Born of Silence (The League Gen 1 #4)(35)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Nykyrian let out an intimidating grunt. “If Adron sets fire to his room one more time, I vote we make him live outside in a tent.”

Everyone laughed. Except Kiara who appeared to actually consider it.

Ryn led the group of men over. “These are…” He hesitated as if he couldn’t think of how to introduce them to her. “Hell, I don’t know what to call them that’s fit for mixed company. They’re family, too.” He indicated the dark-haired man next to him. “Chayden Aniwaya is Desideria’s older brother.”

Chayden flashed a wicked grin at his sister. “I would stand near her, but she not only elbows, she kicks.”

Desideria made a sound of extreme annoyance, then smiled. “Oh it’s true. I do.”

Zarya laughed at them, wondering how a prince could also be a Tavali pirate…

The insanely handsome blond with them stepped forward without an introduction and offered her his hand. “I’m Nero Scalera.”

A strange rush went up her arm as she made contact with him. It was as if he had some kind of aura so powerful, it sizzled in the air around them.

“Hi,” she said, hoping she didn’t betray her unease. There was something about Nero that was truly frightening. Even more so than Nykyrian, and that was saying something.

Hauk draped his arm over the other Andarion. “This is my socially inept, evil older brother Fain.”

“Who is destined to become an only child in the near future.” There was a wicked glint in his eerie eyes as he narrowed his gaze at his younger brother.

Hauk took his threat in stride. “Nah, you love me and you know it.”

“You go on and believe those lies if you want. I know the truth and it doesn’t scare me.”

“All right.” Chayden broke them apart. “Hauks behave. I don’t want to have to wash blood out of my clothes again today. I’m out of fresh shirts.”

“Don’t worry,” Desideria said to Zarya in a loud whisper. “You’ll eventually learn all of our names and quirks. It took me awhile to keep them straight myself.”

As Zarya glanced around them, trying to remember who everyone was, she noticed one person was missing from the group.

Jayne. That wretched bitch who’d sold her…

Thank the gods for small favors. She was one person Zarya didn’t want to ever see again.

But that good grace didn’t last more than about an hour.

Sitting between Sorche and Lise, who were studying while they waited for Syn to update them, Zarya had just started to relax when the door opened.

Jayne came in with a smile on her face.

A smile that died the instant she met Zarya’s gaze. Growling something that had to be a curse in whatever Jayne’s native tongue was, she rushed toward Zarya.

Zarya shot to her feet, ready to battle the woman until one of them was dead.

But before Jayne could reach her, Nykyrian caught Jayne by the waist and tossed her over his shoulder with so little effort that it was truly frightening.

And impressive since Jayne was not only tall, but well muscled.

“Damn you, Andarion!” Jayne said between gritted teeth. “Put me down!”

Nykyrian tightened his grip on her as she tried to kick him. “Not until you get a hold of yourself.”

Jayne made a sound of supreme agitation before she settled down. Somewhat. “What’s she doing here?”

Drake answered. “Apparently seeing my brother…” He slid an insidious glance toward Zarya. “Among other things from what I’ve heard.”

Zarya’s face flamed.

Jayne froze as she looked around the gathered men for confirmation. “What?”

“Yeah.” Drake grinned up at Jayne since Nykyrian had yet to put her down. “And if you harm her, Darling will probably hurt you over it.”

Scowling, Jayne looked to Maris. “Mari? Is Drake lying to me?”

“Not a bit. About any of it. Darling will have your rump for a chew toy if you harm one hair on her head.”

Jayne grumbled in that unknown language, but she was much calmer now.

Nykyrian finally set her back on her feet, then put his hands on her shoulders to steady her. “You okay?”

She nodded. “You know, boss, I really hate it when you do things like that to me.”

“I know. But I didn’t want our youngest brother-in-arms to send you a special package wrapped in wire.”

