by Calista Skye
“I’m afraid not. What she’s doing is far more important. A personal favor to me.”
“That’s a little cryptic. What’s going on?”
He looked at her and smiled. “All in good time. Right now, we need to stay focused. We have to act like we’re in love. Will you be able to convince them?” His golden skin looked radiant against the natural backdrop of the Anaran sun. The long silk coat of his formal attire fit his body perfectly. Kira was right…He was insanely hot. And even though they had a job, that didn’t mean she wasn’t allowed to enjoy herself. It would only help complete the illusion, after all.
She smiled back at him warmly. “Maybe I will, my love. Maybe I will.”
“Okay, let’s not lay it on too thick. We’re Kamaran royals, not lovesick newlyweds.”
“Business, business all the time,” she said. “It’s not my fault you fancy folks can’t appreciate the finer things in life. It is a wedding after all.”
Adaar smiled at her. “Cute. But it’s show time. Are you ready?”
“Oh yes,” she said. “Let’s go stop a wedding.”
They approached the palace gates and greeted a pair of gruff looking Kamaran guards at the entrance. Both of them were heavily armed, pulse rifles slung from their backs and sidearms at their waists.
“Not dressed up for the ceremony?” asked Adaar as he presented their pilfered invitation.
The guard looked at him coolly as he snatched the holoscreen from Adaar’s hand. He studied the pirate Captain’s face with a scrutiny that made Lana worry. “You look familiar,” he said.
“I hope so,” said Adaar. “You should know every guest on your list.”
The guard’s eyes narrowed.
“Oh, don’t mind the Duke,” said Lana. “He’s just eager to get his lips wet with his first glass of Anaran champagne.”
“Can’t say I blame him,” said the guard as he turned back to the holoscanner. He read the information and the security identifier into his handheld scanner. His eyes widened, and he shrugged.
“May we?”
The guard’s scanner buzzed and a red light flashed. “Hold up,” he said. “This says you never accepted your invitation. They’re not expecting you.”
Adaar reacted quickly. “What? There must be a mistake. I told my attendant to take care of this personally.”
Lana’s eyes flew open as she dug her heel into the ground. “Good help is impossible to find. We should have fired him years ago.”
“We’re here and we’re planning to attend the ceremony,” said Adaar.
The guard shook his head. “You’re not cleared. I’m going to need an extra identifier. Please hold out your hand.”
Lana’s heart raced as Adaar lifted his arm. They were going to sample his blood to check his genetic markers. She whispered a silent prayer that the doctor’s makeshift serum would stand up to the scanner.
She held her breath for what seemed like an eternity.
Finally, the scanner flashed green.
“Alright,” the guard said. “You’re clear to proceed.”
Lana smiled at him as they stepped through the next station, the weapons check, without a hitch.
“Gods, that was close,” she said.
“Nonsense, dear. The doctor knows what he’s doing. Did you think I would risk your life without making sure we’d get in the door? I’m a professional.”
Adaar led her through the vestibule into a grand high-ceilinged room covered in the most beautiful artwork she’d ever seen. A large crowd of guests had gathered around a glowing green statue carved from the deep Anaran coral. “This is unbelievable,” she said. “I knew the artists on this planet were talented, but gods!”
“Now that, Lana, you’re allowed to gawk at. This statue was commissioned by the High Councilor to celebrate the birth of the princess. A detestable man, by all accounts, but his taste in art is unmatched. Anara is home to the finest artists in the system.”
“Clearly,” she said.
“Let’s not linger, though,” he said. “We don’t have long before they call us into the ballroom. And we need to make our rounds so the crew knows who’s here.”
“You mean, you don’t have the guest-list already figured out? Part of your rigorous planning?”
“Of course we do, dear,” he said. “But it’s prudent to double check. Besides, it’s not every day you’re invited inside the walls of the great Anaran palace. I don’t know about you, but I’d appreciate the chance to take a look around.”
