Sovran's Pawn (The Black Wing Chronicles Book 1)

by JC Cassels

  “That’s alright,” she said. “You don’t have to.” Rising up on tiptoe, Bo kissed his cheek. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go hear some bad news.” Her voice broke at the last.

  Chase’s hand closed over hers and he gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I won’t leave you until you tell me to.”

  Bo smiled up at him and sniffled. “Your brother was right about you,” she said. “He told me you were a good man. You are. Thank you, Chase.”

  Turning, she pulled her hand from his and fled the dining room. She hesitated in the foyer, peering up the curving staircase. Taking a deep breath, Bo squared her shoulders and mounted the steps, feeling much like a convicted felon on her way to her execution. Her lips quirked at the thought. She had some small experience with that one. She’d been less upset at the thought of her own execution.

  By the time she reached her room, she had regained her composure. Jaden leaned against her window frame staring out at the gardens. He looked up when she entered and offered her a smile filled with regret.

  “What did you tell him?”

  She arched an eyebrow at him. “He asked if I was your concubine. I thought it was as good an explanation as anything, so I said I was and that you were ending our relationship because your new wife didn’t approve.”

  Jaden nodded and lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. “That works.”

  “Congratulations, by the way.”

  “Thanks. I only wish you could be there. It won’t be the same without you, Bo.”

  The corners of her mouth twitched. “Thanks.”

  She moved to the window to stand beside him. She stared unseeing at the formal gardens below.

  “It couldn’t last forever, you know,” she said. “We’d have had to go our own ways eventually.”

  Jaden chuckled. “I always thought you’d be the one minding the store while I went adventuring through the Commonwealth.”

  “You want to trade?”

  “I would if I could.”

  Slipping a comforting arm around her shoulders, Jaden pulled her closer. The two stood in companionable silence staring out the window.

  “We couldn’t find him,” Jaden said at last.

  “I figured as much.”

  “We looked… we followed every lead Edge could drum up, but… I’m sorry Bo. We couldn’t find your father.”

  Hearing it only made it real. A tear rolled down her cheek. Slowly, she nodded. Taking a deep shuddering breath, she released it slowly. She would grieve later. She needed to hold herself together. Exiled or not, she was still The Barron.

  “We have to assume he’s gone,” she said pleased that her voice didn’t shake. “The men who took him tried to kill me, too. Promise me you’ll be careful. They’ll come after you, next.”

  She looked up at her cousin. She studied the face she loved so dearly.

  “I don’t think I could handle losing you, too.”

  He gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Back at you.”

  “This brother, the IC agent – Royce left you with him?”

  Bo nodded.

  “Will he come for you?”

  She smiled. “Maker I hope so.”

  “Is he a good man?”

  Bo sniffed and wiped the tears from her face. “He says no.”

  Jaden smiled grimly. “Good.” At her questioning look, he leaned closer. “I have the feeling it’s going to take a mean-as-hell son-of-a-kretch to keep you alive.”

  ***

  Blade waited in the darkness for her. The occasional muffled grunt came from the bound and gagged man securely fastened to the chair. Unmoved by the man’s incoherent pleas, Blade glanced at his chrono. Larianne would be along any time.

  As if on cue, he sensed her movement in the darkness just outside the window. Without a sound, his hand closed over the blaster on the table at his elbow. Slowly, stealthily, she let herself in and slunk through the back hall. When she entered the room, he was more than ready for her. He touched the switch that controlled the lights. Slowly the illumination came up.

  “Hello, Larianne.”

  She spun to face him, leveling her sidearm at him.

  “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  She didn’t relax her aim. “So I see.”

  He held up his other hand showing her the remote detonator. “Put it away,” he advised. “If you shoot me, your mission fails.” He nodded towards the bound and gagged man. “They want him alive.”

  Her dark eyes flicked over the man in the chair. “Shaped charges,” she said. “Dead man’s switch. Clever, Devon. You’ve thought of everything.”

