Read Online Fire & Soul by Siobhan Crosslin - Free Book Online Page A

let things sit for so long."
    "It's not a blame thing," Mikscn says. "We're … still figuring things out." He tries to hide a grin, but I know it's there anyway, and the way Jye's looking at us, I get the feeling he knows, too.
    "After this is over," he says, leaning over and petting his hand over our faces, "I'm taking time for just the three of us, and I'm going to learn everything I possibly can about you two."
    I smile, Mikscn laughs, and Jye descends on us with kisses, nimble fingers and soothing warmth.
    *~*~*
    The planet is a riot of green and blue, vast white clouds stretching out over wide landmasses. Dark forests cover large expanses of the continents, and a ring of islands splays off a long coast.
    "It's beautiful," I say, and Mikscn murmurs his assent.
    "Sir, the Dayster is hailing us," Jack says.
    "Put them up," Bastien says. "And hail the Novasky ."
    A man appears on the screen, with black hair and green eyes. "Hey," he says. "Thought you'd like to know Cherian made it to us okay."
    "Thank you, Dabhan," Bastien says. "Did he—"
    "Go through with his insane plan to kidnap his commanding officer?" Dabhan laughs. "Yeah, mission accomplished. The Vrah'di military's right on our ass; apparently the guy's kind of important. We'll lead the descent."
    "Roger that." Dabhan disappears and is replaced by—
    "You're Talfryn Om'she," I say, gaping.
    "Holy shit," Mikscn says.
    "My name is Bryn," the captain snarls. "Talfryn's my bullshit formal name." The screen zooms out to show the entire bridge of the Novasky , and right next to Bryn is—
    "Gresham Om'she," I say. "Brother of Sé Om'she, Royal Concubine to Liam—"
    "Om'she, yeah," Bryn snaps.
    "—King of the Dae'mchnach." I can't believe it.
    "You're royalty," Mikscn says.
    " Related to royalty!"
    "Why are you pirates?" Mikscn demands.
    "Because I thought it'd be fun and we weren't royalty at the time," Bryn snarls. "Can we get the fuck back on topic, dammit?"
    "I prefer Graham," Gresham says, his tone gently chastising. "As Bryn says, those are the formal names given to us when my brother became Liam's concubine. Within the Cabal, we're just Bryn and Graham." His hand is resting on the back of Bryn's chair. The rumors about them must be true, then, that the Royal Brother is the only person who can calm his hotheaded husband.
    "This is what you get," Bastien says, chuckling. The entire crew is snickering, actually, and I realize that—duh, of course—this is common knowledge.
    "Give me back my ship!" Bryn roars. Graham has his head in his hands.
    "It's been six years, too late!" Bastien crows.
    "Sir!" Jack yells. "Two ships just appeared on our radar, and they have Brudeah tags."
    "Shit." People start scrambling on both crews. "Land 'em!" Bryn yells. "The compound's underground, they'll have to come and get us."
    "Aye, Captain!"
    "Get geared up," Bastien says. "You're gonna have to hit the floor running."
    It seems like it only takes us seconds to get kitted out and we wait at the docking hatch as the ship shakes and rocks with Fehr and his three gunners. We land with a thump and Fehr leads us out almost before she's settled. I barely have time to take in the vast, dilapidated hangar, rusted and full of holes, before we meet the crew from the Novasky —
    "Cherian!"
    Mikscn and I collide with our brother and Jye herds us behind the group towards a crumbling freight elevator. I'm torn between Cherian, who's talking a thousand miles an hour and won't let go of my arm, and the deathtrap we're being stuffed into.
    The roar of a landing ship fills the air before the doors slide shut and we drop way too fucking fast .
    "What about the ships?" Jye asks.
    "Shields will be up 100%," Fehr says. "They can't risk firing on the ships without bringing the whole cave down on us."
    I tune them out for a few seconds and grab Cherian's face. "You look just like us," I breathe. Black hair, green eyes, and the smile I see reflected on my brother's face every day.
    "I told you guys not