by Zara Zenia
"That woman is such a goody two shoes," she exhaled with a venomous puff of smoke. "I can’t talk as freely around her as I can around you, Kelly. You understand."
I didn’t think I wanted to, but I nodded anyway. "You can speak as freely as you want, Nora, but that won’t change what I’ve found."
Nora’s lips tightened when I used her given name. Apparently, Ms. High Fashion didn’t like the help speaking so informally.
"What you think you’ve found," she said. "You did one interview and went on one date. Hardly enough time to really learn anything about a subject, wouldn’t you agree?"
"Not in the slightest," I said. "I’m very good at my job, which is as much to read people as it is to find out the things they don’t want people knowing."
"And yet you failed to find one shred of evidence against a man we both agreed had an ulterior motive."
Nora uncrossed her legs and climbed to her feet. She wasn’t a very tall woman, but her rail-thin, boyish physique and matching ivory outfit gave her the appearance of one long line. She moved around the desk, seeming to loom over me the closer she got.
"If there were anything to find, I would have found it," I said, fighting the urge to lean back. "Lortnam spills the truth to anyone who stays in his presence for more than a few minutes."
"Did he explain how he managed to disarm the explosives, Kelly?" she asked.
I hesitated. "No, that didn’t come up."
"What about any women who have disappeared since his occupation started? Did any of them come up?" Nora asked, lowering herself gracefully onto Laurie’s desk. The difference in height wasn’t as big as it had been when she was standing, but I still found it unnerving.
But nothing made me as uncomfortable as the wild look in Nora’s eyes. She leaned forward, her lips hovering somewhere between a smirk and a sneer. This wasn’t business for Nora Morse. It was deeply personal.
"Women disappear across the country every day, Nora," I said, finally climbing to my feet. "It happened before he took up residence in the city. It will keep happening long after he’s gone."
Nora’s looked me up and down, finally settling on the sneer she’d been so close to. "Three days ago, you thought he was here to start a war."
I was pretty sure I hadn’t said that to Nora, but I’d felt it. That alone was enough to make me feel guilty. I had only taken the job in the first place as a desperate attempt to get away from the shadow of Lortnam’s palace. Maybe I couldn’t answer all of Nora’s questions, but my gut told me Lortnam was a man I could trust. Not at all the man I’d suspected him to be when I first met Nora and Laurie.
"Three days ago I was wrong, Nora," I said. "And I’m not ashamed to admit it. The Trilyn Princes have been here for four years and the worst things that have happened around them have been done by us, not them."
I don’t know what I was hoping my little speech would accomplish or what change it might inspire in Nora. Maybe a part of me hoped the high drama of it all would allow for a television movie style realization.
Nora barely blinked. She tilted her chin up, glaring down at me across the bridge of her nose. "Interesting you only had a change of heart after you spent an evening with him. Did the festivities end at the evening, or did they continue on into the night?"
She veiled the accusation in polite language, but the meaning was so bold I couldn’t do anything for a moment but stare at her in shock. "E-excuse me?"
"He does clean up well, for an interstellar cave man, I guess," Nora took another puff of her e-cigarette, exhaling into my face before she continued. "And surprisingly punctual for a royal. Where did he whisk you off to? Where did my money spend the evening?"
Something in Nora’s tone made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
"Are you having me followed, Nora?" I asked.
She shrugged. "Of course not. I was merely concerned about your well-being seeing as you were spending the evening alone with a man we both suspected to be lying."
"You suspected, Nora," I corrected. "And the explanation Lortnam has for the discrepancies, whether true or not, explain away the events of that night. You won’t be able to prove liability in small claims court, Nora. Your lawsuit won’t go anywhere. Trying to intimidate me won’t change that."
Nora smiled, but there wasn’t an ounce of warmth in it. "Come on, Kelly, don’t be that way. We’re friends, right? And as your friend, I was worried for you."
