THE BLOOD ROYALS Book 2: Long Live The Queen!

Chapter Thirty Three: Aboard

Aboard Titan IX
Barlowe's POV
When I accepted this assignment from the prince, I thought I'll spend my days at the palace. I didn't expect any action at all. I'm surprised that in the short time I have been in this job, I have seen the near death of the king. I have arrested a treasonous General. I have saved someone who is probably the future queen.

I gripped every knot on the thick crop carefully climbing it to the top. The Admiral has made us work for this extraction. He made it clear he is not putting any one if his men at risk. Cormac is all about precautions.

"Renée you're choking me." I complained at her deathly grip around my neck.

"Do you see how far the water below us is?"

She started out well but somewhere in between she started to struggled to stay afloat. I hope it has nothing to do with the serious bruising I saw on her torso. I told her to hold on to me and we finally made it to Titan IX.

"If I suffocate we will both fall."

She climbed on my back so that I can do all the climbing while she just sits there looking adorable!

"Sorry."

"Don't shoot her! She's with me!" Dabi went up first. I gripped the metal got over to the ship. They have guns pointed at Dabi. She has her hands up. "Renée, please, stand on your feet."

She slid off my and patted my back. "Jolly good job skipper!"  She saluted me. "Hi. I'm Renée! Why are you pointing guns at Dabi?"

"Cormac." He shook her hand.

"She's with us. You can relax." I told Cormac but his gaze is hard against Dabi.

"I'm sorry Barlowe and I mean no offense to either one of you but she can't get past this point without direct instructions from the SC."

I caught my breath. "Get them blankets and something hot to drink." He gave one if his men the orders. "Sit down. Relax. You're safe." I assured Renée.

She and David sat down next to each other.

I moved away waiting for the prince to answer his phone.

"Tell me something positive." He spoke as soon as he answered.

"I got her."

"Thank you!" I find the prince approachable. His father is not.  "Is she okay?"

I looked back at Renée. She crosses me as a bubbly happy girl but she looks sad at this moment. "I think she has been through a lot. She is banged up. She had bruising all over her."

"They beat her up."

"Yes. Something else... Maybe I'm being paranoid but she was only wearing a bra and underwear when I found her. I don't know what to make of that."

It seems he's thinking it too. "Have the doctor on board give her a thorough check up. Have the doctor contact me directly with the results."

"One more thing, Dabi is with her. Cormac won't let us through until you approve."

"I'll call Cormac. Good work Barlowe."

"Thank you sir. One more thing. The duchess is a hostage."

"What do you mean? Clarify."

"Someone be else is running Daa Haan."

"Noted. Thank you. Please out her on the phone."

"Yes sir."

Renee's POV
"What do you think will happen to me?" Dabi asked me.

"Stop thinking about it."