Trinity

Damn. So, alcohol was going to kill my secret ability to see people’s energy? That totally sucked. I’d have to be a lot more careful at these kinds of events in the future. I needed every advantage I could get. Lord Wyse might just be a shrewd businessman. Or he could be a serial killer. One glass of wine and I couldn’t tell the difference.

Thor frowned, his gaze following mine as I returned my attention to Lord Wyse, the clerics, and the man with the scar. “I do not know the male with the scarred face standing behind him. He looks like a hired bodyguard. The practice is not uncommon among the nobility.”

“Do we need bodyguards?” I asked. I had Leo, but he couldn’t be with me twenty-four seven. It just wasn’t practical. He wanted to try, though. Regardless, I wanted Leo with me, not constantly scanning the crowd for potential threats everywhere we went. He felt it was his job to protect me, and I was fine with that, to a point. If I needed additional security, then so be it.

“Prior to the attack that killed your father, it was unheard of. Now? Well, unless you are a trained warrior, I do believe guards will be a necessity.” He took my empty glass from my hand. “Another glass of wine, Princess?”

“No, thank you. One is probably enough for now.” I didn’t want to tell him it was going to be impossible to figure out how to pee in a dress this fluffy. And I refused to ask Leo to hold it up out of the way. No. Freaking. Way. But that wasn’t the only reason. I realized just how much I’d come to depend on that secret weapon—reading auras—knowing a person’s true intention or mood.

Thordis Jax’s aura had been powerful but not overly friendly. Not hostile either, so I liked to think he was simply withholding judgment about me. But the envious, sickly green I’d seen around some of the women when they looked at me after gazing at Leo? The cloudy gray and sickly brown resentment I’d seen around my cousin, Radella, and her husband, Danoth? Gone. They looked like everyone else.

One drink and I was flying blind. I didn’t like it. Not at all.

Someone in the crowd caught me eye. “Hey! That’s your injured guard.” I pointed. “He made it.”

Thor turned about, looking for the person. “Where is this guard? My father interviewed him after the attack, but I have yet to catch up to him.”

“In the Aleran uniform. Light hair. He was one of the guards who escorted us from the transport. He was shot by one of the assassins and he was still alive when it was over. We helped him, although it was more like Boy Scout skills than anything. I’d never even seen a ReGen wand before, but I guess it helped.”

“Yes, I’d heard one of our men had survived the attack, thanks to your intervention.”

It was my sister, Faith, who had tried to save him. But since no one knew much about Faith or Destiny, I couldn’t correct him. I would have helped, but I’d been too caught up with my first glimpse of Leo and my stupid Ardor to give the dying guy too much attention. At least one of us Jones sisters had their wits about them.

Leave it to the most scatter-brained of the three of us. But then, Faith was sneaky like that. Half the time I believed she said the most outrageous thing possible just to make people think she was clueless. In reality, she was wicked smart. And she didn’t miss things. Not like Destiny, who would rather strike first and ask questions later. If Destiny was a bull in a china shop, Faith was a black-widow spider—hunting at night. And what did that make me?

The main attraction, apparently. Or distraction. All of these people were here, trying to talk to me. Learn about me. Figure out what I had planned and where I’d come from. Where my mother was. That left my sisters free to move around anonymously, which was exactly what mother had wanted. So far, it was working, for I was the shiny—or pale blue object—everyone was staring at while my sisters sneaked about to learn more. We couldn’t find out the truth if people only told us what they thought we wanted to hear. Or what they wanted us to know, and I had a feeling I was solely in that camp.

Smiling, I waved at the guard in question. He saw me and lifted his glass in a salute. Surrounded by a group of other guards, his friends laughed and slapped him on the back as he made his way to me, then bowed to first me, then Thordis Jax. The poor man seemed thrilled to be close to me, but wary of Thor. The guard kept his face averted from his master, never raising his chin or straightening to his full height.

Not a lord, my ass.

“Your Highness. My Lord, good to see you.”

Thordis bowed his head. “It has been a long time, my old friend.” The two clasped forearms before the guard returned his gaze to me.

“I am Guard Zel, a humble warrior serving the Jax family.”

“I know who you are.” Glad, now, that I didn’t have the drink glass in my hand, I stepped forward and hugged the man. Bear hug. I didn’t care who was watching, or if this was acceptable royal decorum. I just had to hope Leo didn’t come over to clobber the guy. I was going Earth-girl on this one. I couldn’t see his aura, but I didn’t need to. “You saved all of us. You almost died. Thank you.”

He stood completely frozen, his arms locked to his sides. Probably afraid Leo would cut them off if he dared put his hands on me to hug me back, but I didn’t care. I squeezed him as tightly as I could, then stepped back. He was stiff as a board, his cheeks a dark red with obvious embarrassment. Otherwise, he looked perfectly fine. Not like he’d been shot by an alien blaster. He’d have to deal. I wasn’t taking it back. “You saved my sisters. Thank you.”

“Sisters, you say?” Lord Jax was suddenly very interested in the conversation. “At long last, the speculation has been confirmed.”

Oh shit. One glass of wine, one friendly face, and I was spilling secrets. Damn it. I turned on my megawatt smile and played dumb. “Excuse me? What did you say?”

