Sumi touched her nose to Dancer's. "I was on my way to the infirmary to tell you about it when I met Syn in the hallway. He said that when you woke up and I wasn't there, all he could get out was that I'd been arrested before you started tearing everything out of your body and you stormed out to confront the queen."
"And he should still be in bed," Syn chided as he joined them.
Hauk pulled Nykyrian against him into a brotherly hug. "Thank you."
"Told you I'd keep her safe. You didn't really doubt me, did you?"
"Maybe a little."
Nykyrian clutched his hand in Hauk's braids. "You're such an asshole."
"Learned from the best."
Jerking at his hair, Nykyrian draped Hauk's arm over his shoulder and walked him back to his infirmary bed, where Nykyrian was less than gentle in removing Hauk's sword and tucking him in.
Nykyrian handed the sword to Sumi. "Can you please keep his sorry ass in there, this time?"
"I will do my best."
Syn was also a bit rough as he hooked up Hauk's monitors. "Don't make me do this again. The next set I'm shoving where the sun doesn't shine, buddy."
Hauk started to say something truly insulting, but the sound of an excited little voice made him bite his tongue.
"Uncle Hauk!" Devyn came running into the room and jumped on the bed before he threw himself over Hauk's chest and hugged him tight.
This tiny being was the only reason he hadn't killed Syn yet. "Hey, Devy. How's my boy?"
Eyes wide, he gave Hauk a huge smile as he sat on his stomach. Right where he was injured.
Hauk ground his teeth and forced himself not to curse at the pain.
"Guess what? Guess what?" Devyn asked in an excited tone. "I grew a monkey, Uncle Hauk!"
Hauk frowned at the impossibility as he looked from Devyn to Syn, who was laughing about it. "A monkey?"
"E-e-e o-o-o ew ew," a monkey said drily as it joined them in the room and sat down on the bed next to them. "Not that I haven't been the sacred embryo's monkey from birth, but this is a little ridiculous. Don't you agree?"
Hauk was aghast as he recognized that acerbic tone. "Vik?"
The metallic monkey sighed so heavily, even his shoulders slumped. "Who else would the bonebag torture this badly? I would be more upset about it, but look." With a large, creepy smile, he held up his hands for Hauk to see. "Opposable thumbs!" He wiggled them for emphasis. "Lot to be said for these. Makes me want to look up my old girlfriend."
"Why?"
Vik wagged his eyebrows. "Cause now I can really turn her on."
Hauk made a sound of irritation at the bad pun before he explained it to Sumi. "His old girlfriend was a lamp who, and I am using his words, lit up his entire world."
She pressed her lips together. "Ah... okay."
Devyn grabbed Vik into a choke hold. "I planted monkey seeds in a garden and I grew him! So he's all mine!"
Vik stuck his tongue out like he was dying. "Help! I'm being oppressed and licked by a toddler! Stop sliming me, Dev. I'm going to rust!"
Sighing, Syn picked up the monkey and set it on the floor. "See what happens when your significant other can't find a babysitter and refuses to let you go save your friend without her?"
Hauk scoffed at his annoyed protest. "You love every minute of it."
Syn picked up his son and cradled him to his chest. "Yeah, I do." He inclined his head to Sumi. "Hauk, you need to take a look at your transmitter I dug out of you. Fain thinks it's Andarion. I've tried to get a lead on it, but this is more your expertise than mine."
Sumi pulled it out of her pocket and handed him the small vial.
Hauk frowned as he held it up to the light to study the circuitry. "Yeah, it's Andarion. But this is old-school stuff... kind of thing I first played with as a kid."
"Jullien?"
He shook his head at Syn's suggestion. "Jullien could afford better than this. He wouldn't waste his time with something so primitive and old. I need it under a mag to see more of it."
Sighing, Vik climbed back up the bed and took it into his hand. He opened the vial and placed the chip in his palm then turned to the wall and projected an enlarged image of it. "How big do you want me to go?"
"Twenty. I need the serial."
"Got it," Vik said. "Want me to run it?"
Hauk arched a brow at the snotty mecha. "Nah. Why don't you sit there and stare at it for a while?"
Vik turned to face Syn. "Could you please remove his anal probe?"
Hauk grabbed the mecha by his neck. "How about I give you one?"
"Andarions. No sense of humor." Vik gasped as his body hit the bed while his head remained in Hauk's fist.
Ah, crap. Hauk cringed at something that was purely an accident.
"Oh my gods!" Vik snapped indignantly. "The Andarion beast broke me!"
Devyn started crying.
"It's okay, Dev. Daddy can fix it. Don't cry!" Syn handed his son to Sumi, who sucked her breath in sharply at the sensation of holding a child.
What did a person do with one? Terrified, she wrapped her arms tight around him, afraid he'd fall, while he continued to wail.
Syn quickly put Vik's head back on, then paused as he looked at her. "Never held a kid before?"
"No. His head won't pop off, too, will it?"
"God, I hope not. Shahara would kill us both."
Laughing, she handed a much calmer Devyn back to his father. He sniffed back his tears as he inspected Vik to make sure Syn really had repaired his toy.