Lana smiled. “Sounds good to me, Duke,” she said.
Adaar flashed his radiant blue eyes at her as she wrapped her arms around his elbow.
Inside the grand ballroom, a pulsing sea of guests made their rounds, catching up on all the latest scandals and private gossip from the far corners of the galaxy. Shady political deals and trade negotiations were never officially conducted at an event like this, but some of the more opportunistic types planted fertile seeds.
Lana surveyed the crowd. “I’ve never seen so many important people,” she said.
“Don’t get nervous now,” he said. “They’re not as important as their titles would have you believe. Everyone here is flesh and blood. They’re not so different from us.”
“Except that their decisions influence everyone. And look at the way they move. The way they stand. Gods, look at the way they’re dressed,” she said, her eyes following a group of beautiful Anaran women that she assumed was the bridal party. “They’re all so beautiful.”
Adaar’s cerulean blue eyes met her own. “They don’t know what beauty is, Lana Riley. And what they do have is only skin deep.”
Lana felt her cheeks flushing again. She was grateful that the doctor had taken such painstaking care with her appearance. Maybe it would be enough to hide her embarrassment. She felt suddenly self-conscious in her long black dress. “I don’t fit in here,” she said. “I’m not like them.”
“No, Lana. You’re not,” he said. “I wouldn’t trust you for a second if you were.”
“That’s not what I mean,” said Lana. “Look at how gracefully they move. How comfortable they seem with all this. They’re all so perfect, and I’m just…”
“More stunning than anyone here. And more intelligent. More compassionate. I’ve never met anyone like you, Lana. And apparently, you’re not even remotely aware of just how incredible you look right now.” Adaar nodded towards a group of Malotravians standing near the grand staircase, staring at her. “They all seem to agree,” he said.
“They’re probably whispering under their breaths that I shouldn’t be here.”
“I’m going to let you in on a secret, Lana. There’s not a single person here who isn’t pretending. Every one of them,” he swept his arm wide, “feels the same way you’re feeling now. They’re all worried that someone is going to discover that they’re faking. That they don’t really belong. Everyone is just waiting to be exposed. They spend their entire lives…and an ungodly amount money…trying to hide that fact from everyone else. But the truth is that none of them belong. You, Lana Riley, are nobler than any of them.”
Lana didn’t believe it, but she appreciated the compliment all the same. Attending a ball like this was the childhood fantasy of some girls, but she never cared about all the trappings. Nonetheless, being here at the palace, in all its splendor, she couldn’t help but appreciate the majesty of it.
“Let’s take a spin about, shall we? I’m sure our companions would appreciate it.”
Adaar held out his arm. Lana gripped him gently, trying to maintain the appearance of comfort and ease that everyone else seemed to display. Even if they were all just pretending, they were doing it well. She didn’t want to betray her discomfort and draw unnecessary attention.
A Yordaskian man in a flamboyantly adorned, multi-colored coat passed by them, followed by a small crowd of attendants. His boots were too stiff, making his gait painfully awkward to watch. He swung his legs around in a humorous display, ambling forward in t
he most unnatural way imaginable.
Lana choked, holding in her laughter.
“You see what I mean, dear. The Earl of Yordask looks comfortable doesn’t he?”
“That man is an Earl? He looks more like a court jester.”
“He acts the part, too, though he thinks he’s the most important man in the room. But I wouldn’t worry too much about him. He’s too busy trying to put on a show of his own to pay attention to anyone else.”
Adaar led her forward through the archway and onto the ballroom floor. Except for the Yordaskian Earl, the guests all seemed to wear their regal formality with a class that Lana could never deign to match. She hoped no one tried to speak to her, to ask about political events that she knew nothing about. Her limbs grew stiff as anxiety flooded her body.
“What’s wrong, dear?” said Adaar, squeezing her hand.
“I don’t belong here,” she said.
