by Auryn Hadley
"You did. Kalev, I'm no doctor, but I know soldiers. Did anyone tell him what he did?"
"We thought that reliving it would make things worse."
"No, not reliving it, but giving his loss a meaning. Soldiers live to help. That's why we do this. Just like you. Let him know it worked and he'll feel vindicated. Unlike you, I could prove to him that his wounds aren't as disfiguring as he thinks."
"How?"
Sal gestured for the doctor to follow her outside. Jase met them at the door, a sly smile on his lips. "Kalev Loke, Jase, my mate," she introduced.
Kalev glanced at her strangely, then nodded at the Ahnor.
"All of my soldiers know that I will not lie to them. There've been enough incidents and rumors to prove that I'm serious about it." Sal shrugged. "What I told that man convinced him that a few scars were worth it."
Kalev glanced at Jase again, and he grinned wide enough to show his sharp teeth. "She tends ta be very persuasive." Then he asked Sal, Did it work?
"And if I'm not mistaken," Sal continued, nodding quickly at Jase, "those scars should fade soon?"
"Yeah. It'll be months still, but they shouldn't be as noticeable. We tried to tell him, but he kept saying that his girl would leave him."
"I'll make sure his unit keeps an eye on him. If there's a problem, I'll take care of it. You know who he saved, right?" she asked the doctor.
"No. It was a grauori, that's all I know."
"He saved Rragri's mate, her Ahnor." When Kalev continued to look at her blankly, she continued, "The leader of the Grauoran army's lover. That's the mutt who tore at his face. Arrgro took the hit to save a human, Dalyr took the bite to save the relations between our species. He's a hero, Kalev. Tonight, the Orassae and her mate will come to pay their thanks. Let them. It will do Dalyr more good to be pampered by the leader of the grauori people than any sedatives you can pump into him. Ok?"
Kalev finally began to relax, and with a handshake the iliri left the medical tent.
Sal and Jase wound through celebrations, men passing them flagons of liquor. Jase sampled as many as he could, enjoying the shocked faces of soldiers watching their leaders tilt the bottle up. By the time they reached the Black Blades' camp, Sal was smiling, and somewhere along the way, she'd acquired a bottle of mead.
"Ah, you're back," Blaec said as she rounded the last tent.
"I had to stop by the medical pavilion and the humans are throwing a pretty intense party out there. How are things here?"
"Well enough. Dom's begging for your advice, Ilija is beside himself, and we have almost two hundred Terrans that surrendered. What's next?"
She scratched at one ear. "I need to speak with Dom first," Sal said, looking between Blaec and Jase. "Can you two get me some ideas for what to do with these humans? I'll call for you as soon as I have a few things settled with the King and the Colonel."
"Ya gonna want a read on Ilija?" Jase asked.
"No," Sal told him. "If you wanted to share what you know, you already would've. We all got that Jarl's his kid. What I don't know is what he wants to do about it."
"Marry her." Jase pushed his pewter hair back. "His mate is Dom's little sister, kitten. She has two a 'em, both are Ilija's. He's been caring fer them, but they never told the kids cuz a royal bastard can get more than a Sergeant's son."
"Shit, are you serious?" Blaec whispered.
Jase nodded. "Yeh. He has na told a soul. Hell, I did na even catch it from him until the ball. That's why Ilija's been so crazy 'bout this king."
Sal groaned, putting all of the pieces together. "Ok. Well, that gives me something to work with, at least. If Roo can get a chance to listen in on the Shields, that'd help, too. I'd love to know what the men are saying about that little revelation on the field." She waved it away. "Maast. I guess we can ignore that and deal with it later, but if Dom's in a good mood, I might as well use it."
Before she could walk away, Blaec pulled her closer to kiss her head. "Trust your gut, Sal. So far you've done a damned good job of cleaning up the mess we sent you into. Cyno and I'll figure out something to do with the Terrans."
Jase nodded at her, thumping Blaec on the shoulder. "Yell when ya need us, kitten."
"I will. Thank you, my loves." Tossing a smile back, she left the Blade's camp, leaving her bottle of mead where the other iliri would find it. As she passed the last black tent, Zep fell in beside her.
