Chapter Nineteen

The planet grew larger in the view screen as they descended, but unlike Sherae, Deb didn’t find it at all beautiful. Most of the planet was covered by one large land mass and as it grew closer, it seemed as if one city sprawled across the entire continent.

“Isn’t there any natural area?” she asked.

“There are gardens, of course, but no, nothing is left of the natural world. I don’t think anything that wasn’t artificially cultivated has grown here in thousands of years.”

Her mind struggled with the concept of a civilization still intact after so long. “What is here instead?”

“Most of the space is devoted to the bureaucracy. It requires millions of people to keep the records and collect the taxes and make sure the Empire functions. The military has a big presence as well, and their most prestigious training academies are located here. And of course, there’s the Senate and the Imperial Palace. Plus, most of the royal family and many of the planetary leaders have their own separate estates.”

“Do you have one?”

“Yes, although I only go there to remind Proctral that I exist and that it does in fact belong to me.” A shadow crossed his face. “I wasn’t brought up there and I don't enjoy being there, but it is mine by right.”

“Do you have more family there?” He had never mentioned anyone else but coming from her own large family, it was hard to imagine someone without a ton of relatives.

“No.” He shrugged with a casualness she was sure he didn’t feel. “I’m distantly related to most of the other houses, but the House of Brekaran has always been a small one. That’s one of the reasons why my grandfather wouldn’t permit my mother to abort me.”

“So, no one lives there?”

“Just Proctral and an army of sla—servants.”

Would she ever get used to the knowledge that slavery was so much a part of their culture? She shuddered, grateful once again that chance had brought her to Sherae, and to Rast.

“But you were brought up in the Imperial Palace?” she asked.

“Yes, my grandfather preferred it. That’s where we are heading.” His voice was not enthusiastic.

“Unless you need us immediately,” Athtar said. “I’ll land long enough for you to depart, then take the ship over to the port to trade our cargo. We should be back by nightfall.”

“That’s fine. I don’t know how long it will be until we can see the Emperor, but I sent a request for an appointment as soon as we were within range. I’ll arrange for quarters.” Rast’s face lightened and he grinned at the other man. “Unless you'd rather go and stay with Proctral.”

“That little worm would shit his pants at the sight of me. It would almost be worth it.” They both laughed, then Athtar shook his head. “Naw. I’d just as soon be close. We’ll be back tonight. All of us, if I can keep Studoc out of trouble.”

“Then I’ll tell the steward not to expect him,” Rast said dryly.

The ship was lower now and Deb grew increasingly dismayed at the pictures on the screen. They passed over an area of enormous pointed skyscrapers, before heading for a series of square buildings, piled together like children’s blocks carved out of dark stone. Everything was massive, impressive, and intimidating and her pulse quickened. “It’s so big.”

“Yes,” he said grimly. “The Kaisarian Empire doesn’t believe in doing things on a small scale.”

As if to prove his words, they touched down on an enormous landing field, almost empty of other vessels. Rast sighed, unfastened his straps and then hers, and helped her to her feet before turning to Athtar.

“Please come to my suite when you return. I’ll let you know if I’ve heard anything.”

“I’ll be there.” Athtar nodded, then grinned. “I’ll be sure and knock first.”

Rast laughed as he drew a cloak around her shoulders, adjusting it carefully before tucking her hand through his arm and assuming his princely mien. “Come, my Consort.”

As Rastrath had expected, his steward was waiting at the end of the landing ramp. Unlike Marious, no emotion ever crossed his perfectly subservient face, he obeyed instantly, and Rastrath trusted him about as much as he’d trust a hungry linae cub with fresh meat.

“Prince Rastrath.” Utaski bowed so deeply his nose almost hit his knees. “We are delighted at your return.”

“I’m sure you are.” Behind them, Athtar revved up the engines, so Rastrath led the way across the field, issuing instructions along the way. “The ship will be returning tonight. Arrange for quarters for the crew. There will be seven of them. The finest quarters, Utaski.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” They stopped at the edge of the field and Utaski bowed again. “And for the lady…” He cast a discreet glance at Deb and despite Rastrath’s dislike for the man, he had to admire his refusal to show any curiosity.

“This is Debra, of the House of Morgan. The Princess Consort.”

Utaski’s eyebrows actually rose a fraction of an inch and he stuttered. “The P-princess Consort?”

