Royal Recruit - Susan Grant Page 0,68

have explained away his death?

An accident. A tragic accident.

Keira’s theory that the warlord wanted her as his daughter-in-law made sense. Yet the Coalition had given Earth her hand in marriage to secure their alliance. That it had occurred at all meant Coalition loyalists still ran the show—a good thing. But with Drakken loyalists inside the palace undermining every move—not good.

Who was who? It was like playing chess when all the pieces were the same color.

Jared accepted the offer of a heated blanket from the Marines and wrapped it around Keira. With his arm around her, their heads lowered into the stinging wind, he ran with her to the waiting rovers. As they lifted off, his wife scrutinized Fair Cirrus with narrowed eyes and frowned as she scanned the other soldiers’ faces. Jared knew what she was thinking because it mirrored his own thoughts: whom could she trust, and whom couldn’t she? Only one course of action made sense: trust no one.

Including you.

Jared winced. His wife was surrounded by liars. Damn it, he couldn’t stand knowing he was one of them. It was time to come clean.

Chapter Eighteen

The group arrived at the palace to much interest and speculation. As Keira and Jared strode inside surrounded by soldiers on all sides, palace workers peeked at them, whispering behind hands. Keira knew it was because she was so rarely seen outside her quarters.

That was about to change. She was ready to take on the role she had shunned out of fear—fear that had been instilled in her by the traitors who wished to sell her to their leader’s spawn.

She saw Rissallen approach. If he was shocked to see Jared alive, he hid it well. “Call an emergency session of parliament,” she ordered. “Now.”

“Now?” Was that the slightest of trembles she heard in the official’s voice?

“Yes. Now. Someone tried to kill my husband.”

His startled gaze swung to Jared. The man’s shock was so genuine, she felt a twinge of doubt. What if Rissallen isn’t one of the conspirators?

“As you wish,” he said, bringing a fisted hand across his chest.

“I will add extra security,” Minister Vemekk put in.

Keira glanced around. Every high-level official in the Coalition was here. Word must have spread quickly she was in danger, trapped outside the palace walls at nightfall. How could she tell her enemies from her friends when they shared the same goal—to keep her alive at all cost?

She turned to Ismae. “Minister Vemekk, give my husband a weapon—a military-grade sidearm. I want him properly equipped when he enters the halls of parliament. He needs to be able to properly defend himself if need be.”

“But weapons are illegal in the great hall, my queen.”

“Assassination is illegal too. We don’t want another tragic accident, do we?” In disgust, Keira turned away from the woman she’d thought was a friend. Certainly, she hadn’t seen her much since the marriage, but there had always been some sort of bond between them—strong women operating in the male-dominated arena of higher-echelon politics. But Vemekk was either part of the conspiracy or ignorant of it. Neither was acceptable. Keira could trust no one—no one but her husband.

She waved a hand at the flock of attendants hurrying along on the sidelines. “Go to my chambers, bring me a gown and my husband a suit—I don’t want to waste time.”

She whispered in Jared’s ear. “I also don’t want to encounter Tibor alone.” Oh, Tibor. Why you? Betrayal cut deeper than any other evil. “I can bear many things—not deceit.”

Jared’s jaw clenched.

All over Sakka and the Ring, politicians were being wrested from their activities, from sports, from dinner and perhaps from lovers’ beds. There was a feeling of excitement. Her Majesty, the Goddess-Queen of Sakka, had summoned them. When had that last occurred? Probably not since none but the oldest of them were in office—before the royal family was killed.

Hustled into a private room, she shrugged off her snow coat. Underneath she wore a skintight tank top. She kept it on out of respect for Jared. He simply abhorred her being nude or even partially nude in front of others. But that was his custom, however quaint, and she’d abide by it.

He grabbed her arm. “This is fast, Sunbeam. Are you sure you want to do this tonight?”

“You told me the day I finally walked into that room it would be because I wanted to. I do. Oh, how I do.” It promised to be a session of parliament no one would soon forget. “By the blood of