“Then Zilor has access to his magic?” She hadn’t meant to sound skeptical, but disbelief bled through in her tone.
“He has access to the energy. Controlling that energy well enough to do anything useful with it is an entirely different matter. Vox was helping him with it, but the doctors are still not sure what made Vox so sick.”
“Is he stable now or is his life still in danger?”
“He’s been put in some sort of stasis while they find a treatment. If his father finds out about this, he could create all sorts of trouble for the battle born.”
The dread in Indigo’s voice drew Lexie to full attention. “Why? Who is Vox’s father?”
“I don’t know his name, but his title is Master Fire. And Vox’s uncle is king of the Fire Islands.”
Lexie whistled under her breath. “Yeah, having royalty die on your watch is never a good thing.”
“Needless to say, they’re doing everything possible to find a treatment.”
Lexie had only caught a glimpse of Vox before he collapsed and afterward he’d looked so pale and helpless, it had been hard to look at him at all. “I hope they succeed quickly.” She wasn’t sure what else to say.
“Did I answer all your questions?”
The gentle reminder snapped Lexie out of the momentary distraction. “I never run out of questions. What was your life like before you met Zilor and what’s it like now? Take me through a typical day before and after.”
“My mother and I own Holistic Wellness Zone. It’s a shop in Boulder that sells everything from fresh herbs to nutritional supplements. So before Zilor, my days were spent at the shop.”
She tensed. Dreading what Indigo would say next. Too many women were willing to abandon their dreams and blindly follow along behind their men. “Is your mother running the store without you now, or is the shop no longer open?”
“I didn’t desert my mother to chase after a hot guy if that’s what you’re inferring.”
Lexie held up both hands in the sign for surrender. “I’m not inferring anything. I’m just asking questions.”
Indigo still seemed annoyed. “We have an employee who covers whenever either Mom or I are unavailable. She’s working with Mom fulltime now.”
As she’d feared, it appeared that Indigo had abandoned her old life completely and conformed to Zilor’s needs. “Do you ever plan to go back to the shop?”
Indigo crossed her legs and leaned back on her hands, which were spread out on the fountain’s edge to either side of her body. “I didn’t come here to be Zilor’s mate. I came here as a healer. The rest just happened.”
“I understand that, but you didn’t answer my question. Is your life on Earth over?”
“My family is on Earth, so some part of my life will always take me back there. However, my future is with Zilor. I believe in the battle born cause and I’m willing to do whatever I can to help them achieve their goals.”
Lexie only nodded at first, not wanting to extinguish a budding friendship. But tense seconds ticked by and Lexie found she couldn’t remain silent. “I’m still confused by this lopsided equation. The battle born have gained a freedom fighter and Zilor has access to his magic. You, on the other hand, have a hot mate to boss you around and much more danger than you’ve ever experienced before. It’s all so unfair to you.”
“Zilor never asked me to participate in the rebellion,” Indigo stressed. “Everything I’ve done, I did willingly. And your list is incomplete. The transformation has made me stronger, healthier, and will allow me to live much longer than I would have before. My ‘hot mate’ can be bossy, but he’s also fiercely protective and funny. He makes me feel special, like I’m the most important thing in the universe to him. When was the last time you felt like that?”
The answer was simple. Last night. “All right. So there are some benefits for the females. Perhaps the equation isn’t as lopsided as I first thought.”
Indigo finally relaxed enough to smile. “Most humans have given up on happily ever after. They don’t expect their relationships to last forever, so they don’t. But these males aren’t human. They offer the sort of commitment humans only dream about.”
For the first time in a very long time, Lexie couldn’t think of anything to say. Indigo was right. Lexie had given up on fairytale endings years ago. She’d grown up and accepted that Prince Charming didn’t exist and the only one who truly cared about her happiness was her.
A strange yearning erupted in her chest, like the echo of a past emotion. Kaden’s image formed inside her mind and stubbornly lingered there. It wasn’t possible to fall in love in just one day. So why did her face grow hot and her core ach every time she thought about him?
She was a strong independent woman on a mission to save her sister. Lexie refused to be the next victim of bonding fever.
Chapter Six
Before Kaden went to rebel headquarters to find out if Rex Dravon had agreed to join the mission or not, he stopped by his office on the Intrepid. Jakkin, his first officer, knew he was going to be basically unavailable until this mission was concluded, but Kaden didn’t want to shirk his responsibilities entirely. He responded to the messages waiting in his com-queue and watched several updates from department heads. Everything appeared to be running smoothly, so he naturally turned to thoughts of Lexie.
Learning she was a reporter had come as a shock. He hated being suspicious, but he couldn’t let his attraction to her make him careless. Too many lives were at stake. According to Lexie, Libby had been kidnapped twelve days ago. That was plenty of time for media outlets to pick up the story. A quick search of the human internet confirmed that Libby had been snatched from the parking lot of a concert venue just as Lexie said. Most of the articles mocked the roommates’ claims that aliens were involved, but at least he had proof that Lexie wasn’t using a fictitious sister to gain their sympathies.
