by Auryn Hadley
Risk's only answer was to sob again. Razor stood and moved beside them, embracing the pair, not hiding his own tears. When another hand touched his shoulder, Marin looked up - shocked to see Jase.
Their eyes held for a moment, then Jase shifted his grip, one finger moving to the bare skin at Marin's neck. For a moment, he was sure the assassin was about to kill him, until those dark blue eyes closed and his body tensed. When he opened them again, Jase nodded and moved to his brothers' side, wrapping his arms around all of them.
Marin pulled himself from the intimate moment and focused on their meal. He removed the first bird from the fire, replacing it with the next. He didn't belong here. He didn't deserve to see these men like this. He had no intimate ties with them, yet they pulled at something.
They'd only hurt him to help one of their own. They'd never been anymore cruel than he'd been to other prisoners - and much more forgiving. Years of training told him to fear them, but he'd never seen Terran soldiers care so much about the fate of their officer. All too often, the death of a superior meant a promotion.
He'd heard Robson talk about the failed mission in Yager's Crossing. Sal had been willing to sacrifice herself for her fellow soldiers. At the time, Marin had thought it was just a ploy to distract them, but seeing the Black Blades now? He could no longer think of the iliri as beasts. No, they made him feel like one.
The thought made his head spin. The iliri were not the barbarians he'd been told. They were not vicious animals trying to eradicate all humans from the continent. They were just people. Different, but so much the same. It was too much to take in. He couldn't blame them for what they'd done in Syhar. He was the only prisoner. He was the only possible source of information. If this was what they suffered when one of their own died, then their abuse of him had been nothing more than self-defense and desperation.
Self-defense. Chains. Freedom.
Marin's knees buckled as the words rattled in his head. Dropping heavily onto the dirt, his eyes locked on the tendrils of flames reaching for the sky. They'd done nothing cruel - it was always self-defense. Each battle, each country, each story of the decade-long war, Marin could not find a single example of the iliri attacking first. It was always Terric. They were always trying to strike before the iliri could get a foothold, or ambush them, or push them back, or whatever. It was always Terric slaughtering innocent people. It was always he who attacked without provocation.
Slowly Marin pulled the dagger from the back of his belt and lay it on the sand. "Umso," he said softly, more to himself than the people around him. "I've been fighting for the wrong side this whole damned time. I surrender."
When he lifted his head, he saw Zep watching. The dark man nodded. "Yeah. I think you get it. I think you finally understand what this war's really about."
"How do I help?" Marin asked. "How do I fix this?"
Zep pointed at the ceramic blade. "Keep that. You'll need it when we try to cross Echo Gap."
"How can you trust me?" He looked at the dagger he'd taken while they were all unconscious.
The big man smiled, but it was the saddest he'd ever seen. "Jase touched you. That's all they need. Iliri have no secrets." Zep sniffed and wiped at his nose. "Spend too much time with them, and you forget why anyone would hide things like that. You forget that how you feel is something you should be ashamed of."
Chapter 27
One hundred Nuvani could make an impressive dent, Arctic thought. Before him, Terrans lined the ridge and blocked the best pass from Issevi through the mountains. What they didn't realize was that two units had already been decimated. Tseri's soldiers fought as well as the Black Blades.
Now, they just needed to break through. Somewhere on the other side was the rest of his pack, but he couldn't think about that, right now. He needed a plan, and they were all counting on him. Arctic closed his eyes and exhaled, remembering Sal's praise. He could do this. He wasn't Blaec, but he didn't want to be. He loved his brother, but he shouldn't strive to be like him. They didn't need to be human, anymore.
I need one unit to flank to the north. Three units will push the pass with us, and the last will stalk those trying to escape. Blades, we need to make a hole and get through. After that, the Nuvani will clean up the mess and return to Issevi. His orders, thankfully, sounded confident.
A woman's mental voice replied, Raewar, we're at your disposal for as long as you need us. We're willing to ride to the Kaisae with you.
Not this time, he thought back. Unav needs you. The Kaisae's best chance is a strategic hit, not a small army.
