Under Different Stars (18 page)

“You say the sweetest things, Kyon,” I murmur, pressing my sharp dinner knife threateningly into his ribs. “But you’re really gonna have to stop touching me now.”

A slow smile creeps over his face, making him look kind of handsome. “You are savage,” he breathes, lifting his fingers from my cheek as his eyes all but sparkle.

“You have no idea how savage I can be,” I reply, easing my knife away from him.

“I look forward to finding out,” Kyon murmurs, looking me over like I’m dessert.

Our plates are cleared then, replaced with a pastry in the shape of a swan that tastes a lot like baklava. I force myself to eat the entire thing, even when I have completely lost my appetite. When the footmen take away our plates again, the Regent stands up, pulling my chair away from the table for me.

“Fay Kricket, would you care to join us in the next room for some fazeria?” he asks me, offering me his arm.

“I’ll join you if you tell me what fazeria is,” I smile, taking his arm and hearing him laugh.

“It’s an alcoholic beverage, Kricket,” he says, leading the way to the adjoining room. Everyone follows close behind, listening to our exchange.

“Is it good?” I ask, taking a seat on a silk covered sofa.

“It is.” Reaching out and taking a long stemmed glass from the footman, he hands it to me. Taking a small sip, the amber liquid mildly burns my throat as I swallow it.

“Mmm,” I smile at the Regent who is watching me with an air of expectation. “It
is
good.”

Appearing delighted, he takes a glass himself and sips it. “Em Nark, I have definite reservations regarding Fay Kricket. I need to consider the matter further.”

The Narc joins me on the sofa then, making goose bumps rise on my arms. “Of course, Haut Manus. This is a delicate situation and we appreciate your reservations. Kyon is a ranking member of the Brotherhood. He will assume full responsibility for Fay Kricket as her intended consort…” he trails off because Wayra chokes loudly on his fazeria. Looking over at him, my eyes go to Trey, who looks murderous.

“We intend to aid in your negotiations with Wurthem for the Te
ctonic Peninsula,” the Narc lies, ignoring the glares of the Cavars.

“Have you been in contact with the Peney clan regarding the Tectonic Peninsula?” Manus asks, pacing in front of the fireplace.

“No,” Em Nark lies again. “But, we would be happy to be the lead in the exchange there.” Another lie

“Are the Alameeda currently seeking a position in Peney?” the Regent asks, pausing and sipping his fazeria.

“We have no interest there,” the Narc lies again. “Our interests lie in returning Kricket to her family.” I’m finding it more and more difficult not to roll my eyes.

“We have heard some disturbing things regarding Alameeda troops pushing the borders near the Cape of Peney,” Trey says casually. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you, Em Nark?”

“Your intelligence is faulty, there are no Alameeda troops near Peney,” Em Nark lies again. Trey’s eyes shift to mine in question.

“How many troops do you have there?” I ask him, studying the glass in my hand.

“Excuse me?” the Narc asks with a scowl.

“More than a thousand?” I ask, studying his face.

“NO!” the Narc lies.

“More than five thousand?”

“No, of course not,” he lies, looking at Kyon who is now turned away, facing the window.

“Is it more like ten thousand?”

“She is a soothsayer—a diviner of truth, Em Nark,” Kyon says softly, causing every eye to shift to him. “Don’t open your mouth again.” Turning to the Regent, he says, “Write up your list of demands and you shall have them. All we want is Kricket.”

The room falls silent for several seconds as Kyon and Manus stare at each other. “Do you know what that was, Em Nark?” I ask, seeing his face growing pale. “That was a moment of silence for the death of your career.”

“You don’t know what you’re doing,” he sneers at me. “Mine will not be the only death to result from tonight…” he trails off as Jax and Wayra move closer to me, standing right behind our sofa.

Trey is less discreet, sitting down
in the small space between the Narc and me, saying to me under his breath, “Down goes the bishop.”

“You may leave now, Em Nark,” Manus says in a dismissive tone. “Please take your trift back to Alameeda. Your things will be sent to you. I believe we should continue our discussion at the break of the rotation, Haut Kyon,” Manus says softly
, watching the Narc exit through the door. “There is much to explore in this matter.”

