Shards of Hope (Psy-Changeling 14)

Miane’s expression didn’t change but her eyes became even colder. “I want to see her.” It was an order.

“The squad has no reason to trust you,” Aden said flatly, and Zaira realized he was responding as another alpha, one who was making it plain that Miane Levèque was a guest in his territory with no rights to demand anything.

A changeling alpha would respect nothing less.

“If she comes to harm in your care, it will be considered a hostile act.”

“Her brain is fried on Halcyon—she did the harm herself.”

Zaira caught the slight change in Miane’s features, identified it as surprise. The BlackSea alpha hadn’t expected drugs to be in the mix.

Stance becoming less aggressive, she said, “I would request a chance to talk to Olivia.” This time, the words were polite. “She may speak to me when she wouldn’t to you.”

Aden held her gaze before giving a small nod. “We’ll permit the visitation, but you’ll be observed.”

“Please make certain the observer isn’t in close proximity. She needs to scent her pack, no one else.”

“Understood.”

“Jim?”

“This way.”

Aden led the BlackSea alpha and her two guards to the lab. With the Venice compound clearly compromised, there was no reason to maintain secrecy. Those Arrows who wanted and had earned a life out of the spotlight had already relocated to other covert squad properties. Most had chosen the valley.

This compound would soon cease to exist.

Inside the lab, Miane Levèque stepped close to Jim Savua’s thin but still muscled body in silence and took his hand. His brown skin was dull and yellowed against the healthy glow of hers, his face bearing the ravages of Halcyon. A haunting humming sound came from Miane’s throat a second later, the purity of it sinking into Zaira’s bones and surging through her blood.

Reaching out to touch her fingers to the male’s closed eyelids after what was clearly a song of sorrow, the BlackSea alpha turned to the pathologist. “The drug use is confirmed?” she asked and though her tone was even, it held the roughness of grief.

“Beyond any doubt.”

“Thank you.” She turned to Aden, a wet gleam in her eyes.

The sign of vulnerability surprised Zaira . . . except Miane Levèque wasn’t vulnerable even at that instant. Her strength pulsed under her skin, her sadness stealing nothing from the anger that burned in her gaze.

An alpha mourning a lost packmate and unafraid to show her emotions.

“If the squad has no objections,” she said, “we will take our packmate to the sea that was his home.”

Aden looked to the pathologist. “Release the body.”

Walking out with the BlackSea alpha after she ordered one of her guards to arrange the transport, Aden held out a blindfold. “If you wish to see Olivia, there are certain conditions. Including the fact that you alone will be taken to where she’s being held.”

A sudden stiffness in the spine of the tall, wide-shouldered male in a black suit who shadowed Miane. He leaned down to speak in her ear, his voice so quiet that Zaira picked up nothing. The BlackSea alpha angled her head to respond and her voice, too, was subvocal. One thing was clear, however. The two were having an argument.

He doesn’t want her to go alone and he’s determined to push the point, Zaira ’pathed to Aden. Certainly no cipher.

Aden glanced at her. A strong alpha isn’t scared by the strength of those around him or her, Commander.

Zaira resisted the temptation to touch him, though it was difficult when he was once again making her heart ache. Who do you think will win this argument?

I wouldn’t bet against either.

Miane Levèque turned back to them. “Will transporting Olivia here do her harm?”

“Yes,” Aden replied. “She’s currently hooked up to drip meds and in a special medical bed that monitors her vitals.”

The BlackSea alpha held out her hand for the blindfold, gave it to the guard who’d argued with her, the one who was most probably her lieutenant. Jaw clenched, he nonetheless wrapped it around her eyes and tied it securely, his expression making it clear that if anything happened to his alpha, he would rip them all to shreds with his bare hands.

Zaira decided she liked him.

Abbot had been on standby for this contingency and now appeared to teleport Miane Levèque to the facility, along with Zaira. Aden remained in Venice with Miane’s guards, a deliberate decision on his part—he wanted to make sure he was on hand should BlackSea have brought more reinforcements.

At present, the squad had no way of knowing whether or not the water-based changelings had acted against the squad as a group, or whether Jim and Olivia had broken away for reasons of their own.

Guiding the alpha to the correct room with a touch of her fingertips against Miane’s upper arm, Zaira ushered her inside. “You may remove your blindfold once I shut the door.” The room was a generic infirmary room, with no windows and nothing else that would betray its location.

“Thank you.”

Zaira pulled the door shut, authorizing a computronic lock before removing herself from the vicinity and using her organizer to connect to the feed from the room. Having already pulled down the blindfold, Miane Levèque let it hang around her neck as she closed the distance from the door to the bed.

Reaching Olivia, who had her eyes closed, Miane put her hands on either side of the woman’s face and leaned in so close that her breath mingled with Olivia’s. Her lips moved, the words inaudible.