Lord Regret's Price: A Jane Austen Space Opera, Book 3 (10 page)

“I understand, my lady, yet the Emperor’s life must be protected above all. No weapons are allowed in his presence.” Prince Gong paused, giving significance to his words. “When you’re in his presence, the Emperor will assume full responsibility for your protection. To attack you will be the same as attacking him, and I assure you that any such attack is met with extreme expediency by his guards.”

So it sounded like they wouldn’t be required to give up their weapons until they entered the Palace proper. Hopefully the precautions she’d taken to hide as many of their weapons as possible would be sufficient.

Of course Sig openly wore his silver- and ivory-hilted pistols, as well as countless blades. He had a certain reputation to uphold. It would be alarming if the most infamous assassin in the galaxy arrived without a single weapon on his person, even if he’d expected the authorities would require him to surrender those weapons before they were allowed inside.

Charlotte’s attention was drawn to a large viewing window at the bow of the barge. Tendrils of pink spun across the blackness of space, as if searching for them.

“A wormhole.” She breathed out a sigh. “Of course. That’s how you’ve kept the location of Xuanyuan secret for so long. It’s not actually in the Zijin system at all.”

Prince Gong winced again, his eyes and mouth tight with displeasure. “The lady’s as formidable as we were warned. Yes, a wormhole provides entrance to Xuanyuan.” He turned away to a small side panel and entered something she couldn’t read. The light emitted by the wormhole changed, swirling from pink to a rich golden hue like pure, molten sunlight. “We’ve programmed the wormhole to certain frequencies, which of course change by the moment to prevent unauthorized entry. Enter the wrong frequency and you will never escape the black hole at the core.”

He turned to Charlotte and smiled, this one more genuine. “Only the Emperor has access to the location codes. Our programmers encrypt the codes so that only this device—” he indicated the panel, “—or one like it can enter the correct code. Once we’re in Xuanyuan, you’ll be safe, Your Grace. Your formidable Queen will never be able to reach you.”

And we may never be able to escape, either.
She shared a silent glance with Sig, and he tipped his dashing hat in acknowledgment.

“Since the Emperor’s protected on the other side of this wormhole, I can see why he’s so eager to cast edicts to Queen Majel.” She used her most formidable, cold Duchess voice. “But what will happen to the rest of Zijin when Her Majesty’s warships arrive?”

“All precautions have been taken.” Prince Gong directed their attention back to the wormhole with a dismissive gesture. “Zijin has ruled this corner of the galaxy for hundreds of thousands of years, Your Grace. We were civilized before Britannia managed to build sod huts in Londonium.”

Charlotte held her breath—and her words. Britannia had assimilated more ancient civilizations and cultures than she could count. She greatly feared Zijin would be just another system to fall, and the prince’s arrogance certainly didn’t help. They wouldn’t listen to her until it was too late.

Even the most secure computer system could be hacked, as she very well knew.

In fact, all it would take was for one of her nanobots to find itself in their computer system, and she’d quickly learn all their secrets. And since MIGS had stolen and warped her technology…

It might already be too late for them.

There’s only one way to find out, of course. I’ll have to infect them first.

Staring at the spiraling lights sucking them in, Gil hoped his face wasn’t turning green. He’d faced a great many dangerous things in his life without pause, but his stomach didn’t like the idea of falling into an endless black hole.

“Hold on,” Prince Gong said without turning away from the dizzying viewscreen. “It’s sometimes a little bumpy.”

Charlotte opened her mouth—presumably to tell them both to sit down—when the bottom seemed to drop out of the ship. Gil hit the floor so hard he couldn’t keep his head from thumping against the carved foot of her seat. Sig was just as unfortunate, but at least he managed to fall on top of some padding.

Gil grunted beneath the man’s weight. One of the assassin’s hilts dug into his ribs.

“Sorry.” Sig’s tone didn’t sound very apologetic. In fact, the man seemed to be fighting back a laugh.

