Risen
Author: Auryn Hadley
Date: 2019-09-12T18:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Fantasy; Science Fiction; Romance
Description: In the final stretch of the war, the rules are changing faster than Anglia can keep up. The Kaisae of all Iliri is gone. Her mates are holding the army together. Her dreams are changing everything—and Sal? She's not done yet. The Emperor has taken too much from her. Life, loves, and much of her happiness. All she has left is desperation —and blind trust. But she's not alone. She never has been. If the iliri want to finally know peace, she's going to need some help. For once, the success of their species is out of her hands. Ryali has promised to handle the situation in Dorton. This leaves the
Publisher: Spotted Horse Productions
Rights: Copyrights as per source stories

Contents

Rise of the Iliri

Ogun - Northern Continent

Risen - Book Ten

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Chapter 74

Chapter 75

Chapter 76

Chapter 77

Chapter 78

Chapter 79

Chapter 80

Chapter 81

Chapter 82

Chapter 83

Chapter 84

Chapter 85

Epilogue

Hope - Book Eleven

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Dear Reader

Check out Another Book

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Glossary

Books by Auryn Hadley

About the Author

Rise of the Iliri

Books Ten - Eleven

Auryn Hadley

Spotted Horse Productions

Risen and Hope are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/ use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Copyright © 2019 by Auryn Hadley

All Rights Reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher and the copyright owner constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author's intellectual property. Thank you for your support of the author's rights.

Published by Spotted Horse Productions

Edited by Sarah Williams

Cover Art by Spotted Horse Productions

Ogun - Northern Continent

RISE OF THE ILIRI

Book Ten

Auryn Hadley

Spotted Horse Productions

Introduction

Since the dawn of time, the iliri have been called beasts and treated as either pets or livestock. The only things we knew about ourselves came from whispers spoken softly, far away from human ears. Even our own language was hoarded like some treasure. From mother to child, everything we'd experienced was passed down quietly, giving us some hold on our history, but it wasn't enough. Often, the stories felt more like wishes than reality.

Until she came.

Nothing about her should have been a surprise. Always, when we needed help most, one female would rise up to lead us. We'd recognize her by her scent, that of hope and dreams, and we'd call her Kaisae. In the past, she'd been just like us – but now we were different. Our people had been diluted, changed by generations of crossbreeding until we weren't sure what we were anymore. She didn't have that problem.

One look at her reminded us all of what we were supposed to be. The pride in her eyes proved that we hadn't always been property. We hadn't been created to live as slaves! Once, long ago, we were the ones in charge, and it had been women like her who'd kept us safe.

But that was before humans fell from the stars. Everything they needed, they brought with them – or so they thought. From the crops they planted on our soil to the animals that grazed on our hunting grounds, what had once been ours, they took as their own. It was never enough.

They wanted metal. It held up their homes, powered their machines, and made them stronger than us, but our world didn't have much. No matter what name they used, iron, copper, and even gold were things we'd never seen until humans came. They swore it existed, but it seemed there wasn't enough to go around. They decided to use us instead.

They hunted our prey, destroyed our homes, and killed our culture to make us serve them. When we objected, they twisted us, forcing us to stand taller, bleed more red, and even speak their words. Soon, we replaced their machines, and the humans were finally happy with their easy lives.

In only a few generations, we became their greatest tool, kept in check by our primal needs and shackled by our own minds. Our species learned to submit. Humans were stronger, so we had no other choice. We still tried to resist, always relying on the best of our women to show us what to do. Over and over, we failed, forced to become meek and obedient until we eventually forgot there had been any other way.

The stories of our history became myths. Mothers gave up whispering them to their babies. Our grandchildren ignored us when we tried, and theirs called them lies. It didn't happen fast, but after many, many lifetimes, the humans had finally won. The iliri, a once proud species, had become the pets humans had always called us, tamed through generations of domestication.

And that was when she finally appeared. With her eyes locked on the ground, no one would have guessed that the worthless bitch was a threat. We'd fought for so long, biting, clawing, and killing to keep what little pride we had left, but she'd learned something new. She'd figured out how to be overlooked.

In other times, our people never would have chosen her. In other circumstances, she wouldn't have been good enough. Lucky for us, she was all we had, because that one unimportant girl was about to become the hope of an entire species, and it only happened because no one told her it couldn't.

Raised by humans, she was ignorant about her own species. All she knew was her shame for being different, but now she had a pack she could lean on. The Black Blades had spent nearly a decade proving they were the perfect soldiers. Since she'd joined, they'd become so much more than just a military unit. They were a family, and they succeeded because they were no longer ashamed to be iliri.

Our masters weren't happy about it. They tried to break the Black Blades. When nothing else worked, they sent her away, thinking her nothing more than a beast that needed to be tamed. To Anglia, they said, that archaic country to the north. Using the war raging on the other side of the continent as an excuse, they claimed she was the only one who could do this. What they didn't realize was how right they were.

Her job was to replace the King of Anglia with one who would support the Conglomerate of Free Citizens. Instead, she found an ally, and along the way, she discovered our history. It came on four legs, covered in hair, proving we really were the beasts humans claimed. Called the grauori, these wild creatures were our best chance at stopping the war destroying everything in its path, but she'd have to face the consequences of her actions.

Yet humans wouldn't give in. Convinced they were the strongest species on the planet, some would rather tackle an un-winnable war than see the iliri treated as equals. The Black Blades were disbanded. The Kaisae was attacked. The alliance nearly collapsed, but there was one last option: Anglia.

The nation that had fought beside our Kaisae gave her a crown and offered our people a home. The world noticed. The balance of power had just shifted to a country where three species lived together as one. Human, iliri, and grauori soldiers fought side by side against the extermination of the iliri, but the Emperor of Terric just kept coming.

He wanted to see the iliri wiped off the face of the planet, and one small, pale girl wasn't going to be enough. To defeat the resistance, he had to destroy the Kaisae of all Iliri, but abducting her from the front line revealed his own secrets: the Emperor of Terric was an iliri-human hybrid. This was no longer a human war, not after he killed the Kaisae's mate.

She escaped, smuggled back to her pack by a man from her past, just to return to a summons from the country she'd turned her back on so long ago. Devastated, heartbroken, and determined to get her revenge, the last thing on her mind was making another alliance. Especially not one with a country that demanded her help.

That was the moment the Kaisae of all Iliri decided it was time for our people to rise up. Humans were no longer the dominant species. This war was her problem, and she'd make sure the Emperor paid for what he'd done.

Yet, throughout history, every Kaisae that rose to have power succumbed to it as well. Driven to free her people, Salryc Luxx would never see peace again. For three thousand years, every Kaisae had either fallen in battle or been lost to the power of her own mind. It was simply too much for one woman to handle alone.

Already, her sanity was slipping. As she struggled to remain in control, the humans of the Conglomerate of Free Citizens hoped to use any advantage they could get. Yes, the law gave her authority over their military, but it wouldn't stop their dissent. Nor would it stop the resourcefulness of the iliri.

Mind after mind, our Kaisae was finally making a difference. By embracing those without a home and giving them hers, she was creating the most powerful force on the continent, regardless of the borders that bound them. Still, the humans refused to trust her, and Terric was more than willing to use that to their advantage. It was the distraction the enemy had been hoping for.

The way forward was clear. Unfortunately, the Emperor knew they were coming. His army found a way to fight back, defeating the allied forces the Kaisae had strung together. What no one expected was that our people had been trapped in a very different battle. One that had nothing to do with humans, nations, or alliances.

The Kaisae of all Iliri had picked a fight with ayati, the fate of the iliri, and a force of nature. She'd challenged the rules, and found a way to change them. In the end, she lost the city of Merriton, but she gained something much, much bigger.

Salryc Luxx had found a way to make destiny work for her.

But ayati would only bend so far. The slaves rose up to free Merriton themselves, and while the allied forces pushed into Escea, the Kaisae was given a new challenge. If she wanted to keep her sanity, she needed more mental bonds. That meant more mates.

Love was the one thing that held hope together. It could change an army into a family. It might also be the one thing that could save the war. Unfortunately, all Kaisaes must die, and that includes her.

She just didn't have to stay that way.

- Excerpt from The History of Salryc Luxx, by Ilus Molis Cernyn, Professor of Iliran history at the University of Arhhawen

Chapter One

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

The sun was slanting through the narrow gap at the top of this make-shift den, casting a ray through the darkness and onto the dirt wall. It wasn't a cave, closer to a sinkhole, but it was good enough for now. It was also all she had.

When Sal opened her eyes, she could see perfectly. The mass under her head breathed slowly, proving it was a man and he was still asleep, but the rhythm of his heart didn't match hers. It was a little disconcerting, although she'd get used to it. She had to. The scent of him made that clear.

He smelled like her. So did the man across the washed-out hole that wasn't quite big enough to count as a cave. It would end up one eventually when the rains started again. One day. Right now, it was simply the first safe place she'd found, and one she desperately needed. Too much had happened too fast. Her mind had been nearly ripped apart and then forced back together by Blaec. Her body had died - actually died - only to be repaired by Blaz.

And her soul?

Well, that was still wounded, but she wouldn't dwell on what she'd lost. She'd torn her cessivi from her own mind. It had been the only way, although it still hurt. Not a physical kind of pain, but that quiet ache of loneliness. Jase, Zep, Kolt, and even Razor - she'd actually believed they'd always be with her, and now they weren't. All she had were these two, her friends turned mates out of necessity. The question was how long they'd last.

Slowly, Sal sat up, easing herself away from Tyr so he wouldn't wake. He and Blaz had not only survived the battle that had killed her, but they'd stayed up all night sneaking through the Terran camp to find her, then they'd spent the morning healing her and burning off her maast. A few hours of sleep certainly couldn't be enough.

But Blaz wasn't sleeping. His dark, human eyes were locked on her. "Sal?" he asked.

Use your mind, she thought to him. Tyr needs all the sleep he can get.

He nodded. Ok, but how are you doing?

I'm fine, she promised.

Again, he nodded. This time it was to show he'd heard. I'm not sure I did it good enough. The healing, I mean.

I'm alive, she reminded him. That means you did it good enough.

No, Sal... he tried but ended with a sigh. That lance pierced your body. You had a hole through your belly. And not a little one! Sal, I did everything I could, but it doesn't feel right. I know that sometimes even iliri healing - or whatever you call this gift you gave me - leaves scars.

He pulled his knees up to his chest, proving he'd found pants but no shirt. No, he'd placed that over her body like a blanket. She blinked her mind back into focus and pushed one arm through the sleeve, then the other. Blaz wasn't a huge man, but his shirt still covered her completely. When she had it partially wrapped around her body, she crawled across the floor to his side.

I can live with a few scars, she promised.

He didn't move anything but his eyes. Those watched her carefully. Sal, I'm trying to say that something felt wrong. While I was healing you, it felt like a piece refused to go back together. I'm not a doctor, so I'm guessing here, but I think it was your uterus. Well, and part of your intestines, maybe a spleen or appendix, but I'm just guessing from the area. My point is that you're alive, you seem fine, and yet something felt very, very wrong. Like I had to choose, and if I left that alone, I could figure out how to heal you.

So I can't have kids, she said, moving closer to curl against his side. I guess that's the balance, huh? All Kaisaes must die. That means the bloodline can't carry on, almost as if ayati won't let the iliri get too powerful. I will never have my own children, but iliri don't care about that. The pack produces them, and the pack raises them together.

So you're ok with that?

She honestly wasn't sure, but right now wasn't the time to dwell on it. Too much had happened. Her entire life had just been turned upside down. Her mind had been flipped inside out. She felt like she was living by a new set of rules, but she couldn't quite decide if they were better ones or simply different. At least they weren't worse.

I'm alive, she reminded him again. Alive, Blaz. I felt my mind being pulled apart, I spoke to the ghost of a man I once loved, and I came so close to the end of my war only to die, and yet here I am. I'm still alive. I think that for right now, I'm going to focus on that.

He slowly lifted a hand to ease the tangled hair away from her face. And us?

She waved up to the opening. How many Terrans are out there?

Right now? he asked. Maybe a handful. Seems there have been small groups coming to loot a little and check the dead. I'm pretty sure they're looking for something.

Yeah, me. She gave him a little smile. They spotted me, Blaz. I'm sure someone bragged that he put a lance in me. Somewhere up above, there should be one dead iliri Kaisae and a whole lot of dead Terrans.

A grunt proved that Tyr was finally stirring. The heavy-armsman sucked in a breath and sat straight up, reaching for his left shoulder. Slowly, he looked across the room, his eyes pausing when he saw Blaz, but stopping completely on Sal. Tyr rubbed a hand across his face, sighed, and then looked down. He was still naked.

"Um, so that happened, right?" he asked, keeping his voice down while he reached for a pair of pants by the back wall.

"It did," Sal agreed. A rush of nervousness hit her, wondering if that was ok. She hadn't exactly asked permission.

Tyr just bobbed his head, because nodding seemed to be the best answer any of them had right now. "And my shoulder's all healed?" he asked while he lay back down to get his pants on. The guy was tall enough that standing wouldn't be a good option for him in here. Or at least not a comfortable one.

"Yeah," Blaz told him, "and I finished fixing her up."

"And it didn't wake me?"

Sal let out a noise that pulled their eyes to her. "His healing shouldn't give you vertigo or cause pain, so it shouldn't have woken you," she started. "Because when I gave Blaz that skill? It was right after Blaec died when I wished I'd been able to heal like Raast."

"Fuck," Tyr breathed, closing his pants and sitting up quickly. "So you really were dead, and he pulled a Zep thing?"

She just nodded. Evidently, it was her turn to bob her head around, and yes, this conversation was incredibly awkward.

"Wait," Blaz said, immediately realizing the hole in her story. "It took both you and Jase to keep Zep from falling into the void."

"And Blaec was there waiting for me." She groaned, knowing how that sounded. "I know he's dead, I'm not insane, but he really was there. He said that was why he had to die, so he could find the loophole."

"Shit," Blaz whispered. "The loophole. All Kaisaes die. You're telling me that Blaec is dead and still bending the future?"

"Yeah," Sal said, dragging out the word. "And he's been showing me how. In my dreams, he says, except that I don't dream."

"Ok." Tyr waved that off. "That's awesome and all, but I want to get to the most important part. This whole mate thing. I was told that you need mates. We said we'll be your mates. That doesn't, like, mean that your real mates are forever cut off or anything, does it? Or how does this work so we can help you the most?"

Sal just licked her lips. "I don't know."

"How can you not know?" he asked.

"Tyr," Blaz hissed. "Is this really the best time?"

But Tyr was on a roll. "Kinda is if we want to make sure she stays alive and sane. Look, I'm serious, Sal. We just bound ourselves to you, so I think we need a real quick lesson on all the iliri shit we didn't get from fucking nuvani, you know? No hard feelings and all that."

"Nice," Blaz told him. "No wonder you're still single."

"Kinda not," Tyr pointed out. "I'm the Kaisae's mate. At least for a little bit. I'd like to know if and when that little bit is going to end. I mean, let's be honest here, Blaz. You and I? We've kinda been crushing on the little white bitch there for a while. That doesn't mean we're going to end up with some happily ever after, because she does love them. Like, a lot. So I want to know where things stand, when they'll stop, and how we get her to that point."

"Ok!" Sal said when she saw Blaz open his mouth to respond. "The truth is that I don't know. Typically, when a woman refuses a male who is meant for her, the compulsion eases. I released them to save their lives, but to their bodies, I may as well have refused them. I don't know what will happen when we're back together."

"Can't you just re-mate them, or something?" Tyr asked.

Sal shook her head. "Not from here. I talked to Jase earlier, and I couldn't feel anything. If we were still cessivi, then maybe, but then I wouldn't need it. That's the thing. I can't sense them enough to form that link. That's why we bite, I think. The taste, the touch, the sound of it. It's incredibly tactile. I mean, I'd marked Blaz without even realizing it - and the truth is that there's still a lot we just don't know."

Blaz took a heavy breath and pulled his arm back to his side. "I think you did it more this time," he said softly. "Sal, I felt it. I felt you grab my mind this morning, just like when you gave me the ability to heal. I can feel the link between us."

She looked over at Tyr. "Can you?"

"Babe, I had your teeth in my skin. I was kinda thinking I was about to be breakfast. I dunno, maybe you bit me wrong?" He flashed her a devious little smile. "I'm more than willing to do it again if you need to."

Sal rolled her eyes. "Because fucking in the middle of all that rotting mess up there is your thing?"

"Can't smell it down here," he said.

"Yeah. I can," Sal told him. "The meat isn't too bad, but the shit and blood? That's not putting me in the mood."

"Ok," Tyr said, crawling his way closer just to sit in front of them both, making a perfect little triangle. "So you aren't sure if you can get your mates back, your meal upstairs is going bad, it's light out, we're winging this whole mate thing, and the Terrans have dogs that are trained to track iliri by smell, so we can't cross through the line. Besides the fact that all three of us are still alive, is there anything else I need to know?"

"I don't think I healed Sal right," Blaz said.

Tyr tipped his head and twisted it, almost like he was trying to hear that again. "You broke our Kaisae?"

"He doesn't think I'll be able to have kids," Sal explained. "Like he couldn't heal all of me, so he had to choose. And no, I don't know how I feel about that. I also don't have time to deal with it right now, nor do I want to in the middle of a washed-out den-thing."

Tyr bobbed his head, but his eyes were on Blaz. "Anything else I should know?"

"I'm not sure it's just that," Blaz said. "I know something felt off. Like I was forcing it back together in a way it didn't want to go. I'm pretty sure she has some impressive scarring, but she jumped us before I was done, and she was curled up with you when I finished."

Tyr just waggled a finger at Sal. "Strip, woman. Let the men see that hot little predator's body of yours?"

Sal pushed herself to her feet and opened the shirt, then let it slide to the ground. "Happy, Tyr?"

Blaz, however, reached up to her back. "Yeah, it scarred."

Tyr shifted onto his knees to caress her lower belly. "Sal, look."

"I don't want to," she said softly.

Tyr moved his hand to clasp hers. "And right now, it's just us. This is as private as your life is going to get for a while. Look, baby, because I think you deserve to see what you survived."

Slowly, she lowered her head, her eyes running down her own body. Her breasts were still small, her stomach still flat, but Tyr was right. There, just beneath her belly button and off to the right, was an area of puckered skin larger than both of her fists side by side. Against her back, she felt Blaz tracing the outline of the exit wound, which was almost as large.

This was proof the lance had been real, but that wasn't all. It also destroyed her last lingering doubts that those stolen moments with Blaec had been her imagination. The wound in her body had been fatal, and it hadn't been the only one. She, the Kaisae of all Iliri, had died, only to be reborn as the Kaisae of all Anglia: humans, grauori, and the iliri.

This mark was proof that ayati's deal still held, that she really was different than all the Kaisaes who'd come before, and most of all, that she wasn't done yet.

She was broken. She was desperate. She'd lost her mates, but there was something bigger than all of her problems. She wasn't alone. Sal might not have any idea of what to do next, but one thing was clear. She was not done. And if death couldn't stop her, then the Emperor really didn't have a chance.

It was enough to bring a smile to her lips, even if it was weak.

Chapter Two

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

"I'm going to need to talk to Arctic," Sal told the guys.

Tyr held the shirt back up for her. "How? I thought you weren't in the link."

"She's a linker, dumbass," Blaz told him.

"That," Sal agreed. "I should be able to reach him now that I'm not so wiped out, but I'm not in his link, and I don't know if he can re-link me."

Tyr just waited until she had Blaz's shirt back on, then caught her wrist, gently pulling to convince her to sit back down - this time, beside him. "Hey, I know this is hard, Sal. I really do. Your whole world just got turned upside down, but we'll fix it. We just need to know how to help until then, and that means a whole lot of uncomfortable questions, ok? Let's figure out where we stand, and then we'll figure out how that fits in with the rest of the army."

"I'm trying," she insisted.

He leaned closer and kissed her forehead. "I know you are. I also know that it's easy for you to forget that the two of us, we're not your packmates. We don't have those instincts, and we didn't get a decade of living with iliri to help out. We only know the basics. Since summer, I've learned enough to not get eaten, in all honesty, but it's only been six months. Look, I'm asking because I really do want to help, and I just don't know how."

"I know," she promised, curling up next to him. It was strange, but touching him made her feel better - stronger, almost. "I've just never done this either, and so much of our culture has been lost. I almost felt like we had it all figured out for a bit there, and now here I am, feeling like back when I joined the Blades and didn't know anything!"

"Ok," Tyr said, wrapping his arms around her just to pull her into his lap. "So, let's start with what we do know. They said you needed mate bonds to keep from losing your mind. Blaz kept you alive, but that only does so much if your mind goes, right? All Kaisaes die or go insane, so does dying and being revived mean we don't need to worry about that, or..."

With her face pressed against Tyr's chest, Sal looked over at Blaz. He was watching her intently. In the air, she could smell something - an emotion. It was a mixture of nervousness, fear, excitement, lust, and anger. None of those scents were too strong, which made her think that these guys were simply doing a very good job of handling the new weirdness between them. After all, Tyr and Blaz weren't exactly friends.

Sure, the guys knew each other. Most elites did. That didn't change the fact that they'd kissed - probably to get through the enemy line, but still - and then had sex with her in a crazy, frenzied threesome. The truth was that Sal felt a little unsure of how she was supposed to act right now too. This was clearly the "morning after" problem Jase had mentioned so long ago. Hopefully, telling them what she knew would help. After all, it couldn't exactly hurt.

"The professors at Arhhawen," she started, "believe that Kaisae abilities grow over time. While kaisae is a gender, it's also a role. So, a Kaisae female starts off as little more than a dominant female, but once she's chosen by the people, she becomes special - and that comes with new abilities. We copy some, mix those together to make new ones, similar to mutant skills, and then we gain more based on the trust of our followers. In the end, we begin to see ayati. Or feel. I don't know if it's the same for everyone, but I see it."

Blaz reached over, taking her fingers in his. "It's ok. Just tell us about you."

She let out a heavy breath. "Ok. I see a web, and I know it's the pattern. The answers are all in there, but I already made a deal with ayati. I will fight for it so long as no one I care about dies. I didn't ask for my own life, though." She waved that off. "But the pattern isn't simple. It's so much more than just complex. It's everything, guys. The professors said that it crosses through time, too, and that's what happens to Kaisaes. We need to know, so we look, and then we get lost. The bonds with our mates and pack are what remind us how to find our way back. Kinda like tethers."

Tyr was nodding his head, and she could feel it even without looking. "Makes sense," he said. "But do you think dying and coming back has saved your mind?"

"I don't know."

"Sal," he said softly, bending his head, so the breath of the words tickled her ear. "I'm not asking for facts here. I'm asking for your instincts. Do you think you're ok or was Joevar right and you need us to be your mates?"

"Blaec said I need you to be my mates," she admitted, but the words were little more than a whisper.

"Keep going," Blaz begged. "We believe you, but that's a lot to take in, Sal."

The problem was where to start, so she decided to start back at the beginning. "The first time Blaec opened his mind to me, we fell asleep after, still linked wide open." She glanced up to see how the guys felt about her discussing sex with a man who was no longer alive. Neither seemed to find it odd at all. "The next morning, I woke to this feeling of loneliness. The most intense, complete loneliness I could imagine. It was Blaec's dream. He said he'd always thought it was a vision of what death would be like for him, but then Zep died not long after. When he woke up as cessivi to both Jase and me, he felt the same thing. It was our dreamless sleep, and he was confused, so I assumed that was the vision Blaec kept having." She swallowed. "It wasn't."

"So he's not in the void?" Blaz asked. "Never mind that there is a void, and the things you've seen. I'm just trying to stay on track, ok?"

"Yeah," she agreed. "When he died, he told me to make him sleep so that he wouldn't suffer the pain. When I died, I finally understood. He had to sleep so his, I dunno, soul? So it would not be distracted by the pain of death. When Zep died, he struggled, fought, and panicked. When I died, I was unconscious, waiting at the lip of the void until the bottom dropped out. There was no panic. I think it was the same for Blaec. And that let him make a nice little waiting area. Don't ask me how, because I don't know."

"Then we won't ask," Tyr promised.

"But we were still linked when he died. He used that link as his own tether. I dunno, maybe that's why his death hit me so hard, but I thought his tie to me was ripped out of my head. Maybe it was only partially removed. The truth is that I can't feel him, but that's because his body is dead. All the senses are gone, but he is still there - somewhere - and tied to me. When I met Kolt, well, he's a fetcher. In my sleep, I somehow kept linking with him, and his skill pulled Blaec closer. Close enough that he could slip into Kolt's mind. Not like he's possessing Kolt, but more like a mental link. He could listen to Kolt's thoughts, send him dreams, and things like that. Then, when Zep decided to burn open their connection to make those two cessivi, Blaec could reach Zep, and from Zep, it's a straight path to me. That's how cessivi works."

"Damn," Tyr breathed. "Good to know there are a few extra benefits, huh?"

She poked him, knowing he was just trying to lighten the mood. "But I don't dream. I never have, and yet the guys kept talking about my dreams, and then Blaec said he'd been talking to me in them. That means I do dream, I just don't remember it."

"Did Blaec tell you all of this?" Blaz asked.

Sal shook her head. "No, not exactly. At the edge of the void, ayati is just so close. It's like all the answers to everything are right there. It was like I simply understood all of it."

Tyr hugged her, pressing more of her body against his. "And Blaec is still there, right? And still connected to you? Do you think that means he could still be helping you?"

"I do," she admitted. "I could be blindly hoping, but I really do believe that."

"Yeah," he mumbled. "So you want to tell me why I can't stop touching you? Why it feels like I need your skin against mine?"

It was Blaz who answered. "Iliri skills work through touch, man. Or their senses in some way. I don't see why mating would be any different. I mean, they can link their minds when they have sex, even without a linker, so it's got to be some kind of universal skill for the species, right? Now she's claimed us, and I'm pretty sure that I've had more alone time with her than you have, so maybe that's why you didn't feel the link in your mind?"

"Or because I'm just oblivious to shit like that?" Tyr countered. "I just..." He groaned. "I feel like a teenager trying to get all touchy-feely with his first girlfriend, but I can't stop."

"Me either," she admitted. "I know it's like this for cessivi, but my first mates came slowly. I had a bond with them before I claimed them. This feels more like all of that was shoved into a few seconds."

Blaz tugged at her fingers. "Then come here for a second."

Tyr grumbled but released her, allowing Sal to shift across their knees and onto Blaz's lap. Immediately, he wrapped her up in a hug the same way Tyr had, and just like with Tyr, it felt so good. Sal let her eyes close and sighed. As if that was some sign, Tyr grabbed her ankle, his large hand wrapping all the way around it as he pulled her leg toward him. Then he began massaging her foot.

It was such a simple gesture, but it was still contact. Still touching to form the bond. Sal didn't want to dwell on that too much because she wasn't ready to handle all the implications. She knew she needed mates. The professors had made it clear that if she wanted to survive the war, then this was the price she had to pay. Not that it was a bad thing! Blaz had been her friend for a year and a half. She may have met Tyr more recently, but he'd thrown himself into her life with his usual gusto.

And they were both attractive men in their own way. Blaz's face was plain, but his body was exceptional. His personality, even better. He was the kindest man she knew, and that gentle side of him had become her crutch in a way. He made her feel like she always had someone who would understand her and just listen to the foolishness in her head.

Tyr, however, was beautiful. He wasn't the elegant type of beauty like Kolt, or the lethal type like Jase. No, he was the ideal human male. Tall, broad, massively muscular, with that clay-colored skin. He even had the square jaw and full lips she admired in human males. Granted, she wasn't the only woman who thought he was attractive, which was why Tyr's bed was rarely empty.

But now they were hers. At least until she figured out how to get back. These two men might be the only things keeping her mind from pulling itself apart, and she was oddly ok with that. The truth was that she really did like them, and she always had. She'd just believed that she would hurt them. She'd been terrified that her beastly nature would flare out of control and she'd end up killing them.

And yet here they were, alive, still trying to help.

"Ok," Sal said, twisting in Blaz's lap so she could see Tyr better. "We have to get back to our army. I need to link with Arctic. We have a massive line of Terran soldiers between us and home, so we need some plans, and you two are the only army I have right now."

Tyr chuckled once. "A horseman without a horse, a heavy-armsman without a real sword, and a Kaisae without a pack. Yep, this sounds like exactly what elites are good at, right?"

"We'll make it work," Blaz promised. "But she's right. She needs to talk to Arctic. We need to get updated intel, make sure Anglia has a plan, and then we'll make it work." He leaned down to kiss the top of Sal's head. "I just have a bad feeling that it's not going to be easy."

"The things worth doing never are," Sal agreed. "Lucky for you two, I've had to make a run across this area once before. I think we have options, Arctic will have more, and most importantly, we have access to plenty of Terran uniforms. So, which one of you wants to find a dead guy about my size?"

Blaz just tugged at her shirt. "I can do it, but I'm going to need this. Go cuddle with Tyr a little more, let me steal a kiss, and we can get this party started."

Sal turned in his lap to claim his mouth. He'd asked for a kiss, and this time, she wasn't delirious with the maast. This time, she wanted to savor it, but the moment her lips touched his, Blaz's hand grabbed the back of her head, pulling her tight against him. His tongue slipped between her lips, taking what he needed, and raw desire coursed through the contact. She gasped, reminding herself not to bite at him - to keep her teeth to herself - but damn.

When he leaned back and met her eyes, it was with a knowing smile. "Just remember, Sal. You started this. Back in Prin, you gave me a glimpse of what it was like to know iliri love, and I have no intention of wasting my chance. I figured it was worth the risk of dying."

"He's so in love with you," Tyr said, sounding just a little too amused.

Blaz nudged her up. "Like you're one to talk."

"Not ready to throw around the L-word," Tyr told him, reaching out to guide Sal back into his own lap.

"No?" Blaz huffed at him. "But you never stopped to think that I might not be either. Take care of our mate, Tyr. I need to find her some clothes." Then he tugged at the cloth over her arm. "And I still need this. Try not to hurt him when things turn kinky?"

"I need to talk to Arctic," Sal reminded them both even as she stripped off the shirt. "So keep your dicks in your pants long enough for me to figure out how we're getting out of this hole, ok?"

"Sal," Tyr groaned. "No talking about dicks and holes while you're naked on my lap. That's not even fair."

She snuggled up against him. "Don't know how to break this to you, but life isn't fair. If it was, none of us would be out here."

His arm settled protectively over her waist. "Which would mean that Blaz and I would still be alone in camp, daydreaming about this woman without any chance of her noticing us. I dunno, Sal. I'm starting to think that life is completely fair, it's just not always what we expect."

"It's what we deserve," she realized. "It's balance."

Blaz reached for the edge of the hole, about to pull himself up and out. "The word you're looking for, Kaisae, is ayati."

Chapter Three

Anglian Army, Escea

Knowing Sal was alive kept the Anglian military going, but Arctic wasn't the only one trying just a little too hard. The tent was filled with most of the elite officers, all focusing on some different task. Making plans kept them busy, and being busy made the waiting for news a little less painful. Shoulder to shoulder, he and Ran leaned over the map, marking out every location where the lookouts had spotted Terran or Escean soldiers. There were far too many.

"Do you have an exact location on her?" Ran asked, not needing to say which her he was talking about. He clearly meant Sal.

Arctic simply stabbed his finger down beside the creek. "Blaz and Tyr are still tied to us. Razor's location was right, and she really is in a hill. Under it, to be precise."

Ran's reply came back sounding a little too calm. "You doubted?"

"Of course I doubted," Arctic snapped back. "First, her being on top of the hill didn't make sense. They would've found her and killed her. Being inside it meant she was dead and buried. Neither of those options were ones I wanted to consider and the fact that her Cinnor was torn up with grief and possibly not thinking right? Yes, I doubted that just as hard as I could."

Ran reached over to rub Arctic's shoulder. "I'm not judging. I'm simply looking for information, my friend. Some way to get her out."

Arctic wanted to sweep the markers off the map. There were hundreds of them, and most were purple. He knew it would take hours to put them back on, and that was the only reason he stayed his hand. It didn't stop the growl slowly building in his throat.

"Arctic?" Dom asked from across the tent.

"Where's Shade?" Ran asked, as if she could fix his problem.

"Holding the line," Arctic told him, but the grumbling didn't stop.

Ran just met his eyes. "When did you last eat?"

That made the growl die in his throat. "Sorry, guys," Arctic mumbled, dropping his gaze and giving Ran the respect Sal's adopted father deserved. "I've been fed. Roo's made sure of it. Jarl's almost as bad. It's just this." He waved at the map. "I keep thinking that if Sal were here, she'd know how to deal with it, but she's not, and that's the problem."

"You got this," Kesh, the leader of Lightning Brigade, assured him. A few of the others murmured their agreement.

"Ok, so you feel like you're going in circles," Ran said, showing he understood. "Then talk me through it?"

"Approximate counts give us thirty-two thousand Terrans in a line just north of us." Arctic pointed at the markers between them and his Kaisae. "North of that? Counts range from twenty to fifty thousand more. Sal said the Emperor was moving back to Terric City, on the run basically, so we could be recounting the same people. Or we could actually be facing those numbers. Makiel was supposed to have reinforcements come in from Gallicor."

"Do we have an option to the east?" Ran asked.

Arctic shook his head. "No, everything is pinching closed around the Hurrican River Valley. I believe this is how the Emperor is covering his retreat, using the two lines to slowly buy him distance, like opening a pair of scissors to make a bigger gap. If we have to fight through them in waves, that's going to seriously slow us down."

"Ok," Ran said. "And we have confirmation that there are iliri-tracking hounds with the southern line, the one between us and Sal?"

Arctic nodded once.

"And her shifting ability doesn't change her scent?" Ran kept his tone politely curious.

"It doesn't," Arctic confirmed. "Humans judge with their eyes, so it's useful. No, sadly, shifting is a somewhat limited skill. She can change almost everything about herself a little bit. She cannot make herself into a dog. Her body will always be like that of a human or iliri - upright. She cannot change her scent. Her senses are altered a bit, but only because of the physical changes. Her ears don't swivel, as an example. She can still read through touch even when she looks human." He blew out a tense breath. "She can change her color both inside and out, become a man - she's said as much - and she can make herself larger, but not bigger. So a taller, slimmer woman, as an example."

Ran was bobbing his head, taking that all in. "But Terrans wouldn't think about the smell. Human noses aren't that sensitive, which means the dogs are the biggest problem. How do iliri get around them?"

"We kill them," Arctic admitted. "Iliri and dogs have never been a good mix. The problem is that Sal can't kill all the dogs they have there."

"Could Shade?" Ran asked.

Arctic paused, considering that. "Unlikely, and not fast enough to guarantee Sal would live through it. Never mind that it would draw attention to her and defeat the whole purpose. Shade has good control of her flame, but the more precise she is, the longer it takes. In other words, burning up a cove is easy, but making sure she doesn't kill herself in the process?" He tipped his head, letting the past speak for itself. Shade still bore the scars from that miracle.

"Could Shade destroy the line between us?" Ran suggested. "A big enough swath that Sal and those boys could run back through before they could close it?"

"I'm not sure enough to risk it," Arctic admitted. "Yes, she could burn that much land. She could definitely kill everyone there. She could probably put it out when they were all dead. She could possibly cool it enough for them to run back across, but doing all of that before the lines began to converge? That's the question, and I just don't know that the answer is yes."

"Fuck," Ran snarled, turning away just like Arctic had wanted to earlier. "There has to be an answer!" he grumbled just as Arctic felt something brush his mind.

He accepted the link, recognizing the feel of Sal even without their connection intact. She felt just like she had the first time she'd ever touched him. That moment so long ago when she'd slipped into their link without even trying. Snapping his fingers to get the attention of everyone in the room, he responded with both his voice and mind so they would all know what was going on.

"Sal? Are you awake again?"

Ran's entire posture changed. "Link me in?" he begged.

Arctic just nodded, but Sal was already answering. Yeah, and Blaz is hunting down clothes. I may have torn theirs apart.

Hey, lemme bring in your father, Arctic warned, simultaneously pulling Ran into the conversation with a click. Ok, now give me the update, Kaisae.

Still Sal, she told him. I'd like to think I'm still your brother.

Always, Arctic promised.

Hey, kid, Ran greeted her. For us, nothing has changed. I know you probably feel alone, but I promise you aren't.

I know, she told them both. Look, I'm in a washed-out spot that's trying to become a cave. It's not exactly the most stable place, but it works for now. Blaz hasn't really slept, Tyr's rested and ready to take watch, and both of them are being overprotective. Yes, I claimed them in maast, and that's a whole complicated thing that I don't really want to get into until I'm back home. So, can one of you please tell me what the plan is?

Arctic began to curse under his breath. We don't have one.

What? She sounded surprised, not angry. Ok, I'm working blind here. Fill me in?

Instead, Arctic just sent her a memory of the map. That would tell her everything. Each marker is one hundred men, he explained. Ylexa's lookouts have been doing nothing but counting the enemy. We knew they were preparing for us, but we didn't expect this.

No, she agreed, we didn't. And they haven't tried to attack you again?

Oh, they have, Ran told her. But we have this crazy iliri bitch here named Shade. Maybe you remember her? Yeah, seems she and Ghost have camped out on a rise. She naps, he keeps watch, and then he wakes her before the enemy can move. Shade lashes out with fire, keeps them where they are, and the whole cycle starts all over again.

When is Ghost sleeping? she asked.

Arctic ducked his head, smiling at her even though she couldn't see it. I promise I'm taking care of my mates, and all of the Devil Dogs have volunteered to help as well. They're fine right now, and he'll be relieved soon enough to sleep while she watches.

Good, Sal breathed. I just hate this. I'm letting everyone down, and every connection I've ever built is gone.

All the links? Arctic asked.

Yeah, Sal said. I thought I was going to die, so I tried to save as many as I could. Without a tie to me, they shouldn't frenzy as bad, right? I mean, not the ones in Anglia and Unav at least. So yeah, I cut everything I could, including my cessivi links.

Don't even want to know how, Arctic told her, offering a tether to his mind, but I can at least get you access to our minds again. I may not be able to put you in my link, but I can at least tie your hub to ours. If you give me a few seconds, I'll get you access to the whole network again.

Please, Sal said, her tone making it clear she was begging.

He nodded and started reaching out. There were only a few central minds he had to contact to get her access. Nya, Ylexa, and the silent listeners of the Unavi Rebels - the ones who'd designed the system to keep their mental hubs secret from any Terran iliri. One by one, he was given access to their minds, their links, and passed the power over to bring Sal right back into it all. He offered it to her without hesitation.

Sal tied her own mind in, and the change was almost instantaneous. Around the room, Arctic watched as the grauori linkers regained access to her. The humans using their links all stood a little straighter. The nuvani were next. Smiles began to curl mouths upward, and one by one, men turned their focus on him. They didn't even realize what had happened yet, but they could feel her in their heads. Even her silence gave them back the hope they needed.

Almost like she was her own miracle.

I think you did it, Sal, he thought, broadcasting it to everyone in camp.

Her reply came back filled with relief. I'm no longer alone.

Na, kitten, Jase thought to her. Ya will na ever be alone. Na even if we have ta trust those two humans ta take care of ya.

Her laughter leaked through, which was probably intentional. Then she chose her next words for her army. Anglia, we are not done yet. I am not done yet. I may not be there with you, but our Ahnor is. Dom, I'm sorry, but I'm giving command of the military to him. Jase, I need you to keep my people alive until I can figure out how to get back. Do whatever you need to. I promise they are the most capable soldiers you could ever hope for, regardless of what color their uniforms are.

We all serve the same Kaisae, Kesh told her. The country doesn't always matter. The leader does. You, Sal, matter.

And through all of their minds, dozens of people thought the exact same thing: il bax genause. It matters.

For the iliri, those words meant everything, but some of the minds whispering it were humans. Others, grauori. They all had learned the words, they understood them, and most of all, they believed in her. Now, the question was how to get her back, and that wasn't a conversation Arctic wanted to have with the entire army.

Thankfully, neither did Sal. She carefully picked out minds, holding them to her as she began to close the channel. Arctic couldn't keep up, but he had a feeling she was finding the military commanders and a few other select people. Then, when she finally had the right minds in her link, she spoke without hesitation.

I'm trapped behind how many thousands of soldiers? she asked.

More than thirty thousand, Perin, Dark Heart's commanding officer, said.

Ok. Sal paused for a second, thinking that through. And more to the north, right?

Could be as many as fifty thousand, or as little as twenty, Arctic confirmed.

Another little pause. Nya?

Yes, Kaisae, the grauori Raewar replied.

We need more maargra. Lots more. Anyone who wants to come, tell them I'll have them, but they should not leave their packs defenseless. I want them to hit the Terran line and all the way north. In her mind, she made it clear what she meant, envisioning dots on the map starting at the eastern side of their front line and sweeping all the way up to Terric City. I'm done caring about the land, she explained. Makiel has already destroyed it, and I want this bastard to die. He killed Blaec. He killed me. I will not allow him to kill anyone else, do you understand?

I do, Kaisae, Nya promised.

Dom, Sal thought next, I need you to trust me.

Always, he promised.

Rayna. Take care of him, Sal ordered. No matter what, he will return to Anglia to rule. No. Matter. What.

I understand, Rayna swore.

Sal kept going down the line. Jarl, I need you to work on blending our people. If I am now the Kaisae of all the species, then you will be the King of them all. One day. I need you to start making those alliances now.

Ilija's amusement leaked through. He's already well on his way. But there was a sardonic tone to his words.

I'm having his pups, Nya told her, not caring who was listening. My Amma knows.

Congratulations, Sal thought immediately. Do not risk them in this battle, Nya. Learn from Roo's choice, and let us not repeat it.

Yes, Kaisae, Nya promised.

Finally, Sal said the names they'd all been braced for. Jase, Zep, Kolt, and Razor. I just need you four to stay alive until I can fix this. I don't know how I'm going to do that, but I'll find a way, I swear.

Sal, Razor told her, we're fine. We're still together. He paused, the timing perfect as he stepped into the strategy pavilion with the rest of Sal's mates beside him. And Jase is burning the link open between all four of us. We're fine, sweetie.

Good. She made no effort to hide how relieved that made her. Because I don't care if I have to win you over the old-fashioned way. I don't care if you're no longer meant for me, or anything else. I am not giving up. Not on this war, and certainly not on any of you.

It has na eased, Jase assured her. Ya may have cut us out of yer head, but ya did na stop my need fer ya. I told ya, kitten. There is na a thing in the world that will make me stop wanting ya.

I know. That's why I need you to lead Anglia. Do what must be done, killer. You are not bound by the Conventions of War. Makiel has pushed us too far, and this fight? It's iliri against iliri. If the humans want out, let them, because we're no longer playing by their rules.

And ya? he asked. How will ya get back ta us?

Kolt, she said, I'm going to Cenla Xie. How long did it take us to get there?

From the Hurrican River, we walked for a while on foot. Two days, I think, but only because we slept twice. May have been three. Then we rode for another two days. So, from where you're at, you have three, maybe four days to Cenla Xie? He paused. I'm guessing here, babe. It was all pretty fucked up back then, and you're a little further south.

So I'll need three days to get out of the strike zone, Sal thought. Ghost, can Shade hold them off that long?

But it was Shade who answered. I can do anything you need, Sal. If you promise to come back, I will make sure of it.

Then we have a plan. I'll try to move at night, and I'll let you all know when I get to safety. When we get there, I mean.

Sal, Zep broke in. It's ok to still call us your mates. Everyone else does, because we're not going anywhere. This is just temporary.

Yeah, she agreed. It is. I'm just not sure which parts I'm going to be able to put back where they belong.

Chapter Four

Anglian Army, Escea

The moment Sal's mind focused on someone else, Kolt reached for Tyr. Their Kaisae still needed to work out all the details of her plan and who would do what, but he needed to do this. He'd sworn his life to her. For years, he'd thought that meant suffering in silence, obsessed with her and unable to tell anyone else. Now, he knew he wasn't alone. He just hoped her new mates - temporary or not - understood how important they'd just become.

Hey, Tyr, he thought.

Yeah, man?

Got a minute?

Tyr chuckled mentally. I kinda have all the time in the world right now. What's going on?

So, Sal claimed you and Blaz -

But the Devil Dog cut him off quickly. It's a temporary thing, Kolt. Just to keep her together until we can get her back. C'mon, we all know she doesn't do humans.

Kolt just sighed, flicking his eyes up to the soldiers moving around the map table to keep up with Sal's ideas. Tyr, I need you to shut the fuck up and listen to me. Can you do that?

Sure...

Look, Kolt continued, as someone who's spent a long time thinking that resisting her was doing her a favor, let me promise you that it doesn't work that way. Sal wants what she wants. If she claimed you, then she wants you. Don't overthink it. Don't fight it. Just accept that this is really happening, ok? She needs you, Tyr. Not your sword or your strength. She needs someone to take care of in her own way, and you just got picked.

Man, that's Blaz's job, Tyr grumbled.

And yours. See, Sal needs something to fight for. A reason to not give up. Once upon a time, back before she was a Black Blade, that was me. She didn't even care that I'm a fuck-up. She didn't hate me for all the times I got it wrong. She only saw the things I did right, even if that meant twisting her perceptions into a knot to convince her I wasn't a complete dick.

You are kinda a dick, Tyr agreed.

Was, Kolt corrected. See, being tied to that woman? It is going to change everything for you. Trust me on this. The thing is that we need it to. We - the four of us she left on the other side of this line - need you and Blaz to sacrifice a little.

Tyr's confusion came through strong. What do you mean sacrifice?

Fall in love with her, Tyr. Fall so hard you'll fight us for her. Treat her like the most amazing woman you've ever known, a queen and a friend, all at the same time. Seduce her mind, love her body, and push her to her limits. Argue with her. Do all the things you want to, and never let the idea of us get in your way. Don't worry about what we'll think. Don't hold back because we used to do something. Tyr, right now, the Kaisae of three species has only two men to keep her from going insane. You and Blaz. That means you need to be everything we can't.

For a little too long, Tyr didn't respond, but he also didn't break the link. Kolt knew what the man was thinking. It was no different than what Kolt had tried to tell himself back when Sal was still wearing blue. He'd found every excuse to stay away from her because Salryc Luxx made a man aware of every failing he had. She made him want to be as perfect as she was, but that was the thing: Sal wasn't perfect.

She was too nice sometimes, too judgmental at others. She believed in iliri pride to the exclusion of all else. She loved so hard and so blindly that she didn't always take care of herself. After all, there was a reason her pack always made sure she ate. Most of all, Sal refused to admit when she couldn't do something - and Kolt was scared to death that one day she really wouldn't live through it.

Eventually, Tyr said, What happened to her not doing humans?

That was it. He didn't touch any of the other things Kolt had brought up. The man was stuck on that one line, probably because Sal had said it often, and sometimes loudly.

Even Kaisaes can be wrong, Kolt told him. Look, you know why she's scared of humans, right?

Because we raped her over and over, Tyr thought back, his tone perfectly controlled, but the anger still simmered.

Kolt nodded, not caring that Tyr couldn't see. Yeah. Humans hurt her. They kept her weak and powerless. They forced her to submit. They used her body without her permission. Humans took from her, man, but here you are, completely human, and so willing to give. Do you see why she might be changing her mind?

Man, I fucked your wife. Tyr dropped that out, not caring that it sounded harsh. I fucked her harder than I've ever fucked a girl, and you're sitting here acting like this is perfectly normal? You're not even pissed at me?

No, Kolt promised. You saved her life. Never mind that Jase and Zep were fucking her before I was, and Gage is fucking her after. No, Tyr, I don't give a shit about that. You think her pussy's going to stretch out and expire or something? They kinda don't work that way.

I'm saying she's yours.

No, we're hers. Kolt paused to make sure he was listening. All six of us. Mates, not mates, waiting to be mates, and all the rest of this mess. Doesn't matter. You and Blaz ran across the Terran line to save her because she already had you. Tyr, I knew that back in Fort Landing. Seeing you with her? The way you can't keep your eyes off her? The things you were willing to do for her? I mean, how many times have you refueled her? How many streets did you run through to make sure she had a guard at her side? You're hers.

Tyr wouldn't give in that easily. I was just a loyal soldier, man. She's the best leader I've ever had. Yeah, I have a crush on her. Doesn't every man?

Most of them didn't risk their lives for her, Kolt pointed out.

And what? She's supposed to be my reward? Yeah, except she isn't a prize. She's a person. Maybe she's white with some really cute little ears, but she's not in love with me. Sure, we're friends, but damn it, Kolt. Sal deserves a whole lot more than bonding with some horny bastard because he was there. Well, here.

Yeah, that was more along the lines of what Kolt had expected. While I don't disagree, he said, you're forgetting one thing. She's not human. She's not even just iliri. She's a Kaisae, and the strongest one in history. That woman may look tiny and fragile, but she's not. She just needs something to fight for, and you made yourself her thing. Now you get to suck it up and deal with it.

And when we get back? Tyr asked.

Then we'll be the ones dealing with it. I'll give you my word that none of us will resent anything you do until then. Think of this as a free pass to get your kinks out, ok? If that helps, then embrace it. You just need to know one thing.

I already heard, Tyr assured him. She needs mates to keep her mind together. Yeah, well, I'm gonna guess that you four haven't heard about her chat with Blaec.

What?

She said Blaec was in the void with her, Tyr explained.

Kolt cut him off. So she saw him? He helped her? He's real?

Dunno if I'd say real, but Sal thinks so. I'm not saying I think she's wrong, but that's a very big leap for me. I mean, she was hurt bad, bro. Your girl has a scar right across her belly and...

And? Kolt asked when Tyr didn't finish.

And it's probably more her place to say than mine, but I also know that she's not quite dealing with the right stuff yet and you four need to know. Um, Blaz thinks he fucked up her healing. Sal has new scars, and some impressive ones. Like, bigger than my spread hand kinda big. A through-and-through from the lance. Well, it kinda goes right through her lower belly. Like, and the girl parts.

Her uterus? Kolt asked.

We don't know, and neither of us are doctors. Sal's fixated on getting back to the army, so she keeps pushing it away. Look, I'm just saying that I don't know if any of you guys wanted kids, or even if she did, but they said something, and it kinda gave me the chills.

What?

He said he felt like he had to choose. Bro, tell me that's not your ayati shit messing with us?

The problem was that Kolt couldn't. I don't know, he finally said. But it makes sense. We always thought we'd die before we got back, but if Sal died and now can't have kids? This is a good thing, right? It means she might just live to see peace?

Man, I have no idea, Tyr said. I'm just saying that you four need to talk and figure out how to handle it, because that shit hits a lot of women hard. I mean, you should probably talk to Ray...

Rayna can't have kids?

Uh, Tyr thought. I just meant that she can help you understand a woman's side of it. Look, all I'm saying is that this could be hard for Sal, and we guys are shit about getting it. Rayna can help, and I know she'll do anything for Sal, so that's all I'm saying. You and Zep already have your own kids, but this could suck for Razor and Jase.

Fuck off, Kolt told him. I was married.

And you still got a kid out of the deal. Pretty sure Jase didn't.

Pretty sure Jase doesn't really want his own, Kolt corrected. He wants a pack, not a genetic link.

I thought he wanted a big family?

No, Kolt said. No, a big family means a lot of people. Tyr, our kind never breed well, and some males will attack their own offspring. Most iliri women are lucky to have one kid, and two is almost a miracle. We have Lasryn and Valri, the pups - and Roo is expecting two more. That's a pack, Tyr. That's how it works for us. And those kids will mate with others and bring them in to have kids of their own.

Tyr seemed to accept that. So I shouldn't worry about her?

You should. Worry about her, talk to her, and make her talk about it. Tyr, I need you to fall in love with her so hard it hurts. And more than that, I need you to tell Blaz all of this. Let him know that we're all willing to talk to him. Well, Zep's got a little jealousy thing going on with him, but he's handling it.

And keep her alive, Tyr agreed. Anything else?

Yeah. Kolt glanced over to check his brothers. For right now, you and Blaz are honorary Black Blades. This is my call as Taunor. I need you both to act like it. Pick which one of you has her left and who gets her right. It'll be one piece of stability she can hang onto. Figure this shit out, and then do it. She needs you to be there for her. Falling into the habits she's known for the last few months? It will keep her from worrying as much. Can you do that?

I'll take her right, Tyr decided. I'm about the same size as Zep, and she had him there for a while. Blaz is smaller, and while he's bigger than Jase, it'll feel more natural for her, I bet.

Good call, Kolt agreed. I just wasn't sure you'd want to take the lower position.

Fuck lower, Tyr told him. I am standing beside the fucking Kaisae of Anglia. I am with Salryc Luxx. Pretty sure I'm so far above anything any other human has been offered that it isn't funny. Nah, Kolt. I'll take care of your girl.

Our girl, Kolt reminded him.

Yeah. Gonna take me a bit to come to terms with that. He paused, and then a surge of amusement came through. So can I ask something without you laughing at me?

Sure? And Kolt's mind began to come up with a million stupid questions the guy could have.

Tyr's wasn't among them. Is it weird that I kinda think it's hot to tag team her with another guy?

Kolt had to shove a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Nope. No, that's not weird at all. See, that's how the link works. One man and one woman is nice. Add in another man, and it's exponentially better. Get like four of us on the same girl? It will change your life. Men focus on the woman's pleasure, and she does the same. Means it hits harder than anything you've ever imagined.

Yeah, Tyr agreed. Thought I was going to blow my load through the back of her head.

Head? This time, Kolt wasn't fast enough to smother his laugh. Razor looked back and lifted a brow, but Kolt waved him off. If you let her put those teeth around your dick, then you're already doing better than expected. Zep's still a little nervous about it, and no matter how many times we tell him it's safe or she sucks him off? He still worries about her dragging one of those sharp teeth.

Fuck that, Tyr said. She's a healer. Blaz is a healer. My dick will survive, and damn. Dunno where that girl learned her tricks, but yeah. I'm so ok with it.

Kolt just agreed with him, because the last thing Tyr needed right now was to be reminded of the horrors Sal had lived through. And yet, for the first time, he finally understood what Zep had tried to tell him. She didn't think her past made her broken, and she wouldn't thank any man for treating her like it did. Sal focused on the future. She'd made their future possible. The least any of them could do was accept that she knew what she was doing.

Because if Sal was going to survive the next few days - or even weeks - she didn't need any of her men doubting her.

Chapter Five

Emperor's Army, Central Unav

In far Eastern Unav, Narnx was riding with the Delta section of the Black Widow Company. The men around him laughed and joked like all the rest of the Terrans, but that didn't mean they were the same. It had taken weeks to get them all recruited, and then a few more before they started trusting Marin, their section commander. None of them trusted Narnx yet.

After Salryc Luxx had been captured, she'd exposed the Emperor's connection to him. The man was his biological sire. Narnx would never think of him as a father, though. Still, people no longer wondered why he was allowed to live. No, he was the Emperor's son, born from a purebred iliri bitch, but raised as a "human." Or so the Emperor said.

It wasn't exactly true. Narnx had been raised as the "help" in the house, kicked into the military as soon as possible, and left to work his way up on his own. Until Sal said something, he'd had no clue, but she said she could smell it. He believed her, because it made all the mysteries in his life make a lot more sense.

And for the Conglomerate spies around him - men who all belonged to a unit called Star Fall - they would see Narnx as the second biggest threat in the war. There was no way for them to know that he was also a traitor. Possibly the biggest one of all. Instead, it was easier to let them believe that Marin was the turncoat, the man working to thwart the Terran Empire from the inside. Narnx didn't care. It was one more layer of protection for his Kaisae.

But something had happened. He wasn't sure what or why, yet he'd felt when his link to Sal had been pulled apart. Thankfully, she'd given him access to all of the rebel hubs, and Unav was filled with them. The chances of being more than a day's ride from at least one rebel linker was slim. But when a mind reached for his, it startled him enough that he sucked in a breath.

"Sir?" Marin asked, moving his horse closer.

Narnx caught the man's eye. "I need a distraction. Tell me something, and keep talking until I stop you."

"Yes, sir," Marin agreed before starting a list of the gear that showed wear.

Yeah, that would do it. Inventory was boring and tedious enough that Narnx could simply duck his head, pretend to listen, and completely tune the man out. When the iliri mind made a second request for a mental connection, Narnx accepted.

Who is this? he asked.

Hello, my friend. The mental voice was Sal's. I'm sorry about destroying our link, but I had a very good reason.

Such as? he asked, because if there was a spy in the iliri network, that was a big problem.

Sal's reply came back sounding very nonchalant. Oh, I died. I didn't stay dead, but the act of my dying and the links being ripped out would've still hurt, so Blaec told me to let go.

Sal? he asked, remembering all the rumors about insane Kaisaes.

The little woman actually laughed, although it sounded strained. It's a very long story, and one I'll tell you in the future. No, I'm still perfectly sane, my professors found a way to keep me that way, and Anglia got our asses handed to us. Narnx, I need an update.

He sighed in relief. She really did sound completely sane. Her mind felt stable. Considering who this was, he was sure there had to be a very reasonable - even if miraculous - explanation for everything, but it could wait. His information couldn't.

Well, your timing is perfect. We're heading north through Unav, about three weeks away from Terric, and a few days after that to Terric City. Makiel's in a full retreat.

Ok? she asked. So how many men do I have down here surrounding me?

You're surrounded?

Yep. But she didn't sound overly concerned about it. Then again, she hadn't when she was chained to a post in the middle of a Terran camp, either. Not until Blaec had been threatened. They don't know they have me pinned down, though. That's kinda why I'm asking.

Wait, that didn't make sense. All of Anglia?

No, just me and two humans, she clarified. Narnx, I need to know about the forces down here. My intel is saying almost fifty thousand soldiers, possibly more! Some Terran, some Escean. We're just south of the Chieftain's Plains, if that matters.

Kinda does, he admitted. The Emperor sent out riders to pull all Terran units back to Terric City. He wants to make a stand there, and he knows he's losing. Sal, he's frantic. He's ordered our Escean allies to cover our retreat, but you should know that they aren't happy about it. We've had some messages sent our way saying that he's in breach of the alliance agreement and that Escea agreed to be allies, not conscripts. Sounds like they've finally figured out that all he cares about is collecting bodies to throw at your army.

Now that's interesting, Sal thought. Ok, so the numbers I'm seeing are because they're replacing Terrans with Esceans?

Should be, he said. I've got almost all my units of Black Widows riding with us. The Alpha group is the only one who isn't here, and they've been ordered to rendezvous with us at Terric City, coming back from the Unav-Gallicor border. Sal, you need to know that Makiel trusts me completely. He told me he's leaving Escea to rot. You've come too far, too fast, and he'd rather lose that country than his own. He says they'd be too hard to civilize anyway, and they refuse to exterminate their slaves.

What?!

Yeah, seems Escea has some slaves with miraculous abilities, he continued. I have nothing concrete except my sire's wrath, but I think that says enough. I'm willing to bet that there can't be too many iliri there, but I simply don't know. Escea is a very strange country.

Not really, Sal told him. They're just humans who wish they were us. Ok... She paused as if she was thinking hard. You still have Star Fall?

They're right beside me, actually. Why?

Again, Sal paused, taking just a little too long to answer. Because I'm fucked, Narnx. I have over thirty thousand enemy soldiers to my south, more to my north, the east is pinched closed, and it's a long walk through all of this to the west.

Shit, he said, not meaning to send that. I know exactly where you are. We were supposed to have a blockade just south of the Chieftain's Plains, and the second wall of men is to cover the Emperor's retreat. You've got about a twenty-kilometer gap between them at best.

Sounds about right, she agreed. But my army is due south of me, on the wrong side of your soldiers. If I want out of this, I'm going to need to put on a human skin, avoid your fucking iliri hunting dogs, and head for the Siahies. There's a little farming town over there. It's where Kolt took me when we escaped from the Nebula II. Do you know it?

What's the name? Narnx asked.

Slate Ridge, she said, using the Glish version. I call it Cenla Xie.

The place you wanted me to send them. His lips curled into a smile. Yeah, I looked into it. Seems our soldiers aren't very welcome there. They have a small pass through the Siahies, but it was deemed unusable because of the defiance of the locals. It's literally right across the Escean-Unav border, right?

That's the one, she agreed. And the locals use the iliri name. It's one of the rebel safe spots. I'm calling them in, and I'm hoping you can find some excuse to send the CFC's men that way.

Ok?

Narnx, she said, letting some of her desperation leak into the feel of her words, we're outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and outplayed. I have one Devil Dog and one man from the 112th Mounted. No horses, minimal weapons, two days of dry ration packets, and no fresh water. I'm in a hill beneath the battlefield, just a washed-out den, basically. I've cut my links to everyone, including my cessivi! I'm almost alone, and if I'm going to survive this, then I'm going to need all the help I can get.

They don't trust me, Sal, he admitted. Star Fall knows Marin's a Terran traitor, but they think I'm completely loyal. We kept it like that just in case they got caught, so I can do what you need. But right now, I need a fucking excuse to get them to you. That's the only reason I haven't sent them yet. Help me out here?

Do you have any messengers coming in who might let slip something about the passes? Maybe you've been thinking about it, and you're worried that you're going to get flanked? She was sounding more and more worried. I don't know! She almost wailed into his head, and he could finally hear the strain she was under.

Kaisae, he soothed, I'll make it happen. If you need Star Fall to be in this town, then I'll fucking get them to this town, but it means I'm about to blow my cover.

Tell them Kolt is going by Syrik, she said. Tell them he's Taunor. Tell them his son is officially a Black Blade and thriving in Arhhawen. Tell them he is the price of my forgiveness for what they did to me in the bath. They'll believe you.

Ok. He lifted his eyes to Marin and shook his head, indicating to the guy that he wasn't quite done. Sal, we need you to stay safe. I need you to survive. One day, I want you to meet my son, ok? The one I'm going to have. I think you'll like his amma. She's the sister of one of your mates. One he never knew about.

Baeli, Sal breathed. Your mate is going to be Baeli Doll?

He was so shocked his next words just came out. How did you know!?

Because I've recently met her. She's with Anglia, one of the freed slaves from Merriton. She's Blaec's sister, Narnx, and she's one of the strongest women I've ever met. She's also very beautiful.

Yeah, I've seen her over and over, he explained. Always the same scene, but it's why I'm willing to risk everything. The joy in that moment? It's worth fighting for. Sal, take care of her for me, and I'll take care of you. Just... Promise me one thing?

I won't tell her, Sal swore, knowing before he said a word. I wouldn't want to ruin the ending, after all.

Thank you. Now do what you need to. I'll get you some backup. Even if I have to sneak them out in the middle of the night, I'll get them to you. And tell those humans that if they fuck this up, I'll tear their throats out myself.

You're going to make a good brother, Narnx, Sal thought as she released the link. But before she was gone from his mind, she told him, The plan is still a go.

Yes, Kaisae, he said, but he had no idea if she'd heard. Still, a little smile found his lips as he met Marin's eyes again. This time, he nodded. "I need to talk to your men."

"Sir?" Marin asked.

Narnx just sighed. "It's time."

"Delta!" Marin bellowed. "Pull in. The Commander has orders."

The men all began to trade glances, but they did as they were commanded. Emen moved up to Narnx's right-hand side. Tharp shifted around to Emen's far side, keeping the real leader of their unit just out of Narnx's reach. It was very well done, and the men were all using false names, but Narnx wasn't fooled. He just allowed these men to think he was.

But what he said next could destroy all the careful plans Sal had made. These were Conglomerate soldiers, not Anglian. If they chose not to trust him, then who knew what would happen next. They might make a run for it. They could cause enough disruption in the Terran ranks to make Makiel question his own son. Even worse, Narnx had never been able to see a human's future, so he couldn't even hope for a vision. In this case, he just had to trust that his Kaisae knew what she was doing.

"Men," Narnx started, looking around and meeting each of their eyes. "I need one of you to find a reason for the Black Widows' Delta Squad to be ordered to the Siahies."

"What?" Cheny asked, his shock audible. The air was filled with the scent of their unease.

Narnx just bobbed his head slowly as if he was considering that. "I need to get all of you out before you're locked into the city with us." He looked over to Tharp. "Sir, I really don't think it's where you want to be."

Everyone but Marin tensed. Hands drifted closer to weapons and eyes were locked on him hard enough that Narnx could feel it. He knew he was vulnerable here. Surrounded by a unit of Conglomerate elite soldiers, there was no way he'd make it out alive. Still, Sal thought these men could be trusted, so he'd trust them.

It was Marin, though, who lifted a hand, calming them. "Just relax," he told the men of Star Fall. "The last thing any of us need is the unit beside us wondering what's going on."

"What's he talking about?" Emen asked, his Terran accent flawless.

Narnx sighed. "We're on the same side, but working for two different nations," he told the First Officer. "Do you need a sign you can trust me?"

"The Emperor's son?" Tharp countered. "Sir, I think you are above reproach."

Narnx lifted his reins, slowing his horse to move beside the true leader of this unit. "If I said I'm fighting for hope, does that mean anything to you?"

Tharp's pupil's flared, but that was the only outward sign of his recognition. His scent, however, he didn't control as well. The man stank of fear. Narnx just nodded, proving he understood.

"Enik uses the name Syrik now. He's claimed Taunor, been made cessivi, and his son is safely in Arhhawen. She says he's the price you pay for what happened in the baths."

"Fuck," Tharp whispered. "She turned you?"

Narnx just leaned closer to him. "From the very first scent of her. Before she even knew I was turned. Yeah, where do you think Marin's orders come from? I have my role to play, and you've had yours. Our mutual friend doesn't want you in a position where you have to break your oaths or get caught, so we need to get you out."

"Where?" Tharp asked him.

"Slate Ridge, called Cenla Xie by the locals. She's headed there with two men - humans. I think she's calling in the Rebels."

"And us?" Tharp asked.

Narnx looked over at Marin. "I want you to take him. He's become my friend. The only one I've ever had. Take him, keep him safe, and make sure he gets to Valmere. His family is there."

"No," Marin said.

Tharp ignored him, his eyes on Narnx. "So you're not coming?" The accusation was clear in his tone.

"My job isn't done," Narnx explained. "After all, I am the Emperor's son, and right now, she needs to know everything I hear."

"Fuck me," Emen breathed. "That's how Anglia's been doing it? That's how they always know where we're going?"

"It's not a perfect system," Narnx told him. "Between the delay and the autonomy of our units, I can only share so much, but what I have is hers. It's how I'm paying my debt to her. Right now, that means sending Star Fall back home and hoping you'll do what needs to be done so she can rejoin her own army. She's cut off, she's virtually alone, and we're in the final stretch. It's your turn, men. I can't promise you'll live, but I can promise that your nation will remember you as heroes, not traitors."

Tharp nodded. "I don't trust scrubbers," he admitted. "I've always suspected there was some ulterior motive behind everything your kind does, but I think it works out well enough for me this time."

"For now," Narnx agreed. "Just don't forget that I'm doing this for her, and if you betray her, I'll make sure the entire Terran army destroys you. See, I have that power. Never mind what she will do to you. The only way you'll survive is if you do the right thing, Commander Tharp. When I gave Syrik her gear with the intention to get them both out, he said you were destined to help them. It seems that Blaec Doll had a vision. He said the Blades would need your unit. Today is that day."

Cheny huffed out a single laugh. "Back when we stopped his father's bribe," he told the others. "When they said their goodbyes. The Lieutenant said they'd help us get back because they'd need us later. This is what he meant?"

"It is." Narnx looked from man to man, meeting all of their eyes like a human would. "I don't care if you like her, hate her species, or anything else. You will find me a reason to send you to the Siahies, you will go to Cenla Xie, and you will keep the Kaisae alive." He finished in a hiss. "This is not open for negotiation. We are not friends. I will not pretend that we are, but I'll use you if it means an end to this war. Am I clear?"

The entire cluster around him snapped their hands to their heads in perfect Terran salutes. "Sir, yes, sir!" they barked out.

And if they fucked her over, Narnx would kill them himself.

Chapter Six

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

Thankfully, it was cold outside. Not as cold as winter up north, but definitely not warm. It meant the bodies around him weren't as rancid as they could've been. Almost two full days dead, a few were starting to swell, but others were still ok. Those were the ones Blaz sought out, looking for some uniforms that weren't completely destroyed.

In the distance, he could see other soldiers searching through the corpses. Maybe they were looking for the bodies of their friends, but it was more likely that they were doing the same thing he was: taking what they could. One by one, Blaz removed shirts, pants, belts, and swords. The weapons, he mostly discarded. He had a pair of ceramic daggers. Tyr had one good sword. It wasn't his preferred type, but it blended in well with the Terran style. Then there was Sal.

Somehow, she still had all of her weapons. After what she'd said, he had a feeling that Blaec was responsible for her sheathing everything and taking it with her. He couldn't prove it, and Sal wouldn't remember, but it was the only answer that made sense. She'd had her swords drawn when she'd fallen, and when Tyr had pulled off her clothes, they'd both been in their sheaths. The steel daggers, thankfully, were safely secured in her belt.

But clothes and weapons weren't all they needed. While Pig and Rais had given them both ration packs, the only food they had for Sal was a small pouch of dried human meat. It wouldn't last more than a meal, but the truth was, none of them had expected her to be fit to eat yet. They'd crossed the Terran line hoping she was alive, but doubting it. Now, he needed to think quickly.

There was one person who'd definitely know what she needed, so Blaz reached out. Jase? he asked.

The reply was immediate. What's wrong?

Nothing, Blaz promised him. I just need to feed your girl -

Our girl, Jase told him. If ya can na accept that ya are hers, then at least accept that ya have a claim ta her now.

Right. Blaz kicked at the naked corpse he'd just stripped. So, I have a lot of dead guys out here. I'm just not sure if they're any good, and um, I really don't know how to find a good cut of man-meat.

Jase made no effort to hide his amusement. The meat inside will be the best, he promised. Look fer a big guy, then cut the thigh meat closest to the bone. If it is na pink or red, it will taste off ta her. She can be picky, but she will na admit it. Ya want big pieces, and she will gulp them like an animal.

I'm ok with that, Blaz assured him. I just don't want to give her food poisoning from a rotten Terran. Ok, what about the rump? Chest? Arms?

Just look fer the meat ta be red. Na brown or grey. She likes thigh, but if ya wanna cut a man's ass off, then I do na think she would refuse. Again, a wave of Jase's amusement leaked across, but then he paused. What will ya eat?

I have human rations, Blaz told him. Grain and protein squares. We can make it a few days, and humans just get pissy when hungry, not lethargic. We'll make do.

Check the bodies. Terrans carry jerky and rations. Which meant that making do wasn't good enough for Sal's first mate. I need ya ta move fast, so ya can na be distracted. Ya need ta get Sal off the field as soon as ya can, then tell me where ya are when ya stop. I can na feel her.

I know, Blaz thought. It bothers her. Even with us, she still feels alone, but I'm trying, Jase. I'm trying to do everything you four would, ok?

I did na doubt ya. Jase's thought was oddly gentle. Ya have always been good ta her. Ya took care of her when ya did na have ta. I trust ya, Blaz, and ya will make a good Viernor.

So that's the word for the fifth mate, huh? Blaz knelt beside the corpse and cut into the leg. Tell Zep I never meant for this to happen, ok? I only came because Tyr needed a healer, and I knew I could help.

Ya had ta help, Jase corrected. That is how ayati works. And Zep does na mind. He is jealous because he does na know what ta feel about her taking another human, but he can na help that. It is just his way of trying ta come ta terms with all that happened. Ya are fine. We approve.

Good, Blaz thought, not really meaning to send it, but also not caring that he had. And you should know that what happened to her? It was bad.

We were told, Jase assured him.

She has scars. Big ones.

We do na care. Jase was easily countering everything Blaz said. The strange thing was that it actually made him feel better.

So he decided to just drop his last thing, and see if it went as well. I don't think I could go back. Now that I've been with her, Jase, I don't think I could ever just go back to how things were before.

Then do na, Jase assured him. Her love does na have limits, but she does have conditions. She does na like her men ta keep ta themselves. She does na want us ta make lines. If ya want her, then ya get the rest of us.

I'm actually ok with that, Blaz told him.

And ya will na go back ta the Conglomerate. If ya are her mate, it is forever. It is na a thing ya can change yer mind about. Ya can still go back now, but ever' time ya touch her, it will get harder. The more ya let her in, the deeper she buries herself in yer brain. It is na just the nature of being a Kaisae. It is also just who she is. Sal needs her love ta be boundless. If ya need time ta learn, that is fine, but if ya are na willing ta try, then ya should never have gone ta her.

Blaz just sighed, not even caring that the hunk of meat he was cutting looked like it was still fresh enough. No, that was nothing more than keeping his hands busy. His problem was that Jase had a point, and while it sounded so easy, it wouldn't be. Sharing her with at least four other men, probably more, would have moments where it grated on him. Leaving behind everything he knew? That would be even harder. The CFC was his home. He had family there, and it was a long way from Anglia for a visit. Then there was his unit.

I don't want to leave the 112th, he admitted. They've been my friends for a long time.

Then we can send Zep through the line, Jase told him. He is human. He could make it.

Really? Blaz asked. I mean, it's possible, but is it really worth the risk? And no, I'm not saying I won't; I'm just saying it'll be hard. I'm going to need some time when I get back to deal with that, ok? I mean, I get what you're saying, but I didn't really think it all through, and this is a big change for me.

Jase's reply came back sounding gentle. I know. Ya did na think; ya just did what ya had ta. That is why I know ya will be a good mate. It is also why I am telling ya this now, so ya have time ta come ta terms with it. If ya want Sal, then ya want her on her terms, and she is more than just a woman. She is...

Everything good in the world, and everything bad, all wrapped up into one woman trying desperately to carry it all, Blaz finished for him. Yeah. I've also seen her afraid, and it damned near tore me apart. She scares the shit out of me at times and makes me so happy as well. No, I'm not an idiot. I'll be what she needs, and I'll meet her demands - spoken or not. I'm just going to need a few pushes, and I'm hoping you'll be willing to help me with that?

Always, Jase promised. The Blades owe ya. When she needs ya, ya are there. I think I can remind ya that she is nicer ta sleep next ta than Rais Tolan.

Blaz snorted out a laugh. Yeah, she is. But I have another question. How much meat does she need to eat in a day? Like, a whole leg? Half? Most of a man?

Half a thigh will be enough, Jase promised. And raw is fine. Do na expose yer hiding spot with the smoke from a fire. Cut more fer her tomorrow, because she will na wanna eat human meat in front of ya and Tyr, so ya will need ta feed her. Ta make her do it.

I can do that. Oh, and when do you want updates? When we move, or when we stop?

Both, Jase decided. She will na remember ta do it herself, na with all the other things she is trying ta do. Once ya are out of the way, Anglia will hit that area. Hopefully, ta pull the Terrans away from ya. Also, know that her drive fer sex is high. Ever night, maybe more. She needs ta touch ya -

About that, Blaz interrupted. So, it feels like Tyr and I have to touch her. Like, we can't help but put our hands on her.

Oh? Jase asked, sounding just a little too casual about that.

Yeah. I mean, this may be crossing some line, but I don't care. See, she came awake fast, and jumped us. She saw the scars on my shoulder - that she'd left there back when we were all in Prin - and said I was hers. Then she bit the fuck out of Tyr. And it was like she decided something, and I felt this change in my mind. It was similar to when she gave me the ability to heal, but didn't hurt. Just like my brain flipped over or something.

Ok? Jase said.

And now, Tyr and I can't seem to keep our hands off her, Blaz admitted. It's like I feel complete when her skin is touching mine.

Then touch her, Jase told him. Touch her all ya can. If ya can feel it, then so can she. Her mind is seeking a pack, and she does na have a tie ta one. It is na natural fer our kind ta be alone. She needs ta get used ta yer smell, yer feel, and yer love. Getting her out of the middle of that army? It will na be easy, but that does na mean ya can na use the time ta know her better. Just do na forget that she is na human.

No, Blaz assured him. That's one thing I'll never forget. Is there anything else I need to know?

One thing. She is the Kaisae. Na a Kaisae, but the. She is na weak, na even when she is at her worst, so do na let her feel sorry fer herself. Push her. She will rise ta the need. The more ya need her, the more she will give. That woman lifted an entire species up because she did na know she could na. Do na let her stop now. I am na there ta drive her, so I need ya ta do it, Blaz.

Believe it or not, Jase, I can handle that.

Good, and I am always here when ya need advice. Just a thought away. She does na need ta know, either. We may be hers, but sometimes it is better fer her na ta see all the ugly bits.

Blaz ducked his head to smile at the ground. Thanks, man. I actually needed that. I know you've always had a direct line to her, and I really don't want to fuck this up, so yeah. I may have worried a little about who I could ask.

I am her first mate, Jase told him. Just because I am na that now does na mean that I will na be again. My job is ta handle the things she should na. Zep's is ta distract her while I do. Kolt's is ta give us someone ta lean on. Gage organizes it all. Ya? We will figure out where ya fit, but ya still get the benefits of the pack. Use us. Ask us. Even if ya think it is stupid, we will na. This is what it means ta have brothers.

You're making it a lot easier to accept leaving the 112th, Blaz admitted, but I also have a hunk of some man's leg cut and ready for our girl. I should get back, and I have a funny feeling she'd know if I was still picking your brain. We'll head out tonight at dark. I'll send you a thought.

Thank ya, Jase told him. Na fer that, but fer this. Fer being there, and fer taking the chance even when ya thought ya did na have one. It could be the thing ta save our species.

I'm not that special, Blaz reminded him.

Yeh, Jase said, ya are. Ya are a human who convinced the Kaisae of all Anglia ta live again. I think that makes ya the most special person on the continent.

Chapter Seven

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

Sal's clothes had been completely destroyed. She picked through the bits the guys had thrown to the side, but it was useless. Well, except her boots, belt, and the parts easily stripped away. Her shirt had been cut, and her pants hadn't fared much better. Tyr's shirt was coated in both mud and blood, making her hesitant to wear it. That meant she got to wait, naked, until Blaz found something that would work.

It felt strange - all of this - but the guys were making the best of it. She wasn't. Her mind kept going back to what had happened in the void and all the things Blaec had said. Mostly that he'd died so that she could live. The feeling that caused was heavy and hard to describe, but she knew it: guilt. She'd felt it on Zep when his mother told him she was dying.

It was a horrible feeling, but the worst part was that she understood. If their roles had been reversed, she would've done the same. It even made sense why Blaec hadn't warned her. Knowing her actions would cause his death, she would've been more careful. She wouldn't have gone out to check on Shade that night. She would've played it safe, and by doing so, avoided the outcome their species needed simply because she was too weak to give up the people she loved.

Blaec hadn't been. He'd always been the strong one, but she didn't like that type. His strength had been the lonely kind, and it made him so fragile in other ways. Looking back, Sal knew that she would've made the worst mistakes, so she could finally forgive him, but she still missed him so bad. Yet if she was honest with herself, she also liked her new life better.

Well, the life she'd had up until now. The one she'd left behind when she'd died. That meant this was the third version. There was Sal with Blaec, Sal after Blaec, and Sal after her own death. She just hoped that if she tried hard enough, she could turn this one into something worth living for, because she'd tasted happiness, and she wasn't ready to give it up.

The problem was that she didn't need to be thinking about this right now. They had things to do, and no way to do them. She should be planning, not worrying about things she couldn't change until later. First, she had to survive, and that meant focusing on the next step, not the what-ifs that may never come to be. Step one, living long enough to get out of this mess.

Sitting in the far corner, Tyr played with her swords as if testing them. He didn't make any false swings or thrusts. Instead, he simply looked at them, tilting the blades in the dim light from the opening above. From the expression on his face, he was impressed.

"You want to use those?" she asked.

"Yeah, actually." He pushed the white blade back into the sheath. "I figure you have your steel. Blaz has some ceramic daggers, and I'm really hoping he can find a crossbow out there. All I've got is a shit sword that's likely to break with the first block, and I've always liked sabers. I actually specialized in them. These will stand out, but if I wrap the hilts and kill anyone who sees me pull them, I'll have a chance."

Sal tossed the scraps of her ruined shirt at him. "How do you feel about black? Terrans use it."

She expected a smile but didn't get one. He simply put his hands to work tearing off strip after strip. His scent also changed, but she couldn't quite identify the emotion. It was a mix of sadness, excitement, and fear - which made no sense. Well, or too much, depending on how hard she thought about it.

"Hey," she said, making her way back over to sit beside him. "I'm sorry, ok?"

He turned to look at her, nothing but confusion on his face. "For what?"

She just gestured at him. All of him. "The whole mate thing. Every instinct in my body says to tell you I'm ok, I don't need you to do this for me, and things like that. I also know that the professors were very clear about this. I do need mates. If I want to stay sane, I need a bond to hold my mind together. Tyr, I want to live bad enough that I didn't give you a choice."

He dropped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her against his side. "I didn't think you would. Besides, you're a pretty good fuck." He flashed that smirk he did so well.

But she couldn't smile back. "So why don't you smell happy about this?"

"Fucking iliri," he grumbled, the smirk fading fast. "Look, I didn't really think this through, ok? Joe said that the iliri weren't frenzying, which meant you had to be alive. If you were alive, you needed help, and Odi said there were iliri-tracking dogs. That meant humans had to cross the line, and we all knew that you'd cut yourself off from everything, so, um..." He glanced up at the opening he'd come through early that morning. "Blaz and I just acted. We didn't stop to think about all the crap that came next. We just got our shit together and made it out here - and now you're alive."

"And?" she pressed.

He bent to kiss the top of her head. "I like this, Sal. I've always liked you, but I never expected to be here, with you lying naked against my side, ok?"

"That's not what I'm smelling," she insisted.

"No, it's not." He pulled in a deep breath and flopped back against the dirt wall, giving in. "You're a Blade. I'm a Dog. You're iliri. I'm human. You're important. I'm pretty badass, but there are a million men in this army just like me. I don't know politics. I don't have a fucking clue how to deal with pack crap. I certainly don't have any instincts when it comes to iliri stuff, ok? That's what's bothering me. I kinda jumped in feet first, and right about now, I've figured out that this pool is a lot deeper than I expected. I'm just trying to figure out what to do about it."

She nodded, thrusting out her lower lip. "And you're hiding something."

"I'm trying not to turn into some stupid human man fawning over his celebrity crush, ok? And speaking of that, you know Blaz hasn't slept in over a day, right?"

"Not at all?" She knew he was changing the subject, but let him.

Tyr shook his head slowly. "Sal, that man is seriously in love with you. Has been for a while. I mean, I don't know him well, but a few of his unit mates have said things, so I figure you deserve to know."

"What kind of things?"

Tyr made a noise in the back of his throat like he was thinking about that. "He's a bit of a hard-ass. A nice guy, but serious - that kind of hard-ass. He's also a little bit sensitive, but he tries to hide it. He doesn't make friends easily, and yet it took only a few seconds for him to decide you were worth risking his unit's reputation for." Tyr lifted a brow. "Maybe it's me, but one of those things isn't like the others."

Sal curled herself against his side. "I think Blaz is one of those people who needs to be needed. It makes him feel like he matters. So much so that he'll put everyone else before himself."

"Just like you," Tyr said, closing his eyes as he wrapped his arms tightly around her body. "We'll need to make sure he doesn't run himself into the ground, push too far, and get himself killed. Which means you can't either."

"Help me?" Sal asked.

"Baby, I am the biggest slacker in the world. Yeah, I think I got..." He paused. "This," he finished as they both heard a sound.

A moment later, something blocked the light at the entrance. Tyr reached to his side for her sword, but his hand barely touched it before a Terran uniform was pushed into the den with them. After it came a few weapons and two heavy pouches that looked to have previously been shirts. When all of that was in, Blaz poked his head through.

"Sal?" he whispered. "Catch, because I've been trying to keep this out of the dirt." Then he tossed something right at her.

She caught it, but the sound was soft and a little wet. Beside her, Tyr grumbled in disgust, but she could smell it. Her stomach rumbled in response even as she tried to figure out where Blaz had found such an impressive piece of meat. It was still red, smelled fresh, and big enough that she needed both hands to hold it.

"Eat it," Blaz said as he worked his body through the opening.

Dust and dirt drifted down with him, leaving a layer on the gear he'd just dropped. Sal found herself looking between the meat and the man who barely fit through that opening. She wondered how Tyr would get out, but she also wanted to make sure that the dirt didn't coat the food she'd just been given. The food she wanted to eat, but not until Blaz told her where he got it.

The truth was that this entire situation was awkward. Sal felt like everything she did, even sitting beside Tyr without any clothes, was somehow a mistake. The problem was that she didn't really have any other option. She couldn't just go grab a leg of lamb or find a clean uniform. She didn't have the option of walking out of the room and never looking back. What had happened was real, and it wasn't going away, so she needed to figure out quickly how to be ok with this.

"The meat's for you, Sal," Blaz said once he was back on his feet. "We can't risk a fire, but I'm pretty sure you don't care."

She could smell the sweet, metallic scent proving it was human, but still had to ask, "Where did you get this?"

"He was wearing your uniform." Blaz glanced at her quickly before turning his eyes back to the gear he'd found. "And so far as I care, no need for manners in a dirt cave. Right now, the important part is that we're all ready to go by nightfall."

"Go where?" Tyr asked.

"Cenla Xie," Sal said, feeling like she'd repeated that name a few times too many. "West. It's a small farming town in the mountains, filled with Unavi rebels. If Narnx is correct - "

"You talked to him?" Blaz asked.

She nodded. "Everything is in motion, we just have to get out from between these two lines." Overly aware that both men were watching her, she lifted the hunk of raw meat to her mouth and took a small bite. "So you need to get at least a little rest, Blaz."

"I'm fine," he insisted.

Tyr gently eased himself away from Sal and crawled over to the stash of items. "I'll sort this. You cuddle with her and get your fix. If you happen to close your eyes, I'll keep watch, and a couple of hours is better than nothing."

"Tyr," Blaz grumbled, "I'm honestly fine. I've stayed awake longer than this and survived."

"And who's to say you'll get to sleep tomorrow or the day after. We can't move for a few hours, and you need sleep." Then Tyr grinned. "I mean, she could always suck you off. That always makes me pass out."

"Fine," Blaz grumbled.

That he didn't put up much of a fight proved that Tyr was right. Sal watched, carefully chewing her dinner like a lady even though she wanted to gulp it down. Thankfully, Blaz didn't hesitate to sit beside her, and the sigh that came from him was the exhausted kind.

"You gonna eat that?" he asked.

She took another small bite. "Mhm."

He gave her a weary smile. "Guess this means I'm a failure as a provider, huh? Didn't even get something good enough to make you lose your manners."

"Blaz," Tyr warned.

But Blaz ignored him. "I can go out and find something better if you want?"

"It's good," Sal told him.

"Too old?" he asked. "Because I'm ok with killing one of those looters up there. Gotta take care of my girl, right? So she can take care of me?"

"No," Sal said, feeling like she was making a mess of their first day together. "I just..."

"You're making her feel weird," Tyr said, the accusation in his tone impossible to miss.

"If it was good, then she'd devour it. I've seen nuvani eat before, and quite a few iliri." Blaz looked at Tyr and lifted his chin. "She's picking at her meal because we're human and so is her dinner. Now, I can't tell if I fucked up cutting the piece, or if it's been dead too long, or if I just need to push her a bit until she realizes that I don't give a shit if she has the manners of a lady or a Devil Dog - "

"Hey," Tyr snapped.

But Blaz lifted a brow. "You going to tell me you know how to use a fork?"

"I'm trying not to gross you out," Sal snapped.

"And there it is," Blaz said, shifting a little so he could lie down, resting his head in her lap. "Sal, I've known you for a while now. You have never bothered me. In fact, you gave me a crash course on iliri, back in Prin. You know, when you bit the shit out of me and then healed it all up. Know what? It made me respect your species more. Eat, Kaisae. When all of that is inside you, I'll close my eyes and maybe even sleep."

Tyr grunted thoughtfully. "I have an idea. How about we spend these next few days trying to just be ourselves? You know, to make sure this shit works. I'll be rude, Blaz will be nice, and Sal will be terrifying." He picked up a shirt, turned it in his hands, and then folded it neatly. "The way I see it, this whole mate thing is like marriage, right? And we jumped in without thinking, so we'd better figure out if we're all compatible before we get too attached."

"I guess," Sal said.

From her lap, Blaz said, "So give us your worst, Sal. No pretending to be something we aren't. I'm perfectly ok with being mated to an iliri Kaisae - and everything that comes with it. You're not scaring me off. Fuck, you've been my best friend for a while, so I think I know what I'm talking about."

"I'm just uncouth," Tyr joked, flicking a finger at her. "Yum, yum, baby."

So she gave in and tore off a mouthful of what had once been a man. Still chewing, she looked down at Blaz, braced to see disgust in his eyes. Instead, the man just smiled and let his lids slide closed.

"That's my girl," he said softly.

She took another bite, watching his chest rise and fall. Each breath was a little deeper and a bit slower than the one before. It didn't take long before he was truly asleep.

"See?" Tyr asked, keeping his voice low. "He's a bit of a hard-ass, but the nice kind."

"So are you," she countered.

He huffed, the sound forced out. "No, baby. I'd like to think I'm the nice kind, but I'm not a hard-ass. I'm more of a bend the rules kinda guy. And before you ask, I'm ok with you getting all cuddly with him. I'm more ok with you getting all cuddly with me. I like the way iliri do things, so you can put that right out of your head. Him? I'm pretty sure that he's a little shy, but only because he doesn't want to fail, not because he dislikes the idea." He ducked his head to make eye contact, ensuring she was paying attention. "And I mean all the ideas. What you eat, how you fuck, and all the other iliri things I have a feeling you're worried about. We've been living beside you long enough to not care."

"This is just... weird," she admitted.

"Kinda amazing, too," he said. "But yeah, I mean, I get what you're saying. A few days ago, I never would've expected to be here, but now I am. I'm living it up, Sal. He's living his dream. Sure, I'm kinda wondering if you wish someone else had come, and I'm sure he's got his own concerns, but so what? I can take anything you throw at me."

She shoved the last bite between her lips and licked her fingers clean. "You sure about that?"

"Try me, Sal." Tyr met her eyes, the look in his completely serious. "I've been crushing on the leader of my country for long enough that I'll overcome any challenge she gives me."

She just draped her arm across Blaz's waist and got comfortable. "We'll see. Can you wake me when the sun goes down?"

Tyr went back to sorting Blaz's loot. "Promise."

Chapter Eight

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

"Sal." A hand gently shook her shoulder. "C'mon, baby, the sun's going down. Time to wakey-wakey."

Tyr. It wasn't his voice that let her know who was waking her, although that helped. Not even the thoughts drifting from his skin did it. No, it was something deeper. What she had with these two was definitely not a cessivi bond, but it was some kind of bond. She could feel it, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized that her other mates had been the same way.

Things with Razor had been tentative until the moment she sank her teeth into his body. From there, it had built so quickly. With Jase, she'd resisted biting him - unless they were in maast - not wanting to be a beast. Blaec had loved more like a human, but even with him, they'd finally found their place with each other when they settled their dominance with that fight in Yager's Crossing.

With Blaz and Tyr, there hadn't been time for flirting, falling in love, or getting to know each other as more than just friends. She'd claimed them, and that made the attachment impossible to miss. She liked it, though. The feeling of them beside her made her smile as she opened her eyes. Being with them was nice, but it also brought up every insecurity she'd ever had. Now, she had to figure out how to get over it.

"Ready to give me clothes?" she asked.

Blaz grunted, but she had a feeling that was the sound of a half-asleep man trying not to laugh. Tyr just smiled deviously. "No," he admitted.

"Ok, then give them to me anyway."

He pressed a uniform into her hands the moment she sat up, but Tyr's eyes made a lazy trip down her naked body while he did so. He was already dressed, wearing a dusty black and purple uniform. Blaz was in the process of buttoning up his own shirt. With so little space, privacy was not an option, so Sal made her way to her feet and did her best to get dressed, but the clothes were too big.

That wasn't surprising. Most humans were larger than her, even the women. Considering that Terric had a similar ratio of male to female soldiers as the Conglomerate, it meant finding a dead woman in her size would've taken hours. A small man would've been a lot easier.

Which also brought up her next problem. "So," she said, looking at the pants which hung well past her feet, "I'm going to need to look like something other than an iliri."

"Good call," Blaz said, accepting that easily.

Both men knew she could change her shape, but Sal wasn't sure if either had actually seen it. "I'm pretty sure Terric knows I can do this."

"They do?" Tyr asked.

"Um, when Kolt and I were trying to get back to Issevi, one of the Terran guards we came across didn't care that I looked like a human woman." She licked her lips. "So, it's probably safer if I'm not one."

"And the other option is?" Tyr asked.

"A man," she mumbled.

Blaz looked surprised. Tyr was nodding appreciatively. Neither seemed upset with the idea, so Sal began her change. She needed to be taller. Her body had to change proportions. Her chest flattened, her ears moved down, and the fit of her pants changed while she made herself as perfect as possible. Her goal was a dark version of the guy she'd made her first time - the one who was supposed to be Arctic.

"The hair's going to be a problem," Blaz pointed out. "Terran soldiers don't wear it long, and I'm not a fan of cutting it."

Sal could only change so much about herself, but if she curled her hair a little more, maybe that would work? They didn't have time to put it in the hundreds of tiny braids that Zep used to wear. Still, the Terran army had been in the field long enough that none of the men would look pristine and perfectly groomed, so she settled on a frizzy mass.

Her goal was to be a boringly dark-skinned man, neither too dark nor too light. She chose something similar to Rayna's coloration. Her body was long and lean to make the clothes fit, but she knew her face was beautiful. She'd made it that way after admiring Arctic, yet it wasn't exactly feminine.

She was a man, and stuck in a situation where she really needed to be a woman. How was she supposed to bond with these guys if she wasn't their type? And if she did bond, what then? Would that mean they didn't want her as a woman?

The insecurities running around her head were almost debilitating, so Sal pushed them away. Right now, she didn't need to deal with all that crap. They were ok with this. They'd both said it – and bluntly. That meant it wasn't a problem, but being away from her pack had her fretting about everything. She felt more vulnerable than she ever had before, but that was all in her mind.

She just had to keep moving forward so she could eventually get back where she belonged. This had to happen, and she couldn't stop to worry about the new problems it would make. Those would be handled when they needed to be. She was just going to do what she had to and make it all work.

"I can help with the hair," Tyr said, moving toward her. "You aren't tender-headed, are you?"

"No," she told him, but the sound came out deeper than she was used to.

He chuckled. "That's going to take some getting used to." Deftly, he separated out a chunk of hair and began twisting. "Mine gets like this when I let it grow out, so bear with me." He moved to the next section. "Oh, and when we're around anyone else, I'm calling you Jase, ok? Since Terric only knows his full name and callsign, that shouldn't tip anyone off."

"Works for me," Sal agreed. "I mean, it'll definitely get my attention."

"Good."

Within minutes, Tyr had fumbled through making man-Sal's hair into a manageable mess. Across the top of her head, he twisted it in chunks to mimic dreads, then pulled those all back to the base of her neck. There, he wrapped the whole thing into something resembling a bun. She couldn't see it, but it felt like the kind of style that would be functional instead of attractive.

Her shirt also fit a lot better, hanging properly over her shoulders without being strained across her chest. She'd made herself just tall enough that her pants wouldn't drag on the ground, which meant a bit shorter than Blaz and a lot shorter than Tyr. Walking felt strange, the seam of her pants constantly reminding her that what was between her legs had also changed, but she could manage.

"Think they'll recognize me?" she asked, her voice coming out deeper than normal.

"Nope," Blaz assured her. "I'm pretty sure your features look nothing like your real ones - and..." He offered her belt, complete with the pair of steel daggers. "The strangest part is that you still kinda look like you."

"What?" she asked, because that wasn't what she wanted.

Blaz waved her down. "I mean the mannerisms and expressions, not your features."

"You're a pretty boy, too," Tyr told her. "The kinda guy Perin goes for, and I've noticed that a lot of soldiers are uncomfortable with the idea of a man who's into men."

"Oh?" she asked. "So you going to stand in as my lover if we get stopped?"

Tyr grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. Without hesitation, he pushed his mouth over hers, forcing her lips to part so his tongue could gain entrance. It wasn't what she'd expected, and while it felt strange - her neck wasn't bent as far and her lips were shaped very different - she found herself kissing back. He tasted the same, but the passion was different. Restrained almost, but definitely still there, and he wasn't backing away. That made her a little bolder, reaching up to press a too-large hand against his chest. Tyr smiled, breaking the moment, but he didn't pull away.

"I know you're not a man, Sal," he said softly. "I was willing to kiss Blaz to get to you. I think I'm willing to kiss your disguise to do the same, ok?"

"It feels weird," she told him. "Like I don't know what's going on."

His smile grew a little more. "Kinda tingly down between your legs?" Then he reached between them, grabbing her right there.

She gasped, because that was not at all what she'd meant, but his hand on her arm prevented her from retreating. The one cupping her balls? Yeah, it was having an effect. She could feel her new dick swelling, and it wasn't a completely uncomfortable sensation.

"Get used to it," he warned. "Happens all the time, usually when you least want it to."

Blaz groaned. "I never thought I'd say this, but Tyr, get your hand off her dick."

"What?" Tyr asked, refusing to move. "Don't tell me you weren't wondering if it worked."

"I hadn't really thought about it," Blaz admitted.

Tyr slid his hand higher as he thrust out his lower lip and nodded. "She's a grower, not a shower."

Sal refused to moan, because she could definitely feel that. Instead, she lifted his hand away from her crotch and headed for her boots. They would be a bit of a problem. Tiny little Sal-feet did not go well with this tall of a man, but what other choice did she have? Bending over to put them on, she had to focus on making adjustments to her shape, and thankfully, that made the new and annoying part of her body relax again.

"How about we keep this a little more platonic?" she suggested. "At least until I figure out how to control this body."

"Or until you revert to a woman at night," Blaz suggested. "Because while Tyr has just proven that he's into pretty much anything, I do have a fondness for women."

"Like Tyr said, use it as a chance to get to know each other?" Sal offered.

"Sal," Blaz said, moving up beside her. "You know us."

"I know you as friends," she reminded him. "Not as men I've slept with."

"It's pretty much the same thing," he promised, glancing at the opening. "But if that's what you want, then sure. Although I think it's dark enough to go. You ready or want to talk this out?"

She checked her belt again, making sure she had her steel blades. A look proved that Tyr had her swords belted around his waist, the hilts wrapped with strips of black cloth to hide the distinctive color. Blaz had his daggers hanging from his belt in the same manner Tyr wore the swords: vertically instead of the horizontal style she preferred. They all looked like Terrans, they were armed, and they pretty much had nothing else to carry with them that the guys hadn't shoved into a pocket.

"I guess this is as good as it gets," she decided. "Blaz, you get to go first, and help me get this gangly body of mine up to ground level."

"And I'll lift," Tyr offered.

It wasn't pretty. In truth, it was more dusty than anything else, but they managed. Blaz pulled himself through the hole using nothing more than his own upper body strength. He and Tyr got Sal through, lifting and pushing until she could get a knee hooked on the ground to push herself out. Tyr was a little harder, but mostly because the opening was the exact same size as his shoulders.

Outside, the smell was the first thing she noticed. Winter kept the battlefield from rotting too fast, but the scavengers had already moved in. Mostly birds, their movements barely visible in the darkening twilight. She knew there would probably be other things, but Sal wasn't worried about those. Wildlife would avoid the three of them. There was simply too much food available to risk a fight.

But her human eyes worked just like her iliri ones. As night took over, colors faded, but Sal could still see. The sky was clear, a few wispy clouds still bright with the last hint of the sunset mixed with the first stars. In the distance, something moved, but Sal didn't think it was human. While Blaz and Tyr brushed the dust from their clothes, she scanned the scene for any sign of Terran soldiers.

She found nothing - at least not here. "I think we're safe," she said, keeping her masculine voice low so it wouldn't carry.

"All right." Blaz caught her hand and stood, lifting her along with him. "At least we know which way to go."

And he headed directly toward the lightest part of the sky. West. Cenla Xie was to the west, and that was the only known safe route out. In the back of her mind, she could feel Blaz using the link to reach for someone else, but she decided not to ask. He'd tell her if he thought she needed to know. Until then, she was going to let these two take care of her.

After all, they were her mates now. The four men who'd previously held that title were busy handling the mess she'd made. She couldn't ask them to stop just to waste time telling her the same thing they'd already said, even if a part of her wanted to. They'd already told her this was ok. They'd made it clear that they didn't mind her having more lovers - especially not these two.

The truth was that she didn't mind either; she just thought she should. She felt like she needed to be worried about something, because her anxiety had nothing else to latch onto. All her life, she'd been raised to think of herself as bad in some way. Lesser, maybe. Humans spoke of iliri orgies with disgust. They claimed her people were little more than animals. She'd been raised to think that her natural instincts were something to shun or be ashamed of, but they weren't. This was honestly ok, and she was going to figure out how to accept that.

She'd come a long way from the weak and obedient little girl who'd first joined the Black Blades. A year ago, she would've been nervous to be alone with two human men. Now? She was nervous, but not for the same reason. No, Sal's biggest problem was that she actually wanted this thing with them to work out.

Chapter Nine

Anglian Army, Escea

Kolt looked at the tree a little harder. He could see the bird settling down for the night, its brown and tan feathers blending into the dark, leafless branches. It was too far away to see perfectly, and the light was low enough to turn it more grey than brown, but the thing wasn't so far that he couldn't still "reach" it. Focusing as hard as he could, he carefully pulled, not wanting to yank too hard, but he needed it closer. He had to move the creature from its place on the branch to his hand.

The shift came quickly. The bird that was over there was now here, in his hand, but limp. The body was still warm, one wing still out, but lifeless. Desperately, he tried to jostle it, hoping the thing was simply sleeping.

It wasn't.

With a heavy sigh, he tossed the body down beside him, wondering what he'd done wrong. The poor thing looked perfect. The feathers were only ruffled where his fingers had moved them out of place. Its eyes were even open, but it was definitely dead. There was no moment he could find where something had gone wrong. The fetch simply left the life behind.

The grasses he pulled always died, but that made sense. The flowers wilted faster than if they'd simply been picked. Now, the bird. Kolt could open a lock with his mind, he could move things around, but his skill had some serious limitations. He couldn't send things to a person out of his perception, and he couldn't move life.

So how could he work around this? He knew he could pull Sal's weight. He'd lifted things heavier with his mind, but it wouldn't do him any good to fetch her across the line of Terran soldiers just to kill her. He'd much rather collect a large pile of birds, rabbits, and other small game. At least those could serve as dinner when he exhausted himself.

"Hey." The voice belonged to Razor. "Need a mind to bounce ideas off?"

Kolt looked up. "Was I that obvious?"

"Not really," Razor admitted. "I came to tell you that Roo's starting dinner, but saw the bird."

"It's dead."

Razor just lowered himself beside Kolt. "Ok, why? Don't think, just tell me what you feel."

"I leave the life behind," Kolt said. "Even with flowers and fruit. I mean, I always knew that fruit spoiled faster if fetched, but it wasn't a problem. This morning, I tested it with a flower. I picked one and fetched one. The fetched one wilted first by a few hours." He flapped a hand toward the bird's corpse. "And that I just pulled from the branch. It appeared still warm, but very dead."

"Ok..." Razor said, clearly thinking. "So you're missing some aspect of it." Then he paused, his eyes losing focus as he reached out with his mind.

Kolt couldn't hear what he said or who he was talking to, but he could guess. Razor was the fixer. He was the guy who'd kept the rest of them somewhat sane when Sal cut them loose. It was almost as if he'd taken it upon himself to care for Sal's cessivi, which meant he was probably calling Jase or Zep.

That would lead to a big, long discussion about how Sal would be ok. She'd find a way to make it through this. They had to trust her. Ayati was on their side and had proven it time and time again. He knew all the lines, but that didn't mean he was willing to just sit here and not even try. If a few birds and weeds died, what difference did it make? Their lives were nothing in comparison to hers.

But the silence didn't last long. A rustle in the grass made Kolt look to his right in time to see Hwa heading his way. There was something in the grauori's mouth, and it was moving. Looking closer, Kolt thought it might be a mouse, maybe a rat, or possibly one of those other ground rodents in this area. Definitely not something to eat.

I found this, Hwa said into their minds. They taste horrible, so we shouldn't eat it if it dies.

Kolt's head snapped back to Razor. "You..."

"I figured that maybe the problem is the perception," Razor said, "so I asked Hwa if he'd hunt for us. He's a lot faster than we are."

I know where there are more, Hwa promised.

"Ok." Kolt bobbed his head in a nod, unable to believe these two were willing to help. "Um, so, Hwa? How about you stay there, link with me, and let's see if I can feel something new?"

Hwa immediately offered his mind. Kolt accepted it, stunned for a moment by the intensity of the grauori senses, then he focused on the rodent wiggling, trying to reach around and bite at Hwa's lips. The grauori had it tucked behind his canines, held securely, but not so hard that he would crush it. And yes, it did taste foul against Hwa's tongue, but lying in his friend's mouth, Kolt could sense it better than anything he'd tried before.

He focused on the life, the desperation of the thing as well as the rest of its body, and tried one more time. He wanted it to appear in his hand, ready to bite, twisting around itself. He needed that spark of life to move with the body it was in. He needed to make this work!

He pulled.

The little body was light brown with dark stripes and light bands across the back. Its color almost reminded him of a fawn, but he could see it so easily because it did not move. Not even a bit.

"Fuck this," Kolt snarled, throwing the dead rat as far as he could.

Something else could eat it for all he cared. He hated killing these things, but what else could he do? Until he could figure out how to fetch something alive, Sal would still be out there, lost between thousands of soldiers who wanted to kill her, and still so far away that it was driving him insane.

"Hey," Razor soothed. "We'll keep trying."

"Why bother?" Kolt asked. "Over and over, it's always the same. I know how to fetch, Gage. I know my skill better than most iliri. I used it to keep myself alive, and I'm damned good at it, but I can't fucking do this. I don't want to do this. I just want her back!"

Razor turned, wrapping his arms around Kolt's shoulders to pull him into a tight hug. "I know," he breathed. "It's ok. We all do, and we're as frantic as you are. Jase is feeling this too."

"What this?" Kolt mumbled against his brother's shoulder.

Razor gently rubbed a hand down Kolt's back. "You're meant for her. She's not here, and you have no tie. Somehow, Sal managed to let you two go without breaking that need. She didn't refuse you and your body knows it, so it's punishing you for her absence." He leaned back to grab both sides of Kolt's face and look deep into his eyes. "That's what you're feeling, Syrik. This panic that's pushing you to do something? It's that need trying to force you to be with her."

"You really believe in that shit?" Kolt asked, leaning back to break the intensity of the gaze.

Razor nodded. "I do. I've watched it happen a few times now. Don't you?"

"I honestly don't know," Kolt admitted. "It just sounds like an easy excuse, you know? I like a girl, so I act like a dick. I've always been a dick, and trust me, plenty of people have told me."

"I don't feel that pull," Razor told him.

Kolt's forehead creased. "To Sal?"

"To Sal," Razor confirmed. "I think she's beautiful, amazing, and all that shit, but the pull? Nope. Didn't get it. I'm not meant for her like you are."

Kolt just huffed. "I'd gladly trade."

"Would you, though?" Razor asked.

"Why not?" Kolt asked, realizing that at some point, Hwa had slipped away. "Why would you want this... thing?"

"Because it answers all the questions," Razor explained. "When I started feeling something for Sal, I was sure the guys would laugh at me. Of course I was interested. She's a Kaisae, right? And more than that, she's our Kaisae. The difference is that I could still go out and pick up crossbred girls, and in Prin, there are plenty that work for me. That taught Sal I didn't care enough. I was just a brother, no different from Shift."

"Yeah," Kolt countered, "but you didn't spend seven years thinking your dick was broken."

Razor chuckled. "No, I didn't. Instead, I almost fucked it all up. Blaec told me that if I moved too fast, she'd pick Blaz. I mean, I assume it's Blaz after what's happened now. He just said the horseman. I always thought it would be Rais for some reason - since he's the horseman - but looking back, it makes more sense if he meant Blaz."

"So where's the downside?" Kolt asked. "She can still make you cessivi, right?"

"In theory," Razor agreed. "Although the nuvani seem to think that it requires strength of mind and heart from both partners. If it was so easy for me to stick my dick in someone else for the last year or so, does that mean my heart isn't strong enough? I don't know, and that's what I'm saying. I don't know if falling for Sal is the exact wrong thing. I have no idea if we'll actually work together."

"You work," Kolt promised. "If anything, she's shocked at how easy the relationship is with you, and I think she likes that part. You make her feel comfortable."

"Not really the kind of compliment a man wants, though." Razor tilted his head, making it clear Kolt should know what he meant.

Kolt responded with a laugh, because he did. "Ok, but to her, it's a good thing."

"Oh, so I'm the old and ugly shirt she doesn't want to wear outside of her room? That thing she likes, but not enough to show off?"

"No," Kolt insisted. "No, that's not what I got from her at all. It's more that she knows you'll accept her how she is. You don't care if she has a bad day, is covered in something disgusting, or is just feeling lazy. You always think she's amazing and beautiful, and you make sure she knows it. Even when it's not something most people would consider sexy. You and Zep made her fall in love the normal way - or the way she thinks of as normal. You make her happy."

"So do you," Razor countered. "But with you and Jase? We knew the moment you arrived that you were a part of her story. She plans her actions already knowing what you'll both do. It's like you're a piece of her, and there's no separation from where your bodies end and hers begins. It's the kind of bond that people dream of, and I'll never have that. Sal and I will have to learn each other step by step."

"Huh."

Razor lifted a brow. "Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I always assumed this thing was a burden. A way to punish me because I left her in that house with her master. Listening to you, it sounds like something I should be proud of."

"Oh, it is," Razor told him. "Look at Jase. Look at how tightly those two have always been connected, and now? He's a mess, Kolt. He's thrown himself into this battle because otherwise? He'd just go back to the shadows. I'm pretty sure he's half-feral without her."

"Good." The word came from Kolt's mouth wrapped around a purr of approval. "It's about time."

"Have you ever seen him feral?" Razor asked.

"Nope." Kolt just looked over and met his brother's eyes. "But I can imagine, and right now, I think that's exactly what we're going to need to push these Terrans back."

"Yeah? Well, what do you think is happening to Sal on the back side of that line?"

Something inside Kolt eased a little as he thought about it. "I think she's making a plan, and whatever it is, it's going to be a good one."

Razor watched him for a moment, his eyes searching for something. "So you ready to stop killing small animals and come eat?"

"Yeah," Kolt said, pushing himself to his feet just to offer Razor a hand. "And thank you. Maybe it's best that you're not meant for her. And this could sound stupid, but maybe you're meant to keep me from fucking this shit up because I am?"

"I'll take it," Razor said, slapping his palm into Kolt's. "Zep for Jase; me for you. Almost like we're part of some bigger plan, huh?"

"I fucking hope so," Kolt breathed.

Chapter Ten

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

Walking was tedious, and slower than Sal liked, but her new longer legs made it easier. That the glow of the Terran camp was visible kept them all from talking unless they had to. Still, the three of them kept moving. Blaz had the lead. He was just ahead and to her left, and Tyr had taken a spot to her right, a little behind her. She knew what they were doing, but she didn't say anything because it was sweet.

These two humans were trying to not only be protective but also to make her comfortable by mimicking the habits she'd fallen into with her real mates. No, former mates? She didn't like that phrase either. Blaz and Tyr were real mates, and she had no intention of leaving the other four behind. They would all be her mates, one way or another. She just had to figure out a comfortable way to think about this.

Maybe new mates and old ones were the best terms? These mates and those? Except that would never work. If she talked to Jase, Zep, Kolt, or Gage, they'd call themselves "these" and the men with her "those." None of them were her cessivi anymore, so that didn't even work.

But at least it gave her something to think about, because she didn't need to dwell on all the other stuff. Not her stolen moment with Blaec and how some part of her wanted to see him again. Not the whispers in the back of her mind saying she'd screwed it all up with her cessivi. She didn't dare think about how she'd died and what that could mean, or how bad she wanted the Emperor to pay for it.

She'd been too scared to ask about her horse. Arden had fallen, and for all Sal knew, she could be dead. That horse was supposed to live long enough to make it back to Anglia and retire to produce the next generation of amazing foals. Hopefully, she'd followed the rest of her herd and made it back.

Zep would take care of her if she had, and Gage would handle everything else. He was good like that. In fact, he'd basically said that was his job. He wanted to be her hands, and she hadn't even made him cessivi. She could've, back then. The bigger question was if that still held true, and she wouldn't know until she could get back.

Sal looked over at the glow of a thousand campfires, sighed, then turned her attention to the land around her. The view wasn't very impressive. For as far as she could see, there was nothing but corpses. Most of them wore the black and purple of the Terran military. The rest were Esceans, although it didn't take much to figure out that fewer of them had died. Makiel loved to send his conscripted Terran soldiers out without any real training, sacrificing their human lives the same way the Conglomerate did with the iliri.

She let out a heavy breath and shifted around another lump of the dead, doing her best not to think about the smell. It wasn't exactly bad, but it definitely wasn't pleasant. It should help keep the soldiers away, though. But the change in angle let her see past one of the many hills and ridges that dotted the landscape. Movement caught her eye, and Sal stopped hard.

Tyr moved behind her, gently clasping her masculine shoulder. "What?" he asked, his words little more than a whisper.

"There's something up there," she told him, her voice just a bit louder, but deep enough that it wouldn't carry. "I'm pretty sure it's not a person."

"A horse?" Blaz asked. "I think that's what I'm seeing."

"You can see in this?" Tyr asked.

Blaz laughed. "No, but there's definitely a silhouette in the darkness, and if it's not a horse, it's a really big deer." Then he kissed at it the same way people did to a stray dog.

The thing lifted its head, proving Blaz was right. Sal caught Tyr's arm, keeping him from following. "See if you can catch it," she told Blaz.

"It's probably hurt," he pointed out. "There's no other reason they'd leave a warhorse on the field."

And you can heal it, Sal reminded him, refusing to say that out loud.

Tyr murmured appreciatively, proving that neither of her humans had thought about that. She was a little surprised Blaz hadn't, or maybe he had and just didn't want to offer up the option? She didn't really know him well enough to be sure.

Yeah, Blaz thought back, including both of them. This big guy's going to get lucky. Looks like someone cut his foreleg out from under him. Skin's mostly gone. Has an impressive hole in his side, too, just behind the front leg. Not fatal, but bad enough he can't go far. He reached the horse, calmly walking up to grab a rein. And the tack's not in the best shape.

Can we find more on a dead horse? Sal asked.

Tyr's answer came quick. I'll find something. Hard to miss a horse corpse, even in the darkness. You help with the live horse. And he took off to her right.

Sal? Blaz asked. How do I put this thing back together?

The same way you would Rax?

He turned back to wave her closer. I know Rax, and I'm not convinced I really know what I'm doing. Not after... you know.

Her. He meant that whatever he hadn't been able to fix inside her had shaken his belief in his ability. She headed toward him, trying to figure out what she could say to convince him that she would really be ok, because the truth was that she'd never thought about having her own children. She'd never been given the option, so it wasn't something she could miss. It also didn't matter.

The thought of never having her own children was one of the few things that wasn't bothering her. After all, she was supposed to have died before this war was over, and the thought of bringing a child into the world just to leave it an orphan? No, that was exactly how she'd grown up, always wondering what she'd missed and why she'd even been born. To Sal, the idea of children meant love, and genetics had nothing to do with it. Rhyx and Raast were as much her children as Lasryn and Valri. She had kids, and she would have more. Who cared if they came from her body?

But Blaz couldn't understand that, not unless she told him, and that wasn't a conversation to tackle just yet. Right now, she needed to make him understand that he was still an amazing healer and someone she trusted. Sal had a feeling that last part mattered more than the rest.

"Hey," she said, mostly to the horse but also to let Blaz know she was right behind him. "You'll need to touch skin. Inside his mouth, inside his ear, or near the wound are usually the best places."

"I've done this before with ours," he grumbled.

"So do it again," she told him, putting all of her confidence into the tone. It sounded different in her new voice, but she hoped he got the idea. Blaz shot her a look, one filled with so many things she couldn't pick them all out. "You can do this," she promised him.

"What if I mess up our only ride?"

"You didn't mess me up," she told him. "A Terran lance did that. You put me back together, and there's only one other person in the world with that kind of skill. You didn't fail, ok?"

"I kinda wanted kids," he mumbled, but his hand was already moving.

That comment hit her hard, making Sal's lungs freeze for just a moment. If it mattered so much to him, then how would Jase, Zep, Kolt, and Gage feel about it? Would they care that she couldn't have babies, even though they'd all known that she wouldn't? Had they just been biding their time, hoping she'd change her mind?

Millions of thoughts began to spin through her mind. She tried to push them away, but it only worked so well. They were just softer, still lingering in the back of her brain, waiting for the next time she wasn't prepared to strike again, so Sal focused on what Blaz was doing to the horse.

He gently cupped the animal's muzzle with his left hand, the right higher, simultaneously holding the bridle while his thumb pressed inside the horse's ear. Without closing his eyes, Blaz began to heal, and the large gelding staggered, proving something was happening. Gently pressing a hand to the back of Blaz's neck, Sal leaned over to watch the mangled leg mend right before her eyes. The skin healed, chasing the tendons up toward the horse's body.

The hole was on the other side, but she couldn't see it without letting go. That was one thing she couldn't do, knowing exactly how tired he was. Instead, she gave him just a little more energy, carefully measuring it out so she didn't leave herself crippled with exhaustion. She needed to keep enough to maintain this male form. They also needed the horse, but the truth was that it wouldn't do any of them much good if they were too tired to hear the enemy coming.

Just like the first time Sal had fled through this area, once again, she'd have to push herself to her limits. So would her new mates, and the problem was that she had no idea how far they could go. Still, they were all elite soldiers, and that meant tough enough to do what had to be done. Healing the horse was only the first step. Not the last.

She just needed to focus on what came next. She could do this.

Eventually, Blaz sighed, letting go of the now drunk-looking gelding. The horse let his head drop to his knees, all four legs spread out for balance, and his body swayed dangerously above it all. Second by second, it lifted its head a little higher, blinked a few times just like a person would, and then, the horse blew hard through its nose and shook its entire body.

Tyr's huff of amusement proved that he'd arrived just in time to see that. "Ok, I couldn't be sure of the bridle size, so I got a few, and two pairs of reins that seem intact. What else needs replacing? Because I know where there are a few dead horses, but I really am not looking forward to trying to pull a saddle out from under them."

"Saddle's fine," Blaz said. "Girth's a little loose, and I have a feeling he's a bit dehydrated, but the bridle and reins took the damage. Most likely, the rider came off, pulling them over the horse's head, and this big guy stepped all over the leather. It's the most common way reins get snapped."

Without letting go of the horse, Blaz reached out a hand for the bridles. Tyr hung one over his palm. Blaz looked at it, checked the horse, then passed it back. The second was a little smaller, the bit a little less complicated, and it seemed to pass inspection. Like the professional horseman he was, Blaz made quick work of slipping off what the gelding currently wore, replacing it with the new tack before the animal realized it was free. Only then did Blaz check the reins to make sure they were truly as solid as they looked.

"This will do," he said. "Our little friend here is probably exhausted, but he's got packs and more Terran insignia to give our story credence. Throw your extra gear on him, and let's give him a bit to walk and realize his legs really do work."

Their "gear" wasn't much. Tyr pulled out a few packs of dry rations from his pockets, hiding those in the near-side saddlebag. Besides that, they owned nothing except their weapons. Three people wearing stolen uniforms, leading a stolen horse, and walking across conquered lands. The gelding wasn't so sure about the plan, but after he took his first step, the animal seemed to perk up, truly accepting that moving his legs wouldn't cause him any pain. Like a true war veteran, he trudged on at the same plodding pace his people set.

And Sal couldn't stop thinking about what Blaz had said, but she decided to ease into the conversation. "Hey, Tyr?" she asked. "Did you want kids?"

"Uh..." He looked over at Blaz as if hoping for some way to get out of this.

"Honestly," Sal said.

"Yeah, kinda weird talking to some guy about kids," he joked.

Sal gave him a pointed look, all too aware that he was dodging the question. She knew they weren't used to her looking like a guy, but they both knew who she was, so that was a pretty weak excuse. Then again, pushing him would make it easier to push Blaz in a moment.

So she said, "I'm not looking for some amazing answer to impress me. I'm simply curious."

"Then no," he admitted, but the look on his face was braced, as if he expected her reaction to be a bad one.

Sal just nodded. "I don't think I really did either. I mean, I know most women like babies, but it's different for me."

"Because you're a Kaisae?" Blaz asked, joining in.

Sal chuckled once. "No. Maybe? I mean because I'm pure and I've never been free. If I had a child, it would've been a slave, and so the idea never held appeal. Most likely, my child would've belonged to my master, and he would've sold it off as soon as it was weaned, so why bother?"

"Wait." Tyr stepped up to her side, putting all three of them in a straight row. "What about when you became a soldier?"

"Then the military owned me. I was never free until Dominik Jens put a crown on my head."

"Damn," he breathed. "Ok, yeah. I can see how that would put a whole new layer on it. But don't you think kids are cute? All women love babies."

She sighed. "Not all."

Blaz couldn't help himself. "So you don't want kids?"

"I have kids," she pointed out. "And it makes a lot more sense to me to let Shade, Roo, and whoever else give birth to them. The babies will not have just one amma, but a bunch of us, and yet they'll never need to be handed off because they're in the way. They won't be up for auction or raised by a nanny like Zep was. I mean, he loved his iliri slave more than his own mother! And I can't say that I won't be too busy with either peace or war to give a child the attention they deserve." She was truly warming up to this now, and it almost felt like she was convincing herself as much as them. "Besides, the fact that having a child in the middle of a war would be the best way to get myself killed, I can't understand why everyone seems to think that after I win this thing, I'm supposed to singlehandedly repopulate the entire species!"

"Whoa," Blaz breathed. "Where's this coming from, Sal?"

"Hax," she grumbled.

Tyr caught her forearm. "The bastard who damned near got you killed also thinks you should pop out kids?"

She nodded. "He's got it in his head that because he's pure, I'm destined to breed with him. Breed! Like I'm still just some pet or livestock to order around."

"A male iliri told you that?" Blaz asked, stunned.

Sal looked over at him and nodded. "Yeah. I mean, he's never been around enough iliri to learn our culture, but still. Can you see why I'm not heartbroken over the chance of not having kids? To me, it feels like one more piece of freedom. If I can't have them, then no one can make me have them. The kids my sisters have will still be mine. And who knows? Maybe when all this is over, you'll decide you want to ditch me and find some nice girl to have a family with."

Blaz's mouth opened, closed, and then settled on some point in between for a moment before he closed it again. Sal cocked her head, aware that something was on his mind, but she had no idea what. It could easily go a few ways.

Then he gave in and just said it. "I was actually hoping for a little more serious connection... with you."

"Cessivi," Tyr clarified for him.

"But what about kids?" she asked, ignoring Tyr.

Because she really wanted to know. He'd just said he wanted kids, but he also wanted to be with her, and those two things weren't possible. Part of it was that she also hoped that his response would give her some hint of how her other mates would feel. Maybe it wouldn't apply at all, but for the next little bit, she could convince herself that it did.

