Sunsinger

by Robyn Bachar

  They encountered servants along the way and stunned them. In the past an invading lord like Jace would have the right to destroy everyone and everything in the house. Raze it to the ground and salt the earth beneath it. Jace refused to kill innocents, because enough people had been sacrificed to Bildanen’s greed.

  Maysen took a blast to the chest when they encountered manor security, but the shadow sword grunted and shrugged it off as he rolled away. The others dove to safety, Bryn sticking to Jace’s side as she covered him.

  “About time they showed up,” she said. Bryn fired and dropped a guard. They wore the plain uniforms of manor guards, not the full armor of shadow swords. Easy targets.

  “These are just the warm-up acts, not the main event,” Jace replied.

  She yanked him down as a bolt thudded into the wall where Jace’s head had just been. “Doesn’t mean you should get sloppy.”

  “Yes ma’am.” Jace returned fire.

  Their team finished off the guards and then moved deeper into the heart of the manor. Jace’s stomach twisted into knots as they passed the signs of civilian habitation. This wasn’t a slaver ship in Syndicate space, but a home where a family lived. Had the shadow swords who’d invaded the Morningstar manor hesitated when they stalked its halls? Did they resent being ordered to kill females and children? Andee might know. Dear gods, he hoped she was safe, wherever she was.

  “Ambush!” Commander Maysen yelled.

  The corridor in front of them lit up with laser fire, and Jace cried out as a bolt burned through the armor protecting his knee. For a moment he was back on Nepheros, filled with despair as he nearly bled to death in the hallway. Mordackai’s quick thinking and the intervention of a skilled medic had saved his life then. As his leg crumpled beneath him, he cursed that they hadn’t brought a medic. Then again, if they failed, a medic wouldn’t save them.

  Bryn snarled as she grabbed his arm and hauled him out of the line of fire. “Alpha team, report in,” she ordered.

  “Burn to my right leg,” Jace said. A few of the other team members reported similar injuries that had made it through the protective barrier of their armor.

  “Maysen is unresponsive,” Bryn announced, her voice grave.

  Jace glanced back and swallowed hard as he spied Maysen. They had doused the lights on their armor earlier, so there were no indicators to read. The commander was one of the best they had. He had trained with Maysen—he was only a few years older than Jace.

  They exchanged fire for a few moments, and then Bryn growled. “Stay here,” she demanded. Jace opened his mouth to ask what she was doing, and then she charged down the hallway, sword drawn.

  Cursing, he ignored her and ordered a charge. He drew his blade and rushed forward with a battle cry. Jace engaged a towering shadow sword, and when their blades crossed Jace grunted as his weapon was nearly jarred from his grip. His injured knee buckled beneath him, and as he fell Jace punched his opponent in the groin. It would have been more effective if the male wasn’t wearing an armored codpiece, but it stunned him long enough for Jace to run him through.

  Jace struggled to get back to his feet, but the red flash of a stun grenade filled his vision, and then he saw nothing at all.

  ∆∆∆

  “Well, well. Najacen Harrow.”

  Jace’s head throbbed and his mouth was dry as a desert as he dragged his eyes open. The floor was cool beneath his cheek as he coughed up a gout of bloody phlegm. When the room swam into focus he spied Lord Bildanen Rathe sneering down at him from a few feet away.

  “I assume you did not come here to offer me your surrender,” Bildanen said.

  “Fuck you,” Jace spat in reply.

  “No, I think I would much rather fuck your lady.” The lord stepped away, and Jace’s eyes widened as he saw Bryn slumped unconscious between two shadow swords. “Her coloring is pretty, but otherwise she is quite plain. I would expect more of a lord’s mate. But then again you were never meant to be lord of your house. Nor will you be.”

  Jace growled and lunged for Bildanen, but a guard standing over him kicked him in the side. “Don’t touch her,” Jace snapped.

  “Or what? You’ll bleed on my boots?” Bildanen chuckled, and the sound sent chills down Jace’s spine. The Nightfall lord placed a bony finger beneath Bryn’s chin and turned her face up, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Jace tried to console himself that the blood was a good sign—as he had learned on Becklav, corpses didn’t bleed. But Bryn didn’t wake, and the lord stepped away to focus his derision on Jace.

