Defender (Battle Born Book 4) (23 page)

“I don’t know,” Garin admitted, “but I know someone who will.”

What had the question been? Raylon gave himself a firm mental shake. He couldn’t afford to be distracted right now. Things were happening too quickly.

Garin used the control panel in front of him to activate a holocom. The ship’s logo rotated above the table as the com connected, then Nazerel’s image displaced the logo. “Good afternoon.” He looked around, clearly surprised by the crowd surrounding the table.

“This is Nazerel Southmor, gentlemen,” Garin told them. “Nazerel, I’m in a briefing with officers from five of our ships and we’ve just learned some troubling news.”

“Troubling in what way?” His words were polite, but his expression asked
What does this have to do with me?

“Are you in a secure location?”

“Of course. This room is shielded and the signal is encrypted. What’s going on?” Concern replaced curiosity and his rugged features tensed.

“Pyre Sterling kidnapped Haven Tandori. We’re not sure why, but it can’t be good.” Garin leaned closer to the projection as he asked, “Is Tandori Tribe in contact with Rodymia?”

Nazerel shook his head. “Not in the way you mean. They have a ship that can send and receive interplanetary transmissions, but all their tech is seriously outdated. It takes weeks for messages to arrive.”

“Then there’s no way Ulrik knows about this.” Garin’s face gave nothing away. Even knowing him as well as Raylon did, he couldn’t tell what the general was thinking.

“You have to tell him,” Nazerel insisted. “If he finds out you knew his sister was in danger and did nothing, you’ll start a war.”

Garin didn’t appear to take offense to Nazerel’s assertion. “I’m aware, and I agree that he must be told. But he’s the one holding us hostage to his demands.”

A smile curved Nazerel’s lips, yet it was cunning not humor gleaming in his eyes. “Tandori has something the battle born want and now you have something to offer him in exchange.”

“I’m not sure Haven will see it that way.” An aggravated female spoke from just outside the holoprojecter’s range. Apparently, Morgan had just joined her mate in the shielded room or she’d been there all along, silently listening. As director of the human taskforce, Morgan had as much right to the information as Nazerel, perhaps even more.

“How imminent is the threat to Haven?” Nazerel smiled, his gaze fixed just off camera. Apparently, Raylon wasn’t the only rough-and-tumble warrior who turned to goo when he looked at his mate. The transformation in Nazerel’s face was so dramatic it was almost laughable. The quick rustle of hushed comments made it obvious Raylon wasn’t the only one who’d noticed.

Even Garin was fighting back a smile as he said, “Please assure your mate that we won’t endanger Haven to manipulate Ulrik.”

Nudging Nazerel to the side, Morgan stepped into view. With red hair and bright blue eyes, Morgan was a striking female. A second ripple of whispers revealed that Raylon wasn’t the only one who found her so. “Has a team been dispatched to rescue her?” Morgan persisted.

“I just learned of her abduction.” Garin’s chin came up and his gaze narrowed. General Nox didn’t like being challenged in front of his men. “I’ll take appropriate action to ensure her safety. And to answer Nazerel’s question, Pyre obviously wants Haven alive or we would be reporting an assassination not a kidnapping.”

Morgan ignored Nazerel’s attempts to shush her. “What’s ‘appropriate action’ likely to entail?”

Garin ignored the question and looked at Nazerel. “The reason I commed you is I’d like to send a shuttle for Ulrik, but I won’t waste my time if he’s going to refuse my invitation. Can you please contact him and let him know it’s vital that I speak with him?”

“May I tell him about Haven, or do you want to tell him?”

“I’d prefer to tell him.
However
,” he looked at Morgan as his voice hung on the word, “I won’t wait for Ulrik’s arrival to send a rescue team after Haven.”

Morgan accepted the assurance with a stiff nod. She had apparently designated herself the protector of all female creatures, regardless of species or planet of origin. Nazerel had his hands full with that one.

“Give me ten minutes to track him down then launch the shuttle. I’ll only com you if he refuses.”

Garin nodded then ended the transmission without bothering with pleasantries.

“Are you going to let Ulrik think you’re enough of a bastard to put conditions on Haven’s rescue?” Raylon asked when Garin didn’t immediately resume the conversation.

