Starship For Rent 4 by M.R. Forbes

Author:M.R. Forbes [Forbes, M.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-06-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 19

Archie stirred in response to the princess’ statement, sliding off the sofa to heel beside me.

“Here,” Goloran thrust her personal access device into my hand. “I planned to transfer all this to a different device later, but there’s no time. It has a map of the palace and surrounding area to the spaceport, and access keys for the ship I selected for you. It’s called Burnock. A Gothori firebird. It will get you to Ochnya.”

“Thank you,” I said, gripping the pad more tightly.

“Wait,” Meg cried. “What about the research? The sigils? We’re supposed to just leave everything with you?”

“Of course not,” she replied. “All of the work is on my pad. If I can, I’ll destroy the rest before Markan can get his hands on it. I’m sorry it came to this. My mother is adamant. If it were in my power, I would do more to help. But Markan took the options out of my hands before I could speak to my parents. Good luck out there.”

She turned to go, but before she could take more than a step, the curtain moved aside and a pair of servants in brightly colored pants and tunics entered carrying food and drinks.

“Y…Your Highness,” the female on the left stammered, quickly bowing her head. “I…I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Good,” Goloran replied. “I was never here. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the servant answered.

The doorway curtain rippled closed behind Princess Goloran, leaving Meg and me alone with the servants. I watched closely as the servants began setting up a low table, arranging an assortment of unfamiliar foods and drinks with practiced efficiency.

Something about the female servant's precise movements caught my eye—the way her fingers curled around the pitcher, pressing tight against the handle, as she poured. It triggered a prickle of suspicion at the base of my skull. Had she perhaps pressed a button on the handle, releasing some kind of poison or sleep agent? I held my tongue, not wanting to jump to conclusions.

The servant straightened, fixing me with a polite smile as she offered a plate laden with what appeared to be some sort of pastries. “Cookie, sir?"

I hesitated, looking her in the eye. I didn’t see any deception there, but still…Miss Asher had taught Lavona and me to always remain hyper-vigilant, especially in known hostile territory. With that in mind, I reached out as if to take the proffered treat, but at the last second, I redirected my hand to her wrist. My fingers found the telltale ridges of a disguised control surface, a pattern I recognized immediately. In an instant, I tapped the sequence to deactivate her nanofiber disguise. The servant's eyes widened in surprise as her features rippled and distorted. Even though the assassin wore a holomask, I knew instinctively and by the shape of the head beneath the cover who Markan had sent for me.

"Asher," I growled, my grip tightening. "I knew there was something off about you."

The Nycene assassin's lips curled in a sneer. “You always were an astute student.

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