Page 91 of Warrior's Reign
Lohail had told him to use Reign as bait, to follow Reign to the traitor. Now Adevega, in her arrogance, had overplayed her hand.
“She doesn’t know Reign like I do,” Ibukay said. “She isn’t capable of guessing that I would never believe Reign was a traitor. I ordered her to flee. Did I play into Adevega’s hands?”
He considered. “No. If she intended to use Reign to assassinate you—or make it look as if a human attempted to assassinate you—then she also intended her death. Under questioning it would soon become clear that Reign is innocent.”
“She hunts her.”
She would. It would be a three-way race between Reign herself, Adevega and his mother. But he could not trust Reign’s life to even his mother. If Reign was returned to the palace it would be easy for Adevega to arrange for an accident.
“I must find her first.”
“Go,” Ibukay urged. “I have Tai’ri.”
“Move Vivian and Shira to a safehouse. It’s known you are dangerously fond of them both. They may be at risk.”
She nodded, mouth thin. “Order it done. Eagan?”
“The patch will drip medicines into your bloodstream to counteract the poison. I’d prefer you stayed here under observation.” Eagan grimaced. “I’m aware of the value of my preferences.”
Ibukay swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I must speak to mother and father.”
“Be cautious,” Vykhan warned. “Control your temper. Accuse Adevega of nothing.”
It proved the depth of her worry that she merely nodded. “Go, Vykhan. Find Reign. Protect her.”
And what did it say about the depth of his worry that he abandoned his little sister without another protest?
Perhaps all it said was that finally someone controlled more of his heart than did his duty.
* * *
“Your accountss are locked with an imperial seal,” Martha said. “You are denied all travel; domestic, international, and interplanetary.” Her long iridescent green-gold fingers moved over the manual keyboard. “Medical centerss are on alert, and are ordered to approve lifesaving treatment, but detain with caution.” Martha’s head swiveled towards her. “You’re considered highly dangeroussss. . .and to be approached by professionalss only.”
Icolo stepped into the room, jewel green eyes bright in his midnight face. “That particular seal is saved for a very special kind of traitor, Reign. Congratulations. You are notable enough to have angered powers in very high places.”
He meant it as a compliment too. Of course an Aeddannar would be happy at not being treated like a common criminal.Thatwould be insulting. Sometimes she really had to dig around to find his human blood.
“Reign,” Martha said, swiping her hand to float her console screen and turn on audio.
They watched the livestream as Adevega ascended a dais. A room encased her in four white walls, the blue and gold Imperial insignia rising at her back. When she began to speak, Reign bit down on the inside of her mouth to keep from swearing, and listened in silence.
“Well,” Martha said. “That iss that.”
Reign’s anger froze, honing in on the female on the screen with a lust for vengeance she hadn’t known possible. Adevega laid out accusations against Reign, took questions, and ended the conference by flashing Reign’s picture. It was the official photo she’d taken in her palace uniform.
“You can’t go out,” Icolo said. “They’ll tear the city apart looking for you. Your little disguise will be nothing against their scanners.”
And she’d find no allies, not with Adevega’s tearful face on every news outlet recounting the details of Reign’s ‘attack.’ Ibukay’s silence worried her, but if Youngest Daughter were dead the province would be in official mourning—there was no way to conceal a death of an Imperial royal for long. There were too many people in the palace, too many moles. She wasn’t worried Ibukay had thrown her to the wolves—there was a strategy afoot, Reign just had to piece together what it might be and prepare.
“I need to talk to Vykhan,” she said. “He would have told Ibu to sit tight. But if they have to waste time playing politics. . .” Her worry was that the enemy would kill her before Ibu and Vykhan could smooth the way for her to come in safely.
“He expects you to stay hidden and alive so he can do his job,” Icolo said sharply. “He’s no fool, though I suspect you’re about to act like one.”
“You must remain here,” Martha said. “There iss a shoot to kill order.”
The official Imperial order was capture, not kill, but Martha had nosed around—very, very carefully—and discovered a second, not quite official order. It had to originate from Adevega.
Reign paced. “I can evade a few palace guards. I can’t just stay here and wait for a signal to come out. I took an oath—I’m no good to Ibukay hiding out letting them cover my ass.”
