Part 47 (2/2)
”No!”
Fain cringed and waited to die in a painful burst.
But nothing happened.
Nothing.
”What the h.e.l.l, man?” It was his turn to glare at Ven.
Ven tossed the switch at Fain, who caught it in one hand. ”When you became Rogue, it deactivated it.”
Fain gaped at that. It actually made sense that the neuromapping might have bypa.s.sed the programming and deactivated the device, but... ”You knew and you didn't tell me?”
”Of course not. I'm not stupid. You would have killed me without hesitation.”
Fain digested that slowly. ”Then out of curiosity, how did you find out it was no longer working?”
Ven turned sheepish. ”Really rather not answer.”
Rage exploded inside Fain. That could only mean the b.a.s.t.a.r.d had tried to use it to fry his brains. Furious, he grabbed him by the s.h.i.+rt. ”I just might kill you yet!”
”You can't. You still owe me a t.i.the.”
”You canceled my t.i.the.”
”Did I?”
Fain narrowed his gaze. ”Ven...”
He cracked an arrogant grin. ”Just jerking on you, Hauk. Get a sense of humor.” He broke Fain's hold. ”Go on. I gave you your freedom. Now would you rather risk it by attacking me, or do something better with it?” He cut his gaze toward Galene.
Honestly? Fain wanted to beat the c.r.a.p out of him until his fury was spent.
But...
Ven was right. He'd much rather let it go and be grateful he was alive and had his family with him. ”You're fortunate I have to help my wife pack her gear, and mobilize an army. Otherwise, I'd be slipping on your entrails right now.”
And with that, they left Ven to tend his own house. There was nothing more they could do here. It was time for Fain to put it all behind him, once and for all.
”Well,” Caillen said with an amused grin, ”we've destroyed half of Venik's base. I think our work here is done. Chayden will feel extremely vindicated when he sobers up. Anyone know how to fly his s.h.i.+p?”
Fain pa.s.sed an amused stare to Galene. ”Qory.”
Talyn shook his head. ”Nah, that's not a good idea. He was beyond past drunk when I left them. So much so, he couldn't even make confident obscene gestures at Venik.”
Morra let out a tired laughing sigh. ”I'll get them. I can tractor beam Chay's s.h.i.+p to mine. So long as someone covers me.”
Nykyrian inclined his head to her. ”We have your back, little sister. Always.”
”Thanks, boss. So who wants the hernia that comes with helping Qory walk?”
Laughing, Talyn lifted his hand. ”I'll take it. I already had one large object fall on me today. What's another?”
”Yeah, you should be careful,” Nero warned. ”We can't do another round yet to lift him off you. We have to have a good day of down time to nurse our head wounds, and I doubt Ushara can talk Tray into another heroic deed.” He pa.s.sed a questioning brow to the Fyreblood, who was being strangely quiet in their wake.
”Yeah, I'm not the safest bet on that. Jullien has much better luck when it comes to moving the immovable object known as Trajen, than I do.” She screwed her face up into a becoming frown. ”Not sure how he does it.”
Nykyrian actually stumbled at that. ”Really?”
Ushara nodded. ”Your brother can be quite the diplomat when he wants to.”
Nyk pa.s.sed a frown to Dancer. ”One day I hope to meet this Jullien you describe.”
Dancer snorted. ”Hope you're not disappointed by the little b.a.s.t.a.r.d when you do.”
Jayne slapped him on the stomach. ”Play nice.”
Grimacing, Dancer rubbed his stomach and grumbled. ”I was. That was actually the edited version of what went through my thoughts.”
Laughing, Jayne rolled her eyes.
When they reached the landing bay, Galene stopped Nykyrian, Syn, Dancer, and Jayne. Ushara paused alongside them.
”So where do we set up now, Highness?” Galene asked.
Nykyrian swept his gaze around the bustling ground crews as they rushed to prepare the s.h.i.+ps to launch. ”My grandmother still holds Andaria. We can't go there.”
”Lorens has taken Xera V back. For now, they're holding the outpost. I have reinforcements en route to them.”
Nykyrian stroked his chin in thought. ”Until this ends, I want our families secured and out of harm's way.”
Ushara rubbed her stomach protectively as if she couldn't agree more. ”I know a place, but you won't like it. And I will need a.s.surances from you and your mother that my people will be granted amnesty from your troops and laws.”
”We are not my grandmother. Neither my mother nor I bear any malice toward the Fyrebloods.”
”Then I can offer you shelter in our lands. No one will find you there.”
Nero exchanged a bitter grimace with Hadrian. ”Won't Trajen protest?”
”Probably. But he needs his brothers. Sooner or later, his sh.e.l.l will crack and he'll let you in.” She paused. ”Or he'll kill you.”
”Oh goody!” Hadrian said in a falsetto. ”I can't wait! Jayne? Can we go get slaughtered by my brother I never knew I still had? Can we, please?”
She snorted at her husband. ”Yeah, he has a head injury. And he's about to get another.”
Nero ignored him. ”Is Trajen married?” he asked Ushara. ”Does he have kids?”
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