in and prevented it. Because Galene had once been Nykyrian’s playmate, she was the only one who could manage Cairistiona. The tizirah thought of her as a strange cross between cherished daughter and beloved friend.
Galene hummed to her while she tucked the covers around Cairie’s body. She still remembered the first time she’d seen the tizirah. It was one of her earliest memories. Cairie had been pregnant. Dressed in her sharp military uniform, the tizirah had been breathtakingly beautiful.
Because her immediate family was mostly medical, Galene had never seen a female officer before. She’d been completely awestruck.
“Can I touch your blaster?”
Galene’s father, the royal physician who’d been overseeing Cairie’s pregnancy, had been horrified. “Forgive my daughter, Highness. She’s never seen a royal family member out of imperial robes before. She doesn’t realize who you are.”
Placing her hand against her stomach that was just beginning to round out, Cairie had smiled and knelt down by Galene’s side. “Would you like to touch it?”
Galene had looked nervously to her father, then nodded.
Cairie unholstered her blaster and ejected the blast cartridge before she handed it over to Galene to hold. “Be careful, little one. The moving parts can still pinch your skin. And as small as your fingers are, they might eat one.”
“Really?”
The tizirah had nodded.
And still Galene had carefully examined the blaster.
“Aren’t you afraid of it?”
Galene had shaken her head. “It’s very lovely, Highness. Like you.”
“How old are you, Galene?”
“Three and almost a little more.”
She’d smiled warmly. “After my babies are born, you’ll have to come back with your father and help me watch over them.”
It was a promise Cairistiona had kept. Those days had been some of the happiest of Galene’s life.
Even after her boys had been born, Cairistiona had spoiled Galene. Until the day Nykyrian had died. The tizirah’s descent into madness had come fast and furious. She’d refused to listen to anyone.
To keep Cairie from searching for her dead son, the tadara had ordered her sedated immediately.
She’d been sedated ever since.
Because Galene had been close to Nykyrian, her father had feared what the tizirah might do to her in her grief, and so she’d been banned from visiting the palace. Years had gone by before she’d been allowed back. And in a strange twist, she’d been the one in the uniform and Cairistiona had been the one dependent on Galene’s kindness.
On Galene’s visit to the palace for an assembly, Cairie had seen her among the Royal Guard. Even drugged, Cairie had recognized her immediately and grabbed her for a hug.
Arm in arm, she’d pulled Galene aside and asked her how Nykyrian was. When they’d tried to separate them, Cairie had become so uncontrollable that she’d been shot with a stunner and Galene had been sent back to her base.
Terrified of being reassigned and stripped of her rank, Galene had been shocked when, hours later, Tylie had shown up and told her that she would be Cairie’s personal guard. That her sister had demanded it and refused to let another guard near her.
They’d been inseparable friends ever since.
Cairie reached into her nightstand and pulled out a drawing that she handed to Galene. “Do you remember when your Talyn gave that to me?”
Tears gathered in her eyes as she saw the drawing of her and Talyn together, waving at the tizirah and her boys. He’d been barely seven when he’d brought it to Cairie, the first time he met her. “I do. I’m surprised you kept it.”
Cairie took her hand and held it in both of hers. “You have a good boy, Lena. I will make sure you keep your baby with you. Mothers should never be away from their children.”
Stunned and infuriated, Merrell showed Jullien and Chrisen the footage from the pit where they’d dumped Batur. Bodies were strewn about like the killing fields left behind after a vicious battle.
His breathing ragged, Talyn, alone, stood.
Barely.
Though he was wobbly, he was on his feet while the rest were either dead, unconscious, or begging for help as they tried to crawl away from Talyn’s reach. In all the years of military service, Merrell had never seen anything like this. It terrified him just how easily Batur had plowed through dozens of ruthless killers and predators. The most vicious criminals Andaria had.
Batur wiped at the blood on his face as he moved to stand in front of the camera to glare at them. When he spoke, it was a raw, feral growl that was even more terrifying than his reckless stance that dared