by Kate Rudolph
It had been more than an hour since the prince had arrived. Dinner was set to start at any moment. Now would be the perfect time to strike. And Xandr could do nothing but wait. If he moved without the crew he guaranteed that he’d be struck down.
Zeesa glided up behind him, seemingly from nowhere. “Are you having a good time?” she asked casually.
“As good as always,” he responded lightly. He’d despised these events as a young man and they hadn’t improved with time.
“My husband is getting anxious.” She smiled at him as if she hadn’t asked him to kill her husband just a week before. “There’s no telling what he’ll do once he’s set his mind to something.”
Ceetr stood by the prince and even from across the room Xandr could see the tension radiating from him. He couldn’t like that Xandr was in the room, and he had to be fuming at the fact that Nevys had appeared to cause trouble. Only one thing needed to go wrong before everything exploded.
And as a guard approached him and whispered in his ear, Xandr was certain something had. The duke straightened and barked something that made the guard flinch and caught the prince’s attention. Ceetr smiled at the prince before grabbing the guard’s arm and hauling him away.
Show time.
“I’d suggest getting away from me before things get any worse,” Xandr warned his former betrothed. “Your husband is an angry man.”
“I could be the one to support you if things go right.” She placed a hand on his arm and squeezed.
Xandr looked down before looking up to meet Zeesa’s hopeful eyes. Whatever expression she saw returned in his made her eyes dim and she gave him a sad smile. “Well, I suppose not. Good luck.” She let go of his arm and let the crowd swallow her up, leaving Xandr a bit puzzled.
Zeesa had made it clear she wouldn’t risk her position to help him escape, not even if he killed his brother, and now she was making eyes at him and talking about standing beside him? Perhaps a decade with his brother had made him seem like the better option. It didn’t matter. He wouldn’t want to remain here even if he didn’t have Andie. And having Andie made him blind to any other potential partner.
“What!” The duke’s yell was loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room and all eyes turned toward the hallway, but if he said anything else it was swallowed up by the distance. Xandr could feel his lips curling up and squashed his grin. A moment later the duke returned, a fake smile plastered on his face as he spoke to the prince, who looked curious.
Xandr crossed the room and took his place beside his brother. “Your majesty, I hope you are finding Mebion to your liking.” He ignored Ceetr, who stared at him like a fighter in the second before a match started.
Prince Ryxar nodded. “It is a lovely planet. Your stewardship is to be commended.”
Ceetr sputtered out a laugh. “His stewardship?”
The prince clearly didn’t see what was so funny and Xandr kept quiet. If Ceetr was this close to snapping then it was almost time to move. “Is there a problem, your grace?” the prince asked.
Ceetr snapped his mouth shut and jerked his head from side to side. He glared at Xandr and took a deep breath. “There’s some awful business I hate to bring up now, sire, but I’m afraid it cannot wait.”
“Your grace!” A different guard ran up to them. “The captain needs you. There’s an issue at the docks.”
Ceetr snapped his attention from the prince to the guard. “Now is not the time! The captain can handle it himself.”
Prince Ryxar’s brow furrowed. “If you are needed, your grace, we can continue this conversation later.”
“I would be happy to keep the prince company, brother.” Xandr smiled sweetly, as if their rivalry was something all brothers endured rather than the nasty gnarled knot that had festered between them.
Ceetr’s eyes narrowed and he took a step towards Xandr. “You—you’re doing this.”
“I’ve been here all night, brother, I have no idea what’s going on.” Technically true, though he could guess.
Ceetr grabbed the guard who’d been trying to slip away. “Go find the girl. That will make my brother speak.”
“But, your grace—” the guard sputtered. “What about—”
“I said find her!” Ceetr bellowed and all eyes turned to them. “He knows the price for not admitting to his crimes!”
“Crimes?” the prince chimed in. “My lords, perhaps we should take this to a more private venue.” He looked between the two brothers, barely sparing a glance at the guard. “And what is this about a woman? Your grace?”
