She quickly snipped them in the designated order while Fain held the light for her. "Done."
"Did anything happen?"
Fain arched a brow at Darling's anxious question. "Was anything supposed to happen?"
"No. Not necessarily, but..."
"But what?"
"You might want to jerk the device off that table and seal it in the box real fast.... Just in case the designer planted a fail-safe in it."
Fain obeyed, and locked the seals tight. "Yeah, okay. Now what?"
"That should be it. We should--"
The bomb detonated at their feet. Fain grabbed Galene and covered her with his body. He held her against the wall so tightly that she couldn't breathe. "Precious? I think we're safe. Is that not the purpose of the blast box?"
"She's right, big guy. You're crushing her for no reason."
But instead of letting go, Fain pulled his helmet off and let it fall to the ground. Then he did the same with hers.
Galene was completely unprepared for the ferocity of his kiss. It was demanding and hot, and left her breathless.
"All righty, Andarions. I'm going to ... uh..." Darling cleared his throat. "Give you the room and leave you to that. Little uncomfortable for the rest of us."
Fain pulled back with an adorable, unabashed grin. "You ever risk your life like that again and so help me..."
"All you have to do is not risk yours." She pointed to the rank patch on her hardsuit. "Remember, I outrank you, soldier."
Smiling, he nuzzled his face against her braids. "Why did you come back?"
"Because I love you. I've always loved you."
Those words made his heart sing. Did he dare hope that she meant what he thought she did? "Am I finally forgiven?"
Cupping his head to her shoulder, she wanted to both beat and hold him for eternity. Why couldn't he make loving him easy?
But then that was part of his charm. "Yes. You're forgiven."
Fain closed his eyes as he savored the words he'd waited a lifetime to hear. If he died right then, he'd be content.
And all he wanted was to carry her back to his ship and make love to her for the rest of the month.
If only he could.
Sighing heavily, he hated responsibility. Damn adulthood. He wanted to send it back for a full refund. "We still have one more device to locate."
She nodded. "I know."
Fain tapped his link to unmute it. "Hey, Kere. Any luck on finding the third charge?"
"Working on it."
Fain picked up the box and carried it while Galene led the way to the hall. Hermione and Ven waited at the end of it. As he neared them, Fain handed the box and exploded device off to a Hadean Corps officer.
Hermione stood up on her tiptoes to kiss Fain on the cheek. "I owe you. Thank you for what you did."
"No problem. I'm just glad I overheard the slag bragging about setting it, and got here before it went off. What happened, anyway? How'd you find it?"
Hermione sighed. "We were talking. I got up to get a drink and I heard the release spring. Since we didn't know what tripped it, we didn't dare move for fear of setting it off."
Hermione had barely finished speaking before Ryn showed up and grabbed her into a fierce hug.
"I'm all right, Ryn."
"I know. I'm just not ready to be an orphan yet."
Fain scoffed. "Aren't you a little old to be an orphan?"
He glared at Fain over his mother's shoulder before he set her back on her feet. "Considering the fact that my mother bottle-fed me until I was thirty? No."
Fain laughed at something that was practically true. Hermione did tend to dote on and overprotect her only child like he was the most sacred creature in the known universe.
Hermione rolled her eyes at Galene. "The lies our children tell about us."
"Don't I know. My son horrifies me daily."
Ryn sobered as he faced Venik. "We lucked out with Fain discovering this one. But we're not going to get that lucky with the next one. You've got to figure they're either going after defense or family. Where are your kids located?"
"Most of them are on their own ships. Only Kareem is currently in port. Even my wife is out on my daughters' ship."
"That's not true," Fain said. "I saw Stain come in earlier."
Venik scowled at him. "No. He's out with his crew."
"No, he came in. Check the logs. He told me he was on his way to see you and Kareem when I met him."
Ven pulled out his link to look.
While he did that, Galene fingered Fain's eye. "Does that hurt?"
"What?"
She sighed heavily. "You've got a nasty black eye."
He touched it, then hissed as he realized it was tender. "Ow, damn. I didn't feel it until now. Guess the prick got a shot in, after all. Must have been when he broke the chair over me."
"Oh my God, Fain! He hit you with a chair?"
"Yeah. A few other things, too. He even lobbed one of the smaller humans at me."
Galene covered her face and groaned. "I wish I thought you were joking and making that up. Unfortunately, I know better. Gods, you are your son's father. What did I do to deserve two of you?" Shaking her head, she met Hermione's gaze. "Is it easier with human sons or males?"
"Not really. I never know what horrifies me more--the stories Ryn tells me, or the ones I know he withholds out of respect for my maternal sensibilities, or fear of what I'll do to him should I ever learn the true nature of his innate recklessness and brazen stupidity."
"For the record, it's definitely the latter." Ryn stepped back to tap his ear. "Yeah, this is Dane. Go."
About a minute later, while Galene and Hermione were still comparing war stories about raising stubborn sons as single mothers, Fain frowned as he watched Ryn stumble and go down to one knee. Unsure of what had happened, he moved to kneel by Ryn's side to see if he could help.
