Raventhorpe, House James’s main property, was located outside Honorius on a pastoral piece of land lush with fields, forests, and gently rolling hills that stretched for kilometers in every direction. They had a smaller residence in the city proper, but the house party was always held in the country, the better to see the meteors. The shopping district was a twenty-minute transport ride away.
The property had a spaceport and guests were invited to bring their ships. Because I thought I might have to make a quick escape, I took them up on the offer. Chaos gently touched down on the landing pad. I cut the engines and took a deep breath. Time to sell the lie I had to live for the next two weeks.
Alex and Aoife met me in the cargo bay. Alex wore an expertly tailored dark blue three-piece suit that matched the blue accents in my orange sundress. He exuded the perfect cool arrogance common to Consortium nobles. Aoife wore dark slacks and a white blouse. If she had a blaster, I couldn’t detect it. She looked relaxed and confident.
If we were lucky, they would show us to our rooms and allow us to change and rest before dinner. If not, we’d have to socialize over tea before being allowed to escape.
A new trunk had been added to the cargo sled. I picked up the beacon and the sled lifted. “Ready?”
They nodded, so I lowered the cargo ramp and opened the door. I tucked my worries and fears away behind a mask of aristocratic boredom. A pair of strapping young men in House James uniforms waited at the bottom of the ramp.
“Welcome to Raventhorpe,” the blond said with a bow. “I am Aaron. May I take your luggage? It will be delivered directly to your room.”
I handed over the sled’s beacon. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Lady Catarina. David will show you to the house.” He waved to the dark-haired man next to him. David bowed.
I locked Chaos. Alex offered me an arm, then we followed David toward the main house, Aoife trailing behind us. The spaceport was off the corner of the building, but the path curved around so we approached directly from the front.
Raventhorpe was an impressive building, all red stone and imposing lines. It was five or six stories tall and rectangular in shape. Large, evenly spaced windows spread across the building’s face. It looked far older than it was, a design decision that added to its gravitas.
A uniformed, gray-haired butler swung the door open as we approached. The foyer was lined with dark wood paneling and an enormous chandelier hung overhead. It felt claustrophobic and I had the sudden urge to turn around and leave. I didn’t believe in omens, but if I did, this would be a bad one.
The butler dismissed David with a subtle gesture. “Welcome to Raventhorpe, Lady Catarina. Lady Stephanie and a few of the other guests are enjoying tea in the green salon if you would like to join them.”
I hid my grimace behind a polite smile. “That would be lovely, thank you.”
Alex tucked my hand farther into the crook of his elbow. When I glanced up, his gaze was concerned. I minutely shook my head. I was going to have to face everyone sooner or later, so it might as well be sooner. I couldn’t say that though, so I gave him a weak smile.
The butler stopped outside the closed doors to what was likely the green salon. “If your guard would care to refresh herself, I can have someone show her to her room.”
My eyebrows rose. I addressed the largest concern first. “Her room? Is she not staying in my suite?”
The butler sniffed lightly. “I apologize, my lady, but the guest accommodations at Raventhorpe are not suites. Staff and guards are roomed on the upper floors.”
“And the room next to mine?”
“All of the guest rooms are currently spoken for, my lady. Once again, I do apologize.”
Usually, I would be elated to get away from my guard, but I was in a hostile House and my own House was at war. A universe of possibilities flashed through my mind. If I protested, it could tip them off that I knew about their involvement with Ferdinand. Or they could be expecting me to protest so they could move me away from the other guests, possibly to the family wing, which would give me better access to their rooms, but also give them better access to mine.
My eyes narrowed. Had Bianca known about this? As far as I knew, she’d never been to Raventhorpe, but I’d learned not to underestimate the extent of Bianca’s intelligence network. This could very well be the reason she’d insisted I bring Alex.
I did not want to make an enemy of the butler. He would be a powerful ally if I could win him to my side, so I smiled brightly. “Thank you for letting me know. I’m sure Aoife will enjoy having time to herself. But for now, I’d rather she stayed with me, so she will be here for the introductions, if you don’t mind. Then she can find her room before dinner.”
The butler unbent slightly at my friendly tone and lack of screaming complaints. “Very good, my lady. I will ensure someone is available to show her up to her room whenever she is ready. Shall I announce you and . . .” He trailed off delicately with a glance at Alex.
I firmly affixed my public mask and gave Alex an adoring look before returning my gaze to the butler. “This is Alexander. Please introduce us as Lady Catarina and guest, if you don’t mind.” I giggled softly and leaned in, as if I was imparting a secret. “I want to handle the personal introductions myself.”
“As you wish.” He crossed the hall and slid open the doors to the green salon. Heads swiveled our way when the butler cleared his throat. “May I present Lady Catarina and her guest.” He stepped aside. Alex and I swept into the room on a murmur of intrigue. My hand curled possessively around his arm, something the sharp-eyed guests in the room did not miss.
