She clung to him, fisting the material of his shirt. It wasn’t fair. If she hadn’t drugged the king’s son, none of this would have happened. But if she hadn’t, she never would have met Kyler, the girls wouldn’t be free and safe, and they’d never have spent time together.
Maybe the price she’d have to pay for her temporary happiness was worth it.
She tilted her head back and pressed her hand over his heart. The strong, steady beat comforting her, she told him the same thing she told the girls. “I have no regrets. The choices I’ve made have all led me here. And I wouldn’t change that for anything.”
“Etta.” His gaze softening, he lowered his head. Before their lips touched, the computer beeped, signaling an incoming call.
Kyler snapped to attention, becoming the king’s blade once more—remote and dangerous. “Computer, who is hailing us?”
“The King of Gravas.”
He turned to her. “Go to the girls and stay out of sight.”
She shook her head. “I won’t hide. I won’t leave you to deal with this on your own.” He’d been on his own for far too much of his life.
He heaved a great sigh. “What am I to do with you?”
Love me! She wanted to scream the words but pressed her lips together.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Computer, send written communication. Will arrive in sixteen hours and seek an audience.”
“Sending.”
“What are you doing? You can’t ignore the king.” Arms crossed over his chest, he ignored her.
“Audience granted,” the computer replied.
“Anything else?” he asked.
“Negative.”
He took her hand. “We have fifteen planetary hours and fifty-eight minutes. The girls will be busy for the next hour or so.”
Her sex pulsed at the sensual promise in his eyes. “Whatever shall we do?” She’d tried to be playful, but it ended up sounding desperate.
He swept her into his arms. “Whatever we have to. Computer, full security.”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she rested her head on his shoulder and tried to ignore the knot in her stomach.
****
Kyler was dressed in full battle gear as the ship docked on Gravas. It wasn’t the main docking station, but a private one, used only by the royal family … and the king’s blade. Beside him, Etta was silent, her fingers curled into small fists. He wanted to take her hand, but refrained. It was difficult enough to keep the composure he needed.
He’d made love to her a half dozen times in the past day. Her scent, her taste, the silken texture of her hair, the warmth of her smile—all were imprinted on him.
It wasn’t enough.
And then there were the girls. Children were far outside his scope of experience, but even he understood how special these two were. Brilliant and older than their years, they’d survived a life that might have broken many strong men. But they were still children who could laugh and enjoy the small pleasures in life.
Their resilience awed him. Their optimism eluded him.
“We’re finally here,” Etta told Maggs, who was standing on the tips of her toes, trying to get a better look out of the viewing screen.
“It’s so big.” The worry in Sera’s voice made him want to lay waste to the world.
The closer they got to the end of their journey, the more he’d pulled away. Etta cast him worried glances. He’d seen the hurt reflected in her eyes, but she hadn’t admonished him in any way.
His heart ached at the way she drew a cloak of dignity and quiet acceptance around herself.
“It’s time.” He lifted the hood of his cloak over his face, shielding it from all eyes. From head to toe, he was the king’s blade—ruthless, dangerous, and loyal.
Etta grasped the girls by the hand and nodded. Their belongings were packed but would remain onboard the ship for the time being. Her face was pale but composed, making the blue of her eyes all the more vivid. Her bottom lip was redder than the top one. She’d been biting it again. Her golden curls had been tamed and tied back at her nape.
There was still time. He could blast out of here. The muscles in his legs and arms contracted. The words lay on the tip of his tongue. He swallowed them back. They’d be running for the rest of their short lives. There was nowhere to hide in the universe.
He wasn’t afraid for himself. Death was a part of life he’d long ago accepted. At several points, he would have welcomed it.
Now? He’d battle to death and beyond if it would save the three standing nervously behind him. Delaying the inevitable wasn’t a kindness.
“Follow me. Stay behind me. Don’t speak unless the king addresses you.” He went to Etta and tugged the hood of the cloak he’d given her over her head. Then he did the same with the girls. The trust in their faces made him want to roar to the gods.
But it wasn’t the gods who held their fate in their hands. It was the king.
Turning on a heel, he stalked through the ship. With each step, a deadly calm settled over him. Loyalty and justice were the cornerstones of his existence. They would not fail him now.
The ramp lowered and he walked down, his ears tuned to every sound. Without seeming to, he took in the area. The docking station had been cleared of regular personnel, only it wasn’t empty. He sensed at least four assassins stationed in the shadows.
His lack of communication with the king had them all suspicious.
Ignoring them, he made the short trek across the metal floor, conscious of the small, silent group behind him. When he reached the door, he leaned forward and allowed the retinal scanner to confirm his identity. The door slid soundlessly open.
He’d only been here once before, but he remembered the way. The corridors were empty as they traversed them, but they were being watched and assessed.
“It’s so big.” This time it was Maggs, not Sera, making the observation. Her soft voice reached his ears and likely the ones of those listening. They’d lived all their lives confined to a small area. Were they scared?
The ice around his heart hardened. Not by a twitch of a muscle did he show any discomfort. He finally turned left and headed toward a nondescript door at the end of the corridor.
