Starfall (Starflight #2)(77)

“Land ho,” Gage said in a mock sailor’s voice while pointing beyond the pilot controls to a glowing marble in the distance. “There’s your home.”

Dread congealed in Cassia’s stomach. She wasn’t ready for this.

“Now, let’s make like a null matrix element and vanish.”

She slid him a glance. “A null-matrix-what?”

“Sorry,” he mumbled, going a little red in the cheeks. “Science-nerd humor. I’m cloaking us so no one will pick up our signal.”

With the press of a button, their ship became undetectable to satellites and radar. Gage’s cruiser had all the latest gadgets, one of the reasons she had asked for his help. The other reason had to do with his constant science jokes. He had a brilliant mind. It was Gage who’d listened to her description of Kane’s erratic behavior and theorized their plague was really an addiction. As soon as he’d suggested it, Cassia had known he was right. Half of her people were in withdrawal, Kane included, all of them in danger of losing their free will to Marius or to the mafia. But if anyone could find a way to break their dependency, it was the prodigy by her side.

“Thanks again for all this,” she said, waving a hand to indicate the ship and beyond. She knew how busy Gage was with his start-up business. “I can’t pay you right now, but I’ll wire you the credits as soon as I can.”

“Like I need your money,” he dismissed with a grin. “You see, I invented this super-fuel called Infinium. Maybe you’ve heard of it?”

She gave his arm a playful shove. “I think Solara had it backward when she called you the evil twin. Doran never flew me across two sectors in a private cruiser.”

“And let you have the master quarters.”

“And that.”

“Well, don’t count me out. I could be evil if I tried.”

“It’s too late. I already like you.”

His smile warmed, but at the same time, defeat rounded his shoulders. “That goes both ways. Even though I know I don’t stand a frosty chance in hell with you.”

Because of Kane.

She had managed to forget about him for a fraction of a second. The reminder was a blow to the stomach.

Gage reached over and touched her hand. “They’re going to find him.”

“I know they will,” she agreed. That wasn’t the problem. What kept her awake most nights was wondering how much of the old Kane—her Kane—would be left after the crew tracked him down. She had no idea what was happening on Adel Vice, but if the mafia was involved, it couldn’t be good. “Let’s talk about something else.”

Nodding, Gage gestured ahead, where Eturia loomed beneath a protective bubble of static. “How about we discuss that shield? I can disable it with a surge bomb if you want.”

“No!”

He flinched. “You win. No surge bomb.”

“I’ve seen your toys in action. No need for that.” She pointed at the southernmost continent. “Once we’re in range of the shield controls, I’ll issue a ten-second override. That’ll give us plenty of time to get through. Then we’ll head straight for my security station before anyone sees us.”

“Want to radio your people?”

“Not while there’s a chance Marius might overhear.” She didn’t want him to know she was home until she knew how to handle him. “This’ll be a surprise stop.”

“You got it, boss.”

Cassia smiled. At least she had great friends.

They continued ahead and made it past the shield without a hitch. Gage piloted the ship so swiftly toward the ground that her guards didn’t notice the cruiser until it hovered above the landing pad. Then they came scrambling out of the station like ants under attack. As soon as Gage touched down and shut off the engines, Cassia used the external speaker to tell the surrounding troops to back away from the ramp.

“Lower your weapons,” she called. “Your queen has returned.”

She descended the ramp expecting to find General Jordan standing among his fellow officers, but he wasn’t there. His second-in-command greeted her instead. The man didn’t know where Jordan had gone, but his trembling hands, combined with the glistening of sweat on his forehead, told her Gage had just gotten his first patient. She ordered the officer to escort Gage to the lab, and then she strode inside the security station, where she stopped at Jordan’s desk.

His chair looked odd without him in it. He’d sat there during so many of their talks that it almost seemed like a part of him. She picked up his data tablet and switched it on. They’d discussed arranging a meeting with the other noble houses to form an alliance against Marius, and she wanted to see if he’d made any notes. She scrolled through the recent entries until she read something that caught her eye. Jordan had already met with the heads of those houses—a week ago. Each family had agreed to fight against Marius on the condition that Cassia reinstated their lands and titles after her husband was executed.

Jordan had declined on her behalf. Without asking her.

Before she could stop it, Renny’s warning echoed inside her head. He’s in a perfect position to stage a military coup. It happens all the time.

“No,” she whispered. That didn’t make sense. Aside from the fact that she trusted Jordan, he was the one who’d put her on the throne to begin with. They were on the same team, and to prove it, she reached for her wrist to summon him.