I understand.
Her touch faded from his mind and Arctic nudged Bazya forward. This was it. The Terrans knew they were coming, but they weren't sure how many, when, or where. He opened his unit's minds, allowing his men to feel the perceptions of all the others.
The pack was too small, but they were his. All of them waited. Before him, a soldier wandered up the wooded trail, completing the round of his patrol. That's all they needed. That meant it was time. This was their best chance to get across the mountains to save Blaec and Sal.
Kill them all, he thought.
Like arrows, the iliri rushed forward. Nuvani maargra aimed for the stone ridge. Mounted soldiers spurred their horses. Together, as silent as a pack of predators, they hit the enemy. The only warning of their attack was the sound of the horses' hooves. The small Nuvani mounts wove between the crush. The heavier war horses of the Blades trampled anything that was left. Arctic felt the growl building in his chest and hacked at the man closest.
Light ‘em up, Shade.
Standing at the edge of the treeline with Tilso, she'd been waiting for her order. Beside Arctic, a man's armor burst into flames. Ahead of him, something exploded. Arctic swung again, cleaving a soldier's throat, but without Sal, the feeling was numb. There was no joy in the kill, just a need to keep moving. He fed it to his brothers. They just had to make it through the pass and out the other side without stopping.
A high pitched snarl warned him. Pressing Bazya over, he saw the nuvani leap, grabbing a Terran before biting down on his arm. She thrashed, jerking her head back and forth for the most damage. All around him, the same thing happened. Those on foot picked off the enemy the mounted fighters couldn't reach. The scent of blood filled the air, driving them on.
They had to push right up the center. His little army was outnumbered, but they liked it that way. More meat. More chances to get a good kill. Less friends to keep track of. Arctic could feel Shift, Geo, and Audgan beside him. The young Blades rose in their stirrups like they'd been taught, using their bodies to give their weapons more power. They killed. All of them killed, and still more Terrans came.
The stream of enemy soldiers seemed unending. What started as a charge was now more like wading. The horses slowly pushed, but the humans refused to quit. Just as the Blades reached the edge of the rocky walls, something changed. In the back of his head, he felt a pull. Distracted, he didn't see the sword aimed at his mare's legs.
Until the Terran screamed in pain. Dropping the weapon, the man clutched his burning hand, and a warning flicked across his mind from Shade. It wasn't enough to stop the headache. Too late, Arctic understood.
Blaec! he screamed, the thought traveling across all the links.
Around him, the women roared. His brothers pushed closer. They had to cross the pass. They had to stop this. They had to help their leader, but there were too many bodies. It was too hot, and there were too many people between him and his closest friend. It was impossible, but Arctic couldn't give up. He had to try. If he turned back now -
A woman's voice took over. Nuvani, cover the Blades! Kill the Terrans. Their link is breaking!
Blaec! he screamed again, knowing it was futile. He wasn't sure if the cry was only in his mind, but stopping the pain was all that mattered. "They're killing him," he snarled. "Make them pay. Make them all pay for what they've done."
His men obeyed. He could feel the pain in their heads
as well as his own. By the trees, Shade was screaming. Tilso was crying. Beside him, his brothers fought, knowing they were Blaec's only chance, but they'd never make it in time. It didn't matter. They had to kill. They had to do something, and this was all he had. The screams of the nuvani begged them for more.
Around him, the pale women shoved closer. One dared to look back. Her yellow eyes held sympathy. That's when he understood. The pain. It was in his mind. It wasn't from the link, but his mind. Blaec was dying. He was being pulled from them and tearing at their very souls.
But the world was still getting hotter.
Shade! It was her. It had to be. Don't hurt the Nuvani.
It hurts, the girl thought back. Her mental voice was a whimper.
And the world burst into flames. Fire and smoke rose like a wave, rushing before him. Men screamed. Women roared in fear. Across the mountainside, the fires raged, growing closer. In his mind, he felt the woman of his dreams lashing out, trying to kill everything that had ever hurt her, but she was blind with anguish.