I could not have asked for a better entrance. I could hear speculation and curiosity in the low murmurs. Stephanie James and Chloe Patel stood near the far windows, deep in conversation with another lady from a lower house. I cataloged the room as I crossed to greet the hostesses.
We must have been nearly the last to arrive because over a dozen people sat and stood in little conversational cliques around the room. Most of them were distant acquaintances, easily ignored, but two stood out: Ying Yamado, the youngest daughter of High House Yamado, and Joseph James, Stephanie’s middle brother. Ying was the only true ally I had in this crowd, and Joseph had not been included on any of the guest lists I’d seen. I hadn’t expected anyone else from House James to be in residence.
I nodded at Ying. She grinned back, tipped her head minutely toward Alex, and raised one eyebrow. My answering grin was full of secrets. Her eyes narrowed and I knew I’d be in for an interrogation as soon as she got her hands on me.
Cira, Ying’s favorite guard, stood with her back to the wall and watched the crowd with an impassive expression. She was the only guard I saw in evidence. She acknowledged Aoife with a tiny nod.
I let go of Alex to exchange air kisses with Stephanie and Chloe. Chloe took the opportunity to link her arm through mine and drag me around the room, introducing me as “my dear friend Catarina von Hasenberg” to people I already knew.
I murmured the correct responses while surreptitiously casing the room. The green salon was a fairly standard reception room, though one decorated tastefully—and expensively. The name came from the seafoam-green walls, augmented with real wood wainscoting. There were, sadly, no evil plans neatly labeled and sitting out on a side table.
When Chloe finally pulled me to Joseph James for an introduction, I brought my attention back to the conversation. He bowed over my hand and pressed a light kiss to my skin. When I raised an eyebrow at him, his mouth curved into a devilish grin.
Joseph was a handsome man, but unlike his fair sister, his skin was tan and his hair was dark brown. He had hazel eyes and striking cheekbones. He was a couple of years older than me and an outrageous flirt. I didn’t know him well, but I’d always liked him.
Until his family had decided to kill my brother.
“Joseph, it’s nice to see you again,” I said. “Have you met Alexander?” Joseph was tall and lean, with an athletic build. I was surprised to find that he looked almost gaunt next to Alex’s muscled bulk.
“I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure,” Joseph said. The two men sized each other up. Alex’s expression was as chilly as I’d seen it. Joseph apparently took it as a challenge and turned back to me with a mischievous light in his eye. “My sister tells me you’re into gardening. You must let me give you a private tour of Raventhorpe’s gardens before you leave.”
Before I could answer, Alex slid an arm around my waist and tucked me into his side, dislodging Chloe’s hold on me. “We would be delighted to tour the gardens,” he said smoothly.
There was no way for Joseph to retract or narrow the invite without seeming rude, so he just grinned and tipped his head, acknowledging his defeat. “I am at your service,” he said. “If you’ll excuse me.” He bowed to me, ignored Chloe, and moved to talk to someone across the room.
Well, that was one way to make a statement—one Chloe did not miss. Her face was a mask of anger as she watched him leave. When she noticed my gaze, she smoothed a smile into place. “I didn’t realize you and Lord Joseph were acquainted.”
“We’ve met a few times. He’s entertaining.”
“And what of Alexander?” she asked snidely. “Have you forgotten him so soon, even though he’s plastered against your side?”
I didn’t have to fake the cold smile I gave her. “Tread lightly, my dear, or Joseph won’t be the only one who ignores you this trip.”
The dig landed true and she flushed in outrage.
I nodded politely to her and turned to find Ying, pulling Alex with me. I might as well dive headfirst into the inquisition, otherwise she’d be even more curious about why I was avoiding her.
“Brace yourself,” I whispered under my breath. He squeezed me, a silent acknowledgment.
Ying broke off from her group when I approached. She was gorgeous, with pale skin, straight black hair, and dark eyes. Her delicate beauty and lithe frame masked a cunning, razor-sharp mind. She was two years older than me, and despite being a few centimeters shorter, she had a commanding presence.
She pulled me into a hug. “You’re dead to me for keeping a man that hot a secret,” she whispered.
I pulled back with a grin. “Ying, this is Alexander. Alex, this is Lady Ying Yamado, youngest daughter of High House Yamado.”
Alex bowed over her hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady,” he said in his perfect aristocratic accent.
“Likewise,” Ying said. She glanced at my empty hands. “Chloe didn’t even let you get a drink before dragging you around the room.” She tsked under her breath. “Let’s fix that. Alexander, be a darling and fetch Cat a drink, would you?”
It was not a subtle bid to get rid of him. Alex glanced at me. I nodded. “A coffee would be lovely.”
Once he was out of earshot, Ying leaned in close. “No wonder you were desperate to attend this party. Wherever did you find him and does he have a brother? Or a sister?”
