Starbound: A Starstruck Novel (10 page)

When I got there, there was no sign of Molly or Sean, but Mr. O and half of the Council were assembled in the living room—the ones who lived in Jewel, plus Shim. I knew at once from their grim expressions that I was in big trouble.
 

Sure enough, the moment I sat down, Shim said, “It goes without saying that we’re very disappointed, Excellency. We’d thought by now you had a better grasp of how important it is not to jeopardize the impression we’ve all been working to create as to your suitability to lead.”

“I do,” I earnestly assured him—assured all of them. “Honestly, I do. But Trina totally started it. And she hurt
herself
. I didn’t hit her or anything, no matter how much she deserved it.”

Breann cut off my babble stream. “That’s not the point. Using abilities beyond those of most humans, especially in front of so many witnesses, showed
very
poor judgment. I’m afraid if word gets around it will prove a serious setback to our campaign to present you as your grandfather Leontine’s logical successor.”

I swallowed. Much as I didn’t
want
to be Sovereign, I hated that I might have screwed it up for all of these people who had worked so hard on my behalf. And the deal I’d made before Christmas
had
included a promise to do my best to assume that role.

Shim almost seemed to read my mind. “I would hate to think that you would do anything to deliberately sabotage our efforts on that front, Emileia.”
 

Somehow, his use of my real first name made me feel even worse. Way worse than all my aunt’s shouting had.

“No, it wasn’t deliberate, I swear! I…I didn’t think at all. Though I guess that isn’t much better. When Trina kicked me, then tried to punch me again, I—” I broke off at Breann’s, Malcolm’s and both O’Garas’ concerted gasps.

“Molly told me that Trina used to bully you, Excellency.” Mrs. O’Gara looked shocked. “But I thought she meant teasing, not physical abuse!”

I shrugged. “It was mostly teasing. And playing mean tricks on me. But she sometimes beat me up, or talked somebody else into doing it. Trina herself usually just shoved me or pulled my hair—stuff that never got her in trouble. Especially since nobody would ever take my side when teachers asked what happened.”

She nodded. “Molly also told me what Trina did that compelled you to confront her, and I admit I can’t blame you for
that
. It’s the failure to control your, ah, reflexes that has us concerned.” Then to the others, almost pleadingly, “This Trina really is a nasty-tempered girl. My Molly has said so more than once in the past. And we mustn’t forget that our Princess only just turned sixteen. Surely some leeway—”

“Yes, yes, but that’s not the point, is it?” Malcolm broke in. “And where was young Stuart, when this girl tried to strike the Princess? No matter how well trained he may be as a Bodyguard, this confirms my belief that he is far too young for such an important role.”
 

“I’ve already spoken to him,” Shim said. “He was apparently unaware of the two girls’ confrontation until afterward, but I have now impressed upon him that it is his duty to be aware of
any
potential threat to the Princess.”

Malcolm didn’t seem reassured at all. “I still feel this demonstrates that he does not possess the maturity or experience for such a vital position. I can’t help remembering Allister’s concerns about the boy. I suggest we take another vote—”

My heart jumped into my throat. “It wasn’t his fault at all!” Okay, maybe it was, a tiny bit, but
they
didn’t need to know that. “There’s no possible way he could have known. Besides, it’s not like he can stay glued to my side at school without us violating my agreement with you. Much as we both might like that.”

Malcolm frowned at me for a long moment, then shrugged. “Very well. Though his actions will be watched even more closely after this, as will yours, Excellency.” He looked pointedly at Mr. O, who nodded, though his expression was
slightly
more sympathetic.
 

“Indeed,” Breann agreed. “Right now, however, our task is to undo the damage by countering this negative impression and, most importantly, to make certain you are on that ship next week.”

“I’m on excellent terms with her aunt,” Mrs. O’Gara told the others. “I’m certain I can convince her the Princess should still go, given the extenuating circumstances.”

“Please do,” Shim said. “And keep us—the entire Council—apprised.” Then, turning to me, “For your part, Excellency, please do nothing whatsoever that could further antagonize your guardians before you leave in the morning.”

I shook my head eagerly. “I won’t. I’ll be an absolute angel. I promise.”

