“Yes,” I said. “And once they calm down, they will realize I could have done so much worse.”
The rest of the night passed in fake smiles and polite small talk. Everyone wanted to know what had happened with Lady Chloe, but when it became clear I wouldn’t discuss it, they moved on. When my head ached enough that continuing to smile became difficult, I decided it was time to wrap up.
“Ian, please call the transport while I say good-bye to the hosts.”
He nodded, touched his earpiece, and murmured to the operator. After a brief good-bye to House Chan, I headed for the door. I was done.
“Wait,” Ian said, touching my elbow before I could exit the lobby. “The transport is still a minute out.”
To distract myself, I let my mind drift to the messages flying through the ether. One communication channel was using a form of cryptography I’d never seen before. Interested despite myself, I began mentally pulling it apart.
I was so immersed in the task that I barely noticed when Ian guided me outside.
Chapter 3
I couldn’t consciously explain how I broke encryption. Encrypted data looked like puzzle pieces to my mind’s eye and I intrinsically knew how to put them together. When I did, a void revealed the key and the encryption unlocked.
For most encryption, the entire process took seconds. For encryption I’d seen before, I could do it without thought.
This encryption was far trickier.
The puzzle pieces slid around my mental landscape like nothing I’d seen before. Pain spiked behind my left eye but I refused to give up. Finally, finally I pinned the pieces in place and revealed the key. The encryption unlocked, revealing a second layer of encryption, one I knew well because it came from my own House.
The message unlocked.
Go.
Why would someone encrypt a one-word message in one of the most complex encryption schemes I’d ever seen? Was it a test?
We were nearly to the transport when the sound of shattering glass broke through my distraction. I didn’t have time to look around for the source of the sound before Ian tackled me to the ground and shoved me against the bulk of the transport. He shielded my body with his, completely blocking my view.
I tried to push him aside but it was like trying to move a mountain. “What’s going on?”
“Shots fired at Bright. I need an armored transport now. Team Two, sweep the area,” Ian shouted into his com.
The transport window half a meter over our heads shattered in an explosion of glass.
“Fuck,” Ian growled. “We’re too exposed.”
“I can shoot,” I said. “I have a blaster.”
He shifted enough to meet my gaze. His eyes blazed with icy blue fury. “You will do no such thing,” he said. “You will stay down and let me do my job. I will protect you.”
“But—”
“No. End of discussion.”
My temper woke, but I was smart enough to follow an order that was meant for my own good. Someone was shooting at me. On Earth, supposedly the safest place in the ’verse. The Royal Consortium Defense Force, or RCDF, was the group tasked with maintaining the peace. They must be having a collective aneurysm right now.
If not now, then they would be when Father brought the fury of House von Hasenberg down on them. As patriarch of one of the three High Houses, Albrecht von Hasenberg was one of the most powerful people in the ’verse. When he wasn’t happy, heads rolled—sometimes literally.
“Am I the only target? Are my brothers and sisters okay?” I asked.
Ian refused to answer, which sent my worry spinning out of control. I mentally reached for the messages flying through the air, trying to find my family’s familiar com signature.
The headache slammed into me with the force of a freighter. I’d overextended myself with the encryption. Black spots danced in my vision, and I had to let the search go or risk passing out. What little food I’d managed to eat soured in my stomach.
“Where is my transport?” Ian yelled. “And where the fuck is RCDF?”
Since I couldn’t answer either question, I figured he must be talking to someone on the other end of his com.
Ian popped his head up to look through the shattered transport window. It took all of my willpower not to drag him back to safety. He ducked back down just as another blaster bolt slammed into the door, centimeters from his head.
“Shooter is in the twenty-story building west of House Chan,” Ian said. “Top third.”
A heavy troop transport settled next to us. The doors opened and fully armored RCDF soldiers streamed out. They hunkered down behind our transport, but no more shots were fired. Perhaps the shooter had fled now that backup had arrived.
“It’s about time,” Ian snarled. He kept a hand on my shoulder so I couldn’t sit up.
“Lady Bianca, are you well?” the soldier closest to me asked.
Only years of strict training kept me from offering my true thoughts on the stupidity of that question. “Catch the shooter and I’ll be better,” I said.
“We’re working on it, my lady,” he said.
“Let’s get you into the transport,” Ian said. “Can you crawl in that dress?”
“I’ll make it work,” I said.
“Stay low,” Ian cautioned, as if he thought I planned to stand and waltz to the vehicle.
I rolled over onto my belly. I tucked my toes, planted my hands, and pushed up just enough for the front of my body to clear the ground. My arms protested but held—barely. I’d only recently started going to the gym again, but I’d rather be shot than admit how out of shape I was to Ian Bishop.
I slid one leg forward, dragging the bottom of my dress up as I did. I reached forward, then pushed off with my leg, like I was climbing a wall. I repeated the motion on the other side and crawled forward on my hands and toes.
My progress was slow but steady. The dress hampered me, and I envied how easily Ian crawled in his tuxedo. To his credit, he didn’t try to rush me, he just kept pace beside me.
When we reached the troop transport, Ian pushed himself up into a crouch then picked me up and swung me into the vehicle in one smooth motion. His easy strength stole my breath, but he took my silence as offense.
“You can yell at me later,” he said as he climbed inside. “For now, stay on the floor. The windows are reinforced, but the floor is safer.” He slammed the transport door closed, then swiped his right arm over the chip reader. “Take us to House von Hasenberg’s private entrance.”
The transport lifted off. I closed my eyes and didn’t try to get up. My head felt like I’d gone several rounds with my old self-defense tutor, and that lady had packed a mean right cross.
“Are you injured?” Ian asked, his voice laced with concern.
“No,” I said. It sounded like a lie, mostly because it was a lie. I worked on pulling my tattered public mask back on. Once I was certain I could maintain the facade, I opened my eyes and met Ian’s gaze. My voice was cool when I asked, “Are my siblings okay?”
Ian glanced away. “As far as I know,” he hedged.
“Who?” I demanded as I sat up. My head swam, but I refused to show weakness. When Ian didn’t answer, I asked again, my voice knife-sharp.