Born of Legend (106 page)

“I should have killed you when you were born!”

“Probably. Would have saved us both a lot of trouble.”

“I would have made you the greatest tadar Andaria has ever known!”

Jullien snorted. “I'd have rather you just left me alone, bitch. But I do have to thank you for one gift.” He turned the corner to find her hiding there. “The ability to move and function while I'm in excruciating pain.”

Her eyes widened as she realized he was about to spew fire all over her.

Just as he opened his mouth to release it, someone wrapped a wire-collar around his neck and jerked him off his feet. Wheezing, and kicking as hard as he could, he tried desperately to pull it off, but couldn't.

“You want me to kill him,
Maràstràda
?” her guard asked as he put his foot on the center of Jullien's chest.

“Yes! There's no one left alive who matters enough to make his living worth our headache. Kill the bastard, and send his bloody heart back to his whore.”

 

C
HAPTER
40

Thrāix felt sick as he came off the ship to meet Unira and the Altaans with no Jullien. The only thing that made him feel remotely better was the sight of Mary's happy face as she ran to him. He grabbed her into a fierce hug and let her warmth soothe the guilt and fear in his tattered soul.

She alone comforted him.

Petran scowled at the royalty they had in tow, but didn't really comment on their presence. “Did Dagger divert to meet up with Ushara?”

Sick to his stomach, Thrāix tightened his hold on Mary. Damn, this was the last thing he wanted to do, and it was a lot harder than he'd anticipated. In spite of their gruffness, Petran and Vidarri both loved and respected Jullien. They'd already lost too many members of their family in this war.

He hated bringing more bad news home to them.

But delaying it would only make it worse.

So he drew a deep breath and braced himself for the fallout. “Jules was captured during our escape.”

Katira gasped and covered her heart with her hands. “What?”

“You let them take my son?” Unira gave each of Jullien's parents in turn a shaming glare. “What happened?”

“
Your
son?” Cairistiona arched a haughty brow. “I beg your pardon?”

Unira refused to be intimidated even by the tadara of Andaria. “Beg pardon all you want, Ixurian. You are the one Andarion I will
never
give it to. Not after what you've done to my child. How dare you abandon him yet again! What kind of mother leaves her child behind to seek her own safety? You're not worthy of motherhood. How could you be so cold?”

“Where's Basha Dagger?” Nadya came running with her sisters up to Thrāix, Axl, Dimitri, and Davel. “You can't let him get hurt! Go get him back! Now!”

Jay and Oxana stepped forward. “We can have a strike team assembled immediately.”

Thrāix flinched. “We don't know where he is. Or where to begin looking.”

“What do you mean, you don't know?” Katira stalked toward them. “Track him.”

Thrāix pulled Jullien's link out of his coat. “Little bastard dropped it in my pocket while he said good-bye. I didn't discover it until after we'd launched. He must have done it to keep the Andarions from using it to locate his family.”

Katira choked on a sob. “I can't bury another child. And I refuse to watch Ushara go through the pain of losing her heart. This will kill her!”

His old eyes steeled by determination, Vidarri scratched at his chin. “Rally every member of this Nation and Jupiter and Chayden. This is Dagger we're talking about. We will find him if we have to bomb that damn planet and her effing Ixurian race into oblivion! No one will take our Dagger from us! No one! Damn them all to Tophet!”

Darling stepped forward. “You have the full backing of my army. I have no intention of leaving him stranded after what he did for us. The Sentella, too. Tell me what you need, and I'll have it assembled immediately.”

Vidarri clapped him on the arm so hard, Darling actually staggered sideways. “Good man, you. Come, Majesty. We've much to do to get our Dagger back.”

*   *   *

Ushara knew the instant she landed at her Cyperian base station that something wasn't right. The bay was too active, and everyone appeared to be upset and out of sorts. Short-tempered. Even Sheila was more cross than usual.

More than that, there was a strange mood in the air. A deep sense of foreboding. She watched as The Sentella and The Andarions she'd brought with her from the Port StarStation disembarked from their ships. They seemed as skittish as she did.

