Kalen: Warlord Brides (Warriors of Sangrin Book 2)

by Nancey Cummings

  Meridan was blushing but Daisy had no way of knowing. Kalen was aggressive and dominant and she did love it, but she refused to tell her sister that. “See, this is that unhealthy behavior. I’m not going to talk about my love life with you.”

  “Spoilsport.” It was good to hear the joy return to Daisy’s voice.

  “We’re going to be okay,” Meridan said, squeezing her sister’s hand. “Remember what Papa says.”

  “Shelter, fire, water, food and hygiene,” Daisy said automatically. “I can’t see that applying here.”

  “We survive. Us Vargases are tough nuts.”

  Daisy nodded, silent for once.

  “If you ladies are done gossiping,” Vox said from the front, “we’re landing.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Meridan

  Kalen stood in the shuttle door, blocking Meridan and Daisy from exiting. “We need to discuss the rules for you being in the field.”

  “We’re not your warriors to command,” Daisy said.

  “You are females, precious and treasured,” he said but his clipped tone didn’t exactly convey the treasured sentiment. “It is our duty as males to protect you at all costs. I don’t know why the warlord insisted on you being here, Meridan, but I must insist on basic rules for your safety.”

  “Fine. What do we need to do?”

  “Vox will leave the shuttle first. I will be in the rear. Stay between us at all times. Do as we say. Remain quiet. Suhlik hearing is exceptional and they will be able to track us from unnecessary prattling. If you must talk, use the comm link in your helmets. When we say run, run. Do not argue.” He leveled a serious look at Meridan, then at Daisy. “Agreed?”

  Meridan nodded.

  “Mylomon’s female?”

  Daisy gave a curt nod. “I have a name, you know.”

  Kalen removed the plasma rifle from his back and slapped his hand against the release panel. The shuttle door slid open and the ramp unfolded.

  Bright daylight spilled into the shuttle’s cabin, along with the cold, smoke filled air. Vox exited first, pistol in hand, and scanned the immediate area.

  They were in a narrow canyon. The sounds of distant conflict echoed off the cliff walls. The chill in the air went through the flex-armor. The tight fitting material was durable but had no life support functions.

  A figure jogged up, holding a rifle. The warrior had a bright magenta complexion and a serious expression.

  “Seeran,” Kalen said with a nod.

  “The area is clear to the facility. Move fast.” Seeran turned sharply and lead them into the canyon. Their party followed with Vox in the lead and Kalen in the rear.

  After ten minutes of fast walking, the canyon widened. The shape of the canyon seemed to get boxy, like the walls were carved in steps or large blocks. Vegetation ran riot. Vivid and lush greenery covered the ground and climbed the cliff face. After passing a few of the boxy structures, Meridan realized she was looking at the husks of buildings. There was a city in this canyon, long abandoned and swallowed up by nature.

  She shivered.

  “We've encountered several dead planets like this, infested with Suhlik,” Kalen said through the helmet’s comm link.

  Meridan's eyes scanned the area. Green growth partially obscured the ruined, collapsed buildings. Weather and erosion had worn away the structures to practically nothing. There had been a civilization here but something terrible had happened to wipe out the entire population. The Suhlik happened.

  Kalen continued, “Some say the Suhlik snatched our fathers away from a planet like this, leaving nothing but destruction and ruin behind. But no one can agree which dead planet is our origin.”

  “It could be this one.”

  “Perhaps. Some hope to discover the home world and perhaps find a key to unlock our genes from the Suhlik engineering.” Kalen snorted. “That is foolish thinking.”

  Seeran held up a hand and the party stopped. He pointed to something on the cliff. Meridan couldn’t see what he was pointing at and turned her head, looking for a clue. He headed towards a series of steps carved into the stone. They were practically invisible until a person was directly in front of them.

  Then Meridan saw the facility. Perched on the cliffside, constructed out of matching stone, was a long and low building. The structure was organic in design but only in that it blended in with the environment. If you didn’t know to look, it’d be easy to miss. It was far harsher and more brutal than the gentle, comfortable curves of Mahdfel design.

