Kalie’s mouth fell open. She almost refused on the spot.
But negotiations were a battlefield, and she’d already gained ground. She’d watched Aunt Calida trade and barter, haggle over terms. She could do the same.
The future of Dali depended on it.
So she nodded.
The dance began.
“I think we’d better ask for your brother, Prince Theron, as a hostage. That’ll keep you and your father in line.”
Kalie bit the inside of her cheek. Danae was the only child Father loved, and even for her, he wouldn’t hand over his Crown Prince.
“My father won’t give him up.”
Krii’s pulser twitched towards her. “Perhaps you should compel him.”
“My sister.” Kalie injected a tremor into her voice, to make the lies sound like truth. “Selene is my father’s favorite child. If he did surrender Theron to your custody, he’d sacrifice him in the end. He has another son, a spare. But the child he and my mother love most is Selene. If you take her, my father will never risk a revolt.”
‘Nor would I’would be laying on the lies a little too thick.
Kalie held his gaze, keeping her arms resting on the chair. She tried to channel honesty into her expression, her posture. In a dark, twisted way, it wouldbenefit both her and Carik. As long as her favorite child was held hostage, Mother would use whatever scraps of power Father gave her to prevent a revolt against Carik. And if Selene was in Carik’s hands, she’d be incapable of causing any problems for Dali.
“Our intelligence indicates that your half-sister Danae is the Emperor’s favorite.” Krii’s voice was distant, but his focus was sharp. “Perhaps we should take her.”
Kalie’s heart faltered, but cycles of practice kept her face blank.
“His bastard?” The disdain in her tone, the curl to her lip—all of it was a careful study in dismissal. It hurt her to do so, but she scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Danae is nothing. My father only keeps her around because he swore an oath to her mother, a courtesan he bedded. Take her off his hands. You’d be doing him a favor.”
Krii tilted his head. “Alright. We’ll take Princess Selene. And Governor Roth, he’s too powerful to be left out.”
Kalie’s knuckles turned white on the armrests. Uncle Jerran was out of the question. He was the ruler of Dali in all but name. Without him, she would be nothing but a title, trampled over bynobles who’d grown too powerful. Carik would be able to invade easily.
Before she could think of a way to spin it and exclude Uncle Jerran from the agreement, the door burst open.
Kalie looked over her shoulder, and her heart all but stopped.
It was Wells.
His hands were braced behind his head. The dark-haired woman standing behind him jabbed him forward with her pulser, and his grime-caked legs trembled with every step. He’d clearly been shot. Stained bandages were wrapped around his arm and patches were taped over his skin. Blood dribbled from a nasty gash above his eye.
Guilt churned in Kalie’s stomach.
He was an arrogant, disgusting wretch, and when he’d said good riddance about Aunt Calida’s death, she’d wished him dead… but holy gods, she hadn’t meant it.
“Sergeant Vega.” Krii looked bewildered. “What’s this?”
The woman, Vega, snapped off a salute. “I’ve apprehended her accomplice, sir. My team caught him hiding out on theChimaera.”
“Interesting.” Krii flicked his hand. “Find out what he knows, and if he refuses to cooperate, schedule him for execution.”
“He’s—he’s not my accomplice,” Kalie protested, as two legionnaires stomped towards Wells. She lurched to her feet. Rifles whipped towards her, and her pulse thundered, but she didn’t flinch away. No one else could die for her. “He was trying to stop me—he—he chased me through the tunnels?—”
Wells grunted. Vega had stopped between the high countertops.
Vega winked.
Wells mouthed,down.