“Now that’s a very interesting sight.” Her low chuckle reached inside Gil like a fist and clenched around his stomach. “Though I admit I’d rather I be in between you. Are you hurt?”

Sig caught his gaze with a considering look, as though the possibility had just occurred to him. If she found pleasure in watching them touch…even accidentally like this…

Would he consider exploring it further?

Granted, she’d rather be in between them, which Gil’s mind could conjure all too easily. He wouldn’t be able to thrust, not with the two of them on top of him. But if Sig pushed into her body at the same time…

Each thrust would rock her harder onto him.

He shoved Sig off him as though the act alone would push that idea out of his head, but the image wasn’t dispelled.
Everything’s changing too fast. It’s like we’re being swept out by a flash flood into a storm-tossed sea.

He didn’t like that feeling of toppling off a cliff into the rocks and waves below. Not one bit.

Pushing to his feet, he stumbled and caught his balance against the ship’s wall, fighting to keep his feet. He met Charlotte’s gaze and he couldn’t look away. Even if they spun out of control and burst into flame inside the wormhole, he didn’t care.

He’d jump off that cliff if she was down there waiting.

He gave Sig a hand up and they each took a seat on either side of her. Perhaps they sat closer than necessary, locking her between them by bracing their thighs on either side of her skirts. Gil imagined their dual weight on top of him. The look in her dark, lustrous eyes when the other man surged into her.

A cough drew their attention to the forgotten host. Prince Gong averted his gaze, but not before Gil saw the look in his eyes. Yearning, almost jealousy. Not for Charlotte, exactly, but for what they had, even the struggles and careful juggling of emotions.

“There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Prince Gong again pointed to the viewscreen. “As you can see, we’re prepared for all eventualities. Even an unauthorized entry to Xuanyuan, as unlikely as that may be with our encrypted frequencies controlling the wormhole.”

Satellite cannon lined the exit from the wormhole. Gil let out a low whistle of appreciation. Not even one of Her Majesty’s warships would be able to sustain that kind of firepower for long.

“Too bad you haven’t protected the rest of Zijin so effectively,” Charlotte said sharply. “You can’t guarantee that this is the only pathway through which you’ll be attacked. What about the rest of your planets and settlements?”

“Precautions have been taken,” Prince Gong reiterated with a brisk cutting motion of his hand. “If you wish to discuss strategies, I suggest you take the issue up with His Majesty.”

“But you’re instrumental in your country’s defenses, are you not? I’ve done my homework, Your Highness. I know exactly what duties are yours. I know how pivotal you were in securing his throne with his lady mother’s assistance. He’s very young yet, and so you’re a trusted and experienced adviser when it comes to military provisions.”

Gil braced for the man’s displeasure at their lady’s prodding, so he was surprised by the prince’s genuine smile. “Indeed, my lady, yet I only defend according to the Emperor’s edict. I understand you speak from a position of concern for my people, so your questions only deepen my admiration for you. Yet without the Emperor’s approval, I’m not at liberty to give a foreigner any further details of Zijin’s defenses.”

Gil tried to hide a smile, but Sig snorted. When she sniffed with displeasure, he laughed out loud until even Charlotte’s frustration dissolved into a smile. “Very well, Your Highness. You’re off the hook for now.”

As they neared Xuanyuan, the cannon became even larger, both massive laser and ion cannon that could obliterate a small moon.

“It’s not defenses, exactly,” Charlotte said in a low voice. “It’s a statement.”

Prince Gong nodded. “Everything about Xuanyuan is a statement, my lady. Few are allowed to enter this space. Even fewer are allowed into the inner sanctum of the Forbidden City proper.”

“How far from Zijin are we exactly?”

He shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. There’s no known star chart for this region. We’ve never found any other route to Xuanyuan. The ships that left to explore and map the region have never returned.”

