Major Zune shook his head. “The Dark Lord will protect us.”
“Not true. If a massive energy flux disrupts the space-time continuum, it will affect everything in the multiverse. Loki knows this. Before creation, or what we call the Big Bang, there existed a great void. Loki plans to destroy everything and rule over this void in vengeance to the gods who banished him. He’s just using you.”
Algie had spoken of the Videns, a subversive group who opposed the Trollek king and his invisible demon. But would she gain enough allies to make a difference among her people?
“No more talk.” The Trollek officer scrunched his eyes. “It is time for you to die. Move them to the pit.”
Dragged by his soldiers, Nira cringed as the mechanical clamor increased in decibels. Grinding and chopping noises competed with the buzzing in her head, making her temples throb.
Two confounded humans took a stance directly behind her. One push, and she’d go tumbling into that hellhole to be crushed by those chopping pistons or whirled into mush by that spinning thing. Looking at it made her dizzy.
The Major puffed out his chest. “Our jamming signal is so strong that it blinds your sensors to the rift generators.”
Zohar tensed where he stood beside her. “How does it work?”
“Hydrosolar energy. That’s why we picked this location. The strong Florida sun, combined with a confluence of currents from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, produces the power we need.”
Nira glanced at Yaron and Paz facing her from the opposite side of the circular rim. Their eyes focused on Zohar as though awaiting his signal. Was Zohar hoping Lord Magnor would show, or did he plan for her to neutralize the human slaves? That would still leave the Trolleks, a formidable force.
Borius shifted uncomfortably where he stood next to Paz. A soldier stood behind him, aiming a disruptor at his spine. Evidently, he’d been acting purely out of self-interest, not because he had been spellbound. Zohar hadn’t said what he’d learned on his homeworld, but he must have suspected something.
“It’s amazing how a single tower can block our sensors. You came up with this technology all on your own?” Zohar’s voice held grudging respect as he addressed the Trollek commander.
The major gave a contemptuous snort. “We are not the backwoods troop you met on our last encounter, Captain. This jamming signal hooks into the global satellite network.”
What would happen if their team destroyed the transmitter alone? With no outlet for that energy beam, would the disruption in flow cause a massive power surge?
Was that the predicted catastrophe? Were they meant to create the very disaster they sought to prevent?
Zohar must have considered the dangers. That’s probably why he wanted to take out the generator first.
The major sauntered from captive to captive, tapping each one on the shoulder. He stopped behind Paz, whose grim face stayed fixed on his commander.
“The Drift Lords have caused enough trouble for us, Captain Thorald. That ends here.”
Major Zune swept his foot at Paz’s ankles, tipping him off balance. He pushed him over the edge.
“No-o-o-o!” Nira screamed, restrained from rushing forward by the Trolleks gripping her arms.
Paz’s cry of surprise reached them as his body tumbled downward, bounced against a metal wall, hit the spinning thing, and disappeared from sight into the rushing current below.
While Nira stared, frozen in horror, several things happened at once.
Bumping Yaron away from the brim, Borius lunged at the major. “I’ll have no further part in this.” Fury contorted his face as he butted Zune in the stomach.
Lord Magnor whisked into view, an avenging caped figure assaulting the troops from behind. His sword flashed, cutting down soldier after soldier as he dodged their fire.
Zohar spun and kicked at the humans who had no one to tell them what to do.
Nira summoned her reserves to force the buzzing noise behind a mental door and blasted a message for them to stand down.
They dropped their arms, while she turned her wrath on the Trolleks.
Borius fought the major, who’d lost his disruptor but now slashed at him with a dagger. Being bound, Borius held the disadvantage. He’d just dodged one blow when Zune stabbed him in the thigh.
Blood spurting from the wound, Borius slid to the floor. Then Major Zune turned toward Yaron, who already had his hands full against two Trolleks. Bound as the others, he used his feet and body to battle his foes.
That did it. Nira pictured the major in a closet. She slowly closed the door in her mind’s eye.
Zune halted, opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Against rising pressure, Nira forced the door shut. Sweat popped on her brow. Her pulse raced. Guilt assailed her, but if she didn’t end this, more people would die. Spots danced before her vision. She swayed on her feet, but she finally slammed the door closed.
Zune slumped to the ground.
His troops reacted in unity. In the next instant, they pressed their armbands and vectored from sight. The air shimmered in their wake.
“Magnor, cut us loose,” Zohar commanded.
The swordsman complied while slaves stood about like robots who’d been switched off. Slain Trolleks littered the ground.
“See to Borius,” Zohar ordered the Tsuran. Freed from his restraints, he rushed to Nira’s side. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I think so.” Her voice came out as a high-pitched squeak. Her knees shook, but his grip steadied her.
“You fought well. Now we must finish what we started and lay the explosives.”
“Borius is dead, rageesh.” Magnor’s solemn tone rang out in the cavernous hall. “The knife must have hit an artery.”
“He saved my life.” Yaron’s eyes were as dark as his beard. “I was next in line to be pushed into the pit, and he knocked me out of the way.”
