"I want to check something with that transmission. I'll be back in a little bit."

"Be careful."

He treasured those words as he left the commcen and headed toward the housing area. While he walked, old memories burned raw. He saw his parents fighting as he'd ducked and covered from their vicious hostility in Keris's room. Things had always gone nuclear around Keris's birthday.

But nothing compared to this fight.

"This is all your fault! You brought your lesser genes and tainted my blood with it and you see, you see what you've done!"

"Me? Don't you dare blame this on my family! Not when it was your worthless ancestor who just handed the throne of Andaria away! Who does that? A fool! Hauks have been idiots from the very beginning of our history and now you see what it's gotten you?"

"Yes, I do! A b.i.t.c.h for a wife and three p.u.s.s.ies for sons!"

In their room, away from their fighting parents, Keris had turned on Fain then and seized him so fast, he hadn't even had time to defend himself before his brother had struck him so hard, it'd dazed him. "This is all your fault! They're going to hate me even more because you had to go and f.u.c.k a human wh.o.r.e! I hate you!" Furious, his brother had rained down blows faster than he could fight back.

Dancer had run to protect him, but Keris had lifted his brother from his feet and body-slammed him into the wall.

Then, he'd dragged Fain out of the room by his hair. Everything after that had happened in rapid succession. The screaming and shouting.

In the end, Fain only remembered Keris holding him down while his mother marked him as an Outcast, and then being shoved half-naked and bleeding out the door and told to never bother them again.

Dancer had snuck through the bedroom window with a backpack for the two of them. "I'm coming with you."

Stunned and aching, he'd stared at his brother who was still healing from his own surgeries that had been caused by Chrisen's treachery and now Keris's abuse, and choked on his tears. Dancer had looked more like a small child than a half-grown Andarion male. "You can't, Dancer. You have to stay."

"Not with them. They're all nuts. You're the only one I have I can rely on. You know that."

Sadly, he did.

Scared for his little brother, he'd pulled Dancer into his arms and hugged him, then kissed his head. "C'mon. I'll take you to Yaya Hauk's. But you can't come with me. I don't have any place to stay. And you still need medical care."

"I don't want to be here without you, Fain. I won't survive on my own."

"That's Keris's bulls.h.i.t, D. You're a h.e.l.l of a lot stronger than they know. I'd put you at my back a thousand times faster than I ever would Keris. Screw his military badges and honors. You're more War Hauk than anyone in our family. Never let them tell you otherwise. And don't worry. I'll never be far away from you. You need me, I'll always come."

How he wished he'd made that promise to Galene and Talyn. And how simple it'd seemed then.

The reality...

"Hey, Fain."

He paused as he almost collided with Morra. d.a.m.n, she was the tiniest thing he'd ever known. "Hey, sorry. I didn't see you there."

She flashed an adorable grin. "Yeah, I know. It's the frog thing. We adapted to blend in with our environments."

"I thought that was chameleons."

"Nah, I'm more original. And harder to see." She winked at him.

Laughing, he shook his head as Jayne joined them and handed something to Morra. "What are you two up to?" he asked them.

"On our way to see Galene." Jayne tilted her head as she frowned up at him. "Are you okay? You have that look Hauk gets whenever he's worried about something, but doesn't want anyone to know."

Jayne had lived with her Trisani husband for too long. She was beginning to pick up on Hadrian's same psychic abilities.

"I'm fine."

Morra pa.s.sed a droll stare to Jayne. "He's not fine."

"Yeah." She met Fain's gaze. "Don't worry. We know what's going on. I was on my way to tell Lena that Hadrian and the kids are secured. I can't reach Nyk right now as he and a crew of my compatriots are in a sector where they dare not transmit. I tried to get through to the palace, but all I got was Cairie's staff. For an obvious reason, I didn't dare leave a message."

He cursed under his breath. "You have any idea where Jullien trotted off to?"

She shook her head. "He went underground years and years ago, after The League approved a death warrant on him, issuer unknown. To the point, some say he's dead and buried in a hole on some backwater outpost in an unmarked grave. And let's face it, he wasn't a warrior or survivalist, by any means. I don't think he ever tied his own shoes or b.u.t.toned his own pants. Cairie got a birthday card from him that first year, but nothing afterward. He hasn't touched his accounts or sent any kind of message in a decade. Basically, he's been little more than a ghost since he handed Kiara over to Nyk's enemies, and Nyk promised to paint the walls with his brain matter should he ever invade Nyk's personal s.p.a.ce again."

"You think he took refuge with Eriadne?"

"Who knows with those two? Like her, Jullien was always a slimy little b.a.s.t.a.r.d. I've heard she blames him for his cousins' deaths. So much so that she's the one who contracted for his life with The League. Other reports claim that they've been seen together for years. Personally, I don't know what to believe. If he is alive, he has to be shacked up with family. The G.o.ds know no female would have him. Not without his t.i.tles and inheritance."

Fain gaped. "Wait... his parents couldn't pull The League kill warrant?"

"They tried to block it, but couldn't. When all was said and done, Jullien was the direct cause of the abduction and near murder of Kiara, who at that time was the Gourish princess, and is currently the future queen of Andaria and Triosa. Even though Cairie's the reigning Andarion monarch, The League stepped in and let the order for Jullien's execution stand. Since he's no longer heir to either empire, his parents couldn't say s.h.i.t to stop it. They'd have to reinstate him, and that they won't do for fear of him going after Nyk again to get the throne. So if any bounty hunter or League a.s.sa.s.sin comes across Jullien, he's dead. And if Nyk ever lays eyes on him again... he won't even be a fond memory."