“Do not think to keep her. We will not let her go. I will await your council, Haut Manus,” Kyon says, while walking toward me. Taking my hand in his, Kyon brings it to his lips, kissing it. “Until the next rotation, Kricket, rest well.” Releasing my hand, he leaves the room and leaves me to my fear.

CHAPTER 15

COME TO RUIN

As I remain seated on the silk-covered furniture in the Regent’s drawing room, I feel cold inside when Em Sam leaves the room behind Kyon. Trey’s hand inches closer to mine on the seat, stopping a whisper of a breadth from it. His expression of concern makes me look away so that I don’t cry.
I can’t afford to be weak—not now, not ever
. Squelching the impulse to touch Trey, my eyes shift toward the main threat left in the room: the Regent.

Seeing Manus’s violet gaze studying me, I toy with the glass in my hand, trying to appear at ease. “Am I to understand by the exchange with Em Nark, Kricket, that there are Alameeda troops near the boarders of Peney?” Manus asks me, his eyebrow rising. He is truly handsome in a dangerous way with his five o’clock shadow cutting his cheeks at sharp angles. He looks like he could be in his late thirties, which probably means he’s at least a half a millennium old.

Straightening in my seat, I reply, “At least five thousand Alameeda soldiers are there…there could be more, but Em Nark didn’t answer my last question.”

“How do you know this?” he asks, suppressing a frown while sitting in the seat adjacent to mine.

“I don’t know…instinct…intuition,” I say, feigning a casual shrug as my heart is pounding in my chest at the exposure of my secret. “I don’t know how I know…I just do.”

“You are a—what did Kyon call you—a diviner of truth. A soothsayer?” Manus asks, and he can’t suppress the excitement in his tone.

“No,” I sigh, shaking my head. “I can tell if someone is lying on purpose or bluffing, but truth is…harder to know,” I reply, lowering my chin. “Just because someone believes something to be true, it doesn’t make it so.” Seeing his confused expression, I exhale another sigh, asking, “Jax, does fazeria taste good?”

Looking over my shoulder at Jax, he smiles at me before saying, “Yes.” I nod.

My eyes shift to Wayra as I ask him, “Wayra, does fazeria taste good?”

He frowns at me, looking like I put him on the spot. He begins to hedge, “Well…it’s really sweet and I—”

“Just yes or no?” I ask, rolling my eyes at him.

“Well…then, no,” he admits, looking awkward.

“You see? They both answered me truthfully, but their answers are conflicting,” I explain, watching Manus absorb what I said.

“Yes, but if you were to ask the right questions, then you could divine the truth?” he asks me in a quiet tone.

“Don’t get it twisted…I know if you’re purposefully lying…but, here’s the thing—um, Trey, face away from me,” I request. Looking confused, Trey faces away from me on the sofa. “Okay, Trey, I’m holding up three fingers. Tell the Regent that I’m holding up three fingers.

Not looking at me, Trey says, “Kricket is holding up three fingers.”

“Ah,” Manus murmurs, nodding. Trey turns to look at me and sees that I’m only holding up two fingers. “Trey believed you and so he unknowingly lied to me.”

“Yes, and I can’t divine that kind of lie,” I reply honestly, “Because he believed it to be true.”

“If your gift remains secret, then you have more of an advantage? Less of a chance that someone could manipulate the information?” Manus asks, and I nod my head.

“But, now the Alameeda know to a certain extent what I can do,” I say sheepishly.

“They may not know the limitations of your gift,” he replies cunningly. “Kricket, you could be…an advisor for me. Sit in on affairs of state and foreign affairs as well.”

“Uh, you know…I’m not that familiar with Etharian politics,” I reply nervously.

“You’ll get familiar with them.”

“Are you planning on getting rid of our scene clinger…Kyon?” I ask. “We could talk business if I knew that this would be a more…permanent arrangement for me.”

Manus’s eyes widen in surprise, as a smile touches his lips. “Is that so?”

