Jedrek

 

 

 

URGENCY AND WORRY replaced any last hint of arousal I’d just been feeding off. Dex hurried into his pants while I grabbed my boots then quickly yanked a belt festooned with knife sheaths around my waist.

“When? Where?” Fear was the worst feeling, and it filled the room from everyone, rising like turbulent waves.

Dex and the others having disbanded and destroyed the slave market, I’d thought the worst was over.

Apparently I couldn’t have been more wrong.

“What the fuck happened.” Dex drove his feet into his boots.

“I don’t know.” A broken sobbing mess, Prairie could hardly get the words out. “We were sleeping—me, little X, Fallon.”

“I should’ve been there.” X pummeled his fist into the nearest wall, causing a crack that possibly splintered all the way down to the palace’s foundation.

“I didn’t hear anything. Only when I rolled over, and they weren’t there. They’re gone!” Tugging at her hair, Prairie wailed, “Why didn’t I wake up? Why didn’t I wake up!”

Pulling her into his embrace even though he looked on the verge of killing, X held his mate against his chest, and she beat her fists against him.

His jaw tightened, his eyes narrowed like laser beams. “I was with the healer checking on the women from earlier. I should’ve been with Prairie.”

“Where’s Khalon?” Dex asked, looking more and more horrified as the seconds elapsed.

“Don’t know. I’m assuming he was,” X swallowed, “he was taken with Baby X and . . . ” his voice cracked, “my wee Fallon.”

Zane careened into the room, eyes just as starkly wild as X’s.

A small shred of relief spilled across the king’s face.

He pressed Prairie toward him. “You take Laurel and Prairie back to Astrid and stay with them, brother.”

Wheeling around, Prairie shook her head frantically. “No way. I’m going with you too. They’re my children.”

Kerta piled into the quickly crowding chambers. “If you think I’m letting you go without me as well, you’re dead-fucking-wrong.”

Glancing between his mate and his sister, X finally nodded. “Good. You stick close to Prairie. If anything happens to her I won’t survive it.” His voice broke again then lowered. He pointed toward us. “Dex and Jedrek, you head outside, the rest of us will search the palace.”

Dex nodded, picking up his battle-ax.

“One more thing.” X produced a heavy-looking satchel he flung at Dex.

“What’s this?” I asked as Dex slung the bag over one shoulder.

“Supplies. In case you get stuck out in this foul weather.” His eyes flashed, and he clasped Prairie close to his side. “I don’t want to have to worry about anyone else tonight.”

Dressed quickly, Laurel rushed up to us. With her arms around Dex’s and my middles, she guided us down for one quick kiss each. “Stay safe. Find the babies,” and her voice quivered at the end.

There was no further time to worry about her. Zane wouldn’t let anything happen. Not to his Astrid, not to Laurel.

Racing through the halls of the palace, Dex and I quickly made the nearest exit.

Just inside the door—with the nusoon wind howling outside—he turned to me. “Ready for this?”

“As long as you’re beside me.”

Jaw hardened, he unbolted the door. Shoulder braced against the violent rain immediately battering us, he led the way outside.

Dex hefted his heavy ax. I fit two blades into my hands. The search was on.

We battled against the sheer force of the wind, hunting the palace grounds beneath bright white lightning that had the power to strip flesh from bones and leave nothing but a smoking carcass. Rain drenched us immediately, a nearly blinding sheet of slashing wetness that ran in rivulets into our eyes and down our faces.

The vicious elements wouldn’t stop us. Of one mind, Dex and I forged farther and farther away from the palace, following a grid through the forest, pounding on doors of the outliers’ quarters.

We roused Cozmo, who immediately flew into action with us, concern for the two new babies bringing him to the aid of the king and queen.

It wasn’t until we reached the ocean—monstrous waves foaming like wild beasts before dashing down to create craters in the sand—that we heard from X through his innate mind link.

His relief obvious, he fed us new intel:

“Thank the Gods. Khalon found them!”

“Where?” Thoughts echoed, reaching out toward X.

“I heard him. Baby X was crying. Sounded like they were close to the stream that feeds into Lake Ranquil.”

Swiping another lashing of rain from my eyes, I sheathed my daggers and took off at a sprint. Dex matched my long-legged strides, Cozmo’s footsteps pounding behind.

The forest’s trees sheltered us as a brutal hailstorm unleashed its full fury from the roiling night sky. But when we broke into the clearing—much like we had that night we’d come upon Laurel—icy rocks of hail pinged against our skin.

Staying low, we circled the lake, gripping weapons anew. We dodged jags of lightning that made pockets of ground explode and trees catch hot white fire. A different pattern emerged in the sucking sloshy mud—big boot prints that had to belong to Khalon.

