Dragon's Storm (Legion Of Angels #4)(52)

“Colonel Windstriker,” Major Horn said, his voice strained.

Nero turned away from me to look at the new arrivals. “How are you getting along with Major Singh?”

Major Horn’s lips drew together into a thin line. Apparently, the answer was not at all. “She has been an asset. She placed a call, and an hour later, six new Magitech generators arrived here via airship. And thanks to her magical expertise, the barrier is up and running well ahead of schedule.” He was pointedly avoiding eye contact with her.

So the soul-crusher could fix things as well as she broke people. Who would have guessed?

“Glad I could help,” Major Singh replied with a smile. If I hadn’t seen her in action in the interrogation room, I’d never have believed she could be anything but pleasant.

Nero went to speak with her about the repairs, and Major Horn pulled back until he was standing beside me. It was as far from her as he could reasonably go in this room.

“Not a fan?” I whispered to him.

Major Horn turned his head toward me. “I’ve heard you don’t know when to keep your mouth shut.”

I grinned at him. “Nero tell you that?”

“Colonel Windstriker does not speak to me of personal matters.” He said Nero’s name with reverence, like he’d swim through a pit of burning lava just for the chance to kiss his ass. “Basanti has told me of your unique…quirks.”

So he and Captain Somerset were friends. I wasn’t surprised. People respected her, especially other Legion officers. It was hard not to. She was a competent soldier, and she had a wicked sense of humor. The nature of the Legion—what they put us through—made that a rare combination.

“Yes, I can’t shut up. Some people think it’s endearing,” I said.

“Like Colonel Windstriker?”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” I said wickedly.

“You and Basanti are a lot alike.”

“Is that your coy way of saying you want to be friends?”

“I’m not sure my career would survive that friendship. You have a talent for trouble.” A calculating gleam shone in his eyes. “Perhaps you could befriend Major Singh instead.”

“Somehow, I doubt she would appreciate my wanton wit.”

“You’re undoubtedly right.” He sighed with genuine disappointment. He must really hate her.

“Maybe you should ask her to be your friend,” I suggested.

“I tried that long ago, back when we were initiates. She deemed me unworthy to be in her company.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t have an angel parent.”

Ah, so Major Singh was another Legion brat.

“She and Colonel Windstriker were lovers once, you know,” Major Horn told me.

“Oh?” I replied casually, even as jealousy flared up inside of me.

Major Singh was beautiful and intelligent. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t flirting with Nero. Whatever had once existed between them, it was clearly over. In fact, they were both being perfectly professional. So then why did I want to punch her in her pretty face?

I counted down from ten, trying to calm myself. This was what Captain Somerset had warned me about, this jealous, murderous streak that the angels brought out in us. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t who I was.

“Rumor has it she is close to becoming an angel,” Major Horn told me, oblivious to my inner turmoil. “Her chances are good. She’s stationed in Los Angeles, working directly under the First Angel.”

I tried not to dwell on the fact that Nero had spent the past few weeks in Los Angeles, also working under Nyx. Maybe working with Major Singh. Maybe even working with her very closely.

So much for not dwelling. It was a good thing I didn’t have any telekinetic powers because my fury would have brought the roof down on her head. I was pretty close to getting elemental magic, though. A good earthquake would collapse the roof nicely.

“Are you all right?” Major Horn asked me.

I glanced down at my clenched fists, then smiled at him. “Just tired.”

I wasn’t tired. In fact, I’d never been so awake in all my life. There was nothing like seeing red that shot your body into overdrive.

Her discussion with Nero finished, Major Singh left the room. With her out of sight, my mood slowly began to cool, and reason returned to my mind. I couldn’t bring the roof down on someone just because she and Nero had once been lovers. It wasn’t nice to be a psychopath.

Major Horn’s wrist beeped, and he looked down at his watch. “Colonel, your next guest has just arrived.”

“What guest?”

“The one you asked the First Angel to send here to assist you in your mission.”

Nero gave him a hard look. “I never asked Nyx to send me anyone.”

The doors to the gym parted. Artificial light streamed inside, lighting up the silhouette of a man in a Legion uniform. My eyes adjusted, and I looked into the face of Major Harker Locke, the man who’d tried to poison me just half a year ago.





16





The Sea of Ice





Nero drew his sword, flames erupting across the blade. He pointed it at his former best friend.

“Nice to see you too, Nero.” Harker dipped his chin to me. “And you, Pandora,” he added with a smile on his lips.