Page 52 of Honor Bound

The conflict warred within him. He couldn’t protect Julia if he wasn’t there… and he didn’t want to risk putting her in danger by taking her with him. If he had been smarter, he would have insisted she stay on theTracerwith Hutu. Sergi’s voice broke his internal turmoil.

“We’re close. I’ll take the shuttle and drop you off,” Sergi said, his eyes flickering between Roan and Julia. “Both of you, yes?”

Roan hesitated, his jaw tightening. His attention moved to Julia. “It’s too dangerous,” he said finally. “More dangerous than anything you’ve faced so far. Sergi and La’Rue need take you to Hutu. I should never have brought you here.”

Julia folded her arms, arching an eyebrow. “Should never—?” She leaned closer, her voice calm but firm. “If what you told me last night is true, you’ll need someone with my knowledge, training and experience. Besides,” she added with a faint smile, “I’m the one who broke you out. Not the other way around. There was never ashould ofwhat you should do with me.”

Sergi let out a hearty laugh. “Don’t argue, Roan. Julia will always win. Trust me. Save yourself the trouble and just agree.”

La’Rue smirked, nodding in approval. “She’s got guts. I have to give her credit for that. I saw how she stood up to sour-face Landais, and breaking you out— That takes some major nerves of steel and more than a little bit of insanity.”

Roan shook his head, his lips twitching despite himself. Her stubbornness shouldn’t have surprised him anymore, but it still did.

La’Rue’s expression turned serious as she adjusted the ship’s trajectory. “Where are you planning to go?”

Roan’s voice dropped, steady and deliberate. “To Dorane.”

La’Rue shot him a sharp look. “Dorane? Did Sergi perchance tell you that either your father or uncle has sent a Turbinta assassin after him? You think he’ll help you with, you know, you being related and all?”

Roan gave a faint smile, his tone carefully neutral. “Dorane doesn’t have much love for the Legion, but we have understanding.”

“That’s an understatement,” La’Rue muttered, keeping her eyes on the viewscreen. “Dorane’s not exactly a fan of anyone who interferes with his business—or his independence. He’s a merchant, sure, but he’s no simple trader. He’s dangerous in his own way.”

Sergi leaned back against the bulkhead, crossing his arms. “This Dorane… he has resources and connections most people only dream about, yes?” Roan nodded. Sergi shrugged. “Then, if anyone can get you deep into Legion-controlled space, he’s the one.”

Roan nodded slowly. “He’ll help—if it benefits him. But it’s more complicated than that. Dorane and I have… history.”

La’Rue raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “History? Care to share?”

Roan’s lips curved into a faint smile, but he didn’t elaborate. “Let’s just say we’ve crossed paths a time or two.”

The tension on the bridge deepened, but it wasn’t fear—it was the kind of quiet anticipation that precedes a storm. Roan’s pulse quickened. He could feel the weight of what was coming, the risks they were about to take. But fear wasn’t what filled him—it was resolve.

Sergi clapped his hands together, breaking the heavy silence. “Well, then. Let’s get you both to the shuttle. The sooner you are off it, the sooner we can all get back to making bad decisions.”

Julia chuckled, tension easing just enough for her to breathe again. She glanced at Roan, her eyes meeting his once more. “I think we’ve got this.”

Roan’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “Let’s hope you’re right.”

* * *

The ship hummed around him, the quiet rhythm a steady contrast to the storm of thoughts swirling in Roan’s mind. His fingers flew across the console, initiating the jump sequence. The stars blurred, collapsing into streaming lines of light as they slipped into faster-than-light travel.

He exhaled slowly, his shoulders relaxing marginally. They were safe for now—safe enough. But safety was a fleeting thing these days. He tapped a series of commands into the console, establishing a secure comm link. Dorane would be expecting him… or at least expecting trouble.

The monitor flickered to life, and Dorane LeGaugh’s face appeared—calm, handsome, and completely unreadable. His calculating smile gave nothing away, though his eyes gleamed with quiet amusement.

“Well, well. General Roan Landais. Imagine my surprise. I thought you’d be dead by now.” Dorane’s tone was light, but there was steel beneath it. He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepling beneath his chin. “Tell me, how did the family reunion go?”

“As well as could be expected,” Roan replied, his tone equally dry.

Dorane chuckled. “Ah. That bad, then.” He studied Roan for a moment, his expression shifting to something more thoughtful. “I heard rumors you’d found another Ancient Knight. Tell me, are the whispers true?”

Roan hesitated, weighing his options. Dorane wasn’t an enemy, but he wasn’t exactly an ally either. Finally, he nodded. “It’s true.”

Dorane’s eyes narrowed slightly, but the flicker of interest was quickly masked. “And the last one? Have you found him yet?”

Roan raised an eyebrow. “Odd question.”

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