Born of Silence (80 page)

Fain, Ryn, and Chayden didn’t expose their faces, but they stood shoulder to shoulder behind Darling. “The Tavali will always fight and back the Sentella, especially against the League.”

Kyr took a full minute before he spoke again. “All of you will regret this.”

Darling smirked. “The war is on. Can’t wait for our first dance.”

An instant later, the screens went dark.

“How rude!” Jayne tsked. “It’s a good thing he’s on the other side of the universe, otherwise, I’d have to hunt him down and school him.”

Syn let out an evil laugh. “Yes, but not rude on his part.” He held up his wrist computer. “I killed the feed. Five more seconds of looking at him and I’d have hurled.” He turned his attention to Darling. “Remind me later that we really need to send you to anger management therapy.”

Darling widened his eyes innocently at Syn as he pulled Zarya against him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Rit. I’m all good.”

“Yeah, but we’re not,” Hauk said. “We just got busted.”

Fain draped an arm around Hauk’s shoulders. “
We’re
not busted, little brother. Only the morons who showed their faces.” He passed a pointed stare to Nykyrian, Darling, Syn, and Caillen.

Caillen shrugged. “What the hell? I never liked feeling safe, anyway. That’s for old women.”

Jayne came down the stairs, holding Nero against her.

Darling rushed toward them. “What happened?”

“He protected me and got shot.”

“I’ll be fine,” Nero said with a grimace.

“Thought you weren’t psychic,” Darling reminded him.

“I’m not. But I know my body and right now, my head really hates you, Dar.” Nero winced in pain as he met Zarya’s gaze. “Don’t worry. You’re both fine.”

She burst into tears, then rushed to hug him in a way that made Darling jealous. “Thank you! I’ve been so scared.”

Why was she hugging Nero over the fact that she and he were safe?

Nero patted her on the back, then stepped away. “Darling? You really should show her those papers you found.”

Darling sighed. “I hate it when you do that.”

“I know. Now I need to lie down for a few decades.”

Hauk took over from Jayne and draped Nero’s arm around his shoulders. “Let’s all get out of here before reinforcements come. Kyr may be on the other side of the universe, but not all of his army is with him.”

Darling agreed. They had a lot of civilians to take care of. The last thing they needed was to fight more League soldiers with them in the way.

While the others left, Darling walked slowly toward Zarya. She looked so tired and pale. But even with those ugly bruises marring her face, she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. “Are you all right, baby?”

She bit her lip. “Funny you should use that word… According to Nero, I’m pregnant.”

For a full ten seconds, he couldn’t breathe as those words sank in. And here he’d stupidly thought that Nero was talking about the two of them. “Are you sure?”

“Nero swears he’s not wrong.”

And he wouldn’t be…

Zarya was pregnant.

Undefined emotions ripped through him all at once. Stark terror. Panic. But above all was a joy so profound it left him reeling.

He was going to be a father…

Have a baby.

And that thought brought a tidal wave of pain crashing down around him. “I saw a photo of you dead, Zarya. I thought I’d lost you.” He couldn’t keep his voice from cracking. “I came here only
to avenge you, and to die. Now…” He placed his shaking hand over her stomach where his child was growing inside her. “Now you tell me that you’re pregnant… why in the name of the gods did you leave the palace in that condition?”

She clutched his hand in both of hers and pressed it flat, wishing they could feel the baby move. But most of all, she wanted him to understand how much he meant to her. “Because you were in danger. I didn’t want to lose
you
. Not after what I went through when I couldn’t find you. I thought that if I went to the Resistance, I’d be able to talk sense into them. I had no idea they were under League surveillance, or that the League was planning an attack on them.”

He wanted to choke her for that. But most of all, he wanted to kiss her and make love to her until neither one of them could walk. “I knew they were under surveillance, and that the League was going to attack them. If you’d only told me be—”

“You would have insisted on coming with me. And that wouldn’t have gone over well with them. I had to go alone. I’m sorry.”

“I hate it when you’re right.” But he was so grateful to have her back. Alive. Nothing else mattered. He brushed his hand over her bruised cheek. “Who hit you?”

“You killed him in the hallway.”

“I wish I’d known who it was. I’d have made it hurt a lot more.”

Zarya kissed his lips as joy tore through her. “You’re being so reasonable about all of this that it scares me.”

“I promise, I’m going to be mad later. Right now, I’m just so relieved to have you with me that you have a free pass to do anything you want.”

She clutched him against her and inhaled the warm, masculine scent of his skin. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Coming to get me. And I’m so incredibly sorry for everything
that was done to you while you were in our custody. I know I’ve said it before, but it’s never enough. And now, after all of this… I fully understand why you can never trust me. But I swear to you, on the life of everything I hold sacred, that I will never, ever, ever, ever leave you alone again. Not even if you beg me to.”

