by Leslie Chase
But I wasn't willing to lose her. I let go and my sword clattered to the floor.
"Now release her," I told him. He just laughed, as I'd known he would.
Somewhere another explosion sounded, and the cries of battle rose. Whoever was winning would be too late to change things here. This would be settled by the three of us.
"Move away from the sword, Corvax," Ashir ordered in a calm tone, as though he was telling a servant to bring him soup. I cursed under my breath and obeyed, stepping sideways and forward, closing the distance between us slightly. Gemma watched with horror as I left my weapon behind.
"You think your honor is so powerful," Ashir continued as we circled. "But now you see the weakness of it. I win because I'm willing to do what's needed to win. You lose because you care."
The way he spat the word made it sound like he was swearing. This was someone who thought that love and honor were just weaknesses. That he could win because he had neither.
I knew better. Meeting Gemma's eyes, I willed her to understand. She looked terrified but determined, and that would have to do.
"Let her go," I repeated as I took a step towards Ashir. I knew him well enough to be sure he wouldn't. He was the kind of coward who would never surrender an advantage, no matter how dishonorable that was. Laughing, he shook his head.
"Get back," he told me. He was taking no chances. This will just have to be close enough.
"You can kill her," I said conversationally, extending my claws. "I couldn't reach you in time to stop you."
Ashir nodded, frowning.
"But if you do, I'll be on you before you can do anything else. I'll be inside your reach and I'll have nothing to live for. Do you think you can survive that fight?"
He snarled. "I have a sword and you don't. I would kill you."
"I don't care," I said, honestly. "Kill Gemma, and you'll be dead before she hits the ground. You might kill me too. Probably you will, but you won't save yourself."
Gemma shook her head, frightened by my words and trying to warn me off. I watched the calculation in Ashir's eyes, the dawning realization that I was right. If I was willing to die, there was no way he could both defend himself and kill Gemma at the same time. And he was a coward — if he had to choose, I knew with absolute certainty which he would go for.
So I pounced.
As soon as I leaped forward Ashir swung his sword towards me, cutting away from Gemma. The killing edge gleamed, and I could see the arc it followed. It was going to find my neck and that would be the end of me.
Except that Ashir hadn't counted on Gemma. Her hands were on his wrist and as he struck she threw her weight against him hard. The cut wavered and lost strength, glancing off my blocking arm rather than cleaving into my neck.
Then my claws raked across his face, driving him back in a spray of blood. Ashir yelled in surprise and pain, pulling his arm free of Gemma's grip as he staggered away. A slice from his sword opened another cut on my arm, but I didn't care. This would end here and now.
I didn't give him time to get clear, slamming punches into him and slashing with my claws. Ashir struggled to recover his poise, to get the space he needed to use his sword. He had skill, but he wasn't used to pain and that made all the difference in a fight to the death. Still, he had a desperate determination to live, and that gave him strength.
And he still had that sword, making him a deadly danger if he regained control. As long as I could stay close enough, he couldn't get the blade between us. If he managed to force me back, then I wouldn't stand a chance. I pressed in close, grabbing his sword arm and hanging on as we struggled. We tumbled to the floor, rolling over and over as we each tried to get control of the weapon.
Ashir's bloody face looked down at me as he ended up on top, and I could see his mix of rage and fear inches from me. Baring my teeth in a snarl, I snapped my head forward into his nose as hard as I could. Ashir's howl was deafening and he reared up, his grip loose for a crucial second.
That's all I needed to tear his sword out of his hand and stab. The blade sank into his chest, driving him back and off me, and the light went out in his eyes.
The corpse fell away and I let go of the sword, letting it fall with him. Turning to face Gemma, I saw her standing with my own sword in her hands, arms shaking from the effort of lifting the heavy weapon. She'd been on the verge of charging to my rescue, and it lifted my heart to see her bravery.
"You idiot," she said, her voice raw, tears on her cheeks. "You could have died."
