by Sadie Carter
“I suppose. For what?” Zoey asked.
“We will go shopping.”
“I still don’t have much energy, I’m afraid.”
“I will ensure you are looked after. I promise. We will go to my favorite boutique. Females only. Will that be a problem?”
“I’m not sure. I will need to talk to Macon; he’s on guard duty tomorrow.”
Fedora’s face grew cool for a moment then she smiled. “Of course. I understand. Your safety is very important.”
“But I’m sure it will be fine. If I bring a guard with me.”
“They cannot come inside.”
“Won’t be a problem.” Maybe. Maybe it wouldn’t be the end of the world if Macon refused to let her go. What the hell would she and Fedora talk about?
Although it could be fun. At the very least there was one member of Dex’s family who was speaking to her.
***
“No.” Macon stared at her stubbornly.
She folded her arms over her chest. She’d talked herself into this shopping trip and she wasn’t going to be talked out of it. “You're completely unreasonable.”
“I was left in charge of your safety. You are not going.”
“It’s a bloody clothing shop. What could possibly go wrong? What’s the worst that could happen?”
“You go nowhere without a guard. Crown Prince’s orders.”
“A guard will escort me there and back. They just can’t go inside.”
“No.”
A knock on the door made her growl. Turning, she stormed over and opened it. “What?”
Liula stood on the other side, looking like the Queen of doom and gloom. Fantastic.
“Oh, Liula, sorry,” Zoey apologized.
“This is a bad time?” she asked coldly.
Zoey stepped back. “No, it’s fine. Come in.”
“I wish to talk to you. In private.” She glanced over at Macon with an imperious stare.
“Am I allowed to be alone with the Empress? Or is that too dangerous?” she asked Macon.
“Dangerous?” Liula queried.
“Fedora invited me to shop with her at Madam Tillard’s boutique today. Macon won’t let me go.”
Liula turned to him. “Why not? Madam Tillard does excellent work and Zoelle could certainly use new clothing.”
What was wrong with her current wardrobe?
“It is not that, your Royal Highness,” Macon replied, looking slightly alarmed. “But milady is to have a guard at all times.”
“She will be perfectly safe. Only females are allowed in the boutique and Madam Tillard’s client list is very elite.”
Great. Maybe Macon was doing her a favor. If Liula was so keen on Madam Tillard’s, then it probably wasn’t the place for her.
“Even so, your Royal Majesty—”
“I shall go with you,” Liula announced with a nod.
“Ahh, you will?” Well, crap. All the fun had just been sucked from this shopping trip. Was it too late to change her stance?
She sent Macon a desperate look. She was sure he held back a grin. Ass.
“Yes. I wish to converse with you. Does that satisfy you?” she asked Macon.
“Please forgive me, your Royal Highness, but you are not a warrior,” Macon said with more diplomacy than she would have credited him possessing.
“I am the Empress. Nobody would dare try to harm Zoelle in my presence. It is settled. When do we leave?”
“Now, I guess,” Zoey replied. Looked like she was going to be stuck in a small space with Liula for the next few hours.
Could that be used as a defense against manslaughter?
The walk to the boutique was conducted in silence. Zoey could actually feel Macon’s glower on her back. Even Boris didn’t look happy. But with Dex and his father away, Liula was the most senior member of the ruling family.
Her word was law.
“Here it is,” Liula stated as they reached a small, white-washed building with a dark red door. “All of you may wait outside.”
Four guards, as well as Boris, had accompanied them.
“I would prefer to inspect the inside first, your Royal Highness,” Macon told her.
Liula gave him an impatient look. “I shall go inside first and check with Madam Tillard. Will that be satisfactory?”
Her tone indicated that it better be and Macon immediately nodded.
As soon as she disappeared inside, Zoey swung around to Macon. “Get me out of this,” she hissed.
Macon gave her a startled look. “This is what you wanted.”
“No, I wanted to go shopping with Fedora. Not with the mother-in-law from hell!”
“She is the Empress. What would you have me do?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I—”
“Madam Tillard has given permission for you to enter,” Liula interrupted making her jump.
Macon nodded then entered. They waited in silence until he returned and nodded. “I shall keep the door open and will remain on watch here. There are no other exit points, but guards will be posted around the building.”
Zoey turned with a smile. “Great! Let’s shop til we drop.”
Liula frowned. “Why would we drop? Is that a peculiar custom of your people?”
“No, uhh, just a saying on Earth.”
“Hmm.” Liula turned, nose in the air, and Zoey gave Macon another frantic look. He just shrugged.
With a feeling of impending doom, Zoey followed.
“Fedora hasn’t arrived yet,” Liula explained. “So I told Madam Tillard we would take refreshment while we waited. Her lateness is out of character.”
“I’m sure she’ll be along soon.” Zoey smiled at Madam Tillard as she poured them two glasses of cool Sola. “Thank you.”
Madam Tillard nodded then left silently.
“You do not need to thank her for doing her job.”
“It doesn’t do any harm to thank someone.” Wouldn’t hurt Liula to try doing that once in a while. She acted like the servants in the palace were invisible.