Kaden was about to hibernate his workstation and head to rebel headquarters when his com-panel beeped, indicating an incoming encrypted call. He glanced at the call registry and smiled. His mother always sensed when he was particularly conflicted. He accepted the call and quickly finger-combed his hair back from his face.
“Good morning, sweetheart.” Skyla’s warm brown hair had silvered at the temples, but her eyes were still bright blue. Red phitons indicated her Bilarrian heritage and Kaden had always loved her patient smile. “So tell me about this human female.”
He laughed. “Did someone warn Father that I was courting a human or were you dreaming about me again?” Her prophetic dreams could rival any harbinger. He’d learned that lesson early in childhood. It was hard to get away with anything when his mother had the gift of “sight”.
“When it comes to my boys, my dreams will always be more dependable than your father’s spies.” She was completely unapologetic. “What’s her name? How did you meet her? I thought Garin had suspended interaction with humans until further notice.”
“He has, but this was different. Her name is Lexie Ward and she hid aboard one of our shuttles because she thought her missing sister might be at one of our outposts.”
Skyla’s smile broadened and her eyes sparkled. “You need a spirited female. I would love to meet this daring young woman.”
“It’s too soon. She’s still resisting the idea that we’re mates.”
She nodded. “Humans prefer to ‘think things through’ rather than depend on their instincts. Sounds like you have your work cut out for you.”
“Finding her missing sister is extremely important to her. Did your dreams happen to reveal another human female?”
“I’m sorry, love. I just saw the one you were kissing.”
He groaned and looked away from her knowing eyes. “I’m trying to give her time to adjust to all the new expectations, but the pull is more powerful than I ever imagined.”
Skyla’s light, warm chuckle drew his gaze back to the screen. “I’m aware, and I trust you to do right by your potential mate. Just
make sure she understands that she can trust you. Nature will take care of the rest.”
“It was good to hear from you, Mom. It always is.”
“I’m here. You know that. Regardless of what you need, night or day, I’m always here.”
His parents had given him a rock-solid foundation on which to build his life. And he would always be grateful. “I love you.” He said the three words in Bilarrian as he’d done since he was a child.
“I love you too,” she responded in the same language. “And I look forward to meeting your Lexie.”
With a faint smile on his face, Kaden ended the call and launched a locator page addressed to Raylon. It was more than likely he was in his office, but Kaden also wanted to ask if he had time for a quick update.
Rather than displaying Raylon’s current location, the com-system opened a link and Raylon’s deep voice came over the connection. “Raina did it again. Get your ass down here. This is unbelievable.”
Raylon was clearly excited about whatever Raina had done, but Kaden had no idea what Raylon was talking about. “That would be easier if I knew where you were.”
“We’re in the grotto.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Kaden had heard about the grotto, but he’d yet to see the spectacular curiosity. Raina, the female scientist who ran the hydroponics project, had stumbled onto a terraformed cavern beneath the hydroponics farm. No one had any idea how it had come into being. Rodyte technology wasn’t capable of localized terraforming, but the anomaly had piqued the interest of every person who knew about the small cavern.
Dying to know what was going on, Kaden jogged along the concourse and through the commerce tiers. The agricultural quadrant, casually known as the jungle, was adjacent to one of four industrial parks. Even at his brisk pace, it took Kaden about fifteen minutes to reach the jungle. One of Raina’s assistants let him into the restricted area and then escorted him to the secret door hidden in one of the many storage rooms.
His boot heels echoed in the cavernous room as he descended the metal staircase on the other side of the door. Eerie light reflected on the massive pools of nutrient solution that were recirculated through the plants in the rooms above.
“This way,” the assistant urged, but when they reached the other end of the oblong room, he motioned Kaden onward rather than accompanying him to their destination.
Raylon spotted him as he approached the grotto and called out, “We’re back here.”
Kaden hesitated as he stepped into the cavern. It was like emerging from a transport hub onto a strange and wondrous planet. The ground felt spongy beneath his boots and he was surrounded by lush vegetation. Arching palm trees and flowering bushes thrived despite the impossibility of their existence. Even the air felt different, humid yet fresh. They were inside an arid moon, for creation’s sake. How was this possible?
A narrow path led to the back of the grotto, where a waterfall cascaded along the back wall of the cavern, creating a small pool. Even having heard about the discovery, Kaden was stunned by the reality of his surroundings.
Raylon stood beside Raina, the shimmering pool their backdrop. They faced a life-size hologram of Garin.
“What are the chances that you can activate the portal?” the general asked Raina.
Portal? What portal? Kaden looked around, but didn’t see an obvious gateway.
Raina wore an ankle-length skirt, covered by a dirt-smeared smock. The front portion of her chestnut hair had been pulled back from her face and excitement gleamed in her light brown eyes. She was one of the human/Rodyte hybrids who had come to Lunar Nine because of their skills and found their mate even though they weren’t looking—a coincidence that seemed to be repeating with suspicious regularity. She was now soul bonded with Commander Kotto Tarr of the Crusader.
“I have no idea, sir. I’m astonished that I found it at all. The journal entries were cryptic, not helpful.”
