Tamed (Exchanged Power #6)

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

“ I ’m not opposed to attacking immediately,” Soro objected. “The rebels have been ready for months. But we cannot launch an attack on the capital without accurate intel and I simply don’t have it right now.”

“Overwhelm the perimeter guards, disable the inner force field, find the conduits, kill Verbet. What else do you need to know?” Movu challenged.

Zevon pressed back into his desk chair and let his allies fight it out. Luckily, they weren’t in the same room, so all they could do was yell. There were definite benefits to holo-conferences at times.

Movu had been on Zevon’s side from the start. The sooner the conflict on Torret was resolved, the sooner he could come get his conduits. And access to conduits was the only reason the Pyronese were participating in the alliance. But Soro’s objections were just as valid. The rebels would be doing most of the fighting, so it was right that he was trying to protect his soldiers.

“The specific number of guards and their positions would be a good place to start.” Soro’s voice grew louder and tighter as his aggravation built. “Where are the conduits being held? Jevara depended on the force field to keep intruders out so the palace guards weren’t heavily armed. Has Verbet changed that policy? If we rush in blindly, we’re inviting a bloodbath.”

“No one wants that,” Zevon assured him. “My teams are used to being adaptable. They seldom have dependable intel when they set off on a mission. My primary concern is the inner force field. I don’t have a solution for disabling it.”

By focusing his attention on Zevon, Soro was able to calm down. “I have someone who can deactivate the force field, but only if Verbet hasn’t changed the protocols. I’m not being a pain in the ass for no reason. There are a million unanswered questions.”

“And when is that likely to change?” Movu persisted. “If we wait any longer, Jill and Loren will be claimed and the others will learn to control their power. Verbet’s army is formidable right now. If they add five skilled triads to their side, I’m not sure we can beat them.”

“And if we rush in unprepared, we all die!” Anger spiked through Soro’s frustration. The rebels had the most to gain if this coup succeeded, but they also had the most to lose if it failed. “Most of your Wraiths can teleport out if things go sideways. My rebels cannot.”

Zevon hadn’t intended on bringing his personal life into this conversation. Their connection was too new to be of much help, but he didn’t see a way to avoid it. The debate was at an impasse. “Arcon and I claimed Kendra last night.”

“Congratulations,” Soro offered, but his expression revealed his confusion.

Movu simply waited for an explanation.

“I bring it up because we learned that she’s a traveler. Even now she is connecting with Jill and Loren so she can learn whatever she can about their situation.” He looked at Soro and asked, “Is there someone she can contact that will have the answers to your questions?”

Soro narrowed his eyes and stared past Zevon as he considered the question. “Actually, there is.” His expression brightened and he scooted closer to the camera. “I have an operative in the palace, but I haven’t been able to contact him for almost a week. Verbet locked the palace down, no one in, no one out. I thought he was just being paranoid until the conduits arrived. Ciket is posing as a palace guard, so he would have all of the information we need.”

Zevon nodded. “Kendra has never made contact with someone she doesn’t know, but it’s definitely worth a try.”

“Last time I spoke with Ciket, he had just been assigned to guard Domar. I’ll send you an image of him, but his energy pattern would probably be more helpful. Oh, his brother is currently in training at the Citadel. If Kendra imprints his pattern, it might make the search a little easier.”

“Good idea,” Zevon agreed. “What’s the brother’s name?”

“Ekit or Ekid, something like that.”

“I’ll find him.”

The holo-comm ended a few minutes later. Zevon promised to update them again after Kendra connected with Ciket. She’d planned to spend the day with Provost Nadis, so Zevon lightly touched Kendra’s mind to ascertain her location. They were in one of the small lounges, taking a quick break for lunch.

Zevon looked up the newest class of trainees and found an Ekrith. He was assigned to one of the older mentors and the class was currently in training room three. Zevon went to the training room and told the mentor that he needed to borrow Ekrith for a few minutes.

“Have I done something wrong, sir?” The young man looked terrified.

“Absolutely not. Do you have a brother named Ciket?”

