His Fire Maiden Read Online Free Page B

washed over her as she found her father’s lifeless body slumped in the chair behind his desk.
    “No,” Violette whispered. “Not this.”
    Josselyn lay on the floor, pale and weak. Her wavy light brown hair was streaked with blonde highlights. The locks looked dull, almost as dull as her grayed expression. Her head was in the lap of Evan Cormier.
    Josselyn had given the surname of Cormier when Violette had flown the woman onto the base. Evan’s vessel had followed them. It was Violette’s business to know the landing spacecrafts and who was on them—not that too many travellers wanted to visit a military compound sunk beneath sand dunes. Josselyn had been running from Evan’s ship, or from someone on it. Violette didn’t really care about that detail. Evan was probably trying to stop Josselyn from committing murder. Looking at the man’s face now, it was obvious he loved Josselyn. His tender hands moved desperately over the woman’s body, as if his willpower could save her.
    For a moment, Violette thought the woman was dead and was glad for it. But the feeling was short-lived, as she took in the blue tint of Josselyn’s flesh. The coloring gave away the woman’s illness. Whoever had released her from her stone prison didn’t finish the process. She was dying. If the syringe on the floor next to them was any indication, the general had tried to give her the cure for the stasis sickness. Every instinct inside Violette urged her to let Josselyn die.
    End this now, Violette’s mind whispered, before she can get off this base. Take your revenge. Shoot her. No one will stop you. They’ll give you a civilian’s medal. She killed a Federation General.
    Violette’s gaze found the bloody knife. It was the same slim dagger her father had used to cut her for the blood oath. She looked at her arm, to where the scar was hidden by the long sleeves of her dark shirt. That one memory kept her from leaping forward. Her promise. If it were her last act in the galaxy, she would keep her blood oath.
    “Just as he said it would be,” Violette stated, looking directly at Evan. Even as she saw his anguish, she couldn’t bring herself to feel compassion. Not in that moment. Not for Josselyn. “I didn’t want to believe him, but he has been waiting for her my whole life. He told me she would come to end him, his ghost.”
    “You don’t understand what is happening here,” Evan answered. Had the situation been different, she could have appreciated the fear in his deep brown eyes. “You can’t.”
    “I understand that a very young girl swore a blood oath to her father.” She tugged at the white cross laces running up her tight sleeve, pulling them apart to show the long scar on her forearm. “I understand that today that oath has been fulfilled. But, mostly, I understand that once Josselyn is safely off this base, and the affairs of my father are wrapped up neatly, and a new general is in place, my obligation is over. I will come for her. I will come to avenge my father, for, unlike him, I do not forgive her. When she wakes, tell her Captain Violette sends her regards.”
    “There is no need. She’s dying. Your father killed her years ago when he imprisoned her into stone.” Evan lifted Josselyn into his arms. Her limbs flopped without protest. “I recommend you find a better use of your energy. Revenge will only eat away at your soul.”
    “There is a chance she will survive.” Violette crossed the room, going toward her father. She lifted the syringe off the floor. “He gave her the antidote. He might have killed her, but he also saved her.” Then, pulling a disc key from beside her father’s hand, she tossed it at Evan. He caught it, barely, as Josselyn nearly fell from his arms. “That is for her. The safe is on Quazer in the Glamour District. I’m revoking your ship’s permission to stay on the base because you refused our standard inspection. Your shipmates have been unharmed and await you. I recommend