Marked Prince - Michelle M. Pillow Page 0,65

it by the watchtower before we entered the city. Or maybe Grier needed it for Salena.”

Fiora flinched, remembering Doyen’s timeline. She ignored the missing handheld because she didn’t have an answer as to its location. Doyen’s story continued to flow out of her. “Doyen is evil, pure evil, but not the cause of the destruction. I saw him at the time of the explosion. He was in the forest with some of his men killing cat-shifters as they slept. I think they were going to steal their still.”

“Marsh farmers,” Payton said. “You were talking about that in the alley before you fainted.”

“Liquor would be like liquid currency,” Jaxx said. “It’s no wonder they want a way to produce it.”

“And food,” Fiora whispered, trying not to remember the intent she’d felt in Doyen. She dropped her hand away from her eyes. “The shifters were in their cat forms.”

Payton made a strange choking noise and covered her mouth. She turned away from them and took several deep breaths. After a moment, she said, “Some of the marsh farmers can be real space cadets to deal with, but they don’t deserve that.”

Fiora nodded. “I recognized some of the men with him in the forest. After people escape the destroyed city, they will be responsible for many of the murders I see happening afterward.”

“We have time to stop it now, thanks to you,” Jaxx said. “None of that is going to happen.”

“So this husband blows up the city as revenge against people laughing at him for his wife leaving?” Payton asked.

“No, as a mistake. He has that old still. I think he’s selling liquor or trying to. He tries to repair it, but he’s drunk and angry, and instead…boom.” Unable to get comfortable, Fiora tried to sit up. Again it was a mistake, and she had to settle back down.

“Do we even know his name?” Payton asked.

This time Fiora laid on her side. “I didn’t even know what he looked like until I saw him today. When we found Dulla in the forest with her brother the husband was in her past, not her future. I had no way of seeing him.”

“Dulla’s husband is named Lorman,” Yevgen called, signifying he was eavesdropping. “Local drunk. Violent tendencies.”

“Are you sure it’s him?” Payton asked.

“Yes, fairly. He was mumbling about her leaving him right before the accident.” Fiora pressed her fingers to her temple.

Jaxx stroked back her hair while keeping hold of her hand. “We’ll take care of this. I promise. For now, you just need to rest.”

“Wait a minute…” Payton went around to the other side of the partition. “Yevgen, where is it?”

“Where is what, my love?” Yevgen answered from the other side of the screens.

“The handheld. Where is it?” she demanded.

“Nothing in Shelter City is free,” Yevgen said. “I gave you the information.”

Fiora could see Payton at the edge of the monitors. “So you stole from the pack? That’s not trading. That’s thievery.”

“It made such a beautiful little humming noise, calling to me,” Yevgen protested.

“Yevgen, I will gladly let you keep it as an information trade if you let me use it to help Fiora,” Jaxx said.

“Deal.” Yevgen’s sling slid on the metal casters as he zoomed past them, forcing Jaxx to lean back so he didn’t get smacked by the man’s hanging backside. He went to the wall and lifted a square piece of metal. When he glided back to them, he held the medic unit. “Here you go.”

“We’re going to have a talk about stealing,” Payton told him sternly.

Yevgen gave the handheld to Jaxx before spinning around to face Payton. He reached for her. “You know my circuits can’t tolerate it when you’re mad at me.”

Jaxx ignored the cyborg as he turned on the unit. “Touch my arm.”

“I’m sorry I’m so tired.” Fiora slipped her fingers from his grasp and moved them down his arm to maintain contact. “There are so many timelines here.”

Jaxx programmed the device and then held it to her temple. “This should help you sleep. You’ll be safe here. Payton and I will take care of that still. Everything is going to be all right.”

Fiora opened her mouth to answer but was no match for the medicine as it lulled her into darkness.

18

“If anything happens to her…” Jaxx let his words trail off as he pointed at Yevgen. When he found out he’d been hiding the handheld while Fiora was in pain, Jaxx had wanted to throw the rolling cyborg into the nearest wall.

“I’ll guard her with my life,”