“Black?” A mean son-of-a-bitch cousin of theirs, Nalik Black had been an heir of their grandfather’s—their mother’s father—long before Marcos had been birthed. He’d abdicated at the same time as Aodhan and some of the other sons of the dhars of South America. Their leaving had spurred several inharmonious years amongst the South American tribes.
Each blamed the others for the loss of their royal sons. His father and grandfather had been the loudest of the lot. It had been embarrassing in a way. His brother and cousin and the others needed to make their own paths, and after the way they’d been treated as children, he couldn’t blame them.
He’d left as soon as he couldn’t stomach it himself.
“Yes. Nalik.”
“Bet the old bastard is going to love that. He and Nalik aren’t exactly nice-y-nice.”
“I believe Nalik knows this. Come. Meet my brother-in-law, then we can get you and your people settled comfortably.”
“We’d prefer the outskirts of a city. We’re not exactly housebroken.” They were mostly unmated males, and a few mated pairs. And less than two hundred children.
“There’s a lot like that. We have Lupoiux, as well. They are definitely not housebroken.”
“I heard that, dear girl,” the Wolf god said it on a growl. His sister didn’t so much as flinch. She showed no fear of the god. Interesting.
Something about the girl he once knew was far different than he remembered.
He didn’t love his sister, he hadn’t known her long enough for that, but he couldn’t deny that the bond of family tied them together. They were Dardaptoan, after all, and the Dardaptoan people prized family above all else.
That his family was fucked up was just bad luck on his part.
He wasn’t looking forward to seeing his father again. Or his older brother, for that matter.
Chapter 3
THE guy in front of her was huge and frightening and Lana wanted to flinch away from him. He was so much like her brother, even dressed in the same white of royalty.
But where her brother’s hasha would have been dark brown, this man’s was brilliant turquoise.
She was unfamiliar with his family line. And he spoke with an American accent. “I do not know where we should go. And we do not have any preference.” Except to be where her brother wasn’t. But she had not told this warrior that—he was a male, and an older one, he would be bound to return her and her people back to the tribe to which they originated. “We just ask for safety.”
He reached out a hand and grabbed her chin. Lana tried not to flinch. Big men with big hands were dangerous. She knew that well. “Tell me the truth of your ancestry, and why you wear no hasha. Why you and your people are living like animals in this forsaken place. Answers.”
“My people have no hasha. We choose not to align ourselves with any House.”
“Yet you come from one. And recently. For though your clothing is dull and stained, it is still white. Unless you chose that color for its aesthetic purposes?” The look he shot at her vestis and pardus had her feeling both pride and shame. And had her knowing that he knew. “I give you the vow of the goddess, Dahn of whatever House you are, that you will be safe in these new worlds. From whatever the threat. I promise you this, for both the goddess and myself. I will see no female or child harmed by another.”
“Even my brother?” She whispered the question before she even realized. His hold on her chin tightened slightly. She pulled in a deep breath. It was now or never, wasn’t it? He’d been sent by the goddess to get the tribes roaming Russia. He’d said so himself; if she was to comply with the goddess’s wishes she would have to trust this man. “My brother is the Dhar of the Amyenka House. The most evil and despised in all of Russia.”
His surprise was evident. He had heard of her brother then? Most had. “He has a reputation for being harsh. But I did not know he was evil and despised.”
Was he doubting her? She met his gaze with her own. “I have seen such evidence with my own eyes. My brother has murdered many of our people, our dependents in many cases, and were he to find me, I would be dead within a week. He has made such a vow.”
“I see.”
Did he believe her? Lana pulled back from the big warrior. She turned and lifted the back of her vestis. The male cursed. She knew what he saw.
No Dardaptoan scarred unless it was a grievous injury.
“My brother has marked me for death, and with his skills in sorcery, it is only a matter of time before he makes good on his threat. The people who travel with me are cursed as well by his words. Even the smallest babe.”
“How many are in your House, this House that you lead?”
“Around three hundred ten. Eleven if you count me. Most are females and their children.”
“You have widows?”
“No. I have victims of my brother and his friends. They have made them unwilling concubines who have birthed their bastards. And I have a handful of displaced warriors who do their best to protect us all.”
His anger was formidable and had her backing away. Finally, he pulled in a deep breath. “I give you this vow, that no member of this House, will ever face such again. I know the scars it can leave upon a soul. And you will journey with me to the demon world, and I will speak with the goddess personally about giving your brother the justice he deserves.”
“You would do that? You are a male warrior, are you not? Why would you care for a bunch of whores and bastards and escaped slaves?” Males saw females as little more than offal, did they not? Hadn’t that been the Dardaptoan way for centuries? “I do not understand.”
“A woman should never be treated thusly. Never. Gather your people. We needst get to the demon world before your brother. I do not wish him gaining entrance to the world where my own Rajni and sister wait.”
She didn’t know why, but she trusted that he meant it.
Some of the fear lifted from her heart—not all, but enough that she felt she almost breathe again. “We are ready. We have no real belongings, just each other.”
