The viscomm screen flared to life, and Ropar's face sneered out at her. “I know the runt made it back to you with this disc. He wouldn't want to risk the death of his good friend, Illam.” His eyes narrowed in triumph. “Your lover."
She fisted her hands.
"And now, healer, this disc is keyed to transmit you straight to my viscomm. I'll be talking to you face to face any second—” The screen flickered, and the position of Ropar changed. He grinned at her, his tongue slicking around his sharp teeth. “That's better. You look a little worried."
Tera knew she was talking directly to Ropar. “Where's Illam?"
"He's a guest of mine for now."
Trying to buy some time, she said, “I don't believe you have him."
"Don't believe?"
"He wouldn't allow himself to be caught."
"Not caught, no.” Ropar leered. “But exchanged for a runt? Yes, he would do that. Too damned honorable for his own good."
Her stomach clenched. Yes, Illam would do that, but had he? “I want proof."
"By all means.” He gestured to someone in the background, then turned back to her. “Proof is coming, healer."
She waited tensely, her gaze scanning behind Ropar. Then she heard a high-pitched yowling, a piercing scream.
Oh God, surely not Illam? Horrified, she watched as Ropar held out his hand, a smile on his face. He held something up to the screen.
A piece of pink, bloodied scalp, with a thick hank of chocolate hair, a few strands of gold and white intertwined. Hair that could have only come from the front of Illam's scalp.
Bile rose to her throat, horror slamming into her senses. “Illam..."
"Don't worry, he still has a lot of this lovely hair.” Holding it up, Ropar studied it in amusement. “Would look mighty fine adorning my bedpost, don't you think?"
Sixteen
"They'll kill you!” Tera leaped from the chair. “You bastard! When Denyon and Wylin find you—"
"Oh, sit down, unless you want another piece of scalp ripped off the feral's head. I can easily arrange it.” Ropar waved his arm to whoever was standing beside him.
"No!” Tera grabbed the viscomm with both hands. “Stop!"
Ropar called a nonchalant halt to the Canys who was now out of sight.
"What do you want?” Tera swallowed.
"I do like a bitch who knows her place.” Ropar looked directly at her. “I want your presence at the camp, healer."
Of course. She should have known. “The Felys and Lypeople won't let me go."
"That's why the little runt is waiting outside the back door for you, healer. Oh, don't be fooled. Those runts love their people, and credit is not really given to them. Letting them run free and loose has made them strong in their minds. Versatile. They'll do anything to protect their people. To protect Illam."
She wanted to check if what he said was the truth. Had the kit gone to Wylin? She felt sick. If Wylin knew, the Felys would know, and Illam would be doomed.
"The runt's there, never fear. He won't tell a soul.” Ropar's lips lifted briefly, those sharp teeth gleaming. “Now you're following him to the camp. He knows where it is. Once you're here, you're going to tell me everything you know."
"I told you, there's no disease—"
"Shut your lying mouth! Once you're here, we'll see about the truth of the matter.” He held up the bloodied scalp piece in his hand. “Or your lover is going to lose a bit more of his lovely locks. You have only a short time to get here, healer. You'll be met by my guard pack, and brought to me. Now I suggest you hurry, or—” He gestured.
The tortured scream cut through the night air.
"Don't!” Tera's eyes filled with tears. “Don't touch him!"
"So you'll come quietly then? No alerting the others?"
"I'll come."
"So nice of you to be my guest.” He grinned.
The screen went dead.
Tera wasted no time. Bounding from the chair, she rushed to the back door and saw the Felys kit shivering in misery and tears. He looked pitifully up at her. “I couldn't help him."
"You are helping me,” she said. “Wait here."
She was not meeting that Canys bastard in a thin nightgown.
Running into Illam's room, she rifled quickly through his wardrobe and yanked on a pair of his loose pants. They slid down and hung so low, she was fearful of losing them in a hurried run. So she dragged on a pair of his tight pants. Discarding the nightgown and Wylin's tunic to the floor, pulled out one of Illam's shirts. It was too big, but she rolled the sleeves up and fastened the buttons.
