The Ta'e'sha Chronicles: Daughters of Terra

by Theolyn Boese

  * * * * *

  Kyrin dove into restroom just off his office and retched violently into the toilet. He wiped his mouth with a trembling hand. Standing on shaking legs he stumbled to the door. “Whist, help me get to sick bay.” He sagged against the jamb as the younger man ran to him. Another tearing cramp in his belly doubled him over.

  Whist wrapped his arm around his captain’s waist and helped him to the elevator. “What’s wrong?” He waved away several other members of the crew who rushed over to help, and punched the button for the correct floor.

  Kyrin shook his head. “I don’t know, my muscles started aching and cramping and I just threw up. Gods, I feel awful, I hope Daeshen and Thea haven’t caught it, whatever it is.”

  The door opened and Whist half carried Kyrin down the hall to the sick bay. On the way he commed Daeshen. “Are you all right? The captain is very ill, I’m taking him to sick bay.”

  “Send someone for me, Whist,” came the weak reply. “I don’t think I can make it on my own.”

  “Will do. Is Thea sick as well?”

  “I don’t know, she’s still at the Balance Temple with Soren.”

  * * * * *

  Barik took out a small scalpel and smiled down at Thea’s terrified, blood-streaked face.

  * * * * *

  Corvin entered medical and took in the scene with a glance. “Status.” Two nurses were holding Daeshen and Kyrin as they vomited repeatedly into containers.

  The doctor in charge handed him a holoreader. “No sign of disease or poisoning. They both claim muscle aches and cramping, then soon after began vomiting.”

  He nodded, scanning the information on the reader. “Is their mate sick as well?”

  “No one has brought her in or reported it.”

  Corvin frowned. If two were sick there was a good chance all three were. “Daeshen, where’s Thea?”

  Daeshen rested the side of his face against the container and panted. “She’s at the temple with Soren.”

  Corvin quickly commed Soren, “Soren, is Thea sick? Both Kyrin and Daeshen are very ill.”

  “I don’t know, she left over half an hour ago, Chief Medic,” came the worried reply. “She was fine when she left.”

  He immediately commed security, “Please locate Theadora Auralel, possible medical emergency. She is human and doesn’t not know how to use her com fully yet. She has been missing at least thirty minutes and if ill may be incapacitated.”

  “Searching,” was the succinct reply.

  A moment passed.

  “She has been located, a security team is already nearby and will reach her location in approximately two minutes.” There was a pause. “Why would she be in an unoccupied cabin?”

  * * * * *

  Thea screamed in her head again. Agony flared along every inch of her body. Her eyes were swollen almost completely shut from the beating and blood streamed from several shallow cuts he’d made on her face before he had begun cutting along the marks on her chest. Lord and Lady, bear witness through my eyes. A curious numbness spread through her body, distancing her from the pain.

  Barik frowned as the female’s muscles twitched under his scalpel as he carefully cut around the God-markings on her chest. “Oh dear, they won’t be clear lines.” He casually slapped her face. “Be still.”

  He finished the cut and edged the knife under her skin and carefully cut it from the muscle underneath. He would cut the marking free of her unworthy flesh. He heard the door open and looked up, angry at being disturbed.

  Three security officers stood in the threshold, faces blank with shock. They quickly shook it off and dove for him.

  He screamed in rage as the scalpel was wrestled free of his hand and the weight of their bodies carried him to the floor.

  They quickly flipped him on his stomach and bound his wrists and feet.

  Turning his head he glared at his victim, who stared blankly back at him. Working his mouth he spit on her.

  One of the officers took off his shirt and covered Thea’s twitching body. He quickly sent a brief report and requested additional officers. He picked her up carefully, “I’ll take her to sick bay, stay here with him and report to me as soon as he’s in the brig.” With that he left in a smooth jog, trying to be careful not to jar the woman in his arms. As he moved swiftly through the maze of corridors he commed medical and apprised them of the situation so they would be prepared when he arrived.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Corvin was in his office when the com came in. He blanched at the brief report of Thea’s injuries. He quickly commed the Healing temple and requested two asana join him. That done, he left his office and instructed the nurses to move Kyrin and Daeshen to a private room.

