ROGUE PRINCESS (Sample Chapters)

Chapter Two

The afternoon sun stretched across the luminous tile of Delia's chamber, just reaching the edge of her pedestal. From this van- tage she could see across the kingdom. The palace looked over the residences of the lords within the high walls, then the surrounding lake, and farther down she could see the raised homes of counsel- ors and dukes. The whole area was a tiered settlement built into the massive mountain. Then lower still, private landowners. The Dark District was there too, underneath everything else.

But Delia's attention was focused on the cloud cover in the dis- tance. She chided herself for not checking the atmospheric conditions more closely. It would be particularly miserable luck to have planned everything else, but fail because she'd forgotten to check the stupid weather.

"To the left, princess," Marta said, her metallic voice detached yet respectful. She knelt at the hem. "Thank you."

Delia conceded, turning on the spot. She could now see her younger sister, lounging on the chaise by the floor to ceiling windows, her finger scrolling across her infoscreen.

"Yes," Shania said to the screen. "No." Then she paused. "Hmm . . . maybe." Her face was serious, but Delia knew her younger sister's impish tone too well not to see through the sober countenance.

"Your interest in my torture borders on sadistic voyeurism," Delia told her. She felt Marta's hand brush against the end of her braid as she worked, her hair so long it nearly reached the floor.

"I'm researching the eligible bachelors that arrived last night . . . for your benefit, of course." Shania continued scrolling, and then her face lit up. "Oh, here's one! Prince Quinton of Rexula. He's good looking, has a degree in biospheric chemistry and says he's an accom- plished competitor in battle ball." She giggled, then added, "I have it on good authority that all the men from Rexula are trained in the necessary skills of battle and proper conduct of the court."

Delia rolled her eyes. "Rexula has the largest supply of plasma in the Four Quadrants. It's his energy supply I'm more interested in than his battle ball skills."

Advisor Winchell stood over Shania, her braided hair tucked under her decorative headpiece of wallowing goose feathers. "Rexula is our closest planetary neighbor and largest trading partner." She then glided across the room, her richly patterned robe flowing behind her. The only noise was the tapping of her cane on the tiles.

Seeing that Advisor Winchell was about to meet her gaze, Delia dropped her eyes to study Marta, now quietly working on the side seam of her wedding gown. She winced as Marta took a straight pin and secured a bit of fabric in place. The fit became more constricting with each tiny alteration.

Shania smiled at the infoscreen. "Can you imagine?" she said dreamily. "Someone strong enough to fight, yet graceful enough to dance you around the ballroom?" She gave a lazy sigh.

"If you're so thrilled with the prospect of marrying a complete stranger," Delia said from the pedestal, "why don't you get up here and take my place?"

"I'd love to!"

"That's enough, girls." Advisor Winchell put up a hand to silence the pair. "Don't take this parade of suitors lightly. It has no more to do with love than any of the other matches I have overseen all these years."

"Strange," Shania said. "You've always struck me as a romantic, Advisor Winchell."

Delia braced for the reprimand, but their elderly mentor ignored Shania's remark and instead put her attention back on Delia. "As first born to the queen, you benefit from all the advantages that station in life affords. And as firstborn, you know you have . . ."