Diplomatic Resurgence (The Empress' Spy Book 3)

by S. E. Weir

  Phina finished fiddling with the veil and reached down with her free hand to hold Alina’s. Her friend focused on her with a wobbly smile. Phina squeezed her hand gently. “You have nothing to be nervous about. You are beautiful. Your dress is amazing. You know Maxim loves you and is crazy about you. Your life together is just beginning.”

  The other women surrounded them with encouraging smiles and murmurs of agreement. They ignored the occasional person passing by through the corridor. The manager of Horizons hovered nearby, waiting anxiously for the signal to start the procession.

  Alina made an effort to smile, but her face crinkled as she grew emotional. “Oh, stars! Don’t make me cry, Phina!”

  Phina swallowed her own emotions and nodded with a small smirk. “Well, all you have to do is follow us until you get to Maxim and not fall on your face.”

  Alina gasped and gripped Phina’s hand, her face tight with worry. “What if I do fall? I’m so nervous.”

  Carefully giving Alina a gentle hug, she whispered. “Then Maxim and I will race to see who can catch you first, and we will laugh about it later when I let him win.”

  Alina gave a small snort of laughter, which was what Phina had been going for. Phina pulled back and gave Alina an encouraging smile. “Even if something does happen, the important thing is that at the end of the day, you will be married to the man you love.”

  The other women reached over and held or patted Alina’s shoulder as they agreed before Phina continued, her eyes focused on her best friend.

  “You have been waiting for this moment your whole life, Leena. You’re the star of the show, and you are going to shine. You can do this.”

  Alina straightened her shoulders and nodded, giving Phina a beaming smile. “Thank you, Phina. Let’s go knock their socks off!”

  Confident that Alina’s mind wasn’t on her nerves anymore, Phina gave the manager a nod to start the music as the girls arranged themselves before Alina in the order they were walking into the room. The bride had decided she would walk in alone, telling her parents firmly that if they came to the wedding, it would be as guests. She didn’t want her day dragged down by depressed and regretful feelings about the past.

  The manager spoke to someone over his implant. The music began as he opened the doors to the restaurant, revealing the decorated and populated tables on either side of an aisle that led to Mister Prez, with Maxim and the groomsmen standing to one side.

  Behind them and to the sides of the room were decorative arches with a gothic feel that extended the length of the wall and up to the center of the angled ceiling. In between stood artfully shaped panels inlaid with screen displays that gave the effect of looking out of an old cathedral onto a vista that changed depending on the setting. This effect had been the inspiration for the name of the restaurant. The display currently showed a setting sun that gave the room a soft glow.

  The women slowly walked in one at a time holding their bouquets, beginning with Sis’tael, then Celeste, Nadine, Mal, and Phina. As she entered, Phina felt self-conscious in her deep red dress. Two wide strips of silky fabric rose from the wide ruched waistband to cover her chest, then crossed before they wrapped around her neck and tied in the back with a bow. Her back was bare down to the band. The long, billowing skirt with its slit in the front that bared her full leg with every other step made her feel more feminine, something that rarely happened, and the way it draped where the skirt overlapped the slit kept everything nicely covered, which was a relief.

  Alina would call her dress sexy and stylish. Phina was just happy that the special modifications gave her security in knowing that she wouldn’t have a wardrobe malfunction. Phina wasn’t used to wearing something so blatantly feminine with a color that made her stand out.

  Still, it was better than pink.

  She tried to hide her uneasiness by keeping her posture straight and wearing a smile. While she walked to the front, her eyes darted around the room, taking everything in, seeing different species scattered among the tables where everyone was seated and many Guardians and Marines here to support Maxim.

  As her gaze passed over the groomsmen, something snagged her attention. Todd stood in the row of groomsmen staring at her so intently that her cheeks flushed. She thought back and realized that this was only the second time he had seen her wearing a dress, and this one was what Alina would call sexier with the slit.

