“What meeting?” Faith asked.
Destiny looked at her twin, her voice deep and stern, a voice I didn’t recognize. “Amandine told me that she suspected the traitors who planned the attack and tried to kill Mom were gathering in town for a meeting. This meeting.”
My mate tossed the note on the table and Captain Turaya leaned forward to pick it up, scanning the address. “This is less than a block from the Optimus unit’s prison blocks.”
“Is that where Cell Level C is?” Destiny asked. She was in full warrior mode, and I found it fascinating, and erotic. The stronger she was, the more I wanted to dominate her. Fuck her. Hear the sound of sweet surrender on her lips. Goddess, she was magnificent. And mine.
“Yes. It is,” the captain confirmed.
“Less than forty-eight hours. That doesn’t give us much time to plan,” Leo said.
“No, it doesn’t.” Destiny frowned. “Trinity, did Amandine contact you about setting a meeting with some clerics coming in from out of town? She called them the Triad.”
“Yes.” Trinity leaned into Leo and he draped his arm around her like it was the most natural thing in the world. She could be reigning ruler of an entire planet and still seek the reassurance and comfort of her mate. Envy. That was this acid-like feeling pouring through my body. “What about it?”
“When is the meeting scheduled?”
“Tomorrow. Midday.” Trinity frowned. “Why?”
“They’re going to try to kill you.” Destiny’s voice was monotone, not a hint of worry or excitement in the words.
“That’s not funny, Des.” Faith shifted in her seat, placed both of her hands on the table, palms down. Her spine was straight, her gaze direct on my mate. “Not even a little bit.”
“It’s not a joke,” Destiny countered. When her sister would have spoken, Destiny held up her hand. “When I was arrested, after Crayden’s murder—”
Captain Turaya interrupted and everyone turned to look at him. “Cleric Crayden is dead? Why was I not informed?”
I hadn’t realized it wasn’t common knowledge. I had thought during the two days of… alone time with Nix, Trinity would have updated the others. Obviously not.
Trinity asked, “Did you know him?”
Captain Turaya nodded. “Yes. Very well. He was one of my best informants and a skilled soldier.”
“Soldier? He wore a cleric’s uniform.”
“And you wear a queen’s guard uniform and yet you are not one.”
The captain’s words made Destiny blush fiercely, a dark pink that matched well with the purplish color of her hair that was becoming more pronounced by the day.
Princess Faith’s hand went to her mouth as if she were trying to stifle a smile. “Ouch,” she whispered, but everyone at the table heard. “That had to burn.”
I had to assume it was an Earth slang term, for Destiny didn’t look overheated.
He held up his hand. “I meant no disrespect, Princess, only that you are so much more. Crayden was a cleric, but he was also a skilled fighter against the Hive and, as I said, an informant. He kept the lines of communication open between myself and Elder Cleric Amandine. She is not a traitor. I trust her with my life.”
“But would you trust her with mine?” Trinity asked.
Captain Turaya didn’t hesitate. “Yes. On my honor, she is not a traitor. I have known her since I was a boy. She was one of my mother’s best friends. She would never betray the queen.”
Destiny pursed her lips and gave the older man a slight nod. Moving on, she said, “Back to Crayden.” Her fingers tapped on the table. “Not just a soldier. He was an assassin, wasn’t he?”
The captain looked at her, his brows raised in surprise. “Yes. How did you know?”
My mate glanced at me, then away, quickly, as if she didn’t want me to notice that she’d paid me any attention. “I can spot a trained killer, that’s all.”
So was that what she thought of me? That all I did was kill? She was not wrong. I had served the Coalition Fleet, Prime Nial and his father before him, for many years as an assassin in the Fleet’s Shadow Unit. But I was not a cold-blooded killer. I killed to protect what was mine. My planet. My people. Innocent children and those too weak to fight the Hive themselves. I killed, but I would never apologize for the things I had done. They may have stained my soul black, but the fact that the sun shone on Alera and children ran the streets was my solace. The Hive had not conquered us. Never would. Not while I was breathing.
Was that why she would not acknowledge my claim as her mate? Did she sense the truth of my past?