His eyes widened and the color drained from his face. “Is Ciket dead?”

“I don’t believe so, but why was that your first concern?”

“He stopped answering my comms two weeks ago and I stopped being able to sense him four days ago. I thought he was blocking me, but?—”

“We have no reason to believe he’s dead,” Zevon told him. “Are you aware of his current location?”

“I know Ciket is a spy, and I’m pretty sure he’s at Mercelon Palace.”

Relieved that he wouldn’t need to guard every word, Zevon said, “He is and that’s why we need to speak with him. The reason he has stopped contacting you, and likely the reason you can’t sense him right now, is because Verbet locked down the inner portion of the palace. My mate is a traveler, so she should be able to reach him. However, she has never contacted someone she doesn’t know. Would you be willing to let her scan your mind so she has an energy pattern to match as she searches for your brother?”

“Of course. I’ll do anything I can to help.”

As they walked farther down the hall and found the lounge in which Kendra and Nadis were having lunch, Zevon reached for Arcon’s mind. Do you have some free time? I think we’re going to need all three of us for this.

I have a class, but my assistant can finish up.

We’re in lounge B.

Zevon was pleased to see Kendra smiling and her gaze filled with life. He had sensed her sadness and fear as she interacted with Jill and Loren. And learning of Heather’s death had upset her. None of it was Kendra’s fault, but she felt responsible.

“That’s one of the advantages of having two mates,” Nadis was saying. “They help keep each other in line.”

“They can also gang up on you,” Kendra pointed out. “Last week they…” Her words trailed away as she noticed him standing in the doorway. “Hi there.”

“Finish the sentence, mate. Last week we?”

Her brows arched and she lifted her chin. “Don’t you know it’s rude to listen in on other people’s conversations?”

He flashed a smile to assure her he wasn’t angry. “How did the traveling go?” He strolled into the room, Ekrith on his heels.

She glanced at the trainee, clearly curious, but didn’t ask who he was or why he was there. “It went really well. I found both Jill and Loren. They’re being held on the second floor of the palace, down the hall from Verbet’s suite. They each have a minimum of two guards watching them night and day.”

“Do they know how many guards are on the floor? How many total in the palace?”

She shook her head. “Sorry. They aren’t allowed to leave their rooms and they were unconscious when they arrived. Jill said she has an overly friendly guard. She’s going to encourage him to talk, but his partner usually shuts him down anytime he starts to say something that will get them in trouble.”

“We have a better idea.” He motioned to the trainee. “This is Ekrith. His brother works at the palace but is loyal to the rebels. We’d like you to contact him.”

Kendra’s eyes widened and she glanced at Nadis. “I’ve only contacted people I know really well. I have no idea how to find a stranger.”

“That’s why Ekrith is here.” He motioned the trainee into the chair beside Kendra and then knelt in front of her. “We’re going to lightly scan his mind and imprint his energy pattern. This will give us a pattern to use while we search for his brother.”

“While we search? You’re going with me?” She sounded relieved by the possibility.

“This is a job for your triad. Arcon is on his way here.”

She nodded, her gaze warm and filled with affection.

Wanting her as calm and comfortable as possible, he pressed his hand against the side of her face and brushed her lips with his. “Close your eyes, love. I’ll guide you, but this is your gift.” Zevon looked at Ekrith and added, “Think of your brother. Picture his face, his mannerisms, anything that would separate him from the crowd.”

Arcon stepped into the room then moved to stand behind Kendra. “It’s me, red,” he said softly then buried his fingers in her hair.

Zevon took her hands between his and slipped into her mind. Uncertainty and determination made her energy turbulent so Zevon blanketed her with calm affection. We’ve got you, mate. We’ll do this together.

Arcon added his energy to the meld but let Zevon take control.

Gradually, her mind calmed and her energy stabilized.

Zevon led her into Ekrith’s mind. His heightened emotions made memories of his brother unusually vivid so a light scan was all they needed.

“Thank you,” Zevon said once the scan was finished. “You may return to your class.”

Ekrith stood up, then stopped. “Will you let me know if you find him and if he’s all right? He doesn’t usually shut me out like this.”