“Absolutely.” There was no hesitation in his tone or expression. “He won’t even negotiate with us until after we’ve found the
Relentless
and delivered Milanni to him. This is no more than he deserves.”

Raylon had no problem with the position. Ulrik had been unreasonable from the start. “Have you decided what to do with Haven after we’ve rescued her?”

“I can offer all sorts of suggestions,” Kaden Lux, commander of the
Intrepid
said with a sly smile.

“Haven is grieving the loss of her mate,” Garin told him. “She’s off-limits until I say otherwise.”

The reminder brought everyone back on task, so Raylon narrowed his focus to details. “Harbinger Academy is heavily guarded and a surprise attack is virtually impossible thanks to their abilities. There’s no reason for Pyre to take Haven anywhere else. If we go in weapons blazing, it will likely result in a show of solidarity from the other guild leaders. I suggest something quick and stealthy.”

“I agree.” Garin fell into thoughtful silence.

“Would the shields on one of the Phantom shuttles block harbinger powers?” Kaden wanted to know.

“Depends on the harbinger,” Raylon told him.

“The only way to fight magic is with magic.” Kaden clearly had something in mind, but he was reluctant to spell it out. “Obviously, Pyre figured that out.”

“Meaning?” Raylon prompted. This was no time for subtleties.

“Will the Bilarrian help us?” Kaden asked.

“What Bilarrian?”

“You can’t trust a mage.”

“Fight harbingers with a harbinger.”

“There’s a Bilarrian on Lunar Nine?”

“Send Danvier.”

The responses came so quickly, Raylon lost track of who said what.

Garin held up his hand, quieting the room. “Vox is here at my request to assist with Chandar’s recovery. This is not his war.”

“But he could teleport in, grab Haven, and teleport out before they were even aware of his presence.” Kaden persisted. “How do you think that outcast did it?”

“The outcast was undoubtedly well-paid for his trouble. Vox has no reason to involve himself in this.” Garin clearly considered the topic closed.

Kaden disagreed. “A female’s life is on the line. An important female. We should at least ask the question.”

Garin’s eyes narrowed and his lips pressed into a disapproving line. Once he’d made a decision, most of his subordinates backed off.

“Vox has a soft spot for females,” Zilor added with a knowing smile.

“And you still trust him with your mate?” Kaden’s brows arched nearly to his hairline.

“No, I trust my mate with him,” Zilor countered.

Raylon looked from Garin to his youngest brother. Zilor was the only person in the room who could get away with contradicting the general. Kaden was damn lucky Zilor had stepped in. Still this was no ordinary briefing. Garin was attempting to solidify the power structure for the rebellion. The fleet was scattered across two star systems and many of the former commanders were still loyal to the crown. Or at least they needed to appear so for now.

Rather than let the situation escalate, Raylon said, “We can accomplish the same thing with a shield modulator and bio-streaming generator.”

“Maybe.” Kaden’s chin rose as he continued, “And maybe they’d detect the intruder and move Haven to gods know where. We’re only going to get one shot at this.”

Raylon refused to reinforce the argument, but Kaden was right.

Luckily, Garin seldom let pride overshadow reason. “Raylon, go to the Pavilion and find out if Vox is willing to join a rescue mission. Also ask Danvier if he can sense the other harbingers well enough to know when and if they figure out what we’re attempting.” Raylon nodded and headed for the door. “Now, if there are no more objections, let’s get back to the agenda.”

Raylon jogged to the Pavilion, anxious to complete his task so he could spend the rest of the evening with Chandar. Conflicts buzzed all round them, but he’d promised her a quiet evening in each other’s arms and he intended to deliver on that promise. The truth was, he probably needed it even more than she did.

Danvier, Vox and Indigo were in the courtyard when Raylon arrived. They were chatting casually about current events. Apparently, the training session had finished for today. “Where’s Chandar?” The question just slipped out.

The other three chuckled, but Indigo answered, “She’s taking a bath and asked me to let you know the doors are unlocked if you care to join her.”

Heat spread up his throat and made his nape tingle. It wasn’t like their romance was a secret, but what went on behind closed doors was no one else’s business. He nodded, acknowledging the statement then looked at Vox. “Did Chandar tell you about her vision?”

“Danvier mentioned it.” The knowing gleam in Vox’s red-ringed eyes hinted that he knew where the conversation was headed.

