Regelence. I love the planet and what it stands for. I, too, enjoy its freedoms, and I will not see them destroyed. I came to find you both and take you back there so we can wage our own war. We’ve got to stop this. When I tried to do so on my own, the IN tried to kill me. My wife and I narrowly escaped. I have no idea what became of my son, but he had no idea about any of this, so I think the IN will leave him alone.”
“Why did ye abandon Patrick and Marcus here?” Ciaran asked.
“To keep them alive. The IN sent assassins to kill them. That was when I first realized this whole thing had gotten out of control.”
Marcus scoffed and sat forward, but Ciaran believed him. Jenkins looked like a desperate man. And Red had spoken well of him.
Patrick opened his mouth to say something, then shook his head and let out an exasperated breath. It would seem he too believed the admiral. Though Ciaran could certainly see why he didn’t want to. This man had cost them both a lot.
Apparently the admiral came to the same conclusion; he winced.
“What is the plan fer Skye?” Stuart asked. He’d come up beside Ciaran and was standing with his hands on his hips.
Jenkins ran his hands through his hair. “The IN wanted it because of the extreme cloud cover. They wanted to establish a base here, breed soldiers and train them with no one the wiser, but they’ve yet to perfect the Regelence procreation method.”
“Which was why they were abandoning the children on Regelence.” Patrick nodded. “If Regelence is aware of the abundance of orphans, it won’t be long before they realize where they are coming from.”
“I’ve no doubt,” Jenkins said with a nod and a rather smug look. “Nate will figure it out. He’s a good man. It’s why I chose him as my successor. But he can’t stop it unless it’s all brought into the light. That is why I’m here. I need you both to testify with me at the IN Council meeting. We have to stop this before it gets any bigger. And it will get bigger. Already they have men in place in Regelence’s and Englor’s governments. This all started just to end the Aquarius War, but they got power hungry.” He shook his head and ran his hands down his face. “The IN won’t stop until they’ve taken over completely.”
A chill raced down Ciaran’s spine. He’d been right to destroy the base. Now they had even more work to do. “Ye canna just go testify at some meeting. If this thing is as big as ye say, it’s got tae be dismantled piece by piece or ye risk an all-out war.” And that would not be good for any of them. Och, but they needed to make plans. “Patrick, how long before ye think ye planet will come fer ye?” Patrick had sent a message last night before they’d burned the base out. “Where is Red? He should be here fer this.”
Patrick shook his head and looked at Marcus.
Marcus craned his neck to turn and look up at Patrick. Then they looked back at Ciaran with expressions of… pity? Even the admiral looked at Ciaran askance.
Uh-oh. Ciaran’s breath caught in his throat, and a prickly sensation trickled down his spine. When Patrick spoke, it sounded like he was in a ten-foot-deep well.
“Bannon left an hour ago….” He continued to talk, something about the captain, but Ciaran didn’t hear him.
He stumbled backward, feeling as if his knees were going to give out.
Red had left him.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Home is not always where the heart is.”
—Timothy on love.
June 14, 4831: Planet Regelence, Townsend Castle
Bannon’s righteous anger took him all the way back to Regelence and all the way into his meeting with King Steven and King-Consort Raleigh. But it had started to fade, and he found himself wondering if Ciaran had been reinstated as chieftain and how the garden was coming along. If the bogles were still running amuck in the great hall. Who would protect him on cattle raids?
Damn Skye and their lack of technology. Somehow this was Ciaran’s fault too, Timothy snarled in his head.
“Bannon?”
He looked up to find King-Consort Raleigh’s face a study in patience. King-Consort Raleigh came forward and sat down next to him on the sofa. Apparently he’d drifted off again. He and Timothy had been arguing about leaving since about halfway home. Mostly they were in