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  Confusion drew Echo’s brows together as she asked, “Shouldn’t you sound more upset by the possibility?”

  “I feel sorry for the public and I’ll do everything I can to protect human females. But the government deserves everything they’re about to get and a whole lot more.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Nazerel was halfway back to his cabin when the computer rerouted him again.

  “General Nox would like to speak with you,” the computer informed him. “Please follow the path indicator.”

  Too wound up to appreciate the assistance, he grumbled, “I know the way.”

  “Very good. If you change your mind, I’m always available.”

  The illuminated indicator blinked out and Nazerel strode on alone, feeling slightly guilty for grumping at the computer. The ship was massive, but the basic layout was similar to other Rodyte ships. Besides, Nazerel was used to navigating the twisting corridors of the Shadow Maze so he always paid close attention to where he was going and where he had been.

  Hanging over his head like a storm cloud, the truth about his father simmered and churned. He’d known his father was ruthless, perhaps even cruel. Yet he’d always believed South honored the Sacred Customs that he honestly believed the things he taught so passionately. They were the principles on which Nazerel had built his life. They formed his basic character, so where did this leave him?

  But there had been no deception in Varrik’s memories. Like all the other elders, South had been corrupt and self-serving. Which meant the Sacred Customs were pointless lies and Nazerel was a fool, fighting for an ideal that never existed or had been horribly twisted long before he was born.

  None of it mattered anymore. The Shadow Maze was an empty shell and his brothers were semi-willing prisoners of the Ontarian Overlord. He released the past with a frustrated sigh. He’d meant what he said to Varrik. The past could not be changed and they both needed to focus on the future. His people deserved better than years of servitude and frustration on a planet with a shortage of females. Life in the Rodyte military wouldn’t be a better option if it weren’t for what he’d learned on Earth. It was only a matter of time before the battle born made their move, and he meant for the Shadow Assassins to be part of the coming battle.

  His thoughts were still troubled and chaotic when he reached Garin’s quarters. The proximity sensor activated as he neared the door and he heard the computer announce his arrival to the occupant or occupants of the cabin. The door slid open and Nazerel walked inside. Garin was alone and seated behind the desk in the far corner of the L-shaped room. He motioned Nazerel over as he closed the report he’d been perusing.

  “Did you make any progress with Varrik? I heard fists were flying at one point.”

  Needing a moment longer to organize his thoughts, Nazerel asked, “How did he end up in your brig?”

  “I’m not sure what they intended, but they told my guards Echo was an Ontarian princess named E’Lanna and she wanted a tour of my ship.” He held up his hand and stopped Nazerel’s objecting. “Yes, I know that’s her sister and they really are princesses, but why does that entitle her to a tour of this ship? Our people are not currently at war, but neither are we allies. Her social station is irrelevant.”

  “I’m sure it was just a ploy so they could speak with you. Varrik would have pointed out that I was a fleeing fugitive and there was no reason for you to start a war with Ontariese over the rebellious actions of one man.”

  “I thought he knew we are related by blood.”

  “He does.”

  “Then he knows nothing about Rodytes.” He folded his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. “I would never turn you over to an enemy and if Varrik came here representing the Ontarian Overlord, he is my enemy.”

  Nazerel sat in one of the two chairs arranged in front of Garin’s desk. “If it were just me, I’d suggest you throw him off the ship, banish him from Rodyte space, and be done with it. Unfortunately, there are one thousand men at the City of Tears that—”

  “One thousand? I thought there were four thousand Shadow Assassins.”

  “I’m only responsible for those descended from South. The other tribes must make their own…” Garin often brought insight and wisdom with just a few words. His ability to see the big picture was what made him such a good commander and an even more valuable friend. “You’re right. We were all part of the world below, all betrayed by the elders. All four thousand should have the same opportunities.”

  Garin lowered his arms, but his posture remained relaxed. “I’m glad you feel that way, because I just received permission from the crown to offer any Shadow Assassin political asylum in exchange for military service. It’s the same deal they received from the Ontarians, with one important difference. They will be Rodyte citizens when their service is complete rather than barely tolerated on Ontariese. The rest is up to you. When and how do you want to retake control of your men?”

  The emphasis was meant to motivate him and it worked. He was the last true leader of the Shadow Assassins. It was his responsibility to guide them into a better life, to help them claim a future in which they could be proud and free. “There are two separate situations that must be addressed. I will use the one they wish to discuss to segue into the larger issue.”

  “Your recent adventures on Earth will allow you to address the liberation of the Shadow Maze?”

  “Exactly. This is likely the only opportunity I’ll get to speak with the overlord, so I must make the most of it.”

  “We can easily explain your involvement with Sevrin. I have official documents that will exonerate your actions on Earth.”

  Nazerel nodded. “And my situation will protect Team South. I’m not sure what, if anything, I can do to protect the other hunters.”

  “They knew what they were doing when they followed you to Earth.”

  “But they followed me under false pretenses.”

  Garin shook his head. “Not really. You weren’t able to tell them your true motivation, but they knew what they were doing and the possible ramifications from their choices.”

