There was a light creak of metal when she tried to close the door behind her. While she was struggling to make it close softly, the dog slipped out into the corridor.
“No, not you. Stay,” she said in a loud whisper, which he happily ignored. His curled tail wagged with joy at the prospect of going out. “I should have known it was a mistake not to drop you off some place at the first opportunity.”
She crept along the corridor near the gymnasium with the dog trailing quietly behind her. Iza opened the door to look in on Trix. The android was still standing in the room with her eyes staring off into space and her head slightly tilted. It was as if she would say something any minute.
“I’ll be back, I promise. Jovani will take care of you and we’ll get you home soon. Don’t give up.” There was no blink or response from Trix as Iza reached out and touched her shoulder.
Seeing her friend that way broke her heart, but Trix was an AI in an android body. She wasn’t lost. They’d get her to Lynaeda and they would know what to do.
Having said her temporary goodbyes, Iza snuck off the ship to wait for her ride outside with her dog in tow. She had forgotten how cold it got on Beurias in winter, which was made to feel even more extreme after living in the sauna-like environment on board the Verity, thanks to the broken thermostat. Iza checked the weather report on her handheld and saw that snow was in the forecast for the following evening. She couldn’t help but it take as an amusing sign about how her engagement announcement would be received.
Karter’s driver pulled up, and Iza’s jaw dropped. The sleek shuttle was built for speed, complete with a mirror-finish hull that made it almost impossible to see in the dim light until it was nearly on top of her.
The dog let out one loud bark in her defense, and she realized she should have made some kind of leash for the little beast. “We have to be on our best behavior,” she told him.
The shuttle’s side hatch swung open vertically, Iza slid into the back bench seat. The dog hopped in and sat down next to her.
Up front, the driver, a pale-skinned man with sandy brown tucked under his black cap, cast a skeptical gaze at the dog.
“Don’t even think about saying anything,” Iza warned him.
The driver turned forward and initiated the takeoff procedure.
Iza composed a short message to Jovani, with a delayed send scheduled for the morning, to let him know that she’d taken the dog with her instead of leaving him behind as planned. With one hand resting on the dog’s back, she watched the blurred view as the shuttle sped to the Blue Hills Estate.
The lights of the city blended together in streaks reflected off the glass. Like in many places at times when most people were in bed, there was a small contingent still awake—scattered lights in distant windows of the city’s towers. Iza remembered that life, conserving her energy during the day so she could run the streets at night. She had seen little back then, having avoided the central planets in favor of spending most of her time in the freer outer colonies. There were plenty of cities out there that didn’t take notice of a street kid living in alleys and looking for a quick score. She’d grown so much since then, seen magnificent cities and glimpsed from afar opulence that was out of reach for all but a select few.
Despite her experiences, nothing had prepared her for the sight of Blue Hills Estates. Ten minutes outside the city, the outline of the massive mansion took her breath away. Lights illuminated almost every window of the four-story building, no doubt because staff were busy getting the mansion prepared for the upcoming festivities.
“This is it?” she asked, trying to sound wholly unimpressed just to see if she could get a rise out of the driver.
He didn’t respond. It seemed he had about the same level of conversation ability as one of Cierra’s vegetables.
Iza glanced down at the dog, and he looked up at her expectantly. At least someone was listening to her.
After landing the vehicle, the driver opened the shuttle’s side hatch without a word.
“Well, thanks for all of your help,” she said sarcastically.
She slung her pack over one shoulder as she slid out from the shuttle, and the dog followed her. The two scaled the twenty-two steps to the door. Before she could knock, the door swung open.
“Good evening, Miss Sundari,” said the formidable older gentleman who answered the door. “My name is Brooks. Welcome to the Blue Hills Estate. May I take your bags?” He scowled down at the dog, who sat with his tail still wagging and his tongue dripping saliva on the marble floors.
“I’ve got it, thank you,” Iza said.
Brooks ushered her inside to a foyer boasting ostentatious sparkle and decadent details. An enormous crystal chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling, casting tiny rainbows on the elaborate carpet woven in shades of blue, which led to a curved staircase with a carved marble banister. Painted ceramics and chiseled metals accented the adjacent halls. As old as it all seemed, none of it held a speck of dust.
“This way, Miss,” Brooks said when she stood staring too long.
“Iza will do,” she corrected.
Brooks led her into a small study to the right of the foyer. Floor-to-ceiling shelving housed physically bound books. She stared at them in awe. Iza couldn’t remember when she’d last seen an actual book made with paper. A fireplace in the corner cast the room in a warm glow and heat that made it welcomingly cozy, especially on such a chilly night. Two chairs sat on opposite sides of a small table in front of the fireplace, where two glasses of some unknown citrus-colored drink were waiting.
“Please, have a seat. Mr. Hyttinen will be here in just a moment,” Brooks said before he left the room, closing the door behind him.
Iza took her time taking in the rest of the ornate furnishings and the view out the large window overlooking the front grounds. At one time, the estate had been someone’s actual home, though it was hard for Iza to believe it. Now, the Hyttinen Dynasty used the estate for various political and social functions.
