Saven the complete serie.., p.120
Saven: The Complete Series, page 120
King Coryn is waiting to greet us in the hangar of the fake military compound when we arrive on Narik later that night. Without hesitation, he pulls me into a bear hug. “It’s so lovely to see you again, my dear, although I wish the circumstances were more fortuitous.”
“Logan explained then?” I peer up at him as I loop my arm in his. Haydn, Logan, and Rylan are deep in conversation as they walk ahead of us toward the assigned meeting room. A bunch of heavily armed Royal Saven Guard accompanies them. The sight of their red, black, and gold emblems never fails to unsettle me. Thoughts of Officer Vero and his near-successful attempt on my life will forever be associated with that uniform in my mind. Shaking myself out of that melancholy place, I focus my attention on the king.
“I’m aware of the plan, and I think you are right to try this. If anyone can pull it off, it’s you.”
I flush with pride. This man’s word means a lot to me. He is the only regent I have the utmost admiration and respect for. Besides Logan, obviously. “Thank you. I’m still nervous though.” An icy tremor travels up my spine at the thought of what I’m about to do, and I quiver all over.
King Coryn pats my hand. “That’s to be expected.” He has a faraway look in his eyes. “I’m glad you haven’t given up on him. I’ve never met a man more in need of love and more deserving of it. Whatever he may or may not have done, there is no doubt in my mind that it was done for the right reasons. For what Axton perceives to be the right reasons.”
We round the next bend, slowing our steps and losing sight of the others. “I know that. I may not have access to my previous memories, but I know how much I meant to him.” I swallow the thorny ball in my throat. “How much we meant to each other. But it doesn’t change the fact that he lied about some very important things, and whenever I think of that, it’s hard not to get mad.”
The king stops to scrutinize my face. “There’s a very fine line between love and hate. And sometimes, unintentionally, those lines blur. I am not saying this to make you feel guilty or to pass any of the blame your way, because that is most definitely not the case. Axton is entirely responsible for his own actions, but do not underestimate the impact your rejection had on someone like him. You were his sole purpose. One could argue his sole reason for living. When that purpose was taken away from him, he floundered. With you gone, what did he have to focus on?”
Guilt is twisting my stomach into knots, and my conviction is waning in the face of such blatant truth. Can I truly do this? Is there any way back from this? How can I convince Ax of anything when I’ve destroyed his world?
Seemingly oblivious to my plight, the king continues talking. “His identity has been wrapped up in yours for so long that I doubt he knows who to be without you. His desperation made him vulnerable, and Griselda exploited that in some way. It’s her standard modus operandi.”
A heartrending sob flees my mouth as tears trickle from the corners of my eyes. In an instant, Logan is charging around the corner, striding toward me like a modern-day white knight. Reeling me into his arms, he smooths a hand up and down my back. “It’s okay, Angel. It’s not your fault. Sshh.” He holds me tight against his body as he shoots daggers at King Coryn. “Did you need to go there? This is hard enough without loading additional guilt on the pile.”
“Logan,” I whisper, scrubbing at my teary eyes. “Don’t.” I’m mortified, even though I love him for rushing to my side the minute he felt my heaving emotions.
“My intention was to merely prepare her for the task ahead.” A gentle hand lands on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Sadie. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I shuck out of Logan’s embrace. “No, I’m sorry. You didn’t say anything I haven’t already thought, and I should be stronger than this.” He shoots me a compassionate look. I look up at Logan. “I’m okay now. Go. We’ll catch up in a minute.”
Pressing his lips to my forehead, he eyeballs the king over my head and sends him a silent warning. I give him a gentle shove and turn to face King Coryn. “How are you doing?” I ask softly, and he knows I’m referencing Dante without me having to mention his name. I can’t get the word out of my mouth without the risk of accompanying vitriol. Even though I despise Dante with the intensity of a thousand white-hot suns, I don’t want to disparage the king’s newly revealed son in his presence or add to his burden.
He clasps his hands behind his back as we begin walking. “Not good, if I’m honest.” I nod in understanding. “I’m still struggling to process my emotions, but of one thing I’m sure—I don’t wish to see him executed. I will support whatever punishment is meted out, once he can live.”
