Mican’s mouth pursed. “Once Jenna Mir-Brennan is dead, you’re going to marry Isla.”
Tian jolted as if his father had just slugged him in the stomach. “What?”
“Don’t look so surprised,” his father snapped. “Isla’s a Mir-Galbreth … an influential clan I intend to seek an alliance with.”
Tian clenched his jaw, folding his arms across his chest. Ignoring his glare, the clan-lord continued. “The Mir-Brennans are dealt with, and the Mir-Leliths must be treated with care … it’s time for us to look beyond the ruling clans. We’ll only prevail if we get the sector behind us.”
“I’ve done my duty, father,” Tian choked out. “Get Elijah or Lucas to marry the bitch.” Of course, Elijah was engaged to the Mir-Starne clan-lord’s daughter, a long-standing arrangement he needed to make good on, but Lucas was available.
His father’s dark gaze narrowed, and Tian tried to ignore the lump of ice that slid down his spine. Mican had a stare that could freeze this furnace of a planet.
“Your duty is whatIdeem it to be, Tian,” the clan-lord replied, his tone as cold as his glare. “If I say you shall marry the Mir-Brennan widow, then you will.”
Tian stared back at his father, bitterness flooding his mouth.
Growing up, this man had dominated Tian and his two elder brothers to the point where all three of them were terrified of displeasing him. They were all adults now, yet they still danced to their father’s drum.
For a few years, Tian had thought he’d escaped his father’s influence. He’d thrived in the Mir-Ferrin space fleet, had risen through the ranks to commander in record time. He’d thought his father might be impressed—he hadn’t dared entertain the thought he’d actually beproud—but Mican hadn’t seemed to notice.
He’d ignored his youngest son until the day the Mir-Brennan clan-lord—Cathal’s father—had contacted him, offering his daughter’s hand in marriage in a peace alliance.
Tian had never understood why Mican chose him and not Elijah or Lucas. Their father had been equally hard on them all—but it appeared he did play favorites, after all.
A heavy silence fell in the hallway as father and son stared at each other.
Suddenly, Tian was five years old again, cowering before the clan-lord.
“Is that clear?” Mican asked finally, his voice gravel on steel.
Gods, Tian wanted to plant his fist into the old man’s face, to shatter his nose and send him sprawling across the cold metal floor.
But instead, he let hardwired fear get the best of him. His father had to be obeyed, in all things.
And so, slowly, his movements jerky, Tian nodded.
22. DAWN IT IS
“THE CLAN-LORD IS LIKELY to be held in a separate location from his wife and daughter,” Malik pointed out. He leaned back in his seat and crossed an ankle over his knee. “Cathal will be detained in a high-security area.”
Seated on a sofa opposite, Vic nodded. “I suggest we split into two groups. You and I go after the clan-lord… while Obsidian and Jenna free the other two. I imagine the girl will be kept with her mother.”
Malik’s mouth compressed. “I’d prefer not to let Jenna out of my sight.”
Vic held his eye. “You can rely on Obsidian to protect her.”
Malik’s brow furrowed, clearly not impressed by the idea.
“It’s a sound plan,” Jenna spoke up then before he could voice any objection. “It’ll be faster if we split into groups.”
Malik’s frown deepened. “The detention block’s underground,” he said after a pause. “But we can’t go in blind; we’ll need to know exactly which cells they’re holding the prisoners in.”
“Obsidian will take care of that,” Vic assured him. “Find him an outlet somewhere once we emerge fromThe Passage, and he’ll plug himself in and locate them for us.”
“There will be one in the service corridor outside the tunnel,” Jenna assured him, impressed that Vic appeared to have a solution for most things so far.
Likewise, Malik’s grim expression had eased a little.
“Since we’ll be exiting through the landing bay, have you considered stealing a Mir-Ferrin shuttle once we collect the clan-lord and his family?” Vic asked then. “It’ll be faster than the tunnel.”