"Were there any survivors?" Ryn's voice was barely a whisper. His breathing turned ragged and pain-filled.
Scowling, Hermione joined them. She rubbed at her son's back.
Ryn held his hand to the link as he nodded. "Keep me posted." He hung up.
Hermione's frown mimicked Fain's and Galene's. "Baby? What is it?"
Ryn stared straight ahead as if he were in a trance. "The League hit Hinto's west fleet while they were en route to rendezvous with us."
Hermione cursed under her breath. "How many did they lose?"
"They're still trying to determine the numbers." His lips trembled. "The Merry Crimson went down in the fighting."
She winced. "How awful ... Did Commander Hinto get out?"
A tear slid down his cheek. "I told her not to come. I told her to stay at her father's base." He balled his fists together and pressed them against his forehead as he broke off into a sob. "Dammit, Mack! Dammit! Why couldn't you listen to me for once in your life!"
Hermione's scowl deepened. "Ryn?"
He wiped angrily at his tears. "I married Mack Hinto, Mom. Five years ago in a quiet ceremony on Paraf Run. We didn't tell anyone 'cause we knew what it'd do to the UTC, and how you and her father would react to it." He pulled his link out and pressed a message on it.
Fain winced as soon as he heard the familiar lilting accent of High Admiral Hinto's only daughter. Much like with Ryn, there weren't many Tavali who didn't know Mack Hinto's fierce reputation. But where Ryn was known for his levelheaded decorum and smooth charisma, Mack was a spitfire hellion more likely to bomb her way out of a situation than to ever try to diffuse it. While few wanted to deal with her, even fewer wanted to take her on in battle.
That never ended well for her adversaries.
But the one thing everyone agreed on--she was the best pilot and strategist the Tavali had ever trained.
"Hey, me precious, Wassy baby boy, I'm sorry I missed you. And I don't want you upset when you hear this. I know you told me to stay safe and out of the fray, but you know that's not our way. Especially not after what them bastards do
Ryn curled his link to his chest and sobbed.
Hermione wrapped her arms around him and rocked him while he cried. Fain ached at the pain he saw in her eyes. At the agony of Ryn's loss. He knew that misery personally and it sucked on a level unimaginable.
There was no way to console it.
Venik motioned him away from the Danes. Rising to his feet, Fain stepped over to him.
"You were right. Stain came in. He's been trying to find the traitor himself."
"That what he said?"
Venik arched an angry brow. "You doubt my son?"
Fain glanced over to Ryn. Honestly? At this point, he doubted everyone, except a tiny handful. But he wasn't stupid enough to say that to the boy's father. "What else did he say?"
"They found the third explosive device. It was planted in my quarters. Stanis and Kareem have a team there now, deactivating it."
"Good." Fain hesitated as he finally saw a crack in Ven's iron facade. "What is it?"
"Reality hitting me. You know how I feel about Hinto."
"You hate him with the burning fire of a million stars."
"Yeah, but no one deserves to lose a child. Not like that. It could have been my Circe or Berra or Maryl or Lyss." His breathing turned ragged. "My girls fly as a united crew, Hauk. One battle, I could lose them all. And Payne. He flies with them."
"Call them home."
"I already did. And my boys." His gaze burned into Fain. "Can I really trust you, Hauk?"
"Only you can answer that. I've never betrayed your trust. Even when I should have. There's nothing else I can do to prove it."
"Yeah, and it's why I don't trust you. I don't understand you, boy. I never have. Everyone wants something. But not you. You took whatever I did to you and you just kept going. No complaint. No slander. You just endured. And I don't know why."
Fain laughed bitterly as he glanced to where Galene sat with Ryn and Hermione, offering them her comfort. "I had nowhere else to go, Ven. No one wanted me. I had no papers. No country or allegiance. My only family was my brother. All I'm trained to do is make war and battle. To fight in a Ring and take as many lives as I can. Keris said it best years ago--I'm nothing but a trained guard dog. Taking care of others is all I've ever known to do. End of the day, dogs don't want nothing but a bed and a meal."
Sadness darkened Ven's eyes. "And that's how I've treated you all these years. I'm sorry for that, Hauk." He jerked his chin toward the bruise on Fain's cheek. "And I'm sorry about sending you down to slag. I was angry and lashing out. I wanted someone to blame and you were an easy target and in range."
"It's all right. I found the traitor there."
"And saved my ass yet again." Venik let out a tired sigh. "What are we fighting for, Hauk? Really?"
"You always battle for profit."
Ven laughed at that. "True, but what good is it if you bury your children?"
"It's not. Our children and their futures are the only thing worth warring for. That is the Andarion way. We don't look to the past, nor at ourselves. It is not our way of life that we preserve. It's their future, their rights, their freedom that we secure with our blood. We battle and lay down our lives so that they won't have to."
"Yet they are the ones who fight our wars and die in them." Ven swallowed hard. "We have to end this with The League. Sooner rather than later."
"That's what we're trying to do. But we can't negotiate with tyrants who don't respect us, or value the lives they are charged with securing."
"One life lights a thousand."