Blaz simply shrugged. "I've spent my whole life thinking that if I wanted a family, I'd have to get married and make my own. The whole iliri concept of sharing even that?" He lifted his hands, simultaneously shaking his head. "Sal, it's no different than you. I never realized there was another option, and now that I know it, I'm not sure how that feels. All I know is that I do want this thing between us to work, and I know it's going to be messy, but I'm all in, ok?"

"Even if I can't have kids?" she asked.

He glanced down at her hand, which now looked like it belonged on a man. Then, as if he'd come to terms with something, he grabbed it and laced his fingers through hers. "I figure if I can get used to holding some guy's hand," he told her, "then I can get used to all the other iliri things. I want to grow up and have a family. I've simply never imagined that my family would be an entire pack of free iliri. The strangest thing is that even saying that? It..."

"Feels real damned good," Tyr finished for him.

"It really does," Blaz agreed. "I'm about to walk away from my unit, my country, and everything else, so why not this outdated idea that my 'wife' should produce my kids?" He traced his thumb across the back of her knuckles. "If you can accept this, then so can I, Sal. I'll make sure of it."

She ducked her head, looking at the dark ground passing beneath her too-small feet. He'd just said the right thing. The exact words she'd needed to hear but hadn't known until now. In that moment, she was positive of one thing: she was definitely keeping him. It didn't matter if this had all happened as a way to save her life. It felt so much bigger than that, and right now, she did not want the pattern in the sky to tell her the answer. This was one thing she deserved to do on her own.

Chapter Eleven

Emperor's Army, Central Unav

It was still early in the year, but spring was starting to take over. Narnx knew because some insect was screeching outside his tent, making it impossible for him to sleep. Well, he blamed the bug, because that sounded better than admitting he had no idea how to get his men headed back south to meet up with Sal.

The rain should start soon, though, and that would kill the stupid thing. Hopefully, it would come soon enough that Star Fall could use the downpour as a way to hide their escape. If it rained hard enough - and it usually did in Escea at this time of year - there would be no way to track them. Not until it was too late. But he was just grasping at straws. There had to be another way to explain him wanting to send men back.

That the Emperor was ordering all Terran soldiers to Terric City was the problem. He was planning to barricade the city, reinforce their protections, and wait out the Anglian army. It was the only option Makiel had left, because Sal had constantly bested him at every turn. Thankfully, the old man still had no idea that his own bastard son was part of the reason why.

Across the camp, Narnx could hear a commotion, but he thought nothing of it. There was usually at least one each time they stopped. Lately, it felt like the soldiers were done with this war. Morale was at an all-time low, and the harder the Emperor pushed, the more people tried to find some way to get out - even if it might cost them their lives. The death toll had been too high in the last few battles, and Narnx knew that it was only going to get worse. They didn't, but he did.

Still, when Marin burst into his tent, it startled him enough to make Narnx sit straight up. In the darkness, Marin pressed a finger over his lips as he moved toward the standard lantern, pawing the ground beside it until he found the striker. It took a couple of attempts before the wick lit, bathing the small canvas tent in a warm yellow glow.

"Sir?" Marin said, his voice pitched to sound like he was waking his commanding officer. His eyes, however, told a different story. They begged Narnx to play along.

"What?" Narnx grumbled, not really needing to fake it.

"You've been ordered to the Emperor's side. He's going to need the Black Widows. It seems we have a problem in the south."

Perfect. Alone in the tent, Narnx dared to smile as he flung off the blankets, but he regained control of his expression before his feet hit the floor. "What information do we have?" he demanded.

This time, it was Marin who smiled. "Sir, a rider just reached us. The iliri spy planted in Merriton was a failure."

"We trusted an iliri to be a spy?" he asked.

Marin jiggled his head emphatically, but his voice maintained perfect discipline. "Yes, sir. A former slave. Captain Estar recruited her, it seems. She felt the bitch's breeding would get her places a human couldn't reach. The slave was to use her beastly tricks to seduce a Black Blade and join their unit. It seems that's how the iliri are recruiting now. She was supposed to rendezvous with an Escean unit before crossing the Conglomerate-Escean border, but that unit was destroyed by Anglia. Their numbers have grown, sir."

"I see," Narnx said, lifting a brow. "And was the spy discovered?"

"And killed, sir. Her body was found along the Escean foothills, across the border from Eastward. It seems that while looking for the missing unit, the Esceans tracked the Anglians, and the dogs we gave them alerted to the corpse. The iliri's throat was cut, which means she was most likely discovered, according to the report."

Good, he thought. That was one less thing for Sal to worry about. He would've warned her if he'd known, but Estar had always been a believer in unconventional tactics. If the woman hadn't hated iliri so much, she would've done well in Anglia. Now she was dead. Going up against Sal tended to have that effect on Terran officers - and their men.

Pushing himself to his feet, Narnx found a clean-enough uniform and pulled it on. He hated the idea of standing before the Emperor looking anything less than perfect, but he didn't have time to clean anything, and out here, they didn't have the resources. Hopefully, he'd simply be the most pristine of all the filthy men in the room.

"That doesn't seem worth the Emperor's time, soldier," Narnx said. "What else is going on?"

Marin's expression turned sly. His voice didn't. "Anglia is stalled out in Northern Escea. The Escean Warlords are holding them in place while we alter the northern line, but Vilko's here, and she's not happy."

"I see," Narnx almost purred, reaching for his sword.

It wasn't the kind of quality blade that Sal and her men used, but his weapon was decent enough to make the men of Star Fall eye it appreciatively. Belting that to his hip, he smoothed his hair back, tied it off, and gestured for Marin to follow. One after the other, they ducked through the flap of his tent and headed toward the center of camp.

What they didn't do was talk. They weren't friends in public. They couldn't be. Instead, Marin played the part of a very ambitious officer willing to do what he must to work his way up. He got noticed, but always in the right way. Even the Emperor himself had commented on Narnx's "assistant." That Marin bitched about working under an animal behind Narnx's back only solidified the impression.

So when the pair walked into Makiel Geirr's pavilion together, no one even noticed. Other officers were still filing in, and a woman stood in the middle, her arms crossed, staring at an empty throne. It was actually just a wooden chair, but there was no mistaking what it was supposed to represent. She, however, met none of Narnx's expectations.

This was the Warlord known as Vilko. Narnx didn't know much about her except that she'd risen to the position after Sal had killed the previous Warlords. She wasn't massive or barbaric. Instead, the woman was fairly attractive, so far as humans went. Her nose was a little too large, her skin a golden shade that made her stand out among so many brown-skinned men. Her hair was brown, streaked through with almost blonde strands that had been lightened by the sun. Plenty of the men behind her looked the woman over, but she didn't seem to care.

Finally, when the stream of officers stopped, the Emperor made his appearance, acting as if he was entering a throne room, not moving from one side of the pavilion to the other. His private room was separated just by canvas, but he acted like pushing aside the flap was the most regal thing of all.

Like everyone else, Narnx bent a knee and sank to the ground, his eyes lowered to the floor. Marin did the same beside him, but Narnx could still follow his sire's movement as he placed himself before that rickety wooden chair. A glance showed that Vilko hadn't knelt, but she had ducked her head in the mildest sign of respect possible.

"Please rise," the Emperor commanded as he lowered himself into the mock-throne. There was a moment of rustling as the officers obeyed, and then he looked at the woman before him. "Warlord?"

She lifted her chin and met his eyes, ignoring the scar along his jaw that Sal had left on the man's face. Even Narnx could feel the challenge in her gaze, so Makiel definitely would. "Emperor, as the chosen representative of Escea, I'm here to ask for our steel."

"What?!" Makiel snarled, leaning forward in his chair.

The woman didn't flinch. "You promised each Warlord one crate of steel just to join. We have yet to see even a dagger, and yet our enemy carries two. Now, you are asking us to cover your retreat, leaving us to battle the Anglian beasts, but you still haven't paid your share of the debts. My question, your Eminence, is why we should believe this is anything other than an attempt to renege on our agreement?"

"I do not go back on my word," Makiel growled, clearly reacting to the woman's glare.

She shrugged, acting as if this was the most civil conversation. "Then prove it. Send me back with something to show my fellow province leaders. Give us something to show our people, to encourage them to risk their lives for you."

"Are your sacred battlegrounds not reason enough to fight Anglia? Do you honestly think the beasts will respect your customs or the structures that have stood since the Landing?"

Vilko smiled. "Oh, I assure you, we will protect the Chieftain's Plains. What I'm asking for is a reason to hold Conglomerate, Anglian, Viraenovan, and those white monsters in our country rather than simply letting them pass straight up to yours."

"I'm only concerned about the Anglians," Makiel told her.

"But, your Eminence, we cannot separate them. They are a single army. Or were you simply unaware that Salryc Luxx has gained so many allies?"

"I have yet to get recent news. How big is her army?"

"The one we're holding just south of the Flux Zone? It's about three thousand strong, although some of those are the wolves."

"The Flux Zone?" Makiel asked.

"The washout area below the mountains, south of the Hurrican River. It's the delta made from the snow melting and the river cresting its banks during the annual rainy season. The area is a swamp for most of the spring and summer, but dry in the fall and winter, thus in flux. It's where your southern defense is set up, Emperor."

"Ah, I didn't know it had a name." He waved that away as if it was unimportant. "And if she only has three thousand men, then surely crushing them won't be a problem for the mighty warriors of Escea?"

"Three thousand is nothing," she assured him. "The question is why we'd bother. The iliri have already destroyed thousands of your Terran soldiers without even breaking their camp. They send waves of flame across your lines, burning men by the dozens and yet scorching no ground. The very air burns so hot no one can cross it. What incentive does Escea, especially my own province, have to fight against that type of power? After all, you still haven't shown me any steel."

Between the arrogance in her voice, the confidence in her posture, and the challenge in her eyes, Vilko had just pushed Makiel too far. The Emperor surged out of his chair with a snarl curling his lip, his old hand aimed for her throat. The problem was that the woman moved faster. In the blink of an eye, her hand was wrapped around his neck instead, Vilko's face just as calm and serene as ever. While the Emperor struggled to pry her hand away, she simply squeezed.

The officers all began to move, but not a single one moved fast enough. Ducking beneath an arm, Narnx pulled a dagger from his boot, surging up behind her. His blade found her throat before any human in the room could commit to the Emperor's defense, but he didn't cut. Narnx simply pressed the sharp edge right along her jugular, his other arm braced across her chest.

"Let him go," Narnx warned.

Vilko's fingers relaxed enough for the Emperor to get his breath, but she didn't release him. "He attacked me," she said. "I made no move in aggression."

"That is true," Narnx agreed, "and yet you still hold the Emperor of Terric. Lower your hand, Warlord Vilko."

She laughed once. "You know I could kill all of you, right, boy?"

But she did let go. The moment her hand was away from Makiel's throat, Narnx pulled, spinning her around to face him. "I wouldn't bet on it."

The woman's pupils flared in surprise, but she gave no other sign that he'd caught her off guard. "A beast?" she asked, her words clearly for the Emperor.

"We all keep one close," Makiel taunted. "The difference between your pets and mine? Mine are loyal," he explained. "And you can have a crate of steel. Take it back, show your fellow Warlords that it does exist, but do not threaten me again, Vilko. I will not be so understanding next time."

"Your Eminence?" Narnx asked, refusing to pull his eyes away from this woman. "If I could offer a suggestion?"

"Speak, Narnx."

"I think we should send a unit of the Widows with her, to make sure she is not accosted along the way."

The Emperor chuckled. "And they can make sure our Esceans really are as loyal as they claim. I think that's a brilliant idea. Do it."

Vilko's jaw clenched, proving she wasn't happy with that idea at all. It made Narnx wonder why, but he had a funny feeling that if anyone could find out, the men of Star Fall would be perfect for the job. He just needed to make sure they were updated and prepared.

"Marin," he snapped, still glaring at the Warlord. "Prepare the Delta team. I want them ready to leave as soon as Vilko is rested."

"Monster," she breathed.

He smiled, exposing both sets of sharp canine teeth. "You have no idea, and I'm trained very, very well. Do not fuck with me, woman."

Because she had no idea who was really at the end of his leash.

Chapter Twelve

Emperor's Army, Central Unav

An hour later, Star Fall was tacking up their horses. Narnx casually walked among them, pretending to check their equipment. He was really looking for an excuse. Finally, Emen gave him one. As Narnx passed, he dropped his girth, letting it sway beneath the horse's belly. It wasn't much, but it would do.

"You know how to handle a mount better than that," Narnx snapped, stepping closer. "And we dare not let Escea see such a lazy display of horsemanship."

"Yes, sir," Emen told him, daring to glance back and meet Narnx's eyes.

Narnx immediately surged closer, dropping his voice as if he was threatening the man. "She's pushing the Emperor," he hissed. "She's pissed that we're sending back guards, and he's giving her a crate of steel."

"Shit's heavy," Emen said softly.

Narnx nodded once. "Very, but I think they'll still try to give you the slip. Let them, but get as much intel as you can. You'll need it in Cenla Xie."

"Will they know we're coming?"

"I'll make sure of it," Narnx promised.

"Good. Just one more thing." Emen looked over, his eyes falling on Marin. "His horse isn't tacked. He said he's not going."

"What?" Narnx growled, the primal sound coming out before he could stop it. "Marin!"

The man just patted the shoulder of the soldier he'd been talking to and walked over. "Yes, sir?"

Narnx met him halfway, stopping just behind Emen's horse. "Why isn't your mount tacked and ready?"

"Because I'm not going," Marin told him.

"You are."

The man actually smiled. "No, sir, I'm not. I'm afraid that I'm not familiar with the Delta squad's newest tactics. My skills are more useful here." Then he lowered his voice. "And I'm not leaving you, Narnx."

"Your family is waiting."

"And half of that family is here." He glanced over to check if Emen was listening. "Look, we both know you're not done. That means I'm not either. They can handle this, and most of them are a lot more skilled than me. We both know it, and sending me down to help is a fool's game. Right now, my best place is to serve as your eyes and ears, and you need me."

"He's right," Emen mumbled, proving that he had been listening. After securing his buckle, he made his way closer. "Look, I've seen her in combat. We can't keep up. I know where we're going. We'll be lucky to make it out alive. Most importantly, if you want to make sure you live long enough to retire in a nice place? Well, you're going to need a little help here, because the Kaisae of all Iliri isn't going to make your life easy."

Narnx wanted to smile at the title because it was wrong. They wouldn't know that yet, and he didn't dare mention that name in camp. Still, he wasn't ready to give up quite that easily.

"You know nothing about what's expected of me," he told Emen.

The man tipped his head slightly to the side, almost like a shrug. "I know the other side, sir. I know what it's like to be pushed. I've seen the bitch jump into the middle of a fight with glee. I've watched those 'beasts' push themselves beyond normal limits, and in case you missed it, you're one of them."

"Which is why he should go with you," Narnx insisted.

"Damn it," Emen hissed, glancing around to make sure they were truly alone. "Listen to me. What I'm trying to say is that one man can't do what she'll need. Use Marin. Keep him at your side, if for no other reason than it will make it easier for you to get out. But mostly, you need him with you because alone? It's hard to play this game. It's too easy to slip just a bit, to start seeing their side of it. With someone you can trust? You have a shoulder, and you're going to need to lean somewhere. Make sure it's a place you'll be safe."

"I'm not going," Marin told him again. "I watched Cyno try to pull Zep's body. I told you that. Even when things were at their worst, they do not leave their brothers, and you know what, Narnx? You're my brother. We're in this shit together, and I'm trusting you with my life. I'd really like it if you could do the same."

"He's right," Emen said. "That's what makes the Blades so good. They're not a unit. They're a pack, and iliri don't do well on their own."

"I've always been alone," Narnx countered.

Emen just smiled. "And the moment she arrived, everything changed. She gave you a pack and you didn't even realize it - and now look at you. The entire Terran Army respects you, Narnx. I mean, they whisper about what your father was doing a couple decades ago, but you? You've earned respect."

"As they kill my species," he reminded them both.

Emen just canted his head. "As your father orders them to. I'm pretty sure most of these men don't care that much. Think about that, and see if it works with your plans."

"I'm staying," Marin told him again. "Your options are to demote me, turn me in as a deserter, or go with it. You cannot force me to ride out."

"Please?" Narnx begged. "Marin, you're my only friend. I don't want to risk you."

"And I'm not going to let you risk yourself." He reached over to clasp Narnx's shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I can't. You're pretty much my only friend, too, and I want my children to be proud of their father. I want my wife to be able to look me in the eyes. How can that happen if I run when it gets hard?"

"Go drink it off," Emen suggested. "We'll handle the steel."

"And get her the intel," Narnx reminded him.

Emen just chuckled. "Sir, I promise we'll do our jobs. The real ones. Some of us are rooting for our lost unit mate, even if our commander is pissed about it."

"Good to know," Narnx said, feeling like he should be doing more to make sure this worked out.

Thankfully, Marin knew better. Slapping Narnx's back as if the job had been done well, he steered his commanding officer back to Narnx's tent. Once they were inside, Marin moved to the open space and dropped down to sit on the floor. With a wave of his hand, he made it clear that Narnx should take the bed.

"They'll leave before dawn, and you need to sleep a little tonight, sir."

Narnx tapped his head, making Marin nod. The man was offering to keep watch while Narnx updated Sal. Hopefully, he wouldn't wake her, but he had no idea where she was or what she was doing. The Kaisae was behind the lines, so if she was smart about it, she'd be moving at night.

Sal? he thought, reaching out for her.

Her reply came only moments later. Why are you awake?

Because Star Fall is on their way. Vilko, one of the Escean Warlords, came in demanding the Emperor pay her the steel he owes.

Ok? Sal thought. And you're sending Star Fall back with her?

I am. The excuse is to guard her. Makiel thinks I'm ordering them to make sure the southern defense is still intact. Instead, I told them to find out as much as they can and then let the Esceans ditch them.

That's useful, Sal agreed. Will give us a little intel on the enemy's plans.

Well, I can tell you that it sounds as if Escea isn't very invested in this fight. They want to protect the Chieftain's Plains. It's a very ancient and sacred place for them.

Where the Warlords fight it out for control of the nation, Sal said, proving she knew. To us, it's the Escean version of your sire's ships. A place to mostly avoid unless we want to pull them off something else.

Exactly, Narnx agreed. So if you can hold until the lines change from Terran to Escean, I think you'll be able to push past them easily. Worst case, just give them the location of the Hurrican River camp, because the Nebula II is right there. When we pulled out, we left the entrance completely exposed, and there's a lot more steel in it.

Good to know.

And Sal? he asked. Marin refused to go.

It took a moment before she answered. So he's still with you?

Yeah. He says he's my pack. He says he watched Jase try to pull Zep when Blaec died, and that was when he realized he was on the wrong side. He said he's not going to leave me here to do this alone, but I'm worried he'll get killed because of it.

Then protect him first, Sal ordered. Narnx, if this man is your brother - human or not - then that comes before anything else. I'm tired of watching good people die for this war. If you can't do what you need to, then just take care of him and get out. You hear me?

We can do it, he promised. And you're going to need someone inside Terric City if you want to get in.

No, she assured him. I'm just going to need someone who's been there before. Someone to make sure that Judoc's memories aren't too old to show me the way.

Shit, he thought. You have it all planned out, don't you. It wasn't a question.

The truth was that he'd always assumed that Sal was adjusting her plan on the fly. Now, he was starting to think she was simply fine-tuning it. The Kaisae had given him orders, but she hadn't shared her side of it. Initially, she'd said it was so he couldn't be tortured for the information. Although it seemed she really did know how she intended to end this war, something she'd said hit him hard. She was tired of watching people die. The people they cared about came before peace.

Sometime recently, Sal's priorities had changed, and he could feel it with every word she thought into his mind. She still wanted peace, but now it felt bigger, like she was aiming even higher. Throughout history, iliri had asked for nothing more than to be equal. She'd found one way to make that possible, but if he was right, she was planning to make sure that Terric had nothing left to fight for.

Narnx, Sal thought, I'm going to ask you something, and I know what you'll want to say, but don't. I want you to think about this before you answer, ok?

Ok, he agreed.

Do you care about your sire at all?

Immediately, he wanted to say no. He'd spent too long hating the man for the way others treated him. Before Makiel had become the Emperor, Narnx's life had been easier. He'd only been a boy when his mother died, but those early years had been so happy. Then, she'd been killed, and he'd been moved into Makiel's home.

From that point forward, he'd become little more than a slave. Oh, he was paid, but not enough to do more than cover his expenses. Within a few years, the humans in Terric had gone from avoiding the iliri to hating them, and as a child, he'd been completely at their mercy. Even worse, Mrs. Geirr had terrorized him.

Makiel, though? The man had almost been kind right up until Narnx joined the military. The few times Makiel had been alone with him, the Emperor had always found some treat or toy to bestow. Knowing what Narnx knew now, he could only guess it was Makiel's way of making up for how his son was suffering - but it wasn't enough.

I resent him, he told Sal. I hate him for allowing me to think he was above me when he knew he was my sire. I hate that he let his own kind suffer so he could live in luxury. Most of all, I hate the man for calling what he's done 'good for the people,' because I'm a fucking person too.

But do you care for him? she asked again.

No, Sal. Not at all. I could've, back when I was little, but not anymore.

For a long moment, she was silent. I'm sorry, she finally said. But do you think you can convince him that you do? Can you make sure the rest of Terric sees you as his favorite child?

Yes, he assured her, guessing where her mind was leading. Judoc is worthless. You shattered his mind before you sent him back. He's barely able to walk from one room to another. Mrs. Geirr hates me, but I'm pretty sure that after what happened today, I can convince Makiel that I am desperate for his approval.

Good, Sal thought, because I really need you to become the next Emperor of Terric. It's the only way to end this once and for all.

Which was why she wanted him to stay in the Terran army. It was why she'd told him to raise his rank. This was the goal she'd been pushing him toward, and now it all made sense. If he ruled Terric, then he could truly stop the war forever. There was just one problem.

I don't want to stay here, he told her.

You won't, she swore. No, Narnx, you're going to come home with me. You'll be known as my brother, and you'll wear black just like the rest of us. I promise you that, but first, you must become the Emperor. Don't worry, I won't ask you to kill him, just take his place.

The strangest thing was that it made him feel better. He'd spent his whole life prepared to assassinate the man who'd given him life, but hearing her say that? He felt like a weight had just been lifted. Maybe he cared about the bastard after all, but he wouldn't let it stop him.

Chapter Thirteen

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

By dawn, the number of bodies was decreasing, but more horses were included among the dead. Their gelding was moving slow, stumbling along in exhaustion, but Sal could smell a creek just up ahead. Blaz headed right for it, and the poor horse finally lifted his head a bit.

They were all tired, thirsty, hungry, and miserable. The gelding dropped his head to the mostly clear water as soon as he reached the bank. Sal and Tyr moved upstream to cup handfuls of it up to their faces. Blaz waited only long enough to tie the horse's reins up so the poor thing wouldn't pull at his bit with each drink, then he joined them. One horse and three "men" in a line. They didn't say a thing, just gulped greedily for a while.

Eventually, Sal leaned back onto her heels with a sigh. The sky was growing lighter with every second, and that would make them easier to see. Just to the south were thousands of soldiers, and if any of them decided to use one of their dogs, it would be impossible to bluff their way out. No, the only real option was to keep going, keep moving until they simply couldn't. And the truth was that Sal didn't want to sleep in the middle of the dead.

She did want to sleep, though. Knowing that Blaec would be there, she was desperate to talk to him again. He might even have the answers she needed, the ones that had been spinning through her head with each step, but that she couldn't deal with yet.

Still, this little break was one she needed. Walking around as a man was starting to feel almost normal. Tyr seemed to find it amusing. Blaz kept giving her double-takes as if he forgot this body belonged to her. Sal, however, had one last trick to master. The only time she'd ever been a man, she'd tried something every woman wondered about, but she'd failed. Now, she was going to get a second chance.

Pushing herself to her feet, she walked to one of those chest-high ridges left from the seasonal flooding and unbuttoned her pants. The trick would be making sure she didn't get anything on her clothes. While she might be filthy, that didn't mean she should piss on herself, but it was easier said than done. After spreading her feet just a bit wider than her shoulders, she leaned forward and looked down.

Her dick wasn't impressive when it was soft. In fact, it was rather ugly, and this was not the most flattering angle. It looked a bit stumpy and not nearly long enough to send the stream past the flap of her pants. Maybe if she tilted her body a bit more? She was so focused on how to piss that she didn't hear Tyr approaching until he took a stance beside her. A stream of fluid arced out from his body - but she wasn't looking.

"Having trouble?" he asked.

"I've never used one of these before," she mumbled.

"Never?"

"No, ok!" Keeping her eyes on the hill before her, Sal tried to angle the little stump of a dick. "Well, once, but I pissed on myself."

"Ah." He shifted at the edge of her vision, then she heard him putting his pants back together. "So, you have no idea how to aim. Ok."

Tyr moved over behind her, then did the last thing she expected. Reaching around her masculine hip, he grabbed her limp dick with just two fingers.

"Tyr!" she hissed.

He chuckled. "Look, being a man is something I'm damned good at. Trust me, baby."

That did it. The heat of his hand was bad enough, but the sound of him breathing that word beside her ear? It immediately brought back memories of him kissing her. She'd been ready to kill him, and he'd just kissed her so hard and so deep that it had made her forget about everything else. No matter how hard she tried, every time he did something sweet, that one moment rushed back to her mind -- and she was supposed to be pissing!

Except nothing was happening. Sal tried to relax. She tried to push. She tried everything she could think of, but the feel of his hand, so strong and firm, touching skin that was so amazingly sensitive in such a casual way? It was causing problems, and quickly. She could feel herself hardening in his grip.

"Uh..." Tyr said, letting go of her dick to find her hand. Then he guided her fingers to the same place his fingers had just been. "Yeah, can't say I've held someone else's dick as it gets hard. That's kinda weird."

"Nothing's happening," she said.

He stepped back with a muffled chuckle. "No, I'm sure it's not. Baby, I think you're fucked."

"I just need to piss!" she growled.

"Not with a hard-on, you aren't. They're kinda made that way. Put it away, take a walk, then try again when it's soft."

Instead, she just closed her eyes and stayed there. Yes, her dick was hard - well, mostly - and it took her whole hand to hold it now. "Could you go away, Tyr?" she asked.

"What are you doing to her?" Blaz demanded, proving he'd just joined Sal's moment of shame.

"I'm teaching her how to piss," Tyr said.

"With your arm around her? Fuck, Tyr, what is wrong with you? You're obsessed with her dick!"

Tyr grunted. "No, I'm obsessed with the fact that she can be a man. Not that she is one, but that she can change that much. I mean, if you could be a woman, what would be the first thing you did?"

Blaz made a sound like he wasn't impressed. "You need help?" he asked, his voice clearly meant for her.

"Nope," Sal told them both. "What I need is for both of you to go away right now. Stop looking at my dick. Stop talking about my dick. Stop thinking about my dick, and please don't make me think about you thinking about my dick - because this isn't helping!"

That was too much for Tyr. With a howl, he turned away, heading back for the horse. Blaz didn't follow. She knew he just wanted to help. They both did, but it wasn't like she had a lifetime of experience to help her tame this thing in her pants. No, she'd always thought that all she had to control was the expression on her face. Her body didn't just stand up and refuse to work properly because she noticed a man. Even if her nipples got hard, she could still do everything else. This? It was torture.

"Please, Blaz?" she asked. "Just give me ten minutes, or however long it takes for this to go away?"

"Sal?" he asked, ignoring her to move closer. "I'm sorry."

"I just need to not have any sexy men around me for a minute, ok?" Then she glanced back. "I have got to piss!"

His lips were clenched between his teeth into a thin line, and Blaz's eyes sparkled with amusement. Struggling to keep a straight face, he nodded and stepped back a few paces before he turned and walked away. The problem was that her ears still worked as well as they always had. When he reached Tyr's side, she listened to both of them lose it, laughing like they were teenage boys.

"She's got a hard-on?" Blaz asked.

"Oh yeah," Tyr told him. "I was trying to show her how to aim. I mean, I've never thought about it, but she's right. We learn how when we're coming out of diapers, you know? So I reached around her and tilted it up, but that little twig of hers just began to swell."

"You grabbed her dick?" Blaz tittered. "Just... There's so much wrong with that."

"I was helping," Tyr reminded him.

"Helping her get it hard, sure." Blaz laughed again. "How the hell do you react when someone grabs your dick?"

"Man, I've had girls want to write their name in the sand with it. Completely different, and doesn't cause problems anymore."

"Yeah. Anymore. And the first time a girl touched your pee-pee?" Blaz teased. "C'mon, you know that thing got hard so fast your brain was begging for some blood. Hell, a girl looks at it and it's gonna get hard. You think touching it's not going to have the same effect?"

Tyr sighed, sounding a little annoyed. "A girl, Blaz. I'm not a girl."

"And she's not into them. She likes men," Blaz reminded him. "I mean, would you grab Perin's dick? Risk's? Tilso's?"

"Risk would bite me," Tyr countered, "and I'm not scared of touching someone's dick. Are you?"

"No!" Blaz told him. "Well, I mean I'm not going to go grabbing any, but that's not what I'm saying. My point is that she's going to have a reaction."

"And I'm so ok with that," Tyr assured him.

"What?!"

Tyr paused for a moment before answering, probably with one of his smug looks or some arrogant smile. "Blaz, think about it. She can't fake that. Sure, she could fuck us because she was in the bloodlust, but getting hard for something like that?" He sounded oddly happy about it.

"Because it means she's turned on," Blaz realized. "And you didn't think she was really interested?"

"Neither one of us is iliri. How many times has she said she's not into humans?"

Blaz just chuckled, and it sounded like he was walking away. Thankfully, listening to them had given time for her body to do something besides swell. With a sigh, she pushed, finally able to urinate, and something happened. No, her aim still wasn't very good, and her dick wasn't completely soft, but it was working again. And while she didn't hit the plant she was aiming for, the fact that she completely missed any part of herself or her uniform was enough for Sal to call it a win.

It also made her really appreciate being a woman.

Although, when she was done, she had to make another trip back to the creek to rinse her hands. Tyr and Blaz just watched her, both of them with silly smiles on their faces. Sal ignored it until she stood back up and wiped her hands dry on her filthy uniform.

"I didn't piss on myself," she announced and then started walking.

"Sal?" Blaz called.

She paused. "We have to keep going."

"We need to sleep," Blaz countered.

She wanted to. The offer was tempting, but so was the rest of the list running through her mind. She had to get out of the area. She needed to call in some help. She had to do something to get her army through this fight, and she could do none of that here. The pressure to fix this was driving her, and hard.

So she turned back to face them. "No, I'm not upset that you laughed at me. I know you're both thinking it - and only because I can see it on your faces. That has nothing to do with this. We have to keep moving because more Terrans will come out here. The dogs could be sent to find my body. Every minute we're this close to the front line is a risk, and one I'm not willing to take. We have too much to do."

"So when do we stop?" Blaz asked. "When we reach this Cenla Xie of yours? Is that three days of constantly moving? More? Are you aware that we're only human?"

If she'd had her own ears, they would've locked back to her skull. Instead, she just stormed toward him. "Only? Only! Is that what I've made you think about yourselves? I've spent my entire life wishing I was one of you. There's nothing only about that. You're an elite - and so is he." She thrust an arm out to point at Tyr. "You've made harder runs than this before, and we're going to do it again."

"And when do we stop?" Blaz demanded, leaning into her face. "You're hungry, you're frustrated, and you're tired. I know that's what's causing this, but stop and think, Sal. When do we stop?"

"When I can't smell the dead."

From over by the horse, Tyr asked, "Why?"

Sal pulled in a deep breath, aware that she was overreacting, but unable to stop herself. She was slipping. The need to do something was pulling at her mind, and she couldn't completely stop it.

"Because Jase is running this war now," she explained, hoping it sounded as reasonable as it felt, "and while I may not be able to feel him with me, I still know him. He's pissed. He's going for blood, and right now, he has every iliri skill at his disposal. Nya and Ylexa will give him complete control. Most of the humans already have."

Slowly, Tyr pulled the horse toward her, closing the gap between them. "And what is he going to do, Sal?"

She couldn't help but smile, but it was the feral kind. "He's going to fuck them up. I was always too scared to turn Shade loose. No matter how many times she asked, I always put her off, but he never agreed with me. Ghost? He's almost as powerful. Combined?" She reached up to pet the gelding's face, following a narrow blaze from between his eyes all the way down to his muzzle. "We want to get off this battlefield before it becomes the killing grounds. So, yes, we need to keep moving. We can sleep later."

Tyr hooked his arm around her waist and moved her to the horse's stirrup. "And then what will happen?" he asked.

"I want the rebels," she said softly, reaching up to grab the saddle but too tired to just swing herself up. Instead, she kicked a leg out behind her in a silent request for a lift. "I want the rest of Anglia to come across the mountains. We're no more than a month away from Terric City, and I'm so done with this war. I'm tired of waiting, guys. I'm tired of biding my time because I think it's all I have left. Every Kaisae dies, but I did that part. Now?"

"Now you want to get to the living that comes after," Blaz finished as he grabbed her shin and heaved her up, onto the gelding. He looked over at Tyr. "You too. He can carry both of you."

"What about you?" Tyr asked.

Blaz smiled. "I'm hoping a little more height will help you spot another wounded horse. I think we're going to need at least two, and our Kaisae seems to be in a hurry."

Chapter Fourteen

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

Two hours later, they found another horse. The poor thing was nearly gone, lying flat out, but Sal noticed the movement of its ribs as the animal panted in pain. With a thought, she pointed it out to Blaz. He rushed over, checking to make sure it was still alive, and began to curse softly. Riding behind her, Tyr nudged their gelding that way, but he paused when he saw the damage.

The horse's legs had been completely destroyed. All four of them. It looked like the work of a grauori, and for a moment, Sal felt a rush of guilt. This was the area where the fighting had started, back where they'd been ambushed. Sal's whole line had shifted east, but here? These were the initial hits, so this innocent horse had been lying in pain for days without anyone bothering to end its suffering.

Swinging a leg over the gelding's neck, she slid to the ground and moved to help. Tyr dismounted a moment later, dropping their gelding's reins and hoping it wouldn't wander too far. All three of them moved slowly, experienced enough around horses to know what would spook one. Sal took a spot at the new horse's withers; Blaz was by its head, and Tyr held the hip down.

"I'll make sure you have enough to keep going," Sal promised.

Blaz looked over at her, his hand already in the animal's ear. "And when you run out?"

"I got her," Tyr said, answering before Sal could. "You just heal, because I think this little lady has suffered enough." He meant the horse.

"Yeah," Blaz mumbled, and then his eyes slipped closed.

The mare heaved as if trying to push herself up. Between the three of them, they managed to hold her down, but it wasn't easy. For what felt like an eternity, the mare struggled, unable to comprehend what was happening, and then she just gave up. The shredded skin across her legs, the destroyed bones, and all the damage she'd suffered began to knit together, straighten, and look like horse legs should. Tyr turned his head away, unable to watch, but continued to hold the mare.

Blaz just healed. He did it with a singular concentration that was impressive, as if this mattered more to him than anything else. Sal had always known he loved animals - after all, he'd first compared her to his own horse - but with her hand resting against his, she finally saw how much. Little flashes of thoughts came through the contact as she offered him all the strength she had to spare, but she saw enough.

A puppy he had as a child. A horse he used to pet over a fence, but that didn't feel like his. The first mount he'd been assigned as a soldier. They were all there in his thoughts as he healed this forgotten Terran warhorse. Then there was something else. A brief glimpse of her ears mixed with all of them, and a strange feeling of comfort.

Sal didn't want to ask - not right now - but it made her curious. Normally, she tried not to look too closely at the things she picked up through touch. It didn't seem right to sneak into their thoughts without being invited, and their relationship was the kind that currently did best spoken out loud. Still, being compared to his pets didn't really bode well for any kind of long term relationship.

Unable to help herself, Sal looked up at the sky.

She liked these guys. She had for a while. That was why she'd teased Tyr the first time they'd met. She'd been able to smell that his joke was harmless and meant to flatter. She'd known without question that he was trustworthy, even if she'd still been scared to trust back then. And the feeling of a human looking at her like he had? Not as if she was a freak or some toy he deserved, but the same way men looked at other women? It had felt so good.

Then there was Blaz. He'd done his best to become her hero. Not in the way most men would, though. He didn't need to fight her battles for her. He just gave her shelter from the storms that came after each and every one. He'd used his humanity as a shield the same way Zep did, but he'd always felt special. Like it would be too easy for things to grow between them, and now they had.

Above, the pattern in the sky was tumultuous. Lines twisted and turned around themselves, tangled into knots, and then settled into one giant net. That made her think of Blaec and the things he'd said. Her mates were supposed to work together to help her do this. The problem was that Blaz and Tyr didn't know each other that well, and she wasn't convinced they wanted to.

She didn't get to finish the thought because Blaz leaned back, proving he was done. Pulling her eyes to the horse, she saw the dark mare was once again whole. Her legs looked fine, but the poor thing still just lay there, most likely convinced she had no other option.

"She'll be fine in a second," Blaz told the other two. "But I'm not sure I have enough to heal a third horse until I get some sleep."

"Soon," Sal promised. "We just need to get off this battleground."

"Yeah." Blaz gestured for Tyr to step back, then guided Sal away from the horse with him. "Ok, she's going to need a little incentive. Tyr? You willing to be an asshole?"

"Always," Tyr promised before flapping his arms and yelling, "Ha!" at the horse.

The mare sat up, rolling onto her chest and thrusting a leg out in front of her. For a moment, the horse paused, almost as if she'd just figured out that the pain was gone. Slowly, she reached her nose out to sniff at her own leg, and then, with a massive heave, she surged up to her feet. The three people quickly rushed in to help her stand, giving her their hands to lean against.

"Saddle's fucked," Blaz said, finally getting a view of the side that had been against the ground.

"Pull it off," Tyr told him. "There's enough horses up ahead that we'll find enough pieces to make something work, and she'll need a few minutes to figure out she really has four legs."

"How's the bridle?" Sal asked.

Blaz was already looking it over. "Seems fine. Scuffed and looking a little rough, but solid enough that it'll do. She just thrashed long enough that I don't trust the girth or stirrup on her downside."

While he spoke, he was unbuckling the girth. With a tug, the whole thing fell to the ground, startling the gelding they'd picked up first. He jumped back with a snort, but the sound proved to the mare that she wasn't alone. The newly-healed horse nickered softly, turning her head toward him.

"C'mon, big girl," Blaz crooned to her. "Let's get you out of this mess."

"Here," Tyr said, reaching over for the reins. "You ride with Sal this time. I'll walk the horse."

Blaz accepted, proving that he really was exhausted. Well, they all were, but he'd just used a lot to heal that horse. Sal had given him only a bit of her energy, and she was feeling the strain. Once they were mounted, this time with Blaz in the saddle and Sal sitting across the horse's hips behind him, Tyr started to walk, setting the pace.

For a while, there was nothing to be said. The banter she was used to with the Blades just wasn't there, but even she was too tired to crack a joke. Instead, she kept thinking about that little vision she'd seen. Over and over, she wondered why he had her listed in his mind with animals. It hurt a little, to be honest. Blaz was her mate. Maybe he was a new one, but finding out that someone she cared about thought of her as a beast?

Eventually, she decided to just ask. "Hey? Why do you think of me like your pets?"

"What?" Blaz asked, twisting in the saddle to see her.

"When you were healing the mare," Sal explained, "I was touching you. I saw a dog and a few horses, then myself flash in your mind."

He turned his body forward again with a chuckle. "Yeah, um, I guess pets is one way of looking at it. Sal, those are my best friends."

"A dog?"

He nodded. "A bird dog my father had. Good little thing, too. And she slept with me every night as a boy, listening to all of my secrets. Um, my neighbor's horse was the first one I ever saw. Well, I say neighbor, but it was just some old man who lived at the edge of town. The truth is that I've always gotten along with animals better than people. Well, and you."

"Why me?" she asked softly.

His shoulders slumped a bit. "I don't actually know. Maybe because you have a lot of the same traits I respect in animals?" He grunted as soon as the words were out, realizing how they sounded. "I mean honesty, loyalty, and things like that. The things that most humans expect from others but aren't willing to put in the effort to become themselves."

"You a liar?" Tyr asked from the ground.

"What?" Blaz asked.

"You just said honesty, so I'm wondering if you're a liar or something."

"I lie," Blaz admitted. "I've lied a lot in my life, usually because I felt I had to. Before Sal, I'd never met anyone who just laid it all out there and dared everyone else to make a fuss about it." He glanced back at her. "Remember that night you woke me up in my room? Back before we hit the Terrans in those ruins?"

She remembered it clearly. When they needed to rouse the other units for an emergency assault, the only person from the 112th she'd known how to find was him. He'd said his room was right beside the Blades' strategy office, so she'd snuck in thanks to an unlocked door. She also remembered how good he'd looked lying twisted in the sheets, and how Jase had been jealous about it.

"Yeah?" she said, refusing to offer more.

Blaz nodded. "You told me to stop looking in your eyes because men only did that for two reasons. Because they wanted to challenge you or fuck you."

"Now you're fucking her," Tyr pointed out.

"Didn't want to back then," Blaz explained. "And that's nothing against you, Sal. I just didn't want to care about anyone. It was hard enough just to focus on my job."

"And now?" she asked.

He reached back and caught her hand. "Can't you walk further away or something, Tyr?"

Tyr sighed and grumbled, but he did angle his feet a bit, putting a bigger gap between him and the horse Sal was riding with Blaz. Yes, he made a production of it, but Sal thought it was sweet that he'd still agreed. It was almost as if he understood Blaz's need for a moment alone.

When he was far enough away, Blaz finally spoke again, but he kept his head forward and his voice down. "Am I a fool if I want this to be real?" he asked.

"No," she admitted.

"That's it? Just no? Sal, you're my best friend, and yeah, I know I'm human. Does that really matter so much?"

"It shouldn't," she tried, "but there's this part of me that's so worried I'm going to hurt you, and I can, you know. I could get caught up in something and bite through your skin without trying. I could -"

He cut her off. "Stop. I don't care about that. What I want to know is how you feel. We both got thrown together in Prin that first time, and you went with it, but the only time I ever felt like you were enjoying yourself was when you were faking it. It's like you're always holding back around me, and that's not at all what I want, ok?"

"What do you want?" she asked.

"No," he said, sitting a little stiffer. "For once, you do not get to react to what I tell you. This time, I want the strong, confident woman I know you are to just lay it out there. Tell me what you want, what you hope, and what you can't possibly stand. Let me know if I even have a chance, ok? Don't tell me you'll make it work or any of those empty promises. I just want to know what you fucking think about all of this."

She shifted closer, wrapping one arm around his chest as she leaned her chin on his shoulder. "I think you're easy to talk to. I think you push me when I need it. I think you look amazing without a shirt. Is that what you mean?"

"Feelings," he reminded her, but he sounded a lot less worried.

"I think that I've spent all my life being taught to make humans happy," she admitted, "and now there's this part of me that's scared I'm doing it again. I know I need more mates if I want to survive, but I hate the idea of taking a lover out of nothing more than desperation. I also can't stop thinking about the things I need to do, all the stuff I have to tell someone else, and the responsibilities piling up on me. I feel like I can't think straight, but is that the exhaustion, my fragile little Kaisae mind, or just me trying to ignore everything that's just happened?"

"And about me?" he pressed, but his tone was soft, as if he'd just filed all the rest of her complaints away.

Sal sighed. "I think I know you well enough that this could work." She paused to pull in a deep breath. "And I think I've always liked you a little. I think that's why I made you like it when I had to bite you, because I just wanted you to want me a little."

"I want you," he whispered, turning his head toward her. "Sal, that first night, when we sat on that wall, just talking? I couldn't help but think that you were gorgeous. Not like a human, but better. It's weird, and yet it's not. I know that's not the best compliment I've ever given, but it's the truth, ok? Something about you feels so damned right, and I don't know if it's because I suck at getting along with others, or if I'm just dumb enough to fall for you. I'm kinda hoping that there's a slim chance that you'll fall for me back."

She bent her neck to press her forehead against him, breathing in the sweet scent of human sugar. "I feel like I'm falling for a lot of people, and a lot faster than I should."

"You're the Kaisae of Anglia," he reminded her. "A woman who's expected to have men fall for her."

"Which is not the same as falling for all of them. Blaz, that's one of the things I'm still trying to work out. I love Jase, Zep, Kolt, and Gage. I really do love them, but I've known them for so long. I care about you, but if I fall for each and every man, then is that really love?"

"Isn't it?" he countered.

"Would it be enough for you?"

He reached up to press his hand over hers. "Yeah. See, love? It's not a thing that has to be split. Giving more to one person doesn't mean there's less for someone else. No, that's how time works, not love, and if anyone can love that much, it's you: the woman who loved so hard she saved an entire species."

She thought about that for a moment, then decided to answer the question he'd really asked. "The truth is that I don't want to give my heart to someone who's just going to leave when this is all over," she told him. "I've been through too much, and breaking my heart? It feels like that's the thing that would push me over the edge."

"My truth is," he replied, "that I would walk away from everything I've ever known if I have a real chance." He paused. "I lost someone I loved once. I never thought I'd feel this thing again, and yeah, Sal. I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you since that night out on the Unavi plains, just before we got you back to the Blades in Issevi. Just on the other side of those mountains, I watched you sleep and realized that you are the reason I'm still fighting so damned hard, because I want you to see me."

"I see you," she promised. "I've always seen you, Blaz, and I've always liked what I saw."

"Then I'm not going anywhere." He leaned his head over so his cheek touched the top of her hair. "Not until you kick me out of this crazy harem of yours."

Chapter Fifteen

Anglian Army, Escea

Joevar stumbled into his tent just after noon. He'd managed to shove something into his mouth, but he could barely remember what because he was so exhausted. Shade was using a lot of energy, and Jase had asked for volunteers to help keep her going. Joe had been one of the first to step up. He'd heard about Tyr doing this for Sal, and the idea was easy enough, but it didn't work as well without a Kaisae to do the transfer.

Instead, the humans had to push their energy across the link. Shade was trying to help, but she'd never done it before, and Jase assured her that she could. Granted, Joe had a feeling the Ahnor didn't know that for a fact, but people tended to believe anything he said. He was the most educated when it came to iliri abilities.

Yet there was one thing Joe had to do before he went to sleep. It was a promise he always kept, and no matter how tired he was, he needed this. It was his own little reward for a long, hard night.

Ryali? he asked, reaching out through the iliri hubs all the way up to Anglia.

Her response came back quickly. Are ya ok?

Still no real combat, he promised. Sal's on the move, but she's in the strike zone, so our job is to look like we've stalled out. Shade's causing enough of a distraction that the enemy shouldn't look behind them. Not with our entire army set up for a long siege. In truth, I'm expecting them to wise up and come at us from the back, but Nya has her sisters running a perimeter to give us early notice.

Sounds like ya are tired, though, Ryali pointed out.

Joe pulled off his shirt, kicked off his shoes, and then flopped onto his bed. It's the end of my day, so yeah. I've also been giving energy to Shade. Well, all of us are, but it feels a lot like I ran all night long. How are things in Dorton?

Boring. Marcu Piet has na made another attack on his wife, but he is na letting her get close. She sent his kids ta Arhhawen with Valri, ya know, and he is na happy about that.

How are you doing without her around? Joe asked.

I miss her, she admitted. I wanted a child fer so long, and now she is na with me, and I feel like I am missing a part of myself.

But you'll be back with her soon enough, he promised. And you can talk to her, right? I mean, iliri kids can link, can't they?

She can, Ryali assured him. But her thoughts are na complicated, and they do na have the same joy as her play. It is na as good.

No, it's not, Joe agreed, thinking about how much he'd love to have this conversation over breakfast instead of across the continent. Do you think maybe Lord Piet has given up?

Nah, Ryali thought. He still whispers, but it is na enough ta act on. Na fer me, which means it really is na fer the humans. I am trying ta make sure I do na make things worse, ya know.

Dom's gonna owe you big time, Joe promised. So you'd better start thinking of how you want to be rewarded.

Ryali shared her amusement across the link. I do na want his things. They are things. I just want a home where I do na need ta be scared.

Those words hit Joe hard. For him, it was easy to forget the constant fear that most iliri lived with daily. The threats they'd had to navigate, and the hate that so many humans used like a weapon. The idea of a safe home, for him, was a given. For Ryali, it was a miracle.

I will make sure of it, he swore. Ryali, when I get to Anglia, I will make sure that you never need to be scared of humans again.

Ya can na promise that.

Oh, I can, he told her. If that means I need to stand outside your room, put a guard on the Arhhawen gates, or anything else, I will make sure that no fucking human can give the iliri a problem again. I've got enough people on my side to back it up, too, and I'm not too proud to call in a few favors. No one will hurt you again, beautiful. I give you my word.

For a moment, she didn't reply. It was long enough that he started to think he'd gone too far, and then she thought, Thank ya.

Something about the feel of those words was off, though. Sad, almost. Should I not feel this way? he asked. Did I fuck up already?

Na, ya did na fuck up, she said. It is just that no one has said such a thing ta me before.

Not even Zep?

Na even Zep, she agreed. He could na. Na in Prin. He had ta be a soldier, and I lived in a place where he was na so welcome. He could na do it, so he did na promise it, and I do na blame him fer that. I just did na think that ya, a human, would care so much.

Yeah, Joe thought, dragging the word out. Ryali, I kinda care a lot.

Ya do na really know me, she reminded him. Will yer opinion change when ya are here and I act like a scrubber? When I growl?

I live with Sal, he countered. Well, I did, and I will again. Look, I know a lot of humans have made you think there's something wrong with what you are, but I'm not one of them. I will never be one of them. I get it, and I know I'll have to tell you this a million more times before it really sinks in, but I know what it means to be iliri. I live right beside the Black Blades. I respect them. Are you really more terrifying than the Ahnor?

Ryali's giggle sounded amazing, even across the distance. I do na think anyone can be more terrifying than him, she agreed. It is just hard ta believe, ya know?

I do, he assured her. And before I met Sal? I can't honestly say that I would've understood. I used to think it was no big deal. Iliri had jobs, so what was the problem, right? Being human, I never got to see how bad things were for you all. Now? Well, I've been living with it. I mean, just watching the merchants in Merriton? Seeing the way they treated the slaves? No, that's not going to happen in my country, and if it does, I'll start the rebellion myself.

Why? she asked.

Joe let his eyes close and laced his fingers behind his head, on top of his pillow. Because it's the right thing to do. See, I like to think that I'm a soldier because I'm fighting for good. I'm doing this to make the world a better place, and you know what? I'm pretty good at it. I mean, not iliri good, but a different kind of good. And well, if this is what I'm good at, then why would I ignore it when someone needs me? When it's someone who happens to be sweet, and beautiful, and maybe even willing to talk to me all the time, then I get a little overprotective.

Ya are na supposed ta protect me, Ryali reminded him. I am supposed ta protect you.

How about we protect each other? he offered. Maybe we both protect Valri? I mean, she's a cute kid, you know.

Ryali's next question came out of the blue. Do ya want kids, Joe?

I think so, he said. I reserve the right to change my mind, but I've always wanted to have a family. Me, a woman who lets me get all stupid about her, and a few kids to fill up the house. That's how I always saw my future. Now, I'm going to be living in a castle thing instead of a house, but is it really that different?

Would ya want yer own kids?

He could almost feel the worry in her voice, and he'd been warned that iliri rarely had more than one child. They simply didn't breed consistently enough. It had something to do with the way they were made. Jase had mentioned it often enough, and the researcher in Fort Landing had told the Devil Dogs what she'd found in the ship, so he knew all about it. He also knew exactly how to answer this question.

I'd like to try, but if it's not meant to be, then I'm ok with that.

With me? Ryali asked.

Joe couldn't help but laugh, although he tried hard to make sure that didn't leak to her. Ryali, you're amazing, so yeah. I promise I would have no problem at all with the trying.

And if I could have another kid?

Damn, but he was grinning at the ceiling. How about we talk about that after you've seen me, ok? I mean, I would be one lucky man if you decided that, but making plans when we haven't even really met? Isn't that taking it a little too far?

I was just dreaming, she explained. I want a boy. I want a son ta pamper and spoil. I would love another daughter, too. The humans here, they have so many children, and watching them play together? It looks so happy.

And Arhhawen will have a lot of children soon enough, Joe reminded her. The iliri are finally being fed properly. You all have the freedom to find your mates without some human making problems for you. I have a feeling that in the next few years, there will be a lot of little iliri babies in Anglia. Maybe one of them will be yours.

And Valri? she asked.

What about her?

Ryali's next words felt very careful. If ya had yer own child, would ya na want her as much?

Doesn't work like that for me, Joe promised. First, because she comes with you, and I know that. Second, because Zep would beat the shit out of me, and I'm not that dumb. No, Ryali, I'm ok with the idea of a pre-made family. I always thought that would be how it worked for me, in all honesty. Not a lot of women just dying to hook up with a short ugly guy.

Ya can na be ugly! she almost growled into his head.

Ok! he agreed, but he actually liked it when she did that. So, I shouldn't tell you that I'm short again?

Ya are na short, and short is na bad, she reminded him. Makes it easier ta kiss ya.

He had to push just a little more. It was his own way of getting compliments, and he was pretty sure she knew it. What about my fucked-up face?

I would kiss yer fucked-up face, she countered, and then she laughed. Is it better if I tell ya that ya have a mind that makes me feel safe? That yer voice is amazing, and I love the way it is so deep? I know it is how ya hear yerself, so it could be different in person, but I do na think so. I think ya are just right fer me. I also think that I spend too much time thinking about how I would kiss ya, and how strong yer chest will feel under my hands.

His eyes flew open, checking to make sure there was no one else in his tent, because that was not at all what he'd expected. Really? he asked, feeling strangely shy.

Mhm, Ryali agreed. Or do ya na like yer women ta be so confident?

I think it's a very good thing I'm alone right now, Joe told her. Otherwise, I might be a little embarrassed.

I think it is cute when ya are embarrassed, she teased. But ya are tired. Go ta sleep, my Joevar. Dream of how that would go, me kissing ya when ya get here.

As if I could think about anything else, he agreed. Should I reach for you when I wake up?

Yes, she purred, and tell me all about yer dream.

Tease, he sent back as he released the link, but he liked it.

He just liked her. A lot. He only hoped it would last long enough for him to actually meet her in person. Because now he couldn't stop thinking about that kiss. He had a feeling it would change his world. The sound of her voice already had.

Chapter Sixteen

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

It was late afternoon when they passed the last corpse, and early evening when Tyr saw the clump of trees surrounded by head-high ridges of ground. It wasn't the best shelter, but it would be good enough to keep the horses out of sight and let them all get a little rest. The mare now had a full set of tack, and it came with a decent blanket rolled up behind the saddle. Blaz had scrounged up another, but they didn't have a tent, there would be no fire, and Sal's dinner consisted of a packet of dried meat and a small strip from the leg of the Terran who'd been carrying it. Unfortunately, the rest of the meat was too far gone.

Tyr had found some rope - two of them, to be precise - and fashioned crude halters for the horses. Working together, they got the mounts tacked down and staked out within reach of a little dry grass. On the other side of the trees, Sal laid out the blankets, using one for padding and the other to keep the guys warm. When all of that was done, the three of them sat on it and ate their "dinner." It wasn't enough, but a full flask of water made it feel a little better.

"Blaz gets last watch," Sal decided, rolling off the blanket that would be his bed.

"Good call," Tyr agreed. "Sal, you make sure he sleeps."

Then he stood and walked off toward the horses, clearly trying to offer them privacy. Blaz rolled his eyes, but he did slide into the bed. From the weight of his eyes, he'd already pushed himself to his limit, and Sal wasn't about to ask for more.

Then Blaz patted the spot beside him. "I think you can look like a woman for a little bit, can't you?"

She gave him a smile but didn't immediately join him. Instead, she kicked off her boots, shucked her long masculine legs out of the pants, and let go of the form. As her body returned to its normal proportions, her shirt became a dress, her hands disappeared inside the cuffs of the sleeves, and she felt like a child playing dress-up in an adult's clothes. Or at least what she imagined that game would've felt like.

Rolling up the sleeves, she lowered herself to sit beside his hip. "Is this easier for you to look at?" she asked.

"Yeah, actually." He caught her hand. "I'm sorry. I know it's you in there, but..."

"It's ok," she promised. "I'd probably feel the same way if you looked like a woman." She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed the back of his knuckles. "Go to sleep, ok?"

"Mm." He was fading quickly. "What's the plan for tomorrow, Kaisae?"

"We'll have fresh horses, fresh people, and a little over a day's ride, if I'm guessing right."

"Not at a walk," Blaz realized. "You planning to run our horses into the ground?"

"Close," she admitted. "We'll heal them in Cenla Xie, but I want to move as fast as we can. We aren't safe out here, but we can't do this without some rest." Then she released his hand just to caress the back of his head. "Sleep," she breathed, reaching for his mind just enough to nudge him that way.

Blaz's lips curled into a smile, but she didn't stop sliding her hand along the back of his head and neck. Over and over, she kept the rhythm slow, the touch gentle, making the motion something soothing. His short hair tickled under her palm, but she liked it. When his breathing finally evened out, Sal bent and lightly kissed his brow, then eased herself away.

Blaz didn't stir, but Tyr was out of sight. Stepping softly in the dry grass, she circled the copse until she found him. He'd claimed a seat at the top of the ridge, shielded by a tiny little evergreen. It was just enough to break the silhouette of his shape if anyone looked, but she couldn't do the same. Her white skin would stand out too well.

"Hey?" he asked when she was closer. "Thought you were sleeping?"

"No." She shook her head. "I'm fine. You should get some rest."

He lifted a brow and scooted down the hill until he could recline against it. "I will - in about four hours. Sal, you've been pushing energy at him, and I can see it. You need rest, even if you don't want to admit it."

"In case you missed it, I've had more rest than either of you," she pointed out, moving to sit beside him.

He waited until she was comfortable, but his eyes followed her the whole time. "Dying doesn't count."

Sal paused. For a moment, she remembered the feel of panic just before the lance hit her. That certainty when she'd realized it was her last minute of life, and the complete terror that came with it. She had to force herself to pull in a breath, yet tried to act like nothing had happened.

But Tyr saw. He slid a little lower so he could see her face, but he didn't touch her. He just waited, his eyes locked on hers until she finally blinked and looked over. Slowly, he nodded, understanding what had just happened better than she did.

"Has this been happening a lot?" he asked.

"No," she promised.

He reached over to cup her cheek, preventing her from looking away. "Then tell me what that was."

"I..." She wanted to look away, but refused. "You said dying, and I just remembered the moment when I knew that lance was going to hit me. When I was sure I was about to die and there was no way out."

"Does it make you uncomfortable when I use that word?"

"Dying?" she asked, shaking her head. "No. It was just that I hadn't thought about it." Then she sighed, leaning her face into his palm. "I haven't thought about any of it, not out here. Not now."

"Hey." His thumb swept across her cheek. "I'll get you to Cenla Xie. For once in your life, baby, you don't need to do it all. I'll get you and Blaz there, even if I have to carry you both."

"I know," she breathed.

His hand lifted her face just a bit more, making Sal realize that her eyes had fallen on their own. Not from his gaze, because there was no challenge in it, but rather to her own thoughts. This time, when she met his eyes, she held onto the look in them as if it was her lifeline.

"I didn't think it would be this hard," she admitted.

"Fuck," he breathed, letting her go even as he leaned closer. "Come here, baby."

One of his hands slipped around her waist. The other caught the back of her thigh, and he tugged, twisting her as he lifted so that she sat astride his lap. Then he wrapped both arms around her back and just hugged, holding her tight against his chest.

"I'm going to make this ok," he promised, the words whispered against her ear. "I'm going to take care of you, and I know that's not an iliri thing, but it's my thing, ok?"

"I'm ok," she promised, but her arms had found their own way around his neck.

"I know." He kissed the side of her face while one hand smoothed her hair down her back. "You think you always need to be strong, but you don't. Sometimes, you can curl up against me, and I'll shield you from everything. Sometimes, when you're sick and tired of being the Kaisae, you can just stop. The world won't end if you take a little break."

"Do you get to stop?" she asked.

He leaned her back so he could see her face again. "Yeah. Every night when I pull out some beer and laugh with my unit mates around the fire. That's me stopping. I'm not a soldier for those minutes, and the rest of the world isn't my problem. Right now, it's not yours either. You're just an amazing woman sitting under the sunset with a pretty hot guy."

Like he'd intended, she laughed, reaching out to poke him in the gut. Tyr made a grunt, but she knew she hadn't hurt him. His abs were entirely too solid for that. Her eyes dropped to that spot, and she poked him again, but this time she slid her finger a little lower.

"You keep going that way," he warned, "and your chair is going to get lumpy."

"Lumpy?" she asked, unable to believe that was the phrase he'd chosen. "Even after you grabbed my dick not just once, but twice today?"

"It's a girl dick," he explained. "Doesn't count, and it's still pretty amazing. I mean, I've seen what you have between your legs. Trust me, when you were riding me like a stolen horse, I was looking."

"Tyr!" she hissed.

He grinned. "Oh no, did you just realize that I'm a pervert? Shit, what will I do now?" His hands moved down her sides until he reached the end of the long shirt at her thighs. Then they slid back up, this time against her skin. "Tell me something honestly?"

"Ok," she agreed.

"If my hands keep moving, would you hear a Terran on the other side of that hill, or would you be too distracted?"

"I'd hear them."

His palms moved over her thighs, both thumbs sliding higher, toward the junction of her legs. "Because I wouldn't. You are fucking distracting, and I can't get enough of it. Undo the buttons of your shirt, Sal. Unless you want me to take my hands away?"

She didn't. No, she most certainly did not, so she did exactly as he said. Starting at the bottom, and taking her time about it, she released one button and then the next, each one giving him a better view. Tyr's eyes stayed locked on her legs, but as soon as that last button released, his hands moved again.

He leaned back against the steep hill, with her legs spread across his hips, he had a perfect view of her, and used it to his advantage. One thumb slid over her lower lips, the touch light enough to tease. Sal sucked in a breath and spread her legs just a bit more, begging with her body. The next caress separated the folds, slipping between them to tease that sweet spot just as her shirt fell open.

Her breasts were heavy and aching for him to touch them, but he didn't. Instead, he teased, driving her higher with little circles against her clit. She could feel herself getting slick against the pad of his thumb, and quickly, but he never looked away. Pressing a little harder, he increased the tempo, sending sparks through her body.

Sal leaned her head back and gave in. The dark Terran shirt still clung to her arms, but she didn't care. What he was doing felt good, and she didn't need to work for it. Then he slipped his other thumb inside her body. It wasn't enough, but it teased her, driving away all the problems that had been weighing on her mind. With one hand working her clit, the other pumping into her slowly, his hands encouraged her legs to open just a bit more so he could watch.

She tried to reach for his pants, but he lifted his elbow, blocking her. "Close your eyes, Sal. Lean back against my knees and take it."

So she did. With one hand, he stroked her core, shifting from his thumb to a pair of fingers. The other massaged consistently, each hand working at its own pace. It felt like two lovers, but this was just him, just her Tyr, loving her like the human he was.

She wanted him to reach for her mind, but he didn't try. When she did, he ignored it. This was all for her, and he was asking for nothing in return, so she stopped fighting. His fingers crooked inside her, hitting the sweetest spot, and the pressure on her clit sped up until she couldn't think about anything else. Her legs began to tremble, her nipples were so hard they ached, and she wasn't sure she could take any more.

Then it hit. Arching back, his knees were the only thing holding her in place as her hips lifted from him and bucked. Tyr stroked her again, riding the pulses until she simply gasped, knowing better than to cry out. Then he pressed, giving her that last little bit of pleasure as her body came back down. Only then did he remove his hands from her body, reaching around her back to pull her tight against his chest.

"You," he breathed, "are so beautiful when you cum. I could watch that all day long."

"Mm," she mumbled, pressing her face against his neck. "Pervert."

He chuckled. "Yeah, a little bit. I think I also just won that fight. Arm around my neck, baby, because I'm carrying you to bed."

"My shirt's still open," she reminded him.

"And I'm sure that Blaz won't care at all." Sliding an arm under both of her legs, he lifted her against his chest and used the angle of the hill to help him stand. "Hope this isn't a bad time to mention that I play dirty. I will take care of you, Sal, even when you don't want me to."

And she knew he was right, because now her eyes felt very, very heavy, but that had been a very nice orgasm.

Chapter Seventeen

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

The moons were directly overhead, and it was getting cold out when Tyr decided Blaz had slept enough. The problem was the half-dressed woman curled around him. Careful not to disturb Sal, Tyr gently placed his hand over Blaz's mouth and sent a thought into his mind.

Your turn for watch. Sal's asleep beside you.

Blaz's eyes opened, but nothing else about him moved. Is that her against my back?

Tyr removed his hand. Yep.

Fuck. You know she's going to wake up, right? Blaz looked back over his shoulder, paused, then a smile flickered across his mouth. Pretty sure I didn't take off her clothes, so is that why you're letting her sleep?

Just get up, Tyr told him, standing back up just to walk away.

It didn't take long for Blaz to get out from under Sal, get out of the blanket, and find him. Tyr didn't want to ask if she was still asleep. He had a feeling that would lead right back to why her shirt was open, and he didn't want to get into that yet. Nope, he'd spent the last few hours thinking about the way Sal had reacted to him mentioning her death.

"You should crawl in my spot," Blaz said as he walked up.

"Soon." Tyr turned to face him. "Look, did you know she's having problems?"

Blaz's eyes narrowed. "What kind of problems?"

"Looked like battle stress," Tyr said. "After you went to sleep, she had a moment where she just vanished. Her eyes were locked on the ground, her ears flicked back against her skull, and her body just went stiff. When I asked her about it, she said she'd just remembered the moment before she died."

"I'll talk to her," Blaz promised. "Tyr, she'll be fine."

"She died," Tyr hissed. "How can she just be fine after that? She may have lost her mates. She says she saw a dead guy's soul, and that she was swimming around in ayati beside the void." He flicked both brows up to make the point. "Stop and think about that. All Kaisaes must die, right? Yeah, and she's not exactly dead, but there's one more option. Her mind could shatter. So how the fuck do we keep her together?"

Blaz shoved a hand into his hair and walked two paces away. "Fuck," he breathed. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Shh," Tyr reminded him. "She also hears really well."

"Look," Blaz said, turning on him. "Think about what they said. She needs a reason to stay in the here and now. Something to make her want to keep her shit together. You and I? We're not doing such a good job of that. We've been treating this like a mission, not a date. We're keeping her body alive, but not her mind, and you know what? She's not going to ask for more, because she's all worried about loving too many people. Scared she's not going to be enough for them."

"I honestly don't know how they do it," Tyr admitted. "I mean, yeah, she's amazing, but let's be honest here. Dating Sal? That's like being single all the time, but without the freedom to do anything about it. All of the downsides, none of the fun."

"No, it's not," Blaz countered. "Besides, didn't you say you shared some girl with Razor? You seemed perfectly ok with it the other day when we got fucked by Sal."

Tyr chuckled once at that. "Got fucked by. Yeah, that's probably the best way to phrase it. Look, all I'm saying is that it's a little hard to get all romantic with her when you're just a few steps away."

"Trust me," Blaz told him, "I know."

"So how are we supposed to do this?" Tyr waved his arm back toward where Sal was sleeping. "How am I supposed to make her feel like she's important enough? How the fuck do we wine and dine her in the middle of a run across northern Escea?"

"She doesn't want to be wined and dined," Blaz pointed out. "She wants something less fancy and more real."

"Like what you're doing?"

Blaz just nodded. "I think so. It felt like she was doing better when we had our talk yesterday."

"Wanna give me a hint?" Tyr asked.

Blaz glanced down and cleared his throat. "Um, yeah. Uh, I was asking her how she felt about this whole thing. I mean, about me."

"And?" Tyr pressed, curious about her answer.

"Yeah, um, we worked it out. But she kinda mentioned that she's a little worried that she likes us because she was trained to treat humans in a way that made them happy."

Tyr felt like Blaz had just pushed him into a winter lake. Pinpricks broke out across his body as he thought about what he'd done with Sal earlier, and the little bit he knew about her past. The Blades hadn't told him everything, but it wasn't hard to figure it out. Not when they'd headed into Merriton. Too many little pieces fit together in only one way, and now this?

"This is never going to work," he breathed.

"We're going to make it work," Blaz told him, leaving no room for debate. "Because if we don't? Then that woman's going to lose her mind, and it's going to be all our fault. Now I don't know about you, but my pride isn't worth losing her."

"Yeah, but I don't fucking know how to do this," Tyr pointed out. "I tell a girl she's hot, ask her if she wants to fuck, and that's about it. Dating? That's measured by how long we're going to be in town. This is completely different."

"Then figure it the fuck out," Blaz said. "I don't know, start by talking about whatever the fuck you two did when I was sleeping. I dunno, maybe even let me know what's going on!"

Then the bastard lifted his chin smugly, as if waiting for Tyr to start talking. Tyr wanted to put his fist into it, because Sal deserved a little more respect than that - except it didn't work that way. He wasn't trying to get a dirty story, he was asking about his mate. Their mate. The truth was that he deserved to know, but it went against everything Tyr had ever believed, because a man didn't kiss and tell.

It felt like he was being forced to unlearn everything he'd ever known. Her being with Blaz wasn't cheating. Her being with him was just fine to her real mates. Talking about the kinky shit they did was expected, not crass. Oh, he wasn't going to tell Blaz that she clenched around his fingers, or how amazing she looked when she got off. No, but that didn't mean he couldn't start small. Just the facts, right?

"I was trying to convince her to sleep through the first watch," Tyr mumbled.

"Without her clothes?" Blaz asked.

"Fuck off. You know an orgasm is the best way to relax, right? Rub one out and pass right out."

Blaz just nodded, but he didn't look any happier about it than Tyr felt. "Ok," he said. "So I guess you're taking over the physical part of things, and I'll just deal with her mind, huh? Well, I know which one of us she's going to fall in love with first."

"I never said that," Tyr told him.

Blaz stepped into his face. "No, you didn't, but that's how you deal with this, isn't it? Stick your dick in her, and she'll forget whatever problem she had. Well, I'm pretty sure that's not quite what they meant when they said she needed mates. She needs more than just empty sex."

"Yeah? Because she was ready to eat you, and you still weren't willing to go that far. Do you even want to fuck her, Blaz? Or are you too scared of what she is?"

Blaz's response was to shove. Tyr didn't shove back because he deserved that. He was also right. Sure, he should've said it better, but thinking about Sal losing her mind on their watch? It was the complete opposite of taking care of her, and that was all he really wanted. He just needed to get her home. That was all, and then the right men would handle the rest.

Before Blaz could shove him again, Tyr tossed his hands up in defeat. "I'm tired. You just woke up. We're both worried about her, so how about we don't start throwing punches, because I'm pretty sure I'd win that kind of fight."

"Don't bet against me," Blaz warned.

"On a horse, it's all you," Tyr said, giving him the credit he deserved. "With a blade? Well, I don't want to try it. So let's just agree that we're a little tense, and start figuring out how to fix this?" He took a step back, aiming for the ridge that served as their shelter. "Because I don't want to explain to Sal why we're both beat up in the morning."

He sat and tipped his head to the spot beside him, inviting Blaz to join him. With a heavy sigh, the horseman did, although he didn't look like he'd forgiven Tyr yet. Still, they weren't swinging, so it was progress, right?

"So why don't you want to fuck her?" Tyr asked, doing his best to not make that sound bad.

Blaz's grumble proved that he'd failed. "I have no problem fucking her," Blaz promised. "I just want to make sure she knows it's more than that. Between us, I mean."

"And what is between you?" Tyr asked.

"What's between you and her?" Blaz shot back.

"Not a damned thing," Tyr admitted. "The first time I met her, I asked her to take off her towel. Well, basically. The second time, she was killing a guy in the hall. Sal and I? It's all about her being a badass, and me thinking she's hot when she does it. And then in Fort Landing, she was trying to figure out how to fix the problem with the conscripts in a way that the CFC couldn't just undo when we left? And um, I kinda told her I was a scrubber lover. She laughed it off, and so I fessed up. Told her I had a little bit of a crush. Got a little weird after that."

"Weird how?"

"She doesn't do humans," Tyr said wryly. "I'm human. I mean, she's one hell of a leader, and she's an even more amazing woman, but my chances were zero. I figured I had a hot friend in high places and left it at that."

"And now here we are," Blaz said, sounding like he understood. "Yeah, um, my fiancée died in combat. A few years ago now, but Sal met me when I was a mess. Parliament was trying to make an ordeal out of her and Blaec, but I honestly thought she was with Cyno. I mean, she was, but yeah. Anyway, when I said something about the Lieutenant, I thought she was going to kill me on the spot, and I kinda figured out that the rumors were true, so offered to help dispel them."

"Right, the thing in Prin you told me about," Tyr said, "So what did you two do when you were all alone?"

"Planned out her trip to Anglia." Blaz shrugged. "She bit the shit out of me because everyone knows iliri bite, and she kissed me a few times when someone else was looking. And then when Blaec died, well, I picked her up a few klicks from here with Kolt and the 112th got them back. I also understood, and she needed someone who could just be silent with her, so I did."

Tyr ducked his head and began to chuckle. "We're so fucked. You know that, right? Our whole relationship with her is based on not doing a damned thing."

"Tell me about it," Blaz agreed.

But Tyr slowly lifted his head. "So how do we fix that?"

"I'm leaving the 112th," Blaz said. "I mean, for months now, Sal and I have been talking. She gave us the link, assigned us a brerror to hold it, and um, she reaches out to talk to me sometimes, like about losing Blaec. I honestly think she trusts me now, because lately we've been talking about more than just dealing with grief."

"That's the best friends thing?"

"Yeah," Blaz agreed. "I mean, I'm close with my unit, but more like the Dogs were before you defected. Nothing like the Blades. Walking away is going to suck, but it's not the end of the world."

Tyr pulled his knees up and dropped his arms on top of them. "It's not like that in the Dogs anymore."

"So what are you doing?" Blaz asked.

"I don't fucking know, ok?" He sighed. "I have no idea, but I can't leave the Dogs. I know she needs me, and I like this shit she put in my head, but I can't leave them, and I don't know how to make those work."

"Talk to her about it?" Blaz suggested.

Tyr just shook his head. "I can't, man. She needs us to be here, now, with her. I mean, if the whole point is to be her mate to keep her sane, then how does that help? And what if I can? What if it just works out? What if she doesn't even want me? There's just too much shit up in the air, and I have no fucking clue what she needs from me."

"No," Blaz said. "That's your problem. She doesn't need anything from you. She needs you. The guy who came across the front line for her. The man who gives a shit. She needs you, Tyr, because right now, we're all she has, and we have got to do better."

For a long moment, they both sat there, listening to the silence of the night around them. The moons moved a little further across the sky, but Tyr couldn't find anything to offer. Beside him, Blaz's silence meant he wasn't doing any better. There was just one thing left.

"I'll make you a deal?" Tyr offered.

"Ok?" Blaz asked.

"From now until we get her back, we... I dunno. Like no hard feelings, you know? You need to talk, you say something like you did yesterday about me moving away. If I do, then you don't get pissed about it. If she jumps on your dick, I close my eyes. If she pulls me in, you go with it. That kinda thing? Like, we just go with it, and stop thinking it's weird?"

"Oh, just stop?" Blaz asked.

"Look, it's the best I have," Tyr told him. "Because the only other option is that we start blocking out hours, and I'm short a clock. Besides, I get the impression that she's used to something a little more organic."

"So, um..." Blaz looked over. "Kissing her?"

"Fair game," Tyr told him. "Don't like it, then don't look. I'll do the same."

"Yeah." Sucking in a breath, Blaz nodded. "It's the best we've got. Think it'll work?"

"It's better than what we're doing now," Tyr said.

"That it is," Blaz agreed.

Chapter Eighteen

Sal lay flat on her back, enjoying the greenest grass, able to feel the warmth of the sun on her face. In the distance, she could see a split rail fence, and she somehow knew there were horses scattered around the field, but her eyes were locked on the large, fluffy clouds above. One of them looked like a duck. Perfectly, complete with yellow feathers and an orange bill.

"Sal."

The voice felt like a caress on her skin, but when she turned her eyes toward it, all she could see was a silhouette of a man. The sun was positioned perfectly behind him, but her lips still curled into a smile because she knew him. She'd been waiting for him.

"Blaec."

"Can I join you?" He gestured to the spot beside her.

"How long have I been dreaming?" she asked instead.

He took that as an answer and sat. It moved him just enough that she could see the chestnut sheen of his hair, but his face was still in shadow. For a moment, Sal thought about asking him to turn so she could see him better, but it didn't really matter, did it? He was here, and that was the important thing.

"You don't dream," Blaec reminded her. "You never have."

"So where are we?" she asked.

"This is my dream." He pulled in a deep breath. "How are you, sweetness? I've wanted to ask, but you never slept deep enough for me to reach you. Did they heal you? Are you really ok?"

"I'm fine," she insisted, but stopped. This was Blaec. Her Blaec. "I'm going to be fine," she said instead.

"That doesn't answer my question, though."

"It does," she countered. "I'm stuck behind the enemy lines, cut off from my mates, trying to figure out what I'm doing with a pair of humans, and I'm scared, ok? I'm acting like I've got this, but I really don't! I have no clue what comes next, how I'm going to fix this, or if I can even put these pieces back together now that all of this has happened."

"You can't."

That made her sit up. "What?"

"Sal, you can't go back, only forward. You can't make things with Cyno like they used to be. You cut your tie, and now you'll have to make a new one. You can't make Blaz and Tyr forget these days alone with you. Sure, you can refuse them once you're safe, but is that fair? You can't go back."

"Stop." She lifted a hand to reinforce her words. "What do you mean I can't make things with Jase like they used to be? He always knew me so well. He could read my thoughts without trying. He knew me better than I knew myself, and you're telling me that's over? That we're going to, I don't know, fumble around like humans, trying to figure out what the other means?"

"I don't know," he told her. "No one's ever done this before. I can't tell you one way or the other. All I know is that things have changed, and it's up to you to make sure that change is for the better."

"Because I'm not doing enough already?" she demanded. "I have crossed the entire continent, fighting the whole way. I've given my entire life to this, and now you're telling me it isn't enough? Is ayati going to take the little pieces of happiness I have left?"

"Ayati isn't a person, love." He reached out and caught her hand, leaning just enough for the sun to illuminate his face. "It's just the laws of nature."

"Don't tell me that. I've made a deal with it."

His pale green eyes found hers and held them without challenge. "No. Ayati doesn't make deals. It has no mind, but it needs one. Sal, the problem with being a Kaisae has always been the temptation of knowledge. There are just too many options to choose from, and you could spend a lifetime tracing each thread from start to finish only to have a whole new set appear when you're done. Generation after generation, the pattern grows, changes, and tangles upon each other."

"Yeah, I got that."

He just shook his head, but it was with an amused smile. "It's not a thing. There's no mind to listen to your pleas."

"So explain Merriton," she said. "How did we get in so deep only to make it out without a single death?"

His smile grew. "Think about it."

"Just fucking tell me?" she begged. "I don't want to play games with you, Blaec. I just want to know what I need to fix this, ok?"

So he reached up. His hand touched nothing, and yet she almost saw it. Like a shimmer or a feeling, a line was there, and it wasn't hers. Blaec pushed it just a little, shifting it closer to her. That was when she knew. The line was Blaz, and Blaec had just nudged him right into Sal's life.

"It's you," she breathed.

"I can't do much," he admitted, "but I try. When you push at the pattern like you did in Merriton, I can almost hear you. I can't say anything back, but the lines vibrate with your voice like the sound of a breeze in tree leaves. It's so close, and the harder you push, the easier it is to understand. Over and over, you kept saying one thing: that no one else could die or you'd quit. That was all you wanted, for the people around you to survive this war, so I tried."

"Was Shade pregnant?" she asked, not sure where that came from.

He shook his head. "No, love. I haven't been able to save every Anglian soldier, but I've spared all of the ones with you. I'm trying to make up for the pain I caused, but can you see now why I had to do this?"

"You should've told me."

He dipped his head, still holding her eyes. "Really?"

"No," she admitted, "I know that would've made a mess of things, but I wish you could've. I wish you'd asked for more time, or pushed your way in. Something! I spent months feeling like I'd failed you."

"Sal, you were the only happiness I'd known in years. You, my sweet, beautiful, feral little Kaisae, made life worth living. Watching you fall in love with Jase? Seeing you laugh with Zep? I needed that as much as you did. I knew they'd take care of you, so it made this ok. Now I can take care of them, because I don't think you really need me."

"I do," she insisted.

He actually chuckled at that. "No, Sal. You still can't go backwards. Those days you remember so fondly were when the responsibility weighed me down instead. I can't take it from you, but your mates will share the burden. Just let them." Then he leaned closer. "Tell me something, though?"

"Sure."

"Razor?"

That one question changed the entire mood of their conversation. Sal flopped back, shifting so her head was in Blaec's lap. "Yeah, but I call him Gage. He says he likes it now."

"He hated his name for so long. Too human, he told me. Then the guys started calling him Razor just to rub it in, and it stuck. Does he make you happy?"

"Yeah." She reached down and plucked a blade of grass. "I didn't get a lot of time with him, not as my mate, but he made it worthwhile. He's so..."

"Quietly intense?" Blaec offered.

"Yes!" And she laughed. It was a real laugh. The kind that erased a little of the darkness that had been smothering her. "Gage takes care of me, and in the most mundane ways. It's actually nice, and I never knew how much I wanted it."

"Mm." He gently ran his fingers through her hair. "I remember when he figured out that this spunky little recruit of ours was something special. It started with a few long looks, and Zep always gave him shit about it. Then after he fought with you in those ruins? He walked around with this smile on his face the entire day. And when you spent that night with Jase, he came to ask permission."

"Is that when you gave him the prophecy?" she asked.

"Yeah. I told him he had to wait because you just weren't ready for that. You were so completely iliri in some ways, and so human in others. You'd made it past the worst options, but you just weren't ready to accept that you were allowed to love us all."

"And now?" she asked him.

"Now," he said, smiling down at her, "I think you're unstoppable. I think you've realized that your strength doesn't lie between those funny little ears of yours, but in your heart - and theirs. I think the pattern has changed in a way it never has before, and I hope that when you write your story, I don't look too bad in it."

"No," she insisted.

He just lifted a brow, halting her. "I was a fucking idiot, Sal. I mean, that's what Zep always told me, and he's right. Was right, at least. I tried so hard to make a difference, but I wasn't supposed to be the hero. You were."

"You were my hero," she insisted.

"I tried to be. I also failed a lot, and in the biggest ways. I was so jealous that you made it look easy. So terrified that you'd take everything I'd spent my life working for and just leave me behind. That was an option, you know. I thought you'd realize that you had this power over us and you'd make the same mistakes that all the Kaisaes had before. You'd think that your life was the most important, and you'd throw us at the enemy, knowing we were all doomed anyway, but you didn't." He paused to lick at his lips. "Why not?"

"Why would I?"

"Why did they?" he countered. "You knew you were going to die, and when you did, you'd take Jase and Zep with you."

"And Kolt," she reminded him. "I know you never got to know him, but Kolt's my cessivi now."

"Was," he corrected.

"Yeah."

Blaec leaned down to kiss her brow. "So why didn't you make that hard push like I'd planned? The one where we'd all die together but end this war? You were so close up there in that camp. Makiel was just meters away. Why didn't you end it?"

"Because that wouldn't have stopped the war," she explained. "It would've killed a man, and another would've taken his place the same way I stepped up to take yours. The same way Arctic is still trying to follow in your footsteps. The Black Blades aren't gone because you died, lover. We changed, but we didn't stop fighting."

"So how will you end the war?" he asked.

She smiled up at him. "I'm going to bend the rules. If Makiel dies, the throne will be passed down. His legal son is mad. His bastard, though? Well, he's making a name for himself. The people like him even if he isn't human. He's a good man, and he's going to make an amazing brother."

"Brother?"

Sal nodded. "Narnx is going to end the war and move to Arhhawen so he can live in peace with his mate. She's pretty amazing, too, although he hasn't met her yet. He's seen her in visions. Her name is Baeli. Baeli Dylle."

Blaec's body lurched with shock. "What?"

"Your sister," she told him.

"My amma died in Unav, along with my sire. My dava got me out as a boy, but..."

"What?" Sal asked.

Blaec's mouth flopped, unable to form a word at first. Then, "Amma was pregnant. She couldn't run because she was too close, so my dava said he'd stay with her, and my other dava got me away. We were so sure they died."

"And now you have a sister," Sal told him. "You didn't know?"

He shook his head. "I never met her, and I could only see the future that intersected with mine. She wasn't a part of that."

"She's so strong, Blaec. Like you in some ways, but not as fragile. She loves horses, and I'm hoping she'll help with the ones back home."

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice cracking from emotion. "Thank you for telling me."

"I'm going to take care of her," Sal promised.

He nodded. "And I'm going to try hard to take care of you. I can't do much from here, but I'll do what I can. Just..." He paused, reaching up to wipe at his eye. "Love them all for me, Sal? As many as you want, love them completely, and don't let them do what I did? Don't let them pull away, thinking that's the best thing. Don't let them destroy themselves for you? And most of all, don't you dare forget to laugh. That's what I meant when I said you should be a little human. I meant happy, sweetness. I know I said it all wrong, and I didn't know it at the time, but that was what I wanted. I wanted us to have moments like these, and I hated so bad that the end of my very short life wasn't going to have them."

"Then we'll make our own," she promised. "Every night, ok? They can have me when I'm awake, but you? I'll dream with you, Blaec."

"For now," he agreed, "but eventually, you'll dream with them more than me, and that's ok. I'm willing to wait. I've gotten good at it."

"Can you tell if it's going to be a long wait?" she asked.

He just smiled. "It's time to wake up. Don't bite him."

Chapter Nineteen

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

One hand pressed over her mouth. Another grabbed her shoulder. Sal woke fast, but she didn't move thanks to Blaec's last words echoing in her mind. The darkness against her lids proved it was still night, but the hand under her nose smelled familiar. A split second later, Blaz's thought came.

Don't move, but wake up. Both of you. Not a sound.

Sal opened her eyes and reached for the hand over her lips, easing it away. What's going on?

Soldiers, and closer than I like. Blaz tipped his head back the way they'd come, across the battlefield. The worst part is that they have dogs. Sal, get dressed, and quietly. Tyr, check the far side.

I'd kill for some coffee, Tyr grumbled into their minds, but he was moving, and amazingly well for a man who acted like he wasn't really awake.

Sal hurried to pull on her pants, her boots, and buttoned her shirt. What had she been thinking to fall asleep like that? If they had to make a run for it, she would've been barefoot and mostly naked. Granted, the moment with Tyr had been pretty nice, but next time, she'd have to remember to put her clothes back on.

Although getting dressed wasn't enough. Sal also needed to change back into the human man, and that took just a bit of concentration. She tried to do it quickly, but Blaz was right. Someone was just beyond the hills, and she could hear the grumbling of their dog. Thankfully, it sounded like only one. As soon as her body fit into her clothes, she moved to join the others peering over the top of the ridge.

You know who it is? she asked, the question for either man.

Terrans, Blaz told her.

Are they defecting? She looked over to meet his eyes.

He just shrugged. No idea, but it's a whole unit.

Just then, the dog began to bark with a purpose. It paused once to sniff at the ground, lifted its head, and pulled at the leash, aiming right toward where Sal and the guys were hiding. They weren't close, but they were close enough that even Blaz had been able to see their silhouettes in the darkness, and the dog clearly smelled Sal's trail.

"Hush," the handler snapped loud enough for his words to carry. "Don't care if there are beasts out here. Heel!"

"This is where the battle started," another said, his voice low enough that Blaz and Tyr probably couldn't hear it. "All of Anglia ran through here, which means iliri, and who knows if they have more coming in for backup. I say we keep going. We're supposed to cross the gap before sunrise, and we're not going to make it at this rate. Leave the iliri to the Esceans."

They're pulling back to the northern line, Sal realized. Narnx said the Emperor ordered all Terran soldiers to return to Terric City. I think they just got the orders, and they're pulling back from the front line!

Which means there's going to be a lot more coming across here, Tyr pointed out. Sal, we need to move.

Not with a unit only a few meters away, Blaz pointed out. And a dog? That thing knows she's here.

Sal just pressed her forehead to the ground, trying to think as quickly as she could, running through her options in her mind. The Terrans were moving from the south to the north. Sal and her men were heading from the east to the west. If they bolted, the dog would be released. Sal could kill one easily. The problem was the soldiers with it. She counted at least eight of them, possibly ten. Blaz and Tyr were solid fighters, though, and she could link their minds. The real question was if it would be worth it.

If they waited until this group was out of sight, would there simply be another? What if it was larger? Ten to three were tolerable odds. Twenty to three? Not as much. And if they ran, the Terrans would just follow. Half of those men were mounted. Then again, that would at least split the group, give Sal time to kill most of them, and then she could go back to finish off the others.

Blaz, she decided, can you tack up the horses? Tyr, put the gear away and help him, if you wouldn't mind? I can see and hear the best, so I'm going to make sure they keep moving. If we're lucky, they'll be out of sight before the next unit comes close. If we're not, we'll ride into another group, so I want to be ready for anything.

Who are you riding with? Tyr asked.

Blaz, she decided. Simply so the weight is balanced between the horses.

The men both crept away from the ridge, leaving her alone to watch, but Tyr trailed his hand down her spine before he left. She knew it had to be strange for him, since she was in a man's body, but he didn't seem to care. He still made the effort, and that made her feel just a little less alone in the world. Too bad that wouldn't be enough to solve this latest problem.

Ok, Blaec, she thought, glancing up at the sky. Can you tug one of those lines to make sure we get a safe way out of this?

There was no answer. There never was, but the sky above shifted. The lines of the pattern twisted just a bit, sliding further toward the Anglian army - and away from her. It was the closest thing she could imagine to a sign from above.

We need to move fast, Sal warned the others. As soon as these guys crest the next hill, we need to head to the west, and as fast as those horses can go. Can you handle that, Blaz?

How about you pick the path, since you can see in this? he countered. Tyr's horse can follow, and that'll mean fewer chances of breaking a leg.

Good plan. How's it going?

This time, the answer came from Tyr. Need about five minutes. How long until they're out of sight?

Ten, Sal guessed.

Behind her, she could hear the guys moving, the horses snorting, and the tack jingling. She had to turn her human head to follow the direction of the sounds, but she could trace their progress if she tried. Her eyes, however, were locked on the small group of Terrans. The dog was not happy that it was being ignored. Every few steps, it tried to turn and alert, but its handler just kept going.

Which meant they didn't care if she was here. For all they knew, she could be a group of iliri slaves or one lone iliri dying of its wounds. They still knew, and they hadn't come back to finish her off. That meant someone had ordered them to hurry, but why? Narnx said the Esceans were growing impatient with their Terran alliance. Vilko had ridden to meet the Emperor's retreat - which proved just how slow he was moving - and had demanded the steel. If Sal stopped to think about the nuances of it all, that meant one thing.

Escea expected the Terran Empire to screw them over, and bad. Those soldiers were in a hurry because they were scared they'd pay the price. Escean warriors were some of the most barbaric on the continent. They were also effective. From the stories, they were said to fight ruthlessly and savagely, which sounded a lot like what people said about the iliri. In other words, Sal didn't blame the Terrans for making a run for it, because she wouldn't want to be the enemy in an Escean camp, alone, with no one to back her up.

Sal, we're taking the mare, Blaz said, interrupting her thoughts.

And we're ready to go, Tyr finished.

Almost there, she promised. They're so close. Just a few minutes more, which means you both should mount up. I'll meet you as soon as they're out of sight. Then she looked at the sky and sent her thoughts to ayati. I think you're trying. I hope you're trying, and if you are, thank you!

This time, the pattern didn't change, but she also hadn't expected it to. As the seconds crept on, the Terrans got further and further away. Then, between one step and the next, they began to vanish. They were far enough out to be little more than specks in the night, and there was no way Blaz or Tyr's human eyes would've seen them. She hoped that meant it would work the other way around, and their mad dash would be just as invisible.

When the last man was out of sight, Sal slipped down the ridge and hurried toward the horses. The copse wasn't a large space, but it was large enough, and the trees in the middle served as a barrier, blocking the men from her sight. She didn't try to go around them. Instead, Sal darted through, twisting between the trunks to save time. On the other side, Blaz had scooted back, leaving the stirrup open so Sal could mount and go.

The hard part was getting on the horse without kicking him in the process, but she'd done this a time or two. The moment her weight was in the saddle and her feet were secure, she squeezed the mare forward. There was a gap on the far side where the ridge had been eroded away, and that was about to become their exit.

Tyr, lemme know if I make this too hard for you? she asked.

His horse was right on the tail of hers. Believe it or not, baby, I've done this before, and without the advantage of iliri eyes. I'll speak up, but just assume I can keep up.

She decided to take him at his word. The minute the mare was back in the open, Sal put her heels to the horse's ribs, and they were off. She wasn't sure if the guys had realized there would likely be more Terrans, but neither one complained about the pace she set. With Blaz's arms wrapped around her waist, his body being jostled around with the movement of the horse's hips, and her new, longer legs giving her more reach around the horse's side, she hoped this would work.

In her dream, Blaec said he'd been pulling the threads of ayati. When she'd asked for help, the pattern had shifted exactly the way she needed it to. Did that mean he was real, or was she simply hoping so hard that her sanity was slipping? Would she even be able to tell? And most importantly of all, did it matter?

Because they still needed to get to Cenla Xie. They still needed to call in the Unavi Rebels. They definitely needed a way to get the Anglian soldiers across the Siahies and headed toward Terric. They had to stop this war, and they were now in the final stretch, but it would all change if she died. Behind her were enough iliri to cause a wave of destruction, but only Escea would pay for it.

No, if she died - and stayed that way - then she wanted to make sure her army was at the Emperor's door. She hoped that the last battle of the iliri would be enough to save their species. That, and only that, would be enough to make their deaths worthwhile.

But she hoped they could live. For as long as she could remember, the idea of freedom meant the small luxuries. The little things that most people took for granted. Trying to imagine a life where she was treated the same as everyone else had been impossible. Back when she first joined the Black Blades, if someone had told her the Anglian army would kneel before her, she would've thought it was a joke. Now, here they were, proving that change really could happen quickly, and she would not give up on that.

And to think, when she'd applied to be an elite soldier, it was because she'd wanted her death to mean something. Now, here she was, hoping that maybe her life could as well.

Chapter Twenty

Anglian Army, Escea

We're on the move.

The words were in Blaz's voice, and strong enough to wake Jase from a sound sleep. It also came with a very clear location. Jase sucked in a breath, trying to remember where he was before he sat up. The sound woke Kolt, who turned to face him. Zep stirred on his other side, waking Gage. Within seconds, the four of them were alert and ready to go, but they didn't know why yet.

"Sal's moving again," Jase told them, his voice hoarse from sleep.

Zep grumbled as he rolled onto his back. "She still doing ok?"

"Dunno yet," Jase admitted. "Blaz did na stick around in my head ta chat. What time is it?"

"Dark," Razor answered as he rolled toward the flap of the tent. Pulling a corner aside, he peeked out. "Three hours, maybe four until dawn. What time did she stop?"

"I can na remember. Before sunset, so she had some sleep."

Kolt reached over to rub Jase's arm. "So what's the plan, Ahnor?"

Jase pressed his palm over Kolt's, halting the gesture. "We need ta get the soldiers ready. She needs a distraction, and I wanna pay them back."

"Who goes where?" Razor asked.

Silently, Jase sat up and scooted back so he could lean against his pillow. "Ya can talk ta Ran. Hax is with him."

"Fuck," Razor groaned. "Remind me not to ask next time."

Kolt pushed out a single, dry laugh. "He picked you because you're the least likely to kill that fucker."

"He did na mean ta," Jase reminded them. "He wanted ta impress her." He looked over at Kolt. "And we have all made our mistakes with her. He simply did na have our luck."

"No," Razor said, shaking his head. "That's not fucking good enough for me. I waited over a year. A year, Jase, to make sure she was ready. There is no excuse he can have that makes up for the shit he pulled out there. In the middle of combat is not the time to show off."

"He is meant fer her."

Jase's words fell into the room hard, halting the grumbles of his fellow mates instantly, but it didn't last long. Zep glanced over to Kolt. Kolt was looking at Razor. None of them wanted to look at Jase.

"There's no way," Kolt said.

Zep just huffed at that. "There's every way. She's a Kaisae, and the last one. He was bred in the same facility, so it makes sense they'd make a perfect compliment to her."

"Fuck," Kolt hissed.

But Razor was still shaking his head. "I don't give a shit. I don't care how hard it pulls at him. If he's not willing to put his own fucking needs aside for hers, then no. He doesn't want her because he cares about her. He wants her because he thinks he deserves to have the strongest woman on the continent suck him off. No. We get a say in this, and I'd rather she keep on fucking Tyr and Blaz. Hell, I'd rather she set me aside - or not take me back - than pick him."

"It is na yer choice," Jase reminded him.

Razor shoved himself to his feet, storming across the room toward their clothes. "You don't think so?" he asked. "Tell me, Ahnor, do you want him in our bed?"

"Na at all," Jase admitted. "He feels..."

"Wrong," Kolt finished. "Look, this 'meant for her' thing. All it means is that they'd make some kick-ass kids, right? Well, if Tyr is right and Blaz couldn't heal her all the way, then she can't have any. So if that's why Hax thinks he deserves to be her mate, then I guess she doesn't need him anymore, huh?"

"She could love him," Zep reminded them all. "And it's not really his fault that he doesn't know shit. Sal didn't either when she showed up, but we all busted our asses to teach her. Have any of us done that with Hax?"

"He has Jad," Razor pointed out. "His own brother, and he ignores half of what Jad tells him. Hax doesn't want to learn; he wants the shortcut. Shit, he's challenged Perin a time or two now, but the guy's too human to realize it. You think I'm going to stand by while that idiot does the same to Sal?"

"You didn't mind when I did," Kolt pointed out.

Razor threw a dark shirt at him in answer. "Because you were doing it for the right reasons. You pushed her when she needed it, but you were always respectful of her. Don't get me wrong, you're a dick, and I'm surprised Zep hasn't beat the shit out of you a few more times, but you always put her first."

"And Hax does na," Jase said. "He wants ta be proud of what he is, but he can na accept that she is more – that anyone could be." He lifted both hands to scrub at his face. "He reminds me of the Emperor."

"You met the Emperor?" Razor asked.

"No," Zep answered before Jase could. "Sal did. If it's in her head, he tends to know it. She's never put a barrier between them, and my little brother's damned good at knowing when to ignore what he sees and when to use it. That's why he's the first mate."

"And this first mate," Jase reminded them, "needs ta make an army move. Razor, ya will talk ta Ran. Let Ran deal with Hax. Zep, can ya handle Ylexa? Kolt, ya can talk ta Nya. Jarl will be with her."

"You sure?" Zep asked. "Jarl and I have an understanding."

"And I do na trust Ylexa with Sal's lovers when she is na here ta stop her. Ya are too human fer her ta want. Yeh, I'm sure."

Zep just chuckled at that. "Gage? I need a uniform?"

A pair of blacks immediately hit him in his chest. "Jase?" he warned before throwing the next set across the tent. "And someone needs to make coffee."

"Coffee will be in the strategy pavilion," Jase promised. "One of ya needs ta find whichever of Shade's mates is awake and send him. I do na care which. Let the other sleep, and her if she's trying." Closing his eyes, he ran over his plans, trying to find the problem. "Let the Horde sleep too. I will talk ta them later, but we need Baeli."

"Mm." Kolt paused as he pulled on his shirt. "I think she's in Geo's tent."

"Really?" Razor asked.

Kolt lifted a hand. "He hasn't been sleeping after what happened with Aeley. She's taking care of him, nothing more. I asked."

"Why?" Zep wanted to know, leaning forward so he could see Kolt's face.

"Because I'd like to see her as a Blade, actually. She's..."

"Blaec's sister," Jase finished. "She is a Blade, or will be when Sal is back. That she cares enough ta take care of her brother is all I need. That she brought down Merriton was her trial. All she needs is the Kaisae's approval."

"She'll give it," Zep said.

Jase nodded. "She will."

"Wait," Razor said. "When did we stop asking the pack and start putting it all on Sal?"

Jase slowly looked over. "When Blaec died and the pack became hers."

"Yeah, see, I think that's a bad idea," and he lifted a hand before Jase could interrupt. "Hear me out. I know it's her right, but I think that right now, it's too much. She doesn't want to be responsible for a bad call. Sal is going to be a mess when she gets back, and we'll be lucky if this isn't like Unav all over again. Yes, historically, the Kaisaes had complete autonomy over the decisions for their pack, but Sal isn't like the other Kaisaes. I think we need to go back to the old way. Let the new ones work their way up, prove themselves, and take a vote. If there's a problem, then Sal can have the final call, but she doesn't need to deal with it all."

"I like that, actually," Zep said.

Kolt was nodding. "I can talk to the others, see what they think, and have them start testing her however they want?"

"Do it," Jase decided. "Because Gage is right. If she does na need ta deal with somethan, then we will find a way ta make sure she does na hafta. But I will need yer help with that." He looked at each of them, one after the other. "I do na have time fer more than the fight. I can na think about more than getting her back and making them pay. Will ya help me?"

"Always," Kolt swore. "I think that's exactly what we all signed up for."

Jase quickly pulled his own clothes on, then scooted to the end of the bed. It was the only way for him to get out without moving the others. It was also where he'd left his boots the night before. While he put them on, his mind was still moving, playing out his options now that Sal was far enough away that she wouldn't get caught in the middle. Beside him, the others were doing their best to get black clothes turned the right way in the dark. Some of them had more luck than others.

"Your shirt's backwards," Kolt warned Zep.

"Fuck," Zep groaned. "This was easier when Sal was here."

"Soon," Jase promised. "We just have ta push the line far enough ta reach her."

"You really think two humans can keep her safe?" Kolt asked.

"Those two?" Zep said. "Yeah. Blaz may be a horseman, but he's wicked fast with a blade. Almost iliri fast. Tyr? He's a fucking brute, and there's not a damned thing big enough to stop him. Asshole's put me on my ass a few times."

"And they love her," Jase said softly. "Blaz tried na ta, but he could na stop it. Tyr? He did na expect her ta feel the same, but he loved her anyway. He loved her knowing she could never love him back, but he was wrong. Now, they have what they always wanted. I do na think there is much stronger than that. Ta have yer dream and let something take it from ya?" He looked over at Kolt. "Ya should know how hard a man will fight fer that."

"With everything he has," Kolt agreed. "So you've read them both?"

"I can na help it," Jase admitted.

"Will they do?" Kolt asked. "I like both of them, but that doesn't mean shit. Will they do for her?"

Jase smiled, and the look was a little wild. "Blaz wants this. He does na know how ta be in a pack, but he is willing ta walk away from ever'thing in his life fer her. He will do."

"And Tyr?" Razor asked.

Jase shifted his gaze to the Cinnor. "He is yer friend, so ya can help him. He will be like Kolt."

"What do you mean, like me?" Kolt asked.

"An idiot," Zep teased. "Bro, when you got Sal back to us, you made every single wrong decision you could. About the only thing you got right was Ghost. When that little shit dropped his eyes to you? I heard you got all protective of him."

"He's a submissive," Kolt said defensively. "Did you think I was going to fuck with him?"

"Yeh," Jase said. "Ya were too proud. Too rash. We thought ya would ta prove ya are man enough fer her, but that woulda been the wrong answer."

"Protecting him was the right one," Zep explained, "because that's what a pack does."

"And the little shit knew you'd sent him out as bait?" Kolt asked.

Razor chuckled. "He asked if he could. Besides, he might be submissive, but you never would've laid a hand on him. Trust me. You don't want to be on the wrong side of his fear."

"Not more than once," Kolt agreed. "So how do we help Tyr? Because I like the guy."

Razor reached over to clasp Kolt's shoulder. "We show him how to be iliri. He's a human, stuck on the outside looking in. He sees this." Razor rubbed Kolt's arm, proving he meant the casual contact. "And he longs for it, but he doesn't know how to stop and think it through yet. He'll need someone to ask him the tough questions."

"Like why he's not fucking her," Zep said. "Like all those questions I asked you when you first joined us. I made you see the other side of things - her side. I showed you why this is something worth risking everything to get. I also made it clear that we'd accept you as you are. Even if you're a dick."

Kolt reached over and shoved Zep's shoulder. "And I think you all like to rub that in a little too much. Yeah, I'll help him - after we get this done."

"Sal's on the move," Jase reminded them. "She's off the field of battle, but she is na yet safe. T'day, we will make sure the enemy does na have time ta think of her. I need the leaders of each species and all of ya in the pavilion before dawn."

"Yes, Ahnor," Razor said, his respect audible in that title.

"I'll make it happen, Ahnor," Kolt promised.

Zep just pushed past Jase as he headed for the door. "And I'll beat you there, little brother. You've got this, and you're a damned good Ahnor."

"I just need ta be good enough ta get her back," Jase said. The words were for himself, but all of his brothers heard, and even through their tentative bond, he could feel that they all understood. They would make sure their mate made it home, one way or another.

Chapter Twenty-One

Anglian Army, Escea

Razor paused at the black tent. It was set up in the middle of all the other units, almost out of place. Ran had been offered a spot with the Blades, but he'd declined, saying his responsibility was to act as Sal's ambassador to everyone else. After all, he was the man who'd formed each and every one of these elite units. If they knew they could still come to him, then they wouldn't need to bother his little girl when she got back.

The tent to Razor's left was chocolate brown. The one to his right was grey. Behind Ran's they were a slightly darker shade with an irregular pattern. Those belonged to Lightning Brigade. Thankfully, the men in all three camps - and women - were silent, which meant sleeping. Razor scratched at the flap of the black tent softly, wondering if the older man would hear.

"Come," Ran answered, proving he had.

Razor ducked through the flap and paused. There, in the middle of the floor, was a body tucked under a blanket, passed out. Ran was sitting on his bed, so it wasn't him. Razor pulled in a breath and knew that Jase was right. That was Hax.

Why is he here? he asked Sal's sadava.

Ran smiled. "I gave him one of Sal's shirts. It's ok. He's sleeping soundly enough that you won't wake him."

"A shirt?" Razor asked, making sure he heard that right.

"A shirt," Ran agreed. "One she'd thrown on the floor of your tent, covered in the smell of all of you. Jase gave it to me. We figured it might help him relax a bit. I mean, it works for puppies."

"Iliri are not puppies," Razor reminded him sternly.

Ran actually chuckled. "No, but he was having trouble with her not being close. Jase said the need to be near her spirals around in their heads - his, Kolt's, and evidently Hax's - making them unable to think about anything else, even sleeping or eating. I asked if it would help, and he said it wouldn't hurt. Now..." Ran gestured to the lump to prove his point. "I don't think he's slept in days."

"So it's true? He's meant for her?"

Ran just nodded. "Seems to be. And he has no clue what to do about it. I'm just glad I never put them together before now."

"Could you have?" Razor asked.

"Yeah," Ran said. "When it came to the iliri, most officers respected my decisions. I actually debated assigning them both to Stonewater Stables at one point. Thought that getting them out of Fort Landing might help them relax. If I had..."

"She would've found him first," Razor realized. "She would've bonded with him, not Blaec, and Hax would've put her on the wrong path."

"Mhm. But that isn't what you came to talk about, is it?"

"No," Razor admitted, "but I also just woke up and didn't expect to see... well, that. Anyway, it seems Sal, Blaz, and Tyr are on the move. They're outside the strike zone, and Jase wants to get things going. Sounds like he's planning the first hit at dawn."

"Who does he need?" Ran asked.

"I'm guessing all the officers, but he wanted me to talk to you first."

Ran flung off his blankets and stepped out of bed in only his underthings. "Pass me that uniform?" he asked. "I'm sure you can see in this darkness."

Razor looked to find a crisp black uniform lying on the top of a crate. Something about the way it had been smoothed to perfection made him smile. There was pride in that gesture, and the kind of respect Razor remembered from his own early days as a Blade. Without wrinkling the stack, he picked it up and handed it across the lump on the floor.

"What are you going to do about him?" Razor asked, tipping his head to Hax, unsure if Ran could see.

"I'll tell him to stay here. Benefit of being her father. That dominance seems to leak through his obsession."

While he talked, Ran began to dress. The man was truly old enough to be Razor's father. In his late fifties, if Razor remembered correctly, possibly sixties. Still, he'd spent his entire life as a soldier, and his body proved it. Ran Sturmgren was fit and strong. He had the kind of muscles that made women crazy, and the grey fuzz across his chest didn't make him look weak. It made him look wise. In his blacks, the salt and pepper of his hair and beard stood out like a badge of honor.

Once his boots were on, Ran grabbed one last thing from the top of the crate and gestured for Razor to leave first. The former general paused for only a few seconds, then was right behind him, still fumbling with his shirt. When Razor looked back, he saw the pin, the one that said sadava in Iliran, placed where the man had formerly worn medals of honor. Now, this one was all he seemed to need.

"I'll wake Kesh," Ran offered. "You want to get Pig?"

"Sure. He's on my way to check on Shade. Can you handle the rest of the human officers? We need them in the strategy pavilion before dawn."

"On it." Ran nodded in acknowledgment and turned toward the far side of camp.

Razor went the other way, aiming for the cluster of solid grey tents. Pig's was easy to find, being the largest. Without thinking, Razor pushed his way in, then froze. He hadn't expected the man to have company - but he should've.

Pig, he thought. Can you wake up without disturbing Keeya?

No, Pig answered, rolling closer to the girl to kiss her neck.

Yeah, and while you need to wake up, she gets a few more hours. Stop molesting your mate in front of me.

Pig actually chuckled. "I have to go to work," he whispered to Keeya.

"Mhm," she agreed, curling into him. "I heard him come in."

"That's my girl," Pig praised. "Now let me up, beautiful."

She lifted her arm but never opened her eyes. With a wistful smile, Pig extracted himself from her body and staggered to the end of the bed for his pants. Razor found a grey shirt on the floor and offered it, then paused. Inhaling, he realized this one was not Pigs, so tossed it over by Keeya's side of the bed and found another.

Pig was working from memory, unable to see much in the darkness, but when Razor pressed the shirt against his chest, it wasn't all the leader of the Devil Dogs needed. "See my boots?" he asked, heading toward the door.

Razor grabbed those and followed. Outside, the stars and what was left of the campfire made it easier to see, but not by much. It seemed to help Pig, though, as the human stomped his feet into his boots and began to tuck in his shirt.

"What's going on?" Pig asked.

"Sal's out of the strike zone. Jase wants to start the assault this morning."

Pig nodded. "Ok, so who do we need?"

"The iliri units, but not the Horde. Find Kinetry with the 1st Anglian. Um, and just wing it. Jase said he wants to let the Horde sleep, though. I think he's planning a night assault with them."

"Good," Pig almost purred. "Because Terric will expect us to pull back at dark and let the soldiers catch their breath. If we simply swap for fresh units, we'll destroy them."

"That's what I'm hoping," Razor agreed. "So, get Kinetry and let him make decisions over the regular soldiers. Sal was planning to give the guy a promotion, so let's make him earn it."

Pig smiled, his white teeth flashing in the early morning darkness. "So she's still running the show, huh?"

"She'll always run the show," Razor assured him. "And I need to find someone from Shade's party."

"Her bed," Pig corrected. "Because she's not a party. Pretty sure she'd fry anyone who accused her of it, too."

"You know what I meant," Razor groaned. "Go. There's coffee in the strategy pavilion as a reward for waking up."

"But gotta work first," Pig said as he walked away. "Only downside of iliri. You expect everyone else to move faster than we want, but I'll take it."

"And don't wake the whole camp," Razor grumbled. He assumed Pig wouldn't hear it, but the man's laughter proved he had.

That left just one more thing for Razor to do. Heading straight north, he aimed for the tallest rise in the area. It wasn't much, but the narrow stretch of ground was at least a quarter of a meter above the rest. That was where Shade had taken up residence for the last few days. The entire army had brought her things to keep her comfortable. A stack of blankets had been spread on the ground for her bed. Clean clothes and a basin to wash with were hauled over each morning. Then there was the food. That was how the grauori showed their appreciation.

Because that one small girl had been the only thing holding off the entire Terran army. Each time they moved, she made them pay for it until they'd finally gotten the message. It didn't matter what time of day or night. If they moved, Shade could set them all ablaze within seconds, and had. She'd figured out a system that let her doze while one of her mates watched, or a Devil Dog when they couldn't. One word and she was preparing to burn the entire ravine ahead of them.

But no one had moved in almost a day. When Razor pulled himself up the steep side of the ridge, he found not just Arctic, Shade, and Ghost, but also a collection of grauori lying in a circle around them. Most were asleep, but not all, and Razor had a feeling they'd already made the decision that he was allowed to be there.

Shade was curled against Arctic's side, her red and blond-streaked hair falling over her ahnor's arm. He lay on his back, fast asleep. Ghost sat beside her, cross-legged, staring out into the night. The moment Razor's feet were on the top of the ridge, the pale little man lifted a single finger to his lips in a gesture for silence.

You're gonna have to wake one of them, Razor told him. Jase asked me for a representative for Shade. He said whichever one of you was awake. That means the other needs to take watch.

Arctic hasn't slept much, Ghost pointed out.

Then ask one of the mutts to keep an eye on the enemy, but the Ahnor needs you.

The title made Ghost turn, his eyes checking Razor's face to see if that was a joke. So an official thing?

Sal's on the move and out of the strike zone. Jase doesn't want to push your mate too far, and I think we both know that limits aren't something she's fond of. Especially when it comes to helping her Kaisae. So yeah, it's an official thing.

Ghost bent to kiss the side of Shade's head, his fingers trailing down her arm as he did so. Then he pulled in a breath and turned to Arctic. A moment later, the leader of the Black Blades opened his pale eyes. Razor couldn't hear their thoughts, but the subtle nod proved that some decision had been reached. As silently as any assassin, Ghost extracted himself from his family and stood.

Lead the way, he told Razor.

The pair headed back down without a word, but the camp was no longer silent. It also wasn't bustling. One by one, the necessary officers had all been summoned, leaving their men to get just a little more rest. Soldiers moved like shadows through the uneven landscape, all heading toward the only bright spot in camp.

That was the strategy pavilion, and while Razor could see it from his vantage point, it had been placed behind a rise and a tree so the enemy couldn't target it. Hidden away in the center of the camp, it was the safest place in the Anglian army right now. The one spot where they could focus on nothing but what came next.

The big question was what Jase had planned. Razor knew his Ahnor well enough to know the feral little assassin had something in mind when he'd sent his brothers out. And knowing him, it probably meant a lot of blood, death, or both.

Razor was perfectly fine with that. The men who'd killed Sal deserved nothing less, and Anglia had been patient for far too long.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Anglian Army, Escea

Jase set his cup of coffee right over the Anglian camp, on the southern edge of the map before him. Dom let his land in central Escea with a solid thunk, then leaned over it. Shift stood on the man's other side, blinking a little too much, so Dom nudged his cup toward him. Jase noticed it all, but his focus was the line of purple and red markers.

An exhausted woman was swapping out colors. Her yellow hair and natural scent marked her as nuvani. One of Ylexa's, then. The problem was that she kept trading out purple for red on the southernmost of the two Terran defensive lines. The one right by them. Then she moved the purple ones to the northern line. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what was going on.

Sal would know, but he wasn't about to bother her right now. She had two new mates, and knowing her, she'd be worried about crossing some line that would offend the humans. It was one of her most endearing traits, and frustrating at the same time. He wanted to just tell her to stop giving them a choice, but he remembered how hard it had been for Zep to accept her. Blaz and Tyr would be worse, and they weren't his packmates.

So he'd leave her alone - for now. Although, if he heard that she was worried about upsetting him again, he'd make sure she knew better. No. Who was he kidding? He wouldn't do that. He just wanted to lash out at something, and his frustration at Sal's reticence was the wrong thing. She needed patience and understanding, not rage. That emotion he'd save for the enemy.

Around him, the tent was slowly filling, but Jase ignored it as he made his plans. The goal wasn't to destroy the Terran line, but rather to distract it. Approximately thirty thousand soldiers to Anglia's three. There shouldn't be a question of who would win, but his Kaisae had evened the odds. By putting him in charge, none of the soldiers under his command needed to worry about the Conventions of War, and he had every intention of using that to his advantage.

The moment Razor and Ghost walked in, Jase's head snapped up, hitting the smaller man's eyes. Ghost wanted to look down instinctually, but he didn't. Jase watched his eyes twitch, flicking to the silver marking on his Ahnor's throat before coming back steady.

"How many men can ya influence?" he asked without preamble.

"As many as will fit in two klicks," Ghost replied. "Possibly more, but I've never tried."

"And her? How far can she burn?"

Ghost smiled. "In all honesty, I'm not sure she has a limit. So long as she can sense it, she can burn it. I think her skill is based off fetching, because she and Kolt seem to have the same limitations."

"Good," Jase purred.

Then a man at the side decided to speak up. "I've worked with her before."

Jase's eyes snapped over, finding another of Ylexa's nuvani. He knew his sister had worked with a lookout, so hopefully this was the same one. If so, then perfect. That the man had his chin up and his eyes down was even better. Granted, Ghost smelled slightly annoyed, but right now, Jase didn't care.

"Then ya will report ta her dernor," Jase ordered. "Where's Kinetry?"

"Here," the leader of the 1st Anglian unit announced.

"Ya will work with the Blades ta handle the overflow. Yer officer, Baeli? Replace her. She will fight with us." Then his eyes traveled the room until he found Geo. "Ya will keep her on yer right, do ya understand?"

"I do, Ahnor," Geo promised.

Jase smiled, and his brother's lips curled to match. Yeah, he definitely understood, and didn't seem to have a problem with it at all. Good. Now for the harder part.

"Shift?"

"Jase..." Shift tried, but he didn't get the chance to finish.

"Ya are on Dom. Rayna will assist. Sire, ya will work with our sadava ta protect Anglia's greatest asset."

"He means Shade," Ran said, proving he'd arrived as well. "We'll make sure no one gets close, Ahnor."

Jase nodded, letting his eyes move back to the map. "Pig, spread yer men around Shade's hill. If they can stand, then they will defend. If they can na, then they will sleep." He paused. "Ghost, she knows how ta pull from them, right?"

"She does and has," Ghost promised. "She's not as good as Sal, but she can keep herself going for as long as you need. I can't promise the same for the men who give up their energy."

"We don't care," Pig promised. "I just want to make sure there's someone to cover us if she drops my entire unit."

"Lightning Brigade will help," Kesh offered.

"No," Perin said. "I think that's Dark Heart's job. No offense, but Anglians and all."

Kesh chuckled. "Fair enough. Where do you want my men, then, Ahnor?"

"Front line," Jase decided. "Can ya cover the western side? Looks like we have more Esceans today than we did last night. I do na yet know why."

"Ahnor?" the meek woman moving the markers asked. "Small groups are moving between the lines. Single units and half units. It's almost like they're pulling all Terrans to the north and leaving the southern line for the Esceans."

"How many men?" he demanded.

She moved another marker. "I'm not positive, but if I had to guess?" Her eyes looked up, landing on his throat. "Twenty thousand. I can only see the map though, Ahnor."

"All Escean warriors," the other nuvani said, his eyes closed tightly. "As I look down the line, I'm seeing different styles of gear and tents, so multiple provinces. The concentration grows thicker toward the east, near the Chieftain's Plains."

"What's yer name, ilus?" Jase asked.

The man opened his eyes and blinked twice before he answered. "Exton, Ahnor."

"Exton, I want ya ta keep me updated once ya have taken care of Shade. She is the most important thing right now."

"I understand."

Then Jase looked at the rest of the room. "I will na give ya detailed orders. Ya know how ta fight. Ya know how ta win. Do what ya need, and know that I support ya, because that is important." He couldn't stop his lips from lifting, exposing his teeth in a wicked and cruel smile. "She gave command ta me. I am na a human. All of ya are serving a beast. If that bothers ya, then ya are on the wrong side. If it does na, then know that the Conventions of War are na in effect. We are na a human army. We are Anglian, and we will fight as dirty as we please. Now sort it out."

He turned, listening to the soldiers erupt behind him, but he wasn't alone. The moment Jase made it outside he spun, facing down whoever was foolish enough to follow him. Rayna stepped through the flap and stopped hard, lifting both hands in a gesture of surrender.

"I just want to know that she's ok," she explained.

Jase turned, gesturing for her to fall in at his side. "I do na know. She is alive. She is sane. Does that mean she is ok?"

"Not always," Rayna agreed. "But this is Sal. She'll find a way to make it work. How are you, Jase?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, leading her well away from the ruckus of the strategy pavilion. When he reached the edge of a rise, he paused, letting his head relax and drop to his chest. With a sigh, he scrubbed at the hair along the back of his neck.

"I do na know."

"That bad?" she asked, daring to reach up and rub his shoulder.

"There is a hollowness where she used ta be," he explained. "It echoes!'

"She'll come back," Rayna promised. "You know she will."

"But will it be the same?" he asked.

Rayna stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him. His head came just under her nose, putting her shoulder even with his eyes, but the pressure of it made him want to relax. For the first time since Sal had fallen on the field, Jase finally felt like he could stop. Just pause long enough to breathe, and he dropped his forehead against her shoulder.

"I can na survive without her," he mumbled.

"You won't have to," Rayna promised. "It's ok, Jase. It's all going to be ok, and you're doing so good. Just take it out on the enemy, and I'll get your back any time you need it."

"Can ya..." He paused, needing to take a breath. "Do ya think she loves me enough ta want me back?"

"Yes," Rayna said, shifting her hand to press against his face.

It wasn't an accidental gesture. Through the touch, he could see flashes of Sal, and each one had her talking about him. About how amazing he was, how happy he made her. Over and over, Rayna fed him memories, including the ones that should've been too personal to share - but this was Rayna. She didn't care about such things. She wasn't worried about being embarrassed or embarrassing anyone else, and that raw honesty made the memories mean even more.

"Thank ya," he breathed, lifting her hand from his skin. "I did na know I needed that."

"Well," she said, stepping back just to sit on the ground. "I figure that you're too busy being strong for your fellow mates right now, right? And no one has given you the chance to just stop and talk about it? I know how much Sal needs an ear, and I happen to have two of them. Think of this as my best friend duty. Now sit and spill."

He did, and a little bit of a chuckle came out. "Are ya sure ya are na iliri?"

"Ugh, a smidge," she admitted. "My entire pedigree is a list of who could possibly fuck whom, so I'm just some human mutt, but I'll take that as a compliment."

"Ya should." Then he sighed. "Ray, do na let me go feral while she's gone?"

"Can't promise that," she said. "In fact, I think you should just let go and do it. Lose your shit, Jase."

"I can na."

"Why not?" she asked, meeting his eyes with just enough demand in her gaze to make him sit straighter.

"I need ta prove I can lead fer her. She needs me ta keep my shit t'gether."

"Fuck that!" Rayna snapped, cutting him off. "She loves you because you are wild. She's always loved that you're not like anyone else."

His eyes were sliding down. "She has fought fer so long ta prove that we are equal, and I do na wanna be the thing that ruins that. We are too close. What if I make this worse, and just when she has brought us t'gether?"