“Oh course, but try not to worry,” Zevon urged. “As I said, we have no reason to believe he has been harmed.”

Ekrith nodded and left the lounge.

“She does best with fewer distractions,” Nadis said as she too rose. “If you need me for anything, don’t hesitate to comm.”

Arcon activated the privacy panel before he joined Kendra on the sofa. Zevon moved from the floor to Kendra’s other side. “Do you have a clear image of Ciket in your mind?”

She nodded then closed her eyes again.

“His energy will feel similar to his brother’s, but not identical,” Zevon told her. “We believe that he is guarding Domar, so that gives us a place to start.”

Again she nodded without opening her eyes.

Her mind was calm, nearly trancelike, so Zevon lightly grasped her hand, entwining their fingers. As soon as Arcon grasped her other hand, Zevon sank deeper into the meld. The soul bond allowed everyone to achieve their full potential, but nothing matched the power of their combined energy.

He’d seen images of the royal apartments so he slowly pushed the scene into her mind. Gaudy and extravagant, like so much in Mercelon Palace, the rooms had been done up in cream and gold. “Think of yourself as a ghost. Float above the rooms until you locate this apartment.”

Beginning with the familiar, Kendra located Jill’s room then floated out into the corridor. She drew energy from the triad and grew bolder because of the presence of her mates in her mind. She drifted down toward the other end of the hallway. The royal apartments were down there somewhere, but none of the people she’d contacted so far had been inside the suite. She paused at each doorway and allowed her being to ‘travel’ inside. All the rooms were similar and she started to worry that she wouldn’t be able to identify the royal apartment.

“You’ll know it when you see it,” Zevon predicted. “The Torretian emperors have always set themselves apart from their subjects in very tangible ways.”

The first clue that they had arrived was the guards stationed outside the double doors. Neither of them was Ciket, so Kendra eased her being into the room.

A throaty groan drew her attention to the bed and a surge of distaste flowed into Zevon’s mind. Verbet sat there, pants around his ankles, as Domar sucked his cock.

“Deeper,” he ordered. “Take it all.”

She obliged, not stopping until her nose was pressed against his flat belly.

Kendra quickly shifted her attention to the guards stationed inside the apartment. Wasn’t it overkill to have guards on both sides of the door? One of them was Ciket, so she lightly nudged his mind.

Ciket’s eyes widened and he looked around. Luckily, he didn’t speak and didn’t seem afraid.

Soro sent me . She pushed the thought into his mind. Can you leave long enough for us to speak?

He leaned toward his partner and whispered, “I need to use the utility room.”

The other guard nodded, his expression unchanging.

Ciket slipped out of the apartment and hustled down the hallway then let himself into one of the suites with a palm scan. “Who are you? How did you find me?”

I’m Zevon’s mate. We’re planning an attack, but we need specific information badly. I’m sure you can’t be gone long, so tell me everything you know, everything that has changed since Verbet took over.

Forty minutes later Zevon was back in his office repeating everything he’d just learned for Movu and Soro. “Luckily for us, very little has changed. The guards are still armed with handguns. Only the perimeter guards carry rifles. All the security protocols are the same. Verbet is lazy by nature and saw no reason to change anything. No one has challenged his authority, and he has allowed it to lull him into a false sense of security. Ciket insists that all the guards are so sick of this family that many are likely to stand by while we go after Verbet.”

“That would be amazing, but I’m not counting on it,” Soro said.

Zevon went on to detail the number and position of the palace guards. He explained their scheduled rotation and several weaknesses that they could exploit.

“How’s that for recon?” Zevon grinned as his report ended.

“I must admit I’m impressed,” Soro granted. “I’m also out of excuses. Gather your triads and head this way. We’ll attack first thing in the morning.”

Thrilled with the outcome of the meeting, Zevon ended the comm and did his best to focus on the impending attack. Everything was ready, everyone who would be involved was prepared. Most of them had been for months. The alliance members had been about to take down Jevara when Verbet beat them to it. Now it was time for Verbet’s tyrannical rule to end and all Zevon could think about was Kendra.

