Free Laura Jo Phillips by The Katres' Summer: Book 3 of the Soul-Linked Saga Page B

issue, but clearly the two of them were outnumbered. 
    “I do not know what she did,” Summer admitted, “so I’m afraid I am not equipped to discuss it.”
    “How long have you known Miss Flowers?” Faron asked.
    Summer shrugged.  “Since this morning,” she replied.
    Maxim’s brows rose in surprise, but the wave of resentment and anger she felt from him did not lessen.
    “Then it makes sense that you do not know her past,” Faron said reasonably.  “She assisted in the kidnapping of three women, one of whom was killed.”
    Summer heard a sharp intake of breath from behind her, as did every other person in the room apparently, as all eyes went to Darleen. 
    “First, a diversion was created whereby a fuel tanker was sabotaged to crash into the Dracon Prince’s home.  Aboard that tanker were two male-sets, one of whom were the younger brothers to the Katres.”
    Ah, Summer thought.  That explained some of their anger.
    “They were able to divert the tanker away from the Princes’ home, but it did crash and destroy our house.  As it was empty at the time, no one was hurt.  However, it was an unpleasant situation, and only because of the strength of the Princes’ magic were the male-sets on board the tanker able to eject and escape an otherwise certain death.”
    Summer clenched her fists together beneath the table.  This was already far worse than anything she had imagined, and they hadn’t even gotten to Darleen yet.
    “During the diversion, Miss Flowers, who had pretended a friendship with the Princess for many months, used her familiarity with the ranch, and the ranch hands’ familiarity with her, to approach the house and lure the women outside the protected area by shooting the Princess’s dog.  The Princess was nearly due to deliver her triplets at that time.  When the women exited the garden, they were each shot with a tranquilizer and tossed into the trunk of Miss Flower’s ground-car by the two men she had with her.”
    Summer wanted to turn and look at Darleen, to see if what this man was saying was true, but she didn’t.  She did not move at all.  Somehow, she already knew that Faron Lobo would not lie.
    “Miss Flowers then drove off the property, which, due to the size of the ranch, took about an hour.  A short distance from the ranch she pulled over and had the men remove the women from the trunk and drop them on the ground nearby.  She then taunted the women, whom she believed to be still paralyzed from the drug they were given, gave her men some final instructions, then got into her car and left them with the two men.
    “The women who were abducted were Princess Lariah, and Saige.  There was a third woman taken as well, only because she happened to be having lunch with Saige and the Princess at the time.  Her name was Riata, an Alverian Empath and Healer who was very important to the Jasani people.  She was also the most pure and gentle being I have ever had the privilege to know.  However, Miss Flowers let her men know, more than once, that she did not care in the least what they did to the Alverian, but that the other two were wanted unharmed.  Regarding Riata, the men apparently took her at her word, as they carelessly dropped her on a stone outcropping which broke her back and killed her.  They did not, however, follow her instructions regarding Saige and Lariah, because no sooner did Miss Flowers leave than they attempted to assault Saige.  Luckily, Saige is an expert in tiketa , and Riata had Healed her from the drug before they were removed from the trunk.  She killed one of the men, and disabled the other.  Then Miss Flowers’ employer, a Xanti, arrived and shot Saige with an energy weapon, nearly killing her.  His intent was to take both women off-planet, and had our Princes not arrived at that moment, they, and the six daughters they have since borne, would be lost to us now.”
    Faron paused a moment, looked over Summer’s shoulder at Darleen, then