  Nazerel didn’t argue, but he still felt responsible for the events that followed. He’d convinced the other alpha hunters to accept Sevrin’s offer. If he hadn’t fueled their discontent and frustration, it was likely they would have eventually accepted the situation on Ontariese.

  “What else do you need to strengthen your defense?”

  “Are you willing to testify on my behalf?”

  Garin suddenly scowled at him. “I’m insulted that you even thought to ask. You are my blood. Would I testify for Bandar or Zilor?”

  “Of course. But—”

  “Do I love you any less?”

  “I apologize, and I don’t doubt your loyalty. What I should have said is, are you able to testify on my behalf? I know the demands of your new command are significant.”

  “I can’t fly the Undaunted over to Ontariese, if that’s what you mean. But I can sure as the five hells schedule a time to attend a video conference. The tribunal might not even require my testimony once they’ve read the official documents.”

  “You’ve never met Lor dar Joon. He’ll have questions for you, lots and lots of questions.”

  “I look forward to his interrogation.” Garin’s smile seemed rather predatory. “I always welcome a good challenge.”

  “The easiest way to bring this all to a close is to turn myself in to Varrik.”

  “I don’t trust the Ontarians. I’d like to hold on to the females until after your appearance before the Tribunal. If there is any hint of manipulation on their part, it will give us some leverage.”

  “I understand your caution, but the Ontarians wouldn’t see that as protection, they’d see it as a threat. Lor is as arrogant as they come, but he seems fair and honorable.”

  Garin stared at him thoughtfully for a long moment, then released a tense sigh. “I don’t like it, but ultimately it’s your decision.” He entered s
everal commands into his computer. “I just sent copies of the documents to the workstation in your cabin. Look them over before you leave to make sure you have everything you need.”

  “Once my men request asylum, will you have any control over their assignments?”

  Garin waved away Nazerel’s concern. “I can’t assign them all to the Undaunted, but I can use my influence to make sure they’re assigned to battle born commanders rather than elitist pigs who needlessly risk the lives of their battle born soldiers.”

  “Which brings us back to what I learned on Earth. Have you decided what to do about the battle born situation?”

  “The ‘battle born situation’?” Garin chuckled and pushed back from his desk. “Now you sound like Bandar. The situation with the battle born has been escalating for decades and it’s not going to be resolved overnight. You brought an intriguing possibility to my attention. However, I’m not prepared to commit high treason so my brothers can claim empowered mates.”

  Claiming empowered mates was more of a bonus than the crux of the issue, but Nazerel knew Garin understood the situation even better than he did. Battle born sons had been disregarded and abused ever since it became apparent that they would never develop the ability to manipulate magic. While their female counterparts were treasured and exalted, battle born sons had been…forsaken, to borrow Bandar’s favorite word to describe the situation.”

  Before Nazerel could comment, the general went on, “One of my spies in the capital was able to secure a copy of Sevrin’s research data. There is no longer any doubt that Quinton was and is directly involved. I’d like a copy of what Flynn gave you to compare against the information I secured myself.”

  That had been their agreement. If Quinton had the data already, Nazerel would share it with Garin to help balance the Rodyte power equation. Garin had made the decision even easier by securing a copy of the research himself.

  Nazerel nodded. “I’ll send it to you as soon as I return to my cabin.”

  Garin nodded then came out from behind the desk. His expression softened and he placed his hand on Nazerel’s shoulder. “You’ve given me a lot to think about and my brothers will guarantee that I continue to think about it, but let’s solve one problem at a time.”

  “I didn’t set out to complicate your life when I accepted this mission. Is there anything I can do to help you unravel this mess?”

  “You’ve helped quite enough already.” Garin laughed then motioned him toward the door. “Take what’s left of today to study the documents, solidify your defense and figure out what in creation you’re going to do with Morgan. Then tomorrow morning I’ll release Varrik—and his mate. The sooner we solve your problems, the sooner we can begin on the ‘battle born situation’.”

  * * * * *

  By the time the guards escorted Echo back to the brig, Morgan felt like they knew each other remarkably well. Though Echo was cautious when it came to specifics about Varrik, she was surprisingly candid about her own history. And Echo’s openness encouraged Morgan to be honest about her past. Soon they were chatting away as if they’d known each other for years and time passed quickly.

  Echo had only been gone a few minutes when Nazerel returned to the cabin. He looked downright gloomy and his mood was as unapproachable as Echo’s had been welcoming. After acknowledging Morgan with a distracted lift of his chin, he crossed to the perimeter wall and asked for an external view from the top deck of the ship. Staring out into space always seemed to calm him, yet it also drew him inward and made him less willing to share whatever upset him.

  “Are you all right?” Morgan pressed herself against his back and wrapped her arms around his waist. “If you don’t talk to me, I’ll have to use our link to read your mind.”

  She’d been hoping to lighten his mood with her playful threat. Instead, he sounded depressed and distant. “Varrik is in the brig. That was Garin’s surprise.”

  “So I gathered when he brought Echo here and told us you and Varrik were trying to work things out.”

