Tears filled Erynn’s eyes. She slid down next to Tam before her legs buckled. She dropped her head and sniffed. “Just the same as Maire said.” Her voice broke. Erynn straightened, wiping at her eyes, her tone strengthening. “I have reason to believe Jaer was poisoned. Is there any way you could get a message to Maire or Byan Skye?”
Tam recoiled. “Poisoned? I can try. But we shouldn’t count on my getting through to them.”
“So what are they going to do?”
Tam shook her head. “Nothing for now. Just keep him on life support. They’ll run a few more tests—give it some time, but not much. Shan is already protesting, claiming this is an insult to Jaer, his memory. She wants him removed from life support and released to her for an Anbas burial—a ceremony befitting his standing.”
Erynn’s heart stuttered to a stop. “No! They can’t.” The atmosphere around her turned to ice. She tried to pull in a breath, but the air was a cloying liquid mass. “Tam, someone has to stop her.”
Tam held up her hands. “It’s okay. Byan Skye refuses to take such a drastic measure so soon. And she won’t do anything until Jaer’s parents, the whole family, has a chance to come and say good-bye. We don’t have much time, though, Erynn.”
Erynn nodded and forced her lungs to expel the substance filling them. “What about Tiar and Sean?”
“Tiar will take over Gaden’s position as wing commander. I’m going to try and talk to him. He won’t have a lot of authority, but he’ll have some. As for Sean, I haven’t seen or heard anything about what’s going on with him.”
Erynn rocked to an unsteady standing position. “Gaden told me he believed others, besides Cale, Aven, and me, were compromised. Could he have Sean confined to quarters, too?”
“I suppose it’s possible. I’ll try to find out.” Tam tipped her head and stared at Erynn. She started to speak and then stopped.
“What? Tell me. It might be important.”
Tam shrugged. “It’s just a dining hall rumor, base gossip. Kira hasn’t been seen or heard from for almost two days. No one knows where she is either.”
Erynn’s brow wrinkled. “Kira? Why would Gaden confine her to quarters? Could it have something to do with her job in the Medical Unit?” Erynn’s thoughts tumbled to her first meeting with Kira—long blonde hair, big blue eyes, and round in all the right places. It was also her first meeting with Aven. Tam had joined Erynn in the exercise room to work off a little tension. Aven stood in the center of the mat, teaching a self-defense class with Jaer. Kira was among the spectators. When Jaer removed his coat and tunic, down to bare skin, Kira nearly fainted, making a scene just to get Jaer to notice her.
A smile crept at Erynn’s lips thinking of what had followed that night—Jaer had told her he loved her. She shook her head, clearing the pleasant memory. “I’m surprised Tiar is free.” She turned to face Tam. “With Aven confined to quarters, who’s in charge of the Anbas?”
“Gaden has appointed Roni. He has the Anbas running around, checking every square centimeter of the base, searching for Jaer’s attacker. Roni has her hands full.”
Erynn crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m glad it’s Roni. She’ll help us any way she can.”
Tam stared at the floor. “She’ll want to, but will she be able to? I believe she’s being watched. We’re all being watched.”
Erynn began to pace. “But why?” The possibility that Gaden was no longer himself edged to the forefront of Erynn’s thoughts. She was about to tell Tam when someone called out from the common room, a muffled shout of greeting.
Tam jumped off the bed. “I gotta go. That’s my signal someone’s coming.” She slipped out the door, and left Erynn alone once again with more questions than answers.
Erynn understood one thing. She was neither in a good position nor welcome here—probably no longer safe.
Chapter 11
TIME SLIPPED BY AT AN agonizingly slow pace. Erynn stared indifferently at the view on the DVSL until the screen showed the gray of approaching dawn.
Early morning brought a meal delivered by Amara. “The omal is good today,” Amara said with a smile and a wink, her pale-green eyes flashing with excitement.
The door to the quarters remained open, security standing by just outside in the dim hall, watching, and listening.
“You need to eat, keep up your strength.” Amara tipped her head, her finger tapping the edge of the plate next to the omal. She turned as she set the tray at the foot of the bed, long silver hair swinging. Amara left Erynn’s quarters, the door quickly sliding closed behind her.