  “Why couldn’t we land here?” she asked.

  Vox pointed upward. “Too many enemy crafts overhead. Better to land out of the way and march than be lazy and get shot down.”

  She agreed.

  They climbed the steps. The tactile surface of her boots gripped the stone so there was little worry about slipping and falling. The cold, however, was getting to her. This mystery facility better have heat.

  At the top of the steps, a tall, plum colored male with one horn missing waited. Meridan recognized warlord Paax from their brief encounter on the view screen. Clad in exo-armor with twin swords on his back, he did not look happy. She thought about sweet, always smiling Mercy. This was her mate?

  The warlord cocked his head. His gaze lingered on Daisy. “I only required the assistance of Meridan Vargas.”

  “Mylomon’s female insisted,” Kalen said. “I feared she would harm herself if I did not let her onto the shuttle.”

  “Is this true, Mylomon’s female?”

  Daisy removed her helmet, displeasure obvious on her face. “First, my name is Daisy. Second, yes. I’m a combat medic. I’m trained for the field.”

  Paax returned his attention to Kalen. “Have they been briefed of the situation?”

  “No, Warlord.”

  Paax opened his mouth but a roar from inside the facility drowned out his words.

  A demon filled the doorway. Dark, darker than a deep wine, Mylomon absorbed the light. His horns curved out menacingly. Rage consumed him. When he spoke, his words were cold, dispassionate and completely at odds with his barely controlled demeanor. “Female, you were ordered to remain on the Judgment.”

  Daisy stepped back at his words but steeled herself. She planted her feet firmly, hands on her hips. “I can be useful here.”

  “You can be injured here. This is no place for an unskilled female.”

  Daisy’s nostrils flared. Meridan recognized the stubborn resolve on her face. She’d been on the receiving end of it too many times. Daisy refused to back down now. “I am not unskilled!”

  “I cannot guarantee your safety. This planet is swarming with Suhlik.”

  “So you want me to stay in our quarters like a prisoner? Why don’t you cover me in bubble wrap?”

  “I would if it would stop you from disobeying my orders. Return to the Judgment at once.”

  Daisy lifted her chin. “No.”

  “Female, do not defy me on this.”

  “No. I’m staying.”

  With a growl, Mylomon scooped up Daisy, tossing her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing.

  “Put me down, you monster!” Daisy’s fists pounded against his back but Mylomon seemed not to notice.

  “You will obey your husband, female.” One arm curled up, holding her in place. The other secured her legs to stop her from kicking.

  “Let me go!”

  Mylomon turned to the warlord. “Sir, I will return this one to the Judgment.”

  Paax nodded. The dark warrior took off at a fast clip, nimbly navigating the steep steps. Daisy protested and shouted, calling him names far worse than monster. Finally, her voice fell silent. Meridan couldn’t decide if her sister grew tired or just went out of hearing distance.

  “We’re wasting daylight,” Paax said. “Follow me inside. Step only where I step. We swept for traps but Suhlik are tricky.”

  Meridan followed the warlord into the building.

  Overhead lights clicked on row after row, illuminatin
g a long corridor. Glass windows lined the hall. As they walked, Meridan peered into the windows, inspecting the rooms beyond. Some were filled with lab equipment. Some had benign, boring universal office furniture. Others had child sized beds. A chill unrelated to the cold went over her. Worse still were the rooms lined with cages.

  “This is a research facility,” Paax said. “We find them from time to time on these dead planets. The Suhlik haven’t given up their ambition to engineer the perfect slave.”

  “Did you kill everyone here?” Meridan asked, voice small. Dried blood smeared the floor and the walls.

  “Most fled,” Paax said with notes of remorse. “These facilities are an abomination. I would destroy them all.”

  He stopped outside a door. His hand rested on the command panel ready to punch in a code. Then he turned to Meridan and said, “Occasionally we find survivors. Children the Suhlik have stolen and used for their barbaric experiments. Foundlings.”

