As she went for the blasters, Narcissa launched herself at her back.
Desideria rolled to the floor, away from her, grabbed the weapons and landed in a crouch, both blasters drawn and aimed right at the area of Narcissa's body that should hold her heart. "Don't."
Narcissa froze.
Keeping her gaze on her traitorous sibling, she moved to the door and opened it.
The men stood on the other side like they'd been in the middle of trying to open it. She started to ask about the Guard, but they lay sprawled on the ground, scattered throughout the hallway.
"Are they dead?"
Caillen flashed her that familiar shit-eating grin. "Stunned. But don't think we didn't consider killing them. What about you?"
"Definitely not dead." She indicated Narcissa with a jerk of her chin. "It was my sister behind this like I originally thought, not my aunt."
Hauk tsked as he moved forward to cover Narcissa with his own weapon. For an instant, Narcissa looked like she was about to try and fight him, but since he literally towered over her, she thought better of it. He cuffed her hands behind her back while Caillen and Desideria went to check on Gwen and Kara.
To her complete amazement, Gwen pulled her into a tight hug. Until she went ramrod stiff. "You didn't kill Mom, right?"
"You heard Narcissa. I had nothing to do with it."
"Just checking." She pulled her back into her arms and held her. "Thank you, Des. Thank you!"
Caillen helped Kara to her feet. "Are you sure we shouldn't be taking this one into custody too?"
Desideria looked at Gwen. "Well?"
"Kara saved my life. Had she not pulled me out of Narcissa's line of fire, I'd be dead now."
Her aunt lifted her chin as if she was mortally insulted. "Unlike Narcissa, I take my oaths seriously. I am Qillaq and I would never kill someone in cold blood. Only in fair combat."
Narcissa curled her lip. "Oh shut up, you sanctimonious whore. I'm sick of all your--"
Hauk stunned her with his blaster.
Narcissa cried out before she slumped to the floor.
Hauk made no moves to break her fall. Instead, he holstered his weapon and met Desideria's gaze unabashedly. "My mother always said that if you can't improve the silence, you shouldn't be speaking."
Fain let out a low whistle. "You stunned a girl, bro. Then let her hit the floor. Damn, and I thought I was callous."
Ignoring Fain, Caillen left Kara's side to stand by Desideria's. She could tell by his expression that he'd been worried about her. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a passion that ignited that part of her that craved him most. And it made her hungry for so much more. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the warm scent of his skin and just savored this one moment of peace.
It was over.
Her sister and aunt knew she had nothing to do with her mother's murder.
I'm free...
Caillen tensed ever so slightly before he pulled back and turned her to face her sister and aunt who were kneeling reverently on the floor.
"My Queen," Kara said. "I will serve you every bit as faithfully as I did your predecessor."
Gwen looked up and actually smiled at her. "As will I. Long live Queen Desideria."
Strange how those words weren't as important to her now as they'd been before. Indeed, unlike Caillen, they left her completely cold.
Caillen draped his arm around her shoulders. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear. "You're back where you belong."
Why didn't it feel that way?
She looked up at him. "But you're still not off the hook. Karissa and her daughter are after your throat."
"Karissa?" Kara scowled at them. "My sister, Karissa?"
Desideria nodded. "She's the one who killed Caillen's father and blamed him for it. It appears she and Leran have been behind all of this madness." Kara winced. "I should have known this would happen."
"How so?" Desideria asked.
"I knew Karissa hated us for the fact that she was forced into a political marriage. To her, it was beneath her and she resented the fact that your mother had won the throne. She swore to me that she'd live to see her daughter as our queen." Kara glanced to Narcissa and sighed. "Stupid child. They would have killed her too and Karissa would have been the one to rule here. Never would they have allowed Narcissa to keep this throne."
Because Karissa's offworlder husband was now dead...
That would clear the line of succession. She could easily return to Qilla and claim her former rank. The plan hadn't been to divide and share rulership. Karissa had wanted it all for herself and her daughter. And since Kara couldn't fight for the throne, with Desideria and her sisters out of the way, no one would have been able to stop her. Cold, but clever.
Caillen sighed. "It was a brilliant plan."
Kara let out a long sigh. "When you spend years plotting and executing it, it usually is."
Gwen shook her head in denial as she stared at Narcissa's unconscious form. "I still don't understand how they seduced Narcissa to help them. Why would she betray us?"
"Remember five years ago when I went to visit Karissa?" Kara asked her.
"You took Cissy with you."
She nodded. "They must have started their plans with her then and kept in touch with her after that."
And that explained why Narcissa's attitude had turned so cold at that time. Why she'd been so vicious toward her and Gwen. Not that she'd ever been particularly kind. But after that visit she had returned very different.
How tragic for all of them.
Gwen passed a pleased smile toward Caillen before she looked back at Desideria. "You'll be able to take a consort now, My Queen."
Yes, but inside she knew Caillen would never submit himself to her as a pet. It wasn't in him and she loved him too much to even ask it.
You could fight him. He would win and be her equal.
But she knew better. She would never take the chance of hurting him and if she didn't fight him with all her strength, the fight would be nullified by their laws.