"The Kaisae goes nowhere without a guard at her side, babe." His shirt hung open, and his sword lay in full view at his waist.
"They're Anglians, Zep. I'm safe here."
He just shrugged.
Together, they wove through the milling crowd of soldiers. Some men pressed bottles at them and many cheered when Sal accepted a drink offered to her. She made sure to do little more than taste the liquor, though. Halfway to the King's pavilion, the path was choked with men celebrating their victory. Sal pushed her way between them, unwilling to break up the party, and Zep followed behind her. The humans towered over her; Sal quickly lost sight of Zep in the crowd. She pushed between another group of men, aiming in the direction of the Anglian banner flying high above the King's tent when a man grabbed her.
He spun Sal to face him, a drunken grin on his face and muttered something incoherent. She sighed and tried to pull away, but the drunk held her tightly.
"Let go of the Kaisae" an Anglian soldier yelled at the drunk.
His words silenced the men around them. Dozens of soldiers reached for their weapons. Two men grabbed the offender, pulling him away from her. In seconds, the giddy soldier was face first on the ground. In the stunned silence, Zep pushed to her side.
"I see what you mean, demon. You're pretty safe with these men."
She flicked an ear his way to let him know she'd heard. "Guys, let him up. He's drunk enough to have forgotten his manners, that's all."
"You sure, Kaisae?" a soldier asked her. "He grabbed you, sir."
"I'm sure, soldier. You all deserve the celebration." She raised her voice to the men around her, "And thank you all. Enjoy yourselves. We just kicked the shit out of Terric!"
The men cheered, and someone passed her a bottle. Sal lifted it to her lips, the cheap liquor too acidic to be enjoyable, but the men laughed at seeing her take the drink. Zep grabbed the bottle after her, and took a long pull, passing it back.
"Anglians!" He teased them, "You need to get something better than this pig piss."
The men laughed and cheered again, their mood restored. Zep grabbed Sal's wrist and pushed ahead, dragging her in his wake. When the throng of human bodies thinned around them, he let go and smiled.
"Sal, that's fucking impressive. I knew these men liked you, but damn. They love us," he said.
"I know, Zep. I love this place as much as I hate the idea of a monarchy."
"Then change it," he teased, but his expression changed as the words came out if his mouth. Stepping to the side of the path, he gestured for her to come closer. When she did, he spoke softly. "Sal, do you know how the Empire started?"
"No," she admitted. "Not really."
"The Emperor – we didn't know his name until today – he stopped a war between a couple of tribes in Terric. He was charming, and the people loved him." Sal nodded, urging him to go on, knowing he would get to his point eventually. "Sal, they gave him the power. The more he did, the more they loved him. They begged him to rule them, to solve all their problems. How much have you changed Anglia?"
Sal saw where this was headed. "Enough. Probably more than enough. Zep, I won't rule. I don't want to. I've encouraged them to find their own path, and I've smoothed out a few wrinkles, but that's all. I've said nothing to Dominik about his government. I've merely suggested that he respect the grauori. It's up to them how they solve that."
Zep nodded. "Ok. Just be careful. The Emperor thought he was helping when he started. I'm sure of it. All of their propaganda? It's meant to make life better for Terrans. I know we want our freedom and all, but we can't
enslave the humans to get it. Well, yours. The iliri, I mean."
"Ours," she assured him. "And I know, Zep. I promise. My only goal is to save our people. Anglia has to earn their own freedom."
He hooked a finger in her belt and pulled her closer, dropping his voice. "You're not saying something, babe."
She sighed. "Dominik offered us a home here. Freedom, equal rank, and a retirement pension – everything we've wanted."
"So why aren't we taking it?"
"Because Blaec's right. We're not done yet. When humans stop killing iliri, when we don't have to hide our differences... shit, Zep, when we can be proud of our packs in public, that's when we'll be done."
Zep shook his head. "It won't happen in our lives, little demon. We aren't gods. That's what I'm trying to tell you. The Emperor is a man, and he got above himself and is now calling himself a god. We aren't like him. We don't want to be like him."
"I know, but we can't stop now. There's one more thing we still need to do, and we can't let anything get in our way. We have to finish this, and you know it."