Her surrender the night before had been surprising and wonderful. Becoming part of a power triad made him feel balanced and secure. Still, the soul bond had barely formed. He wanted to lock himself in his quarters with the rest of his triad and explore all the possibilities open to them now.

Instead, Zevon ate a quick dinner with Arcon and Kendra and then went back to planning. The attack had many moving parts and all of them had to be executed flawlessly or the entire mission could collapse. Not wanting to lose the element of surprise, it was agreed that the rebel army would wait to overrun Hanoto until the captives had been rescued and Verbet neutralized. But as soon as those objectives had been met, Soro would unleash the full force of the rebels on the Torretian capital.

Arcon was chosen to lead the team assigned to rescue the captives and then take out Verbet. Bonding with Kendra had intensified his psychic abilities. He now had premonitions that would warn the team of danger. Kendra argued that her powers were even more accurate than Arcon’s, but Zevon and Arcon refused to even consider her direct participation.

“You can come with us,” Zevon told her as they prepared for bed. “But you stay on the Anolox with me.”

“Is that a spaceship?”

He nodded. “A short-range fighter. I’ll be directing all the teams from there. The Agitarri will be nearby, but I’m honestly hoping we won’t need a massive warship.”

“The comm system in my armor records everything around me and transmits it to the ships,” Arcon told her. “It will be as if you’re standing right beside me.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and stubbornly lifted her chin. “Which is your way of saying I’ll just stand there and watch.”

“You’re not a soldier,” Zevon insisted. “You’re an oracle. You provide information to the soldiers. It would be foolish and reckless to send you into battle.”

She wasn’t happy about the decision, but she didn’t argue with him. They crawled into bed together. Kendra and Arcon soon fell asleep, but Zevon spent a restless night trying to anticipate every possible complication.

In the morning, they boarded the Anolox and headed for Torret at top speed. Arcon had chosen two relatively new triads to assist him, but each had unique abilities. The first was Raina and her mates, Kern and Cylex. She was a second-level conduit, which meant her abilities had been enhanced while she was an infant. Both of her mates were hybrids, so the triad could combine the elements in unusual ways.

The other triad Arcon had chosen was Eden and her mates, Kyrex and Neloff. She too was a second-level conduit and both of her mates had unusual backgrounds. Kyrex’s father was a Pyronese Wraith and his mentor was Movu. Neloff had spent much of his youth with his father’s Houkdi tribe, so his perspective and training had been unconventional as well. Eden, Raina, and Kendra were close friends, so Arcon hoped for a smooth and successful mission.

Kendra watched her friends depart with an envious expression. She stood beside Zevon on the command deck of the Anolox . Zevon could sense her frustration, but there was no help for it.

“You’re just as important to this mission as they are,” he told her firmly. “Your role is just different. As is mine.”

She took a deep breath as she turned her head and met his gaze. “I’ll get used to this, but it feels punitive right now.”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze then moved to stand next to the ship’s commander. Zevon’s role was to supervise and coordinate the entire mission, so he’d chosen not to command the ship. “Are the Wraiths in position?”

“Affirmative.” The commander manipulated the holo-controls in front of him and the main display split into four segments. One took up half of the display, while three smaller partitions formed a column on the left. “We tapped into palace surveillance, but there are many blind spots. We’ll be able to see more once Arcon’s team is inside.”

The top section of the column flickered to life and displayed two of the Wraiths. Zevon believed there were a total of six, but as usual, Movu was being frustratingly secretive. These two had exchanged their traditional robes for the uniforms of palace guards and they stood there waiting for Zevon’s signal.

“Entry team, you’re clear to proceed.”

One of the Wraiths nodded and then they both ‘flowed’ through the energy barrier that formed a perimeter around the inner section of the palace. A palace guard was waiting for them on the other side. This was the operative Soro had mentioned, the one capable of bringing down the force field.

The three jogged down the hallway and stopped at a nondescript door. One of the Wraiths flowed through the door and opened it for the others. The spy stepped inside the room followed closely by the second Wraith. The door swung shut behind them.

