Born of Betrayal

For the Menyons out there.
Born on Betrayal will be released in less than 2 weeks. 2 WEEKS.
Can you believe it, I have been waiting for this FOREVER.

Here is a sneak peak.

Chapter

1

It was all-out war.
Prime Commander Galene Batur stared at the report of The League attack on an Andarion outpost where almost two hundred civilians had been mercilessly slaughtered.
And for what?
Human vanity? How she hated their inferior species. Humans had never brought her anything but utter misery. Now they had brought her a whole new bloody war that would cost the lives of countless Andarions. Cost her the lives of her loyal soldiers who would be forced to protect their repugnant species.
How she wished she could bomb the entire human race into oblivion.
“Commander?”
She looked over her shoulder at her lieutenant commander’s call. Dressed in the standard red and black Andarion command uniform, Talyn wasn’t just her second-in-command and adjutant, he was the only male she’d ever trust at her back.
At twenty-nine, he stood head and shoulders above her, and most everyone else. Muscular and unbelievably handsome, he wore his long black hair in typical Andarion warrior fashion— tiny braids that were held away from his face by a red band. Her only complaint with him was the well-trimmed moustache and goatee he’d started wearing lately. It was a current fashion trend she didn’t care for. At all. But he thought it made him look more masculine and sexy.
As if he needed help in either of those departments.
Still, his presence caused her heart to soften. It took everything she had not to reach out and cup his beloved cheek. But he wouldn’t approve of such open affection before the rest of their troops.
Her Talyn was always prim and proper. Always circumspect.
“Yes?”
Talyn saluted her. “I have an urgent message for you from the royal house.”
Galene forced herself not to wince. It must be the queen wanting information about the attack she had yet to gather.
Sighing that she didn’t have more reports to offer, she headed for the secured line. She placed the link in her ear before she opened the channel.
Instead of Tadara Cairistiona eton Anatole, it was Tahrs Nykyrian who showed on her monitor. Unlike his fraternal twin brother who’d been removed from succession, Nykyrian appeared human with his white blond hair and green eyes. The only part of him that betrayed his Andarion roots was his set of fangs . . . along with his height and military prowess. While she might not appreciate his human half, she definitely respected his exemplary war record and battle skills.
She gave him a curt bow. “Your Highness, to what do I owe this honor?”
“I know you’re busy, Commander, and I hate to take your attention away from our troops for even a second, but I have serious business to discuss with you. The Alliance has decided that we need a single military leader we can trust to oversee our joint forces and armies as we fight against The League. Your name was the first one to come to our minds, and we are all in agreement. We’d like to offer the position to you.”
Stunned, she stared at him, amazed by the offer. “I’m honored, Highness.”
“If you need time to think it over. . . .”
Was he serious? Who in their right mind would turn this down? This was a dream appointment anyone would kill to possess. A once in a lifetime opportunity.
Galene would command the single, largest military movement in the entire history of their United System of Planets.
“No, Highness. I would love to lead Alliance forces. I only have one concern. I know that part of our forces are Phrixian and Caronese.” Misogynistic troops and armies that would balk heavily at taking orders from a female commander.
“You’ll be assigned a male adjutant for handling them . . . a well-respected Tavali commander. Likewise, you’ll be responsible for dealing with the Qillaq directly since they won’t take orders from a male.”
That was certainly true.
It was rare for any army to be as integrated with both sexes as the Andarions were. Male or female didn’t matter. Only competence and lethal skill did.
“When would like for me to start?” she asked.
“Immediately. The Tavali are on their way to you, right now. With a transport and your new adjutant. The two of you will be flown to their the northernmost base, where The League has been making their heaviest strikes. All we’ll need is for you to name your successor for the Andarion armada, until the war is over.”
Galene gestured to Talyn. “We will see it done.”
Nykyrian inclined his head to her. “Welcome aboard, Commander. May the gods smile upon you. Always.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. I promise, I will do you, your mother, and Andaria proud.”
“I know you will.” He cut the transmission.
Galene stared at the blank screen as she considered this latest twist of fate.
Wow. She, the daughter her parents had callously thrown out from their house when she was just a girl, was going to lead their combined forces in the war against The League. If they won, she’d be eternally famous.
If they lost, she’d be executed for treason.
One hell of a gamble. But then, as the Andarion armada prime commander she’d die if they lost, anyway. At least as their military leader, it would all be in her hands, and if they failed, she alone, would be to be blame.
Thrilled and a little scared, she turned toward Talyn.
His beautiful white eyes glowed with loving pride. “Congratulations, Commander.”
She smiled at him. “I shall name you the new prime commander of the armada.”
He shook his head. “I will go with you to The Tavali.”
“No . . . you belong here.”
“I belong at your back, Commander. Protecting you. Always.”
“Talyn—”
“Mom,” he stressed the word, making her realize that she’d dropped their strict military behavior first by using his given name. “I will not stay here while you interact with others who could betray you. You will need a support staff you know is loyal to you and above reproach. Now more than ever. If you think for one moment that I will stay behind while you risk your life for all of us, you don’t know me at all.” His gaze burned into hers. “You go. I go.”
She wanted to beat him. But how could she? “You are ever my pride.”
“And you are ever my cherished mother.”
Smiling, she pulled his head down so that she could press her cheek to his. “I love you, mi tana.”
“I love you, too.”
She fisted her hand in his hair. “I should order you to stay.”
“Only if you wish to see me court-martialed.”
She tugged at his hair. “Don’t tempt me, scamp.” Releasing him, she stepped away with a frown. “Call Commander Ilkin. We can promote him.”
“Yes, ma’am. And I’ll personally assemble an Andarion security detail for you.”
Galene rolled her eyes at his paranoia– as if she couldn’t protect herself. She would argue that with him, too, but he was far more stubborn than she was when it came to such things. Years of fighting his steel will had taught her that.
“See it down quickly.”
He saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”
Her heart swelling with love and pride, Galene watched him leave to carry out his orders. In all the universe, he was the only family she had. The only family she needed.
You should have been a surgeon, Talyn. It was what she’d drilled into him from the cradle. But her ever defiant boy had refused, and followed her into the military as soon as he graduated primary school.
Evil little booger. Stubborn and head-strong . . .
Just like his father.
No one could ever tell him what to do. The gods knew she had tried. Many times.
Now he would follow her into war. It was the last thing she’d ever wanted for him. But there was no way to keep him out of it. The time had come for all of them to choose a side.
At least this way I can keep an eye on him.
And she would tear apart anyone who threatened her baby.
Sighing, Galene took a moment to look around the Andarion command center that had been her home since Cairistiona had overthrown her mother and assumed the throne. Talyn had been here, at her side, almost the entire time she’d led their armada. It would be weird to adjust to a new army. A new way of doing things.
But she was nothing if not adaptable.
Okay, not really. She hated change passionately. But she liked to lie to herself about her inflexible flexibility.
Still, a whole new chapter was about to begin for both her and Talyn. She didn’t know what it would hold, but she couldn’t wait to see where it led her.
Good wind blows to all ill things.
A chill went down her spine as she remembered her father’s old saying. She only prayed that this time, he was wrong.