Vitokk narrowed his eyes at her for a moment, but then nodded.
“That’s likely more than my brother’s gonna give me. I guess I’ll go find the rangers and see if there’s anything I can help with. How about you?”
“I’m guessing I need to get that back,” Ellie said, motioning at her ship. “After that, I plan to poke around and find out anything and everything I can about what’s going on.”
“Be careful,” Vitokk replied, his words held more weight than the generic platitude usually did. “Especially around the prince. There’s something about that guy and it’s not just what he did here. Call it a gut feeling, but I don’t trust him.”
“That makes two of us,” Ellie muttered as she returned to her ship.
The return to Korghetia was a blessedly short flight. After a brief but embarrassing moment of fumbling, Ellie figured out the proper protocol for returning the ship, which was nearly easier than returning a rental car. Within moments, she was on the train back to the capital. She considered pulsing across the surface, taking a moment to run and clear her thoughts in the process, but as much as she needed to clear her mind, she needed to see Julian more. When she got to the capital, she found him at the desk in her suite, an old cell phone in one hand and his tablet in the other.
“So why the sudden cold shoulder? Did you meet a beautiful moon dweller on Du?”
“Du is a barren rock, Ellie, though even if it were filled with sirens of great sexual power, my love and loyalty is unwavering.”
“As lovely as that is, you didn’t answer my question,” Ellie said with an agitated sigh. “You left on a dangerous mission without so much as a proper goodbye. You ended up in an even more dangerous situation than we thought and when you arrived safely on the ground, all I got was a brief dismissal and then you ran off. You can’t see why I’m hurt?”
Julian set down the gadgets and looked up at her with an unreadable expression.
“Ellie, I’ve told you countless times. That you chose not to hear me does not make a bit of difference in how the situation is managed. You are a princess and the Eidyn True Master. I am your property. Property that most feel should have been returned to the temple Kyri until my services are required. How I feel on the matter is not of consideration.”
“Yes, Julian, it is. I’m not going to blindly follow prejudice—”
“Ellie, stop. I have heard it before and I understand your feelings, but you’re going to have to accept the status quo this time. If you truly want to see Gevandar answer for his actions, you cannot be seen as having your own motives against the assembly leader.”
“And exactly how would you not giving me the time of day in public help us on that front?”
“Your father and I, as well as the Eidyssic pilots, are likely to be called in as witnesses, seeing as Gevandar is claiming the imperial ships made a hostile advance. If the assembly leaders believe I have any agenda, including feelings for the woman who is bringing the accusations, my testimony is likely to be dismissed.”
“That is completely absurd,” Ellie growled.
“Is it?” Julian crossed the room to where she stood. “Ellie, it may not seem like it from where we stand, but eliminating suspicions that a testimony may be untruthful to protect the accuser or the accused is pretty standard procedure. On any planet,” he added with a small smile as he took her hand.
“Perhaps, but Julian, It’s pretty obvious that we’re telling the truth seeing as we were there, Captain Arvanon basically confessed to coercion, and there is absolutely no evidence to back Gevandar’s claim.”
“And you know as well as I that he will use what little he knows of our relationship to distract from that fact.”
“That is…” Ellie trailed off with a frustrated sigh.
“Exactly what a politician would do when they know they are in the wrong,” Julian filled in, stating the obvious. “Ellie, I am in no way claiming that my feelings for you have diminished, but please, we must be mindful of how we present ourselves in public.”
“Fine,” she said with a huff, but gave him a devious look from under lowered lashes. “But we’re not in public right now,” she murmured, sliding her hand up his chest.
“No, but we are in the royal palace and I suspect your mother will very soon be looking for you.”
“Ugh,” she pulled away with a groan. “Then I don’t want to be anywhere she can find me.”
“I’m afraid that’s likely too late,” Julian said just as the door opened, admitting Isaverlline, trailed by a haggard Richard, who shot Ellie an apologetic glance.
