“I don’t care what she’s done, she’s my life-mate!” Brynne said angrily. “Why? Why did you put her in with Kezule? What the hell were you thinking of?” He felt cold, was starting to shiver. Sweat was beginning to run down his back, soaking his robe. “She’s a gene-altered telepath, dammit! How could you do that to her? You made her what she was, made her a killer!”
The room was beginning to spin, he was having difficulty staying conscious. “She’s my life-mate and she’s pregnant with our cub,” he mumbled as he felt himself beginning to fall. “You can’t take her from me.”
* * *
The team, commanded by Garras and Ni’Zulhu, that entered the upper chamber was composed of those Brothers picked by Kaid as bodyguards.
“He’s closed the blast door,” said Rulla quietly into the mouthpiece of his headset from his forward position. “He’s sealed in tight as a demon fish’s arse.”
“Fan out,” said Ni’Zulhu. “Keep low. There’s two-way vid cameras in the cavern, linked into the lab.”
Keeping close to the far wall, Meral headed for the kitchen area. “He’s taken the generator and emptied the food stores here,” he whispered into his wrist comm.
“Sick bay’s gone, and the heater,” said Lasad.
“He’s taken anything of use,” said Ni’Zulhu. “At least they’ve got the basics.”
“Not Kezule,” said Garras, covering his mouthpiece. “He needs raw meat.”
They exchanged looks as Garras’ wrist comm began to buzz. “That’s him,” Ni’Zulhu nodded. “Answer him.”
Moving his mouthpiece out of the way, Garras activated the tiny vid unit. “Release the hostages, Kezule, then we’ll talk.”
“This child has needs. Provide them or not, it matters little to me,” the Valtegan said, then the line went dead.
A faint commotion came from downstairs, then the cavern and tunnel lights came full on, blinding them all.
“What the hell’s going on down there?” Ni’Zulhu demanded of his people as the noise grew closer. “And who put the damned lights on?”
“It’s the Clan Leader,” came the reply. “She’s on her way up.”
Ni’Zulhu looked at Garras who shrugged. “Take cover and maintain your current positions,” he ordered, signing off.
Her blue robe flaring out behind her, Rhyasha, followed by Mnesu, marched to the mouth of the tunnel where Ni’Zulhu and Garras were crouched. “Why are you creeping around in the dark?” she demanded. “You’re supposed to be rescuing my grandchild and Dzaka, not playing some childish game of Hide!”
Garras blinked, taken aback by her verbal attack. “Hide?”
She reached down and hauled him to his feet. “You know damned well what I mean!” she hissed. “Now, what does this—creature—want?” She punctuated her words by poking him repeatedly on the chest.
“Clan Leader, with respect, you’re interfering with our . . .”
“Garras, find out what he wants! I will not risk Kashini’s life, or Dzaka’s!”
“Clan Leader, we can’t negotiate with him . . .” began Ni’Zulhu.
“Can’t?” she demanded, turning on him. “Can’t? You will do what I tell you! If you don’t, I will take charge myself!” She reached for his headset and only Garras’ hand snaking out to catch hold of her prevented it being ripped off Ni’Zulhu’s head.
“Your pardon, Clan Leader,” said Garras, letting her go hastily as she turned a vitriolic look on him. “You’ll break it if you pull it about like that.”
“Find out what he wants!”
Ni’Zulhu activated his wrist comm this time. “What do you want, Kezule?”
“The three Aldatans who brought me to this time. When they come to me, then the child and the one called Dzaka will be released.”
Ni’Zulhu glanced sideways at Rhyasha as he answered. “They’re missing in action, Kezule. Their craft’s disappeared. Likelihood is they’re dead. Give yourself up now, before you make the situation worse.”
A short silence. “You lie. I will wait for them. I wish to return to my time, that’s all.”
Rhyasha’s ears had flattened in extreme distress. “My granddaughter for my son and bond-daughter?” she whispered, putting her hands to her face. “How can I trade one for the other?”
“They can’t return you, Kezule,” said Garras, activating his own comm. “They sealed the way back.”
“Enough talking! I will wait for them. Meanwhile, this child has needs. You can hear her.”
In the background, they could hear Kashini howling in distress.
