“What is wrong, Jordan?” Rell asked. “You look like you’re in pain.”
Jordan shook her head and took a deep breath in an effort to push down her emotions. She needed all her wits about her, and blubbering over two Xyrans wasn’t helping. Rell was her responsibility. The little girl depended on her, and she’d be damned if she failed.
“I’m fine,” she said, giving the little girl a small smile.
David appeared in the doorway, looking very fierce in his armor. Rell shrank back and moved behind Jordan.
“Jordan—”
She held up a hand. “Don’t. I can’t think about anything but getting Rell to safety.”
Frowning, he nodded his reluctance.
“You’ll wear these,” he said. He held up what looked like a leash of some sort, only it wrapped around the waist instead of the neck. “We’ll march you through the market, to the bidding tent where you’ll be taken by the contact. He will shuttle you and the child out the back to a waiting carriage, which will take you both to a shuttle. You will leave immediately because you have only a ten minute window of opportunity before the bidding curtain rises and everyone realizes you and the child aren’t there.”
“Where will we go?”
“The shuttle will dock with a cargo ship just outside the atmosphere that will ferry the child to the Partin System. The ship will meet up with an Alphan star cruiser that will take her to rendezvous with her family.”
“What about me?”
“Laith and I will immediately fly to the Partin System and meet up with you on the cargo ship.”
At his words she teared up again, and she turned away so he wouldn’t see that she was making other plans. Damn it, she should’ve stayed a boy. Her mother was absolutely right. Men did hurt women.
When he cuffed her in the chain, he bent for a deep kiss, and despite her morose thoughts, she kissed him back with every emotion in her heart. Without him even knowing it, she was silently telling him good-bye. When he pulled back, he kissed her forehead before turning to Rell. First he put a cloak on the little girl and then put her chain on, making sure her face was hidden with a hood.
“Jordan?” Rell asked, her voice shaky with fear.
Jordan shook off her pain and grabbed Rell’s hand. “Let’s go. Time for you to go back to your people.”
David picked up the ends of the chains, put on his helmet, and led them forward.
Chapter Twelve
Everywhere she looked, vendors were selling something. Xyrans of all colors swarmed around the Targin Market, and most of the black eyes were focused on her and Rell, their hot gazes feeling like a thousand ants crawling over her skin. Small rooms with floor to ceiling windows each had a woman on display, and Jordan watched one Xyran give a man standing guard some coins before heading to the window room. When he reached the woman, she drew the curtain closed. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was happening behind that curtain. A few feet down, she watched another Xyran leave a room and the window slide open. Jordan’s gaze clashed with the woman’s. She was Xyran, but there was no denying the emptiness shining from the dead eyes.
Some of the women were human, and those windows had a line of Xyran males waiting their turn. A pimp negotiated and accepted the payment just outside her door. Jordan felt pity well up inside her because she couldn’t imagine what it must be like to be used and abused over and over again. No woman should have to endure such degradation, and she wished she could help them. This place would haunt her for a long time. Thank God Rell had a hood and was spared seeing the horrors around them. Everywhere Jordan looked all she saw was sex and the inhumanity of it, and it made her want to vomit.
“Jordan, I’m scared,” Rell whispered.
“Shh, sweetie,” Jordan whispered back. “It’s almost over.”
At least, she hoped it was almost over.
David and Laith led them along, down the center of the Targin Market to the end, which held a large pavilion. There was amphitheater seating, a runway, and large screens to televise what was happening on the stage. As they drew closer, Xyrans began to yell at them, and although she didn’t know what they were saying, Jordan could only imagine the vulgar things being shouted.
David and Laith led her and Rell up the steps of the runway where they proceeded to display her advantageously. She looked around the Xyrans gathered around the platform, staring at her with hunger in their eyes, and it made her shiver a little. Then they pulled Rell’s hood off, and a collective gasp rolled through the crowd. There was no mistaking Rell was Alphan. Just as David turned them to lead them away, Jordan saw a flash of insignia and her eyes widened.
“He’s here,” she said in a low voice. “His men are here.”
“Yes, I see,” Laith said, satisfaction oozing from every syllable. “They will report to Kath that we have Rell. He will come for us.”
“And we’ll be prepared,” David affirmed.
Jordan knew what that meant, and the thought terrified her. She couldn’t shake the thought that they were going to die in this God-forsaken den of sin. She and Rell were ushered off the runway and into the back where there a whole line of cages holding females. They were led to the cage at the far end. As she walked into the cage, she looked at Laith and David, knowing it might be for the last time.
She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but the words died in her throat. What could she possibly say to them? That she’d miss them? That she’d wished Laith wasn’t quite so alien? That they were perfect? Everything sounded silly, so she said nothing at all. The cage door closed, locking her and Rell in, and she had a momentary flash of panic wondering if David and Laith had tricked her. Were they going to sell her, leave her to face the mob of sex crazed aliens?
“Don’t forget the plan,” David whispered, looking around to make sure he wasn’t overheard. “We’ll meet up with you in the Partin System.”
