Last Guard (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) by Nalini Singh

On the PsyNet, Ivy Jane’s presence held an echo of empath-gold. “Who are you looking for?” she asked once they were inside the vault.

“The main anchor for the region that fractured today. Around Delhi.” It was at times hard to tell which physical location correlated to the psychic, but not with such a major city—and not when fatalities had reached over two hundred and fifty. People had collapsed where they stood, their minds crushed in the initial assault.

“Here.” Ivy pointed out the segment of data that related to northern India.

It only took him half a minute to find the name: Payal Rao.





Chapter 22



We are not meant to be alone.

As a species, we’re designed to be social. Yet we’ve told ourselves for over a hundred years that Psy are different from humans and changelings, that we can function at full capacity within the cold loneliness of Silence—denying ourselves all bonds, including those formed in spaces such as the PsyNet and the Internet.

Each of us must accept that that was a mistake. To move forward, we must embrace the truth: that Psy need connections as much as changelings and humans—and that such need isn’t a flaw or a weakness.

—PsyNet Beacon social interaction column by Jaya Laila Storm

PAYAL.

Mmm.

Wake up, baby. Or I could send an electrical shock through the door and fry your brother’s brains. Sounds like a better idea to me.

Payal’s eyes snapped open. Canto?

Even as she reached for him with her mind, she winced at the high-pitched sounds emanating from her organizer—the emergency alarm from her security system. Coming immediately out of her groggy state, she turned off the alarm, then got out of bed and scanned outward with her telepathic senses.

Multiple minds beyond the door.

They can’t get in. Canto’s voice, as clear as an ice-cold lake. But I’m picking up chatter that they’re considering a battering ram. Want me to melt Lalit’s brain?

He sounded serious.

No, that’ll just cause questions.

She should’ve been grilling him about his security access, but ignoring that, she pulled up the external visual feed on her organizer. A maintenance team stood outside, with her brother giving them orders. “Lalit,” she said through the intercom, “what are you doing?”

He stilled, then looked up at the door camera. “You’ve been incommunicado for hours, dearest bahena.” He made the word for “sister” sound slimy. “Father asked me to check on you.”

“My apartment is fitted with sensors that would’ve sent out a medical alert had I been incapacitated.” Her father was the one who’d suggested it—though Payal had sourced her own tech so he couldn’t sneak in subtle surveillance. The fact was, her tumors could grow in the time between scans, leading to a sudden collapse; a medical alarm was a sensible precaution. “Leave now.”

Muting Lalit’s response, she contacted her father through the comm, audio only. “Father, did you receive a medical alert?”

“No, but you weren’t responding to any attempt to contact you. I assumed you’d had a psychic breakdown.”

Breakdown.

The word choice was intentional, a reminder that she was “unstable.” Having been born with the intelligence to see through his manipulation was one of the strongest weapons in her arsenal. She’d been more vulnerable as a child, but she hadn’t been a child for a long time. “I had to deal with the possible collapse of the PsyNet over Delhi. I’m sure you heard of it.” No one in this area of the PsyNet could’ve missed the massive fissure.

Pranath’s pause went on a beat too long. “You were involved in that?”

“I’m an anchor, Father. The Delhi hub. What do you think I do? Now I need to be left alone to finish my work. Or would you rather the Net collapse and take us all with it?”

No response, but the maintenance crew outside her door began to disperse. Lalit shot a malicious smile toward the camera, and she knew this was just another imagined slight her brother was adding to his list of grievances. She’d never understood if his brain was miswired, or if it was simply his personality, but he hoarded grievances the same way he hoarded money and power.

The first thing she did was check the number of fatalities: twohundred and sixty-three. Three hundred and seven more noted as injured, half of them badly.

Her stomach lurched.

Forcing herself to breathe through the punch of it, she read through the rest of the bulletin sent out by Anthony Kyriakus on behalf of the Ruling Coalition. The city’s medical system had switched into disaster mode, had hauled in all standby medics, and was coping with the influx with the assistance of EmNet—which had organized the teleportation of more medics and supplies from outside the affected zone.

No one was missing out on medical care.

So much death and pain, but she had to remember it could’ve been far worse, or the thought would paralyze her. Canto?

I’m here.

Why were you watching when Lalit came?

I knew he’d try some bullshit, and you needed your rest. He sounded like he was growling, a ferocious dragon who’d hunched his lethal mind over her vulnerable form, his claws extended and teeth bared. Your data security kept him out of your files, but then the manipulative shit went running to your father. Few hours earlier and I’d have run that current through him without hesitation.