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if he were truly disappointed she were doing well. It was all she could do to have a maid show him out without screaming.
    The weeks in prison made her appreciate the luxuries of her life. Having not expected to ever enjoy them again made each that much sweeter. Danielle had no idea why in Miralda’s confession to having plotted the attack on Byran’s residence and remove Arinna, or at least sully her so much that she would be ineffective, Miralda had omitted Danielle’s part. But she had and now Danielle walked free. The only one of the conspiracy who did, and she wasn’t certain what to do with her freedom.
    Just as after her father’s death, Danielle was directionless. She had her family name and wealth. Having nearly lost her freedom, she knew neither would protect her. Instinct told her to bundle herself up and head to an out-of-the-way chateau to spend her days in a delirious drunken stupor. But having only just begun to discover what power she could wield, such an option felt too final as if she was skipping to the end of her life without having the courage to live the best part.
    Courage, that is what it would take to go back to Parliament. They had heard the testimony against her and chosen to free her. Before the bombing, she had held prestige second only to Byran. Now he was Prime Minister. If she played the situation right, she could have a place, a powerful place, in the government and that could lead to many opportunities. Danielle just needed to be smarter than Miralda and David.
    Danielle fidgeted with her hair and dress the next morning. Presentation wouldn’t really help if the Senators chose to snub her, but she hoped to at least appear indifferent. She needn’t have worried. From the moment she exited her carriage, members hurried up to her. The first few sought gossip, anxious to know the appalling conditions of where she’d been held, if she’d been interrogated, and if there was any truth to rumors. Danielle remained polite, choosing not to cast blame as much as she wanted to.
    “It was a misunderstanding, perfectly reasonable,” Danielle said, tears fluttering from her eyelashes. “My father was part of MOTHER after all. But like Derrick Eldridge has shown to be more than his father’s son, I am not simply my father’s daughter.”
    It took until a break in the mid-morning session for another sort of well wisher to appear. “You are not disappointed that the elections have been cancelled?” Evan Capitelli asked.
    “Of course. We worked so hard for the proposal. But after the bombing and so close to the holiday recess ... I suppose a delay is understandable,” Danielle answered.
    “Delay?” Sari Ahuja said. “Delay would imply there had been discussion to reschedule the elections.”
    “Hasn’t there?” Danielle asked. “You must forgive me ... I’ve been indisposed and missed quite a bit of the aftermath the last two weeks.”
    “Yes, you have. I don’t wish to be forward, but perhaps we, and a few other interested members, could meet with you. Simply to fill you in and welcome you back to our ranks,” Evan said.
    “That would be most welcome. Please accept my invitation to dine at my house. Tonight if that is not too soon? I feel rather lost and there isn’t much time to reorient myself.”
    There shouldn’t have been any time to rejoin Parliament. The bombing and trial had stretched out the fall session to the cusp of the December holidays. The offer of a peace treaty, a real one, with the FLF added a few more days. Danielle had learned that much before returning to her position. As she listened to the conversations around her, she learned quite a bit more.
    The assembly was over three-quarters full, which was a large turnout. With so many Senators in Prague to vote on the elections and offer up their seats, only a few had given up after the bombing and left. Apparently discovering that they hadn’t controlled Europe had motivated more than one to try to run it. By the