"Circ.u.mstances have changed my mind."

She bit her lip as she considered it. "I don't know. Not my base." She looked around for her sisters, but they seemed to have vanished during the attack.

Until Kindel popped up from the rubble on her left. "Ember? Do you know the call sign Merksaker?"

She shook her head.

Kindel tapped her link. "Blast him out."

"Wait!" Bastien stopped her. "Give me the digits."

"Hold on that order," Kindel said quickly, then handed him her earpiece so that he could hear the pilot.

"Drake? That you?"

"Yeah ... can you tell these lunatics to back it down a notch?"

"You alone?"

"Here with Jari. On Kimmerian business. We were sent as your backup."

By that, Bastien knew Drake didn't want him to let the others know he was the Caronese prince or that Safir was a former League a.s.sa.s.sin. "Gotcha, drey." He glanced over to Kindel. "They're friendly. Can we not blast them out of the sky?"

She relayed the orders on Cin's link while Bastien returned to the call. "Who sent you?"

"Was the least we could do after everything you've done for our families. Since they were all tied up with official business, Saf and I decided we couldn't let you do this alone. We picked up your tail after you left the Gort base and were planning to hang back until your League friends showed. Nice fireworks, by the way. Learned from Darling?"

"Hauk, actually."

"Nice." Drake laughed.

And their presence here touched him a lot more than he would have thought. "By the way, I appreciate you coming."

"Think nothing of it. It's what families do."

"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt," Safir Jari said, cutting in. "But as the resident League expert here, I can tell all of you that our friends will be sending reinforcements. A lot of them with a ton of warheads. We need to evac that base immediately. If you don't have a safe place, we need to locate one that can jam them from identifying lifeforms."

Bastien turned toward Ember.

She looked to Kindel.

"I'll get it started."

"We'll need a ship," Bastien reminded her. "You know, mine kind of exploded."

Ember groaned at the reminder.

Drake laughed in his ear. "I have a small ship that can seat five. You want me to take pa.s.sengers?"

Bastien didn't hesitate to accept. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Let me get clearance and I'll be down in a few."

As soon as he cut the transmission, Ember gave him a peeved glare. "You trust him?"

"With my life." Coming from him, that was the highest testament.

"You're sure? What if they're the ones who led The League here? Isn't Saf Jari the younger brother of Kyr Zemin? The League prime commander?"

She had a point. "He is, but Kyr captured and tortured him because he helped their brother Maris, who is the best friend of Drake's brother. Then Kyr had him stripped of his League rank and declared a traitor. Given that, I don't think Saf is likely to be working with them."

"But you said they had a spy...."

"I did. However, Saf would be too easy a target to spot and suspect. Kyr's more devious than that."

Ember wasn't so sure, but they did need to get out of here as soon as possible. So when Florian returned to the bay with her sisters, she sent him off with Kindel for the base evacuation. Just in case. The last thing she wanted was to take a chance with her child staying with her when he'd be safer with Kindel, since she and the others were planning to head for battle.

She and Bastien went with Drake.

Ember pulled up short the moment she saw the youngest Caronese prince. Unlike his brother Darling who had short red hair, Drake's was jet black and as long as Bastien's. He also bore that same innate regal aura undercut by strict military training that said he tolerated no fools and would sooner kick a.s.s than kiss it. Yeah, this wasn't a typical aristo or politician.

Drakari Cruel was no one's puppet or p.a.w.n.

Dressed in an elite Kimmerian a.s.sa.s.sin's uniform, he greeted Bastien like a brother. But his blue eyes glowed with suspicion as they narrowed on her.

"Ember Wyldestarrin, meet Drake Cruel."

She had the impression that he could read her soul with that slow, probing stare. "Your Highness."

A friendly smile lightened his dark demeanor. "Please, no formalities. I don't want to hear that unless I'm at court, and even then it gets on my nerves." He shut and locked his ramp, then gestured for her to follow him. "Come, my lady. Make yourself at home."

As they headed for the flight deck, he shook his head at Bastien. "What is it with uncles? f.u.c.king b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, all. I'd say to kill them, but being one myself ... I don't want to die."

"Well, I a.s.sume you've no intention of killing off your nephew for his throne."

"Minsid no to that. He's adorable. Plan to teach him everything I know to make Darling crazy. Payback's a b.i.t.c.h. Besides, I had a chance to take the Caronese throne. Don't want no part of that."

She didn't miss the sadness in Bastien's eyes. He'd never wanted to inherit either. Especially not over the bodies of his family.

Wanting to cheer him, she quickly changed the subject. "Nice ship."

"Thank you. Designed her myself. Kimmerian code, all the way."

"Rather unusual occupation for a prince."

