Aurora Blazing

by Jessie Mihalik

  “Silva,” he said.

  Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t question him further. “I brought clothes.”

  We changed in the cargo bay. Cat had brought Ferdinand a charcoal suit with a white shirt. She’d brought me a deep sapphire sheath dress and strappy black heels. The dress was one of my mourning dresses, nearly black.

  While we were getting dressed, Cat talked. “I’ve been working with Marta Stevens to track down a couple of leads. We didn’t use the rest of the security team because she feared we had a high-level leak, but Marta is good. We did not expect both lines of inquiry to lead to the same person.”

  “Who was it?” Ferdinand and I asked at the same time.

  “Pierre, Hannah’s husband. He sang like a bird when Marta brought him in for questioning.”

  I froze in the middle of twisting my hair up. “What? He’s a bastard, but he’s married to a High House. Why would he risk it?”

  “He’s deep in gambling debt, like destroy-his-family’s-House deep. He’s burned through all of the money he got from the marriage and Hannah refuses to give him more. He had to take a loan from one of his mother’s companies to hire Silva. It’s unclear if she knew what the money was for. We’re digging into it.”

  I pinned my hair in place, trying to understand his motivation. “What does he get if Ferdinand dies? Who holds his markers?”

  “It’s more what Hannah gets. She becomes heir, which puts her—and by extension, him—in charge of the vast resources of House von Hasenberg. House James has quietly been buying his markers through a series of shell companies. They have ties with Rockhurst, but they haven’t declared war, and we haven’t been able to find evidence that they’re working together. Yet.”

  “What does House James want?” Ferdinand asked.

  “Mineral rights in Antlia.”

  I snorted. “Good luck getting that one past Father. I’m sure he was just going to let Pierre sign away the very mineral we’re going to war to claim.”

  Ferdinand shook his head. “Mineral rights agreements don’t need Father’s signature. As named heir, I can sign them. Hannah’s husband could sign them and they would be legal if she were the named heir.”

  “Really?” I paused. “Wait, if I didn’t know that, how did he?”

  “Someone’s feeding him information. Maybe House James, maybe someone else. We haven’t had time to track it down,” Cat said.

  I used the handheld cosmetics kit I had to apply light makeup. “Why attack me?” I finally asked.

  “He knew you dealt in information and Silva needed cover. That dinner party that Hannah mentioned on the night of the attack? It was in the building across from House Chan. Pierre left a door unlocked for the shooter and sent the message when you appeared. We wouldn’t have known any of that yet except he confessed. He thinks by cooperating and giving up his allies, he’ll be exonerated.”

  Cat continued, “When the attack failed, Pierre seemingly panicked and tried to discredit you. That’s ultimately how we found him. That and he was paying one of Ferdinand’s bodyguards to send him Ferdinand’s schedule.”

  I shook my head. Pierre had never been the brightest, but I’d thought he was smarter than this. “Is it possible he’s a patsy?”

  Catarina thought it over. “It’s possible,” she said at last. “He was definitely involved, but someone is manipulating him. House James was leaning on him, threatening all sorts of ruin. Perhaps someone was leaning on them. We don’t know, yet.”

  “Where is Pierre now?”

  “He’s in ‘protective custody.’” She made air quotes around the words. “He still seems to think he’s going to walk. I managed to persuade Marta to wait for Director Bishop’s return before going to Father.”

  “Does Hannah know?” I asked.

  Catarina nodded. “I briefed her. We managed to snag Pierre quietly, but she deserved the truth. She certainly wasn’t heartbroken, but she’s beating herself up.”

  I knew exactly how she felt. Relief mixed with an equal measure of guilt. Mine for letting Gregory die; hers for not seeing what Pierre was doing.

  “How do you want to do this?” Ferdinand asked.

  I closed my eyes, trying to process everything I’d just learned. We had enough to destroy Pierre, but we needed to know if his family was in on it, and if House James was in league with House Rockhurst. And if we had more leaks.

