Sovran's Pawn (The Black Wing Chronicles Book 1)

by JC Cassels

  He let the statement hang, waiting to see if Marin would take the hint.

  “Her mother was a courtesan. Barron has a legitimate Joy Babe certification through the Kiara D’or Choh. It’s not unheard of for high-profile celebrities to contract a long-term exclusive companion.”

  Marin gave him a meaningful look and waited expectantly for his rebuttal.

  “She’s a Kiara, sir,” Blade lifted his chin with a small, victorious smile. “I don’t have the pedigree to rate a Kiara. I’m Dev Fossey from the Fasi Home, not Daavin Marin.”

  Blade’s small sense of victory faded with Marin’s slow, answering smile.

  “Madame Misou is an old friend of mine,” Marin said. “She is very discreet. I will acknowledge you as my son. No matter what you choose to call yourself, you will have the pedigree in her eyes and that is all that matters. Whether she believes you to be legitimate or illegitimate doesn’t matter, she will keep that information to herself. Set Barron up in an apartment on Altair. There’s gambling and vice enough there to suit your dissolute tendencies.”

  “Bo isn’t the kind of woman who will be content to be kept by a man,” Blade said. “She has responsibilities and she takes them seriously.”

  “Commendable. Perhaps you’ll learn something from her about that.” Marin leaned back in his chair and watched him, patiently waiting for Blade to realize he’d been outmaneuvered.

  Blade slowly sank back down into the oversized leather chair. He shook his head in resignation. Leaning forward he braced his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together.

  “I can’t talk you out of this, can I?”

  Marin smiled. “No, boy, you can’t. Cultivate her as an asset. Earn her trust. Gain her loyalty. Don’t fall in love with her. She’s expendable. You’re not.”

  Blade laughed, but there was no humor in it. It was too late for that. He was already falling in love with her. He studied his clasped hands while his mind raced, searching for some other objection – anything he could use to thwart the Overlord’s intentions. He wanted Bo, but not like this.

  “Quit pretending you don’t want the excuse to keep her openly,” Marin said. “It’s obvious you’re in rut for her. Hell, boy, she may be The Barron, but she’s also Kiara. Maker knows that once you get a taste of a Kiara, they’re addictive. I’m not so old that I can’t appreciate a woman anymore. I have my favorites from the D’or Choh.”

  Slowly, Blade raised his head and favored the older man with a mix of admiration and amusement. Marin had countered his every argument. He hated to admit it, but he hadn’t had the chance to consider how he was going to see Bo again and in what context. As distasteful as Marin’s proposal was, it paved the way for him to pursue a relationship with her, more or less openly. Whether he liked it or not, he had little choice but to comply. The question is, would she agree?

  “Make arrangements with your Madame Misou,” he said quietly. “I’ll do what you say. But I want a few concessions in return.”

  “I’d expect nothing less.”

  “I want no interference in my career,” Blade said. “No more IC jobs for as long as I’m cultivating The Barron’s loyalty.”

  “That can be arranged.”

  “My brother is untouchable.”

  The overlord’s lips twisted in distaste at the mention of Chase. Blade chose to ignore it and pressed on.

  “He was used as leverage to make me take this last job. Trust me, my Lord; you don’t want that to happen again. You know I can be unpleasant when I choose.”

  Marin reluctantly nodded. “I’ll see to it.”

  “And for as long as I’m cultivating The Barron, she’s not to be used as leverage either.”

  “Agreed.”

  “She’s under my protection. Anyone who harms her answers to me.”

  “As long as you don’t fall in love with her, or breed with her. I won’t have illegitimate heirs from convicted traitors, do you understand?”

  Blade nodded. Closing his eyes, his head sagged wearily on his shoulders. Drawing a deep breath to still his thoughts, he quickly ran through every possible scenario looking for anything he may have missed. Smiling to himself, he slowly lifted his head and met the overlord’s expectant stare.

  “One more thing,” Blade said. “Larianne Varo.”

