The Illegitimate Claim (13 page)

Ana laughed quietly for a moment as she remembered the details. “I wish you

could have seen Andru’s face. And of course, he insisted on sending the return

message.”

“Well, we’ll see what happens.” Gilroy smiled and stroked her cheek. “You get

some rest now so you can enjoy the reunion when she comes home.”

Ana nodded and Gilroy left her. He was sure she was asleep before he closed the

bedroom door, and he didn’t bother to speak to any of the servants as he left the house.

Darius had called for him and he needed to hurry if he would make the appointment on

time. He arrived in the backyard of the Bryon house as Andru walked out the back door

with Darius right behind him.

“Good, there you are,” Darius said in a manner of greeting.

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“Yes, my lord,” Gilroy responded and fell into line next to Andru.

They followed the lord into the garage and then turned when he closed the garage

door and faced them. He reached for a button on the wall and the garage lit up with

artificial light. Both men saw immediately that the lord’s face was lined with anger.

“Tara discovered yesterday that someone used her personal login number and sent

out a transmission to all the Runner clans using her name, yes.” Darius looked at both

of them and then began to pace. “I won’t insult you by asking if you know anything

about this. If you care to deny any knowledge on the subject I’m willing to hear your

defense, I am.”

He stopped pacing and stared at the two of them. Andru was silent and Gilroy

knew better than to instigate a confession without his consent. He remained silent as

well.

“We tried to find Ana last night to discuss the matter with her, but when one of the

servant girls contacted her house for us and then the clan site trailer…she couldn’t be

found, no,” Darius continued and watched for any reaction on either of their faces. He

wasn’t surprised to see blank expressions staring back at him. They were the best

warriors he had, trained by his own hand. “Well, Tara found her daughter this

morning, in fact, right before you showed up here, Gilroy, she did. She’s gone over

there with Jolee to talk to her.”

A muscle twitched in Gilroy’s face but the man said nothing. He managed a

nondescript expression, but blue eyes pierced Darius like the point of a sword. The

man’s temper was rising. Darius had faith his son-in-law would be able to hold it,

though. It would be in his best interest to do so.

“As you know, the punishment for impersonating a leader is a grave one, it is. Ana

will have one opportunity to prevent her punishment from being as severe as it should

be, I’m thinking.” He paused and dared either one of them to speak, but neither did.

“She’ll be asked to tell what the message she sent to all the clans said, and to share

any response that came from the message, she will. If she doesn’t give this information

after the one request…” He paused and looked at the two men ready to spring at him.

“She’ll be flogged.”

Silence. Deathly, gruesome silence. Darius simply stood in front of the two of them,

and then slowly crossed his arms. It was a sign that he knew they wouldn’t attack. It

was a statement that told both of them he outranked them, and would dish out what he

would—and they would take it.

“No comment at all.” The silence continued. “Very well then. Gilroy, organize some

of your scouts, you will. I’m sending you south of Taratown today, I am. There are

rumors among some of the River People that a woman traveling with other women and

children strongly resembles the picture of Meah we released. I want you to investigate

it, I do. I assume this will take most of your day so you best get started, I’m thinking.”

Gilroy looked for a minute as if he wouldn’t be able to maintain his composure.

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His lord was going to have his claim whipped and he was being sent out of town in

order to keep him from preventing it, consoling her when they were done beating her to

a pulp, or being able to go to her at all. He turned and made eye contact with Andru.

His lifelong friend’s face was chiseled from stone, but it reminded him of his place.

“Yes, my lord,” he said through clenched teeth and then walked out of the garage.

Darius saw the exchange of looks from his son and his first commander, and was

briefly outraged by the reminder that Gilroy’s loyalties were to Andru first. He then

met his son’s venomous glare as he slowly turned his head back to his papa.

Without speaking, Andru turned and walked out the door.

“Andru, come back here, I say.” Darius followed him out of the garage.

Gilroy sat on his glider with his comm wrapped around his ear. Darius could

overhear him organizing men as was requested. He watched Andru walk past him to

his own glider.

“Andru, I order you to turn around and come back here, I do,” Darius growled in a

tone severe enough to turn some of his most seasoned warriors green.

“Go to hell, my lord!” Andru climbed on his glider and took off so quickly that dirt

flew up around him and sprayed his papa.