“Thank the gods for that,” said Adaar. His eyes softened as he looked at her, taking her elbows in his hands and pulling her closer. “If you were the sort of person who belonged here, I wouldn’t have brought you here in the first place. But I trust you, Lana Riley.” He squeezed her arms as he spoke, and Lana felt comforted by his assurance.
“All we have to do is make it through to the ceremony,” he said, “and we’ll be on our way. The Head of Ceremony will call us all onto the floor soon, and the dance will begin. If you can make it until then, we’ll be in the clear.”
“Right,” said Lana, pulling her face tight. “Ada…”
He spun back to her and laid a finger on her lips. “Do not speak that name here,” he said sternly.
That was a pretty intense reaction, she thought. But then, it shouldn’t surprise her that the name of feared pirate leader shouldn’t be said out loud in a room full of paranoid nobles.
“I’m sorry, Duke,” she said. “It won’t happen again.”
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said. “We need to keep the element of surprise on our side. And even a whisper among the crowd would put us in danger. Things may get complicated soon enough. No reason to make this harder.”
Lana looked out at a beautiful Anaran girl with soft, dark skin and an elegantly tailored dress made from satins and silks that flowed from her body with the grace of a ribbon in the breeze. There was more beauty in this room than she’d seen in her lifetime.
Adaar, too, held his body with a poise and grace that seemed natural. Even those in the room who’d spent lifetimes mastering the art of body language and presentation couldn’t match the ease that he embodied. With his perfectly cut features and his penetrating blue eyes, he could have any woman here. Any woman in the universe. And for some reason, he kissed her.
“Why me?” she asked.
Adaar raised an eyebrow. “My dear?”
“I mean…look around at this place. Look at you. Why did you kiss me?”
“Lana,” he said as they came to the edge of the reflecting pool in center of the ballroom. “Have a look.” He pointed down at the image staring back at them from the crystal clear waters. “You, of all people, should never need to ask that question. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. You’re ten times the noble that anyone in this palace pretends to be. And…” His lips parted into a soft smile. “I’m proud to be standing at your side.”
Lana nearly melted into the reflecting pool. It probably would have helped cool the heat rising in her chest. The rest of the palace, the mission, and the guests all seemed to fade into the background. And for a brief shared moment, it was only the two of them.
The flicker of the comm piece buzzed in both of their ears simultaneously as Ja’als voice sounded through the speaker. “Sorry to interrupt, but we still need to get a handle on this situation here. We don’t have much longer before they call for the dance.”
Had he been listening this whole time? Lana glared at Adaar, who seemed to understand. He shook his head and placed his hand gently on her arm.
“Relax, Ja’al. I know you’ve been too busy to keep us monitored. But from here, we can see everything.” He spun his head in a full circle, looking up to the mezzanine and all around them, taking in every possible entry and exit point from the grand ballroom. “The exit should be right over there,” he said, nodding towards the southwest corner of the room. “Did you catch all that?”
“Yeah, we got it, Adaar. But it doesn’t match. They’ve changed the layout here from our plans. There in the southwest corner…this whole footprint seems wrong.”
“Of course it does,” said Adaar.
“Our tracking data shows that you passed it some time ago.”
“Probably tucked away behind that statue,” said Adaar.
“Passed what?” said Lana. “Were we supposed to be looking for something? I thought I was here to speak with Ellistra.”
“That’s still the plan, Lana. We’re just covering our bases in case someone recognizes the captain.”
“An escape route,” said Adaar. He looked to Lana and said in a hushed tone. “This is one of the oldest palaces in the galaxy. Large sections of it are still carved directly into the rock, and the rest is backed up to the sea cliff. It’s great for protection, but it also means that the royal family had no way to escape.”
“No kidding. They’d have nowhere to go.”
