All For One [Nuworld 3] (37 page)

Torgo glanced at Syra for only a second before turning on Andru. “Where is he?”

“He’s safe,” Andru said. “Who is he?”

“Andru, this isn’t a game. Tell me where he is.”

“No. He’s my brother, isn’t he?” Then Andru looked at Torgo and Syra. “Or, is he

my cousin?” He raised his voice slightly. “Who is he? Why are you keeping him hidden

like he’s some dark secret? You two brought him back…is he your son?”

“Tell me where he is now,” Torgo shouted.

Andru almost jumped at his uncle. “You’ll hurt him if I tell you. I’ve been warned

that there is evil here. I want to know everything about him…now!”

Syra darted around the counter and jumped between uncle and nephew. She put

her hands on both of their chests and Andru stepped back from her. Torgo however,

took her hand in his and held onto it. She didn’t look up at him. Instead, Syra focused

on the ground.

“Andru, we can’t tell you who he is. But you must tell us where he is,” Syra said

quietly.

“Syra, you were captured by the Lunians weren’t you? He’s your son, isn’t he?

They found out you were pregnant and they took your child and sent you back. Is that

how it happened? Then, you two found him while you were looking for Ana and knew

he was your son.” Andru looked questioningly at his uncle and then at Syra. Neither

one of them said a word. “I just don’t understand why he has to be kept hidden. He

doesn’t understand either. Beel was so excited to find out that he was Gothman. But

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now he feels as though he’s being treated like a criminal, and he doesn’t know what

he’s done wrong.”

Now Syra did look up at Torgo. The two of them stared at each other for a long

while without speaking. Andru sensed they tried to decide what to say to him, and

decided to allow them the moment.

“Andru, I won’t spend any more time on this. You can tell me where the boy is or

I’ll take you to your papa and you can tell him where he is.” Torgo shrugged.

“I’ll do neither until I have insurance that he’ll receive better treatment. He doesn’t

deserve to be locked up. Do you have a crime to charge him with?” Andru put his

hands on his hips and challenged his uncle.

“He’s done nothing wrong,” Syra said as she shook her head.

“Well, he has done something right.” Andru came back quickly. “He’s pledged his

allegiance to me, and to Gothman. He’ll do as I say and therefore I’ll take care of him.

That’s how it is.”

Torgo placed his hand on Syra’s back and then ran it up to her neck. She looked up

at him and he met her gaze and sighed.

“Andru, you’re right,” Syra said, but didn’t take her eyes off Torgo. “He’s our son. I

found him and wanted him back. Torgo is having problems with his claim and can’t

have the boy’s presence known. He has to stay hidden for the time being. But we really

need to know where he is.” She closed her eyes and added, “I need to know where he

is.”

“You two must have been awfully young.” Andru grinned at the two of them. “Beel

says he has thirteen winters.”

“Where is he?” Torgo demanded.

“He’s in my room.”

“What?” Torgo and Syra said at the same time.

“He’s safe.”

“No, he’s not.” Again, both of them spoke at the same time.

Torgo dropped his hands from Syra and ran them through his blond curls as he

walked around her to the couch. He looked up at Syra and momentarily seemed to

forget Andru was in the room. “Tara overheard Darius and me talking right before I

came here.”

“Oh Crator, what did she hear?”

“Enough.”

“I have an idea.” Andru moved to a nearby chair and looked from Torgo to Syra.

“I’ve been seeing a lot of things lately,” he began quietly. Torgo and Syra gave him their

undivided attention. “Sometimes, the dog-woman talks to me. She comes in my dreams

and sometimes I see her while I’m talking to people. You might think that’s distracting

but I know she’s guiding me—Crator’s guiding me. Anyway, I came to the clan site this

evening for two reasons. First I wanted to talk to you, Syra, and I thank you for your

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honesty.” Syra looked like she might speak but Andru raised his hand. “Don’t worry,

your secret is safe with me. I won’t even tell Beel if you don’t want me to.”

“The second place I plan to go this evening is to see Roth.”

Torgo and Syra both started protesting at the same time.

“I promised Ana. He’s locked up and he’s done nothing wrong. Ana came to me

before she left. She went of her own free will. Besides, I’ll tell you this, I plan on finding

out his intentions.”

“The Tree People have tried to approach Gothman, and Darius had them shot down

on sight, yes,” Torgo offered the information, and both Syra and Andru looked

astonished.

