Page 175 of Stars in Umbra
Mo lifted a hand in a somber salute.
Yes, ma’am,he replied, his eyes turning to the horizon, where starlight bled into the night, and toward the woman who waited for him.
29
Divine Justice
KAINAN SABLE
Dusk fell on the expansive rooftop terrace of Sable HQ, nestled high above the glowing skyline of Eden II.
Kainan stood near the bar with a quiet smile, the warm breeze ruffling his black hair.
The night was balmy, summery, thick with the aroma of grilled food and the sound of children’s laughter echoing through the open air.
Lanterns hovered overhead, casting honeyed radiance across the deck where chaos reigned in its most joyful form.
At the long banquet table, Selene, his wife, his anchor, his stunning, dark-haired beauty, was organizing their twins’ birthday cake with military precision.
Harlow and Illana, Kage and Zane’s wives, flanked her, bickering lightheartedly about candle placement while trying to fend off their icing-thieving youngsters.
Kainan chuckled to himself and rolled his shoulder, the accompanying ache a reminder of his recent Stygian black site mission less than twenty-four hours ago.
Reaching into a nearby ice bucket, he fished out a frosted bottle of Solaris Pale.
He popped the cap and took a long pull before strolling, while attempting to hide a limp, toward where Zane and Kage were keeping an eye on the pool antics.
Their kids, his progeny, and Xion’s tribe, too many to count now, were either cannonballing into the water, shrieking with delight or racing barefoot along the slick tiles, defying every adult command issued earlier in the evening.
Xion lounged on a divan, half-asleep with his woman, Samira, curled in his lap, her head tilted on his shoulder.
Ki’Remi and Issa were on a week-long break from their mercy ship surgical duties.
The couple was lost in conversation with each other on the edge of the terrace, hands linked, murmuring about some medical mission.
Zane took one look at Kainan and raised a brow. ‘You still standing? Or is the old warhorse admitting he needs a walking frame?’
Kainan gave him a dry smirk and leaned onto the railing. ‘Storming a black site ain’t what they used to be. Butnada, I’m still good. Just sore as hell.’
‘How are the mercs?’ Zane asked. ‘Any good ones in the mix?’
Kainan exhaled and nodded. ‘Too early to tell, but some of them have promise. They’re freakin’ good soldiers, and if we leave them without a tether, they might just continue in Thrall’s footsteps. I’m already thinking about how we might bring a few into Sable, maybe for fieldwork. Truth is, brother, you, me, and the rest of the crew are getting too old for front-line ops. Besides -.’
He cast a look toward Selene, who was now fending off a frosting fight between the twins. ‘She gives me hell every time I go out on a mission now and reminds me we’ve got kids to raise, and a family to stay alive for.’
Zane chuckled. ‘That’s the cost of love,kaka.’
Kage snorted. ‘Speak for yourselves. I live for the missions. They keep me limber and fit, so I can keep running The BirdKage’s kitchens and banquets. I also need our fat-burning missions to offset my six-course dinner experiments. I have to keep my woman thirsting.’
‘Speaking of thirsting,’ Zane smirked, sipping his own drink, ‘you hear about Mo and Rina?’
‘Oh?’ Kainan asked, arching a brow.
Kage’s grin turned wolfish. ‘Turns out they were getting real cozy in Dunia. Mirage says they’ve been holed up together for a bit, and I mean Holed. Up.’
Zane groaned. ‘Brother, keep it PG.’
‘What? I’m just saying love is in the air, again for two of us.’