Zevon quickly realized what the commander meant about blind spots. It would be nice to know what was going on inside that room.

Tension mounted as the pause lengthened. Was there a problem? Why was it taking so long?

The door finally opened and the spy stepped out alone. He held up his thumb and mouthed the words, “Good to go.”

The Wraiths must have flowed to their next position from inside the control room.

Zevon tried to contact Arcon telepathically but his mind was densely shielded. Not surprising. He would have done the same during a dangerous mission. He was about to ping the comm system in Arcon’s armor when the largest section of the display activated.

Arcon led his team down a corridor somewhere in the palace. Zevon wasn’t familiar with the area, but Arcon seemed to know where he was going. Arcon held a pulse pistol, his features locked in an expression of intense concentration. The triads followed close behind him, the females sandwiched between their mates.

A fresh surge of emotion reached Zevon’s mind, anxiety mixing with anger. There wasn’t much he could do now but watch, so he moved back to stand beside Kendra. “They’ll be fine. Arcon is a skilled fighter with many battles behind him. I would not have chosen him for this mission if I had any doubt that he’d succeed.”

“I’m not worried about Arcon,” she insisted. “I was thinking about Jill and Loren. They must be so scared, so defeated.”

“Not for long, my love. Arcon’s team will be there soon.”

She looked up at him and smiled, but her emotions were still volatile.

Arcon led his team down one corridor and then another. They jogged up a flight of stairs then continued on, hesitating at each corner. Arcon leaned toward the next passageway and Kendra squeezed Zevon’s arm.

“That’s the hallway I saw in my vision,” she said in an urgent whisper. “Jill’s in the bedroom two doors down on the right. Loren is on the left.”

Arcon’s mind was still shielded, so Zevon relayed the message through his audio-comm.

Suddenly, one of the Wraiths appeared at the other end of the hallway. He acted as if he were surprised to see the guards and then took off running. The guards promptly followed. Doubtlessly, the other Wraith was waiting just out of sight. Movu had trained his team well and Zevon was glad to have them.

Zevon watched closely as Arcon approached Jill’s door. Would he be able to get it open without one of the guards? Apparently anticipating the complication, the Wraith flashed back into view. He had one of the guards with him. The guard had his wrists bound in front of him, but—with some strong persuasion by the Wraith—he scanned open the door.

Raina rushed into the room and freed Jill from the bed. Eden quickly found something for Jill to wear. Jill went with them as they freed Loren and then the Wraiths teleported the traumatized females onto the Anolox .

“I’m going to go make sure they’re okay,” Kendra said as Arcon and his team reset for the next phase of their mission.

Zevon nodded, his gaze fixed on the display. Now that the captives were safe, it was time to neutralize Verbet.

Kendra took a couple of steps toward the doorway then stopped. She gasped and crossed her arms over her belly as if she were in pain. Fear and confusion pulsed across their link, urging Zevon into action. He rushed to her side and wrapped his arm around her back. “What’s wrong, love?”

She held up her hand, her body shaking as some sort of vision ripped through her. “Bomb,” she whispered.

Fear stabbed into his mind as she spoke the word. “What bomb? Where?”

Her eyes flew open and she yelled, “They’ve turned them into bombs! Jill and Loren are bombs.”

Zevon ran from the command deck, shouting orders as he went. “Isolate Jill and Loren. Everyone out!”

Kendra followed close on his heels. “We have to protect them too,” she insisted.

They reached the high security area where all passenger arrivals took place.

“Why are we being detained?” Jill cried, fear making her voice shrill. “What’s going on?” She suddenly slumped to the floor. Loren crumpled beside her.

Kendra looked at him in confusion. “What just happened? Did you knock them out?”

“It’s just a sedative. We need to put them in stasis in case there’s a biological trigger. They’re also enclosed in a disruption field. No signal of any kind can penetrate it. Verbet shouldn’t be able to detonate the bombs.”

“Shouldn’t? How do we get it to can’t detonate the bombs?”

