Defender (Battle Born Book 4) (25 page)

“Is there an actual purpose for this trip or are you just showing me how much technology is at your disposal?” Ulrik snapped as they entered Lunar Nine.

“Zilor told us there’s a legitimate reason. He just wouldn’t tell us what it was.” Berlynn dismissed her uncle’s rude behavior with a wave of her hand. She was tiny. Perhaps she wasn’t full-blooded Rodyte. That would explain her unusual ability. Her head barely reached Raylon’s shoulder. At first glance he’d thought she was in her late teens. Now that he’d spent more time with her, he suspected she was well into her twenties. Perhaps even a bit older. “How many people are stationed up here?” She looked at Raylon when Garin didn’t volunteer a number.

“The ships come and go,” Raylon explained. “The only ones actually in residence are the merchants and their families.”

“How much does Quinton know about all this?” Ulrik’s tone was less belligerent, but challenge still wove through every word.

“As much as he needs to know.” Garin evaded as they climbed the central staircase to the top level of the commerce tiers.

The room had been arranged into two areas, one for presentations and one for interactive conferences. Five rows of chairs had been arranged facing a large vidscreen in one area and an oblong table nearly spanned the room at the other end. Garin led them to the table then closed the door before he took his seat. Raylon and Garin sat facing the other two.

“Why are we here?” Ulrik asked, his forearms resting on the tabletop. “Have you found the
Relentless
? My condition is nonnegotiable. Until my brother’s murderess is in my custody, we have nothing to talk about.”

“When’s the last time you spoke with your sister?” Following Ulrik’s example, Garin came right to the point.

Ulrik leaned farther forward, his face turning red. “That better not be a threat.”

“Did she tell you that her mate has passed beyond?”

The color staining Ulrik’s cheeks faded just as rapidly. His mouth opened, but apparently words failed him.

“That was cruel,” Berlynn chided, clearly not surprised by the news. “No one deserves to learn about a loss in such a way.”

Her defense snapped Ulrik out of his stupor. “You knew about this?”

“I was there when Father received Haven’s message.” She tried to take Ulrik’s hand, but he pulled away. “He was upset, as you can imagine. It wasn’t hard to figure out what had happened.”

“But why didn’t Vinton tell me?” Pain filled his gaze as he went deeper. “Why didn’t Haven?”

Berlynn glanced at Raylon and then Garin, annoyance tensing her delicate features. “Father was going to tell you. He just never got the chance. And I wanted you to have time to grieve for Father before I broke the news about Javin.” Her shoulders straightened and she glared at Garin, giving Ulrik a moment to compose himself. “Why bring us up here to tell us something we already knew?”

“That wasn’t why I brought you up here.” Garin’s tone softened as he spoke to the female. Raylon turned his head, expecting to see a gentler expression as well, but Garin’s features hadn’t relaxed. Apparently, it would take more than a pretty face to tame the general. “Are you familiar with harbingers?”

“You mentioned before that you have several in your employ. What does that have to do with us?”

“I have two in my employ. Are you familiar with their abilities?”

“I’ve heard the stories, but I never thought much of it.” Berlynn shrugged as if she were completely disinterested in the subject. “The seers in Tandori Tribe are naturally gifted.”

“Did any of your ‘naturally gifted’ seers warn you that Haven was in danger?”

Raylon sat back and watched the exchange, fascinated by the subtle changes in Garin’s demeanor. The more Berlynn challenged Garin, the more interested he became.

“Another thinly veiled threat?” Her brows arched, drawing attention to her strange golden eyes. “Your tactics are boring.”

Raylon cringed. If a man addressed General Nox with the same level of distain, Raylon could guarantee there’d be repercussions. So why was Garin putting up with it from this tiny female? He almost laughed. The answer was in the question. She was an attractive female and Garin had obviously noticed.

“Well, I don’t want to bore you. According to one of my unimpressive harbingers—who was also born with her gifts, by the way. Pyre Sterling kidnapped Haven yesterday.”

Ulrik stood so fast his chair toppled. “Why the hell wasn’t I told yesterday?”

“Nazerel has been trying to contact you ever since we learned of the event,” Raylon told him.

“What has been done to rescue her? Why was she taken?”

