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In lieu of any other plan, Kara decided to play it cool. She wouldn’t tell him she knew he was intending to annul their marriage. Maybe she’d have a better chance of changing his mind if he wasn’t on the defensive.

He was standing at the window when she walked in, staring at the rolling green fields which stretched to the horizon.

He turned reluctantly as she entered. After what had transpired between them last night, he could hardly bear to meet her eyes.

Drek’aa beresh. He had behaved appallingly. Whatever bile she spewed at him, he well and truly deserved it.

“Hi!”

She smiled warmly. “How was your trip? That ride of Rhyn’s looked super-fast.”

That was not what he expected.

“It was,”

he said cautiously. “I trust your journey was pleasant also?”

“It was fine, thank you. I take it you’ve met our host, Governor Salavar? He seems very enthusiastic.”

“Yes. A little vain, perhaps, but he means well. And he is certainly eager to please.”

Kara laughed.

“Tell me about it. He seems to think humans live on canapés served by butlers twenty-four seven.”

Vahn’s lips twitched.

“Vraxos may have to update its research notes.”

“And did you see those new mechbots? I’m glad we don’t have them in Taa’riz. They freak me out.”

“Bots are far more prevalent on this side of Vraxos. But I agree. I prefer the personal touch.”

This is good, thought Kara. Just two people having a conversation without arguing or sniping at each other. She came to join him at the window.

“It is beautiful, though. So green.”

“Yes. The vast majority of Vraxian food and natural resources comes from this hemisphere.”

“I know. This half of the planet lies under a permanent cloud system so it’s constantly irrigated.”

She shrugged. “You told me. On Minerva-6.”

Vahn lapsed into silence and she cursed herself.

“Anyway,”

she continued brightly. “Has our luggage arrived? Daa’sten said he’d sent a couple of dresses for me to choose from.”

“I believe your belongings have been put in the dressing room through there.”

Vahn pointed and she found a door to a huge walk-in closet. Two dresses were hanging up, one red and one blue, both exquisite. Kara held them against herself.

“Which do you think?”

she asked Vahn. “I can’t decide.”

He appraised each of them in turn.

“I prefer the red,”

he said finally. “It sets off your skin tone better.”

“I agree. Thanks.”

She hung them both back up, conscious of Vahn’s puzzled gaze. He was probably wondering whether to mention what happened yesterday. If he did, she’d die of embarrassment.

“So tell me what to expect tonight,”

she said chattily. “Salavar mentioned acrobatics?”

“The festivities take place in the famed Eternal Hall where the ceiling is so high there are actual clouds in the eves. Various acts and displays will take place all around us, some so astonishing you will believe reality is bending.”

“You make it sound amazing.”

“It is. My father took me and my brother to the Garana Sana every cycle when we were boys. Each was more impressive than the last. I have never forgotten them.”

“My father took me to watch an aerial display once. Old space-jets which had been decommissioned after new models were introduced. They were supposed to be obsolete but what those pilots made them do… it was breathtaking. It was what made me want to be a pilot.”

“Your father is dead.”

It wasn’t a question and Kara held her breath a little.

“Do you… do you remember me telling you that?”

He shook his head regretfully.

“It is just a look on your face. The way you sound. I’m the same when I speak about my father.”

Kara nodded sympathetically. We miss our dads. We have that in common.

“I’m sorry I never got to meet your father. From what you’ve told me about him, he seemed like a fair ruler.”

“He was. But I fear if he’d been alive today, we wouldn’t be on the brink of peace.”

“You don’t know that. You called my mother a war-monger and yet here she is, a guest of the Empire, ready to eat Vraxian finger-food.”

“Well, that is true enough.”

“The one thing we always agreed on was that if humans and Vraxians got to know each other better, peace would be possible. And we were right.”

His gaze rested on her thoughtfully.

“We seemed to have talked a lot, you and I.”

“We did. For hours. Days, sometimes. I think we covered pretty much everything in the known universe.”

“Then perhaps we should have a conversation about our shared past. You can remind me of what we talked about.”

Kara held both hands to her face in mock horror.

“But your Majesty, that would require you spending actual time with me.”

The corner of his mouth twitched.

“You’re right, I have been avoiding you. Perhaps tonight, after the banquet, we could talk?”

“Sure.”

She wanted to punch the air but kept her tone light. “We can do that. And then you’ll discover I’m the most incredibly fascinating human you’ve ever met. Again.”

She wagged her finger at him teasingly and he laughed, genuinely amused.

“We should get ready. Salavar’s cursed bots will be here shortly to take us to the Eternal Hall. Do you wish to use the bathroom to change?”

The mention of the bathroom made them both simultaneously flash on their shared experience. Kara’s face grew hot.

“The dressing room is plenty big enough,”

she mumbled, wanting to cringe in embarrassment. Hastily she walked off, willing him not to say anything.

“Kara.”

Damn.

She turned reluctantly. The intensity of his yellow stare pinned her to the spot. Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips.

“Yes?”

“You are, you know.”

“I am what?”

His gaze seemed to cut straight through her. Into her.

“The most incredibly fascinating human I’ve ever met.”

A thousand words tumbled through her head. Words she wanted to say to him. Beg of him.

Love me again. Love me how you used to.

But she held them in. It wasn’t the right time.

“We’ll talk tonight,”

she promised. She shut herself into the dressing room and forced herself to take deep, steadying breaths.

It was progress. He was talking to her. And he wanted to know more about their shared past.

It didn’t mean he wasn’t still planning to declare their marriage denerra.

But it was a start.