Shades of Dark by Linnea Sinclair Page A

first transmit packet held no surprises. Not even a thank-you to Gregor from the Farosians. Sully and I vetted them in the ready room before releasing them to ship’s systems.
    Sully relaxed a little but kept checking with nav as to our position relative to the nearest data beacon. I began to question whether he really could handle the crew’s hatred if—no, when —it came to that.
    “On open dock, yes. Here?” He leaned his elbows on the room’s large table and scrubbed at his face with his hands. “Here, I’d want to side with them. I wouldn’t want to be stuck with me on a small ship either.”
    I wanted to tell him he was blowing things out of proportion but I couldn’t. I remembered too clearly when the crew believed Ren to be a fully functioning Ragkiril . I remembered the loathing, the fear.
    But Ren being Ragkiril had been a natural assumption.
    Sully being one wasn’t, and I said so.
    “Then use that to your advantage,” Ren advised, his voice soft and soothing. Gentle waves lapping at the shore of a safe harbor. “Human Ragkirils are rare. If you say your talents are minimal, I doubt anyone can provide evidence to the contrary. I’m willing to—”
    “No.” Sully cut in sharply, darting a glance at me and Ren. “No,” he repeated, more calmly. “I won’t do that again. Ever.” He turned back to the screen slatted through the tabletop.
    The incoming transmit signal pinged. Sully jabbed at his deskscreen. One transmit.
    “Drogue,” he said but I already saw the monk’s smiling face filling my screen and his.
    “Some good news I thought Captain Bergren might like to hear,” Drogue said. “Her brother, Thaddeus, has been transferred out of Holding Block Three into much nicer quarters. Protective custody is what I think they’re calling it, but it’s an apartment, not a cell. He continues to be guarded, but I’m hopeful this signals a change of heart and mind by the authorities. I’m sure they realize the charges against him were in error. Prayers do get answered because I’ve been praying they’d come to this conclusion.” Drogue was nodding. “That’s all I’ve heard through our people there. If I learn more, of course, I’ll send immediately. Blessings of the hour upon you. Praise the stars!”
    The screen blanked without showing the official arch-and-stave of the Englarian Church. And the transmit ID confirmed it was sent through Drogue’s private communications system. The government, for the most part, left the Englarians alone. But there was no sense in taking chances.
    Sully leaned back in his chair. “They’re planning on us coming after him. An apartment on station is far less secure than lockup.”
    For a moment a small hope blossomed. Thad hadn’t really turned state’s evidence, caving into pressure from Lars, telling Tage all he knew about me and Sully. Tage only said so to draw me, to draw us out. Putting Thad in a vulnerable location was another step in that plan.
    I could almost believe that, if Philip hadn’t told me my father was involved.
    “They probably assume you’d send me,” Sully continued, “and I’d kill him, rather than risk his talking further. I’m who they’re after. They’d love to add murder to whatever list they have with my name on it.”
    Thad and I were just different versions of bait. I knew that.
    “They might kill him anyway, through a zragkor, and blame me for it,” Sully added, his voice softening. “It’s something you need to consider, angel-mine.”
    The truth in Sully’s words hit me. A light warmth comforted me from two directions: Sully and Ren. I accepted it, but it didn’t take the worry away. Or the realization that no matter what happened, my brother’s life was at risk.
    I still wasn’t 100 percent sure he had betrayed me. There were always half-truths, just enough to make Lars and Tage believe he was cooperating. But even if he told everything, he was still my brother. I may have lost respect for him. I