"Ok. Sal?"
"Yeah?"
"When we're done..." He glanced away for a moment before continuing, "When this is over, and we settle down. Do I get to stay a part of the pack?"
She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her head to his chest. "Yes, Zep. You're my brother. Your mind is as Iliran as mine. You smell a lot better than the rest of us," she giggled, "but you're one of us."
He blinked a few times quickly and smiled weakly at her. "Thanks, kid. I'll be by your side, ya know that. To the end."
"I don't think you understand," Sal told him. "I'm not just saying that. You felt the Shields, right?"
He nodded.
"They're nothing like you. You feel like steel and sharp teeth in my head. They feel like sand, gravel, and rough cloth. You're nothing like them. You think like us, you feel like us, you just don't smell or taste like us." Sal stepped closer to Zep, grabbed his belt, and slipped her fingers into the waistband of his pants, right against his skin. "Who knows? Maybe it worked," she teased, tickling the tattoo she knew was there.
He laughed and pulled her hands out of his pants. "Go talk to the King and stop teasing me, demon."
"I thought I wasn't your type." She grinned as she walked away.
You're my sister, Sal. That's not the same as not being my type, Zep thought to her retreating back.
She was still smiling when she greeted the Verdant Shields outside the King's tent. "How'd you two get on guard duty?" she asked.
Tebio shrugged. "Long story," he said. Caein nodded in agreement.
"Not good enough, men. What's the story?" Sal persisted.
They looked at each other, and Caein sighed. "Kaisae, it's the Colonel. He's making us crazy."
"Yeah," Sal groaned, "that's what I figured." She tapped her head, "Can I ask why?"
Caein understood what she meant and shifted to his mind. It's the kid. He's kept that a secret for so long and now we all know.
Sal pulled Tebio into the conversation with them. Ok, so you all know about the kid. What do you humans think about that? She asked.
So he's got a bastard, Tebio thought. Who cares? A noble bastard at that. More power to him.
He's done a good job keeping it quiet. Man deserves his position if he can keep that hushed up this long, Caein added.
Tebio nodded. Look, it's none of our business who he's sleeping with. I think Vanja's a bit jealous – he's been trying to get into a noble's bed for a while – but that's it.
And, Caein pointed out, it's not like it's a new thing. That boy's like fifteen or something.
Fourteen, Sal told them.
Close enough. So it's been more than a decade since he slipped into the girl's bed.
And what if he's still there? she asked.
The men shared a glance, and both chuckled. Kaisae, Tebio asked, do you know more than you're letting on again?
Sal grinned. Always, but I'm not going to tell you which parts I'm guessing at and which parts I know. It's not my story to tell.
Fair enough, Tebio said. Look, as far as I care, good for the Colonel. I think that's kinda how we all feel.
Yeah, Caein agreed, None of us knows who she is – you clamped him down before that leaked – and we don't care, either. We're not as tight as your Blades yet, but it starts somewhere, right?
It sure does, Sal assured them. Someone has to trust first.
Well, I figure that's what this is. It's our chance to show him he can trust us, Caein said.
Ain't a hint of it coming out from me. I might be a bit nicer to the kid now, but it's because he was a damned soldier out there and nothing more. Tebio winked at her as he thought it.
Sal smiled back. Ok. And all the Shields feel like this?
Yeah, Tebio said. Vanja's jealous, but it's not like that. He's a damned ass at times, but he likes the Colonel. He started a pool to see how long before Colonel Vayu trusts us enough to tell us. If you're right, and he's still seeing her, well, I'm going to start one on how long until we get to cover for his dalliances. We're good with this, Kaisae. He takes care of us.
Caein nodded. Yeah, and this is our chance to take care of him.
Ok. Sal looked between them. So, what's the bet on that pool about the old man getting hitched?
Seriously? Caein asked.
Sal shrugged a little too innocently. Just wondering. He's got some pretty strong pull with the King right now. Who knows what boon he'll ask for.
Tebio laughed but quickly smothered it. You do know more than we do. C'mon, Sal. What did we miss?
Think about it. The kid, Jarl... that's his oldest son.
