The Twisted Way (Champions of the Crystal Book 3)

Chapter 23: Point of Origin

Sabrina half-woke with an unaccustomed sense of warm security, smiling without quite knowing why. As her drowsiness slowly faded, she became more aware of her surroundings and took care not to disturb Tassan's embrace as she shifted her position slightly. He was still sleeping soundly, his hair tousled and his face relaxed so that he looked almost young.

After gazing fondly at him for a while, she wondered what time it was. She felt rested, so she gathered it wasn't the middle of the night, and it wouldn't do for them to be discovered like this. The behavior of past queens notwithstanding, she had a fragile image to uphold, at least as long as Mara needed her to play this role.

A quick glance around revealed her clothes scattered haphazardly on the floor beside her, and she slid one hand out of the warm cocoon of blankets and groped in her uniform trousers. She felt and discarded her comlink; to make any but the most emergency transmission from their hiding place would be foolish. At last her fingers found the tiny, palm-held data pad that Justek had given her to help her keep track of her appointments, notes, and agendas. She pulled it out into the dim light, looked at the built-in chronometer, and gasped, "Shit!"

Tassan sprang awake, looking around and grabbing wildly for his gun, but in vain. "It's all right!" she assured him, gathering her clothes and beginning to dress. "I'm sorry, but I just realized I'm about to be late for a meeting with the Council of Ministers."

Tassan reached for his clothes as well and said, "Next time could you please remember to leave my blaster within reach?"

Sabrina grinned at him. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where things landed. You slept well, at any rate."

"The sleep of the utterly exhausted," he agreed. "You?"

"I don't remember dreaming at all." Sabrina's stomach growled, and she said, "God, I'm hungry. Of course I'd wake up ravenous on a day I don't have time to eat!"

"You'll make time. The Ministers will wait," Tassan said sternly, yanking on his boots and getting to his feet. Sabrina finished buttoning her blouse and let him help her up before struggling into her uniform jacket.

"Hah. Shows what you know," Sabrina replied. She cast one last look around to see if she'd missed anything. "Do I look passably like a lieutenant who's just come off night duty?"

"You look more like one who's been out carousing," he said. "Come on, we'd better hurry. Darice will be thinking we're lost."

They scrambled through the narrow passages out to the main corridor and began jogging toward the conservatory passage. Sabrina raked her hands through her hair as she went, trying to restore order, before remembering that Darice would expect her to look as if she'd just woken. They paused at the top of the long, winding stair that led to the conservatory armoire, and Sabrina held out her hand to stop Tassan from operating the hidden door.

"I can't tell you how much better I feel," she whispered, laying her hand on his cheek. "Thank you."

"I was just about to thank you," he replied, pressing a kiss into her palm. They exchanged a smile, and then Sabrina reached out and opened the door.

Darice was pacing grimly, but whirled as the armoire door opened, her hand going to her holster. She relaxed, but only a little, as she recognized Sabrina. "My lady!"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Sabrina said.

"I brought you a change of clothes. There are towels and soap in the washroom if you'd like to freshen up," Darice said. "I also called Princess Reauwina and told her you had an early meeting and wouldn't need her until lunchtime. She's evidently taken over for Rndara for a while."