Chapter Seventeen

Detja had her own stealth fighter and for the next three months, we traveled the galaxy stealing stuff and basically having a great time. I quickly grew to love my great-grandmother. She was so much fun. I got my first spa treatment and learned females shouldn't have hairy legs or underarms. Detja insisted on me getting permanent makeup and I had to admit, I loved the way it made me look. Then she introduced me to the joys of shopping, and I soon had more clothes than I would ever wear.

The war with the Rodan had intensified again and Jedrick was too busy to check on me. I was pretty sure he had no idea I wasn't living with Yakira. Wulf, I didn't have to worry about, he was now second-in-command on Jedrick's battle cruiser. Detja had a quiet word with Yakira, and I knew she would be keeping her mouth shut.

Jedrick would be furious when he found out, but I didn't care. For the first time in my life, I was free to do as I wished, and it was a heady experience.

Detja taught me that a master thief shouldn't rely solely on their psychic abilities. To keep from being caught, I needed to be a combination of magician and chameleon. She trained me to use illusions to deflect attention away from the act and when things went to hell, like they sometimes did, the ability to blend into any situation or culture was a must.

To test my new skills, Detja wanted me to steal an emerald the size of my fist. We flew to Chitun, a lush paradise inhabited by rich folks. The wealthy were very serious about security and the planet was surrounded by death satellites. Any ship without the proper codes got blown to smithereens.

Detja had the proper code and rented us a villa. I was sitting on the balcony enjoying the beautiful sunset when Jedrick snarled, "Where are you?"

I jumped about a foot. "What do you mean, where am I? I thought you always knew where I was and what I was doing."

"Answer the question, Zadie."

"Why don't you ask Yakira?"

"I did. It has been three months since she last saw you."

"Gee, has it been that long?"

"Answer the question," Jedrick bellowed.

"Him mad,"Esme whispered.

No kidding, I stroked her trembling body. "I'm spending some quality time with my great-grandmother."

"Have you been stealing again?"

Alarm scooted up my spine. "What makes you think that?"

"Several jewelry stores, museums, and private homes' security systems suddenly lost power and then they were robbed. It is what the enforcers would call your M.O. or was it just a coincidence you were in the area?"

We were so busted. "I'd say it's just a coincidence. I've been with Detja the entire time."

"Detja was a very successful thief called the Ghost. Has she been teaching you her tricks?"

"We were shopping and going to spas. She even got me some goop to put on my scars," I said in my Debbie Sunshine voice.

Jedrick snorted. "Nice try. If she is wise, she will give back what you have stolen and return to Tanith immediately. Zarek is furious."

Like I could tell her what to do. Time to change the subject. "Did you defeat the Rodan?"

"We did."

Tremendous power roiled over the villa, and I shot to my feet as Zarek appeared. His furious gaze locked on me.

Esme hid in my hair. "Him scary."

Horror knotted my stomach. Yes, he was, and I was so dead. "Do you hate me that much, Jedrick?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Zarek wants me dead, and you led him right to us."

"He might paddle your behind, but he is not going to kill you," Jedrick responded without an ounce of remorse.

"You sure about that?"

"I am," Jedrick replied. "The two of you are out of control."

"For the first time in my life, I'm having fun."

"Fun? Robbing diplomats and world leaders has serious consequences."

I chewed on my lower lip. "They have no evidence we are responsible."

"Commodore Zan knows it was you," Zarek growled.

Detja was suddenly standing next to me. "What he knows and what he can prove are two different things."

"Have you lost your mind?" Zarek snapped.

"You kept Zadie's existence a secret."

"She carries Malik's DNA and until I knew if she inherited his murderous insanity, I would not risk you."

"She is nothing like him," Detja spit out defiantly.

"Which is why I made her a warlord."

"We will discuss your actions later,"Jedrick stated and severed our link.

Zarek stalked toward Detja. "You deliberately hid from me. Did you think I would not find you?"

