Cassandra's Challenge (43 page)

Yes, a child nestles in her womb. William’s
child.

“Stop it! Both of you!”

A stunned silence greets Cassandra as she turns
back to the two royals. It’s been eons since anyone dared talk to
them like that.

“How do I end it?” The life mates look at each
other.

“That’s your decision.” Kayden tells her.

“Mine?”

“And your life mates.” Sabah adds. “You will
always be stronger together then you ever will apart.”

“You already suspect. You have good instincts.
Your House of Protection is strong.”

“She gets it from the House of Knowledge.” Sabah
argues back.

“Stop! Please.” Watching the moon hover over the
horizon Cassandra is more confused than before. There’s too much to
understand.

“Cassandra,” Kayden takes her hands. “You have
what you need. What you choose to do with it, only you can decide.
Just remember you’re not alone. You have your life mate. He has
great inner and outer strength―you’ll need both before this is
over.”

“I would sacrifice everything for him, even our
child.” Cassandra looks into Kayden’s blazing eyes, so like
William’s.

“Find another way. If you sacrifice what you’re
fighting for…”

“Then you’ve lost.” She finishes.

“Yes.” Turning, she walks to Sabah.

“Which child is this?” Gently she puts a hand on
her belly, feeling the baby kick.

“Our first son, we’ll name him after Kayden’s
father.” Sabah puts a hand on her flat stomach.

“You’re son will be strong, like his
father.”

“Yes, he will.”

As the moon touches the horizon they fade.

With all stations moved to stand by the Admiral
is finally willing to leave the bridge in the hands of the Major of
the Watch. He is going to get some much needed down time with
Cassandra. Thinking about holding her in his arms he opens the
hatch to her sleeping in his chair. Securing the hatch he rounds
his desk setting aside the nearly full glass of ale resting on her
stomach.

The shadows under her eyes, tell him she’s been
working too hard with the transmissions, taking care of the girls.
She’s changed for bed and that’s exactly where he’s putting
her.

Scooping her up, he carries her to their bed.
When he lays her down she opens sleepy eyes to his.

“William….”

“Shhh…sleep.”

“Not without you…” She raises a hand to caress
his cheek.

“You won’t be.” Kissing her palm, he moves to
the closet. Moments later he’s pulling her close.

“I love you Cassandra.” He mummers into her hair
in minutes both are asleep.

Waking with Cassandra in his arms is William’s
favorite way to start the day. Her thick ebony hair, messy from
sleep, long dark lashes fanning out on her cheek, full lips
slightly parted, her head on his chest, arm around his waist, a leg
thrown across him.

Running a hand along her bare thigh he marvels
that he found her. They shouldn’t have. Not with Earth so deep in
the Relinquished Zone. Not with Earth’s inability to travel to
other planets. But here she is, sleeping in his arms, a gift from
the ancestors. Whatever it took for them to be together, they would
do, together.

Slipping his hand under her shirt William
follows the curve of her hip up to a narrow waist. So small, so
soft, traveling up her ribcage he cups her breast.

“Hmmm.” Cassandra presses her body closer to
his. Waking up with him, his hands on her, is her favorite way to
wake. Kissing the place where his heartbeats she looks into his
eyes.

Forty days, he thinks, looking into those deep
sapphire blue eyes, heavy from sleep, glowing with love. Just forty
days ago he’d never seen these eyes, now he’d see them for the rest
of his life.

Rolling her to her back he props himself on his
forearms looking into those eyes. Leaning down he gives her a soft
kiss filled with all the wonder, all the love he’s discovered since
she’s entered his life.

Cassandra’s breathless from the tenderness of
William’s kiss. Running gentle hands up his back she pulls him
closer, returning the love-filled kiss.

Leaving her mouth William works his way down her
neck, lavishing the same attention to each place his mouth
stops.

“William.” Whispering, her body arches up as her
hands traveling down to release him. Lifting his head, he watches
her eyes widen as he slowly fills her, his eyes melding with
hers.

When he slowly withdrawals she lets out a little
gasp, her body tightening around him. He continues to slowly
torture them both, until those beautiful eyes start to lose
focus.