David and Laith gave her one last reassuring nod before walking away, and for a second, her fear flared out of control. It left her shaking and breathless, but then Rell wrapped her little arms around her, shocking her back to her senses. With effort, Jordan pushed away the anxiety and took a deep, calming breath before she began to study the cage. Instinct had her trying to find a way out, just in case. Then the back door squeaked open, and a man in a hood stood there, waving at them.
“Come, quickly,” he urged in a low, deep voice.
“Are you our contact?”
“Come, I said. Now!”
Jordan only had a split second to decide to trust him or not, but with the door open, she had to take the chance, at least for Rell’s sake. She picked Rell up and hurried out the door. The hooded man threw a cloak over her and pulled up the hood.
“Give me the child,” he growled, holding out his hands.
She turned, keeping Rell from his reach. “Absolutely not. She’s my responsibility, and I’ll take care of her.”
“Fine,” the man rasped. “But keep up. We don’t have much time.”
She followed him out the back of the pavilion and down to ground level, staying in the shadowed corridors. She held onto Rell so tightly she was afraid she was bruising the little girl. A door opened, and she blinked against the sudden light as she saw some sort of small three wheeled car.
“Get in the carriage,” the man snapped. “Quickly!”
She obeyed, although she wished she could shove her foot up his ass. If she didn’t have Rell to think about she’d do exactly that.
The vehicle didn’t have a windshield, only a computer console that showed the street and a bunch of computer graphs blinking all over the place. The man must have known what he was doing because they’d managed to not kill anyone. When they came to a stop, the man practically jumped out of the carriage and hurried around to her side. He pulled Jordan out by her elbow, and she almost lost her grip on Rell. She saw they were at the docking station in front of a ship that made David and Laith’s look huge.
“Sit down a
nd strap in,” he ordered, pointing at cargo seats on the side of the hull.
Her first instinct was to argue with him, call him a jerk, and go head to head with his arrogance. But just remembering what almost happened to her on the space station kept her quiet. There was a time and a place for everything, and now was not the time to be stubborn. She had to protect this little girl, and she didn’t want to offend him so much that he’d leave them behind. She complied with his demand, sitting in the seat and making sure that she and Rell were buckled securely.
The hatch closed, and a moment later she felt the engines vibrating. A second after that the inertial dampeners kicked on as they taxied away from the Targin Market.
****
Laith and David waited in front of the pavilion, ready for battle with their armor suits on. Laith was so tense his bones felt brittle, as if they would break under the weight resting on his shoulders. He looked at his blood-kin and, for a moment, took in David’s strong, handsome form. He was proud to have the human standing beside him. It still amazed him that he had two humans that he cared deeply about.
“If I fall, you must kill him.” Laith knew what he asked of David, the ultimate sacrifice. Humans were forbidden to fight in ritualistic combat, so David would have to find a way.
“You will not fall,” David said firmly. “Don’t even contemplate that.”
“Promise me. I know it means your death, but I need your vow.”
David looked at him fiercely. “You know I will, but do not talk about it anymore! You will not fall.”
Laith nodded. There was so much more he wanted to say, but he couldn’t find the words. He wanted to tell David how much their bond had meant to him, how much it meant to be able to depend on someone to protect his back and believe in his quest unconditionally. And then he prayed to Xyran the Great that he would have the fortitude and strength to defeat Kath.
But then he didn’t have much longer to wait. The crowd parted to reveal a form, and his gaze met Kath’s. Laith’s heart jumped in his chest as his gut tightened in anticipation. This was it. His plan might have been knocked askew, but the end result was the same. He would kill Kath and avenge his sister.
Laith focused his gaze on his target. He was old, but he moved with an agility that belied his years. He was dressed in military attire and his badge designated his rank, but Laith didn’t care about any of that. He was too busy looking for any weakness Kath might possess.
He didn’t find much. Kath seemed to be favoring his left knee somewhat, but Laith couldn’t be positive since the experienced raider drew himself up to his impressive height. Yet Laith realized he wasn’t intimidated in the least. This monster had killed his baby sister, and he was determined Kath would not breathe for too much longer.
Kath pointed at him. “You stole my property.”
Laith didn’t respond.
Kath sneered. “After I finish killing you I will take your head back to your tribe to permanently disgrace your father’s name.”
Laith looked around at the gathered witnesses before turning back to his sworn enemy.
“I challenge you, Commander Kath. A duel to the death in order to avenge my sister, Julyah.”
Kath spread his arms wide. “Come, whelp. I’ve defeated many like you.”
Laith laid his hand over his heart. “As in old Xyran tradition, we fight fiercely with honor and tradition. Name your second.”
“I don’t need a second,” Kath said, a bit mockingly.
“Name your second,” Laith repeated. “Or forfeit your life.”
“My lieutenant. The same position your traitorous sire once held.”
“I name David as mine,” Laith said. He folded his hands together. “Prepare.”
Kath proceeded to take off his military grade armor, and Laith did the same. David stepped behind him.
“Are you sure you want to fight him without some protection?” David asked harshly from behind his helmet.
“You know I have no choice,” Laith replied evenly. “It’s tradition.” He took a deep breath and cleared his mind. “Do not worry, David, all will be fine.”
