Page 32 of Owned
“I am allowed to use it whenever I like, but it is owned by my aunt.”
“Is that who weeded the gardens?” She followed him to the front door, fascinated by the glimpse behind his stoic mask. Now that she was allowed to think of him as a potential mate rather than a bodyguard, a multitude of questions swarmed through her mind. She wanted to know everything about him. Had his childhood been happy? Had he ever wanted to be anything other than a soldier? Were both sides of his family empowered? For that matter, what were his abilities?
“The gardener is Nolla, my eldest cousin. She lives not far from here.” A scan of Cylex’s palm opened the door and he stepped just inside the doorway. After a quick security sweep of the interior, he motioned her inside as well.
The interior was clean and orderly, but the furniture looked old. The rustic style was very different from the sleek minimalism that was currently popular. “Are your aunt and her children your only living relatives?”
“My brother and I do not interact, but I have three sisters.”
She’d been surprised when Flora had mentioned one of his sisters. Now she’d learned that he had three. For some reason, she’d always pictured Cylex as a lone wolf, without the support of a family. She was relieved to learn that she’d been wrong. Family was important to Raina. Everyone needed someone they could depend on. She hoped that Cylex’s siblings were that for him.
It was obvious that the cottage was not currently occupied, at least not on a regular basis. “Who lived here?”
“This was my grandparents’ home. They bought the property when I was two. My mother and I lived here until I was five and she found a life partner.”
Resentment rippled across their mind link, but Raina wasn’t sure which statement upset him. “Is life partner different than mate?” And why had they lived with his grandparents? Had Cylex’s Torretian father ever been in the picture?
“Altorians choose life partners when they are unable to locate their soulmates. Those who live in remote areas interact with fewer people so their chances of encountering their soulmate are minimal. Most accept this fact and focus on forming solid, committed relationships instead.”
This was the first she’d heard of an alternative. Everyone at the Citadel spoke only of soul-bonded mates. “Are your grandparents still alive? What about your mother and her life partner? And tell me about your aunt. How many children—”
“Let’s secure the ship and settle in before we answer your questions,” Kern suggested. “Clearly you have many of them.”
She glanced toward the door, tensing. “Are you sure it’s safe here? No one knows where we are?” This anxiety was new and unwelcome. She’d always considered herself bold and independent. Of course, that was before half the galaxy was trying to kidnap her.
“There are only three houses on this mountain and they all belong to my family,” Cylex assured her. “Mistress Air is the only person who knows where we are and she will make sure no one interrupts us.”
That was certainly true. Udora was determined to give Kern time to court Raina. Telling anyone where to find them would be counterproductive to her plan. “Are you both going outside?” The question slipped out before Raina could stop it. So much for proving that she was a strong, independent woman.
Cylex nodded, then reconsidered. “Do you want one of us to stay?”
Embarrassed by her insecurity, she took a deep breath and straightened her spine. “No,” she said firmly. Cylex had known something was wrong behind the temple. If there was danger now, he would sense it. “I need to stop jumping at shadows. If you’re sure it’s safe, I believe you.”
“This shouldn’t take long,” Kern stressed.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Make yourself at home,” Cylex offered as they slipped out the front door.
Unsure how to feel at home in a stranger’s house, she simply wandered through the rooms. The living room, eating area, and kitchen were all one open space so she headed down the only hallway. Along one side of the corridor there were two identical bedrooms with a compact bathroom in between. The main bedroom was larger than the other two and had its own bathroom. There had been a food replication unit in the kitchen, but there was also a utility printer inset in the hall. The cabin might look rustic at first glance, but it had all the modern conveniences.
The males walked through the front door as she returned to the main living space. “What will happen to Laidon after the healers patch him up? He tried to kidnap me,again, but I’m not Pyronese and neither is he.”
“You’re a conduit,” Kern agreed. “That puts this in the Citadel’s jurisdiction. Once Laidon has recovered enough to travel, he will be taken to the Citadel to stand trial.”
Another surge of resentment reached Raina’s mind as Cylex muttered, “That bastard stole my ship and bribed my crew. Your grandmother should have left him bleeding in the dirt.”
“Pyronese healers are morally obligated to help anyone who needs them.” Kern was clearly parroting his grandmother. “If it’s any consolation, if I had to choose between dealing with you or an enraged Zevon, I would much rather deal with you.”
Cylex cocked his head and stared at Kern. “I think I’m insulted.”
Kern smiled then shook his head. “Of course, neither of you can keep up with me when it comes to terrifying people.”
“You’re proud of your ability to terrify people?” Raina hoped that they were joking, but they sure sounded serious. They meandered across the living room and sat down around the kitchen table.
“Fear comes in handy in my line of work,” Kern told her.
“Which is?” she asked. She was curious about Kern but hadn’t forgiven him for the way he’d treated her when they first met. “I presume you do more than commit crimes for the emperor.” She knew why he’d kidnapped her so she wasn’t sure why she brought it up. Something about Kern made her argumentative.