Home Front (Star Kingdom #7) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,165

when I realized how easy this blockade breach is turning out to be. Between our ships and all those Kingdom Fleet ships, they’re pulverizing the invaders.

Yes. I noticed.

Is Nalini planning to take her ship to Odin? Or will she and all of Shayban’s allies—your new allies—return to their system after they’ve finished giving the help they promised?

I’m not sure. They may consider me an ally because I promised them slydar detectors, but there’s also the gate piece that Jager has that’s apparently key. I think Nalini will fly us to Odin, if that’s what we want. Casmir raised his eyebrows, wondering if Kim was thinking of going with her mother to Tiamat Station. He wasn’t delusional enough to think that all of his—their—transgressions would be forgiven because they’d come to help with the blockade.

“That’s unexpected,” Tristan murmured from the communications station.

Nalini looked over at him. “Your fellow knights have learned you’re here, realized what a mistake they made to boot you out, and are begging for you to return?”

“No. Asger messaged me—he and Sir Bjarke were located and briefed shortly after they arrived. King Jager is out here personally. On the Starhawk. It’s his flagship, and it was at the head of the battle.”

“Where is the Starhawk now?” Casmir had been uneasy before, but now that he knew Jager was here instead of a week’s travel away on Odin, his insides tied themselves into knots. He was at the scanner station and could have answered his own question, but he was afraid to look.

“Uhm.” Tristan paused. “Maybe it’s a coincidence, but it’s left the Fleet formation and is heading this way.”

“Oy.” Casmir slumped deeper into his pod.

“Maybe he’s learned that Princess Nalini is on this ship and wants to thank her for coming to help.” Kim didn’t sound like she believed that.

“Given that we kicked Jorg off our station, I highly doubt that,” Nalini said. “He deserved it, but what are the odds that his father will agree?”

“Especially now that he’s dead,” Tristan murmured.

“Any chance they were estranged and his father didn’t like Jorg?” Nalini asked.

“No,” Tristan said, then sighed. “A second warship is flying after the Starhawk. And a third. The Kestrel and the Raven. That’s one high-powered escort, if that’s what it is. All three ships are on course for our position. And now, we have an incoming comm. It’s the Starhawk.”

Casmir wanted to disappear completely into his pod. Maybe he was being self-centered to believe this had to do with him, but…

I’m giving you a heads-up, came a message from Ishii, even though I risk my career to do so.

King Jager is heading for me and wants me dead?

Well, he’s heading for you. I don’t know if he plans to kill you, but he at least plans to collect you.

Thanks for the warning.

Here’s one more: he requested our slydar detector, and we gave it to him. The Starhawk has it now. In case you have any allies using slydar… they had better stay out of the way. He’s got a lot of firepower with him out here.

Where was all his firepower during the weeks and weeks that the gate was blockaded? Casmir asked, though he’d long since suspected Jager of feigning ineptness to get what he wanted. More power? A citizenship too scared to do anything but give it to him? Permission to go to war? Maybe all of those. At the expense of their home world being bombed and thousands of people being killed.

Ishii’s pause was long, but in the end, all he said was, It’s not my place to question the king. I just commed to say that if you have a way to get out of the system before he reaches you, now would be a good time.

Casmir could tell from the ships barreling toward them that it was already too late, but he appreciated the message. I’m glad I got to know you again as a man, Sora. Best wishes for your future and a career your father will be proud of.

Shit, Dabrowski. Don’t get yourself killed.

I’ll try.

“I’m putting them on the forward display. They want video.” Tristan peered apologetically over the side of Casmir’s pod. “And to talk to you.”

“Is it too late to flee back through the gate?” Since Casmir hadn’t managed to disappear, he reluctantly rotated his pod to face the display.

“Trust me,” Nalini said. “It crossed my mind.”

“They’re faster than us,” Tristan said.

The star field on the display faded and was replaced by King Jager’s craggy face. Casmir didn’t