“Who is Pyre Sterling?” Berlynn looked at her uncle, but Garin provided the answer.

“She heads the Harbinger Guild.”

“What does she want with Haven?” Ulrik asked again.

“We’re not sure.” Garin waited for Ulrik to right his chair and sit back down before he went on. “Pyre told Haven that Quinton was on his way to IG Headquarters to arrest her. That might or might not be true, but Pyre does nothing that doesn’t benefit her or her guild.”

“Have you sent someone to rescue her or not?”

Garin shrugged, the gesture clearly mirroring Berlynn’s. “Why would I do that? The battle born aren’t allied with Tandori Tribe.”

“You bastard,” Ulrik sneered. “You’ll leave Haven at Pyre’s mercy just to punish me?”

Rather than denying or confirming the charge, Garin said, “There are very few Rodytes willing to take on the Harbinger Guild. Seeing into the future is not their only ability. Someone from the Integration Guild might be willing to act on her behalf, but she has kept her true identity a secret from almost everyone. They’ll probably leave it up to Javin to rescue his lover.”

“But you just said Javin has passed beyond.” Ulrik ran a hand through his hair. “What sort of twisted game are you playing?”

“I’m not the one playing games.” Garin’s bearing held no hint of amusement as he continued. “Haven is a fugitive, so she has been using an assumed name. She also didn’t want anyone to know her mate had died, so she has been acting on his behalf. Now she’s a victim of her own deceit.”

“She’s my sister, the only sibling I have left.” Ulrik was shaking with emotion, but Raylon wasn’t sure if it was fear for his sister’s wellbeing or anger at his own helplessness. “What do you want from me?”

“I want what I’ve always wanted, an ally, someone willing to negotiate a mutually beneficial agreement.”

“Send someone after her and I’ll negotiate. You have my vow as the leader of Tandori Tribe that I will deal fairly with you.”

Garin looked at Berlynn and awareness gleamed in his eyes. “Do you witness this vow and confirm its validity?”

Berlynn nodded, seeming oddly nervous all of a sudden. “He’ll negotiate. The vow of a Tandori is binding.”

“I dispatched a rescue party last night. I should receive word shortly that she is free of Pyre’s control.”

Ulrik bristled at the news, but Berlynn placed her hand on his forearm and squeezed. “We thank you,” she said as much for her uncle as for Garin.

“What would you have done with her if I wasn’t willing to bend?” Ulrik wanted to know.

“I rescued your sister because it was the right thing to do,” Garin stressed. “I would have done the same for anyone. I used her peril to motivate you, because you left me no choice.”

“Let’s move beyond this hostility.” Berlynn looked at Ulrik expectantly. He nodded, so she continued, “Morgan gave me an overview of the transformation study, but I’m not a scientist so I’m really not qualified to judge the validity of what you’re trying to do.”

“Kaden Lux commands the
Intrepid
, which is our research vessel. He can answer your questions or direct you to the person with the answers.”

“Is it safe?” she persisted. “Are the females risking serious side effects to benefit their battle born mates? For that matter, how risky is it for the male?”

“My brother, Bandar, and his mate just finished the course of injections. According to the medical team, their transformation is complete and neither suffered any significant side effects.”

“Can he access his magic?” Ulrik asked. “Isn’t that what this is all about?”

“Bandar would be able to explain it in more detail. But as I understand it, he has access to the energy now, but he lacks the skill to use it.”

Ulrik’s only response was a contemplative grunt.

“How many females are you hoping to recruit?” As with their previous conversation, Berlynn was more reasonable than her uncle.

“As many as you’re willing to part with.” Garin punctuated the claim with a charming smile and Raylon did a double take. Was General Nox flirting? Raylon couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Garin bother with a female. Apparently, Raylon needed to learn more about this canine shifter. Potential mates had a protein marker in their blood. Berlynn’s father had been full-blooded Rodyte, but was her mother human? To his knowledge, humans couldn’t shapeshift. But then, neither could Rodytes. Berlynn was a bonafide mystery.

“And what does Tandori Tribe gain by offering you our females?” Ulrik crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. “Haven’s rescue brought me to the table, now explain the ‘mutually beneficial’ part.”

“What do you want? Technology, medicine?” Garin motioned around them. “Our standard of living is quite different than what you put up with on Earth.”