Until a herd of unknown children came rushing forward with happy cries.

“Daddy!”

“Mama!”

“Dada!”

Suddenly, the whole place exploded with activity as Nykyrian's, Caillen's, Darling's, Syn's, and Maris's families ran into the hangar bay to greet them.

Ushara was completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of them, especially since they merged with the already large number of Sentella family she'd been escorting.

It was truly impressive.

Dancer Hauk's daughter Kalea ran from her father's arms to embrace a little blond boy named Jayce while Dancer's other son, Darice greeted Nykyrian's eldest daughter.

Seeking her own family in the mix, Ushara scowled. Darice walked past her with Fain Hauk's son and daughter, War and Vega, to introduce them to the rest of The Sentella's children. Apparently, Fain Hauk's brood had never met their cousins before.

Before long, they were mixing like old friends.

Ushara wasn't sharing their happiness. In fact, she became more worried as each second went by and she saw nothing of Jullien or his crew.

Determined to kick his rear section for this undue stress, she headed to Darling Cruel. He was the only one currently here she knew on sight who had been with them. “Where's Jullien?”

That sobered his happy group instantly.

Vasili came to stand at her back while Trajen picked up Mira and held Viv's hand. And that alone told her this wasn't going to be something she wanted to hear.

She glanced at him, but he refused to meet her gaze. Suddenly, Cairistiona approached her.

Bad timing, bitch.
Because all she wanted right now was to punch the tadara for all she'd done to Jullien. And if he'd been hurt while rescuing her …

“It's an honor to meet you, daughter. You are as beautiful as Jullien said you were.”

Like
that
matters? What is wrong with her?

Ushara swallowed hard. “Where is he?” she growled, fighting every part of her being so that she didn't jump an old Andarion in front of her children and start beating on her like a Ring fighter.

The tadara bit her lip as tears welled in her eyes.

“He's here … right?” Ushara looked past them. “Jullien! This isn't funny!” she snarled. “Show yourself! I mean it!” Approaching her slowly, Aros cleared his throat. He tried to speak, but he couldn't.

It was Nykyrian's wife, Kiara, who took Ushara's hand. “He distracted our pursuers so that we could get safely away. He said to tell you not to worry. That he wouldn't break your heart.”

I'm going to kill him! Beat him until he bleeds!

Aros finally found his voice. But he didn't speak to her. Only to his son. The one he'd chosen over Jullien, who he'd thrown once more to the dogs.

The one he'd left to die.

“He saved Kiara's and Zarina's lives, Nykyrian. And mine. None of us would be here without him.”

And how did you repay him? You abandoned him! Again!
Ushara's vision clouded as those words lodged themselves in her throat. She glanced to her son and daughters. Only they kept her calm on the outside. Otherwise, she'd have already blasted every person in front of her.

Starting with her wretched in-laws.

His eyes telegraphing anger, Nykyrian kissed Kiara's hand as he stepped back. “Ready my fighter!” he announced to the nearest ground crew member.

Kiara visibly cringed at those words, but she didn't try to stop him.

Dancer's blond, human wife, Sumi, who was almost as far along with her pregnancy as Ushara, turned to face her Andarion husband. “I know…” She kissed him. “Do
not
get hurt. If you do, I'm naming your son something awful in your absence.”

He laughed.

Shahara handed her sleeping son to Ture and kissed his cheek. “We'll be back.”

Syn kissed his son's head before he took Shahara's hand and headed after Nykyrian and Dancer.

Maris Xans-Sulle hesitated at the tormented look on Ture's face. “I'm sorry, baby. I have to go.”

Ture nodded. “I know. Be careful what you wish for. I wanted a soldier. I should have said I wanted an artist. Just remember, it's really hard to get blood out of your uniform.”

Maris kissed him, then Shahara's young son, Devyn, and his own son, Terek. “I'll be home soon. I promise.”

“I know you will. Otherwise, I'll send Zarya after you, and you won't like that.”

The Caronese empress, Zarya, kissed Maris's cheek before he left. She held Darling's hand when he started to leave, keeping him by her side for a moment longer. “I hate for you to fight without me.”