"Have faith in me, my love," I told her, taking my sword from her. "Ashir was a coward, not a warrior. He didn't stand a chance. Not when I was fighting for your life."
Gemma tried to say something but no more words came out. Instead she flung herself at me, her arms circling me and hugging me tight. My wounds stung and muscles ached, but I didn't care.
Lifting her, I kissed her hard on the lips, and felt her relax into my embrace. We were together again and I swore I'd never let us be parted by anyone.
"We've still got to get out of here," I said as I put her down. The kiss had left us both feeling a little dizzy and it was hard to focus on practical questions like how to escape with our lives. Nothing seemed nearly as important as Gemma's lips.
She nodded a little reluctantly, and I knew she was just as distracted by our reunion. But that would have to wait. The sounds of fighting were almost on top of us, and I would not risk Gemma's life just for a longer kiss. Taking her hand, I led her swiftly back the way I'd come.
"There you are," a booming voice greeted me as we reached the stairwell. Captain Orshak stood above us, his spear bloody and eyes gleaming, and unless I missed my guess, the pack on his back was full of loot. Gemma grinned at the sight of him.
"So that's how you got here so quickly," she said, then turned to look up at the pirate. "Thank you."
His booming laugh filled the stairwell. "Thank your mate, little human. I do! This is the richest raid I've been on in a long time, and it's all down to him."
"You'll like it better if you live to spend the loot," I said. "Time for us to get out of here."
"Indeed." Orshak laughed and bellowed a call to his men. "Let's go."
I nodded, hitting the recall button on my communicator and setting out up the stairs. By the time we made it to the castle walls, the rest of our warriors were gathering. The Perhar forces weren't keen to follow. Ashir wasn't the kind of Protector to inspire much loyalty, and none of his men were keen to give up their lives in defense of his wealth.
The pirates were already loading themselves down with loot, enough that their wings would barely carry them. It wasn't far to the Halloran, and I expected they knew how much they could carry. This was their job, after all.
Gemma looked at the bustle of activity and gulped nervously. "There's no flier."
"No," I agreed. "We'd never have been able to get one up here unseen, and stealth was the most important part of the plan."
"So how am I going to get down?" she asked, wide eyed, as I pulled my own wing pack back on and fastened the buckles. I chuckled fondly, embracing her.
"You just have to hold on tight," I said, powering the wings up. Her beautiful face paled.
"Now wait a moment," she said, and then shrieked as I leaped from the battlements. Her arms gripped me tight as the wings caught the air and pulled us into a shallow glide towards the burning port and the relative safety of the pirates' ship.
25
Gemma
Clinging to Corvax, my heart pounding, I tried to get my breathing under control. The flight back to the Halloran had been terrifying and exhilarating, and as we landed on the deck I felt free. I hadn't expected to get out of the castle, not deep down. Standing on the pirate ship's deck, feeling the waves surge under us, I held on tight to Corvax, a giddy feeling filling my heart.
I didn't want to let go of him. Not now that I was finally in his arms again. The solid, powerful presence of my alien lover filled my senses as I got mysel
f under control, and I could feel his heartbeat. The strong, even rhythm calmed me and I sighed, leaning into him. Corvax held me tight, and I hoped he would never let me go.
We couldn't stand like that forever, though. The battle was still raging on shore and we still had to make our getaway. For just one moment, though, I stole what peace and quiet I could.
Someone made a noise half way between a cough and a laugh and I looked around to see Alishan Perhar watching us. She didn't look at all happy to see me, not that I could really blame her. The plan her family had hatched was burning along with the port, and I was at least partly to blame. I was glad that two of Corvax's guards stood beside her, keeping her from trying anything.
"You could have warned me you were going to jump," I said to Corvax, stepping back and finding my balance. He rumbled a laugh.
"Would that have made it any easier for you, my love?" he asked, and I had to shake my head. Okay, he had a point there: I would have been just as frightened, only for longer.