Rayna grabbed his jaw and jerked his eyes back up. "You listen to me, Jase. Salryc Luxx is a monster. She's the queen of all that goes bump in the night and makes old human women mortified. She is strong, she is brilliant, and most of all, she is finally respected. This is Anglia, and we don't give a shit if you growl, bite, or have wild orgies. You are a predator, and she loves you because of it."

"That is na why she loved Blaec," he breathed.

Rayna just leaned closer, refusing to let go of him. "She always loved you more. You scare the shit out of her, and she likes it. She loved Blaec because he was safe. He was the man she thought she needed. You? You're the one who sets her skin on fire. That you brought her those other three? And don't you dare deny it, because I heard all about how you convinced her it was ok. You made Sal a Kaisae more than Blaec ever did. Oh, he was a brilliant soldier and an amazing man, but you? You are Sal's soulmate."

"She is mine," he hedged.

Rayna just shook her head. "That woman wants a man who will fight for her. A man who will put his pride aside to prove how much he needs her. A man willing to become the most terrifying monster the world has ever seen, and you know what? I'm fucking a King who hopes it will happen. I'm here because my best friend shouldn't be the most terrifying iliri. It should be her mate, fighting to get her back. I'm here, Jase, because you do not do well when you're feeling sorry for yourself. Bite something. Preferably the enemy, but your mate - or mates - will do."

He lifted his head away from her touch with a wry laugh. "What if I can na drop my eyes ta her when she returns?"

"Then don't," Rayna said. "Make her fight for it. She loves a dominant man, and I think we both know that this whole sweet and gentle thing you do? It's not the real Jassant Cynortas."

"Ya learned my name?" he asked, a little surprised at that.

Rayna waved it away. "You were an icon to the Dogs for a while. Look, I get it, ok? You forced yourself to be soft so you wouldn't scare her off when she first noticed you. I've heard all about how timid she was. She's not anymore, and she's out there with two new mates. You want to make her notice you? Then get this right."

Jase nodded. "Then we are na defeating them." And he pushed himself to his feet. "We are gonna lure them, because my mate is out there, and I'd rather they came at all of us than her."

"There ya go," Rayna praised. "That's hot."

"Ya are already fuckin' my brother."

"Mhm," she agreed, "so just accept that I know what I'm talking about. Go feral, Jase. Go as fucking feral as any iliri has, and make us humans work to keep up."

He offered his hand. "I knew ya would make a good queen."

"No," Rayna said. "Consort. I don't ever want to lose my ties to the iliri, and so far as I care, Sal's my sister."

"Then ya are mine." He canted his head back. "Come. Push me. Hit me if ya need ta, because I wanna get my cessivi back, and there are men ta kill."

"Yeah," she said, falling in beside him again. "That is the Ahnor we need."

Chapter Twenty-Three

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

Night changed to day while Sal and her men pushed the horses west. In the distance, she heard something and looked behind her to check - then tapped Blaz's arm. She couldn't even find the words to explain what she was seeing, but she needed someone else to prove it wasn't her imagination.

To the east, almost directly behind them, was a massive pillar of smoke. Dark, thick black columns of it wound around each other as it flowed into the sky, and it wasn't a small thing. No, that looked like half of Escea was on fire. Blaz, riding behind her, turned and gasped, making Tyr rein in his horse. Together, the three of them looked at the destruction behind them, trying to imagine what had happened.

"Shade," Blaz said softly. "Jase finally turned her loose."

"Fuck," Tyr whispered, dragging the word out.

"Yeah," Sal said, nudging her horse forward again. "And somewhere back there, our friends are fighting for their lives. Let's keep moving so they won't have to do it tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" Tyr asked, encouraging his horse to walk beside hers.

Sal furrowed her brow and shook her head, looking for the right words. "Jase is planning that. He knows we're out here, so he's drawing the enemy to them. He wants to hit them hard enough that they don't have time to think about anything else."

"Like those sand birds," Blaz said. "The ones who pretend to be injured to draw predators away from the nest?"

"Exactly."

But the thought of it bothered her. Three thousand people, from three different species, had all just put their life on the line for her. She didn't feel like she deserved that big of a sacrifice, but she knew better than to say it. She was their Kaisae, the hope of the country, and all the other crap she'd heard over and over for the last few months. The people of Anglia felt that it mattered, but she didn't. She couldn't understand how she'd become so important to people she'd barely met.

That Jase was willing to risk everything for her made sense - and was amazingly sweet in its own way. Zep, Kolt, and Razor? Even for her pack, it was still a sign of their love. The part that made her feel uncomfortable was the idea of complete strangers charging in, screaming her name, possibly to never come back. Many of those men only knew her as a leader they'd seen at the front of the line. Nothing more.

Sal kneed her horse, encouraging it to pick up the pace. If they were doing this for her, then she'd push this horse to its limit, heal it, and do it again. Thinking about what her mates were facing at that moment was enough to convince her that the three of them would not spend another night without cover. They wouldn't stop until they reached Cenla Xie, and she hoped her new mates could keep up.

"Hey," Blaz said behind her shoulder. "They know what they're doing, Sal."

"No," she grumbled, "they don't."

He shoved an arm around her waist and leaned right into her ear. "They do. Those men and women back there? They are soldiers, and fighting is what they're good at. You created an unstoppable army, and your first mate is using it. Take pride in that."

"I'm tired of watching people die," she growled.

Tyr reined his horse right to her side. "Stop," he insisted. "Sal, do you know why the Dogs are iliri? Have you ever stopped to think about why Pig requested that? Because we all voted to be the thing between you and all the shit that wants to kick your ass. This is our job. It's why I was willing to run across the line, why Pig has been putting Dogs around the Blades since Fort Landing, and why we're damned proud to be iliri instead of humans."

"Because of me?" she asked.

He nodded. "Because you're the Kaisae of more than just the iliri. Didn't you get that part, or were those just empty words? You're our hope, Sal. Mine, Blaz's, and every single person who dropped everything in their lives to come out here and save your species."

She met his eyes and nodded. "Then let's make sure their effort isn't wasted."

And she kicked the horse a little harder. The mare surged into a canter, stretching her legs toward the west. Tyr didn't expect that so he lagged behind, but his gelding was more than happy to catch up. Side by side, with Blaz riding easily behind Sal, the three of them raced away from the dawn.

* * *

Anglian Army, Escea

Ran stood at the top of the hill with a hand held before his face to block out the glare of the fires. Currently, Ryek stood behind Shade with a bare hand on each of her shoulders. The little iliri woman thrust her arms out and a new fire sprang up, but her high-pitched growl ruined the terrifying image. It sounded almost childlike, setting off every protective urge the old soldier still had.

Beside him, the King was watching the front line. A few Esceans had managed to race through the flames. Mostly those at the front. Dom was spotting them for the Verdant Shields. Ilija and his men had taken their place between Kesh's Lightning Brigade and the Black Blades. Then there was the rest of the Anglian army spreading out toward the east.

But none of the iliri from Merriton. They'd all been told to rest as much as they could, so they'd get used to being awake at night. Jase made it clear that there wouldn't be a battle tonight, but tomorrow? Once Sal was safe, he would use every advantage the non-humans brought to the table. Their ability to see easily in the dark was simply the most obvious.

And yet this wasn't what he'd expected. Ran had been braced for a battle like all the ones he'd seen before. He'd grown used to watching from behind the lines. This time was different. There wasn't an honest front to brace for, not on their side. The Anglians were little more than bait. Each time the Esceans moved, Shade thrust out another arm and flames rose up as far as his eyes could see.

It was pure carnage.

The screams of burning men filled the air, making the minds in Ran's link exhilarated. Before him, the Anglians killed with impunity. Like a never-ending wave of destruction, they used their skills - even if that was nothing more than the lethality of their bodies - to slaughter without hesitation. Terrans and Esceans fell. Blood stained the dry ground, pooling enough to fill the ravines in the uneven land and begin to trickle. And with each pass of the line, the iliri seemed even more content, as if this was what they loved doing more than anything else: killing.

The 43rd Mounted weren't even on their horses. They'd all picked up bows and were cleaning up the dying men so they wouldn't suffer. The thin line of Anglian riders surged into play whenever a group tried to get around the flames. In other words, it was complete and total carnage. Where the Conglomerate of Free Citizens had earned a reputation for guerilla warfare, Anglia had taken it one step further.

Shade was a weapon of mass destruction. Without anyone to tell her she shouldn't, and plenty of humans willing to give her the energy to keep going, that woman had become terrifying.

"Northeast," Exton said softly, and Shade's head snapped to the area.

A split second later, another rush of heat and flame ignited. Exton caught her hand and pointed the other way. Standing behind them, Ran watched Ghost glare at the nuvani man. Shade's second mate didn't complain, though. Still, his eyes dropped to where their skin touched, and Ghost's hands clenched into fists.

But a group of Terrans rushed through the sputtering flames in the center of the line. Just to Ran's right, he could see it, yet still didn't get the chance to even think of a response before the Blades took care of it. At the center of the group was Jase. Zep rode on his left, Kolt on his right, with Razor on Kolt's other side. The four of them moved like a single man; even their horses cooperated. With his mind in the link with them, Ran finally understood why the Black Blades were so good at what they did.

They weren't soldiers. They were predators, and the men before them were all a threat. In the back of Ran's mind, he could feel a simmering anger from Blaec's little sister. Geo's awareness was a little too sharp, keeping an eye on her. Arctic's thoughts were so calm and calculated that they were almost a silence in the rest of this chaos.

And then there was Jase. No human word could describe the feel of that man's mind. Primal was the best Ran had. The Ahnor felt the movement before he saw it, and reacted instinctually. Everything died, and Ran could feel the joy in each kill. Not just Jase's own, but those of his pack and the men around him as well - and he had no intention of stopping.

"When does this end?" Ran asked, not honestly expecting an answer.

But the King heard. "When there are no more to kill," Dom said, as if it should be obvious.

Pulling in a deep breath, Ran turned to face him. "And how will we stop them? Have you ever felt their minds? They're all frenzied! How the fuck are we going to convince the Blades that it's over?"

Dom actually laughed. "You don't, General." Then he lifted a hand. "And you are not my father, so I'm going to stick with your rank. But no, you don't stop them. You try to keep up. Those are the Black Blades, and there's nothing in this world that can stop them."

"And when the enemy is all dead?" Ran asked, some of his concern audible in his tone.

Because as much as the Blades wanted to kill, Ran wasn't sure if the humans behind them would be next. He'd heard horror stories of iliri falling so far into the fight that they forgot friend and foe. It was why they were known to turn on humans. They'd been designed to kill, through no fault of their own, and right now, their leader was pushing them for even more.

Dom chuckled again, this time shaking his head. "Those are your kids now. Have a little faith."

"They've gone feral," Ran hissed, keeping his voice down so Shade, Ghost, and the nuvani before him wouldn't hear.

Dom didn't care. Turning, he grabbed Ran's arm and hauled the older man a few more steps away. "Let me make this clear, sir. I respect the fuck out of you because Sal does. That doesn't mean I've spent my entire life thinking of you as a hero. Those people out there? They're my heroes, and no, they aren't human. That doesn't mean they aren't civilized."

"I know that," Ran told him.

Dom slowly shook his head. "Clearly, you don't. If you're worried about calling them off, then you don't. I don't know if all the shit they say in the CFC leaked into your head, or if you're just ignorant of what it means to fight beside them, but you clearly do not know. I've been linked with them before, so I know how intense it is. I also know one thing you evidently haven't figured out yet."

"What?" Ran almost begged.

Dom leaned closer. "If you turn them loose, they fight for you, not against you. Yeah, they're terrifying, but they've done everything possible to make sure they will not forget which side they're on. That is why all of Anglia is linked, so they can feel their friends. And no, I had no idea Shade could do this, but Jase evidently did, and he trusts her. I trust him. That man has saved my life, and more times than I want to count. He's not feral. He's just wild, and in the best way. Don't you dare try to tame him."

With each word, Ran felt worse, because the King was right. He'd chosen these people to be his family, but the whispers he'd heard his entire life evidently had an effect. Such things were common knowledge, or at least presented as such. They said the iliri would turn on him. If they went feral, they'd kill every human before they'd stop. Their kind couldn't be trusted. Over and over, spoken like a fact - he'd spent his whole life listening to it. The carnage before him proved humans really did have a reason to be afraid. It was shocking enough to scare even him.

And Dom had just called him on it.

"So you're not worried about the thousands of men she's killing?" he finally asked, just needing to hear it out loud.

"Not really," Dom told him. "It's war, after all, and they started it. Shift says the plan is to hit them hard enough that the edges of this line pull in to reinforce the gap. That means it'll move away from Sal. When we're talking about tens of thousands of men? Yeah, it's a whole lot of dead." Then he smiled. "Now stop and think about what the enemy is dealing with right now. An unseen weapon, wiping them out by the hundreds, and nothing they can do will stop it. No, I'm not worried about them at all. I'd only feel that way if they were across the line."

"Which is why you came to save the iliri?" Ran asked.

Dom scoffed at that. "No. I came to save the iliri because you sent one to me. You gave me the chance to see that my stupid teen fantasies of strong women were so far off the mark. Sal was better than anything I could've imagined. I brought an army across the continent to save them, Ran, because someone should've done this a very long time ago - and all they needed was someone to believe in them a little bit."

"I honestly thought I did," Ran admitted. "And I've fought with them before, but nothing like this."

"No," Dom agreed. "Because this is their fight, and they will never be human." Then he reached up to rub Ran's shoulder. "But I know the feeling. Look, why did you stand up for the Black Blades for so long?"

"Because they were the best soldiers I'd ever seen."

Dom nodded once. "That. They still are, so you know. And now that you're in their link, I have a feeling you finally see why. They hunt. They think on a completely different level than us in combat. And yeah, they kill anything they want to. If they were human, you'd see them as heroes, but because you can feel that insatiable need, that drive from Jase to taste the sugar of his prey, or that determination singing silently in Arctic's mind, and all the rest of it, you want to panic and assume they're out of control, right?"

"But they aren't," Ran realized.

"No," Dom promised, "they most certainly are not. This? It's normal. It's what it feels like to be iliri, and as soon as the battle is over, those people will experience the kind of joy and relief you've never imagined. Being in their heads? It's amazing, but don't expect them to be human. They aren't."

"I've just..." Ran sighed. "I knew what I was doing as a general in the CFC. Here?"

"You'll figure it out," Dom promised. "I was lucky. I had this crazy little woman with some funny ears teach me the hard way." He smiled at the memory. "Ran, they don't expect you to be like them. All they ask is that you accept that this is ok."

"I'm trying," Ran insisted. "I just have to take care of all of them. The humans and the iliri."

Dom gave him a little shake with the hand still on Ran's shoulder. "No, you don't. Stop that. You are not here for everyone. Your only job is to take care of your kids. Each and every iliri out there. To them, you're the rock they can lean on. You are the human who didn't hate them, and that's all they need from you. A little advice when you have it, and a whole lot of acceptance." Then he sighed. "Don't be like Blaec. He lost everything because he tried to have it all, and it doesn't work like that."

"Has for you," Ran pointed out.

"Because I'm not trying to have it all. I just wanted the iliri. That one thing. All the rest just happened."

Ran chuckled, mostly at himself. "How'd you get so wise at such a young age, sire?"

"Just Dom, and I asked a lot of questions. Some were pretty inappropriate, and my friends answered them all. If you need to, I promise I'll answer yours. I'm sure they haven't thought about it, but this can't be easy on you."

"It's not," Ran admitted, "but it's worth it."

"Because of Sal?"

"Yeah," Ran breathed, looking off to the west. "You really think she's going to be ok out there alone?"

"She's not alone," Dom reminded him. "I promised her that she would never be alone, and if that means I let Jase destroy this entire country to keep her safe, then yeah. We'll destroy it and worry about the consequences to Anglia later."

Ran nodded, hearing what the King didn't say. The man needed her as much as the iliri did. The grauori would probably say the same. And Sal needed Ran, so he'd better start forgetting all of those things he thought he knew and start thinking like an Anglian. All this time, he'd assumed he wasn't biased, but he clearly was. Not because he wanted to be, but simply because he'd never imagined things any other way. They were iliri, which made them killers - but was that really a bad thing? Now, for the first time, Ran realized how dangerous that way of thinking was, and when he looked at the battle again, he saw it with new eyes.

The Black Blades were savage, but also precise. Shade was violent, but tactical. Yes, they put the humans around them to shame, but not to make them feel bad. The iliri were simply made for this, and they had finally been given the control to turn themselves loose. No, the scene before him wasn't terrifying, it was liberating, and Ran told himself to never forget that. These were his people, his children, and they needed him to stop doubting.

Without looking away from the fight, Ran said, "Lesson learned, sire. And this time, that's a title of respect. Thank you, Dom."

"Consider it payback for giving me the same lesson a year ago. Kinda sucks to know that we're no longer the dominant species."

"And also a little amazing," Ran pointed out. "Yeah. Maybe history will even remember us."

"We can only hope."

Chapter Twenty-Four

Anglian Army, Escea

The fight raged all day. As the Terran and Escean bodies piled up, Geo made sure Baeli steered clear of the danger to her horse's legs. A few times, Jase pulled them back, giving the enemy time to regroup. Each time, the fight had shifted to the east just a bit more, until Shade was little more than a speck in the distance.

But as the sun began to sink, the enemy was backing off. The gap between armies grew a little larger. The remnants of Shade's last fire volley made it easy to see the exhaustion on the faces of the soldiers across from them, but the Ahnor was smiling. It was the cruel kind, as if he was just waiting for them to make a mistake, but Geo knew better. This, falling back to recover, was their mistake. It was the thing that would let Sal make it to safety.

Then Jase's voice broke into his mind. I need the Horde ta come hold the line. Do na engage, simply wait. If they attack, then destroy them. Anglians, once ya are relieved, ya can return ta camp.

And me? Shade asked.

Ya are done fer now, Jase told her. I need a unit ta guard her.

The 1st Anglian claims that privilege, Kinetry told him. We're bringing food for you too, Shade.

Beside him, Baeli turned to smile at Geo. The look in her eyes was a little too bright as she said, "And that's it?"

It made him smile back at her. "Isn't it enough?"

She just giggled, turning her horse to move a little closer. "This was amazing! I'd heard about packs fighting together, but I've never done it."

"Where did you hear about that?" he asked.

"My dava. Blaec's sire. He tried to teach me everything he knew about what life was like before Terric hit us, but it was hard for him."

"Why?" Geo asked.

She lifted a brow at him as if he should've known better. "Because he was human? Amma was pure, but she was killed when I was little. Dava raised me, but my sire? He had to leave with Blaec. I never knew him."

"I'm sorry," Geo told her. "Seems to be a story we hear a lot, iliri who never got to know their parents."

"Yeah." She paused as a group of iliri moved closer. "The Horde is here."

"Do they hate the name?" Geo asked when he heard it roll off her tongue so easily. "A Devil Dog started it."

"No," she promised. "No, the iliri I've talked to actually like it. They say it's fitting, and it makes them feel powerful, like they're stronger as a group. Considering that most of those people aren't really fighters?" She shrugged.

And then Jase interrupted again. Blades, ya are relieved. Make sure ya sleep, because we will do this again t'morrow, and sooner if the Esceans decide to try us.

As a group, the unit turned their horses back to camp, and Baeli nudged hers even closer. Lowering her voice, she asked, "Is he always like that?"

"Jase?" Geo asked.

She nodded. "He kinda feels like he's ready to kill me if I screw up."

"You aren't going to screw up," Geo assured her, "and he's a little tense. He always is when Sal's trying to get herself killed again. I hate to say it, but she's done this enough that we're starting to get used to it."

"Why?"

Geo reached down to pat his horse's shoulder. "Because for a long time, she thought she wouldn't live anyway, so she kept hoping that her death would mean saving our lives. Now? Because we know she could live - or at least she now has a chance - and ayati's slapped her down again. He's scared, Baeli. That's all."

She looked over with her large blue eyes. "He gets scared?"

"Yeah. I guess losing the love of your life has that effect on a man. I can't even imagine being mated to a woman like that."

"Like what?" Baeli asked, the hint of a warning in her tone.

He just shook his head. "A woman so important that the whole world wants to see her dead. So strong that not even a full harem of men can keep her contained."

"Oh." And Baeli smiled. "So what kind of woman do you want?"

He felt his cheeks growing warmer, but thankfully, they reached the line of horses, giving him an excuse not to answer. He dismounted, Baeli doing the same beside him, and they put their mounts on the picket line. Side by side, without a word, they stripped off the saddles, gave the tired animals a brush down, and made sure the horses that took such good care of them were pampered first.

The other Blades were doing the same thing on both sides. A yelp from Risk had Geo looking over to see Perin swoop him up in a hug, lifting the iliri healer off his feet. After one full revolution, Perin lowered Risk back to the ground and then kissed him deeply. It made Geo smile. That Tilso laughed as he walked up was even better. Those three worked better than anyone had expected.

"They're cute," Baeli said, proving she was keeping pace with him.

"Yeah," Geo agreed, tilting his head toward the tack tent. "Saddles get kept in here."

"Why?" Baeli hefted hers against her hip. "I mean, I'm supposed to be riding with the 1st Anglian, so why am I moving my horse, my tack, and everything else?"

"Kinetry knows."

Geo wanted to leave it at that. The idea that Baeli could prefer to be the First Officer of the 1st Anglian Iliri instead of a Black Blade wasn't something he wanted to consider. Sure, she'd have more rank and possibly pay with another unit, but being a private with the Blades still meant more. Never mind that the silver tattoo would look perfect on her. It belonged on her.

"So do I need to ask Kinetry?" she asked as she placed her saddle beside him, hanging the bridle with it. "Look, I get the feeling that something changed, and I don't know what I did."

"My tent," Geo told her.

She nodded, but the look in her eyes made it clear that she wouldn't let him forget. She wanted answers, and while Baeli might not be a Kaisae, he had a feeling she could easily become the kind with a small k at the start. The kind of woman others respected, who could lead well enough on her own. Maybe even better than Shade, because while that imp had one of the most devastating talents ever heard of, she wasn't nearly as dominant.

Throughout the camp, soldiers were laughing, many were pulling out a little alcohol to help them unwind, and cheers kept springing up. Geo simply led Baeli through them all. His stomach was clenched with anxiety, trying to imagine what he'd do if she refused. She could. She had that right, but no one sane would. Would they?

As soon as they stepped into his tent, she turned to face him. "Ok, so what is going on?"

"You're in trials," he said, dropping that out there.

But his eyes scanned her face, looking for some reaction. She didn't give him one. Her beautiful blue eyes narrowed, but not enough to look upset - just focused. Her full lips didn't part in shock. Her hands didn't clench, but she also didn't smile or squeal with delight. She simply stood there, as if waiting for the joke.

"You're saying that the moment the Kaisae is gone, the Blades decided that I should be tested?" she finally asked.

"No." Geo sighed, knowing he was messing this up. "Baeli, I'm saying that I told Sal about you. That you're Blaec's sister. She told her mates. Now, here's the part you can't seem to wrap your mind around. She noticed you before she knew about your relationship to her. She was impressed when you were nothing more than a stable slave from Merriton. Now?"

"Now you all think I'm going to turn into my brother? Don't you realize that I never met him? I heard the stories, just like every iliri in Escea - and most in Merriton. That's it!"

"Baeli," he chided, clasping her arms to make her stop and listen. "I'm saying that she thought you'd make a good brother before she knew about him. She was trying to meet you to be sure, but you avoided her. When I explained why, she was even more impressed. Both that you managed to stay downwind of her at all times, and that you did so much simply because it's what's right. Sal wanted to do this, but she's not here, so her mates decided to see if you'll work with our pack."

"Me?"

"You," he agreed. "That's why Jase had you fight with us. That's why he put you in our link. That's why your horse is tied up next to mine, your saddle is being stored with ours, and all of it. The Black Blades all want to get to know you because so far as we care, you've already proven that you deserve to wear our name."

Slowly, almost tentatively, a smile began to grow on her face. "You're serious?"

"Completely serious," he promised. Then he bobbled his head a bit. "And there's the fact that they all know you've been helping me after..."

"Yeah," she said quickly, before he had to mention Aeley's name. "But, Geo? I didn't do that to become a Black Blade. You know that, right?"

There, alone in his tent, she'd finally given him the opening he needed. They'd met by chance, but she'd been at his side ever since, and he couldn't understand why. He didn't want to be the guy everyone felt sorry for, but he also didn't want her to leave. Being with Baeli felt so easy, like she accepted him completely. The only people in his life who'd made him feel like this had been his parents and his pack.

And now her, so he had to ask, "Why are you friends with me?"

"Because you're amazing," she said.

He rolled his eyes at that, hoping it looked joking. "I'm a friender, Baeli. I think that's pretty much the opposite of amazing."

"It's a strong skill," she reminded him. "And you? I've heard about the things you've done with it. Getting the doors to Parliament opened? Yeah, the Dogs may have mentioned it. You've used your ability to get us - all of the iliri - where we are now. You're kinda like a hero."

"A friender," he said again, this time more intensely. "You know, the kind of person who can convince you that we've been, oh... lovers forever. Or that I'm here to help you learn to fly and just let you fall to your death. I can change your thoughts. No one wants to be friends with a person like that. How can you tell if you can trust me?"

She reached up and palmed the tattoo on the side of his neck. "Because that is silver. Because the Kaisae of all Anglia named you as her brother. Those are the easy answers, though. You want to know why I trust you?"

"Yeah," he breathed.

She used her hand to pull him a little closer. "Because I can smell you. Not once has there been a hint of a lie. Because I look in your eyes and see nothing more than a man who's tired of being judged for the things he didn't choose. Your species, your skin being darker, or your ability. Because, Tane..." Reaching up onto her toes, she pressed her lips to his. "You haven't judged me for being my brother's sister."

Geo leaned into her, kissing her again. Baeli's lips parted, and her hand on the side of his neck guided him to her, holding him there. While their mouths danced together, moving like they were meant to do this, he slid his arm around her back. A moan sounded in the back of her throat as she arched into him.

What started tentatively quickly became delirious. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt. He shoved his fingers deep into her long, blonde hair, but he couldn't stop. Each kiss, each pass of her mouth, tongue, or hands pushed the world a little farther away until it was just them. Outside the canvas walls, men were laughing and teasing each other, but right here, it was just them.

But when she began to tug his shirt free from his pants, he had to stop her. "Baeli," he breathed, pressing his palm around her fist.

Her eyes flicked up to meet his. "Is that a no?"

The question made him smile, just a flicker of one across his mouth. "I'm not very good at this."

"Which part?" She released him and stepped back, but her hands had moved to her own shirt. Thankfully, just to un-tuck it.

Yet he couldn't pull his eyes away. "The more than friends part." And he took a step to follow her, aware that she was moving closer to his bed. "I've, um... I don't have a lot of experience."

"Me either." Her sharp teeth caught her lower lip, but he could still see the smile peeking around the edges. "I mean, if you want me to go, I can. If you want me to keep my clothes on, I can do that too. If you want to tie that tent flap...." She flicked both brows up. "It's your call, Tane."

"I love it when you use my name." Enough that he turned to tie the flap. "But maybe we can take this a little slower?"

"Like the kissing kind?" she asked, dropping her rump onto his cot just to kick off her shoes. "Or do you mean the just friends kind? I get it if you're not into me. It's ok. I'm still your friend."

"Even with my skill?"

"Even then," she promised.

And he knew she meant it. This beautiful, strong, amazing woman actually meant every word she'd just said - and she'd kissed him. He hadn't even been trying to impress her, yet he still had, and she wasn't being subtle. The problem was the nightmares that still woke him at night. The memories of what Aeley had done to Sal. He knew Baeli wouldn't do that. Jase had read her - Geo had insisted - and found nothing but an amazing woman.

One that wanted to be in his bed.

Geo pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor as he crossed the distance. "The kissing kind," he decided. "But I won't sleep with you until you're a Blade. I'm not willing to risk that again."

She caught him by the waistband of his pants and pulled him down on top of her. "Then I think I'm going to be a Black Blade."

Chapter Twenty-Five

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

The sun was going down, shining right into their eyes. It was enough to convince Sal that the horses needed a break, so they were walking beside them. Mostly because that meant she wouldn't need to stare into the glare anymore. Blaz stole the reins from her hand and paused long enough to loosen the mare's girth. Tyr had done the same.

All three of them were tired. The horses were still ok, but even they hung their heads. Behind them, the world was the same color as Jase's eyes: a dark, almost purple-blue. The color of twilight. The fires had stopped. The columns of smoke were gone, but Sal had a feeling that Anglia had caused enough devastation to make a dent.

She just hoped none of her people had paid too dearly for it.

Sal was so lost in her thoughts that Tyr's muffled curse made her flinch. Twisting back around, she found both him and Blaz looking north. For once, the setting sun had done them a favor. Illuminated on one side, shadowed on the other, the group of riders stood out against the landscape around them. They also didn't appear to be Terrans.

Still, she was thankful she'd held this form. A few hours ago, she'd convinced herself it would be easier to ride if she fit into her clothes, but right about now, her paranoia was paying off - because those men were coming straight towards them. The question was why.

"They look Escean," she told the others.

Blaz nodded. Tyr grunted. Both proved that her new mates had been trying to figure it out. Thankfully, the Esceans didn't pick up the pace, which meant they were expecting people to be out here. At least that was what Sal hoped it meant.

"Sticking to the plan?" Blaz asked.

"Problem," Tyr said, keeping his voice down even though the riders were too far to hear. "Why are we moving west?"

Blaz had a ready answer. "Water for the horses. We had to make a break for it when Anglia hit, and Jase's horse collapsed. That's why he's short a horse."

It was subtle, but the emphasis on her assumed name and gender reminded Sal that she couldn't be the girl. It also pointed out something else.

"Where's the rest of our unit?" she asked.

Blaz glanced back with mischief in his eyes. "Dead. Anglians, of course."

"Of course," Sal agreed.

But he had a point. This was an easy cover to keep. They knew enough about what should've happened to convince the Esceans they'd been there. The state of their clothes would make sense for soldiers who'd barely escaped an intense fight, and the exhaustion weighing on them would only make it more believable.

The whole time, the Esceans kept coming. A few dozen meters away, one of the riders lifted a hand in greeting. Blaz did the same, taking the role of the leader. Sal was a little surprised that Tyr hadn't tried to step up, but thankful at the same time. It would be hard to explain both of them thinking they were in charge.

"Which unit?" the leader called over.

"We're the 97th heavy cav," Blaz answered in his best Terran accent - which wasn't that great. "You?"

"Rokish 5th."

The rider leaned over, proving she was a woman when she pulled off her helm. Her voice had been rough enough that Sal wasn't sure, and her features only barely cleared up the confusion. Behind her were at least a dozen men who looked just as hard and twice as ready to kill. Sal eyed them one at a time, taking their measure.

Rokish warriors were usually lean and agile. They specialized in poisons instead of heavy combat. That these people were claiming Rok as their province of origin? It made Sal nervous. The problem was that while she'd learned the basics like every other soldier, she'd never spent much time worrying about Escea. She hadn't seen the need. Now, she was mentally cursing herself for the oversight.

But Tyr stopped and crossed his arms. "Rokish 5th, huh? So why are you in mis-matched colors?" He pointedly looked down the line of riders.

A man moved his horse closer. "97th heavy cav, huh? Want to tell me why you three are down here when the rest of your unit is leading the Emperor's party?"

"You got mud in your ears if that's what you heard," Tyr told him. "Don't know who is with the Emperor, but we've been on this line for too fucking long. Just got orders to move north last night."

"And yet you're not there," the woman accused.

"No," Blaz answered, taking a little of the heat off Tyr. "In case you missed it, Anglia torched the entire line!"

The Esceans shared a look, and Sal knew their story was falling apart. Desperately, she lifted her eyes, finding the pattern hanging right above them, and it didn't look good. Dark swirls covered it all, shadowing too many possible options. She couldn't be sure unless she looked, and right about now, she had no other option.

Her consciousness followed the line hanging above the woman. The higher she got, the more the world around Sal began to fade, but the answers became more clear. The Esceans knew the heavy cav units because they'd fought beside them. They'd mingled as both armies teased the Anglians ever northward. Of all the numbers Blaz could've picked, he'd chosen the exact wrong one.

But that was easily fixed. Sal just had to find an excuse that was shameful enough to want to hide, but honest enough for these warriors to believe. The problem was that the woman's past gave her nothing. The man beside her, however...

Sal jumped to his thread and kept going. The guy was a judgmental ass, but he'd complained enough to give Sal something to work with. A little nudge here swayed his opinions, reminding him of things he'd lived through. A pull to the side opened his mind because of an old friend. Swimming in the middle of the pattern, Sal could see just how these people's choices were made. It was all because of a thought or memory that had happened in their past. Their experiences blended together to make their opinions, while their actions verified it all.

And the guy before them had only one weakness that she could see.

Wrenching her eyes open, Sal forced herself out of the pattern and spoke over Blaz's latest excuse. "It was me, ok?"

Everyone got quiet, and quickly. The Esceans' heads snapped toward her - or him, since she looked like a man - while Blaz and Tyr slowly turned to her in shock. She could smell the fear emanating from both of them, but she could do this. She was a small, young man. Her horse was gone, she had no overly obvious weapons, and both of these men were doing all the talking. That meant she was the fragile one, and she had every intention of using that.

"When the flames hit, I tried to run. I didn't mean to desert, I just..." She swallowed hard, making sure they could all see. "Our unit was being destroyed. My horse went down. I didn't know what else to do, so I ran, and then I kept running when I realized I was out of position. The penalty for desertion..." She let the words trail off.

"Is death," Tyr said, moving protectively before her. "Look, he's just a kid. We came to take him back."

"Before the commander noticed," Blaz added, reading the scene better than Tyr could and faster than Sal could send a thought. "We were all scattered, and the truth is we're not a heavy cav unit. We're just the mounted archers, but none of us have a bow left, so I didn't think you'd believe it."

"So why are you headed west?" the woman asked.

Blaz looked back at Tyr desperately, but it gave Sal the chance to help. The man's brother deserted because he was scared. The woman is a stickler for protocol, but she thinks this war is wrong. We're dead if we go back, so we were hoping to just keep going and head back to Gallicor. We're conscripts, and Esceans are not pleased with the idea of turning humans into slaves.

Tyr lifted his chin. "West over the Siahies," he said as if daring them to pick a fight because of it. "I'm going home because I didn't sign up to deal with that."

"With what?" the man asked.

"Fire," Sal said softly. "There's no fuel. No kindling. Anglia is just burning us where we stand. I've never seen a weapon like it!"

"Seen many, have you?" the woman asked.

Sal shook her head emphatically, hoping she wasn't overdoing the innocent boy routine. "No, ma'am. And I didn't ask to see any in the first place. I was supposed to grow wheat."

The man reached out to grab the Escean woman's arm. "Where are you from?" he asked.

"Heiard tribe," Sal mumbled, naming the only one she'd ever heard of.

"Eastern Gallicor," Blaz answered at the same time. "Just across the river from Assey."

"Let 'em go," the man decided. "They aren't our problem, and it's not like Terric is paying us to find their defectors. We're just here to make sure this battle doesn't run right over the Chieftain's Plains."

"Fine," the woman grumbled, proving she was the leader of the unit. "Go, but if anyone asks, we didn't see you."

"Thank you," Sal breathed.

"Shut the fuck up," she growled. "I have no patience for weak men. You should've been toughened up before your balls grew hair."

With a hard jerk, the Escean reined her horse away. Most of the unit followed, but not the man. He hung back, looking Sal over. His eyes traveled all the way across her body, then he sighed. Pulling out a flask, he tossed it over. Sal caught it clumsily, hearing liquid slosh inside.

"It's a long walk. That's water. Head straight west and you'll avoid the rest of the Terrans. Lose the uniforms as soon as you can. And boy?"

"Yes, sir?" Sal asked.

"When the nightmares hit, remind yourself that there's nothing wrong with being afraid. It's how the body tells us we're still alive. You're going to be ok."

She nodded quickly. "Ok?"

"Because I'm not getting in shit with that bitch just for you to kill yourself in a month. And if those men with you are worth the weapons they're carrying, they'll make sure you have someone to listen. You understand what I'm saying?"

She licked her lips, still desperately playing her part. "I'm fine."

"Yeah. Keep it that way." And then he jabbed his heels into his horse, racing to catch up with the rest of his unit.

For a long time, neither Blaz nor Tyr spoke. They didn't dare move, not wanting to take their eyes off the warriors who could've made that so much worse. Instead, a heavy silence hung between them.

Until Tyr decided to break it. "What was that about?" he whispered.

"His little brother took his life after his first battle. The kid said he was too scared, and their father told him that men needed to be warriors. I..." She shook her head, trying to explain. "It was in the pattern. I knew the woman would come down on me, and as the smallest, he'd remember how his father had yelled at his brother. I just hoped Blaec was right."

"Right now?" Blaz asked.

"He said that sometimes we have to trust people, even when we can't see their future. I trusted that even our enemy can be good. Well, one on one."

But when she turned to keep walking, her knee buckled. Sal didn't fall, but she did stagger, her body suddenly feeling like it had been pushed too far, too fast. Tyr was right there, wrapping an arm around her waist. Blaz, a second slower, reached out to claim the reins from Tyr's fingers.

"You went into the pattern?" Blaz asked.

"Yeah." She had to pull in a deep breath. "I didn't want to."

"But you still did."

Tyr ignored him. "Are you ok?'

"I'm fine," Sal insisted. "It's just a little confusing. Everything is there. The past, the present, and if I look, so is the future." She glanced back to meet Blaz's eyes. "I didn't look at that. I only looked at the past."

"And that makes it better?" he snapped.

"Fuck off," Tyr shot back. "She just saved our ass, so shut it."

"She could've snapped her mind in the process," Blaz reminded him. "Fuck. And we're all so tired that we can't even think straight." Then he sighed. "Sorry, Sal."

"You're just trying to take care of me," she said. "It's ok. I kinda feel the same, but I'd rather lose my mind than either one of you."

Beside her, Tyr's arm pulled her a little closer. "How about you try trusting us, huh? Pretty sure we could've taken out the whole unit. One taste of blood, and you would've been the most deadly of all."

"But -"

"No," Tyr whispered. "No buts. Neither one of us asked you to protect us. We came out here to protect you. Don't bruise my ego by treating me like a baby. That is not why I fucked you."

"So eloquent," Blaz grumbled, angling his path to give them just a little more room.

Tyr chuckled, but he didn't respond. His attention was all on Sal. "Look, women who treat me like I'm just a pretty face? Doesn't do it for me. I go for the kind who act like I'm a badass. Human, remember?"

Sal leaned her head against his shoulder. "Yeah. I'm sorry."

"It happens. Just no more pattern shit. Deal?"

"I'm trying."

"Deal?" he asked again, this time more intensely.

All she could do was nod. "No pattern shit," she agreed, aware that she was already feeling stronger.

Because if Tyr was going to give her everything he had, then the least she could do was lie to him so he felt better about it.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Behind Enemy Lines, Escea

Blaz stayed with the horses, slowly allowing Tyr and Sal to walk ahead. At first, she thought it was simply because they were so tired and none of them were really watching where they were going. By the time it was fully dark - which was no more than half an hour after the ordeal with the Esceans, she noticed the men glancing at each other pointedly, which meant they were talking.

"Please tell me you two aren't worried about me?" Sal begged.

Tyr gave Blaz one more glance, then looked down at her. "Yes, but not for the reasons you're thinking."

"Then what?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest to keep from reaching out.

It would just take one touch. One light brush of her skin against his, and she could see, but that wasn't how she wanted this to go. She wanted to get to know them. Actually know, not simply ride along their most private - and likely unflattering - thoughts. Because the truth was that she knew she was surly and snappish. She just couldn't stop herself.

Tyr didn't answer immediately. Instead, he began drifting away from Blaz even more. When Sal kept walking forward, he caught her wrist, pulling her along with him. He didn't speak, though. The man didn't say a single thing until they were well outside the range of human hearing. Then he stopped and turned to face her.

Sal tugged him forward. "If we're going to talk," she said, "then we'll do it walking, because each step gets us closer to a bed."

"Yeah."

But her decision had just shut him down again. Their steps crunched on the dry winter grass, and he sighed a few times. It was the unconscious kind, as if his thoughts were simply too hard to carry. She could smell an entire mix of emotions on him, but that gave her no clue about his thoughts. All she knew was that whatever came next mattered a lot to him.

"I'm having a hard time, ok?" he whispered.

"Walking?" She was completely lost.

He laughed once. "No, baby. With you. Us. This - whatever it's supposed to be."

That was when she finally understood. "Being my mate?"

"Yeah."

Just that. He didn't offer some excuse. Tyr made no attempt to take back anything he'd said. He just left it hanging out there like a gut wound - slow, painfully making her wait until the end.

She had to force out the next question. "You don't want to be my mate?"

"Sal..." He kicked at a lump of dirt as they passed. "Look, I've spent the last few months convinced this wouldn't happen. I've gotten to know you, and the more I do, the more I like what I see, but that's the problem."

Yep, she was clearly lost. "It is?"

"Mhm." He let out another sigh. "I mean, I used to jack off to the thought of you when I couldn't sleep, you know?"

Not what she'd expected. Not at all, and yet it made her smile, so she ducked her head to try to hide it. "Yeah?" Her attempt to sound innocently curious was a complete failure.

"Quit," he groaned. "Yeah, I had my list of fantasies. I'm pretty sure you did before you had a whole tent full of men. My point is that we were just that - a fantasy. It was never going to happen, so I didn't have to think about all the details of it. I'd flirt with you, you'd suck me off, and then I'd fall asleep. Or maybe you'd ride me like some stolen horse. I dunno. I had a few."

She had to bite her lips to keep from giggling. Only because of her exhaustion, of course, and there was no way she'd admit the idea was flattering at all. Not even to herself.

"Anyway," he went on, "that shit back there shook me a little."

"With the pattern?" Because "shit" left a lot of room to wonder.

"Yeah," he said, confirming it. "I mean, the pattern is what kills Kaisaes, right? And at the first sign of trouble, you jump right in it. How many times can you do that before you can't find your way back? And how did you do it this time? Am I treating you good enough to make you want to come back to me? Because Kolt said that I need to fall in love with you, and fuck if I'm not trying, but that's not some shit that happens in a day, you know?"

"Wait. You talked to Kolt?"

He nodded. "I kinda got a pep-talk while you were making plans with the officers, but that's not important. I'm just..." He glanced over, his expression completely serious. "How do I do this? What do you need from me?"

She could see the desperation in his eyes. For once, he wasn't making a joke. This man was honestly trying to bend himself into anything she needed, but that wasn't what would make her happy. It also explained the subtle tension that had been hovering between them. That distance that felt like it had been growing instead of dissolving.

"Tyr, I just need my friend. I'm not about to lose my mind, ok?"

"Would you know?" he countered. "Did the other Kaisaes? I mean, Iliran History wasn't something they taught little military kids in school."

The problem was that he had a point, and a good one. "I don't feel like I'm losing my mind," she hedged.

"Yeah." He reached up to scratch at the back of his neck. "So, um, about us?"

She just needed to know one thing. "Do you want to be with me?"

"Do you want to be with me?" he asked back. "I mean, I'm human. You don't do humans, and then you get knocked off a horse, die, come back to life, and say that a dead guy told you that you should." He looked at her, making sure she understood that sounded a little insane. "Sal, how do you think it makes me feel to hear that? You want to be with me because you supposedly have to? Not really what I'm going for, and I'm not exactly used to getting turned down."

"Wait." She grabbed his arm, making him look at her. "You think this happened just because of Blaec?"

"Didn't it?"

"No!" But she could see how it might seem like that. "Tyr, this happened because you make me laugh. Because you give ten times more than you ever ask for." Then she paused, realizing the truth even while she was trying to explain it to him. "I'm with you because I like you."

"But you didn't like me that way a few days ago," he reminded her.

"Yes, I did. I just thought I'd kill you if I did anything about it!"

Her voice was a little too loud, the words carrying much too easily in the night air. Both she and Tyr looked over at Blaz, but he was still walking, his eyes on the shadow of the mountains before them. They all knew he'd heard, but the fact that he was pretending he hadn't made it a little easier to live with.

Tyr's next words were back to a whisper. "You didn't hurt me, Sal."

"I bit the fuck out of you," she reminded him. "I tore up your left shoulder, and yes, I still remember the taste of your blood on my tongue. And everything that came next."

"The dick sucking?" He leaned over to bump her playfully. "Is that sweet too?"

"A bit," she admitted. "I mean, compared to iliri."

"So you like sucking human dicks? I bet you're diving down on Zep like he's candy, right?"

She laughed, aware that he was trying to lighten the mood, and it had actually worked. "The truth is that no, I don't. He's worried about my teeth."

"Kolt mentioned that," Tyr admitted. "Look, I'm shit at the whole relationship thing. I mean, I'm pretty good at the fucking part, but the dating and romance? It's not really my thing."

"Mine either." This time, she shifted to bump him. "I kinda prefer the killing."

"Seriously?"

Sal just shrugged. "Iliri never really got those luxuries. I thought a sweet guy was the one who kept his eyes open. Then I joined the Blades, and I think everyone knows about Blaec and me. We were a mess."

"You really were," Tyr agreed, "but I think he loved you. Well, in the way the Lieutenant did everything else. Completely serious, all the time, and always for a reason. It's what made him a good commander."

"And only a tolerable mate," she said. "I did love him, but I wasn't the most important thing in his world, and I guess that's what I want. Not to be showered in gifts, and not to be spoiled as if I can't do anything on my own. I just want someone to make me feel like I matter to them. Like being with me makes their day a little better, you know?"

"I do," he agreed. "Like maybe talking to me isn't the downside of taking me home."

Sal looked up at him. "I like talking to you."

"Why?" He lifted his hand like he wanted to touch her, then let it fall again. "Honestly, baby, why would a woman who rules half the continent waste her time with a man who's dedicated his life to swinging around a sword? I'm a grunt. I mean, I'm a pretty well-respected grunt, but I'm not a professor or even a general. I'm just an elite heavy armsman."

She had to think about that for a moment. It sounded like a simple question, but it really wasn't. He wasn't asking her to tell him he was gorgeous. He was, but he already knew that. Tyr wanted to know why she wanted to be with him, and that felt oddly good. It proved just how far she'd come in such a short time.

Because in the scheme of things, two years of her life wasn't that much, and yet she'd changed drastically. Once, she'd been a meek and obedient little soldier. She'd hidden her thoughts behind lowered eyes. Now, this man - the kind she'd always thought ruled the world - honestly believed that she was too good for him. It felt good, but it also felt really, really bad.

"I like talking to you, Tyr," she finally said, "because you make me feel like I'm completely normal. Because you don't care about whether you should say something or not. You aren't worried about me sleeping with four men; you're still going to flirt. Because you make me laugh when I need it most." And she reached over for his hand. "And because you make me feel beautiful, which isn't something I'm used to."

He stopped, making her face him. "You, Salryc Luxx, Kaisae of all Anglia, are the kind of beautiful that makes soldiers drop to their knees, nobles curse her power, and makes my palms get sweaty." He tilted their twined hands to prove the point. "You make me nervous and humbled. You also make me feel..." He shook his head, unable to find the words.

"That," she agreed. "That confusion and awe, all mixed up? Yeah. Me too."

"So this is real?"

Sal let her thumb drift across the heel of his paler palm. "Do you want it to be?"

He opened his mouth, paused, then tried again. "Yes, but at the same time, no."

"Why the no?"

Stepping closer, he leaned into her and lowered his voice. "Because being with you isn't the kind of thing a man does part-time. I don't know how I feel about your mates, Sal. And don't take that wrong - I don't see anything wrong with you fucking them all. I just don't know if I could do it. I don't know how I feel about the idea of someone cramming his dick in the mouth of my girl to save her life." With his free hand, he palmed the side of her face. "Because I get fucking jealous, and I don't know how to deal with this. If it's just a thing between friends, then there's no expectation, right? But my girl? I kinda want her to be mine."

"I can't," she said.

"I know." He brushed her hair back from her face. "And that's my problem, not yours. I just want to make sure that right here and right now, I'm giving you enough to keep you with us until I can get you back to them."

"So you don't want to be my mate?" she asked.

"Sal," Tyr told her, "that would be a dream come true. The problem is that I know you could never be just my mate, and I wouldn't ask that of you." Then he gave her a tentative smile. "Maybe you can convince me?"

"I'm not really good at that," she admitted.

He leaned just a bit closer. "Bullshit. I figure you got me this far. How about I keep an open mind, and you accept that I'm a little hard to get."

So she stretched up and pressed her mouth to his quickly. "But the occasional orgasm is allowed, right?"

He laughed. "Do I look stupid? Of course, it is."

"Deal."

When they both smiled, Blaz called over, "So, you two done with that talk so we can start riding again? I got the girths tightened. I'll even let you share, Tyr."

"Fuck off, Blaz," Tyr called back to him.

"Once we have a bed," Blaz told him. "Not stopping until then. Kaisae's orders."

Tyr darted in to steal another kiss from Sal, then tugged her that way, refusing to release her hand. "C'mon, baby. The leader of my country has plans for us."

Yeah, Sal thought, I kinda do. And this time, they had nothing to do with either tactics or strategy.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Anglian Army, Escea

Zep lay at the edge of the bed, staring up at the canvas ceiling. Outside, he could hear a log shift in the fire, and somewhere in the distance, soldiers were talking too softly to make out the words. Too far away, somewhere to the west, was his heart and soul, left in the care of two men who didn't know her well enough.

No, they probably did, he just liked to think that he knew her better. Not best, because that was Jase's place in her life. Oddly, Zep was ok with that. He liked that Jase always understood her. It felt like it took a little pressure away from him to be the same. Sal loved them differently, like apples and oranges, and that made it all work. Jase made her be true to herself, and Zep reminded her to not take that too seriously.

But now she had two more men to add into their mix, so he needed to get used to that idea, and fast. Tyr would be ok. He and Zep had been friends for a while, and he wouldn't try to get in the way. Shit, the guy was probably thinking this was the best arrangement he'd ever seen. A girl who wouldn't get clingy, right? After all, Sal had enough lovers to keep her occupied.

It was Blaz that bothered him. That prick was just too perfect for her. When Sal needed someone to listen, it had always been Blaz she'd run to. Since she'd given the guy a link, those conversations had been in her mind, but Zep had seen the excitement when her "friend" showed up each time. Blaz mattered, and in the kind of way that made a guy question his own worth.

Yet Zep was going to be ok with this. He'd pissed Sal off bad the last time he'd let his jealousy make his decisions. Never mind that Blaz had risked his life to save hers. He was a good guy, and a strong fighter. Everything about him should make him a good candidate to be a Black Blade, but he was still human. Human enough to be interesting to Sal, and open-minded enough to fit perfectly in her harem.

Zep had started to get over her infatuation with the guy. He was cessivi and Blaz wasn't. That had been a guarantee that Sal wouldn't leave him, but now? That promise was gone. Logically, he understood that this was only temporary, but deep down, his mind refused to accept it.

What if she'd only taken him as a mate because he'd died for her? No. He'd claimed Taunor before that happened. She'd fallen in love with him on her own. What they had was real, but had he just been a stand-in for Blaz?

Beside him, Jase stirred in his sleep, reacting to Zep's emotions. The problem was that he couldn't think about this during the day. Not when the guys were awake. Their feelings hammered him, drowning out his own - or making them worse. It was only during the silence of night that he got the chance to stop and think it through.

Sal loved him. She'd more than proven it over the last two years. And if he was honest with himself, he could look back and see the signs that she'd been waiting for him, drawn to him even before she knew it was ok. After they got out of those caves in Escea, back when Blaec had been such an idiot, she'd given him the first hint.

He could still remember the moment that she'd ignored his question. A simple, innocent question, he'd just been trying to prove the point, yet her pointed avoidance had said so much. She'd cared for him even back then, but neither of them had known how to deal with it, so they'd ignored it. Now?

Well, now he couldn't imagine life without her. The way she looked just a little wild when she smiled, or how delicate she seemed when she was curled up on his chest - those things kept him going. He would be with her again, and even if he had to prove himself, he'd find a way to make it happen.

Then Kolt mumbled, coming a little too close to waking. He'd just disturbed both of his cessivi, and they honestly needed the sleep. So Zep carefully eased himself from the bed, making sure not to wake either one. He still had on his pants, and he didn't need his boots. Without a word or thought, the big guy slipped out of the tent, aiming for the fire.

He'd just eased himself to the dirt, kicking his bare feet up to enjoy the lingering warmth of the coals, when his boots thumped onto the ground beside him. A moment later, Razor took the spot on the other side. He didn't say a word, and from the look on his face, he wasn't completely awake, but he was still there.

"Sorry I woke you," Zep mumbled.

Razor nodded. "It's fine. I wasn't really asleep."

"You too?"

Razor didn't immediately reply. Instead, he focused on getting his shirt on. After that, he grabbed his own boots, the action encouraging Zep to do the same. When he reached for them, he realized Razor had brought out a shirt for him as well. The one from yesterday, but it was better than late winter air.

"So you're taking care of me now too?" Zep teased.

"Mhm." Razor got his last foot in and leaned back, using his hands to hold him up. "The link between us may not be that great, but I can smell you, you know."

"Jase ordered no baths," Zep pointed out. "Takes too long to empty them if we need to move."

"Wrong smell." Razor looked over, his grey eyes just a little too aware. "I mean the fear. It's a subtle thing, but still there, and I'm guessing it means you're worried about her?"

"Worried about me, actually," Zep admitted. "Somehow, I got it in my mind that it was me or Blaz, and while I know that's not how it works, I'm having a little trouble getting over it."

Razor just smiled. "It's not how it works. You and Blaz are nothing alike. She likes him because he's not threatening. She likes you because you are."

"Threatening?" Zep shook his head. "I am not a threat to her."

"Hear me out," Razor said. "You are a big, strong man. You're loud. You're rich. You're everything that she was taught to fear, and yet you fell for her so hard. You walked away from all of that for your pack. You're threatening because of what you are, not who you are. And I think you make her feel more confident that she deserves this."

"So she loves me because I'm a merchant's son?"

"No," Razor groaned. "Fuck if you can't be an idiot too. I'm saying it's no different than you loving that your perfect woman ended up as this icon to her species. That's not why you love her, but there's a little part of your ego - and mine - that is definitely enjoying being with the most powerful woman the iliri have ever seen. We'd both love her just as much if she was simply a corporal in the Blades. She's not, so we're proud of her, and us for catching a woman that amazing."

"She loves me for me, but also likes that the epitome of what she was taught to hate and fear is a man she can trust?" Zep realized. "Ok, that makes sense. But what does all this mean when she gets back?"

"No idea," Razor said. "Although I think there's something you should know."

Zep sighed. "Is it bad?"

"Not at all," Razor assured him. "Just a thing to add to the list of worries we all have. When Sal asked me to take Cinnor? Um..."

"She blew you," Zep guessed. "Look, I'm trying to get over the dick thing, and I'm not about to stop her, but I'd kinda like to have some people around who can understand that teeth on a dick aren't a good thing. Kolt makes more of it than it really is."

"Shut up, Zep," Razor teased. "I'm saying she didn't share her mind. Not because she couldn't, but because she didn't want to. She...." He sighed. "I can't be sure, but I think she's feeling like she's not giving enough back. I think the four of us need to make sure she realizes that she is."

"It's a never-ending thing with her," Zep explained. "Sal was raised to think she's worthless and never doing enough. It's kinda how humans keep their slaves in line, you know. And the worst part is that most of us believed it. Well, my parents did. But for Sal, those were her formative years. It set her opinion of herself as being never quite enough. And now us?"

"What about us?"

"Four men," Zep told him. "And while that might be natural to you three, it's not to me, and I think it's not to Sal."

"I'm pretty sure a harem this big isn't natural to anyone," Razor admitted. "And it's only going to get bigger."

"I know." Zep grumbled out a huff and leaned over his knees. "I can't even imagine how that's going to work. I mean, with as little as she is, how are we going to touch her, let alone get off like this?"

Razor actually laughed. "We'll figure it out. Pretty sure she wouldn't care if we just took turns, so long as we're not ignoring each other." He glanced over. "I think that's her problem. With Blaec, she felt like she had to choose. So long as we're all there, even if we're not joining in, it makes her feel like we're still an 'us.'"

"Think they'll go for it?" Zep asked, meaning the two new mates.

Razor nodded. "Tyr's fine with it. He's all about pinning a girl between him and his friend. Blaz? I would've said no, but he has a way of surprising me."

"Right, you served with him in the 112th."

"It was only a few weeks," Razor reminded him. "And no, I didn't know him well before that. I also didn't know Jiesa that well. I've just spent a little time watching who circled around my future mate."

"How'd you do it?" Zep asked. "Waiting that long to get with her?"

"Um..." Razor grinned. "I believe I picked a fight with you just to have an outlet. I got drunk with Shift. I picked up a few girls in Guttertown or iliri bars. And we won't talk about how many times I read her file just to know her a little better." He paused. "But she's Sal. I don't know if it's because she's a Kaisae, my packmate, or what. I just couldn't get attached to anyone else. I always kept coming back to her, so I thought of it as a chance to prove my worth."

"She liked it," Zep told him. "When you finally told her you were interested? She, um..." He pulled in a deep breath. "She was confused because it feels so natural with you. She's not worried or nervous. It's almost like how she feels with Jase, you know?"

"Really?"

Zep nodded slowly. "That security that you will be there. That first time you and her went at it? That was what we got. She was confused because it felt so right, and it didn't make her wonder if she was good enough, excited enough, or all of that shit. She fucked you, and it wasn't perfect, but it was ok because of that."

Razor groaned. "I should've woken up more. Not my best moment."

"Kinda was," Zep countered. "I think that if you'd tried to wow her in bed, you would've lost that... feel. My problem is that I can't stop wondering if I have. I mean, she's still in the new and exciting phase with you. Kolt has a little of that. Jase and I? We're old news, but at least Jase has the benefit of being her other half."

"And you," Razor reminded him, "are her security blanket. Her self worth, in some ways. I think you're fine. Zep, I don't know how to tell you this, but that woman loves you. And she loves you for no other reason than because you are you, and you still treat her like she's the best thing in your life. Just let it happen. She'll come back to us."

Shifting his eyes to the fire, Zep finally got the courage to ask what he'd really been worried about. "And cessivi? Can she do it with me if I don't die?"

"If she was anyone else, I'd have to say I don't know." Razor reached over and rubbed Zep's shoulder. "But she's the Kaisae of all Anglia. Humans, iliri, and grauori. Yeah, I have a feeling that if she can't just reform your bonds, she'll make brand new ones, and better ones because of it. I honestly believe that our beautiful mate is stronger than even she knows, and all we have to do is give her the chance to prove it."

"And if she can't?" Zep asked.

"Then we'll burn the connections open the old-fashioned way. It worked well enough for Jase, and I honestly think she loves us just as much."

"But different at the same time," Zep breathed. "I'm still the apple. Jase is the orange. You have to pick something else."

"I'll be the icing," Razor decided. "Kolt can be the cake."

"Wait." Zep reached over and shoved him hard enough to make Razor lean away. "That's not playing fair. Cake and icing are better than fruit. Especially to an iliri."

"Fine." Razor pushed back. "I'm a strawberry, then. Kolt can be a grape."

"A grape? Why a grape?"

"Because he's all slick and fancy-looking, but a lot better when he's fermented a little." Razor flashed a boyish grin. "Because he thinks he's such a tough shit, but he's really squishy on the inside?"

"Definitely a grape," Zep agreed. "And why a strawberry?"

Razor's smirk only got bigger. "Because I'm all sweet and tasty. Good enough to suck on."

Zep groaned at that, but the truth was he felt better. A lot better. "I'm fucking glad you took Cinnor," he told his friend.

"Me too," Razor agreed. "Me fucking too. Because at least now, I don't have to hide how worried I am about her. Thanks for making it easy, brother."

"Always," Zep promised. "Thanks for, you know, the understanding."

Razor grunted in acknowledgment, but they'd both turned their eyes toward the last flickers of flame before them. It was the middle of the night. They should be sleeping, but neither one would. They both knew it, but at least they had this. At least they were still together.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Cenla Xie, Unav

The world was silent and mostly asleep when the two Terran horses stumbled into Cenla Xie. At this elevation, it was colder, making both Blaz and Tyr huddle into themselves. Sal was pressed close against Tyr's back, but she didn't feel the temperature the same as a human. Still, none of them wanted to expose who she really was until they knew this town was safe.

Behind them, the road wound its way down, leaving an impressive view of Escea beyond. The men couldn't see it, so they didn't bother to look back, but she did. Every so often, she had to try, hoping for some sign that the Anglian army was still there. She could reach out with her mind for one of her mates, but it was late, and they should be sleeping. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if her need for contact was the thing that got them killed in the next battle.

Never mind that even the thought of it made her stomach twist. What if they were mad at her for cutting them loose? They didn't seem to be, but without their cessivi bond, how could she really be sure? Granted, she'd had no other option, and if she hadn't, they would've frenzied and gotten themselves killed. Although that didn't make it better now. She'd still hurt them, and she knew it. When she'd been staring at that lance, she'd had to make a decision - and fast - so there had been no time to even say she was sorry.

But her problems with her old mates wouldn't help her or her new ones right now. The small farming town was tucked in between two dramatic peaks of the Siahies. The land spread out in patches, each one a level spot on a new rise. They were halfway up the mountains, but at the spot where the rocks grew too steep to live on. And hidden in the middle of that was an adorably quaint town. The kind that should've been a draw for tourists, not armies.

"That," she said, pointing toward a log-sided building along the main path, "is the hotel." To them, it probably looked like little more than a shadow.

"This place has a hotel?" Tyr asked, looking around.

Sal smiled at his back. "Yeah. It's the only pass through the Siahies right now that isn't Terran-controlled."

"Yeah." He reined the horse toward the front without another word.

They were dragging. Not just the humans, but the animals carrying them too. For more than a day, they'd forced themselves forward while the Anglian army kept the enemy distracted. Now that they were here? Sal couldn't decide if she wanted to fall into a bed and sleep for eternity, eat every single meal she'd missed, or scrub the trip from her body. If she could figure out how to do them all at the same time, she would've.

But first, they had to overcome one more obstacle. "Well, the last I heard, it wasn't Terran-controlled," she told the guys.

"So we're playing it safe," Blaz decided, understanding that a lot could happen in a few months.

Tyr grunted, but the exchange made her wonder when these two had decided Blaz was the leader. She wouldn't call him the Ahnor, because that would always be Jase's title. Still, the last few hours made it clear that Tyr had given Blaz the higher rank without fighting for it, and that made her a little worried.

Although, since she couldn't deal with that yet and didn't want to pick a fight while they were all exhausted, she simply tucked it into the back of her brain. When the horses stopped before the two-story building, Sal dismounted first, simply sliding off the side. Blaz was almost as fast, but Tyr made sure she was out of the way before he stepped off. That was a good thing, because when his feet hit the ground, his knee tried to buckle, but he grabbed the saddle before his rump hit the dirt.

"Stretch back," Blaz suggested. "Helps ease the cramping from too long in the saddle."

"Thanks." Tyr did just that.

They were all used to riding, but not for more than a day straight. It took a minute for the three of them to get their balance again, and the horses looked like they'd fallen asleep as soon as they stopped moving. Since the three of them had no gear to carry, and nothing but the paltry weapons strapped to their belts, there was nothing else to wait for. Sal headed toward the main door with both men trailing along behind her.

Inside, the place was dark and comfortable. Most of the lamps had been dimmed, but a small group was huddled in a corner, leaned over mugs of something. They all looked up, so Sal paused in the middle of the room, unsure who she needed to talk to. Thankfully, an older boy hurried over.

"We're out of rooms," he said before he was even close.

Sal turned her masculine face at him and smiled. "I'm hoping it's simply because of my uniform. I think I got the same treatment the last time I was here, although you let me stay long enough for a meal." She crooked a finger, beckoning him closer. "Breathe, my friend."

He did, but it wasn't the large inhale she'd expected. Still, she saw when the boy caught her scent. His pupils flared, his eyes raked across her before flicking back to check her friends, and then he looked at the group. What he didn't do was say anything.

Sal kept her voice comfortable. "Is this still a proud place?"

The answer came from an older woman at the side. "It is. Are your friends proud people?"

Turning toward her, Sal let her form fade away. Her body grew thicker as it lost the height. Her clothes slipped over her hands and bunched above her boots. The sight of Sal's milk-white skin made someone push a chair back, but the only ones to move closer were the men beside her. Both Blaz and Tyr stepped forward in sync, and both men had a hand on the hilt of their weapon.

"My mates," Sal told the building's owner. "I came because I hoped you'd help me again."

"We can pay," Blaz said. "Should I assume the proper title is ilus, or do you prefer ma'am?"

"Ilus," she said, looking him over. "I don't see a stone around your throat."

Tyr chuckled, proving he knew what she was talking about. "Because we're both as human as we smell. We don't need a necklace to make us smell sweet."

"And yet you're with the Kaisae of all Iliri?" she asked.

"Kaisae of all Anglia," Tyr corrected. "That means all three species, so yes, we follow her. And we're just as determined to keep her safe. No offense, ilus."

"And you expect me to believe you? You're wearing Terran uniforms."

Blaz grunted at that. "And riding Terran horses, traveling across Terran-conquered lands. Just one problem. We're also with her, she's in her own skin, and we're still alive. I promise no Terran could say that. Sal could easily kill a pair without even trying."

"Uh huh," the woman said. "And who are you with?"

"Anglia," Tyr told her. "Devil Dogs specifically."

Blaz let out a heavy sigh. "Currently? The 112th Mounted from the Conglomerate. Until I can give my resignation, at least."

Tyr looked over, but he didn't say a thing. Sal still noticed it, and so did the innkeeper. The woman smiled, taking measure of the two. Sal didn't try to rush her. This was a town filled with nothing but Unavi Rebels. That they'd managed to survive with the Empire of Terric closing in on both sides proved that they knew what they were doing.

Eventually, the woman nodded, barking out in Iliran, "Get these people some food!" to the boy. Then she led the trio to the closest table and gestured for them to sit. "When was your last meal, Kaisae?" she asked.

Blaz took the chair to Sal's left and leaned over to help roll her sleeve higher. "She's gone a day and a half without fresh meat. We had some dried pork, but not enough."

"And these two have had nothing but grain bars," Sal told her. "We've been riding since before dawn yesterday, and our horses are out front."

"Were." The woman smiled at Sal's throat, her eyes politely averted. "We will have the animals brushed down, given a wet gruel tonight, and walked out tomorrow. Your horses will be cared for, Kaisae."

"Thank you," Sal told her. "Is this place still free from Terrans? Have they come through?"

"They've tried," the innkeeper admitted. "A few times, now. Each time, we find a new way to make it impossible. The Unavi Pride will hold this pass. Thanks to Viraenova and Anglia, we also hold the land to the west now. We can get you where you need to be, Kaisae."

Sal just smiled at her. "Where I need to be is here. I also need an army. It's time, ilus. The Emperor is scared, the Conglomerate respects my rule, and Anglia will lead the way, but I need the Rebels to get me back. I need enough people to show Escea that we are not afraid anymore."

"No, we're proud," the woman agreed. "But that can wait until morning." And she glanced up, leading Sal's eyes to a group hurrying over with three heaping plates of food. "Take your time, but eat your fill. It's what was left from last night's meal, and we have plenty more. Eat until your eyes can't stay open. I'll have baths drawn for the three of you, our largest bed is being prepared, and Zensa has been told you're here. She will make sure everything you need is taken care of."

Sal reached over to catch the woman's hand. "Thank you," she breathed. "I will never be able to repay you for the kindness this place has always shown me."

The older woman lifted their clasped hands, using her other to pat the back. "You believed in us. The least we can do is believe in you back. You're the reason why Slate Ridge has never been owned by that man."

"But I didn't do anything," Sal said.

The woman used one shoulder to shrug. "The iliri have found freedom across the continent. The humans have given our leader control of a country. These two men reached for weapons to protect you rather than detain you. My own country has reclaimed so much of our land, and democracy is once again our law. Is that nothing, Kaisae? Is this not all because of you?"

Tyr reached over to rub lightly at Sal's shoulder. "Baby, you're not going to win this one. Just accept that you're pretty damned impressive and go with it." Then he waved the plates closer. "And eat. You get mopey when you're too tired."

"It's been a long ride," Blaz told the innkeeper, "but she'll thank you for that in the morning. If you let her, she'll keep arguing with you all night."

The woman just looked between the pair of men. "You are not at all what I would expect for the Kaisae's mates, but you are good compliments for her. I simply hope you are as well trained as the last."

"Blaz is," Sal told her, understanding the attempt at a compliment even if the humans wouldn't. "Tyr?" She tipped her head to the man in question. "He has good intentions. Do not let him offend you."

"Thank you, Kaisae," the innkeeper said before backing away.

And the staff with plates immediately moved in, placing them on the table directly before Sal and her guys. Hers was filled with meats, cheeses, and a small amount of bread. The men beside her both had a larger selection, and the woman was right. There was a lot of it. More food than Sal had seen in a very long time.

Her stomach growled its appreciation and she dug in. Blaz was right there with her, but Tyr was still watching her. A moment later, the staff was back with glasses of water, milk, and mead, but the table was starting to be crowded.

Then, when they were finally alone, Tyr finally asked, "What was that last part about?"

"Your manners," Sal explained. "Human men forget that iliri women are dominant." She shoved another bite into her mouth, then gestured at Tyr's plate with her fork, making it clear he should eat. Then she talked around her food, not caring that it was rude. "She was subtly asking if you understand my culture, and how careful they need to be around you."

"And her answer," Blaz told him, "let her know that we're both safe, but that you might not get all the nuances."

"I've been with some of those nuvani girls," Tyr grumbled. "And a crossbred."

"Not talking about who you've fucked," Blaz said, sounding exasperated. "She meant this. That you don't understand the context of their words. That you are a little blunt, and when you don't know, you'll ask."

"Mm." Tyr finally took a bite. "I just figured that Sal understood me, so I didn't really need to learn all that crap."

"No," Blaz said. "She has to learn all your human ways, but it'd be too much work for you to do the same for her, right?"

Tyr paused with a second bite halfway to his mouth. "Is that how it feels, baby? That I think you need to do things my way to fit in?"

"No," she said.

But he put down his fork and turned to her. "It has nothing to do with iliri, ok? I don't understand court manners or which fork to use at a fancy dinner either. I know military stuff. I know what I believe in, and yeah, I have no problem saying it, but if I'm making you feel like you have to be careful around me, would you tell me?"

"Tyr," Sal told him, "I do not want to be treated like a piece of glassware that's too fragile to use. I won't break, and I do not want you to treat me like I will."

He nodded, a smile growing on his lips. "Oh, trust me. I have every intention of pushing you as hard as I can." His smile proved that he didn't just mean in combat.

And Sal found her own lips curling to match his.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Cenla Xie, Unav

It was still dark outside when they finished eating. Sal and her guys were led to the bathing room. It was the same one she'd been in with Kolt so long ago, but this time she wasn't quite as lost. Her mates weren't dead, just separated from her, and the guys trailing behind her weren't as paranoid. Still, just like before, they were given a set of clothes, told to leave what they had, and promised that the room would be private.

This time, Sal believed the staff without question. As soon as the girl closed the door, Sal began to strip off her uniform. Blaz turned away to give her privacy, but Tyr lifted a brow playfully. Sal rolled her eyes, feeling a bit more awake than she had when they rode in, but still too weary to do much more.

Naked, she chose the tub in the center. One on each side was also full, and an assortment of soaps and washing cloths had been put within reach. She'd barely lowered herself into the water when a long, muscular leg landed beside her, with the rest of Tyr moving to sit at her back.

"Blaz, you can have the front," he offered.

"Not enough room," Blaz told him, claiming the tub to her left. "Just don't let her drown, ok?"

"Not on my watch," Tyr promised, leaning forward to put his lips beside the thin skin of her ear. "Always wanted to see where those tattoos end."

"Haven't figured out yet that they don't?" she teased.

His lips moved to her neck. "It was dark. Both times."

Something about his tone made her shiver, but in the best way. While Tyr's lips moved down to her shoulder, his hand brought a cloth to her arm. Slowly, meticulously, and as sensually as possible, he washed the dirt and gore from her body. Every move encouraged her to relax and enjoy the pampering, and Sal had no interest in fighting him.

She leaned back against his chest and let her eyes close, following the feel of the washcloth across her body. Tyr started on one side, cleaning her hand, fingers, and all the way up her arm before moving to the other to do the same. Sal's hair pooled in the water, the ends floating around her ribs and chest, but the man behind her didn't seem to care.

Then he moved to her legs. Sitting behind her, he could only reach so far. The cloth barely brushed her knees, but it moved slowly up her thighs, always stopping well before the junction. The pressure was just enough to feel like a massage, and not so light as to tease her, but it still felt good. She just hadn't expected this from Tyr.

Blaz, she could imagine spoiling her like this. Or Zep. Definitely Razor. Kolt would try in his own way, but always with restraint or gusto. Jase? Never. He did many simple things for her, but something as common as bathing her? No. He'd hold her, listen to her, love her, but never this.

And yet Tyr wasn't making it sexual. As she turned her head into his neck, she began to realize why. Through the contact of their skin, she could see just enough to realize that Tyr wasn't the overly expressive kind of guy. He didn't know how to give sweet compliments, just the blunt kind. The idea of romance made him nervous, but he was trying. Taking care of her was something he could understand, so this was the only way he knew to show he cared.

He did for her, because he had no other way to show his feelings. Because he cared, he sacrificed his effort instead of his pride, and hoped that she'd figure it out. He gave her what he had, and in his mind, there wasn't much left. He could swing a sword, keep her safe, and this.

"Hey," she breathed.

He tilted his head to rest above hers. "How are you feeling, baby? Relaxing yet?"

Sal just tapped his chest. "That's a lot of bare skin."

And his hand stopped. "Oh."

Beside them, water splashed as Blaz moved in his tub. The sound made her flick an ear over, sure he'd just submerged himself. Tyr sighed and started washing her again.

"It's a hard thing to get used to," Blaz said when he came back up. Sal turned to watch him wipe the water from his face. "I don't know about him, but my mind immediately jumps to all the doubts I've ever had, wondering if that's what you're hearing with those touches."

"Sometimes," Sal admitted, "but they feel different. So do secrets. Those are heavy. Doubts? They feel cloudy and obscure because they've never been solidified. Memories are sharp. Even the haziest ones always have this edge to them." She shrugged and glanced up to Tyr. "But it makes a lot of things easier to understand as well."

"Like?" Tyr asked.

"You're a do-er," she said. "You don't woo women with words. Instead, you actually do things to show you're interested. Cleaning a sword, or - "

"Fuck," Tyr groaned. "You can see that?"

Sal paused, thinking back over the little images she'd caught. "Rayna's sword?"

Blaz chuckled, trying hard to muffle it. "He probably slept with her too."

"Fuck off," Tyr snapped. "There's no reason she can't jump in as many beds as the rest of us."

"Wasn't saying that," Blaz assured him. "I actually respect her because she doesn't care. My point was more that Sal shouldn't be surprised that a guy who'd served with her so long had been there."

But Sal was still touching Tyr. "He hasn't," she realized.

"Wouldn't," Tyr corrected. "I could've, and Ray made me the offer, but no. She's my sister, and I didn't want that to get confused."

"Wait." Blaz sat up. "You could've fucked Rayna Mel, and you passed?"

"It's not always about fucking," Tyr grumbled. "She's my friend, and she used to be my section leader. She's also one of my closest friends, so we used to go to the pubs together to find a date. She picked the men, I picked the women, and we had someone to talk to about it the next day."

"She does that with me, too," Sal admitted. "She's kinda my best friend."

"I know," Tyr assured her. "She adores you too, Sal. That woman thinks that you hung the moons in the sky. So far as she cares, you're everything she's ever wanted to be."

"But..." Sal leaned forward and twisted to face him. "I always wanted to be like her. She's so..."

"Strong," Blaz offered from his tub. "Beautiful. Intelligent, capable... Now guess which woman I'm talking about." He winked. "It's not Rayna."

"You," Tyr said, turning Sal so that she faced him. Then he lifted one of her small feet and began washing again. "You're both a lot alike, and yet very different. She honestly doesn't care what others think. You? Sal, I always get this feeling that you may not care if they like you, but that you're driven by what they think. If they're hurting, how they need things, and those sorts of thoughts."

"I've always thought that was the vis," Blaz said.

"Vis?" Tyr asked.

Blaz nodded. "An iliri thing. It's like charisma, but more. It's this quality some iliri have that makes others instinctually understand that this person is worth following."

"Blaec had it," Sal explained. "They say I do."

"I can believe that," Tyr told her. "And I think maybe your caring is a part of it, but not all. When I'm around you, I feel...."

"Worthy," Blaz finished for him. "You make us feel like we can achieve our potential, even if we'd never before realized that we hadn't yet. You push people, but in a good way. You make us want to become our very best, not just settle for good enough."

"And you?" Sal asked Tyr.

He smiled at her legs, his attention still on getting her clean. "Why'd you sit on my lap, Sal?"

"Huh?"

"Back in Myrosica. When Zep was pretending to be a Dog, and you were staying in his room. Why'd you sit on my lap after I'd just given you shit?"

Under the water, she reached over to palm his leg, her hand landing on his calf. "I don't know. I thought it would be funny?"

"But why?" he insisted. "You were getting shit from both sides back then, and I was some human you'd never met before, but you teased me the way you did your brothers. Why? What were you thinking?"

She sank a little lower in the water, but when his eyes moved to hold hers, she knew she had to answer. "I thought you were cute," she admitted. "And I was sure that you'd be disgusted. Some iliri bitch crawling on you like she's sexy. I thought you'd jump away, play it off, and we'd all laugh at you for it."

"And then?" he asked.

Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. "You held me. You wrapped your hands around me like you wanted me to stay, and..." She glanced over to Blaz, needing to break the visual contact. It was too intense. "You made me feel pretty."

"You are beautiful," Blaz told her.

"Not human pretty though," Sal said, dredging up his words from so long ago.

His smile turned wistful. "No, definitely not human pretty." He made it sound like a compliment. "Human women are soft, curvaceous, and flamboyant. You? You're strong, sleek, and dangerous. The kind of beauty that makes a man's heart beat just a little too fast, unsure if what comes next is going to hurt, and yet he can't stop himself from wanting it."

"Like holding a sword by the blade," Tyr added. "It could cut, but that doesn't make me want it less."

"I don't mean to," Sal told them.

Tyr leaned forward to kiss her knee. "That's not a bad thing, Sal."

"If you judge a fish," Blaz said, sounding like he was quoting something, "by how well it can climb a tree, then it's always going to be a failure, even if it can swim better than you."

"Rais?" Tyr guessed.

Blaz shook his head. "Jiesa. She said that, and I never realized she meant that she was part iliri. She, um..." He smiled at Sal. "She could blend with the rest of us humans, but looking back, I realize that she was always just a little different, and that was what I liked about her. She was a little too hard, a bit too serious, and always so very honest."

"Iliri," Tyr said softly, proving he understood. "Guess that means we've both been scrubber lovers for a while, huh?"

"Yeah," Blaz agreed. "I have been for a while, I just didn't realize it. We spent so long worrying about the parts of us that were different that we forgot to realize that doesn't mean better or worse."

"What about you?" Tyr asked her. "Why do you like humans, Sal?"

"I don't know," she admitted.

"You can do better," Tyr insisted. "Why do you like us? Why didn't you eat us in that cave? What made you decide that making us mates was the better option - and if you say Blaec, I'm going to tickle your foot until you piss yourself."

She ducked her head but still laughed once. "That. Because somehow you always find a way to make it easy for me. Because you laugh just because you can, and being around you makes me feel like the world could be mine. Like the possibilities are never-ending."

"Not my amazing muscles?" he asked, flexing his pecs one after the other for effect.

She leaned forward to press both palms over them. "Those are nice too, but iliri men have them. Just less hair."

Blaz pointedly cleared his throat, running a hand over his smooth chest. "Silky smooth."

Tyr just moved her hand down to the light patch of curls above his sternum. "I heard you're fascinated with a little body hair, huh?"

"Gets in my teeth," she teased.

He smiled. "Oh, I can shave down there too, if that's what it takes."

And Blaz pushed himself up, making the water splash. "Yep, this bath is done. Pretty sure there's a bed upstairs." And then he turned, showing that while a few days had left a shadow, he clearly had a habit of keeping himself shaved.

Sal couldn't help herself. She slid her hand lower, under the water, following the centerline of Tyr's body until she felt the softness. His pubic hair was longer than Blaz's, but not by much. Then she kept going, leaning just a little closer to her newest man as she wrapped her fingers around him. "So that's why I haven't been picking it from my teeth, huh?"

His answer was to lean into her, pressing his mouth against hers. Sal gasped, his tongue slid between her teeth, and a hand landed on the back of her head, holding her there. He kissed her, and not timidly. With her hand wrapped around his shaft, his kiss felt like a dare - or a promise.

Then he released her, pulling back only slightly. "There is not enough space in this tub for what I now want to do to you, but you still need to wash your hair." And he stood.

Which put his crotch level with her eyes. Sal looked it over, glanced at Blaz, and then decided that she needed to finish quickly, because both of them seemed to have one thing on their "minds."

Chapter Thirty

Cenla Xie, Unav

Clean, wet, and wrapped in only a towel, Sal had planned to put on the borrowed dress someone had left for her, but Blaz had other plans. The moment she walked to where the two men were standing beside the door, he scooped her into his arms, cradling her against his bare chest. Tyr grabbed the dress and both of their shirts, then opened the door. She squirmed, intending to demand he put her down, but a crossbred woman rounded the corner at the same time.

"Kaisae's room," the girl squeaked, spinning around just to show them to the stairs.

"Blaz," Sal hissed.

He chuckled, looking rather pleased with himself. "You're mostly naked, so I suggest you wiggle a little less."

She paused, knowing he was right. Her towel was already getting loose, so she just wrapped her arm around his neck, trying to support a little of her own weight. That turned her enough to see Tyr trotting up the stairs after them. He was grinning, looking a little too pleased, which meant the idea had likely been his.

"Too tired to carry me yourself?" Sal teased.

Tyr's smile grew a little more. "Sharing. Figured my co-mate, or whatever we're called, deserves a little glory too."

It was cute. Mostly that these two men - who she never would've expected to work together - had found some kind of balance. Blaz was too calm and polite to ask for more. Tyr was demanding enough to take too much. Then again, she thought about the way he'd washed her so sweetly in the bath. Giving was his way of caring.

Was this your idea? she asked.

Tyr tilted his head, refusing to nod. It's possible.

Yet when they got into the room, one more thing became clear. The dark sky was turning light, now tinted that strange blue-grey color that came just before the dawn. They'd been awake much more than one day, and yet not quite long enough. The girl who'd opened the door bobbed her head and did something that was close to a curtsy, then spun and hurried away. That left the three of them alone, and yes, the room did have a nice sized bed. It wasn't fancy, but it was tall and soft.

When Tyr closed the door, Blaz let her down. "I'll take first watch," he said, but his eyes were holding hers.

Feeling a little mischievous - and a lot more refreshed after a meal and a bath - Sal decided to answer that another way. She pulled off the towel and tossed it at Tyr like she had so long ago. That left her standing there, bare, in the dim light of early morning. Inches away, Blaz's breath fell out in appreciation, but he didn't move toward her.

She just flicked both of her ears up, right at him. "I think the Unavi Rebels are a good enough guard, don't you?"

"Yep," Tyr mumbled from behind Blaz, his eyes drinking her in as well.

It felt good. Neither man was trying to hide his interest, or deny it. None of them knew how to make this work, or what the others were comfortable with, so this was her solution. She couldn't think of any other way to prove that she really did want this. Want them.

Blaz didn't move. His eyes didn't fall. He pulled in a breath, then another, before asking, "I know what you want, Sal. I know what I was told you need, but..." He swallowed. "How do I do this right?"

"Stop thinking," Tyr said, pushing around him to grab Sal around the waist, lift her, and then toss her naked body onto the bed. He followed right after. "If you stop to think, you get nervous, and I don't fucking care what you do." Then he leaned over Sal and kissed her.

"No," she breathed, gently pushing him back so she could scoot up in the bed. "Just... stop."

"I'm sorry," Tyr said, quickly backing off.

Sal lifted her hand. "No, just hear me out. This is weird, right? We've all been trying to pretend it's not, but it's kinda weird."

"Not that weird," Tyr said.

"It's weird," Blaz agreed at the same time.

Sal nodded, having heard them both. "And I'm horrible at this stuff. I..." She looked over at Blaz. "I'm used to things moving slower, but they don't have to."

His eyes drifted down her body. "I, um, am not really used to having company, and I'm not into guys, Tyr."

"Me either," Tyr told him. Then he paused. "But it's kinda hot. I mean, watching someone else go at it? Tell me you're not hard already."

That was what made Blaz turn away. "Fuck," he breathed.

Sal tried to slide off the bed, but Tyr grabbed her arm. The look that followed said he had this. Sal just nodded, hoping he could find a way to fix the gap between them, because she honestly had no idea how to do it herself.

"Embarrassed?" Tyr asked.

"Yes!" Blaz hissed at the wall.

Tyr chuckled. "Wanna compare dicks? Have Sal tell you which one is her favorite? I mean, or maybe talk about the best pussy yours has ever been in?"

"Shut up, Tyr," Blaz said.

"Nope." Tyr eased himself off the bed and walked over just to drop a hand on Blaz's shoulder. "Know what Razor told me? He said that the hard part of being with the same girl is realizing that we're a team. There's no competition, just like in combat. You pick up for your brother, let him shine when he can, and take your glory where it, well, comes."

"And this just turned clinical," Sal mumbled to herself.

Tyr chuckled. "Baby, I promise that so long as you're naked, and in a bed, it's still fucking hot." Then he turned his attention back to Blaz. "I can leave for a bit if you want?"

Blaz's response was a whisper, but Sal's ears worked too well. "I need to get over this."

"Yeah, and I got my own shit," Tyr whispered back. "Look, forget she's there. It's not like you could keep a secret from her anyway. You and me? Brothers, right? Like it or not, we're brothers now. So what are you thinking?"

"I can't do this in front of someone," Blaz said, the words even softer this time.

"No?" Tyr asked. "I mean, we kinda already did. And do you honestly think you're just going to get her alone from now on? She's kinda got four other guys willing to live in the same bed, you know, in case you missed that part."

"In front of you," Blaz said.

Tyr took a half step back. "Bro, I'm not that fucked up. You seemed ok with it last time."

And that was when Sal realized what was wrong. All the little touches, the half-thoughts and scattered images she'd seen from him, those things he'd told her in secret all fell into place, and she realized exactly what he was afraid of.

"You're human," Sal told Tyr.

Blaz's eyes snapped over to her. "So am I."

"And you fuck like an iliri." She pulled herself from the bed and walked over, offering her mind. "If you haven't figured it out yet, I do too."

"What?" Tyr asked, turning back to look at her even as he accepted the mental link.

Blaz resisted. "I'm trying to get this right, Sal."

"Take it," she hissed.

He did, just as she slipped between him and Tyr. Now that their minds were tangled together, she reached for him, pressing her body along the length of his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He didn't back off, and she could feel that he liked it, so she kept going.

"Did it start before or after I bit you?" she asked.

His hand moved to her waist. "Before. With Jiesa."

"Because iliri bite, and even if you didn't realize it, she was still iliri."

He leaned a little closer. "I can't hurt you," he almost growled.

Tyr stepped back, moving toward the bed. "Bro's got some kink, it sounds like."

"Mhm," Sal agreed. "And you, Tyr, are much too soft."

"Pretty sure I don't break easy either."

She smiled, her eyes holding Blaz's rich brown. "That's why the bite cured you, huh? Made you realize it was the thing you'd been missing?"

His fingers tensed in her hair. "You still think you want me?"

Sal's answer was to push forward, her mouth aiming for his neck. She almost made it. Her teeth grazed his skin, leaving long red marks when he pulled her back, slamming her body into the wall. His fingers released her hair just to land on her throat, and the grip was solid - but his mouth followed.

The kiss was hard and almost cruel, but it was what he needed. That was why he'd been so willing to fuck her in that cave, because he needed it to be savage. She had no idea why, but the truth of it rang through his mind, flooding hers. He wanted to come close to hurting her, and he wasn't sure he could stop himself.

But Blaz was not Jase. His need wasn't instinctual, but it was still primal. He also couldn't truly hurt her, yet the rush when she moaned into his mouth turned her on as much as him. While his hand tightened on her neck, and his mouth took control of hers, Sal grabbed his pants, fumbling to open them.

Let him watch, she thought, allowing Tyr to hear it.

Blaz smiled against her lips. He'll never look at me the same.

So?

That, Tyr told them both, is hot as hell.

And then Sal bit. Her teeth dragged across his tongue before finding his lip, but the rush of pain was so sweet. Almost iliri sweet. It was shocking enough to make Sal's eyes fly open. Blaz eased his mouth from her grasp.

"You sure you want this?" he asked.

She nodded, her throat still in his grip.

Slowly, his hand relaxed. "Go sit on his lap."

Sal turned back to see Tyr pulling off his pants, but his eyes were on Blaz. She could feel the thought and understanding passing between them, but she'd been excluded. Not completely, and she could look if she wanted to, but the idea of them planning something was sexy enough that she'd wait for the surprise.

Sal reached the bed and grabbed Tyr's shoulders, intending to straddle his lap, but his hands caught her hips and pulled, spinning her around. Sal sucked in a breath as she found herself facing Blaz again. The fire in his eyes said this was what he'd been waiting for.

"Sit," Tyr told her, easing her down to the bed with him.

But he didn't just mean sit. His knees moved between hers, and his hands guided her. Slowing her just as she felt his hardness, then impaling her inch by inch. Sal let her eyes close and leaned back, taking all of him until her weight rested on Tyr.

She heard Blaz's pants hit the ground, but she didn't care. Tyr's hands were sliding up her ribs, making her breasts ache with the proximity, and neither man said a word. Then Tyr began to move, lifting himself to penetrate deeper, those hands preventing her from coming back down onto him until he was ready.

A whimper slipped from her lips. As if that was what he'd been waiting for, Tyr began to pump into her, letting Blaz see the whole thing. Then he paused, spread his knees a little more, pushing her legs open with them. Again, he thrust until the very moment the pleasure began to grow intense, and then he stopped one more time, just to open her a little more.

"Fuck," Blaz breathed. "She looks good like that."

"Feels better," Tyr grunted as he began thrusting again.

Knowing they were watching made it feel even better. Sal didn't try to help. She just took, allowing her men to use her as they wanted, and it felt good. So good. Each time Tyr pumped her higher, it felt even better, until the moment she was sure she couldn't take anymore.

And then he pulled out of her body, realigned himself, and slowly eased her down. When she felt the head of his dick press against her ass, Sal gasped, her body tensing.

"Relax," Tyr breathed. "Trust me, baby."

And Blaz stepped between both of their open legs. "Sal, look at me."

She opened her eyes to find him so close. His erection hung between them, roped with veins. She had to force her gaze higher, following each ridge in his hardened body until she found his eyes. Blaz cupped her cheek and leaned closer.

"You still want this?"

She nodded.

He smiled. "Even if it hurts?"

"And then it feels good," she breathed, remembering the frantic sex they'd had while she was in maast.

He closed the last inch to kiss her. The moment their mouths met, Tyr pulled her down, but carefully. She felt a hint of pain as he penetrated her, and then her body tensed, but Blaz didn't stop kissing, adding his teeth to keep her distracted. She focused on that, ignoring the burn and full feeling in her ass. But the moment she was relaxed again, Tyr pushed himself a little deeper.

Without lifting his lips from hers, Blaz angled his hips, leaned her back, and dragged himself down her slit to her opening. Then he eased himself in, and Sal couldn't stop the groan in her throat. Desperately, she reached back, hooking an arm over Tyr's shoulder just as Blaz began to thrust.

The movement rocked her against Tyr. Her hand held her in place, so Tyr shifted his grip higher, finding her breasts, and then the achingly hard peaks of her nipples. While Blaz set the pace, Tyr teased her higher until Sal's world became nothing but sensations of pleasure. From Tyr, loving the tightness of her ass. From Blaz, as he fucked her hard while his eyes drank in her loss of control, and from her own body, as every sensitive space possible was caressed by one man or the other.

It wasn't fast. It wasn't frenzied. They were all too tired for that, but it was so good. Each movement was intense, demanding almost. Neither of these men wanted her to be in control. They didn't need her to take care of them. They just wanted to feel her, letting her body please them on its own. Her fingers tensed, digging into Tyr's muscles for support, and he loved it, pushing the sensation back to her.

Blaz just rode her. Each thrust became a little harder, pushing him a little deeper. The men pressed together inside her body, the sensation erotic enough to surprise both of them. And then Blaz reached down to press his thumb against her clit, moving his lips to the side of her neck.

He bit. Hard.

It was more than she could take. Sal's back arched, pressing her breasts toward Blaz's face as he buried himself, again and again, rocking her across Tyr, who she could feel swelling. He was so close. She was too, and Blaz was daring them to break.

Sal did with a primal cry against the side of Blaz's face as her body clenched around them both. Behind her, Tyr cursed under his breath, and his hands gripped her hard enough to bruise even while his hips lifted into her. She could feel him lose control, and it added to her own climax. Combined, they were too much for Blaz to ignore. He plunged into her one last time and groaned.

For a moment, they were all still, each of them trying to catch their breath as they came down from that high. Sal finally opened her eyes just as Blaz withdrew. Tyr eased her up, removing himself from her body, but leaned back to lay both of them in the bed, side by side. All Sal could do was sigh, letting the rush of air prove just how much that had taken out of her.

But it had been worth it. So worth it.

"Is there a towel in this room?" Blaz asked.

"Basin of water, too," Tyr said, pointing to the side. Then he kissed the back of her neck. "C'mon, baby. Come crawl under the covers. We're going to take care of you."

"Yeah," Sal agreed. "I can definitely get used to this."

Tyr chuckled. "I think Blaz can too. Yeah, and I'm down for your kink, bro."

"Good." Blaz tossed a wet cloth at him. "Clean her up first, then yourself." And he grabbed her belt on his way back. "I hope we don't need these, but I have a feeling I'm going to sleep like the dead."

"Me too," Tyr agreed.

Sal just chuckled. "It's not as restful as you'd think." But her eyes were already growing heavy, and the smile on her lips just wouldn't go away.

Chapter Thirty-One

"You're feeling sorry for yourself."

The voice pulled Sal out of the darkness and into her room in the Anglian Palace. The stone walls were the same, but the furniture had changed a little. Yes, the couch was in the same place, and the fire was burning nicely, but the green was gone, replaced with black. Other small details differed, but not so much that she couldn't recognize the room she'd shared with Jase for so long.

"How?" she asked, turning to look at the room rather than at Blaec. "I don't think you were ever in here."

"Doesn't matter," he explained. "This is a place where you were happy."

"But how can you take me here?" she asked.

He chuckled, moving behind her to wrap his arms around her waist. "We're not here. I'm not here. I'm dead, Sal, and you're not. Everything you know about me is pulled from your memories, just like this place. My thoughts are my own, but the feel of my skin, the way I smell, and even how I look? That's all from what you remember of me."

She turned to see him. "So what do you look like on your own?"

"I don't." He smiled, those pale green eyes holding hers so easily. "I'm little more than thoughts and will. A soul, if you prefer, although that word seems wrong. It..." He glanced away, his gaze shifting to the side as if he still couldn't handle releasing his dominance. "It's too limiting." Then he shook that off. "But you are still feeling sorry for yourself."

"I'm not," she insisted. "Blaec, I'm alive, and I'm here. We made it to Cenla Xie."

"Not that." He reached up to cup the side of her face. "You're alone. You miss your mates. You are stuck thinking about all the things you don't have, and not the ones you do. Stop that, Kaisae."

He dropped the title out so casually, yet it shocked her. He'd always acknowledged that she was one, but he'd never used it as a replacement for her name. Not that easily. It was almost too much.

"What am I supposed to do instead?" she asked.

"Fix this," he insisted.

"How!"

And the man before her smiled. It was the same smile she remembered - just like he said. It was also a little devious and a lot proud. It was the look that had given her so much confidence when she'd been new to the Blades. A look that made her feel like he had an inside line. Back then, she'd always thought it was his skill, but now?

Now she realized that look was little more than his way of empowering his men - and her.

"I am stuck on the far side of the line, alone with two men and probably a few untrained rebels willing to throw themselves at the enemy. I have an elite unit coming to help, but they've already tried to kill me once, possibly more."

"Stop," he insisted. "Stop expecting everyone else to do this for you. Stop hoping that a miracle is going to come down from the pattern above and fix it. Stop waiting for things to happen, Sal, and start making them. You are the Kaisae of three species, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Then be the fucking Kaisae."

She nodded, knowing he was right. Still, there was one big problem. "How?"

"Make a decision. Good or bad, it doesn't matter. Just make a decision and live with it. Embrace what you do have. Stop worrying about what you don't. Ask for help, thank those who give it, and act like this is already done. Make the people with you feel confident, sweetness. Give them the power they can't give themselves."

"What power?" she demanded.

"Hope." He dropped that word into the room, and the walls decided to echo it back. "It's the only thing stronger than fear. It's stronger than the enemy's swords. It's stronger even than death, Sal. Hope is everything."

She nodded. "I'm trying."

"You're failing." His words were gentle, but it still stung. "Sal, what is it that's so wrong?"

"I miss my mates."

He blew that off. "Me too. What else?"

Well, that certainly put things into a different perspective. "I'm not sure Tyr and Blaz are happy with me."

He scoffed. "That's pretty much the dumbest thing you've ever said. In case you weren't sure, I can see the past, the present, and the future. I know very well what happened a few hours ago."

He meant between her, Blaz, and Tyr. "Ok," she said, "Then you know that I had to push them."

"Like I had to push you?" he asked.

"You never had to push me to love you."

"No? Sal, did you never wonder why I pushed you away? Why I encouraged you and Jase? Because you shouldn't have loved me. Oh, I was meant for you, and I loved the idea of that. I loved the power you gave me, and the pride that came with it. I loved the woman in my bed, the way you challenged me, always making me better, and how you put me up on a pedestal. You made me into this great and amazing man. But why?"

"Because I loved you," she insisted.

He shook his head. "No, that's a cop-out. Why did you love me, Sal?"

"You're beautiful and intelligent. You protected me."

"Did I?" He tilted his head, once again refusing to look away. "Or did I simply make you think I did? What did I give you?"

"Pride," she breathed.

He nodded. "What did I take?"

Sal stepped away from his hands. "You aren't Blaec."

He just let her go. "Is that because you don't want to answer the question? Sal, we both know you've thought about it. I can promise that I've thought about nothing else. For months, I've sat in complete darkness, wondering why I made the mistakes I did. Looking back, it's always so easy to see the right choice, but in the middle of our lives, it never is. I screwed up, and I know it. I was scared, but I did love you. Do you know why?"

"No," she admitted.

"Because you were going to save me. Because you, my sweet, innocent, powerful little Kaisae, were the miracle I'd been looking for. Because my people were dying, and we needed a way to stop that, and it came in a very beautiful package. I loved you because of what I got from you, and when I stopped getting it one time, I lashed out." He took a step closer. "That is not love, Sal. You loved me, and I used you. I took all you gave. I demanded more. I tried, I failed, and yet you still loved me."

"Why?" she begged. "Why are you saying this?"

"Because you need to hear it. And because I need to say it. I did love you, but not the right way. My love was the kind that hurt." And he gestured at her. "Just look at yourself. In here, with me, you revert back to the complacent girl I first met."

She flicked her ears back and growled, "Because I keep hoping you're here to help."

"Oh, I am," he promised, matching her tone. "But that does not mean you'll like it. If you need me to push, then I'll push. You're feeling sorry for yourself, and that's pathetic. You're alive. You have two men lying on either side of you who give a shit about that. Neither one of them is me, and that's a damned good thing. Them? They want to take care of you. Me? I wanted you to take care of me."

"So what?" she asked. "Why is that wrong? I wanted you to take care of me too. I want someone to!"

"Then ask them. Stop babying them. Stop being all things for all people, and pick your fucking path, Sal. Lead them. Don't carry them. Let them lead others. Then let those others lead some more. You are the Kaisae of all Anglia, not their bitch."

She recoiled as if slapped. "They would never -"

"I did."

He didn't give her the chance to finish. He didn't explain exactly what he did, but she knew. He'd treated her like his possession. He'd held himself apart, expecting her to choose, and then subtly made her feel bad for not choosing him. He'd been so strong and so confident that she'd always assumed it had been her making the mistake. Yet here he was telling her it had always been him. That he'd been wrong, not her.

"But I loved you," she insisted.

Blaec nodded slowly. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. Loving someone doesn't make that person right. It doesn't remove their flaws. Real love is when you meet in the middle. It's when you push back, and they give you space." He tilted his head in that iliri gesture of confusion. "Do you think I would've shown you as much understanding as you showed Blaz?"

"He just -"

Blaec cut her off again. "Needed you," he finished. "And I agree, he did. But what would I have done?"

She licked her lips. "Told me you'd teach me."

"Mhm. That I'd teach you my way, as if it were the only right one. Sal, I didn't know any better. I promise you that. But I do now, and that's why I'm still here. I've seen all the mistakes I've made, and I want to make up for them. I also want you to save our people. I want you to grow old surrounded by the kind of love you deserve."

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'll wait," he promised. "For as long as it takes, I'll wait, and when I can't wait anymore, I'll start again. That's the pattern. That's what all these threads are: the tangle of lives."

She nodded, accepting that as nothing more than the truth. "And what does any of this have to do with feeling sorry for myself?"

"Because that's how I started. I felt like I'd lost my family, but you said I have a sister. I felt like I'd spent my life fighting for a cause I couldn't win. I wanted to be the hero, but I knew that would be you. I felt like I'd been given a long list of bad options, and I hated it. I mourned the dream that was just out of reach, and I lost myself in that."

"Ok?"

"And I don't want you to do the same. I don't want you to feel bad because you actually like these two humans. I don't want you to feel ashamed when you tell Jase about it, or Zep." He paused to chuckle. "Kolt and Razor will love the idea, just so you know."

"Really?"

Blaec nodded. "Honestly." Then he sobered. "Sal, I'm just saying that you only have so much life. We all do. Hopefully, it will be a long one, but it's never long enough. Don't waste time feeling bad about what's already happened. Just keep going. Fix the mistakes you make, and embrace the good things while they're still around."

"But can I do this?" she asked gesturing to the side as if pointing to something. "In my bed are two men who barely know each other. Sure, they know of each other, but they weren't really friends before me. Now? I'm trying to fall in love with them, they're trying to fall in love with me, and it all feels fake. It's a lie, and yet it's not. I don't know how to do this!"

"Then stop trying," he told her. "Stop acting like it's ok. Stop pretending that you're always the strongest person in the room. Let those men see your vulnerabilities, and give them the chance to help. Scream at them when you're mad, and kiss them hard when you aren't. Stop trying to be what everyone else wants you to be, and start trying to be the woman that you know you really are. Let them decide if that's good enough or not. And if it's not? Then find the men who think it is. I know a few."

"Jase, Zep, Kolt, and Gage," she mumbled.

He nodded. "And Razor understands you better than you know."

"He's already proven that."

Blaec chuckled. "Good. You have a tendency to accept too easily, and yet not easily enough. It's like you want some guarantee that things will work, and we never get that. Not ever, Sal. Still, I think he's a good addition. Zep worships you, but in a healthy way. He doesn't think you're perfect. He just thinks you're perfect for him."

"And Jase?" she asked.

Blaec paused, the crease in his brow showing he was thinking about that. "You know, he wasn't supposed to be your Ahnor."

"What?"

"Kolt was, but that path led to disaster. Jase? He was the least likely option, but the best one. In most cases, you chose me, hurt him the same way I did you, and ended up falling for Kolt. Zep tried to stop you, but too many times, you pushed him away for it."

"Wait..." Sal grabbed his arm. "What are you saying?"

Blaec blinked his eyes over to hers. "I'm saying that Jase was your best choice. I realized it too late. I missed my own chance to make a choice which could've saved us all, but Jase still had his."

"You could've lived?" she gasped.

He shook his head. "No, Sal. No, I didn't get that option. I could've died the way I did, or I could've died sooner but hurt you less. If I wanted to save the iliri and make a world where the people I cared about could live in happiness, I always died. The only way I could've lived was to hide my species, pretend to be a human, and watch the iliri die around me. Every. Single. One. Including you. And still no matter what, I always chose you. I wanted you to live a very long life, surrounded by people who love you. I hoped you could have what I never could. I think I made my mistakes because I felt like I deserved something back for giving you that, but you didn't know. I couldn't tell you without changing it, and yet I still expected you to somehow understand." He leaned closer. "I'm sorry for that. I will be eternally sorry for it, but I did it because I felt sorry for myself."

Then he leaned in just a bit more. Sal lifted her face to meet his lips, yet it was too late. She felt the lightest hint of his touch, but the dream was already fading. Her room in Dorton was dissolving. And on the wind, she could almost hear his voice.

So stop feeling sorry for yourself. It won't end well...

Chapter Thirty-Two

Cenla Xie, Unav

The noise from downstairs eventually woke Sal. She opened her eyes to find the room well-lit and the sky outside the windows blue. It had to be at least noon, possibly later. A flick of her ear proved the sounds coming from the first floor were from the dining hall, so probably lunch.

Pulling away from Blaz's chest, she flopped onto her back, barely fitting in the space the two men had left between them. Tyr shifted a bit in his sleep to give her room, then rolled to drop an arm across her. Sal couldn't help but smile at the gesture. There was something about a sleeping man that was oddly adorable and innocent.

And yet she couldn't stop thinking about her other mates. It felt wrong to relax here between them while Jase, Zep, Kolt, and Razor were somewhere to the east, fighting her fight for her. And she missed them. Achingly so.

Guys? she asked, reaching out for all four and hoping she wasn't interrupting.

Sal! Zep thought back immediately.

Kitten. Jase's reply came across like a sigh of relief.

Hey, Kolt greeted her.

I've missed you, beautiful, Razor said after the rest had already spoken up.

Sal lay in the bed, smiling at the ceiling foolishly. It's good to hear your voices again. We're safe in Cenla Xie.

Blaz told me, Jase assured her. The moment ya entered town, he made sure I knew.

Somehow, she wasn't surprised. Blaz hadn't said a thing, but he was that kind of man. Jase hadn't bothered her either, but she'd assumed it was because he was too busy with the assault, and she hadn't been brave enough to risk interrupting. A little piece of it was her worry that things had changed.

Facing that fear head-on was easier when she wasn't trying to sneak her way through the middle of two Terran lines. She'd been avoiding it, but only because it had felt like the best option at the time. Now, she had them all, and they sounded happy to hear from her.

So, she thought, now that we're here, my plan is to call in the Unavi Rebels and see if we can get a few units of Anglians over the mountains. According to Narnx, the Terrans are pulling back, leaving the southern line to the Esceans.

We've noticed, Zep assured her. And the Esceans have no interest in pushing us. It's been a stand-off all day.

Good, Sal thought, breathing a sigh of relief. Do you think you could buy me a few more days?

As many as ya need, Jase swore. Shade is enjoying herself.

Sal paused, unsure how to feel about that, but she went with, We could see the smoke.

You should've seen the flames, Kolt told her. That woman is amazing. She only burned the ones that pushed us, and no Anglians were even singed. She's a force of nature, and she finally feels like she's helping.

But she takes it seriously, Razor added. Holding the line has become her responsibility, and she's getting better at pulling energy from the Devil Dogs.

Zep added, She's also less scared of men because of it. Maybe scared is the wrong word, but our little fire imp has made some friends.

Ghost isn't as happy about that, Kolt said. Pretty sure he'll snap at Exton if they're left alone.

Why? Sal asked, pretty sure that name belonged to the onsyc lookout who'd been working with Shade since they entered Escea.

Kolt's amusement leaked across. Because Exton isn't a Blade, he's touching her a lot, and our submissive packmate is jealous!

Has anyone talked to him? Sal asked.

Everyone has, Razor assured her. I went out of my way to make sure Ghost knows the guy is onsyc. Ghost knows, but he's still annoyed - because his mate is smiling at someone else.

Kinetry is allowed ta talk ta her, though, Jase pointed out.

Sal had to bite her lips to keep from giggling. Really? Kinetry?

It does na have ta make sense ta us, Jase explained. Ghost knows his mates. He also knows who would be good fer her, and that na all men want ta be with a woman fer her sake.

Like Hax, Zep grumbled. But Ran's dealing with him. Gives both of them a distraction. Speaking of that, I should let your dava know you're safe, huh? Heading that way, guys.

Thanks, Jase thought, proving they weren't all standing together.

It also made her realize how casual the whole conversation was. Her mates weren't angry with her for leaving. They weren't upset with her for what had happened. They were just talking to her as if they were separated for a mission, and it eased something in her chest.

She still had to ask, So are you four mad at me?

No, Zep thought immediately. Anger? That's saved for Hax.

It's not the same without you, though, Kolt said.

Razor took a little longer to reply. Sweetie, we could never be mad at you for what you've been through. I think we've all been sad, and the grief of thinking we'd lost you was crushing, but it's not your fault.

Jase didn't give her a chance to respond before adding, I thought ya had rejected me.

Never, she swore. I wanted to save you.

That is na how it works! he snapped. Ya do na save me by leaving me behind, kitten. Ya simply kill me slower.

But I didn't have the time to think about it, she tried to explain. I fell, and Blaec was telling me to cut the links. I thought I was already dying, so I did, hoping that it would help, and a little part of me thought that maybe I could fix it. Jase, that's what I'm trying to do now. I liked what we had, and I ruined it, so I'm trying to figure out a way to put it back together.

Then promise me ya will na do that again, he demanded.

No. Sal's answer was calm, yet simple. She paused, making sure he'd actually heard it before she went on. Back in Anglia, I told you to never take a spear for me again, and what did you say?

That is na the same, he insisted.

It's exactly the same, she told him. Just like I'd take a sword for Zep, and he's already taken one for me. We risk our lives for the ones that matter, because keeping them alive, even if they're grieving, is what love is about, isn't it? Hasn't that been what you've spent so long proving to me?

But I do na wanna live without ya, Jase admitted.

Me either, Sal promised him. But are you willing to kill Zep, Kolt, and Razor because of it? I'm not. And if they go, then what about the rest of the Blades? Wouldn't losing all of us be too much? Where do we draw the line?

She's right, Razor said, his tone comforting instead of accusing. You know she is, and we know you're not really mad at her. Yeah, we were all hurt, but not by Sal. We hurt because we thought we'd lost her, and you can't put that on her. She didn't try to die.

I tried to live, she swore. I have been trying to live. So much that... She paused, looking at the men lying on either side of her.

But her silence was a little too pointed. It let Zep figure out exactly what she was thinking. Blaz and Tyr? he guessed.

Yeah.

It's ok, Zep said. Sal, I can't think of any human more worthy than Blaz, and you know that's not easy for me to say.

You hate him, she pointed out.

No. He chuckled, the action leaking into her mind. Demon, I most definitely do not hate him. I'm jealous of him, and I thought you'd pick him instead of me -

Really? Razor asked. Because I'm pretty sure my prophecy said he was the other option.

And he was looking out for her after we lost Blaec, Kolt pointed out. Pretty sure he's been interested for a while.

Fucker, Zep thought. He said he wasn't. He flat out told me to my face that they'd never happen. I mean, I'm ok with it, but shit. Was he lying to me? Because that's not going to work for us.

Don't think so, Razor said. I'm pretty sure he wanted her, but honestly thought it wouldn't happen.

I don't do humans, Sal reminded them. I've said it a lot. Enough that... I think I made it hard on these two.

Yeah? Zep asked. So how are they doing? Those boys taking care of you, little one?

She grinned. They're trying. It's been a little awkward, though. I mean, none of us expected this, but... She paused, bracing herself for their reaction. I like them.

I do too, Razor said before anyone else could complain. Blaz is a good guy, and quick. He'll be an asset to the pack. Tyr? He's all heart.

I've got no problems at all, Kolt assured her. I don't really know Blaz, except for the time we spent with the 112th heading back to Issevi, but even then I knew he was trying to take care of you.

Jase? she asked.

Ya have liked Blaz fer too long ta na make that happen. He pulls at ya, and there is na a thing wrong with that, he assured her. Tyr? I do na think ya expected him, but I did. After Fort Landing, I knew he needed somethan from ya, but he did na realize what. He thought he needed ya ta lead. He convinced himself that ya are his hero. His hero, Sal. His idea of what a person should be.

Shit, she thought. How the hell do I live up to that? I'm not a hero.

Maybe you should be, Razor told her. I don't know, consider doing something kinda heroic, like saving an entire species.

This time, Sal did giggle. It was soft, but still enough to make Tyr stir. Thanks, Gage, she thought. I think you just woke up Tyr.

Speaking of him, Razor said, don't let him play this off as a joke. It's what he does when he's in too deep. He tries to act like he doesn't care, or finds some reason to distance himself so he doesn't need to deal with the emotional stuff. He's done it to me before.

After you shared that girl? Sal asked.

Fuck, Razor grumbled. I really wish you didn't know about that. It feels too strange now that he's your other mate.

I don't care, she pointed out. There was nothing between us when that happened.

For you, maybe, he countered. Kinda was for me, but I had to wait. And look, I'm sorry. I honestly am, but I convinced myself that I was helping out a friend, and that it was ok.

It was ok, Sal told him. Just forget I said anything?

No, Zep said, cutting her off. I think this is one of those things that needs to be out there, but I'm on her side, Gage. It happened. You and Tyr have some history together, and that's the only reason it matters. But you can't be blamed for dating someone when you were single, you know? You couldn't be with Sal, and we all know she wouldn't want you to be miserable because of her.

I wouldn't, Sal agreed. And you had a prophecy. I know how those can weigh on you.

Yeah. Razor sounded like he wasn't sure he felt the same, but that he was trying. But my point is that afterwards, he pulled away a bit. Almost as if he wasn't sure it was ok to like it as much as he did.

Humans don't, Zep explained. Being kinky is one thing, but bonding with another guy? It's queer. It's disgusting. Our only interest should be the women, and the idea that the four of us are still sharing a bed, even with her away? It means we're only doing this because we like the other men, not because we're simply a pack.

Pack isn't something humans can understand, Kolt said. They have friends, but it's always just a little shallow. Always a little distance.

For humans, Zep told them all, our wives are supposed to be the center of our world. Our Kaisaes, if you will. That we can love our brothers so much? It blurs the lines. That we can love a mate and a Kaisae?

Fer those whose mate is na the Kaisae, Jase pointed out.

Right, Zep agreed. Like Arctic. He loves Sal, but it's different. He's a friend and a brother. He loves Shade in a different way. She's his mate, Sal's his Kaisae, and we're his pack. He doesn't understand why he'd need to make any other lines between us, or why it could be weird to admit he cares. He's not afraid of his own emotions like humans are - especially the men.

So don't let Tyr blow you off, Razor finished. That's all I'm saying, Sal. He'll try because he thinks he should. Blaz? I think he's already in too deep.

He wants to be a Blade, Sal told them. Blaz, I mean. Tyr? I think we're still figuring things out, and he says he has a problem with his girl being someone else's girl, but I'm coming back to you. All of you. If I can't have Tyr, then I can't, but I'm coming back, and I honestly believe that Blaz wants to stay.

Razor sent a wave of approval. I'll make sure Rais knows. I have a feeling the 112th won't be upset, either. Although, Anglia may get a new ally because of it.

One of many new allies, Sal said. I hope. If the Rebels come, at least. I just really need a bit more time to build an army here.

And then? Jase asked, sounding excited.

Then we're going to deal with that southern line. I'm not going to let the Emperor get away from me again. If that means I have to burn Escea to the ground to do it, then I will. I've been trying to leave the world intact because the people here didn't ask for this, but you know what? They didn't try to stop it, either. She paused. No limits, Jase. I trust you. I always have, and I know you can make this happen. I just need a few days for the Rebels to get here. I'll let you know how long.

Just do na ferget us, Jase told her. It is hard ta be without ya, but I have my brothers. Do what ya need, kitten, but come back ta us?

Even if I have to kill everyone in between to get there, Sal swore.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Cenla Xie, Unav

As Sal's mates left her mind, she snuggled back into the mattress. Beside her, Blaz turned his head, slowly opening his eyes. The action was so casual that it proved he'd been awake for a while.

"Did you talk to them?" he asked.

She rolled to face him, curling her arms against her chest. "How did you know?"

That earned her a smile. "Well, you make little noises when you respond to them. Just little changes in how you breathe and things that prove you're talking to someone. I just couldn't think of anyone else who'd hold your attention that long."

"You do," she admitted.

"Mm." He turned, hooking an arm around her waist to pull her body against his. "Do I now?"

Sal pressed her face into his chest. "How many hours have you lost talking to me?"

"Not enough," he whispered, bending to kiss her forehead. "And not once did I imagine this. Waking up beside you?" His eyes flicked over her shoulder. "Or that you two would be a thing."

Tyr? she breathed, thinking it so the sound of his name wouldn't wake him.

Blaz just canted his head. The gesture all but asked if he was wrong. He's into you, Blaz thought. A lot more than I expected.

He's into a good time, Sal countered. Tyr's a very good friend, but I'm not sure serious is in his vocabulary.

Serious enough to risk his life for you, Blaz countered.

Which was a valid point, but Sal had one better. For a soldier, isn't that called work?

Not if there's no order, no. He dipped his head to meet her eyes. Oddly the gesture didn't bother her. It never did with these two. I'm saying he's into you. I'm also saying that if you want to do something about that, waiting is the wrong thing. Sometimes, Sal, even human men like it when you push.

So start pushing, she finished for him, the phrase a little too close to another she remembered well. But how?

Well, what's on the agenda for today?

Calling in an army. She flicked her ears back playfully and made a face. So nothing too important.

He grinned, refusing to laugh, but she could see he wanted to. Ok, so after that, take him someplace I'm not. Spend some time with just him, and do sweet, flirty things. Even if you think you're bad at it. Just be you, and let him know that your 'aversion to humans' stage is over. Prove to him that you're interested in more than one night. Chase him, Sal.

But he's always chased me!

Blaz actually rolled his eyes. I have no idea why that matters. Maybe it's a human thing, but I always thought chasing should go both ways, and if he's always done it, then now it's your turn.

Not jealous? she asked.

A little jealous, he countered. And smart enough to know that I'll get over it. Now wake that man up, because one thing he won't forgive you for is leaving him in here alone without warning him first. If he wants to go back to sleep, let him.

She pressed her hand against Blaz's chest before he could move away. And us?

He paused, looking her over. The expression on his face was serious, as if he was weighing the hardest decision he'd ever made in his life. Being unable to feel him and unwilling to read him, she waited, knowing he'd answer her. He always had.

What we have, he began, is amazing. Sometimes, it feels too good to be true - and we're in the middle of a war, so I'm trying to keep my expectations in line. That you have no problem with my...

Assertiveness in bed? she offered.

His eyes warmed a little. Yeah. That sounds better than what I'd say. Look, I'm not a cruel man. I just... He twitched his head, warning her to let him work it out. I like the wildness, I guess. I was worried that if you weren't in maast, I'd cross some line, or that if I tried to be, I dunno, normal? Then I'd disappoint. And I kinda want to get this out there, because it's who I am.

She nodded. And I'm used to iliri. We do bite.

I like it when you bite, he told her. And yeah, I did realize it that first time. It scared the shit out of me for a while, until I figured out that it's ok. You can thank Celso and Lorenz for that.

I will. She bit her lower lip but couldn't stop the smile. And Tyr's fine. He's got some history with iliri too. He won't think it's weird. In truth, I get the feeling he gets off on it.

Pleasure and pain, Blaz pointed out. So we're good?

We're very good, Sal told him. I'm glad you came for me.

He cupped her face. Me too, but if I don't get out of this bed after just talking to you about biting, we'll be here a bit. Spend the day with him, and maybe I can sneak in some time alone with you later? You know, for a little kink?

Sal pushed at his chest, nudging him out of the bed. It's not that kinky.

Not to an iliri, he teased. Trust me, not all humans are into it. Then he darted in to steal a kiss.

Sal let him, but it was over before he even began. Just a little tease, almost as if he was hinting at things to come, before sliding out of bed to cross the room completely naked. Sal watched his bronze ass flex, proving just how many hours he'd spent in a saddle. His thighs were strong in the way she liked, leading down to the kind of calves all men should have. Dragging her eyes back up, she drank in his lean waist and broad shoulders, although not as broad as either Zep or Tyr.

No, Blaz was closer to Kolt in size, but not quite the same shape. He came across as leaner, and yet every inch of him was fit and solid, the same way Jase was. It explained why he moved so quickly, but she couldn't honestly decide what she liked more. Six men, each one of them different, and yet all of them were hers.

Blaz wasn't beautiful in the human sense, but she liked looking at him. She always had. Jase was the same way. Kolt was beautiful, Zep was handsome, and Tyr was seductive. Razor? He was a little like all of them, blended to get a bit of everything she liked. She couldn't actually pick a favorite. Some were better at certain things than others, but all of them were amazing in their uniqueness.

Which was exactly what she needed. Sal sat up as the realization hit her. The Professors said that some alpha female from long ago had thirteen mates. Sal only had six, but hers ran the gamut. They all worked together or apart. They were a team of support, and yet she loved them all in their own way. Razor had been right about that. Maybe what she felt for Blaz and Tyr was still the kind of love that came with friendship, but it counted. It was also growing.

All she had to do was stop worrying about it. She needed her mates to give her a reason to live. A reason to fight. They needed her just as much. It didn't matter if that was to prove to themselves they were worthy, because she gave them a purpose, or simply because of some chemical in their brains. They needed her. She felt it every time she touched them. The "why" changed as they grew together, but the need never lessened.

They were her tethers. They would become her net. If she could make this work, these six men could be enough. She had her father, her brothers and sisters in the Blades, and she had friends.

Nya and Rragri tied her to the grauori. The iliri had always been a little closer to them, so it felt easier to find that connection. Humans were harder because of the history between their species. Zep, Blaz, and Tyr? They were all varying degrees of human. Zep had changed in his mind, Blaz straddled the line, and Tyr? He was as human as they came, and she got the impression that he didn't want to be any other way.

And she accepted them all.

Rolling over to kiss Tyr awake, she decided that she might be the luckiest Kaisae in history. What she had with these guys - with her entire army because of them - was bigger than anything she'd ever heard of. And as her lips met Tyr's sleeping ones, she came to another conclusion.

She didn't need any more. They gave her everything.

But the touch to his mouth made Tyr suck in a breath and open his eyes. He pulled back slightly. "Morning breath," he warned before surging into her.

His body rolled her onto her back, and he kissed playfully at her neck. If this was how he avoided worrying about bad breath, she was all for it. A giggle slipped out as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I need an army," she said around a laugh.

"Oh, is that what we're calling it now?" he teased.

She kissed the side of his face. "This time. Maybe after I get the pieces in place, you can play bodyguard while I check out the town?"

"Don't you know this place?"

"Nope." She lifted her chin to meet his eyes like a human. "We had to make a run for it the last time I was here. I know this building and one house on the other side of town. That's it."

"Then I will gladly escort you where you want, Kaisae." He kissed her again, just beneath her ear. "I like these, too."

"My ears?"

"Mhm. Call it a fetish, because I need a kink of my own." Then he rolled off her. "Ok. Clothes?"