All she wanted was to protect him. "If you stay here, Caillen, I can offer you political asylum."
He stroked her cheek with his thumb before he dropped his hand away from he face. "Appreciate it, but the League and her assassins would always be after me to finish this. They'd be in your affairs and could hurt any one of you in the crossfire. I have to clear my name and make Karissa pay for killing both my fathers and uncle. I owe them that much."
And once he did that, he'd be a ruler. Then they could never be together.
Her heart shattered with the cold reality.
"How are you going to do that?" Kara asked.
He shrugged with a nonchalance that made her want to beat him. "No idea whatsoever."
Forever by the seat of his pants. Her smuggler would never change.
"When do we leave?" she asked him.
He looked over at Kara and Gwen. "You're a queen, Desideria. Your place is here and your people need you. I finally understand that."
She hated the fact that he was right. She had to stay.
He had to go.
Pain hit her so hard, it was crippling. But she was Qillaq and they didn't show emotion. Especially not a broken heart. "I guess this is good-bye then."
He nodded. "You can always call me when you need someone to yell at."
"You're not good at taking that abuse."
"True, but I've learned to accept it from you."
Her throat tightened at his teasing tone. She'd miss that most of all.
Don't leave me, Caillen. Not here in this cold place with people who don't know how to laugh.
How to love.
She couldn't stand the thought of not seeing his smile every day. Of not listening to him banter with her and his friends.
I can't make it without you.
Those words hung on her lips. She wanted so desperately to say them. To beg him to stay with her and not leave.
But she couldn't. He belonged to a world she didn't understand. One where he needed freedom and independence.
Him and that backpack...
"Take care of yourself, Caillen." She was proud of herself for keeping the pain out of her voice.
"You too." He took her hand in his and placed a tender kiss across her knuckles. But she wanted so much more from him than that...
Tears gathered to choke her as she savored the warmth of his hand on hers. The softness of those lips that had soothed and pleased her. She would never know that warmth again.
And when he let go of her, she felt her world shatter. The loss of his touch was more than she could bear.
Only the knowledge of Kara watching her... judging her, kept her from running after him and begging him to stay with her no matter the laws or the consequences.
She watched him leave with the others. He paused at the door to look back at her. She saw the agony in those dark eyes. The tangled emotions that said he wasn't any happier about this than she was.
With one last gentle smile, he left her and the agony she felt inside was enough to drive her to her knees.
You could abdicate. The words hung on her tongue as she met Kara's stern expression.
But that wasn't what a Qillaq did either. Her mother would be so disappointed in her.
So would her father. As queen, she'd be able to pardon her father at long last. Salvage his name for their records.
I want Caillen.
But life wasn't about wanting. It was about surviving and following your duty. When those things conflicted, obligation always won out.
Children followed their wants.
Duty commanded adults.
Funny, she'd spent her entire life wanting to be an adult and yet right now, in this moment, all she wanted was to be a kid again. To be able to follow her heart.
And the name of that heart was Caillen Dagan. Renegade. Smuggler. Pirate. Prince.
Hero.
Kara stepped forward. "So tell me, My Queen. What is your first command?"
With every step Caillen took that carried him farther away from Desideria, he felt a part of himself die.
Go back.
The call was so strong that it was almost impossible to resist. But he couldn't. He had to avenge his fathers and make sure the bitch who'd killed them paid for her crimes. No matter what his heart wanted, he had other obligations that took precedence right now.
Besides, they didn't belong together. Desideria was queen in a world that would never accept him and he was...
Outlaw. Scoundrel.
Worthless.
Your problem, Cai, is that you lack all ambition. Really, is this all you want out of your life? Yeah, Kasen's voice rang out loud and clear in his head. "I don't know how you can be content smuggling hand to mouth all the time.
"You're just such a waste, little brother."
He was everything a queen was told to avoid. Everything that would taint her reign. Yet his heart belonged to Desideria and there was no denying that one single truth. The only time in his life when he'd felt worth something had been in her arms. If only he could go back...
Don't.
He had a mission to complete and once it was done, he'd be an emperor.
That thought made him shudder. But the one thing his real father and Desideria had taught him--noblesse oblige.
Chayden slowed as they neared the opening of the crypt. "Are you sure about leaving? Sanctuary's a hard thing to give up."
Caillen scoffed. "You turning craven?"
He narrowed his gaze at Caillen's emotionless question. "You know better." Sighing, he shook his head. "You are an idiot, Dagan. But far be it from me to point that out since going back to her means you'd be with my sister and that mere thought disgusts me. All I'll say is that if I had someone who would fight by my side, I wouldn't let her go. But that's just me and I've never had anyone worth fighting for. Damned if I'd turn my back on her if I did."
Caillen was about to go for his throat when all of a sudden his link buzzed. He started to ignore it and engage Chayden more. Until he caught the ID listed.
It was Darling.
Part of him was angry that Darling had lied to him about his father, but the other was still loyal to his friend no matter the aggravation. So he put the link in his ear and activated it. "Dagan here."
"Hey, drey. We have a little problem."
