13. CHAPTER 13
Zayne
Ciondo
Dr. Cooper possessed the good sense to avoid Zayne the day after drugging him.
Too bad for him, Zayne was excellent at breaking into places people didn't want him.
One of the skills necessary for his job, of course.
He easily evaded the security measures to sneak into the doctor's office, where he waited. Impatiently.
When Dr. Cooper entered the room, Zayne spoke in a gruff voice. “You should have trusted me.”
The older man jumped and clutched his chest, looking to the corner where Zayne sat. Then he laughed. “Oh, Zayne. You scared me.”
“You were out of line last night.”
“You think you can complete this mission and save the girl.
It's impossible. The Phaedra and I always knew you needed a good push.
It's okay. It's just the kind of man you are.” Another laugh.
A maddening one that scraped against his mind like a thousand needles.
“Thus, why we chose you. You're perfect for this.”
He imagined bashing Dr. Cooper's skull into the edge of his desk. “If the Phaedra can't trust me with some girl, then he shouldn't consider me for High General.”
“Don't be so sensitive. You're young. Still learning. One day, you'll be ready. The best horses are the hardest to break and train, but so worth it in the end.”
He hardly kept himself in the corner, feral with desperation to rip the man's face off.
“Come now,” Dr. Cooper said. “Stop brooding. No hard feelings. The Phaedra needs us to work together on this.”
Zayne sneered, wandering closer. “Why fight the inevitable?”
“That's right. My—”
Zayne ripped the doctor close by his collar and slammed him back against the wall hard enough to rattle the books on his shelves. He coughed and gasped with pain.
Leaning in, Zayne whispered. “You drug me. You toy with me. You mock me.”
The doctor shook his head. “No, I treat—”
“Shut up.” More pressure against his sternum, enough to make him cough again. “I'm your mission. The Phaedra gave me to you. So be it.” His eyes narrowed to slits, and his voice dropped even lower. “The woman is my mission. The Phaedra gave her to me. You do nothing to her without coming to me.”
“I have my own orders.”
“I'd love to snap your collarbone.” Zayne tapped a spot, feeling the frail skin over his protruding bone. “You can survive that. Give me an excuse to do it.”
True fear widened the doctor's eyes. “You're acting like a maniac.”
With a chuckle that sounded more menacing than any of his words so far, Zayne released him and ambled back. Dr. Cooper slumped forward, grabbing his chest.
“You didn't teach me to be a horse, doc. You wanted a killer.”
“I'm telling the Phaedra about this.”
“Excellent. Call him now. Let him know that I've reached a compromise and am willing to work under these conditions.” He waved his hand at Dr. Cooper without looking at him, stalking for the door. “Fuck yourself while you're at it, you demented shit.”
“Zayne—”
He slammed the door shut, splintering the frame. And he didn't care, not even that the sound echoed down the hall, nor that once he reached the lobby, he saw by the contorted expression on Kira's face that she heard too.
“Conference room,” he said, his stare locked dead ahead. “Dr. Cooper wants to meet with us.”
The three of them sat in silence while Zayne stared at Dr. Cooper, who avoided looking at him.
When Luke walked in, he paused in the doorway. “Have I missed something?”
“Nothing relevant.”
“Yes, nothing relevant.” Dr. Cooper cleared his throat and rubbed his chest where Zayne had pinned him against the wall. “Please, Captain. Sit.”
Luke took the chair opposite Zayne.
“We've completed our first phase of testing, and I have a better understanding of where we must go from here,” Dr. Cooper said. “From this point on, I won't require any assistance with Ms. Stiles. Captain, Sergeant, you'll return to the base.”
Like hell.
“No.” Zayne and Luke both spoke at the same time and then looked at one another, surprised.
“This is my prisoner,” Zayne said. “I'm not leaving her three hours away. I trust no one's security but my own.”
“I'm meant to oversee everything that happens here,” Luke said.
“This comes directly from the Phaedra,” Dr. Cooper said.
Beside him, Kira shrank down in her chair, fearful eyes on the doctor. Maybe she didn't trust Zayne, but she didn't seem comfortable with him leaving her alone.
“Are you grounding me for pushing you?” Zayne asked.
“You what?” Luke clasped the edge of the table.
“This has nothing to do with your temper.” Dr. Cooper sighed. “The Phaedra wants to see you, Zayne. It's been a long time. And Luke needs to prepare for an important meeting on developments in Caspador. You're needed back home. Not here.”
More games. What would Dr. Cooper do to Kira while he was gone? He couldn't defy an order from the Phaedra, but he couldn't leave her here either.