“Because the harbingers are involved, a simple rescue mission becomes much more complicated.”

“Do you fear for Haven’s life?”

Suspecting the question was a test, Raylon answered honestly. “No. If Pyre wanted Haven dead, Haven would already be dead. Pyre claims that she took Haven to protect her from Quinton, but that’s highly unlikely.”

Vox looked at Danvier. “Do you understand Pyre’s motivation?”

Danvier shook his head. “Haven’t got a clue. But Raylon’s right, Pyre wouldn’t have done this out of the kindness of her heart. And whatever Pyre wants isn’t in Haven’s best interest or Pyre would have negotiated with rather than kidnapping Haven.”

Vox lapsed into silence, apparently debating the issue. “A Bilarrian prince can’t take part in an illegal rebellion. It would be a political suicide for my family.”

Raylon was disappointed with, though not surprised by, his answer. “I understand.”

“If anyone asks about my involvement, I’ll deny it,” Vox amended with a smile.

“Not a problem,” Raylon assured him. “I’ll tell the officers you refused. Garin already stressed that this isn’t your fight. No one will be surprised, and no one else will know.”

Vox nodded, his expression still thoughtful. “Long-range teleportation seriously depletes my energy. I’ll need eight, maybe ten, hours to rebuild my strength before I attempted the actual rescue. Are you sure Haven’s life isn’t at risk.”

“I’m sure.”

“One of the
Phantoms
can get us there in six hours without sapping your strength,” Danvier told Vox.

“Us?” Vox smiled. “Are you volunteering for the mission?”

“Actually, we were hoping you would,” Raylon told Danvier. “I know you’re able to sense Chandar. Is she the only one or can you sense any harbinger?”

“The academy’s shields will make things difficult. But, because of our blood tie, I should be able to sense Pyre even through the shields.”

“Do you have any details that will assist us?” Vox asked.

Raylon shook his head. “We only know what Chandar’s vision revealed. Pyre has Haven.”

“Well, I’ve taken on more with less.” Vox motioned Danvier toward the archway leading out of the Pavilion. “Let’s get moving. We’ll have six hours to strategize.”

Raylon turned toward Chandar’s suite when Garin pinged his autocom.
Lasenger, go ahead.

Nazerel hasn’t been able to locate Ulrik. Looks like negotiations are postponed until tomorrow.

Raylon hadn’t realized Garin hoped to continue their already lengthy day. He said,
Copy that.
But what he was thinking was
, Thank the gods for small favors.

I’m almost finished here and you’re aware of everything I’m about to cover. Get some sleep.

Raylon grinned. He hadn’t intended on returning to the conference room, but Garin didn’t need to know that.
Copy and thank you.

Garin disconnected, but not before Raylon heard his knowing chuckle.

Raylon let himself in to Chandar’s suite, but knocked on the bathroom door before he eased it open. She reclined in the massive bathtub covered by a mound of suds. Her glorious silver hair was piled on top of her head and her eyes appeared particularly luminous. “Indigo told me I was welcome to join you. Is the invitation still good?”

“Actually,” she sank deeper into the water until her chin touched the bubbles, “I think we need to talk before you do.”

Raylon froze, his heartbeat suddenly thundering in his ears. Here it came, the polite request that they go back to being friends. She was growing stronger every day and her need for her fierce defender was fading just as quickly. He pushed the door shut then leaned back against it, keeping as much space as possible between them. “I’m listening.”

“Ashley and Raina dropped by this morning.” Her gaze shifted to the bubbles swirling across the surface of the water. “Ashley just finished the transformation injections and Raina is about to start. If all goes well with them, Indigo will volunteer for the study.”

“Why did that upset you?” This wasn’t the awkward brush off he’d expected, but something was definitely wrong. She wouldn’t even look at him.

“Bandar, Kotto and Zilor will all have access to their magic because of their hybrid mates. Ashley said the scientists are very close to a formula for full-blood humans. I know how important this is to battle born males.”

The confusion parted and he was able to exhale. “Look at me.”

She shook her head. “You’re too tempting.”

“Why do you find me tempting?”

Her delicate brows scrunched up over her nose, but she stubbornly avoided his gaze. “You know why.”

“I thought I did, but now I’m not so sure. What does Bandar’s and Zilor’s happiness have to do with us?”