“Thank you.” If I’d detected any sarcasm to her tone, I would have fired back. But she was sincere, the look in her eyes kind. “I really do like it here although I haven’t seen much of the place.”
“I bet Isaak’s kept you occupied.” I couldn’t miss her sly grin. “I’ve heard Warden Egara really knows her stuff. I haven’t met one unhappy Earth girl out here.” Ivy blushed, and I wondered for a second why. Then she spoke. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I forgot about your mate being murdered. You just look so perfect with Isaak that—”
“Female, enough drama and talk of mates. We have more important details to discuss.” Zenos literally lifted her off her feet and pulled her backward and up into his arms, cradling her across his chest without the slightest sign of strain. And I’d met Ivy. She was six foot if she was an inch. But in her mate’s arms she looked small.
Loved.
And happy. God, she gave in to his demands at once, settling her cheek against his shoulder and allowing him to hold her as he spoke of war and death and rage over the top of her golden head.
“It’s been five weeks, Forsian. What took so long?” Isaak asked. The gentle tone he’d used with me was now gone.
Zenos’ jaw clenched, and he glared at Isaak. “I can’t just go to Cerberus legion and knock on the leader’s door,” he snapped. “We must listen, follow the movements of the legion’s members. Have patience.” He added the last intentionally.
Isaak didn’t fall for it. “Well?”
“Astra gave us her assistance, and we tracked down the data source in that crystal,” Isaak replied.
“And?” Isaak asked.
“We discovered plans for an attack on a city called Bakkarholt on Trion. As well as a date and time for the explosion.”
Isaak stilled beside me. I couldn’t even feel him breathing.
“Explosion?” It was my turn to freak out. “What kind of explosion?” Just my luck I’d find a place I loved, and some asshole alien would detonate a nuclear bomb or something on it. Hope really was a bitch, and she was cackling now.
“The attack is set to happen in four weeks. We had the computer calculate the time differential, and the attack on Bakkarholt will occur on Trion tomorrow afternoon, two hours past peak sun.”
Ivy lifted her head. “That’s Trion time, in case you were wondering. Not our time. Out here, it’s almost a month away.”
“Fark.” Isaak paced the room now, and my back felt like ice without the heat of his touch.
I looked back to the screen. I didn’t know where Bakkarholt was, but it didn’t matter.
“What about Bertok? I don’t understand. Why would Cerberus blow up a city on Trion if they’re working with Bertok?” Didn’t make sense to me to blow up your own house or town.
Isaak answered instead of Zenos. “That city is not far from here. It’s my father’s territory. He and Bertok have never been friends. If Bertok can destroy Bakkarholt, he’ll cripple my father’s trade and take out the largest garrison of my father’s fighters. The other Councilors would have no reason to suspect Bertok, and as the closest territory, he would be expected to assist us. Most likely to take over.”
I snorted, I couldn’t help it. “Assist you directly into the grave, right? So, he’s doing a hostile takeover of your territory and using Cerberus to take the blame.”
“Bertok will kill my father. Most likely force my mother to form an alliance once my father is dead.”
“Bertok told me he’s already got a mate,” I said.
“Having several is allowed on Trion,” Isaak replied absently.
I narrowed my gaze, wondered if he wanted multiple mates.
Perhaps he read my mind, for he said, “Gara, you are more than enough for me.”
Ivy laughed. I whipped my head around and glared at her. I wasn’t sure if I should be offended or pleased.
Isaak shook his head. “That scheming fark. He knows my father’s position is weak.”
“Why?” I looked around the room, the house that screamed money. Power.
Isaak was silent so long Zenos answered. “He has no heir.”
From what Isaak told me, his older brother had been heir, but he’d died. Isaak was the heir, but he’d been off-planet for years. He hadn’t been here to step into his father’s place if needed. From what he’d just said before the call about leaving Trion again, he never planned to. So, while there was an heir, there wasn’t an heir who would take over. That was a lot of pressure on Isaak. What he wanted was different from what he might have to do if he wanted to save an entire fucking town.