He kissed her breathless. “You have nothing to apologize for, Zarya.”

She knew better. “That’s your relief still talking.” She kissed the tip of his nose. “But that’s okay. I still love you.”

“And I love you.” He scooped her up in his arms, and started down the hallway.

“What are you doing?”

“Attempting to sweep you off your feet. Is it working?”

She smiled at him. “Honey, you did that the minute I saw you in my cell.”

“Good. ’Cause you stole my heart the first time you looked up at me.”

“I stole it?”

He flashed a wicked grin. “Good point. I gave it to you. I just hope you learn to take better care of it than the rings I keep buying you.”

EPILOGUE

Three months later

Zarya had her eyes closed as she sat on the cold marble floor with her long, maroon silk lace dress fanning out around her while she leaned back against Darling. Cradling her in his arms, he held a cool cloth to her forehead.

She groaned out loud in utter misery. “I can’t believe this is how I’m spending my wedding… sick on the bathroom floor.”

Nuzzling her cheek, he laughed softly in her ear. “Well, at least I have it all on video. The priest asking you to confirm your vows to me, and you instantly dashing off to throw up. Kind of apropos really, given
our
relationship. I’m so glad to know that the concept of being married to me makes you sick to your stomach.”

“You’re not funny.”

He laid a tender kiss on her bare shoulder. “Sure I am. You’d laugh too if you hadn’t just tossed up a vital organ or two.”

Smiling in spite of her queasiness, she cupped his perfect cheek in her hand. How he could be so kind and find humor in this given the insult she’d inadvertently dealt him, was beyond her. But then that was why she loved him so much. “I’m so sorry, Darling.”

“Don’t be.” He placed another kiss on her shoulder. “I’m quite happy right now. I have the best view in the palace, and I’m willing to sit here all day, holding you if you want.”

She slid her gaze up to see him staring down her décolletage. The hunger in his eyes and the sudden sensation of him bulging against her hip set fire to her own blood. “You’re so bad,” she teased.

“Can’t help it. I find you completely irresistible.”

A light knock sounded on the door.

“Come in,” Darling called.

It was Gera with Shahara, Desideria, Jayne, Maris, Ture, Sorche, and Lise. They came into the room to form a semicircle around them.

Could this day be any more embarrassing?

Maris passed a smug look at Ture. “I told you he wouldn’t be angry at her.”

Ture folded his arms over his chest. “I’m impressed he hasn’t at least choked her. I don’t think I could be so kind if you did that to me, Mari. So take note. I don’t tolerate vomiting on me in the midst of a public event, especially when it’s being videoed.”

“Then I shall forever endeavor to confine all such drama to the washroom.”

Zarya would laugh at his comment if she wasn’t afraid it would unsettle her stomach again.

Kneeling beside her, Ture placed a kind hand to her brow. “How are you doing, sweetie?”

She tilted her head back to see the concern on Darling’s face while he continued to hold her. “Darling needs a new pair of shoes, and I need my dignity repaired. Other than that, I’m totally miserable. I can’t believe I did this at my wedding. I’m so humiliated.”

Returning to stand over her, Ture bit his lip. “Look on the bright side, it’s not really
your
dignity that should be bruised, hon.
Darling’s the one who was left at the altar while you rushed off gagging… Great timing, by the way. The media is having a field day with it.”

With a light laugh, Maris wrapped his arms around Ture’s waist and rested his chin on Ture’s shoulder. “Thank the gods, if we get married I don’t have to worry about you having morning sickness in the middle of the ceremony.”

Ture laid his hand over Maris’s cheek. “Exactly. If I get sick, you definitely know you’re the cause of it.”

Shahara laughed. “Yeah, you both might want to be careful what you eat beforehand.”

It still amazed Zarya how close Ture and Maris had become in such a short amount of time. Since both had been hurt badly in the past by others and given the depth of Maris’s feelings toward Darling, they’d started off very slow after they’d returned home—just friends who hung out. But as of last week when Ture’s brother had gone after Maris for the bounty on his head and Ture had chosen Maris’s well-being over his brother’s, they’d become inseparable.

She was so glad to see them both happy. They deserved to have someone love them who treated them with respect and deference.

Gera brought over a fresh cloth and switched it with the one Darling held against her forehead. “Would you like me to have the priest come in here to finish, my lady?”

“Oh goodness, no.” Nothing would be worse than to have her vows broadcasted across the universe from the bathroom while she sat on the floor.

Not that they needed to take their vows. Technically, they were already married. As Darling had promised, he’d made her his wife the moment they returned to the palace.

He hadn’t even given her time to clean up. The priest had literally met them at the door, ready to go, and they’d been married just inside the foyer.

One thing about her first baby, when he made a promise, he kept it.

But for her to be accepted as Darling’s legal consort and for their child to be acknowledged as the legal Caronese heir, they needed a public ceremony before the gerents and people.