  He knew they would be furious, but he couldn’t risk having them in the room when Thea came in. And if he told them, they wouldn’t leave. Following his nurse, he grabbed a sedative.

  “I’m going to put you both to sleep until I know exactly what’s happening,” he informed them as his nurses settled them on beds.

  Kyrin nodded tiredly.

  The doctor quickly administered the doses and a moment later both men were asleep.

  Just in time, too. From the flurry of activity outside the room the asana had arrived. Corvin didn’t want to explain why he’d called them. He went back into the main room.

  “What is it, Corvin?” asked Wehtai, the high priestess of the Healing Temple.

  “The captain’s mate is going to be here in a moment or so, please follow me.” He led them into surgery, along with three of his nurses. “Thea has been beaten and tortured, I do not know the full extent of the damage yet, but I asked you to come here as a precaution.”

  The door burst open as Wehtai opened her mouth to ask more questions.

  The security officer quickly set down his burden and backed away. “I got her here as soon as I could. She doesn’t respond to anything and hasn’t moved a muscle.” He backed out the door, leaving the doctors to their work.

  Corvin leaned over Thea’s still form. He brushed her hair back and checked her eyes. They were dilated and blank with shock. He ignored the gasps from his nurses as they removed the shirt covering her. Straightening, he motioned them back.

  Wehtai stepped forward. “Let me, Doctor, you are too close a friend to do this.” She took Thea’s hand in hers and immediately stiffened into a trance. Her eyes closed and she began reciting a list of injuries in a monotone.

  The second asana stepped forward and took Thea’s other hand. A warm green glow flowed from their hands and slowly coated Thea.

  Minutes passed.

  Wehtai looked up without releasing Thea’s hand, tears in her eyes. “She’s miscarrying her child. We need a Warrior Chosen, Doctor, she was injected with their venom and it’s slowing our ability to heal her. I don’t think we can save her baby.”

  The light surrounding Thea intensified as the asana began to heal her injuries. The cuts sealed themselves, the blood slowed and finally stopped. Angry red scars formed and slowly faded to silvery lines.

  Thea’s eyes flickered and tears began to roll from the corners. My baby is dead. She felt the last strand break, and with it, her heart. It was too much. She looked for that numbness that had filled her earlier and sank into its quiet coldness.

  * * * * *

  Several hours later ...

  Corvin washed his hands tiredly, fighting back tears. I should have ordered the arrest sooner. There were so many things he should have done differently. He had thought that having security watching the women with tampered coms would be enough. Thea was paying for his mistake.

  A hand touched his shoulder gently.

  He turned to face Wehtai. “This shouldn’t have happened,” he whispered brokenly.

  A door opened behind them and Kyrin stepped out, still pale. Daeshen followed a pace behind. They both stopped when they saw Corvin.

  “What’s wrong?” Kyrin asked tensely.

  “Barik attacked Thea,” Corvin w
hispered.

  “Where is she?” Kyrin asked hoarsely.

  Both men ran for the room Wehtai pointed at. They came to a stumbling halt when they saw their mate lying under a blanket.

  She was staring blankly at the ceiling, tears flowing from her eyes as she blinked slowly. Fading bruises still marked her face.

  They hesitantly approached her, and gently took her hands in theirs.

  “What did he do to her?” Daeshen asked brokenly.

  Corvin stepped into the room and quietly closed the door. “He injected her with the venom of a Warrior. We keep some on hand for each Warrior in case they empty their sacs and cannot replenish it. Then he took her to an empty cabin and beat her. He cut her several times with a scalpel and was trying to cut off her God-marks when security found them. If you hadn’t gotten sick ... we can’t get her to respond to us at all. She ... she miscarried a child.” He looked down at the fragile figure on the bed, so unlike her usual self.