  “Perhaps if you beg, I will consider giving her a quick death. It would please me to hear Najamek’s son beg for mercy.”

  “He was a better lord than you could ever be.”

  Bildanen snarled and bared his teeth. “I am High Lord, and Najamek is dead! He was a fool. They were all fools. We never should have signed the peace accords. I should have gutted him with the Sunsingers and made a clean sweep of all the bad blood poisoning the council.”

  “Why are you doing this?” Jace asked. “House Nightfall supported Cyprena’s independence.”

  “I supported whatever actions would make us most powerful. House Sunsinger had to fall in order for Nightfall to rise. The peace accords allowed that to happen.”

  Jace’s head throbbed as he stared at Bildanen in disbelief. “How can you condemn your own people to slavery? To torture and suffering?”

  “They are not my people,” Bildanen said. “This city is filled with mewling brats who whine about how they have been mistreated. The resistance drags them here and dumps them on my doorstep and demands that I clothe and feed them because one of their ancestors served one of mine. It is madness.”

  “It is kindness,” Jace argued. “It is compassion. We have a responsibility to care for our kin.”

  “It is weakness!” Lord Bildanen boomed. “I will not stand for it in my house. Independence was supposed to make Cyprena strong, but it has only made us thieves and pirates. This ‘freedom’ is a cancer, and I will cut it out, until only House Nightfall remains. Starting with you.” He grinned, a gleam of insanity in his eyes. “If my team was successful, your females are already dead.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Something’s wrong,” Sabine said.

  Talena snorted as she scowled at the vid screen and its ominous countdown to annihilation. “There’s a lot wrong with that picture.”

  “No, I mean I sense something wrong. Like when Andee fought those assassins.” Sabine frowned, rubbing the violet skin between her eyes. A dull throb had taken residence in her skull since Lord Bildanen had declared war. Cyprena was loud to begin with, but with the Cy’ren in a constant panic the planet’s fear ground through her shields like the drill grinding its way to the Morningstar enclave. Spending time with Tali eased Sabine’s nerves; it was nice getting to know her sister, and talk of Tali’s artwork and impending motherhood provided an excellent distraction from the chaos going on around them.

  “Maybe it’s a headache from watching that screen too long. You should rest for a bit,” Tali suggested.

  “So should you,” Sabine countered. “I promised to look after you, and your mates will never forgive me if you take ill.”

  Talena sighed and sat back, but before she could protest the sitting room went black around them. “Or you’re right, and it’s assassins.”

  Sabine pulled Talena to her feet and they hurried to Andee’s bedroom. Because Jace wasn’t comfortable in the lord’s quarters, he had continued to stay in Andee’s extra room with Bryn and Sabine. After Jace and Bryn left on their secret mission, Talena had moved into Andee’s room to be closer to Sabine.

  Sabine pulled the door’s manual release, and they ducked inside. “Do you think the panic room works when the power is out?”

  “I think it has an independent power source. But…” Tali trailed off, her head turned toward Andee’s wardrobe and the temptation of the weapons cache within it. “Can you sense them? How much time
do we have?”

  “Probably not much if they’ve already gotten to the manor’s power source.” With a deep breath Sabine centered herself and concentrated. Talena was alarmed but focused, and outside of Andee’s rooms there was fear and confusion in the other Morningstar females—the former lord’s mates, as well as Wylarric’s two mates and children.

  “I don’t sense any guards nearby,” Sabine said. “Who will protect the others?”

  “We will.” Talena’s cool composure solidified as her resolve set, and she started for Andee’s personal armory. She handed Sabine a pistol. “Do you remember the basics?”

  “I haven’t had time to forget,” Sabine replied. “Grip the pistol with both hands. Aim low. Fire in short, controlled bursts to avoid overheating.” Tali had begun to teach her how to shoot after Bryn and Jace left, as there was no one remaining in the manor with enough authority to stop them. Not that Sabine thought that her mates would disapprove of the idea, just of Sabine’s choice in instructor.