"We’re not friends, Nora," I said. "You’re my client, and as soon as I handed over this file, you stopped being that."
"Even more so when the Prince’s transport took off," she continued as if I hadn’t spoken at all. "Took off from the very expensive hotel you had Laurie approve and spirited you off into the night. Well, to the Historic District, anyway. Are you much of a foodie, Kelly?"
With every word Nora spoke, the air got a little thicker, a little harder for me to breath. I’d expected her to pout about my report like a spoiled rich girl, but I never expected her to turn it all back on me. I sure as hell hadn’t expected her to have me followed.
"I’ve heard Jezebel is a lovely spot, but the menu is tragically pedestrian," Nora said. "But then I suppose that doesn’t matter when one is easily dazzled."
I took a deep breath and fought with everything I had to keep my anger in check. Nora Morse was just a client. A mouthy client who for some bizarre reason seemed to think she owned me, but a client nonetheless. When things didn’t go their way, they tended to lash out. There was no need to get emotional back.
"I’m more of a takeout kind of gal," I said, reaching around Nora and dropping the envelope on the desk. "My final report and expenses are in there. If you want to make this personal, fine. It won’t magically create a case for you."
"But it may keep you on the side of your own species, Kelly. For heaven’s sake, you’re calling that thing by name! Is one dinner really all it takes for you to sell out your entire species?"
"Lady, I haven’t switched anything and last I checked, this was about your car not the Human race." I turned and marched for the door, determined to put Nora Morse and this crappy conversation behind me.
Nora caught my sleeve. I turned to look at her, ready to tell her off for getting so close. She beat me to the punch.
"It’s about what I say it’s about, Kelly, and it ends when I say." She pushed my arm, turning me back to face her and flashing a quick smile. "I’m not satisfied with your work yet. In fact, I’ve found it downright incompetent."
I swallowed. "That’s not the way this works, Nora. What I find is what I find."
"I think we can come to an arrangement," she said. "In the interest of keeping our shared secret. If we don’t part amicably, how could I ever know you wouldn’t turn me in to Lortnam? How could you know the same about me?"
In the beat of silence that followed, I watched Nora’s body language. She had the expression of a woman who’d walked through a pile of dog shit in her best shoes, but she didn’t look the least bit afraid. I didn’t think afraid was an emotion Nora Morse was familiar with.
"It’s an interesting threat, Nora, but there’s a flaw in it. You’d be in as much trouble as I would if Prince Lortnam found out about your plan."
"I think you’ll find my lawyer remembers things differently," Nora said, sitting back down on the desk. "She and I merely asked you to find out what you could about who owned the building to expedite the insurance claim. You’re the one who suggested Prince Lortnam and his family might be behind it all."
"Actually, I was very careful not to suggest that. And I have it on good authority that Laurie Dannon is a straight shooter. Good luck getting her to go along with your story."
Nora took another drag from the square, this time blowing it into the air instead of my face.
"I have others on retainer who aren’t half as prone to moral quandary. Call me when you have more information on the caveman. Whatever you can get will do."
I shook my head in disbelief. "I
’m not a spy, Nora."
"If that’s what you need to think to sleep tonight." Nora slid off the desk and strode out of the office without a look back.
For a while, all I could do was stare at the empty space she’d left behind, wondering how I had underestimated her so badly. I’d pegged her for a bigot, but this level of obsession was far beyond anything she seemed capable of the day we met.
Laurie stepped into the room, her hands tucked into the pocket of her pantsuit. Nora must have said something to her in the hallway, because her fingers trembled as she reached up to smooth her perfect bun back into place.
"I believe Ms. Morse gave out further instructions?" she asked. Her tone was formal, but breezy, as if we were seeing each other for the first time that day.
William the guard was right, Laurie was a class act. I, on the other hand, was a girl from the wrong side of the tracks.
"No, she threatened me when I told her the lawsuit is a bust," I said flatly.
Laurie paused, her hand hovering over the envelope abandoned on her desk. "Excuse me?"
