I would endure their company for as lo
ng as I could, but I wished to be alone, to be with Leo. I sat on that couch with my back rigid and my hands in my lap. Leo stood behind the couch, close enough to touch, the strength and heat of him keeping me sane. My cousins rambled on, clearly uncomfortable.
Good, I wanted them unsettled. To them, I was a stranger. A stranger who might be taking their very livelihood away.
They first spoke of neutral things, like anyone would do on a bad blind date. Then they started probing, subtly trying to get information from me. I refused to answer any of their questions, Danoth becoming more and more agitated as minutes became an hour, then two. I’d had enough. When their assistant, or butler, or whatever the hell he was, came into the room stating that there were news groups requesting entry for interviews, I turned my head to look behind me and met Leo’s gaze—a silent get me the hell out of here all over my face.
I turned to the butler person. Stood. “Not today, thank you. I am tired and would like to be shown to my rooms. Please tell the reporters that I will send personal invitations to them for interview times very soon.”
Radella’s mouth dropped open. “You’re going to talk to all of them?”
She looked as if I offered to give them a belly dance.
“Yes. Why would I not?”
“It’s not done,” she replied. “The premiere teams are hand-selected and approved by the royal family. They always cover the royal events.”
And this was where she lost her powers. Three. Two. One. “Radella, thank you for your counsel on that. As you can see, and so has everyone in Alera, I am the heir to my mother, the princess. It is my duty to rule now until her return. I am the royal family now.”
“But—” she began, but I cut her off with the slice of my hand through the air.
“Is your spire lit?”
Her mouth fell open but no sound came out.
“Yes, I thought not.”
I lifted my gaze from her stunned, insulted face to the butler. “You will report to me now. Please tell the reporters what I said. I do not wish to repeat myself.”
He bowed so low I thought his nose was going to hit his knees. “Yes, Your Highness.”
He left with haste and my cousins scrambled to their feet.
“I would like to rest. Is there a S-Gen available in my rooms?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” my cousin’s tone had changed tremendously.
“Good. I’ll see you soon. I do not wish to be disturbed.”
Radella cleared her throat. “Your Highness, my son returns to the palace tonight for dinner. Might you be inclined to meet him?”
I paused long enough to pretend I was considering her request. In reality, I was about to collapse. Between the sex, the dress-up, transport and spending two hours with my family, I was exhausted. “Perhaps tomorrow, cousin. I really am quite tired.”
“Of course.” She bowed and waved for one of the servants to come over. “Show the princess to the queen’s suite, please.”
“But, that’s your—”
She interrupted the poor man, clearly afraid I’d scold her some more. “Is it clean? Prepared?”
“Of course.”
“Then stop arguing and show her to her rooms.”
“Thank you, cousin,” I replied. “I look forward to speaking again in the morning.”
I left them gaping at me as I walked slowly up the grand staircase behind the servant. Here I was, on another planet, and I felt like I was in a storybook castle, complete with winding staircases, wicked, pretend queens, and a huntsman after my heart. And following behind—thankfully.
The servant led me to a bedroom suite that was the size of a three-bedroom apartment. The bathing room was larger than the living room in the house I grew up in. And everywhere, gold. Silver. Handmade art. Paintings I assumed were priceless. And artifacts that were obviously alien and collected from all over the galaxy—as clearly indicated by the engraved, gold-leaf labels on the display cases.