  “Good girl. Ooh, grenades.”

  “I really don’t think grenades are a good idea in your condition.” Sabine belted the holster on and held the pistol firmly, pointed down. Talena ignored her and draped an ammo belt across her torso.

  “They’re only stun grenades. Here, take this.” Talena handed her a bag filled with rifles. “How many assassins are there, and where are they now?”

  “Six of them, I think.” Sabine frowned and gnawed on her bottom lip as Talena opened the door. “They’re beneath us. A few levels, but that’s not far.”

  “Must’ve caught our security off guard. Everyone’s distracted by the mining drill.”

  Sabine nodded, focused on locating the assassins. She puzzled over why they stuck out to her—her aleithir abilities grew stronger each day now that her phase was over and she had Andelynn’s guidance to draw on. Even a handful of lessons had made an enormous difference. The assassins’ focus gave them away. They emitted a calculated precision that didn’t fit the domestic energy of the manor.

  “Which way should we go?” Tali asked.

  “To Miri and Zhanti’s quarters,” Sabine said. “That way we can protect their girls.”

  Wylarric’s daughters couldn’t inherit, but their blood was noble, and if the assassins were targeting the Morningstar family then the girls were in danger. Sabine was the lady of the house now, and it was her duty to protect the family.

  Tali and Sabine hurried down the dark, empty hallway to Wylarric’s quarters. Talena worked on the manual release for the door as Sabine called out to his mates. Mirlindra, Wylarric’s first mate, brandished a tea tray when they entered the sitting room.

  “Lady Sabine?” Miri said.

  “Yes, it’s just us. Are you all right?” Sabine asked.

  She lowered the tea tray with a sigh of relief. “We’re fine. Zhanti has the girls.”

  “Did Wylarric have a panic room?” Tali asked.

  “No. He said it was a sign of weakness.” Miri’s voice shook and she rubbed her arms as though chilled.

  “After this, everyone is getting a panic room,” Sabine said.

  “In the Sunsinger manor, too. Give them the extra rifles and barricade them into the girls’ closet. I’m going to set up some surprises out here.”

  Talena fired into the main door lock as Sabine followed Miri. Hysterical crying greeted Sabine when the door opened, and she flinched as their fear battered against her already strained mental shields. What she wouldn’t give for the blissful oblivion of an upper right about now. Gritting her teeth, Sabine unslung her bag and handed Miri a laser rifle.

  “This is a last resort, if they get past us. You’re not trained with a gun, so don’t fire unless you have to.” Sabine pressed a second weapon into Zhanti’s hands. “Hide in the closet. And pray.”

  “Thank you, my lady,” Zhanti said.

  “Don’t thank me yet,” Sabine replied.

  She hauled what furniture she could in front of the closet door and then melted the door lock. Tali joined her and shot the door to the sitting room.

  “We’re going to take up spots on either side of the room,” she said without preamble.

  “What did you do out there?” Sabine asked.

  “I set the grenades to proximity triggers. It’d be better if they were fragmentation grenades, but stunners will help if our security gets here before the bad guys do.”

  “Did you learn all this from your father?” Sabine asked, curious.

  “Yes. Under the solemn promise to never let my mother know. She would’ve had a fit if she knew the things Carmen and I learned from our fathers.” Talena paused and stroked her stomach. “We’re going to get through this.”

  “Damn right we are. I’m going to be an auntie if I have to kill every Nightfall merc from here to the U-territory.” Sabine knelt behind a nightstand, the pistol trembling in her grip. They both flinched at the muffled thrum of the stun grenades going off outside. “Four left.”

  “Aim low,” Talena murmured. “Short, controlled bursts.”

  She could do this. Bryn and Jace would—Bryn had, only a few days ago. So much had happened in such a short time. Sabine was stronger now, and she would make her mates proud.

  The door ground open, and Sabine fired. They dropped the first assassin with their combined fire, but the rest held back. Eerie silence and a cloud of singed ozone hung over the room for a moment.

  “Surrender and you won’t be harmed,” a voice called out. There was zero sincerity in his energy. Sabine informed the speaker that he could go fuck himself, and Tali punctuated the sentiment with a grenade lobbed through the doorway.

