Mission To Mahjundar (6 page)

“But the dead have infinite patience, Major. Surely you can spare a few days for the living?” Leaning forward, she set her glass on the table, perilously close to the edge.

He shifted the glass to a safer location. “Your Highness—”

“You may call me Shalira, if you like.” Scooting slightly toward him, smiling, she raised her elegantly curved eyebrows. “One who has saved the life of a princess is entitled to the use of her name.”

“Thank you, I’m honored, Shalira, but—”

“Would you let the life you saved be lost so soon?” Tears shimmered in the depths of her unseeing brown eyes as she turned her face directly to him. Mike couldn't look away, even though he knew she wasn’t actually seeing him, or his reactions. He put his glass on the table too hard, cracking the base.

“There are those who don’t want me to reach my wedding. The palace rustles with rumors of plots, schemes in motion to take advantage of this final opportunity to kill me. Once I’m safe with my bridegroom-to-be, I’ll be beyond the schemers’ reach, but I have to
get
to him.” Shalira rubbed her elegant fingers across the pendant as if it were an amulet giving her strength. “I hope that if you ride with me, those who plan my murder will be afraid to proceed under the attention of outworlders.”

What do I say to this
? He hadn’t anticipated an appeal along these dramatic lines. “Do you think the bomb yesterday was an attempt to assassinate you?”

“No, assuredly Maralika was the target.” Shalira shook her head. “The empress is pursuing a host of unpopular actions—forbidding the older forms of worship, tearing down temples, forcing the people to pay taxes to her new gods, consolidating power for herself and her son. My father is not a well man, Major. Everyone knows he doesn’t have long to live, and she plans to rule when he’s gone.”

“But there’s opposition to her?” Mike was aware there was. Planetary politics had been a prominent part of his briefing, but he was curious how much Shalira might add.

“Her son is the heir since my brother was murdered, but the throne of Mahjundar has often been claimed by bloodshed rather than by rule of law. I
have
to get away from here, before the emperor dies.” She laughed, the sound bitter. “Playing the Princess of Shadows won’t protect me after his death.”

“Princess of Shadows?”
Nothing about that in our briefing.
He remembered the empress had also used the term to refer to Shalira.

“It’s an old folktale about a girl of royal blood who hid from her enemies in the shadows of the palace walls, disguised as a beggar, until her true love rescued her.” Gesturing to her eyes, Shalira said, “It’s meant as an insult to me, since I can’t see, not even shadows, and I’ve lived the past fifteen years on the fringes of the court, out of the ‘sun.’ I’m tolerated, protected only because my mother was the emperor’s Favorite till she died. If I reach the safety of my bridegroom's people, then I’ll be safe, free of the empress’s plotting and hate. My mother’s clan is among his subjects.” Shalira blinked hard, and then her face crumpled as she wept.
 

Used to comforting younger sisters in distress, Mike didn't hesitate. Moving closer, he gathered her against his shoulder and let her sob without interruption for several minutes. Patting her back, he realized she was overwrought and genuinely fearful. Her apparently genuine distress pulled at his sympathies. When the wrenching sobs became small hiccups and sniffs, he reached for the lacy napkin beside the juice pitcher.

As he pushed the soft cloth into her hand, he said, “I don't know the rights and wrongs of the situation with your complicated family, but if you attach so much importance to having Johnny and me ride along for a few days, I guess I can stretch my mission schedule.”
And what Johnny will say when I change our orders, I’m not going to think about. Dancing attendance—playing bodyguard—for a minor Mahjundan princess is not the way Command deploys first-tier military resources.

Wiping her eyes, she sat up, long lashes starred together from the tears. “You’ll ensure I get to my wedding alive?”

I’ve never seen such a beautiful woman before, nor one less aware of her own effect on me. Probably a good thing.
He took her right hand in his. “Among my people, a bargain is sealed with a handshake. My word as an officer, I'll do my best to protect you while we ride together. Fair enough?”

