Page 26 of Honor Bound

CHAPTERSEVEN

Legion Warship – Floating Above the Black Cathedral

The metallic walls of the warship vibratedwith energy, a deep hum pulsing beneath the deck plating as the Legion transport settled into the hangar. The air smelled of ionized metal and burnt fuel,sharp and sterile—a stark contrast to Plateau’s fresh, untamed beauty.

Roan felt the shift in pressure as the ship docked, his muscles coiling witha readiness he couldn’t act on.

Beside him, Julia sat tense, her wrists bound in Legion restraints.

Their journey had been silent,filled only with the occasional rough shove from a soldier or the hum of the transport’s systems. But now, as the hatch hissed open and the warm artificial light of the warship flooded in, Roan knew exactly where they were.

His father’s ship.

A simmering rage, as tightly coiled as a Torrian viper, resided within him, though his face gave nothing away, remaining as still and impassive as stone. Julia’s steady gaze held a hint of wariness, but there was also a quiet confidence that radiated from her eyes, promising everything would be alright.

Roan lifted an eyebrow at her, but she just gave a barely perceptible shake of her head and flicked a quick glance to the soldier sitting across from her. Frustration rose inside him. She wasn’t afraid. Not yet.But she should be.

Because his father would be waiting to interrogate them.

* * *

Sergi Lazaroff kept his steps measured and tried not to rotate his shoulders in his ill-fitting, stolen uniform. His focus was on the woman sitting across from him. La’Rue Gant, skilled freighter captain with a sharp tongue, resourceful mind, and a hidden compassionate side, was also the love of his life and he wasn’t about to let anything happen to her.

He carefully studied her slender form. La’Rue’s auburn hair was tangled and her dark brown eyes were snapping with fury. She was not happy that General Coleridge had ordered his men to confiscate her freighter. Personally, Sergi was happy that it had been. Otherwise, it would be at the bottom of the Plateauan ocean when the massive floating island sank down beneath the waters. The islands and the energy field surrounding it that allowed it to be protected as it disappeared beneath the azure waves of the planet’s surface were a technological wonder that he itched to learn more about.

His mouth tightened and his eyes glittered when he noticed a bruise forming along La’Rue’s temple. The discoloration stood out against her creamy tan skin before mixing with the faint spots along her temple. He tapped his fingers on his knee and stared at the soldier who was sitting next to her.

Retribution will be high, my friend. No one harms my woman,he silently vowed.

He rose when the lights inside the cabin shifted from red to green. Moving into position behind LaRue, he waited as the hatches opened. Soldiers filed out first.

The guard beside LaRue waited until the others had disembarked before pulling her forward. Sergi followed, staying a half-step behind.

They moved through a long corridor, the dull overhead lights casting stark shadows along the metallic bulkheads. The air was cold, recycled, carrying the faint scent of engine oil and the sterile tang of disinfectant.

As they reached a four-way intersection,the sound of an argument filtered through the hall. Sergi’s eyes narrowed on the group. The voice was deep, edged with fury—a voice that commanded power and left no room for defiance.

General Coleridge Landais.

Sergi turned his head, trying to assess who was on the receiving end of the Legion’s wrath. There was a large group of Legion soldiers standing in a tight semicircle,surrounding two figures. The man at the center stood tall, dark-haired, and visibly battered, yet his stance was protective.

Sergi’s breath hissed out when he saw who the man was trying to protect.

Julia.

“You disappoint me, Roan.” Coleridge’s voice was filled with quiet menace. “Andri feared you might betray us. I told him if you did, I would take care of you myself.”

The dark-haired man—Roan—remained tight-lipped.Sergi noticed the man flexing his hands. Sergi was silently impressed. The man didn’t show an ounce of fear.

The general’s lips curled in disgust and he struck a vicious blow to the Legion officer’s jaw that would have collapsed a lesser man. The impactsnapped Roan’s head to the side.

Sergi had to force himself to remain where he was when Julia gasped and stepped between them.He couldn’t quite hide the rueful shake of his head. Leave it to Julia to think she could boss the boss.

“Stop! There is no need for violence,” Julia snapped, her voice sharp and commanding.

Sergi didn’t missed Roan’s muttered word of caution, nor his attempt to nudge Julia behind him. He could have told the other man it was a useless gesture. Julia could be very tenacious when she was defending someone she cared about—and it was obvious from both of their reactions that there was a chemistry between the two of them.

He wasn’t the only one who noticed it. His stern expression hardened as he studied the way Coleridge’s expression shifted. He had seen that look before.

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