  “We have to tell Father,” I said. “He needs to know, and he’s going to be furious with me, so giving him something else to focus on is a win. We need to see what else we can dig up on who was manipulating Pierre.”

  “Are you going to tell him I was in a Rockhurst mine?”

  “Not if I can avoid it. I don’t want to give him a reason to accelerate the conflict. I’m going to blame Silva and the Syndicate, with a hearty dash of MineCorp blame thrown in for good measure.”

  Ferdinand nodded. He looked grim and determined. The short hair made him look harder somehow, a stark contrast to the expensive suit.

  “How do I look?” I asked.

  “Fierce,” Cat said.

  I’d take fierce any day. Now it was time to live up to the description.

  Chapter 30

  The soldiers had disappeared, but Ian was deep in conversation with a beautiful, statuesque woman. She had inky black hair and deep brown skin. I hadn’t dealt with Deputy Director Marta Stevens much, but I got the impression that she was smart and driven.

  Ian turned as we approached. “Did Lady Catarina bring you up to speed?” he asked.

  I nodded and smiled in greeting at Marta. “It’s nice to see you again, Deputy Director Stevens. Thank you for helping my sister.”

  She inclined her head. “I am glad you have safely returned, Lady Bianca. It was my pleasure to assist Lady Catarina.” Her serious facade cracked into a grin. “You better keep an eye on her, though. She’s too smart for her own good.”

  “She’s too smart for all of our goods,” I said and nudged Cat’s shoulder. “I was hoping she wouldn’t find out.”

  “Too late,” Cat said. “That’s what happens when you all run off on adventures and leave me behind to pick up the pieces.”

  Her tone was light, but there was a thread of seriousness underlying it. Marta’s teasing comment could also be taken as a warning. I met the other woman’s eyes and she nodded, very slightly.

  I knew Catarina felt stifled on Earth. We’d tried to shelter her as much as possible from House business, which meant she hadn’t had as many opportunities to get out and see the universe. I would need to change that or she would take matters into her own hands, for better or worse.

  I turned my attention back to the upcoming meeting with my father. “Ferdinand and I are going to see Albrecht. I plan to recommend that we keep Pierre in custody and keep digging. Someone is manipulating him.”

  “I agree,” Ian said. “I will go with you. He’s demanded my presence as well. He’s waiting in his study.”

  Of course he was. Very little got past Albrecht von Hasenberg. He hadn’t ruled a High House for nearly twenty years by luck alone. He wasn’t a figurehead; he was House von Hasenberg.

  “Good luck,” Cat said. “I’m definitely not going with you. But I’ll find you later if you survive it.” She kissed the air next to my cheek then disappeared with Marta.

  Ferdinand, Ian, and I made the trek to Father’s study. By now he must know that Ferdinand had returned, but still he let us come to him. I sank deeply into my public persona. Father wouldn’t be won by emotion. Logic and facts would win the day.

  The study door slid open as we approached. He was expecting us.

  The room was ornately decorated with real wood paneling and heavy, carved furniture. It smelled faintly of cigar smoke and expensive alcohol. Father sat behind a massive wooden desk, watching us with a blank expression. Ian and Ferdinand bowed. I curtsied.

  “Father,” Ferdinand murmured.

  At the sound of Ferdinand’s voice, Albrecht’s eyes narr
owed. “Explain.”

  “The Syndicate removed my tongue.”

  “Can it be fixed?” Ferdinand didn’t flinch at Father’s cold tone, but I did.

  “I don’t know,” Ferdinand said.

  “Go see what the doctors can do for you,” Albrecht said. “I will speak to you later.”

  Ferdinand bowed and left the room. Lucky man.

  Albrecht moved his glare to Ian. “How did the Syndicate snatch my heir out from under your nose?”

  “Ferdinand had three bodyguards with him. All three died defending him. The Syndicate had an inside spy. Pierre von Hasenberg fed them information. He seems to be working on behalf of House James. We have him in custody and he’s confessed. We believe he is being manipulated, possibly by House James, possibly by someone else. We are still looking into it.”

