“It would make me very happy.” He smiled. He’d won just as he’d known he would. There were few and far between who could ever deny the prince what he wanted.
“But after this…” I trailed off.
“After this what?”
“We need to talk.” I forced myself to say the words so I’d be held to them.
“Aren’t we talking now?” He released one of my hands and placed his hand on my hip.
“You could have anyone. Especially someone who’s really from here. You don’t have to wait for me.” At one time saying those words would have broken me. But they were strangely easy to say now.
“And I’ve already made my choice. Nothing is going to change that. I’ll wait as long as I have to for you to feel ready.” He kissed my hand and turned away.
Within a few steps he was back in the hallway and out of view.
I waited a few moments. Wishing I had a choice. I had absolutely no interest in attending the gala, but Caspian would never forgive me for failing to show up. Neither would Telton. My stomach turned. He was already angry with me. I couldn’t make it worse. And worse than all that would be Caspian’s father, the Emperor. Even Caspian wouldn’t be able to protect me from his wrath.
I organized a few of the old android pieces before pulling myself from the room. I’d finish later. If I didn’t leave soon I’d never get ready in time.
I stepped into the brightly lit hall of the palace. My footsteps were silent on the dark, rubber-like floors. I stopped to look out the window—struck as always as the two moons of Andrelexa crisscrossed each other in the sky. I could have stayed and watched for hours, but I didn’t have the luxury of time.
I nodded in greeting to a few guards as I made my way to my room. They never said much to me, but I could tell they didn’t understand why the royal family kept me around. I didn’t blame them for the confusion. I had the same question.
Alda was already waiting in the doorway, ready to usher me in. “There you are.” She closed the door behind us. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten what night it was.”
“I’m here.” I held my chin up, willing my qualms to disappear.
Her bright topaz eyes were full of worry. “Yet you don’t look happy about it?” She put her warm hands on my shoulders. “Tell me what’s going on inside that head of yours.”
“You’ve known me since I was a child, yet you seem surprised I wouldn’t be eager for a gala. I never enjoy big events.”
“It’s a big night for Caspian.” She released my shoulders.
“It is a big night. For him.” I was growing tired of everyone’s assumptions that just because something was important to him it was important to me. We’d been considered a pair practically since I arrived at the palace. As a child I never questioned it, but now it seemed odd. Why would a royal—the prince—want a mate from another planet? What could I possibly offer him that a native wouldn’t be able to give him ten times over?
Alda put a hand on her hip. “You are going to get yourself in trouble if you don’t watch out.”
“You say it as if I weren’t in trouble already.” It was hard to argue with Alda. Once my nanny she was now more of a mother figure. Lately she had begun to feel like a friend.
“Telton wants what’s best for you.” She smoothed down her silver gown. The straps were braided with glowing golden strands. The same gold was braided into her long dark hair. She was as beautiful as she always was. A few wrinkles on her face were the only physical signs that she was well over fifty now. The people of Andrelexa aged extremely well.
“No. He wants what’s best for him.” I’d glorified my adoptive father in the beginning, but as I only saw him once or twice a year anymore, I’d stopped caring so much about his opinion of me.
Alda stepped toward me and gripped both my arms with her hands. “Is it someone else?” Her eyes bore into mine. “Tell me the truth.”
“Someone else? Please.” I laughed dryly. “Have I even had the chance to get to know someone else?” Every moment of my life since arriving on Andrelexa had been determined for me. I’d spent the past few nights sitting up and trying to understand how I’d let it happen. Had it been fear? Heartbreak? It was excusable when I was younger, but I wasn’t so young anymore.
“Caspian is a born leader. He is going to do great things.”
“I don’t doubt that for a second. But he can do those things without me by his side.” And he’d be better off if he selected someone else. He deserved someone that was devoted to him, and everyone else had to have seen it.
“I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. There’s attraction going both ways.”
“Anyone who’s looked at Caspian is attracted.” With his tall (even by Lexa standards) muscular frame, pitch black hair, and stormy grey eyes, his physical attractiveness was impossible to deny. When he smiled you felt it in every grain of your being, and some unsuspecting visitors to the palace nearly ended up as puddles on the floor. And to make matters worse he seemed oblivious to his effect on others. He didn’t flaunt his good looks; they were just there.
Alda chuckled. “So what’s the problem?”
“The problem is I have other plans for my life.”
“Other plans? Is this about joining the Explorers?” She said the name of the elite arm of the Andrelexa royal forces with distaste.
“You mean following in my father’s footsteps?” I’d spin it any way I had to. I couldn’t spend the rest of my life confined to the palace. I needed to get out.
“This isn’t about Telton, and you know it. You want to run away, but you need to get that idea out of your head. You are here for a reason. You’re not a child anymore. It’s time to accept that.” She pulled a gold and red gown from the closet.
My stomach churned as I eyed the slinky fabric. “I’m not going to wear that.”
“Why not?” Alda held it out. “I spent hours on it.”
