waited, they could lose the man and the woman. But Falcone had given specific orders that nobody was to go through a portal without authorization.
"Darnet!" Calag called. "Get in here."
The other adept came running.
"Yes, sir?"
"Lander is waiting at Falcone's residence. I want you and Balfer to send a psychic message to him immediately."
He watched the men stand so that their shoulders were touching, watched them link hands.
They might be able to get through. Or they might not. And if they couldn't, it was Calag's head on the chopping block.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
LOGAN HAD BEEN so focused on the soldier that he hadn't been paying attention to where they had landed. Then he felt Rinna's fingers grip his arm.
He swung toward her and found her staring around in wonder—and also alarm.
They appeared to be in a convenience store, the kind of place where customers dashed in for some product they needed right away. Or where they came to get coffee and a premade sandwich.
"We're safe," he told her, thinking that they had just gone from a crisis into a safe harbor. Then he reminded himself that he was the only one who had stepped into a familiar environment.
Her voice quavered as she moved closer to him and whispered. "Is this a storehouse?"
"No. It's a convenience store. There's nothing to worry about here. Why does a storehouse frighten you?"
She loosened her grip on his arm and gestured with her hand. "There's never enough of anything where I come from. Food. Medicine. Clothing. The rich can buy those things and store them for when they're needed. But they guard them jealously. And they kill if they catch you trying to raid their private stock."
"We don't have that kind of violence here. This is a place where ordinary people come to buy things they need," he said, keeping his tone reassuring, trying to remind himself how strange her world had seemed to him. She must be having the same problem—in reverse. "This is a public place, not a rich man's storehouse. Anyone can come in and shop here."
She seemed to relax a little. "Like the marketplace, you mean. Only inside?"
"Yes."
She took another look at the well-stocked shelves. "And we're in the back where the merchant hides his best things and brings them out for the rich people."
"It's not like that here," he answered. "If you have the money, you can buy it."
She nodded, but she looked like she didn't really believe him as she took a step along the aisle where they stood.
"Does Falcone have control over where this portal comes out?" he asked.
"I don't know. I don't think so. Probably Avery and Brusco took advantage of a weakness in the plates. The way Boralas did."
"A store isn't such a hot place to land," Logan muttered, then amended the comment. "Well, I guess it depends on whether the clerk is paying attention to who goes in and out."
Rinna was moving her hand along the shelves, touching products. She picked up a jar of spaghetti sauce, shaking it gently and looking through the glass at the contents before putting it back. Moving farther down the aisle, she scooped up a bar of bath soap and slowly read the label.
"This is to wash your body?"
"Yes."
"They taught me to read in the school when I was a child," she murmured.
He stared at her. "Not everyone can read?"
"Most slaves can't," she said, then turned her head quickly away.
Most slaves.
She'd said it casually, but the words sent a small shiver traveling over his skin. Had she been talking about herself? He looked at her with fresh awareness as he watched her turn the bar in her hand, then bring it to her nose.
Strong emotions welled up inside him. His lifemate looked so feminine, yet he sensed an iron core at the center of her being. And he had seen her in a fight. She knew how to defend herself. In her world, she had been the one who knew exactly what to expect. Here, the tables were turned. Could she trust him enough to rely on him?
His lifemate?
Good Lord. He'd used the term without even thinking
"Darnet!" Calag called. "Get in here."
The other adept came running.
"Yes, sir?"
"Lander is waiting at Falcone's residence. I want you and Balfer to send a psychic message to him immediately."
He watched the men stand so that their shoulders were touching, watched them link hands.
They might be able to get through. Or they might not. And if they couldn't, it was Calag's head on the chopping block.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
LOGAN HAD BEEN so focused on the soldier that he hadn't been paying attention to where they had landed. Then he felt Rinna's fingers grip his arm.
He swung toward her and found her staring around in wonder—and also alarm.
They appeared to be in a convenience store, the kind of place where customers dashed in for some product they needed right away. Or where they came to get coffee and a premade sandwich.
"We're safe," he told her, thinking that they had just gone from a crisis into a safe harbor. Then he reminded himself that he was the only one who had stepped into a familiar environment.
Her voice quavered as she moved closer to him and whispered. "Is this a storehouse?"
"No. It's a convenience store. There's nothing to worry about here. Why does a storehouse frighten you?"
She loosened her grip on his arm and gestured with her hand. "There's never enough of anything where I come from. Food. Medicine. Clothing. The rich can buy those things and store them for when they're needed. But they guard them jealously. And they kill if they catch you trying to raid their private stock."
"We don't have that kind of violence here. This is a place where ordinary people come to buy things they need," he said, keeping his tone reassuring, trying to remind himself how strange her world had seemed to him. She must be having the same problem—in reverse. "This is a public place, not a rich man's storehouse. Anyone can come in and shop here."
She seemed to relax a little. "Like the marketplace, you mean. Only inside?"
"Yes."
She took another look at the well-stocked shelves. "And we're in the back where the merchant hides his best things and brings them out for the rich people."
"It's not like that here," he answered. "If you have the money, you can buy it."
She nodded, but she looked like she didn't really believe him as she took a step along the aisle where they stood.
"Does Falcone have control over where this portal comes out?" he asked.
"I don't know. I don't think so. Probably Avery and Brusco took advantage of a weakness in the plates. The way Boralas did."
"A store isn't such a hot place to land," Logan muttered, then amended the comment. "Well, I guess it depends on whether the clerk is paying attention to who goes in and out."
Rinna was moving her hand along the shelves, touching products. She picked up a jar of spaghetti sauce, shaking it gently and looking through the glass at the contents before putting it back. Moving farther down the aisle, she scooped up a bar of bath soap and slowly read the label.
"This is to wash your body?"
"Yes."
"They taught me to read in the school when I was a child," she murmured.
He stared at her. "Not everyone can read?"
"Most slaves can't," she said, then turned her head quickly away.
Most slaves.
She'd said it casually, but the words sent a small shiver traveling over his skin. Had she been talking about herself? He looked at her with fresh awareness as he watched her turn the bar in her hand, then bring it to her nose.
Strong emotions welled up inside him. His lifemate looked so feminine, yet he sensed an iron core at the center of her being. And he had seen her in a fight. She knew how to defend herself. In her world, she had been the one who knew exactly what to expect. Here, the tables were turned. Could she trust him enough to rely on him?
His lifemate?
Good Lord. He'd used the term without even thinking
Similar Books
