“Because Trajen won’t let them fight it,” Thrāix said under his breath.
Unira sighed. “For good reason. I’m glad he’s keeping us out of it. I’ve no wish to start conducting funeral services over those I love.”
Yet Bastien knew the gleam in Jullien’s eyes that said his cousin had different plans. “Well, let us get to your supplies. I know you’ve been waiting on some of them.”
When Bastien started after them, Thrāix pulled him aside. “Just so you know, your loved ones are safe from the war.”
Bastien’s blood went cold at his words. “My loved ones are all dead.”
Thrāix’s eyes lightened to an eerie, indefinable shade of blue. “Not all of them. Trust me. The day will come when you’ll reunite. I just thought you should know you’re not forgotten and your heart is safe.”
Bastien wanted to believe that. Desperately. But he was sure Ember had moved on with her life. He’d long ago reconciled himself with the fact that she was no longer his heart. That what they’d had was over and done with. Nothing more than fading memories that haunted him.
Or worse, tortured him with the vivid memories of a warm body that was far from the cold pile of blankets on the floor that made up his bed nowadays. Still, he couldn’t keep his treacherous mind from betraying him. Anymore than his body from craving hers.
Why? He had no idea. It was the worse sort of hell. Maybe that was his real punishment. Knowing she was out there and that he couldn’t have her.
*
Ember cursed as fire rained down on them from League ships. Jay was at the helm and flying like the demonic bitch she was famed for. But their enemy was closing in.
“More fire at click eight!” she shouted into her mic. “Shore it up, ladies!”
The women were eerily silent as they fought. A far cry from the raucousness of Ember’s sisters and the other Gyron Force troops she’d once fought beside. All she heard was the frantic beating of her heart and the recoil of their cannons.
Finally, they heard the sound they’d been waiting for.
“Drive’s fixed! Hit it, Captain!”
An instant later, Jay went into hyperdrive, but not before one last volley of fire cut across their ship and sent them skidding sideways.
Ember cursed again as she slammed against the side hard enough to daze herself.
All of a sudden, as everything around her darkened, she was no longer in a space battle. She was home again on Kirovar.
She saw Bastien holding her as he inspected the blow she’d taken that had rung her bell pretty significantly. “Good thing you’re hard-headed, huh?” He flashed that charismatic smile that could get him out of any and all trouble.
“You’re not funny, Cabarro.”
“That’s only because you have a head injury. If you were running at your usual speed, then you’d know I’m hilarious.”
“Only in your mind.”
“And according to you last night, in bed.”
She groaned at that. “Don’t go there, Captain. I’m in enough pain. Don’t need you adding to it.”
With a gentle kiss that left her famished and wanting to strip him bare, he let go of her so that he could stand up and use the shadows for cover. Like a phantom wind, he went to the opening of the building they were holed up in. She took a moment to sweep a hungry look down his ripped body, and imagined what he’d look like without that uniform on.
Yeah, she definitely had a head injury. That was the only way to explain why she’d be this horny while they were in this much danger …
Bastien scowled. “I’m not detecting any readings. I think we got—” He broke off as someone opened fire on him.
He was back at her side so fast that she hadn’t even realized he’d moved. Scooping her up, he carried her and ran with a speed that defied belief.
“Ember?”
Blinking, she realized it was Jalyna Xever standing over her right now and not Bastien. The Fyreblood Andarion captain who ran their Tavali crew.
“Jay?”
“Yeah, Em. Where did you go, girl?”
Home. The word choked her as she remembered that her home no longer existed. Everything she’d once known was long gone.
Just like Bastien.
And that almost broke her into tears, but by sheer force of will she caught herself and shoved her emotions back down.
No doubt her suppressed feelings for Bastien were what had caused her vision. She’d learned just last night that he’d been killed two years ago. That he’d died alone at the hands of a ruthless League assassin.
That news had done more damage to her heart than she’d have ever thought possible. Stupidly, she’d believed herself to be over him. To have put that part of her past to rest years ago, and come to terms with it.
She couldn’t have been more wrong.
Not since the death of her parents had anything hurt so much. All the regrets she had mounted to the point they were virtually debilitating.
I should have told Bastien the truth when I had the chance.…
Why did I keep such a secret from him? Why didn’t I marry him when he asked me?