Syn, Darling, and Jayne exchanged a scowl that was probably quite similar to the one Bastien felt on his own face.

"You know?" Jayne asked.

Dancer sat up slowly.

"Whoa, buddy." Syn held him back. "You need to stay down until we get a lift here for you."

Dancer hesitated before he stretched out again, only this time, he put his head in Sumi's lap. "Jaynie? Darling? Don't let anyone hurt my mia. Or I'll take it out of both your a.s.ses."

Darling arched his brows. "Look, bud, I know you're drugged out of your mind, but you are aware that Sumi's human, right?"

Dancer shoved at Darling. "Don't insult my female by putting her in the same cla.s.s as you."

Jayne arched a brow. "How much c.r.a.p have you given him, Syn?"

"That ain't my drug, baby. That's called l-o-v-e."

Jayne scoffed. "Hauk? Love? Lorina s.h.i.t."

"It's true. That's why his eyes are red," Darling said to her. "Can't hide or deny that."

Syn injected something into the IV.

Dancer shoved at him. "Why did you do that?"

"You need to rest."

Dancer grabbed the front of Darling's battlesuit. "Keep Sumi safe for me. Don't let anyone harm her. Swear..." He pa.s.sed out.

Sumi caught him against her and laid him down gently.

They all three stared at her as if she was a three-headed Gourish snake.

"What?"

Without answering her, Syn moved to check on Bastien.

Darling continued to hold Dancer's IV.

"Jayne?" Syn called. "On my twelve, babe."

She came over to him, leaving Sumi alone with Darling while she knelt down to a.s.sist Syn.

Bastien held his breath, trying really hard not to breathe in her perfume. "Hard" being the operative word he was also trying to not think about.

d.a.m.n his body. And d.a.m.n him for having gone so long without a woman that being this close to one was practically killing him.

Trying to distract himself any way he could, Bastien focused on what Darling and Sumi were talking about.

"So what did you name your son?" she asked.

"Cezar."

"Congratulations. I know Dancer will be thrilled to meet him."

Darling shook his head. "And he lets you call him Dancer, too ... d.a.m.n. He really must love you."

"It's a beautiful name," she said defensively.

He scoffed. "Says the woman who didn't have to go to school or into League training with it. Take it from someone named Darling, it's been a constant source of agony for him the whole of his life."

Sumi paled. "I-I didn't mean to hurt him with it."

Darling covered her hand with his. "Trust me, given the way you say it, he doesn't mind. If he did, he'd stop you. Tolerance is not one of his virtues."

Bastien would definitely agree with that statement. He had yet to meet an Andarion with much tolerance for anything.

"Little Sumi?"

Bastien's jaw went slack at the unexpected appearance of Fain Hauk. St. Jake ... it'd been a long time, but his old friend looked good. Healthy. A lot more mentally stable than he'd been back in the day.

Fain was a huge beast of a creature-even larger than Dancer. And like his younger brother, he had traditional Andarion warrior braids, too, except a portion of his had been bleached white and he was dressed in Tavali gear with one of their masks hanging loose around his neck.

Bastien frowned as he vaguely recalled seeing some of their gear with Fain back in the day. Weird that he'd never thought to ask Fain about it, nor had he a.s.sumed Fain to be a member of their outlawed guild since it was a death sentence in most empires to be caught with any Tavali markings, Canting, or gear.

Including Kirovar.

But unlike Jullien, who was part of the Tavali Gorturnum Nation and had a black bug-looking Canting, Fain had a solid red sleeve badge, which meant he was a Rogue pilot. Someone who owed neither t.i.the nor allegiance to any single Tavali Nation.

Bastien dipped his gaze to see that even after all these years, Fain still wore Galene's engagement ring around his pinkie. While he might have married Omira, Galene Batur was the one female alive who'd always owned Fain's heart.

Like Bastien with Ember. She would always be the one who'd gotten away. The one he regretted losing.

Sumi turned around slowly.

And the pain on Fain's painted face was tangible. He stared at her as if she were a ghost whose sole purpose was to haunt him.

Darling glanced back and forth between them. "You two know each other?"

"I was married to her older sister." Fain blinked as if finally getting a handle on the fact that she wasn't Omira and that she meant him no harm.

Jayne smacked her hand against her own forehead. "That's why she looks so familiar. I knew I recognized her from somewhere. Stupid me. I was thinking bounty sheets, not Fain's wife."

Fain's gaze dropped to Dancer's head in Sumi's lap. In that moment, Dancer blinked his eyes open as if he felt his brother's presence. Guilt and anguish marked his features as he realized how this must look to Fain.

Moving forward, Fain dropped to his knees next to Dancer. "Hey, drey. You still with me?"

Dancer scowled. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Fain asked in a shocked tone.

He glanced at Sumi then back to Fain. "I never meant to hurt you."

Fain cupped Dancer's head in his hands. "Dancer ... this doesn't hurt me." He gave him a sincere smile. "You deserve to be happy, kiran. It's all I've ever wanted for you." He dropped his hand to Dancer's then he took Sumi's into his other hand and joined them together. "Don't let my past darken or taint your future. I love both my kisa and kiran. I always have."

Even so, Bastien saw the ragged torment in Fain's eyes. It was a pain he knew all too well himself.

"I'd rather you hit me, drey."