The pain was deafening. Arctic's entire world was blurred by the ringing in his ears and the tearing at his mind, but he could feel Shade. She was alone. She needed him, and he'd left her, just like Blaec was leaving them. The world wavered between the waves of heat that the tears in his eyes, but one thing was clear: he had to get to Shade.
Pull back, he ordered, putting as much command into it as he could. All Blades, get the fuck out of here before the link breaks.
Despair hit him like a fist as the men understood. Shift reached out, grabbed the reins to Geo's gelding, and wrenched, turning them both. Audgan growled, but kept fighting, even as Nazar followed her herd mates, but Arctic couldn't wait. She was burning. Soon they'd all be burning. In a few seconds, Blaec would be gone, and any chance of rational thought would go with him. Their leader was dying and Sal wasn't stopping it. He didn't know how or why, but that much he was sure of.
"Move!" he yelled, pushing his mare through the soldiers behind him. "Get the fuck out of my way or we'll all die!"
She burns. That's what Blaec had said, and he'd meant Shade. Only he could stop her, and she burned. Behind him, the flames crackled, growing large enough to light the trees along the path.
Go, Shift thought at him. I'll get these two. You get her. Just go.
He went. Nuvani had to jump out of his way, but Bazya knew his need. She would go through or over, but nothing would stop her. As Arctic clung to her back, his mare barreled down the hill, heading to the treeline where the last of his pack struggled to understand what was happening. He knew. He'd felt it before. He knew exactly how bad this would hurt, and could only hope it wasn't the first of many.
"Shade!"
Two paces away, he swung his leg over Bazya's neck and jumped to the ground, letting the mare continue. He only had eyes for his girl. Her lips were pulled back in a snarl. Her miss-matched eyes were locked on the pass, and her hands moved like she was throwing things. At her feet, Tilso lay crumpled, clutching his head. The whimper sounded like a puppy. It was driving Shaden on, begging her to protect her brother.
Without fear, he rushed toward her and grabbed her arms. With a gentle shake, he forced her to look at him. "You have to stop."
"It hurts!"
He shifted his hands to her face. "It's gonna hurt a lot worse."
The words were barely out before they were true. Like a hot knife in his head, the last hint of their leader's connection was wrenched out. Arctic saw Shade's eyes widen and her mouth part, then her gaze went blank. All that was left was a beast. It called to him, pulled at him, and begged him to protect her. She was all he had left, and nothing would hurt her.
But she'd kill them all.
The thought was little more than a whisper, nearly lost amidst the anguish, but it sounded like Blaec. It was enough - barely - to keep him sane. "Put it out, Shade," he begged. "You'll kill us. You have to put out the flames."
"They hurt him! He was kind, and now he's gone!"
Desperate, he did the one thing that would snap her out of it. Arctic kissed her. Pressing his mouth to her slack lips, he didn't try anything else, he just kissed her. She gasped and shoved at him, but his hands held her face. Then, like a dam bursting, she relaxed. A second later, her arms wrapped around his shoulders and a sob broke free.
"Arctic," she whimpered.
"Burn the pass, baby, but not us."
"Don't leave me!"
He could barely think. His head was pounding, but he heard her. He needed her. No matter how much he wanted to tear apart the men who'd hurt him, she needed him more. "Never," he swore.
Her wild eyes looked up, right into his, and she nodded. Once. Behind him, the world erupted into chaos. Flames shot to the sky. The wind rushed in to fuel it, and soldiers screamed. Both humans and iliri ran, the sound of their feet like thunder, but Shade held his gaze. She clung to him, physically and mentally, and he knew he could do this. Blaec had already seen it. He could ignore his instincts. He was stronger than the pain.
"Now put it out, imp." His thumb traced her cheek. "Put the fires out and we'll mourn together. I swear I'll never leave you, but you have to put the fires out. I'll never let anyone hurt you again, Shaden, if you just make it stop burning."
She gasped and wilted into him, but the flames went out. For a single heartbeat, the silence was surreal and completely at odds with the pounding of his brain. Then she let out a sob. It wracked her whole body. Pressed against him, he felt it and held her closer. She didn't even try to fight.
