Chapter Twenty
“We’ve got a tail,” Keirth said, leaning up to talk to the driver. “Can you go any faster?”
“Maybe if I got up a little higher,” the driver responded. “I can climb up into the express lane.”
“Do it,” said Keirth.
“It’ll be hard to exit back to the spacedock,” said the driver.
“Hard,” said Keirth, “but not impossible.” He looked at Ariana. “I used to be a speeder driver, remember?”
“They said your name, Keirth,” said Ariana. “Who are they?”
Keirth shook his head. He had no idea.
* * *
“He’s switching into the express lane,” said the prince’s driver.
“Follow him then,” said the prince.
The speeder shook underneath them as the driver struggled to switch gears and take the speeder higher.
Tramet felt himself pitched back against the seat. He clutched the armrest to right himself.
The speeder took a hard left turn, throwing both Tramet and the prince against one side.
“He’s going too fast,” said the driver. “I can’t catch up.”
“You will catch up to him,” ordered the prince, peeling himself away from the speeder wall.
“I’m losing him,” said the driver.
“Go faster!” roared the prince.
The speeder surged forward, once again pushing Tramet and the prince back into their seats. Tramet tried to look out the window, but all he could see were speeders of various colors blurring together because they were going so fast.
“I don’t see him anywhere,” said the driver.
“What do you mean, you don’t see him?” said the prince.
“He was right in front of me and then he— Oh, no, wait, he’s switched out of express. He’d going to the spacedock.”
Of course. He’d be trying to get off world, wouldn’t he, if he’d just escaped from jail? But how would he have a ship? Tramet did his best to remember the two figures he’d seen with Keirth, getting into the speeder. They’d been women, and one of them must have been Miss Gilit, considering she’d just escaped from Winfield. But the other woman... Had he seen her before? Was she someone related to Miss Gilit? There was another daughter of the Duke of Wendo, wasn’t there? But she was much too young. That could only mean... Miss Vintro! The maiden aunt that lived with the family.
“Stop chasing the car,” said Tramet.
“What?” said the prince.
“I know where they’re going,” said Tramet. “Since you’re the prince, you should have no problem getting into her docking area. We’ll beat them to their ship!”
* * *
Ariana hugged Aunt Tildy quickly, as she and Keirth got out of the speeder. “Thank you so much for everything!”
“You’re welcome,” said Aunt Tildy. “This was fun. Anytime you want to do it again, let me know. I’d better get back home, though, before someone wonders where I am. I’m sure your parents know you’ve escaped from Winfield by now.”
“Thank you, Tildy,” said Keirth from behind Ariana.
“You kids have fun,” said Aunt Tildy. She pulled the door to the speeder shut.
Ariana forced herself to move slowly. “We can’t run, Keirth, or we’ll attract attention. Walk quickly but act like you’re supposed to be here. Act like nothing’s wrong.”
Keirth did his best to comply, but she could see worry in his expression. “What if someone recognizes me? My picture’s been all over the nets.”
“So has mine,” said Ariana. “But we’re going to look much more suspicious if we’re running.”
“You shouldn’t have done this,” Keirth said. “It’s too dangerous. If anything happened to you—”
“I wasn’t going to let you die,” she interrupted. “You saved my life before.”
He wrapped his arm around her. “Oh, sweetheart, I was going to kill that guy anyway. I think we’re way beyond even at this point.” He kissed her temple. “Which way is your aunt’s ship?”
Ariana pointed. They set off. As they walked, she did her best not to make eye contact with anyone, and she whispered to Keirth to do the same. They made it through the crowds on the docking bay without incident, and before long, they were at the door to the bay where Aunt Tildy’s ship was. Ariana swiped her aunt’s card, and the doors slid open diagonally. She was reminded of that day—it seemed so long ago—when she’d gone after Risciter back on Hallon. But this time, she was saving a man’s life who actually deserved it.