Erynn glanced at the tray of food and grimaced. The mingled aromas turned her stomach. Her grimace turned to a frown. “Why did Amara make a point of mentioning the omal?” Curious, she poked her finger into the steaming yellow mound on the plate. Buried inside was a small rectangular object. Erynn dug out a memory drive stick for the computer. There would be a message—if her computer worked, but it didn’t. She wiped the stick clean and put it in her pocket. She picked up the spoon and searched through the rest of the food, finding nothing else hidden there. Erynn took the plate into the washroom and scraped the contents into the toilet. She turned the plate over. Secured to the bottom was a thin player—a recorder.
They now had a way to get messages to her, as long as Amara was allowed to deliver her meals.
Erynn closed the bathroom door, started the shower, and plugged the stick into the side of the recorder.
Cale’s voice came from the small speaker.
Erynn. I should have anticipated and acted to prevent what has happened. Dhoran is responsible for the attack against Jaer and has escaped. Find a way to free Nev. Both of you must leave the base. Go to Tamaagra. I believe that is where you’ll find Dhoran. He may be your only hope to save Jaer. No matter what you hear, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. And I’ll do my best to help you. Remember, Cace is a great resource for information.
Now, there are some things you need to know. I’ve done some digging since Cace’s abduction.
First and most important, do not trust General Gaden. In fact, don’t trust the following people. I have reason to suspect they are aligned with Dhoran.
Cale proceeded to list those Erynn should be wary of. Some of the names surprised her—like Rand from the transport bay, the young man who helped Erynn with the ski speeder, and Ilsa, the chief ground crew member for Erynn’s Interceptor.
Second. Gaden believes he took over my command, but he doesn’t actually have command. Not yet, anyway. I have people placed around him so he can’t make too many changes, or too quickly, but be careful.
Third. Friends may turn on you—betray you. You may find yourself in the position of having to trust someone you thought was your enemy. As difficult as this will seem, don’t doubt your instincts. Do what you know is true.
Finally, know that I love you. You’re part of my family now. You will have help, even from those you never expected. Stay strong, follow your heart as Zander told you, and trust Arranon to guide you.
Erynn’s heart dropped, leaving a squirming sensation in her stomach. Once again, she had failed to recognize the warnings. Cale hadn’t. He understood. Tears blurred her vision. She wiped the back of her hand across her lids and sniffed. Now more than ever, she knew it was up to her to save Jaer. Nev needed her help and she needed his. She turned off the shower and left the washroom.
Erynn slipped her father’s jeweled dagger from an inside pocket of her jacket. She unplugged the stick and pushed it to the bottom of the scabbard. “Security must have forgot I had it. Or did they ever know?” She grinned and concealed the dagger in another inside pocket of her jacket, safely hidden along with the recorder.
Cale’s message was clear. Dhoran was no longer on the base. Any remaining doubt about Nev and how to proceed flew from her mind. Everything was upside down and inside out. She had to be careful, opening her awareness to those around her. Her main priority was to release Nev from the holding cells and get b
oth of them to Tamaagra.
Erynn dropped onto the edge of the bed and her shoulders slumped. “How? I can’t even get myself out of my quarters.” She straightened and took in a deep breath. “Ahfarine. Trust. I can get myself out. Just need to make a little change.
An unusual and rare aleun had come to her during her three days in the forest as she’d searched for answers to stop the alien invasion. This aleun had blended with his environment, invisible against his surroundings. A scrabbling across the silver-brown of old roof shakes had drawn her attention to an ancient cabin. In a flurry of flapping wings, an indistinct silver-brown form had dropped to the ground, merging into the mottled tan and golden yellow of the forest floor. Blurred edges had outlined a vague shape bobbing toward her. Erynn had tossed out food, generating an instant friendship. The aleun shook off his disguise, exhibiting brilliant crimson feathers.
Erynn concentrated on the aleun’s camouflage ability. A vibration began in the center of her gut and spread. Her fingers tingled and a loud pop sounded in her ears. She hurried to the small mirror over the sink in the washroom. Her reflection was vague, blurred, and indistinct. “Perfect.”