“And what if your cooperative little wormhole suddenly begins to collapse? What will your Emperor do then?”

Prince Gong gave another shrug, but he averted his gaze from her probing questions. “This wormhole has existed for hundreds of years, my lady. I wouldn’t be worried that it might collapse anytime soon.”

He’s lying about something
, Gil decided as they began the final descent toward a massive space station that dominated the viewscreen. For all they knew, there was another wormhole waiting just on the other side of Xuanyuan to take them back to Zijin proper.

Gil spared a glance to the back of the barge. The wormhole now flared a deep violet. The return frequency? Or some other location entirely?

The idea of going through such a hole—voluntarily—without knowing where it went or if one would ever get home made him queasy. What kind of person was willing to take such a risk?

As the barge was docked, Charlotte fingered the locket she always wore. Gil didn’t understand the technology, but he knew that the locket was the key to keeping Sig alive. The same technology had managed to heal her from a brutal lazor strike just weeks ago. Someone who didn’t know her might assume she was merely nervous, but she was never nervous. As they exited the barge, she lightly touched the control panel.

She’s probably bugging their ship.

The game was afoot already and all he felt was inadequacy. This kind of political waltz was not anything he was comfortable with. Protection and law enforcement, he knew, granted with an Americus flare. He knew next to nothing about Britannian politics and he was completely ignorant of the Zijin constituent. He couldn’t even assist her with her gown.

Not like Sig.

Hell, the man probably knew more about the great Houses than she did herself.

Gil pushed his frustration away with an inward huff. That was absolutely not true. No one knew politics like the legendary
Lady Wyre. Why did she keep him around when he was such a handicap? When all he could do was play the country oaf?

He didn’t doubt her love, but he yearned to prove himself invaluable in some way. To take his rightful place at her side as her husband. He didn’t have connections, fine breeding, or even wealth or titles. All he had to offer was himself—the greatest gift he could possibly give her.

If only Sig realized the same thing.

Chapter Nine

Surely no other place in the galaxy could compete with the man-made splendor of Xuanyuan. A distant Zijin Emperor had carved out his palace from the nothingness of space. Not even a moon or asteroid had provided a foundation for the impressive space station the current Emperor called home.

Charlotte tried not to gape about her like a foreigner, but quickly succumbed to the overwhelming magnificence. A long docking station protected the main palace rather like a moat or wall would have protected castles of old. Heavily armored soldiers lined the walkways, their hard eyes tracking Charlotte’s party as they approached. Other barges lined the docks, but soaring red walls blocked access to—and view of—the inner city. High above, the defensive walls melded with the clear overhead dome enveloping the entire station. The only entry she could immediately see was directly ahead.

Once through the narrow door—and through the wall that was nearly three feet thick—she was surprised to see a wide-open and entirely empty courtyard. Stone tiles stretched as far as she could see, both ahead and to either side, wrapping around the massive outer walls. “How large is Xuanyuan?”

“Approximately the size of two Londoniums to our calculations,” Prince Gong replied proudly. “Each Emperor leaves his mark on the city by expanding it in some way, so it’s constantly growing and changing.”

“But how do you power it? Are you orbiting a planet? Where do you get your resources?”

Prince Gong smiled. “All in due time, my lady. Our scientists will be delighted to converse with someone of your renown.”

The walk across the courtyard seemed to take an eternity. Guards mounted on the high walls stared down at them, increasing the sense of anxiety. She could all too easily imagine the carnage if an army somehow managed to fly through the wormhole, escape the massive cannon and breach the outer docks, only to enter this inner sanctum. Even running at top speed, it would take long minutes to cross the courtyard—all while hundreds of soldiers rained fire and hell down on them from the high wall’s vantage points.

“I’m the most infamous assassin in the known universe, with too many kills to count…” Sig bent so he whispered in her ear, “…and this place is making even me sweat. There’s no way I could cross this plaza and live to tell about it if they decided to stop me.”