"You left them over here," Blaz said. "Have a green dress for you, Sal. Browns and whites for us, and I'm scared to ask who these belong to."

"Husbands," she said. "In Cenla Xie, the Rebels run the town, and everyone is ok with that. They'll be washing our clothes so we have something comfortable to wear, but it's cool enough that they'll take a while to dry."

"Not worried about getting our Terran uniforms back," Blaz promised. "Just feel bad for putting someone out."

Tyr staggered over to the pile he'd carried up the night before. She smiled as she watched, daring to flick her eyes over to Blaz. He was watching her, looking a little amused, but also a little worried. Pointedly, she raked her gaze over him and cocked one ear his way. He nodded, understanding that gesture easier than many of the Blades.

Oddly, that made her feel good. It was always the little things that mattered most, and Blaz had a way of making her feel completely normal. He was human - or as human as most people in the Conglomerate - but he never acted like her being different was worse. It was that little confidence boost that not even the Blades had been able to give her.

Tyr turned in time to catch the end of that exchange. He bobbed his head, aware something was happening, but confident enough to not care. She liked that too. Maybe the three of them had been thrown together by circumstances, but it felt like they worked. Her first four mates accepted that she might take more lovers. They didn't care, so why should she?

No, this time, she was going to enjoy what she could. No more worrying that it wasn't human enough. No more caring about whether anyone else liked it. She was the Kaisae of all Anglia, the natural leader of the iliri, and the woman who was going to win this war.

While the men dressed, she talked herself through it, taking a page from Zep. He always said he had to think it through, and that was exactly what she was doing. For her entire life, she'd been taught that what she wanted came second, but she'd died for this. Didn't that mean she'd earned it?

Not just the men, but all of it. The respect of the people downstairs. The right to hold her head up. Right here and right now, she had to figure out what it meant to be what she was, because the moment she walked down those stairs, everyone would be waiting to see.

And Sal wanted to make sure they saw something worth fighting for.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Cenla Xie, Unav

It didn't take long to get ready. Blaz insisted that she wear her belt with the steel daggers, and while it didn't match the dress she'd been loaned, Sal agreed. Tyr still wore her swords, and Blaz had his ceramic knives. In this town, that was more than enough.

When Sal opened the door, she could smell the amazing aroma of the noon meal, which made her stomach growl. She inhaled as she made her way down the stairs. Her two newest mates flanked her, with Blaz on the left and Tyr on the right. Evidently they looked impressive, because the moment they came into sight, the crowd of diners all fell silent.

For a moment, no one moved. The dining area was full, but not overflowing. A few tables were still empty, and yet all eyes hung on Sal. At the side, even the servers had stopped moving. Then a small woman with ivory-colored hair stood up.

"Welcome back to Cenla Xie, Kaisae," she said. "Please accept our laetus."

It had been so long and yet not long enough. Nearly half a year. Still, Sal recognized the woman. Her name was Zensa, and she moved like an assassin. She was the leader of the Unavi Rebels here. Sal didn't know her well, but she thought of the woman as a friend.

"Zensa," she greeted her.

The woman smiled at her name. "We heard you had a long night. Come, there's an empty table here for you and your... Mates?"

"Mates," Sal agreed. "They are new to me, and yes, they are both human."

That caused a murmur to sweep across the room. Sal wasn't sure if it was shock or approval, but either way, they deserved to know. Zensa just nodded, accepting that Sal knew what she needed, and led the three of them to the far corner. There, the table was the farthest from the door, the most protected one in the room. It was their way of proving that the people of Cenla Xie were on her side.

Blaz gestured for Sal to take the corner. He claimed the chair to her left and Tyr took the one to her right. Zensa surprised her when the woman pulled out the chair directly across from Sal and sat down.

"A meal will be brought for all of you," Zensa promised. "And neither your money nor your steel is good here. It is our pleasure to do this."

"Thank you," Blaz told her. "We know the war has been hard on everyone, so it's not necessary."

"It is." Zensa smiled at him. "So what title do you claim?"

"I don't, and I won't until she has a chance to speak to her other mates. Right now, I'm simply Blaz, and he's Tyr."

Zensa's eyes narrowed as she looked them over. "So you took a fourth and fifth mate?" she asked Sal.

"Fifth and sixth," Tyr mumbled, looking a little too amused.

Zensa just nodded. "So the man with you last time? Your brother?"

"Taunor," Sal clarified. "And no, Kolt no longer wears the necklace. He's accepted his iliri ancestry with pride."

"But these two are human?"

"Mhm." Sal leaned back, trying to figure out what the woman really wanted to know. "It's ok to ask, Zensa."

"My mate is human," she said.

"Petric. Yes, I remember him. He seemed like a great man."

But Zensa's brow furrowed. "But he's human, which means he cannot be in our family."

"No." Sal left no room for confusion. "He is your family, and that is all that matters. If we try to draw lines between the species, then all we're doing is the Emperor's work for him. The King of Anglia declared that any human called family by an iliri has the same rights as the iliri. Mostly, to defect and move there, but also to claim our laws. Now, that's Anglia and this is Unav, so I have no place to influence your laws -"

"You're the Kaisae of all Iliri," Zensa hissed. "You are the one who makes the laws!"

"No." Sal waved her off. "I am the Kaisae of all Anglia. The Kaisae of all Iliri died in Escea a few days ago."

"Her new title means she's the Kaisae of humans as well," Tyr said. "We've always claimed her, but when Blaz - a human - brought her back to life, I think it gave us the right to actually say it."

"It does," Sal confirmed. "And the grauori refuse to use the word Kaisae to refer to their own species now, saying that the leader of the iliri is the only one who shall use that title. I'm the Kaisae of Anglia, Zensa. Nothing more, and definitely nothing less."

"But do you realize what these two mean?" she asked. "That you openly claim them as your mates, giving them status over the iliri?"

Sal lifted her chin. "What about Zep?"

"He is iliri," Zensa reminded her. "He may have been born human, but he changed. Now, he is iliri."

"I'm not," Tyr said. "Pretty sure I don't have a clue how to be."

"And still mine," Sal told her.

"But doesn't claiming a human in your pack make you worried that they will try to take it over?"

Sal lifted a brow because the woman's tone sounded more like she was quoting an argument instead of making her own. "If a human can take my pack from me, doesn't that mean he deserves it? Just because some humans have been wrong, does that mean that no iliri have? No, it's never that cut and dry. We should all be judged on our actions, not those of our species, gender, country, or anything else."

Zensa ducked her head. "Then I can make a case for Petric." She smiled. "Thank you. Now, what else can we do to help?"

Sal paused, seeing the serving boy making his way over with an entire armload of plates. Zensa followed her eyes and leaned over, giving the kid enough space to set down his load before passing it out. A heaping platter of rare meat went before Sal. More balanced meals were given to Blaz and Tyr. Then, he added in a few smaller plates of cheeses and pastries. They were all cut to be finger food shared by all.

Sal didn't bother with her fork. The meat smelled too good to wait. Plucking a bite from the plate, she popped it into her mouth, and said, "I need as many rebels as we can get. Here. Ready to fight for me, and able to travel all the way into Terric."

Zensa nodded. "I will call them in. What else?"

"Clothes," Tyr said. "Because she can't run an army in a dress."

Zensa smiled. "Should I assume you have a link with someone who can reach your things? We have a fetcher who should be able to handle weapons and your gear."

"Kolt," Sal decided. "He's also a fetcher, so he'll know exactly what your person needs. I want uniforms for the three of us and their weapons."

"I'll make it happen," Zensa promised. "Kaisae, what else?"

"Sal," she clarified. "I prefer to be called Sal." Then she pushed another piece of meat into her mouth. "If possible, I want to bring a few units of Anglians over the Siahies. We have Escea out there holding Anglia just south of their Chieftain's Plains, but the line has to be the country's entire military. My mates have about three thousand soldiers, the grauori are coming from the western edge of Anglia to reinforce them, but us? We need enough force to bend that line and push them out of the way."

It was Blaz who answered. "You need Jurij. He's being hidden away in the CFC, and I don't know where. Ran might. Parliament definitely does, but Raj isn't in Prin, so I don't know -"

"Grenso," Sal breathed, sitting up. "No, I have a connection in Parliament."

"You do?" Blaz asked.

Sal nodded. "Natyn Grenso, the Representative of Lewes? Yeah, he's iliri. I believe he just might help."

"Are we going to wait for him to get here?" Tyr asked. "Sal, if he's on the far side of the CFC, we're talking weeks."

"If nothing else," she decided, "we can get a little information and get him moving. I want to leave here when Star Fall arrives. That means fast, Zensa. Three days, four at the most."

"I'll get the Rebels here," she promised. "You let us know what the Anglians need. What kind of numbers are you wanting?"

"At least a thousand total," Sal decided. "More is always better, but iliri? We have skills, and that makes us count for more. Contact your people. I will talk to mine. Let us compare numbers after I've eaten, but I need soldiers to push all the way up to Terric."

Zensa ducked her head as she simultaneously pushed back her chair. "And if you need anything else, Sal..." She offered her hand.

Reaching up, Sal slid her palm against Zensa's, aware of the images the contact shared. They made her smile. The woman's respect was honest, and it ran deep. The sight of Sal with two humans made a big difference to her. One Sal hadn't expected, but she should've. After all, not everyone was lucky enough to have the freedom the Black Blades enjoyed.

But the touch did one more thing. It gave Sal a feel for the woman's mind, making it easy to reach her through the hubs. There was no need to share a link, just the inherent feel of her to reach for. Now that Sal had that, she could finalize everything with little more than a thought.

Zensa left and Sal took another bite, running over the list of things in her mind. Tyr and Blaz were both picking at their meals, most of their attention on her. They were tense, she couldn't help but notice - but she couldn't figure out why.

So she just asked, "What?"

"You trust her?" Tyr asked.

"I touched her," Sal explained, "so yeah. She also saved me the last time we were here. Her husband beat up Kolt."

Blaz had just lifted his drink to his lips, and that made him sputter into it. "What?" he asked.

Sal nodded. "Petric, her human mate. Well, we needed a way to leave without drawing attention, and Kolt had been serving with the Emperor's army. His face was known. Petric made sure it was bruised and swollen enough to get him out of the inn." Sal flashed a devious smile at Blaz. "I just changed my shape."

"Right. This guy a soldier?"

"Farmer," Sal corrected, "and he seems like a very nice man. His wife's the fighter of the family."

"Mm," Tyr grunted. "Girl moves like an assassin. She makes me a little twitchy."

"She's on our side," Sal reminded him.

"Ok." He turned his head, propping his elbows on the table, then his cheek on his hands above. "So, we get a few units of Anglians positioned beside the Siahies. Great. We pull in some of these Rebels. Perfect. Then what?"

"Plus Star Fall," Sal reminded him, "which means a complete elite unit. Us to coordinate it all. If we're lucky and we can get Jurij coming behind us, then that will help with Escea, because Narnx says they're not on the best terms with the Emperor right now. I don't know how Jurij and Vilko get along, but I'm sure she likes him better than me."

"You killed her husband," Tyr pointed out. "The former Vilko, I mean. You cut him down when you and Jase did that mission on the Escean border."

"Then she definitely hates me," Sal grumbled. "That's going to make this harder. I was hoping that the new Warlords would be glad they got the chance. Even if they saw me as a threat, my actions still gave them room for promotion, and a lot of humans are greedy."

"Hold up," Tyr said. "A lot of us? No. Some. Just like Makiel isn't a lot of iliri."

She quickly closed her mouth, looking over at him. "Really?"

"Really," he insisted. "Because what you're doing right there? It's no different than me saying iliri are animals, they'll turn on you, can't be trusted, and all that other shit. Don't start it, Sal, and the rest of the iliri won't mimic you."

His words made something else obvious. "And I don't do humans," she breathed. "Fuck."

"What?" Blaz asked, not quite following.

"What Zensa was saying about her husband not being allowed in her pack. He's human. I don't do humans. Did I do this? Did I accidentally make my species hate yours?"

"If you did," Tyr told her, "then all that means is that you can undo it as well. But..."

She turned her ears to him. "But?"

"Look, it's hard, ok?" Tyr sighed. "I'm never going to be more than a scrubber lover. Blaz? He's quick. He gets the ear thing. He knows what you'll do next, and all these cultural things make sense to him. Me? I'm human, Sal. Completely, totally, and without shame. I've never wanted to be iliri, but I also never wanted iliri to be anything else."

"Ok?"

He let out another heavy breath. "All I'm saying is that you're doing a damned good job of becoming the next emperor. So be careful. Maybe your country will be Anglia instead of Terric, but the people follow you because you're winning. Because you're amazing, too, but mostly because you're making their lives better. So where do you draw the line?"

She dropped her eyes to the table and quoted Blaec's words from so long ago. "When what we do helps someone else more than it helps us. When we lead by action, not words." She lifted her eyes to his. "That's what Blaec said when I asked him the same question back in Anglia. Back when I was just a soldier and nothing more."

"So lead," Tyr said. "Show us all what it means to have three equal species. Stop trying to make yourself better by making us worse. Let us all be amazing, because believe it or not, I kinda like being a human."

"Help me?" she begged.

He reached over and caught her hand. "How?"

"Like this," she begged. "The same way Rayna helps Dom understand the problems women face in his country. Can you help me see what I'm doing wrong when it comes to humans?"

He lifted her knuckles to his lips. "Yeah, baby, I can do that. You may not thank me for it, but I promise you, I'm not about to sit down or shut up."

"Good," Sal assured him. "I never was into submissive men."

Chapter Thirty-Five

Cenla Xie, Unav

Sal ate until she was full. The food tasted so good, but half of that could've been how hungry she was. When she was done, the guys were still going, and she wasn't about to stop them. Instead, she reached out for the one person who knew where she could find the Jurican Warlord.

Natyn? Sal asked, feeling her mind drift through dozens of links to get to someone in the Conglomerate.

She knew he was linked. She'd made sure of it before she'd left. She'd also made sure that the iliri members of the Parliamentary guard had their skills identified. It was the least she could do. Unfortunately, it took a bit before the man finally responded, and Sal had a feeling it hadn't all been because of the distance.

Kaisae, Representative Grenso greeted her. Sorry, you caught me in a meeting. Seems our Anglian allies ran off with a few units of our elite soldiers.

I did, she agreed. Don't worry, most of them are coming back.

Most?

She smiled, aware he couldn't see it. Dark Heart seems to have decided that since they are all family of iliri, they have the right to defect. No, I wasn't aware of it until they swore themselves to me.

Wait. He paused, most likely to work that out. They have that purebred, right?

And the First Officer is married to an iliri woman. Major Perin seems to have mated himself to an iliri male, or so he claims.

Does that iliri agree? Grenso asked.

I haven't actually asked my brother, Risk. I'm sure that if the Conglomerate asked, he'd say it's true.

Grenso's amusement flowed across their connection. That's all I need. And if their commanding officer is claiming to be iliri, it makes the rest of the unit iliri as well. I'll make a note of it. Now, how can I help you, Sal?

The CFC is protecting Jurij, she began. I'm in Escea, and I could really use some help up here. How far away is he, and is there any way I can at least pick his brain?

Where in Escea? Grenso asked.

Slate Ridge, in Unav, actually. Just over the border.

Wait... He paused, and she could feel his attention shift. The wait seemed to take forever.

Beside her, Blaz's eyes were narrowed, his gaze on her face. Tyr was still eating, proving that a body his size required a little more to fuel it. She also had a feeling he wasn't as oblivious as he pretended.

"Grenso," she explained, tapping her head.

"Ah," Blaz said. "So how far out is Jurij?"

"He's looking," she explained.

Tyr grunted before grabbing one more stick of bread. "You tell him about Blaz?"

"No," Sal said. "But Parliament knows we've borrowed some elites. I explained to him that I intend to give most of them back."

"Shame," Tyr said. "The 112th would make good Anglians."

"And we have family we aren't ready to leave behind," Blaz pointed out.

"Do you?" Tyr asked.

Blaz licked at his lips. "Just parents and a brother. Rais has a kid. She lives with her mother, but still. Some of those guys have wives. They can't just vanish to another country. What we have at home is what keeps most of us fighting."

Tyr grunted again. "My family's all in grey, so I'm good. Besides, Sal had the Dogs' families relocated. Extracted, she called it."

"And I don't feel right taking any more away from the CFC," Sal told them. "The entire country has been hit too hard."

"It's still not your choice," Blaz told her, his words gentle. "Dark Heart defected for a reason. If Lightning Brigade, the 97th - I mean 1st Anglian Iliri - or whoever else wants to make a run, Anglia should accept them. Like a thank you for risking their lives."

"And what precedent does that set?" Sal asked.

Around his food, Tyr mumbled, "That people deserve the right to choose."

Before she could reply, Grenso was back. Ok, I found it. He's being guarded at Three Corners. The farms there were cleaned out about a year ago -

I remember, Sal told him. My Ahnor was actually the one to do that scouting mission. How far is that from the Cenla Xie pass?

Two days, Grenso told her. And while you've been gone, I've been busy. I have links running through the CFC now. My secretary, a very snappish little bitch, says that she can reach a man in his guard detail. Can you guarantee his protection wherever you are?

No, Sal admitted. If that man so much as raises a hand to an iliri, I will kill him myself. But if he's willing to work with the Unavi Rebels to regain his province? Then we'll help.

You... The Rebels? Grenso stuttered. They're real?

And I've had them in waiting, she assured him. I'm pulling them in, and we're about to make the final push through Escea. From there, crossing Unav should be easy. Makiel is pulling back to Terric City. Yes, you can tell Parliament all of this. Anglia and our allies are currently stuck just south of the Unav border, blocked by a strong line of Esceans, and a retreating line of Terrans beyond.

What are you going to do? Grenso asked.

Sal thought back to what Blaec had mentioned in her dream. I'm going to win, she told him. None of this is ideal, but ayati is on our side, so I'm going to push, and keep pushing until Escea decides that the fight isn't worth it. I'm not sure how yet, which is why I want Jurij, but I have some ideas.

Give me something, Sal? Parliament is convinced you betrayed us. Give me something to take back to them.

My connection in the Emperor's camp says it's a full retreat. A slow one, but all of Terric's forces have been ordered back to Terric City. I need your units, and the orders they have gave them the choice to keep going. I asked. I did not order these men to follow me. I simply asked, and they all want to make sure that the Conglomerate of Free Citizens can truly claim that name. They're with me because the Terrans are running. And they are very scared.

How can you be sure? Grenso asked. Could your spy have been discovered?

This, she told him, is not for anyone but you. If I find you've exposed my contact, I will burn your skill out of your mind myself, do you understand?

Yes, Kaisae, he agreed immediately.

My contact is the Emperor's bastard iliri son. He's the one who got me out of that Terran camp. He's seen his future, and the only good one ends with him in Arhhawen, mated to my sister. He wants this as much as I do. He cannot be turned, because that ends in his death. He cannot be swayed, because that will lose the war. My spy, as you call him, is my future packmate, and I trust him.

Can I tell them you have an iliri crossbred who can see the future? Grenso asked. Tell Parliament that your spy is a soldier traveling close enough to hear what is needed, and who knows that if he doesn't help you, then he will be put to death?

It's all true enough, Sal agreed. But why?

So they don't declare war on Anglia, Grenso told her. Sal, Merriton is in shambles. The entire supply line for my country has been destroyed, and the rise of the iliri rebellion there has incited a few incidents in Prin. There's been talk that you planned this.

I didn't, Sal admitted. In fact, I was trying to prevent it.

Well, I'm glad you didn't. Things are starting to change around here, and as the only iliri Representative, I've suddenly got a lot more power. Let's just say that I'm wielding it as wisely as I can.

Protect them for me? she asked.

That's my job, he promised. And I'll make sure that Jurij is told about your offer before sundown. When I have his answer, I'll get back to you.

Thank you, Sal said as she released the link, knowing an end to the conversation when she heard one.

Clearly, she made a noise or gesture that told Blaz she was done, because he immediately asked, "Well?"

"Jurij is closer than we thought. Three Corners. Grenso is making a network of minds in the CFC, and his linker - who is also his secretary - has a mind there. I'll have an answer on that by the end of the day."

"Star Fall?" Tyr asked.

Sal could only shrug. "I know they left the Emperor's contingent, but not how long it will take them to get here, or when they will arrive."

"And Anglia," Tyr reminded her.

Sal lifted a finger and reached out for one more mind. Rragri?

Kaisae Sal, the Orassae of the grauori said immediately. She sounded pleased to hear her friend again.

How is the war? Sal asked.

Fattening, Rragri assured her. And yours?

I'm sure your daughter told you about my recent issues?

She did, Rragri agreed. And she mentioned she is carrying pups. Half-human ones!

It's proof that our people can live in harmony, Sal pointed out.

Rragri's response was to laugh. And that my child has horrible taste in men. The King's son? Does the boy even have teeth?

Mental ones, Sal teased. But their relationship is based on something bigger. Friendship. Besides, what does it mean that he's the future leader of the humans, her of the grauori, and their children could very well be iliri?

Iliri? Really? Rragri asked. How will she raise them? They have no hair to survive the winters with the pack!

Jarl could, Sal pointed out. The King's palace is very comfortable for those without hair.

And would make them soft, Rragri said. No, that would not do. They would grow up to be poor hunters.

If they're iliri, Sal said, Arhhawen might work. If they're something new, I think all three of our kingdoms will make sure they have the best options. Rragri, have you stopped to think about this? If your daughter and the King's son produce iliri children, think about what that means for us all as people. Those babies will be ambassadors! The start of a second chance for my species.

The Orassae paused, feeling like she was shocked to stillness both physically and mentally. That would make the iliri our middle ground. Is that why we feel so eager to embrace you?

I don't know, Sal admitted. I honestly have no clue, but it makes sense, doesn't it?

Much, Rragri agreed. But I do not think you reached for me because of my child's indiscretions. She said you died. She said you were brought back. She also said that you are trapped, not with the army.

I'm not, Sal agreed. I'm in an iliri town, with iliri rebels from Unav. I'm hoping you have a few units of Anglians around here that you don't need.

Humans, Rragri said. I have been using my own people to push the runners. It seems the Terrans are on the move. We've killed many, but there are a few left on this side of the mountains.

The Emperor is pulling back. I didn't expect his orders to have reached you yet. He must've sent them out a while ago. Anyway, he's pulling back, and we're moving everyone to Terric City, but I need a little help to get through this Escean line.

Take them all, Rragri told her. I will have the nuvani move north. It's easier to hurry across the plains than where you are. Take the humans near your pass, we will have the rest push across the mountains, and I will meet you outside Terric City. Just do not die again, my cousin.

I will try not to, Sal assured her. Any idea how many you can send to me?

Five hundred, Rragri said. That is a guess, but close. We've had Anglians watching the passes, expecting either Esceans or Terrans to make a second push. They have not, so we knew you were doing well, and we did not want to distract with our easy fight.

Let's hope the rest goes just as easy, Sal told her. Let's plan to have all of our allies meet here. And she sent a location on the map just south and west of Terric City, in an area that was supposed to be mostly farmland. It's beside the river, which means plenty of water. I have a feeling there's still enough food in Terric for our humans, and we shouldn't be too far behind you. Just take a large piece of land and plan for our entire army to regroup there.

Yes, Kaisae, Rragri said. Fight well, cousin.

Almost as well as you, Orassae, Sal told her. Then she smiled. "Anglians are on their way."

Then Zensa's voice spoke up, proving the girl had approached while Sal was distracted. "So are the Rebels. Your army should be here in two to three days."

Sal lifted her eyes to the sky, knowing she couldn't see the pattern, but still aware it was there. "Kinda feels like things are finally going according to plan, huh?"

"Sal," Tyr begged, catching that glance.

"Don't worry," she promised. "I can't see it inside. I know it's there, but I'm not about to look at it unless I have to."

"At what?" Zensa asked.

"Ayati," Sal told her. "I can see it now. That's what kills the Kaisaes, and I have no intention of dying again anytime soon. I kinda have a war to win."

Chapter Thirty-Six

Anglian Army, Escea

Kolt rummaged through their tent, trying to find everything Sal had asked for. The Unavi Rebels had a fetcher. Not one as strong as him, but good enough to fetch anything the Kaisae needed. She'd asked for the most basic supplies, but there was one more thing he was going to add. There, tucked safely into her bag of things, he found it: the dark-green resin circlet that marked her as the leader of Anglia.

Ready? he asked the woman in Cenla Xie. Cilna, he thought was her name. I have two uniforms for her, and her crown.

The crown? Cilna asked, sounding shocked. I can't fetch that!

You can and you will, he told her. It's small, light, and simple. If you can reach her clothes, then the crown will be easy.

But it's the Kaisae's crown! What if I lose it?

It's a hunk of resin, Kolt said, knowing that wasn't truly the woman's problem. The only thing that makes it special is that it belongs to Sal. That means it should be on her head. She feels more powerful when she's wearing it, even if she doesn't want to admit it. She needs this, ilus. And I need you to give it to her.

Ok. The woman opened her senses to him. Then I will do that first, before I push my limits. Let me know it, Taunor.

Kolt held the crown, letting his fingers play on the smooth edges of it. He could feel the carvings on the inside, saw the scuffs around the back, and could smell the faint hint of Sal lingering on it. He gave the fetcher everything he could, and between one breath and the next, it vanished.

I have it, Cilna sighed into his mind. And it feels right.

Good, he praised. You can do this. The trick to fetching is to not think your own thoughts. Just accept that the item is what you sense, and then pull it to you. Need it. Don't worry about it, just need to see for yourself if it really is all the person senses. Now, her clothes?

Ready when you are, but one piece at a time, please?

Sure.

The woman's skill wasn't powerful, but she was capable. She knew her limits and didn't rage against them. He had a feeling that if she kept trying, kept pulling just a little more, then she'd eventually be able to fetch bigger and heavier things. He had, but the question was if that had more to do with innate ability or the determination to actually use his skill instead of hide it.

For most of their lives, iliri had kept their abilities a secret from humans. Sal had changed all of that, and in doing so, she'd changed the war. Now, Shade was a hero instead of a monster. Ghost was powerful instead of meek. Men like Cyno were respected, and linkers as strong as Arctic were sought out.

Then again, the Black Blades did have a collection of the strongest talents he'd heard of. Could that simply be ayati pushing these people together, or was it more a case of need? They needed to fight, so they'd trained their skills to reach full potential. The unit had needed strong talents, so they'd taken the people who could actually grow their abilities. Was there any way to know for sure? Because Kolt had a feeling that it might be useful even after the war.

But he had to quiet his mind to send the items to this new fetcher. One by one, she accepted Sal's shirts, then her pants. He also sent along a collection of other things she often used, such as hair ties, and then one final thing. It wasn't something she needed, but her men had to give it anyway. He hoped she'd understand.

The box was small, and it had taken a little work to track it down, fetch it, and make sure it was like she'd left it. The whole thing had been Zep's idea, but it was a good one. Just one more way of proving that they wanted her back. But once his hands were empty, the fetcher from Cenla Xie felt weary.

Rest, he told her. I need to get Tyr's things next, and that will take a bit. I'll contact you when I have it, ok?

Thank you, Taunor, the woman said. It has been a very long time since I've moved this many things.

Which kinda proved Kolt's theory. Well, it supported what he was thinking, at least. He'd have to do a little more work to be sure, but if moving a few light items wore her out, would straining the ability make it grow the same way muscles in the body did? Or would it weaken her talent and make it brittle?

He was thinking about that as he made his way over to the Devil Dog's camp. With the standoff, the men were ready for battle, but still relaxing, which meant there were quite a few of them sitting around the fire in the middle of their tents. When Kolt stepped into view, one man jumped to his feet.

"Any news?" Joevar asked.

Kolt smiled at him. "She's safe. They made it to Cenla Xie, got to rest, and she's making plans to get back to us. I actually came to get some gear for Tyr. Uniforms, weapons, and anything he might need until then."

From the middle of the group, Pig lifted his chin to be seen. "So Tyr's ok?"

"She calls him her mate. I'm not sure how that's going, and she's a little vague when talking about it, but that's what she calls him. Blaz as well. She's calling in an army of Unavi Rebels, Anglians that we'd left with Rragri, and she's hoping to get Jurij. The current plan is to hold the enemy's attention for a few days, and then we'll combine an assault."

"So more waiting," Pig grumbled. "Ok, we can do that." Then he pushed himself up. "Come with me. I'll get you what he needs. Joe? Can you make sure his stuff is packed and moved when it's time?"

"Can do," Joe assured him. "Ryek, wanna help?"

"Sure." Ryek sounded like it should've been a given.

Kolt just trailed after Pig toward a simple grey tent at the side. When Pig pushed through the flap, Kolt followed. Inside, he wasn't surprised at all to find the place a mess. It seemed fitting for Tyr. The cot hadn't been made. Clothes had been dropped on the floor and left there. Then there were his weapons.

The man had a fondness for sabers, and a pair had been placed at the foot of his bed with the belt wrapped around them. Beside them was a larger sword, similar to what Kolt used. That one hadn't been cleaned, but he'd left almost immediately after the battle. The way they'd been laid out, it almost looked like Tyr had planned on taking them with him.

"Why'd he leave the weapons?" Kolt asked.

Pig was rummaging in a pair of saddlebags. "We decided that if he was caught by a Terran, he didn't need anything giving him away. Our weapons are all marked with a dog on the blade. Evidently, they also smell like cinnamon, according to Sal."

"Makes sense," Kolt said, tucking the swords under his arm. "Anything he'll need besides clothes and weapons?"

"Tyr?" Pig chuckled. "No, and he doesn't really need those. The man's a brute with the long sword and a dancer with the sabers. He hits hard and doesn't know how to stop. He could probably kill most people with his bare hands, but he likes the technique required for blades." Finding what he wanted, Pig stood, passing over a wad of grey cloth. "He's a good guy, Kolt."

"I've been told." Kolt accepted the uniforms, not caring that they were wrinkled.

"No." Pig sighed. "I'm saying you shouldn't run him off. When you get her back, give him a chance, ok? He's never been as serious about anything as he is about Sal. Not sleeping with her. Protecting her. Making sure that she keeps that little green crown on her head. For some reason, he's gotten it into his head that she's the perfect leader, and he's adamant that he wants to see what her country will look like." He paused, bobbing his head once. "Yeah, and that's actually why I voted yes to defecting. Because Tyr talked me into it. He said that if we want what the Blades have - and I always tried to get that - then we'd find it in Sal's kingdom. He's earned this. Being her mate, I mean."

"And we're not chasing him off," Kolt promised. "I've already talked to him. I've also talked to her. Well, with my brothers, but still. So far as I care, what's between them is between them. If he wants to be her mate, then we'll make room for him."

"Won't be easy," Pig said.

"Never is," Kolt agreed. "It's also worth it. Sal has a way of getting in a man's head, and nothing else compares. Maybe that's because I'm supposed to be meant for her, and I used to think that was bullshit, but that need is so real. She gave me a reason to get my shit in order, Pig."

Pig murmured at that, then said, "Tyr's human."

"Zep was too."

"No." Pig chuckled. "I served with that man when he was still a fumbling idiot. Zep was never truly human. Not like I was. Tyr? He's as human as they come. Sure, he accepts iliri, but that doesn't mean he is one."

Kolt set his things down and sighed. "The truth? I think that's what she needs right now. She needs someone with a big enough mouth to show her the other side. I never really knew Blaec, but I've heard all about him since I joined the Blades. He trained her to be so much like him, and that worked for a while. Now?"

"She's not that much like him," Pig pointed out.

"She's more like him than you know." Kolt lifted a hand. "I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Blaec was a strong man, and he had strong opinions. He was also driven. He would not stop until he got what he wanted, and Sal learned that from him. She stopped being subtle and devious, and started being bold. It makes the rest of the world see her as this unstoppable hero, but that doesn't make it true. She's just one woman. Just a girl who, when she first heard that she was a Kaisae, was certain that she'd fuck it up."

"She told you that?"

"Jase did." Kolt shrugged. "He wanted her mates to realize why we're here. It's not to make her decisions for her. It's to help her see outside her own circumstances. To show her the other sides. To hold her up when she needs it, and to let her see things through new eyes. And while we all have lived with humans, not even Zep can say he understands. Tyr? He's the voice of humanity that she needs. If he's willing, then I think Sal needs him. Maybe more than she needs me."

"And Blaz?" Pig asked.

Kolt turned and began picking up Tyr's things. "He understands her. Where Jase reflects her iliriness, or whatever you want to call it, Blaz? He understands her broken parts. He always has. His darkness calls to hers, and they heal each other. If a human could ever be meant for her, I think he is."

"So you're not worried that they'll push you out?" Pig asked.

"No," Kolt promised. "Pig, I am simply here to guard her right. That was all I wanted. The rest of this? It's much more than I - or anyone else - deserves. That's what you all can't understand. Being with Sal isn't always easy, but it's definitely worth it. I'll take what little part of that I can get." He hefted the items in his hand. "And I need to get Blaz's stuff. The fetcher is waiting."

"Yeah." Pig gestured to the door, letting Kolt go first, but added, "Just don't forget that Blaec lived a very lonely life. Sal doesn't deserve that, Kolt. I think she needs you to remind her that it's ok to chase her dreams, even when they're something that others might call foolish."

Kolt's feet paused. For a moment, he had to fight his throat so his emotions wouldn't come out with his words. "Thanks, Pig. It's hard being away from her."

"She'll come back," Pig promised. "And she only let you go because she loved you enough to put you - all four of you guys - first. Don't ever forget that. The Kaisae of all Anglia was willing to die to keep you safe. And while you walk over to the 112th's camp, think real hard about what it would take for a person to do that."

"I have been," Kolt assured him. "Ever since her horse fell, that's pretty much all I've been able to think about."

"And the Dogs are here if the Blades need us. Even for the stupid shit."

Kolt turned back to face Pig and offered his hand. "Grey is just a lighter shade of black, Pig. I'm not sure we'll know when we need to ask, but I can promise that we will not refuse help if our brothers give it."

"Does the Ahnor agree with that?"

Kolt nodded. "From what I've been told, that comes from Blaec Doll, and the rule has never been rescinded. Sal believes it too."

Pig slapped his other hand over Kolt's pinning it between both palms. "Then I'll take over the crap. Tell the Blades that the Dogs will handle everything you don't have time for. Including meals. I'm not going to let you little shits starve on my watch."

"Thank you, sir," Kolt said.

"My pleasure to serve, Taunor. Now get the boys some clothes. Sal always liked a man in uniform. I'm guessing, but it seems to be her style. Dismissed, soldier."

Kolt turned away with a smile. Pig's lapse into military protocol made things easier. It pushed just the right buttons, allowing Kolt to relax his need to be dominant. It also proved just how well Pig understood the iliri. The Blades couldn't ask for a better friend, because that man was a lot more than just an ally. And if Pig was willing to ask the Dogs to help the Blades, then all Kolt had to worry about was this.

It made things easier. Not easy, but it finally felt possible to make it until Sal came back.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Cenla Xie, Unav

Sal felt like she was chasing her tail. First, it was making sure she had units coming, and enough of them to fight back. Then it was making sure that the commanders of those units knew where to come, and the allies of those units were supported, and that there was a command structure in place. Most of the organization was handled in the dining hall, with Zensa trying to stand in for the Unavi Rebels, but when Sal started getting annoyed, Blaz kicked her out.

"I'll handle this," he'd said. "Just make sure Rragri knows she can work with me, and I'll get it set up. Believe it or not, Sal, I do know a few things about handling a mission."

"It's fine, Kaisae," Zensa assured her. "Have your other mate distract you."

And that was how Sal ended up outside, standing on one of the highest hills in Cenla Xie. The area was mostly flat, but it had a view that stretched all the way to Issevi in the west and the Hurrican River in the east. Tyr stood at her side, but his eyes were on the winding trails that led up both sides, running right through the middle of this quaintly rural town.

"You think this is going to work?" he finally asked.

Sal pushed her pale hair out of her face, but the wind kept trying to blow it back. "I think it has to."

"Sal," Tyr said, moving closer. "I want to know what my chances are."

He was wearing grey again. She was in her casual uniform, and Blaz had been given a set of the 112th's brown and blue. The three of them didn't match at all, but no one seemed to care. It was the small circlet of resin on her head that bothered her most. Kolt had sent it, and that thing always felt so heavy, even if the weight was mostly in her mind.

"We're getting back home," she said, her eyes returning to the silver ribbon of the Hurrican River in the distance. "I don't mean the camp, Tyr. And while I am ready to be back with our packs, I mean home. The real one that I've never seen."

"Arhhawen," he said softly, his voice little more than a deep rumble.

Sal nodded. "I want to see it once, you know? I heard they decorated a suite for me. Three bedrooms, a sitting area, and basically the perfect home for a pack. Dozens, maybe hundreds of iliri I've never met worked on it, trying to make it perfect for me, and that feels... strange."

"Like you don't deserve it?" he asked.

"Yeah." She turned to see him. "The truth is that I'm kinda scared."

"Of what?" he asked. "You're the best soldier I've ever seen!"

"No," she breathed, waving that away. "I'm not worried about the battles. We'll win them or lose them. That's how it's always worked. We try to plan as well as we can, we make it up when things go wrong, and somehow we trust our friends to pull us out when it gets too bad. No, I'm ok with that part. Dying is terrifying, but it's fast."

He stepped closer. "Then what are you scared of?"

Her teeth closed on her lower lip. "That I won't be what they really wanted. Tyr, I only became the Kaisae because there was no one else."

"Yeah..." he drawled. "I don't even understand how that works."

"Ok," she began, happy to have a distraction. "So, iliri have four genders. So far as we can tell, it's male and female like humans, but then there's a male variant that is onsyc. They carry the Kaisae gene, and while many of them prefer other men, some have no actual preference. On the female side, you have kaisaes. Basically, just an alpha female with enhanced mental abilities, or the potential for them."

"Ok, and the Kaisae?" he asked.

"The best of all the available kaisaes," Sal explained. "Usually the strongest, but not always. Often the most charismatic. She's the woman that the species believes can do the work the best. I've been told that there were times where one group followed one Kaisae and another followed another. That dozens of us roamed the world - or whatever part of it iliri had - each with her own group, but that doesn't feel right. Looking at the grauori, I think that happened because we were always slaves. If we'd been free, we'd have kaisaes with the lower-case letter, and the Kaisae, with the capital. The second being, well, me. The general of them all, where the others would be commanding officers who report to me."

"Sounds efficient," Tyr said.

Sal laughed wryly at his tone. "We were designed this way. Little bits and pieces moved around, adjusted, and crafted to create an entire species of people to replace the machines the first humans couldn't make again. They wanted us to work perfectly, but they forgot one thing. We are people. We love and hate, think and feel. We do stupid things and make bad choices."

"So why did they make it so hard to breed more?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"The onsyc thing. If the male carriers of this gene aren't into women, that's somewhat problematic."

"Oh, it's not like that," Sal corrected. "Even Risk is drawn to the scent of a breeding Kaisae. According to Tilso, much more than either of them expected."

"Like when you went into estrus before Merriton," Tyr said, proving he knew what she was talking about. "Yeah, and I thought Razor was going to eat me, but he didn't give a shit about Rayna."

"Rayna isn't competition." She flashed him a smile. "Evidently, you are. Arctic says he doesn't have it, and I don't know if that's true or not, but it makes me wonder."

"About?" Tyr asked.

Sal licked her lips. "Iliri don't breed many women. Marnia, the professor studying that ship in Fort Landing? She said she believes Kaisae carriers are lethal in utero. In other words, we're women or Kaisaes, usually. There have been stories in Jase's books of typical females producing a Kaisae child, but it's so hard to be sure. If what Marnia says is true, though, then it all makes sense."

"Keep going," Tyr begged.

"More males than females," Sal said, listing things on her fingers. "Which means harems of mates. Men living together, sharing a woman. Wouldn't being drawn to other males end up as a benefit in that case? The more the males are willing to work together, the greater their chance of siring a child at some point?" Sal laughed at herself. "I'm just trying to figure it out myself, Tyr. I don't actually know. I'm pretty sure that most of the information on us was lost, but that's what makes sense to me. I was raised with humans, so the idea of a bunch of men willingly cuddling up when I'm not there?"

He took the last step to reach up and palm the side of her head, holding her hair back. "Are you worrying about me? Because there's not a lot that's going to scare me in bed. Sorry. If Blaz wants to throw you around and bite the shit out of you, I'm cool with it. I mean, so long as you are. If you want to get tied up, I can work with that. I also enjoy sharing, it seems. That whole mind thing you iliri do is pretty potent."

She looked up to meet his eyes. They were the most beautiful shade of brown, a color that was almost golden but too dark to be called that. Warm, though. Friendly. They also didn't flinch from meeting her pale gaze.

"Why did you come for me?" she finally asked.

For a moment, he didn't move, but Sal could still see something changing. It was almost like Tyr was fighting with himself, trying to find the right answer. Slowly, his shoulders relaxed and that impish smile he always wore softened.

"Because I didn't want you to die."

"That's a cop-out," she told him, gesturing back to the trail that had led them up here. "We're all alone. There's no one else to hear what you say, but every time I ask about it, you tell me I'm a good leader, that you're my friend, and it always feels like you're edging around the truth. Tyr, you smell like fear."

With a sigh, he pulled his hand away. "Ok." Then he turned, pushing his own hair back. When he was a step from her, he let his hand fall, but he didn't face her. "I like you, Sal. I think you're an amazing leader. I also think you're one hell of a woman. You're beautiful, strong, and every so often you get a little sassy. I like sassy." Then he sighed again. "And I didn't mean to. I never meant to be anything but a loyal soldier, but you told me that it starts with a secret, and when I started checking you out, I decided that it wouldn't hurt to share mine. I mean, you had a few guys. You didn't do humans. This? It was never going to happen. It was supposed to just be a little fantasy, nothing more."

"And yet you came for me," she pointed out.

He just nodded, still looking away. "Joe said the iliri weren't in a frenzy, and that meant you were alive. I knew your mates were a mess, the line was made of humans, and that guy from the 43rd said they had dogs. The kind that are trained to detect iliri. That meant whoever went to save you had to be human, and..." He finally turned. "When we left Prin, Pig asked if we'd help guard the Blades. Someone to watch your back. That's why we were assigned to the iliri."

"Pig said it was because I didn't have enough soldiers."

Tyr made a halfhearted shrug. "I guess that was partly true too. Anyway, when we were asked, I decided that if this fate thing you believe in doesn't apply to humans, and if it always kills the Kaisaes, then maybe that was the workaround. You know, if I'm human then I couldn't be predicted, so maybe I could keep your ass alive. And when Joe said you weren't dead?"

"You were just doing your job," she realized.

And a little piece of her heart cracked. Until that moment, she hadn't realized it, but she'd been honestly hoping that a man like him wanted her. That the two of them - and her five other men - could find a way to make this work. Now, she realized he'd been telling her the truth the whole time. He was just here to get her back to her army, willing to do anything to be the best soldier he could.

"I'm sorry," she breathed, turning for the trail, intending to go back before she made herself look even more idiotic.

Tyr grabbed her arm, stopping her and spinning her back around. "Has it ever fucking dawned on you, Sal, that maybe I'm just as confused as you right now? Yeah, I was just doing my job. And yeah, I honestly thought you'd eat me. I mean, you were in maast, and you've always said you don't do humans. I fucking believed you! And you once said that when there's no link, you couldn't trust yourself around us. Well, your link was gone."

"So why did you come for me?" she demanded.

He pulled her against his chest, his other hand catching the side of her face. Sal felt his thumb just under her chin, forcing her face up to meet his as he leaned in. It all happened so fast, she wasn't sure what to expect, but a kiss wasn't it. Tyr's mouth found hers, his hands keeping her from leaving, and he kissed her like he needed to. As if she was somehow his salvation.

And she understood the answer. He'd come for her because he had to. Because in his own way, he honestly hoped that all of this would happen, but he hadn't been brave enough to believe it was really possible.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Cenla Xie, Unav

Sal's eyes closed and her back bent when she leaned into Tyr's lips. He was so strong, so protective, and so much bigger than her that she felt almost fragile in his arms. Like he would protect her, and his kiss was the proof. Their lips touched, sucked, and sampled, but it was the pressure in his hands that made her heart beat just a little faster.

He held her like she might slip through his fingers, like he wanted to crush her against him but was scared she'd be destroyed because of it. Like he couldn't decide if she was hard or soft. He wanted her. The way he sucked on her lip, tasted her mouth, and growled in his throat proved it. The problem was that he didn't understand her. He wasn't iliri, and she kept trying to treat him like he was.

Instead, this big strong man before her was just as lost and confused as she was. He was trying, and she hadn't yet heard a single thing he was trying to say. She'd assumed, guessed, and hoped, but was always thinking of him like all her other men. But he wasn't.

Tyr had tried to tell her, but she'd heard the wrong things. He said he wasn't sure he could do this. He'd told her he needed to be convinced. He'd said he needed to take care of her, then had turned around to give her some other sign that seemed to say the opposite. And it had all been because he was confused - and so was she.

They didn't really know each other, but they knew enough. This man had always been there for her, stepping up when he was needed, and yet stepping back just as fast. She'd been so proud that she was iliri that she'd never stopped to think about how it might feel to him. To hide the bruises in her pride, she'd embraced the feral image of her species, had used it to keep people at arm's length. She'd bragged that she was dangerous.

And now she was surprised that he'd believed her. That meant she was the fool, not him. Yes, she'd been scared about hurting a human lover, but that wasn't all. The truth was that she'd also been scared that one would hurt her. Too many times in her past, that was what happened. Iliri were kept like pets, expected to perform their tricks on command. The first thing she'd done when she slipped her leash was make it clear that she never would again.

But she wanted to. More than anything, while Sal kissed Tyr over and over, she wanted to apologize for all of that, but she had no idea where to begin. Not without baring her soul, and that was too hard. It was also too early. Still, she had to know.

Sal leaned back to see his face.

"Tell me," she begged.

His hand swept along the side of her face, as if he was trying to memorize it. "Have you ever wanted something so bad, but knew you couldn't have it, so you fell in love with something else? And then when you realize it's possible, you aren't sure which you want more?"

"No," she admitted. "What's the other thing?"

"My family," he breathed. "Sal, I'm a Devil Dog. I was just promoted to replace Rayna. Those people? They're my fucking family, and I can't walk away from them, and you can't accept me unless I do."

And that was the truth that had been hanging silently between them. She needed her mates to give her everything. Tyr couldn't. He knew he couldn't. For a split second, she wanted to demand that he change his mind, or wail that it wasn't fair. Except that it was. He'd worked hard to get where he was. What had she done? She'd gotten herself killed, woke up, and fucked him. But she wouldn't feel sorry for herself. No, there had to be a way to make this work.

"So how do we do this?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I was kinda planning to enjoy it while it lasted. You know, until I get you back to the Anglian army."

"And then?" She slid her hand down his shirt, smoothing the fabric back into place.

Tyr ducked to look into her eyes. "Then you dump me. I'm a Devil Dog, Sal. Not a Blade. I'm not about to ask you to settle for less than what you deserve, and we both know that you don't like it when your mates can't commit. Fuck, I wouldn't either."

"So what then?" she asked.

"I dunno." He tried to smile at her, but it looked forced. "I mean, if you're ever down for some fucking, I'm all in. Me, you, and Razor? Sounds like a good time. Might even brave a round with Kolt, or who knows? But I can't be your mate. Not a real one. I'm just a temporary thing to hold you together, and we both know it."

"I don't know it," she hissed. "I like you, Tyr. You make me..."

"What?" he asked when she let her words fade away. "I make you what?"

"Feel beautiful," she finished weakly.

"Baby, you are the most beautiful woman I can imagine, and trust me, I can imagine a lot of them. I just know that you little shits don't do the casual thing, you know? Iliri fall in love, and that's it, right? No changing your mind? But what if I'm the wrong guy, Sal? You never noticed me until you died."

"Yes, I did," she insisted. "I just thought I would hurt you."

"Really?"

She nodded. "I did. I thought you..." She laughed awkwardly. "I honestly thought you were sexy. Strong. But guys like you never notice me."

"I did," he promised. "And I was telling you the truth when I fessed up about my crush." Tyr sighed and caught her hips, pulling her up against him. "But I can't leave the Dogs, and so long as I'm in grey, you know this won't work, so what other options do we have?"

Sal bit her lower lip, worrying the fullest part between her sharp teeth. "You know, before I claimed them as my mates, the others called those guys my toys. Jase, I mean. And Kolt."

"A toy, huh?" He was grinning again. "I kinda like that. Baby, I will gladly be your toy."

"Really? But, isn't that... demeaning?"

Tyr scoffed. "Not really. A human who's been in your bed? Kinda the opposite. Never mind that you have five guys already there, ready and willing to do anything you ask. Me? Nah, I'm not that obedient. But I know how to have fun - even dressed - and I do like being with you. It's just..."

"What?" she insisted.

"I'm not going to wait around for you, Sal. I can't leave the Dogs. You can't leave the Blades. We have our families - our packs if you prefer - and we're loyal to them. So, I figure that if you can fuck around with your guys, that should mean you won't get mad if I do the same?"

Not what she wanted to hear. Not at all, but she knew better. This was Tyr, and he could just as easily walk away from her as stay, so she didn't really have an option. So, letting out a sigh to prove she didn't like it, Sal nodded.

"I can't really stop you."

"But," he said, sounding almost hopeful, "you kinda want to?"

"Yes!" She groaned. "Of course, I do! That's why I wanted you to be my mate. I mean, just this morning I was thinking that I was done with taking so long to get to know someone, and that maybe it was ok to just jump in with both feet."

"And now I'm ruining that." He let out a groan, proving he didn't like it either. "But can I be honest?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't imagine sitting around, wondering when the Kaisae of all Anglia will decide she has time for me. Being faithful to a woman who's getting it from all sides? That's not really fair." He shrugged, looking oddly sheepish. "I kinda have needs, you know."

"And I have five men," she grumbled. "Right. The problem is that I can't argue against that. I don't have a leg to stand on, but I still hate it! Just... Will you tell me one thing?"

"Sure."

"Will there ever be a chance of this happening? You and me, Tyr. Is it always going to be meaningless?"

He leaned down and kissed the space between her ears. "Unless I'm wearing black, I don't see how it could work. But if that ever happens, then I'm yours. Completely, totally, and without reservation, ok? The problem is that would mean the Dogs are gone, so I'm kinda hoping it never happens."

"Yeah," Sal agreed, "I see what you mean. Not even you are worth losing them, but I do like you, Tyr. More than I should, and knowing that I won't hurt you?"

"Means you can invite me over for playtime, right?" He lifted her face. "I mean, since I am your official sex toy now."

"And how long before you find someone to fall in love with?" she asked.

He just shook his head. "I'm kinda obsessed with this woman. She's really short, very pale, and has these wicked sharp teeth. I think she might get in the way of any serious relationships. How about we make a deal, huh?"

She lifted her chin. "What kind of deal?"

"So, I'll be like your boyfriend. You know, yours first. You call, I'll drop everything, but if you ignore me... Then maybe I'll still have a life."

"Still hate it," she told him.

He actually laughed at that. "And I'm so ok with that. I mean, if you hate it, then it means you honestly care, right?"

"I told you I did." Sal let out an annoyed huff, feeling like he wasn't understanding.

He just nodded. "And I'm not your bitch, Sal. I will risk my life for you. I will bend over backwards, get bit, or anything else you ask, but I am not about to become celibate until you can squeeze me into your calendar. I'm sorry, but that's not fair to ask."

"I know," she said, a growl tinting the words.

He just lifted both hands. "And I think that's the sign that I've pushed too far, huh?"

"Sorry," she said, turning away. "Fuck. I shouldn't have asked. I think I liked it better when you were pretending."

"Sal."

She waved him off. "No, it's ok."

"Sal," he said again. "I do want this to work. No matter what you think, I really do. I'm just trying to be realistic and get it all out there before we're both in too deep. Before -" He stopped, snapping his mouth closed.

"Before what?" she asked.

He moved behind her, gently wrapping his arms around her waist as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Before I fall in love with you. I'm shit at it, and I'm kinda a whiny bitch. The problem is that I can see how easy it would be."

"I know," she agreed. "But what if it happens anyway?"

"We'll figure it out," he promised. "Believe it or not, I'm damned good at making things work. I mean, I could sneak across the camps, climb in your bed after your mates are asleep, and do some real kinky things to you."

"They might wake up," she pointed out.

He chuckled, kissing the side of her face at the same time. "Still into it, baby."

"And when I see you with some other girl?"

"Try not to kill her," he suggested. "But if you think I'm not going to be bragging the shit outta being your fuck toy? Think again. Yeah, girl wants a piece of this, and I'll make it clear that when the Kaisae of all Anglia tells me to drop to my knees, I'm down for her. Or down on her. Either works."

Sal gasped, spinning around to face him. "Tyr!" she laughed.

"That's my girl," he breathed. "Oh, and that's the other thing. If I'm your toy? Then you get to be my girl. So when Jase tells me I'm wrong, I get to say I'm not."

She reached up to toss her arms around his neck. "And you think I'm going to keep him from rolling you?"

"Nah, but I know how to bare my throat and cry umso. I just want to be the only man in the world who can actually say that Salryc Luxx is his girl. Lemme have it, baby."

She slowly nodded. "Ok, but can we pretend this is ok for a little while longer?"

"It is ok," he promised. "I'm still yours. You're still mine. We're just making treaties because our uniforms don't match. And I'm hoping that maybe, if we both know what we're getting into, then it might even work."

"It's a mess," she pointed out.

He canted his head as if asking "so?" then said, "But it still might work. I'm down for trying."

"Me too," Sal decided.

Because she was. She also wasn't about to feel sorry for herself. So what if things with Tyr weren't going to be easy? He wasn't saying no. He was just asking her to find a way to make it possible because her rules said it wasn't. She could start here with him. She could also figure out a way to bend the rules.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Cenla Xie, Unav

Something down below caught Sal's attention. A group - a big one - was moving up the hill, heading right for the little farming town. It was hard to tell at this distance, but they didn't move like soldiers. There were no organized units. No blocks of troops. Instead, it was just a group of people slowly but surely winding their way up the mountain.

"You see that?" she asked Tyr.

"Yup." His hand moved to the small of her back. "Lead on, baby, because we both know you want to see what's going on down there. I kinda do too."

Making their way back down the steep side of the hill involved a little skipping from level to level. It wasn't bad, but the trek wasn't an easy one, either. The narrow footpath wove between the large chunks of rock that had been thrust up when the mountains formed, little more than a channel for the erosion. While the Siahies weren't tall enough to collect snow throughout the year, there was still a hint of white on the highest peaks and mud in the deepest edges of the trail.

When they were back down in Cenla Xie, the first of the visitors had already arrived. Sal could see the people now, and smell them. There was no question that these were iliri, most likely the first of Zensa's rebels. A few noticed her, looking over with a combination of surprise and awe. Others turned their attention to Tyr, judging him. Yet they all were headed to the same place: the inn.

Sal ducked around the back of the building, coming in through the staff entrance from the stables. Tyr followed, his hand staying protectively on his sword. Twice, she assured him that it was ok, that these people were about to become her army, but while he agreed, he never moved his hand.

Inside, the inn was even busier than it had been for lunch. The staff hurried past them, barely taking the time to mutter their laetus to Sal. She tried to thank them, but most were gone too fast. Then, when Sal moved into the dining area, she finally saw why.

People were everywhere. Skin colors ranged from darker than Zep to nearly as white as Sal. Many looked human at first glance, but a little observation revealed tiny quirks that said otherwise. Pale eyes on one woman. Sharp teeth visible when a man laughed. Most of all, though, it was the casual contact. A brush of a hand, the graze of fingers over a shoulder, and the tiny little ways that iliri sized each other up were done openly, yet subtly.

And it felt good.

For the first time in her life, Sal could imagine what Arhhawen would look like. Not the building, but the iliri inside it. Dozens of crossbreds crowded into the largest room of the inn, and while there was some posturing and a few were guarded, it was mostly... happy. That was the only word Sal had to describe it. Laughter rang out. Smiles flashed, not caring about the two sets of canines they showed. It almost felt like these people were all daring someone to stop them - to quell their pride - because these were the Unavi Rebels.

"Sal," Zensa breathed, coming up from behind her. "I was just about to ask your human - " She paused, looking up at Tyr. "The other human, I mean, to call you back. The first wave of the Pride is here."

"I see that," Sal assured her. "So what now?"

"Your Blaz is this way," she said.

Which made Tyr chuckle as he fell in behind them. "Her Blaz, huh?"

"I don't have a title to use," Zensa said, proving she was under a bit of strain. "And mate doesn't exactly define things well enough."

"He's her mate," Tyr told the girl. "I'm her toy."

Zensa stopped, turning to Sal. "I'm confused."

"Our relationship happened fast, it has to do with keeping my mind together, and -"

"And it's none of your business," Tyr finished. "No offense, ilus."

"None taken... Sir?"

Tyr shrugged. "I'll accept that. I'm a soldier, so it works. Unless you have a better title for her plaything?"

"Consort," Sal decided. "Blaz is my mate. Tyr is my Consort."

"But that's a human term," Zensa pointed out.

"Human language, applied to a human man. I think it works well enough," Sal assured her. "And if anyone has a problem, they can bring it to me."

"Yes, Kaisae." And Zensa started walking again.

Blaz was at the same table where they'd been before, but the plates were gone. Now, maps were spread across the surface, and a small group of iliri were pointing at it, making Blaz nod. At first, he didn't notice when Sal joined them, not until she moved to his side. Even then, he only looked up long enough to smile his greeting.

"About thirty thousand," Blaz was saying. "Sal thinks the line goes all the way to the Chieftain's Plains, which is where we'd like them to stay. Anglia has about three thousand here." His finger stabbed a point just west of center in Escea. "Our plan is to fold the line back while they push it north, giving the Esceans the chance to retreat out of our way."

"And you can do that with three thousand men?" one of the males asked.

"Yes," Sal promised. "We have a firestarter."

That made everyone look at her, their interest in the map evaporating. "A what?" one of the women asked.

"An iliri mutant," Sal explained. "Her skill is to burn things, and she's very good at it."

"Where did you find someone like that?"

Sal smiled. "Western Unav, between Zaqala and Syhar, actually. But she's mine. Shade is a Black Blade and sworn to Anglia."

The woman nodded. "Which is probably for the best. Only a Kaisae of your strength could control something like that."

"She doesn't need to be controlled," Sal explained. "She just needs to be trusted, and to have someone she can trust. The same with my friender and fear-sender. My pack has strong talents because we trust our brothers instead of shaming them for something they didn't get to choose."

The woman dropped her eyes to the table. "No offense was meant, Kaisae."

"None taken," Sal assured her. "Just a lesson. Now, where are we, Blaz?"

He blew out a tense breath. "About to overrun this town, I think. The inn is full. Zensa's husband supposedly has people camping out in the fallow fields and the people of this town have opened their doors. Our Anglians should be fine, but it's going to get crowded, and quickly. I'm hoping the Rebels still coming in have supplies so they can make a camp."

"What about Jurij?" Sal asked. "If he comes, he will not accept a tent in a field."

Blaz just pointed up. "I asked them to reserve a room for him. If he can't come, then we'll give it to someone else, but I thought this was safest."

Sal leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you."

He ducked his head in a weak attempt to hide his smile. "This time, I'm just doing my job. Still the Second Officer of the 112th, you know."

"Well," she said, "the last I heard, the switch from Esceans to Terrans was almost done, and Escea isn't pushing our army. It's a standoff, and one the Anglians are happy to have. Jase said they're letting Shade rest while she can, but if anything changes, they will attack, keeping them in place for as long as possible."

"The grauori?" Blaz asked.

"Moving," Sal told him. "Believe it or not, it takes more than a couple of days to get them from Anglia to the Hurrican River Valley. Rragri is moving to Assey and over, aiming for a spot outside Terric City. Tseri is moving her maargra across Unav to join her. The Anglians along the Siahies..." Sal pointed to the map, making sure the other iliri could follow along, "will focus on clearing the paths. Their sister units are grauori, which means they will have the advantage."

"How long will it take?" Blaz asked.

Sal licked her lips while her eyes flew across the map. "Three weeks? Maybe as long as five if the weather doesn't cooperate. They'll beat us there. The only piece still missing is Jurij." She looked back toward the main door, realizing Tyr had wandered off to make himself useful. "When is sundown?"

"Less than an hour," one of the Rebels said.

Sal pressed her palms to the table and sighed. "Then I'm going to push Grenso. I need to know if we can count on him." And she reached out with her mind.

Sal? the Conglomerate Representative replied to her nudge.

I'm sorry to be pushy, she started, but he didn't let her finish.

Actually, your timing couldn't be better. Halena, my linker, just talked to Jurij through one of his guards. I told him the iliri leader of Anglia wanted to talk to him. He asked if you were the same woman who killed the six Warlords at the Broch in Escea. I told him that was one of your early missions, before you had come into your full talents.

Oh, that couldn't have gone well, Sal thought.

Grenso laughed in response, allowing her to feel it. Actually, it was the right answer. He says he wants to meet the woman who could walk away from that. He's willing, Sal. Just one problem, and it's not a little one.

What's that?

I can't send the CFC soldiers with him. That's more than Parliament can take. He has a small group of Jurican warriors with him, men he calls his advisors, but it's not enough to guarantee his passage into Unav.

Can you get him to the Unavi border? she asked, looking up to wave Zensa over.

I can, but not across it.

Ok, hang on. She turned her attention to the woman organizing the Rebels. "Is there any way to get a group of the Pride to Three Corners? I need someone who can escort an Escean Warlord from there to here."

Zensa made a face. "Could I? Probably. Can I guarantee he'd make it? No. The Unavi Rebels are all individual packs who answer to no one but you, and they aren't used to oversight."

"Ok," Sal breathed, desperately looking for another answer. She could only think of one. Rragri, what units are moving toward me?

A few. What do you need? the grauori leader replied immediately.

Someone to escort an Escean Warlord. A unit we can trust.

The 119th Infantry, Rragri thought. They've served with you since you were crowned. Let me pass you to their leader.

There was a moment of shuffling before a mind that was clearly human slammed into Sal's skull without much finesse. Sir? The mental voice was male.

Soldier, I need to ask the 119th for a favor, Sal thought.

Kaisae! he replied, sounding shocked. Yes, sir. How can we help, sir? We're currently moving to a town called Slate Ridge.

Cenla Xie, she corrected, and I'm hoping you can move south to the Conglomerate-Unav border, to a small farming town called Three Corners. She sent a mental location. There is an Escean Warlord there, a man I let live once, and I'd really like him to make it to Cenla Xie in one piece. Take as many men with you as you need, of any species. Pass the orders to the commander you trust most, or manage the mission yourself. I'm afraid I don't have the time to handle this, but I need it to happen.

Yes, Kaisae, he said. Does this Warlord have a name?

Jurij, the leader of Jurica, Sal told him. He will most likely be as proud as an iliri, and twice as pampered. He will report to me, and no one else. No distractions. Am I clear?

Perfectly, sir. The 119th will have him there in... He paused. Looks like a day and a half, maybe two days at the most.

Thank you. I'll definitely owe you one, Sal told him before releasing the link. Immediately, she reached out for Grenso again. Natyn, the 119th Anglian Infantry will meet Jurij at the border.

Perfect, Grenso replied. I'm sorry I can't help more, but we'll have him there.

He released the link, and Sal turned to her group. "Jurij will be here soon."

"Good," Blaz said. "Then I think we're ready. All that's left is the waiting, meeting our allies, and figuring out how this is going to work."

"Brutally," Sal told him. "Welcome to the iliri, Blaz. I hope we don't scare you away."

He chuckled. "Not happening. I think even Tyr is ok with this."

Sal looked over to see him smiling at a crossbred. The girl was tall for an iliri, with hair almost as red as Shade's, and eyes of a very pale yellow. That was fine. The problem was the woman kept leaning into him, and her gaze never wavered from his face. She was definitely interested, and after the talk Sal had just had with Tyr, she wasn't convinced he'd say no.

"I'm not ok," she breathed, moving toward him.

Behind her, she heard Blaz curse under his breath and follow, but she wouldn't let him stop her. Tyr wanted Sal to prove herself? Then fine. If he was taunting her, trying to make her jealous, then he was about to see exactly how that would play out. Maybe he couldn't be her mate. Maybe he didn't even want to, but the man was wearing her marks on his neck and covered in her scent. There was no excuse for some other bitch to be sniffing at him.

Without a word, she crossed the room, pushing between people and dodging tables until she reached the pair. Then, without any warning at all, Sal slipped around Tyr's bulk and hit the woman with a hand on each shoulder, pushing her back.

The crossbred hadn't even seen her coming. She stumbled, slipping back and into a table, but she was on her feet again almost as fast. A growl rumbled in the woman's throat as her hand instinctually grabbed at something on her leg. Sal saw it coming, but she didn't dodge. In a smooth and very lethal swing, the iliri bitch struck out at whoever had been foolish enough to attack her without checking her target.

And Sal surged in. One step put her inside the woman's guard. Next, Sal's hand wrapped around the woman's throat. Before the blade got close to her, the Kaisae of Anglia was into the woman's mind, freezing her body, and snarling right into her pale iliri eyes, and Blaz was almost as fast. His thin ceramic blade rested just above Sal's fingers, ready to cut the most sensitive part of the woman's neck.

"Mine," Sal snarled.

"What the fuck?" Tyr demanded.

"Drop the weapon," Blaz ordered.

But the woman's eyes were locked on Sal's. "What will he think when he sees what you really are?" Her words came out wrapped around her ongoing growl.

Sal just curled her lip higher, exposing all of her sharp teeth. "He's seen, and he's still in my bed. Drop your eyes, your weapon, or both. I will not ask again."

"Sal?" Tyr asked.

"Bad time," Blaz warned.

And Sal's hand tightened. Through the contact, she could see exactly what the woman had been thinking, and she didn't like it at all. Not just that she found Tyr attractive. No, she'd known he was the Kaisae's, and she'd picked him because of it, wanting to test Sal's strength.

"I will rip your throat out and leave the mess for your pack to clean up," Sal warned her. "I can do it before my mate could cut your throat, and my Consort?" Sal's fist tightened, restricting a little more of the woman's air. "Don't fucking look at him again. Those marks on his neck say he's mine. The scent of a Kaisae on his body? That's my claim. If you want to challenge me for it..." Sal growled, proving the crossbred's version wasn't nearly as feral. "Then it'll be to the death. I keep what is mine."

Slowly, the woman lowered her eyes. Sal nodded and Blaz removed his blade, but Sal wasn't quite ready to let go. Not yet. She needed to make sure that this woman wasn't the only one who got the message, and the fool had just made herself into the example.

"If you don't like me, then go home," she told the room. "If you don't think I deserve what I have - whether that's men, weapons, or my title - then go home. If you want to challenge me? Just know that I'm done playing games. I'm ready to fight, and I will win."

"Only because you have powers that none of us can match," the bitch shot back.

"You idiot," Sal told her. "I used my bare hand. I could've put a kilo of steel through your neck instead, and I still would've killed you before you even finished your swing. Go ahead, look at my throat, and you decide if I've earned that mark. I have met the Emperor, and he didn't leave unscathed."

"Yeah? Well he still seems to be fighting," the girl said.

Sal smiled cruelly. "Yeah, like a human, because I stripped out every iliri ability he'd stolen. I want you here to help me finish this. Tell me, ilus, do you really want me to kill you before that happens?"

"No, Kaisae," the woman breathed.

And Sal released her hand, allowing the bitch's body to drop to the floor, ignoring her while she sucked in a full breath. "That is why you're here," Sal told the room. "Not to play games and test me, but to kill the bastard who has spent a decade terrorizing us. It's time, and I'm done fucking around."

Chapter Forty

Cenla Xie, Unav

Zensa gestured for someone to remove the iliri woman from Sal's sight as she hurried over, but her attention was on Tyr. Refusing to touch Sal, she moved before him and pointed at the stairs. The look on her face was almost as murderous as the one the Kaisae wore.

"I need you to leave," she ordered. "If you can't help but distract the women in here, then go back to your room until the tactics are complete."

"What?" Tyr demanded. "You're kidding, right?"

"Tyr," Blaz said. "Just go upstairs, man. Tensions are a little high, and it's worse when Sal's pissed."

"Fuck, no," Tyr snapped. "I'm not about to be kicked out just because I've got a dick, and that's kinda what this shit sounds like."

Zensa lifted her chin. "You even know how to swing that sword?"

Tyr leaned right into her face. "Devil Dog, babe. Pretty sure I'd give Sal a run for her money, so yeah. I kinda know what I'm doing."

Sal just sighed. "Tyr? Please."

"You too," Blaz told her. "Until you get your temper in check, Zensa and I can deal with this. Whatever is eating at you, Sal, figure it out. Hopefully, without killing anyone."

"Fine," Sal said, turning for the stairs, but she paused. "I have given everything for this war - including my life. The only things I have for myself are them." Her words were for everyone in the room, and they all stopped to listen. "My pride is yours. My strength is yours. Even my life is yours. The one thing I expect in return is that you keep your hands off my men. I will give you everything else I have, but that is where I draw the line. It always has been."

With that, she marched toward the stairs, hearing Tyr sigh heavily behind her. It didn't sound like the angry kind. More like he'd just figured out what she'd been trying to tell him. So he followed, his feet heavy, but he didn't say a thing.

Sal didn't slow down, though. She was still mad. That iliri bitch had wanted to test her, and she thought that seducing the Kaisae's "pathetic human mate" would give her something to brag about. Tyr didn't know that, but Sal did. She'd touched her, and it had all been so easy to read, right at the front of her mind.

When Sal reached their room, she pushed the door open and didn't bother closing it. Tyr followed a second later. She braced for him to slam it shut, but he didn't. Still, she could smell the annoyance wafting over him, even as he flicked the lock.

"What the fuck was that?" he demanded.

Sal spun to face him. "That was me marking my territory."

"I am not your territory," he warned. "I am not something to be possessed, no more than Rayna is. I don't care if it's natural for women to rule your species or whatever." He stormed into Sal's face. "You and me? You want this thing to work, well, let's get one thing clear. Ain't no one owning me. I'm not your fucking slave."

Sal jerked back like she'd been slapped. "I never said that!"

"No? But shoving away a woman I'm just talking to? Overreact much?"

Her ears pulled tight to her head as she glared back. "She was trying to seduce you."

He clenched his jaw, making a muscle bulge. "Kinda figured that out. It also doesn't matter."

"Yes, it fucking does!" Sal roared at him, flailing one hand to make her point.

Tyr caught her wrist. "No. It does not." He refused to let her go, holding it there against his chest.

"You tell me that you won't be with me, that you want to be my toy, and then you immediately turn around and find someone else? You think I'm going to be ok with that, Tyr? It was minutes."

"She. Came. On. To. Me."

"And you weren't stopping her!"

He tugged, pulling Sal close enough that she could bite him if she wanted to. He also didn't look worried about that at all. "If you want this thing between us to have any chance of working, then there's one fucking rule, Sal. You're gonna have to trust me. Yeah, I knew she was flirting. I also knew that she'd brought a few dozen Rebels in, and she was trying to show off for them. I let her have her petty little show. I even smiled at her, but that's not fucking illegal, is it? Or do you want to control even that?"

She wasn't about to let him out of this so easily. "You said you wanted other women."

"I said I had no intention of pining away while you forget me. I also said I was yours first. I thought I made it clear. If you want me, I don't care if I'm balls-deep in some other bitch, I'll come running. I will not leave the Dogs, and that makes this fucked up, but I'm trying here, Sal. I'm trying to figure out a way for us to work, without ruining either my life or yours. That doesn't mean you get to shove away anyone without a dick who talks to me. You don't own me. You don't get the right to tell me what I can and can't do. And you most certainly don't get to fight my fights. You want me? Then the first step is to trust me. Have a little fucking faith that I'm not going to do anything to hurt you."

"That hurt me," she told him, still angry.

He nodded. "Yeah, and being sent out of the room like some useless trinket hurts me - which happened because of you."

"But you were flirting with her right in front of me," Sal reminded him.

Tyr shrugged in a way that dared her to keep going. "So fucking what? If you'd trusted me a little, you'd know that was as far as it was going. I flirt, Sal. I fucking flirt with men too, and I'm not into them. I flirt with everyone - because it's kinda what I do. It's also why you like me, so don't you dare try to make me change now."

He had a point. She knew he had a point, but she was too angry to give in, so she used her last defense. "I don't want you with anyone else!"

"And I don't want you with anyone but me." He lifted a brow. "How well is that working for us?"

"No," she breathed. "I can't leave them."

"Didn't ask you to."

Sal pulled away, yanking her arm from his grasp just to push both hands over her face. "I don't fucking understand you!" With a snarl, she turned, aiming for the far side of the room.

Tyr caught her, spinning her around just to push her back. His hand found her face, but he took one more step, until her body met the wall. Pinning her there with his bulk, he leaned in, pausing just inches from her mouth.

"I don't want to see men undressing you in their mind, but I do. I don't want to share you, Sal, but I will. I want you all to myself, but that isn't an option, so I take the second best. I could walk away from all of this and find another girl, one with a lot less complications, but you know what? She wouldn't be you, and a piece of your time is worth all of someone else's. Even if that means I need to deal with my fucking jealousy, make another fucking joke to cover it up, and wish that I was enough for you."

Then he kissed her.

His mouth was intense but not hard. His tongue was insistent but not demanding. He kissed her, giving her time to adjust, and Sal realized he was right. She expected him to give her everything, but she was giving nothing back. All he was asking for was trust. For her to acknowledge that the rules worked both ways. That what was good for the Kaisae was just as fair for the soldier.

She pulled her lips away, but only barely. "I just found you, Tyr."

He pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm a proud man, Sal. I'm trying really hard to ignore it because I know you need me. Right now, more than ever. But, baby, the fucking chemistry between us isn't enough."

"What is?"

He cupped her face, letting his fingers dive into her hair. "Trust. I have to trust that you mean what you say, and that your actions aren't telling me something else. I have to believe that you can care about me as much as your mates. And you need to do the same."

She nodded against his hand. "I'm trying."

"And failing," he agreed. "Baby, if you need to yell it out, I can take it. You want to throw things, I'll build you a pile. I'm kinda getting the feeling that you don't have a very good outlet besides killing people and fucking, huh?"

She heard him, but she wasn't completely sure what he was offering. "What do you mean?"

"I kinda think that everyone tells you yes. No one says no. There's not a damned person in your life who'll get up in your face, yell it out, and not try to just make you fucking happy. Know what?" He leaned his chest into hers. "I don't have a single urge to look down. I do it because it makes you stand taller, not because I can't meet your eyes. You need a punching bag?" And his free hand caught her hip, pulling it against his. "It's fucking sexy when you pin those ears back and snarl."

A shift of his hips ground his hard-on into her belly, proving he meant that. Sal sucked in a breath and met his eyes, finding nothing but raw desire there. With a devious smile, she grabbed his waistband and pulled him closer, increasing the pressure. Tyr choked back a groan, but she watched his eyes close partway.

"Yep," he said, "that's one way to end a fight." And then he kissed her again.

This time, it wasn't calculated. It wasn't meant to prove anything. This kiss dared her to match him. Each stroke of his tongue was followed by a press of his hips. Tyr's fingers slid deeper into her hair, then fisted, pulling her head back. Then his mouth moved lower, his teeth grazed the skin, and he sucked at the soft spot behind her jaw.

Sal tried not to, but a moan slipped out. Caught between their bodies, she felt his erection throb in response. He was so hard, so close. She wanted him so bad. To prove that he really was hers, but also to show him that she wasn't going to be pushed away that easily. She knew better, but she didn't try to fight the desire. Instead, she reached for the button on his pants.

"You do that," he warned, "and I'm going to fuck you hard enough to make you bite me."

Her fingers pushed the first ceramic button through the opening, then she grabbed one edge and pulled. The rest popped free on their own, and Tyr growled beside her ear. Sal lifted her chin, silently begging for his mouth. Obediently, he kissed her pulse, nipping with his dull teeth, making his way back to her lips.

His mouth returned to hers just as her hand slipped inside his pants, cupping his length. Tyr bucked, pushing into her grip, and his hands tightened in her hair. She could feel his restraint as he let her set the pace, but that wasn't what Sal wanted. No, she needed to make this man lose complete control.

"I dare you," Sal breathed against his lips.

"Mind," he demanded, releasing her hip just to tug at her shirt.

Sal offered him the connection, and Tyr grabbed it with practiced ease, hard enough to make her gasp. Her fingers tightened in surprise, but she felt how much he liked it, so tried to stroke him again, but Tyr was leaning back to make room. He pulled her shirt over her head, forcing Sal to let him go, then was back on her, pushing at her pants.

"Boots," Sal whispered.

"Fuck," he snarled.

But he gave her enough room to bend over, doing the same himself. That control was gone, replaced with a frantic need. Tyr kicked his feet free, sending the heavy boots far enough away to not trip him, then pulled off his own shirt. Sal barely had her feet out and was pushing her pants off, yet she managed to appreciate the view.

He noticed, a little smile touching his lips. "Like what you see, baby?"

"Oh yeah."

Sal leaned into him, her hands reaching for the hard muscles, but Tyr pressed her back. His mouth kept her busy while he pushed at his pants, kissing and stripping simultaneously, but then his hands landed low on her hips. His fingers reached around to the base of her ass, and without warning, he lifted.

Sal grabbed at his neck for balance, but Tyr's weight pushed them both into the wall. She could feel the wood against her spine as she slid down, slowly. His arms bulged, supporting her completely, and his mouth never stopped. The kisses were wild, a little sloppy, but demanding. Sal nipped at his lower lip just as he found her entrance and slid in.

He was careful, trying to be gentle, but she wanted more. Sal growled a warning into his mouth, and he thrust, jerking her entire body upward, but it felt so good. Her fingers tightened on the back of his neck, her back arched, and he pumped into her again, then again. Her heels drumming against the base of his bare ass each time, she rode him, taking each stroke, focusing on nothing else.

Tyr's mouth found the hollow of her throat, the angle wrong for him to reach her breasts, but he wouldn't stop. Each pump of his body was harder, deeper, driving her a little higher. This wasn't something meant to be beautiful. It also wasn't the wild, carnal lovemaking she was used to. It was something in the middle, nothing more than one man and one woman, regardless of their species, finding their balance.

He thrust his frustrations into her, and she took it. The swirl of emotions in his mind was almost deafening, but alluring in its own way. Tyr wasn't shutting her out. He was letting her in, begging her to do the same. He didn't need her to be in charge, didn't want her to give in. He just wanted her to meet him in the middle. To enjoy him and let him enjoy her back. Not just her body, but also her mind, her heart, and maybe even her soul.

The sound of his heavy panting filled the room. Her moans made the perfect counterpoint, and it felt so good. She didn't care if anyone else could hear. She'd just claimed this man before everyone downstairs, and now he was proving she was right. He was hers. She could feel it. He wanted to please her, but he wasn't willing to change who he was to do it. All he wanted was for her to accept that, to take him. Thrust after thrust, she did, until she couldn't tell where her thoughts ended and his emotions began.

He felt so good. He knew how to work her. Most of all, he wanted this. Just like this, as messy and unpredictable as possible. Tyr wanted her, not the Kaisae, not an iliri, but the woman who would not stop, and she loved how it felt. Like a pressure in her core and sparks up her skin, she wanted it to never, ever end.

And then his teeth pinched at her skin. His mouth moved a little higher, taunting her neck, but it was too gentle. Too timid to match what the rest of him was doing to her. Sal couldn't help herself. She caught the back of his head and pulled, forcing his throat to her mouth.

When her teeth pierced his skin, he bucked. The moan that followed proved he didn't want her to stop. The next time he thrust into her body it made her grip loosen, forcing her to release and bite lower, then lower again. Each mark made him swell, filling her, stretching her, and the rush of it was nearly suffocating.

Sal couldn't think about anything else as the pressure grew. She just wanted the world to know he was hers. She needed him. Needed this man who wouldn't roll over for her. To have someone who could tell her when she was wrong, who wouldn't run away. Together, they were amazing, and it felt so good that when her body finally gave in, she didn't roar. She screamed out her passion like every other woman in the world, clinging to the man who'd brought her here.

And Tyr collapsed against her, wrapped up in the same feelings, his mind entwined with hers. For a moment, he just held her there, sucking back air in an attempt to catch his breath. Then, out of nowhere, he chuckled.

She leaned back to see him. "What?"

Gently, he eased her down to the ground, extracting himself from her body in the process. "Dunno how to break this to you, Sal, but we work. You and me? It might be all kinds of fucked up, but don't you ever think that I'd give this up for some clingy girl who thinks the man on her arm makes her special, ok?"

Sal flopped back against the wall, panting pretty hard herself. "Is that what that was?"

"Yeah. She wanted to prove she could catch a human. I wanted to make sure you have soldiers between you and everything else." And he caught her hand, sliding his fingers around hers. "Baby, I won't wait around like I'm desperate, but don't you ever doubt that I'm not yours first, ok? Anyone else in my life will just be a placeholder, because this?" He squeezed her fingers. "I want it so bad, but the cost is too high."

"Thank you," she told him. "For not lying to me about it. I'm trying, Tyr."

"Yeah, baby. Me too." Then he grinned. "While we're trying, maybe we should do it in that bed."

Chapter Forty-One

Cenla Xie, Unav

It took the rest of the evening to sort out the volunteer army pouring into Cenla Xie. The woman Sal had thrown to the ground was going to be a problem. According to Zensa, she always had been. Blaz didn't get her name, but Zensa said the crossbred was known for being abrasive and was so convinced of her own combat prowess that she couldn't imagine anyone stopping her.

But Sal had, and easily. The question would be if the Kaisae could channel that woman's anger - and her pack's - into something useful. The evening meal came and went. The rebels eventually dispersed, leaving the dining area empty, yet Blaz didn't budge. He had a stack of maps, a list of abilities, and a woman upstairs who clearly needed a break.

"What are you doing?" Zensa finally asked, once again claiming a chair at his table.

This time, she wasn't alone. A large man, clearly human, even if his skin was paler than most, gestured to another empty chair. "May I?" he asked.

"My husband," Zensa explained while Blaz nodded for the man to join them. "Petric, this is Blaz, the Kaisae's mate."

"A pleasure," Blaz said, offering his hand across the table.

Petric paused for a moment, a look of confusion on his face. "Reader?" he asked.

"Human," Blaz told him. "And a healer, but that has more to do with Sal than me. Trust me, if she offers you a skill, think hard before saying yes."

Petric chuckled in understanding, then accepted Blaz's hand. "Yeah, she's impressive. I met her last time. Helped her and that other guy slip out of town." Then he gestured at the maps. "Working on something?"

Blaz sighed. "Wasting time."

Zensa reached over and grabbed Blaz's arm, stealing his attention. "We can handle the maps. We can keep you company if you want, but it's late. Almost midnight. You need sleep too, and if your mate won't allow you in the room, I can have them give you the Warlord's for tonight."

"No," Blaz assured her. "Trust me, Sal's not why I'm down here. It's Tyr, actually. He, uh..."

"Gets weird about it?" Petric guessed, sounding like he understood.

Blaz just shook his head. "No, I think he doesn't trust me. Doesn't really know me, truth be told. We both know her, and that's about all we have in common. All I know is that something happened between them today, and now she's calling him her Consort instead of her mate. I'm hoping that if I'm busy and leave them alone, then they'll sort it out."

"Mhm," Petric said. "Or maybe he needs a man he can talk it out with. I can only guess that following that woman around isn't exactly easy."

Blaz smiled down at the table. "It's a lot easier than you think. Actually harder to stop."

"Go on," Petric said. "Go deal with your... whatever he is. Zensa and I will put away the maps and deal with the Rebels. And sleep, man. Sounds like you had a hard ride here, and a harder ride ahead of you. Sleep in. We'll handle this mess."

Blaz pushed himself to his feet, nodded at Petric, then smiled at Zensa. "Thank you, ilus. I mean for everything today, and for working with me as easily as you have. Goodnight."

They both mumbled, "Night," back.

Heading up the stairs, Blaz realized just how quiet it had gotten. It really was late. Later than he'd thought. The rooms along the hall were still, but the building had that weight like it was no longer empty. When he reached their room, Blaz carefully unlocked the door with his key and eased it open, then slipped inside, doing his best not to wake either of his partners if they were still asleep.

The truth was that it felt amazingly intrusive. A glance at the bed proved he was right. Sal and Tyr lay in it, both of them naked. Blaz could smell the sensual musk of sex on the air, intense enough even for his human senses. All of it made him feel like he didn't belong here, but he knew better. He just had to get over it. Iliri lived in packs. They shared space without shame, and if he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this woman, then he needed to learn how to ignore this, and fast.

But the sharp inhale of a breath made him pause. It was too deep to be Sal and too dark for Blaz to look over and see what Tyr was doing. Thankfully, the man made it easy.

Just getting back? Tyr asked.

Yeah, Blaz thought, focusing his attention on his uniform. Mostly on taking it off.

Tyr slipped out of the bed, pausing to kiss Sal's cheek when she stirred and tuck her back in. When she snuggled her face into the pillow, he left her, aiming for the lantern at the side of the room. Blaz heard him find the striker by feel, fumbling around a bit, then a soft glow lit the room, the wick turned down as much as possible. Without shame, Tyr kept moving, striding across the room to grab a pair of grey pants from the far side.

I had some mead sent up a few hours ago, Tyr offered, jerking his chin toward a bottle on the small table by the window.

Two chairs flanked it. Two glasses had been abandoned on it. Blaz finished removing his boots, pulled off his shirt, dropping it and his belt beside the bed where Sal was deep asleep. He thought about that for a moment, because she wasn't known to be a deep sleeper, then decided he didn't care if she was faking. Right now, he honestly needed a drink.

Tyr joined him, claiming one of the chairs. She's out, he said, evidently having caught Blaz looking at her. I think the last few days have been harder on her than she wants to admit, but her mind... He tapped his head. She's somewhere else.

You two sort your shit out? Blaz asked as he sank into the last chair.

Close enough. Tyr shrugged. Man, I can't be her mate. I want to, but I can't, and I think she's taking it pretty hard.

What the fuck? Blaz asked, leaning over the table as he sent the thought. And you couldn't hold off until we got her back to her mates?

Not with you falling for her, Tyr said. Never mind that she's reading me each time we touch, so no. I'm not about to lie to her. I figured it was better to put it all out there, let her know what's bothering me, and work it out as we go.

Hence the Consort thing. Blaz nodded. So you're willing to fuck her, just not commit to her?

Fuck you, Tyr told him. I'm not willing to leave my pack. That's it. I mean, the whole group thing is weird as fuck, and you can't say it's not. I'm willing to deal with that. I'm willing to give up a lot, but leaving the Dogs? Non-negotiable.

So that's it? Blaz asked. You're going to walk away from the most amazing woman in the world, and one who cares so much about you that she'd piss off this army - out of desperation - to prove it, simply because you like your uniform? Trust me, you aren't going to be a soldier forever.

No, but I'll be a Devil Dog forever, Tyr said. That's the thing, Blaz. The Dogs were built on the ideas Blaec gave Pig. We're structured like the Blades, encouraged to bond like the Blades. We've always been close, calling each other family even before we became Anglians. Is that how the 112th works?

No, Blaz admitted. Those guys are my friends, my family in many ways, but this is a job, not a life. Yeah, we're a tight unit, but when we're not on assignment, we all head home, and not even to the same part of the country. I mean, I'm going to miss those guys, but I'll miss my parents too.

Right. Tyr reached for the bottle, pouring both glasses half full. And if I could figure out a way to fix this shit, I would. I mean, the Dogs are moving to Arhhawen when this is over. We've already adopted most of the iliri habits, so I'm ok with so much of this. I've always been jealous, and I keep trying to make sure Sal knows that, but it's weird. The truth is that I'm more ok with this than I thought.

Because you spent time with the nuvani? Blaz guessed.

Razor, actually, Tyr corrected. The nuvani girls I banged? They wanted a one on one. I mean, the whole mind thing is addictive as fuck - pun intended. He grinned. But no, it's completely different with the Blades. There's this...

His thought trailed off as Tyr sought a way to describe it. Blaz wasn't about to ask for a memory to clarify things, so he waited. Tyr lifted the glass and took a healthy drink, then sighed.

There's no competition, he finally said. It's not like I'm trying to win the girl from him. I'm not trying to prove that she should pick me. Being with the Blades like that? It's fucking amazing, Blaz. Once they let you in, you're all the way in. Razor kept sending me thoughts like I've been doing with you. 'Hey, she likes this kinda stuff,' you know? And it's like he's helping me out, and then I help him out. And it's the most fucking honest form of sharing I can imagine. Why the fuck wouldn't I want that?

Thought you were jealous? Blaz pointed out.

I always have been! Tyr insisted. Fuck, one of the Dogs checked out a girl I was with, and I was fucking ready to throw down. Mine, you know? Kinda like Sal earlier, downstairs. So the thing is that I honestly don't know if I'm gonna lose my shit at some point. And I'm not willing to leave my own pack, especially since I may fuck it up, so I do this. I told Sal that I'm her toy.

Blaz nodded, trying to take that all in. And when we get back? When she's got all four of her guys back, and I'm not bailing on her? What then?

Tyr grabbed the bottle to pour a little more into his glass. Then I have some more casual bullshit with whatever woman's willing to crawl into my bed until Sal summons me so I can run to her like a needy little puppy. No, I'm not going to let my dick fall off waiting for her, and I told her that. I mean, that woman's amazing, and I'm not really looking for anyone to just fuck or anything. I just don't think it's fair for this to be all one-sided. If she can do you, then I need at least the right to do someone else too. Doesn't mean I have to take it, or maybe it does to prove my point. I don't even know.

Which explains her reaction, Blaz realized. Damn it, Tyr. Are you trying to strain her?

Shit, she's stronger than you give her credit for. She doesn't need some man to save her; she needs a man to save. Big fucking difference, Blaz. You're so worried about taking care of her that you missed the most important part. Salryc Luxx can take damned good care of herself. Know what she needs us for? Someone to lean on when she gets tired. A reason to come back when she does something as fucking stupid as looking at that ayati shit. She needs you because you listen when she has to get it out, and know what?

What? Blaz asked right on cue.

I kinda figured out tonight what that pretty little thing needs me for, so I'm ok with this.

Blaz wasn't quite keeping up. Ok?

Think about it for a second. Jase, Zep, Kolt, Razor, and you. What's the one thing you all have in common? You'll bend over backwards to do any fucking thing she wants. If she asked you to become someone else, you'd fucking try. Be more muscular, and you'd be busting your ass to bulk up, right? I won't.

And that's supposed to be a good thing?

Tyr slowly nodded. Yeah. I also tell her when she's out of line. I make her see the other side. I point out the human perspective. I'm gonna make her understand that equal doesn't mean all for her or all for me. Most importantly, I challenge her. Not physically, I mean, but mentally. I ask her why. I make her prove herself, and lately, there ain't been a whole lot of people doing that to her. And I'll let her yell at me. She's not gonna hurt my feelings. Sal's too honest for that. But every so often, it feels fucking good to just let it out, and I'm not gonna run away scared if she turns that on me.

Blaz finally lifted his drink, tossing back all of it in a long line of gulps, but he made sure to set it back down gently. So what about me?

You're in. Tyr smiled. Man, she wants this. She honestly believed that she'd hurt us. Humans, I mean. Now that she knows better? She honestly hopes that this will work, and, man, she's so into you. She feels safe with you, but protective. She feels kinda like I do about her. Like she's ready to protect your body, knowing you will ease her mind, and not at all worried that you're too fragile to keep up. Like she wants to wrap you up in her arms and smile.

Of their own volition, Blaz's lips were curling higher into a stupid little smirk. He liked the way that sounded, maybe even too much. He could also believe it. The idea of Sal pushing her body in front of him fit her so well. Ears back, teeth bared, with her blades ready to destroy, it didn't even matter that she was just a little thing. She was lethal, and one look at her proved it. That she also wanted to just hold him?

That was the part that felt so fucking good. He remembered those moments when she'd leaned into him, hugged him, or just when she relaxed around him. They were too rare but had the strangest way of making him feel proud, and that feeling was worth all the rest of the weirdness it would take to keep it.

So she's ok with your decision? he asked, wanting to shift the talk away from him.

Tyr canted his head like he was shrugging. Ok's a good word. She made it clear she wants more. I made it clear that I can't leave my pack, and I think that's something she understands. If I'd used almost any other reason, I think we'd have a big problem. Well, I would. But family? Nah, she gets that shit.

Your relationship? Blaz asked, making sure he understood. You know, since you'll be at her side from here until we get back to the Anglian army.

Yeah, Tyr said, dragging the word out. We're working it out. I mean, it's going to be a little rocky, but we're dealing with it. Don't worry, though. Sex? I'm still all in. Kinda agreed to be her toy. Feel a bit like some high-class man-whore, but I can live with that.

Can she?

Tyr smiled. I got her to sleep, didn't I?

Blaz just leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. And she only tore you up a little. Tell me, was that her making you pay for it, or rewarding you?

Rewarding. Definitely rewarding. And so you know, your whole rough in bed problem? Tyr actually laughed, trying hard to keep it quiet. Good luck with that. Evidently, it's a turn-on for her. Caught a flash of what Jase does, and, bro? You're a pussy compared to him, so throw her around and choke her out all you want. You really can't hurt her.

Blaz glanced at the glass, thought about it, then decided sleep was the better option. As he pushed his chair back, he told Tyr, Guess this means you'll find a reason to stay downstairs a little too late tomorrow?

Tyr secured the cap back onto the bottle. I can do that. Oh, and the right side is yours. When she sleeps on my right shoulder, kinda hits an old injury.

Right's fine with me, Blaz promised.

But the truth was that little chat had been exactly what he needed. He had a feeling Tyr had needed it too, but he wasn't the kind of man to admit it. Still, something felt different now, as if they'd come to an understanding. As if Blaz no longer had a reason to worry about interrupting or getting in the way, and the best part was that he liked it. He honestly felt like he could spend the rest of his life like this.

Chapter Forty-Two

Anglian Army, Escea

Shade felt something shaking her, but she didn't want to wake up yet. She just wanted to sleep a little longer without any more interruptions. When it happened again, she snarled as she opened her eyes. Gold ones were there waiting, along with an amused smile. Exton lifted a finger to his lips, then pointed to her other side.

Following it, Shade found Ghost sitting up, facing the enemy soldiers, but his head had dropped onto his chest, and from the deep way he was breathing, she knew he was asleep. She turned back to Exton and lifted a brow, the question obvious.

He tried, Exton told her. And some human named Ryek has been watching for him, but didn't want to make the guy feel bad. Then Exton made a point of looking her dernor over. A long, hard kind of look. I like him.

I do too, Shade pointed out. But why am I awake?

Ryek said there's movement. Wanted me to check, so I did. They're gearing up, Shade. Looks like a few groups, but not organized enough to be units. I'm seeing dirt on cheeks, brown clothing, and pointing in our direction. My gut says they're going to try to slip across the line and hope for a sneak attack.

She nodded, sitting up to rub at her eyes. What time is it?

Sky's already starting to lighten. Then he paused, licking at his lips. Why won't you let me take watch with your mates?

Because they're my mates and you aren't, she pointed out. Why are you so willing?

Exton looked at Ghost again. Well, I like this living thing, but I also don't mind looking at your dernor. You sure he's not onsyc?

He's mine, Shade pointed out. Doesn't that mean he's not?

Exton tilted his head in confusion. No. Not at all. Most true onsyc males have some level of attraction for females. Just to breed, if nothing else. My own mate is easily in the middle of the spectrum, enjoying both, with my complete approval.

Wait. Shade leaned closer. You fuck women?

Crass... He grinned. But true. Rarely. I'm just saying that if your dernor wants to experiment...

No, Shade told him. But he is really cute. And Arctic is almost pretty.

Definitely pretty, Exton agreed. Yes, I've been looking. No, I have no intention of stealing them, so don't worry. They're just handsome enough to make me feel stupid, though. How did you end up with such a gorgeous harem?

Don't I deserve it?

Exton lifted a hand. I meant with a Kaisae in your pack. Shade, even I feel her pull. Them?

Arctic is meant for me, Shade explained.

But not Ghost?

She shook her head. No, but he loves me. I love him back. Both of them. They...

Make you happy, Exton finished for her, swirling a finger at her face. That's what that smile says, at any rate. Now c'mon. Let your mates sleep. I can look for you, and the Ryek guy is still watching.

Shade pulled herself out of the blankets she'd piled up for her bed. Arctic grunted when she moved, his eyes cracking open long enough to look at her, but when she shook her head, they closed again. Her men were almost as exhausted as she was, but Sal needed this. It was the most important thing the Kaisae had ever asked of her, and she would not let Sal down again.

When she made it to her feet, Exton grabbed her hand, remembering that she didn't see well in the dark. He guided her away from her mates to a quiet area on the ridge that was kept open for her to work. There, they both sank to the ground, sitting cross-legged, side by side, and staring at the enemy camp.

"Ready for my mind?" Exton asked.

She nodded, felt the offer a moment later, then blended her senses with his. The connection always felt very personal, which made her want to shy away from it, but this was Exton. Ylexa had picked him to work with her because he was onsyc, and his mind proved that he was more interested in Ghost than her. She was nothing more than his friend.

But as soon as she thought it, he opened up a little more, clarifying what he felt. A good friend. An impressive friend. Not a lover. She looked over to smile at him, thankful that he understood.

"I catch shadows of your past," he whispered. "Enough to make me not want to look. I like you, Shade, but in a fully dressed sort of way."

"Thank you," she mumbled, not knowing what else to say.

But she knew what he meant. Spending time with him reminded her of how Sal acted with Rayna. They laughed. They shared stories and played like teenagers. Exton tried, but she kept flinching away from the pure maleness of his mind, worried about what her mates would think or what he'd expect from her. And each time, he gave her another piece of proof that there were no expectations. Nothing more than friendship.

"Ok," she breathed. "Show me the movers?"

"Hand," he said.

Shade placed her palm against his, and her entire world shifted. That contact kept her from feeling like she was falling over, reminding her that their bodies were still in the same place. Her stomach flipped and tensed, letting her know it wasn't happy with sharing his skill, but he stopped before it could rebel.

There, Exton said, concentrating on a group by the fire.

Closer? she asked. I don't want to explode them if they're just waking up and getting dressed.

So he pulled them in a little closer. She counted ten, and all of them were Esceans. Their clothing was made to blend with the terrain, including strips of grass and patches of dirt rubbed into it. Their faces had been painted with soil from the area. Then there were the weapons. Each man wore a few.

What do you want to do? Exton asked.

Watch, she decided. For now, let's just watch.

So they sat like that, looking at something they couldn't physically see, for a while. Over the Escean camp, she watched the sky change from black to blue, then pinks and yellow leaked in. More people woke and staggered out to the fire. Someone began preparing a meal, but it didn't look like a good one. Men laughed, slapping each other in the brutish way of humans, and still she just watched. With her hand in Exton's, neither moved because their minds weren't with their bodies. They were across the line of battle, keeping Anglia safe.

Then, "What are you doing?!" The voice was Ghost's, and it sounded far away.

Exton released her hand, letting her slide back into her own awareness, and Shade gasped. Blinking hard to get her bearings, she turned to her mate, finding him glaring down at her. The smell of fear rolled off him.

"The Esceans are dressed for stealth," she explained. "They woke early and have been sitting there since before dawn."

"And you didn't wake me?" He thrust a hand out toward Exton. "You're up here alone with him?"

Exton ignored that to say, "They're still not moving."

Shade pushed herself to her feet, turning to face her mate. "I let you sleep. Why is that a bad thing?"

Ghost snarled. "If you wanted another mate, you could've warned me."

"Not interested in her," Exton said. "And using my skill doesn't stop me from hearing both of you."

Ghost stopped, his entire body heaving as he tried to catch what was just said. "What?"

"He thinks you are pretty," Shade said. "He's just helping me do what Sal asked. Why are you trying to make me feel like this is a bad thing?"

"Jealousy," Exton said.

Shade looked at Ghost, slowly shaking her head. "You can't be jealous. I'm nothing to be jealous about. I'm just the leftover woman. The only one in the pack right now. I mean, until we take Baeli."

"What are you talking about?" Ghost asked.

Shade gestured at herself. "I'm not the Kaisae. I'm scarred. I couldn't even have your baby! This is the one thing I'm good at, and you're making me feel like I shouldn't be doing it."

"No." He stepped into her and grabbed both sides of her face. "No, Shaden, you are none of those things. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met. Too good for me. That's why I'm worried - because all of these nuvani men know it, and here you are, standing on this hill for all of them to see. If Sal could refuse her cessivi, what's to say you can't walk away from me just as easily?"

"But I love you," Shade whimpered.

"You shouldn't," he breathed. "I'm just a submissive male. The weakest member of the Black Blades. Why do you want me? I'm not even meant for you."

"But you keep me safe."

His charcoal eyes softened as he pulled her closer, wrapping her in a hug. For a long moment, they stood there in each other's arms. Shade hadn't realized it, but this was just as hard on her men as it was on her. Too many hours without sleep, too much responsibility piling up on their shoulders, and all the pressure was starting to make them crack.

The hardest part would be making sure they didn't lash out at each other. These men were the most important part of her life. They were her family, and the only people who'd ever loved her just for existing. Her pack did too, but not the same way. These men made her feel special, amazing, and powerful.

They made her feel like she could do this.

"Zyrn?" she asked, leaning back to meet his eyes, then holding them. "I will burn anyone who tries to take you from me. Even my friend. I will not refuse you. I will not break our bonds. I would die first, ok?"

"Please don't," he said, but it was clear that made him feel a little better.

She just shrugged. "I hope not. I mean, I have plans when we get to Arhhawen."

"Yeah?" His hands slid a little lower down her back. "What kind of plans?"

Exton's chuckle kept her from answering. "If you want to take a break, Shade, my mate and I can watch. Just stay close. I bet that someone could even have a tent set up so you can.... enjoy him."

"Exton!" Shade hissed.

Ghost was smiling, though. "Yeah, I think we need something a little more private than the top of a hill. I know Arctic is having trouble keeping his hands off you."

"And you aren't?" she teased.

Ghost's hands moved to her ass, cupping a handful in each. "I will have you know that my hands are very much on you. Now, shall I steal you away or have someone set up a tent for us?"

"Both," Exton said. "You steal her, and I'll ask Zaedyn to have a tent placed behind this ridge for the next time." He chuckled, still facing the enemy camp. "But I do not promise not to invade your thoughts, little sister. The moment those men move, I will warn you. If you happen to be thinking about that lovely man when it happens, I'll call that a fair trade."

Shade giggled, but when Ghost's cheeks turned pink, it changed into a full-throated laugh. All she could do was nod, her red curls bouncing with her enthusiasm. Ghost tried to pull away, but she caught her dernor's hand before he could go too far.

"I like that someone else can appreciate my mate," she told him.

Ghost pressed his free hand to his face. "He's supposed to look at Arctic, not me."

"You," Shade said, lacing her fingers through his, "are just as pretty. I have the two best-looking iliri men, and there's nothing wrong with me being proud of it." She lifted her chin, daring him to deny it.

Instead, Ghost pulled his hand free, stepped closer, and scooped her into his arms. Lifting her against his chest, he turned back to the Anglian camp and started walking.

"I'll give you a reason to be proud, Shade. A few of them, if we have the time."

Exton chuckled. "You have the time. I'll make sure of it. My friend has earned a break."

And Ghost smiled. "Maybe I do like him."

Shade just leaned her head on his shoulder. "I kinda like that you got jealous, but not again, ok? It scares me."

"Never again," he swore. "Fear is only for the enemy. Now call Arctic. He needs this as much as we do."

"Mhm!"

Chapter Forty-Three

Cenla Xie, Unav

Their second day in Cenla Xie went smoother than the first. Sal didn't have any outbursts of jealousy, but the iliri women also kept their hands off her mates. Even if Tyr wasn't actually her mate, the rest of them treated him like he was. It was almost as if there was some mixture of respect and fear - probably about her sanity - hovering over everyone. Sal was willing to accept it.

She knew she couldn't prove she was sane. Nothing she could say would convince these people that she was a fair and good leader. Only time and experience could do that. Still, her emergency army was coming together slowly, pack by pack and group by group.

Blaz threw himself into helping with the military aspects of it. Tyr kept her distracted, making sure she ate, laughed, and slept. The problem was that in quiet times like this, Sal missed her other mates even more. Yes, she talked to them, sneaking in short conversations with all four of the men she'd left behind, but it was little more than promising each other that this would be ok.

And Cenla Xie began to get crowded.

Groups were moved into the fields. Those turned into small cities of tents. Many of the rebels had nothing but their bodies, yet the others shared what they'd brought. Right before her eyes, the iliri were embracing their communal natures and rebuilding their culture. Sal watched it all, amazed at how far her people had come in such a short time.

It gave her hope that this would really work. Thankfully, the Anglian army was still caught in a standoff, so there wasn't much actual fighting. Razor said that Shade had finally gotten a break, although the Esceans looked like they were planning something. The nuvani lookouts had jumped in to help, making it clear they supported the Blades unconditionally. Ylexa had ordered all of her maargra to obey Jase without question. And the grauori were just a little closer.

Which meant they still needed time. The day dragged on with Sal obsessing over all the potential problems. When dinner was finished, Tyr reached over for the maps Blaz had been engrossed with all day. The man chewed at his lip while he thought, which made Sal think about how he'd nipped at hers the night before.

But then he flipped his hand in her direction, shooing her off. "Stop looking at me like that. I need to focus, Sal. Take your Viernor upstairs or something."

"Not her Viernor," Blaz grumbled from the other side.

Tyr just smiled, his attention locked on the map. "Uh huh. Sure, man. Keep telling yourself that. Or did I get the word for fifth mate wrong?"

"It's the right word," Sal assured him.

"But I'm not the Viernor," Blaz hissed. "I can't claim a title until there are four men confirmed before me. I'm just her mate, Tyr."

Tyr chuckled. "Huh, sounds like something you two need to talk about. You know, alone, where the most talented strategist in a decade isn't breathing down my neck while I try to find holes in our plan. Not that you're on my neck, Sal, but close enough."

"You don't do strategy," she pointed out.

Tyr looked up, meeting her eyes like the human he was. "Take a hint, baby."

She just nodded, scooting her chair back. "Sounds like I'm calling it a night, huh?"

"That's my girl," Tyr purred.

Sal squeezed his shoulder in thanks, then waited for Blaz to join her. Together, they headed up the stairs toward their room. The problem was that Tyr's blatant hint that they should spend time together added a layer of awkwardness to it. Why was it that she could be alone with Tyr so easily, and yet locking herself away with Blaz always made her nervous?

Because he felt the same. A few weeks ago, he'd been nothing more than a friend. Now, he was her lover, her mate, and a man who clearly wanted his future to involve her, yet he hadn't changed a thing. Blaz hadn't taken to flirting with her. He didn't steal little touches. He was just as serious, completely honest, and exactly like he'd been when they were "only" friends.

"So..." she said as she pulled out the key for their door. "Does that mean you'll take the title?"

He chuckled but didn't answer until the lock released and they were both inside. Then, he carefully closed the door and flopped back against it. "I'd like to."

"But?" she asked, hearing it hanging in his voice.

He sighed. "But I'm human. But I have to make sure I'm not going to make problems for the 112th, and with Ran defecting? It's possible. Then there's the other 'but.' I can't say yes until your other mates have decided if I'll work. I know this isn't a thing between just us, Sal. It's all of us. I get that, and I'm willing to jump through your hoops." He reached up to scrub both hands down his face. "I'm trying really hard to prove this can work."

"Isn't it working?" she asked.

He slowly lowered his hands. "Is it? Do you honestly think that building a relationship in the middle of all of... this? Is really a good idea?"

"It's kinda all we have," she pointed out.

Blaz nodded. "And yet, it still feels a little weird," he admitted. "I mean, we both know Tyr sent us up here for one reason: to fuck. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little pressured to be something I'm not."

Sal laughed and headed toward the small table. Another bottle of mead had been placed in the center, a sign that the cleaning staff had been here. This time, there were three glasses waiting on the table, all of them turned upside down, placed on a fresh cloth to prove they were clean. Picking one up, she lifted it toward Blaz in a silent invitation to join her.

"I'd love one," he agreed, finally leaving his spot against the door. "I'm just curious how you always seem so casual about all of this."

"You won't like the answer," she admitted as she filled the glasses.

He claimed the chair on her left. "So tell me anyway?"

"Before I was a soldier, I was my owner's entertainment." She eased herself down into her chair and looked at him. "My job was to make men happy. I can smell your emotions, so I know when you're nervous or tense, and the more calm I am, the more calm humans tend to be around me. If I pretend like this is completely normal, it won't take long before you accept that it is."

"Mm." He took a small sip, clearly thinking about that. "And why am I supposed to hate that?"

Sal kept her face completely calm. "Because it means I was basically a whore."

"Slave," he corrected. "A whore is a woman who uses men for her own benefit, not caring how it affects them. A prostitute is a woman who makes a living off men's needs. Or men, I suppose."

"Isn't that what I was?" she asked.

He finally smiled. "I thought it didn't bother you, Sal, and yet it sure sounds like it does. I know about your past. I know all about it. Most from you, some from your packmates and friends. Quite a bit from my own guys doing some research when I locked myself away with you."

The strangest thing was how that made her feel better. Hearing that he'd cared enough to ask, even to dig through her records? It made her feel like he cared, and no, she wasn't upset that he didn't blindly trust her. She hadn't trusted him at first, either.

"It shouldn't bother me," she told him. "Iliri do what they want with their bodies. The past is gone and we can't change it. What I did, and what was done to me? It's all history, and it brought me here, so I shouldn't care at all about it, right?"

"But you do," he pointed out, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table. "I have a theory, and tell me if I'm wrong, but I think that what upsets you the most is that someone else had control of your life?"

"Yes!" she hissed. "That I slept with men, learned how to manipulate them, and everything else? Those are lessons I can still use now. Probably a lot more than I should, but it's how I first became friends with Dom. It's how I can make myself look calm when I want to scream, or how I force myself to act like I really am in charge. I learned things, and I'm fine with that, even if the lessons were ones I never want again, but that? Remembering that someone else could make me?"

"It sucks," he agreed. "And yet here you are, making me feel perfectly ok, even when I'm..." He lifted his hand to show that his fingers trembled slightly. "Sal, I'm terrified that I'm going to prove to you that I'm worthless."

"You are not," she said, but there was a little too much emphasis in her voice.

"I kinda am. I'm just a human who knows how to ride a horse, overthinks everything, and who has to fight off the monsters in my mind. The doctors in the CFC diagnosed me with depression. You need to know that. It's not going to go away, and I'm going to leak that into your mind. I'm going to dwell on all the wrong things, pull you down with me, and then there's the biggest problem. What if I lose this battle? What if, one day, I decide I'm done and finally kill myself? What will that do to you?"

She reached out and caught his hand. "Then we make sure you don't."

"And you should not be my mate because you feel sorry for me," he pointed out.

"I'm not."

She could've said so much more. She wanted to list off every reason that he was such a good man, all the amazing parts about him, and how much she cared, but that wouldn't help. Those were things he could dismiss. Instead, she gave him that one, singular truth. She didn't care about him because she felt sorry for him. She didn't want him to be her mate because she was helping. She wanted him because that was only one small part of him, and not the most important.

"Blaz," she said when the silence stretched for a little too long, "I like you. I honestly like you, regardless of everything else. I always have. I just..."

"What?" he asked when she let that trail off.

She picked up her glass and took a healthy swallow. "When we feel helpless, we latch onto anything that makes us feel strong. I'm a purebred iliri bitch. I'm dangerous, deadly, and unpredictable." She snuck in another little sip, then eased the glass back to the table. "And so I embraced that. I let it give me the power that everyone else had stripped from me, but it also pushed away the people who cared about me."

"Kinda didn't," he pointed out.

"But it did," she insisted. "Back when we first met, I refused to get close simply because you were a human. I mean friends was ok, but it still made me nervous. This? No, I convinced myself that I was too savage to consider it, and so I pushed you away. Back then, I was a stupid, scared little girl. Now? I'm a stupid, scared woman! I thought that if I kept everyone away, then it would make me stronger, but I should've known better. I mean, Blaec..."

"Hey," he breathed. "It's called learning. We all do it."

"No," she said, proving he was taking that wrong. "I'm saying I can't help but look back and think about all the things I should've done, how much better I could've been, you know?"

He grabbed the bottle and tilted it, refilling her glass first, then his. "I thought iliri didn't do regret?"

"We don't."

He just lifted a brow. "That sounds like regret to me." Before she could respond, he lifted a finger, set down the bottle, then capped it. "Hear me out. There are a few emotions iliri aren't supposed to have. Regret, hate, and some others that I can't remember. And yet, I've watched you have all of them. Interestingly, the closer you get to humans, the easier it seems to be for you to feel those things. Why do you think that is?"

Her mouth fell open as the answer hit her. "Because you're in my mind."

"And you're in ours. You are the first iliri Kaisae to be linked with more human minds than iliri, and even those iliri you can claim, they're more human than ever before. You can touch the grauori, and I can't even imagine what emotions they experience that we can't comprehend. Why wouldn't that have an effect on you?"

"Ok?"

"The Kaisae of all Anglia, Sal. The leader of three species, who asked for none of it. Stop and think about that for a moment. I've been watching you since you were still a new recruit in the Blades. Just some young girl with too much bravado and a pair of bars on her shoulders." Then he smiled. "Mm, speaking of that..."

Before Sal could ask what he was doing, Blaz stood and headed for his things. Reaching into the saddlebags he'd borrowed, he pulled out a small box, just a little too large to hide in his hand. As he returned to where she sat, he held it out like an offering.

"What's that?" she asked.

"A reminder from the Black Blades. Evidently, your mates know you a little too well. They said you might need something to give you a little push." He placed the box before her. "Open it, Sal."

Carefully, she removed the top - and paused. There, lying on a bed of black silk was something she'd safely put away long ago. Two stone bars made of yellow and blue, with crudely scored symbols etched in them by hand. Years of dirt, sweat, and even blood had turned the grooves dark, revealing the original symbol of the Black Blades.

"Blaec's bars?" she asked.

Because these were Conglomerate military insignia for a Lieutenant. The Lieutenant, actually. They'd graced Blaec's shoulders for years, a proud reminder that he didn't need rank to make him powerful. When she'd gone to Anglia, he'd given them to her via Jase. When they'd defected to Anglia and gave up all military rank, Blaec said they were Kaisae's bars.

And now, here they were again.

"Don't be brittle, Sal," Blaz said. "Don't let me be scared. Most of all, don't ever think that it's a title that makes you so fucking intimidating. These bars? They're just stone and memories. It's the person wearing them that matters."

"Or the one giving them to her," she said softly.

"Kolt?" he asked. "Because he's the one who made sure these were fetched for you."

Sal shook her head. "I mean you." She pushed the box aside without removing the bars, and stood. "Stop pushing me away, Blaz. Stop trying to hide your darkness, because I need you. And..." She closed the distance between them. "Just shut the fuck up and kiss me?"

Chapter Forty-Four

Cenla Xie, Unav

Sal stepped right into Blaz's chest and lifted her chin. Gently, with his fingers just a little clammy from nerves, he cupped the side of her face, but he didn't lean in, not at first. Instead, he just looked at her, his gaze shifting from one eye to the other.

"I don't know how to force this," he whispered.

"Don't." Sal grabbed his shirt to hold her close. "I don't want the man you think you should be. I want you, Blaz. With the messy past, the worries that etch this deep line in your brow, and the sweetest mind I've ever been inside. I want the person who stops and hears me. Not just listens, but who actually hears what I mean."

A sigh fell from his lips and he pressed his head to hers. "I thought you were dead. That I'd never get the chance to say anything. I was so drunk, hoping that I could just pass out and sleep long enough to stop feeling like I'd wasted my life, and then I heard Joevar. He was ranting about how you had to be alive, and how you'd need a mind to hold onto, and all I could think about was after Blaec died. How you were trying so damned hard, and just barely holding it together, and the way Kolt was there for you."

She nodded. "Even when he was scared he'd hurt me."

Blaz huffed once, acknowledging what she was hinting at. "I'm actually more worried about hurting Tyr than you, or crossing a line he can't deal with."

"I don't think hurting Tyr's a problem," she assured him. "He seems to like playing rough."

Blaz kept going. "But this? It's not easy. I've spent two years reminding myself that we couldn't happen. Training myself to be nothing more than a friend. And now, every time I want to touch you, to smile or hold you, that instinct kicks in first. We were supposed to just be friends. Nothing more."

"And yet here you are," she reminded him. "What happens if you stop that? If you let me see this horribly terrifying man that you're so afraid of."

"I'm not afraid of myself," he teased.

But she used the handful of his shirt to pull him just a little closer. "Aren't you? Isn't that what you've been telling me? You're worried that your sadness will poison me. You're scared that your inner desires will be too much for the men in my bed to handle. Isn't that just the long way of saying that you're afraid of the man you really are when no one's looking?" And she reached up to look him in the eye. "I'm looking, and I've looked many, many times before. I always came back."

"I'm a mush," he said softly.

She shrugged. "I like to be spoiled."

That earned her a little smile. "I have a bad habit of touching."

Sal leaned her body against his. "Prove it."

Blaz lowered his head, but not to her mouth. Instead, his lips found the silver tattoo on her neck. He kissed gently. Lightly, letting his tongue flick across the thin skin. When Sal tilted her chin to give him more room, he pressed a little harder, sucking at her neck.

Then he bit.

His teeth were completely human. They didn't pierce her flesh. He didn't try to prove a point. Blaz just bit her hard enough to make her moan. A tiny little sound that was barely audible in the room, but he felt it through that contact. The next brush of his teeth was higher, right at the edge of her jaw, and his fingers tightened, holding her there.

It felt good. Sensual in a way she hadn't experienced before. There was no anger in his touch. No feral need demanding to be quenched. Blaz simply measured out sensation, walking that narrow line between pain and pleasure - and she liked it. Pulling aside his shirt, she pressed her mouth to the base of his shoulder, right where it met his neck. He was too tall for her to do more. Then she kissed.

"I like to be in charge," he warned her.

Sal bit the line of his collarbone. "I like to be held down."

"Do you now?" His voice had dropped to a sultry rumble. "Tell me, Kaisae, what else do you like?"

She stepped back, pulling herself from his embrace. "Dominance." Then she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor.

His eyes drank her in, making lazy trips across the tattoos swirling on her skin. "And if I go too far?" he asked.

Sal reached for her waist, unbuckling the belt while he watched. "Then you push me into the maast."

He took a step back. A little smile played on his lips before he turned to the door, reaching out to flip the lock. "And if that happens? How do I deal with it?"

"Get me off. It's called bloodlust for a reason."

"Mm." When he turned back around, his hands reached for his shirt, slowly undoing the buttons. "Yeah, I think I can handle that." Then he tipped his head towards her. "Pants, Kaisae. I have a feeling that helping you out of those would make things even... harder... for me."

That made her eyes drop. She could definitely see the hard ridge of his arousal straining against his pants, and it made her want to touch it. A devious little thought began to grow in her mind, but she obeyed, stripping off the last of her clothes while still a pace away. Then she closed the distance between them just to drop to her knees.

"How brave are you?" she asked.

In answer, he tossed his shirt behind him and reached for his pants. "I know you won't bite me. Not unless you mean to."

"Good."

Sal waited until his erection sprang free, then grabbed it at the base with one hand, shoving her mouth over the tip before he could say no. She knew he wouldn't. He knew he wouldn't, but she didn't want to give him the chance. She wanted to taste him, aware of the human sugar on his skin when she licked the underside of his shaft. Blaz grabbed the back of her head, knotting his fingers in her hair, and pressed closer.

His length slid into her mouth, pausing at the back of her throat, then he retreated. In that one move, he'd just reclaimed control. She wasn't getting him off, he was - with her mouth, and his hand prevented her from helping. Instead, Sal just knelt before him, sucking at him as he thrust himself between her lips. She let her hand slide around, then down, cupping his balls, and the man groaned.

It was a deep, primal sound, the kind she loved to hear. There was no faking the need in that noise, nor the pressure in his dick. When Blaz said he wanted to be in control, he wasn't exaggerating. She felt like he was acting out some fantasy with her, the kind of thing he'd played out in his mind a few times too many. The way he pumped into her, pushing her mouth to take just a little more was demanding, but never too much. It was his way of taking care of her.

Then she added her other hand, stroking him as he slid out of her lips, but it didn't last long. Only three strokes later, he pulled her head again, panting hard.

"Damn, that's good," he mumbled.

She made a point of licking her lower lip. "Then finish."

"Uh uh," he said, shaking his head. Then he grabbed her arm, pulling her up. "No, I think this is going to end in bed."

Never in her life had she met anyone who walked the line between rough and gentle like him. He made her move, but his fingers didn't bruise. He pushed her where he wanted, but always at the speed she could handle. Then, just as they reached the bed, he spun her around to face him.

"I also like to cuddle," he warned before his mouth crashed into hers.

The kiss was hard, hot, and completely unconcerned with what might linger on her tongue. Blaz didn't flinch away from the taste of himself, no different than she did when her men tasted like her, and she loved it. Sal sucked at his tongue, tangled hers with it, and then stole the chance to bite his full lower lip.

And that was when his hand landed on her throat. He used the grip like a handle, holding her mouth to his, plundering it. Every breath she took was filled with his air before he kissed that away too. He made her feel delirious and wild, but in a whole new way. This wasn't a fight to see who was stronger. It was proof that she was needed, more than anything else in his life, and she could feel it.

Every kiss leaned her back a little more, forcing her to cling to him for support until her back met the mattress. His chest held her there, pressed tight against hers, and her thighs wrapped around his hips. His free hand grabbed one, pulling her higher, but his mouth never stopped. He didn't give her time to think or plan. He just made her feel good, smothering her senses with every touch, caress, kiss, and contact. Blaz was right there, with her in every way, but she wanted just a bit more. She wanted his mind.

The moment she reached for him, he grabbed her thoughts, making it clear what he meant by control. Sal gasped at the intensity, but he'd done this before. He knew how to manage this link, and he did it with the same passion he used to kiss her. All she could do was give in, letting him have his way, and enjoying every single second of it.

Then she felt him shift, sliding his hardness down to her opening and in. She moaned as he filled her, grasping at his arms because that was all she could reach. Her hands fumbled, her fingers sought the ridges in his muscles for support as he began to move. Slow, rocking thrusts pushed her throat deeper into his hand. She could breathe, but only if he let her. What she couldn't do was press back into him.

But while she might be there for his pleasure, Blaz gave as good as he got. He tilted his hips, his eyes locked on her face and his thoughts roaming through her mind. Each time he hit a good spot, he smiled, focusing on it until she was whimpering with desire, only to move to find something better.

If this was how he loved, she could take it. So giving, but also taking without shame. He made her feel like she was the most beautiful thing in the world, and she could sense how much he loved watching her, drinking in the sight of her trapped beneath his hand. For Sal, it was too much.

"Please," she begged, feeling her release building again.

He pumped harder, pushing himself deeper, and picking up the tempo. Beneath her, the bed creaked, the old resin springs protesting the abuse, but Sal wasn't. She'd finally figured out her horseman. Finally realized why he was so gentle - because he was scared of this part of himself. But he shouldn't be. It was nothing compared to the monster raging inside of her.

"Harder," Sal demanded.