Rhyasha grasped hold of Garras’ arm, pulling his wrist unit up to her mouth. “If we gather what she needs, how will we get it in to you?”
They heard a hiss of anger. “Can you Sholans not control your females?” Kezule snarled. “Fetch me your leader, I will talk to him or no one!” Again the line went dead.
Stunned, Rhyasha let Garras’ wrist fall from her grasp.
“Clan Leader, their females are feral, not sentient,” he said gently, putting an arm round her shoulders. “When your son brought him to our time, he nearly killed a female medic for touching him. He won’t deal with you. It has to be one of us. I’m sorry, but that’s the way it is.”
* * *
Dzaka had listened to the exchange anxiously. He knew the situation right now was volatile, so volatile that Kezule might kill either him or Kashini in anger. He had to get him to listen to Rhyasha.
“General, she’s the one you want, the leader of the family,” he began. The rest of what he was going to say was cut short as Kezule spun toward him, landing a blow on the side of his face.
“Be silent! You will speak only when told to do so!”
Dzaka’s head rocked on his shoulders, pain lancing across his cheek as one of the Valtegan’s claws grazed him.
“Females run the families on Shola,” he said in a rush, lifting his head to look up at him. “She will give you what you want.”
“Females should be kept in the breeding rooms, not allowed to meddle in the affairs of males!”
“We males are the warriors,” said Dzaka, locking eyes with him as Kezule drew his hand back to hit him again. “We fight. Our females bear the cubs and tend the families, not us. Deal with her and you’ll get what you want. She’s the cub’s grandmother. Or deal with our warriors.”
The Valtegan hesitated.
“You heard her. She asked what you needed. The male refused to talk. Your choice, General.”
Kezule let out a hiss of pure rage. “I will not deal with females!”
Dzaka shrugged and looked away as if it didn’t matter to him. Inside was another matter. Fear gripped his heart and stomach with cold talons, making him think he’d black out. His life and Kashini’s hung in the balance right now, and the cub wasn’t helping as she squalled loudly in terror.
Kezule threw back his head and roared in rage. It was a sound so alien it sent shivers down Dzaka’s spine and silenced Kashini.
“You will talk to her!” he snarled. “I will tell you what I need.”
* * *
“Clan Leader?” The voice was quiet and almost went unnoticed as Garras was leading Rhyasha out of the upper chamber.
“Dzaka!” Rhyasha stopped dead and grabbed hold of Garras’ wrist again. “What do you need?”
“Kashini’s things—her old blanket that she chews, clothes—the nurse knows.” He sounded tired and in pain. “Her food, too, and extra bedding.”
“What about you?”
“Food for Kezule,” he said in a rush. “Chiddoes, live and caged. At least four a day. For Vartra’s sake, Rhyasha, don’t let them stop his food supply!” His voice tailed off as the comm was taken away from him.
“Sholan female!” The voice was sibilant, the tone peremptory. “You will do as I say or I will kill this male, piece by piece. I can see the cavern on a display screen. Put the items on a wheeled pallet, with a rope at one end. Have one person where I can see him on the screen
throw me the rope, then it will be pulled in. I am armed. If you try to shoot into the opening, the child or Dzaka will likely be hit, not me. Give me your word that you’ll not attempt to attack me or force your way in.”
Garras attempted to snatch his wrist away from her but she increased her grip, clamping her claws into his hide.
Ni’Zulhu grabbed for her, only to have his ear boxed severely by her other hand.
“Yes! You have our word!” she said.
“Rhyasha!” exclaimed Garras. “Dammit! You’ve no right to . . .”
“This is my estate, my Clan and my granddaughter, and you tell me I have no right? You will honor my oath, Garras Janagu!”
“You have given your word, Sholan Clan Leader,” said Kezule. “Do not let your soldiers make a liar of you.” The connection went dead.
Rhyasha looked at Garras. “Live chiddoes?”
“They eat freshly killed raw meat,” said Garras. “Go and get the things you need, Rhyasha,” he said gently, freeing his wrist from her unresisting hand. “We’ll honor your oath, I promise. I’ll see to rounding up a supply of chiddoes if you can get the grain for them organized.”
