The Princess and the Guard (Book 1)

Sixty

Noah planted his feet, pushing the back of the ship as hard as he could. Mason, on the other side of him, was doing the same. There was a small landing pad on the outside of the door, but getting the ship up the incline without turning it on was taking more effort than he realized.

"Almost... there," Mason grunted.

They crested the top of the hill, and then pushing became easier. Mason darted around to the front, hopping on the cockpit and pulling the brake, bringing the ship to a stop.

Noah was panting.

"Man, you gotta work harder in the gym if you're breathing that hard," Mason laughed, jumping down to the ground.

"Shut up," Noah replied, annoyed when the simple words exhausted him. He climbed into the ship, checking and double-checking the engine. Mason knew how to run a diagnostic on the ships computer, so while he did that Noah, checked the list on his tablet and made sure, once again, there was nothing he'd forgotten.

Nerves planted themselves in the base of his stomach. Within the hour, he and Juliette would be leaving.

"You okay?" Mason asked.

Noah nodded, standing up and dropping the seat of the sofa back down. "Yeah. It's just... sinking in."

"Don't tell me you're having second thoughts." Mason's words, though accusatory, were laced with emotion.

Noah shook his head. "No. It's just... surreal, I suppose."

"It won't be, as soon as you're out of here and see the sky and feel the sun."

Noah pressed his lips together. "You sure you don't want to come?" He'd asked the question so many times already, but he couldn't not ask it again.

"I'm sure." Mason clapped his hands, rubbing them together. "Alright, engines are good, computer's good. You've got food and water; the heating and cooling units are functioning. I'm guessing Juliette's the one who cleaned, because it looks great in here and I've seen your room."

Noah laughed.

"The water tank is filled, you're all fueled up, and I checked the oil levels. What else?"

Noah wracked his brain, but nothing more came to mind. He once again consulted the list on his tablet.

"Where's Juliette?"

"In her room. Daisy went up to get her."

As if on cue, Daisy appeared coming through the back door. "She's not in her room. I can't find her."

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. I don't know where she went. I tried to scan the ballroom but couldn't get close enough with everyone still arriving."

"Odette wouldn't let her go to the ball," Noah mused. "Not without a dress, and I know for a fact she doesn't have one."

"Maybe she's in the library?"

"I looked in all the usual places," Daisy added. "But feel free to double-check."

Noah, trying not to grow worried, called up a smile. "She probably went for a walk, I'll look around."

"Don't you have her location on your tablet?"

"She's not wearing her watch. She must have taken it off. It's fine, I'm sure everything's fine."

Mason and Daisy exchanged a glance.

"Daisy, do me a favor and check the gardens?" Noah asked, taking the stairs two at a time. He thought about changing into his uniform, but didn't want to risk running out of time. Instead, he took the servants' passages back toward Juliette's wing. He looked in her bedroom, and any other place she might be in her wing of the palace, but they were all deserted.