The Human Alliance

There are those who call me the bridge between disparate interests. I hope that is my legacy. That my children and my children’s children into the future become the bridge whenever violence and horror threaten the world.

—From the private diaries of Adrian Bowen Kenner: peace negotiator, Territorial Wars (eighteenth century)

LILY HAD BEEN asked to take over the communications officer role in the Alliance because she had a natural ability to put people at ease in any given situation. She was also very good at judging the media currents and had the technical skills to ensure the Alliance’s message got through without disruption.

The work suited her, but she’d always understood that she was the conduit, and that was fine with her. She didn’t want to be the person who made the decisions. That was Bo’s role and he’d been born for it.

“We need you,” she said to her brother, her hand locked tight with his where it lay against the white sheet of the hospital bed. “The others want to bring Akshay Patel in, torture the truth out of him, even though all we have are rumors.” She swallowed. “They’re angry and hurting, and it’s pushing them into unconscionable decisions. I’ve managed to pull them back for now by reminding them you wouldn’t green-light something like that.”

Once, he might have. Her brother wasn’t perfect—he’d made mistakes, many of them. But he’d learned, become a true leader, one who understood that a society couldn’t be built on shadows and lies. “We’re watching the Patels and their associates very closely. I’ve done some hacking, gotten a line into their communications systems.” Beyond her being the face of the Alliance, that was her greatest skill.

“I don’t think Akshay Patel is connected with the Consortium. From everything we know, the Consortium is made up of the power-hungry from all three races, and HAPMA wants humans to stay separate.” She paused. “Of course, he could be a part of the Consortium for his own ends. They do both want Trinity to fail, after all.”

And Akshay Patel was ruthless enough to work with his enemies and to use HAPMA so long as their goals aligned with his. “This isn’t what I’m good at, Bo.” She could see those facts, but she didn’t know how to use them to get the answers they needed. “The others on your team are so angry that they’re blinded by their rage. You’re our center and our compass.”

Her brother had single-handedly brought humans out of obscurity. He was the Human Alliance. Lose him and they’d lose everything. “I need you.” A raspy whisper. “Wake up, Bo. Please.”

But her strong, powerful brother remained silent, his body quiet, when Bo was all tightly controlled energy, vividly alive even when he wasn’t in motion. The doctors had told her there was a high chance he might never wake—and if that ended up being their final conclusion, she’d follow Bo’s wishes and pull the plug. Her brother had made it clear that if he was ever in this position, they were to harvest his brain and find out what was happening with the telepath-blocking chip.

“Not yet,” Lily whispered. “I know you’re too tough to die. We’ll wait.”

Chapter 45

It takes a lot to anger a bear, but when enraged, they are merciless foes.

—Found in the notes of Adrian Kenner: peace negotiator, Territorial Wars (eighteenth century)

VALENTIN THREW PAVEL against one wall, his twin against the other. They both took the impact with audible “oofs” of sound, shook themselves off. Pavel was the one to speak. “What the hell, Valya?”

“The baby is sleeping.” He pinned them to the spot with his gaze. “Keep it down.”

The other man settled his abused shoulders, a scowl on his face. “Yasha and I were just wrestling. Not being loud.”

“Your audience was being loud.” He glared at the sheepish-appearing group of bears now looking anywhere but at him; most were still in their pajamas as they geared up for an early start. “Did I hear bets being placed?”

Yakov rubbed the back of his neck, a blush of color across his cheekbones. “Sorry.” He and Pavel came to join Valentin. “How’s Silver?”

Of all Valentin’s clan, only his seconds and Nova knew exactly what had happened. “She’s driving herself hard.” It infuriated him that she wasn’t taking care of herself as she should, but he was more than capable of picking up the slack—hell, he’d pet and cosset her if she wouldn’t strike him dead where he stood for daring.

Damn but he loved her. “She’s agreed to have kids with me.”

Yakov blinked. “Huh. Really? Even after they rewired her brain?”

“Yes.”

Pavel’s dimpled smile was pure joy. “That’s great news, Valya.”

Valentin nodded, the puppy inside him a little bruised but not broken. Because she’d invited him into her home, told him to sleep in her bed, eaten the food he sent her—and banned him from telling anyone they weren’t mated anymore. Not that Valentin believed the latter. Her cold, beautiful starlight might be missing inside him, but it wasn’t gone.

“What’s the situation with the BlackEdge border?” he asked after forcing his mind off his mate with conscious effort of will.

“Juveniles playing ‘I dare you.’”

“Bet they weren’t as good as we were when we played that game,” Pavel said.

“Of course not.” Grinning, Yakov bumped fists with his twin. “Anyway, I cracked the heads of ours; Stasya told BlackEdge of theirs. It’s sorted.”

“Good.” Valentin’s phone buzzed with an incoming message.

Reading it, he felt his heart kick.

Monique Ling has just arrived.—Ivan

Ivan Mercant was Silver’s cousin and part of the security team at the apartment building where she’d lived prior to the attempt on her life. Valentin had reached out to the man after he’d spoken to Grandmother Mercant and confirmed that Ivan had finally been cleared of any involvement in Silver’s attempted poisoning; it had taken so long because he was the one Mercant perfectly placed to get the poison into Silver’s apartment.

Ena had fully briefed Ivan as soon as he was eliminated from the suspect list.

As for Monique Ling, she’d thrown Ena by turning out to have a powerful natural shield.

“You would’ve scanned her if she hadn’t?” Valentin had asked, his arms folded and his opinion of the breach of privacy clear.

“Integrity is a useless relic when my granddaughter’s life is at stake.”

“Silver wouldn’t thank you for it.” He knew his Starlight; she’d made her own choices, and they weren’t always the same as Ena’s.

“The point is moot since I couldn’t get into Monique Ling’s head.”

Ena was certain she’d gained all possible information from the woman regardless, but Valentin wasn’t so sure. Conversational interaction was not Ena’s forte.

I’m on my way, he messaged back.

After telling his seconds what was up, he left for the city. It was pure chance that he spotted his mother moving through the trees in her bear form; Galina Evanova didn’t normally come this close to Denhome. Heart thundering, he halted the car, stepped out . . . and she pounded away.

Valentin could’ve caught her, but that would’ve achieved nothing.