Born of Defiance (48 page)

Much of the rioting had stopped once word of Tylie's official ascension had reached their media. While no one shed a tear for Eriadne or Jullien, many respected both of the tizirahie. Tylie because of a vicious attack her own sister, Irenie, had made against Tylie when Tylie was only thirteen, and Cairistiona for being the one who'd saved Tylie's life by brutally slaughtering Irenie for her treachery.

Now all that appeared to be left of the overthrow was the cleanup.

As soon as they reached the hospital, Felicia ran inside. She reached the nurses' station at the same time the doors opened to admit Talyn and the medics who were trying to save his life.

She rushed to his side.

A soldier started to push her back.

Talyn held his hand out to her. “Felicia?”

Only then did the soldier let her pass. Tears blurred her vision as she took his hand. “You've got to find a safer, saner occupation.”

He choked on a laugh.

“I love you, Talyn.”

He squeezed her hand. “Love you.” And then they took him into the OR, leaving her there to stare after them and pray.

Lorens pulled her against him.

She wanted to cry. But this wasn't the time for tears. Felicia forced her emotions down as she called a nurse over. “We have the same blood type. If he needs a transfusion—”

“No need, Ger Tarra.” The nurse jerked her chin toward the door. “We already have a list of volunteers, with more calling in even as we speak.”

Dumbfounded, Felicia gaped at the sight of thirty-five Andarion soldiers in the waiting room who'd followed the medics in. And as her gaze swept them, they offered a salute. At first she assumed it was for her brother, until one of the soldiers came forward and removed his helmet.

He bowed before her. “It is an honor to meet the commander's female. If you need anything, Ger Tarra, let us know.”

Scowling, she glanced at Lorens. “I don't understand.”

The soldier straightened. He glanced at the others before he spoke. “Before we moved in, the commander, who has more reason than any to want to brutalize the entire royal family, secured their innocents without conflict. Then after he was assaulted by a coward, he held the knife in his side to keep the rest of us from being harmed. Commander Batur is the most honorable Andarion I've ever served under. We are here to guard both of you with our lives.”

A tear slid down her cheek. “Thank you, Colonel…”

“Verrus.”

“Verrus. It is my honor to meet you.”

He gave both her and Lorens a salute before he took up post at the OR doors.

This time, Felicia didn't have to wait long before a frazzled orderly came rushing through the doors.

“Is there a Tara Felicia here?”

Felicia sighed as she realized what must have happened. She rose and went to him. “I'm Felicia.”

“Are you squeamish?”

“No. I'm a med student.”

“Thank the gods. You've got to do something with your male! He's impossible.”

She suppressed a smile as she followed the female through the doors, down the hallway, and to the table where the doctor was attempting to treat Talyn while he cursed them for it. She heard him long before she saw him.

“
Keramon
?” Felicia chided in a patient tone. “What are you doing?” She moved to stand by his side.

“Tell them to stitch the damn wound and give me Prinum!”

Felicia narrowed her eyes at him before she glanced to the images on the monitors of his injuries. She looked over to the doctor. “Are those Talyn's?”

“Yes. As you can see, he has a lot of tissue damage—”

“Stitch the damned thing closed! Now!”

She tsked at Talyn's shout. “Are you a doctor?” she asked him like a mother to an angry toddler.

“No,” he said sullenly.

She met the gaze of the anesthesiologist. “What all have you given him?”

“Enough to choke a rhino. I can't believe he's still conscious.”

When she looked at Talyn, she saw the raw determination in his gaze.

“I need to be on my feet, Felicia … please.”

She stroked his whiskered cheek. There was no missing the feral determination in his gaze.

Finally, she relented. “Give him Prinum and stitch the wound.”

The doctor sneered at her. “You're a student—”

“Who knows your patient. Trust me, Doctor. If you don't do what he wants, when he wakes—and he will—you won't be happy. The Iron Hammer is an Andarion with a steel will and terrifying temper. The Prinum will heal him.”

