Page 28 of Star Bringer
When I stroll back into the room, the princess does a double take, her eyes widening. She clearly still likes what she sees, though you wouldn’t know it from the scowl on her face. It’s a subtle thing.
Surprisingly, it looks like she somehow managed to get everyone else’s attention when I was changing. Nice of her to save me the trouble.
But before I can say anything, she clears her throat. “I was just telling everyone that we need to head directly to Askkandia.”
“That’s one idea,” I say conversationally as I give her a deliberately slow smile, just because I know it will piss her off. She’s a lot easier to argue with—and get the better of—when she’s angry. “Too bad it’s not happening, Princess.”
“What do you mean? Of course it’s happening. What else would happen?” She pauses for a moment, studying me like she’s trying to figure me out. It’s all I can do not to laugh and tell her that’s not going to happen, either.
But then she gives another one of those scary smiles of hers and continues. “I can assure you that you will be compensated for taking me home. My mother will pay very generously for my return.”
This time, I do laugh. Max and I are wanted on every planet in Senestris—probably even the dead ones. The second we step foot on Askkandia—especially with the Empress’s daughter—we’ll get tossed in a cell. Which will be followed by a very rapid execution, I’m sure. And that’s onlyifthe Empress is in a generous mood because we returned her baby girl to her.
If she’s not…well, if she’s not, we’ll probably get handed over to Doc V’s minions for her experiments. I know a good captain’s supposed to go down with the ship, but there’s nothing good about her. Besides, people like her don’t die that easily. I’d bet a lot of planetas she’ll be back in business in no time, trying to save Senestris by making sure no one who isn’t part of the Ruling Families is actually safe.
It’s total fucking garbage, but I don’t bother sharing this with the princess when she probably knows it all already. Instead, I settle for, “I’ve got other plans.”
“You mean this friend of yours? Milla?” She takes a deep breath, and her smile is more genuine this time. “I promise you, if you get me back safely, my mother will help you find your friend.”
Beckett snorts. “Is she for fucking real?” she asks the ship in general before looking straight at the princess. “Are you for fucking real? I mean, do you actually believe the shit you’re spouting, or is this all part of the good-little-princess act you’ve got going on?”
The princess’s mouth gapes open like she’s a fishgalen in search of a hook, but I’m not paying her all that much attention right now. No, I’m more focused on Beckett, who suddenly seems a lot more lucid than she did when she first arrived. Sure, she’s got a twitch in her left hand she can’t control and a weird-ass way of blinking that freaks me out, but she’s calling the princess on her shit, and that is something I can definitely get behind.
“You really think your mummy won’t kill us because she’s such a nice, kind lady who likes to help people in need?”
“I know exactly who and what my mother is,” the princess answers, which isn’t an answer at all. “And she will take care of all of you if you bring me home.”
Beckett snarls, leaning forward like she’s ready to tangle with the princess. But then she winces.
She rubs the back of her skull and closes her eyes for a moment. Then she shakes her head and turns away. She walks to the nearest seat and lowers herself into it, once again closing her eyes like it hurts too much to keep them open.
I don’t know what to make of it—or her. Either she was hurt in the explosions or—and this seems more likely—she’s suffering the aftereffects of one of Doc V’s experiments. I almost feel sorry for her. Doesn’t mean I’ll take any shit from her if she decides to direct it at me instead of the princess over there, though.
Speaking of which, the princess is staring at Beckett with her mouth hanging open. Has she been rendered speechless? I somehow doubt it, but I suspect she’s led a sheltered life and probably thinks everyone loves her because she’s a fucking princess. Now, she’s coming face to face with the real world. And guess what—I don’t feel even vaguely sorry for her.
The guy in the white robe stands up. “I think we should head to Serati. We need to return the high priestess to the safety of the monastery.”
“High Priestess?” I ask, focusing on the girl with him for the first time.
She grins. “I know, I know. You expected a high priestess to be taller, right?”
I didn’t expect her to be anything at all. I can honestly say that the words “High Priestess” have never even passed through my mind before.
“But honestly, you don’t need to worry about getting me back to Serati right now. There’s absolutely no rush.”
“I wasn’t worried,” I tell her.
“Oh, good. The last thing Merrick and I want is to be an inconvenience when you all have far more important things to do.” She takes a deep breath and then, very deliberately not looking at Merrick or me, she suggests, “Maybe weshouldtake Kali to Askkandia. I was born there, but I haven’t been back since I was a baby and I’d love to visit the capital. Everyone should visit at least once, don’t you think?”
Not even a little bit. The capital can get fucked for all I care, along with the Empress and every member of the Council.
I start to say that, but in the end I just shake my head. Rain is a lot for such a little person, but I sort of like her. There’s a sweetness there you don’t see very often, and an enthusiasm for life that I suspect the rest of us lost a long time ago. If we ever had it.
“There will be a reward,” Merrick tells the rest of us. “You’ll be heavily compensated for returning us to Serati.”
The way the rich think their money will buy them anything and everything they want has always been the thing that disgusts me most about them. The fact that they’re usually right is the thing that has always disgusted me most about the world we live in.
Max and I exchange a look, and he doesn’t have to say anything for me to know he feels exactly the same way.