“And I told you not to. I told you I don’t like the—”
“Back and front. Yes.” She smiled. “And you truly thought I’d make you wear something you were uncomfortable in?”
“The last fitting it was exactly that way.” And I’d nearly thrown a fit. The only thing stopping me from destroying the dress was understanding how much time it took Alda to make.
“Because I knew Caspian would be checking. I may have made a few modifications since then.”
“Modifications?” A small well of hope grew inside me.
“Try it. If you still hate it you can wear something else.” She helped me into the delicate gown.
I walked over to the double mirror. “The back still dips lower than I like.”
“But it’s not backless,” Alda pointed out.
She was right about that. I’d take it. “No, but the front feels more revealing than I’d normally wear.”
“It shows nothing you don’t want to show.” She pushed down the straps so they sat midway down my shoulders the way they were designed to lay.
Despite not absolutely loving the neckline or back, it was far superior to the last version I’d tried on. “I’m sorry I doubted you, Alda.”
“Good. Now please at least behave tonight so Caspian isn’t too angry with me.”
“He shouldn’t be angry. This is a much more beautiful dress now.” I held out the skirt, marveling at the intricate jewels she’d sewed in.
“A beautiful dress for a beautiful woman. I wonder if you take after your mother.”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember her at all.” I fought back tears that threatened to spill.
“That’s okay. She loved you enough to send you away.” Alda squeezed my hands. “Now on to your hair.”
“I’d prefer to wear it down.”
“Really? It’s tradition for you to wear it up.”
“Since when have I been traditional? I’m not the one being advanced. I’m just there to watch.”
“Will you at least wear the gold slippers?”
Alda smiled. “I hope you realize he’s not going to change his mind.” She set the slippers down in front of me. “No matter what you look like tonight, he’s not going to turn his sights to someone else.”
“That’s not what this is about.” I slipped into the shoes.
“No?” She ran her fingers through my hair to smooth it out without losing the waves. Most of the women of Andrelexa had smooth, straight hair. Mine was a frizzy mess unless I took the time to straighten it out or accentuate the waves that were already there.
“No.”
“I warned you to be careful. I will do it again.”
“And I told you I’m already in trouble.”
“By Telton.” She sprayed a mist all around me. It was Caspian’s favorite scent. Of course.
“Yes.”
“There are others whose punishments may be much worse.”
“Caspian isn’t going to punish me.” He knew his anger and disappointment would be enough.
“No.” She nodded. “I agree with you there, but his father may not be so forgiving.”
I recoiled thinking about the Emperor. “I’ll stay clear of him.”
“Good luck with that.”
“Will you be blamed if I wear my hair down?” My silly preferences weren’t worth getting Alda in trouble.
“Not if you let me braid in some gold strands.”
“Deal.” I took a seat on a stool. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation of Alda working on my hair.
“All done.”
I opened my eyes. “It looks great. Thank you.”
She beamed. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I ran my fingers over the gold.
“But sad.”
“I am sad.” Without thinking I spoke my thoughts out loud.
“Try to be happy tonight.”
“For Caspian. Yes.” I would do what I had to do.
“And for yourself. You can be happy in this life.” She kissed the top of my head before leaving me all alone in my room.
Noah
“It’s not mine.” I looked down at the cluttered counter top rather than at the girl behind the help desk. A placard listing the technology center’s hours was knocked over, a pile of neon orange pamphlets advertising a computer service plan strewn on top of it.
“The computer isn’t yours?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“No, the computer is mine. Uh, the virus on there. That stuff. It’s my roommate’s,” I muttered, wishing I was anywhere but here at the help desk. I was also wishing the one hot girl who worked there wasn’t the one who happened to be on duty.
“Does your roommate often borrow your computer to watch porn?” Her voice rose. A few snickers of laughter from behind me let me know we were far from alone.
“Only when his laptop isn’t working.” I knew how lame I sounded, but it was the truth. I was also wishing I’d had a better password because borrowed wasn’t exactly the right word for when someone takes your things without asking.
“I see.” She typed something into the desktop computer. “This might take awhile to fix. Want to leave it here?”
As if I had a choice? “Yeah. Sure.” I needed my computer if I wanted any hope of getting my history paper done, but it was useless to me now that it was frozen on a screen of a naked chick.
“You sure you are—I’m sorry— your roommate is going to be okay without this for a day or so?” Her lips twisted into a smirk. She was enjoying my torture entirely too much.
“A day or so?” Shit. I was going to have to step foot into one of the archaic computer labs. Dale was going to pay for this.
“We’ve got quite a few computers in front of yours.” She was still smirking. She no longer seemed hot.
“Yeah. Whatever.” I waited for the email receipt to show up on my phone before leaving the help center behind.
I was going to kill Dale when he got back in town, and if they couldn’t fix my laptop, he was buying me a new one. I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
I kicked a stray beer can with my sneaker as I made my way down the side street toward my house. The night was surprisingly cold for March in New Orleans. It was only a few weeks after Mardi Gras, and beads still hung from the trees at every turn, blowing every so often as the wind hit them.
