by Auryn Hadley
"Ryass," Sal said honestly. "I'll do you one better. Myrosica's headed to Assey and Viraenova's in Issevi. This game's easy."
"You don't have the manpower for that."
Sal grinned. "Yeah, we do."
"You don't have the food for that hard of a push."
She laughed and pointed around the camp. "Each man here feeds a grauori for three days, or eight iliri for one. I have as much food as you throw at me."
"And your humans?"
She shrugged. "It's a small group. They do well on breads, grains, and wildlife. The grauori are happy to clean up the boar and deer. Rabbits work too and, come spring, there'll be a ton of those. Winter makes hunting bear easy. One of those feeds three units."
"Why are you telling me this so easily?"
"Because you can't stop us." She tilted her head up defiantly. "You just made one of the biggest mistakes ever, and my army will fight that much harder for it."
"And what mistake is that?"
Licking her lips, she stared deep into the man's eyes. "You kidnapped the Kaisae of Anglia. That's going to piss off a whole lot of people."
"I think Viraenova would be happy to see you gone."
She shook her head. "Viraenova has been waiting centuries to see a Kaisae on a throne. Mine is weak and flimsy, but it matters. Tseri is bringing thousands of soldiers to make sure we can keep it, and that our people - yes, mine and hers - are able to live free."
"And what of the humans?" asked Vitus. "What will happen to us when you have your way?"
"Wages will increase?" Sal held up her hands, at a loss. "Nothing, you fool. Anglia has more humans than iliri and more grauori than the rest of us combined. We exist together fine."
"Where is Anglia hitting next?" he asked again.
"Ryass," Sal told him. "Rragri and Dominik are securing Syhar right now. They want to make sure the city is stable before moving on, then they'll send the maargra to Ryass for scouting with the humans coming in behind them."
He nodded. "And where are you hiding the rest of the iliri."
Sal looked at the man as if he was a fool. "Unav? That's why we're here. We want to take them back to Anglia or free them from oppression. Our only interest is an altruistic effort to help the people of my species."
"Not to kill the emperor?"
Sal grinned. "Officially? No, we have no interest in that. Personally? Yeah. He just pissed me off, but I'll make you a deal."
Vitus laughed and gestured to Sal. "You're the one sitting there chained like a dog, and you want to make me a deal?"
She nodded. "I'll stick around and play this game as long as you want, but let my general go."
"And if I don't?"
Sal shrugged. "I'll make you all pay for it."
"While chained?"
"Yep." She looked at the soldier walking behind him and smiled. "I don't need to be free to be stronger than you. Ask the CFC."
"And how exactly are you going to make me pay?"
She licked her lips and inhaled, seeking the scent of the man she'd knocked out during their trip. Wafting on the damp air, she caught it, then called to his mind, taking control of his senses. The man pulled a dagger from his belt and walked behind his Captain to rest the blade gently on his neck.
"Fair's fair," Sal said, distracted with control of the man. "You threatened the same to my love, so your man will do it to you. They will all turn on you if you aren't careful."
"Themis?" the Captain asked softly.
"He can't hear you right now," Sal purred. "He's stepped out for the moment. You can kill him, but that only helps me. You can die to him, and that only helps me more."
"How are you doing this?" he asked.
She pinned her ears and snarled. "I'm the Kaisae of the iliri of Anglia. Humans made me to be the perfect soldier, and I'm damned good at what I do. Let my lover go home. I have not hurt your man and I did not kill either of you even though I had the chance."
Vitus shook his head. "I can't do that. Give me back my soldier."
Sal nodded. "As a show of good faith, I will. Harm my lover and your men will pay for it. This is my trade."
She flicked her hand, and Themis gasped, dropping the dagger. "Sir!"
"How did she get control of you?" Vitus asked.
"What?" Themis looked around him, confused.
She giggled. "He doesn't know. I'll tell you, though." She inhaled deeply. "You humans smell so sweet."
"You can't do that," Vitus said. "My men were all protected against your skills."
