He laughed as he opened the closet to see that she wasn't joking. She had a full Tavali-sanctioned wardrobe in there for him. "Glad I didn't fight you."
"You would have lost. Painfully."
Yeah. He would have definitely, judging by this amount of determination.
As soon as they were dressed, Ushara's link buzzed. She answered it to find Trajen on the other end. "Hi, boss."
"Hi. Is your lesser half with you?"
"Right here." She handed the link to Jullien.
He turned the speaker on while he finished dressing. "What is it?"
"We want to make sure we have an accurate--and I use this word rather loosely, 'cause let's face it, they're not all here--head count. Sixteen bodies? Is that what you have in storage?"
Jullien turned bashful again as he glanced uncomfortably at her, then mumbled, "Um ... eighteen, total."
"Oh, eighteen," Trajen said with mock happiness. "Hear that, Thray? And where, pray tell, might these extra bodies be stashed? Dare I ask?"
Jullien bit his lip. "They kind of slipped and fell into a bad situation. Check out the two yellow buckets in the freezer. But you might not want to open them, 'specially if you've eaten recently."
"Oh, okay, then. Thanks for the warning. Appreciate it, little buddy." Trajen's voice dripped with sarcasm. "And just for the record, Jules. Eighteen isn't a mission. It's the making of a serial killer."
"Hey, now. I didn't start this shit. I was only looking for my cousin and yaya. They're the ones who brought friends to the party. I tried to reason with them, and explained the future consequences of their unreasonable actions should they pursue conflict with me. They thought I was a cocupun tiziran. I merely educated them on the fact that I was not."
"Ah, well, lesson learned. Filed under Ew--and next time you tell me not to look in a bucket, I will definitely listen." Trajen choked and coughed. Then cleared his throat. "And nice Warsword, by the way. I don't even want to know how you came into its possession. We'll handle it with the respect it deserves and make sure it's properly taken to your house. I have to go vomit now." He cut the transmission.
Jullien handed the link back to Ushara.
"Eighteen bodies?"
He shrugged. "Trust me, Shara. They were scum who deserved what they got, and worse. Besides, the girls and Vas need a college fund. My family owes them that much, and I sleep better knowing there are eighteen less psychos after you and them."
"Eighteen?" she repeated as the full horror of that number circled back around her mind. "Is that the total for all of them, or just the most recent conflict?"
"Recent."
She covered her face as her head reeled. "How many did you--?"
"Does it really matter? Most were Anatoles, and the rest served under them. Need I remind you what you and your family said to me the first time we met? You weren't wrong about us."
"Well-taken point." She moved to hug him about his lean waist. "You're right ... you're right." She frowned as she stared up at him. "Are you okay? They were your family."
Jullien drew a ragged breath before he nodded. "Not all, but yeah. Sadly, I have no remorse. Anymore than they'd have had they killed me. Which is why I ran like I did. I realized it's not normal to feel like this. To be able to compartmentalize killing my own blood the way I do. I'm so broken."
Ushara placed her hand to his chest where his tattoo held their names above his heart as a permanent homage of his faith and love. "You're not like them, Jules. And you're not broken."
"Definitely chipped."
She laughed before she kissed him. "I'll give you cracked. But we can glue that back together. Besides, you're no worse than your brother, Nykyrian. I daresay, as a League command assassin, he's killed a lot more for a lot less reason."
As Jullien opened his mouth to respond, her link went off again. He growled. "I forgot how annoying that thing was."
Sighing, she answered it to find Chayden on the other end. "Yes, we got him finally. Why?" With a stern frown, she turned the speaker on. "Can you repeat that for Jules?"
"Hey, Dagger, I'm neck deep in some irritating family drama, and I just had a most fascinating conversation with a friend in The Sentella in the middle of it."
Dread filled him at where this was going. "Yeah?"
"He was asking me all kinds of questions about your wife, and if I had any information on someone who was going buck-wild on the Andarion royal family that was in exile. Seems a bunch of them have gone missing lately."
Jullien definitely didn't like where this conversation was headed. "What did you tell him?"
