Allegiance of Honor (Psy-Changeling #15) - Nalini Singh Page 0,34
wasn’t even a year old, according to Consortium sources. Her importance as a symbol, however, was starting to grow as the Psy race came out of its post-Silence stupor and began to look around.
The Architect’s fellow Consortium member was right: Killing the child in the right way held the potential to incite a bloody war between Psy and changeling, humans caught in the crossfire. It would be a decisive blow that permanently shattered Trinity and any hope of a peace that promised to severely frustrate the Consortium’s plans.
However, a single mistake and the fury of DarkRiver and its powerful allies would focus solely on the Consortium. The Architect knew predatory changelings well enough to understand they wouldn’t stop until each and every member of the Consortium was dead.
The pros and cons of the Nadiya Hunter gambit required further thought—but all the pieces were in place, if and when the Architect decided it was time to press “go.”
Chapter 10
LUCAS PUT NAYA into her crib and raised the bars of the safety barrier, which he’d had to extend to their full height after she started escaping. It was to keep her safe. Lucas and Sascha would normally wake at the smallest sound, but just in case.
Covering her with a furry green blanket Tamsyn had knitted for her, he tucked the damn wolf snuggle toy beside her, then touched her soft, dark hair and looked at the woman who stood by his side. “We did good.”
Sascha slipped her arm through his, eyes of cardinal starlight touched with sparks of color on Naya. “Yes, and had fun doing it.” A sudden frown. “She had chocolate sprinkled milk, and I didn’t clean her teeth. She usually doesn’t fall asleep so early—she didn’t even have her dinner.”
“She’ll wake if she’s hungry, and one night without brushing her teeth won’t hurt her,” Lucas reassured his mate. “I did that every so often myself as a kid—it’s amazing how much candy I got into.”
“Thanks for the warning. Now go put on some jeans.”
Chuckling, he drew her out of the nursery he and packmates had added on soon after Naya’s birth. It was attached to their bedroom, so even if Naya escaped her crib, she’d have to go past their bed to get out.
“Anything salvageable?” he asked after pulling on jeans and following Sascha to the kitchen.
“Hmm. I think the potatoes might still be good.”
“Super melted cheese is still melted cheese.” Lucas took the pan to the table. “Chicken?”
“Lump of charcoal.” Sascha looked morosely at it before shaking off her disappointment. “Want omelets instead?”
“Yep.”
The two of them worked side by side to prepare the omelets. “Hear anything about Nikita?” The recent assassination attempt on Sascha’s mother had caused significant injuries.
“Sophie says she’s pushing herself too hard.” Sascha’s tone tensed. “She’s concerned about a setback.”
Running a hand over her hair, Lucas pointed out an irrefutable truth. “Nikita isn’t used to giving up control, even for short periods.” The former Councilor and current member of the Ruling Coalition of the Psy race was a pitiless operator who was used to power.
Sascha nodded, took a deep breath. “So far, she’s fine. Sophie’s going to keep me updated on her progress.” Unspoken were the words that today, Sascha had to focus on her vulnerable child, not on a mother adept at lethal defense—and offense.
They sat down to eat less than ten minutes later, their chairs beside each other instead of on either side of the table. Lucas liked to be able to affectionately touch his mate, and Sascha had picked up the feline habit, petting him every so often as they ate.
Skin privileges between a mated pair. Simple. Deeply needed.
He felt the worry that rose to the forefront of her mind now that Naya was asleep, but they both spoke only in touches until after they’d polished off the meal and she was cutting up some fruit for them to eat for dessert. That was when Sascha asked him to go over the full details of what Aden’s people had heard in the Net.
Her face grew white under the dark honey of her skin as he spoke. “Is it a group like Pure Psy?”
“No current signs that it’s anything that focused.” Lucas forced himself to be calm; his mate needed that from him right now. “I’d still like to increase security precautions around her regardless. People—and not just Psy—are curious about her.”
Dorian had done some research for him today, discovered that the only living child of mixed Psy and changeling blood was of