"Threatened me and threatened to commit perjury. Do you have any idea who the hell you work for?"
Shaking her head in disbelief, Laurie leaned back in her office chair. "She was referred by a friendly firm from out of town. I met her the day you did."
"The case is smoke and mirrors," I said. "Don’t file that lawsuit."
Laurie looked genuinely offended. "You said you found no evidence the Prince was involved. I didn’t get into law to start international incidents, Ms. Grant. Much less intergalactic ones."
"Why did you?"
She shrugged. "It may not look like it, but to help people. I can do that better earning and investing in my community than I could fighting Goliath and losing more than I win. Maybe that’s not the way you’d do things, but it works for me."
The rush of defense made me feel sorry for Laurie. Was it motivated by regret, fear of missing out, or a desperate need to cut off an accusation she’d heard too many times?
"There’s a guy who works downstairs. Six-two, killer smile. His name is William. Do you remember him?"
Laurie smiled. "Sure, I know William. Why?"
"The guy adores you, but if he hasn’t asked you out by now, he isn’t gonna."
She blinked in surprise. "How… do you know?"
"It’s a long story, and I’m sure it’ll be a million times cuter if he tells it over coffee. Or drinks. Either way, if you want to feel like a Princess for a bit, ask the guy out."
I had no way of knowing if Laurie would follow my suggestion, and I didn’t plan on ever coming back to her office to check. But the smile I saw reemerge on her lips as I ducked out of her office gave me hope that she might. Yes, I had gone on one amazing date and it had turned me into a reformed cynic. It was too bad it had blown my life apart. I could only imagine what the sequel held in store.
Chapter 13
Lortnam
"We've been in the transport for ten minutes, Lortnam," Kelly said, a hint of scolding in her voice. "Now can you tell me where we're going?"
The thrill of surprising her, of managing to keep the secret though it begged to spill from my lips every time I opened them, was sweeter than I expected.
"Not yet, Kelly," I said, trying to hide my smile. "Based on what you've told me, I don't think you will be familiar with the name."
It kept me busy hours after Special Agent Yadav left my sitting room, but I found the perfect setting for my next dinner with Kelly. Unlike the expanses of wilderness that covered my country, the Humans had expanded in every direction available. Only dedicated preservation had saved their wilderness, and one such preserve accommodated primitive camping. After a lengthy conversation, I had a list of rules to work within to arrange a memorable evening.
"You say that, but I know that smile means you're pleased with yourself." She turned her back to me in favor of the window and the sunset beyond it. Her reflection in the glass wrinkled its forehead and scrunched its eyes.
The heavy fur blanket I'd spread over her slipped down her shoulder, revealing her far too thin leather jacket. Perhaps I should have informed her of my plans ahead of time. I didn't think she had taken my warning to wear warm clothing.
If the blanket and other measures I had taken didn't keep her warm enough, she liked my arms well enough in the restaurant courtyard. Liked it enough to inspire a kiss that taunted me with visions and memories that the whole day after.
Suddenly, the transport slowed from a glide into a hover. The driver descended slowly, centimeter by centimeter, so the interior cabin wasn't disturbed. When we landed on the ground, I tried to beat Kelly out of the transport. But before I pressed the button to open my door, Kelly had hers open and had scrambled outside of the transport, leaving the heavy blanket behind.
I snatched the blanket from the seat and followed her.
My boots crunched against the slight frost on the ground. The transport parked on a plateau overlooking a wide segment of the Potomac River. The trees on either side of the banks were nearly bare and dormant, creating a sea of brown pierced by the gray river. Only the sunset provided a breath of color and backdrop to the campsite my staff set up.
Campsite was a modest description. A heavy woven canvas tent with a narrow flap occupied most of the available area, though the Humans had clearly intended most of it to be left open. Heavy wooden seats with thick plush cushions had been placed near the fire, with a carved stone table between them. A glass and silver wine decanter full of Rawklix's wine sat on top, flanked by two glasses.
