go into a dangerous situation without proper security to protect you. I urge you to talk to your chief of security and have a complement of bodyguards arranged.”
Seven gods, Angulus was so tired of being protected. And coddled.
“Troskar and Ort are soldiers, and we have soldiers already stationed out there. You’ll be along as well, correct? I’ll be surrounded by armed men. I’ll take a firearm of my own, if it will make you feel better.”
“It will not. Ort and Troskar are pilots; they’re not trained as bodyguards.”
“You’re certainly capable of keeping people alive, General.”
“I can’t be effective at ferreting out and capturing the enemy if I’m responsible for your safety, Sire.”
“Our demolitions expert will come out of the elite forces too. And your people are trained to do everything. Leave that person behind with me.” That said, Angulus had no intention of telling Kaika that she would be acting as his bodyguard. She would think him helpless and inept.
Judging by the exasperated expression that Braksonoth wore, he didn’t like this setup. Angulus hadn’t seen the general rattled many times in his career. He wondered if he should feel special for causing such a reaction. Probably not.
“If we arrive there and it looks like more trouble than we can handle,” Angulus said, hoping to placate the general, “we’ll send Ort back for reinforcements. But I’ll need to think about who else I want to give clearance to. I’d prefer not to take an entire airship crew out there.” The fact that there was trouble out there, when there never had been before, suggested his security measures had already failed, but he still did not want to alert more people than necessary to the Dandelion Project. The facility could be moved if necessary; the weapons had to remain secret, especially the rocket.
“Who are you planning to take as the demolitions expert?” Braksonoth was openly glowering now, and Angulus doubted that was the question he’d wanted to ask. He was probably wondering if Sarkon had knocked his king’s brains out through his ears. “I would recommend Colonel—”
“I have someone in mind,” Angulus caught himself saying before he thought better of it, before Braksonoth fully voiced his recommendation and Angulus had to come up with a plausible reason to object to the person. Not that kings had to come up with plausible reasons, but it seemed a good policy.
“Oh? One of my people, I presume?”
“Yes, and we’ll have to take another pilot.” Angulus hesitated, shuffling names through his head. “Zirkander.”
Braksonoth’s eyebrows shifted upward. The general had recommended they bring in Zirkander on this project no less than three times, pointing out that they needed more than two pilots who knew how to get out to the facility, especially now that Colonel Ashwonter had retired. Angulus had never been certain Zirkander had the maturity to keep secrets, but his loyalty to the country couldn’t be questioned. Just so long as he didn’t spend the trip trading quips with Kaika. If anyone was going to quip with her, it should be Angulus. If only he had that knack.
“Very well, Sire. How soon can you be ready?”
“Within two hours. Get Zirkander and Ort. I’ll tell—”
“Sire?” a new voice called from across the gym. A young page ran in, spotted Braksonoth and halted, nearly tripping over his feet.
“Come in, Domith,” Angulus said. “What is it?”
The page glanced warily at Braksonoth and spoke from across the room. “A Captain Kaika is here to see you, Sire. Alfrem said it’s in your appointment book.”
Nerves started sparring in his stomach. At his side, Braksonoth’s eyes narrowed. Yes, he probably already knew what Angulus had in mind, and he would doubtlessly prefer someone higher ranking
.
“Good,” Angulus said, not looking at the general. “Have her taken to my office. I’ll be there shortly.”
He still smelled of the boxing ring. He needed to hurry and clean up before meeting her. If she was left in his office too long, she might poke around and find something embarrassing, like those song lyrics he’d written years before. He didn’t want the first thing she learned about him to be that he’d spent his youth dreaming of running away from princely responsibilities and joining a troupe of musicians.
“Sire,” Braksonoth said, his tone very careful, the kind of careful that meant he planned to oppose Angulus and was trying to frame it in a tactful manner. “Do you think—”
“Sorry, Braksonoth. We don’t have time to chat. Round up our pilots. We’ll meet at the landing pad in the courtyard in two hours.”
