“So have we really lost the Antlia gate to Rockhurst?”
Benedict’s jaw firmed. “For now. But Rockhurst doesn’t have the firepower to hold it. We’ll see how they like it when the tables are turned.”
“Don’t get in trouble with RCDF,” I warned.
“If they would do their fucking job, I wouldn’t have to waste ships to secure something that should be neutral.”
“I’ll make some inquiries when I get home. I’ll jump a com drone to you and let you know what I find. Be careful.”
The hatch between the landing bay and the rest of the ship opened, revealing Ferdinand, Alex, and Aoife. All three moved easily. Ferdinand showed no hint of the leg injury he’d sported. But he still looked strange with his shorn hair.
Alex and Aoife nodded at us and headed straight for the ship. When Ferdinand reached us, I tilted my head for a cheek kiss and he obliged. Ferdinand was the most reserved of all of my siblings—he hadn’t had anyone to protect him from our parents.
“Thank you, Bianca,” he said, his voice computer generated. “Remind me to yell at you later for being so stupid.” His gaze flicked to Ian, ice cold and sharp enough to cut. “I will speak to you, too, Director Bishop.”
“Leave Ian alone. He was trying to protect me, and you know it’s an impossible task. Don’t make me hug you, brother. I’ll do it. You know I always get my way when I hug you—it’s my superpower.” My voice had picked up a wobble that I couldn’t quite hide.
Some of the ice melted from Ferdinand’s eyes and his expression softened. He opened his arms and I didn’t wait for a second invitation. I locked my arms around him while he awkwardly patted my back.
“I was so worried,” I confessed to his chest. “Then when we found you in that pit.” I shook my head. “I should’ve killed Riccardo when I had the chance.”
A shocked silence fell. Ferdinand held me out at arm’s length. “Bianca,” he said slowly, “please don’t tell me you spoke to Riccardo Silva in person.”
“Okay,” I agreed. I stepped back and gave them my most innocent expression, all wide eyes and sweet smile. I must’ve overdone it because Benedict and Ferdinand shared a look and groaned in unison.
“She totally did,” Benedict said. Ferdinand nodded in agreement. Benedict gave Ian a sympathetic look. “Good luck, buddy.”
Ferdinand frowned but didn’t comment.
Benedict pulled me into another hug. “Stay out of trouble. Send me a message when you get home so I won’t worry. We have com drones running twice a day until we can get the gate up.”
“I will. Be careful. Don’t do anything stupid until we get this war stopped. I expect you to return in one piece.”
He nodded and let me go. “Safe travels.”
I prayed this wouldn’t be the last time I saw my brother.
Chapter 29
We jumped to Trancendence’s emergency location safely, without even a rogue asteroid to spice things up. Aoife put us on a course toward the nearby gate and away from the jump point. It was unlikely Benedict would need to immediately follow us, but better safe than sorry.
“Where do you want to go?” she asked Ian.
“APD Zero,” I said. “I want to return Ferdinand to Earth in Aurora. The delay will be minimal, and the impact will be worth it.”
Ian inclined his head in agreement. “Your father is going to be furious that I’ve been out of contact for nearly a week. I left Deputy Director Stevens in charge while I was gone. I am confident she’s kept the ship afloat, but we’ll see if she’s been as successful in fending off Albrecht. I may be the universe’s newest wanted man.”
“You’re too good at your job,” I said. “Father won’t let you go so easily. He’ll rightly blame me.”
“We have six hours until we jump,” Aoife said. “I’m going to get some shut-eye since we have to be up early.” She glanced at Ian. “How are we bunking?”
“Ferdinand and Alex in the crew bunk. You’ll have to bed down in the exercise room.”
She nodded and she and Alex left the flight deck.
“And where will Bianca sleep?” Ferdinand asked. The computer-generated voice might not have much emotional inflection, but Ferdinand’s expression had no such trouble. He radiated hostility.
“I will sleep with Ian,” I said. I met Ferdinand’s glare head-on. I’d dealt with difficult men all my life, but I had an advantage here—Ferdinand wanted to see me happy. “You can support my decision or you can yell, but the outcome will remain the same,” I said quietly, my voice edged in steel.
He looked away first. “I can’t believe you have people convinced you’re the timid one,” he groused. “Everyone is wary of me, but they should be watching out for you.”
That hadn’t always been true, as evidenced by Gregory, but since his death, I’d done my damnedest to relearn how to stand up for myself. I smiled at Ferdinand, glad that he’d noticed. “A hidden dagger is far more effective.”
“Father isn’t going to like it.”
“Father can bite me,” I said. But I knew it was true. “I’m working on it. If I bring him you and the identity of your attackers as a fait accompli, he’ll be more reasonable. I’m hoping Catarina made progress while I’ve been gone. Do you have any idea who might want you dead badly enough to hire the Syndicate? And I’m betting whoever it was also told them to take the hit out on me. So someone who knows I deal in information.”
Ferdinand shook his head. “I don’t have any big deals going. Nothing that someone might want to disrupt.”
“Who benefits from your death? Any ex-lovers or other surprises in your will? What about Evelyn? Does her family know?”
Ferdinand’s expression turned wary and his eyes flickered to Ian before returning to me. “What do you know about Evelyn?”
“I know about you and Evelyn,” Ian said. “I’m the director of security; give me some credit.”
I said, “You were supposed to meet her the night you were taken. I met with her the next day. She said you were together.”
He blew out a breath. “We are. We’re keeping it quiet because we know neither of our families would approve.”
“She said House Rockhurst didn’t order the attack, but if someone in the House was upset about your relationship they might think taking you out served two purposes.”
“Maybe,” he allowed. “But it wasn’t Evelyn.”
“I agree.”
“Otherwise, all of my assets go to family. Hannah would be the one to gain the most by becoming heir, but we’ve talked. She doesn’t want it because it would give her bastard husband more power. The rest of my personal assets are split among all of you.”
“After you disappeared, Hannah told me she planned to abdicate.” That put me next in line if anything happened to Ferdinand. “Please don’t die,” I told him seriously.
“I’m not planning on it.” He gave Ian a hard stare. “You heard nothing about Hannah.”