With Karter nowhere in sight, Iza picked up her drink and made a cheers to herself. If I have to be fake-engaged, at least I can do it in style.
—
A knock on the door and the dog’s growl startled Iza to attention.
She didn’t realize she’d been sleeping until she felt the drool on her chin. She hastily wiped it away and stood up when she saw Karter enter the room, settling into her annoyed expression. “Took you long enough.”
The dog pranced toward Karter and almost glued his nose to the cuff of Karter’s pant leg to see if he was friend or foe.
If only it were that easy to tell, Iza thought to herself.
“I had imagined you’d be coming alone.” Karter peered down at the dog with no little distaste. It only made her happier that she’d allowed the mutt to come along.
“He insisted.” Iza shrugged.
“Fine.”
Iza made a noise at the back of her throat to warn the dog to stop his attack. He wisely trotted behind her and sat down.
“I see you made yourself comfortable,” Karter said, eyeing the two empty glasses on the table. He smoothed the jacket of his tan suit, which complimented his dark brown skin. “I apologize for the inconvenience. I very much appreciate your patience. It took some work to clear a path to where you’ll be staying the next couple of days.” “Well, I’ll show you to your rooms.”
Rooms… plural? She brushed past him, careful not to stumble in her sleepy haze. She wondered again what he hoped to gain from this false engagement.
“Was this your family’s house?” Iza asked.
“Hardly. We use it to host parties and other functions to impress each other.” The last part he said with a little bitterness.
“So, you’re not all about the parties and dynastic shoulder-brushing?”
“I have no problem socializing with people of my class as long as it doesn’t require me to lie. I hate putting on false pretenses just to keep what I have,” he said, his jaw
tight.
It seemed to be a sore subject, but she was already exhausted. It wasn’t worth the fight that would come from asking him for more details. Instead, she followed him in silence while he led her through the mansion. As they passed through the kitchen, she debated about grabbing something to quiet her grumbling stomach, but promise of sleep won out.
The dog however, had other ideas. He whined and scratched at one of the food drawers as they passed.
“When was the last time you fed your dog?”
Iza thought over her day and realized she hadn’t asked if Braedon had done it. “I think he ate this morning, but I’m not sure, to be honest. I’ve been a little busy.”
Karter surprised her by stopping to dig into the back of one of the large cold storage fridges to grab a large bone with some meat on it. The dog went crazy at the sight of it, but Karter, to his credit, held fast to the bone. The dog to followed him, eyes glued on the bone.
“Please forgive the unconventional route to your suite. I placed you on the far end of the manor to reduce accidental foot traffic passing by,” he said, ignoring the dog’s impatient whining. “But in the morning, you’ll have a lovely view of the gardens, despite the snow.”
“At this rate, I hope you don’t expect me up before noon.”
“Well, there’s quite a lot to do tomorrow. I also hope you can find the time to practice our dance.”
“Pardon?” Iza raised her eyebrows.
“It is the custom for a newly engaged couple to lead off the first dance, with friends and family looking on.”
“You mean your friends and family,” she said.
“In all fairness, your family and friends are invited, as well. Since the event will be public, it’s about time they knew.”
Iza had no intention of inviting anyone from the Verity and she had no real family. She lifted one shoulder and let it drop. “I don’t know anyone who would want to come to this farce.”
“Your mother, perhaps? Once we track her down, we could—”
“Don’t bother. I have no intention of contacting her, let alone invite her to this.”
“Iza, she’s your mother. I would think you’d want to know what happened to her.”
“That woman, who I thought Left after my father died, walked out on me and never looked back. End of story, no twist, no happy ending.” Iza let the bitterness fill her mouth.
“I do wish you’d consider it. She may have some explanation. But, of course, the choice is yours.”
He fell silent again, and they continued without another word. Even the dog was patiently following the meaty bone in his hand without complaint.
After four flights of stairs, they reached the top floor and proceeded to the end of the hallway on the left. Iza stopped counting the doors after seven when it was clear that they were going as far to the end as possible. Iza couldn't make out anything but stars through the window at the end of the hall.
“Here you are.” Karter motioned, at last, to a set of double doors. “Press your palm to the reader.” He pointed to a biometric scanner on the right side of the door.
Iza pressed her hand against the plate.
“Would you like to initialize?” asked a synthesized voice.
“Yes, authorization by voice, Karter Hyttinen.”
“Voice authorization recognized. Room initialized and assigned.”
The lock released, and Karter opened the door for her. As she passed through the threshold, the lights turned on automatically, revealing a large suite with two connecting doors leading to the other rooms. The bed in any other space would be garish, but in this room it was merely the focal point with its canopy draped in a soft white fabric and gold accents. Large picture windows on either side of the bed faced into the room. Another large bay window with an off-white seat occupied the space opposite the door, which the dog promptly claimed as his own.
Karter opened the two closed doors on the left, revealing a clothing closet and a shoe closet already filled with luxurious garments.
“Who’s are those?”
“They’re yours, if you want them.” Karter waved a hand at the items as if it were nothing.
The clothing inside had to be worth more credits than everything she owned put together. Despite the pretty designs and fine materials, she couldn’t imagine wearing them on a haul.