Lord Jax’s smile was devilishly handsome, and I blinked at the laughter I saw in his blue eyes. It was a good thing I was totally and completely in love with Leo, because damn. He was a hottie. And he knew it. “I would not repeat such gossip for unknowing ears.”

My smile was real. “You keep the juicy gossip to yourself?”

“Knowledge is power, Princess. The sooner you learn that, the better. You are in good hands, Princess. I shall take my leave.” He inclined his chin to me, patted Zel on the shoulder and walked away to mingle. No doubt, he’d know every bit of juicy gossip in the room by the end of the night. I watched his retreating back for a moment, studying the difference in culture here. He was gorgeous. Rich. But his cock lay dormant. Well, I assumed it did since there wasn’t a mate clinging to his side. Because of this, I assumed that was why the young ladies left him alone. Rather than young, attractive women pursuing him around the room, it was older men and women both. Not after sex, but after his wealth. Power. Influence.

The dynamic was completely different than what I’d seen on Earth, and I knew I would need to study the subtle variance. Adapt.

“May I have a dance, Your Highness?” The guard’s blush was fading, but he still looked very young. Like a hopeful puppy.

“Of course.” I had no reason not to dance with him. I’d danced a complete circuit with everyone of note, apparently. Except Thordis Jax.

Zel took my hand and led me to the dancing area as the last bit of the prior song ended. Another group dance began, but as I stumbled with the complicated—and unknown—steps, someone directed the musicians to play something slower. Something their poor, ungraceful princess could actually dance to.

“Do not worry about the steps. I will lead you,” he murmured, one hand holding mine, the other on my waist. A respectable distance was between us, like a seventh grade dance.

“Thank you. I’m sorry. I just don’t know these dances yet,” I murmured, glancing down at his feet.

Radella had tried to teach me a few. I had no doubt Destiny would have moved like water across the floor in a matter of minutes. Faith would have done the wrong steps, thrown back her hair and laughed as she stepped on toes. Seemed I was cursed with the desire to make sure everything was perfect.

I let him lead. His touch was light. Respectful. He made sure to twirl me past his friends, who all cheered and clapped as we passed. We danced closer and closer to the open wall and the large, outdoor area. I was too busy watching feet instead of figuring out how they’d engineered an entire side of the ballroom to be gone. The fresh air felt wonderful, and I took a deep breath to clear my lungs, and my head. The effects of the wine were fading. Thank god. I hated not knowing whether or not I could trust people. I knew this “gift” the citadel had given me was a form of cheating, but I wasn’t giving it back. Hell, I didn’t know how, even if I wanted to. Which I definitely did not. A girl needed all the help she could get.

“The fresh air is wonderful. Thank you.” The music ended and Zel held out his arm, facing a stone terrace that overlooked a large garden. I took his elbow and followed him to the railing, looking out over the labyrinth of pathways and tall hedges. It reminded me of an elaborate maze, something I’d seen in a movie. “I had no idea they actually made gardens like this. It’s like Versailles, I think, but I’ve only seen those gardens in pictures.”

He nodded as if understanding that I spoke of somewhere on Earth. “There are many places to conduct business within the gardens. Every large estate has one.”

“Really? Every single one?”

He nodded. “Yes. The plants chosen are designed to muffle noise. Business deals. Secrets. And—” He cleared his throat, cutting himself off mid-thought. “Other things.”

I could imagine what those other things might be. In fact, now that I had the idea in my head, I wanted to take Leo out there. Tonight. Find a hidden corner and make love under the stars. To get lost for a few hours and just be alone. Away from all these people. The noise. I wasn’t an extrovert by nature. The party had lasted a few hours and I was already exhausted.

A couple walked arm-in-arm toward one of the tall entrances, flanked on either side by dense foliage twice their height. I felt my shoulders relax a bit when their glow came back. Golden. Pink. With flashes of red. They were in love, whoever they were. And they were sneaking away to do what I wanted to do with Leo.

Be alone. And have some sexy times.

But that was not my destiny this night. I had to play dress-up for a while longer. Smile and shake hands and kiss babies. Well—there weren’t any babies here—but it was a thing. Political. I had to be political.

“Thank you for the dance, Zel, but I really have to get back—” Shit. My gift had returned.

His aura was dark. Not grumpy dark, or greedy dark. Not envious or angry.

Evil.

He must have seen the knowledge in my eyes, because he grabbed my arm in a vise with one hand, and placed the tip of a dagger just under my ribs with the other. Right below my heart. It hurt, cutting through the fabric just enough to nip my skin. One thrust, and I’d be dead.

“What are you doing?” I hissed.

“I’m taking you to your mother,” he murmured, deep and deadly. “Be quiet and come with me. One word, one scream, and you’re dead. Understand?”

“Yes.” I understood all right. He was a liar. He was evil. The one guy we’d saved in battle turned out to be a killer.

But he knew where my mother was, or at least who had her. That flash of truth had sparked through his aura as he spoke. I’d cooperate, for now. The chance to find her was worth the risk. I’d go with him, find out where my mother had been taken, and trust Leo to find me. I winced at the nick of the knife and allowed him to pull me down the stairs and out into the dark night.

I didn’t really have any choice.