I shove my hands in my pockets as we approach the meeting room. The door is open, and the sounds of hushed conversations tickle my eardrums. Reaching out, he holds my elbow. “In a lot of ways, I can relate to your situation. Dante hasn’t had the best upbringing, and I’m crippled with guilt for not working it out sooner. I wish I could be there for him. I wish I could’ve convinced him not to leave that day in the tunnels.” He shakes his head sadly.
I pat his hand. “I know, but you can’t change the past; you can only influence the here and now. And, it’s exactly as you said to me, you’re not responsible for his behavior, so don’t take the blame. Sooner or later, Dante will have to face the consequences of his actions, whatever they may be.”
“Visitors docking.” The automated voice echoes in the quiet corridor. No one uses this compound—it was built purely to throw off any enemies should they find a way to breach the planetary boundaries—and we are the only ones here tonight. Convening at this late hour was also strategic because the fewer people that know about this meeting, the better.
“Come on. They will be here momentarily.” The king motions me forward, stepping sideways to allow me enter the room first. Logan, Haydn, and Rylan are standing at attention at the head of the room, surrounded by the armed guards. Logan extends his hand, pulling me into his side. King Coryn stands on my other side, clutching his hands behind his back. Logan wraps his arms around me and holds me to his chest. “I hate that we have to play it this way. If anything happens to you …”
“I’ll be fine. Try not to worry.”
Haydn mumbles something under his breath, and I slant forward to look at him. He’s had a permanent scowl on his face since we left Saven. His eyes meet mine, and I stick my tongue out in a deliberate attempt to lighten the mood. He returns the gesture, and I snort-laugh. Stretching across Logan, he takes my hand. “I never thanked you yesterday, for rescuing me. That was rude, I’m sorry. I’m eternally grateful to you, Sadie.”
And yes, I flush beet-red.
Briefly, I wonder if there’s some medical procedure I can undergo to stop my blushing. Logan’s lips twitch as he picks up on the thought. “Yes,” he confirms. “But I’ll never let you get it. I love your blushing.” I mock slap his chest.
“I’m glad I could be there for you, Haydn, because you’ve done it enough times for us,” I reply sincerely.
Logan grudgingly releases me from his arms at the sound of approaching footfalls. I force the muscles in my shoulders and back to relax, determined to at least look like I’m unruffled. I don’t want Ax to see the bag of nerves I am beneath the surface. An angsty, fluttering feeling invades my chest, and I think I might throw up. It’s been over a month since I’ve seen him, and we didn’t exactly part on good terms.
I’ve no idea what to expect.
A stream of armed Tor soldiers troops into the room, brandishing weapons and accompanying antagonistic looks. The soldiers part, and Ax steps forward. My heart stutters as his gaze locates me in a split second. I scan him from head to toe. He’s lost weight, and his hair is getting longer again. The pink eye contacts are in place, though that’s not surprising. I don’t think the Tor will be understanding of his dual heritage, especially if they discover who his father was.
As Ax holds my gaze, there isn’t an ounce of emotion in his vacuous eyes. He merely stares at me like one would stare at a block of wood or any inanimate object that holds no fascination or interest at all. My mouth is as dry as sand, and my eyes grow glossy, but still nothing. Nada. No reaction whatsoever, although he hasn’t removed his eyes from me, not even to acknowledge the others in the room. This is worse than I thought, and I step toward him without any hesitation.
“Sadie.” Logan reaches for me, but I brush his arm away, stepping slowly toward Ax.
The Tor soldiers tilt their weapons in my direction, and I sense the Saven Royal Guard moving into position behind me. Never taking his eyes off me, Ax holds up one hand in warning, and the soldiers back off.
“Ax.” Tears threaten to spill from my eyes as I stand toe-to-toe with him, examining his cold eyes. “I’ve missed you,” I whisper. “Are you okay? Did she hurt you?”
He continues to stare at me, mute and detached, and I can’t tell what the hell is going on in his mind. Unease wafts through the air like a stealthy breeze. Tentatively, I reach out and take his hands in mine. “I’m sorry.”