Ceetr breathed heavily and he stared at the prince as if he just remembered that they had a visitor. All eyes were on them and Xandr wanted to make his move, but he hadn’t gotten his sign yet. He couldn’t level an accusation until he had the proof. It couldn’t be long now, going by what the guard had said, but if things had gone wrong at the docks then Xandr had to find another way out.
“Get your damn hands off me!” A gruff voice came from the servant’s entrance. “I know my business.”
And Xandr knew that voice—if there was ever a sign, this was it.
Ceetr’s face lost most of its color, going from its rich purple to a sickly gray. “No.” He turned to the prince and tried to compose himself, but he trembled. “Please excuse me, I must deal with this.” And then he fled.
Xandr gave the room a quick once over and saw Nevys standing just outside the door to the servants’ hallway, wearing fighting gear and looking ready to explode from anger.
“Do you know who that is?” the prince asked.
Xandr felt satisfaction unfurl. “That man is assisting my brother in the slave trade. There is much we must discuss.”
CHAPTER TEN
BLASTER FIRE SHOT AT them from behind, but the vehicle they’d stolen was too fast to be hit. The three volunteers they’d managed to bring with them cowered in the back while the rest of the crew held onto their seats as Taryn drove them towards their target. “Is he behind us?” Andie asked. She could make out the lights from the estate in the distance and hoped that the guards hadn’t figured out where they were going.
“Someone sure is,” Keana responded.
Andie’s jaw clacked together as they pushed over a particularly large bump, and she saw stars for a moment. She hated driving on wheels, but the anti-grav on their truck was malfunctioning and they didn’t have another choice.
Sparks shot off as a blaster shot hit the hull of the vehicle and one of the volunteers in the back screeched. Keana caught Andie’s eye and jerked her head back. Andie didn’t want to unclip her harness and be thrown around, but the volunteers were panicking and they were too important to lose.
With a deep breath she unclipped her belt and carefully moved back, taking a seat on the ground beside one of the volunteers and bracing her hand against the wall. They’d found two Oscavians and a human among the captives who were willing to go along with their scheme, but she could already see regret in their eyes. They’d chosen to come with the crew when safety was in their grasp, and Andie wouldn’t fail them now.
“Sorry for the turbulence,” she said, managing a grin even as her ass hurt from more bumps and divots in the road. “Looks like the duke isn’t as on top of infrastructure as he could be.”
The human cracked a smile and Andie reached out to put a reassuring hand on her arm, grateful when the woman didn’t flinch. “How much longer?” the redhead asked.
“We’re close.” The truck rocked again and Andie took a deep breath. “It’s a brave thing you guys are doing. Thank you.”
“He shouldn’t get away with this,” one of the Oscavians said, his voice hoarse. Andie noticed bruising around his neck and did her best not to stare. “Slavery is illegal.”
If the Oscavian was still clinging to legalities then she doubted he’d been held captive for long. She hoped whatever psychological damage this caused healed just as quickly as his bruises.
“We’re going to stop him,” Andie p
romised. “By morning this will all be over.”
“Speeder overhead!” Taryn called back. “Heading for the estate.”
“Can’t get a read on identification,” Keana said. “It’s not one of ours.”
“What’s going on?” the other Oscavian asked. “I thought you stopped them back at the docks.”
That had been the goal, but between disabling most of the guards and Nevys’ vehicles and herding the captives to safety they hadn’t been able to stop them all. And, Keana had pointed out, it would look more realistic if they showed up at the estate with guards hot on their heels. They needed the prince to believe something was going on, especially since Mebion might have already accused Xandr of various crimes.
“Not all of them.” Andie winced as a sharp turn slammed her against a seat. “But we’re okay, I promise.”
“I’ve heard a lot of those lately,” the human muttered.