“Fine.” Jayne moved to stand in front of Zarya while all the men watched on nervously, ready to grab her again if they needed to. “I’m completely baffled by your presence here, and why Darling isn’t g*y anymore, but for his sake and the fact that I love him like a brother, shall we put the past behind us and try to be friendly enemies?”

What Zarya would rather do is bury the hatchet between Jayne’s eyes. Yet the woman was right. For Darling’s sake, they needed to be at least cordial to one another.

“I’m good with that.” Zarya shook Jayne’s proffered hand.

Jayne leaned in to speak to her in a low tone. “If you hurt Darling at all, I will slice open your throat and bathe in your blood.”

Zarya gave her a taunting smile. “Good luck with that. It didn’t go so well for the last person who tried it.”

There was a grudging light of respect in Jayne’s gaze. With an assassin’s salute, Jayne stepped back, then moved to stand with Fain and Nero.

Lise came to stand behind Zarya and patted her hand affectionately. “If it makes you feel any better, Jayne doesn’t like me either.”

How could anyone not like Lise?

Well, her tantrum with Maris notwithstanding, Lise was usually an angel. “Why?”

“I threw up on her when I was a kid and she never got over it. That woman can hold a grudge like no one I’ve ever seen.”

Great. Just what she needed. One more person wanting her dead.

Not wanting to think about that, Zarya laughed at why Jayne would hate Lise.

Lise resumed her seat next to Sorche who returned her e-ledger so that she could resume her studies.

With the drama over and nothing else to do, Zarya sat down and tried to rest as best she could. At least here in Sentella headquarters, which was guarded better than any palace she’d ever heard of, there was no threat of harm to any of them. Not to mention, she was surrounded by some of the best fighters ever born.

Hours ticked by slowly as everyone waited for any word on Darling.

Once the babies became bored and fussy, their mothers took them home and left the rest of them to pace, sit, play games on their mobiles, and crack a few random jokes.

Lise sat quietly, studying while Sorche ended up leaning against Zarya’s shoulder so that she could nap on her.

Every so often, Lise would have to get up and move around to alleviate the back pain left over from her attack. An attack Zarya tried not to think about. Especially as she watched the young woman suffering so miserably from it. Worse, was the knowledge that Lise would have to cope with it for the rest of her life. But to her credit, she didn’t complain at all. She’d walk a bit, stretch and then discreetly take medicine when it must have become truly unbearable for her.

Maris had left a few minutes ago to get more drinks for Zarya and Lise.

Zarya wished she could make time go faster. She couldn’t stand not knowing what was happening to Darling on the other side of those doors.

Kiara sucked her breath in sharply, then put her hand over her stomach.

Nykyrian, who’d been standing with the men, shot over to her with a most inhuman speed. Something made twice as impressive given the fact that his back had been to his wife. That man had some scary observation abilities. “Are you all right?”

Kiara grimaced. “Technically yes. But…” She glanced to Lise and blushed. “These seats are making my back hurt and the baby’s doing somersaults.”

Nykyrian held her hand in his. “You want me to take you home?”

Kiara bit her lip as she scanned the room. “Let me walk around a little while. I think that would help.”

“Okay.” He helped her up, then the two of them left.

Lise sighed as she watched them go. “Do you ever think about having children?” she asked Zarya.

“Sometimes. What about you?”

“I really hope I’m sterile.”

The sincerity and alacrity of Lise’s tone shocked her. “Why?”

Lise gave her an arch stare. “You’ve met my family. Why would I want to pass on our damaged chromosomes to some poor innocent child? That desire alone would mark me as a bad mother.”

Feeling terrible for the girl, she squeezed Lise’s hand. “Sweetie, there’s nothing wrong with any of you. It’s amazing how well adjusted the three of you are given everything you’ve gone through.”

“Still, I don’t think I’d ever want that kind of responsibility. No one can control when they die, and the last thing I want is to leave an unprotected child to someone who might hurt it. Most of all, I live in fear of looking at my child one day and hating its guts.”

