“I am the Royal Interface System, designated caretaker of the royal archives,” the voice replied.
Holy cow, it was space artificial intelligence. A computer talking to me in a legit conversation. What else could it do?
“Your genetic signature has been scanned and recognized. How may I assist you, Princess?”
“Do you… do you assist Queen Alienor?” I asked. I didn’t dare poke into things if I knew the queen would find out. Even more spy films taught me that the bad guy always found out.
“No, Princess. Access to the RIS is restricted to Queen Madallaine, her Resonant, Ambassador Lorient, and you, Princess Edelene Merrienne Peigi, heir to the throne of Insuri.”
It didn’t make sense if the RIS gave the royal family access to royal archives, and Queen Alienor was royal... “Why not anyone else?”
“I assist the royal Peigi bloodline. Per Queen Madallaine’s command, this access only responds to Queen Madallaine, her Resonant, Ambassador Lorient, and you, Princess Edelene, heir to the throne of Insuri. To activate my systems, I must identify and confirm royal DNA with my biosensors.”
“What about Queen Alienor?”
“Per Queen Madallaine’s command, this access only responds to Queen Madallaine, her Resonant, Ambassador Lorient, and you, Princess Edelene, heir to the throne of Insuri.”
The voice was lovely, but I wanted to throttle it for repeating itself. A hidden access panel only opening for me? Since my parents were dead, it had been… waiting for me?
Did Queen Alienor know about this?
“Doesn’t Alienor have royal DNA?” I was not taking any chances. This could be a test. Or a trap. “Do you talk to Queen Alienor?”
“Princess, I do not recognize Alienor of House Seppani as queen of Insuri. Alienor does not qualify for access to the RISsystem. Queen Madallaine’s instructions were very clear. This access only responds to Queen Madallaine, her?—”
“Enough. I got it.” My pulse thundered in my ears like a herd of wild horses. This was it—my chance. I paused, thinking of what information I wanted.
“I need access to security footage,” I said, stepping closer to the glowing panel. “Specifically, the days leading up to my parents’ deaths. I need to identify who killed them. How. Why. Where, exactly. How I ended up in a pod on the way to Earth.”
The AI hesitated, its light flickering faintly. “Accessing restricted files. Files located. However…”
I leaned closer, pressed my forehead against the wall next to my hand. I hadn’t removed my palm even though I was pretty sure the system was done doing whatever it was going to do as far as scanning me. “However?” I barely breathed the word.
“Queen Madallaine Edelene Peigi stored private messages for you in the royal archives. Would you like me to retrieve them as well?”
What? Private messages? From my mother? Oh my god. Yes! My heart pounded and I felt lightheaded.
“Yes.” So proud of myself for not shouting. “Yes, please!”
“Please step away from the illumination table.”
“The what?” I stumbled back three steps and suddenly a circular column rose from the elaborate pattern inlaid in the marble floor. I would never have noticed it. Not in a million years. And that was probably the point. Go, Mom. Secret access panel. Secret scanner. Secret messages. I really was in the thick of a spy movie now. Hopefully I didn’t get myself killed.
The panel’s glow intensified, lights shooting out of the panel as a holographic projection began to form on the top of the column before me. My heart pounded as fragments of a story I had waited my entire life to uncover finally began to unfold.
The holographic projection shimmered, its edges wavering like mist caught in a breeze. Then, as if drawn from the very air, a vision of my mother appeared.
18
Addan
The screenin my quarters flickered to life, bathing the dark room in a cold blue light. I stood stiffly, arms crossed, my jaw set tighter than it should have been. After Paige left with Martainn, I didn’t know what to do. I felt like I was coming out of my skin. I wanted to smash plates and glasses, upturn table upon table of the finest food. I wanted to roar in anger. Most of all, I wanted to go after her.
I did none of those things. I fled the house and returned to work. To Planetary Defense. Alpha Station. To my quarters where I had control. Where I could do the one thing that might help. I could be a general. I could do my job.
The light copper face of Commander Zeus appeared on the screen, his oddly human brown eyes and dark hair glinting under the lighting of his ship’s command center, his gaze as sharp as the edge of a blade. Even less forgiving.
“General Natosi,” he greeted, his voice neutral, but there was something in his expression—something heavy. Before I’d requested a meeting, I’d done a little digging about thecommander, discovered Zeus was half human and had somehow managed to win his command in a combat duel against full-blooded Prillon warriors.