I thought about Aoife, guarding my back, and shrugged. “Not that I know of,” I said.
As if drawn by my thoughts, Ying peeked around me. “And did you get a new guard? You’re full of surprises today.”
Most people would never have realized that Aoife was new. They treated guards as interchangeable parts and didn’t notice when they were swapped out. But Ying wasn’t the daughter of a High House for nothing.
“Bianca insisted,” I grumbled. It took no effort at all to infuse that statement with annoyance. “And since I couldn’t tear Susan away from her husband for two weeks, I agreed. This is Aoife. Aoife, meet Lady Ying and her guard, Cira.”
Cira Zapata had olive skin and dark blond hair, pulled back into a braid. She wore dark slacks and a light blouse, with a jacket covering a shoulder holster. She was in her early thirties and had been Ying’s guard for years. Her wife also worked for House Yamado in an administrative role.
Aoife bowed shortly to Ying and nodded to Cira.
“So, tell me about Alexander,” Ying demanded.
“We met a few months ago. I didn’t think he’d be able to make it, which is why I didn’t mention anything. That and I didn’t want Mother to hear about it until it was too late.”
“Is it serious?”
“No,” I said. “We barely know each other.” I smiled at the truth in that statement. “But it’s fun.”
“What am I supposed to do now that you’re going to be sneaking off every five minutes?”
I waved an arm at the variety of beautiful people in the room. “Pick someone and enjoy yourself?” I grinned. “Isn’t that why you decided to come?”
She pouted at me. “Of course! But I thought we’d be on the hunt together. At least now my competition has gone down.” Her gaze drifted around the room before settling on Joseph. “I’m not going to step on your toes if I choose him, am I?” she asked on a low murmur.
“No, but I hope you like a challenge. He’ll flirt with anyone, but rumor has it that he’s extremely selective when taking it further than that.”
Ying thrived on challenge. Her eyes lit up. “In that case, I should get started.” She pointed a finger at me. “I’m not done with you, but we’ll adjourn until after dinner. I want to speak to your mystery man.”
I inclined my head in agreement, but I was already trying to figure out the best way to get out of it. “Good luck.”
She tossed her head, sending her long hair swinging. “Darling,” she drawled, nose in the air, “I don’t need luck when I have skill.”
I burst into laughter and she joined me. Heads turned as the other guests tried to figure out what we found so amusing. I was glad that Ying had come. It was nice to have a friend in this sea of lies.
After Ying wandered off, Alex returned, and I wondered if he’d been surreptitiously waiting for her to depart. He handed me a delicate china cup and saucer. His hands were big and calloused, but he handled the cup with the utmost care.
“Thank you,” I said.
“I wasn’t sure how you liked it,” he said softly, “so I guessed.”
His voice was a delicious caress. If he could bottle that effect, he would be a rich, rich man.
I took a sip of coffee. It was creamy and slightly sweet. I hummed in appreciation. “It’s perfect, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I took another fortifying sip. “Ready to mingle?”
He grinned. “If we have to.”
I agreed completely.
I HAD FIELDED SLY QUESTIONS FOR NEARLY HALF AN hour before we were allowed to escape to prepare for dinner. Aoife retreated up to her room after tossing a significant glance at Alex.
A uniformed maid led us up to the end of the third-floor wing. As the highest-ranking guests, Ying and I were each given corner rooms. Ying waved and disappeared into the room across the hall.
Alex and I entered our own room. He closed the door, enclosing us in silence. I relaxed for the first time since landing. The room was much like the rest of the house, too ornate for my taste, but obviously expensive. Dark, heavy furniture anchored pale pink walls. Windows on two walls looked out over pristine lawns and the forest beyond. A large bed dominated the room, but a small sitting area was tucked near the glass door to the balcony.
A tall door led into the lavish bathroom. An enormous shower and a tub big enough for two took up most of the space. The tub sang a siren song, and I promised myself that I would make use of it before I left. The vanity and mirror included a built-in cosmetics kit that meant I wouldn’t need the portable one in my trunk.
When I returned to the bedroom, Alex was sweeping the room for bugs and cameras. He moved into the bathroom, then came back and stepped close. He brushed his lips against my temple and whispered, “There’s a bug in the corner. What do you want me to do?”
“Video?” I asked, just as quietly.
He shook his head.
“We’ll let Aoife find it. Until then, play along.” When he nodded, I moaned. “We can’t. We don’t have time before dinner,” I protested at my normal speaking volume.
His eyes laughed at me even as he growled, “We’ll make time. Now get naked.”
“You naughty man.”
A tap on the door interrupted us. Alex cursed vividly and I had to smother a giggle. I crossed the room and swung the door open to reveal Aoife. “Aoife, you have terrible timing, but I guess you might as well come in. How was your room?”