  Daeshen pressed a kiss against her hand. “I think she’s empathic, maybe that’s why we got sick, she was asking for help and didn’t know how.” He pressed his head against her hand again and cried. “Our baby ...”

  Kyrin stroked his mate’s cheek gently, noting every silvery scar. “Corvin, could you leave us alone for awhile?” He was barely aware of his friend nodding and leaving silently. “Come back to us, love. We need you here with us.” He pressed her palm against his cheek. “Please, baby ...”

  Her eyes flickered.

  Both men talked to her quietly, urging her to come back, telling her they loved her. She was dimly aware of them, but she was safe where she had locked herself away and was reluctant to return. She knew the pain was waiting to rush in like water the moment she cracked open the numbing cocoon she was in.

  An hour passed and her husbands stayed with her. They pulled chairs close to her bed and held her hands. They didn’t know what else to do

  Daeshen crawled into Kyrin’s lap after a while and they both cried, for the loss of their child, for not being able to stop this from happening, for Thea’s pain.

  Thea heard weeping and the sound drew her out of her cold shell. She slowly worked her way out of the comforting layers she had built around herself. As her mind rose to consciousness again she felt the ache in her body and the hollow void in her womb. It almost sent her back, but the weeping called to her.

  The men didn’t notice when her head slowly turned toward them. She reached out a trembling hand and touched Kyrin. “Don’t cry,” she whispered past sore lips. “It’s not your fault.”

  Daeshen lunged for her, scooped her up and held her close. He carried her back to Kyrin and they both held her, pressing soft kisses across her face.

  She began to cry softly, curling herself tightly against Kyrin’s chest. “I couldn’t stop him! I tried and tried and I couldn’t move.” She sobbed harder. “He hit me and kicked me. He killed our baby and I couldn’t stop him. And he kept saying he was going to cut out my eyes.” Her body shook with the force of her sobs and reliving the terror she had lived through.

  Kyrin closed his eyes tightly as he listened to her. He was torn between sorrow and hate. He wanted to kill Barik, slowly and painfully. Instead, he curled his arms around both his mates and rocked them gently, not speaking as Thea continued to tell them what happened to her in a soft, tear choked voice. He kissed the top of Daeshen’s head and then Thea’s.

  The door chimed softly, announcing a visitor.

  Daeshen looked up and his eyes darkened. “Who is it?’

  “Sya’tia.”

  Thea didn’t raise her head from under Kyrin’s chin. “Come in.”

  The door slid open and Sya’tia entered tentatively. She took a few steps in and stopped, unsure of her welcome.

  Thea reached out her hand. “It’s all right, come closer.” She shuddered as another cramp tightened in her belly. “I could use another hug.”

  Sya’tia knelt beside them and gave her friend a shaky smile. “You are the one who was hurt, yet you try to comfort us?” She stroked Thea’s hair gently.

  Thea wiped her eyes. She curled her arm around Sya’tia and hugged her. “Having the three of you here helps.” She released the other woman, but laced their fingers together. With a sigh she rested against her husband again. “What will happen to him?”

  Kyrin held her tighter. “He’ll be placed in stasis and we’ll take him back to Ta’e for trial.”

  She smiled bitterly. “He rapes women, attacks me, kills our child ... and gets to take a nap before his trial.” She glared down at her lap. “Will it be an impartial trial? After all, it was humans he attacked.” She looked up again. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t fair.”

  Sya’tia shook her head. “It’s all right, Thea.”

  The three of them hugged her gently, quietly lending their strength.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Thea was dimly aware that she was sleeping as she looked around the heavily forested area of her dream. Birds sang softly to each other and flitted from branch to branch. A squirrel scampered through the dry leaves on the ground. Warm golden light laced the leaves over her head and dust danced lightly within them.

  She took a deep breath of the oxygen heavy air. It filled her lungs and left in a warm rush. The rich scent of loam and flowers teased her nose. She pressed her palm against the warm bark of a tree and felt it respond with joy and love.

