"How many languages do you know?" Thia breathed, using her native language in her sudden excitement.

"I've never really counted." He smiled and Kiara's anger for what he had done to her melted. "But if you wish, I could help you with them. I've lived on a lot of the planets where these languages are spoken."

"Were they beautiful?" Thia breathed, her eyes dreamy. "Aksel won't let me leave here."

A frown flitted across her face, then disappeared behind another smile. "I've only seen holograms and stills of those places. At night, I like to dream about visiting them when I'm big."

Nykyrian touched her tiny hand and Kiara thought she might burst into tears. This was the Nykyrian she had fallen in love with. The gentle, kind man who would do anything for the ones he cared about.

"I'll tell you a secret," he said, leaning closer to Thia. "Those places aren't half as beautiful as you!"Laughing, Thia pulled her chair closer to him. "You're nicer than most of the people who visit Mama."

"Aksel's coming!" Driana's shout broke through their conversation.

Kiara looked at Nykyrian, her heart pounding in fear. When he glanced up from Thia, she saw he was torn between leaving and staying. He met her gaze, then stood.

"Is there a back way out?" he asked.

"The balcony behind you."

Nykyrian opened the door and helped Kiara through. Driana handed him the disks. He paused for a moment, staring at Thia. "I'll be back for her."

Driana nodded. "I'm counting on it."

They made it safely down the trellis and to the street below. Kiara breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Nykyrian, but as usual, he gave her no clue about what he was feeling. He took her arm and led her back toward their ship. At least this time, his grip was gentle.

"So you're a papa," Kiara said with a warm smile. "How does that make you feel?"

After the tender way he had spoken with Thia, Kiara expected him to beam with satisfaction, to smile, to be happy, but what she got was a deep growl.

His hand tightened on her arm. "I feel like hell," he ground out in a maddened voice.

A chill went down Kiara's spine. She rubbed her hand across her stomach. "Why do you say that?"

He stopped in the alley and glared at her. "A child is the last thing I need in my life. One more helpless person depending on me to protect them. I can't even protect myself, Rachol ..." His voice trailed off.

Kiara shifted nervously, wishing for something she could say to soothe the pain in his eyes.

"I'm not fit to be a parent. What's she supposed to do, introduce me to her friends, 'Hi, this is my dad. He's wanted dead by more governments than I can count!' "Kiara stiffened in reaction to his words. "You don't have to be so sarcastic."

He shook his head. "Come on Kiara, even you aren't that naive. Aksel's after you to get to me. What do you think my enemies will do if they ever learn I have a young daughter? Her life won't be worth a sola."

Kiara let his words fall over her and with each one she cringed a little more. What if Thia were her child? What if Nykyrian were right, and someone did take her baby from her to use against him, how could she stand it? She couldn't. She would rather they tear out her heart than touch her baby.

Her heart pounding in agonized beats, she realized she had to make a decision. Her husband or her baby. She couldn't have both, Nykyrian's world was too harsh for that.

Swallowing the lump of remorse in her throat, she knew what her answer must be. She'd have to shelter her child from the truth just as Driana had done with Thia.

Nykyrian could never know about their baby, and she could never live with him as his wife.

Thirteen.

Kiara's head ached. They had just left Rachol's flat and the destruction of his home burned raw in her mind. Everything had been torn apart, not even the mattress had been left intact. Her throat tightened with fear and apprehension, reminding her just why she would have to give up her husband.

What had happened to Rachol?

Nykyrian stayed two steps ahead of her and she felt like a forgotten slave as she hurried along behind him, searching for words to make him feel better, knowing none existed.

"Why did you tell Driana we were married?" she asked. At least she could have an answer to one of her many questions.

Nykyrian stopped and turned around to face her. He wore his glasses again. Kiara wished she could glimpse what emotions were coursing through him. His body betrayed nothing.