“You found the grotto, didn’t you,” Raylon pointed out, then he peered into the pool. “If we drain the water, it will be easier to investigate.”
Kaden followed the direction of Raylon’s gaze and spotted a strange, oblong pattern on the bottom of the pool. “Is that the portal?”
“We believe so,” Garin confirmed. “But Raina just found it. We know nothing more right now.”
“’Portal’ indicates that it leads somewhere. Did the journal indicate where?”
Raina looked at him directly for the first time. She was more attractive than he’d first realized. Her beauty was subdued, easily missed if one didn’t really look at her. “I’m working with a linguist to translate the journal. There’s still a lot of it we don’t understand.” She looked at the other two as she added, “I need to get back to work. I’ll report in as soon as I know more.”
Kaden’s gaze swept the cavern as Raina left. It was extraordinary on its own, but now they’d found a mysterious portal. He couldn’t help wondering if this had played a part in why the outpost had been abandoned in the first place. “If the original inhabitants of Lunar Nine encountered beings with this sort of technology, why haven’t we heard about them before now?”
“A damn good question,” Garin agreed. “We thought you might know the best people to look into it. Half of the galaxy’s best researchers are onboard your ship.”
“Most of my researchers deal with medical advancements. This needs an archeologist or physicist.” Already his mind spun on ahead, trying to figure out who could help them.
“This is strictly confidential for now,” Garin stressed. “But ask around without revealing what we’ve found and see if any of your researchers have suggestions about who could help unravel this sort of mystery.”
“Will do.” After a short pause, Kaden asked, “Have you heard back from Rex Dravon?”
Though he’d asked Garin, Raylon answered, “We have, but his price is ridiculous. We can’t accommodate him.”
“So we renegotiate.” As usual, Garin was calm and composed. His dark hair had been cut so short the blue streaks were no longer visible, but his pureblood heritage was revealed by his bright blue phitons and noble bearing. Few would have guessed that the driving force behind the battle born rebellion was actually elite. Kaden had always enjoyed the irony. “In fact, let’s unravel the deal entirely. Tell Dravon he shouldn’t have been so greedy, but tell him nothing else.”
“Then how do we motivate Milanni?” Kaden hated complications and distractions, and the past day and a half had been filled with both.
“She can deal with us directly or she can rot in a detention cell for the rest of her life,” Garin said with utter finality. “It’s not like she has a choice. Besides, I’m hearing whispers that Fyran has connected with some of the elite commanders and they’re actively plotting some sort of resistance.”
“What does that have to do with Milanni?” Raylon wanted to know.
Garin motioned toward Kaden with a smile. “I was about to tell Kaden to get a haircut when I realized his scruffy look could be useful. He could pretend to be Milanni’s proxy returning to the Relentless with the promised formula.”
Kaden hadn’t worked undercover in over a year and he missed the excitement, the need to think on his feet and even the danger generally associated with a covert op. “What do you want me to do once I’m aboard?”
“Get Fyran talking, find out if the rumors are true,” Garin told him. “It will take several days for anyone aboard the Relentless to figure out that the formula you gave them is useless. And as soon as you’ve discovered what Fyran is up to, we’ll send half the fleet to your position. There’s no way I’m letting them get away a second time.”
“Do we have a formula that will pass a simple scan, but remain harmless to anyone injected with it?” Raylon asked. “I don’t care if we kill every male aboard that ship, but the females are blameless.”
“There are several of the earlier versions that will be perfect for our purposes. They didn’t create monstrous muta
tions. They just didn’t work.”
“And how do I find the Relentless to set this all in motion?” Kaden asked. They’d been trying unsuccessfully for months to locate the elusive ship.
“Milanni, of course.” Garin’s thoughtful smile spread. He clearly loved strategy as much as Kaden did. “If she wants her freedom, she’ll work with us, end of story.”
Again Kaden nodded. It would do him a world of good to get back into the field. The Intrepid might be the most important ship in the fleet, but Kaden was a man of action. “What about Rex Dravon? This cuts him out of the loop entirely, again.” Dravon had offered to help them depose Quinton, but events had taken the mission in a different direction.
“Dravon’s primary interest is the transformation program. That’s why he’s here,” Garin reminded. “We need to keep him focused on that. Anything else is just a distraction.”
“I’ll take care of Dravon,” Raylon said. “Garin’s right. As long as we control the transformation program, Rex has no option but to play by our rules.”
Garin looked at Kaden, his gaze sharply assessing. “Milanni will be angry and resistant. It will take some work to convince her we actually intend to set her free.”
“I’ve got it covered, sir.” Kaden dipped his head, unwilling to let Garin take this away from him. It was too important to Lexie, which made it top priority for him.
“Sir?” Garin smiled. “It’s been ages since we stood on formality, Commander Lux. What’s made you so uptight?”
Raylon chuckled, the abrupt sound doing little to soften his harsh expression. “Not what, who. And can’t you guess?”
Garin stilled, gaze narrowing. “You’re interested in Zilor’s stowaway?”
“Not just interested,” Raylon cut in before Kaden could respond. “They’re compatible.”
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