Rion (10 page)

Reality kicked in. This kiss wasn’t for the usual reasons. They had to hide their faces. Fast. When she didn’t try to pull
away, Rion eased up his hold but kept her tucked against his chest.

She hadn’t forgiven him. She shouldn’t want to lean closer into his hard muscles. She shouldn’t want his powerful arms wrapped
around her. She shouldn’t want him to make her feel safe.

She told herself her heart pounded with fear—not arousal. But already the Enforcers’ footsteps were fading from her awareness,
replaced by the sound of Rion’s breathing.

His kiss was hot, hard, and a haven against the outside threat. Fiery need ignited, and for a brief moment she sank into the
safety of his arms, gave way to the strong sanctuary of his protection.

His hand fisted in her hair.

An Enforcer shouted. Footsteps pounded past them.

Rion groaned and tore his mouth from hers, grabbed her hand, and dragged her down an alley to sweep her into a building and
through a set of double doors.

Damn it. What was wrong with her? Rion had kidnapped her, put her life in jeopardy. How could she have just melted in his
arms as if he were her gallant knight?

“Let’s hope Phen is here.” Rion moved into a dimly lit chamber. Merlin flew inside with them and settled on a hanging light
fixture.

She shook her head. “Where did he come from?”

“I have no idea,” Rion said. “But on Pendragon he proved very helpful. He’s always welcome.”

Within the chamber, solemn people sat in rows facing a fluted column that held a dish of green fire. They swayed in unison,
apparently praying. Music tinkled softly in the background. Burning incense floated in a dome-like pattern around the flames.

Marisa hoped they’d entered a sanctuary, a holy place the Enforcers wouldn’t violate. But Rion’s shoulders remained tense.
He led her to one side, past carved statues of men, women, and children in assorted poses that depicted daily life. Gilded
wall murals represented scenes from space—exploding suns, asteroids, planets.

Rion hurried her through an alcove and opened a door. She glanced over his shoulder. This room consisted of a bed, one chair,
a bookshelf filled with dusty magazines, and a tiny bathroom.

He led her inside, and again Merlin followed before Rion shut the door behind them. “We can rest here. The deacon allows those
in need to use this place for shelter.”

“You’ve been here before?”

“Yes.”

The owl perched on the bookshelf. Marisa stepped into the tiny bathroom, taking the opportunity to freshen up. She’d no sooner
washed her hands and rejoined Rion than a man barged into the room.

Merlin hooted.

Rion reached to his side, where a weapon glinted, and took a protective step in her direction. In the tiny room he didn’t
have to go very far to place his solid body between her and the stranger.

The intruder wore a brown cloak and a silver pin on his collar. His eyes were sharp, very brown, and wary. He held a flat
metal rectangle in his hand, consulted writing on it, and frowned. “You aren’t on my schedule. Who are you people? And how
did that creature get in here?”

Rion closed his fingers over the hilt of his knife. “We’re friends of Deacon Phen.”

“I see. Wait here and I’ll tell him you’ve arrived.” The man glowered at the owl and left in a hurry.

“Something’s wrong,” she told Rion.

“Yeah. I got that, too.” Rion eased his hand off his knife.

“He could be reporting us to the Enforcers right now. Shouldn’t we go?”

Before Rion answered, the door swung open again. Another large man wearing a brown hooded cloak stepped into the room. The
moment he saw Rion, he tossed back his hood to reveal a weather-beaten face, a full silver beard, a bushy mustache, and twinkling
blue eyes.

“Phen, you old space dog.” Rion grinned and wrapped the larger man in a bear hug.

Phen clapped Rion on the back. “Come back to save Honor, have you, boy? It’s about time.”

“I was hoping it wouldn’t be necessary.” Rion gestured her to come forward. “Marisa, I’d like you to meet Deacon Phen, my
mother’s brother and my uncle.”

Phen bowed, lifted her hand to his lips, and kissed it. “Pleased, my lady. Welcome.”

“Hello.” Marisa liked the man immediately, although she wasn’t sure why. “Sir, while I’m pleased to meet you, from the way
your associate greeted us, I fear we should not stay long.”

“Of course you’re staying. Just not here. The man’s not to be trusted.”

