Ristèard Unwilling Empress (5 page)

“Make sure that the female in my cabin remains there,” he instructed. “If anything should happen, you are responsible for keeping her safe at all cost.”

Both men looked back at him with grim, determined faces. “Yes, sir,” they replied, before turning and entering the open lift.

Satisfied that Ricki would be protected, he continued on his journey to the bridge. He did not have the time or the patience to deal with anyone who would destroy Elipdios for their own selfish reasons. He nodded to Andras before turning his gaze to the elderly councilman.

“Manderlin, what do you want?” Ristèard asked bluntly.

Ricki leaned forward in front of the small mirror to make sure that she looked her normal, efficient self. Hair pulled back into a bun, check. Lip gloss touched up, check. Dress… Well, there was not much she could do about the wrinkles, but she had cleaned the smudges of dirt off from where she had climbed the tree. That had not been her smartest decision, but it had been the only one that she could think of when she realized how close the man had been to catching her.

“Not that it had mattered in the end,” she said to her reflection. “This will just have to do. Now, to try to figure out what is going on.”

Ricki started to close her purse when she saw the small crystal disk with the information she had downloaded to read. Biting her lip, she pulled it out and held it in the palm of her hand, staring at it with a frown. Glancing back into the cabin, the familiar outline of an information tablet caught her attention.

Picking up her purse, she walked back into the main area of the cabin and over to the long couch. The room was about the size of a large hotel suite back home. It contained a bed slightly larger than a super King-size bed, a small narrow table with two chairs, the couch and a matching chair positioned near what looked like a window, but upon a second glance proved to be just a screen to make it look like one and a large bathroom with a sink, toilet, and shower.

The entire thing was rather utilitarian. It was obvious it was built and designed for efficiency, not relaxation. Ricki adjusted her glasses, thankful that they hadn’t been lost during her kidnapping. Crossing the room, she picked up the tablet before moving over to the table where she sat down.

Tapping it, she frown in frustration when she saw it was locked. Biting her lip, she frowned. She had the same issue back on Kassis when she was trying to access information from the archives. Indecision held her for several seconds before she opened her purse again and pulled out a second crystal disk.

She had mentioned to Stan her frustration at always having to ask for assistance from the Master Archive Librarian. The next day, Stan had given her this disk with a wink and told her to never leave home without it.

“If you want information, Ricki, this program is the magic key,” Stan had teased. “Pop it in any terminal and it will open any doors you want.”

Ricki didn’t think it would really work, but it had. Whatever coding Stan had written, it appeared to know how to ‘talk’ with the coding in the archive files. She didn’t know if it would work here, but it was worth a try.

Sliding the thin disk into the side of the tablet, she watched as the familiar symbols flashed across the screen. Her eyes widened in surprise and delight when she saw that she had access. She opened her purse and pulled out the slim scanner that Jazin had given her. She loved the way it worked, translating the symbols of their language into English. While it wasn’t always perfect, it was close enough that she could usually comprehend what the data meant.

She glanced up at the door, suddenly feeling guilty, before shrugging. She didn’t ask to be kidnapped and the tablet had been left out in the open, so it wasn’t like she was doing anything wrong. Besides, she was smart enough to know when to use the resources around her to get the information she wanted.

Slipping Stan’s miracle chip out, she placed it back into its protective sleeve and returned her attention to the document that was opened on the screen. It looked like some type of report. Frowning, she ran the scanner over the smooth surface, reading the words that appeared on it.

“Status: Critical,” she murmured. “Generators in zones four, eight, ten, sixteen, and twenty-one are showing beginning signs of failure. Shield capacity down to forty-three percent. Additional failures expected to occur within weeks. Radiation level has increased by point zero-two percent. Recommendation: evacuation of planet. Estimated deaths….”

Ricki’s voice faded at the unthinkable number of lives expected to be lost. Tears blurred her vision when she finished reading the report. It was mind boggling to think of an entire planet wiped out and the weight of despair that Ristèard Roald must be feeling.

“It must be overwhelming to be the leader of a world and know that so many depend on you,” she whispered, brushing at the tear coursing down her cheek. Touching the screen, she reduced the report. Her eyes widened when she saw the screen open behind it. “What the…!”

She was staring at a mirror image of herself, yet, it wasn’t. Her fingers trembled slightly as they touched the photograph of the stone carving. Moving the scanner down over the words, she hesitantly read them.

“Only known image of the Empress of Elipdios. Information transcribed from the ancient stone tablet found in the Lost City states she will return to Elipdios during its bleakest time to save it. The rest of the tablet was extensively damaged by erosion and no other information could be read,” Ricki whispered, staring back up at the image of herself… the Ancient Empress. “Oh God,” she moaned, shaking her head. “They think I’m their missing Empress!”

