her heart in her throat as she waited for Galene to arrive. The soldier kept eyeing Lorens, who’d driven her over. For something this traumatic, the last thing she’d wanted to do was call Talyn’s mother and dump it on her.
She still couldn’t believe what Lorens had told her. There was no way Talyn had committed treason. It wasn’t possible. He was too much in control of himself at all times.
Galene drew up short as she saw Lorens.
“Commander ezul Terronova.” Galene saluted him sharply.
He returned the salute. “Commander Batur.”
Looking from him to Felicia, Galene scowled. “What’s going on?”
“Have you heard from Talyn?” Felicia asked.
“No. I was told he was off-world and under secure assignment protocols. Why?”
Unsure of how to break the news to her, Felicia glanced to Lorens.
He sighed heavily. “You need to check his duty roster with my pass code.”
Galene’s frown deepened at Loren’s serious tone. “Okay.” She moved to the soldier’s desk and bumped her off her computer before she allowed Lorens to log in.
Felicia knew the moment Galene saw the report. All the blood faded from her face. Eyes wide, she met their gazes.
“Is this for real?”
Lorens folded his arms over his chest. “It appears to be. I tried to get more information, but I was told – by my own CO, in no uncertain terms – that it wasn’t a military matter. It’s civil and criminal, and that I should keep my nose out of it if I wanted to maintain my rank.”
“When did this happen?” Galene breathed. “Why wasn’t I notified?”
“I have no idea.”
Tears stung Felicia’s eyes. “Because I’m not family, they wouldn’t tell me anything. I was hoping you could learn more.”
Galene blinked back her own tears as she stared in horror at the report. “Who did you call?” she asked Felicia.
“Talyn’s CO. I didn’t know who else to try, except you and my brother. Commander ezul Nykyrian refused to discuss it with me.”
Her hand shaking, Galene picked up the intercom. “I’m calling the tahrs.” She dialed, and waited until his secretary answered. “This is Commander Batur. I would like to talk to Tahrs Jullien about Major Batur. Immediately.”
Waiting with bated breath, Felicia toyed with her necklace Talyn had given her.
Galene’s face turned bright red. “I see. Is that his last word on the matter?” Her grip tightened on the link. “Thank you.” She set the link down and, without a word to them, headed out.
Glancing to Lorens, Felicia followed after her. “What did he say?”
“That it doesn’t concern me.” She walked with a hurried purpose.
Tears started falling as hopeless despair ripped through her heart. “What do we do, Commander?”
“We go to someone the royal prick can’t brush aside so easily.”
Felicia sucked her breath in sharply at Galene’s brazen words. That, too, could be construed as treason, should the wrong ears hear it.
Galene stopped outside a door and knocked. A moment later, a young servant opened it. “I need to speak with Tizirah Tylie immediately.”
“Please come in, Commander.” She opened the door and showed them into an elegant sitting room. “I’ll notify Her Highness.” She vanished through another door.
Felicia wiped at her tears. “Do you think the tizirah will help?”
“I don’t know. I can only ask.”
Eternity seemed to have passed before Tylie came through the door with the bearing of the royal tadara herself. Her long black hair was braided and coiled elaborately around her head. She wore a sheer red dress that showed her exquisite body off to perfection.
She frowned at the sight of all three of them in her receiving room. “Galene? Is there a problem?”
This time, it was the commander who teared up. “They’ve arrested my baby, Highness.”
Gasping, Tylie reached for Galene’s hand. “What? Who?”
“Tahrs Jullien.” She sniffed back her tears. “They won’t tell me anything. They say he committed treason. But I know my baby and so do you. You know Talyn would never do such a thing. He’s always been fiercely loyal to the crown.”
Tylie cupped Galene’s cheek in her hand. “Breathe, sweetie. Just breathe. We’ll get this taken care of immediately. I promise you.” The tizirah rubbed Galene’s back. “Kelsei!” she called. “I need you to locate Major Batur. Now!”
A secretary appeared instantly from the same room Tylie had been in on their arrival. “Yes, Highness.” She quickly typed into the pad she was carrying. “There’s nothing anywhere about a Major Batur.”
“He was arrested.”
The secretary shook her head. “Nothing’s showing, Highness. I’m searching everything… with your codes, even. We have no records for him.”