The pass... His knees buckled before he finished the thought.
The leader of the Nuvani didn't need anything else. She took over. The fires are out. Kill the humans, clean up the wounded, and check the Blades. Their link is broken. Have care but get them back to Issevi.
Arctic blinked. All he could see was blue sky. He could barely think but knew he was on the ground. Shade's arm was across his chest. He couldn't feel her but knew she was still in the link. That was all he needed. He blinked again, trying to find his brothers, but the pain in his mind was too much. It throbbed and burned, blinding him from everything else.
Then a woman leaned over him. Her pale-yellow eyes were familiar, but her scent wasn't. In a daze, he watched her gaze flick to his side, then back. "Raewar?"
The growl that answered wasn't his. Shade's hand pressed, and from the corner of his vision, he saw her red mane as she struggled to look up. Her face was on the Nuvani woman.
"He's mine."
The soldier dropped her eyes and nodded. "Yes, ilus. I am only here to help. I was ordered. I promise I will not disrespect your mate." She knelt, then looked to Arctic. "Sleep, Raewar. It hurts less. I have your back."
His eyes finally slipped closed. My mate, he thought. If only he could have told Blaec. The tears began to slide down his cheeks.
***
Rais moved his horse beside Pig. He couldn't see, but the Major could. Then again, Rais didn't know if that was still Pig's rank. Anglia didn't seem to care about those things as much. But what mattered right now was what the grauori could sense. There were Terrans in the area, and the Forward Camp was gone.
"Anything?" he asked his friend.
Pig huffed under his breath. "Yeah. That bastard has the entire border covered. I think he moved all his units down here to push you, knowing he couldn't stand against us."
"Yeah." Rais sighed. "Kinda what I thought. So, how are we gonna play this? There's about ten CFC units we can - "
The words fled from Rais's mind when Pig suddenly sat up straight. His head turned to the northeast and a massive breath slid out. "No," Pig whispered.
"What?"
When the leader of the Devil Dogs looked back, his eyes were moist. "Blaec."
The feeling of needles sprang up across Rais's body and the blood dropped to his feet. "Are you sure?"
Pig thrust a hand out, one finger pointing. "They are."
From the underbrush, four pale forms slunk towa
rd them. The bitch in the front had her eyes locked on Pig. For a moment, Rais heard nothing, until the grauori leader turned to him.
The Kaisae is still alive, but the Black Blades' link is broken. The Raewar was with the nuvani. They told the Kaeen who told the Orassae. The Kaisor is dead.
"What do you mean, the link broke?"
Her head twitched to the side in confusion. The link. It binds us, like a safety net. Together, we are more than we are alone. It holds us. It connects us. The link binds us, and when one is lost, the pain of the break will cripple the pack. The Nuvani protect the Black Blades, but it will take time before they can help their Kaisae.
Her words gave him one small hope. "Sal's still alive?"
She is for now, but we can't get over the mountains.
Beside him, Pig's breath shuddered, proving that he was trying hard not to break down. From the look of the grauori, they weren't doing much better. All of their ears hung limp, their tails loose against their rumps. Even though he couldn't understand their words, Rais knew they were all grieving. It was the least of what Blaec Doll deserved.
"Rais?" Pig asked. The tone of command was missing from his voice.
"I'm sorry. I know you two were close."
Pig waved that away. "They can't get across the mountains." He took a deep breath. "You know as well as I do how dangerous it is to be distracted."
"Yeah." Making decisions based on emotions was the fastest way to get your unit killed.
Then Pig looked up at him. His hands trembled on the reins. "The grauori don't need a focused leader to make their decisions. We need a fast unit with skilled horsemen to retrieve the Kaisae. The Blades can't get across the mountains, Rais. They can't, but we can."
Like a hammer to the gut, he understood. The only way Sal was going to get free from the Emperor was if her rescue came from the Conglomerate. "Pig, translate for the grauori. Keep them away from the humans, but hold this line." He turned his horse, intending to race to his men, but a single grauori blocked his path.