His gut knotted. What catastrophe now? "Does the League have our CL?"
"No." Darling's tone was completely dry. "That would probably be better."
Dread consumed him even more. "What then?"
"While your father was about to call a press conference, Desideria's mother took advantage of the distraction to escape my custody."
Caillen scowled as he tried to understand what Darling was saying. "My father's dead."
Darling sucked his breath in sharply. "Um... Not exactly."
"What is 'not exactly' dead, Darling?"
"Don't get mad. It's why I sent Hauk to you instead of coming myself. We wanted to flush out the traitors, so I talked your parents into pretending to be dead long enough for the real traitors to expose themselves. The footage you saw of their supposed assassinations was something I had Syn fake. It was all digital animation."
He would call him a liar, but he knew exactly how skilleyn was on a computer. There was nothing that man couldn't do.
Darling cleared his throat before he continued speaking. "I convinced both of them that if their enemies thought they were dead, you two could stay ahead of them long enough for us to find out who's behind all of this. Her mother caved before your father did, by the way. Said she'd love to test her daughter's mettle even if it meant throwing her to the wolves. Your dad took a lot of convincing. The last thing he wanted was to see you hunted or hurt."
Yeah, that sounded like his father.
"Both of them have been with me the entire time. However, I had to stand hard on your father to keep him hidden and safe while you've been under fire. Believe me, it was no small feat. That man is wicked insane when it comes to you."
Caillen glared at Hauk. "Did you know my father was alive?"
Hauk actually blushed.
Damn them for that. "You lied to me?"
Darling let out an irritated breath. "Let's not argue semantics right now. That's not important."
The hell it wasn't...
"What you need to focus on is that we achieved our objective," Darling continued--it was a good thing the little bastard was nowhere near him right now or he'd make him limp. "The traitors revealed themselves. The problem is your father found out about your uncle's murder--"
"Not my fault. I didn't know he had news access," Maris said over Darling.
Darling took a second to shush him before he continued. "Your father wanted to call for the press so that he could clear your name before someone killed you for something you didn't do. While I was locking him in his room, Desideria's mother took off on her own. She wants the blood of her sister and niece over this treachery, and she won't stop until she has it."
Caillen's concern for his father's safety far outweighed his anger and irritation over their deceit. That familiar battle calm settled over him. "Where's my father?"
"Nykyrian's palace, surrounded by security. I couldn't think of anywhere safer."
He was right about that. Since Nykyrian's wife and children were there, that place was without a doubt the most secured building in existence.
"And Desideria's mother?"
"Commandeered a ship out of the hangar. Since she was leaving and not coming in, security didn't realize they'd screwed up until after she was gone. I hacked her flight plan and she's headed straight to Exeter, no doubt to execute her sister and niece."
Oh yeah, this was bad. And he had no doubt that Darling's speculation was right. Sarra wasn't exactly known for her calm rationale.
She'd be out for blood.
Caillen growled as his thoughts kept
coming back to one truth. "They'll kill her if she comes out of hiding."
"Yes, they will."
And if she wasn't Desideria's mother, he'd say good riddance. That kind of stupid needed to be strained out of the gene pool. But in spite of everything, she was Desideria's mother and he couldn't let her die.
"Where are you?" he asked Darling.
"In my fighter, heading after her. I'm hoping I make it in time to stop her from committing suicide. If not, I plan to go down fighting beside her stupid ass."
Saddest part? He knew Darling would stay true to those words.
Which meant they were all heading to the gallows.
22
"You should tell Desideria our mother is still alive."
Caillen arched a brow at Chayden's comment. "You need to pilot and not worry about it. We need to tel ass as fast as possible."
"Yeah, but--"
"Chay, what good will it do to tell her her mother's alive if her mother gets herself killed in the next hour? Really? Call me provincial, but to me it seems cruel to say, guess what? Your mom's alive. Oh wait. She was alive. Now she's dead again 'cause our worthless asses couldn't save her. Sorry, hon. Hope you're okay with me jerking your emotions around and stomping on them. And while I'm at it, you got a newborn puppy I can kick too?"
"He has a point."
Chayden glared at Fain for that last comment. "Stow it, Hauk." Then he glanced at Caillen. "Fine, but when she wants your head over the fact you neglected to tell her about this, remember I'm the one who tried to save your hide."
"And here I thought I screwed up metaphors." Caillen focused all of his attention on catching up to Darling. Honestly, he didn't want to give Desideria any more bad news. He wanted to be able to tell her that her mother was alive and well. To see the joy and relief on her face, not the sadness.
I can't believe I'm out to save the life of a woman I detest. It would be a public service to let the bitch die.
But Desideria's happiness meant more to him than that.
Fain cursed, drawing their attention to him.
"What is it?" Chayden asked.
"A hornet's nest." He pushed his images up to the main monitor for all of them to see what he was looking at.
Caillen winced as he saw a sizable army heading straight for them. "League fighters?"
"Can't make the markings. But I don't think so. They're not shooting at us."
Chayden hailed the newcomers.
No one spoke or even breathed while they waited for the response. At first all they had was static.