The Dark of Light (Starhawke Rising Book 1)

by Audrey Sharpe

  Jonarel must have hit all his hot buttons. “What happened with Jonarel?”

  Cade stared at the floor, the pictures on the walls, the ceiling—anywhere but at her. “Emoto wanted to talk about the situation with the creatures and Mya’s collapse, to explain to Clarek why my team stepped in. But your boy wouldn’t listen.”

  The emphasis on your caught her attention, as did the look in his eyes when he finally met her gaze. Up to this point his attitude had been guarded but friendly. Now, she was facing a stone wall.

  She had no problem envisioning Jonarel as the instigator of the battle. His hatred ran deep. But what exactly had he said to Cade? Something awful, judging by the way Cade was reacting. He’d closed himself off behind a shield of rage.

  She spread her hands in a conciliatory gesture. “I know you and Jonarel have never seen eye to eye, but he’s a valuable member of my crew. And, given the parameters of your orders, the two of you will have to deal with each other on a regular basis for the foreseeable future.” She took a step toward him and he flinched. She sighed. “Cade, I’m sorry I wasn’t…available…to help smooth things over earlier. I knew any meeting between you two would be tense. This isn’t how I would have chosen things to go.”

  The first chinks in his armor appeared, so she pressed on. “I never did thank you for rescuing Mya and me. I know you were doing your job, but I’m still grateful that you were there when we needed you.”

  She was making headway. Now he was studying her like she was a giant puzzle and he was missing several critical pieces. “You’re welcome,” he said at last, his voice husky. “How are you feeling?”

  Awful. “Okay. A little out of sorts, but at least I’m back on my feet.”

  He frowned. “When you were sleeping, you reacted like you were in pain.”

  Oh, hell. She didn’t want to think about Cade watching her while she was unconscious. She offered him a smile. “The encounter was an intense experience. I guess it wore me out. But I’ll be fine.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded, even though the motion made her head throb. “Absolutely. However, I do have one question that I need answered.”

  He tensed, but he held her gaze. “Okay.”

  “Can you work on the same team with Jonarel, or not?”

  His eyes widened and his lips parted in surprise. Whatever question he’d been expecting, that wasn’t it. “What do you mean?”

  “Now that your team is no longer observing us covertly, the best way to accomplish our mutual goals is to combine forces.”

  “You want my team to work with you?” He stared at her in disbelief.

  She stared back. “Yes. If you and Jonarel can learn to work together. I can’t keep breaking up heated confrontations.”

  She could sense his internal conflict. His professional side would know she was right and might even be intrigued by the possibility. But his personal side probably loathed the idea of spending time with his mortal enemy. Which side would win?

  Apparently his dedication to duty was stronger than his hatred. He nodded. “If there are any problems, it won’t be because of me.”

  One huge leap accomplished. Hopefully Jonarel would have a similar attitude. “Thank you.” She stepped toward the doorway. “I have a few things to discuss with Kire, but if your team will pack up whatever they need, they can join us on the shuttle to the ship as soon as we’re finished here.”

  She’d surprised him again. His expression was truly comical. He managed to appear both horrified and delighted at the same time.

  “You want us on the Starhawke?”

  “It’s where my crew will be.” And it felt like karmic justice after his team had spent the past few days spying on her. Staying on her ship would shift the balance of power. It would also place Cade in close proximity to Jonarel, but she’d deal with that.

  He cast out a weak argument. “I don’t think the Admiral would approve.”

  “I disagree. He may not have wanted us to know about you initially, but now that we do, this plan makes sense. However, I understand if you want to discuss it with your team first. I’ll give you a little time to talk it over.” Without waiting for a reply, she headed out to the porch.

  She found Kire standing near the railing, gazing up at the incandescent moon, as though he was trying to find some answers in its peaceful beauty.

  He turned as she approached. Even in the dim light, worry lines showed on his face. “I’m so sorry, Roe.” He shook his head. “I should have known better. I’d hoped Jon and Ellis could talk things out, that once I explained the situation, Jon would relax and focus on helping you. But those two are like flint and tinder. Jon struck the first spark and it all went to hell.”

