Free Born of Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon Page B

“Hey, isn’t that the princess we’re after?”
    Those words registered at the same time he saw the group rushing toward them, reaching for weapons.
    What the hell? They weren’t Caronese soldiers or guards his uncle might have sent. They were dressed as civs.
    But their weapons were military grade…
    Shit. It
was
an attack.
    When their leader ducked out from the corner in front of them, Darling’s blood ran cold.
    It was Clarion Lubomir. Zarya’s right hand… and
his
ally.
    No, not
Darling’s
ally.
    Kere’s.
    Double shit. Clarion would never believe that Kere was also the Caronese heir they fought against and hated. None of them would. All they saw was a royal-blooded enemy who stood for everything that had ever repressed them. Every failure in their lives. Every disappointment from not having a better job to being saddled with a spouse who nagged them to distraction.
    It was
all
his family’s fault.
    Not one of those men knew how many shots he’d taken toprotect their backs. How many times he’d fought by their side against his uncle’s soldiers.
    How many times he’d carried them to safety when they were wounded or under fire. And right now, even if they did, they most likely wouldn’t care anyway.
You wear the uniform, you’re judged by the banner on the sleeve—the same banner we’ll wrap around your body for your burial.
    Fuck me…
    They opened fire.
    Darling moved to cover his sister. “Run, Lise! Get to my ship.”
    Without questioning him, she dropped her tote, and for once, obeyed. Running backward, Darling tried to protect her as best he could.
    He mentally reviewed the weapons he had on him. They were all designed to kill. If he used even a single one, it’d tear his allies apart. That was the last thing he wanted. They were good men with families he knew in some cases on an intimate level. They didn’t deserve to die over a stupid mistake.
    Think, Darling, think.
The last thing he’d anticipated was his own allies assaulting him.
    Damn it! Why hadn’t he even considered it?
    ’Cause the bastards were supposed to be in Caronese territory, not Garvon.
    Oh yeah, there was that…
    Not to mention, they’d never gone after
his
family before. Arturo, his wife and daughters, yes. But Darling’s immediate family had always been off limits.
    He growled in frustration. He’d only had the two stun blasts he’d used on Lise’s guards. Why hadn’t he brought more?
    ’Cause who would have thought of
this
?
    Darling kept himself between Lise and their fire as he went with her, toward the ship. Blasts of color ricocheted everywhere.Thank the gods they weren’t better shots. Over the past years, he’d often laughed at Clarion for his lousy aim and had even tried to teach him how to shoot better.
    Thank the gods Clarion was a slow learner.
    One blast came within millimeters of Lise. Had she not put her head down a second earlier to run faster, she’d have lost it.
    His blood boiled. So this was Clarion’s great plan? To kidnap his sister and what? Hold her for ransom? Was he out of his idiotarian mind? Arturo wouldn’t pay to get her back. He’d assume her raped and then she would be useless to him. The only value she had to their uncle was as a virgin bride.
Shit, shit, shit…
    Lise made it to the ship, then hesitated as she glanced at Darling and the men on their heels. If she went up the ladder, she’d be an easy target even with their limited abilities.
    Turning around, Darling pulled out his blaster and opened cover fire, trying to buy her enough time to get into the cockpit. He had no intention of wounding them. All he aimed for was the space between Clarion and the man on his left.
    But it didn’t work that way.
    The moment he pulled the trigger, his blast was absorbed as if the Resistance fighters were protected by a force field. An instant later, pulses of energy shot out in all directions.
    It was a distinctive pattern he knew all too well, since it was one he’d designed and