Her mother held her hand up fast in a gesture that cut Narcissa off. “You heard me, child.” That one word was a slap in the face and a reminder that their mother didn’t see Narcissa as an adult yet, but rather as a little girl who needed more instruction and discipline. “Now tend your place.”
The look on her sister’s face was fierce and it promised Desideria a rematch. Furious at them both, she spun around and left.
Desideria hated the fact that she’d just made a vicious enemy. This was not what she wanted.
But her mother didn’t care. If anything, she fostered their resentment toward each other and reveled in it. “Report in the morning for your uniform. I’ll make sure that Coryn knows to put you on the summit detail, so prepare to leave with us.”
In spite of her sister’s anger, that really made her want to jump up and down in excitement. She’d never left their planet before. As a child she’d spent hours listening to her father tell her about all the places he’d visited before being captured and all the incredible things he’d seen and done while there.
Now she’d finally see some of them. She couldn’t wait.
Maintaining her exterior calm, she gave her mother a tight-lipped smile. “Thank you, My Queen.”
Her mother held her hand out to her.
Desideria bent over and kissed her ring before she bowed low and took her leave. She didn’t let her happiness show until she was in her dressing room.
As soon as the door closed, her best friend and servant, Tanith, waylaid her.
“Oh my God! I can’t believe what you did! You crushed that bitch and made her eat all her years of insulting you. Congratulations!” Squealing, Tanith grabbed Desideria’s arms and jumped up and down.
“Sh, sh, sh,” Desideria breathed, refusing to jump with her even though she really wanted to. “Don’t let anyone overhear you.” They’d both be punished and now that Desideria had earned the rank of adult, it would be much worse than her punishments of the past.
Tanith settled down. “I’m sorry. I’m just so thrilled for you! Narcissa on the other hand… I wouldn’t be drinking out of an open cup anytime in the near future if I were you. There’s no telling what she might do over this.”
“Believe me, I know.” Her other sister, Gwenela, would be furious when she found out too. They were still in training and Desideria was the youngest. How dare she be the first to gain adult status…
They would both be out to take her head now.
“I can’t believe I won.”
Tanith beamed. “I do. In spite of what they say, you are ten times the fighter the inbreds are.”
She cringed at an insult that would have Tanith executed should anyone ever hear it. “You shouldn’t say that.”
“It’s true and you know it. Your father was a hero and he was a good man… unlike the others. All they do is sit around and whine, waiting for someone to wipe their butts.”
And that was why she loved Tanith. She alone believed what Desideria did. Her father hadn’t killed himself like a coward. It wasn’t in him any more than it was in her. While it was true that other people were weaker than the Qillaqs, he’d possessed the heart of a warrior and the strength of a cyborg. His fighting spirit flowed through her too.
I will do my mother proud. She would prove her breeding to all of them and she would redeem her father’s name. Even if it was the last thing she did.
“What do you mean the assassination failed?”
“The newfound prince has skills we didn’t count on. He’s unfortunately not incompetent anI can’t stress just how well trained he is.”
“How is it he survived all these years? He was just an infant when we kidnapped him. I still can’t believe he returned after all we did to ensure he wouldn’t.”
“I know. Both he and Evzen are the luckiest bastards ever born. Every time we think we have them, they escape.”
“We cannot fail again. Things here are unraveling fast. After today, we don’t have a moment to waste. We cannot allow the line of succession to change.”
“I hear you and I will make sure that the next—”
“No. We need to rethink our plan. When next we strike, it must be with purpose. Most of all, it must be fatal.
“And what of our other problem?”
“I have a perfect plan for that as well. Are you sure you can handle your side of the matter?”
“Absolutely. And you?”
“I have it under control. But we must strike during the summit.”
“Are you sure you can get past security?”
“Don’t insult me with that insipid question. Of course I can. Two weeks and we will live the lives we were meant to and they will be nothing more than bad memories we laugh about having endured.”
“And Desideria?”
“Just another casualty. Let her name be banished the same as her father’s. Then we will be the only ones left worth remembering.”
7
Two Weeks Later
Caillen adjusted the small comlink that was inside his ear so that no one would know Darling and Maris were feeding him instructions on how to behave. Gah, I really am an effing five year old…