Kelly stood before the spread, her eyes on the roaring fire in the stone ring, her lips agape in what I hoped was wonder.
"What did you do?" she asked breathlessly. Her eyes darted from the tent to the fire before finally settling on me. A smile of delight crept over her lips.
"This is our dining room for the evening." I couldn't have hidden the pride from my voice if I’d tried. She liked it. She liked it!
The feeling of warmth and contentment was worth every second of planning it took. It would have been worth twice as many again.
"I cannot take full credit," I said, stepping forward and wrapping the blanket around her shoulders again. "I chose the location and gave the instructions. They're the ones that put it all together."
Placing my hand on Kelly's back, I ushered her gently closer to the tent. Her cheeks were pink, no doubt from the cold air blowing off the gray waters of the river. My heart ached to see her in even the slightest discomfort, but my country was not a luxurious one, even if my palace was. Before I entertained any more visions of Kelly Fillmore, before I could begin to hope she could love me, I had to know she could survive my world.
Inside the tent, my servants had set up the heavy wood table from my sitting room. Generous portions of roasted vegetables and a steaming tureen of stew sat in the middle of the table. A basket of fresh bread and a carving board of sliced cheese served as accompaniments. The aroma of stewed fowl, onion, and an herb the Humans called lemongrass filled the tent.
"Parts of my country are not so different from this spot. Everything you see in this tent comes from my palace, which means it was made by artisans of my country." I gestured for her to sit as I filled one of the glasses. "The ingredients are from here, but seasoned and prepared in the Trilyn way. The wine, I believe you will remember."
"Haven't been able to forget it," she said, plucking the offered glass from my fingers. "Most of the fruity wines I've tried end up being too sweet for my taste, but this one is just perfect."
I brought my own glass up to my nose, the sweet notes mingled with the acrid smoke from the campfire. The smells of home mingled with the herbal notes of Kelly's perfume. Yes, I could get used to this.
"The fruits that went into this bottle were picked earlier in the season, before they were fully ripe." I waited until she took her first sip and her eyes widened in understanding. "Brighter and tarter flavors go well with this stew."
> "Sounds like you have it often," she said. "Do I sense a theme to the evening? Or am I imagining things."
I smiled. "Short of a months-long trip aboard my 'fortress,' this is the closest I could come to replicating an evening in my country."
"Down to the cold?" she asked, pulling the blanket more tightly around herself.
On instinct, I reached down and rubbed Kelly's shoulders tenderly through the blanket. It wasn't until she looked up at me, a strangely sweet, yet mischievous smile dancing on her lips and in her eyes that I realized it was the closest contact we'd had since the kiss.
"I have a personal heater, if it gets too cold," I said, crossing over to my chair in two steps.
"The last time I got cold, you did a pretty good job warming me up, Lortnam," she said, grinning. "I think we'll be fine."
The dream Kelly from my sitting room flashed before my eyes. I blinked quickly to clear them. The woman in front of me was the one I wanted, not some glossy fantasy cooked up by my idle mind.
"If it eases your worries, I don't take many meals in the wild back home," I said, taking her hand in mine. Her slender fingers felt fragile in my hands, but I knew better. Everything about Kelly, from the way she held herself to the way her mind worked, told me she was strong.
"It… might make me feel a bit better," she admitted. "Then again, I eat alone on the couch in my living room most of the time. Or on the way to work."
"The same, though it would be more accurate to substitute in meetings for on the go."
Though our circumstances were similar, I didn’t like the idea of Kelly taking her meals alone so frequently.
"If you were my wife you would never eat alone," I blurted. "Unless you wished to."
"I don’t think anybody wants to eat alone," she said, leaning forward and bracing the elbow of her free arm against the table. "And I wondered how long it would take you to make your pitch."
The scent of her perfume lingered beneath the overwhelming smell of stew. My greedy senses searched for it, drinking it in.
