Breakeven
Page 25
But before she could think anything, feel any terror, the guard swung away from her and in two long steps was beside the Kardanx, gun leveled at his head.
“Let the woman go back to her kind.” The hiss of the order fell into the silence that had descended, licking the air like a hungry tongue.
Without a word, the Kardanx released Jerilia, and she ran toward Kas and the others, stumbling in her haste.
They opened ranks for her, and then stepped back in to fill the gap, closing the line again.
“All who are the Illy, go this side. All who are Kardanx, go this side.” He pointed with the guns, and Taya moved over to her group.
Some had been standing a little way away, watching without getting involved, and they began to move, pushing and weaving through each other to reach their people.
In the confusion, Taya saw one of the few Kardanx women in the camp slip amongst the Illy. The woman caught her eye and stumbled, and Taya realized her horror, and her anger, must have shown on her face.
If they sheltered one of the only Kardanx women left, if they took her to their side, that would be reason enough for another scene like the one today.
But hadn't she just seen how some of the Kardanx treated women? And hadn't she in these last few minutes come to the realization that the ugly whispers about men killing wives, sisters, mothers, and daughters was true?
Could she send a woman back to that against her will?
“Please.” The woman was at her side faster than it seemed possible. Her hands came out to touch Taya's arm, and then drew back, fists clenched. “They don't want me anyway. They think me a witch. It's why I'm one of the few women in the group. I was living outside the village, and there was no man to kill me when the sky raiders came.
There was truth and desperation in her words. Her accent was thick, the vowels round and plump as a ripe plum, but she spoke Illian fluently.
Taya studied her, looking for some trick, some hidden motive. She was a few years older than Taya and her eyes were a pale, almost glacial green. Her skin was honey-gold, close to Taya's own skin tone. Her dark hair hung down her back with a glint of auburn in it.
With a grimace, knowing only trouble could come of it, Taya gave a quick nod and pushed the woman deeper into the crowd. She felt a brief, light touch of thanks on her shoulder, and the woman was gone, burrowing deep into the mass.
Silence fell as the last of the prisoners sorted themselves into Illy and Kardanx.
The Illy, with their equal mix of men and women, were the bigger group, because most of the Kardanx volunteered for night shift.
If it were true that for nearly every man standing here, at least one woman had died, the sky raiders must have had to attack many towns and villages in Kardai to get this many of them. And the blood must stain the ground in Kardai dark red.
Looking at the Kardanx, thinking of that many bodies, Taya felt the burn of nausea in her throat.
She should be thankful to Garamundo. Thankful for the protection they offered. Keeping the sky raiders away so that only a few places in West Lathor were hit.
But giving even a drop of thanks to Garamundo was beyond her because of Garek.
She felt something on her cheek, and lifted a hand to brush it away. Her finger came away with a single tear, and she rubbed it into the filthy tunic she wore.
The guard swiveled the head of his suit to her, one gun held steady on each group, then walked slowly back, so that he could see them all without having to turn. The glass of the dome that covered his head was opaque again. “We understand now. Your ways are different. It is decided. You do not mix. You do not fight. You work together peacefully. There must be no break in production.” The sinister voice that came from the sky raider's suit drifted on the fading light of the evening as the Star sank down in the west. The threat in the words, the very sound of them, made her shiver.
In the distance, the transporter skimmed over the open ground toward them, bringing the night shift.
There must be no break in production.
She shivered again.
There had been a few demonstrations of what would happen if production should slow or even stop, right at the start.
She watched the Star as it lit the sky a deep violet, low on the horizon. She liked to think of it slipping away from them here on Shadow to rise in the east on Barit. Taking a part of her with it.
Kas came up next to her and put a hand on her arm, and when she looked across at him, she couldn't tell what he was thinking. He looked tired. Tired and worn.
She'd run to the enemy. Made a decision without consulting him first.
“I don't regret it.”
Kas gave a slow nod. “This was the culmination of two weeks of antagonism.” He blew out a breath, looked across at the Kardanx. “It was only a matter of time.”
“Tell me.” Taya's voice came out on a croak. “Are the rumors true? What they did to their women, that there are so few here?”
Kas looked away. “So I hear.”
“Then I'm doubly glad I did it. That some man who has no woman in his bed because he slit her throat like a goat tried to take a woman from the Illy, rape her . . .” She couldn't finish the sentence, her throat too tight. She took a breath. “I'll deal with the sky raiders before I deal with them.”
Her gaze was drawn to the big Kardanx, to his hands. She imagined him holding a woman against his chest, running a knife across her throat.
She could hear a singing in her ears, like the sound the massive sky raider ship had made when it hovered over Pan Nuk, and taken them all. A singing, soaring sound of rage.
“Taya.”
She turned to Kas, and he took a half-step back.
“What?” The word came out slowly, and she frowned at him. “What?”
“You were . . .” Kas wet his lips, set his feet apart. “Taya, you were starting to call the Change.”
Also by Michelle Diener
Science Fiction Novels
Sky Raiders series:
Sky Raiders
Calling the Change
Shadow Warrior
Class 5 series:
Dark Horse
Dark Deeds
Dark Minds
Verdant String series:
Interference & Insurgency Box Set
Breakaway
Breakeven
Historical Fiction Novels
Susanna Horenbout and John Parker series:
In a Treacherous Court
Keeper of the King’s Secrets
In Defense of the Queen
Regency London series:
The Emperor’s Conspiracy
Banquet of Lies
A Dangerous Madness
Other historical novels:
Daughter of the Sky
Fantasy Novels by Michelle Diener
Mistress of the Wind
The Dark Forest series:
The Golden Apple
The Silver Pear
Short Paranormal Fiction
Breaking Out: Part I (Short story)
Breaking Out: Part II (Novella)
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About the Author
Michelle Diener is an award winning author of historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy.
Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and children.
You can contact Michelle through her website or sign up to receive notification when she has a new book out on her New Release Notification page.
Connect with Michelle
www.michellediener.com
Acknowledgments
Thank you so much to Edie, Diane, Justin and Jo for your eagle eyes and great suggestions as always, as well as to my awesome reader team! Thanks as always to EJR Digital Art for the truly beautiful cover!
lle Diener, Breakeven