She wrapped her fingers around his, clinging to his hand, bringing it to her soft cheek. “More than I’d dared to hope, Major.”

“The name is Mike.” He released the trembling fingers. “Is there anything else we should discuss? Anything you think I need to know?”

She reached for her glass, and Mike surreptitiously nudged it closer to her searching hand. “It's hard for me to talk about this.” Shalira took tiny sips of the rubyfruit juice, as if playing for time.

“If you'd rather not, I can ask Saium. Don't distress yourself.” Mike hated to see her so uncomfortable.

“Empress Maralika is sending me to my wedding with a handpicked escort of men loyal to her. The officer she put in command, Captain Vreely, is the man I’ve always believed was involved in my brother’s murder and the attack which left me blind. I’ve no actual memories of the events, only feelings and forebodings. Nightmares.” Shalira lowered her head for a minute, touching her eyelids with a delicate hand. “Any imperfection is abhorred in our society, you know. The failure of my eyes kept suitors from seeking my hand once I was of age.”

Mahjundan men are idiots—her eyes are the most beautiful I’ve ever seen
.
She’s one of the most gorgeous women I’ve ever met.
Mike forced his thoughts away from the princess’s beauty, concentrating on the matter under discussion. “But this chieftain you’re going to marry knows you can't see?”

Shalira seemed troubled, wrinkling her brow and lowering her sightless eyes as she started worrying the fringe on the closest pillow, but all she said was, “A large dowry has been paid. He’ll keep me safe, and I’ll be happy living freely in the open forests, away from this hot, hateful city.”
 

Mike pondered the ramifications of what she’d shared, added to the quick overview Saium had given him in the hall. “So you've never actually met this guy?”
 

Bristling as if she heard unwarranted criticism in his tone, she said, “No. Why does it matter? Arranged marriages are the custom for the high-born on Mahjundar. It is how things are done.” She tilted her head, sculpted eyebrows drawn together in a frown.

“I see.”
If it’s fine with her, it’s hardly my place to question the arrangement. Why do I care, anyway?
But his mind had moved on to the topic of how well a palace-bred princess would fare in the wilderness with forest nomads.
What is it with me and this woman? I just met her yesterday. She’s none of my concern.

Fortunately unaware of his consternation, she was providing her misgivings about the trip in calm detail. “I don’t know how Maralika plans to have me killed. Many things can happen on a journey, safely out of sight of the city. Maybe the horse she insists I ride will throw me and save her henchmen the trouble of committing a crime.” The princess rubbed her arms as if suddenly chilled. “I think she’s been hoping for such a fate, ever since she gave me the cursed animal.”

Mike took her hand to prevent her from worrying at the knotted fringe of a pillow between them. “We'll settle the easiest problem first and switch horses, all right? I’ll have Saium show me the stables. We’ll pick a nice calm mare or gelding for you.”

“Already, you chip away at my biggest worries.” Impulsively, she hugged him.

Patting her back in his best imitation of an avuncular acquaintance, Mike discreetly pulled away, disturbed by how his body responded to the softness of her curves, the enticing perfume. This was no time to start thinking of Shalira as a potential bedmate. If any woman ever had to be strictly off-limits, it was her.
Unfortunately.
He cleared his throat.
“It's all settled, then. Johnny and I’ll dance at your wedding in the highlands before we continue on our way to accomplish our own mission.”

“I ask no more.”

She might not ask, Mike thought, as he made his way through the mazelike corridors to his own suite and the waiting Sgt. Danver, but he had a suspicion something more would end up being required of him by events on this ad hoc excursion he'd just agreed to.
What had the mission briefers said? Nothing was ever simple and straightforward on Mahjundar. Expect the unexpected. Yeah, but who could have foreseen this set of complications? Princesses are the stuff of kids’ fairy tales, not an assignment for a first-tier operator like me.

