Page 13 of Hunting the Warlord's Daughter

Aral knew one thing: when it was Karbon’s turn to die, he wouldn’t be watching—or listening.

His personal communicator device rang. “Speaking of Zee.” He sent Kaz a wary glance as he inserted the PCD in his right ear. He’d been given the hardware for their postwar joint effort in espionage. Like those of the former Coalition, Triad personnel implanted the devices in their bodies. Aral would never submit to such a thing. “Xeros.” He waited to be authenticated.

“Greetings, Xeros,” said a familiar, friendly voice.

“Zee,” Aral replied, and transferred the call to the ship’s comm-speaker for Kaz to listen.

“Karbon Mawndarr was arraigned yesterday and charged with crimes against humanity. He’ll have his day in court, but the evidence against him is overwhelming, as you’re aware. I know how hard you worked to see him punished for his crimes. On behalf of the royal family, the prime minister, the Ministry of Intelligence, and the entire Triad Alliance, I would like to invite you to attend the event.”

To watch his father be executed as a war criminal? It seemed the perfect climax to all his efforts to stand in front of Karbon and take credit for his downfall—to savor the singular, exquisite pleasure of seeing him realize that his own son had betrayed him.

Betrayed them all.

The thing was, the idea of making a public spectacle of an execution was slightly nauseating. Aral didn’t want to watch—or even gloat. He especially didn’t want to hear Karbon’s last words. All his life, his father had twisted his thoughts and actions to use against him.Let the monster die without the satisfaction of your company.Let him die as so many suffered and died at his hands.“Tempting as it is, Zee, I’ll pass.”

A beat of silence. “I had hoped to finally meet the man who helped bring peace to the galaxy.”

Aral wouldn’t mind meeting his indispensable contact—he felt as if they’d become friends—but the risk was too high. He wouldn’t imperil his cover before completing his mission—or before he had Awrenkka under his protection.

“Then let’s move on to the next hunt,” Zee said. “It will be our most challenging mission to date, and perhaps the most critical to peace. No one else is more likely to succeed than you.”

Aral stifled his impatience and swallowed more tea. This was what he’d feared: his service to the Triad would never end. “Who is it this time?” There weren’t many big targets left.

“The warlord’s daughter. If she’s hiding, find her. If she’s running, stop her. Then deliver her to me, preferably in one piece.”

Aral choked down a mouthful of hot liquid. “Which daughter? Surely there’s more than one. He likely left a brood of bastards across the galaxy.” His tone was light, but hearing Zee demand her capture chilled his blood.

“She’s his legitimate firstborn—the issue of his marriage to his first wife. We found evidence of her being presented at court—approximately ten years ago—but nothing since. Our best people are looking for answers. Everything is being scoured, virtual and written, and so far, nothing. The palace records are a mess—encrypted or corrupted. They’ve led us in circles.”

The warlord had always enjoyed telling Aral of the false leads he’d left for anyone who’d dare try to find Awrenkka. Paranoid to the extreme—and ashamed of producing a daughter before his male heir—the warlord had never officially recorded the existence of his eldest child. Only the hand-selected few who had been invited to her presentation knew. The public had been aware only of Rorkk—the younger brother.

“She’s out there—somewhere,” Zee continued. “We finally have evidence that she exists.”

Dread gut-punched him. His head start to bring Awrenkka under his protection had just been narrowed.

“One of our ships, theUnity, was attacked by domestic terrorists some months back. They abducted their admiral, and thankfully, she survived. During our investigation into the matter, we picked up chatter between suspected loyalists and some unidentified parties. There were mentions of a desire to find the warlord’s daughter. They—the enemies of our hard-won peace—want us to fail. It’s why they wanther. The warlord’s biological daughter by their side will legitimize them. She provides a symbolic connection to her father. It’ll give them power and be a rallying point. Clearly, we have to eliminate this menace to peace.”

Eliminate Awrenkka?Over my dead body.

“Even the queen has gotten involved.” Zee’s voice lowered. “Her Majesty is breathing down my neck. I need your nose on the trail. You’re the best we have. Find her, Xeros. She’s too important to lose.”

Aral waited for his tone to be steady. “I assure you, Zee, I will find her.”

It was, after all, the truth.

They ended the call. Aral could imagine the spectacle the Triad would make of Awrenkka’s capture. Then the trial, another circus for public consumption. A guilty verdict was all but guaranteed. And then?

Aral pulled the PCD from his ear. He considered the small piece in his palm. His umbilical cord to the Triad. To destroy Karbon—and the Drakken Empire—he’d needed Zee more than Zee needed him. Now that had changed. “I see no reason to remain tethered by their infernal comm-device.” With a flick of his thumbnail, he deactivated the power crystal.

“There,” Kaz said, wearing a faint smirk. “We seem to have experienced an interruption in communications.”

Going dark was a risk, but maintaining constant contact with Zee—and the Triad—was a greater one. Now more than ever.

Aral had held off on reuniting with Awrenkka until Karbon was safely behind bars. Now that his father was locked up, a new danger threatened. “If the Triad learns she’s been living on Barokk, it won’t take long to realize she’s been evacuated to Zorabeta.” The Ministry of Intelligence would sift through the identity of every villager. A false name wouldn’t slow them down for long.

“We need to get to her before they do,” Kaz said.

“We will.” He slid into the pilot seat and re-checked the coordinates for the refugee camp where the population of Barokk had been relocated, setting theResilience’s speed as fast as the laws of physics allowed. Though nothing would stop the Triad from casting its galaxy-wide net to catch the warlord’s daughter, Aral was betting his arms would be the very last place they’d look.

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