Nightwing by R. Dugan

Author:R. Dugan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: R. Dugan
Published: 2020-03-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

DEJA’S HOME WAS an oasis amid red sand and foothill shadows, built around a moonlit pool and waving palms, its three-winged structure and well-groomed desert garden framed by a tall outer wall. The household steward received them without a flicker of surprise, led them to a parlor on the upper level, and left to fetch the lady of the house—all with as few words as possible.

Not that Ashe could blame him for his silence or his hasty retreat. Rion held the bearing of a predator on a leash as he reclined in one of the tall, recessed windowframes. Viktor and Lydie stood post at the doors, and Petra, Symon, Rozalie, and Andrej at the windows. Aden paced, hands tucked in the small of his back, looking at nothing. Every so often he glanced out the window over Rozalie’s shoulder, toward the stone crags where they’d tucked Pippet away in case of combat.

Ashe wasn’t sure what sort of fight Aden anticipated, but it had her guard up; as did the thought of Pippet huddled in those dark clefts, alone, with only her knife and a fortnight of training under her belt.

“You’re tense,” Aden remarked—the first words he’d spoken to her since he shouted in her face about coming here.

“Another astute observation from the Lord of the Hive,” Ashe muttered. “You never told me how Deja acquired all this wealth.” She refused to call her a sponsor in front of the Wardens; it would raise too many questions she didn’t want to answer. Nor did she want to think about her own sponsor, or what he was doing these days.

“Her family roots lie deep in Valgard’s crust, almost as deep as Noaam’s. There are rumors of an understanding between their families, that Deja’s valenar was a slaver supplying Hive fighters for generations. Not from the prisons, but pulled from the territories.” Aden rubbed the back of his neck. “He was executed for that. She, on the other hand, pleaded ignorance and maintains position through blackmail. Her chain of spies stretches far across Spoek and Nordbran…most of them elite families whose reputation would be tarnished forever if it came to light they did business with her husband.”

“She extorts the people he enriched,” Ashe snorted. “Clever.”

“How do you know all this?” Symon demanded.

Aden shot him a glare so chilling, he looked away. But Ashe already knew, her stomach plunging at the notion.

Forbidden whispers in the haze of the afterglow. How many times had she nearly bared her heart to men like Viktor when she found some imitation of affection, perhaps even love, in their strong arms with nothing else between them? Deja might extort secrets over her husband’s hidden allies, but Aden had taken some in turn—an advantage of sharing her bed.

Rozalie cleared her throat, leaning in on their conversation. “This place was paid for with slave blood?”

Aden shrugged. “If you believe the rumors.”

She lurched away from the wall, rubbing her arms.

“I hope your friend won’t keep us waiting long,” Rion growled.

As if she’d been listening for that, Deja opened the parlor door.

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