Caoimhe smiled and helped her pin the brooch onto her underdress, grazing her chest. The clip came alive against her skin, hot like an electrical current.
“That stings,” Freya said as the little brooch connected to her. It wasn’t horribly painful, just a sensation that she hadn’t expected. The pin did not seem particularly heavy, or any other way enhanced to contain such programming.
“It is the coding. I am sorry if it is painful. It should only last a moment,” Caoimhe said.
Freya nodded. “It is fine. I have never had jewelry coded to my body.”
“It is a new security measure some of the jewelry designers are using,” Eleanor said as she pinned a hair pin into her hair—her gift. “Cole has it in all of his new designs this year.”
“Cole, really?” Freya asked. “Must be something if Cole is doing it.”
Bianca received earrings, and she immediately put them on. “If I may, I don’t believe your mother would have chopped up her crown,” Bianca said. “Though these are quite beautiful.”
“I am pleased you all like them,” the Imperial Princess said, her gaze moving over everyone.
Caoimhe’s necklace was left with the crowning jewel only, in the framework, right in the center. And interestingly enough, if one had not seen the other pieces inside it, they would have never noticed that the frame was missing anything. It looked to be just a unique, ornate piece.
“And special,” Caoimhe said. “They all have been coded specifically for you to wear. Guard them with your life,” she said.
“Why?” Veta asked.
“Hopefully, for no other reason than to honor my mother.”
Veta raised her eyebrow. “And what would the other reason be?”
“I cannot say, not yet.”
There was something about the way she said that made Freya suspicious of the jewelry. Whatever it was for, the princess had obviously gone to great lengths to create these pieces for each of them. There must be more to it than a gift in remembrance of her late mother.
Caoimhe gestured to the door where Diado was waiting. “He can come back in now.”
The dresser burst in, clapping his hands and generally being far too stressed. “Okay, ladies, we must get you into position!”
Freya sighed, biting back the desire to tell Diado that they were just fine where they were without parading around the ship. So many silly protocol rules drove her crazy, yet she knew her place depended on following them to the letter.
They were literally getting dressed to walk to the bridge, watch the approach, and then proceed to the main landing and wait for docking. They could do it all in here just as easily.
“It is time, everyone,” Diado said, coming in and clapping his hands, his expression landing squarely on Veta. “And what are all these jewels you are wearing?”
He looked almost panicked.
“My gifts, Diado,” Caoimhe said.
The dresser didn’t look pleased, but he nodded. “As you like.”
And Freya heard him mutter about tacky, overdone jewels as he helped Veta and Freya slip on their heavy outer robes.
“Is this necessary?” Veta asked. “Surely we can wait here until landing.”
“Procedure,” Diado said as he checked each one of them to make sure their robes were adjusted correctly. “We’re reaching the rendezvous.”
Freya agreed with Veta. It seemed early that they were leaving the suite. It was the safest place on the ship for them, truly. The heavy walls kept anything that happened in the royal suite private and secure. A sturdy section of the vessel, it was designed to be an emergency life pod if needed. The doors were not standard, but heavy blast doors.
Here, they were protected, if need be.
Freya glanced at Caoimhe. She was ready but nervous. Freya saw it in her eyes.
“You will be perfect,” Freya whispered.
