Starcrossed (42 page)

My heart pounded with anticipation and astonishment at my own audacity. “That’ll be fine,” I told him, hoping against hope I could pull this off. “I’ll be waiting out front.”

chabhil
(KAB-vil):
negotiation; debate; (occ.) ultimatum

I ran upstairs to change into something more presentable than my ratty sweats, brushed my hair and clipped it back, tucked the scroll-book in my pocket, then hurried—quietly—back downstairs. I’d be grounded till I was forty if Aunt Theresa caught me sneaking out again, but with Rigel’s freedom, memory, maybe even life at stake, I was more than willing to take that risk.

The kitchen door was farther from my aunt and uncle’s bedroom, so I slipped out that way, then walked up the driveway to the street. I’d only been waiting five minutes—wishing just a little for Sean’s omni and its personal climate control—when Allister pulled up.

“Thanks for the ride,” I said as politely as I could manage as I climbed in. I could tell Allister what I really thought of him after I delivered my ultimatum.

He hmphed, not unlike Aunt Theresa, and pulled away from the curb. “It’s an honor to serve, Princess.” His voice dripped sarcasm but I didn’t react. All my thoughts were focused on the meeting ahead.

The drive to the Stuarts’ house seemed longer than usual due to the chilly silence in the car and my mounting nervousness. When we finally got there, I didn’t wait for Allister to open my door but got out and walked ahead of him to the house.

Fake it till you make it,
I told myself firmly. For the next hour I had to act like I’d been brought up as royalty instead of a misfit midwestern orphan. Rigel’s life depended on how well I could carry this off.

One of the Council members I’d just met yesterday, a tall, absurdly handsome blond man named Connor, opened the front door just as I reached it. “Excellency,” he said, with that fist-over-heart bow thing. I inclined my head exactly as I’d been taught, determined to look more regal than I felt. Allister followed me in and I didn’t have to look at him to know he was scowling.

Everyone had convened around the dining room table, which conveniently seated eight. They all rose when I entered, then bowed to me in unison. Again I inclined my head, telling myself firmly that this was my due, not something that should weird me out.
 

Deliberately, ignoring the humility that had been drummed into me over the years by Aunt Theresa, I moved to the empty chair at the head of the table. Allister irked me by taking the seat at the opposite end, presumably because he was the “ranking Royal” as he liked to remind everyone.

Except now I was.

“Thank you all for meeting on such short notice,” I said, proud that my voice held only the tiniest hint of a quiver. “We had to cut our discussion short yesterday and now I’d like to continue it. A lot of facts were laid out for me, but very few of my questions were answered. Tonight I want those answers, after which I have a proposition for you.”

I paused for breath after my rehearsed spiel, half expecting some kind of protest from Allister or Kyna or someone. None came, so I continued.

“First, you must have found out by now whether Rigel has been given the same antidote I have?” I looked to Shim, who frowned unhappily.

“I did inquire, Excellency, and was told that no antidote was sent to Montana. Supposedly—” He shot a glance down the table to Allister— “that is being rectified?”

Allister, I noticed, didn’t meet my eye. “I believe so, yes.”

“You ‘believe’ so?” I echoed. “Not good enough. I want someone to verify for me—now—that Rigel has either been given the antidote, or that the antidote is on its way to him. Also, that it will
work
for him. Can you do that, Allister?”

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably. “I’ll, ah, have to make a call, but it’s awfully late—”

“It’s two hours earlier in Montana. Make the call.”
 

Reddening, he glanced around the table, clearly hoping someone would back him up or rein me in. When no one did, he took out his cell phone and got up to leave the room.

“No, here is fine,” I told him. I knew I was pushing it, but I didn’t trust him for a second to do what I asked if he was out of earshot.

With a quick glower at me, Allister made the call. “Yes, it’s me. Have some of that antidote sent to Montana on the next available flight and tell them to administer it to the boy. . . . That’s right. . . . No, never mind that. . . . Yes, yes, on my authority.”

He punched off his phone. “There. It’s done.”

“Thank you, Allister.”
 