“Then we shall go.”
Chapter 4
SHE’D never traveled by portkey, and Lana was terrified. But her people looked to her to enter first. So she did. The warrior Aodhan had traveled with two men, who had waited outside her camp. She hadn’t known they were there, but she knew the sentries would have. One male was blind; the other wore the blue of Dardaptoan healers. He’d inspected her people quickly, with a compassion that she knew her people hadn’t expected. Even the healers in her brother’s tribe had hated those who traveled with Lana.
The healer went through the portkey at the same time as Lana, carrying young Hial. The girl was barely twenty-five, and had been greatly injured by Lana’s brother when she had refused his advances. Her brother had left Hial to bleed to death in the center of their village. Hial had yet to recover fully, and Lana had almost died in the escape.
Lana held on to the back of the healer’s vestis until the ether around them cleared.
The world they’d entered was a weird mix of blue and gray, but the moon above was at least the same one in her own world.
“Here, we must step out of the way. Aodhan will close the key when everyone is through.” The healer looked at her for a moment, his eyes wise and compassionate. “I am Barlaam, by the way. Of the Dardanos line. I am the Second Healer for all of our people. I will see to it that your people have the medical care that they need. Starting with young Hial here.”
Hial hadn’t spoken—she hadn’t had the ability to speak since she had been tortured—but she clung to the big man and nodded her thanks.
“I do not know how we can pay you.” Lana would be upfront about it. But her people also would not take charity from anyone. Charity meant you ended up in debt you could never recover from.
That was a lesson they had all learned quite well.
More of her people were coming through, ten women and children accompanied by one warrior each time. The warriors who s
tayed with Lana’s people would always have her loyalty—they had sacrificed so much when they saw her women and children running away that night. The band, a squadron of fifty unmated fighters, had caught her handmaid and the rest of her group as they were limping away from her brother’s village. Loreane, her handmaid, had begged and pleaded with the leaders to let at least the females with children go.
Instead, they’d accompanied all of them, and kept them safe, when they did not have to. Lana would never forget that.
They had left behind their parents and siblings and friends when their leaders had put the question to them. But they had followed their honor.
Only two fighters had had mates amongst her women, but for those two males she knew they hadn’t regretted it. She just hoped the others hadn’t, either. But she had also known she would not have been able to hold their loyalty too much longer. The food had grown so scarce, the resources they shared so pitiful. And her brother continued to hunt for them all.
No one defied him and lived. No one.
The healer put a hand on Lana’s cheek and she fought not to shrink back. “Dahn Amyenka, no charge will be made by my healers. That is not the Dardaptoan way. We are to help our own. That is the goddess’s way, so it is ours.”
“Not where we come from.”
“Then that should change as of now.” He shifted Hial and pointed to the east. “Look, there is the demon castle. It is quite beautiful. My female awaits us there. Hopefully she has not bedeviled anyone while I was gone.”
He smiled when he spoke of his mate. “How would she do that?”
“Jade is of curious spirit, and sometimes meddles in things she probably shouldn’t. She was once human, and is very young, younger even than Hial here, I’d wager. I am far too old for her.”
“A human? How is that even possible?” Lana had never heard of that happening. How could it? Weren’t humans just food? Her brother kept stables full of humans, bred for the purpose, just as a food supply. When he was done with them, he gave the females to his friends, and killed the males. It was horrible how he’d treated those slaves.
Lana and her people fed from each other. It wasn’t ideal, but one of the rules of her small tribe was that they leave the humans alone. Period.
“We’re not sure. But there are several human/Dardaptoan pairs in my line. My brother and his female. Aodhan’s female, as well. There is even a Dardaptoan and demon pair.”
Why was he telling her this? It took her a moment to realize he was distracting her. He’d sensed her fear and he’d wanted to help her through it.
His kindness humbled her.
“Where will my people live?”
The big warrior was finally through, accompanying Pleius, the leader of the warriors who’d helped her years ago, and he sealed the port key. The big warrior heard her question. “I think it best, until your brother is resolved, that you and your people stay within the castle walls. There may be some room sharing amongst your people, but it will be safest that way.”
“Thank you.” She wasn’t sure how she felt about it; inside a castle meant inside a stone trap. Her brother hadn’t had a castle, but a town seat. A big stone building where she had been kept a prisoner for most of her life, since the death of her parents when she’d been a girl. “We are used to doubling or even tripling up, plus the children. We have only had homes the last two years, before that we slept under the sky.”
“In Russia’s winters?” The healer’s surprise was heard in his tone. Lana understood it.
“We lost none. We had several fires. And our warriors found shelter for us in the caves when necessary.” Lana took her people’s safety very seriously.
“You have no healer amongst your people?”
“Just myself, though I am untrained, and relatively unskilled.” Her mother had wanted to have her trained, but when her parents were killed that hope had been lost.
“You are free to seek training from my office if you wish it.”