There was a single moment of surprise through the link before he obeyed. The sound of their flesh meeting, the grunts coming from him as he buried himself inside her, and the moans that demanded to be set free from her throat all filled the small, cheap room. It felt right. Gone was the line between human and iliri, replaced only with passion and need. She needed him just as much as he needed her, and yet she couldn't take it. He made her feel so good, so safe even when she shouldn't, and so fucking amazing.

Sal gasped as her orgasm hit, her body locking around his as he rode her through it. She felt him join her in that moment, his pleasure making hers even sweeter, but he didn't stop, not until the last flutters of her climax began to subside. Only then did his hand relax on her neck and Blaz flopped forward, catching himself with an arm braced over her shoulder.

"Fuck," he breathed, sounding lost in awe.

Sal pulled at his arm, using her leg to encourage him to come closer. "Yeah," she breathed, knowing exactly what he meant. "That was good."

He leaned in to kiss her again, but it was quick. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she agreed, relaxing her leg so he could change position.

Blaz slid out of her body, then flopped down beside her, both of their legs hanging off the edge of the mattress, but their shoulders were side by side. "Hey?" he asked, his eyes on the ceiling. "Is it weird that I'm completely in love with you?"

She rolled toward him, pushing her face into the soft spot beside his shoulder. "No. Is it weird that I like it?"

"Not at all," he assured her. "But you don't love me back yet."

"Yet," she assured him. "I feel like I'm playing catch up."

"You think you can?" He finally turned to look at her.

She just nodded. "Soon," she promised. "Just give me long enough to reclaim my other mates, ok?"

"I was kinda meaning like, by the time the war's over, so yeah." Then he clasped her head, holding her there. "Not too kinky for you?"

"Not even close," Sal promised. "But if you like being bit..."

He chuckled. "Why do I think that's a warning?"

She just smiled against his chest. "My mates claim each other too. Like a pack bonding thing. It's oddly sexy to watch them bite each other."

At the edge of her vision, she saw his dick bounce in excitement. Blaz reached down to press it into place, almost like he'd hoped she hadn't seen but knew better.

"Yeah," he breathed. "I'm ok with that."

"Figured." She let out a pleased sigh, her eyes slipping closed on the end of it. "That's why I'm keeping you. Kaisae's orders, Blaz."

"Yes, sir," he said. "Although if we're trading orders..." He turned, grabbing her by the ribs to pull her properly onto the mattress, then he rolled on top of her. "Then I think we should do that again."

"Sir, yes sir," Sal agreed.

Chapter Forty-Five

Sal stretched into the pillows, shoving her face deep into the softness. Too soft. With a groan, she rolled onto her back, knowing she wasn't in the hotel room in Cenla Xie. Instead, she found the cabins from Stonewater Stables. Blaec's cabin, to be exact. The scent of him lingered in the sheets, but the bed was empty.

"Do you honestly think that picking this place is going to make me forgive you?" she asked the empty room.

Blaec's chuckle wafted in from the door to his office. He followed it a moment later, carrying two cups of coffee. With that charming smile of his, he made his way to the bed, passed her a cup, then sat beside her hip. Slowly, he took a sip.

"Mm. That tastes as good as I remember."

She rolled her eyes. "You cannot tell me that you never loved me, and then expect me to be happy to see you."

He snarled, tossing the cup away without looking, and twisted to face her. "That is not what I said."

Sal calmly put her cup on the bedside table, never taking her eyes off of his. The challenge in her gaze was honest. "You said you never loved me. You used me."

He sighed and looked away, ignoring her dominance, not giving in to it. "That's not what I meant. I was trying to say that I made mistakes. I know now I made them; I didn't back then. If anyone asked, I would've sworn that I loved you more than even Cyno, but I was wrong."

That wasn't what she'd expected to hear. "Ok?" she asked, encouraging him to go on.

"What did you want me to do?" he snapped. "Should I have spent my time doting on you, keeping you safe instead of teaching you how to cope after I was gone? Should I have worried more about protecting your feelings than your life? And if the iliri were going to be destroyed, don't you understand that would include you? That if I made any other choice, you would've been torn apart, tortured, and used as an example to make our entire species bow down and return to slavery? You would have died! And you think I'm wrong for deciding to die instead and possibly hurt your feelings – or destroy the rest of our pack? What should I have done?"

"I don't know!" she wailed.

He leaned closer. "I don't either. Sometimes, there is no good answer. Sometimes, life just sucks, and you know what? I got a shitty life. All my life, people died around me. I watched as everything I loved was torn down. I swore I would never let it happen again, and then Circus died. Then you showed up. There I was, convinced that I was the root of all evil, and that if I could just be strong enough, then I could change the entire world, and you know what? I fucking did!"

She had to blink, trying to let all of that sink in, but it wasn't working. "What?"

"I changed the pattern, Sal. I let myself die. I knew it was coming, and I was so fucking scared. Tell me, did I piss myself when they cut my throat?"

"No," she breathed. "You were asleep."

"Thank you." He reached over to take her hand. "I mean it. Thank you for that."

"Blaec, how did you change the pattern?"

Slowly, he lifted her hand to his lips. The kiss on her knuckles was feather-light. "You're alive. You're sane. I'm going to keep it that way. From the day I was born, my pattern was doomed to end in tragedy, but I can fix this. Sometimes it will hurt, but even dead, I still love you so much I can almost feel it."

"So why did you say all those things to me the other night?" she asked. "The parts about not loving me enough. About using me!"

He sighed, letting her hand drop. "Because nothing is black and white. These simple ideas? They're a myth. I thought I loved you, and I sure tried to do it as well as I could, but now I realize that I sucked at it. That's what I was trying to say. C'mon, you can't tell me that you haven't loved me and hated me at the same time. You can't say that you haven't had more than one reason for doing something. We all have. It's part of being smart enough to think. You're asking me about years of time, wanting me to put it all into a single sentence? I can't."

"The caves," she decided. "Why were you so angry that you stopped talking to me?"

He licked his lips and pulled in a very deep breath. "Possibly the worst moment of my life. Um, that answer is actually simple. I didn't know how to fix it. I sat up in my office above the stables, trying to decide what to say, and day after day passed me by. I thought that maybe you'd come apologize and make it easy, but you hadn't really done anything wrong. I hadn't either, not if you think about it. You were breaking the chain of command, and in a combat situation."

"But I was right," she hissed.

He nodded. "And so was I. My way would've prevented the Blades from being court-martialed."

"We weren't!"

He lifted a brow. "And you forgot that I couldn't see humans' futures? Ran took care of that mess. Your sadava, Sal, made sure we looked like heroes. General Albin wanted an inquiry. He believed we were falsifying our combat records to earn a bonus. Things happened behind the scenes that you never had to deal with, and they all played a part."

"Oh."

He pointed at the bed. "Can I join you up there now, or do you want to yell at me some more?"

That earned him a weak little laugh. "Yeah, it's fine."

Blaec crawled over her legs, then dropped into the space beside her with a sigh. Grumbling pleasantly, he scooted his way up so he was leaning against the pillows and headboard just like Sal was. Then he sighed again.

"I can feel it, you know. Your memories of what this feels like. It's the closest thing I get to living."

She turned to face him, rolling onto her side. "What's it like, being dead?"

"It's like nothing. Absolutely nothing. I'm not talking about an empty room. I'm talking about no time, no space, no sensations at all. I have my thoughts, and I can see the pattern, and it keeps trying to pull me into it. The void is right there, begging me to slip in, but Kolt's tie?" He smiled. "He's more powerful than he knows. He's constantly holding me here, and it prevents him from doing more, but he doesn't even notice."

"Why is he holding you?" she asked. "I mean, I'm glad he is, but why?"

Blaec smiled. "Because it's what his Kaisae wants."

Sal turned a little more, then snuggled up against Blaec's side. Instinctually, he moved his arm to wrap around her back, his hand resting casually on her hip. For just a moment, it felt like old times.

"Hey?" she asked. "I'm keeping Blaz."

"But not Tyr?"

"Mm," she grumbled. "He says he can't leave the Dogs, and I understand how he feels. I mean, I hate the idea of him being with another woman, but what can I do about it?"

"Let him," Blaec whispered into her hair. "Hate it, but let him do what he needs. Make him figure it out for himself, because if you try to force him to be what you want, then you won't be any better than me."

"You were a good man," she countered.

He grunted, a sound that neither agreed nor disagreed with her. "I was a man, Sal. A fallible, foolish, desperate man, trying to guess my way to the best ending. So is Tyr - and all your other mates. It's ok for them to make mistakes. It's also ok for you to forgive them, but not time and time again. Once, maybe twice, ok?"

"Is that a prophecy?" she asked.

"No, love, that's nothing more than a dead man's advice. But a prophecy? I can give you one of those, too. Not everyone will like you, Salryc Luxx, but in the end, they will all love you."

"Ok? And what does that mean?" She tilted her head to see his face.

Blaec smiled down at her. "It means that you should stop worrying about it. That you're strongest when you're wild. That the vis is nothing more than your need to help others, and their ability to feel it. It's the honesty in you. That raw passion that leaks out of every pore in your body and makes those around you fall in line, whether you ask them to or not. The vis, my dear, is nothing more than determination for the right reason. It's not mystical, or genetic. It's just a passion for a cause."

She could see that, to a point. "And what was your cause?"

"Making sure that the iliri only become extinct because they want to, not because they have to. It may seem like that difference doesn't matter to you, but it should." He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "Even those of us who can see the future can still choose our own paths. It's not destiny, because we don't have to be there. We aren't immutably forced to fail if we don't want to, or anything like that. It's just that sometimes, our losses make us stronger than ever before."

"Like how losing you made my powers grow so fast?" she asked.

He slowly nodded. "Like that. And like how your need for revenge fueled the strongest push in this war. It's like how your love for your mates kept you from making some very bad decisions in Merriton, or how you didn't take the dun."

"Ok." That actually made sense. "So what do I do now?"

He smiled. "Well, you could start with imagining two cups of coffee on that table so I can taste it again."

Sal playfully slapped his chest. "I mean when I wake up, Blaec."

"Mm." And he rolled toward her, bending his face close to hers. "Let Dom play politics. Let Rragri worry about the land and what this war will do to it. You? Fight for what you want, Sal. Stop backing down because it's what humans expect. Stop playing nice because you don't want to scare them." He leaned a little closer to her ear. "Scare them, sweetness. Make them piss themselves in fear. Show them that size only matters for men..." He chuckled and leaned back to smile at her. "And that they'll love you when you win. If you stop playing politics and start fighting again, then you will. You can win this war, and you already know how. You have all the pieces you need, but you have to use them. You have to risk them, and trust that I am still here, trying to make sure that they come home to you."

"Can you keep us all alive?" she asked.

"No," he said. "I can move the threads, and I can make a lot of miracles happen, but I can't save everyone. I can't keep the elderly from dying. I can only move people, so I'm limited, but I can save a lot of them. I will, but you have to do one thing for me in return."

She nodded vigorously. "Anything."

"Erase the lines, Sal. All of them. The pattern is changing, and I can see more than ever before. That is the best path. Erase the lines that divide everyone, and stop trying to be what others want. Make them become what you need."

That sounded so easy, but it was one of those things that was much harder to do. "Basically," she said, "you're saying I should tell the rest of the world to fuck off?"

"No, sweetness. You should dare the rest of the world to keep up." He smiled and glanced over. "Look, the coffee is back."

All she could do was giggle. His obsession with a figment of her imagination was so amazingly mundane, and also very, very surreal. If there was anything in the world that could prove to her that not only was he real, but also that she had learned how to dream, this was it. Sal stretched out for a cup and passed it across, pleased to see that she didn't spill a single drop. Clearly, that was another benefit of dreams.

"Blaec?" she asked, as she claimed her own cup. "Why can I dream now?"

"You can't," he explained. "I can. I just have to use your memories. This? It's my dream, I just let you share it."

"But how?" she insisted. "I've never dreamed before, and you're dead."

"Mm." He shifted to sip at his coffee. "You did. I mean, I did in your head. The difference is that when you died? Well, the lines between us got a little thinner. That changes all the rules. Now, stop worrying about all of that and just tell me about what happened today, ok? Like you used to, back when we still could?"

With a smile, she made herself a little more comfortable in the bed and decided it was worth trying. Of course, the first thing on her mind was the pair of men sleeping on either side of her. "So, I'm trying to impress these guys, right?"

Blaec's smile turned soft and sweet. "Tell me all about it, love. Every single thing."

She did, and no matter how long she talked, the sun never moved higher, keeping the morning stuck in that perfect time just before she had to get out of bed.

Chapter Forty-Six

Cenla Xie, Unav

Sal woke up in time for lunch. She didn't normally sleep that late, and a lifetime of mandatory service had trained her to rise with the dawn, but nights with Blaec weren't exactly restful. Thankfully, the staff at the inn were more than willing to make her a special meal. While the table beside her ate roasted deer, Sal had a mixture of eggs and fish, all of it smothered in cheese, along with a fresh glass of milk.

Beside her, Blaz and Tyr ate the same meal as all the others - by choice. Oddly, it was starting to feel like a comfortable routine. Tyr teased her with something green on his plate, she repaid him by stealing a piece of meat, and he retaliated by snagging a sip from her milk. The whole time, Blaz just chuckled, making sure to eat his own food before the pair ganged up on him.

Sal had just pushed her plate away for the serving staff to collect when something in the room changed. Like a wave, a hum of surprise passed from the front near the windows, back to where she and her new mates sat. Heads turned and hands moved to weapons, but Sal did not expect what came next.

The door swung open hard, and through it stormed a giant of a man. Surrounded by iliri and iliri crossbreds, he seemed even larger, but she still recognized him. The problem was that the Jurican Warlord did not look happy to be here.

"Would anyone like to tell me why three units of Anglian soldiers hauled me to some pathetic town in an iliri-infested nation?" he demanded.

Sal pushed herself to her feet. "Because I told you to come," she called back. "And you were smart enough to obey."

He scoffed. "I was told you'd have an army. All I see out there are farmers living in tents."

She made her way around the table, aware that her men were following her, but she didn't dare look back. Jurij was glaring at her, the challenge in his eyes setting off every instinct she had. Lifting her chin, she held his gaze from across the room and made her way closer, making him wait for her response.

Then, "And all I see with you are a handful of fat old men. Tell me, Warlord, who do you think has a better chance?"

He closed the distance between them in two steps and leaned down into her face. "You are supposed to be the famous Kaisae of all Iliri?" He grunted as if unimpressed. "I actually expected something... bigger."

"Kaisae of all Anglia," she corrected. "And I figured you'd be the kind of man who swore size didn't matter." She let her eyes fall to his crotch.

The insult was obvious, and it was more than a proud Escean could take. For one who'd been pushed out of not only his home, but his entire country? Sal's remark was a very low blow. Letting out an almost iliri-like snarl, Jurij thrust one hand toward her throat.

His bare hand.

Her bare throat.

Skin met skin, and the entire room erupted. Tyr and Blaz pulled their blades. The iliri roared out their anger, most of them surging closer. Sal, however, simply smiled.

The moment he touched her, she could read him. That put her inside his head, and it was only a short path from there to taking control of his body. The man never even got the chance to squeeze before Sal decided that he needed a lesson - and fast. If Jurij thought his size was going to scare her, then he needed to realize that her abilities should terrify him.

"Kneel," she growled, reaching up to pull his hand from her throat, but she didn't let go. That contact was what gave her power over him.

The man's knee bent, but he held her eyes even while his body lowered. Still, that was enough to make the people around them relax, although not completely. Weapons stayed at the ready. Lips were still curled high enough to show sharp teeth. Sal noticed it all, but she couldn't look away. Not until this man looked down.

Because it seemed he was more like her than any other human she'd met before. Jurij was proud, he was aggressive, and he was tired of being pushed around. She could accept all of that because she'd been there, but right now, she needed him to understand that she was stronger. Then he had to submit to her authority. If he didn't, her entire army would start to crumble before they even made their first attack.

"Warlord," Sal said, giving him the respect of his title even as she forced him to bow before her, "I think you underestimated me. I don't need to be a giant to defeat you. I only need to be iliri, and I've just filled 'this infested town' with dozens, possibly even hundreds of predators. We eat your kind; we no longer grovel to them. Am I understood?"

"You can't hold me like this forever," he insisted.

She tilted her head slightly, flicking her ears at him with the sweetest expression she could manage. "I don't need to. If you cause problems, I will kill you. I don't care about your arrangement with the CFC. My responsibilities are to Anglia and every iliri on this continent. And please keep in mind that I'm much faster with a dagger than I am with my skills. And you? You'd feed this town for a week."

She felt his mind relax in shock, and the man's eyes widened slightly. "You didn't kill the Warlords with magic?" he asked.

Sal leaned right into his face. "There is no magic. I scaled the outside of that building with my partner. We waited in the rafters, listening to the seven of you ramble on about deals for steel. When you refused the idea of selling off your country, we let you leave. Two pale soldiers standing only meters over all of your heads, and not a single one of you saw us."

His eyes moved down to the ground. His head wanted to follow, but Sal held him in place. The man managed to say, "My apologies, Kaisae, for my rude remarks. Any woman who can kill multiple Warlords in fair combat deserves my respect."

"There are many ways to be strong, Jurij. Big is only one. Fast is another. Iliri abilities are the least of them. But neither of us should forget that the strongest thing we can do is make a very hard choice because we believe it's what is right for our people. Will you help me?"

"Will you promise not to destroy Escea?" he countered. "I heard the Chieftain's Plains are right in the line of battle."

Sal slowly shook her head. "Anglia doesn't want to desecrate that place. We know almost nothing about it except that it's important for most Escean leadership changes, and that the Warlords will abandon their own provinces to protect it. I also don't care. You want your Chieftain's Plains. I want my iliri to be free. How do we make both happen?"

Then she released him, giving him back control of his movements. Jurij felt it, but he didn't shove himself to his feet. The man shifted a bit to be more comfortable, then looked around the room, taking in all of the iliri. They hadn't attacked, but they all had their eyes locked on him like cats watching a mouse.

He chuckled. "Them, actually. You know Escea still has slaves, right?"

"I've heard rumors," she admitted.

"You know how? We stole them. Centuries ago, Escea released the iliri from Anglia where they were being bred like livestock. They turned on us and formed Unav. The few we managed to get back were all kept under very strict control, even to this day. Since then, we've stolen more. Some from the CFC, some from the north. Plenty from the east - which means Anglia or Viraenova."

"Still?" she asked, aware that her ears had turned back, but she couldn't stop them.

Jurij lifted one shoulder. "I can't prove that one way or another. But I have a question. How well versed are you in Escean law?"

"Not at all," she admitted.

The giant rocked back on his heels and stood, gesturing for his men to relax. "Did you know that anyone can bring a claim for restitution to the Warlords? If a crime was committed against you, then you have the right to ask for payment from the leader of that province. The problem is that you only get paid if you can prove you're strong enough to take it."

"Combat," Sal realized.

Jurij nodded. "And if you win, you can ask for anything you want. Now, the Escean Chieftain has the right to refuse it, but again, he would have to win the fight. Spoils always go to the winner."

"Wait," Tyr said, moving up beside Sal's right hand. "You're saying that she could ask for all slaves to be freed, and all she has to do is win a fight?"

"Six of them," Sal clarified. "One for each province, plus whatever needs to happen with this Chieftain."

"The Warlord of Warlords," Jurij explained. "It's not a title that is used outside of council meetings, but it gives the warrior the ability to break ties when voting. It also changes annually with a fight to first blood in the center of the Chieftain's Plains."

Sal was nodding. "Which is why you're so worried about them being destroyed. Your entire government works based on rituals at this specific location. The distance to get there, the lack of control by another province..." She was quickly putting the pieces together.

"And it's where the Blood Covenant that formed Escea into a nation was signed. Each Warlord fought for the right to lead his tribe, and then he used his blood to sign that tribe's loyalty to the rest. It's our constitution - or the closest thing we have."

"No," Tyr said. "She can't singlehandedly fight off every Warlord in Escea. Are you insane?"

"She has before," Jurij countered.

"With her partner," Tyr shot back.

"It won't be all at one time," Jurij snapped, huffing at Tyr in annoyance. "And I promise you, the warriors holding the title of Warlord now? They're nothing compared to the ones she's already cut down. That's why I'm ready to go back. I want to fight for the title of Chieftain, and put an end to this deal with Terric. I want to make Escea its own sovereign nation again."

Sal held up her hand before Tyr could say anything else. "I think you aren't alone in that, actually."

"Oh?"

"Come, Jurij, sit with me, and let's talk about what we both know. See, I've had eyes and ears in the Emperor's army for quite a while now. What do you bring to this table, and why should I help you become the next leader of Escea?"

"Because I can tell you the rules to get that restitution. Trust me, Kaisae, I'm not dumb enough to give up all my secrets before we have a deal."

"Blaz?" she asked. "Can you get him a meal and a chair? Tyr?" She reached out to touch his arm. "Can you find his men someplace comfortable? Where they won't have to deal with our infestation?"

"Sorry, guys," Tyr told them. "Only one room left at the inn, so you can either share with the big guy, or you can camp out with the farmers you seem to think are so worthless. Right, and after degrading these people, I have a feeling that none of the homeowners have any space left for you, either."

"We're prepared to camp," Jurij told him. "The Anglian units have our horses and gear."

"Warlord," a man breathed. "You can't honestly think you're safe with her!"

"Actually, I do. I have been following the Kaisae of all..." He turned back to Sal. "Anglia, did you say?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes, because I lead more than just iliri now, Warlord."

"Just answer me one thing, Luxx - "

"Sal," she corrected.

"Ok then, Sal. What are your plans for Escea? If you could write my country's future, what would happen to us?"

She didn't even need a pause to think about it. "I'd demand every iliri within your borders be politely escorted out and released. At the same time, I'd also nullify the agreement with Terric. He's using you, and he's letting your citizens die for his war." She made a dismissive noise. "Right, he's also losing."

"And?" Jurij asked.

"That's it," she assured him. "I have no complaint against Escea as a whole. I'm not looking to start a war or increase the size of Anglia's lands. All I want is for my people to be treated like we're equal, and we're more than willing to prove we deserve it. Just stay out of our way, Jurij, because we really aren't easy to stop."

"I'll do you one better, Kaisae. I'll show you how to make Escea break that line." He turned his attention to Blaz. "Wouldn't expect a man your size to be whipped by his girl."

Blaz just laughed. "Clearly, you know absolutely nothing about iliri, Warlord. Odd, considering she just had you on your knees."

"Good point, my friend. Very good point." And Jurij slapped Blaz's shoulder as if they'd just shared the greatest joke.

For a moment, Sal just watched them return to her table in the corner. The Jurican Warlord wasn't at all what she'd expected, but she couldn't honestly say she disliked him. Then again, she'd also been deep inside his head. More than anything, this man wanted his people to be free, and that was one thing she could understand.

Now, she'd use it as a starting point for their alliance.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Cenla Xie, Unav

The talk with Jurij took the rest of the day. The man had questions - about everything - and wanted all the answers. Thankfully, he gave just as much back. All in all, he seemed to be a willing partner once Sal assured him she didn't want to take over his country. In fact, it appeared that he intended to be the next Chieftain. Only so he could put Escea back together, he said.

Sal was pretty sure it had more to do with getting back control of his own province, but she wasn't about to bruise his already sensitive ego. Then again, that was the strangest part. In so many ways, he reacted like an iliri. Jurij was proud, he was dominant, and he loved to fight more than anything else. Those were all things she could understand.

But eventually, the night got late and the tactics were once again put on hold. In truth, Sal was only waiting for a few more men. Zensa said the last large group of Rebels would arrive overnight. More would follow, but it wouldn't be hard for them to catch up. That meant all she needed now was Star Fall.

Unfortunately, Sal couldn't just reach out for them with a thought. She didn't have any grauori to send out as scouts, or to meet them partway and escort them back. Instead, she had a city filled with iliri talents. Naturally, she asked Zensa to have a lookout search for Terrans, and to wake her if any headed up the long, winding path to Cenla Xie.

She didn't honestly expect it would happen that night, but sometime in the early hours of the morning, before the sky had even started to lighten, a fist banged at her door.

"Kaisae?" The voice was female, and timid.

Sal nudged Blaz, grunting in a way she hoped he understood. Blaec had been telling her something, but the interruption had jerked her awake too fast for her to remember it. Now, she felt sluggish, but he'd warned her that could happen. He'd also promised that he'd never let her sleep that deeply unless she was in a very safe place.

Sal almost closed her eyes again, but the girl pounded on the door one more time. "Kaisae!"

"Hang on," Blaz grumbled. "I need pants."

"I see the Terrans," the girl said, sounding like her face was pressed right against the crack of the door. "A small group, but they just began climbing the path up the mountain and seem to be heading here."

"Clothes," Sal grumbled, flapping a hand to prove what she meant.

Tyr simply reached off the side of the bed, grabbed the first thing his hand closed on, and flung it at her. A shirt. Sal barely had it over her body before Blaz was opening the door, his pants only partly closed. The girl was still there.

"Nine men," she said. "All mounted, and all of them wearing Terran uniforms. I just have no way of knowing if they're the ones you're waiting for, Kaisae."

Sal waved the girl closer. "I need to see." And she held out her hand.

The girl reached up timidly, but she did lay her palm on Sal's. That was all Sal needed to link their minds together, tying her to the girl's ability. Then, "Ok, now show me?"

Being pulled by a lookout was strange. There was a stretching sensation, plus the feeling of movement, but it didn't correlate directly. Sal couldn't watch the ground fly by between where she was and where she needed to be. There were no walls to pass through. It was simply black, then dizzy, then there. And "there" was at the base of the Siahie foothills, where some very tired soldiers were pushing their horses to keep going.

She recognized Tharp's face immediately. Emen was next. A few of the others she'd met before, but not all of them. Still, the number worked out. Nine. Star Fall had been another small unit like the Blades, with ten members. Since Kolt had defected straight from their assignment, there would be no way for them to have replaced him. That left nine men.

Nine Conglomerate elite soldiers who'd been serving as Terrans for far too long. Nine men who'd tried to kill her. Nine men who weren't done helping save the iliri yet, and who most likely wouldn't be thrilled to hear that was their purpose. Sal honestly didn't care. They didn't want to die as traitors to their nation, and she needed their expertise.

"It's Star Fall," she told the room, and immediately felt her mind slide back into her body.

"How long?" Blaz asked.

It was the girl who answered. "A couple of hours. They'll be here well before dawn, the same as you when you came."

Sal let out a heavy sigh. "Ok. Can you get some fresh coffee going, and let us change? We'll be down in half an hour or less."

"Yes, Kaisae," the girl breathed, ducking her head as she backed out of the room.

Blaz closed the door behind her, then leaned up against it. Damn, but he looked good like that. The hard muscles in his abs teased her eyes down to his partially open pants, but he didn't care. Tyr, however, noticed her moment of distraction.

"Pretty sure he could finish in a half-hour," he teased, nudging Sal's back.

She swatted at him. "That doesn't mean I could, and it's not as much fun if it's one-sided."

"Sal," Tyr chided, "you always get off. Usually quickly. So don't give me that."

Blaz finally chuckled. "Ok, where are we putting these guys?"

"Really?" Tyr asked. "I'm trying to get you laid, she's over here gawking at you, and you're over there thinking about where to let Star Fall sleep? Man, you have some seriously fucked up priorities."

"Thanks." Blaz grinned, then looked over to Sal. "But that's one thing we didn't think through, along with what you need them for exactly. We all know they aren't the best fighters from the saddle."

"They've had some training," Sal promised. "Narnx didn't give them any other choice. I also don't care where they sleep, just so long as they do. Now, will someone find me a clean uniform?"

"Dunno," Blaz said, letting his eyes run over her body. "You look pretty good in the Devil Dogs' colors."

"Yeah, she does," Tyr agreed. "And that's my shirt."

"No shit," Blaz pointed out. "Who else's would it be?"

"Don't care. I'm just kinda living the dream right now. I have the Kaisae of all Anglia in my shirt and nothing else." Tyr rolled off the bed, but he was smiling foolishly. "Man, I've spent many nights thinking about this moment, and here it is. I can now die a happy man."

"No dying," Sal ordered.

He just winked at her. "They call it a little death, baby. That's the only kind of dying I'm worried about."

Blaz tried to groan at the joke, but it came out more like a chuckle. "Pervert."

"Just wait until you're in her tent with a dozen other men, all trying to get your dicks near her, and then we'll talk about who's the pervert." Tyr found her things, collected one clean uniform, then made his way back. "Will trade for a kiss."

Sal gave it to him gladly, thankful that her friends were finally themselves again. Hearing Star Fall was so close meant they'd be leaving soon, and that had to take a lot of pressure off them. Hopefully, that was the only problem Sal had with her new mates, because tomorrow, they'd finally get to start the assault.

* * *

The sky was dark. Not even a star shone overhead, thanks to the heavy layer of clouds. Behind Sal, the inn was aglow, lantern light leaking out of every window, but she was far enough away that it didn't bother her. It also didn't illuminate her or the men who stood on either side.

Blaz still wore the uniform of the 112th Mounted. Tyr was dressed to show he was a Devil Dog. She was in black, but the only acknowledgment of her rank or unit were the pair of bars she'd pinned to her shoulders. Thinking about them, Sal reached up, letting her fingers play along the rough grooves cut into the stone, but that was all.

Because the sound of horses was loud enough for even Tyr to hear. Star Fall just had to make one more turn, and they'd see her. She wasn't completely convinced these men believed what Narnx had said, but she knew one thing. All of them were loyal to the CFC, and thus willing to help her win. They weren't friends, and they never would be, but they were allies.

Then she spotted the first horse. It was little more than a silhouette against the dark sky beyond. Another followed behind it, with a third proving the line wasn't single file. Still, she said nothing. It would've been standard to demand their name, rank, and country, but these men couldn't answer that question. Not until they knew who they were talking to, and she didn't want to start off on the wrong foot with them again.

Then the man in front saw her. Nudging his horse, he encouraged the animal to walk a little faster. "Is there a town around here?" he called out, proving all he saw was her shape.

It was Tharp. She knew his voice too well. The memory of him whispering in her ear while one of his men slowly choked her out made sure she'd never forget it. In the darkness, Sal smiled.

"There is," she promised, her voice raised only enough for him to hear.

The man reined his horse to a stop. "Sal?"

"Tharp?" she countered. "I was expecting you."

He looked around. She knew he couldn't see much in the darkness, but he still had to try. "How long have you been waiting?" he asked.

"About fifteen minutes. We knew you were coming. Relax. Narnx told me the moment you left his camp. We just weren't sure how much trouble you'd find along the way. Any casualties?"

"No, actually." He swung his leg over the saddle and dismounted with a very loud groan. "I have almost no intel, no orders, and no idea what is going on. Are you aware that your friend in the Terran army is the Emperor's son?"

"Yeah, I was the one who revealed that to him." She gestured for her men to help with the horses. "Blaz, show them to the stables. Tyr, take the rest of them to a bed."

"Nope," Tyr said. "Baby, I've got to deal with Jase when we get back, and there's no fucking way I'm leaving you alone with this asshole. Not if I wanna keep my balls, and trust me, I like them a lot."

"Just do it," she told him. "I'm pretty sure Tharp isn't stupid enough to pull a weapon on me in a town full of iliri." Then she gestured back towards the inn. "Care to stretch your legs, Captain?"

"Thank you, um..." He paused. "Is Kaisae the right title? I've been calling you 'the bitch,' for a little too long, it seems."

"Kaisae is," she assured him, "although I won't take offense to Sal."

"Then I'll just go with Sal." He moved to her side. "And no, I'm not interested in killing you unless I have no other option."

"Oh, don't worry," she assured him. "You'd never live long enough for that to happen. Besides, I've done the dying thing. It's a pain in my ass, but it seems I have ways around it. Now, can I be blunt, Captain?"

"Sure," he drawled, sounding a little nervous about what would come next.

"Kolt's told me all about your unit. That includes your secrets. I also know he wasn't one of your favorite soldiers. Too bad. He is one of mine. But the problem is that it always comes back to you. The rest of Star Fall seems more than willing to work with Anglia - or anyone, really. You, however, hate my species. You hate me, in particular. Why?"

"No, it's just a misunderstanding," he assured her.

Sal spun to face him, pinning her ears and lifting her lip to expose her very sharp teeth. "I have nothing stopping me from killing you, so let's cut the bullshit. What the fuck is your problem, human?"

He leaned into her face. "That. You always think anger is the answer. You can't imagine any other way to deal with our problems, and you're going to get my species killed because you're too stupid to see the bigger picture. Happy now?"

She slowly nodded. "Yeah, because it means that no matter what I do, you're going to hate me. I only have one more question, Captain." Sal reached over and grabbed his wrist, right where his skin was exposed. "Can you honestly follow my orders?"

A mixture of images flowed through her mind. Him trying to refuse the order to incapacitate the Blades. Him fretting about how to make this work. His undying love for his country. Then there was the hate for her kind. It was insidious and dark, running through every thought he had about not just her, but the Black Blades as a unit.

He hated how iliri smelled. He despised their barbaric ways. Mostly, he just resented how easy combat came to them, when he and other human soldiers had to work so hard to master their weapons. Iliri, he thought, could simply do it from birth - because that was all they were good for. His hatred was the kind that defied logic, and nothing she could do would change it. Sal had no intention of trying. She just needed one thing, and it was buried deep.

When she asked if he'd obey, he couldn't honestly decide. His thoughts wavered from accepting that her orders had been good so far, to a fear that if he simply said yes, she'd make him do something that would either destroy his career or his country. She'd abandoned the CFC so easily, running away without looking back, and he couldn't imagine why. To Tharp, that one thing was the only reason he hesitated.

"Let me rephrase," she said. "Captain Tharp, can you and the men of Star Fall obey my orders without question so long as they do not compromise either your country or your loyalty to that country?"

His eyes dropped to her hand. "I can, Kaisae. That's my job as a soldier."

She released him. "Good. Now I have someone you need to meet."

Chapter Forty-Eight

Cenla Xie, Unav

The lookout had woken up Zensa. She'd sent someone to wake Jurij. An hour before the sun was set to rise, all of Cenla Xie was jumping, and Tyr had been sent to act as a babysitter. Thankfully their first officer, a man named Emen, was easy enough to deal with.

"He won't try anything else," Emen assured Tyr the moment Sal and Tharp were out of sight.

Tyr just grunted in acknowledgment. "So, I'm sure you're all tired, but I also know that she wants to start the push back into Escea as soon as possible. When do you think Star Fall will be ready?"

"Whenever you need us," Emen promised. "We've been held in reserve for weeks now. Months, actually. Our contact kept saying he was trying to get us an assignment that would make sharing intel easy. I just didn't realize how far up the chain of command this game went."

"All the way to the top," Tyr assured him. "So who was your contact, if not Narnx?"

Emen paused. "His name's Marin. Supposedly he was on the mission to snatch Sal and Blaec."

"Right. Lunch." Tyr nodded, remembering that. "So he really flipped. I mean, we sent out an extraction for his family and all, but I honestly didn't think the guy would stay any longer than he had to, and he should've had the wounds to get discharged."

"Wounds?"

Tyr had his mouth halfway open when he realized just how little these men knew about that. "Right. What's the guy's name?"

"Marin."

"Ok, so Marin was wounded and left behind. Zep and Cyno tortured him for a bit. Risk helped. And I'm not sure how much you know about iliri abilities since you've been locked away in the Empire, but they can do some kick-ass shit, man. So, Zep cut the muscle off the man's leg, Cyno ate it in front of him, and Risk kept healing him - which hurts like a bitch. Over and over, until he gave them something."

"Wait." Emen shook his head. "The same Marin who's working with Narnx?"

"Yeah. Anyways, they made it clear that all they wanted was to find their girl, and I guess that somewhere along the way from Syhar to the Hurrican River, well... Marin realized they meant it. According to the version I heard, he watched the link break when Blaec died, and he realized exactly what those little shits are fighting for, so he flipped. Supposedly, the guy said something about how Terric always hit first and he hadn't even realized it. The iliri were doing nothing more than defending themselves, but they were simply too good at it."

"Yeah," Emen said, dragging the word out. "Well, Marin's now Narnx's right-hand man. Seems he refused to leave the leader of the Black Widows behind without someone to lean on. Sounds like those two are pretty close."

"Butt-fucking close?" Tyr asked.

The look Emen gave him was filled with disgust. "No. Brothers in arms. Shit, what are they teaching you guys in the Devil Dogs?"

"How to win," Tyr assured him. "And so you know, we're doing a damned good job of it. Anyway, you should get some rest. We'll probably start forming up for the assault around noon."

Instead, the man turned to his unit. "Collect your things, find a space, and sleep. We're riding again at mid-day." Then back to Tyr. "Now, you're going to take me back to my captain. Mainly because I think we both know that if I'm not there to buffer him, Sal will kill him."

He was right, and Tyr knew it, but he also didn't want to get caught up in the middle of that. He had something else that needed to be done. Still, Emen was an elite, and he didn't need his hand held, so Tyr led him into the inn from the back and showed him to the right table, then ducked back out. If anyone asked, his excuse was that he needed to check their horses.

The reality was that he had to talk to a guy. Zep? he thought.

The Dernor's response was almost immediate. What's wrong?

Nothing. Star Fall's here. The Rebels are here. Jurij is here. Sal's got all the pieces of her puzzle, which means she's going to want to move today. What's going on with that line you're holding up there?

Zep paused for a moment, most likely to get his information straight. Oddly, the man didn't leak at all. Over the last few days, the makeup has shifted. We're now facing down nothing but Esceans. The Terrans, according to the nuvani lookouts, have moved to the northern line, and are slowly pushing back up through Unav. We believe they're covering the Emperor's retreat. Grauori maargra have come to support us, but most of the packs are aiming for Terric City, creating an eastern border to prevent the Emperor from escaping through the far side of Anglia.

Ok, Tyr said, because that was a lot more than he'd expected. And you guys? How are you holding up without her?

Jase... Zep's tone sounded exhausted. Waiting has been hard on him. He's grumpy. Kolt's a bit frantic, but he won't admit it. Gage and I have been doing our best to keep those two from lashing out, but mostly the army has been giving them a wide berth. How's she doing?

She misses you, Tyr told him.

And you? Zep asked. How you gonna like the new promotion, bro?

Not taking it, Tyr told him. She and I talked, and man, I can't leave the Dogs. I mean, stealing some time in her bed is fucking amazing, and you're right, it's not like anything else, but damn. I can't give up my family for a fuck, you know?

You can for love, Zep countered.

Not ready to talk like that yet, Tyr explained. I mean, I'm crushing on her like a schoolboy, and I respect the fuck out of her, but leaving the Dogs? Nah. That would be like asking you to leave the Blades for some girl. No way would it happen. Thing is, she gets it. So, I'm kinda her official toy now. Consort, she's calling me. I mean, if you and the guys aren't going to kick my ass, I mean.

No ass-kicking, Zep promised him. But I have a question.

Ok?

What would it take for you to change your mind?

Tyr leaned against the wall of the barn, thankful there weren't many people around to wonder what he was doing. Um, I don't think there's anything that could. Not unless the Dogs are wiped out.

Nothing? Zep asked.

Ok, Tyr said, giving in a little, if I ever end up in black, then sure. I'll claim one of those titles you guys are so proud of. I just hope that never happens, man. I mean, how bad would things have to be for us to not want to rebuild the Dogs, you know? So, I won't say there's zero chance, but it's a fucking slim one.

And she's ok with this?

Tyr thought back to how Sal had taken his news. I'm not sure I'd go that far. It's more that she understands. We may have had a little problem when I told her that being her toy didn't mean I was going to be faithful. Sure, I'll come when she calls - and if you make a joke out of that, I'll kick you in the balls when I see you. I just mean that if she gets to have a whole collection of dicks at her disposal, then it's not fair to ask me to become celibate. I'll be her friend. I'll be her fuck buddy. I'm not going to give up my life if this doesn't have a chance of working - and it doesn't.

Kinda wish you'd waited, though, Zep admitted. Man, do you know how fragile her mind is right now?

Not that fragile, Tyr assured him. Seriously, she's just Sal. Yeah, she's worried that you guys are going to be mad at her, or that she won't be able to put things back, but for the most part, she's doing fine. She's making plans, completely on her game, and missing you all like crazy. In truth, I think it was weird for her when the two of us were trying too hard. Like, it felt fake. But in the past day or so, things have kinda leveled out.

So you've fucked her again, Zep said, getting right to the point.

Of course! Got some pretty kinky shit going on too. Oh, and speaking of kink, it seems Blaz gets a little aggressive in bed. Like the whole pinning her down, choking her out, and biting hard thing. He's a bit shy about it.

She's ok with it, though? Zep asked.

Tyr just ducked his head and sighed. Never in his life could he have imagined talking to a woman's husband about anything close to this. The fact that he had screwed her brains out, and that another guy still was, and for the husband to be accepting of it? The truth was that he wasn't sure he could handle it. If the situation had been reversed, he would've beat the shit out of Zep.

Sal likes it a little rough, Tyr told him. Her thoughts say Blaz has nothing on Jase. Kinda makes me feel like a two hump chump, in all honesty.

This time, Zep let his amusement flow across the link. I know exactly what you mean. She likes it, though. The variety, I mean. She wants some of her men to be cuddly, and some to be demanding. I honestly expected Blaz to be the one to cuddle.

Nah, man. That's totally me. Get that little beast pressed up against my side with her head on my shoulder, and I'm such a fucking suck, man. I just want to kiss her right between those adorable little ears and hug her.

I love her ears, Zep admitted.

Tyr was grinning at his boots. Me too. I don't even know why. They're just fucking cute, you know? Like, here's this hot-ass woman, and then she has little puppy ears.

Kitten.

They're really not like either, Tyr pointed out. But they make me think of a puppy. Blaz says they're like a horse. I'm sure Sal would say they're like an iliri, but still. Puppies are cute, and they have this ability to make you smile even when you don't want to, and her ears kinda do that to me.

They're soft, too, Zep said. And the iliri guys can't bite them, but our teeth are dull enough that it's sensual to her. I mean, not like hard biting. Just like how you would with a human girl's earlobe, you know? Gets her going.

And now you're giving me tips? Fuck, man. Isn't this weird as shit for you?

Nope. Then Zep paused. Actually, it used to be. I used to think I was in the way, and that I was some kind of pity fuck or something, you know? Had myself convinced that the only way she'd stay with me was if she didn't find anything better, and there we were, surrounded by all the Blades, and each of them more suitable for her than me. And then she brought home Kolt, and I hated that fucker, but Jase pointed something out. He said that Sal's love isn't limited. It's not something that can run out. She loves or she doesn't, so why would I want to change her?

That's deep man, Tyr replied.

Fuck yeah, it is. Still, it's also accurate. She loves us. She loves Blaz, and I've known that longer than she has. Thing is, bro, I'm pretty sure she loves you, even if she's not ready to say it. You make her feel.... human. Probably doesn't mean shit to you, but when you've been in her head long enough, it will. You make her feel like the one thing she always wanted to be but never could. You don't treat her like she's some amazing predator queen that is exotic and unique. You treat her like she's just a girl. A normal, beautiful, amazing girl. You give her shit, you make her laugh, and all of that? It fucking matters, man. Don't run away from it, because she's going to love you if you're in grey or black. I can promise you that.

I know, Tyr admitted. Every time her mind links with mine? I know that more than you can imagine. I just kinda feel like I'm also a crutch. Like she's grasping onto me because she's too scared to let go. Too scared to accept that she's a fucking beast, and that it's perfectly ok. I dunno, maybe I'm a dick, but...

What? Zep asked when Tyr let his thoughts fade to nothing.

I probably woulda said yes if it wasn't for that. I mean, you know that whole phrase about the ball and chain? Yeah, I don't want to be that. I'd much rather chase her down once she's figured it out than be the reason Salryc Luxx, the Kaisae of all Anglia, tries to make herself into a pet. I gotta put some distance between us. It sucks, and the truth is that I have a million other reasons why I can't be her mate, but that? It's kinda the bottom line, you know? I can't say yes because I don't want her to bend over backwards to make this work. I want her to accept that it's impossible, accept that she's so much bigger than any stupid man in the world - even you four - and I...

You love her too much to become her leash, Zep said, proving he understood. Nah, I gotcha. Mind if I tell the others?

Not Blaz, Tyr said. He'll leak that shit to her, and no. Don't say anything, not until we get her home to you four.

Yeah. Zep paused. You'll make a great Consort, though. And you would've been an amazing mate for her. I'm also going to tell Pig that you're coming back for the Dogs. He's kinda been assuming you wouldn't.

Thanks. And tell Rais that Blaz isn't.

Will do, Zep promised. I'm on my way to wake up Ran right now. We'll get a strategy started, and plan for a mid-day push. Have Sal reach out to her father when she's ready.

Yes, Dernor, Tyr said, giving the man his title even as he closed the link.

Oddly, he wasn't smiling. No, the problem was that his eyes wanted to leak, and damn if he'd let anyone see that, because more than anything, Tyr really did love that woman. He loved her like he'd loved nothing else in his life. But the secret was that he loved her enough to know that trying would only make more problems.

Better to be friends, even a bodyguard, than to be the human who held the Kaisae back. That was not how he wanted to be remembered in history.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Anglian Army, Escea

They'd spent all morning getting ready. The tents were packed. The horses were tacked up. The men were wearing full armor, but no one was on the front line. This wasn't the kind of assault they wanted the enemy army prepared for. This was going to be a hard hit, and it had to be impressive enough to make the Escean line collapse.

Jase paced across the top of Shaden's hill, glancing over at the enemy army with each pass. Zep stood somewhere near the center with his arms crossed, doing his best to ignore his little brother's aggravated movements. Jase knew because of the calm and soothing thoughts he kept feeling. Those were definitely from Zep, because they certainly weren't his own.

Then he finally felt the one thing he'd been waiting for. Killer? It was Sal.

Hey, kitten, he thought back, his feet stopping immediately.

I have just under three hundred Unavi Rebels and three units of Anglian humans, she told him. We're at the bottom of the foothills, and my lookouts say the tail end of the Escean line is less than an hour away. Is Anglia ready for this?

Ya do na understand how ready, he assured her. Just do na fall again?

Promise. I actually have this Warlord here who's insisted that I can't ride at the front of the line without shaming him. I'm letting Zensa lead the charge. Now, my goal is to push to here.

She sent him a mental dot on the map, a location just west of the Chieftain's Plains, and right over the border into Unav. The area was sparsely populated, and it would be very unlikely for them to come across any homes or farms. That meant knowing which side of the border they were really on was almost impossible. Still, it didn't matter. The end goal was to break the line and get Escea out of the way without letting the Emperor get too far ahead.

That is na too far from us, he assured her.

Good, Sal thought. Just be careful, ok? You're outnumbered, and according to Jurij, the Esceans will fight hard if they think you're moving toward the Chieftain's Plains. That area is almost sacred to them.

Then we will push west, he promised. But ya need ta know that there have been sightings of Esceans dressed in camouflage. Even their faces are streaked with dirt, but they have na made a move toward us.

Ok, let me ask.

For a moment, Sal's mind slipped away from his. Jase resisted his need to reach for it, desperately wanting to pull her back, to feel what little of her he could. Instead, he snarled, turning once more to resume pacing. A low growl rumbled in his throat, and he knew the Devil Dogs were staying off the hill to give him plenty of space, but he didn't care.

He'd been away from her for too long. Even when she'd been taken from them, he'd still been able to feel her. Now, all he had was a hollow spot in his heart where her warmth should've been. It made him want to hurt someone, and the Esceans foolish enough to get in his way would definitely pay for this.

He'd make them all pay.

His mate had been killed. That she'd been brought back was enough to get Blaz an easy acceptance into the Blades, and they all knew he'd take it. But that someone had been dumb enough to kill her? And a Terran at that. Jase wanted to find out which man, track him down, and pull him apart slowly, because no one harmed his mate.

Then Sal was back. Jurij says those are Traijan infiltrators. Their job is to move at the front of the line, using stealth, and often setting traps. They aren't an actual assault force, so he suspects they've made the space around the Chieftain's Plains hazardous for anyone who doesn't know the right way to enter.

Does he know?

He says he does, but he also says he won't tell me until I prove that I'm not interested in destroying them. Jase, he just wants his country back. The same way we want the iliri.

He snarled again, knowing she could feel it through the link. Fine. Anglia is ready ta go. All we are waiting on is yer army.

Ok. Sal paused for a little too long. Jase? I need you to do me a favor?

Anything. He made the promise not caring if he'd regret it later.

Forget everything Blaec taught us. Forget the rules of war. Killer, I need you to lead this, because you, and only you, can hit them hard enough to make them run in fear. Trust your instincts. Trust your prey drive. Kill them, Jase, and kill them harder than you've ever killed anyone before. I want them gone so I can see you again.

He was short of breath as the demand in her mind flowed into his. This wasn't a woman asking her man for help. This was his Kaisae - no, the Kaisae - asking her Ahnor to be her left hand. This was her demanding that he step up and prove his worth. Little did she know how wonderful that sounded.

When? he asked.

As soon as your army is ready, she told him. We'll only be a few minutes behind you. This is happening. Keep our brothers safe, and protect our mates, but do not be gentle with them. Prove to me that you can truly be a beast. That's why I fell in love with you, after all.

Yes, Kaisae, he swore. I am counting the minutes until I can hold ya again. I love ya, Sal. More than life.

I love you too, she thought. Go. Kill them all.

Kill them all, she said. Those were the words Blaec had used so often to turn them loose. That she'd used them again gave him a moment of pause, but she'd done this before. That phrase spoke to something so primal in their pack. The need to put on a civilized facade in public, but to let it go behind closed doors.

And yet, this time it felt different. This time, it felt like she was telling him there would be no more hiding, as if he'd never again need to worry about being human enough to fit in. Maybe Rayna was right after all. Maybe what Sal wanted from him was to just stop trying and accept that everything about himself that was terrifying to most people were the exact same things she loved so much.

Slowly, he turned around to look at Zep. "It's time," he said.

Anglia, Zep thought. Form up. Unit leaders, notify the Sadava when your men are in place. It's time. We need to push and push hard if we want our Kaisae back, and I don't know about you fuckers, but I'm sick and tired of waiting.

A cheer went up from behind the hills. The Esceans could probably hear it, but they wouldn't know why. Still, a nation of warriors would be smart enough to prepare. Then again, Anglia didn't really want to destroy them. Jase might, but his country wouldn't. No, the goal was to chase them off. To scare them enough that they'd retreat and let him through.

It didn't take long. Blocks of allied soldiers in matching colors began to group up. Right behind the main hill was a group in black. The Blades. Gage and Kolt each held the reins of another horse. Zep's mare Diva and Jase's mare Oubliette had been chosen. The rest of the unit were all on their darkest horses as well, turning the Black Blades into a moving shadow.

Together, the pair headed that way. Jase didn't need to watch his big brother. Zep was the one thing he could still feel without needing to think about it. Side by side, they reached the rest of their unit and mounted up, knowing it wouldn't be long now.

To their right were the Devil Dogs. On the other side of them were the Verdant Shields in their supposedly white uniforms. Most were dirt-stained and dingy, but it still set them apart. On the left side of the Blades was Dark Heart. Jase paused when he saw the edge of the line. Risk was there, with Perin on his left, but behind them was Tilso.

Why are ya na with the carts? Jase asked.

Tilso looked over. Because we have enough iliri from Merriton who can drive but not fight. I won't do anything stupid, Ahnor, and my mates will make sure I'm a help and not a hindrance.

Mates. Leaning back, Jase caught Tilso's eye and smiled, nodding his head once to show he understood. It seemed Risk's harem was growing as well, if they considered Perin a mate. Then again, the men had been spending a lot of time together. Jase thought it would make Sal happy, and be a bit of good news to give her when they met up.

But on Perin's other side sat Jad, and Hax was just beyond him. The pure iliri male already had his helm strapped onto his head and a weapon in hand. He also didn't look over. Jase wasn't sure if the fool had learned his lesson or not, but he hoped so. For Hax's sake, because if anyone else died by his actions, Jase would tear the fool's throat out himself.

Ran's mind broke into his thoughts just before Jase could start daydreaming of the ways he'd kill the man. Anglia is ready, Ahnor. The nuvani and grauori will move on your order.

Jase calmly reached down for his helm, a smile touching his lips. Beside him, his pack did the same. All of them were ready. Arctic opened their minds so they'd be one. Jase waited only long enough to see the last piece of armor strapped on up and down the line, and then he decided it was time to play.

The goal is here, he thought, sending the location Sal had picked to every mind on the Anglian side. Ya will na stop until we are there. Ya will na die. Ya will na take stupid risks. We want ta move the Esceans but leave their country whole. Ya also want ta get me ta my Kaisae, because my patience is long gone. Do ya understand me, Anglia?

"Sir, yes, sir!" came from hundreds of throats.

Then let's show them what Anglia's got. Shade, Ghost? Have fun. And he nodded at Arctic.

The leader of the Black Blades put his heels to his horse, and a cry went up across the line. Not one of fear. No, this was pride, and it was as much a warning growl as a roar from the humans. This, right here, was Sal's dream. This was what she'd fought for, and exactly why she'd risen again. Because this was worth it.

Fire erupted at the front edge of the Escean line. Men began to scream even before the Anglians had rounded the hills and come into sight. That meant Ghost had joined in the fun. Behind the couple, Jase saw Geo and Baeli, their horses positioned to guard the most powerful abilities of the pack. He approved.

And then they hit open ground. As one, the Anglians gripped their mounts. A rush of excitement tickled the back of Jase's mind, giving him the slightest idea of what Sal must feel in these moments, and ahead of him, one lone man dared to stand his ground.

Jase pulled his sword and swung. The blade cut deep into the Escean's shoulder. The feel was like silk, so very smooth, making him want to do it again, but Oubliette was moving too fast. Behind him, Kinetry cleaned up the kill just as Jase hit the leading edge of the Escean camp. Smoke was starting to fill the air. So were screams of injured men. Most importantly, though, the enemy was moving.

Away.

They were retreating, pulling back fast, proving that they'd been waiting for this almost as long as Anglia had. Unfortunately, they weren't fast enough. Streaks of white broke through between the horses. That was the grauori, and each one aimed for a bowman. Didn't matter if the Escean carried a longbow, short bow, or crossbow. If they were wielding a ranged weapon, they died.

And the Anglian line didn't slow at all.

Finally feeling like he was doing the right thing, Jase couldn't help himself. His mind reached out, seeking no response, but asking for enough of a connection to leave Sal with one final thought.

I'm coming fer ya kitten. Just like I always promised.

Chapter Fifty

East of Cenla Xie, Unav

Sal rode low on her horse's neck. The mare was nothing compared to Arden, just a lightly-boned horse with speed. She definitely wasn't a warhorse, which was why Sal had listened when Jurij told her to hang back. When Zensa had asked for the privilege of leading the charge, it hadn't taken much to convince the Kaisae that it was a good idea.

Mostly, it was Blaz.

He pointed out that neither he nor Tyr were the equivalent of a Black Blade. They were good, but not that good. She was too close to seeing her mates again to let her pride get in her way now. And so, Sal rode in the middle of the Rebel army, her swords in her hands, chasing the Esceans retreating before her.

In the distance, the smoke columns proved that Anglia was fighting hard. The screams of men called out orders, but the iliri with her - and the Anglian units who'd joined them - were all sending directions through their minds. Jurij, his guards, and Star Fall were the only ones who couldn't listen in on the links, so they kept their eyes on her, relying on the most basic hand signals for direction.

But they hadn't even killed a man. As soon as the Esceans saw the approaching army, they'd fled. Lookouts at the rear of the group were trying to track the path of retreat, but it was too chaotic. With Anglia pushing the main group to the north and the Rebels pushing them east, the enemy's entire southern defensive line was folding in on itself.

Although Sal knew where they were going. Jurij had already warned her, and the frantic pace of the Escean riders made it clear. They were pulling back for the Chieftain's Plains.

Let them gain the lead, Sal ordered. If they want to retreat, then let them. We just need to make sure Anglia can rendezvous with us at the assigned spot!

A wave of agreement came back, and the Unavi Rebels slowed. Sal looked over at Jurij and waved him down, calling across, "If they want to retreat, we're not here to kill them."

He met her eyes and nodded, but didn't bother to say a thing.

She knew the man was testing her, but she also didn't blame him. After all, she helped kill six provincial leaders from his country. Terric had conquered enough nations that it was easy to imagine her wanting to do the same. Anglia was winning. The idea that they'd beat the entire continent into submission and then simply walk away? It must look like a trap to this man.

But it wasn't. She and the Warlord had a deal. He wanted his country back, and she wanted her people. To get one, she must give the other, but he had no way of knowing that she really was a woman of her word.

Slowing their pace gave the horses a chance to catch their breath. It still left a trail of dust behind them. Hopefully, one big enough that the Anglians and Esceans could both see. Minutes stretched into hours while Sal watched the enemy grow smaller before her. She'd expected a long and drawn-out fight. Not this.

This was little more than a forced march. Once the Escean army was too far ahead to be seen, Sal called hers down to a trot. Most of the Rebels were mounted on common workhorses. Some were slightly nicer park types. The closest thing they had to a battle-trained mount were the animals Jurij's and Sal's groups were on, and even those weren't the best.

In other words, the horses couldn't handle the pace, and Sal had no intention of destroying them for no reason. While the sun slowly made its way across the sky, she turned their group slightly, making for the designated area. Twice, she caught herself checking her links, forgetting that she could no longer hear all of Anglia in her head. Not yet, but soon, that would be fixed. She just had to wait for this to be over, and without a battle to distract her, the wait seemed eternal.

She just hoped Blaec was keeping his word. He'd told her that he couldn't save everyone, and she had a feeling he'd sacrificed others to do it. She couldn't help but think about the man in Merriton accused of being Tilso. She had no idea who he was, but he'd been blonde and caught with another man, so Estar had been sure she'd caught another Blade. She hadn't.

But would Blaec have put an innocent person in danger just to save one of the people she cared about? Without a doubt, yes. When he needed to, he'd always been cold, hard, and calculating. He'd also been damned good at his job. That didn't make him a bad man, but it also didn't make him a good one.

As that thought crossed her mind, Sal finally realized what Blaec had been trying to say when he told her he hadn't loved her. He meant that he'd tried, and he'd honestly believed he had, but his version of love had been twisted and tainted with the weight of everything else. How could he love her completely if doing so would cost her life? How could he love her unconditionally if she had to become a great leader in order to survive? His love came with conditions, but they weren't ones he had added. They'd simply been a sick twist of fate.

And Blaec had been willing to pay the price for it. He'd given his life to save not only her, but also their future. The entire species had a chance because he'd been strong enough to die without saying a thing. He'd locked her out of his mind so many times so he wouldn't leak his fear to her. He'd been a hero, in his own way, and one who would never get the glory he deserved.

Sure, maybe he hadn't been the best mate for her, but that didn't mean he was a bad man. He'd been an excellent officer and an even better soldier. Blaec had made her strong. Jase had made her wild, and Zep? He'd taught her how to blend the two together. She'd needed them all back then, but now?

Now, she needed a new group of men - and women. The truth was that she didn't need a lover to carry her. What she needed was the connection. Someone to lean on when things got hard. Someone to remind her how to laugh. Most of all, someone to prove that she still had a reason to keep fighting, that her dream of iliri equality wasn't a fantasy.

That she could do this.

There, in the open grassland of southern Unav, aiming her horse toward the smoke and fire left by iliri skills finally turned loose, she dared to look up at the sky. The pattern of threads still hung there, hinting at the possible outcomes of everything and anything, but it no longer taunted her. Ayati wasn't a monster for her to rail against. It was nothing more than chance.

Time and time again, she'd forced Blaec onto different paths. Sometimes, his words had been the warning she needed, but was it really that cut and dry? If she'd taken the dun so long ago, and it had fallen, would she actually have ended up under it? Or was it possible that she had more choices after that? The choice to jump free. The choice to sacrifice the horse. Most of all, the choice to fight instead of riding down the steep slope that likely would have caused its demise.

If ayati was a pattern of all the potential outcomes, then didn't that mean there would always be a possible option that ended in success? And if so, that was the one she wanted. Not the convoluted path that risked everyone to keep her safe, but the choice that required her to be strong. Then again, Blaec had always said that each choice limited the options that followed.

So maybe she could power her way through everything. It could be possible that brute force would win her a few battles, but that didn't mean she'd get the ending she wanted. Like this. If she slaughtered the Esceans without remorse, then Jurij would turn against her, and hundreds, possibly thousands of iliri would pay for it.

Just tell me I'm doing the right thing, Blaec? she begged, looking for some hint in the jumble of lines.

She got nothing. Oddly, she hadn't expected that. Every time she'd pushed at ayati in the past, it had reacted in some way. Right now, it was just shifting and pulling, wrapping around itself to make the knots change slightly. In Sal's gut, she knew that likely meant he was moving the lines to help her people to the south, but a little reassurance would've been nice.

You ok? Blaz asked.

She nodded, looking over to catch his eye. Just too much time to think, not enough fighting, and a whole lot of history starting to come together.

And? he asked.

She turned her eyes to her horse's neck, giving the mare a little pat. And I'm actually nervous. Terrified of so many things. That something's going to happen to one of them before we can reunite, convinced that they won't forgive me, and things like that. I know I shouldn't, but the closer we get, the more real it feels.

Ok, he said. So, if they don't forgive you, then what?

Then I beg, she told him.

A smile flickered over his lips. Good answer. And if someone gets hurt? How does Anglia deal with that usually?

The healers will be there. I know, Blaz. I know it's going to be ok, so why can't I just be happy about this?

Tyr moved his horse closer on the other side, proving that he'd been included in the conversation. Because this, he told her, feels too easy. It feels like we're about to get hit and hit hard. It's triggering every one of your instincts, and I only know that because mine are screaming in my head.

Which means we need to be asking why this is so easy, Sal realized. "Jurij?"

"Yeah?" Since they were only trotting, it wasn't hard for him to move a little closer. "What's the problem?"

"Why?" she asked. "Explain to me why the Esceans would've held this line for days, refusing to engage, but also refusing to retreat, yet the moment we hit them, they bolt?"

"You say your iliri skills let you see a long way away, right?" He waited for her to nod, then added, "So check the opposite end of this line."

Sal quickly sent a mental request for it. She wasn't brave enough to join into the link with the lookout, but asked for a detailed description or memory when done. Then, she had to wait. Beside her, Jurij was grinning.

"What?" she finally snapped.

The giant of a man chuckled. "This, Kaisae, is what we Esceans do. You said they've been betrayed by the Emperor, right? I have a funny feeling that they're in the process of guarding the Chieftain's Plains, like I said, but also setting you up to be the target of Terran revenge."

"How?" she demanded.

"You see, while Terrans use raven-fletched arrows, iliri are the only soldiers who maul their kills. Throats aren't cut, they're ripped out. Bodies aren't speared, they're ravaged. In other words, it isn't very hard to make you look like the attackers and the Terrans will retaliate, ignoring Escea in the middle. I have a feeling that somewhere near the Hurrican River, or maybe even north of us right now, there's a group working to make sure that Terric knows 'you' just hit them hard. It gives Escea an excuse for running away. Too many Anglians. The iliri skills were too strong. We tried but failed. Some ploy to get them out of the middle and pit Anglia against your real enemy, simply because they have no clue that they don't have to. So far as they know, you're coming to conquer our country, and they want to make sure you're too busy with the Emperor's army for that to happen."

The lookout's thoughts interrupted his long-winded explanation. Escean soldiers dressed like mud and grass are heading to the Terran line. They're maybe halfway, on foot, but heavily armed.

Shit, Sal thought, letting go of the lookout to reach for the one person she knew could make a difference. Shade?

Sal!

Can you hit a group here? A location was sent to her. I don't know how many, but they're about to pull the northern defensive line down on us. It's Escea's backup plan. Make us fight Terric, and they won't need to be in the middle anymore.

Better idea, Shade said. Trust me, Sal. We'll turn them.

And with that, the formerly submissive female broke the link. Sal's mouth hung open in shock, trying to figure out what had just happened. Shade had just refused an order? The strangest part of all was that Sal didn't feel angry about it. She felt... proud. Her sister had finally come into her own. Now, the question was if her plan would work.

Thankfully, it didn't take long before Shade was back. Exton saw them, linked with Ghost, and he turned them back. He can reach that far, you know. I'm not the only strong freak of nature in your pack, Sal, and my dernor is kinda amazing.

They turned? Sal asked, not sure which part of that she should be addressing.

They did, Shade promised. Ghost made them scared of what would happen if the Terrans went after Anglia. He said he convinced them that Escea would be destroyed, and quickly. Exton says they're all hurrying back to the Plains, just like you wanted.

And the men you're fighting? Sal asked.

Shade paused for a moment before answering. Sal, we're not fighting. Not anymore. They ran.

She was scared to ask the next question. Losses?

I didn't count the enemies we took out, but it sounds like one of the wagons got stuck. That's pretty much it. We're headed for the meet-up point.

But this had been too easy. Much too easy. Once again, Sal looked up at the sky. This time, however, she felt a hint of something in response. Not from the sky, but from the back of her mind, hidden away in the dark places she couldn't reach on her own.

It felt like a very reassuring hug.

Chapter Fifty-One

Southern Unav

That evening, Sal and her rebels reached the designated meeting spot first. Immediately, she began directing groups to set up in specific areas, trying to imagine how everything would fit together when Anglia joined them. Jurij and his men asked for a space to the east, so he could keep an eye on things if he had to, and she agreed. Zensa promised she'd handle the rebels.

Star Fall just barely complained.  They'd been sent back to help, and their help hadn't been necessary.  Naturally, Tharp tried to make it into some slight that Sal should feel bad about.  She reminded him that he was only here so that he wouldn't be locked inside Terric City, forced to kill CFC soldiers, and thus branded as a traitor to his nation and killed when she won - which she would.  Thankfully, that shut the man up long enough for his First Officer to haul him away.

All that was left were the handful of Anglian units who'd been close enough to answer her call. Supposedly more were on their way, being sent through the pass by those who'd stayed behind in Cenla Xie, but these would still need to know where their camp would be. Since Sal had no intention of moving out quickly, she needed them to wait. With her new mates beside her, she headed off to find the highest-ranking officer she could.

Instead, she found a familiar face. Working to string up a picket line for the mounts was a girl with long, silky, dark hair. The scent of her brought forth a memory, but Sal couldn't quite place it. Still, female soldiers weren't that common in Anglia, so they'd probably met before.

Hoping she didn't offend the girl, Sal asked, "Soldier?"

As soon as the Anglian turned, Sal recognized her. Clearly, so did Tyr. His body tensed, and the scent of embarrassment, concern, and happiness wafted from him. That was all it took for Sal to dredge up this woman's name.

"Brisa?"

"Kaisae!" the girl breathed, dropping immediately to a knee. "Laetus."

"Please," Sal told her, gesturing for Brisa to get up. "I need to know who's in command of the Anglian units."

"Um..." She turned, looking around. "Captain Trant of the grauori. He's...."

"Sal!" The man's voice solved all of their problems.

Together, she, Brisa, Tyr, and Blaz all turned to find a veteran soldier with a fading scar across his face. The man was walking toward them with both a purpose and a smile. For some reason, seeing him made Sal feel even better about this.

"Dalyr?" she asked, offering her hand.

He accepted without hesitation. "Laetus, my Kaisae. I'm so glad to see you're well."

"I had no idea you were with us," she admitted.

He shrugged. "Rragri said you needed bodies. The 119th were sent to collect the Escean Warlord, so my guys and the 7th lancers - a new unit, so you know - all met up at the foothills. You've got three full and healthy units, and the mutts say they're moving north to wait near Terric City."

"Good," she said, filing all of that away. "Now, is there any way your men can wait to set up camp? I'm not sure how the layout's going to work with the combined Anglian and Conglomerate forces coming in."

He nodded with a little sway to it that proved he would make it happen. "Can do, sir. I actually just asked the 7th to start leveling an area for the strategy pavilion. I assume the King still has a fondness for it?"

"He does," Sal agreed. "Although he's not nearly as pampered as you remember. The Shields, including Dom, all camp with the rest of the elites." Then she sighed. "Hax."

"What?" Blaz asked, proving he was listening.

"I forgot about Hax," she admitted.

"Who's Hax?" Dalyr asked.

Tyr grunted to show he wasn't impressed. "He's the dick that got our Kaisae killed. Pure iliri male, thinks his dick deserves to be in her. Doesn't realize that's not how it works. Former CFC slave turned CFC elite with Dark Heart."

"Ah." And Dalyr's jaw clenched hard enough to make a muscle bulge at the side. "Yeah. I'll have my guys keep an eye out for him. We may be human, but we can keep up with those mutts you assigned me to, which means he can't be that much harder."

"He's not," Sal assured him. "But speaking of your men, what's the unit designation?"

Flicking both brows up, the man smiled. "We're called the Envoy. Since grauori name all of their 'units' - which we both know are really families, I decided to adopt that instead of a number. I mean, the 1st grauori humans? That's confusing. So we're the Envoy instead. Guys thought it sounded a little more terrifying than ambassadors."

"Kinda does," Tyr agreed. Then he offered his hand. "Tyr Aristel, Devil Dogs. Kaisae's Consort."

Dalyr glanced over at her. "Is that so?"

"Evidently," Sal said. "And this is Blaz Eason, my newest mate."

Dalyr's eyes dropped to Blaz's uniform. "With the 112th Mounted, it looks like. So, Conglomerate?"

"It's complicated," Blaz mumbled.

Dalyr just nodded. "Well, I'll uncomplicate it. That woman saved my life. I take that rather personally, and I'm proud to call her a friend. Her Ahnor is a man I respect very much. Either one of them tells me you're a problem, and I'll turn every grauori on the continent against you, and yeah, I have the power to do that. Happen to be pretty close friends with Rragri too. Saved her mate." He looked over at Tyr. "And you? Don't ever try to use your private life to raise your position again. If you're not her mate, then you're just another soldier who's been given the honor of guarding her. You need a fast lesson in the social nuances of the iliri and grauori, feel free to ask. Hurts a hell of a lot less than getting rolled for fucking it up."

"Excuse me?" Tyr asked, stepping forward.

Dalyr matched him, meeting Tyr's eyes. "You heard me. And yeah, I can back this shit up now."

"Tone it down, boys," Sal warned them. "Dalyr, Tyr's a dear friend. Tyr, Dalyr is too. He's had my back almost as many times as you have. I suggest the two of you learn how to play nice."

Tyr just jerked his chin up a little more. "He's trying to impress you, Sal. Thinks maybe he'll get picked as a mate next."

"Nope," Dalyr said. "Happily married to a human. My respect for Sal has not a damned thing to do with getting laid. Now you take that and think on it for a bit, because it sounds like it's a lesson you need to learn, and fast."

Blaz reached out and grabbed Tyr's shoulder, preventing him from puffing up any more than he already was. "Stand down, Tyr. He's on our side."

The corner of his lip was still a bit too high when Dalyr turned to Sal and pressed his fist to his heart in the Anglian salute. "Kaisae. If you'll excuse me, I have a campsite to prepare for the King."

"Dismissed," Sal told him.

But she hadn't missed Tyr's jealous streak. He'd warned her. He honestly had, yet she didn't really know how to take it. He said he didn't want to be her mate, then acted like he did? She could understand the part about staying with the Devil Dogs. Pack was pack, after all. But all of the rest had her unsure where she stood, especially since she knew it would all change so soon.

Which meant she needed to tell him one last thing. "Tyr?" Sal said, grabbing his hand. "Thank you. Not for that, but for saving my life. For risking everything to sneak across the Terran line thinking I was dead." She bit at her lower lip. "No matter what happens next..."

A noise from across the grass proved she was already running out of time. Blaz and Tyr probably couldn't hear it, but she could. Someone had sighted the rest of Anglia.

"I'm sorry I lied," she blurted out, glancing over at Blaz. "To both of you. About me and humans. I was trying to push you away to protect myself, I think, and I'm sorry.  I didn't know that's what I was doing at the time, but I was wrong.  The same way Blaec was, and I think I did it because I was feeling sorry for myself.  I needed you - and all humans - to respect me, and I didn't know anything that would work besides fear. I don't know what's going to happen now..."

Tyr caught both sides of her face and stepped in. "It's going to be fine, Sal," he swore. "They love you. We love you. Things don't have to be easy to be ok." Then he kissed her.

It wasn't a hard kiss, but it was deep, the kind that proved he knew she wouldn't resist. The touch of their lips spoke of nights together and a quiet confidence that it would happen again. So did his words. He'd said we. Not they, not Blaz, but he'd included himself in that. Sal leaned back to ask if he realized it, but she never got the chance.

The sound of hooves was coming closer, and quickly. Sal pulled away from Tyr in time to see Scorch bearing down on her, but the man on his back wasn't the one she'd expected. It was Ran, and he reined the stallion in hard, sending up a spray of dirt even as he swung out of the saddle, proving the old man still knew what he was doing.

"Sal," Ran cried, closing the distance to grab her in a strong, smothering hug. "Oh, my little girl. I thought you were dead!"

"I was," she mumbled into his shoulder.

Without letting go, she felt him lift his head. "And thank you both. I know you don't think you need it, but this is my daughter!"

"My mate," Blaz told him. "Which makes it worth it."

Tyr chuckled awkwardly. "She's still my Kaisae, sir. Just doing the job as we were taught."

Ran let out a heavy sigh and finally released her, only to kneel down before her. This wasn't a sign of respect, though. His eyes were searching her face, filled with worry while his hands smoothed down her arms, almost as if he was trying to prove she really was ok.

"Oh, little one," he whispered, "you scared me so bad."

"I didn't mean to, Dava," she told him, catching his hands in hers. "I was honestly trying to live. I didn't do anything stupid."

"No, kiddo, you didn't, but my heart isn't as young as it used to be, and you're all I have left. Oh, Sal, if you'd seen the army. They thought they'd all lost you. I thought I'd lost you. I couldn't imagine what I'd do with my life if you weren't in it. No father is supposed to outlive his child, adopted or otherwise, you hear me?"

She let go of his hands only to step closer and hug his head to her waist. "I hear you, Dava. I love you too."

Ran's arms moved around her back. "And I'm so damned proud of you. And -"

He didn't get to finish the words because Ran wasn't the only one from Anglia who could figure out where she was. As a pack, the Black Blades stormed closer. They'd left their horses at the edge of camp with all the others, which was how Ran had beaten them, and they came as a group. Still, the moment they saw her, four men lost any semblance of control they may have had.

Ran stepped back just in time for Jase to wrap his arms around her shoulders while his momentum swung her around. Zep caught them both, stopping the circle. Kolt and Gage were next, both of them reaching between her other mates to feel her, desperately needing to put their hands on her skin.

And she felt it.

All they'd been missing was this, the physical contact. She knew their minds, knew their hearts, and knew their bodies so well. She loved them, and they loved her back, but the one thing that had kept them separate, leaving that ache in her soul, was the lack of contact. With each brush of skin, she could feel her mind slide into theirs, catching glimpses of their thoughts, but there were too many, and they came too fast.

The bond was different. It wasn't a jumble or a mess. Instead, it was clear and strong, snapping into her mind with determination. Just like with Blaz and Tyr, Sal could actually feel the change. It was as if some loose end got tied off, finding its place. One by one, her mates were back. There had been no need to ask them if they'd accept. They already had, and her mind knew it.

"Name us," Jase begged. "Rank us."

"Ahnor," she told him, then looked back at Zep. "Dernor." Her eyes found Kolt next. "Taunor." Finally, she turned to see Gage. "Cinnor."

Kolt jerked his chin at Blaz and Tyr. "And them?"

"We," Blaz said, "have time. We're not the ones who've missed her." He stepped back as if to leave.

"Stop," Jase ordered. "And them, Sal?" he asked.

"Blaz will be Viernor," she told her mates. "If the four of you will have him?"

"He saved your life," Zep breathed against the back of her neck. "Not even I'm dumb enough to resent him for that."

"And Tyr?" Gage asked.

Sal licked her lips as she looked over at the man. Subtly, he shook his head, making his decision clear. Then, before she could say anything, he turned, walking back toward the picket line where the Anglians were still setting up.

"Tyr is a dear friend," she told her five mates, tilting her head for Blaz to come closer. "And an honest one. He can't leave the Dogs, and that's one thing I can respect."

Jase leaned his head in, to press it against hers. "I have missed ya, kitten, but we are na the only ones. We just had ta touch ya. I did na think I could last any longer without it."

"But it's not cessivi," she pointed out.

"Na yet." Without any concern for the men with their arms wrapped around them, Jase pressed his mouth to hers so gently. "But this is enough. I do na feel alone anymore."

Zep's lips slid up the back of her neck just as Jase kissed her again. Kolt sighed, his breath hitting her hair a moment before he kissed the side of her face. Gage, making sure he went last, pressed his lips to the top of her head. Four men - five if she counted the one watching - and they were all hers again.

For Sal, it felt like she'd just succeeded at something, like her goal had been reached. She couldn't even find the words to explain why, but this, right here, was exactly what she needed. Or close.

Because they weren't alone.  The moment her men loosened their grip, Shift pushed his way in, adding to the arms around her.  Then it was Shade, with Arctic right beside her. One by one, all of the Blades reached in to touch her again, and while they were all smiling, many of their eyes shone with tears of joy.

Sal had missed every one of them, but they'd missed her just as much.  It had only been a few days, not even two weeks, but the last time she'd been ripped away from her pack, the reunion hadn't been this happy.  The Blades laughed, not caring how they looked, and Sal felt like she was finally home.

Reaching her hand beside Gage, she gestured Blaz closer and the others made room for him. "My mates," she said, feeling a pressure in her eyes that she couldn't do anything about. "My pack. Fuck, I didn't know how much I needed you guys. Each and every one of you."

Blaz's fingers slid around hers. "I did, Sal. That's why I had to bring you back. You may be strong enough to do it all on your own, but you shouldn't have to, and they? No, us. We all want whatever it is we can get."

"He'll do," Zep said, making it sound like a proclamation.

Sal's three other mates all murmured their agreement. "Now we have ta make sure we do na scare him off," Jase teased. "So who is taking her ta see Dom? We can't keep her all ta ourselves. Ever' one wants ta see her again!"

"Gage is," Sal decided.

Kolt stole one last kiss against her brow. "Then we'll talk to the Viernor and figure out how far we can push him."

But Jase's eyes held hers. Everything ok? he asked.

She jiggled her head. It will be. I just need to talk to the one guy who may know Tyr best. I promise it's nothing against you.

I did na think it was. I just think ya are too beautiful ta let ya walk away without watching ya fer as long as I can.

Which proved that something had changed, but it was not at all what she'd expected. Jase was the last man she expected to shower her with compliments. But she liked it. No, she loved it. The truth was that she just loved having them back. They made her feel whole again.

Chapter Fifty-Two

Southern Unav

"So," Sal said as she slipped her hand into Gage's. "I know there are a million things I should say to you, and a dozen more you want me to know, but there's one thing I can't get off my mind."

"Tyr," he guessed. "Yeah, Zep talked to him, actually."

"Zep?"

He nodded. "They were friends long before he and I were rolling around together with girls in Fort Landing." Gage pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "So I know that he refused the title. And now I'm getting the feeling you're not happy about that?"

"He wants to be my toy," she explained, "but he made it clear he won't keep his hands-off other women, and it's making me feel like I did something wrong. Like... I don't even know. But Blaec said I have to - "

"What?" Gage asked. "When?"

"I dream with him every night," she explained. "And no, I'm not insane."

He let her go just to step around in front of her. She froze, aware of all the soldiers looking her way.  Most of them wore smiles. Some looked shocked to see her, but not like they were upset.  Still, it made her feel like she was on display, and Gage was being anything but subtle.

"Sal, I do not think you are insane," he said. "I do not pretend to know what you can do, but I wish you'd stop defaulting to that. If I have a question, it's not about your sanity. It's about what happened, or how often it happens, or how it's even possible. Ok, sweetie?"

She found herself smiling at the pet name. "Ok, Gage," she agreed.

"Now are you sure this is really Blaec, and not some dream or memory - or even something else miraculous you can do?"

She had to actually think about that for a moment, looking down so she wouldn't be distracted by all the eyes on her.  The watchers were all too far away to hear, but the honest relief she smelled on the air made it easier to answer.  It reminded her that no matter what, her Anglians would be there for her, which meant her mates would too.

"I honestly think it's him," she said. "He's dead, but he's also the same. A little different, but enough to make it even more believable, if that makes sense?"

"It does."

"And," she went on, "he says Kolt's keeping him out of the void, which is how he's able to do this."

"Ah." Gage nodded as if that explained everything, even though it didn't. "Ok, so what are you supposed to do with Tyr?"

She let out a heavy sigh. "I'm supposed to let him do what he wants, be with whoever he wants, and give him the chance to figure it out for himself. Blaec said that anything else would make me no better than him."

"And now that you're back, you can't stand the idea of him doing that, huh?"

Sal didn't bother answering. Instead, she just stepped into her Cinnor's arms and pressed her head into his chest, breathing in the scent of him. "Yes. I feel so shallow and selfish, but I hate the idea that I'm not enough for any of you. Or that I'm asking too much, I guess. It's just that going back to this?" She gestured to her head. "Being alone in my mind all the time, and not knowing what my mates are feeling? It makes me question everything, including why you'd want to be with me."

"Because I love you," Gage told her. "Because you're beautiful, smart, and so amazingly independent without making me feel as if I'm worthless. You let me be needed, and that's all I really want. The others have their own reasons, Sal, and Tyr's a stubborn idiot, but I'll see what's going on, ok?"

"Yeah?" she asked, daring to look up at him.

His answer was to bend far enough to press his lips against hers. It was meant to be a simple kiss, but her mouth parted of its own volition, and he groaned softly in the back of his throat, accepting the invitation. That turned the sweet gesture into so much more, reminding her of just how little time she'd had with him.

"You," he whispered against her lips, "smell like desire. Now stop that, because we don't even have the tents up yet, and I'm supposed to be taking you to see a King."

"Actually," a voice said, proving their private moment was actually very public, "you're supposed to be allowing her to see a Consort." Yes, that was Rayna. "Go away, Razor. You've had a moment with your mate, the army has all made a pass to make sure she's real, and I need to check in with my best friend." But she winced. "No, sorry. That's not right. It was supposed to have been funny and didn't really come out that way."

"You're fine, Ray," Gage assured her. "And I..." He jerked his thumb back the way they'd come. "There's a Viernor who needs someone to keep the other three from scaring him off. Just don't let her disappear, ok?"

"Promise," Rayna said. Then she looked at Sal. "You're doing damned good for a dead woman."

"Don't I know it," Sal agreed, daring to reach out and squeeze Gage's hand one last time before he could leave. "Blaz is nervous."

"I'll take care of him," Gage promised, even as he slowly stepped away.

Rayna just dropped her arm over Sal's shoulder in a gesture similar to what the Cinnor had done only moments before. "I am so glad to see you alive," she said, adding a jostling side-hug.

Sal hooked an arm around her waist. "I'm pretty glad to be alive. Thanks for taking care of everything while I was gone."

Rayna looked down at her, evidently hearing something in Sal's voice. "You ok?"

Sal just groaned. "Overwhelmed, in all honesty. Relieved too, but I feel like I'm playing catch-up here. Like I have so much on my plate and no idea where to even start."

"Ok, then less hugging and more shielding," Rayna decided, pausing to face her. "But we're all happy to see you. Like, you have no idea how relieved I am. Fuck. When you went down?" She nodded. "It was bad, and yet it was kinda amazing too. Everyone came together to take care of the Blades. You need to know that. We thought we'd lost you, so we were going to make sure we didn't lose them." Then a timid little smile flickered across her lips. "I'm so fucking glad we didn't. I don't know what I'd do without my best friend."

Sal grabbed her hand and squeezed. "I'm sorry about all that."

"Nothing to be sorry about," Rayna assured her. "It was not your fault. It's war, and we're all blaming the Emperor. So, while the rest of the army is setting up camp, Dom has pulled rank, and we're stealing you away." With a wave of her hand, she gestured for them to start walking again.

"What does Dom need?" Sal asked.

"Well," Rayna said, "none of us really know what's going on, how long we're staying, or what the plan is. So we kinda need our Kaisae."

"We'll be here a few days," Sal told her, "because I have more soldiers coming - Rragri sent us a few units - and Escea's still a problem."

"K." Like always, Rayna accepted that Sal knew what she was doing. "And do you want to talk about the whole separated from the guys thing, or are we leaving that alone for a bit longer until you get your bearings?"

"The second option," Sal decided. "At least until I talk to them a bit more. Touching them let me reform our basic mate bond, but cessivi? I don't know if I can, or how that will work, and…" She shook her head. "Don't want to worry about that right now. I just want to be happy I'm back for a bit."

"I can do that," Rayna agreed. "How about someplace where all the Anglians aren't gawking?"

She tipped her head toward the lone white tent standing in the middle of the grass. All around it were more, but they were currently just squares of canvas spread out on the ground. Soon, this entire area would be yet another Anglian camp, filled with soldiers of all species walking around as if it were their home. Right now, it was chaos, but that tent, it had to belong to Dom. No matter how hard the King protested, Ilija was adamant that the Verdant Shields always set Dom's up first.

"After you," Rayna said, pulling aside the flap.

The interior wasn't set up yet. A tired rug had been dropped on the floor but was still rolled up. That was the first thing Sal noticed. The next was the pair of arms wrapping around her from behind and the smell of a friend.

"Ilija?" Sal gasped, turning to face him.

"Oh, Sal," he groaned. "I was so worried."

"Me too."

Dom's chuckle came from the other side. "Don't ever do that again, Sal. We both know I can't really run this country without you."

She pulled away from Ilija just enough to wrap her arms around Dom, hugging him around the waist. "I can't believe how much I missed everyone. I thought..."

"That you were too strong for that?" Dom asked. "Or maybe that we wouldn't worry about you as much as you worried about us? Or were you simply too proud to show your feelings on the outside, thinking that maybe it wasn't proper for someone in your position?"

"Fuck off," Sal told him, pausing as the tent flap opened behind her again.

It was Shift, although Sal wasn't surprised that he'd followed her. These were his mates now, and he belonged in here as much as she did. He paused to slap Ilija's arm in greeting, smiled at Sal, then moved to Rayna's side. Ilija made a production of rolling his eyes, but then he ducked out of the tent.

"Where's he going?" Sal asked. "We already have problems in camp?" Because that was what usually pulled Ilija away, it seemed.

Dom just laughed, the sound proving how relieved he really was to see her again. "No, everything's fine now. The army's been on its best behavior actually. Your girls in Anglia are keeping things calm there. Joevar says that Ryali's still in Dorton, and Marcu Piet's still pretending to be completely loyal, but his wife doesn't trust him. There's friction in that family because she sent her children to Arhhawen, and it seems Jase's mom won't let anyone near those kids but Lady Piet."

"Really?" Sal asked.

Dom nodded. "And a carriage goes out every single night. Ryali and Linella are adamant that they tuck their kids into bed, then they return to the Palace. It's not a very long trip, you know."

"I actually don't," Sal told him. "Since I've never been to Arhhawen."

"You'll love it." Then Dom sighed. "Sadly, I can't offer you a chair. Ilija's gone to find them, but we outpaced the wagons when Jase realized how close he was."

"Was everything ok?" Sal asked, looking at her three friends one by one. "I didn't hurt them too bad did I?"

"No," Dom promised her.

Rayna made a face and shrugged weakly, proving it wasn't quite that simple.

Shift, however, narrowed his eyes as he looked at her. "Guilt isn't something you feel, Sal."

"Blaz thinks being linked to humans has broadened my emotions, but I was linked before I died. Still, I'm feeling..." She made a waving gesture at her chest. "Things!"

Shift caught her hand and closed his eyes. Immediately, Sal felt her world tilt, but only a bit. He wasn't truly healing her, but he was still using his skill, doing something she'd never felt before. Pushing out a breath, she forced herself to stay on her feet and not move too much. Sadly, she still swayed a bit.

"Fuck," Shift groaned. "They're right."

"Who's right?" Rayna asked. "And about what?"

Shift ignored her for the moment. "Dom, unroll the rug. Ray, hush for a minute. Sal, can you sit down?"

"Ok?" she asked, because the vertigo had only just passed.

She felt a little off-kilter, but in a few more breaths she'd be fine. She was already starting to feel fine, actually. So why did he want her to sit? Still, the moment Dom kicked the rug across the floor, Shift moved her over and tugged her down, sitting straight across from her.

"What do you know about what happened?" he asked.

"I fell off Arden - " She paused. "And please tell me you brought her? That my mare's ok?"

"She's fine," Shift promised. "Pulled a suspensory ligament in her left foreleg, but I healed her up myself. She's been sound since we got her back to the line, and she's been spoiled by every Anglian who passed. Handfuls of grass from some, bits of bread from others. She's fine, Sal. I want to know what happened to you, step by step."

"Arden fell," Sal started again, "and she landed on me. I think I broke my leg, but I was under the enemy horses and the line wasn't stopping. I looked up just as a lancer spotted me, and he aimed. I tried to crawl backwards, but he pierced me straight through the abdomen, right about here."

She pressed a hand over her belly, just below and to the right of her bellybutton. She knew that was where she'd been hit because even through her uniform, she could feel the scar.

"And then?" Shift asked.

"I cut the links before I was hit," she said, trying to explain the jumbled mess of her memory as the pieces came to her. "Blaec said to cut the links, so I did, and then I got stabbed with the lance, and I passed out. I came to sometime later, and had to pull the tip out. Well, the first third of the lance, but still. And my intestines had spilled, so I had to grab them, but my leg wasn't working." She paused. "That part feels almost like it happened to someone else, though. I can remember things about it, but not the pain. Simply that I was in pain, and that it was hard to think."

"When did you die?" Shift asked.

"After I dragged myself across the field, looking for help. I found Odi, and I had to heal him. He used to hate me, but now he's fighting for my kind, and it mattered. After everything he thought iliri did, I had to prove we weren't evil, so I made sure he could live, but I didn't have enough. After that, I just remember needing to be away from the sky, and then my memories are from beside the void."

"Beside it?" Rayna asked.

Sal nodded. "Where Blaec was. I saw that as being someplace beside the void, but it's not like there's a pit. More like the wall of a tent. You can't see through it, but it's still thin and flimsy, and the void is on the other side of it. While I was there, Blaec explained things to me, I asked questions, and we talked until I really did die." Sal looked over at Shift. "He held me out of the void the same way Jase and I held Zep, but it was easier for Blaec. He said he had to die so I could come back. So he could change the pattern."

"Well," Shift said. "He almost did, but there's one problem, Sal. Blaz said he couldn't fix everything, and he's right." He reached over and took her hand. "You will never have your own kids, and there's nothing I can do about it. I don't think even Raast can fix it. I'm so sorry."

Rayna just put her hand on Sal's knee. "Are you ok, Sal? Did you want kids?"

She thought about it, trying to imagine a world where she'd be safe and protected enough to insure her children a real future, but kept drawing a blank. Oh, she could imagine iliri children running through the halls of a castle. She longed to see her mates teaching their kids how to fly kites. So many things like that were easy, but her own child? Sired by one of her own men? That was a blank she simply couldn't fill in.

"I want a pack," she said, trying to explain it. "Maybe I've spent too long refusing the idea. Or maybe it's just that I'm so tired of being expected to save my species and rebreed it? I don't know, but..." She shook her head. "I don't care if I'm ever pregnant. That isn't what makes me an amma."

"No," Rayna agreed, "it's not, but everyone around you is going to assume you can't be happy without it. Sal, I can't have kids, and it's not something I talk about for this very reason. There's only one person in the whole world who understood why I asked to be sterilized, and that's Tyr. He went with me, giving Pig some excuse for why we needed a month off together, and I got it done. I can't have kids because I didn't want to, and that's ok. There's nothing to be ashamed of. You can still like children, and just not want to have your own."

Sal looked over at Dom. "You knew about this, right?"

He nodded. "She told me when things got serious. I'm ok with her decision." He lifted his hand to gently rub Rayna's shoulder. "The truth is that I don't want kids either, and ours would just be raised by some nanny. This way, Jarl gets to inherit the crown, and it's really a better decision for everyone."

Shift just lifted his hand, halting them. "That's our decision, Sal. This is about you. You lost Blaec. You cut your cessivi links with your mates. You died. Now, to find out you can't have your own children? It's ok to grieve."

Sal just shook her head. "I can't. Not right now, and maybe not for a while, Shift. I'm not saying I won't, but it's done. It can't be undone, and yet somehow, I'm still alive. Isn't that enough? How much more do I need to be?"

"Nothing," he swore. "I'm not trying to say this is a problem. I'm telling you that if it's the best thing ever, then I'll celebrate with you, but if it's the worst, then I'm always here to lean on." He squeezed her hand. "Always. Your mates just wanted to make sure that the first healer who touched you didn't make this into something hard to deal with."

Which meant they'd set this up. They'd sent her here to be checked. That left one big question hanging out there, and she had to ask.

"Do they care?"

It was Dom who answered. "No. I think Jase said it best. He knew he'd never have children, so there's nothing to lose. He just didn't expect to get the chance at a long life." Then he grinned. "He may have mentioned that Jarl and Nya's pups would have to visit, though. He wants kids, Sal. He just doesn't care if they're his."

Which was almost the exact same thing she'd said when Blaz first told her. That, more than anything else, made her think that this really would be ok. The fact that three of her closest friends had stopped everything to let her deal with it? It proved that Anglia really was her home.

"No more estrus?" she asked Shift.

He shrugged. "Can't promise you that, because you'll probably still set us off even if it's pointless."

"Huh."

Evidently, there might be an upside to this after all, because she clearly remembered how intense her men had been last time. "Rayna? I think we need some mead. It seems I have something to celebrate after all."

"Having periods?" she asked, pushing herself off the rug.

Shift just laughed. "Oh no. Iliri estrus? It's pretty much the best sex, longest sex, and most intense sex you can imagine. And now, she doesn't even need to worry about getting pregnant, so she can simply enjoy it. As often as four times a year, if she chooses, although Arhhawen won't be a very safe place if she tries that."

"Nope, but my bed will be a lot of fun," Sal pointed out.

"And that," Dom said, "is definitely worth celebrating. So is getting our Kaisae home."

Chapter Fifty-Three

Southern Unav

Leaving Sal with Rayna had been much harder than Gage had expected, but he'd still done it. She needed to have someone check her over, and Shift was the person they trusted most. At least for this. Risk's healing was too painful, and Raast was too young to understand. Shift, however, could be sensitive if he wanted, and if Sal really was unable to have children now, he'd be the best one to break it to her gently - and her mates. But that would take time, which meant Gage would get the chance to learn more about Blaz without Sal around.

In the short amount of time it had taken him to escort her across the meadow, the Anglians had started turning the entire area into a temporary town. Groups of tents, each in different colors, marked the units, turning the area into a patchwork of people. Quite a few were standing partially raised. Soldiers were helping each other, having learned that some things were easier to do with extra hands. And near the center of it all, Gage found what would be his home.

Sal's tent had been put up first, just like so many officers'. This time, it wasn't just her mates helping. All of the Black Blades had joined in. Gage walked up just as the last peg was stomped into the ground by Arctic. He stood just to clasp Gage's shoulder.

"She's back," Arctic said, sounding like it was a relief.

Gage nodded. "She is, and she seems fine. A little shaken, and more emotional than she'd like to admit, but she's fine."

"Well, just make sure you share her with the rest of us tonight. We've missed her too. Not as much as you four, but try to keep it in mind."

"Promise," Gage told him, but it was with a smile. "Believe it or not, we don't want to jump right into bed. We just had to..."

"Touch her," Arctic finished. "We know, so did we. Is the bond back?"

The answer came from Jase as the little assassin silently moved to join them. "We are her mates again, but na her cessivi. That will take more than a touch. It may na happen, but I do na want ta worry her about it."

"But we can feel the mate bond," Gage added. "It's one of those things that I never noticed starting, but its absence hit me hard. When she put it back, it came all at once, just like it had been before she cut the link."

"Makes sense," Arctic said. "You guys deal with the new guy. I'll make sure the rest of the pack gets set up. I'll also try to leave you alone for a bit."

Jase caught Gage's arm and tugged, leading him around to the front of the tent while Arctic headed off in the other direction. When they rounded the corner, he saw Zep pushing an armload of blankets at Blaz, and tilting his head inside. Kolt had pillows, and more things were stacked up, waiting to be put into place. Blaz stepped into the tent looking a little lost, yet oddly determined.

Gage snagged one of the crates and followed the rest. Jase came last, carrying what little was left, and without a word, they all began turning the empty canvas-lined area into a home.

"There's no cot," Blaz realized.

Zep grunted as he pushed past, then set down his load. Among it was a thick pad that had been rolled up. Releasing the ties, he spread it out, proving that it was a thin but functional mattress, and a large one.

"Too many of us for a cot," he explained, "so we learned how to improvise. You gonna have a problem sharing with a bunch of men?"

Blaz started laying his blankets over what would be their bed, only able to reach one side. Zep handled the other, waiting while the man thought it through. Gage moved his crate to serve as both storage and a table, watching the guy's reaction, waiting for Blaz to figure out what he was now a part of.

"Look," Blaz said, "I'm completely lost, honestly nervous, and feeling incredibly awkward here. We all know I slept with her. You all know I'm not interested in walking away, but I'm not sure what's going to piss any of you off."

Jase moved closer to clasp Blaz's shoulder. "If ya try, ya will be fine," he promised. "But ya need ta talk ta us as much as her. We can na help if we do na know what ya feel, how far ya will go, or where yer limits are."

"Um..." Blaz looked up at the Ahnor. "In Cenla Xie, Tyr and I slept with her between us. Before that, we traded watch. I just don't know how you figure out who goes where, and as the last mate, does that mean I'm stuck beside Razor every night?"

"Gage," Zep corrected, "and no. Sal's always in the middle somewhere, and the rest of us just find an empty space."

Gage couldn't help himself. He added, "And iliri don't mind touching. Nothing wrong with cuddling any of our mates."

"You scared of seeing men naked?" Kolt asked.

Blaz shifted back so he was sitting on his rump, and let out a heavy sigh. "No. I'm not into men - at least not that I know of. I also didn't mind Tyr being involved, but we didn't really... You know."

"Touch," Zep finished for him, waving the others down. "Nah, I gotcha. But touching happens. Sometimes it's a little more than you'd expect."

Kolt chuckled right on cue. "Say a guy's got his face on her from the front and another's trying to get some from behind, well, not all of us are worried about that. Still freaks out Zep."

"That was your hand on my dick," Zep countered. "And not even a thought of warning."

"I was just angling you in," Kolt reminded him. "Trying to suck her clit and that black shaft of yours was in my way."

But Gage could see Blaz's cheeks getting darker, and the smell of his embarrassment was filling the tent. "Guys," he warned. "Ease into it, ok?"

"No," Blaz said. "I'm fine. I knew this would happen, and I know it needs to. It's just that I've never talked about sex like this. I want to say openly, but that would be a lie. I've bragged about it, and I've listened to my unit - er..."

"Yer fine," Jase assured him. "Ya are still with the 112th, so they are yer unit. Fer now."

"Right," Blaz continued. "Anyway, the guys bragged back. We all talked about girls who were amazing, but never the actual mechanics. Just the vague ideas. She rode me hard, things like that." Lifting his hands to his face, he mumbled into his palms, "And I'm pretty sure I'm going to say something stupid just when I'm trying to prove I can do this."

"You can do this," Zep told him. "There's also nothing stupid. I mean, when they push me a little too far, I tell them I need to think about it. To wrap my mind around everything I was taught as a human, and the stuff they accept so easily as iliri. They get it. No one cares if you wake up with your dick shoved against someone else's back. It happens. The truth is that sometimes, she'll get frisky in the morning, and you'll wake up in the middle of her getting some, realize she's leaking into your mind, and you're kissing on my shoulder. We all do it, and we've stopped worrying about it."

Kolt moved to Blaz's side, then lowered himself down so their knees were almost touching. "You know we bite, right?"

"He likes biting," Zep said.

Blaz's head jerked up. "She told you?"

"Tyr mentioned it. Said you were worried you'd bother him. Pretty sure you won't bother us."

Jase tried to smother his laugh, but failed. "I like ta bite too."

"I, um..." Blaz looked at each of the men around him. "I can get rough. Into it, I mean. I've kinda only been with iliri and nuvani for years now, and..."

"You like being bitten?" Kolt asked.

Blaz nodded. "Or to choke her, hold her down, things like that."

Kolt tilted his head. "Blood?"

"What?"

To prove his point, Kolt smiled, revealing his double canines, both with sharp edges. "Three of us have teeth that can pierce her skin. She can definitely cut right through ours. Blood happens."

"Ok." Blaz slowly nodded, looking like he was trying to come to terms with all of this. "And she said you bite each other, right?"

"If that's what you want," Kolt explained. "Sex in a harem? It's different. She links all of our minds together, so there's no need to ask. No need to warn us if it hurts. We can all feel it, just like you'll feel us. I'll know your desire the same moment you do, and if she can't reach, I'm not opposed to helping. Jase and Gage are the same. Zep isn't as comfortable with it yet, but he's better with other things."

"Fuck," Zep groaned. "And this is where someone points out that I'm scared of getting my dick sucked, but I'm not. It's just that her teeth are sharp, ok?"

"I'm a healer," Blaz pointed out. "Means I can fix it if she drags a tooth."

Zep thrust both arms toward Blaz. "He gets it!"

"Still don't," Gage told him.

And that was the thing that finally made Blaz relax. The guy chuckled and leaned back onto his hands. "Just imagine having a moment with her, someone thrusts a little too hard, and you end up with your dick shredded to pieces. Running out of the tent to find a healer? And with Shift being over there with Dom? Do any of you really want to run your naked ass across the entire army, holding your bleeding dick in your hand to get it fixed? And how long would it take to live that down?"

"That!" Zep said, pointing at him. "That's what I've been trying to tell you! It's not that I don't want her to suck it. It's just that, well, I don't trust you idiots not to make me lose my junk."

Jase cleared his throat, but a chuckle followed right after, so the little man hummed, trying to stop it. The problem was that Kolt had a big smile on his face, egging the Ahnor on. Gage pressed his fist to his lips, but he was grinning and knew they could all see.

"Fuck off," Zep told them. "You're the worst, Kolt. Ramming into her like you want your dick to come out her throat."

"That's Jase," Kolt countered. "Oh, and Blaz? He gets a little growly at times. Just ignore it. He won't really snap at you."

"I do na mean ta," Jase grumbled.

"You still do," Kolt told him. "And when you get going, so does she. He also likes to smother her. Like, hold in her moans so no one else can hear. It's kinda his thing."

"Just mine," Jase said, but more like he was apologizing. "The sounds the rest of ya get from her, I do na care. But those are fer me."

"Right," Kolt teased. "Oh! And we should tell Blaz about the bet."

"There's a bet?" Blaz asked.

Sal's first four mates shared a look. Gage sighed, deciding it was up to him to explain. "It's not exactly a bet. She works too hard and worries too much about keeping us happy. Five men? That's a lot of entertaining for one woman, and I don't know about you, but I'm not looking to be babied. So we made a deal with each other. A personal challenge of sorts. The goal is to spoil her, cuddle, talk, or whatever she needs, without turning it sexual. To give her a chance to simply unwind and spend time with us. So, the last one to make things sexual is the guy who gets the most fun that night, sexually speaking. Whatever position he wants."

"How does that work, anyway?" Blaz asked, his cheeks turning darker again. "I mean, you don't all fuck her every night, do you? That seems like an awful lot of work for her, especially after a battle."

"Actually," Zep said, "after a battle is when it's most likely to happen. The maast drives her to be insatiable, and the more we can get her off - and Jase in the process - the sooner it lets them go. Most nights? Nah. She'll have sex with someone, maybe suck someone else off, and possibly take a third if she's in the mood. The rest of us just jerk one out, you know? I mean, gets her going to watch us masturbate, so it works. She's mentioned that she'll let us try anal, but it's not really her thing."

"Um..." Blaz glanced away. "I didn't know that."

"Oh?" Jase asked, moving closer to squat down on Blaz's level. "What do ya mean?"

"We brought her back to life, and she was feral. Went after Tyr immediately. Got her thinking a bit and, you know, ended up fucking her. That's how to stop the bloodlust, which she was in. So, um, when she pushed Tyr on the ground and was on top of him, I kinda... went there."

Zep leaned closer. "And she was ok with it?"

"Let us do it again. She took Tyr up the ass the next time, and she gets off hard with it." Blaz shrugged. "This is ok to be telling you guys about, right?"

"This," Kolt assured him, "is exactly how it works with us. No secrets. No need to be ashamed of what you do or do not like. We're a family, and that erases all the rules you thought you knew. If you want to be one of the Kaisae's mates, then don't ever forget that means being a part of the whole. A piece of her life, not the center of it. We share. Not just because we have to, but because it makes it better."

"Help me get this right?" Blaz begged. "Zep, I know I said nothing would ever happen between her and me, but I had no idea there was a chance. I thought it was the truth."

"I know, brother," Zep assured him. "And I was scared that she would love you more. That's why I was a dick to you. We've got your back."

Jase clasped his arm. "Yer our mate too. Maybe na the fucking kind, but the fucking with kind. That means we will love ya. When ya accepted her, ya accepted us. When she accepted ya, so did we. That is how this works."

"How it should work," Gage pointed out, "because we have some say in who she ends up with too. We all approve of you." He shrugged. "In fact, I've known you were a candidate ever since Prin. Blaec told me that if I didn't wait, she'd pick you instead of me. I'm kinda glad she ended up with both of us."

"Yeah," Blaz breathed. "I should also tell you that she's not looking forward to seeing Hax again. She's still pissed at him."

"Wait," Jase asked. "So she does na want him as a mate?"

"Not at all," Blaz said.

Around the room, the men all smiled. "Good," Kolt said. "Fucking bastard killed her. Doesn't matter if he's meant for her. He doesn't deserve her after that."

"But she'll have to refuse him," Gage pointed out.

Jase just snarled. "Would serve him right fer her ta drag it out."

"No," Zep told him, "it really wouldn't. The sooner she tells him it's not going to happen, the sooner he leaves us all alone."

"And," Gage added, "the sooner Ran can stop babysitting him. That's not fair to her father. Hax can go back to being Jad's problem."

"So who's going to tell her?" Zep asked.

Blaz lifted his hand slightly. "I'll do it. I mean, if that's ok? She tends to talk with me about these things."

One by one, they all nodded. He had a point, but Gage noticed how their acceptance made the Viernor sit just a little taller. Blaz was a strange man, stuck between meek and strong, yet finding the best aspects of both. He was soft in all the ways Sal needed, and strong in those that would help his new brothers. In other words, he fit with them.

"Welcome to the pack, little brother," Kolt told him, clearly thinking the same thing. "Take your time about leaving the 112th, but so far as I care, you're already a Blade."

Zep nodded. "We'll save the tattoo until you've had the chance to talk to Rais."

Blaz just pulled his knees up and dropped his head on them. Then he sighed. "Thank you," he mumbled, but they could all hear the emotion in his voice. "Thank you for not trying to chase me off. I was so sure that's what would happen. Not... this."

Kolt leaned over to hug the man, gently rubbing a hand across his back. "I think I underestimated just how serious this is for you."

"Life and death," Blaz admitted without lifting his head. "I may have saved her life, but only because she saved mine first. She's the reason I'm still going, and..." He paused to swallow. "I love her more than I can put into words."

"Yeah," Zep agreed. "We all do."

Chapter Fifty-Four

Southern Unav

Tyr sat by the fire, aware that someone had put up his tent for him. The Anglian camp was bustling, the sound one that should be comforting, but it wasn't. He couldn't stop thinking about Sal with her mates. He also wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Pig had tried to talk to him, but Tyr had snapped at the man, making it clear he was staying with the Dogs. That wasn't up for negotiation. These people were his pack. He couldn't live without them, and he hadn't been with Sal long enough for it to matter... had he?

But someone had tattled on him. Probably Pig. Maybe Joevar. He was sure of it the moment Razor sat down beside him. The man didn't say a thing, just waited. A million excuses ran through Tyr's mind, but he didn't say any of them, simply because they didn't matter. If he had to choose between a woman and his family, then his family would always come first. The Devil Dogs had been there for him when no one else had. They'd stuck by him, so he owed it to them to stay loyal.

Never mind that he was human. He wasn't like Blaz or Zep, able to adapt to the iliri customs. He could try, and he could accept them, but Tyr would always find himself looking in their eyes or touching someone at the wrong time. He couldn't keep his mouth shut, not even when Sal expected him to, so this was impossible. It could never work.

That didn't mean he had to like it.

"So," Razor said, finally breaking the silence. "She's worried about you."

"I'm fine, man," Tyr said. "Got her back home, right? And aren't you supposed to be, I dunno, fucking her to make sure you're her mate or something?"

"Not really how that works," Razor said. "Look, she said you decided to be just a toy."

Tyr groaned, able to guess where this was going. "Your girl's amazing in bed, and yeah, I had fun, but I have needs, man. No way can I deal with getting a piece once every month, and hoping I get to see her at least every week. Nah, that's not what I signed up for. I told her I'm down if she wants to get naked, and that we're still friends, but that's all this can be."

"Right." Razor sighed. "Why are you fighting this so hard?"

Tyr pushed himself to his feet. "Because it can't work. I can't have my cake and eat it too. I know that just as well as you do, and I chose the Dogs, ok? Sal didn't even know I was into her until I opened my fucking mouth in Fort Landing, so it hasn't been that long. If I cut things off between us now, she'll get over it, right? I mean, she'll be ok?"

Razor slowly looked over at him. "Doesn't sound like something a man would say if he's not interested."

"I like to get laid. So fucking what?"

"I'm just saying that we can make this work."

"No." Tyr swiped out with his arm, making it clear that line of talk was over. "In case you forgot, I watched how she tried to bend herself in half to make Blaec happy, and that's not what I'm looking for. Sal wants one thing, I want another, and those two things can't be made to meet in the middle. Yeah, I like her. Yeah, I'll jump every single time she asks, but I'm not going to make her choose, man. I'm not going to put her in that position, not even if I have to..." He paused, realizing exactly how he could finish this. "Just go spend some time with her, ok? She missed the fuck out of you."

With that, Tyr turned, heading away from the Blades' side of camp. Behind him, he heard Razor call his name, but he didn't stop. Sal was too fucking loyal. She'd wear herself out trying to be what they all needed, which meant he had to make this clear. It seemed that woman had only one line that she didn't want crossed.

Which meant he had to cross it. For her own good, he had to make her realize that the thing they had was temporary. He was a good soldier, and he didn't want to hurt her, but he had no other choice. He could hurt her a little, and fast, or he could hurt her a lot for the rest of her life. And it didn't matter if she hated him. No, it would suck, but it would be easier for her.

It didn't take long to find the 119th Anglian Infantry again. Their tents were still mostly clean and set up in a regulation formation. He'd barely stepped foot into their area when he was spotted.

"Tyr?" it was Brisa, exactly the woman he was looking for.

"Hey," he said, turning to her with a smile. "You, um, still doing favors for people?"

She crossed her arms. "What's going on?" she asked, giving him a defiant look.

Tyr jerked his thumb behind him, back toward a slightly more wild area of their meadow. They were just north of the Flux Zone, in an area where the ground was more fertile and trees were clustered in little groves. Those miniature forests weren't big, no more than half an acre, but they were dense enough to prevent setting up tents among them. In other words, it was the closest thing to a private place to talk he could imagine.

Thankfully, Brisa followed him. Walking at his side, she didn't say a word, but kept looking over as if she knew there was something serious weighing on him. She'd always had a knack for reading people like that. She said it was because of her last job, working as a prostitute in Anglia, back before women could do much else. Tyr didn't know if that was it, or if she was just a pretty amazing person, but he hoped it would be enough for her to want to help.

When they were far enough into the trees that he could no longer see the camp around them, he turned back to face her. "I need to smell like another woman so Sal will realize she and I can't happen."

"Whoa," Brisa breathed, lifting a hand. "Care to explain why you think pissing off the Kaisae is the right way to handle this?"

"Look." He stepped closer to catch her arms. "I like her, ok?"

She nodded. "You always have."

"Just like you're into Ryek." He tipped his head, making it clear that she wasn't holding all the cards. "But Bris, that's the problem. To save her, I had to be with her, and she figured out that humans are an option. She didn't kill either of us. The problem is that now? Fuck!"

"Why can't you be with her?" Brisa asked.

Tyr leaned back against a tree and pressed both hands to his face. "Because she needs her mates to be together. To be always at her beck and call. To live right beside her, and how can I do that if I'm not even a Blade? No, if I try to keep up the mate thing she offered, then she'll spend so much of her time trying to make sure she invites me to her tent, or that she comes to mine, and then she'll want to ride beside me in battle, or have me with her, leaving my squad without a leader. It's..."

"A mess," Brisa agreed. "Did you tell her you're in love with her?"

"Fuck no."

She nodded. "Are you in love with her?"

He sighed. "Doesn't really matter, does it? If I care about her, then I need to break it off. If I don't, then I need to break it off." He leaned his head back, pressing his eyes closed tight enough that the welling moisture couldn't form into tears. "It's like everyone's so busy worrying about how I feel, or thinking about making her happy right now, that no one's stopping to think about what a clusterfuck this will become next week, or even next month."

"Except you," she said, moving closer to grab his wrists. Slowly, Brisa eased his hands down, encouraging him to look at her. "Tyr, you're a good guy. You're one of the few people who've treated me like more than a whore."

"Please tell me Dom's another?"

She laughed once. "Which was why I kept going back to him. I mean, until he found the Consort. Yes, ok? But I'm not a whore anymore. I don't charge for sex."

"Shit," he breathed, twisting his hands to clasp hers. "Honey, that was not what I meant. Fuck, no. I'm sorry. I just thought that maybe, since we've been together a few times in the past, that, you know, a little fun would still be an option? Unless you're seeing someone? Because if that's the case, I get it. I just - "

She pressed her mouth against his, cutting off his words. For a moment, Tyr froze, unsure about what he should do, but she just leaned back, a little smile teasing her lips. Unlacing her fingers from his, she moved one hand to his chest.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "Because once we do this, you can't just take it back. She'll know."

He cupped the side of her face. "I need it to be with someone who'll understand. Someone who's a friend, ok? But there has to be a first time, and when I saw you..."

"You decided." She leaned her cheek into his palm. "Just promise me one thing?"

"Anything."

"No names." She looked up, her beautiful brown eyes meeting his. "I don't want to hear you call me Sal."

He nodded. "But... can you, um, kiss me again?"

Brisa grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled, encouraging him to lean closer. Cupping her face, he met her parted lips, allowing his tongue to slip between them. They'd done this before, and a few times too many. His body knew hers even better than it did Sal. Brisa was soft, gentle, and comfortable. She was safe, and sensual, without being more than he could handle. Most of all, she was his friend.

Every brush of their lips was met with another touch. Her hands slid over his chest, around his neck, and she leaned her body into his. He could feel her full breasts crushed between their bodies, was overly aware of her hips sliding against his pelvis. Brisa had no shame in her desires, and he respected her for that. She also knew that Blaec had made a prophecy about her.

So maybe this was supposed to happen? Oh, she'd sucked his dick before. She'd also spent plenty of nights rolling around in his tent back before the army split to deal with the CFC. When Dom had caught her sneaking out of Tyr's tent one morning, the King had pulled him aside to make it clear that Brisa was much more than a whore, but until that moment, Tyr hadn't known she was.

He'd told Dom as much, and let the man know that his relationship with her was one of mutual satisfaction, nothing more. She was a friend. He'd been helping her learn how to use various weapons, along with Keeya, because she'd asked. When their lesson had ended with talking, and then talking turned to more, he hadn't even thought about it.

But things had changed since then. Sal had been taken, Blaec had been killed, Anglia had split with Sal taking half of them through the CFC, and Brisa had become a soldier. Not just a new recruit, but from the feel of her body, she was everything a soldier should be. Strong, supple, and demanding enough to make Tyr forget about all of his own problems.

He kissed her harder, leaning her back so he could feel her weight in his arms. She melted into him with trust, a tiny little moan passing her lips. He loved that sound. Loved making women feel confident enough to let it out. Pulling her hips closer, he tried to make her do it again, but she had other plans.

Brisa fumbled at his belt, releasing the catch only to start worrying with his pants. Tyr didn't try to stop her. He also wouldn't pressure her. They'd been apart too long, but he needed this. He needed it with her, if only because she understood. There were no lies between them, no promises of forever, just this. One moment to stop thinking and just feel something so very good together.

The moment his pants fell open, she eased herself down to a knee, one hand pressing him back against the tree again. Tyr moved his hands to her head, feeling her fingers slide across the skin of his hip, wrap around his shaft, and...

She moved his flaccid dick to her lips. The heat of her mouth was so good, but he should be hard. Worried, Tyr looked down, watching her mouth slide over him. There was no stretched skin, no hard veins. His fucking dick was half the size it should be, and doing nothing. He couldn't feel the swelling that meant he was getting there. Yes, he could feel her sucking at him, her tongue teasing the best spots, and it felt good, but his body didn't seem to care.

"Brisa," he said, trying to understand what was happening.

She eased her mouth off just to fondle him with her hand. "It's ok, Tyr. It takes longer when you're upset. Relax. I'm not offended."

But from behind him, he heard a man chuckle. "Well, I was going to warn you," Razor said, "but you always have to learn the hard way, don't you, Tyr? Or, well, not hard in this case."

Brisa just groaned. "I had no idea this was going to be a party."

"Go away, Razor," Tyr snapped.

"Nope." Stepping into view, the man pointed the other way. "I called for backup. Seems you need a demonstration of how this mate thing works, my friend, and I know just the woman to give it to you."

Brisa's hand jerked away from his dick, and she yelped. Tyr felt the exact same way, but he wouldn't show it. No, because the woman walking toward them was Sal, and he'd be damned if he let Brisa take the fall for this.

Chapter Fifty-Five

Southern Unav

Sal was laughing with Rayna and Dom about the insanity that had become her life. Rayna wanted to know how the hell she planned to fit so many men in her bed. Shift was curious whether this meant she was over her anti-human stage, or if Blaz and Tyr were just that special. Dom joked that he might finally have a chance. Sal wasn't the only one who smacked him.

But her laughter stopped when Gage's voice broke into her mind. Hey, Sal? he asked. Any way you can sneak out of there and meet me over in a clump of trees? You probably don't want to bring a guard for this.

What's going on? she asked, sitting up.

It took a little too long for him to answer. You remember Blaec's prophesies? The one he gave when you went full carnivore on that first group of humans?

Yeah? But they've all been fulfilled, haven't they?

What was the last one, Sal? he asked. Think about it, and then think about how he said it, because my friend is about to need a lesson about iliri, and one that anger won't help with.

She did think about it, aware that the three people sitting beside her had all gone quiet. There had been the bit encouraging Rayna to tell her unit about her relationship with Dom. Then he'd told Zep not to let go, which was how she and Jase had kept him from dying. He told Arctic that it burns, and he meant Shade. Then there was the advice to Pig to keep his eye on Keeya. Those had all been fulfilled, but at the very end, Blaec had added one more thing.

He told Tyr to ask Brisa out, Sal thought. He said she loved sucking his dick.

But he laughed first, and it was after he told Rayna he didn't want to ruin the ending, Gage pointed out. Sal, I think it's about to happen, and no, it's not the first time. I know that, because Tyr can't hear for shit, and he hasn't realized that he's not alone. So can you please come help me?

She hesitated for a moment, her eyes unconsciously flicking over to Rayna for support. I don't want to see that, Gage. If he doesn't want me, then I can't make him.

Damn it, he snapped back. Just come here and stop being difficult. Now, Sal.

Never before had she heard him sound like that. It was enough to make Sal push herself to her feet. "I have to go," she told her friends.

"I'll walk with you," Rayna offered.

But Sal shook her head. "Razor said alone, and it's in camp, so I'm safe. Just..." She stepped back. "This was supposed to be a good day."

Then she turned and ducked through the flap, walking quickly. Rayna didn't follow, but a few of the men in the area turned to look at her. They all wore white, which made it hard to be sure if looking was their own idea or Rayna's, but Sal wasn't in the mood to stop and talk. Not anymore.

Gage had given her a location, and it wasn't very far. She walked past the Blades' camp, skirted the edge of the Dogs', then made her way through the Anglian units in green. Beyond that was a cluster of trees. That was where Gage had sent her, and a quick check proved he was also there, but she was only a few steps in when she heard a voice she recognized.

Tyr.

The word he said was the girl's name. Sal didn't care what was said in response, but when Gage's voice broke in, she stretched her legs a little more. She'd just made it close enough to see them when the girl yelped, turning to look back, but she was on her knees. Tyr's pants were open and his dick hung there, limp. From their positions, she knew Brisa had been sucking on him, but his body didn't care. He had no reaction at all, and from the look on Tyr's face, he had no clue what was going on.

"Kaisae," Brisa whimpered, scrambling to her feet only to move away from her. "I meant no offense."

Sal's white eyes landed on her, but she had to force her ears to stay up because Brisa wasn't the one who'd hurt her. "He's not mine, so you did nothing wrong, but if you'd give me a minute?"

Brisa slapped Tyr across the arm. "Did you know she was coming out here? Is that why you picked this place?"

"I didn't," Tyr hissed.

Sal lifted a hand. "He didn't. You're fine. He even told me this would happen, so I'm not mad at you." She paused to pull in a long, calming breath. "I just... Brisa, can you give me this? Please?"

The girl nodded her head. "I'm sorry, Kaisae." She stepped back a few more times. "Yeah. I'm gonna go."

Fear was heavy in the air, but Sal wasn't sure if that was all Brisa's. Some seemed to come from Tyr as he watched his friend hurry back toward the camp. The air around them was starting to cool, making it easier for Sal to hear the girl's footsteps fade into the distance, but Tyr didn't say a thing. He just put himself back in his pants and closed the front.

"He doesn't understand," Gage said, breaking the silence.

Sal nodded. "And you couldn't have explained it without me?"

Tyr just sighed. "So is this what it's going to be like now? Anytime I try to be alone, one of you is going to show up and ruin it?"

"You were ruining it pretty good on your own," Gage said, pointing right at Tyr's crotch. "Having some problems there?"

"Fuck off."

"Gage," Sal hissed, shooting him a warning look. "I don't know why you're pissed, and I'm not sure if it's him or me who's got you worked up, but you aren't helping."

"It's him," Gage said, thrusting an arm toward Tyr. "How long have you wanted Sal, man?" He stormed across the distance to get in his face. "The first time the subject came up, it was because of her. And when we took that girl home? What was her name?"

"Xenla," Tyr told him. "She was all over you, and you can't even remember that?"

"I remember how she smells," Gage snapped. "But you? We were barely out of her room before you were talking about Sal again, and now this? You have her, Tyr! She made you her mate, and you fucking accepted it. That's why your dick won't work. You can't have it both ways, you idiot."

"Why do you care?" Tyr demanded, pushing Gage back a step. "You got her. You're the Cinnor, and she's fucking in love with you."

"And you think she's not with you?" Gage pushed back. "Do you really think she just accepted you because you were the only dick there? That's not how she works. Kinda why we're in love with her!"

This time, Tyr roared, letting it out as every muscle in his body tensed. When he surged back toward Gage, it was with the kind of anger Sal hadn't expected. Gage didn't have a chance. He slipped, falling flat on his back, and Tyr moved to stand over him.

