Page 22 of The Alien's Vicious Starflash Manor

“It seems likely. Though whether he knows what you’re planning or simply believes you’re plotting against him in general?—”

“It doesn’t matter.” I rake a hand through my hair. “Either way, I can’t refuse to attend without confirming his suspicions.”

“And you can’t attend during a double moon without risking exposure.” Cyan’s tone turns thoughtful. “You know, we could always stage a convenient mechanical failure. Something just catastrophic enough to delay your arrival until after the worst of the celestial effects have passed.”

For a moment, I’m tempted. But...

“No. Jonyk would see through it immediately. He knows I never travel without you, and your capabilities are...” I trail off as something occurs to me. “Cyan, how did Uanna know I would be awake to take her call?”

A long pause follows. “Ah. I was hoping you wouldn’t catch that.”

“Cyan.”

“There may have been some... monitoring of your travel patterns. Very subtle. Almost undetectable, really. I only noticed because?—”

“Because you’re the one who taught her how to do it.” The realization hits like a blow. “When you were helping me maintain my cover at court.”

“To be fair, I had to make their systems look at least somewhat competent. Otherwise, they might have started asking questions about where their upgrades were really coming from.”

I press my fingers to my temples, where a headache is building. “And now they’re using those same systems to spy on me.”

“If it helps, I’m still better at it than they are?”

A laugh escapes me despite everything. “What would I do without you?”

“Crash and burn. Literally, probably.” Her tone softens. “We’ll figure this out, Ivrael. We always do.”

I stare out the viewscreen at the star-streaked void of faster-than-light travel. Somewhere ahead lies Trasq, and with it all the complications I’ve spent cycles trying to unravel. The Evans sisters. The failing magic. The Starfire Crown I couldn’t bring myself to leave behind, as if King Caix, the King of the Undead himself, might somehow leave his iron-bound cemetery to raid Starfrost Manor and retrieve it.

And now this—a reception that could destroy everything I’ve worked for.

“We should discuss the Lara situation,” Cyan says quietly.

“Don’t.” The word comes out harsher than intended. “I can’t think about that right now.”

“Your core temperature just spiked. Thinking about it is apparently all you’re doing.”

I slam my hand against the console, ice crackling outward. “Enough.”

“As you wish.” A pause, then, “Though I feel compelled to point out that freezing my circuits won’t actually solve any of your problems.”

I pull the ice back. “Sorry.”

“Accepted. Now, shall we discuss how we’re going to handle having you attend this five-day reception during a double full moon? Or would you prefer to continue pretending this isn’t a potential disaster in the making?”

I lean back in my chair, closing my eyes. “Maintain course for the pole. We’ll need to dock there anyway.”

“Already done.” Another pause. “Whatever you decide, I’ve got your back. Even if I think you’re being an idiot about certain things. And certain people.”

A smile tugs at my lips despite everything. “I know.”

Despite myself, my mind races through everything that needs to be accomplished before the reception.

One ten-day.

Not even a full moon cycle to transform two modern Earth women into convincing Caix nobility. And that doesn’t count the time it’ll take to get back to Trasq.

“They’ll be eaten alive,” I murmur.

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