“Thank you. But… right now I just want to see my people safe and settled.”
“And that is what shall happen. Come. It gets darker here than Russia. Let’s get the children inside. There will most likely be a feast today. There are many tribes joining us this day, and the goddess wishes to greet all with celebration.”
She shivered. “My brother?”
“Was not one of the tribes sought today. I believe he is on the list for tomorrow.”
“How many?”
“Our people total nearly 270,000, spread between forty-four tribes. We had many tribes splinter or fracture in the last five hundred years. We are now searching the most remote ones out now. The ten major tribes have already chosen their destinations.”
“Why are they moving off of Gaia? What is truly happening?”
The big warrior—Aodhan—looked directly at her. “A war of realms is coming, and we do not know when or how. But our goddess feels our people are better protected in Levia or Relaklonos, away from the humans.”
Chapter 5
MARCOS accepted his sister’s invitation for his people to set up tents in the outer courtyard. Apparently the demon castle wasn’t quite big enough to hold all of the incoming people, and with his people being mostly unmated males, they were relegated to sleeping outside. He understood it, and the females that did accompany him and their males—those mated pairs were sleeping indoors in a back wing.
And his sister insisted he stay inside, in her family wing so that they could visit with one another again.
That made him damned edgy. What was he supposed to do with a family? She’d introduced him to her daughter, a little tyrant who’d declared that he looked like her Uncle Aody, and to his brother’s female. Mallory was a beautiful redhead with a very timid soul hidden behind a fierce exterior. His brother was a lucky bastard—but then again, Aodhan always had been.
She’d welcomed Marcos warmly, but hadn’t made any overtures that he wasn’t comfortable with.
Aureliana had plopped her son in his arms before Marcos could protest. He didn’t know a damned thing about babes. But this one was cute. Even if there were small horns on the kid’s otherwise bald head.
He’d taken the first opportunity he could to give the kid back to Aureliana and escape to the room he’d been assigned. He’d settle in, take a shower in what looked to be antiquated plumbing, and then explore the demon king’s castle. And find his advisors, get their take on this new situation.
Marcos felt edgy and ready to fight. Felt like something was about to happen.
Something that he most likely wasn’t going to like.
Less than an hour later he was back in the damned courtyard. The dais had been removed, but a small crowd of people still occupied the space.
Marcos walked among them, knowing he drew glances in his garb. He’d deliberately worn Adrastos white, and tied a double hasha around his waist. Another remained on his forehead, its band of dishonor clearly visible.
If daddy-dearest got here, he wanted to be very clear on where his tribe stood.
He wondered if his father and mother would be arriving soon.
He had no real quarrel with his mother, just disrespect for the way she’d failed as a mother. Even in the times they’d lived, there had been good parents and bad. She’d been a poor one, mostly because she was spoiled and self-centered and arrogant. A perfect fit for his father. And neither one was exactly civilized.
Wonder what mummy and daddy would do when they learned they had a demon son-in-law?
It was sure going to be fun to watch. And he’d step in if they treated Aureliana with too much disdain and disrespect. He might not know her well, but she was still his kid sister.
And Marcos was starting to feel the obligation of responsibility. Of family.
He had a niece and nephew after all. He had heirs. What was he supposed to think about that?
He studied the group coming through the gates. His top advisor—his closest damned friend, actually—Behlik stood
at the edge of the crowd. Marcos put a hand on the male’s shoulder. “So what’s happening now?”
“A small group from Russia, I believe I heard the guards say. They are young and ragged. Mostly babes and women. Runners brought word a few minutes ago that they were about a mile outside the castle.” Behlik would be fascinated by the proceedings; he’d long studied the history of their people, and such a massive relocation would thrill his sociologian’s soul. “And I think I am meant to be here, this eve. Something comes.”
“For you, too, my friend?” His friend wasn’t a true prognosticate, but he was related on his mother’s side to the legendary family of fortune tellers. When Behlik had feelings they both heeded.
“Yes. I am not sure what. Perhaps I am to catalog the events of this eve?” He’d written many accounts of the European Dardaptoans, and those books probably now waited in the other male’s tent.
Marcos studied the group of refugees. And they for damned sure looked like refugees. Unlike the rest of the Dardaptoan tribes he’d learned had arrived today, this one looked horrible. Unhealthy and poor. Abandoned. Who led such a group?
The children looked starved, the warriors even worse. The women were all pale and wild-eyed with fear. “Dear goddess…”
He wasn’t even aware he’d said it until Behlik agreed. “They look so pitiful. Poor things.”
His brother walked at the lead, next to a small woman in white. Another male dressed in healer blue walked on the woman’s other side. He carried a young woman—a girl, perhaps—in his own arms. His brother carried a small child of about three.
The woman in white had her head held high as befitting a Dahn. If she was one, and since she was the only one dressed as royalty, he assumed she led these people.
She’d apparently done so poorly.
He stepped through the crowd, aware of Behlik at his side. His friend said nothing, but he stopped in front of the healer.
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