  He smiled. “It’s what I do.”

  Slowly, reluctantly, she straightened and holstered her sidearm. The black bodysuit she wore clung to her lithe curves. With Larianne Varo, sexy and deadly went hand-in-glove.

  Blade placed his blaster in his lap, but he didn’t holster it. He kept it pointed in her general direction.

  “To what do I owe this pleasure?” she asked.

  “Call it a mission debriefing,” he said.

  “Congratulations on bringing Tennova in,” she said leaning her hip against the desk. She folded her arms across her chest, her eyes darting around the room. “That scam had everyone fooled.”

  “Just doing the job I was coerced into,” he said. “Imagine my surprise when I get there and find out that every agent assigned to the Tennova job had a serious black mark on his career.”

  “Did they? How odd.”

  “That’s what I thought. It made me wonder how my name found its way on the duty roster. I was hoping you could shed some light on that for me.”

  Larianne shrugged. “How would I know? That’s a question for the agent in charge.”

  “I’m asking you.”

  She laughed. “Blade, you know that kind of thing is over my pay grade…”

  “No,” he said with a smile. “It’s not. Who chose me for this assignment? Who looked at the potential agents and said ‘let’s get Devon’? Surely you can answer that one, Larianne.”

  “Blade, I’m just a field agent…”

  “No, you’re not. One of the perks of being on detached duty and answering to no one but Lord Marin is that I have the kind of clearance you’d kill your own mother for. I know what’s in your files Larianne, so cut the crap and give me some answers or your little informant here goes to meet his maker with his secrets intact.”

  She pursed her lips as she considered the situation.

  “We were presented with a list of agents who possessed the necessary qualifications,” she said. “Your name was on it. I was ordered to choose the one I thought I could most easily manipulate.”

  “So you chose me.”

  She nodded. “Word on the street was that you’d gone soft,” she said. “Living the high life in your new career as a holofeature hero had dulled your edge. That’s when I found out you had a brother. You’re so predictable Blade. No one knows exactly what you’re going to care about, but I know you well enough to know that if you love someone, you’ll do anything for them. You’re forming attachments. That’s dangerous. They make you weak… vulnerable.”

  “Are you still angry with me for Shaz?”

  Her lips tightened. “No,” she lied. “Of course not.”

  “So when presented with a list of suitable agents, you chose my name at random?”

  She smiled. “As I said, I knew I could manipulate you into taking the job. I don’t know what you’re so upset about. It turned out well for you. You got all kinds of commendations and I hear you’ve gotten yourself a Joy Babe, too.” She shook her head in disgust.

  “Word travels fast,” Blade said. “Lord Marin arranged for me to purchase the contract of the Kiara who helped me with Tennova.”

  “She’ll only be used against you in time.”

  “Not by you, she won’t.”

  “You enjoy the old man’s favor for now, but one day, he’s going to turn on you. He always does.”

  “
I want you to do something for me.”

  “What is that?”

  “I don’t believe you came up with my name all on your own. I have a message for your boss that I want you to deliver.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Tell him that Blade Devon is back.”

  “Is that it?”

  “Not quite. I want you to make them understand that my family, the people I care about are off-limits.”

  “Your brother?”

  “My brother, my Joy Babe, hell, even Lord Marin. If any of them are threatened or hurt in any way, I will hunt down everyone who had anything to do with it, and I’ll start with you. When I find you, and you know I will, you’ll be begging me to kill you before it’s over, and I’m not going to stop until everyone and everything involved is destroyed down to a molecular level.”

  “Tough talk for a man who’s been out in the cold for the last couple of years.”

  “I’m not out in the cold. I never have been. I never will be. If you value your life, you’ll remember that.”

  “You know that no one at that level scares easily.”

  “Good, because I’m not trying to scare anyone. When I come to kill them, I can tell them they’ve been warned. I suggest you make them understand, Larianne.”