She couldn't get them all, but he didn't need to know that. Sal tilted her head, chewing on her lip, thinking about that. "Hypnotism. Yeah, we got that. It just kinda takes the edge off. Remember Zaqala? The men there swore the fear wouldn't affect them. Most of them were pissing themselves as the Devil Dogs cut them down. Yeah, your tricks just mean we have to put some effort into it. They don't stop us."
"But we killed one of yours," the Captain reminded her.
"Kinda. Took a bit of work to bring Zep back from the dead, and Risk said the tattoo will never be realigned right again." Flicking her ears forward, she grinned. "We're better than you. We're all around you, too. I smell at least four iliri in this camp. You made us, but all we want is to be free of your oppression. Hire us for fair pay, and we'll work harder than your humans. Respect us, and we'll die for you, but kill us, and we will make you pay over and over."
"So why do you want me to free your lover so badly?" The Captain's eyes glinted, thinking he'd finally found something to make her break.
"Because I love him," she said. "It's like a flame that exists in my chest, keeping me warm even when things are at their worst. He makes me proud of what I am and is there for me without needing to be asked. He protects me just as I protect him. I love him, Captain, just like you love your wife and daughters - yes, I know about them. Why would I want him to sit here in the miserable weather with a disgusting chain around his neck?"
"Don't ever compare your beastly emotions to my family," he warned. "We are nothing like you animals."
"You're right." Sal looked over to Blaec. "We love stronger than anything else. We love like it's all that matters, because it is. I love him so much it hurts."
"And yet you love two other men?"
She nodded. "You love your wife and two girls. That's three loves in your life. Why do you think my feelings are so strange? Is one of them your favorite? Could you choose between them?"
"That's different."
"Why?" she asked.
"I'm not sleeping with all of them."
"Does that mean you love them less, or more?"
"You're sick." Turning, the Captain walked away, his spine held stiff.
Sal leaned her head back against the post, sighing deeply. She paused, a familiar scent mingled in her last breath. Looking around she scanned the shadows and corners, looking every place she knew an assassin would hide. Just as she was about to give up, she spotted a common soldier with a face that was too familiar.
Enik Kolton sat on the other side of the clearing, sharpening his daggers. The last time she'd seen him had been before she rode off to Anglia, right after she'd saved his life. His eyes watched her as his hand moved rhythmically. When he caught her gaze, he smiled and ducked his head back to the weapon. "I have a debt to repay," he said softly.
Even across the distance, she could hear him. It was almost too far, but she'd been hoping he'd say something and just caught the words. Sal sighed and closed her eyes. She was hungry, cold, and miserable, but none of that mattered. She worried about Blaec, instead. He couldn't handle the weather like she did. If he lay in the mud for too long, he'd only weaken, making his escape that much harder. Maybe Star Fall could help.
She growled softly and shoved the loose strands of hair away from her face, trying to find the answer. She knew she could get Blaec out if she could solve the right problem. There had to be an answer somewhere. The harder she struggled to see it, the more she worried. She could get
free easy enough, but she'd have to leave Blaec. If she did get free, she'd still have to escape the camp, and there were enough soldiers around that she wasn't positive she could do it.
Snarling, she slammed her fist into the mud, feeling Jase and Zep's concern at her anger. "I can't do it," she whispered. "I can't leave him."
Jase understood. Somehow, Sal knew that he understood what she was feeling. Unfortunately, he didn't have an answer either, except to let her know that they were coming. They could feel her again and were trying to get to her, but it would not be easy. She knew she was more than two days from them because she couldn't reach their minds. It could be more.
In other words, she was on her own with a unit of humans who despised her and an entire army of Terran soldiers between her and the freedom she fought for. Sal looked at the cloudy sky and snarled, letting the mist hit her face, pretending for a moment that the water sliding against her cheeks was her own tears. She wanted to fight, but there was nothing to attack. She wanted to struggle, but the chain was secure. She wanted to win, but she was locked to a post in the middle of the enemy encampment, waiting for her lover to wake.