  She leaned against the railing next to him. “It’s not your fault. Jonarel and Cade in the same room would have been challenging in an ideal situation. Having them suddenly thrust together when I was incapacitated was a recipe for disaster.”

  “I heard what you said to Jon. How did you handle things with Ellis?”

  She gave him a brief summary. “Hopefully I can extract a similar commitment from Jonarel.”

  “You will. His hatred of Ellis is strong, but his love for you is stronger.”

  Her heart squeezed. He was right, of course, but in many ways, that made the situation harder.

  “What did Kelly have to say?”

  “Not much. She and Star are going over the sensor data and will have a report ready when we return.”

  At least something had gone right. But she still had a plethora of questions. Maybe Kire could get some answers. “Would you be willing to hang out with Cade’s team and see what you can learn while I go deal with Jonarel?”

  The look he gave her said it all. “Of course.”

  Thank the universe for Kire. She honestly didn’t know what she’d do without him.

  Cade stood in the doorway to the temporary command center, talking with Mr. Byrnes, when Aurora and Kire stepped inside. Conversation ground to a halt as an undercurrent of tension pulsed around the room.

  Time for diplomacy. “Kire and I would like to meet the rest of your team.”

  To Cade’s credit, he didn’t miss a beat. “Of course.” He stepped into the small room and addressed his team. “I’d like you all to meet Captain Aurora Hawke and Commander Kire Emoto.” He gestured to a trim blonde woman Aurora hadn’t seen before. “This is Tracy Reynolds, our security specialist.”

  Reynolds gave a tight nod, her emotions indicating a reserve that contrasted sharply with the curiosity Aurora was picking up from everyone else. Then again, as a security specialist, her attitude made perfect sense.

  Cade gestured to a stocky man with a shaved head and a serene expression. “Tam Williams, our team’s doctor.”

  Ah, doctor. That fit with his calm demeanor.

  Williams stood and extended his hand. “Captain.” His tenor voice seemed at odds with his barrel chest and muscled physique.

  She returned the handshake. He had a firm but gentle grip and kind eyes. “Dr. Williams.”

  Williams and Kire exchanged greetings as they shook hands.

  The next member of Cade’s team stepped forward. He was taller than Dr. Williams, with a tough, wiry build and a thin face full of laugh lines. “Christoph Gonzalez.” He extended his hand before Cade could introduce him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  The animated, positive energy he projected was infectious. She smiled. “And what’s your specialty, Mr. Gonzalez?” She was going to guess communications, or maybe reconnaissance.

  “Weapons.”

  Her surprise must have shown on her face, because Gonzalez laughed. “Yes, I figure out how to blow things up for a living.”

  “Then I’ll be sure to stay on your good side,” she replied, earning her another chuckle as he shook hands with Kire.

  Bella Drew, the petite brunette Aurora had met outside, introduced herself to Kire and Justin Byrnes stood to shake hands.<
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  Aurora glanced at Cade. A flash of approval lit his green eyes. A small victory, but it was a start.

  She left Kire to do what he did best as she headed for the back bedroom. The murmur of voices drifted out into the hallway.

  Celia popped up from her chair when Aurora entered. “Aurora! How are you feeling?”

  “Better.” Which was mostly true. She wasn’t unconscious anymore.

  Celia’s gaze swept over her. “I’m glad you’re standing. When we got here, you looked like you were down for the count.”

  Aurora winced.

  Celia’s entire being radiated empathy. “Yeah, I know. I didn’t want to leave Mya while she’s still unconscious.” Which explained why Celia hadn’t tried to break up the confrontation in the foyer. “Care to fill me in on what’s been going on?”

  Aurora glanced at Jonarel. He was watching her intently.

  “Jonarel and Cade had a disagreement.”

  Celia snorted. “So I gathered.”

