Page 16 of Praldia

"I see it, my Prince." Coming forward, Stark took my arm, dragging me back beside the throne. It wouldn't be seemly for the Prince to shove his wife in public, I guess. "They are baiting you, child, trying to get you away from your protection," Stark whispered in my ear while Luther took back control.

"… said your bit. Your claims are lies, and you fall to cheap insults to try and offend. It will not work. The Princess has made her choice; there is naught you can do about it. Your time here has expired. You have twenty minutes to be out of our system, or I will take your presence as a declaration of war…"

Feeling the presence without seeing it, I struck out at Stark with a ball of air. Not waiting to see him hit the ground or turn to see the surprise on his face, I threw myself at Luther. Turning just in time to see me, Luther put his arms out to catch me, his eyes wide open. Slamming into the prince with all my force and speed, I took him off-center enough that I could pivot to put my body between his and the assassin’s.

Fire burst to life in my right shoulder as the assassin's blade thrust where Saboa's heart was only seconds earlier. Ribbons of air snapped from my wrists as I twisted free of Luther.

Swinging my left arm out, the pale blue sheer ribbon whipped out behind me, catching the assassin around the legs. Yanking it back hard, I turned again before the invisible killer hit the floor with a loud grunt of pain.

That grunt gave the assassin an auditory shadow, giving me a silhouette to work with. Flicking my wrist, I wrapped my right ribbon around the invisible man's throat, pulling it tight.

Tugging at the air ribbon, the assassin gasped for breath. Reaching behind my shoulder, I reefed the blade from my back, grimacing at the pain as I dropped to the man's chest and put the knife to his throat. "Show yourself or die unknown." Our assassins were proud. There was no chance any would allow themselves to go to their death without their identity for the attempt at which they died being known.

The elite guard was already beside me, their weapons drawn and aimed at the body I knelt on, even though they couldn't see it.

"I won't ask again," I warned as I pressed the blade deeper at his chin.

The black blood of an Avalonian burst free as the assassin materialized with a grim smile. A face that haunted my nightmares stared back at me. Returning to that throne room in Avalonia for a moment, my left arm pulled back, then jabbed forth faster than the Cyrans could react.

The assassin gurgled beneath me, black blood spurting from around the blade I'd driven hilt deep through his throat and possibly having pierced his spine behind. "By the stars! I've never seen one of them move as quickly as she just did," one of the elite exclaimed as I tore the blade free.

Rising, I pushed through the guards toward the ambassador. An arm grabbed mine. "Zira." Luther caught me.

"Let me go!"

Luther pressed something soft to my bleeding shoulder. "They are subdued, and you are injured."

"I'm fine." I glowered at him. He met my gaze with his own authoritative glare. "It will take but a minute," I returned politely, getting my rage under control... somewhat.

Studying me, Luther released my arm but put his hand out for the dagger. Refusing to give it up, I shook my head. "I won't kill him. I give you my word."

Bowing his head, Luther stepped back then followed me. The guards cleared a path before me where they surrounded the ambassador and his mercenaries. My ribbons danced around my feet as I strode forward. Glaring down on the Avalonians kneeling, already on the floor and bound, I flicked my wrist, and the ribbon wrapped around the ambassador's throat.

"You can ribbon?" His eyes bulged. "No one has ribboned in even the elders' lifetimes."

Yanking the ribbon tighter, I smiled menacingly. "You backed the wrong player, Barbarian. Today you made a fatal mistake. You brought an assassin to a diplomatic petition; strike one. That assassin tried to attack the throne; strike two. That throne is the companion of the royal womb. What is the penalty in Avalonia for raising a hand against the royal womb's companion?"

The ambassador paled, gasping. Raising an eyebrow, I loosened the ribbon enough for him to collect air. "Impalement," he choked.

"Death by impalement. Strike three." Releasing the ribbon, I stood to my full height. "Councilman Aldous."

"Princess?" Aldous acknowledged from not far away.

"Send a message to the elders of Avalonia. Inform them of the Ambassador's side mission and all three of the charges I just mentioned. Then add that during the attack, the royal womb was stabbed by the ambassador's assassin."

The ambassador's face was completely drained of color as he started shaking his head energetically. "No, Princess, please, show mercy?" he begged.

Spinning, I drove the blade of the assassin into his shoulder then twisted it, enjoying his strangled scream. "This is mercy. I've granted you a warning of what will be awaiting your return. Do with it what you will."

Luther's hand was at my elbow again, but he wasn't dragging me away. Instead, he supported me as I stepped back from the bleeding ambassador. My shoulder was throbbing, but I needed to finish this.

"I believe the throne of Praldia gave you twenty minutes to leave our system before he took your presence as a declaration of war, Ambassador. You've wasted ten minutes already."

The ambassador looked around at the guards desperately. The elite deferred to Saboa, who nodded. One of the elite unbound the ambassador. Springing to his feet, cradling his shoulder, he dashed through the opening the guards made to the door.

"The others?" Stark asked from my other side.

"Kill them," I breathed, pain burning through my shoulder. Leaning into Luther, I was glad when he held me tighter.

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