Chapter 23
Arctic stormed into the City Hall. Dozens of pale-skinned people looked up, a few stepping out of his way. At the end of a long table, Tseri leaned over maps of the city, pointing things out to the woman beside her. Halfway there, they both looked up.
"Raewar," Tseri greeted him, straightening.
"Kaeen." He looked at the other. "And I'm afraid we have not met."
The woman waited for him to lower his eyes, but Arctic had no intention of that. Oddly, it wasn't hard. Even as her lids narrowed, he had no desire to submit. When a low rumbling started in her throat, the Kaeen took a step forward.
"This is the leader of my military, Raewar. I'd like to introduce you to Ynta Janoic. Ynta, the Raewar is the First Officer of the Black Blades."
"Arctic, please," he told both women. "Or Karim, if you prefer my true name."
The hard look on Ynta's face softened. "We're sorry for your loss, Arctic. How can Viraenova help."
With the political posturing finally finished, he got right to the point. "Sal's either on or about to be on the other side of the Siahies. The Black Widows abducted her and Blaec from Syhar almost eleven days ago. As of right now, all I can tell you is that they're still alive. We need to make a break through one of the passes, and I've got the plan in place. The problem is that the Terran Empire has been reinforcing them. I don't think taking Blaec and Sal was done on a whim. I think they planned this."
"A little too well, from the sounds of it," Ynta agreed.
Tseri, however, seemed distracted. "Do whatever you need, Arctic, but answer me one thing?" She gestured to the map. "Where would you keep the most precious thing if you had to hide it in this town?"
"Precious how?" he asked, shifting over to see the streets drawn across the paper.
Tseri pressed a hand to her lips, slowly wiping away the hint of a smile he saw beneath. "Iliri. Arctic, there are rumors of two young girls. Twins. Both purebred. They are completely unrelated to Reko and Sal, or should be."
It took a moment before the implications of that hit him. Even then, Arctic wasn't sure he dared hope. "We're not done? Once they're grown, there's a chance -"
But Ynta's snarl cut him off. "My mate is not some stud to be used in a breeding program. We're people, Amma! You can't do this to me. I will not share Reko!"
Tseri barely flicked her eyes up. "Ynta, you can seethe in your jealousy all you want, but if we can keep our species alive, and the pair works, then are you truly so selfish?"
"Amma," the woman growled. "Don't tell me you'd let Syed just breed with Sal."
Tseri chuckled. "I would. I would hate it, but I would, and you will never become Kaeen if you aren't willing to put your people before your own desires."
But while they talked, Arctic had been looking at the map. There wasn't anything obvious on it, but he knew better. Scanning the side streets, he looked for a tavern that he remembered a little too well. One that had a small set of rooms and an owner who had offered them shelter. Finally, he found it.
"There."
The women leaned closer. "Why there?" Tseri asked.
Arctic tapped it again. "That, Kaeen, is a safe house for the Unavi rebellion. The password is ‘pride' written in our language. We have a stone that should prove you're trusted. I'll make sure you get it before we mobilize."
"A stone?"
He nodded. "It was given to Sal. Shift keeps track of those things for us, so I'm sure he has it stored somewhere. Give it back to the innkeeper. Tell her the Kaisae's pack, the Black Blades, say you can be trusted. I believe that will be all it takes." He stepped back, about to leave, but paused. "After that, you'll have to prove yourself. They do not trust easily."
"For good reason," Tseri agreed. "Go. Do whatever you need. I've told all of my officers that they're at your disposal."
He ducked his head, dropping his eyes to the ground. "Thank you, Kaeen."
She just flicked a hand at him, encouraging him to keep going. "And next time stop worrying about impressing me, boy. We don't have time for that. Just get through that pass and get them back."
"That's what I intend," he called back, walking as fast as his legs would take him.
It had taken longer than he wanted to get everything ready. Viraenovan units had to be called back. The 112th and Devil Dogs almost had to be forced to leave. At least the grauori had been easy enough to deal with. Oddly, it had been the Prince who'd given them the order. From the way they acted, Jarl's word was as good as Arrnya's, but Arctic didn't have time to wonder about that.
