He was concentrating so hard on finding her, he didn't notice the small craft flying toward him, like the one that had led them to the mothership when they'd first reached out to the sky raiders, until he heard the whine of its engine.
The round, eye-like circle at the front of it started to glow a little.
Something told him that wasn't good.
If Taya was in the sky craft, he would have to get her out, and they knew he was coming now. He had nothing to lose.
He stepped into the inbetween, and ran straight at the machine.
He ploughed into it with a spark of curiosity.
He knew he could bring down buildings and trees, even people, but he had never encountered a metal object.
It didn't disappoint.
He was past it and heading straight for the sky craft when the explosion bloomed behind him.
The inbetween protected him from the falling debris, and then he was past the big sky craft and stepping out between it and the cave.
Taya was either inside one, or the other. He couldn't see her anywhere.
There was a long moment of silence as the sky raiders who were out in the open, struggling with their boxes, stared at him, and then the burning hulk of their machine.
He'd made a mistake, he realized. He'd given the weapons on the sky craft an easy target.
He stepped into the inbetween again, just for a moment, then stepped out again, to find the sky raiders flat on the ground.
They were either dead or unconscious.
He stared, perplexed.
“It appears you have more secrets than we realized.” The hiss came from some source on the outside of the sky craft. “We won't fire on you again, given the effect it has on our own. Let us take our people and the boxes, and we'll be gone.”
So hitting him with white lightning while he was in the inbetween blew back on them. Garek gave a hum of satisfaction.
“Where is Taya?”
“She's hiding in the cave where we can't get her.” There was a shortness to the tone. An irritation.
He grinned.
“So let me get this straight. You can't shoot me, and you can't get to her. What is stopping me from destroying this craft and your boxes of ore like I did to the little machine?”
“Because our mothership can still wreak some havoc on your planet in retaliation. Or on the ship that's your only way off this planet, for that matter.”
“As long as we understand that we both have something to lose.” Garek stepped into the inbetween and then pulled out just before the cave entrance.
“Fascinating.” The same voice spoke again, but this time from the helmet of an unconscious sky raider. “I would also like to know how Taya worked out we planned to take her home with us, and not return her as we promised.”
“You'll have to ask her.” Garek sent the sky raider a bared-teeth smile. He called over his shoulder, “Taya?”
From within the cave he heard her call his name, and relaxed a little. She had kept herself safe. She had trusted him to come for her.
His satisfaction kept him focused and strong, even though he wouldn't be able to stand upright much longer.
When he turned to look at the ship, a number of sky raiders were running down the ramp toward him.
Some grabbed their fallen, others the boxes, and they started carrying, and in one case dragging, both to safety.
One of the sky raiders approached, walking past her colleagues without attempting to help them. When she got near the entrance, a piece of shadow ore flew over Garek's head and landed near her feet, and she danced back.
Taya was just behind him, he could hear her moving just beyond the cave entrance.
“Stay out of sight,” he murmured. “They seem to really want you. Seeing you again might just inspire them to try again.”
Another piece of shadow ore flew out, although Taya kept herself hidden, and the sky raider jogged back a little more.
“Peace, Taya, we're going. We would have looked after you. We discovered from their communications that the sven had found a small deposit of ore on the planet near our own, but it was too difficult to get to. It would have been easier to get it with you, but I understand you might not have appreciated such an outcome.”
“How considerate of you.” Taya's voice was a little husky.
The sky raider's translator gave a hiss, hiss, hiss, as if she were laughing.
“This was interesting. And surprising. You may not believe this, but I wish you well.” She made a gesture with her hand, if Garek were any judge it was some sort of salute, and then she turned and walked at a fast pace back to the ship, overtaking some of her colleagues hauling the boxes.
Garek watched them with narrowed eyes until they were all inside, and then waited until they lifted off in a blast of gritty, cold dust before he turned to the entrance.
Taya stepped out and into his arms, all phosphorescent light and glittering eyes.
“Is it over?” she whispered.
“Yes.” As his lips came down on hers, he hoped for the whole of Barit's sake that it was true.
Chapter 38
They woke to the sound of strange birdsong.
Taya blinked, saw Garek was stirring beside her, and pulled herself to her feet and went to open the door and look out.
She stood, riveted by the sight, until Garek came up behind her and pulled her close, looking over her shoulder.
“Where are we?” She hadn't been in a state to even see where they'd landed last night, she only knew they had to land and sleep, or they would crash.
Now the lush green, and the flashing glimpses of red and yellow birds darting through the foliage, entranced her.
