Jullien pounded him on the back and released him. "I won't forget. I put my hailing numbers in while I ran my searches. If you come under attack, get sick, or need anything, you call me. I mean that. I'll return immediately. Anytime. Don't hesitate."

Bastien wiped at his eyes, despising the weakness he was showing. It really p.i.s.sed him off that basic decency had come to be such a rare commodity in his life that it left him weeping like a baby.

Yet there you had it. And it'd come from the least likely source of all. His cousin they'd all written off.

Clearing his throat, he followed Jullien to the ramp where Thrix waited with extra ammunition and weapons.

The sight flabbergasted Bastien. No one gave up weapons without a fight, and this was a lot more than he could have ever hoped for. "I wasn't expecting all this."

Thrix grimaced. "Yeah, well, I wasn't expecting to let it go, either. But after what I saw in that building ... I reevaluated my opinion of you. It's not often I'm wrong. But I'm man enough to admit when I make a mistake. I made sure to conceal you, so you should be left alone."

Grateful to a level words couldn't even begin to convey, he inclined his head to them. "Thank you."

The woman whose name he had yet to learn joined them and handed Bastien what appeared to be some kind of prayer book. "I know you probably don't read Andarion, but I want you to have this anyway, for the G.o.ds to watch over you and keep you safe."

It was only then that he realized the necklace she wore marked her as a religious leader. Though how Jullien had come to travel with her, he couldn't imagine.

Not that it mattered to Bastien. Only their kindness did. "I will treasure it, High Mother." He paused to meet Jullien's gaze. "Peace be with you, cousin."

"And you."

Suddenly, an alarm sounded.

Jullien scowled as he heard it. "It's Jup. He's under fire."

With no idea who that was, Bastien inclined his head to them. "Go. Help whoever. Thanks again, all of you."

Not wanting to keep them after everything they'd done for him, he sprinted down the ramp and returned to the shadows that had become his home.

From there, he watched as they departed, and whispered a prayer for their protection. While the G.o.ds had abandoned him, he hoped they'd stay with Jullien, and it meant a lot to him that he still had one family member who hadn't completely rejected him.

Jullien's presence today had given him something he hadn't had in a while.

Hope.

At least he had one person in the universe who still called him family and didn't believe the lies others had spread about him. Sad that his life had come down to this. That something so very little meant so very much.

Yet it did.

Bastien carefully put away his supplies, then thumbed through the prayer book. Thanks to Jullien, he recognized a few words, and through it, he learned the name of the woman, as it was embossed on the cover.

Unira Samari.

She'd also put her digits inside the book, along with a prayer card and a blessed necklace. And a small note for him that she'd written in Universal.

The G.o.ds have not abandoned you, my son. Though it may seem dark today, there will be a brighter tomorrow. Sometimes it takes a bitter storm to clear the land for a better, more abundant harvest. Should you need anything, even if it's nothing more than a mere friendly voice to keep you company, call me anytime. I promise not to preach, only to listen.

May the G.o.ds keep you wrapped in their eternal love and protect you always.

Unira.

Bastien clutched her card and pressed it to his chest. Then he tucked it so that it'd stay over his heart and put her necklace on. Such trivial things, really, yet the comfort they gave him were beyond measure.

But they weren't the only gifts that'd been left behind. He didn't discover the rest until he went to shut down his electronics.

Thrix had been generous, too, and left him a note of his own.

Tweaked your system a bit. No one should be without at least one good p.o.r.n channel, sports feed, and a news feed. And it's locked tight so that no one and nothing will ever detect you. Stay safe, brother. You need anything, call.

T.

Man, Jullien had managed to find himself some decent companions. Far better than the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds who'd fled from him like rats off a sinking ship.

But that wasn't all. Thrix had also included tactical scans and intel on Bastien's uncle and his new Kirovarian regime.

"You beautiful Trisani b.a.s.t.a.r.d ... if you were here I'd kiss you."

Because with this he could plan his attack on Barnabas and how he'd take them all down.

h.e.l.l's coming, Barnabas. And I'm delivering it personally.

CHAPTER 6.

Bastien grabbed his blaster as he heard the sound of an engine. But after his heartbeat quit drowning the sound out, he realized it was Jullien making another supply run to him.

True to his word, he hadn't forgotten him. As often as he could, Jullien popped in with food, medicine, ammo, and weapons.

Thrix with p.o.r.n, comedy, and top-notch alcohol Bastien was sure had to be banned in most systems.

And between those unlikely two was always Unira with her calm, mothering nature.

Bastien holstered his weapon as he headed outside to greet them.

As soon as the ramp lowered, Jullien's adopted son Vasili came running down to greet him. The boy was so thrilled to be added to the crew that he didn't even mind whenever Jullien gave him the c.r.a.p tasks, hoping to make Vas rethink becoming Tavali.

"Bas!"

He embraced the eager teen who was also a blond Fyreblood Andarion like Unira and Jullien's wife Ushara. "Hey, kid. How you doing?"

"Good."

"Your sisters still making you crazy?"

Vasili screwed his face up as Bastien mentioned the half sisters Jullien had fathered with Vas's mother. "I love them, but ... yeah. One day you're going to meet them and see what a handful twins are."

Bastien laughed. He'd love nothing more than to meet Jullien's wife and toddler daughters. "And your mom?"

"Having another baby."

Bastien arched a brow at the teen's tone. "You okay with that?"

"I'm praying for a brother who can run some interference with the spider twins."

Ruffling his hair and laughing, Bastien stepped away to greet Thrix, Unira, and Jullien. But the moment he did, he caught the look on their faces that said they were bringing bad news to his door.

"What's going on?"

Jullien handed him a tactical pack. "Have you heard the latest?"

"About..."

"The Caronese have declared war on The League, and with them the Triosans, Andarions, Garvons, Gourish, and Exeterians."

"So basically The Sentella started the war and their nations are backing?"

Jullien nodded.

Bastien grimaced at the nightmare that had to be. "And The Tavali?"

"Two of the four Nations have already signed on. So far, the Gorts are not a part of it."

"Because Trajen won't let them fight it," Thrix 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, Thrix 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."

Thrix'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 h.e.l.l. 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 b.i.t.c.h she was famed for. But their enemy was closing in.

"More fire at click eight!" she shouted into her mic. "Sh.o.r.e 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 s.p.a.ce 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 h.o.r.n.y 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 a.s.sa.s.sin.