But why would Karma be here?
With a wave from the king, the air over the hologram stage began to shimmer and then consolidated into a multidimensional image of a too-familiar Kaldor Celebrity News correspondent.
Double hekkel.
He could have used more discernment when he’d bedded the celebrity gossip reporter. The brief “relationship” hadn’t ended well. Since then, Bynti had devoted her life to ruining his. “The Prince of Scandal is at it again,” she crowed gleefully in thehologram. “This time, he’s cavorting with his brother’s wife’s sister!”
Karma gasped.
Bynti disappeared, and a 3-D image of him and Karma materialized. His arm was around her waist, and they leaned into each other. Her face was upturned. They appeared to be hugging.
“That’s not what it looks like!” Karma cried.
On the way up to his hotel suite, they’d had to dodge a drunken conventioneer, and she’d stumbled. He’d grabbed her to prevent her from doing a faceplant.
The image faded away, and a new one appeared—Bynti interviewing a man. Karma muttered a curse, and Falkor recognized him as one of the many men who’d approached her in the hotel bar.
“I saw Ms. Karma Celestina Kennedy in the bar. I didn’t know who she was then. She told me she was waiting for a man—and then Prince Falkor joined her.”
Now, Bynti stood outside the palace gates. “Kaldor Celebrity News has confirmed Ms. Kennedy spent the night in the prince’s hotel suite. So, the only question left to answer is, how long has this affair been going on? This is Bynti with KCN. Back to you in the studio.”
The hologram vanished.
“She’s lying!” It took all his willpower not to scratch furiously at his neck. He was sure he had a full-blown case of hives. He had a sixth sense for when he could talk himself out of trouble, but this didn’t appear to be one of those times. Ironically, he was completely innocent.
“Did you two not spend the night together in the same suite?”
“It wasn’t how she presented it.”
“There was a storm!” Karma explained.
“Her hovermobile broke down. She had no lodging. I had an extra room in my suite…”
“Perception matters as much as the reality,” his mother said.
“This is unacceptable. This is the last straw,” the king said.
“But—but—”
“Silence! You will not speak. You will listen. Your continuous misbehavior has undermined the respect for the monarchy. The people will not follow those they do not respect. This behavior stops now.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” He didn’t dare push his father any further.
“You will fix this.”
He would if he could, but how? He couldn’t erase what had happened.
“You and Ms. Kennedy will marry.”
He choked, and Karma gasped, “No!”
“Father, I don’t think—”
“No, you don’t think, and that is the problem,” the king interrupted. “This is not negotiable. The marriage will take place forthwith.”
“Father, with all due respect, we don’t get along. We don’t like each other.”
“He’s right.” Her head bobbed in agreement. “We hate each other.”