His country was coming together. Their allies were coming together, but would it be worth it if they lost Sal and Blaec? No, he wouldn't let his thoughts go down that path. Sal trusted him. She'd shown him exactly how much she respected him, and he was going to live up to that. Nothing else mattered right now. He just had to make this work.
Outside the city walls, the nuvani crowded around their unit leaders. In the center of them all was his own cluster of tents. The black canvas stood out like a shadow in the middle of the Viraenovan gold and ivory, serving as their base of operation. As he wove through the horses, he saw the only thing that could make him feel a little better.
Shade.
She stood next to Audgan beside Arctic's tent with her head ducked to her toes. The small, pale boy kept his distance, but his eyes were searching everything around them. When they landed on Arctic, his body relaxed and he leaned a hair closer to the girl whispering something. It made her head jerk up. When her eyes found his, she smiled. That one little gesture gave him more pride than even Sal's memories - and those were what had been keeping him going.
"Ok," he said as he reached them. "Shade, I want you to stay with Audgan and Tilso for the trip. I mean, if you're not with me. I promise they will keep you safe."
She nodded quickly. "I know."
Then he turned his eyes to Audgan. "I'm trusting you."
The boy's chin lifted a bit more. "I won't let anyone touch her."
"Good. Now when we get to the pass, I'll need you at the front with us. Shade? You'll be at the side with Tilso. He's not a fighter, so I'm going to need you to take care of him first, but we need you to clear the pass."
"I can do it," she swore.
He dropped his voice, feeling the need to reassure her. "I know you can. You're amazing, Shade. Now on the ride over, I just need you to hold onto the horse. We'll train you when we can, and I swear that Tilso is not only the best horseman I've seen since Blaec, but he won't hurt you."
"He's a packmate," she told him. "I like Tilso. He explained to me that we can only be friends." Then she giggled. "And that he had to teach you about flowers."
"He did." Arctic wanted to say more, but now was not really the time. Every second he wasted was one more that Sal and Blaec might be suffering. It didn't make her pull any easier to resist
. "Just stay safe, Shade. No matter what else, stay safe out there."
Slowly, she lifted her eyes to meet his. "Not if it will save the Kaisae. I owe her my life twice. If it weren't for me, she'd still be here."
"And the Black Widows would've killed you."
She squealed in the back of her throat, thrusting a fist down like she was hitting a table that didn't exist. "I don't care! She saved me, and now I'm going to save her back."
"We all are." He reached up, intending to rub her arm, then remembered. "We are," he said as he lowered his hand back to his side.
She reached out and caught his fingers with hers, the touch light and timid. "It's ok, Arctic. And I'm ok with Audgan. He's nice, too."
"Bro," Audgan whispered. His eyes flicked to their hands. "Nuvani are waiting on us."
"Yeah."
Slowly, hating the way it felt to let go of her, Arctic stepped back. He wanted to say something, to let her know how much that meant to him, but there weren't words. Never mind that he should be thinking about Sal and Blaec. He didn't have time to be infatuated with some woman, but he couldn't help it. The pull was too strong, too deep to ignore.
But he had a pack to lead.
"Tilso!" he yelled, storming into the middle of his camp. "Tilso."
"Yeah?" The man in question stood at the side holding four horses by the reins.
Arctic just pointed back toward Shade. "Don't you dare let her fall off."
"She's got a good horse, man. Your girl isn't going to be eating dirt anytime soon. I promise."
"Good. Then let's go." He turned to address the people around him. "Mount up. I want to be sitting at the base of the mountains by the time the sun sets. Someone make sure they can't see us coming."
The words were barely out of his mouth before the military reacted. Unlike humans, everyone in this push was iliri. Right now, it didn't matter what they called themselves, they were all iliri, and they all had one goal. They were going to save the woman who'd spent her life proving that they were better than humans. Sal deserved nothing less - including having her mate home safe with her.