She had pulled off this deception one other time with alien soldiers actively searching for her. If she could slip out of her quarters and into the common room without anyone noticing, this could work. No one would be looking for her.
Erynn hurried to the door and listened. Silence came from the other side. She slid it open a crack and peered into the shadowy corridor. Empty. She squeezed through and quickly walked away from her quarters. As she stepped into the common room, a sharp, shrilling alarm split the silence.
“Beirig din! Are my quarters under vid surveillance?” She quickly walked past two security officers standing in the outer corridor. One glanced at her, showing no interest. People swarmed around her in a rush to get to their duty stations. Erynn continued, not running, but keeping a brisk pace.
The corridor emptied.
Tam, headed in the direction of the quarters, trotted toward Erynn.
“Tam,” Erynn called in a loud whisper as she drew near.
Tam slowed and stopped, glowering down at Erynn. “Yes?”
“It’s me. Erynn. What’s going on?” Erynn’s gaze darted around the empty, corridor. The shrill alarm quieted to a low, intermittent bong. “Do they know I’ve left my quarters?”
“Erynn?” Tam’s eyes narrowed and she frowned. “No. I know Erynn and you aren’t . . . Wait. Is it really you?” She took a step back and shook her head.
“I can prove it.” Erynn glanced around to make sure no one approached them. Satisfied the corridor remained unoccupied, she continued, “Just after I got here you and I talked about Sean, Tiar, and Cale. You helped me understand my relationship, my feelings, toward them—like family. You also said that I should just get used to the fact that Jaer loved me. That’s when I told you I needed you around, to help me sort out the more important things in my life.”
Tam’s eyes widened. “How?” She shook her head. “Never mind. I should know better than to ask.” She grabbed Erynn’s jacket sleeve, tugging her into a deserted side tunnel. A figure ran past in the main corridor. Tam pulled Erynn deeper into shadows. “Cale is gone. And I can’t find Sean.”
Erynn felt that all too familiar chill racing up her spine. “Gone? Both of them?”
Tam lowered her voice. “Cale isn’t in his quarters, not anywhere on the base. They’re checking surveillance now. As for Sean, I don’t think anyone realizes he’s missing yet.”
“Did Gaden have something to do with Cale’s disappearance?”
“We don’t know.” Tam paused, turning her head, listening. “I don’t think so. Amara brought me a message from Aven. When the alarm went off, I figured this would be a good time to come tell you what I know.” Tam grimaced. “Which isn’t much more than what I already told you.”
Erynn’s gaze darted to the main corridor. Boot steps snapped on stone, breaking the silence, followed by two dim forms hurrying past the access. Once she was sure they’d moved on, her attention shifted back to Tam. Erynn continued in a whisper, “Amara brought me a message from Cale—delivered it with my breakfast this morning.”
Tam’s gold-flecked brown eyes widened. “What did he say?”
Erynn hesitated.
I can trust Tam, can’t I?
She opened her awareness and briefly closed her eyes. The assuring bright points of blue and green swarmed under her lids. Her breath shuddered in and then out, carrying the faint sweet, spicy scent of the Anim Blath. Relief crashed over her. Erynn opened her eyes, blinking back tears of relief. She cleared her throat. “Cale told me not to trust General Gaden, along with a list of others we should be wary of.”
“Same thing Aven told me. But why?” Tam frowned.
Erynn tipped her head. “Cale did some investigating after Cace’s abduction by the Shifters. He didn’t tell me exactly what he found, but he believes Gaden and the others are followers of Dhoran.”
Tam nodded. “What else?”
“We have friends around Gaden. They’ll keep him from doing too much damage.” Erynn’s lips tightened, and she stared at Tam. “This is the difficult part. He told me there would be those that would turn on me, betray me. He also said the time may come when it would be necessary to trust an enemy. I believe this enemy is—”
“Dhoran, I mean Nev,” Tam cut in. Her unfocused gaze fixed on the wall behind Erynn. “Aven told me the same thing. He said Dhoran’s spirit is no longer possessing Nev. To see him, well, it’s hard to believe. My mind is having a tough time grasping how—”
“I know.” Erynn took Tam’s arm and guided her back toward the main corridor. “But think about it. Dhoran and Nev were together in one body. Dhoran was so strongly attached that Nev was losing himself, physically. Dhoran was—is just that powerful. When Dhoran was discovered, he left Nev in the same way he came. With Nev still looking so . . . not like himself, it gave Dhoran the opportunity to escape.”