“I... Yes, Sire.”
As Angulus jogged toward the baths, he told himself he was simply making haste so he wouldn’t have to keep a subject waiting, not because he was fleeing the general’s scrutiny.
* * *
While she waited, Kaika paced back and forth on the rug in front of the king’s desk, her hands clasped behind her back as she rehearsed what she would say. She had to be contrite, not cocky. And she definitely was not going to wink at him.
Sire, she would say, I’m sorry about your blown-up castle and about your wife. You probably don’t want to see me around the capital for a while. Perfectly understandable. Might I suggest a secret mission to Cofahre?
“That’s not cocky, right?” she muttered to herself. “I’m being considerate of his feelings.”
Footsteps sounded in the hallway beyond the open door. There was a guard out there, probably stationed in that spot to ensure she didn’t light anything on fire in the king’s office, but this signified someone new approaching. Him.
“You can do this,” she whispered as she turned toward the doorway. She pressed the heels of her freshly polished boots together and stood straight. It wouldn’t hurt to be respectful while cajoling him to send her on a mission.
King Angulus strode in, but stopped a mere step into the room. He looked at her, then at his desk, then toward the corner where a dusty lute leaned against the wall. He almost seemed suspicious, as if he had expected her to be snooping. No, Sire, I only spy on other countries’ monarchs...
He recovered and gave her a curt nod. His hair was damp, so he must have washed recently. She hoped she hadn’t interrupted him doing something important or more interesting than an audience with a soldier. He wore a thin sweater, tailored to fit him well, drawing the eye to his broad shoulders. She forced her gaze to his face instead.
“Captain Kaika,” he said. “I realize there was an issue you wished to speak to me about, but something’s come up.”
Not again. Was he going to run off to some other meeting before she could make her request? No, he wasn’t. She had to be determined. Forthright. Blunt.
“Sire, I understand you’re very busy. I just wanted to know if you were irked with me because of—” She waved at the room—at the castle. “You’d have every right to be irked, and to wish to—to punish me for the part I had in that, but surely you can see that my skills are more useful out in the field.”
“There’s been an incident,” Angulus was saying, almost speaking over her, “and we need—” He stopped and frowned. “What did you say?”
An incident? What incident? Worried she was about to sound selfish when something major was going on, she made herself finish, determined to get the words out, since that was the entire reason she had scraped buckets of mud off her body, showered, and pressed a clean uniform before coming up here.
“That if I’m being punished, there are better ways to do it than making me teach Zirkander’s puppies.”
Actually, there probably weren’t better ways, but she wasn’t here to be honest; she was here to get her job back.
Angulus was staring at her with a puzzled expression that she had never seen on him before. The few times they had spoken since that initial meeting, he had always appeared serious and sure of himself. The glimpse behind the kingly mask was intriguing, but she didn’t want to puzzle him—she wanted to convince him to give her orders.
“I was told you were the one who arranged for my new assignment, Sire,” she explained.
“Yes, because you’re good, and those puppies, as you call them, are our hope for the future. I appreciate what you do in the field, but the Cofah are proving that they plan to come to us. And via the air. We’re having more fliers built, and we need more men—more capable men—up there in them.”
“Sire, there are lots of people who can teach the general’s cadets to be capable on the ground. Bring Colonel Therrik back. He loves teaching combat and driving young officers through obstacle courses.”
Angulus’s expression had grown dyspeptic at Therrik’s name. Perhaps she should have mentioned another officer, but Angulus trusted Therrik, didn’t he? He’d been about to send him off in command of Nowon and her on that last mission.
“Since you lost your partner,” Angulus said slowly, making his voice almost gentle, “and nearly your own life on your last mission, I thought you might like a break.”
Kaika had not seen gentle Angulus any more often than she had seen puzzled Angulus, and she found herself flustered. She had expected to have to argue with an implacable brick wall. Instead, she was getting the man behind the crown.
