Heir Of Violence (#1 Betrayed Destinies) - ONC2024

Chapter 12 - No Safe Haven

In a daze, Caeryssa took in the details of the posh, long black vehicle the prince guided her into. She'd never seen an armoured hovercraft with these kinds of security modifications. Not up close, at least. The two centre-facing bench seats were well-cushioned with a rectangular centre console between that contained glasses, alcohol, snacks, and a mini-chiller. A window behind the seats hummed with a force barrier separating them from the front and back sections. Several of his black-garbed security got in the front, with more in the back, facing outward and alert for danger. The remainder got in surrounding vehicles.

What kind of danger was there here on his home planet that he needed this level of security? Or was this normal for ruling families... or—a sinking in her gut—was this because of his mother and sister being assassinated?

Still, she wasn't a damned pawn in his power games. Tension straightened her back. When had she hunched? As the craft rose in the air, Caeryssa tugged her hand free from his clinging grip. "You did that on purpose to set a trap for my father."

A slow lazy smile broadened the arrogant manipulative bastard's lips and his golden eyes glinted. "Indeed I did, my little hellion. Whether you cooperate or not, we will capture him." He leaned forward and poured himself a glass of some light blue liquid, adding a couple of ice cubes. "Would you like a drink?"

Her stomach gurgled, nausea churning as she recalled her father's image and the long list of his kills detailed in the file she'd been unable to stop staring at. She swallowed against the taste of acid in her throat and shook her head. How could her father have done that? Killed so many? Without a thought to the lives he was shattering? Sirah had been nineteen. Her age. Could there be some mistake? Some other explanation?

Unable to face the too-insightful golden-eyed prince, she kept her gaze on the surrounding landscape and tried to ignore the feel of his eyes. Yet gooseflesh rose in the wake of his perusal, almost like she knew where he looked, even with her head turned.

Around them, the spaceport gave way to a navy-hued forest interspersed with clusters of towering white structures. Elevated footpaths filled with people linked the graceful structures at multiple levels. White sails provided shade on large elevated terraces and wider bridge-like markets between towers, with thick vines and flowers providing splashes of colour. It was surprisingly elegant, and she had to grudgingly admire the Penatesians for their protection of the natural environment and significant natural spaces. So many societies failed to integrate their cities with the local ecosystem and instead built over or destroyed their forests and grasslands.

Set off slightly apart, silver and gold twisting spires came into sight, taller and more ornate than anything she'd seen until now. Was this the palace? The hovercrafts, or perhaps shuttlecrafts, would be a better description of them—what did she know about vehicles? She was a botanist, not an engineer—flew into a silver tower, setting down in a small hangar just large enough to accommodate the five vehicles.

Whatever the blooming fuck his royal pain-in-the-ass's name was guided her out, again taking her hand and tugging her down gleaming hallways and across several walkways with enough twists and turns that she soon lost track. Roots trip his tree trunk legs, she had to take two strides for every one of his.

"Where are we going?" she asked breathlessly when they'd ridden the third gravlift. Were they walking in circles?

The prince flashed her a predatory smile. "It's time to meet the Sarru Rabu, the King of Penates, little hellion."

Almost lightheaded and with her pulse throbbing in her throat, she tried to slow him down. She didn't want to meet his father like this. Couldn't she at least clean up first? Make a good impression? He chuckled and gripped her hand harder, continuing at his breakneck pace. They passed a pair of red and gold-garbed palace guards who bowed to her kidnapper and eyed her. The next doorway opened up into a white marble room with a wall of windows, thick, rich area rugs, plush golden couches and a polished redwood bar. Bottles of all kinds of alcohol stood on the rich wood grain.