"I wanted to get to know my great-granddaughter and it took you three months. Are your skills diminishing with your age?" Detja met his gaze and smiled sweetly.

"Only because I had a war to deal with." Zarek scooped Detja up and kissed her. Not a peck on the lips, but a body-burning, soul-searing lip lock.

To my horror, the kiss deepened and Zarek's hands roamed over Detja.

"They make whoopee?"Esme asked.

"Goddess, I hope not."They were worse than my parents. I sighed in relief when they finally came up for air.

With a smile that promised lots of hot monkey sex, Detja murmured, "And you do so love a challenge."

"That I do."

Agony exploded in my mind. I grabbed my head and dropped to my knees. Something bad had happened to Jedrick. His lifeforce was fading. No! I grabbed hold of his feeble link with life and yelled, "You will not die on me. Do you hear me, Jedrick? You will not die."

Esme cried, "No die. No die!"

Another burst of pain hit me, and I fell to the ground. "No! You aren't dying. Fight. You are the Battle Commander, not some weak-willed wuss. Please, I can't live without you. If you die, I die. Do you hear me? I will not live without you."

"Not. Die."

"That's right. Not. Dying."I fed him my energy until his lifeforce grew stronger. "Come back to me." Liquid fire burned across my mind and blackness swamped me.

Little legs patted my face. "No go. No go."

I was vaguely aware of Detja urgently calling my name, but I was too weak to answer. Enormous power suddenly poured into me and flowed into Jedrick. I took a shuddering breath as the pain receded. In that instant, I knew Jedrick still lived.

"Open your eyes, Zadie, you are Jedrick's anchor. If you die, he dies," Zarek's harsh voice commanded.

I blinked, feeling lightheaded and sick to my stomach. The concern in Zarek's eyes had me worried. "Jedrick still lives?"

"He does.

Esme clung to my neck as Detja helped me sit up. "Where is he?"

"At Pirates Keep." Zarek studied the photos streaming across the screen on his warrior's bracelet.

"Okay." I wasn't sure where that was. "What happened?"

"One of his warriors triggered a Rodan booby trap and they were hit with an electromagnetic blast. Not only can it do damage to a warrior's body, but it can also destroy their minds. Wulf searched the area, but he has not been able to find him."

"What do you mean Wulf couldn't find him. He was badly hurt!"

"Hopefully, the med unit in his armor will keep him stabilized. It is protected against electromagnetic blasts." Detja rubbed my back. "You must stay calm."

Nausea rose in my throat. "Do the Rodan have him?" If they took him on a slaughter ship, Jedrick wouldn't have a chance.

"The scans did not locate any Rodan soldiers on Pirate's Keep," Zarek reassured me.

I began to shake. "Then who took him?"

"Wulf picked up Tuxrai life signs," Zarek answered.

My brain was still all muzzy. "Tuxrai?"

The image of a blue-skinned Tai-Kok with sharp, pointy teeth formed in my head. "I thought the Tai-Kok were exterminated."

"The Tuxrai are distant cousins of the Tai-Kok, and they hunt on the fringes of our territory," Zarek advised grimly.

Detja wrapped her arm around me. "The majority of them are slavers."

"Slavers! What would they want with an injured warrior?"

"The electromagnetic weapon was designed to destroy all of the victim's memories and make them biddable. Most people exposed to the weapon become mindless zombies and are easy for the Rodan to catch and eat. The ones the Tuxrai slavers find are usually sold to be laborers. Others are used in gladiator games on Etruscan," Zarek stated.

I demanded, "If they're mindless, how can they fight?"

"They are put in pits with gourmans and other wild beasts. Few survive long." Fury burned in Detja's eyes. "Have no fear. We will find Jedrick and teach the Tuxrai a lesson they will never forget."

I believed her. "We are coming for you, Jedrick. No matter how bad it gets, never forget that I love you and you fight to stay alive. Do you hear me?"

"Hear. You."