year passed and she never felt the mating pull. Organic harbingers were nearly extinct. Infertility had always been a challenge for harbingers, but a rapidly shrinking gene pool had made genetic compatibility all but impossible.
Using the condescending tone she reserved for slow-minded children, Pyre answered his question. “Javin Aidentar is Integration Guild Master. You have heard of the Integration Guild, haven’t you?”
The inductee rolled his eyes, an impulse that would earn corporal punishment if he continued to indulge it. “Everyone’s heard of the Integration Guild. They control technology and Rodytes depend on technology for everything. The Integration Guild is even more powerful than Crown Stirate Quinton.”
“Very good.” Her smile was nearly as patronizing as her tone, but the fool didn’t seem to notice. “Javin and I are good friends, so why would he refuse to see me?”
“Did you do something to make him angry?”
“No.” She returned to the bed and sat down beside him. He was nicely shaped, both tall and muscular, but all she had to do was look into his guileless eyes and she felt her lust cool. “I haven’t even seen him in nearly a year. Try again.”
“Maybe someone told him something about you that isn’t true.”
It really was like talking to a child. “It’s possible, but Javin has never shied away from confrontation in the past. If he was angry with me, he’d tell me.” When the inductee just stared back at her silently, she went on, “I’ll tell you a secret. Javin and I used to be very close for a very long time. Then he met this pretty little girl and she stole him away from me.”
Haven Tandori . Even whispered in Pyre’s mind the name sent resentment surging through her being. Haven walked into the yearly Mid-Winter Celebration and Javin couldn’t resist her innocent charms. She hadn’t even used the power of her family to seduce him. Oh no, she’d assumed an identity of no consequence, an identity that prevented anyone from guessing her true purpose for returning to Rodymia. Despite all that, Javin fell fast and hard for the skinny, Earth-raised whore and Pyre would never forgive either of them.
For reasons Pyre couldn’t fathom, Haven insisted on keeping her relationship with Javin secret, so most presumed Pyre and Javin were still lovers. Pyre saw no reason to correct the misconception. Being Master Javin’s lover had provided Pyre with a level of respect she wasn’t anxious to relinquish.
“It must be this other woman.” He nodded happily, pleased with his conclusion. “She told him never to see you again.”
“Not a bad guess, but Javin isn’t the type of man to be commanded by any woman. I’m afraid it’s something worse, something beyond his control.”
“Like an illness or injury?”
She nodded. “Or worse. I think something bad has happened to him and the other leaders of the Integration Guild don’t want anyone to know.”
“Losing Master Javin would be bad for the Integration Guild?” Again a childish quality crept into his tone.
“It would be very bad.”
“How can you find out for sure?”
“I need to think about it.” She sighed and stood up. “In fact, I’m no longer in the mood for what I had planned. Return to the dormitory.”
Relief made him look even younger as he gathered up his scattered clothes. But he paused by the door, clothing pressed against his impressive chest. “Have I displeased you, mistress?”
“No. The message upset me. It had nothing to do with you.”
He licked his lips and looked at the bed. “Will you summon me again?”
Surprised by the hope in his voice, she smiled. “Very likely. Rest well.”
The door had barely closed behind the inductee when a visitor chime sounded. She knew who it was, so she didn’t bother asking. “Visitor approved.” The door parted and Arrix, the head of her security team, strolled into her bedroom.
“That was fast.” His gaze was bold and knowing as he
Using the condescending tone she reserved for slow-minded children, Pyre answered his question. “Javin Aidentar is Integration Guild Master. You have heard of the Integration Guild, haven’t you?”
The inductee rolled his eyes, an impulse that would earn corporal punishment if he continued to indulge it. “Everyone’s heard of the Integration Guild. They control technology and Rodytes depend on technology for everything. The Integration Guild is even more powerful than Crown Stirate Quinton.”
“Very good.” Her smile was nearly as patronizing as her tone, but the fool didn’t seem to notice. “Javin and I are good friends, so why would he refuse to see me?”
“Did you do something to make him angry?”
“No.” She returned to the bed and sat down beside him. He was nicely shaped, both tall and muscular, but all she had to do was look into his guileless eyes and she felt her lust cool. “I haven’t even seen him in nearly a year. Try again.”
“Maybe someone told him something about you that isn’t true.”
It really was like talking to a child. “It’s possible, but Javin has never shied away from confrontation in the past. If he was angry with me, he’d tell me.” When the inductee just stared back at her silently, she went on, “I’ll tell you a secret. Javin and I used to be very close for a very long time. Then he met this pretty little girl and she stole him away from me.”
Haven Tandori . Even whispered in Pyre’s mind the name sent resentment surging through her being. Haven walked into the yearly Mid-Winter Celebration and Javin couldn’t resist her innocent charms. She hadn’t even used the power of her family to seduce him. Oh no, she’d assumed an identity of no consequence, an identity that prevented anyone from guessing her true purpose for returning to Rodymia. Despite all that, Javin fell fast and hard for the skinny, Earth-raised whore and Pyre would never forgive either of them.
For reasons Pyre couldn’t fathom, Haven insisted on keeping her relationship with Javin secret, so most presumed Pyre and Javin were still lovers. Pyre saw no reason to correct the misconception. Being Master Javin’s lover had provided Pyre with a level of respect she wasn’t anxious to relinquish.
“It must be this other woman.” He nodded happily, pleased with his conclusion. “She told him never to see you again.”
“Not a bad guess, but Javin isn’t the type of man to be commanded by any woman. I’m afraid it’s something worse, something beyond his control.”
“Like an illness or injury?”
She nodded. “Or worse. I think something bad has happened to him and the other leaders of the Integration Guild don’t want anyone to know.”
“Losing Master Javin would be bad for the Integration Guild?” Again a childish quality crept into his tone.
“It would be very bad.”
“How can you find out for sure?”
“I need to think about it.” She sighed and stood up. “In fact, I’m no longer in the mood for what I had planned. Return to the dormitory.”
Relief made him look even younger as he gathered up his scattered clothes. But he paused by the door, clothing pressed against his impressive chest. “Have I displeased you, mistress?”
“No. The message upset me. It had nothing to do with you.”
He licked his lips and looked at the bed. “Will you summon me again?”
Surprised by the hope in his voice, she smiled. “Very likely. Rest well.”
The door had barely closed behind the inductee when a visitor chime sounded. She knew who it was, so she didn’t bother asking. “Visitor approved.” The door parted and Arrix, the head of her security team, strolled into her bedroom.
“That was fast.” His gaze was bold and knowing as he
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