AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The regent’s son laughed.
As Rance stewed in his frustration, Umar turned to murmur something to his guards, who turned reluctantly and marched out, presumably to stand watch outside. He must not want any witnesses to this conversation, Rance thought grimly. Which is a very bad sign.
“So if we release your werewolf,” the regent said after they were alone, “you’ll marry my son?”
“Yes.” Zarifa spoke with no hesitation at all. “But only after Rance sends word from the Freeworlds that he has arrived safely home.”
“You drive a hard bargain, my dear. But yes.”
He must think she’s an idiot. Rance ground his teeth in fury as he glared up at Gerik. A new thought struck him, and he went still. Of course he does. He’s controlled her every move for years. He has no idea what she’s capable of.
But Rance did. Zarifa was intelligent, determined, and capable. She knew who she was dealing with, and she knew they’d break any agreement they made. What’s more, she wouldn’t let them get away with it.
Which meant she had something in mind. He had to be ready to move when she put her plan in action.
Rance let his body go limp and dropped his head to the deck. Pretending submission to these bastards went against every instinct he had, but he knew his woman. She wouldn’t fail him. And he wouldn’t fail her.
“Yes, that’s right, dog. Give up.” Gerik smirked down at him in triumph. “You can’t win.”
Umar’s smile was so smug, hate threatened to choke Zarifa. The fact that he wore the arms of the emperor splashed across his cuirass only added to the insult. She ach
ed to see his blood fly, but years of practice let her keep the rage off her face. Instead, she widened her eyes in the guileless, earnest expression she’d learned to wear like a mask.
Umar didn’t realize it, but he’d made her a very good actor.
“You’ll let Rance take my ship, and you’re not going to interfere.”
Through his open visor, he gave her that benevolent look he wore whenever he was planning a betrayal. “Of course.”
“That’s not all.” She started reeling off further conditions, making them up as she went along as she moved into position.
Casus stood beside the regent, visibly basking in his role of trusted ally. Idiot. He was a dead man. Umar didn’t leave witnesses to his more flamboyant acts of evil, which was probably why he was using Casus and Aaren instead of his own valuable hackers. Knowing Casus, he’d probably been stupid enough to volunteer their services in bringing the werewolf in.
Captain Aaren stood behind him, his expression abstracted through his visor. Probably trying to make sure Rance didn’t break free of his control and kill Gerik.
Perfect. Still rattling off conditions, she stepped in close to the slaver and flicked her right wrist. The nanoblade dagger dropped into her hand even as she drove her left fist at Casus’s face.
Just as she expected, Aaren automatically jolted forward to defend him, swinging up a huge, armored hand to block her blow.
Zarifa drove her dagger into the underside of the bodyguard’s jaw, right in the seam between his helmet and throat guard. Aaren choked and went down, dead before he hit the ground.
And so was his control over Rance’s nanosystem.
Drop all controls on Rance.
Done.
Rance roared in a throaty blast of sound more lion than wolf.
Both Rance’s hands clamped hard around Gerik’s ankle before the ’borg even had time to react to Umar’s shout of alarm. As Aaren went down, Rance tossed his opponent into the air like a playing card.
Gerik hit the deck in a rattling crash of armor. Rance flipped over and sprang at him with a snarl. His armored fist hit the ’borg’s faceplate so hard, the tough visor spiderwebbed like glass. He hit it again, then a third time, intent on breaking through and killing Zarifa’s tormenter. His lips peeled off his teeth…
Gerik slammed both big hands into his chest and sent him flying with a heave. Rance hit the ground rolling and bounded to his feet before the stunned ’borg had time to rise. As he started back toward his enemy, something clattered against the toe of his boot. Rance bent, scooped up the sword he’d dropped, and began to stalk the man who’d abused and threatened Zarifa.
Gerik slapped his own faceplate, clearing away the broken visor. To Rance’s satisfaction, blood flowed from countless cuts on his face. “You’re dead, mongrel,” he hissed, his eyes wide and wild with rage. “And then I’ll fuck Zafira before I kill her.”
“No.” Rance swung his great sword into position. The anger that filled him was a cold, pure thing, as focused as a laser. “You’re just going to die.”
