Chapter 22
RYNETH
“They’re here,” Ryneth whispered.
His fingers tightened around Daven’s hand hard enough for the rings to bite into his skin.
Concordant.
Static broke loose under his skin before he could stop it. Air slid over the inside of his forearm, then his throat. Daven.
“Take a deep breath, baby,” Daven murmured.
Ryneth tried, but his chest locked anyway. “Do you think they came for me?”
The words left him raw.
Daven squeezed his hand. “No. And even if they did, they’ll fuck off empty-handed. You are not for sale, Ryneth. You never were.”
“You took me anyway,” Ryneth snarled, though his clattering teeth stole most of the venom.
Daven just grinned. “That’s right, aethera. I took you, then branded you with my soul so you can never leave again.”
Black boots appeared first. Then the coats, black and tailored, with handguns resting at their hips.
Weapons that had killed people Ryneth knew.
Ryneth held his breath. His eyes stung from dryness as he watched the first masked figure step down.
“I know that man,” Ryneth whispered. “He’s the one who put me in that cage.”
For one sick second, he was back inside it, metal under his hands and nowhere to run.
Static tore through him so hard his vision blurred.
He lurched forward, then caught himself, nails digging into Daven’s rings hard enough to hurt. His breath came too fast, his body already bracing for something that hadn’t happened yet.
“Why is he here now?”
Daven stepped in front of him, shoulders locking as his fingers tightened around Ryneth’s hand. “Who cares. If he so much as looks at you, he’ll have the honor of dying first.”
Ryneth pulled wildly at Daven’s hand. “Stay here! Don’t—” Static crackled across his skin and snapped at the air between them. “Don’t go near him.”
Daven faced him, his ember eyes flaring with anger. Cupping his face, those ringed fingers were surprisingly cool as he kept Ryneth there, facing him. “Listen to me. No one’s going to hurt you. I won’t let them. Do you understand, baby?”
Ryneth could only stare at him. His mind had turned into a stuffed room, memories scattered everywhere.
“Use your words, Ryneth. Do you understand?” As if proving his point, Daven’s fingers dug deeper into Ryneth’s cheeks, raising goosebumps.
“I understand,” he choked.
“Good.” Daven released the hold on his face, the imprints of his fingers replaced by cool air.
Around them, there was practiced movement that filled up the shadows. Ryneth didn’t dare turn his head, afraid their presence, right outside the hospital, would be noticed.
They should never have left the penthouse.
Ryneth would have given good coin if he could still be in bed with Daven, snuggled up and warm under the sheets.
“Baby,” Daven warned, squeezing his hand. “Your static is stabbing me. Stop attacking me.”
“Sorry,” Ryneth mumbled, but he couldn’t help his pulse slam into his throat as he watched the hatch tremble.
More men were coming down now.
Don't look at me. Don't see me.
“Why land here?”
Daven spat on the ground and kept his eyes on the craft. “That’s what I’d like to know.” He stared past the hospital wing toward the stretch of land beyond it. “There’s nothing beyond this. Just the graves and the coast.”
The hatch lowered the rest of the way.
Men in black stepped out one after another, masks catching the light as they spread across the open ground with practiced ease, already scanning the hospital, the graveyard, the road.
A faint tremor ran through the road just before two black hover cars rolled into view behind the shuttle.
“What the fuck?” Daven snarled. “How the fuck do they have transport?” His fingers were already moving over his multi-slate.
“They’re cleared to be here.”
Both of them turned at the sound of Milanov’s voice.
The Imperial stood behind them, his expression composed, though there was the faintest edge of dry amusement in his eyes. “I didn’t mean to startle you. You both looked rather occupied.”
Daven stared at him. “Cleared?”
Milanov held his gaze. “As I already told the Luminary, their arrival was approved.”
“Approved?” Daven snapped. “They’re Concordant. They’re our enemy.”
The two hover cars rolled up beside the shuttle, and Concordant soldiers started filing into them.
“They’ll bring more terror,” Daven said. “Why, uncle? Why are you letting this happen?”
Ryneth looked past him then and finally saw the Luminary line waiting near the road, guards already in position, weapons holstered, every one of them watching and doing nothing.
They’d been standing by the whole time.
Milanov kept his hand on Daven’s shoulder. “In case you’ve forgotten, nephew, we don’t have one enemy right now. We have two.”
Daven held his uncle’s gaze. “So?”
“We have no proof against Concordant. If we strike first, we hand them a war they can carry through the entire alliance.” Milanov looked toward the road where the cars were already disappearing.
