He couldn't allow them to meet Talyn's fate. Nor that of his brother or sister. Never mind what had been done to the two females Talyn had tried to protect and had been banished over. Not if he could stop it.
Picking up his link, he called his best friend.
As soon as Kerell answered, Lorens spoke without preamble. "I have a new member for us to consider for our club. Talyn Batur."
"The Ring fighter?"
"Yeah. Meet me for lunch. You're not going to believe what I'm about to tell you. I don't believe it, and I'm looking at it."
Lorens hung up and sat back in his chair while he copied Talyn's file before it mysteriously vanished like all evidence of the Anatoles' egregious actions always did. And why not? The tadara had made her own grandson disappear. What was the medical file of an insignificant bastard in comparison to the Andarion royal heir?
And it was time for the Anatoles to start answering for their actions. Time for them to learn that the Andarions weren't weak-willed ants to be trod upon.
For the one truth about Andarions, they were all fierce creatures.
Even their ants and mice were fanged and poisonous.
*
Grimacing, Talyn pulled himself up in bed. He'd just been released from the hospital that morning and was still in enough pain that he wanted to kill the tahrs himself.
And forget what he wanted to do to Chrisen and Merrell. He'd sell his soul to have them alone for five minutes. While they wouldn't enjoy it, he'd get his jollies and then some.
Pain sliced him as his thoughts turned to Berra and Farina. Two more innocent lives lost over their cruelty.
Payback was coming....
And he intended to shove it down their throats with both fists.
"How you doing?"
He looked to the door to see Lorens hesitating. Anger splintered him at the sight. He still wasn't sure Lorens hadn't ratted him out about the report he'd made on Chrisen. The timing had been extremely suspicious.
"Fine. I had worse beatings in grade school ... from Hyshian girls."
At least externally that was true.
Emotionally was another story. Talyn was still having a hard time coping with the degradations they'd heaped on him. He wasn't sure if he'd ever come to terms with that aspect of it all. And the fear he held for his mother and Felicia was tangible.
Lorens came in and gestured toward the padded chair in the far corner. "Mind if I join you for a bit?"
He frowned at the male. "Where's Felicia?"
"I asked her to give us some time. There's something I wanted to discuss with you in private."
Every instinct in his body went off at that. "About?"
"What you've been through."
Talyn curled his lip. He had no intention of talking about it with anyone. Least of all his commander and his female's older brother and someone he suspected of having betrayed him. "I've already signed the nondisclosures, Commander. I'm well aware that if I speak about any of what was done to me that I'll be put to death for it." And he didn't want to think about what they'd do to his mother and Felicia.
"That's not what I'm here about."
Talyn arched a brow.
"Well, it is, but it isn't."
"I don't understand."
Lorens moved the chair until he was so close that he could whisper. But first, he scanned the room for a bug and put up a static jammer.
Talyn arched a brow at his actions. "What are you doing?"
"I'm not the one who told the Anatoles about your report, Talyn. I stupidly trusted that information to the prime commander and asked for his assistance on how best to proceed. That was my stupid, naive mistake, and I can't apologize enough to you for it. The gods know, I never meant for you to have that blowback."
Lorens clenched his teeth before he continued. "He's the one who went to Merrell, and Paers ezul Nykyrian, without my knowledge, and deleted the report I'd prepared against them. Had I known what he was about, I would have protected you and warned you. I swear on the lives of my children. I never meant to bring you harm, in any way."
Either he was a damn good liar or he was speaking the truth. Even though trust didn't come easy, Talyn nodded. "I'm glad to know you're not a rat bastard, after all."
"Contrary to popular belief, and what my younger sister would normally say, I really try not to be." His gaze haunted, Lorens swallowed hard. "You should also know that I'm here on behalf of another organization," he whispered in a tone so low, Talyn had to strain to hear him. "Ever heard of WAR?"
"Yeah, it's my stock and trade."
Lorens gave him a droll stare. "Warriors Against Royalty."