  “Three left,” Sabine said. Judging by their energy, their attackers were wounded or unconscious but not dead yet.

  With a battle cry the remaining assassins charged. Sabine fired until her pistol whined and flashed red, overheated. One male dropped, and as the other two advanced on Tali’s position Sabine leapt on the closer one. Snarling, she clung to his back and tried to throw him off balance. Instinct drove her to go for the male’s throat, and as he bucked her off she tore free a mouthful of flesh and flexible armor.

  Pain jolted up Sabine’s spine as she landed clumsily on her backside, and the male cursed and turned on her. He raised his sword, but the other male batted the weapon aside.

  “Enough! I can’t do this anymore.”

  “We complete the mission,” the male with the chunk missing from his neck replied. “No exceptions.”

  Sabine growled and dove at his knees, tackling him to the ground. Talena shot the male in the head. For a moment the room tilted around Sabine as power blazed through her. The sensation resembled the rush of the uppers her master had dosed her with combined with her mates’ bite, but it had a dark, vicious edge. She tumbled away, dizzy and nauseous.

  “Wait!” The last shadow sword dropped his weapon as Talena targeted him. “I won’t do Bildanen’s bidding anymore. Please, accept my surrender.”

  Sabine rose on wobbly legs and cautiously crossed to Talena. She helped her sister up as Tali kept her pistol trained on the male.

  “If you flinch I will end you,” Tali warned. “Who are you?”

  “Commander Corrin Kasse.”

  Talena perked up. “I remember you. Dack gave you his sword when he left House Nightfall.”

  “He did.” Commander Kasse nodded. “I submit myself and my team to you for judgment, Lady Talena.”

  “I am the lady of House Morningstar,” Sabine said, standing straighter. Her voice was far steadier than she felt at the moment. “I will accept your surrender.”

  “Thank you, my lady.”

  “How did you get in?” Sabine asked. “Is this all of you?”

  “Yes. We were part of the group that arrived before the lockdown. You eliminated the first team. We were on standby in case they failed. I’ve never defied an order before, but I am a warrior, not a murderer. I’d rather die with honor than have innocent blood on my hands.”


  “Dack said he was honorable. Maybe he can tell us something useful,” Tali said.

  “I have security codes that will deactivate the mining drill above the city,” he offered.

  Sabine sensed his sincerity, and she nodded. “He’s telling the truth.” The lights came on, and she marveled at the destruction she and Talena had wrought—one dead assassin, one injured and the rest stunned. “Wow. We’re kind of scary. In a good way.”

  “Damn right we are,” Tali agreed. “Call security. I’ll keep him covered.”

  ∆∆∆

  “Give me your sword. I will end this whelp.” Lord Bildanen motioned one of his bodyguards closer and took the male’s blade. With sword in hand, he advanced toward Jace, and Jace glared at him as his jaw clenched. He’d be damned if he would beg for his life. It would do precious little good against a monster like Bildanen Rathe.

  Movement caught Jace’s attention from the corner of his eye, and his breath froze as Bryn collapsed. He called her name with a strangled gasp as she hit the floor, but then her aqua eyes snapped open. Bryn snarled and attacked her captors. Jace used the moment to his own advantage, and he rolled and kicked out the knee of the guard standing over him. Jace wrestled the laser rifle from the guard’s grasp and then shot him with it. When he staggered to his feet, he saw Bryn snap the neck of one of her attackers. Jace shot the other, and then between the two of them they cut Bildanen’s men down until only the lord was left standing.

  Bildanen raised his borrowed sword, but judging by his poor grip and unbalanced stance he had never wielded a blade before. “Wait! We can discuss this,” he said.

  “No. We’re done talking.”

  Jace pulled the trigger and shot Bildanen through the head.

  The lord of House Nightfall crumpled, but Jace felt no peace. He had expected to feel some sense of ease at serving justice and avenging his father and brother’s murders, but killing Bildanen would not bring them back. It wouldn’t erase the horror of the Lazarus virus spreading throughout the Dawnsea city.