Bailey frowned, his bushy black eyebrows furrowing into a sharp wedge. "I have been with the Guards for three years, Ms. Auburn."

Misha blinked twice, pointed to the campaign ribbons on his jacket's left breast. "Then why is it you don't wear the blue and green ribbon for the St. Andre strike?"

That's it!Even as Bailey covered his surprise with a pleasant grin, Jeana swept forward. She smashed her left knee into the soldier's groin, lifting him off the floor. She tangled her fingers in his curly black hair, and as he doubled over, she brought his head down to greet her knee as it rose again.

"Melissa!" Misha stared at her in horror.

Jeana ignored the outburst as she stripped the gun from the unconscious warrior. Good. Mauser and Gray M-27 needle pistol.She snapped the breech open and saw a virgin block of ballistic polymer in the chamber. Enough plastic there for a nice long battle.

Misha grabbed her shoulder. "Melissa, what are you doing? You're scaring me." Jeana looked up, then pointed to the man's boots. "No spurs.

He's not wearing any spurs ..."

Misha's mouth hung open. "He's not a MechWarrior from the Federated Suns ... I should have seen that..."

Jeana nodded curtly. "You didsee something. You noticed the campaign ribbons." I should have caught the heel click. We all learned it at Sanglamore because it pleased Duke Lestrade.Jeana tore the soldier's jacket open and pulled up his shirt. She shook her head.

Wrapped around his waist, the man wore a long, slender strip of green silk. She pointed to it for Misha's benefit. "Sanglamore Sash. The idiot wanted to pass as Davion, but he couldn't be without his sash." Jeana unknotted it and pulled it free. "Help me roll him over, and pull off his boots."

Misha moved slowly, as if in a trance, as she followed Jeana's orders. "Slangmore ... that means he's from Skye."

Jeana grimaced as she wrapped the sash around the man's throat, then used it to bind his wrists together. "And that means the other visitors from the Federated Suns are impostors as well, He was probably going to hold Melissa here as a hostage. The Duke must be trying to kill the Archon yet again."

Misha stood and walked toward the visiphone. "I'll call Simon Johnson."

"No!"

Jeana's command stopped Misha dead in her tracks. "Why not? Your mother is meeting with the fake envoy right now. She's in danger."

Jeana stood, hefting the pistol in her right hand. "If we set off an alarm, they'll kill her for sure. I would guess they're waiting for Johnson to show up so they can kill him, too. If he dies, Lyran security falls apart, making a coup very easy. Lestrade is playing to win this one." She looked up at Misha. "Where are they meeting?"

Misha shrugged. "Your mother's office, I assume."

"Dammit, that's no good. One way in, one way out."

Misha frowned. "What about the passageway behind the bookcase?"

Jeana's heart leaped to her throat. My briefings mentioned Melissa's knowledge of the secret passages in the palace, but we never had time for her to show me more than a few meters of any of them. Hell, she grew up here—as Misha did—I'd never know them as well as either one of them did. And Melissa said she'd forgotten most of what she knew."Misha, show me the way."

Misha grinned. "You know the way. You used to sneak in there all the time and listen to your tutors tell your mother what they thought of you."

Jeana hesitated, then added more authority to her voice. "Misha, this is no time for games. Show me the way."

Misha's face darkened. "You're acting strange, Melissa. Maybe all this is a figment of your imagination. I'm going to call Simon .. ."

Misha's voice faded as Jeana lifted the pistol and clicked the safety off. "You'll do no such thing. The Archon's life is at stake here, Misha, and I will kill you to save her."

Misha's expression changed from confusion to horror. "Melissa, you need help ..."

Jeana shook her head. God, she's terrified and I can't get her to help me. I have to tell her."Listen, Misha, I'm not Melissa. My name is Jeana Clay, and I am Melissa's double. She's off with Hanse Davion."

Misha stared at her, her brown eyes brimming with tears and utter disbelief. "No, that's impossible. I would have known."

Jeana stared at Misha intently. "Think, Misha, think. Don't go to pieces on me now. What is the most important factor in Melissa's marriage to Hanse Davion? What do they need to stabilize things?”

“I don't know."

"Think, Misha. Think about all the history you've learned from your father. Use your head. What do they need?"

Misha looked down as concentration drew her brows together. "An heir. A child would unite both nations."

Jeana smiled. "Dead on. The Archon needed Melissa here to prevent her opposition from saying she'd sold her daughter to Hanse Davion. Melissa needs to be with Hanse so they can conceive a child. I'm here so she can be in two places at one time." She lowered the gun. "Now, take me to the office and pray we're in time."

Misha crossed to the fireplace in the back corner of the room. She pushed her fingers into the mouth of an ornamental lion's-head carved from the marble mantelpiece and pressed down. Jeana heard a click, then the fireplace slid away from the wall. Behind it, a narrow opening revealed walls of rough bricks and mortar.

Misha looked at her. "You'll have to go ahead because there's no place where you can pass me. The corridor goes along the wall for five meters, then we hit a circular stairway that will take us down to the main level where the office is located. At the base of the stairs, keep to the left, take the second right and the first left after that. The bookcase is at the far end of the office, facing the Archon's desk. The catch is above the opening."

Jeana nodded and entered the dark tunnel. A musty odor hung in the air and small clouds of dust rose with each step. Jeana felt cobwebs brush against her face and hands during the trek. As she walked, she trailed the fingers of her left hand along the wall, letting the cold, rough texture anchor her in reality.

So many games, so many lies. When this is over, Misha will feel like such a fool for having been deceived by me. She’ll be offended that Melissa wouldn't trust her. Worse yet, she'll have to lie to her father and not reveal any of this to him.

She came to the spiral stairs and began her slow, careful descent. Fear fluttered through her stomach, but then died quickly. She found herself smiling almost the way she did back when her father was still alive. This is it, isn't it? This is what you felt when you went to defend Katrina Steiner so many years ago on Poulsbo, isn't it, father? This is how it feels to know that what you’re doing is right, no matter what the cost. . .

Jeana reached out again with her left hand to touch the wall when she stepped off the stairs. Remembering that she had to take the second right turn, she shifted the gun to her left hand. Her heart pounded in her ears as she moved along the pitch-black passage. At the turn, she shifted the gun back to her good hand, charged it, then stopped as she reached the office's secret entrance.

She hit the catch and stepped through the moment the bookcase slid forward enough for her to squeeze past it. The Archon, a shocked look on her face, rose immediately. "Melissa! What a pleasant surprise." The surprise and anger arcing through her gray eyes demanded an explanation.