Fain nodded at the old Andarion saying that meant one being, no matter how insignificant he or she might appear, touched thousands of others, and that all of them were united together as an undivided whole. Take no one for granted.
Hermione and Galene helped Ryn to his feet.
When Galene started toward them, Venik waved her back. He faced Fain so that no one else could see or overhear him. "You have been a friend to me when I didn't deserve it. Loyal when you should have struck out. I want to know why."
"What do you want me to say, Ven? You're an asshole. We both know it. I'm no joy either. But ... you saved me from Tyrth when you didn't have to. And, you didn't kill me when you could have."
"I shot out both your knees."
"You didn't kill me," Fain repeated. "You're certainly not the first to shoot me. Hell, my older brother did that twice, growing up. Dancer plugged me once in the side."
"By accident."
"Still, a shot's a shot." Fain smirked as he glanced over to Galene. "And my wife got me a few days ago, quite intentionally. At point-blank range. When I bitched about it to Command, Nyk was the first to point out that everyone wants to shoot me at some point. You and Storm just got the fun of it."
Ven snorted. "That may be, but you still haven't answered my question."
Fain fell silent as he sorted through his complicated emotions where Venik was concerned. There was a part of him that hated the bastard for things he'd done. But beneath that hatred and resentment was the truth he couldn't deny. It was what always brought him back and what stayed his hand from lashing out at the Tavali no matter how much he might want to. "When I was nothing and had been left abandoned and forgotten by friend and blood alike, you gave me a chance to regain my dignity. Yes, you made me earn it, in blood and sweat, but in the end, you allowed me to have a ship of my own and to fly unfettered."
Ven lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper. "I brutally wired you to that ship without your consent. To the very hell where they abused you every minute they kept you caged there like an animal."
"Are you trying to make me hit you?"
"No. I want to understand why you have saved my life, especially after what I did to you earlier. I humiliated you in front of your family."
Fain shrugged. "I've had worse. Trust me. Your little hissy fit doesn't even register on my scale of degradations. Like I said, I owe you more good than bad."
"You still feel that way, even after I made you trade your freedom for the Jaswinders'?"
Fain snorted bitterly at the reminder. "Yeah, okay. That one sticks in the craw a bit. Especially over the last few days of you peacocking around here and lording it over me. I have to say the urge to slam your head into something hard has crossed my mind ... a few thousand times an hour."
Ven laughed. "Ever brutally honest. It's what I value most about you." He pulled out his link and scrolled through it. "I think I owe it to you to show you this."
Fain frowned at the encrypted message that had Galene's command badging on it. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he didn't care for the idea of his female conversing with another male.
Until he read it.
My Lord Porturnum,
I know this is a bit forward of me, and for that I beg your extreme indulgence. I've been doing some research into Tavalian customs and contracts while I've been here, and there is one matter that I should like to inquire about. While a lot of information isn't readily available, it is my understanding that each high admiral holds a tithe or contract with the pilots who fly under them that binds that pilot to their Nation. The tithe is usually for the value of the ship, and in the case of a slave, for the value of the individual as well, and any special training or other undue expense they've incurred. I know that Commander Fain Hauk owes a tithe to you and I should like to pay it off on his behalf and buy his freedom or tithe from you. Would this be possible?
Thank you for your time. I look forward to your prompt response on this matter.
Galene of the Winged Blood Clan of Batur
LT Commander, Alliance Command
Fain stared in stunned awe of those words. Galene had tried to buy his freedom? He couldn't believe it.
Venik took the link from his hand. "I was a bit rude to your Ger Tarra in response to her request, and I apologize to you both. You're right. I'm an asshole. I'm selfish. Reactionary. I do what I have to, to get the job done. As a rule, I don't care who or what I have to step on to get my way. But, you have been a good friend to me. A loyal servant even when I didn't deserve it."
Fain wasn't quite sure where Brax intended to go with this line of conversation.
"I know I'm going to regret this...." Ven motioned for Galene to join them. "Enough families have been destroyed today. It's time we start building them. As a unification present for the two of you, I'm releasing Fain's tithe. Blessed union to you both. May the gods shine on you always." He kissed Galene's cheek, then Fain's. "Now I'm off to secure my family and sanity as best I can."
Galene gaped as Ven left them. "Was that for real? Did he honestly just set you free? For free?"
His head reeling, Fain sputtered. "Ven's always been capricious and bipolar.... You really asked him about buying my tithe?"
The most beautiful blush stained her cheeks. "He told you that?"
"He showed it to me."
She visibly cringed. "Are you mad that I did that without asking you?"
"Mad?" Fain cupped her face in both of his hands. "How could I be angry over the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me?" Then he kissed her until she was breathless and he was so hard that he could barely think straight. All he wanted was to be inside her. To hold her and never again let anything or anyone come between them.
Stepping back, he rubbed his cheek against hers and took a deep breath in her hair so that the precious scent of her skin set his blood on fire even more. "C'mon, I'm taking you back and making love to you until we're both limping."
She snorted. "Gee, Fain. That's just the kind of romantic offer that makes a female's heart race with anticipation."
-->