Page 51 of The Intergalactic Duke's Inconvenient Engagement
“No,” she said faintly, her pulse starting to race.
“So delightful!” The tentacles whipped toward the camera. “Closeupon her face.”
The doorway was blocked. Rayna glanced over her shoulder toward the balcony railing. If she still had anti-gravs, maybe she’d risk the jump. But she wanted to know what the miserably intrusive producer so obviously wanted to tell her. Reluctantly, she twisted back. “I know some of it,” she lied. “But as a closed-worlder, of course there’s only so much I can understand.” She’d hateherself later for seeming clueless. No, she’d hate Raz later for making her clueless.
She’d inherited a space station?
“Welllllll…” The Ajellomene drawled the word like a black hole sucking in every atom of matter and every photon of light. “The Open Worlds For All consortium won a judgment on behalf of you and the other brides from the galactic council who are tasked with protecting all theworlds. And obviously failed.” It waved a tentacles at her by way of proof.
“But we weren’t at that meeting. I’ve never even heard of that consortium.” Her heart was pounding hollowly now. People—invisible people from far away, even if that far away was Earth—were controlling her life as if they had the right. As if they were another Blackworm.
The starfish sniffed. “The universe is too bigfor every interested party to be consulted.”
She managed not to shout in frustration. “I’m noteveryparty. I’mtheparty.” She couldn’t believe how much she sounded like an arrogant alien duke…
Once she would’ve avoided talk like this, being drawn into drama that only caused more problems. She’d had enough of that after Mom walked out. But where had that defensive response taken her? To SunsetFalls, Montana, where she’d hunkered down until Blackworm stole her.
Maybe channeling a touch of aristocracy wasn’t such a bad idea.
She fixed the Octiron producer with a flat, ducal stare. “Explain.”
“Blackworm Station belongs to you and the other four brides. A station like that is very valuable. No one knows why Blackworm chose that location—cryptologists and dataologists, including yoursister’s mate—are still decoding his records. But the station could be moved anywhere, become anything. Or even be broken down for parts. Lady Rayna, you are a very wealthy woman. And your friends too.” The starfish burbled again. “Why, I’m surprised you weren’t abducted again last night by some needy noble with empty pockets and dubious morals.” The tentacles canted toward her, all the tips pointedat the ring on her tightly clenched fist. “But I suppose the Duke of Azthronos had you already.”
The starfish rambled on, but Rayna barely heard a word, her heart pounding too hard to push her suddenly icy blood through her veins. Like the gentleman he was, Raz had said he was protecting her. Just for the night.
Or just long enough to claim her space station?
Despite the perfect temperaturecontrol of the domed estate, a racking chill coursed through her bones. Raz had hinted that the duchy had financial troubles, that his inheritance had come at a price. Was that price perhaps equal to a bequeathed space station?
Was he protecting her or planning to steal from her? Had he placed her off limits to other fortune hunters, or did he think he could lock her up for himself?
All theold fears that she’d thought dead and long-buried clawed up out of her gut like zombies. Ugh, as if aliens weren’t bad enough. She was a kid again and watching Mom walk out the door, knowing in her heart it was the last time she’d see her. Knowing that her family relied on her now and knowing she had no idea what to do next. Tears she hadn’t shed then prickled in her eyes now. And the whole terribleexperience was being caught on camera for the universe to see. But she had her pride; in that, she was very much like Raz.
She lifted her chin and gave the Octiron producer a thin smile. “You might need to change the title of the segment to Astral Heiresses,” she said coolly. “Or maybe Singularity Shareholders. Maybe just simply Black Hole Businesswomen. Now that has a ring, doesn’t it?”
Thestarfish froze, and the unblinking eye of the camera seemed to widen. “Not brides?” The tentacles began to rise again in excitement. “Is the engagement off already?”
Reyna tucked her chin and batted her eyelashes at that camera. “Stay tuned,” she purred.
Twisting on her slippered sole–thank all the gods of Azthronos that she wasn’t wearing the crystal heels – she glided toward the double doors,weaving around the rest of the motionless crew with a regal nod. She turned to face them one more time with a dazzling smile and, borrowing a trick from little Trixie, she yanked the double doors closed.
Whirling around, she sagged with her back against the doors, her eyes squinching shut in shock and hurt. Where was Raz? He’d left her to face these questions all alone.
The big rock on the ringprodded her spine, and she straightened with a snap. But he was the cause of all these questions! She had sworn to herself that she would never feel this way again – lost, confused, abandoned – and yet she let him do exactly that to her.
She raced through the ballroom, determined not to be trapped again, and was dimly aware of some of the guests watching her hurry by. Their speculative murmursdrifted behind her like the untethered glowing lights. Damn Raz.
She burst out through the grand doors where she and her friends had first entered the estate and swayed to a stop at the top of the wide, shallow steps. In the open swath below were two spaceships, obviously just arrived as the scent of superheated metal wafted toward her on the gentle estate breeze. One of the ships was quite largeand officious with unreadable hieroglyphics marking its prow. The other was much smaller, sleek and maybe a little dangerous looking. Even as her gaze locked on the smaller ship, its hatch opened and a gangplank lowered. Before the plank hit the ground, a tall, sturdy figure in now familiar ships fatigues leaped to the ground. Rayna would know that confident stride anywhere in this galaxy orany other.
“Vaughn!” she cried.
Her sister gazed upward, then with answering cry bolted up the steps. They met in the middle in a tangle of arms that nearly knocked them both off the stairs. Only Vaughn’s sturdy boots saved them as Rayna’s slippers skidded sideways.
“Oh my God, sis,” Vaughn gushed. “You look like a freaking princess.”
“Almost accidental duchess,” Reyna muttered. “You looklike...a space pirate.” She held her little sister at arm’s length and frowned at the combat-style ships fatigues.
Vaughn laughed. “Freelance lost asset recovery specialist,” she corrected. “With my partner, Dejo Jinn.” She gestured behind her at the tall, lean alien striding up the stairs. “Without him, I wouldn’t have found you.”