  The door slid open. The room beyond was dark. She could make out a bed. A lump of blankets. A chair. Meridan furrowed her brows, unsure what she was suppose to see. Then she saw it. A figure moved under the blanket.

  “She’s human,” Paax said in a whisper. “When we approached, she screamed.”

  Meridan nodded. “What do you want me to say to her?”

  “Find out how long she’s been here. If she heard them mention another facility or a safe house.”

  Right. Pump the terrified child for information.

  Meridan stepped into the room. Lights flickered on. The blanket on the bed was little more than a rag. The mattress was a thin foam pad. The child poked her head out. Her shaved head and wide eyes broke Meridan’s heart. If she had to guess an age, she’d say the girl was six or seven based on her size, but who knows if the Suhlik had been giving her the proper nutrition a growing child needed.

  Meridan’ took off her helmet and carefully set it down on the floor. She held up her hands to display she had no weapon or syringe. No tricks here. “Hi.”

  The child drove under the blanket.

  “My name’s Meridan. What’s your name?”

  The girl lifted her head but said nothing. Her eyes darted to doorway and the warriors lurking there.

  “Are you worried about those big guys? They’re harmless but I’ll send them away.” She motioned for them to leave. Kalen frowned but withdrew from the room. “Better? I know they look scary but they’re nice. One of them is my husband, can you believe that? So, do you have a name?”

  The girl said nothing, studying the glossy red and white armor Meridan wore.

  “I’m a nurse. That’s what these colors mean. I help people who are sick. Have you been sick or hurt?”

  She nodded. Good. She spoke English, or at least understood it. That was something. Then the girl said something in a hissing, malevolent language Meridan’s translator registered as Suhl. “They will destroy you. Leave.”

  “They’re gone now.”

  “No.” Again, the response was in Suhl.

  “That’s the truth. We drove them out of the valley. Do you know where they might have gone?”

  “The worthy do not discuss plans with animals.”

  Meridan was too stunned to think of a response.

  Voices came from the corridor. The males discussed something in urgent tones.

  “Do you speak English? Or Universal?” she asked, switching languages. The translator chip made it easy.

  “Meridan,” the girl said.

  “Yes, that’s my name.” A warm smile settled on her face.

  “They want us to leave. The bad air is coming.” The girl climbed off the bed. Standing, she was taller than Meridan expected, but painfully thin. She wore nothing but a thin pink nightdress.

  Kalen said from the corridor, “We must leave. Now.”

  “Will you come with us?” Meridan asked. The girl grabbed her hand without prompting.

  In the corridor, she asked, “What is it?”

  “Gas. Flooding the canyon. We go now.” Kalen grabbed her hand and pulled her in a fast jog down the hallway. The girl struggled to keep up the pace, falling behind.

  “Wait.” Meridan pushed the girl towards Kalen. “Carry her. I’ll run.”

  “Not fast enough,” Kalen said.

  “I’ll carry the child,” Vox said.

  The girl looked to Meridan for confirmation. She nodded. “He’s my brother. There’s no one safer.”

  Kalen grumbled but did not slow his exit. Outside, a green blanket of fog rolled towards them. The way to the shuttle was still clear, fortunately. Kalen picked her up and held her against his chest as he flew down the steps. Each movement was surefooted and swift. At the bottom, he continued to run, not setting Meridan down. Vox matched their pace. Other Mahdfel joined them, heading away from the poisonous green fog.

  At the shuttle, Vox deposited the girl in a seat and started the engines. The shuttle need two minutes before it would be ready to fly. Once the doors were closed, life support would protect them from the outside atmosphere. Assuming the gas wasn’t corrosive and could eat through metal.

  The girl calmly fastened her safety harness. Paax and Seeran climbed in.

  “Where’s Daisy?” Meridan turned to Kalen.

  “She is with Mylomon,” he said.

  “But where are they? Are they at a shuttle?”

  “Mylomon will protect his mate.”

  “Where. Is. My. Sister.”