Oh, God, Ax, you’ve no idea how sorry I am for doing this to you again. I don’t care what you did—you don’t deserve this.
He extracts his fingers from my grip, and my hands drop down loosely by my side as he continues to impale me with that expressionless face. He’s starting to scare me now—he’s like a complete and utter stranger, and I’m feeling less confident with every passing minute.
Ax juts his chin up, looking over my head at Logan. A fleeting reaction sparks in his eyes, but it’s gone so fast I don’t have time to decipher it. “I will keep this brief, because I don’t have long. If my ship is out of range for more than an acceptable period, I will attract unwanted scrutiny. My mother hasn’t given up on her plans to destroy you and Dante, and she has her sights set on Sadie now as well. As soon as the Tempo is up and running, she’ll put her new plans into action. I can offer you protection provided you are prepared to make sacrifices as a trade-off.”
Every hair on my body lifts.
A muscle pops in Ax’s jaw, and it’s the only sign that he isn’t a lifeless droid.
“What do you propose?” Logan’s voice rings out clear and loud. I twist my body around so I can see him. His face is also impressively neutral.
Ax crosses his arms over his chest. “I’ll destroy the Tempo, get rid of my mother, and assure you of Torc’s neutrality in exchange for Sadie.”
I gasp, but Ax’s focus and expression doesn’t waver. “Sadie will renew our wedding vows and live with me on Torc for the rest of our days. That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.”
CHAPTER 4
“You are seriously bargaining with her life? And you claim to love her?” Haydn is primed to explode. “You are one sick muthafu—”
“That’s enough, Officer Rox. I speak for Saven, not you.” Logan glares at Haydn before turning it full-tint on Ax. “No deal. Absolutely no way. Not for a single, solitary second will I even consider your proposal.” He turns furious eyes on me. “Come here.” He extends his hand, and I walk slowly toward him, casting a furtive glance over my shoulder at Ax.
Logan tucks me in under his arm, almost squeezing the life out of me. “What else can we offer you? Money? Planets? Help in securing your leadership position? Anything. I’ll give you anything you want. Except Sadie. She’s. Mine.” He growls out the word and the sheer possessiveness in his tone isn’t lost on anyone in the room. Pinning furious eyes on Ax, he continues, his voice resonating with pronounced bitterness. “She’s always been mine, and you stole enough of her life as it is. In fact, if you think about this practically, you owe me. You should be doing this without expecting anything in return, as a way of paying off the debt.”
Oh, hell. Logan is starting to lose his focus now that it’s turning personal. “Logan!” I hiss. “Stop it.”
“Stay out of it, Sadie. I’ve got this.”
I grind down hard on my teeth as I glower at him.
A tiny flicker of emotion washes over Ax’s face. “It’s Sadie or nothing. And you’ve got”—he pulls up a holographic timer—“two minutes to decide before I leave.” He pins Logan with a smug look.
“How do I know you’ll keep your word? That you won’t take me and then backtrack?” I ask.
“I guess you’ll have to trust me.”
Haydn barks out a laugh, and Logan opens his mouth to speak again when I hold up a hand, halting him. “And what is your mother going to do if you rock up to Tor with me in your pocket? You’ve said she wants to kill me, so how can you genuinely offer me protection?”
“I will tell her that I made a deal with you. That I promised we wouldn’t pursue Logan if you came with me without argument. She still needs you to head up her new Assassins Program so we can use that as leverage.”
Haydn coughs in a derisory fashion. “Griselda may be convinced of Sadie’s value enough to keep her alive temporarily, but she’ll never agree to drop her pursuit of Logan. Don’t bullshit us. You’ll never be able to persuade her to leave him alone.”
“And that’s exactly why I’ll tell her I lied to you. That I had no intention of honoring my bargain. That this was all about getting Sadie back.”
I shiver profusely at his words, requiring little persuasion to accept them as the truth. But the real question is whether it’s Ax’s truth or his mother’s. Is this a double bluff?
Logan visibly stiffens. “You’re playing us.”