For a moment, both men looked at her blankly, then Tebio gasped. Man, I got that part too, I just didn't think about what it meant, he said. Both kids with the same girl?
Sal cocked her head in a weak shrug. Not my story to tell, guys. Might be a good way to tighten up your unit, though. The Blades had one big secret we shared. We're all iliri. From there, it moved to little ones. Now, we hide nothing from each other. This thing, she tapped her head again, it changes a lot. You all have a big secret you're keeping. Ilija's kid. Start there, and be brave enough to put yourselves out there.
They nodded at her. "I think you have a point, Kaisae," Caein said. "But I assume you're here to see the King."
"I am. We need to figure out what to do about the prisoners. I'm open for ideas. If you think of anything, talk to Blaec about it?"
Tebio's brows shot up. "Just reach out and talk to him? Seriously?"
"Yep. He's a commander, just like I am. And I promise you, he doesn't bite. I know... I've tried."
The Shields laughed at that and stepped over so she could enter the pavilion. Sal ducked through the door – and into the back of a brocade doublet. Out of habit, she growled. The man jumped to the side.
Chapter 42
"Shit, Sal," Dominik gasped, "Don't do that to me!"
"Sorry. What are you doing standing in the doorway?"
"Nobles, basically," Dom said waving a message in her direction.
"And what do they want?" she asked.
"It's almost an even split among them. Half think we need to embrace the grauori, the rest think we need to keep things the way they've always been. Granted, this is a day old."
She ducked past him, wading farther into the pavilion. "Not their place. It's your call on that."
"I know. Don't worry, they're good. Shit like that just pisses me off. Those beasts just won this war, no way am I going to pay that back by kicking them out into the woods. Grampa always said that there's nothing wrong with moving a few titles around. Might be time for me to start doing that. And Sal, I think you might need some land."
"You know I can't, Dom."
"No, I don't. You've earned it. Anglia owes you a title and a tract of land if nothing else. Hell, I even know the one, it's called Arhhawen. It'd be perfect. The place is huge! The keep is nearly as large as t
he palace, and it's up in the hills deep enough that it's been abandoned for generations. There's just a small housekeeping staff there, and rumor has it they had some crazy stories about the grauor wolves."
She shook her head. "Sire, we have a war. I talked to Blaec and we can't. Ayati, it's tempting, but we can't."
Dom ignored her. "The place has been empty for decades. No one will take it. Anglians have refused to live there because technically it's under the King's domain. It's just rotting, Kaisae. Let's compromise. I'll give it to you, and you can do with it what you will. You'll be a Marquis. That's a pretty decent title, and your heirs can inherit it. There's nothing in the laws that states they have to be human. If nothing else, it'd be a home for Rhyx and Raast."
"It sounds cold, and old soldiers don't do well with the cold."
He looked at her strangely. "I hadn't told you where it is. How'd you know that?"
She chuckled. "It's named North Wind, Dom. Ahrra Wen. Speaking of inheritance, though, I do have a question."
"Ok." Dom sighed, realizing he'd lost.
"The page. What's his name?"
"Jarl."
"He's a noble's kid?"
Dom gestured for her to sit. "He's a bastard, Sal. My little sister's kid. The brat's brave as can be, and he's almost old enough to be squired, but I can't. Anglian law requires nobility in order to be a squire, and a bastard isn't considered ennobled. Why?"
"Because he impressed me. He didn't panic. He didn't cry. He broke free as soon as he could and had wits enough to grasp our plan. There's no way he could have known that Audgan could hold that blade from him."
"Is that what you did?" Dom asked.
She nodded. "Audgan sends fear. He just made that soldier so terrified of touching Jarl that he couldn't harm him. I told Hwa to grab him, and we had Shift ready to patch up the teeth marks, but the kid was quick enough that we didn't have to."
Dominik dropped into the chair beside her. "When he's eighteen, he can enlist. He can serve as a page until he's sixteen. I don't know what to do with him for the two years in between."
Tilting her head, she watched him closely. "Dom, you know that a lot of this doesn't make any sense to me, right? The idea of marrying and who your father is, it is confusing to us. In the Conglomerate, even the humans don't care about such things."