Born of Defiance

Talyn couldn’t breathe as those words sank in and he realized Syndrome had thrown him to the wolves for daring to help her. “What exactly did Colonel Pinara say?”


“She claims you have accosted her on two separate occasions, and that she’s seen you expose yourself to other females in your squad.”

Talyn ground his teeth. So, he’d put his ass on the line for Syndrome and she’d sold him out. Minsid hell.

Why was he even surprised?

“Do you wish to proceed with your report, Major?”

The suicidal part of Talyn was ready to see it through, but the saner half of his brain knew better. He was a lack-Vest bastard. Without corroboration, no one would ever believe him. Not against a member of the royal family.

The nail that stands out gets hammered down. The old Andarion proverb went through his head. And he was tired of taking those blows.

Screw this shit.

“No. Please destroy the report.”

“Very well. You should know that when you return to duty, the commander wants you to report to his office for disciplinary action.”

Of course he did. “Duly noted.” Talyn hung up and fought the urge to destroy his link.

This was bullshit.

He’d just put his link away when it rang with the armada’s tone. What fresh hell is this? There was no way it could be good.

His gut knotted, he answered it to find Anatole on the other end.

“You think you’re smart, mongrel? You’re lucky I caught this. And I promise you that as bad as you think you’ve had it, it’s nothing compared to what you’re going to face when you’re cleared for duty again. I swear you will regret the day you ever decided to don an Andarion uniform. End of the day, I own your sorry ass. And I intend to make you bow down to your betters and lick my boots. One way or another, you will learn your place.” Anatole hung up.

Talyn growled low in his throat as reality kicked him hard. Why had he bothered to stand up for someone else? Anyone else?

Now…

He was going down in flames and no one would be there to help him through this. No one.



Ta-lyn No-kin

Born in sin.

No matter what, you’ll never win…





In that moment, he wanted the throat of every Andarion ever born. But none more so than his own father’s.

And that of every member of the Anatole bloodline.



“Thank the gods, you’re here.”

Felicia frowned at the nurse as she left the lift and approached their station in the hallway. Her heart pounded in fear. She’d only left Talyn long enough to go to her final. Had he taken a turn for the worse during her absence?

I should have never left him.

“What’s happened?”

Her face a mask of horror, the nurse gestured toward Talyn’s room. “That… male is the most infuriating, surly, nasty beast to ever breathe! We’re down to drawing straws to see who has to go in to check his vitals.”

Felicia gaped at the female. “What?”

“You know he signed the orders yesterday that we couldn’t give him anything without his express approval?”

“Yes.”

“Well, now he’s in extreme pain and he refuses to eat. He can’t sleep. He takes the head off anyone who goes near him. And if we don’t get food into him, we’re going to have to reinsert a feeding tube. And none of us want to do that, for fear of what he’ll do to us to retaliate… The doctor’s in a meeting right now, trying to overturn Batur’s right to refuse treatment, or get him kicked out.”

Felicia was aghast. “Where’s his mother?”

“She had to leave not long after you did. He’s been impossible ever since.”

Felicia shook her head. “All right. I’ll deal with him. Where’s his food?”

The nurse went to her station and returned with a tray. She handed it to Felicia. “May the gods be with you.”

Unsure of what he’d do to her, she headed to his room and gently pushed the door open to find Talyn with his arm bent over his eyes.

“I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed,” he snarled. “Get the fuck out!”

“Okay. If that’s really what you want. I’ll go.”

He immediately uncovered his eyes. “Licia?” he breathed her name like a prayer.

She stood in the doorway with the tray. “You want me to stay or go?”

“Please, stay.”

Nearing his bed, she glanced to his monitors and cringed at what she saw there. She set the tray aside. “Oh honey, you need to take something for the pain.”

“I can’t. Once they release me, I can’t take anything. You know that. I need it out of my system as soon as possible.”

“Tay…”

“Lis, you know I can’t. Please, don’t nag me. I’m in enough pain.”

She placed her hand against his cheek. “Okay. Can I use pressure points with you?”

He nodded.

Swallowing hard at the sympathetic ache she felt for him, she sat on the bed and started rubbing his temples. A single tear slid from the corner of his eye. She kissed it away before she moved down to his neck so that she could massage him. He didn’t speak a single word while she worked.