The Champion's Ruin

by Kristen Banet

“Good?” Luykas laughed. “Love, it’s not a good feeling. It’s a great one. We might have less than half of the Andinna we did during the War, but we know Shadra now. We know how this plays out. We don’t have to do this for a century, either. Circumstances changed since when she had thousands and thousands of humans in the fields.”

  “Back then, it wasn’t a food shortage. They were running out of money to pay everyone,” Alchan said, chuckling. “That’s why they decided to enslave the Andinna. They didn’t have the money by the end of the war to keep paying human laborers, so they created a new, free labor source to boost their treasuries.”

  “At the same time, robbing a vast majority of their humans of their jobs,” Luykas added. “Let’s talk about something else. No reason to rehash the economic issues of the Empire.”

  “Well, if we’re going to change the topic…” Mave elbowed the king. “Seanev told me to ask you about his arm once he was gone. There a reason I couldn’t hear about it from him?”

  “Depends,” Alchan said, eyeing her, wary now. “He’s leaving Leria, which means he’s bloodletting to weaken the bond between them.”

  “What?” She hadn’t been expecting that answer, and after a moment, she realized she wasn’t sure how to feel about it either.

  “It’s…complicated,” Alchan said carefully.

  “I don’t like it when you say that,” Luykas growled softly. “How complicated?”

  Alchan whistled and headed toward the war room.

  “Alchan?” Mave grabbed his arm to stop him. “What happened?”

  “She used the blood bond to dominate him and get his compliance with her plan to send Lilliana down here. Seanev had looked after the ahren for centuries and didn’t agree with his wife. So, she used the blood bond to suppress his will and force his compliance. It’s not illegal, but it’s not something anyone likes hearing about, either. She crossed a line. He knows it. They’re done. She doesn’t know it yet, but they’re done.” Alchan started to laugh sadly.

  “Even if he wanted to go back, I wouldn’t let him. Leria is obviously rotten, and I’ll have to address it. The problem is, she’s a great mativa to the vast majority of her people. They’ll get up in arms if I depose her and install a new one. Can’t kill her, can’t exile her yet, so I’m going to do everything in my power to keep Seanev away from her. That I can do.”

  Luykas cursed. Mave only felt a cold fury as she stared Alchan down.

  “Call her down here,” Mave demanded.

  “There’s a reason I’m the king, and you are my Champion,” Alchan reminded her softly. “I’ll keep Seanev safe from her. Have no fear of that. He is never going back to her. As for her, I’ll deal with it. I’ll need to get Allaina involved and any other strong mativa I can find. Maybe the one who decided Kerit belonged to her. Normally, there’s a council of the strongest mativas who deal with these sorts of issues. It’s not your place.”

  Mave snarled, baring her fangs. “She deserves to di—”

  “Don’t say it,” Alchan snapped. “She doesn’t. Yes, she’s terrible. She’s a fucking mean little bitch who thinks she knows what’s best, but you are not the judge, jury, and executioner, Mave. I am, and by the law, she has done nothing illegal. Seanev agreed to the blood bond, and I know he fully understood at the time how it could be used, whether or not he liked it. She’s a bitch, but we can’t execute people unless they’re traitors, murderers, or rapists. No queen has ever abused the power of the throne and executed anyone for less than that, and I will not start now.” He yanked his arm from her grasp. “I understand you’re a being of righteous fury, but you can’t use that recklessly. If you kill her over the personal slight of hurting and abusing your brother’s trust, the Andinna will turn against you.”

  “I’d like to see them try,” Mave hissed as Alchan walked away. She followed, keeping her thoughts to herself. As they walked, many of their friends found them. Her husbands caught her dark mood immediately, and Matesh went to Luykas, whispering about what was going on while Zayden and Bryn stayed with her. Emerian trailed them, her new nemari. He had been hovering at a distance most of the day, waiting for her to give him a command to help with something. Nevyn and Varon showed up next, walking on Alchan’s left side. Then Kian, grinning as he threw an arm over her shoulder.