  Kalen spoke into his comm link. She didn’t like the way the males were talking around her, making decisions for her and her sister.

  “We have to go soon. No telling what that fog will do with the engines,” Vox said.

  Kalen frowned. “They are not near a shuttle. We must leave them behind.”

  “We can wait.”

  “We cannot,” the warlord said.

  No. She was not leaving her sister behind on a hostile world with a fog of unknown poisonous gas with that… that monster Mylomon. “We have to find her.”

  She moved to the hatch. A strong hand on her arm stopped her. She tried to pull away but his grip was like iron. “Let me go. We have to find Daisy.”

  “We leave. Now,” Paax said.

  “Yes, Sir,” Vox said from the cockpit.

  Meridan screamed, pounding on her mate’s chest as the shuttle lifted off and broke the planet’s atmosphere.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Meridan

  “We will discuss the foundling in the morning,” Paax said, leaving them in the medical bay.

  The child in question sat on an exam table, legs swinging. She chewed on a protein ration bar, eyes studying everything in the room. Against the gleaming clean room, she was especially grubby. The soles of her feet were black with dirt, as if she never wore shoes.

  “What do we do now?” Meridan asked.

  Kalen pressed a nearly invisible button and a panel opened in the wall. He took out a hypospray and various cylinders. None of the equipment looked friendly. “We examine her and determine if she is a risk.”

  “What do you mean ‘risk’?”

  “She has been in a Suhlik research facility for an unknown amount of time. I’m not sure she could even tell us how long ago she was taken from her family.”

  “That doesn’t make her a risk.”

  Kalen gave her a look like implied she was simple. “The foundling was the only survivor in the facility. The only one. She was their project.” He paused to let his words sink in. “They experimented on her. Changed her.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “I do know that. That’s what they do with foundlings. She could be a weapon. I cannot allow that risk.”

  Meridan’s mind raced. “Mylomon was a foundling.”

  “Yes.”

  “An hour ago you told me my sister is safe with him. Now you’re saying foundlings are dangerous. You can’t have it both ways, Kalen.”

  “You don’t know what he’s capable of. He has… abilities.”


  Well, that sounded dark and ominous. Meridan refused to let Kalen scare her into submitting to his will. “She’s a child.”

  “She’s a risk.” Kalen approached the bed, hypospray in hand. The girl tilted back her head and screamed.

  Meridan snatched the hypospray out of his hand. “What is wrong with you?” She stuffed the offending object in her coat pocket. “It’s okay, sweetie. We’re not going to hurt you.”

  The girl’s chest heaved, gasping for breath. She eyed Kalen warily, ready to scream again if she didn’t like the look of him.

  Meridan kicked his foot. “Back up. You’re freaking her out.”

  He snorted but did so.

  “Do you have a name, sweetie?”

  “Watson.”

  “Your name is Watson?” She gave a confused look to Kalen. He shrugged.

  “We left him. I need him. He keeps the monsters away.”

  Ah. Watson must be a toy. “I’m sorry we left him. The evacuation was pretty fast.”

  The girl took a large mouthful of the protein bar.

  “My name is Meridan. That’s Kalen. Can you tell me your name?”

  She gave Kalen a skeptical look then said, “Esa.”

  “That’s lovely. Do you know how long you were in the facility?”

  Esa shook her head.

  “Do you remember how you got there?”

  Another head shake.

  Kalen pulled Meridan away. “This is a waste of time.”

  “She’s frightened. You try answering questions when you’re tired and scared.”

  “She knows nothing. She doesn’t even know her name.”

  “Her name is Esa.”

  “Esa is a number. It means five.”

  His words sank in. The girl didn’t even have a name. She was snatched by the Suhlik at such a young age she couldn’t even remember her given name.

  Kalen approached the exam table, holding a scanner. Esa cringed again. Meridan took the scanner. “We still need to improve that bedside manner,” she said to him.

  She set the scanner down on the table and stepped back. “We need to take a scan of you, Esa.”