  Phina drew her eyes away so she could finally step into her spot and turn to watch Alina walk down the aisle.

  She had to stop herself from tearing up. Alina glided down the aisle with a blinding smile, her eyes only for Maxim. So much love and caring and hope for the future shone on both their faces.

  Others in the room seemed to react similarly, causing Phina a need to focus on her intermediate-level mental shields and stabilize them from the influx of emotions and thoughts flying around.

  She regained her focus as Maxim reached out to Alina and held her hand as they turned to Mister Prez to start the ceremony.

  “Welcome, everyone, and thank you for being here to celebrate the joining of two amazing people in the unity of marriage, an important and sacred partnership.”

  Phina listened with half an ear, processing everything Mister Prez said as he spoke on love and how a lasting partnership in marriage worked when commitment, communication, compromise, and collaboration were utilized. The other half of her attention was on making sure that no one was going to cause trouble. She wanted nothing to mess up Maxim and Alina’s wedding day.

  She frowned as she used her filters, sensing a few who weren’t happy with the marriage. However, as she focused on them, she realized they were women who thought they should have had a shot with Maxim and that Alina was too young for him.

  Hmm... Nothing actionable. Just grumpy envy.

  Phina tuned in during the vows, almost tearing up as she heard them say their own to each other. The couple exchanged beautiful rings and turned back to hear the rest of the ceremony.

  She caught stray thoughts from Todd that were about her and she glanced over to meet his eyes again. She smiled briefly and turned her mind and eyes away, trying to respect his wishes for mental privacy.

  Phina turned her full attention to Mister Prez as he declared, “It is with great pleasure that I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  She grinned and clapped with everyone as much as was possible while holding two bouquets. Everyone stood, the Guardians and Marines whistling and cheering. After a few moments, it simmered down so Mister Prez could continue.

  Just as he started giving Maxim permission to kiss the bride, Phina turned in alarm as she felt vibrations in the Etheric. Not a ripple like the last time. This felt more like a storm or a stampede.

  And it was headed this way.

  Todd had been watching Phina throughout the ceremony.

  He couldn’t take his eyes off of her as she walked into the room wearing one of the sexiest and most elegant dresses he had ever seen. She had met his eyes and glanced away after a long moment with a flush in her cheeks that made her more beautiful.

  Yeah... He had it bad.

  However, her reaction also gave him hope that Phina might reciprocate his feelings. He had to talk to her soon and see if he wasn’t just making it up because he wanted to see it.

  He watched her hold back tears at certain times and keep an eye out around the room as if searching out trouble at others.

  Todd was too focused on Phina to pay much attention to the ceremony, although he did appreciate Alina promising to help Maxim laugh in her vows. That man needed happiness in his life.

  Phina had completed another perusal of the room when their eyes met again. Damned if he didn’t see the steel in her eyes underneath her happiness for Alina. Phina had an unconscious generosity of spirit that not many people did. She had her own goals, yes, but they were all a method for helping others. She seemed to think herself more closed off and out of touch with her feelings, and he wouldn’t completely disagree,
but it didn’t take someone with telepathy to sense that her capacity for compassion and caring ran deep.

  She smiled at him and turned her focus toward the officiant who was wrapping up the ceremony. Todd did as well, but his eyes moved to Phina.

  She was looking away and frowning, then her eyes widened in alarm. Todd stiffened, knowing that something was wrong.

  “You may kiss your—”

  Sundancer’s yowl cut off Mister Prez’s words as Phina yelled, “Assassins incoming!”

  Some guests shrieked in alarm, but they had planned for this possibility. Maxim pulled Alina and Mister Prez to the side while the groomsmen drew the short swords that had been harnessed upside-down under their jackets.

  While the Guardians and Marines in the audience pulled their weapons or grew claws to protect the non-combatants, Todd took out Phina’s telescopic staff and turned toward her in time to freeze with shock.