Landing around us, the pirates whooped and dropped clattering bags full of loot. Given the amount of wealth on display in the castle I doubted they'd taken any noticeable fraction of it, but they seemed happy with what they'd stolen. Good for them, I thought. At least they'll put it to better use than gilding a palace.
Alishan looked caught between rage and horror at the looting, and I almost felt sympathy for her. Almost. If the Perhar didn't want a fight, they shouldn't have picked one. She isn't mad that there was a fight, just that her victims figured out how to fight back.
Corvax gave me a little squeeze and then let go of me, stepping towards Alishan and towering over her. I had to respect the way she didn't back down, even surrounded by her enemies. It looked like she was made of sterner stuff than her brother.
"Protector," she said, biting off the word. "What happens to me now? Am I to be part of your loot from this campaign?"
Corvax shook his head. "Your brother is dead, Alishan. That makes you the Perhar Protector now, though I'm afraid that your lands are not as stable as they were."
"You've set my port on fire," she said, sounding more resigned than angry. "And destroyed the guns in my castle. We're defenseless now."
The pirates around us laughed a little at that. From their point of view a chance to get one over on the rich islanders wasn't a bad thing, but I couldn't help thinking of the farmers who would bear the brunt of any raiding. It wasn't a happy thought, though Ashir had left Corvax no choice.
"You're defenseless because you attacked the Rohar and kidnapped me," I said, stepping forward to stand beside my mate and putting my arm around his waist again. "Don't blame Corvax for that, blame Ashir. Besides, if you stop paying your mercenaries to attack others you'll have the funds to rebuild."
Corvax rumbled agreement. "I have no interest in harming you or your people, Protector. In fact, the Rohar will offer you good trading rates if we can cooperate. We both need to rebuild our islands now, and there's no need for us to be enemies."
She looked at us, eyes flicking from one to the other. Pursing her lips, she nodded reluctantly and turned away, looking towards the port and the damage being done there. "My brother's plan led my people to disaster and I'll not make the same mistakes he did. Call off your pirates, Corvax, and we'll make peace."
She didn't sound in the least bit happy about it, but there was a weary resignation that I thought we could trust. Corvax evidently agreed, calling out to Captain Orshak. The pirates around us grumbled about stopping a perfectly good raid but the captain called his men back. Good. The less people die here, the happier I'll be, I thought.
"I'll get the Protector back to shore," Prisha said, grinning at Alishan as she stepped close. "The sooner you're home, the sooner you can get the ceasefire ordered."
"And the sooner this is all done," Alishan agreed with a sigh. Turning back to Corvax, she extended her hands to him formally. "By the blood of my clan I swear this war between us is over. You win, Protector Corvax."
Equally formal, my mate extended his own hands and clasped her wrists. For a long moment they stared at each other, then they nodded in unison and turned away.
"Is it safe to let her go like that?" I asked as Corvax and I walked away from Alishan. I couldn't help looking back over my shoulder, half afraid that she'd be planning some last betrayal. But Corvax smiled and shook his head.
"She's formally acknowledged the loss now," he said. "In front of witnesses, as well. If she were to continue the fight every clan on the planet would turn their backs on her, and the Perhar have cut themselves off from most of their allies as it is. No, Alishan may hold a grudge but she won't be stupid about it. She's not Ashir."
Reluctantly I tried to accept that. It wasn't easy, not after how her brother had treated me, but I knew I shouldn't hold that against her. And anyway, Corvax knew her far better than I did. If he thought she was smarter than her brother, I would trust my mate's judgment.
I glanced back again, just in time to see Prisha and Alishan take off and fly towards the burning shore. I guess the pirates trust her promise, too, if Prisha's going there on her own.
Somehow that made me feel better, and I laughed. If someone had told me a few months ago that I was going to be taking advice on who to trust from honest-to-goodness pirates, I'd have called them mad. Now it was just another part of my life on Crosos.
Corvax looked at me curiously and I shook my head. How could I explain? This was normal to him. Maybe, in time, it would be normal for me, too.