“Ellie, what is this I hear? Did you truly challenge Prince Gevandar’s leadership? What purpose do you believe calling his competency into question serves?”
“Good morning, Mother,” Ellie replied sarcastically. “Yes, I am well, despite being shot at by our supposed allies and having to perform an emergency rescue. Thank you so much for your concern for my well-being.”
“I would appreciate answers instead of sass.”
“And I would appreciate knowing my mother has my best interest at heart instead of feeling like a political pawn,” Ellie hissed, barely able to contain her anger. “Did you even listen to the charges? He sabotaged a mission and put hundreds of lives, including mine, into danger all because he was miffed that he was not included in the planning.”
“Ellie, Prince Gevandar ordered a strike against the hostiles only after they made an aggressive action against us. As the leader of the Ghowrn Alliance, it was well within his right to call off your mission and proceed with the defensive strike.”
Ellie stared at her mother in shock. “Do you honestly believe that is what happened because let me tell you, you’ve been lied to.”
“What proof do you have of this?”
“Isaverlline,” Julian cut in before Ellie had a chance to reply. “I, along with three Eidyssic pilots and El’iadryov, traveled to Du nearly two days ago. The Imperial ships did not move. Even after El’iadryov and I tried to make them move, as was our role in the plan, they remained in a free floating orbit because they were never meant to attack. The ships were meant to be sacrificed.”
“Not only that,” Ellie added, getting angrier by the moment. “Gevandar never sent us an order to abort the mission. He commanded his fighters to fire upon us, knowing full well who we were and why we were up there, even going so far as to threaten the captain, who I was in direct contact with. This shows me that his intentions were to eliminate not only those who were being held prisoner on the ship, but those of us who had formulated the rescue as well. It certainly makes me wonder what lengths he will go to in order to get his hands on the Kyroibi.”
At the mention of the Kyroibi, Isaverlline winced, but held her ground. “Ellie, I understand that circumstances beyond my control have caused you suffering in the past, but Prince Gevandar is not under the lure of the Kyroibi as I was.”
“You don’t know that,” Ellie cut in. “But I do know that you are trying to dismiss that which you find uncomfortable and I’ll not have it, Mom. This isn’t about politics and playing nice with the other delegates. Actual lives are at stake. Lives that Gevandar would have callously thrown away on paranoid suspicion.”
“You don’t know that—”
“Isa, yes, we do,” Richard cut in, giving his wife a pleading glance. “I don’t care that I hold no sway here. I was with Ellie and the others at the transport terminal. Our first indication that anything had changed was when we saw the live broadcast of Prince Gevandar giving the order to destroy the imperial ships. I then accompanied Ka’griannas—”
“Ka’griannas has openly opposed every proposition Prince Gevandar has ever made,” Isaverlline argued. “He could have easily received and ignored the command to abort the mission.”
“Assuming for a moment Ka’griannas had in fact received and ignored an order, am I to believe that a former military leader would neglect to send the order to the commander in charge of the operation?” Juli
an asked. “Commander Vonsse is Sintarian and a former high ranking member of the Fhasmyrric royal elite guard.”
“Yes, as I understand it, Commander Vonsse was the head of royal security for Prince Gevandar’s political rivals. And let us not forget that he has been in league with criminals for nearly as long as I have been in exile.”
“So you’re buying into Gevandar’s paranoia too,” Ellie said with a drained sigh. She needed sleep. It was mid-morning at the capital, but she’d been up for nearly a full Earth day and hopping planets and time zones was catching up with her. “Mom, back on Earth, you believed as I did that we had an obligation to use our wealth and influence to promote positive change in the world. You were never afraid to speak out against what you saw as corruption in government. That you are now unable to see the same selfish intentions in those you call the good guys is quite honestly shocking to me. I will fight against government oppression, whether that oppression comes from Huptsov or Korghetia.”
Without waiting for a reaction, she stormed from the room. Despite being bone weary, the need to run was too strong to ignore. She made it to the train terminal, but as she was boarding, Julian stepped up beside her.
