Page 111 of The First Spark
“—and so did you.”
The words hit Kalie like a hammer to the head, dazing her. She crumpled into a chair. “You think I…?”
“Lexington says the mercenary implicated you. She claims it was a coup. You and Jerran conspired to take the throne.”
The accusation robbed her of speech. He kept parroting Carik’s obscene story, laying out the evidence that she’d killed Aunt Calida to take the throne.
Kalie slammed her fist down on the armrest. “I never wanted the throne!”
Theron scowled. “Oh, come on. There was a crown in the offing. You’d be a fool if you didn’t once think of wearing it.”
“I didn’t!”
Blood pounded in her ears. Anyone with a shred of common sense wouldn’t believe Carik’s story. Yet here was her own brother, accusing her of murder with a visage carved from stone. Gods forgive her, but she wanted to claw that stupid, detached look off his face.
Kalie clasped her hands to keep from lunging at him. “I never wanted this. I loved Aunt Calida. Lexie was my sister, more than any of you ever were! Why would I kill them? Why would I kill Marcus?”
As Theron studied her, she searched his stony face for any sign of the child she remembered, the brother who’d tried to shield them all from the battlefield of their parents’ marriage. She’d never been close with him, but she’d never thought he was capable of this—never thought he would accuse her of murder, for Azura’s sake.
He sighed. “You wouldn’t. I know.”
“Then why?—?”
“I had to make sure.” Theron raked a hand through his wavy black hair. “Lexington charged you with treason, and Carik put a bounty on your head. Fifty million credits. Every bounty hunter in the Federation will be looking for you now.”
Panic crushed the air from Kalie’s lungs. Fifty million credits… it wasn’t just bounty hunters who’d be looking for her. Mercenaries, criminals, greedy officials, ex-soldiers wanting to make a fortune. Nowhere was safe. And Iliana had sent Uncle Jerran to Titan, where his political enemies and Dali’s worst criminals were waiting—including Landon Grant.
Bile burned Kalie’s throat. She lurched to her feet, bolted for the bathroom, and vomited until her stomach was empty.
If she didn’t act soon, Uncle Jerran would die. There was nothing she could do about it; that outrageous bounty would keep her trapped on Etov.
Kalie wiped her mouth. She needed answers, and only one person could give them to her.
Taking a shaky breath, she turned to Theron.
“I need to talk to Mother.”
Etov, Sector 4
Decemmensis-30, 817 cycles A.F.C.
Candles burned in elaborate chandeliers,casting warm orange glows across Kalie’s exposed skin. The walls of the palace groaned, and beyond the open windows, distant crows cawed. She paused by an arched window. In the darkness lurking beyond, yellow eyes snapped open, and she jolted back, gasping.
“Scared of the dark, Your Majesty?”
She whirled on Zane, ready to tear into him if she saw a hint of his exasperating smirk, but he was grinning. She sagged against the windowsill.
“It’s just different.”
Zane hummed, but she had a feeling he hadn’t heard her. His gaze roved over her dress, from the tight bodice to the flowing sleeves to the slits up the skirt.
“Different can be good.” His husky voice made her heart flutter. “You look… good.”
Kalie laughed. He looked pretty good, too, thoughshe didn’t have a clue where he’d found the suit. “Goodis a little underwhelming. You want to try again?”
“Stunning. Ravishing. Should I keep going?”
Heat flooded her cheeks, her neck, her chest. She looked down at the floor, breathing deeply. The scent of burning candles swirled around her, but she caught the faintest whiff of cologne that smelled of pines and the ocean. Her face burned hotter.
