Sky Hunter

by Fae Sutherland

  Jadi barely glanced up, lost in the piles of data. Dagan just needed some air, before he did something stupid like admit that he was halfway to falling for a man who didn’t trust him as far as he could throw him.

  Chapter Ten

  Dagan glanced behind him one last time before slipping down the alley to the warehouse. He’d been a little concerned about heading to the market, but they needed supplies and there was no way around it. It turned out to be nothing to worry about and Dagan hefted the bag over his shoulder, laden with what they’d need for at least another week. Torin and Rain were due back tomorrow. He and Jadi had agreed to hold off on any further intel-gathering trips until they arrived, figuring four heads were better than two.

  Jadi was still sorting the data they’d stolen, though he’d pretty much convinced himself it was his uncle they were after. Dagan still wasn’t so sure. He was of the mind that they ought to bring what they knew to the king and let him decide how to handle a traitor. Jadi flat-out refused, though, mostly because he was sure that setting foot in the palace meant he was giving up his freedom. As if they intended to throw him into shackles and cage him. It was absurd, but he couldn’t convince Jadi of that.

  So they waited for the data to pan out, for Jadi’s friends to return, for something to change and give them the right direction to go in.

  He circled around the warehouse, making sure he wasn’t followed before slipping inside through a side entrance that he promptly locked behind him again. The warehouse was silent and Dagan frowned, lowering the bag from his shoulder and dropping it on the counter in the kitchen area.

  “Jadi?” He glanced around, striding toward the ship. Maybe he was in the shower, or stretched out in bed working on the stolen data. A few seconds later that hope was dashed and Dagan’s heart had taken up permanent residence in his throat. Jadi was gone.

  Again.

  A combination of fury, hurt and worry sliced through him. Had Jadi left on his own? Or had he been taken? Dagan searched the ship for any evidence of a struggle. Nothing. Jadi’s things were all still there, except that hideous brown coat that looked like the hide of some prehistoric monster. Dagan leaped from the ship and did a swift inventory of the warehouse. No sign of forced entry, no sign of a struggle. There would have been a hell of a fight if someone had found Jadi and taken him.

  Which meant Jadi had left of his own accord. Selfish little bastard. Dagan had no idea where to even look for him. He could be off-planet by now if he’d managed to find a ship to hitch a ride with. Dammit, just like before.

  That wasn’t going to happen again. He would stop Jadi this time. His first stop needed to be the spaceport. He grabbed an extra gun to tuck into his boot and was just straightening when the sound of the warehouse door—one of them—scraping open had him crouched down and his gun drawn.

  “Dagan?”

  Jesus. Relief swept through him like a storm and Dagan shoved his gun back into his holster as he rose. “Jadi, goddammit where have you been?”

  Jadi frowned, holding up a small bag. “Lemon slices. I forgot to ask you to get me some.”

  So fucking nonchalant. As if he hadn’t just put himself into life-threatening danger over some fucking dried lemons. Dagan swore he saw red as he strode forward and snatched the bag from the prince’s hand.

  “Are you ought of your fucking mind?” He tossed the bag aside. “You could have been seen! Or caught! Or fucking killed. And for what?”

  Jadi scowled. “I can take care of myself! I wasn’t caught, I wasn’t seen and obviously I wasn’t fucking killed. Christ.” He shrugged out of his coat, then tossed it onto the couch. “And you wonder why I don’t want to be here! I can’t even set foot outside without my damn keeper treating me like a child who needs a time-out. Well guess what, Dagan, I’m not a child and you stopped being my keeper a long time ago!”

  Dagan snarled as Jadi pushed past him. “Oh no, this conversation isn’t over, Highness. You cannot just waltz your ass down to the market like you’re an average citizen!”

  “Yes, I can!” Jadi spun on his heel, arms akimbo. “This is what I don’t want, Dagan. You’re making my point for me, so thanks a lot for that. I have a life out there! In the In-Between, on Annie, I’m not some fragile irreplaceable object. I’m just Jeret, a mechanic, a friend, a crew member. A criminal, but generally not even worth noticing. And I like it that way!”