A team of medics slipped into the room and rushed Jill and Loren down the hall to the clinic. Zevon followed, ensuring that his orders were carried out to the letter. The females were placed in stasis chambers with a disruption field surrounding the entire area. When that had been accomplished, Zevon finally answered Kendra’s question.

“We need to put as much distance between this ship and Torret as possible, but I want you off of it now.”

“What about you?” she objected.

“I’m going to transfer to the Agitarri. One of their fighters will return you to the Citadel.” She looked as if she’d argue, but he simply shook his head. “You’re going and that’s final.”

“Yes, Master,” she muttered with a sigh.

When Arcon sensed Kendra depart, he raised his mental shields and looked back at his team. “On to target number two.”

“Are Jill and Loren going to be okay?” Raina asked, reluctant to move.

“Yes,” Arcon assured her. “There are over a hundred people onboard the Anolox . Zevon is not going to let anything happen to any of them. Now, we need to focus on our next objective.”

“Yes, sir,” she said respectfully and moved back between her mates.

Arcon crept down the hallway toward the royal apartments but he felt no impending threat, no building tension. They would be foolish not to check, but he didn’t think Verbet was in his quarters.

Eden sent a pulse of energy down the hallway as the team made the final turn. The guards collapsed, soundlessly removing the obstacle. Arcon heaved one of the guards upward and pressed his hand against the scanner releasing the locking mechanism. As he suspected, the apartment was empty.

Pausing long enough to disarm the guards, drag them inside the bedroom, and bind them hand and foot, the team then headed downstairs. If Verbet wasn’t in his rooms having sex, it was almost assured that he was in the throne room reveling in the symbols of his newly acquired power.

Movu’s entire team, six Wraiths in all, waited for them in the corridor outside the throne room. Movu was with them. They’d already taken care of the first set of guards and scanned open the doors. Arcon hadn’t expected to see Movu. Like Zevon, Movu had been directing his team from one of the spaceships in orbit above the city.

“There’s no way that bastard is escaping,” Movu said bitterly. “I heard what he did to those poor conduits.”

More than happy to accept his help, Arcon just nodded and motioned toward the massive, ornate doors. The Wraiths pushed them open and everyone rushed inside.

“Took you long enough.” Verbet sat on his throne looking smug and unconcerned. “Did you like my surprise? Was it adequately explosive?”

Domar stood at Verbet’s side, dressed in finery from head to toe. The throne sat on a dais and twelve people fanned out before the platform. The three missing conduits and their new mates, no doubt.

Jessie stood in the middle, hate gleaming in her dark eyes. “Where’s Kendra? I thought for sure she’d be part of this.”

Arcon ignored her, keeping his focus squarely centered on Verbet. Eden’s triad stood on Arcon’s right, Raina’s on his left. Movu and his Wraiths stood behind Arcon’s team, staggering their positions so they could see the throne and the newly formed triads.

“Somebody has to make the first move,” Verbet said with a smirk. “It might as well be me.” He motioned to one of the triads standing before the throne. The conduit launched a fireball. It flew toward Arcon with surprising velocity.

Raina encased the ball in ice, extinguishing it long before it reached Arcon.

“Fire at will,” Verbet yelled, scooting to the edge of his seat.

Fireballs and pulses of energy, streams of water and gusts of air soon filled the room with all the fury of nature. For just a moment Arcon was captivated. He’d been in countless battles, but he’d never seen this many triads all in one place at the same time.

A Wraith appeared behind Domar and she screamed as he wrapped his arms around her.

Verbet shouted, “No!” and reached for her, but the Wraith and his unwilling passenger vanished from view. Verbet shot to his feet, looking frightened for the first time since Arcon entered the room. Verbet looked about wildly. Like a fucking coward, the emperor of Torret was about to run and hide. Arcon could see it in his eyes.

Bolting through the battling triads, Arcon vaulted up the stairs and grabbed Verbet by the throat. “Surrender right now or your life is forfeit.”

Verbet looked into Arcon’s eyes and said, “Fuck you!”