“That is what I said.”

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but does your brother know?”

Rastrath raised an eyebrow. “Why would he need to know?”

“He is in residence at the present time.”

He cursed silently but kept his face composed and waited.

“He is occupying the Yellow Suite,” Utaski continued. It took more effort to keep for him to keep his face calm this time. The Yellow Suite was designated for the consort of the heir. Proctral should not be staying there, although at least he hadn’t quite had the nerve to take over Rastrath’s own rooms.

“It doesn’t matter,” Rastrath said, waving his hand in a way that would have made his grandfather proud. “Mistress Debra will be staying with me.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Amazing how Utaski could convey disdain with the merest flick of an eyebrow. He wondered again if he should replace him, but for all his faults, he was an excellent steward and maintained strict control over the household whenever Rastrath was off on one of his frequent trips.

Deb’s face had remained calm throughout the exchange, but her fingers were trembling, and he covered them with his own. It was only as he felt her small fingers beneath his that he realized how much her presence here was helping. If he had returned on any other occasion to find his brother in residence, he would already be furiously dreading their meeting and snapping at Utaski. Now all he wanted was to get her to his rooms, his brother’s presence no more than an annoyance.

“Did you bring a transporter?”

“No, Your Highness. Forgive me. You do not usually—”

At that moment a gust of wind swirled across the landing field and plastered Deb’s cape to her body, clearly revealing the swell of her stomach. Utaski’s mouth actually dropped open, although he recovered remarkably quickly.

“I see, Your Highness. I will return with one at once.” He scurried away every bit as rapidly as Marious would have done in the earlier days of his visit.

“What an odious little man,” Deb murmured.

“I quite agree, sweetheart, but why do you say that?”

“All that bowing and scraping and smiling, even though he obviously doesn’t like you.”

“You are quite correct, as always. He doesn't like me. But then I don't like him, either. I put up with him because he’s good at his job.”

“No wonder you left here to work for Athtar. I just don't understand why you ever came back.”

“My grandfather sent for me. I thought I had rather cleverly disappeared, but it turns out he’d been keeping an eye on me the whole time. When he became ill, he wanted me to return.”

“So you came back here.”

“I did. I stayed until he died.” It had taken a year for his grandfather to die, becoming increasingly frail and irritable with each passing day but he could never find it in his heart to regret that time. He couldn’t even say that they had grown closer, but still he valued the fact that his grandfather had wanted him there. Unlike his mother.

“I’m sorry.” Deb’s soft voice pulled him back from his bitterness. “What happened then?”

“I was Head of my House and I had duties. At first, I tried to spend as little time here as possible when my presence wasn’t required. I even used to ship out with Athtar periodically.” He smiled reminiscently. “But then I got involved with tracking my despicable cousin’s activities and had to stay closer than I would have preferred.”

Deb’s hand turned to clasp his. The hood of her cape had blown back from her face and the wind caught tendrils of hair, lifting them to catch the light and show the sparks of flame hidden in the dark waves.

“You’re very beautiful, my Consort.”

The color rushing to her cheeks only enhanced her beauty but she shook her head. “Very windblown you mean. Is it always like this?”

“We are at the start of the winter season. But once we are within the palace itself, everything is perfectly controlled. It could be any time of the year. Even the gardens are regulated.”

“How terrible. I like knowing what the weather is like; to feel the breeze and hear the ocean. It’s so nice to have the shutters open all the time at home—” Her color deepened. “I mean on Sherae.”

Did she consider Sherae their home? Would it even matter to her if he was there with her? Before he found the courage to ask, she had rushed on.

“If everyone is so afraid of the weather, I’m surprised they have an open landing field.”

“This is one of the few that remains. That’s why there are so few ships here. That’s also why I’m stubborn enough to land here and force Utaski out of the palace.”

She laughed. “You are an evil man, Rast.” Then her eyes widened. “Oh my God, it’s a golf cart. The fanciest one I’ve ever seen, but it’s still a golf cart!”

Looking over his shoulder, he saw Utaski approaching in the transporter. “What is golf?”

“It a game that people play with balls and long clubs and…never mind. It’s not important. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“We can walk if you prefer but it is quite a long way and I do not want to tire you.”

“Believe me, I would much rather ride. This is fine, I was just surprised.”