Zarya was astonished by Lise’s words. “You would never do that, honey. Parents love their children.”

Lise scoffed at her. “You haven’t met my mother. She hates us—Drake and Darling more than me, but still… In her mind, we trapped her and she resents it. Had she not had us, she’d have been allowed to return home to her people after my father died and remarry. Instead, she was stuck in perpetual mourning until Darling took over and pardoned her from her vows.”

Only the reigning governor could allow the former governor’s consort the privilege of leaving mourning behind and having a normal life, free of her royal obligations to her dead spouse. Even then, he couldn’t do it until the second anniversary of the former governor’s passing.

In the past, the governors had always pardoned their mothers as soon as they could. Only Arturo had been cruel enough to make sure that Natale was tied to them without hope of a pardon.

Lise took a deep breath. “Darling keeps telling me that before our father’s death, Momair was extremely loving and kind. But I have no memory of her being anything other than a bitter, resentful bitch.”

Frowning, Lise glanced toward the operating room doors. “Sometimes I think it’s harder on Darling since he has memories of having a real mother, than for me and Drake. We don’t remember her being nice or giving. But when Darling talks about the past… you can see in his eyes how much he misses the parents he had. Sometimes it makes me wish that I remembered them, too. Instead, all I know about my father is what my brothers, mostly Darling, tell me. And I have no concept of being mothered by anyone except Darling and Maris.”

Zarya had to smile at that. “They are good at that, aren’t they?”

Lise nodded. “The saddest truth? I wouldn’t know anything about makeup or clothes at all, but for Maris. He was even the one who went with me to buy my first bra.”

Zarya laughed. “Seriously?”

“Oh, yeah. I’d asked Darling to go with me, but he’d been so offended that Maris had volunteered. At the time, I thought it was solely because he didn’t want me growing up. Now…”

“It would have been extremely awkward for him,” Zarya finished, trying to imagine Darling in a women’s lingerie boutique. Although, he did have a deep appreciation for it…

Teasingly, she rubbed her arm against Lise’s. “If it makes you feel any better, Maris is the one who taught me, too.”

Lise laughed. “If you ever get a chance, you really should go shopping with him. I’ve never seen anyone get so excited about shoes.” The humor faded as she turned serious again. “I know Sorche doesn’t remember her mother, but do you?”

“I do.”

Lise considered that for a moment. “What was it like?”

Zarya wasn’t sure what she meant. “What was what like?”

“Having a mother. Was she kind?”

Zarya couldn’t speak for several seconds around the lump in her throat that those words caused. It’d always saddened her that Sorche couldn’t remember their mother. But Lise’s was alive…

I will never understand Natale. How could she neglect her children so?

“She was wonderful. I’m sure we fought, but I don’t remember it at all. I only remember her laughing and hugging us.”

“I’m so sorry, Z.”

Her apology startled her. “For what?”

“Everything my uncle did to you.” Lise glanced over to Sorche who was snoring ever so softly. “I know how much Patrice and Rachelle meant to Sorche. She said that you and Rachelle were very close.”

Zarya clenched her teeth against the wave of pain that crashed through her at the mention of her sisters. She even missed her brother’s meanness. “We were.”

“Sorche talks about them all the time, but she said that you don’t.”

Tears welled up in Zarya’s eyes, blinding her for a moment. “I can’t,” she said with a short sob. It was why she’d blocked out those memories of Darling’s visits when they’d been children. She missed her family so much that when she looked back, it felt like something gutted her. She still couldn’t believe they were gone.

That she’d never see them again…

Lise wrapped her arm around Zarya’s shoulders and hugged her. “I get it now.”

Zarya cleared her throat. “Get what?”

“You and Darling. You’ve both had the weight of the universe on you for a long time. From the cradle, my father filled Darling with responsibility. And my mother shoved so much on him that I’m surprised it didn’t break his back to carry it all. Meanwhile, your father made you responsible for the entire Resistance, as well as Sorche and Rachelle.”