“If you are going to remain here then you need to learn our customs and cultures.”
“But I’m not staying, am I?” She took a large gulp of liquid. It tasted a little off, but she wasn’t about to say anything.
“This tastes odd.” Liula stared down at the drink in her hand.
“Its fine,” Zoey said quickly, not wanting Liula to get on Madam Tillard’s case.
“If you spoke to my son you could convince him to stay.”
“Why would I want to do that?” Zoey asked, placing the glass down carefully. Suddenly, she felt quite light-headed.
“This is his heritage. This is where he belongs. A proper mate would support him. Would want what is best for him.”
“And you assume that staying here is what’s best for him.”
“Of course,” Liula stated, blinking a few times as she glanced down at the glass in her hand. “This is what he was raised for. Where his family is.”
“Then why don’t you listen to him? Why don’t you let him do what he was raised for?”
“He, well, he…I feel rather odd.”
“Me too.” Zoey slumped down in her chair, her eyelids closing. She forced them open, spying a blurred figure walking towards her. “Whaat?” Her eyelids closed again and blackness engulfed her.
Macon stood at the doorway, keeping watch. He gazed around, trying to spot Boris. The other male had disappeared shortly after Zoey went inside the building.
Three figures walked towards him, the one in front obviously female.
“Lady Fedora,” he greeted the tall female as she walked up to him. Her two guards nodded at him.
“Macon.” Fedora nodded before sweeping inside.
Macon returned to his pacing. He wished the Crown Prince was here. Or even Thor or Koran. They would have more chance of getting Zoey to listen. He really didn’t like that she was inside the boutique on her own. But Koran was busy with training to
day and Thor was at the medical center.
“Macon.” He turned to stare at Fedora, who was standing at the top of the stairs, staring down at him in concern.
His heart sped up. “What is it?”
“Zoey isn’t here. Neither is Madam Tillard.”
“What? What about her Royal Highness?” He brushed past her to get inside.
“Liula? Liula was here as well?” she asked, following behind him.
His pulse raced as adrenaline pumped through him. He searched every room thoroughly. They couldn’t have disappeared. There was only one exit point and he had been standing in front of it.
When he returned to the front sitting room, Boris was sniffing at a half-filled glass of Sola. Another lay spilled on the floor.
Boris held the glass out to Macon.
“What is it?” Macon asked, even knowing the other man wouldn’t answer. He sniffed then went to take a sip. Moving so fast, he didn’t even see him, Boris grabbed his hand, taking the glass. He shook his head.
Macon stared at him in bewilderment until it suddenly clicked.
“Poison,” he stated.
Chapter Twelve
Dex strode through the palace, his father close on his heels. Panic had him on edge.
“How did this happen?” his father asked. “They cannot just disappear.”
“We will find them,” Koran promised, following Dex.
“I should never have left her,” he growled as he pushed his way into the meeting room.
What had he been thinking? If he had been here, this never would have happened. He reached for her through the bond. He couldn’t sense her. Panic threatened to bring him to his knees. But the bond was still there, which meant she was alive. Either she was unconscious or there was too much distance between them for him to sense her.
Macon stood talking to another warrior across the room. There were at least half-a-dozen of Dex’s men in the room, including Macon and Thor.
“Why are they not out looking for them?” Dex’s father barked.
“Dex!” Fedora strode over, her face concerned but controlled. Had it been Zoey in her place, she would have been frantic. Why had he ever wanted her to be more like the females of his planet? “I cannot believe they have disappeared. What will we do?”
“Find them,” Koran snapped at her.
She glared at Koran as Macon strode over.
“Your Royal Highness. Crown Prince.” Macon drew himself up to attention. “I hold myself completely responsible for this.”
Dex waved his hand in the air. “Let’s just focus on locating them. What do you know?”
“Milady and her Royal Highness, along with Madam Tillard, disappeared from Madam Tillard’s boutique between two and two-thirty this afternoon.” It was now just past midnight. “There were two glasses of Sola they had been drinking. One had spilled, but we tested the other and found it was laced with a sedative.”
“So who drugged them? Madam Tillard?” Dex asked. “Why? And where has she taken them?”
“I do not know,” Macon said. “But she and her son have disappeared as well.”
“So they drugged her Royal Highness and Zoey and then hid them somewhere. How did nobody see this?” Koran barked, his concern clear.
Macon looked uncomfortable. “We discovered a trapdoor beneath a floor covering in the same room where the drugged drink was discovered. Beneath the trapdoor was a tunnel that led to the edge of the village. Near the port.”
The port? “The trade ship. It arrived yesterday?” Dex ground his teeth together.
“Yes. And it departed at two-thirty.” With Zoey and his mother onboard?
“How could they get them onboard?” Koran asked.
“Madam Tillard’s son was in charge of the loading bay,” Macon said. “We think perhaps he hid them in something, as well as sneaking himself and his mother onboard.”
“Where did the ship go first after it left here?” Dex demanded.
“Molipuria,” Macon replied. “I have sent a contingent of warriors there. They should be landing shortly.”
