Captain Flint stood a few feetaway, glaring at King Zanton. He’d obviously overheard the remarkand looked ready to retaliate.
“Please keep your voice down,Zanton.” Koriann said. “Many people from the military are hereand they respect Major Fenian. They won’t appreciate your speakingill of him.”
Just then a loud roar of aircraftengines split the air as they flew over the palace. Koriann turned tothe windows and watched a squadron of combat ships land on the royalairfield.
“I see your major has managedto become the center of attention again,” Zanton said. “I hope hehas good reason for his disruptive behavior.”
“Please keep your comments toyourself.”
Zanton lowered his voice. “Youshould be more discreet about whom you display your affection for;after all, you’re engaged to me.”
“You’ve been drinking toomuch.” She turned away from him.
Erling entered the drawing roomfollowed by his men. He pulled off his flight helmet as he enteredand handed it to a servant standing by the door. All eyes were drawnto him. Koriann noticed he radiated vitality and self-confidence ashe walked over to her. His blond hair was tousled and he wore aflight suit, yet she still thought he was handsomer than all theelegantly attired men in the room.
Erling was beaming when hereached her, obviously in high spirits. He grinned as he bowed toher. “Forgive my appearance, Queen Koriann. I knew we were alreadylate and didn’t wish to detain you even further by taking time tochange. We ran into two Raptor scout ships and had a skirmish.”
“What happened?”
“While out training a squad ofsixteen men in A-7 fighters, two Raptor scout ships were spotted. Wecouldn’t allow them go back and report our activities to SamratCondor, so we attacked them. We managed to destroy both scout shipswithout losing any of our own.”
Other men chimed in with detailsof the battle. All were full of praise for Erling and his abilitiesas a leader and skilled combat pilot.
Finally, the conversation settleddown and everyone headed to the dining room. Erling sat at theopposite end of the table from Koriann. During dinner, the main topiccontinued to be the daring air battle. Koriann learned just howdangerous the undertaking was as the men talked. Most of the youngpilots had little combat experience and this was their first aerialbattle. Moreover, they were up against two large, heavily-armedships.
After dinner, all the guestsretired to the drawing room. Koriann pursed her lips when she sawseveral women gather around Erling, basking in his magneticpersonality. He responded by flirting with them. He looked her way,and when their eyes met, he crossed the room to her.
“You’re looking radianttonight, Kori,” Erling said. His eyes swept over her low-cut, redsatin dress, resting for a moment on the large ruby that hung betweenher breasts on a golden chain.
She felt her cheeks heat.
“If you weren’t alreadyengaged I’d think you were out to snare one of these pilots,”Erling continued.
“Any of them you’drecommend?” she asked, playing along with his teasing.
“There is one, as a matter offact.”
“Is he handsome?” Koriannasked, in an innocent-sounding voice.
“I don’t know about that, buthe has a big heart.”
“Don’t keep me in suspense.Who is he?”
Erling’s eyes danced. “He’sone of your greatest admirers. But I can’t reveal who he is; itwouldn’t be proper.”
“No, it wouldn’t be proper,”King Zanton snapped, appearing beside Koriann. He put his hand on thesmall of her back. Koriann winced, hoping he hadn’t overheard allof their conversation. “Nothing about this conversation is,”Zanton continued. “Come, Your Highness, we’re leaving.”
Koriann started to protest, thenthought better of it. She didn’t want to annoy Zanton any further.“Perhaps it is time to go.”
As Zanton led her from the roomshe suppressed her own annoyance and smiled at everyone they passed.She knew she had to make Zanton understand he couldn’t dominateher. She was the Queen, not some weak woman who had to do hisbidding.
Once in the hall, he pulled herinto a private room out of earshot of the guards and servants. “Don’tever do that again! You’re my woman and I won’t have you flirtingwith that man!” His voice was low and resonant, carrying more forcethan if he’d shouted.
She held her chin up. “I wasn’tflirting.”
“You encourage him in the wayyou dress and caress him with your eyes. And as for your tongue, youneed to learn your place! No Haklute woman would dare speak as freelyas you do.”
“Our ways are different. Youseem to forget I’m Queen and can say whatever I like.”
Zanton grasped her upper arms.“Then you’ll have to learn our ways.”
Koriann tensed, resenting histreatment of her and uncomfortably aware of how strong he was, buttoo proud to ask him to release her.
His grip loosened and he slid hishands up her bare arms, onto her shoulders. “You do look lovelytonight. I can’t blame Fenian for finding you attractive, but if Iever find him with you, I’ll kill him.”
“How dare you imply there’ssomething between the Major and me. I’m not some trollop.”
“Forgive me.” His expressionsoftened. “My jealousy got the better of me.” He drew her closeand kissed her. She tasted the wine on his lips and suppressed theurge to shove him away.
Finally, he released her. “Mypretty little bride. I look forward to our wedding night. After thatmy claim on you will be complete.”
She broke away from him andstarted up the large, marble stairway. His irritating laugh rose upfrom the extravagantly decorated lobby below. The very grandeur ofthe palace seemed to remind her that she was a prisoner; as Queen,she was not free to marry for love.
Once in her bedroom suite,Koriann paced the gilded sitting room, thinking about what happened.Why, after being so reserved, had Erling flirted with her with Zantonnearby? An unexpected cold chill of fear for Erling washed over her.She should warn him not to deliberately make Zanton jealous. Zantonwas a dangerous man to cross and there was no telling what he mightdo if provoked. But when could she talk to Erling? The opportunity tobe alone with him never presented itself; Zanton made sure of that.She longed to talk to Erling privately and share her concerns aboutZanton and Jaipar.
When she first met Erling, she’donly seen the part of him
