"Hi."
He'd glanced up at her with a frown that said he wasn't sure why she was talking to him.
"I need your name so I can mark you as present."
Instead of speaking and exposing his tiny fangs, he'd pulled his name tag from his shirt and handed it to her.
"Talon Batter?" She'd intentionally mispronounced it to force him to speak.
His eyes full of patience, he'd shaken his head. "Tah-lean BAH-tour." His little high-pitched voice had barely been a purred whisper as he rolled his l and r like only a native Andarion speaker could.
Jayne had held her hand out to him. "I'm Miss Erixour. It's a pleasure to meet you, Talyn."
Cocking his head in an adorable fashion, he'd stared at her hand as if he wasn't sure what to do with it. Which made sense, since Andarions didn't greet each other that way.
Jayne had dropped her arm as she was called away to assist with other students. But over the next few weeks, her heart had broken more and more for the boy who was ignored at best and mocked at worst.
Talyn never spoke. To anyone. He just glared out at the world with a procacious gaze and tolerated the meanness so that no one at their school would call Galene about his behavior and get his mother into trouble at work.
Months had gone by with Jayne wondering about his parents, and why they'd so cruelly put him in a Hyshian school, until the day when word had come that Talyn's mother had been severely injured in an attack on the Andarion tizirah. As Jayne helped him pack his bag to go home, she'd finally seen real vulnerability inside him. He'd been so afraid, his little hands had trembled.
"She'll be fine, Talyn."
Still, stark terror and grief had glowed deep in his white eyes. It had stunned her how well he'd managed emotions that had to be tearing him up inside.
When the office had called to say his great-grandmother was there to take him home with her, Jayne had thought nothing more as she sent him to the front.
Hours later, she'd been on her way to her transport when she happened to glance to the side doors, out of habit to double check their room entrance. Talyn was there, huddled behind a set of bushes, with his books spread around him as he did his homework.
Scowling, she'd gone over to him. "Talyn? What are you still doing here? I thought your great-grandmother picked you up hours ago."
When he met her gaze, his young eyes had betrayed the bitter agony inside his heart. "My gre paran came while I was getting in her transport, and said that he doesn't want a mongrel dog tainting his home and making it smell. He pulled me out and made my gre yaya leave me here."
Jayne was aghast at the cruelty. "She just left you in the parking lot?"
He nodded without emotion.
"Why didn't you come back to class?"
He'd sighed heavily. "I tried, but there was no one to check me in again. The office secretary said that I couldn't do it without an adult and that I wasn't supposed to be on campus without being checked in. She told me if I didn't go, she'd call security. And I didn't want to get into trouble, so I hid here."
Tears had scalded her throat as she imagined how the poor boy must feel after being so cruelly abandoned. So much for Hyshians being a compassionate race. Bastards. "Who else can I call to come get you?"
Swallowing hard, he looked up with tears in his eyes. "I'll just wait for my mama. She'll come for me when she can."
Jayne had knelt down beside him. "Baby, your mother's in surgery. She can't come."
"She'll come. She will. I'll wait here for her so she can find me and won't be worried."
Cupping his cheek, she did her best to understand his situation. As crazy as her family had been, she'd always had someone she could rely on. Someone who would come for her. Even in jail. "Talyn, I can't leave you here alone, overnight. It's not safe. You'll freeze. Don't you have anyone else to call?"
He'd shaken his head. "It's just me and my mama. We don't need anyone else."
In that moment, she'd decided to take him home with her. She knew better than to call the authorities. There was no telling what Hyshians might do to a lone Andarion male. Even a boy. While they'd been currently at peace, they'd fought enough in the past that some Hyshians harbored a profound hatred of his species. In spite of his Andarion heritage, Talyn was a gentle soul, and the last thing she'd wanted was for anyone to hurt him.
And over the next three weeks while she'd cared for him, she and Hadrian had fallen in love with the quiet, reserved boy who quickly became an extended member of their family.
