Royal Recruit - Susan Grant Page 0,70

peek of the goddess. The screen’s image faded and a new locale was displayed where a similar scene was taking place.

“Wave, Sunbeam,” he told her. “They like you.”

Hesitantly at first, then with increasing confidence, she lifted her hand in greeting. In a simultaneous wave of motion, tens of thousands of worshippers went down on one knee.

They left the giant screen behind and entered the halls of parliament. Though he’d been here twice, he could understand why it could be intimidating, especially for a little child called to face a group of strangers and learn that her family was gone forever. Keira, however, was doing fine. She seemed distant somehow, connected to a higher source of power, maybe?

He lingered with her before they parted, holding her hands in his. “Look at you,” he said in a private voice. “You’re here.”

“I am.” Her eyes sparkled with as much pride in herself as amazement.

“Give them hell, Sunbeam.” He gave her hands one last squeeze.

“I love you,” she mouthed.

“I love you too,” he said, hoping he didn’t look too pained thinking about what he had to say once they got back to their room later. A flicker of uncertainty flashed in her eyes. It made him feel worse. She sensed something was up.

Not now. As soon as this was over, they’d talk.

He sat in his designated seat in the front row along with the leaders of the Coalition, sandwiched between Rissallen and Vemekk, a pair he was sure were up to no good. He watched Keira ascend steps leading up to the podium to the throne, which for her entire reign had gone empty. No more. She sat down, looking perfectly regal.

The crowd hushed as Keira lifted an arm in a signal she was about to speak. “Greetings,” she began.

He could hear the nervousness in her voice, but she covered it well. He certainly wouldn’t want to be up there, preparing to kick verbal butt with betrayers sitting in the audience and not knowing who was who. Keira’s eyes were on fire as she began to speak. It was the passion he remembered from the day he’d first seen her. “I have come to order an investigation into a series of assassinations and attempted assassinations—murders that have been dismissed as accidents.”

Gasps and murmurs rose. Rissallen made a sound in his throat. Zaafran leaned forward to glance, surprised, at Jared. Vemekk looked as though she was plotting his demise—or, rather, his next accident.

Jared caught sight of Tibor Frix standing at attention close to an exit door. His adrenaline kicked up a notch. The guard’s full focus was on the queen. His expression was unreadable, but then it always was. Frix was an enigma. He’d won his wife’s trust, yet the chain of events today put him under suspicion.

All the chess pieces are the same color.

Jared sat back in his seat, folding his arms over his chest. First thing on the agenda after this was to tell Keira whom she’d married and why. Number two was to slam Tibor up against the wall and shake out some answers.

“I will find out those responsible and, by the goddesses, I will rid the queendom of these collaborators!”

Uneasy mumbling and hearty applause met the end of Keira’s short speech. It wasn’t her preference being on public display, her fear of it was too ingrained, but she’d done it and done well. He hoped she’d still want to celebrate her triumph after he revealed his secret.

He hoped she’d still love him.

He rose to meet his wife. Prime-Admiral Zaafran stopped him. “Your Highness, I’ll assign a squad of our best Marines to guarding your safety at all times. It may impact on your privacy, but I see no other choice.”

“If it keeps me and my wife safe, I’m fine with it.” As long as the soldiers weren’t sharing the bed with him and Keira.

“Palace security is a civilian responsibility, Prime-Admiral,” Vemekk cut in. “My office will take care of it.”

“Your office handles intelligence matters, the execution of which has been as sorely lacking lately around this palace. This is a defense matter. My office will handle it.”

Vemekk’s eyes narrowed at Zaafran. “Maybe you and your soldiers are behind the recent rash of accidents, because it seems to me you are making a brazen grab for power, stealing what should be my ministry’s responsibility.”

“Guarding the queen is the responsibility of the palace guard,” Tibor declared in his deep voice as he joined their growing group.

Jared made a derisive sound in his throat.