Tethered (9 page)

He dropped his hand. “Forgive me, my lady, but a quick demonstration seemed best.”

“You’re shielded. And augmented.” He was proof against a Su, and with his sheer strength he couldn’t be anything else.

He nodded and flexed his hands in front of her face. “Cybernetic implants and nanotech enhancement.”

Damn it. I knew he’d been modified the moment I saw him, and I never questioned it.

She mentally slapped herself. “Done when?”

“After the bomb attack. The master does not know, of course. He would not have wanted me to go through with the adaptations for his sake.”

“You must be very devoted.”

“I’ve served him all my life. And this treaty is important to him—to us all. A small sacrifice.” Pevanne peeled back the long sleeve of his tunic, revealing the faint scars running from his palm and along his wrist. “And, of course, I have a Tether built in.”

Tyree shuddered. No wonder she couldn’t Mist out. “In case an Inc-Su is sent.”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t the Terran Assembly trust me?”

“The adaptations were done before we even knew about you, lady. But no, they do not trust you, or any Inc-Su.”

Tyree scowled. “And what about you, Pevanne? Do you think I’m here to guard him or kill him?”

“I...” Pevanne stared at her. “I find you hard to judge, my lady. You look like the lady Mirsee, but that is no proof you are like her in any other way. You are a trained assassin, and just as likely to work against the Assembly as for it. The attempt on your own life could have been because they truly believed you to be Mirsee. It could be they knew your real identity and still wanted to prevent the treaty. Or it could have been a ruse, to convince us that you were a victim when you are really the true assassin.”

“If I were the assassin, wouldn’t I have killed Zander by now?”

“That is the only reason I have done nothing but watch you over the last few nights. I see no reason for you to hold back if you are truly here to kill. Besides, you could easily have let the rogue Manikins kill him and escape yourself without guilt being assigned to you.”

Irritation warred with a strange sense of admiration. “Well, thanks for the grudging vote of confidence. So what do we do now?”

“Perhaps a good night’s sleep is in order.”

Tyree snorted. “And after that?”

“I think we must trust each other. I...do not want you to tell the master what has been done to me, but I cannot force you to keep that secret.”

But you could Tether and kill me if you chose...

She sighed. The kind of wholesale modification that Pevanne must have undergone was a clear statement of his devotion to his master. He
could
kill her, although she’d be on her guard now that she knew what he was capable of. And it would be good to have an ally that could back her up should there be trouble.

“I’ll keep your secret. Providing you don’t try Tethering me again.”

“It was just a precaution, my lady. It will only work at very close range.” He stepped back, allowing her free. “Despite the adaptations, I think I would have a hard time taking you down.”

His frank admission startled her. Not something she would’ve told even a true and trusted friend. “I hope we never have to find that out for sure, Pevanne. Goodnight.”

***

It was hard to meet Zander’s gaze the next morning when she joined him for breakfast. Aside from the overpowering sense that she’d invaded his privacy last night—something that had never bothered her before—there was the discovery of Pevanne’s true nature. She found herself observing the majordomo’s every move as he served them both, until Pevanne gave her a warning glare that forced her to concentrate on her food.

And then there was the prospect of their departure to Neutrality later that day. Much as she disliked their confinement on the
Seclusion,
the thought of the journey and being in close proximity to the Tier-vane wore on her nerves.

“You seem distracted this morning,” Zander ventured at last.

She met his gaze and flicked a smile at him. “Just restless.”

“The thought of going to Neutrality?”

“Yes.” Again, his ability to decipher her mood was disturbing. “Can you read auras or something?”

“No. But I’m somewhat anxious about Neutrality myself.”

“You don’t show it.”

“A good diplomat can hide anything.”

Yes, I’d noticed that.

Tyree sighed and wrapped her hands around the cup of capprey. “Have you met the Tier-vane before?”

“No. I’ve spoken to their emissary via see-vu prior to my assignment as one of the delegates. I was responsible for instigating the treaty process on this occasion, but I’ve never met any face-to-face. Few people ever do.”

