Chapter 43

FORTY-THREE

The infamous Amun Kazharan—fucking metal tail and all—was contained and compliant for now.

Actually, he was more than contained.

Tarak had brought him onto the stealth cruiser, fitting him with the most diabolical shackles—inflexible Callidum restraints that covered his arms and hands, binding them behind his back. His ankles were shackled, too, allowing him just enough room to shuffle along. Then there was that infernal unnatural tail, tightly bound alongside his arms.

He had a shock collar, too, one that would immediately incapacitate him if he tried anything stupid.

Tarak wasn't taking any chances.

And Dragek could hardly believe it.

After causing all that trouble, Amun Kazharan, the one proclaimed emperor by the dregs of the Old Empire, usurper and son of the ruthless imperial family, had surrendered without a fight.

The human women and the hybrid children on the Caelix III had been immediately taken into Darkstar's care, and that seemed to please Amun.

It wasn't what Dragek had been expecting at all.

"Oh, you don't have to look at me like that, katach ," Amun drawled, as insolent and annoying as ever.

"Like what?" Dragek snapped, unable to help himself from taking the bait. Amun Kazharan was one irritating bastard.

"As if I'm a demon that's crawled out of one of the Nine Hells. I'm not as terrible as you think. Of all people, you should understand that."

"That remains to be seen." Dragek turned to Tarak. "How can you be so certain he's telling the truth?"

Tarak was closely inspecting one of his swords. It was pitted and nicked in places. Nothing could damage the Callidum edge except another piece of Callidum. "Kail confirmed it."

"What's so special about him that he can determine a thing like that?"

"He's a temanjin, " Tarak said simply.

Dragek gave him a blank look. He had no idea what that meant.

"Hunter of souls, seeker of truth, deliverer of justice. His truth-sense is like no other."

Dragek couldn't hide his skepticism. Was the leader of the entire rebel fleet basing his decisions—ones that would affect the entire fate of the Universe, no less—upon a hunch?

"Some things in our Universe defy explanation. One simply has to be able to determine whether to have faith in them or not. With your Talent, even you should be able to gauge Amun's intentions to some extent."

"Hm." Point taken. Everything he was—and everything he'd discovered with his sarien— was equally as mysterious. Tarak was right. He hadn't sensed any malicious intent from Amun since their first encounter, even though Dragek had held a dagger to his neck.

"You thought I was some typical evil bastard, didn't you?" Amun said dryly. "A puppet of the old regime."

"I don't presume to know what you are. But if it turns out that you've deceived us, I'll make a point to kill you personally. Slowly. That's all."

"If it turns out I've deceived you, none of us will continue to exist as we are, anyway. Have a little faith in your commander, katach. The sophistication of his strategic mind has allowed for all of this to occur."

"Those aren't the words of a sworn enemy."

"Who said I was your enemy?"

Tired of the back-and-forth, Dragek turned to Tarak. "What are we supposed to do with him now?"

"He's contained for now. We'll deal with him later. First, we need to neutralize the imminent threat. We go to Duxuth." Tarak sheathed his sword and looked at a holo display depicting the topography of Duxuth in intricate detail. "Amun will show us where this portal is located."

"You'll destroy it?"

"Perhaps." Tarak's expression was maddeningly inscrutable.

Everyone had secrets and plans. Tarak included. But Dragek was beginning to tire of the subterfuge.

Especially when it didn't all quite make sense.

He preferred to deal in absolutes. The games these higher-ups played were exhausting.

"I ordered them not to do anything until I reach Duxuth , " Amun growled. "They want to send a squad back through the portal to a time when you were vulnerable. When they could easily take your head. That hasn't been possible for a very long time, has it? They mostly heed my commands, but I can't promise they'll wait for me. Especially Isnarek. He's the most dangerous of the remaining nobles."

If talk of his own death bothered Tarak, he didn't show it. But then again, he'd probably been threatened like this a thousand times over. "I'll deal with him. Give me the coordinates. Now. "

"First, show me evidence that you'll follow through on your promise to retrieve Dyana alive and well."

Dyana. Was that the name of Amun's sister?

Dragek had never heard of a third Kazharan sibling, let alone a female.

These infernal nobles held far too many secrets.

"They're already on the way." Tarak brought up a holofeed that showed a sleek cruiser moving rapidly through space. A set of coordinates appeared. "Headed for the ship you identified. Check the coordinates yourself."

Amun's single eye narrowed. "I trust you understand the implications of her existence."

"Naturally," the general said coldly. "And therefore, you know we will retrieve her at all costs. Now. The location."

