Royal Recruit - Susan Grant Page 0,6

princesses.

An heir factory—that was what she was to them. A breeder. All because she was the last of her line, a line of goddesses, and they wanted more. If it wasn’t a sin, the Coalition would have cloned the holy Sakkaran bloodlines by now to be done with her. Her pedigree was probably the only reason she was still alive. As the last surviving member of her family, the Coalition needed her—needed her because her ancestors were worshipped by trillions of religious citizens and no one wanted to risk taking that away and destabilizing the Coalition, especially when the murderous Drakken Empire was breathing down their necks.

But that was what the military was for. It was their job to play war games with ships and guns, not hers.

Keira tossed the towel over her shoulder. Taye rushed to retrieve it. The men followed her through an arched doorway to an expansive polished-crystal table. Sheets of gold trapped inside the crystal reminded her of autumn leaves kicked up in the wind. Fall was a short season on this world, like every other season that wasn’t winter. In fact, she’d missed autumn completely this year. First there had been summer, almost too fleeting to be considered a season, then autumn had sped by before she’d next had a chance to step outdoors.

Now it was too frigid to venture past the palace doors. The cold of this world had long ago seeped into her heart. Maybe it was why she cared less and less about venturing outside. Or perhaps having to be accompanied everywhere by Tibor Frix and his merry band of eunuch guards had taken the enjoyment out of it. They were present at all times, except when she had to relieve herself, and only then because she’d protested.

She was the last of her line. What did she expect?

I am alone.

Her chair floated away from the table and folded around her comfortably when she sat in it. The officials waited until she was seated before they did so. “Sit, gentlemen, please.”

She threw a longing glance at the door to her private chambers. Steam floated out of the room as the attendants prepared her post-workout bath. She should be soaking in cloud-bell scented water, not putting up with these insufferable men who wanted to talk about the most boring subjects imaginable.

“Your Majesty, the news we bring you today is troubling,” Rissallen said. “There is a new and serious threat to the Coalition. I have confirmed reports of an encounter between a planetary acquisition force and a rogue planet at the edge of civilized space. The world is known as Earth, and they appear to maintain a substantial battle fleet. We cannot as yet determine the types of vessels, nor their technological level, but we have teams working on it.”

Tibor Frix interrupted. “Is the palace at risk?” The sharpness in his tone caught Keira’s attention. He rarely spoke up, but his eyes were focused like lasers on the prime minister.

“It was a show of force only. They made no move to attack. We are still the larger power by far, but they are respectable in their own right. That we didn’t know about them before is the issue that disturbs me. Where do their loyalties lie? This we must determine.”

“They’re nothing but a frontier world,” Keira exclaimed. “Country bumpkins. Yet you act as if they have the ability to swing the balance of power in the galaxy.”

“They could.” The warning in the officer’s eyes made her shiver. “If they were to align themselves with the Drakken.”

Keira went very still. She refused to admit to fear—she’d rather die than do so—but the mere thought of the warlord bringing his army to the palace gates stabbed fear deep into her heart. Not only would he want to conquer her Coalition worlds, he would want to conquer her. Or his son would. He was growing old, but his heir was nearing adulthood, she’d heard. It was said the teen would likely grow up to be worse than his sire.

“No more talk of the Drakken Empire,” she commanded. “Earth will join us. You will find a way to make it so.”

“I’ve called an emergency session of parliament,” said Rissallen. “Your Majesty, in light of this threat to our national security, it would reflect well if you attended.”

He wanted her to go into that chamber? Keira fought a wave of dizziness. The thought of the cavernous room, the noise of many voices…Her head spinning in confusion, the grief choking her,