She was as ready as she was ever going to be. Except the Felys kit was freezing cold. Grabbing a jacket from Illam's closet, she swung on her heel and nearly fell over Wylin's jacket as she did so. Looking down, her eye was caught by the glint of the pin on his jacket. It was the contact comm, the one that linked directly back to Argon. Her own comm.pin was back at the house she shared with Wylin, but she couldn't risk going back there to retrieve it. He'd hear her return and want to know why.
But this contact comm. of Wylin's was in contact with Argon.
And Argon was in contact with the Felys and Lypeople.
An idea sprang to mind. She had no doubt that the Canys had nasty plans in store for Illam, and would only keep him alive while they could use him as a pawn to control her. But once she convinced them that she didn't know much at all, both she and Illam would probably die.
She needed an escape plan. And what better way than to have communication with Argon?
Quickly she fastened the pin to the inside of her shirt, then pulled Wylin's jacket on. She could only hope that Wylin would realize she'd taken his jacket for the contact comm.
Meeting the Felys kit at the backdoor, she silently helped him into the jacket and rolled the sleeves up to his little, furry wrists.
"It's all right,” she whispered. “Lead me to them."
The Felys kit knew his way well. He also seemed to know every little escape route to avoid the guards. Tera was hard put to squeeze into some of the hiding spaces in the bushes, but when she had to bite her lip against the pain of a stick jabbing into her thigh, she heard Illam's agonized screams in her ears, and she knew she could put up with anything to keep him safe.
Or as safe as she could hope for.
Several times the Felys guards and Lypeople security sniffed the air, their gazes glancing around, but Tera knew the kit had done something, for the guards and security seemed confused.
One of them mentioned Illam's name, his voice carrying on the wind. In the darkness, she could only catch glimpses of what they were doing.
It seemed to take hours to get out of the settlement unnoticed, but Tera knew it was actually only about fifteen minutes of careful movement and stealth. Then they were in the forest. But still the kit wouldn't let her run. He pointed to his ears and back to the settlement, and she understood. The Felys’ sensitive hearing would hear the crack of bushes from a hurried and unwary body.
She forced herself to follow the kit, staying low and treading where he indicated.
Once out of hearing of the perimeter, the kit suddenly took off with Tera in hot pursuit.
At the swamp, he pulled a little boat from beneath the bushes and Tera helped him shove it into the water. It wobbled as they both got in, Tera lifting the little runt in first before clambering, not very elegantly, into the boat itself.
It was pure nerves that made them both giggle a little as she tipped head first into the boat.
But the giggle faded as she looked from the kit to the shoreline of the swamp on the other side. “The Canys await us over there?"
The kit pointed. “Just on the other side. ‘Bout a mile in."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes.” He looked at her. “They're scary, but I'll protect you."
"I'm sure you could, but your trip ends here.” Tera grabbed him and dumped him back over the edge of the boat onto the muddy bank.
"No!”
He looked frantically at the boat as it drifted into the swamp. “Tera! They'll kill Illam if I don't come back!"
"They have me. As long as they have me, they won't hurt him.” And they won't kill you. Tera was under no illusions that the Felys kit would be disposed of, his usefulness finished with her turning up.
Illam had given himself in exchange for the runt. There was no way she was going to allow that sacrifice to be in vain. And no way in hell she was bringing a kit into whatever hell hole the Canys had planned for her and Illam.
"Do your parents know you're still out here?” she called back softly.
"No. I came home earlier and went to sleep in the pile with my brothers and sisters.” The runt was wringing his hands. “I had to slip out early this morning and find you. That was my instructions."
"Then go back home and go to sleep.” She looked at him in the gloom, seeing nothing but shadows on his face cast by the moonlight. “At ten o'clock, you're to go to Wylin and Denyon and tell them everything. Do you understand?"
"No! The hell hounds will kill you and Illam if I do!"
