Fain nodded. “You don the uniform, you know the hazards.”
“But they don’t all wear them by choice,” Saf reminded them. “And I was one of those.”
Madai said something to him that caused Saf to cup his hand and gesture at him.
While Hauk had no idea what that meant, the murderous expression on Madai’s face said it wasn’t a gesture for health or well-being. He passed a quirked brow at Saf. “Should I ask?”
“No. It’s not fit to be repeated. Even among you degenerates.”
Nykyrian glanced to Hauk. By the look on his face, he knew Nyk was thinking the same thing he was. “We’re going to have to destroy The League.”
Hauk nodded. “Tear that motherfucker down.”
“And Kyr will have to die.” Darling spoke up for the first time.
Madai curled his lip. “You don’t get to make that call, arito.”
Darling responded in Phrixian, which caused Saf to have to catch his brother before Madai attacked.
Safir spoke to Madai in Phrixian before he turned his attention back to the rest of them. “Darling’s right. We all know it. This won’t end until we bury our brother.”
Sadness darkened Madai’s face. “We are Phrixian and we will do what we must. But I would rather we take Kyr alive.”
“We will try,” Nykyrian said in true diplomatic mode.
Darling glanced at Nyk, then Hauk and Fain. “As much as I hate to admit it, Madai’s right. We need to plan a strategic response to cripple them and make sure they don’t hit us again without a strong sphincter clench.”
Bastien stepped forward. “You’ll need a war commander between your allied nations and the four main branches of the Tavali. Someone who can organize the logistics and make command-level decisions without running everything past your emperors, and waiting for their responses.”
Nykyrian nodded. “Someone who was Gyron Force would make a damn good one.”
Bastien shook his head. “I wasn’t a commander, Commander. And I have something to take care of, first. Besides, I don’t play well with others.”
Caillen laughed. “I think that statement applies to everyone in this room.”
Jayne snorted before she spoke. “You know who would be the best choice for this… Galene Batur.”
“Who’s he?” Madai asked.
“She,” Jayne stressed the pronoun, “is the current prime commander of the Andarion armada.”
Nykyrian considered it. “She’s damn good. A little abrasive —”
Fain burst into laughter. “And hell is a just a hot tub. Have you actually met her?”
“Ignore him,” Hauk said to Nykyrian. “He’s still seething over the little prank she played on him in school.”
“It wasn’t a little prank and she’s a nasty piece of work. Besides, the Phrixians won’t follow a female war commander, and with the exception of Darling, the Caronese won’t like it either.”
“Her record is flawless,” Jayne reminded him. “She’s fierce and doesn’t play games with anyone. She rose through the ranks the old fashioned way… she earned them.”
“You’re not seriously considering this?” Fain asked Nykyrian.
Nyk shrugged. “The Qillaq will have a hard time following a male into battle. And we can set her up with a male liaison who can relay her orders to the nations that don’t want to follow a female.”
Madai narrowed his gaze. “And who are you proposing for that?”
Hauk laughed evilly. “I vote Fain. He’s Tavali and has formal military training. Pretty much everyone loves him… Except Galene.”
Fain glared at him.
Hauk grinned at his seething brother. Galene was hell on earth, but he’d always liked her. She’d been extremely kind to him in school.
“I second it,” Darling said with a laugh.
Jayne nodded. “Thirded.”
Nyk inclined his head to them. “Then I’ll talk to her about it.”
“I hate all of you,” Fain snarled. “Bastards.”
A knock sounded on the door.
“Open,” Hauk said.
It slid up to show Syn in the hallway. “Hate to interrupt, but I need to talk to Hauk for a minute, in private.”
He left the others to join Syn outside. “What’s up?”
“I wanted to run something past you before I pitched it to your better half.”
Hauk frowned. “Yeah?”
He took a small vial from his pocket and handed it to Hauk. “I was able to pull a few favors and get that. It’s stronger than Prinum and will completely heal Sumi for her fight tomorrow.”
Impressive, but Hauk could tell by Syn’s tone it wasn’t quite as simple as it sounded. “What is it?”
“Experimental, which is why I’m asking before I say anything to Sumi and have you beat my ass for it. Right now, it’s Compound X943. It’s the latest in medical nanotech from Gouran. There’s only been very limited human trials so far, so we don’t know what, if any, side effects it might have.”
Hauk bit his lip. “What do you think?”
“I wouldn’t have sent for it if I thought it would hurt her in any way. But there’s always an unknown risk factor and I don’t want to make that call without letting both of you know the gamble.”
That was why he was so devoted to Syn. While the Rit could be a pain, he was always honest with his friends. “If it were Shahara?”
“I injected her with worse than that to get her pregnant.”
Now there was something Hauk hadn’t known. “Really?”
Syn nodded. “Believe me, I didn’t want to. But she was so desperate for a baby, and no one, not even the questionable agencies, would let us adopt. It was my last resort, and is why Devyn will remain her only child.”
Hauk still wasn’t sure. On the one hand, he wanted Sumi to have every advantage against Dariana. On the other…
If this went wrong, he’d never forgive himself.
But in the end, it wasn’t his decision to make. While her life meant more to him than anything else in the universe, it was still her life and not his. He would never substitute his reasoning over hers. “Let’s go ask her what she wants to do.”
He led Syn back upstairs where the women and Maris and Ture were still in Kalea’s room. As soon as he opened the door, he froze at the sight of mother and daughter in matching tunics and leggings, while they were placing the same exact outfit on Kalea’s doll.
Now that was adorable and hilarious.
And rather frightening.
Sumi looked up at him with a bright smile that wrenched his gut. She kissed Kalea’s cheek and handed her off to his grandmother before she excused herself.
Hauk glanced over to the other clerks who’d come with clothes for Sumi. He’d forgotten about them. But luckily, they were packing to leave. “Sorry to disturb you.”
She scoffed. “Baby, you never disturb me. I welcome your presence anytime.” She gave him a quick kiss that made him ache for an empty house and open schedule. “What do you need?”
He inclined his head to Syn, who quickly explained the drug to her.
She frowned as she considered it. “What do you think?” she asked Hauk.
“I trust Syn completely, but it’s up to you. I won’t make this call.”
She rubbed his arm. “Then let’s do it. As long as we have enemies after us, I don’t want to be down. I need all my fighting strength.”
“All right. I’ll get it ready. As soon as you’re done here, we’ll inject it.”
She smiled at him. “Thank you, Syn.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Just remember, if you grow another head or other appendage, I did warn you it was experimental.” He headed off.
Laughing, Sumi took Hauk’s hand as Kiara showed the clerks out of the house. “Want to come see what I’ve picked out to wear? Give it your Andarion approval?”