“I think we're in the Southern Sea. I saw a small island, thought it was probably a safe place.” His voice rumbled against her ear and she smiled and turned, kissing his neck and winding her arms around him.
“A very good strategic move, General.”
He smiled against her cheek. “So I'm the general now, am I?”
“How could you be anything else, after everything that's happened?”
He hesitated. “And Pan Nuk?”
“Isn't that far from Juli. I'm sure there are places in Juli where a person could establish her wool dyeing business.”
“I'm sure there are.” He had maneuvered her back toward the mattress. “Can it be possible that at last there is nothing stopping us from living together in the same house?”
“If anything tries to prevent it, I will destroy it.” She whispered the words as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders.
“You will have to get in line.”
They wanted to dally, but they were both aware there were people waiting for them, worrying about them, back in West Lathor.
They found a small pool to wash in, and while it was shallow, the water was much warmer than the chill water of a West Lathor stream in autumn.
They got underway with no delay, and when they reached the Corridor, Taya thought the battlefield looked tidier, but that's all she could see had changed since she'd stepped into the sky raiders' ship yesterday.
They landed near a large group of people standing in the open, and from the zanir surrounding them, banners flying, she guessed there was a negotiation of some kind going on.
Two people detached themselves from the crowd and strode toward them.
Dix and Aidan.
Garek jumped down and she jumped after him, feeling the light touch of air before his hands caught her and set her down.
“Taya!” Aidan gave her a hug. “All right?”
She tipped her head in a side to side movement. “Sort of. What's happening here?”
“Are the sky raiders gone?” Dix looked up at the sky.
“They left directly from Shadow. As far as it's possible for me to be certain, I think they have gone.”
Dix cut a look his way, gave a nod. “That's good enough for me.”
“And me.” Aidan's expression said he knew there was more to tell
, and he would ask them later.
“Who is here?” Taya craned her neck to see if she recognized anyone in the group up ahead.
“Habred, the lieges of Favre and Kadmine, the full Council, Luci, Susa and Zek. And Dix and I. And now you.” Aidan grinned. “That was quite good timing on your part. There were mumbles about where you'd gone, whether the sky raiders had killed or taken you. Some dispute about accusations you've made against Habred.”
Garek wasn't listening to him.
Taya could see his gaze was on someone in the group. It had to be Habred.
“If you want a diplomatic solution with Harven, you might want to rethink letting Garek anywhere near that group.” Taya put an urgent hand on Aidan's arm.
He gave her a startled look. “What are you talking about?”
Garek began walking forward, and Taya saw Habred's hand flutter up to his throat, a slight frown on his face.
“I'm talking about Garek killing Habred.”
“Hmm.” Dix had turned, her bright gaze taking in Garek's easy stroll toward the group.
Habred rubbed at his chest, and then looked over, and Taya saw him narrow his eyes at Garek.
“You will live to regret the lies you've spread about me.” He tapped his fist over his heart twice. “You will be brought down for them.”
He coughed, hit his chest again, and then started choking.
Taya jogged a little to catch up. “This isn't our peace settlement,” she murmured to Garek. “You could kill him later.”
Aidan had caught up to her, and he sent her a shocked stare. “Garek, perhaps . . .”
Habred fell to the ground, writhing.
Some of the people around him were kneeling beside him, looking for ways to help him, but Taya noticed Zek and Susa had simply stepped back and were watching.
Susa sent them a quick, curious look.
Suddenly, Habred whooped in a breath, coughed, and pulled himself up on an elbow, head bent as he sucked in air.
“Taya and Garek, welcome back.” Susa greeted them with a bow, and now that Habred appeared to be recovering, all eyes turned to them.
Garek bowed back deeply. “As I have informed my liege, the sky raiders are gone for good.” He looked down at Habred, who was still lying on the ground. “Habred. I think you were about to tell us all about how you worked with the sky raiders and betrayed your people to them.”
More than one person gasped.
“No. I—” His hand went back to his throat, his eyes went wide.
Taya could see the sudden understanding in his gaze. The horrified knowledge of what was happening to him.
He heaved in a new breath as Garek released him again. “I didn’t—”
He fought, desperate this time, kicking his legs, trying to kick out at Garek, although only those who knew what was happening could see he was aiming.
When Garek released him again, he lay, panting, for long minutes before he spoke again.
Even the most oblivious of the group had now realized this wasn't an illness. Taya could see them nervously looking around, but most had accurately guessed who the culprit was.