“Do not die, do you hear me?” David demanded.
Laith cupped his face. “I won’t,” he vowed.
And then he stepped back to face Kath. They withdrew their blades, staring at each other. All the spectators formed a wide circle, giving them room to fight. He and Kath circled each other, and then a foot moved, a body shifted, and they met with a clang of steel that shook their arms. One swung, one ducked. Kath followed through with a downward arc while Laith darted aside. Again the blades met, and they locked together until Kath kicked out and hit Laith’s inner thigh. He stumbled back, dropping his guard. Kath kicked again, catching him in his chest. Laith fell back, onto one knee.
Kath raised his sword over high, but Laith recovered enough to block it. Again and again the Commander rained heavy blows, and each time Laith found the strength to hold him back.
In between breaths, Laith did a kick of his own, hitting Kath’s moving sword to bounce it away. In Kath’s disorientation, Laith quickly reached out and grabbed Kath’s arms, bringing up his foot and catapulting the Commander over his head. The flip impaired Kath long enough for Laith to hobble to his feet and turn to face him.
Kath shook his head to clear it, then picked up his sword. He rose to his feet, swinging his sword in an attack. Blade met blade. There was no time to breathe or think as Laith reacted by instinct over each thrust and jab.
Laith caught Kath’s blade and swung it around, causing the Commander to lose his grip. Laith used his fist in a hard punch, and Kath went down, though not for long. A second later, he tackled Laith’s knees, and they went back, Kath on top and going for his throat.
They collided, grunts and snarls coming from each as fists and elbows connected. As they rolled apart for a moment, they took a moment to pant and sweat and catch their breath.
“Your friend from the station is dead,” Kath taunted. “When I realized he was responsible for my ship being disabled I beheaded him. And then imagine my surprise upon discovering who you were. Your sister was a tasty little morsel.”
Fury poured through Laith. All the pent-up emotions he’d been trying to suppress to get through this fight suddenly overwhelmed his mind. He acted on instinct, shaking off the pain in his jaw and in his head, using it to fuel him forward. He rushed forward and slammed his shoulder into the small of Kath’s back, sending them flying. They landed on the hard ground with a thud, Laith covering Kath for a moment, until he was able to push himself into a half sitting position with one hand while balling his other up and using it to crack into Kath’s side.
Kath grunted. He twisted as best as he could under Laith’s weight, jabbing his elbow into the unguarded stomach, able to get enough leverage to half push him off.
Laith swore and fell back, his free hand now lending protection to his midsection. As he scrambled to his feet, Kath attacked. They rolled together in the dust, fists and knees slamming and hitting. Laith bucked as Kath sprawled on top of him and managed to throw him off. He twisted around and pounced before the other man could gain his footing.
Kath’s arms and legs went out from under him as Laith’s weight came down. He snaked an arm around the raider’s throat and smirked for one instant before Kath slammed his head into his chin, in almost the exact spot his fist had planted. The stars reappeared, and Laith slid off Kath in an ungraceful lump.
Both were gasping for breath as Kath crawled away. For a moment or two they lay in the dust, panting as the aches started to settle in. The fight, however, was far from over. Kath rose to his feet, then grabbed his nano-blade. Laith watched him and then did the same with his own blade.
They circled one another, each looking for a crack in the other’s defense. Kath moved first, raising his left hand in an attacking point over their heads while thrusting his right in for the kill. Laith darted sideways and thrust his sword to intercept. At the same moment he grabbed K
ath’s raised arm, dead-locking them together.
They stared at each other, eye to eye. Blood and sweat mingled, leaking from various cuts and points. The white in Kath’s left eye was filling with blood while the skin around it started to darken a deep violet. Laith felt his jaw throb and tasted blood on his tongue. The soft tissue inside his cheek had split, and he pushed the metallic serum out of his mouth. He ignored it as it dribbled down his chin.
“You cannot do it, can you?” Kath taunted. “You cannot kill a superior.”
“You are not my superior,” Laith muttered. He brought his knee up, hard and fast, and Kath grunted when it connected to his flutas. It was not how a warrior would usually fight, but he’d learned that move from Jordan. Kath’s grip weakened, and Laith used that moment to press his blade forward, ripping through Kath’s stomach like it was tissue paper.
He pushed Kath’s already dead body away, and the Xyran Commander landed in a broken heap. The spectators stared at him, clearly stunned by this turn of events. Kath had been a well known Xyran, especially around the Targin Market. He had fought many battles and had won each and every single time. Laith could see they didn’t know what to do or how to act, so he walked over to the body and pulled his blade free. Then he dipped his hand into Kath’s blood and touched his face, painting himself red, before he raised his arms over his head showing his dominance.
“I claim victory,” he said, staring at Kath’s raiders who’d come to watch. No doubt one of them would rise up and take command of Kath’s ship, assume his role and claim his wealth, but right now that wasn’t Laith’s battle. One by one, the men tapped their hearts, acknowledging his victory over their commander before departing. When the last one turned and left, Laith dropped to his knees. Suddenly he was bombarded with pain and fatigue.
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