Jeanne G'Fellers - No Sister of Mine by Jeanne G'Fellers (reading tree TXT) 📗

twisting for the shorn handle. Trazar thrust his blade through the Iralian’s palm before he could pull back. Talmshone roared in pain and withdrew. “It appears we underestimated the abilities of our captives.” His voice remained placid, but a blood-red brilliance swirled in his reptilian eyes.

“Move it!” Cance blazed a plasma streak that blasted the door from its hinges then pushed into the room. “Dammit! I can’t see! Brandoff! Where the fuck are you?”

“Here!” Brandoff pulled up on all fours. Cance followed her voice to find her twin, dull illumination spilling across them as Talmshone cut on the stairwell lighting.

“Behind you!” He looked up to see Trazar’s shadow wrap the binding around Cance’s neck, her knees buckling as he severed her airflow. Brandoff, blood staining her white hair crimson, threw her knife at their attacker. Trazar ducked the blade and returned the throw with his own, his hold on Cance never loosening as the blade sank deep into Brandoff’s chest. She clutched at the blade handle then reached toward Cance, falling at her feet.

“An assassin is afoot!” Talmshone flung Trazar against the opposite wall, but he failed to break the sentry’s grasp on Cance’s neck. She was dragged along, unable to fight his hold, not to launch a phase, not to cry out. Her universe wavered and blackened. Brandoff beckoned. They could be together, of similar mind when the physical reality had ceased, neither fighting the complexities that had kept them separated in life.

“Release her!” Talmshone crashed his fist into Trazar’s face, throwing him back again. This time the chokehold broke, the binding sliding from Cance’s neck before eternity and Brandoff won. Talmshone pulled her to the side, clearing the path between himself and the sentry commander. “You wish to fight?” He waved a talon at Trazar. “Fight another man, not a Taelach. I will shred you with my bare hands.”

“I’ve skinned Iralian snakes before and welcome the chance to do so again!” Trazar lunged at Brandoff’s neglected knife. Talmshone reached the blade first and sank it through Trazar’s extended hand, pinning him to the floor.

“Tit for tat.” Talmshone extended his wounded palm as evidence. “Slice me and I slice you back.”

“My turn next.” Cance aimed between Trazar’s eyes. “I’m going to send you to a hell so deep your own whoring mother won’t be able to reach you!” Cance squeezed the palm trigger, anticipating a glorious ending to Brandoff’s killer. Nothing happened.

“Damn you, Brannie!” Cance discarded the weapon and all tender thoughts of Brandoff. “You never listened to a fuckin’ thing I said. This bow was to be charged two days ago!” Cance jerked the weapon from Brandoff’s arm, lashed it on, and aimed again between Trazar’s eyes. “Don’t think you’ll get that lucky twice.”

“Cance, stop.” Talmshone blocked the distance between them. “Think about what you are doing.”

“Outta my way. This is a family matter. Justified restitution. I’ll shoot you too if you don’t back off.”

Talmshone refused to move. “Yes, it is indeed a family matter. Have you noticed the resemblance between this Autlach and the young Taelach you seem to hold dear?”

“I don’t care if they’re brother and sister. He dies!”

“My point exactly. They are siblings,” he said. “If you will look closely you can just see the crimps of his service braid. The man is military.”

“So what? You’re wasting time. Move!”

“Your eyesight won’t allow you to pilot, so who is going to pilot the launch we plan to escape in?”

“Brandoff wi—” Cance stopped as Talmshone’s logic sank in. “Can he pilot?”

Talmshone pushed Cance’s bow aside and jerked Trazar’s ponytail loose from its band. “I believe so.” He pulled a strand tight. “These are not curls. They are from an eight-plat half hitch. He is pilot qualified.”

“You win.” Cance downloaded her bow, then retrieved the cording Trazar had used. “Behave yourself, sentry, or I’ll vent my frustrations on your delicious sister.”

Talmshone took the cord and bound Trazar’s wrists before he removed the imbedded knife. “Get up. We have business to attend to.” He belted the blade then pushed Trazar toward the second room. “I suppose your friends got to about here.” Talmshone peeked around the corner and gave his captives a toothsome grin. “Correct. They are indeed present. I believe this completes the reunion.”

Cance squinted. “They’re untied.” She spun on one heel, kicking Starnes in the face. The blow threw him from the chair and he fell, howling, onto his blackened shoulder. “Was it you who brought in the sentry?” Her next kick was for Bane. The old man reeled back but remained upright and silent. “Or, was it you somehow, old man?”

“It wasn’t either of us.” Bane’s mouth bled heavily. “Kick the girl like that and it’ll kill her.”

“She won’t be kicked. I have other plans for her.” Cance sank to the floor and pressed her knees into LaRenna’s sides in the same controlling move Brandoff had done on the bar. “The more I think it over, girl, the surer I am it was you. After all, he is your brother.” Cance leaned forward. “Smart girl, getting your Aut brother to off Brandoff. She was becoming quite the pain where you’re concerned. He merely saved me the inconvenience. Problem is, now I’m all alone.” Her mouth curled into something near a pout. “And I really, really hate being alone.” Cance twisted the end of LaRenna’s hair around her finger, each twirl further diverting her anger to desire. “It’s time we talk of commitment. Oath to me now and I’ll show you things you’ve only dreamed of. You will rule Langus with me, be my heart’s only desire.” Cance kissed her forehead and drew her chin up until their eyes met. “I really am a gentle creature when given the respect I deserve. What say you, my sweet little sister? Shall we speak the words?”

“You’re no sister of mine!” LaRenna spat in her captor’s face.

Cance reared back to punish the misbehavior but stopped short of it, humor smoothing her callused features. “You know,” she said, wiping away the