Axton doesn’t betray any reaction. “I may hate you—and for the record, I do—but you are still my brother. Your planned death never sat right with me. It still doesn’t. I want nothing to do with you, but I won’t have a hand in your death either. I’ll tell Mother what I have to in order to buy us enough time. Then I’ll eliminate her as a threat.”
“And how do you plan to do that?” Haydn’s expression grows thoughtful.
Ax looks down at me. “Are you up for this?”
I know what he’s asking, and I’m more than up for it. “Yes. I can do it. Did you tell your mother about the cuff bands?” If Griselda knows those bands can’t restrain me, she’ll lock me up in some impenetrable cell.
“She doesn’t know. She won’t see you as a threat once you are wearing those bands.”
“Okay. Good.”
Logan turns venomous eyes on me. “What are you doing? There’s no way in hell you’re leaving with him. No way you are doing this. Forget it!”
My heart is thundering in my chest as I duck out from under Logan’s arm. “There isn’t time to debate this, and he won’t accept anything else.” I wet my lips nervously. “I have to go with him. You know it too, but you don’t want to face up to it,” I add quietly.
Logan’s face crumples, and it sends splintering pain whipping through me. “No, Sadie. No.” His voice croaks as fear ripples across his face. “I won’t sacrifice you. I love you too much. We can go into hiding.” His voice raises a desperate notch. “Or move back to Earth. You have some tech that can help shield us, right?” He turns frantic, pleading eyes on King Coryn as he grasps at straws.
“One minute,” Ax says in a bored voice.
“Logan.” My voice quivers with emotion as I link our hands. “It’s because I love you so much that I need to do this. This is our best chance to defeat Griselda and take the Tempo out of the equation. All will be lost otherwise. You know I’m making sense. Ax will stick to the deal once I’m by his side. Right, Ax?” I look over my shoulder at him.
He nods curtly.
I refocus my attention on Logan as tears start pumping out of my eyes. “We have lived with the shadow of separation our entire lives. Before we even knew of each other’s existence, fate conspired to keep us apart. We’ve always known it could come to this. I don’t want to leave you any more than you want me to leave, but think of your people. Think of everything you are trying to achieve. If we’ve to sacrifice our love, our future life together, to ensure it’s accomplished, then that is what we must do.”
Sobs burst free of my chest, and my knees go out from under me as I contemplate the magnitude of what I’m about to do. I drop to the floor, uncaring that everyone can see me falling apart. Logan sinks to the floor with me, tears glistening in his eyes as he pulls me into his embrace. I clutch onto his shirt and bury my nose in his neck, committing his scent to memory.
“Sadie,” he croaks. “I can’t live without you.” My sobs pick up in earnest, and then his lips collide with mine. Holding my head in place, he kisses me softly and sweetly and with such tenderness that I almost come undone. His kisses convey everything in his heart, and I hope that mine are doing the same for him. He’s going to need it to keep him going in the days ahead.
“It’s time to go, Sadie.” Ax’s voice is like steel as he grips me by the shoulders and tears me away from Logan.
Haydn grabs Logan up, shaking him as Ax’s arm winds around my waist and I’m trapped against his hard body. “Have you lost your Goddamned mind?” Haydn yells. “You cannot let him take her. Arrest them until we decide what we want to do.”
At that exact moment, the corridor outside vibrates with the pounding of approaching footsteps. Row upon row of Narik soldiers line up outside, blocking the entrance, as the Saven guards and Tor soldiers activate their weapons, facing off in the room.
King Coryn steps forward, entering the conversation for the first time. His gaze flits to Ax, who is tightening his grip on me. “I’m sorry, Axton. You know how fond I’ve always been of you, so this isn’t anything personal. If this was Sadie’s choice, I wouldn’t stop you, but she’s being coerced, and I’m not okay with that.”
Weapons click and tensions heighten further.
There’s only one way of resolving this without bloodshed.
I clear my throat, consciously avoiding Logan’s face. “I want to go with Ax. I’m going voluntarily. Please call off your soldiers.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Haydn storms toward me, clasping my arm. “You know he isn’t trustworthy! Don’t do this! I’m begging you, Sadie. Please.”
