28. Adina

28

ADINA

I was practically vibrating with anticipation at the prospect of infiltrating the palace and laying eyes on James once more. Or perhaps that buzzing sensation was simply the hum of Gene, dispersed around my throat in a collar-like necklace. It was the only way he could maintain proximity to my face and sustain my disguise.

As it turned out, stepping into an entirely new existence wasn't quite as straightforward as I'd initially imagined. Gene's technological prowess was formidable—it seemed there was scarcely a system he couldn't manipulate. But gaining access to James involved far more than simply hacking into a handful of computer networks. The palace was surprisingly old-fashioned, relying on bots and human guards. They maintained stringent protocols regarding who they allowed in and out, and access to James was meticulously controlled—though that control had relaxed somewhat of late as his father paraded an endless stream of potential matches before him.

Truthfully, the gossip that reached my ears upon returning to Londabad left me reeling. Tales ranged from James being on the brink of death to King Jaimesh contemplating disowning him, with every conceivable scenario in between. The situation only worsened with news of his broken engagement and the king's renewed efforts to find him a suitable match.

I was desperate to see him again, but Gene, with his tactical and strategic training that far surpassed anything in my experience, cautioned me to exercise patience. "You need to establish a trusted persona if you're going to accomplish your goals," he advised. "We must construct a version of you that is bulletproof."

"Bulletproof?" I echoed.

"That can withstand scrutiny," he amended. "Forgive me, I sometimes forget that ancient idioms don't always translate well into modern parlance."

"It's fine." I suppressed a shudder as I recalled the gun Jeffry had brandished at me. Being bulletproof would certainly be a welcome trait. "Any suggestions on who I should become?"

"Actually..." He did have ideas, and they were remarkably astute. We settled on the persona of a princess from a distant land—not so far that it would be entirely unheard of, but distant enough to explain the source of my remarkable technology without raising suspicions that I was, in fact, Adina, newly enriched by the treasures of the Vault.

A few carefully orchestrated connections, coupled with the strategic sale of certain equipment, provided me with sufficient capital to assemble a wardrobe that would be the envy of any wealthy, beautiful young rani. I could emulate their movements and speech patterns with ease—after all, I'd spent years mimicking them to get close enough to rob them. In the end, the most significant hurdle was determining how to alter my facial features.

I'd hoped to get by with an elaborate veil similar to those worn by most of the peerage, but Gene was adamant it wouldn't suffice. "Especially not for an outsider," he explained. "Security protocol mandates full facial recognition for anyone entering the palace. You'll need something far more sophisticated than a veil."

"Like some kind of a mask?" I grimaced at the thought. Were there masks that adhered so closely to the skin? It would likely feel revolting, but I was willing to endure whatever discomfort necessary to reach James.

"Of a sort." Gene's smile held a hint of mischief. "Did you know my housing can assume various forms?"

"Oh? What sort of forms are we talking about here?"

Which was how I discovered Gene could be worn as a necklace. While not exactly comfortable, it allowed him to project a skintight hologram over my features. With careful shaping to ensure nothing unusual poked through, I was transformed into an entirely new woman.

Princess Aramar possessed bolder features than Adina, with a wider, sensuous mouth and a slightly more prominent nose. Her skin was a few shades darker, her hair a touch lighter. We shared the same height—there wasn't much I could do about that beyond acclimating to uncomfortably high heels—but her clothes were designed to cling in all the right places, accentuating curves I hadn't even realized I possessed while highlighting the slenderness of my waist.

Gazing at my reflection after completing the transformation, I found myself rather enamored with Princess Aramar. She embodied everything I'd always envied but never dared imagine for myself—beauty, power, and audacity.

A treacherous thought crept into my mind. Perhaps James would prefer Aramar to Adina. Maybe he'd already moved on, his heart captured by another. I couldn't fathom how I'd react if he fell for my new persona. Most likely, I would be caught somewhere between weeping with joy and screaming in anguish.

You can't know his heart until you see him again , I reminded myself sternly. With James sequestered as ever, I needed to finagle an invitation to the palace. And the surest path to that goal?

Dazzle the peerage.

Interspersed among the technology Gene had advised we bring from the Vault was a series of ground-level, mobile hologram projection units that could be controlled by a central processor—namely, him. With these, he could conjure the illusion of walking alongside an ancient sage named Gandhi or dancing next to a Bollywood star. You could have tea with someone called Einstein or practice archery with Robin Hood. It was truly remarkable and precisely the spectacle to captivate the jaded peerage.

Staging a few flashy demonstrations, catching the attention of the right people, and beginning to build my reputation proved remarkably straightforward.

Of course, ingratiating myself with the peerage meant engaging them in conversation.

Ugh .

While I'd braced myself for mind-numbing tedium, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that some members of the aristocracy were rather engaging. Louis, the younger son of a newer house, lacked the blasé self-assurance of many of his peers, which made him far more interesting company. His enthusiasm and conversational skills were genuinely enjoyable.

Moritan, conversely, hailed from one of Londabad's most ancient houses, yet he was as mercilessly critical of his contemporaries as he was of everyone else. It was oddly entertaining to listen to him eviscerate everyone with equal venom, including me and his own family.

"Look at you, skulking around the palace hoping for an invitation like a dog in heat," he grumbled at me a few weeks into my performance as Princess Aramar. "Just like every other rani in this damn city, aren't you?"

"You're welcome to distance yourself from me at any time," I replied coolly. I was willing to endure much in my quest to reach James, but I wouldn't allow anyone to insult me so crudely without pushback.

"Oh no, no, wouldn't dream of it. I've got to see how it plays out now. The young man has a heart of ice, from what I hear, but who knows?" He shrugged expressively. "You might be able to melt it. Have to hope someone can, or the king will have to consider another heir, and none of us want that."

"You're not fond of the seneschal, I take it," I said.

"Who could like that louse-faced, pucker-assed son of —"

"Moritan!"

"You asked!"

My patience and schmoozing eventually bore fruit. A month into my sojourn in Londabad, I finally received what I'd been waiting for—an invitation to the palace to showcase my "marvelous spectacle" for the royal family and their innermost circle.

This was it, the opening I needed. My chance to lay eyes on James once more and gauge whether he still mourned Adina, whether I stood any chance at all. I couldn't predict how I'd react upon seeing him, given that our last encounter had been so profoundly traumatic. Dissolving into tears would undoubtedly do little to improve my odds of winning him over.

I needed to give myself time, not charge in recklessly, and risk an emotional breakdown while curtsying before him. I'd need to devise a different sort of performance, something that would allow me to blend in for a while before we came face to face once more.

I could manage that. I was confident that, with Gene's assistance, I could pull it off.

I just needed to summon my courage and make it happen.

I'm coming back to you , I silently vowed. I haven't abandoned you, I promise.

And if every hope I harbored came to fruition, I would never have to leave his side again.

Standing before the mirror, making final adjustments to my disguise, I couldn't help but marvel at how far I'd come. From a street thief scraping by in the shadows of Londabad to a princess poised to enter the royal palace—it was a transformation beyond my wildest dreams. Yet beneath the glittering fa?ade of Princess Aramar, my heart remained that of Adina, the girl who had fallen hopelessly in love with a prince.

"Are you ready?" Gene's voice hummed softly from the necklace.

I took a deep breath, squaring my shoulders and lifting my chin. "As ready as I'll ever be."

As I exited my newly acquired house, I gazed at the palace looming in the distance, a glittering beacon of hope and potential heartbreak. Whatever awaited me within those walls, I was determined to face it head-on.

I'm coming for you, James. And this time, nothing in this world will tear us apart .