“Why would Madam Tillard do this?” Fedora asked. “What would it gain her?”
“This is what comes from allowing others onto our planet,” his father spat out.
“We don’t know that those on the ship even knew they had extra passengers,” Dex counted. “This was done by our own people. Our own people betrayed us.”
“Excuse me, Crown Prince?” a young warrior stepped up beside him.
Dex looked away from his father, trying to calm himself.
“Yes?” he asked the warrior.
“There is a merchant here, claiming to know something about milady’s disappearance.”
“A merchant?” his father spluttered. “How could he possibly help?”
“Send him in,” Dex ordered. “Father, allow me to take charge.”
His father stared at him stubbornly then waved his hand. “Fine.”
A shorter man, in excellent shape despite his advanced age, was escorted into the large room.
“You had some information on my mate’s disappearance?” Dex asked impatiently.
“Yes, Crown Prince. My name is Riccus. I have overheard some rumors about Madam Tillard and how unsatisfied she has become with the lack of customers to purchase her creations. Some have told me that she spoke of a way out. Of a cash flow, that would enable her to relocate.”
“Did she say where she was going?” Dex asked.
“No, not that I heard of. I can ask around.”
“Yes, do that.”
The man shuffled around. “Riccus?”
“Yes?” The older man turned back.
“Thank you for coming forward.”
The man nodded solemnly. “Your mate was very kind to me the other day.”
“Zoey is a kind person.” He needed to find her. Immediately.
“I wonder if this has anything to do with the bounty on Zoey?” Thor pondered. “Perhaps Madam Tillard thought to hand Zoey over for the credits offered.”
Dex frowned. “The bounty was withdrawn.”
Thor shrugged. “Perhaps she didn’t realize that?”
“Where is Torex?” Dex asked. Maybe Thor was right.
“Here, Crown Prince.”
Dex turned to find Torex scowling down at his tablet. “Have you discovered who put out that bounty on my mate?”
“Not yet, but I am getting close.”
“Tell me as soon as you discover anything.”
“You should not have taken your eyes off her,” Koran growled at Macon. “You know how trouble follows her around.”
Macon bowed. “I know. If you wish to punish me, sir, I understand.”
“Let’s just concentrate on finding them.”
And once he did, he was never letting her out of his sight again.
***
Zoey groaned, rubbing her throbbing head. Her stomach bubbled with nausea. Had she had a few too many last night? What had she been thinking? The hangover the next day was never worth it.
“Zoelle? Zoelle, are you awake?”
She blinked then rubbed her eyes. Was she still dreaming? She had to be stuck in a nightmare. There was no other explanation for hearing Liula’s voice as she awoke.
“Zoelle? Speak to me. Your inferior immune system means you cannot metabolize the drug as fast as I have. I need you to speak to ensure there is no lasting damage.”
Couldn’t she just ask if she was all right? Was that too much to ask? Obviously. This had to be the reason she’d had a few too many, Liula would drive anyone to drink.
“I’m fine,” Zoey croaked. “What happened?”
“From what I have deduced we were drugged and are now being held prisoner. This room is windowless so I cannot tell where we are.”
How long had she been awake?
Zoey struggled to sit, surprised when Liula placed an arm around her and helped her.
“Why would anyone drug us?” she wondered. It was dark
and musty down here. She shivered at the chill. Where were they?
“Not anyone. Madam Tillard.”
It made no sense. What reason would a boutique owner have to drug and kidnap them? “Are we still on Zerconia?”
Liula shook her head. “I cannot be certain. But I do not know how they would move us off-planet without being discovered.”
“If someone wanted to they could probably work it out.”
“But why? For what gain?”
Why? Good question. “If you weren’t with me, I’d think you were behind it.”
“Me?” Liula looked offended.
“You’re the person who most wants me gone. Then Dex would be free to marry a proper Zerconian female.”
Zoey was starting to feel more alert. Where the hell were they? And how could she escape? Whatever their kidnapper wanted she’d get it because being stuck in a small, windowless room with Liula was a form of torture she could not take.
“I do not deny that you are not my first choice for Dex. But I would never have drugged and kidnapped you. I was hoping you would leave of your own free will.”
“Instead, you drove Dex away as well.”
“I did not drive my son away.”
“You’ve given him no reason to stay. Neither you nor Dex’s father will listen to him. You’re stuck in the dark ages. Dex has no room to breathe. You can’t even accept me as his mate. You left Dex with little choice but to leave.”
“He is leaving because of you,” Liula told her.
“No. He is leaving because of you and you know it. I am not the problem here. You are. Change isn’t a bad thing.”
“You put ideas in his head,” Liula accused.
“I think we’re done talking.” If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
“I have not finished.”
“Hush, I need some quiet time. I need to think.”
“Did you just tell me to be quiet?” Liula asked, clearly affronted.
Zoey stood with a wobble. Reaching out, she steadied herself against a wall. The cold brick was damp and mossy.
“I don’t think we’re on Zerconia. It’s too damp down here.” Zoey searched around the room, moving her hands over the walls.
“What are you doing?” Liula asked.
“Searching for a way out.”