Her eyes narrowed, but she seemed to catch on. “My room was nice.” Once I closed the door, Alex signaled that we had a listener. “Have you swept for bugs?” she asked.
I laughed nervously. “Bugs? Like an infestation? If there are bugs in here, I’m sleeping on my ship. I don’t care how rude it makes me seem.”
“I meant listening devices, Lady Catarina,” Aoife said with the perfect touch of exasperation.
“Oh, I knew that. No, I didn’t check. I was distracted.” I giggled. “You can do it for me, though, right?”
“Of course, my lady.” Aoife swept the whole room. While she did that, I pulled out my com and did a sweep of my own. It’s possible my com was more sensitive than whatever they were using, especially if Director Bishop hadn’t equipped them with von Hasenberg standard-issue devices.
Aoife and I both found the same bug Alex had warned me about. Aoife loudly admonished me to be more careful and then destroyed it.
Another sweep revealed the room was clean.
“Is bugging personal rooms common?” Aoife asked.
“Common enough. Could be House James, could be someone on staff, or one of the guests could’ve snuck it in. It’s hard to say, but there’s a reason I usually sweep new places before I say anything incriminating. We’ll have to recheck every time we return. How is your room really?”
“It’s fine. Smaller than this, obviously, but it has its own bathroom. It’s on the fifth floor and the path down here isn’t direct. It will take me at least a minute at a run.”
A lot could change in sixty seconds if I needed Aoife badly enough for her to run. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
But I didn’t rely on hope when preparation could be used instead. I crossed to my trunks and swiped my identity chip across the lock on the box of supplies. I lifted the clothes out and unlocked the secondary container.
Alex and Aoife watched without comment until I started pulling out blasters. “What are you doing?” Aoife asked.
“Planning ahead.” The three blast pistols I removed were in holsters that were backed with a special adhesive. With the press of a button, they’d stick to nearly anything. Then, when it was time for removal, press the button again and a small electric current rendered the adhesive nonsticky.
The holsters were excellent for concealing weapons around a room in places where the cleaning staff was unlikely to look. I moved to the sitting area and attached a pistol under the coffee table. I practiced drawing the blaster to ensure it was positioned well—I’d learned that lesson the hard way when I’d been unable to draw my gun on a training mission thanks to the edge of the table I’d hidden it under.
My self-defense tutor had been less than impressed.
“Are those bio-locked to you?” Aoife asked.
“No. If you need to use you them, you can.”
“So can anyone else.”
I shrugged. My bigger, more dangerous weapons were locked to my identity chip, but these little blast pistols were weapons of last resort. If I needed to use one, then things were already terrible. I stuck the second one behind the nightstand by the bed and the last one under a cabinet in the bathroom. The room was covered enough that I was never more than three meters from a weapon.
It would have to do. I repacked the trunk and locked it, then set about finding a dress to wear to dinner.
“Am I supposed to attend dinner with you?” Aoife asked.
“It depends on what kind of message I’m trying to send. If guards attend dinner, they usually sit or stand behind their principal for the duration of the meal, eating on their own either before or after the formal dinner. I think that’s stupid, so I usually dismiss my guards until the meal is over. If I bring you, it’ll be out of the ordinary for me. And it’ll imply that I don’t trust the host.”
“Which you don’t,” Aoife said.
“True, but I don’t necessarily want them to know that.”
Alex snorted, but it was Aoife who said, “No wonder Bianca wanted us to come with you. I bet your other guards wouldn’t have any problem letting you run off on your own, especially when it makes their lives easier.”
It was true, but I’d be damned if I admitted it.
“You are too clever for your own good,” she said.
“You’re here, aren’t you? Clearly, I’m not that clever.”
Aoife smiled, a true smile that tipped her from beautiful to stunning. “I have no doubt that it’s a problem you’re still working on.”
Also true, but I also wasn’t going to admit that, either.
“This is why Bianca wanted me to attend as your guest,” Alex said. “I’m expected at dinner, while Aoife would cause questions. I can protect you when she can’t.”
“I can protect myself.” And now I sounded like a petulant child. I took a slow, deep breath. “I appreciate your concern. I know you’re trying to help. Everyone is always trying to help.” I shook my head. “Sometimes I wonder if my public ruse isn’t a little too good. Even my siblings underestimate me.”
“Bianca doesn’t underestimate you,” Alex said quietly. “She warned us about you, about how quick and perceptive and cunning you were. She told us we’d have to stay on our toes or you’d leave us behind.”
“Your sister had nothing but praise for you,” Aoife agreed. “But she also knew that with our help, you’d be more protected. We’re not your enemy. We’re not here to stop you. We’re here to help you find what you need and get out safely.”
I wished I could trust her, but perhaps she could be useful even if I didn’t. “How are you at reconnaissance?”
Her wicked smile was answer enough.