Page 6 of Warrior's Reign
“I’ve watched you. Waited for your return.”
“Your wait will be unto death. My vows are not made in vain.”
A chuckle on the other end. “No, you never go back on your word. But I contacted you to offer an incentive. For the sake of old friendships.
Vykhan waited. This person was no fool, and knew . . . that other part of him . . . better than anyone ever had. Not even his honored parents. If this one said there was incentive, then Vykhan must listen.
“There’s a traitor in the palace who wishes yourBdakhundead.”
“You try my patience.”
“Short tempered as always.” Amusement, a thread of affection. “Very well, plain speech. I wish you to return. Come to me willingly, and I’ll give you the information you require to save yourBdakhun’slife before you depart.”
“Give me that information now, since you claim ties of friendship.”
Laughter. “Ah, Vykhan’anshara. Your arrogance hasn’t abated.”
Vykhan felt himself snarling, and shut the emotion down. Even in private he could not allow this lapse into darker emotions. The consequences of that path currently spoke to him. His fingers flexed, then settled back into stillness.
“Very well,” Lohail said. “YadFi. I’m certain you’ve noticed a recent unfortunate trend towards an actual structuring of their organization?”
He had. Almost as if a true leader had seized control of the anti-alien, Yadeshi First organization and begun to govern.
“They’re convinced Ibukay’s death will remove substantial roadblocks to their success.”
“That makes no sense,” Vykhan said. “BdakhunIbukay fights against the trafficking of aliens, and sends most of them back to their home planets. How does that interfere with Yadeshi First’s platform? She is doing what they say they want.”
“Don’t be deliberately obtuse. Organizations require funds.”
He was noadoanto be rebuked. “Who is supporting them, then? You must know of a highly placed patron or you would understand your information to be unworthy of my time.”
“If I tell you, you won’t believe me. So you must be shown. Pay attention, I will give you the first step on the path.”
“And the price?”
“That when I send for you, after you have preserved yourBdakhun’slife, you will come.”
Vykhan ended the comm and considered his course of action. He’d already known there was a traitor in the palace, which was one of the reasons he’d pulled Evvek onto his team. Lohail only confirmed thecontinuedinvolvement of Anthhori.
Anthhori, the ever present thorn in his side. A continual reminder of his shame, his deevolution. By treaty the neutral playing ground of half a dozen planetary systems, immune from all laws other than their own. Ostensibly, it was a ship of pleasure. Families vacationed on board, singles and couples. There were restaurants from every system, entertainment both wholesome and not. Dens of iniquity underneath carnivals filled with children’s delights.
And in the bowels of Anthhori, lords who trafficked in the forbidden. Drugs, sexual perversions, slaves both willing and not. None of it regulated due to the blasted treaty.
What investigations or small wars they started on board had to be done undercover without any tendrils leading back to the Imperial family.
And not even Ibukay knew of Vykhan’s past there.
Lohail, an Aeddannar-Yadeshi hybrid, one of the lords of Anthhori. A male of wealth and power who appeared to run a legal business. . .appearances were deceptive.
Was Lohail the patron behind the Aeddannar they’d tangled with only months ago when rescuing Tai’ri’s bondmate? If he was, he would pay the price.
And because Vykhan had once loved him, he would do the male the courtesy of dying by Vykhan’s blade alone.
Vykhan commed Evvek. “We have new information.”
3
What kindof trouble prompted a Beysikai Provinceroyalto track down a human for help? Not the simple kind of trouble.
