Cin wrapped her arms around her. “I like seeing you with that expression on your face.”
She leaned back against her sister. “It’s not happiness. I’m imagining creative places to hide Bastien’s body should my child be harmed.”
Brand laughed.
Until Badger returned, with Kindel in tow, hauling enough explosives that it made her sick to her stomach. Ember couldn’t believe how much he’d found.
Or how quickly.
Good Jake, you are Bastien’s brother.
How had their family ever survived to become rulers of anything?
Bastien forced Rian down the ladder and away from the ship while they wired the explosives.
Against the child’s protests, she had Brand take him home so that if something went wrong—like she maimed his father over this “brilliant” plan, he wouldn’t be here to witness it.
Or worse, get caught in the blast range.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she watched the men running around to rig the explosives. Bastien was a little too cavalier with the highly volatile compound for her tastes. As was Badger. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
“Not at all,” Bastien said with a laugh. He scowled at Badger. “Is it the red and green wires you’re not supposed to cross?”
“Um, yeah. So please don’t forget that. Especialy while I’m in range.”
Bastien nodded. “I guess this would be a bad time to tell you I’m color blind?”
Badger turned stark white. “Are you effing kidding?”
“He’s joking, Xander.” Ember laughed.
Bastien flashed that evil grin. “You feel more alive now, though, right?”
The expression on Badger’s face said that he wanted a place to hide Bastien’s body now. “I swear I’m going to murder you.”
Bastien laughed again as he finished wiring the ship.
Once they’d jumped down, Bastien scowled at the remote. “Boy, I hope I didn’t fuck up those connections.”
It was her turn to go pale. “Meaning?”
“You might want to stand back a few miles while I do this.”
“Bastien…”
He calmly flipped the switch. “Oh hey, it’s all right. I’ll be damned. Works. That’s a first!”
Xander screwed his face up. “He always like this?”
“Yes,” she growled. “You should have been in the field with him.”
“I’m surprised his own troops didn’t shoot him… in the back… of the head.”
“They tried,” Kindel said with a laugh. “Bastard moves fast for an aristos.”
Meanwhile Bastien continued to chuckle at them while he launched the ship. “Time for that spectacular enema.”
A few minutes later, they heard The League commander telling Bastien to drop shields.
