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“Where is Raina?” Realizing he was the only one seated, Laidon stood and faced Udora. “Is she stable enough to travel? I would like to leave immediately.”
Sailing closer to Laidon, Udora matched his autocratic tone. “Raina is in a healing thrall. She barely survived her activation. It will be some time before she is lucid. At that point I will ask her where she chooses to go and with whom.”
Laidon activated the subdermal control band on the inside of his forearm. With a few sharp hand gestures, he selected some sort of document and sent it to Udora. “That is the contract I negotiated with Raina’s parents giving me the right to claim her. According to the Matok Treaty, which you signed, interfering with the retrieval of a fleeing mate will be considered an act of war.”
Her brows arched and she didn’t bother opening the document. “Even if the contract is legitimate, which I doubt, who is going to enforce the treaty on your behalf? There is a massive bounty on your head on Torret and you kidnapped Raina from the Citadel. Zevon likely has hunters out looking for you even as we speak.”
Cylex fought back a smile. She masterfully called Laidon’s bluff and his only response was to glare at her.
“Is Raina out of danger, Mistress Air?” Cylex asked, drawing Udora’s attention for the first time. “I know her well and have been really worried about her.”
“You have changed much since the last time I saw you.” She floated past Laidon and closer to Cylex. “You were always tall, but look at all of these muscles.” She flashed a friendly smile. “How have you been?”
“He can’t decide whose side he’s on, but everyone seems to like him,” Laidon muttered just loud enough for the other two to hear.
Without glancing Laidon’s way, she waved her arm and sent him Flowing out of sight.
Cylex watched it happen in stunned silence. Flowing was a coveted gift even in its basic form. Those who could take others with them as they Flowed from one location to another were considered highly skilled. Only a handful of Pyronese had ever been able to control Air so well that they could propel others through space without touching them. Apparently, Udora had joined the storied few.
Finally recovering enough to speak, Cylex asked, “He is still alive, isn’t he?”
She laughed, leaning her hip against the rounded edge of the desk. “He annoyed me, but not badly enough to end his life. I sent him to the vestibule. Guards are waiting to escort him beyond the outer walls. He will not be allowed beyond them again.” She motioned to the chairs in front of the desk as she moved behind it and sat down. “Kern has had several friends down through the years, but you were always my favorite. I like who Kern is when he spends time with you. The same cannot be said about most of the others.”
He inclined his head, acknowledging the compliment. “Did he perform an energy transfer or was something more physical necessary to stabilize her activation?” The question embarrassed him even as it passed his lips. Jealousy was the only reason he would ask the question and she easily read between the lines.
“You have feelings for Raina.” It was not a question. “Why didn’t you claim her?”
He hadn’t seen Udora for more than a decade, but it felt natural to speak with her. “I am Raina’s bodyguard. It’s forbidden for me to touch her intimately.”
“How was Kern able to snatch her if you were guarding her? Even as a lad your potential was obvious.”
“I was sent off-world on a mission.” He sighed and shifted on his seat. “It’s a long story.”
“As I said, Raina is in a healing thrall, but her life is no longer in danger.”
“Oh, thank the Creator.” He exhaled and reminded himself that Udora’s loyalty was to Pyron first and then her grandson. She was being personable to gather information, but they were no longer friends. “Is Kern still here?”
“He is. Would you like to speak with him?”
“That depends.” He infused his tone with determination as he asked, “Does he still intend to deliver Raina to Laidon or does he consider the mission complete?”
“I cannot speak for my grandson. However, I will tell you what I intend. Raina will not be forced into anything. She will only leave this planet when it is her choice to do so, and she will only be claimed if and when she has selected her mates. Do I make myself clear?”
He looked into her eyes and insisted, “I would never harm Raina, nor would I coerce her into accepting my will. I honestly care for her and hope that she will accept me as her mate. But even if she doesn’t, I will ensure that no one else harms her.”
Udora smiled broadly and stood up. “I’ll send Kern to you. He likes to brood but don’t let him get away with his dark moods. The Kern you knew at the academy is still in there.” Without giving him time to respond, she Flowed from the room.
A reluctant smile curved Cylex’s lips as he pushed to his feet. Udora used the inherent drama of her abilities to make herself seem more mysterious. Obviously Kern could Flow, but what other abilities had he gained in the years since Cylex last interacted with him? They saw each other frequently as they came and went from the palace, but then never exchanged more than a terse greeting. It bothered Cylex for the first few years, but he had never been one to chase after friends and Kern was the one who had pushed him away.
Kern Flowed into the office a few minutes later. He was dressed all in black, a custom he’d developed in his youth. His sharp cheekbones and blue-black hair were common among the Pyronese. His lanky build and the faint blue cast to his pale skin were genetic gifts from his powerful grandmother. He could walk unnoticed down a public street on Pyron or Torret, but he was unable to move beyond the violence of his conception because he stared into his father’s quadruple-ringed eyes every time he looked into a mirror. It was a genetic anomaly shared by one in six million Torretians.
“When Raina said her bodyguard’s name was Cylex, I never dreamed it was you,” Kern said without bothering with a greeting. “You only switched sides a few weeks ago. How did you convince the fools at the Citadel to let you guard their most valuable possession?”
“Raina is not a possession,” Cylex snapped then realized Kern had been baiting him. “Why bring her here? Torret was closer, significantly closer.”
“The strongest healers in the star system are here and I wanted her to survive.”
Feeling less defensive than before, Cylex said, “She’s just a cargo to you, a fee. Why would you care if she lived or died?”