We're dead anyway, unless the Felys and Argons get on the case fast. “Do as I tell you, all right? Then lead them right here."
Hardening her heart against his pleading, she left the runt crying on the bank. Picking up the paddle, she made her way across the swamp. When the boat bumped against the bank, she got out carefully and dragged it further up the bank out of the water.
Who knew? Maybe she and Illam would escape and need the boat for a fast getaway. It paid to try and be optimistic.
She hadn't gone far from the swamp when several shapes descended on her. A light flared into her eyes, and a grunt of satisfaction sounded.
"You're the Argon healer?"
"Yeah.” Shading her eyes from the light, she squinted at the shadowy shapes.
The light flicked away, leaving black dots dancing across her retina. “Where's the runt?"
"I sent him home."
"You stupid bitch!” A hard hand lashed out catching her fell across the cheek.
She would have hit the ground, but a cruel grip on her upper arm kept her upright.
"Ropar will kill you for that!” The Canys guard snarled.
Stars that hurt. “The runt is long gone, and will keep his mouth shut.” She stared at her captors, unable to make them out in the dim moonlight. “He's too scared of what his parents will do."
Cursing, the guard behind her gave her a shove. “Come on. Ropar is waiting for you, and he can deal with you. I doubt you'll be so brave then."
* * * *
Leaving Denyon's home, Illam stretched wearily. They'd finally found the two missing runts having a wonderful time playing deep in the forest. Well away from the perimeter, but also well away from the swamp, in the other direction, in fact. Returning the two imps to their parents, Illam and Denyon had a meeting with Shar and Almire. It was decided that the runts, for now, would be kept with the other Felys kits during the day, and all of the Felys kits, runts or not, were confined to home at night with their parents.
Before he could go and have the evening meal with Tera and Wylin, unusual footprints had caught the attention of one of the Lypeople security, down by the swamp boundary. Illam had gone back to investigate, accompanied by both Lypeople security and some Felys guards. They'd tracked the footprints along the swamp bank before they disappeared.
It was more than obvious that a Canys had stepped over the boundary of the swamp. Another worry. They'd spent the several hours combing the banks of the swamp, and the forest nearby for intruders, but it seemed the Canys had taken a boat and gone back over the swamp. They found the drag marks of a boat near the waters edge.
It was well past midnight when they started for home, and only a few hours before dawn when he walked into his house after notifying Shar and Almire of the invasion. He'd left them contacting the Lypeople leaders, in preparation for a talk with the Canys leaders. A meeting of the Combined Court to be organized to discuss the breaking of the law by some Canys, possibly Ropar.
He scented her immediately. Tera. Eagerly, he strode to his bedroom, expecting to see her lying in his bed sound asleep, a warm bundle just waiting for some loving.
What he saw instead was her nightgown on the floor, along with a pair of his loose pants. Frowning, he picked up the nightgown. His gaze went to his open wardrobe. One of the hangers was half hanging out, and another hanger lay on the floor. Why would she go through his closet and take some of his clothes?
Something was wrong. He could feel it. In a corner of his mind there was a stirring, a feeling pf panic that wasn't his own.
Frowning, he concentrated. There was no real call as he'd have with a Felys nature-mate, but obviously there had been some kind of bond formed between him and Tera.
A bond that only became present in dire circumstances.
Oh God.
He left the room at a run. Crossing the distance between the houses, he bounded onto the verandah and burst into Tera's room. “Tera?"
Within seconds the light blazed on, Wylin squinting against the light, a laser in his hand.
"What the hell are you doing here?” Wylin asked. “Where's Tera?"
"That's what I'd like to know.” Illam stared at the empty bed.
Wylin's face hardened. “She's not with you?"
"I haven't seen her. I just got back and—"
"You were back about two hours ago!"
"What?” Illam frowned. “No. I just walked into the house!"
"But Tera saw you in the bathing pool. She looked down from the top of the stairs and—"
"She couldn't have. You can't see my pool from the top of the stairs."