“We want a say in who replaces Quinton and any member of Tandori Tribe must have the option of returning to Rodymia once the new administration is installed.”

Raylon and Garin exchanged surprised expressions. This wasn’t at all what they had expected.

“How many of your people want to go home?” Garin asked.

The possibility hadn’t even occurred to them. Tandori Tribe had been on Earth for hundreds of years. Apparently, they still considered themselves Rodytes.

“Depends who ends up on the throne.” Ulrik’s shrug was the least convincing so far. “Or if there is still a crown stirate once the uprising is resolved.”

Interesting. Raylon resisted the temptation to look at Garin again. They would discuss this at length, no doubt, once Ulrik and Berlynn left the room.

“And does Tandori Tribe have someone in mind?” Garin asked.

“We might, but I think it’s premature at this point to discuss such details.” He scooted back from the table and stood. “After my inquisitive niece has toured the medical facilities and badgered your people with questions, I’ll present the options to my awakened females.”

“What do you mean by awakened?” Raylon was pretty sure he understood the term, but it was better to avoid miscommunications.

“Most hybrid females are unaware of their origins until they’re old enough to mate,” Berlynn explained as she prepared to join her uncle. “Once they’re deemed ready, they go through an in-depth orientation that explains their history and the options for their future. We call that process awakening.”

“They’re generally claimed soon after,” Ulrik warned, “so there aren’t that many unmated Tandori females. Still, I need to determine if there’s any interest in your transformation study. We can only move forward if my females volunteer. I will not force this upon them.”

Garin stood as well. “We’d have it no other way.” They shook hands and Garin concluded, “Give me a few minutes to make the arrangements. Feel free to wander about the commerce district. I’ll be with you momentarily.” After the Tandoris left the room Garin turned to Raylon. “I had no idea they’d want anything to do with the rebellion. I’m not even sure if this development is good or bad.”

Raylon shook his head. “I say we roll with it. If we can create a true alliance with Tandori Tribe, it could sway opinions back home.”

“I agree.”

Raylon rolled his shoulders then stretched his back. “You haven’t heard from Danvier and Vox?”

“Not yet, but I didn’t really expect to this quickly.”

Another yawn took over before Raylon could stop it. “Sorry.”

Garin laughed. “Go get some sleep. And I’m going to have Indigo leave the Pavilion with Chandar to make sure sleeping is all you do.”

The battle was obviously lost, so Raylon surrendered. “Yes, sir. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

Chapter Eleven

“No one knows how this was done?” Chandar looked around the grotto in wonder. Raina had taken Indigo and her on an extensive tour of the hydroponics gardens before venturing into this treasure hidden underground. The cavern wasn’t large, but it felt like they were in the middle of a rain forest rather than on Earth’s desolate moon. Vines and flowering bushes mixed with leafy trees, creating an atmosphere both lush and wild.

“Whoever terraformed the cave knows how they did it,” Raina said with a smile. “They just didn’t share their secrets with anyone still around today.”

“No one on my world has this technology.” Chandar touched a wide fern frond, barely able to convince herself it was real. The ground felt spongy beneath her shoes and the air was cool yet humid. “To my knowledge, no one in my star system can terraform.”

“And this isn’t even the best part.” Raina motioned them deeper into the cavern.

The musical tinkle of water hinted at the nature of Raina’s surprise and still Chandar felt her jaw drop when she saw the “best part”. Jagged rocks jutted out from the back wall of the cave, forming a waterfall and shimmering pool at the base of the rock formation. “How is this possible?”

“How is any of it possible?” Indigo shrugged. If her lack of awe was any indication, she’d seen it all before. “We have no idea.”

“Is it water or some other liquid?” It was odorless and clear, but that didn’t necessarily mean it was water.

“It’s water,” Raina assured her. “I ran the tests myself.”

“Wow.” Chandar paused to take it all in and then shook her head. “I don’t know what else to say.”

“I felt the same way when I first saw it.” Indigo moved closer and mischief brought her already vivid blue eyes to life. “I’ve been uncharacteristically polite, but I’m dying to know. Are you and Raylon official now or is it still just a flirtation?”

“Raylon flirts?” Raina laughed at the thought. “I can’t even imagine such a thing.”