His blood ran cold as he thought back to Rhys, who'd been killed when their colony was overrun by the last group of scavengers--the old male had died protecting Terisa while Talyn had protected Berra. "I know of them."
Lorens dropped his tone even more. "They're not the traitors in this regime. They're patriots who are sick of what's being done to innocent Andarions on the whims of the royals. Andarions like you, who are minding their own business and are ripped from their homes and tortured for no reason whatsoever."
Talyn shook his head. "We shouldn't--"
"Listen to me, Talyn. My youngest brother was assassinated before his wife and children so that Merrell Anatole could marry into the lineage of his widow. My sister was taken and raped by Nyran Anatole. Like you, she was forced to sign a nondisclosure saying that if she ever mentioned it to a living soul, she'd be executed. Every day, Andarions are killed, brutalized, threatened, and taken for no reason whatsoever. The royal family is out of control and has never been smaller than it is, right now. They've virtually murdered each other into extinction, and now is the time to finally stop their bloodthirsty reign. The entire history of the Anatole lineage is written in the bloody feuds of their children. As soldiers, we are the ones who have sworn to protect our fellow Andarions from all enemies. Enemies that include a royal family drunk on its own power. Imagine an Andaria where males and females, like you, can live their lives without fear."
Yeah, right.
He'd still be bastard-born and hated by all. Even if they brought down the entire royal family, nothing in this empire would change for him.
"It's treason," Talyn repeated in a whisper, even though he agreed that changes should be made. He still wasn't sure this wasn't some kind of setup.
While he fully intended to personally slaughter Eriadne and Chrisen, he wasn't stupid enough to let anyone know his plans.
"Did you know the tadara had her own grandson killed ... Why? Because he looked human. Tahrs Nykyrian was slaughtered in cold blood. He was just a child when he was ripped from his mother's arms, and sent to his grave. You've seen the tizirah. You know she's not right in the head, because she knows her own mother killed her son and can't handle the truth of it. I have it on tape where Tahrs Jullien himself brags about it, and the fact that his grandmother intentionally keeps his mother, her own daughter, in a drugged stupor so that she won't have to answer for her actions."
Talyn hesitated. If this was a setup, Lorens would be in even more trouble than Talyn for speaking those kinds of accusations. "Then why haven't you taken it to the media?"
"Because the station we gave a copy to was bombed before they could air it. Everyone in the building was killed instantly, and the Phrixians were blamed for the attack. Just like what happened with you. Before I could make the report against an Anatole, it and you were erased. The royal house has spies everywhere."
"Yes, they do. And if they find out about--"
"They won't. We are very careful who we recruit."
Sure they were. "Then why are you recruiting me?"
"Because of your record and history with them. And what they did to you. You had no reason to stand up for the females in your squad who had never stood up for you, and yet you did the right thing, knowing it could cost you your career." His eyes burned into him. "I know the truth of your character, Talyn. But have you seen you
Talyn shook his head. "It's above my clearance level."
"Yeah, well ... here." Lorens handed him a thick folder. "I've made a copy for you. And by the way, you're not a captain as you were told. After your interview with the tadara ... more disciplinary action was added to your history. You've been demoted back to a lieutenant's rank and pay."
Sick to his stomach, Talyn stared at him in complete disbelief. "What?"
Lorens nodded. "As further discipline against you, you won't be eligible for a promotion again for three years, provided you keep your mouth shut over what was done to you."
Talyn felt like he'd just been punched by Death Warrant. "I didn't do anything!"
"That's our point. My brother didn't do anything, either. He just happened to have married into the wrong lineage. And don't get me started on Tahrs Nykyrian eton Anatole. His biggest crime was that his mother slept with a human and he happened to look more like his father than his mother. For that matter, Jullien, Merrell, and Chrisen single-handedly drove the entire War Hauk male lineage from Andarion soil because the last thing they want is for any of our beloved heroes to be here to stop them."
Talyn went silent as old memories stirred.