“Very well.” Shim favored me with a slight smile. “Though Malcolm is right. This will mean even closer scrutiny of your every move, and Rigel’s as well, going forward. You
must
do everything possible to insure you are acclaimed Sovereign. That is the only way you will gain access to the communication device in the Palace, which is absolutely essential, for all of the reasons explained to you.”

More frightened than ever by that reminder of the potential stakes, all I could do was nod.

orinacht
(OR-in-ott)
: propriety; seemliness

Mrs. O’Gara walked me home, then talked with my aunt while I washed the dinner dishes and wiped down the counters. I put my nervous energy to work, scrubbing until every single surface gleamed. When Mrs. O left, my aunt came into the kitchen and glanced around with grudging approval.

“Lili O’Gara has been pleading your case, Marsha. She told me how you were provoked, which I will certainly share with Miss Squires’s parents, should they issue any more threats. Of course, you still shouldn’t have let her goad you into a confrontation, but I’ve decided that this scholarship is too important to your future to allow you to throw it away.”

A huge weight lifted from my chest and the eager anticipation I’d suppressed all evening came bubbling back. “Thank you, Aunt Theresa! I promise you won’t regret this. I’ve totally learned my lesson.”

“Lili suggested you stay the night at their house, so you can get off for Chicago more quickly in the morning. Quinn will be coming by to pick you up in an hour, so you’d best finish packing.”

“Oh. Oh! Great! I’ll get right on that. Thank you, Aunt Theresa, thank you!” Overcome with relief, I surprised both of us by throwing my arms around her and giving her a hug—the first time I’d done that since I was little.
 

Even more surprising, after a startled moment her arms came around me and hugged me back. “You’re welcome,” she mumbled. “Off with you, then.”

I let her go with a nod. Then, before I could say anything that might break the mood, I ran upstairs to pack my toiletries, the only things left.

I was going to Mars! And Ireland! I really, truly was! I could hardly believe it, even when Mr. O’Gara knocked on the door an hour later.

“Thank you, Quinn,” Aunt Theresa said as he took my bigger suitcase. “And do thank Lili for me again, won’t you?”

“Of course. Shall we go, then, M?” The little bob of his head showed he still had a hard time restraining his urge to bow to me.
 

I said a strangely unemotional goodbye to my aunt and uncle, then followed Mr. O’Gara outside. It occurred to me to wonder what my aunt would do if I never came back. Get angry? Celebrate? Either seemed more likely than tears.
 

“M! Yay!” Molly greeted me a few minutes later as her dad brought in my suitcase. “Mum had us so worried earlier, when your aunt was saying you couldn’t go, but I knew she’d bring her round. Come in, do, we’re all going to have a spot of tea before bed.”

Glancing up, I saw Sean hovering behind her. “Give us a sec, Mol?” he murmured to his sister.
 

“Oh. Um, sure.” She headed to the kitchen, where I could hear the clatter of cups and spoons.

For a long moment, Sean just looked at me, anguish in his blue eyes. “M, I wish I knew how to say how sorry I am that I was so horrible about that thing Trina did. How I could have ever believed—”

“Yeah, how
could
you believe that picture, Sean? Especially knowing Trina? I mean, how would she have taken that picture even if it
was
real? Apparently neither you
or
Rigel thought about that.” I’d had way too much time to dwell on details like that during my long afternoon in the school office.

He hung his head. “I know. It was stupid. Of both of us. And if we both hadn’t been so
twillya
to you, you probably never would have got mad enough to—”
 

Molly rejoined us and he broke off. “Tea’s ready. And M, I’ve gotta say, even though it caused all this trouble, I’m glad you made Trina break her own nose. So are a lot of other people. She
so
deserved it!”

I had to laugh at the relish in her voice. “Yeah, she really did. Though I still shouldn’t have done it.”

Molly headed back to the kitchen, but Sean hesitated, still with the puppy-dog eyes. “So…do you forgive me? At least a little?”

I nodded. His assumption hadn’t been nearly the betrayal Rigel’s was, and I’d forgiven him. “Just don’t go assuming things again, okay?”

“Deal!” A grin broke like sunshine across his face, making him almost as handsome as Rigel for a second.
 