Knocking my knuckles against Dex’s shoulder, I pointed westward. West. Why would Khalon be headed away from the palace if he’d rescued the babies?

Breaking into a run, the three of us dashed across the messy terrain. We kept to the far side of Khalon’s trail, gaining ground on the male with his apparent burden of the two babies. We hurried ahead of him, dodging hail and lightning until we were in position to intercept him.

Just as he stepped onto the main westward path, the three of us emerged right in front of him.

His eyes flicked up. Then he bent low, shoulders crawling forward to protect the two babies carried in slings from his shoulders.

“I wouldn’t come any closer if I were you.” Khalon flashed a long blade in our direction.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Dex’s disbelief shone on his face.

I stumbled in confusion.

But then X and Magnar appeared, trailed closely by Prairie and Kerta, forming a barrier behind Khalon.

He spun, his glance sweeping in a wide circle.

Cornered, he strafed to the side, his blade whistling through the air in warning.

Prairie growled, hands clawing outward. “Give them to me!”

X leashed her around the waist with his arm, appearing bigger, badder, deadlier than ever. He whispered something into her ear, and she nodded minutely.

“Just give me the word, and I’ll dust him. And I mean dust him, literally.” Kerta stepped forward.

I’d never witnessed Kerta’s true power before, but now seemed like a good time to let her go full Zenithian princess mode.

X halted her with one hand. He advanced on the male—our comrade—who’d apparently abducted the twins.

“No one’s to touch him until X and Fallon are back in Prairie’s arms.” His voice sounded deceptively calm beneath the crashing sounds of the storm raging overhead.

“I don’t need to touch him to destroy him.” Kerta spread her fingers, and fiery bursts ignited from her fingertips.

“Hot,” Cozmo muttered.

“Not the time, dude.” Gods.

“Give them to me now,” X ordered. “Or I will feed you your own hearts, Khalon.”

The disgraced Valkrane lifted the sling that held Fallon, handing her to the king.

X wrapped her in his arms, cuddling her close before passing her to Prairie whose tears crawled down her already wet face.

“Little X?” She looked up, hearing him squall.

X took his baby boy, hugging him before he gave him to Prairie. Then the king raised his hands, forming a shimmering force field around his family, which protected them from the harsh elements.

With them safe, he drew his sword from its jeweled scabbard with a rasp of fine metal.

The sound like a death knell, Khalon went to his knees in the muddied ground.

“Why?” X asked while we all stood, weapons poised for ultimate destruction.

“I didn’t want to do this.” Head high and eyes steady on his king, Khalon didn’t beg. “It was Truda.”

Dragging the flat of his masterfully honed blade beneath Khalon’s upturned chin, X dropped to his haunches in front of the condemned warrior. “Truda?”

“Your uncle’s consort.”

“He swore he wasn’t involved.” X’s voice throbbed like the thunder above.

“He’s not. It’s all her. She wants to take over. Everything. The entire planet. Re-enslave the humans and treat them like animals. Kill the ones who resist.” Khalon glanced at Prairie, who glared back.

“Why did you go along with it? Did you know about the slave market too?” X removed the blade from Khalon’s throat where it’d pressed just enough to break skin.

He nodded meekly. “I fell into some trouble at the Commander’s outpost. Got addicted to nycane powder. I would be disgraced if the other warriors—if your uncle—found out. Truda promised not to say anything if I could get into the palace. If I could . . .”

“Take my children?” Prairie’s tone was as brittle as her bottle-green eyes.

“Truda’s journeying here now. She timed her final attack to coincide with nusoon season to throw you off your guard.”

“No pun intended, huh?” Dex muttered, tensing beside me.

“She’s the one behind Prairie and Astrid’s attacks?”

Khalon nodded again, wet hair hanging in his eyes.

I punched forward on the squelching ground. “What about Laurel?”

“Laurel? She was never in any danger from me. She’s not important enough.”

“Like hell she’s not.” Utter violence careened through me, and I primed my fist then let sail right across his jaw.

The impact jarred my arm, spun his head, gave me the tiniest amount of satisfaction.

He spat blood on the ground, quickly washed away with the melting hail as the ice storm turned to frozen sleet.

“I do not expect forgiveness. I only ask for a warrior’s death.”

Emotion as raw as the weather crossed X’s face.

He turned to Prairie, pulling her to his side and taking Baby X into his arms. “Meehri, I cannot make this decision.” Cold slithering sleet skimmed down his shoulders. “You will choose whether to grant this male leniency or not.”