Even though I’d clearly heard the man on the other end say,
You’re reversing your previous order?
I decided to move on rather than confront Allister about it just yet. If things went the way I hoped, his agenda wouldn’t matter. I took heart from the fact that some of the other Council members were now looking askance at Allister, too, since it was obvious even from his end of the conversation that he’d been less than honest before.

“Now that we’ve established that Rigel was
not
given any antidote,” I continued, “I want him released and returned to Jewel. Immediately.”
 

“But—” Allister motioned to his phone. Then several others spoke up.

“Excellency, that’s not possible—or prudent,” Kyna informed me.

At the same time, Connor exclaimed, “I thought you understood that he must remain there for now, if only for appearances’ sake.”

Even Shim, who had been frowning furiously at Allister a second ago, said, “I fear that could undermine our effort to have you quickly Acclaimed Sovereign by Nuath’s citizens.”

I let the storm of protests die down before responding. “Yes, I understand how important appearances are right now. You all made that clear to me, repeatedly. Believe me, I don’t want to be the cause of a civil war on Mars, which is why I’m willing to propose a compromise. Even though I don’t have to.”

“What do you mean, Excellency?” asked Breann, a stunning brunette and another high-ranking Royal.
 

“I mean that I have the authority to have Rigel released and brought back without the Council’s agreement—though I would rather have it.”

Several heads started shaking.

Malcolm, another Royal I’d met for the first time last night, spoke first. “I’m afraid you are overestimating your current power, Princess. Not only are you underage, you haven’t yet been Acclaimed or installed. There are very specific ceremonies—”

“That are traditional. I know. I’ve read all about them.” I pulled out my scroll and snapped it open on the table. “But I’ve also read
all
of Nuathan law, the entire code, which isn’t all that long. Not nearly as long as the hundreds and hundreds of pages of tradition and precedent—which I’ve also read. Isn’t it true that law always supersedes tradition?” I looked around at them all, trying to hide the fact that I was holding my breath.

Slowly, Malcolm’s head began to nod, then Breann’s and Connor’s, and finally, to my surprise, even Allister’s. But he was the one who protested next.

“None of our traditions are contrary to codified law. They would never have become traditions if they were.”

I couldn’t bring myself to look Allister in the face for fear I’d say what I really wanted to, which wouldn’t be regal at all. “Perhaps not contrary, at least under normal circumstances. But these aren’t normal circumstances, are they? When was the last time you had an underage Sovereign, with no surviving ancestor, who inherited without warning?”

“Was that Arturo, son of Tiernan?” Malcolm hazarded.

I nodded. “Almost eight hundred years ago. But the law hasn’t changed since then, nor has anything happened to overrule the precedent that was set.
Tradition
is different now, but not the law itself. Arturo took power at the age of fourteen, mediating disputes and confirming officials. He even started the space program that eventually led to the first exploratory mission to Earth. His Regent wasn’t appointed for more than two months, according to your own historical records.”

“But the Regent is always appointed—” Allister began, but I cut him off.

“According to tradition, yes. As soon as a new underage Sovereign is installed. But the two times since Arturo you’ve had an underage Sovereign, it was
not
unexpected. A Regent had already been chosen by Acclamation
and
confirmed by the previous Sovereign.”

To my surprise, it was Nara, usually so supportive, who launched the next volley. “I won’t deny for a moment that you have the right to issue whatever orders you see fit, Excellency,” she said. “But please do try to look at the larger picture. We really do have your best interests in mind, as well as those of our people.”

“What part of the larger picture?” I asked her.

“Specifically, your fitness to rule. Not that
I
doubt it for a second,” she quickly added. “But it’s terribly important that we convince the majority of our people, here and especially on Mars, as quickly as possible. If it were to become known that you ran away of your own volition—”

Now I saw where she was going. “You mean you want to use Rigel as a scapegoat so it will look like I was an unwilling victim.”

“Only . . . only temporarily,” she assured me with a placating smile.

I shook my head. “How am I more fit to lead if I was a victim instead of an instigator? The opposite should be true. Besides, how many people actually know I was gone? Did word get back to Mars about what happened?”

