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Since that sounded like a good plan, Blake did as he said and never even knew when the nurse returned at all. He slept soundly, and the next morning, he was feeling better. He was convinced he’d had a crazy dream the night before.
That was why he was so surprised when two Tygerians, dressed in the dark uniforms like the king had worn, came to his room to collect him as he was being released. “The king needs to see you,” one of them told him in heavily accented Earthan. “We have orders to take you to him. Collect your things.”
Blake didn’t have any things that he knew of to collect, having come to the hospital straight from the hotel. When he said so, the guards nodded and took his arms, one guard on either side of him. They waved off the nurse who wanted to take him out in a hoverchair and took him out to a sleek, black shuttle, settling him in a seat at the rear. The shuttle parked on the curb was almost as large as a public transport, but much more luxurious.
When they arrived across town, Blake was taken to an elevator in the hotel. It was a new hotel, and quite luxurious. Blake wondered what had happened at the last one and if it had been completely destroyed. He resolved to try and find out.
He was shown into a large office and the human aide that had entered the room just before the explosion happened was seated at a small desk near the wall. Blake noticed again how handsome the younger man was, with his dark hair and classic features. He turned to regard Blake, who acknowledged him with a slight nod.
“I remember you from the other hotel. The one that was blown up.”
The human smiled slightly. “It was extensively damaged, but not ‘blown up,’ as you say. The king was extremely lucky not to have been still in the conference room when the bomb exploded.”
“Were there…were many people killed?”
“Some, yes. Fortunately, the king left to go after you right after you ran out. The general stepped away too and called for a short break. Many people stepped outside the room then. So your leaving the way you did actually saved lives.”
“I’m glad of that at least.”
The human stepped over to Blake and extended his hand. “I don’t think we met. My name is Ryan.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
Ryan smiled at him politely, and leaned against the desk, folding his arms as he regarded Blake carefully. “You know, a few people thought you might have run out, because you knew the bomb was about to go off.”
“What? No, that’s crazy. I had no idea of any such thing, and I would never have been involved in something so awful. You have to believe me.”
“Oh, it doesn’t matter what I think, but lucky for you, King Davos said so as well. He told investigators to look elsewhere, because he knew why you left in such a hurry.”
“He-he did?” Blake felt his face growing warm. Thad had to mean he had recognized Blake, right away and knew why Blake might be shy about seeing him again.
“Did he explain what he meant by that?”
“His Majesty rarely explains anything, nor does he feel the need to.”
They smiled at each other, and Blake had the strangest feeling he knew the younger man from somewhere.
The door to the big suite opened a second or two later, and Davos came in, this time wearing the same black uniform as he’d worn the day before at the conference. With him was a younger Tygerian, who looked a great deal like the king. He was really handsome or would have been if he hadn’t looked so cold and hard, like his face had been chiseled from stone. He glanced over at Blake with an expression that bordered on contempt. Then he went right up to the human aide and spoke to him in a low voice, though his hard expression never altered. He took a seat beside the king.
“Mr. Cameron, thank you for coming. This is my son, Prince Mikos, who has questions for you that he insists on asking.”
Prince Mikos glanced at his father and then back at Blake. “Why did you come to the conference yesterday, Mr. Cameron?”
“I was told to come. By the king’s aides.”
“And why was that, do you suppose?”
“I don’t know, really. When I received the invitation, I thought it was because I have sometimes said unflattering things about the king on my broadcasts and the laws he’s imposed on us. You too, Your Highness. I figured you wanted to tell me to stop and threaten me with what you’ll do to me and my network if I don’t.”
Behind the prince, the human seemed to be hiding a smile. But not Prince Mikos. He leaned toward Blake, his face devoid of humor. “Do you think I’m joking, human? Do you find my questions humorous?”
“Not in the least, sir.”
“Why did you run out of the conference room yesterday after you’d arrived only minutes before?”
“I thought of something I needed to do.”
The prince glared, his eyes cold and dead looking. “Tell me what you know about the explosion.”