“Give him the credit he deserves.” Nira knew he’d betrayed them, but in the end, his heart had prevailed. “As for Paz…I’m so sorry.” Her throat clogged. She’d miss the dimpled warrior with the sexy drawl.
Zohar’s expression shuttered. “We shall mourn those we have lost later. Yaron, you and I will set the charges. Nira, free these people from their mind set and send them home. Lord Magnor, open some of these crates and verify what is inside.”
He checked his chronometer and set a time for extraction.
Nira fulfilled her duty amidst a glorious sense of comradery. No matter how Zohar felt about their future together, she’d proven herself a worthy member of his team.
Now if only the Crown Prince of the Star Empire would accept that he needed her by his side on a permanent basis.
Chapter Thirty-One
Zohar, stretched naked beside Nira on his bunk on the Protector, kissed her neck while she lay like a milk-fed cat, satiated and curled on her side toward him.
“You continue to amaze me.” He stroked her cheek and then trailed his hand to her breast.
Her mouth widened in an alluring smile that roused his ardor once more. He liked how her gaze ignited when he touched her. He liked how she gave herself so generously, making him feel as though he’d come home to the family he’d always wanted.
The fear had evaporated that he’d be weak like his father. She empowered him and bolstered his confidence, asking for nothing in return except respect and affection.
If he wed her, he could be a great ruler. However, military ops suited him more than diplomacy, and if he became Emperor, he had to establish reforms to win over his opponents. Nira would be a great spokesperson for the Crown.
How would his people feel about an Earth woman as their empress, let alone one who possessed the Trollek gene?
If necessary, he’d abdicate the throne for her. How ironic, that now, when he had made the decision to take his rightful place, his choice might end the monarchy.
But he was jumping the gun, as they said on her world. He didn’t even know if Nira
would have him. She hoped to continue her studies, plus her family and friends meant a great deal to her. Did she care enough for him to sacrifice these things and become his bride?
Maybe she didn’t have to give up her passion for mythology, he thought as an exciting idea popped into his brain.
“Have I commended you yet on your performance yesterday?” He slid his palm over the curve of her hip.
She made a small sound of pleasure. “Many times. I’m glad I could release those confounded humans from their mind control, but it’s too bad they lost part of their memory. I still don’t understand how my power works.” Her voice lowered. “So far I’ve only killed one Trollek at a time. Major Zune had it coming, but what if I snap one day and snuff out more lives?”
He smoothed his fingers along her tender inner thigh, while she squirmed under his ministrations. “You are not a killer at heart, Nira Larsen. I doubt that would happen. Your lethal power only seems to work against a target in response to a direct threat.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Hearing the doubt in her tone, he sought to provide reassurance. “In the meantime, you can train your talent so you have more control over it. And your blood may provide a way for us to synthesize a vaccine against the Trollek spell.”
“True.” Her face brightened. “Let’s hope the cops buy your story of an underground gas pocket causing all those explosions. I still can’t believe the way that munitions stash went up.”
He grinned broadly, proud of their accomplishments. The explosion had caused a fireball that destroyed Drift World along with the jamming device. Fortunately, the park had been closed so no guests were present.
She rolled onto her back, folding her hands under her head. “What about Kaj? Algie said the Trolleks have him.”
“Kaj is strong. He will survive until we find him.”
His jaw clenched. Unfortunately, finding Kaj wouldn’t be their top priority. Now that they’d located the gateways through which the Trolleks entered this dimension, his team had to seal them shut. The beasts used some sort of generators to keep the portals open. His next order of business was to determine how they worked and to destroy them.
He could just imagine the Trolleks opening rifts on other worlds and expanding their conquest on multiple fronts. He must vanquish their spearhead on Earth before their influence spread.
“I wonder if we’ll see Algie again.” Nira stared at the ceiling. “Maybe we can contact her friends, the Videns, who believe in science rather than military conquest.”
“We could use more allies, but don’t forget their experiments. Paz analyzed the data from those crystals I obtained. They hold information on Tent Ten subjects.”
Nira grimaced. “What sort of information?”
“Remember you wondered why the Trolleks marked certain people for their village? They have a distinctive protein in their blood.”
“Maybe like me, they share a genetic component with the Trolleks from interbreeding in the past. I told you Algie is attempting to splice Trollek DNA into the human genome. She might think this protein makes those people more compatible. I suppose this means we’ll have to look elsewhere for allies. Her supporters will continue their trials.” Nira pursed her lips in thought. “Edith said there were others like her to guide us.”
“Such as Sylvia?” Zohar winced. “Did not Algie say it had been their plan for you to acquire the knowledge to read runes? Sylvia’s shoes took you to the Fountain of Wisdom, and if you recall Mimir’s words, those shoes once belonged to Loki.”
“You think Sylvia could be a vessel for Loki’s spirit like Askr?” Nira’s eyes glistened in the soft cabin lighting. “Or maybe she’s another Gatekeeper. Askr said he was the last of his kind, but he could have been lying under Loki’s direction.”
“Too bad you lost the shoes and the golden ribbon, but at least we still have the amulet.”
Nira had given the charm back to him, claiming it did nothing for her benefit. Perhaps it had to be worn by a descendant of Thor. He had yet to discover its protective power, unless Askr had lied about that as well.
