Ascension Saga (Interstellar Brides): Book 6

“He told me to forget him, Trin. He looked at the bodies, stood up, and told me not to tell anyone we were mates and forget him. Move on. He called Nix and he left me there to wait for him. Why? Why did he do that?” The tears were rolling now and I couldn’t stop them.

Trinity put on her very best big sister face, the one I realized in that moment that I’d relied on my entire life. “He loves you. I saw it in his eyes. He must have said something else.”

“He said his family would be dishonored. That he’d lose everything and that I shouldn’t be associated with someone like him.” I wiped away my tears, anger building inside me, threatening to burst. “I don’t give a shit about money or who his parents are. Doesn’t he know that?”

“No, hon, he doesn’t. You’ve known him a few days. He knows nothing about Earth. He grew up here. A freaking lord. With castles and titles and status and money. He has no clue who we really are. None of them do.”

She squeezed my hand and as I stared into her eyes, seeing nothing but compassion and a stubborn streak that matched mine, I made a decision. “I’m not giving him up.”

“Of course you’re not. You have the full support of the royal family.” Her grin was pure mischief and I loved her more than ever. “We’re really fucking rich, Faith. Leo’s been showing me the books, and it’s insane. We have estates on every continent, business holdings, wildlife reserves, royal forests, we even own crap in outer space. Space stations and asteroid mines and some other stuff I don’t understand. We’re strong, and we’ll

help you keep him. Protect him. He’s family now. Okay?”

The sigh that rolled through me was real this time. No more worrying. No more indecision, although I had no idea how an asteroid mine could make things right with Thor. But, he was mine. He could just fucking deal because I wasn’t giving him up. “Okay.”

Trin sat back and crossed her arms. “If Lady Jax was the traitor, and she’s dead, that means… what? I’m confused.”

“Lord Wyse is the man behind the curtain.”

“And who’s pulling out book analogies now?” she countered.

“There’s a big difference between a Shakespearean tragedy and the Wizard from The Wizard of Oz.”

She sniffed, lifted her chin. “Mrs. Gomez would be totally proud of me for remembering that play.”

“Yeah, she’d have given you a B instead of a C.”

Trinity rolled her eyes. English hadn’t been her best class. Not because she wasn’t a fantastic student—as law school had more than proven—but because she’d thought the play was stupid, Juliet an idiot, and the whole feud between the families ridiculous and not worthy of her time. She was still stubborn like that.

“So, what about Lord Wyse?” she asked.

“He’s the mastermind. Lady Jax told Thor right before she died. It was a fucking horror movie, Trin, complete with death rattle confessions.” I shuddered.

For a second, she froze, mouth open, brain spinning.

“Lord Wyse?” she stood, paced in front of my bed. “He’s Mom’s cousin. Radella’s dad.”

“Exactly. Radella was the top of the royal heap after mom disappeared. Which is why you found her living in mom’s palace. They’re the most powerful and connected royal descendants, without us in the picture.”

She studied the carpet at her feet as she paced. “So he was behind the attack that killed my biological father and forced Mom to run. But he kept looking for her? Found Mom on Earth, kidnapped her—which still doesn’t make sense. Then he heard about a transport from Earth, connects the dots and wants us dead. When that attack failed, he worked with Lady Jax to make Zel come after me again at the reception?”

“I guess.” Trinity was the analyst, not me. And I was so heartsick over losing Thor that I could barely think straight.

“And when that failed, she tried to poison you? That doesn’t make sense. She didn’t know who you were.”

Trinity was right. Lady Jax had no idea. And it seemed a pretty bold move for someone like her to make.

“What was she going to do after you were dead, Faith? That’s cold-blooded murder. Not to be gross, but there would have been a body. Evidence. How was she planning on getting away with it?” Her pacing increased, and I sat up straighter, adjusting my pillows. So much raw energy and aggression pouring off her that she was making me nervous. My hands balled into fists and I felt the weird urge to go Kung Fu swirling in my gut.

She stopped dead in her tracks, her head snapping up, and I held my breath. Jeez, she was a stress-case.

“Lord Wyse.”

“What about him?”

“You said she told Thor he was behind everything.”

“She said his name. That was about it. She wasn’t in very good shape.” That was an understatement. But I hadn’t been watching her too closely. I’d been focused on Thor, on the lines of pain etched into his cheeks and around his eyes. Of the way his shoulders hunched and his voice cracked as he watched first his father, then his mother, die right in front of him. God. I couldn’t even imagine.