She nodded, a glazed look coming over her face. “They’ll need water. And Kashini’s toys.”
Garras gestured to Mnesu who came forward to take the Clan Leader by the arm and lead her back down the tunnel.
“We’re not keeping it,” stated Ni’Zulhu as soon as she was out of earshot.
Garras looked at him. “Oh, yes, we are,” he said. “Does each one of us have to make a separate agreement with Kezule before it’s honored? This is my Clan, too, and I’ll not have us break our word, even to a Valtegan. Did you hear Dzaka’s voice? Dammit, Ni’Zulhu! He’s not that easily rattled, I know him! If you want to think of starving Kezule out, just remember, he’s got quite a large supply of fresh meat in there with him, in the shape of a cub of three months and an adult Sholan. And as he said, he doesn’t need to kill them to get it,” he snarled.
Ni’Zulhu looked shocked.
“We play it straight, do you understand me? Let’s just get through today safely.”
* * *
Konis sat down abruptly as Lijou stuck the gun in his pocket and rushed over to Brynne. Pulling the Human’s robe open, he looked up at the Clan Lord.
“Konis, give me the cloth on that table,” he said. “I need to staunch this wound.”
The Clan Lord stood as if carved in stone.
“Konis!”
As if in a dream, Konis reached for the small decorative cloth on the table in front of him and picked it up.
“Throw it to me!” ordered Lijou. “Dammit, Konis, pull yourself together! He’s bleeding heavily!”
The Clan Lord shot out of his seat to the priest’s side, handing him the cloth. “Is it clean enough?” he asked.
Lijou glanced at him as he folded the cloth into a pad. “Go sit down, Konis, I can manage,” he said quietly as he pressed the pad over the wound in Brynne’s side.
“I’m staying,” Konis said. “What can I do?”
Lijou nodded to Keeza. “Check her. The shot could have hit her, too.”
Konis moved round to check on Keeza. “I can’t see any blood,” he said after a moment. “I think she just hit her head when she fell.”
“Thank the Gods! Now move her off him, please.”
Konis eased Keeza’s limp body off Brynne’s lap onto the floor, getting up to fetch a couple of cushions. He put one under her head and handed the other to Lijou for Brynne. “He’s right,” he said abruptly. “We are responsible for her. Obviously what she’s been through has broken our programming. We have to do something about her, Lijou.”
“We will, my friend,” said Lijou. “She was promised a new life. It looks like it’s found her. She’s En’Shalla now, my province. Raiban and her minions can yowl at the moons for all they’ll get anywhere with me! But first, we have to see to Kezule.”
Jurrel came running in. “How’s Keeza?” he asked, handing the priest a couple of towels before opening his medikit.
“Only unconscious, we think,” said Lijou, using one of them to replace the blood-soaked wad. “See to her first. I don’t want her coming round and attacking us again. This looks like it’s just a flesh wound.”
Jurrel quickly checked Keeza, loading the hypo. “I’m putting her out for a couple of hours, Master Lijou,” he said.
“I didn’t know you had medic skills, Lijou,” said Konis, making his way shakily back to his seat.
Lijou looked up at him, mouth opening in a smile. “You don’t think I’m co-ruler of the Brotherhood without having been trained by them, do you, Konis? It was the first thing they did when I was elected to the post.”
Jurrel took over from him. “Father Lijou, there’s nezzu in the cabinet over there. I think the Clan Lord could tolerate a stiff drink.” He lifted the makeshift pad to see the wound for himself.
“Good idea, Jurrel. Thank you,” said Lijou, getting to his feet and wiping the blood from his hands on the other towel.
“You were right, thank Vartra,” sighed Jurrel, getting out a pressure dressing. “Only a flesh wound. Deep enough, though. Can you contact Physician Kyjishi for me? He needs to get this properly treated.”
“I don’t think we’ll need to,” said Lijou, pouring out two drinks. “I sense Vanna on her way here now, in a full-scale panic.”
Five minutes later, Vanna knocked on the den door, entering with a nurse towing a floater. She glanced over to the couch where Keeza lay, covered now by a blanket.
“I didn’t even know he was mated!” she said as M’Zio and Jurrel lifted her Leska onto the floater. “What in the name of all the Gods was he thinking of, mating with a killer, putting all our lives at risk! I really thought he’d straightened himself out at last.”
