First | Previous | Chapter Index | Next

Kyle took Hannah’s hand and held out his other hand to Adrian as Darya did the same on the other side. Dialdra’s blindfold had been removed and she was trussed up on the floor between the four of them.

“There’s something we need to do before we start,” Darya said. “Your bonds to Kayleigh might be enough for us to find her but we could do with more to be sure.” He nudged Dialdra with his foot. “I’d ask you to help us too but I already know you won’t cooperate, so we’ll just have to force you. I wouldn’t have thought it was possible but Adrian and his mirian think otherwise.” Read the rest of this entry »

First | Previous | Chapter Index | Next

Kyle and Darya were talking with Talira and her mother after Sarah had completed her comparative scans when Ystelyan summoned all of them. Hannah and Adrian were already in his throne room when they arrived, along with a blindfolded Kithreian woman. Behind him, he felt Xeria stiffen but before she could speak, Ystelyan held a finger to his lips and shook his head.

“We’ll discuss this after we’ve secured Dialdra here.” He looked at Indaturan who was pacing around her and scowling. “Do you want to keep her or shall I?” Read the rest of this entry »

First | Previous | Chapter Index | Next

“If everyone agrees, I’d suggest you take her to Indaturan now before she wakes up,” Matthias said. “You can pass the message to Sal to come back while you’re there. We’ll need to question her eventually but I want to find out more about her link to Kayleigh first. Talk to Kyle and Darya – see if they can help with the scrying.”

Adrian tilted his his head questioningly, then his mouth made an oh. “You’re thinking it might work both ways and if we try to peel Dialdra’s mind open we might hurt Kay? That’s actually very possible if she was using Kay as some sort of reference. I’m glad you thought of it. It didn’t even occur to me.” Read the rest of this entry »

First | Previous | Chapter Index | Next

“What do you mean? Who is she, Lianne?” Adrian had gone pale at the girl’s words.

“You know what I mean,” Lianne replied sympathetically. “Or you wouldn’t have gone that colour. This woman wasn’t just pretending to love you. She isn’t Kay. I know Kay and that’s not her mind I’m feeling.”

“Are you sure?” Hannah had pushed her way through the gathering to stare at her. “I mean she’s been in a box…”

“I understand that but… for heaven’s sake, she’s your sister and she can’t have been in that box for more than a couple of years, Han! Look for yourself.” Read the rest of this entry »

First| Previous | Chapter Index | Next

“Well I guess that tells us who the traitor was.” Sonia shook her head. “What an actor. He didn’t leak a hint… and what he did to this girl.” She knelt down where Adrian and Tara were calming Ella. “We’ll still have to check her, you know.”

“Of course you will.” Ella’s face was still tear streaked but the distressed squeak was fading from her voice. “I understand. It could be a double bluff after all.”

“We’ll have to check everyone – even me and my family,” Alexandra said. “Robert’s flight could be a second layer of deception, though I doubt it.” Read the rest of this entry »

First| Previous | Chapter Index | Next

In attempt to avoid more conflict, Alexandra had sent several members of her family to intercept Kayleigh and Garrett before they reached the gym. No one was naive enough to think they’d come peaceably, so everyone at the meeting was sitting in tense silence waiting for the inevitable sounds of combat. Robert was wringing his hands and chewing on his lip, obviously still unable to believe this was happening. Karen almost felt sorry for the twerp.

The silence stretched into long minutes before Alexandra gave a sharp gasp.

“They’ve fled from our ambush!” she exclaimed. “Somebody warned them.” Her eyes narrowed and she glanced around the table. “It seems there is another traitor in this room. No one is leaving until we find out who it is.” She tutted to herself. “And they won’t get far with my family tracking them. We’ll find their co-conspirator while we’re waiting.” Read the rest of this entry »

First| Previous | Chapter Index | Next

Julie gave a half smile and tilted her head at Alexandra in a way that suggested she was enjoying herself. “I might have known that you’d realise, Alex. You were the only person outside my family who knew my secret.”

Alexandra gave a soft chuckle. “Your secret? You mean that trick you’d somehow learned. I know resonants sometimes come back but you aren’t resonant.” Read the rest of this entry »

First| Previous | Chapter Index | Next

Interesting, Julie said. I wonder why Adrian’s revelation caused them to do that. Kayleigh could get away with it but not Garrett. A family head leaving a meeting without explaining to the prolocutor is a massive breech of protocol. Alex will not be pleased. She gave a slight smirk as Alexandra held up a hand to pause whatever Marian had been saying and frowned at Garrett’s empty seat. And it looks like she’s noticed.

“Robert,” Alexandra said sharply. “Where did your uncle go?” Read the rest of this entry »

First| Previous | Chapter Index | Next

Lydia missed whatever Adrian said next – she was too busy staring in shock at Kelly. Alexandra’s grandsons had reached her, and one of them checked her pulse – though she surely couldn’t have survived both impalement and being smashed into the wall, could she? He said something to his brother and they carefully removed the icicle and lowered her down from the wall in a way that suggested she was.

What bothered her most, she realised after a moment, wasn’t the casual violence – Adrian had been defending himself after all – but the fact that no-one else seemed bothered at all. Even the woman’s family had mostly remained in place – only one young man who Lydia suspected was Kelly’s son, accompanying her from the room. The rest of them were glaring at Adrian but rather than anger, Lydia sensed a peculiar mix of resentment and speculation from them. She took a breath and mentally reached out for Karen. Read the rest of this entry »

First| Previous | Chapter Index | Next

A surprised whisper rippled around the table when Tara took the Laverne seat at the table with Marian, Carl and Adrian seated just behind her.

“Why are you giving the seat up to her?” Someone yelled from the end of the table, where Karen had said the satellite families sat. “She betrayed your family!”

Adrian stiffened and turned towards the speaker but Marian was on her feet before he could respond. Read the rest of this entry »