Queen of Swords (20 page)

Chapter Twenty Four

Ophelia waited while the link connected, unable to stop the nervous tapping of her foot. Boone wouldn’t be gone long—holed up in some meeting with Cole—so she needed to make this call fast. It didn’t matter that Mama knew about the pregnancy, or that she’d probably known about it before Ophelia did. What mattered was that Papa was aware of it. And she didn’t know what she’d do if he turned his back on her.

It might have been an irrational fear, but she couldn’t shake it.

The screen went snowy, slowly clearing to show both her parents sitting in Papa’s office. As if they’d been waiting for her. Hells, what was she thinking? Of course they had.

“Hi.” Damn, she could do better than this. But Ophelia took in her father’s glower and the words died in her throat.

As always, it was Mama who saved the moment from being completely awkward. “How are you feeling, daughter?”

Apparently this was all the opening Papa needed. “You let that two-bit backplanet mercenary knock you up? What were you thinking, girl?”

Girl, not baby girl. He was wicked pissed. “Papa—”

“No, you will not
Papa
me. I did not raise my only goddamned child to be a whore.”

Ophelia gasped, hurt spiking straight for her heart. Tears welled but she fought them back. It was a weakness, and one she refused to show. She wasn’t ashamed of her lifestyle or the choices she’d made and she’d be damned before she let him make her feel that way.

But before she could tell him just that, Mama’s eyes flared violet, her face falling into eerie stillness. “You will not speak to my daughter that way.”

“Hells, woman, she’s my daughter too.” His gaze cut sideways toward Ophelia. “Even if she is a—”

Mama made a cutting motion with her hand and his voice went silent even while his lips still moved. “You will not speak until you can do so with respect.”

His face turned such a deep purple, Ophelia half feared he would pass out, but instead he stormed away, a door slamming somewhere in the distance. When Mama turned back to the screen, she was smiling as if she hadn’t just taken his voice. “So tell me, has the sickness passed yet?”

Ophelia made an effort to pick her jaw off the floor. “You—He—Mama, you just—”

“Yes, I am aware of my actions.” She gave a half shrug that could mean anything, the light in her eyes dying back to a more normal blue-violet. “It is one of the blessings of the Lady.”

“You never could do that before.”

“I was never
Fortuna
before. The gifts of the Lady are many and varied. I am now able to channel her directly upon occasion and do things such as that on a limited basis.” She nodded toward the door Papa disappeared through.

“Oh.” She knew she should be peppering her mother with questions about the new status, about
Tyche
, but she couldn’t force her mind away from Papa calling her a whore. Sure, she had random sex from time to time, but that was her own Ladydamned business. Not his.

He had been willing to overlook her extracurricular activities until now, until she was pregnant and had something to show for it. It didn’t matter to him that Boone was an honorable man, a man who would take care of his family, would put them first above all else. And Ophelia would bet her left eye Boone would never call any daughter of his a whore.

“No, daughter, he won’t.”

She jumped, crossing her arms over her chest. “That a new
Fortuna
trick as well?”

“How would we ever communicate effectively when you keep so much hidden away?” Mama’s smile took on a hint of sadness. “Your father is still bound by the chains of his beliefs.”

“That doesn’t make it okay.”

“I know.” Mama gave another shrug. “But he does love you.”

Ophelia knew that. It didn’t change the hurt or anger she felt, but she acknowledged her mother’s words with a nod and then changed the subject. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It wasn’t time.”

Typical Diviner response. As much as Ophelia knew that—more often than not, the Lady played her cards close to the chest—she was heartily tired of vague statements that made no sense until after the fact. “If you say so.”

“Chin up, daughter. Things will be drawing to a close soon and then you shall find peace.”

The small hairs on the back of Ophelia’s neck rose as an unnatural chill shot down her spine. She wasn’t a layman. Peace could mean she’d live some kind of happily ever after fairytale—or it could mean she’d die. “Mama—”

Her mother held up a hand, stalling her words. “I do not know, daughter.”