“I hope you’re not here to try and talk me into coming back and apologizing or some other nonsense.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he replied with a shake of his head. “Though I am worried. Richard is as well. Despite her flaws, your mother is not typically the sort to blindly accept the prince’s words as truth. Especially not when there is witness to the contrary.”
“You think she’s still being affected by the Kyroibi?”
“I don’t want to make any assumptions and I do not want to color your perceptions, but I do think it is possible that she honestly believes she has your best intentions at heart by siding with Gevandar.”
“I would ask you to explain exactly how even my mother could come to that incredibly insane conclusion, but I’m afraid I’ve had my share of illogical BS for the day,” she said, stepping off the train at Valwyn station.
Julian said nothing and simply nodded, following as she made her way to the lift and up to the farming community on the surface. He ran alongside her, suppressing his own urge to pulse as she headed for the forested hills. After a while, the small aches and pains associated with muscle use gave way to an unexpected feeling of freedom. He understood why Ellie enjoyed the simple act of running. It was more than exercise. It was a mental release.
After cresting the hill, Ellie took them deeper into the forest. Running became nearly impossible, but the hike over rough and uneven terrain somehow required even more physical exertion. Finally, after more than an hour, Ellie stopped and sat down on a low hanging branch, and invited Julian to sit next to her.
“Thank you,” she said, sliding around until she faced him.
“For?”
“For following, for being here with me when I need you most.” She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek against his chest. She wanted Julian to understand all of her feelings. Not just the love and affection she felt for him, but the pain and anguish over the public perception of their relationship as well as her anger over his earlier actions.
In return, Julian reciprocated with his own myriad of conflicted emotions. He wanted to hold her and never let go, to run away to a distant star and live his life for only her. It was impractical and illogical that love caused him as much pain as pleasure, and yet, he couldn’t fathom going back to a life of cold and emotionless subservience. El’iadrylline was his world.
“Perhaps I should return to Valwyn and see about securing a private lodging,” he suggested hopefully. “I expect we’ll be spending far too much time in the capital once the trial begins. It might be nice to distance ourselves and have some privacy for a short time.”
Ellie’s diodes lit up the shaded alcove as she pulled Julian’s face to hers and planted an exaggerated kiss on his lips. “That is the best idea I’ve heard yet.”
“I’m glad you think so, but Ellie,” Julian went suddenly somber. “Our public actions will still be scrutinized. You must continue to act as if I am your loyal servant and nothing more.”
“If I must,” she said with a sigh before trailing her fingertips up his chest, easily finding the diodes over his heart through the thin flight armor. “Just as long as you understand my feelings on the matter.”
“Of course, my love. Are you coming back with me?”
“I’d like to run for a little longer. Will you send me a message when you find something?”
Julian nodded and took her hand in his, kissing the tips of her fingers before pulling away.
“I will do just that. Then, I am probably going to do some investigating of my own.”
“Be careful,” she cautioned as she watched him pulse away. She sat for a moment more, taking in everything that had happened. She was truly tired and probably should have gone back to the village with Julian, but she just wasn’t ready to go back underground, not even to the brightly lit market square of Valwyn. Being up in the tree-like towers of the Sonnan refuge had made Ellie homesick for the skyscrapers of New York.
She climbed a little higher in her tree. Soon she had a view of the entire farmlands below. It was an idyllic scene and Ellie made a note to start carrying a sketchbook with her. That she hadn’t drawn any of the Korghetian landscape was inexcusable in her mind.
A sudden crash brought Ellie out of her daydream with a yelp of surprise. She scrambled to bring her legs up onto the tree limb where she was perched. Below, rooting around at the base of the tree was an animal, roughly the size of a medium dog with shaggy brindled fur, but shaped more like a bear. As soon as she made a noise, it lifted its head, showing bared fangs nearly two inches long.