It hit them both at once, and their words echoed between them. “She lied."
"Why?” Illam said. “Something's wrong. I can feel it! I can feel her panic and pain!” He swung away, his hand slapping down to his holstered laser, a low snarl breaking from him.
"Get Denyon,” Wylin ordered grimly. “We're searching for Tera."
Once Denyon heard, he went pale. Turning to Aras, who was standing beside him, he snapped, “Tell Shar and Almire to contact the Combined Council directly. They need to know what has happened. The Canys need to know that one of their packs has broken the law completely."
"They haven't responded from the transmission our leaders sent to them about Ropar having broken the law by contacting Tera personally,” Aras reminded him. “Even the Lypeople can't get that transmission through."
"It doesn't matter. Shar and Almire have to keep trying, as do your leaders. Things are going to get ugly, and we need the Combined Courts involvement. Now hurry!"
* * * *
Her cheek ached. Working her jaw, she wondered if she'd ever get feeling back into it again. Never mind the ache in her stomach from Ropar's heavy boot giving her a good kick while she was down. Her scalp was painful, too. Getting yanked around by her hair wasn't on her list of preferences.
The tent she was in was only one of many in the campsite, but it was the biggest. The other tents were in a circle surrounding this one. The Alpha's tent. And Ropar was one mad Alpha, both mentally and temper wise. She was sure that the only reason he hadn't beaten her to death right then and there was because he needed her.
More fool him. She didn't know a thing.
He'd stormed out, and she'd cringed inwardly, thinking he was going to take another chunk from Illam, but there had been no sound except a yelp of pain from some soldier unfortunate enough not to scurry out of Ropar's way fast enough.
Using the table as leverage, she got to her feet and leaned her hips back against it. Sunlight was just starting to trickle through the slit in the tent. While alone, she slipped her hand beneath her shirt and pressed the centre of the contact comm quickly. She removed her hand just in time.
Ropar came stalking back in. He eyed her, and she thought how ugly he was. He looked exactly as he did on the viscomm, a canine-like species. His legs were bowed backwa
rds, more like hounds legs, except that he appeared double-jointed, for his knees bent normally when he sat. It wasn't his features that were so ugly, as his nature.
He looked at her closely. “Tell me what you know of the Felys disease."
"There is no disease."
"They have a high number of runts, and we're getting the same now. Tell me."
"There is no disease.” He started forward, his fists clenched, and she stepped back. “But there is something..."
"What?"
"Something in their DNA. Something the Lypeople have, and I suspect the Canys have as well."
"DNA? The disease on their DNA has affected us!"
"I keep telling you, it is no disease. It's a ray of some sort."
"A ray?” Growling, he leaped forward, and grabbed A handful of her hair. “You will tell me!"
He didn't take his time with her. Every question she couldn't answer, he slapped her face hard.
When she still couldn't tell him anything, he dragged her outside and pushed her to the ground, then kicked her in the hip.
Remembering the lessons taught to her by Kiile's bodyguards and her friends, Tera curled into a fetal position, trying to protect her vital organs.
Growling, he kicked her in one kidney.
She nearly blacked out with the pain. God above, if I live through this, I'll be pissing blood for weeks! A roar of approval came from the surrounding Canys guards, and she dimly heard them start placing bets on her survival.
She blinked the tears from her eyes. One thought occupied her mind—by now the Argons would have heard what was happening they'd have alerted the Felys and Lypeople. Help must surely be on the way. Only she still couldn't get anyone to even mention where the camp was situated. All she knew was that it was surrounded by hills and rock.
"Maybe I should start scalping your lover, bitch.” Dragging her up by the hair, Ropar shoved her back against a hard rock. “Or even start on you."
She spat a stream of blood. “I told you, Ropar. Somewhere there's a ray that's causing something to cling to your DNA, to—"
"You're covering for them ferals, healer! They should have been wiped out a long time ago!"
Another roar of approval sounded from the guards.
Love's Beguiling Healer Page 42