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buckle of his belt, hitching up his black leather uniform pants. He put hishands on his hips and gave her a solemn look. “This afternoon as I read allthere was to be found about my supposed death, what happened to us at R-9, Icame to understand that I have an obligation here. I am a Reaper. I now acceptwhat I am and the gods help any man—or woman—who dares challenge me.”

Chapter Nine

Shanee could not help but feel proud as shewalked beside her husband through the hallowed, secretive halls of CommandCentral. Men stepped aside when they recognized that black uniform with itssilver raven insignia and the Reaper triangle. Women actually trembled as hepassed and many a door was hastily opened and shut.

“I believe you are scaring them, ehemann,”she whispered to him.

The right side of Ailyn’s mouth twitchedupward in a quick grin. “That is my intention, ionúin.”

She had trouble accepting the change in herman. He was no longer the calm, accepting male she had come to know onTheristes. Here was a warrior with whom to reckon and she literally trembled atthe thought of what his presence here at Command Central was doing to thepeople. Though in private he was the same loving, gentle, compassionate andfiery lover, outside among the populace, his face was stony, his eyes hard andhis bearing rigid.

Damn but I’m as wet as a schoolgirl, she thought, and knew he had intercepted that musing for he turnedhis head and looked down at her, one dark brow lifted.

“Oh yeah?” he growled.

“Oh yeah,” she stated.

Miriam Quillan glanced up as they came intoher office, looked down and then snapped her head back up, her mouth droppingopen. She shot to her feet. “Milord!” she said, her face draining of color.

Before Shanee could gloat over thesecretary’s unease, Ailyn stepped forward.

“Miri, isn’t it?” he asked, holding out ahand.

Miriam’s head bobbed up and down and sheslowly lowered her gaze to his outstretched hand. Timidly, she placed her handin his.

“Miri?” Shanee questioned, her eyesnarrowing dangerously.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, dearling,”he said, and lifted her hand to his lips, his gaze never leaving Miriam’s.

Shanee wanted to scratch the other woman’seyes out and had to dig her fingernails into her palms to keep from throwingherself on Quillan and doing just that.

“Thank you for all you’ve done. It isgreatly appreciated,” Ailyn said, and released the secretary’s hand.

“It was m-my honor, milord,” Miriamreplied. She cast Shanee a quick glance.

“No, she doesn’t know but I will inform herlater,” the Reaper said softly.

“Know what?” Shanee demanded then blinkedas full realization hit her. “You? You are the…?”

“Is General Strom ready to meet with us?”Ailyn interrupted his wife.

Shanee snapped her mouth shut and blushed,realizing she had been about to blurt out something that could cause untoldripples of trouble.

“Aye, milord. He…” Miriam began.

“Ailyn,” he said. “My name is Ailyn andthat is what my friends call me.”

Miriam smiled. “Ailyn,” she repeated. “I amhonored to be considered a friend.”

“Husband,” Shanee barked. “Ailyn is myhusband so don’t you be getting any ideas, Miri!”

Miriam frowned. “You two are Joined?” sheasked.

“Aye, dearling,” Ailyn replied. “Now wouldyou let the general know we’re here?”

As soon as Miriam informed General Strom ofAilyn and Shanee’s arrival, he came hurrying out of his office, his facebreaking into a wide grin. He thrust his hand toward Ailyn. “Welcome home,Commander,” he said. “It’s good to have you here!”

“Commander?” Shanee queried, her voice rifewith shock.

Strom shook Ailyn’s hand then turned to hisPrimary. “He was on the rolls all this time and if he’d been around forpromotions, that rank is what he would have been given long before now. Hell,he might even be an admiral if things had been different.” He swept an armtoward his office door. “Come on in and make yourselves comfortable.” Heglanced at Miriam. “Bring us a bottle of that Chrystallusian brandy the Burgonsent when I took over Command. We’ve finally got something to celebrate withit!”

Shanee took one look at her husband’simpassive face and knew he had known what was awaiting him at Command Central.He politely held her chair for her as she seated herself then sat down besideher.

“I was infuriated by the assassinationattempt on the Midian,” Strom said as he walked around behind his deskand took his seat. “Any news at all on who the assailant was?”

Ailyn looked to his wife for her to answerthe general’s question.

“Retinal scan did not identify him but hewas Storian,” Shanee replied.

“If those Storian assassins would put evena third of their energy into helping instead of killing, Leveche wouldn’t behaving such a hard time rebuilding his homeland.” He shook his head. “Hisfather did so much damage and he let those bastards run wild, unchecked. Now Ifear they are on O’Shay’s payroll.”

“Any word on Bakari?” Ailyn inquired.

“Last report I got he was on Iosrael.” Heshook his head. “Missed O’Shay by mere minutes, I heard.”

“He’ll catch him,” Ailyn said.

“I’ve no doubt of that,” Strom said.

Miriam brought in a black lacquered traythat held the expensive plum brandy and three snifters. She placed the tray onStrom’s desk, removed the stopper on the bottle and poured small amounts of thefiery amber liquid into the snifters.

“Make sure we aren’t interrupted,” Stromordered. “And if that pest comes by—he’ll have heard by now the commander ishere—tell him he’d best not come knocking on my door. As a matter of fact, justlock the door and take the rest of the day off.”

Miriam smiled. “That might be best, Sir.”

After she was gone, Shanee asked if thepest was Jost.

“The man has made such a gods-be-damnednuisance of himself I had to involve the arch-counselor,” Strom said withdisgust. “He managed to get himself censored by the Conclave but still hepersists in annoying the hell out of me.”

“I’ll handle Jost,” Ailyn said, a muscleflexing in his lean jaw. “Any news on his lady-wife?”

“She is failing more each day to hear thevice-counselor talk but my informants tell me though she has gottenprogressively worse, she is not as close to dying as she or her husband wouldhave us believe,” Strom replied.

“With my appearance here on Riezell,Colonel Iphito’s mission has been accomplished,”