Cavas and Cathian got their youngest littermate settled into one of the crew cabins once the android had treated him. Most of Crath’s injures were healed but he needed to regain his strength and some of his body mass. He’d lost a good twenty pounds in captivity. Crath had insisted on showering in the medical bay. Now he paced the living space, rubbing his wet mane.
“I can’t believe Father would do this!”
Cavas shared a concerned look with Cathian. His older littermate started to speak, but Cavas was faster.
“We’ve known since he tried to hide Raff from our family and left him on Gluttren Four that he was capable of cruelty to his own blood relations.”
Crath spun, staring at him. “I will never condone what he did, but a part of me hoped that Father believed Raff wasn’t really from our bloodline. That he was protecting his younger littermate from an unknown female making a false claim of having his child. It was suspicious that only one Tryleskian infant would be born to that alien woman on Gluttren Four. I wanted to believe it was a horrible mistake on their parts, and that Father felt too much shame to admit he’d been wrong once Raff was located…but there’s zero doubt that he’s a Vellar.”
“A couple of assassins went after Raff and his mother when our cousin was a child. Raff managed to kill them, and one of them carried proof that they were hired by our father. He discovered it on one of the bodies.” Cathian said the words softly but with conviction.
Crath spun away, making a pained sound. “No one told me!”
“I only recently found out,” Cathian admitted. “Raff isn’t one to share much about his past. That’s the evidence Raff has in his possession, and the reason Father ordered Cavas to bring a team to grab him. Raff threatened to expose that information if I was officially ordered to step down as ambassador, or if anyone tried to take The Vorge from me.”
Crath shot a glare at Cavas. “You knew?”
“Cathian notified me because of Father’s threats. He knew it would take the military to reclaim this vessel. I would have prevented any teams from being sent.”
Crath began to pace again. “No one tells me anything!”
Cavas sighed. “You are difficult to speak to. The few messages I got from you were just that. Brief messages telling me where you were going next. This was sensitive information we wished to share with you, but not over unsecured communications. You’re always off exploring different planets or going on adventures.”
Crath snarled and threw himself down on the couch. “I search for injustices and report them. I do a lot more than you think!” He shot glares at both of his littermates. “I’ve worked undercover for the allied authorities for eight years.”
Shock lashed at Cavas. He glanced at Cathian, seeing his surprise, too. “You didn’t feel the need to tell us this?”
Crath sighed. “I work undercover. You don’t share military secret missions with me, Cavas. You don’t tell me what ambassador errands you’re undertaking, Cathian. It was beneficial to have everyone believe I was traipsing to different places to escape my family responsibilities, spending the Vellar wealth. But I always let both of you know where I was going. On Flax Colony, I used my Brit identity, since there were so many Tryleskians living there. I didn’t want to be abducted for ransom. That one previous attempt was more than enough.”
“Does Father know you have this job?”
Crath met Cavas’s gaze, shaking his head. “No. That was the point of working for the authorities. No one would suspect me. Father would have lectured me about my duty to family before aliens. He’d have demanded I live on our home planet to become law enforcement there instead. I didn’t want that.”
“You were sent to Flax Colony by the allied authorities?” Cavas wondered if that would cause them more problems in the future after what they’d done on the surface. They’d killed a few of Yorlian Trevis’s employees while searching for Crath.
“Rumors were circulating about what was going on down there. Slaving. We had reports of visitors disappearing, never to be seen again. The few officers sent there disappeared. Command sent me, since I’m not their normal operative. The death fights and that arena were a complete surprise. It’s far worse than we suspected. I need to send a report to my superiors. They’ll have teams headed that way to clean it all out.” Crath stood. “I need access to your bridge.”
“Keep our family business out of your report,” Cavas warned.
Crath approached him, narrowing his eyes. “Why? They should know what our father has done.”
“We don’t need their interference, or the attention to our name,” Cathian growled.
“We’ll handle Father ourselves. The other litters are aware of what he’s done.” Cavas stepped closer and leaned in until his forehead touched his younger littermate’s. “We’re protecting our position on Tryleskian. Father isn’t going to take all of us down with him by shaming our name. Why do you think Raff hasn’t come forward? The other founding families might rise against us and take everything away. Including Cathian’s position as our home world’s ambassador.” He paused. “The Vorge would be lost if all Vellar assets are taken.”
Crath closed his eyes and remained pressed against him. When his eyes opened, his rage was clear. “You’re right.” He moved back and gazed at Cathian. “You’ve always been like a father figure to all the litters, more so than Beltsen Vellar ever was. We won’t allow your ship to be taken.” Then he peered deeply into Cavas’s eyes. “I’m not becoming the head of our family. Are you going to step in to fill Father’s position?”
Cavas snorted. “No. We’ll leave that to the next litter to figure out. They are fully capable and extremely eager. I told Cathian to make them sign over ownership of this vessel as a thank you for stepping aside. The three of us would be miserable being politicians and playing nice with the other founding families.”
Crath laughed. “Truth. What did they say?”
“They agree, as long as Cathian remains our home-world ambassador. He will. Once they have control of our holdings, the transfer of ownership will become their first priority.”
Crath grew solemn. “I’m going to the bridge to make my report. I lost a shuttle down there. I’ll tell them I called one of my brothers to get me since I knew The Vorge was in the area. That way, it explains why I’m contacting them from your bridge. All they need to know is what’s really happening on Flax Colony.”
The moment the doors closed behind their youngest littermate, Cathian sighed. “He seems to be doing well. Opinion?”
Cavas thought about it. “I agree. He surprised me, though. Did you have any idea he was working for the allied authorities? I didn’t.”
“Not a single hint.”
“I think he’s tougher than either of us imagined. It makes me angry that he never told us what he was really doing. I wish that he had.” Cavas sighed. “I’m going to go check on Jill. She really did a good job down there.”
Cathian smiled. “I’ve always told you that my crew is the best.”
“You just got her today.”
“And we’re keeping her. The females have demanded that we do so. She also impressed me by offering to go with you. Jill should fit right in with our crew.”
“You’re just grateful it wasn’t Nara down there with me.”
Cathian chuckled. “True.”
Chapter Eight
Jill felt a thousand times better after her shower. Food had been waiting on the table when she’d gotten out of the bathroom, indicating someone had been inside her cabin, but they hadn’t left a note.
She had almost finished her meal when she heard a chime. She frowned, glancing around. It came again and she stood, going to the door.
It auto opened as she approached.
Cavas stood on the other side. His gaze ran down her body. “Did you find any injures?”