Born of Ice

“That’s my baby sister, Tempest Elenari Gerran.

Her birthday was day before yesterday. She turned sixteen in jail with my mother. I may be out of line, but I’ll bet when you guys turned sixteen, you had a celebration for it with presents and friends wishing you well.”

She clicked to the next photo of a frail-looking woman around the age of Devyn’s mom. Her blond hair laced with gray was pulled back from her wan face. Defeat and despair haunted her pale gray eyes. Unlike her daughters who still held fire in their gazes, she’d been broken by the harshness of her life.

Alix met Sway’s hostility without flinching. “You won’t just be killing me. You’ll be killing them, too. Tempest is a prime sexual age and a virgin. Any idea what’s the first thing her new owner will do to her when she’s sold?” She looked down at the table before she added, “I don’t want her to ever know the horror that was my sixteenth birthday.”

Devyn’s stomach churned at the thought.

A tic started in Sway’s jaw. “How many days do we have to get them free?”

“I was given three weeks to bring you in, but Whelms said he wanted something on Devyn day after tomorrow.”

Devyn let out an aggravated breath. “The Talia’s still running under capacity. I’ve contacted Taryn. He and Starla are headed in to provide support for us in the event we run into something unpleasant while we’re en route.”

Sway scoffed at his euphemism. “Unpleasant . . . like League battle cruisers out to hang a crew of idiots?”

Omari snorted. “We’re not all idiots, Sway. Just you. Remember you could have gone home with Claire and chose to stay with us.”

“Muzzle it, punk. I’m not in the mood.” Sway turned back to Devyn. “Starla’s coming, huh? You okay with that?”

“Not really. But there’s not much I can do about it.”

Alix frowned at the unfamiliar name. By the look on Devyn’s face, she could tell there was history between them. “Who’s Starla?

Sway smirked before he answered. “The sole daughter of Darling Cruel and third in command of The Sentella.”

Alix gaped at the names. Darling Cruel was an aristocrat with hefty political ties even Taryn would envy. He ran The Sentella which was the most important organization that opposed League authority. But since they didn’t outwardly break any laws, The League couldn’t shut them down.

“How do you know the Cruels?”

Devyn flashed a grin at her. “Haven’t you learned by now? We all grew up with Starla and we all want to choke her. She’s balls to the wall, in your face, and has more testosterone than all of us guys put together.”

That confused her even more. “If you can’t stand each other, why’s she coming?”

“We’re family and it’s a fight. She’d never want to be left out.”

“Neither would I.”

Alix jumped as a new voice was added to their group. She jerked around in her chair to face the unexpected newcomer.

Holy . . .

He was gorgeous on an inhuman level. Tall and lethal, he had the coldest gray eyes she’d ever seen. Dressed all in black, his hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. The collar of his jacket rode high with silver buttons that fell in a line from the collar to his waist. There was an air of imperial grace and one of feral brutality.

He made the hair on the back of her neck rise.

Devyn didn’t appear so intimidated as he let out a sound of utter disgust. “What are you doing here, Nero?”

He pulled up a chair beside Omari and leaned back as if he owned the ship. “Your dad called and sent me in with a replacement part. He doesn’t want you down for even a second. I’m also here to, and I quote your father, ‘Fuck up anyone who comes at you.’ ” Nero held his hand out and a bottle of water shot from the cooler in the middle of the table into his hand.

Her eyes widened as she finally understood how he’d come to be on the ship and in their room without opening a door. “You’re Trisani?” The Trisani were an almost mythical race of people whose psychic abilities were the stuff of legends. And male Trisani were even more rare since their powers were so strong they normally killed the males before they left puberty.

Nero took a drink of water before he spoke again. “Nice to meet you, Alix.”

“How do you know my name?”

“As you noted, I’m Trisani.” He winked at her.

Omari snorted. “Yeah, be careful what thoughts are in your head. He can pluck them out without even trying.”

Nero passed him a droll stare. “And I’ll be so thrilled when you finally get laid and stop the . . . oh wait, you’re male. You’ll never stop those thoughts. Damn, I need eye bleach.”

Devyn laughed. “So where’s my part?

“I’ve already installed it. It doesn’t do me any good to bring it here and then leave it on the floor.”

Sway let out a low, appreciative whistle. “Man, I would kill for those powers.”

And therein was the problem. Many people had.