  Dagan didn’t understand it at all. “But it’s a lie! It’s all a fucking lie, Jadi, your whole life out there, your existence. And that’s okay with you?”

  “Yes! Better a lie than a fucking cage!” Dagan thought for a second he saw hurt in his eyes before frustration replaced it. “You’ll never understand, Dagan. All you care about is cleaning up the mess I created for you. You don’t give a shit about the mess I was already in!” He took a step back, and this time the hurt was unmistakable, radiating off him in waves. “You keep saying you were my friend, that your job is, was, to protect me. How about protecting me from people who only care about my DNA and don’t give a damn about me as a human fucking being? Or doesn’t that count to you? Duty overrides humanity?”

  Dagan flinched as Jadi threw those words at him and stormed on to the ship, leaving him alone with the anger and the accusations echoing off the warehouse walls.

  * * *

  “I don’t need a freaking keeper!”

  The familiar refrain was shouted at the top of Jadi’s lungs and Dagan did his best not to roll his eyes. Instead he followed a few steps behind as Jadi stormed across the perfectly manicured garden. The young prince looked so out of place with his ragged, grease-stained clothes and smudged face.

  “You cannot just help yourself to the royal guard’s ships, Jadikira. You’re lucky someone didn’t shoot you for trespassing. Be grateful Kalar recognized you despite your state of filth.”

  Jadi glared at him over his shoulder. “I’m not grateful! I wish I’d been shot, at least then I’d be free!”

  Dagan lifted his brows at the overly dramatic statement. “You don’t mean that.”

  Jadi stopped abruptly, turning on Dagan with angry, frustrated eyes. “Yes, I do! I thought at least you’d understand. No one does!”

  Dagan sighed and came closer, slipping his arm around Jadi’s shoulders. “I do understand. You feel boxed in, but you and I both know you don’t want to die.”

  Jadi scowled, flicking a sullen look up at Dagan. “Well, I certainly don’t want to live the rest of my life with people following me around telling me all the things I can’t do. How about some things I can do? Oh wait, those are all boring stupid things like studying and diplomacy and things I don’t care about.” He let out a heavy breath. “I want to fix things. I want to fly a ship. I want to see the universe!”

  Dagan smiled when Jadi dropped down onto the grass, yanking at it angrily. He sat down beside the prince, ruffling his dark curls. “You’ll get to do all that, Highness, I promise. You just need to have patience. When you’re older you can do all that and more.”

  Jadi rolled his eyes. “Yeah, when I’m a hundred and too old to actually enjoy a single adventure. As if there’s anything adventurous about going on diplomatic trips to the next planet or even the next system. I want to go places they’d never let me, Dagan! I want to see things like...shit, I don’t even know. Dangerous things. Dangerous people.”

  “No, you don’t. Trust me, Jadi, you’ve got some romanticized idea of what the In-Between is like, but it’s not that. It’s worse than you can imagine, far more than it is grand.”

  “How would you know? You’ve hardly been anywhere either.”

  Dagan’s amused smile faded. “Yes, I have. Do you think I got to be Captain of the Guard by sitting on my ass planetside? I wasn’t always your ‘keeper’, Jadikira.”

  Jadi’s scowl turned into a curious frown. “I know that. I mean...a
lright, I never really thought of what you did before.”

  Dagan sighed. “The point is I’ve seen what’s out there and it’s not for you.”

  “God, you sound like them. My father and his stupid advisors and my uncle and everyone.”

  “They have a point.” But he knew there was no convincing Jadi of that, so he sought to turn his focus elsewhere. “I noticed Malle paying special attention to you last night during dinner.”

  Jadi wrinkled his nose. “She’s a pain. Always giggling and acting dumb.”

  Dagan laughed. “It’s because she likes you.”

  “Well, it’s a stupid way to show it. Besides, I don’t like her.” Jadi’s cheeks went ruddy and it took Dagan a second to realize the prince was blushing.

  He was curious now. “No? Then who? Because I can see there’s someone. Who is it?” Jadi was nearing fifteen now, it was time he started showing interest in finding a romantic interest.

