odd sadness that always seemed to shadow her heart. I cannot believe we were so oblivious.”
“She hid it from us well,” Gwarnon felt a bit of pride stirring in his chest, pushing back the darkness in his heart. “A true Warrior, she did whatever she could to protect her child.”
Chel touched his forehead to Gwarnon’s for a moment, his sigh heavy. “We really, as Lady Casey likes to say, screwed the pooch on this one.”
“If that means we made grave mistakes, you are correct. But now is not the time to review the past, as the future needs our focus. We must find Lacey before she goes through the wormhole. Contact the Baladium and ask them what type of ship they are using, and for a tracking number. While I hope they will stop at the Kadothian wormhole station and await a transfer, I doubt Lacey will want to go through official channels. She will want to use a smuggler to get her through. I will start checking with my sources to see if she contacted any of them.”
Looking over his shoulder to find an anxious Roxy watching them, Gwarnon said, “We are going after her, and we beg you for your help.”
Chapter 9
Lacey
Her forehead itched, a little piece of hair swaying back and forth, just enough to irritate. Thickness filled her thoughts, the drugging lure of sleep begging her to return to her inert state. She was tired, so very tired. Surely she could rest just a little longer.
Except that damn hair kept tickling her skin.
And her mind kept sending electrical impulses to her hand, which twitched, but didn’t move from her side.
Frowning, she struggled to open her uncooperative eyelids.
A blurry, unfamiliar room came into sight, and she wrenched her head to the side, forcing her stiff neck muscles to move. Sloped, deep blue walls that had an odd pearlescent sheen made up a small room that reminded her of the command center on Gwarnon’s ship. Immediately, her heart began to hammer in her chest as she sucked in a quick breath. Gwarnon’s ship. She should still be on it.
While she was alone in the room, she was also bound to a comfortable black chair wearing a loose fitting washed out lime green dress that had slits up the sides and long sleeves that draped down over her hands.
The fabric protected her wrists from harm as she struggled with her bonds, unable to see what held her.
Tears burned as she wondered if she’d been kidnapped again. The last thing she’d remembered was falling asleep with Gwarnon and Chel, the silken cradle of their long hair covering her body like the softest blanket she’d ever felt. Then the door had chimed, but the men hadn’t woken up. Figuring they were exhausted, she answered it to find Orushel and a Kadothian male she didn’t recognize with red and purple streaked hair standing there.
Then…nothing.
A change in air pressure was the only warning she got before the man with the short red and purple spiked hair strode into the room. His pale gold skin caught the light with a pretty luminescence the women of Earth would have paid a fortune to achieve. She braced herself, waiting to hear what ill fate had befallen her. Was she kidnapped by a slaver again? Someone who’d want to hold her for ransom? Or some other incredibly terrible fate that she couldn’t even imagine.
Her heart stuttered as he frowned at her, his silver and green eyes glinting oddly. “Do not be afraid, Lady Lacey. I mean you no harm. My name is Wythe mal’Trien. My Matriarch sent me to rescue you.”
“Rescue me? From what?” She struggled at her bonds. “You didn’t rescue me, you kidnapped me!”
“I’m afraid I had to. It is the best way to protect you and your mates.” He tilted his head to the side, a small smile crinkling the corner of his mouth. “The resemblance between you and your mother and daughter are strong.”
Panic seared her from the inside out, and she bared her teeth as she snarled, “How do you know about my mom and daughter?”
He raised his large hands, his whole posture softening. “Easy, my Lady. You have nothing to fear. I serve your mother, Lady Tara Taylor. She is my Matriarch.”
The bottom of her stomach dropped out, and Lacey had to swallow the saliva suddenly filling her mouth. “Say what?”
“I serve your mother as one of her personal bodyguards and head of her household guard on Kadothia. Your mother is