“I’ve only seen images of them too. The ones that we’re negotiating with.”

“Meso and Lusinn.” Zander threaded his fingers together. “Meso was apparently in the military. He retired in order to be a delegate.”

“Doesn’t that seem odd to you?”

The Tier-vane are a warrior race, so why give that up for the role of delegate?

“I left the Wardens to join the diplomatic corps,” Zander pointed out.

“So why did
you
do that?”

“I’d finished my most recent tour of duty and was faced with the option of taking another five-year stint or not. G-Comm didn’t wish to lose me. I asked for a leave of absence to decide, and instead found myself requested to take part in negotiations over a trade violation by the Nercaandi.” A wistful smile curved his mouth. “Mirsee was the Terran delegate at the talks.”

“She wasn’t the only reason though?”

“No. I felt my time with G-Comm had come to a natural end. But finding her made me feel there was something more worthwhile than being a Warden.” His gaze drifted away from her as he spoke, as if seeing those moments out in the distant stars beyond the panoramic window. Tyree fidgeted in her seat. His introspection seemed too personal to be sharing.

“Do you suppose that’s why Meso left? That he believed there was something better than being a warrior?” It wasn’t a serious thought, but it unsettled her to have Zander reminiscing.

His eyebrows quirked as he snapped his attention back to her face. “I’ve no idea. I had heard he was part of the military protesting against the renewal of the treaty, but clearly he had a change of heart. Neither side would be chosen as delegate who did not believe in the treaty.”

Hmmm, I wonder...

She took a deep draft of the capprey. It would be all too easy to blame the Tier-vane for the assassination attempts rather than believe it was of humanity’s making. Could it be one of the allied non-Terran races, like the Nercaandi? Their history with the Terrans was as blood-stained and unstable as that of the Tier-vane.

“We will be leaving soon.” His voice broke in on her musing.

“Just the two of us?”

“No, Visaya, Pevanne, and Callista will be coming too. And a small security team. But they’ll all remain at
Centralis
, the main base in Neutrality. We’ll travel on to the treaty point alone with a single pilot, as will the Tier-vane. See-vus will transmit the final signatures to both councils.”

And then I’ll be free to go back to Refuge.

She sighed her relief at the prospect. That was still some weeks away though.

“Keen for it all to be over?”

She grinned. “Are you sure you can’t read auras, Zander? Or is it your skill at body language that means I give all my secrets away?”

“I know you had little choice in this mission, for which I can only apologize. Each of us wishes for it to be over so that we can follow our own desires once more.” No smile warmed his expression, and it gave her a strange sense of foreboding. Perhaps because completing this task still wouldn’t give him back Mirsee. “And now I plan to check on the final arrangements for our departure, if you’ll excuse me.”

She nodded as he rose and bowed his head, wondering exactly what he would do after the treaty had been signed.

Chapter Six

Tyree stepped down the aisle of the transport as if walking barefoot on splinters of hot metaglass. Based purely on statistics, she had no reason to be so nervous. Gate technology was more reliable, though very few ships had been lost to warp space even before the advent of such travel, but the Tier-vane would not permit gates within their territory, or even at the edge of that borderline space known as Neutrality. And yet warp travel still bothered her.

She slid herself into a seat on the right of the aisle and swiftly strapped herself in, not permitting herself even an inkling of retreat. Zander paused before seating himself to the right of her, a couple of seats left empty between them as if he feared to enter her territory. Their relationship since her outburst had been tentative, to say the least. Zander had been polite but remote, and they had studied together in relative silence. It stung a little.

“Why do you do that?” she asked as he strapped himself in.

“Do what?”

“Always sit so that you have your scars turned away from me?”

He eyed her then, his expression mildly startled. “I didn’t realize I did.” He brushed his cheek. “Have I done that every time?”

“Except for when we first met.”

“I...” A twisted smile touched his lips. “Perhaps I only want you to see the good side of me.”

Do you have a bad side, Zander D’joren?