Jurrel looked up from packing his medikit. “You do both of them an injustice, Physician,” he said. “You don’t know what either of them suffered these past weeks when they shared memories and nightmares. Your mind would be as disturbed as hers if you’d been locked in with a Valtegan for two and a half months! You’d want answers from the two people who’d put you in with him, wouldn’t you?”
Vanna looked from Jurrel over to Konis and Lijou, a stunned look on her face as ears dipped backward in shock.
“She was working undercover for us, Vanna,” said Lijou. “She agreed to do it, but we had to wipe the memory of that from her mind before she went in with him. We never anticipated him escaping and taking her with him.”
“Was going to tell you,” Brynne mumbled as he came round. “Is she all right?” he asked Jurrel. “Was my fault. I pulled the gun the wrong way.”
“She’s fine,” reassured Jurrel, taking his hand. “I gave her a sedative. She’ll be out for a couple of hours.”
Brynne clasped Jurrel’s hand tighter. “Stay with her. Don’t let them take her away,” he said, trying to look up at him.
“I won’t.”
Lijou came over to stand beside him. “Thank you for what you did, Brynne.” He put his hand on the young man’s shoulder, gripping it firmly. “You have my word Keeza will remain here. She’s En’Shalla, one of us. Take Jurrel with you. I’ll explain everything later, but for now, be assured that Keeza did agree to go in with Kezule. When she made that decision, she knew what it entailed, I promise you. Rest easy, now.”
Vanna stirred. “Once I’ve treated Brynne, I expect an explanation of this, Master Lijou,” she said. “How you two could stoop to such depths—I can believe the Brotherhood would do it, but that you two would be a party to it . . .”
Lijou took her by the elbow, gently steering her toward the door. “You shall have it, my dear,” he said. “Meanwhile, would you send another floater for Keeza? I’d like her kept under lock and key at the medical center for now, until Master Konis and I can talk to her and undo the conditioning we put there for her mission. She knows Kezule’s here, I don’t want her trying to run away from us. It’s
essential she remembers the whole truth, not just what we left her with.”
Vanna allowed herself to be gently seen out. “Good job we didn’t resort to firearms every time we had a row,” she grumbled at Brynne as she and Jurrel followed the floater out.
“Don’t scold me, Vanna,” they heard Brynne say as the door shut. “She didn’t mean to shoot me.”
Lijou sighed with relief as the door closed behind them and went over to sit beside Keeza. Relaxing himself with an effort, he put his hand gently on her brow and began to match his mind to hers. After a couple of minutes, he sat back and looked over to Konis.
“The conditioning has broken down badly,” he said. “She remembers most of what happened with Kezule, and some of her previous life. Nothing of her time at the Consortias, though she remembers being approached by L’Seuli, but not why, or more importantly, agreeing to spy on Kezule. We could restore the missing memories and erase those of her time with Kezule now, but we do owe her an explanation. And there’s Brynne, of course. He’d still have them.”
“We wait till she’s conscious,” said Konis, resting his elbow on the arm of the chair. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t be much help to you right now, Lijou. With Kusac and Carrie missing, and now their daughter taken by Kezule . . .” He stopped in mid-sentence, resting his head tiredly on his hand. “Will Rhyaz cause a problem over Keeza?”
“No,” said Lijou firmly. “As I told you, she’s my concern as Head Priest, not his. Nothing connects Keeza to the murders of the two guards because legally she doesn’t exist. The herb Kezule made her ingest, and the effects of his bite, affected the balance of her mind at the time of the incident. She wasn’t capable of being responsible for her actions. As for this little episode . . .”
“Understandable,” interrupted Konis. “The only person she injured was Brynne, and I don’t think he’ll want to press charges. I must admit to being surprised at his actions,” he continued as Lijou left Keeza to rejoin him. “I hadn’t realized he had it in him. He’s always seemed more of a pacifist.”
“It’s the Sholan in him,” said Lijou. “He’s finally allowed himself to accept the two sides of his nature. Vanna was wrong, Konis, Brynne has changed. We alter the Humans almost as much as they alter us.”
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