Rion turned to Marisa. “Phen believes in keeping his friends close and his enemies even closer.”

“Now, don’t be giving away all my secrets.” Phen shot Rion a glance, and Rion shook his head slightly.

She wasn’t sure what silent question had just been asked and answered, but it told her one thing—Phen and Rion had more secrets
they hadn’t revealed. What didn’t they want her to know?

Rion smoothly changed the subject. “Our stay won’t be long. I have to get back to Honor,” he said.

Phen frowned. “Come, we need to talk. Besides, the Infinity Circle is still closed.”

“Infinity Circle?” Marisa asked.

Phen explained. “The Infinity Circle is Honor’s ancient portal. For thousands of years, Honorians used the Infinity Circle
as a way station to the stars.”

Marisa guessed the rest. “And the ancient builders disappeared into antiquity?”

“Yes. The science behind the portals vanished with the builders, but their machinery has survived floods, wars, erosion, and
time. Let’s hope it survives the Unari.”

C
ONVERSATION ABOUT THE
Infinity Circle triggered one of Rion’s visions. He could still hear Marisa and Phen’s conversation, but he was also seeing
the distinctive monument.

Massive rounded boulders sat on the hillside overlooking the river Kai. Rectangular cross-stones spanned the tops of the boulders
to link them together.

Unari guarded the control panel, preventing any Honorian travel onto or off the planet. Unari guards patrolled the Infinity
Circle’s perimeter. Unari skimmers watched from the skies.

Rion sucked in a breath of surprise.

On the side of the hill, a group of Honorians worked in secret silence. They were digging a tunnel into the sloping area,
a tunnel aiming directly for the control panel.

Stars. They were taking the offensive.

The plan to retake the portal was bold.

His vision narrowed to follow one man as he crawled into the blackness. The rebels used planks to brace the ceiling, the narrow
passageway wide enough for only two men to slide by each other. They worked a bucket brigade, the men at the front of the
tunnel digging the earth, then sending it back in buckets, where others carefully dumped it into the river, the water carrying
away the evidence.

Rion’s vision flashed back outside to the Infinity Circle. The Unari patrols suddenly ran for their vehicles and drove away.
Even the guards abandoned the critical control panel. Every skimmer took to the sky.

Although he saw no reason for the retreat, Rion’s hopes rose. If the Unari fled, if Honorians took control of the Infinity
Circle…

The skimmers formed a line in the sky and circled over the river. They turned back, heading straight for the tunnel.

No! They were lining up a bombing strike.

And they knew exactly where to aim.

The skimmers dropped their deadly bombs from the sky and blasts shook the hillside. One of the upper stone links connecting
two boulders crashed to the earth with a thunderous thud and shot up a cloud of dust.

Suddenly Rion was back inside the tunnel. The planks of wood snapped like twigs. The tunnel collapsed; tons of earth and rocks
crushed the men. The lucky ones died immediately. The unlucky ones lasted until their air ran out.

No one survived.

P
HEN MOTIONED
M
ARISA
and Rion closer, then pulled a lever, and the room began to move smoothly straight down—like an elevator. She had no idea
how far they fell, but when Phen reopened the door, instead of going out into the house of worship they entered a huge open
space with designated areas for work, sleep, and food preparation, all in pinkish-gray steel. Merlin flew into the loft-like
space, and Phen hit a button, sending the smaller room back up to the surface.

“Come, eat, rest. Make yourselves at home. You should be safe here for a while. Your bird, too.” The deacon shot Rion a significant
look and frowned. “And we need to talk.”

“I’m in dire need of news. I’ve had no word from Honor for almost three years.” Rion didn’t change the tone or volume of his
voice, but she picked up on his anxiety.

Marisa damn sure didn’t approve of how Rion had kidnapped her. But she couldn’t help admiring his commitment to his people.
He hadn’t risked just her life but his own, too. And the reporter in her understood just how heroic and brave he was—even
as the woman in her resented his assumption that she would go along with whatever he wanted.

“You’ve been gone so long, I feared you might not ever return.” The deacon gestured for them to sit. He brought a tray with
fizzy blue drinks and a heavy platter of food from an oven. The assortment he was providing on such short notice amazed her.
Sweetmeats, casseroles, breads, vegetables, and crunchy crackers were a veritable feast. Either Phen had been cooking for
hours before they’d arrived, or the machine always kept hot food ready.

