Fated Blades (Kinsmen)

Matias turned back to his wife. A bit of color had come back to Cassida’s face.

“That’s all you care about, isn’t it? Your stupid company. Your demented research. I ran away with another man, and you don’t even care.”

“On the contrary, I care a great deal.”

“You—”

“Quiet,” he told her.

She winced and clamped her mouth shut.

Solei emerged from the staircase onto the balcony, carrying a tablet. He brought it over and nodded. “Data recovered.”

Karion had performed the same maneuver, offering his own tablet to his sister. Ramona took it. Her face had shut down. Her stare was flat.

Matias wanted to walk over, put his arms around her, and whisper in her ear that they were alive, and everything was going to be fine. Instead, he called up the divorce agreement on his tablet and put it on the table in front of Cassida. “Sign.”

She raised her chin. Her hands trembled. “And if I don’t? Will you kill me?”

“Do you really want to be married to a butcher who ruined your father?”

She shut her eyes, clenched her fists, and faced him. “I want a settlement. It’s in our contract. I’m entitled—”

“No.” Fury sparked in him, but he kept it in check.

“Matias . . .”

“You stole from my family. You betrayed me. You’ll get nothing.”

She recoiled.

“Don’t worry,” Gabriel said. “Varden’s payment should be enough.”

Cassida turned to him. “The transfer never went through.”

Gabriel frowned. “What do you mean?”

“There is nothing in the account,” she told him. “I’ve been watching it, and there is nothing. There was no transfer.”

This was painful.

“There would have been no transfer,” Matias said. “They might have honored their word if your father had remained useful, but without him, you have no leverage.”

“These men slaughter children for personal enjoyment,” Ramona snapped. “They massacre civilians. Why should they pay you when shooting you in the head is so much cheaper and likely more satisfying? Did you not do any basic homework to research the people you were dealing with?”

Cassida opened her mouth, looked at Matias, and swallowed. “What am I supposed to do now?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” he said. “My patience is growing short. Sign it, Cassida. Before I lose my temper.”

She grabbed the tablet, signed her name, and sealed it with her thumbprint. The tablet flashed green. The divorce was filed.

Ramona turned to her husband.

Gabriel gave her a soft smile. It took everything Matias had to keep from punching the man in the face.

“I suppose it’s time to go home,” Gabriel said.

“No.”

Ramona’s voice cut like a seco blade.

She thrust her tablet at Gabriel.

He took it and studied the screen. His expression turned mournful. “My family won’t like this.”

“Your family can go fuck themselves.” Ramona sounded merciless. “I will send them the recording of your theft, your adultery, and all of this. They are welcome to come down to the planet and talk to me about it.”

Gabriel looked at her. “You’re so angry.”

“Sign,” she ground out.

“Let’s talk about this,” he said. “I don’t want to go back. We can make this work.”

“It never worked. You never tried.”

“We had fun,” he said.

“You betrayed me.”

“It was a very small thing. I know I shouldn’t have left, but she was pretty and persuasive.”

“You fucking coward,” Cassida snarled.

“It was an interesting adventure. Now I am ready to come home. It’s not fun anymore.”

Ramona made a choking noise.

Gabriel smiled again, the weak smile of a spoiled child who would take his scolding knowing no real consequences would follow if only he waited it out. “I never meant any harm. I wouldn’t have left the planet.”

Ramona stared at him. It was a harsh, predatory stare, and it radiated so much menace it penetrated even Gabriel’s thick skull.

He took a small, hesitant step back, his expression confused rather than scared. He was obviously not afraid of Ramona. He must’ve become convinced that no matter what he did, she wouldn’t hurt him because he was weaker than her and she’d consider injuring him beneath her. That’s how he had gotten away with all of it, Matias realized. He’d simply avoided presenting himself as a threat, and now he was trying to do it again.

“Sign the annulment, Gabriel. You’re a chain around my neck, and I’m tired of carrying your deadweight. I would hurry if I were you, before I decide to cut myself free.”

Gabriel’s expression turned sad and slightly chiding. “I don’t want to,” he said. “I would be all alone.”

That was more than Matias could stand. He grabbed the other man by the throat, dragged him across the table, and held him at his eye level.

Alarm flared in Gabriel’s eyes.

Matias opened his mouth and pronounced each word clearly. “I will break you.”

Alarm burst into fear. Gabriel turned to Ramona, his eyes wide. She looked back at him, making no move to help.

Matias gripped his throat tighter and squeezed until he saw the precise moment Gabriel realized that no help would be coming. He clawed at Matias’s hand. Matias held him for another second and then dumped Gabriel on the ground at Ramona’s feet. She held the tablet out. “Sign.”