She didn’t like that one bit, but Ophelia nodded. “Okay. I’ll figure it out.”

“I am so terribly proud of you.”

Damn, there went her overactive tear ducts again. Ophelia sniffled a little, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Thank you, Mama.”

“Goodbye, daughter. Walk in the Lady’s grace.”

“And you as well.” Ophelia turned off the link before she walked to the bed and crawled under the covers. Things hadn’t gone well, but she had, more or less, expected Papa’s reaction. Not the name-calling, but the anger. He’d get over it and come apologizing, but it wouldn’t take away the betrayal gnawing at her insides.

She pulled her knees to her chest and allowed herself to cry out all of the hurt and pain she’d been bottling up ever since she woke up at home to find her friends dead and the
Dutchman
taken. They had the ship back, but she’d never reclaim the people she’d lost.

…

The Evarven was on the ship—the ice twisting its way through her stomach was more than enough indication of
that
. But why? He should be safely out of her hair, aboard
Psyche
. Ophelia nearly ran Boone over in the hallway. He caught her plate before she upended it and gave her a quick kiss that still managed to sear her to the bone. “Where’s the fire?”

Ophelia gave him a half smile, still preoccupied with Gee’s presence. “Why isn’t the Evarven back on
Psyche
?”

“We’re consolidating resources. Since the
Dutchman
is large enough to act as a command center, I’m keeping Hadriel on
Psyche
and setting up Jenny and Gee here until we land on Valneci.”

It was a solid plan. Links could be difficult to work with and it made sense to get everyone in one place so they could discuss strategy. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a mistake to have the little shit onboard. “Okay.”

“Ophelia.” Lady, but her name sounded divine coming off his lips. Boone hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her close, a twinkle in his gray eyes. “Tell me something? Have you ever made love during takeoff?”

Damn—the man could really offer up a distraction. The smile she gave him wasn’t faked. “I’m always up for new experiences.”

“I thought you’d say that.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and headed toward the lifts, dragging her behind him.

The man was more dangerous than a pair of rampaging Abura-Sumashi.

They barely made it into the captain’s cabin when the
Dutchman
took to the air with a lurch, but Ophelia couldn’t shake the feeling that the danger wasn’t over. She lasted exactly three seconds before the walls began closing in, her inner cold numbing her fingers and working its way up her arms. Turning on her heel, she nearly ran over Boone. He started to speak but she held up a hand she could barely feel. “Wait.”

Find
Gee
. There was no mistaking the Lady’s voice in her mind. The inner nudge now had a direction. She prowled down the hall toward the crew rooms, Boone dogging her heels. The ship shook as they went through T-III’s atmosphere, forcing her to steady herself on the wall.

“Ophelia.”

She shook her head, trying to clear the buzzing from her ears. “Hold on.” Then they were in the common room, empty but for Cole and Gee. Ophelia turned to the latter and it felt as if every molecule of her body went on high alert. “You.”

Gee startled, his gaze flying to Boone before he seemed to realize she was the one who spoke. “Now, lady—”

But his guilty look told her all she needed to know. Ophelia started for him, the freezing feeling drifting over her like the softest snow. This man put her, her lover, her
baby
, in danger. Boone tried to stop her, but she stepped out of reach without breaking stride. “Tell me what you’ve done.”

He flinched, his mouth setting in a determined line. Fool.

Ophelia closed the distance between them, drawing her laser and shoving it into the bottom of his jaw. “You mean less than nothing to me,” she hissed. “I would lose no sleep if I had to kill you now. The only thing stopping me is the fact Boone and Jenny both think you’re worth a damn. Prove it.” She grabbed a fistful of his curly brown hair when he tried to take a step back. “You have three seconds before I lose my patience.”

“Gods, Boone. She’s magnificent,” Cole said from behind her.

