Page 46 of Star Bringer
“Let me see,” Beckett tells him.
Ian crosses the bridge and holds out his hand, and she paws through the stones. “If legit, ten thousand planetas at least.” Ian whistles. I guess that’s a lot. But Beckett continues, “Black market, ten percent of that.”
“That will still be enough to get us provisions,” Gage says.
“We should probably get something for Beckett to wear, just in case she has to go out in public,” I suggest. “HavingPrisoner 826stamped on your back is probably a big sign saying—” I break off as I realize I’m being undiplomatic—the first cardinal sin for royalty.
But Beckett just grins. “Aw. Didn’t know you cared, Princess.”
I don’t. Or maybe I do. I don’t know anymore.
Rain stands up and looks at me. “Can you get me something to wear as well?”
Beside her, Merrick stiffens. But he doesn’t say anything, and neither do I. I don’t know why she’s asking me—I’m not going on this little shopping trip. I doubt they’ll even let me off the ship.
At that moment, something beeps, and Beckett turns back.
“Through the atmosphere and approaching Rangar,” she says. “External comms are still down, but they got us with a local check. Spoofed credentials worked. And with an assigned spot for landing, no logs required, no questions asked. Hey, I like this place already.”
My heart rate kicks up. We’re about to land on Askkandia. I just need to find a way to contact the palace without involving the others. Maybe ask Gage to teach me a few techy things, and I can try to get the comms going? Then the others can just go about their business and I can go home.
Which is what I want.
Isn’t it?
We’ve slowed down, and the ship is sort of vibrating, like it’s not happy.
“You do know how to land this thing, don’t you?” Ian asks.
Beckett twirls in the pilot’s seat. “Not a clue.”
Fan-fucking-tastic.
The planet is approaching really fast now, and we don’t seem to be slowing down. I suspect Beckett has a death wish. Or maybe not an actual death wish but definitely an I-don’t-care wish. So, I slide into the nearest chair and strap in. It’s hard to believe that only two days ago I was nearly puking as we approached theCaelestis. Look at me now.
I grin to myself, then glance up to find Ian watching me. He looks away.
At the last moment, the ship almost screeches to a halt. I brace myself and hold on tight, somehow managing to keep my eyes open. Seconds later, the ship lowers gently to the landing slot.
“Good job,” Ian tells her as he peels himself from the captain’s chair and starts brushing himself off.
“Not sure what you consider a bad job,” Gage mutters as he, too, climbs to his feet.
“Dying,” Max answers from his spot on the ground. Strapping into a seat was definitely the right call. Maybe I do have some spaceflight instincts in me.
“It wasn’t me,” Beckett tells him. “The ship gets all the credit.”
“You mean she switched herself to autopilot and landed on her own?” I ask. “Can ships do that?”
“Obviously, or we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” she sneers back.
I don’t even bother coming up with a retort. Not when we’ve finally landed on Askkandia.
I don’t know how it is that I can be back on my home planet and still be as far from home as ever. It feels like the worst kind of failure. But also strangely freeing. I glance down at my grimy, too-long white robe, bare toes peeking out, and a giggle escapes me. Definitely not how I planned on returning from my first official off-planet royal duty.
Ian casts me a weird look, as though he’s worried something’s wrong with me, which makes me giggle again. I’ll go back to worrying about what he thinks of me—what they all think of me—soon. But for right now, I’m just going to stand here and enjoy the sight of Askkandia’s bright blue dirt.
And wait for whatever clusterfuck comes next.
