The Illegitimate Claim (22 page)

Andru nodded. “What are the other beliefs that your nation has?”

He watched her slowly lick her lips, and then look up at an eavesdropping servant

in the doorway of the cottage. Andru snapped at the servant to bring them drinks.

“Some believe Crator is the Neurian’s god.” She looked like she would say more,

but didn’t. He knew if he pushed her he might not get the complete truth. He instantly

wanted to know more about what they believed but that would have to wait.

“And how do you believe?” he asked instead.

“I believe Crator created Nuworld and everything on it. It’s clearly written.” Sharay

met his gaze briefly and he noted the intelligence in her eyes.

“You’re right. How does your papa believe?”

Sharay looked surprised, as if not expecting this turn in the questioning. She

composed herself quickly, and long black eyelashes fluttered nervously. He focused on

them, and found himself comparing them to Ana’s eyelashes, then Meah’s. Stay focused,

he ordered.

“My papa believes Crator is the Neurian’s god.” She spoke quickly, and quietly,

and he had to lean forward to hear her. She looked down at her hands and appeared to

wait for his next question.

He gently took one finger and guided her long black hair away from her face and

let it fan down her back. “Is that why Rog and Gowsky don’t like each other?”

“Partially,” she said and shuddered when he touched her. “There are some other

reasons.” She paused but then sighed and continued as if she knew he would persist

until he’d heard those reasons. “There are some who believe my papa is wrong in

forming a truce with Gothman. They say it will mean Gothman eventually moving in

and taking over.”

“I see.” Andru stood, stretched, then looked down at her, catching her watching

him with a mixture of fear and curiosity. “Oh, there was one other thing. There is also a

Runner named Meah, who has just shown up as well. I believe they’re from the same

village. Do you know if that’s true?”

He maintained a blank face while he watched her pretty young face harden. A

familiar haze crept over her black eyes. Sharay looked straight up at him, and her fear

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for him disappeared. She was suddenly blinded by the raw emotion he’d seen on many

young women before—jealousy.

“They didn’t come together, did they?” Sharay looked shocked and hurt. “Rog told

me… But if he lied…”

Her eyes lowered, and she looked straight ahead as she slowly shook her head. She

stood up as well, and absently walked several paces away from Andru. He watched

her, noting every movement she made, watching carefully to see what her next move

would be. She turned around quickly, and silky black hair flew around her.

“Well, you can just tell Rog for me that if he thinks he can come get his mate while

his lover is with him then he can simply turn around and go back to where he came

from. I’m not interested.”

She turned back around and stormed toward the cottage. He easily fell into stride

next to her. “Now that’s odd. I’ve talked to Meah, and she gives the impression she

didn’t know Rog was here. She told me she wants to help you go with Rog.”

“Oh Crator, I wonder if….” She stopped walking, and her hand went to her mouth.

“You don’t think he would send her here to try and kill me?”

“Why would he want you dead?” Andru turned and faced her. “I was under the

impression you two loved each other.”

She blushed a dark pink…a very appealing color against her dark skin. “I thought

so, too. But they are lovers, and I’ve always known it. He talks about her children as if

they were his own. I bet you didn’t know he helped her give birth to them. But they’re

not his. I know that much. They’re pale-skinned like you. They might as well be his,

though.”

Andru thought going to see Sharay would clear his mind of Meah. The

tempestuous Neurian woman acted so virginal she was easily appealing. He had

planned to see her today before they had found Meah, and he didn’t see any reason to

change his plans. It would be simple to gather information, enjoy the beautiful woman’s

company, and by doing so, clear his head. He’d seen a new side of her today, however.

Unadulterated jealousy had raced through her body and she’d made no attempt to hide

it. All thoughts of her beauty vanished.

Andru left the secluded and well-guarded cottage with his head spinning. Was it

pure coincidence that Meah showed up at the same time as Rog? Was she in actuality

conspiring with Rog as Sharay suggested? She’d gone into his arms so willingly—

folded her body into his as if she belonged there. And he had thought she did. But was

this some kind of charade for some deeper plot? Had Meah turned traitor?

Andru was a trained Gothman warrior. He was predicted by many of the older

warriors to be a great leader, possibly even better than his papa. Policy and protocol

were second nature. He knew what he had to do. His fury slowly smoldered as he flew

toward his house. Sharay’s words about Rog being like a papa to Meah’s children

caused a sour taste to rise in his throat. Had her lover followed her back here? Did they

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come back here together? It dawned on him Beel had said she’d been at the Crator

temple in Taratown for a week. Had she been hiding out, preparing her strategy?

