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.l naturally hope that you will be willing to honor her request.”“But a woman does not have a say in the matter!” Throk insisted, somewhat stridently.“Under many circumstances, yes,” I agreed.“But these are not many circumstances.These are circumstances that I am controlling, and I will value Senna’s wishes over yours.That is all.”As it turned out, it was not all.Later that day, when I was passing Senna’s room, I heard arguing.I recognized both raised voices; Senna and her frustrated suitor were obviously having a bit of a difference of opinion.My first inclination was to allow Senna to handle the matter.She was, after all, an independent young woman who knew her own mind and was more than capable of handling someone like Throk.But then there was the angry retort of skin striking skin.Senna's voice cried out, and I heard a body hit the floor.I stepped toward the door, but it did not open.Angrily, I turned to my guards and pointed mutely to the door.Without a moment’s hesitation, they stepped forward and forced the door open.I strode in ahead of them, a breech of protocol but I doubt that they could have stopped me.Senna was on the floor, as I suspected she would be.Throk stood over her, his hands balled into fists, and he was shouting, “You have shamed me in front of the emperor! You have-” That was when he noticed me.Immediately he straightened up and started to say, “Highness, this is not what—”I did not feel like hearing his explanations, or even the sound of his voice.I did not care how much influence certain “others” had over Throk’s service to me.With two quick steps, I was right in front of him It might not have been fair, but at that moment I saw all the frustration, all the arrogance, all the difficulties and scrabbling for power from all those around me, all personified and condensed into this one individual.I drew back a fist and swung.It was, I am pleased to say, an impressive blow, particularly considering how out-of-practice I was.Throk’s head snapped around and he went down without a sound.It was, I confess, a bit disconcerting , that silence.He glowered up at me, and he did not even put his hand to his chin to rub the area where I had struck him.Apparently he did not want to give me the satisfaction of seeing him in pain.“I believe,” I said tersely, “that your time in my service is ended, Throk.”“Minister Durla assigned me to-"“Minister Durla works for me,” I thundered.“I decide what will be! Not him! Not you! Me! Minister Durla will find something else to assign you to, and I can only suggest, for your continued health, that it be something that will not bring you into contact with Senna.Now get out of my sight!”He got to his feet, not slowly, but not with any overt hurry either.He looked at me for a time, and I notched up my glower.He looked down at that point, which I took some small measure of pride in noting.And then, without another word, he walked out.“Are you all right, young lady?” I asked.“I … did not need to be rescued, Highness,” she replied.“I could have handled him myself.” Then she smiled ruefully and put a hand to the part of her face that was still flared red from the impact “But I appreciate not having had to.”“Do not think upon it any longer.He is out of your life, for good.I shall see to that.”Tomorrow I will be speaking with Lord Durla, making sure that Throk is given an assignment that will keep him far away from her.I hope she does not end up losing her association with the other Prime Candidates.I could wish for a better set of friends for her, but at least it’s people roughly her own age with whom she’s having social intercourse.There is something to be said for that.If only I could handle this business with the Alliance as easily as I dispatched Throk.A quick punch to the face and that was all that was required.The realm of politics is, unfortunately, slightly more complicated.At least, I think it is.Perhaps I should try punching Sheridan in the nose someday and see if anything positive comes from it.- CHAPTER 11 -“Mr.Garibaldi will see you now.”The secretary was so remarkably gorgeous that Lou Welch had a hard time removing his gaze from her.“Breathtaking,” he muttered.“Pardon?”“This office,” Lou said quickly, gesturing around them.“It’s really impressive.” He rose from his seat and continued, “Me and Michael, we go way back.God, his living quarters were smaller than this outer office.He’s come a long way.”“Yes.He has.” The face remained lovely, but the smile was thinning in a slightly unattractive fashion.“And if you go on in, I’m sure he’ll be happy to tell you just how far.”“Hmm? Oh! Yes, right,” Lou said, and he headed into the inner office.Garibaldi rose from behind his desk, hand extended, a broad smile on his face.Welch couldn’t help but admire the trim shape Garibaldi had kept himself in.He’d been concerned that the years spent running the major conglomerate of Edgars/Garibaldi Enterprises might have softened Garibaldi up, but he knew at once that his concerns had been misplaced.Garibaldi looked as whipcord sharp as ever when he stepped forward, and said, “Lou! Lou, it’s great to-”His eyes narrowed.“What’s wrong,” Lou said, puzzled.“You have hair,” Garibaldi said.“Oh.That.” Slightly self-conscious, but simultaneously preening, Welch ran his fingers through his thick shock of black hair.“I had a thing done.”“A thing.Uh-huh,” said Garibaldi [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]