The entrance to the king’s private office.
He came to a halt and waited. And waited. Behind him, one of the girls began to fidget. “Why did we stop?” Sera finally whispered.
“Shh,” Etta cautioned.
The door slid soundlessly open. Kyler walked toward the man seated behind a large desk. King Agman el Gravaso was in his early sixties, his hair and beard laced with gray, but he was still as imposing as ever. A warrior to his core, his back was straight, his eyes direct.
Kyler went to one knee and bowed his head.
“You refused to answer my previous call?” A thread of steel ran through the question.
Standing, he lowered his head in a nod. “It seemed prudent at the time.”
The king steepled his fingers together and leaned back in his chair. “I see. And who are your guests?”
He stepped to one side. “This is Etta Mortis and her sisters Sera and Maggs.” All three of them had lowered their hoods, as he’d instructed them to do once they were in the king’s presence.
“Half-sisters,” he corrected.
“They’re my sisters, your highness.” Etta’s voice was mostly steady with only the finest quiver as she challenged the king. “Now that their mother is dead, I’m all they have.”
“They have a father.”
She shook her head. “Helldrick has never been a father, except perhaps to Balthazar.”
“Ah, yes. Balthazar is no longer a problem.”
Even though the king had received a full report, Kyler nodded. “Yes, sire.”
He reached across his desk and pressed the intercom system. “Send them in.”
Kyler’s muscles tensed, but he kept from going for his weapons. That would not end well for any of them. He forced himself to relax
only to tense again as two men and two women joined them. The men he knew well. Spear el Gravaso was an elite assassin. The woman beside him had to be Sass, the woman he’d married. According to his intel, she was also a deadly assassin. Beside them was Ivar, looking hale and hearty, with a dark-skinned woman beside him. Delphi. She was also a dangerous killer, having been raised with Sass.
Four to one, if you didn’t count the king. He could take them.
Doing something totally out of character, Kyler tossed his hood back and stared at them, letting them see the promise of death there. The three assassins stared back, giving away nothing in their expressions. Ivar seemed amused. The king frowned.
“Why?”
He faced the man he’d served his entire life. “I have been the king’s blade for more than a decade.” He heard the intake of breaths from the small group by the king. The men, at least, understood the significance of that. Had their father not told them who they were meeting? “You deserve to see the face of the man you are questioning.”
This was an interrogation, for all the thick carpeting on the floor, the silken-covered chairs, and fine art adorning the walls. If it had been a simple briefing, the king would never have allowed the others entrance. Only the king saw his blade.
“Report,” he snapped, his voice hard and cold as a whip.
Before he could begin, Etta stepped up beside him. “If I may?” She cleared her throat and looked toward Ivar. “I owe you a huge apology. I’m sorry for my part in your abduction. Balthazar told me he only wanted to question you. I know better. I knew it was wrong. I shouldn’t have done it. I should have found a better way.”
Pride filled him as she then turned her attention to the king. “Your majesty, I understand I must pay for my crimes, but the girls are innocent. I ask that you spare them and find them a home. One where they’re safe.”
The king’s brows lowered and a muscle jumped in his jaw. “You ask much.”
Etta shook her head, making the curly tail at the back of her head bounce. “They are innocent children. They didn’t ask to be dragged into this mess.”
The tension spun out, winding around all of them. No one moved.
Ivar cleared his throat. The king glanced toward his son, who nodded.
“So be it,” he proclaimed. “The children will be found a home.”
Etta started to sag beside him, but stiffened her legs. He wanted to wrap his arm around her, help her shoulder the burdens threatening to cripple her. “Thank you.”
“No!” Sera threw her arms around Etta’s waist and clung to her. “Don’t leave us.” Her cries pierced his heart. Then she glared at Kyler as huge tears rolled down her face. “I trusted you.” A muscle under his eye jumped. He was frozen, unable to defend against her accusations.
“Sera.” Etta went to her knees and gripped her sister’s shoulders. “I told you I did something I shouldn’t have. That there are consequences for our actions. All Kyler promised was to keep you two safe. That’s everything. That’s all that matters.”
The king and his sons both jolted at the use of his real name. To them, he had none. He was simply the king’s blade—a faceless, nameless hand of justice for their ruler.
“But you did it for us,” Sera whispered.
She wiped her thumbs under her sister’s eyes, drying her tears. “I would do anything to keep you safe.” She opened her free arm and Maggs slipped under, pressing a kiss to her sister’s cheek.
Finally, Etta stood, an arm around each girl, her face composed.
A feral beast roared to life inside him, clawing for release. The very air around him stirred and grew cold. He hadn’t moved a muscle, but the king glanced in his direction. Spear took several steps toward him.
“My life for hers.”
Chapter Fifteen
Etta’s breath caught in her throat and her blood turned to ice. Her heart raced, shattering the calm she’d managed to gather around her. The girls were safe. He was to be safe.
“What?” The king rose to his feet. He was a big man who wielded much power, but she’d grown up among such men and wasn’t as intimidated as she probably should be.
