The Lost Empress (Foiled Stars #3)

Prologue

The humans wouldn’t shut up.

Ronan sat in the control seat of his destroyer with bits of cloth shoved into his ears. The humans had been at each other’s throats non-stop for almost a year.

If it wasn’t complaints about the quality of the food and who left hair in the sink, it was constant nagging. Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

“No,” he’d scream, throwing his hands into the air.

Not a single “thank you,” or shard of gratitude had been expressed for delivering them from the slave planet of Varz.

If Ronan had the ability to travel back in time, he would’ve left them there to toil for all eternity. At least then, they would’ve been out of his hair.

He took deep controlled breaths, attempting to calm himself down, but failed miserably.

“Everyone, stop it.” He ground his teeth in his mouth.

The destroyer knocked and rattled through the turbulence of space. The entire cabin thundered as he maneuvered his way through a passing asteroid shower. Pebbles skidded against the hard metal exterior of the ship. Lights from passing stars streaked across the glass of the windows.

Caleb toppled face-first over Marcela and her son Tyler, who remained huddled on the floor for much of the voyage. Their eyes bulged in their skulls with fear. They were shell-shocked and terrified.

Caleb groaned, stomping through the cabin. “I want to get the hell off this ship. When are we getting back to Earth? This is taking forever.”

The only thought that kept Ronan from reaching and snapping Caleb’s neck in half was that of Sean, his boyfriend who he’d met at the Castle rollerblading rink during his mission on Earth. Hopefully he’d be keen on coming back to Surge with him. He didn’t want to imagine his lonely life again without him.

Two years had been far too long.

Ronan’s uniform pocket vibrated. When he glanced down to see the caller, the hairs on his neck stood at perfect attention. He sighed. He had no other choice but to answer his communicator. Ronan had been dodging Dante for quite some time, unwilling to disclose his whereabouts.

“Hello,” he slid the screen up and reluctantly muttered. His heart thrummed in his ears.

“You know every time you ignore my calls, a certain frequency is transmitted,” Dante snapped through the communicator. “Allow me to remind you, not only are you my flesh and blood, but I am your emperor. The very least you could do is pay me the respect I deserve in accordance with my rank and pick up.”

Oh no. Dante had finally given his father what he deserved. His hands sweat within the confines of his gloves.

“When did this happen?” Ronan stuttered.

“Well, if you were here, you wouldn’t have to ask.” Dante paused. “I know what you’re thinking, and I assure you it’s untrue.”

No, Dante had no idea what he was thinking.

“I’m sorry. I—forgive me, the signal hasn’t been the greatest,” Ronan muttered the quickest excuse he could think of.

“Enough. I’m not buying your justification. I know all about your little unauthorized trip to Earth for the boy and all about the humans you removed from the slave planets without my permission.”

Ronan’s jaw lowered. “You do? How?”

“Of course I do. I know everything,” Dante said smoothly through the communicator. It crackled against his breath. “I’m not angry, although I should be furious with you. I have a little, well, actually a huge problem, and I order you to help me.”

“Okay, I’m at your disposal,” he turned the control panel. The human bickering grew louder and louder by the second.

“Quiet.” Ronan hissed into the cabin, waving his black-gloved hand.

“What?”

“Sorry, not you,” he apologized to Dante.

Dante grumbled something incomprehensible before speaking. “Valdez knows about Earth and about my little indiscretion with Keyserike. It’s only a matter of time until she informs the Grand Supreme of my betrayal if she hasn’t already. I need you to collect Autumn’s father and ensure his safe passage back to Surge. In the meantime, I’ve dispatched reinforcements to guard the planet.”

“No problem at all.”

“Excellent. You need to hurry up and get back here as soon as possible. There shall be no dallying. If anything happens to him, she’ll never forgive me, and you’re going to have a real problem on your hands.”

“Yes, you have my word.”

“Thank you, Ronan. I’m entrusting you with his life.”

“But of course, you can always count on me.”

“Don’t agree with me—just obey my order. I have enough trouble on my hands. I need to find my wife.”