Thinking of Verbet’s victims and all of the victims he would create if this vile being continued to draw breath, Arcon pressed his pulse pistol against Verbet’s chest and pulled the trigger. Verbet stumbled back and collapsed onto the throne. Arcon watched dispassionately as the life faded from his eyes.

With their leader/tormentor dead, the newly formed triads soon lost their determination. A few minutes after that, they knelt with their hands locked behind their heads. Movu and his Wraiths quickly bound them with their hands tucked against their bodies, minimizing the chances that they would attempt to access their powers.

Soro and his rebel army were waiting for Arcon’s signal before they moved in to retake the capital. If Ciket was right, it wouldn’t be much of a fight once Verbet’s troops realized he was dead.

Movu joined Arcon on the dais, wanting to assure himself that Verbet was dead. “Let’s make Soro’s job even easier,” he suggested as he activated the controls inset in the arm of the throne. A security drone flew into the room and spun in a slow circle. When the device faced him again, he announced, “People of Torret, the tyrants are dead.” He motioned toward Verbet’s lifeless body. “Freedom is yours if you’re brave enough to take it. Soro and his brave rebels will soon enter your city. Join them if you’re ready to live free.” The drone performed another slow circle. “At the very least stand aside and let the rebels secure your freedom for you.” The drone blinked off then flew from the room.

“Nicely done.” Arcon smiled at the Wraith leader. “And thanks for your assistance. We couldn’t have done this without you.”

“That’s what allies are for.” Movu looked around and rubbed his chin. “Where do you want to take these fools?”

Arcon chuckled. “I can’t take them anywhere. My ship left without me.”

Movu smiled. “I guess that answers my question. We’ll load everyone onto my ship and head to the Citadel.”

“You came in a ship? I thought you flowed anywhere you wanted to go.”

“I teleported in, but brought a warship in case this turned into an actual battle. I know the Agitarri is out there too, so you’re not really stranded. Thank the gods for Verbet’s hubris. He made this really damn easy.”

“Agreed.” Then Arcon looked at the newly formed triads and sighed. “I can’t help feeling sorry for those females. None of this was their choice.”

“If that is actually true,” Movu said solemnly, “it is possible to reverse the claiming. But first and foremost, the females must want the separation. If any part of them has bonded with their mates, it will kill all three.”

Arcon nodded. “I’ll find out.”

“Then let’s get off this waterlogged planet. Torret always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”

Kendra took a deep breath and moved in front of the final holding cell. She’d been separated from her one-time friends by an energy barrier during the interviews but the resentment in their eyes still made her feel vulnerable. She was expecting hostility from Jessie, but Bristol and Kora had been downright hateful. They insisted that they’d chosen to let their mates claim them of their own free will. Kendra didn’t know how that could be true when they had been forced into activation, but she saw no point in arguing with them. Both had fought aggressively for Verbet during the final battle, so their recruitment seemed to be legitimate.

Now it was Jessie’s turn. Kendra didn’t expect a different outcome, but she felt obligated to try.

Jessie sat cross-legged on the narrow bunk, dressed in the loose-fitting, pull-on outfits also used in the Citadel’s clinics.

“Fuck off and die,” Jessie muttered and turned sideways so she couldn’t see Kendra.

“I understand why Domar was able to recruit you, but what did you say to convince the others to fight for a tyrant?”

“Verbet was not a tyrant. He was the rightful, hereditary ruler to my adopted planet.” She paused and looked at Kendra, hatred burning in her eyes. “And your mate murdered him.”

Wow. Jessie was farther down the rabbit hole than Kendra realized. “Are you happy with your mates? The soul bond can be unanchored if it was forced on you.”

Jessie stood up and walked right up to the barrier. “My mates are just as worthy as yours. I’m disgusted that you would even suggest it.”

“You are part of a failed regime. At the very least you and your mates will be banished from this star system. More likely you’re headed to a penal colony.”

“For what? Your mate is the one who organized an armed insurrection. Your mate is the one who murdered a rightful ruler in cold blood. You’re the one who should be in this cell, but as usual the rules don’t apply to you.”

