Exit Strategy (Tales Of The Citadel #58)(13)

“Okay, I have gotten us transport, but I don’t know how to get back to the city.”

Li blinked and tears welled in her eyes. “It is all my fault.”

“No, it is the fault of the bitch who hired them. Come on now; let’s get back to the party.”

Li sniffled and nodded. She followed Yna to the controls.

“Thank goodness that this facility was a good distance from the landing site.”

She took the controls, thankful that they were standard and pulled them away from the squat building with all speed.

“Yna, you are bleeding.”

Yna glanced down and shook her head. “Not mine. The kidnappers. They are down for the count.”

Li grabbed the com unit and changed the channel. She sought a signal and nearly sobbed when a voice came through.

“This is the party.”

Li swallowed. “I had to step out.”

The gruff, growly voice whispered, “Are you all right?”

“I am safe for now, but I think we are being pursued and we don’t know where we are.”

“You are giving me all the right signals.”

Yna took the hint and banked right.

Li continued to chat with the gruff voice, and in an hour, they could see the city.

Yna muttered, “Can we get clearance?”

“I am afraid that this party is jammed. You would be lucky to find a spot in the city at all. Unless you were willing to park illegally.”

Yna grinned. “You know, I am thinking that two honour attendants who got drunk and landed a skimmer on the imperial grounds would be something the family wanted to keep quiet.”

“Li, I really like your friend.”

Li chuckled. “Me too. See you in five.”

They stopped communications, and Li changed it to an open channel.

She muttered quickly. “So, drive like you are drunk.”

Yna giggled loudly and shouted, “Wheee.”

They dipped, wheeled and twisted.

When the palace grounds appeared, the shouting on the coms was deafening. Li and Yna just laughed louder and hoped that no one shot down the ladies missing from the party.

As she skidded the skimmer across the stone, she changed back into the gown she had worn for the ceremony.

The guards wrenched open the doors, and Yna grinned vaguely. “Hiya. I made a wrong turn on the way from the restroom.”

He recoiled as she stood, and he took aim at her while she laughed and raised her hands.

“We have them.” Ahlgos’s tone was grim. “Thank you for your help.”

Yna lunged up and threw her arms around his neck. “Ahlgy!”

He grunted and wrapped his arms around her. “Where have you been?”

“Flying. The countryside is so pretty, or so the ladies were saying when we got dressed, so I went to look for myself. We won’t be here long, after all.” She leaned back and beamed at him.

“What have you been drinking?”

“I don’t know. Purple stuff, blue stuff. You know that nothing works right when I drink it away from home.” She nuzzled his chin.

He sighed. “If you would like to file a report, I am sure that my family will be happy to compensate the palace for any damages that my fiancée has incurred.”

“Of course, Guardsman.” The guard walked around and frowned. “The Lafui family might lodge a complaint. This is one of their skimmers.”

“They can contact us directly.” His words were clipped.

A man on the other side of the skimmer had Li in his arms. He smoothed her hair and comforted her. He was huge. His arms were massive, his neck was thick, but he handled Li as if she was the stem of a flower.

Ahlgos put an arm around her shoulder, and she leaned against him as if for support. Groven did the same with Li, and they all headed into the palace.

Instead of returning to the party, they found a secure room, and Ahlgos crushed her to his chest. “We were worried.”

She muttered, “You had a right to be.”

Li was sobbing wildly, and Yna looked at her with pity. “This is going to keep happening.”

Ahlgos sighed. “Yes, but our hands are tied.”

“Not anymore. I cut myself loose.”

They all sat in the study, and Li explained what she knew before Yna added her input to events.

Before they were finished, all the Ikato family had arrived, including the newlyweds.

Nialloa shrugged. “There is an answer to this.”

Yna nodded. “Yup. We get married so that they can.”

Nialloa grinned. “I even have a bouquet you can use.”

Ahlgos shook his head. “No one will do it on such short notice.”

Nialloa laughed and went to a com unit on the desk. She called and spoke calmly, ordering a magistrate, witnesses and contracts for two couples.

Yna blinked as she listened; she used that tone when she was ordering food in hotels while on vacation.

Li looked stunned. “Just like that?”

Nialloa looked to Groven. “Do you have an objection?”

He shook his head. “I think it is an amazing idea. I am joining the Ikato clan anyway. Witnesses from my family are not required.”

“Excellent. They will meet us in the chapel in seven minutes. I am not giving anyone time to stage a problem.” Nialloa scowled. “Not on my wedding day.”