  “I expect a full report on my desk by the end of the day. Dismissed.”

  Ian glanced at me and I inclined my head. His presence would likely make Father even more disagreeable than usual. He bowed and left.

  Father and I stared at each other in silence. “My prodigal daughter returns,” Albrecht said at last. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

  “Did you really think I was a traitor?”

  He scoffed. “Of course not. I’ve known about Ferdinand and Evelyn for months. I am not surprised you figured it out.”

  “Then why order me detained?”

  He stared at me for long enough that I figured he wouldn’t answer, but I’d learned patience. I waited him out. “You needed a push.”

  I digested that nebulous statement. He could mean any number of things, but I decided to interpret it my own way. “It worked far better than you could’ve imagined,” I said.

  His eyebrows lifted, but I knew he wouldn’t bother to ask, just as I wouldn’t ask what he meant. We were two of a kind.

  I let him wait for several long seconds before continuing, “Ian and I are dating.”

  Father laughed harshly. “No daughter of mine is going to date the help. Fuck him if you must, but be discreet.”

  “I’m going to marry him.”

  Red crept up Albrecht’s cheeks as true anger kindled. “No, you will not. I already have a man for you.”

  “I’ve done my duty to the House. I will not marry for your pleasure again.”

  He slammed his hand on his desk. “You will do as you’re told!”

  “I will not,” I said calmly. “You can disown me. Ian and I will move to APD Zero with Ada. You will lose your two best sources of intelligence. My siblings will revolt. You’ll be fighting a war at home as well as in Antlia.”

  “Are you threatening me?” he asked, his voice a furious growl.

  “No, Father. I am giving you a choice, something you never gave me. You could disown me, or you could give me, if not your blessing, then at least your acceptance. In return, you keep me here, working for the good of the House.”

  He leaned back in his chair, his gaze calculating.

  “Lord Henderson will accept Catarina in your stead. She’s the one he wanted in the first place, so he’ll be pleased.”

  I kept my expression cool through sheer force of will. Lord Henderson was at least as old as Father and had a well-known penchant for young women. But House Henderson was one of the strongest lower houses, and he was careful to select women of legal age, so nothing came of it other than rumors and speculation.

  “Do you care so little for your daughters?”

  His face hardened. “We are at war. Alliances are few and far between. I will take what I can get. I ensured you can look out for yourselves. What more do you want?”

  Love, care, decency. Any number of things, really, but I kept my mouth shut. Catarina would be getting her adventure sooner rather than later if Father continued down this path. I’d have to send her into hiding.

  “If I agree to your little farce of a marriage, you will stay in Serenity for five years, working for House von Hasenberg. You will not interfere with Catarina’s marriage. And if Director Bishop leaves you, I get to pick your next husband.”

  I wasn’t sure if I should be insulted or amused. “No.”

  “No, what?”

  “No to all of it. Don’t insult me, Father. In return for leaving us alone, Ian and I will continue working for the House. I will come and go as I please, but I will spend the majority of my time in Serenity for the next year. If anything at all happens to Ian or his job, I will move to APD Zero before the news has hit the rumor mill. And I’ll never again marry a man you choose, even if Ian publicly denounces me to the entire Consortium.”

  “Tread lightly, daughter. You are not irreplaceable. Three years,” he said. When I inclined my head in agreement, he continued, “I’ll have the contract drawn up.”

  “Save us both time and don’t be a dick,” I said.

  Exasperation gleamed in his eyes for a brief second. “You are dismissed,” he said.

  I knew when to pick my battles, so I curtsied again and fled.

  With nothing else that required my immediate attention, I retreated to my suite. It wasn’t until I was in the lightly shielded room that I realized the normal signal level in the House hadn’t bothered me.

  I stepped back into the hall. I could feel the signals, and if I concentrated, I could read them. That caused my head to ache. But when I stopped actively trying to listen in, the pain subsided. Had I used the ability so much that my body was adapting? Or, more worryingly, was I getting better at ignoring pain?