  “I had a discussion with Cade, and we’ve made a preliminary plan for his team to work with ours.” Jonarel growled, but she ignored him. “Can you go meet with them and set some ground rules? Find out what they can bring to the table to help us?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Yet another friend she owed a drink.

  Aurora walked over to the bed and sat down next to Mya. She brushed a lock of hair off Mya’s forehead and clasped her hand. Her cheeks were still pale but her breathing was steady.

  She glanced at Jonarel. “Things didn’t go as we’d planned, did they?”

  His expression was unreadable, his emotions carefully locked down. “No, they did not.”

  She sighed. How should she begin a discussion she’d never imagined having with him? Might as well be direct. “Are you ready to talk about the scene in the hallway?”

  His voice was as devoid of emotion as his expression. “I am sorry you witnessed it.”

  Interesting word choice. “Sorry that I witnessed it? Or sorry that it happened in the first place?”

  “I am sorry that we disturbed you.”

  Oh boy. His words fanned the embers of her anger, and she slowly counted to ten. She needed time to think. Jonarel didn’t do anything without a solid reason. She just needed to extract that reason from his internal lockbox. “Talk to me.”

  She touched his arm and he flinched, but he didn’t pull away. A muscle in his jaw twitched as his teeth clenched.

  “Jonarel, tell me what happened.” She dipped her head forward, trying to get him to look at her. “I need to know.”

  He remained silent, the seconds ticking by. He wasn’t going to answer her.

  But finally, ever so slowly, he bent his head to look into her eyes. The pain and sadness he revealed took her breath away.

  “I am so sorry I failed you, Aurora.”

  She frowned. His words made no sense. “Failed me? How? By getting into an argument with Cade?”

  The well of sadness deepened as he stared at her. He shook his head, his thick hair casting his face in shadow. “On the day we met, I made a vow to you. Whatever might happen to me, I would protect you, even at the cost of my own life.”

  How could she forget? She tightened her grip on his arm.

  “You accepted me without question. You called me friend without hesitation. You stood by me without fear.” His voice deepened with emotion. “I have honored that vow. I have watched over you, guarded you. But there was one thing I could not protect you from. One…person.” The last word came out as a curse, and his eyes flashed fire.

  “I wanted to avenge you at the Academy, but you stopped me.” His muscles flexed beneath her hand. “Tonight, you encountered a threat I had not anticipated, one that might have cost you your life. That knowledge haunts me. But to discover that he had anticipated it. That he was there to protect you when I was not. I cannot….”

  As his voice trailed off and he glanced away, she finally understood. Ten years ago, Cade had hurt her in a way that Jonarel had been unable to defend, to make right. Apparently that failure had been a festering wound ever since, turning Cade into a living, breathing reminder of Jonarel’s worst fear realized. And tonight, he’d succeeded where Jonarel had failed. He wasn’t just angry at Cade. He was furious with himself.

  She placed her palm on the side of his face, allowing the pads of her fingers to trace the delicate patterns on his skin. When he finally turned toward her, she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his before drawing back to hold his gaze. “I trust you with my life.”

  He reached a hand toward her.

  “Sahzade?” Mya’s voice was a faint puff of air, hardly even a whisper.

  Aurora looked down. Her friend’s eyes were open and focused on her. Their rich brown coloring looked dull, but at least she was awake.

  She gave Mya’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Welcome back. How are you feeling?”

  Mya licked her dry lips. “I’ve been better.”

  Jonarel removed his small hip flask and helped her sit up so she could take a few swallows of water.

  She sank back down onto the pillows but her voice was a little stronger. “What about you? Everything’s kind of a jumble.” She glanced around the room in confusion. “Where are we?”

  Not an easy question. Aurora wanted to keep the details to a minimum until Mya got her strength back. “A safe house. The rest of the team is here and we’ll return to the ship as soon as you’re up to it.”

  Mya looked between Aurora and Jonarel, picking up on the odd tension in the room. “I guess Kire rescued us.”

