The bell on the intercom sounded, followed by two loud whistles. “Bridge to Captain Coridian.”
“Excuse me.” Darius rose and went to the intercom. “Coridian here.”
“Captain, we have deciphered the message received by The Tangipahoa.”
“What did is say?” Darius looked over to see Audra rise from the sofa and come to stand beside him.
“It translates as follows: Your wife located. Await instructions for transfer to ship. That is all, Captain.”
“Oh, my God! He has her! Darius, he has her!” Audra grabbed his arm and squeezed tight.
“Captain, what are your orders?” the voice from the intercom said.
“Maintain course, maximum warp. Inform me as soon as the Tangipahoa has made repairs and has resumed warp speed.”
“Aye, aye, sir. Bridge out.” The intercom whistled again, then was silent.
“What are you going to do? How are you going to get her back?” She finally let go of his arm and now stared up at him as if he could just snap his fingers and all would be well.
“I’m not.” Needing to appear calm, he walked back to the port window and stared at Saturn.
Audra followed him. Stalked after him was more accurate. “What do you mean, you’re not? You have to get her back. He could kill her!”
“He will not.” Darius didn’t look at her. He didn’t want to see the disappointment in her eyes at his next words. “My mission is too important. I cannot go after Princess Margareta.”
“You mean you won’t.” She spat the words at him like they were venom. “Hang the mission. I don’t care about your mission. All I care about is my mother.”
He stood and faced her, trying to keep his anger controlled. “There are millions of people who are depending on me and on you. They are more important than any one person. You should understand that. You’re mother does. She would expect us to go on and reach Centauri before Slavarien. She would expect us to do our duty, both of us, and that, my princess, is just exactly what we are going to do.”
Audra sat in her chair at the table and put her head in her hands. Darius thought she would cry, but when she raised her head there were no tears, just determination. “What can we do to help her? There has to be something.”
He knelt beside her, his hand on her thigh. “There is not much we can do. He will not harm her, he needs her. All of his plans have been to take the throne. With her back at his side it is much easier for him. All he has to do is get rid of you.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “That’s very comforting. Not. I don’t understand. How could he presume to claim the throne? What about my sister, Jondalara? Wouldn’t she ascend to the throne before my mother, I mean my aunt?”
“Your sister was also sent away at the same time you were. We have not been able to find where she was sent. With her gone, there is only you between him and the throne. If you die without a daughter, then Margareta, your mother’s sister, would be the next in line. As her husband, Slavarien would be King.”
“What about Anton? Doesn’t this put him in danger as well? He’s supposed to marry me. If he does, he would be just one more person in Slavarien’s way.”
“Possibly.” He stood and paced the room; it helped him think. “Anton is safe enough.”
“How can he possibly be safe? Sounds to me like Slavarien, I refuse to think of him as my uncle, anyway, won’t he try to eliminate all obstacles however they present themselves?” She stood in front of him, forcing him to stop pacing. “For all we know your brother may already be dead, Darius.”