  “Your little sibling has been kicking up a storm on your mother,” he whispered. “Please fucking smile.”

  It made her crack a small smile, at both the thought of Senri dealing with the yet unborn sibling and Kian figuring out something was wrong without needing to ask anyone.

  “What are you up to?” she asked, looking at his profile as they walked together.

  “I was training with Willem and Gentrin. I have to make sure they’re both at their best. Willem was never the most comfortable with a sword, but he’s handy with it. Since they’ve never been ones for travel and war, I’ve been trying to get them up to speed with many of Senri’s guards.”

  “If you need any help, let me know,” she said, poking his ribs.

  “I will.” He used the arm over her shoulders to pull her closer and kissed her forehead. “I haven’t yet because I know it would wound their pride to have their daughter beat them into the ground.”

  “They’d get used to it. Everyone else does,” Mave said, shrugging. Kian laughed. She looked around. They weren’t even halfway to the war room yet, but she was glad to see the entire group together, with Rain now matching Alchan’s stride. Leshaun was next to Luykas, poring over a book together.

  Her eyes wandered farther to see a set of faces that nearly pissed her off again. Kian had brought her back down, but seeing Asari, her husbands, and Kenav annoyed her beyond belief. Kenav was grinning at something the bitch was telling him with a smile on her face. Mave was still watching when Asari looked over, Kenav’s eyes following.

  Mave wished she could hear what Asari said quickly, looking away. Her mouth was moving, but Mave was just too far away. What did Asari think about the group around her son? He was the king, and he commanded the loyalty and friendship of the best warriors.

  Others stopped and paused in their work, something Mave was used to. People tended to take notice when the Company was walking together, talking about their next missions, the rebellion, or even just in silence. There was a comfort they drew from each other.

  When the group made it to the war room, Mave found Dave and Learen talking inside about logistical things she stayed out of. She patted Dave’s shoulder and smiled at him, getting a beaming grin in return. Trevan hovered behind them against the wall. Mave knew his gryphon must have been left either at their home or tied on a post in the woods by the building, away from any possible horses and out of sight.

  “Thanks for Learen. He’s good at this.” Dave started organizing the papers on the main table into stacks.

  “I hope so. He’s a retired Ivory Shadow,” she said, nodding at the one-handed warrior, who nodded in return.

  “All right. First off, my apologies for yesterday. I needed a moment away, and it shouldn’t happen again before winter,” Alchan said, looking over the room. “Luykas, you and I discussed where Seanev should focus his efforts. Would you verify those with Bryn’s newest information and what we learned from the spring campaigns? I know you both must have done it already, but I want to see it again. I’m considering sending out a few smaller teams to disrupt places Seanev might not be able to make during summer.”

  Everyone was watching as Bryn and Luykas walked around the table, pointing out a number of different places on the map.

  “Bryn’s scouts found that even though we hit nine Elvasi camps in spring, Shadra has a few more. Based on this information, these three are Seanev’s targets.” Luykas pointed at three spots. “He knows them, has them marked on his map, and plans to hit them in this order.” Luykas tapped each one, going from the farthest from the village to the closest. None of them were within a week’s journey of the village. “There are also these four.” Luykas pointed
out the next ones. “I think small teams going in and destroying their supply caches will cripple them, and they’ll be forced to withdraw from the area.”

  “Agreed,” Alchan said, leaning over the map. “Bryn, were your scouts able to get firm numbers on these locations?”

  “Yes, but they’re dated now. Shadra is probably still feeding men into the campsites in those valleys. All of my intel is a week old, at best. I won’t hear from the long-range scouts for another week, and you know how it is. That information comes in dated. I’ll write them down on markers,” her rogue husband said, grabbing little wood circles. Using ink, he wrote numbers on them, dropping them on each location, so Alchan could have a visual reference. “Seanev, with a thousand warriors, can take out a two-thousand soldier camp. I have faith in him.”

  “He’s also been told to come home if his casualties go over fifty percent,” Luykas added. “If spring is still a good indication, though, it shouldn’t come to that.”