  Phina had tossed her and Alina’s bouquets aside and taken her heels off. What astonished him was seeing her take hold of her skirt and give it a hard tug. The long skirt pulled off, and she tossed it to the side, revealing what could have generously been called a minidress but more resembled a tunic with slits in the side. The leg that had been hidden by the skirt bore a thigh leg sheath holding one of her knives.

  Todd shook his head and recovered from his shock, but at the same time tall, green, four-armed assassins began popping in around the room. He had reached an estimate of two dozen before he stopped counting and more were still appearing in random spots.

  He ran toward her and yelled, “Phina, catch,” as one assassin popped in between them.

  She looked at him at the same time as the assassins converging on her with fierce shouts of, “Abomination!”

  “Oh, shit,” Todd muttered and hiked the rod over to her like a football.

  He fought off an assassin who came close but couldn’t help watching as Phina arrowed in on the staff…and an assassin.

  She leapt and continued her run, using the shocked assassin’s arms as step stools. She jumped off his head and grabbed the staff. Her face was set in determination and anger, likely because they had upset the wedding she had been hoping would go well. If he hadn’t been watching, he would have missed the whole thing since Phina’s movements were so fast.

  Todd beat back the assassin he had in front of him, who had apparently decided to give up on personal hygiene. When he glanced back, she had pushed the button to telescope the weapon while she flipped in the air and was using the lengthened staff to hit the assassin beneath her in the head while his hands were scrambling to grab her. The force of Phina’s strength with the staff combined with the momentum of gravity caused the assassin to stagger, which made Phina’s landing difficult.

  She got her legs underneath her so she would land on her feet, but she had to take a step to balance before pirouetting and slamming the staff into the assassin’s neck. He had begun to turn, but she was able to make the hit by changing the angle.

  Todd breathed a sigh of relief as the assassin dropped and quickly turned away to meet the Qendrok assassin attacking him.

  As he fought, he had three thoughts.

  He was glad they had trained yesterday with multiple assailants since several assassins kept trying to slip by everyone else to get to Phina.

  Her dress must have been specially made to detach the skirt like it did and have a method to stay on without riding up. Trust Phina and Alina to plan for something like this.

  And last, Phina looked mighty fine in her shortened dress. Beautiful, sexy, and like a fiery angel of justice.

  Maxim had been centimeters away from kissing his bride when Phina yelled, “Assassins incoming!”

  Damn it!

  Why couldn’t the assassins have waited one more minute? He had his beautiful bride in his arms, and he wished they could have finished the wedding.

  He hurriedly ushered Alina and Mister Prez to the side so they wouldn’t be in harm's way. When they had realized the assassins were gunning for Phina, they had talked about contingency plans for if the Qendrok crashed the wedding. He was playing his part.

  Once they were both by the wall, he turned to Alina’s anxious yet beautiful face while she gripped his arm tightly.

  “Stay here, malyshka.”

  She nodded, her eyes wide but not nearly as afraid as he was expecting. There appeared to be anger simmering in there. “Be careful.”

  “Always,” he vowed.

  She gasped and let go of his arm. “Behind you!”

  He turned as he pulled his short sword out from behind his back, eliciting another gasp from Alina since she hadn’t known about that particular wardrobe addition. It was a good thing he and all the groomsmen had wide shoulders, which allowed their jackets a little extra room for the sheaths to remain unnoticed.

  He took a step forward to meet the assassin. They fought for a minute as chaos reigned. He feared they would have difficulty continuing the reception without cleanup. He could have changed to his Pricolici form, but that would mean tearing the suit Alina had made for him. That would be a last resort.

  He registered another assassin moving in on his left as he evaded another strike from the irritated assassin in front of him.

  “No!”

  He barely registered Alina’s angry shout as he blocked the newcomer’s knife then quickly did a back strike at the first assassin, giving him a deep gash in his chest that would be fatal if they didn’t have any Pod-doc technology.

