It wasn’t as if my father hadn’t said things like that – or worse – before. It wasn’t as if I’d ever been a source of pride for him; it wasn’t as if he actuallylovedme. But the derision in his voice made me feel so small, so insignificant.
I wondered if he’d care if Dainn had killedme.
‘You will send the alien female to me.’
‘Send the …’ I trailed off. Anger began to burn inside me, deep in the pit of my stomach. ‘No.’
My father blinked. ‘What?’
‘No,’ I repeated more strongly. ‘No. She’s mine.’
My father laughed. ‘As if you’d know what to do with her,’ he mocked. ‘She doesn’t have the parts that you prefer.’
I knew that was a swipe about Callan, but I refused to feel shame. ‘She didn’t seem to like Dainn all that much, father,’ I said, inspecting the backs of my hands. ‘She fought him so fiercely he couldn’t even sedate her. He was too old for her, I suppose. How many years his senior are you?’
He visibly bristled, his scales armouring his neck. I didn’t care about a being’s age, but my father was touchy about it, as I supposed all Kings were; the pass of every sun reminded them of their mortality. ‘Enough of your running mouth,’ he snarled. ‘I will depart to boardmy shipin less than a click. Have her ready inmychambers.’
He meant the suite I slept in. ‘You don’t seem to be listening, father. I saidno. My answer has not changed. She is not for you.’
My father settled back in his chair and gave a slow, awful smile. ‘So be it. I will take two heads with one sword. Start praying to the dread gods, Alcide. If you do not surrender the female to me, you will not live to see another sunrise.’
I swiped the screencast closed, and tapped my wrist screen. ‘Shields up!’ I roared. ‘Every single shield!Soldiers to their stations,now!’
‘Prince Alcide?’ Bryn’s voice came through the tiny screen.
‘Bryn?’
‘We’ve been hailed by the royal orb, sir. The King is ordering us to stand down and allow boarding.’
‘I am giving you an opposing order, soldier,’ I said calmly. ‘Make your choice. Me, or my father.’
I heard Bryn swallow. His answer seemed to take a lifetime. ‘You, sir.’
Triumph flooded through me. A small victory, but I’d take it. ‘Excellent,’ I said thickly. ‘Shields up.’
‘Shields are up, sir,’ Bryn said a heartbeat later. ‘But sir –’
‘I’ll be on the bridge in a moment,’ I said. ‘Bryn – how many souls do we need to fly this orb?’
‘To fly itwell, sir?’ Bryn considered it. ‘Six. To get it from one point to another? Three, if Callan is the pilot.’
‘Then while I make my way there, Bryn,’ I said, my voice low, ‘if there are any soldiers who make a different choice to yours, please do feel free to dispose of them in whichever way you are most comfortable with.’
I flicked the channel closed and opened another. ‘Cal?’
‘Prince?’ he answered immediately.
‘This is it. My father is here. The shields are up, but we need to brace for attack. He wants me dead, and he wants Anna.’
Callan loosed a growl that made me shiver.
‘I need you on the bridge. And I need to know who we can trust.’ I paused. ‘Cal, are you with me?’
‘Always, Cide.’
‘I’m going to ask you to do something that will scar your soul.’
‘I know just who to kill first,’ he answered. ‘I’m not just your pilot, Alcide. I am your sword, and you are my hand. You are my compass. You are mypurpose.’
