Several days later…

"My Queen still doubts that you are the right male for this task, Warrior Ull," Grim said looking across his desk at the Warrior standing there.

"With all due respect to your Queen, King Grim, she knows nothing about me so is in no position to judge my abilities."

"It is not your abilities she doubts, Warrior Ull,” Grim told him. “It is your attitude since the Joining Ceremony. She and Lady Abby speak regularly. As do I and Lord Ynyr."

"They feel they have the right to criticize the assistance I gave them?" Ull questioned, his rose-colored skin darkening in anger. "Assistance they requested? To you?!!"

"Neither complained of your help, Warrior Ull. In fact, Lord Ynyr repeatedly praised you, stating that without you, it would have taken him a great deal longer to get House Jamison in order. It is because of that, Wray chose you for this."

"Then what was their complaint?" It should have eased Ull's temper, hearing that his brother acknowledged and appreciated everything he had done for him. But it didn't. Instead, it made him angrier. Why would it take the word of a third male, Lord or not, for him a first male, to be given this honor? It didn't make sense, but there was a great deal that wasn't making sense to him lately.

"That you seemed... unlike yourself since the Joining Ceremony."

"They are wrong."

"I hope so because your brother warriors’ futures, and perhaps that of our entire Empire, depend on the outcome of this mission." Grim let that hang for a moment then reached out to hand Ull a memory crystal. "This is the transmission Lisa recorded for her friend, Trisha. You must find her, convince her to view it, and convince her to help."

"She will," Ull growled. "My vow."

 

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

 

"Rebecca," Grim and Ull walked to where his Lisa and a group were standing next to the shuttles. One would take Ull to the Searcher, while the other would take General Rayner, Jennifer, and Rebecca to the General's ship, the Defender. It had been decided that Rebecca would travel on the Kaliszian ship as Jennifer had become progressively sicker in the mornings. "I have informed Lord Callen that you will be on Pontus."

"What?" Rebecca asked sharper than she had intended. "Why would you do that?"

"Because Vesta is the closest Tornian planet to Pontus, and is where others will be told you are should any inquire. Its Lord needed to be informed."

"Oh, of course."

"Lord Callen is also the one that will be returning you to Luda when the time comes. Should you need him before that, for anything, contact him with this." Grim handed her a small, palm-sized object. "It is secure and will not allow others to know where you are. That is important, Rebecca. Should it become known that we have allowed a compatible female to leave our Empire..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I understand. So my cover is that I'm meeting with Lord Callen."

"Cover?"

"Reason for going," she explained.

"That would be truth then."

“Rebecca!” Every head turned to see Miki running across the grounds toward them, weaving her way through the bodies that separated her from her goal. Three guards were trying to keep up.

“Miki?” Rebecca knelt down as Miki reached her. "What's wrong?"

“You can’t leave!” Miki told her breathlessly. "Not without these."

Rebecca's frown turned into a smile as she opened the bag Miki had shoved into her hands. "You brought me cookies?"

"Yeah, Mommy used to always make them for us when we went on a long trip, so I thought you should have some too."

"Thank you, Miki." Rebecca hugged the little girl. "I'm sure these will make my trip much more enjoyable."

Miki smiled then backed away from Rebecca until she ran into her manno's legs. Or at least she thought they were her manno's, but when she looked up, she found herself looking into the dark eyes of Warrior Ull. Eyes that, for a moment, were darker than they should be.

"Miki," Grim lifted her up into his arms. "What have we told you about running from your guards?" That had her gaze moving to him instead of where it had remained locked on Ull's.

"But I wasn't, Manno," she told him earnestly. "Vow. I just didn't want Rebecca to leave without her cookies."

Grim released a heavy sigh realizing this was a subject he would be addressing again and again as his little one grew.

"King Grim," General Rayner's lips twitched as he nodded slightly, "and Princess Miki. It is time for us to depart."

"Safe travels, General Rayner. Remember you are carrying treasured cargo," Grim looked to Rebecca.

"No one knows that better than I do, King Grim," Treyvon told him, but his gaze went to his Jennifer.

"Bye, Uncle Treyvon. Bye, Aunt Jennifer. Bye, Rebecca." Miki waved as they walked away and Lisa didn't bother to correct her that technically she was wrong. Her girls had eagerly accepted Treyvon and Jen into the family, and if this was the way they wanted to express it, then she'd let them.

 

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

 

Ull tipped his head to the side slightly, watching the group say their goodbyes and felt nothing. No, that wasn't truth, he felt something… something dark.

‘We shouldn’t be working with the Kaliszians.’ The thought insidiously whispered through his mind. ‘They are weak. We can take what they have, take what Earth has. That would better serve our brother warriors. It would make them see who the worthy and fit one was in his family.’

Ull didn’t know where these thoughts were coming from, but they made sense. There was no guarantee his mission to Earth would succeed. After all, what did the Emperor know? He was allowing a female to influence his decisions, just like the King of Luda was, as was the Supreme Commander of Kaliszian Defenses. It made them weak. Females were only ever meant for one thing. All females.

His gaze went to the little one in the King’s arms and was surprised to find her staring unflinchingly back at him.

“Beware the darkness that speaks to you.” Miki's words while quiet were spoken in a voice much older, wiser, and more powerful than hers could ever be. “It knows where you are most vulnerable when you are at your weakest. It then lies to you with the truth, making you believe and do things you never otherwise would. Terrible things. Beware the darkness, Warrior Ull.”

“Miki,” Grim growled looking down at his youngest in shock. Her hand, the one with the Raptor’s Eye, gripped his neck and for a moment he felt such power radiating from it that he thought it would burn him, and her eyes seemed to glow.

“What, Manno?” she asked, her voice once again full of innocence, her touch was cool, and her eyes were the beautiful amber of her mother’s.

Grim’s gaze went to Ull to demand what had just happened, only to find the Warrior closing the hatch of his shuttle.

“I should have brought cookies for Warrior Ull," Miki said, watching as the shuttle flew away. “He’s not very happy.”

“That is truth, little one.” Grim’s concerned gaze remained on the shuttle.

“Maybe Trisha’s cookies will make him happy. They’re the best.”