“Mmm,” I nod, trying to look like I don’t have a lot invested in this conversation. “You have unrest on the boarders of Peney. They’re not your allies, but if Alameeda is making a play for them, then you had better get in the game and find out who’s really on your side.”

“Had I?” Manus asks, watching me and looking intrigued.

“Yes,” I nod. “And I can help with that…in an advisory capacity…for a fee, say…double what you pay your top advisors now.” I toy again with the glass in my hands. “And if I knew that there would never be any…
seduciary
responsibilities for me where Kyon was concerned, then I would be more free to focus on…the affairs of state.”

“Seduciary responsibilities!” Manus hoots with laughter, as does everyone else in the room but Trey and me.

“You don’t like Kyon?” Manus asks with an amused smile.

“In a word: no.”

“You surprise me, Kricket,” Manus says, almost to himself. “Kyon is very connected. He could be a strong consort for you. You shouldn’t reject him without consideration...it would be unwise to turn him away just now. We will allow you both the opportunity of getting to know each other better,” Manus says in such a way so that I know that his decision is not up for discussion or contradiction. “Ateur Victus, you intervened in the corrective court on Kricket’s behalf. On who’s authority did you act?”

“Mine,” I interrupt before Victus can answer him. “I hired him to help me.”

“Since you have inserted yourself into Kricket’s affairs,” Manus says, ignoring me, “you will now be responsible for her entry into Rafe society. You will sponsor Kricket and accompany her as escort to every venue we deem important. This will help her by linking your family name with hers.”

Glancing at Trey, I see his jaw tighten, but Victus is taking this all in stride, saying, “I would be honored to accompany Kricket.”

“Good. You will attend a swank in her honor, announcing her arrival in town,” Manus says.

“Oh, you know…I hate parties…all those people and…more people…” I stammer, trying to slow down the propaganda train.

“Kesek Allairis,” Manus says, and my eyebrow arches at the strange title that Manus uses to address Trey.

“Haut Manus,” Trey replies in a military tone.

“You and your men will be reassigned in the capacity of personal protection for Fay Kricket,” Manus instructs. “I want you to be discreet—no uniforms. You will lead the team. I need trained Cavars for this—Ustus and his men will answer to you. Expect retaliation from the Alameeda and their allies. You’ll be briefed on what we know. Everything that Kricket does must be approved by you, is that understood?” he asks.

“Yes, I understand, Haut Manus,” Trey agrees. Glancing at me, he doesn’t smile.

“Is that really necessary?” I ask, rolling my eyes in exasperation, even as my heart picks up at the thought of Trey being here with me.

“Kricket, do not question my authority. I am the Regent and your guardian,” Manus replies sternly.

“Yes, but I’m really not a child,” I try to explain to him.

“You have enemies here and abroad. This can be a cold and violent world, Kricket. I will protect you from that...for now.”

Quirking my brow at Manus, I ask, “And who will protect me from you?”

Seeing his eyes darken, he murmurs, “That will be left up to you.”

“I’ll have to rise to the occasion, then,” I say, standing and recognizing that I need to quit now before this goes really, really bad for me.

Standing too, Manus says, “I will see you at the break of the next rotation. You will dine with me and we will align our…schedules.” Lifting my hand, he squeezes it lightly while I drop my chin in a nod.

“I need to assess Kricket’s quarters. I will escort her to her room.” Trey says, rising next to me and offering me his arm.

“Mmm,” Manus replies absently, watching me. Trey inclines his head to Manus and leads me to the door.

Once in the hallway, I sag a little, letting the mask drop as we continue walking. Glancing at Trey and seeing his eyes narrow at me, I try to smile, saying, “So, that went well…except for that
huge part
where it didn’t. What does ‘Kesek’ mean?”

“It’s a military rank,” Trey says stiffly.

“Oh, like Captain?”

“More like Major,” he replies. Pulling me out a side door and onto a lovely, lighted path leading away from the estate. He steers me into the hedge-enshrouded grounds. Stopping in front of a lighted fountain, he lets go of my arm and begins pacing in front of me. The dark evening makes his face look even more masculine as soft light near the fountain creates patterns on it.