Somehow she doubted anyone had ever seen it if so.

“Then why not have them repaired?” She frowned. “You told me there was a third reason you didn’t have it done. What was it?”

He tapped his fingers on the arms of his seat before answering. “One day, when my task is over, I shall take the time to track down the person who ordered this. Who left me like this, and who took...” He leaned back. “I shall face them, scars and all, so that they may appreciate what they did. And what they failed to do.”

“And then?”

“And then I will kill them.”

Like everything, he said it so calmly and smoothly, and yet she heard the hardness that underlay it. A sliver of cold she had never known from him before.

“Does that seem harsh to you?” Zander asked.

“No. Revenge is often the main motivation when someone decides to hire me or my kin.”

“Revenge,” he murmured. “A terrible word. A terrible thing to want.”

“It’s very human.”

Zander scowled. “Not something an Inc-Su would ever seek?”

“It’s never something I’ve chased after. But...”

“Yes?”

“I think I’d take a little satisfaction from you succeeding. After all, that same person is responsible for me being here on this mission.”

More pain rippled across his face and he sat back, staring ahead. It left Tyree bemused. What bothered him? The prospect of killing? But he’d been a G-Comm Warden—he’d fought and killed before. Was he ashamed of his own desire for revenge? But then why seek it? Or was it her confession of being pleased?

A vibration thrilled through the ship and into her body as the core drive warmed up. She shivered in reply and clenched her fingers more tightly around the ends of the armrests.

“Are you all right?” Despite his own distress, he’d noticed hers. Was he always so considerate to another’s welfare?

“I don’t like space travel.”

“Truly?”

“Yes, truly,” she ground out.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

She shook her head. “I’m going to try to put myself into a dormant state. But it only works for a short period. It might get me part way there.”

“What about Communion?”

White heat rushed through her body. “What?”

Zander frowned. “It’s a form of empathic sharing, isn’t it? Mirsee taught me.” Once more that dark gaze fixed on her face and held her. That fleeting instant of pain in his expression. “We would spend part of each day in Communion. It was the nearest she could get to the auric sharing she missed in Refuge.”

“You did that
every
day?”

“Yes.” Tyree giggled and Zander looked bewildered even as he smiled. “What is it?”

“It’s just...you humans have such odd concepts and hang-ups about sex and then...”

“What do you mean?”

Embarrassment seized her. Had she misunderstood? “Um, perhaps I’ve got this wrong. In Refuge, asking someone to share Communion with you is the same as asking for sex.”

“Ah.” Tyree liked it when Zander blushed. It warmed the already copper tones of his skin and showed his humanity. Proved that he wasn’t the all smooth, emotionless diplomat every moment of the day. “That isn’t what it meant to us.”

“You humans must have more restraint than Inc-Su.”

“Perhaps we do.” Zander took a deep breath. “Will you need...?” His face flared a very definite crimson.

“Communion?”

He nodded. The matter clearly bothered him, especially now that he was aware of her interpretation as opposed to his.

“I...” Tyree touched her collarbone again. “It’s been six weeks since I left Refuge. I’ve never gone that long without Communion or making a kill.”

“I think there’s been enough killing recently.”

“Oh, don’t worry; I’ve no intention of doing that. Unless it’s necessary, of course.”

“Then...” His dark eyes held her. Was he offering what she thought he was?

“I...don’t want to hurt you, Zander.”

“Do you think that’s likely?”

“Possibly. I’ve never tried it. Not without it going further and with my own kind.” Tyree rubbed palms, suddenly damp, on her legs. “And I meant more the emotional pain. The memories it might bring back.”

He considered her for a long moment, and she thought he might retract the offer. She’d already made it clear that Communion meant something different to her, but she could probably restrain herself to his level.

He released himself from his safety harness and moved into the seat beside her. With a graceful wave of his fingers, he slowly extended his hand to her. She stared into his palm as if it was a zone too dangerous for even her to enter. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yes. I won’t have you suffering on my account.”