Page 84 of Star Prince

Ian struggled to make out his twin sister’s scrawled handwriting. “Ilana’s working…downtown LA…on the roof of the Court Tower. It’s the tallest building in the city.” He folded the note. “She’s got both Tee’ah and Lara with her. Let’s go.”

They hustled back down the stairs and into the car. Ian merged into traffic on a street busy with summer visitors, then he accelerated onto a high speed lane reserved for electric vehicles leading directly downtown.

Gann’s hands flew to the dashboard. “Great Mother.”

“What’s wrong?”

“The other ground cars”—he swallowed— “they’re too close.”

Ian tried not to laugh. “They’re supposed to be.”

“I journeyed in a similar vehicle, years ago, with Rom. But we never reached this velocity.”

“On an electric speedway it’s perfectly legal; trust me.” He pictured Tee, wondering what she thought of Earth, or driving on the highway. Or seeing the ocean for the first time. There were so many places he wanted to show her, so many things he wanted to experience with her, not the least of which was more incredible lovemaking.

She left you.

The gnawing worry that Tee wanted nothing more to do with him sharpened into impatience tomake things right between them. Their futures were intertwined. He was prepared for every conceivable argument to the contrary; he wasn’t about to let her go.

He flipped on the vehicle’s digital entertainment system. The images ofVashrepresentatives and Earth’s statesmen clashing in public and private forums didn’t lighten his mood. “The Senior Galactic Trade Minister is camped out outside the U.S. president’s office,” he muttered. His friends’ command of English was weak, and Ian found himself translating the news as it unfolded. “I’d guess he’s awaiting word from Rom on how to proceed.”

Ian wondered what Rom would tell the minister now that he thought he had recalled Ian. Earth would never cooperate as long as they believed there was little hope of a true partnership with the Federation.

Find Tee,his instincts told him.Everything else will fall into place.

Still, no matter what his instincts said, reuniting with Tee in the middle of L.A. was going to be anything but simple.

From the topof the Court Tower, Tee’ah viewed the entire city of Los Angeles, glittering in the hazy, muted light of Earth’s star. The wide rooftop was windswept and seemed to touch the sky. Her skirt whipped around her bare legs as she gazed all around her. Glassy buildings nearby rivaled the dizzying height of the one she was on; chaotic roadsbelow were busy with ground cars; huge white runes glowed on a distant hill— Hollywood.

She turned her attention back to the Earth-dwellers working on the rooftop. Ilana radiated pure pleasure as she captured video images. It was a gift, being free to practice a vocation she so enjoyed; Tee’ah hoped Ian’s sister understood her good fortune.

Perhaps succumbing to the urge to draw Lara out of her shell, Ilana had asked the woman for assistance. Now Lara stood among those who were filming, holding a “boom mike,” pointing it up and outward to capture sound while Ilana’s assistant, Linda, coordinated with the other Earth-dwellers. Chaos reigned, yet there was a simmering energy given off by Earth folk that Tee’ah found fascinating. With such dash inherent in their culture, no wonder they were balking at the idea of being submerged in a galaxy-wide federation in which they played a minor role.

More Earth-dwellers arrived—media personnel. As a crisply dressed woman narrated, her companion filmed Ilana filming the Earth-dwellers who were filming the actor, a man whom Tee’ah considered nowhere near as compelling as Ian, yet who was inexplicably the focus of so much interest.

Sudden movement dragged Tee’ah’s attention to the onlookers milling behind a row of barriers set up around the activity.

Crat.Flanked by Muffin and Gann, Ian jostled his way through the crowd.

Ilana’s assistant’s eyes widened. “Who’sthat?”

“Buy new glasses, Linda,” Ilana said. “It’s Ian.”

“No, the big blond hulk—I mean hunk.”

“His name’s Muffin. He’s my stepfather’s bodyguard.”

“Muffin.” Linda’s mouth curved in a hungry smile. “Darn. There goes my diet.”

Tee’ah had no tolerance for such lighthearted conversation. “What is Ian doing here? He’s supposed to be in Washington.” Her heart wrenched. His mission was critical to galactic peace. How dare he flirt with the controversy she would undoubtedly bring him?

Part of her hoped he was here to see his sister, but the instant his gray-green eyes found her, he left his escorts behind. His expression was resolute, his strides long. His glossy, windblown hair and black leather jacket were more suited to a rebel trader than a galactic crown prince, but he commanded no less respect for it.

The crowd parted, allowing him past. As he closed on her, the world seemed to fall away. Conversation grew distant, the people around her blurred. All she felt was the wind tossing her hair, her dress fluttering against her bare skin, and her love for Ian, giving her a sense of time standing still.

She forcibly looked away, breaking the spell. “Why did you come?” she demanded when hestopped in front of her. “We’re over,” she said in English—one of his sister’s expressions. “You know that.”

“I made a mistake, pixie.”

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