Born of Ice

The dark-haired assassin came forward to disarm Paden and pat her down. It took all of her restraint not to protest or fight, but confronting a trained assassin wasn’t exactly an award-winning act of intelligence.

The assassin handed Paden’s ID to the blond, who flipped it open and frowned. He looked back at Paden and studied his features. “You don’t look like Syn.”

Paden scowled. “Excuse me.”

The Andarion sniffed at him. “I say we kill him just to be sure.”

The blond screwed his face up. “I don’t know. Might ruin Syn’s day, which would then ruin ours, and I can do without another bitch session.” He paused as he looked back down at the ID. “Bugger it, let the bastard pass. We can always kill him later.”

What in the known worlds?

But as she watched them, Alix had a strange suspicion about who these two men were. “Do your people know our people?”

The blond flashed a grin that took the badass right out of him. No wonder assassins didn’t laugh or joke, especially not when they were as good-looking as these two. He lowered his blaster and held his hand out to her. “Commander Jayce Quiakides. Nice to meet you.”

She arched her brow at a name she recognized. “Zarina and Taryn’s brother?”

“On the days when I claim them.” Jayce indicated the assassin beside him. “This is Captain DJ Hauk.”

She tried not to react to the name. DJ just didn’t fit with his lethal aura. It was the name someone gave a child, not a killer. “DJ?”

He passed an angry glare at Jayce. “It’s actually Darion. I was named after my uncle. No one calls me DJ anymore except for a certain group of derelicts and my parents.”

Jayce let out an evil laugh. “It could be worse. His father’s named Dancer.”

DJ didn’t appear the least bit amused by that. “Don’t go there, Jay. I’m only one kill away from becoming a Command Assassin. Be a damn shame for that kill to be you.”

Jayce snorted. “You ain’t that good, punk. Now let’s get them inside with the others.”

Alix hesitated, unsure about this even if they were friends with Devyn and his family. “Are we in custody?”

DJ nodded. “Yeah, the protective kind. Where’s Devyn?”

“Turning himself in.”

They both gaped at her.

“What?” Jayce asked in a ferocious tone.

“I tried to talk him out of it, but I don’t think I need to tell you how stubborn he is.”

Jayce sent a peeved glare to DJ. “No, you don’t. Obstinance runs thick through his gene pool.”

DJ snorted. “Yeah, ’cause it so passed straight through yours. You have met your sister, right?”

Jayce shoved him.

Paden stepped forward to break up their good-natured fight. “Look, if you guys have her, I want to go back and check on Devyn.”

Jayce cocked his head. “No offense, but I don’t know how trustworthy you are.” He turned to Darion. “Go with, and if he begins to look suspicious—”

“Kill him before I make the call to let you know. Got it, boss.”

“Good man.”

DJ grabbed Paden by the arm and hauled him out.

As soon as they were gone, Jayce led her into a League shuttle where Omari, Nero, Sway, Vik and Manashe were lounging around as if completely comfortable with their surroundings and oblivious to any danger.

Omari looked up as she entered and left Manashe’s side to hug her close.

She squeezed him tight, grateful that this wasn’t a trick of some kind. “I’m so glad to see you guys.”

“You, too.” Omari released her and stepped back. “Where’s Dad?”

She hated to be the one to answer that. “He turned himself in to buy us time to get out of this.”

Every male there cursed. And inwardly, so did she.

“That was about stupid,” Nero sneered. “Where was his head?”

“Obviously up his sphincter.” Vik’s tone was snide and dry.

Alix tried to explain it. “He didn’t know Jayce and Darion were here. He was just trying to save us.”

“It was still stupid,” Vik and Nero said simultaneously.

She had to give them that, and it wasn’t worth arguing a point she actually agreed with. “I know. I tried everything to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“It’s all right.” Jayce drew near. “I sent DJ over. He’ll keep an eye on him.”

Nero rolled his eyes. “You have the pot watching the kettle? I swear, Jayce, you must have gotten brain damage when Adron shoved you down the stairs when you were a toddler.”

“It’ll be all right,” she assured them. “Devyn said that once they realize the evidence was fabricated, they’ll let him go.”

Sway looked ill at the news. “Alix, we had to make it real to sell it for this plan.”

“I don’t understand.”

“He didn’t fake that evidence. It’s all true. Devyn just sent himself to prison to keep all of us safe.”



Paden arrived just as they were loading Devyn into the shuttle for transport to Ritadaria. He caught the look of fury on Devyn’s face when he saw Paden, and he instantly understood the source of it.

As soon as he could, he mouthed the words to his brother, They’re safe. Promise.