Kendra sighed. This was clearly a waste of energy. “I’m sorry my decisions keep hurting you. That was never my intention.”

Jessie threw back her head and laughed, but it was a bitter, humorless sound. “My broken nose was unintentional?”

“I already apologized for attacking you, but we both know you provoked me.” She smoothed down her dress and released a sigh. “I came here to let you know that there is an out if an out is what you honestly want.”

“Well, then we’re back at the beginning. Fuck off and die.”

Kendra accepted the outcome with a nod and hurried from the detention center.

“That went well,” Arcon said with a sad shake of his head. She’d refused to let him accompany her, insisting that the females would never talk to her with him standing by her side. He’d compromised by observing the conversations from the control room down the hall. “I’m not surprised, but I’d hoped for better.”

“I knew Jessie was a lost cause because of my vision, but I was hoping we could save Kora and Bristol.”

“We saved Loren and Jill,” he reminded as he slipped his arm around her shoulders. “That’s not nothing.”

“Two out of six is what, thirty-three percent?” She released another sigh. “That’s not much to brag about.”

“Jill and Loren would argue with you, I’m sure.” He reached down and pinched her bottom. “Now, stop being so glum. Verbet is dead. Soro’s rebels have gained control of Hanoto. Torret is well on its way to freedom.”

“You’re right. I need to focus on the positive.”

“And accept the fact that you are not responsible for the choices other people make,” he added.

“That too.” She glanced up at him and produced a half-hearted smile.

Zevon was sitting in his favorite chair when Kendra walked into the apartment a few minutes later.

“Hi.” She smiled at him, feeling it a little more this time. “I didn’t expect to see you for a few hours yet.”

“I started compiling a list of all the people I need to contact and all the messages I need to make. It quickly became more than I can accomplish in a few hours, so I decided to postpone it all until tomorrow.”

“That’s a wonderful plan.” Her only hope of escaping this gloom was to spend the evening in the arms of her mates. She was so glad they were ready to do the same.

“So what did you decide after speaking to your friends?” Zevon asked as he pushed to his feet.

She frowned, trying not to allow herself to get sucked back into her earlier pessimism. “Well, mostly I realized that none of them are my friends anymore. According to all three of them, they were not forced into anything. I’m not sure if their mates are influencing them or if they honestly feel that way.”

“Soul bonds change people,” Zevon admitted. “More often than not the changes are positive, but I have seen negative reactions before.”

“Well, their attitude slams the door on our ability to help them.” It wasn’t the outcome Kendra had hoped for, but she found it rather freeing. She’d done everything in her power to save them, but they had chosen a different path. As Arcon insisted, she was not responsible for the decisions of others. “The board of governors is going to throw the book at them and we all know it. I don’t think any of them realize how much trouble they’re in.”

“I agree, and I’ll do what I can to soften the blow,” Zevon told her.

“I appreciate it.”

Arcon moved up behind her, putting her in between her mates. Exactly where she liked it best. “The war is finally over. There are no more conduits in need of rescue. And we have found our destined mates. I only have one question left.”

She smiled, easily guessing where his sensual tone was leading. “And what is that, Sir?”

“Why aren’t we all naked and in that bed?”

Needing no other prompting, Kendra raced for the bedroom, clothing flying in her wake. Zevon and Arcon were right behind her. By the time they reached the bed, passion and affection were flowing freely across their link and all three were naked. They fell to the mattress in a tangle of entwined limbs and eager hands.

“I love you, mates,” Kendra whispered as the first set of frantic kisses ended.

“And I love you, pet,” Zevon responded, his hands moving boldly over her body.

“I love you more,” Arcon said with a throaty laugh.

“Not possible,” Zevon argued.

Joy swelled within Kendra’s heart as she heard their playful words. This was exactly what she needed so her battered heart could heal. “I think you should both show me how much you love me. Words are much too easy.”

“Challenge accepted,” Zevon growled out as he stretched her arms above her head.

Rather than continue the silliness, Arcon claimed her mouth with his and inundated her mind with raw emotion.

The End