  The assassin turned pale as he saw the long line of blood seeping out next to his amulet with the black band. He fell to his knees while one hand scrambled for his wrist.

  Maxim turned away, ignoring the assassin disappearing, toward the new assassin and froze in shock with what he saw and heard.

  “Don’t you hurt my husband!” Alina had taken her five-inch heels off and was furiously swinging them at the bewildered larger assassin who winced and tried to fend the angry woman off.

  “You.” She swung her left heel at his head, causing him to duck to avoid her. “Are ruining. My. Wedding!” Each of Alina’s words was punctuated by a swing of a shoe as she inexpertly but effectively distracted the alien from attacking Maxim.

  Maxim winced as the sharp heels punctured the alien’s body and shook his head, though he beamed with pride as he stepped forward and put a calming arm around Alina while he held his short sword between them and the assassin who grimaced and backed up, his astonished and discomfited eyes still on Alina. He moved away, deciding to stagger off and find a less volatile victim.

  Maxim’s eyes tracked him heading in the wrong direction for victims, however, since Phina was currently in the middle of whacking two more of the four-armed assassins and seemed happy to add another, based on her smirk.

  Deciding the assassin was taken care of and no others were within striking distance, he turned to Alina as he curved his arm to pull her closer and grinned. “I like hearing you call me your husband.”

  She beamed up at him and dropped her shoes to clutch his arms. “I like saying it.”

  “You know what I like more?”

  She leaned closer with eyes sparkling with warmth, protectiveness, and magic—Alina's magic.

  “You wanting to protect me.”

  Tears shimmered as she vowed, “I’ll always do my best to protect you like you protect me.”

  Maxim nodded but nudged her as he dryly added, “If you’re going to make a habit of doing it physically, I’m going to insist on you learning how to do it properly.”

  She glanced at her heels on the floor then peered at him. “I thought I was doing pretty good. My heels aren’t called stilettos for nothing, you know.”

  He winced, then saw motion from the corner of his eye and sliced across the jugular of an assassin who had run up to them with his knives raised. He pushed the assassin back to fall on the floor and escorted Alina over to the wall, nudging the footwear weaponry on the floor with his foot. “Malyshka, it’s und
ignified to be bested by a high heel.”

  “Yes, I was so concerned with the assassin’s dignity when I was trying to keep him from killing you.” Alina rolled her eyes as she turned to stand with Mister Prez.

  He grinned and gave her a quick kiss. “I know.”

  He bent down and picked up the beleaguered heels and handed them to her, eliciting a happy grin. “Just in case.” He held her briefly and added, “But malyshka? Let me protect you now, okay?”

  He released her without waiting for an answer and began stalking another of the dozens of assassins that had attacked. It looked like the numbers were down by at least half now. Some assassins were on the floor, and some had disappeared like that earlier one.

  As he strode away, he heard Mister Prez asking Alina why she looked so pleased with Maxim going off to fight more of the Qendrok.

  She laughed, sounding amused, and yes, pleased. “No, no. I’m pleased because Maxim gets me. Only Phina understood me before.”

  “Oh? I don’t doubt it, but how could you tell?”

  Maxim glanced back to see Alina, still gorgeous even with blood spatters, her veil halfway pulled out and her hair untamed now that it was partially freed from its confines. She hugged her heels to her chest and gave Maxim a blinding smile when she saw him watching before responding to the older gentleman.

  “He gave me back my heels.”

  Mister Prez appeared perplexed, but Maxim winked at his beaming bride before turning to deal out more pain to the guys who thought they would crash his wedding and get away with it.

  QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Holding Area

  Faith rocked on her bunk, trying to occupy her mind with anything other than her current preoccupation. It didn’t work.

  The question that Todd Jenkins had asked rang through her head. What had made her think that her serum was the answer? Part of her mind told her that it didn’t make sense. That there were numerous ways, as he had pointed out, that she could have used instead. She began listing them out in her head and came up with twenty-seven before the ideas began petering out.