  Something buzzed past her ear. Turning her head she watched a dragonfly dart back up into the branches. Somewhere close by a stream babbled gently over age smoothed stones. This place felt like home.

  The quiet, natural sounds of life sank into her pores and soothed the rough edges of her emotions.

  Trailing her fingers from tree to tree, pausing every so often to stroke the velvety petals of a flower, she meandered her way along the trail she found herself on. Animal faces peered at her from the foliage. A wolf here, a rabbit there. Huge ferns grew with wild abandon beneath the heavy canopy of trees. Their dark green fronds lush and shiny with health.

  She came to a circle of massive oaks. They were so large that when she tried to circle one her arms barely curved. A breeze made the leaves chuckle merrily, as if laughing at her like an indulgent uncle.

  Thea stepped around one of the trees and stopped. In the center of the circle thirteen stones stood like timeworn sentinels. And within them, two figures waited for her.

  There was a woman dressed in a pale cream sheath and a man dressed in a simple gray kilt. Both had long, dark hair that changed colors in a slow cycle. Her soul knew them immediately and she ran to them with a glad sob.

  The woman caught Thea in strong, gentle arms and held her as she began to cry. “Shhh, daughter. Be at peace.” She sank to the ground and rocked Thea like a child.

  After a time Thea’s tears eased and she looked up. “He killed my baby, Lady.” She wiped her eyes and sat back. “I don’t understand and I don’t really want to. He hated us so much and we never did anything to him.” She sniffled softly through her swollen nose.

  Her Lord knelt beside her and stroked her hair. “Your baby is not truly gone, love. It is resting and waiting for another time.” He lifted her chin with his fingers. “We are proud of you, daughter. All that pain and terror and you did not curse him. You asked Us to bear witness instead. And We have.” He lifted her and cradled her in his lap.

  Lady Gaia nodded. “We shall bear witness at his trial.”

  The three of them were silent for a time. Thea soaked up the comfort and love she felt they were giving her, letting it wash away the stains that Barik’s hatred had left.

  Eventually Thea lifted her head. “I did not ask the Ta’e’shian Gods to mark me, but I think I understand why they did it now. I would ask your permission, Mother, Father, to be their voice.”

  Both deities smiled.

  “You have Our permission, daughter. But We have things for you to do as well,” Skye told her.

  Thea nodded and squared her shoulder
s.

  “First,” Gaia said, “find your sisters on the ship. There are eight.”

  “Second,” Skye continued in his deep voice, “We will be sending you friendship, recognize it for what it is.”

  “Third,” Gaia spoke again, “face your fears. Do not run and hide from them as We know you want to.”

  They stood and drew Thea to her feet. Each pressed a kiss to her forehead.

  “We must go now, daughter, but remember your husbands love you. Let them help you,” Skye said in parting. He brushed his thumb along her cheek.

  They left in a cloud of sparkling dust that quickly dissipated in the breeze.

  She sat down again as her eyes suddenly grew heavy. A faint rustle in the brush made her turn her head.

  A large spotted cat emerged and approached her. She felt no fear as it lightly rubbed its face along her cheek. Turning quickly on its hind feet it darted back into the bushes, and with another rustle, was gone.

  Thea was not aware of falling asleep, or of the huge raven watching her from the top of one of the tall pillars. Heavy moss began to grow thickly under her, forming a soft bed.

  The raven glided down from the pillar and landed by the sleeping woman’s still form. It tilted its head and studied her carefully with black, gleaming eyes. With a quick shake of its glossy feathers it lifted off the ground and quickly became a black dot in the sky.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Thea reached out with a trembling hand and stroked the smooth metal casing that held the remains of her child. It was so small, barely the size of her two hands fisted together. Her fingers paused over the etched depressions of her name and her husbands’ names. “Robin,” she said softly. She turned to the man standing next to her. “My baby is named Robin. Could you please place that name under ours?”

  The man nodded solemnly and took the case from her for a moment to carefully etch the words in English. He gave it back to her with a sympathetic look.