“No, Sire,” she said, determined not to let this change anything. “I get antsy if there’s not some excitement to charge my blood. Don’t know what to do with myself. Nowon kept trying to get me to take up knitting as something to do besides exercising and pacing on sea voyages, but I couldn’t get through more than a row of those little yarn knots before I had the urge to turn the needles into swords and find someone to spar with.”
A slight smile curved his lips. A smile was promising. And attractive. She caught herself staring at his mouth and then realized she’d lost the thread of her argument.
He sighed, and the smile faded. “I see.”
She had the sense that she’d disappointed him. Because she didn’t want to teach?
“Sire, are you angry with me? I assumed... well, I don’t know. Before, when I was reporting, I know I was just giving the facts, but I am sorry about the queen. We—I—just wanted to help. I know that’s not an excuse, but—”
“Captain Kaika.” He lifted a hand. “I’m not angry with you.” For a moment, he looked like he would continue, but he shook his head instead. “I do have something that should get your blood charged. Assuming you can leave tonight. We’re taking a trip.”
She blinked. A trip? Had he said we? Her and him? For a moment, she thought of bedroom activities, but that was ridiculous. They wouldn’t need to take a trip for that, and he surely had no reason to think about bedroom activities with her, regardless. He must be able to find countless young and beautiful women for that.
“Sire?” she asked, hoping for clarification.
“I suppose I should ask if you’re interested, rather than assuming, but this is a matter of national security, and I’m in need of your expertise.”
A matter of national security? Had something happened right here on Iskandian soil? She had to keep herself from wiggling in place, eager for the news of something important and possibly dangerous that she could help with. “Yes, Sire. Of course.”
“You’ve already taken an oath for your security clearance.”
Kaika nodded. “Long ago, but I’ll happily take another.” Especially if it meant an exciting new assignment.
“I trust the original one will suffice,” he said, some of that dryness he was known for creeping into his tone. “We’re going to a secret facility that’s been broken into by unidentified intruders. Explosives were used, possibly something new.” His face grew more serious. “Two of our people are already dead, and we suspect enemy operatives are still in the area, perhaps planning the theft of protot
ype weapons.”
Kaika bit her lip to keep from displaying any inappropriate expression—he’d just told her that people were dead, so she definitely should not be grinning with enthusiasm over the fact that he had chosen her for this mission. A secret weapons facility? She’d never heard of such a thing, which made her feel all the more honored—and excited—that he wanted to take her along.
“I’m ready, Sire,” she said. “No, wait. I should grab my combat gear.” And explosives of her own. She would show those intruders how to blow things up. “I can be ready in an hour, Sire.”
His faint smile returned. “Good. You have an hour and a half.”
“Perfect.” Kaika charged for the door, nearly knocking him over, then paused with her hand on the jamb. “Er, am I dismissed?” Officers had a tendency to get in a huff when one left without waiting for an official dismissal.
He merely flicked his fingers. “Go, Captain.”
Chapter 3
Angulus waited in the shadow of his personal flier, with General Ort at his side and his bodyguards milling near the landing platform, looking distressed that nobody had invited them along. Another flier waited, already loaded with Troskar’s and Braksonoth’s gear. Colonel Troskar stood by the entrance to the kitchens, explaining to the overzealous staff that the fliers couldn’t carry much weight and they had already packed enough food to keep their king alive. Braksonoth was on the other side of the courtyard, gesticulating and murmuring to a colonel who would fill his boots at headquarters until he returned.
General Ort, a steady officer nearing retirement, sent a few covert glances at Angulus, but did not comment on what little he’d heard about the mission thus far, including the part where his king, in an unprecedented decision, was leaving the castle to come along. For the most part, soldiers could be counted on to be solid and dependable—and not to question him when he was making questionable decisions.
The buzz of a propeller announced the arrival of the third flier before it appeared in the night sky beyond the castle walls. Not surprisingly, Zirkander made a flourish of his arrival, twisting his way through a barrel roll before activating his thrusters and landing a dozen meters to the side of the other fliers.
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