"Leave it the fuck alone!" Tyr yelled. "It's so fucking easy for you because you're already a Blade. Well, I'm not. And no, I'm not going to just walk away from my own pack. I'm a fucking Devil Dog, and maybe you don't think that's the shit, but I kinda do. I'm also human. Not almost-iliri, and not pretending to be one. I'm just another shit human with shitty human-ass abilities. I don't even know when to look down!"

"Tyr," Sal begged.

He pointed a finger at her. "Stay out of this, Sal."

She stepped back and closed her mouth, but Gage wasn't finished. He might be down, and he made no move to get back up, but he wasn't done arguing his point. He also didn't look like he was intimidated at all.

"So," Gage asked, "you think fucking Brisa's helping you at all? How's that working out?"

"If you hadn't gotten in my way, it would've," Tyr told him. "Because maybe you can't wrap your damned loyal-ass mind around this, but I'm not the right man for her. I'm Blaec all over again, pulling her away from the men she deserves. I fucking made my choice, and I chose the Dogs. Not her, and the only way to keep her from regretting that was to make her fucking hate me."

Sal felt the air rush out of her lungs with his admission. She stood there, shaking her head, trying to deny it, but she knew better. This was exactly the kind of thing Tyr would do. He always put her first. It was why she'd trusted him so easily, because he hadn't thought of her as something "other." He'd simply thought of her, and made sure she knew it.

"Stop," she begged.

The men ignored her. Gage surged to his feet, pushing right back into Tyr's face. His teeth were bared, and it was clear her Cinnor was mad, but Tyr didn't back down. He just met Gage's eyes and held them.

"I'm not scared of you," he grumbled.

Gage leaned just a little closer. "You were supposed to be with us! That's why I helped you, because I honestly thought you'd be chosen. I let you be my friend, Tyr, and the first thing you do when you get back here is find some fucking human girl?"

"Because I'm still human, Gage! I am just as good as you, and I'm not about to change. If you want me around, then you need to wrap your fucking iliri mind around that! I'm a human. I don't want to die and be reborn, because I've watched that happen twice now. I'm not a hero. I'm just trying to do the right fucking thing in the only way I know how!"

"By chasing her off? By chasing me off?" Gage yelled.

Tyr grabbed his shoulders and shook him, but only to get his attention. "Yes. Didn't you hear a thing I said? I love that woman, ok? Is that what you want to hear? I love her enough to know that I need to walk away, and she won't let me go unless I push the point. I figured Brisa would help, and she gets it, so why can't you? Why can't you just hold her while she rages about me fucking her over, keep her going, and let her fucking hate me? It's the right thing to do, bro." His voice cracked. "It really is."

"But you can't," Gage mumbled, grabbing Tyr's shoulder hard. "You're one of us. You can't even get it hard for Brisa. Don't you see that? You're already hers. You're supposed to be my brother, Tyr. Not just some human, but ours!"

Tyr looked away, pressing his eyes closed. "I tried. I fucking tried, but I can't do this to her."

"What about me?" Gage asked.

Tyr huffed out a dry laugh. "I'm not fucking you."

"You're fucking with me, brother. You're..."

Tyr shook his head, cutting that off. "I'm a Devil Dog. I will always be a Devil Dog, man. Always. I can't be her mate unless I'm in her pack, and you know that. She knows that." And he waved one hand at his dick. "So I'm fucking broken because I screwed a real iliri now? Is that how it works?"

"No," Sal said. "It's not."

Finally, they paid attention. Both men slowly looked over at her, their eyes glassy with emotion, but their bodies were still tense. She could smell the anger and strain on the air, but she tried to ignore it. This one thing, she knew how to handle, and Tyr deserved to know.

"It's from the bond," she said. "From all those times you wanted to touch me. It isn't something I did to you. You did this, Tyr. You accepted me as your mate as much as I did you. It wasn't a temporary thing, not for me, and I don't want to let you go, but I also can't stop you." She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, refusing to see his reaction. "But all you have to do is stop caring."

"No." Tyr's words were soft, but she also heard his feet move in the dried leaves. "I said I'd be your toy. It doesn't have to be all or nothing... Does it?"

She just jiggled her head in a nod. "You think it does. Otherwise, your dick would work."

"No." He moved again, the sound right before her. "Sal, look at me?"

She opened her eyes to find his waiting. "I didn't do this, Tyr. You did. You tied yourself to me, and unless you sever that link, or ask me to sever it for you..." She had to stop because her throat was tensing up. Forcing out a breath, she got it relaxed enough to try again. "You're still my mate, and the stories say that when a human gives himself to an iliri... They didn't mean sex. They meant mating, like the bond, and I'm not just an iliri. Not anymore. I'm a Kaisae, Tyr. My mates aren't just men I love, they're the net that supports these powers my people give me."

His hands reached up to cup both sides of her face. "You're saying that me being your mate helps? That somehow, when we did that, it makes you stronger?"

She nodded. "That's what Blaec told me. My mates aren't tethers, they're a net. Even if you aren't cessivi, that connection, that bond is a part of it. A Kaisae is nothing on her own. Her power only matters if others give it to her, and mine? It comes from Anglia. All of Anglia, even the people who are just humans, who aren't trying to be almost-iliri, or pretending to be one."

He leaned closer, pressing his head against hers. "I can't be your mate, Sal. This won't work unless I can give you everything, and I have to give it to the Dogs first."

She nodded, even as the pressure from both his hands and head kept her from moving too much. "Should I sever the link?"

"Will it make my dick work again?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "It should."

His thumb swept across her cheek. "Will it make you weaker?"

"I don't know."

"Do you need me?" he whispered. "Sal, am I helping you in some way that I can't even understand?"

"I don't want to lose you," she said, her voice so soft even she could barely hear it.

But Tyr did. "Then don't. I can go without getting laid if it makes you stronger, ok? I just... We can't work, baby. You and me? We're starcrossed. And I do love you. I can't fucking deny it, but I also can't do a damned thing about it. So long as I'm in grey and you're in black? This is never going to work, and I will not be the man who makes you choose. I'm not about to pull you from them."

"Will you still be my Consort?" Her voice sounded desperate, almost pleading, but she didn't care.

Tyr tilted his head slightly and kissed the corner of her mouth. "Yeah. I figure this gives a whole new meaning to friends with benefits, but I'm in. You use my mind to be the strongest Kaisae in the world, and we'll figure the rest out, ok? But I'm not your mate. I may have a mate bond, but I'm just a friend, Sal."

"But -"

"No," he said, cutting her off. "You owe me nothing. I only want the right to steal a kiss every so often without Jase killing me. Ok? That's enough." He let out a heavy breath. "And Razor's going to take you home to your men, because you've been missing them for too long." He kissed the other side of her mouth. "And you're going to stop thinking about me, start thinking about them, and do some more of your miracle shit."

"I am?"

"Yes, Sal, because those men deserve to be cessivi. All day, you've been second-guessing yourself, and I think it's because you don't have them in your head to remind you just how amazing you are. Put it all back, Sal. Show the world that the Kaisae of Anglia is stronger than the Kaisae of all Iliri." Then he brushed his lips across hers. "Make me proud of you, baby."

"Ok," she agreed.

Gage spoke up from right beside them, proving he'd come closer as well. "Is there anything that will change your mind, Tyr?"

Tyr caressed Sal's face one last time, then turned to face his friend. "No. If I'm not in black - and I fucking hope to die in this uniform - I just can't. Not if I want to be fair to her."

Gage nodded. "I hate it, but I'll respect it. But you can change your mind. You know that, right?"

Tyr just clasped his arm, then rubbed it gently. "You know me better than that. I'm the Kaisae's man, and I always will be, but sometimes there just isn't a good option." Then he stepped back. "I'm sorry. I really am, but you know I'm right. Now stop worrying about me and fucking spoil her, man. I got her back so you could do that."

Then he turned and walked away, not even bothering to look back.

Chapter Fifty-Six

Southern Unav

At some point, while they'd been arguing, the sun had started to set. Now, the sky was the beautiful color of twilight, but the shadows of the trees were growing longer and the color was fading along with the light. Sal noticed it all, but she was still trying to wrap her mind around what had happened.

Not Tyr's refusal, because he'd already told her he wouldn't be her mate. It was Gage's reaction that shocked her the most. She'd never stopped to think about how he would feel. It hadn't even dawned on her that he'd want his friend to also be in their relationship, but it should have. Jase had been the same with Zep. The problem was that she'd severely underestimated how close those two men had gotten in the last few months.

"I'm sorry," she said, unable to tear her eyes away from where she'd last seen Tyr.

Gage just rubbed her shoulder gently. "He made his choice."

"He's just trying to protect me," Sal pointed out.

"I know," Gage promised. "I do, Sal, and I can't even say he's wrong. I watched you try to keep both Jase and Blaec happy, and that was just two men. But Blaec wouldn't budge, and Jase couldn't do anything about it. That left you trying to run back and forth between them, and you can't do that in the middle of a war."

She latched onto that last phrase. "No, but I can when this is over, right? And the Dogs will be living in Arhhawen with us?" She glanced over, hoping he'd be nodding.

Instead, a smile was slowly spreading across Gage's lips. "They will, and he will. It just means we have to show him that it's ok to share you." He moved a little closer and slid his hand into hers, lacing their fingers together. "You willing to help me with that?"

"How?"

"Oh, maybe we can sneak over to his place one afternoon when the war isn't crazy. Then the next time, convince Kolt to come too."

"Blaz," Sal said. "Because they've already... you know."

"Had their way with you?" He tugged her forward, following Tyr's path, but the mood was already lighter. "Bent you over and made you beg for more? Fucked your brains out?"

"That," Sal agreed. "All of it and a little more."

"Mm. Maybe you'll have to show me, but later. When I left, Roo was talking about dinner, and Arctic said the rest of the pack wanted to steal a little of your time."

Sal moved closer, pressing her body against the side of his. "Yeah. That actually sounds really good right about now. And thank you."

"For what?"

"For taking care of them. I know you did, because you can't help yourself, but still. Thank you."

He leaned in to kiss the top of her head without stopping. "I love those guys, Sal. And yeah, it was hard on Kolt and Jase. They're still meant for you, and the separation wasn't easy on them. Jase threw himself into the strategy, and that little shit is actually pretty good at it, so make him help you from now on. Kolt? He was lost. Zep tried to suck it up, but we all had our moments."

"But I'm back now," she promised.

"And we're going to keep it that way."

Thankfully, it was a short walk to the Blades' camp. Still, the sun managed to set before they made it. In the distance, Sal could hear men and women laughing in random bursts. Proof that their lives had gone on just fine without her. Some spoke in Glish, others in Iliran, but all together, it felt perfect. This was the best home she'd ever known. Maybe it was a temporary one that moved every day, but the place didn't matter as much as the people who filled it, and these? They were hers. Each and every one.

Sal stepped into the Black Blades' camp with a smile on her face. There was still a piece of her heart that ached, but she wouldn't think about that. This was what mattered. Roo was sitting by the fire, turning the meat just to sprinkle more of her seasoning on the other side. Beside her, Hwa had their two girls helping. Arctic, Shade, and Ghost were clustered together, and both men stole kisses when they could. Sal's mates had claimed the space on the other side, just in front of their tent, leaving room for her.

She headed that way, then caught sight of Geo. A beautiful blonde woman leaned beside him, looking up at Sal in awe. That was Baeli, and while they'd never talked, she needed no introductions. Sal smiled at her in greeting.

The last side of the fire was claimed by Risk, Tilso, and Perin of all people. The commanding officer of Dark Heart wasn't in uniform, and he didn't seem to care. He also had no shoes. The man looked like he'd been pulled out of the tent to socialize, which meant he'd gotten used to spending a lot of time with her pack. He was also sitting with his arm over Risk's shoulders, and his fingers linked with Tilso on the other side.

But seeing them like this made one thing clear. No one was alone. It didn't matter if their partner was from another unit, they were still welcome, and somehow they seemed to be making it work. That was exactly what she needed to ease the last of her worries about Tyr. No, maybe he wasn't willing to be her mate now, but if her brothers could figure this out, then so could she.

Sal eased herself down to the dirt between Jase's knees and let out a happy sigh. "I missed all of you."

Risk laughed once. "No more dying. You were supposed to make a deal with ayati to make sure that didn't happen."

"Yeah," she said, dragging the word out. "Two problems with that. First, I never asked for my own life because I thought it was the price. Second, it's not ayati taking care of us."

"Oh?" Arctic asked.

She nodded. "I've been dreaming of Blaec, and I think it's him. He can't actually save us, but he can tweak our threads enough to help." She waved at the sky. "The pattern of ayati is a very large and very tangled knot, but he can move a specific string out of the way. The downside is that it might mean he puts another in its place." She looked over at Gage. "I think that's why they thought they had Tilso in Merriton. Blaec did something, and his outcome wasn't a good one."

"But who was he?" Gage asked. "We never found out."

Sal shrugged. "Some man who had the bad luck to be both blonde and kissing another man in front of a Terran?"

Tilso scoffed. "Because I'm the only onsyc human in the world? Don't think so."

"No," Sal agreed, "but they were so focused on catching us that they couldn't see any other options, and I think Blaec used that to our advantage." She paused to lick her lips. "I also don't feel that bad about it. Not if it means he saves the people I care about. A random stranger's death is a lot easier to handle."

"Yeah," Arctic said, "but it would be kinda nice if we didn't need to pick. With Escea out of the way, we can head right into Terric and finish this."

Sal held up a hand, begging them to wait. "Actually, there's something I need to do first."

Kolt shifted so he could lay his hand across her knee. "Please tell me it's not dangerous?"

Sal winced. "It may be. So, I'm not sure if you saw, but I brought Jurij with me, the Warlord from Jurica. The same one we didn't kill in the Broch," she said, glancing up at Jase.

"I saw the tents," he assured her.

"Well, he mentioned that Escea's playing both sides for their own advantage. Shade, that's why I had you - well, Ghost through you - turn those men back. Their job was to make the Terran line think we were attacking. Escea was pulling back, and if Terric hit us, it would remove them from this war. We stopped that, but now we have Escea ready and willing to close in behind us. They want the steel, and the Emperor has it. We need to give them a reason to not screw us over to get it."

"Would have to be a good reason," Perin pointed out.

Sal just nodded. "Escean law seems like a good one. Evidently, those Chieftain's Plains are where a lot of their governmental decisions are made, and they do it tribal style. Rule by combat. Usually to first blood, and winner takes all. I want to ask for restitution from each of the Warlords."

"Whoa," Geo said. "Seven Warlords? All at once?"

"Six, and one after the other," she clarified. "But there's a little bonus. If I challenge them for this and win? Then I become the Warlord of that province. If I take them all - except Jurica, since he's willing to release all of his iliri in exchange for everything that's happened so far - then I become the Chieftain of Escea. The Warlord of Warlords."

"So," Zep said, "kinda like the Kaisae of Escea?"

"Yeah, basically." She leaned forward to see him. "And I can do this."

"I know you can, babe. It's just six fights, and you've handled a lot more than that in most of our battles." Zep nodded to show he was on her side. "And would winning mean you could break their alliance with Terric?"

"It would mean I could order them not to act on it. The only problem I can see is that Jurij said the fights are always unarmed, which makes first blood a little harder."

"Na fer ya," Jase said.

She leaned back to snuggle against him. "Right. But I want to do this tomorrow. I'll have to demand restitution for stealing my people - blood compensation, basically. That will give me a reason to challenge them. The wins will give me power to control them. And once I have the title of Chieftain? Then I can graciously give them back their provinces, so no, I'm not conquering their country. I just want my iliri back."

"What's the downside?" Arctic asked. "And are you fit enough to do this? You were stuck behind the line for a few days, which means without enough meat."

"Actually," Blaz said. "She ate better than we did. Plenty of corpses around to harvest."

Maerte, Roo corrected.

Rhyx added, "It sounds less offensive to humans."

"Fuck," Arctic said, realizing that Blaz couldn't hear Roo in the link. Extracting himself from his mates, he clambered to his feet. "I'm sorry I forgot, Sal." And he walked over with his hand out.

She reached up and clasped his palm, wrapping her fingers around the side. With a smirk, Arctic bent to kiss her knuckles, making a show of it, but she felt the change. That touch was all she needed to be linked with her pack again, not just a separate hub allowed to speak to them all. Around the fire, they all sighed, clearly feeling her return.

Then Arctic moved to Blaz. "And since you're now one of ours, I think we should bring you in as well."

"But..." Blaz glanced over to Sal. "I'm already linked, aren't I?"

"Linked to Murah," Arctic clarified. "I'm tying your connection to my mind. It removes one step from the connection and feels a little closer. It also doesn't require as much effort as the first time. Just physical contact."

Blaz took his hand, and Sal felt the change. Each person created a different sensation as they were brought in. For Blaz, it was like leather. Soft and smooth on one side, but rough on the other. She smiled, thinking it was fitting.

"And," Arctic said when he stood back up. "We need your vote, Sal. I wouldn't normally ask you in front of either the recruit or anyone who isn't in the pack, but Perin's mated, and I'm pretty sure I know what you're going to say."

"For Baeli?" Geo asked.

Arctic nodded. "And she's adopted the last name of Doll in her brother's honor."

Sal looked over at the girl. "I would've voted yes before I knew. You brought us our horses when we had to escape. You started a rebellion to free Merriton from Terran control. And even then, you didn't stop. You not only fought hard yourself, but also encouraged the freed slaves to do the same. And..." She paused to pull in a breath. "I heard you stayed downwind so your scent wouldn't shock me. Thank you, but I promise that the memory of your brother - the dreams I have with him, even - aren't something I want to forget."

"Is he..." She shook her head, unable to find the right word. "Real? I mean, he's not alive, but his ghost can think and talk?"

"Soul is a better word," Sal explained. "But yes, he can, and I told him about you. He said your mother was pregnant when he had to leave, and he thought you and his sire had both been killed. He wished he'd known, but he's so glad you're with us."

"Can you give him a message for me?" she asked.

"Of course."

Baeli nodded. "Can you tell him that his sire was so proud? We heard about him, and we thought he had to be the same man. I mean, our last name was Dylle, but it sounds like Doll with an Unavi accent. Dava always said he would've made our amma so happy. She always knew he'd be a great man, but we had no idea where he'd gone. Not until it was too late."

Sal nodded. "I'll tell him."

"And your vote is yes?" Arctic asked.

"It is," Sal assured him.

Arctic moved his hand to Kolt, waiting for the Taunor to clasp it. The two men shared a look, and when Arctic pulled his hand back, Kolt suddenly held a pile of black cloth. He held it up, and Arctic took it, walking over to Baeli to present the uniform proudly.

"Welcome to the Black Blades, little brother." He held up a hand. "All soldiers are brothers first, and referred to as 'sir.' Tomorrow, I want you to start reporting to me for training in strategy and tactics. I have a strange feeling you'll be a natural at it."

"Because my brother was?" she asked.

Arctic nodded. "He taught me everything I know."

Baeli nodded back emphatically. "Then I'll be there." Then she turned to look at Geo. "So does this mean I won't get kicked out of your tent now?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. "Since we can't get any more recruits for a while, and I seem to have some space, I think that's a very good idea."

Perin laughed. "Good excuse, man. Although I have one I'm not using. I mean, it's the wrong color, but she's welcome to it."

"Nope," Baeli said. "I think I like his best."

Which was when Roo turned around holding up a steak. "It ris rready."

"Kaisae first," Arctic decided. "Because Sal, it really is nice to have you back."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Feels good to be home."

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Southern Unav

The Black Blades ate together, trading stories about what had happened while Sal was gone. First, it was the important things, but then it changed to more personal stuff. Shade bragged about how jealous Ghost got when he found her with Exton. Sal told them about dropping Jurij to his knees. Then, at some point in the middle, Blaz excused himself.

Sal knew he had to talk to his unit, and the fact that he'd waited so long said plenty. He'd put her first, but the 112th deserved to know he was ok. Still, the night got colder, the sky a little darker, and the Blades began to head back to their tents. Sal sent a thought to Blaz, but he promised he'd be back soon, and told her not to wait up.

So she didn't. Excusing herself, she headed to the tent with Jase right behind her. The moment she was inside, Sal kicked off her boots and peeled off her weapons belt. Those got pitched into the corner, and she flopped down onto the bed, making Jase pause. He dropped his own weapons where he stood and crawled to meet her, the most adorable smile on his lips.

"It sounds dumb ta say," he said as he leaned over her, "but I am glad ya are na dead."

"Yeah, me too." And she grabbed his shirt to pull his mouth closer.

He kissed her so sweetly. The kind that was filled with happiness and relief, even as he leaned a little closer. One hand moved to her ribs. When he dropped onto the bed beside her, he tugged, pulling Sal halfway across his chest. Then he kissed her again.

"Are ya tired?" he asked.

She snuggled into his neck. "Yes and no. I feel like it's been forever since we left Cenla Xie this morning, but I'm not sleepy." Then she looked up, meeting his eyes.

He didn't look away. Is Blaz coming back t'night?

He said he was. She shrugged. I'm hoping he is, because I want to try something.

Jase's eyes narrowed. What somethan?

Cessivi, but I'm not sure I can separate the ties if I do it at once. When I tied Kolt to us, Zep was in the link, and the blending was out of my control. The only reason you weren't in it was because you weren't directly linked at that moment. So, I kinda thought that maybe...

Who? he asked.

Sal let her teeth sink into the fullest part of her lower lip. All five of you.

Blaz? Jase's head tilted slightly. Are ya ready fer him?

I think I've been ready, but I'm not sure I can do it, Jase. I barely know how I cut the links, and putting them all back, tying us all together at once? I don't know if I'm that strong.

We are, he swore. All of us t'gether can do it. Do na doubt yerself now. Na after all ya have done, kitten. If ya want this, then we will make it happen, one way or another.

She jiggled her head against him. I want this more than I've wanted anything else. I feel so alone without you in my heart, and Blaec says you're supposed to be my net. All five of you, I mean. And if you're tied to each other, then that's how it works, right? But I'm not sure if I should ask them and get their hopes up, or not and make a decision I can't easily take back.

Jase bent his neck to kiss her. I know four men who will say yes. If ya want, I can ask Blaz. He already thinks I'm making lists fer later.

What did you do? she demanded.

His lips curled in a boyish grin. I just did na wanna scare the man. Asked his limits.

Mm. Well, he's an interesting cross between you and Zep. Likes to feel strong, but isn't sure about sharing. Although the idea of my mates biting each other did appeal to him.

With a laugh, Jase pushed, rolling her onto her back, and then kissed her again. "Kolt!" he yelled.

The flap immediately opened. "Yeah?"

Jase pushed himself off the bed. "The Viernor out there?"

"Not yet," Kolt said, "but I can get him here."

Gage chuckled once, proving he was right outside the flap as well. "I think that's my job. I'll have Rais kick him out of the 112th."

Jase pulled the flap open a little wider. "Then ya all keep her company. Need ta check somethan with him." He stepped through, but paused. "Do na start without me."

Kolt and Gage moved closer, but while Kolt headed for the bed, Gage bent to grab her belt. Then he cleared his throat. "Weapons and shoes, bro. Blankets are still mostly clean."

"Right," Kolt said, his eyes on Sal as he slowly pulled off his shirt. "But I think our pretty little Kaisae needs to get ready for bed."

"Is that what we're calling it now?" she asked.

Kolt tossed his shirt toward Gage. "Yep."

"Asshole," Gage grumbled, but he didn't really sound upset.

Sal just scooted up toward the pillows, letting her eyes roam across Kolt's body. If anything, his chest had grown even broader over the last few months, and the muscles in his abs were rock hard. With one finger, Sal made a circle in the area of his hips.

"Belt and boots," she reminded him. "And I will not complain if the pants go with it." Then she turned to Gage. "Same applies."

"Oh?" Gage teased. "Did you suddenly become demanding, Sal? If so, does that mean you're going to start giving orders in bed?"

Kolt chuckled. "Well, I for one am ignoring them until she's naked and under those blankets."

"Under?" Zep asked as he entered the tent. "Where's the fun in that?"

"It's kinda cold," Kolt pointed out. "No need to show off my shrinkage!"

Zep laughed, but he was also stripping off his gear. "Naked, babe," he told her. "Because we three are more than happy to just stand here and look at you for a bit."

Giving in, Sal released her pants without getting up, then lifted her hips. When she pushed the cloth over her hips, the guys pretended like they weren't paying attention, but she knew better. It was still weird. She could guess their reactions since she knew them so well, but she couldn't feel the rush of emotions flowing through her.

She hadn't realized she'd taken that for granted, but she had. Knowing who wanted something or when things were getting too intense took the anxiety out of being with so many men at once. Their ability to feel each other allowed them to help, even if that was something as simple as moving over. And for Sal, the desire they pushed at her was intoxicating, but right now, she didn't have that.

Instead, she just had them. It was enough, and they would always make her happy, but she wanted more. She wanted all five of them to finally be together. To share the connection with each other as well as her. She wanted her mates to be so much more than simply brothers. She wanted them to be a family, and the only way she knew how to do that was to make them all cessivi again.

But when she pulled off her shirt, she never got the chance to cover herself with the blankets. Zep dropped to his knees and grabbed her ankle, sliding her halfway down the bed. From both sides, Kolt and Gage moved in, crawling over the mattress to reach where she lay in the middle. As if they'd planned it, Kolt claimed her mouth and Gage kissed the scar on her belly. Zep's lips brushed the skin inside her knee and started moving higher.

"What happened to waiting?" she asked, her voice sounding breathless even to her own ears.

Gage moved his head higher. "Trust me, this is waiting." Then he lowered his head to her breast.

When Sal moaned, Kolt kissed her again, stealing her mouth. Her back arched, and Kolt's arm slid beneath it, pulling her higher, but she couldn't keep up. Gage's teeth teased her nipple, and he reached between her and Kolt to caress her other breast, but she couldn't even moan. Kolt was kissing her too intensely for her to pull away for that.

Until Zep's mouth reached the junction of her thighs. The kiss against her hairless folds sent sparks across her body. Next, his tongue dipped between them, and Sal could only do one thing. She opened her mind, drawing her mates to her, and then linked them all together. All of them. Including Jase and Blaz.

A wave of shock came with the connection, but so did a desire to hurry. Like this, they were together, but it still wasn't the same. She had their minds, not their hearts, and she wanted it all. She needed them to understand how good they felt. Wanted them to know how much she needed to touch them, hold them, and most of all, love them.

Zep's tongue pressed harder and moved a little faster, making her press into his face. Her body writhed in Kolt's arms, but Gage held her steady. So many hands, mouths, and minds. All of them were focused on her. Every gasp she made, every suck or lick that felt so good, she fed back to them. Then Zep added his hand, pressing two fingers into her body to thrust in time with his mouth.

She whimpered, refusing to give in because they weren't all here, but he didn't care. Like a challenge, these three were taunting her to take what they had. Every sensitive spot on her body was touched, the best ones were kissed on or sucked at, and she couldn't hold back the moans much longer. Then, just as her body lost control, she heard the canvas rustle as someone walked in, and she felt one final rush of passion when Blaz's eyes saw her in the arms of her mates.

Clinging to Kolt with one arm and Gage with the other, she gasped, bucking her hips into Zep's face as she came. By the door, Blaz cursed under his breath in awe, but she could feel Jase stripping off his clothes. Without needing words, he suggested the others do the same even as Sal's body shuddered in fulfillment.

A pleased sigh fell from her lips, and Sal let a leg flop to the side so Zep could retreat. Yet the moment he scooted back, Jase moved to the foot of the bed, slowly stroking himself before her.

"Ya did na think ya were done did ya?" he asked.

"Uh uh," she assured him, lifting a hand just to gesture him closer with the crook of her finger. "I missed you, killer."

Like the predator he was, Jase managed to go from standing to crawling toward her without making it look awkward. One hand moved outside her hip. The next beside her ribs, and he kept moving higher, until his face was right above hers.

He said yes, Jase thought before grabbing her hip and pulling.

His motion rolled him onto his back, placing her perfectly above him. Using his hand on her hip, he guided her down, the other moving between their bodies to angle himself just right. Aware that four men were watching, Sal sank onto her Ahnor and tilted her head back to enjoy it. Beneath her, Jase made a gesture with his hand, but she couldn't see it. She could feel the mattress dip as the men moved in, each one of them completely naked and not at all ashamed.

Most of them crawled, but not Kolt. He walked across the bed to stand right over Jase's shoulders, putting his erection directly within her reach. Sal didn't hesitate, she reached up, her body sliding partially off Jase so she could grab Kolt's shaft at the base. Her mouth followed. Then she felt someone move behind her. When his dick slid against her ass, it was slick, covered in something slippery.

Sal released Kolt from her mouth, intending to look back, but Gage caught her arm. "Say it's ok, sweetie, or that it's not. We aren't forcing you."

Beside her ear, Blaz whispered, "I won't hurt you."

"I know," she breathed. "I just didn't expect the lubricant."

Zep cupped the side of her face and made her look at him. "When you said maybe, we wanted to be sure we were prepared. We just want to be with you, Sal. However you'll take us."

In answer, she slid her hand over Kolt's shaft, making the man gasp. "At least once," she told them, "I want all of you."

And she leaned forward to slide her mouth around Kolt, dropping her hands out to her sides, palms up. Her intentions were clear in her mind, but Gage leaned away. Sal worried for a split second before Jase lifted his hips, making her lean into Kolt. As he withdrew, she felt something cool in her hand, and a thought of warning to Zep. Something was passed across her body only for her other hand to get the same treatment, then her men guided her fingers to their own erections.

This was what she needed, each of them under her control, not caring about anything but being together. The best part was that she could feel them all, even Blaz reaching for her hip to angle himself just right. Then slowly, carefully, he pushed himself into her ass.

Jase sucked in a breath, clearly feeling the invasion, but then they all began to move. Each swallow of Kolt moved her away from Jase and Blaz, but when she moved to take them, she gave up the length in her mouth, allowing her hands to work in time. The tempo was slow, but none of them cared. They could all feel it. With their minds locked together, every sensation was passed between them, and the less they fought it, the more clear the pleasure became.

Sal's pleasure. Her pride. Most of all, her love for these men and all they'd given her. That was the thing that drove her higher, giving her the best reason of all to keep fighting: hope. She might be everyone else's, but these men were hers. They were her net, the tangle of lives that never should've worked together, and yet did. Rocking between them, filled by all of them, she stopped thinking about the mechanics of it, stopped worrying about the details, and reached just a little deeper.

They were all touching her, all connected in the most physically intimate way possible, which made it even easier to slide right into their hearts. Closing her eyes, Sal felt. She didn't think, didn't plan, and didn't try to force anything. She simply let her greatest desire fuel her like these men were driving her body ever higher. And with each thrust, every moan and caress, she pulled them just a little closer.

In the back of her mind, she could see their threads, so she stretched them wider, twisted them together, and wove them into a tapestry. Her hips pumped, needing just a little more, taking them all. Her mouth sucked and lapped, and her hands stroked, but the best feeling was the one in her mind. This was true, raw, perfect passion, and it was all hers.

Forever.

The moment she locked their souls into place, a rush of sensation rolled through her. She thrust again, feeling her core clench and her knees squeezing against Jase's sides, and it was so good. So close. This time, it would be for all of them. Zep and Gage were throbbing in her hands. Kolt grabbed the back of her head and took over, thrusting himself between her lips while Blaz set the pace from behind. Beneath her, Jase could only hang on, his fingers digging into her thigh hard enough to bruise as he tried to wait.

But she couldn't. There were too many sensations in her head, and the strongest one of all was love. The pleasures of the body were nothing compared to that, yet together it was the perfect combination to push her right over the edge. She tensed, her legs locking onto Jase's hips, and she finally allowed herself to shatter. Around her, the men felt it, each one groaning, cursing, or somehow giving voice to his climax while she wove the pieces of them all back together.

Kolt yanked himself from her lips and grabbed at his dick. Jase bucked, sliding himself right beside Blaz, and she could feel both of them pulsing inside her. Zep and Gage thrust into her hands at the same time, each one grabbing for support. And her? She rode it all. Never in her life had she felt anything so intense, but her men hadn't yet realized why.

Not until Jase began to laugh softly. "Ya did it," he panted. "In the middle of makin' love, ya did it."

Blaz pulled himself from her body, then helped to lift her from Jase. She felt his moment of confusion because he knew her legs felt boneless. That made Kolt twitch, but he carefully stepped over Jase before dropping onto the bed.

"Gage?" he asked. "Towel?"

"Was a clean fucking bed," Zep grumbled.

Blaz snorted at that. "Pun intended?"

"Not really, but it works." And Zep flopped over on his side. "Damn, babe. You know how to make an impression, don't ya?"

"Towel," Gage said, tossing one at both Kolt and Zep, but keeping a third for himself. "And wipe up your mess from the top blanket."

"I do na even care," Jase said, pulling Sal against his chest. "Yer back, kitten. Finally back."

"Shit," Kolt breathed. "It's not the link?"

"It's not the link," Zep assured him. "But I got some bad news for ya, little brother. Means you're going to need to let Gage and Blaz sleep beside her."

"Fer tonight," Jase agreed. "But I get ta sleep beside Kolt. Ya can find yer own."

"I'll take the right, then Gage and Sal. Blaz on her other side, with Kolt beside him, and you on the left edge. Sound good?"

"Perfect," Sal agreed, pulling the top of the blankets back so she could get in.

But Gage was just sitting there with his hand on his chest. "This is cessivi?"

"It is," Sal assured him.

A noise came from Blaz that was a cross between a gasp and choking. The feeling that came with it was pure awe, and he wasn't the only one. Gage was struggling not to get emotional. Kolt felt relieved. Zep did as well, but in a more desperate way. And Jase? His feeling could only be described as euphoria. This was exactly what she'd been missing. Her men were back. All the right ones, and they were all together.

"I will never lose you again," Sal promised. "None of you. I made sure of it. If one of us dies, we all do, because it's not fair to ever leave someone behind."

Chapter Fifty-Eight

This time, when Sal fell asleep, she found herself in the same tent, but better. It was light outside, and she could hear birds chirping. It was also nice and warm. The big difference was that she wasn't alone. All five of her mates lay in the bed beside her, then there was Blaec. Wearing his black uniform, he sat on a chair in the corner of the room, beside a table, with another chair waiting.

The moment her eyes found him, he gestured to the empty seat, inviting her to join him. Sal had to extract herself from the bed, crawling straight down the middle to the foot so she could get out, but the guys never stirred. It was only when she stood up that she realized she was wearing a short but comfortable black dress. The kind she used to lounge around in.

"What are you doing?" she whispered to Blaec.

He smiled. "They won't wake up, so you don't need to worry about that. Sit and talk to me, Sal?"

She took the chair but had to look over at her mates again. "Why are they here?"

Blaec's answer was to chuckle. "Sweetness, you made them cessivi. I can't steal you away from them anymore. There's always a part of them that will be wherever you are. I can only assume that's how you envision it, because I promise I didn't bring them." Then he tilted his head slightly to the side. "I also don't mind it. Are they doing well?"

"Yeah." She turned in her chair to see the sleeping men. "Jase has become a leader, believe it or not, and Zep? He's become calmer in some ways. He doesn't feel like he has to prove himself anymore. Kolt is finally as proud as he always wanted people to think he was, and Gage? I never realized it, but he was always so soft-spoken and kept himself behind the scenes. He doesn't need to do that anymore."

"What about Blaz?" Blaec asked.

Sal pulled a knee onto the chair with her and hugged it. "I don't know yet."

"Do you think you rushed into making him cessivi, Sal?"

This time, she was the one who chuckled. "Oh yeah, I did. I also don't care. I've known him long enough to know he'll fit. The guys like him. He's still finding his place with us, but he works. I think he also needs us back."

"Good." Blaec leaned over the table to steal her hand, wrapping both of his around it. "Don't make him iliri, Sal. Let him be as human as he wants because he's your tie to them. I'd tell you to take a grauori lover if I thought you'd listen."

"No," Sal said. "First, because I promised Roo that Hwa was off-limits. Second, I respect them, and I'm comfortable with them, but I do not find them attractive. I'm sorry if that's shallow, but I need to have that with my mates. That desire to kiss, touch, and love them, otherwise, they're just a friend."

"So how will you rule all three species then, if you keep making those lines?" he countered.

Sal gave Blaec a disgusted look. "I don't have to fuck someone to include them. Besides, I think the grauori are closer to the iliri than humans ever were. We speak the same language, have the same beliefs, and their knowledge is filling the gaps in ours. It kinda feels like they're the foundation that iliri cling to, and humans cling to us. It works, and none of that requires me to sleep with a member of the species to help them. I'm not a sex toy, Blaec. Not anymore."

"And that is the right answer," he assured her. "Your mates are your support, but so are your friends. They aren't your weapons. They aren't gateways to gain power. They're nothing more than men who will do anything for you."

She nodded, but had to make sure he knew that things weren't completely perfect. "Tyr said no."

Blaec shrugged. "His loss."

"I found him with his dick in Brisa's mouth, just like you foretold."

That didn't get the reaction she expected. Blaec released her hands and leaned back, looking almost pleased - and definitely smug. "Good," he said.

"Good?" She scoffed. "But I wanted him too! I care about him, and he walked away. You know why? Because he didn't want to be like you. Didn't want to pull me away from my mates because he couldn't commit completely."

"Which is why it's good," Blaec told her. "Look, I wasn't strong enough to say no. I tried. If you remember, I told you that we couldn't happen, and I blamed it on being your officer. It didn't work because I couldn't resist your lure, but he's human. He won't feel that the same way. He isn't meant for you. The man is smart enough to know that what you need is a harem that is completely devoted, and that he doesn't fit the bill."

"But I hate thinking that he could walk away so easily."

"Trust me, there's nothing easy about walking away from you." He lifted his chin. "Do you realize that he won't be sleeping with anyone else?"

All she could do was nod. "I told him he could refuse the mate bond, but he wouldn't. He said it could help me, and that was all he wanted, but he still won't be my mate." She paused to look at her men again. "Should I break it for him? Give him back his life?"

"No." Slowly, Blaec shook his head. "This is his form of closure. Give him the time he needs to figure out how to do it. If you break that bond with him, he'll feel rejected, and that makes a man resentful. Just let it play out, Sal, and make it clear that, no matter what, you still care."

"Should I..." She turned to lean over the table, bracing her elbows on it. "Is it wrong to not just call him a toy, but also make it truth? To find an excuse to get him alone, or have a moment with him and Gage?"

"Are you asking me as a man or a prophet?" Blaec wanted to know.

"I don't know. Both?"

"Well, as a man, I can tell you that he's more than his dick. He won't appreciate you treating him like, say, a sex toy. He wants to get to know you, to hold you, talk to you, and feel like he is somehow important to you. As a prophet, I think that the more you understand humans, the stronger you will be, and you're already the strongest Kaisae in history."

"So you're saying it's ok?"

"Sal, I'm saying you shouldn't call him a toy. Name him your boyfriend. Maybe even a lover, but toy? Even the iliri put connotations on that phrase. Humans are worse. Date him - as well as you can in the middle of a war. Sneak away to be alone with him. Chase him, Sal, because none of your men have ever made you do that. Prove to him that this can work."

"How can I chase him without making these five feel like I don't care, though?"

Blaec's lips curled into a devious smile. "Drag them along. Believe it or not, we men do enjoy the company of other men."

Sal rolled her eyes. "Did you become this much of a smartass before you died, or after?"

"Before," he admitted, "but you never got the chance to see it. Now, speaking of smart, I want to know what you're doing about Escea."

"In the morning, I'm riding over to the Chieftain's Plains and demanding restitution."

"What order?"

She let out a heavy breath. "Any suggestions?"

"Traija first, since that province led the raid on Anglia so long ago. They were the ones responsible for stealing the iliri in the first place. Then Nuclua, because they put us in chains after the iliri broke free in Unav. From there, pick the ones who look the weakest, and work up."

Sal nodded to show she'd heard. "I can do that, and I planned to ask Jurij what he knows about each."

"Do you honestly think you can trust him?" Blaec asked.

"I do. Not because he's trustworthy, but because I understand what he wants. I'm hoping this won't take long, will work to get Escea out of our way, and then we can ride straight through to Terric City."

Blaec was watching her carefully. "And then what, Sal? Once you defeat the Emperor, what happens next?"

"We make Anglia the best country in the world," she said, leaving no room for doubt. "When this is all over, I stop worrying about battles and tactics, and start focusing on politics and strategies. I use this thing the people have given me to help them. I figure out how to undo all the centuries of bias we've lived with. And somehow, I find a way to give people their own version of freedom."

"Own version?" he asked.

Sal nodded. "Because it's different for each of us. Some want safety. Some want autonomy. The two things don't always work together. Some women still want the luxuries they've always known. I don't mean fancy furniture, but the time to raise their children and protection of the law. Some women want to be soldiers. The iliri need to understand that they aren't better than humans, simply different. All of those are freedom for some and restrictions for others. Balancing it won't be easy."

Blaec pushed himself from his chair and moved before her. "You, Salryc Luxx, have become a very amazing woman in the last few months. I really wish I'd gotten the chance to stand at the side of the Kaisae of all Anglia, but I didn't. Instead..." He offered his hand, lifting her from the chair when she accepted it. "I've somehow become your conscience."

"No, my sounding board," she corrected, aware that he was slowly walking back toward the bed. "Blaec, there's not enough room."

"There is, and I just want to be near them." He paused at the foot and tilted his head, encouraging her to crawl between her new cessivi.

Sal could only guess that he had a reason, so she did, but he followed. Still in his uniform, and her in her dress, they both laid on top of the covers, pressed between Blaz and Gage, but Blaec kept his eyes on her.

"I always wanted this, you know. To have the freedom to love you the way they do, but I couldn't. I didn't dare let you get that close, because I knew it would make my death harder. But now?" He glanced over his shoulder at Gage. "I can feel them, Sal. Their hearts all beat the same. Their dreams flit in my thoughts, hiding when I look. When you died, you pulled me closer. Not cessivi, because I'm dead, but you gave me the chance to be a part of this, and I can't stay away."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm always here, with one of you. Too weak to be heard when you're awake, but I'm still helping. I opened Zep's mind to ayati. I thought you needed a human's tie to the future and not just mine, but his world is linked so closely with yours that I'm not sure it makes a difference."

"So he's really a prophet now?"

Blaec slid his arm around her waist, pulling her tight against his chest. "A very weak one. If he needs to know something, and I can't tell you, I'll make sure he sees it. I also won't let him see the rest. It's too hard, and he doesn't deserve that."

"He once said he gets feelings, not just visions," she told him.

Blaec nodded. "He's always been more sensitive than the rest of us, so I'm not surprised. Just think of it as really accurate intuition, and trust him. Oh, and Jase? He's gaining power as well. Because you don't hoard your control, but share it with those who help, the people can feel it from him now. Use that, Sal. Allow him to be your true second in command."

"What about Arctic?" she asked.

"He wants a simple life. One filled with many children and no more uniforms. He may be an exceptional officer, but this is not his dream. I think that's why he's so perfect for Shade. He just wants a gentle and comfortable life. Ghost will make sure they have it."

"And us?" She meant him, because he was dead but still in her life.

Blaec leaned closer, pressing his mouth to hers. "I will always be here for you, Sal. I also don't want to hold you back. Forget about me during the day, and I'll take these stolen moments at night. Love them as hard as you can, and without any regrets, because that's what I want. And when you all die together, happy until the end - whenever that end may come - I'll step into the void with you."

Sal wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face into the hard planes of his chest. "I still miss you, Blaec. This is nice, but it's not the same."

"No, it's not, but I promise I do not regret these stolen moments. But it's almost time for you to wake up, little one. Close your eyes. That makes it easier."

"I do love you, Blaec," she swore.

"I never once doubted. I just didn't deserve you, so I'm trying my hardest to make up for that."

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Southern Unav

Sal woke up on top of the blankets, which made her wonder just how much of her dreams were real. Had she walked around the tent in her sleep? If so, did none of the men notice? Would they tell her if they had? Gage and Blaz were both soundly asleep beside her, each man touching her skin somehow, and she knew they weren't alone in bed.

Rolling onto her back carefully, she eased her Cinnor and Viernor's hands from her. Yet, before she could even sit up, the flap of the tent opened. The morning light startled her, but the sight of Jase with a collection of full coffee cups in his hand - the rough kind kept in their saddlebags - made her smile.

Kolt's hunting down plates fer everyone, he told her as he tipped his head to the cups he carried. Ya wanna get up, put some clothes on, and have one of these?

Yes, she assured him, moving to crawl down the middle of the bed. Do you know how I got out of the covers?

Ya were like that when I woke. Figured ya got hot between those two men, because they did na give ya much room. He smiled playfully. Ya did pick the two biggest ta add last.

Which part are we measuring? she teased as she rummaged for her clothes, pulling on her pants only because that's what she found first. Want to wake them, or...

Na. Jase put the collection of cups on the closest crate. If it is na warm when they realize ya are na with them, then they can get more. Then he stood, turning to face her. Ya dreamed of him last night?

He meant Blaec. Sal bought herself a little time by pulling her shirt over her head, but there was only one way to answer that. I did, but how did you know?

He shrugged. It trickles inta my mind. Na enough ta be there, but whispers, like memories heard from far away. Does it bother ya? Or do ya look forward ta seeing him again?

Now that wasn't an easy question. I think I feel guilty. Sal lifted her hand before he could say anything. I know I'm not supposed to feel that, but Blaz pointed out that being tied with humans is changing my emotional range. It also means I'm not sure if that's what this is. I don't like that he's not alive, but I'll take what I can get. And so you know, it's a lot more talking than anything else.

Ok. He reached over for his cup. But if ya need ta talk about him, I will listen. Always, kitten. Do na ever think that I resent him or have a problem with ya dreaming about him.

Thank you.

She stepped in to kiss him, barely giving him time to move his coffee out of the way. Jase chuckled, ruining the kiss, but that was ok. Sal couldn't actually remember the last time he'd felt this happy. And the truth was that she liked feeling it. Like a little ball of warmth in the middle of her chest, it felt so good, making it easier for her to worry just a bit less.

Still, the day wouldn't wait, and she had things to do - starting with Escea. So, pointing to the door, she gestured for him to head out, giving the three men still in bed the chance to relax for a bit longer. Jase had other plans. He grabbed the tent and pulled it open, making it clear that she would go first.

Sal ducked through the flap and blinked at the brightness of the day. She'd slept through dawn, clearly. And while it wasn't quite mid-day, it was still later than she really wanted. Most of the Blades were sitting around the fire - and their mates - but one thing had changed. Baeli now wore black, and it looked good on her.

Intending to congratulate her, Sal headed that way, but she didn't make it. On the far side of the fire, Arctic pointed, and Sal's eyes followed. There, waiting at the edge of camp, was the last person Sal wanted to see.

Hax.

It didn't matter that he wasn't alone. The fact that Ran waited with him only pissed her off more. Sal's ears flicked back, and she barely had the presence of mind to pass her coffee back toward Jase. She didn't want to deal with this right now. The truth was that she never wanted to, but she also refused to let the man stalk her. She wanted to make it very, very clear what she thought about him, and if that also meant loud, then he was the one who'd pushed.

"Why are you here?" she snarled.

Hax's eyes were on the ground. "To apologize, Sal."

"Kaisae," she corrected. "You lost the right to call me a friend when you killed me."

"I didn't kill you," he growled, his eyes jumping up to meet hers.

But that was the wrong response. She curled her lip higher and leaned into his face, not caring that she had to look up to do it. "I tried to ignore it when you shamed my Cinnor. I told myself it was your ignorance when you assumed I had to choose you. I held my tongue when you said shit about my other mates, thinking you just needed to learn what it meant to be iliri - but that? You cared more about yourself and your ego than our safety, and it is not impressive. It does nothing but make you look pathetic."

"Please!" he begged. "Sal, I..."

Ran stepped forward to clasp the man's shoulder, preventing him from stepping closer. "He's meant for you, Sal. It's been tearing him up for days."

"I don't fucking care," she growled, her eyes locked on Hax.

The man's ears were dropping, and he acted like he couldn't quite catch his breath. "But I'm the only pure male not related to you. You can't just throw me away. I'll change, Sal, I promise!"

"What, so I can have your babies?" She wrenched open her pants and pulled at one side to reveal her scar. "You see that? It's where the lance went through me, leaving a hole so large I had to carry my intestines in one hand, while I dragged my body along with the other. Tell me, how are you going to make up for that? Is saying sorry really enough for the pain of my death? And would you try as hard knowing that your fuck-up means I can never have children? Not even Blaz could put me back together. I doubt Raast could either. So it doesn't matter if I'm pure anymore, Hax. I can't have your precious purebred children. We can't single-handedly repopulate the species. Instead, you're going to have to pull your arrogant head out of your ass and figure out that maybe, just maybe, it doesn't fucking matter how pure anyone is. We're all people, no matter how sharp our teeth are, where our ears are located or - in case you haven't noticed - what color skin we have. Your specist attitude is no better than the humans you think you hate."

"Sal," he gasped.

She just shook her head. "No. I came too close to being like you, so I hope you can learn, but you refuse to do it the right way. You don't have to hurt someone before you realize it's too far. You don't need to put others down to save your pride. I came into the Blades knowing nothing, and I made a fucking effort. You? You expected me to change, not yourself. Fuck that."

"I'm trying," he begged.

She just shook her head. "I honestly hope you can get better and become a friend, but no. You, Hax, will never be my mate. I deserve more than this. You can't ask me to pretend that didn't happen, to simply forget that you hurt me this bad because you only cared about yourself. Would it be better if you'd hit me instead of slapped me with words? Does it make it ok because you're proud, as if I'm not? Or do you even care that your pride was built by destroying that of me and my mates? At what point do you stop getting a pass because you're beautiful? Because in the world I'm making, I want people to be judged on a whole lot more than how they look."

Before her eyes, with every word she snarled into his face, Hax was wilting until he dropped to his knees. He had one hand pressed to his head, the other over his chest, and he gulped for air like he was suffocating. She wanted to feel bad for him, but couldn't. Not unless she wanted to go back to being that timid little girl who always tried to make everyone else happy. Yes, this sucked, and it wasn't wrong for her to hope that he could change, but that didn't make her responsible for it.

Then Jase wrapped an arm around her waist, gently easing her back to give Hax room. "It hurts, kitten," he told her. "That need fer ya is a pain, and na all men can take it. He made a mistake."

Slowly, she looked over. "I know, but I'm the one who has to live with the consequences of his actions. Don't tell me to change my mind."

"I would na," he promised. "But refuse him or do na. Hurting him makes ya no better, and ya do na need ta drag it out."

Sal lifted her eyes to Ran. "I don't want him here. I don't want him as a mate. I will never consider him as a lover, so please take him somewhere else, Dava?"

"Yeah." Ran moved to kneel before Hax. "You got your answer, boy. It may not be the one you want, but it's an answer you have to live with. Now let's get you to a bed so you can sleep this off, ok?"

"Whiskey," Jase suggested. "Plenty of it. Helps ta numb the mind."

"You," Hax snarled, even while Ran was helping him back to his feet. "You turned her against me."

"I did na. Ya did that ta yerself because ya fergot that she is na human, and she does na need ta be yer bitch. Now ya get ta live with it." And with that, he steered Sal back toward the camp.

Her hands were shaking, and she couldn't quite pick out her own emotions from the jumble inside her. Had she reacted too fast? Too harshly? Would Hax be ok? Sal tried to grapple with all the thoughts and confusion, but Jase just kept her moving until he eased her down onto a bench, then passed over her coffee once again.

But the emotions in her chest were solidifying into something harmonious. Relief was the best word she had for it. There was a little worry in there as well, and plenty of anxiety - although that was from the guys who'd only just woken up and were scrambling for their clothes. Sal tried to reassure them all, but they weren't listening.

Then Blaz stormed out of the tent wearing only his pants. His shirt was in his hand, but he made a straight line for her, positive of her location. "Sal?" he asked. "Are you ok?"

"I saw Hax."

He moved before her, shifting around Jase as if he'd done it a million times before. "Ok. That doesn't answer my question though. Are you ok?"

Which made her actually stop and think about it. Yes, Hax had been important in her past, but that was nothing more than the knowledge that she wasn't alone in the world. Meeting him had almost been a disappointment. Not because he was iliri, but because he was just like any other person in the world: imperfect. He was a proud man, and she couldn't fault him for that. If he'd been considerate to go along with it, then things would've been different.

But Hax had shown, time and time again, that all he cared about was himself. When she'd finally met him, she'd compared him to Blaec, but she'd been wrong. Blaec had hurt her for a reason - to protect her. Hax made his little digs against her men and assumed she'd fall in love with him for a very different reason. Because he wanted to protect himself first, and as a lover, where would that have put her?

At the bottom.

Slowly, Sal lifted her eyes, searching the group that had formed around her for Kolt. Like Hax, he'd been a fantasy that became real, but the difference was that Kolt made her want to be around him. He didn't try to force his way among the other men. In fact, even now, he was guiding Gage toward her, proving that she'd made the right choice.

This was how a family treated each other, and sure, maybe they all made mistakes, but it felt different. No one was supposed to be perfect, not even her, but her mates? They should be the men who put her on a pedestal, caring more about what she needed than what they did - just like she should do the same for them. Her men were perfect in her eyes, and she knew that wasn't the whole truth, but it didn't matter. They could still be flawed and perfect for her.

"I think you just figured it out, didn't you?" Gage asked as he reached for her hand.

Sal could only nod. "The five of you might be a crazy mix of men, but..."

"We're all you want?" Zep asked hopefully.

"Yeah," Sal agreed.

"Mostly," Gage added. "But Hax will be ok. Ran's been looking after him, and while he's pissed at the guy for killing you, he also knows that he's the only one who can keep him in line. Hax isn't dumb enough to challenge Ran's dominance. Give the guy a few days, and he'll feel better."

"This was supposed to be a good day," she told them.

Kolt just chuckled. "Dunno how to break this to you, babe, but for us? It kinda is. I never liked that little shit, but I would've shut my mouth and learned how to deal with him if you did."

"Not me," Blaz told her. "Sorry. Too human for that. I mean, Tyr's right. These guys do nothing but tie themselves in knots to keep you happy, and someone has to make you see when you're making mistakes."

"I want all of you to do that," she told him.

"It is na that easy," Jase told her. "We can think it, but at the same time, we feel what ya want so strongly that we can na bear ta deny ya."

She looked up at him. "Will you try?"

"Ta disagree?" he asked, sounding confused.

"To be honest with me, Jase. Not just to be a puppet that I command."

He leaned closer and looked right into her eyes. "I have never been a puppet. I am just a man who wants ta make his girl happy. The two are na the same."

"I'd rather you helped make me right. You're my Ahnor, my second in command. I need you to push me at times, and support me in others. I don't want you to be something you aren't, because believe it or not, I'll love all of you even when I'm mad."

"We'll do it, Sal," Zep assured her. "Even if I have to poke my little brother hard enough to make him, it'll happen."

"If they won't," Arctic said from the other side of the campfire, "then I will."

"Me too," Baeli told her.

I will too, Roo thought.

And the rest joined in. One by one, even her mates promised that they'd be the help she needed, not the kind filled with empty words. What she heard, though, was them promising to make sure she never ended up like Hax. Never tried to put herself above anyone else because of what she was, because that didn't matter. What she did would.

Chapter Sixty

Southern Unav

Three hours later, Sal was at the picket line, hugging Arden's neck. The mare was completely tacked up and ready to go. So were her mates' horses, but she'd missed her mare. Tilso swore that Arden was sound and perfectly fine. He even told her how the Devil Dogs had herded her back to the camp after Sal had been lost.

She hadn't been fine then, but Shift and Raast had both healed the horse, making her - if anything - better than ever before. But the best part was that Arden actually seemed happy to see her rider again. The mare nuzzled Sal's hair, lipping at it in a request for a treat. Of course she got something. It was just a handful of grass picked straight from the ground, but for the horse, that was enough. The scratches were even better.

Sal was still at it when Jurij rode up behind them. The Warlord took one look at her entourage and grunted out his disapproval. That made everything stop. Jase turned to the man defiantly and stormed forward.

"What do ya have a problem with?" he demanded.

Jurij ignored him. "Sal, they can't come."

"She can na go without us," Jase countered.

Sal just wrapped her arms around Arden's head, hugging the horse's face to her chest. "Respect my Ahnor, Jurij."

"Ok. I'm sorry, sir, but you can't come."

"Whoa," Kolt said, moving around the back of his horse to join in. "What do you mean we can't come? You think we're going to send her out there alone with you?"

"Kinda do," Jurij said. "Because if she's going to make a challenge for restitution, she needs to do it on her own. Otherwise, they'll claim she has no need for it, since she clearly has enough support."

"Wait." Sal released her horse with one last pat and moved closer. "When were you planning on telling me this?"

"Didn't realize you didn't know. Figured that a woman as strong as you didn't need anyone to hold her hand. Am I wrong?"

Sal knew the man was trying to goad her into agreeing. Too bad for him, she wasn't that foolish. "Considering that you go nowhere without your guards, I think you have a double standard. So, let me try this again, Jurij. When were you going to say something about this?"

He let out a heavy sigh. "My men aren't going either. If I want to reclaim my province's rights in Escea, then I have to do this myself."

"No," Zep said. "We go together, or we don't go."

From down the line, a chuckle proved that the standoff was being watched by more than just the Blades. The problem was that Sal knew the voice immediately. It was Tyr, and she had the funny feeling he'd been avoiding her, so she refused to let him distract her.

"Tell me, Jurij, what happens if I lose?"

"Uh, they'll probably throw you out of the Plains and laugh about it for a few decades."

"Probably isn't good enough," Kolt told him.

Gage just huffed in amusement. "What are the rules to this fight, then? Or was that another thing you were going to keep to yourself?"

"Unarmed combat," Jurij told them. "Challenger and challenged step into a ring and fight to first blood. There's no cheating."

But Jase's head twitched at that. "What counts as a weapon?"

Jurij furrowed his brow in confusion. "Swords, daggers, knives. You know, the usual."

"Armor?" Jase asked, looking back at Kolt.

Sal felt amusement pass between her cessivi. All of them. Blaz's confusion followed right after, proving he had no idea what was going on, but she could guess. For her first New Year with the Blades, Jase had purchased a very specific set of armor for her. A set she'd left in Anglia, hoping it would be passed on to her successor, because she hadn't planned to survive her next mission, and she definitely didn't want to have that on her when the CFC took her into custody.

But now, a set of iliri gladiator armor might just push the odds in her favor. The question was if it would be allowed.

"Say..." Sal said, "armor with very sharp edges? Something ceremonial-looking?"

Jurij nodded. "No different than what most Warlords wear, so I don't see why not."

"No," Gage said. "It feels like a setup, and we just got her back." Then he looked at Jase. "And we should spend a full day with her to make sure the bond is secure."

"It's secure," Zep told him. "But either way, she's going to need that armor. Who has a contact in Anglia?"

"Joevar," Blaz said. "That's how we knew she was still alive. Ryali's in the Palace. Why?"

Zep crossed his arms and glanced down. His posture said he was reaching out for someone. After only a few seconds, a smile touched his lips and he looked over at Sal. "Tell Ryali what you need and where. Link Kolt in and he'll fetch it."

"Then I'll want the ringmail," she decided, turning to look at Jurij. "Get comfortable. Your delay in sharing this information has just caused a delay, and I'll let you explain to my Ahnor why I can't bring him with me."

With that, she marched back toward the camp, gesturing for Kolt to join her. He quickly fell in at her side, slipping his hand down to twine his fingers with hers. It was such a casual and gentle thing that it almost felt out of place. Nice, but not exactly what she'd expected.

"I don't want you going anywhere with him alone," he said softly. "I'll fetch your armor, but Sal, I can't fetch you. Every time I try to with something alive, it dies. I've been practicing, but it's just out of reach. Like I can't hold the soul as well as the body, which probably doesn't make any sense."

Sal stopped in her tracks. "Like you can feel there's a piece you can't quite reach?"

"More like I can feel it's there, but my hands are full," he corrected. "Well, not hands, but whatever it is I use to fetch. I can't quite hold it."

"Huh." And she started walking again, not quite sure if she should tell him about what Blaec had said, so she decided to hedge her bets. "You know you're the reason Blaec's not in the void, right?"

"Kinda wondered," he admitted, "and if so, I'm ok with that so long as you are."

"Yeah." She thought she'd stop there, but she couldn't. The idea of keeping a secret from her Taunor was wrong, and she didn't want to be that person. "He said you could do so much more if you weren't using half your skill to keep him with us. I wonder if he means fetching living things?"

For a few too many steps, Kolt was quiet, but she could feel him working through his thoughts. Then, "No. If me holding Blaec from the void is working, then I'll keep doing it. But if I had've known that a few days ago? Sal, I would've let him go so fast to get you back. And I'm sorry, I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth."

"Yeah," she breathed. "So how about we don't try that without making sure it works, huh? Because I kinda think this whole mess worked out. You know, since I was going to die anyway. At least this way I got brought back."

"Fucking ayati," Kolt grumbled. "And no, I wouldn't pull you first. A bird or a rabbit, sure. Not you."

Then they were in her tent. Kolt immediately moved to the crate, digging all the way down to the bottom for her ringmail. Sal began to strip off what she was currently wearing. The composite resin might be perfect for most combat, but hand to hand? The ringmail was created to give her more agility. It also seemed somehow appropriate to wear it again.

While she put on the better armor, she reached out with her mind for Ryali. Do you know which rooms in the Palace were mine? she asked.

I do now, Ryali assured her. What do ya need me ta do, Kaisae? I'm at the door.

Inside, there's a fireplace. To the right of the fireplace is a very large chest. In there is a box about the length of your forearm. Open it to be sure, but it should have a pair of black resin bracers with very sharp hooks.

Ryali sent her affirmation, then was silent. Sal knew she was looking for the box, but it took a while before she finally sent back, I have it.

Good, Sal said. Now latch the box, and I'm going to link Kolt with you. Sal pulled her Taunor into the connection. I'll want you to think hard about that box. What it feels like, how it smells, the weight of it, and everything you can.

Know it, Kolt told her. When you do, let me know?

Again, Ryali paused. This time, it wasn't for as long. Ok, she thought. I know it.

And open your mind to me, Kolt told her. Sal will help. Yeah, just like that. I can feel it....

A rush of surprise from Ryali hit them both, but Kolt laughed in response. Thankfully, he didn't let his amusement leak. Instead, he passed Sal the box filled with her iliri armor, a little lopsided smirk lingering on his lips.

We got it, Sal assured Ryali. Thank you. And how is the situation with Lord Piet?

He is na happy about his children. Linella sent them ta Arhhawen, and we will na let him see them. He hit his wife! He can na be trusted with children who can na defend themselves, but he says it is na our place, and he is starting ta push. I hope he tries it soon, because I miss Valri.

And you've already been away from her too long, Sal agreed. Push him, Ryali, but gently. Give him no reason to claim the iliri attacked him, but I want that man to make a fatal mistake. Think you can do that?

Yeh, Kaisae. I will find a way, Ryali swore. And thank ya. I like this country. I do na want ta lose it.

It'll take more than one arrogant man to take anything else away from us, Sal assured her. And now I need to go deal with six of them. Thank you again.

She let the link go and started putting on the bracers. Jase had them designed to match the suit of armor Blaec had commissioned for her. The only problem with the whole set was that the names carved into the leather trim no longer included everyone. The Blades had grown a lot since this armor was made, becoming something much larger than Blaec had ever imagined.

The moment she had her bracers laced on the way she wanted; Sal turned for the door. "So, I'm doing this, Kolt. You know that, right?"

"And you're taking at least Jase with you," he countered, pressing a hand to her back as they left the tent.

Sal wasn't so sure about that. Jurij was right. She knew he was, even if she didn't like it, but she also knew she could win. After these fights, Escea would no longer be an obstacle between Anglia and Terric. No, she didn't trust Jurij, but she trusted herself. She knew what situations she could get out of, and in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but think about how Blaec had died.

So when they reached the group of men - who were still arguing about Sal going alone - she was done.

"Tilso, is Arden ready?" she asked.

He nodded, moving to untie the mare from the picket line. "Just waiting for you."

Sal backed her horse into an open space, then looked at her men. "I'm going because this is the right thing to do. I love all of you, and I'm sorry, but Jurij is right. I also don't want anything to stop me if I have to make a run for it. You know what I can do, and I promise that nothing will keep me from coming back."

Jase snarled. "Ya promised ya would stay with us."

"And this is staying with you," she countered. "If I challenge the Warlords, I am saving lives in my army. I'm only a few hours away, no different than a night on the town with Rayna. We are not attached at the hip, Jase. I really can survive a few hours on my own."

"This," Gage snapped, "is not a night out with a friend. It's riding into an enemy camp, and don't you dare try to compare them, Sal."

Kolt didn't bother with words, he just reached out, grabbing her elbow to avoid the sharp edges of the bracers. Blaz pushed between them, a hand on Kolt's chest to prevent the Taunor from yanking her away. Kolt's head snapped up, and his eyes hit Blaz's hard.

"I outrank you," he warned.

"Don't fucking care," Blaz said. "I agreed to be her mate, not your bitch, and we both know she's right. I don't like the idea any more than you do, but it's a good tactical decision. I also know that Sal can get herself out of almost anything." Then he leaned in. "And I happen to trust her."

"She just got back!" Kolt growled.

Jase stepped forward with a snarl, but Zep caught him too fast, spinning the Ahnor around. "Not your fight, little brother."

"Letting her go ta die is!"

But the lines seemed to be drawn across the species. Gage was just as infuriated as Jase and Kolt. The problem was that he didn't have a counter, or so Sal thought. As her Cinnor stormed toward her, she was ready to explain, hoping she wouldn't need to yell, but Tyr chose the perfect time to stick his nose into things.

"Really, bro?" he asked. "Your dick hurt that bad? C'mon. She'll kick your ass if you try that shit, and then I'll kick it some more."

"Not your fight," Gage warned him.

Tyr walked up beside Sal and leaned close to whisper, "Get on that horse, baby, because talking it out isn't going to help sore dicks."

"You know I have to do this, right?" she asked him.

He glanced down at her bracers. "I have this strange feeling that you know what you're doing, and it's not really an iliri thing. So no, I don't think you have to, but I also know you despise the idea of combat losses. It's one or the other. Go, Sal. I'll make sure he doesn't stop you."

Throwing a warning look at Jurij, she did just that. Her rump was barely in the saddle before Arden was moving forward, but her men were still glaring at each other.

"Please," she breathed, knowing they'd feel it more than anything else. "I don't want lines between you all."

But there was no response. Instead, Sal put her heels to her horse, deciding that the sooner this was over, the sooner she could fix the mess she'd just left behind her. The problem was that she'd only just gotten back, and her men had been so scared it wouldn't happen. Now, she was leaving them again. Their bonds weren't strong enough. She really should be spending time with them, touching them, to make their cessivi links stronger, but the fight with Escea couldn't wait. War wasn't that kind.

She had to do this, and she had to make sure she did it right. What she hadn't told them was that she felt safer on her own, because if all of this went to shit, she did have an extraction plan. One that would wipe Escea right off the map.

But behind her, three humans held back three iliri from following. Zep's presence was enough to keep Jase calm, even if he wasn't happy. Tyr held Gage by both shoulders, mumbling that it would be ok, and how Sal was a real badass. Kolt, however, was now snarling.

And Blaz just glared right back into his eyes. "Yeah, that's a challenge," he breathed.

"I will fucking break you, human," Kolt warned.

"Then break me," Blaz told him, "because I won't hurt you. That was part of the deal. When I accepted her, I accepted you, and I know you don't know me, but I promise you that dying is not on my list of things I'm worried about. Losing Sal is, and I still let her go. You gonna stop and think about why?"

"Why?!" Kolt demanded.

"Because if she dies, I can fucking bring her back, but if she shatters her mind - and losing a bunch of her soldiers because she didn't do this? Yeah, it'd break her, and her mind is one thing I can't fix. I'm not even sure Raast can. So if I have to choose, I'm going to choose whatever will keep her sane."

Kolt's breath caught, and his body wavered as he tried to find it again. "Shit," he gasped.

"So if you want to beat the shit out of me, let's do this," Blaz told him. "I'm not fucking swinging back."

Instead, Kolt slowly lowered his eyes to the ground, conceding the challenge. Blaz didn't know it, but Kolt had never dropped his eyes so easily. It was enough to make Jase stop as well, and Gage sucked in a shocked breath.

"It will all work out," Kolt said, "and the Blades will be stronger for it. He meant Blaz," Kolt said. "Blaec said the only question was how much I'd fight myself, so I'm done fighting." And he offered his hand. "Brother?"

Blaz slapped his into it. "Always, but you know I'm not completely versed in this iliri stuff, right?"

"I submit, Viernor, to your better judgment." He smiled, but it was forced. "And maybe you can help me with that whole being a decent man thing I've been trying?"

"As soon as Sal's back," Blaz swore. "Until then, I think the five - six," he corrected, looking at Tyr, "of us need to find some whiskey."

"Dom has it," Tyr offered. "I'll grab some."

"You coming back?" Gage asked.

Tyr scoffed. "How else can I deliver it? In case you missed it, I'm kinda still human. Even more than the horseman."

Blaz's answer only required a single finger, but it came with a feeling of relief across all of their hearts. This would work. It had to, because Blaec had seen it.

Chapter Sixty-One

Northern Escea

As they crossed the distance between the Anglian camp and the Escean Chieftain's Plains, Jurij told Sal the rules of restitution the Warlords were bound by. It wasn't much. The petitioner - her - was expected to arrive alone, offer something up as collateral in the event she lost, throw down her weapons before the assembly of Warlords, and state her case. If it was accepted, and the other Warlords would taunt the defending one until it was, then combat was held in a marked ring, bare-handed, until first blood.

While that might sound simple enough, Sal knew better. From what little time she'd been around Jurij, she knew these were very proud people. His attitude made her think that diplomacy would be futile. Instead, their tribal mentality was more about defeating challenges, proving dominance, and never showing weakness. Lucky for her, that was something inherent to her species.

The ride took awhile. Anglia had camped far enough away to stay out of sight. Sal wasn't sure, but it felt like a couple of hours before the standing stones around the Chieftain's Plains came into view - along with hundreds of people. Wagons, horses, and tents were scattered around the perimeter. More could be seen inside, and it looked like the entire Escean line had pulled back to make a stand here.

But here was little more than a set of tall stones the height of most buildings. They were placed intermittently around a circle marked with smaller rocks. It wasn't even a fence. Simply a line that showed where the boundary was. The site had an ancient feel to it, and a barbaric one.

Sal and Jurij angled their horses to the south, making a wide circle around the encampment. They could be seen, but no one rode out to challenge a pair of riders. Then, when they found the wide-open path that led to the entrance, they headed straight toward it.

Arden lifted her head, proving she could feel the tension. Sal reached down to casually pat her mare's shoulder, but that was all. She didn't want to look concerned. Walking in like she was on a mission could be just as detrimental. Instead, she decided to act like this was just an ordinary day.

It wasn't.

The closer they got, the more people turned to stare. Thankfully, no one stopped them. Jurij wore his provincial colors and symbols. Sal was in black, but the crossed swords of her unit were visible on her back, along with the Anglian triad on Arden's saddle pad. There was no mistaking who they were.

Under the gaze of the Escean army, the pair moved inexorably toward the largest pair of stones in the circle. The gap between these two was only wide enough for four horses to walk abreast, and each one stretched into the sky. Ten, maybe fifteen meters tall, if Sal had to guess. As they passed between them, she dared to look up, noticing the rain scarring on the rocks. This place had to be as old as the Landing!

But inside the Chieftain's Plains, things were slightly different. The ranks didn't appear to be as strict, for one thing. More people moved around, crossing the path before them. At the side, wagons were parked, most likely the ones filled with supplies, and large pavilions had been erected. Each one emblazoned with the individual Warlord's symbol. Letting her eyes roam, Sal could only guess that the circle was divided equally, giving a space to each leader so their tribe could have some semblance of safety.

Then she saw movement. Off to the right, huddled beside an empty cart was a woman. A very pale one. In her lap was a small boy, maybe ten or twelve years old. Standing behind her was another, this one in his teens. Sal felt her spine stiffen in shock, her horse automatically slowing, but Jurij reached out with his foot to nudge Arden. The move was smooth and well done, silently reminding Sal that all eyes were on her, but her eyes were on that iliri woman.

The one with ears set high on her head and hair as white as Sal's own. She wasn't old enough to be either of the boys' mother, but she was still protecting them. And just before Sal rode past, she saw a resin shackle locked around each one of their ankles.

Jase, she thought immediately, there's a purebred iliri woman here, with two boys. One looks as pure as you. The other, I couldn't tell.

Oddly, his reply was delayed. Ya sure? he asked with a slight mental slur.

Are you drunk?

Jase's amusement leaked into her heart. Maybe. Blaz can heal it if we need ta help, but it seemed like a good idea ta pass the time. Ya need us ta come get them?

No, she decided. I'll let you know before my final battle so you can sober up and move closer. Just... She had to bite her lips together to keep from smiling at the thought of her mates sitting around getting drunk in the middle of the day. Don't kill anyone, Jase.

Nah. My brother is tellin' stories. My mate likes it up the ass, and Zep is blushin'. I will na be killing fer a while. This is too much fun. Did ya know that Kolt likes it when I bite him? Yeh. We're makin' plans.

Plans. Talking about sex was more like it! Still, if that was the way their talk had turned, then she was ok with it, because they'd looked ready to tear each other apart when she'd left. Oddly, it gave her one more reason to get this over with quickly, because she would love to see the five of them like this.

Never mind that if there was one purebred iliri in Escea being kept as a slave, then there might be more. That was what she needed to focus on. Not her men hanging all over each other, laughing like little boys. Still, the image made her love them even more, and it was something that terrified woman deserved. The chance to be foolish and relax. That was the dream that had driven her to become a Black Blade in the first place. Now, she had it, and she owed it to the slaves in Escea to make sure they could as well.

Her mind was back on track when a collection of Esceans stepped before them. They were all dressed the same, so it took Sal a moment to realize that not only were these the Warlords, but two of them were female. Each one wore heavy armor. All of them had open-sided shirts belted over it with the symbol of their province on it. The woman on the left was as tall as the man beside her. The one just to the right of center, however, was smaller, petite, and beautiful. Not at all what Sal was expecting.

She and Jurij pulled their horses to a halt one pace before them, and dismounted. Sal scanned the insignia for the one that matched the wagon where the slaves had been held. She'd come here intending to fight Traijan first, but her plan had to change. There, third from the right, she found it: Dejan.

Sal dropped Arden's reins into the dirt and stepped forward. "I demand restitution," she said, pitching her voice to carry. "There are at least three iliri slaves back there. Those are my people, and you have prevented them from returning home. As is my right under Escean law, I demand my chance to challenge Dejan for their lives."

The small, beautiful woman, who wore the symbol of Vilko, scoffed. "And what do you have to pay for your claim if you fail?"

Sal reached behind her back and pulled both daggers. One in each hand. Across from her, the Warlords all tensed, but they refused to drop their hands on the hilts of their weapons. Sal looked them over, making it clear she'd noticed their reaction, and then flicked the daggers - one after the other - into the dirt before Vilko's feet.

"I think that's worth enough to back up my claim."

Vilko smiled cruelly. "Do you know the rules, beast?"

"It's Kaisae," Sal corrected. "I am the Kaisae of all Anglia, and every iliri who wishes to be a part of it. I am a ruler, chosen by my people and proven in combat, just like you. Let us do away with the slurs until we see who's the stronger bitch, hm?"

"And how do you propose we do that, Kaisae? Your challenge is with Dejan, not me."

"Oh, but there's where you're wrong, Chieftain." Sal was guessing at this woman's title, but she had a feeling she was right. "I challenge Dejan for holding my people in public, chained against their will. I challenge Traijan for being the reason iliri are even in Escea, since that province formed the idea to raid Anglia so long ago and took us away like livestock. I challenge Nuclua for putting us in chains when we made it clear we didn't want to go with you. I challenge Rok for creating an entire market based on our suffering, and Oscus for helping ship us not just through Escea, but also into the Conglomerate. And you, Vilko? As the Chieftain of Escea, I challenge you for allowing it all to happen. Oh, I think we will find out who is the bigger bitch."

The Warlords immediately started murmuring, each one sounding angrier than the one before. Sal, however, just held Vilko's eyes and smiled back, knowing exactly how this would play out. She'd pushed the right buttons, and she could smell it on the air. These people were angry, and they wanted nothing more than to beat her down for the accusations she'd just made.

"Fine," Vilko said, silencing the rest. "Your steel will stand as collateral for your failure."

Sal lifted her chin. "Good, and when I prove my case is just, I expect control of the Province whose Warlord I just defeated as my own compensation."

Beside her, Jurij chuckled. "I think my petition can wait until after this is solved."

"So be it," Vilko said, inviting Sal to pass. "That, Kaisae, is your court. Step off the stones and you forfeit. Bleed, and you lose. Do you accept this as the determination of your judgment?"

"I most certainly do," Sal said, unbuckling her sabers from her back just to hang them on Arden's saddle. "Do I now count as weaponless, Chieftain? Because I'm afraid I can't remove much more."

"Just remember that any advantage you use means your enemy can as well." But Vilko nodded.

Standing as tall as she could, Sal walked confidently between the Warlords and onto a small area beyond. It was little more than a circle about eight meters across. Large enough to get thrown around without a problem, but small enough to keep the fight contained. Without hesitation, Sal stepped onto the crushed stone footing, feeling it shift beneath her feel like sand, but much more coarse.

This was the center of the Chieftain's Plains. Around the edge, spaced far enough back to be safe, were seven stone chairs. Six of them were covered in cloth and pillows to make them more comfortable. The last was bare, showing the reddish color of the stone that matched the obelisks placed around the edge of the Plains. Sal turned, taking it all in, judging both her distances and her environment for potential hazards while the Warlords moved to take their places.

Dejan, a tall giant of a man, tossed his weapons toward his own chair. A greatsword, a short one, and a collection of knives that would make an assassin happy: Dejan had them all. He also moved slowly due to his mass, but Sal had a feeling most of it was muscle. This man would be a powerhouse. One hit from him would do plenty of damage. Considering that he was skilled enough to win the right to rule his province, he also wouldn't be foolish about using it.

But Sal had fought just as hard for her own right to rule. She also knew something the Warlords didn't. The maast would make her even better. All she needed was to cut something. Just one thing. To feel the flesh part as either her bracers or her teeth tore the flesh, and this man had no idea he'd just volunteered to make that happen.

"Tell me," Sal asked, pitching her voice for the other Warlords, "do I get a call before I start? Or should I just attack the moment his feet hit the gravel."

"You'll get a call," Vilko said.

Sal nodded to show she heard. "And if I kill him?"

"Then you forfeit," Vilko said. "Try not to do that, Kaisae. I know it's very hard for your kind to be civilized."

Sal just smiled. "Just watch, Chieftain. I have a feeling you might want to take notes. Could be the only thing to save Escea from being ruled by a beast."

In response, Vilko simply said, "Fight!"

Chapter Sixty-Two

Northern Escea

The Warlord rushed Sal with an earsplitting bellow of rage, but Sal just waited. Standing her ground, she watched each step, noticing the subtle signs of agility and balance as the man moved. Dejan's shoulder dropped, intending to either ram into Sal or flip her over his shoulder, but that was when the Kaisae decided to act.

Being so short, it was easy to duck beneath the Warlord's range. At the same time, she stepped to the side, twisted, and came up behind him. One of Sal's hands grabbed the man's chest piece at the back of his neck. The other braced against Dejan's arm, preventing him from reaching back, and Sal allowed the man's momentum to lift her up and right onto the fool's back.

And Sal lunged, striking with her teeth. She could've used her armor, but this? It would leave a long-lasting impression. Dejan's shoulder was broad, almost too much to bite around, and covered in thick, well-made resin armor. Sal's teeth pierced through all of it. The crunch as her canines punctured the resin reverberated across the silent crowd.

And Dejan screamed in pain.

It was harder for Sal to free her teeth than it had been to make the attack. Yet the moment her canines were out of the resin, she pushed off, landing solidly on the ground a pace away. The Warlord grabbed at his shoulder, looking over in shock, and the watchers once again began to murmur.

"Does that count?" Sal asked.

"Dejan," Vilko snapped. "Are you blooded?"

Dejan thrashed his head as he forced out an annoyed huff, but that was all. "I am, Chieftain. The Warlord of Dejan has proven her case."

Her case. Which meant Sal was now the ruler of Deja. Still, she had to know. "Does this mean I have the right to free all slaves in my new province?" she asked.

The man nodded. "It does, Warlord."

"Tell me, sir, will you honor that, or will you try to undermine my restitution?"

His jaw clenched, the man glanced over to Jurij, and then back. "The law is on your side, Kaisae. As Warlord, you have the right to execute anyone who defies your decisions. I will honor the judgment."

"Good, then I will call my mates to come collect them. They should be here in a few hours. You, as the second most powerful warrior in Dejan, will make sure that they are greeted politely, and then you will show them to the refugees they will collect and remove. Am I understood, sir?"

"Yes, Warlord," he said.

When Sal dipped her head in acknowledgment, he walked straight off the sands, heading toward the main part of camp. Right toward where Sal had seen the iliri woman and those boys. She was almost surprised it had been so easy, but she was distracted by a shiver running over her skin. That one bite had been enough. She'd felt his thin human skin surrender to the power of her teeth. It wasn't much, and the maast wasn't coursing through her, but it was starting. Each cut and every bite would only fuel her need for more, so she sent a quick thought to her Ahnor before she became too distracted with her need to kill.

"Traijan," Vilko called out.

At the sound of her name, the other female Warlord stood and made a production of removing her weapons. She was tall and broad-shouldered, nearly as impressive as the man who'd used the name Dejan. Unlike Dejan, she didn't walk around to the area marked as the entrance. Instead, she simply stepped over the edge across from her chair and lifted her arms as if to say she was ready.

Sal smiled. She knew what Vilko was doing. Everyone in Escea had heard about her fighting ability by now. She'd proven herself on the battlefield, the same way these Warlords had. That meant their best chance was to wear her down, giving her little chance to rest and recover between rounds. Too bad for them, Sal didn't want a break. She only wanted to get this over with.

"Fight!" Vilko ordered.

Unlike Dejan, the woman known as Traijan took her time about closing the distance. She was careful, refusing to give Sal a chance to get inside her guard. The pair slowly walked in a large circle, each woman judging the other, but Sal had no intention of breaking first. Not yet. She wanted Traijan to get anxious, maybe even annoyed.

It didn't take long. The woman made a feint toward Sal that got nothing more than a flick of the Kaisae's ears. Traijan only took two more steps before cutting right across the center - but she didn't run. Her hands were up to guard her chest. Her eyes were locked on Sal's sternum, and her feet were braced to change direction quickly. In other words, the woman fought just like Zep.

So Sal snarled, leaning in to snap at her. Traijan reacted with a defensive twitch of her arm, but Sal didn't follow through with the motion. Still, that arm was covered in resin. So were Traijan's chest, thighs, and calves. Her boots were thick leather. The only place to score an easy hit was at her hip where the armor was built for riding, so that was where Sal would aim.

The only other option was the woman's face, and Sal didn't want to make that mistake. Not because she was worried about scarring the woman, but she didn't trust any of these Warlords not to lift their chin enough to take the blow across the neck, forcing Sal to forfeit. It was the sort of thing an iliri would do, and from what Sal knew of Esceans, they were just as loyal to their own cause.

So she made a few more feints, taunting Traijan until the woman no longer flinched. Only then did Sal finally follow through. Five steps closed the distance, but Traijan realized what was happening by the third. The Warlord braced, Sal dropped, using the rocks to let her body slide past, and she swiped out with her arm. Traijan twisted, shifting her body just out of reach, and kicked.

The woman's foot caught Sal in the side of the face. She felt her teeth cut the inside of her mouth and tasted the blood, but Sal was already twisting. She'd missed the woman's hip, but that kick put the other in range. Clawing at the ground, Sal swallowed the blood in her mouth, stopped her slide, and lashed out with her arm. Resin met cloth, skipped, hooked on Traijan's armor, and stayed. That became Sal's anchor. One pull forced Traijan off her feet, then Sal shoved her arm forward again, feeling the sharpened hook on her bracer slide deep. This wasn't a surface wound. It was the kind that pulled a soldier off the field, but Traijan had no intention of going down easily. She punched, hitting Sal right in the face.

It should've bled. The woman's fist caught Sal's convex nose hard enough that she could feel it coming, but Sal was ready. Even as she rolled away from the wounded Warlord, she was healing. The damage was minor, little more than a scrape inside her mouth and a few ruptured capillaries in her nose, but today was not the day to bleed a drop.

When Sal made it to her knees, she paused, checking to make sure she had indeed won. Traijan didn't howl. The woman was too strong for that. Instead, she had a hand slapped over her hip, just where it met the outside of her thigh, and her face was contorted in pain.

"Chieftain?" Sal asked. "Is that blood?"

"You know it is," Vilko snapped.

Sal nodded. "Then may I offer assistance to a worthy opponent? I am fighting to free my people, not to ruin a woman's career as a warrior."

Vilko's eyes narrowed. "Remember, Kaisae, killing your opponent means you forfeit."

"I promise that is not my intention," Sal said as she climbed to her feet.

Traijan watched as Sal came closer, but that was all. The former Warlord didn't rage at Sal's attack, and she said nothing to be offensive. Traijan simply lay there, unable to stand on the leg Sal had destroyed so easily.

When Sal reached her side, she knelt and lowered her voice. "I didn't mean to cut so deep," she told the woman, "but you were faster than I expected. May I heal that?"

The woman did the last thing Sal expected. She smiled. "Sure, but you may not want to fix it completely, Warlord. Leave enough proof or there will be rumors."

Sal's head twitched slightly. "You know an awful lot about iliri healing."

"Why do you think we bring the slaves with us? Each Warlord has a healer. That is why we're so hard to kill."

"Have you considered hiring the iliri instead, and treating your healer as a respected member of your staff?" Sal asked, but she didn't give the woman the chance to respond before she started healing.

The cut was simple, and well within Sal's ability to fix, yet this woman had a point. Sal might not know her real name, and since she'd been defeated, she was no longer Traijan, but she was still an impressive opponent, and one who sounded like she could be the start of change. Carefully, Sal repaired the woman's muscles, leaving only a long slice along the topmost layer of skin. It should quickly scab over and heal on its own.

"Thank you, Warlord," the woman said, offering her hand.

Sal took it, intending to help her up, but like Zep, her mind hit hard. The image that came with that mental kick made it clear that Sal had been correct. This woman had sympathy for the iliri. Enough that her healer spent as much time in her bed as he did repairing her wounds. And over all of that was the very clear feeling that she didn't want him stolen away to a land he'd never known before.

"It's his decision," Sal breathed as she pulled.

The former Warlord staggered, realized her leg felt fine, and then turned to the Chieftain. "Vilko, I have been blooded. The Warlord of Traijan is an honorable woman. She has my respect."

After that came Nuclua. A lithe, wiry man, he rushed at Sal without hesitation. The moment Vilko ordered him to fight, he did. Sal took a pounding from his fists, but that was all. He wasn't trying to make her bleed. No, this man thought he'd wear her down and then get his victory. What he didn't expect was for Sal to steal Traijan's move. When the man ran at her the next time, Sal thrust her open palm up and right into his nose. She felt the snap against her palm, but the watchers heard it.

And Nuclua's nose bled profusely, giving her another victory.

Next came Rok. Of all the provinces in Escea, this was the one Sal was most familiar with. Jase had studied there, learning poisons and the art of assassination. When the man stepped into the ring with her, she couldn't quite read him. He was neither large enough to be slow, nor lean enough to be fast, but one thing was certain. Sal didn't want to bite him. Not the master of poisons.

Instead, she defeated him quickly, rushing in before he was ready to get a slice across his face. The man barely had time to get his hands up before the fight was over, and he couldn't even claim her armor as an advantage. His own was just as sharp.

Oscus, however, made her work for it. The man dodged a little too well, but he was a horseman, not a fighter. Agility was his specialty, with defense a close second. Thankfully, his attacks were both slow and weak. He managed to get a hit on her shoulder that sent her face-first into the sand, but he wasn't prepared to follow through. That gave her just enough time to get up and face him. Like Dejan, the fight ended with her teeth piercing his armor, but Oscus would bear the marks on his forearm.

Then, since Jurij wasn't among the list of provinces she'd challenged, the only one left was Vilko. Sal had a feeling that the woman's beauty was as much a weapon as everything else about her. Vilko moved like a predator, balanced the same way Sal was. Her eyes flicked to movement, and her attention never wavered. Of all the Warlords in Escea, she was the most dangerous. Of course, that was how she'd become the Chieftain.

"Tell me," Vilko said as she walked into the ring with Sal. "How many of us will die if you send Escea after the Emperor? And how long do you think the people will follow you once you make that order?"

Sal stepped back, refusing to let this woman get too close. "Or maybe my intentions aren't so simple, Chieftain. It's entirely possible that we want the same thing. The Emperor hasn't given you the steel he promised, but I happen to know where it is. He's used your country to protect his own, throwing away Escean lives like they don't matter. It doesn't feel good, does it, to be treated like someone else's trash?"

Vilko grumbled, the sound a little too close to a growl. "Do not compare the iliri to us!"

"Why not?" Sal asked. "Of all the humans on the continent, Esceans are the closest. You live in tribes. Your decisions are fought out, often physically. You are unerringly loyal, and you're proud. So. Am. I. Once I claim the title of Chieftain, I intend to order Escea to get comfortable and defend the Chieftain's Plains. Do not assist Terric. Do not try to stop Anglia. Just stay right here and make sure that the things that matter to your people - and the people themselves - are protected."

Vilko held up her hand, signaling that she needed a pause. When Sal nodded, the woman walked closer. "Why?" she whispered, her voice low enough to be private. "What do you care about the Plains? Why would you want to spare human lives? Once the iliri are free, they'll just turn around and destroy us, so why are you delaying it?"

"Because," Sal told her, "peace doesn't start with war. It starts with a concession. I'm not foolish enough to turn my back on Escea, but from the moment I walked through those stones, I couldn't stop thinking that I wish the iliri had something like this to be proud of. A history to fight for. You do. Crushing that would make me no better than the Emperor, and believe it or not, my only goal is to go home. I want to be free, Vilko. To wake up late, wear fancy clothes, and complain because my ass is getting too big. I want to grow old. I want the chance to see iliri children laugh, not just hide in fear." She paused to lick her lips. "You should also know that I'm not just the Kaisae of all Iliri. My followers include humans. I have human mates that I love. Human friends I would die to protect. Are we truly that different?"

Vilko smiled. "Fight me without the bracers, Kaisae. I know what those are. They were designed in my own province, because Vilko is where iliri were first set against each other for amusement. If you leave your toys behind, then I will do the same, and let's see which of us really is the bigger bitch?"

Sal nodded and stepped back, unlacing her bracers. Vilko pulled off her shoulder pieces, which had rather impressive spikes on them. Then the woman removed the pointed resin greaves on her legs. When Sal dropped her second bracer, Vilko removed the thong from her hair to prove it would double as a garrote, and thus counted as a weapon. Then she pulled her mane back and tied it into a knot.

When both of them were truly weaponless, Vilko pointed at Jurij, the only other Warlord with any claim to his province, giving him the right to make the call. He didn't hesitate before saying, "Fight!"

Sal rushed in, expecting the worst. Moving quickly, knowing this woman was the kind of warrior who could easily make problems, Sal lunged, forcing herself inside Vilko's guard. The Chieftain barely had time to grab Sal's torso to brace, before they were both crashing into the dirt. Like she had so many times before, Sal's teeth were locked on the woman's throat, the tips just barely piercing the skin, and Vilko hadn't even dodged.

"I'm blooded, Kaisae," Vilko said.

Sal lifted her teeth and looked into the woman's eyes. "Why?"

"Because I needed an excuse to break the treaty, and you make a very good one. I think it works well for both of us... Chieftain."

"Thank you, Warlord," Sal breathed. "I will make sure you do not regret it."

"Good, because I know enough about iliri to understand I can re-challenge you at any time, and I won't be so easy to defeat next time."

"I can't imagine you would be," Sal agreed, leaning back to offer her a hand.

Chapter Sixty-Three

Northern Escea

Blaz had healed away the effects of the whiskey, and while Sal's mates hadn't drunk much, they'd needed it. Now, Jase had the Black Blades, Devil Dogs, Verdant Shields, and Dark Heart with him. The other units were still in camp, although prepared to move in case they were needed.

The trick, Jase knew, would be getting his men close enough to be useful without being so close that Escea found them to be a threat. So they stopped when they were just within sight of the Esceans surrounding the Chieftain's Plains, and waited. Sal said she wanted him ready, and this was the safest plan he could think of.

He didn't expect one lone Escean to ride out to meet them. The man was large and dressed in full armor. Across his chest was the symbol for Deja, which was enough to make Jase knee Raven forward. They met only a few strides before the Anglian line, and the Escean bowed his head politely.

"The new Warlord Dejan, who you call the Kaisae, has ordered me to escort her mates into camp. You are to retrieve the newly freed slaves, sir."

Warlord? Sir? Newly freed slaves? Jase had to admit he was a little impressed. Still, there was one thing he wanted to know. "Is she still fighting?"

The man paused. "I believe so, but I was ordered to attend to this, so can't be sure. She is..." He slowly shook his head. "I never saw her move, and her teeth bit straight through my armor!"

Which meant this was the former Warlord, the man Sal had beaten to take his title. He should've been livid. Should've raged against a foreign woman - or beast - thinking she could do this. The man's simple acceptance seemed much too easy.

But there was an easy way to check. "Jassant Cynortas," Jase introduced himself, offering his hand. "The Kaisae's first mate. My title is Ahnor."

"Well met, Ahnor. I'm Gilad Stransin, the former Warlord of Deja." And he gladly clasped Jase's palm.

Images came with the touch, and strong ones. Jase caught the memory of the fight, the man's surprise when the wound Sal inflicted was little more than an irritant, and how she'd been very careful not to permanently damage him. Then there was something else. Something so subtle, the Escean might not even realize it himself, but he'd been charmed by her bravado. The casual way she'd stepped up, shown no fear, and had calmly assigned him a responsibility afterward. That she'd been so willing to trust him after taking his title?

It had convinced this man that she was fair and honest. She was, usually, but Jase had a feeling there was a little more to it. A little bit of that vis swaying his opinion of her. That, or her acceptance of humans had made her stronger than any of them had imagined.

"There are six of us," he warned the man. "Is that going ta be a problem?"

The guy's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh. Um, no, I don't believe it will, but would the rest of your army mind waiting here until the judgment is decided? To avoid any accidents, you understand, sir."

"Na a problem," Jase assured him, while simultaneously reaching out with his mind. Zep, Kolt, Gage, Blaz, and Tyr, ya will come with me. Ya are standing as Sal's mates.

I'm not her mate, Tyr reminded him.

Fer now, ya are, Jase told him. Yer title is Kernor, and ya will pretend it is true because we need each of us ta have someone ta watch our back. We're riding into the Chieftain's Plains, Tyr. Ya will make sure that Gage does na get a blade in his back. Blaz, yer with Kolt.

And I'm with you, Zep thought.

Together, the men moved their horses up, and the Escean gestured for them to follow. A simple order passed command of the group behind him to Pig, and then Sal's mates fell into pairs. Blaz and Tyr still wore their unit's colors, making them stand out among the black of the four Blades around them. It didn't matter, though. No one else would understand the significance of their positions. They just needed to get inside and make sure the iliri were able to get out.

It wasn't far from where they'd stopped by the Chieftain's Plains, but the ride felt eternal. Around the edge of the marked territory, Esceans had gathered. Hundreds of them glared, all eyeing the iliri being escorted through their ranks. The path they left was narrow, and Jase could smell the anger emanating from these men and women, but he refused to react, knowing that if they were attacked, Ghost would handle it.

Then they passed the standing stones. On the left, dozens of iliri slaves stood in a row with their heads down. On the right, more were being gathered. One man gestured for Gilad to pause, then hurried over and whispered something to him. Jase was just able to make it out.

"She's defeated Traijan, Nuclua, and Rok. Each province is pulling out their slaves, but the former Traijan managed to get a concession. We're allowed to keep any slaves who want to stay and work for a wage, although the iliri bitch said they must be treated respectfully."

Gilad nodded. "It is called restitution for a reason. Make it clear to those losing slaves that they should be glad she isn't asking for more. It won't silence the complaints, but it may calm them enough to stop any uprisings." Then he turned back. "I hope you have room for approximately one hundred iliri, sir."

"Yeh," Jase promised him, "we do."

"Most of them don't speak Glish," Gilad warned. "No matter how hard we tried, they just growl and ramble like - " He quickly shut his mouth, realizing what he was saying.

Jase allowed his lips to curl in a feral smile. "Like beasts? Do na worry. I did na speak Glish fer most of my life. It is a barbaric language that does na work well with our tongues. It is na yer fault that ya could na learn Iliran."

"Right. Well, these are the ones from Dejan," Gilad said, his face a little darker, proving his slip had embarrassed him.

Together, Sal's mates dismounted, but Jase's feet barely hit the ground before a commotion had him turning, one hand instinctually reaching for a weapon. Just up the line, three Esceans jumped back into the open path, and two of them were grabbing for their swords. All of them were yelling, but it wasn't enough to drown out the snarls.

"Zep," Jase snapped as he stormed that way.

Sal had said there was a female. Jase knew exactly how hard he'd fought when he'd been taken from Guttertown to be conscripted. It didn't take much to assume that one of the slaves had no interest in being touched, and no iliri in the world would blame someone for fighting back. But neither he nor Zep ran. They didn't want to look desperate. They did, however, stretch their legs as much as possible.

"Do na," Jase snarled at the closest Escean, whose sword was now in his hand. "Ya hurt one of them, and I will make ya pay fer it. They are na yers anymore."

"Silence, beast," the man snapped.

Jase snarled and stepped closer, grabbing the man just to sling him to the ground. "I am the Ahnor of Anglia. The first mate of yer new Warlord. If ya lift a weapon ta me, I will kill ya fer it, so think hard."

"And I'll help him," Zep said.

Laying on his back, the man's eyes flicked past Jase to where Gilad was hurrying over. Something made the swordsman pause, then nod, slowly releasing his weapon.

"Fine," he said, lifting both hands to show they were empty. "Then you figure out how to get her loose."

Jase took the last few steps around the wagon, and he saw her. Pure, just like Sal had said, the woman was almost perfectly white - but not completely. Her eyes held a hint of yellow, and her hair wasn't quite silver. But just like Sal, her ears were set high on her head and locked back. The woman was growling, her body positioned to protect the two young males behind her, although the older boy didn't seem happy about it.

Jase held out his open palms, but refused to drop his eyes. When he spoke, his words were Iliran. "I am the Kaisae's Ahnor. We have come ta free you."

"Lies!" she growled. "I know how this works. Ya think selling me off will keep me from protecting them!"

"I do na," Jase promised. "I would never ask a woman ta stand aside. I am merely following my mate's orders."

"The purebred?" she asked. "Then you tell her ta come here and talk ta me herself. You're part human, ape. I know these tricks. The man behind ya proves that ya can't be trusted."

Jase chose to ignore most of that. "She can na come because she is fighting fer the lives of ever' iliri in this camp. That is why you're free. Free, ilus. I just need ta remove the chain on yer leg."

"No!" And she lunged right to the end of her shackle. "I will only allow an iliri ta touch me. I do not want ta feel yer disgusting thoughts, and I know all of yer tricks!"

So Jase stepped back, but it was with a smile. "I do na think ya know mine." And he turned to find Gilad. "I need ta bring in another. He is na the Kaisae's mate, but he'll be able ta talk ta her."

"You just talked to her," Gilad countered.

Zep huffed out a laugh. "Yeah, it wasn't that productive. She pretty much said she'll kill anyone who touches her that isn't a purebred." Then he looked at Jase. "So I guess we have a use for Hax after all?"

"Should help ease his rejection," Jase pointed out. "He can be her guardian, and she should keep him busy trying ta make sure she does na kill anyone she should na. I just need ta get him through that crowd." And Jase looked pointedly at Gilad.

The man sighed. "Fine, but only the one." And he turned, snapping out orders to one of the Esceans who'd almost pulled a sword on this woman.

That was all Jase needed before reaching out. Hax? Come this way, alone. There will be a man waiting ta meet with ya. Do na trust him, but try na ta attack him, because we need ya.

Now you need me? Hax asked, but he didn't wait for a response. Fine. I'm on my way.

While he waited, Jase checked on the other iliri. Most of the slaves understood what was happening. That even Blaz and Tyr spoke their language made them relax. When they were told they'd be taken to Anglia, most of them smiled. The problem was how to get them back. Anglia didn't have enough horses for everyone, and while most of their army was now mounted, finding over a hundred loose horses would require another battle. Even worse, few of these people looked to be in the condition to survive a hard march.

He'd thought the treatment of slaves in Merriton was bad, but this was worse. At least in Merriton, the iliri had been fed something. Too many of these were thin and frail. They would've been sick if it wasn't for iliri healing. And that the humans who owned them hadn't noticed? It said a lot about the bigotry they'd suffered.

Eventually, Hax arrived. His escort looked less than pleased, but Hax didn't seem to care. He was still reeling from Sal's rejection, and covering it with anger if the set of his ears was any indication, but he was purebred. That was all Jase needed right now. An iliri pure enough to get this woman free of her chains.

"She will na let me touch her," Jase explained, "because I am too human. I figured ya would understand that, since it is what upset Sal the most."

Hax walked right into Jase's face. "Way to rub it in, Ahnor." His eyes were locked on Jase's cheek. Lowered, but not by much. "I'm here for her, not for you."

"Then ya have na learned yer lesson," Jase told him. "We are all here fer her, just like she is here fer all of us. Now get the woman free, ilus."

Hax snorted, but did as he was told, storming in the direction Jase had indicated. It was no more than five steps, but the moment he rounded the corner, everything changed. Hax's ears snapped forward, and the woman's growling stopped. For what felt like a long time, the pair stood there, looking at each other, which gave Jase and Zep a chance to catch up.

"I can take your chains off," Hax said.

The woman licked her lips nervously, then spoke in Iliran. "You're helping them?"

Hax just shook his head. "I never learned that language, ilus. I'm trying, but I only know a few words." He made a pointed shrug. "I'm one of the few in Anglia who doesn't speak it, actually. Well, myself and my unit. But I have a feeling you understand Glish well enough."

"Yeh," the woman replied in Glish. "How did ya na learn yer words?"

"Iliran?" Hax asked. "Um, I was sold before I could talk, and raised as a slave. Sal - I mean the Kaisae - was the same way. So, can I take off that shackle?"

"Will ya turn me over ta the humans?" she demanded.

"The plan is for Anglia to set you free," he explained.

Her eyes narrowed. "Humans. Do you trust them?"

Hax chuckled once. "Um, that's complicated. My brothers are human, so yes. My pack is mostly human, but my leader is mated to an iliri and another human. The Kaisae has human mates. In Anglia, they're trying to teach us that species isn't as important as good intentions, but it's a lesson I'm having problems with. I've known too many bad humans."

"But ya trust them as a whole, these Anglians?"

"I do," Hax assured her. "I've watched Anglian humans put themselves in harm's way so an iliri wouldn't be hurt. I've stared in awe as these men drop their eyes to us, and they know not to touch us. They call her Kaisae, ilus, and Sal? She really is their Kaisae. She..."

"Can feel them," Jase finished, proving he was still standing there. "She is the Kaisae of all Anglia, and she is in their minds, just like she is in ours. She came here, fought the Warlords, and is still fighting them so ya can choose ta stay or go. That is what freedom means, ilus, but I think Hax will make sure ya are na hurt by any. Will that do?"

"Will ya?" she asked Hax.

He nodded. "I will keep your pack safe, including those boys."

And the purebred woman pushed her leg forward, exposing the chain. "Then ya can take it off, but if ya hurt my brothers, I will kill ya."

"Ilus," he said as he stepped closer, "I don't want to hurt my kind. I'm fighting to save us. We all are, and those two? They look like they'll become strong maargra in the Kaisae's army. Not because she'll make them, but because I can see the fight in their eyes. She'll let you take all of this out on Terric if that's what you want, or she'll make sure you get to Arhhawen - "

"It's real?" the older boy gasped.

The woman snarled. "I told ya na ta speak!"

"But Arhhawen! He said it, so it must be real."

"It's real," Zep told him. "It's our home, given to us by a human, freely. It's also not the only place we're allowed to be."

"Yer human!" the woman snapped.

Zep just smiled. "Not anymore, ilus. I gave up my human life to save the Kaisae. I was brought back with an iliri mind. The Kaisae is adamant about it. Now, her Viernor? He's human, and yet he's a healer. In Anglia, the lines are not as cut and dry as you think. That, little sister, is what it means to be free."

"And there aren't many like you left," Hax told her. "Sal and two young girls are the only pure female iliri we know of."

"I am na a Kaisae," she whispered.

"Doesn't matter," Hax told her. "We already have one, and I think one is all we need." He knelt before her to free her leg. "You're still very, very important to us."

"Ta all of us," Jase promised her.

Chapter Sixty-Four

Northern Escea

The moment Vilko found her feet, she turned to address the crowd still watching. Most of the Warlords had left to gather their slaves, knowing they'd lost the judgment for restitution. Vilko - or whatever her real name was now that she no longer held the title - didn't seem worried about that.

Instead, she called out, "The Kaisae of Anglia has defeated her opponents. She has gained the status of Chieftain, and Warlord of Dejan, Traijan, Rok, Nuclua, Oscus, and Vilko. May I introduce to the populace, the new leader of Escea!"

There was no applause, only a rush of murmurs as the reality of this change sank in. Then Vilko stepped back, dipping her head to show Sal she was now allowed to speak. In other words, she could make her demands.

"I came here to seek restitution for my species. Escea stole us from Anglia, and made us into slaves. I have proven my case through combat, and so I demand that all iliri are released. The financial loss of their labor is my repayment. Their lives, however, are their own. The iliri are free, welcome to stay in Escea and work for legal wages, or to move elsewhere. Anglia is more than happy to give them a home, and I'm sure we're not alone.

"As for the control of your provinces, I have only one order. Escea will fortify the Chieftain's Plains. You will not attack Anglia, and you will not defend the Terran Empire. Your only responsibility is to the safety of your own country. Because I must leave, I will assign Warlords to stand in my place."

She paused, seeing people heading her way. Among them were the people she'd defeated, almost as if they'd been called back. Then again, they probably had been. Everyone had been waiting to see how this fight would play out, and they'd all want to hear her decisions.

Sal's eyes landed on the first man she'd fought. "You." She pointed right at him. "Will serve as the Warlord of Dejan. And you," Sal found the next, who happened to be the large woman, "will represent Traijan." Then she named the rest, one by one, leaving no one out. "Each of you will be called Warlord in my place, and will have the authority to make all decisions but those two. The iliri are free, and will stay that way. Escea will not engage in this war unless your homeland is attacked. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Chieftain," they all murmured.

"And," Sal added, "if you can follow those two rules, then once the Terran Empire has been defeated, your titles will revert to your control. I do not want to rule Escea, but I will." She turned to look at each of them. "Prove to me that you can make Escea self-sufficient, without relying on my species to do so. Help the iliri get to Anglia - or wherever they prefer. Most of all, do not stab my own country in the back. Do this, and I will send a messenger back to return your titles. I will step down, and before the year is out, but only if you can convince me that Escea is not a threat."

"Yes, Chieftain," they all murmured.

Then Jurij stood. "Chieftain? I have my own request."

Sal bowed her head toward him. "Yes, Jurij?"

"I would like to reclaim my lands without prejudice. If there is a challenger to my title, then I will stand against him or her fairly, but I demand that all provincial warriors not from Jurica be pulled back."

Sal looked over at Vilko, unsure what the proper laws were for this. The woman nodded subtly, assuring her that it was allowed. So Sal decided to just go with it.

"Then the Warlords will make it happen. Jurica is once again the sole responsibility of Jurij, the proven Warlord of that province."

"Yes, Chieftain," the Warlords said.

Vilko turned and offered her hand. "Thank you, Chieftain Kaisae." And she smiled, well aware that she'd just merged both of Sal's new titles. "That is a very effective way to make sure we don't revolt."

"This isn't Escea's fight," Sal told her. "Just north and east of here, at the Hurrican River Valley, is a vault. Inside there is a piece of human history. Among that is steel. I have no idea how much of it has been taken, but it's there, and you're welcome to it. Any history you preserve will be appreciated, but I have a feeling the Emperor already destroyed much of it."

"It's a better offer than what Makiel has given us," Vilko said. "Kaisae, I know I'm speaking out of turn, but once I have the authority to do so again, I think we need to have a very long talk about an alliance between our nations."

"Me too," Sal assured her. "I think Escea understands the iliri better than I could've imagined."

"Now..." Vilko gestured toward the main entrance. "Let's get your 'spoils' and help you finish this fight. No offense, but the sooner you and Anglia ride north, the sooner Escea will once again be under its own authority."

By spoils, she meant the newly freed iliri. Walking side by side, the women made their way back, but Sal's mare was gone. So were the steel daggers, although she'd seen one of the Warlords pick them up. Sal felt a moment of unease, wondering just how trustworthy these people were - because while she wanted them to make this easy, she certainly didn't expect it to go without a hitch. Her horse and her daggers were two things she had no interest in losing.

But then she saw Jase. He had Arden standing beside Raven, and one of the Esceans was speaking to him. Sal immediately headed that way, expecting Vilko to follow, and the woman did.

"You moving the iliri?" she asked, making her Ahnor's head snap over.

And he smiled. "Yeh. I assume ya won?"

"Of course," Sal teased. "Jase, I'd like to introduce you to Vilko, the Warlord of that province and pro-tem Chieftain of Escea."

Vilko immediately offered her hand, but Jase's eyes narrowed. "Are ya sure ya wanna do that?" he asked.

Vilko slowly looked over at Sal. "Why?"

"Because iliri can do more than heal," she explained. "And she's fine, Jase. I already touched her. There's no need for you to as well."

"What does touching do?" the woman asked.

"Depends on the iliri. We can see your thoughts, heal your bodies, and so much more, including throwing fire at your line – although that doesn't require physical contact."

"That's how you did it," she breathed. "With just the power of the iliri mind?"

"And the right skills," Sal told her. "Each of us is born with one. We cannot change them, cannot force a new skill, usually."

"Usually?"

Sal just nodded. "The Kaisae can. Like you, my position is earned. It can be taken by a challenger. I'm the leader of the iliri in Anglia because I am the strongest bitch in my species. At least for now." Then she looked at her first mate. "Jase? Are the iliri ready to move out?"

"Hax had ta convince the purebred ta let him touch her. She said I'm too human, but otherwise, there has na been a problem." He paused. "A few wanted ta stay. I made sure they knew it was na a one-time offer."

"Good. Then let's get out of here. I have a feeling the Esceans will want to grumble about my orders, but I'm serious, Vilko. When I send the CFC units back home, I will have a man named Kesh come here and tell you the results. If not him, it will be his replacement in the Lightning Brigade, but they will know his name."

"And where will I find you for our own negotiations, Kaisae?"

"Arhhawen in Anglia," Sal told her. "Although I have just one question."

"Why?" Vilko guessed. "Because none of us wanted to be stuck in the middle anymore. We're not fools, Kaisae. We know Makiel has been fucking us over, but he hasn't made a mistake that will allow us to break the alliance we signed. With the CFC as our closest neighbor? Diplomatic problems are not something we're interested in. Now that Viraenova is sitting across the Siahies? It was a safer bet to have Terric standing with us than to risk facing the entire continent alone, but we've wanted out for months."

"Which is why you went to talk to him," Sal realized. "You pushed, hoping he'd break the alliance and allow you to back out."

Her eyes narrowed. "You have spies in high places, don't you? Not even my own province knows about that trip. Only the Warlords and the guard that rode with me."

Sal chuckled. "And I think you've just learned exactly what being the Kaisae means. So yes, if Escea tries to screw me over, I will not only know about it, but will definitely make you regret it, and I'm trusting you, Vilko, to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Yes, Chieftain," the woman said, carefully picking which title she used.

"Now, all I need are my daggers back," Sal said.

"In yer packs," Jase told her. "Gilad returned them."

"Gilad?"

"Dejan," Vilko corrected. "We can only use the name of our province if we are the leader of it. So, while you finished your fights, he had no rights to the name he's come to think of as his own. That you gave it back? I think you made a very good impression. I will make sure the people do not try to stop you. Safe journey, Chieftain, and the same for all of Anglia. I sincerely hope you win."

"Me too," Sal breathed as she moved to her horse.

Just like Jase said, her daggers were in the pack behind the saddle. First, she put those back into their sheaths, and then she mounted up. Jase climbed on Raven only a second later, but there was something about his posture that made her think he needed to talk. He looked just a little guarded.

What? she asked as the pair made for the opening that would allow them out of the Chieftain's Plains.

He glanced over. Ya said 'yer mates' ta the Warlord. He limited us ta just yer mates, but I wanted an even number, so told Tyr he would act as yer Kernor. Just so he could watch Gage's back, ya understand.

That's fine, Sal assured him.

Is it? Jase pressed. Sal, ya have na told me what is going on with him. I know he is na yer mate, and that ya are na happy about it, but I can na understand why.

Ahead of them, the path was empty, proving that her other mates and the freed iliri had already left. She'd catch up with them well before they made it back to the Anglian camp, and somehow she'd need to find a way to get them out of the war zone they were currently in, but she'd worry about that later. Right now, she honestly owed Jase an answer.

It all happened so fast. I fell, had to cut my links, was all alone, died, was revived, and then claimed them. Mostly, I did it because I felt abandoned, and I know I did that to myself, but it's hard not having a pack now.

I know, kitten, he promised, and I do na blame ya.

No, but I blame me, and that's harder. I had already started bonding with Blaz back in Prin. Back when I was there with Blaec. Years ago, Jase, but I would never have finished it because he's human. But when I was dead, Blaec told me that I couldn't be speciest either. That if I drew lines between them and us, everyone else would believe they were real. He made it clear that if I wanted to be a good leader, then I had to figure out how to love humans as much as iliri, so, when I came back, I didn't resist. I...

Claimed them, he finished.

No, she insisted. It's more than that. I stopped lying to myself. Yes, I love Blaz. He's been one of my closest friends for so long, and in the last few days, it's changed, but it's still love, and I know it's going to be the right kind if I give it the chance to grow. Tyr?

When she stopped there, he looked over, not caring about where they were going. Sal turned her horse, making a wide path around the edge of the Escean warriors outside the Plains, pointing them back to the Anglian camp.

What about Tyr? he pressed.

He doesn't want to be my mate because he doesn't want to make me choose. He doesn't want to pull me away from the five of you the way Blaec used to. He says he can't leave the Dogs, and I really do understand that, but Jase, he couldn't get it up for a human!

It is the price of being with an iliri, he reminded her, and one he did na seem ta mind when he reaped the rewards.

It's the fucking mate bond, she told him. He's trapped somewhere between a mate in my mind, and a toy to the rest of our people. He's taken on all of the responsibilities without getting any of the privileges.

I do na care, Jase told her. He can do that if he wants, and it does na bother me. What I care about is how ya feel, Sal. How do ya honestly feel about him?

It's stupid, she told him.

But that wasn't good enough. I will na judge ya Sal, but I think I need ta know. As yer Ahnor, how can I help if ya will na trust me with this?

Slowly, she nodded her head, her eyes on the meadow spreading out before them. The question was how did she feel about Tyr? She liked him. She trusted him. She thought he was beautiful to look at and sensual to be with. She adored how he made her laugh, and needed him to push her the way he had in Cenla Xie. But feelings?

There was only one way she could put that all into words. I'm pretty sure I have a crush on him.

A chuckle burst from Jase's mouth, startling both of them. So that is why ya are influencing humans so well! Ya have a crush. Sal, I think this means ya need ta do somethan about it.

But what? she asked. He's adamant that nothing can come of it.

Her Ahnor's twilight eyes met hers. When has that ever stopped ya? And why are ya letting it this time?

Because he deserves more than this?

Na, Sal, Jase said. Ya are na a thing ta be deserved. Ya are just a woman ta be loved, and I think he loves ya. I also think that ya love him but ya are na ready ta say it. There is just one thing ya need ta know.

What?

He has na refused ya. He is still in yer mind and heart. He is yers even if he does na claim the title.

But he can't, she reminded him.

Jase shrugged. Then change the rules, kitten. If ya can na, then I will.

Chapter Sixty-Five

Southern Unav

Joevar helped escort the slaves back to the Anglian camp. He and a few of the Dogs let the weakest ride their horses while the soldiers led them. Many of these iliri were in bad shape, and all of them were shocked to find that the soldiers spoke their language. Still, it was clear the humans weren't trusted. The iliri didn't snarl, but they did flinch away, always braced for some form of punishment.

The worst part was that Joevar was getting used to seeing it. So were the rest of his unit. Then there was Tyr. The man had been different ever since he came back with Sal. Tense, almost. And his story about why he wasn't her mate made absolutely no sense at all. So, the moment Joe got the chance, he fell in at Tyr's side.

"How are you holding up?" he asked. "Couldn't be easy pretending to be one of her mates, huh?"

"Don't wanna talk about it," Tyr grumbled.

"Too bad." Joe glanced back to make sure his riders weren't eavesdropping. Then again, they were iliri, and could definitely hear him, so he decided to switch to his head. After all, he'd been getting a lot of practice with the whole mental speech thing. What's really going on, bro?

None of your fucking business, is what, Tyr replied.

Which meant he believed it, because lying mind to mind was impossible. Ok, Joe tried, so let me ask that another way. Are you ok?

Fine. Just bailed out almost a hundred of my girl's people from - He stopped, glancing over.

But Joe had caught the slip. So there is something between you and Sal still?

Wishful thinking, Tyr told him. Na, man, it's not happening. Can't get into the Blades, so that kinda means things can't get too serious, you know?

But Blaz was accepted, and he's completely human. Why didn't they take you?

Blaz has a skill, Tyr reminded him. I don't.

Joe sighed, because there was nothing else he could really do. Man, I'm not asking because I want to fuck with you. I'm asking because I feel responsible. I'm the one who told you she was out there. I all but sent you off to save her, and since you've been back, the jokes are just gone. I'm just... I'm worried, man.

Tyr kept walking, his eyes on the ground. Joe was almost convinced their talk was over, when Tyr thought, You ever hear the story about her and Blaec? About how he refused to be a part of her harem and made her come to him? Pig's talked about it. How Blaec's insecurities ended up holding her back, making her doubt herself?

Yeah, I've heard about it, Joe admitted.

Well, let's just say that I'm not Blaec. I can't leave the Dogs, bro. You're my pack. I mean, that's why we left the CFC, right? So we could be a family and not just a unit? Well, I kinda feel like we are, and I'm not ok with bailing on my family for a piece of ass.

People get married and leave their families all the time, Joe countered. Doesn't mean they break ties completely. Look at Rayna! She's still a Dog, even if she is a Shield too.

I'm not Rayna, and I'm not bailing, Tyr said, leaving no room for debate. And because of that, I won't make Sal try to bend herself in half to make me happy. I mean, it's fucking hard, but I told you the truth. I can't be her mate because I can't get into the Blades. Can't leave the Dogs, so can't take another unit.

It's not that simple, though, Joevar tried to tell him.

Tyr shook his head. I have this thing in my mind. It's like a chain, keeping me linked to her, and it's fucking hard, man. I mean, I hear her laugh and I want to rush over, or shit like that, you know? Damn, but I can't stop fucking dreaming about her either. Gage said it's the mate bond, and if I want it to stop, I have to break it. Refuse her, he said.

So why don't you? Joe asked.

Tyr gave him an incredulous look. Did you miss the part about how the Kaisae needs mates to keep her mind together? The bit about how more is better? Well, I'm one more little chain holding her to the here and now. And you know what? I figure this is my duty to Anglia.

But Joe could tell that wasn't all. There was a strange hollowness to his words that implied he was leaving things out. It was one of the tricks Ryali had taught him. When he'd actually tried to keep something from her, but still, he'd learned exactly how it worked.

So, why don't you just get assigned to the Blades for a while? Joe asked, hoping to get a hint of the real problem

He didn't expect Tyr to just blurt it out. Because then what? I move my tent into their camp, run around as the odd man out in my grey uniform among all the rest of them, and lose this trust I have with the Dogs? That's what I fucking mean, Joe! I will not just walk away from my pack, and all the options have me doing that. I swore that I would die a Devil Dog, and maybe that seems fucking stupid to you, or maybe you can't understand what it was like back in the day, but I owe Pig. I'm not putting on another fucking uniform. I'm a fucking Devil Dog.

And you're being an idiot, Joe told him. Sal cares about you, man. You know she does. Why are you being so belligerent about this?

Tyr just pointed up.

Joe had seen Sal look at the sky. He'd heard her talk about the pattern. That one gesture was Tyr's way of blaming ayati for his stupid decisions, but the guy had always been stubborn. Once he set his mind to something, nothing in the world could change it. Tyr was amazingly loyal, frustratingly stubborn, and one of Joe's closest friends. All he wanted was for Tyr to get a break.

So, Joe asked carefully, you're going to let her go because you care about the color of your uniform? I mean, is that really any different than picking blue or green?

Fuck off, Tyr told him.

No, Joe insisted. Look, Jase asked you to stand with them out there. You don't get a better pass than that! The Ahnor of all Anglia just told you he's cool with you. Fuck, man, at least spend some time hanging out with her? If you really are worried about taking care of her, then cutting her off? Not cool, man. Iliri don't screw around like humans. They decide they're into it, and then that's it. There's no going back. Ryali says that females bond too easily, and once they call someone a mate, it's forever. They technically can break a mate bond, but it doesn't happen very often, and it feels the same as a death to them.

What?

Joe slowly nodded to prove his point. Grief. Iliri do that, and you know how hard Blaec hit her. And now you? I mean, sure, she's got her mates back, and an extra to go with it, but I'm pretty sure Sal's still thinking about you, wondering what she did wrong. Ever consider that you might want to make that better?

Fuck, Tyr drawled. It would've been a groan if he'd been talking, and it sounded almost the same in Joe's head. Why're you trying to get me with her so damned bad? Why can't you just leave this shit alone?

Because I miss the Tyr who used to laugh. I miss hearing you talking about her. She's been the light of your life for months - all the Dogs know it. And now that you got a piece, you're just done? We don't buy it, so we're worried, and if Jase is trying to include you, that means he is too.

Tyr nodded. I'll talk to her, ok?

Just be her friend, Tyr, Joe said. Avoiding her isn't going to make this any better. She doesn't seem to hate you, but she will if you keep breaking her heart. Pretty sure iliri are just like humans when it comes to that.

Yeah, Tyr said, but he was clearly done.

When he angled his horse, and the two riders sitting on it, away, Joe didn't try to stop him. He'd been dumped enough times to understand. It hurt, and talking about it helped in some ways and made it worse in others, but Joe had been serious when he'd said he felt responsible. After all, if he hadn't said anything, someone else would've gone to save her, and Tyr would still be fantasizing over his dream girl instead of agonizing.

What he really needed was a little advice. Ryali? he thought, reaching out through the links for her mind.

Joe! she greeted him. Are things quiet down there? The Kaisae talked ta me earlier.