I put my hands in my pockets, glancing around the dark night. Walking alone at night was a stupid idea, but getting my computer fixed was top priority. If I wanted to get into my top choice law school, I needed to ace all my classes, including Modern American History. That meant blowing away the professor with this paper.
The house came into view, and I heard a noise. A faint rustling. Last time I checked people didn’t hide in bushes before they robbed you. It was probably a squirrel or something. I was being an idiot, but I’d been paranoid for the past few years of my life.
I picked up my pace a bit and kept moving.
Another rustle.
I glanced over my shoulder again as I ascended the rickety old steps to the house I rented. I was careful to skip the top step. That one was probably going to fall through one of these days.
I pulled out my key and inserted it into the lock. I turned it a few times as I always had to. If there was one thing I learned from my seven months of living off campus, it was that some landlords sucked. Mine fell into that category.
I got the lock to turn, pushed open the door, and heard the rustling again.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw only darkness.
I could have called out and asked if anyone was there, but I wasn’t the idiot in scary movies who did that and then got killed. Instead I got right inside and closed the door behind me. I flicked on the lights and locked the door. I hated how paranoid I was, and despite wanting to ring Dale’s neck, I was glad he hadn’t been there to witness it. He’d have never let me live it down.
I pulled back the vinyl blinds and looked out at the darkness. Nothing. No masked figure running up the porch stairs. Not even a raccoon coming out of the bushes. I was losing it.
I set down my now empty backpack. I really wasn’t looking forward to having to spend hours in a computer lab.
Moments later I was back at the window because I heard a creak on the stairs. There was someone out there.
Despite it being an unquestionably stupid idea I swung open the door while holding absolutely no weapon. I stared out into the darkness again. “Is there anyone out there?”
“Hi,” a distinctly female voice answered.
I squinted, looking for the sign of anyone in the darkness. “Umm, where are you?”
“Here.” A figure stepped out of the shadows. My body tensed. Just because it was a girl didn’t mean she wasn’t going to try to kill me.
My jaw about dropped as the girl walked into the light coming from inside the house. She was easily 5’9 or 5’10 with long dark hair that fell in waves all the way to her waist. She was dressed in a fitted black jumpsuit that hugged her body like a glove. The outfit might have been odd some places but not in New Orleans, especially at night.
She smiled in a forced sort of way. “Do you live here?”
“Hi. Yeah. Why?” Technically she could have been looking for Dale, but I doubted it. Not this girl.
“I think I used to live here.” She stared at the old shutters leaning against the side of the house.
She thought? How didn’t she know? Was she that drunk? “Oh. Well, you don’t live here now.”
“I know.” She cracked a small smile, this one less forced than the first. “Or wait. Was that supposed to be a joke?”
“Yes, no.” I let my awkwardness take over. Great. At least I probably wouldn’t see this girl again to have to care about it. And at least I wasn’t showing her my porn-filled laptop. “Can I help you with something?”
“I need to find my brother.”
“Oh.” I looked out into the night again. I saw no one. “Do you need to
borrow my phone or something?” I wasn’t thrilled at the idea. She’d probably steal it and then I’d be without a computer or a phone, but what other choice did I have? If she was legit and not trying to rob me, I’d be a total jerk not to offer.
“No.” She shook her head. “Unless you have his number?”
“What’s your brother’s name?” There was a small chance he was an acquaintance.
“Benjamin Miller.”
The name didn’t ring a bell at all. “I don’t know him.”
“Oh.” She leaned on the stair railing.
“No!” I yelled a little too loudly. “Don’t do that.”
“Oh.” She straightened immediately. “Sorry.”
“No. Don’t be. It’s just that railing is going to break. I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
“Oh. Thank you.” She looked down at her shoes—shiny black boots—and then back at me. “This is the only address I have… could I come in?”
“Come in?” I asked. “Here?”
She nodded.
“Now?”
“Would that be okay? I promise I don’t mean you any harm. Please.” Her eyes were wide and honest, if eyes could be honest. “I have nowhere else to go.”
Any ounce of resistance disappeared when those eyes locked on mine. Puppies had nothing on this girl. Nothing. “Sure. Come on in.”
I held the door open wider, and she hurried in. Likely she wasn’t going to hesitate long enough for the offer to be rescinded. It wouldn’t have been though, and that had nothing to do with the way that tight black outfit hugged her body. Nor was it due to her haunting brown eyes. No. The reason the offer wouldn’t be rescinded is that I was a good person. Okay. Maybe her eyes had something to do with it.
She walked around the room before stopping suddenly near the TV. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”
“Hmm?” I watched her without really watching her. There’s a fine line between checking someone out and ogling.
“There’s nothing here that reminds me of anything.” She buried her face in her hands.
“Are you okay?”
“No. Not in the slightest.”
The Corded Saga Page 47