BA’SH
Later that evening, Ba’sh sat in his study, reading the reactions of the various networks as the responses to Yasmine’s interview came in.
He was half-tempted to call her in to watch with him.
“It’s hard not to sympathize when she explains it so sweetly,” one of the commentators on the feed was saying. “Can you imagine how ashamed she must have felt? But she stuck around for the kids. Now that’s tenacity.”
But there were several reasons not to call her in, not the least of which was that he was certain she would be embarrassed. He had seen her humility the last time he tried to praise her excellent ideas. And the news feeds were going on about her good looks, friendly “girl next door” demeanor, and heroic actions all at once. She was liable to melt into a puddle on the floor.
The other reason was more selfish.
Ba’sh knew if he was alone with her this evening, he might be tempted to take things too far.
The night they’d spent together was impossible to forget. If he touched her again, he was afraid he might never let her go.
On the screen, he watched her take off for the woods with impossible speed.
“That’s incredibly brave behavior for a simple Terran,” one announcer was saying. “And she appears to be quite athletic.”
“What you can’t forget about Miss Hall is that in spite of her small frame and demure manners, she was hired for her combat experience,” the other one put in. “And you can see right here as she heads into the woods to retrieve her missing charge, this young woman shows absolutely no hesitation when it comes to protecting the young children of the Ruler of Ulfgard.”
He was glad she hadn’t heard that part.
And he was pretty damn sure which of his employees had leaked that bit about her combat experience to the press. He really needed to have a word with Madge Slaite.
His comms went off before he could make a note of it.
“Kreed,” he said curtly when he saw it was his chief of publicity.
Inevitably, Yasmine had said something or other she shouldn’t have, but he wasn’t inclined to listen to complaints. As far as he was concerned, she could not have done better.
“Everyone loves her,” the man said without so much as a greeting. “Feedback is instantaneous, and overwhelmingly positive with every segment of the population, including in Pirn. Among other things feedback says she sounds like a regular person, seems authentic, and seems really nice. She has to come with us to Pirn, you were right on the money.”
Ba’sh sighed.
“What?” the publicity chief demanded. “Did you not hear me? She has to come with us. You were right.”
“I’m not sure if she’ll come,” Ba’sh said. “It’s complicated.”
“Make it uncomplicated,” the chief suggested. “Give her a raise. Do whatever you have to do. Give her a title if she wants one. You can make her a palace consultant. Just get her on that craft with you. We need this win.”
“I’ll talk to her,” Ba’sh said.
“There ya go,” the chief said. “Bring the kids, too. When she was holding Olympia, your approval rating went up.”
Gods of the Outer Rings…
“You’ll leave tomorrow at midday,” the chief went on. “I’m arranging everything now—”
“I have to go,” Ba’sh said, cutting off the call while the poor man was still going on.
He wanted to invite her to Pirn. He was quite certain Yasmine would be an asset to Ulfgard there. From his private conversation with her, he knew she could legitimately be hired as a consultant in her own right - not just as a bone to throw her.
Then the way she handled the press today… It was like she had been born to speak publicly. Not because she had some sort of studied eloquence, but because she excelled at being herself, no matter the circumstances.
But he had been with her again today without his circlet. He’d felt her concern for Pia.
He ran a hand through his hair and gazed out the window into the starlight.