CHAPTER TWO #2
Kyrion’s jaw clenched. As a Regal lord and the head of the Arrows, Kyrion had been a staple on the gossipcasts for years, but he had shot to a newfound level of notoriety thanks to our truebond.
Several weeks ago, Callus Holloway had tried to siphon off our truebond magic during a midnight ball at Crownpoint Palace.
Kyrion and I had managed to create a storm of psionic lightning that had decimated the throne room, and then we had fought Imperium soldiers and Holloway’s Bronze Hand guards before getting onto Kyrion’s Dream World blitzer and flying away from the palace.
The Imperium gossipcasts had covered our escape with breathless glee, and in recent days, the Erzton gossipcasts had picked up the story, along with our battle against the Serpens Corp mercenaries at the Stardrop Falls mining museum.
By this point, everyone in the blasted galaxy probably knew exactly who Kyrion and I were.
As a lab rat, someone who had toiled away in the R&D departments of Regal corporations for years, I was used to being invisible.
But going from lab rat to Regal lady to wanted fugitive over the last several months had exponentially raised my profile, and I was still struggling to deal with all the unwanted attention—and harsh judgment—that came along with being infamous.
Roderick bowed first to me, then to Kyrion.
“It is a great pleasure to meet you both. I’m delighted Lady Verona accepted my offer to let the two of you use my facility.
Of course, I saw you both a few weeks ago during the marriage mart at the House Collier antiques emporium, but I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself. ”
The marriage mart was a revered Erzton tradition in which the resources of every noble lord and lady were put on display, from the smallest trust fund to the largest factory.
Other Erzton lords and ladies then decided whom they wanted to court based on how beneficial—or not—those resources might be to their own Houses and families.
I’d been shocked and more than a little disgusted at how Erzton society reduced romantic relationships to business transactions, although Kyrion had said such things were also common in Imperium Regal society.
I thought it would be terribly sad to be courted knowing people were more interested in my credits and resources than in my personality and skills.
Asterin’s assets had been on display during the marriage mart, but no one had shown any interest in courting her, despite the many mineral rights she owned on various moons and planets.
Apparently, suspicions and stigmas were still attached to Asterin, thanks to the supposed mining accident that had killed her father and bankrupted House Armas all those years ago.
Roderick smiled and glanced back and forth between Kyrion and me, clearly expecting us to continue the conversation. Neither of us said anything, and the lord’s smile twisted into an annoyed scowl. Had Kyrion and I violated some Erzton social rule?
Roderick’s gaze skated over me and landed firmly on Kyrion, and his scowl smoothed back out into a wide, happy smile, like he’d just met a beloved celebrity.
He stared at Kyrion a moment longer, then looked at Asterin again.
“I’ve been meaning to message you, Asterin.
You simply must come on my next hunt. We’re going to Frozon 15.
Several packs of wolves and bears can be found on the moon, as well as some ice dragons and wyverns from the rumors I’ve heard.
They should provide me with a decent challenge, for a change. ”
His dark brown eyes gleamed with excitement, and his thumb stroked over the hilt of a dagger on his belt.
Asterin’s eyes lit up, and her face practically glowed with happiness. “That sounds wonderful!”
But just as quickly, her eyes dimmed, and a wistful look creased her features.
“But I have so much work to do on my projects overseeing some new tourist attractions for the Regenwald Resort. Even if I could get away, I would probably just sit by the fire and drink Frozon hot chocolate instead of tromping around the snowy tundra.”
Roderick’s smile widened, and he leaned forward. “Oh, I’m sure I can convince you to come. You deserve a vacation, and I need someone to help me stay warm during the long, cold nights.”
His voice dropped to a low, husky purr, and he winked at Asterin. A blush flared in her pale cheeks, and another wistful expression filled her face. Siya rolled her eyes, although neither Roderick nor Asterin noticed.
Roderick drew back and gestured at the House Battis Hammers who were opening their lockers and shrugging out of their dirty uniforms. “We’re done for the evening.
I have a few things to finish up in my office, but I’ll leave Jeffrey behind to oversee the control room.
But other than that, the four of you will have the facility to yourselves.
Try not to go too crazy with your blasters, eh?