"Now I know why Dancer looked so scared in some of the photos of him with babies."
Dancer laughed.
Darling stuck his head in the door. "Quick warning that we're coming into the main Andarion port. We'll be docked in about fifteen minutes."
"Hey!" Hauk called to Darling as he started to leave. "You got any photos of this kid of yours I've been waiting to meet?"
With a pride-filled grin, Darling returned to the room and moved to stand next to the bed. "Do you one better than that." He pulled out his PD and pressed it. Instantly, someone answered. "Hey Z, I've got an irritable beast who wants to say hi to you and Cezar." He handed it to Hauk.
Sumi tried not to feel jealous at the light that came into Dancer's eyes as he took the PD and smiled at the woman.
"Hey, beautiful. Where's my nephew?"
Darling's wife audibly gasped. "What's wrong with your eyes, Hauk? Are you okay?"
"Fine. Just want to meet this baby we saved."
She pulled her PD back so that he could see the sleeping infant who had a tiny hint of red hair on his head. "There he is. Sleeping like an angel."
Dancer grinned. "You done good, woman. He's beautiful. Thank the gods, he takes after his mother and not his dad."
She laughed. "I'm so glad you're okay. I was terrified when Darling told me you were under fire and had to call for help. That's so not like you."
"Sorry I took Darling from you two."
"Hey, no problem. So long as you send him back in one piece, we don't mind. And speaking of, Ture wants me to ask you about Maris."
"Tell him he wasn't even shot this time."
"Oh thank goodness," a man said from off camera. "I don't know what I was thinking when I said I wanted to marry a soldier. I must have been insane, delirious, or stupid."
Dancer laughed at Ture's high-pitched hysteria. "I'll make sure and send them both back to you as soon as we land."
"We love you, Hauk."
"Love you, too. Take care of each other and I'll be by soon to meet Cezar in person."
Darling turned it off and put it in his pocket. "So where are you recuperating?"
"I was thinking home."
"Alone?"
Dancer looked at Sumi. "I hope not."
Her heart stopped as she realized she hadn't thought this far ahead. Everything was moving too fast. But there was one thing she had to take care of ASAP. "I have to get to my daughter before Kyr finds out that I no longer have a transmi
tter. There's no telling what he'll do."
"I've already got Syn on locating her."
Darling frowned. "Whoa... What? What daughter?"
"Sumi has a little girl in League custody," Hauk explained. "I'm going after her and bringing her home."
Darling gaped at Sumi. "Was he planning to do this without us? Really?"
Dancer sent a piercing look to Darling. "You need to get home to your son and wife."
Darling shook his head in denial. "Strong alone. Stronger together."
She saw the reticence in Dancer's eyes, but he must have recognized the determination in Darling's. There was no way the Caronese emperor was planning to give in on Dancer's request and let him fight alone.
Dancer sighed heavily. "Zarya's going to kill me."
"Zarya would kill me if I let you go alone, buddy."
"And I'd help." Syn grinned. "Don't worry, Darling, I wasn't going to let you leave without telling you what Hauk was planning. I haven't found her daughter yet, but I will. I have the search running. I should have her location in a couple of hours."
Sumi's heart raced at the prospect. Could it be that easy? "Really?"
Darling placed a comforting hand on her arm. "We take care of our own, Sumi. It's what we do."
She nodded as tears choked her. Their kind of loyalty was rare indeed. Not to mention unexpected.
And it reminded her of something extremely important. "Speaking of... Mari's brother, Safir? Maris said that they knew --"
"That Kyr was using him for a punching dummy?" Syn asked. "Yeah. His family took care of that as soon as they found out. Saf's at home on Phrixus now."
Hauk arched a puzzled brow. "How's that possible? He's a League assassin." The only way out for an assassin was death.
Nykyrian was the only one who'd ever been granted a release dispensation from The League, after many years of being hunted, because he was the Triosan and Andarion heir. While Sumi was now an adopted daughter, the Andarions were at war with The League. It was far less likely they would be so accommodating with her right now.
And there was no way Kyr would pardon his brother. Not after he already felt betrayed over Saf's participation in a Sentella escape.
Darling let out a sinister laugh. "What can I say? Kyr had no choice. Saf was an assassin with a herd of angry, high-ranking brothers, who have dared Kyr to come get him. They're all aching for a piece of his psycho ass over what he did to Saf."
"How did they get him away from The League?" Sumi asked. "Kyr was holding him deep in the bowels of his HQ."
Darling crossed his arms over his chest. "Not exactly sure. But it turns out that Madai will still take Maris's calls. Once Maris called about Saf, Madai told him that they were all furious over it. Torture to a Phrixian is a crime worse than murder. So united, Saf's brothers had already gone in and pulled him out. They told Kyr that if he wanted Saf, he'd have to challenge him on Phrixus. Which I doubt he'll do since Saf can wipe the floor with him and he knows it. In the meantime, Saf is now wanted by The League as a renegade. If he leaves Phrixian territory, they're going to be all over him."
