Page 26 of Revenge (Warriors of the Drexian Academy #6)

Chapter

Twenty-Six

Tivek

I stared at my brother as he turned away. He knew. After years of careful deception, of maintaining a cover identity so deep that even our family had believed it, Deklyn knew the truth.

I worked hard to keep my expression neutral as I stepped toward Captain Kalex, whom I’d met before, and a Drexian I hadn’t. “Captain," I said, offering the traditional Drexian salute of a fist across the chest before nodding respectfully to the other officer. "I apologize for the interruption."

"No need to apologize," Kalex said warmly, introducing his holographic engineer Vekron and then signaling the bartender for more drinks. “I assume you’re here because of your brother’s news?”

The bartender slid a glass of Noovian whiskey across the bar to me, the amber liquid catching the low light.

"My brother must have come straight from the Academy after hearing our news," Deklyn said smoothly.

"I did," I confirmed, which was true enough. Admiral Zoran had dispatched me as soon as he’d heard about the engagement. "It's not every day your brother announces he's getting married."

Deklyn rocked on his heels and grinned, looking as cool and composed as ever.

"If you gentlemen will excuse us," I said, looking between Kalex and Vekron, "I'd like to steal my brother for a moment.”

"Of course.” Kalex lifted his glass to us. "Take your time."

I led Deklyn to one of the small round tables in a corner of the lounge, away from other conversations but still visible to the bar. The table's glossy black surface reflected the glow of the single artificial votive candle and kept us from sitting in shadows.

When we settled into the dark swivel chairs, Deklyn leaned forward slightly, his gaze studying my face. “Why did you come so quickly?”

I took another sip of whiskey, feeling the familiar burn as it went down. "I'll tell you the truth if you do the same."

Deklyn frowned, then laughed brusquely. "Guess I can trust a spy who's kept his identity secret all this time not to spill my secrets."

The words were sharp, and I couldn't suppress a flinch. "How did you find out?"

"I saw it in some communications in Admiral Zoran's office," he said, his voice low. "Messages between the admiral and Shadow Command discussing your operations. It was coded, but I knew it was you.”

I opened and closed my mouth, startled that my brother had admitted to being in the admiral’s office without authorization.

Before I could remind him of his Drexian honor, he held up a hand.

“It wasn’t my idea. I was following Sasha.

She’s determined to discover who on Earth wanted to stop her rescue. ”

I felt pieces clicking into place with uncomfortable clarity. "That's why you and Sasha are here, isn’t it? That’s why you’re suddenly engaged. Because of something she discovered in Zoran's office."

Deklyn nodded grimly. "I warned her against breaking in, but she wouldn't listen to reason."

I released a breath. “I’m familiar with human females and their strong wills.”

Deklyn’s eyebrow quirked. “Yes, I know you are.”

My face heated, but I tried to ignore his pointed comment. “I’m not here to discuss my personal life. I’m here to discuss yours.”

Deklyn’s eyes narrowed. “You want honesty from me when you’ve been hiding who you are? Why didn’t you tell me, Tiv?”

It was the quiet hurt in his voice that made my chest tight. I stared down at my glass, watching the whiskey swirl as I searched for the right words.

"I couldn't," I said finally. "Even though I wanted to, more times than I like to admit.

" I looked up to meet his gaze. "Every time you bragged about Inferno Force, every time you talked about real warriors and dangerous missions, I wanted to tell you I was out there too, that I was serving Drex in ways you couldn't imagine. "

Deklyn shook his head, looking at me as if seeing me for the first time. "And all this time no one knew you were the one carrying out the most dangerous missions."

"The Shadows don't get recognition," I said simply. "That's rather the point."

"Tiv," he said, and there was something raw in his voice that made me look up sharply. "I'm sorry if I ever made you feel you needed to prove yourself. I got caught up in the Inferno Force competition and the need to be seen as strong and fearless. I never meant to make you feel less worthy.”

The apology was unexpected and more welcome than I wanted to admit. This was the brother I'd always looked up to, the one whose approval had meant everything to me even when I couldn't tell him why I deserved it.

"Now that you know my secret," I said, raising my glass slightly, "you tell me the truth. Why are you really here? I know you better than to believe you'd get engaged so quickly.” I dropped my voice to a mumble. “Or at all.”

Deklyn hesitated, his fingers drumming against the table's surface. Then his expression hardened.

“Swear to keep this secret," he said. "Not just from the Drexians on the station, but from your handlers, from Admiral Zoran, from everyone."

I was struck by his intensity and the pleading look in his gaze. I didn’t hesitate. “You have my word."

He leaned closer, his voice barely audible above the low hum of conversation and the clinking of glasses.

"Sasha discovered that someone in Earth's command structure ordered her abandonment. Someone high in Earth Planetary Defense Command classified her as an acceptable loss and forbade any rescue attempts. She wants them to pay for their treachery, but first she has to find them.”

I knew the orders from Drexian High Command. The orders the admiral had defied because he knew it was wrong. I hadn’t known that Earth had forbidden a rescue. “And your engagement is…?”

“Bait,” Deklyn said. “She's hoping to draw all the important Earth officials here, then confront them with the evidence. Find out who was behind the decision and make them face the consequences."

I stared at him. I’d risked my life on that rescue mission, had nearly lost Morgan, and all because Earth's own leadership had written off one of their pilots. Not only written her off, but forbidden her rescue. The betrayal was inexplicable and monstrous, and I understood Sasha's anger completely.

“This is madness,” I finally said.

He released a long breath. “You have no idea.”

I leaned closer. “You’ve never wanted to take a mate. You’ve always made that quite clear.”

He flinched at this. He hadn’t been shy about his feelings in the past or his opinions on the distraction of females. “I’m not taking a mate. I’m only pretending to be engaged.”

My gaze rolled skyward. “I know you, Dek. You don’t do anything halfway.”

He met my gaze. “I promised to help Sasha find out who left her to rot. My mission to save her isn’t complete until I do this for her.”

I locked eyes with him for another few beats, then sighed. “Fine. I can see you’re determined, and I know what it means when you decide something. There’s no talking you out of it.”

“There isn’t.”

I gave a slow nod. “I’ll keep your secret, Dek.”

His shoulders relaxed.

“I guess there’s only one thing to do now.” I watched him tense again. “I’ll have to help you find out who was truly behind it."

Deklyn's face broke into the first genuine smile I'd seen from him since our reunion. “You will?”

“Of course. We’re brothers, aren’t we?” I shot him a wicked grin. “Besides, Sasha is about to become family.”

His scowl morphed into a grin, and he raised his glass toward mine. "To revenge.”

"To justice," I corrected, clinking my glass against his.

We swallowed our whiskey, both silent as it warmed our throats. Then I couldn't resist asking what had been nagging at me.

“If the wedding is a trap, then you aren’t really engaged?”

He shook his head.

“But you’re pretending to be?”

A sharp nod.

“Which means you’re doing all the things couples on the station do, from all the wedding planning to staying in a fantasy suite, but it’s all for show?”

Deklyn released a tortured groan. “I think we’re going to need more whiskey.”