She was hungry again after all that walking. Of course, Marisa recognized none of the vegetables or meat. But the spices and
sauces smelled delicious, and her mouth watered. She filled a plate and began to eat with a spoon-like utensil with tines
on the end.

“Merlin. Food.” Rion tossed a piece of meat upward, and the owl snatched it out of the air and took it to a rafter.

“Tell me of my parents.” Rion sipped his drink and braced himself, as if expecting the worst. “Is there news?”

Phen dropped his head and stared at the floor. “They may still be alive, but if they are, they are now Unari slaves.”

Rion didn’t change expression, but shadows of pain clouded his eyes. “I feared as much.”

If Marisa had been told that her parents were enslaved or dead, she wouldn’t have been able to hold in the pain. Or the sobs.
But Rion stilled, going so stiff and silent that the air around him seemed brittle. And despite her anger with him, she couldn’t
help but feel sorry for him, too.

He’d lost… everything. His home. His parents. His world.

Rion went inside himself, but very aware of his pain Marisa yearned to touch him, hold him. And, she admitted to herself,
she wanted to drag him back into her arms again.

A low voice in the back of her mind whispered it was about time. It had been many years since her divorce.

As if sensing Rion needed time to pull himself together, Phen raised his head and looked at Marisa closely, especially interested
in the scales on her arms. “Where are you from?”

She glanced at Rion. He squared his shoulders, raised his chin, and eyes still bleak, he nodded. “I’m from Florida, in the
North American States.” At Phen’s blank look, she added, “Planet Earth.”

The deacon’s brow furrowed. “Earth? It’s on the Unari list. A very long list.”

“What list?” Marisa asked.

“You must understand, it’s not just Honor that the Tribes seek to dominate,” Rion explained, his tone bitter. “Every world
that falls to the Tribes gives their empire more resources and a wider base from which to spread their madness. They hate
dragonshapers and intend to enslave all free men under an absolute dictatorship. They replace enlightenment with fear and
darkness.”

Marisa kept her tone mild, but her pulse escalated. “You didn’t answer my question.”

Phen took a drink, settled into his chair, and looked at Rion. Again Rion nodded as if giving his uncle permission to speak.
“One of the Honorian rebels smuggled out a list of worlds. We believe this list is composed of planets the Unari plan to invade.
Earth is near the top of the list.”

Marisa gasped. “If the Unari are planning to attack my home, I should warn them.”

“They didn’t believe me. Would they believe you without any real proof?” Rion asked, his voice skeptical.

To her dismay, Marisa already knew the answer. Lucan had come back from Pendragon with the same supposition. And after all
he’d done for Earth, the authorities had questioned his sources and had demanded genuine evidence.

“Let me be clear,” Phen added, his demeanor serious. “We don’t know for certain if the list
is
an invasion plan. Maybe it’s a travel itinerary.”

“But you don’t think so?” Marisa pressed him, her hearts heavy. Earth could be facing the same fate as Honor.

Her parents, her brother, her sister-in-law, and their babies, everyone Marisa knew, could be in danger. Sickened, desperate
to warn them, she pressed her lips together to keep back a gasp of helplessness. But what could she do?

Her eyes met Rion’s. He’d kidnapped her to help free his people. She still couldn’t condone his actions… but she understood.
Because she, too, would do whatever she could to save Earth.

And while she could distract herself with everything going on, the kidnapping, the Enforcers, the Unari threat to Earth, Rion
was the one she looked to for help. She couldn’t deny that whenever she was near Rion, her hearts beat faster, that she was
more aware, more alive. Couldn’t deny she wanted to know him better.

Phen softened his tone. “It’s more likely the Unari are already on Earth. You see, the actual invasion is usually the last
stage of their domination plan.”

Rion pushed aside his untouched plate and poured another drink.

Marisa frowned. “What do you mean?”

“The Unari send moles in first. Spies. They do whatever they can to weaken a world, bankrupting strong countries, starting
wars, devaluing currencies.”

Rion spoke softly. “Chivalri was once the strongest and most prosperous country on all of Honor. Like England, Chivalri had
both a king and a representative democracy.”