Page 90 of Warrior's Reign
30
Vykhan enteredAdevega’s suite at a dead run. Adevega’s guard fired at the sudden appearance of an unknown threat. His bodyshield flared, dismissing the strikes. “Stand down.” He was willing to forgive the guard the instinct to attack this once.
Eagan pushed past him. “I’m a medic.”
Adevega’s guard knew Eagan, of course. There was no warrior in the palace who had not been under his care. But Adevega claimed Reign had attempted to kill both her and Ibukay, so theEyahun’sguard would protect Adevega even from palace personnel until given orders that overrode Adevega’s.
“Do not stand down,” Adevega snapped. She listed on the arm of one of her warriors. “Vykhan Rhyksai may be complicit in the assassination attempt on myself and theBdakhun. It was his human betrothed who attacked us!”
“Reign did not attack us, Aunt,” Ibukay said, voice grim. She met Vykhan’s gaze as Adevega continued to speak hysterically.
The warriors ceased fire but remained in a protective position. Vykhan surveyed them. “Take yourEyahunto a secure position and await orders. I will not stop you if you do not attack.”
The team leader nodded curtly, motioning to the rest of his warriors.
“Take them into custody!” Adevega ordered. “Don’t leave my niece in his power! He tried to kill her.”
Ibukay lifted a hand. “Take my aunt to a secure position. I’ve notified my mother and my father, the ImperialBdahn. SecondAdekhanAanyah is on her way.”
Adevega sputtered as her warriors led her away. But for all her supposed fear and outrage, Vykhan sensed a hollowness in the center of her outrage. A coldness in her eyes.
Eagan’s med kit rolled to a stop beside him, and he began to work. “The poison would have killed her if she hadn’t activated her nanos right away.” He shook his head. “I’ve given her an antidote. It’s a stupid way to try and kill someone when you know they have access to immediate medtech.”
“Unless the attempt was designed to fail,” Ibukay said.
Vykhan gestured, then motioned to his warriors. “EscortBdakhunIbukay to the med unit.”
Ibukay grimaced.
“Hey,” Eagan said. “I thought we liked each other.”
Normally she would have engaged him in a lively round of friendly verbal fire, but Ibukay’s expression was strained.
“Vykhan, Reign—”
“This suite isn’t secure,” he said, biting the words off.
His skin crawled with the need to do something. Outwardly, he appeared emotionless. Already reports were coming through his comm of the hunt for Reign through the palace. But until Ibukay was secure he could do nothing, not even send his own people to aid her. Not when there was an accusation against her. His mother’s warriors would apprehend Reign under authority of the Imperial Lords. If he intervened it would only add weight to Adevega’s accusations.
Doing nothing tested his Silence like nothing else before.
Ibukay looked at him, anger and pain in her eyes. “Reign would never betray me.”
“We know, little sister. We know who has betrayed you. But we cannot speak of this right now.”
“We should have acted. We’re playing this too safe.” She nearly spat the words. “And our caution may get Reign killed.”
“We cannot do what we must without proof.”
“Even now? Even when your own betrothed is in danger? Are you truly that cold, Vykhan?”
He faced her rage without flinching. Her eyes glittered, face paling in the kind of fury he rarely witnessed. “I do what I must. As Reign will do what she must. We serve, and our children will serve.”
But soon, he would let loose the maelstrom of his fury. It was not yet time, and he could not help Reign if he indulged his bloodlust.
She will pay soon,he promised that dark side of himself, stirring in its cavern.We will have her blood soon. Sleep.
It was barely enough, but the monster settled. Waited.