  I returned to the suite and collapsed on the sofa. I would have liked to take a nap, but I needed to update my siblings. I sent a series of messages to our group channel. I laid out what we knew, what had happened, and how Father had reacted. I left out the information about Pierre until I could talk to Hannah directly.

  I was staring at the ceiling, trying to decide if I’d forgotten anything when Catarina waltzed in, her nose in her com. “Well, you don’t seem to be under house arrest, so that’s good. I’ve scheduled breakfast with Hannah. She needs support and you need to be there.”

  I knew it was true, but I gave the sofa a longing glance before I allowed Catarina to pull me up.

  Somehow, I made it through the day. Hannah was furious that she’d missed the signs of betrayal, but between us, Cat and I managed to persuade her that it wasn’t her fault and murdering Pierre wasn’t worth the prison sentence.

  Breakfast was followed by lunch, then an afternoon tea, then dinner. Hannah and Cat both declared I needed to see and be seen with the full support of the House to squash any remaining rumors.

  By the time I pleaded a headache, it wasn’t even a lie. My head throbbed. It wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been, but I wasn’t miraculously cured. The improvement gave me hope, at least.

  I’d messaged Ian a few times throughout the day, just to check in and ensure Father hadn’t done something terrible, but after spending a week with him constantly around, the change jarred. I missed him.

  When I arrived at my suite, I went straight for my bedroom. The bed sang a siren song of wireless protection and horizontal comfort.

  It took me a few seconds to realize it was already occupied.

  I had a blaster in hand before I recognized Ian. I huffed out a breath and ordered my heart back into my chest. “You could’ve warned me.”

  “Sorry, wasn’t thinking,” he murmured sleepily. “Your bed ambushed me.”

  I smiled at him. “It does that. Are you going to explain how you got into my suite?”

  He propped his head up on his arm. His hair was back to its usual dark blond and he’d shaved. He’d left his suit jacket and tie draped over the chair in the corner. His crisp white shirt was open at the collar. He looked so delicious I almost missed his reply.

  “Nope,” he said.

  “I’ll figure it out,” I warned.

  “I have no doubt. You’re going to force me to become sneakier.”

  I kicked off my heels and crawled into bed beside him. I
closed the curtain behind me and blissful silence fell. I sighed in relief.

  “The curtains block the signals?” Ian asked. He rolled me onto my stomach and massaged the tense muscles in my neck and upper back.

  I hummed my agreement, then melted as his fingers worked their magic. I’d only give him a year or twelve to stop.

  “I talked to Albrecht,” Ian said, ruining all of the relaxation I’d achieved.

  I rolled over to face him. “And?”

  “He offered me a million credits to leave today and never contact you again.”

  It was a fortune several times over. With a million credits wisely invested, he could easily become a new lower house in the Consortium. I was actually kind of shocked that Father thought I was worth so much. “You declined?”

  “I declined,” he agreed.

  “What did he do?”

  “Yelled and threatened, mostly. Told me I’d never get my hands on any of House von Hasenberg’s money, even if I married you. But it seems like I still have a job, for now. What about you, how did it go?”

  “As well as can be expected. I’m not disowned, at least not yet. We’ll see after I read the contract he’s sending over.”

  He frowned. “What did you agree to?”

  “I’m pretty sure I agreed not to start a civil war in the House.” When he didn’t smile, I told him about the negotiations.

  “That seems suspiciously reasonable,” Ian concluded. “He probably thought he could convince me to take the money and run.”

  “Yes, and now that you didn’t, I’m assuming the contract will be a real piece of work.”

  “Are you sure I’m worth it?” he asked. “It would be so much—”

  “I’m sure. Don’t freak out, but the reason Father brought up marriage is because I told him that I’m marrying you. One day. If you’ll have me. In the future, I mean. If you ask me.”

  Ian looked stunned. I clamped my mouth shut before I could make it worse. I closed my eyes. My cheeks burned. Perhaps I would die from embarrassment and save myself from having to live through the next few minutes.

  “Yes.”