Born of Legend Read Free Page B

screen of a much cleaner and rotund version of the scrappy vagabond who’d just saved her son’s life from the slavers. “Jullien eton Anatole. Andarion tiziran and former heir. Has an outstanding League bounty. Thrill-Kill termination warrant.” Then he showed footage of them in the bar. “Is this not the same male you carried on board your ship?”
    Of course it was. ’Cause the gods had had it out for her since the day she was born.
    But as she stared at the photo on her screen of a tall arrogant prince full of regal snobbery, all she could think about was the way the determined male had looked as he stood ready to defend her child with his last breath. His words to Vas— are you safe, boy —before he allowed himself to surrender to his injuries.
    Don’t be stupid, Shara. He’s a prince of the family that destroyed your race. Hand him over and be done with it. Give him what he deserves. What all Anatoles deserve. A brutal death, in the worst way imaginable.
    They should all be put to death, in screaming agony. That was what they did to everyone else.
    It was what she should do.
    She glanced to the monitor that showed Vas biting nervously at his nails as he held a small stack of items in his lap.
    To be rather than to seem . That was the motto her husband had lived by. The words he’d wanted her to impart to their son.
    Worse, she heard her own father’s words in her head.
    We do not repay mercy with murder. Kindness grows kindness, and you will reap the harvest of whatever seeds you sow.
    Damn it.
    Hitting mute, she turned her back to the screen so that she could speak to her crew. “Buckle up. Admiral at the helm.”
    All around her, her crew exploded into acts of defiant protests, and with making quick religious gestures.
    â€œHoly gods!”
    â€œSacred Mother preserve us!”
    â€œSacred Father save us!”
    â€œSaints have mercy!”
    â€œI didn’t sign up for this shit!”
    â€œOpen the hatch! I want to surrender!”
    â€œMommy!”
    Ushara rolled her eyes as they continued whining like small children. “Oh bite it, you big bunch of nancies. You’re supposed to be hardened pirates. Act like it.”
    Even her brother was whimpering.
    Her cousin, Gavin, who was actually the one who’d stolen this ship on his most recent Tavali raid, took up the guns. “We are, but damn, Shara … just damn.”
    The only one who was smiling was her child. Through the monitor, she saw Vasili in his seat, grinning ear to ear as Ushara assumed the controls, while the comptroller continued to demand she release the prince to their custody.
    Popping open the channel, Ushara cleared her throat. “Sorry, I was intentionally ignoring you as we armed up and took launch positions. Now, let me explain what’s going to happen. You will clear the way for us, or we’re blasting out and taking a shit-ton of your people with us as we go.”
    â€œI don’t think you understand. We have canons aimed at you.”
    â€œYou mean, you did. They are now deactivated.” She continued to plow through their system as they tried to lock her out. Smiling, she shook her head. “Who programmed your security? An infant? My son was creating tougher protocols as a toddler.” She opened the door. “Back your patrols down. I don’t want to kill anyone for doing their jobs, but I will if they try to stop us.”
    Ushara launched to the sound of her crew screaming in dire protest.
    Ignoring them, she focused on the fighters that descended on them with ion canons, locked and loaded. She bolstered the shields and flew straight up, knowing the fighters would have a hard time matching the escape velocity of her much more nimble ship. Still, they fired. She rolled and dipped, then rose again and cut a sharp left before she came out of the spiral.
    Gavin and his gunners returned fire while her engineers kept the power