“Anyway, what do we do now?” Nira tapped his chest, making him long to capture her finger and suckle it. “You said you lost Dal’s signal.”
“I do not understand how he could have checked himself out of the hospital in his condition. He must have awakened and wandered off confused. That does not explain what happened to his tracking beacon, however.”
“So I guess you’re stuck here for a while, huh? You wouldn’t leave your men behind, plus the rifts still have to be sealed shut.” A seductive smile curled her lips.
“Correct.” He planted a kiss on her nose. “I have a theory about how the rift generators might work. Remember those solar calculators and mirrors the Trolleks were collecting? I believe those may play a role.”
Her face softened. “So the mission continues.”
“Aye, the mission continues. We stay until the Trolleks are a threat no more.”
****
She wasn’t losing him yet. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. It would be impossible to say goodbye after Paz’s loss, Borius’s betrayal, and Dal and Kaj’s disappearances.
Propping herself on an elbow, she regarded him with concern. “What about the prophecy? That heaviness you felt when falling through the spontaneous rift, now we know the cause. Loki inhabits the underground prison into which he was exiled by the gods. He grows stronger. Ragnarok will herald his return.”
“Not if we seal the rifts and stop the dimensional drift from widening.”
“Will that stop him? He may have other ways of causing Armageddon, now that he has a foothold here.”
“Armageddon? What is this?” His brow wrinkled.
“A biblical reference to the end of days. I think it’ll take more than sealing the rifts to stop Loki. According to the legend, the six daughters of Odin and the six sons of Thor must chant a spell together to repel him.”
“If you can count,” Zohar said in a sardonic tone, “you will realize there are only two Drift Lords left plus Lord Magnor.”
“The prophecy doesn’t say you all have to be Drift Lords.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Indeed.”
“Perhaps when I find the other women like me, these other sons will become evident. Magnor isn’t a Drift Lord.”
“He is one now. We have to change our criteria if our league is to survive. Sniffing cors particles does not have to be a prerequisite. We can use our sensors to detect them.” His gaze darkened. “Is that your plan, to search for these other women?”
“It’s what I’m meant to do.”
“So again we go our separate ways? I do not like this, my carona. As you once told me, our destiny is to be together.”
He kissed her soundly. The kiss deepened, while his hands roamed her body. His mouth slanted over hers, claiming her with a hunger that she returned. Then they were all over each other, a tangle of limbs, making fast and furious love as though there would be no tomorrow.
When it was over, and she lay in bliss at his side, she dared to venture what was on her mind.
“What did you mean about us being together? After the prophecy is fulfilled, what then? You won’t kick me off your team, will you?”
He laughed, a happy sound from deep in his soul, while his turquoise eyes captured hers. “We belong together…forever, my heart’s mate. I need you to make me whole. My people need you to unify our lands and bring a breath of fresh air to our old ways.”
“You’ve decided to accept your birthright?” She swallowed her disappointment. Surely then he’d leave her behind.
His grin transformed his face. He looked lighter, freer, somehow. “Indeed, I have. I am not my father. I will be a just and fair ruler who recognizes the right of his subjects to have a voice. But I cannot do it alone. I lack the experience in democracy, diplomacy, and history.”
“History? What does that have to do with anything?”
“We have
much to learn from our past mistakes. Moreover, as you taught me, we have much to gain from studying the different mythologies of our peoples. We need someone with your training and background to guide us.”
“I see. Are you offering me a job?” Dismay clogged her throat. Was this the future he saw for them?
“Not in the manner you are thinking, little one.” Tilting her chin, he brushed her lips in a light caress. “Will you marry me and become my Empress? I have fallen under your spell and cannot live without you.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re asking me to…but what about your advisors? Wouldn’t they object?”
“If they do, I will gladly give up my throne for you. I love you madly. Say yes, and make me the happiest man in the multiverse.”
Oh, heck. She still had to finish her graduate degree, locate her prophesied sisters, make sure Grace was okay and her adopted siblings all right. So many things to do, but they didn’t compare to the tasks Zohar’s team had yet to accomplish.
Worry about it later.
Today, at this hour, she had Zohar. He needed her. He wanted her. He meant to stay with her always.
How could she refuse an offer like that?
Her eyes misted. “Yes, I’m ready for new adventures. We’ll face them together, my love.”
GLOSSARY
ACTUATORS: Engine parts.
AESIR: The warrior Gods in Norse mythology.
ALAMIR: A battle during the border dispute with the Morano Confederation.
ANRIAT: A planet with an unsavory underworld of criminals and desperadoes.
ASGARD: The celestial abode of the Aesir Gods.
BERMUDA TRIANGLE: Also called the Devil’s Triangle, this area in the Atlantic Ocean ranges from Bermuda to Puerto Rico to Miami. It is the site of anomalies where ships and planes disappear and radios and compasses stop working.
BOGGER: Derogatory Trollek term for a female.
BORATUS WORMS: A creature that bores into nerve ganglia.
CARONA: Karrellian term of endearment.
Warrior Prince Page 31