  Aurora shot a look at Jonarel, silently pleading with him not to contradict her. Mya was still weak. Aurora didn’t want to add to the strain she was under by announcing the new complications that had resulted in their dramatic rescue.

  Thankfully, he seemed inclined to follow her lead. “Everyone made it out safely,” he said.

  Mya sighed. “Thank goodness.”

  Celia appeared in the doorway. “Everything’s set, Captain.” She glanced at Mya and a warm smile lit her face. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.”

  25

  Aurora had successfully outmaneuvered him. He shouldn’t be surprised. She’d graduated at the top of her class for a reason. Still, Cade wasn’t looking forward to finding out what the Admiral would have to say about the turn of events. He was also more than a little concerned about the promise he’d made regarding working with Clarek. He wasn’t convinced it was one he could keep.

  He’d avoided the Kraed during the move from the cabin, which had meant avoiding Aurora as well, since the male had refused to leave her side until they reached the shuttle. Byrnes had driven Emoto out to the orchard to pick up the other glider, and then they’d loaded the gliders, his bike, and the stealth pods in the transports. It had been tight, but they’d managed to fit everyone in.

  When they’d reached the shuttle, Clarek had taken the controls and Aurora had settled into the co-pilot’s chair. Cade was seated next to Byrnes and Drew in the first row of the main compartment, with Gonzalez, Williams and Reynolds behind them. Cardiff, Emoto and Mya had insisted on sitting in the back row. He suspected Emoto and Cardiff wanted to keep an eye on his team.

  Mya still looked weak. She’d allowed Williams to do a bio scan before they’d left the cabin and he hadn’t found anything physically wrong. She’d taken the news of the rescue well, and had actually seemed relieved to see Cade and his team.

  Her reaction had surprised him. Mya was Aurora’s oldest friend, so he’d assumed he’d be public enemy number one in her book. Apparently, his actions tonight had gone a long way toward altering that perception.

  He still didn’t have any idea why Mya and Aurora had needed rescuing in the first place. His brain kept supplying potential reasons, but he didn’t have any facts to hang them on. Whatever the cause, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the creatures tied in somehow.

  Byrnes let out a low whistle as the shuttle approached
the ship. “And I thought the shuttle was impressive.”

  Cade glanced out the window. He hated to admit it, but the Starhawke’s graceful design was breathtaking. He understood Justin’s open appreciation.

  Aurora glanced over her shoulder. “Kraed have a gift for blending function and aesthetics.” She gestured toward the ship. “Jonarel designed her and oversaw her construction. Everything you see is a result of his efforts.”

  Cade tried not to be bothered by the admiration in her tone. He really did.

  Her gaze shifted to him. “Kelly has arranged quarters for your team. She put you in the same cabin you had during the trip here.”

  “Thank you.” Although he doubted he’d be spending much time in it. “And after we’ve stowed our equipment?”

  “Report to the observation lounge. We’ll meet you there to discuss our strategy.”

  Half an hour later, he joined the rest of his team in the lift, headed for the main deck. The doors slid open to reveal a curved walkway that followed the exterior wall and led toward the stern. At the end they encountered double doors with cutouts in curving shapes filled with colored glass or crystal. The design filtered light through from the room beyond, making the doors glow softly. They parted soundlessly as his team approached.

  The observation lounge was aptly named. A two hundred degree curved panorama of the star field greeted them. A large table with a dozen chairs sat toward the back of the room, and smooth inclines led to smaller tables positioned closer to the windows. The tables looked like they had been carved from tree trunks, with the elaborate roots forming the base, surrounded by chairs of a similar design.

  Byrnes pivoted in a circle. “The Kraed don’t do anything halfway, do they?” He walked up one of the inclines and stopped in front of the tall windows, which offered a spectacular view of Gaia.

  Drew and Gonzalez joined him. “You won’t see this kind of set-up on a Fleet ship, that’s for sure.” Drew indicated a doorway at the back of the room. “What’s through there?”

  Cade followed her gaze. “The kitchen. Emoto said this room serves as a dining hall and off-duty space.”