Ajaska Ja Kel Coradon walked over to the small alcove in the office to pour himself a drink. He desperately needed it to curb the fire burning through him. He loved a challenge and he had definitely found one with Katarina Danshov.

He quickly downed the double shot of potent liquor he had poured. Wiping his hand across his mouth, he poured another one before turning when he heard Walter Bailey’s loud, angry voice echoing in the corridor as he came closer.

“Torak, I demand you do something!” Walter bellowed in aggravation as he hurried into the room. “I demand retribution.”

Ajaska glanced at his oldest son, he had passed his position as ruler of Kassis to Torak several years before. He and Torak had decided it was best for him to be involved on the Alliance Council since he already knew many of the council members from the different star systems.

Ajaska watched as Torak rose out of his chair, motioning for Walter and Nema to have a seat. Torak waited until the servant that followed Walter into the room brought in the refreshments for the Ringmaster and his tiny wife before he said anything.

“What appears to be the problem?” Torak asked.

“That huge blue bastard has kidnapped my daughter is the problem!” Walter snarled, setting his tea on the tall side table near the couch. “Stan has finally woken. He said that Ristèard Roald attacked him and Ricki last night. He fought off two men, but another one must have come up behind him and shot him full of a sedative. He wanted to know if Ricki was okay. She never returned home last night. You have to do something immediately! God only knows what that brutal bastard will do to her.”

Nema reached over and tightly gripped Walter’s hand. Tears glimmered in her eyes as she stared at the small group of people in the room. She looked with pleading eyes from Torak to Ajaska.

Ajaska wasn’t too concerned with Ricki’s disappearance. He had been briefed by his security team the moment Stan had been found. He glanced at Jazin who nodded to him and he stepped up to stand beside him.

“Were you able to confirm the information that Jarmen gave us?” Jazin asked under his breath, glancing over his shoulder at Torak before his eye’s darkened when they landed on his own mate.

Jarmen D’ju was a male his youngest son, Jazin, had rescued from an illegal research facility. The man was unlike anything he had ever seen, but if Jazin trusted him, then so would he. He knew very little about him, except he was a ghost who moved in the shadows. Jazin mentioned the two had been working on a number of different defense systems and that Jarmen would be leaving soon.

“Yes, I spoke briefly with Ristèard,” Ajaska whispered, watching with amusement as Torak became distracted when River entered the room. He had always hoped that his sons would find their mate. There was no denying Torak had found his in River. For a moment, the image of a dark haired, fire-breathing hellcat flashed through his mind. His fingers moved absently to the long, narrow slits in his shirt even as a grin curved his lips. “He admitted that he kidnapped Ricki.”

Jazin frowned at his father’s amusement. “Well, did you tell him he needed to bring her back? You know that we offered protection to all the humans. Manota warned him when he was here that Ricki was under the protection of the royal family.”

“Ristèard may be a cold, brutal bastard, but he is also a fair one,” Ajaska murmured. “He won’t hurt her.”

“So, you are just going to let him take her?” Jazin asked in disbelief.

“Of course not,” Ajaska replied with a grin, listening as Walter demanded Torak to do something about his daughter’s kidnapping.

“What about my daughter?” Walter demanded, standing up and waving his short arms in the air in aggravation. “What are you going to do?”

Ajaska shook his head and grinned at Jazin. “Kidnap her back,” he replied loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. “Right from under his royal blue nose.”

*.*.*

Ristèard stared at the elderly councilman in frustration. Manderlin had come to warn him that another plot was underway to kill him. He turned to stare out the viewport, his mind churning with fury. It had been dangerous for him to leave Elipdios at this volatile time, but his hands had been tied.

He was scheduled to meet with the rest of the council in less than two hours. Manderlin had come to warn him that several of the councilmen were pushing to have him and his elite security guard arrested for treason. Treason!

“Who is pushing it?” Ristèard demanded, not turning around.

A tired sigh escaped Manderlin. “Texla and Raomlin,” the elderly councilman replied. “But, I do not think they are the ones who started it. There is someone else influencing them. You said that the Kassisan traitor was killed almost a month ago, did you not? I fear he is not the only one.”

Ristèard turned at Manderlin’s softly spoken words. He could tell the man didn’t realize that he had spoken aloud. His eyes narrowed on the wrinkled face, noting the lines of fatigue and stress.

“What are you not telling me?” He demanded in a cold voice. “Why do you think the council is working with someone else?”

Ristèard took a step toward where Manderlin had sunk down in the chair at the table in the command room. He was determined to get to the bottom of the constant threats that had increased over the past six months. Turning, he looked over his shoulder with an irritated scowl when the door to the room suddenly opened. Harald stood in the entrance, staring at him with a resigned expression.

“What is it now?” Ristèard demanded in frustration.

He saw Harald grimace at the sharp tone in his voice. It took a moment to realize why Harald had interrupted him after he had instructed him not to let anyone in. There was a shimmer of sunlight colored hair barely visible over Harald’s right shoulder, testament to why his trusted guard had ignored his order.