“I didn’t know that,” Andru said quietly. “My papa will burn bridges

unnecessarily, I fear. Here’s my plan.” He leaned forward conspiratorially and Torgo

and Syra leaned forward as well. “We need to free Roth. He’ll be the easy part. Can we

keep him here?”

Syra glanced down the hallway and then at Torgo.

“Yes, but just for a little while.” She sounded reluctant. “Papa sleeps soundly, but

we have to have him out before the morning.”

“Fine. Now, the hard part of the plan is that I want to send Beel with Roth. They

know each other and your, um…Beel will be safe with him.” Again, Torgo and Syra

glanced at each other.

“How do you suggest getting Beel out of your bedroom?”

Andru blushed and smiled mischievously. “I’ve sneaked out of my bedroom before.

Don’t worry about me. You two get Roth.” He walked to the counter and pulled the

Runner headscarf over his head. “Oh, and one more thing. Ana told me that he put

thoughts into her head. He told her to send me to him. I think if you go to him and let

him see you…you can talk to him that way.”

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Chapter Twenty

Darius wished Sorg would quit sending his soldiers into Gothman. He’d issued

orders for any Tree People to be shot as soon as they crossed Gothman borders. This

wasn’t a good battle. He felt no pride over it. It was like killing children—there was no

challenge in it.

The thought reminded him of his claim’s comment, and he left the landlink room

and walked to their bedroom. Tara sat at her landlink and with a glance he could tell

she was talking to Jolee. She didn’t look up as he walked over and leaned against the

desk. He crossed his arms and simply stared at her, watching her eyes as they darted

around the screen. Although she had teenage children, she was still by far the most

beautiful woman in all of Gothman. Her silky brown hair hung well past her shoulders.

One strand fell across her face and he itched to push it out of her way. Her lips were

pursed, which made them look ready to kiss. If someone had told him winters ago that

he would hold a flame for the same woman over all this time he would have labeled

them a fool. But just watching her, knowing she was furious with him, he wanted

nothing more than to take her to bed.

“I know how to rid you of that anger,” he said in his most seductive tone.

She didn’t bother to look up. “Don’t tempt me. Beating the crap out of you sounds

way too appealing at the moment.”

“Ah, my lady, granted you’ve tried more than once over the winters.” He put his

hand on hers while she typed. “You’ve never been able to beat the crap out of me.”

She tried to pull her hand from under his but he grabbed her wrist.

“I’m not in the mood for your games.” She clenched her teeth together and shot him

an icy glare.

“I’m not playing games.” He yanked her out of the chair by her wrist and pulled

her into his arms. “You said yourself that in the interest of our nations the boy should

be brought back here, yes.”

She pushed herself away from him and stood outraged in front of him. “Do you

think that’s why I’m mad?”

Darius looked at her calmly and crossed his arms.

“You care about that child. I heard you admit it.” Tara made a face as if the words

tasted like bile.

“He’s my son, he is.”

“He’s a bastard created after I left you because you were cheating on me.”

“I thought you were dead.”

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“Our children weren’t dead. You had no respect for their future. Would you have

gone around the countryside creating bastards all over the place if I hadn’t returned?”

Darius threw his arms up in the air. “I won’t have this argument with you again.

Everyone fucked your sister, they did. How was I to know she wasn’t using the

infamous Runner you can’t get pregnant pill?”

“I can’t believe your indifference about all of this.”

“My lady, I daresay I’m not indifferent.” He moved in on her quickly. His arms

wrapped around her, and he lifted her off the ground.

In a rage, she slammed her arms down on his shoulders and twisted until she

managed to drop free of him. Tara backed away quickly, but he didn’t relent. “I’ll talk

with you right now, but that’s all I’ll do,” she hissed at him.

With a powerful lunge he leaned forward and grabbed her arm. He twisted it as he

pulled her up to him and didn’t release her when she struggled. “I’ve apologized, lived

through your punishment, and shown my loyalty to you over the winters, I have,” he

began in a dangerous whisper. “I will not be punished again.” He cupped her chin with

his other hand and pulled her face within inches from him. “You’re mine, you are.

Don’t you ever tell me again that I can’t have you, no.”

She looked furious enough to launch into a full attack when just then a loud scream

came from the hallway. Both of them stopped the argument, which could have been

considered extended foreplay. Darius turned and dashed to the door with Tara right