Several times, they'd taken him to the hospital to visit Galene, who'd finally explained that Talyn's father had never been in the picture and knew nothing about Talyn's birth. Over and over, Galene had cried and thanked Jayne for a kindness that really shouldn't be so unusual.
They'd been best friends ever since.
"Jaynie?"
She looked up at Hadrian's voice that pulled her away from the past, and realized they'd landed and that both he and Nero were dressed in protective gear. "Yes?"
He cupped her face in his hand. "We're heading out. You joining us or do you want to stay with the ship?"
"I'm coming."
Hadrian handed her a mask and helped to secure it to her suit as Nero opened the door to the inhospitable landscape.
As soon as she was on the ramp, Jayne cursed Jullien for his cruelty. This planet, like so many others, had been bombed to oblivion by The League. What remained of the native life forms were mutated aberrations that preyed on anything they could find. But what sickened her most was how long Talyn had been here.
Even if they found him, he'd never be the same again.
*
Jayne cursed in utter frustration. After hours of finding no trace whatsoever through the heavily charged atmosphere that rendered their tracking equipment worthless, it was about to be too dark to keep going.
Hadrian caught her arm. "You go back and we'll continue searching."
"I'm not going to rest while you risk your life. Are you nuts? You stay. I stay."
Hadrian cupped her cheek. "Think of the babies. They need their mother. You're much more fierce than I am. Go back and we'll keep looking."
She hated it whenever he pulled the children card on her. It was the one and only thing he knew she wouldn't argue against. "You're a rank bastard, Hadrian Scalera!"
Instead of getting angry, he flashed that charming grin that always melted her heart. "Hadrian Erixour." He pressed his helmet to hers and turned her around to head back without him.
Just as she took a step toward the ship, she saw Nero's hand go up in a gesture that told her to hold position.
She pulled her blaster out and gripped it tight, looking for the threat.
Hadrian grabbed her as something went rushing past. She barely saw the blur of the twisted animal that appeared to have three malformed heads. Howling, it left a bright trail of blood in its wake.
She screwed her face up in distaste. As she straightened, she noticed the peculiar light in Hadrian's eyes that said he was using his Trisani powers. "What?"
He ignored her. "Nero?"
The way Nero acted said that he was talking to his brother telepathically.
"I hate it when you two do that. It's so rude. Now, what is it?" she whispered to her husband. "Talyn?"
"Not sure." Hadrian stepped back from her to cover his brother as they moved forward, toward a hole in the cavern wall where the beast had come from.
There was even more blood here.
A lot more blood.
As they went farther in, they heard echoing voices.
"Did you see what he did with his bare hands?"
"Shoot the fucking bastard!"
"Are you crazy? Last time we did that, it only pissed him off more."
"He's going to get out of there and kill us. Throw something at him!"
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Jayne froze as she finally saw what was going on. At least three dozen men and women stood at the top of a large,
steep pit where someone had thrown Talyn. They were in the process of dragging another huge male in chains from a cage toward the hole, as if intending to throw him in on top of Talyn so that they could fight.
"Enough!" Nero shouted.
They froze until they realized they outnumbered Jayne's small group.
"Get them!"
Those words had barely left the man's lips before Hadrian threw his arm out and sent a shock wave through the place that blasted them into the walls so hard, it knocked them instantly unconscious.
Nero turned toward his brother with an arch stare. "It seriously pains me that you can do that and not get a migraine."
Hadrian laughed. "I have a migraine. It's a big motherfucker, too. Stands about six four..."
Nero shoved at him. "Don't rub it in, half-bit. Hatred stunted my growth."
Ignoring them, Jayne ran to the pit. Bile rose in her throat as she took in the brutal sight of where Talyn was imprisoned. Steel spikes lined the pit, pointing downward so that he couldn't climb out without being impaled or mangled. There were several bodies in the pit with him, and the ground was soaked with things best not thought about. "Talyn?"
His breathing ragged, he glared up at her and bared his fangs as if daring her to come for him.
She pulled her helmet off to show him her face. "Sexy baby T?"
