Born of Defiance

While he fully intended to personally slaughter Eriadne and Chrisen, he wasn’t stupid enough to let anyone know his plans.

“Did you know the tadara had her own grandson killed… Why? Because he looked human. Tahrs Nykyrian was slaughtered in cold blood. He was just a child when he was ripped from his mother’s arms, and sent to his grave. You’ve seen the tizirah. You know she’s not right in the head, because she knows her own mother killed her son and can’t handle the truth of it. I have it on tape where Tahrs Jullien himself brags about it, and the fact that his grandmother intentionally keeps his mother, her own daughter, in a drugged stupor so that she won’t have to answer for her actions.”

Talyn hesitated. If this was a setup, Lorens would be in even more trouble than Talyn for speaking those kinds of accusations. “Then why haven’t you taken it to the media?”

“Because the station we gave a copy to was bombed before they could air it. Everyone in the building was killed instantly, and the Phrixians were blamed for the attack. Just like what happened with you. Before I could make the report against an Anatole, it and you were erased. The royal house has spies everywhere.”

“Yes, they do. And if they find out about —”

“They won’t. We are very careful who we recruit.”

Sure they were. “Then why are you recruiting me?”

“Because of your record and history with them. And what they did to you. You had no reason to stand up for the females in your squad who had never stood up for you, and yet you did the right thing, knowing it could cost you your career.” His eyes burned into him. “I know the truth of your character, Talyn. But have you seen your military file lately?”

Talyn shook his head. “It’s above my clearance level.”

“Yeah, well… here.” Lorens handed him a thick folder. “I’ve made a copy for you. And by the way, you’re not a captain as you were told. After your interview with the tadara… more disciplinary action was added to your history. You’ve been demoted back to a lieutenant’s rank and pay.”

Sick to his stomach, Talyn stared at him in complete disbelief. “What?”

Lorens nodded. “As further discipline against you, you won’t be eligible for a promotion again for three years, provided you keep your mouth shut over what was done to you.”

Talyn felt like he’d just been punched by Death Warrant. “I didn’t do anything!”

“That’s our point. My brother didn’t do anything, either. He just happened to have married into the wrong lineage. And don’t get me started on Tahrs Nykyrian eton Anatole. His biggest crime was that his mother slept with a human and he happened to look more like his father than his mother. For that matter, Jullien, Merrell, and Chrisen single-handedly drove the entire War Hauk male lineage from Andarion soil because the last thing they want is for any of our beloved heroes to be here to stop them.”

Talyn went silent as old memories stirred.

Lorens sat back. “I knew Keris Hauk – he was one of my best friends from childhood. He rose too fast through the Andarion military ranks for their taste, and they couldn’t stand it. Merrell hooked him on drugs and saw to his execution through the hands of Keris’s wife. It’s a fact I know, but have never been able to prove. Likewise, I know they’re the ones who drove Fain out of his family. And don’t you find it odd that it was Jullien and Chrisen who were in the pod with Dancer Hauk when it crashed? You think that was a coincidence? They escaped unscathed, but he damn near died… and because of that, Dancer was barred from Andarion military service. Forever. They deprived him of his birthright. It’s why he’s working for The Sentella now.”

Talyn’s head swam as he tried to digest all of that. He would call Lorens out, but it strangely made sense. Especially given the insane hatred Jullien, Chrisen, and Merrell bore him personally when he’d done nothing to them, other than try to stay out of their way. And it corroborated a lot of what they’d said to him about his father’s family. “How do you know all that?”

“We’ve been gathering evidence on the royals for a long time. But every time we try to come forward, we’re put down like rabid lorinas.”

Like Rhys, Farina, and Berra.

“Then what’s your agenda?”

“To remove the royal family from power and institute a governing body that the people control. A republic of officials who are reasonable, responsible, and honorable. A governing council that won’t dare abduct our race, and beat, exile, and rape them at their leisure.”

Talyn couldn’t agree more. He wanted blood. Royal blood. Lorens must have smelled it on him.

But if he joined ranks with them, he’d be committing treason. With witnesses. He wasn’t sure if he trusted anyone that much.

One snitch in their group, and everything he loved would be brutalized and lost.

If he didn’t…