War Mage by Chris Fox

War Mage by Chris Fox

Author:Chris Fox [Fox, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chris Fox Writes LLC.
Published: 2018-08-17T22:00:00+00:00


27

Unlikely Allies

Now that they had a plan, and that plan required the aid of every resource he could muster, Aran decided to deal with the thing he’d been most dreading since leaving Shaya. He needed to break the news about Rhea to Kheross. He briefly considered bringing Crewes, and possibly Ree. That sent the wrong message, though. It showed fear, and suggested Aran needed the backup.

Worse, it showed a lack of trust.

That made the decision for him. Aran decided to go alone, risky or not. He threaded a weary path through the Hunter’s narrow corridors, once again missing the spacious layout of the Talon. Which made him think of Nara. Which made him focus instead on the present, to prevent dealing with bullshit emotions. Emotions were stupid.

The area outside the brig was deserted, except for the pair of Marines guarding the doorway. They gave a Ternus salute as he approached, and Aran instinctively answered it with a Confederate version. Did that fit anymore?

He walked into the brig and over to the only occupied cell. Kheross sat on the bench with one knee pulled up to his chest. He oozed relaxed arrogance. A predator in its lair.

“Have you finally encountered a threat that requires my strength?” Kheross gave a sharp smile. “I knew you’d come calling, but I didn’t think it would happen this quickly.”

“Yes, but I’m not here to release you.” Aran rested a hand on Narlifex, and noted that Kheross’s eyes flicked down. Good. “I have news, and you aren’t going to like it. I’m asking you to remain calm, and hear me out.”

“Oh I’m going to love this, aren’t I?” The deep purple in his eyes flared, and the energy in Aran’s chest sang out in answer. He didn’t like the reminder of their shared power.

“Rhea isn’t aboard,” Aran began, “Eros, the Tender, refused to release her after they finished the cleansing ritual. She’s in enforced, magical slumber.” He left out that her mind was probably being delved by Eros’s most powerful mages, as they attempted to extract every bit of her memory to learn if she was truly what she appeared to be.

Kheross eyed him calmly. “And you expect me to rage? You expect me to tear apart this cell, and then this ship—is that it?” He rose slowly to his feet and approached the bars. “I note that you came alone, despite knowing these bars aren’t really an impediment. Why, if you thought I might fly into a berserker rage?”

“Because I need you,” Aran admitted, as much to himself as to Kheross. “We’re walking into a fight that we’re unlikely to walk out of, and I can either leave you locked up here, or I can trust an enemy to preserve his own skin. The thing is, Kheross, I don’t know you. I don’t know what motivates you or what you want. And that makes it really difficult to trust you.”

“Of course it does. You are a fool if you ever trust me.” Kheross gave a languid smile.



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