Utaski came to a halt next to them and Rastrath carefully helped Deb into the vehicle. He felt somewhat disgruntled and he realized that he had unconsciously expected her to be impressed by the Imperial Palace, not to be amused. However, as he climbed in after her and she snuggled against him, he realized that the fact that she had always responded to him as a man, rather than as a prince, was one of the reasons she had come to mean so much to him.

As Utaski shuttled them smoothly through the great doors and along one of the many passageways leading to the inner palace, her eyes widened. The Palace was divided into many sections, each belonging to a different function or Royal House. The sections were surrounded by massive black stone walls, their elaborate surface decorations an inadequate disguise for their original defensive purposes. As the transporter wound through the canyons of stone, she huddled closer.

Utaski stopped the transporter outside the doors that led to the section of the Palace belonging to House Brekaran. As Rastrath helped Deb from the vehicle, Utaski threw open the doors with his usual flourish.

“Welcome, Your Highness.” When Rastrath glared at him, he added hastily, “Welcome, Mistress Debra.”

They passed through the massive doors into the outer courtyard and Deb gasped. He tried to see it through her eyes—the inlaid paths, the artfully arranged plantings, the orchestrated drip of the fountain, all of it immaculately maintained by an army of landscapers that Utaski oversaw. It was without a doubt beautiful, but he suddenly found himself longing for the palace on Sherae and its lush greenery and wild abundance of flowers. He slanted a glance at Deb and wondered if she felt the same way.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the eldest bastard.” The sneering voice was only too familiar, and he turned from Deb to the much less pleasant sight of his brother leaning against one of the pillars separating the courtyard from the loggia.

“Proctral.”

His brother ignored him, studying Deb instead. From the lack of surprise on his face, Rast could only assume that Utaski had already communicated the news.

“This is who you chose as the Princess Consort? Some mongrel from a primitive planet—”

That was as far as he got before Rastrath had him backed against the pillar, his knife at his throat. Proctral looked shocked and terrified. No matter how much Proctral had poked at him in the past, Rastrath generally just ignored him, even though his barbs had stung. He’d never laid hands on him before but now fury was singing through his veins.

“I have chosen the finest woman I have ever met as my consort. You will show the utmost respect for her at all times. If I hear even one whisper against her, you will be banished not only from the Palace, but from the family estates for as long as I live. Do you understand me?”

“Y-yes,” Proctral managed to choke, and Rastrath dropped him.

“Then get out.”

Proctral slumped against the pillar and started to open his mouth, looked at Rastrath’s face and closed it again. Instead, he stood up, straightened his robes, and left without another word. Still angry, Rastrath turned to Utaski.

“That applies to you, as well. I am head of this House and if you cannot give me your complete loyalty then you need to find other employment.”

“I understand, Your Highness.” Despite his expressionless face, he still managed to have an air of offended dignity that Rastrath didn’t believe for one moment.

“Very well. Please send refreshments to my suite. The requirements for Mistress Debra’s diet should have been sent along with our luggage.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I will verify that immediately. Do you wish me to escort you?”

“It hasn’t been that long. I think I can find the way. You are dismissed.”

Utaski gave an offended bow and departed. Rast sighed and turned to find Deb watching him, her eyes unreadable. Concerned that she was upset by his anger, he was shocked when she simply came and hugged him. Her stomach made the position somewhat awkward, but he didn’t care, relishing the feel of her soft body against his and the warmth on her face when she looked up at him.

“There’s a saying on Earth—poor little rich boy. It means that someone can have many material things but not have the things that matter. I’ve only met two people since we’ve arrived and I’m already sorry that you had to grow up here. How did you turn out so well?”

“Did I?”

“Yes, you did. You’re kind, brave, thoughtful, and did I mention extremely hot?”

“Hot?”

“It means sexy. The way you slammed that asshole brother of yours against the column?” Her voice dropped to a husky whisper that had his horns pulsing. “Very hot.”

“You deserve no less.”

“Still sexy. I assume this suite of yours has a bedroom?” Her smile turned sultry and she ran a finger along the neckline of her gown, drawing his attention to the bounteous splendor of her breasts. “I think you deserve a…reward for defending my honor.”

He didn’t need any additional encouragement. With a delighted laugh, he lifted her into his arms and headed for his suite at his fastest pace.