Not really, he admitted. We just saved about a hundred iliri slaves from Escea. The ones with their military, and Sal ordered every iliri in the country to be set free after she kicked a few asses. So yeah, a good day, but not a quiet one. Why? What did she want?

Armor, Ryali told him. Did ya know she still has rooms in the Dorton Palace?

Never been to the Dorton Palace, he pointed out, so how would I know that?

Well, she does, and they are nice ones. The King gave her a suite reserved for nobility. Linella Piet says it made a lot of people mad back then, but Sal did na care.

So you and Lady Piet are friends now, huh?

I think so, Ryali told him. She is a strange woman, but a nice one.

Strange? How?

She does na think she should speak her mind. She worries about being too bold, and I know it is how humans treat women here, but it is still strange. We spend a lot of time riding back ta Arhhawen ta see the kids.

Which made Joe ask, How's Valri?

She talks ta animals. At first, I thought it was just horses, since her dava is so good with them. But she said Henrik's dog said things too. And now she wants ta play outside, but it is too cold even fer iliri. The animals are all in their dens staying warm. It is about the only thing ta convince her ta stay inside. I do na like being away from her, though.

How much longer, do you think? Joe asked.

Ryali took a little too long to answer. The Kaisae said ta push him, Joe. I can na, but I am scared that if Linella tries, he will hurt her. Ya are a human. What would ya do if yer wife accused ya of treason?

Be heartbroken, Joe admitted, but I'm nothing like Marcu Piet. First, because I'm not very noble.

I like yer lack of noble, she teased. If ya were noble, ya would na talk ta me.

If I was noble, he countered, I'd be able to spoil you. But, we're talking about Lady Piet, not the beautiful little blonde, right?

Right, she agreed, but he could feel her giggling.

Second, he said, getting back on track, I am not stupid enough to hit a woman. They hit back, and the ones I've spent my life around could kick my ass - and not all are iliri. So, I can't help you much with Marcu. The man's an ass. So tell me what's going on, and I'll see if I have any advice that will help you get back to that precious little girl a bit faster.

Well, Ryali said, he does na like that we will na let him see his children. He says they are his heirs, and he has a right, but he does na if he hits them. Any male who does that would be lucky if the women of his pack let him live!

He's human, Joe reminded her. The women he's known don't have teeth like yours.

Still. Ryali didn't sound impressed. He knows that I am loyal ta Sal, so he ignores my attempts ta flirt with him. Linaeryx has na had luck either. Linella said that if he had an affair, she would seek a divorce, but without proof, she can na do a thing. So, that is na enough ta get him ta make a mistake. How do I handle this, Joe? How do I end this without causing a war in our new home?

And without spending months away from Valri, he said, proving he understood. Shit, that's hard. So how do we find proof of his plot? I doubt he'd write something like that down, but can Linella check? If she can remember it, then you have a reader who can take the memory and a fetcher who can pull whatever it was she read, right?

I am the fetcher, Ryali told him, and I am na that strong, but I maybe could. Even if it is a page at a time. I am na very good.

You're good at other things, he assured her. Then he had a thought. Ryali? Are you willing to protect your friend?

Yes!

Then what if she makes him mad? I know I say stupid things all the time, sometimes too much. Maybe if she makes him yell, and gets him pissed off enough, he'll let something slip in public? Would she be willing to do it?

I can ask, Ryali said. We do na have a better idea, so I can ask, and if she is willing, then we will all make sure she is na hurt. Linella Piet is a friend of the iliri, and Sal said I could do whatever I need, right? So, if I have ta do somethan, it will be allowed? I will na be thrown in jail fer it, or sent ta the army?

You will not, Joe promised her. Because I know where two out of three Anglian rulers sleep, and I will fuck up their little orgies if that happens. You are the King's spy, Ryali. You are the Kaisae's sister. You, my beautiful and amazing woman, are much too strong to be afraid of what humans can do to you anymore. And, if you need any help, you let me know, and I'll have the Kaisae order every soldier in Anglia to defend you.

That, she thought, her mental voice turning soft and timid, is na what I expected ya ta say. I like that ya try ta protect me, even from so far away. I will prove ta ya that I am a bitch ya can be proud of.

And with that, she closed the link before he had the chance to ask for his own help, leaving him wondering what kind of mess he'd just made in Anglia.

Chapter Sixty-Six

Dorton Palace, Anglia

The moment Ryali closed the link with Joevar, she turned her feet toward Linella Piet's room. Her guard, Niran, was at her side, unwilling to let one of the iliri diplomats go anywhere without protection, but the man stayed silent. He usually did in public, although she knew better. This man had become a friend over the last few weeks. Since he'd taken over as the head guard after Henrik went to Arhhawen to protect Valri, Niran had made himself invaluable.

And he was subtle about it. On the outside, no one would think of him as anything more than a soldier assigned to follow the iliri diplomats around. Little did they know how often he shared his knowledge of Anglian culture, helping the iliri step through the maze of manners they'd been dropped into.

Unfortunately, it was a long walk to where Lady Piet was now staying. She'd left the suite she shared with her husband after he hit her. Now, the couple was at a standoff. Marcu demanded things and Linella ignored him. Her response, over and over, was to tell him that he had to change. The problem was that the man had no intention of doing that. For his entire married life, his wife had been obedient and meek. He couldn't wrap his mind around why it wasn't like that anymore, or why he should tolerate it. In fact, he'd even gone so far as to threaten to set her aside.

Right up until Cillian Tor made it clear that Linella would be granted custody of the children, was now allowed to file for a divorce, and Marcu would still be responsible for paying to raise them. That change in the law had resulted in a lot of yelling at dinner when the nobles heard about it. Many of the human wives made themselves scarce, but not the iliri. They'd watched it all, their ears hearing so much better than humans expected, and made notes of who complained the loudest. Because the ones who had a problem with the changes in Anglia were most likely to be the ones willing to overthrow the King in his absence.

But Sal had made a point to tell Ryali that things needed to start moving, which meant the standoff needed to end. Ryali had a feeling Linella wouldn't mind. She'd been ready to confront her husband over his treason, abuse, and infidelity from the day he'd hit her, but Ryali had foolishly convinced her to wait. Be safe, Ryali had suggested, and Linella had listened.

When they reached Linella's door, Ryali knocked. Niran stood silently beside her like a shadow. It didn't take long before it opened and Linella invited them both in. Her new room was plebeian, lacking the extravagances the woman had grown used to as a nobleman's wife. It did have chairs, though, so Ryali and her guard headed that way, and Ryali decided to get this all out in the open.

"The Kaisae does na want this ta drag on," she told her friend. "She does na think it is right fer us ta be away from our children, so asked if we could push Lord Piet in a way that does na make it appear that the iliri started it."

Linella nodded. "That makes sense. So what's the plan?"

Ryali looked over at Niran. "Joe said that men say things when angry. Truths they do na always mean ta let out. Is he right?"

Niran tipped his head and shrugged. "Sometimes? Every man is different, just like every woman. With Lord Piet? I'd say you need to be careful with that. The man is used to getting his own way, and he's conniving. It's just as likely that Lady Piet will let something slip that you'd rather keep quiet."

"No," Linella promised. "I've had too much practice with keeping my mouth shut. Ryali, what does the Kaisae really need? Him to admit to treason? Because I doubt he'll do that."

"Maybe just a hint of how he's organizing it?" Ryali told her. "Someone we can read, or an idea of where we could find documents ta prove he is na all he pretends. Something more than speculation."

"Wait," Niran said, "can't Linaeryx just read him?"

"She can read what he is thinking, but if he is na thinking it," Ryali explained, "she is na strong enough ta go deeper. Na like the Ahnor."

"Fuck," Niran grumbled, then quickly looked up. "My apologies, Lady Piet."

The woman chuckled. "I promise you, sir, I'm aware of profanity. My husband is rather fond of it. You don't need to watch your language around me."

He smiled at her, looking a little embarrassed. "I should still know better. But if we could get a memory, the King has claimed those are legal evidence. That would be enough. The problem is that Marcu no longer seems to be chasing Linaeryx. I think he's figured out that Ryali is here at the King's request."

"He's being careful," Linella agreed. "I think the iliri delegation's arrival made him realize that even though the King is away, he still has control of his country." Then she leaned back in her chair and sighed. "Why can't that man just die?"

Hearing something in her voice, Niran shook his head. "Because murder is still a crime," he reminded her, "and one that would leave your children without a mother. If that's what you're thinking, then just don't."

"It's not," she promised, but for a long moment, Linella just sat there, staring at the ceiling. Then, she sat up quickly, sucking in a breath as an idea hit her. "Wait! What happens to my children if both myself and my husband are gone?" She sounded almost panicked.

"Gone where?" Ryali asked.

It was Niran who answered. "Dead," he clarified. "And whatever you're thinking, Lady Piet, don't. You might quash one traitor, but you'd only be inciting others."

"I know. I still want the answer."

So Ryali leaned over her knees, forcing the woman to look at her. "Yer children would be raised with the iliri so long as that is best fer them. Henrik and his wife would make sure that we do na ferget they are human."

"And," Niran added, "your oldest son would inherit the title of Lord Piet. I have a feeling that the iliri influence would teach him that his sisters are not possessions to sell off for profit. The younger boy would be his heir until such time as your oldest marries and has children of his own."

"So they'd be safe?" she asked. "Not because I'm going to throw my life away, but the more we push, the angrier Marcu will get. I just want to know that if anything happens to me, that my children will have a safe life, and be raised in a way that allows them to play and be children."

"Ta us," Ryali explained, "children are a treasure. We can na have many, and fer so long, they were always at risk. Humans could steal them away and make them slaves. When they were legally adults, they could be conscripted inta the military and forced ta die on the front lines. So we learned ta fight fer them, ta hide them, and ta stand up as a community. Children are the one thing that the iliri will na risk. As a friend, yers would be treated the same as mine."

"Ok," Linella breathed. "Which means I don't need to hide to keep them safe. I have people I can rely on. If Marcu murders me, then my babies will be safe, right? You won't let him take them back?"

"I will adopt them myself," Ryali swore. "Ta get near them, he will have ta face down ever' iliri loyal ta the Kaisae, and I promise ya that means ever' one in Anglia."

Linella let out a heavy breath. "Then let's poke the beast. I think I'm going down to dinner tonight, and I do believe that I'm going to sit with my new iliri friends."

Niran groaned, letting his head flop forward. "I'll ask for more men to help with the guard."

"We do na need a guard," Ryali told him. "I could kill ya myself, Niran! We do na need ta act scared. Linella is a friend of all iliri, and she will be protected by us."

"Yeah, but - " he tried.

Ryali waved him off. "He wants ta make us scared. We want ta make him uncomfortable. Have yer guards watch him, track his movements. Station them in the halls."

"Oh!" Linella gasped. "And I can go almost everywhere he can. As his legal wife, I have that right!"

Ryali was nodding as the plan began to form in her mind. "This is what we will do. The soldiers will watch him, the women will provoke him, and ya will check ever' place he hides. We will find this proof. All ya need ta do is see it, and I can fetch it. If I can na, I know a man who can. The documents would then be with the army, but that means with the King."

"Perfect," Linella agreed. "But there's one thing I need." She gestured to her clothes. "Would your ladies be willing to help me look presentable? My cosmetics and best dresses are in his suite. I only brought what I needed, and I didn't expect to be making a lot of public appearances."

Niran just chuckled. "I think we should ask Lady Tor for help. She can get Linella's dresses, and the girls would probably be willing to do hair, wouldn't they?"

"Oh, yeh," Ryali agreed. "Many of us worked fer the rich merchants b'fore we came here. Kaliryc knows the most popular styles in the Conglomerate. We can make ya look like a strong, new woman."

"In a few hours?" Linella asked.

Ryali nodded, reaching out for her packmates. I need all of ya in Linella's rooms. She has ta look like a merchant fer dinner t'night. Na like a lady, but like a woman who can na be pushed around. Will ya all help?

As a group, they all sent back some form of yes, and most sounded excited. A smile was slowly taking over Ryali's lips as she imagined Marcu Piet's reaction to the woman he'd let slip through his fingers. If the iliri did this right, Linella would become the most beautiful woman in Anglia, turning heads easier than even the iliri.

And together, these women would prove that being beautiful was not the same as weak. Men in Anglia had convinced themselves that being stronger gave them the advantage, but brains always beat strength. Plus, the more men who looked at Linella, who desired her, the more angry Marcu would get, and Joevar said that angry men often made mistakes.

But no, their plan wasn't foolproof. It wasn't even fully formed. For now, this was simply the first step, a way to remind the nobility that they were no longer alone. The rules were changing, and this King was making it all happen. Ryali hoped that would be enough to rub the traitors the wrong way, and maybe even to push them into action.

Because working against the King was punishable by death. The eight iliri women in Dorton were acting as the Kaisae's representatives, and they'd been given the authority to do what they had to. The Kaisae was declared an equal ally of the human King. When all of those were put together, it was one single, complicated mess that might be hard to understand, but would work within the law.

Dominik Jens would not lose his crown under Sal's watch, and her people would make sure of it. As her packmate and sister, Ryali would make sure of it. And to think, their greatest weapon was that no one in Anglia truly understood what kind of monsters the iliri really could be.

No, not monsters. Henrik said she shouldn't even think of herself that way. He said they were simply a very strong and proud people, and Ryali liked that better. According to him, monsters were the villains, something to be defeated, and Ryali was none of those things.

This time, she would get to be the hero.

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Southern Unav

Throughout the rest of the day, the Anglian camp was busy. Jurij's men packed up their things and headed toward the Chieftain's Plains. One of them even stopped to congratulate Sal on surviving. It was almost polite, but the presence of so many former Escean slaves clearly made the guy uncomfortable.

As for those slaves, few of them were in any condition to march with the Anglian army. A few insisted, and the iliri from the Horde said they would take care of them. Zensa, the woman from Cenla Xie, arranged for a group to take the rest and help them through the pass and onward to Issevi, or wherever they wanted to go after that.

But so many of them wanted to thank Sal. A soft hum was running through her veins, a side effect from the fights, but she could ignore it - or so she thought. Roo disagreed. The grauori female had made herself into the caretaker of the Blades, and not even Sal was brave enough to refuse when she pressed a few strips of salted maerte into Sal's hand. The truth was that it helped her get through talking to so many people without snarling in someone's face.

Unfortunately, the chaos meant that Anglia wasn't leaving until the next morning. That, more than anything else, left Sal anxious. She knew the Emperor was slowly but surely moving north, and she wanted to catch him. In her mind, she should've destroyed him and his army before he ever had the chance to retreat, but she knew that wasn't possible.

Still, thinking about it left her lying in bed, staring at the darkened ceiling. On either side, her mates slept soundly. The slow beating of their hearts made hers relax, but her thoughts refused to stop. If she could just find sleep, she could talk to Blaec about it, but she couldn't. When she rolled for the third time, trying to find someplace comfortable, Zep pushed himself out of bed.

C'mon, he thought. You're not sleeping, and if you keep this up, they won't be either.

Sorry, she told him.

He crooked a finger at her, encouraging her to crawl her way out from between Kolt and Gage. Prove it. Put on some clothes, and let's leave them alone.

She found her pants on the floor, her boots beside them, and grabbed one of the shirts. It was brown instead of black, proving it belonged to Blaz. Still, it would do. Pulling it on, she followed Zep out toward the campfire, but he made no move to sit. Instead, he held out his hand, then pulled her close against his side and started walking.

"So what's keeping you awake?" he asked, his voice a deep rumble in the still camp. "We didn't wear you out enough?"

Sal pressed her head against his ribs. "I feel like I've been doing so much, and making so little progress."

"Really?" he asked. "Because you just completely took Escea out of the fight without making an enemy, and that doesn't count?"

"But I should've done that weeks ago!"

He looked down at her, one brow lifted to prove he wasn't buying it. "Demon, if you couldn't get through that line to get back to us, then I'd love to hear how you think you could've made it to the Plains to challenge the Warlords."

Sal groaned, knowing he was right. "But all of this has slowed us down, and now Makiel is getting away." She sounded petulant, and she knew it.

But Zep didn't laugh at her. He never did. Instead, he gently smoothed her hair back, his hands running over her ears as he did so. "He's going to Terric City. We know where that is, and from the tactics I've heard, Anglia is already moving to box him in. All we have to do now is get there, and that's going to take a couple of weeks."

"Long weeks," she pointed out.

"Where I get to ride beside my mates, hang out with my friends, and enjoy a little peace and quiet. Now, before you say we should push, I'd like to remind you that your army includes a whole lot of iliri who've never made a hard march in their life. It's not even spring. Close, but the further north we go, the colder it's going to feel. None of them are ready to fight in the middle of ice, and yes, it gets just as cold in Terric as it does in Anglia. The Emperor's home is actually built into the end of the Siahies."

She let out a heavy sigh. "So then why do I feel like I'm not doing enough?"

"Dunno," he said, turning her between a pair of black tents, angling away from the Blades' camp. "But if I had to guess, I'd say that the war has nothing at all to do with why your mind won't stop. I have this funny feeling you're trying to avoid something else. You know, since I now have all of these girly emotions in my chest."

"Zep," she hissed, knowing he was teasing her. "It's not that."

"That? So you're saying Tyr's just a thing now, huh? Just another brown dick? Now, isn't that what Gage put Hax on the ground for saying?"

She paused, turning to face him. "Gage told you about that?"

"Yeah. We try to tell each other as much as we can. Kinda makes this crazy thing we're doing a little easier."

"And how's Blaz taking it?" she asked.

Zep bent down to look in her face. "He's fine, Sal. We're all fine. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen Blaz this relaxed. The guy's a little serious, and um, Jase likes him. Those two have hit it off, and you know that if Jase approves, the rest of us definitely do."

"Do you?" she pressed. "I know you were so jealous of him, and now you say you're not, so I'm a little confused."

"Sal..." He pushed the hair away from her face. "Something changed for us when you died. Just like I think something changed for you. I realized that all of this is bullshit that doesn't mean a thing. It's just stuff to get in our way. I was jealous of Blaz because I was scared I wasn't enough. I thought I was the token human, you know? But the moment you cut our bond? When you were just gone? I realized that I'd gotten used to the love. That's the one thing you always feel, and part of it's for me. I didn't even realize it until it was gone, and then I hated myself for taking you - and the other guys - for granted."

"I didn't want to," she told him.

He slowly nodded. "I know, and I didn't want you to die. I also know why you did it, though. Of all the people in the world, I completely understand your decision, and I tried to explain it to the others. They aren't mad. They were scared, and now that we have you back, we're trying to figure out how this is supposed to work. It kinda feels like something's shifted, but none of us can figure out what."

She licked her lips, bracing herself to answer. "Blaec's in my head. Mostly in my dreams, but he's always kinda with me. He made it sound like his consciousness is in the link, but too weak to be heard unless we're sleeping, and most of you dream, which still pushes him out."

"No, this isn't Blaec." And then he turned around another tent, and Sal realized where he'd brought her. "But I think it is a man."

All around them were grey tents. A fire was still burning in the middle, and one silhouette proved the Devil Dogs had left a man on watch. He turned, lifting his chin in greeting, but didn't call out. Sal was easy enough to identify by sight alone.

"Tyr's tent?" Zep asked, keeping his voice down.

The man pointed. "He should be asleep."

"Thanks, Deron," Zep said, proving he recognized the guy. Then he pushed Sal toward it. "I'll be out here. Go deal with your issues, demon. Promise, the Dogs get real hard of hearing."

That one gesture, more than anything else, gave her the courage to step toward Tyr's tent. He knew Tyr. He'd tell her if this was a bad idea, but instead, he'd walked her all the way out here because he thought she needed to talk to him. It was also one of the sweetest things he'd ever done for her, because Sal knew how hard he fought his human instincts. And yet, somehow, this felt completely and totally honest. Not forced.

Thank you, she thought to him as she pushed through the flap, ducking under the tie that had been designed for men of human height.

Inside, the tent smelled like Tyr: sweet, with a hint of something herbal. She dared to pull in a long, deep breath as she crossed the room toward the side of the bed. Then, between one step and the next, his eyes opened.

Sal could see easily in the dark, but that didn't work both ways. She'd startled him, and for all she knew, a blade was coming next. It's just me, she assured him.

And he sighed. "Fuck, baby, don't scare me like that. Thought an Escean had snuck into camp." Then he paused. "Why are you here?"

"I couldn't sleep."

He lifted an arm, inviting her to curl up beside him. "So you walked across the camp alone? They letting you do that now?"

"Zep's outside with Deron."

"Of course, he is." And Tyr groaned, rolling onto his back - but he didn't let her go. "So why can't you sleep?"

"Anxiety, I think."

He turned his head to look at her. "Short answers. Vague ones, at that. You're hiding something, and I'm not even an infiltrator, but I can tell. So why can't you sleep, Sal?"

Time for the truth. She owed it to him, and she knew this was the real problem, the one she'd been avoiding thinking about. The hard part was figuring out how to say it. In her mind, it made so much sense, but every sentence she thought of felt like it would be more hurtful than the last. Desperate, she decided to just fumble through it.

"I don't want you to be my mate if you don't want to be my mate," she said, keeping her voice soft enough that it wouldn't carry through the canvas walls. "If you want to be with Brisa, then you should be with her, not me, but we both know that's not going to happen. Tyr, she's not some innocent girl. She knows and expects things from her lovers, and if you can't, then how long will she - "

He pressed a finger to her lips, cutting her off. "Brisa's a friend. I know she used to be a whore, and one in the King's bed. Don't fucking care. She's not my lover, just a friend. I took her out to the woods because I was trying to get this other girl out of my head, and that's how human males do it. To get over one girl, get under another, ya know? So there's nothing between me and Brisa but a little bit of understanding and opportunity."

"But Blaec said she loves to suck your dick," Sal hissed. "That was his prophecy!"

"And see how well that turned out? She sucked it, all right. Kinda when I figured out that I'm not gonna get over this girl. Fucking bastard, you know? I'm sure he's laughing at me right now, wherever he is."

"So, you never...."

"Oh, we have," he assured her. "And a couple of the nuvani girls, a few in Fort Landing. See, that's the thing, Sal. I'm not a good boy. I'm not the kinda guy who saw some babe out of his league and pined away. Nah, I just moved on to the next piece of ass that wanted to get it on. Kinda a few of those out there. But you should know this. There's a pretty big difference between fucking someone and loving them. One involves my dick. The other? It can, but doesn't have to."

"What are you saying?" Her words were little more than a breath.

"I'm saying that I'm ok with this. See, I'm in love with the leader of my people, and I know it's not fair to make her sneak across the army to come climb in my bed..." He grinned, proving he realized that was exactly what she'd just done. "But it's not a feeling I can just shut off, and it's not one I want to. See, you make me feel, Sal. Like, feel fucking everything. I mean, I'm just a damned grunt, and you treat me like I'm your personal weapon, equal to Shaden or Jase. You look at me, and there's nothing but trust in your eyes. No lies, no bullshit, and I kinda like that. So if it means my dick's going to get lonely, then I'm ok with that."

"So why won't you just be my mate?" she asked.

"Shh," he breathed, pulling her up against his chest. "Because if I gave in to every single thing you want, then you'd never respect me. Because I have standards, Sal. Because maybe iliri jump into things with both feet, but I will never be iliri. And you know what? That's ok. See, I know this woman, and she's making a world where that's going to be just fine." His hand smoothed the hair down the back of her head, traveling halfway down her back, before he did it again. "But you didn't refuse me, and I'm not dumb enough to turn you down, so we're winging it, ok? We're making this up, and we're going to get to be real good friends, and we'll go from there. I mean, you have ayati on your side, right? So how bad can it be?"

"Blaec's controlling ayati," she mumbled.

He chuckled softly. "Yeah, well, I like to think that he and I were on pretty good terms. I mean, he probably didn't really know me, but sounds like you have an in with him." Then he bent and kissed the top of her head. "Close your eyes, Sal. I'm not leaving you. I'm just not leaving my brothers either. Besides, someone has to play hard to get. Figure it might as well be me."

"So we're ok?" she asked.

"Yeah, baby. We're just fine, and there's not a damned thing wrong with me respecting you enough to not demand a thing. Doesn't mean I have a problem with a beautiful woman falling asleep on my chest, either." His hand moved a little slower, relaxing her. "Because I like this, Sal. I like having you all to myself, even if it doesn't happen very much, but don't you dare think I need you to make time for me. I'm a real busy man."

"Liar," she mumbled.

"Mhm," he agreed. "But there's one thing I'm not lying about."

"That you think I'm pretty?"

"Beautiful," he corrected. "And yeah, but that wasn't what I meant."

She snuggled a little deeper into his shoulder. "Then what?"

"The part about loving you. I figure it's not going to go away, so I might as well admit it. I just don't want anything real permanent until you can say it back."

"And when I do?" she asked.

"Then I might start sneaking across the camp for you. But I'll also know if you're lying, because one of your guys will tell me. So shh. Close your eyes. I'm not going away, and you've got plenty of time to figure this out. You're not living on a countdown anymore. You've got all the time in the world, baby."

And that, right there, was exactly what she needed to hear. With her face pressed against his bare chest, each breath filling her nose with the scent of him, she slowly began to drift off. Her arms relaxed, her breathing slowed, and for just a moment, Sal forgot about all the other things that should be keeping her awake.

As the woman in his bed finally found sleep, Tyr reached out. She's asleep, bro. You can either sleep on the floor in here or go back. Sorry, but my bed's not big enough for three.

I'll go back. Make sure the guys know where she is when they wake up, Zep told him. The Kaisae is yours, Tyr.

Yeah, he agreed. She kinda is. Gonna take a bit to get used to that.

And she won't change her mind, so figure your shit out.

I will, Tyr promised. Not sure how, but I swear I will.

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Dorton Palace, Anglia

For the next few days, Linella proceeded to infuriate her husband. She dressed in her most beautiful gowns, smiled a little too nicely at the other lords, and showed up at every single social event in the Palace. Ryali and the other iliri were always at her side. So were Arianna Tilso and Lady Tor. As a group, they were quickly gaining attention, mostly because they were not behaving as ladies were expected to in Anglia, and the human women were loving it.

So, every night, Ryali traded information with Joevar. He was her contact, after all. She knew she could reach out for Sal, or even the King, but she preferred talking to him. He didn't intimidate her. And he, in turn, told her exactly where Anglia was.

Sal hadn't waited long after taking control of Escea. She'd moved her men north the very next day. Viraenova was still marching with them, but most of the grauori had shifted to cover the eastern edge of the Terran line. According to the lookouts, Anglia was more than a week behind the Terrans, possibly more, and losing ground due to the horseless iliri, but Sal wouldn't leave them behind.

Although one thing was very clear. The war would end this year. One way or another, the conflict that had decimated the continent for well over a decade, two for some areas, was coming to an end. The only question was who would walk away the victor. Ryali didn't want to admit it, and she refused to talk about it over the link, but when she was alone with the other girls, they whispered their fears.

What if Anglia didn't win? What if they did but took heavy losses? If they lost, what would happen to the iliri across the continent? Would the grauori help them? Would the humans kick them out, or worse, would they turn them over to the Terrans?

The worst part was that she could handle Zep's death. Oh, Valri would be devastated, but the child barely knew her sire. Losing the Kaisae would hurt the iliri as a whole, yet they almost expected it. The King would actually be harder, since he was the one who'd stood up for their freedom with the other humans. But all of that paled in comparison to the thought of life without Joe in it.

Over and over, he promised her he'd be fine. He swore she had plenty of time to settle things in Anglia, although he did point out that knowing their home was safe would be a big morale boost. The army trusted her, though. Sal did too, and so did the King. Most of all, Joe believed she could do this, so she would.

Thankfully, Linella was more than happy to help. It was the third day after she stopped hiding away that Marcu Piet decided to confront his wife. The women had just walked into the dining hall together when he stepped away from the wall, proving he'd been standing just inside the entrance, waiting for them.

His hand closed on Linella's arm. "Why are you avoiding me?" he hissed.

She yanked her arm away. "Why have you not apologized for hitting me?"

"You stole my children," he reminded her. "Put them in the one place I can't seem to get access to, and now you're running around with those whores like they're your friends?"

"They are my friends, Marcu. Ilus Ryali has been teaching me all about the matriarchy in Iliran society. And you? What have you done to make me feel like my children are safe?"

"My children," he reminded her. "Legally, Miceli is my heir. Not yours."

Linella just smiled at him. "And you wonder why I've been avoiding you. All this time, Marcu, I always believed you were an intelligent man. If you want to see your children again, things between us need to change. You need to prove to me that you can be trusted, and that you trust me."

He scoffed. "After you've been spending so much time with these beasts? Linella, you know better. You've been consorting with the enemy."

Linaeryx couldn't hold her tongue. "Enemy? Ya make it sound like we are at war - and I do na mean in Unav."

"Unav?" he asked.

The girl smiled, looking so completely innocent in her garishly pink dress. "Yeh. The Anglian Army is pushing north ta Terric City. The war is almost over, or did ya na know that?"

"We haven't had a report yet," Marcu said, glancing back to his friends.

The men he'd been spending time with were already seated at their table. The tallest one, which had two places reserved for the King. Cillian and his wife sat on one side, while Marcu's crowd had claimed the other. To Ryali, it looked no different than the political parties in the Conglomerate, except for their choice of fashion.

"Ya will," Ryali told him. "The King updates his Regent ever' third day. My friends update me more often. It is one of the benefits of knowing the iliri and grauori, Lord Piet."

The man gave her a look of complete disdain. "Commoners and slaves. I have no problem with the iliri. I simply do not agree that either you or the grauori are fit to rule an entire country. Call it ethical differences, ilus."

Ryali just lifted her chin and smiled as sweetly as she could. It was a look she'd seen Sal use. "I will. Now if ya do na mind, I have na been fed, and I do get irritable without enough protein. Linella, would ya care ta join us?"

"I'd love to. At least until my husband is man enough to apologize for striking his wife and child. Oh, I mean his heir."

The woman turned toward their table, all but forcing Ryali to catch up. The other girls fell in behind them, blocking Marcu from reaching for his wife again. Clearly, their plan was working. The man was annoyed and pushing his luck if he'd been willing to grab his wife from the middle of her new iliri friends. Hopefully, that meant he'd slip soon enough.

Linella dropped down in the middle of the group and held out one of her hands. It was trembling. "I can't believe I did that. I've never talked to him like that in my entire life," she admitted, looking at the girls.

Kaliryc, who was sitting on her other side, reached over to rub her shoulder in support. "You were great," she promised.

"Yeh," Linaeryx agreed. "Strong and proud."

"Just like an iliri," Cerlyss assured her.

Linella nodded, showing she'd heard them all. "So why do I feel so scared?"

"Because ya are na used ta doing it," Ryali said gently. "That is how I felt when I came here. I was so sure that humans would hurt me that I did na want ta lift my head. I did na dare look at one of ya wrong. It is na a nice feeling, but it is one ya can change."

Linella nodded again. "Then I'm going to change it." Slowly, she looked over, meeting Ryali's eyes the way humans always did. "All my life, I've been taught that I should be beautiful, pleasant, and silent. A man wants a wife, not a partner, my mother always said, but that's not what I want for my girls. I'd love if they grew up to be like you all."

"I think their amma will teach them that," Ryali told her. "Now eat. Ya will feel better once yer belly is full, and then we will see what yer husband does next."

Because the plan was to follow him. Not the iliri, nor even Linella, but the guards that Niran had asked to help. Dozens of them stood in the halls, placed as if they were on duty, but they weren't. Cillian had agreed to it, so the men wouldn't get in trouble, yet none of the nobles noticed. They were so accustomed to having people standing around to open doors, bring food, or do anything that might inconvenience them that they simply accepted that it was their due.

Ryali, on the other hand, felt like the Palace had gotten very crowded in the last few days. Thankfully, these men were friends. Most of them acknowledged the iliri with a nod or a whispered, "ilus," in their direction. Sal had clearly made an impression on them, but Ryali still wasn't able to accept it so easily. She'd been burned too many times before.

Niran swore they were all trustworthy, though, and he'd know. He'd served with them all. Even Henrik had sent a thought to reassure Ryali that she wasn't putting herself in the middle of some human trap. This was her trap to spring, and the bait had just been laid. The hardest part would be to wait.

So, as soon as the women finished their meals, the entire group agreed to return to the iliri suite. It was an expansive set of rooms assigned to them so the eight women could feel comfortable together. As a group, they stood, smoothed out their fancy dresses, and turned for the side door. From the corner of her eye, Ryali noticed Marcu Piet had also stood. She risked a glance back at him just as they all exited the room.

Marcu was talking intently to the man beside him. The one from Eriwald. Ryali didn't know his name, but she knew he hated the iliri for the way Sal had killed his father. Those two had also made bets as to who would get one of the iliri in bed with him first. Sadly, it seemed they'd recently changed their minds about that. None of the iliri women had been able to tempt them - not even when they tried - which meant the battle lines had been drawn.

But if Marcu was moving, someone needed to know about it. Niran, she thought, hoping he'd know who. Marcu and Eriwald are talking. Both are standing. I do na think it will be long b'fore they do somethan.

The soldiers know to watch them, he promised. Relax, Ryali. We're actually good at this part.

But she couldn't simply relax. Waiting had never been Ryali's best skill. Linaeryx was even worse. They were used to running away or speaking their minds. Sometimes both. Thankfully, they didn't have to wait for long. Niran and the women were barely back in the suite, talking about their children, or plans for them, when one of the guardsmen knocked at the door and entered.

"Sir?" he said, his eyes on Niran. "It seems we've found where Marcu and his friends are meeting. They're good, I'll give them that, but now that we're watching…"

"How many?" Niran asked.

The soldier smiled. "Four, sir. Piet, Eriwald, Bysno, and Arvo. I've told the men to do nothing, just watch until they leave."

Ryali couldn't help herself. "Where are they?"

"One of the official studies reserved for the King. It's not the King's per se, but there's always been an unspoken rule that each floor has an office kept for him in the event that he needs privacy. The lords did not enter as a group. Instead, Marcu and Eriwald made a point of discussing ledgers that might have some information as they passed a guard. Bysno used a side door, and Arvo claimed he was looking for the others. The type of movement that is often overlooked, especially by men of their station."

"I do na understand what this means," Ryali admitted, seeing the smug looks on both men.

Niran nodded as if he was thinking, but addressed his words to all of the women in the room. "The King's offices have nothing in them. There are no special records kept there, since they aren't kept secured. Mostly, His Majesty uses them as a place to conduct private agreements. In the case of Dominik Jens, he has been known to invite his female friends to them. There is nothing in those rooms to look for. There is, however, an expectation of privacy, and walls made thick enough that conversation doesn't leak out. Unlike most of the gathering rooms, the doors do lock, and it would be the perfect place to plot against the throne. Especially if a group of nobles knew that the King wouldn't walk in on them."

"Because he's out of the country," Linella realized. "Would they keep any documents in there? Anything we could use to prove their guilt?"

"Unlikely," the soldier told her. "Documents can be lost or copied. They can be stolen. Those men would be fools to write down anything treasonous, but it's possible they've left other clues. Meeting times, as an example, and we do have a few men in the military who can hear better than others."

"Viraenovan crossbreds," Linella realized.

The man winced at her words. "I believe that term may be offensive, Lady Piet." And he glanced at Ryali.

She shook her head. "We are crossbreds. Na human, but na completely iliri either. I do na know another way ta say it."

"Then yes, crossbreds. Like Corporal Niran, here. If we can position them to listen in, maybe we can get a few witnesses. That is our hope, at least."

"No," Linella decided. "Interrupt them. Do something to get them out of that room before they're ready, even if it's just a check of the windows, and as soon as my husband and his cronies have left, let me know. I should have the right to use those rooms as well, and I have every intention of going in there and searching for anything they may put out of sight in a panic. If asked, I'm simply trying to figure out where my husband went. I want to make up with him, after all."

Niran huffed in amusement. "Go with wanting to talk to him, my lady. Since you made it very clear at lunch that making up is not going to be easy."

"I just want that bastard to hang," Linella clarified. "I thought I had to take it, but I don't, and now I want to make sure that men like him get exactly what is coming to them."

"I understand," Niran told her, "but this may not be safe."

She lifted her chin defiantly. "Then make sure your guards protect me, Corporal."

Niran nodded. "Yes, ma'am. And we will catch him, Lady Piet. One way or another, we will make him pay for his crimes."

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Dorton Palace, Anglia

An hour later, Linella headed up to the study. One of the more brazen guards had walked into the room, pretending that he thought it was empty. Marcu and his friends had reprimanded him loudly, but they'd left right after.

Now, the room had been empty since the men left, and the guards said the hall was clear. Ryali and the other iliri made their way down to the main reception room where most of the Palace was gathering socially, hoping to keep an eye on the lords. Arianna made a point of showing up, and tonight she was dressed nicer than usual. Not that she normally looked bad, but Ryali could tell she was trying to impress someone.

From the way Niran was blushing, there was little doubt who that person was. He'd been taking lessons with the woman who managed the Black Blades' horses. On the leggy bay, supposedly. The same horse that had once saved Sal's life. Niran was far from good, or so he said. Then again, he could also be using that as an excuse to spend more time with Arianna.

The problem was that all of the girls noticed. When Niran tried to fade back and act like nothing more than a guard, one of them always asked him for help with something. Anything. After an hour of it, he finally gave in and stopped trying.

Unfortunately, watching the pair flirt and blush wasn't amusing enough to keep Ryali from worrying about Linella. The woman had been gone a long time, but the guards hadn't mentioned a problem. Then again, they preferred to report directly to Niran, worried they might interrupt the iliri delegation. Ryali could understand that. It still felt weird, but she knew that if the situation was reversed, she likely wouldn't be any better.

Then, almost two hours after they'd reached the gathering, Niran sent a thought into Ryali's mind. Marcu Piet just walked into the study where Linella is. The door is open, and the guards have moved closer to keep her safe.

What if he closes the door? Ryali insisted.

Then someone will knock. They don't want to give her away, but I told them that her safety comes first, Niran swore. Then he paused. They say the couple is coming out, and Linella's on Marcu's arm. Come.

In the middle of whatever he was saying to Arianna, Niran walked away, catching Ryali's arm to lead her back toward the open area at the base of the stairs. The fastest way to get up to help, Ryali knew. Thankfully, Arianna didn't seem offended. The woman simply followed, gesturing for the other iliri to come as well.

"Ok," Niran said when he realized how many people were trailing after them. Because it wasn't just the iliri. Cillian Tor and his wife had come too, plus a few other nobles who were curious as to what was going on. "See that?" he asked, pointing at the tapestry hanging one floor above the main doors. "That's what the old symbol of Anglia looked like, back before we adopted the triad."

Ryali looked over at him. What are ya doing?

We have company, he told her, so I'm giving us a reason to be out here. Now ask what the pieces mean.

"What do the pieces mean?" she repeated out loud.

He smiled at her proudly. "It's called heraldry, I was told. The chevrons represent the Ahnian ridge. The circles are the lakes scattered around Anglia. The creature is posed 'rampant,' which is supposed to mean ready to fight. Kinda looks like a grauori to me, but I'm not sure that's what the designer intended. And the last quarter signifies the colors of Anglia. I know the diagonal stripes are supposed to mean something, but I never learned what."

Linaeryx's thoughts interrupted them. She's on the third floor, walking with him. They look angry.

Ryali turned, her eyes jumping up to the open railing to see that Linaeryx was right. Linella was on her husband's arm, but the pair was talking, and even from this far away, Ryali could see that it wasn't a polite conversation. Both of them looked angry, yet their words were too soft to hear from this far away.

Can the guards hear? Ryali asked Niran.

They say she's accusing him of an affair, and that she was looking for proof of it. He's telling her that she has no right to get in his business, and if she doesn't want to be sent away, she'll learn to mind her place.

And then Linella stopped. "I will not," she said, her voice echoing down to the first floor. "Marcu, you do not own me. I am not your slave!" Before anyone could react - even Marcu - she turned to the railing, a handful of papers revealed when she pulled them from the folds of her dress. "He's a traitor, and I finally have the proof!"

She tried to throw the documents, hurling them over the banister with all her strength. The moment the papers were free from her hand, they broke apart, fluttering down at their own pace, but Marcu didn't stop to watch. He roared out his rage and swung. The crack of his hand across Linella's face was loud. The woman's yelp of pain was louder.

"No!" Ryali growled, but her feet were already moving.

So were Linella's as she backed away. On the third floor, the guards were rushing over to help, but they were too far away, stationed at the ends of the hall. Linella didn't bolt. She retreated, but with her eyes on her attacker, and Marcu looked ready to kill.

"What did you do?!" he demanded, stalking her.

Ryali had just reached the base of the stairs when Marcu grabbed his wife. The man shook her once, looking like he was ready to throttle her, so Linella pushed at him, trying to force him away. Her husband backhanded her for the insult, and then, just for good measure, he shoved.

Lady Piet wasn't a strong woman, and she wasn't large. The strong push from her husband was more than enough to force her back, but there was nowhere to go. Her foot landed on nothing but air, the steps dropping down, and for one horrifying moment, she teetered. Moving as fast as she could, Ryali saw it all, including the cruel look of pleasure on Marcu's face.

And then Linella fell. She had the sense to twist, tumbling down the stairs sideways instead of head over heels, but even that would hurt. For humans, it could very well be fatal.

"Kaliryc, Vyrix," Ryali snapped, calling the two healers.

The girls were already moving. All of them, and Marcu Piet had no idea what he'd just unleashed. Ryali hit the second-floor landing, sparing a glance to make sure Linella was still breathing, and kept going. She jumped right over the woman's legs, grabbed her own black skirts out of her way, and raced upward.

Above, the guards had reached the edge of the stairs, but Ryali was faster. So much faster, and she was tired of playing this game. Sal said the man could die. It didn't matter if there was an entire assembly of humans watching. This man had just hurt a friend of the iliri. Ryali's friend! He'd pushed her, and Ryali had no doubts it had been intentional. He wanted to make his wife pay for what she'd just done to him.

"Ya do na," she growled, watching as Marcu's steps retreated away from the stairs in fear, "hurt those weaker than ya. Na children. Na yer wife..."

And then she was on him. With all her might, Ryali pounced on the man, feeling nothing but rage. Marcu swung, as he fell backwards, his fist catching her in the arm, but he wasn't a fighter. He was a soft, weak, spoiled human, and he smelled so sweet.

"Pull back!" Niran told the guards. "If she lets him up, detain him -"

But Ryali wasn't letting this fool ever stand again. She grabbed his arm, aware that he was so weak compared to her, and then she shoved her face forward.

Her teeth weren't as sharp as some, but they were far from dull. When her mouth closed on Marcu's neck, the skin parted easily, a rush of sweet, warm blood filling her mouth, and the amazing texture of maerte begging her to just keep going. A growl was caught in her throat, but the thrashing of her prey felt good. Like he was begging, so she would give him exactly what he needed.

She bit harder.

"Oh fuck," one of the guards breathed.

She knew he was backing away, but didn't care. She just thrashed her head, pulling at the vital parts in this man's neck, making sure that his movements stopped. Then she yanked her mouthful of his throat the other way. In the back of her mind, she could feel the two humans, just like she could feel her pack of girls at the bottom of the stairs. They were all glowing at the edge of her awareness, proving they were safe.

And the man beneath her was, without a doubt, dead. A pool of red was leaking into the carpet at his shoulder, proving the blood was flowing down that way, but she wasn't ready to let go. She also couldn't stop growling, but she had to.

Slowly, Ryali forced herself to leaned back. "Is she ok?" The words were for whoever cared to answer.

The closest soldier did. "She's alive, ilus. Your pack is caring for her, and two of them are healing, I believe."

"Good." Then Ryali stood, grabbing Marcu by the ankle. "I need a cart at the doors."

"Yes, ilus," the man breathed.

She started walking, dragging her kill after her, down the stairs. She didn't care that his head bounced on each step, because the fool was dead. He wouldn't feel it, and she was tired of playing nice.

By the time Ryali reached the second-floor landing, Linella was sitting up, both hands over her eyes as she dealt with the vertigo. Ryali knew the woman wouldn't want to see this, but there was one thing she needed to say, and loud enough for everyone else to hear.

"Lord Piet," she told Linella, "yer attacker has been handled. Do ya wish fer a funeral?"

Slowly, Linella's hands lowered, and her eyes scanned Ryali's face, widening at the sight of blood on the iliri woman's chin and throat. Then she looked at the corpse that had been her husband only moments before. For a moment, she said nothing, simply pulling in a long, deep breath. Turning her eyes back to Ryali, Linella Piet stood, appearing as elegant as ever, even if she smelled like fear.

"I want nothing more to do with him. He betrayed not only his wedding vows, but also his country. Do with him as you will, ilus."

Ryali smiled. "Then he will serve well as dinner." And she started walking again.

Those words caused a hum to grow among the spectators below. While Ryali dragged her kill off the stairs, Arianna was moving, collecting all of the pages that had fluttered to the ground, her eyes scanning them while she moved to the next.

"He was making trade agreements that only the King is authorized to offer," she said, holding up her handful of documents. "Lord Tor? You need to review these. Other lords were involved."

Cillian walked forward. "Lord Piet?" he asked, turning to look at Linella on the stairs. "Will you be well enough to attend the council in an hour?"

"Lord?" Otso Aulis snapped. "You cannot make a woman a lord!"

"No," Cillian agreed. "I can't, but according to King Jens, Linella is the first heir of her province, because her son is not yet old enough to be considered an adult. If she decides to renounce her title when he is, that's her choice, or she can rule as the lord until her death, at which time her oldest child, regardless of gender, will be raised to the position. Or have you not read the laws, Lord Aulis?"

Otso's eyes widened. "I hadn't, Lord Tor. If that's the case, how long will it take to have the new Lord Piet ratified into her position?"

"We'll do it in the council meeting. Linella?" he asked again.

Standing in the corner of the landing, surrounded by the iliri girls, Linella nodded. "I will be there, Regent Tor. I think the iliri should send a representative as well."

"I agree." And he looked at Ryali, flicking his hand to get her attention. "Ilus? Will an hour be enough time to deal with the maast?"

"I," Ryali assured him, "am na pure enough ta get maast. Do na think that makes me less of a predator."

"No, I think the stain on the carpet proves that." Then Cillian pointed at Marcu's body. "I can have that removed for you."

"He is my kill," she growled. "His target does na want him, so he is mine, and he will feed Arhhawen." She dropped Marcu's leg, and turned to the crowd of shocked humans. "Did ya na believe us? Did ya think we were just like ya? Are all of ya really foolish enough ta believe that we would allow someone ta destroy the one good thing the iliri have ever known?" Her eyes moved across the people, pausing when she found Lord Eriwald. "I have the authorization of the Kaisae of all Anglia ta kill anyone who threatens the King's position. I am na alone. Ya think we are small and helpless, but ya are wrong. It took two iliri ta destroy yer guards. Just two, and there are eight of us."

"So you admit it?" Eriwald demanded. "You acknowledge that the Kaisae and her Ahnor killed my father?"

Cillian raised a hand, halting them both. "First, I do not recommend taunting an enraged iliri, Tilik. They tend to attack first and think later. Second, that crime has already been pardoned. And third, your father was making arrangements with Terric, which was why he was killed. Yes, the King has proof of this."

"Fourth," Ryali said, her voice cold and serious. "Do na think ya can do the same. Anglia is my home as much as yers. I may na have been born here, but I will die ta defend this place. Do ya understand, human?" She took a step closer, her lip lifting. "Ya love yer power. I love that my daughter will grow up never knowing what it means ta be a slave. Who do ya think has a stronger reason ta fight? This is na a game ya want ta play."

Niran moved to her side, gently touching Ryali's arm. "Ilus, may the guards touch your kill? We want to load him in the wagon for you."

"Mine," she growled.

He nodded. "Yes, ilus, but you're covered in that man's blood, and I believe Arhhawen will know how to handle the gift. Once Valri has been fed and Lord Piet's children informed of the news, Lady Vanica has offered to bring them back to the Palace with her."

"When?" Ryali asked.

Niran rubbed her shoulder. "Tomorrow, possibly the next day. Just as soon as the iliri clear the youngest Valmere for travel." Then he lowered his voice. "Let me help you, Ryali. Tell us we can touch him, because we would never disrespect your kill."

"Send him ta Tensa," Ryali decided. "And do na let me bite anyone b'fore I get ta my rooms?"

"Not on my watch, ilus." And he offered his arm. "Regent?"

Ryali hooked her hand on his forearm, realizing he wasn't tense at all. This man trusted her completely. He smelled calm. She'd just killed a man right in front of him and dragged the body halfway to the door, yet he acted like he was... proud. With a nod, Ryali showed that he could take her and the other iliri back to their suite, and she gestured for the new Lord Piet to join them.

And as she passed, the nobles bowed their heads, their wives dipping into deep curtsies. That was when she realized just how right Sal had been. This was Anglia. They didn't know they should hate iliri. Instead, they saw her as the woman who'd just thwarted a plot to overthrow a very beloved king.

They saw her, an iliri mongrel, as worthy of respect.

Chapter Seventy

Eastern Unav, heading northward

Riding beside Ryek, Joevar watched Tyr laughing with the Black Blades. Over the last few days, he'd taken to spending a little more time with them each day. He also came back to hang out with the Devil Dogs, but it felt like he was honestly finding a balance. In truth, Joe really hoped it worked out for him. So much so, that he nudged his horse closer to Ryek.

"You think he's ever going to give in?"

Ryek laughed that off. "Nope. I think Tyr's going to drag this out, stand his ground, and think it makes him look principled or some shit. Guy's an idiot, if you ask me."

"So you'd leave the Dogs for a woman?" Joe asked, thinking about Ryali.

After all, she was a Black Blade now. As the mother of Zep's child, Sal had granted her a place in the pack, and it was the kind of thing no iliri would turn down. Not without a very good reason. And yet, Joe could kinda understand Tyr's feelings. It just didn't seem respectable to turn their backs on the people who'd stood beside them for so long.

"I'd be worried you'd all hate me for it," he said.

"Things that good with Ryali?" Ryek teased. "But nah, man. We wouldn't be pissed. I mean, those are the Blades." Then Ryek paused. "Shit. The Blades. They're our sister unit, and you heard what Tyr told Sal, right?"

"No..." Joe said.

Ryek just smiled as he lifted his reins, slowing his horse. "I did, and I've got an idea for both of you. I need to talk to Pig!"

Joe just waved him off. It felt like everyone was trying to fix Tyr's shit lately. Which, truth be told, felt really nice. Somewhere between Myrosica and the Conglomerate, the Devil Dogs had become everything Sal had promised. They'd stopped acting like a group of men killing together, and had become a pack.

Never mind that they were legally iliri. Not that Joe felt like an iliri, but Sal had promised they were all welcome in Arhhawen. She'd also made it clear that she wouldn't be offended if they wanted to move out, settle on some of that empty land, and help with Anglia's expansion to the west. But the reports said that Sal's home was massive. Well, not official reports, just the things Anglians said when updating the army, but it counted.

Joe tried to remember how many floors the place had. There were six underground, he thought, and then something like four above, and most of those were carved into the mountainside. He had a feeling it would be very dark inside, and probably filled with smoke from the lanterns used to light the halls. Soot would be a problem, and with the long, cold Anglian winters, time outside would be limited. So while the iliri might like the idea of a den, to Joe, it kinda sounded like living in a cave.

He was thinking about asking Arctic about it when a mind touched his, requesting a connection. That meant it wasn't Ryali, and Joe immediately responded, Who's this?

Niran, the man said. I'm Ryali's guard in Anglia, and I thought I should update you.

Is she ok? Joe demanded.

Fine, Niran assured him. Amazing, actually, but she's in the bath, and she's just starting to realize what she did. Usami said she's nervous about what the humans will do to her.

Wait, Joe begged. What did she do? What happened?

Oh. Niran sounded surprised. I thought she would've told you. I'm sorry. Marcu Piet assaulted his wife this afternoon in the main hall. In front of witnesses. He not only hit Linella Piet multiple times, but then he pushed her down the stairs. According to Kaliryc, the woman's shoulder was dislocated from the fall, her neck had a hairline fracture, and she could've been paralyzed if left untreated, but two iliri healed her, so she's fine.

And Ryali?

She defended her friend. While the healers took care of Linella, Ryali rushed Marcu, and killed him. She tore out his throat before at least a dozen Anglian nobles, including the human Regent.

And? Joe insisted.

And what? Niran asked.

Are they arresting her? Is there an uprising? Is she safe?

Niran's response came back sounding calm and reassuring. The Regent is a hero. She's as nervous as you are, which makes me think this has something to do with the Conglomerate, but no, she's not in any trouble. Cillian Tor, the human Regent, should be updating the King right now, but my only concern is that Ryali's so sure there will be punishment. There won't be, Joevar, and you need to make sure she understands that. She keeps saying that she's going to be arrested before she meets you, so I thought maybe you could talk to her? Tell her that everything she did was legal?

Ok, Joe agreed. Let me talk to Dom, and then I'll make sure she knows. Has anyone told Sal?

The Kaisae? Niran asked. Not yet. Ryali should do that. I mean, we aren't authorized to just talk to her like that.

Then I'll make sure she knows as well, Joe decided. Then he groaned. And Zep. Fuck, not looking forward to telling him that. Please say that Valri was far away when this happened?

In Arhhawen, Niran promised. And this happened just inside the main entrance of the Dorton Palace. Marcu Piet's body was hauled to a woman named Tensa. Lord Piet - I mean Linella Piet, the new lord - allowed it, but I'm sure she didn't think about her children being there.

Has someone warned the iliri? Joe asked him. Told anyone in Arhhawen what's going on? If not, make it happen. Tell one of the girls, and they'll make sure the kids never see it. Shit, this just got complicated.

Not as much as you think, Niran assured him. Just talk to your girl, man? Right now, she's scared she went too far, and someone needs to tell her that Sal's done worse. Kinda sounds like she needs to hear it from you.

Thank you, sir, Joe said. I'll do what I can, and Sal's only a few horses ahead of me.

He broke the link and rode forward, aiming for Dom first. If the King was already being updated, then he could help Joe explain everything to Sal. At the same time, he reached out for Ryali.

Hey, beautiful, he thought. Heard you just did the King a favor and handled Piet.

I killed him, Ryali said, grabbing Joe's mind just a little too hard. I attacked him!

I was just told that you defended Lady Piet, who is now Lord Piet. Look, I just want you to know that it's ok, and I'm just about to talk to Dom and Sal. So wash the blood off your pretty face, make sure you get it all out of your hair, and find a dress that's not covered in it. Now, I'm just guessing at that, but I've seen Sal kill, and she's pretty messy. Jase only gets it on his hands, so I could be completely wrong. Either way, some of those prissy humans up there get queasy at the sight of blood, so you need to get clean, give me a few minutes, and I'll tell you what the leaders of Anglia think, ok?

Thank you, Joe, she said, letting go of his mind.

But she'd felt calmer. Not completely calm, but like she trusted him to fix this. The problem was that it sounded like there was nothing to fix - except her paranoia that she'd be punished for defending herself. The worst part was that Joe knew why. Too many times in the CFC, that was how any interaction with iliri was handled, and the offender was either jailed, killed, or conscripted. Not this time.

"Dom?" Joe called out when he was close enough.

The King held up a hand, begging him to wait. Ilija was right at his side, and Rayna on the other. Thankfully, the Consort seemed to know what was going on.

"He's talking to his Regent," she explained. "Sounds like the coup has been thwarted, and Marcu's dead."

"Yeah," Joe said, "and Ryali's freaking out, thinking she's about to be taken prisoner."

Dom turned his head. "She's not," he said.

And Rayna chuckled. "He's being hit from all sides, Joe. Just give him a second."

"Nah, I'm cool with that. It's just that Ryali's supposed to tell Sal, and she's kinda freaking out. Her guard contacted me, said she needs a little reassurance that she's not in deep shit."

"Yeah," Rayna said. "Well, Dom's talking to Cillian, who's relaying to a bunch of other nobles, and there's some uproar about a woman being a lord, but Ryali's fine." Then she reached over and rubbed Dom's shoulder. "I'm going to update Sal. You put those pricks in line."

The King nodded, and Rayna reined her mare aside, gesturing for Joe to follow. Sal wasn't far away, but she was far enough that she hadn't noticed the tension. Or maybe that was just in Joe's mind, because Rayna seemed completely calm. Happy, even.

"Sal!" Rayna called out. "Marcu Piet's dead. Ryali handled it."

"Good," Sal breathed. "Never liked that man."

But Rayna's words had the attention of her mates. All of them, including the one who refused to use that title. The men adjusted their horses, making room for Rayna and Joevar to get closer, then pushed up around them. In the middle of a moving army, it was the closest possible thing to privacy.

"Is she ok?" Zep asked.

"She's scared she's in shit," Joe told him. "Sounds like she ripped the guy's throat out in front of a few dozen nobles."

"Oh," Zep groaned. "Yeah, they probably panicked. So I guess she went full on iliri bitch, huh? Always knew she had it in her, but the fucking pricks in Prin never let her forget her place."

"Feel like telling her she's ok?" Joe asked. "I mean, I know you two aren't really chatty or anything, but you are the Dernor, and she's pretty freaked out."

Zep nodded. "I can do that. Jase? Keep me in a straight line?"

"Yeh." And the Ahnor moved his mare up so Zep's couldn't wander off while his attention was divided.

Thankfully, Rayna had more information than what Joe had been given, and she was telling Sal all about it. Something about stairs, and growling, papers that served as proof, and other nobles implicated. Listening, Joe realized that the problem Dom was dealing with had more to do with the men who hadn't been killed than the one who had.

But Zep's roar of laughter made Joe flinch. It came from nowhere, or so he thought, yet when he turned, the big guy was grinning at him and nodding. His silence meant that whatever made him laugh was only in his head, which meant Ryali.

"Ok," Sal said when Rayna was done with the report. "Joe, can you ask Ryali and the girls if they'll stay in Dorton for a bit longer? They're having the kids sent back. I just asked Jarl to check with his amma, but it sounds like she's coming with them."

"And?" Joe asked. "What does all of this mean for Ryali and the other girls?"

Sal smiled. "That they're my representatives. That what she did was justified by not only the iliri, but also the humans, and I have a feeling that the grauori will agree, since Nya's always on Jarl's side. I want her to stay because I need her to make sure those other men don't try anything else, and if she kills them, well, we already have the proof. Her status as my Regent means that she's allowed to execute people to protect any of the three leaders of Anglia. She's fine, Joe, and she just made it very clear that women and iliri are not weak."

"Pretty much what I told her," Zep said. "Well, without the sticking around part. But yeah, she's scared. Thinks the humans will get her in the dark."

"Henrik," Joe told them. "He's her sadava and Valri's gara, which I think is like an unrelated uncle? Anyway, she feels comfortable with him. Double their guard, pull in some iliri, a couple grauori if they're up there, and call them a diplomatic something or other."

"Wait," Rayna said. "I'm calling Dom over, because that's a good fucking idea, Joe."

Zep lifted his arm and waved at Pig. From the way the leader of the Devil Dogs looked over, there'd probably been a thought that went along with it. Soon, Sal's little group was getting crowded, and Joe had moved his horse to the back. Once again, the story was repeated, this time filling in Pig, but then Rayna mentioned what Joe had just said.

"A diplomatic something?" Dom asked.

"Like peacekeepers," Joe told him. "Police, but for dealing with the three species. I mean, you have the girls for the iliri, and quite a few humans, so add in some grauori, upgrade them all to some rank that's equal to an ambassador but with military privileges, and let them handle the crap up there as a group. Like an elite unit, but for domestic stuff, you know?"

"That," Dom said, "is actually a really good idea. I'll put Cillian on it, and Rragri's representative, so we have all three of the spokespeople for the kingdoms." Then he laughed. "Only downside is that I'll need to move the soldiers out of the military."

"Not really," Pig said. "Ryali and those girls are maargra for Sal. Elite killers. The grauori will be the same. Just change the humans' uniforms to something not military, but also not police. Something that can't be confused."

"But what?" Dom asked. "Black is for the Blades, white for the Shields, grey for your Dogs. Green is regular army. I certainly don't want to use Conglomerate blue or Terran purple, so what else is there. And if anyone says pink..."

"Gold," Jase said. "Na the yellow the CFC uses, but the kind of fabric merchants use."

"Synthetic fibers," Zep explained. "The kind with a sheen, and colored like those brass doors on Parliament. Metallic, but the fake kind. It won't be cheap, but you want to make sure these people are all seen as nobility, right? You put them in gold and there won't be any question. Give each one a symbol of the nation they represent, and you've just made a class of peacekeepers."

Dom was nodding. "Gold's going to be hard to do, but I have a better idea. Since we don't want the grauori left out, why not just give them a symbol, like a signet ring, or a collar. Fuck. Hwa?" He turned, looking for the grauori among the Blades. "Hey, what can a grauori wear to show they're assigned to a group?"

Hwa's ears perked up and he trotted over. Formally, we can wear a cloth collar, but not like a dog. More like your scholars. Less formally, white hair dyes easily, and we have worn jewelry for our ears when not around humans. Before Sal made it possible to be around them, I mean.

"When you were pretending to be wild things," Dom said, showing he understood. "Makes sense. So earrings and collars. Gives us a place to start, and I think we can let our peacekeepers figure out the rest. I'll set it up with Cillian, have Nya and Rragri pick out a few grauori, and then they can decide on the humans. I think about eight of each? I mean, since we already have eight iliri. Anyone opposed?" He looked at Sal.

She just shook her head. "Not at all. Joe, would you like to tell Ryali? Make sure she knows I appreciate all she's done for me."

"And," Dom said, "tell her the King is in her debt."

"Yeah," Joe agreed, slowing his horse to gain some room. "I think she'll like to hear that. 'Scuze me for a sec."

But as he let the group ride ahead, he couldn't help but overhear Zep. "He's definitely into her."

"And her?" Jase asked. "Ryali feel the same?"

"Man, Ryali never liked me that much. She just wanted to fuck. I mean, I get it now, she wanted a kid, so no hard feelings and all, but yeah. They're kinda fucking cute."

When Joe reached out to tell Ryali the good news, he was smiling. And yes, he let it leak through, because right now, she needed to feel it. That, more than anything else, would convince her that she was not in trouble at all. And tonight, he'd ask her all about what she'd just told Zep, because he liked the idea of being "cute" with her. He liked the idea of anything with her.

Chapter Seventy-One

Eastern Unav, heading northward

By the end of the first week on the road north, Blaz decided he couldn't put off this discussion any longer. Sal and Dom had been busy organizing their new idea to keep the peace between all three species. Tyr had been spending more time with the Blades, but Blaz hadn't left since he'd gotten back. Yes, he'd talked to Rais, but that conversation had been short, doing little more than letting the 112th Mounted that he was safe and would be spending some time with his new mate. The men had all congratulated him.

This talk wouldn't be as easy. Blaz had been putting it off, convincing himself he was needed elsewhere, or that he didn't have the right words. So, when they mounted up on yet another bright morning without any enemies in sight, he decided that today was the day. Blaz turned his stallion to the side, sending a thought to Kolt that he'd be occupied with his own unit for a bit, and then he refused to allow himself to change his mind.

Wearing brown and blue, the men of the 112th stood out. It felt like everyone else wore shades of grey or green. Even the men who'd formerly claimed the 97th Pikemen had changed their uniforms to a dusty brown. Blue? The CFC had made a bad name for that color, but it did make his friends easy to find.

"Captain Tolan," he said, pushing a smile onto his face as he moved his horse alongside the men he'd served with for so long. "How's the 112th been?"

"Finally back from the dead, are you?" Rais teased.

"Back from Sal's bed is more like it," Celso said, jerking his chin upward as a greeting.

Blaz groaned, trying his best to play it off. "Sal and I have been friends for a long time. You guys all know that."

Lorenz moved his horse up on Blaz's other side, all but pinning him in place. "So, what's the title?"

"Title?" Blaz asked, feigning ignorance.

"Fifth mate, man." Reaching over, Lorenz punched his arm. "C'mon, we're not fucking stupid, and everyone knows she claimed you, so give up already. What's the right word?"

"Viernor," Blaz said, feeling his face getting hot. "It's just...." He paused, looking over at Rais. "I had to save her, you know that, right?"

"We all do," Rais assured him. "I was just waiting to see how long it would take you before you came to talk about a transfer."

"Yeah," Blaz sighed. "That's the thing. When we were in Cenla Xie, she talked to Grenso, the parliamentary representative from Lewes. He said the CFC's a bit raw over the elites heading north."

"And?" Rais asked.

Blaz looked over at his friends, all of them grinning proudly at him. Oddly, he hadn't expected this kind of support. He'd assumed they'd tease him, give him shit about his perversions with the other men in Sal's bed - which didn't happen - and then expect him to fall into place. This? It made him realize just how lucky he was to serve with them.

But that was the problem. He was still serving with them, and the uniform no longer felt right. He should be wearing black, but he couldn't. Not without causing too many problems, but he felt his brothers in arms deserved to know the truth.

"Sir," Blaz tried, fumbling for the right words, "I got the impression that any more humans defecting from the CFC elites might be seen as an act of aggression. I'm not about to become the start of a new war, not when we're so close to finishing this one."

"Iliri," Celso murmured.

"What?" Blaz asked.

Lorenz pointed at him, waving his finger all around Blaz's body. "You. Iliri," he said, over emphasizing each word as if Blaz was hard of hearing. "Man, you're a fucking healer. That's a skill, right? So it means you're iliri. And if anyone asks, I can honestly say that you're 'fucking iliri' because you are. I mean the fucking part."

"No," Rais said. "Guys, enough." Then he turned to Blaz. "You're leaving the 112th, Blaz. If I have to kick you out myself, you're going, and we're all very happy for you."

"Rais, I can't," he hissed.

"You can," Rais insisted, "and you will. I'm not going to let you ride away from the one thing that makes you want to live. If I have to, I'll say you were killed in combat, then have one of the men notify your family that you've secretly defected. If that's still not enough, I'll kick you out, but you are not riding away from Anglia. That is my last order to you, soldier."

"Hey," Aleks said, moving around to the other side of Lorenz, "remind me again how you met Sal?"

"Some human was giving her shit. One of their new recruits," Blaz told him.

Aleks nodded. "And why were you leaning against the wall beside her?"

Blaz sighed. "Really don't want to talk about that."

"Maybe not," Aleks agreed, "but hear me out? You were in a bad spot for a long time after we lost Jiesa. None of us could help you out of it, but she did. One evening talking to her about nothing gave you a reason to keep going, right? And when the Blades rode out for that last load, you fell right back into it. Getting too quiet, forgetting how to laugh. That's why I told you to talk to the docs."

"You too?" Celso asked.

"A few of you did," Blaz admitted. "And Rais ordered me."

Rais nodded, making no attempt to deny it. "I did, and I don't regret it for a moment. I'm also pretty sure that you haven't been on any medication since you ran off into the night to save a Kaisae. Am I wrong?"

"No," Blaz mumbled, hating that everyone knew his business. "But I kept waiting for you to say I'm unfit for duty because I'm 'clinically depressed.'"

"You are a damned good soldier, and a better horseman." Then Rias tipped his head up the line, in the direction of where the Blades typically rode. "And those little shits are just as good. Here's what they won't tell you, though: they lost their best rider. Blaec was almost as good on a horse as you are, Blaz, and twice the breeder. They still have their stock, and Tilso's little sister went to Anglia with quite a few mares and foals. A few of us helped get her the documents to cross the border with them, and they're the kind of horses we'd love to get our hands on, but none of those iliri know how to handle them as well as you do."

"Tilso does," Blaz countered.

"Tilso knows how to take care of them," Rais corrected, "and he's not a bad rider, but Zep's better in the saddle. Sal's not bad, Jase is pretty pathetic, and Arctic is much too stiff in the saddle. Yeah, they're all good riders, but none of them are great. You, however, are."

"And?" Blaz asked. "What good does that do if the CFC is coming after us?"

"The 112th will never stand across the line from the Black Blades," Rais reminded him. "She's our Kaisae too, no matter what country we claim. And this? It's your mind trying to find the darkest path, my friend. I've already talked to Kesh about reassigning your species when we get back. As an iliri, there's nothing they can say about you defecting, and I think there will be plenty of soldiers willing to say that you're iliri. Dark, like the men from Lewes, and definitely not pure."

Blaz huffed, trying to figure out how he felt about that. One part of him wanted the 112th to beg him to stay, but at the same time, the thought of being with Sal forever was a dream. The kind of dream that felt like it should be just out of reach, not the kind that was real, and he was living in the middle of it.

"Why don't you want me with the 112th?" he finally asked.

Lorenz, the persistent joker of the unit, was the man with the answer, and it wasn't a joke. "Bro, we do. We've all talked about this, and we all fucking agree, ok? We do not want you to leave, for us to go back and have a trial, pick up some green-ass recruit who thinks he knows everything about a horse and can't keep his heels down. We do want you to stay, but you know what we want more?"

"No, what?"

"For you to be fucking happy, man. C'mon, we're not blind. We see you staring off into the distance, and we all know that the night you met Sal was not the first time you thought about suicide. It probably won't be the last, and that's ok. If you're with those little shits? Then they'll find a way to help you. Fuck, Zep calls Sal a demon, right? So, I dunno, maybe she'll replace the ones that you're always fighting?"

"We want," Rais said, "our brother in arms to be happy. If it was any of these guys, I'd tell them the same thing. This is a career. Love is more important than that. And the Blades?" He huffed wryly. "Blaz, you've always been a little different from the rest of us. A little harder in some ways, and a little softer in others. You remind me of them."

"Them? You mean the iliri?" Blaz asked.

Rais shook his head. "I mean the Blades. Think about when you first met them. They were always so hard, so strong, and yet when they looked at each other? There was this bond, right? Now we know they were reading each other's minds, but back then? All I knew was that those men accepted each other so easily. Shit, Circus and Blaec? They couldn't have been more different! But no matter what, they always understood each other. They were softer. Not weak, just pliant and accepting. You fit with them."

"So you're saying I should leave the 112th?" Blaz asked.

"I'm saying I'll kick your ass out if you don't." Then he smiled. "But you'll always be one of us, too. I have a feeling they'll be calling you the horseman for a long, long time."

"Yeah," Blaz agreed. "I'm just not sure I'm ready for that."

Lorenz huffed. "You've seen Sal naked, right? Well, if you want to keep seeing her naked, you'll need to be in black, even if you're not ready for it."

"And," Rais said, "I've called in that favor Arctic owes me. Gave him your measurements, he had a tailor in Anglia make up some black uniforms, and a few of the grauori have fetched them over. But there's one condition to me letting you out of the 112th without making you resign."

"What's that?" Blaz asked.

"Keep the swords." He dropped his eyes to Blaz's saddle, where two blades were sheathed just before his packs. "Be proud of where you came from, and what you did to earn your place at the Kaisae's side. You, Blaz, are the first real human to be mated to a Kaisae in the history of iliri - since Zep doesn't count. That's a big fucking deal."

That wasn't what Blaz had expected. "How do you know that?"

Rais chuckled. "Because I talked to Arctic. It's a pretty big deal, and the Blades seem to think that your bond with her is helping her understand humanity. Perin said he's pretty sure that's how she read the Warlords so easily, because she's been running around in your head."

"And just like that..." Blaz snapped his fingers, "I'm not a horseman anymore?"

"Nah," Celso said. "You'll always be a horseman. You'll just be their horseman instead of one of ours. It's a promotion, man."

"And a good one," Aleks pointed out.

Lorenz leaned closer, "Comes with a pretty nice bonus, too. Her name's Sal."

"Fuck off," Blaz hiss, pushing his friend away. "I'm not talking about that."

"Oh, come on," Lorenz groaned. "You're not even going to say that she bites?"

So Blaz pulled at the neck of his shirt, exposing dozens of pale scars across his shoulder, all the way down to his arm. "She bites. She fucking bites hard, too. She also can't cry, thinks too much, and just wants to see her home once. Guys, she can't have kids. When she went down, she was pierced with a lance, and I couldn't fix that. I could bring her back to life, but I couldn't make that better."

"And?" Celso asked. "That a problem for you, not having kids?"

"No," Blaz assured him. "I mean, iliri don't do that. Not the same as humans, you know? Like, Roo's kids really are Sal's, and Shade wants to have a few dozen it sounds like. I think Baeli's looking for the right man to give her some, but she's still so young. The thing is, all those kids? They'll be Sal's."

"And yours," Rais told him. "Because as the Viernor of all Anglia, what's hers is yours."

Blaz pushed out a heavy breath. "No one's ever said that to me before."

"What?" Aleks asked. "That what's hers is yours?"

"No." He waved that off. "The Viernor of all Anglia. That's, like, a real title."

"It's your title," Rais said gently. "And yeah, we're going to miss the fuck out of you, but how can we not be happy for you at the same time? I mean, I used to serve with the Viernor of all Anglia!"

"Yeah," Blaz said, nodding his head as he tried to accept this. "I think I'm going to wait a bit longer before giving up my uniform, but thank you. All of you. I dunno, for everything."

"What are you waiting on?" Aleks asked.

Blaz chuckled once. "I don't know. To get used to the idea? The chance to make an impression when I do switch? Maybe all of it?"

"Then do it when we meet up with the rest of the army," Lorenz suggested.

"Yeah," the others agreed, each of them mumbling some variant of the word.

Rais just edged his horse closer and offered his hand across the distance between them. "Sit deep, my brother. No matter what, sit deep, and you'll find a way to ride through it. And when you can't, the 112th will always be here to pick you up."

Blaz had to look away before his eyes turned glassy. He could see the world blurring around the edges, but he refused to cry before these men. They'd take it the wrong way. His problem wasn't that he was tortured or suffering.

This time, he was finally happy.

Chapter Seventy-Two

Southern Terric

It took a total of four weeks to get from the Chieftain's Plains to where Rragri, Tseri, and the rest of Anglia had made camp in a rural area of Terric, just southwest of Terric City. As Sal's army approached, she realized that the location was anything but secret. With this many people, it would be impossible to hide them. Instead, Rragri made it obvious, all but daring the enemy to do something about it.

So, when the Anglian army got close, the grauori spotted them long before Sal even knew they were being watched. It was the hum across the links that gave them away. She couldn't listen in to everything they said, but now, she could feel it. Like a breeze through her mind, soft, gentle, and comforting, the grauori were there, just like the other two species. That made it easier to notice them in the grass.

Since Sal had left Escea, the terrain had changed drastically. Unav was filled with meadows and rolling hills. The further north the army moved, the steeper those hills became. Now that they were in Terric, finding flat land was almost impossible. Long, slanted ground stretched on for miles, resulting in amazing views, and the mountains were framed in this distance. When Sal topped the last crest and saw a snow-covered patch that writhed with life, she knew this was it.

Except that wasn't snow in the valley below. It was grauori. Thousands of them, all milling about without care. Ivory tents looked like splotches in the middle of them, proving Viraenova was there. Then there was all that green. Green grass, green uniforms, and yes, also the green tents of the Anglian army.

Sometime over the last month, even the northern countries had finally found spring. The world was now dotted with wildflowers and lush grasses. The Anglian horses were growing fat on it, even after riding all day long. All around them were clusters of trees. Some were the kind that kept their leaves all year long. Others were filled with the vibrant yellow-green color of new growth.

"Almost there," Dom said as he pulled his horse beside Sal. "I assume we have an escort?"

Sal pointed to the grass moving just a little too much in the breeze. "A few dozen on either side. Rragri and Tseri have already been warned."

Then Ylexa, the nuvani woman in charge of the Viraenovans riding with Sal, moved to join them. "It has been a pleasure serving with you, Kaisae," she said.

"We're not done yet," Sal reminded her.

"Maybe not," Ylexa agreed, "but I'm afraid that the Kaeen and I have never seen eye to eye."

"Give her a chance," Sal said. "A long war changes people. You're a good commander, Ylexa, and I have no complaints."

"None?" Ylexa teased. "Not even when I dared you to attack me by demanding one of your men?"

Sal just shook her head. "Cultural differences. Besides, Gage is very good in bed."

"Ugh!" Dom groaned, doing his best to sound disgusted. "Don't want to hear about it, Sal. Fuck, woman. There are way too many dicks in your tent already."

Ylexa actually laughed, ducking her head to just end up shaking it. "I must admit that I didn't expect to like your humans, but they've been oddly pleasant."

"Not mine," Sal reminded her.

"Kinda are," Dom countered. "That whole 'all Anglia' part of things." Then he sighed. "Why do I feel like we're always traveling either uphill or down?"

As he said that, the horses shifted, adjusting to the slope beneath their feet. Riders leaned back, stretching new muscles, and the grauori among them whuffed in amusement. Slowly, the camp grew before them. Individuals began to stand out, and designs could be seen painted onto the sides of the tents. And there, in the center of it all, was a massive gold pavilion, the fabric shimmering in the daylight. That clearly belonged to the Kaeen of Viraenova, Tseri Janoyc.

Sal and Dom led the party into the camp. Their mates rode behind them, the elites after that, and all the rest of the army followed. When Sal glanced back, she saw men still cresting the hill, the line of Anglians extending out of sight. Then, when she turned back to the front, she saw something even more impressive.

Every grauori had lowered their heads. The nuvani had stopped in their tracks to look down. All the humans in the group had a fist pressed to their heart, and the whole camp had simply paused. Then someone whispered the words, "Laetus, Kaisae," and every voice and mind picked it up. Like a wave, the greeting passed, but the words were gentle and welcoming. Sal found her mouth falling open in surprise, because while she'd gotten used to her position, she certainly hadn't expected this.

Yet one voice dared to say it louder than the rest. "Laetus, Kaisae of all Anglia." That was Tseri, and she had a big smile on her face.

"Laetus, Kaeen of Viraenova," Sal said back. "It is good to see you again, Tseri."

"And better to see you not only alive, but also sane, Sal." She looked over at Dom. "Sire. How does it feel to be winning?"

"Will feel a lot better when these horses are pointed back home. I have very blurry memories of soft beds and fancy clothes. I can't help but wonder if it will be as nice." He pulled his horse to a halt and dismounted.

Sal did the same, but not before Dom had crossed the distance to Tseri and instead of clasping her hand, he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. The woman stiffened for a split second before laughing and pounding his back. Sal, however, just clasped her hand before turning to the Kaeen's two mates. Syed and Daest seemed almost shocked to be recognized.

But a bark of amusement made the entire group turn. An impressively large, pristinely white female walked closer. She'd changed over the past few months - the scar across her muzzle being the most obvious thing - but there was no question that this was the Orassae of the Grauori, Rragri.

"Hello, old friend," Sal told her, opening her arms as an invitation.

Rragri stood and stepped right into the embrace. The moment they touched, both females sighed. For Sal, it felt like she'd found one more pillar of support. Rragri had a strength like no other, and a calmness about her that always felt wise. While Sal had spent months with Dom, Rragri had handled everything else, but finally, all of Anglia was back together.

"Congratulations on the grand-kids," Sal told her.

Rragri groaned, lowering herself back to her feet. I have no idea what we're going to do with those two, she thought, looking over at Dom to show he was included in the conversation. But at least I know that our species has another reason to stop fighting.

"It's not going to be that easy," Dom told her.

Rragri shrugged. Then we will make it look like it is. It's good to see you again, Dominik.

"You too, Rragri. Has the war been entertaining for your maargra?"

That earned him an amused whuff. Very. When Nya suggested it, they began hunting for the humans, then trading the meat for space in the tents. Our species have never been this close, and I do hope it lasts.

"It will. The three of us will make sure of it," Sal swore. "Now where are the maps? If at all possible, I don't want to get too comfortable here. My men are almost out of food after the journey here, and I'm pretty sure there isn't enough wildlife left to feed us for long without traveling for it. We need to finish this or we're going to be on short rations."

You're right, Rragri told her. Come. Tseri and I have thoughts about the best way to handle the walls of Terric City.

Sal's feet followed, but she turned to walk backwards so she could see her mates. "Jase? Zep? Can you both handle getting the army settled? We'll be in strategy. Send the officers when you can, and join us when everyone's set up?"

"If ya want us ta handle the soldiers, ya may need ta plan without us, kitten," Jase assured her.

Zep just waved her off. "Go work. We'll show up if you're still there when the tent's made."

"Who are the others?" Tseri asked, falling in beside Sal.

"The pretty one is my Taunor. The grey-eyed one is my Cinnor. The man in brown is my Viernor, and the one in grey? He's adamant that his title is Consort, and that he's not my mate."

"You've been busy," Tseri said appreciatively.

Dom snorted in amusement. "You don't know the half of it. She managed to die, you know? Got killed, and the pair not wearing black brought her back to life. Then they kept her alive long enough to rouse the Unavi Rebels - who are riding with us - and brought her back."

"Really?" Tseri asked.

Sal nodded. "All Kaisaes must die, it seems. No one ever said we had to stay that way. Oh, and Dom's sharing his Consort with one of my brothers."

"Sire!" Tseri gasped playfully. "I do believe we are corrupting you."

Dom just pointed at his eye. "Flecks of green in there. Means I'm part iliri. Also means that Anglia's not as divided as we always thought. My nephew and heir, Jarl? Yeah, he got Rragri's daughter pregnant, so we're expecting some... kids."

Tseri's feet paused at that. "Human and grauori? She didn't mention that."

Dom just nodded. "Yep. According to Sal's professors, only one bloodline of humans should be able to impregnate them."

This time it was Sal pausing in shock. "The Valcor line," she breathed.

"Yeah," Dom said. "Sounds like Zep and I are like nine hundred and fifty-fourth cousins or something. I mean, I'm pretty sure I didn't get the gene, but sure does explain my sister's talents, doesn't it?"

"She's a prophet," Sal explained to Tseri.

The Kaeen just sighed. "And human?"

"And human," Sal agreed, "or close enough to claim that species as her own. Seems the boundary between us all is mostly in our minds."

"Yes, it most certainly does," Tseri agreed as they reached the pavilion. "Please, make yourself comfortable. I'm afraid we only carry mead and rum, sire. Should I assume you prefer the latter?"

"Rum sounds like a wonderful change of pace," Dom agreed, but he didn't sit.

Instead, the King marched right up to the map table, leaving room for Sal beside him. Together, they looked over the lines showing elevation of ground and possible approaches to Terric City. Sal propped her elbows on the table and used both hands to rub at her face, because this wasn't going to be easy.

"It's built against a cliff?" she asked.

Yes, Rragri said, moving to the opposite side to stand on her hind legs. The river has a wide stony bank there, but the climb is a long one. The Emperor's castle overlooks the water, most likely for the view.

"Or the protection," Dom added.

The Orassae nodded. Seems you have learned a lot, but yes, you're correct.

Sal stabbed her finger down on the map. "This is the main gate, right?"

It is, Rragri agreed, pausing at the sound of the tent flap moving.

Sal turned to find her sadava walking through with both Kesh and Pig following. "Ladies, this is Ran Sturmgren, my Sadava, and the man who invented the idea of elite units. The man in silver is Kesh, who took over Ran's unit when he supposedly retired from combat, and who will become the Conglomerate's coordinator of elite units once the CFC realizes my dava defected. The other is Pig, the leader of the Devil Dogs, and legally iliri."

"Well met," Tseri told them. "Mead or rum?"

Kesh flashed her with a charming smile. "Allow me, Kaeen. I think your expertise is needed at the maps, and I can pour a glass without spilling it."

Tseri slowly ran her eyes down Kesh's body. "Charming," she told him, then waved to the liquor crate. "Help yourself, sir."

But when she walked toward the maps, Sal caught Kesh returning the favor, except his eyes lingered for a little too long on Tseri's backside. Sal pointedly cleared her throat, but Kesh just grinned deviously. Pig let out a heavy sigh, chose to ignore it, and took his place at the end of the map table.

"He's with the CFC," Pig told Tseri, "so don't mind his lack of manners."

"Single?" Tseri asked.

Pig laughed. "Actually, yes. His ex is now Dom's Consort. Or are you screwing someone else, Kesh?"

"Nothing serious," Kesh called back.

This time, it was Ran who sighed. "And to think, we're supposed to be planning a war."

"General..." Tseri started.

Ran cut her off. "That's a human title, so I left it behind when my daughter asked me to join her. I am the Sadava of the Anglian iliri. Yes, all of them. No, I don't know of any iliri ancestry in my lineage. I also don't think it matters. You, Kaeen, may call me Ran."

"Well, Ran," Tseri said, "as a military man, I'm sure you realize that even among the talented species, surviving the battle is not guaranteed. That means it's often the little things, like a compliment or a meaningless affair, that make the fight worthwhile."

Kesh moved behind her to place a glass by her arm. "Meaningless? Now, Kaeen! I do think that the Conglomerate ambassador to Viraenova has a nice ring to it. So does Taunor." Then he moved to drop a glass beside Pig. "Keep up, bro."

"Already have a woman," Pig reminded him.

Tseri, however, had turned her head back to watch Kesh grab the next set of glasses. "You're incredibly forward, aren't you?"

"Human," he told her. "Also dominant, have dull teeth and a big dick. I'm poorly trained, have atrocious manners, and always speak my mind. I'm also damned good on the battlefield."

"Huh," Tseri said, turning her attention back to the map. "Now, as for the potential entrances, we think the best ways to get the humans through are, of course, the main gate, but also a few smaller gates to the west and north. The river and cliff take up the south and east sides."

My people can handle that, Rragri assured them.

"Good," Sal said, "because I'm not sure the iliri could make that climb."

"What's good?" Kesh asked.

"Right," Sal said. "Would one of you like to invite Kesh into your links? He only has access to mine."

Tseri smiled and offered her hand. "I think I'll handle this one, Rragri. He's rash enough you might need to bite him."

"Might like it, too," Kesh teased, flashing a smile at the Orassae even as he clasped Tseri's hand. "And so you know, Nya is an amazing tactician. Your daughter has my complete respect."

Ran groaned, bending over to let his head thump on the table. "Kesh!"

"Just making alliances, sir."

"Is this really how you run Lightning Brigade?" Ran grumbled.

Kesh chuckled. "I learned from the best, sir." To prove his point, he lifted his glass. "Once the alcohol has been poured, there's no longer a need to be proper, because we are all adults, and we're all damned good at our jobs."

Tseri mumbled under her breath, "I may make you prove that."

Chapter Seventy-Three

Southern Terric

One by one, the other officers showed up to work out the best strategy. Ilija for the Shields, Kinetry for the 1st Anglian, Perin for Dark Heart, Rais for the 112th, Arctic for the Black Blades, the Captain of the 43rd Mounted, and even Tharp from Star Fall. The soldiers kept coming until there wasn't any more room in the tent. Rragri called her best commanders, and Tseri brought hers.

Including Reko Wyra. Sal was talking to someone else when a flash of white at the corner of her eye caught her attention. Braced to have yet another standoff with Hax, she turned. Yes, the man entering the tent was pure iliri, but it wasn't Hax. This was a face that she was glad to see.

"Reko?" Sal asked.

He smiled at the sound of her voice. "Sal! How has my little sister been?"

She closed the distance between them to wrap her arms around the man's shoulders, and he hugged her back just as tightly. The best part was that he felt like nothing but joy. Yet the moment Sal put her head against his shoulder, the woman behind him growled a warning.

"He is not yours," she declared.

Sal leaned back to see Tseri's daughter, Ynta. The nuvani had her lip curled up, baring her teeth, and her yellow eyes were locked on Sal's, but Reko turned to move between them.

"That's my sister. She's also your Kaisae. I promise you that while Sal and I are affectionate, she is not any sort of threat to you."

"She's pure," Ynta reminded him.

"And his sister," Sal said again. "He smells like family, Ynta. And like a friend I know I can always trust."

"She helped me become Viraenovan," he said gently. "She warned me off before I could make a fool of myself. She has done everything to make us possible, Ynta. Do not make problems because you are jealous. She is my family, not my pack - and you're still my mate."

Ynta sighed, but this time it was her mother who chided her. "She's no more of a threat to you than any other nuvani, and Viraenova must work with her. Salryc Luxx is also my friend. Do not make me demote you, child."

"Amma," Ynta hissed.

"You're spoiled," Tseri snapped. "I've pampered you too much, but you're a good officer. Don't make me regret it when we're this close to the finish line."

"Yes, Kaeen," Ynta mumbled.

Reko impishly shot a grin at Sal, then moved to slide his arm around Ynta's waist. "Come. We'll find a place on the far side of the table." As he steered her away from Sal, he glanced over at Dom. "Nice to see you again, sire."

"Nice to be seen, Reko. Viraenova looks good on you. So does your mate."

And that broke the tension. The room once again turned to talk of strategies, placement, and obstacles to overcome. The allied army now consisted of nearly ten thousand soldiers, but there would be just as many inside Terric City, possibly more. The allies, however, still had the advantage. After all, they had abilities humans couldn't stop.

The discussion turned into a lot of pointing because no one could remember anyone else's name. But it worked.

Humans, iliri, nuvani, and grauori all argued until the early hours of the morning. For every idea that was thrown out, someone else found a problem with it. That happened over and over until the four rulers in the room finally decided on the only clear course of action, but it wouldn't be easy. Terric had too much time to dig in and prepare. They were at home, with the weapons they knew best. But a week of being locked away from any resupply would also be taking its toll.

While a case was made for a long siege, Sal knew that would work against the allies as much as the enemy. Every day, hunters would have to travel further and further to feed the army. Even if she didn't care about destroying the Terran landscape, the manpower required to feed this many people - of this many species - would make it problematic.

So she suggested a hard and fast strike. No limits on the inhuman abilities, pointed to reduce the loss of life on both sides, and aimed right at the Emperor and his entire hierarchy. Then, only after everyone else agreed, did she drop her final secret on the table.

"Narnx is the cornerstone of making this work."

"The Emperor's son?" Kesh asked.

Sal slowly nodded. "Three quarters iliri, raised as a servant to the Emperor's wife..." She looked at each of the CFC soldiers in the room. "And he's been my spy since I was captured in Syhar. Narnx saved my life, and he tried to save Blaec's. He helped Kolt get me out, so I linked him. That's how I've been tracking the Empire's movements, and how I know what they're planning."

Rais looked over at Tharp. "You, oddly, don't seem surprised."

"He told me when he ordered our unit of Black Widows to the south. Said it was Sal's idea to get Star Fall back on the right side of this fight, so we wouldn't get locked inside Terric City." He paused to clear his throat. "I should mention that his first officer, a man named Marin, is also on our side. It would be a shame for him to be caught in the crossfire."

Sal waved that away. "The Blades know Marin, and we'll be handling the Palace assault. I need Star Fall to stop their defenses. Of all the people in this room, you are the ones who know and understand Terran strategy."

"You fuck us," Pig warned, "and I'll let the mutts eat you. I'm not kidding, Tharp. Don't care if you hate iliri, Anglia, grauori, or whatever else has crawled up your ass. This is a tactical decision, and I'd rather your entire unit dies fast before you can kill dozens of ours."

"I'm not a traitor, Pig," Tharp snapped.

Pig lifted a brow. "Remind me again how you tried to kill the Kaisae in a public military bathhouse? Yeah. If you think Blaec's death made that shit go away? I've got news for you. I hold grudges just as bad as he ever did."

"I don't," Sal said, stopping them. "However, I will kill you, Tharp. I will tell your body to stop working so you drop in your tracks." She looked over. "And if that doesn't work, I'll let Shaden cook you for the Blades' victory dinner. Do you understand me, Captain?"

"Yes, sir," he assured her.

So Sal pointed at the map. "Grauori will handle the southwest side. Iliri will take the walls." She looked over at Tseri. "I'm including the nuvani in that. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Tseri assured her. "It's actually nice to be considered a part of the species again."

Sal smiled in understanding. "Definitely. Now, if we can get our men rested up tonight, I'd like to hit the city tomorrow."

"That's not enough time," Kinetry told her. "Some of those iliri marched for weeks. They're footsore and too wound up to sleep well."

Sal smiled. "Tomorrow night. We're doing this in the dark. It's spring, and the skies are clear. How long do you think it's going to be before the rains start?"

From the back side of the room, Ylexa lifted a finger. "Weather's expected to turn in three days. Heavy rains in this area, which will make the walls unclimbable."

Tharp groaned. "Don't tell me you freaks can think up the weather too?"

"Actually..." Tseri said, "weather manipulation is a very rare skill. Weather prophecy is easier. A very limited type of prophet."

Kesh chuckled at the man. "Starting to see a pattern yet, Tharp? Know what the best part is? Sal's professors say they got the ability from us. That's why the iliri skills are so much stronger and varied than the grauori. Human mutations. Kinda like the ultimate proof that we work better together than we do apart. I suggest you figure this out, because I have a feeling that neither of our new allied species are going away."

"Ree ahr na," Rragri said, gesturing for someone to translate that for her.

"She says we aren't," Sal told Tharp. "Now, if you'd prefer to turn around and ride back to the CFC, you're more than welcome - "

"But," Captain Nashwa of the 43rd Mounted interrupted, "I will make sure that it's part of my detailed report. We, sir, are here to stop the enemy forces. That's all. Not to make friends, and not to defect, but to win."

Tharp just lifted his hands in defeat. "My men agree. In truth, I suggested that we keep going over that pass in Cenla Xie and head back to Prin, but my unit said we're going to finish this. So here I am, ready to finish this."

Changing the subject, Sal leaned over the map and tapped the Emperor's Palace. "This is the goal. I want all units to clear the streets, detain civilians if you must, destroy all Terran guards, police, and military, then push to here. Hopefully, you won't make it."

"Care to tell us why?" Rais asked.

Sal lifted a finger and reached out with her mind. Narnx? Are you someplace where you can be completely distracted?

His response sounded amused. It's after midnight, Sal. I'm in bed, and you just ruined a very good dream about a very amazing iliri woman. Yes, I'm free to talk. Why?

Because I'm in a strategy meeting with the entire allied army. The assault is planned for tomorrow night. Willing to talk to them all?

Fuck, he replied. Yes. I need pants.

You really don't, Sal assured him.

I'm more comfortable talking to a bunch of strangers when I have on... he paused, his attention distracted for a long moment. When he returned, he picked up right where he'd left off. Pants. You can link me in now.

"I apologize to those units who do not have a link," she said, then opened up her connection to everyone in the room who did. This is Narnx, my friend and brother, but also the Emperor's son.

Terran Major Narnx Zaryn, he introduced himself. Commanding officer of the Black Widow Company, second son of Makiel Geirr, only one of his line, and loyal supporter of the Kaisae of all Anglia. How can I help?

Narnx, Sal said, tomorrow night, Anglia will push the walls of Terric City. The Blades will push to the Palace. What is your status in the line of succession?

Judoc is unfit, he explained. While I'm not legally recognized as the Emperor's heir, it has become one of those unspoken things. The soldiers know he's my sire - since you revealed it so eloquently to the entire camp - and I've made sure to 'prove' my loyalty to my country. I can't guarantee that my place is secure, but I believe it to be.

Good. Then I will need you to stop me from reaching the Emperor yourself. I'd prefer it if you do not kill me.

I have no intention of that, Kaisae.

Good, Sal told him. Once the allied forces hit the walls, I will need you to keep this link updated on any significant threats to Anglian and allied forces. I don't care if you think it's minor. You're in a position to hear it, so I need you to pass it on to all of us. There are some unlinked humans working with us, CFC soldiers, but they will be paired with groups that have full communication.

I understand, Narnx promised. You should know that Makiel's suite is on the third floor of the tower that faces the river. The moment Anglia breaches the city, he will pull back to there, along with his wife, Judoc, and a small group of Palace guards.

What's their efficacy? Sal asked.

Narnx chuckled, and made sure everyone in the link could feel it. They dress pretty? In all honesty, they are regular soldiers, some near retirement. Not much of a threat, but they could be a problem if they aren't expected. Should I assume this will start at sundown?

Later, Sal assured him. Think deep in the middle of the night.

Well, the walls are manned, and there are lookouts, so expect the city to see you coming. You have two options. Hit us hard and fast, or play the game. I personally suggest the latter, because it will make the Terrans assume you're preparing for a siege. I can't guarantee that, though.

Understood, Sal said. Does anyone have questions for him?

I do, Tseri said. Sir, what is the likelihood of poisons or other drugged weapons?

High, Narnx told her. And by the feel of your mind, I am sure you are not simply a unit commander.

I am the Kaeen of Viraenova, she told him.

Well met, Kaeen, Narnx said. But as for the weapons, Terric learned that certain chemicals can be fatal to iliri, or at least a sedative. There's not enough of it for everyone to use, but we do know that it knocks out iliri skills. I suggest your men be very careful, keep your distance, and kill if you are unsure.

Kill your own men? Tseri asked.

Marin is my pack, Narnx replied. He will not use such things, and he will be with me. The rest of these people? They think that calling me a beast is just fine. They assume that since I'm fighting beside them, I agree with them. Let me make this very clear. I do not. The only reason I am still in the Terran army is because my Kaisae, a woman who I respect enough to give my life to protect, has asked me to take this risk. It seems I'm the only person suited to the task.

He'll do, Tseri said. Let the man get some sleep, Sal. I think we have our plan.

Rest well, Narnx, she told him before releasing the link and switching to her voice. "So I think we have our plan. Narnx has given us a few more things to be careful of, but they're expecting us to fight like the CFC. I want to fight like iliri. Each unit will be set a goal, a path to clear so we aren't caught in a trap. Once the call is made, we will move, and keep moving, until this fucking war is over."

"Yes, sir!" the officers agreed.

Sal smiled and leaned over the table, easing her back. "Tonight, I don't care who is where or what they do. My hope is that in a little over one day, we will be victorious and heading back to our homes. Let them all celebrate and reminisce tonight. Just make sure they sleep enough to be ready by midnight. We'll start the assault after that, unless plans need to change."

"Yes, sir," the soldiers said again.

Then Tseri looked across the table. "Kesh? If I could speak with you a moment?"

"Yes, Kaeen," he agreed.

Beside Sal, Ran chuckled, but he turned her toward the exit, gesturing for Dom to join them. "Sire, I believe both you and Sal may need directions to your camp."

"Sounds like we do," Dom agreed. "Just tell me Rayna's there? Not running around reuniting with a million of her friends?"

"She's there," Ran assured him, "along with a million of her friends. I believe it's called showing off."

Together, they stepped through the ivory-colored canvas flap to find a group of soldiers milling around outside. Quite a few of them were faces Sal recognized, including both Brisa and Tyr.

"Sir?" Brisa asked.

"I assume you mean me?" Sal said.

She nodded. "You or the King, sirs." She glanced back at Tyr as if looking for support, then took a deep breath. "I would like to request permission to work with the 1st Anglian iliri for the assault. Tyr said that they're down a soldier, and I believe I can do this."

Sal looked over at Dom. "Do you have a problem with that?"

He shook his head. "Nah. I think she's qualified, has more experience on a horse than most of these men, and is completely trustworthy. If they'll have her, then I see no problem with it."

Sal flicked her eyes to Tyr, but told Brisa, "Talk to Kinetry. Tell him we both approve, so it's up to him and your former unit leader."

"Thank you, sirs," she said, turning to hurry away.

Dom just patted Sal's shoulder. "And I think you need to deal with the rest of this on your own. Ran, would you please show me the shortest path to get out of Sal's mess?"

"This way," Ran said, looking back to give Sal an encouraging smile.

Then she was alone, standing under the Terran stars with Tyr, and without any idea of what she was supposed to say. Thankfully, he didn't have that problem. Clearing his throat, he stepped closer. Too close to be polite, and when he spoke, his words were too soft to carry.

"So, how does an iliri man ask if he's allowed to spend the night with a woman and her mates?"

Sal's breath hung in her lungs as she tried to replay those words, making sure she heard them right. "I don't actually know," she admitted, "but I think a human would just ask."

"Sal?" Tyr asked, reaching up to trail his fingers under her ear. "Can I walk you back to your tent, and maybe stay a little too long?"

"With all of us?"

He nodded. "We fight tomorrow. For all I know, this could be my last chance, and..." He huffed, the sound meant to mimic a laugh. "I'm nervous, and I feel so far out of my depth, but if I die, I want to do it without any regrets."

Sal pressed her hand over his heart and leaned closer. "Do you really want to spend the night with us, Tyr?"

He pressed his hand over hers, the beating of his heart thrumming under her palm. "Yeah. More than you know."

Then he leaned just a little more, until his lips touched hers. Sal kissed him, hearing the others leaving the strategy pavilion behind them, but she didn't care. Let them look. The only thing that mattered to Sal was that he'd asked. Finally, he'd let her in, and she was not about to miss this chance.

But when he pulled away, a feminine giggle made both of them look over. Walking away, Tseri had her arm around a man's waist, clearly planning the exact same thing Sal was.

"Is that..." Tyr asked.

"Kesh," Sal clarified. "Yeah, I think that's going to happen. Sounds like he plans to be the CFC ambassador to Viraenova."

Tyr turned Sal toward the camp and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. That put his lips right beside her sensitive ears. "Devil Dog ambassador to the Kaisae," Tyr suggested.

"Kernor," Sal offered instead.

"Nah," Tyr said. "How about iliri-human relations officer?"

Sal tried to turn, but his arms stopped her, so she reached back to poke him in the gut. "I think you should just take the title."

"Baby, I can't, and you know it. I'm not a Blade."

"Blaz isn't either."

Tyr scoffed. "Blaz will be. He's all but a Blade, and he's even being worked into Arctic's combat plans. I fight with the Dogs."

"And in a few days, there won't be any more fighting," she insisted.

"I'll still be a Dog, not a Blade."

Sal huffed out a heavy breath. "Yeah, and until you're in black, you're going to keep saying no, huh?"

His voice at her ear was a soft, deep rumble. "Only because I love you enough to never make you choose. Now quit, because I'm already nervous about telling your guys I want to spend the night."

Sal just grinned and reached out with her mind, deciding she'd take care of that problem for him. After all, she didn't need to give him any more reasons to stay away, and certainly none to run from this. She wanted him to run to it.

Chapter Seventy-Four

Southern Terric

The Black Blades' camp was pressed in between the Devil Dogs and Dark Heart. Sal wasn't surprised at all to see that her tent was right beside a grey one. Tyr's, if she had to guess. On the opposite side of the dying campfire, Risk's was placed the same way, beside one from Dark Heart. Perin's, most likely. It seemed that someone had figured out a way to accommodate the family members from outside the pack.

But Sal didn't mention it. Tyr had already made a huge effort, and she wasn't going to push. She'd simply appreciate that he had. Yet, when they walked into the camp, it was a little too quiet. A soft moaning could be heard from the Dark Heart side, but it was feminine, so Sal's ear flicked toward it, and she smiled. That was Geo's tent, and Baeli had been staying with him.

Clearly, all the Blades were making the most of their night off. Hopefully hers would end up just as good. With her fingers linked in Tyr's, Sal headed for her own home, and stepped through the flap to find the guys finishing up the living space. Tyr came through after her, then froze, realizing they weren't alone.

"Hey," he said.

"Tie the flap?" Zep asked.

Tyr turned to do that, looking oddly shy. Sal had never seen him so nervous before, but she couldn't figure out how to fix it. Thankfully, the guys understood.

"You crashing here tonight?" Gage asked.

"Um," Tyr mumbled toward the side of the tent, "I thought that maybe..."

"Good," Gage said as he walked toward Sal.

Clasping both of her biceps, he walked her back, step by step until she was right before Tyr. Surprised, he caught her hips before she could crash into him, but Gage pressed just a little more until her back leaned against Tyr's chest. Then Gage moved both hands to her waist, taking his time about unbuckling her weapons belt.

"Only rule in our tent is that there are no boots on the bed. Nothing worse than dirt on the blankets," Gage said, but he was simultaneously thinking to Sal. Do not forget to link him in. He's not cessivi.

Promise.

Once her belt was free, Gage stepped back. "Foot?" he said.

Sal lifted one, which pushed her further back against Tyr. On impulse, she lifted an arm to hook it around his neck for balance, but her position let her see the rest of the guys. While Gage pulled off first one boot, then the other, she watched Zep move a crate beside the mattress and lean against it. Kolt grabbed a second, matching his pose. Blaz was on the far side of the bed, pulling off his shirt. Jase was digging in one of the saddle packs for something. While they looked busy, the guys were trading glances that proved thoughts went with them. In other words, they were planning something.

Then Gage straightened and began pulling her shirt free from her pants. Behind her, Tyr didn't move. He didn't say a thing. He just held her, his hands light on her hips and his heart pounding against her back like an animal trying to escape its cage. The moment her shirt was free from her pants, Gage turned her around, making her face Tyr.

His belt, Gage told her. Then his shirt. Trust me, he's going to forget all about being nervous in just a second.

Sal reached for Tyr's pants, and the man simply watched. His dark brown eyes were locked on her face, and he was breathing just a bit too hard, but he didn't stop her. The moment the button was open, she began pulling at his shirt while Gage reached around her to open her pants. What he didn't do was slide them lower. Instead, when Sal pushed Tyr's shirt higher, Gage lifted hers so they both had to duck out of the fabric at the same time - and the whole room was watching.

Sal could feel it, but Tyr couldn't. Not the same way, with the rush of excitement and pounding need of desire coming from so many men. Oblivious to the others, Tyr's eyes slid down her chest, paused at her open pants, then back up. From behind her, Gage's hands caressed her ribs and kept moving higher until they cupped her breasts, lifting them up as an offering.

"Fuck," Tyr groaned, like his trance was finally broken.

He stepped forward, pushing her into Gage, but his hand caught her jaw, lifting her face. His mouth followed. The kiss was deep and slow. He sucked at her tongue and sampled her mouth as if he owned it. In that one step, it felt like all of Tyr's hesitation had vanished, and from the hardness pressing into her belly, it seemed he was just fine with being on display.

Sal moaned, relaxing between the two of them. Gage's hands teased her breasts, moving so achingly close to her nipples, but never quite touching them. Tyr focused on her mouth, but she felt him shift, moving somehow, and then she heard Jase come closer.

The sound of a boot hitting the floor made it clear what was going on. Behind Tyr's mass, she couldn't see much, but Jase was amused and Tyr's boots were gone. Another pair of hands brushed the skin of her back as yet another man reached for Gage. For his belt. Tyr just kissed her harder, preventing her from worrying about what was happening behind her, so she reached for his mind, opening the link for all of her mates.

One by one, they slipped in, deepening her awareness. Jase was first, then Tyr and Gage, but Zep, Kolt, and Blaz weren't far behind. And now Sal knew exactly what was going on. Kolt was removing Gage's belt. Jase his boots, and Gage's hands moved down to her pants, pushing them lower. Kneeling beside her, Jase slipped them down to her ankles, then off, making sure she had no excuse to leave the middle of her men. Then he kissed the outside of her thigh.

"Bed," Gage suggested, nudging her toward Tyr.

"Oh yeah," Tyr agreed, aiming her that way.

It took three steps to reach the mattress, then he sat, tugging her down on top of him. Sal landed halfway across his chest, but her hands were working on his pants. She needed fewer clothes between them. Tyr didn't care. He just wanted her mouth. Sitting up, he caught her face again and kissed her, over and over, as if he couldn't think of anything better. When she pushed his pants over his hips, he lifted, helping in his own way, then she felt Blaz move to pull them from his legs.

The moment Tyr was naked, the others began shedding their clothes. Sal didn't get to watch. She had to make sure that this mate didn't leave. Determined to prove he belonged with them, she tossed a leg across Tyr's body and straddled his hips. He was only halfway up the bed, but neither of them cared. Not at all. She was so close to that hard shaft, the movements of their kisses encouraging her to shift just a bit closer, and then his hands dropped down to her ribs.

"You," he whispered against her lips, "are amazing."

Then he lifted her just enough to find the right angle, but Sal was the one who lowered herself onto him. Leaning her head back, she felt her body stretch, accepting him, taking all of him, arching her back as she did so. Tyr's mouth claimed her breast, his tongue flicking over the nipple, and his hand on the other one - but he didn't thrust. He waited, feeling the others in his mind, knowing they were all moving closer.

It was Gage who claimed the spot behind her, his dick sliding through the crease of her ass to prove his intention. In the time she'd climbed onto Tyr, Gage had lubricated himself, and she knew exactly what that meant. Sal reached an arm behind her, grabbing his shoulder to pull him closer, giving silent approval. The feeling in her mind made it clear exactly what she wanted. And Blaz walked across the mattress to stand beside her, his dick in his hand, slowly stroking it.

Closer, she thought.

Blaz took the last step to her side, but Gage also obeyed. Slowly, he pressed into her, taking his time about it. Tyr's seduction was working, distracting her from the nearly-painful stretching of her ass. Blaz would work even better. Reaching up, she grabbed just behind his hand, right at the base of his dick, and leaned to fit it in her mouth.

Tyr groaned at the shift of her body, and Gage slipped in. Sal sucked in a breath, the air rushing across Blaz's dick. Three men in her bed. Three more watching, and she felt like this mattered. Like something in the air was just a little too heavy, although her men didn't give her the chance to figure out what. Kneeling across Tyr's legs, Gage began to rock, easing himself in deep, then out slowly. Tyr picked up the rhythm, both men thrusting into her body. Sometimes together, sometimes alternating. It was so intense that she couldn't focus on Blaz.

So he took over. A fist in the back of Sal's hair tilted her face just the right way, and the shy, quiet horseman pumped himself deep into her mouth. All Sal had to do was take them. Accept them. Her job wasn't to please them. It was to be there so they could please themselves. She took, they gave, and she fed it right back. Four bodies moving, together, tying their bonds just a little tighter.

This was the net that Blaec had talked about. This love. This sharing. One man worked with another to become even more than the two could be apart. For just a moment, she didn't need to worry about getting anything right, deciding what happened next, or making sure that everyone was happy. This time, she was being pleased.

Tyr's body flexed as he heaved into her, but his mouth and hand still teased her nipples. Gage reached around her waist for her clit, the heaving of her body rubbing her against his hand. And Blaz just held her eyes. His were dark, the pupil flared with desire, and she felt like she could fall into them. That was her tether, the line she could always follow back. His darkness called to hers, just like Jase's feral nature did.

But she felt so much more. It wasn't just the pleasure of their bodies, but also their love. These men cared about her. They were giving her everything they could. Each touch on her body was a promise that made her moan. Every thrust was proof he would try. She could feel it. The emotions swirled through her, not yet harmonious, but they still worked together. Tyr felt like he needed to show he was worthy. Blaz needed her to know that he would make this work. Gage just wanted to do everything to satisfy her. Her mind, her heart, and definitely her body.

And it was working. She moaned, the sound muffled against Blaz's shaft. Her body bucked and trembled with desire. She was close - so close. Her lids wanted to slip shut, but the heavier they got, the harder Blaz stared. He wanted to see her orgasm, watch her take their pleasure, and he was struggling to hold off.

All of them were, trying to make this last just a little longer. Doing their best to work together. Three men who barely knew each other, but they all knew her. They knew exactly what she wanted, and Sal was doing nothing to hide it. Tyr bit, his teeth grazing her nipple just a little too hard, but that was a start. Blaz thrust harder, fucking her face as if it were some kind of punishment. Behind her, Gage slammed himself into her, the sound of his skin slapping her ass nearly as loud as their moans and grunts.

Then he leaned in, not caring how close Blaz was, and sank his teeth into the side of her neck with a single thought. Mine.

Her body clenched in excitement, and Tyr drove himself into her. Harder. Faster. She needed more. Needed all of them. These men were hers, but she was theirs, and Gage's word sent a thrill through her that was inexplicable.

Mine, Blaz told her, his fist pulling at her hair.

Sal's hand grabbed his hip, bracing herself, because her body couldn't take any more. Both Gage and Tyr heaved into her at the same time, filling her completely, and she lost control. Sal gasped, barely remembering that she couldn't tense her jaw, and then it hit. Her body shuddered, her climax dragging all three of these men along with her. Beneath her, Tyr cursed as he tensed. Gage pressed his chest against her back, his mouth on her skin to muffle his cries, and Blaz just closed his eyes and spilled himself between those sharp teeth he should've feared.

Then he withdrew, panting hard. It took longer for Gage to recover, but he kissed her spine before sliding out of her body. That left only Tyr, who pulled her down against his chest.

"Mine too," he whispered, and then kissed her.

Blaz couldn't help himself. "Eww," he teased.

"Fuck off," Tyr said.

But Jase didn't give Tyr the chance for more. Walking onto the mattress, he crooked a finger at Sal. She pulled herself away from Tyr, sliding off him only to crawl one pace away. Jase knelt before her, catching the side of her face to kiss her hard. His teeth trapped her lip, she pulled at it, and he pushed closer, giving up her lip just to thrust his tongue between her teeth. The whole time, he was shifting her, leaning her back, and then down to the bed.

Lying face to face, with Jase between her and Tyr, Sal hooked a leg over her Ahnor's hip. Then, a hand slid around her waist, in the small gap between her body and Jase's. Zep used it to pull himself closer, his mouth finding her shoulder, the back of her neck, and all the way up to the thin skin of her ears. There, he bit - too lightly. Sal leaned her head back into the pressure of his teeth, baring her throat to Jase. He took the offer, biting down the silver lines of her tattoo, each one piercing the skin, leaving small burns of the best pain in its wake.

"Are ya sore?" Jase asked, his voice little more than a breath.

She shook her head slightly. "No."

As if that was his cue, Zep pulled Sal over and onto his chest so she was lying on her back on top of him. His hands caressed her sides, moving from her ribs, down to her hips, and then slowly making his way back up. Sal wanted to kiss him, to feel and touch him, but he wouldn't let her turn.

"Lift." Gage had a pillow in his hands, and his words were for Zep.

Leaning up, he made room, and Gage shoved not just one, but two pillows under Zep's shoulders just as Jase crawled on top of Sal. Not between her legs, but so he was straddling her waist - and Zep's beneath her - before bending down to kiss her yet again. Just when she was about to ask what came next, she heard Zep suck in a breath, a hip brushed the inside of her thigh proving Kolt was there, and then a hand moved between her and Zep.

"Shit," Zep breathed. "Kolt!"

"Lube," Kolt told him. "Now, you're ready." He angled Zep at the opening of her ass.

Her Dernor didn't need to think about it this time. He just pushed, and her body was ready. Sal closed her eyes, leaning back against Zep's chest, and sighed. She could feel the size difference. One wasn't better than the other, but they were different. They were also hers, and she wanted to finally have all of them. All six of them, one way or another.

"Lube?" Jase asked.

Sal opened her eyes to see Kolt pass over a bottle, but Jase didn't pour it into his hand. No, he aimed right for her breasts, making a small pool in the valley over her sternum before closing the lid and tossing the bottle onto the mattress. While Zep slowly - almost tortuously so - began to move inside her, Jase massaged the oil across her breasts, playing with her nipples while Kolt moved just a little closer. Then she felt him move behind her, kneeling between both her and Zep's open legs as he lined himself up and slid into her willing body.

And the sensation passed through the link, making Jase growl softly. "Ya like that," he said, leaning down to kiss her again.

Sal shoved her fingers into the hair at the back of his head, pulling him closer, and she felt his hardness slide across her chest. That brought forth a muffled grunt from Zep. His hands followed, moving beneath Sal's arms to find her breasts and push them together, pressing her around Jase's dick. The intention was clear.

Then Kolt began to move. Slowly, he pumped into her, rocking her body onto Zep, the Dernor's hands and arms the only thing holding her in place. Jase moved, thrusting against her slick skin. Zep still pressing her breasts together, planted both feet on the mattress and lifted his hips, driving himself deeper into her ass.

But what started slowly didn't stay that way. While Gage, Blaz, and Tyr watched, she pulled Jase's head to the side and bit. Her teeth sank into his right shoulder, marking her claim because that was as high as she could reach. It made him buck, thrusting hard between her breasts. Zep's fingers tormented her nipples, flicking across them while his palms held her breasts together, as Kolt drove himself into her.

Over and over, he rocked his hips, driving her already stimulated body higher. She bit Jase again, because he was the only thing she could reach. It felt good. So many hands, and all of them on her body. When she reached for Jase with the other hand, he caught it, slid his fingers between hers, and pushed her wrist onto the pillows beside Zep's shoulder, but he didn't stop pumping, driving himself in time with Kolt - yet he needed more.

When she bit him the third time, Jase leaned past her for Zep. That was where he wanted his teeth, in Zep's right shoulder. The one reserved for his brothers. The one to show he belonged. But Kolt wouldn't be left out. Thrusting, pumping, and driving them all, he grabbed at Jase for leverage. Still bucking, his other hand found Sal's waist, his thumb sliding across her scar to prove he was there, but she couldn't hold on.

Too many hands were on her. Too many men were moving. It felt so good, and these three knew just what she liked. They'd perfected it, and while she knew they were showing off, she didn't care. It just felt so good. She had to bite again, but she wanted Kolt. She wanted to put her teeth into Zep. Instead, she bit the only thing she could: Jase.

And Kolt leaned forward, claiming the Ahnor's other shoulder. Jase roared. His fingers tightened against hers, and he gave up on waiting, fucking her breasts hard, almost desperately. Zep matching him, pumping into her ass, not caring about Kolt's rhythm. But it felt even better. She felt all three of them on their own, and all of them together.

"Ayati," Sal breathed. "Yes!"

And she felt her body spasm with her climax just as Jase lost control. Ropes of cum spilled, landing across her collarbones, and all of their teeth found flesh. Zep on her neck. Hers on Jase's. Jase on Zep's skin. Kolt on Jase's shoulder. This was their connection, their acceptance, and their love all tangled together in one purely magnificent climax.

When the waves of pleasure subsided, Sal finally pulled her teeth free of Jase's skin. One by one, the guys pulled away, but they refused to go far. Kolt rocked back onto his ass, sitting at the foot of the bed. Jase flopped over, landing on his side on the mattress. Zep just turned so she was next to Jase and tilted his hips to free himself from her body.

She was spent, satisfied, and completely exhausted. The problem was that she couldn't just sleep. Not like this. Yet before she could sit up, a damp cloth was pressed against her arm and moving to her chest. Sal lifted her lids, expecting to see Gage.

Instead, it was Tyr. "Is it always like this with you five?" he asked.

She was exhausted, but managed to shake her head. "No, but it should be."

"Yeah," he agreed. "It really should." Then he leaned closer and kissed her. "I think that was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"Does that mean you'll come back?"

He wiped the last bit of Jase from her throat and passed the cloth behind him to Zep. "Yeah. I mean, if we live through tomorrow, I kinda wanna know what those teeth feel like, because in your mind, it's fucking hot as hell."

"Mhm," she agreed, turning to snuggle with him. Jase moved behind her, and Tyr didn't pull away when the Ahnor's arm snuck between them. "But this," she said, "is my favorite part."

"Yeah," Tyr agreed. "I kinda like cuddling too."

Chapter Seventy-Five

Southern Terric

Sal woke to the smell of human sugar and a hand sliding gently through her hair, pushing it away from her face. Sucking in a breath, she opened her eyes to find Tyr smiling down at her, but they weren't alone. Gage had somehow claimed Jase's spot behind her, and she could hear Blaz snoring softly on the other side.

Jase, Zep, and Kolt were gone, though. Pausing to check her link with them, she knew that both Jase and Zep were right outside, most likely begging Roo to cook them something. Kolt was close but not with them. She couldn't tell exactly where, but he felt calm and relaxed about whatever he was doing.

"Morning," Tyr whispered.

Sal blinked her eyes back to him, realizing that she'd zoned out for a moment while she checked on her mates. "Hey," she breathed.

The arm around her waist tightened as Gage hugged up against her back. "How do you feel?" he whispered.

She rolled onto her back and stretched. Her body had been well used - and by all six of them - last night, but she was fine. A little ache proved that she wasn't used to that much anal, but it was little more than a hint to remind her that it had happened. She barely thought it before Gage was chuckling, clearly understanding what he felt through the link.

"She's sore," he told Tyr, "but not bad, and she's not going to admit it. In fact..." Gage paused as he leaned over to see her face. "I do believe you like it."

Sal waved that away. "The ass stuff has never been my favorite. On its own?" She shook her head. "But with both?"

"Double penetration?" Tyr asked. "That's what it's called Sal."

"Yeah," she muttered. "That. It's kinda like icing on a cake, and all of you in the room together makes everything more intense."

"That," Gage told her, "is the point. C'mon, we even got Tyr to stay all night."

So she turned her head to see the one man who kept resisting her. "Does that mean it's going to happen again?"

He shrugged, but then sat up. "Probably. I'm not going to say I didn't have fun, and damn if the iliri orgy stuff isn't intense, but you know I can't just move in."

Gage grunted, proving he disagreed. "Perin has."

"Yeah," Tyr said as he pushed to his feet, "I'm not Perin. The Kaisae's mates are supposed to guard her, right? Well, if I'm fighting with the Dogs, how am I going to do that? She's supposed to be their first and only concern, right? Well - "

Gage cut him off. "Not only. We help manage the pack, however big that pack is. There's only so much space around her to work as a guard. I think it makes more sense for half of us to focus on the less glamorous tasks. Like coordinating other units."

Tyr grabbed his pants while Gage talked and was pulling them on, but also listening. "Look, I still can't leave the Dogs. I just can't, ok? And so long as I'm not wearing black, then I just feel like I'd be more of a problem than a help, but I'll think about it. Probably won't be fast, and my answer probably won't be one you'll like, but I'll think about it, ok, Gage?"

Sal looked over at her Cinnor. "It's all we can ask."

Gage sighed heavily. "Ok, Tyr, but I'm not going to stop trying to change your mind."

"Deal," Tyr said while he shoved his feet into his boots. "There a grey shirt on that side of the bed?"

Sal pointed to the door. "I took it off you over there."

While Tyr followed her finger, Sal got up. Gage groaned, but rolled toward the empty side of the bed. Blaz, however, had stopped snoring at some point, and had been listening.

"It's intimidating," he said, his voice still rough from sleep. "Being the human mate? It's weird, guys. I feel like a fraud, like I don't belong or I'm the pity fuck. Tyr might feel the same."

"Not a pity fuck," Tyr shot back.

"But a fraud?" Blaz asked.

Tyr just grabbed his shirt and walked out without pulling it on. That said more than he knew. Still, Sal needed to get up and get dressed. She moved toward the crate with her things and started rummaging. Gage headed for the other one. While Sal pulled on her shirt, Gage found a uniform and made his way back to the bed.

"It's time," he told Blaz, passing it over.

Blaz took the folded clothes and nodded. "I agree."

Sal felt pride and anxiety, but she wasn't sure why. Then Blaz stood and pushed his leg into the pants. The black pants, which had a matching shirt beside him. More than that, the symbol on the chest was a pair of crossed swords, exactly like the one Sal was wearing. That was the uniform of a Black Blade, and damn if it didn't look good on Blaz.

"You made a decision?" Sal asked.

"A while ago," Blaz assured her. "Talked to Rais after the first week of riding. Just needed some time to wrap my mind around this. I mean, like I said, I felt like a fraud, and I kept waiting to hear that this wouldn't work, but we've been together over a month, Sal. All of us, and it's working, plus Rais is right, I do feel like I belong here, even if I think no one outside the Blades will believe it. So, yeah. I made my decision."

She quickly closed her pants and hurried over to wrap her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she breathed, stretching so she could press her face against his neck.

His arms wrapped around her back to hold her close. "Arctic said I made the vote, so long as you agree. And once you do, that makes me a Blade, which is the same as the family of iliri, right?"

Gage chuckled. "You've been that for a while, I think."

"But I agree. I definitely vote yes," Sal assured him.

So Blaz eased her back. "Then, Kaisae..." He blew out a heavy breath. "I would like to renounce my citizenship in the Conglomerate of Free Citizens, and swear my loyalty to my Kaisae, the country she represents, and the leaders who rule beside her. If you'll have me, I want to become Anglian."