“Which is why, four-thousand years ago, a secret tunnel was dug out through the rock, leading underground and winding out to the shore about two miles east of here. The seaside entrance is well hidden, and virtually no one knows about the passage on this side. By the time you’ve talked with Ellistra, everyone will be here in the ballroom, so it’s irrelevant. Just a precaution.”
“I’m going to speak with the princess, convince her to break off the wedding, and we’re just going to waltz out the front door?”
“Just like that,” said Adaar.
Lana shook her head. “But what if I can’t? What if she doesn’t want to listen?”
“The princess isn’t naïve. Or greedy. She believes she’s doing what’s best for her people.”
“As soon as I open my mouth, she’s going to know I don’t belong here.”
“I’m counting on it,” said Adaar. “You’ve experienced the tyranny of the Empire first-hand. And that’s why you have to be the one to speak with her.”
Lana looked down at her feet. She was skeptical.
“You can do this, Lana. Just tell her the truth. She’ll listen.”
“Or have me killed.”
“You wanted to make a difference, Lana? This is your chance. You can save this planet from sharing Tarksis’s fate. Is that worth the risk?”
Lana heaved a sigh. She thought about Tanner, and about her father. She thought about the faces of the humans in the mines. If she could prevent the people of this world from suffering, she had to try. “Of course it is.”
A fanfare of horns echoed through the palace halls, summoning them back to the ballroom.
“It’s time, Lana. Let’s give them a show.”
Chapter 14
Lana panicked as the guests flooded into the ballroom. It would be a miracle if she could remember the steps of the Kamaran Royal Waltz without tripping over herself. And now she had a minefield of overlong and ostentatious dress trains to contend with. She was sure she was going to make a spectacle of herself, toppling headfirst into the reflecting pool.
“You look tense,” said Adaar as he took her hand with a long, slow bow.
Lana held her arm out uncomfortably, curtsying as she nodded her head to him. “Again with the brilliant observations. What gave it away?”
He pulled her in close as the stings began their song, placing his hand on the small of her back and looking her deep in the eyes. “To my point,” he said. “You’re quick with a riposte when you’re feeling vulnerable.”
Lana hated that he was right. Hated that he saw through her so easily. And even through the mask that the doctor had so carefully disguised him wi
th, Lana could see the telltale lines of that cocky smile that meant he knew he had made his point.
“You have nothing to worry about, Lana. You had this down cold when I taught it to you. Just follow my lead. Let me guide you.”
“I’m going to trip over myself and blow the whole thing.”
“Do you trust me?”
“What?” she said. Her rate raced. What the hell kind of question was that? Her panic over her dance steps fell from her mind, replaced by a far more personal terror.
“It’s a simple question, Lana. Do you trust me?”
She swallowed hard. She was here with him, after all. Putting her entire life in his hands. Going to talk the Anaran princess out of the biggest mistake of her life. Because he had asked her to. It was completely insane.
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
He pressed into her palm, holding her body steady as they stepped around the corner, perfectly in time with the accelerating tempo of the orchestra. “That’s not an answer,” he said.
Adaar pulled her closer and held her cheek to cheek as they spun a tight circle, traversing the centerline of the floor. He stopped suddenly, letting her momentum bend her body back over his arm, and he caught her inches from the floor before gracefully raising her back up into position.
She looked up at him, at the enchanting blue eyes that she’d come to find comfort in. “I would be a fool to trust you,” she said. “You’re nothing but trouble.”
But even as she spoke, she knew it was a lie. He was risking his life to be here, and for a noble reason. She saw the good in him. In the crew. She had let her own prejudice blind her to the incredible man who was right here in front of her. Adaar was committed to easing the suffering caused by the Kamaran people. She’d never met a more noble man in her life.
She lifted a hand to the back of his neck as they spiraled faster around the floor. The tempo of the waltz raced through the changes, the melody swirling upwards in a series of sweeps and runs.
Kira was right about the Raiders. They were close, like a family, and they had welcomed her into the fold. They were the kind and honorable, and every single one of them trusted their captain.