We’ve already had to replace far too many flowers for my mother’s liking this month. ”
Asterin laughed at his joke. Kyrion and I politely chuckled, but Siya remained silent. Roderick bowed to us all again, grinned at Asterin, and headed over to the other warriors.
“Come on,” Siya muttered. “We only have the facility for two hours before they start charging us for extra time. Or have you forgotten that favors from House Battis always come with a hefty price tag?”
The warm glow snuffed out of Asterin’s face. “How can I forget when you are constantly reminding me?”
Our two friends glared at each other, with Kyrion and me looking on in awkward silence.
Asterin glanced over at us. “In case it isn’t already painfully obvious, Siya despises Roderick. She has ever since we were children.”
Siya stiffened, her chin jutting up. “House Battis is a long-standing rival of House Collier. It is always wise to be wary of potential enemies.”
Asterin crossed her arms over her chest. “Roderick is not the head of his House, and you’re blaming him for things he doesn’t have any control over.”
“He has a lot more control than you think,” Siya muttered. “He always has.”
Asterin’s face crinkled in confusion. She opened her mouth, but Siya sliced her hand through the air.
“Forget it,” Siya muttered again. “It doesn’t matter.”
And you wouldn’t believe me anyway. Siya’s snide thought whispered through my mind.
I glanced at Asterin, but she glared at her stepsister like she hadn’t heard Siya’s inner musing.
Asterin was a psion, just like Siya and Kyrion, although I’d never been able to figure out exactly what abilities she had.
Sometimes Asterin seemed like a strong psion, but other times she seemed to have no magic at all.
Asterin glared at Siya a moment longer, then jerked her head at Kyrion. “Come on, Kyrion. Let’s get into position so that you and Vesper can enter the maze at the same time.”
Kyrion’s dark blue gaze locked with mine. “Meet you in the middle?”
“It’s a date,” I replied in a cheerful voice, echoing his earlier words.
A crooked grin curved the corner of Kyrion’s mouth, and he and Asterin left the locker room.
Siya glanced over her shoulder at Roderick, who was smiling, laughing, and joking with his friends. Siya’s nostrils flared with disgust, and she stomped toward the exit.
I followed her, growing more and more curious about the history between the Erzton nobles. Being wary of someone from a rival House was one thing, but Siya clearly had a deep, personal dislike of Roderick. Why? What had he done to her?
As we rounded a row of lockers, I looked back over my shoulder.
Roderick snapped his fingers at the Hammers in a sharp, impatient rhythm.
The other warriors quickly gathered around, and the Erzton lord started speaking in a low, hushed voice.
Roderick had been nothing but polite, but something about his sudden furtiveness made me uneasy.
“Let’s go, Vesper,” Siya muttered, quickening her pace. “The sooner you and Kyrion get through the maze, the sooner we can leave.”
I followed her out of the locker room, but my unease trailed along behind me like a shadow I couldn’t escape.
Siya marched through the corridors in silence, her shoulders squared, her spine ramrod straight. Even without Kyrion’s telempathy, I still would have been able to sense exactly how annoyed, tense, and frustrated she was.
“What’s the real reason you dislike Roderick Battis?” I asked. “It’s obviously a lot more serious than just him belonging to a rival House.”
Siya’s face tightened with anger. “You’re assuming there is only one reason.”
“Then tell me all the reasons.”
Siya stopped, spun toward me, and slapped her hands on her hips. “You want to know about Roderick? Well, for starters, he was the first boy Asterin ever had a crush on when we were teenagers, so she’s always had a blind spot where he is concerned.”
“What kind of blind spot?”
Siya laughed, but it was a bitter sound.
“Asterin invited Roderick to a society ball, and she was so excited when he said yes. Then the mining accident happened, and Asterin’s father and my uncle were killed.
A few days later, right after the funerals, Roderick told Asterin that he couldn’t go to the ball with her. ”
I grimaced. “That’s harsh.”
Siya nodded. “He blamed his parents, said they made him back out because they didn’t want House Battis to get dragged into the lawsuits between House Armas and the other Houses. But I knew the truth.”
“Which was?”
“Asterin didn’t have the money, power, and support of a major House anymore. That’s the real reason Roderick dropped her. But Asterin forgave him for that, just like she always forgives him for anything and everything and explains away all his actions, no matter how rude and thoughtless they are.”