  Nazerel scoffed softly, but his body began to relax and he folded his arms over hers. “I’m not sure our conversation qualifies as reconciliation, but we were able to establish some basic facts.”

  “Such as?”

  He turned around and pulled her into his arms. “Garin has been compiling the documents needed for my defense. Rather than trying to answer all of your questions, why don’t we go over the documents together and I’ll take you through it step-by-step?”

  “All right.” If he was building a defense, did that mean he intended to turn himself in? He was safe here, protected by the influence of his family. Why would he turn himself in?

  The answer was so obvious, she didn’t bother asking the question. He’d sacrifice himself for his people. And not just the team of hunters he’d led while on Earth. He felt responsible for all of the men in his tribe, perhaps every former Shadow Assassin.

  He motioned her toward the small table near the kitchenette and they sat side by side rather than facing each other. Then he used a datapad, an ultra-thin tablet-style computer capable of projecting three-dimensional images, to display the documents. To her surprise, the information detailed events that began long before Nazerel came to Earth, but she quickly realized it was all connected. The speed with which Nazerel moved through the facts made it obvious he wasn’t in the mood to elaborate.

  “How much of this is true?”

  He paused and looked at her. “All of it, but I’m not surprised that you asked. The tribunal is going to find everything suspiciously convenient and I’m not sure what I can do about it.”

  “Can anyone substantiate what’s in these documents?”

  He powered down the datapad with a sigh. “Garin can and will, but he’s my cousin. It’s possible the members of the tribunal will dismiss his testimony as biased.”

  “Maybe.” She motioned toward the datapad. “But that presentation is pretty hard to ignore. How much of this did you share with Varrik?”

  “Not much. I already knew I was going to turn myself in, so I didn’t see the point in going through it all more than once. He’ll take me back to Ontariese and I’ll explain everything to the tribunal. Varrik can hear it then. Besides, we had other issues to discuss.”

  “Like the death of your father?” She hated to bring it up, but she could think of nothing else painful enough to sour his disposition.

  “Primarily.”

  When he said nothing more, she prompted, “And were you able to agree on what happened?”

  “You just spent the past hour or more with Echo. Didn’t she tell you all about it?”

  She reached over and slipped her hand into his. “I don’t care what Echo believes. Do you still feel that they murdered your father?”

  “Varrik ended my father’s life. That fact was never in dispute. But South was false just like the other elders. Worse, he was a coward who was running away from the fight. He left his entire tribe behind without a second thought. He was not a worthy leader.”

  She knew Nazerel was shielding their connection, but occasional bursts of grief and anger bled through. Despite his calm expression, the emotions were as raw and aching as if the tragedy had just taken place.

  Before she could find the words needed to comfort him, he gently squeezed her hand. “Am I a fool to expect fair treatment from the Ontarians? They despise Shadow Assassins.”

  Glad for an easier subject, she happily followed his lead. “They resent Shadow Assassins and they’re afraid of Rodytes, but they will listen to what you have to say. This is the first mission I’ve worked with Lor, but I’ve known High Queen Charlotte for years. All of the procedures she’s instituted during her reign have been fair and impartial. Besides, I’ll be there to make sure this is not a witch hunt. If it starts to look like they’re out to get you, I’ll help you escape.”

  He offered her a warm smile that burned through the shadows in his eyes. “I’m hoping it won’t come to that, but it’s nice
to know I’ll have at least one friend at the City of Tears.”

  “You said Garin was going to testify. Doesn’t that mean you’ll have two friends?”

  Nazerel pushed back from the table and stood. “Garin can’t leave his ship. He’ll testify by vidcom.”

  “Of course. Even on Earth that’s likely how it would happen.”

  He pulled her to her feet and into a loose embrace. “How about a nice hot bath? Creation knows I need to relax.”

  “Where is this mysterious bathtub and will others be there or just us?” She didn’t have a swimsuit and she wasn’t getting naked in front of any male except Nazerel.

  Rather than explain, he led her into the utility room. “This is only an option in certain cabins. We just happen to be in one of the best.”

  He issued a verbal command and a good portion of the floor smoothly lowered and reshaped. Soon they stood on the wide rim of a deep, spa-style bathtub. One side created a molded recliner while the other formed a simple bench. “Is this all right? There are several other styles, but I’d have to go look up the commands.”

  “This is lovely.” Then with a cheeky grin she added, “As long as I get to use the recliner.”

  He laughed as he pulled off his shirt. “We’ll figure it out as we go along. Now get undressed.” Another command activated the water, which streamed from multiple outlets all over the surface of the tub.

  The water only reached his calves when he lowered himself into the tub. She took longer to undress, so the water was knee-deep by the time she joined him. They stood facing each other as they waited for the tub to fill. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he caressed her back, his touch light and still distracted.

  “Before we leave tomorrow, I’ll need to sever our link.”

  “Why?” She’d resisted the connection every step of the way, so why did the thought of losing access to his emotions upset her now?

  His hand drifted up to the back of her head as he gazed into her eyes. “If the Mystics sense our bond, they’ll accuse me of controlling you.”