As the door closed behind Mike, Shalira laid her head on the back of the couch, toying with the pillow fringe again.
Thank Pavmiraia he agreed to accompany me tomorrow. I know my father left him virtually no choice, but Mike doesn’t seem to be the kind of man who’d be diverted from his mission without a fight.
Probably a good idea she’d decided to add a personal appeal this morning. Or at least that’s what she’d told Saium, hoping he couldn’t hear her heart beating faster at the idea of more private time with the outworlder.
I wonder what he looks like?
His voice was deep, his accent charming, with a little lilt she enjoyed.
Especially when he says my name. He’s taller than I am, taller than most men at Court—I could tell yesterday when he was leading me through the streets. Strong, no nonsense. He gave his word to protect me on this journey. Hopefully, his escort, plus the other precautions I’ve already taken, will be enough to foil whatever Maralika is planning.
Swallowing hard, she reviewed the few arrangements she’d put in place for this journey into the unknown. Bone weary after the emotional meeting with Major Varone on top of her encounter with her father in the middle of the night, Shalira allowed herself to drift off into a nap. Saium, faithful as always, would be guarding the door.

CHAPTER THREE

Sighing in contentment, Mike surveyed the road to the east, where not even a wisp of the city could be seen any longer. His horse shifted footing on the ridge.
Good to be on horseback again, after too many years away from my home planet. I can’t wait to finish this assignment and get back there. Stake my claim, start my own ranch.
Far below, a couple of miles away on the great road, Mike saw the dust cloud from their caravan. A wave of dissatisfaction passed through him like acid, ruining his peaceful mood.
Maybe I should have fought harder against being drafted into this large group, which is
not
going in a straight line to my mission’s location
.
But when Shalira added her appeal to the emperor's order—

I’m a fool for allowing myself to be persuaded, even by a blind princess with beautiful eyes. I know better than to delay the job Johnny and I are on.
Mike unfastened his canteen and took a deep drink of the lukewarm water. All the tech on this closed planet was old-fashioned, even the canteens. But until they split off on their own, he and Johnny didn't want to bring out too much of their customized gear for fear of arousing Mahjundan suspicions of contraband. Closed planets ruled by despots were invariably paranoid about imported technology reaching the citizens.
 

Mike shook his head to clear the cobwebs, anchor himself in the present moment, here on the trail.
I'd better get back to the column before dark.
He checked the trio of fat game bird carcasses tethered by the feet to the rear of the saddle. Hunting for the dinner stewpot had been his excuse to take the black stallion for a long run over the broken country, tire the high spirited animal out, settle him down.
Better not leave Johnny, Saium and Rojar to keep tabs on Vreely's thugs for too long without reinforcements.

As Mike descended the last rise toward the caravan, Johnny split off from the column and galloped to meet him.

“I see you had good hunting,” his cousin said, as soon as they were close enough to exchange words. “Vreely is spitting solar flares about where you went and when you’d be back. I learned some fine new Mahjundan swear words when he expressed his opinion of you riding Shalira’s horse.”

Mike patted the black stallion on the neck. “We got along fine once he understood who was boss. Vreely bothering the princess at all?”

“No. She told him she gave you the horse as a further reward for saving her life in the plaza. He shut up then. Actually, he's pretty much ignoring her. He's setting a hell of a pace though. My butt is
sore
and all my muscles are tied up in knots.” Johnny stood in the stirrups for a moment, causing his chestnut horse to flick its ears and sidle across the path a few steps.

“I know what you mean.” Mike laughed as they turned their mounts and headed back to the road together. “Last time we rode something without wheels or antigrav was on spring roundup in the high pastures, remember? When we were on leave?” Too late, he remembered the occasion he was recalling was prior to the most disastrous mission they’d ever run, so he changed the subject. “What's Vreely's rush?”

“Dunno. He has a specific campsite he wants to reach tonight. Princess Shalira is holding up all right, so I didn't see any point in complaining. After all, we're
supposed
to be in a hurry ourselves.” Chewing on a toothpick, Johnny glanced sideways at Mike. “You’re not getting ideas about this girl, are you?”

Mike knew it would be futile to put his cousin off. They’d known each other for too long. “I find her attractive. And I admire her guts.”