Drake flashed her a charming grin. "We had an unusual upbringing." He paused to touch his link. "Merksaker, here." He listened for several minutes. "Aye, Lady DR. We can pull the rear. If you'll send the coordinates, Saf and I will make sure no one follows. Saker Mara, out."

"Saker Mara?" Ember asked with a frown.

"Name of my ship. It's Caronese for Outlaw Nightmare."

"Ah ... and Merksaker?"

"Dark outlaw." He waited for them to strap in before he launched and followed the rest of the Dread Reckoning toward their remotest outpost, where they retreated any time things got hot for them.

Once they were clear of escape velocity, Drake turned to smirk at Bastien. "When was the last time you slept?"

"Not sure."

"No offense, it shows." He checked his headings. "We've got a while. Why don't you and Ember head to the crew quarters, shower, and take a nap. Eat. If you need a change of clothes, I'll unlock the door to my room. Take whatever you need and don't worry about it. My sister's room is the last one on the left. She's a little taller than Ember, but she should have something in there that she can change into, too. Believe me, Ana won't miss anything. Woman has more clothes than a department store."

"Thanks, drey."

"Any time."

Bastien unbuckled himself and headed for the back with Ember one step behind.

As they walked in silence, she couldn't help noticing just how gorgeous he was. But as Drake had noticed, he was tired. She could tell by his slow, methodical movements.

"You okay, Bas?"

"Been a heck of a day."

It had indeed.

When they reached the first room, Bastien turned around and gave her a kiss so hot that it left her breathless.

"Been dying to do that. And I would kill to make love to you, but I have got to have a nap."

She laughed. "You have been running on empty."

"You have no idea." He gave her one more searing kiss before he pulled himself away and went to literally flop on the bunk.

Ember laughed at his actions.

He didn't even bother to remove his boots. Feeling sorry for him, she moved to disrobe him while he lay there like a corpse. At first it reminded her of undressing Rian when he was too tired to bother, but as she uncovered more of his delectable body, all thoughts of their son fled her mind.

Bastien had always possessed one of the best physiques she'd ever seen on any male. He still did. Every sleek, hard muscle of his body was clearly defined and honed like steel. It beckoned her with a hunger that was undeniable.

Unable to resist it, she quickly stripped and slid herself into bed beside him and snuggled up against his warm, bare flesh.

He let out a contented sigh, but he was already asleep.

Smiling, she took her time playing with his hair and listening to him breathe. Took her time running her hand down his muscled arm and ribs and b.u.t.tocks. When she reached the short hairs at the center of his body, she started to leave him alone, but that had also been one of her favorite things to caress. And it'd been too long since she last had him like this.

At least any place other than in her dreams.

Before she could stop herself, she sank her fingers into the crisp mat and ran her fingernails through it. He grew hard instantly. And yet he didn't wake. Which told her exactly how exhausted he was. In the past, he'd have awakened instantly and been inside her within a few minutes. Foreplay be d.a.m.ned.

One of his more irritating habits. But it'd been one that she'd decided she could live with as it'd always proven to her how much he desired her. How much he loved her.

Her humor over that died as her gaze dipped to the Ravin mark that marred his abdomen. The injustice of it all enraged her to a level that made her want to kill everyone involved with what had been done to his parents and hers.

Wrongfully convicted. She'd spent hours over the years trying to imagine the horror he'd lived through having seen his family slaughtered, and then having been arrested and sentenced for it.

How could Alura do that to him?

Ember had never understood, and still didn't. There was nothing in the universe that could compel her to harm someone that way.

Sure there is.

You'd do it to save your son.

But only for that reason. Alura had had none whatsoever. None. It'd been heartless and cruel. Especially after Bastien had given up his happiness with Ember to marry Alura over a lie that she knew would destroy them both internally.

How selfish could one human being be? But then her sister had always been that way. She'd always held her needs out as greater than those of the rest of them. A congenital birth defect.

I swear, Alura, if I ever get my hands on you, I will strangle you for this.

Her days of protecting her sister were over.

Bastien slept for two full days. He didn't stir until they were landing on the Dread Reckoning outpost. Even then, Ember had to practically inject him with adrenaline to wake him.

Like a languid cat, he opened his eyes and stretched. "Where am I?"

"We landed about half an hour ago.... I've been trying to wake you."

"No wonder I have to go so badly." He flashed a grin before he rushed from the bed.

She laughed as she waited for him to return.

And waited.

By the time he came back, she realized he'd taken a quick shower first.

He flashed that devilish grin at her. "I was rather ripe."

"No comment."

Stretching, he yawned. "Where's Drake?"

"They went into the main hailing room to talk to Tasi's mom. Apparently, he's known her for a while, but she didn't realize who he was until now. And had never given her his call sign before."

"Good thing or bad thing?"

"Appears good."