Andru parked his glider and walked with purpose into his house and down the hall

toward the large conference room. The door was half-open and his papa stood in the

middle of the room talking to Geeves.

“Papa, I need to speak with you.”

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Chapter Twelve

“Wait on that until I’m through here,” Darius told Geeves, and tapped his long

finger on the edge of his first assistant’s landlink. The man nodded and then walked out

of the large room, closing the door securely behind him.

“What do you need?” Darius turned to face his son. His tone was imposing, but he

knew it had no impact on his son. Andru stood in front of him, in all appearances an

equal in size and ferocity. For a long moment, their gray eyes locked on each other,

studying each other, analyzing what they gathered by the other’s stance.

Finally, Andru pursed his lips then walked with determination over toward the

windows that opened to the soggy backyard. Darius watched him, without moving a

muscle. His son had something serious to say, and he could see the effort it was taking

him to bring it before his papa. When Andru turned and faced him again, there was

incredible turmoil in his eyes.

“I’ve secured Meah at one of the trailers at the Blood Circle clan. Gilroy omitted

something from his report to you at my request. Meah has returned with her children.”

Darius’ eyebrow shot up. Andru noted it and continued. “They are twins with four

winters, one boy and one girl. I don’t doubt they’re mine. She says they are, and they

have my gray eyes and curly black hair with gold streaks…identical to Curi’s.”

Darius’ eyebrow remained up. “She’s got your children?” he asked rhetorically, and

then stroked his chin as he walked over to his desk and glanced down at some papers.

“A boy and a girl, you say?”

Andru couldn’t hide his surprise when the lord looked back over at him, and there

was an ornery twinkle in his eye. In spite of himself, Andru smiled and had to share the

first moment he’d seen his boy.

“I’ll tell you something, but I swear you to secrecy.” Andru’s twinkle in his eyes

matched his papa’s. “The long bruise you saw across Gilroy’s cheek was when Tory, my

son, first appeared out of the bushes and smacked Gilroy across the face in an attempt

to stop his interrogation of Meah.”

“I’ll be damned.” Darius smiled, and walked over then slapped Andru’s back. “My

son is a papa. But the turmoil I see, there is more. What else do you have to tell me?”

“I went to see Sharay when I left Meah…”

“Comparing notes, are you, boy?” Darius still smiled, but Andru couldn’t help but

feel that his papa was sizing him up. As he’d interrogated Sharay, now he would be

interrogated.

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“Many things are happening.” He shot his papa a look. “Outside of Gothman as

well as inside of Gothman. In order to effectively deal with these things there can’t be

these conflicts between you and me.”

Darius straightened and his smile disappeared. Once again, he simply stared at his

son, his face devoid of expression and chiseled in stone. He then listened as Andru

shared the conversation he had with Sharay. Andru expressed his concerns and yes,

even his fears—his fears that Meah hadn’t really come back to him. When he was

through, the two men stood silently facing each other, while both minds churned out

possible strategies that could occur next. Darius finally walked over and picked his

comm up off his desk.

“Spend some time alone with Meah and see if her loyalties are intact. But first,

you’ll take me to meet these children. If they are yours, then they are here to stay. I have

faith you can discover Meah’s true intentions.”

Well, he’d done it. He included Lord Darius in all his thoughts, shared everything

with him. Now, he hoped it didn’t all backfire on him.

Andru contacted Ana to confirm she was still with Meah, which she was. Tara had

left already. He didn’t tell her he was coming back over with their papa, but simply said

he would be over there soon and to wait for him.

The first thing he noticed when he entered the trailer was that Meah had showered

and now wore a long Gothman dress that he recognized as one of Ana’s. It was pale

pink with straps that went over her shoulders and then attached to fabric cut to

accentuate a woman’s breasts. His eyes dropped to the visible swell of cleavage just

above the material. He also took in how narrow her waist was, and the perfect arch of

her hips. Inky black hair was tied loosely with a ribbon, and blue-green eyes flashed at

him under thick black eyelashes. She was breathtaking.

His large frame consumed the entire doorway and he made a point of noting

Meah’s expression the second their eyes met. She looked curious, but guarded. Guarded

against what? Was she simply nervous about seeing him again after five winters? That