“Kricket…you…” Trey says in a frustrated tone, continuing to pace. “You can’t...this is complicated, but…you need to appreciate the fact that you’re…and you can’t expect men not to respond to...Manus is…” He stops pacing to glare at me.

“He’s what?” I ask, concentrating really hard on what Trey is not saying.

“He’s on a higher tier than you are and—”

“A higher tier?” I interrupt
, narrowing my eyes at him because that sounds suspiciously like he’s insulting me.

“He’s the Regent and you’re…” he gestures at me.

“I’m what?”

“His ward,” Trey says evasively.

“So?” I ask him, seeing that there’s something he’s not saying.

“So, that position could change,” he replies sharply.

“Yeah, I know. I’m going to be his
crappy
advisor now…but what else could I do? I couldn’t just sit there and let Kyon and the Narc make a play for me,” I reply, crossing my arms defensively. “I had to get rid of the Narc and that meant exposing my secret. It was a risk, but Manus could’ve been swayed by them…I could feel it.”

“I agree. Until that point, you were like a beautiful piece of art to him, appreciated but easily bartered away. But, you went too far, Kricket! Manus will never make you his consort,” he says in a harsh tone. 

“What?” I exclaim, feeling shocked because that hadn’t even occurred to me.

“He’d have you as his
inamorata
, but do not expect him to commit to you,” Trey’s tone is bitter. “He’s the Regent and you are half Alameeda.”

“Hold up,” I order, putting up my hand to stop him. “What is an inamorata?”

“A lover,” he says accusingly.

I blush. “You think that Manus wants me as his lover but not as his…wife because he’s on a higher
tier
than me?”

“Yes.”

“Because
I’m
not good enough for
him
.”

“That’s the way it would be viewed,” Trey replies, and my heart contracts painfully.

“Why are you telling me this, Trey?” I ask in a soft tone.

“I don’t want you to be…disappointed,” he looks away from me.

“Why would you care?” I ask, looking away too, toward the fountain so that I can blink back the tears in my eyes. “Aren’t you supposed to be having a commitment ceremony of your own soon?” I stoop to pick up some small stones.

“Who told you that?” Trey asks, sounding sullen.

“Does it matter?” I toss a stone at the pool and watch it disappear beneath a lily pad.

“I’ve known Charisma my entire life. She’s always been my friend.”

“That sounds ideal. She comes from a good family?” I ask, forcing myself to sound normal, but my heart really hurts now.

“They own the estate next to my family’s estate.”

“In the Valley of Thistle?” The perfect place that I created in my mind begins to crumble.

“Yes.”

“With the spixes?” I ask, my throat raw now, seeing the house where I had my fake commitment ceremony dissolve.

“Yes,” he says again, but softer.

“I’m such an idiot,” I breathe, squeezing my eyes shut.

“What?” Trey asks from behind me, sounding confused.

“Nothing…I wish…” I throw another pebble in the fountain.

“You wish…what?” he asks, coming closer to me.

Angry voices, speaking in hushed tones stop me from answering him. Trey’s arms wrap around my waist and pull me back into the shadowy edge of the hedge. I don’t make a sound.

“She
is
the prophecy,” someone hisses from the other side of the hedge. “We haven’t had a diviner of truth for hundreds of years—and she can already do it—at her age with absolutely no training.”

“That is an opinion, Nark. One you will not express again,” Kyon’s unmistakable voice responds, while they continue walking by us on the other path. Trey lets go of me, following their voices.

I follow closely behind Trey, kicking off my shoes so they don’t make crunching noises on the gravel. “This is not something that we should keep from the Brotherhood. If she is the prophecy, then she’s more dangerous to us than just having a rogue priestess in Rafe hands. If she is the one…then a house will fall.”

“I know the prophecy. You do not need to explain it to me!
The house was not named. It could be Rafe that falls.”

“Or, it could be Alameeda…or Wurthem. Do you like those odds?”

“You want to maintain the status quo at the risk of greatness, Nark. That’s why you’ll always be where you are…at the bottom.”