“I'll be fine.” Kira sat forward and nodded. “Dr. Cooper wants me to feel at home here. I enjoyed having an unlocked door. I feel safe.”
If only that lie detector was still hooked up to her. He didn't believe it for a second. Why did Kira attempt to smooth this over?
“I also have a request,” Kira said.
Ah. So that was why.
“I want someone to deliver my letters to my friends,” she said. “They need to know I'm okay. I'm aware that I can't share sensitive information with them, so I told them my mom found me and has a position in the government. I won't be returning.”
“The letters could be encoded,” Zayne said.
“You think that she'll include a code her friends can decipher, but we can't?” Luke looked incredulous.
Actually, yes. Luke didn't know who she really was or what she'd done. It wasn't that Zayne minded Kira sharing a coded message so much as he feared the ramifications of anyone else getting involved or someone discovering her deception. An advanced code would raise too many questions about her.
“We'll deliver the letters,” Dr. Cooper said. “We have specialists who can check it for code. Does that satisfy your concerns, Sergeant?”
“Fine,” Zayne said, casting a warning glare at Kira.
“I know it may not seem like it, because as you said, Zayne is a distant and emotionless asshole who assaulted me less than ten minutes ago.” Dr. Cooper looked between Kira and Zayne.
“But you're fortunate to have him, young lady.
I questioned choosing him at first because of the aforementioned traits.
It's clear now he was the right choice. He cares about you.
He did something for you that he's never done before.
I hope you'll appreciate him and take what he says seriously.”
Kira had a complicated look about her as she stared at Zayne. “The Phaedra is as brilliant as I've heard.”
She trusted him now more than if he'd just been kind to her. Zayne needed to rethink his strategy.
“That's that, isn't it?” Dr. Cooper rose. “I have no doubt you all will make our Phaedra proud.”
“Keep the prisoner secure,” Zayne said. “I'll hold you responsible for every single thing that happens in my absence.”
“Of course.”
Turning to Kira, he risked an honest look into her eyes. “Do what I said.”
Defiance didn't fill her tone this time. “Okay.”
That night that she'd dangled from the roof with him, he'd held her close, able to keep any danger away from her. He felt all that space between them now, and with it, his inability to protect her.
The ache dug deep into his chest, where the pain of losing Edwards bored into him every second of the day.
It felt just as hard leaving Kira alone in the hands of Dr. Cooper as it had been leaving his squad behind in Bluehaven, not knowing who lived or died.
If anything happened to her, he'd make good on his promise. No more games.
The Capital
Kallum, Ciondo
Zayne straightened a picture frame in the Phaedra’s personal study, counting the minutes that separated him from Kira.
He needed to keep his wits about him during this meeting.
The Phaedra always took control of the conversation and left him lost. Zayne should use this opportunity to gain information about the operation the Phaedra planned, but his mind strayed to Kira.
To the soft strand of red hair sticking out from her headband last night and the tears in her eyes. The stubbornness.
What if Dr. Cooper hurt her? No matter how effectively Zayne banished his memories of the reprogramming, his body didn't forget, and that old pain etched into his scars. Especially the ones too deep in his spirit to see. Kira should never experience anything like that.
The door to an adjoining room opened, and discipline attuned his attention to this conversation.
The Phaedra's long, slender form eased into the doorway.
He raised his hands up, his sheer crimson sleeves falling to the waist of his flowing gown, every movement carrying the grace of a dancer.
Never one to tolerate discomfort, he wore only fine silk, or gauzy gowns, always looking elegant, even in the robes he wore at bedtime.
The cutting stare of his dark hazel eyes shadowed the bright colors he often wore and hardened the softness of his attire.
He reminded Zayne of those nightmarish giant bats he'd read about, a lithe body wrapped in soft wings that had been dyed gold like the sun or scarlet like blood.
“Zayne, Zayne, Zayne. Look at you. Here you are, alive and mostly well.” Voice as smooth as his gown, his words sounded melodic. The Phaedra clucked his tongue and nodded at Zayne’s leg. “I hope you aren't in too much pain.”
Zayne lowered his head. “Phaedra—”
The emperor tapped Zayne’s head back up on his way to his bar.
“At ease. We’re in my study.” His long black braids rested over one shoulder, bound by a thick golden band.
Though he’d been ruling for nearly thirty years, his face was smooth, making him look younger than Zayne knew he was.
No one was permitted to know the Phaedra’s age—Gods were timeless—but he looked boyish in the photos of early rule. “There’s nothing between us in here.”
“Of course.”