Born of Defiance

She nodded. “They have the same father.”


And Darling was the Sentella friend Jayne was always trying to protect. She thought the world of the man, and Jayne trusted almost no one.

Ryn wasn’t what Talyn felt, then. But something was off. He could sense it with the part of him that had never failed to be right.

If only he knew what his gut was trying to tell him.

Qory gestured to Morra as they left to head to the landing bay.

“What?” Talyn asked.

“He’s reminding me that we need to dress you like Tavali. You walk in there in that uniform… well, I’m always up for a good fight, but if you get hurt, Felicia will kick my ass and Jayne will help her.” She chucked Talyn on his arm as they boarded their Sentella ship, and Qory left to head for the flight deck to do preflight checks. She pulled Talyn to a private room on board. “So follow me and drop those pants, cutie. This is going to be fun.”

For her, maybe.

As minutes went by and Morra used Talyn as a living doll, he knew what caused the lump of dread in his stomach. She put him in things that crawled into areas of his body that the gods had never meant fabric to touch, while Qory took over flying them out of the station and heading them into space.

Talyn had no idea what he was in for until he looked into a mirror. He cringed at what he saw. “Sentient creatures really dress this way?”

Morra laughed. “They do, indeed. And I have to say, you wear Tavali well. There’s just one thing we need, that you should love.”

“A bag over my head so that no one knows it’s me?”

“Close… and stop bitching. Being Andarion, you should be used to having your face painted.”

Talyn bit back the pain she unknowingly caused him. As a bastard, he wasn’t allowed to paint his mother’s lineage on his face. It was something that had been a bitter pill for him every time he’d had to go to temple for high holidays. And why he’d never gone to any kind of Andarion festival. It was just too embarrassing to be the only one in the crowd bare-faced.

He sat down for Morra to reach his head, and paint his features in true Tavali style… a skeletal design that highlighted his white eyes. She pulled a scarf over his mouth that matched the hood he wore over his head. It completed the skeleton design.

“Just stay covered and they’ll never know it’s you.” She took the mirror from his hand and returned it to its drawer before she headed to the flight deck.

Talyn stood and adjusted his blasters and Warsword before he went to join them.

Qory did a double take, then smiled approvingly.

Talyn’s link buzzed. Clicking it on, he didn’t bother checking ID. “Commander Batur.”

Felicia’s sweet voice sent a chill over him. “Hey, baby. I know I only have a few minutes before you’ll be in Tavali territory and they might pick this up. I just wanted to wish you luck and tell you again that I love you. That I’m proud to be your female, and that you better stay safe.”

He savored every syllable. “I will, mia. Everything’s in place. Don’t worry… I love you, too.”

She made a kissing noise in his ear before she ended the transmission.

Morra smiled at him.

He started to respond, but his attention went to the screens, where a massive Tavali strike force was falling into place.

Morra sobered instantly before she took over communications. “Crimson Tavali, this is Green Fire from the Black Flag Nation, copy?”

“Copy. We need confirmation. Who’s your father?”

“No father. We’re Rogues who fly under the mercy of Hermione Dane. Code name Kirren… hail the Wasturnum, forever. We’ve come on a peaceful mission to rendezvous with the favored son. He can verify my identity and cause.”

Talyn stepped forward as the Tavali armed their weapons.

Morra held her hand up to signal him to hold position. “Problem?”

“No problem. Identify all heat signatures on board.”

“Morrtalah Cheho’vitastamiutstoh speaking. I fly with Qorach Rohrtag and Andor Enre.”

Talyn arched a brow at her alias for him. They’d not discussed it, but he made sure to commit it to memory.

The ships powered down their weapons systems. “Hail Tavali and welcome, sister. You’re cleared to land in the station, under escort.”

Talyn ground his teeth as he realized just how tight security was for the Tavali station. Since they were close enough for echoing scanners, he didn’t speak. Anything they said from this point on was subject to being picked up by Tavali devices. This was where he envied Morra and Qory’s ability to communicate solely by hand gestures. He had no idea what they were saying to each other right now.

But by the frenetic way they moved their hands, he figured they had the same concerns he did.

As soon as they landed, Morra extended the ramp, then opened the door.