"By Andarion law, you are free to marry as many husbands as you choose. I told Driana about us in case Aksel kills me, you are now entitled to my estate."Kiara's stomach twisted at the blase way he spoke about his death. "Why not tell Darling or Hauk?"

"They're outlaws, mu Tara. Driana is the daughter of a well-connected ambassador. All you have to do is contact her after my demise and everything I own is yours."

Tears gathered in her eyes, but she refused to cry on the street. "I don't want your money," she said between clenched teeth, angered he would be so callous about his life and her future.

He didn't move. "Fine. Let the banks have it then. I really couldn't care less."

Turning around, he continued down the street. Kiara cursed him, wanting to tear his heart out, provided he had one. She was beginning to doubt he could care about much of anything.

"Kyrian?"

Kiara almost walked into Nykyrian he stopped so suddenly. His body went rigid. Kiara frowned wondering what had him so upset. Scanning the street, she saw a beautiful Andarion lady rushing out of a shop, toward them.

The Andarion woman stopped just before them, her face a cross between disbelief, agony, and joy. She was almost as tall as Nykyrian. Her red and white eyes scanned Nykyrian's body in a possessive manner Kiara didn't like. The woman's long, black hair was partially concealed by a golden diadem that framed the fragile, pale features of her face.

"Kyrian?" she said again and reached a graceful hand out to Nykyrian, but she jerked it back before she touched him.

He stood ramrod stiff, not acknowledging the woman in the least.

Another Andarion lady appeared out of the shop, followed by her guards. "Cairistiona!"

she said sternly, relief underlining the severe tone. "Don't ever leave like that again!"

She placed her arms around the woman's shoulders and tried to walk her away from them.

"No!" Cairistiona said, wrenching her arms from her. "It's my Kyrian, can't you see?"

The woman looked up at Kiara and Nykyrian. "I'm sorry," she said in a soft voice. "She'snot been right since her son died as a child." She put her arms back on Cairistiona and patted her gently. "Come along Carie, he's not Nykyrian, you know that."

Kiara's blood left her cheeks. She placed her hand on Nykyrian's arm and felt the degree of tenseness in his body.

Cairistiona looked up at him, her red and white eyes pleading. "Tell her who you are!"

she said, gesturing to the woman beside her.

Nykyrian started to move away, but Kiara grabbed him. "You know her, don't you?" she asked, wishing she could see his eyes.

"Let go of me," he snapped.

Kiara glanced at the woman holding Cairistiona. "Is she your mother?"

The woman gasped.

"Nykyrian, answer me!" Kiara demanded, wishing she had the strength to shake him.

Nykyrian stared at Kiara, his stomach knotted. This couldn't be happening. He remembered all too well his mother putting him on the shuttle that took him to the work home. Her happy smile as she told him to be a good boy and do as he was told. He hated her. He wanted to kill her.

"Kyrian?"

He cringed at his mother's voice, the voice he had yearned to hear for so many years.

What did she want from him? Absolution? Forget it, he wasn't in a forgiving mood!

"I don 't have a mother," he sneered. "I never had one."

Oblivious to the staring passers-by, Cairistiona burst into tears.

Nykyrian tried to move past Kiara, but she held fast. At the moment, he wanted to kill her, too. "Let go of me," he said in a low tone that never failed to intimidate people. For once, it didn't work. She just stared at him with those damned beautiful amber eyes, demanding with them that he do something he knew would only hurt him more.

Kiara looked at Cairistiona. "Was your son named Nykyrian Caesare?"Nykyrian's arms flexed threateningly underneath her hands, but Kiara ignored the warning.

The woman holding Cairistiona paled.

"Yes!" Cairistiona said, her eyes never leaving Nykyrian's rigid back.

"He's half human, half Andarion, with gorgeous, clear, light green eyes?"

"Kiara!" Nykyrian growled low in his throat.

Kiara ignored him.

Cairistiona's tears dripped from her chin. "Yes," she said, her voice trembling.

