“Possibly. But I’m not sure you’d be willing to do it.”
That made the hair at the nape of his neck rise. “How so?”
“It’d take an oath of loyalty and you’d have to sign documents giving The League control of all your territories.”
Jinx snorted. “So long as the PM agrees to keep my sister safe, he can have it.”
“Your people will hate you, if you do this.”
It wasn’t like they didn’t already hate his brother. Tobin had taken them from one of the wealthiest empires into absolute poverty. The only reason they hadn’t been invaded and overtaken were the bribes his brother paid . . . which further bankrupted them.
Not to mention the real reason he didn’t care. “What have they done for me?” They’d stood aside and allowed his parents to be slaughtered, him to be sold and his sister to be imprisoned.
Fuck them.
Besides, his father had asked him to watch over Dakari. Not their people.
Nykyrian inclined his head. “Then I’ll speak on your behalf and arrange it.”
While grateful for the assist, he still didn’t understand it. “Why are you helping me?”
“Why did you break Jayne Erixour out of jail?”
Jinx drew on him. “Don’t know what you’re talking about, kid.”
Without flinching or attacking back, Nykyrian held up his hands again. “Yeah, you do. But don’t worry. I’ll never tell a soul. I just want to know why.”
“What makes you think I even know who Jayne Erixour is?”
“Because her sister is looking for information about you so that she can thank you for it.”
Flabbergasted that Eve cared enough to bother, he couldn’t even think of a logical lie.
Eve was looking for him?
That thought brought the strangest sensation to his chest. Jinx couldn’t even begin to identify what emotion it should be attached to. And it took everything he had not to show emotion right now.
“C’mon, Shadowborne. I’m not stupid. No assassin with your rank and skills would just casually throw everything away for someone he doesn’t know.”
Holstering his blaster, he shrugged. “I’m a dead man. What difference does it make?”
“Because I’m the one person who can call off the dogs after you.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Tell me why you spared her, first.”
“It wasn’t right or fair.”
Nykyrian nodded. “That’s why I’m helping you.” He pushed his sunglasses up on top of his head to reveal those disturbingly human eyes. “I’m tired of killing on command, and watching others suffer for no reason. I knew I wasn’t alone in my thinking and I just wanted proof.”
“Then we’re in accord?”
Nykyrian held his arm out to him. “I’ll get Huwin to back off you. His greed always overrides his paranoia. Do as I told you, and he’ll stop this stupidity.”
As he shook his arm, Jinx realized something. “You hate your father.”
He didn’t say a word, but the sudden, subtle stiffness in his grip before he released him, said it all.