  Jadi didn’t say anything, glaring at the ground. “Nobody, shut up.”

  Dagan smiled, nudging Jadi’s shoulder. “So there is someone.”

  Jadi yanked at the grass, then glanced over at him. “What if there was? How do you tell somebody that you—I don’t know, feel stuff?”

  Dagan hid his smile. “Well, first you want to find out if they have someone already. Do you know if she—”

  “He.”

  Dagan nodded. “Ok, he. Do you know if he’s seeing anyone?”

  Jadi shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s not...we’re not like that. I just can’t ask him if he’s dating someone.” He looked mortified at the idea. “He’s older.”

  “How much older?” Dagan didn’t want Jadi getting in over his head. He was a firecracker, but he’d also been sheltered and Dagan didn’t like the idea of some older boy taking advantage. Although, to be honest, the idea of Jadi being taken advantage of was sort of laughable.

  Jadi shrugged. “I dunno. He’s probably about your age.”

  “My age? Jadi, that’s way too old for you.” That wasn’t an older boy, that was a man, and Dagan’s concern about Jadi getting in over his head grew. He was overcome with the need to know who. Dagan wasn’t old by any means, but still way out of range for a fifteen-year-old. “Who is it?”

  Jadi let out a snort. “As if I’m gonna tell you now. No chance.”

  Dagan let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine, but listen to me when I say your father is never going to agree to you getting involved with someone that much older than you.”

  Jadi’s eyes widened and his gaze flew up to Dagan’s. “You don’t know that.”

  “Oh, I think I do. It won’t happen.”

  Jadi climbed to his feet, his jaw set angrily. “If this is you pitching all the reasons I should be happy in my stupid little cage, it’s not really working out. You’re supposed to be my friend!”

  “I am, Jadi. And as your friend, I’m trying to make you see reality. You can’t keep running wild like there aren’t consequences. And getting in over your head with a man so much older...it’s not the solution to your boredom.”

  Jadi let out a scoffing, indignant sound. “Oh, boredom. That’s what you think? That I lo—like this guy because I’m bored? Wow, thanks, Dagan, you really think a lot of me.” Then turned and strode away.

  “Jadi!” Dagan called after him, rising to his feet. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

  “Fuck off!” Jadi replied without so much as a backward glance. But there was something in his tone besides anger, something that made Dagan’s stomach clench, almost nauseatingly. That feeling one got when it became clear you’d fucked up. He knew immediately what it was and he couldn’t even put a finger on how he knew. But he did.

  Jadi meant him. And he’d just brushed his feelings aside like they didn’t mean anything. Shit. Jadi disappeared around the corner of the hedge, and though he could have caught up with the young man, he didn’t try. He didn’t really know what to say.

  It was flattering, and sweet, but Jadi was the crown prince, not to mention seven years his junior. They didn’t come any more off-limits. And though he was a good kid, he was just that—a kid. Dagan didn’t know how he was going to let him down and not ruin their friendship, but he needed some time to think about it, so he let Jadi storm off and headed in the opposite direction to do some thinking of his own.

  * * *

  The next morning, Jadi was gone. And though Dagan wasn’t egotistical enough to think he was the sole reason Jadi had run off, he was pretty sure he’d had something to do with the timing. He’d brushed aside the prince’s feelings once and lost him. Was he just repeating history now? And would he lose him for good this time?

  Chapter Eleven

  “How far out are you?” Jeret paced the length of the engine room—all four steps of it from one end to the other.

  “Uh, looks like about twelve hours or so. The shuttle we grabbed is a POS. You’d probably have a grand time recalibrating this thing’s engine.”

  “Good. Dagan is going to meet you just outside the spaceport. We’ll talk when you’re here.”

  There was a pause on the other end and Jeret frowned, knowing Rain was picking up on his tension.

  “Everything okay, kiddo?”

  Jeret sighed. “I’m not a kid. It’s fine. We’ll talk when you get here.”

  Silence for a moment. “Ok. See you in a while.”