Growling in anger, he obeyed.

Felicia teasingly touched the tip of Talyn's nose. “Now play nice and don't bite the doctor.” As she started to leave, the doctor's voice stopped her.

“Don't you dare step one foot outside this room until I'm done with him. You're the only one he listens to.”

She snorted at that. “He doesn't listen to me, either. If he did, he wouldn't have been hurt.”

Talyn reached out for her.

She took his hand and kissed his open palm. “You really are more trouble than you're worth.”

He ignored her playful chastisement. “Did you call my mom?”

“No. I figured you only needed one female yelling at you at a time.”

“Thank you.” He grimaced as the doctor began stitching his wound.

Felicia sucked her breath in sharply. “Please tell me you took a local.”

“He refused it,” the doctor mumbled. “Apparently, he likes pain.”

She sighed heavily. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Keep loving me … I hope.” He held such a sweet, vulnerable look in his eyes that she had to smile.

“Always that.”

His grip tightened on her hand.

“I wish you'd take something.”

Talyn shook his head. “So long as Eriadne and Jullien are on the run, you, my mother, and your family are in danger. I will not lie in a bed and sleep until I know you're all safe from harm.”

The doctor gentled his touch. “Is that why you've been so difficult?”

Talyn nodded.

The doctor glanced over to his assisting nurse. “Give him thirty RTs of Strisassin.”

“What is that?” Talyn growled.

Felicia stroked his hand to calm him. “It's a local that won't make you drowsy.”

“But it will numb the pain until the Prinum works.” The doctor grimaced at the depth of Talyn's wound. “You're lucky the medics repaired your artery. I'd still rather have you on the table, yet I understand why you want back into battle, and I commend you for it. I lost my sister to the Anatoles.” He met Talyn's gaze sincerely. “I'll have you on your feet within an hour.… And next time, son, don't just growl at us. Let us know why you're being an ass.”

*   *   *

Talyn let out a stern growl as he lifted his jacket so Felicia could examine his ragged wound. He needed to rendezvous with her brother and get a status update. While he adored her, he needed to go.

Fast.

She cast a nasty glare at him before she kissed the skin above the wound and slapped his ass. Hard. “Mess with me and I'll shoot you myself to keep you home.”

Snorting at her empty threat, he straightened his uniform and sealed his armor over his healing injury. “Satisfied?”

“Not even a little.” She handed him his helmet.

The sad fear in her eyes gave him pause. Cupping her cheek, he offered her a smile. “It's Jullien we're after now. He won't attack the way Chrisen did.”

“How do you know?”

“He's not that smart or that brave.” He gave her a deep kiss that conveyed his own fear for her safety. Then, he gently rubbed his nose against hers. “I want you naked in my bed on my return,” he whispered.

She nodded. “Don't shatter my heart, Talyn.”

He swallowed hard against the sudden lump in his throat that was caused by those words. It was said that when two Andarions were really in love and divinely unified, if one of them should die, it shattered the heart of the survivor. It was why stralen males seldom lived more than a day after the death of their wives.

Trembling with what he felt for her, he took her hand in his and led it to his chest so that she could feel his heartbeat through his red armor plate. “I will forever be your bitch,
couriana
.”

She rolled her eyes and pushed playfully against his chest. “And here I thought you'd say something sweet in return. I should have known better.”

Talyn started to leave her on that note, but stopped himself. This could very well be the last time he ever saw her in this life.

Before he could think better of it, he pulled the glove off his hand and took hers. He lifted her hand so that he could kiss her palm. Felicia's gaze fell to his fingers.

A sharp scowl lined her brow as she pulled his hand closer so that she could see the small, intricate tattoo that encircled his unification finger. “What's this?”

“My caste forbids me from tattooing your lineage on my arm.” It was something only married Andarion males did to honor their wives and vow their eternal fidelity. “Nor does it allow me to buy a pledge ring.” He tightened his grip on her hand. “This was the only legal way I could let the universe know that you are, and will always be, my one true heart.”