“I know. You're the better shot, but you haven't been cleared for battle yet. And you're still nursing. If I could feed Cezar in your stead, I'd let you go, but I think our son would be seriously pissed at us both if I tried to suckle him.”

“You're not funny.”

With one last kiss, Darling left them to join his brethren. Desideria growled in equal frustration at her brother and then her husband. “It's not fair!”

Caillen Dagan kissed her and then his daughter and infant son. “Don't worry. Shahara will nag me to death before I ever get hurt. She still thinks I'm five years old.”

Chayden gave his sister, Desideria, a light hug. “I know, sis. Guard your man-meat from harm. Don't worry. If anyone kills Caillen, I want the honors.”

Ushara almost laughed at something that Jullien would have said about the male himself.

Before he left, Chayden came over and gave her a light kiss. “Don't worry, we'll bring the Dagger home.”

A large mountain of a Qill male signed to her something Ushara couldn't translate. Then he ran after the others.

“I love all of you!” Desideria called after them. “Come back soon!”

Another human male, Hadrian, began protesting, but Jayne Erixour forced him to stay with their kids so that she could leave with the others to find Jullien.

A tall blond male who reminded her of a paler version of Trajen stepped forward to hug Hadrian. “Don't worry, little brother, I've got her back for you. Nothing's getting through me.”

Only then did Hadrian relent. Scooping his son up, he held him and watched as Nero and Jayne walked off and left him with his daughters and son.

Fain started after them, but Galene stopped him. “Not without me, Hauk.”

He looked at the others who stood around them. “You have a base to set up, Commander. You're needed here.”

Galene turned to their son, Talyn, who was also the second-in-command for the Alliance forces. “Commander Batur? Take the camp and make sure everyone is safe and accounted for. You're OOD until my return.”

Defiance blazed in his stralen eyes, but Talyn didn't argue. “Yes, ma'am.”

Safir Jari clapped him on the shoulder. “Don't worry, Talyn. I'll keep her safe. Besides, your father isn't about to let anyone get near her.” He hugged Ture and kissed his nephew Terek before he led Fain and Galene toward the others to mount a rescue for Jullien.

Talyn appeared sick to his stomach as he watched them launch. His wife, Felicia, took his hand in hers while Vega, War, and the rest of the kids played in their blissful ignorance of what was going on around them. How Ushara envied them that innocence.

Talyn turned to issue orders, then stopped. “Admiral?”

Ushara blinked before she met his gaze. “Yes?”

“We are guests in your home. And—”

“No,” she said, cutting him off. Swallowing hard, she looked around at the ones who'd been left behind. And in particular at the innocent children who had no idea how harsh the world could be. A sob wedged in her throat as she realized that all of Nykyrian's sons wore Tavali badges.

Jullien's and Davel's personal arms.

There was only one male who would have the authority to claim them as Fetchyn, and pin them with that Canting. One male whose wishes she would uphold even while cursing him for doing this to her. Because with those badges on those tiny arms, she knew what Jullien was saying, not just to her, but to all their brethren.

She met Talyn's handsome gaze. “You are not guests. You're our family.”

And it was time for her children to meet the part of their father's blood family that wasn't responsible for this disaster. The part that he'd risked his life to protect.

She took her daughters' hands from Trajen and led them to Nykyrian's twin sons so that she could introduce them.

The two sets of twins, who were only months apart in age, were amazed by each other. At first, they frowned and stared at each other as if trying to understand why they favored so strongly, but within a few seconds, they were old friends. Even Adron and Jayce embraced them.

Grateful they were getting along, Ushara took command so that she could show the newcomers where to bunk for their extended stay here. She'd already called ahead and had the facilities manager prepare them condos and apartments.

As she led them from the bay, Jayne's son Sway came running up for Talyn to carry. Even though he was impeccably dressed in his Andarion battle uniform, Talyn perched the boy on his shoulders, just as Jullien would have done Nadya or one of their other nephews or nieces. “Your base is
very
different from the Ports'. Much more family oriented.”