(eng) K. B. Wagers - Farian War 01 by There Before the Chaos

Author:There Before the Chaos [Chaos, There Before the]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

23

That evening, Alba paced my room until I stepped into her path and steered her toward a chair. “We’ve got a three-day trip to Desira. There’s plenty of time to sort out any problems. You don’t have to do it right now.”

“Sorry, Majesty.” She smiled sheepishly at me.

I frowned. “What is it? What’s bothering you?”

“I don’t know, ma’am. I feel—” Alba paused, searching for words. “Everything feels heavy—or maybe weighted is a better word. Like we’re right on the edge of something big. Have you ever been through a hurricane?”

“Not a lot of those in space,” I said, smiling. “And when I was young, we were moved to the summer home in the country several times for safety. I never stayed in the palace through one.”

“There’s so much preparation, ma’am. So many things to do. Everyone is a flurry of activity. Once that’s done, there’s this moment before it hits … you don’t have anything to do except wait. There’s nothing you can do, even though you know this massive thing is bearing down on you.” Alba made a face. “Ever since the Farians arrived with that request, I don’t know why, but I’ve felt like that. It didn’t go away when the Shen took you, it only got worse. And now they both want you to sit in on a peace summit? Why?”

“I can’t blame you,” I replied, my voice low. Alba had just given voice to the feeling rolling around in my own gut. It grew worse with every passing day and every new piece of information that landed in my lap. The conflict between the Farians and the Shen would continue to escalate, and I knew that the efforts of the Solarians to bring them to the table would fail.

Forcing a reassuring smile, I patted her on the back. “We’ll get through it.”

“I know, ma’am.” Her shoulders relaxed with my touch. “That’s what we do.”

The door opened, and Zin came in as Alba got to her feet.

“Let me know immediately if Ambassador Zellin messages again.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The door closed behind her. Zin passed over the address to contact Aiz without comment, and I waited a beat before raising an eyebrow in his direction.

“You don’t think I should do this?”

“I—don’t know, Majesty.” Zin made a sound of frustration I was all too familiar with since normally it was directed my way. I bumped my shoulder into his with a chuckle. “I promise not to tell anyone I asked for your opinion if you won’t. Alba is nervous about all this. What’s your take?”

“All this meaning the Farians and the Shen?”

“If you want you can weigh in on this gunrunner-turned-empress mess, too, I’ll just remind you that you’re the reason she’s in charge to begin with.”

“That’s colder than space, ma’am.”

It was a relief that even after six months of peace, my Ekam’s husband hadn’t gone back to his painfully formal behavior from when we’d first met. The jokes came mostly in private, but there was still the occasional one where others could hear.

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