  “What about her?”

  “Someone chose me for the Tennova job. She knows who that was. I want to know why I was chosen. She’s a highly trained operative. Getting the information from her could be… unpleasant.”

  Marin nodded. “Do what you feel you must,” he said. “You answer to no one but me.” He arched an eyebrow at him. “Is there anything else?”

  Blade shook his head. “I think that covers it for now.”

  Marin rose and extended his hand. “Then we have an agreement?”

  With a nod, Blade likewise came to his feet and took the other man’s hand, sealing the deal.

  “Cultivate Barron’s loyalty. Keep her openly as your mistress, but keep a professional distance. Never forget she’s an asset and a potential threat to the stability of the Commonwealth. If you bring me any Barron grandchildren, you’ll see how unpleasant I can be.”

  Biting back comment, Blade simply nodded.

  “I’ll make the arrangements with Misou. Crider will contact you with the details.”

  “Thank you, my Lord.” Sensing his dismissal, Blade nodded in a shallow bow as Marin released his hand. He turned towards the door.

  “Boy?”

  Blade stopped and waited expectantly for him to speak.

  “Varo is a valuable operative,” he said. “Not to mention damn easy on the eyes. Try not to do her permanent damage if you can help it.”

  “I make no promises, my Lord.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Kiara D’or Choh

  Vinatair, Altair, Third Sector

  Four days later

  Disjointed stimuli strung together to make up her waking moments over the next few days. When Bo finally achieved full consciousness, the sweet smells of home had been replaced by the unmistakable combination of stale air and perfume. Blinking against the soft afternoon light of Altair’s sun, she took in her surroundings. Though still not entirely clear, her vision was much improved. Rolling onto her side, the bedding poofed around her. Swallowing her disappointment, she rubbed her cheek against the soft pillow and exhaled slowly. She knew the elegantly appointed room with its white furniture and pale blue accents. While she had been unconscious, she had been brought to the Kiara D’or Choh.

  She still hadn’t gotten to speak with her cousin and wish him well.

  Tears filled her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks.

  She had been so close. Closing her eyes again, she buried her face in the pillow. Jaden had come. Despite the dangers to the both of them, when she had needed him, he’d come.

  A sob escaped her throat only to be caught in the pillow she held tightly to her face. The soft fabric, damp with her tears, cooled her hot skin. Her fingers curled like talons in the downy stuffing, gripping it until her knuckles grew white and ached with the force of her grip.

  All of the emotions she’d held in check since her arrest at Frostfire swamped her like a great tide. Like so many small bubbles surfacing in turbulent waters, the sobs burst from her, roiled by the larger wails that pushed them along until they, too, were rent from her body, shaking her and doubling her over with the pain of it.

  She poured out her emotions into the pillow, rocking back and forth with it clutched to her like a lost child until finally, throat sore, eyes burning, she had no more tears to shed. Only a raw emptiness remained inside her.

  Weary and completely spent, Bo lay there staring at the intricately patterned blue scrollwork twining its way across the walls of her room. It was the same shade as the bluestone of Mondhuoun. Smiling to herself, she wondered if it was the same shade as her flyboy’s eyes.

  Closing her eyes she focused on the memory of her flyboy. She tried t
o conjure his face, but the memory hovered just out of reach. Instead, she remembered the shadowy feel of his face underneath her fingertips, the clean, spicy cologne he wore, the way his laughter rumbled in his chest. Mostly she remembered the feeling of safety and comfort she’d found in his presence. With a sigh, she reached for that feeling, holding it close and focusing on it, wielding it like a shield against the misery that threatened to consume her.

  Darien Roarke, Dev Fossey, whatever he called himself, her flyboy was strong, solid and completely dependable. Reaching deep inside, Bo found the embers of the strength she had relied on to carry her through the worst that life had thrown at her. She was The Barron. Lying there wrapped in self-pity wasn’t an option. With one last deep breath, she opened her eyes and tossed the covers aside.

