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Garik’s frenemy, for lack of any other description, navigated them through the marketplace with no trouble. They walked the streets, shoulders back in broad view of everyone and not a single customer or shop keeper stopped them, nor did they see any more of her father’s guards.
They arrived at the shuttle/transport station with the same minimum fuss. Garik kept one hand at her waist the entire time and Saedra clenched her fingers in the fabric at the bottom of her shirt to hide their shaking.
Xyman pointed to a sleek black shuttle at the far end of the station. “That’s me over there.”
Saedra wasn’t sure of the make and model, but it looked like the type of spacecraft capable of great speed. The double mounted plasma cannons located on the lower front dip of the nose made it very clear it wasn’t just a pretty ride either.
Looking over her head, Garik scanned the transport bay. He shifted his hand to cup Saedra’s shoulder and slowed down her instinct to follow Xyman. There were maintenance workers with data pads going from ship to ship.
“Nevo?” Garik muttered.
Nevo didn’t turn. “Yeah?”
“You picking up on what I’m getting?”
Nevo snorted and rocked back on his heels as he tipped his head to the side to smirk at Garik. “Absolutely. Feels like the start to a party.”
Saedra had no idea what they were talking about but when she focused her attention, the uneasy quiet of what was usually a hub of activity began to stir a sense of self-preservation within her. No sooner had she parted her lips to beg Garik if they could leave, men flowed forward from the exits on both sides of them. Armed men wearing a very distinct and familiar uniform.
What made chills ice down Saedra’s spine was the tall, gold skinned man with the piercing eyes who entered last on the left. Every step his massive boots made reverberated against the metal floor of the station. Stars, stars, stars. He shouldn’t be here. Her heart thrummed a determined beat and perspiration immediately broke out on her forehead. How did he find them so quickly?
“Well, this is a nice welcome, Lord Maurin,” Xyman taunted, not looking the least intimidated as he shifted his stance. “You shouldn’t have.”
Her father shot a glare in his direction before turning a hard stare toward Garik. Saedra’s breath caught in her throat when his gaze finally landed on her. His brows lowered and an intense rumble started low in his chest and rolled forth.
“You don’t stand a chance in holding us here, Maurin.” Garik’s statement caused her father’s dangerous growl to break off.
He faced Garik. “How did you get out, assazi?”
Saedra was afraid he’d reveal her part in it but she shouldn’t have. The growing smile on Garik’s face was full of arrogance. “Did you think my reputation was exaggerated?”
There was only a beat of quickening silence. Maurin was visibly enraged. His gaze swung toward Saedra. The truth clicked in his eyes and lit with a golden fire. “You!”
He signaled the guards with an angry swipe of his fingers in the air. The low whine of lasers hummed to life. With a roar of rage, Maurin took a step forward.
Saedra stumbled backward but Garik caught her at the waist.
“You insist on being trouble for me. First, your mother and now you,” he snapped.
“Leave her alone.” Garik assumed a protective stance, blocking Maurin’s view of Saedra. “If you let us go now, I won’t kill you now.”
Maurin sneered. “Us? You plan to take the girl with you?”
“Yes.”
Her father laughed. “This is rich. She belongs to me and you’re not taking her anywhere, Denikon.”
Garik pulled Saedra under the shelter of his arm, tucking her in close to his side. “She doesn’t belong to you. She’s my bond mate.”
The stare he cast their way was incredulous until he burst into laughter and exchanged a look with the small number of guards with him. They joined in with awkward laughs. “This is rich. You bonded with her? With Saedra?”
This was the moment. Saedra tightened her fingers on Garik’s shirt. Her father was going to see to it that he got her back. The truth stared back at her as well as his malicious pleasure and what he was about to say.
“Don’t.” The plea escaped in a whisper.
It went unanswered. It was evident he took great relish in saying, “You are more fool than I thought, Denikon. My daughter has played her part well.”
Garik’s body stilled against her. He didn’t say anything in response but Saedra felt the change in him. She bit down hard on her inner cheek to keep from crying out. Her father was doing what he did best. With only a few words, he was ruining her plans before her eyes. Stopping her from leaving because it was a certainty that Garik would leave her behind with the reveal out in the open.
“So, what were you saying again? Still leaving with my little Saedra and our cleverly devised plan?”
“You lie.” Saedra trembled and released her clenched hand from Garik’s shirt. She couldn’t let him get away with what he was saying. “You are a rotten liar and no father to me. Never have been.”