Amun rattled off a series of precise, detailed, perfectly memorized coordinates. "You'll find the portal at that exact point. I can't predict who's going to be there, but we can only pray to the Goddess that they haven't already sent their killers after you."

"Why are you doing this?" Dragek asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

"Why?" Amun shrugged. "Many reasons. Selfish ones. Pragmatic ones. Reasons that don't concern you. Believe me, it wasn't easy to get to a point where I was beyond the reach of their surveillance. But I refuse to be subordinate to anyone."

"I thought you had styled yourself as the new emperor."

"It's easy to bestow a title. Easy to become a figurehead. But almost impossible to wield real power."

Tch. Dragek shook his head. It was all beyond his comprehension. Perhaps this male had already succumbed to the notorious madness of the imperial family.

Whatever Amun's intentions, Dragek didn't want any part of them.

Best to leave Tarak to deal with him.

Right now, all he wanted was to get back to his sarien in one piece.

To finish what they'd started.

By the Goddess, he couldn't stop thinking about her.

Dragek?

I'm fine, Jade . You wouldn't believe the mess these fools have created.

Are you okay, though? Are you in danger?

This pure, sweet creature was actually worried about him. That alone was enough to fill him with awe and deep affection. As long as you stay with me, I'll be okay.

The Mating Fever danced through him, making him eager to fight.

How fragile he'd become since finding her. The slightest disturbance could tip him over the edge.

Not that it bothered him in the least.

It was what it was.

Tarak gave Dragek a pointed look. "If we need to go after them—through the portal—it's just you and me, understand?"

"Why us, specifically?"

"She speaks to you, doesn't she?"

"What?"

"Your sarien. She's with you, isn't she?"

"How did you know?" Irritation flickered inside Dragek's chest. Why did he once again get the feeling his fate was being engineered?

But he couldn't afford to obsess over it.

Right now, the stakes were too high.

If this timeline ceased to exist, then…

"It's vital that you hold onto that bond at all costs," Tarak said simply, infuriatingly enigmatic. "Even beyond the boundaries of what you think might be possible."

Dragek let out a puff of exasperation.

Things had gotten out of hand extremely fast.

And Tarak… he was just taking it all in his stride, as cold, implacable, and indomitable as ever.

"Your reserves are far from depleted, aren't they? You could hold qim again for a decent period of time."

"Probably," Dragek agreed.

Amun chuckled softly.

Dragek resisted the urge to punch him.

"Good. Your task is simple. Go after the ones that intend to kill me. If the worst-case scenario comes to bear, you must pursue them at all costs. Cloak yourself and walk through that world as if you were a ghost. Leave none alive. Do you understand, Dragek?"

Dragek could have resisted. He could have questioned why the general had chosen him above all others. He could have given in to the niggling voice of fear in the back of his mind—what would happen to him if he were to fall through that machine, a fucking ancient Zor portal with a tesseract inside?

But she was with him, so he didn't worry about any of that.

Besides, he was rather looking forward to hunting the ones that dared upend the order of the Universe.

He'd decided he liked the current order, and he wanted to keep it this way at all costs.

He supposed he owed it to Tarak and Jade for letting him know another existence outside of being a wretched Silent One.

"Good." Tarak dismissed the holo and walked forward. There was an air of inevitability about him. He pulled one of his twin swords—sheath and all—and handed it to Dragek, hilt first. "You're going to need something a bit more heavy-duty for this battle. Use it."

Dragek couldn't believe it. Tarak's own sword?

Reverently, he took it. The blade seemed to vibrate faintly as if imbued with Tarak's own energy.

"I trust you're a proficient swimmer."

"Like you, there isn't any environment I can't fight in. We're going underwater, then?"

"Indeed."

As the cruiser punched through Duxuth's turbulent atmosphere, Dragek held the commander's sword tightly and tried to center himself. He ignored Amun's chaotic aura altogether, reaching for the one thing that meant more to him than life itself.

A human.

How things changed.

How he'd changed.

That wily Tarak. Even Ashrael and Noali. They'd known something when they'd sent him to retrieve Jade.

They'd known.

Not that he objected.

Hold on, Jade.

Oh, there's no way I'd do anything but that. I feel like… if I let go of you now, the entire Universe might unravel. Even though that's impossible. I'm just a simple Earth girl, but that's how I feel about you.

She laughed: a low, throaty sound that wrapped around his heart and threatened to steal him away. His entire mood changed in an instant. For a sublime moment, he was away from the darkness and the oppressive, overhanging feeling of constant threat.

No. You're far from simple, my love. Anything but that.

For who else could work such a miracle, weaving light into the very fabric of his darkened soul?

He would do anything to protect her Universe.