Strange, she’d never thought of it that way. She’d never considered her sisters a burden. But Lise was right. She and Darling did have that in common.

“Darling was the only parent I’ve ever known and Sorche said that you’ve been her only mother.”

Zarya glanced down at her little sister. “Yeah, but I never minded.”

Lise fell quiet for a few seconds. “I wonder if Darling ever did.”

“Did what?”

“Minded us.” Lise flinched.

“Is your back all right?” she asked, worried about the pain she saw on Lise’s face.

Lise nodded. “It’s not the back. I flashed on Darling and all the times Arturo would start toward me or his daughters, and Darling would put himself between us, giving us time to escape while he drew Arturo’s attention and fire to him. It had to bother him, didn’t it? But he never said anything about it. Not once.”

Zarya took her hand and held it gently. “He loves you, Lise. Dearly. So no, I don’t think he minded at all.”

“I really need to be nicer to him.”

Smiling, Zarya started to respond, but the operating room door finally opened.

Her throat went dry as Syn came out, looking pale and shaky. Exhausted. Without a word, he went over to Nero and pulled the flask off his belt. Tipping his head back, he took a deep swallow.

Nykyrian and Kiara returned a second before Maris joined their group.

Terrified of Syn’s behavior, Zarya gently pushed her sister off her shoulder, got up and went over to him. “Is Darling all right?”

Syn returned the flask to Nero, then nodded. “I’ve got him stabilized. For now.”

Hauk scowled. “What happened?”

Syn ground his teeth. “We lost him three times on the table and had to resuscitate him.” He glared at Nykyrian as if it was somehow his fault. “Damn you half-blooded mongrels. You make it hard as hell on us to treat you. None of you react to anything like you’re supposed to.”

Half-blooded? Those words echoed in her head. She frowned at Syn. “Darling’s human, isn’t he?”

Syn didn’t answer her question as he continued his report. “Because it’s Darling, we’re not sure how well the new procedure will take. But I did a little more work on his internals while I had him under. The additional stress shocked his system, which was really stupid on my part. However, I knew the chances of getting him back on the table would be slim, so I wanted to get as much done on him as I could.” He pulled the surgical cap off. “I seriously hope I haven’t made a mistake.”

Nykyrian placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You’re the best there is, Syn. He’ll be fine.”

Syn’s gaze doubted that confidence.

“Can I see him?” Nero asked.

“He won’t be awake for a while.”

Nero refused to be daunted. “But can I see him?”

“Sure.”

When Syn went to show him the way, Nero stopped him. “I got it. You stay here with the others.”

Syn frowned, but didn’t argue as Nero left them in the waiting room and vanished through the doors. “Damn. I should have grabbed his flask again.”

Fain handed him his. “My shit’s better, anyway. Nero’s a cheap bastard who has no taste buds.”

Syn saluted him with the flask.

Caillen tsked as Syn took a deep drink. “You wouldn’t be doing that if Shahara was here.”

“Damn straight. She’d kick my ass sideways and you better not tell her I did this. I will kick yours if you do.”

“Don’t make it a habit and I won’t.”

Zarya glanced at Maris who’d been eerily quiet through everything. “How long before Darling wakes up?” she asked Syn.

He shrugged. “There’s no telling. His metabolism is faster than most so he burns through medication like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s why it’s so hard to put him out medically and why you never want to try and drink him under the table… After we rescued him from the Resistance, I went through most of the pharmacy in one week alone just to keep him in a coma so he could heal.”

His gaze touched on everyone who stood around him. “There’s no need for you guys to hang. I’ve got him under tight observation and he’s not going to want to talk to anyone when he wakes.” He jerked his head toward the hallway. “In fact I’m going to crash in my office for a while.”

Lise walked over to Fain. “Are you staying, or heading home?”

“Why?”

“If you’re staying, I’d like to sleep and shower on your ship.”

“Sure.”