“So we wait. We watch. And while they play whatever game they came here to play, we learn what they’re really after. ”
“What game?” Daven tore himself free and pointed after the cars. “If this is a game to you while my bonded is standing right here and they’re still after him—”
“Stop being melodramatic,” Milanov chided mildly.
Ryneth couldn’t help it. He laughed.
Daven shot him a look, then blinked at his uncle. “Excuse me?”
Around them, the Luminary shifted into formation as Kylix strode across the grounds, his clipped voice already cutting through the air as he started issuing orders.
“You heard me, nephew. And I don’t blame you.” Milanov’s gaze flicked briefly to Ryneth. “Your fated is in danger. We all may be. And still I let them land on our planet.”
Ryneth looked from the road where Concordant was already disappearing to the Luminary line breaking apart under Kylix’s orders.
And then he understood.
This wasn’t trust. It was strategy.
He looked back at Daven and caught his hand. “That’s why you let them land. They said they could give us more on Attica.”
Milanov nodded once. “Exactly. We don’t trust anyone. But right now, Attica is the fire closest to our door.”
“What?” Daven snapped.
Kylix joined them, glaring at his multi-slate. “Stop being melodramatic.”
“I’m being melodramatic?” Power rolled off Daven in a sharp pulse. The air tightened around them hard enough to make Ryneth’s throat constrict.
Kylix did too, because he looked up from his wrist with a snarl. “You know you are. We have no proof against Concordant, but we can put the blame on Attica. Light knows we have wanted to destroy those motherfuckers—”
“How would you feel if someone put Mirel in a cage, hm? If they sold him to a stranger, and that bastard came back to claim his fucking property?”
“We take Attica down first,” Kylix snarled. Fire flashed through his eyes, bright enough to make Ryneth flinch, and the air around him turned hot so fast it stole the breath from Ryneth’s lungs.
“But how would you feel—”
“Patience,” Milanov rumbled.
Ryneth blinked when the world seemed to tilt. Everything around them just… stopped.
The fire. The tight pressure on his throat. The shouts.
Everything was paused.
Milanov had stilled the world with a flick of his will.
Kylix stood frozen mid-snarl, his eyes bright with banked fire, his teeth bared.
Beside him, Daven was all tension and fury, fists clenched around power he could no longer throw.
“Always so proud,” Milanov tutted. His voice was the only sound that broke through the silence. His body the only thing that moved as the Imperial stepped between the two fighting statues and took Ryneth’s hand.
“I apologize for the trouble, Ryneth. My nephews aren’t always so hotheaded.”
“No?” Ryneth couldn’t help but mutter, lips curling up in astonished amusement.
“Daven’s right, of course.” Milanov let out a sigh. “And perhaps I have lost my mind. But sometimes all we have is a risk to take and no better option. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes.” Ryneth looked at Daven, at the man who had fought for him in public.
The memory made his chest swell.
“We won’t let them go free on Helion,” Milanov continued. “Of course we won’t. But we need to break the spell that is two enemies working together on Helion territory. Right now, Attica is killing our people with their drugs. And that, in its own turn, is killing our reputation.”
“What does Concordant propose?” Ryneth’s voice trembled at the sound of his nightmare.
“More of the intel they already gave us. The chip proved to be highly valuable. They also have Attica’s location.” Milanov brushed a hand through Kylix’s black hair, then caressed Daven’s cheek lovingly. “We will soon too.”
Ryneth nodded. He understood the Imperial’s position, even if it made his entire body tense with fear.
“Once we have taken down Attica, and we have managed to restore the reputation of the Imperial family, we can regroup. Then we attack Concordant. If they’re still on Helion soil, that is.”
“On Düren, they took our people. At least that’s what people said.”
“I know. But the problem is that I can’t fight for justice on land that is not mine.
I can only assure that we live in prosperity on Helion.
If Concordant is still on Helion when we have taken Attica down, if they cross our lines, even just an inch, we will strike them down.
” Milanov’s hand ghosted in front of Ryneth’s face, long fingers wiping away the hot tears that rolled down his cheek.
“The same goes for this so-called buyer of yours. You’re one of us, Ryneth. And we protect our family. Okay?”
Ryneth shivered. He nodded and forced a smile. “Yes, sir.”
Milanov chuckled. “Please, you’re making me feel very old.” Before Ryneth could object, the Imperial nodded toward the two men. “Ready?”
Ryneth dragged in a breath and held on to the shape of Daven beside him. If he stood there one second longer, the fear would swallow him whole. He needed movement. He needed Daven moving with him. He needed something that felt like theirs. “Yeah.”