  “Good, good,” Alchan said softly. “Let’s pick teams for the smaller missions. The more aggressive we can be, the better off we are—Nevyn, four teams, all good enough to run in small hit-and-run operations. Pick well because these will be the basis for the new elite units. You’re taking Kelsiana’s old job. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Nevyn said, bowing. “It’s an honor to continue her way.”

  “You better pick me for a team,” Mave said, smiling at him from across the room.

  “You can pick her, but you can’t send her anywhere. She promised me she’s going to take the summer off,” Alchan said, not looking at her until he was nearly done speaking, his expression unamused. “Remember?”

  Mave groaned, crossing her arms. “I’m the best you have.” She itched to get away from the drama of the camp and get back into the stark, easy reality of war. There was something clear about life on the battlefield. She knew who the enemy was and how to deal with them. That clarity eluded her in the village.

  “Yes, as you and everyone else in this room have reminded me multiple times,” Alchan said with a distinct lack of patience. “Which is why I can’t let you get worn out and possibly killed on what should be routine for the warriors going on these missions. You’ve been home for maybe a week. You have a new nemari. Let some other warriors get the glory of war. Besides, I need you by my side right now more than ever.”

  Mave huffed but didn’t offer an argument. When Alchan was done passing out orders to everyone in the room, they were given leave to disperse. She grabbed her father, keeping him from wandering off with Nevyn.

  “You better not go on a mission without me,” she said, eyeing him.

  “Senri has already made both of us promise not to go out to fight without each other. I’m in the same boat as you and have to take the summer off. Nevyn is going to whip these teams up with my help since I served under Kelsiana as well. No one who went out in spring is going on these missions. Do you mind if I recommend Matesh and Zayden, though? They’d be good for the job, and we can spare them.”

  “Not at all,” she said, smiling. “As long as they’re on the same team.”

  “Of course.” He smiled and patted her arm, then headed off to join Nevyn and Varon. As he disappeared from sight, a spicy scent filled her nose as thick arms wrapped around her waist.

  “You’re going to send us off to war?” Mat asked softly. He must have overheard Kian’s question and her answer.

  “If you want to go,” she said quietly. “Don’t think it won’t worry me every moment, but…”

  “It’s best if someone from the Company goes on any of these teams,” he finished for her. “We’ll probably all be put on them, eventually, but we’ll never get to go as a full unit again. Too much at stake now. Don’t worry, I’ll get me and Zayden back alive. If we’re on the same team, you don’t have to worry about a thing.”

  “You better,” she whispered, turning to him. He chuckled as she ran her hand through his hair and pulled him into a kiss.

  When it was over, Zayden was standing beside them, smiling broadly at Mat. “So, we’re going on a mission?”

  “Yeah, which means we’re getting really drunk tonight. Everyone is still partying from seeing off Seanev’s campaign. Might as well jump in and enjoy it.” Mat grinned in return. “No sitting it out this season for us.”

  “Great. I’ve been getting a little bored with the training.”

  “Are you two going to need some privacy tonight?” Mave asked, crossing her arms as she attempted to have a serious face. “If you do, we have that spare room—”

  Zayden grabbed her and yanked her into a fierce kiss.

  “If you think I’m going to miss out on a single night with you before this mission, you have lost your mind, female.”

  “Well, then, you should help me find it,” she teased, grabbing the belt he wore to hold him where he was. “Maybe I lost it in bed this morning.”

  “I’m more than happy to check every inch of the bedroom with you,” he murmured, kissing her again. “After several drinks with our friends.”

  “I’m fine with that,” she agreed, dragging her nails along the sensitive skin of his lower stomach, her fingers just under the belt.

  If I’m going to send them to war without me, I might as well do it right. I won’t have them for weeks, so it’s going to have to be good.

  Going to the center of the village, they each found themselves with a drink in their hands before they could even find a seat in the largest dining hall. The partying had started for the civilians the night before Seanev left, but the warriors left behind were drinking now, knowing they were stuck while their friends went off to war. War stories were told as everyone laughed and joked or even cried.