Chapter 12
Ellie held her breath and pressed against the trunk, cursing herself for her own stupidity. The Korghetian surface was wild. She’d spent hours making sure she’d be able to identify dangerous plants on sight, but it never occurred to her to look up the fauna. She knew, of course, that there were large predators at the poles. Why then, wouldn’t there be wild animals elsewhere on the planet?
The creature locked eyes on her and made a strange, whining noise. Its short nub of a tail began fluttering back and forth in a gesture that was at wild odds with the long, pointed teeth that snapped in her direction.
“Oh dear, nice doggie,” Ellie mumbled, noting the way the animal’s long claws sunk easily into the tree’s sturdy trunk and wondering if her elevated perch was even safe at all.
Another crash in the vegetation below brought Ellie’s heart into her throat. The thought of more than one of them set her mind racing through worst case scenarios. She brought her wrist up slowly, intending to call Julian for help, when a voice rang out.
“Pouns? Pouns? Where are you, stubborn beast?”
The creature stopped whining and turned its head just as a body emerged from the vine covered bush to her left.
“There you are,” a feminine voice called out as a girl, dressed in the uniform of a farmer, fell into a crouch and threw her arms wide for the beast, who immediately abandoned Ellie to amble over, nubbed tail fluttering so fast it was no more than a blur. The gesture knocked the wide-brimmed sunhat from her head and Ellie started in recognition of the golden haired girl she had briefly met in the Valwyn market.
Her gasp caught the girl’s attention and golden eyes locked on hers. A look of complete surprise played on her face for a moment before a smile of recognition chased it away.
“My apologies, your majesty. Pouns may look a terrific beast, but he is mostly harmless,” the girl said, bowing her head in deference. “In fact, he’s usually pretty lazy. That he found you at all is quite a surprise. Luks are natural trackers, but old Pouns here never displayed the initiative.”
“I’m sorry,” Ellie stammered, sliding bonelessly down the tree trunk. “He does look ferocious. Well, he did,” she added with a confused giggle. The previously sna
rling beast was on its back, legs stretched in lazy repose, and enjoying a belly rub. Oddly, it looked only half its previous size. “I should have thought to pay attention to the local wildlife.”
“You have nothing to apologize for, your highness,” the girl demurred as she began ruffling the thick fur around the creature’s face. “Luks are not native to Korghetia, so you will not likely see many others. On Fhasmyr, they’re domesticated. Like your puppy dogs of Earth.”
Ellie stared, confused for a long moment. The Kyroibi allowed her to understand and quickly translate the language used by the people of the Ghowrn system, yet somehow, she automatically understood that the girl had spoken English when she said ‘puppy dog.’ Somehow, perhaps related to her own weariness, something clicked.
“Hang on. You’re Mikk, aren’t you?” Ellie’s mouth fell open in surprise.
“I gave myself away, didn’t I?” she said with a wide grin. Her eyes glittered with a sparkle of mischief as she held out her hand in a surprising gesture. Handshakes did not appear to be customary in the Ghowrn system, at least not among those Ellie had encountered since arriving, but seeing as Mikk had known what a dog was, she shouldn’t have been too surprised.
“Yes, I’m the Paisreatta scum herself,” she added with unabashed amusement as she took a stunned Ellie’s hand in hers and pumped it with all the vigor of a used car salesman in middle America.
Shaking off her stunned stupor, Ellie returned the handshake with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, it’s just kind of weird meeting you, seeing as we were just on a rescue mission together just hours ago.”
“I also imagine you to be as sleep deprived as I am, so I must apologize.” She looked down at the luk sleeping by her feet. “Pouns finding you was not accidental. As you are taking Gevandar to task for what he has done, I have a duty to tell you everything I know of the prince, but your majesty, there is much I must divulge that puts many, myself included, at risk. I must ask that some of what I say remain in confidence. At least until Gevandar and the Ghowrn Alliance’s motives become transparent.”
The Princess Rebellion (The Kyroibi Trilogy Book 2) Page 10