Fain laughed at Dancer's words. "You're too weak at the moment. Few days ... I'll be happy to beat you down."

He playfully slapped his brother's face. "You suck as a brother. I want my money back."

Fain snorted. "Could be worse. I'm stuck with you."

Bastien bit his lip to stifle the unexpected tears those words wrought inside him. And the guilt and self-recrimination they awoke. How many times had he yelled at his brother and called him every insult he knew in six languages?

He'd stupidly thought he hated Quin-so much that he'd blown off their last holiday together because he'd refused to sit through another dinner with Quin eyeballing him and judging him as lacking. For that matter, he'd barely stomached Lil most days. He'd looked for any excuse to avoid being around them, wishing he was anywhere else other than in their company.

Until they were gone.

Now ... he'd give anything to see them and apologize. Trade every bit of his future life if he could go back to one single memory and relive it with them as a whole family.

Even a fight.

Why hadn't I gone to that stupid holiday dinner when da asked me?

How could they be gone now? Why was he still here without them? For that pain alone, he wanted to beat his uncle until nothing was left of him. Barnabas should have killed him, too. Should have never left a single breath in his body.

Without a word, Syn returned to them. He let out an irritated sigh as he checked Dancer's IV. "How much do I have to give you to keep you unconscious? d.a.m.n Andarion metabolism. Stay down, beast!"

He fanged Syn then looked at Fain. "Kill him."

"I would, but his wife would tear me up. And no offense, she scares me. You really don't."

Ignoring them, Syn added more medicine to the IV as a skimmer appeared. A small team of medics ran off the craft with lifts for Dancer and Bastien.

It was only then that Fain glanced in his direction. His jaw went slack as instant recognition lit his white eyes. "Bas!" he said with a laugh. "And here I thought you dead. Should have known better."

Bastien gave Fain a droll, offended stare as they placed him on the lift. "Your brother d.a.m.n near finished what you started. Luckily, I'm like a c.o.c.kroach. Hard to kill."

Shaking his head, Fain patted him on his arm. "It's good to see you again, drey. Thank you for fighting with my brother for me."

"Only for you, drey. Only for you."

The medics rushed Bastien into the skimmer, then took him to a ma.s.sive interstellar ship and to a medical bay that was as impressive as the best-equipped hospital.

There were people everywhere.

Never had Bastien felt lonelier. How weird that he was more isolated here than he'd been while alone in his desert base. At least there, it wasn't as obvious that he had no one. But for some reason, having people nearby who didn't give a s.h.i.t about him hurt a whole h.e.l.l of a lot more.

Tears welled in his eyes as he remembered a time when he'd been flippant about being the center of attention. Dismissive of his family's overbearing love.

"Hey," Syn said as he finally came in and checked the IV they'd started in Bastien's arm. "I'm going to put you under and get that tracking device out of you, if that's okay?"

He had to ask?

"You get that out of me, Doc, and I'll kiss you for it."

Syn grinned at him. "Don't let my wife catch you. She's insanely jealous." He put his hand on Bastien's shoulder. "Just relax. We'll have you up to running speed real soon."

Nodding, Bastien closed his eyes and waited for the drug to take effect.

Syn watched as his patient drifted off, then checked his vitals. In spite of his unkempt condition, malnutrition, and slight dehydration, Bastien was remarkably fit. Injuries notwithstanding.

But h.e.l.l, anyone spending time with Hauk was going to come away wounded. The b.a.s.t.a.r.d could find trouble lurking in a nunnery.

As he left the room to prepare for surgery, he found Nykyrian waiting for him in the hallway. "What's up?"

"Came to check on Bastien."

"He'll be fine." Syn scowled as he caught the shadow in Nyk's green eyes. The two of them had been friends for a long time. Wingmen for so long that Syn could finish any sentence Nyk started. "You don't trust him?"

"I don't know him. Hauk said he found some items in the base that had come from Jullien."

"Jullien.... Your brother?"

He nodded, and there was no way to miss the burning hatred in that cold expression. "If they've partnered up..."

"I don't think he's partnered with anyone, Nyk. He's in bad shape. Been alone and scrounging for a long time. Trust me, I know the signs." He'd been a gutter rat himself and lived among the sewers, barely surviving until Nyk had saved his life.

Nykyrian rubbed at his neck. "Still ... my father said that the evidence against Bastien was substantial. Aside from eyewitness testimony, he was found covered in my aunt's blood. His prints all over the murder weapon."

"You gotta know he didn't do it, though. No one would have shot up his family and stayed there, waiting to be arrested for it. He's not that stupid. If he were, he'd have never survived on his own."

Nykyrian crossed his arms over his chest. "You're right. The testimony came from his uncle who inherited the throne in his stead. And his ex-wife, who got a divorce and Bastien's property, money, and t.i.tles out of it."

"Follow the creds." Syn sucked his breath in sharply. "Um, yeah ... he definitely didn't do it." Having been accused in a corrupt legal system, Syn knew a setup when he heard one. "They framed that boy."

"My father refuses to believe it, though."

"Why?" Syn was aghast.

"He knew them all. Said Bastien was a spoiled brat who needed a good a.s.s-beating most days."

Syn scoffed. "I live in fear of what he'd have said about us, back in the day."

"So you do trust Bastien, then?"