“You would set the U.S. against us for so minor a slight?” another man in the room asked.
Didn’t look at him. Kept my staring contest with the king going. “No, you utter fool. Not war from the United States. War from the stars. I will ask Emperor Alexander, he who I put on the throne, to avenge this insult in a way that ensures that no one else will ever dare be rude to any one of my people ever again. Now, you have exactly one second to decide what happens next.”
CHAPTER 54
THE KING STARED AT ME for a very long moment. Then he nodded and rose from his seat. He wasn’t much taller than me. “You are all that we have been told and, it seems, much more. It is an honor to meet one so well versed in politics and power.” The king bowed to me.
Nodded my head in return and felt the entire room relax behind us. The king offered his hand and I took and shook it. Heard gasps. Knew enough about Arab culture to know this was an incredible rarity.
“You wish to speak with me on matters of great urgency,” he said after we’d stopped shaking paws. “I would like to offer your retainers refreshment.”
“We would be most grateful for it.”
The king’s mouth quirked. “If your people would be so kind as to humor us again?” He nodded behind me.
Turned to see that every single person in my entourage, including Mona—heck, including Antoinette—had removed their hijab, kufiyah, or robes. Managed to keep a poker face, but only because Chuckie had spent years teaching me how to do it. Wondered if Jeff could feel how much I loved everyone with me right now. Kind of hoped he could.
Made sure I had full control of my voice before I spoke. “The apology has been accepted.”
Mona nodded and put her hijab back on. The rest of the team did likewise. I actively chose not to. No one complained.
Turned back to the king. “I want assurances that the Ambassadress and her family and diplomatic mission will not be . . . reprimanded in any way for her support of my undertaking.”
His lips quirked again. “No, we would not want to bring your anger down upon us.” He waved his hand. “Leave us, all of you. I wish to speak to Queen Katherine privately.”
This was a wrinkle I hadn’t been prepared for. However, I was also really good at rolling with whatever came along, so I didn’t argue or question.
The room emptied slowly. The king had to continually keep on telling people to go away. Guards in particular, both his and mine. But finally we were alone in the gigantic room.
“Now,” he said, “we can speak freely.”
“I could speak freely in front of everyone who came with me.”
“And I could not. Would you care for any refreshment?”
“I won’t say no, but we can’t actually be alone if you’re having servants bring in snacks.”
He chuckled. “And now I hear the real person.”
“Oh, I can go right back to being Queen Katherine if you make me.”
“Good.” He offered his arm. “I have a private study. It will be more comfortable there.” His eyes twinkled. “And the snacks are there already.”
Figured I had no real options and, besides, I honestly felt I could take him, without using super strength or hyperspeed. Took his arm, and we headed off through a door behind his cushy chair.
“What shall I call you when we are in private?” he asked as he ushered me through the door.
“Well, if we’re being relaxed and friendly, Kitty is my preference. What do I call you?”
Realized that no one had told me his actual name, and I hadn’t bothered to look it up. Would have complained about my staff not prepping me correctly, but perhaps they’d anticipated that Mona would tell me his name. Perhaps she’d told them she’d take care of all that—it would make sense, since she was the one with the most knowledge of the king and the situation here.
She hadn’t shared anything, and she’d had time to. Plenty of time, really. So, did that mean Mona had expected this outcome? She wasn’t stupid, and she knew how I rolled. Presumably, she knew how her king rolled, too. Meaning she hadn’t told me his name, or what to do on purpose, so that exactly what had happened would—he’d be a jerk and I’d get pissed and be myself, versus the version of myself Antoinette wanted.
I’d have questioned whether or not Mona had done this by accident or design, and if she’d done it to make me look bad, but she’d removed her hijab, presumably after I’d removed mine. She’d been first for sure, since the others didn’t put their garments back on until Mona did. So she’d led the way in terms of removal for certain.
The risk to her for doing that—of being that disrespectful to her king in her own country—was much higher than any risk I had. Meaning everything she’d done was intentional, and this was the outcome she’d been betting on.
“I’m rarely that casual, but in your case, I sense it will be in my best interests. Please call me Raheem.”
We entered a much smaller room, with even comfier looking chairs and settees. It had tables, and those were loaded with food and drink, and there was also a fully stocked tea cart standing near to these tables. But there was only service for two.
“You always planned to speak with me privately?”
“Oh,” Raheem said, as he helped me to one of the two cushiest chairs in the room, which were the two next to the food and tea cart, “only if you were what I was expecting.”
“What was that?”
“Not the usual political wife.” Bingo. Mona had set this up, the entire thing, betting on him pissing me off and me acting like the person she knew. It was nice to know I chose my friends really well. “Tea?”
“Please. Milk or cream and more sugar than you’d think I should have.” He chuckled again as he poured the tea, added the milk and six sugar cubes, then handed me the cup and saucer. I waited until he’d made his own cup and seated himself before I took a sip. “Delicious. Thank you, it’s perfect.”
It was. I was impressed. Either he’d researched my sweet tooth or he was just lucky. Or he “got” me. It did happen occasionally. Hoped that this was one of those times, because I needed this man’s help.
“I’m pleased you find it so. Sweetmeat?” There was a set of tables between our two chairs. The bigger table was the one with all the food, the smaller table was clearly where we were to put our china.
“Sure.” Put my cup and saucer down onto the little table. He used a very expensive pair of silver tongs to put some cookies and candies and other sweets onto a small, beautiful porcelain plate. It was trimmed with what I figured was real gold and it was so fine that the plate was almost translucent. Really hoped I didn’t drop it, but then again, the thick carpeting would probably ensure it didn’t break. Yeah, there was a lot of wealth in this region. Actively reminded myself that now was not the time to channel Dad and have a Proper Distribution of Wealth discussion. “But I’d like to know—why the unpleasant greeting if you were planning to wine and dine me, so to speak, five minutes later?”