War Bride (Battle Born #7)(28)
“Are others allowed to listen in on your conversations?”
He stilled and resentment hardened his expression. “It’s not like we have a choice. As I said, the implants are mandatory.”
It was obvious she was venturing near painful elements of his life, but understanding Tonn could help her understand Kryton. “Why did you join the military or is military service mandatory as well?” She’d researched Rodymia after her first couple of dreams featuring Kryton. But her interaction with Kryton and Tonn had shown her that most of the information had been tainted by prejudice and much was utter nonsense.
“Two types of people join the Rodyte military,” Tonn told her. “The first are sons of the elite. Their commissions are purchased by their families. Higher prices guarantee higher starting ranks. They’re educated and trained for command. And most spend their entire lives climbing the ranks of leadership.”
“Kryton falls into this category?”
Tonn nodded. “He belongs to one of the six founding families. The Lux empire is old and substantial. He had two older brothers when he first reported for training. Both have since passed beyond.”
“Yet he remains in the military. Why?”
“It’s the only life he’s ever known. It made more sense to hire estate managers than to abandon the career he’s spent a lifetime building.”
More death and loss. No wonder Kryton was morose so much of the time. Every person he’d ever loved had been taken from him. She tried not to think about Kryton, but his image lingered in her mind. He’d suffered so much and yet became so successful. According to Tonn, Kryton was one of the youngest generals to ever earn the rank and he now had eleven ships under his command.
If it weren’t for his willingness to use her, she might respect, even admire him.
She shook away the troubling thoughts and refocused on Tonn. “What about you? Why did you choose the military?”
He scoffed. “People like me don’t ‘choose’ the military. We begrudgingly turn to the military for basic survival when we have no other choice.”
He didn’t offer specifics, but she understood the concept. The military offered housing and food, not to mention a sense of belonging and a purpose. Such things were appealing for those without resources or a support system. “How long is the initial commitment?”
“Ten years.”
Her eyes widened and compassion flowed through her being. “That seems excessive. Is there any way to leave if the soldier wants out?”
Tonn shook his head. “That’s called desertion and deserters are shot on sight.”
“Wow.” It was hard for her to imagine such inflexibility. Everyone on Bilarri was encouraged to explore, to flow from one occupation to the next until they found the perfect fit.
“So what is life like on Bilarri?”
Before she could answer, Kryton walked into the room. Her heart fluttered and tingly heat crawled across her skin. It hadn’t been twenty minutes. It had barely been ten. Was he anxious to see her? She hadn’t realized how much she missed him until her body reacted to his arrival. He appeared virile and commanding without saying a word. And having all that intensity focused on her was exhilarating.
Tonn motioned toward the platters in the middle of the table. “There’s plenty of bokton left. Have you dined?”
“Later.” Kryton waved away the suggestion as his gaze settled on Skyla. “What did you need?”
She needed him to stop ignoring her. She was lonely, bored, and anxious to earn her freedom. Except freedom meant she’d never see him again. A strange heaviness dropped into her stomach and she found herself saying, “Are you sure you don’t want something to eat? I’m not the only one who forgets about food.”
Kryton’s brows arched but his gaze softened as he moved to one of the empty chairs and sat. Tonn went to the kiosk and printed a clean plate and flatware for Kryton, but Kryton’s attention never shifted from her. “So answer Tonn’s question. I’m interested in the answer as well.” His deep voice played across her senses, creating more tingles and breathlessness. Apparently, he didn’t need to touch her to arouse her. All he had to do was enter a room.
She shook away the sensual haze. “What was life like on Bilarri?” He nodded and Skyla debated what to tell them. Compared to the harsh structure of the Rodyte military, her life would seem frivolous. “After my formal education, I was trained by a guild master. The two combined took twenty-five years.”
Tonn returned to the table and handed Kryton the napkin-wrapped flatware and a plate. “How long have you been out of training?”
She smiled at the younger man. “If I told you that, you could calculate my age.”
“All right.” Tonn returned her smile. “Then do you have an occupation? And if not, how do you spend your time?”
“I’m a consultant for various museums, auction houses, and insurance companies. I verify the authenticity and establish the value of art and antiques. My specialty is anything from the Pylean era, which has become quite popular in recent years.”
Tonn just stared at her with a blank expression, but Kryton chuckled. “There’s not much call for those skills on Rodymia.” Kryton filled his plate as he went on, “Your other skills, however, might garner some interest.”