He blinked twice then rubbed at his eyes as if unable to believe what he saw. Tilting his head, he frowned as if he couldn't place her face.
Tears choked her. "It's me, precious. I'm here to take you home."
Instead of moving toward her, he drew back and collapsed into the filth, near one of the smaller bodies.
Using his powers, Hadrian jumped straight into the pit so that he could reach Talyn first. "Nero! Keep Jayne out of here. Toss me a rope and we'll lift him out."
Talyn turned on him with a fierce growl, as if he was about to attack.
Hadrian removed his helmet and held his hands out. "Hey, little buddy. Remember me?"
Talyn blinked slowly before he finally calmed down. "Uncle Rian."
"That's right. Just hang on. We'll..." His voice trailed off as he looked at the walls around him and saw what Talyn had clawed into the stone with his bare hands. "Nero! Hurry with the rope." He used his powers to rip down the spikes so that they wouldn't accidentally harm Talyn on the way out.
Jayne cursed every being who'd had a hand in doing this to her little T. Before Nero could obey Hadrian, Jayne did something she was never supposed to do. She unfurled her wings and flew into the pit to retrieve them both.
Be damned if she was going to leave them in that mess for one heartbeat longer than she had to. Screw the rope. Her baby and husband were all that mattered.
As she went for Talyn, he pulled back and shook his head. "Get Berra first."
"Berra?"
Talyn's senses dulled so fast, he feared he'd pass out. Everything was so blurry around him. Like walking in a thick dream. But the one thing he'd promised was that he'd keep Nightdice safe and see her home again.
He licked his chapped lips as he knelt in the filth by her side. "Berra?"
She didn't move.
"Nightdice?"
Her eyes slowly fluttered open as blood ran from the corner of her lips. She reached up to touch his face before she went limp in his arms.
"No!" he growled, trying to shake her awake. "Berra!"
"She's dead, T."
Roaring in pain, Talyn glared at Jayne. "I'm going to kill them! So help me gods!" He rose, intending to climb out with his bare hands, but the moment he stood, everything went dark.
*
Hadrian caught Talyn before he hit the ground. Her heart breaking for Talyn's pain and injuries, Jayne quickly flew Talyn out, handed him off to Nero, then returned for her husband.
She made one more trip for the female's body.
"Who is she?" Hadrian asked as Jayne flew up and handed off the female to him.
"I don't know. But I don't think we should leave her behind. She's obviously important to Talyn."
Hadrian took the female's body from her.
Tucking her wings in, Jayne swept her gaze around the unconscious males, littering the ground, who had abused her Talyn. He was so hurt, and bleeding. Filthy. It was all she could do not to retch at the sight and smell of him. Before she could reconsider her actions, she headed for his captors.
Hadrian caught her arm in a gentle grip. "Forget them. We need to get Talyn out of here as fast as we can before he dies, too."
"I want to kill them!"
"So do I, but Talyn's more important. Focus, Jayne. He's barely holding on right now. We have to get him medical help."
Nodding, she pulled Talyn into her arms and flew him back to the ship while Hadrian and Nero teleported with the female's body--something they couldn't do with Talyn because of his special anatomy. His breed of Andarion didn't play well with Trisani teleportation powers.
Tears blinded her. Talyn was so beaten, malnourished, and dehydrated that she wasn't sure if he'd really understood who they were. That he was finally going home.
As gently as she could, she laid him down on the floor of the ship while Nero went to do preflight checks. Hadrian placed the female a few feet away and respectfully covered her with his jacket.
Jayne pulled their first-aid kit out and started rudimentary care. At least as much as she dared. Since Andarions were very different from humans and Hyshians, she couldn't do much for fear of harming him more.
"Who's Felicia? Is she the female we recovered?"
She paused at Hadrian's question. "How do you mean?"
He lifted Talyn's hand up so that she could see his worn-down claws. "Talyn scratched her name into the walls, over and over again."