Felicia bit her trembling lip as she read the Andarion words that encircled his finger.
Forever Felicia's
. Tears blurred her vision at his very public and extremely defiant declaration to everyone that he loved her. “When did you do this?”

“A few days ago while you were visiting your mother.”

“How did I miss it?”

He smiled. “I was careful to keep it hidden.”

“Why?”

“I wanted to surprise you with it for your birthday.”

A tear ran down her cheek until he kissed it away. Only Talyn would remember something so trivial in the midst of this chaos.

“I don't deserve you,” she whispered.

He laughed at that. “I know. You must have
really
done something awful in a former life to get stuck with me in this one.”

She laughed in spite of her tears. “Be safe.”

Stepping back, he saluted her. “Yes, ma'am.” He placed the helmet over his head, completely shielding his face from her. He was so huge and fierce in his suit. So invincible in appearance. But she knew the truth.

Talyn wasn't. He bled, and he could die doing this.

Even worse, he was heading into an extremely dangerous situation. While Jullien might be a coward, Eriadne wasn't. She was a feral bitch who'd murdered half her family to take her place on the throne.

Now she was cornered and losing.

Eriadne wouldn't go quietly into history. She'd take as many of them with her as she could. Something she'd proven an hour ago with an attempt on Felicia's father. It was why Felicia was so heavily guarded and what had motivated Talyn even more to return to active duty.

If they didn't secure the remaining royals ASAP, this would turn into a bloody civil war that could go on for years. They needed a lightning strike to put them down.

Immediately.

Another tear slid down her cheek as she feared for Talyn. Eriadne and The League had a staggering price on his head. The only ones who wanted his throat more were the Tavali.

All of them would be after the bounty on Talyn's head.

No matter how much she wanted to believe otherwise, she couldn't find a happy ending in this. WAR had been trying for decades to put Eriadne down, and like some supernatural beast, she always returned to power.

And this time if she returned to the throne, the bitch would claim the lives of everyone Felicia loved.

 

C
HAPTER
26

Talyn hesitated as the soldiers he passed kept saluting him, which, given his new rank, wasn't
completely
unexpected. But what made him so uneasy was the way they looked at him.

With respect.

Ever since he'd led them in after Chrisen and Merrell, everything had been different.

Everything.

The guard captains who were stationed at Lorens's door even opened it for him.

Yeah, Andaria was definitely coming to an end. This had to be the sign of some impending doomsday.

“Is something wrong?”

He turned toward Lorens before he remembered he was supposed to salute him.

Lorens returned it with a frown. “What's got you so skittish?”

Talyn removed his helmet and brushed uneasily at his neck. “Just not used to Vested looking at me with anything other than contemptuous sneers on their faces. It's scaring me.”

Lorens laughed. “I have our top advisors in the war room. You ready?”

Talyn nodded, then followed him into the adjacent conference room where the elite of the Andarion armada—at least the ones Tylie hadn't relieved of their posts—waited. They came to their feet and saluted Lorens, who quickly had them retake their chairs.

Lorens gestured for Talyn to occupy the seat on his right. “For those of you who haven't met him yet, my new adjutant is Lieutenant Commander Batur.”

Now there were the derisive snorts Talyn was used to. And the sneers that had him lifting his chin as he defied them with a hard stare.

“Bastard lack-Vest,” someone mumbled loud enough to be heard.

Lorens glared at each commander in turn. “If anyone in this room has an issue with my chosen second-in-command, then you have issue with me. You will give him the respect he's earned through military service and loyalty, or I'll allow him the honor of having you in the Ring. Any takers?”

That effectively quelled them.

Satisfied, Lorens turned on the monitors that showed various stats and updates on what was happening on Andaria and in their territories. “Now, let's get to business. Jullien eton Anatole was arrested an hour ago when he assisted mercenaries in the kidnapping of Tizirah Kiara eton Anatole.”