Lorens sat back. "I knew Keris Hauk--he was one of my best friends from childhood. He rose too fast through the Andarion military ranks for their taste, and they couldn't stand it. Merrell hooked him on drugs and saw to his execution through the hands of Keris's wife. It's a fact I know, but have never been able to prove. Likewise, I know they're the ones who drove Fain out of his family. And don't you find it odd that it was Jullien and Chrisen who were in the pod with Dancer Hauk when it crashed? You think that was a coincidence? They escaped unscathed, but he damn near died ... and because of that, Dancer was barred from Andarion military service. Forever. They deprived him of his birthright. It's why he's working for The Sentella now."
Talyn's head swam as he tried to digest all of that. He would call Lorens out, but it strangely made sense. Especially given the insane hatred Jullien, Chrisen, and Merrell bore him personally when he'd done nothing to them, other than try to stay out of their way. And it corroborated a lot of what they'd said to him about his father's family. "How do you know all that?"
"We've been gathering evidence on the royals for a long time. But every time we try to come forward, we're put down like rabid lorinas."
Like Rhys, Farina, and Berra.
"Then what's your agenda?"
"To remove the royal family from power and institute a governing body that the people control. A republic of officials who are reasonable, responsible, and honorable. A governing council that won't dare abduct our race, and beat, exile, and rape them at their leisure."
Talyn couldn't agree more. He wanted blood. Royal blood. Lorens must have smelled it on him.
But if he joined ranks with them, he'd be committing treason. With witnesses. He wasn't sure if he trusted anyone that much.
One snitch in their group, and everything he loved would be brutalized and lost.
If he didn't ...
They were out to get him, and that wasn't paranoia. It was fact. His new rank showed that.
Either way, his mother and Felicia were targets. And he had no idea how to protect them from harm on his own. Not with his bastard status and low caste.
Strong alone. Stronger together. That was the motto for The Sentella group his aunt Jayne had helped to found.
One Andarion, alone, couldn't make much difference. But thirteen War Hauks had saved their entire race from enslavement and extinction.
Lorens rose to his feet. "Look, I know I've given you a lot to think about and I blindsided you with it. Just consider what I've said. If you decide to join us, call and invite me to a party at your house. I'll know by that phrase that you're in. If you decide not to, just leave a message saying the party's canceled. Since you live with my sister, no one will think anything about either comment. And I know what I'm asking from you. Believe me, I know. It wasn't an easy decision for me to make either. It goes against everything I was raised to believe. Everything I thought I was. But when I stood over my brother's closed casket--because of what they'd done to him--and saw my children there ... his children, I knew I couldn't stand by and let them die next. Not when I had the ability to stop it. Andarions don't live in fear. We fight back." Lorens placed the file on the bed and left.
Sick to his stomach, Talyn opened the file and read his demotion letter first.
Rage burned through him. He'd worked and fought his ass off to get the rank of major. Honestly, after four years, and given his training, lineage, record, and education, he should have been a colonel or commander by now.
But no ...
A minsid lieutenant. Beginner's rank for the next three effing years.
For disciplinary reasons.
Bellowing in rage, he threw the file across the bed as the injustice tore him apart. Of them torturing him and laughing about it.
"Talyn?"
He didn't respond to Felicia. He couldn't. Not while he hurt like this. He wanted their blood so badly, he could taste it.
She stooped to pick up the pages that were strewn across the bed and floor. Without reading them, she returned them to the folder and set it on the nightstand. "Did my brother upset you? I'll bar him from the condo if he did."
"No," he breathed. "The commander didn't do anything other than tell me that I've lost my rank."
"What?" she asked in a shocked tone.
He drew a ragged breath. "I'm now Lieutenant Batur."
"Oh honey, I'm so sorry." Sitting down beside him, Felicia rubbed his back. "Did he say why?"
"Because of my history of write-ups and disciplinary problems. The fact that I've been disrespectful to my superiors and my blatant disregard for check-ins and military protocol."