“William….” Pulling his head down Cassandra
slowly wraps her tongue around his, imitating their bodies.

Hooking an arm under her hips William lifts her
pressing deeply into her. Groaning she releases his mouth, she can
feel her body tightening around him. Her release so close.

“Let go Cassandra. I’ve got you.” He softly
demands.

Cassandra’s aroused eyes met darkening violet.
Moving his hips he watches her eyes darken, deepen, become driven
as her body searches for its release. Pressing against her most
sensitive part William sees her eyes glaze over as pleasure takes
her. Her release triggers his and with one last deep thrust he
joins her.

Knowing the moment her mind reengages is
humbling to William. For her to let go, to let her feelings
rule…not intelligence…is something she gives only to him.

Running his fingers threw her hair he rests his
forehead on hers. “I love you Cassandra. With all that I am I love
you.”

Here he is, she thinks, the man she loves, her
life mate. He is her center and her strength to handle what lies
ahead.

“I love you William. Never doubt it.”

“I never will.”

Lying in bed, they savor the time together, both
knowing it will be a rare thing in the coming days. As they tell
the other what’s happened while they’ve been apart, their bond
strengthens.

“How long until we head to Carina?” She asks
propped up across William’s chest.

“Three or four days.” He answers running a hand
down her arm.

“Then two more days to get there?”

“Yes.” William waits knowing she’s thinking
about something.

“Tell me about the Sentinel.”

“The Sentinel? It’s the pride of the House of
Protection. Procne has been its Captain for three cycles, his
service record impeccable.” Sitting up he pulls her across his
lap.

“What makes it special?”

“Special?”

“Why would someone target it?”

“What do you mean, target?” Realizing he’s gone
into ‘Admiral’ mode Cassandra starts to slide off his lap, only to
have him stop her.

“Cassandra…”

“I need you to listen to something.” Letting her
up, he follows her to the consul. Pulling up the last transmission
she waits as he listens.

“That’s Quinn talking to Tibullus.”

“Tibullus! That’s who it is.” William waits.
“Tibullus is the one receiving the transmissions on the
Sentinel.”

“Cassandra, Tibullus wouldn’t give up the
fleet’s location. It’s a ridiculous to even consider.”

“Why?” Knowing Tibullus is innocent Cassandra
turns away finding she’s hurt by William’s doubt in her
findings.

“Because he’s the First Son!”

“What do you mean he’s the First Son? Of what
House?” Her head whips around.

“The House of Protection,” William’s stunned she
doesn’t know this. “You’ve been studying the Houses, Cassandra. How
could you not know this?”

“The First Son of the House of Protection is
Barek. He’s King Jotham’s son with his wife Lata, who died in an
accident when Barek was five.” Cassandra strides to the closet,
yanking out a pair of pants.

“That’s right.” He remembers the day well.

“I’ve read all the available information
William! And nowhere, in
any
of it did it say that Barek is
also called Tibullus!”

It’s Cassandra’s tone that brings him out of the
past. Seeing her jerk on her pants he realizes he’s done what he
promised he wouldn’t. He made her feel stupid for not knowing
something that is common knowledge. As she’s changing shirts, he
walks up behind her, kissing her now bare shoulder.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it the way it
sounded.” When she doesn’t respond he turns her to face him, the
shirt between them. Lacing his fingers behind her neck, he tips her
face up with his thumbs and sees the hurt in her eyes.

“Tibullus is the family name for the House of
Protection. It’s only used when they are serving in the Coalition.”
His thumbs gently caress her jawline. “I’m sorry.” Taking a deep
breath she closes her eye, when they open their clear with just a
touch of humor.

“So I called the First Son from the House of
Protection a jerk.”

“You did.”

“Nice.”

“Cassandra, I’m also his Second Father.” He
watches to see if she understands.

“Second Father?”

“Jotham and I are not only related, but longtime
friends. We went to through the academy together. When Barek was
born he asked if I would make sure he was protected if anything
ever happened to him.”

“A Godparent, that’s what it was on Earth. I’m
Victoria’s.”