Andie didn’t know how to reply to that. The car came to a jolting halt and doors slammed. A moment later the hatch in the back opened and Keana was waiting. Andie waved the volunteers forward and covered their rear as they crossed from the road onto estate property. The vehicles that had been trailing them were gone, but she didn’t for a moment believe that they were safe.
The estate looked normal. There were no panicked partygoers running around and Andie didn’t see any guards. Keana took point, leading their group through the garden and towards the house. They needed to get to the party and present the captives to the prince; it was their proof that Mebion had been allowing slavery on his planet. But to get there they needed to avoid the guards. If they were detained this would all go wrong. Fast.
Worry crawled through Andie’s veins. She was certain this was going to go wrong, that a guard would round the corner at any moment and take them into custody. She balled her hands into fists to keep them from shaking and clenched her jaw, tension stringing her tight enough to hurt.
And just as they got out of the garden their luck ran out.
“You there! Halt!” a guard shouted as they walked out of the maze of flowers and towards the house.
Taryn tapped Andie on the back twice and that was her signal. She broke away from the group and started sprinting towards the guard with Taryn close behind her. Keana and Kiran were supposed to hide until they had cover. Andie’s lungs burned and she could hear the guard’s blaster firing, though the shots failed to connect.
Just a little more, she prayed. She could do this, she just needed a little more.
HIS PROOF COULD SHOW up any time now. Xandr kept the frustration off his expression while his brother, who’d joined them after they’d snuck off, steadfastly denied the accusation. He turned it around on Xandr, accusing him of everything from stealing the ducal jewels to murdering their father. Xandr had killed, and he’d lifted plenty of shiny stones, but those two accusations weren’t true in the least.
They hadn’t quite left the party, as that would have attracted too much attention and speculation, but they’d moved to a small alcove that kept them mostly out of sight. Xandr could see a few curious faces turn their way, but no one had approached yet.
“Criminal misconduct is the purview of the courts of justice,” the prince said, grimacing as he took in the expressions on Xandr and Ceetr’s faces. “If you wish to levy a charge, the proper procedure is to contact a steward of the court. I cannot do more than take one or both of you into custody and make a recommendation to a judge.”
Ceetr’s eyes narrowed and Xandr recognized the calculation in that look. For some reason his brother wanted the prince to render a verdict rather than the courts. Was it merely impatience? Or did he have something bigger planned?
Where was Xandr’s crew? If the prince saw what Mebion was doing he’d be able to make his recommendation for charges brought against the duke and take him into custody. But he wouldn’t do it on an accusation alone.
“I challenge Karday Xandran for his right to stand as a lord of Mebion.” At first the words didn’t register. When he met his brother’s eyes he saw a maniacal gleam. The prince couldn’t punish either of them for a crime, but he did have the authority to strip them of their titles.
Shock ripped through Xandr. A challenge? He knew of the obscure law, but he’d never heard of it actually being used. And did Ceetr really think he could win a fight? Against him? His brother had the muscle, but Xandr had spent the last ten years living the life of an outlaw. Fighting was his life. What kind of game was Ceetr playing?
The prince darted a glance around the room as if he might be able to make an escape before getting caught up in Xandr and Ceetr’s squabble, but Ceetr was standing between him and freedom. Taking a deep breath, the prince addressed the duke. “That is highly unusual, your grace. Again I must direct you to the courts of law. Legal proceedings can strip your brother of his title in a much more civilized fashion. We are the Oscavian Empire, not barbarians.”
Ceetr drew himself up to his full height and puffed out his chest. “This is my right as duke, your highness. My brother’s place as lord puts my people at risk and I will not stand for it another day. I demand that the challenge be answered.”
The prince stared at Ceetr for several moments before finally nodding once. “The challenge is heard. Lord Karday, how do you respond?”
