Free The Star Prince by Susan Grant Page B

explained.
    "I see," Gann said, although he didn't.
    Rom's sharp glance demanded his discretion. "I'm in somewhat of a quandary regarding the frontier. All I can tell you, so as not to place Ian in danger, is that I require his frontiersman's perspective to guide me in future decisions on the matter." Rom appeared to choose his next words with care. "Our realm is growing, changing. We're settling new worlds farther and farther from the heart of our kingdom. Ian will be the first ruler with direct family ties to both the frontier and the Great Council. People on both sides will look to him for leadership. Yet there are still those who don't see the wisdom of Ian's someday taking the throne. I… want to give him the chance to prove them wrong."
    Rom fell silent before he smiled tiredly and added, "But you must find our wayward princess." Gann assured him, "I'll have her home before her bed grows cold. Hunk of bread." "Hunk of bread?" Jas appeared baffled. "It's one of your Earth-dweller expressions, is it not? Used to describe the ease of a particular task?" Her lips quirked. "You mean piece of cake." "Yes, yes, that's the one. A princess in the frontier will stand out like an iceberg in the desert. I'll have her back to the palace in no time. Piece of cake."
    Jas and Rom walked with him to where the screen separated the sitting area from the larger chamber. Embracing his friends in turn, he bade them farewell. Then he swept his travel cloak around himself and strode from the room.
     
    Chapter Six
     
    "I know she overslept, Quin. But seeing that she got us off Blunder and onto Grüma— and we lived through it, I'd say she earned her time in the bunk. But Randall's already gone, and I want to follow him. The only way we're going to do that is if she's rested."
    Sprawled on her stomach, Tee'ah woke to voices in the corridor outside her quarters. The bedsheets were twisted around her bare thighs, pinning her legs in place, and her head hurt too much to move, so she lay there, listening.
    The Sun Devil was on Grüma now, and the thrusters were shut down. It was quiet except for the whispery hum of the air recyclers and the men's voices.
    "A round-trip to Baresh is no quick jaunt." Recognizing Quin's voice, she winced into her pillow.
    "Tee can fly, I'll give her that. But taking a new pilot deep into new territory when we hardly know her… ? I don't know, Captain. I don't like it. And her drinking— "
    "Oh, she won't be drinking; I guarantee that," she heard Ian reply before he lowered his voice. She lifted her head, straining to hear. "I'm not about to let her go anywhere unsupervised. I'll watch her myself, if I have to."
    Heavens. They thought she was wild and reckless and not to be trusted. What a difference from how she'd been viewed by others— and herself— for most of her life.
    "With Randall a day ahead of us, I don't see that we have a choice. Tee! Are you alive in there?"
    With that came a horrible knocking on her door. She moaned and rolled onto her back, untangling her legs from the sheets. She didn't have to pretend to be a shiftless pilot. She felt like one from her throbbing head to her sore feet.
    "Tee! You're on duty. Rise and shine."
    "I'm trying." Her first attempt at speech came out as a raspy croak Clearing her dry throat, she tried again. "One moment." She hunted for clothes in the mess she'd left upon finding her bed and collapsing into it. Cleaning droids at the palace scoured her chamber daily, while handmaidens returned everything she used to its proper place, leaving her room faultlessly clean. A neat chamber had never been a reflection of her own preferences, but of those who looked after her. At that, she smiled. It seemed untidiness was rather liberating— and it was a far safer vice than Mandarian whiskey.
    She left her brother's shirt hanging loose over her trousers and limped to the door. Ian stood in the entry, a mug held in each hand. Steam rising from the exotic cups brought with it a