"I'll have you," Sal breathed, catching both sides of his face to look into his brown eyes. "I'm in love with you, Blaz. It's not a whirlwind, but a slow simmer, the kind of love that feels like it can only grow. The kind that may not impress others, but will be just as strong when we are old and frail. The kind of love that's built on trust and understanding."

"The kind," Gage said, "that can withstand the test of time. Welcome to Anglia, brother."

Blaz nodded at them both, unable to find words, but his smile spoke volumes. A little piece of his worry began to fade, filling Sal with relief. Not hers, but his. Her Viernor had been braced for rejection, and instead got nothing back but love.

The three of them finished dressing quickly. Sal could hear others outside the tent, milling around the campfire. It wasn't early, but she'd planned for the day to start late, and yet it felt like everyone else had been unable to sleep in. That would only make this better.

When they were all ready, she left the tent first. Gage followed her, but Blaz was right on his heels. Most of the Blades sat by the fire, eating Roo's version of breakfast. Pig, Perin, and Rais were there, along with Ran, Dom, and Rayna. The campsite was full, yet no one noticed Blaz's uniform at first. He was just another man in black, entering a sea of it.

Until Baeli gasped and sat up, a huge smile taking over her face. "I'm not the newest anymore!" she said.

Heads turned, following where she was looking. One by one, they all realized what had just happened. Blaz was a Black Blade. There had been no ordeal, no official ceremony, and yet they were all smiling proudly.

"Black looks good on you," Rais said, "but I'm not calling you sir."

Blaz ducked his head to chuckle. "No, I don't think I could handle that."

Then Sal heard Jase whisper, "See. It will work."

"Yeah," Pig agreed, pushing himself to his feet. "And Sal, since you're here, I can finally give my present." He looked over to where Rhyx and Raast sat beside their sire. "Girls? I've been working on this for a while, but you two grow so fast, I kept having to start over. But..."

He let the sentence trail off as he walked away. Zep lifted a hand, silently telling everyone to have patience. Clearly, he and Jase knew what was going on, but from the confusion on everyone else's face, they were the only ones. Pausing beside Tyr's grey tent, Pig grabbed a crate and carried it back. From the strain in his arms, it was heavy.

"Neither of you are old enough to fight, but we're going to need healers tonight," he said. "Strong ones. Rhyx? I expect you to stay with your sister no matter how boring you think it is. Raast? You may be asked to go into places that no pup your age should have to deal with. I know you both think you're nearly grown, but you aren't. So..." He opened the top and pulled out a set of black leather, composite, and ringmail gear. "Your amma has agreed that if you're properly armored, then you can help."

"Armor?" Rhyx asked, lifting herself to her hind legs. "For us?"

"For both of you," Pig told her. "The Devil Dogs have been designing this for a while, asking Nya and her sisters what will get in your way, and what areas need the most protection. We reshaped pieces of old armor, painted, stained, and dyed it all black to make it clear where you belong. So..." He offered the first piece. "Will you try it on?"

Rhyx walked over to him like an iliri. Raast followed on all four legs, but both girls looked stunned and a little nervous, yet their open mouths and lolling tongues proved this was an amazing gift. Pig placed the first piece in Rhyx's hands, and then pulled out the other, offering it to Raast.

"I put a pouch along the belly for you to carry any tools you might need. I dunno, like maerte, or whatever else helps you heal," Pig explained.

Rhyx was hugging her armor like she didn't want to let it go. "Thank you, Gara."

Pig's eyes jumped to Roo, proving he'd never heard the word before.

"Uncle," Ghost told him. "Well, it actually means an unassociated male that has shown care to a child, but you humans tend to call people in that position an uncle, even if they aren't related."

"Gara," Pig said, nodding. "I like it."

"Thank you," Raast told him, standing up just to hug his waist.

Pig rubbed the back of her neck. "I told the Dogs to respond if either of you call for help. To drop everything else and get to you. So try to be careful and not put us in a position to weaken the assault, ok?"

Sal pressed a hand over her lips, knowing what Pig had just done. He'd made it clear the girls would be taken care of, but he'd also placed a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. If they were reckless, everything could fail because their friends valued them more than winning this fight. It meant they couldn't be foolish, and was more likely to keep them in line than anything else an adult could say.

Thank you, Roo told him. They want to help, but I'm not ready for this yet. They're barely over a year old!

They'll be fine, Hwa told her. The Kaisae has raised them well. They understand what loss feels like, and together, they could save many lives.

"We will," Rhyx insisted.

"Well," Risk said, "then that means there's only one thing we need to do today." He crooked his finger at Blaz. "Someone needs a tattoo."

Perin leaned back with a very devious grin. "Can I watch?"

"I'm getting jealous," Tilso teased.

Blaz just looked over at Sal. "Just tell me you're sure," he begged, "because the tattoo doesn't come off."

She nodded at him. "I'm sure, and iliri rarely change their minds."

"Fuck," Zep joked, "she hasn't gotten rid of me yet, so you're fine, Blaz. Welcome to the family."

"Should warn you, though," Pig said, "they're kinky."

Tyr huffed at that. "So's he, man. The guy kinda fits right in."

Chapter Seventy-Six

Outside Terric City

That night, when the sky turned dark, the grauori moved out. As twilight took over, the nuvani began to leave in small groups of no more than three units each. It was late when the Black Blades walked to their destination. They left the horses behind, along with their tents and all the gear. This was not a fight that could be done mounted.

Tilso had stayed behind with Roo to handle their things. A good selection of the slaves freed from Merriton offered to do the same for the rest of the fighters. Ran, had insisted on joining this battle, but the allied camp was still protected. There were enough people to drive the wagons if things went horribly wrong, and what other option was there? This was the fight that would decide all of their fates, and if the allied nations lost, none of them would need the supplies and horses left behind.

Eventually, the Blades stopped in sight of the gates, hidden in the dense trees surrounding the walls of Terric City. Sal didn't honestly believe there was much stealth in their approach. That wasn't the plan. She simply wanted to prevent the Terran forces from hitting any one group hard and weakening the assault. By moving to surround the city in smaller groups, it gave each one the opportunity to divert and assist if any retaliation happened before she was ready.

It didn't. Instead, the Blades found themselves waiting. An hour ticked past with Sal slowly growing more anxious. She knew her plan would work, but the fact that this was it, the final time she'd have to face the enemy, held an excitement she couldn't easily explain. The problem was that killing Makiel Geirr wouldn't be enough. Cutting the head off this snake wouldn't kill it. Another would simply grow to take its place.

No, she needed something bigger. A win that would prove Terric didn't stand a chance against either Anglia or the iliri and grauori species. Add to that a decided outcome which changed the balance of power, and then this might work. Might. The problem was that Zep didn't have any "feelings," and Blaec had been oddly silent the night before.

Neither Jarl nor Vanica could see past this night. The grauori prophets said the same. It wasn't that they couldn't find a good outcome. There simply wasn't anything. It was like reaching the edge of a tapestry, one of Rragri's best had explained. The weave was all tied off, leading to nothing else. The bitch said she could see them rushing the walls of Terric and even fighting inside, but she couldn't see the outcome.

Sal hoped it wasn't a prediction of their failure and extinction, yet she refused to believe the species would end this easily. Vanica was in Dorton, so she should have a future to see, even if it was a bad one, and yet... nothing. Until Sal had started asking, not a single prophet had realized that every prediction they'd made were all set to end tonight.

Sal's mates knew. Her pack did as well. Arctic insisted that it was simply one of those things they didn't understand. Kolt swore it was her strength, and that she was just ending the iliri version of ayati and creating a new one. Something that included them all. Jase said he didn't need a tomorrow, so long as she swore not to cut the links again.

Most of them said it didn't matter. They'd fought for their lives without proof they'd survive before, and they were willing to do it again. The only one who didn't give her a word of advice was Gage. While they waited for the rest of the military to reach the assigned spot, his grey eyes avoided hers, and while his heart felt calm, she knew better. The man was an expert at keeping his own secrets.

She moved to his side. "What aren't you saying?" she whispered.

He clasped the back of her neck and leaned in to kiss the side of her head. "I'm worried about Tyr."

"Why?" she asked.

He canted his head slightly, almost like he was dismissing his own worries. "Because it's what I do, Sal. The other four? Live or die, we'll do it with you, but Tyr?" He sighed. "That fool is so damned stubborn."

"It'll all work out when we make it home," she assured him.

"Will it?" Gage asked. "And what if we don't make it home, Sal? Blaec always said the pattern repeats. The stories say we will come again. And then listen to Jase. He has to die at your side - no matter when that happens. Why? Could it be that this link we have with you is what will tie us to you in the next life? And if Tyr takes too long, then what will happen to him?"

"Myths," Kolt said, moving closer to prove he was listening.

"Wait," Blaz said. "Iliri believe in reincarnation?"

"No," Gage tried to explain. "Well, not exactly. Maybe?"

It was Arctic who had the answer. "Yes." He pushed his way into the conversation, moving directly across from Sal to look at her mates. "The thought is that everything is recycled. Matter is neither created nor destroyed. Energy doesn't vanish, it simply changes. We are made of both, so in some way, we will live on. Scholars like Molis have found similarities in the most successful Kaisaes, almost like it's the same woman. Is that wishful thinking? Probably. Success often follows the same path. But, deep down in there - somewhere - is a hope that there's more, and with our prophets looking into the future, many iliri believe in another chance as much as they do in ayati."

"It is na that simple," Jase explained. "Reincarnation is the idea that I am me, and in my next life, I will be another blank version of me, yeh? But from what my amma taught me, it is more like a tree. It will die ta make paper. The paper will tell a story. It is still the tree, but na at all the same. And yet, without the tree's life, there could na be paper."

"I like that better," Gage said.

Jase just clasped the Cinnor's arm. "Be patient. Ya will see."

But patience was hard. Sal took her time to move among her brothers, speaking with them all, including Perin. He'd demanded that Dark Heart be allowed to join this offensive. When she'd tried to put him elsewhere, he pointed out that with Tilso staying back with the camp, Perin's mate would be unguarded. Now, the pair stood together, their hands subtly twined together at their side.

And Hax was beside them both. Still, Sal refused to let the man prevent her from what might be her last words with her brother. She walked over and clasped Risk's arm, earning a smile from the man and another from Perin.

Hax spoke up before she could say a thing. "Kaisae," he greeted her. "I just want you to know that I'm sorry. For your death, for the insanity in my mind, and for pushing you so hard that you had to refuse me."

"He's honestly better," Perin promised.

Sal lifted her chin at the man. "Are you?"

Hax nodded. "I just wanted to prove to you that I was worthy, and instead, I did the opposite."

But Sal smelled something on the air. Something coming from him. Pulling in a deep breath, she let her eyes close, trying to place it.

Hax chuckled. "Her name is Raernyc. She's not a Kaisae, but she is pure."

"The woman you saved from Escea," Risk clarified. "He's been asked to be her ahnor."

Which meant he really was over his need for her. If he'd truly been meant for her, either her refusal had broken that, or he'd just been too single-minded. She'd never know, but Sal found her tension easing as she realized what this meant.

"So, you're no longer meant for me?" she asked, just to be sure.

He shrugged. "I think I'm going to take up Kolt's excuse and say it's a myth. I think there's a chance that a purebred Kaisae pulls on all single purebred males in a way we do not understand. And, I'm going to admit I was stupid, but I am learning, Kaisae."

"Sal," she said, offering her hand to prove she was willing to put the past behind them. "And while I can't forgive you for getting me killed, I can learn to accept it. Hopefully, one day we may even be friends."

Hax clasped it. "I can accept that, Sal. Although, if you try to separate Risk and Perin? I will challenge you, and I'm not convinced that I'll lose."

"You'll lose," Risk, Perin, and Sal all said at the same time.

But Sal waved away his worries. "It's not my place to decide who anyone mates with. If Risk is happy, then I'm happy for him. With that said..." She glanced over at Perin. "Don't take him for granted. Nor Tilso."

"Never," he swore. "Sal, I've been chasing Risk for years. He's always said no. Tilso, however, convinced him that I deserved a chance. They're an amazing pair, and I hope that they'll keep me."

Sal stepped over and offered her hand. "It's nice to have you in the family, cousin."

Perin ducked his head, but she still saw the smile. "Yeah, I can accept being a cous-"

A noise made him turn mid-word. Coming up the hill, spread out like an unorganized group, twenty to thirty soldiers in black headed right toward them. Sal's hand shifted to her back, her fingers wrapping around the hilt of her dagger. Beside her, the men did the same. The Anglians weren't hidden, but the soldiers just kept coming, and she didn't recognize their uniforms at all.

Her mates moved to her side. Risk, Perin, and Hax shifted over. All around the grove, people tensed - until the first man stepped close enough to be seen. Dark-skinned, short, and with a devious smile on his lips, Pig lifted a hand in greeting.

"I'd say we come in peace, but that would be a lie," he joked.

Beside him, Keeya had a hand pressed over her lips, clearly enjoying the reaction. It was one of the men behind him that Sal couldn't pull her eyes away from. Tyr's shirt was black, but she could still see the dog-head emblem marking his unit. His pants were no different than the Blades, and the rest of his gear matched. He carried the same sword as always, which she knew was grey, but his uniform...

It was black.

"Glad to have you," Ran said when Sal forgot to speak. "The assault starts shortly. Dogs will fight to the Blade's right, if you don't mind."

"Sounds good," Pig agreed. "Tyr, put Bravo next to the Blades. Alpha, cover the flank."

Sal still couldn't move, so the soldiers formed up around her. Perin's unit moved down to give space, and Tyr moved into position, keeping his eyes on the city gates beyond. Unable to resist, Sal moved to stand beside him, also looking at the city.

"New uniforms?" she asked.

Tyr took a little too long to answer. "Seems Pig thought they'd be useful for fighting at night."

"They're black," Gage pointed out, taking the place on Tyr's other side.

Tyr reached up to scrub at the back of his neck. "Yeah. Seems Pig got this idea that iliri like to fight at night, and since we're now iliri, we need to adjust to that. After all, the Dogs are the Blades' sister unit, and damned near part of the pack."

"The line between the Blades and Dogs has always been thin," Zep agreed.

Tyr just nodded.

When the silence stretched on for too long, it was Kolt who broke it. "So what's your excuse now? You said you couldn't be her mate until you're wearing black, and..." He pointed at Tyr's new uniform. "That's black. I mean, she's not going to force you, but if you need some help coming up with a new reason to put it off, we'll help."

Zep chuckled. "He doesn't know Iliran fluently yet. May have to wait until he masters it."

Jase offered, "He wants ta have a kid of his own first, since ever' one else has."

"Hey," Blaz said, clearly faking his offense. "Some of us know how birth control works. I think he's just worried we'll show him up."

"In bed," Gage mumbled, trying hard not to laugh.

Sal said nothing. She knew the guys were trying to lighten the mood, but she could smell Tyr's anxiety. That he wasn't laughing said so much. Tyr always joked, about pretty much everything, yet his face was completely serious. She wanted to say something to reassure him, to tell him she wasn't pushing, but she couldn't. She didn't want to lie to him.

Because the truth was that Sal felt like he was her mate. She wanted him to be her mate. Every instinct in her body told her to beg for him, convince him that this would be ok, but she knew he deserved better. She'd asked, he'd said no, and it should've been done, but it wasn't. Neither of them had been able to truly break that bond, but it felt like his next words could be the ones to finally sever it completely.

He glanced over, meeting her eyes. "You know, I always assumed I'd spend my life serving. I'd make my way up the ranks, prove myself a good officer, and retire to train the next generation of the military. This? It feels too easy. Feels like I'm skipping a bunch of steps and sleeping my way to the top." Then he sighed. "But I can't say no."

"What?" Gage asked.

"What's the fucking title?" Tyr grumbled.

"Kernor," Sal breathed.

Tyr nodded. "Kernor," he whispered. "Kernor Aristel. I mean, that kinda has a ring to it, right?"

"It does," Jase assured him.

And a little smile flickered across Tyr's lips. "Sounds a bit like Colonel, too. Would kinda make me outrank Pig, huh?" And he turned the rest of the way to face Sal.

"It would," Zep told him.

"Yeah, so then I have one more question." And he moved a step closer. "If I take this thing, and it becomes permanent, the kind that lasts forever..." One more step put him right before Sal, but his eyes were on Jase. "What's the chance that I'm going to end up sharing her with the Ahnor?"

"He's not that bad," Zep insisted.

One side of Jase's mouth was curling higher. "It will happen," he told Tyr, "but I know yer skin is thin."

"So, it's kinda a free-for-all, huh?"

"Yup," Kolt agreed.

Tyr finally looked down at Sal. "Then I'm in. I'm gonna fuck this up bad, and I'm not your yes-boy, but if you can handle me, then I'm in."

"I want you just as you are," Sal promised, but her voice cracked in the middle.

Tyr sighed and closed the distance, wrapping his arms tight around her in a smothering hug. "Just don't let me make you miserable, Sal. Not even once. Swear it, baby?"

"I'll swear it," Gage said. "She won't complain, but we will. That is our job, to fight the battles she won't tackle, even between each other."

"Cessivi," Kolt told him. "We feel what she does. We know what she wants and needs, but also each other. This, Tyr, really is the family you've always wanted."

"Yeah," Tyr said softly, pulling back to look at Sal's face. "I think I want this, Sal. All my excuses are gone, so yes, I'll be your mate. Just... would you say it for me?"

Sal reached up to cup the side of his face. Before that moment she hadn't been sure, but his reasons, his concern, and the relief she felt hearing him say yes all came together to mean one thing. One very important thing that he deserved to know, and so did her other mates.

"I love you, Kernor," she breathed. "I am in love with you, and I was so scared you wouldn't have me."

"I love you too, Sal," he swore, bending just a bit more.

She stretched, pressing her mouth to his, and he took over. The kiss was slow, deep, and sensual. Tyr's arms pulled her hips closer, and the joy of her mates made her want to smile. Thankfully, she wasn't the only one. When Tyr's lips curled, he broke the kiss.

"I'm still a Devil Dog, though. Not giving that up."

"Devil Dogs might as well be Blades," Zep assured him. "Don't think there's a problem with it."

"None," Sal swore, "so long as you're still mine."

"I've kinda been yours since Myrosica, Sal." He kissed her brow. "I'm pretty sure I can handle both."

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Outside Terric City

Ran watched his daughter smile at her newest mate. Shaden had made sure everyone knew Tyr finally accepted, and from the whispers among the pack, they were all relieved. So was Ran, but not as much for Sal as for Tyr. That was why Ran and Jase had gotten together with Pig weeks before to plan this. Sometimes, taking away a man's excuse was all he needed to figure out that he was being an idiot.

But at just two hours past midnight, everyone was in place. The moment Rragri called in her location, it was time. The main gate assault, which consisted of the Black Blades, the Devil Dogs, Dark Heart, and the Verdant Shields, began to move forward. Ran was in the third row, behind Sal, in the center. No one had their weapons out, not yet, because the first task was getting the gates open.

They didn't get the chance. Halfway between the trees and the massive walls around Terric City, a cry went up. Seconds later, drums began to pound, picked up deeper in the city. Within a minute, the capital city of the Empire was alert and moving. Fires sprang up on each watchtower. Archers moved into place beside the battlements. And Sal lifted her hand, halting the troops with a thought.

Stop here, she told them. If we're the focus, then maybe the others will have an easier time getting in. Shade, Kolt? Which one of you can get those gates open?

I can if I know how they work, Kolt said. But that would take eyes on the inside.

I can explode them, Shade offered.

Sal sighed, bowing her head to rub at the bridge of her nose. Ok, let's -

Her thought paused when the gate began to open on its own. The allies all tensed. Hands went to weapons, and Ran had his blade partly out of the sheath before he saw the white flag. It was large and held high, the light from the watchtower fires illuminating the pale material.

"A parley," he realized.

"Fuck," Arctic grumbled. "We can ignore it, Sal. Conventions don't apply to iliri."

"Or," Ran pointed out, "it could be that Terric knows they're defeated?"

Sal turned to look at him. "Do you really believe that, dava? After this much destruction, they're just going to surrender the main city?"

"Ask Narnx," Tyr suggested.

Sal nodded, then fell silent for a long time. Too long. At the gate, the diplomatic party kept moving, walking all the way to the edge of the archer's range. Ran counted four men. Three were large, armored, and ready for battle. The last, however, looked like some kind of clerk. Probably an expendable one.

Then Sal finally broke the bad news. "He knows nothing about this. Makiel's still asleep, and it isn't anything he's heard about, but Narnx can't rule out that this is a ploy to bide time. He was rushing to gear up as he talked to me, promising that Terric had been caught completely by surprise."

And woken by the drums, Ran realized. That made sense. And if the gate guards were told to delay by any means necessary, then this would be a good one. Parleys tended to be long, drawn-out, and almost always pointless. One side told the other to surrender. The other declined and demanded the same of the first. They'd trade a few insults, swear they couldn't be defeated, and then both parties would go prepare for combat. And yet, what if he was wrong?

"I'll go," Ran offered.

Sal spun around the face him. "What?!"

"I'll go," Ran said again, pointing toward the diplomatic group. "I'm human, I'm iliri, and I'm military. I also have the rank to not be seen as a slight. You and Dom can't go, because we can't risk you. Unit leaders need to be ready to move or react if Terric tries anything. I get it. All of that, but at the same time, what if the gate guards are trying to surrender, Sal? That's not a Terran flag, it's a flag of surrender."

Which was the only thing bothering him. The flag didn't fit. Every parley Ran had been a part of had nation or even military insignia on display. No one came out bearing white unless they wanted to give up and were asking for leniency. Add to that how often Sal had told Terrans to cry umso, and he couldn't live with himself if they didn't at least hear these men out.

"I'll go with him," Arctic offered.

"No," Shade said.

He turned to her and smiled. "Yes, my love. I'm the safest man on this continent, thanks to you and Ghost. I think myself and our Sadava are enough to make a statement. And if they come after me, we have three healers in the Blades who can put us back together. Four, if I count Shift."

"Fuck off," Shift teased.

Arctic just flashed him a smile, then gestured for Ran to come forward. "With your approval, Kaisae?"

Sal turned her eyes to the sky. "I don't like it, but Ran's right. Just..."

"We'll be careful," Arctic swore.

Sal nodded, and Arctic took that as approval, so the pair set out side by side. It wasn't a long walk, but it wasn't a short one either, and feeling the eyes of the Anglians on his back made Ran aware of every step. Beside him, Arctic had his chin up. The man was a half-head shorter than Ran, but that pose made him look like a bad-ass. Almost like he was stalking the men before them. Ran couldn't match it, but he knew he had one hell of a swagger.

The man holding the flag stubbed the butt of it into the ground and waited. The soldiers on either side stood with their arms crossed and hands away from their weapons, but they were posing just as much as the Anglians. The problem was that none of them looked desperate. Then, when Ran and Arctic got close enough, the flag bearer stretched out his hand.

"We expected you tomorrow morning," the man said in greeting, "not quite so late at night."

He looked and acted like a civilian, which would explain the offer to shake.  Still, it seemed an odd gesture. Hopefully, it was a sign of their desperation.  Proof that not all Terrans were ready and willing to die for their leader's cause.

Arctic looked at the man's hand and ignored it, so Ran decided to accept the offer. After all, what could the man do to him? He wasn't an iliri.

"We tend to think of this as late, not early," Ran told him.

"Good to know," the flag bearer said, but his next words were lost behind a thought screamed through his head.

It's a trap! Narnx bellowed. They intend to capture the Kaisae! Sal, no matter what you do, don't engage in the parley!

Arctic didn't flinch, but Ran tried to pull his hand free. The flag bearer held tighter and tugged, pulling Ran a step closer. That was the signal the others had been waiting for. Two men rushed Arctic. The last guard moved to restrain Ran's free arm. The moment the guards uncrossed their arms, Ran saw they were all holding a cloth, and the ones on Arctic were struggling to smother it in the Raewar's face.

Roo! Sal yelled. Take the link. They have Arctic. Archers, assist. Ran!

Go limp, Arctic interrupted. When they put that on your face, Ran, go limp and 'pass out.' It's going to... He paused, thrashing his head to avoid the cloth. I'll be mute in a second, unable to hear or send a thought, so it's up to you.

Like fuck, Ran told him, and swung.

The flag bearer didn't expect human strength from a man in black, but Ran was still a soldier. He might be an older one, but he was anything but weak. His fist hit the flag bearer in the jaw. The soldier managed to pin Ran's arms, and he could hear Arctic growling and snarling behind him. They were losing, but only because they were doing it wrong.

Focus on the guards attacking Arctic, Ran ordered. Loose at will!

Something thunked beside him, and a man screamed. Desperate to get out of this, Ran pulled again, but the man holding his arms wouldn't let go, yet Arctic hadn't been smothered, and Ran's guard didn't have a free hand to try. Sal was moving closer. He could hear the thrumming of an army's feet, but he didn't get the chance to look. Instead, Ran made a judgment call.

Using the guard as a pivot, Ran leaned back into him, lifted both feet, and kicked out, striking Arctic's last attacker. The first was on the ground with an arrow in the gut. A bad shot, but enough to give them a chance. The guard holding Ran spun, turning him away from Arctic, so Ran lashed out again. This time, aiming for the flag bearer, but the man was too far away.

Then Arctic roared in fury, the sound changed to a gurgle as it ended.  Something had happened. Without a link, Ran couldn't be sure, but that didn't sound good.  He tried to turn, but his attackers prevented it. Even worse, Arctic didn't make another sound.

"Move," the flag bearer said. "Back to the city!"

Ran was being dragged, but he fought it, doing his best to slow them down, and then the flag bearer turned back, proving what he'd been doing while the others fought. In his hand was a cloth. It was small, white, and looked soaking wet.

"No," Ran breathed.

Because chloroform would knock him out as well as any iliri. There were other things that were fatal for Sal but completely safe for humans, yet Ran had no idea what they'd do to his link, and he certainly didn't want to risk it. Not now. Not here. This was not the way he wanted to die.

So he fought. Every step they pulled him toward the gates and away from Sal's army. He fought hard, but Anglia was too far away. Not even Sal could run that fast, and where was Arctic? Had he been hurt? Why wasn't he growling? Where were the others?

"Fucking hit him!" the guard holding Ran demanded.

He ducked, but not far enough. Something hard, like the end of a sword, impacted with the back of Ran's head, making his thoughts spin. That was when the flag bearer rushed forward, cloth first. The damp fabric covered Ran's nose and mouth, reeking of alcohol, so he refused to breathe. If he could just hold his breath long enough, he could fake this. The trick would be to make them think it worked.

Ran struggled. He fought, but it was impossible to do without breathing. His lungs were burning, demanding he inhale, but he couldn't. He didn't dare. Instead, Ran slowly began to relax, going limp in the guard's arms, and hoping it was the right response.

"Move," the flag bearer ordered.

Ran's eyes were still open when the third guard - one who'd previously been fighting Arctic, the man Ran had kicked in the back - caught his other arm. The pair dragged him, not caring that Ran was facing backwards. He waited two steps before lifting his eyes to see two bodies being left behind. One wore the purple of Terric, but the other, the one that didn't move at all? It was in black, and blood was pooling beneath the long, dark hair.

Arctic! he screamed, daring to plant his feet and pull.

His head still spun from the knock he'd taken, and the stench of chloroform lingered on his skin, but the guards thought he was unconscious. They weren't prepared for their burden to suddenly pull away. That was all it took for Ran to break free, and he did it running just as hard as his old legs could go.

The first step felt like it took an eternity. The second felt like freedom. The third he actually began to hope, but then his leg crumpled beneath him a second before the heat of pain slammed into it. Ran dropped to the ground, realizing just how close he really was to the City gates. No more than five paces away, and four of those he'd taken himself, but his leg wasn't working. It hurt, bad enough that he wanted to roar like an iliri, but he couldn't. He had to crawl, had to move, had to do something to save himself.

But there was no chance. He watched as Sal reached Arctic and dropped to the ground. Ricown from the Shields ran up beside her and braced, lifting his bow to release in a smooth shot. Time began to slow, but they were too far away. Much too far for a rescue, which meant it was time to pull out some backup plans.

Jase, he thought, reaching out with his mind. Look through my eyes for as long as you can.

Ya can na die, Jase warned.

No, Ran promised. But I can get you those eyes inside the city. Remember this, my boy, and you make sure my girl knows that I'm not bait. I'm the inside man. I'm -

He stopped as the cloth was shoved over his face from behind, barely having the chance to not breathe. Still, the fumes burned the inside of his nose and he could feel Jase's rage.

You need Arctic, he told the Ahnor, this time refusing to fight. And if Makiel tries to kill me, I'm taking that bastard down before I go.

Dava! Sal screamed at him.

But it was getting hard to hold his breath. Again, his lungs were burning, but this time there was no point in fighting. Ran's leg was useless, and he didn't need to look to know that one of the archers had hit him. If he tried to run again, they might have better luck. No, if he wanted to survive this, then his damsel was going to have to come save him.

Come get me, kid, he thought to Sal just as the gates began to close, cutting off the view of her.

And the guards were still holding him. Each step jarred his wounded leg on the ground, the pain making him want to gasp against the cloth held over his face. Ran's lungs burned and spots were forming before his eyes, but these idiots had no idea how determined he was. His eyes jumped up to inspect the back side of the gate, dropped to the side, following the mechanism that controlled the heavy bolt now sliding into place, and he sent all of it to his pack. To his kids, the most lethal predators the world had ever known.

Come get me, he told them all, and while you're at it, kill every one of these bastards you can.

And then he sucked in a breath, feeling darkness wash over him within seconds.

Chapter Seventy-Eight

Terric City

Sal watched the dagger slice across Arctic's throat, but Kolt didn't hesitate. Blood sprayed out, hitting the guard who'd cut him. Shade screamed, and the Anglians began to move. Sal grabbed Kolt's mind, linking them together tight enough that she could use his ability to reach across the distance. Running as hard as they could, she began to heal. It wasn't much, and it wouldn't be enough, but this time, she could stop it.

Before her, she watched Arctic's thread shift subtly, growing thicker, stronger, and looking a lot less frayed. In the back of her mind, she felt relief. It was so strong and so unexpected that she knew it had to be Blaec. Somewhere in her subconscious, he was still working. She didn't even care how.

The moment they were close enough, Sal released Kolt and grabbed Arctic, still healing together the veins, arteries, and skin that had been cut. He was alive, she knew he was, but he wasn't moving. Thankfully, Raast rushed in, shoving one short paw against the Raewar's face, and Sal let her have it.

But in the moments she'd been distracted, the Terran "diplomats" had grabbed Ran and were dragging him toward the city gates. Blood made her dava's pants shine in the torchlight, but his head was up, his eyes bright even though there was a cloth pressed over his nose and mouth.

Dava! she screamed.

Come get me, kid, he told her. The words were an order, not a request.

She didn't get the chance to even take a step before the gates began to close, barring the path to her father, yet the man was a soldier. His next thought was an image. A very clear and detailed one that showed the inside of the gate. Every gear, lever, and mechanism was there, showing exactly how it worked. No, showing Kolt how it did. In other words, her father had just given them the keys to the Kingdom, but she wouldn't let that be his last act.

Then his mind touched all of the Blades. Come get me, and while you're at it, kill every one of these bastards you can.

Then his link went dark in her mind.

Sal growled as she pushed herself to her feet. "Raast?"

"Yeah, Amma?"

"How's Arctic?"

"I'm fine," Arctic answered. "Just need a second to get my bearings."

"You don't have a second," Sal warned him. "They got my dava. No one takes my family from me. Not anymore."

Then she pulled. Sal couldn't even describe what she was reaching for, but she could feel it. Like the strings of a marionette, they tangled in her fingers, but she had help. She could feel him gently lifting away the threads.

This isn't safe.

The voice was Blaec's, but she didn't care. Sal just grabbed another handful of those mental threads and braced herself. "Kolt? I need you to open those gates. Shade?"

"Straight path to the palace?" she asked.

"To wherever Ran's scent leads," Sal told her. "Pig and Ilija, deal with the rest, because this isn't going to be pretty."

"Yes, Kaisae," Pig agreed. "Men, stick to your units, guard the Blades, but let them blaze the path. Let's go, Sal."

"Gage?" she said. "Find me the right path."

"Yes, sir," he agreed.

Ilija added, "Shields, watch behind us.  We're bringing up the rear of this party."

Kolt bowed his head. "Opening, now."

The bar screeched as it shifted, sounding like it was monstrous. Kolt groaned, proving this was finally something that tested the limits of his skill, but then it clanked into place, open. Shade shoved her arms forward, sending a blast of air ahead of her, and not even the entrance to Terric City was strong enough to withstand the force. The gates slammed open. Men on the other side screamed in fear. Up on the battlements, their voices were calling orders.

Ghost sucked in a breath and tensed. Those orders shifted to madness. Some of the Terrans crumpled to their feet. Others broke, rushing away from the Anglian army. Within seconds, the initial Terran defense had been defeated, and Sal was tired of waiting.

"Kill them all," she ordered, reaching into her mind to warn the rest of their allies. They have my dava. Raze this city to the ground if you have to, but this war ends tonight. Move.

She heard the order repeated across thousands of links like a conversation in the distance, but Sal was already heading to the gates. She didn't run. That would've been a mistake. The Terrans knew what she could do, and they knew to catch her by surprise, so she was going to make this as hard as possible. Shade fell in behind her to her left. Ghost took the place just behind Sal's right. Kolt claimed the spot at her back, and the rest of her mates spread out to protect them all.

The strongest minds in Anglia - maybe even the entire continent - were now working together. Arctic opened the link, blending not just the Blades together, but all of the units with them. Then he somehow set a tie between Sal, Ghost, and Shade. She could feel their targets, and as they got closer to the gates, Sal knew the moment Shade decided to clear the path.

A wall of flames rushed out before them. Ghost let out a fear of fire. Sal just kept going.

Like a monster from the night, the Kaisae of all Anglia led her men through the abandoned gate and ever forward, trusting that nothing could stop them. Anyone who tried was cut down by the iliri before Sal even had the chance to flinch. Snarls pierced the night, announcing each kill, but their tribe didn't stop. She didn't have time for that.

Holding a steel dagger in each hand, Sal was more than willing to kill anyone who wanted to test her – if they could get close. Behind her, Shade's mismatched eyes darted through the darkness, the link allowing her to see just as well as the other iliri. Ghost made sure the Terrans were too afraid to stop them. The rest of her part just cleaned up the mess.

It was easy, almost too easy. Ran was gone, but he shouldn't be out of sight. The men who'd grabbed him didn't have that much of a lead, and they'd be weighed down by his body. Since she hadn't felt the pain of loss, she knew her father was alive. The question was how to find him.

Blaec? she asked. You'd better figure out where my dava is. I want his thread.

Your goal is the Emperor. Free your people. Blaec's words felt like they came from far away.

Ran is my people, she told him. I'm not your bitch, Blaec. This is my fucking war, and we're doing it my way. I'm not losing anyone else. Do whatever you have to, but get me his line.

Blaec's response was chilling. All Kaisaes must die. You already have. Those who play with ayati shatter their minds. Don't try it, Kaisae.

FIND MY DAVA!

And just like that, it appeared. One long, vibrant, glowing thread stood out among the rest, moving quickly through the side streets. Sal told her army with a thought and turned her feet to follow it. The men who grabbed her father would pay. She'd make sure of it. Then she'd eat them for good measure.

* * *

The moment Sal gave the order, Rragri sent her maargra up. Two thousand grauori, and a sheer cliff before them that had to be almost a hundred meters tall. Up was literal, and the wave of white began moving. The Orassae felt each rock beneath her four hands. Her claws dug into the crevasses for purchase. Her short tail made it easy to balance when she reached for the next hold.

This was what the grauori were made for. Long before humans came, their kind lived on the Ahnian Ridge, hunting on the sides of that steep mountain range. Their fur allowed them to blend. Their four hands made climbing as easy as walking. Their abilities protected them and allowed them to hunt as a group, even vertically.

Humans had evolved from primates in trees. Grauori had evolved from predators who climbed the sides of snowy rocks. They were not the same. Not at all, and the humans hadn't yet realized that this was their strength. The iliri might be able to climb well, but nothing like this. That was why they'd been sent to scale the walls. At a few stories tall, it would be too hard for the humans, so the iliri would have the advantage there. The grauori, however, were going to blindside the enemy from the one place they assumed would be safe.

Rragri's only concern was that Sal would do something foolish to save her father. When it came to those she cared about, the Kaisae had no ability to be rational. That meant the best plan would be to find the Sadava first.

Maargra, she ordered, when you reach the top, I need the walls cleared and two packs to sniff out the Blades' Sadava. He's been taken by Terrans, is alive, but does not seem to be linking. I want him found before our iliri cousins become desperate. If he dies, I will hold the ones who failed him accountable and remove your breeding privileges.

A wave of understanding came back and the white wave moving up the side of the cliff climbed a little faster. Rragri just huffed in amusement. If there was anything that could compel her fighters to decimate the enemy, it was sex. And who knew, if this ended well enough, she might even take a page from the Kaisae and allow the rafrezzi to breed with impunity. After all, Sal's bitch Aroora had proven that color didn't make her weak at all, and she was a domestic!

Yes, Rragri decided, if the Sadava was found alive, the enemy was defeated, and Dominik Jens kept his word, then she owed it to the other species to adapt as much as they were. But first, she needed something to kill.

* * *

Tseri jumped the last few meters to the ground. Syed and Daest flanked her, but Ynta was just to her right with her own mate beside her. They were leading the nuvani, and somehow, the Terrans hadn't realized their entire city was being breached. Maybe it was the silence of the nuvani soldiers. Maybe it was simply the stupidity of most humans.

You heard the Kaisae, she ordered. Kill them all, and keep your senses open for the Sadava. We're outnumbered, but ten times as good as they are.

And like ghosts, the nuvani began moving. Packs broke off to handle the confines of the narrow streets, and no one spoke. In the distance, the screaming of men told them exactly where the enemy was staging their defense. The problem was all the windows above. The sleeping town had been woken up, and quickly. Who knew how many Terran citizens would be willing to rally for their own defense, and of those, how many actually had weapons?

Tseri ran with a saber in each hand. Daest had his sword, and Syed was armed with both a bow and a pair of short swords on his hip. Behind them were more. Tseri's own pack and family, moving like they were all of one mind. No, they weren't as young as the Black Blades, but they were just as lethal.

With a thought, one of the pack leaders warned of the Terrans grouping up. The building was some form of commemoration to history, made with strong walls and few doors. One of them faced the street that led to the west gate where the Anglian humans would be coming in. That meant they had no idea they'd just been outflanked.

I need fetchers to pull open the doors, she told her people. Work together if you have to, but get them open and keep them open. Ladies, move in. Pull back if wounded. Healers, stay close. There's going to be a line of these fools waiting for us to kill them.

In the back of her mind, Tseri could feel the grauori cresting the wall. She knew Sal's allied forces were inside the city and moving fast. She also knew that Kesh and Star Fall were still outside. In the distance, something was banging hard against wood, probably a human battering ram. It was even louder than the screams of Terran orders and the warning drums ringing across the city.

Ylexa, get those gates open for Anglia.

Yes, Kaeen, the woman replied before her mind shifted to her own troops.

They had this. Without slowing, Tseri angled for the door on the far side, her sister unit moving for another. One of the lookouts sent a report of six units packed inside, but they were all facing the wrong way. That meant these Terran fools didn't know how badly they'd just been overrun. Not yet.

Now! she screamed, sending the order right into their minds.

The doors burst open, and she rushed the gap. Her right sword hit someone across the chest, making a breach, and her pack followed her through it. Bodies were so close. Swords felt like they were coming from all directions. The fight was confusing and intense, but this was what the nuvani were made for. This brought out the beast in all of them.

Humans were screaming, some cut off only when they died. The clash of weapons was almost deafening, and still, above it all, she heard a man cry out from above, "The Kaisae!"

Tseri dared to look and found him. The human was pointing down, directly into the chaos around her. Hacking at a human who got too close, she tried to figure out how Sal had gotten here, then she realized the problem. It wasn't Sal he was talking about. It was Reko.

The purebred's hair had grown long enough to swirl behind him, although barely down to his shoulders, yet his ears were clearly on top of his head. Between that and his perfectly, pristinely, white coloration, the Kaisae's brother stood out. He was also moving much too fast for anyone to notice that he was a man and not a woman. All they would see was a very lethal white blur.

Guard Reko, she ordered. They think he's the Kaisae.

And then time slowed. Tseri heard the twang of the bowstring. She saw the dark bolt sail through the air and sent a warning, but the aim was true. The man behind the crossbow wasn't a fool or an idiot. He was a good shot, and she roared, knowing that her pack was about to feel the pain of Reko being ripped from their minds.

Then her daughter spun, slamming into Reko from the side at the very last second. Time caught up just as the bolt pierced Ynta's head. The spray of gore was vile, but the mental laceration that followed nearly brought her to her knees. Tseri roared as her maternal instincts flared. Reko screamed out a word in Glish, turning for his mate. The link snapped before Ynta's body even hit the ground, turning off the minds of the nuvani and releasing their need to kill.

Tseri didn't care if she painted the walls with human blood. All she knew was that she needed to reach her daughter's side, and there was nothing in this world strong enough to stop her.

Chapter Seventy-Nine

Terric City

Lightning Brigade pressed their bodies against the wall on one side of the staff door that allowed civil servants to sneak out and clean outside the city. Star Fall did the same on the other side. The entrance was small, not much larger than an average house door, but it opened up right behind the Emperor's palace, which was all they needed. Kesh watched while Tharp leaned close to the wood and tapped.

"Let me in," he begged in his best Terran accent. "Anglia's coming. Someone let me in!" Then he pounded a little harder.

It was a good performance, Kesh had to admit, but he still didn't trust the man. Not after he heard what they'd done to the Blades, let alone everyone else who tried to work with Star Fall. Their unit was a joke, and for one reason only: Captain Tharp.

Sure, they were good, and yes, they were the masters of espionage and infiltration, but too many times, Tharp had gotten his unit in too deep with Conglomerate politics. The man couldn't figure out when to put his personal ideals aside for the good of the mission. He had strong opinions, and felt that he could force the rest of the world to agree with him.

The problem was that his opinions did not align at all with Sal's. Well, except that they both agreed that this war needed to end. Kesh just hoped Tharp was smart enough to realize exactly how strong that woman had become in the last few months.

Finally, after Tharp banged and begged long enough, someone fell for it. A woman's voice mumbled something from the other side, and Tharp begged again. Kesh braced when he heard the latch click.

The door opened only a crack, but that was all they needed. Tharp shoved his hand in and pulled. From the side, Kesh grabbed it as well, and the force of both men was enough to wrench the wood free, banging it open. The woman screamed and scurried back, but not fast enough.

The wall was thick and wide, built to have soldiers guarding from above. That meant this space beneath it was basically a tunnel. The woman had opened the first door, but all it led to was a thick, stone archway. Along the side were barrels, most likely food and water. Kesh was willing to bet that was why the woman had come down, but she'd made the mistake of leaving the other door open behind her.

Tharp grabbed the Terran woman, Kesh pushed past him for the second door, and the two units fell in behind them. Moving fast and silently, they secured the second door, then paused. Just outside, people were rushing past, but none close enough to look into the shadows beneath the wall. A block. Two, maybe? Even better, they were all civilians.

Kesh jerked his chin at the woman. "You killing her or letting her go?" he asked.

"She's a civilian," Tharp hissed.

Kesh just nodded. "Who's going to run right to the closest guard and announce that soldiers just breached the walls. So, I'm going to ask you again, Captain. How are you dealing with her?"

The woman was older, probably someone's grandmother, and her eyes were wide in fear. She spoke Glish, and while their accent was different, it wasn't enough for her to misunderstand. She knew that her life hung in the balance. Thankfully, she was also smart enough to do absolutely nothing.

"What do you suggest?" Tharp asked. "Since I know you have a soft spot for saving lives and shit."

Kesh pulled his dagger and moved closer, meeting the woman's eyes. "I'm sorry, ma'am. This is going to hurt, and you'll wake with one hell of a bump, but you'll survive this battle. Do you understand?"

She nodded vigorously, clearly desperate. Nodding at her once, Kesh lifted his hand and brought down the pommel squarely on her temple. The old woman flinched. Everyone did, but her eyes also rolled up in her head and her weight slumped in Tharp's grasp.

"Make sure she's out," Kesh told him, "then brace the inner door. If she comes to, she can leave the city, but she'll have to wait before she can get inside. Lightning Brigade, we're here to support Star Fall. Plenty of civilians out there, and I'm going to bet not all of them are nice. Let's move."

The two elite units operated efficiently together. While Lightning Brigade poured from the tunnel, Star Fall grabbed some of those barrels and rolled them out. Once they reached the inside of Terric City, someone closed the doors, both barrels were placed against it, and they were good to go. Kesh turned for the back side of the Palace, avoiding the bustling street and aiming for quiet and narrow alleys.

He didn't make it. No more than one block into Terric City, Ylexa's voice burst into his head, pitched to reach every allied officer with a link.

Tseri's pack is down. Their link is broken! Ylexa warned. They and two other packs are in a museum on the east side of town, and the Anglians at that gate can't break through.

Fuck! Sal replied, her voice too strong and too loud. Ylexa, you're leading Viraenova until she's back. Kinetry, I need you to get that door open.

Rragri added, Grauori, flood the city. Give support, because the nuvani need more bodies.

And I, Kesh interrupted, am moving to assist Tseri.

Sal wasn't happy about that. I need Star Fall to take out the Terran siege weapons. Makiel will turn them on his own people if that's what it takes to kill us. We need those down, and you cannot get near her, Kesh. Let Ylexa handle this.

Fuck that. You find Ran, I'll handle Tseri, and you can ream my ass when this is over, Kaisae. Then he turned to Tharp. Without warning, Kesh grabbed the man's pauldron and shoved him against the back of whatever building they were beside. "I'm going to make this very clear. Star Fall will do their job. If they don't, I will cut your throat myself, have Sal change the memories of every man in your unit, and claim you as a casualty of this battle. Viraenova's hurting. Lightning Brigade is going to give them support, and you, Tharp, aren't going to fuck this shit up. Get me?"

Tharp shoved Kesh back, breaking his grip in the process. "Let's just pretend we're on the same fucking side until the Emperor is dead. After that, we can fucking fight it out if you want, but right now, I fucking got this."

"We've got this," Emen agreed. "Go, Kesh. This is what Star Fall does."

Kesh met the man's eyes, saw nothing but honesty there, and nodded. "Fight well, Star Fall."

"Stay safe, Lightning Brigade," Emen replied.

With that, they split. Kesh started issuing orders with his mind, thankful for that little gift from Anglia. Star Fall would be stuck with hand signals - which worked, but certainly weren't as clear or concise. Sal said the link was her way of thanking Lightning Brigade for saving her life. Kesh knew better. That little bitch had been looking for excuses to use it. Not only could she give orders faster, but it was also a lie detector, and without the help of an iliri, nuvani, or grauori, the ability was completely useless.

It had changed the entire war. The link between minds was what had given Anglia an advantage, but it had also erased the line between all three species. Language was no longer a problem, because thoughts didn't work like that. Countries, units, and so many barriers that had kept them apart before had all vanished the moment their minds could reach each other.

Just like they had with Tseri. Before she'd invited him back to her tent the night before, she'd teased his thoughts, joking privately over the strategy table. Dozens of people around, and yet she'd flirted with a completely straight face. Her mates hadn't been as subtle, but their grins proved they knew, and that had removed his only concern.

Kesh hadn't expected the Kaeen to take him seriously, but she had, and the strangest part was that he liked it. No, he liked them. Her, both of her mates, and the nuvani people as a whole. He'd heard about what happened when a link broke. It had all been secondhand, and most from when Blaec Doll had been killed, but the stories were all the same. The pack whose link broke were always incapacitated, and Kesh would be damned if they lost the leader of Viraenova on his watch.

We're going into a nightmare, he warned his men. The nuvani will be in a frenzy. Do not move fast. Do not engage. We just need to make sure they have the chance to fight it out. Reports say they will be as feral as Sal and Jase, but without any conscious thought. All they'll know is murder, do you men understand?

Yes, sir! they assured him.

Ylexa, he warned. Lightning Brigade is securing the museum. You do what you need to. I'll make damned sure that no one catches the Kaeen from behind.

She will eat you, Ylexa told him. You humans smell sweet, and she won't fucking care if you're an ally.

Give me some fucking credit. I've been at the Kaisae's side long enough to know what feral means. And he slammed closed the link.

Swords at the ready - or crossbows - his men darted between buildings, breaking into smaller groups to avoid any locals. It wasn't far. Tseri's assigned spot on the wall was just beside Kesh's door. The question was if she'd still be alive by the time he made it. And even more than that, who had died. He didn't think it was Tseri, but if it was Syed or Daest? Reko?

He heard her before he had eyes on the building. The beastly roar proved that the nuvani were a lot more like iliri than he'd ever thought. Someone was enraged, and it sounded like a herd of wild bears had been set on each other. Quickly, he assigned groups to doors, and they moved.

But Kesh was full of shit when he said he'd keep his distance. He had to know. Tseri Janoyc was one of the most amazing women he'd ever met. Sure, she was a few years older than him, and yes, she was definitely far above his rank in social circles, but someone had to help her, and Kesh was willing to risk it. While four of his men set up to guard the door, he stepped through it.

Inside was nothing but carnage. Kesh could hear Reko and a woman upstairs thrashing at things, but his eyes landed on the Kaeen. Tseri was curled over the body of her daughter, holding her corpse to her chest and rocking slowly. Her ahnor, Syed, had his arms around her shoulders, but the look in his eyes was wild and dangerous. Daest was nowhere to be seen.

"Tseri?" Kesh whispered.

Syed's head whipped around, and his lip lifted in a warning snarl. Kesh stopped in his tracks and lowered his eyes. For a long moment, they stood like that. The rumbling growl proved Syed was still on the defensive, but he hadn't attacked. That, more than anything else, gave Kesh hope.

"Syed?" he whispered. "I just need to know she's ok, and to find out how I can help. There are Terrans outside. They will come, and none of you are in any shape to deal with it."

"I will kill them," Syed growled in Iliran.

Kesh nodded, refusing to lift his eyes. "I believe you, my friend. Are you strong enough to kill all of them before they hurt her, though?"

The whimper that came from the man's throat didn't belong in his body. It sounded like a hurt puppy - or some kind of wounded animal. Not a nuvani. Certainly not the Kaeen's ahnor.

"Help her, brother," Syed begged. "She won't let her go."

"Where's Daest?" Kesh asked.

Syed pointed upward, toward the second floor.

"Can you get him? I'm not sure I'd survive," Kesh told him.

"He is coming," Syed promised, "but she won't leave Ynta."

"Then we'll take Ynta with us." Kesh dared to lift his eyes. "I will not touch her, and I will not touch you. I do swear to you that myself and my men will keep your Kaeen safe. Can you, Ahnor, protect them from your pack?"

"I cannot control Reko," Syed mumbled as he lifted a hand to his head. "It hurts, Kesh."

"I know, brother. I've been told. And don't worry about Reko. I know how to deal with him. Can you handle the nuvani?"

"Always," Syed promised.

"Good. Let's go." Kesh pointed toward the door on the eastern side of the building, across all the corpses. "That way, and you can kill any Terran who tries to stop you, but only the Terrans." Then he reached out to his unit. Lightning Brigade, we're about to escort some nuvani out of Terric City. They are feral, and they are not safe. Do not touch them. If they growl, submit with the word 'umso,' but we need to get the Viraenovan leader out of here. Their link is broken.

He felt the assurance of his men, heard steps coming down toward them, and hoped harder than he ever had before that he wasn't about to get jumped by the Kaeen's pack. Slowly, carefully, and as predictably as he could, Kesh moved closer to Tseri.

"Kaeen," he whispered, "I know your mind hurts. Let me help you. Let Syed carry Ynta. Daest needs to help you, and my men are going to get you outside the walls. Tseri? Can you even hear me right now?"

She looked up, her eyes filled with tears. "She was my daughter."

"I know, baby. I do, but your country needs their Kaeen. The battlefield is not the place to mourn."

"Reko," she breathed.

A growl announced the man's arrival. "She is mine," he warned, and Kesh had a feeling it was directed at him.

"She's yours, soldier," he said, changing his tone to one of authority. "The Kaisae needs you to get your pack outside the city. That's an order."

Reko's white eyes hit Kesh's and his lip moved higher, showing teeth that would make a dog tuck its tail in fear. "You do not outrank me."

"Try me, Private. Your Kaisae has given me the power to make this decision. Your Kaeen agreed. You, male, will do as you are told. Now, move!"

Reko held Kesh's gaze for one more breath, then he simply looked aside, pulling his sword to storm forward. Kesh warned the men at that door to let him go, then eased Tseri from her daughter's body. Syed picked up the corpse. Daest, who had arrived with Reko, hooked an arm around Tseri's back, and the rest of her pack meekly followed.

Which was good, because Kesh had been told that the iliri blacked out. He had no idea if that was based on the rank of whoever was killed, the species, or if it was just another of those weird things related to being around a Kaisae, but right now, he was willing to take it. Walking nuvani, even broken ones, were a lot easier to rescue than unconscious ones who would likely wake up biting.

Ylexa, I have the Kaeen and her pack. We're leaving the city. Lightning Brigade will return as soon as they are safe, he told the acting leader of Viraenova.

Thank you, the woman replied. They'll want wilderness. A copse of trees will do, and they will be fine on their own. They're not fragile.

They're still hurting, he reminded her. This, Ylexa, is what allies do for each other.

Chapter Eighty

Terric City

Right beside the Palace, directly in Sal's path, was a structure she'd never seen before. It was a tall pyramid-like structure that looked like nothing but a frame, but the color matched her daggers. The thing had to be four, possibly five stories tall, and it was all made of metal. Pipes as big around as her arm were glued together in some fashion, and an irritating buzzing came from it.

Except she didn't have time to worry about that. Ducking under a bar, she kept going, knowing her dava was on the other side. Whatever that thing was, it explained the missing metal from the Hurrican River. Clearly, the Emperor thought it was important, and if Sal had to, she'd destroy it, but her first concern was Ran.

Shade was scorching anyone who dared to try and stop them. Ghost was herding the civilians away. Sal's mates were trying hard to keep up, but both Gage's ability to locate things and the thread Blaec had pointed out led to the same place. The third floor of the Palace. Exactly where she was supposed to be, and right on the other side of an army of Terrans.

"Sal?" Pig asked.

She spun to face him. "What?"

He pointed at the tower. "You need to stop this war. That means facing down the army inside and defeating Makiel. I can't reach Ran, so I'm guessing you can't either, but Gage says the third floor. Keeya can get up there."

Sal followed the structure higher. No, it didn't lead to the Palace, but it did come close to a roof which did. A very roundabout way to get there. The problem was that Sal had no idea if the girl could even do it.

"Can you make the climb?" Sal asked.

"Yes, Kaisae," Keeya assured her.

Sal stepped closer. "Can you kill the men who'll be guarding the door? Alone? Without Pig to back you up."

Keeya leaned a little closer. "I'm not a stable girl anymore, Kaisae. I. Can. Do. This."

Dom pushed his way closer, with Rayna right on his heels.  "Is that metal?" he asked.

Sal let out a heavy breath.  "I think so, and it's humming."

"Humming?" Rayna asked.  "Sal, I can't hear anything."  She grunted, waving that off. "We have bigger problems.  Rais is blocked on the west gate. Tseri's… Well, Ylexa's running Viraenova.  You're stuck on where Ran is, and right now, we need you with us. You, Sal, have to win this war."

"Not without my dava," she growled.

Rayna just stared into her eyes.  "Yeah, even if it's without him. Let Keeya do what she's good at.  Pig trusts her, which means you should too. Trust me, his dick isn't doing the talking."

Sal nodded once. "Then do it. The Emperor is up there as well. I want him dead. Save Ran first, get him a weapon, and he'll serve as your backup. Arctic believes he's alive but mute - his link silenced by the drugs. That shouldn't stop him from fighting at all. If he's wounded? Help him first."

"I can back her up," Ryek offered.

"No," Pig said. "I need you in case the Emperor makes a break for it.  We have to cover all exits. Keeya can take the upper levels, you handle the lower, and Sal will make this whole thing work." He turned back to Sal. "Trust me, Sal.  She's waited a long time to prove herself.  Just like you did."

"Then do it," Sal said. "I have men to kill."

As she started marching toward the Palace once more, she heard Keeya whisper, "She's going to be ok, right?"

"Yeah," Pig assured her. "She's just doing Kaisae things in her head."

He had no idea. Sal had only one rule for this war: no one she cared about would die. Blaec had promised to help, but he'd warned her that they couldn't save them all. Still, Sal would save as many as she could. Those she knew first, but those who relied on her would come next, all the way down to every last soldier and former slave working with the allied army.

Three strings had already snapped. She didn't know any of them, or not well enough to feel their pain, but she was trying. With each step, Sal pulled, pushed, twisted, and adjusted the lines of ayati for the best chance. Sometimes, that meant the enemy stumbled. Other times it was the ally who would flinch enough to take the slash across their arm instead of throat. It didn't matter what. Scars would heal. Sal was busy saving lives and in a way that no one else would understand.

But it made her head hurt. Like learning too much too fast, her mind felt full, stretched, and almost painful. Her awareness was just as sharp, and she wasn't foolish enough to follow the threads deeper into the pattern, but this was why she had the skill. She could see the pattern, she could manipulate it, so she was responsible for making it better.

When they reached the doors of the Palace, Kolt flung them open. He didn't bother with understanding the locks. He simply fetched both pieces of wood toward him, ripping them off the hinges. Shade sent a wave of fire through the opening beyond. Ghost was busy with something, but Sal couldn't quite follow what, yet the man's concentration leaked into her mind.

Behind her, Terrans tried to rally, groups rushing the Anglians from the back, but her men were elites. Sal didn't need to worry about them. Every man that rushed into the fray died, and quickly. Sal's group was death walking, and they left a swath of horror in their wake.

Narnx, she thought, we're coming in.

Trust me, Sal, I know, he immediately replied.

She surged through the door ready, and wasn't disappointed. The first man came from a room at the side. Sal slashed, cutting him across the throat with her right hand, not even bothering to slow down. Ghost shoved him back, Kolt put a sword through his chest, and the rest of the men walked over his body.

Sal wasn't leading an army. This was a mob, and one that was out for revenge. Their anger leaked through the link, driving her need for vengeance, but she knew she had to be smart about this. Yet when the next man came, Shade was even faster. The man was screaming, steam coming off his body as he fried from the inside, before Sal could even take a shot. Jase put the fool out of his misery with one cut.

From there, it got worse. The Terrans stopped attacking on their own. At the first cross-hall, an entire unit tried to ambush them. Sal ducked, Jase lunged, and they met with their backs together. Blaz darted in, his weapons just as short as theirs, and the three of them began to kill. Kolt, Zep, and Gage took anyone who tried to slip past, while Arctic and the other Blades managed the opposite side of the hallway. Shade and Ghost just kept going.

At the back of the group, Dark Heart broke off to flank around. Halfway to their goal, the Verdant Shields did the same. Once they reached the main hall, the Devil Dogs' Alpha squad would brace for an attack from behind. The plan was for Lightning Brigade and Star Fall to come in the back after they dealt with the heavy weapons in storage, and let the rest of the allied forces worry about what was happening outside. She had claimed dibs on the Palace.

In the main hall, the Black Widows were waiting. Not one unit of them, but all of them. At least a hundred men, each one wearing black, stood with weapons ready. Sal stepped into the light and smiled.

"Surrender now, give up your Emperor, and I will let you live," she told them.

Planted at the base of the stairs, Narnx huffed out a laugh. "Don't think so, bitch."

"You," she said, pointing her white sword at him, "are a traitor."

While she spoke, her mates moved into place.  Jase took his spot on her left, Kolt on her right, Zep behind her, but that wasn't all.  Blaz stood beside Kolt. Tyr was on Jase's left shoulder, and Gage was beside Zep. Arctic moved to take the left side, the rest of the Blades forming around him.  Dark Heart was covering the left flank.

Pig moved to Blaz's right, giving Bravo squad the chance to do the same around him. Alpha squad were all behind them, facing the back.  Ilija shifted the Verdant Shields to handle the right flank, with the King tucked nicely between his unit and Pig's.

They were outnumbered, and badly - or so it appeared. Sal knew better. Their formation put Shade and Ghost at the back. They'd already sent two groups around to come in from the side, and if Star Fall did what they promised, the only safe place for the Terrans would be fighting their way up the stairs. She knew it, Narnx knew it, and the rest of the Black Widows were about to learn.

Where's my father? she asked Narnx.

His face never moved, his posture as threatening as possible, but his thoughts were soothingly gentle. I do not know. He didn't go up these stairs or I would've told you. Sal, I'm not sure the Emperor trusts me as much as we hoped.

Too fucking bad, she told him. This ends tonight.

"We outnumber you," Narnx yelled across the hall at her. "There's no way you can win. Tell Anglia to lay down their weapons, and we'll only hang the officers."

Oh, he was playing his part too well. Sal could smell the pride wafting from the men around him, and she could see their threads all tangling before her. Unfortunately, none of them realized that this was all theater. The goal wasn't to kill everyone. It was to end the war. To give Terric just enough power to decide that they wanted to live in peace as much as the rest of the continent did.

Sal smiled. "I'm done playing politics. You can't say I didn't try." And she stepped forward.

Her men moved with her, all of their minds linked so that it didn't even take an order. They knew. They understood what she was going to do next, and Sal's entire group acted like it was part of a single body. The Terrans noticed, but the only thing they could do was attack.

Someone screamed out a war cry. From the other side, a crossbow twanged as a bolt was loosed. Shade incinerated it mid-flight, and the battle was on. Terrans rushed forward. Anglians braced for impact. Swords clashed.

Sal could feel it all. Joevar ducked down, letting a Terran slam into him just to flip the man over his shoulder and into the middle of the Dogs. Risk blocked a shot on the other side, and Baeli thrust under his arm to make the kill. This was the kind of fighting that no one could stand against. It was more than good swordsmanship. It was the skills of the iliri, the minds of men, and the trust of them both.

Then she reached Narnx. The man refused to give her access to the stairs, but he wasn't supposed to. Sal swung, he blocked, and their swords crashed into each other. The movements were fast as compared to most humans, but slow for both of them. She wasn't sure he could keep up, but he was - thankfully.

Her mates protected her from any attack that might come from the sides, and the rest of her men slowly but surely beat the Black Widows back. The only person who was spared was a lean man trading blows with Jase. Marin, if Sal had to guess.

Then Dark Heart surged in from the side. A moment later, the Devil Dogs' Alpha squad came in from the opposite direction, pinning the Terran soldiers between them. The only way out was up the stairs, but they were supposed to guard that with their lives. Sal knew because Narnx had explained his orders to her before he gave them.

Somewhere up there was the Emperor, the man's wife, and his invalid son. They were huddled in a room, thinking they were safe, but they were wrong. Tonight, nothing was safe. So long as her Sadava was held captive, Sal was willing to push her abilities to their limits.

While Narnx matched her swings, making a production of it, she was busy pulling threads. Every Anglian in this room would survive. That was the deal she had with ayati, and she could control it all. She'd been too scared to try before, but this? It was the end. This was the fight that could give her people the freedom she always dreamed of...

Sal's attention slipped when Ran's glowing thread began to thin and dim. She couldn't explain how, but she knew he was in trouble. Just a few floors above, and her dava was dying. Desperately, she looked for the next closest thread, forgetting about Narnx. Her sword moved slower. Her mind moved faster.

Between her brows, she felt pain starting, but that was easy to ignore. She'd already killed men. The maast was already driving her higher. She just had to find the right thread to save Ran! Someone up there was vulnerable to something. They had to be.

Sal, stop! Blaec warned.

She ignored him, because she could see it. The only option available to fix this. One line, and it felt big. It felt powerful. It also felt very feminine. Sal wrapped her mental fingers around it and she pulled hard. That made the thread beside it shift. Ran's once again grew brighter, but not bright enough, so Sal pulled it some more.

The thread resisted, but she couldn't focus, not while fighting Narnx. If he changed his mind, he could kill her and she knew it. All it would take was one quick thrust, but her mates would destroy him as well. That was enough to convince her that she was safe. Safe enough to try one last thing.

Sal brought her sword up to a guard position, reached all of her mental fingers into the knot of ayati, and strained for the base of that one thread. The one smothering out Ran's light. As soon as she had it in her grasp, she snapped it off completely.

The pattern in her head began to unravel, lines streaking across her vision faster than she could follow. The pain in her head became unbearable, her balance failed her, and her sword crashed to the ground, but she'd done it. Ran's thread was fine.

That was Sal's last thought as her eyes rolled up in her head, everything grew dark, and she watched the knots of fate unwind.

Chapter Eighty-One

Blaec felt his awareness shift from a muffled view of reality to the open wilderness of Sal's mind. Then, suddenly, she appeared before him, crumpled in the middle of a square marked with the number nine. This was Stonewater Stables, and it was her memory of the first time she'd seen him. The area around them was empty, even though it was the middle of the day, but Sal wasn't with him.

Pieces of her were dissolving away.

"No, no, no," he mumbled, rushing over to push them back against her skin.

Thankfully, they stuck. At least initially, but the damage was speeding up. This body, it wasn't really hers. It was something her subconscious made to represent the entirety of her mind. Her awareness of self, and it was shattering slowly. The only question was whether or not he could stop it.

All Kaisaes must die, but he hadn't expected her to break as well.

"C'mon, sweetness," he begged, trying to hold her together.

The problem was that there was no Sal inside to help him. She couldn't cling to him, couldn't change her mind. She could only lie there on the square that had started this all and vanish right before his eyes - but there had to be a way around this. There was a loophole for everything, if he was willing the pay the price, and Blaec was. He'd already given her his life!

The problem was that she'd just changed the pattern. No, more than that, she'd changed the entire cycle. Over and over, the same thing repeated. Humans subjugated the iliri, a Kaisae rose up, she fought hard, gained a little ground, and paid for it with her life or her sanity. Sal was different.

Right from the start she'd broken the rules. She hadn't come to him as his leader. She'd dropped her eyes and submitted in order to get ahead. She'd been willing to bend instead of break, and that was new. It had given him, of all things, hope. He'd watched while she befriended Zep, fell in love with Jase, and headed off to Anglia to build an army. Blaec had expected all of that, but not quite the way she'd done it.

In his visions, he'd seen the grauori willing to fight for her, but he'd assumed the human king would be a puppet she controlled. Kaisaes were always seductive things, and manipulative. Not Sal. She'd offered the man honesty, and he'd accepted it readily. Then, for the first time, a human had gone a step further.

He'd offered her shelter from it all.

Anglia, the birthplace of the iliri, where they'd been created with science from a native beast and an alien species, ended up being the salvation for their kind. Maybe the pattern wasn't destroyed. Could it be possible she'd only made it bigger?

He grabbed another handful of her essence and pressed it back into place, trying to find an answer for this. If she'd unraveled ayati, then why was she being pulled apart? If there was nothing to strain her, then what would hold her together? The answer was obvious.

Love.

The one thing she'd always needed. Sal's reason for fighting. It had always come down to love. That was the thing that made her feel safe. It gave her power. Most of all, it was the basis of her hope, and he had plenty to spare.

Pulling from his chest, Blaec used the remnants of himself as glue. Piece by piece, he strengthened her, rebuilt her, but he did not make her better. No, this woman was as perfect as they came. Yes, she had her flaws, but they were good ones. She worried about foolish things and got angry too easily. She was proud and insecure all at the same time. She was also wild, but in the way that made people want to join her, not run away from her.

Salryc Luxx was hope brought to life. His hope.

"C'mon, Sal," he begged. "Just open your eyes! Help me out a little, because I don't think you can do this on your own."

As if on cue, she sucked in a breath, and her white lashes fluttered until her eyes finally cracked open. "Blaec?" she asked.

"Oh, love, what did you do?" And he grabbed another piece of her soul before it could dissolve completely.

Sal sat up, patting at her chest even as she looked around. "We're back at the beginning?"

"It's a dream," he explained. "You blacked out."

"Blaec?" she whimpered as yet another piece broke free.

"I will not let you shatter," he swore. "I told you I would take care of you, and I meant it." Aware that she was losing herself faster than he could stop it, he pulled out another chunk of himself and forced it into her. This time, it was his strength. "Everything I have is yours," he told her. "Every last piece of me."

"No," she breathed, trying to back away.

"Yes. Sal, you broke the pattern. I told you not to go into ayati, but you did. Not just that, you tore it apart, and for what?"

"For Ran!" she cried. "His thread was fading too fast. I had to save him. I had to, Blaec. Why can't you see that? I told ayati that I would not do this if anyone else died, and he was going to!"

"Sal, I am ayati. I'm the thing that's been helping. The pattern has no mind. It doesn't think! It's just a pathway that can be followed, no different than the yarn in a sweater. It certainly doesn't make deals!"

Or did it? Could it?

Like sand in a breeze, she was dissipating before his eyes, and the only chance he had of saving her was something to crazy that it might just work. Blaec gave up trying to catch her essence and simply grabbed her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"Listen to me, Sal, because there's not much time. You were my greatest joy. I failed you, but I'm going to make it right. Not because you asked, because you made me, or anything else. The truth is that you were never able to stop me."

"You were my emergency brake," she told him.

And he smiled. "No, love. I was never strong enough to stop you. I think that was your fear." So he pulled out his courage and forced it into her. "Sal, for the first time ever, you found a way to fix all of this. Now, it's my turn. The only flaw in your plan is this. Kaisaes weren't made right. The scientists did something to control you - or maybe to limit you. I don't know, but I think I know how to fix it. Just remember that you didn't ask for this. I'm offering it, whether you want it or not."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

He leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers in a rushed kiss. "I can finally pay for all the pain I caused you." He paused, knowing that this would hurt, even though he couldn't feel anything else. "You, more than anyone else I know, deserve to live a very, very long life. Love your mates with all your heart, Sal. And if I'm lucky, maybe you'll think of me fondly."

Then he buried both of his hands into the middle of his chest and pulled.

This wasn't really his body. That wasn't actually his heart. It was all a construct her mind used to make sense of it, but he could still feel it. No one cared that he was little more than the memory of a man. It didn't matter at all that he was already dead. Blaec had the power to change his world for the better, and to stop the endless loop that the iliri had been on.

All he had to do was give her the most important thing he'd ever known. It was the one thing that could push back the darkness, brace against pain, and stand against enemies. It was the strongest thing any iliri knew.

It was the power that had allowed the iliri to finally rise up, and it belonged to her.

Before he could change his mind, Blaec shoved the last of his soul into her, burying that most special piece inside her. Sal gasped, arching back as her imaginary form sucked in a breath, but she felt it. Maybe it was the first time she'd ever experienced what she felt like to the rest of her people, and while Blaec wanted to see the final result, he knew that was impossible. He had to let go. He had to give it up, but that was the last of him. It was all he had left to give.

His hope.

As the pieces of his soul shattered instead of hers, Blaec finally knew he'd gotten it right. The last sight he'd ever see was her beautiful face watching while he was scattered through the winds of possibility.

It's time for a new pattern, he decided. Make it a good one, Sal.

"Help me?" she begged.

But he was already gone.

Chapter Eighty-Two

Terric City

Ran groaned as he came to, feeling a pounding in his head and a burning pain in his leg. Something was moving in the room, which made him clamp his mouth shut on the sound, but he slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was red. Blood was everywhere. On the floor, the walls, and across the bottom of the bed before him.

Which meant he was sitting on the ground in someone's room. Closer to lying, although his shoulder was propped up by a wall. Trying to ignore the pounding in his head and the ache on his throat, Ran let his eyes drift across his field of view, refusing to move his head so he wouldn't bring any attention to himself. He didn't even want to think about his leg yet.

There, just to his right, was a corpse. He could see the arm and shoulder, but most of the blood was coming from the end of the neck where a head should be. Beyond that, he could just make out a foot. The end of a dress lay across the top of it, proving it belonged to a woman. He quickly turned his eyes the other way.

Just as he saw small, dark boots and black pant legs, the movement in the room stopped. "Sir?" The voice belonged to a woman, and she was the source of the movement. It wasn't Sal. "Sadava Sturmgren? Are you all right?"

He lifted his head just as the woman hurried over to squat before him. The sight of her made him sigh in relief. Keeya Tikva, Pig's lover and one of the Devil Dogs. How had he forgotten that they were wearing black now? He'd been in on the plan to make it happen. Well, most of the Dogs had been, except Tyr.

"I think you have a concussion," Keeya told him. "It looks like you were thrown against the wall, and I stopped the Empress from strangling you. How are you feeling, sir? I got the arrow out of your leg and bandaged it while you were out."

"Where are the guards?" he asked.

Her answering smile was unsettling. It was cruel in a way he hadn't expected from this sweet, innocent girl, and pride filled her eyes. "Those who aren't downstairs holding off Sal and her elites? They're all dead, sir. The Kaisae gave me a future, so I'm giving her one in return. Now, can you sit up?"

He tried, paused, and found that his head ached, but it wasn't spinning. Nodding to show he was ok, Ran reached back to brace against the wall so he could heave himself up. His leg didn't want to cooperate, but it held him. The delicate little girl moved to assist, but she wasn't an iliri. She didn't have that strange hidden strength and inhuman musculature that Sal took for granted. Still, she was a soldier, and evidently a good one.

"Who were the corpses?" he asked.

She pointed. "Makiel Geirr. Moriauna Geirr." Then she turned to point at the bed. "Judoc Geirr. They brought you as a fail-safe. I overheard the guards saying that the Empress wanted to kill you to destroy the Anglian assault. They know what happens when the link breaks, sir, and they intended to use it to their advantage. Thankfully, I got here first."

He nodded, accepting that as easily as all the other atrocities committed in the name of war. "Thank you. So how are we getting out of here?"

"Right now," she told him, "this floor is clear, and the ones below don't know I'm here. It seems Moriauna was foolish enough to have them all looking down." Keeya jerked her thumb back to the window. "They forgot iliri can climb."

"You're not iliri," he pointed out.

Keeya shrugged it off. "No, but I learned from them, which means I can climb." She stepped back, turning to grab some papers from a desk. "These were on the desk. It's how I know her name." She tapped at a spot on the first page. "Sir, it looks like an unfinished love letter, but it's not. Those are orders. Makiel wasn't running the Empire. She was. I mean, it's a stretch, and I'm making a lot of assumptions, but the way things are said?"

Ran knew she was avoiding his question, but accepted the papers and started reading. Keeya was right. No, they weren't military orders, but the Emperor's wife clearly praised his strength, his pride, and then insinuated that he was weak because he hadn't done something. All of the language was strong and direct. Exactly the type of thing an iliri male would react to.

Which meant that Makiel had been a puppet for his wife's plans. The bigger question was if that mattered. Considering that the woman was dead, the Emperor was dead, and the Terran army was losing... What more could she do? Did it even matter why this war had started, or was finishing it going to be enough?

"Ok," Ran mumbled. "Makiel's head will serve as proof of his demise. Grab a sheet, let's wrap it up, and figure out how to get down there."

Keeya just pointed at the bed. "Judoc's still alive."

But the man really wasn't. Yes, his body seemed to be breathing, but his limbs were atrophied, proving he'd been like that for a very long time. Ran wasn't sure if he could call it a coma or if that was some residual mental trauma from what Sal had done to him in Anglia - which she'd updated him on in excruciating detail. Either way, he was an invalid, not a threat.

"What can he do?" Ran asked. "I think he's paid his price."

The Devil Dogs' newest assassin just looked at him blankly. "Yeah," she drawled. "Sir, I think you have a lot to learn about monarchies."

Before he could stop her, she pulled a dagger from the sheath on her leg and walked over. Without hesitation or remorse, Keeya pulled the blade across Judoc's throat, cutting deep. The body didn't even flinch from the pain.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"I'm making Sal's plan work," she shot back as she made a second pass. "Don't get soft on me, General. This is war."

War? No, that was cruel and unusual. The man wasn't a threat at all! Was this the world that Sal wanted to build? A place where her soldiers killed even those too helpless to defend themselves? He shook his head, trying to deny it.

"War is defeating the enemies, Keeya, not the innocent."

"Well, I don't know how to break it to you, sir, but anyone in the line of succession between Makiel and Narnx right now is an enemy. Judoc was the acknowledged son. In my world, that means an excuse for some regent to put a crown on the bed beside him and rule in his name. This is how to stop corruption, sir. You sent the Kaisae to Anglia to kill how many men so that Dom could rule? Well, I'm more than willing to cut one man's throat to do the same."

Monarchies. Clearly, he'd hit his head harder than he thought if he hadn't figured that out. Or was he in shock from his wounds? Regardless, Keeya had a point. The Empire was a monarchy. She hadn't meant Anglia.

"You're right," he admitted. "I'm still addled. Are you strong enough to remove his head too?"

"That's what I'm doing," Keeya promised. "We'll need the wife's as well, since she's listed in the line of succession."

"How are we getting out?" he demanded. "In case you missed it, I'm lame."

She smiled even while she began to hack at the body. "We're walking down the hall like we own the place. Lean on the wall if you have to. Pig says that the moment Dark Heart and the Verdant Shields rushed into the room, Narnx called for assistance. The guards all responded as planned." Which meant the girl was talking to them now. Then she paused to close her eyes as she hit a problematic spot. "Sal says the trick to being an assassin is to realize that it's easy to be where you don't belong. The only time it's hard is when you get caught."

Which sounded exactly like something Sal would say. "Ok." Ran dismissed that, trying to focus through his pain to make a plan. "Do we need any identification? Signets or a crown?"

"Leave the crown," Keeya said. "Their faces will be enough, and passing a crown to Narnx would raise suspicion. We're not supposed to be on his side, remember?"

He did. He also knew he needed a sword, and with every moment that passed, the fog in his mind was lifting a little more. That was the problem with head injuries. They wounded the one thing that every soldier needed most: their intelligence. He could compensate for his leg, but Ran felt like a new recruit right now. He knew better, though. He'd forced himself through places a lot worse than this and lived to tell the tale. His muscles remembered how to keep him alive, even if his thoughts felt dangerously scattered.

But there was one thing he had to know. "Did you tell Sal I'm alive?"

She looked up. Blood had splattered across her face, but he didn't notice that because of the fear in her eyes. "She's unconscious, sir. Devil Dogs have been ordered to protect the Blades. Dark Heart and the Verdant Shields are covering the sides. Hax has taken over his unit's strategy with a little too much zeal, and the entire room is under control, but Sal?" She paused to swallow. "Pig said she just dropped, although the Blades aren't in a frenzy."

Which meant she wasn't dead. It also explained Hax's actions. Right now, her surviving was all that mattered. He didn't dare think about the other options, like how her mind could be splintering at this very moment. No, his little girl was going to be fine. She had to be.

She deserved to be.

Ran limped over and grabbed Makiel's head by his hair. "Which means it's up to us to stop this war."

"Yes, sir," she agreed.

Chapter Eighty-Three

Terric City, minutes before

Kolt stood at Sal's right, holding off the Black Widows while she put on a show with Narnx. This had all been planned, and the Terran iliri was doing his part. Still, Kolt wasn't sure he trusted Narnx. Not yet, but he was positive that the rest of the Black Widows wanted to see her bleed.

The problem was how distracted Sal was. She wasn't focused on her fight, or anything else in this room. Her mind was stretching, reaching out, still frantic to find Ran. That made Kolt hyper-aware of everything. The set of her ears, the glare on Narnx's face, and especially the Terran prick who kept lunging toward her. A practiced twist of Kolt's wrist sliced the Terran near his armpit, forcing the man to pull back. It was a move Zep had taught him, but he'd never had the chance to use it in combat before.

Then a rush of shock came from Sal, followed by a blinding moment of panic. Kolt had just enough time to glance over before she raised her sword into a novice guard position and dropped. Narnx swung, his blade moving with plenty of force behind it, yet the man's attention was on Marin. Across from Jase, the Black Widow traitor looked like he was fighting for his life, but every attack was little more than a ruse. One that most people wouldn't be able to see.

Narnx's concern was admirable, but his timing couldn't be worse. As the blade surged toward where Sal's sword had been only moments before, the Kaisae's body sank, putting her head and neck directly in the path. Kolt stopped caring about the Terran he was fighting. He didn't worry about how this looked. He knew it was going to hurt, but he had to save her. Twisting completely sideways, he lunged, moving faster than he ever had before.

His sword, which had once belonged to Blaec, shot forward, but it wouldn't be in time. It couldn't. In slow motion, Narnx looked back, his eyes widened, and he tried to pull the shot, but Sal was falling. Her awareness was fading from Kolt's senses. The sword was too close, and there was no way she could survive if she didn't even know to duck.

The very tip of Kolt's sword slammed against the sharpened edge of Narnx's, both blades bouncing away from each other slightly, but it was enough. Just enough. The force of Narnx's swing came down on Sal's shoulder, sending her to the floor with a thump, proving she hadn't tried to stop herself.

At that moment, the Terran opportunist saw his chance. The man to Narnx's left cleaved at Kolt's back with all his might, aware the Taunor was exposed and vulnerable. It was Blaz who spun to shield him. A flare of pain rushed across the link. It was minor, yet the Anglians all felt it. Blaz had taken a hit! Joevar shifted to cover him. Pig moved to take up the slack. Rayna took the chance to slash one of the Black Widows across the eyes, removing him from the fight, and Ilija pushed the Shields in.

Up and down the line, the Anglians worked together, pulling closer to protect the one thing that mattered most: Sal. Kolt couldn't. He felt Jase drop to check on her, saw Zep move to handle Marin, so he shoved himself into Narnx's face, forcing the imposter back.

Both men growled. Narnx's lip curled, and Kolt snapped at his face, driving him another step toward the stairs. Orders began to come from Dark Heart, but it wasn't Perin giving them. This was Hax, demanding the enemy's deaths, ordering his unit to even the odds, and blood began to spill. From the other side, Dom matched him, setting the Shields loose. With those two units handling the assault, Pig turned the Devil Dogs on defense, sending out orders for them to protect the Blades.

That was the moment the tide turned. Terric needed to know they'd been outplayed. They had to understand that they couldn't win, and with Sal out of the way, her men were doing just that. They had this. Each one knew his part in this game, and it was going to work.

Narnx shoved back. "This has to stop," he hissed.

Kolt just growled a warning. He could feel Sal pulling at him, and knew beyond a doubt that something was wrong. From the moment they'd entered the city, she'd been distracted and straining, but he had no idea what new trick she was using. All he knew was that right now, no one was allowed near her who wasn't her mate.

"Jase?" he begged, breaking the Anglian silence.

The only answer was a growl. That said enough. The worry in the Ahnor's heart said more. He couldn't wake her. Men were still fighting, but Joevar pushed closer, forcing Blaz back so he was free to focus on Sal.

Where is Raast? Pig demanded.

It was Rhyx who answered. With Tseri, outside the walls. Ynta was killed. The Kaeen's link has broken. In their frenzy, her pack took wounds.

I got this, Risk promised.

Blaz waved him off. I'm on her, he assured the rest. Risk, watch Dark Heart. Hax is pushing them hard. Shift, you're on the Shields.

Already there, Shift promised. Rayna's got Dom behind the front line.

Risk wasn't as understanding. But... he tried.

Do it! Blaz ordered, and Kolt could feel he understood.

Blaz knew the iliri had to focus on their Kaisae first, but an order from her mate would override that. It was the only way to keep order right now, because every member of Sal's family wanted to rush to her side, to do something to bring her back. Fear was coursing through the link, most of it from Jase and Zep, which shifted the responsibility right onto Kolt's shoulders.

Ghost, he said, make sure no one flanks us. We need to keep the rest of the army outside where the allies can deal with them. Shade, build a wall if things go bad. We can't kill them if we want Sal's plan to work. Hax, pull the fuck back. Pig, make sure those stairs are clear and get me an update on Keeya.

She has Ran, Pig told him. He's taken a blow to the head and isn't all there yet, but he's whole. The Emperor is down.

Then we're going to hold this farce until Keeya can get to us, Kolt told them. Dom, you're the only conscious ruler with this group. If Blaz can't get her up, you'll have to negotiate with Narnx.

I can do that, Dom promised.

And where the hell is Keeya? Kolt asked, sending that thought to everyone tied to his mind.

Two more steps, the girl promised. Almost there, Taunor. The Sadava's wounded, and I found a stray soldier up here. Ran said we couldn't risk leaving the man alive. It took a bit, but I'm almost there.

The thought barely came across the link before a shrill whistle pierced the air from above. It was enough to make everyone hesitate, and eyes flicked toward the sound. That meant they were all looking as the object sailed through the air, landed with a sickening thud, bounced, and then wobbled to a halt.

"The Emperor of Terric, Makiel Geirr, is dead!" Keeya bellowed.

Then she threw something else. Another head. Kolt watched as the side of the man's dead face impacted the stones, and even he winced at the gore. The problem was that Kolt had no idea who that head belonged to. But they still weren't done. Ran limped into view, holding up one more head by its long grey hair.

"His line is done," he announced, using the tone that made soldiers stop in their tracks. "Terric is finished. Your Emperor has been defeated, and there is no one to carry on his reign of terror against the rest of the continent. Surrender, and we will let you live."

"Narnx," someone muttered.

Marin immediately picked up on it. "The Emperor is dead," he called out. "Narnx is his son! Terric will rally behind him!"

And every Black Widow left in the room latched onto it, just like Sal had planned. "The Emperor," they muttered amongst themselves, the words flowing through them like a disease until someone found his courage. "Long live Emperor Narnx!"

"Hold!" Narnx yelled, lifting both hands to keep the fight from breaking back out. "If I'm the Emperor, then what terms is Anglia offering? Your armies are outside destroying our capital city, and then what?"

Dom pushed his way closer, Rayna loyally at his side to keep him safe. "I don't want this country," Dom snapped. "We never did. All I want is for Terric to stay out of my home, and to leave my people alone, regardless of their species."

"But the iliri are a plague," Marin said, glancing over at Narnx.

The new Emperor just smiled. "A plague that Anglia wants." Narnx lifted a hand. "I've spent my entire life fighting my father's war. So have most of these men beside me. What do you offer us, King Jens, if Terric puts an end to the hostilities against Anglia?"

Sal's moan was his answer, but as she sat up, Narnx turned to her with a glare on his face. It was a warning, but even to Kolt, the man looked ready to tear her apart himself.

"So close," he grumbled. "I almost had you dead."

Confusion filled Sal, but Kolt expected that. She'd been out for minutes. When she'd dropped, they'd all been fighting, and now they were talking. From Jase's posture, he was catching her up on what had happened.

So Dom kept going. "I offer you absolutely nothing, Emperor. No tariffs. No international sanctions. No peacekeepers from other nations walking your streets to make sure that this doesn't happen again. But you can have that if, and only if, you agree to keep your interests inside your country's borders. Not those you gained through conquest over the last few decades, but the land Terric claimed at The Landing. Blame your ancestors for where they chose to settle, not the rest of the world."

"And if I refuse?" Narnx asked.

Sal forced herself to her feet. "Then I will destroy you," she swore. "Anglia, Myrosica, Viraenova, Gallicor, Unav, the Conglomerate of Free Citizens, and even Escea will band together to wipe every trace of this nation from memory. The land will be given to Unav as restitution for what your father did to that country two decades ago. Maybe Namisa will take your people. Maybe the Unavi won't hang you all as war criminals. If you're lucky, the crimes Terric has committed in breach of the Conventions of War will be laid on your father's head instead of yours and the officers who did nothing to stop it." She took a step toward him, placing herself so she could be seen by the Terrans in the room. "The war is over, Narnx. The only question is how many more Terrans have to die before you realize it. Trust me, I'm winning."

"Sir," Marin begged, "the streets are filled with enemies. The white beasts have come over the walls and are killing anyone who attacks them, military or civilian."

"We're losing," someone else said.

"Ok," Narnx said softly.

"You're the Emperor," another soldier begged. "Do something."

"Ok!" Narnx yelled this time. "Ok." He turned to look up one side of his line, then he turned to check the other. Every Terran face was watching him. All of them braced for the fight to break out again, but Kolt could smell their desperation.

Which was what Sal had counted on when she planned this. She knew that if Narnx spent enough time as a loyal and fair officer, these men would look to him for their orders. Then, once the line of succession was removed, he'd be the one they put into power.

Because the problem with war was that anyone could lead it. Once the hate began to spread, it was hard to stop. The only hope they had was to give the Terrans someone else to follow. Someone just unexpected enough to challenge their ideas, but who seemed to be working for them. Narnx fit the bill. More than that, he was willing.

This, he'd said, was how he'd pay for letting her mate die before her eyes.

"Will Anglia leave the city before dawn?" he asked.

Sal smiled. "Emperor, in case you weren't aware, the sun is currently teasing the horizon. I can, however, promise that once the Terrans stop resisting, all allied soldiers will pull back outside the city boundaries within an hour. Will that do?"

"And then?" he asked.

"Then," she told him, "you will sign a legal and binding treaty with every ruler of every nation here, or their representative. That includes Escea, your Eminence, because they are no longer your allies."

"Fine," Narnx said, "but if any of you break the agreement, the entire thing is void. Terric doesn't need expansion to be strong."

"No," Sal agreed. "You never did. Funny how your father never realized that, isn't it? Or maybe the old man just wanted more power, and he didn't care how many of his own people he killed to get it."

"I," Narnx assured her, "am not my father. I'm also not scared of you, Salryc Luxx."

"Good. Then call off your men, and I'll call off mine."

For a long moment, Narnx scowled at her. Few would realize that he wasn't looking in her eyes, though. His gaze was leveled just below it, on the white skin beneath her lower lashes. Everything else about the man's act was perfect, but that one thing was the final proof that Kolt needed. Even when Narnx had been given permission, he still found himself submitting to her dominance.

"Marin?" Narnx finally said. "Send the signal. Kilrand, go with him."

"Let them through," Sal told her soldiers.

Then they waited. No one moved, but Kolt could feel Sal struggling to keep herself upright. Something had happened when she was unconscious, but she was avoiding it, refusing to think about that right now. Every fiber of her being was focused on making this work, because they all knew it was a longshot. If anything went wrong, the only backup plan the allies had was to destroy the nation completely, and not even Shade could do that.

If this failed, the war would go on.

Thankfully, only a few minutes passed before the drums began to beat. Over and over, the pattern droned on, and reports began coming in through the link. Terrans were pulling back. Anglians were allowing them to retreat. While the sun came up on a new day in Terric City, the conflict that had taken over all their lives was finally over.

Kolt wasn't sure if he should be smiling or crying. All he knew was that if this was a dream, it was one he never wanted to wake from.

Chapter Eighty-Four

Terric City

It took more than an hour for the allied nations to pull out of the city, but only because the Terrans kept fighting. After that, they regrouped around each entrance, making it clear that this wasn't over until the treaty was signed. Just before noon, a delegation left the city gates to invite the leaders of each nation and a guard of their choosing into the Palace. The man leading the Terran group was none other than Marin.

Inside Narnx's new estate, the bodies had been removed, but the carnage was still evident. Servants scurried away in fear, leaving bloody mop buckets behind. It seemed Sal's final battle had made an impression. Hopefully, that would be all it took to keep these people from trying again in a few years.

Narnx, however, didn't meet with them in the main hall where they'd fought. Instead, he brought the group to a much more formal room. A long table took up the space with one chair at the end clearly larger than the others. Sal eyed it, debating whether or not she should claim that one as her own, then chose the one at the foot instead.

Tseri, who was still reeling from the loss of her daughter, claimed the chair to Sal's left. Kesh, standing in for the Conglomerate, took the one beside her. Dom paused at the chair to Sal's right, and then moved down one, leaving it for Rragri. The Orassae huffed at the seat that would torture her body, but took it. A healer with the Anglian medics eased herself beside the King, bearing the symbol for Myrosica. Across from her, beside Rais, was another Anglian standing in for his birth country of Gallicor.

Every country was represented. Their nations had been notified while Sal waited, and each one had accepted the person to stand in for them only because it would finally stop the war. The solution wasn't perfect, but it was good enough, and with so many people in power in agreement, Terric would be unable to find a loophole.

When they were all comfortable, Narnx walked in wearing an ostentatious robe that had clearly belonged to his father. The scepter in his hand was steel, and the crown on his head was some orange-colored metal. Copper, if Sal had to guess, but she'd never actually seen it before. With his chin held high, he moved to take that massive chair that Sal had discarded.

"Rulers," he greeted them.

"Emperor," Sal replied, speaking for the rest. "May I ask what caused the delay?"

His pale green eyes looked across the table, focused on her hands. "A coronation. I'm sure that Anglia knows all about such details."

Good. That meant it was official. Sal had to force herself not to smile because her guards weren't the only ones in the room. A unit of Black Widows stood at ease along the sides. This was a show, everyone at the table knew it, but appearances still mattered.

"And the terms?" Sal asked.

Narnx snapped his fingers, and an older man stepped forward to read the entirety of the agreement. The truth was that Sal didn't care about that. Dom was listening, and he would know the laws better than her. She wanted to see how the new Emperor was handling all of this.

Are you holding up? she asked Narnx.

So far, he assured her. Marin's worried we'll be found out, and it's unnerving to have so many people sniveling at me, but I can do this, Kaisae.

Sal, she reminded him. And is there anything I need to object to in this contract?

A bit. Adjust the first paragraph to include all nations on the continent. Make sure Terric's borders are defined as those in our nation's constitution. Add in a paragraph at the end for consequences if we violate it, and make it clear that it doesn't matter who is chosen to lead, or what form of government the nation follows.

I can do that, Sal assured him, passing the information to the rest in the group.

And while her allies fought over the specific language, Sal and Narnx held each other in a staring match. She knew it looked like a challenge, but that worked out just fine. The truth was that she had a lot to tell him.

Your mate has chosen an ahnor. Is that a problem? she asked.

Baeli? He paused, clenching his jaw to keep from smiling. I knew she'd have another, and dernor is fine with me. I never wanted to lead anything, Sal. I just... Who would accept the son of their enemy as a mate?

The sister of Blaec Doll, evidently, Sal told him. And her ahnor is a friender. Is that a problem for you?

Should it be? he shot back. I'm the only iliri I've ever known. Well, who wasn't waiting to be killed. Sal, I'm the enemy.

You are not, she assured him. You're also good at this. You've learned to hide your expressions well. You can lie with a straight face. It's not a skill most iliri possess.

It is if they've fought every second of their lives to stay alive, he countered. Which I have a feeling is something you know a little too well.

I do, she agreed. I think that's also why I believe you. I know you won't turn on us, because more than anything else, you want the right to make your own decisions.

Freedom, he thought. It's amazing how often people take that for granted, and how big of a bribe it is to those who don't have it.

Was it worth the war, though?

He slowly licked at his lips. Would you hate me if I said yes? Knowing what you lost, and knowing how much pain this has put the world through, is it wrong to say that I would do it all over again if it was the only way for iliri to finally be free?

And if there was another way? she asked him.

Then we follow the path that hurts the least, Sal. Why do you ask?

Because Anglia doesn't know what we're bringing home. They have only the faintest idea, but we have a lot of land. My goal is to make sure that peace doesn't mean divided. That our way of fixing this isn't to go our separate ways. For thousands of years, the grauori hid from humans and we iliri were forced to serve humans as slaves. Now, for the first time, they're finally willing to accept us, and that means someone has to wade through the shit of figuring that out.

He flicked his eyes over as Dominik railed against something in the treaty, paused long enough to say the change was fine, then looked back to Sal. Did you know I can swim? I learned how when I was thrown into the river beneath that cliff. No one asked me if I was willing to risk it - they just threw me in to live or die. That's been my life as an iliri beast in Terric. So yes, Kaisae. I will wade, I will swim, and I will even drown if that means this will end.

But? she asked him.

His brow flicked down. I don't understand. But what?

You must have some demands or expectations, Narnx. What is your 'but' to doing all of this?

His eyes dropped to the table. It's stupid.

I'm still willing to hear it.

Casually, he reached to his side for a glass of water, lifted it to his lips, and swallowed two large gulps. As he set the glass back down, he met her eyes again. I want a room with a window. I don't care what floor, but it needs to have a window that looks out over the mountains. The room will be decorated in Anglian green, with a bed large enough for three. And... He paused. Sal, when Baeli comes to you to ask if you'll approve a name, you will. It may hurt, and it may warm your heart, but you will tell her it's ok, because she needs it.

Blaec? she asked him.

Yeah.

He's gone. She had to look at Dom to keep her expression from cracking. When I fell, his soul finally left me. I haven't heard anything from him since. No random feelings, nothing. He pulled himself apart to hold my mind together.

Was it worth it? Narnx asked.

Sal had to think about that for a little too long. Blaec was dead. Most people never got to talk to them after that, but she had, and for some reason, she'd imagined him being around forever. He wasn't. The sky over Terric City was clear, without a single thread hanging from it. Ayati was gone. Blaec was gone. Everything the iliri knew and counted on had just changed - yet they were finally free.

We'll figure it out, she said.

But Narnx knew she was avoiding the answer. Was it worth it, Sal? Was your freedom worth his life, and even his death?

Yes.

The monotonous droning of an old man filled the room, but to Sal it sounded like silence. Narnx's mind was perfectly blank as he came to terms with that. The problem was that she couldn't do the same. She knew she was right, but she felt like it was wrong to think so. A human emotion, she knew, but a strong one.

I would've watched my entire pack die around me, she explained, if it ended this. Narnx, sometimes things hurt. That doesn't mean they aren't the right things to do. Those of us strong enough to do them owe it to those who can't. It's the only way to fight back. Someone has to do it, and so I did. I would do this again, as many times as I have to, so long as I can believe that one day we can all have a better future. Even our enemies.

That, he told her, is what makes you the greatest Kaisae the iliri have ever known. You, Sal, fight for the one thing that is completely universal.

Hope, she realized.

He tipped his head forward in acknowledgment. It's what starts rebellions and also ends wars. It's the thing that can make a people rise up in the face of defeat. Hope, Sal, is everything, and you are hope.

I'm just a slave who refused to give up, she insisted. I'm not something great.

And that's where you're wrong. The most heroic among us aren't those with the easy paths. They're the ones willing to bite, claw, and fight their way to the end. That you found love, made friendships, and did this? He let his eyes roam across the table. They're your friends, Sal. The most powerful people on the continent, and every last one of them respects you. I'd say that makes you a fuckload more than 'just a slave.'

And you? she countered.

Finally, he let his smile break through the mask of indifference. I'm the man who used chloroform instead of andromedotoxin because I heard a story that sounded too good to be true. I was supposed to kill you in Syhar, Sal. I could've, too. I didn't because I wanted to see what your version of the future looks like.

It looks like a table where the iliri are seated in the positions of power, she told him.

Yes, it does. Then he lifted his hand. "Let's sign this and be done with it. The sooner we agree, the sooner you are all out of my country."

Sal nodded in agreement, but she dared to send a rush of pride through the link for him. He played his part well, almost too well, but she understood. This was his own act of desperation. He would be the tyrant if that was what it took to gain his freedom.

Lucky for him, he wouldn't need to do it for long.

Sal looked over and met Dom's eyes. The King nodded, proving he had no problem with the treaty. Reaching out with her left hand, she touched Tseri's arm, making sure the woman was still coherent enough to do this. The Kaeen nodded, assuring Sal she was.

"You first, Emperor," Sal said, raising her voice so it would carry throughout the room. "I think I'll sign last, both for myself and for Escea."

"I don't care what order we sign it in," Narnx snapped. "Someone bring me a pen!"

It felt surreal to watch the signatures fill the bottom of the page, but it happened. One by one, every country on the northern continent of Ogun signed, swearing in their own way that never again would the greed of a few destroy the lives of many. Then, when Sal scrawled her name in Glish as the current Chieftain of Escea, and again in Iliran as the Kaisae of all Anglia, it was done.

The war was officially over.

Now, all that was left was getting home to see what peace felt like.

Chapter Eighty-Five

Namisa

After the treaty was signed, the allies had returned to camp to sleep. They didn't stay long. The next morning, Star Fall and the 112th Mounted bid their farewells and headed south. Kesh had taken longer, refusing to leave until Dom promised him an invitation to Anglia. Then, when he finally did head out, it was with Tseri and the Viraenovans, with the intentions of going through Escea first. Sal was still amused at that pair.

Rragri released the grauori to head back to their packs as they wished. She promised Sal that she'd come to Dorton or Arhhawen anytime she was invited, and dared to hug the King. Whatever words that were shared between them made Dom smile proudly. Nya, however, decided to travel with the main army, even if everyone knew it was her excuse to spend more time with Jarl.

Exactly twenty-two days after Sal left Terric City, the final piece of her plan fell into place. The Anglians were cutting around the southernmost edge of Namisa when one of the footmen at the back sent up a warning thought. Riders were coming in, and fast. Just a pair, but as veterans of war, everyone was a little tense.

The army braced for Terran scouts - or maybe something worse - but Sal knew better. Pulling out of the line, she moved Arden to the side of the grass and waited. Kolt and Zep joined her, but Jase simply chuckled and rode on. He knew what she was doing, and with a thought, he reminded the rest of the guys that six was a rather intimidating number.

It took a while, but eventually, two sweat-slicked horses cantered into sight. The moment the riders saw Sal, they both pulled the horses in and slid off, letting the animals walk to catch their breath.

"It's about time, Narnx," Sal teased.

He flashed her a smile filled with sharp teeth. "Evidently, it's hard for an Emperor to get a moment of peace, but we made it. Thanks for taking it slow."

With a laugh at his sarcasm, she slipped off Arden's side and passed the reins to Zep. "Go ahead, babe," she told him. "Kolt's more than enough."

"Horse?" Zep asked the Taunor.

"Nah, I got her," Kolt assured him.

He also didn't dismount. Instead, Kolt gave his mare a loose rein and let her follow the two Terrans at a leisurely pace. Marin rolled his eyes at that, but Narnx didn't seem to mind.

"So," he said, fanning his shirt to dry himself, "I was wondering if I can negotiate a place for my brother."

"Friend," Marin grumbled.

"Brother," Narnx insisted. "Sal, he's stood by me through all of this. I don't want him to end up cast aside once we reach Arhhawen."

"Of course not," Sal assured him. Then she looked over at Marin. "You planning to stay in the army?"

The man scoffed. "No, sir. I would like to retire, spend some time with my wife, and maybe work on a few more kids."

Narnx elbowed him in the ribs. "Tell her what you can do."

Immediately, Marin's cheeks turned darker. "Um, before I was conscripted into the Terran army, I was a bookmaker. Binder, actually. Narnx said that you were trying to reproduce a library of Iliran writing, and I thought that maybe I could help with that. I don't have any of my tools, but it was good work, and I loved doing it."

"A book binder?" Sal asked, trying to wrap her mind around this new image of the man that Jase had literally eaten to get information from. "Do you know anything about printing?"

He began to smile. "Makiel's wife, back when they were first married and I was a mere journeyman - well, she liked her books. Wanted copies of each, identical. I helped my master binder create a system that would reproduce the cover art. It's been a long time, Sal, but I think I can figure out how to make that work for your decorative writing."

"Hired," she told him. "Because it seems that I have a stipend for my province, and I'm expected to pay a staff. Well, with my professors bringing in additional income with their human students, I can't think of a better thing to focus on. I'll make sure you have rooms big enough for your entire family, how's that?"

"Maybe a cabin," Narnx suggested. "Something on the property, but where his children won't be locked inside that much darkness."

"We'll work it out," she promised them. "I want to hear about your great escape."

Narnx groaned. "It was less great and more horrific. My sire had rooms on the third fucking floor!"

"He climbed down," Marin said. "In the middle of the night, with his door locked and guards just outside, he climbed down the outside of the tower."

"The way Keeya got up?" Sal was trying to imagine it.

Narnx shook his head. "She used the other side of the building. My rooms overlooked that stupid river," Narnx grumbled. "If one of those stones was loose, well, the Emperor of Terric would've been found floating somewhere in Escea, I'm sure."

"Unav," Marin teased. "You'd bloat well before Escea."

"And you're ok with leaving it all behind?" she asked them both.

Together, they nodded. Both men bobbed their heads emphatically, making sure there was no room for confusion.

"There's still a lot of anti-iliri crap in the city," Narnx said. "Even when I had to be in public, I never felt safe."

"They thought we were fucking," Marin added. "No, I think we've both grown tired of that place. Yes, it was my home, but never the city. I lived up here. Well, a few hours back, but still. Believe it or not, Terric was a very quiet nation of farmers before the Emperor came into power. How he turned the entire country into soldiers, I'll never know."

"Fear," Sal told them. "That's how it always happens. Subtly at first, with rumors that your lives are about to change, and then it just keeps growing."

"And now, I'm not sure it will ever go back," Marin told her. "I'd rather move than live there, so I'm moving."

"And I," Narnx said, his eyes scanning the riders, "have known I'd end up in Anglia for a very long time."

She knew what he was looking for. "Geo?" she asked, sending that in her mind as well.

"Yeah?" he called back, proving he was just ahead of her in line.

"Hey, would you be willing to help our newest Anglians - or soon to be Anglians - settle in? Make sure we have what they don't, and introduce them to some people?"

He reined his horse out of line, and Baeli followed. The moment she came into sight, the air fell from Narnx's lungs, and his feet decided to stop working. The same man who'd made such a convincing Emperor of Terric ended up staring dumbfounded at the sight of Baeli.

Geo noticed. A little smile curled his lips higher as he jerked his chin toward Marin as a greeting. His words, however, were for Narnx. "I'm Tane Geoni," he said, moving his horse directly in front of Narnx so he could lean over and offer his hand. Then he lowered his voice. "Her name is Baeli. If you want to impress her, you need to close your mouth and get your shit together, ilus."

That last word snapped Narnx out of his trance. "Yes, sir," he mumbled. "Um, I'm afraid I'm at a loss for what comes next now that we made it out of Terric." And he clasped Geo's hand. "I could honestly use a friend who won't hold my past against me."

"Trust me," Geo assured him, "I'm the last man to judge another for things out of his control. To the Blades, you're a friend, and I hope that one day you'll also be a brother."

"Me too," Narnx agreed, just as a commotion sounded further up the line.

Sal stepped aside to see, but Kolt was already picking up his reins. "Watch them," Kolt ordered, offering Sal a hand.

She accepted, swinging herself behind him on the saddle, but this didn't sound like a problem. Just something of interest. The kind of spectacle that could make a few thousand weary soldiers murmur about it, but nothing more. But when Kolt cantered his mare further up the line, Sal realized this was not at all what she'd expected.

A trio of refugees stood at the side of the road, and Jase was headed toward them. It was the luggage stacked beside them that made it clear they weren't simply watching the parade. That had happened before. This was different. Everything about their stance, their gear, and even their clothing said they intended to follow along.

Sal? Jase thought, but it wasn't a warning. His thought was filled with awe.

Coming, she assured him. "Take me over there," she told Kolt.

He kneed Veil for a little more speed, then pulled the mare in gently far enough away so Sal could dismount without stepping on the people. Two men, farmers by their clothing, stood with a young lady between them. The moment Sal's feet touched the ground, Jase dismounted, dropping Raven's reins to walk forward in a daze.

Then he inhaled. Sal mimicked him, smelling something so familiar. Her ears flicked forward, and she looked at the closest man. His eyes were wide, but he still offered his hand. Sal ignored it.

"Jase?"

"Yeh," he agreed, not even needing her to finish the sentence. "Girl, can ya lower yer hood fer us?"

Because the third person was definitely a girl, and when she reached up to push her hood back, her hands were the color of snow. Iliri, and purebred from the smell of her, but Jase's reaction said that wasn't all. As the girl's face became visible, she turned her large, white eyes on Sal first.

They didn't drop.

"She's a Kaisae," Jase breathed.

"A wha?" the girl asked, her Glish twisted with a Namisan country accent.

"Like her," Jase explained, pointing back to Sal. "Where have ya been?"

The man behind her pointed to the north. "A few hours that way, sir. My, um..."

"Partner," the other man said quickly.

"Yes, my partner and I found her when she was young. One of the first victims of the war, you see. And, well, I always wanted children, but a wife isn't in my plans, so we decided to raise her. On the farm, we thought it would be safe."

"No," Sal said, cutting him off. "Start before that. At the beginning. Where did you find her? How?"

The two men shared a look, clearly nervous about saying the wrong thing.

Kolt huffed in amusement. "Sirs, I promise you are not in trouble. They're awestruck, that's all. We know you are lovers - by the smell." He paused to inhale. "I'm willing to guess you're both her davas."

"Fathers," the girl corrected. "Father Varip and Father Bosko."

"We aren't really her fathers," Varip explained. "We found her when she was an infant. Well, her mother asked us to take her."

"Slow down," Sal told him, offering a friendly smile. "We just want to understand."

Varip nodded and took a deep breath. "Back before the war," he began, "Namisan farmers traded with Terric City. It was the best way to get a good price for our crop, you understand. Bosko and I were heading home afterwards, and we saw a woman running along the edge of the road, and she was wounded. We stopped to help her, but she told us we couldn't. She said 'they'd get her' and begged us to take her baby. Lyzzi, here. Told us her name and everything. We tried to change her mind, but we heard the soldiers coming, and she passed us the child."

"So we kept going," Bosko said, picking up the story. "The woman, she was iliri, just as pure as you are, ma'am, and she took off into the fields like she was trying to outrun them. Well, but she was on foot, wounded, and tired. The Terrans caught her, and they didn't try to arrest her at all. They just killed her and left her body out there. When they realized we saw, they came to ask what we were doing, and little Lyzzi? She was just a few months old, and still managed to not make a peep. I had her tucked up under the seat, and I knew that if she cried, we were all three dead too, but she just kept quiet."

"Her amma told her ta," Jase explained, smiling at the girl. "So ya are Lyzzi, huh?"

"Yes, sir," she agreed.

Jase offered his hand. "I am Jassant Cynortas, the Ahnor of the iliri, and the Kaisae's first mate. The man on the horse is Syrik Kolton, her third mate, called Taunor. And this..." He gestured to Sal. "She is the Kaisae of all Anglia. It is a pleasure ta meet ya, because the two of ya are the last of yer kind, we think."

"Which is why we hoped you'd take her," Bosko said. "She's almost a woman, and it won't be long before she's looking for a mate of her own, so she needs to learn the culture. Varip and I? We just want to make sure she's happy, and there's rumors that Anglia has a school for the iliri. When we heard the army was coming back through southern Namisa, well..." He tilted his head to the bags. "Figured it wouldn't hurt to ask."

"What about you?" Sal asked.

The men once again shared a look. "We're not iliri," Varip said.

Zep laughed from behind them, proving that not only had all of Sal's mates moved closer to see this, but the entire army had stopped. "Sir," Zep said, "anyone brave enough to be the family of an iliri is also iliri themselves in the eyes of Anglia. Well, that's how I understand the law. Dom?"

"Close enough," Dom agreed, nudging his horse closer. "I also think that if the King and Kaisae agree to this, then the Orassae won't have any problems. Anglia is a large country, gentlemen. I think we could use a few good farmers."

"But we have a farm," Bosko said, "and it won't be the same if we can't live with her."

"I don't draw lines between the species," Sal assured them. "That human," and she pointed at Zep, "is iliri. That one," she pointed at Tyr, "isn't. They're both my mates. They're all my family. And your adopted daughter? She's very special."

"How special?" Varip asked.

Sal leaned a little closer. "Heir to the iliri throne of Anglia kind of special. So, would you like to come with us?"

"No," Varip said. "No, ma'am. We've got animals at home who need to be..."

"We need to give them away if we're moving," Bosko said.

Varip huffed out a breath. "And the crops will go bad, so might as well let the neighbor harvest them. But it'll take us weeks to sort that out and pack up stuff."

"Arhhawen," Jase told him. "That is where ya wanna come. Ya can bring her with ya if ya want, or she can ride with us if she prefers."

"With you," Lyzzi said, looking back at her fathers to make sure it was all right. "I want to learn about what I am. They know!"

"And that's why we brought you," Varip assured her.

"I will protect her like she's my own," Jase told him. "And that is na a thing many are offered."

"Yes, sir," Varip said. "Is there anything you need from us? I mean, since it might take a few months to get our things in order?"

"No," Sal assured them. "She will be treated like royalty. The iliri kind, which means lessons, but I give you my word that we will take very good care of her. It's what a pack does."

When the men agreed, Tilso brought the wagon up and not only loaded her things into it, but made a place for the girl to ride beside him. It took a while, but less than an hour later, Anglia was once more headed back home.

"A real Kaisae?" Blaz asked.

Jase was nodding emphatically. "And young. She can na be more than twelve, maybe thirteen. It is likely that she only just began ta feel her dominance a few months ago. My amma will teach her ever' thing she needs ta know."

Sal just lifted her eyes to the sky and smiled. "What are the chances of that, do you think?"

"A Kaisae in Namisa?" Gage asked. "Slim, considering how close they are to Terric. She got lucky, in a way."

"Yeah she did." And Sal pointed. "Ayati has a way of making things work out like that."

In the sky over her head, the lines and tangles of the past, present and future were gone, but she saw a hint of something else. It wasn't a knot that tied around itself. Instead, it was something more like a feeling – no different than the pushes and pulls she'd first felt so long ago.

You did it, Blaec, she thought. You sacrificed yourself to give us a better future, and you finally did it. You managed to change the pattern. I just wish you were still around somehow to see it.

But in her heart, she knew this would be better. This was a new start for the iliri. A second chance, in a way.

And now they had everything they needed to get it right.

Epilogue

Arhhawen, Anglia

The lookouts spotted the army before they reached the western foothills of the Ahnian ridge. From the looks of it, they were all headed to Arhhawen, human and iliri alike. That gave the people at the Kaisae's palace just two days to prepare, but they managed. Extra rooms were cleaned out, lights were brought up, and space was made for horses. Lots of space.

Around noon on the second day, the soldiers finally arrived. Ryali grabbed her daughter and headed down to the courtyard. She could hear orders being given out of sight, blocked by one of the ridges or any of those trees. The smell of horses was strong, making Valri inhale deeply, but when she asked to be put down, Ryali refused.

Then, finally, it happened.

Soldiers in black made their way onto the trail and up the path that led to Arhhawen's main gates. At the front was Sal. The Kaisae's eyes were on the dark facade of the building that she'd never seen before, and a smile was taking over her face. Beside her was Jase, and more men rode close. Ryali couldn't pick them all out, but her eyes were scanning for grey uniforms.

She was so busy with that she didn't realize the Blades had dismounted until Valri began to squirm and squeal with delight. Looking up, Ryali found Zep hurrying toward her.

"Hello, my gorgeous little girl," he crooned at Valri, holding his hands out in a request to hold her.

"She can na play under the horses," Ryali warned him, but she did pass her daughter over.

"No," he said, his words higher than normal in the way humans spoke to their children. "She would try to steal them and ride away, but the horses are too tired for that, so my little girl's going to let them rest, right?"

"Uh huh, dava!" she agreed.

Zep planted a very loud and adorable kiss on the girl's cheek, then moved over beside Ryali. "Dogs are just coming in now. Fifth rider back on the right, sitting on the sooty brown gelding with tall socks in the back and a short one in the front? That's him."

"Joe?" she asked.

Zep nodded. "And I'll take care of this little imp while you finally get to say hi in person."

Her brow furrowed. "Ya do na mind?"

"Seeing my daughter? Of course not! I've been waiting for this for months. Joe? No, Ry. He's a damned good man. Just... if you need a sitter for the night, can I have first dibs?"

"Zep," she hissed.

He just tipped his head that way. "He's the right choice, Ry. Trust me on that."

"Ok."

She looked at Valri again, but the girl was thrilled to finally tell her dava all the stories she'd saved up, and Zep seemed more than willing to listen. That took away her last excuse, so she had to do this. She'd been waiting for the chance to do this. Ever since that first accidental connection between their minds, Joevar had spoken to her every night. Even on the way here. Now, though, she felt terrified, worried that she wouldn't be anything like the woman he imagined.

The man Zep had pointed out had dismounted, but his attention was on his horse. While he loosened the girth, she walked up behind him, clasping her hands before her. He really was short, not much taller than some of the crossbreds, but he was wonderfully broad, and amazingly muscular. Just the way she liked them.

There was only one last thing to do. "Joevar?" she asked.

The sound of his name made him turn, and a million expressions ran across the man's face. Ryali could name every one, because they matched the feeling in her own gut. Fear was there, happiness, anxiety, and hope. But they were all on the most remarkable face. He'd said he wasn't handsome, and he hadn't lied, but that didn't make him ugly.

His jaw was square, his nose wide if a bit crooked, and his lips were the full kind. His eyes were large, though, and dark enough to let her see her own reflection. She noticed the scars on his cheek from acne as a youth, and so much more, but it was all perfect. It fit him, and in her eyes, made him even better.

"Please tell me ya are my Joevar?" she begged.

He jiggled his head in a nervous nod. "Yeah. That's me."

And Ryali threw her arms around his neck and did the most daring thing of all. She kissed him. Without asking, without giving him warning, she pressed her mouth hard against this human's and trusted that he wouldn't mind.

His hands immediately moved to the sides of her face, holding her there, and he kissed back. Not to seduce her, but in desperation. She heard him gasp, felt him groan deep in his throat, and leaned even closer until their entire bodies touched. Without fear or hesitation, his tongue slipped between her teeth, tasting her, and his hands trembled against her skin.

"Go, Joevar!" someone yelled, and a chorus of cheers broke out behind him.

Ryali laughed and pulled away enough to see his face. "Ya are ever'thing I hoped for," she told him. Then she forced out a heavy breath. "And now ya are here. So..." She wrung her hands together, trying to get the courage to speak the words, overly aware that they were out in public.

"What?" he asked, wrapping his palm around her clasped fingers. "What's happened, Ryali?"

"Will ya be my mate?" she blurted out.

For a moment he just stared at her. Ryali searched his face, trying to figure out if that meant no. Had she done something wrong? Was he mad at her?

Then he finally nodded. "Yes. Fuck, I'd be an idiot to say anything else, and of course yes, but that was not what I expected!"

"Ya will?" she asked again.

"In whatever place you'll have me as, yes," he assured her.

And those words let the last of her tension vanish. "Ahnor," she told him. "I do na want a dernor. I just want ya, if ya do na mind?"

"Not at all," he swore. "Damn, but you have just made me the luckiest man in Arhhawen. Fuck, all of Anglia!"

* * *

Sal heard the Devil Dogs cheer Joevar and Ryali's first kiss. It made her smile. So did the feelings coming from Zep as he finally got to spend some time with his daughter. Jase had his arms wrapped around his amma, hugging her finally, after so many years apart. Kolt had vanished to find his son, and from the happiness coming from him, everything was perfect. Gage and Tyr were taking care of the horses, and Blaz was focused on something he found interesting. She had no idea what.

But for the first time in years, she had absolutely nothing she should be doing. No one was watching her back, and there wasn't the constant fear that she was about to be killed. Daring to enjoy it, Sal made her way through the packed courtyard, watching the friends she'd made in battle get the chance to return home.

And there, at the edge of the celebration, the King stood with most of the Verdant Shields, leaning against one of the half-walls used to terrace the uneven terrain. He spotted her coming over and smiled. It was clearly an invitation.

"I do not want to get back on that horse," he admitted.

"Then stay here," Sal offered, tapping her head with her free hand. "Sounds like we have plenty of room to put you up tonight."

Dom just shook his head. "It's not that far by horse, and I do have a kingdom to run. My brother-in-law also wants to see his wife, and I think Ilija's earned it. I mean, he shouldn't wait to meet his new daughter, after all. Just make sure you tell Joe congratulations from me? Yeah, and I wanted to thank Ryali personally, but sounds like she might be busy."

"Yeah," Sal said. "She asked him to be her mate."

"Nice," Dom said. Then he pointed at her. "Where are your male appendages?"

"My mates?"

He nodded.

"Reuniting with family, organizing the horses, and Blaz is... I think he's reading something."

"The doors," Dom said.

"Doors?" Sal shook her head, not understanding.

So he pointed at the entrance to Arhhawen. "I had them put an inscription on them. Just a little something from one species to another. Kinda my way of saying thank you for all of this."

"I should be the one thanking you," Sal pointed out. "The building is... " She paused, looking for the right word. "It's stunning."

"And dark, cold, never mind that it's close to Dorton. It's perfect for you, Sal. And up there is the school." He pointed to the north.

Sal turned, finding a large building made of the same dark stone that stretched above even these large trees. It wasn't exactly what she'd imagined, but it was just as good. Still, the newness of it all made it hard to accept that this place was actually their home. No, her home, because the deed and title to this land were clearly in her name.

"Ok," Sal said, moving to lean beside Dom, pushing in between him and Vanja. "So, I know that I don't have any reason to expect another favor from you, but I'm going to ask one anyway."

"And I'll do my best to make it happen," Dom promised. "Whatcha need?"

"I want to send an iliri diplomat to Dorton. Someone to be housed there on a permanent basis. Welcome back anytime, of course, but I'm talking a resident ambassador to speak for me if you ever need it."

"Ok..." Dom said, dragging the word out. "I mean, I'm not going to lose the link, am I?"

"Of course not," Sal assured him. "Just give me this, Dom? And if you can sell it to the other nobles, that will be even better."

"Sure. Done. Now, who am I hauling back with me?"

She smiled deviously. "Ilus Kayden Savis."

Recognizing the name, Dom barked out a surprised laugh. "Shift? You're making him live in Dorton?"

"He's always been comfortable around humans, and..." She gestured at Dom. "I think he might want to be where his two favorite people are."

"Aw," Ilija teased from his place further down. "Dom's got a boyfriend."

"Mate," Dag corrected. "Not even worth joking about, sir. Mates are different. Like a best friend with a kinky side, or so it sounds."

Ilija just tossed up his hands in defeat. "Even my own men are thwarting me now."

"Get used to it," Dom warned him, "because you're all going to be assigned as my Palace Guard." Then he groaned. "Fuck, I do not want to go back to the bullshit life of court."

"Then change it," Sal told him.

Ilija was nodding. "I think we should, Dom. You, Sal, and Rragri? No one knows how this new triad really works yet. So get rid of the bullshit, shock them all with this new confident King they have, and let's fucking change the world."

"Or at least our little corner of it," Sal clarified.

"After all," Vanja said, "when your heir's heirs are born? That's gonna kinda fuck up this whole division of species thing."

"Equal," Sal told Dom. "That was always the goal. Not separate, not better or worse. We can still be different, but that doesn't have to stop us from proving that we're all just, at the heart of it all - "

"People," Dom finished for her. "Yeah. Let's do it, Sal. I mean, it's not like we have any other battles to fight, right?"

She pulled off her glove and offered him her bare hand. "I'm in."

But the moment he clasped her hand, she pulled, using that to get close enough to wrap her free arm around his neck in a tight hug. Dom let go of her hand and wrapped both of his arms around her back.

"Thank you, Sal," he breathed into her hair. "For making me into the kind of man I can be proud of."

She just shook her head, unable to find any words to work. Her throat was too tight, emotion closing it up, so instead, she used her mind.

You set me free. All of us. Il bax genause, Kaisor. I owe you my very existence.

Then we're equal. And he leaned back to smile at her. Which means we finally got it right.

Table of Contents

Contents
Rise of the Iliri
Copyright
Ogun - Northern Continent
Risen - Book Ten
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Epilogue