“She demanded to see you,” Harald replied, stepping to the side with an apologetic glance.

Ristèard turned his scowl on Ricki. The dark look deepened when all she did was raise one delicate eyebrow at him and stepped past Harald with a polite murmur of thanks. What the hell was she doing out of his cabin? He would have the heads of the two men he had assigned to keep her there.

“What are you doing here?” He snapped. Almost immediately, he regretted his harsh tone. He shifted uneasily when she continued into the room, looking him in the eye while pressing her lips tightly together in disapproval at his tone. “It isn’t safe for you to be roaming the ship,” he muttered when she stopped a short distance from him.

His eyes swept over her, taking in every minute detail. Her hair was back into the familiar, upward twist that she always wore. His fingers actually twitched and he had to clench them into a fist to keep from reaching out and pulling it loose again. She had smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress and had her matching carry bag on one shoulder. His gaze swept over her willowy figure, pausing on the tablet in her hands. It looked suspiciously like his. His gaze returned to her face and he almost winced when she released a heavy sigh. How the release of a breath could say so much, he would never understand, but he could almost feel her exasperation with him in it.

“How do you do?” Ricki asked, turning away from him to focus on Manderlin. “I’m Ricki Bailey. I hope I’m not interrupting anything too important, but it was imperative that I speak with Grand Ruler Roald. I hope you'll forgive my intrusion.”

Ristèard folded his arms across his chest as he watched Ricki. She was shaking the bemused councilman’s hand and chatting with him, asking him what his position was and where he was from. She even asked him about his family! Irritation and frustration flashed through him when he saw the crusty old bastard smile at her in return. He was about to say something when she turned to look at him.

“I truly am sorry to have interrupted your meeting, but what I have to say couldn’t wait. I read the report that was sent to you and several things reminded me of some recent information I had read about back on Kassis,” Ricki explained, looking him in the eye with a very serious expression. “While I don’t have a clear picture yet, I believe it might be relevant to the situation at hand.”

“Situation?” Ristèard asked, frowning. He glanced uneasily at Manderlin. “Which report are you talking about and how did you get access to my login?”

He watched Ricki calmly reach up and adjust her glasses. A silent curse flashed through his mind when his fingers twitched again. What was it about this female that made him want to mess up her cool, touch-me-not, composure?

“You’re looking like a little boy denied a chance to put a frog down the front of a girl’s top,” she murmured, pressing her lips together when his eyes immediately zoomed in on the front of her dress. “I would not recommend it.”

“Recommend what?” Ristèard asked in a husky voice.

He reluctantly dragged his eyes away from the modest cut of her dress and back to her face. A slight, unfamiliar flush stained his cheeks when he saw the amusement fighting with a tint of worry.

She shook her head. “I came because I read a section in the report that triggered a memory of something else I had come across when researching the history of Kassis,” she explained. “Is this information I should share with you in private, or can the other gentlemen also be included? Personally, I think it might be better if Councilman Manderlin were to remain as it pertains to an area he might be more familiar with than you.”

Ristèard glanced over his shoulder where Andras was leaning back against the wall, silently watching everything that was happening, before he turned his attention back to Manderlin. The elderly councilman was staring at Ricki with an awed expression on his face. Curiosity fought with his natural instinct for privacy. A surprising sense of admiration filled him when he saw that she was patiently waiting for his answer. In the short period of time since he had first met her, he was discovering more and more about her personality and character that he not only admired, but trusted, something reserved for only a few select people close to him. She did not try to convince him, but instead waited for his decision.

He nodded, surprising himself. “Go ahead,” he replied with a jerk of his head.

“Thank you,” she said with a slight bow of her head. “Perhaps a short background will help you understand my methodology and why I believe there is a connection to the  archived data from Kassis and the current situation on Elipdios. Back home on my world, one of my specialties was being able to read through, interpret, and organize large amounts of information so that I could determine the most efficient way to handle any issues before they could occur. I found having advanced knowledge of the countries we were traveling to tremendously helped me when dealing with the local governments. It often helped to prevent any unnecessary problems that could arise when dealing with the different cultures. It also gave me a better understanding of their laws and how to make sure that we did not violate any of them.”

Ristèard reached over and pulled out the chair next to Ricki, motioning for her to sit down and continue with her explanation. Once she was seated, he moved around the table and took the chair opposite her so he could study her face as she talked. He discretely touched a button on the controller attached to the belt around his waist. His eyes flickered to  the tablet Ricki was holding. Some instinct told him to record what she was about to share for future reference. One thing he had learned long ago was to never take his gut feelings for granted. It had saved his life, and the lives of his men, on too many occasions.

“Continue,” Ristèard said, folding his arms across his chest and sitting back in his seat.