Poisoned Pawn

by Jaleta Clegg

  Lady Rina had provided Jasyn a wedding dress fit for the Empress herself. There was a second dress of pale lavender in my size. I was happy to see it was nothing like the dresses Luke had provided for me; this one was long and gauzy and definitely covered me. Estelle stayed to help us change. I wondered what other details Lowell had remembered that I wouldn’t even have thought of.

  We came back downstairs, transformed by the clothes and the help of Estelle, and found the room changed as well. There were flowers everywhere. Everyone was smiling. And waiting at the bottom of the stairs was Jasyn’s brother, Jerimon.

  “They gave me a week off my sentence,” he whispered as he took Jasyn’s arm. He winked at me. I rolled my eyes. I’d hoped his crush on me had worn off, but apparently it hadn’t.

  I had no idea what to expect, with no experience at weddings. There were music and smiles and a brief ceremony. Jasyn and Clark smiled nervously at everyone. I stood at the front in my new dress and felt out of place. And a bit jealous. Jasyn had family, Clark had family. I had myself.

  And then Jasyn hugged me and whispered how happy she was. And I knew I had her. And now Clark. We were family.

  The ceremony ended. The chairs were moved aside. The garden doors were opened and people wandered out, visiting with each other. Someone handed me a cup of punch. I stood off to one side, watching. I was happy for Jasyn and Clark, but I was also lonely and wishing that somehow things had worked out differently with Tayvis.

  As if my thoughts had summoned him, Tayvis came through the door. My heart started beating double time. He saw me and crossed the room.

  “The dress looks nice,” he said.

  “Thanks,” I said like an idiot. Now that he was here, I didn’t know what to say to him. I held my punch awkwardly and fished for something to say. I noticed his uniform then, not tan or black, but silver. “Regular Patrol?”

  “Ensign First Class, second gunner, third watch,” he said. “It’s what I trained in at the Academy.”

  “What ship are you assigned to?”

  “The Avenger. There’s a shuttle in about an hour.”

  That’s when I noticed the two other men who had arrived with him, both in silver uniforms. They stood near the door, talking quietly.

  “We’re patrolling along the Nerilax route,” Tayvis said.

  “Are you happy about it?” I put my empty cup down on a table.

  “This is stupid,” he muttered. He took my hand, his own was warm. I was suddenly twice as nervous. “Dace,” he said, and cupped my cheek with his other hand.

  “Ensign,” one of the men with him called. “We’ve got to go or we’ll miss our flight.”

  I don’t know which of us moved first. He was kissing me, and I was kissing him back. He held me close.

  “Tayvis,” the other man called.

  “Don’t walk away from me again,” I whispered into his ear. “Please.”

  “Wait for me,” he said, pulling me closer.

  “Forever if I have to,” I promised.

  And then he was gone, walking out the door without looking back.

  The End