Nykyrian pulled away from her.

In one last move to defy him for his own good, Kiara stood on her tiptoes and pulled his glasses off his face. The look he gave her made her take a step back.

"Oh God," the woman gasped as she saw his face. Her hands fell away from Cairistiona.

Cairistiona let out a happy laugh, covering her mouth with a shaking hand. "I knew you were alive!" she said, as giddy as a child during a festival.

Nykyrian just continued to glare at Kiara as if he could kill her.

The other woman moved forward, staring at him with disbelief etched into her beautiful face. "You're supposed to be dead!" She looked at Kiara with her red and white eyes. "I saw the body." Her gaze shifted back to Nykyrian. "I was there when they buried you."

Cairistiona stepped forward and touched Nykyrian's cheek, her hand trembling. "I told you then that boy wasn't my Kyrian! But you wouldn't listen. All of you thought I was crazy." She bit her quivering lip. "They wouldn't even allow me to search for you."

Nykyrian stood rigid still while she touched his face and Kiara knew he wanted to leave, wanted to run away, but she couldn't let him. This was the only way she knew to silence his nightmares. He could deny it all he liked, but she knew he still yearned for his mother's love.

Nykyrian bared his fangs, anger darkening his eyes. "Don't lie to me! You didn't want twins to half your empire. You kept Jullien by your side and sent me away!"Realization struck Kiara so hard, it stole her breath. She took a step back, glancing at Cairistiona, Nykyrian and the other woman. It couldn't be.

Her gaze drifted to the women's expensive, imperial robes, the imperial guards. Her throat dried. The woman before her was Princess Cairistiona, the lady holding her was Princess Tylie, which made Nykyrian . . .

Nykyrian barely caught Kiara as she fainted.

"Oh my," Tylie said, glancing around the street. "Is she all right?"

Nykyrian clenched his teeth, fear pouring over him. He couldn't imagine what was wrong with Kiara. "I don't know," he said, swinging Kiara's limp body up into his arms.

"Our shuttle's docked behind this building. Cairistiona's doctor is on board," Tylie said, glancing at his mother. "That would probably be the closest place to take her for care."

Nykyrian glared at his aunt, wanting to get as far away from them as he could. But Kiara came first. He nodded and followed them around the building. His mother kept looking back at him, her smile wide. Every time he saw her, he was torn between welcoming it and wanting to curse.

It seemed an eternity before they were on board the shuttle and the Andarion doctor came out of the back, complaining about serving a human patient. The prejudice ate at Nykyrian's tolerance and he wanted to backhand the man.

Gently, Nykyrian laid Kiara in a soft, cushioned seat. His heart thudded in his chest as he watched her pale beauty, aching for her to wake so they could leave these people.

The doctor shooed him away so he could examine Kiara without a lot of interference. To Nykyrian's extreme annoyance, his mother grabbed his arm and pulled him to the back of the shuttle where she and Tylie could talk to him.

"Who is the woman?" Tylie asked, glancing over the seat to watch the doctor.

"My wife," he said coldly.

His mother smiled. "You're married!"

He just glared at her. It cut him that his own mother didn't know the most basicinformation about him.

Tylie looked back at him. "What happened to you? After we sent you off to school, we were told you died in a fire."

Nykyrian curled his lip. "You never sent me to school, so don't bother lying."

His mother and aunt exchanged puzzled frowns.

Cairistiona touched his hand. "I put you on the shuttle myself. You were sent to Pontari Academy," she said slowly as if talking to an idiot.

A chill crept over Nykyrian.

He tried to remember why his mother had sent him away, but he couldn't recall all the details. All he could remember was her smiling and waving at him, her tender voice telling him to behave. He looked deep into her eyes, trying to find the answer. Could she be telling the truth? No, his mind screamed. It was a lie, it had to be.

His temper boiled. "I was sent to a human work home!" he snarled, glaring at them.