"I don't know nothing about any missing Andarion royals. I'm Tavali. And Tavili backs Tavili. Jewels, alcohol, and cheap women's all I know. Snitches get stitches. But I wanted you to know what I know, which isn't much, I grant you."
Jullien snorted at his odd friend. "Who in The Sentella was it?"
"Running mate of Nyran Venik, which is why I wanted you to know about it. Dumbass didn't know I knew he knew Nyran. But Psycho Bunny knows all and sees all. I just don't let others know I know, you know? Except for a few. You being among those few."
"Thanks, Chay."
"Anytime. And I'm still locked over here, helping my sister deal with her husband and the nuclear fallout of being disinherited. But if you guys need anything, don't hesitate to call, or if I hear anything else, I'll let you know."
Ushara scowled. "Your sister? Mack?"
"No. Not Mack. I actually have a real sister of my own. Full-blooded. It's a long story. At any rate, she needs me right now, and sadly for her, I'm about all she's got. So I'm here for her. But I will be there for you, should y'all need me. Holler at yo' bunny."
She smiled at his silliness. "Okay, Bunny, appreciate it."
"Later, Andarions."
Her smile faded as she saw the expression on Jullien's face. "What's wrong?"
"Nyran. He's still untouchable. As is my grandmother. After all this, I still couldn't get near them."
"Jules ... what did we discuss?"
"Let it go."
"And what are you going to do?"
Jullien hesitated. He wanted to agree with her, he did. But deep inside, he had a feeling that this was far from over and that so long as they lived, his family was going to keep coming for him and for Ushara.
Even if he was dead.
After all, what good would it do for him to let go if they didn't? Because the one thing his family had taught him at a very early age--sometimes dead just wasn't dead enough.
CHAPTER 30
Over the next few weeks, Jullien settled back in to the Gorturnum Cyperian StarStation with a shaky peace as they prepared for the imminent arrival of their daughters. After a stern "snubbing" that had lasted about half an hour and a lot of threatening should he ever leave again, Ushara's sisters had welcomed him back into the fold and forgiven him for leaving, as had her parents.
Vasili had been the most difficult one to face. Unlike Nadya, who had no real concept of time, he did. And the hurt in his eyes had been searing as Jullien went into his room to see him on his return.
At first, Vas had refused to meet his gaze.
"Vas, you know it had nothing to do with you, right?"
"Didn't feel like that."
Jullien had sat beside him on the floor and watched while he played his game. "I know. But can I confide in you?"
Vas had paused his game to look up at him without comment. But the accusation in those pale eyes had been searing and had gutted Jullien to the core of his soul.
"Adults don't know what they're doing any more than kids do most of the time. We get scared and make mistakes, too. Sometimes bad ones. In this case, I had predators after me that I had to thin out to make sure they didn't find you or your mother. It's why I couldn't contact you. I didn't want them to use it to find you and leave another surprise for you in your backpack."
Vasili scowled at him. "Truth?"
Jullien opened his shirt to show Vasili the tattoo that
rested over his heart, where the boy's name was permanently inked on his flesh. "What do you think?"
"I think that hurt. Probably a lot."
Jullien laughed. "Not as much as not being here with you." He gave the boy a sheepish stare. "Am I forgiven?"
Vas smiled shyly and nodded. "I missed you, Paka."
"Missed you, too."
Ushara stepped back into the shadows as she watched Jullien pick up the other controller so that he and Vasili could play a round of the game that Jullien had sent while he was gone. Relief filled her that they appeared to be okay. Vasili had been so upset that she'd feared a permanent rift might have developed. Yet within a few minutes, he was laughing with Jullien as if nothing had ever been wrong.
Relieved beyond belief, she went to the nursery to check on the linens that had been delivered--one of the many things Jullien had taken care of for her. Even though he'd been gone, he single-handedly hired contractors to redesign the spare room off theirs into an amazing fantasy nursery unlike anything she could have imagined. She didn't even want to know what it'd cost. The soft pale pink, blue, and gray colors were soothing for their Andarion eyes, and the materials he'd chosen reminded her of walking into a cloud.