“I’m trying to understand. It’s difficult. I mean, did you see him?” Tam’s nose wrinkled with disgust. “I couldn’t tell it was Nev.” She sighed, shaking her head. “I’m beginning to comprehend—a little—what you’ve had to accept all your life.” Tam crept forward, peeking into the larger tunnel. “We probably shouldn’t be seen together.” She faced Erynn. “What are you going to do now?”
“Go get Nev and leave. Try to find Dhoran. He’s the only one who has the answers to save Jaer.”
“How?” Tam’s brow creased, and she stared out into the dim, silent tunnel.
“Don’t know. I’m figuring this out as I go.” Erynn glanced at Tam. “Flying fast and low, just the way I like it.” She shrugged one shoulder and offered her a brief grin. “I’ll think of something.” Erynn stiffened, her smile gone. “Try to find out as much as you can about Cale and Sean. My guess is they’re together and have gone into hiding—finding a safe place for us to join them. I’ll access a COM and contact you. Try to find a COM. Steal one if you have to.” Erynn bit her lip. “I’ll need you to keep me up on what’s happening with Jaer.” She stepped into the main corridor and stopped. Something Cale had said in the message came back to her. “I wonder . . .”
“What?” Tam whispered.
“I think I’ll go check on Cace and his mom before I go to the holding cells.” Erynn spun to Tam. “Take care. Talk to you soon.” Erynn dashed off, turning right at the first intersection of warrens. Her disguise held. She passed people who didn’t give her a second glance.
Chapter 12
NO GUARDS STOOD WATCH OUTSIDE Cace and his mom’s quarters. Erynn tapped at the door, praying a security team wasn’t inside. She glanced up, following the outline of the access with her eyes. “I hope they’re here,” she muttered.
The door glided open. The small, tidy space was quiet, the lights low. Cace’s mom tipped her head and stared. Long dark hair slipped across one shoulder. “Yes? Can I help you?” She frowned.
“Do I know you?”
Erynn thought fast, not wanting to involve Cace or his mom more than was necessary—at least not yet. “Oh, I’m . . . She used the first name that popped into her mind—her mother’s. I’m Alessa. I work in the Medical Unit, so I guess . . . I’m a friend of Cace’s. Sorry to disturb you, but could I maybe talk to Cace? I just want to see how he’s holding up—with all that’s happened.”
“Hmmm.” Cace’s mom nodded, her frown deepening. “I don’t remember you.” She went on as if the lack of recognition was unimportant. “I’m Aynn, Cace’s mom.” She glanced around the small room, biting back tears. “Just as Cace is getting well, all this confusion with Erynn, Aven, and Cale has to happen. And Jaer! I can’t—”
“Yes, I know. But I’m sure Cace will be okay,” Erynn assured, nodding her head. “He’s stronger, so much better now.”
Aynn’s dark-brown eyes widened with awareness. “You work in the Medical Unit? What about Nev? Will he ever be . . . himself again?” She rested her palm over her heart, shaking her head.
Erynn sensed more than just friendly concern for Nev. A concentrated wave of love and loss flowed from Aynn, washing over Erynn while a deep blue halo highlighted her aura.
Aynn continued, “And what about Jaer and Erynn? I’m so worried about Erynn. This must be difficult for her. I don’t believe the rumors that Jaer’s attack left her mentally unstable.” Aynn stared out into the empty corridor. “Cace refuses to believe. And I agree. It’s not possible. She’s too capable, and . . . and something else . . . There’s more to her . . .” Aynn took in a deep breath and focused on Erynn. “Cace and I certainly don’t believe Cale or Aven are unfit for duty. No one does. We are worried about Jaer, though.”
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