"How's Saf dealing with that?" Dancer asked.
Syn snorted. "Better than you'd think. Turns out, he really missed having sex... Last we heard, he was making up for lost time."
Laughing, Darling nodded in agreement. "If we can ever blast him out of the Phrixian bordello where he's been holed up since his release, we're trying to lure him to work for The Sentella."
"He'd be a great addition," Dancer said.
Before Darling could respond, the door opened to show Nykyrian and Jayne.
Nykyrian's eyes flashed with anger. "Heads up, Hauk. Your parents, fave yaya, and Dariana are waiting in the bay for you."
Hauk cursed. He could already envision the shitstorm that was about to engulf them all.
Unless he gouged out his eyes before they all saw he was stralen.
It was a semi-tempting thought.
Nah, he'd rather fight.
Darling swept his gaze to Nyk, Jayne, and Syn before he inclined his head to Hauk. "Then we'll go out together. United. And dare them to say one ill word to you or Sumi."
Tears choked Sumi as her hand tightened on Dancer's. "So this is what it's like."
Dancer furrowed his brow. "What?"
"Having a family," she said in a tiny voice.
Darling hugged her. "I guess Hauk forgot to tell you that he doesn't come solo. We're a package deal."
She laughed. "Actually, he did warn me. Thia, too. I... just didn't expect all this. May the gods love all of you for it."
They felt the ship land and all the humor left her face and was replaced by a fear that made Hauk's gut tighten.
He took her hand into his and locked gazes with her. "No one and I mean no one is going to harm you, Sumi. They'll have to get through me first and no one gets through me."
"I can testify to that," Nykyrian said drily. "I'm still scraping the remains of the last fool who tried off the bottom of my boots."
When Syn moved to unlock the bed, Hauk stopped him. "I'll walk."
"You're..." His voice trailed off at the grisly look on Hauk's face. "Going to walk out of here. What was I thinking? Apparently, I'm an idiot." Syn unhooked the monitors. "I'll have the MT unit take Bastien to the local hospital." He spoke into his link to place the order.
Hauk stood and braced himself for the coming hell that was about to be unleashed.
CHAPTER 25
S
umi wasn't sure what to expect. She'd never been around this many Andarions in her life. It was one thing to see one or two or even a unit, but this...
Yeah. Anyone who attacked the Andarions was a flaming moron. Aside from the sheer size of them, they stood as if they were made of stone. Their combined ferocity alone could kill someone.
Nykyrian took her trembling hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. "Sumi Antaxas no longer exists. You're an eton Anatole now, kisa. Princess Sumi. Breathe and remember we'll gut anyone who glances askance at you. As will every Andarion wearing a red-and-black uniform. You are among family."
She offered him a grateful smile. "Thank you."
Darice went running down the ramp first and flew into the arms of a tall, fierce female. Unbelievably beautiful, Dariana appeared able to kick the snot out of anything. Male, beast... nuclear device.
And that was just with the power of her ferocious sneer.
Holy gods.
But the moment her son embraced her she stiffened and shoved him back. "What manner of human behavior is this?"
Hurt flickered across his face before Darice regained his composure. "Forgive me, Matarra."
She narrowed her gaze on his feather necklace that he'd been so proud of. Picking it up, she sneered even more. "Not very large, is it? What a puny trophy."
Darice deflated instantly.
Without a word of greeting to his parents, Dancer went straight to her. "Leave him be, Dariana. As a true Andarion warrior, he gave the largest feather he collected to his princess as a gift."
The hatred in her white eyes was searing. And when she saw the glowing red of Dancer's, she stepped back. "You have shamed me!" she snarled.
"Dancer!" his mother growled as she approached him and saw his eyes. "What have you done?"
Facing their obvious wrath and contempt, he didn't flinch. "I took my brother's child to Mount Grenalyn and have returned with his heir. Darice has honored his father and his lineages."
"And you have shamed yours! Again." His mother struck him across his abdomen. "How dare you!"
A red stain spread over his clothes from the wound his mother had opened.
Sumi knew she wasn't supposed to do anything. She needed to let him handle this. But she couldn't stand here and let him be assaulted. Not even by his own mother.
Furious, she released Nykyrian and rushed to Dancer's side so that she put herself between him and the females who wanted his life. "Leave him alone!"
"A huma
n!" Dariana spat. "You shamed me with --"
"Bow to your princess!" Six Andarion guards came forward to protect Sumi.
It was only then that Dariana and his mother saw the markings on Sumi's face and recognized the style of her bloodred dress.
His mother gasped before she bowed low.
Dariana hesitated. With one last feral glare at Dancer that promised retribution, she obeyed.
Sumi lifted her chin defiantly, wanting a piece of both of them. She was supposed to do this later, but...
Tolerance wasn't part of her nature any more than it was Dancer's.
She curled her lip at Dariana. "Dancer has done nothing save honor his family and his noble, heroic lineage. He deserves better than to be tied to the inferior blood of Terisool. Dariana of the Blood Kin Terisool, I challenge you for the right to tie my superior lineage to his."