“Do you not have the power to insist this stop?” The liege of Kadmine asked Aidan.
“Why would I stop the questioning of a traitor not just to his own people, but to the whole of Barit?” Aidan asked. “We were not getting very far up until now, were we?”
There was a sudden stillness that descended.
“I will admit there is truth to the accusation he had some dealings with the sky raiders, although I don't know all the details. We didn't know about it at all until just a few days ago, and the story that he sold his own people to them for financial gain is entirely new to me.” The liege of Favre's voice was soft. She was a short woman who seemed like she wished she was anywhere else.
“And you?” Garek lifted his gaze off Habred for the first time and focused on the Kadminian liege, who stepped back nervously.
“My commander discovered it, and sent word to me. By the time I got here, the battle was already over.”
“And yet, they pushed on.” Susa's voice was grim. “Through my lands.”
There were a few winces.
“I think Harven's liege is sufficiently recovered.” Garek's focus was back on Habred. He was still lying flat, but he was no longer fighting for breath. “Tell us what the deal was.”
“They were going to leave Harven alone when it came to their raids, so we prospered, and in exchange, they wanted a few people who no one in the kingdom would have missed.”
There was an even deeper silence at his words than there had been before.
“But that changed,” Aidan said.
“They wanted a woman. They were desperate for her. Thing was, my people got her by chance, and they handed her over. Actually watched her get into the sky craft. Then the sky raiders lost her, don't know how. They came back with a new deal. Sounded like the perfect plan to me. They'd knock the West Lathor and Dartalia troops down, and we could advance with no resistance, as long as we looked for the woman amongst the fallen, let them know when we found her.” Habred said everything with a smug little smile on his face, eyes closed, still lying on the grass.
“Except it didn't work out like that.” Dix looked like she wanted to swing her boot into his ribs.
Habred opened his eyes, and his lips twisted in a wry smile. “No. It failed, and somehow my little secret doesn't seem to be so secret after all. But what are you going to do about it? I'm the liege of Harven.”
It seemed he had already forgotten Garek.
He remembered him again extremely quickly, though, where his air cut off again.
This was it.
Taya closed her eyes.
Garek wouldn't stop this time.
It took what seemed hardly any time at all for him to suffocate.
“That was . . .” When the liege of Kadmine spoke, Taya opened her eyes again. Saw the look of horror on his face.
“That was justice,” Susa said.
Everyone stood mute. This was Dartalia. Susa was liege. Habred had invaded her country.
Her word was the final one on the issue.
“And so,” she looked over at the Kadminian and Favrean liege. “I think we have new treaties to negotiate.”
Taya slid her hand into Garek's and he looked down at her. There was nothing haunted in his eyes. He simply stared back, serious and focused as always.
“He would have tried to take revenge.” He said it quietly, but with absolute conviction. “That's what the double tap over the heart means.”
She nodded. “Well, he won't anymore.”
“No.” He drew her away from the group, and she saw that Quardi, Pilar and Eli were waiting for them a little way off.
“I think all the obstacles have been overcome.” There was a lightness to her that she hadn't felt in a long time.
“And if not . . .”
If not, they would tackle them together.
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
(Interference also appears in the anthology Orphans in the Black but Insurgency is a new, 45,000 word short novel.)
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)
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
Excerpt of Dark Horse
Chapter 1
Rose slipped her ticket out of hell over her head and tucked it beneath her shirt, where it lay against her skin, throbbing like a heartbeat.
The sensation was so unnerving, she curled her fingers around it and lifted it back out, eyeing the clear crystal oblong uncertainly.
“Iʼll try to keep all the passageways clear for you and Iʼve disabled the lenses, but just in case someone disobeys orders, it would be better if they didnʼt see me.” Sazo spoke too loudly through the tiny earpiece she wore, and she winced.
She reluctantly tucked the crystal, that was somehow also Sazo, back under her shirt, tugging the cord it hung from so it was below her neckline. After three months of being the only thing sheʼd had to wear, washed over and over again, the shirt was threadbare, and barely concealed Sazo anyway, but it was better than nothing.
She took the two steps to the door of the tiny control room tucked away to one side on the Tecran ship and it slid silently open. Sheʼd only been inside for ten minutes at most to steal Sazo, or break him out, depending on your view of things, and the corridor was as empty now as it had been when Sazo led her here.
She looked back, but the door had closed, completely concealing the control room, so it looked like an uninterrupted passageway again.
Shadow Warrior (Sky Raiders Book 3) Page 24