Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak by Charlie Jane Anders

Author:Charlie Jane Anders
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates

* * *

“Your Radiance.” Naahay does an elaborate curtsey that looks a little like the dance moves Elza was doing a moment ago. “You sent for us. I must confess to some confusion: I was informed that I had been disqualified from the princess selection program, and immediately afterward, I was offered a chance to volunteer for a special assignment on board this ship.”

“The same thing happened to me. Your Radiance.” Robhhan scoots closer to Naahay, as if he wants to buddy up to the person he thinks is the leader.

Elza stares at the river flowing over her head, and all the slimy monsters that live in it. This trip just got a lot less fun.

Princess Constellation gestures for Elza, Naahay, Robhhan, and Wyndgonk to sit on crumbling stone furniture. Wyndgonk carefully positions fireself on a big bench.

The four of them wait for Princess Constellation to say something. She stares into space—Elza’s pretty sure she’s communicating with the Ardenii.

At last, Naahay leans forward, grimacing with her bony plates. “Excuse me, Your Radiance. I understand we’re going to Irriyaia. My family have been on the Privy Council for the past seven generations, and they’re going to be very concerned about me flying into a delicate situation. I’m assuming we’re on a diplomatic mission, but we haven’t yet posted any diplomatic codes. I’d be happy to fix that for you. Do you want me to, uh…?”

Naahay finally stops talking—because she was about to offer to take control of Princess Constellation’s ship.

The princess stares at her and blinks, gently.

“The queen and I have both grown accustomed to the luxury of knowing the worst before anyone else,” Princess Constellation says, still smiling. “Now there are worsts that we do not know: what the Compassion is planning, and what form the Bereavement takes. When the queen doesn’t know something, it is the job of the princesses to find out.”

Wyndgonk releases a tiny cloud of sweet-smelling smoke, and rolls fire neck. “‘Luxury’ was the correct word. Most of us have grown accustomed to unpleasant surprises.”

“So … this isn’t a diplomatic mission after all.” Robhhan squirms.

Elza finally speaks up. “We need to sneak inside the Compassion’s headquarters to figure out their next move. That must be why they recruited four ex-candidates, because if we get caught they can claim we were acting on our own.”

Princess Constellation twitches a couple fingers—like she’s hearing a pretty piece of music.

Naahay’s actual skull turns pale. “We’re going into the middle of a tense situation, and we’re not showing up to calm it down, but to infiltrate and trespass. If we get caught—”

“One dislikes such crude words as ‘spy,’” Princess Constellation says. “Curiosity is the gentlest of virtues.” She waves her hand, dismissing the four of them. “We arrive at Irriyaia in two metacycles, ship’s time, and we will form a strategy on the ground.”

In the hallway, Naahay is still sputtering. “Some of us here are not expendable.”

“Meaning some of us are?” Elza snaps.

“Naahay’s right.” Robhhan scoots so close to Naahay, they’re almost touching.

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