Sumi started to respond when she realized they were now surrounded by numerous strangers who were eyeballing her with way too much interest. She knew some of them from Dancer’s photos, but she didn’t know all their names.

Fain placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as he took up the introductions. “You know Darling and Ryn already. The Kimmerian assassin between them is their brother Drake.”

She shook arms with the man who looked almost identical to Darling, except he had dark hair instead of Darling’s and Ryn’s red hair.

They stepped aside for the next wave.

“Caillen whatever he’s calling himself this week and his wife Desideria. They are two of the ones, along with any of Darling’s family, I told you to stay near for a while.”

Handsome and irritated, Caillen glared at Fain’s introduction. “Nice meeting you, Sumi.”

“You’re the Exeterian prince and heir?” she asked, trying to keep them all straight in her mind.

Caillen nodded.

And as Sumi’s gaze fell to Caillen’s tiny, pregnant wife, she realized that she bore an amazing resemblance to the little girl Dancer had been holding. “You have a daughter?”

Desideria smiled proudly. “We do. Lillya.”

“Dancer has a picture of him holding her that he carries.”

Her smile widened. “It’s adorable, isn’t it? She thinks her uncle Hauk hung the very moons, he’s so tall.” She stepped aside for another Tavali to step forward. “This is my brother, Chayden. He flies a lot with Hauk and Ryn, and is an old friend of my husband’s.”

Chayden held his hand out to her. “Pleased to meet you.”

“You’re the one who dropped Dancer off on Oksana.”

“I am.”

She grinned. “I’ve heard you’re quite the pilot. Nice meeting you, Chayden.”

After that, the faces and names blended together until an extremely intense, frightening redheaded woman came up, holding a small boy in her arms. While all of them held the stances of trained soldiers and assassins, there was something particularly deadly about this one.

She eyed Sumi with suspicion. “I’m Shahara Dagan-Wade,” she said before Fain had a chance. “Syn’s wife.”

Ah… now she understood why everyone was so terrified of crossing this woman. A famed bounty hunter for the Overseer, she’d hauled in some of the worst criminals in the Nine Worlds.

Alone.

“You’re the one who shot Dancer for pretending to drop, I assume, this little guy.” She tickled his belly.

A miniature copy of his father, Devyn laughed. “I’m this many years old.” He held his hand out with all five fingers spread wide.”

They both laughed at him while Shahara kissed his cheek. “This is our little Devyn Devil.”

Sumi shook his tiny hand. “Pleased to meet you, Devyn.”

He screwed his face up thoughtfully. “So are you my new Aunt Hauk?”