Each crib had a custom crown above it that held a sweeping fabric waterfall that cradled the crib to protect it and shield the babies from a stray draft. Somehow, he'd found a smaller version of the antique chandelier that hung in her bedroom for theirs and matching wall sconces. But one of her favorite pieces, aside from the antique white cribs, was the fabric ruffles on the bottom that fanned out in a luxurious waste of soft silk. His exquisite eye for such details was incredible.
Then again, for all his bluster, Jullien was an artist with the soul of a poet. When left alone, he could be the gentlest of beings. And this nursery was a window to that part of him.
Case in point, he'd made sure while they worked on the nursery for the girls to redo Vasili's room so that their son wouldn't feel left out. His bedroom was now designed to look like the interior of his favorite video game, right down to a fake stairway that vanished into the ceiling.
Jullien had even bought matching gaming chairs with surround sound that vibrated in sync to Vas's console. The poor boy was quickly becoming terribly spoiled.
And she loved every minute of it.
While she put the linens away, her link rang.
It was Trajen.
"Hey, boss."
"How's it going?"
Knowing Jullien had supersonic hearing, she pulled the door closed before answering. "Fine, I think. How about on your end?"
Trajen snorted. "Your little psycho husband went up against some pretty damn impressive and powerful players during his walkabout. No wonder Chayden called to warn us. Jules single-handedly wiped out his grandmother's personal wetwork team. He got all but three of them."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Her entire pet Nizari squad that she'd personally picked and licensed." Trajen's tone was one of awe, and that impressed her. She'd never heard anyone inspire that from him before. "Thraix said that Jullien's managed to fully integrate into his ship, and we still haven't figured out how he managed to do that on his own either. So keep an eye on him. Make sure that he's really okay. We don't know if what Thraix did had any lingering effects, or not."
There was an odd note in his voice. "What do you mean?"
"I don't mean that he's dangerous, Shara. Calm down. We're worried that he might have hurt himself. Done some kind of internal damage he may not even be aware of yet. You know him better than we do. He's not one to let anyone know if he's been injured. Just keep an eye out and let us know if he has any sign of illness."
"Tell Grandma I'm fine."
She jumped at the sound of Jullien in the room behind her. "Oh my God! Make some sound when you move!"
"Sorry. Been hunting assassins. Stealth is a hard habit to break."
Trajen laughed in her ear. "I'll leave you to him. Remember what I said. Make sure he hasn't burned out any of his three remaining brain cells."
She turned her link off and slid it into her pocket. "He's just worried about you."
"I know. I'm worried about me, too." He crossed the distance between them.
"So where did your Warsword come from?"
"My grandmother. It was in her hotel room. I'd planned to kill her with it, but it didn't quite work out."
Ushara's jaw went slack at the implication. "It's the Anatole sword?"
"No." He put the linens up in the top of the closet for her. "My mother has that one. It's kept in a vault under the palace. I've never even seen it, except in photos and official portraits. They only bring it out for coronations."
Which he'd never attended, since he'd been in exile when his mother had been crowned tadara. Though his tone was emotionless, that had to burn and hurt.
"This Warsword belonged to Edon Samari."
Okay, she gaped again and even more so at that bombshell. "For real? Are you sure?"
"Yeah. It's why I took it. I was going to return it to Matarra at temple, since it's rightfully hers. I couldn't stand the thought of it being in Anatole hands." His features paled as soon as he finished his sentence. "She's standing behind me, isn't she?"
Biting back a smile, Ushara nodded. "She just came in."
Jullien turned slightly to find Unira in the doorway, standing with tears in her eyes.
"You found my family Warsword?"
"Stole it more than found it, but yes."
Shaking her head at his dry tone, she tsked lovingly at him. "You can't steal what rightfully belongs to you, m'tana."
He didn't respond to that. Rather, he excused himself to leave the room.
Ushara let out a heartfelt sigh. "His humility makes me want to cry for him."
Unira nodded. "I can't believe he found the Samari Anurikriega. It's been missing for decades."
"What happened to it?"