“Yes, you would be.” He looks into her eyes.
“We’re okay?”

“Yes, I over reacted.”

“No you didn’t. I did. Do you understand now why
Tibullus would never give up our location?”

Walking away from him she pulls on her shirt.
Tibullus is the First Son. He is on the Sentinel. The Sentinel
is
the target of at least two of the attacks. These are
assassination attempts.

“Is he alive?” She turns.

“We don’t know.”

“He gave up the fleets’ location William.” She
watches his eyes, sees him struggle with believing her and what he
knows of Tibullus. “He didn’t know he was.”

“What don’t I know?” Walking back to the consul
she pulls up the coding she uncovered.

“The twentieth line of coding is a Trojan.”
Stepping aside she lets him sit.

“Trojan?”

“A series of codes that activate once the
transmission is received. In this case it searches for the location
of the receiver then transmits the location back to the
sender.”

“You found this?”

“Yes, last night. Both transmissions were
answered by Tibullus.” Cassandra pauses wondering if she should
continue. “William…”

“It’s an assassination attempt.”

“Yes. These two attacks have nothing to do with
me. They’re all about Tibullus.” Cassandra sees rage fill William’s
eyes.

“Who?” Reaching around him Cassandra pulls up
the original transmission.

“Can you access this?” William enters his code
to play the transmission, and is denied. “Why wouldn’t you be able
to access a transmission on your own ship?”

“Because of the royal coding.”

“But
you’re
Royal.”

“Not at this level.”

“I’ve isolated the sender’s code but I can’t
tell you who it is. I’m sorry.” William pulls her onto his lap, his
arms encircling her.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You found
what no one else could.”

“But not in time to help Tibullus.”

“We don’t know that. There are survivors on the
Sentinel, they were able to maintain their life systems and are
making repairs. Their communications are gone, so until someone
physically goes over no one is going to know.”

“When will that be?”

“It’s not high priority.”

“How can it not be?”

“Because the border isn’t secure, the Regulians
are sitting just on the other side, waiting.”

“To see if they were successful.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry William.”

“Cassandra…”

“For Tibullus, you love him.” Pulling her close
he allows her concern to comfort him.

“I need to shower and change before the girls
get up.” Giving her a kiss he stands.

“When do you need to be on the bridge?” She
watches him.

“Not until later. Why?”

“Go shower, I’ll let Hutu know we’re up.”

“Cassandra…”

“I had another dream. I need to tell you about
it.” Walking back he frames her face, his eyes intense.

“You’re okay?”

“I’m fine. I just need to tell you.” After a
long minute he nods, taking some clothes he heads for the
shower.

Straightening the bed after calling Hutu,
Cassandra wonders if she should tell William she’s conceived. She
has no actual proof, just a dream. Salish lied to him about
conceiving. She needs to be sure before she tells him.

How will William react when she tells him she
met Kayden? The ancestor he condemns. What is it that Sabah had
said? About the baby? It would be their first son, named after
Kayden’s father.

But Sabah and Kayden’s first born son was named
Barack, not Tibus. There’d been a scroll she’d studied while
getting her doctorate. It told the story of how Kayden and Sabah
had traveled a great distance from their homeland. That Kayden’s
father had given not only his blessing but the symbol to prove he
was the King’s son.

Cassandra never discovered what that symbol was.
Answering the buzzing hatch Cassandra lets Hutu in.

“Hello Hutu.”

“Hello mam.

“You can call me Cassandra, Hutu.”

“No mam, you’re the Admiral’s life mate, that
wouldn’t be right.”

“Why?” She’s honestly curious.

“Because he’s the Admiral.” Hutu seems to think
that explains all.

“The Admiral says you’ve been with him for over
five cycles now.”

“Yes mam.

“You can set the tray on the Admiral’s desk.
We’ll eat in here since the girls are still asleep.” As he does he
checks both meals.

“What will you do once we return to Carina?”

“Mam?”

“Don’t play dumb with me Hutu. You are the most
informed person on this ship. You know once we get to Carina all
hell is going to break loose.”