Ryn snorted. “You didn’t think we were going to let you fight alone?”
“Um, yeah.” Bastien inclined his head to Ryn. “Don’t you have a baby to tend?”
“Not yet. And it was either I come to back Jory in this fight, or Mack would have come. So I docked her with my mom and flew right out as I don’t want my pregnant wife doing something profoundly stupid while protecting her lunatic brother.”
Bastien snorted at the mention of Ryn’s headstrong wife. “Gutsy.”
“Yeah, not really. Mack and my mom scare me, they get along so well. I keep waiting to get booted out of the family.”
“That’s ’cause you married your mom.”
Fain and Jory turned to glare at Chayden for his comment.
“What?” Chayden said innocently. “Oh, c’mon! I cannot possibly be the only one who’s noticed that Mack and Hermione are basically the same person. They look alike. Dress alike. Even move alike.”
Jory slapped him hard in the stomach, then between gritted teeth said in a loud whisper, “We don’t talk about that! Ach, cade, are you insane?”
“They are nothing alike!” Ryn insisted.
But Ember could tell by the expression on Bastien’s face, as well as the others’, that Ryn was being willfully obtuse about it.
How much could they favor?
Before she could ask for clarification, Cin and Tasi brought Rian out to them.
“Do we really have to leave now?” Rian asked.
Ember ruffled his hair. “Sorry, baby. We have to get back to our base.”
All of the men fell quiet as they noticed the fact that Rian was Bastien’s clone. It was actually comical the way they glanced between them.
“Yeah,” Bastien said after a second. “I know. And yes, he’s my son. Florian, meet Chayden, Jory, Ryn, and Fain.”
His jaw dropped at the massive size of Fain. “Are you an Andarion?” And before he could answer, Rian hurriedly added, “You know you look just like the Iron Hammer! He’s an Andarion Ring fighter.”
Fain grinned, exposing his fangs. “Yeah, I know. Talyn’s my son.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Fain said proudly. “You ever want an autograph, just let me know.” Then he glanced back to Bastien. “Love your kid. He’s adorable, now pick a ship before we all get into a fight over you.”
Bastien laughed at the thought. “Whose is largest?”
“Jory’s.”
Bastien turned to Ember. “Looks like I’ll be taking the aptly named Ship of Fools.”
“All right.” Fain stepped back to leave.
“But my ship’s prettier!” Chayden pouted.
Fain growled at him. “There is something profoundly wrong with you, human.”
“Yes”—Chayden slid his gaze to Fain—“and he’s standing on my left.”
Fain shoved him away from him.
Ignoring them, Bastien said goodnight to Florian before Ember’s sisters took his son to wait for them in the bay.
As they headed out, Ryn pulled Bastien to the side. “Syn also came across some data while gathering those files you asked about that he wanted me to give to you personally.”
Bastien paused at the odd note in his voice. “What?”
Ember returned to listen.
A dark shadow haunted Ryn’s blue eyes as Jory stopped by his side. “Go ahead, cade. ’Tis something he’ll want to hear.”
Still Ryn hesitated.
Ember knew Bastien dreaded the words. But both of them were completely unprepared for the bomb he dropped on top of them.
“Your brother Quin? He’s still alive.”
CHAPTER 15
Bastien couldn’t breathe as Ryn’s words slapped him. Hard. Unable to comprehend them, he shook his head. “No. I saw my brother die. In front of me.”
Ryn’s expression darkened. “And I swear to you that he’s alive. We would never play with you that way. There’s not a one of us who hasn’t been through hell for their family. And of all people, Syn isn’t the one to take the death of a sibling lightly.”
No, he wasn’t. It was common knowledge that he’d lost his sister to suicide. So no, he’d never toy with anyone about such a somber topic.
“He’s sure it’s Quin?”
Ryn nodded. “You and Ember come with me and I’ll explain it.”
Bastien hated to let his son go back home without them, but if his brother was alive, he needed to find him.
Sick to his stomach, he went to where Florian waited by the door.
“I know.” He flashed a grin at them. “Rian, go with Aunt Cin. Be good. Brush your teeth. Do your homework.”
Ember cupped his cheeks and kissed him. “Love you, precious.”
“You, too. Be careful.”
Bastien held his hand out. “When this is over, you and me, bud … long camping trip. No one else. Male bonding. Uninterrupted. Lots of porn.”
“Bastien!” Ember snapped at him.
Florian smiled. “Promise?”
“Absolutely … minus the porn, though, as I don’t want your mom to hurt us.” He hugged his son. “And a Cabarro never breaks his word.”
“That’s what Mom says.”