"The stories, if you believe them, say that Faran eton Anatole challenged Edon in a test of arms and defeated him, then took possession of the sword as punishment against our family. We assumed he destroyed it for spite."
Jullien snorted as he returned to the nursery. "It wasn't a fair contest. Faran murdered him in cold blood. He would have never possessed the skills to take Edon down in a fair fight. Edon had been raised on a battlefield. Faran had never been in a real fight, not even a Ring match."
Unira frowned. "Didn't he defeat Dannon Hauk in a Ring match to take Eriadne's pledge from the War Hauk family?"
"Again, not a fair match. He drugged Dannon before the fight. It's why Eriadne hates the War Hauk lineage to this day. She was in love with Dannon, at least as much as she could be. And it was one of his family who took the bribe to drug him--she holds that act against all the Hauks. They tried to placate her wrath by offering up Ferral Hauk as a pledge to my mother, and you know how that turned out." He looked first to Unira, then Ushara.
Ferral Hauk had allowed himself to be seduced by another Anatole cousin the night before he was to be formally pledged to Cairistiona. Needless to say, Cairistiona found out and refused him, then ended up sleeping with Jullien's father and conceiving Jullien and Nykyrian a few years later.
Ushara winced. "You know, you almost have to feel sorry for Eriadne. Every time she fell in love, she had to watch her beloved die."
Jullien screwed his face up into a painful grimace. "You can if you want, but I reserve the judgment that she's incapable of any real emotion. You have to remember, this is a bitch so cold that when she was a young female, she had a rival's aging process sped up so that her rival died of old age in her mid-twenties."
Ushara sputtered. "Why would she do that?"
"She overheard one of the courtiers make the comment that she was prettier than Eriadne." He held his hand up. "I swear it's the truth. She is that merciless." Then he turned to Unira and gave her the case in his hands. "For you, Matarra."
Unira opened it so that she could see the ornate hilt of t
he Samari Warsword. Tears glistened in her eyes. "It's as beautiful as I knew it'd be." And when she touched the grip, it lit up the same way it'd done when Jullien touched it. She gasped and laughed.
Ushara moved forward. "That's incredible. I've never seen one do that before."
Unira let go and the light went out.
When Ushara touched it, it remained dormant. She scowled. As did Unira.
Jullien smiled at them. "It appears that it only lights up in the hands of a Samari." He touched it and showed them that it glowed under his grip as well.
"Amazing," Ushara breathed.
"Agreed." Jullien released it to Unira. "Anyway, I'm glad I was able to bring it home to you, Matarra."
Wiping at her eyes, she closed the case, then held it out to him. "And I bestow it on you and your Ger Tarra, my precious boy. As the last Samari son, it's only right that you should carry it now. You've more than earned the rights to it."
"Unira--"
"No arguments," she said, cutting off his protest. "You are the last of our bloodline. Closer to it than even I am." She took Ushara's hands and placed the Warsword in them. "I'm entrusting our precious Fyreblood legacy to you, daughter, as the new Ger Tarra of our lineage. While I may be older, I'm not the one who will be carrying our future generations. So long as the gods allow, I will be here for both of you, but I gladly cede my matriarchal status as the Samari Ger Tarra to you, Ushara Samari."
Jullien swallowed hard at what she was giving them both. To be entrusted as the male who carried the family Warsword ... There was no higher honor for any male in their society. To be the designated matriarch, especially when you weren't a blood daughter, was even more sacred and coveted. She was entrusting them with the care and keeping of her entire family legacy.
No. With the entire Samari family legacy and history.
"I will never bring dishonor to your lineage, Matarra."
Unira smiled. "Our lineage," she reminded him. "And I know. I'm very proud to have you as my son." She kissed his cheek. "Now, if you two will excuse me ... I'm actually here to see to the younger Samari of the home. He and I had a date tonight."
Alone with Ushara, Jullien set the sword case down and grinned roguishly at her. "Ger Tarra Samari."
Smiling up at him, she nipped at his chin, sending chills all over him. "So, are you excited about the babies?"
"Mostly scared shitless."
She laughed. "At least you're honest."