“My life for hers,” Kyler repeated. She’d seen him in many moods since they’d met, but she’d never seen him like this. There was a feral energy that was palpable. It was a strange phenomenon since his expression was remote and he was as still as a statue.
Then he did something even crazier. He turned his back to the king and faced her. “You care for me.” She started to glance toward the others, but he cupped her cheek, turning her back. “Will you have me?”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. He wanted to do this here? Now? Maybe it was another way to protect the girls? But the king had already guaranteed their safety.
“Etta.”
There was an urgency to his words that rocked her. He was offering his life for her, she who had always come last with everyone. She started to shake her head but stopped.
“I want you safe.”
“I’m an assassin. There is no safety for me. My life has been forfeit since the day I became the king’s blade. Give me this.”
His eyes were as dark as a black hole, sucking her into him. The bones of his face seemed more austere than normal, his lips pressed into a firm line.
This was a man who asked the world for nothing. But he’d asked for safety for her sisters. And now was seeking to do the same for her.
Fingers shaking, she gripped his wrist and pulled his hand away so she could kiss his palm. She placed it over her heart, which was racing madly. “My heart is yours.”
The silence was deafening. Everyone was watching and listening, but she didn’t care. Only Kyler mattered. If he needed this, she would give it to him without reservation. “I’ll have you, but I won’t let you die for me, for my actions.”
Only by the slightest tightening of his jaw did he react. There was no kiss, no tender words before she was staring at his back as he faced the king.
“You have all witnessed. She has accepted me in the presence of the king. She. Is. Mine.”
The back of her neck tingled as it sank in that there were undercurrents here she didn’t understand, that seemed to have an even greater significance. “What have you done?”
“In the eyes of Gravasian law, you are married,” the king told her.
“I’m what?” She grabbed Kyler’s arm and tried to swing him around, but it was like trying to pull a spaceship. He was unmovable. “Why?” She went around so she could see him. This time, it was her turning her back on the king.
“Because I had to.” That told her nothing, yet it told her everything. From the very beginning, they’d been drawn to each other, their love impossible, yet undeniable. He looked over her head at the king. “All my assets belong to her and the girls.”
“What? Stop it.” She slapped at his chest and then shook her hand when it stung. “He doesn’t agree to that,” she told the king.
The man who decided their fate was leaning back in his chair with a frown on his face. Not a good sign. “I accept my fate. None of that my life for his.” On that she was adamant. “Keep the girls safe for me.” It was a lot to ask of Kyler, but if he promised, it would give him a reason to go on. If anyone deserved and needed a family, it was him.
The girls had been quiet, but they stepped up to stand next to them. Sera took her hand. Maggs went up to Kyler, patted his leg, and lifted her arms.
Without hesitation, he scooped her into his strong arms, holding her securely.
It was a declaration, a sign he wouldn’t fight. Having his hands free, being able to access his weapons, was as natural to him as breathing. They all understood he was purposely making himself vulnerable, showing he would not attack.
Loyalty. It was everything to him. Somehow, he was trying to balance things so he betrayed none of them.
But what about him?
She glanced at the group who’d joined them. The women were beautiful in their o
wn ways. Each of them had weapons strapped to their bodies. She didn’t think it was for show. Ivar she knew. But the man beside him was like Kyler. And he looked enough like Ivar and the king that he had to be related.
Heart breaking for what might have been, she took control of the conversation. “Can we get this over with? The waiting is only making things worse.” She transferred Sera’s hand to Kyler’s free one. “I’m ready.”
The king shook his head. “That’s not how this works. Not any longer. You are his wife. It is his honor to protect you.”
“Gods save me from men and their honor,” she muttered, drawing a frown from all the men in the room. The dark-skinned woman smirked. “You’re all about honor and loyalty. I understand and even admire that. How many people have died to avenge your son?” she asked the king. “A dozen? Two? More? And I don’t blame you. Children should be protected. But he’s not a child.” She pointed to Ivar. “He infiltrated a dangerous place, lied about his identity, carried weapons that would spark attention, and then ate and drank something that a stranger gave him.”
Probably not smart to point out that the king’s son hadn’t exactly been smart, but it was the truth.
She took a deep breath, adrenaline and righteous anger giving her strength. “It was wrong of me to drug him. But if it hadn’t been me, it would have been someone else.”
“And that excuses you?” The icy tone almost burned her skin.
“No, it doesn’t. But it doesn’t excuse you for letting your son go out there without the proper training.” She was on a roll now. If she was going to die, she was going to have her say.
“Kyler ate and drank nothing. He pretended to. Nor did he draw attention to himself.” Not strictly true. He drew attention just by walking into the room. “Ivar sat among the regulars, talking and laughing. It made them curious. It made Balthazar curious.”
And he’d paid for that. Her righteous fury died, leaving her exhausted. “I know what my brother must have done to you. And I’m sorry for that. He deserved his fate. You didn’t deserve what happened to you. Being careless shouldn’t have cost you so much.”
And where had she been going with this? It was difficult to gather her thoughts there were so many of them bombarding her. “All I’m saying is you went to great lengths to protect and defend your son. Your love and honor demanded it.”
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