  Jeret disconnected the transmission. He could just imagine the conversation going on between Torin and Rain at that moment. Stuck on somebody else’s ship, the two of them had nothing to do but act like mother hens. Well, they could keep their beaks out of this. He had no intention of wasting time having some stupid heart-to-heart about himself and Dagan, like they were a couple or something.

  They weren’t, they were barely friends. It didn’t matter if they fought or got along or fucked their brains out. What mattered was finding the traitor and getting the hell off this planet and back to his life. He was beginning to wonder why he even cared who ended up ruling this place, as long as it wasn’t him.

  Dagan poked his head out of the ship’s bay door. “That them?”

  “Yeah. They’re on their way.” They’d barely spoken since yesterday’s blow up, and despite how big the warehouse was, they’d spent the entire time dodging each other. “They should be here by nightfall, you need to meet them outside the spaceport and lead them back here. I didn’t think giving out coordinates was a good idea, scrambled transmission or not.”

  “Sure. Good idea.”

  God, this was awkward. Jeret wrinkled his nose and huffed a sigh. “We need to figure out some kind of plan. We’ve been sitting here just waiting, and it’s getting us nowhere.”

  Dagan hopped down off the short ramp, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Got any ideas? Anything else come up in the data?”

  “Nothing. I mean, a few blips, but the trails went cold or led nowhere. Either it’s someone who’s a genius at covering their tracks, or it’s my uncle. I’m inclined to lean toward my uncle, but I know how you feel about that.”

  Dagan shrugged. “Doesn’t matter what I think. We have to follow the leads. So right now he’s prime suspect number one. So what do we do about it?”

  Jeret bit his lip. “Well, I know our plan was to stay completely under wraps here, but it’s starting to look like we’re going to need some help.”

  “Thank God. Are you finally agreeing to go see your father and let the trained professionals ferret this guy out?”

  “Not likely. I was thinking maybe you know somebody we can trust. Surely not everyone cut ties when I left. Isn’t there anyone still on the inside you trust to help get us some deeper intel?”

  Dagan glared at him. “Yes. Your father, the king.”

  “Not going to happen.” Jeret knew the w
ay the story went if he set foot in that palace. “But we need an inside man. Who do you trust, Dagan?”

  For a minute, he was sure Dagan was going to keep right on refusing. But finally, he let out a rough sigh and rubbed his shoulder as he thought. “Shit. Yes. You won’t like who, but yes.”

  Jeret’s eyes went wide. “Who?”

  “The only person I know who wouldn’t turn us over in a heartbeat. You decide, this or nothing, Jeret. Or maybe you want to reconsider about going to spill the details to your father?”

  “I hate you.”

  Dagan’s smile was small, but annoyingly confident. “Right. So we’re agreed?”

  Jeret exhaled heavily. “Agreed.”

  “I’ll make contact and arrange a meeting tonight, after Torin and Rain are here. We should have time to brief them between their arrival and the meeting. Rain can stay here with you, Torin and I will—”

  “Like hell. I’m going with you.”

  Dagan’s eyes narrowed and his expression turned wary. “Jadi...”

  “No!” he snapped. “I don’t give a damn about your duty, Dagan. I am a grown man and I’m a part of this. I’m going with you.”

  Dagan looked like he might argue some more, then stopped himself. “Alright.”

  That was deceptively easy. There had to be a catch, but Dagan didn’t expand on his agreement any, so Jeret relaxed a bit. “Good.” He didn’t quite know what else to say, and Dagan wasn’t disappearing back into the ship, so Jeret kind of stood there, expectantly, uncertain what to do next.

  “Jadi.”

  “I don’t know why you can’t respect my wishes and use my name, Dagan.”

  “Because it’s not your name. And it’s not who you are. Will you please just listen to me for a minute?”

  He raked his hands through his hair, tugging it back and securing it with a tie. “What else is there to say, Dagan? You insist I should stay, I have no intention of doing so. We’re not going to agree so we’ll just burn that bridge when the time comes. Either way, sitting around talking about it isn’t going to solve the issue. Let’s just focus on finding the traitor so we can both just get on with our lives.”