“You are free to explore the rest of your rooms on your own time. You must, however, stay here until tomorrow night, as I don’t want to ruin the big reveal. Try to get some rest. Tomorrow will be a big day for you.” He finally tossed the meat bone to the dog, who leaped to catch it. Karter held his hand away from himself to keep from soiling his suit or touching anything.
“Thanks,” Iza said, but it came out more like a question.
Karter saw himself out and closed the door behind him. Iza heard the lock bolt into place as soon as he was through the door. Iza took a glance around the room and decided that she would explore in the morning. Tonight she just wanted to go to sleep.
She slipped out of her boots and noticed that she’d tracked caked dirt onto the carpet. More careful with her jacket, she placed it inside out on top of the window seat. Only then, when she opened her bag to unpack, did she realized that she’s neglected to bring something to sleep in, just another set of day clothes.
Iza dropped the bag to the floor in a huff. The distinct thunk called her attention to the ancient box she’d hastily thrown in. She fished it out and opened the box. The sphere hummed in her palm as she stared at it, wondering what kind of map it was and where it led.
For the first time, the dog whined on the floor and backed away from her.
“Can you hear that, boy?” She placed the sphere back into the box and snapped the lid shut. He seemed to settle, returning to his gnawing on the bone.
Iza slipped the box inside of the nightstand to the right of the bed for safekeeping. She stripped out of her clothes and dropped them on the floor before she climbed between the silky sheets. As she drifted off to sleep, her thoughts circled around Jovani, wishing he was there next to her. They’d laugh about the waste of credits to stay in such a fancy place and enjoy the perks of such a comfortable bed.
CHAPTER TEN
The next morning, it seemed the temperature controls on the Verity were finally working again. Overnight, it had become unbearably cold due to the overly compensated thermostat, but Joe couldn’t help thinking that part of the chill was Iza’s absence. Their bond intensified whenever they were together, and he’d become accustomed to her presence. Even Emery had noticed the change in him immediately. Was it obvious to the others, as well?
Shortly after he awoke, Joe got a message from Braedon summoning him to the flight desk, saying something about there being a message addressed to the crew.
Joe took his seat at the tactical station, his usual spot, and looked expectantly at Braedon to share whatever had him so worked up. Cierra was standing next to Braedon’s workstation with her arms crossed, tapping one of her bare feet.
“So, let’s have it,” Joe prompted when Braedon kept fidgeting rather than starting to talk.
“All right, remember yesterday when we got that message addressed to the ‘Verity Crew’?” Braedon began, and Joe nodded. “Well, I forgot about it because I spent all afternoon dealing with those knuckleheads from Apex. Apparently, since we didn’t open it with twelve hours, it got resent with a higher priority tag. Well, this version of the message has a dynastic seal on it.”
“Whose?” Cierra asked.
“Hyttinen. I guess that means it’s from Karter.” Braedon turned in his seat at the console and pulled up the message. “Should we open it?”
Joe wanted to punch him. “Obviously!”
A virtual invitation unfolded to the sound of fanfare and an explosion of color as a calligraphy script wrote out the message in real time:
Greetings!
Crew of the Verity, we cordially invite you to the engagement announcement of the Karter Hyt
tinen, heir to the Hyttinen Dynasty, and his bride-to-be, Iza Sundari, this evening at 19:00.
Our family is pleased to offer you food and drinks during your visit to Blue Hills Estate. However, weapons and recording devices are strictly prohibited. Please also note, this is a formal affair, and we cannot admit those dressed inappropriately.
We look forward to sharing our happy day with you,
Warm Regards,
The Hyttinens
Braedon and Cierra turned as one to stare at Joe while he continued to gawk at the screen, which still flashed with short bursts of color like fireworks over the invitation. So it is true.
Movement caught the corner of his eye, snapping him back to the present. He turned to see Trix wander onto the flight deck.
“Trix?” Braedon said, leaping up from his console and running to examine her.
The shock was wearing off as Joe joined the others circling Trix, who seemed to be back to normal.
“How are you?” Joe asked.
“I am functioning within acceptable ranges.” Trix turned to Joe and her eyebrows furrowed. “However, my internal chronometer is not functioning properly, as it cannot account for the missing time. When did Iza become engaged?”
— — —
For the first time, some elements of Iza’s recurring dreams had changed. Usually the locations and people were vague except for herself or someone like Jovani standing next to her. The location was unfamiliar, as usual—what looked like a market or small town with lots of food stands and people buying local.
Iza brushed at the dust on her arms and in her eyes as she struggled to take in the people around her. The smell of cooking meat drew her attention, and she turned where a man was serving sandwiches of smoked meat. She was hungry, but a cold shadow on her back made her turn her head, searching the crowd for the cause of the chill.
One young man stood out from the others—familiar but not. He looked directly at her and the anger on his features was unmistakable. The charge of electricity between them traveled over her skin in a flash as she stared back at him, wondering what she’d done to offend him. His mouth moved as if he were speaking but no words reached her ears.
Divided Loyalties (Verity Chronicles Book 2): A Cadicle Space Opera Adventure Page 9