Xandr wracked his brain to come up with the right answer. He didn’t give a shit about his title and would cast it off in a heartbeat, but right now that title was offering him a little protection. If he weren’t a lord, his brother could have easily thrown him into jail and remanded him to Oscavian justice, and Xandr was certain Ceetr would do that if the title was suddenly stripped. No matter what happened, it would buy his crew the time they needed to get the prince’s attention. “I accept the challenge to retain my title.”
Prince Ryxar muttered something too quietly to be heard before waving a hand to summon an attendant. The attendant appeared out of nowhere and stood at his prince’s side, ready for orders. “Shall we do this in the morning, your grace?”
“I cannot let this injustice stand another moment, highness. I want it done now.” Mebion scowled out the demand.
“At the party?” Whatever royal training was keeping the prince’s temper in check finally slipped and his disbelief shone through.
“We have the necessary witnesses, let’s not wait.” Mebion shot a triumphant look at Xandr, as if he’d just expertly played the game, but Xandr didn’t think they were operating under the same rule set.
“Lord Karday, do you have any objection to getting this done now?” the prince asked.
In any challenge, the challenged party could demand a full day to prepare, if Xandr remembered his rules correctly. The memories didn’t come from the law but from fantastical stories and books he’d loved as a child where honor challenges played a big role. Under other circumstances he might have forced his brother to wait, just to frustrate him, but if things went right Xandr wouldn’t be on the planet in the morning. And this fight would drag everyone’s attention to the party and away from anyone trying to get in. “I can beat my brother any day of the week,” Xandr said, letting all of his inborn lordly confidence shine through. “Let’s get this done.”
The prince turned to his attendant. “Notify the duke’s court and my retinue. Have the room cleared and a challenge floor set. You have one hour.” Then the prince addressed them. “Gentlemen, prepare yourselves. News of this will spread quickly.” He walked after his attendant, leaving Ceetr and Xandr alone.
“What are you playing at?” Xandr couldn’t stop himself from asking.
“I gave you a chance to get out of this without getting hurt. You chose this path, brother.” Mebion scowled and walked back into the banquet room, leaving Xandr alone.
Not getting hurt? Tell that to Andie’s and Keana’s bruises. Tell that to his imprisoned crew. Xandr wanted to lash out and end his brother before this went any further, but if he touched him before the challenge took place he’d be arrested. W
as that Mebion’s grand plan? Issue a challenge so that Xandr couldn’t fight him? Or did he just want to see Xandr bleed?
It didn’t matter. The crew would be there soon enough and then this farce would be over and they could all go home. He looked forward to his cramped bed with Andie curled up against his side.
When Xandr left the alcove he wasn’t surprised that Zeesa came up to him, though she did look over her shoulder as if to check that her husband wasn’t watching. “What’s going on?”
“Ceetr challenged my position. We fight in an hour.” Saying it out loud made it sound more absurd.
And judging by the look on Zeesa’s face she agreed. “Challenged? Challenged? That’s ridiculous! And you accepted? What are you playing at?” It all came out in a harsh whisper, and yet her face somehow remained serene. No one looking at them would have suspected a thing.
“I’m not playing at anything, your grace.” Suddenly Xandr was exhausted. This mission was taking more out of him than any other. “Ceetr challenged me. You know why I’m here.”
“I do. Now would be the perfect opportunity to do as I asked.” She turned away without waiting for Xandr to respond. She hadn’t taken it lightly when he refused to kill his brother, and she was right that an honor challenge would be an excellent place to kill Ceetr. The thought hadn’t crossed his mind until then.
But it wasn’t part of the plan, and the plan would work. If his damned crew would show up.
Given his ten years of absence, Xandr would have expected everyone to be on his brother’s side as news of the challenge filtered through the crowd. But a few attendees came up to him and offered their support and shared surprise that Ceetr would do something so archaic. Xandr accepted the support with smiles, but didn’t stay too long to talk to any one group. He kept his eyes on the guards on the perimeter of the party and watched for any strange behavior.