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"Kalugal was never interested in taking over from his father, but he wasn't as easy to control as some of his other brothers, and therefore Navuh considered him a threat."
Aru sensed that Kian was telling him a slightly altered version of the real story, mainly because the princess averted her gaze and pretended to be preoccupied with the folds of her silk gown.
She was not a good liar and would need extensive coaching to overcome that shortcoming. It was also possible that she was uncomfortable hiding things from him and was doing so only because of her son.
Aru could use that to his advantage to determine what Kian was adamant about keeping from him. The princess wanted to learn about Anumati, which could provide an excellent excuse for him to spend time with her without Kian hovering over her and censoring what she could and couldn't say.
It wasn't right for the son to censor his mother even if he was her most trusted advisor. Still, these immortals needed to learn the proper etiquette for royalty.
For now, though, Aru should focus on other issues, and the one that concerned him the most was Syssi's visions.
"Forgive me for changing the topic of conversation, but I have to ask." He looked at Syssi. "Did you see the queen in a vision? Is that how you knew that she had silver hair?"
Syssi nodded. "I had a vision of a goddess so luminous that I couldn't discern her features. I could only tell that she was tall and slim and had long, silver hair. She also wore a silver gown, if that's helpful."
"That sounds like our Queen. I've never had the privilege of meeting her in person or even seeing her from afar, but we've all seen her portrait as well as her televised addresses to the citizens of Anumati, and footage of her attending charity events."
"Is she a nice person?" Syssi asked.
He chuckled. "No one can survive Anumati's politics for as long as our Queen has done and be nice. Behind her gentle façade, she is as dangerous as the king."
Luckily, she was on the rebellion's side, or they would have no chance of ever succeeding, but that was a secret he couldn't reveal yet. In fact, he'd thought he would never have to reveal it. One day, when the resistance won, the queen would admit her part in toppling her husband's rule.
Or not.
Aru wasn't privy to her plans. He was just one more pawn in her very long game.
Frankie
The evening dress Frankie had gotten from her cousin Claudia was sapphire blue. The bodice clung tightly to her form, emphasizing her curves. Claudia was a little skinnier and a little taller, so it was a bit too tight and a bit too long, but other than that, it was great.
The neckline was a delicate scoop, showing her collarbone but covering her breasts and drawing attention to her exposed shoulders, which were one of her better features. The ballet lessons she had taken as a kid in the community center had yet to make her a great ballerina. Still, they had done wonders for her posture and deportment.
From the hips down, the skirt flared and was longer in the back than in the front. The dress made a statement and was not demure despite the conservative neckline and modest hemline.
The matching necklace and earrings were also Claudia's, and she'd boasted of getting both items for under thirty bucks in a discount store that Frankie had been planning to check out after the cruise. Since she didn't need to pay rent and had even gotten her deposit back, she had cash to buy a few new pieces of fake jewelry.
Would anyone notice that it wasn't real?
Eh, who cared. She looked good. Frankie smiled at her reflection in the mirror. "Doug is going to like."
As her doorbell rang, she walked over to the intercom. She pressed the button to activate the camera mounted above her door, which she'd discovered after Mia's previous visit.
It was her bestie again, but this time, she had her fiancé with her, and they both looked like a million bucks even when looking at them on the small screen.
Frankie opened the door. "You two look fancy."
"So do you." Mia smiled. "This dress is gorgeous. Where did you get it?"
"From one of my many cousins." She glanced at the time displayed on the screen. "It's still a bit early to head to the dining hall. Do you want to come in for a drink?"
"Sure." Tom rubbed the back of his neck. "We need to tell you a few things before we head out."
Tom looked uncomfortable, and Mia looked excited.
Was she pregnant? Was that what they needed to tell her?
"Then come in." Frankie walked over to the bar. "What will it be?"