Fain grimaced. "What level warrant is it?"

"Thrill-kill."

His grimace turned to a wince. Thrill-kill meant the issuer wanted Jullien violently tortured before death with proof of it before payment and his remains desecrated. While he was no fan of Jullien's, a thrill-kill warrant against a prince who was incapable of protecting himself was harsh. And the fact that neither of his parents would reinstate him to protect him from it was even harsher.

All hail Andaria.

And that was why Fain had left their empire when he did. They were a cutthroat race, and the Anatoles were the worst of them. It was that very ruthlessness that had made him leave Galene in order to protect her from such atrocities.

Morra frowned at him. "Why are you so interested in Jullien, anyway?"

"Weird transmission came through. Just trying to make sense of things that don't quite fit together. And I'll breathe a lot better when Dancer's here and I can lay eyes on him."

Jayne nodded. "Yeah. I'm only now starting to breathe again after I heard from Hadrian. Nothing's more terrifying than to know you've got family in harm's way and to not be able to get to them."

Fain caught the strange expression on Morra's face. "Where's your family?"

"Qory's with Chayden. Nyk's headed in here. Talyn's in for the night, I'm here with Jayne and on my way to see Galene."

Now it was his turn to scowl. "Pardon?"

"My father was murdered when I was a girl. My mother died when I was a teen. All the family I have is Sentella."

Fain felt bad for the Phrixian. "Sorry."

She offered him a kind smile. "You didn't know, handsome. It's all good. Truth never offends me. I'll always take the bitterest truth over a sugared lie any day."

"Woman after my own heart. And speaking of, I won't keep you two from Galene. There's something I need to check on."

Jayne hesitated. "Don't worry, Fain. Sentella's got your back."

"Thanks. Appreciate it." He watched as they walked off. While he believed Jayne without a doubt, the problem was, he didn't know who had their backs in this fight.

The way it was looking, The Tavali were about to hang them all out to dry.

Even him. And there was nothing he could do to save the very ones he loved most.

Chapter 8.

F.

ain was a lot more nervous than he should be for something so ridiculously simple. He shifted the flowers in his hand, wondering for the millionth time if they were too much.

Or too little?

If his hair was in place? His clothes were acceptable? Had he shaved close enough? He'd heard Galene b.i.t.c.h for days about Talyn's goatee, so he'd gotten rid of his this morning.

Had he used enough deodorant? Or too much? Maybe he should have bought some aftershave...

Galene used to hate that on a male, but Talyn wore it. Perhaps her tastes had changed over the years.

d.a.m.n. He hadn't been on a date since before Talyn was born. He couldn't remember really how to do this.

It's just dinner, dumba.s.s. Relax. You ate with her last night.

Yeah, but this was different.

They'd made plans for this. Set it up.

With his gut clenched tight, he knocked on the door of Galene's room, and waited.

No one answered.

Scowling, he checked the time. He was a couple of minutes early.

Okay, almost half an hour, but it wasn't that early. Her shift had ended hours ago. She should have been back by now and relaxing with her programs. Not that he was a stalker, per se. He just happened to know her schedule.

And routines.

A little better than his own.

Oh, s.h.i.t, I am a stalker.

Trying not to think of that, he knocked again and listened.

This time he heard a m.u.f.fled shout and something that sounded like it'd been dropped. Terror consumed him. Opening the door, he reached for his blaster and started to call out when he heard Talyn's angry voice in the bedroom, growling in Andarion.

"Dammit, you're hurting me! Stop ramming the hole! You're not in the right position! You have to be on your knees when you slide it in!"

To his further shock, Gavarian responded in an equally irritated tone. "Oh bite it and stop being such a d.a.m.n crybaby. Just shift a little. It'll go in if you just relax and breathe, and quit clenching so tight you could make a diamond from the pressure. Breathe slow and easy, and it'll slide right in the hole. You'll see. We just need more lubricant. Now stop being so hostile and let me do this or I'll leave you to jack it by yourself."

Talyn hissed. "Let me shove it up your a.s.s, and we'll see how relaxed and hostile you are!"

"Gah! You're such a d.i.c.k. How does Felicia stand doing this with you?"

"For one thing, she's a lot more gentle and her hands are smaller."

"I don't see how that would help."

His mouth hanging open, Fain started to withdraw when he caught sight of Gavarian in the bedroom, on his knees in front of Talyn.

Well, they weren't having s.e.x, but to be honest, he'd have rather they were than face the reality of what they were actually doing in there.

For a full minute, he couldn't breathe as he stared at Talyn's lower right leg resting on the floor by Gavarian's side while the boy entered data on a small tablet in his hands.

He removed the link from the leg and began to reattach it to Talyn.

Talyn hissed in pain. "It's still not right. You're missing the hole. Pull it off!" He reached for his crutches, then froze as he caught sight of Fain in the doorway. "Don't you f.u.c.king knock, old man?"

Fain closed his gaping jaw. "I did. You must not have heard me." Sympathetic pain for his son wracked him fully. No wonder Talyn limped and favored that leg so. The memory of all the scars on his son's body went through his mind and he cursed himself for not being there for them when they'd needed him most.

But he was here for them now.

Setting the flowers down on a side table, he stepped forward, into the room. "If you want, I can do that. I used to help my father with his integrations when I lived at home."

Talyn wiped at the sweat on his forehead before he nodded. "Fine. Just get it on right, since Gavarian can't seem to manage it."

Gavarian growled at him. "Don't yell at me. I'm not the one who twisted it. I told you not to play ball last night. But did you listen? No! You never listen 'cause you always know better."

Talyn mocked him in the same manner he'd mocked him the night before.