Maurin laughed again and propped his hands on his hips. He rocked back on his booted heels and his smirk taunted her. She wanted to wipe it from his face. She wanted to destroy him as he sought to destroy her.
“Tell you what. I’ll let Denikon here go if he leaves now.” He arched a brow. “Without you of course.”
Saedra gritted her teeth and boiled with anger. Tears pricked her eyes but she didn’t shed them.
“You are the epitome of cruel, Maurin,” Xyman said in a somber tone. “I took the contract on you to retrieve the item you stole from the Queen of Zephil but if Garik wishes, I will take you out now despite the request for execution being under his name.”
Saedra still had no idea who he was or his connection to Garik but she appreciated his defense.
“How do you plan to do that? My guards surround you.”
Her father didn’t appear remotely afraid but Garik and Xyman exchanged a knowing look and there was a staggered click from the black ship they’d been heading to. Xyman’s ship. The canons turned on their mounts and a mechanical voice said, “Targets acquired. Fire on your command.”
Xyman sauntered forward. He held his hand aloft and the object in his fist caused Maurin to curse. “I got what I came here for. We can end this with you and all your guards dead or you will stand aside and let us leave. Including your daughter.”
A whisper of breath slid from Saedra. Hope surged.
***
So many emotions flashed through Garik’s mind. Namely betrayal, but he ruthlessly shoved that to the back. He’d deal with it later. He had no weapons and he wasn’t sure how much faith he put in Nevo being on his side or against him.
“She’s not going anywhere,” Maurin snarled. “Now!”
Possessive fury took over and Garik pushed Saedra down. Lasers blasted around them. He hunched around her body and moved them forward, managing to roll at the last second beneath the landing gear of Nevo’s ship. The canons boomed once, twice. The thud of bodies hitting the ground filled Garik with a rush of pleasure.
“End this, Maurin!” Nevo yelled. “You can’t win.”
Garik leaned into Saedra. “Don’t move.”
He hated the fear that flashed over her face then blocked it and launched to his feet to face Maurin. The Dragonian stood alone, his men on the ground unmoving around him and Nevo. A sneer twisted his face when his gaze locked on Garik.
“Make your choice, Maurin. Let us leave with her or your death is next.”
Nevo’s threat hovered in the air. Maurin pursed his lips then spit out a curse. “She played you perfectly, Denikon. Go ahead and take her...if you’re so foolish and trusting.”
Nevo kept his dual laser pistols aimed at Maurin but spoke to Garik. “Get her on the ship.”
The door behind them slid open and the ramp lowered with a smooth metallic click. Saedra crawled from under the ship, her hesitant gaze moving from him to...her father. Her lips trembled and her hair was a tangled mess about her pale face.
“Is it true, Saedra? Are you his daughter?”
If possible, her face lost even more color. Her gaze implored. “Garik...”
The urge to go to her was strong, yet he couldn’t completely ignore what Maurin had revealed. She’d lied to him about the most important thing he needed to know. Everything between them had been built on deception. Hardening his heart, he tipped his head toward the ramp and tried to ignore the warnings blaring in his head to leave her behind. “Go.”
He’d discover the rest of the details later. Right now, they needed to leave Quantoon. Saedra bit her lip, then glanced at her father. Maurin wore a smug expression.
“You can always stay, daughter. You don’t have to continue our plans now that he knows what we did. They’ll be others to satisfy your cravings for affection.”
Garik blanched, his temper reigniting as he recalled thinking her touches were driven by innocence and true desire. Was it all a part of the lies? Was nothing between them real? He’d come so close to falling for her. Already cared for her deeply.
Saedra wore a blank mask, keeping him from reading her thoughts. She couldn’t hide her body language though and tension lined her straight back. Guilt was splashed clearly on her face. Garik watched her fight indecision. Was she truly contemplating staying here?
His core wanted to shout a denial. They were bond mates. He’d made vows. She couldn’t leave him until he forced her to confess all she’d done. The lies. The trickery. No, they would settle this between them and if she tried to stay, Garik would take matters into his own hands and forcibly bring her.
Then to his surprise, she spun on her heels and raced into the interior of Nevo’s ship. No one stopped them during take off. Nevo was silent as he navigated them away from Quantoon. Saedra was belted in the seat to his left, Nevo on his right at the front. Saedra rocked in her seat and kept her head down.
It was a good thing. Garik wasn’t sure what would have come out of his mouth if she’d spoken.