  He rose from his chair and moved towards the door.

  “See you around, Devon.”

  He stopped at the door and turned. “You’d better make sure you don’t,” he said. “If I see you again, I’m going to kill you, no questions.”

  Larianne laughed. “I doubt that, Devon. You’re on Marin’s leash and you’ve gone soft and civilized. Everyone knows that.”

  He held up the detonator and squeezed. The shaped charges strapped to the mark’s chest exploded, blowing his chest cavity open and killing him instantly. Taken by surprise, Larianne stared at the grisly sight in shocked disgust. She slowly looked to Blade. He tossed the useless detonator to her and fired, winging her, rendering her gun arm useless.

  Crying out, she grabbed at the smoking wound.

  “I’m not anyone’s pet, Larianne. If you or anyone tries to come against me and mine, you’ll find out how uncivilized I can be.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Vinatair Imperial Resort and Spa

  Vinatair, Altair, Third Sector

  Two weeks later

  Bo followed the hostess out onto the terrace overlooking one of the resort’s many pools. For reassurance, she touched the oversized sunshades that protected her eyes, still weak from the ditoxicin.

  She glanced around the outdoor restaurant at the well-to-do patrons huddled around tables. She froze in her tracks with the sudden realization that, aside from being tall and well-muscled, she had virtually no idea what Darien looked like. From where she stood, she could see fewer than half-dozen men dining alone. Which one was he?

  Sensing her hesitation, the hostess paused and waited patiently for Bo to rejoin her. Giving herself a sound mental shake, Bo forced her legs into motion once more and followed the hostess as she rounded the corner to the east side of the terrace overlooking the glistening bay. Colorful boats danced across the waves. The view was breathtaking. Her attention absorbed by the view, at first, she didn’t realize that the hostess had abandoned her. Bo looked around, feeling very self-conscious.

  The only diner in evidence was engrossed in his data reader; his long legs stretched out in front of him, one elbow braced on the table, his cheek resting on his fist, obscuring his face. At first, Bo mistook him for Chase, his blond hair tousled by the wind. Mirrored sunshades hid his eyes. Sensing her attention on him, he looked up and smiled, showing a matched pair of dimples and white teeth. His features were perfect, as if chiseled by a master sculptor, from his long jaw line to the faint cleft in his chin. He slowly set the data reader aside and climbed to his feet, removing the sunshades and tucking them into his shirt pocket.

  Bo nearly groaned in embarrassment as she recognized him: Blade Devon. She’d seen enough of his holofeatures! The hostess had obviously assumed that she’d been contracted to entertain him during his stay. The last thing she wanted to do was sit and make small talk with a vapid, useless actor.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, turning to leave. “I think there’s been a mistake…”

  “Bo...”

  At the sound of his voice, Bo stopped.

  “Please don’t go,” he begged. “I’ve been waiting a long time to see you.”

  Closing her eyes, she lowered her head. It all made sense. No wonder he had always seemed oddly familiar.

  “Blade Devon,” she said. “Dev. You were undercover.” Shaking her head in disbelief, she sighed. “You were Inner Circle before you started acting. That’s the lucrative career Chase was talking about. No wonder you said I’d never believe you if you told me your real name.”

  Opening her eyes, she turned and met his stare. He took a few steps towards her, then stopped as if afraid she would bolt.

  “Please join me,” he said, holding out his hand in invitation.

  Bo shook her head. “I don’t think…”

  “Can I at least check your wounds before you go?” he asked. “I’d like to see for myself how you’re healing. I’ve been worried about you.”

  Bo hesitated.

  “Please.”

  Against her better judgment, she took his hand and let him lead her to the railing. He loomed over her, nearly smothering her with his proximity. With one finger under her chin, he tilted her face up to catch the bright sunlight. He studied her mouth for a long moment. His thumb lightly stroked her lips. His touch sent a jolt of excitement through her veins. Her legs trembled as he leaned closer for a better look.