"Can't you appeal it?"
"To whom, Felicia? Eriadne herself busted my rank. Who's going to believe the word of a worthless bastard against the tadara? I can't even apply to regain a captain's rank for three years."
"I'm so sorry, Talyn."
"I should have just let them kill me."
"Don't say that!"
"Why not? It's true. What am I fighting for? Really? No matter what I do, it all comes down to the fact that I have no paternal lineage. Even when I'm ten times better than anyone else, I'm seen as only half as good." He touched his bald head and cursed at the reminder of what they'd done to him. "A lieutenant, a fucking lieutenant. Do you know what kind of shit assignments they're going to stick me with? I can't even fly with a rank that low. It relegates me back to flight deck prep. Cleaning toilets." He could hear the mockery already. Gah, he was so sick of the abuse.
"Tizirah Tylie said that your mother would be your CO. She won't--"
"I'm a lieutenant, Felicia. I'm no longer qualified for palace duty. I have to go back to reg-staff." Disgusted, he stared at the wall as bitter resentment and hatred filled him.
Felicia swallowed against the wave of tears she felt for him. There was so much raw agony in his eyes that it made her ache. "Did Anatole say why they did this to you?"
He let out an acrimonious snort. "Because they hate my parents."
"What?"
He nodded. "My father pissed them off in school and I look enough like him that it chafes the tahrs's ass." He met her gaze. "But most of it is because my mother refused to pledge with Anatole when she was younger. They can't attack her. She's a high-lineaged female, and as such, she has rights through the courts."
Rights that were denied to him.
"Is there nothing your mother can do?"
"No. And you can't breathe a word of this to her. It would kill her to know they attacked me because of her past with them."
No wonder he'd refused to look at his mother in the hospital. It made total sense now.
"Why hasn't he used you to blackmail her?"
"Anatole can't. Her family is equal in status to your father's. For that threat, she could have him arrested. He's hoping if he abuses me enough, I'll say something to my mother and her guilt will force her to negotiate with him."
"He doesn't know you very well, does he?"
Talyn shook his head. "They spanked my ass the moment I was brought into this world. Why the hell should anything change after that? I'm not his pampered, pansy ass. Beatings I can take. Even being a lieutenant. I survived it once. I can survive it again."
But there was more to it than that. He was sugarcoating it for her and she knew it. She'd heard her half brothers laughing about the hazing that was done to low-ranking officers. Hazing that was mitigated depending on the families the officer was tied to. She could only imagine how horrific it would be for someone like Talyn, who had no lineage protection at all.
"Who is your father, Talyn?"
"What difference does it make?"
He was right. But ...
"Can't you go to his family? His mother could adopt you as hers."
"She won't. My mother tried that when I was an infant, and she threw my mother out of her house, insulting her the entire time. The only one who was willing to do it was his grandmother, but his grandfather refused to allow me their name. He said I wasn't worthy of carrying their lineage. If my father was such a disappointing son, he could only imagine how much worse I'd be."
"Your mother told you that?"
He shook his head. "She would never hurt me that way. I was in school when my mother was wounded and couldn't come get me. My gre yaya showed up, and just as I got into her transport, my gre paran arrived, yanked me out of my seat, and threw me to the ground with my things. He told her to leave me in the gutter where I belonged. The rest, he sneered in my direction while they screamed at each other in the parking lot."
She was aghast at the horror he emotionlessly described. "He did that at your school? How old were you?"
"Eight."
Appalled, she stared at him. "Your great-grandfather told your great-grandmother to leave you at school, alone, with no one to care for you, while your mother was in the hospital?"
He nodded.
"Please tell me your great-grandmother didn't do that."
"She had no choice."
Oh dear gods ... "What happened to you?"
"My teacher took me home with her and kept me until my mother was released."
Felicia ground her teeth as fury seethed deep inside. How could anyone do that to a child? How? It made her feel selfish and bitchy for everything mean she'd ever said to her father for his actions that were nowhere near on par with this.
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