Starcrossed - Bianca D'Arc Page 0,86
understood it for the miracle it truly was.
“Sire, there’s an urgent meeting in the Council chambers. They’ve asked if I would invite you and your lady to join them,” Xeer said promptly. “I’m glad to see you back in one piece, milady,” he added, smiling at Ginny.
“Glad to be back,” Ginny replied casually, smiling back at Xeer. Krysta joined their group, and Xeer fell in to walk beside her.
“I reinstituted the Grand Council when I came back to the palace,” Tigh explained to Ginny as they walked. “It’s made up of men of power and wealth from all across our space. Those who cannot be here in person participate over dedicated and highly secure comm channels. They’ve been in charge of rebuilding our society since the disaster, and they’ve done a good job, so far. The thing is, there are some hardheads on the Council. I’ve left them alone because smothering dissent is something Elius did that I do not want to repeat, but I’m afraid you are not universally liked by the men on the Council. I just wanted to warn you, and I’ll understand if, after your ordeal today, you’d rather skip this meeting.”
Ginny took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “I’ve never run from a fight,” she told him. “Let’s just get this over with.”
“That’s my beloved Velkir,” he murmured for her ears alone. As a result, she was smiling as they entered the Council chambers, as was Tigh.
What he didn’t expect, and couldn’t have predicted, was the utter silence as the men within the chamber noted their arrival. One by one, as Ginny passed, every man in the room dropped to one knee. On the comm screens set up all around the chamber, cams zoomed out to show the men at the other end of the comm channels doing the same. Even those who Tigh had noted as being especially hostile to the idea of taking a human woman to be empress.
Their tunes had changed. Radically. Had the recording of today’s events done that? Tigh had to think it probably had. Amazing.
Lord Alfar, who had been particularly brutal in his words against Tigh’s mission to the human galaxy, came forward and dropped to one knee right in front of Ginny. Tigh stayed alert, wondering how this would unfold. Whatever happened, he’d be ready.
“My lady,” Lord Alfar began, his words loud but trembling a bit, a far cry from his usual bombastic style. “We have seen what transpired today, and we acknowledge the second miracle of your arrival. Those of us who doubted the wisdom of doing as our emperor has done are in doubt no more. We offer welcome to you, and apologies to the emperor, and seek both of your forgiveness.”
Tigh stood back to see what Ginny would say or do. This was a test for her, and he could not help. If he tried to step in, that would set a bad precedent. She had to sink or swim on her own for the moment, though Tigh would always be there to try to save her, should she do the former.
“I accept your welcome, my lord,” she replied graciously. “But forgiveness must be given by the Goddess. I am not Her, though she has seen fit to use me as Her weapon.” Ginny’s ironic tone was apparent to Tigh, though he didn’t think the others would hear it. “I guess you’ve all seen the recording?”
Nods all around from the men still on the ground confirmed Tigh’s suspicions. It was time for him to say something. Ginny had hit just the right tone. Now, it was time to show them all that they would rule together, as a pair.
“Please rise, my friends,” Tigh said, gesturing for them all to get up off the floor. “I am pleased beyond words to find you willing to accept my lady,” he told them as they hesitantly rose, a few at a time. “I know we have not always seen eye to eye in this chamber, nor do I expect us to do so always, but on this, the path is clear. I’m glad you see that now.”
“And I’m glad to say that Doctor Gruber is no more. He has paid for his crimes with his life,” Ginny put in, like the bloodthirsty war commander she was. Anyone who saw her now, saw not the mild-mannered empress, but the Velkir, in all her glory. “Anyone who aided him in my abduction is welcome to repent their ways. The