Everyone around the table exchanged glances, then Shim answered. “From all we’ve been able to determine, we believe not. Yet.”

“But there’s no guarantee it won’t leak out,” Kyna put in. “We had to call on the assistance of numerous people to track you down. If a single one of them should be indiscreet, much damage could be done.”

“Then we deny everything,” I told her, projecting all the confidence I could. My recent practice with Rigel helped. “Who will dare contradict the Council? And me?”

Though most of them looked uncomfortable, no one replied.

After a brief, awkward silence, Breann spoke. “There is another issue, Excellency, apart from what happened this weekend. Sean O’Gara, your destined Consort.”

I nodded. I’d been expecting this. “Again, you’re talking about tradition, not actual law. There’s nothing in the Nuathan code that specifies who I have to eventually join with. Believe me, I looked
very
carefully for that! There
is
lots of tradition, added to over the centuries, but it was never codified into law.”

I expected Allister to pipe up, so was startled when Shim spoke instead. “You’re quite correct, my dear. And perhaps by the time you are of marriageable age some sort of accommodation can be made. But at the moment we must concern ourselves with your acceptance by the Nuathan people. That must occur before anything else can proceed.”

“From all we’ve been told,” Connor said, “if young Stuart returns to Jewel, it will quickly become apparent to any observers that you have no intention of honoring Nuathan tradition in this matter. Even limited observation has revealed your clear preference for Stuart over Sean O’Gara.”
 

I glared at him. “So was it you who put spies into my very classrooms at school? How much respect does
that
show for the Sovereign?”

He sat back in his chair, blinking and stammering. “Ah, not me, personally, Excellency, I assure you! But interested parties felt it necessary—”

“It’s not necessary, and I want them gone. Tomorrow, if possible.”

Connor nodded, swallowing. “I’ll, er, make your wishes known, of course.”

“Excellency, I don’t think this is wise,” Malcolm said before I could thank Connor. “The reason there are observers at your school is to reassure those elements who are wary of an untried Sovereign after our unfortunate experience with Faxon. Those elements make up a not-insignificant percentage of our people who will need that reassurance if they are to wholeheartedly accept you.”

Kyna nodded. “He’s right. It’s all very well—not to mention quite impressive—for you to quote chapter and verse on Nuathan law.” I was surprised by the respect on her face, as she’d always been so critical. “However, as Shim just intimated, you cannot lead effectively, or at all, without the will of the people behind you. Particularly now, when they have so recently suffered a brutal and incompetent leader.”

“Which is why it’s so important for you to be seen forming a, ah, friendship with my nephew.” Allister had been unusually quiet till now, after having his falsehood exposed. “The traditionalists are your staunchest supporters right now, which means the last thing you can afford to do is alienate them.”
 

Everyone but Shim and Nara were nodding now. I felt my tenuous control of the situation slipping away.

“I understand that. I do,” I told them all earnestly. “And I do want what’s best for the Nuathan people.” As I said those words, I was startled to realize I meant them. When had
that
happened?
 

“Then you’ll agree to be guided by us, Princess?” Breann asked.

I looked her directly in the eye. “Guided, yes. Manipulated, no. And I absolutely won’t allow Rigel to be railroaded for a crime he didn’t commit, no matter what noble-sounding principles you spout to justify it. Besides, without him, I can’t be what you want me to be. Because he and I are
graell
bonded and, antidote or no antidote, we can’t live without each other.”

“But—” Allister began, and a few others murmured as well. I held up a hand to silence them and to my surprise, it worked.

“I am, however, willing to offer a compromise.” I paused, gauging their expressions. They ranged from irritated to skeptical to downright hostile, though a couple at least appeared willing to listen.
 

“Allow Rigel and his parents to immediately return to Jewel, with your blessing. Permanently, or until they
choose
to leave, without being pressured. In return, I will not only continue being friends with Sean and Molly O’Gara, but when in public—where other
Echtrans
might be watching—I will do my best to make it
appear
that Sean and I are becoming a couple. It will only be pretend, though, and I’ll make sure both Sean and Rigel understand that. In private, and in reality, I’ll still be with Rigel.”