Gilroy made eye contact as he continued to call in the men he’d mentally selected

for the trip. He didn’t quit talking as Darius approached him. When he finished

contacting the men he’d take with him, he pulled his comm from his ear and looked at

the lord.

Gilroy reminded himself that what Ana did was wrong. They’d told her from the

beginning that she’d made a foolish move and she would inevitably get caught. The

punishment was severe, though, and it was that part that continued to cause his blood

to boil. He tried with all his strength to drive the anger from him and appear calm in

front of the lord. Remember your place, Gilroy.

Gilroy simply looked at Darius and knew better than to turn his eyes away when

the large man glared at him as if any moment he would strike.

“Gilroy, if you find Meah,” Darius stared hard at the deadly young man in front of

him, “you’ll kill her, you will.”

Gilroy said nothing. He should have—out of respect. But the lord issued the order

then turned and walked toward the house.

* * * * *

Andru flew from his glider and stormed through the back door of his sister’s house.

There was no sign of the servants or the children and he gave a quick thanks to Crator

that his mama at least had enough discretion to empty the house before humiliating her

daughter. He made it through to the front of the house and ran into Tara at the bottom

of the stairs.

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“Okay, that’s enough. Please leave quickly by the back door.” Tara pulled the

comm from her ear as Andru approached her. “Andru…”

He gave her a look that literally sent shivers down her spine, but then pushed past

her and took the stairs three at a time. He could hear someone racing down the

servant’s stairs as he reached the hallway on the second floor. He knew it was Jolee, but

his mama was smart to keep the woman out of his sight right now. The bedroom door

slammed against the wall behind it when he shoved it open and he gasped as his sister

kneeled on the floor with her nightgown crumpled up around her waist. Her body

shook with sobs and blackish-red welts ripped across her back.

“Dr. Digo,” he spoke into the comm. “I need you at Ana’s house immediately. Bring

something to ease the pain from a flogging. And Doctor, you will be discreet.”

Tara stood in the doorway as he went to his partially nude, and thoroughly

whipped, sister. He didn’t try to help her up right away but simply went down on his

knees next to her and gently pulled her loose hair from her face. Her eyes were

squeezed tightly shut and her fists were balled so tightly on her knees that her knuckles

were white.

“The doctor will be here in a minute and he’ll take care of you,” he whispered

gently.

She didn’t open her eyes but simply nodded. He leaned forward and kissed her

cheek softly. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered and again she nodded. “Do you want me to

help you to your bed?”

When she nodded, he reached around to the front of her and helped her put her

arms up around his neck. He cupped his hands under her bottom and lifted her easily

into his arms, careful not to touch her back. He could feel her large breasts smash

against his chest, but his only concern was not hurting her more than she already was.

Tara stood leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed and her lips

pursed. He glared at her, as he felt every ounce of pain that his sister experienced at the

moment.

“Your job here is done, woman. Go tend to your duties.” His growl was low and

threatening.

“She’s also my daughter.”

Andru almost thought he saw his mama wince. She hadn’t enjoyed this.

“I believe I’ll stay, and wait for the doctor.” Tara didn’t budge from the doorway.

“As you wish.” He ignored her then, and focused on placing his sister gently on her

bed, and making sure that nothing touched her back. She groaned quietly as she sank

into her pillows and then reached out with her hand and took Andru’s in it.

“It hurts so much,” she finally whispered.

He stroked her hair, and knelt on the floor next to her so he could see her eyes.

“The pain will be gone soon.”

“Maybe, but not the humiliation. Where’s Gilroy? Does he know?”

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“Papa pulled us both into the garage and told us.” He didn’t care that his mama

was standing there listening to them. He was sure he wasn’t telling his sister anything

Tara didn’t already know. “As soon as he finished, he ordered Gilroy to take some

troops south of Taratown to investigate a rumor that Meah has been spotted.”

“I didn’t tell them about—”

“Shh,” he whispered, as he rested his chin on her pillow and smiled gently at her

pain-filled gray eyes. “Not a word, beautiful lady.”

Andru realized Ana didn’t know their mama stood listening, and when he turned

to look up at her, he saw a gleam of interest in her blue eyes.