Polaris Rising (Consortium Rebellion, #1)(103)

Bianca’s expression turned dark. “Yes,” she said. “Cat is playing along for now, and Hannah and I are doing what we can to stall, but it won’t be enough. She’s like you—independent and not willing to settle for someone of Father’s choosing. We may need to get her out.”

“Or let her get married then kill her husband,” I said, mostly joking.

Bianca smiled a secret smile. “That is one option,” she said. Before I could question her about it, she nodded and left.

I breathed a sigh of relief once the quiet settled over my room. I’d gotten used to fewer people and quieter surroundings. It would take me a while to settle into the hustle and bustle of House von Hasenberg again.

That is, assuming my plan didn’t get me killed.





Chapter 28




After a week of debriefing, I was ready to make a run for freedom. Eighteen-hour days meant at the end of each day Loch and I barely had time to fall into bed before we had to start the process over the next day. I could feel him growing more distant by the day, but I didn’t know how to fix it.

Add to that the fact that Bianca was having trouble tracking down information about the Genesis Project, even with Rhys and Veronica’s help, and I was ready to snap.

I stood and stretched, trying unsuccessfully to work the knots out of my back. It was nearly midnight. Hunger had hallowed out my stomach hours before but no one had taken the time to order food. The middle-aged scientist who’d been questioning me about alcubium looked up. His name was lost somewhere in the exhausted fog in my brain. “You’re not leaving, are you?” he asked.

I’d spent a week wearing my public persona, so Mother’s glare came as naturally as breathing. The man flinched back. “I am leaving,” I said. “And I am taking tomorrow off. Tell the teams.” A week of debriefing fulfilled my contract with Father, so technically I was done, but I knew the scientists still had questions.

“But, my lady,” he stammered.

This time my glare was sharp enough to cut. “The only words I want to hear from you right now are ‘Yes, Lady Ada.’”

He gulped. “Yes, Lady Ada.”

“Very good. The first person tomorrow who messages me, or knocks on my door, or disturbs me in any way, dies. The same goes for the second person. And so on. Do I make myself clear?”

His eyes were huge. “But Lord von—”

“Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?” I asked again, jabbing a finger into the desk with each word and leaning forward until I loomed over him.

“Yes, Lady Ada.”

I inclined my head slightly and swept out of the room. By the time we made it to the suite I was ready to crash facedown on whichever horizontal surface happened to be handy. Even the floor looked tempting.

Loch led me to the table when I wanted nothing more than the bed. I nearly cried. He pulled me into his arms. “Shhh,” he said. “You need to eat. I’ve been listening to your stomach growl for hours and it’s driving me insane. Let me feed you.”

I nodded against his shoulder and slid into a chair. I think I must’ve dozed off because the next thing I knew, Loch was setting a plate of food in front of me. I ate without tasting anything, half-asleep. Loch helped me get ready for bed and then, finally, I fell into the soft arms of my mattress.

I woke the next morning flat on my back with Loch curled around my right side. I kept still, not sure if he was awake.

“Why do you let them push you so hard?” he asked. He smoothed a hand down my left side and tugged me deeper into his embrace.

“Because this technology is the difference between winning the war and losing it. It’s important.” I sighed. “I know I haven’t done much toward your pardon yet and I’m sorry. Bianca is working on it. I’m planning to meet with her today.”

Loch made a frustrated sound. “This isn’t about me. You’re letting them work you to death.”

“I know,” I said. “But I have this constant feeling of dread, like something terrible is going to happen. And the longer we’re here, the worse it gets. I’ve put all of my siblings on alert and so far no one has noticed anything unusual, but I can’t relax. And if I can’t relax, I might as well work. My obligation to Father is finished, so I can set my own hours now. But that doesn’t mean you have to stick with me. You’re free to come and go.”

He kissed my shoulder. “Do you think that’s going to happen?”

“No. You are as stubborn as I am. But you seem unhappy,” I ventured.

“Fuck yes, I’m unhappy. This place is making me antsy. Plus I’ve had to sit on my hands and watch you work yourself to exhaustion for a week straight. And I can’t even be useful as a bodyguard because there’s no one to guard your body from.”

“Be careful what you wish for. Once I start stirring up the Genesis Project trouble, plenty of people will prefer us both out of the picture.”

“You didn’t mention that it would be dangerous for you,” he said.

“It will be more dangerous for you. My High House status will protect me to some degree.”

“I know you want to do this for me, and you don’t know how much I appreciate it, but maybe we should forget it.”

“Not going to happen,” I said as I slid out of bed. “Now get up. I promised Bianca we’d lunch with her and it has to be late already since I don’t feel like a zombie.”