Allegiance of Honor (Psy-Changeling #15) - Nalini Singh Page 0,152

their earlier comm call: her mother was a master at showing people only what she wanted them to see.

“Sophie says she barely rested for an hour before getting back to work.” The only concession Nikita had made to her condition was to remain in her suite and in bed, rather than returning to her desk.

Lucas joined her on the aerie balcony, the two of them having decided to work from home today. They’d both spoken to Bastien first thing this morning about the other man’s continued efforts to narrow down the individual who’d hired the captain to spirit away Naya.

“I’m getting close,” Bastien had said, the passion of the hunt in the green of his eyes.

Sascha had spent the rest of the morning in discussions with Ivy and other Es, while Lucas played with and took care of Naya. Then they’d switched off and she’d happily taken cub duty while Lucas had conversation after conversation to do with the “adjunct signee” status he’d suggested. After intense discussion within their own pack, SnowDancer had agreed to back him, so he’d made the call to send the proposal out to a wider—though still limited—number of people.

Despite vociferous disagreement from several parties, he’d held his ground, panther and man both having made the decision that this was the only way Trinity could survive. Sascha had never been more proud of him. Because while her mate could act civilized, he was a dominant predatory changeling; to propose what he had meant fighting his most primal instincts.

Now, sliding an arm around her, he said, “The doctors warned that her recovery would take time, especially after her relapse.” He kept his voice low, his eyes on the little black ball of fur playing on the forest floor below. Sascha, too, was keeping an eye on their baby, though she was doing it mostly through their telepathic link.

“I just . . . I want to be there for her, Lucas.” Sascha leaned on the railing on this part of the balcony. “She shouldn’t be alone.” Taking a shaky breath, she tried to explain. “I’ve only recently realized how alone my mother has been her whole life. From the instant she learned she was carrying an empath—from the instant she decided to protect me, she’s walked alone.”

Sascha had thought her mother cold and heartless for most of her lifetime. As most recently demonstrated by the question Nikita had asked her about coercing humans into the PsyNet, her mother had a fluid concept of conscience at best.

Sascha was under no illusions about the woman who’d given birth to her.

What she hadn’t understood was that everything Nikita had done while Sascha was growing up, everything, had been to protect her daughter. “She built an empire so I’d be shielded by a wall of sheer power, and if she had to murder to get that power, she murdered.”

Sascha found that difficult to say, to admit, but she was fully cognizant of her mother’s dual nature. Nikita had done terrible things, unforgivable things. Yet she’d done them all with the sole aim of protecting her child. “I can’t accept the violence she did for me.” She wet a throat gone bone-dry. “But I think of what I did to those mercenaries who wanted to hurt Naya, and I can see it’s on the same continuum.”

Lucas gripped her jaw, made her face him. “Your mother went far beyond that.” His lips were a flat line. “I can’t judge her for protecting her child, but at some point, it became about power. Don’t take her actions on your shoulders. Got it?”

Sascha wished she could argue, but she couldn’t. Yes, she’d defend Naya to the death, but she wouldn’t massacre innocents in her daughter’s name. “Got it.”

“Good.” Lucas rubbed the pad of his thumb over her chin. “But yes, for all her sins, Nikita did make sure you survived to adulthood.”

“I think she did more,” Sascha said as they both turned to look over the railing again. Naya couldn’t go far, tiny as she was, but parental instinct was parental instinct. “I don’t think it was chance that put you and me together on that project.”

“I’ve had that thought myself.” He growled down to Naya when she growled up in hello.

Sascha sent her a psychic kiss at the same time.

Happy, their baby continued her solitary game, leopard enough to enjoy alone time and changeling enough to not want it always.

Sliding his hand around to cup her nape, Lucas returned to their conversation. “Nikita made sure