"I don't know." Tears choked Jayne as she noted the number of fresh scars and wounds on Talyn's body. The traitor's mark that had been tattooed on his neck, below his left ear. Andarions were fiercely vain creatures, and any scar or physical mark was viewed as hideous and undesirable.
It was obvious Jullien and his friends had gleefully "deformed" Talyn's beauty. Worse, they'd shaved his head. While older Andarion males might do that later in life, for a male Talyn's age, it was a mark of dishonor or military cowardice. Desertion of post.
Rage burning inside her, she met Hadrian's stern frown. "Why did they do this to him?"
"Punishment."
She duplicated his scowl. "I don't understand."
"You know my powers are limited when it comes to this sort of thing, but ... this was done for no other purpose than to cripple Galene. There's dissension in the royal house. If they can get Galene to resign, there won't be anyone protecting Cairistiona."
"What does that matter? She hasn't been in line for the throne in well over a decade."
"So long as she lives, they see her as a threat. All of them. She and Tylie are the only two beings left of the queen's immediate family. All the others have been murdered, including the queen's husband. So long as Cairie lives, she's a threat to those who might want to take the throne."
Jayne growled at Hadrian.
He held his hands up in surrender. "I'm not saying it isn't bat-shit crazy. You're talking to someone whose entire family was slaughtered. Brutally. Over a minsid throne. There's a reason why neither Nero nor I have ever tried to reclaim our titles or land. We're done with the bloody politics."
"Yeah," Nero breathed as he began firing their engines. "I've had my fill of burying family members because of senseless greed. It's a harsh universe we live in, and if they want the fucking throne, let them have it." He glanced at them over his shoulder. "Every sentient creature should have the right to lay their head down in peace, and not fear having their throat cut while they dream of better days."
Jayne hated to admit how right Nero was. It was why she and her friends had founded The Sentella to fight against The League and any corrupt government that abused its powers.
Nero turned back toward the controls. "Fasten up. Let's
get Talyn home."
They secured him to the floor with a loose harness before they took their seats for the launch. Even so, Jayne kept her attention on Talyn's unconscious body. She hadn't seen anyone beaten this badly since Darling had gone after his uncle in retaliation for Arturo putting Darling's younger brother in ICU.
Her heart broken, she met Hadrian's pensive stare. "Will he heal?"
"You want the truth or what you want to hear?"
"Truth."
Hadrian glanced to Nero. The sad light in his eyes was haunting. "He might come to terms with this, but he won't ever be the same."
That was what she was most afraid of.
CHAPTER 16
Felicia paced the ER hallway as she waited for Talyn to arrive. Galene had called her and told her they'd located him and were bringing him in. She'd rushed here as fast as she could.
His mother and her brother were still en route.
Every time the doors opened, she ran forward, only to be disappointed that it wasn't Talyn arriving. It was a cruel, cruel game.
The doors opened again.
Felicia started toward them, then stopped. Two human males came in with a bald Andarion between them. As she turned away in more aggravation, recognition hit her.
No ...
Gasping, she snapped around to see Talyn, bald, bleeding, and unconscious. Horrified for him, she rushed to the gurney they were laying him on while the shorter, older human called for help.
"Talyn?" she breathed, taking his hand into hers. His claws had been virtually sheared off. My poor baby.
The taller man tensed as if he was going to chastise her, but then he blinked. "You're his Felicia?"
"I am." She sniffed back her tears while she brushed her hand over the nastiest wound in Talyn's cheek. "What did they do to him?"
Before he could answer, the doctor approached them with the shorter human. But as soon as the doctor's gaze fell to Talyn, he hissed and stepped back.
"We don't tend his kind here. You need to take him somewhere else for care."
Felicia gaped at the doctor and his unwarranted prejudice. "His mother's fully Vested!"
The doctor curled his lip. "And she's disowned him. He's a traitor and an Outcast. You know the law! We can all be arrested for aiding him."
It was only then that Felicia saw the marks of dislineage on Talyn's chest and arms. Claw scars that said his own mother had cast him out of his family. "His mother didn't do this," she insisted.