"What do we do now?" I asked, leaning in against my mate and finding that I was shaking. The adrenaline rush of the escape was wearing off, and I could barely walk straight.
Corvax lifted me easily, cradling me against him and holding tight. His arms felt safe, like home, and I snuggled into him as he carried me below decks.
"Now, my love, you rest," he said firmly. "When we return to Rohar I want you at your best. The people of my clan must see that their Protector's mate is well."
I tried to tell him that I was fine, but before I could form the words the darkness closed around me. Maybe I should rest my eyes for a few minutes.
I slept for more than ten hours, right through the aftermath of the raid and the pirates' celebration of their victory. From what I heard about it afterward, that was just as well. The strong Crosan booze might have killed me — and the hangovers that the crew were nursing when I came to seemed like a fate worse than death for the survivors.
Perhar was far behind us by the time I made my way back up on deck, and I smiled at the fresh sea air and the bright sun overhead. This time we didn't have nearly as far to go, and Captain Orshak told me that we'd reach Rohar by nightfall. He seemed almost bemused by the idea of returning to a port so soon, and by the notion that he'd be greeted as a friend.
"You saved me," I pointed out. "Don't you expect me to be a friend?"
"Of course, little one," he said, a lot quieter than normal. The hangover looked to be wearing even for him. "But the rest of the islanders? Hm. Maybe I should have helped a Protector rescue his mate sooner. I could get used to having a home port to go back to."
"I'm glad that you saved this one," I said, smiling. "And that it's led to good things for you, too."
Ahead of us, the skystalk was visible. The rest of Rohar was still over the horizon, but the mighty tower that stretched out of the atmosphere couldn't hide. I looked up along its length, thinking about the spaceport at the far end. It hadn't been that long since I'd come down from there, but the life I'd left behind on Earth seemed so far away now. I could barely imagine going back there.
It was strange to think of Crosos as home, but home it was. And that made me smile wider than I'd realized I could. It was still scary, of course: I was an alien here, and I didn't know if I'd be able to fit in. Would Corvax's people really accept a human female as their lord's mate?
None of them had given me any reason to doubt it, but I still worried. I knew it was pointless, of course. We'd be
back with the Rohar soon enough, and I'd find out then. The worry wouldn't go away completely, though, and I looked for something else to distract me.
Orshak looked at me, shrewd eyes narrowing, and I blushed again. He wasn't nearly as simple and crude as he appeared.
"Little one, there's one lesson I learned years ago," he told me. "You can't help worrying about things you can't change, you just have to make your peace with them. The future will bring what it brings, no stopping it, so grab life while you can and enjoy every second."
I thought about that and smiled. It was a simple philosophy, and a very pirate one as well, but that didn't make him wrong. I bit my lip and looked out toward the towering skystalk in the distance. Whatever was waiting for me when we arrived would be there no matter what I did in the meantime. Might as well make that something fun.
"Thank you, Captain," I said. "I'll take that advice."
He grinned and nodded. With a wave to him I turned and hurried off the bridge to find Corvax. It would be hours before we made port, and there was nowhere I'd rather pass them than in his arms.
It helped, but it my worries didn't completely fade. Corvax's presence kept them under control, but my heart still pounded nervously as the port grew closer. We came back on deck together, his hand holding mine and lending me strength, and I gasped at the sight of the welcome waiting for us.
It looked like the entire island's population stood at the dockside. All of them there to welcome us home, and this time it really did feel like a homecoming. Corvax laughed and lifted me again, carrying me off the ship despite my protests.
"I can walk just fine," I told him as the crowd cheered.
"Of course you can," he said, amused, and I could feel his voice vibrate through me. "I'm carrying you because I want to, not because I have to."
I sighed dramatically, smiling and resigning myself to my fate. I was his mate now, and if he wanted to carry me all the way from the port to the castle, I wouldn't pretend I didn't like the idea. Okay, I might pretend, but only because he thought it was funny.