  “The scars around your mouth are barely visible,” he commented softly.

  “Chase and I were picked up by a Black Wing medical ship,” she whispered.

  “And you can see alright?”

  “My peripheral vision is blurry,” she admitted. “Bright light bothers my eyes.”

  “Give it time,” he said. “Your eyes should be back to normal in another month or so. My eyes still bother me when I’m very tired.” He searched her face. “Any trouble breathing?”

  “Only when I’m around you,” she said with a smile.

  His answering smile caused her heart to slide sideways in her chest.

  “Any lingering trizian problems?”

  “Not until now,” she breathed.

  “I’ve missed you,” he whispered.

  Without giving her a chance to reply, he leaned down and covered her mouth with his, pulling her against him and dispelling any lingering doubts about his identity. Bo’s hands slid up his chest as she closed her eyes, reveling in the familiar feel and taste of him. His large hand cradled her head against his shoulder as his tongue plundered her mouth. When he finally lifted his head, they were both struggling for breath and clinging to each other for support.

  “I’m sorry about your father,” he said after a long moment.

  Bo didn’t reply. She wasn’t sure how to respond.

  “Thanks to you, we put Tennova away for a long time,” he said. “I know that doesn’t bring your father back, but it’s got to be good for something, considering he tried to kill you.”

  “Does he know what happened to my father?” she asked tightly.

  “Lord Marin has his best people working on this. He wanted you to know that he wants to find your father too.”

  A reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “Too bad he’s not my Sovran instead of Scull.”

  He drew a deep breath and released it slowly. “Sometimes I wish he wasn’t mine.”

  Bo closed her eyes and buried her face in his shoulder. She breathed deeply, taking in the smell of him. He smelled of spices and sunshine -- and man, and she reveled in him.

  “I can’t believe you came,” she said.

  “I said I would.”

  He led her to the table and held out a chair in silent invitation. Bo hesitated, then warily
lowered herself into the seat. He resumed his place opposite her. His gaze roamed the horizon. When he finally looked to her, he squinted against the brilliant sunlight.

  “Thank you for looking after Chase for me.”

  “He wasn’t any trouble at all,” she said. “Aunt Misou matched him with my cousin Tese by way of a thank you.”

  “That’s a hell of a thank you,” he said. “I’m surprised you got him to go home.”

  “He left right after you sent the details on today’s meet. I think he was hoping you would change your mind and forget all about me.”

  “You’re a hard woman to forget,” he said. “I know. I’ve tried.” He leaned back in his seat and studied her. “So what are your plans, now? What do you do when you’re not… trying to get yourself killed?” he finished with a smile.

  A reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “I’m a Barron. I have a ship. I do what exiled Barrons with ships have done for centuries.”

  He laughed. “You’re a pirate?”

  “Sort of.” Her smile wavered as she considered her circumstances. “I may never be able to go back home to Mondhuoun…” her eyes filled with tears. “I may never celebrate another Beal D’hean with my family, but as long as I’ve got a ship of my own, I’m free. Scull may take my home from me, he may take my title,” she gave a humorless chuckle. “Hell, he may even take the Black Wing.” Her eyes lifted to the deep blue Altairian sky. “But as long as I’ve got a ship of my own, the stars belong to me.” A determined smile curved her lips. “I’m free.”

  Sniffing loudly, she chuckled self-consciously. “And I’m going to stay free – as long as I have a breath in my body, until the day I can go home to my people with honor.”

  Blade pulled his sunshades from his pocket, snapped them open with a deft flick of his wrist and slid them on. He looked towards the open counter of the restaurant and waved a server over. “Why don’t we drink to that day?” he asked.

  “I’d like that,” she said with a hint of a smile.

  Feeling his eyes on her, she bit her lip and lowered her gaze.

  He grinned. “I’d like to buy you dinner, too.”

  Peering up at him, she offered him a coy smile. “You’re still taking care of me?”