  Mave found a female warrior looking at her, a grin on her face.

  “Champion! Do you have any stories for us?”

  “Not ones you haven’t already heard,” Mave said, trying to sound disappointed. “I’m sorry. Everyone seems to tell my stories before I get the chance!”

  Andinna around them laughed. It was true. There were probably dozens of stories about her flying around the camp, some of them tall tales coming from the strange myth surrounding her. Even though Mave was young, she had a legendary reputation. She’d known that for years, but it was only the last year, she truly grew comfortable as the scary stories turned into stories of victory and belief in her. She was no longer the monster parents told their children to be scared of, but the warrior every child pretended to be when they played at war in the village.

  “Is it true you killed a chimera? Are those even real?” someone asked.

  “No, they aren’t!” someone called out. “That’s one of the fake ones.”

  Matesh started laughing too hard next to her. “And you believe the one where she killed a full-grown wyvern? That one isn’t real, but the chimera is true. I was there!”

  “Bullshit!” someone called. The room laughed.

  Mave reached for the closest hand, finding Zayden, who used it to move even closer.

  “It’s true. They’re from a strange land, but the Empire got ahold of one and made her fight it in front of the entire Colosseum.” Mat tried so hard to get everyone to believe him, but Mave knew it was a lost cause. She let him try anyway, but it became nearly comical as he got drunker and more adamant.

  On top of that, Zayden was sneaking his free hand up her thigh under the table. Turning his body, he leaned in to kiss her slowly.

  “You okay?” she asked.

  “I want you,” he said in a husky, vulnerable voice.

  “Let’s go,” she whispered, kissing him as she slowly stood.

  “I won’t make it to the house,” he murmured as she tugged his hand to get him moving.

  “Then we’ll find a quiet corner,” she promised.

  It felt like something she shouldn’t do, which only made her want to do it more. These celebrations had a reputation Mave had heard about since her return—couples or more in the
trees in quick, alcohol-driven meetings.

  They snuck out as best Mave could sneak out of any place, with fanfare and people wishing her goodnight. Mat caught up to them as they made their way into the woods.

  “Were you two going off to have fun without me?” he asked, grabbing her tail.

  “Possibly,” she said with a little smile.

  “Mean female who owns my heart,” he growled softly. The lights from the village’s torches were barely visible now. Mat moved his hand up her tail and grabbed her ass as she pushed Zayden into a tree, getting a delicious groan out of him. He liked it rough—every time, all the time. He loved when she pushed him around, even when he wasn’t in the mood. He was that type of male—a grouch who desperately hoped someone would take control of him and his emotions.

  Mat’s hands moved quickly, undoing the strings of her breeches. She knew what he would find as his hand slid between her legs—she wanted, and she was ready. He growled in her ear, shoving her leather breeches down farther. A moment later, she was kissing Zayden as Mat thrust, filling her in one steady movement.

  It was hard and furious, a need that went deeper than physical want. This was possibly their last time before they went off to battle. It could take only a day for Nevyn to mobilize the team, or it could take three days. There was no way of knowing. Between the urgency of the unknown and the need driven by alcohol, there was no way this moment would be slow and romantic. It was a stolen encounter, a bit of fun where someone could walk up on them, and none of them would care.

  Mat growled and groaned with every thrust. Zayden kept her nearly silent with his mouth, keeping it busy with his tongue, muffling every moan. Every thrust took her closer to the edge. The orgasm shattered her as her arms and knees shook. Mat held her as he thrust several more times, finally burying himself, biting her shoulder as he finished inside her.

  “Your turn,” she whispered breathlessly as Mat pulled out slowly.

  “Hold her,” Zayden ordered.

  Mave wasn’t too surprised when Mat kept his arms around her, and they turned, his back against the tree. Zayden reached down and hooked her thighs in his arms, his cock out. She wrapped her thighs around his hips at his direction, and he was hilt-deep in a single thrust. Leaning on Mat, she let Zayden take her hard.