  Taking her time, she bathed and dressed herself, mindful of her Aunt Misou’s standards for Kiara living in the D’or Choh. Bo had no desire to draw her disapproval. She needed answers and Misou held the key to getting them.

  Only when she looked the part of Marissa Kiara did Bo dare to emerge from her room and descend the wide curving staircase to the common areas below. Exotically beautiful females glided through the mansion, tending to their business according to their status in the hierarchy. Despite the fact that she was kin to all of them, Bo’s own status set her apart. Not truly a Kiara, as The Barron, Bo was titular nobility in her own right, a fact that placed her on equal footing with Madame Misou according to the tenets of Altairian society.

  Accepting the polite deferential nods and curtsies of the graceful Kiara, Bo wrapped herself in the dignity of her title, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin in acknowledgement of each small salute of obeisance as she had seen her aunt do.

  “Marissa, I’m happy to see you up and about after your ordeal,” Madame Misou said from the doorway to her private salon.

  Madame Misou swept from the room with all the grace and dignity of a Sovran. Her skin had obviously been flawless in her youth. In her advancing years, her face bore few lines; it was smooth and creamy, and expertly painted to show off her still-beautiful features. Her white hair was perfectly coiffed as befitted a grand dame of the D’or Choh. The pale rose hue of her loose, ruffled dress heightened her complexion. Though Bo wasn’t an expert, she recognized the quality of the jewels her aunt wore.

  Genuine fondness for the elegant Madame brought a warm smile to Bo’s face. She wondered which noble or Sovran had gifted the baubles to her.

  “I’m feeling much better, Aunt Misou,” she said, taking her aunt’s outstretched hand. “Thank you for taking such good care of me while I recovered.”

  “It is time for dinner. Do you feel up to a light meal?”

  As if in response to her question, Bo’s stomach rumbled. “That would be lovely, thank you.”

  With a small smile as the only indication that she had heard the very unladylike noise, Misou linked her arm through Bo’s and she guided her towards the dining room.

  “We have guests dining with us,” Misou said. “The young man who accompanied you, Mister Fossey has been enjoying our hospitality at the request of the Mondhuic Regent.”

  Bo smiled, aware of the breach in protocol. “Thank you, Aunt Misou.”

  Madame Misou patted her arm. “He helped save your life,” she said. “I am indebted to him for his actions on your behalf.”

  The suspended chandelier cast a warm glow over the gracefully curved and gilded lines of the dining table and padded chairs. A few senior Joy Babes and their clients had already gathered and were mingling. Chase, engrossed in conversation with Bo’s cousin, Tese, never noticed when she entered.

  With a fond smile, for him, Bo turned her attention to the other men in the room. Three men stood apart from the rest, in low-voiced conversation. Their posture didn’t encourage interruption. She didn’t have to see them with perfect clarity to recognize them. With a small cry, Bo launched herself at the three dark-haired men.

  Tall, broad-shouldered and lean-waisted, Jaden cut a dashing figure in his Black Wing uniform. He turned and swept her up, swinging her around with a delighted laugh. Bo’s arms tightly held on to his neck as she threw back her head, laughing with ebullient glee. Unable to contain herself, she covered his face with kisses as happy tears spilled from her eyes.

  “I thought you had left!”

  Jaden set her gently on her feet and hugged her tightly to his chest. “Not yet,” he said. “I wanted to talk with you. Holy Maker, do you have any idea how much I miss you?”

  “I miss you, too.” Pulling away, she peered up at him and wiped at the tears streaming down her face.

  He no sooner released her than Bo was crushed by her uncle Royce’s fierce hug. “What the hell were you thinking? You don’t eject an escape pod in hyperspace unless the ship’s core is about to melt down. He was supposed to protect you, not send you to certain death!”

  Bo grinned up at Royce. “If it had been certain death, I wouldn’t be here now, would I?”