Boone growled something too low for her to hear before raising his voice. “Let him go, Ophelia.”

She might be developing some serious feelings for the man, but that didn’t mean he could boss her around. Not in this. He didn’t see Gee clearly, didn’t have the Lady’s knowledge searing through him as she did. Ignoring Boone, she met Gee’s gaze. “You’ve seen what I can do. Do you really think I’m bluffing?”

Boone’s breath hissed out, too close behind her. He wouldn’t risk trying to grab her for fear she’d shoot Gee’s head off. Which just proved he was an ass. She’d never accidentally shoot anyone. “Ophelia—”

Tears overflowed Gee’s eyes. “Lady, forgive me.”

Now they were getting somewhere. “Tell me.”

“I didn’t want to betray you!”

Ophelia ignored Boone’s shocked curse. “A child’s plea. Stop blubbering and tell us what the damage is.” Even as the words passed her lips, things began to fall into place. “The club. You told the albino we’d be there.” When Gee only nodded through his sobs, she shook him. “
What else
?”

“Boone’s flight plan,” he wailed. “I told them where he’d be so Kristian could sic his Sanctify dogs on him. They know where we are, and where we’re going. About Valneci.”

Things seemed to happen in an instant, too quickly for even her to follow. One second she was staring down at Gee, the next she landed on her ass on the floor. She got a flash of Cole’s furred back as he sprinted for the hub. Ophelia looked up to find Boone pinning the Evarven to the wall by his throat. “He’ll kill us, and every single person we’ve sent to sanctuary. Every single person under
my
protection
.” His voice was broken despite the anger radiating from every pore of his body.

“I know,” Gee sobbed. “I’m sorry, Cap’n.”

“Why?”

Gee choked, but Boone didn’t let up. The Evarven finally managed to grasp the other man’s hands and pull himself up enough to get a breath. “Marcy. They have my Marcy. Told me they would return her if I spied.”

Boone shook his head, something close to pity in his eyes. “She’s already dead, Gee.”

No
, the Lady whispered. “No,” Ophelia echoed without intending to. When both men looked at her, she cleared her throat. “She’s alive, for now.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Boone’s grip tightened once more, making the little Evarven wheeze out a breath. “Kristian may have spared her, but Sanctify won’t. Do you understand, Gee? Sanctify is going to kill every man, woman, and child on Valneci.” Each word was punctuated by a shake.

Ophelia climbed slowly to her feet. As much as she wanted the little traitor dead, she couldn’t let Boone do it. Gee had been his friend, and it would kill something in him, something vital, to harm a friend—even one who was a traitor. “Boone, stop.” When Boone didn’t look at her, she took several steps closer and laid her hands over his. “Boone.”

He blinked and looked over, gray eyes terrifyingly blank.

“Don’t do this.” She peeled off his fingers, one by one, and he let her. “We’ll lock him up, deal with him later. Right now we need to warn your people, not kill this little shit.”

He nodded, releasing Gee completely. The Evarven slumped to the floor, gasping. Boone strode to the intercom, turning it on with a screech. “Get us to Valneci. As quickly as possible.”

“Cole said there’s trouble?” For once, Jenny had no quip. It had to be a record.

“Just do it.” Boone turned back to Gee. “Get up, or I will drag you. Ophelia, I need a secure room.”

Gee struggled to his feet while they watched. Ophelia led the way to the crew quarters, Boone bringing up the rear. In the last room, she pointed to the bottom bunk farthest from the comm link. “There.” When Gee sat, Ophelia went to a bolted down chest at the end of the bed and came up with a pair of mag-cuffs. Snapping one cuff around Gee’s wrist, she hooked the second to the rung on the bunk above him. As short as Gee was, he wouldn’t be able to lie down. Cruel, but not cruel enough for Ophelia’s tastes. She wanted to see the man suffer. But, instead, she stepped back and let Boone take the lead.