Page 98 of Alien Prince's Fake Bride
“She does, sir. Although she’s not happy about being away from her soldiers during this time. The Calanians appear well motivated to keep the Princess safe. They are all honored to have been given this task. Or so I interpret their hard gazes and strange words. ‘We shall care for the alien as if she were not one,’ they said. I think it’s a good thing.”
We pass the first of the guards at the lower level. I stop and look them up and down. “Battle gear is appropriate, legionnaire. The Princess and I expect you all to protect her with your life, if that becomes necessary.”
“Yes, my Prince!” the Calanian guards say as one.
“You may not be thrilled about not seeing battle against the Vyrpy,” I go on. “But this is just as important. You are protecting the very soul of the Empire. Let nothing harm her!”
“Yes, my Prince!” they repeat so the yell echoes from the staircase.
I don’t know where the words came from.The very soul.But it feels right, almost painfully so. She has taken over a great deal of my mind. Whether I’m fighting a virtual battle or debating in some Imperlal council meeting, she’s always on my mind. I can’t wait to get back to her.
I stop and face my bodyguard. “Caret’ax, I am going to war. Much as I would prefer to have you with me, I want you to stay here and keep the Princess safe.”
Caret’ax’s eyes glow. “Yes, sir. I think she needs it.”
I would have expected some protests from him, but I’m satisfied that he understands my reasons. “Good man. It puts my mind at rest to leave her with you. When I come back, you can take that vacation you earned.”
“We’ll see, sir. When you return.”
I cuff him gently on his massive shoulder. “Very good, my friend.” There’s nothing else to say, so I leave him there.
As I walk down the last steps to the waiting army gunship that will take me to theGladiux, I sense the Syntrix connection with Umbra starting to feel brittle and cold. But this has to happen. I can’t bring her to the war, the way she wants. She simply wouldn’t be safe. This is the only place on Khav where she might be. Having her travel through space now, with the Vyrpy this close… it sends a shiver down my back.
No, this is the best I could hope for. Umbra may feel miffed, but she is safe until I return. And then, I will persuade her to stay here. I will show her what I can do for her planet, what the Empire can do. I will show her how much I love her.
The crew of the gunship salute me as I approach.
“Let’s go to war,” I tell them with a confident grin. “We’ll beat the Vyrpy once and for all!”
“Yes, my prince!” they reply, and the eagerness in their faces makes me feel sure of victory.
As the gunship rises in the air, heading for the spaceport where theGladiuxis waiting, I look out the window and down on the dull, nondescript building where Umbra will be safe. Outside, there’s no sign of its significance, except for a couple of Calanians in their eye-catching uniforms slowly walking along one wall. Anyone who comes closer than a hundred paces will be stopped and turned back. And nobody will see the inside of that building or suspect what’s inside it.
I let out a sigh and finally allow myself to think of the war I’m about to fight.
Umbra is safe.
39
- Umbra-
I don’t have much to do, so I inspect the apartment. It must be three thousand square feet, immensely luxurious for someone who’s used to a tiny space station. There are two bedrooms, both extremely big and luxurious. One is in an exaggerated feminine style, with pink everything, thick carpets, frilly lamps, and a view of the Eiffel Tower. The bed is a caricature in pink and white, with beddings and duvets that reach me to the shoulders and a gigantic, frilly canopy.
The other one is just as luxurious, with dark wood and marble and golden details that should look tacky, but just give the place a really expensive atmosphere. Even the subdued lighting feels exclusive. There are huge windows with a view of snow-tipped mountains that I think are the Alps. And a fireplace where I find that the chimney isn’t real. But the illusion is really well done.
There’s a gym room with alien-looking equipment, an incredibly nice bathroom that’s not alien at all and must be modelled after some really fancy ones on Earth, and a daylight conservatorywith dozens of nice plants and comfortable armchairs. To my surprise there’s even a gallery full of pictures from both Earth and Khav, ingeniously arranged to show both differences and similarities between the two worlds.
It’s all incredibly nice. But of course, a golden cage would have to be.
“Can we break out of here?” I say into the air when my inspection is over.
Vera doesn’t need any time to think. “It should be possible. This place is simply an apartment built inside a bigger room. You could break out through a back wall and then see what that outer room looks like. Can you hold me up over your head?”
I do as she asks, stretching my arm up.
“Thanks. Now make some noise. A mild bang would be good.”
I get a fine, unused wooden cutting board and slam it on the exquisite kitchen counter, giving a tiny outlet to my frustration.
