“How did you get out?” I asked.
She grinned like she was a kid herself. “Secret passage.”
“Cool.”
“The kings will want names.” Mal moved to stand behind me, covering my back. I noticed. So sweet.
And names? Yes. More like blood types so they could keep the council members aligned with the VSS alive and torture them longer.
Or maybe that was just me thinking about them hurting these adorable little girls.
Allayna stared at me. I smiled back.
“Are you a fighter, like my dads?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I didn’t know girls could be fighters.”
“Well, they can,” I assured her.
Behind us the guards we’d left in the throne room were making their way out to check on us after all the noise. Mal went back to talk to them. He took care of it quickly and efficiently and returned to my side. I could get used to having him there.
Allayna smiled at me, tugged on her mother’s skirt and waited for Leah to look down into her sweet, innocent face. “Momma, I’m going to be a fighter when I grow up.”
The queen told her that would be just fine and waited for her to scamper off with her little sister, far away from Vikter and his minions. Then she inspected me, top to bottom, boots to armor and the gun in-between. “Oh, dear. What have you done?”
Next to me, Mal burst out laughing.
16
Smith, Viken United, The Palace
First,there was a feast. A real royal feast with a table that felt like it was a block long and more food than I’d ever seen in one place. Music. Entertainers. Dancers. The VSS had finally been snuffed out and the mood in the room was happy. Contagious.
Except for the fact that I was packed and leaving for Earth as soon as it was over. Worse, I hadn’t seen any of my guys since the night before. They’d each given me a hug and said goodnight. When I woke up this morning, they were gone.
I’d thought, after the day with Mal, after giving myself to Kayson and Geros, that maybe they would say something or do something to indicate they cared about me. Wanted me to stay and be with them. Anything.
I’d waited in vain. Vikter had been dead for two days. It was time to cut my losses and go before it hurt any worse. As if that were possible.
The three kings stood as one, striking their goblets with their royal rings, making a clatter.
“Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, we would like to honor a very special person this night.” They all turned and looked at me.
Me?
“Ms. Smith, from Earth, the investigator who has finally brought an end to the VSS and the threat to Viken’s future.”
The entire room erupted in applause and loud cheers. My face, I knew, was hot pink and getting redder by the second. Queen Leah walked around the table and took my hand. Once she had ahold of me, she dragged me up to the dais with the four thrones and pushed me down on hers. “Sit.”
“What?”
She just shook her head and smiled at me as the three kings clinked their rings against their goblets again and the room quieted.
“We have a surprise for her, for all of you.” One of the kings spoke, I wasn’t sure which one he was, other than he was the one with a scar on his face. And Lilliana was curled up, bottom on his forearm, head nestled in his shoulder watching the activity as Allayna sat between the other two kings in her own special chair. The whole family was glowing. And I’d helped do that. I’d done good. But if I’d known Leah was going to put me in this chair with the whole room watching I might have chosen to wear something other than black pants and a blouse. Maybe some heels? A bit of make-up at least?
A large door opened slowly. Standing on the other side were Mal, Geros and Kayson in their sector colors, brown, black and steel gray, red bands around their biceps, signifying they were royal guards. They were gorgeous. Sexy. And looking up at me. On a throne that was not mine, on a planet that was not mine.