But only almost, because of course that was impossible.

We went up to bed an hour later, since we had to be up early. Looking around Molly’s room, I asked what she’d done with her plants. The last time I’d been in here, there had been at least a dozen, all, unfortunately, in varying stages of decline.

“I gave them all—well, the ones that were still mostly alive—to Heather. She’s better with plants than I am, even though she’s pure
Duchas
, go figure.”
 

Molly had mentioned more than once how frustrated she was with her “brown thumb.” As someone born into an Agricultural
fine
(the O’Garas had adopted her as a toddler) she was supposed to have a special gift with plants and kept hoping it might miraculously kick in. That it still hadn’t was obviously a sore point.

“So, you never said, did you have a boyfriend in Bailerealta?”
 

My change of subject worked, and we ended up talking until well past midnight. Even so, when Mrs. O’Gara woke us at six the next morning we both bounced out of bed. As we scrambled into our clothes, Molly chattered nonstop.
 

“You are
so
going to love Bailerealta and Nuath, especially Glenamuir. I can’t wait to show you around! Dad says we might even be able to visit Elana in the hospital.”
 

Elana was Sean and Molly’s much older sister, who’d been snatched by Faxon’s forces just before the O’Garas escaped to Earth. Not till last week had they learned she was among the hundreds of political prisoners released after Faxon’s ouster. Like a lot of Royals, she was undergoing treatment for memory tampering, which explained why she hadn’t tried to contact them. I hoped she’d be okay.
 

After yesterday, I completely abandoned my “sexy” look. The side-effects just weren’t worth it. Besides, I was now resolved to tell Rigel the whole truth as soon as we were safely on our way to Mars. As my Bodyguard, he needed to know, no matter what the Council said. Or so I told myself.

We’d just finished a quick breakfast when the Stuarts arrived in the full-sized van they’d rented to drive us all to Chicago so they could see Rigel off at the airport. After a last-minute panic when Molly couldn’t find her book scroll, we piled into the van, everyone chattering with excitement. I managed to snag a seat next to Rigel and when Sean and his parents frowned at our clasped hands, I reminded them that this was probably our last chance for at least a month.
 

“Besides, it’s not like any other
Echtrans
can see us.”

“Yes, you’re right, of course, Excellency.” Mrs. O’Gara turned away with no more argument.
 

Sean, on my other side, still frowned suspiciously. “So when did
he
have a chance to apologize?” he muttered. “Or doesn’t he have to?”

“Called her yesterday, even though I wasn’t supposed to,” Rigel whispered back. “Don’t say anything, okay?”
That’s all we need, to get in trouble for something we didn’t even do,
he thought to me.

Yeah, we need to keep better track of what we say out loud and what we don’t, since we’ll all be together for the next month or two.

He squeezed my hand.
Together. I like that part. Even if we have to pretend we’re not.

During the drive I tried to pay attention to the political discussion between the Stuarts and O’Garas, though a couple of times it veered into territory that
almost
made me think about the Grentl. I scooted an inch closer to Rigel, so we were touching from hip to knee. That helped keep him from picking up any forbidden thoughts, even if it made Sean glower again.
 

The Stuarts had allowed extra time, so even with the awful Chicago traffic we got to O’Hare Airport nearly three hours before our flight. Mr. and Dr. Stuart came inside with us to spend the extra time with Rigel before we had to go through security. When Dr. Stuart finally hugged Rigel goodbye, with tears in her eyes, I felt a pang. What would it be like to have parents who loved me like that? She hugged me, too, but it wasn’t quite the same.
 

At security, I worried we might set off the scanners because of our Martian static thing, but none of us did. When Mrs. O handed out our boarding passes, I saw Rigel and I were in different rows.
 

“Um, shouldn’t Rigel and I sit together on the plane?” I whispered to her. “He’s my Bodyguard after all, plus it might be the last time—”

“I’m sorry, dear,” she whispered back, “but there are other
Echtrans
on this flight. You didn’t feel their
brath
while we were in line?”

“Oh. I, uh, no.” I didn’t mention that when I was with Rigel, I rarely noticed anyone else’s Martian vibe unless I was really paying attention.