  She turned to her brother and slipped out of Royce’s embrace. With only a brief hesitation, Edge held out his arms to her and Bo hugged her brother tightly.

  “Thank you for never leaving me,” she said.

  He kissed the top of her head and set her away from him. “You know that thing I’ve been promising you? I found one and I’m fitting it out for you.”

  “A ship?” she whispered. At his nod, she clasped her hand over her mouth. With a happy little bounce, she threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, I love you!”

  Edge patted her back uncomfortably. “Yeah, yeah,” he said. “I know.”

  Over her head, he looked to Royce and Jaden in supplication. Sensing something wrong, Bo released her brother and took a step back. She looked from one to another.

  “What is it?”

  Jaden took her hand and stepped back. “Come on, let’s go somewhere we can be alone.”

  They had only taken two steps toward the door when Chase blocked their way.

  “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Where are you going with her?”

  “Chase, please…” Bo said.

  “That’s really not any business of yours, Mister Fossey,” Jaden said.

  “Jaden…”

  “I kind of think it is. She’s under contract to my brother. He’s not a forgiving sort.”

  Bo stepped between the two men and placed her hand firmly on her cousin’s chest. She gave him a stern look. “It’s alright. Let me handle this,” she said.

  Jaden held Chase’s glare for one long moment before he smiled down at her and nodded. Jaden folded his arms across his chest, but he didn’t step away or otherwise back down.

  Bo pointedly turned her back on her cousin as she rested her hand lightly on Chase’s chest. She waited for him to look at her before she spoke.

  “Chase, I thank you for everything,” she said. “You’ve been a good friend to me and I have the greatest affection and admiration for you.”

  “But?”

  “You do your brother honor by protecting his interests. But the terms of my contract ended my obligation to your brother the instant I left the cruise liner.”

  Chase clenched his jaw as if biting back angry words.

  Bo turned slightly towards Jaden. “This man is Jaden Barron, Mondhuoun’s co-Regent and Commander of the Black Wing. Whether you approve or not, he is your host. It is at his request that you have been enjoying Kiara hospitality as a demonstration of gratitude for all you have done for me.”

  “I appreciate your hospitality,” Chase said tersely, but the tense line of his posture indicated that one wrong word and he would attack her cousin.

  Without taking her eyes off Chase, Bo spoke to Jaden over her shoulder. “Would you please wait for me upstairs in my room?”

  “Are you sure?” Jaden asked.

  Bo nodded. “I won’t be but a minute.”

  “As you wish,” Jaden said. Without another word, he skirted around the other man and left the dining room
.

  Chase watched him go. Reaching up, Bo touched his cheek, drawing his attention once more.

  “Chase, Jaden and I have a long history together.”

  “You’re his concubine?”

  The idea took her by surprise. It was as good an explanation as any other. Seizing on it as a perfectly reasonable explanation, Bo nodded, reluctant to give voice to the lie.

  “He’s getting married soon. Mondhuic wives don’t allow concubines. He came to my aid because he loves me. He’ll always love me. I will always be able to call on him for help. But he wants to talk with me in private to make arrangements for my….”

  “Your severance? He’s ending it?”

  Bo nodded. “He’s a very wealthy and generous man. You’ve seen that by the fact that he’s extended his hospitality to you. I’ll… this matter must be settled in private between the two of us.”

  “Is that why you look so sad all the time?” Chase asked. “You’re in love with him and you knew he was going end it?”

  Tears came to her eyes. If only it were that simple. Bo knew from their somber moods that they had no good news in regards to her father. Jaden, as her closest friend, had the unhappy job of breaking the news to her.

  Bo looked helplessly up at him, feeling very much alone and frightened.

  “Marissa, if you’re in love with him, where does my brother fit in?”

  She bit her quivering lip and smiled. “Honestly, Dev is the one good thing that has come out of all of this. Even if I never see him again, I will always be thankful that Darien Roarke had the audacity to tell me he could see me naked.”

  “I don’t understand.”